‘Casino Royale’ in Venice

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007, Casino Royale, filming location, Italy, James Bond, James Bond location, movie location, travel, Venice

James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) sailed to Venice in Italy. While Vesper was standing at the helm of a yacht, Bond was writing a resignation letter on his laptop. As they were sailing along the Grand Canal, Vesper saw the Quantum agent Adolph Gettler (Richard Sammel). 007 and the girl stayed in a hotel located at Saint Mark’s Square.

Seen in the film 54 foot yacht named ‘Spirit’, was built by Spirit Yachts Ltd in Suffolk, UK. It was the first sailing yacht to go up the Grand Canal in Venice in 300 years.

When Bond and Vesper were approaching Venice, most famous buildings in the city were seen in background. There was tower of San Giorgio Maggiore on the left, Saint Mark’s campanile on the right and Santa Maria della Salute in the middle (all of them in photos below).

Stunt pilot Marc Wolff recalls working on that scene: I had flown in Venice a number of times. It is prohibited to fly low over the old city but I was over the water that was empty except for some boats so I thought I was fine. I was fying so low that little water taxis had to get out of my way, about 3 feet above the water. This enabled us to see the yacht and the cast while also framing the city in the background. Next morning I was told that I had a call from aviation authority. I had to ring the head of the Italian Civil Aviation Authority at Venice airport. He said: ‘Mr. Wolff, before you say anything, I have a picture of your helicopter filming the yacht on front page of the local newspaper. You were supposed to be 300 meters high but it looks like you were 3 meters high’. Actually I was a little bit lower than 3 meters. (smiling) So I got what we call in Britain, a bollocking. I was told not to do that again. (Interview with Marc Wolff – pilot who has worked on 12 Bond films)

Venice, Italy — *Bell tower of Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore.*

It is not necessary to buy a boat to see the view that was in front of Bond and Vesper. One of the possibilities it to take a Vaporetto to Sant’Elena. Not many tourists go that far, therefore it is a very peaceful an quiet place. As you can see in a photo below, while watching the view you can relax on a bench in a park or use an outdoor gym.

When James Bond was writing the resignation letter, there was Santa Maria della Salute Basilica visible in background. On his laptop monitor you could see his e-mail inbox with fictitious email addresses of film crew members: Anne Bennet (Publicity and Marketing) – anne.bennett@thenet.com, Chris McBride (Computer & Video Supervisor) – chris.mcbride@thenet.com, Neil Pinkawa (lead screen graphics artist) and David Hicks (lead motion graphics designer).

The sequence with the yacht sailing on the Grand Canal was filmed in different locations near the Rialto Bridge. At first the yacht was filmed in front of the Palazzo Rava. Then the Rialto fish market was shown, where Vesper spotted Adolph Getler. When she was taking photos of the market, the Sant’Angelo Vaporetto station was visible behind her. This station is not on the opposite side of the canal, but almost a kilometer away from the Rialto fish market!! There is also a short shot of the crowded Grand Canal and the Palazzo Bembo in the background. In the final shot of the sequence Bond stands at the helm of the yacht, with the Palazzo Grimani (San Luca) visible behind him.

Bond and Vesper stayed at a hotel overlooking St. Mark’s Square. In reality, no such hotel exists. The hotel lobby was filmed at the Czech National Museum in Prague.

When Vesper left the hotel room, M called and asked James Bond about the money that he won in Casino Royale. 007 immediately called the Swiss banker and got an information that while they were talking someone was withdrawing the money in a bank located at Saint Mark’s Square in Venice. James Bond guessed that it was Vesper who stole the money and ran after her.

The bank was filmed in the northwestern corner of the Saint Mark’s Square. In the film you could see ‘Basel Bank’ sign above the door. In reality there was ‘BANCA COMMERCIALE ITALIANA’ sign instead. When I visited Venice in 2019 there was a Longchamp store there.

When Bond saw that Vesper had already left the bank, he moved through the crowd under the arcades of the Procuratie Vecchie at St Mark’s Square. He saw Vesper walking on the bridge called Ponte del Cavalletto.

St Mark’s Square in Venice, Italy — Cafe tables at the Procuratie Vecchie at St Mark’s Square.

The film crew was working in Venice in June 2006. It was very difficult to film the scene with Bond running around the Saint Mark’s Square because of about 400 extras and big number of tourists walking around.

In the next scene Vesper was walking alone on the bridge called Ponte del Malpaga.

Bond followed Vesper down the Sotoportego de le Colonne. As she passed over the Ponte de le Colonne bridge she looked back, but she couldn’t see 007 who was hidden in the shadows.

Next photo was taken from the bridge towards the shadows where 007 was hidden.

Finally Vesper came to the courtyard where she met Gettler. The villain saw James Bond hiding behind the column and took Vesper hostage. Gettler’s men tried to shoot 007.

The sequence was filmed in the courtyard of Conservatorio di Musica Benedetto Marcello, that was also ‘Moonraker’ filming location (read more: ‘Moonraker’ in Venice). Main entrance to the building is located at Campiello Pisani. Vesper entered through the side entrance through the Portego Pisani.

She turned left and passed through the doors (that are closed in photo below) to the courtyard.

Next photo was taken from the courtyard. Vesper came out from behind the columns. Later James Bond was hiding behind these columns when Gettler’s men tried to shoot him.

On the right in photo below you can see the column where 007 was hiding when Vesper was talking to Gettler. On the left there is a sculpture that was seen behind Daniel Craig’s head.

Next photo of the courtyard was taken from Bond’s hide behind the column. Vesper and Gettler were standing in the middle of the courtyard. Gettler’s men were shooting from windows above the entrance to the courtyard located in the center of the photo.

When they started shooting, James Bond was running behind columns visible in the middle of the photo below.

James Bond pursued Gettler and Vesper into a building under renovation. During the fight the building began to sink.

The sequence with the building collapsing into the Grand Canal was filmed in Pinewood studio, however buildings around were all real and shot on location. Collapsing building was digitally inserted and replaced Lion Morosini Palace.

In the studio the 1/3-scale miniature of the building was built for exterior shots. It had more than 100 different parts designed to fall off.

The inside of the sinking house was built on a special rig that measured 45 foot by 40 foot and was 45 foot high.

After Vesper’s death James Bond was sitting on the yacht’s deck and talking on the phone with M. The scene was filmed at Santi Cosma e Damiano church.

Go to LOCATIONS GALLERY – ‘CASINO ROYALE’ to see locations photos compared with movie scenes.

Sources:
– ‘James Bond. Szpieg ktorego kochamy’ Michal Grzesiek, Wydawnictwo Bukowy Las 2011
– www.awn.com
– www.mi6-hq.com
– reelstreets.com
– www.spirityachts.com

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