In January 2019, I wrote that Viktor Navorski's motivation to help Mr. Milodragovich comes in part from a sympathy for and identification with his paternal affection. (Milodragovich is trying to procure medicine for his father, demonstrating the same devotion that Navorski shows in his promise to complete his father's autograph collection.) Milodragovich's name seems to indicate this quality that he shares with Navorski. According to this site, drag means dear or precious and -ovich means "son of," so the core of the name denotes something like "son of a dear one." This site explains that the milo- prefix means mercy or grace.
Two years ago, I wrote about Dixon's reaction to Navorski's gift. He doesn't accept the fish that Navorski tries to give him because it's bigger than any of his own and would make him look bad in comparison, just as Navorski had inadvertently made Dixon look bad in front of the review board by finding a way within the legal system to allow Milodragovich to take the medicine for his father, essentially undermining Dixon's authority. When Navorski offers Dixon the fish, he says, "Fish for wall." I realized while watching the movie this time that his comment has the same structure and lack of articles as his earlier "Medicine for goat" from the Milodragovich situation. This similarity may remind Dixon of the embarrassing event and further stoke his anger towards Navorski.
