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Casino Royale : Who was the best "Le Chiffre" ?

GerardGerard
in Bond Movies Posts: 6,022
Pretty self-explanatory, I think. Between Peter Lorre, Orson Welles or Mads Mikkelsen, who do you think was the best Le Chiffre ? And why ? Was it because of his faithfulness to what Fleming had written ? The talent of the actor portraying him ? Or other reasons ?

So I begin. My choice will go to Peter Lorre. First, because I'm a big fan of the "Noir" movies he did, from M to "The Matese Falcon". Second, because he was more faithful to Fleming's description of the character's habit (made use of the razor blade, for example, which none of the other two did. And frankly, if Mads Mikkelsen was pretty close, the less said about Orson Welles in this particular part, the better.

Now, for best Vesper, I would go with Eva Green. Sorry, Linda and Ursula, but you can't really compare.

Your turn now.
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Comments

  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,255
    Mads
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,264
    As much as I like Peter Lorre - and I like him very much indeed - I prefer a bit of naturalism in my Bond films and Mads delivers exactly that. Menacing, relentless yet also vulnerable in his own way - the eye bleeding gives him a diabolical quality and yet he is anything but your typical moustache twirling villain. I'm consistently amazed by how he flexes his facial muscles to communicate being irritated, mischievous, deceitful, bluffing, worried, impressed, ... There's something about Mikkelsen's lips, eyes and complexion that never fails to make me uncomfortable. His version of LeChiffre is clever and wicked, but also an asthmatic with an obvious eye dysfunction. Those little things make me see him as multi-layered villain, of this world yet also slightly not. A believable villain, even if he looks like Dracula's nephew.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    Orson Welles, by far.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    Mads. Peter Lorre didn't really play Flemings Villain as the story was changed.....although he had the look and ability. The same goes for Welles....good choice but the film and script is a joke.....and not a funny one.
  • CASINOROYALECASINOROYALE Somewhere hot
    Posts: 1,003
    Never saw Casino royale (1967), it's a comedy film..? Isn't it?
  • Some_Kind_Of_HeroSome_Kind_Of_Hero
    Posts: 6,844
    Mads. He's been my favorite of Craig's villains so far and will definitely go down as one of the greats. Fantastic performance.

    Admittedly I haven't seen the Climax Casino Royale yet (must check that one off some day), but I've heard Lorre was a bit past his prime here and not really giving it all that he could have. I will say, I do like me some Lorre in his prime. However, your appraisal of Lorre's performance goes against the grain of what I've read, so I will have to see for myself some day.

    As for Welles, he's an impressive personality, as he usually is, but the film is a joke and so is his character. I can't credit him with being a better Le Chiffre than Mads any more than I could credit Mike Meyers with being a better Blofeld than Telly Savalas. Apples and oranges, and Telly/Mads still wins anyway.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,361
    Mads by far.
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    edited November 2016 Posts: 3,157
    Mads Mikkelsen, no doubt.
  • ToTheRightToTheRight
    edited November 2016 Posts: 16,226
    Not fair to compare as each is a radically different interpretation. We might as well ask which Bond was the best: Barry Nelson, Niven or Craig?
    That said I'll go with Peter Lorre. He's such a legend and would have been great as a Bond villain in an Eon film.
  • ToTheRightToTheRight
    edited November 2016 Posts: 16,226
    On second thought, I'll change that to Mads. It's his birthday today.
  • LeChiffreLeChiffre
    Posts: 1,548
    There can only be one Le Chiffre!
  • RevelatorRevelator
    Posts: 2,922
    None were entirely satisfactory. Lorre was a great actor, but specialized in henchmen or lone criminals (like his character in M). He didn't have the physical presence of a big bad guy.
    Welles was perfect Bond villain material: imposing body, immense charisma, and a great voice of doom. But the '67 CR LeChiffre is under-developed and given few opportunities to display evil. Incidentally, Welles was the first choice to play Blofeld in the Connery/McClory Warhead project. That would have been most interesting.
    Mikkelson I found bland: too thin and creepily handsome, an unremarkable voice, and the bleeding eye was corny. Fleming's LeChiffre had eyes whose whites completely surrounded their irises. That could have been achieved with contacts and would, with the right lightning, have been subtler and creepier.
    Had Orson Welles slipped through a space/time warp and played LeChiffre in the 2006 Casino Royale, he would have been my favorite.
  • Some_Kind_Of_HeroSome_Kind_Of_Hero
    Posts: 6,844
    Welles was also Broccoli's first choice to play Goldfinger. (If you don't mind my shameless plug of an article I wrote last year ;): https://enjoythecrawl.wordpress.com/2015/01/01/5-actors-who-were-almost-james-bond-villains/)
  • barryt007barryt007
    edited November 2016 Posts: 19,339
    Mads definitely...one of my favourite villains..he was an inspired choice to play Le Chiffre,and blended brilliantly with Dan's Bond.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Murdock wrote: »
    Mads by far.

