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Hey Reader

Are you struggling to find a good enemy?

Well, search no more…

… because your ideal villain may be living right next door to you.

Let me explain.

With the summer holidays fast approaching, I felt it was time to upgrade my wardrobe ahead of making an appearance around the pool.

Not wanting to go for something too predictable, I somehow found myself obsessing over this sassy little number:

A black and gold swimwear onesie in the style inspired by James Bond’s Goldfinger.

Perfect for lounging by the pool and plotting nefarious deeds.

Look at that belt!

Now, while I was rather enthusiastic about this, the general consensus from my family was:

“No…”

“NO!”

”God, no…”

“What are you thinking?"

Which to my ears sounded very much like a "maybe...".

We're off the Austria in summer so I tell my family that if I discover Goldfinger is Austrian, this is going to happen.

A tense few minutes followed as I tried to find out more about the origins of arguably Bond’s most memorable baddie.

Sadly, it turns out that Auric Goldfinger was supposed to have been born in Riga and had British nationality. Boo!

(Although Gert Frobe who played Goldfinger in the film was German, so kinda Austrian depending on what year you take it from… but, according to my family, that doesn't count).

So... what the hell does this have to do with enemies, you may be crying right now?

In my search for Goldfinger-related trivia, I discovered something rather fabulous.

James Bond author, Ian Fleming, named his most iconic villain after a neighbour he was having a dispute with.

Seriously.

In the leafy London suburb of Hampstead, Fleming had the misfortune to have Erno Goldfinger as his neighbour.

The original Goldfinger was a famed architect who re-designed his Hampstead home, much to the annoyance of Fleming who hated his style of architecture and hated the destruction of the Victorian features on the property.

Plus, I reckon the noise from the builders would have sent a writer over the edge.

So, how best to exact revenge?

Name him as a villain in his next Bond novel…

... and not just that, name the story after him, too.

Of course, there’s a lot more layered onto the Goldfinger of Bond lore.

Fleming was also alleged to have modelled him on a wealthy gold-mining magnate of the time, Charles W. Englehard Jr (who was far more enamoured of the association, showing up to fancy dress parties as Goldfinger himself...)

But, needless to say, when the book was published Erno wasn’t best pleased.

I mean, there aren’t that many Goldfingers around.

And the portrayal of Auric as a crass, wealthy megalomaniac who was addicted to gold and had a knack for cheating and deception doesn’t exactly enhance the family name.

The similarities between the Goldfinger of the Fleming’s ire and the Goldfinger of the novel were many.

Even Erno’s business associate Jacob Blacker joked to him that the only significant difference he could identify was: “You’re called Erno and he’s called Auric.”

(Plus any member of the real Goldfinger family who was listed in the phone book ended up being subjected to prank calls from the public putting on Sean Connery’s accent to tell them it was 007 calling…)

So Erno sued the publisher.

And the publisher settled with a promise to make clear that the character was entirely fictitious.

Upon learning this, Fleming was livid.

Rather than settle, he wanted the publisher to change the name of the villain from Goldfinger to Goldprick.

(And in doing so almost foresaw the Austin Powers parody Goldmember).

I reckon the Shirley Bassey song wouldn’t have been as iconic had the name change stood.

Fortunately, Fleming backed down and the book continued to be published, eventually becoming the third Bond movie - widely thought to be the best (but not by this writer…)

Bet there was no invite to the newly-renovated house party, though.

The lesson here is that Fleming took from his own life to fuel his stories.

Just the name Goldfinger stirred an emotion in him that led to him rendering a character who is now one of literature’s - and film’s - most recognisable and iconic villains.

All from a neighbourly fracas.

If you’re struggling to come up with a good, emotion-driven bad guy or gal to build connection with your followers, stop looking for the monster in the distance and start looking closer to home.

• Who or what are the annoyances you deal with every day?
• What do your followers have to deal with every time they get up, go to work, come home, before they go to bed?
• Is there a person who exemplifies the wider problem, pain or annoyance so you can bring it to life?

The reason why so many villains in film, TV and literature are so powerful is because they are based on real people.

Real people who act in bizarre, egotistical, power-hungry and entirely petty ways that make them all the more human and vibrant.

Laters!

Jody

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