Windmills of the Gods (1988) - full transcript
When Mary Ashley (Jaclyn Smith) is approached to become Ambassador of the United States of America in Romania, she does not take the offer, because her husband does not want to give up his well-going doctor's office. Shortly afterward, Dr. Edward Ashley (David Ackroyd) gets killed in a car accident. After this, Mary reconsiders the offer, and finally accepts. Arriving in Romania, she is confronted with a complex plot, in which U.S. President Paul Ellison's (Michael Moriarty's) current plans to improve relations between the U.S. and Communist countries shall be sabotaged.
(exciting music)
(foreboding music)
- In 1978 Italy's Aldo
Moro was kidnapped
and subsequently murdered.
In 1986
Sweden's Olaf Palme was
assassinated,
and the Romanian
dissident Marin Groza
will be the next.
- It's much too dangerous.
We'd be putting everything
we have in jeopardy, huh?
- Is there an alternative?
- If this ever came to light,
it would destroy us, eh?
- That's nonsense.
We'd be heroes.
It's those who refuse to take
action who'd be destroyed.
- There must be another way.
- There is no other way.
- In the past five
years the world has seen
the deaths of Anwar
Sadat and Indira Gandhi,
and an attempted
assassination on the pope.
Our accomplishments are
pretty impressive.
I'm, I'm sure you'll agree.
We are unified by one purpose,
the destruction of detente,
and we will accomplish that
goal by any means necessary.
- The plan will go forward.
Let's inform the
Controller of our decision.
I remind you to observe the
issued precautions upon leaving.
Thank you, gentlemen.
(troubled music)
(fire crackling)
(thudding)
(fire roaring)
(moves into thrilling music)
- [Edward] Mary!
- Oh.
Oh, I'm coming!
Coming!
- Bye.
- No hello?
- Surgery in half an hour.
I love you.
- Promise me no more
birthday parties?
- Well, not for at least a year.
- That champagne done me in.
- Mm, you look beautiful.
And you were
beautiful last night.
See you.
Bye, kids.
(pleasant music)
- Morning, mom!
- Morning.
- Morning.
- Mom, is that the only
cereal you got for me?
- Yeah, you'll love it.
- No, she doesn't.
- I told you, I can't
eat that stuff,
it's full of chemicals.
- It's delicious.
What this I hear
about a D in math?
- It figures.
- Is that supposed to be a joke?
- How do you think it looks
for a college professor
to have a son who's
failing math?
- Hey, it's okay, you
don't teach math.
- Mom, this crap is full
of preservatives.
I'm not gonna let the food
industry ruin my health.
- [Mary] Do you have any money?
- I'm late!
- Wait!
- I gotta go!
- Do you have your lunch money?
- Got it.
- Your books?
- Got them.
- Wait, what about a kiss?
- Oh yeah!
- Yeah.
Bye bye, love you!
- See you later!
- Love you.
- Bye mom, love you!
- [Newscaster] And we'll
bring the latest farm report
from County Agricultural
Commissioner Chris Gorack.
On the national news
front this morning,
Stanton Rogers, the President's
foreign affairs advisor,
has returned from his
10-day European trip
and is meeting with
the President
to report on his discussions
with foreign leaders.
President Ellison's
speech on foreign policy
will be carried live
by this station
at 10:00 a.m. this morning.
- Good morning.
- [President Ellison] I intend
to inaugurate a new policy
of cooperation,
of trade,
of friendship
with each and every Iron
Curtain country,
for the problems that we share
are greater than the
problems that divide us.
- Amen.
(audience applauds)
David, what would you say is
Romania's current position
with the Soviet Union?
- [David] I'd say it's
much stronger now.
It's been a lot closer ever
since Ionescu took over.
- What about Afghanistan?
When the Russians
invaded Afghanistan,
Romania was the most
severe critic.
- I'd like you all to
keep in mind
that Romania's
position on anything
depends on its total control.
Their leader, Ionescu, is
the government.
He runs the country
with an iron fist,
which is not unusual for
an Iron Curtain country,
but he has survived for much
longer than most dictators,
and for some very
interesting reasons.
(bell rings)
Don't forget to
bring your essays
on the Warsaw Pact countries.
- Mrs. Ashley, is it true
you were born in Romania?
- Nope, right here in
good old Kansas.
My parents were born
in Bucharest.
- I was just interested.
- Thank you, David.
- Thank you.
- Look forward to seeing
your essay on Monday.
(elegant music)
(moves into suspicious music)
- Our Controller has decided
to acquire the services
of someone we've
never used before.
An Argentinian
who goes by the name of Angel.
- Angel?
That's rather ironic.
- He has impressive credentials,
The Khalistan
assassination in India,
the murder of the puppet
koang in Cambodia.
Apparently it was him
who masterminded
the assassination of those
six army officers in Israel.
The Israelis have put a
million dollars on his head.
- How do we reach him?
- All contacts are handled
through his mistress,
a woman by the name of Munoz.
She's got an apartment
in the Spanish part of Miami,
Florida.
- Who makes the arrangements?
- Harry Lantz.
- Lantz?
- He's familiar with
the Miami area.
The Controller's already
talked to him.
- It's quite odd really.
- I beg your pardon?
- Well,
the Controller.
We don't know who he is
and yet he masterminds our
little organization brilliantly.
- Come on, we're down 700
points already, come on!
- Oh I'm sorry, I, I just
can't seem to concentrate.
- Obviously.
- Is something bothering you,
Flo?
- I'm not supposed to tell.
I promised that I wouldn't!
- You promised who?
- Two federal agents
from Washington.
- Oh.
- They came to the
house this morning
asking all kinds of
questions about you.
- What kind of questions?
- Well I don't know, uh,
was she a loyal American,
was she a good wife and mother,
was she, um, on drugs.
- What?
- Drugs?
- Now why the heck would they
be asking questions like that?
- Oh, oh, wait a minute,
I think I know!
It's about my tenure.
- What?
- I'm up for tenure.
The university does
some sensitive
government research on campus,
and I, well I, I suppose
they have to check out
everyone pretty thoroughly.
- Tenure, that's great.
Now I can retire. (laughs)
- Forgive me, Dean Hunter,
if I'm speaking out of turn,
but was there any word
on my tenure?
- No, nothing yet, Mary.
They won't be
investigating your tenure
til the end of summer.
- No one's been looking into it?
- No.
If you'll excuse me, Mary.
(perplexed music)
(moves into confident music)
(lush dancing music)
(people cheering)
(speaking in a foreign language)
(pleasurable dancing music)
(people cheering)
- Senora Munoz?
(people chattering)
(upbeat music)
Are you Nuesa Munoz?
- Maybe.
(smooth music)
- Harry Lantz.
(aloof music)
- So?
- [Harry] You got a
friend named Angel?
- You gonna buy me rum?
- Sure thing.
Hey, give us a rum here!
Look, uh, I'd like to
meet with Angel.
- Oh.
Uh-uh, nobody meets with Angel.
- Honey sweet.
Now you listen to me.
This is real mucho dinero
we're discussing here.
Comprende?
- And I told you, nobody
talks to Angel.
- Well then how the
hell does he...
If I can't talk to him, how
can I do business with him?
(smooth dancing music)
- You tell me.
I tell Angel.
Angel says si,
I say si.
Angel say no,
(spits)
I say no.
- Uh,
tell him,
tell him it's a contract.
- Contract?
On who?
- [Harry] Marin Groza,
the Romanian dissident,
must die.
- Comprendo.
- [Tim] Hut hut!
- Game nearly over?
- [Edward] Want to join us?
- Not today.
Come on, lunch is almost done.
Blindside, Tim.
(Edward groans)
- Dad, are you okay?
- Ah, yeah.
- Are you sure?
- Yeah.
- All right.
(Edward grunts)
- [Edward] Cut it out,
cut it out,
you cheap shot artist, you.
- [Tim] Oh, ah! (laughs)
- Seriously, mom, no
one eats meat anymore.
I mean, civilized people
just don't eat animals.
- Well if it's so revolting,
get yourself some salad.
- Hey, why don't you just
go graze in the field?
- Tim, eat your lunch.
- I am eating it.
Look.
- [Beth] Oh you're disgusting.
- Why don't you leave
the table then?
- Why don't you just eat like
a normal human being for once?
- I am.
- Stop it.
- Can we sell the children?
- Both of them?
- Both, today, now.
- Well that's a terrific idea.
I just don't know
who'd buy them.
- On second thought
I'll guess we keep them.
I kind of like their father.
- I'm crazy about their mother.
(phone rings)
- I'll get it!
- No, sit there, I'll get it.
- Hello?
- [Aide] Is this
Professor Ashley?
- Yes, this is Mary Ashley.
- [Aide] Hold for the President.
- Who?
- I said would you hold
the line please
for President Ellison?
- Who is it?
- I don't know.
Somebody's playing a joke.
It's probably Doug--
- Hello, Mrs. Ashley.
Am I interrupting anything?
- Oh my god, it is.
It's the President.
I can tell by his voice.
- I've been reading
your series of articles
in Foreign Affairs Magazine
and your book last fall on
Eastern European politics,
and I think I agree
with just about everything
you've proposed.
I'm especially
interested in your plan
to take the four major
world economic pacts
and combine them.
- He's read my book.
- You may be aware, Mrs. Ashley,
that in line with my new plan,
we have approached
President Ionescu of Romania
to reestablish
diplomatic relations.
- Yes, sir.
Yes, I am.
- The reason I'm calling, Mrs.
Ashley,
is that I would like to
place you in nomination
as my first
ambassador to Romania.
- Oh.
- I know of course this is
a very big decision for you
and you'll want to, uh, talk
it over with your family,
but I hope you take this
request very seriously.
- I do.
Oh, yes, I do, sir.
- Thank you, Mrs. Ashley.
And, uh, I hope you'll accept.
I look forward to
hearing from you.
Goodbye for now.
- Goodbye, Mr. President.
- Well?
- Was it really the President?
- He said he would like
to nominate me
as his ambassador to Romania.
- You?
- Ambassador to Romania?
That's so neat!
- That's unbelievable!
- I don't want to go to Romania.
(everyone talking
over each other)
I don't want to go to Romania!
No, I'm not going to Romania!
Romania--
- Hey, hey, now--
- [Tim] Dad, I am not
going to Romania!
- Calm down, Tim, Tim!
- I'm not going to Romania!
Dad!
- Sit down, Beth, sit down.
Tim.
- I don't want to go!
- Sit down.
- Dad, I don't want to go!
- Sit down, we'll talk
about it, all right?
- Gosh!
- My god, what an honor.
- [Mary] I know!
- Oh hell, I don't blame them.
Nobody knows more about Eastern
Bloc countries than you do.
Shoot, I know exactly
what they're doing.
- But what?
- Well, we just,
we just have to think about
it very carefully, that's all.
What'll, what'll it do
to us, all four of us?
- Absolutely.
Absolutely.
- Well maybe there's
some way we could work it
so you could go over
with the children
and I could join you later.
- No, no way, Edward.
- I can't just leave my practice
and walk out on my patients.
- Of course not.
I know that.
- The hospital would be
hard pressed to find--
- Look, the fact is it
just wouldn't work, no.
No, I wouldn't even
want it to work.
- Yeah, but still, I--
- No stills.
I, I think it's fantastic
my being asked.
I'll never forget it, but no.
- We'll talk more
about it later.
- No, my mind's made up.
- Just don't make a
hasty decision right now.
- Edward.
My mind is made up.
- Some discouraging news, Paul.
Mrs. Ashley has declined
the nomination.
We gather there's a problem
being separated from
her husband.
So I guess you'll have to
look to the State Department.
- Career diplomats,
every one of them,
hidebound by tradition.
No, this has to be a different
approach to diplomacy.
I want this to be a
pilot program
for all the Iron
Curtain countries.
- And for that you would
send a relative amateur?
- It's a risk, I know, but
it's a risk well worth taking.
She is exactly what we
need, and right now.
- Paul, I hate to mention this,
but you and I both know that
a lot of very powerful
people in the world
would love to see your
program fail.
In any case, I'm afraid
you've lost Mrs. Ashley.
- We're not giving up on
Mary Ashley yet.
No.
We'll think of something.
(pleasurable dance music)
- All right.
You bring me Angel.
Bring him here tomorrow.
And I'll, I'll get him a name.
Okay?
- No okay.
He want to know the name.
- All right.
(lush dance music)
You think you can
remember that name?
Tell him
and he'll know I'm not
wasting his time.
- I love it when you
whisper in my ear.
- You do?
- Mm-hm.
Do you like me?
- [Harry] Sure, I like you.
- You want to go to bed, now?
- Yeah, great idea.
Buenos dias.
- Hey, morning.
- I fixed you a nice bath.
Thought I'd make you breakfast.
- Great.
- I'll make omelet fantastico!
Angel teach me how.
- Yeah?
- Mm-hm.
- Tell me more about Angel,
like, um, like when do I
get to meet him?
- Well I call him this morning.
He'll be over soon.
- Yeah?
- Si.
- Hey, that's great.
- Come on, get in the bath,
let's make you feel good.
- Right, right.
(Harry laughs)
(blow dryer whirring)
- I've got a present for you.
- What?
I, I can't hear you
with that thing blowing.
- I got a present for you.
From Angel.
- Oh, that's nice.
What?
- This.
(Harry screams)
(menacing music)
I got a message for
you from Angel.
He don't like the man you sent,
too nosy.
Psst, rum.
Yeah, sure, he tell
me he'd do it.
All right, hold on now,
man, I gotta write it down.
Uh-huh.
Uh-huh.
Angel don't need no advance.
Nobody cheats Angel.
Sure.
When the job is finished,
send money State Bank Zurich,
account number J three
four nine six seven seven.
You got that?
Bueno.
- Oh, I just turned on
the radio, Mrs. Ashley.
I guess now you, Alf
Landon, and Eisenhower
are Kansas's only
political big shots.
- I'm a teacher, Mr.
Hacker, not a politician.
And right now I was
just wondering
if you could get these
spots out of Beth's jeans.
- Oh, I'll see what I
can do for her.
I guess she's a real
grownup teenager now.
- Beth was born a teenager, Mr.
Hacker.
- [Mr. Hacker]
(laughs) How's Tim?
- A lot like Beth.
- Okay, what is it?
- Oh, I don't know.
I guess I'm feeling a
little guilty.
- Why?
Because she didn't take
the appointment?
- Well, I feel sort
of responsible.
Look, what if I'd been offered
an opportunity like that?
I'd have jumped at it.
Talk about your male chauvinist.
- Take her somewhere.
You guys never go anywhere.
Go to London.
Go to Paris for a couple
of weeks or something.
- You know, Doug, you might
just have something there.
Hell, I might even take
her to Romania.
(suspenseful music)
(seagulls calling)
(dogs barking)
(moves into dramatic music)
(Marin screams)
- Can I hold the hope that
that's your homework in
front of you?
- It's a goodbye
letter to Arnold.
- Goodbye?
I thought you liked him.
- He wanted to fool around.
- Oh.
- I hate that.
I really hate that.
I mean,
I don't mind being in love,
but I'm never gonna have sex.
- Well sweetheart,
you're only 14 years old.
Things do change.
- Never.
I'm never gonna feel
differently about that.
- You sure?
- Absolutely.
- Okay, that's your decision.
- Mom?
- Yes, honey?
- What did the President say
when you turned him down?
- Well, I don't know
his exact words, but I,
I hear he was very
brave about it.
Give my best to Arnold.
- All right, Professor Ashley,
lights out.
- I can always tell when
you've had a rough day.
(gentle music)
(thunder rumbling)
(Edward moans)
- Oh yeah, that's the spot.
(Edward moans)
(peaceful music)
- Well?
- Oh, a soldier from Fort Riley,
came close to losing him.
Then this afternoon I treated
a 13-year-old girl with
genital herpes.
- Oh, dear.
- Makes me worry about Beth.
- You don't have to.
She's planning to die a virgin.
(romantic music)
That's nice.
- That's delicious.
(tender music)
Any regrets today about
turning down--
- None.
None.
- I love you, Mary Ashley.
I am about to make you an
offer you can't refuse.
- I accept.
I accept.
(touching music)
- What's the matter?
- Bloody limousines.
This place is closed on Monday.
- Never mind.
- [Sir George] The dissident
Marin Groza has been terminated
by the assassin known as Angel.
Has Mary Ashley accepted
the appointment?
- The Ashley woman has
declined the post
as ambassador to Romania,
though I am led to believe
that the situation
could be rectified.
- Is she really that
essential to us?
- The Controller can
think of no one else
who would suit our
purpose so well.
- [Inspector] Hanson,
this is Hyde-White Freyr.
I'd like you to tell him
what you told me.
- Well sir, the castle
were closed, see,
and I hear all these limousines.
I counted seven of them,
they come and went,
zip, zip, zip, zip!
God only knows what was
going on there, sir.
- What were you doing there?
- Oh well, sir, my
girl Annie and I,
we were under a tree and we
were having a picnic and--
- Hanson.
- Did you get the
license number?
- Oh yes, sir, I've
got two of them.
- All right, Constable.
Thank you very much.
- [Hanson] Thank you, sir.
- As it happens, Inspector,
the occasion was
nothing more sinister
than a royal function
being planned
without the press
being aware of it.
A good man, that, however.
I'm going to see if he
can be transferred
to a better position.
Thank you for everything.
- Thank you.
(sinister music)
(phone rings)
- Hello?
Yeah.
Yes, he's here.
Wait just a minute.
It's a friend of Pete Grimes.
He said Pete's having a
heart attack,
says he's in a lot of pain.
- Ten to one it's his damn
ulcer acting up again.
Dr. Ashley.
Uh-huh.
Yeah, okay, I'm on my way.
- I think my car's
blocking yours.
- Yeah, I'll take that.
(thunder rumbling)
(crashing)
(tires squealing)
(exploding)
(phone rings)
- Hello?
I'm sorry, I don't...
What?
(sirens wailing)
- Mrs. Ashley, please
don't go in there.
- No, let go of me!
- I wouldn't do that!
- Let!
- Please!
(tragic music)
- What happened?
- I'm afraid he ran a stop sign.
You see, this army truck
was coming by and
well, it looks like he,
he tried to avoid him,
but your husband just
pulled right out in front.
- No.
I know my husband.
He was a careful driver.
He,
he would never.
Never.
- I'm awfully sorry, ma'am,
but we have witnesses,
a, a Colonel Jenkins who
happened to be passing by and
well of course the army
truck driver,
Sergeant Lee from Fort Riley,
and
well, they both say the
same thing, that,
that your husband ran
the stop sign.
I guess I'll have you
taken back home now, ma'am.
What's the name of your
family doctor?
- Edward Ashley.
Edward Ashley is my
family doctor.
- Kids, wait.
Kids, wait here, just wait.
(grave music)
They know.
(devastated music)
(sobbing)
(dirt thudding)
How you doing?
- [Mary] I'd never been sailing.
- [Florence] What?
- When we met he said,
"Do you like to sail?"
So we went to the lake
that morning.
A week later we were married.
"You know why I married you,
lady?
"You laughed a lot, you
passed the test,
"and you didn't fall overboard."
- Beats me.
Beats the hell out of me, Jake.
- What's that, John?
- This 10-40 on the
Ashley accident.
The guy had no accident record.
The only ticket he ever got
was for illegal parking.
- [Jake] So?
- Well, the tire marks,
they, they bother me, Jake.
They, they just don't add up.
- [Jake] I thought there
were witnesses?
- Yeah, well we had the guy
that was driving the truck,
but he could've been
covering for himself.
- What about the other
one, uh, the colonel?
- Yeah, the more I
thought about him,
the more I wondered what the
hell he was doing out there
at 3:30 in the morning,
so I called the army
CID investigator
to talk to that colonel.
They transferred him overseas
as some big promotion.
- What about the truck driver?
- Well, they found him in the
barracks yesterday afternoon,
fatal heart attack they said.
The guy was only 29 years old.
- John.
What are you thinking?
- Doesn't make any difference
what I'm thinking, Jake.
This case is closed.
- [Football Announcer] Rose
Lisa fires the football.
It's complete at the
50 yard line.
(doorbell rings)
First in 10 Kansas State.
(doorbell rings)
- Mary?
Oh I rang, I guess you
didn't hear me!
Uh...
- [Football Announcer] John
Cadillac likes that figure.
That's great.
First down.
- I, I made you a meatloaf,
for you and the kids.
I thought you might enjoy it.
- Thank you.
- [Football Announcer] Wild and
Witherspoon now in the game.
Here's Dickey, on the
reverse to Witherspoon.
He'll come to the left side!
- You know, that way
you don't have to
cook tonight or anything.
- [Football Announcer] First
end goal, Kansas State!
- I'll just leave it
in the kitchen.
- [Football
Announcer] Great call!
Great call!
Rosinda split end wide to the
left side and Kevin Pierce.
To the right is Ruben Echos.
He'll be picked up by Jim.
- She hardly knew I was there.
She was concentrating
on that game so much.
It was spooky.
- Mary hates football.
- I know that.
Don't you think I know that?
- It was Edward who
watched all the games.
- Doug, I know that!
- I'm sorry.
(eerie music)
(knocking)
- Yes?
- Mrs. Ashley, I'm
Stanton Rogers.
- Yes, I, I know.
- May I speak with you a moment,
please?
- Please, come in.
Sit down.
- Forgive me for intruding
upon your privacy,
but the President asked me
to visit you personally.
- It was very kind of
him to send the flowers.
- We were deeply distressed
when he heard what had happened.
I'll tell you quite frankly,
Mrs. Ashley,
the President is hoping that
you might reconsider his offer.
- Oh Mr. Rogers, I--
- Hear me out, please.
You see, initially I was
against your appointment.
That is a very sensitive post.
I told the President as much.
But the more I learn about you,
the more I think his initial
instinct was absolutely right.
- But I'm not a politician.
- Some of our finest ambassadors
were never politicians.
In fact, one of them, Gilbreath,
was a professor like yourself,
as you surely know.
- I'm well aware of that.
- Many of them were
political amateurs,
but they all had intelligence,
a love of their country,
and a reservoir of good will
toward the country in
which they were to serve.
You have just the kind of image
the President wants to project
in Iron Curtain countries.
- Mr. Rogers, I still have
my children to think about.
- There is a remarkably
fine school in Bucharest
for diplomats' children.
They could learn things
about the world
that they would never
learn at a school here.
Well, please,
do think about it.
I regret to say that
we have to have an answer
by this weekend.
See, the President hoped
that if I appealed to
you personally...
That's why I'm here.
- I'll, I'll think about it.
More pie, Tim?
- No, thanks.
- I thought peach was
your favorite.
- No, thank you.
- Just as well, it'll
make you fat.
- I don't think Tim
will ever be fat.
Right, honey?
Come sit down.
- Don't sit there.
- I had a visit today
from a very important man.
He's the President's
foreign affairs advisor.
He wanted to know if I
might reconsider
accepting the nomination
for ambassador.
- What'd you tell him?
- I told him I'd give
it some thought.
What do you think?
- I want to go.
Can we go, mom, please?
I don't want to stay
here anymore.
- What about Little League?
- I don't care about
Little League.
- How do you feel, Beth?
School in a foreign country,
a country where we don't
speak the language?
- Well,
it's really what you want to do.
I wouldn't mind.
Not now.
I really wouldn't.
(suffering music)
- Tell me what to do.
Oh god.
- Hi.
I think that's just
about everything.
- Wouldn't you know,
I forgot to give this
to the mailman.
Would you do that for me?
- Oh yeah, of course I will.
- This morning I got this
terrible feeling that
we'd never come back here.
- Oh come on, it's a
two-year lease.
- Florence, you think I'm doing
what he would've
wanted me to do?
- I know it.
(car horn honking)
Oh.
That's Doug with the kids.
- I'll be out in a minute.
(eerie music)
(moves into nostalgic music)
- [Tim Voiceover] Dad, you okay?
- [Edward Voiceover] Ah, yeah.
- Are you sure?
- Yeah.
- [Tim Voiceover] All right.
- [Edward Voiceover] You
cheap shot artist, you.
(Tim laughing)
- Goodbye, my darling.
(sad music)
(airplane roaring)
- [John] Mrs. Ashley.
How do you do?
My name is John Burns,
from the State Department.
- Nice to know you.
My daughter Beth.
- Hi.
- And my son Tim.
- Hi.
- [John] Hi, Tim.
Here, let me have those bags.
- Thanks.
- We have a car waiting
for you right over here.
Mr. Rogers wanted me to
meet you and your family
and make sure that I got
you to your lodgings safely.
We've rented a nice home for you
out in Falls Church, Virginia.
I think you'll be
comfortable there.
- I'm sure we will.
- Have you been to
Washington before?
- No, no, we haven't.
- Well I hope you
enjoy your stay.
If you have your
baggage claim tags,
I'll, uh, take care of
your luggage.
- I've got them.
- Thank you, sir.
- You're welcome.
- Excuse me, I'll be right back.
- Mom?
- Yes?
- Do you think I could
sit up front?
- With Mr. Burns?
- Yeah.
(commanding music)
- Mom, it's Lincoln,
it's Lincoln!
(imperious music)
(moves into questioning music)
Oh wow!
- Look, mom, look,
it's humongous!
- [Tim] And candy!
- I'm gonna go look around,
okay?
- Okay.
- Yeah, me too!
(Mary and John laughing)
- Well I hope you find
everything satisfactory, Mrs. Ashley.
- Thank you, Mr. Burns.
- And if you don't need
anything more for the moment,
I'll be running along.
- Everything's fine.
- Great.
