Video: 'Goldfinger' (trailer)

(Thursday, September 17, 1964, 8:15 p.m. BST) — Goldfinger, the third installment in the James Bond series produced by Eon Productions, premiered tonight at the Odeon Leicester Square.

Video: 'Goldfinger' (9 clips)

Sean Connery stars as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond, although he was absent due to filming commitments in Spain for The Hill. The premiere was attended by co-stars Honor Blackman, Gert Fröbe, Shirley Eaton, and producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman.

Video: 'Inside Goldfinger'

Based on Ian Fleming’s 1959 novel, Goldfinger is the first of four Bond films directed by Guy Hamilton.

The plot follows Bond as he investigates gold smuggling by magnate Auric Goldfinger, eventually uncovering a plot to contaminate the U.S. Bullion Depository at Fort Knox.

Video: 'GOLDFINGER | The Movie That Made James Bond'

Goldfinger was the first Bond blockbuster, with a budget equal to that of the two preceding films combined. Principal photography took place from January to July 1964 across the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and the United States.

The film is noted for defining many elements of the Bond franchise, including the use of technology and gadgets, a standalone pre-credits sequence, multiple foreign locales, and tongue-in-cheek humor.

Video: 'Goldfinger - 007 Pre-Title Sequence #3 (480p)'

It also sparked a wave of promotional licensed tie-in items, including the best-selling toy Aston Martin DB5 from Corgi Toys and a Life magazine cover featuring a gold-painted Eaton.

Goldfinger would be the first Bond film to win an Academy Award, taking home Best Sound Editing.

Video: 'James Bond 007 Goldfinger Soundtrack Collection' (23 clips)

It received largely favorable critical reception and was a financial triumph, recouping its budget in just two weeks and grossing over $120 million worldwide.

In 1999, it was ranked No. 70 on the BFI Top 100 British films list compiled by the British Film Institute.