A Crime of Honour (1985) - full transcript
Steven Dyer, an executive working for a giant multinational drugs company, decides to report his employer for breaches of Common Market trading regulations. One night in Basle, Switzerland, he leaves his home to post a letter, the start of a nightmare journey that leads to terrible consequences for his life, his career and for his wife and children.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
[PHONE RINGING]
Louis, that isn't very nice.
Well, it's expensive.
What can I tell you?
We don't have 10,000 tons of
vitamin C just lying around.
I know, but I had to call our
people in Scotland, in Germany.
[PHONE RINGING]
Look, if you want
it by the first,
we have to increase
capacity, over time.
And that's expensive.
Yes, sure, you
try somebody else.
But Louis, before you do it,
you better check your contract
with us, would you?
Sure, I'll hold.
He's checking.
Who?
Louis Garredo in Buenos Aires.
Ah.
Want to go for a
drink after this?
Oh, I can't.
It's Maddie's birthday.
Flown in from
London this morning.
Huh?
Birthday cake.
Yes, Louis.
fine.
Fine.
Yes, I'll see to it right away.
By the first.
Yes, OK.
Yeah.
Oh, Louis, Dieter
sends his love to you.
Dieter Weigel.
Yes, I will.
OK, Louis.
Bye, bye.
Adios.
Louis sends his love to you.
You know, I just
made the company--
[CLICKING]
$68,181.
And I made--
[CLICKING]
$43.25.
And a pat on the back.
And a pat on the back.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MADELEINE DYER:
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
Hello, daddy.
Hello, daddy.
FEMALE SPEAKER:
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
What do you want, darling?
[FRENCH]
What's going on?
(SINGING) Happy
birthday to you.
MADELEINE DYER: Wow!
(SINGING) Happy
birthday to you.
MADELEINE DYER: Super.
(SINGING) Happy birthday, dear
Maddie, happy birthday to you!
Thank you.
Oh, Steven.
[FRENCH]
Bonsoir, mama.
Bonsoir, Steven.
STEVEN DYER: What have
you got to tell mommy?
You've got to blow out
all the candles, mommy.
26!
26!
26!
What a cake.
Fornum & Masons, Piccadilly.
Right.
One, two--
[PHONE RINGING]
Damn.
[PHONE RINGING]
Go on, blow them out.
One, two--
[PHONE RINGING]
PIERRE: How do you
like the cake, mommy?
Hello, Dyer.
Yes.
Yes, Steven Dyer.
SON: Can I have the
first piece, mommy?
MADELEINE DYER: No.
The first slice is for grandma.
GRANDMA: [SPEAKING FRENCH]
Uh-- yes, I did.
Um-- can you hold on just
for one moment, please?
MADELEINE DYER: You're not
supposed to tell anybody.
I'll take it in the bedroom.
OK.
Oh, this is marzipan.
Mm.
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
Well, that's very kind.
Uh-- yes.
Yes, of course.
When were you thinking of?
Saturday.
Yes, Saturday's fine.
But how long would it take?
Well, could I be back
in Bale the same day?
Only my wife and-- oh, I see.
Right.
Yes.
No problem.
Right.
Goodbye.
Have a piece of cake.
It's delicious.
Thank you.
Who was on the phone?
Uh-- business.
I'll be out of town on Saturday.
Probably won't be
back 'til late.
- Saturday?
- Yes.
You haven't put it down.
What name?
Why do you need
to put it down?
I can remember it.
Still, you might forget.
What time are you meeting?
Where are you meeting?
Uh-- look, for
God's sake, you're not
my bloody secretary anymore.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Madeleine.
[PLANE TAKING OFF]
Just put that sign away.
Mr. Dyer?
Yes.
Now just put that
damn sign down.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[PHONE RINGING]
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
Hm.
[PHONE RINGING]
Entre, s'il vous plait.
Oh.
Mr. Dyer, welcome to Brussels.
I was promised--
guaranteed-- absolute secrecy.
I arrive at the airport, there's
some idiot standing there
and he's holding a
sign with my name on it
and the initials of the company.
Anyone can see it!
But how else were
we to contact you?
I should never have
come here, if I'd known.
After all, Mr. Dyer, we're
only dealing with the company
here, not a government,
not the KGB.
And what the hell are these?
Oh, they're for interpreters.
We won't need them as I think
we all speak English here.
Ah, Mr. Dyer.
Bronson?
[WHISPERING]
What?
[WHISPERING]
Oh, Mr. Dyer,
that's unfortunate.
I deeply regret--
I was promised
complete discretion.
And you are going
to get it from now on.
My word of honor.
I'm not sure.
I'm not sure at all.
Mr. Dyer, please.
This was only an accident.
We are very well aware
of your position.
And we respect the great courage
you have shown in coming here.
We do, sincerely.
Well--
I'm Christian Junger, Head
of the Competitions Department.
We spoke on the phone.
Oh, yes, of course.
Hello.
Hello.
My assistants-- Mr.
Detur, Mr. Henze.
[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
Hello.
Hello.
Now let's start afresh, huh?
Bronson, Otto, Mr. Dyer.
Would you like some
coffee, Mr. Dyer?
Yes.
Yes, I would.
Thank you.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
Yes.
Mr. Dyer.
Thank you.
You have brought some
papers to show us, Mr. Dyer?
No.
I wasn't asked to.
You said they were
available to you.
I can get hold of them.
It's all except last
year's contract.
They won't be filed
until September.
And I should have left
Schumann's by then.
- Left Schumann's?
- Yes.
I'm going into
business for myself.
Is it absolutely
necessary for you to leave
Schumann's before September?
Not absolutely.
Well, for us, it's
important to have the record
as up to date as possible.
Yes, I do see that.
Only I wanted to take a
holiday, you see, before I--
Oh, oh, gentlemen, I think we
are getting ahead of ourselves.
These are all matters we
can discuss as they come up.
Shall we?
Purely for my own reference.
Mr. Dyer, I promise you this
tape will not leave my office.
Nothing that is said here
will go beyond the four of us,
not even that we are meeting.
All right.
Except you have
a wife, I think.
I suppose she knows.
I-- no.
She gets too upset.
And I have-- I have to be
careful what I tell Madeleine.
So just us four.
Mr. Dyer, you work
at the head office
of Schumann-Fougere the
pharmaceutical group
in Bale, Switzerland?
STEVEN DYER: Yes.
CHRISTIAN JUNGER: What
is your present position?
STEVEN DYER: My title is World
Manager with both vitamins
and chemical products.
CHRISTIAN JUNGER: So you have a
complete overview of Schumann's
international activities?
STEVEN DYER: Well,
I know most about
my own particular territory.
But, oh, yes.
I have a pretty good idea
of what they're up to all
over the world.
Sir?
Sir, would you like
something to drink.
Yes, I would.
I deserve one.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[MACHINES WORKING]
[LIQUID PUMPING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Hey, Steven!
[LAUGHING]
She was champion of
downhill at [INAUDIBLE].
STEVEN DYER: My.
DIETER WEIGEL: Think
you can catch her?
STEVEN DYER: You bet.
DIETER WEIGEL: Oh, we'll see.
STEVEN DYER: After you.
DIETER WEIGEL: OK!
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Oh.
Oh, shit.
Movie it about.
It's all right.
It's nothing.
This never happened
to me before.
Never.
Remarkable.
It's happened to
me dozens of times.
There.
Thank you.
The bloody piece is so chopped
up, I didn't have a child.
It was an act of God, Steven.
No question.
Steven?
There's a rumor you're thinking
of leaving the company.
Oh, well, everybody knows
everybody's business.
You should know that by now.