- Thank you.
- Bye.
(knocking)
- [Mary] Who is it?
(knocking)
Who is it?
- Hello?
I am the bearer of good news,
Mrs. Ashley.
We've had some
private discussions
with the Romanian government
and they have no objection
to your appointment.
So all we need now is
confirmation by the Senate.
Is everything here
to your liking?
- It's wonderful if I
can afford it.
How much does an
ambassador get paid?
- 65,000 a year plus
housing allowance.
Now you'd better get
yourself some rest.
You have a big day tomorrow.
Can you make yourself available
at 9:00 in the morning?
- Yes, what for?
- The President, Mrs. Ashley.
The President.
(uncertain music)
- At last.
I feel as though I
already know you.
- Oh Mr. President, I, uh...
Forgive me, I'm
standing here in the
Oval Office,
I'm, I'm just a little
overwhelmed at the moment.
- I know exactly how you feel.
I haven't been here
very long myself.
Thanks, Stanton.
- Thank you, Mr. Rogers.
- Please be seated.
I hope Mr. Rogers conveyed
my condolences to you.
- Yes, he did.
- Mrs. Ashley, we
have a problem.
A great many people
outside this office,
more than I would like to admit,
simply don't think that
my program can work,
but we're gonna fool them.
- I'll do my best to live
up to your expectations.
- If we can make this
work in Romania,
we can make it work in
other Communist countries,
and by heavens, we are
gonna do that, right?
- Yes, sir.
- Don't let them intimidate you.
- I beg your pardon?
- The Senate Foreign
Relations Committee.
They'll badger the
devil out of you.
But you smile sweetly
and tell them without
any modesty whatsoever
just how wonderful you are.
- Mrs. Ashley, you've been
teaching, uh, political science
at the University of
Kansas for several years.
Is that correct?
- [Mary] Yes, sir.
- You are a native of Kansas?
- Yes, sir.
- [Senator] Your parents
were, uh, Romanian?
- Yes, sir.
- I refer to a series of
articles that you wrote
for Foreign Affairs Magazine.
Could you, uh, tell
this committee
the basic premise of
those articles?
- They're based upon the fact
that several regional
economic pacts
currently exist in the world.
And because they are
mutually exclusive,
they serve to divide
our world into
antagonistic and competitive
blocks instead of uniting it.
Now, Europe has the
common market,
the Eastern Bloc has Comecon,
and then there's OECD.
I'd like to see our government
form a common market
with allies and
adversaries alike.
Countries that engage in
a profitable partnership
do not kill one another any
more than individuals would.
- Mrs. Ashley,
I happen to know something
about Romania myself,
indeed ever since they
turned Communist in '46.
Do you honestly believe
that you can deal with
these people?
- If you'll permit me, Senator,
I,
I think you'll find that Romania
wasn't actually under Russian
Communist control until 1947
when King Michael gave
up the throne,
and the Communist Constitution
wasn't actually
adopted until 1952.
- Answer the question, please.
- The answer is yes.
I believe we can deal with them.
I believe we must.
- I suppose, Mrs. Ashley,
you've done a good deal
of traveling.
- No, sir.
- [Senator] Been to Europe?
- No, sir.
- Just where have you been, Mrs.
Ashley?
- I've given lectures at
the University of Chicago
and a series of talks in Denver,
Atlanta, and San Francisco.
- That's it?
- Yes, sir.
- And you expect to
represent these United States
in a sensitive Iron
Curtain country
when your entire knowledge of it
comes from living in
Junction City, Kansas?
Is that true?
- No, sir.
- No?
- My knowledge comes
from earning a PhD
in political science.
I've had seven years of
teaching that subject
with an emphasis on the
Iron Curtain countries.
It's true I haven't had
diplomatic experience
in dealing with
foreign countries,
but may I point out that
one third of our
country's ambassadors
are also people without
previous experience?
- Some people might find
that very unfortunate.
- I know the current problems
of the Romanian people.
I know what they think of
the United States and why.
But all they know about us
is what their propaganda
machines tell them.
I want to convince them
that the United States
is not an arrogant,
patronizing, war-hungry country.
I'd like to show them what
a typical American family
is really like.
After all, what's so
terribly wrong
in seeing us for what
we really are?
If I'm confirmed, Senator,
I promise you I'll let
that be known.
Who knows, they might
even like us.
(reporters talking
over each other)
- Mrs. Ashley, this must be
quite a personal trial for you.
Do you expect to see the
President later today?
- I don't know.
- Uh, Mrs. Ashley, Mrs. Ashley,
Ben Cohn, Washington Post.
Could I get an interview with
you later this afternoon?
- Well, I don't know.
- Right this way, Mrs. Ashley.
- I do solemnly swear I
will support and defend
the Constitution of the
United States
against all enemies
foreign and domestic.
I will bear true faith and
allegiance to the same.
Without any mental reservation
or purpose of evasion,
I will well and faithfully
discharge the duties
of the office on which
I am about to enter,
so help me God.
- Mrs. Ashley, I am happy to say
that you are now the
new ambassador
to the Socialist
Republic of Romania.
(people applauding)
(cameras clicking)
- [Ben] It's crazy.
- What?
- Something really weird
going on in this town.
- I don't know what
you're talking about.
- Mary Ashley.
- Who?
- The new ambassador to Romania.
She's made the cover of
magazines, newspapers.
She hasn't even started yet.
- Look Ben, I don't like
to bring this up,
but I am on a schedule here,
you know.
I'm booked for another
party tonight.
- Somebody.
Somebody I don't know why,
but somebody's giving her
the movie star buildup.
- So, who cares?
You got any ice cream?
- Ice cream?
- I love ice cream.
Sometimes on a plate.
Sometimes in a cone.
You like ice cream?
- I love ice cream.
(woman laughs)
- This could never
happen in England.
They never use rank amateurs,
especially for a post
like this one.
I'm furious.
- I don't blame you.
We need a diplomat and they
send us the Wizard of Oz.
- That's Washington for you.
Mrs. Ashley.
Why don't you come in?
I imagine you're very
anxious to get started.
- Yes, very.
- You must be aware, of course,
what a very sensitive and
very difficult post this is.
- Yes, I am.
Acutely aware of it.
- The President would be
damned upset if you...
Anyway, we're gonna have to make
an instant expert out of you.
Our time's limited.
You've already been
marked as an easy target.
- I have?
- A single woman, a woman alone.
They're gonna take advantage
of that loneliness, Mrs. Ashley.
You can be assured of that.
Let's get to work.
(speaking in a foreign language)
- Good morning.
- Excellent. (laughs)
You give it a very
cosmopolitan accent.
- From my parents, actually.
(speaking in a foreign language)
- It means, "I don't
understand." (laughs)
I think that's one expression
that's gonna come in very handy.
- (laughs) You are going to
do very well, Mrs. Ashley.
(speaking in a foreign language)
- You will all have diplomatic
immunity at your new post.
You cannot be arrested for
speeding, drunk driving,
burning down a home,
or even murder.
When you die, no one can
touch your body
or examine any note you
may have left.
You don't have to
pay your bills.
The stores can't sue you.
- Excuse me.
- Go right ahead, Mrs. Ashley.
- [Mary] Thank you.
- Hi.
Hi.
- What in the world
are you doing?
- [Mike] Mike Slade,
nice to meet you.
- I don't think that
answers the question.
- I work here.
I'm your neighbor.
I just thought I'd drop
by and say hello.
- Nothing like making yourself
comfortable, Mr. Slade.
They haven't furnished you
with a desk of your own?
- Why, yes, ma'am, they have.
- But you prefer
snooping at mine.
- I'd always heard that
you Kansanians were real
friendly folk.
- Tell you what, Mr. Slade.
I'll give you two seconds
to leave my office
before I call the guard.
- Guess I heard wrong.
- And if you really
work in this department,
you might even consider shaving.
- I used to have a wife
that talked like that.
I don't have her anymore.
- Lucky lady.
Goodbye, Mr. Slade.
- My friends call me Mike.
- Goodbye, Mr. Slade.
(people chattering)
- [Mrs. Hart Brisbane] Um, but
are you enjoying Washington,
Madam Ambassador?
- Yes, very much, thank you,
but I'm afraid I'm
neglecting my children.
- Well at least you've succeeded
in escaping Kansas for a while.
- Escaping?
- I'm not too familiar
with Middle America,
but it must be quite tiresome
on a permanent basis,
all that corn and wheat
and soybeans.
- Yes.
Yes, I, I suppose we
are unfortunate
in being able to help
feed the world.
- The way I look at it
is that automobiles
run on gasoline,
but I wouldn't want to
live in the oil fields.
To be quite honest, there's
not really that much to do,
is there?
- Well I, I guess if you
don't count the ballet,
the symphonies, and the theater
which we enjoy all year,
then there's always the
softball tournaments
and the county fairs
and my husband always loved
the fishing at Clear Lake.
You'd have to say we raise
more than crops I think.
We raise honest to
goodness human beings.
If you'll excuse me.
- What you don't seem to
understand yet, Mrs. Ashley,
is that this town takes
its rules very seriously.
A lot of them are stupid,
I admit,
but we have to live by them.
- What did I do?
- Last evening you broke
rule number one.
No one, but no one,
leaves a party
before the guest of honor,
which in this case was
the Brazilian ambassador.
- You see, my children
were expecting me.
- There are no children in
Washington, Mrs. Ashley,
only voters.
You also insulted Mrs.
Hart Brisbane
sitting next to you at dinner.
- Not enough, Mr. Stuckley,
not nearly enough.
- Good morning.
I've shaved, put on a new tie.
You like it?
- You two have met?
- Not really.
I found Mr. Slade at my desk.
- Mike.
- He's your new chief of staff.
Mike's on the Eastern
European desk,
usually works out of Washington,
but it's been decided
to assign him to Romania
as your deputy chief.
- I promise to shave every day.
- I thought an
ambassador was permitted
to choose her own deputy
chief of staff.
- That is correct.
However, in this case--
- Then I'm unchoosing Mr. Slade.
I don't want him.
- Under ordinary
circumstances, Mrs. Ashley,
it'd be perfectly
within your rights,
but in this case the order
comes from the White House.
- Cheer up, Madam Ambassador.
I have a way of
growing on people.
- Mike.
- The new ambassador to Romania
is taking Washington by storm.
Her winning ways have charmed
senators and socialites alike
in a town that does not
treat newcomers kindly.
And in the process she is
personally demolishing opposition.
- Do you mind telling
me something?
- Huh?
- How does someone
like Mary Ashley
dominate the evening news?
- Don't ask me.
- It looks as if Mary Ashley
is going to be a political
and public relations success,
which is exactly what--
- You're in charge of
press relations
for the State Department,
aren't you?
- Yes.
- What gives?
I mean, what's behind
the buildup?
It's beyond any normal
sort of procedure.
- I can't help you.
That's State
Department business.
I'm just a hired hand.
You might write them a letter.
- Sure, sure.
They'll tell me very
diplomatically to go jump in a lake.
I'm gonna have to find out
a few things for myself.
- Like what?
- Like what happened to
make her change her mind
about the nomination?
(Ian laughs)
- Here.
This should keep you
out of trouble tonight.
- [Mary] Don't you ever knock?
(knocking)
- Here, this should keep
you out of trouble tonight.
- [Mary] You're the
most irritating,
aggravating person
I've ever met.
- Why do I get this constant
feeling that you dislike me?
- [Mary] Maybe it's your
arrogance, Mr. Slade.
- Now that's redundant.
- Don't make fun of me.
- Do you ever wonder what
people are saying about you
in Washington?
- I don't really care what
they're saying.
- Well you should.
You see, what they're saying is
what right do you have
to be sitting behind an
ambassador's desk.
I was in Romania for four
years, Madam Ambassador,
and I can tell you that
it's a stick of dynamite
ready to explode.
So what does the government do?
Send us some amateur from the
Styx to play with the fuse.
You are an amateur, Mrs. Ashley.
If someone were gonna
pay you off,
they should've made you
ambassador to Iceland.
(smacking)
Never stuck for an answer, huh?
(sinister music)
- [Chairman] Sir George!
- [Sir George] Morning, Mr.
Chairman!
- [Chairman] What a
beautiful day, Sir George!
- Thank you.
Yes, it's lovely.
Couldn't be better.
You, um, you have further
news of Mrs. Ashley, I gather?
- She leaves for
Bucharest on Saturday.
- I trust that doesn't mean
she'll change her mind again.
- Not now, no.
Not with the husband gone.
As a matter of fact,
someone's been making
inquiries into his death.
- Who?
- Washington reporter.
- Is he gonna be a problem?
- Oh not a rich one.
We're watching him closely.
- I saw her, you know, Mrs.
Ashley.
Ran into her last week.
Charming.
Charming woman.
What a pity.
- Hey, Ben.
- Mm.
(Ben mumbles)
- What?
What are you talking about?
- This Cinderella comes
out of Kansas,
and all of a sudden
they're making her into
Jacquelyn Onassis and Princess
Di all rolled up into one.
Every time she gives an
interview, the reporters go crazy.
It's like a feeding frenzy.
- So?
- So I've been doing a
little checking.
Seems Mary Ashley first
refused the post
because her husband couldn't
leave his medical practice.
- So?
- So all of a sudden
he gets killed
in a very convenient
automobile accident.
- [Ian] Ben, you're not
suggesting that some--
- Yeah, I'm suggesting.
Ian, what do you know
about the Patriots?
- I never bet on football games.
- The Patriots of Freedom.
It's a group that
surfaced in the late '70s,
uh, when detente was
going strong,
both right wingers
and left wingers
from several
different countries.
- I never heard of them.
- I've got a rumor that
they might still be around.
- When you say right wing
and left wing--
- I mean as far right
as you can get,
both here and in Europe,
working with a dozen
key Communists.
- But together?
- Joining forces for a
common cause.
- What cause?
- To kill the
President's new program.
To stop any cooperation with
the Warsaw Pact countries.
- But why?
- The Commies think it's a plot
to destroy the Eastern Bloc.
The right wingers think it
spells disaster for the West.
- Ben, Ben, I know
how tough it is
for you guys to
think of a story,
but I really think this
is off the wall.
- You've got connections, Ian.
How about checking this
one out for me.
Huh?
- I'll see what I can do.
- Now.
- Now?
- Now.
(relaxed piano music)
(phone rings)
- Conners.
- Ian Villers, Pete.
Wonder if you might
look up something for me
in the CIA computer.
It's a long shot,
probably nothing there,
but, uh, I've promised a
friend I'd try.
- Yeah, what do you
want to know?
- Have you got something
on an organization called
the Patriots of Freedom?
- Uh, no, no, it doesn't
ring any bells with me.
Patriots of Freedom, no.
No, it doesn't ring any bells.
Uh, tell me, who wants
the information?
- Oh it's Ben Cohn, you know,
the reporter for the Post.
- Oh yeah yeah, I know him,
yeah, I know who he is, yeah.
Well, look, uh, Ian,
I'll tell you,
look, uh, let me see what
I can do, okay,
and I'll get back to you.
- Okay, thanks.
("Canon in D" by
Johann Pachelbel)
- [Man On Voice Mail] This is
a message from the Controller
for Angel at 10:15 a.m. Monday.
Please contact immediately.
This is an urgent message
from the Controller
at 2:00 a.m. Monday.
Contact at once.
Angel, this is Controller
regarding contract.
Respond immediately.
- Yeah, it's Ben Cohn, Mrs.
Ashley, Washington Post.
I have some very interesting
information for you.
Um, could we have a little talk?
Yeah, I could meet you
tomorrow morning
at the Foreign
Services Institute.
Say 9:30?
Yeah, right, right.
Yes, I'll be there.
Thank you very much!
(Ben laughs)
All right.
(exploding)
- Here, can you get this?
Thanks.
Oh hi, Mr. Rogers.
- Hi, guys.
- I'll be right out.
- Okay, mom.
- There's plenty of time.
Your flight doesn't
leave until 5:00.
- Stanton, I can't
thank you enough.
You've been so kind to me.
- Well, I'm just glad to
be of some help.
Now, this is your
diplomatic passport,
black instead of the usual blue,
and these are your credentials.
You should read those
through carefully.
You'll find that
every United States
government employee in Romania
is subject to your authority.
- Does that include Mike Slade?
- You still feel the same
way about him?
- I just don't trust that man.
- Why?
- I don't know, it's
just a feeling.
- He's an excellent writer,
excellent.
He's a genuine troubleshooter.
- Trouble period.
- Well if you have any
problems with anyone,
you just let me know.
Always available to help.
- Thank you.
I truly appreciate that.
- It has been
a real pleasure.
- Yes.
- And now
godspeed Mrs. Mary Ashley.
(mystical music)
- Madam Ambassador,
welcome to Romania.
My name is Bill McKinney,
I'm your military attache.
- Hello, my daughter Beth
and my son Tim.
- Nice to meet you.
- How do you do?
- Hi, nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
Come right this way.
Mike Slade wanted to be here,
but, uh, he had some important
business to take care of.
This is Florian, he'll be
your chauffeur.
- Welcome to my country.
I, I look forward
to serve you.
(speaking in a foreign language)
- Very good, honey.
(mystified music)
- [Bill] Bucharest is as
stately as any European capital,
but behind the facade,
Ionescu runs this country
with an iron hand.
- [Mary] Hm, I see.
What's that building?
- [Bill] The Ivan
Stelian Prison.
That's where they put
anyone who disagrees
with Ionescu's government.
- [Mary] Oh.
(wondering music)
- Madam Ambassador,
your residence.
Tim Tim Tim, that's
not a good idea.
That's an emergency switch.
You see, if there's any trouble,
if anyone should attack
you in the car,
it activates a radio transmitter
that's monitored at the Embassy.
That little red light goes off,
then we're able to
triangulate your position
within seconds.
But don't worry.
There's very little
chance of that happening.
- Did you hear that, Tim?
- Yes, mom.
- [Bill] Your resident
staff, Madam Ambassador.
(speaking in a foreign language)
- We speak English here, Madam.
All of us.
We are looking forward
to serving you.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
- I've got this one!
- I have a bigger one.
- You can just put
those down there.
Thank you.
(curious music)
Well, here we go, my darling.
- Madam Ambassador, I'm
Gunnery Sergeant Hughes.
They call me Gunny.
- Hello, Sergeant.
- If you'll just follow me,
please.
Now the archway directly ahead
leads to our commissary
in the basement,
and right over here is
our ballroom.
This is where all of the
Embassy parties are held.
And actually if you'll just
take a look right over here,
Madam Ambassador, right
up here at the ceiling,
I'll show you what we call
our ambassador's folly.
It's too hot to keep
open in the summer
and too cold in winter.
Some ambassador had it
installed years ago
but no one seems to use
it much anymore.
Well now I'll show you
the conference room.
- Well I see that you
got here safely.
These are the people who will
be your department heads.
- Please, be seated.
- Starting on your
right here is, uh,
James Hatfield, your
economic advisor,
Lukas Janklow, administrative,
Eddie Maltz, political.
- Hi there.
- Ted Thompson, agriculture.
David Victor, commerce.
Colonel McKinney of
course you know.
Dorothy Stone here will be
your personal secretary.
You'll have plenty of time
to get to know everyone.
We are here of course to
serve you at your discretion.
You can replace any of
us at any time.
- Thank you, Mr. Slade.
I just want you all to know
that I'm looking forward
to working with you
and that I'm going to
do everything possible
to make our country and
Romania the closest of allies.
You realize I'm
certain that I'm,
I'm gonna need all the
help I can get.
Are there any questions any
of you would like to ask me?
Thank you.
That's all.
- I know you haven't had a
chance to see anything yet.
There's a commissary in
the basement,
a pharmacy on the main floor.
Of course if anyone in the
Embassy gets seriously ill,
we fly them to Frankfurt.
- Why?
- No member of the
Embassy is allowed to go
to a local hospital in
an Iron Curtain country.
- I see.
Which one of the employees
here is with the CIA?
- I think that you'd
better come with me.
Ambassador Ashley.
- Gentlemen.
- This is the bubble room.
It's the only room in the
building that can't be bugged.
These Marine guards are
on duty 24 hours a day
and each one of them have
been screened carefully.
We don't want a repeat of
what happened in Moscow.
Excuse us.
Just keep in mind you
are in enemy territory.
- How do you handle that,
not being able to talk freely?
- We do an electronic sweep
of the building every morning.
We find there are bugs,
we pull them out.
It only lasts a few hours,
uh, then they replace them
and we pull those out.
- [Mary] Seems like a
great waste of time.
- It is, but it's
their playground.
We play by their rules
or we blow the game.
- Who is the CIA man
on the staff?
- Edward Maltz, your
political counselor.
- Is he the only CIA man?
- Right, why?
- I like to know these things.
I like to know everything.
(apprehensive music)
- [Aide] Your excellency.
(powerful music)
May I present Madam
Ambassador Ashley
from the United States.
(shining music)
- My great country is
honored by your presence.
- Thank you, your excellency.
This is my daughter Beth
and my son Tim.
(bell gonging)
- So you have something for me?
- Oh, yes, of course.
Here you are.
- I accept this letter of
credence from your president.
And I announce that
you're now officially
the American ambassador
to my country.
- Thank you, your excellency.
- I have arranged a
reception for you next week.
We have a saying here.
An ambassador arrives in tears
because he knows he will
be spending years
in a foreign place away
from his friends,
but when he leaves, he
leaves in tears,
because he must leave
his new friends
and a country he's
grown fond of.
I hope you will grow to love
our country, Madam Ambassador.
- I'm sure we will.
Good day, your excellency.
(massive thudding)
Tim.
What do you think of Mike Slade?
- (laughs) He's the best.
Is that what you wanted to know?
- No.
I wanted to talk to you
because I feel the morale of
the Embassy is rather low.
I wanted to know whether
it's because of me
or whether it's always
been that way.
- Do you want an honest answer?
- Please.
- You're a political appointee
in an Embassy of
career diplomats,
that's first and foremost.
- Go on.
- And you're a woman.
Male career officers don't like
taking orders from a woman.
The Romanians are a lot worse.
- I see.
- And I've never seen so
much publicity
about a new ambassador before.
It's made them against you
before you ever got here.
- Them, and I suppose
that includes yourself?
Thank you.
I appreciate your honesty.
But I'll tell you this, Dorothy,
and you may certainly
repeat it if you wish.
I am here to stay.
No matter how anyone in this
Embassy might feel about me,
I am not leaving until I've done
what I've been appointed to do.
Is that clear?
- Yes.
- Now is there anything
you want to say?
- I believe you.
The agricultural, the economic,
and the commerce counselors
would like to see you.
- What's all this?
- Three new surveys
and the wireless files
on U.S. developments.
- It's gonna take me a week
to get through all of this.
- I hope not.
(racy music)
- The entire agricultural
program is a disaster.
- My advice is no more
helping hand.
- So if they don't buy
foreign goods from us
they buy them from
South America.
We can't let that happen,
can we?
- Absolutely not.
- Right!
(knocking)
- Come in.
- Hi, how are you doing?
- [Beth] Great, how are you?
- Okay.
It's really beginning to
look like home around here.
- Well, it's not home, but
it's real interesting.
I like it here.
- [Mary] Do you really, honey?
- Yeah, I do.
- I'm so glad.
I'm so glad.
I'll see you downstairs
in a few minutes.
- [Beth] Okay.
Mom?
- Yes?
- I'm really proud of you.
- Thank you.
Makes me feel so good.
- You better go talk to Tim.
- [Mary] Why?
- I don't know, he's been
upset all day.
- Thank you for telling me.
What's the matter?
You can tell me.
- It's spooky.
- What's spooky?
- This place, I don't like it.
- Oh honey.
We've only been here a few days.
Wait until you get
started at school and,
and you make some new friends.
- I don't want to
make any friends.
- Tim, you don't mean that.
- It's too far.
- Far, I don't understand.
- From him.
From dad.
It's like I might forget
him here and how he was.
I don't want to do that.
- Oh honey.
How could we ever do that?
I mean,
even if we lived on the
moon we could,
we could never, ever
forget daddy.
- Do you miss him still?
(weighty music)
- Every morning
when I wake up I,
I still reach out for him.
- I want him back.
I miss him.
- Oh honey.
I miss him too.
- I miss him.
- Okay.
(joyful music)
(Mary and Ionescu laughing)
- No no no no no no.
Americans have never understood.
My people are descendants
of both the ancient Asians
and the Romans,
going back to the year 105 A.D.
Doormats.
We have been Europe's
doormats for centuries.
The Huns, the Slavs, the Mongols
have wiped their feet on us.
- But you've managed to
survive, your excellency.
- And do you know why?
Because of the spirit and the
fire of the Romanian people.
They trust me.
I rule them well.
Strong, fair leadership.
(bemused music)
Oh, Nicu. (laughs)
Have you met my son?
- I've been looking
forward to it.
- [Nicu] It is my great
pleasure, Madam Ambassador.
I have heard many nice
things about you.
- That's very kind of
you to say that, Nicu.
I think you have a future
diplomat here, your excellency.
- A diplomat, Nicu?
(laughs) Never.
I have other plans for my son.
Nicu will be the next president.
(speaking in a foreign language)
- (laughs) I know.
- You know?
(woman laughs)
I don't know.
(rich music)
- What are you doing here?
- I thought you might
give me a lift.
- You don't have a car?
- I let my chauffeur go home.
- Why?
- I thought we might
have a talk.
- About what?
- Be careful of Ionescu.
The charm is surface.
Don't believe him,
don't trust him.
People have a way of
just disappearing here.
