Dominic Greene

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.

In the film

Greene is part of the same organization 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 exiled 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 blackmailing 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 Bolivian 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 rainforests, 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.

Inspiration

Amalric has stated that he partly based his portrayal of Greene on Nicolas Sarkozy and Tony Blair.^[1]

References