It's not true, of course.
I hope it isn't, for your sake.
How much is your salary now?
Not bad, is it?
And good pension, too.
Regular increases on both,
a fantastic health program,
free education for the kids--
the best-- and so many little
treats.
Look around you, Steven.
You think we could afford
a place like this, if we
didn't work for the company?
La Deutsche Vita, courtesy
of Schumann-Fougere.
Well, I'm not so grateful.
You give Schumann's your
life, you can afford
to use a ski lodge at weekends.
I don't think that's
fair exchange.
You're really getting out?
You'd be the first I'd
heard of, voluntarily.
Oh, I'm just tired of working
for other people, Dieter.
I want to be my own--
Your own what?
There's this
opportunity in Italy.
A pig farm.
Oh, come on.
It's not so damn funny.
I've gone into it, Dieter.
It's totally viable.
I could be clearing
half a billion
lira in three or four years.
How the hell are you
going to pay for it?
A commercial farm!
Jesus, that costs money.
STEVEN DYER: It's taken care of.
Don't worry.
But you're not a
pig farmer, Steven.
You're a damn good
international salesman.
That must be why they've kept
me sitting on my ass in Bale
for three bloody years.
- But they value you.
You know that.
They--
Then why didn't I
get the Mexico job?
That was just bad luck.
And they offered you Nicaragua.
Nicaragua.
DIETER FIGO: Or Manila.
STEVEN DYER: Look, Dieter,
I'm not a bloody Swiss,
I'm not a bloody German,
I'm not in the magic circle,
so I've gone as far as
I can go at Schumann's.
What does Maddie
think about it?
Italy, farming.
Oh, I haven't told her yet.
But I intend to.
Soon.
Steven!
I'm going to tell her.
Of course, I am.
Dieter, she loves Italy.
She's going to be delighted.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Maddie!
Maddie!
Maddie!
[DOOR SLAMMING]
Maddie, don't be silly.
Daddy?
It's OK, it's OK.
Go on.
Go and play.
Go and watch television.
Go on.
Come on.
Go and watch television.
[CRYING]
Maddie, come on.
For Christ's sake!
It's all right.
Mommy's not feeling very well.
Come on, let's play.
Come on.
What should we play?
(IN UNISON) Chinese checkers.
Chinese checkers?
It's a board game.
Come on, then.
Give us it.
Come on.
I'll be yellow.
- All right.
All right?
I'll be blue.
I'll be red.
There is no red.
[GLASS BREAKING]
Maddie?
Why didn't you tell me?
But I am telling you.
We won't have to
leave for months.
You have no right!
No right!
I'm sorry.
I am sorry.
Italy.
But you like Italy.
You always say--
And the children?
Oh, they'll be fine.
There are schools there.
There are good schools there.
Trust me, Maddie.
Please, huh?
They'll be fine.
What have you--
Nothing.
The glass broke.
I was drinking some water.
Oh, it's not so
bad as it looks.
There.
How could you do this?
We said we didn't want to
stay in Bale forever, didn't we?
But--
But we did talk about that.
But you're doing so
well at Schumann's.
And I was proud of
you working there.
Proud?
Schumann's?
If only you knew.
You've got to stop being
just a good, little
Swiss girl, Maddie.
The world's much
bigger than Schumann's,
or Bale, or Switzerland.
Look, I'm sorry,
but we-- we have
a chance to live for ourselves
and make real money--
a fortune.
But pigs?
My god.
Look, as soon as you see
the farm, you'll understand.
It'll be fantastic.
I'm going to buy everything
new-- new house, new buildings,
tractors, everything.
How can we afford that?
Oh, it's taken care of.
Please, don't worry.
And what do I tell mamma?
Huh.
Uh-- tell her, her daughter
is going to be a millionairess
and her grandchildren are
going to inherit a fortune.
She'll love that.
You know, I thought it would be
such a nice surprise for you.
I really did.
I don't like surprises.
Let's have a look.
There's just a scratch.
I would have told you sooner,
but there were so many details,
and meetings, and-- well, I--
I just thought I shouldn't
tell you 'til it was certain.
And buying land--
you've got no idea.
That's why all those
phone calls and going away?
Yes.
Yes, that's it.
And that's all it was.
Never do this
again to me, please.
Never.
I won't.
I promise you.
A pigs farmer's wife, huh?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Hello, Steven!
[PAPERS FALLING]
Oh!
Don't you have a
girl to do this?
Oh.
Well, she's gone home.
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
Don't work too hard.
Auf Wiedersehen, Steven.
Auf Wiedersehen.
Yes, yes.
Yes, all of them.
No, no problem.
Uh-- well, I don't know.
Can't you come to Switzerland?
Steven?
Uh-- well, I see.
I'm taking my wife to
the farm next weekend.
We'll be parked by the land.
Perhaps-- wait,
what did you say?
Yes.
Thank you.
Yes, I'll do that.
Yes, that's fine.
OK.
Yes.
Bye, bye.
Was that about the farm?
Yes.
Yes, it was.
Then why do have
to act like that?
I know about it now.
It's not a secret.
I know.
It's a stupid habit.
Forgive me?
I'm sorry.
What did they want?
On the phone.
Oh, the man who's selling the
farm, he wants to talk to me.
I have to sign a
couple of papers.
Would you mind if
we stopped in Milan
for an hour or so next weekend?
- No.
- You can do some shopping.
You would like
that, wouldn't you?
How much can I spend?
[LAUGHING]
Oh, Steven.
What?
I don't know.
It's silly.
It doesn't matter.
Just hold me.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Well, I don't know.
But you can see
what's going on?
What I can see, what you can
see doesn't matter, Mr. Dyer.
All that matters is, do these
documents you've brought
us have a clear and unambiguous
proof of a general conspiracy
among vitamin manufacturers?
I don't think they do.
Nor do I.
Another thing, Mr. Dyer,
all these companies--
well, it involves half a
dozen separate countries.
But you have jurisdiction
in all of them.
We have to live
with all of them, too.
You're afraid to take them on?
Not at all, but there
are practicalities.
Limitations.
The department has never
before proceeded against
a multi-national industry.
We can't undertake our
first case without a very
strong probability of success.
Don't you see that?
Then what's the
point of me being here?
And where the hell is Junger?
- Wait, Mr. Dyer.
Please.
Order some coffee, Giuseppe.
Now Mr. Dyer, why don't we
try and approach the problem
from another direction?
Why don't we focus
our attentions?
On what?
Well, for the time being,
on just your company,
for instance, on
Schumann's, about which
we know so much more than
the others, thanks to you.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
Contracts that bind
customers to Schumann's
and make it hard for them
to buy vitamins elsewhere.
Illegal.
Contracts,
specifically designed
by Schumann's to
prevent competition
from other manufacturers.
Illegal.
You're sure of that?
Abuse of a dominant position.
Outlawed by Article 86
of the Treaty of Rome.
To which the Swiss
are not signatories.
And Schumann is a Swiss company.
The Swiss signed a trade
pact with the community.
Article 23-- the following are
incompatible with the proper
functioning of the agreement:
Clause II, abuse by one or more
of the undertakings
of a dominant position
in the territories of
the contracting parties.
We can establish
determinate position.
For instance, vitamin
C-- more than 60%.
Vitamin H-- 93%.
Or we can show how Schumann's
contracts abuse that position.
We have a case.
[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
Yes.
Yes, I think we do.
You see, Mr. Dyer, we-- we all
want this to succeed very much,
but I have to play the
devil's advocate, too.
Schumann will bring the
best against us, of course.
We can't afford to
be caught unprepared.
We need more documentation--
letters, memos, contracts.
