Changes: Casino Royale (novel)

Revision as of 22:27, 25 December 2020

Novel — Film — Graphic Novel — Soundtrack — Song — Characters — Locations — Releases

Casino Royale is the first novel written by Ian Fleming featuring the 00 agent Commander James Bond, published in 1953. The plot revolves around a plan to take down Le Chiffre, an agent of SMERSH, by bankrupting him in a high-stakes game of Baccarat Chemin-de-fer.

Casino Royale has the unique distinction of being the only James Bond novel to be adapted three times: as a 1954 American TV production, a 1967 spoof film, and finally as the basis for the 2006 film of the same name.

Plot Summary

The head of Station S, Fawcett formulates a plan to take down SMERSH operative Le Chiffre who is the head of communist sympathizing trade unions in northern France, who is attempting to earn money in game in Baccarat Chemin de fer in order to compensate for the loss of his chain of brothels which were shut down after a law banning prostitution surfaced in France. M sends out his finest gambler, 00 agent Commander James Bond to play in the game. Station S's Vesper Lynd, Texan CIA agent Felix Leiter, and Frenchman René Mathis of the Deuxième Bureau are sent by their respective superiors to assist Bond in his endeavour.

Bond checks into the hotel and prepares his operation. Before Bond has a chance to face off with Le Chiffre, Soviet agents make an attempt on his life. Bond survives a bomb blast unscathed. He makes it to the casino and squares off against Le Chiffre. During the game, Bond is nearly killed by a gunman hired by Le Chiffre. Soon Bond goes bankrupt, but Felix Leiter provides him with extra capital to continue playing. Bond ultimately wins and bankrupts Le Chiffre, earning a sum of 40,000 Francs. After his win Bond takes Vesper out for a drink. However, she is lured into the parking lot and kidnapped by Le Chiffre. Bond pursues her in his Bentley but, after Le Chiffre makes him crash, he is captured himself.

Subsequently Vesper is taken away by Le Chiffre's men while he physically tortures Bond's genitals, seeking to know where the cheque for the money he won was hidden. After a while, he decides he couldn't extract information from Bond and begins sadistic mental torture on him. Shortly after, a SMERSH agent enters and executes both Le Chiffre and his two men by shooting them in the head. The agent spares Bond's life because he had been given no orders to kill him, then tells him about SMERSH's ideals: That they are only known to give mercy by chance or by mistake (both of which have been done in a single day to James Bond) then cuts a "Ш" (a Russian/Cyrillic symbol associated with spies) into Bond's left hand for any future SMERSH agents he might run into to identify him. Delirious, exhausted and in tremendous pain, Bond passes out immediately afterward.

Two days later, Bond regains consciousness and Vesper nurses him back to health. While in the hospital Bond contemplates his future as a spy. Three weeks later, they go on vacation where Bond starts a romantic relationship with Vesper. They take a vacation at a French seaside inn. They start a passionate relationship and Bond decides he will ask Vesper to marry him.

Vesper soon realizes that a SMERSH agent using the guise "Adolph Gettler" was watching their movements. Vesper grows increasingly fearful and paranoid of this man as he occasionally passes by. Bond catches Vesper making a secret phone call and acting duplicitously. Bond is frustrated and their relationship becomes strained. It comes to a head when Bond demands to know her secret. She promises to tell him the next day. They make passionate love and Bond retires to his own room. Finally, unable to handle the guilt, Vesper deliberately overdoses on sleeping pills that night to commit suicide.

In the morning, Bond finds a letter from Vesper explaining that she was working for the MWD to free her boyfriend who served in the Polish RAF. She had also nearly sabotaged the operation in the casino by not getting in between the gunman. She then tells Bond she started to fall in love with Bond, and this ended up drawing the ire of SMERSH, who sent the agent to track Vesper and Bond. Vesper also stated she wanted to escape to South America, start up a new life with Bond, and have a baby with him. She then finishes the letter with "My love, my love."

