Guy-Hamilton Movie Reviews


THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIE
I've reviewed this twice,passionately.

no mister Bond I expect you to die!!
IMHO, 60's Bond was the best...*Shirley Bassey's great rendition of the title song.
*the classic Aston-Martin DB5 with all the gadgets.
*the strong female lead with that name: Pussy Galore!
*one of the coolest and most beloved henchman/sidekicks in the series: Odd Job(love the grin and hat).
*one of the most ambitious, greedy, resourceful villains ever(well played by Gert Frobe-hard to believe he was dubbed in the movie as the audio commentary pointed out).
*classic scenes like Shirley Eaton covered in gold, the "laser beam" scene, the rumpus room, and the end fight.
*good plotline, and good plot to break in to Fort Knox...with a slight twist(love the scene where 007 is figuring out the plot and Goldfinger seems genuinely pleased that someone recognizes his 'genius')
*ok, so Kentucky ain't too exotic(unless you're from Switzerland I guess), but the Swiss Alps and inside a 'pretend' Fort Knox? You don't see that everyday.
All great stuff. The other guys had some good movies in their reign as Bond, but I think Connery was on a roll with From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, and Thunderball. There was so much style and a special aura that defined what Bond/spy/adventure films should be during that 3-film stint. And after all the praise I have for Goldfinger(just recently got the dvd), for the record, it's not even my all-time favorite. That belongs to THUNDERBALL: #1, Largo with the eye patch, the Spectre organization, Claudine Auger in shades on the beach, the jet pack, the underwater fight, etc....oh man. Sorry, back to Goldfinger. Buy the dvd, lots of great extras(2 commentaries, 2 documentaries, etc). If you're a fan, you're not reading this cause you own it. But to non-fans, the film alone is worth the absurdly low price and the loads of extras are what every dvd collector would want. Highly recommended for anyone.
The archetypal "Bond movie" is bornGOLDFINGER is a fan favourite; many, in fact, claim it is the best of the film series. It has a couple of elements to recommend it to that honour. It does introduce two of Bond's most memorable characters. Honor Blackman plays Pussy Galore as an antagonistic Bond girl often to be imitated. Harold Sakata's Oddjob is still recognizable as one of the most silently intimidating and scene-stealing henchmen ever filmed. Michael Collins, dubbing over Gert Frobe's acting as the title villain, tosses off now-cliched dialogue with flawless timing, making a line everyone has heard a hundred times still seem fresh and menacing. The movie, however also has its flaws. The dubbing is as problematic as in the earlier two installments. There are a couple of plot details thinly-sketched enough to drive a gold Rolls Royce through. The post-production editing is lacking, with ragged cuts and, in at least one case, inserts footage contradicting the dialogue. Modern viewers may find a number of elements in the movie tired, even while recognizing that they were, in some cases, first used in this film.
The DVD's introductory menu is the most visually-appealing so far, but, unfortunately, the "Making of..." documentary has taken the admirable reserve of the earlier two documentaries into the realm of "simply dull". Along with a number of other goodies, it features a radio interview with Sean Connery.
This GOLDFINGER "Special Edition" package is sure to please Bond fans new and old.


no mister Bond I expect you to die!!
IMHO, 60's Bond was the best...*Shirley Bassey's great rendition of the title song.
*the classic Aston-Martin DB5 with all the gadgets.
*the strong female lead with that name: Pussy Galore!
*one of the coolest and most beloved henchman/sidekicks in the series: Odd Job(love the grin and hat).
*one of the most ambitious, greedy, resourceful villains ever(well played by Gert Frobe-hard to believe he was dubbed in the movie as the audio commentary pointed out).
*classic scenes like Shirley Eaton covered in gold, the "laser beam" scene, the rumpus room, and the end fight.
*good plotline, and good plot to break in to Fort Knox...with a slight twist(love the scene where 007 is figuring out the plot and Goldfinger seems genuinely pleased that someone recognizes his 'genius')
*ok, so Kentucky ain't too exotic(unless you're from Switzerland I guess), but the Swiss Alps and inside a 'pretend' Fort Knox? You don't see that everyday.
All great stuff. The other guys had some good movies in their reign as Bond, but I think Connery was on a roll with From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, and Thunderball. There was so much style and a special aura that defined what Bond/spy/adventure films should be during that 3-film stint. And after all the praise I have for Goldfinger(just recently got the dvd), for the record, it's not even my all-time favorite. That belongs to THUNDERBALL: #1, Largo with the eye patch, the Spectre organization, Claudine Auger in shades on the beach, the jet pack, the underwater fight, etc....oh man. Sorry, back to Goldfinger. Buy the dvd, lots of great extras(2 commentaries, 2 documentaries, etc). If you're a fan, you're not reading this cause you own it. But to non-fans, the film alone is worth the absurdly low price and the loads of extras are what every dvd collector would want. Highly recommended for anyone.
The archetypal "Bond movie" is bornGOLDFINGER is a fan favourite; many, in fact, claim it is the best of the film series. It has a couple of elements to recommend it to that honour. It does introduce two of Bond's most memorable characters. Honor Blackman plays Pussy Galore as an antagonistic Bond girl often to be imitated. Harold Sakata's Oddjob is still recognizable as one of the most silently intimidating and scene-stealing henchmen ever filmed. Michael Collins, dubbing over Gert Frobe's acting as the title villain, tosses off now-cliched dialogue with flawless timing, making a line everyone has heard a hundred times still seem fresh and menacing. The movie, however also has its flaws. The dubbing is as problematic as in the earlier two installments. There are a couple of plot details thinly-sketched enough to drive a gold Rolls Royce through. The post-production editing is lacking, with ragged cuts and, in at least one case, inserts footage contradicting the dialogue. Modern viewers may find a number of elements in the movie tired, even while recognizing that they were, in some cases, first used in this film.
The DVD's introductory menu is the most visually-appealing so far, but, unfortunately, the "Making of..." documentary has taken the admirable reserve of the earlier two documentaries into the realm of "simply dull". Along with a number of other goodies, it features a radio interview with Sean Connery.
This GOLDFINGER "Special Edition" package is sure to please Bond fans new and old.