We'll get them
direct from Schumann.
With what we've got now, we
can probably get authorization
to go to the company's
offices in our countries
and demand anything
else we want.
What is it, Mr. Dyer?
Well, you won't
go to their offices
before I leave, will you?
My poor friend, what
do you take us for?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Another one?
Uh-- no, I better not.
My wife will be waiting for me.
Oh, pity.
You see, I was hoping
to ask you-- informally.
Off the record, as it were.
Yes?
Well, what exactly
was the reason
that first brought you to us?
I don't mean the
immediate reason.
We know that, but
the deeper motives?
It interests me.
It interests all of us.
Well, for instance someone--
not me, of course, but shall
we call him an
unfriendly observer--
he might suspect that it was
because of some disappointment
you had with your career
or with your company.
No.
No, that's quite untrue.
My career at Schumann's
has been very successful.
I have no feelings
of disappointment.
As you say.
Then what was the motive?
Well, you see, Mr. Dutourd--
Oh, please.
Francois.
Thank you.
Steven.
You see, Francois,
there have been two
great influences in my life.
Two great influences?
Yes.
One was the years I spent
working for Schumann's
in the third world, just to
see how the high cost of drugs
hurt those poor people.
That was an
influence, certainly.
And, uh-- what
was the other one?
Cricket.
Cricket?
Yes.
Oh, you-- you mean
the game, cricket?
Yes.
I'm not joking.
The straight bat, the
cry of, well played, sir,
from an opponent, walking
away from your crease
without waiting for the
umpire to dismiss you.
Look, Francois, to
understand us English,
you must first
understand cricket.
You know, I've always
enjoyed teaching foreigners
the rules of cricket.
May I show you?
Well--
Look, let's
pretend these glasses
are the wickets, all right?
Here's one wicket,
here's the other.
Now we need a bowler.
[TAPPING]
The bowler, all right?
Now-- now remember, there
are six balls to every over.
I--
STEVEN DYER: Now the bowler--
I think you said your
wife is waiting for you.
So she is.
Another time.
I shall look forward
to it, eagerly.
So Steven, was it sense of
fair play that led you to us?
When I was 40 years
old, what had I ever
done but represent Schumann's
and its dirty deals,
it was time to make a stand.
Play my straight bat.
Well--
Well, thank you,
again, Steven.
I wish there were
many more like you.
Even a couple.
If we need any more help--
Well, you've got my number.
And in Italy?
- Yes.
Good.
We got everything
out of him we could?
I think so.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
- Hello.
- Hello.
All right?
- Yeah.
- Buy anything nice?
- Yes.
And expensive, too.
Was that the man from the farm?
Yes.
I would have liked
to have met him.
Well, he's not a
very interesting man.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[CLEARING THROAT]
So here's to the
death of a salesman,
the birth of a pig farmer.
Thank you, Dieter.
I know a good joke
about a pig farmer.
Yeah, please.
Steven, we're
going to miss you.
Oh, come on now.
Look, we're not
going to Australia,
just a few hours down the road.
It's all right
for you, Steven,
but poor Madeleine,
stuck out in the fields.
What's she going
to do with herself?
Poor Madeleine wants to do
this just as much as I do.
Yes, of course, I do.
[LAUGHING]
Herr Direktor this
is a great honor.
Well, Steven, to
the one that got away.
Herr Direktor, my wife.
[CRYING]
I'm sorry.
No.
My dear girl.
She's a sensible girl.
She knows there's no life
after Schumann-Fougere.
Our family, our
company, [GERMAN].
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Hey!
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
Can I take a copy of this?
Yeah.
Here.
[CRICKETS CHIRPING]
Home in an hour or so.
It's not our home anymore.
There you go.
How are you?
(SINGING) Deck the walls
with boughs of holly,
fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.
'Tis the season to be
jolly, fa-la-la-la-la--
Passport.
[CRYING]
Oh, darling.
Come on, Pierre, be a big boy.
Here.
What the hell
is he playing at?
Oh, Maddie, you shouldn't
have to bribe him.
Well, he's been so good.
And it's almost Christmas Eve.
I know.
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
What's it about?
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
What?
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
Hi, [ITALIAN].
You shouldn't have
talked to him like
that, you'll make him angry.
Well, he's just a
peasant in uniform.
You know, as soon
as your back here,
you become 100% Swiss again.
Yes, sir.
No, sir.
You know, Maddie, it would
have done you good to have
lived in England for a bit.
And there, we have a healthy
disrespect for authority.
A healthy disrespect.
Get out.
What?
Get out, per favore.
Good morning, senor Dyer.
Yes.
Good morning.
What is going on?
You must stay
here for a while.
What for?
There are some men
who want to talk to you.
About what?
And which men?
They are not here yet.
Well, how long
have I got to wait?
They are coming from Lugano.
What about my family?
The children are tired.
They are free to go.
There.
- Look, you know me--
- Certainly.
And I come through
here all the time.
Certainly.
Can't we settle this now?
I'll come back
whenever you want.
No.
You must stay here.
I don't know.
Some mix up.
Probably it's the number plates.
I was supposed to change them
to Italian, but I don't know.
All right.
Take the children to mamma's.
No.
Yes.
Just go to mamma's,
wait there, I'll
phone as soon as
I've finished here,
and you can come and pick me up.
Mon dieu.
[GROANING]
[CAR STARTING]
Getting cold?
There's some hot coffee inside.
This way.
Inside, please.
Steven Dyer?
Yes.
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
Look, what is going on?
[ITALIAN]
I want to telephone my wife.
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
You may speak English.
Well, what the
hell is going on?
I am a British citizen.
You have no right and I
demand to speak to a lawyer.
- Please, sit down.
- No.
What is this about?
Sit down, please.
You can't arrest me
without telling me why.
But you have
not been arrested,
you're only being held
for interrogation.
Please.
I'm Commissioner
Moser of the Federal
Police, political branch.
This is Commissioner Ehrll.
What is this?
You are Steven Dyer?
Yes.
Of course, I am.
I must telephone my wife.
She doesn't know where I am.
She'd be very worried
and she gets upset.
Please, answer
only my question.
No!
But I must make calls
to my wife and a lawyer.
I must.
Mr. Dyer, it's Christmas Eve.
You have a family,
we have families.
If we can get
through this quickly,
we can all go home
for Christmas perhaps.
All right?
Please.
How long were you an employee
of the firm Schumann-Fougere?
Did you understand the question?
Yes.
Please, answer it.
STEVEN DYER: About 10 years.
10 years?
STEVEN DYER: Yes.
You worked in the
international contracts
department?
Towards the end.
I have a niece who
worked in that department.
Perhaps it was before your time.
Her name is Gabby Heller.
I don't remember her.
Of course, it's
a large department.
STEVEN DYER: Yes.
And her job was
quite a minor one.
At what point during your
time at Schumann's did
you first decide
to commit espionage
against your employer?
Yes?
I don't understand.
What don't you
understand, Mr. Dyer?
Did you or did you not pass
secret documents belonging
to the firm of Schumann-Fougere
to an individual not employed
by that firm and not
resident in Switzerland,
specifically to a
man named Francois
Dutourd, a French
national, currently
a resident in Belgian?
Be very careful how
you answer, Mr. Dyer.
This is fantastic.
You've got it completely wrong.
All right.
I'll explain and you'll see,
you've got it very wrong.
Francois Dutourd works
in the Competitions
Department of the European
Commission in Brussels.
And his boss is or was-- I don't
know-- a man called Junger.
Dr. Christian Junger,
a West German national,
also resident in Belgium.
Yes, that's right.
Now the Competitions Department
investigates unfair trading
practices by
companies based in any
of the Common Market countries.
