Parents' Guide to Goldfinger

Movie PG 1964 110 minutes
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Common Sense Media Review

By David Gurney , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 13+

Third Bond film is iconic; drinking, smoking, sexism.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 10+

Based on 15 parent reviews

age 11+

Based on 49 kid reviews

Kids say the film is a classic and one of the best in the franchise, showcasing thrilling action and humor alongside significant issues regarding its portrayal of women and violence. While many applaud Sean Connery's performance and the engaging plot, several reviews note the outdated sexist themes and inappropriate content that may not be suitable for younger audiences.

  • action-packed
  • outdated sexism
  • iconic performances
  • moderate violence
  • humor included
Summarized with AI

What's the Story?

In GOLDFINGER, James Bond (Sean Connery) is asked to monitor Auric Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe), an international gold merchant whom the British government suspects is plotting something vaguely fiendish. Goldfinger's plan is found to be a rather elaborate, dangerous assault on Fort Knox, the United States' gold reserve.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 15 ):
Kids say ( 49 ):

The third film in the James Bond series finds Connery playing up the more shameless, sassier side of Bond for the first time, following the more serious stakes of Dr. No. Goldfinger spends far more time on Bond's gadgetry (particularly his heavily modified Aston Martin) and womanizing than it does on his foiling of Goldfinger's devious scheme. More than anything else, Bond's luck and charm seem to allow him to drift in and out of danger while rather inadvertently saving the day.

For these reasons, this film truly serves as the template for all subsequent Bond movies. There's an emphasis on humor even in the direst of circumstances. Connery plays Bond with seemingly little effort, and his charm is hard to resist, even when he's dismissively tapping a female friend's buttocks to push her out of the frame, telling her that it's time for "man's work." (Oh, James ... ).

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Bond's attitude toward women in Goldfinger and in general. Does his constant use of them as objects -- or treating them as pushovers -- seem necessary to create his cool image?

  • Is it right for Bond to use force in service of his government-appointed mission? Do you think real spies act this way? Why, or why not?

  • Why do you think James Bond films have been so popular for so many decades?

Movie Details

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