- You may think that
because a man is charming,
I'm going to believe
every word he says.
You're mistaken, Mr. Slade.
I know my job.
- For Pete's sake, lady.
- It's been a wonderful talk.
- By the way, I made
arrangements
for the children to attend
the American school.
The kids come from all over.
The teachers are excellent.
- When it comes to my children,
I'll make the arrangements.
I do thank you for your concern.
- Good night, Madam Ambassador.
- [Mary] Good night, Mr. Slade.
(questing music)
- Your assignment is to ensure
that Mary Ashley goes ahead
with the 4th of July
party as planned.
We've hired an expert
and you're to give that
person any help necessary.
Oh, and make sure the
children are there.
This should be a, (laughs)
a festive occasion.
I believe that, uh,
fireworks are traditional
on the 4th of July.
Mary Ashley and her
children will be killed.
(dramatic music)
(thrilling music)
(gunshot fires)
- There is someone here,
I mean right here in
this Embassy
who is trying to kill me.
- I tell you what I'd do, Mrs.
Ashley.
I'd go home right now.
- Now you believe in
what you're doing.
And you must not let
anyone frighten you away.
(dramatic music)
(exploding)
(thrilling music)
(exciting music)
(thrilling music)
- The reason I'm calling, Mrs.
Ashley,
is that I would like to
place you in nomination
as my first
ambassador to Romania.
- Is she really that
essential to us?
- The Controller can
think of no one else
who would suit our
purpose so well.
- Yeah, okay, I'm on my way.
(tires squealing)
(exploding)
- Quite frankly, Mrs. Ashley,
the President is hoping
that you might
reconsider his offer.
- I do solemnly swear I
will support and defend
the Constitution of the
United States
against all enemies,
foreign and domestic.
- You are an amateur, Mrs.
Ashley.
If someone were gonna
pay you off,
they should've made you
ambassador to Iceland.
- I got a present for you.
- What?
- This.
(Harry screams)
(dramatic music)
(exploding)
- Madam Ambassador,
welcome to Romania.
My name is Bill McKinney.
(wild music)
(dogs barking)
(Marin screams)
- Nobody cheats Angel.
- I accept this letter of
credence from your president
and I announce that
you're now officially
the American ambassador
to my country.
- Oh, and make sure
the children are there.
This should be a, (laughs)
a festive occasion.
I believe that, uh,
fireworks are traditional
on the 4th of July.
Mary Ashley and her
children will be killed.
(dramatic music)
(fiery music)
- Good morning, Dorothy.
- Oh, good morning.
I put all the morning
dispatches on your desk.
He's a dossier that was
hand delivered
by army intelligence from
Mr. Stuckley's office,
everything we know about
Romanian officials.
Everything.
- Personal things?
- Yes, ma'am.
But I'm sure they know all
there is to know about you.
- Won't get them very far.
- Good morning,
Madam Ambassador.
Well here we are again.
I hope you slept well.
- Do you spend your life
walking into places
unannounced, Mr. Slade?
- Lesson number one,
whenever possible, the
ambassador starts her day
by having coffee with her
deputy chief of staff.
That's a little present
from me to you.
- Thank you.
- [Mike] Sugar?
- No sugar, no cream.
- I brew it myself.
Great stuff.
- Is there a lesson number two,
Mr. Slade?
- I'm glad you asked.
This machine, this
is a shredder.
- I know what it is.
- Last night when you went out,
you left some papers
on your desk.
By now they've been
photographed and sent to Moscow.
- What papers?
- Oh a list of cosmetics,
of facial tissue, of
toilet paper,
other personal things
you ordered.
- Earthshaking.
- The cleaning women
work for the Securitate.
They're grateful for any scrap
of information they can get,
and they're ingenious at
putting things together.
That also goes for the servants
that work at your house.
How do you like it so far?
- What?
- The coffee.
- It's coffee.
- Thanks.
You see, the Securitate here
is the KGB and the police
force wrapped into one.
One out of every three Romanians
works for it in some way,
not that they get paid.
That could at least raise
their standard of living,
which is the lowest in Europe.
Glad you came?
- Yes.
Yes, I am, Mr. Slade.
(knocking)
- Mr. Maltz is here.
- Have him come in.
- Mr. Maltz.
- Hi.
- [Mike] What's up, Ed?
- Got a tough one.
There's an American girl here,
a student, University of
Bucharest exchange student,
she's run into some
problems with the Romanian--
- Excuse me, Mr. Maltz,
did you wish to see me?
- Oh, uh, right, yes.
We've got a problem.
There's an American girl, 19.
She was arrested last night
for possession of drugs.
That's an extremely serious
offense around here.
- What kind of drugs?
- Marijuana.
Just a joint she says.
She's a student, and right
now she's scared to death.
- What will they do to her?
- The usual penalty
is five years.
- And what can we do about it?
- Well, you could always
use your charms
on the head of Securitate.
- Name's Hannah Murphy.
She says she was framed.
She may have a point.
- Why?
- Well, it seems she
had an affair
with a Romanian policeman.
- Dumb dumb dumb.
- They spent the
night at her house
and then he turned her in.
- He turned her in?
- I've been trying to tell you,
we, Madam Ambassador,
we are the enemy here.
It may be all buddies
and hands across the sea
because we're trying to
woo them away from Russia,
but when you get down
to the gritty,
they're still Communists
and we are the enemy.
- The kids come from
28 different countries,
and there's this Italian guy
that keeps staring at me.
- He was staring at
all the girls.
- He was not.
Should I ignore him?
- Do you want to ignore him?
- No.
- Ask if he's nearsighted.
Once you get him talking,
he won't stare any--
(Mary screams)
What is that?
- It's a dead Romanian frog.
We're gonna dissect it tomorrow.
They got a great science lab.
- Tim, take it off my desk.
Now.
Well, you two are doing
pretty well, no big problems.
- No, Mike took care of us.
- Mike?
- Mr. Slade.
He told us to call him Mike.
- What does he have to
do with school?
- [Tim] He showed up
there today.
- Yeah, he introduced us
to the teachers.
Didn't he tell you?
- No.
- Yeah, he knows a lot
of the teachers.
- He even knows some of
the kids too.
He's a really neat guy.
Don't you think so, mom?
- Mm, yes.
Yes, very neat.
- I've arranged a visit
to the Ivan Stelian Prison
at the end of the week.
I'll let you know when
that's confirmed.
- Thank you.
- The first three parties
start tonight.
- Three?
- (laughs) You've got 21
all together this week.
- That's impossible.
- Well, with 75
embassies in Bucharest,
they're always
celebrating something.
- Dorothy, would you tell
Janklow, Thompson, and Maltz
I'd like to see them?
- They're in
conference right now.
- Conference?
With whom?
- With all the other counselors.
- Are you saying there's
a staff meeting
going on without me?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Are you telling me that
this isn't the first time?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Tell me what else is
going on here
that I should know
about and don't.
- Well, um, they are
sending cables
without your authorization.
- Good afternoon.
I won't take up much
of your time,
because I know how busy
all of you are.
It's come to my attention
that senior staff meetings
are being held without
my knowledge.
From this moment on,
anyone attending such a meeting
will be instantly dismissed.
It's also come to my attention
that some of you are sending
cables without informing me.
Yesterday, Mr. Hatfield, you
sent an unauthorized cable
to the State Department.
I've made reservations
for you on a plane
leaving for Washington at
noon tomorrow.
You are no longer a
member of this Embassy.
The next time anyone
in this room
sends a cable without
my knowledge
or fails to give me
full support,
that person will be on a plane
back to the United States.
That's all for now.
Mr. Slade.
I'd like to thank you
for being so kind to Beth
and Tim at school yesterday.
- No problem, they're good kids.
- How did I do?
- I'd say it was neat
but not gaudy.
The shortest and most
effective staff meeting
I think I've ever witnessed.
Well done, Madam Ambassador.
- Thank you.
- You will note, gentlemen,
that events in Romania
are proceeding on schedule.
I believe you've had
the opportunity
to look over the
Controller's recommendation
in reference to the
Argentinian known as Angel.
The price might appear to
be a bit steep,
but of course we are now
dealing with an incident
which may have enormous
international consequences.
Are there any questions?
Any comments at all on the
recommendation?
Well make no mistake,
the contract will
specifically call for
the assassination of Mrs.
Ashley and of her two children.
I remind you to observe the
usual precautions upon leaving.
Thank you, gentlemen.
(foreboding music)
- She's in there.
I give you 10 minutes.
- Mary Ashley,
American ambassador.
It's all right.
(Hannah sobs)
It's all right.
It's gonna be okay.
(Hannah sobs)
Just tell me what happened.
- I, I met this policeman.
We went out together a
couple of times.
And he seemed so nice.
And one day last week,
well,
we made love.
And afterward, we shared
some marijuana
that a friend had given me.
It was just one joint.
When I woke up in the
morning he was gone.
The police showed up.
They stood there watching
me while I got dressed.
Then they brought me here.
Five years they told me.
- Hannah, listen to me.
I'm going to do everything
in my power to help you.
You understand?
Everything.
Please believe that.
It's gonna be all right.
It's gonna be okay.
- [Mike] You're
wasting your time.
The girl is guilty as hell.
- I can't just walk
away from her.
What's, what's his name?
- Who?
- The head of the Securitate.
- Istrase,
- Captain Aurel Istrase.
Good afternoon,
Madam Ambassador.
- Good afternoon.
- You wish to talk to me?
- Yes, please be seated.
- Thank you.
- I would like to discuss
the case of Hannah Murphy.
- Oh yes yes yes, the, uh,
drug peddler.
Forgive me, my English
not very good.
- I can understand you.
- You see, we have strict
laws here with drugs.
- Well I'm pleased to hear that.
I, I wish we had stricter
laws in my country.
- Good, we agree.
- Yes, anyone who sells
drugs deserves to go to jail.
- [Aurel] Yes.
- Hannah Murphy, however,
did not sell drugs.
She offered to give some
marijuana to this man.
- It is the same thing.
- No, no, not quite.
The man she was with is a
lieutenant on your police force.
He smoked marijuana too.
Has he been punished?
- Why should he be?
He was merely
gathering evidence.
- I understand he has a
wife and three children.
- (laughs) The American
girl tricked him into bed,
so to speak.
- So to speak.
The girl is 19 and the
lieutenant is 45.
- Age has nothing to do with it.
- We're quite alone.
I had this room checked
for any recording devices
before you arrived.
- So?
- Does the
lieutenant's wife know
about her husband's affair?
- [Aurel] Why should she?
- That sounds to me like a
clear case of entrapment.
Captain, I, I think we should
make the whole affair public
to the international press.
- [Aurel] Well there
would be no point.
- Why?
- [Aurel] Well, because I see--
- Because the lieutenant just
happens to be your son-in-law?
- Certainly not.
- Did he get a
promotion over this?
- [Aurel] We only wish
to see justice done.
- So do I.
It would seem that
your son-in-law
has trapped other young
female tourists,
even sleeping with them
as he did Hannah Murphy.
However, I, I see no reason
for your daughter to know
how her husband
conducts himself.
No, I, I think it'd be much
better for all concerned
if you quietly released
Hannah Murphy from jail
and I shipped her back
to the United States.
What do you say, Captain?
- You are a very
interesting lady.
- Thank you.
I'll expect Miss Murphy in
my office this afternoon.
I'll see that she's put on the
first plane out of Bucharest.
- I will use what little
influence I have.
- Yes, I'm sure you will,
Captain.
- Madam.
(zesty music)
- So where is he?
- Where people don't find him.
- Well tell him it's confirmed,
at least for
Bucharest next week.
- More.
- What?
- Angel,
he don't like to do this
bad thing with the children.
He want two million pounds.
English pounds.
(man laughs)
- Well, uh, maybe we forget
the whole thing, huh?
- Okay, sure.
- Okay.
Okay, okay.
(lively music)
I'm gonna have to check it out.
- Good.
Hey.
My baby, he's out of town,
if you know what I mean.
- Get outta here.
(Neusa laughs)
(spits)
- Please, you will help
us, you will help us?
- The Americans will help,
I know.
(people whispering)
(speaking in a foreign language)
- Mr. Slade, those people--
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
- What do you know, just
couldn't wait for my coffee.
- [Mary] Those people outside
at the gate, who are they?
- Oh, Romanian Jews for
the most part,
waiting to file
applications for visas.
- Why don't they go to
the Israeli Embassy?
- They think we have a better
chance of helping them.
They're wrong of course.
It's a cat and mouse game.
Ionescu lets a few people out
of the country every year.
- There must be some way
we can help them.
- We're not talking about
getting a drug case dismissed
here, not this time.
No, this is government
ironclad policy.
Here you are.
- Thank you.
Tell me, Mr. Slade.
Mike.
Do you think it
might be possible
for us to have a little
better relationship?
- Sure.
Why not?
I was thinking this morning,
uh, well it occurred to me
that you might like to go
to the theater this evening.
- I'd like that very much.
- There's a Romanian
ballet company playing.
Corina Socoli, a big star.
It's supposed to be pretty good.
- That sounds very nice.
- Well I have three tickets.
You could take Tim and Beth.
- Thank you.
(phone rings)
- Hello?
Yes, just a moment.
Dorothy.
- Yes, Dorothy?
Churchmen?
- Oh, let me take that.
Dorothy, tell them that
nothing has changed.
We still can't help them.
All right, thank you.
Those people have a chance to,
uh, go to a church in Utah,
but they'll never get
their visas.
Here are your tickets.
I'll have Florian pick
you up at 8:00.
- Thank you.
- I don't want to go.
Do I have to?
- Of course not, I...
- It's my Italian friend.
- Who?
- [Beth] From school.
- Oh.
- I invited him to dinner.
Is it all right?
There's a million servants here.
- Of course.
Where's Tim?
- [Beth] In his room with Ivan.
- Ivan?
- A friend from school.
They're helping each
other with their homework.
I don't think he's
gonna want to see
any Romanians dance either.
- You're probably right.
- Have fun.
(audience applauding)
- Hello, I'm Mary Ashley.
- The American ambassador!
- I want to thank you
for a lovely evening.
- I need your help.
I, I cannot stay here.
I have spoken out too freely.
I, I won't be allowed to
dance here much longer.
I want to come to America.
Thank you so much for
your kind words.
- Ah, Madam Ambassador,
a front tire is flat.
We have no spare, but I
have sent for one.
- Well how long will it take?
- Oh, maybe an hour.
- How far are we from
the residence?
- About five blocks.
Straight down the Calamo
Shalor to the central square.
- Maybe I'll walk.
I'll see you in the morning,
Florian.
- At the square, turn
into Strase Rosetti
and you are there.
- Strate Rosetti, okay.
(eerie music)
- Excuse me.
Are you lost?
- I'm afraid so.
I'm looking for the
Strata Rosatti.
(tires squealing)
(escaping music)
(screaming in a
foreign language)
(siren wailing)
(tires squealing)
- Are you all right?
- Yes.
(speaking in a foreign language)
- What happened to you?
- These men tried to
force me into their car.
If it hadn't been for
this gentleman...
(perplexed music)
- Did you get hurt?
- No.
- They take anything?
- No.
- If they were going to
steal your purse,
they would've taken it
on the street.
- Who would want to kidnap me?
- Excuse us, Corporal.
Well it certainly
wouldn't be Ionescu's men
who were trying to kidnap you.
He at the moment is trying
to keep relations on
an even keel.
- Someone looking for ransom?
- In this country there
wouldn't be a trial,
only a firing squad.
I tell you what I'd do, Mrs.
Ashley.
I'd go home right now.
- Mr. Slade, I was
appointed to this post
by the President of the
United States,
and until he fires me,
I don't want you or anyone
else telling me to go home.
- All you'd have to do is
send in your letter of
resignation, pack up your kids,
and go back to Kansas
where you'd be safe.
- I expect these people to
work with me, not against me.
Now if that's too much for
you to handle, Mr. Slade,
then I strongly suggest
that you make other plans.
- Madam Ambassador, I'll
pass on your message.
(elegant piano music)
- My country considers this
loan from the United States
an opportunity for both
our countries
to open the door to freer
trade policies.
- I appreciate that, Mr.
President.
And I've already made
an urgent plea
to the Senate Foreign
Affairs Committee.
- In that case let me say that,
uh,
we are depending upon
you, Madam Ambassador.
- You have my promise.
I'll do everything I can.
- Of course I miss Paris,
but I hope that next year...
(lovely piano music)
The lady in distress.
- You two know each other?
- We haven't been
officially introduced.
- Ah, Madam Ambassador,
may I present to you Dr.
Louis Desforges.
- Madam Ambassador.
I beg your pardon, I
had no idea.
I should've recognized you,
of course.
- You did better than that.
You may have saved my life.
- Oh, so you are the one.
I heard of your
unfortunate experience.
- It would have been unfortunate
if Dr. Desforges
hadn't come along.
- Yes, well I was just in the
right place at the right time.
- If you two will excuse me,
please.
- Tell me, why did you run
away when the police came?
- Well, it is not good policy
to get involved with the
Romanian police.
They have a way of
arresting witnesses.
And as a mere doctor attached
to the French Embassy,
I have no diplomatic immunity.
Some champagne?
- No, thank you.
- You don't like champagne?
- I suppose that's heresy
to a Frenchman.
- (laughs) No.
Confession, I have never
cared much for it myself.
But I have found that if
someone offers a toast,
as they always do,
then simply raise your arm.
Nobody ever notices
a difference.
- Really?
(Louis and Mary laughing)
- Oh, please.
I hope you will forgive me
if I seem to desert you
every evening.
I, uh, I have been extremely
wary of political entanglement
ever since I was in Beirut.
- Beirut?
- Yes, I was,
I was there when we were
fighting the terrorists.
And, uh, well they
discovered my identity
and exploded a bomb in the
house where I was living.
My, uh, wife and
two children were killed
in the explosion.
- How horrible.
I'm so sorry.
- It is said that time heals,
but I no longer believe it.
- Neither do I.
(people chattering)
- Ladies and gentlemen!
Ladies and gentlemen!
A toast to our host country!
And to its president,
Alexandros Ionescu.
- Congratulations.
The Foreign Relations Committee
granted the Romanian loan.
You pulled it off apparently.
- I'd like you to make me
an appointment
to see President Ionescu as
soon as it can be arranged.
- I'll go along with you.
- No, I'll do this alone.
- Oh, Madam Ambassador.
I understand you
bring good news.
- [Mary] No, I'm afraid not.
- Are you telling me the
loan was not approved?
- Last minute difficulty.
- Difficulty?
- Yes.
I'm just as disappointed
as you are, but
well the vote was favorable
until one of the
senators learned that
some Romanian church officials
were being denied visas
to visit Utah.
You see, the Senator is a
Mormon, and he was very upset.
- Utah?
- That's right, Mr. President.
- Well I don't see any
difficulty there.
- No?
- Our church officials are free
to come and go as they please.
- But they were told that
they couldn't.
- We have a far more
lenient policy toward them
than any other Eastern
Bloc country.
- Yes, I know, but--
- They may leave
whenever they wish.
- Really?
- Yes.
- Thank you, Mr. President,
and I'm sure the senator from
Utah will be very pleased.
Good day.
- Good day.
(graceful string music)
Mrs. Ashley.
- Your excellency.
- Mrs. Ashley, I wish
to point out
that I was correct in the
matter of the church officials.
There was no difficulty.
- A misunderstanding I'm sure.
My government was very pleased
to proceed with the loan.
- But of course.
Your people recognize our
mutual interest.
- I might point out
to you however
that there are other
people here,
Romanians who wish to
leave the country
and they are being
denied that right.
- They are dissidents.
Troublemakers.
- Only because they--
- Um, the caviar.
Have you tasted the caviar?
It's fresh beluga.
You must try it.
Excuse me.
- He's right.
About the caviar,
it's delicious.
What is it they say,
we have got to stop
meeting like this?
- Considering the amount
of parties in Bucharest,
that would be impossible.
- Do you know a little
restaurant called Taru?
- I'm afraid not.
- It's a charming little place.
Um, I made a
reservation for one,
but they would be thrilled
if I arrived with the
American ambassador.
- This evening?
- I know, it's out of
the question,
but I thought I would ask.
- I'd love to.
- Really?
- [Mary] Really.
- You have two children,
I understand?
- Yes, a boy and a girl.
- If you wish to bring
them along...
- Oh, no, no, they're
busy tonight.
- Well then.
At what time should I
pick you up?
- I have some work to
finish at the Embassy
and I'd like to see
the children.
Would 8:00 be all right?
- 8:00 would be fine.
(ominous music)
(terror-stricken music)
(folksy music)
And now when I look back
on those years in the
underground of Beirut,
they seem so far away.
Forgive me, I'm afraid I'm
going on too much here about it.
- Oh no, not at all.
- Is something wrong?
- No, it's nothing.
- Tell me.
- There's just a little trouble
at the Embassy this evening.
Tell me, how long are you here?
- Three years.
Fighting the various
terrorist factions.
- But you're a doctor.
- Yes.
You see, I believe every
man must risk something
so that in the end he
doesn't risk everything.
But had I known the
price I would have to pay
would be the lives of
my wife and children...
- Have you never thought
of marrying again?
- No.
No, she was a remarkable woman.
I sometimes think no
one would replace her.
Perhaps I came here to Romania
mostly to try and forget.
But there, there is
something here.
I confess I feel an
evilness about this country.
Oh, not the people.
They are lovely, but
they are quite helpless.
They are virtually slaves.
I shall be glad when
my tour of duty is over
and I return to France.
- There are some people
who think I should go home.
- No, impossible.
I have made inquiries.
Everyone who knows you
here is very impressed.
They say you've brought
an image of America
that is most engaging,
most intelligent.
- Well, I'm trying.
- Now you believe in
what you're doing.
I know that.
And you must not let
anyone frighten you away.
- Is she in?
- Yes, yes, what's the matter?
- [Gunny] Excuse me, but
your limousine,
the alarm just went off.
They're tracking it, it's
near the American school.
- The children!
(sirens whirring)
(tires squealing)
(frenzied music)
- Mistake, I hit it by mistake!
(alarm wailing)
- Mary, I just wanted
you to know that
the President is very
pleased with the outcome
of the surplus wheat sale
and the Romanian loan.
He says his faith in you
is completely justified.
- Thank you, Stanton.
Tell him how much I
appreciate that.
- I certainly will.
I'm going to be
leaving for China.
I'll be gone for a
couple of weeks.
- How can I reach you?
- Through my office.
They'll always know where
to contact me.
And well, you just keep up
that good work, Mary, hm?
- Thank you.
Goodbye, Stanton.
I'm leaving early today,
Dorothy.
I have the party at
the Chinese...
(Mary cries out)
- What's the matter?
- I don't know.
I haven't been feeling all
that great this last week.
No energy.
See you tomorrow.
- And then, just as we are
about to sit down to dinner,
this pig, it jumps on the
table and starts to scream,
oink oink oink oink oink
oink oink oink!
(Beth and Tim laughing)
Well, in French of course.
Well, I say to my wife, I say,
"Look, I like pork, but
this is too much."
(Beth and Tim laughing)
But I must tell you,
this little pig,
he knew what he was doing.
I mean, after that my wife
couldn't bear to have him killed,
it became a pet for
the children.
- Honestly?
- Honestly, cross my heart.
Now Tim, I must tell
you the story
of the bicycle with no
bars to handle.
- Handlebars.
- Right, you steer
with your feet!
(Beth and Tim laughing)
Your children are delightful.
- Thank you.
They told me they'd like
to see you again.
- Really?
Oh.
You know, Beth reminds me very
much of my elder daughter.
So beautiful.
Well,
I think it is time.
You realize what I am doing?
I am reliving my past.
Or perhaps
is it my future?
I can't tell you what this
evening has meant to me.
Good night, Mary.
- [Mary] Good night.
(ponderous music)
- Coffee for two, no cream,
no sugar.
A little strong, just the
way you like it.
- Thank you.
- I couldn't set that
meeting for you.
Ionescu has canceled
all appointments.
- How come?
- It's his son.
The boy's come down
with botulism poisoning.
Apparently it's very serious.
- Botulism?
- The boy was visiting
friends in Germany.
They've had a big
epidemic there.
- Well we'll get the
antiserum to him.
- We're told the epidemic
has used all their supplies,
including ours.
- Dorothy, get me the
Center for Disease Control
in Atlanta, Georgia right away.
- You're wasting your time.
They could supply the stuff,
but you could never get
it here on time,
not for botulism poisoning.
It works too quickly.
- Yes, I can hear you very
clearly, Madam Ambassador,
but I don't think I
can help you.
You see, in order to
requisition a supersonic jet,
you've got to have an approval
from the Secretary of Defense,
and then you can...
Yes, I am listening,
but I can't possibly authorize
an operation like this
without an approval
from the Secretary of--
- General, if Ionescu's son dies
because you wasted time on this,
I promise you that word
of your refusal
is gonna be communicated
to the White House.
Do I make myself clear?
(sinister music)
- [Doctor] Your excellency,
we have communicated
with everyone,
both Eastern and Western Europe.
They have nothing.
- I don't believe it.
He's not going to die.
You understand me?
He's not going to die.
- Usually it is the
type E botulism
associated with canned food,
mostly fish.
Essentially it's gonna
appear to be harmless,
and then kick it off with praxia
and then, well, it's
unable to respond.
- Sorry to interrupt.
- Do you know Dr. Desforges?
- Yes, of course.
- I just came
from the airport.
The plane refueled at
mid-Atlantic
and landed in Bucharest
about an hour ago.
The foreign minister
picked up the antiserum
and it's on its way
to the palace.
