Bullz-Eye continues its look back at every James Bond film, 007 One by One, as part of our James Bond Fan Hub that we’ve created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Bond film.

The third Bond film is more than one of the most enduringly popular movies in the series and the final template for James Bond movies from that point forward. In many respects, it actually set the pattern for actions films in general. It was also perhaps the first modern-day blockbuster in that it was intended as an event as well a movie — complete with mega-bucks generating merchandizing opportunities. Sadly, it’s also the first movie in the series that Bond’s 56 year-old creator, Ian Fleming, didn’t live to see completed. He could not have conceived of how insanely popular his creation would become within months of his passing.

“Goldfinger” (1963)

The Plot

007 locks deadly horns with a mysterious millionaire known for cheating at gin rummy, golf, and the exportation of gold. That naturally turns out to be only the tip of the iceberg as James Bond discovers a diabolical plan aimed at destroying the economy of the free world and making portly Auric Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe) the world’s richest man. The aptly named, gold-obsessed supervillain’s target is, of course, Fort Knox.

The Backstory

With the back-to-back success of “Dr. No” and “From Russia With Love,” the money conscious EON producing team of Harry Saltzman and Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli were ready to spend what was actually pretty big money in early 1960′s movie production terms — $3 million! (The 2008 Bond entry, “Quantum of Solace,” had a reported production budget of $200 million.)

Dashing director Terrence Young, who had launched the series so ably with “Dr. No” and “From Russia With Love,” smelled the cash and held out for more money. True to form, EON decided to go with a more thrifty option and brought in an accomplished journeyman director who was, nevertheless, a new hand when it came to staging elaborate action scenes, Guy Hamilton.

American writer Richard Maibum was back on board, this time with an assist from British screenwriter Paul Dehn. A very probable inspiration for the dashing English spy played by Michael Fassbender in “Inglourious Basterds,” Dehn was a former film critic and admitted World War II assassin. His next gig was, ironically, helping to adapt John le Carré’s specifically anti-Bondian espionage classic, “The Spy Who Came in From the Cold.”

Most importantly to the financial bottom line, Sean Connery had made himself synonymous with 007 and was also on board for another go round, though he wouldn’t appear on set until he finished off his highly dramatic starring role in Alfred Hithcock’s “Marnie.” Connery was starting to worry a little about this whole business of being typecast as a veritable superhero; he would continue to go out of his way to remind the public he could be someone other than Bond.

In any case, everyone working on the film seems to have understood what kind of opportunity “Goldfinger” represented. That bigger budget meant one thing: more — more action, more gadgets, more violence, and an extremely fast pace by the standards of its day. It was just the kind of wretched excess that could lead to a film so enormous it could launch what has to be the longest lasting and most consistently successful franchise in movie history.

The Bond Girls (Rule of 3 + 2)

Bond keeps to his usual score of three sex partners per movie. However, as befits the more lavish “Goldfinger,” we actually have five legitimate “Bond girls” this go-round. It’s just that Bond respectfully keeps his hands off of one and apparently never quite reaches home plate with another. To be specific…

Bonita (Nadia Regan) — She gets kissed while naked at the end of the pre-credit sequence, but it appears that actually doing the deed with Bond was never in the treacherous beauty’s plans, and she ends up with only a nasty bump on the head for her trouble. The adorable, Serbian-born Nadia Regan was actually on her second Bond go-round, having played a very brief kittenish role in the just-prior, “From Russia With Love,” where she was the Turkish secretary/girlfriend of Ali Kerim Bey (Pedro Armendariz.)

Dink (Margaret Nolan) – This lovely bathing beauty and amateur masseuse appears to be Bond’s very temporary girlfriend during his very short vacation at Miami Beach’s ultra-lux Fontainebleau Hotel. In true super-sexist style, he dismisses her with jovial rudeness and a smart smack to the backside when his American colleague shows up. Actress and model Margaret Nolan would go on to appear in a Playboy pictorial and several entries in the “Carry On” series of British sex comedies.

