'Goldfinger' amped up the 007 craze. Here's why it's still popular

Gold -FING -ah!

Or, as you might know it, "Goldfinger." The third and most sensational of all the James Bond films. The fastest money-earner in history when it was released 60 years ago this Sept. 17 (Dec. 22 in the U.S.) The movie in which the 007 craze really took off. The movie where Bond became Bond.

It's the first Bond film with the trademark Aston Martin. It's the first where where Bond orders a martini "shaken but not stirred."

The first Bond movie with a laser beam — the most celebrated of many, in the gadget-ridden series. This one, in the famous variation of the lady in the sawmill bit, zeroes in on the prostrate Sean Connery's crotch. "Do you expect me to talk?" Bond asks. "No, Mister Bond," says Auric Goldfinger (Gert Fr?be), one of the greatest Bond villains. "I expect you to die."

Not least, this was the first Bond film with a sassy opening theme song. "Gold-FING-ah!" Shirley Bassey sang, in her inimitable clenched-jaw style. "He's the man, the man with the Midas touch — a SPIDER's touch!" Camp doesn't get any campier.

The release of "Goldfinger," and the appearance of "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." on TV the same year brought the secret agent craze to full froth. Toy 007 cars, weapons, attaché  cases, model kits flew off the shelves.

Exactly eight years to the day from its theatrical release, "Goldfinger" became the first Bond movie to be shown on network TV: Sept 17, 1972. It became a sensation all over: the highest rated movie to be shown to that time, with 49 percent of American viewers tuning in.

Bond had been popular before. "Dr. No" (1962) and "From Russia With Love" (1963) were hits, and the Ian Fleming books — known to be favorites of President Kennedy — were bestsellers. But "Goldfinger" put the whole franchise on steroids.

Bond hits his stride

Why this one? In some ways, it was pretty much like the earlier Bond films. Only more so.

It was more quirky. Oddjob (Harold Sakata), who beheads statues with his derby, is one of the great supporting villains in the series — rivaled only by Jaws (Richard Kiel) many films later.

It was more Bond-y. Gadgetry had appeared in early Bond films, but this is the one where it became really pronounced: Bond's Aston Martin is equipped with machine guns, tire slashers, oil jets, rotating license plates, and ejector seat, smoke screen, and a radar tracker. And it was in this filmi that the banter between Bond and Q (Desmond Llewelyn) was established.

Not least, it was more sexy. The lady painted in gold (Shirley Eaton), in the memorable early scene, was just the start. This is also the movie with Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman) — to this day a breathtakingly lewd name for a character.

Miss Galore to you

Earlier Bond Girls had names like Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress in "Dr. No") — which was suggestive — and Tatiana Romanova (Daniela Bianchi in "From Russia With Love") — which was serviceable. But Pussy Galore put it all out there. “My name is Pussy Galore," Blackman says. “I must be dreaming," Connery replies. (In the original script he had said, "I know you are, but what's your name?" but this was too much for the censor).

Above all, it was the first of three Bond films in which singer Shirley Bassey would set the tone ("Diamonds are Forever" and "Moonraker" were the others). But even she could never top "Goldfinger."

Pardon. "Gold - FING-ah!"

"Such a COLD FINGER, beckons you to enter his web of sin — BUT DON'T GO IN!"

Pure gold.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Is 'Goldfinger' the best Bond movie? Here's why it's still popular