The Intricate Web: A Tale of Safety and Despair

In the twilight of the Second World War, Nazi fugitive Adolf Szell emerges from the shadows to reclaim a diamond fortune. Looming over his every decision, paranoia and stress threaten to suffocate him. His past, enmeshed in treacherous alliances and bloodshed, now casts a dark shadow over his future, leading him down a path of violence and desperation.

Nazi Fugitive, Szell’s Paranoia

Szell is a man from the shadows, a perished relic of a bygone age. Haunted by his past, he has lived in hiding for years, guardedly awaiting a chance to strike. It is this moment that should ease his troubles, but it is also the moment he faces his greatest fear: betrayal. Israeli-born and a former officer at Auschwitz, his actions and experiences haunt him, driving him to madness and despair.

He had dispatched his brother, Doc, a secret agent and courier, on a final mission. For years, Doc had worked with Szell, a partnership born out of necessity and mutual distrust. Szell, now hiding in plain sight, and Doc had navigated a dangerous and precarious balance, knowing that any misstep could lead to disaster. Doc was charged with collecting the diamond fortune and, like a delicate chalice, Szell believes he is holding the last piece of his tenuous freedom. However, Szell’s paranoia reaches a fever pitch when he thinks Doc might be setting him up for a lethal trap.

The Tragic Fate of Doc

The atmosphere in Paris and London is thick with tension. Szell, ever-suspicious, apprehends Doc, suspecting a last-minute betrayal. In a brutal and mysterious encounter, Szell attempts to take out Doc, yet, in an ironic twist, it is Doc who endures the fight and, astonishingly, makes a hasty retreat to his brother Babe, who lives in a humble apartment. Babes, a millennial marathon runner, is the epitome of stoicism and unwavering strength. Doc, exiled and on the run, fears for his life and entrusts his brother with crucial information before succumbing to his wounds.

Yet, when Szell confronts Babe, he believes Babe knows more than he does. Szell’s paranoia transforms into a relentless pursuit, mirroring his own dark soul. Babe, a resilient and unaware individual, represents the peacefulness Szell once craved but never achieved. Szell utilizes a dangerous interrogation method, repeatedly asking, 'Is it safe?' His question is ambiguous yet revealing, seeking to glean critical information about the safety of Szell's final mission. Szell’s own safety is at stake, but he must also protect his diamond fortune. The question 'Is it safe?' is a code for existential survival. Szell struggles to ascertain whether his past actions and present alliances are secure.

The Hermeneutic of Desire and Violence

Rene Girard’s hermeneutic reading provides a profound insight, revealing that Babe, the model-object, embodies the very safety Szell yearns for. Babe, a runner with inexhaustible energy, is a personification of unwavering resilience. His safety lies in his ability to endure without fear, a trait Szell lacks. In Girard’s theory, Babe can embody the safety Szell desires, but he is also a target because he represents the objects of desire himself.

Babe, despite having no direct knowledge of Szell’s plans, unwittingly becomes the focal point of Szell’s violence. The final moments of Babe’s awareness, while brief, are filled with the harsh reality of existential fear and the brutal truths of betrayal. The ultimate irony is that Babe’s safety is born from his ignorance, while Szell’s doom is sealed by his relentless pursuit of safety.

The quest for safety, driven by existential fears and the desire to avoid death, fuels violence and manipulation. This desperate bid for security, born from a history of suffering and loss, ultimately results in self-destruction. Babe, in his innocence, unknowingly plays a critical role in Szell’s downfall. Only when Szell kidnaps and tortures him does Babe begin to understand the full extent of the betrayal. By focusing on Babe’s safety, Szell has unwittingly created the conditions for his own demise.

Through this story, we explore the intricate web of desire, violence, and the complex interactions between characters. It illustrates how the search for safety can lead to ruin and how innocence and unawareness can offer a reprieve from the violence that dragging one into the shadows brings. In the end, safety remains the ultimate goal, but achieving it often subjects one to the very violence one seeks to escape.