Tilly Masterton
Encyclopedia
Tilly Masterton is a fictional character in Ian Fleming
's James Bond
novel, Goldfinger.
The character was adapted for the 1964 film, Goldfinger
, however, her name was changed to Tilly Masterson. Likewise her sister, Jill, was renamed Masterson as well. Tilly was played by Tania Mallet
.
; Bond wrecks the Triumph by reversing into it in his Aston Martin with specially strengthened bumpers, and she then persuades him to give her a lift to Geneva. On the way Bond questions her about her destination and she answers that she is competing in a women's golf championship and gives 'Soames' as her surname; after parting ways with her, he quickly learns that she has given him false information. She is described as being black-haired, blue-eyed and very beautiful, partially because of her stubborn, independent manner.
Bond's next encounter with her is later that night as he attempts to infiltrate Auric Enterprises. He finds her in the position of a sniper, intending to shoot Goldfinger and then flee the country. He overpowers her and learns that she seeks to avenge her sister, who Goldfinger had murdered for assisting Bond in humiliating him earlier in Miami. During this exchange their presence is detected and they are subsequently captured and taken to Goldfinger, who hypnotises and interrogates Tilly. Bond offers Goldfinger her services in addition to his own in a last-ditch effort to save their lives and he accepts. They then travel to the United States as his captives and are tasked with secretarial work for the upcoming Operation Grand Slam. During this time, Bond learns that she is twenty-four and lives in Earls Court
, though she remains unreceptive to his offer of friendship.
She is revealed as a lesbian and shows a strong attraction to Pussy Galore, the leader of an all female criminal gang called "The Cement Mixers" who are to take part in the operation Grand Slam posing as nurses. After the operation is compromised, Bond tries to protect Tilly, who refuses his help and instead runs desperately seeking the aid of Pussy Galore, but Oddjob reaches her and kills her with his hat – just days after he had murdered her sister by "paint suffocation".
. 007 is calmly driving along the road when Tilly speeds around a corner and beeps her horn, wanting to get past.
Bond obliges and decides to pursue when he sees her drive past. However 007 restrains himself commenting "Discipline 007!". He stops on the edge of a hill when he notices Goldfinger has stopped below him.
Unknown to Bond, Tilly is trying to shoot Goldfinger with her AR-7
, as revenge for his having killed her sister Jill, but misses completely, nearly hitting Bond in the process. She escapes in her car and 007 follows. After a short game of cat and mouse, Bond uses the tire shredder feature on his Aston Martin
and shreds both Tilly's tires. 007 escorts her to the nearest garage, but she refuses any additional help and said to Bond that her name is Till "Soames".
Bond and Tilly Masterson meet up once more at Goldfinger's factory, where once again she is trying to kill Goldfinger. Bond stops her, but she accidentally sets off an alarm saying to Bond that Goldfinger killed her sister-Jill Masterson, even though she didn't mention her sister's last name, Bond immediately realizes that her real name is actually Tilly Masterson, since Jill was one of Bond's love interests. Goldfinger's henchmen pursue Tilly and Bond in his Aston Martin, but by using its various features, he disposes of some of the following cars. However the road suddenly stops, forcing Tilly to run into the forest with 007 giving cover fire. Oddjob appears and hurls his hat at Tilly, breaking her neck. When Bond reaches her, she is already dead.
Ian Fleming
Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer.Fleming is best known for creating the fictional British spy James Bond and for a series of twelve novels and nine short stories about the character, one of the biggest-selling series of fictional books of...
's James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
novel, Goldfinger.
The character was adapted for the 1964 film, Goldfinger
Goldfinger (film)
Goldfinger is the third spy film in the James Bond series and the third to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Released in 1964, it is based on the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming. The film also stars Honor Blackman as Bond girl Pussy Galore and Gert Fröbe as the title...
, however, her name was changed to Tilly Masterson. Likewise her sister, Jill, was renamed Masterson as well. Tilly was played by Tania Mallet
Tania Mallet
Tania Mallet, born on 19 May 1941 in Blackpool, England, is an English model who is best known for her appearance as Tilly Masterson in the James Bond movie Goldfinger ....
