The actor cast as the arch-villain in the new James Bond film revealed yesterday that he is modelling his portrayal of evil on the smile of Tony Blair and the eyes of Nicholas Sarkozy.

Mathieu Amalric, the acclaimed French actor whose films include Steven Spielberg’s Munich, said that he was turning to the former British Prime Minister and the French President for inspiration because the director of the 22nd Bond movie did not want him to rely on gimmicks.

“He doesn’t have a metal jaw or an eye that bleeds,” Amalric said of his baddie. “Instead, I have to look inside myself.” In exploring the nature of evil, the subtle undercurrent of villainy that lies beneath the surface, he joked: “I am looking at the smile of Tony Blair and the crazy eyes of Nicholas Sarkozy.”

Daniel Craig, who is returning as James Bond after proving himself in Casino Royale, said of Amalric: “He’s bringing a deeply psychological approach to the role. He will be a psychotic human being.” 007’s mission yesterday was to face an army of photographers at Pinewood Studios and reveal the closely-guarded secret of the title of the next 007 film. Quantum of Solace comes from a short story by the super-spy’s creator, Ian Fleming.

Craig said the title refers to “that bit of comfort” in the darkest hour when a relationship breaks down: “It ties into an important plot point.” Quantum of Solace takes up where the last film left off, literally an hour later.

While Casino Royale told the story of how Bond got his first 007 mission, to vanquish Le Chiffre, banker to the world’s terrorist organisations, its sequel will explore the turmoil suffered by Bond over his betrayal by the woman he loved.

The next instalment in the longest-running franchise in cinema history is being made in the centenary of the author’s birth and more than 40 years after Sean Connery made the first Bond film, Dr No.

Under the direction of Marc Forster, it will have the trademark guns, gadgets and glamorous girls.

But it will be more realistic and more psychological than any of its 21 predecessors, the actors revealed yesterday during a break from filming at the sprawling Buckinghamshire studios.

The film is once again produced by Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, who said that choosing a title with words by Fleming was particularly important to them. Olga Kurylenko, a Ukranian model turned actress, will be the Bond girl, Camille. Asked about the popularity of Bond, she said: “He is an icon, a man we all dream to have. You don’t meet men like that every day”.

Dame Judi Dench returns as M. She said: “The thing about Bond is that it appeals to an incredible cross-section of people. The appeal for my grandson’s friends is fantastic, and probably their fathers too.”

While the shoot will extend to Latin America and the historic Tuscan hill town of Siena, interior shots are being filmed at Pinewood on the 007 stage, reconstructed since it was destroyed by fire last year. Quantum of Solace is due for release on November 7.

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