'Congratulations, you were right...'

i expect u2 die

No matter who I'm watching Quantum Of Solace with, they will invariably turn to me after the line 'Congratulations, you were right...about Vesper.' and say 'eh?'

Being the Bond fan, I'm expected immediately to know exactly what Bond means. But every single time I reply, 'Er, well, it's meant to be vague, you see?' Because the truth is, I'm flummoxed. I have no idea what Bond means or why. What did M say about Vesper? Did she even say anything? Is the line genuinely confusing or am I genuinely missing the point? Or is it, in fact, meant to be vague?

Help me out, guys - my reputation is on the line here!

WordsAndDreams

I always assumed it was a callback to Casino Royale. He meant that M was right that Vesper was being played by Quantum (and her "boyfriend") and that she genuinely loved Bond and wasn't trying to deceive him by pretending to love him.

Basically it comes back to the conversation that Bond had with M at the end of CR where she says "don't you ever wonder why they didn't just kill you? Because she made a deal to save your life." I think Bond knew it, but the scene at the end of QoS was just the final confirmation, because I think he always had some doubts in the back of his mind that she was really a full on Quantum agent or something. But seeing the Canadian agent with the necklace proved that M was right.

minigeff

WordsAndDreams wrote:

I always assumed it was a callback to Casino Royale. He meant that M was right that Vesper was being played by Quantum (and her "boyfriend") and that she genuinely loved Bond and wasn't trying to deceive him by pretending to love him.

Basically it comes back to the conversation that Bond had with M at the end of CR where she says "don't you ever wonder why they didn't just kill you? Because she made a deal to save your life." I think Bond knew it, but the scene at the end of QoS was just the final confirmation, because I think he always had some doubts in the back of his mind that she was really a full on Quantum agent or something. But seeing the Canadian agent with the necklace proved that M was right.

pretty much spot on there.

this is of course the scene where bond finally acknowledges that vesper did really care for him and did die in order to save him.

bond thus finds a small amount of comfort in knowing this, and therefore finds his 'quantum (small amount) of solace (comfort in reflection).

Mr Beech

WordsAndDreams wrote:

I always assumed it was a callback to Casino Royale. He meant that M was right that Vesper was being played by Quantum (and her "boyfriend") and that she genuinely loved Bond and wasn't trying to deceive him by pretending to love him.

Basically it comes back to the conversation that Bond had with M at the end of CR where she says "don't you ever wonder why they didn't just kill you? Because she made a deal to save your life." I think Bond knew it, but the scene at the end of QoS was just the final confirmation, because I think he always had some doubts in the back of his mind that she was really a full on Quantum agent or something. But seeing the Canadian agent with the necklace proved that M was right.

I agree with this. Bond lost trust in Vesper and held disdain over her betrayal. M had already tried to explain to him that Vesper did the best she could to protect him, despite the trouble she was already putting them in, but Bond clearly wasn't willing to accept that Vesper was a women caught in a scheme AND a real relationship with Bond. Once Bond saw that she really was ruined by Quantum and made that deal for Bond's sake, he was willing to admit that M was correct about Vesper trying to make the deal out of love for him back in CR, and not just being around him for the money.

i expect u2 die

I think this is my problem with the whole Vesper's betrayal/death thing. Everything you guys have said makes sense, but I don't think any of it is at all clear in the film. There's no way of knowing that Bond 'has his doubts' over the authenticity of Quantum's hold over Vesper. The original Casino Royale script contains a line which reads (to paraphrase): 'Bond reads Vespers text [Mr White's number] and is overcome with emotion.''. Surely that is the moment at which Bond realises that Vesper was on his side? Except we don't really see any of that 'emotion' at that point in the film. I really think Quantum Of Solace should have clarified Bond's take on the whole thing. The Yusef scene would have served as a much greater payoff, in my opinion, if we knew where Bond's mind was at, and what this conclusion meant to him. I personally think the Yusef scene is the most gripping in the whole film. Had I seen just this single scene, I would assume that it concluded a fantastic film. I would think 'Ooh, nice, deep' when I heard the 'Congratulations...' line. Instead, I think it's an unfortunately confusing end to what is a muddled, unclear mess. The reason it's a mess is because we simply don't know what Bond is thinking.

