Assault on Fort Knox – The John Barry music during this entire Fort Knox assault cannot be any better.   It is suspenseful, powerful and perfectly matched to what is unfolding on the screen.   Pussy Galore’s Flying Circus unleashed the deadly gas as they fly in formation over Fort Knox.  The devastating result is instantly killing thousands of soldiers and people.

When the leader gives the signal that the “baby is asleep” then Goldfinger and his team move in.   They blow the gate, use a mobile laser to cut through the steel door, and gain access to Fort Knox.

While there were some exterior shots taken in Kentucky, the entire on-the-ground assault took place at Pinewood Studios.  So don’t try getting close to Fort Knox for a film location visit!

The Deadly Gas

As we remember in the Goldfinger map room, where he unveils the Operation Grand Slam plan to the mob bosses, he unleashes the gas on them.   This is in a closed room, it took awhile for it to take effect.  On the assault on Fort Knox, the planes fly over, release the gases in the open air, and hundreds of people are falling over in each scene instantly.

OK, maybe they used more potent gas for this attack, or we just have to have a willing suspension of disbelief once again.   Regardless, it is a classic scene, that foreshadows Blofeld’s planned unleashing of a deadly virus in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. And similarly, Drax’s pods wiping out humanity in Moonraker.   Or even the deadly virus that will be unleashed in Mission: Impossible 2.   We will see similar themes in spy movies, as one influences another.

Assault on Fort Knox – the beginning of the end

Of course, Bond has somehow gotten to Pussy Galore, and she swaps out the deadly gas canisters for harmless ones.   Thousands of lives saved!  This is unknown to the audience, of course, at the time of the assault, and unknown to the Flying Circus team – and unknown to Bond.  Felix Leiter and the CIA assault team and the army can then counter-attack Goldfinger.   This clip ends before they bring in the nuclear device.  But why would the US assault team wait for them to bring in and arm the nuclear device before attacking?   Makes no sense, but creates the dramatic build-up in this assault sequence.