Novel Synopsis:

In the 1953 novel, 007 is given the mission to defeat Le Chiffre, a SMERSH agent working for the Russians in a high stakes Baccarat game. This is a situation where the movie has mirrored the novel to the best extent that it possibly can. When the books were written, the whole world was hip deep in the cold war which pitted east against west. All the characters are there, 007, Le Chiffre, Rene Mathis and Vesper Lynd. As the movie depicts Le Chiffre loses ca $100,000,000 of his clients money in a botched terrorist attack against Skyfleet's newest airline. In the book Le Chiffre loses 80,000,000 Francs in a botched real estate deal involving brothels in southern France. Both story lines are fairly similar, his [ Le Chiffre] greed has gotten him into a pickle with his bosses. Hence the high stakes card games to try to win their money back. Baccarat figures into the novel because that was an extremely popular card game at the time, where as Hold'em Poker is today. I assume the differences were so the audience could follow the game.

Differences:

The major differences between the film and book are as follows, Rene Mathis was not bent and Vesper fed Bond's identity to the Russians. Some nice touches that the movie lent that the book did not, was closure on a few fronts. First at the end of the movie Bond takes out Mr. White, Vesper's contact and person most likely blackmailing her. Both book and movie show Vesper leaving clues after her death so that Bond could follow up and exact revenge. In the book Vesper was be threatened by SMERSH to do these acts because they had kidnapped and threatened to kill her lover who was agent for MI6.

The reason the movie had changed the antagonists to terrorists is the mere fact that cold war is over, and free-lance bad guys are always far more entertaining. My judgement on the subject book and movie are great thrills, despite being made over 50 years apart.

Chapter Topics:

1. The Secret Agent:
• Observation of LeChiffre at the casino
• Bond's cover story
2. Dossier for M:
• background on LeChiffre
• LeChiffre is one of SMERSH's paymasters (or accountants) for a Communist-controlled transportation trade union in Alsace, France. This union is an important "fifth-column" (a secret, insurgent group that could be activated in times of war) for Russia.
  
• LeChiffre is on the brink of financial disaster. His chain of brothels went under when France passed a law making prostitution a criminal offense. These brothels were funded with union money, i.e. SMERSH's money.
  
• SMERSH is unhappy with LeChiffre and are aware of his financial failures.
• LeChiffre is adept with small arms and knives. He carries three razorblades at all times: in his hat, his shoe, and his cigarette case.
  
• background on SMERSH
• Department I: in charge of counter-intelligence among Soviet organizations at home and abroad
• Department II: Operations, including executions
• Department III: Administration and Finance
• Department IV: investigations and legal work. Personnel.
• Department V: Prosecutions, passing final judgments on all suspects.
  
3. Number 007:
• Bond meets with M and receives a briefing
• Our first glimpse of Bond's relationship with M
  
4. L'Ennemi Ecoute:
• Mathis and the radio
• Introduction of the Muntzes
5. The Girl From Headquarters:
• History of the Casino Royale
• Initial description of Vesper Lynd
6. Two Men in Straw Hats:
• "Red Man" and "Blue Man" detonate a suicide-bomb in an attempt to kill Bond.
  
7. Rouge et Noir:
• Bond describes his relationship to and philosophy about gambling
• Introduction to and background on Felix Leiter
  
• Recipe for "The Vesper Martini"