Because of Vesper's lies and the engraving of "Ш" into his right hand Bond decides to oppose SMERSH, an act which sets the rest of the series in motion. The novel then ends with Bond telling his liaison officer that "the bitch is dead now".

Characters

Comic strip adaptation

Main article: Daily Express

Casino Royale was the first James Bond novel to be adapted as a daily comic strip which was published in the Daily Express newspaper and syndicated worldwide. It ran from 7 July 1958 to 13 December 1958, and was written by Anthony Hern and illustrated by John McLusky. All strips are missing the familiar "JAMES BOND" heading in the top left corner which was used on all subsequent adventures.

To aid the Daily Express in illustrating James Bond, Ian Fleming commissioned an artist to create a sketch of what he believed James Bond to look like. The illustrator, John McLusky, however, felt that Fleming's 007 looked too "outdated" and "pre-war" and thus changed Bond to give him a more masculine look.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Literary}}
 {{Casino Royale}}
+{{Infobox book
-{{Bondbook
-|image = Casino_Royale_(First_Edition).jpg
+|image= Casino_Royale_(First_Edition).jpg
-|caption = Casino Royale (1st edition cover)
+|caption= Above image: Casino Royale (1st edition cover)
+|titles= Casino Royale
-|author = [[Ian Fleming]]
+|alt_titles= You Asked for It
-|publisher = Jonathan Cape
+|author= [[Ian Fleming]]
-|hardbackUK = 1953
+|illustrator= Ian Fleming
-|hardbackUS = 1983
+|country=
-|paperbackUK = ?
+|language=
-|paperbackUS = 1983
+|series=
-|cover = Ian Fleming
+|genre=
-|titles = You Asked for It
+|publisher= Jonathan Cape
-|preceded = None
+|hardback= {{Book Releases|UK=[[007 franchise timeline#1953|1953]]|US=[[007 franchise timeline#1983|1983]]}}
-|followed = [[Live and Let Die (novel)|Live and Let Die]]
+|paperback = {{Book Releases|UK=?|US=1983}}
+|media_type=
+|pages=
+|preceded= None
+|followed= [[Live and Let Die (novel)|Live and Let Die]]
 }}
-'''Casino Royale''' is the first novel written by [[Ian Fleming]] featuring the 00 agent Commander [[James Bond]], published in 1953. The plot revolves around a plan to take down [[Le Chiffre (Literary)|Le Chiffre]], an agent of [[SMERSH]], by bankrupting him in a high-stakes game of ''Baccarat Chemin-de-fer''.
+'''''Casino Royale''''' is the first novel written by [[Ian Fleming]] featuring the 00 agent Commander [[James Bond]], published in 1953. The plot revolves around a plan to take down [[Le Chiffre (Literary)|Le Chiffre]], an agent of [[SMERSH]], by bankrupting him in a high-stakes game of ''Baccarat Chemin-de-fer''.
+''Casino Royale'' has the unique distinction of being the only James Bond novel to be adapted three times: as [[Casino Royale (1954 TV)|a 1954 American TV production]], a [[Casino Royale (1967 film)|1967 spoof film]], and finally as the basis for the 2006 [[Casino Royale (film)|film of the same name]].
 ==Plot Summary==
+The head of Station S, [[Fawcett]] formulates a plan to take down [[SMERSH]] operative [[Le Chiffre (Literary)|Le Chiffre]] who is the head of communist sympathizing trade unions in northern [[France]], who is attempting to earn money in game in Baccarat Chemin de fer in order to compensate for the loss of his chain of brothels which were shut down after a law banning prostitution surfaced in France. [[M (Literary)|M]] sends out his finest gambler, 00 agent Commander [[James Bond (Literary)|James Bond]] to play in the game. Station S's [[Vesper Lynd (Literary)|Vesper Lynd]], Texan [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] agent [[Felix Leiter (Literary)|Felix Leiter]], and Frenchman [[René Mathis (Literary)|René Mathis]] of the [[Deuxième Bureau]] are sent by their respective superiors to assist Bond in his endeavour.
