# Goldfinger **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [July 14, 2003, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459 "2003-07-14T19:58:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sn2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Sn2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sn2)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/1 "2003-07-14T19:58:43Z")
Just a few comments about the [Goldfinger](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/register.php?a=act&i=57382757) article. In the book (I recommend reading these, they’re a lot of fun and fast reads) Flemming has Auric Goldfinger painting women but he has to leave the area over the spine unpainted to allow the skin to “breath” or something like this ( It has been a number of years since I’ve read the book). The female lead is captured and Goldfinger kills her by completely painting her body. No doubt this is where the idea of the breathing skin came from. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/2 "2003-07-14T20:05:50Z")
I don’t think that the belief came from the book, but the scene in the book came from the belief. BTW: There’s a discussion of _Goldfinger_ in [The James Bond Film Festival. Part 3: Goldfinger](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=13). ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/3 "2003-07-14T20:23:59Z")
Here’s my question: hadn’t scuba diving been invented by the time Goldfinger was released? If so, how did people with this belief explain how scuba divers could breathe underwater? Their entire bodies (except for their eye area, behind an airtight mask) are surrounded by water! Shouldn’t they, by this logic, have been unable to breathe DESPITE the scuba gear? ---
**Author:** ![Padmaraga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@Padmaraga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padmaraga)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/4 "2003-07-14T20:43:50Z")
I saw this tested out on a program on Discovery Channel or The Learning Channel, I think - I can’t remember the name of the program, but it was a show where they’d try to debunk common urban legend-type beliefs, or see if they were true. It was a few months ago, and I haven’t seen the show advertised any more, so it may have been cancelled already. Anyway, they did make a gold paint (latex-based, I believe) and cover every bit of this guy (except, I believe his mucous membrane areas - he was wearing a small pair of shorts, so you didn’t see his naughty bits) - he was bald, so they even did his head. They only left uncovered a few areas where they hooked him up to monitors to keep track of his vital statistics (BP, pulse, temperature, etc.). Then he got on a treadmill and was walking and/or jogging. At first everything seemed OK, but then his vitals started to skyrocket, and they were worried he was going to quickly die, so they had him stop using the treadmill immediately and they started peeling off the paint. I believe the problem was that he was overheating. One thing they did say was that there is no such thing as skin needing to “breathe”. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/5 "2003-07-15T01:50:54Z")
On a related note, the aluminum make-up almost killed the original Tin Man in Oz -[Buddy Ebsen](http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/9676/78025): > [@](#): > > The movie began production October 12, 1938. Nine days later, Ebsen “took a breath and nothing happened.” He was rushed to the hospital and spent the next two weeks in an oxygen tent. > > Aluminum dust in Ebsen’s Tin Man makeup had coated his lungs, causing a nearly fatal allergic reaction. While he lay in Good Samaritan Hospital turning blue and struggling to breathe, MGM replaced him with Jack Haley, who was on loan from 20th Century Fox. According to Harmetz, Haley was never asked if he wanted to be the Tin Man; he simply did what the studio commanded. > … > One modification was made to the Tin Man’s makeup, however. The aluminum was now applied as a paste, rather than a powder, and Haley’s only trouble was an eye infection that kept him away from the set for four days. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/6 "2003-07-15T03:13:30Z")
Like **Northern Piper** said about the recently late Buddy Ebsen… …and with ALL (!) defference to King Cecil!!! This is a BS (!) question! I mean Cecil’s EASIEST question that he could field! EVERYONE knows paint (or any other damn thing that closes most pores…) will suffocate a person pretty quick! Pretty much a pussy choice by our leader, if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/7 "2003-07-15T06:05:36Z")
Cite. As Cecil said, you cannot suffocate by closing the pores. You can overheat, but not suffocate. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/8 "2003-07-15T06:08:16Z")
I was also going to point out the gesture being painted. ---
**Author:** ![cannonb1971](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b38774/32.png) [@cannonb1971](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cannonb1971)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/9 "2003-07-15T16:19:27Z")
I seem to recall a story about some over-zealous students painting the Alabama ‘Crimson Tide’ mascot (an elephant) entirely red. The article claimed the elphant died of lead poisoning, but I suspect it was overheating. (couldn’t turn anything up at snopes about this one) ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/10 "2003-07-15T22:00:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Johnny L.A. \* > \*\*I don’t think that the belief came from the book, but the scene in the book came from the belief. > > BTW: There’s a discussion of _Goldfinger_ in [The James Bond Film Festival. Part 3: Goldfinger](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=13). \*\* This links only to cafe society, so if my following question is answered there, my appologies. I watched that movie recently and a friend of mine told me that the actress died shortly after the scene. Is this true or is it because the character (not the actress) died that people get confused? ---
**Author:** ![Erik\_the\_Viking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Erik\_the\_Viking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erik_the_Viking)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/11 "2003-07-15T22:52:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bad News Baboon \* > \*\*This links only to cafe society, so if my following question is answered there, my appologies. > > I watched that movie recently and a friend of mine told me that the actress died shortly after the scene. Is this true or is it because the character (not the actress) died that people get confused? \*\* According to [IMDB](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Eaton,%20Shirley), Shirley Eaton, who played Jill Masterson, made movies for another five years. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/12 "2003-07-15T23:18:11Z")
:smack: I guess I should learn to test my links after I post them. [The James Bond Film Festival. Part 3: Goldfinger](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=197003) ---
**Author:** ![chewbasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bbe5ce/32.png) [@chewbasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chewbasta)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/13 "2003-07-16T10:17:57Z")
I think that the issue of paint/toxicity may have a wee bit to do with death/not feeling too good. On a seperate note, (I am not for testing on animals…but) Shave and paint a dog. They pant and sweat through the nose. Interesting to see what happens in regards to overheating. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/14 "2003-07-16T15:21:58Z")
I thought this was pretty unimaginative on Cecil’s part: > [@](#): > > However, death would result from what amounts to an extreme case of heatstroke. Paint would clog the pores, thus preventing perspiration and ruining the body’s principal means of heat regulation. You’d develop a high fever, and after a few days of unbearable suffering you would expire. Come on! Just put the person in a cold environment. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/15 "2003-07-16T15:57:38Z")
I saw an episode of “Get Smart” where an agent died after being painted blue, so now we have verification from an independent source. What? ---
**Author:** ![Ficer67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Ficer67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ficer67)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/16 "2003-07-17T07:01:30Z")
For some reason, I never thought that the gold paint actually killed the woman in Goldfinger. I thought the paint was some kind of a signature that Goldfinger was using to taunt James Bond. I got the impression that Goldfinger just had her assassinated in a way that would not leave a mark. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/17 "2003-07-17T08:09:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sn2 \* > \*\*The female lead is captured and Goldfinger kills her by completely painting her body. No doubt this is where the idea of the breathing skin came from. \*\* The classic movie [Bedlam](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0038343) contains a scene where a man is killed by painting his entire body gold, so the belief existed when that movie came out, in 1946. Goldfinger was published in 1959. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/18 "2003-07-18T19:04:42Z")
Of course, since we’re talking about painted babes in movies, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, of nakid blue X-Men fame, is still alive and well. As we’re discussing in other threads in this forum. ---
**Author:** ![centurion39](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b38774/32.png) [@centurion39](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/centurion39)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goldfinger/188459/19 "2003-07-20T14:40:08Z")
What’s this clogging pores business and “overheating” silliness? The hip term these days is Toxic Shock Syndrome and even a small amount of paint on your skin can cause it. The skin will absorb poison faster than drinking it and vital processes like breathing will begin to flip out and shut down. I shoulda ben a docter dontchaknow.