Le Chiffre
Le Chiffre | |
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James Bond character | |
Created by | Ian Fleming |
Portrayed by |
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In-universe information | |
Full name | Jean Duran (video game) |
Gender | Male |
Occupation | Paymaster for the Syndicat des Ouvriers d'Alsace (novel) Terrorist banker (film) |
Affiliation |
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Nationality |
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Classification | Villain |
Henchmen | Valenka |
Le Chiffre (French:
Fleming based the character on occultist Aleister Crowley.[3]
Novel biography
Le Chiffre, alias "Die Nummer", "Mr. Number", "Herr Ziffer" and other translations of "The Number", "The Numeral", "The Figure", "The Cipher", or "The Code" in various languages, is the paymaster of the "Syndicat des Ouvriers d'Alsace" (French for "Alsatian Workmen's Union"), a SMERSH-controlled trade union.[4]
He is first encountered as an inmate of the
Height 1,73 m. Weight 114,3 kg. Complexion very pale. Clean-shaven. Hair red-
brown, 'en brosse.' Eyes very dark brown with whites showing all round iris. Small, rather feminine mouth. False teeth of expensive quality. Ears small, with large lobes, indicating some Jewish blood. Hands small, well-tended, hirsute. Feet small. Racially, subject is probably a mixture of Mediterranean with Prussian or Polish strains. Dresses well and meticulously, generally in dark double-breasted suits. Smokes incessantly Caporals, using a denicotinizing holder. At frequent intervals inhales from benzedrine inhaler. Voice soft and even. Bilingual in French and English. Good German. Traces of Marseillais accent. Smiles infrequently. Does not laugh.
Habits: Mostly expensive, but discreet. Large sexual appetites. Flagellant. Expert driver of fast cars. Adept with small arms and other forms of personal combat, including knives. Carries three Eversharp razor blades, in hatband, heel of left shoe, and cigarette case. Knowledge of accountancy and mathematics. Fine gambler.
In the novel, he serves as the paymaster for the Syndicat des Ouvriers d'Alsace, an important Communist trade union in Alsace. MI6 also believes the union would serve as a fifth column in the event of a Third World War between NATO and the Eastern Bloc, capable to mobilizing its 50,000 members to seize control of a substantial portion of the French–West German borderlands. He makes a major investment in the Cordon Jaune string of brothels with 50 million francs in subsidies belonging to SMERSH. The investment fails after the Loi Marthe Richard is signed into law banning prostitution in France. Le Chiffre then goes to the casino Royale-les-Eaux with the union's remaining 25 million francs in funds in an attempt to replace his lost money before the Soviet government notices. Le Chiffre is suggested to be a genuinely committed Communist, with his MI6 dossier inferring that he probably only invested in the brothels because he believed it would increase his union's funds.
The French press reports that Le Chiffre committed suicide, throwing the
Novel henchmen
- Basil – bodyguard and martial arts expert who takes pleasure in roughing up Bond. He is later killed by a SMERSH agent.
- Kratt – Le Chiffre's Corsican bodyguard who wields a walking-stick gun with which he threatens to cripple Bond at the gaming table. He is later killed by a SMERSH agent.
1967 film biography
Le Chiffre is a secondary villain in the 1967
2006 film biography
In the 2006 film adaptation of
At the start of the movie, Le Chiffre is contacted by
The failure of his airline scheme causes Le Chiffre to lose over $100 million. He sets up and enters a high-stakes Texas hold 'em tournament at Casino Royale in Montenegro in an attempt to recoup his losses before his clients find out that their money has been misappropriated and seek revenge against him. Bond is sent to make sure that Le Chiffre does not win back the money, hoping to force him to turn to MI6 for asylum in exchange for information on his creditors and employers. An accountant from HM Treasury, Vesper Lynd, is sent to accompany Bond to make sure the money is used properly.
During the tournament, an irate Obanno and his lieutenant break into Le Chiffre's hotel room, restrain his girlfriend Valenka, and strangle him with a cord. Le Chiffre asks for, and is granted one last chance to win their money back. He offers not one word of objection to Obanno's feigned amputation of Valenka's arm, leading the ruthless warlord to advise her to find a new partner. As Obanno leaves the room, his bodyguard spots Bond and Vesper in the hallway, and hears Valenka's cries coming from Bond's earpiece. Bond kills the bodyguard by throwing him over a railing, then chokes Obanno to death with Vesper's assistance after relieving Obanno of his machete.
On the second day of the tournament, Le Chiffre initially outwits and bankrupts Bond, who cannot get additional funding approved by Vesper. However,
Le Chiffre kidnaps Vesper, forcing Bond to give chase, and leads him straight into a trap. Le Chiffre leaves Vesper, bound at the feet and hands, in the middle of the road, and Bond is forced to swerve to avoid hitting her and crashes his car.
Semiconscious, Bond is stripped naked and bound to a chair with the seat removed. Le Chiffre proceeds to whip Bond in the
Le Chiffre is mentioned in the direct sequel, Quantum of Solace and is also seen in a background image inside MI6.
In
Appearances
Eon films
- Casino Royale (2006)
- Quantum of Solace (2008) – mentioned/seen in a photograph only
- Spectre (2015) – mentioned/seen in archive footage and a photograph only
Non-Eon productions
- ", 1954)
- Casino Royale (a Columbia Pictures release, 1967)
2006 film henchmen
- Alex Dimitrios – stabbed by Bond with his own knife
- Carlos Nikolic – accidentally blew himself up, courtesy of Bond
- Mollaka – shot by Bond
- Leo – arrested
- Bobbie
- Jochum
- Kratt – shot by Mr. White
- Valenka – shot by Mr. White
- General Grafin von Wallenstein
- Madame Wu
- Sheriff Tomelli
- Lionel
- Ison
See also
- Casino Royale (novel)
- Casino Royale (1954 film)
- Casino Royale (1967 film)
- Casino Royale (2006 film)
Notes
- Gannett Company. Retrieved 4 April 2008.
- ISBN 978-0-8032-6240-9.
- ^ Macintyre, Ben (5 April 2008). "Was Ian Fleming the real 007?". The Times. London, England. Retrieved 8 April 2008.
- ISBN 978-0-8032-6240-9. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ISBN 978-1-84901-829-6.
- ISBN 978-1-4803-3786-2.