- Oh thank god.
- You have a hell of a
lot of clout, Mrs. Ashley.
Sorry for the interruption.
- [Dorothy] Oh my god!
That must've cost half a
million dollars!
- I think you may be very close.
- I can't believe
anyone ever got
a thank you note like
that before.
What are you gonna do?
- Return it, of course.
- [Dorothy] He might
get insulted.
- I'll risk it.
- Wow, this is heavy.
- You better get a couple of
Marine guards to take it back.
- (laughs) I'll get a company.
- So you return my gift?
- Yes, your excellency.
- What do you want?
- I don't want anything.
I don't make trades for
children's lives.
- Nevertheless his
life was saved
and I must offer you something.
- No.
Is that all, your excellency?
May I go?
- I will not be indebted to you.
- [Mary] Your excellency,
I have two children of my own.
I think I can
understand how you feel.
- If, uh, you were to
make a wish,
any wish,
what would it be?
- A wish?
I don't know what you mean.
- You know what I mean.
- There's nothing.
- I insist.
- Each and every day
I've been trying
to get your foreign minister
to lift the restrictions
on those people who want
to immigrate from Romania,
those people whom you
call dissidents.
- Why?
Why would any good Romanian
wish to leave his
mother country?
I don't call them dissidents.
They are dissidents.
They are troublemakers.
And the trouble they make
will do them no good.
Good day, Madam Ambassador.
- Good day.
I'd like all your reports
in by July 1st
with your time sheets.
Colonel McKinney,
could you get me
those security
evaluations by Friday?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Thank you.
That's all.
(people chattering)
I'll be in in a moment, Dorothy.
- Are you all right?
- Yes.
It's nothing.
- Are you sure?
- I'm fine.
Is there something you
want to say, Mr. Slade?
- Yes, something confidential.
That's why I'd rather talk
to you in here.
- Well?
- It concerns you and Dr.
Desforges.
- I'm listening.
- There is an Embassy
advisement, you know,
about involvement
with foreigners.
- Thank you.
I appreciate your concern.
But whom I see is no
one's business.
- It's the business of
everyone in the Embassy.
- Because he's a foreigner?
- Dr. Desforges is an
enemy agent.
- What?
- He is an enemy agent.
- I don't believe it.
- Think about how you met him.
- Very fortunately,
as it happened.
- Exactly, the poor
damsel in distress,
the knight in shining armor,
it's the oldest trick
in the world.
I've used it a dozen
times myself.
- I don't give a damn whether
you have or you haven't.
He fought against
terrorists in Lebanon.
He lost his wife and his
children there.
- Your doctor never
had a wife or children.
- [Mary] Eddie.
I'd like to ask you a favor.
- Sure.
- I'd like some information
on a Dr. Louis Desforges.
He's attached to the
French Embassy here.
- Anything in particular?
- I'd like to know if he was
married and had children.
- I'll get on it right away.
Anything else?
- No, that's it.
Thank you.
- Let's see, married in
Dijon, wife's name Renee,
two daughters ages 10 and 12.
They were killed in Beirut
in a terrorist bombing
when he was working for
the underground there.
Here you go, ma'am.
- Thank you, Eddie.
You can shred it.
(sheep baaing)
(lush music)
- The specialty of the
house is game.
I would, uh, suggest
the venison.
- [Mary] I'll try it, a first.
- You have no deer in Kansas?
- (laughs) No, not at the
corner grocery.
- Fantastic.
- What?
- You, sitting there
with the river
and the trees behind you.
Breathtaking.
I wish I were a painter
and not a doctor.
Perhaps one day you will
give me a photograph.
- Of course, and perhaps I
can have one of you. (laughs)
- As a matter of fact, the
only photograph I have is,
it's an old one that was taken
in Beirut with my family.
- May I see it?
- You'd really like to?
- I'd love to.
- Of course.
(hushed music)
- What a lovely family.
- That was taken two months
before they were killed.
For so long now I've
felt like a ghost
wandering around, lost.
So out of place without them.
Even the trivial things, I,
I don't know how to cook
a meal or make a bed even.
- I guess we're all
victims in a way.
I remember reading something
after my husband died
that stayed with me ever since.
I suppose it's rather poetic.
- Tell me.
- I read that our destinies
are decided by a cosmic
roll of the dice,
the winds of fortune that blow
from the windmills of the gods.
- Do you believe it?
- Yes, I think I do.
(expressive music)
(moves into ethereal music)
- I have steamed the
red one for you, Madam.
Are you ill?
- [Mary] Yes, I, uh--
- Perhaps I should send
for the doctor.
- No.
No no.
Uh,
would you have Mahai call
the Chilean ambassador
and tell him I'm not
feeling well?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Thank you.
(Mary grunts)
- He's the smartest
boy in the whole class!
- Children, children, children!
Please, not so loud.
Your mother's not
feeling very well.
- [Beth] What's wrong?
- I do not know.
Oh, Madam!
(catastrophic music)
- Call the French Embassy.
I need Dr. Desforges.
- Yes, ma'am.
(afflicted music)
(Mary groans)
- Mary.
It's all right, I'm here now.
How long has this been going on?
- The last few days.
What?
- [Louis] What have
you been eating?
- Nothing.
- [Louis] Have you been thirsty?
- Yes.
- [Louis] Pains, muscle cramps,
nausea?
- Yes, all three.
What is it?
What, what's wrong with me?
- It's all right, thank you,
Carmen.
Can you remember
precisely when it started?
- The day after we got
back from the mountains.
- Do you remember having
any to eat or drink
that made you feel
ill afterward?
- No.
- You have breakfast here
at the residence
with the children?
- Mm.
- And the children are fine?
- Yeah.
- You have lunch in the
same place every day?
- No, no.
Sometimes at the Embassy
and sometimes not.
- Is there any place you
regularly have dinner or,
or anything you regularly eat?
Mary, stay awake, listen to me.
Any person you eat
with constantly?
- It's just a virus, isn't it?
- Mary.
It's very difficult for
me to say this.
It's
unthinkable, but I think
someone is poisoning you.
In fact, I would
suspect it's arsenic,
except that I know that arsenic
is not for sale in Bucharest.
- Oh.
Oh my god.
Who, who would,
who would want to poison me?
- Try to think more carefully.
Is there any kind of set
routine you have
involving food or
drink every day?
Yes?
- No.
No.
- What is it?
- Well, Mike
Slade brings me
coffee every day.
He's always there waiting.
- But what possible
reason could he have?
- Ever since I got here, from,
well, the very beginning, he,
he's been trying to get
me out of the Embassy.
Oh I, I just can't believe--
- It's all right.
We'll talk about this later.
The first thing we have to
do is to get you well again.
I'm going to give you an
antidote for arsenic called BAL.
I'll alternate that with
penicillamine.
- The servants.
- It's all right.
They won't have to know.
Don't worry, my darling.
We'll have you up in no time.
(strange music)
Ah, there you are.
- [Beth] How is she?
- Much better.
Your mother is going to
be all right.
She'd like to see you
if you want to come up
in about five minutes.
What do you think?
Are you well enough to
go back to work?
- I will be Monday, I'm sure.
You know, this is twice now
that you've saved my life.
- Well I think we'd damn
well better find out
who is trying to take it.
- How?
- I've been checking out
the various embassies,
all but yours, which refuses
to give me the information.
Now none of the others carry
any arsenic of any kind,
so if you were to drop by
the pharmacy in your embassy,
tell them that you
have some trouble
with insects in your garden
and ask for a pesticide
called Antol.
It's loaded with arsenic.
- And if they have it?
- Anyone who checks out a
poison has to sign for it,
and the signatures will
be on the form.
You understand?
- [Mary] Yes.
Yes, I certainly do.
- Madam Ambassador, good
morning, welcome back.
Guess that flu really
knocked you out.
- Yes it did almost.
Excuse me, I wonder if
you could help me.
- In a minute, I just have to...
Oh, Madam Ambassador, I'm sorry.
I didn't see you.
Are you feeling better?
- Much better, thank you.
- Good.
Can I get you something,
antihistamine?
- No no no, it's
something else entirely.
You see, my gardener tells me
we're having trouble
with insects,
so I was wondering if
you might have something.
Uh, it's called Antol.
- As a matter of fact, we do.
The infestation of ants is
very unusual this time of year.
You're the second person
who's inquired.
- Oh.
- Yes.
You'll have to sign for it.
(surprised music)
- [Dorothy] Oh Madam Ambassador.
It is wonderful to
see you again.
- Thank you, Dorothy.
- Are you feeling better?
- Much better.
- Well enough for that 4th
of July party this year?
I could easily cancel it.
- No, we're gonna have it,
as usual.
- All right.
- [Mary] Mr. Maltz?
- Yes, ma'am?
- I have a coded message
which I'd like to go to
Washington right away.
Could you do that for me?
- Sure can.
- It's for Stanton Rogers.
It's very important.
- Right away, ma'am.
- Look, I don't know how
she got past the guards!
All I know, she's here now!
Madam Ambassador, there's a
woman here, Corina Socoli.
She's in your office.
She just walked past the guards!
- Oh please, please,
you must help me!
- Sh.
Come, sit down, sit down.
- Please!
I want to go to your country!
I can stay here no longer!
- We can keep you here
at the Embassy
for a brief period, but--
- Oh please, please!
- I'll do everything I
can to help you,
but I can't make any promises.
- God bless you!
God bless you, Mrs. Ashley!
Thank you so much.
- Okay.
- Thank you.
- Sh.
- God bless you.
- It's okay.
- [Corina] Thank you, thank you.
- Hello?
- This is Louis Desforges.
I thought perhaps you
might like to know
that Mrs. Ashley is
going to live.
- Well why shouldn't she?
- Because someone has
been poisoning her.
- What the hell are you
talking about?
- It is quite possible you
know what I'm talking about.
- I haven't the faintest idea,
but if you're suggesting--
- Yes, I am suggesting.
- Well you're wrong.
I don't know where you
got all this,
but you've gone off
the deep end.
I think we oughta get
together, talk about it,
get it squared away.
- I agree.
I shall be in Ploiesti all day,
but I should be back
this evening.
- What time?
We could meet at Bineasa
Park on your way back.
- Say about 7:00.
(warlike music)
I'm glad you could come.
I think we can clear
this up rather quickly.
You said on the telephone that
you thought someone was
trying to poison Mary Ashley.
- I know it.
- And you think I'm responsible?
- You could have placed it in
her coffee a little at a time.
- And have you reported
this to anyone?
- Not yet.
I wanted to talk to you first,
because well, frankly I find it
extremely difficult to believe.
- Believe it.
- What?
- I said believe it.
(gunshot fires)
(dramatic music)
- I am so sorry.
- About what?
- About Dr. Desforges.
- What about him?
- They found his body this
morning in Bineasa Park.
Shot to death.
- I'm trying to reach
Stanton Rogers.
Please have him call the
moment you're in touch.
Yes?
- I think you're
making a mistake,
keeping the Socoli woman here.
I mean, she is their
leading ballerina,
a national treasure in
this country.
We can hold her here
for a while,
but they will never let
her leave Romania.
- Well, uh, we'll find a way.
(malicious music)
(mysterious music)
(air hissing)
Hello?
Yes, I'm standing by!
I've been standing by!
- Hello, Mary.
- Did you receive my cable,
Stanton?
- Cable, no.
- Yes, I had Eddie Maltz
send you a coded cable.
- Well I never received it.
I was informed, however, that
you were trying to call me.
- Please, listen very carefully.
There is someone here,
I mean right here in
this Embassy,
who's trying to kill me.
- Good god.
- And I know who it is.
Stanton, are you sure this
line is secure?
- Yes, yes, absolutely.
- Every morning since
I've been here,
a small amount of arsenic
was placed in my coffee.
Slowly, systematically,
I was being poisoned.
And every morning that
coffee was brought to me
by Mike Slade.
- No no, I, I can't, uh...
Look here, isn't it possible
that he didn't know
the coffee was tainted?
- He made it himself
in his office!
- Couldn't someone else have
had access to that coffee?
- Stanton, you don't understand.
He has been trying to
get me out of Romania
ever since I arrived here.
- I will inform the
President at once.
In the meantime I will arrange
for some extra security for you.
- We're have the 4th of
July Embassy party
on Saturday night!
- Don't worry.
He will be in custody by then.
- Why is he doing this?
- I don't know.
But we're damn well
going to find out.
(phone rings)
- McKinney.
- [Stanton] It's Stanton Rogers,
Bill.
- Yes, sir, what can
I do for you?
- [Stanton] I want you
to pick up Mike Slade,
hold him in close custody
until you hear from me.
- Slade?
- [Stanton] Don't let him
talk to anyone.
- Uh, I'm afraid there may
be a problem with that, sir.
I've been trying to reach him
myself for the last few hours.
No one seems to know
where he is.
I've checked all my sources.
He's disappeared.
- Gentlemen, members of
the Eastern Committee,
I am pleased to report that we
have reached the final phase
of our Bucharest operation.
Sir George, if you will.
- The incident will occur
at the 4th of July party
at the American Embassy.
Arrangements have been made
for international press
and television coverage.
Mrs. Ashley, her two
children, and her guests
will all be involved.
- We have no knowledge
of how precisely
this will be carried out,
nor do we wish to have
such knowledge,
but I'm sure we're
all aware here
of the very grave risks
and indeed the possible
holocaust which may follow.
- Mr. Chairman, we
stand beside you.
- I would like to say
at this point
that I think we all owe
a very special thanks
to the person in Romania
who helped bring this about.
(shocking music)
(ominous music)
- [Mary] Beth, tell Tim
he has to wear a tie.
I want you both looking
your very best.
- Okay, but he's not
gonna like it.
- [Gunny] What have we got now?
- More decorations, banners,
balloons.
- [Gunny] Who the devil's
gonna fill all those up?
- Hey, don't worry,
you're off the hook.
They've assigned a
civilian to do the work.
(menacing music)
- What are you doing here?
- You're convinced I'm
out to kill you.
I don't blame you.
Bill.
(scary music)
- Where's the balloons?
- Still working on them.
- Hey!
- Oh, sorry.
Helium, right?
I didn't think helium burned.
- The fact is, Mrs. Ashley,
there's a faction in
our government
convinced that if we
get involved
with Iron Curtain countries,
the Communists will destroy us.
On the other side, there's
a faction of Communists
who think detente is a trick
to bring capitalist spies
into their countries,
and so you have an
unholy alliance.
A super secret alliance
of very powerful men
calling themselves the
Patriots of Freedom.
They want our program
here to flourish at first
and then sabotage it
in such a dramatic way
it would never be tried again.
- You fit the bill perfectly,
Mrs. Middle America with
two all-American kids.
The ambassador with sizzle.
They used their press
connections around the world
to make you everyone's darling.
- [Bill] To put it bluntly,
your assassination
would put an end
to any further ideas of detente.
As it happened, Mike was
able to infiltrate the group.
- But you tried to kill me.
- No, ma'am.
What I'm trying to do,
what I've been trying to do,
Mrs. Ashley,
is to get you home where
you'd be safe,
to get you just sick enough so
you'd have to leave Romania.
Our doctors were waiting
for you in Washington.
- We couldn't tell
you the truth.
It would've blown the
whole operation.
- Even now we don't know who
put the organization together.
He never attends the meetings.
He's only known as
the Controller.
- I'm sorry to say that
your friend Dr. Desforges
was part of the group.
- Then why was he killed?
Who killed him?
- I had no choice.
He knew I was a member of
the committee.
The moment that he sensed
that I was poisoning you,
he became suspicious of me.
You see, you weren't
supposed to die that way.
I couldn't let him expose me.
- He had children.
- There was no family.
- He told me.
- He lied.
- Eddie Maltz told me too!
- Maltz?
- Yes, I had him check it out!
He said that Louis had been
married and had two daughters!
- I'll be damned, I just
sent him to Frankfurt.
- Our immediate problem
is a man known as Angel,
a professional assassin.
He has a dozen
different passports.
- I want Edward Maltz
taken into custody
immediately.
- But no one can identify him.
- He's always contacted--
- He's at the airbase
in Frankfort.
- Through his mistress.
- We expect him to try
to carry out the contract
this evening at the 4th
of July party.
- To make it as public and
as shocking as possible.
- Extraordinary precautions
have been taken.
We have the full cooperation
of the Romanian government.
- [Mary] You're asking me to
set myself up as a target?
- There's something that
we haven't told you.
Months ago when these people
heard that you turned down
the nomination,
it was your husband that
stood in the way.
They were determined to
get him out of the way,
and they did.
They tried to make it
look like an accident
so you wouldn't
become suspicious.
(dumbstruck music)
- Oh my god.
- We could put an end
to all of this tonight
if you'd help us.
But without you and
the children--
- No.
Not my children.
- Just a very brief appearance.
I'll slip them out quietly
and bring them back here.
- Not my children!
(apprehensive music)
- The entire block has
been cordoned off
by Ionescu's soldiers.
Nobody gets through
without a pass.
We have our own checkpoints
at every entrance.
Keep alert and keep
at your posts.
- Then just as soon as
you've made your appearance
with me in the ballroom,
four Marine guards will
bring you back here.
- You mean we can't stay
for the party?
- No, no.
- [Tim] Why?
- I can't tell you why.
It's a secret.
You musn't let anyone know
you're leaving.
- I want to stay for the party.
- Why does it have to
be so secretive, mom?
- Do you hear me?
Do you hear me, no one?
Tim?
- Yes, mom.
- Beth?
I love you.
- Finished!
Get these things out of here!
Easy!
Hey, easy, easy!
- Don't worry, we won't
break your precious balloons!
(people chattering)
(random jazz music)
(people applauding)
(pleasant jazz music)
Hey, wait a minute!
Hey!
(stabbing)
(guard grunts)
(dramatic music)
(calm jazz music)
- They'll be safe, don't worry.
- Do you think he's here now?
(crashing)
- I'm very sorry.
I'm very sorry, sir.
- You look like you want
to change your mind.
- I'm here and I intend
to stay here.
I told you that a long time ago,
didn't I?
(lively jazz music)
- [Mike] Where did all
those balloons come from?
- Where we always get them,
our airbase in Frankfurt
delivered them to our warehouse.
- Who delivered them?
- Army personnel.
- Who in army personnel?
- I don't know what
unit, but I'll find out.
- Do that, will you, Bill?
- Yes, sir, the balloons
and some other stuff
were taken from an army truck
right into the
storage room here.
Uh, took all afternoon
to fill them up.
- Who brought them in?
- I didn't get his name, sir.
A civilian.
- A civilian?
What the hell are you
talking about?
Who gave you that authorization?
- Well I didn't see the
papers on it, Colonel,
but I was told that it came
from Mr. Maltz at the Embassy.
Briggs can tell you
more about it.
Briggs!
Hey, Briggs!
Briggs!
I don't understand, sir.
He was posted to this room,
Colonel.
He'd never leave
without permission.
(horrified music)
(smooth jazz music)
- Angel's a woman.
Eddie Maltz got a permit
allowing Angel into the
storage room.
Look at this.
I was checking the
cylinders they used
to fill the balloons
for the party.
There's a hell of a lot
more than helium here.
White phosphorus,
this one is loaded with propane.
Mix them with a little
oxygen and settling,
you've got a blast big
enough to level a city block.
- Mahai.
Would you see if you can
find Mr. Slade?
- Yes, ma'am.
- A timer, there's got to
be a timer to set them off.
How long ago did he
or she leave?
- According to the sergeant,
just a few minutes ago.
Could be anywhere.
- I want you to clear
the room immediately,
make an announcement,
get everybody outside.
- What is it?
- Those balloons up there,
they're lethal.
There's a timing device set
to explode in here somewhere,
and when it does, it's gonna
blow this place sky high
in a matter of minutes.
- The ambassador's folly,
we can open the roof.
- Not with a switch,
nothing electrical.
Any kind of spark could
set them off.
- There should be a
manual override.
- Get them out.
Say anything, just get
them outside.
Come on, Bill.
- Ladies and gentlemen.
Ladies and gentlemen.
(drum rolling)
Could you all step out
into the courtyard
as soon as possible?
There's a small fire
in the kitchen,
nothing to be alarmed about,
but as a precaution,
could we all step outside
for a few minutes?
Thank you.
(people chattering)
(frantic music)
- Be careful, Mike!
(Mike grunts)
- Yeah.
(urgent music)
(crashing)
- You okay?
- Yeah.
(fretful music)
There it is.
- Easy.
(strained music)
(Mike grunts)
(electronic beeping)
- Excuse me, ma'am,
but Colonel McKinney
gave me orders
to clear the ballroom.
(creaking)
(maniacal music)
(moves into tense music)
(Mike grunts)
(electronic beeping)
(suspenseful music)
(electronic beeping)
(exploding)
(grave music)
(moves into galloping music)
(glass shattering)
(crashing)
(misty music)
(knocking)
(phone rings)
- [Police] Mr. Connors,
please open the door.
(phone ringing)
(knocking)
Open the door, Mr. Connors.
(knocking)
(serious music)
(gunshot fires)
- [Police] Sir George,
this is the police.
Would you open this door,
please, sir?
(knocking)
Sir George, I must ask you to
open this door immediately.
(knocking)
Sir George!
Open this door!
Sir George, this is the police!
(knocking)
Sir George, I must insist
you open this door.
Sir George.
(demented music)
(siren wailing)
(urgent music)
(glass clinking)
(laughing)
(frenzied music)
(moves into serious music)
Goodbye, my dear.
- Yes, yes, I see.
All right, Jay, thank you.
They just picked up Hans Kreisch
at the Bundestag in Bahn.
He's the last one on
Mike Slade's list
except the Controller.
- And still no leads?
- No one can't identify him.
Slade back yet?
- Yes, he flew in yesterday
on the same plane as Mrs.
Ashley.
I doubt very much that
you're going to be able
to persuade her to go back.
- Well how can we blame her?
She's been used by everyone
since she got there.
I'd like to arrange an
appointment with her
for tomorrow morning.
Tell Slade I've got
another assignment
for him in Washington.
- All right.
- Take me to CIA headquarters.
- [Neusa] In time.
- What?
What did you say?
- First,
we talk.
- You.
- Senor.
I gotta tell you, I am
disappointed.
The bank in Geneva,
there's nothing there.
- You're damn right
there's nothing there.
- Oh.
Sometimes things happen.
I do good next time.
- There won't be a next time.
You're not gonna get a dime.
- Oh, senor.
I beg you
not to make this hasty decision.
We can talk.
- We are through
talking right now.
Did you hear me?
- You're never gonna
see Angel again.
(spits)
(speaking in a foreign language)
(ominous music)
(exploding)
(hissing)
- Why, why Stanton Rogers?
- I guess there's just
no honor among assassins.
- Assassins?
- The Patriots of
Freedom Committee
may have just lost
their last member
and saved us a lot of trouble.
- Stanton Rogers?
- The Controller.
Mary Ashley said something
to me on the flight back.
She said the only two people
that she trusted in all of this
were the President and Rogers.
That got me thinking
someone above reproach,
god knows the
President wasn't out
to sabotage his own program,
but Stanton Rogers was
something else.
Here was someone high enough,
with all the
connections necessary,
someone who could personally
supervise a publicity buildup.
He knew exactly,
exactly what Mary and the
kids symbolized.
And everything must've
clicked for him.
In fact, it almost worked.
- Do you think she'll
go back now?
- I wouldn't take any
bets on that, Bill,
but I'll tell you one thing.
The lady's got grit.
- You know of course
why I've asked you here,
to twist your arm.
- Mr. President--
- Now I know, I can
certainly empathize with you,
believe me.
Can I show you something?
- [Mary] Yes.
- This letter arrived at
the White House yesterday.
Ionescu sidestepped
State Department channels
to have it delivered to
me personally.
- Ionescu?
- Yes, he's asked me
to do everything I can
to persuade you to
implore you to return.
He even mentioned 23 dissidents.
- What?
- He's allowing 23 dissidents
to leave the country.
Even said he might
permit a few others.
Now mind you, he didn't
couple that with your return,
but I think that's
clearly the inference.
So you now have the presidents
of two different countries
asking you to reconsider.
- If I did, Mr. President--
- Yes?
- I would insist our country
give sanctuary to Corina Socoli.
- Well I'm sorry, Mary.
I told you why we can't do that.
That would offend Ionescu.
- Well he'll get over it.
I know Ionescu, Mr. President.
He's using her as a
bargaining chip.
- How do we get her
out of Romania?
- On one of our army
cargo planes.
- All right.
I'll clear it with State.
- Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. President.
- Yeah, don't mention it.
- Oh, there's just
one more thing.
- Yes, Mary?
- [Mary] I'll need Mike Slade.
- He already has
another assignment,
so anyone else at all.
- Slade.
- I get the feeling here
that I'm being
subjected to blackmail.
In fact, now I know why you've
done so well in Romania.
- Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you very much.
- Mary.
Stay out of trouble.
- Right.
Hi.
- Hi.
- [Mary] We're gonna be
neighbors again, Mr. Slade.
I'm in the office next to yours
until I go back at the
end of the week.
- Back home?
- No, Romania.
I, uh, talked it over with
the President this morning.
He told me to keep
out of trouble.
- Oh, nice sense of humor,
the President.
- You'll be going back too.
- No.
No, not, not me.
I think you've made some
sort of mistake.
I have another assignment.
Uh, the President just
told me that I'm gonna go--
- No, the President
just told me.
He said he wouldn't even
consider my returning
without Mike Slade.
I said of course that
you might not want to,
but he insisted.
- He insisted?
- [Mary] Mm.