Yes, It's a melodrama, but they knew how to make them
Selznick's Second Masterpiece!
No Wonder We Won!I found it awkward when the immigrant co-worker of Colbert recited the Lazarus poem off the Statue of Liberty, particularly in view of the segregation of American society and the military. That couldn't be helped in this production, of course.
The entire production is typical of the best of Hollywood then--in other words, yet to be matched by today's filmmakers. The richness of the black-and-white, the basic camera work, the perfect sets. It's why I love these old films.
True, this film is a tearjerker. Nothing wrong with that. True, it might be viewed as a form of propoganda. Nothing wrong with that, either. It remains an eloquent testament to a nation and a time when the 'bad guys' were easy to identify. At the least, I hope viewing this will remind all of us to contribute to the WW II Memorial in Washington!
BTW when is this coming out on DVD?


Yes, It's a melodrama, but they knew how to make them
Selznick's Second Masterpiece!
No Wonder We Won!I found it awkward when the immigrant co-worker of Colbert recited the Lazarus poem off the Statue of Liberty, particularly in view of the segregation of American society and the military. That couldn't be helped in this production, of course.
The entire production is typical of the best of Hollywood then--in other words, yet to be matched by today's filmmakers. The richness of the black-and-white, the basic camera work, the perfect sets. It's why I love these old films.
True, this film is a tearjerker. Nothing wrong with that. True, it might be viewed as a form of propoganda. Nothing wrong with that, either. It remains an eloquent testament to a nation and a time when the 'bad guys' were easy to identify. At the least, I hope viewing this will remind all of us to contribute to the WW II Memorial in Washington!
BTW when is this coming out on DVD?


Not bad for 1954
The real Dragnet in all its original splendour.
Captures the essence of one of the best crime dramas of 50s

The Sun Comes Up
I finally found it!!!!
How I chose my name

Murder is 'just one of those things'The plot follows the classic Christie template (see Death on the Nile, Murder on the Orient Express) of a group of people gathered together, with one being particularly nasty and unlikeable and (surprise, surprise!!) is murdered, with all of the remaining characters having a motive for putting this person out of the way. While this movie doesn't move too far away from the template, it rewards the viewer with an intriguing yet fun couple of hours.
The performances from all of the actors on board are excellent - yes they are over the top (especially Roddy McDowell's bitchy Rex Brewster and Sylvia Miles's droning Myra Gardener) but that makes them all the more endearing. Maggie Smith is obviously having loads of fun as the hotel proprieter, Daphne Castle, and her scenes with Ustinov have great energy. However Diana Rigg all but steals the film as the "ageing" actress, Arlena Marshall, a prize and completely ostentatious vamp. Ustinov is again on fine form as Poirot and relishes the chance to add his stamp to a character already memorably portrayed on screen by Albert Finney.
This film offers a great opportunity to actors out of their normal milieu (the aforementioned Smith and Rigg, as well as the luminous Jane Birkin) and is almost worth watching for that alone. Added to that is a great soundtrack of Cole Porter numbers which indelibly places this movie in the 1930's. While it does deviate from the setting and characters of Christie's source novel, that doesn't detract it from being an superb addition to the canon of Christie films.
A movie I can watch over and over again...
Mystery galore...

Murder is 'just one of those things'The plot follows the classic Christie template (see Death on the Nile, Murder on the Orient Express) of a group of people gathered together, with one being particularly nasty and unlikeable and (surprise, surprise!!) is murdered, with all of the remaining characters having a motive for putting this person out of the way. While this movie doesn't move too far away from the template, it rewards the viewer with an intriguing yet fun couple of hours.
The performances from all of the actors on board are excellent - yes they are over the top (especially Roddy McDowell's bitchy Rex Brewster and Sylvia Miles's droning Myra Gardener) but that makes them all the more endearing. Maggie Smith is obviously having loads of fun as the hotel proprieter, Daphne Castle, and her scenes with Ustinov have great energy. However Diana Rigg all but steals the film as the "ageing" actress, Arlena Marshall, a prize and completely ostentatious vamp. Ustinov is again on fine form as Poirot and relishes the chance to add his stamp to a character already memorably portrayed on screen by Albert Finney.
This film offers a great opportunity to actors out of their normal milieu (the aforementioned Smith and Rigg, as well as the luminous Jane Birkin) and is almost worth watching for that alone. Added to that is a great soundtrack of Cole Porter numbers which indelibly places this movie in the 1930's. While it does deviate from the setting and characters of Christie's source novel, that doesn't detract it from being an superb addition to the canon of Christie films.
A movie I can watch over and over again...
Mystery galore...

Moore's first gets off on the right footThe movie is a fun adventure, with a so-so villain, an interesting Bond girl (Jane Seymour, practically the only one who had a career afterwards), and a boat chase that goes on WAY too long. It also features Bond's first (and so far only) movie trip to New York City. The movie has a nice pace (aside from the chase), good changes of location, and it's just fun. Not a series highlight, but one that sits firmly in the middle of Bond's adventures.
Moore's 1st and a fun flick!
ONE OF MY FAVORITE JAMES BOND MOVIES