.
Novel biography
In the novel, Tilly first appears following Goldfinger's car across Europe in her Triumph TR3Triumph TR3
The Triumph TR3 is a sports car which was produced between 1955 and 1962 by Standard-Triumph in the United Kingdom. The facelifted variant, unofficially known as the "TR3A", entered production in 1957 and the final version, unofficially the "TR3B", was produced in 1962.-TR3:Although the car was...
; Bond wrecks the Triumph by reversing into it in his Aston Martin with specially strengthened bumpers, and she then persuades him to give her a lift to Geneva. On the way Bond questions her about her destination and she answers that she is competing in a women's golf championship and gives 'Soames' as her surname; after parting ways with her, he quickly learns that she has given him false information. She is described as being black-haired, blue-eyed and very beautiful, partially because of her stubborn, independent manner.
Bond's next encounter with her is later that night as he attempts to infiltrate Auric Enterprises. He finds her in the position of a sniper, intending to shoot Goldfinger and then flee the country. He overpowers her and learns that she seeks to avenge her sister, who Goldfinger had murdered for assisting Bond in humiliating him earlier in Miami. During this exchange their presence is detected and they are subsequently captured and taken to Goldfinger, who hypnotises and interrogates Tilly. Bond offers Goldfinger her services in addition to his own in a last-ditch effort to save their lives and he accepts. They then travel to the United States as his captives and are tasked with secretarial work for the upcoming Operation Grand Slam. During this time, Bond learns that she is twenty-four and lives in Earls Court
Earls Court
Earls Court is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It is an inner-city district centred on Earl's Court Road and surrounding streets, located 3.1 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It borders the sub-districts of South Kensington to the East, West...
, though she remains unreceptive to his offer of friendship.
She is revealed as a lesbian and shows a strong attraction to Pussy Galore, the leader of an all female criminal gang called "The Cement Mixers" who are to take part in the operation Grand Slam posing as nurses. After the operation is compromised, Bond tries to protect Tilly, who refuses his help and instead runs desperately seeking the aid of Pussy Galore, but Oddjob reaches her and kills her with his hat – just days after he had murdered her sister by "paint suffocation".
Film biography
Tilly plays a somewhat smaller role in the film version of the book. She is first introduced when James Bond is following Goldfinger when he lands in GenevaGeneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. 007 is calmly driving along the road when Tilly speeds around a corner and beeps her horn, wanting to get past.
Bond obliges and decides to pursue when he sees her drive past. However 007 restrains himself commenting "Discipline 007!". He stops on the edge of a hill when he notices Goldfinger has stopped below him.
Unknown to Bond, Tilly is trying to shoot Goldfinger with her AR-7
AR-7
The ArmaLite AR-7 Explorer, designed by M-16 inventor Eugene Stoner, is a semi-automatic .22 Long Rifle rifle developed from the AR-5 adopted by the U.S. Air Force as a pilot and aircrew survival weapon. Its intended markets today are backpackers and other recreational users as a take-down utility...
, as revenge for his having killed her sister Jill, but misses completely, nearly hitting Bond in the process. She escapes in her car and 007 follows. After a short game of cat and mouse, Bond uses the tire shredder feature on his Aston Martin
Aston Martin
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire...
and shreds both Tilly's tires. 007 escorts her to the nearest garage, but she refuses any additional help and said to Bond that her name is Till "Soames".
Bond and Tilly Masterson meet up once more at Goldfinger's factory, where once again she is trying to kill Goldfinger. Bond stops her, but she accidentally sets off an alarm saying to Bond that Goldfinger killed her sister-Jill Masterson, even though she didn't mention her sister's last name, Bond immediately realizes that her real name is actually Tilly Masterson, since Jill was one of Bond's love interests. Goldfinger's henchmen pursue Tilly and Bond in his Aston Martin, but by using its various features, he disposes of some of the following cars. However the road suddenly stops, forcing Tilly to run into the forest with 007 giving cover fire. Oddjob appears and hurls his hat at Tilly, breaking her neck. When Bond reaches her, she is already dead.