Austin Powers in Goldmember


Austin Powers in Goldmember is a 2002 American spy comedy film directed by Jay Roach. It is the third film in the Austin Powers film series and stars Mike Myers in four different roles: Austin Powers, Dr. Evil, Goldmember, and Fat Bastard. Myers and Michael McCullers co-wrote the screenplay, which also features Beyoncé Knowles in her theatrical film debut, as well as Seth Green, Michael York, Robert Wagner, Mindy Sterling, Verne Troyer, and Michael Caine.
Goldmember opens with a self-parody of the Austin Powers film series called Austinpussy, where Austin Powers is featured in a bio-pic parody of the James Bond film Octopussy. The self-parody is directed by Steven Spielberg and stars Tom Cruise as Austin Powers, Gwyneth Paltrow as Dixie Normous, Kevin Spacey as Dr. Evil, Danny DeVito as Mini-Me, and John Travolta as Goldmember.
The film was distributed by New Line Cinema and released in the United States on July 26, 2002. Goldmember finished its box office run with an international haul of $296.9 million and received mixed critical reception. It was the seventh-highest-grossing film of the year domestically in the United States.

Plot

In 2002, from his lair behind the Hollywood Sign, Dr. Evil unveils to Number 2, Mini-Me, Frau Farbissina, and Scott Evil, his plan for world domination: traveling back in time to 1975 and partnering with the Dutch, gold-obsessed Johann van der Smut, who, after losing his genitalia in a smelting accident, is known by the alias "Goldmember". Goldmember developed a power unit for a tractor beam and intends to use it to pull a meteor into the earth. Moments after unveiling this plan, Austin Powers arrests Dr. Evil and Mini-Me. The Queen knights Austin for his service, but he is disappointed when his father, the famous spy Nigel Powers, does not attend the event. During an after party, Basil Exposition informs Austin that Nigel has been kidnapped. Their only clue is that the crew of Nigel's yacht have had their genitalia painted gold.
Austin seeks the imprisoned Dr. Evil's help to find the culprit. Dr. Evil antagonizes Austin by reminding him that Nigel was also absent when Austin was given the title of "International Man of Mystery" during their British Intelligence academy graduation, an event that angered Dr. Evil as he had the top grades in the class. Dr. Evil agrees to give Austin the information in exchange for a prison transfer, in which he reveals that Goldmember is behind the abduction, so Austin time travels to 1975 and infiltrates Studio 69, Goldmember's roller disco club in New York City. He is reunited with his former lover, undercover FBI agent Foxxy Cleopatra. Austin locates his father but is unable to rescue him. Goldmember takes Nigel through Dr. Evil's time machine to 2002 while Austin and Foxxy escape back to 2002. Dr. Evil and Mini-Me instigate a prison riot and escape. Number 3, a British Intelligence mole, informs Austin that Dr. Evil has moved to a new lair near Tokyo.
Austin and Foxxy travel to Tokyo and confront Fat Bastard, who is now a sumo wrestler. Fat Bastard reveals that businessman Mr. Roboto is working on a device for Dr. Evil and Goldmember. Austin and Foxxy meet with Roboto, who pleads ignorance. The duo infiltrate Roboto's factory where the command unit for the tractor beam is being loaded in Goldmember's car, and Roboto gives Goldmember a key needed to activate the beam. Foxxy confronts Goldmember while Austin attempts to free Nigel. However, Goldmember escapes and flees to Dr. Evil's submarine with the tractor beam. Scott Evil, now attuned with taking over the family business, gifts his father a tank of sharks--two great whites, each with a laser beam attached to its head--and kills Roboto by feeding him to sharks. Dr. Evil replaces Mini-Me with Scott as his favored son and the rejected clone defects, joining Austin and Foxxy.
The three infiltrate the submarine, where Austin is captured. Before Dr. Evil can activate the tractor beam, Foxxy steals the key and frees Austin. When Austin prepares to shoot Dr. Evil, Nigel appears and reveals that Austin and Dr. Evil are actually brothers. Confused, Dr. Evil explains that his parents died in a car accident and he was raised by evil Belgians, but Nigel reveals that the explosion came from an assassination attempt and he thought that only Austin survived. Dr. Evil, Austin, Nigel, and Mini-Me embrace; enraging Scott, who leaves to pursue his own vengeance while Goldmember, who refuses to stray from the path, commandeers the tractor beam's controls, revealing his golden genitalia to be a spare key. Goldmember activates the tractor beam, but Austin and Dr. Evil work together to reverse its polarity, destroying the meteor and saving the world.
The entire story is later adapted into the film Austinpussy. Upon exiting the cinema, Austin and Foxxy encounter Fat Bastard, now thin but with sagging flesh thanks to the Subway diet. As Austin and Foxxy kiss, Scott Evil – now completely bald and behaving as his father, declares he will get his revenge against Austin. During the end credits, Mini-Me talks with Britney Spears, who wants to give him her phone number.

Cast

Title concerns

The title of the film, Goldmember, led to legal action being taken by MGM, the distributors of the James Bond film franchise, that briefly led to the film's title being removed from promotional material and trailers. Several potential replacement titles were prepared, including License to Shag, Live and Let Shag, You Only Shag Thrice and Never Say Member Again. The dispute was quickly resolved and the film title remained unchanged on the provision that the film would include trailers in its cinema releases for the then-upcoming James Bond film, Die Another Day, and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

Characters

, having conquered the 1990s and the 1960s, travels back to the 1970s and teams up with his nemesis Dr. Evil to thwart a new villain, Goldmember. Myers also plays Fat Bastard for the second time, this time parodying the kind of "wire fight" seen in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The film also stars Beyoncé Knowles as Foxxy Cleopatra, Michael York, reprising the role of Basil Exposition, and Verne Troyer in his second appearance as Mini-Me. The film also introduced a new character named Number 3, who is portrayed by former child star Fred Savage. Clint Howard plays a radar operator in all three films. Michael Caine guest stars as Austin's father, Nigel; this role was inspired by the character of Harry Palmer from The Ipcress File, a 1965 film starring Caine. Sean Connery was originally considered for the role of Nigel Powers and Honor Blackman for that of Mrs. Powers.
Four actors who appeared in the earlier films play different characters in Goldmember. Rob Lowe, who played the friend of a dead guard in International Man of Mystery, reprises his role as a younger Number 2 from The Spy Who Shagged Me, while Neil Mullarkey and Eric Winzenried appear as the Physician and Henchman Sailor in the Sick Bay. Michael McDonald appears as the royal guard.
In 2023, Heather Graham revealed that she had filmed a scene reprising her role as Felicity Shagwell for the film which was ultimately cut.