- Well, that, uh, might
help solve the problem.
- Problem?
- If the ambassador
is not allowed
to fraternize with foreigners,
then who is she gonna
fraternize with?
There has to be someone, right?
- Absolutely.
There has to be someone.
In the meantime,
coffee?
(sweet music)
(thrilling music)
(foreboding music)
- In 1978 Italy's Aldo
Moro was kidnapped
and subsequently murdered.
In 1986
Sweden's Olaf Palme was
assassinated,
and the Romanian
dissident Marin Groza
will be the next.
- It's much too dangerous.
We'd be putting everything
we have in jeopardy, huh?
- Is there an alternative?
- If this ever came to light,
it would destroy us, eh?
- That's nonsense.
We'd be heroes.
It's those who refuse to take
action who'd be destroyed.
- There must be another way.
- There is no other way.
- In the past five
years the world has seen
the deaths of Anwar
Sadat and Indira Gandhi,
and an attempted
assassination on the pope.
Our accomplishments are
pretty impressive.
I'm, I'm sure you'll agree.
We are unified by one purpose,
the destruction of detente,
and we will accomplish that
goal by any means necessary.
- The plan will go forward.
Let's inform the
Controller of our decision.
I remind you to observe the
issued precautions upon leaving.
Thank you, gentlemen.
(troubled music)
(fire crackling)
(thudding)
(fire roaring)
(moves into thrilling music)
- [Edward] Mary!
- Oh.
Oh, I'm coming!
Coming!
- Bye.
- No hello?
- Surgery in half an hour.
I love you.
- Promise me no more
birthday parties?
- Well, not for at least a year.
- That champagne done me in.
- Mm, you look beautiful.
And you were
beautiful last night.
See you.
Bye, kids.
(pleasant music)
- Morning, mom!
- Morning.
- Morning.
- Mom, is that the only
cereal you got for me?
- Yeah, you'll love it.
- No, she doesn't.
- I told you, I can't
eat that stuff,
it's full of chemicals.
- It's delicious.
What this I hear
about a D in math?
- It figures.
- Is that supposed to be a joke?
- How do you think it looks
for a college professor
to have a son who's
failing math?
- Hey, it's okay, you
don't teach math.
- Mom, this crap is full
of preservatives.
I'm not gonna let the food
industry ruin my health.
- [Mary] Do you have any money?
- I'm late!
- Wait!
- I gotta go!
- Do you have your lunch money?
- Got it.
- Your books?
- Got them.
- Wait, what about a kiss?
- Oh yeah!
- Yeah.
Bye bye, love you!
- See you later!
- Love you.
- Bye mom, love you!
- [Newscaster] And we'll
bring the latest farm report
from County Agricultural
Commissioner Chris Gorack.
On the national news
front this morning,
Stanton Rogers, the President's
foreign affairs advisor,
has returned from his
10-day European trip
and is meeting with
the President
to report on his discussions
with foreign leaders.
President Ellison's
speech on foreign policy
will be carried live
by this station
at 10:00 a.m. this morning.
- Good morning.
- [President Ellison] I intend
to inaugurate a new policy
of cooperation,
of trade,
of friendship
with each and every Iron
Curtain country,
for the problems that we share
are greater than the
problems that divide us.
- Amen.
(audience applauds)
David, what would you say is
Romania's current position
with the Soviet Union?
- [David] I'd say it's
much stronger now.
It's been a lot closer ever
since Ionescu took over.
- What about Afghanistan?
When the Russians
invaded Afghanistan,
Romania was the most
severe critic.
- I'd like you all to
keep in mind
that Romania's
position on anything
depends on its total control.
Their leader, Ionescu, is
the government.
He runs the country
with an iron fist,
which is not unusual for
an Iron Curtain country,
but he has survived for much
longer than most dictators,
and for some very
interesting reasons.
(bell rings)
Don't forget to
bring your essays
on the Warsaw Pact countries.
- Mrs. Ashley, is it true
you were born in Romania?
- Nope, right here in
good old Kansas.
My parents were born
in Bucharest.
- I was just interested.
- Thank you, David.
- Thank you.
- Look forward to seeing
your essay on Monday.
(elegant music)
(moves into suspicious music)
- Our Controller has decided
to acquire the services
of someone we've
never used before.
An Argentinian
who goes by the name of Angel.
- Angel?
That's rather ironic.
- He has impressive credentials,
The Khalistan
assassination in India,
the murder of the puppet
koang in Cambodia.
Apparently it was him
who masterminded
the assassination of those
six army officers in Israel.
The Israelis have put a
million dollars on his head.
- How do we reach him?
- All contacts are handled
through his mistress,
a woman by the name of Munoz.
She's got an apartment
in the Spanish part of Miami,
Florida.
- Who makes the arrangements?
- Harry Lantz.
- Lantz?
- He's familiar with
the Miami area.
The Controller's already
talked to him.
- It's quite odd really.
- I beg your pardon?
- Well,
the Controller.
We don't know who he is
and yet he masterminds our
little organization brilliantly.
- Come on, we're down 700
points already, come on!
- Oh I'm sorry, I, I just
can't seem to concentrate.
- Obviously.
- Is something bothering you,
Flo?
- I'm not supposed to tell.
I promised that I wouldn't!
- You promised who?
- Two federal agents
from Washington.
- Oh.
- They came to the
house this morning
asking all kinds of
questions about you.
- What kind of questions?
- Well I don't know, uh,
was she a loyal American,
was she a good wife and mother,
was she, um, on drugs.
- What?
- Drugs?
- Now why the heck would they
be asking questions like that?
- Oh, oh, wait a minute,
I think I know!
It's about my tenure.
- What?
- I'm up for tenure.
The university does
some sensitive
government research on campus,
and I, well I, I suppose
they have to check out
everyone pretty thoroughly.
- Tenure, that's great.
Now I can retire. (laughs)
- Forgive me, Dean Hunter,
if I'm speaking out of turn,
but was there any word
on my tenure?
- No, nothing yet, Mary.
They won't be
investigating your tenure
til the end of summer.
- No one's been looking into it?
- No.
If you'll excuse me, Mary.
(perplexed music)
(moves into confident music)
(lush dancing music)
(people cheering)
(speaking in a foreign language)
(pleasurable dancing music)
(people cheering)
- Senora Munoz?
(people chattering)
(upbeat music)
Are you Nuesa Munoz?
- Maybe.
(smooth music)
- Harry Lantz.
(aloof music)
- So?
- [Harry] You got a
friend named Angel?
- You gonna buy me rum?
- Sure thing.
Hey, give us a rum here!
Look, uh, I'd like to
meet with Angel.
- Oh.
Uh-uh, nobody meets with Angel.
- Honey sweet.
Now you listen to me.
This is real mucho dinero
we're discussing here.
Comprende?
- And I told you, nobody
talks to Angel.
- Well then how the
hell does he...
If I can't talk to him, how
can I do business with him?
(smooth dancing music)
- You tell me.
I tell Angel.
Angel says si,
I say si.
Angel say no,
(spits)
I say no.
- Uh,
tell him,
tell him it's a contract.
- Contract?
On who?
- [Harry] Marin Groza,
the Romanian dissident,
must die.
- Comprendo.
- [Tim] Hut hut!
- Game nearly over?
- [Edward] Want to join us?
- Not today.
Come on, lunch is almost done.
Blindside, Tim.
(Edward groans)
- Dad, are you okay?
- Ah, yeah.
- Are you sure?
- Yeah.
- All right.
(Edward grunts)
- [Edward] Cut it out,
cut it out,
you cheap shot artist, you.
- [Tim] Oh, ah! (laughs)
- Seriously, mom, no
one eats meat anymore.
I mean, civilized people
just don't eat animals.
- Well if it's so revolting,
get yourself some salad.
- Hey, why don't you just
go graze in the field?
- Tim, eat your lunch.
- I am eating it.
Look.
- [Beth] Oh you're disgusting.
- Why don't you leave
the table then?
- Why don't you just eat like
a normal human being for once?
- I am.
- Stop it.
- Can we sell the children?
- Both of them?
- Both, today, now.
- Well that's a terrific idea.
I just don't know
who'd buy them.
- On second thought
I'll guess we keep them.
I kind of like their father.
- I'm crazy about their mother.
(phone rings)
- I'll get it!
- No, sit there, I'll get it.
- Hello?
- [Aide] Is this
Professor Ashley?
- Yes, this is Mary Ashley.
- [Aide] Hold for the President.
- Who?
- I said would you hold
the line please
for President Ellison?
- Who is it?
- I don't know.
Somebody's playing a joke.
It's probably Doug--
- Hello, Mrs. Ashley.
Am I interrupting anything?
- Oh my god, it is.
It's the President.
I can tell by his voice.
- I've been reading
your series of articles
in Foreign Affairs Magazine
and your book last fall on
Eastern European politics,
and I think I agree
with just about everything
you've proposed.
I'm especially
interested in your plan
to take the four major
world economic pacts
and combine them.
- He's read my book.
- You may be aware, Mrs. Ashley,
that in line with my new plan,
we have approached
President Ionescu of Romania
to reestablish
diplomatic relations.
- Yes, sir.
Yes, I am.
- The reason I'm calling, Mrs.
Ashley,
is that I would like to
place you in nomination
as my first
ambassador to Romania.
- Oh.
- I know of course this is
a very big decision for you
and you'll want to, uh, talk
it over with your family,
but I hope you take this
request very seriously.
- I do.
Oh, yes, I do, sir.
- Thank you, Mrs. Ashley.
And, uh, I hope you'll accept.
I look forward to
hearing from you.
Goodbye for now.
- Goodbye, Mr. President.
- Well?
- Was it really the President?
- He said he would like
to nominate me
as his ambassador to Romania.
- You?
- Ambassador to Romania?
That's so neat!
- That's unbelievable!
- I don't want to go to Romania.
(everyone talking
over each other)
I don't want to go to Romania!
No, I'm not going to Romania!
Romania--
- Hey, hey, now--
- [Tim] Dad, I am not
going to Romania!
- Calm down, Tim, Tim!
- I'm not going to Romania!
Dad!
- Sit down, Beth, sit down.
Tim.
- I don't want to go!
- Sit down.
- Dad, I don't want to go!
- Sit down, we'll talk
about it, all right?
- Gosh!
- My god, what an honor.
- [Mary] I know!
- Oh hell, I don't blame them.
Nobody knows more about Eastern
Bloc countries than you do.
Shoot, I know exactly
what they're doing.
- But what?
- Well, we just,
we just have to think about
it very carefully, that's all.
What'll, what'll it do
to us, all four of us?
- Absolutely.
Absolutely.
- Well maybe there's
some way we could work it
so you could go over
with the children
and I could join you later.
- No, no way, Edward.
- I can't just leave my practice
and walk out on my patients.
- Of course not.
I know that.
- The hospital would be
hard pressed to find--
- Look, the fact is it
just wouldn't work, no.
No, I wouldn't even
want it to work.
- Yeah, but still, I--
- No stills.
I, I think it's fantastic
my being asked.
I'll never forget it, but no.
- We'll talk more
about it later.
- No, my mind's made up.
- Just don't make a
hasty decision right now.
- Edward.
My mind is made up.
- Some discouraging news, Paul.
Mrs. Ashley has declined
the nomination.
We gather there's a problem
being separated from
her husband.
So I guess you'll have to
look to the State Department.
- Career diplomats,
every one of them,
hidebound by tradition.
No, this has to be a different
approach to diplomacy.
I want this to be a
pilot program
for all the Iron
Curtain countries.
- And for that you would
send a relative amateur?
- It's a risk, I know, but
it's a risk well worth taking.
She is exactly what we
need, and right now.
- Paul, I hate to mention this,
but you and I both know that
a lot of very powerful
people in the world
would love to see your
program fail.
In any case, I'm afraid
you've lost Mrs. Ashley.
- We're not giving up on
Mary Ashley yet.
No.
We'll think of something.
(pleasurable dance music)
- All right.
You bring me Angel.
Bring him here tomorrow.
And I'll, I'll get him a name.
Okay?
- No okay.
He want to know the name.
- All right.
(lush dance music)
You think you can
remember that name?
Tell him
and he'll know I'm not
wasting his time.
- I love it when you
whisper in my ear.
- You do?
- Mm-hm.
Do you like me?
- [Harry] Sure, I like you.
- You want to go to bed, now?
- Yeah, great idea.
Buenos dias.
- Hey, morning.
- I fixed you a nice bath.
Thought I'd make you breakfast.
- Great.
- I'll make omelet fantastico!
Angel teach me how.
- Yeah?
- Mm-hm.
- Tell me more about Angel,
like, um, like when do I
get to meet him?
- Well I call him this morning.
He'll be over soon.
- Yeah?
- Si.
- Hey, that's great.
- Come on, get in the bath,
let's make you feel good.
- Right, right.
(Harry laughs)
(blow dryer whirring)
- I've got a present for you.
- What?
I, I can't hear you
with that thing blowing.
- I got a present for you.
From Angel.
- Oh, that's nice.
What?
- This.
(Harry screams)
(menacing music)
I got a message for
you from Angel.
He don't like the man you sent,
too nosy.
Psst, rum.
Yeah, sure, he tell
me he'd do it.
All right, hold on now,
man, I gotta write it down.
Uh-huh.
Uh-huh.
Angel don't need no advance.
Nobody cheats Angel.
Sure.
When the job is finished,
send money State Bank Zurich,
account number J three
four nine six seven seven.
You got that?
Bueno.
- Oh, I just turned on
the radio, Mrs. Ashley.
I guess now you, Alf
Landon, and Eisenhower
are Kansas's only
political big shots.
- I'm a teacher, Mr.
Hacker, not a politician.
And right now I was
just wondering
if you could get these
spots out of Beth's jeans.
- Oh, I'll see what I
can do for her.
I guess she's a real
grownup teenager now.
- Beth was born a teenager, Mr.
Hacker.
- [Mr. Hacker]
(laughs) How's Tim?
- A lot like Beth.
- Okay, what is it?
- Oh, I don't know.
I guess I'm feeling a
little guilty.
- Why?
Because she didn't take
the appointment?
- Well, I feel sort
of responsible.
Look, what if I'd been offered
an opportunity like that?
I'd have jumped at it.
Talk about your male chauvinist.
- Take her somewhere.
You guys never go anywhere.
Go to London.
Go to Paris for a couple
of weeks or something.
- You know, Doug, you might
just have something there.
Hell, I might even take
her to Romania.
(suspenseful music)
(seagulls calling)
(dogs barking)
(moves into dramatic music)
(Marin screams)
- Can I hold the hope that
that's your homework in
front of you?
- It's a goodbye
letter to Arnold.
- Goodbye?
I thought you liked him.
- He wanted to fool around.
- Oh.
- I hate that.
I really hate that.
I mean,
I don't mind being in love,
but I'm never gonna have sex.
- Well sweetheart,
you're only 14 years old.
Things do change.
- Never.
I'm never gonna feel
differently about that.
- You sure?
- Absolutely.
- Okay, that's your decision.
- Mom?
- Yes, honey?
- What did the President say
when you turned him down?
- Well, I don't know
his exact words, but I,
I hear he was very
brave about it.
Give my best to Arnold.
- All right, Professor Ashley,
lights out.
- I can always tell when
you've had a rough day.
(gentle music)
(thunder rumbling)
(Edward moans)
- Oh yeah, that's the spot.
(Edward moans)
(peaceful music)
- Well?
- Oh, a soldier from Fort Riley,
came close to losing him.
Then this afternoon I treated
a 13-year-old girl with
genital herpes.
- Oh, dear.
- Makes me worry about Beth.
- You don't have to.
She's planning to die a virgin.
(romantic music)
That's nice.
- That's delicious.
(tender music)
Any regrets today about
turning down--
- None.
None.
- I love you, Mary Ashley.
I am about to make you an
offer you can't refuse.
- I accept.
I accept.
(touching music)
- What's the matter?
- Bloody limousines.
This place is closed on Monday.
- Never mind.
- [Sir George] The dissident
Marin Groza has been terminated
by the assassin known as Angel.
Has Mary Ashley accepted
the appointment?
- The Ashley woman has
declined the post
as ambassador to Romania,
though I am led to believe
that the situation
could be rectified.
- Is she really that
essential to us?
- The Controller can
think of no one else
who would suit our
purpose so well.
- [Inspector] Hanson,
this is Hyde-White Freyr.
I'd like you to tell him
what you told me.
- Well sir, the castle
were closed, see,
and I hear all these limousines.
I counted seven of them,
they come and went,
zip, zip, zip, zip!
God only knows what was
going on there, sir.
- What were you doing there?
- Oh well, sir, my
girl Annie and I,
we were under a tree and we
were having a picnic and--
- Hanson.
- Did you get the
license number?
- Oh yes, sir, I've
got two of them.
- All right, Constable.
Thank you very much.
- [Hanson] Thank you, sir.
- As it happens, Inspector,
the occasion was
nothing more sinister
than a royal function
being planned
without the press
being aware of it.
A good man, that, however.
I'm going to see if he
can be transferred
to a better position.
Thank you for everything.
- Thank you.
(sinister music)
(phone rings)
- Hello?
Yeah.
Yes, he's here.
Wait just a minute.
It's a friend of Pete Grimes.
He said Pete's having a
heart attack,
says he's in a lot of pain.
- Ten to one it's his damn
ulcer acting up again.
Dr. Ashley.
Uh-huh.
Yeah, okay, I'm on my way.
- I think my car's
blocking yours.
- Yeah, I'll take that.
(thunder rumbling)
(crashing)
(tires squealing)
(exploding)
(phone rings)
- Hello?
I'm sorry, I don't...
What?
(sirens wailing)
- Mrs. Ashley, please
don't go in there.
- No, let go of me!
- I wouldn't do that!
- Let!
- Please!
(tragic music)
- What happened?
- I'm afraid he ran a stop sign.
You see, this army truck
was coming by and
well, it looks like he,
he tried to avoid him,
but your husband just
pulled right out in front.
- No.
I know my husband.
He was a careful driver.
He,
he would never.
Never.
- I'm awfully sorry, ma'am,
but we have witnesses,
a, a Colonel Jenkins who
happened to be passing by and
well of course the army
truck driver,
Sergeant Lee from Fort Riley,
and
well, they both say the
same thing, that,
that your husband ran
the stop sign.
I guess I'll have you
taken back home now, ma'am.
What's the name of your
family doctor?
- Edward Ashley.
Edward Ashley is my
family doctor.
- Kids, wait.
Kids, wait here, just wait.
(grave music)
They know.
(devastated music)
(sobbing)
(dirt thudding)
How you doing?
- [Mary] I'd never been sailing.
- [Florence] What?
- When we met he said,
"Do you like to sail?"
So we went to the lake
that morning.
A week later we were married.
"You know why I married you,
lady?
"You laughed a lot, you
passed the test,
"and you didn't fall overboard."
- Beats me.
Beats the hell out of me, Jake.
- What's that, John?
- This 10-40 on the
Ashley accident.
The guy had no accident record.
The only ticket he ever got
was for illegal parking.
- [Jake] So?
- Well, the tire marks,
they, they bother me, Jake.
They, they just don't add up.
- [Jake] I thought there
were witnesses?
- Yeah, well we had the guy
that was driving the truck,
but he could've been
covering for himself.
- What about the other
one, uh, the colonel?
- Yeah, the more I
thought about him,
the more I wondered what the
hell he was doing out there
at 3:30 in the morning,
so I called the army
CID investigator
to talk to that colonel.
They transferred him overseas
as some big promotion.
- What about the truck driver?
- Well, they found him in the
barracks yesterday afternoon,
fatal heart attack they said.
The guy was only 29 years old.
- John.
What are you thinking?
- Doesn't make any difference
what I'm thinking, Jake.
This case is closed.
- [Football Announcer] Rose
Lisa fires the football.
It's complete at the
50 yard line.
(doorbell rings)
First in 10 Kansas State.
(doorbell rings)
- Mary?
Oh I rang, I guess you
didn't hear me!
Uh...
- [Football Announcer] John
Cadillac likes that figure.
That's great.
First down.
- I, I made you a meatloaf,
for you and the kids.
I thought you might enjoy it.
- Thank you.
- [Football Announcer] Wild and
Witherspoon now in the game.
Here's Dickey, on the
reverse to Witherspoon.
He'll come to the left side!
- You know, that way
you don't have to
cook tonight or anything.
- [Football Announcer] First
end goal, Kansas State!
- I'll just leave it
in the kitchen.
- [Football
Announcer] Great call!
Great call!
Rosinda split end wide to the
left side and Kevin Pierce.
To the right is Ruben Echos.
He'll be picked up by Jim.
- She hardly knew I was there.
She was concentrating
on that game so much.
It was spooky.
- Mary hates football.
- I know that.
Don't you think I know that?
- It was Edward who
watched all the games.
- Doug, I know that!
- I'm sorry.
(eerie music)
(knocking)
- Yes?
- Mrs. Ashley, I'm
Stanton Rogers.
- Yes, I, I know.
- May I speak with you a moment,
please?
- Please, come in.
Sit down.
- Forgive me for intruding
upon your privacy,
but the President asked me
to visit you personally.
- It was very kind of
him to send the flowers.
- We were deeply distressed
when he heard what had happened.
I'll tell you quite frankly,
Mrs. Ashley,
the President is hoping that
you might reconsider his offer.
- Oh Mr. Rogers, I--
- Hear me out, please.
You see, initially I was
against your appointment.
That is a very sensitive post.
I told the President as much.
But the more I learn about you,
the more I think his initial
instinct was absolutely right.
- But I'm not a politician.
- Some of our finest ambassadors
were never politicians.
In fact, one of them, Gilbreath,
was a professor like yourself,
as you surely know.
- I'm well aware of that.
- Many of them were
political amateurs,
but they all had intelligence,
a love of their country,
and a reservoir of good will
toward the country in
which they were to serve.
You have just the kind of image
the President wants to project
in Iron Curtain countries.
- Mr. Rogers, I still have
my children to think about.
- There is a remarkably
fine school in Bucharest
for diplomats' children.
They could learn things
about the world
that they would never
learn at a school here.
Well, please,
do think about it.
I regret to say that
we have to have an answer
by this weekend.
See, the President hoped
that if I appealed to
you personally...
That's why I'm here.
- I'll, I'll think about it.
More pie, Tim?
- No, thanks.
- I thought peach was
your favorite.
- No, thank you.
- Just as well, it'll
make you fat.
- I don't think Tim
will ever be fat.
Right, honey?
Come sit down.
- Don't sit there.
- I had a visit today
from a very important man.
He's the President's
foreign affairs advisor.
He wanted to know if I
might reconsider
accepting the nomination
for ambassador.
- What'd you tell him?
- I told him I'd give
it some thought.
What do you think?
- I want to go.
Can we go, mom, please?
I don't want to stay
here anymore.
- What about Little League?
- I don't care about
Little League.
- How do you feel, Beth?
School in a foreign country,
a country where we don't
speak the language?
- Well,
it's really what you want to do.
I wouldn't mind.
Not now.
I really wouldn't.
(suffering music)
- Tell me what to do.
Oh god.
- Hi.
I think that's just
about everything.
- Wouldn't you know,
I forgot to give this
to the mailman.
Would you do that for me?
- Oh yeah, of course I will.
- This morning I got this
terrible feeling that
we'd never come back here.
- Oh come on, it's a
two-year lease.
- Florence, you think I'm doing
what he would've
wanted me to do?
- I know it.
(car horn honking)
Oh.
That's Doug with the kids.
- I'll be out in a minute.
(eerie music)
(moves into nostalgic music)
- [Tim Voiceover] Dad, you okay?
- [Edward Voiceover] Ah, yeah.
- Are you sure?
- Yeah.
- [Tim Voiceover] All right.
- [Edward Voiceover] You
cheap shot artist, you.
(Tim laughing)
- Goodbye, my darling.
(sad music)
(airplane roaring)
- [John] Mrs. Ashley.
How do you do?
My name is John Burns,
from the State Department.
- Nice to know you.
My daughter Beth.
- Hi.
- And my son Tim.
- Hi.
- [John] Hi, Tim.
Here, let me have those bags.
- Thanks.
- We have a car waiting
for you right over here.
Mr. Rogers wanted me to
meet you and your family
and make sure that I got
you to your lodgings safely.
We've rented a nice home for you
out in Falls Church, Virginia.
I think you'll be
comfortable there.
- I'm sure we will.
- Have you been to
Washington before?
- No, no, we haven't.
- Well I hope you
enjoy your stay.
If you have your
baggage claim tags,
I'll, uh, take care of
your luggage.
- I've got them.
- Thank you, sir.
- You're welcome.
- Excuse me, I'll be right back.
- Mom?
- Yes?
- Do you think I could
sit up front?
- With Mr. Burns?
- Yeah.
(commanding music)
- Mom, it's Lincoln,
it's Lincoln!
(imperious music)
(moves into questioning music)
Oh wow!
- Look, mom, look,
it's humongous!
- [Tim] And candy!
- I'm gonna go look around,
okay?
- Okay.
- Yeah, me too!
(Mary and John laughing)
- Well I hope you find
everything satisfactory, Mrs. Ashley.
- Thank you, Mr. Burns.
- And if you don't need
anything more for the moment,
I'll be running along.
- Everything's fine.
- Great.
- Thank you.
- Bye.
(knocking)
- [Mary] Who is it?
(knocking)
Who is it?
- Hello?
I am the bearer of good news,
Mrs. Ashley.
We've had some
private discussions
with the Romanian government
and they have no objection
to your appointment.
So all we need now is
confirmation by the Senate.
