The Goldfinger era Beatles in Sweden.
From left to right, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney.
The Beatles were a 1960s British pop/rock group from Liverpool in England, generally considered among the most successful and influential of their generation. They have several mentions in, and connections to, James Bond films, although they never appear on screen.
The original James Bond was of an older generation to the Beatles, so didn't like them. In later iterations Bond's relationship to the Beatles evolved, especially in regard to the Zeitgeist. However, even though Bond originated in the fifties, both the cinematic Bond and the Beatles rose to fame in the sixties, representing very different poles of British identity, except perhaps when it came to the matter of girls.
Films[]
In Goldfinger, Sean Connery's Bond facetiously suggests to Jill Masterson that:
- "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 just as bad as listening to the Beatles without earmuffs!"
- ― James Bond to Jill Masterson
Shortly afterwards, Bond is knocked unconscious by Oddjob, and then Jill is covered in gold paint.
Beatles graffiti turns up in a strange location in Casino Royale
In the original non-Eon Casino Royale film, Inspector Mathis and Evelyn Tremble meet in a Parisian pissoir in the opening sequence, which clearly has "Les Beatles" scrawled up on it in chalk. The film's later psychedelic scenes are perhaps more in line with the Beatles' own style of the late sixties.
The film of Live and Let Die, introduced Roger Moore's Bond, and with it, the first James Bond rock theme - Live and Let Die - which was sung by Paul McCartney & Wings. McCartney was a former member of the Beatles, and one of their two main song writers. This can be seen as trying to put "clear water" between the previous James Bond (Connery) and the new one (Moore).
Strawberry Fields comes to a sticky end.
The Bond girl Strawberry Fields, played by Gemma Arterton, appears in the much later film Quantum of Solace. This is a reference to the title of a John Lennon penned Beatles song (and also a location in Liverpool before that). Strawberry Fields' death is also a callback to Goldfinger which has the original unflattering reference to the band, because she ends up covered in oil, echoing Jill Masterson's death by being covered in gold.
Classic line up[]
The "Fab Four" line up:
- John Lennon (1940-1980)
- Paul McCartney (1942-)
- George Harrison (1943-2001)
- Ringo Starr (1940-)
Trivia[]
Barbara Bach and Ringo Starr
- The Beatles' first single, Love Me Do, and James Bond's debut film Dr. No both debuted in 1962, in October and November respectively.
- The Beatles' orchestrator George Martin also worked on the From Russia with Love theme sung by Matt Monro, and the Goldfinger theme sung by Shirley Bassey.
- In the Beatles' first film, A Hard Day’s Night, which came out a few months before Goldfinger, a scene takes place in the casino seen in Dr. No.
- The Beatles' second film, Help! parodied Bond, with the chase scene from Goldfinger where the Aston Martin DB5 pours oil on the road.
Richard Vernon as Colonel Smithers
- Actor Richard Vernon appears in both Goldfinger (as Colonel Smithers) and the Beatles movie A Hard Day's Night.
- In April 1964, Paul McCartney, visits Pinewood Studios to see the Aston Martin DB5 used in Goldfinger and orders one. See 007 franchise timeline.
- In The Spy Who Loved Me, the main Bond girl is Anya Amasova, aka Agent Triple X. She is played by Barbara Bach, who became the wife of the Beatles' drummer Ringo Starr in 1981, after they had worked on a film together.
- The theme song Nobody Does It Better sung by Carly Simon, was produced by Richard Perry who also worked on two of Ringo Starr's albums. The guitar on it was played by Laurence Juber, who later joined Paul McCartney & Wings.
- The script of Never Say Never Again was worked on by writing partnership Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais (uncredited), who were also involved with the 2007 Beatles film, Across the Universe.
- The title of the 18th Bond installment Tomorrow Never Dies was inspired by one of The Beatles' songs "Tomorrow Never Knows", first appeared on their 1966 album Revolver.
- English comedian and actor Peter Serafimowicz's BBC TV show parodied Paul McCartney's Bond theme song by having "alternative" theme to Goldfinger "written" and "performed" by Ringo Starr (played by Serafimowicz)
- The documentary The Sound of 007 features clips of the Beatles and Paul McCartney.
See also[]
- Stirling Moss
- Mata Hari
- Madonna who appeared in Die Another Day and sang its theme tune.