    Absolutely. He is realistically creepy. The others are just silly.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    Mads is the only class act classic villain of the Craig era, Greene is bland, Silva was disappointing and Blofeld wasn't as good as the incarnations in YOLT, OHMSS and NSNA.
  • PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
    Posts: 3,675
    Definitely Mads. Saw him in Dr. Strange on his birthday!
  • Some_Kind_Of_HeroSome_Kind_Of_Hero
    Posts: 6,844
    PropertyOfALady wrote: »
    Definitely Mads. Saw him in Dr. Strange on his birthday!

    I completely forgot he was in the cast for that. Now I really must make time to see Dr. Strange at some point.
  • RogueAgentRogueAgent
    Posts: 12,526
    Mads Mikkelson by a very long way!
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Some_Kind_Of_Hero wrote: »
    PropertyOfALady wrote: »
    Definitely Mads. Saw him in Dr. Strange on his birthday!

    I completely forgot he was in the cast for that. Now I really must make time to see Dr. Strange at some point.

    He is creepy there as well, but also has a funny scene. ("Mr. Doctor" etc, as can be seen in the trailer)
  • PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
    Posts: 3,675
    Mr Doctor, that scene was hilarious.
  • SharkBaitSharkBait
    Posts: 2,107
    Mads Mikkelsen is the best villain of the Craig era and the best of Le Chiffre's.

    He's the most traditional villain from this era, with villain trait.

    Sure, Silva also had this. But he was too camp and Brofeld was not indimitating.

  • daltondalton
    Posts: 1,631
    Mikkelsen for sure.

    Welles wasn't bad and could have been a truly iconic villain in the role had his film been played more as a straight adaptation as opposed to a spoof.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited November 2016 Posts: 18,348
    I'm mad about Mads.
  • SharkBaitSharkBait
    Posts: 2,107
    Birdleson wrote: »
    @SharkBait , I still can't used to you using an actual picture of yourself! What the Hell!?!

    Why? :p

    Not how you pictured me?




    144?cb=20130418180621
  • ToTheRightToTheRight
    Posts: 16,226
    SharkBait wrote: »
    Mads Mikkelsen is the best villain of the Craig era and the best of Le Chiffre's.

    He's the most traditional villain from this era, with villain trait.

    Sure, Silva also had this. But he was too camp and Brofeld was not indimitating.

    No question for me Mads is the best Craig villain. Silva was solid as well, but TBH, I think the writers could have given him a more catchy name like Zorin or Kamal Khan.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited November 2016 Posts: 18,348
    It takes a certain amount of bravery these days to have an avatar featuring an actual photo of the member. I therefore salute anyone who does that but I don't think in all honesty I am either brave or photogenic enough to pull it off. Silhouette Man indeed.
  • SharkBaitSharkBait
    Posts: 2,107
    I've never used horrorfaces...before.
  • SharkBaitSharkBait
    edited November 2016 Posts: 2,107
    Actually checking my avatar history, I've only used either Bond or Bond girl avatars. (or the saint, Clouseau, The x-files or Austin Powers)

    Mixed personalities maybe?
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,348
    Scary guy.
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