-{{Spoiler}}
-The head of Station S, [[Fawcett]] formulates a plan to take down [[SMERSH]] operative [[Le Chiffre (Literary)|Le Chiffre]] who is the head of communist sympathizing trade unions in northern [[France]], who is attempting to earn money in game in Baccarat Chemin de fer in order to compensate for the loss of his chain of brothels which were shut down after a law banning prostitution surfaces. [[M (Literary)|M]] sends out his finest gambler, 00 agent Commander [[James Bond (Literary)|James Bond]] to play in the game. Station S's [[Vesper Lynd (Literary)|Vesper Lynd]], Texan [[CIA]] agent [[Felix Leiter (Literary)|Felix Leiter]], and Frenchman [[René Mathis (Literary)|René Mathis]] of the [[Deuxième Bureau]] are sent by their respective superiors to assist Bond in his endeavour.
-Bond checks into the hotel and prepares his operation. Before Bond has a chance to face off with Le Chiffre, the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] agents make an attempt on his life. Bond survives a bomb blast unscathed. He makes it to the casino and confronts Le Chiffre. Bond then squares off against Le Chiffre. During the game, Bond is nearly killed by a gunman sent by Le Chiffre. Soon Bond goes bankrupt, but Felix Leiter provides him with extra capital to continue playing. Bond ultimately wins and bankrupts Le Chiffre, earning a sum of 40,000 Francs. After his win Bond takes Vesper out for a drink. She is lured into the parking lot and kidnapped by Le Chiffre. Bond pursues her in his Bentley and, after he crashes his car, is captured himself.
+Bond checks into the hotel and prepares his operation. Before Bond has a chance to face off with Le Chiffre, [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] agents make an attempt on his life. Bond survives a bomb blast unscathed. He makes it to the casino and squares off against Le Chiffre. During the game, Bond is nearly killed by a gunman hired by Le Chiffre. Soon Bond goes bankrupt, but Felix Leiter provides him with extra capital to continue playing. Bond ultimately wins and bankrupts Le Chiffre, earning a sum of 40,000 Francs. After his win Bond takes Vesper out for a drink. However, she is lured into the parking lot and kidnapped by Le Chiffre. Bond pursues her in his Bentley but, after Le Chiffre makes him crash, he is captured himself.
 [[Image:Bond's_Capture.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Bond's torture.]]
-Subsequently Vesper is taken away by Le Chiffre's men while he physically tortures Bond, who wants to know where the cheque for the money he won was hidden. After a while, he decided he couldn't extract information from Bond and begins sadistic mental torture on him. Shortly after, a SMERSH agent enters and executes both Le Chiffre and his two men by shooting them in the head. The agent spares Bond's life because he had been given no orders to kill him, then tells him about SMERSH's ideals: That they are only known to give mercy by chance or by mistake (Both of which have been done in a single day to James Bond) then cuts a "Ш" (A Russian/Cyrillic symbol associated with spies) into Bond's left hand for future reference. Delirious, exhausted and in tremendous pain, Bond passes out immediately afterward.
+Subsequently Vesper is taken away by Le Chiffre's men while he physically tortures Bond's genitals, seeking to know where the cheque for the money he won was hidden. After a while, he decides he couldn't extract information from Bond and begins sadistic mental torture on him. Shortly after, a SMERSH agent enters and executes both Le Chiffre and his two men by shooting them in the head. The agent spares Bond's life because he had been given no orders to kill him, then tells him about SMERSH's ideals: That they are only known to give mercy by chance or by mistake (both of which have been done in a single day to James Bond) then cuts a "Ш" (a Russian/Cyrillic symbol associated with spies) into Bond's left hand for any future SMERSH agents he might run into to identify him. Delirious, exhausted and in tremendous pain, Bond passes out immediately afterward.