I don't know if you're
aware, Schumann's
is currently being investigated
by the Competitions Department.
I mean, I expect it's been
in the newspapers here.
But the Common Market
accused Schumann's
of exploiting their
dominate position
in the supply of vitamins.
And they base their case on
documents in their possession
which shows that Schumann's
has been doing this.
Now I am the person who supplied
Brussels with those documents
and copies of
contracts Schumann's
signed with their customers.
I gave them all to
Francois Dutourd.
So, you see, you are really
barking up the wrong tree.
In fact, we are all on the
same side of the fence,
bringing villains to justice.
Well, I'm happy to
have cleared this up.
And I shan't be
making any complaints.
It's been very
inconvenient for me, this.
Sit down.
All this is of no
interest to me.
Please.
Do you admit that
you passed documents
belonging to Schumann-Fougere
to an individual--
Yeah, but I explained.
Yes or no?
Yes, for reasons that--
Yes.
What was the nature
of these documents?
I've told you.
They were contracts with illegal
clauses, offering rebates--
They were business
contracts that you
understood Schumann's would want
and expect to remain secret.
Well, since they were
illegal, obviously--
You understood they
were secret, yes or no?
Yes.
COMMISSIONER MOSER:
And you took them
and gave them to a third party?
Yes.
So this is espionage.
No.
You can't say that.
It isn't true.
COMMISSIONER EHRILL:
What isn't true?
Well, I-- I'm not a spy.
I'm on the side of the law.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Mr. Dyer, when you stole
the documents from Schumann--
I didn't steal.
I exposed them.
How much were you
paid for this service?
Nothing.
You were offered employment
with the European Commission?
No.
Then what was your
motive for doing it?
I've told you-- I
felt it was right.
It was the right thing to do.
Is it not true that your
main motive was really
to embarrass your employer?
No.
You were a troublemaker,
Mr. Dyer, weren't you?
And for this reason, you weren't
promoted as fast as you would
like, so you thought
you would get
your own back on the company.
That's how it was, wasn't it?
Not true.
Do you deny making statements
attacking the company,
complaining of its
treatment of you?
Statements to who?
To Dieter Weigel.
You know Dieter Wiegel?
You spoke to him
of your resentments
against the company.
You were angered that
they didn't make you
their chief agent in Mexico.
But Dieter is my friend.
Oh, he's a true employee
of Schumann-Fougere and a law
citizen of Switzerland,
so I think we must believe
him when he reports
that you spoke
of your hatred for the company.
And this was why you decided
to become a spy, Mr. Dyer,
wasn't it?
Not true.
Not true.
Then what possible
reasons could you have?
They are criminals.
I exposed them.
Schumann has been
convicted of no crimes
under the laws of Switzerland.
But I'm not a spy.
One moment, please.
[GERMAN]
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
COMMISSIONER MOSER: We will
continue this tomorrow.
I can go home?
COMMISSIONER MOSER:
No, you will stay here.
I want to use the telephone.
COMMISSIONER MOSER: You
may make one phone call.
No doubt your wife will
want to hear from you.
Yes.
And a lawyer.
I went to call a lawyer.
And I have a right.
I'm a British citizen.
And British law says I
can speak to a lawyer.
But you're not a British
citizen, you are Maltese.
I was British
for over 30 years,
then Malta got independence
and they gave me that.
But when I worked
in Venezuela, I
was an honorary British consul.
In any case, Maltese
law is still British.
Who cares?
We are not in Britain
now or in Malta.
We are in Switzerland.
COMMISSIONER MOSER: And here,
we have our own local customs.
You have not been
charged yet, therefore,
there's no need for a lawyer.
One phone call, Mr.
Dyer, to your wife.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Understand, Mr. Dyer, if
you say anything to her
about Schumann's, the
Common Market, anything,
the interview will
be terminated.
Is that clear?
She wouldn't
understand anyway.
Haven't you told
her about this?
No.
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
Happy Christmas, Maddie.
What's happening?
What?
I don't know.
Maddie, I can't tell you.
Please, don't ask.
I brought you some clothes,
and a toothbrush, and a razor.
How do I look?
Awful?
I'm sorry.
How are the children?
Oh.
What have you told them?
I just said
daddy's away on busy.
Maddie, please, don't.
Please?
Please?
[CRYING]
When will you be coming home?
Soon.
Soon.
Really soon.
I don't understand this.
What have you done?
You're sure I've
done something?
You know that?
If you haven't,
why are you here?
Maddie, I think
you'd better go.
MADELEINE DYER: What
should I tell people?
Mamma?
I don't know.
[CRYING]
My brother said we
should find you a lawyer.
Should I?
Yes.
Yes, do, please.
I'll do anything,
only I don't understand.
Maddie, I've
done nothing wrong.
I promise you.
[CRYING]
[KNOCKING]
We're finished.
My wife should go now.
Madame Dyer?
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Mamma?
Mamma?
[GLASS CRASHING]
[BANGING]
Bonjour, Madame Dyer.
Bonjour.
S'il vous plait.
Bonjour, Madame.
Bonjour.
S'il vous plait.
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[CAR CRASHING]
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
STEVEN DYER: The
Italian government,
they want to develop their
farming, so they offer grants.
You can check this easily.
There's no mystery.
COMMISSIONER MOSER: And
were their any other grants,
Mr. Dyer?
STEVEN DYER: I don't understand.
COMMISSIONER MOSER: Grants
from Brussels, for instance,
for services rendered?
No.
That's slander.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Madeleine?
No.
Mr. Dyer, I truly regret--
There was an accident?
No.
Well, of course there was.
There must have been.
I wish I could say
it was an accident.
Well, there's no other
way it could have happened.
You don't know Madeleine.
But how could it
have been an accident?
It's an accident.
A terrible accident.
Mr. Dyer, she--
she hanged herself.
I'm so sorry, Mr. Dyer.
Well, how could
she have killed--
[CRYING]
She killed herself!
Dear God, no!
No, no, no!
No!
No!
[CHURCH BELLS RINGING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[CRYING]
MADELEINE DYER (VOICEOVER):
Please, forgive
me for what I'm going to do.
They told me I will not see
Steven again for 20 years.
And I do not wish
to live without him.
And I don't understand.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Where are we going?
Basle.
[LAUGHING]
You, uh, want to
play a hand, Steven?
Not so good today?
You want to talk?
What are you thinking about?
I'm thinking
about my children.
As you don't know them,
it wouldn't interest you.
I don't believe it.
I sit here, day
after day, they won't
let me see a lawyer, nothing.
That's the fucking country.
I've been here six weeks.
Haven't seen a lawyer yet.
Six weeks.
For what?
One lousy joint.
If only I could
get to a phone.
There are people in
Brussels-- important people.
If they knew I was here,
I would be out in no time.
If I could just phone
them or write to them.
Let somebody else do it.
Well, there's guys
leaving here every day.
Give them these peoples' number.
They'll get in touch for you.
It's worth a shot.
PRISONER 1: Why are you
friendly to that man?
PRISONER 2: Because
he's in trouble.
He just lost his wife,
for Christ's sake.
PRISONER 1: I hear he's a spy.
PRISONER 2: What?
PRISONER 1: An enemy
of Switzerland.
A guard told me this.
PRISONER 2: He's a goddamn hero.
He turned in this
crooked company.
What do you mean, spy?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
I am Dr. Bauer.
I'm a lawyer.
Your wife talked to me about
defending you, before she--
[GASPING]
Where the hell have you been?
I've been sitting in here for--
For too long.
Please, sit down.
You see, we couldn't get
to see you until Brussels
put pressure on them.
