Goldfinger's Thugs

Character Analysis

Even though Oddjob is basically a one-man army, Goldfinger has other thugs, associates, and henchpersons to help him do his dirty work.

One of Goldfinger's only other named henchmen is Kisch (Michael Mellinger), a man who, if he'd survived, would probably have been fired for being redundant. Anything he can do, Oddjob does better. When Kisch is locked in the vault with the bomb, he attempts to get out and save himself. Oddjob, proving himself more loyal to Goldfinger, kills Kisch to prevent anyone from getting in and disarming the bomb.

Goldfinger also has an unnamed guard who lets Bond drive himself after capturing the spy. That doesn't end well for the guard. Goldfinger employs another unnamed guard who, after Bond ducks behind his cell door, opens the door and is quickly dispatched by Bond. Where did Goldfinger find these people, on Craigslist?

We also have Mei-Lei (Mai Ling) a sexy flight attendant aboard Pussy's jet. We have to wonder who hired her—Pussy or Goldfinger? Both would appreciate the eye candy when flying the friendly skies. Mei-Lei's job is to spy on Bond and to serve him drinks, giving him the opportunity to order his special:

BOND: A Martini, shaken not stirred.

Goldfinger has multiple international associates. Mr. Ling (Burt Kwouk) has provided Goldfinger with the nuclear weapon to blow up Fort Knox's gold supply. China will benefit from the plunge in the U.S. financial market.

In America, multiple gangsters are interested in Goldfinger's plan. He owes them money, but he appeals to their greed by offering them a larger cut of the funds from Operation Grand Slam. However, he tricks them and kills them. The murder serves two purposes—it tests out Delta Nine, the nerve gas, and it eliminates the need for Goldfinger to pay these guys anything. Dead men collect no debts.

One man, Mr. Solo (Martin Benson) gets an award for being the least greedy gangster. He turns down the ten million from Goldfinger, either because he knows it's a scam or because he needs the million right away. Oddjob kills him, anyway, in a crazy sequence in which he shoots the man, then leads the vehicle to a junkyard, where the car is crushed into a cube with the man's body in it. Ouch.

Rounding out this rogue's gallery is a gangster named Jack Strap (Hal Galili), who proves that it's not just Bond girls who get stupidly suggestive names.