Mallory vs Mansfield
SimonTemplar
Posts: 77MI6 Agent
Who is the better "M"?
That got me thinking but for me it is not a hard one to guess. It seems the producer already has Mallory as the "M" with the better portfolio. Mansfield has very little operative field experience herself admitting she always find it difficult handling a gun yet she ask a nervous rookie to "take the bloody shot" and less consider the consequences of failure which is high. She was also saved by Mallory. On the other hand Mallory has field experience, knows how to play the card, with less gung ho attitude and has the political support from the government which Mansfield seems to alienate. Mansfield is more like Bond in their attitude but to manage Bond you need someone who is complimentary rather than similar. Mallory is no less strict with Bond and perhaps less sentimental. To give Mallory the task of vetting the MI6 and the power to sack Mansfield should he see fit the viewer is immediately given the sense he is the bigger boss.
If someone comes into my office, freely expresses his opinion and tells my staff not to **** its up, he has to be the senior manager.
Simon
That got me thinking but for me it is not a hard one to guess. It seems the producer already has Mallory as the "M" with the better portfolio. Mansfield has very little operative field experience herself admitting she always find it difficult handling a gun yet she ask a nervous rookie to "take the bloody shot" and less consider the consequences of failure which is high. She was also saved by Mallory. On the other hand Mallory has field experience, knows how to play the card, with less gung ho attitude and has the political support from the government which Mansfield seems to alienate. Mansfield is more like Bond in their attitude but to manage Bond you need someone who is complimentary rather than similar. Mallory is no less strict with Bond and perhaps less sentimental. To give Mallory the task of vetting the MI6 and the power to sack Mansfield should he see fit the viewer is immediately given the sense he is the bigger boss.
If someone comes into my office, freely expresses his opinion and tells my staff not to **** its up, he has to be the senior manager.
Simon
Comments
It's possible but highly unlikely...it's VERY rare a person is on a committee (at Govt level) where a job is at stake and a person from that committee takes over...it's a conflict of interests and just isn't done...he's a messenger...
CR-06 and QoS both prove that M-Manf answered to the Prime Minister. In the former she says so herself after the unseen select committee give her a hard time for Bond shooting up the embassy and execution via CCTV. Plus Quantum did get away with the money, and (although not Bond's fault,) Le'Chiffre was fish food! In QoS, the Foriegn Secretary says right from the off that M-Manf is seeing him because the PM is too hacked off at the internal / external mess 007 has created with the CIA, and Quantum has been making MI6 a laughing stock.
Skyfall doesn't need that back catalogue, but it all creates a wonderfully brave notion of an M that IS incapable of running MI6 anymore. Added by Dame Judi's brilliant performance.
From my perspective its a shame there has not been a recurring political character since Sir Freddy Gray. Had we seen Clair Dowar earlier, we might have seen some interesting back story as to why she had it in for M-Manf. Indeed, it's clear M-Malry was trying to help his predecessor to be. I also believe that he took the job as her successor, because he realised he could do something constructive based on what M-Manf had said, and the shoot out at the inquiry.
It IS too early to tell, but Mallory and EMP have a distinct edge over their original continuity counterparts. Something that opens new story opportunities. We never saw Admiral M, M-Harg, or MoneyPenny in the field, guns in hand fighting alongside Bond. Even M-Mawd who had a bigger part in TWINE, was a captive character.