 Two days later, Bond regains consciousness and Vesper nurses him back to health. While in the hospital Bond contemplates his future as a spy. Three weeks later, they go on vacation where Bond starts a romantic relationship with Vesper. They take a vacation at a French seaside inn. They start a passionate relationship and Bond decides he will ask Vesper to marry him.
-Vesper soon realizes that a SMERSH agent using the guise "[[Adolph Gettler (Literary)|Adolph Gettler]]" was watching their movements. Vesper grows increasingly fearful of her death and Bond's death from this man. Bond catches Vesper making a secret phone call and acting duplicitously. Bond is frustrated and their relationship becomes strained. It comes to a head when Bond demands to know her secret. She promises to tell him the next day. They make passionate love and Bond retires to his own room. Finally, unable to handle the guilt, Vesper deliberately overdoses on sleeping pills that night to commit suicide.
+Vesper soon realizes that a SMERSH agent using the guise "[[Adolph Gettler (Literary)|Adolph Gettler]]" was watching their movements. Vesper grows increasingly fearful and paranoid of this man as he occasionally passes by. Bond catches Vesper making a secret phone call and acting duplicitously. Bond is frustrated and their relationship becomes strained. It comes to a head when Bond demands to know her secret. She promises to tell him the next day. They make passionate love and Bond retires to his own room. Finally, unable to handle the guilt, Vesper deliberately overdoses on sleeping pills that night to commit suicide.
 In the morning, Bond finds a letter from Vesper explaining that she was working for the MWD to free her boyfriend who served in the Polish RAF. She had also nearly sabotaged the operation in the casino by not getting in between the gunman. She then tells Bond she started to fall in love with Bond, and this ended up drawing the ire of SMERSH, who sent the agent to track Vesper and Bond. Vesper also stated she wanted to escape to South America, start up a new life with Bond, and have a baby with him. She then finishes the letter with "My love, my love."
-Because of Vesper's lies and the engraving of "Ш" into his left hand Bond decides to oppose SMERSH, an act which sets the entire series in motion. The novel then ends with Bond telling a liaison officer, that "the bitch is dead now".
+Because of Vesper's lies and the engraving of "Ш" into his right hand Bond decides to oppose SMERSH, an act which sets the rest of the series in motion. The novel then ends with Bond telling his liaison officer that "the bitch is dead now".
 ==Characters==
@@ Line 38: / Line 45: @@
 James Bond (Literary) - Profile.jpg|[[James Bond (Literary)|James Bond]]|link=James Bond (Literary)
 M art.jpg|[[M (Literary)|M]]<br>|link=M (Literary)
-Monneypenny.jpg|[[Miss Moneypenny (Literary)|Miss Moneypenny]]|link=Miss Moneypenny (Literary)
+Monneypenny.jpg|[[Jane Moneypenny (Literary)|Miss Moneypenny]]|link=Jane Moneypenny (Literary)
-Le Chiffre (Literary) - Profile (by George Almond).png|[[Le Chiffre (Literary)|Le Chiffre]]|link=Le Chiffre (Literary)
+Felix Leiter by George Almond - Profile.png|[[Felix Leiter (Literary)|Felix Leiter]]|link=Felix Leiter (Literary)
 VLL.jpg|[[Vesper Lynd (Literary)|Vesper Lynd]]|link=Vesper Lynd (Literary)
