Goldfinger

(Guy Hamilton, UK/US 1964, 110 min., 35mm)

Goldfinger represents the moment the Bond series cemented itself as a cultural icon. Featured are all the tropes that would appear consistently throughout the series: a narcissistic super villain, a henchman with whimsical fighting skills (a deadly hat!), a bawdy-named love interest, a gadget-equipped car, and a big climactic action set piece. It also has the first traces of a feminist outlook for the series, with franchise-favorite Bond Girl Pussy Galore holding her own. After going international in the first two films, the series narrowed its focus for the third, resulting in a tightly written classic of the action genre. Featuring the iconic Shirley Bassey theme song to which all other Bond themes are compared.