MovieChat Forums > The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965) Discussion > Fiedler (spoilers)

Fiedler (spoilers)

posted 14 years ago by mystere1985
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Let me begin by saying I read the book for the first time recently and thoroughly enjoyed it, but I made the fatal mistake of watching the movie too soon after finishing the book and so had my mental pictures of the story confronted too soon by the movie's.

Naturally the movie cuts a lot of the the deeper character development, which undoubtedly had to happen given the book's dialogue-heavy nature. However, one character that particularly bugged me was Fiedler. In the book, Fiedler comes across in conversation as something of a gentleman; inquisitive and persistent but also tactful at the same time. Gradually the reader begins to like him and maybe even sympathise with him as a slight camaraderie develops between him and Leamas, most evident in the hospital after they're both beaten up by Mundt's men.

In the movie, Fiedler comes across as quite abrasive, impolite from the moment he arrives and generally rude and impatient with Leamas, as well as his own colleagues (or should I say, comrades). Not to say that this isn't believable treatment of a defector (it's more believable than the finely-tuned poetic interrogation in the book) but to me it made Fiedler unlikeable, which IMO ruined the whole ending, as I found I didn't particuarly care when he was betrayed by Leamas. In the book, the betrayal hits you, as was surely the intention. The other characters I felt were well chosen but I couldn't warm to Fiedler's depiction at all.

Any opinions feel free to share.

[–] francodomenico 14 years ago

Yes, I think from reading the book, one can truly make this appraisal. But, on the other hand, Oskar Werner, an Austrian, I believe, played a German-type well. And for the effect of the movie, and what viewers in 1965 knew of the German personality, he played it quite well.
I actually liked Fiedler.
His best dipiction was during their first encounter when Leamas asks for his money and Fiedler responds, "...you are a Traitor, the lowest currency in the Cold War. We can buy you, sell you, lose you--we can ever shoot you, and not a bird in a tree will turn his head to see what fell--"

And, when he was walking with Burton outside, Fiedler's hand movements, and facial gestures were very convincing indeed. And he became quite likeable at that moment.

Thanks for allowing me to comment.

Franco Domenico