Is everything here
to your liking?
- It's wonderful if I
can afford it.
How much does an
ambassador get paid?
- 65,000 a year plus
housing allowance.
Now you'd better get
yourself some rest.
You have a big day tomorrow.
Can you make yourself available
at 9:00 in the morning?
- Yes, what for?
- The President, Mrs. Ashley.
The President.
(uncertain music)
- At last.
I feel as though I
already know you.
- Oh Mr. President, I, uh...
Forgive me, I'm
standing here in the
Oval Office,
I'm, I'm just a little
overwhelmed at the moment.
- I know exactly how you feel.
I haven't been here
very long myself.
Thanks, Stanton.
- Thank you, Mr. Rogers.
- Please be seated.
I hope Mr. Rogers conveyed
my condolences to you.
- Yes, he did.
- Mrs. Ashley, we
have a problem.
A great many people
outside this office,
more than I would like to admit,
simply don't think that
my program can work,
but we're gonna fool them.
- I'll do my best to live
up to your expectations.
- If we can make this
work in Romania,
we can make it work in
other Communist countries,
and by heavens, we are
gonna do that, right?
- Yes, sir.
- Don't let them intimidate you.
- I beg your pardon?
- The Senate Foreign
Relations Committee.
They'll badger the
devil out of you.
But you smile sweetly
and tell them without
any modesty whatsoever
just how wonderful you are.
- Mrs. Ashley, you've been
teaching, uh, political science
at the University of
Kansas for several years.
Is that correct?
- [Mary] Yes, sir.
- You are a native of Kansas?
- Yes, sir.
- [Senator] Your parents
were, uh, Romanian?
- Yes, sir.
- I refer to a series of
articles that you wrote
for Foreign Affairs Magazine.
Could you, uh, tell
this committee
the basic premise of
those articles?
- They're based upon the fact
that several regional
economic pacts
currently exist in the world.
And because they are
mutually exclusive,
they serve to divide
our world into
antagonistic and competitive
blocks instead of uniting it.
Now, Europe has the
common market,
the Eastern Bloc has Comecon,
and then there's OECD.
I'd like to see our government
form a common market
with allies and
adversaries alike.
Countries that engage in
a profitable partnership
do not kill one another any
more than individuals would.
- Mrs. Ashley,
I happen to know something
about Romania myself,
indeed ever since they
turned Communist in '46.
Do you honestly believe
that you can deal with
these people?
- If you'll permit me, Senator,
I,
I think you'll find that Romania
wasn't actually under Russian
Communist control until 1947
when King Michael gave
up the throne,
and the Communist Constitution
wasn't actually
adopted until 1952.
- Answer the question, please.
- The answer is yes.
I believe we can deal with them.
I believe we must.
- I suppose, Mrs. Ashley,
you've done a good deal
of traveling.
- No, sir.
- [Senator] Been to Europe?
- No, sir.
- Just where have you been, Mrs.
Ashley?
- I've given lectures at
the University of Chicago
and a series of talks in Denver,
Atlanta, and San Francisco.
- That's it?
- Yes, sir.
- And you expect to
represent these United States
in a sensitive Iron
Curtain country
when your entire knowledge of it
comes from living in
Junction City, Kansas?
Is that true?
- No, sir.
- No?
- My knowledge comes
from earning a PhD
in political science.
I've had seven years of
teaching that subject
with an emphasis on the
Iron Curtain countries.
It's true I haven't had
diplomatic experience
in dealing with
foreign countries,
but may I point out that
one third of our
country's ambassadors
are also people without
previous experience?
- Some people might find
that very unfortunate.
- I know the current problems
of the Romanian people.
I know what they think of
the United States and why.
But all they know about us
is what their propaganda
machines tell them.
I want to convince them
that the United States
is not an arrogant,
patronizing, war-hungry country.
I'd like to show them what
a typical American family
is really like.
After all, what's so
terribly wrong
in seeing us for what
we really are?
If I'm confirmed, Senator,
I promise you I'll let
that be known.
Who knows, they might
even like us.
(reporters talking
over each other)
- Mrs. Ashley, this must be
quite a personal trial for you.
Do you expect to see the
President later today?
- I don't know.
- Uh, Mrs. Ashley, Mrs. Ashley,
Ben Cohn, Washington Post.
Could I get an interview with
you later this afternoon?
- Well, I don't know.
- Right this way, Mrs. Ashley.
- I do solemnly swear I
will support and defend
the Constitution of the
United States
against all enemies
foreign and domestic.
I will bear true faith and
allegiance to the same.
Without any mental reservation
or purpose of evasion,
I will well and faithfully
discharge the duties
of the office on which
I am about to enter,
so help me God.
- Mrs. Ashley, I am happy to say
that you are now the
new ambassador
to the Socialist
Republic of Romania.
(people applauding)
(cameras clicking)
- [Ben] It's crazy.
- What?
- Something really weird
going on in this town.
- I don't know what
you're talking about.
- Mary Ashley.
- Who?
- The new ambassador to Romania.
She's made the cover of
magazines, newspapers.
She hasn't even started yet.
- Look Ben, I don't like
to bring this up,
but I am on a schedule here,
you know.
I'm booked for another
party tonight.
- Somebody.
Somebody I don't know why,
but somebody's giving her
the movie star buildup.
- So, who cares?
You got any ice cream?
- Ice cream?
- I love ice cream.
Sometimes on a plate.
Sometimes in a cone.
You like ice cream?
- I love ice cream.
(woman laughs)
- This could never
happen in England.
They never use rank amateurs,
especially for a post
like this one.
I'm furious.
- I don't blame you.
We need a diplomat and they
send us the Wizard of Oz.
- That's Washington for you.
Mrs. Ashley.
Why don't you come in?
I imagine you're very
anxious to get started.
- Yes, very.
- You must be aware, of course,
what a very sensitive and
very difficult post this is.
- Yes, I am.
Acutely aware of it.
- The President would be
damned upset if you...
Anyway, we're gonna have to make
an instant expert out of you.
Our time's limited.
You've already been
marked as an easy target.
- I have?
- A single woman, a woman alone.
They're gonna take advantage
of that loneliness, Mrs. Ashley.
You can be assured of that.
Let's get to work.
(speaking in a foreign language)
- Good morning.
- Excellent. (laughs)
You give it a very
cosmopolitan accent.
- From my parents, actually.
(speaking in a foreign language)
- It means, "I don't
understand." (laughs)
I think that's one expression
that's gonna come in very handy.
- (laughs) You are going to
do very well, Mrs. Ashley.
(speaking in a foreign language)
- You will all have diplomatic
immunity at your new post.
You cannot be arrested for
speeding, drunk driving,
burning down a home,
or even murder.
When you die, no one can
touch your body
or examine any note you
may have left.
You don't have to
pay your bills.
The stores can't sue you.
- Excuse me.
- Go right ahead, Mrs. Ashley.
- [Mary] Thank you.
- Hi.
Hi.
- What in the world
are you doing?
- [Mike] Mike Slade,
nice to meet you.
- I don't think that
answers the question.
- I work here.
I'm your neighbor.
I just thought I'd drop
by and say hello.
- Nothing like making yourself
comfortable, Mr. Slade.
They haven't furnished you
with a desk of your own?
- Why, yes, ma'am, they have.
- But you prefer
snooping at mine.
- I'd always heard that
you Kansanians were real
friendly folk.
- Tell you what, Mr. Slade.
I'll give you two seconds
to leave my office
before I call the guard.
- Guess I heard wrong.
- And if you really
work in this department,
you might even consider shaving.
- I used to have a wife
that talked like that.
I don't have her anymore.
- Lucky lady.
Goodbye, Mr. Slade.
- My friends call me Mike.
- Goodbye, Mr. Slade.
(people chattering)
- [Mrs. Hart Brisbane] Um, but
are you enjoying Washington,
Madam Ambassador?
- Yes, very much, thank you,
but I'm afraid I'm
neglecting my children.
- Well at least you've succeeded
in escaping Kansas for a while.
- Escaping?
- I'm not too familiar
with Middle America,
but it must be quite tiresome
on a permanent basis,
all that corn and wheat
and soybeans.
- Yes.
Yes, I, I suppose we
are unfortunate
in being able to help
feed the world.
- The way I look at it
is that automobiles
run on gasoline,
but I wouldn't want to
live in the oil fields.
To be quite honest, there's
not really that much to do,
is there?
- Well I, I guess if you
don't count the ballet,
the symphonies, and the theater
which we enjoy all year,
then there's always the
softball tournaments
and the county fairs
and my husband always loved
the fishing at Clear Lake.
You'd have to say we raise
more than crops I think.
We raise honest to
goodness human beings.
If you'll excuse me.
- What you don't seem to
understand yet, Mrs. Ashley,
is that this town takes
its rules very seriously.
A lot of them are stupid,
I admit,
but we have to live by them.
- What did I do?
- Last evening you broke
rule number one.
No one, but no one,
leaves a party
before the guest of honor,
which in this case was
the Brazilian ambassador.
- You see, my children
were expecting me.
- There are no children in
Washington, Mrs. Ashley,
only voters.
You also insulted Mrs.
Hart Brisbane
sitting next to you at dinner.
- Not enough, Mr. Stuckley,
not nearly enough.
- Good morning.
I've shaved, put on a new tie.
You like it?
- You two have met?
- Not really.
I found Mr. Slade at my desk.
- Mike.
- He's your new chief of staff.
Mike's on the Eastern
European desk,
usually works out of Washington,
but it's been decided
to assign him to Romania
as your deputy chief.
- I promise to shave every day.
- I thought an
ambassador was permitted
to choose her own deputy
chief of staff.
- That is correct.
However, in this case--
- Then I'm unchoosing Mr. Slade.
I don't want him.
- Under ordinary
circumstances, Mrs. Ashley,
it'd be perfectly
within your rights,
but in this case the order
comes from the White House.
- Cheer up, Madam Ambassador.
I have a way of
growing on people.
- Mike.
- The new ambassador to Romania
is taking Washington by storm.
Her winning ways have charmed
senators and socialites alike
in a town that does not
treat newcomers kindly.
And in the process she is
personally demolishing opposition.
- Do you mind telling
me something?
- Huh?
- How does someone
like Mary Ashley
dominate the evening news?
- Don't ask me.
- It looks as if Mary Ashley
is going to be a political
and public relations success,
which is exactly what--
- You're in charge of
press relations
for the State Department,
aren't you?
- Yes.
- What gives?
I mean, what's behind
the buildup?
It's beyond any normal
sort of procedure.
- I can't help you.
That's State
Department business.
I'm just a hired hand.
You might write them a letter.
- Sure, sure.
They'll tell me very
diplomatically to go jump in a lake.
I'm gonna have to find out
a few things for myself.
- Like what?
- Like what happened to
make her change her mind
about the nomination?
(Ian laughs)
- Here.
This should keep you
out of trouble tonight.
- [Mary] Don't you ever knock?
(knocking)
- Here, this should keep
you out of trouble tonight.
- [Mary] You're the
most irritating,
aggravating person
I've ever met.
- Why do I get this constant
feeling that you dislike me?
- [Mary] Maybe it's your
arrogance, Mr. Slade.
- Now that's redundant.
- Don't make fun of me.
- Do you ever wonder what
people are saying about you
in Washington?
- I don't really care what
they're saying.
- Well you should.
You see, what they're saying is
what right do you have
to be sitting behind an
ambassador's desk.
I was in Romania for four
years, Madam Ambassador,
and I can tell you that
it's a stick of dynamite
ready to explode.
So what does the government do?
Send us some amateur from the
Styx to play with the fuse.
You are an amateur, Mrs. Ashley.
If someone were gonna
pay you off,
they should've made you
ambassador to Iceland.
(smacking)
Never stuck for an answer, huh?
(sinister music)
- [Chairman] Sir George!
- [Sir George] Morning, Mr.
Chairman!
- [Chairman] What a
beautiful day, Sir George!
- Thank you.
Yes, it's lovely.
Couldn't be better.
You, um, you have further
news of Mrs. Ashley, I gather?
- She leaves for
Bucharest on Saturday.
- I trust that doesn't mean
she'll change her mind again.
- Not now, no.
Not with the husband gone.
As a matter of fact,
someone's been making
inquiries into his death.
- Who?
- Washington reporter.
- Is he gonna be a problem?
- Oh not a rich one.
We're watching him closely.
- I saw her, you know, Mrs.
Ashley.
Ran into her last week.
Charming.
Charming woman.
What a pity.
- Hey, Ben.
- Mm.
(Ben mumbles)
- What?
What are you talking about?
- This Cinderella comes
out of Kansas,
and all of a sudden
they're making her into
Jacquelyn Onassis and Princess
Di all rolled up into one.
Every time she gives an
interview, the reporters go crazy.
It's like a feeding frenzy.
- So?
- So I've been doing a
little checking.
Seems Mary Ashley first
refused the post
because her husband couldn't
leave his medical practice.
- So?
- So all of a sudden
he gets killed
in a very convenient
automobile accident.
- [Ian] Ben, you're not
suggesting that some--
- Yeah, I'm suggesting.
Ian, what do you know
about the Patriots?
- I never bet on football games.
- The Patriots of Freedom.
It's a group that
surfaced in the late '70s,
uh, when detente was
going strong,
both right wingers
and left wingers
from several
different countries.
- I never heard of them.
- I've got a rumor that
they might still be around.
- When you say right wing
and left wing--
- I mean as far right
as you can get,
both here and in Europe,
working with a dozen
key Communists.
- But together?
- Joining forces for a
common cause.
- What cause?
- To kill the
President's new program.
To stop any cooperation with
the Warsaw Pact countries.
- But why?
- The Commies think it's a plot
to destroy the Eastern Bloc.
The right wingers think it
spells disaster for the West.
- Ben, Ben, I know
how tough it is
for you guys to
think of a story,
but I really think this
is off the wall.
- You've got connections, Ian.
How about checking this
one out for me.
Huh?
- I'll see what I can do.
- Now.
- Now?
- Now.
(relaxed piano music)
(phone rings)
- Conners.
- Ian Villers, Pete.
Wonder if you might
look up something for me
in the CIA computer.
It's a long shot,
probably nothing there,
but, uh, I've promised a
friend I'd try.
- Yeah, what do you
want to know?
- Have you got something
on an organization called
the Patriots of Freedom?
- Uh, no, no, it doesn't
ring any bells with me.
Patriots of Freedom, no.
No, it doesn't ring any bells.
Uh, tell me, who wants
the information?
- Oh it's Ben Cohn, you know,
the reporter for the Post.
- Oh yeah yeah, I know him,
yeah, I know who he is, yeah.
Well, look, uh, Ian,
I'll tell you,
look, uh, let me see what
I can do, okay,
and I'll get back to you.
- Okay, thanks.
("Canon in D" by
Johann Pachelbel)
- [Man On Voice Mail] This is
a message from the Controller
for Angel at 10:15 a.m. Monday.
Please contact immediately.
This is an urgent message
from the Controller
at 2:00 a.m. Monday.
Contact at once.
Angel, this is Controller
regarding contract.
Respond immediately.
- Yeah, it's Ben Cohn, Mrs.
Ashley, Washington Post.
I have some very interesting
information for you.
Um, could we have a little talk?
Yeah, I could meet you
tomorrow morning
at the Foreign
Services Institute.
Say 9:30?
Yeah, right, right.
Yes, I'll be there.
Thank you very much!
(Ben laughs)
All right.
(exploding)
- Here, can you get this?
Thanks.
Oh hi, Mr. Rogers.
- Hi, guys.
- I'll be right out.
- Okay, mom.
- There's plenty of time.
Your flight doesn't
leave until 5:00.
- Stanton, I can't
thank you enough.
You've been so kind to me.
- Well, I'm just glad to
be of some help.
Now, this is your
diplomatic passport,
black instead of the usual blue,
and these are your credentials.
You should read those
through carefully.
You'll find that
every United States
government employee in Romania
is subject to your authority.
- Does that include Mike Slade?
- You still feel the same
way about him?
- I just don't trust that man.
- Why?
- I don't know, it's
just a feeling.
- He's an excellent writer,
excellent.
He's a genuine troubleshooter.
- Trouble period.
- Well if you have any
problems with anyone,
you just let me know.
Always available to help.
- Thank you.
I truly appreciate that.
- It has been
a real pleasure.
- Yes.
- And now
godspeed Mrs. Mary Ashley.
(mystical music)
- Madam Ambassador,
welcome to Romania.
My name is Bill McKinney,
I'm your military attache.
- Hello, my daughter Beth
and my son Tim.
- Nice to meet you.
- How do you do?
- Hi, nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
Come right this way.
Mike Slade wanted to be here,
but, uh, he had some important
business to take care of.
This is Florian, he'll be
your chauffeur.
- Welcome to my country.
I, I look forward
to serve you.
(speaking in a foreign language)
- Very good, honey.
(mystified music)
- [Bill] Bucharest is as
stately as any European capital,
but behind the facade,
Ionescu runs this country
with an iron hand.
- [Mary] Hm, I see.
What's that building?
- [Bill] The Ivan
Stelian Prison.
That's where they put
anyone who disagrees
with Ionescu's government.
- [Mary] Oh.
(wondering music)
- Madam Ambassador,
your residence.
Tim Tim Tim, that's
not a good idea.
That's an emergency switch.
You see, if there's any trouble,
if anyone should attack
you in the car,
it activates a radio transmitter
that's monitored at the Embassy.
That little red light goes off,
then we're able to
triangulate your position
within seconds.
But don't worry.
There's very little
chance of that happening.
- Did you hear that, Tim?
- Yes, mom.
- [Bill] Your resident
staff, Madam Ambassador.
(speaking in a foreign language)
- We speak English here, Madam.
All of us.
We are looking forward
to serving you.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
- I've got this one!
- I have a bigger one.
- You can just put
those down there.
Thank you.
(curious music)
Well, here we go, my darling.
- Madam Ambassador, I'm
Gunnery Sergeant Hughes.
They call me Gunny.
- Hello, Sergeant.
- If you'll just follow me,
please.
Now the archway directly ahead
leads to our commissary
in the basement,
and right over here is
our ballroom.
This is where all of the
Embassy parties are held.
And actually if you'll just
take a look right over here,
Madam Ambassador, right
up here at the ceiling,
I'll show you what we call
our ambassador's folly.
It's too hot to keep
open in the summer
and too cold in winter.
Some ambassador had it
installed years ago
but no one seems to use
it much anymore.
Well now I'll show you
the conference room.
- Well I see that you
got here safely.
These are the people who will
be your department heads.
- Please, be seated.
- Starting on your
right here is, uh,
James Hatfield, your
economic advisor,
Lukas Janklow, administrative,
Eddie Maltz, political.
- Hi there.
- Ted Thompson, agriculture.
David Victor, commerce.
Colonel McKinney of
course you know.
Dorothy Stone here will be
your personal secretary.
You'll have plenty of time
to get to know everyone.
We are here of course to
serve you at your discretion.
You can replace any of
us at any time.
- Thank you, Mr. Slade.
I just want you all to know
that I'm looking forward
to working with you
and that I'm going to
do everything possible
to make our country and
Romania the closest of allies.
You realize I'm
certain that I'm,
I'm gonna need all the
help I can get.
Are there any questions any
of you would like to ask me?
Thank you.
That's all.
- I know you haven't had a
chance to see anything yet.
There's a commissary in
the basement,
a pharmacy on the main floor.
Of course if anyone in the
Embassy gets seriously ill,
we fly them to Frankfurt.
- Why?
- No member of the
Embassy is allowed to go
to a local hospital in
an Iron Curtain country.
- I see.
Which one of the employees
here is with the CIA?
- I think that you'd
better come with me.
Ambassador Ashley.
- Gentlemen.
- This is the bubble room.
It's the only room in the
building that can't be bugged.
These Marine guards are
on duty 24 hours a day
and each one of them have
been screened carefully.
We don't want a repeat of
what happened in Moscow.
Excuse us.
Just keep in mind you
are in enemy territory.
- How do you handle that,
not being able to talk freely?
- We do an electronic sweep
of the building every morning.
We find there are bugs,
we pull them out.
It only lasts a few hours,
uh, then they replace them
and we pull those out.
- [Mary] Seems like a
great waste of time.
- It is, but it's
their playground.
We play by their rules
or we blow the game.
- Who is the CIA man
on the staff?
- Edward Maltz, your
political counselor.
- Is he the only CIA man?
- Right, why?
- I like to know these things.
I like to know everything.
(apprehensive music)
- [Aide] Your excellency.
(powerful music)
May I present Madam
Ambassador Ashley
from the United States.
(shining music)
- My great country is
honored by your presence.
- Thank you, your excellency.
This is my daughter Beth
and my son Tim.
(bell gonging)
- So you have something for me?
- Oh, yes, of course.
Here you are.
- I accept this letter of
credence from your president.
And I announce that
you're now officially
the American ambassador
to my country.
- Thank you, your excellency.
- I have arranged a
reception for you next week.
We have a saying here.
An ambassador arrives in tears
because he knows he will
be spending years
in a foreign place away
from his friends,
but when he leaves, he
leaves in tears,
because he must leave
his new friends
and a country he's
grown fond of.
I hope you will grow to love
our country, Madam Ambassador.
- I'm sure we will.
Good day, your excellency.
(massive thudding)
Tim.
What do you think of Mike Slade?
- (laughs) He's the best.
Is that what you wanted to know?
- No.
I wanted to talk to you
because I feel the morale of
the Embassy is rather low.
I wanted to know whether
it's because of me
or whether it's always
been that way.
- Do you want an honest answer?
- Please.
- You're a political appointee
in an Embassy of
career diplomats,
that's first and foremost.
- Go on.
- And you're a woman.
Male career officers don't like
taking orders from a woman.
The Romanians are a lot worse.
- I see.
- And I've never seen so
much publicity
about a new ambassador before.
It's made them against you
before you ever got here.
- Them, and I suppose
that includes yourself?
Thank you.
I appreciate your honesty.
But I'll tell you this, Dorothy,
and you may certainly
repeat it if you wish.
I am here to stay.
No matter how anyone in this
Embassy might feel about me,
I am not leaving until I've done
what I've been appointed to do.
Is that clear?
- Yes.
- Now is there anything
you want to say?
- I believe you.
The agricultural, the economic,
and the commerce counselors
would like to see you.
- What's all this?
- Three new surveys
and the wireless files
on U.S. developments.
- It's gonna take me a week
to get through all of this.
- I hope not.
(racy music)
- The entire agricultural
program is a disaster.
- My advice is no more
helping hand.
- So if they don't buy
foreign goods from us
they buy them from
South America.
We can't let that happen,
can we?
- Absolutely not.
- Right!
(knocking)
- Come in.
- Hi, how are you doing?
- [Beth] Great, how are you?
- Okay.
It's really beginning to
look like home around here.
- Well, it's not home, but
it's real interesting.
I like it here.
- [Mary] Do you really, honey?
- Yeah, I do.
- I'm so glad.
I'm so glad.
I'll see you downstairs
in a few minutes.
- [Beth] Okay.
Mom?
- Yes?
- I'm really proud of you.
- Thank you.
Makes me feel so good.
- You better go talk to Tim.
- [Mary] Why?
- I don't know, he's been
upset all day.
- Thank you for telling me.
What's the matter?
You can tell me.
- It's spooky.
- What's spooky?
- This place, I don't like it.
- Oh honey.
We've only been here a few days.
Wait until you get
started at school and,
and you make some new friends.
- I don't want to
make any friends.
- Tim, you don't mean that.
- It's too far.
- Far, I don't understand.
- From him.
From dad.
It's like I might forget
him here and how he was.
I don't want to do that.
- Oh honey.
How could we ever do that?
I mean,
even if we lived on the
moon we could,
we could never, ever
forget daddy.
- Do you miss him still?
(weighty music)
- Every morning
when I wake up I,
I still reach out for him.
- I want him back.
I miss him.
- Oh honey.
I miss him too.
- I miss him.
- Okay.
(joyful music)
(Mary and Ionescu laughing)
- No no no no no no.
Americans have never understood.
My people are descendants
of both the ancient Asians
and the Romans,
going back to the year 105 A.D.
Doormats.
We have been Europe's
doormats for centuries.
The Huns, the Slavs, the Mongols
have wiped their feet on us.
- But you've managed to
survive, your excellency.
- And do you know why?
Because of the spirit and the
fire of the Romanian people.
They trust me.
I rule them well.
Strong, fair leadership.
(bemused music)
Oh, Nicu. (laughs)
Have you met my son?
- I've been looking
forward to it.
- [Nicu] It is my great
pleasure, Madam Ambassador.
I have heard many nice
things about you.
- That's very kind of
you to say that, Nicu.
I think you have a future
diplomat here, your excellency.
- A diplomat, Nicu?
(laughs) Never.
I have other plans for my son.
Nicu will be the next president.
(speaking in a foreign language)
- (laughs) I know.
- You know?
(woman laughs)
I don't know.
(rich music)
- What are you doing here?
- I thought you might
give me a lift.
- You don't have a car?
- I let my chauffeur go home.
- Why?
- I thought we might
have a talk.
- About what?
- Be careful of Ionescu.
The charm is surface.
Don't believe him,
don't trust him.
People have a way of
just disappearing here.
- You may think that
because a man is charming,
I'm going to believe
every word he says.
You're mistaken, Mr. Slade.
I know my job.
- For Pete's sake, lady.
- It's been a wonderful talk.
- By the way, I made
arrangements
for the children to attend
the American school.
The kids come from all over.
The teachers are excellent.
