MovieChat Forums > The Quiller Memorandum (1966) Discussion > Massive plotholes and weaknesses

Massive plotholes and weaknesses

posted 16 years ago by hugh1971
11 replies | jump to latest

SPOILERS

Not a bad film, I especially enjoyed the interrogation scene (showing that the best form of 'torture' is psychological/psychotropic, not physical).

However, some massive plotholes etc:

Why did the schoolmarm report on the nazi teacher, when she was one herself?

Why do the Nazis need a 'base'? They are supposed to be slowly working behind the scenes to re-nazify Germany and are in no hurry. They're not out to destroy the world like in a Bond film.

Why did Quiller wander into the base by himself? Why not call for backup first?

Once they had captured Quiller, why did they let him wander the streets of Berlin for hours and how did they know to have the streets lined with agents to follow him? Why not just keep him in a room? This, again, seemed to be a nod to the Bond film device of 'let them get ashore - then kill them' etc.

October says Quiller has 'until dawn' to make a decision; but it is broad daylight by the time he leaves his hotel so surely too late anyway?

How on earth did the nazis have the foresight to put a bomb in a car in a garage which Quiller didn't even know was there, just on the offchance he might find it?

Why did Quiller just grab the dynamite and start the car - even the most novice spy would realise it could be a dummy with a second device or have a trembler switch. And why did he risk being blown up in the garage when he could have just opened the doors, got to a safe distance and thrown the bomb back in?

[–] david-1299 15 years ago

Um, do you go to the movies very much?

This is cinema: reality is outside.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Xcalat3 15 years ago

she had its weak moments and giant plot holes but overall an entertaining movie

6/10

When there's no more room in hell, The dead will walk the earth...

[–] zachhh 13 years ago

Why did the schoolmarm report on the nazi teacher, when she was one herself?

She could have easily took credit for that just to look like she was on Quiller's side.

Why do the Nazis need a 'base'? They are supposed to be slowly working behind the scenes to re-nazify Germany and are in no hurry. They're not out to destroy the world like in a Bond film

These men pass themselves off as normal citizens, with a family and friends. They can't just operate out of their homes. They must live secret lives.

Once they had captured Quiller, why did they let him wander the streets of Berlin for hours and how did they know to have the streets lined with agents to follow him? Why not just keep him in a room? This, again, seemed to be a nod to the Bond film device of 'let them get ashore - then kill them' etc.

How could he lead them to his base if he was dead...

How on earth did the nazis have the foresight to put a bomb in a car in a garage which Quiller didn't even know was there, just on the offchance he might find it?

That was HIS car in the garage. And you're just assuming that he didn't know the garage was behind his hotel.

[–] hoov-4 13 years ago

Great post...it's so nice to read positives rather than negatives from nitwits like above. Thanks zachhh

[–] psdhart 13 years ago

great post zacch, thanks for your insight

[–] jh66 13 years ago

Yes, Quiller didn't call for back-up before investigatin that ruined house?

Also, he's "in love" (or traitorous or sloppily unprofessional?) so let's that last nazi (female teacher) get away with it, so she can start up elsewhere? Yeh, right.

[–] oscarunger 12 years ago

Also, he's "in love" (or traitorous or sloppily unprofessional?) so let's that last nazi (female teacher) get away with it, so she can start up elsewhere? Yeh, right.

im not sure he could prove she was a nazi, also she was probably a minor player and the group was now captured she would probably be a minor threat

Why did the schoolmarm report on the nazi teacher, when she was one herself?

She could have easily took credit for that just to look like she was on Quiller's side.

Agreed, to totally gain his trust

Once they had captured Quiller, why did they let him wander the streets of Berlin for hours and how did they know to have the streets lined with agents to follow him? Why not just keep him in a room? This, again, seemed to be a nod to the Bond film device of 'let them get ashore - then kill them' etc.

It didnt make sense to me at first but i think they have a better shot of getting the info if he thinks about it for a while? Not really a plothole more like stretching our imagination a bit but it was a great sequence

How on earth did the nazis have the foresight to put a bomb in a car in a garage which Quiller didn't even know was there, just on the offchance he might find it?

yeah that was his car, outside his hotel room (which they also trashed and tore out the telephone)

[–] euronick61 8 years ago

It wasn't his car, his car was red

[–] Maximus256 (62) 7 years ago

The car with the bomb was his rental car. The film shows him renting it at Hertz.

[–] movies789 8 years ago

It was the blond older teacher who had reported Steiner - not Senta Berger.