Dominic Greene
Encyclopedia
Dominic Greene is a fictional character and the primary antagonist in the James Bond
film Quantum of Solace. He is portrayed by French
actor Mathieu Amalric
.
that Le Chiffre and Mr. White
work for, and also runs a shell corporation called Greene Planet. Greene is tasked by the organization with securing a piece of land in Latin America
that is rich in natural resources. To that end, he plans to restore an exile
d dictator
, General Medrano, to power, and in return Medrano will hand over this plot of land to the organization. Greene also has a connection to Vesper Lynd
, and may have been one of the men who were blackmail
ing her prior to the events of Casino Royale
.
Greene first appears when his former lover, Camille Montes, confronts him in Haiti
over his order to have her killed. He is then interrupted by Medrano, whom Camille has made it her mission to kill. The General takes her on the boat, intent on raping
and killing her, but Bond saves her. On board his private jet, Greene meets with CIA
representatives Gregg Beam and Felix Leiter
; Greene tells Beam to get rid of Bond, much to Leiter's dismay. Greene has developed a relationship with the CIA, gaining their support in overthrowing the existing Bolivia
n government with understanding that the United States will profit (literally and figuratively) from Greene's influence in Bolivia with regard to oil
, which he has led the Americans to believe he has discovered.
Greene attends a production of Tosca
at an opera
house in Bregenz
, Austria
; using remote communication earpieces, a conference call of sorts is held during the performance among Greene and fellow members of Quantum, all of whom are scattered about the opera house audience. Bond obtains an earpiece of his own and brazenly informs them that he is listening in. With their meeting compromised, the Quantum members — Greene included — leave the opera house. Greene goes to his car, where Bond gets one of his assailants and throws him off the roof, on to Greene's car. Greene is next seen at his party, delivering a speech on conserving South America
's rainforest
s, but when Camille crashes the party, Greene threatens to kill her; Bond steps in at the last minute and saves her life yet again. As payback, Greene kills Bond's MI6 handler (and erstwhile lover) Strawberry Fields by asphyxiating her with motor oil.
Greene utilizes his eco-friendly company Greene Planet as a cover for his involvement with the international organization Quantum. Greene has spearheaded a relationship with Medrano; through a mutually beneficial partnership, Greene has promised to use Quantum to overthrow the existing Bolivian government and place Medrano in power. In exchange, Greene and Quantum desire land rights to a seemingly barren tract of land deep within the Bolivian desert; ostensibly, this desolate piece of land could yield precious reserves of oil. Bond and Camille stumble across dynamite
-created dams deep within a sinkhole
in the Bolivian desert; these dams effectively divert vast resources of water into a single, concentrated area. Bond realizes Greene isn't after oil: instead, Greene and Quantum intend to privately own and control
the whole of Bolivia's water supply. Upon Medrano's agreement to accept Quantum's aid in overthrowing the Bolivian government, Greene presents Medrano with a contract for the privatised water service Quantum will provide for the country — at double the rate.
Bond learns that Greene is staying at the Perla de las Dunas, an eco-hotel in the Bolivian desert (filmed in the Atacama Desert
). He and Camille infiltrate the building and go their separate ways; Camille to find Medrano, while Bond goes after Greene, who arms himself with a fire axe shortly after engaging Bond in mortal combat. An explosion of one of the hydrogen fuel
cells that power the hotel sets off a chain reaction as an unarmed Bond fights Greene. With the hotel burning down around him, Bond knocks Greene unconscious and leaves to find Camille. As they escape the hotel they see Greene in the distance running for his life. Bond captures and takes Greene deep into the Bolivian desert and leaves him to die; as a final insult, Bond throws him a can of motor oil, betting he will make it 20 miles before he considers drinking it.
At the film's conclusion, M
informs Bond that Greene was found in the middle of the Bolivian desert with two bullets in the back of his head — having been presumably executed by Quantum — and motor oil in his stomach.
and Tony Blair
.
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film Quantum of Solace. He is portrayed by French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
actor Mathieu Amalric
Mathieu Amalric
Mathieu Amalric is a French actor and film director, perhaps best known internationally for his performance as the lead villain in Bond film Quantum Of Solace and for his role in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, for which he drew critical acclaim...
.
In the film
Greene is part of the same organizationQuantum (James Bond)
Quantum is a fictional criminal organization, featured as the antagonists in the James Bond films Casino Royale, and its sequel, Quantum of Solace. The organization prefers to remain in the shadows, and is known to contract third parties to avoid implicating itself...
that Le Chiffre and Mr. White
Mr. White (James Bond)
Mr. White is a fictional character and antagonist played by Jesper Christensen in the James Bond films Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace....
work for, and also runs a shell corporation called Greene Planet. Greene is tasked by the organization with securing a piece of land in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
that is rich in natural resources. To that end, he plans to restore an exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
d dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
, General Medrano, to power, and in return Medrano will hand over this plot of land to the organization. Greene also has a connection to Vesper Lynd
Vesper Lynd
Vesper Lynd is a fictional character featured in Ian Fleming's James Bond novel Casino Royale. The name is a pun on "West Berlin". It has been claimed that Fleming based Lynd on the real life Special Operations Executive agent Christine Granville. In the 1967 film of Casino Royale, she is played by...
