Daily Dialogue — October 5, 2015

GOLDFINGER: Good evening, 007.
BOND: My name is James Bond.
GOLDFINGER: And members of your curious profession are few in number. You have been recognized. Let’s say by one of your opposite numbers who is also licensed to kill. Oh, that interesting car of yours! I, too, have a new toy, but considerably more practical. You are looking at an industrial laser, which emits an extraordinary light not to be found in nature. It can project a spot on the moon, or, at closer range, cut through solid metal. I will show you. (Signals to position the laser.) This is gold, Mr. Bond. All my life I’ve been in love with its color, its brilliance, its divine heaviness. I welcome any enterprise that will increase my stock, which is considerable.
BOND: I think you’ve made your point, Goldfinger. Thank you for the demonstration.
GOLDFINGER: Choose your next witticism carefully Mr. Bond, it may be your last. The purpose of our two previous encounters is now very clear to me. I do not intend to be distracted by another. Good night, Mr. Bond.
BOND: Do you expect me to talk?
GOLDFINGER: No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die. There is nothing you can talk to me about that I don’t already know.
BOND: Hey, you’re forgetting one thing: if I fail to report, 008 replaces me.
GOLDFINGER: I trust he will be more successful.
BOND: Well, he knows what I know.
GOLDFINGER: You know nothing, Mr. Bond.
BOND: Operation Grand Slam, for instance.
GOLDFINGER: Two words you may have overheard, which cannot possibly have any significance to you or anyone in your organization.
BOND: Can you afford to take that chance?
GOLDFINGER: (Signals to shut off the laser) You are quite right, Mr. Bond. You are worth more to me alive.

— Goldfinger (1964), screenplay by Richard Maibaum and Paul Dehn, novel by Ian Fleming

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Rivalry. Today’s suggestion by Will King.

Trivia: Author Ian Fleming partially based the title character of his original 1959 novel ‘Goldfinger’ on the controversial Modernist architect Erno Goldfinger. When he learned that Fleming was naming the villain of his new James Bond novel ‘Goldfinger,’ the architect threatened to file a lawsuit against Fleming’s publisher in an effort to stop the book’s publication. Fleming’s publisher then contacted the author to inquire whether Fleming might consider renaming the character, and the novel. Fleming replied that he’d be delighted to alter the name…if he could change the name of the character — and the novel — to “Goldprick.” Fleming’s publisher quietly settled the architect’s lawsuit out of court.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Commentary by Will: “Classic reversal of control roles. The scene begins with Bond in (appropriately enough) bonds, at the mercy of Goldfinger who seems to have all the power. Through cunning dialogue, Bond generates enough uncertainty in Goldfinger to temporarily spare his life, shifting control to Bond.”