Goldfinger vs From Russia with Love

I’ve dithered for decades over my favourite James Bond film, but on Goldfinger’s 60th anniversary, I finally decided a winner

Credit: Eon Productions/United Artists

This year marks the 60th anniversary of classic James Bond film Goldfinger (1964). For that reason, I decided to give it yet another rewatch, in an attempt to settle once and for all whether I prefer it to the previous classic Bond film, From Russia with Love (1963). These are my top two films in the series, but I’ve never quite been able to decide which one wins my personal top spot.

There’s a third potential candidate I frequently consider: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), the much-underrated dark horse of the series, and the only James Bond film to star George Lazenby. I’ve written about this film elsewhere, and have occasionally been tempted to elevate it, but generally, I’ve always relegated it to bronze medal position, so I won’t complicate matters by bringing it into this discussion.