10 Ridiculous F**k Yous In Famous Films

6. Auric Goldfinger Is Based On An Architect Ian Fleming Hated

Goldfinger1 You don't make it to 23 films without suffering a fallout behind the camera, and the Bond franchise is no exception to the rule. Now a finely-polished corporate product, the adventures of Britain's favourite amoral superspy was a much different affair back when Ian Fleming was still alive and exerting his considerable influence on the films. In-keeping with his reputation as an all-round badass (seriously, read about his army career), Fleming was often quick to anger and not above inserting jibes in his books, and by extension, his films. Case in point, classic villain Auric Goldfinger. You might think his name is too fantastic to be real, but you'd be wrong €“ Goldfinger is an unsubtle take-down of Erno Goldfinger, an architect of whose personality, buildings and beliefs Fleming wasn't overly fond. Seriously, that's all it took for an immortal lampooning €“ some ugly buildings (he's partly responsible for London's eyesore tower blocks) and communist sympathies. Justifiably annoyed at seeing himself turned into a diminutive, traitorous megalomaniac, Goldfinger attempted to sue and that's where things got childish. The writer made his position even clearer €“ if he had to bow to studio pressure and say his villain wasn't based on Goldfinger, he'd label him Goldprick instead. It's at this point that Goldfinger's lawyers backed down, presumably scared by what the hell Fleming might've tried next. Presumably, it would involve a title even more suited to porn.
Contributor
Contributor

Durham University graduate and qualified sports journalist. Very good at sitting down and watching things. Can multi-task this with playing computer games. Football Manager addict who has taken Shrewsbury Town to the summit of the Premier League. You can follow me at @Ed_OwenUK, if you like ramblings about Newcastle United and A Place in the Sun. If you don't, I don't know what I can do for you.