I knew it.
Once Brussels heard, I
knew things would happen.
I am getting out now?
It's not so simple.
STEVEN DYER: What?
There's the question of bail.
The Swiss have set it
at 1 million francs.
And, well, Brussels
thinks that's too much.
Too much?
But I'm here
because of Brussels!
I'm sure the Swiss
will come down.
They're reasonable.
You won't be here much longer.
Are they treating you well here?
They fill me up with
pills to keep me quiet.
They wouldn't even
let me bury her.
Yes.
Yes, that was bad.
That was wrong.
I'm sorry.
What do you say we
go outside, Mr. Dyer?
Some fresh air?
What we'll argue is that
by signing the agreement
with the Common
Market, Switzerland
has accepted other standards
and [INAUDIBLE] those
only imposed by national law.
Will it work?
I don't know.
To assert that there
is a European code that
has precedence over
national courts of law--
that's still a
fairly new concept.
Hard to swallow.
Not just in Switzerland.
I shouldn't be facing a trial.
I shouldn't be here at all.
You know, Mr. Dyer,
as a Swiss lawyer,
I'm well aware of the
imperfections of our system,
but it is not an entirely
discreditable one.
There will be at trial.
And it will be conducted
fairly, as we see it here.
The lawyers will make the
decisions honestly, no doubt.
But you must understand that
those who have arrested you,
those who are holding you,
and those who will judge you
will all see what you've
done as a very wicked thing.
To do something that seems to
harm the interests of a firm
like Schumann-Fougere, which
has brought so much wealth
to this country-- well, it
will seem, to most Swiss,
like an attempt to push us
back to where we were once--
poor, neglected, a bit comical.
A land of mountains
and cuckoo clocks.
[LOCK CLANKING]
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
PRISONER 3: [SPEAKING GERMAN]
[SPEAKING SPANISH]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
The bail is paid--
25,000 francs.
Brussels paid?
Not exactly.
They agreed to pay, but the
check hasn't arrived yet.
Your wife's family gave me
the money, but you're out now.
[PHOTOS SNAPPING]
Come.
We must run the gauntlet.
[PHOTOS SNAPPING]
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
I don't speak German.
Mr. Dyer, Lars Bohner
for the Sunday Times--
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
There's a little confusion.
Are you a British
national, Mr. Dyer?
Yes, absolutely.
Have the British government
helped you in any--
What support have you
received from the Common Market?
No comment.
REPORTER 1: About
your wife, Mr. Dyer--
REPORTER 2: Did
you steal documents
from Schumann-Fougere?
- No!
I didn't steal, I reported.
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
Why couldn't I talk to them?
Your case still
has to be judged.
We don't want to
offend the Swiss.
And then Brussels-- we don't
want to offend them either.
Offend Brussels.
Still, you see there's a
lot of interest in your case.
And that's good for us.
Later on, maybe,
we use the press.
So how does it feel to be free?
How can Brussels
not have paid my bail?
I phoned with someone in
the commendations department.
They're very apologetic.
It was only administrative
difficulties-- paperwork.
Paperwork?
I was rotting in there.
Three months!
I've arranged for you
to phone Brussels tonight.
They're very keen
to talk to you.
We must do what we can to keep
Brussels on our side, Mr. Dyer.
There are many expenses you have
to face now-- legal expenses.
STEVEN DYER: Where are we going?
I have taken a room for
you, in a small hotel.
The journalists
won't find you there.
I want to see my children.
Tomorrow.
There are reporters around
your mother-in-law's house.
I have arranged somewhere
for you to join them.
Please.
Is it all right?
Ah.
Not bad.
Your phone call will be at 7:00.
The number is--
I know the number.
Oh.
Well, then I'll call for
you tomorrow morning.
9:00?
Well-- See you tomorrow then.
Yes.
[PHONE DIALING]
STEVEN DYER (ON PHONE):
Extension 425, s'il vous plait.
Dr. Junger?
Christian?
It's me, Steven.
Steven Dyer.
Steven, my dear fellow.
No, it's not Dr. Junger.
No, not Dutourd.
Poor Francois, he has the mumps.
The mumps, yes.
It's Sencini.
Giuseppe.
Do you remember me?
That's right.
Now Steven have
you been released?
When we heard what had happened,
we were shocked, absolutely.
Bye, Giuseppe.
Terrible, terrible.
Steven, would you hold
on a moment, please?
Dyer.
Steven, it's Christian.
Yes.
Yes.
I was away, now I'm back.
You know how it is-- Strasbourg,
Brussels, Washington.
Now has Giuseppe told you the
bad news about poor Francois?
His face all puff!
But Steven, there's some
very good news, too.
You'll be delighted.
It hasn't been
announced yet, but I
have information that
Schumann's will certainly
be convicted and fined heavily.
Our department will have
had its first success.
Isn't that splendid?
Yes, that's very good news.
That's really-- Christian,
what should I do now?
What?
Oh, what you should do?
Well, Steven, first, I think you
should get out of Switzerland.
I gather things may
not go so well for you,
if there's a trial.
Don't worry about
the bail money.
We are prepared to
forget about that.
I know I didn't.
Steven, it was because
of-- you know how it is.
We are all slaves to
bureaucracy around here.
Everything takes an age.
But I intend to reimburse
your wife's family, certainly.
Oh, don't you have
a farm somewhere?
Italy?
But I can't go
back there alone.
My wife and I, we-- we
were very happy there.
And to go back without
her-- no, I don't
want to go back to prison.
Christian, I don't
think you understand.
I am in trouble.
Money.
No, it's not just
the legal expenses.
Well, the farm.
I should have been there,
seeing the work was being done.
The Italians may
take away my grant.
If they do that, I shall
lose all my capital.
But I did it for you,
Christian, for your department.
Everything I did and my wife.
You have a responsibility!
We are prepared to consider
reasonable expenses, of course.
But if you haven't made
unwise speculations,
I don't see how-- you
can hardly blame us,
if your wife was so
unstable as to-- Steven,
things have gone
very badly for you.
I'm sorry.
But I thought you
understood there were risks.
Of course, there are
risks for us, too.
If any of us would have gone
to Switzerland while we were
investigating
Schumann's, we might
have got into a lot of trouble.
But you never did, did you?
None of you.
You would never meet
me in Switzerland.
Oh my god.
Steven, you've just
being released from prison.
You are probably tired, upset.
You're not in a condition to
sensibly discuss-- it's not
a question of letting you down.
But there are
things to discuss--
options, possibilities.
It all takes time.
We cannot settle everything
in one phone call.
Steven, we acknowledge we have
a responsibility, but please,
give us a little time.
Yes.
Of course.
Yes.
I have your lawyers number.
Of course, I will.
Goodbye, Steven.
Schizer!
[MUSIC PLAYING]
It was probably good
advice he was giving you.
I have an idea the Swiss
will be happy to see you go.
They gave me your passport.
That's unusual.
I think you are an
embarrassment to them.
I'm an embarrassment
everywhere.
You know, when I
was in prison, I
often wondered how the
police knew it was me
they should arrest.
How did they get my name?
I thought about that, too.
I know Schumann's was shown
the photocopies you took.
Do you remember if you
wrote on them at all?
Maybe.
But Brussels wouldn't have
let them see my handwriting.
They wouldn't have
been that careless.
Another possibility--
Schumann's may
have got your name in Brussels.
There was a rumor.
This is what happens.
Oh, quite innocently, maybe.
A bit of gossip in the
politicians ear at the cocktail
party-- only the
politician happened to be
a consultant for Schumann's.
But only the competitions
department knew about me.
I don't think you'll
ever know for sure.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Your children, Mr. Dyer.
