20 Things You Didn’t Know About Goldfinger (1964)

17. “You Know, You’re Lucky To Be Alive!” “No Thanks To You!”

Goldfinger, James Bond
MGM/UA

When the producers asked the Ford Motor Company to provide a Lincoln Continental for filming, explaining that they intended to crush the luxury car onscreen, the American motorcar firm agreed, but only if other Ford vehicles were featured in the film.

As a result, even though James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 and Goldfinger’s 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III are the centre of attention, the film is also a showcase for Ford motorcars.

The producers even agreed to promote the-then unreleased 1965 Ford Mustang driven by Tilly Masterson in Goldfinger which, despite its incongruous appearance in the Furka Pass in Switzerland, marked the mainstream motion picture debut of a Mustang.

The tyre shredder in the Aston Martin DB5, which Bond uses to run the Mustang off the road, was inspired by the scythed wheels of the chariots in Ben-Hur (1959).

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I started writing for WhatCulture in July 2020. I have always enjoyed reading and writing. I have contributed to several short story competitions and I have occasionally been fortunate enough to have my work published. During the COVID-19 lockdown, I also started reviewing films on my Facebook page. Numerous friends and contacts suggested that I should start my own website for reviewing films, but I wanted something a bit more diverse - and so here I am! My interests focus on film and television mainly, but I also occasionally produce articles that venture into other areas as well. In particular, I am a fan of the under appreciated sequel (of which there are many), but I also like the classics and the mainstream too.