24 replies to this topic

[thecasinoroyale]

Arrgh, I hate to stoop and ask questions about the glorious Casino Royale, but no matter how many times I watch it and love it more and more...one little moment puzzles me and I can't work out why it's there.


It's the moment after Bond wins the poker game and before he Aston chase. When he and Vesper are dining after the game and she leaves, Bond has a look on his face and then says 'Mathis', before getting up hasty and running out the hotel.


I can't understand why he says Mathis and what makes him eager to get up and run after Vesper.

Can some bright spark here help me on this?



Long Live Casino Royale
Long Live Daniel Craig
Long Live JAMES BOND!

[Jim]

Left to his own devices for the first time, he reflects on how he could have lost the first time around; reminded of Mathis, he jumps to a conclusion, one which may or may not turn out to be a correct one.

[thecasinoroyale]

But why does he have a concern for Mathis, and why does he run out? What's he looking for/going to?

[Dr. Noah]

Because Mathis just summoned Vesper. He has just realized that Mathis works for the other side.

[sharpshooter]

Vesper mentions Mathis' name, and Bond concludes to the possibility that he was ratted on by him. His suspicions would not of been aimed at Vesper, for he thought she didnt have a "tell".

Bond chasing after Vesper, mainly because if Mathis is in league with Le Chiffre, and going to meet Mathis.... her life would be at risk!

[David Schofield]

Couldn't it be even simpler -

In the book, Bond finds it strange that Mathis would summon Vesper, rather than join them at the table if he had something to tell her, and goes to find out what's wrong.

In the film, couldn't Bond have similarly made this conclusion?

[thecasinoroyale]

Ahh..that helps, especially the book moment. It just looks so urgent for Bond to go, and nowhere during his time at Montenegro had Mathis given Bond any doubt to him being an ally, so Bond must have made a pretty big jump to think Mathis was bad for summoning Vesper...right?

[David Schofield]

Ahh..that helps, especially the book moment. It just looks so urgent for Bond to go, and nowhere during his time at Montenegro had Mathis given Bond any doubt to him being an ally, so Bond must have made a pretty big jump to think Mathis was bad for summoning Vesper...right?

Yes, I'd prefer to go for the influence of the book here.

As you point out, Bond really has no reason at this point to suspect Mathis (and the film quite unneccessarily messes about with and complicates the Mathis tole, IMO).

[thecasinoroyale]

Okay, well that does help more now.

Cheers everyone.



I guess to that as Le Chiffre is about to be 'removed' from service and Vesper is with him (and he is smitten), that when Le Chiffre and Mathis (in Bonds mind) call her away...he panics, that's all I can say, and runs out.

Thus proved even more when Le Chiffre says Mathis is in with him.


All good!

[00Twelve]

Sharpshooter and Dave S explained it perfectly well. Mathis hadn't given Bond a reason to doubt him until THAT moment. Then he was off to protect Vesper. But too late!

[thecasinoroyale]

I'm being annoying now...but Mathis and Vesper were near on the same side, so Bond shouldn't have worried that much!

Silly Bond, but still, he learns the lessons.

[00Twelve]

Funnily enough,

Spoiler

It's been reported that Mathis will turn out to be a good guy after all in Bond 22, an ally of Bond's. (Awkward!)

[Harmsway]

Funnily enough,

Spoiler

It's been reported that Mathis will turn out to be a good guy after all in Bond 22, an ally of Bond's. (Awkward!)

Actually, that report was merely Giancarol Giannini stating what he wanted to happen to his character. Not what would happen.

[00Twelve]

Ah, thanks. I guess he's the one who "reported" it. My fault!

[thecasinoroyale]

It would make Bond look a bit red-faced if that were happening!

[Judo chop]

It

[thecasinoroyale]

I admit I'm a non-Flemingreader Bond movie viewer, but now have bought all the books and will read them to get into Bonds core.

I loved the Vesper martini scene though..that came off well.

[Judo chop]

I loved the Vesper martini scene though..that came off well.

Really? You didn

[Santa]

I felt a slight need to stand up and give a 8-second explanation to the folks around me for Bond's erratic behavior.

I do hope this need stayed firmly in your head...
I have to say the scene didn't bother me at all. Trying to ignore prior knowledge from having read the book, it seemed to me the behaviour of someone who'd had the recipe in his head for a while or who had been experimenting with something of its kind, not just completely off the cuff.

[thecasinoroyale]

It came to me that, obviously, this man James Bond knows how he wants his Martini, and to me that showed a touch of class and sophistication.

I am sure he's had it in the past and knows just how he likes it.


On closer inspection, I can see he does it to test Le Chiffre which again is a touch of class for 007.

[David Schofield]

It came to me that, obviously, this man James Bond knows how he wants his Martini, and to me that showed a touch of class and sophistication.

I am sure he's had it in the past and knows just how he likes it.


On closer inspection, I can see he does it to test Le Chiffre which again is a touch of class for 007.

All that is true.

But don't you think that impact - that James Bond is uniquely knwowledgeable and sophisticated - is diluted by the fact that other players then chip in and order the same drink? The Vesper should be unique to James Bond. As unique as Bond himself.

I don't like it, anyway. Imagine in the book if Leiter had ordered the same after Bond had realed off the ingredients to the barman. For those who haven't read the novel, Leiter doesn't.

[stromberg]

.... But don't you think that impact - that James Bond is uniquely knwowledgeable and sophisticated - is diluted by the fact that other players then chip in and order the same drink? The Vesper should be unique to James Bond. As unique as Bond himself. ....

No. It's more a 'Sympathy for the Devil' message: "Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste.", (for which "Bond, James Bond" becomes merely an abreviation ) which indeed gets him a bit of sympathy around the the table.

It also shows that Bond leads and the others follow - he always runs while others walk.

The ordering of the Vesper is part of his tactics to distract the other players (not only Le Chiffre - keep in mind mind that he has to beat 6 other competitors as well) and disturb their concentration, together with the great entrance for Vesper and the scene at the bar.

[Flash1087]

Honestly, I think everyone else ordering a Vesper just reinforced Bond's character. He just invented this drink so evidently awesome that everyone around him felt compelled to have the exact same thing. Who else could manage that?

[thecasinoroyale]

That's what I feel.

He orders it so sophisticatedly that he sounds like he knows the perfect Martini, and playing a good cozy game of poker, the other players are being, in my eyes, social and wanting a drink as nice as it sounds from Bonds lips.

As you say, Bond is a man who leads and others follow.

[Royal Dalton]

That's it? Hmm? Anyone want to play poker now?