[CRYING]
[PHOTO SNAPPING]
Ladies and gentlemen
of the press,
thank you for
attending here today.
I now have the
pleasure to introduce
to you Mr. Steven Dyer.
[PHOTO SNAPPING]
Before I answer
your questions,
I would like to read
a short statement,
explaining the circumstances
that have brought me to London.
After I was released from
prison and returned to Italy,
I found that the loans
and grants for my farm
had to be renegotiated.
The attitude of officials
was no longer friendly.
As you know,
Schumann-Fougere has
enormous investments in Italy.
A year later, the
European Commission
found Schumann's guilty of
improper trading practices.
The company was fined
240,000 pounds-- a fraction
of 1% of its annual turnover.
This fine was later reduced.
At the same time, the Bale
Criminal Court found me
guilty of economic espionage.
[PHOTO SNAPPING]
After a long campaign
by my lawyers,
the European Parliament
voted unanimously
that I should be compensated
for the suffering and losses
that my services to the
Common Market had brought me.
I had, by now, lost
hundreds and thousands
of pounds trying to save
my farm in the teeth
of official opposition.
I was offered, in compensation,
only 20,000 pounds.
And to get it, I had
to sign an agreement
absolving the
European Commission
from any further
responsibility in my case.
To pay the most immediate
of my debts, I signed.
By the beginning of this year,
I was destitute and facing
further imprisonment for debt.
I resolved to leave
Italy and come
to Britain, which I have always
regarded as my true homeland.
Hey, what's wrong?
Will they let us
live in England?
Yes, of course.
Of course, they will.
Don't worry.
Daddy knows what he's doing.
[ENGINE REVVING]
But wherever I am finally
permitted to live,
I shall continue in my fight
against the Swiss government
that unjustly convicted
me of espionage
and against the European
Commission, who were only too
glad to receive the
information I supplied,
but then, when disaster
fell, like Pontius Pilate,
tried to wash their
hands of the problem.
I shall not rest until they have
admitted their responsibility
and made full restitution
to me and to my children.
Thank you.
[PHOTOS SNAPPING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
[PHONE RINGING]
Louis, that isn't very nice.
Well, it's expensive.
What can I tell you?
We don't have 10,000 tons of
vitamin C just lying around.
I know, but I had to call our
people in Scotland, in Germany.
[PHONE RINGING]
Look, if you want
it by the first,
we have to increase
capacity, over time.
And that's expensive.
Yes, sure, you
try somebody else.
But Louis, before you do it,
you better check your contract
with us, would you?
Sure, I'll hold.
He's checking.
Who?
Louis Garredo in Buenos Aires.
Ah.
Want to go for a
drink after this?
Oh, I can't.
It's Maddie's birthday.
Flown in from
London this morning.
Huh?
Birthday cake.
Yes, Louis.
fine.
Fine.
Yes, I'll see to it right away.
By the first.
Yes, OK.
Yeah.
Oh, Louis, Dieter
sends his love to you.
Dieter Weigel.
Yes, I will.
OK, Louis.
Bye, bye.
Adios.
Louis sends his love to you.
You know, I just
made the company--
[CLICKING]
$68,181.
And I made--
[CLICKING]
$43.25.
And a pat on the back.
And a pat on the back.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MADELEINE DYER:
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
Hello, daddy.
Hello, daddy.
FEMALE SPEAKER:
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
What do you want, darling?
[FRENCH]
What's going on?
(SINGING) Happy
birthday to you.
MADELEINE DYER: Wow!
(SINGING) Happy
birthday to you.
MADELEINE DYER: Super.
(SINGING) Happy birthday, dear
Maddie, happy birthday to you!
Thank you.
Oh, Steven.
[FRENCH]
Bonsoir, mama.
Bonsoir, Steven.
STEVEN DYER: What have
you got to tell mommy?
You've got to blow out
all the candles, mommy.
26!
26!
26!
What a cake.
Fornum & Masons, Piccadilly.
Right.
One, two--
[PHONE RINGING]
Damn.
[PHONE RINGING]
Go on, blow them out.
One, two--
[PHONE RINGING]
PIERRE: How do you
like the cake, mommy?
Hello, Dyer.
Yes.
Yes, Steven Dyer.
SON: Can I have the
first piece, mommy?
MADELEINE DYER: No.
The first slice is for grandma.
GRANDMA: [SPEAKING FRENCH]
Uh-- yes, I did.
Um-- can you hold on just
for one moment, please?
MADELEINE DYER: You're not
supposed to tell anybody.
I'll take it in the bedroom.
OK.
Oh, this is marzipan.
Mm.
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
Well, that's very kind.
Uh-- yes.
Yes, of course.
When were you thinking of?
Saturday.
Yes, Saturday's fine.
But how long would it take?
Well, could I be back
in Bale the same day?
Only my wife and-- oh, I see.
Right.
Yes.
No problem.
Right.
Goodbye.
Have a piece of cake.
It's delicious.
Thank you.
Who was on the phone?
Uh-- business.
I'll be out of town on Saturday.
Probably won't be
back 'til late.
- Saturday?
- Yes.
You haven't put it down.
What name?
Why do you need
to put it down?
I can remember it.
Still, you might forget.
What time are you meeting?
Where are you meeting?
Uh-- look, for
God's sake, you're not
my bloody secretary anymore.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Madeleine.
[PLANE TAKING OFF]
Just put that sign away.
Mr. Dyer?
Yes.
Now just put that
damn sign down.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[PHONE RINGING]
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
Hm.
[PHONE RINGING]
Entre, s'il vous plait.
Oh.
Mr. Dyer, welcome to Brussels.
I was promised--
guaranteed-- absolute secrecy.
I arrive at the airport, there's
some idiot standing there
and he's holding a
sign with my name on it
and the initials of the company.
Anyone can see it!
But how else were
we to contact you?
I should never have
come here, if I'd known.
After all, Mr. Dyer, we're
only dealing with the company
here, not a government,
not the KGB.
And what the hell are these?
Oh, they're for interpreters.
We won't need them as I think
we all speak English here.
Ah, Mr. Dyer.
Bronson?
[WHISPERING]
What?
[WHISPERING]
Oh, Mr. Dyer,
that's unfortunate.
I deeply regret--
I was promised
complete discretion.
And you are going
to get it from now on.
My word of honor.
I'm not sure.
I'm not sure at all.
Mr. Dyer, please.
This was only an accident.
We are very well aware
of your position.
And we respect the great courage
you have shown in coming here.
We do, sincerely.
Well--
I'm Christian Junger, Head
of the Competitions Department.
We spoke on the phone.
Oh, yes, of course.
Hello.
Hello.
My assistants-- Mr.
Detur, Mr. Henze.
[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
Hello.
Hello.
Now let's start afresh, huh?
Bronson, Otto, Mr. Dyer.
Would you like some
coffee, Mr. Dyer?
Yes.
Yes, I would.
Thank you.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
Yes.
Mr. Dyer.
Thank you.
You have brought some
papers to show us, Mr. Dyer?
No.
I wasn't asked to.
You said they were
available to you.
I can get hold of them.
It's all except last
year's contract.
They won't be filed
until September.
And I should have left
Schumann's by then.
- Left Schumann's?
- Yes.
I'm going into
business for myself.
Is it absolutely
necessary for you to leave
Schumann's before September?
Not absolutely.
Well, for us, it's
important to have the record
as up to date as possible.
Yes, I do see that.
Only I wanted to take a
holiday, you see, before I--
Oh, oh, gentlemen, I think we
are getting ahead of ourselves.
These are all matters we
can discuss as they come up.
Shall we?
