Goldfinger (1964)

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Goldfinger: “Mint julep? Traditional, but satisfying.”

Overview: James Bond thwarts Auric Goldfinger’s plan to irradiate the U.S. gold supply at Fort Knox. He also gets to drive the world’s coolest car, and need we mention Pussy Galore?

What does Bond drink?

• During the pre-credits sequence (set in Latin America), Bond stands at a bar and checks his watch as the bomb he planted in the heroin facility goes off. He does not drink.
• When we first see Bond in Miami Beach receiving a massage from Dink, he has an indeterminate drink on the concrete beside him. The drink appears dark (possibly a rum and Coke) and is in a tall glass with a straw. It’s reasonably safe to assume that if 007 is getting a massage by a pool in Miami, he would have an alcoholic drink.
• In his hotel suite with Jill Masterson, Bond picks up a bottle of Dom Perignon ’53 from an ice bucket, and notes “It’s lost its chill. There’s another in the fridge.” As he gets up to fetch the bottle, Jill asks, “Who needs it?” Bond replies “My dear girl, there are some things that just aren’t done, such as drinking Dom Perignon ’53 above the temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s as bad as listening to The Beatles without ear muffs.” (Okay, Bond sometimes tends to be a bit square.) A half-empty (unless you’re an optimist) glass of champagne is seen on a dresser. (For more on 007 and Dom Perignon, see the Brands section. For more on Bond and the Beatles, check out one of the most brilliant sites in cyberspace.)
• Just before he is knocked out by Oddjob, Bond rummages around the refrigerator for the other bottle of Dom Perignon ’53, saying to himself, “Now, where is this passion juice?”
• During the dinner with M and Colonel Smithers, we see that the three men have each had at least one glass of what appears to be port wine (it’s not uncommon to have port after dinner with dessert or cheese). Smithers asks Bond to “Have a little more of this disappointing brandy.” After M asks what’s wrong with it, Bond replies “I’d say it was a 30-year-old Fine indifferently blended, sir.” He sniffs the decanter, and then adds, “With an overdose of Bons Bois.” M snips, “Colonel Smithers is giving the lecture, 007.” (Later, M sniffs the brandy to see what the fuss is about.) During the exchange, Bond refills his snifter from the decanter.

So, what did all that mean? For those of us who don’t speak brandy, Cognac can be made with grapes from six different growing areas within the Cognac region, with each area distinguished by its soil. Fins Bois and Bons Bois are two of these areas. Grapes from these two areas are not considered to be as high in quality as those from the Grande Champagne or Petite Champagne areas, hence 007’s remark. For more, cognac.fr offers an excellent interactive map showing the various growing regions.

• On Goldfinger’s Lockheed Jet Star, Mei-Lei asks, “Can I do something for you, Mr. Bond?” Bond considers, and replies, “Just a drink. A martini, shaken, not stirred.” The cocktail arrives in an elaborate gold-accented glass, and is garnished with lemon peel. Bond raises the glass towards Pussy Galore, and says “Well, here’s to Operation Grand Slam.” Pussy, who obviously has no knowledge of Goldfinger’s real intentions, does not react. After she leaves, 007 takes a big drink from the martini.
• After he changes his clothes, Bond drinks from a large snifter of brandy. (It appears he has just finished a meal.) He is seen holding the drink at two separate times.
• On Goldfinger’s front porch at Auric Stud, the villain offers Bond a mint julep, adding it’s “traditional but satisfying.” Bond accepts, and tells the man getting the drink, “Sour mash, but not too sweet, please.” Later, as Bond tries to figure out what Goldfinger’s ultimate plan is, Goldfinger asks “The julep tart enough for you?”

Other people’s drinks: Before Bond’s arrival on the front porch, Goldfinger and Pussy Galore both drink mint juleps.

Other observations:

• During the main title credits, Bond is seen drinking the martini on Goldfinger’s jet, and lifting the empty bottle of Dom Perignon ’53 from the ice bucket.
• The five members of Pussy Galore’s Flying Circus are also called Champagne Section.

Memorable quotes:

• Bond: “You’re a woman of many parts, Pussy. I believe the bourbon and branch water’s rather splendid here in Kentucky.”
• Bond: “I suppose I’ll be able to get a drink here?”
  Leiter: “I told the stewardess, liquor for three.”
  Bond: “Who are the other two?”
  Leiter: “Oh, there are no other two.”

Product placement: None, although Kentucky Fried Chicken gets a leg up on everyone else.

By the book: Based on Goldfinger (1959). Not much in common, except that Bond and Jill have champagne together (on a train), and Bond drinks a lot of bourbon, but not while he’s in Kentucky. It’s the first time that 007’s drinks during a specific mission seriously differ from those enjoyed by his literary counterpart.

Total: Eight. Three brandies, one port wine, one vodka martini, one mint julep, at least half a bottle of Dom Perignon ’53, and one undetermined liquor drink. For sheer volume, Goldfinger may very well be Bond’s Lost Weekend.