- When it comes to my children,
I'll make the arrangements.
I do thank you for your concern.
- Good night, Madam Ambassador.
- [Mary] Good night, Mr. Slade.
(questing music)
- Your assignment is to ensure
that Mary Ashley goes ahead
with the 4th of July
party as planned.
We've hired an expert
and you're to give that
person any help necessary.
Oh, and make sure the
children are there.
This should be a, (laughs)
a festive occasion.
I believe that, uh,
fireworks are traditional
on the 4th of July.
Mary Ashley and her
children will be killed.
(dramatic music)
(thrilling music)
(gunshot fires)
- There is someone here,
I mean right here in
this Embassy
who is trying to kill me.
- I tell you what I'd do, Mrs.
Ashley.
I'd go home right now.
- Now you believe in
what you're doing.
And you must not let
anyone frighten you away.
(dramatic music)
(exploding)
(thrilling music)
(exciting music)
(thrilling music)
- The reason I'm calling, Mrs.
Ashley,
is that I would like to
place you in nomination
as my first
ambassador to Romania.
- Is she really that
essential to us?
- The Controller can
think of no one else
who would suit our
purpose so well.
- Yeah, okay, I'm on my way.
(tires squealing)
(exploding)
- Quite frankly, Mrs. Ashley,
the President is hoping
that you might
reconsider his offer.
- I do solemnly swear I
will support and defend
the Constitution of the
United States
against all enemies,
foreign and domestic.
- You are an amateur, Mrs.
Ashley.
If someone were gonna
pay you off,
they should've made you
ambassador to Iceland.
- I got a present for you.
- What?
- This.
(Harry screams)
(dramatic music)
(exploding)
- Madam Ambassador,
welcome to Romania.
My name is Bill McKinney.
(wild music)
(dogs barking)
(Marin screams)
- Nobody cheats Angel.
- I accept this letter of
credence from your president
and I announce that
you're now officially
the American ambassador
to my country.
- Oh, and make sure
the children are there.
This should be a, (laughs)
a festive occasion.
I believe that, uh,
fireworks are traditional
on the 4th of July.
Mary Ashley and her
children will be killed.
(dramatic music)
(fiery music)
- Good morning, Dorothy.
- Oh, good morning.
I put all the morning
dispatches on your desk.
He's a dossier that was
hand delivered
by army intelligence from
Mr. Stuckley's office,
everything we know about
Romanian officials.
Everything.
- Personal things?
- Yes, ma'am.
But I'm sure they know all
there is to know about you.
- Won't get them very far.
- Good morning,
Madam Ambassador.
Well here we are again.
I hope you slept well.
- Do you spend your life
walking into places
unannounced, Mr. Slade?
- Lesson number one,
whenever possible, the
ambassador starts her day
by having coffee with her
deputy chief of staff.
That's a little present
from me to you.
- Thank you.
- [Mike] Sugar?
- No sugar, no cream.
- I brew it myself.
Great stuff.
- Is there a lesson number two,
Mr. Slade?
- I'm glad you asked.
This machine, this
is a shredder.
- I know what it is.
- Last night when you went out,
you left some papers
on your desk.
By now they've been
photographed and sent to Moscow.
- What papers?
- Oh a list of cosmetics,
of facial tissue, of
toilet paper,
other personal things
you ordered.
- Earthshaking.
- The cleaning women
work for the Securitate.
They're grateful for any scrap
of information they can get,
and they're ingenious at
putting things together.
That also goes for the servants
that work at your house.
How do you like it so far?
- What?
- The coffee.
- It's coffee.
- Thanks.
You see, the Securitate here
is the KGB and the police
force wrapped into one.
One out of every three Romanians
works for it in some way,
not that they get paid.
That could at least raise
their standard of living,
which is the lowest in Europe.
Glad you came?
- Yes.
Yes, I am, Mr. Slade.
(knocking)
- Mr. Maltz is here.
- Have him come in.
- Mr. Maltz.
- Hi.
- [Mike] What's up, Ed?
- Got a tough one.
There's an American girl here,
a student, University of
Bucharest exchange student,
she's run into some
problems with the Romanian--
- Excuse me, Mr. Maltz,
did you wish to see me?
- Oh, uh, right, yes.
We've got a problem.
There's an American girl, 19.
She was arrested last night
for possession of drugs.
That's an extremely serious
offense around here.
- What kind of drugs?
- Marijuana.
Just a joint she says.
She's a student, and right
now she's scared to death.
- What will they do to her?
- The usual penalty
is five years.
- And what can we do about it?
- Well, you could always
use your charms
on the head of Securitate.
- Name's Hannah Murphy.
She says she was framed.
She may have a point.
- Why?
- Well, it seems she
had an affair
with a Romanian policeman.
- Dumb dumb dumb.
- They spent the
night at her house
and then he turned her in.
- He turned her in?
- I've been trying to tell you,
we, Madam Ambassador,
we are the enemy here.
It may be all buddies
and hands across the sea
because we're trying to
woo them away from Russia,
but when you get down
to the gritty,
they're still Communists
and we are the enemy.
- The kids come from
28 different countries,
and there's this Italian guy
that keeps staring at me.
- He was staring at
all the girls.
- He was not.
Should I ignore him?
- Do you want to ignore him?
- No.
- Ask if he's nearsighted.
Once you get him talking,
he won't stare any--
(Mary screams)
What is that?
- It's a dead Romanian frog.
We're gonna dissect it tomorrow.
They got a great science lab.
- Tim, take it off my desk.
Now.
Well, you two are doing
pretty well, no big problems.
- No, Mike took care of us.
- Mike?
- Mr. Slade.
He told us to call him Mike.
- What does he have to
do with school?
- [Tim] He showed up
there today.
- Yeah, he introduced us
to the teachers.
Didn't he tell you?
- No.
- Yeah, he knows a lot
of the teachers.
- He even knows some of
the kids too.
He's a really neat guy.
Don't you think so, mom?
- Mm, yes.
Yes, very neat.
- I've arranged a visit
to the Ivan Stelian Prison
at the end of the week.
I'll let you know when
that's confirmed.
- Thank you.
- The first three parties
start tonight.
- Three?
- (laughs) You've got 21
all together this week.
- That's impossible.
- Well, with 75
embassies in Bucharest,
they're always
celebrating something.
- Dorothy, would you tell
Janklow, Thompson, and Maltz
I'd like to see them?
- They're in
conference right now.
- Conference?
With whom?
- With all the other counselors.
- Are you saying there's
a staff meeting
going on without me?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Are you telling me that
this isn't the first time?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Tell me what else is
going on here
that I should know
about and don't.
- Well, um, they are
sending cables
without your authorization.
- Good afternoon.
I won't take up much
of your time,
because I know how busy
all of you are.
It's come to my attention
that senior staff meetings
are being held without
my knowledge.
From this moment on,
anyone attending such a meeting
will be instantly dismissed.
It's also come to my attention
that some of you are sending
cables without informing me.
Yesterday, Mr. Hatfield, you
sent an unauthorized cable
to the State Department.
I've made reservations
for you on a plane
leaving for Washington at
noon tomorrow.
You are no longer a
member of this Embassy.
The next time anyone
in this room
sends a cable without
my knowledge
or fails to give me
full support,
that person will be on a plane
back to the United States.
That's all for now.
Mr. Slade.
I'd like to thank you
for being so kind to Beth
and Tim at school yesterday.
- No problem, they're good kids.
- How did I do?
- I'd say it was neat
but not gaudy.
The shortest and most
effective staff meeting
I think I've ever witnessed.
Well done, Madam Ambassador.
- Thank you.
- You will note, gentlemen,
that events in Romania
are proceeding on schedule.
I believe you've had
the opportunity
to look over the
Controller's recommendation
in reference to the
Argentinian known as Angel.
The price might appear to
be a bit steep,
but of course we are now
dealing with an incident
which may have enormous
international consequences.
Are there any questions?
Any comments at all on the
recommendation?
Well make no mistake,
the contract will
specifically call for
the assassination of Mrs.
Ashley and of her two children.
I remind you to observe the
usual precautions upon leaving.
Thank you, gentlemen.
(foreboding music)
- She's in there.
I give you 10 minutes.
- Mary Ashley,
American ambassador.
It's all right.
(Hannah sobs)
It's all right.
It's gonna be okay.
(Hannah sobs)
Just tell me what happened.
- I, I met this policeman.
We went out together a
couple of times.
And he seemed so nice.
And one day last week,
well,
we made love.
And afterward, we shared
some marijuana
that a friend had given me.
It was just one joint.
When I woke up in the
morning he was gone.
The police showed up.
They stood there watching
me while I got dressed.
Then they brought me here.
Five years they told me.
- Hannah, listen to me.
I'm going to do everything
in my power to help you.
You understand?
Everything.
Please believe that.
It's gonna be all right.
It's gonna be okay.
- [Mike] You're
wasting your time.
The girl is guilty as hell.
- I can't just walk
away from her.
What's, what's his name?
- Who?
- The head of the Securitate.
- Istrase,
- Captain Aurel Istrase.
Good afternoon,
Madam Ambassador.
- Good afternoon.
- You wish to talk to me?
- Yes, please be seated.
- Thank you.
- I would like to discuss
the case of Hannah Murphy.
- Oh yes yes yes, the, uh,
drug peddler.
Forgive me, my English
not very good.
- I can understand you.
- You see, we have strict
laws here with drugs.
- Well I'm pleased to hear that.
I, I wish we had stricter
laws in my country.
- Good, we agree.
- Yes, anyone who sells
drugs deserves to go to jail.
- [Aurel] Yes.
- Hannah Murphy, however,
did not sell drugs.
She offered to give some
marijuana to this man.
- It is the same thing.
- No, no, not quite.
The man she was with is a
lieutenant on your police force.
He smoked marijuana too.
Has he been punished?
- Why should he be?
He was merely
gathering evidence.
- I understand he has a
wife and three children.
- (laughs) The American
girl tricked him into bed,
so to speak.
- So to speak.
The girl is 19 and the
lieutenant is 45.
- Age has nothing to do with it.
- We're quite alone.
I had this room checked
for any recording devices
before you arrived.
- So?
- Does the
lieutenant's wife know
about her husband's affair?
- [Aurel] Why should she?
- That sounds to me like a
clear case of entrapment.
Captain, I, I think we should
make the whole affair public
to the international press.
- [Aurel] Well there
would be no point.
- Why?
- [Aurel] Well, because I see--
- Because the lieutenant just
happens to be your son-in-law?
- Certainly not.
- Did he get a
promotion over this?
- [Aurel] We only wish
to see justice done.
- So do I.
It would seem that
your son-in-law
has trapped other young
female tourists,
even sleeping with them
as he did Hannah Murphy.
However, I, I see no reason
for your daughter to know
how her husband
conducts himself.
No, I, I think it'd be much
better for all concerned
if you quietly released
Hannah Murphy from jail
and I shipped her back
to the United States.
What do you say, Captain?
- You are a very
interesting lady.
- Thank you.
I'll expect Miss Murphy in
my office this afternoon.
I'll see that she's put on the
first plane out of Bucharest.
- I will use what little
influence I have.
- Yes, I'm sure you will,
Captain.
- Madam.
(zesty music)
- So where is he?
- Where people don't find him.
- Well tell him it's confirmed,
at least for
Bucharest next week.
- More.
- What?
- Angel,
he don't like to do this
bad thing with the children.
He want two million pounds.
English pounds.
(man laughs)
- Well, uh, maybe we forget
the whole thing, huh?
- Okay, sure.
- Okay.
Okay, okay.
(lively music)
I'm gonna have to check it out.
- Good.
Hey.
My baby, he's out of town,
if you know what I mean.
- Get outta here.
(Neusa laughs)
(spits)
- Please, you will help
us, you will help us?
- The Americans will help,
I know.
(people whispering)
(speaking in a foreign language)
- Mr. Slade, those people--
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
- What do you know, just
couldn't wait for my coffee.
- [Mary] Those people outside
at the gate, who are they?
- Oh, Romanian Jews for
the most part,
waiting to file
applications for visas.
- Why don't they go to
the Israeli Embassy?
- They think we have a better
chance of helping them.
They're wrong of course.
It's a cat and mouse game.
Ionescu lets a few people out
of the country every year.
- There must be some way
we can help them.
- We're not talking about
getting a drug case dismissed
here, not this time.
No, this is government
ironclad policy.
Here you are.
- Thank you.
Tell me, Mr. Slade.
Mike.
Do you think it
might be possible
for us to have a little
better relationship?
- Sure.
Why not?
I was thinking this morning,
uh, well it occurred to me
that you might like to go
to the theater this evening.
- I'd like that very much.
- There's a Romanian
ballet company playing.
Corina Socoli, a big star.
It's supposed to be pretty good.
- That sounds very nice.
- Well I have three tickets.
You could take Tim and Beth.
- Thank you.
(phone rings)
- Hello?
Yes, just a moment.
Dorothy.
- Yes, Dorothy?
Churchmen?
- Oh, let me take that.
Dorothy, tell them that
nothing has changed.
We still can't help them.
All right, thank you.
Those people have a chance to,
uh, go to a church in Utah,
but they'll never get
their visas.
Here are your tickets.
I'll have Florian pick
you up at 8:00.
- Thank you.
- I don't want to go.
Do I have to?
- Of course not, I...
- It's my Italian friend.
- Who?
- [Beth] From school.
- Oh.
- I invited him to dinner.
Is it all right?
There's a million servants here.
- Of course.
Where's Tim?
- [Beth] In his room with Ivan.
- Ivan?
- A friend from school.
They're helping each
other with their homework.
I don't think he's
gonna want to see
any Romanians dance either.
- You're probably right.
- Have fun.
(audience applauding)
- Hello, I'm Mary Ashley.
- The American ambassador!
- I want to thank you
for a lovely evening.
- I need your help.
I, I cannot stay here.
I have spoken out too freely.
I, I won't be allowed to
dance here much longer.
I want to come to America.
Thank you so much for
your kind words.
- Ah, Madam Ambassador,
a front tire is flat.
We have no spare, but I
have sent for one.
- Well how long will it take?
- Oh, maybe an hour.
- How far are we from
the residence?
- About five blocks.
Straight down the Calamo
Shalor to the central square.
- Maybe I'll walk.
I'll see you in the morning,
Florian.
- At the square, turn
into Strase Rosetti
and you are there.
- Strate Rosetti, okay.
(eerie music)
- Excuse me.
Are you lost?
- I'm afraid so.
I'm looking for the
Strata Rosatti.
(tires squealing)
(escaping music)
(screaming in a
foreign language)
(siren wailing)
(tires squealing)
- Are you all right?
- Yes.
(speaking in a foreign language)
- What happened to you?
- These men tried to
force me into their car.
If it hadn't been for
this gentleman...
(perplexed music)
- Did you get hurt?
- No.
- They take anything?
- No.
- If they were going to
steal your purse,
they would've taken it
on the street.
- Who would want to kidnap me?
- Excuse us, Corporal.
Well it certainly
wouldn't be Ionescu's men
who were trying to kidnap you.
He at the moment is trying
to keep relations on
an even keel.
- Someone looking for ransom?
- In this country there
wouldn't be a trial,
only a firing squad.
I tell you what I'd do, Mrs.
Ashley.
I'd go home right now.
- Mr. Slade, I was
appointed to this post
by the President of the
United States,
and until he fires me,
I don't want you or anyone
else telling me to go home.
- All you'd have to do is
send in your letter of
resignation, pack up your kids,
and go back to Kansas
where you'd be safe.
- I expect these people to
work with me, not against me.
Now if that's too much for
you to handle, Mr. Slade,
then I strongly suggest
that you make other plans.
- Madam Ambassador, I'll
pass on your message.
(elegant piano music)
- My country considers this
loan from the United States
an opportunity for both
our countries
to open the door to freer
trade policies.
- I appreciate that, Mr.
President.
And I've already made
an urgent plea
to the Senate Foreign
Affairs Committee.
- In that case let me say that,
uh,
we are depending upon
you, Madam Ambassador.
- You have my promise.
I'll do everything I can.
- Of course I miss Paris,
but I hope that next year...
(lovely piano music)
The lady in distress.
- You two know each other?
- We haven't been
officially introduced.
- Ah, Madam Ambassador,
may I present to you Dr.
Louis Desforges.
- Madam Ambassador.
I beg your pardon, I
had no idea.
I should've recognized you,
of course.
- You did better than that.
You may have saved my life.
- Oh, so you are the one.
I heard of your
unfortunate experience.
- It would have been unfortunate
if Dr. Desforges
hadn't come along.
- Yes, well I was just in the
right place at the right time.
- If you two will excuse me,
please.
- Tell me, why did you run
away when the police came?
- Well, it is not good policy
to get involved with the
Romanian police.
They have a way of
arresting witnesses.
And as a mere doctor attached
to the French Embassy,
I have no diplomatic immunity.
Some champagne?
- No, thank you.
- You don't like champagne?
- I suppose that's heresy
to a Frenchman.
- (laughs) No.
Confession, I have never
cared much for it myself.
But I have found that if
someone offers a toast,
as they always do,
then simply raise your arm.
Nobody ever notices
a difference.
- Really?
(Louis and Mary laughing)
- Oh, please.
I hope you will forgive me
if I seem to desert you
every evening.
I, uh, I have been extremely
wary of political entanglement
ever since I was in Beirut.
- Beirut?
- Yes, I was,
I was there when we were
fighting the terrorists.
And, uh, well they
discovered my identity
and exploded a bomb in the
house where I was living.
My, uh, wife and
two children were killed
in the explosion.
- How horrible.
I'm so sorry.
- It is said that time heals,
but I no longer believe it.
- Neither do I.
(people chattering)
- Ladies and gentlemen!
Ladies and gentlemen!
A toast to our host country!
And to its president,
Alexandros Ionescu.
- Congratulations.
The Foreign Relations Committee
granted the Romanian loan.
You pulled it off apparently.
- I'd like you to make me
an appointment
to see President Ionescu as
soon as it can be arranged.
- I'll go along with you.
- No, I'll do this alone.
- Oh, Madam Ambassador.
I understand you
bring good news.
- [Mary] No, I'm afraid not.
- Are you telling me the
loan was not approved?
- Last minute difficulty.
- Difficulty?
- Yes.
I'm just as disappointed
as you are, but
well the vote was favorable
until one of the
senators learned that
some Romanian church officials
were being denied visas
to visit Utah.
You see, the Senator is a
Mormon, and he was very upset.
- Utah?
- That's right, Mr. President.
- Well I don't see any
difficulty there.
- No?
- Our church officials are free
to come and go as they please.
- But they were told that
they couldn't.
- We have a far more
lenient policy toward them
than any other Eastern
Bloc country.
- Yes, I know, but--
- They may leave
whenever they wish.
- Really?
- Yes.
- Thank you, Mr. President,
and I'm sure the senator from
Utah will be very pleased.
Good day.
- Good day.
(graceful string music)
Mrs. Ashley.
- Your excellency.
- Mrs. Ashley, I wish
to point out
that I was correct in the
matter of the church officials.
There was no difficulty.
- A misunderstanding I'm sure.
My government was very pleased
to proceed with the loan.
- But of course.
Your people recognize our
mutual interest.
- I might point out
to you however
that there are other
people here,
Romanians who wish to
leave the country
and they are being
denied that right.
- They are dissidents.
Troublemakers.
- Only because they--
- Um, the caviar.
Have you tasted the caviar?
It's fresh beluga.
You must try it.
Excuse me.
- He's right.
About the caviar,
it's delicious.
What is it they say,
we have got to stop
meeting like this?
- Considering the amount
of parties in Bucharest,
that would be impossible.
- Do you know a little
restaurant called Taru?
- I'm afraid not.
- It's a charming little place.
Um, I made a
reservation for one,
but they would be thrilled
if I arrived with the
American ambassador.
- This evening?
- I know, it's out of
the question,
but I thought I would ask.
- I'd love to.
- Really?
- [Mary] Really.
- You have two children,
I understand?
- Yes, a boy and a girl.
- If you wish to bring
them along...
- Oh, no, no, they're
busy tonight.
- Well then.
At what time should I
pick you up?
- I have some work to
finish at the Embassy
and I'd like to see
the children.
Would 8:00 be all right?
- 8:00 would be fine.
(ominous music)
(terror-stricken music)
(folksy music)
And now when I look back
on those years in the
underground of Beirut,
they seem so far away.
Forgive me, I'm afraid I'm
going on too much here about it.
- Oh no, not at all.
- Is something wrong?
- No, it's nothing.
- Tell me.
- There's just a little trouble
at the Embassy this evening.
Tell me, how long are you here?
- Three years.
Fighting the various
terrorist factions.
- But you're a doctor.
- Yes.
You see, I believe every
man must risk something
so that in the end he
doesn't risk everything.
But had I known the
price I would have to pay
would be the lives of
my wife and children...
- Have you never thought
of marrying again?
- No.
No, she was a remarkable woman.
I sometimes think no
one would replace her.
Perhaps I came here to Romania
mostly to try and forget.
But there, there is
something here.
I confess I feel an
evilness about this country.
Oh, not the people.
They are lovely, but
they are quite helpless.
They are virtually slaves.
I shall be glad when
my tour of duty is over
and I return to France.
- There are some people
who think I should go home.
- No, impossible.
I have made inquiries.
Everyone who knows you
here is very impressed.
They say you've brought
an image of America
that is most engaging,
most intelligent.
- Well, I'm trying.
- Now you believe in
what you're doing.
I know that.
And you must not let
anyone frighten you away.
- Is she in?
- Yes, yes, what's the matter?
- [Gunny] Excuse me, but
your limousine,
the alarm just went off.
They're tracking it, it's
near the American school.
- The children!
(sirens whirring)
(tires squealing)
(frenzied music)
- Mistake, I hit it by mistake!
(alarm wailing)
- Mary, I just wanted
you to know that
the President is very
pleased with the outcome
of the surplus wheat sale
and the Romanian loan.
He says his faith in you
is completely justified.
- Thank you, Stanton.
Tell him how much I
appreciate that.
- I certainly will.
I'm going to be
leaving for China.
I'll be gone for a
couple of weeks.
- How can I reach you?
- Through my office.
They'll always know where
to contact me.
And well, you just keep up
that good work, Mary, hm?
- Thank you.
Goodbye, Stanton.
I'm leaving early today,
Dorothy.
I have the party at
the Chinese...
(Mary cries out)
- What's the matter?
- I don't know.
I haven't been feeling all
that great this last week.
No energy.
See you tomorrow.
- And then, just as we are
about to sit down to dinner,
this pig, it jumps on the
table and starts to scream,
oink oink oink oink oink
oink oink oink!
(Beth and Tim laughing)
Well, in French of course.
Well, I say to my wife, I say,
"Look, I like pork, but
this is too much."
(Beth and Tim laughing)
But I must tell you,
this little pig,
he knew what he was doing.
I mean, after that my wife
couldn't bear to have him killed,
it became a pet for
the children.
- Honestly?
- Honestly, cross my heart.
Now Tim, I must tell
you the story
of the bicycle with no
bars to handle.
- Handlebars.
- Right, you steer
with your feet!
(Beth and Tim laughing)
Your children are delightful.
- Thank you.
They told me they'd like
to see you again.
- Really?
Oh.
You know, Beth reminds me very
much of my elder daughter.
So beautiful.
Well,
I think it is time.
You realize what I am doing?
I am reliving my past.
Or perhaps
is it my future?
I can't tell you what this
evening has meant to me.
Good night, Mary.
- [Mary] Good night.
(ponderous music)
- Coffee for two, no cream,
no sugar.
A little strong, just the
way you like it.
- Thank you.
- I couldn't set that
meeting for you.
Ionescu has canceled
all appointments.
- How come?
- It's his son.
The boy's come down
with botulism poisoning.
Apparently it's very serious.
- Botulism?
- The boy was visiting
friends in Germany.
They've had a big
epidemic there.
- Well we'll get the
antiserum to him.
- We're told the epidemic
has used all their supplies,
including ours.
- Dorothy, get me the
Center for Disease Control
in Atlanta, Georgia right away.
- You're wasting your time.
They could supply the stuff,
but you could never get
it here on time,
not for botulism poisoning.
It works too quickly.
- Yes, I can hear you very
clearly, Madam Ambassador,
but I don't think I
can help you.
You see, in order to
requisition a supersonic jet,
you've got to have an approval
from the Secretary of Defense,
and then you can...
Yes, I am listening,
but I can't possibly authorize
an operation like this
without an approval
from the Secretary of--
- General, if Ionescu's son dies
because you wasted time on this,
I promise you that word
of your refusal
is gonna be communicated
to the White House.
Do I make myself clear?
(sinister music)
- [Doctor] Your excellency,
we have communicated
with everyone,
both Eastern and Western Europe.
They have nothing.
- I don't believe it.
He's not going to die.
You understand me?
He's not going to die.
- Usually it is the
type E botulism
associated with canned food,
mostly fish.
Essentially it's gonna
appear to be harmless,
and then kick it off with praxia
and then, well, it's
unable to respond.
- Sorry to interrupt.
- Do you know Dr. Desforges?
- Yes, of course.
- I just came
from the airport.
The plane refueled at
mid-Atlantic
and landed in Bucharest
about an hour ago.
The foreign minister
picked up the antiserum
and it's on its way
to the palace.
- Oh thank god.
- You have a hell of a
lot of clout, Mrs. Ashley.
Sorry for the interruption.
- [Dorothy] Oh my god!
That must've cost half a
million dollars!
- I think you may be very close.
- I can't believe
anyone ever got
a thank you note like
that before.
