In one hour I go to see the new Casino Royale Bond film. 15 minutes ago I finished re-reading the original book, which I haven’t taken off my shelf in 20+ years.
Fortunately, all those years ago, I didn’t choose Casino Royale as the first book to read, instead I choose Moonraker, which was at jarring disparity with the film of the same name. Nonetheless, I eventually read all of the Bond books, including Casino Royale. It was an unmemorable book, apart from the lingering mental image of the savagery of the torture that Bond is inflicted in the course of the story. They say the new movie has gone back to the story. (Has there been a Bond film actually remotely following the original book since On Her Majesty’s Secret Service?
In a few hours, I shall know.
Synopsis
Le Chiffre a French agent working for the Soviets has gotten himself into a bit of trouble. His investment in prostitution collapsed on him. Too bad he used Soviet moneys that were entrusted to him to make the investment. The auditors have got wind that something is up and the communists don’t send you to prison when you use non-standard accounting practices. He has to get back the money and he plans to win big playing baccarat at Casino Royale.
M sends 007, one of the service’s best agents to beat him at cards. The logic follows that the Soviet will do the rest. Le Chiffre will be discredited and terminated, crushing his branch of the organization.
When Bond arrives, they’re on to him already but they bungle the attempt to kill him. In what can only be considered the shorted spy assignment on record, Bond stomps Le Chiffre (with a little help from the CIA’s pocketbook) in just about 8 hands. Mission over, time for Bond to go bag Vesper, the assistant sent to help him on the assignment.
Foreplay consists of having dinner, but before the after dinner mint (so to speak) Vesper is kidnapped by Le Chiffre. Bond follows and is captured, tortured viciously (Seriously, I’ll never sit in a cane chair) and then Le Chiffre is killed by SMERSH, the Soviet assassination branch before he finishes we Bond.
Case solved again. Well, apart from weeks of being in the hospital nursing Bond’s battered and broken gonads.
Well, and then there’s the last third of the book where Bond takes Vesper who was unhurt in the ordeal, to the seaside to give his newly healed gonads a good workout. He falls in love with her and then she kills herself because she’s been a double agent for years and can’t stand it anymore.
Analysis
Ian Fleming was a spy, once, sort of. Ian Fleming was a playboy. Ian Fleming decided to get married, but before he did and settle down, he decided to write the definitive spy novel. Being an actual spy is probably quite boring, consequently, much of Casino Royale, being said definitive spy novel, is quite boring. It’s a three act play, where the exciting parts come in acts 1 and 2. Act 3 is a long, slow letdown. As with all Fleming books, he spends way too much time describing what they’re eating, what they’re smoking, drinking or how many buttons they have on their clothes.
However, there’s no doubt that there’s a glimmer of the future (and better) Bond books to come.
Enjoy the film 😉
Enjoy the film 😉