Jill Masterson (Shirley Eaton) – Bond wastes little time in seducing the bikini clad Masterson, who has unwisely taken a job helping a certain highly suspicious gold broker cheat at gin rummy. The superspy clearly takes a liking to the spunky, frankly sexual Masterson. He is devastated when he wakes up from a clubbing-induced slumber to find her suffocated to death by being painted completely gold from head to foot. It’s a tragic death, but it gave the movie its poster and one of the most creepily memorable and iconic images in the Bond lexicon. Shirley Eaton, already a busy working actress in the British film industry, would go on to star in a number of mostly not-so-distinguished films before retiring in favor of motherhood in 1969. She came out of retirement three decades later with a memoir, Golden Girl.

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We obviously enjoyed covering the 15th Annual Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant earlier this year, we also had poolside access at the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach where we met and photographed some of the contestants in their bikinis.

Above we have a slideshow of the amazing Tia Jackson sporting a yellow bikini and showing off her incredible figure. Tia obviously keeps in great shape – check out those abs! Tia also flashed her pretty smile as Paul Miller got some great shots.

We’ll be posting more poolside photos of Hooters contestants so check back soon.

We covered the 15th Annual Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant earlier this year, we were lucky to have access to some of the contestants for some poolside bikini photos on a scorching hot day in the South Florida sunshine at the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach.

One of those contestants was the beautiful Lindsey Way, who represented the Fort Lauderdale location and ended up winning the event. Lindsey has an amazing smile and incredible blue eyes, so our photographer Paul Miller was able to get some amazing photos.

Check out Lindsey’s slideshow above, and check back as we’ll be posting more poolside photos of five more contestants in their bikinis.

The Bullz-Eye Bikini Team made a stop at the beautiful 5 Star Island in Miami Beach at the home of world renowned developer Thomas Kramer for some fun in the sun and some amazing photos. Brittany Myers and Megan Kelley took a break from their own photo shoots to take some photos together overlooking Miami Harbor.

As seen on VH1′s “The Fabulous Life” and considered “The World’s Most Expensive Party House” by Robin Leach of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, Thomas Kramer’s design masterpiece, “5 Star Island” is a fitting name for this 29,000 square feet palatial estate built in 1995 on two prime acres of Star Island, Miami Beach.

We were blown away by the beauty of 5 Star Island when we arrived. This exclusive property boasts unmatched views of Downtown Miami, Palm Island and Miami Harbor. 5 Star offers an unparalleled location and backdrop for private events, weddings, and productions and is also available for luxury short or long-term leasing.

We loved the eclectic yet sophisticated ambiance of the property, which features museum-quality antiques and sculptures. The pool is spectacular and the view is amazing. It’s the ultimate location for a luxurious afternoon in the sun or an elegant party in the evening. We had a great time there and Thomas Kramer was an gracious host.

Thomas Kramer, also known as TK, is a visionary developer and investor. TK saw the potential of South Beach in the early 1990s and then developed South Pointe, a cluster of luxury highrises at the southern tip of South Beach. Check out the video below and learn more about TK’s amazing career as an investor and developer. You can also follow TK’s exploits on his new blog.

We’ve already hit March, but winter is still at full strength in most of the country. With that in mind we’ve put together a slideshow from the Bullz-Eye archives to take you mind off the cold and snow and shift your attention to more pleasant thoughts. Hopefully you have a beach vacation coming soon so you can enjoy the sites of blondes in bikinis in person!

The first photo has the amazing Ali Sonoma in a blue bikini on a terrace overlooking Miami Beach. The former UFC Octagon Girl looks amazing! Next we have Playboy Playmate Kimberly Holland in a sporty yellow and black bikini from her Bullz-Eye photo shoot in Florida in 2006. Then we’re off to Australia for a beautiful photo of Nina in a polka dot bikini on the beaches of Sydney.

The fourth photo has Australian model Sophie Turner in a light blue bikini from her amazing Bullz-Eye shoot from 2008. With the fifth photo we’re off to Hollywood with British beauty Holly Kishere sporting a pink bikini next to the pool in the SoCal sunshine. Holly was once a ring girl for the International Fight League. For #6 we’re staying on the West Coast as the stunning Sammi Maben sports a striped bikini on the roof of a beach house in Santa Monica soaking up the late evening sunset.

Next we’re off to The Bahamas and the lovely Lindsey Eller and a lime green bikini on the sandy beaches near the Wyndham hotel from the Racey Girl finals. We round out the group with Elaine Alden as she sports some sexy shades and a shiny, dark bikini with the late evening sun shining on her.

Enjoy the slideshow, and then book your trip anywhere you can find some sunshine and bikinis!