20 Things You Didn’t Know About Goldfinger (1964)
11. “As You Said, He Had A Pressing Engagement!”
Screenwriter, Wolf Mankowitz introduced Cubby Broccoli to Harry Saltzman, who held the film rights to most of the Bond novels, and co-wrote Dr. No (1962), but asked that his name be removed from the credits for fear of it being a flop.
Nevertheless, the producers confided in him that they were struggling to find a way to dispose of Mr Solo (Martin Benson) in Goldfinger. Having read an article in The Times on Mafia bosses who crushed their victims in old vehicles placed in car compactors, Mankowitz suggested this idea for a fee of £500.
The producers decided not to add blood to the scene and used a brand new Lincoln Continental which, despite President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in November 1963, was still regarded as a luxury car by American audiences, who were shocked to see it being crushed in the finished film. The crew who crushed it remained entirely silent on-set, completely in awe of their task.
Sound effects editor, Norman Wanstall used crumpled empty beer cans to achieve the noise of the Lincoln Continental being crushed. He won an Academy Award for Best Sound Effects for Goldfinger - the first time that a Bond film won an Oscar.