Identity

Ralph has no firm identity. Even if he is the original Ralph Trilipush, Marlowe molded him into something else, according to Quint, probably a sex toy for homosexuals at Oxford. The Ralph who dies in the fake tomb might be Paul Caldwell, the boy from Sydney who dearly wants to be an Egyptologist.

Few people are who they seem. Harold Ferrell is a terrible detective who causes the arrest of Ahmed, who, although not a very nice character, is innocent of theft and murder. CCF looks rich and acts rich, but he is near bankruptcy. Margaret looks like a rich socialite, but she is actually a drug-addicted mess. Marlowe hides his sexuality from the world.

Some of the genuine characters are Carter, Ahmed and Sonia Nordquist. Carter actually finds riches in the Egyptian desert. Ahmed has only money on his mind, and he is such a poor actor...