"So here we have it... the torture scene, and it's significantly different than in the film. For me, this is one of the most memorable scenes in both the book and in the film for different reasons. In the novel, Fleming focuses on Bond's mind and the toll that the torture is taking on it. This is confirmed in CH 20, where we see Bond deciding to retire from MI6 because of the thinking he's done as a result of the torture. In the film, Bond is defiant to the end, as the focus is on the destruction of his body. For me, this is a crucial difference that highlights the differences between the cinematic and literary Bonds. In the Book, Bond is broken by LeChiffre. I never get that sense in the movie. While he's being beaten, Bond is busy making witty comments. We don't see these comments in the novel. Bond is beaten, and then passes out. Rinse and repeat. He's beaten to the point where he's not able to draw enough moisture in his mouth to speak. Fleming tells us that Bond uses a number of mental strategies to survive the torture. In the film, we assume that Bond's survival is based more on his physical endurance.

In addition to the torture scene, we follow Bond through his recovery, his developing relationship with Vesper, and a philosophical conversation with mathis about good and evil. I really like these philosophical tangents that Fleming seems to take us on in each of the books, and it's something I miss in the movies. As Bond struggles with distinguishing between himself and LeChiffre along a moral continuum, we understand that Bond is not the "blunt instrument" that the cinematic M accuses him to be, but rather he's a conflicted, thoughtful character who struggles with the non-categorical nature of human existence and experience. Where do we see this Bond in the films?"

"We can see that today...what was Conservative awhile ago, may be liberal today and vice versa.
Thoughts?"