The third big-screen outing for Ian Fleming's suave superspy ranks among the slickest of all Bond movies. Endlessly entertaining and effortlessly performed, it's packed with classic moments. There's Shirley Eaton's legendary gold-plated death; 007's close encounter with a laser; the duel with bowler-hatted sidekick Oddjob (Harold Sakata); and the midair showdown between Sean Connery's Bond and Gert Frobe's brilliantly bizarre villain who's obsessed by gold. And let's not forget some hilariously OTT gadget designs from art director Ken Adam; the best name for any Bond girl in Pussy Galore (enthusiastically played by ex-Avenger Honor Blackman); and that Shirley Bassey theme song. But what makes these individual facets so memorable is the way in which they're unshowily integrated into the gripping storyline by director Guy Hamilton, who even managed to revive Connery's flagging interest in 007 to coax his best performance of the entire series.

Special agent 007 comes face to face with one of the most notorious villains of all time, and now he must outwit and outgun the powerful tycoon to prevent him from cashing in on a devious scheme to raid Fort Knox -- and obliterate the world's economy.