What are you gonna do?
- Return it, of course.
- [Dorothy] He might
get insulted.
- I'll risk it.
- Wow, this is heavy.
- You better get a couple of
Marine guards to take it back.
- (laughs) I'll get a company.
- So you return my gift?
- Yes, your excellency.
- What do you want?
- I don't want anything.
I don't make trades for
children's lives.
- Nevertheless his
life was saved
and I must offer you something.
- No.
Is that all, your excellency?
May I go?
- I will not be indebted to you.
- [Mary] Your excellency,
I have two children of my own.
I think I can
understand how you feel.
- If, uh, you were to
make a wish,
any wish,
what would it be?
- A wish?
I don't know what you mean.
- You know what I mean.
- There's nothing.
- I insist.
- Each and every day
I've been trying
to get your foreign minister
to lift the restrictions
on those people who want
to immigrate from Romania,
those people whom you
call dissidents.
- Why?
Why would any good Romanian
wish to leave his
mother country?
I don't call them dissidents.
They are dissidents.
They are troublemakers.
And the trouble they make
will do them no good.
Good day, Madam Ambassador.
- Good day.
I'd like all your reports
in by July 1st
with your time sheets.
Colonel McKinney,
could you get me
those security
evaluations by Friday?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Thank you.
That's all.
(people chattering)
I'll be in in a moment, Dorothy.
- Are you all right?
- Yes.
It's nothing.
- Are you sure?
- I'm fine.
Is there something you
want to say, Mr. Slade?
- Yes, something confidential.
That's why I'd rather talk
to you in here.
- Well?
- It concerns you and Dr.
Desforges.
- I'm listening.
- There is an Embassy
advisement, you know,
about involvement
with foreigners.
- Thank you.
I appreciate your concern.
But whom I see is no
one's business.
- It's the business of
everyone in the Embassy.
- Because he's a foreigner?
- Dr. Desforges is an
enemy agent.
- What?
- He is an enemy agent.
- I don't believe it.
- Think about how you met him.
- Very fortunately,
as it happened.
- Exactly, the poor
damsel in distress,
the knight in shining armor,
it's the oldest trick
in the world.
I've used it a dozen
times myself.
- I don't give a damn whether
you have or you haven't.
He fought against
terrorists in Lebanon.
He lost his wife and his
children there.
- Your doctor never
had a wife or children.
- [Mary] Eddie.
I'd like to ask you a favor.
- Sure.
- I'd like some information
on a Dr. Louis Desforges.
He's attached to the
French Embassy here.
- Anything in particular?
- I'd like to know if he was
married and had children.
- I'll get on it right away.
Anything else?
- No, that's it.
Thank you.
- Let's see, married in
Dijon, wife's name Renee,
two daughters ages 10 and 12.
They were killed in Beirut
in a terrorist bombing
when he was working for
the underground there.
Here you go, ma'am.
- Thank you, Eddie.
You can shred it.
(sheep baaing)
(lush music)
- The specialty of the
house is game.
I would, uh, suggest
the venison.
- [Mary] I'll try it, a first.
- You have no deer in Kansas?
- (laughs) No, not at the
corner grocery.
- Fantastic.
- What?
- You, sitting there
with the river
and the trees behind you.
Breathtaking.
I wish I were a painter
and not a doctor.
Perhaps one day you will
give me a photograph.
- Of course, and perhaps I
can have one of you. (laughs)
- As a matter of fact, the
only photograph I have is,
it's an old one that was taken
in Beirut with my family.
- May I see it?
- You'd really like to?
- I'd love to.
- Of course.
(hushed music)
- What a lovely family.
- That was taken two months
before they were killed.
For so long now I've
felt like a ghost
wandering around, lost.
So out of place without them.
Even the trivial things, I,
I don't know how to cook
a meal or make a bed even.
- I guess we're all
victims in a way.
I remember reading something
after my husband died
that stayed with me ever since.
I suppose it's rather poetic.
- Tell me.
- I read that our destinies
are decided by a cosmic
roll of the dice,
the winds of fortune that blow
from the windmills of the gods.
- Do you believe it?
- Yes, I think I do.
(expressive music)
(moves into ethereal music)
- I have steamed the
red one for you, Madam.
Are you ill?
- [Mary] Yes, I, uh--
- Perhaps I should send
for the doctor.
- No.
No no.
Uh,
would you have Mahai call
the Chilean ambassador
and tell him I'm not
feeling well?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Thank you.
(Mary grunts)
- He's the smartest
boy in the whole class!
- Children, children, children!
Please, not so loud.
Your mother's not
feeling very well.
- [Beth] What's wrong?
- I do not know.
Oh, Madam!
(catastrophic music)
- Call the French Embassy.
I need Dr. Desforges.
- Yes, ma'am.
(afflicted music)
(Mary groans)
- Mary.
It's all right, I'm here now.
How long has this been going on?
- The last few days.
What?
- [Louis] What have
you been eating?
- Nothing.
- [Louis] Have you been thirsty?
- Yes.
- [Louis] Pains, muscle cramps,
nausea?
- Yes, all three.
What is it?
What, what's wrong with me?
- It's all right, thank you,
Carmen.
Can you remember
precisely when it started?
- The day after we got
back from the mountains.
- Do you remember having
any to eat or drink
that made you feel
ill afterward?
- No.
- You have breakfast here
at the residence
with the children?
- Mm.
- And the children are fine?
- Yeah.
- You have lunch in the
same place every day?
- No, no.
Sometimes at the Embassy
and sometimes not.
- Is there any place you
regularly have dinner or,
or anything you regularly eat?
Mary, stay awake, listen to me.
Any person you eat
with constantly?
- It's just a virus, isn't it?
- Mary.
It's very difficult for
me to say this.
It's
unthinkable, but I think
someone is poisoning you.
In fact, I would
suspect it's arsenic,
except that I know that arsenic
is not for sale in Bucharest.
- Oh.
Oh my god.
Who, who would,
who would want to poison me?
- Try to think more carefully.
Is there any kind of set
routine you have
involving food or
drink every day?
Yes?
- No.
No.
- What is it?
- Well, Mike
Slade brings me
coffee every day.
He's always there waiting.
- But what possible
reason could he have?
- Ever since I got here, from,
well, the very beginning, he,
he's been trying to get
me out of the Embassy.
Oh I, I just can't believe--
- It's all right.
We'll talk about this later.
The first thing we have to
do is to get you well again.
I'm going to give you an
antidote for arsenic called BAL.
I'll alternate that with
penicillamine.
- The servants.
- It's all right.
They won't have to know.
Don't worry, my darling.
We'll have you up in no time.
(strange music)
Ah, there you are.
- [Beth] How is she?
- Much better.
Your mother is going to
be all right.
She'd like to see you
if you want to come up
in about five minutes.
What do you think?
Are you well enough to
go back to work?
- I will be Monday, I'm sure.
You know, this is twice now
that you've saved my life.
- Well I think we'd damn
well better find out
who is trying to take it.
- How?
- I've been checking out
the various embassies,
all but yours, which refuses
to give me the information.
Now none of the others carry
any arsenic of any kind,
so if you were to drop by
the pharmacy in your embassy,
tell them that you
have some trouble
with insects in your garden
and ask for a pesticide
called Antol.
It's loaded with arsenic.
- And if they have it?
- Anyone who checks out a
poison has to sign for it,
and the signatures will
be on the form.
You understand?
- [Mary] Yes.
Yes, I certainly do.
- Madam Ambassador, good
morning, welcome back.
Guess that flu really
knocked you out.
- Yes it did almost.
Excuse me, I wonder if
you could help me.
- In a minute, I just have to...
Oh, Madam Ambassador, I'm sorry.
I didn't see you.
Are you feeling better?
- Much better, thank you.
- Good.
Can I get you something,
antihistamine?
- No no no, it's
something else entirely.
You see, my gardener tells me
we're having trouble
with insects,
so I was wondering if
you might have something.
Uh, it's called Antol.
- As a matter of fact, we do.
The infestation of ants is
very unusual this time of year.
You're the second person
who's inquired.
- Oh.
- Yes.
You'll have to sign for it.
(surprised music)
- [Dorothy] Oh Madam Ambassador.
It is wonderful to
see you again.
- Thank you, Dorothy.
- Are you feeling better?
- Much better.
- Well enough for that 4th
of July party this year?
I could easily cancel it.
- No, we're gonna have it,
as usual.
- All right.
- [Mary] Mr. Maltz?
- Yes, ma'am?
- I have a coded message
which I'd like to go to
Washington right away.
Could you do that for me?
- Sure can.
- It's for Stanton Rogers.
It's very important.
- Right away, ma'am.
- Look, I don't know how
she got past the guards!
All I know, she's here now!
Madam Ambassador, there's a
woman here, Corina Socoli.
She's in your office.
She just walked past the guards!
- Oh please, please,
you must help me!
- Sh.
Come, sit down, sit down.
- Please!
I want to go to your country!
I can stay here no longer!
- We can keep you here
at the Embassy
for a brief period, but--
- Oh please, please!
- I'll do everything I
can to help you,
but I can't make any promises.
- God bless you!
God bless you, Mrs. Ashley!
Thank you so much.
- Okay.
- Thank you.
- Sh.
- God bless you.
- It's okay.
- [Corina] Thank you, thank you.
- Hello?
- This is Louis Desforges.
I thought perhaps you
might like to know
that Mrs. Ashley is
going to live.
- Well why shouldn't she?
- Because someone has
been poisoning her.
- What the hell are you
talking about?
- It is quite possible you
know what I'm talking about.
- I haven't the faintest idea,
but if you're suggesting--
- Yes, I am suggesting.
- Well you're wrong.
I don't know where you
got all this,
but you've gone off
the deep end.
I think we oughta get
together, talk about it,
get it squared away.
- I agree.
I shall be in Ploiesti all day,
but I should be back
this evening.
- What time?
We could meet at Bineasa
Park on your way back.
- Say about 7:00.
(warlike music)
I'm glad you could come.
I think we can clear
this up rather quickly.
You said on the telephone that
you thought someone was
trying to poison Mary Ashley.
- I know it.
- And you think I'm responsible?
- You could have placed it in
her coffee a little at a time.
- And have you reported
this to anyone?
- Not yet.
I wanted to talk to you first,
because well, frankly I find it
extremely difficult to believe.
- Believe it.
- What?
- I said believe it.
(gunshot fires)
(dramatic music)
- I am so sorry.
- About what?
- About Dr. Desforges.
- What about him?
- They found his body this
morning in Bineasa Park.
Shot to death.
- I'm trying to reach
Stanton Rogers.
Please have him call the
moment you're in touch.
Yes?
- I think you're
making a mistake,
keeping the Socoli woman here.
I mean, she is their
leading ballerina,
a national treasure in
this country.
We can hold her here
for a while,
but they will never let
her leave Romania.
- Well, uh, we'll find a way.
(malicious music)
(mysterious music)
(air hissing)
Hello?
Yes, I'm standing by!
I've been standing by!
- Hello, Mary.
- Did you receive my cable,
Stanton?
- Cable, no.
- Yes, I had Eddie Maltz
send you a coded cable.
- Well I never received it.
I was informed, however, that
you were trying to call me.
- Please, listen very carefully.
There is someone here,
I mean right here in
this Embassy,
who's trying to kill me.
- Good god.
- And I know who it is.
Stanton, are you sure this
line is secure?
- Yes, yes, absolutely.
- Every morning since
I've been here,
a small amount of arsenic
was placed in my coffee.
Slowly, systematically,
I was being poisoned.
And every morning that
coffee was brought to me
by Mike Slade.
- No no, I, I can't, uh...
Look here, isn't it possible
that he didn't know
the coffee was tainted?
- He made it himself
in his office!
- Couldn't someone else have
had access to that coffee?
- Stanton, you don't understand.
He has been trying to
get me out of Romania
ever since I arrived here.
- I will inform the
President at once.
In the meantime I will arrange
for some extra security for you.
- We're have the 4th of
July Embassy party
on Saturday night!
- Don't worry.
He will be in custody by then.
- Why is he doing this?
- I don't know.
But we're damn well
going to find out.
(phone rings)
- McKinney.
- [Stanton] It's Stanton Rogers,
Bill.
- Yes, sir, what can
I do for you?
- [Stanton] I want you
to pick up Mike Slade,
hold him in close custody
until you hear from me.
- Slade?
- [Stanton] Don't let him
talk to anyone.
- Uh, I'm afraid there may
be a problem with that, sir.
I've been trying to reach him
myself for the last few hours.
No one seems to know
where he is.
I've checked all my sources.
He's disappeared.
- Gentlemen, members of
the Eastern Committee,
I am pleased to report that we
have reached the final phase
of our Bucharest operation.
Sir George, if you will.
- The incident will occur
at the 4th of July party
at the American Embassy.
Arrangements have been made
for international press
and television coverage.
Mrs. Ashley, her two
children, and her guests
will all be involved.
- We have no knowledge
of how precisely
this will be carried out,
nor do we wish to have
such knowledge,
but I'm sure we're
all aware here
of the very grave risks
and indeed the possible
holocaust which may follow.
- Mr. Chairman, we
stand beside you.
- I would like to say
at this point
that I think we all owe
a very special thanks
to the person in Romania
who helped bring this about.
(shocking music)
(ominous music)
- [Mary] Beth, tell Tim
he has to wear a tie.
I want you both looking
your very best.
- Okay, but he's not
gonna like it.
- [Gunny] What have we got now?
- More decorations, banners,
balloons.
- [Gunny] Who the devil's
gonna fill all those up?
- Hey, don't worry,
you're off the hook.
They've assigned a
civilian to do the work.
(menacing music)
- What are you doing here?
- You're convinced I'm
out to kill you.
I don't blame you.
Bill.
(scary music)
- Where's the balloons?
- Still working on them.
- Hey!
- Oh, sorry.
Helium, right?
I didn't think helium burned.
- The fact is, Mrs. Ashley,
there's a faction in
our government
convinced that if we
get involved
with Iron Curtain countries,
the Communists will destroy us.
On the other side, there's
a faction of Communists
who think detente is a trick
to bring capitalist spies
into their countries,
and so you have an
unholy alliance.
A super secret alliance
of very powerful men
calling themselves the
Patriots of Freedom.
They want our program
here to flourish at first
and then sabotage it
in such a dramatic way
it would never be tried again.
- You fit the bill perfectly,
Mrs. Middle America with
two all-American kids.
The ambassador with sizzle.
They used their press
connections around the world
to make you everyone's darling.
- [Bill] To put it bluntly,
your assassination
would put an end
to any further ideas of detente.
As it happened, Mike was
able to infiltrate the group.
- But you tried to kill me.
- No, ma'am.
What I'm trying to do,
what I've been trying to do,
Mrs. Ashley,
is to get you home where
you'd be safe,
to get you just sick enough so
you'd have to leave Romania.
Our doctors were waiting
for you in Washington.
- We couldn't tell
you the truth.
It would've blown the
whole operation.
- Even now we don't know who
put the organization together.
He never attends the meetings.
He's only known as
the Controller.
- I'm sorry to say that
your friend Dr. Desforges
was part of the group.
- Then why was he killed?
Who killed him?
- I had no choice.
He knew I was a member of
the committee.
The moment that he sensed
that I was poisoning you,
he became suspicious of me.
You see, you weren't
supposed to die that way.
I couldn't let him expose me.
- He had children.
- There was no family.
- He told me.
- He lied.
- Eddie Maltz told me too!
- Maltz?
- Yes, I had him check it out!
He said that Louis had been
married and had two daughters!
- I'll be damned, I just
sent him to Frankfurt.
- Our immediate problem
is a man known as Angel,
a professional assassin.
He has a dozen
different passports.
- I want Edward Maltz
taken into custody
immediately.
- But no one can identify him.
- He's always contacted--
- He's at the airbase
in Frankfort.
- Through his mistress.
- We expect him to try
to carry out the contract
this evening at the 4th
of July party.
- To make it as public and
as shocking as possible.
- Extraordinary precautions
have been taken.
We have the full cooperation
of the Romanian government.
- [Mary] You're asking me to
set myself up as a target?
- There's something that
we haven't told you.
Months ago when these people
heard that you turned down
the nomination,
it was your husband that
stood in the way.
They were determined to
get him out of the way,
and they did.
They tried to make it
look like an accident
so you wouldn't
become suspicious.
(dumbstruck music)
- Oh my god.
- We could put an end
to all of this tonight
if you'd help us.
But without you and
the children--
- No.
Not my children.
- Just a very brief appearance.
I'll slip them out quietly
and bring them back here.
- Not my children!
(apprehensive music)
- The entire block has
been cordoned off
by Ionescu's soldiers.
Nobody gets through
without a pass.
We have our own checkpoints
at every entrance.
Keep alert and keep
at your posts.
- Then just as soon as
you've made your appearance
with me in the ballroom,
four Marine guards will
bring you back here.
- You mean we can't stay
for the party?
- No, no.
- [Tim] Why?
- I can't tell you why.
It's a secret.
You musn't let anyone know
you're leaving.
- I want to stay for the party.
- Why does it have to
be so secretive, mom?
- Do you hear me?
Do you hear me, no one?
Tim?
- Yes, mom.
- Beth?
I love you.
- Finished!
Get these things out of here!
Easy!
Hey, easy, easy!
- Don't worry, we won't
break your precious balloons!
(people chattering)
(random jazz music)
(people applauding)
(pleasant jazz music)
Hey, wait a minute!
Hey!
(stabbing)
(guard grunts)
(dramatic music)
(calm jazz music)
- They'll be safe, don't worry.
- Do you think he's here now?
(crashing)
- I'm very sorry.
I'm very sorry, sir.
- You look like you want
to change your mind.
- I'm here and I intend
to stay here.
I told you that a long time ago,
didn't I?
(lively jazz music)
- [Mike] Where did all
those balloons come from?
- Where we always get them,
our airbase in Frankfurt
delivered them to our warehouse.
- Who delivered them?
- Army personnel.
- Who in army personnel?
- I don't know what
unit, but I'll find out.
- Do that, will you, Bill?
- Yes, sir, the balloons
and some other stuff
were taken from an army truck
right into the
storage room here.
Uh, took all afternoon
to fill them up.
- Who brought them in?
- I didn't get his name, sir.
A civilian.
- A civilian?
What the hell are you
talking about?
Who gave you that authorization?
- Well I didn't see the
papers on it, Colonel,
but I was told that it came
from Mr. Maltz at the Embassy.
Briggs can tell you
more about it.
Briggs!
Hey, Briggs!
Briggs!
I don't understand, sir.
He was posted to this room,
Colonel.
He'd never leave
without permission.
(horrified music)
(smooth jazz music)
- Angel's a woman.
Eddie Maltz got a permit
allowing Angel into the
storage room.
Look at this.
I was checking the
cylinders they used
to fill the balloons
for the party.
There's a hell of a lot
more than helium here.
White phosphorus,
this one is loaded with propane.
Mix them with a little
oxygen and settling,
you've got a blast big
enough to level a city block.
- Mahai.
Would you see if you can
find Mr. Slade?
- Yes, ma'am.
- A timer, there's got to
be a timer to set them off.
How long ago did he
or she leave?
- According to the sergeant,
just a few minutes ago.
Could be anywhere.
- I want you to clear
the room immediately,
make an announcement,
get everybody outside.
- What is it?
- Those balloons up there,
they're lethal.
There's a timing device set
to explode in here somewhere,
and when it does, it's gonna
blow this place sky high
in a matter of minutes.
- The ambassador's folly,
we can open the roof.
- Not with a switch,
nothing electrical.
Any kind of spark could
set them off.
- There should be a
manual override.
- Get them out.
Say anything, just get
them outside.
Come on, Bill.
- Ladies and gentlemen.
Ladies and gentlemen.
(drum rolling)
Could you all step out
into the courtyard
as soon as possible?
There's a small fire
in the kitchen,
nothing to be alarmed about,
but as a precaution,
could we all step outside
for a few minutes?
Thank you.
(people chattering)
(frantic music)
- Be careful, Mike!
(Mike grunts)
- Yeah.
(urgent music)
(crashing)
- You okay?
- Yeah.
(fretful music)
There it is.
- Easy.
(strained music)
(Mike grunts)
(electronic beeping)
- Excuse me, ma'am,
but Colonel McKinney
gave me orders
to clear the ballroom.
(creaking)
(maniacal music)
(moves into tense music)
(Mike grunts)
(electronic beeping)
(suspenseful music)
(electronic beeping)
(exploding)
(grave music)
(moves into galloping music)
(glass shattering)
(crashing)
(misty music)
(knocking)
(phone rings)
- [Police] Mr. Connors,
please open the door.
(phone ringing)
(knocking)
Open the door, Mr. Connors.
(knocking)
(serious music)
(gunshot fires)
- [Police] Sir George,
this is the police.
Would you open this door,
please, sir?
(knocking)
Sir George, I must ask you to
open this door immediately.
(knocking)
Sir George!
Open this door!
Sir George, this is the police!
(knocking)
Sir George, I must insist
you open this door.
Sir George.
(demented music)
(siren wailing)
(urgent music)
(glass clinking)
(laughing)
(frenzied music)
(moves into serious music)
Goodbye, my dear.
- Yes, yes, I see.
All right, Jay, thank you.
They just picked up Hans Kreisch
at the Bundestag in Bahn.
He's the last one on
Mike Slade's list
except the Controller.
- And still no leads?
- No one can't identify him.
Slade back yet?
- Yes, he flew in yesterday
on the same plane as Mrs.
Ashley.
I doubt very much that
you're going to be able
to persuade her to go back.
- Well how can we blame her?
She's been used by everyone
since she got there.
I'd like to arrange an
appointment with her
for tomorrow morning.
Tell Slade I've got
another assignment
for him in Washington.
- All right.
- Take me to CIA headquarters.
- [Neusa] In time.
- What?
What did you say?
- First,
we talk.
- You.
- Senor.
I gotta tell you, I am
disappointed.
The bank in Geneva,
there's nothing there.
- You're damn right
there's nothing there.
- Oh.
Sometimes things happen.
I do good next time.
- There won't be a next time.
You're not gonna get a dime.
- Oh, senor.
I beg you
not to make this hasty decision.
We can talk.
- We are through
talking right now.
Did you hear me?
- You're never gonna
see Angel again.
(spits)
(speaking in a foreign language)
(ominous music)
(exploding)
(hissing)
- Why, why Stanton Rogers?
- I guess there's just
no honor among assassins.
- Assassins?
- The Patriots of
Freedom Committee
may have just lost
their last member
and saved us a lot of trouble.
- Stanton Rogers?
- The Controller.
Mary Ashley said something
to me on the flight back.
She said the only two people
that she trusted in all of this
were the President and Rogers.
That got me thinking
someone above reproach,
god knows the
President wasn't out
to sabotage his own program,
but Stanton Rogers was
something else.
Here was someone high enough,
with all the
connections necessary,
someone who could personally
supervise a publicity buildup.
He knew exactly,
exactly what Mary and the
kids symbolized.
And everything must've
clicked for him.
In fact, it almost worked.
- Do you think she'll
go back now?
- I wouldn't take any
bets on that, Bill,
but I'll tell you one thing.
The lady's got grit.
- You know of course
why I've asked you here,
to twist your arm.
- Mr. President--
- Now I know, I can
certainly empathize with you,
believe me.
Can I show you something?
- [Mary] Yes.
- This letter arrived at
the White House yesterday.
Ionescu sidestepped
State Department channels
to have it delivered to
me personally.
- Ionescu?
- Yes, he's asked me
to do everything I can
to persuade you to
implore you to return.
He even mentioned 23 dissidents.
- What?
- He's allowing 23 dissidents
to leave the country.
Even said he might
permit a few others.
Now mind you, he didn't
couple that with your return,
but I think that's
clearly the inference.
So you now have the presidents
of two different countries
asking you to reconsider.
- If I did, Mr. President--
- Yes?
- I would insist our country
give sanctuary to Corina Socoli.
- Well I'm sorry, Mary.
I told you why we can't do that.
That would offend Ionescu.
- Well he'll get over it.
I know Ionescu, Mr. President.
He's using her as a
bargaining chip.
- How do we get her
out of Romania?
- On one of our army
cargo planes.
- All right.
I'll clear it with State.
- Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. President.
- Yeah, don't mention it.
- Oh, there's just
one more thing.
- Yes, Mary?
- [Mary] I'll need Mike Slade.
- He already has
another assignment,
so anyone else at all.
- Slade.
- I get the feeling here
that I'm being
subjected to blackmail.
In fact, now I know why you've
done so well in Romania.
- Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you very much.
- Mary.
Stay out of trouble.
- Right.
Hi.
- Hi.
- [Mary] We're gonna be
neighbors again, Mr. Slade.
I'm in the office next to yours
until I go back at the
end of the week.
- Back home?
- No, Romania.
I, uh, talked it over with
the President this morning.
He told me to keep
out of trouble.
- Oh, nice sense of humor,
the President.
- You'll be going back too.
- No.
No, not, not me.
I think you've made some
sort of mistake.
I have another assignment.
Uh, the President just
told me that I'm gonna go--
- No, the President
just told me.
He said he wouldn't even
consider my returning
without Mike Slade.
I said of course that
you might not want to,
but he insisted.
- He insisted?
- [Mary] Mm.
- Well, that, uh, might
help solve the problem.
- Problem?
- If the ambassador
is not allowed
to fraternize with foreigners,
then who is she gonna
fraternize with?
There has to be someone, right?
- Absolutely.
There has to be someone.
In the meantime,
coffee?
(sweet music)
(thrilling music)