TSWLM: is Fekkesh really useful to Bond's investigation?
SeanIsTheOnlyOne
Posts: 453MI6 Agent
Bond's egyptian contact tells him the man in possession of the microfilm is named Max Kalba but that Bond must get in touch with Aziz Fekkesh first. Somehow, meeting Fekkesh is a waste of time considering the race Bond is involved in and the fact he already knows Kalba has the microfilm.
In Giza, Bond only discovers the date of Fekkesh's upcoming meeting with Kalba. Does he really need such an element to go further? I don't think so. He could have directly come to Kalba and discussed the auction's price. Furthermore, Kalba does not seem so unsettled when Bond tells him about Fekkesh's absence, so why bother?
I suspect the whole part with Fekkesh is a writing trick simply to introduce Jaws and show his cruelty. I'm not saying I don't like this part, but I don't find it very useful plotwise.
Comments
I've never really believed this part of the film makes sense, but never thought about it enough to say for sure
the microfilm is pure Hitchcockian mcguffin, an excuse to bring the two spies together, and exactly halfway through the movie magically reveals the clue to investigate Stromberg in the second half
and as you say, its pursuit allows for Jaws and Bond to first meet
once the good guys know about Stromberg, does anyone ever mention this very important submarine tracking system again?
in this film above all other BondFilms, its the underlying mythic story structure that is important rather than any specific nuts and bolts of a realistic spy story. theres almost no Fleming, but a lot of Joseph Campbell Hero's Journey monomyth . so I expect it to be about as logical as for example a Ray Harryhausen film.
Yes. The screenwriting isn't great here. Not only does Fekkesh seem a waste of time but so is Hossein, Bond's first contact in Egypt. If my memory is correct, in the novelisation Fekkesh is directly Bond's contact, although he is is still only a go between to Kalbar. As you say, the two characters serve only to introduce Sandor [who also exits] and Jaws.
@chrisno1 I confirm. In the novelisation, there's no interaction between Bond and Hossein. If you think about it, this whole part would have worked if Hossein had only said "I don't know who is in possession of the microfilm but I can tell you the name of the broker".