-Leiter (Generic) Profile.png|[[Felix Leiter (Literary)|Felix Leiter]]|link=Felix Leiter (Literary)
+Le Chiffre (Literary) - Profile (by George Almond).png|[[Le Chiffre (Literary)|Le Chiffre]]|link=Le Chiffre (Literary)
 René_Mathis.png|[[René Mathis (Literary)|René Mathis]]|link=René Mathis (Literary)
-Generic Placeholder - Profile.jpg|[[Bill Tanner (Literary)|Bill Tanner]]|link=Bill Tanner (Literary)
+Bill Tanner by Yaroslav Horak.png|[[Bill Tanner (Literary)|Bill Tanner]]|link=Bill Tanner (Literary)
+Generic Placeholder - Profile.jpg|[[Q (Literary)|Q (mentioned)]]|link=Q(Literary)
+Generic Placeholder - Profile.jpg|[[Adolph Gettler (Literary)|Adolph Gettler]]|link=Adolph Gettler (Literary)
 Generic Placeholder - Profile.jpg|[[Basil]]|link=Basil
 Generic Placeholder - Profile.jpg|[[Kratt (Literary)|Kratt]]|link=Kratt (Literary)
-Generic Placeholder - Profile.jpg|[[Major Boothroyd (Literary)|Q (mentioned)]]|link=Major Boothroyd (Literary)
-Generic Placeholder - Profile.jpg|[[Adolph Gettler (Literary)|Adolph Gettler]]|link=Adolph Gettler (Literary)
 Generic Placeholder - Profile.jpg|[[Fawcett]]|link=Fawcett
 Generic Placeholder - Profile.jpg|[[Junius Du Pont]]|link=Junius Du Pont
@@ Line 56: / Line 63: @@
 ==Comic strip adaptation==
 [[File:Croyale.jpg|thumb]]
-{{Main|James Bond comic strips}}
+{{Main|Daily Express}}
 ''Casino Royale'' was the first James Bond novel to be adapted as a daily comic strip which was published in the ''Daily Express'' newspaper and syndicated worldwide. It ran from 7 July 1958 to 13 December 1958, and was written by [[Anthony Hern]] and illustrated by [[John McLusky]]. All strips are missing the familiar "JAMES BOND" heading in the top left corner which was used on all subsequent adventures.
-To aid the ''Daily Express'' in illustrating James Bond, Ian Fleming commissioned an artist to create a sketch of what he believed James Bond to look like. The illustrator, John McLusky, however, felt that Fleming's 007 looked too "outdated" and "pre-war" and thus changed Bond to give him a more masculine look. So this concludes the summary of the Casino Royale.
+To aid the ''Daily Express'' in illustrating James Bond, Ian Fleming commissioned an artist to create a sketch of what he believed James Bond to look like. The illustrator, John McLusky, however, felt that Fleming's 007 looked too "outdated" and "pre-war" and thus changed Bond to give him a more masculine look.
 ==Covers==
 <gallery>
 Casino Royale (First Edition).jpg|1st edition Jonathan Cape hardback (UK)
-Casino R US 1.jpg|the 1954 US release by the Macmillan publishing group
+Casino R US 1.jpg|The 1954 US release by the Macmillan publishing group
 Casino Royale (Pan, 1955).jpg|British Pan paperback edition (18 April 1955 onwards)
 You Asked For It.jpg|Alternate Title: 'You Asked For It" Popular Library (1958)
+JBCRbc23597819-4884416701_22d2c1a823_o1.jpg
+JBCRbc21.jpg
 Casino Royale (Pan, 1962) .jpg|British Pan paperback 9th-12th editions (1962 onwards)
 Casino Royale (Pan, 1963) .jpg|British Pan paperback 13th-23rd editions (1963 onwards)
 .jpg|British Jonathan Cape hardback (1964)
+JBCRbc12.jpg
+1132645.jpg|Signet Books paperback P2724 (US Feb 1960)
+Casino 1969.jpg|British Pan paperback (late 1960s)
 Casino Royale (Pan, 1972).jpg|British Pan paperback 29th-33rd editions (1972 onwards)
+CR Bestsellers.jpg|UK Complete Bestsellers magazine (1982)
+JBCRbc22.jpg
+JCCRbc09.jpg
+JBCRbc28.jpg
 Casino Royale (Penguin, 2002).jpg|American Penguin paperback edition (2002)
 .jpg|Penguin paperback (2009)
 CRbook.jpg|Kindle Edition (2012)
+9780099576853.jpg|British Paperback (2012)
 </gallery>
+{{Casino Royale (1953) Nav}}
 {{James Bond novels}}
 [[Category:Ian Fleming novels]]
+[[Category:Books]]