20 replies to this topic

[Pushkin]

I am not sure if this has been brought up before - I did a quick search and found nothing. But my assumption of QoS was that it pretty much all took place within a few weeks of the end of Casino Royale. In fact, my interpretation of the film was what happens in the espionage world when things are happening so quickly and you don't have the information you need. Bond and MI6 are essentially living in something akin to the fog of war and having to make decisions too quickly and without the information they would like.

But I see a rather large flaw with my interpretation of the timeline. In the movie, we are told Mathis gets a villa after MI6 had done a thorough interogation including torture. IMO, he looks pretty well settled in to that villa and if I recall correctly, MI6 bought him the villa to make up for the fact that they tortured him. If that's the case, I don't see how QoS could happen so quickly (i.e. within a few weeks or even a few months following the end of CR.

So I guess my question is - what is the timeline in which QoS takes place?

Cheers

[MicroGlobeOne]

You raise an interesting point. The solution, however, lies not in Quantum of Solace's timeline, I think, but in Casino Royale's timeline. Mathis is taken into custody by MI6 before Bond has completed his recuperation at the nursing home. In the scenes that follow, as Bond recovers from his own torture at the hands of Le Chiffre and falls more deeply in love with Vesper Lynd, the passage of time is a bit hazy. Once Bond and Vesper arrive in Venice, I would say it's likely that many weeks have passed since Mathis was taken. Also consider M's line that "the trail has gone cold," indicating some time has been spent exhausting every avenue of exploration in the search for Quantum.

Quantum of Solace likely does follow on from the end of Casino Royale, but the last half hour or so of the latter film allows for the passage of several weeks or evens months. Of course, the flaw in this solution is Bond's insistence that Mathis's innocence has not been guaranteed and that MI6 should "keep sweating him." Even if we presume that Mathis's interrogation is complete by the end of Casino Royale, there is the matter of his resettlement at the villa.

Which, I suppose, brings us back to the original question: What is the timeline for Quantum of Solace? Is there sufficient time for Mathis to get settled in his new home?

[iexpectu2die]

I've always thought its possible that weeks, months, perhaps even 2 years pass between Bond sat on the phone to M on his Yacht, and him then shooting Mr White in the knee. That way everything makes sense, right down to the '2008' date on the Greene Planet invitation. Perhaps the final scene of Casino Royale is in fact the beginning of Quantum of Solace, two years after Vesper's death.

Plenty of time to torture Mathis!

[Mr. Blofeld]

Quantum of Solace likely does follow on from the end of Casino Royale, but the last half hour or so of the latter film allows for the passage of several weeks or evens months. Of course, the flaw in this solution is Bond's insistence that Mathis's innocence has not been guaranteed and that MI6 should "keep sweating him." Even if we presume that Mathis's interrogation is complete by the end of Casino Royale, there is the matter of his resettlement at the villa.

This is solved by extending the time between Bond finding Vesper's phone and Bond shooting Mr. White at the villa to accomodate for the MI6 safehouse to be secured and Bond to track down and find a lock on Mr. White; it probably took, oh, two months or so.

[MicroGlobeOne]

This is solved by extending the time between Bond finding Vesper's phone and Bond shooting Mr. White at the villa to accomodate for the MI6 safehouse to be secured and Bond to track down and find a lock on Mr. White; it probably took, oh, two months or so.

Ah, of course! M is there, ready and waiting with a full security detail, in the Sienna safe house at the start of Quantum of Solace. You're quite right. There is definitely a significant period of time between the final two scenes of Casino Royale, time enough for all of the necessary arrangements to be made for Mr. White's capture.

Iexpectu2die is right, I think, to suggest that we consider the final scene of Casino Royale to be the true beginning of Quantum of Solace's timeline. It's entirely possible that Casino Royale's timeline extends over two years or more!

[The Shark]

I'm not sure about this site's policy about posting links to other Bond fansite forums, but I'll do it once for this:

On mi6forums.co.uk I posted a topic, dealing with the issue about the time between CR and QOS, that might help partially address your issue.

Here's the link:

http://www.mi6forums...pic.php?t=48285

[Pierce - Daniel]

The 2 year debate is foolish, are you telling me, Bond and M never spoke about Vesper for 2 years? She never mentioned Yusef for 2 years?
Don't think so on this one.

The ending of CR took place days after the talk with M on the boat the start of QOS follows on from there.

Simple.

[byline]

The 2 year debate is foolish, are you telling me, Bond and M never spoke about Vesper for 2 years? She never mentioned Yusef for 2 years?
Don't think so on this one.

The ending of CR took place days after the talk with M on the boat the start of QOS follows on from there.

Simple.

Maybe I'm misinterpreting what others are suggesting, but I thought the two-year timeline that they're referring to would have taken place within "Casino Royale" (starting with Bond's convalescence at the hospital and continuing on with his and Vesper's "aimless wanderings" by boat until they reached Venice).

Personally, I think two years for that time frame is too long. Two months, maybe. And then I think a week or so may have passed between Bond's conversation with M on the boat to when he tracks down Mr. White. But then the final scene in "Casino Royale" follows directly into the opening scene of "Quantum of Solace" (which follows what you're saying).

[Tarl_Cabot]

Good point but it's not really bothersome to me. Batman Begins has a much worse timeline issue: Rachel Dawes is supposed to be an assistant D.A. before Wayne goes off on his 7 year journey, at 22/23. She's also younger than him.

[DamnCoffee]

I've always thought its possible that weeks, months, perhaps even 2 years pass between Bond sat on the phone to M on his Yacht, and him then shooting Mr White in the knee. That way everything makes sense, right down to the '2008' date on the Greene Planet invitation. Perhaps the final scene of Casino Royale is in fact the beginning of Quantum of Solace, two years after Vesper's death.

