From July to November, the Classic Centre Switzerland took a trip back to the 1960s. With the special exhibition ‘James Bond, Switzerland and the car lust of the 60s’, film buffs and car fans alike got their money’s worth.

The 1960s were the car decade par excellence. Enthusiasm for cars among young and old was greater than ever before: excursions, holidays, races, exhibitions and toy cars all testify to the desire to drive.

The Bond films naturally incorporated this love of cars into their stories. The famous car chase scene on the Furka Pass for GOLDFINGER was shot in the summer of 1964. At the end of the 1960s, filming took place in the Bernese Oberland in THE SECRET SERVICE OF YOUR MAJESTY: without an Aston Martin with slashing tyres, but with a car chase in the middle of an ice race. The James Bond films hit a nerve back then – and the car was right in the middle of it.

Collaboration with connoisseurs

The Bond part of the exhibition was created in collaboration with Steffen Appel and Peter Wälty, the two authors of ‘The Goldfinger Files’ – a magnificent illustrated book that documents the filming on the Furka Pass in July 1964 with many fascinating shots.

Thanks to the collaboration, there were not ‘only’ great archive images and the vehicle models from the two films on display, but also film props. Appel and Wälty are already working on their second illustrated book, appropriately enough IM GEHEIMDIENST IHRER MAJESTÄT. For their books, the two have spoken to countless contemporaries, collected previously unpublished footage and tracked down a number of film locations around Andermatt and in the Lauterbrunnen Valley.

Contemporary witnesses and pass trips

In addition to the exhibition itself, there was plenty to learn and experience. Peter Wälty kicked things off at the Season Opening Brunch on 1 May. He spoke from his 2008 book ‘James Bond and Switzerland’ and focussed primarily on the relationship that Bond inventor Ian Fleming had with Switzerland. The actual exhibition then started on 8 July and featured a discussion with Blick photographer Josef Ritler and set doctor Heinrich Stäbler, who were both present on Goldfinger in the summer of 1964. At the end of August, a group of 15 participants travelled to these (and other) filming locations around Furka, Grimsel and Susten. Steffen Appel gave an expert talk on the spot about what was filmed where and how. The following day, Appel, curator Simon Bundi and Classics mechanic Thomas Wälchli drove the Aston Martin DB5/DB4 Vantage and Toyota 2000GT taxis for a good cause. In the end, we were able to hand over CHF 1000 to the charitable organisation Spiis & Gwand in nearby Oftringen. At the end of the season, the last drive took us to Stechelberg and Piz Gloria, where the blue sky shone above a thin layer of snow.

And a brilliant finissage at the end

The final bouquet at the end of November had it all. Steffen Appel and Peter Wälty presented their research work for the second illustrated book mentioned above. The book currently still bears the working title ‘The Blofeld Files’ and is due to be published in the spring. There will be no shortage of exciting pictures, that much is certain.

Once again, two contemporary witnesses were present: Blick photographer Felix Aeberli and stunt driver Erich Glavitza. Both were with Bond in the Bernese Oberland in the winter of 1968/69. Glavitza, who is now 80 years old, drove successfully in car races in the 1960s and helped to stage the racing accidents in Steve McQueen’s LE MANS after IM GEHEIMDIENST IHR MAJESTÄT.

From giant banner to regionally and sustainably produced handbag. Trendy bags were made from the advertising banner from our special exhibition (see above). Each bag is unique and has an individual design. We are now offering a wide selection. If you would like to order one of these exceptional one-offs, please contact us by e-mail at events@emilfreyclassics.ch.

Price per piece CHF 49.-