, and may have been one of the men who were blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
ing her prior to the events of Casino Royale
Casino Royale (2006 film)
Casino Royale is the twenty-first film in the James Bond film series and the first to star Daniel Craig as fictional MI6 agent James Bond...
.
Greene first appears when his former lover, Camille Montes, confronts him in Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
over his order to have her killed. He is then interrupted by Medrano, whom Camille has made it her mission to kill. The General takes her on the boat, intent on raping
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
and killing her, but Bond saves her. On board his private jet, Greene meets with CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
representatives Gregg Beam and Felix Leiter
Felix Leiter
Felix Leiter is a fictional CIA agent created by Ian Fleming in the James Bond series of novels and films. In both, Leiter works for the CIA and assists Bond in his various adventures as well as being his best friend. In further novels Leiter joins the Pinkerton Detective Agency and in the film...
; Greene tells Beam to get rid of Bond, much to Leiter's dismay. Greene has developed a relationship with the CIA, gaining their support in overthrowing the existing Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
n government with understanding that the United States will profit (literally and figuratively) from Greene's influence in Bolivia with regard to oil
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
, which he has led the Americans to believe he has discovered.
Greene attends a production of Tosca
Tosca
Tosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900...
at an opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
house in Bregenz
Bregenz
-Culture:The annual summer music festival Bregenzer Festspiele is a world-famous festival which takes place on and around a stage on Lake Constance, where a different opera is performed every second year.-Sport:* A1 Bregenz HB is a handball team....
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
; using remote communication earpieces, a conference call of sorts is held during the performance among Greene and fellow members of Quantum, all of whom are scattered about the opera house audience. Bond obtains an earpiece of his own and brazenly informs them that he is listening in. With their meeting compromised, the Quantum members — Greene included — leave the opera house. Greene goes to his car, where Bond gets one of his assailants and throws him off the roof, on to Greene's car. Greene is next seen at his party, delivering a speech on conserving South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
's rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
s, but when Camille crashes the party, Greene threatens to kill her; Bond steps in at the last minute and saves her life yet again. As payback, Greene kills Bond's MI6 handler (and erstwhile lover) Strawberry Fields by asphyxiating her with motor oil.
Greene utilizes his eco-friendly company Greene Planet as a cover for his involvement with the international organization Quantum. Greene has spearheaded a relationship with Medrano; through a mutually beneficial partnership, Greene has promised to use Quantum to overthrow the existing Bolivian government and place Medrano in power. In exchange, Greene and Quantum desire land rights to a seemingly barren tract of land deep within the Bolivian desert; ostensibly, this desolate piece of land could yield precious reserves of oil. Bond and Camille stumble across dynamite
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
-created dams deep within a sinkhole
Sinkhole
A sinkhole, also known as a sink, shake hole, swallow hole, swallet, doline or cenote, is a natural depression or hole in the Earth's surface caused by karst processes — the chemical dissolution of carbonate rocks or suffosion processes for example in sandstone...
in the Bolivian desert; these dams effectively divert vast resources of water into a single, concentrated area. Bond realizes Greene isn't after oil: instead, Greene and Quantum intend to privately own and control
Water privatization
Water privatization is a short-hand for private sector participation in the provision of water services and sanitation, although sometimes it refers to privatization and sale of water resources themselves . As water services are seen as such a key public service, water privatization is often...
the whole of Bolivia's water supply. Upon Medrano's agreement to accept Quantum's aid in overthrowing the Bolivian government, Greene presents Medrano with a contract for the privatised water service Quantum will provide for the country — at double the rate.
Bond learns that Greene is staying at the Perla de las Dunas, an eco-hotel in the Bolivian desert (filmed in the Atacama Desert
Atacama Desert
The Atacama Desert is a plateau in South America, covering a strip of land on the Pacific coast, west of the Andes mountains. It is, according to NASA, National Geographic and many other publications, the driest desert in the world...
). He and Camille infiltrate the building and go their separate ways; Camille to find Medrano, while Bond goes after Greene, who arms himself with a fire axe shortly after engaging Bond in mortal combat. An explosion of one of the hydrogen fuel
Hydrogen fuel
An ecologically-friendly fuel which uses electrochemical cells or combusts in internal engines to power vehicles and electric devices. It is also used in the propulsion of spacecraft and can potentially be mass produced and commercialized for passenger vehicles and aircraft.In a flame of pure...
cells that power the hotel sets off a chain reaction as an unarmed Bond fights Greene. With the hotel burning down around him, Bond knocks Greene unconscious and leaves to find Camille. As they escape the hotel they see Greene in the distance running for his life. Bond captures and takes Greene deep into the Bolivian desert and leaves him to die; as a final insult, Bond throws him a can of motor oil, betting he will make it 20 miles before he considers drinking it.
At the film's conclusion, M
M (James Bond)
M is a fictional character in Ian Fleming's James Bond series, as well as the films in the Bond franchise. The head of MI6 and Bond's superior, M has been portrayed by three actors in the official Bond film series: Bernard Lee, Robert Brown and since 1995 by Judi Dench. Background =Ian Fleming...
informs Bond that Greene was found in the middle of the Bolivian desert with two bullets in the back of his head — having been presumably executed by Quantum — and motor oil in his stomach.
Inspiration
Amalric has stated that he partly based his portrayal of Greene on Nicolas SarkozyNicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
and Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
.