Plenty of time to torture Mathis!

Yup. That's how I would explain it, too.

It makes sense.

[MicroGlobeOne]

The 2 year debate is foolish, are you telling me, Bond and M never spoke about Vesper for 2 years? She never mentioned Yusef for 2 years?
Don't think so on this one.

The ending of CR took place days after the talk with M on the boat the start of QOS follows on from there.

Simple.

Maybe I'm misinterpreting what others are suggesting, but I thought the two-year timeline that they're referring to would have taken place within "Casino Royale."

Correct. To clarify, I'm certainly not suggesting that two years pass between Bond's conversation with M aboard the yacht and the shooting of Mr. White. I am merely suggesting that the complete timeline for the events of Casino Royale, beginning with Bond's first kills in the teaser sequence and continuing straight through to the confrontation with Mr. White at the finish, may encompass two years or more.

[Mr_Wint]

I've always thought its possible that weeks, months, perhaps even 2 years pass between Bond sat on the phone to M on his Yacht, and him then shooting Mr White in the knee. That way everything makes sense, right down to the '2008' date on the Greene Planet invitation. Perhaps the final scene of Casino Royale is in fact the beginning of Quantum of Solace, two years after Vesper's death.

Plenty of time to torture Mathis!

Yup. That's how I would explain it, too.

It makes sense.

Not really. With Bond's line "I promised them Le Chiffre and they got Le Chiffre" it is clear that 2 years didn't pass between Bond's phone call with M and the scene with Mr White in CR. And from the rest of the Bond/M dialouge in QOS it is kinda obvious that Bond recently lost Vesper (not years ago, not even months ago).

The extended time between the capture of Mathis and the climax in Venice makes a little bit more sense. Although, I don't think the treasury would wait 2 years before they makes sure that Bond deposited the money.

[Harmsway]

Good point but it's not really bothersome to me. Batman Begins has a much worse timeline issue: Rachel Dawes is supposed to be an assistant D.A. before Wayne goes off on his 7 year journey, at 22/23. She's also younger than him.

Nope. Before Wayne goes on his journey, she's just serving as an intern at the DA's office. It's not until later that she becomes A.D.A.

[Licence_007]

How long is passed in Quantum of Solace before he visits Mathis should probably also be taken into account.

[DaveBond21]

I've always thought its possible that weeks, months, perhaps even 2 years pass between Bond sat on the phone to M on his Yacht, and him then shooting Mr White in the knee. That way everything makes sense, right down to the '2008' date on the Greene Planet invitation. Perhaps the final scene of Casino Royale is in fact the beginning of Quantum of Solace, two years after Vesper's death.

Plenty of time to torture Mathis!

Yup. That's how I would explain it, too.

It makes sense.

Not really. With Bond's line "I promised them Le Chiffre and they got Le Chiffre" it is clear that 2 years didn't pass between Bond's phone call with M and the scene with Mr White in CR. And from the rest of the Bond/M dialouge in QOS it is kinda obvious that Bond recently lost Vesper (not years ago, not even months ago).

The extended time between the capture of Mathis and the climax in Venice makes a little bit more sense. Although, I don't think the treasury would wait 2 years before they makes sure that Bond deposited the money.

I agree. Also there is no way Mr White would have the same mobile phone number after a mere 6 months never mind 2 years. In his job, you don't keep the same phone number for long.

[tdalton]

I think that it's just a mistake. The Bond films are riddled with poor writing and unclear chains of events, which is all that I chalk this particular aspect of the Craig films up to.

[Tybre]

I think that it's just a mistake. The Bond films are riddled with poor writing and unclear chains of events, which is all that I chalk this particular aspect of the Craig films up to.

I think most people are like myself and didn't even notice the date on the invite

[Peckinpah1976]

That way everything makes sense, right down to the '2008' date on the Greene Planet invitation.

That invitation was a bit of a mistake IMO as not only does the "2008" muddy the waters with CR's timeline but the "August" bit is pretty ridiculous since the British and Russian scenes clearly take place during winter. To confuse matters further the Sienna horse race does take place in this month in the real world, so.....

Probably best not to think about it too hard

[byline]

That way everything makes sense, right down to the '2008' date on the Greene Planet invitation.

That invitation was a bit of a mistake IMO as not only does the "2008" muddy the waters with CR's timeline but the "August" bit is pretty ridiculous since the British and Russian scenes clearly take place during winter. To confuse matters further the Sienna horse race does take place in this month in the real world, so.....

Probably best not to think about it too hard

True. It might have been a mistake, but a kind of "deliberate" mistake. Bond films have always taken place within the year of their release, and I think EON just decided to continue that trend, regardless of the fact that "Casino Royale" obviously took place in 2006.

I think most people are like myself and didn't even notice the date on the invite

FWIW, here 'tis: Greene Planet invitation

Edited by byline, 29 June 2009 - 05:44 PM.

[Vauxhall]

Clear problems with this issue. One argument says that all Bond movies are set in an interminable "now". The view for CASINO ROYALE and QUANTUM OF SOLACE that I have in my head says that it took Bond a couple of years to track down Mr White; with that in mind, I can sleep at night.

[Tarl_Cabot]

Good point but it's not really bothersome to me. Batman Begins has a much worse timeline issue: Rachel Dawes is supposed to be an assistant D.A. before Wayne goes off on his 7 year journey, at 22/23. She's also younger than him.

Nope. Before Wayne goes on his journey, she's just serving as an intern at the DA's office. It's not until later that she becomes A.D.A.

Why does Falcone know about her? She's just an intern/college undergrad? Why would he care about Bruce Wayne's associations at this point(to threaten him)? It seems like she's already a working prosecuter...I know you're the resident expert on
Nolan-Batman.