Carter-The Worst Bond Ally Ever!

discovolante

This might belong in the Casino Royale Forum, so mods move it if you wish...Carter, Bond's helper in the beginning of the Madagascar snake-mongoose fight scene has to go down as the worst Bond ally ever. I've watched CR at least 5 or 6 times and Carter never fails to annoy the **** out of me. Here's why he is the worst.
First of all, What exactly is his job at MI6? He can't possibly be a double O, so maybe he is a lesser ranked agent. However, he seems to have absolutely no surveillance skills at all. Bond has to repeatedly tell him to stop touching his ear, a sure sign that he has an ear piece. Also, why would MI6 choose Carter to be the man on the ground, performing the up close surveillance on the bomber? "Hey M, I have a great idea! Let's take the whitest, goofiest guy that we have and insert him into a crowd of Madagascar natives watching a snake fight. I'm sure he'll blend in". Even Bond, a rookie double O agent himself, has the common sense to hang back and observe from a distance. Then, after he's spotted, Carter continues his ineptitude by pulling out his gun in the middle of the crowd. Finally, he does us all a favor by falling into the snake pit, never to be seen or heard from again. Obviously Carter was not that important because when M is chastising Bond about shooting the bomber, she never even mentions the demise of Carter. At first I thought that perhaps Bond was training Carter, but that doesn't make sense because, as stated above, Bond is a rookie double O himself.
There is a history of Bond allies being killed in the films. They are almost sacrificial lambs, giving Bond a personal vendetta to go along with the completion of his mission. Quarrel in DN, Paris in TND, Della and Felix in LTK, etc.
I realize I have given too much thought to an extremely minor character in CR, but I'm curious if anybody agrees or disagrees with my choosing of worst ally ever.

Cynjin Smyth

discovolante wrote:

This might belong in the Casino Royale Forum, so mods move it if you wish...Carter, Bond's helper in the beginning of the Madagascar snake-mongoose fight scene has to go down as the worst Bond ally ever. I've watched CR at least 5 or 6 times and Carter never fails to annoy the **** out of me. Here's why he is the worst.
First of all, What exactly is his job at MI6? He can't possibly be a double O, so maybe he is a lesser ranked agent. However, he seems to have absolutely no surveillance skills at all. Bond has to repeatedly tell him to stop touching his ear, a sure sign that he has an ear piece. Also, why would MI6 choose Carter to be the man on the ground, performing the up close surveillance on the bomber? "Hey M, I have a great idea! Let's take the whitest, goofiest guy that we have and insert him into a crowd of Madagascar natives watching a snake fight. I'm sure he'll blend in". Even Bond, a rookie double O agent himself, has the common sense to hang back and observe from a distance. Then, after he's spotted, Carter continues his ineptitude by pulling out his gun in the middle of the crowd. Finally, he does us all a favor by falling into the snake pit, never to be seen or heard from again. Obviously Carter was not that important because when M is chastising Bond about shooting the bomber, she never even mentions the demise of Carter. At first I thought that perhaps Bond was training Carter, but that doesn't make sense because, as stated above, Bond is a rookie double O himself.
There is a history of Bond allies being killed in the films. They are almost sacrificial lambs, giving Bond a personal vendetta to go along with the completion of his mission. Quarrel in DN, Paris in TND, Della and Felix in LTK, etc.
I realize I have given too much thought to an extremely minor character in CR, but I'm curious if anybody agrees or disagrees with my choosing of worst ally ever.

So worst Bond ally, I hope this isn't like the the Bond girl thread. I would say the French agent in FYEO. As much as I love this movie I still don't understand his part. He tags along just to get killd, though his death leads to the (IMO) best Bond revenge sceen in any Bond movie.

Mr Martini

I thought M said in one of the films she has no problem sending a man out to die. Maybe Carter uttered Ms first name

7289

I like Carter!

He fit Dr. No's description perfectly of an agent who was nothing more than, "A stupid policeman - whose luck had run out!"

Barbel

Cynjin Smyth wrote:

I would say the French agent in FYEO. As much as I love this movie I still don't understand his part. He tags along just to get killd, though his death leads to the (IMO) best Bond revenge sceen in any Bond movie.

I would think he's Italian rather than French, but I agree that he's only there to be killed off.

mr zorin

Maybe not the worst but he's got to be the dummest.It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out not to put your hand on your ear.You may as well call out I work for the secret service.

A7ce

discovolante wrote:

"Hey M, I have a great idea! Let's take the whitest, goofiest guy that we have and insert him into a crowd of Madagascar natives watching a snake fight. I'm sure he'll blend in".

>>>

Finally, he does us all a favor by falling into the snake pit, never to be seen or heard from again. .

Ha Ha Ha.
Yep, he was inept, my six year old nephew could have done a better surveilance job.

Flanker_00

Yes I agree, Carter is a huge loser, must have been his first day or something.

You forgot to add his ND (negligent discharge) to the list. Negligent, not accidental. What moron runs through a crowd with his finger on the trigger? I wouldn't trust this guy with a nerf gun.

sharpshooter

Mr Martini wrote:

I thought M said in one of the films she has no problem sending a man out to die. Maybe Carter uttered Ms first name

Good one. I don't think he's the worst; he's just a different type of ally for Bond to have in the field. Variety is always good, just like realistic and lighter tone Bond films. His poor surveillance work set up the great parkour chase, so at least that's something.

words

Well, I can see the point about Carter - but imagine how much worse things could have been if Mary Goodnight had been given that job...;)

sharpshooter

That may be so, but I'd prefer her over Carter. At least she'd be good for something.

words

sharpshooter wrote:

That may be so, but I'd prefer her over Carter. At least she'd be good for something.

) Fair point!

7289

It's guys like Carter that keep oo7 on top of M's list, and prevent her from feeding Bond to those "arse covering prigs".

Napoleon Plural

Carter is there to make Craig's Bond look good, to show him as a competent, no nonsense type. Did Carter actually die, however?

The role is a bit of a nonentity otherwise, possible cut to ribbons in the editing stage.

7289

I'd like to see him return in QOS!

JADE66

Carter isn't much of an ally at all. He's only around for a few seconds. No one really has a chance to like or dislike him. The worst Bond film ally of all has to be Norman Burton's Felix from Diamonds Are Forever. He's constantly dropping the ball such as when he and his team lose Tiffany at the circus. And why on Earth would he have to post a guard on Bond's hotel suite? Aren't they supposed to be on the same side?
Carter panicked and though inept at least his reactions were human. Felix from DAF was a disaster. 007 would have been better off with the Skipper and Gilligan rather than Felix and his team of badly dressed icompetents. Felix from DAF is undoubtedly the worst.

hackett

I thought Carter was the man accompanying M in the following scene.

Tee Hee

hackett wrote:

I thought Carter was the man accompanying M in the following scene.

You're probably thinking of Villiers, M's secretary/personal assistant. Villiers basically assumed the role that would have otherwise been filled by Miss Moneypenny before the reboot. Strangely, Villiers will not appear in QoS, or any other future Bond film for that matter. Actor Tobias Menzies has reported on his Myspace page that Villiers "is no more."

7289

Villiers probably put Bond on hold one time too many!

Napoleon Plural

Bit of a waste of a character... He did seem like a work experience type, and brought in to emphasise Craig's macho appeal.