Purely for my own reference.
Mr. Dyer, I promise you this
tape will not leave my office.
Nothing that is said here
will go beyond the four of us,
not even that we are meeting.
All right.
Except you have
a wife, I think.
I suppose she knows.
I-- no.
She gets too upset.
And I have-- I have to be
careful what I tell Madeleine.
So just us four.
Mr. Dyer, you work
at the head office
of Schumann-Fougere the
pharmaceutical group
in Bale, Switzerland?
STEVEN DYER: Yes.
CHRISTIAN JUNGER: What
is your present position?
STEVEN DYER: My title is World
Manager with both vitamins
and chemical products.
CHRISTIAN JUNGER: So you have a
complete overview of Schumann's
international activities?
STEVEN DYER: Well,
I know most about
my own particular territory.
But, oh, yes.
I have a pretty good idea
of what they're up to all
over the world.
Sir?
Sir, would you like
something to drink.
Yes, I would.
I deserve one.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[MACHINES WORKING]
[LIQUID PUMPING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Hey, Steven!
[LAUGHING]
She was champion of
downhill at [INAUDIBLE].
STEVEN DYER: My.
DIETER WEIGEL: Think
you can catch her?
STEVEN DYER: You bet.
DIETER WEIGEL: Oh, we'll see.
STEVEN DYER: After you.
DIETER WEIGEL: OK!
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Oh.
Oh, shit.
Movie it about.
It's all right.
It's nothing.
This never happened
to me before.
Never.
Remarkable.
It's happened to
me dozens of times.
There.
Thank you.
The bloody piece is so chopped
up, I didn't have a child.
It was an act of God, Steven.
No question.
Steven?
There's a rumor you're thinking
of leaving the company.
Oh, well, everybody knows
everybody's business.
You should know that by now.
It's not true, of course.
I hope it isn't, for your sake.
How much is your salary now?
Not bad, is it?
And good pension, too.
Regular increases on both,
a fantastic health program,
free education for the kids--
the best-- and so many little
treats.
Look around you, Steven.
You think we could afford
a place like this, if we
didn't work for the company?
La Deutsche Vita, courtesy
of Schumann-Fougere.
Well, I'm not so grateful.
You give Schumann's your
life, you can afford
to use a ski lodge at weekends.
I don't think that's
fair exchange.
You're really getting out?
You'd be the first I'd
heard of, voluntarily.
Oh, I'm just tired of working
for other people, Dieter.
I want to be my own--
Your own what?
There's this
opportunity in Italy.
A pig farm.
Oh, come on.
It's not so damn funny.
I've gone into it, Dieter.
It's totally viable.
I could be clearing
half a billion
lira in three or four years.
How the hell are you
going to pay for it?
A commercial farm!
Jesus, that costs money.
STEVEN DYER: It's taken care of.
Don't worry.
But you're not a
pig farmer, Steven.
You're a damn good
international salesman.
That must be why they've kept
me sitting on my ass in Bale
for three bloody years.
- But they value you.
You know that.
They--
Then why didn't I
get the Mexico job?
That was just bad luck.
And they offered you Nicaragua.
Nicaragua.
DIETER FIGO: Or Manila.
STEVEN DYER: Look, Dieter,
I'm not a bloody Swiss,
I'm not a bloody German,
I'm not in the magic circle,
so I've gone as far as
I can go at Schumann's.
What does Maddie
think about it?
Italy, farming.
Oh, I haven't told her yet.
But I intend to.
Soon.
Steven!
I'm going to tell her.
Of course, I am.
Dieter, she loves Italy.
She's going to be delighted.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Maddie!
Maddie!
Maddie!
[DOOR SLAMMING]
Maddie, don't be silly.
Daddy?
It's OK, it's OK.
Go on.
Go and play.
Go and watch television.
Go on.
Come on.
Go and watch television.
[CRYING]
Maddie, come on.
For Christ's sake!
It's all right.
Mommy's not feeling very well.
Come on, let's play.
Come on.
What should we play?
(IN UNISON) Chinese checkers.
Chinese checkers?
It's a board game.
Come on, then.
Give us it.
Come on.
I'll be yellow.
- All right.
All right?
I'll be blue.
I'll be red.
There is no red.
[GLASS BREAKING]
Maddie?
Why didn't you tell me?
But I am telling you.
We won't have to
leave for months.
You have no right!
No right!
I'm sorry.
I am sorry.
Italy.
But you like Italy.
You always say--
And the children?
Oh, they'll be fine.
There are schools there.
There are good schools there.
Trust me, Maddie.
Please, huh?
They'll be fine.
What have you--
Nothing.
The glass broke.
I was drinking some water.
Oh, it's not so
bad as it looks.
There.
How could you do this?
We said we didn't want to
stay in Bale forever, didn't we?
But--
But we did talk about that.
But you're doing so
well at Schumann's.
And I was proud of
you working there.
Proud?
Schumann's?
If only you knew.
You've got to stop being
just a good, little
Swiss girl, Maddie.
The world's much
bigger than Schumann's,
or Bale, or Switzerland.
Look, I'm sorry,
but we-- we have
a chance to live for ourselves
and make real money--
a fortune.
But pigs?
My god.
Look, as soon as you see
the farm, you'll understand.
It'll be fantastic.
I'm going to buy everything
new-- new house, new buildings,
tractors, everything.
How can we afford that?
Oh, it's taken care of.
Please, don't worry.
And what do I tell mamma?
Huh.
Uh-- tell her, her daughter
is going to be a millionairess
and her grandchildren are
going to inherit a fortune.
She'll love that.
You know, I thought it would be
such a nice surprise for you.
I really did.
I don't like surprises.
Let's have a look.
There's just a scratch.
I would have told you sooner,
but there were so many details,
and meetings, and-- well, I--
I just thought I shouldn't
tell you 'til it was certain.
And buying land--
you've got no idea.
That's why all those
phone calls and going away?
Yes.
Yes, that's it.
And that's all it was.
Never do this
again to me, please.
Never.
I won't.
I promise you.
A pigs farmer's wife, huh?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Hello, Steven!
[PAPERS FALLING]
Oh!
Don't you have a
girl to do this?
Oh.
Well, she's gone home.
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
Don't work too hard.
Auf Wiedersehen, Steven.
Auf Wiedersehen.
Yes, yes.
Yes, all of them.
No, no problem.
Uh-- well, I don't know.
Can't you come to Switzerland?
Steven?
Uh-- well, I see.
I'm taking my wife to
the farm next weekend.
We'll be parked by the land.
Perhaps-- wait,
what did you say?
Yes.
Thank you.
Yes, I'll do that.
Yes, that's fine.
OK.
Yes.
Bye, bye.
Was that about the farm?
Yes.
Yes, it was.
Then why do have
to act like that?
I know about it now.
It's not a secret.
I know.
It's a stupid habit.
Forgive me?
I'm sorry.
What did they want?
On the phone.
Oh, the man who's selling the
farm, he wants to talk to me.
I have to sign a
couple of papers.
Would you mind if
we stopped in Milan
for an hour or so next weekend?
- No.
- You can do some shopping.
You would like
that, wouldn't you?
How much can I spend?
[LAUGHING]
Oh, Steven.
What?
I don't know.
It's silly.
It doesn't matter.
Just hold me.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Well, I don't know.
But you can see
what's going on?
What I can see, what you can
see doesn't matter, Mr. Dyer.
All that matters is, do these
documents you've brought
us have a clear and unambiguous
proof of a general conspiracy
among vitamin manufacturers?
I don't think they do.
Nor do I.
Another thing, Mr. Dyer,
all these companies--
well, it involves half a
dozen separate countries.
