René Mathis is a fictional character from the James Bond film Casino Royale. He is portrayed by Giancarlo Giannini, who reprised the role in Quantum of Solace. The character appears in the original novel by Ian Fleming and, a trusted ally of Bond attached to the French Deuxième Bureau, he reappears in From Russia with Love, and one learns in Dr No that he has saved Bond’s life. The film character is markedly different in certain respects.

James Bond and Rene Mathis in ‘Quantum of Solace’.

Novel biography: Mathis is first introduced in the novel Casino Royale. It is revealed that he is an agent of the Deuxième Bureau and that he has worked with Bond once on an assignment in Jamaica. He provides Bond with assistance while he is in France. Mathis’ second (and final appearance) in the Ian Fleming novels is in From Russia with Love where it has been revealed that he has been promoted to the head of the Deuxième Bureau. Dr No reveals that he saved Bond’s life in between the two novels. He is later blinded by Le Gerant in the Raymond Benson novel Never Dream of Dying.

Film biography: In the film, Mathis — who introduces himself using the famous mannerism as “My name is Mathis. René Mathis.” — is portrayed as a charming and supremely competent lone-wolf MI6 agent stationed in Montenegro. During the entire Montenegro sequence, it is evident that Mathis is continually working behind the scenes to counter Le Chiffre’s plans and protect Bond and Vesper Lynd. Because an ally of Le Chiffre is the local chief of police, Mathis frames him for corruption by forging documents -“Its wonderful what you can do with Photoshop these days.” Mathis also helps Bond by disposing of the bodies of two LRA assassins that Bond has killed by placing them and their cell phone in the boot of Le Chiffre’s henchman Leo’s car and then ringing that phone while Leo and the police stand by. “Being dead,” he says as they watch Leo’s arrest, “doesn’t mean one can’t still be helpful.”

Before parting company for a break in the poker tournament, Bond carelessly divulges to Mathis and Vesper the tell-tale mannerism he’d spotted when Le Chiffre had been bluffing. When the game resumes, Le Chiffre affects the telling mannerism to tempt Bond to go “all in” on a crucial hand: Le Chiffre isn’t bluffing, and Bond loses all of his starting stake at a stroke. “You must have thought I was bluffing, Mr Bond.” When Le Chiffre captures Bond after the tournament is over, he leads Bond to believe that Mathis had betrayed Bond when he says “I’m afraid your friend Mathis is really… my friend Mathis.”

As Mathis approaches Bond recuperating from his capture, MI6 tasers Mathis and takes him into custody. M reveals that Lynd had been an unwilling accomplice of Bond’s enemies, and says that Mathis is therefore cleared. Bond disagrees and says that while Lynd has been proven guilty, Mathis has not been proven innocent, and still cannot be trusted, advising that MI6 continue to interrogate him. M then compliments Bond for learning a valuable lesson: no one can be trusted. Mathis’ true affiliation is therefore not resolved until the next film.

Quantum of Solace reveals that Mathis was either set up by Le Chiffre or was a triple agent, and therefore innocent. MI6 has apologised for arresting and detaining him and as compensation has given him a villa on a small island in Italy. Bond approaches Mathis for help in order to infiltrate Bolivia using fake passports and forged papers, and Mathis accompanies him. Mathis gets Bond into a party to confront Dominic Greene, and uses his contacts in the police force to give Bond protection.

However, Mathis is betrayed by the police, who are allied to Greene. Fleeing from the party, Bond is stopped and made to open the trunk of his car. He finds Mathis inside, barely alive. The police order Bond to remove Mathis from the trunk. As he does, they notice that Mathis is still alive and shoot him in the back. After dispatching the police, Bond goes over to Mathis’ side. Mathis, dying, asks Bond to stay with him till the end. He tells him that they forgive each other and Bond should forgive Vesper, who gave everything for him. He should forgive himself. With that, he dies in Bond’s arms. Bond, showing no emotion, dumps Mathis’ body in a dumpster and takes the money from his wallet, saying Mathis wouldn’t care. Nonetheless, during the final attack on the hotel where Greene is staying, Bond executes the Chief of Police, telling him that “You and I had a mutual friend,” avenging Mathis.

See also:

• Bond allies