Empire UK

086

“Judi gave a sort of new definition to M” Ralph

Fiennes enthuses well aware of the tough act

he’s in the process of following. “You felt the

power of her. It is an intimidating challenge.”

So what do we make of Lt. Col. Gareth

Mallory ex-British army ex-SAS? He made a

dramatic entrance in Skyfall right enough. From

shifty civil servant to taking a bullet for Dench’s

M to being enthroned in the classic Whitehall

offi ce as the new M wearily squaring off to 007

— an image that sent us back to Connery raising

the hackles of the headmasterly Bernard Lee.

“I guess people might use the term old-

school” Fiennes offers carefully summarising

the fourth offi cial M (after Lee was Robert Brown

then Dench). “Sam was keen to bring back the

offi ce. It is oak-panelled with paintings of naval

battles that sort of thing. He has a certain sort

of style about him. What has not changed is that

Bond is a bit of a rogue and M is frustrated but

appreciates the value of Bond.”

That said despite some familiar banter

(“There is a humour”) akin to the introduction

of Dench in GoldenEye Spectre will depict 007

getting to grips with a new boss. Bond isn’t yet

sure he can even trust Fiennes’ M. The same

Meet MI6’s newly established inner circle goes for Moneypenny Tanner and Q. M has to

win them all over. “There is a good arc for M in

this fi lm” Fiennes refl ects. “For a moment he’s

out of a job and he fi nds his way back. He has

to bond with Bond so to speak.”

All the Craig-era fi lms have attempted to

root the fantastical elements of 007 in current

questions. It’s something that Mendes has honed

in on — setting the derring-do against Realpolitik.

And Spectre fi nds an MI6 chiefl y M’s 00 division

embattled in a post-Snowden era of digital

espionage and data hacking.

“MI6 represents the man on the ground who

has to make contact with his opposition” says

Fiennes the passion rising in his voice. “He has

to put himself in harm’s way in order to do his

job. As opposed to drones and surveillance

and satellites: everything done at arm’s length.”

M will tangle with MI5 in Andrew Scott’s C

a man advocating the supremacy of digital

surveillance. A man who considers not just Bond

but M and the whole of MI6 to be dinosaurs.

“But there is still a place for the 00 division to

go in and do the dirty work” insists Fiennes.

To prove the point without stealing thunder

from 007 M will get out from behind the desk

and into the action. “I am not allowed to do too

much” he laughs “but there is only one scene

in the offi ce.” This included crossing London’s

Westminster Bridge entirely on his own after it

was closed for the production. And then seeing it

rebuilt in perfect replica for as-of-yet unspecifi ed

reasons... A fellow director Fiennes is staggered

how Mendes relishes such vastness. “He loves

detail he is hungry to get in there” he marvels.

“It would scare the fuck out of me.” IN