Napoleon Plural

Both films are a mess, the first because of Haggis' third act imposed, the second because of the writers' strike. The bit where M phones thru to Bond to sort of convey what we can't figure out for ourselves is the worst kind of 'Show us, don't tell us' cinema crime. And surely she wasn't trying to save Bond, but her rogue boyfriend (who she didn't know was rogue)? Or was she? Beats me. I agree about the final confrontation with said boyfriend at end of QoS being very good indeed, but the whole Superman II 'I was never away' line from Craig in the fake snow with M pitching up just to claim some airmiles again (they probably have her picture on the wall in her office just to remember what she looks like) rather corny.

Lexi

WordsAndDreams wrote:

I always assumed it was a callback to Casino Royale. He meant that M was right that Vesper was being played by Quantum (and her "boyfriend") and that she genuinely loved Bond and wasn't trying to deceive him by pretending to love him.

Basically it comes back to the conversation that Bond had with M at the end of CR where she says "don't you ever wonder why they didn't just kill you? Because she made a deal to save your life." I think Bond knew it, but the scene at the end of QoS was just the final confirmation, because I think he always had some doubts in the back of his mind that she was really a full on Quantum agent or something. But seeing the Canadian agent with the necklace proved that M was right.

Also when Bond is having that conversation with M on the boat... and M is explaining about why Quantum didn't kill him... he cut her off with "well, no matter, the b1tch is dead" or something...

Then when he went to see Yusef, and saw exactly what he was doing... I think that was the final proof he needed to realise that yes, Vesper did in fact love him... and that she did in fact die for him. (Plus after his conversation with Mathis, when he had been shot... and Mathis told him to forgive her (and him) ) - it's like he finally allowed himself to admit that yes his love was justified.

That's why, for me, when Camille touches Bond's face in the car and says "I wish I could set you free, but your prison is in there" is a really powerful statement. She could see he was struggling with his feelings, and almost feeling guilty about allowing himself to grieve for the ultimate love of his life.

Jarvio

I'm so glad this question came up. I too was very confused at that line. I was even gonna re-watch CR just because of it, to see what M said. Now I don't have to {[]

chrisisall

Jarvio wrote:

I'm so glad this question came up.

Me too. Great explanations. I would have had a devil of a time expressing any of it as well as the eloquent people above have... B-)

DTReinsma

minigeff wrote:

WordsAndDreams wrote:

I always assumed it was a callback to Casino Royale. He meant that M was right that Vesper was being played by Quantum (and her "boyfriend") and that she genuinely loved Bond and wasn't trying to deceive him by pretending to love him.

Basically it comes back to the conversation that Bond had with M at the end of CR where she says "don't you ever wonder why they didn't just kill you? Because she made a deal to save your life." I think Bond knew it, but the scene at the end of QoS was just the final confirmation, because I think he always had some doubts in the back of his mind that she was really a full on Quantum agent or something. But seeing the Canadian agent with the necklace proved that M was right.

pretty much spot on there.

this is of course the scene where bond finally acknowledges that vesper did really care for him and did die in order to save him.

bond thus finds a small amount of comfort in knowing this, and therefore finds his 'quantum (small amount) of solace (comfort in reflection).

Well put both of you.

Thunderbird 2

As a closing scene, I find the "Congratulations, you were right" scene bit annoying. It's good as it shows the elegant simplicity of how good a character scene in the film can be with no nonsense or dressing up with flashy film tricks.
It also provides a rock solid conclusion to CR-06. The first time I saw it I thought this was great, a redeeming factor of QoS. However, in watching CR again and seeing it as a stand alone film in its own right, I realised that Vesper's betrayal is more powerful because her motives are not set in stone, and are not clear at the end. M's explanation to Bond makes sense, but there is enough of a question mark hanging over it to leave a shadow of doubt and suspicion. - Esp as Mr White walks away with the money, and Le Chiffre is dead by his hand. - However QoS's closing scenes knocks that squarely on the head.