Reuse of Drax's History in FAVTAK

Colonel Johns · July 2008

In Chapter 22 of Moonraker ('Pandora's Box'), Drax reveals some of his history, including the following:

'We stayed in those woods for six months,' continued Drax proudly, 'and all the time we reported back to the Fatherland by radio.'

...

'I was dressed in the uniform of your Signal Corps and I set off on a captured British motor-cycle to shoot a dispatch rider from the same unit who made a daily run along a near-by road. Sure enough he came along dead on time and I went after him out of a side road. I caught up with him,' said Drax conversationally, 'and shot him in the back, took his papers and put him on top of his machine in the woods and set fire to him.'

This is essentially identical to the plot of the later short story From A View To A Kill. Clearly Fleming felt it was a strong enough premise to develop into a story of its own despite having already used it in Moonraker.

I can't think of another example of Fleming reusing an idea so directly (multiple Bentley crashes and casino escapades aside). Does anyone know whether Fleming ever commented on this? Was it based on a true story?

7289 · July 2008

I wouldn't doubt that an incident as described in "From A View to A Kill" and "Moonraker" occurred in WW2, and that Fleming in DNI knew of it. Skorzeny's Werewolves were real life Nazi commandos and operated as Fleming related. I would guess he felt the idea merited further development. I have never read/seen any Fleming comments on this scenario.

As you observed Colonel Johns, IF does reuse scenarios, The hoods convention is in "Goldfinger", "The Man with tHe Golden Gun", and "Thunderball". The similiar use of locomotives in "Diamonds are Forever" and "The Man with the Golden Gun". Not to mention the villians, who usually have some deformity; fat, bald, football headed, three nippled, S.T.D. nosed and so on. There is of course the much debated Bond torture/abuse scenario.

IF's imagination ran along certain lines, and these are elements he considered necessary in HIS thrillers, something unique to his style of storytelling.

taity · July 2008

I remember reading somewhere that FAVTAK was almost used as the gensis for a villian in a movie. I cant remember which movie, but Id be willing to bet that it was MR.

Of course, plans change

superado · July 2008

That's an interesting detail that makes me feel dumb for missing! The closest to Drax's FAVTAK ruse that comes to mind is LeChiffre, as it's implied that he used the situation to bury his (Axis?) past with a newly crafted identity. It seems like a lot of Fleming's villains played out some very crafty duplicity to exploit wartime situations to great advantage, like Dexter Smythe (OP), Von Hammerstein (FYEO) and Blofeld himself, who managed to gain esteem and recognition from the Allied governments while playing both sides by selling secrets.

Silhouette Man · January 2013

This is confirmed in Henry Chancellor's book James Bond: The Man and His World (2005).

JamesBondBlog · February 2014

Glad I didn't start a new thread on this, now knowing it was discussed six years ago.

)

It's fascinating reading the Moonraker account of the dispatch rider and knowing IF thought so much of it he reused it in a later story. You almost wish he could've found a way to connect the two, for continuity.

Reuse of Drax's History in FAVTAK

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