Almost Nobody Knows That Parts Of The Iconic Movie Goldfinger Were Filmed In This Kentucky Town
By Sarah McCosham|Updated on April 12, 2024(Originally published April 03, 2023)
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
The beauty of the Bluegrass State has long served as inspiration for artists, musicians, architects, and romantics. But did you know that there are several famous movies filmed in Kentucky, too? In addition to well-known movies like Rain Man and Seabiscuit, parts of the iconic movie Goldfinger were filmed in Kentucky. A spy thriller… in Kentucky? Let’s dig a little deeper…
One of the most famous Hollywood actors ever, Sean Connery became a bonafide movie star after starring as fictional British secret agent James Bond.
A movie based on the 1959 novel of the same name by Ian Fleming, Goldfinger has Bond investigating gold smuggling by gold magnate Auric Goldfinger and eventually uncovering Goldfinger's plans to contaminate the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox.
Principal photography took place from January to July 1964 in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and the United States. Here in the U.S., some of the film's most notable scenes took place at the U.S. Bullion Depository at Fort Knox. Of all the Goldfinger filming locations, this is the perfect setting for a spy thriller; the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox stores precious metal bullion reserves for the United States and is a heavily guarded vault in Kentucky.
Of course, Fort Knox is well known as one of the most heavily guarded places in the country, so while the exterior of the real Fort Knox is shown in the movie, all inside shots were filmed at Pinewood Studios in England.
It might be surprising to learn that one of the most iconic spy thrillers of all time was filmed here in Kentucky. But we're not surprised... the Bluegrass is certainly red-carpet-worthy!
