Photos of Goldfinger actress painted for iconic James Bond scene sold at auction

All that glisters: Photos of Goldfinger actress painted for iconic James Bond scene sold at auction

By Gareth Finighan

Last updated at 8:37 PM on 20th November 2011




These black and white photos showing how actress Shirley Eaton was painted for her role in the James Bond film Goldfinger have been snapped up for £2,580.

A private collector from the UK bought the three pictures that were taken by David Hurn during the making of the 1964 movie.

In the film, Eaton's character, Jill Masterson, is liquidated in the most unusual way - by having her entire body painted gold.

I'm going to need another coat: Actress Shirley Eaton is painted in gold prior to filming a scene in the classic 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger

She was found lying face down on a hotel bed by agent 007 - played by Sean Connery - in one of the most enduring images in cinematic history.


The signed pictures show how the actress was painted with a large brush while her breasts were covered with Madonna-style cones.

She is shown standing on a chair while the paint is applied and her reflection can be seen in the dressing room mirror.

Getting the gold shoulder: In the film, the body of Eaton's character Jill Masterson is found by Commander Bond, played by Sean Connery

The shots were taken by photographer Hurn who was employed by the film's producers to take pictures of the actors while on set.

While backstage he saw the opportunity to take photos of the gold-coated Eaton.

Gold fingers: The actress had to have almost her entire body painted for the role

The doomed character was villain Auric Goldfinger's aide-de-camp who Bond catches helping her boss to cheat at cards.

Naturally, Bond seduces her and by doing so sentences her to death when her betrayal is discovered.

The fictional mode of death - skin suffocation - was invented by Ian Fleming when he wrote the novel the film was based on.

Eaton was sent by her agent for the role and agreed as long as the nudity was done tastefully. It took an hour-and-a-half to apply the paint.

Showing her precious mettle: The actress is given a helping hand after being covered in gold paint

Jocelyn Phillips, from auctioneers Bonhams, which sold the images, said: 'David Hurn was a photo-journalist who worked for the Magnum agency.

'The producers of the film commissioned him to take stills of the actors and clearly he had free reign and photographed Shirley Eaton being painted.

'The scene is one that really stands out in the memory. To see how she was painted with just a large brush is fantastic.'


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