TheJames Bondfranchise has changed a lot since it got started back in 1962, but there’s one scene that sums up the timeless appeal of 007. Although there have been six different actors who have played Bond across 25 different movies, some things never change. In fact, one of the firstBondmovies sums up what still makes the franchise tick.
Some of thebestJames Bondmoviesare famous for huge stunts and explosive action set pieces, but there are also things that makeBondstand out when compared to other action movies. The franchise has always had a unique sense of style, with plenty of beloved traditions which keep popping up year after year.
There are certain things which makeJames Bondwhat it is, such as the spy-fi gadgets, megalomaniacal villains and sharp tuxedos. Other spy movies can ape these icons, but they will only ever look like they’re imitatingBond.It’s been this way ever since the Sean Connery era, and one of his best scenes illustrates this point perfectly.
Why Goldfinger’s Interrogation Scene Is Still So Good
The Laser Scene Gets The Fundamentals Spot On
Goldfingeris a high point for theJames Bondfranchise, and the interrogation scene with 007 strapped to a table while a laser slowly advances on him is just one reason why. The scene comes after Bond has been captured by Goldfinger, who drops all pretenses and reveals his true plan to his adversary.
There are a few key reasons why this scene still holds up so well, starting with the fact that it’s a highlight for Goldfinger, who’s still one of thebestBondvillainsof all time. Gert Fröbe’s performance set the standard for the franchise in some ways, since he provides a potent mix of menace and sheer unhinged volatility.
Goldfinger’s seemingly blasé attitude adds to the tension of the scene. For Bond, it’s a potentially lethal situation with very little hope of escape, but for Goldfinger it seems mundane and unremarkable. Despite his unusual method of trying to kill Bond, it seems as if he’s grown dispassionate to the act of taking another man’s life.
The strange method of torture actually ends up making Goldfinger seem more imposing, since it suggests he has grown weary of more traditional ideas, and he’s sadistically searching for new and inventive ways of making people squirm just before they die.
The interrogation scene is also a masterclass in economical, character-specific dialogue, as Bond bargains for his life with increasing desperation, and Goldfinger rebuffs his suggestions with a humorous facade. The music and the close-ups only add to the tension of this high-stakes game of bluff.
Goldfinger’s Interrogation Scene Sums Up Bond As A Franchise
The Scene Wouldn’t Make Sense In Another Franchise
The interrogation scene inGoldfingeris right up there with the most iconic in the entireJames Bondfranchise. More so than any ski chase, fist fight or seduction, this scene is something that could only take place in theBonduniverse. Indeed, there have been several variations on the same idea throughout the franchise’s history.
This one scene contains many of the most recognizable hallmarks ofBond,starting with the deranged villain toying with 007 like a cat with a mouse. Goldfinger’s use of a high-tech gadget is another one, as is his needlessly convoluted approach to dispatching the one man who can scupper his plans.
Connery is at his best in the interrogation scene, demonstrating Bond at his most cunning and defiant. These are character traits that have run throughout the franchise, just like the way Bond always knows what to say. While Goldfinger discards his initial witticisms,Bond has no choice but to talk his way out of troublewith his hands cuffed to the table.
TheBondfranchise has often been at the cutting edge of big-screen action, but these refined scenes of exquisite tension are just as important to the enduring appeal of 007. From the implied sexuality of Goldfinger threatening Bond’s manhood to the emotionless goons in the background, the interrogation scene isJames Bondin a nutshell.
