Character Analysis
Master of Disguise
Geoffrey Clifton is a tricky fella. He seems like a "buffoon," but he's actually working for the British government. He disguises himself as Santa Claus at Christmas, and he wants to surprise his wife with an anniversary gift. Yet the greatest disguise of all is that he seems like a perfectly normal person… until he tries to kill his wife, himself, and his wife's lover in a plane crash. Surprise!
Geoffrey shows us how quickly a man driven by jealousy can go insane. Early on, Almásy seems to warn Geoffrey that he shouldn't leave Katharine alone with him:
"Do you think it's appropriate to leave her? […] The desert is… for a woman it's very tough. I wonder if it's not too much for her."
Geoffrey thinks Almásy is threatened by a woman, when it's really Geoffrey's marriage that is threatened. He seems likeable enough, and we feel sorry for him… at least until he tries to kill everyone.