But you have jurisdiction
in all of them.
We have to live
with all of them, too.
You're afraid to take them on?
Not at all, but there
are practicalities.
Limitations.
The department has never
before proceeded against
a multi-national industry.
We can't undertake our
first case without a very
strong probability of success.
Don't you see that?
Then what's the
point of me being here?
And where the hell is Junger?
- Wait, Mr. Dyer.
Please.
Order some coffee, Giuseppe.
Now Mr. Dyer, why don't we
try and approach the problem
from another direction?
Why don't we focus
our attentions?
On what?
Well, for the time being,
on just your company,
for instance, on
Schumann's, about which
we know so much more than
the others, thanks to you.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
Contracts that bind
customers to Schumann's
and make it hard for them
to buy vitamins elsewhere.
Illegal.
Contracts,
specifically designed
by Schumann's to
prevent competition
from other manufacturers.
Illegal.
You're sure of that?
Abuse of a dominant position.
Outlawed by Article 86
of the Treaty of Rome.
To which the Swiss
are not signatories.
And Schumann is a Swiss company.
The Swiss signed a trade
pact with the community.
Article 23-- the following are
incompatible with the proper
functioning of the agreement:
Clause II, abuse by one or more
of the undertakings
of a dominant position
in the territories of
the contracting parties.
We can establish
determinate position.
For instance, vitamin
C-- more than 60%.
Vitamin H-- 93%.
Or we can show how Schumann's
contracts abuse that position.
We have a case.
[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
Yes.
Yes, I think we do.
You see, Mr. Dyer, we-- we all
want this to succeed very much,
but I have to play the
devil's advocate, too.
Schumann will bring the
best against us, of course.
We can't afford to
be caught unprepared.
We need more documentation--
letters, memos, contracts.
We'll get them
direct from Schumann.
With what we've got now, we
can probably get authorization
to go to the company's
offices in our countries
and demand anything
else we want.
What is it, Mr. Dyer?
Well, you won't
go to their offices
before I leave, will you?
My poor friend, what
do you take us for?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Another one?
Uh-- no, I better not.
My wife will be waiting for me.
Oh, pity.
You see, I was hoping
to ask you-- informally.
Off the record, as it were.
Yes?
Well, what exactly
was the reason
that first brought you to us?
I don't mean the
immediate reason.
We know that, but
the deeper motives?
It interests me.
It interests all of us.
Well, for instance someone--
not me, of course, but shall
we call him an
unfriendly observer--
he might suspect that it was
because of some disappointment
you had with your career
or with your company.
No.
No, that's quite untrue.
My career at Schumann's
has been very successful.
I have no feelings
of disappointment.
As you say.
Then what was the motive?
Well, you see, Mr. Dutourd--
Oh, please.
Francois.
Thank you.
Steven.
You see, Francois,
there have been two
great influences in my life.
Two great influences?
Yes.
One was the years I spent
working for Schumann's
in the third world, just to
see how the high cost of drugs
hurt those poor people.
That was an
influence, certainly.
And, uh-- what
was the other one?
Cricket.
Cricket?
Yes.
Oh, you-- you mean
the game, cricket?
Yes.
I'm not joking.
The straight bat, the
cry of, well played, sir,
from an opponent, walking
away from your crease
without waiting for the
umpire to dismiss you.
Look, Francois, to
understand us English,
you must first
understand cricket.
You know, I've always
enjoyed teaching foreigners
the rules of cricket.
May I show you?
Well--
Look, let's
pretend these glasses
are the wickets, all right?
Here's one wicket,
here's the other.
Now we need a bowler.
[TAPPING]
The bowler, all right?
Now-- now remember, there
are six balls to every over.
I--
STEVEN DYER: Now the bowler--
I think you said your
wife is waiting for you.
So she is.
Another time.
I shall look forward
to it, eagerly.
So Steven, was it sense of
fair play that led you to us?
When I was 40 years
old, what had I ever
done but represent Schumann's
and its dirty deals,
it was time to make a stand.
Play my straight bat.
Well--
Well, thank you,
again, Steven.
I wish there were
many more like you.
Even a couple.
If we need any more help--
Well, you've got my number.
And in Italy?
- Yes.
Good.
We got everything
out of him we could?
I think so.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
- Hello.
- Hello.
All right?
- Yeah.
- Buy anything nice?
- Yes.
And expensive, too.
Was that the man from the farm?
Yes.
I would have liked
to have met him.
Well, he's not a
very interesting man.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[CLEARING THROAT]
So here's to the
death of a salesman,
the birth of a pig farmer.
Thank you, Dieter.
I know a good joke
about a pig farmer.
Yeah, please.
Steven, we're
going to miss you.
Oh, come on now.
Look, we're not
going to Australia,
just a few hours down the road.
It's all right
for you, Steven,
but poor Madeleine,
stuck out in the fields.
What's she going
to do with herself?
Poor Madeleine wants to do
this just as much as I do.
Yes, of course, I do.
[LAUGHING]
Herr Direktor this
is a great honor.
Well, Steven, to
the one that got away.
Herr Direktor, my wife.
[CRYING]
I'm sorry.
No.
My dear girl.
She's a sensible girl.
She knows there's no life
after Schumann-Fougere.
Our family, our
company, [GERMAN].
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Hey!
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
Can I take a copy of this?
Yeah.
Here.
[CRICKETS CHIRPING]
Home in an hour or so.
It's not our home anymore.
There you go.
How are you?
(SINGING) Deck the walls
with boughs of holly,
fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.
'Tis the season to be
jolly, fa-la-la-la-la--
Passport.
[CRYING]
Oh, darling.
Come on, Pierre, be a big boy.
Here.
What the hell
is he playing at?
Oh, Maddie, you shouldn't
have to bribe him.
Well, he's been so good.
And it's almost Christmas Eve.
I know.
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
What's it about?
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
What?
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
Hi, [ITALIAN].
You shouldn't have
talked to him like
that, you'll make him angry.
Well, he's just a
peasant in uniform.
You know, as soon
as your back here,
you become 100% Swiss again.
Yes, sir.
No, sir.
You know, Maddie, it would
have done you good to have
lived in England for a bit.
And there, we have a healthy
disrespect for authority.
A healthy disrespect.
Get out.
What?
Get out, per favore.
Good morning, senor Dyer.
Yes.
Good morning.
What is going on?
You must stay
here for a while.
What for?
There are some men
who want to talk to you.
About what?
And which men?
They are not here yet.
Well, how long
have I got to wait?
They are coming from Lugano.
What about my family?
The children are tired.
They are free to go.
There.
- Look, you know me--
- Certainly.
And I come through
here all the time.
Certainly.
Can't we settle this now?
I'll come back
whenever you want.
No.
You must stay here.
I don't know.
Some mix up.
Probably it's the number plates.
I was supposed to change them
to Italian, but I don't know.
All right.
Take the children to mamma's.
No.
Yes.
Just go to mamma's,
wait there, I'll
phone as soon as
I've finished here,
and you can come and pick me up.
Mon dieu.
[GROANING]
[CAR STARTING]
Getting cold?
There's some hot coffee inside.
This way.
Inside, please.
Steven Dyer?
Yes.
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
Look, what is going on?
[ITALIAN]
I want to telephone my wife.
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
You may speak English.
Well, what the
hell is going on?
I am a British citizen.
You have no right and I
demand to speak to a lawyer.
- Please, sit down.
- No.
What is this about?
Sit down, please.
You can't arrest me
without telling me why.
But you have
not been arrested,
you're only being held
for interrogation.
Please.
I'm Commissioner
Moser of the Federal
Police, political branch.
This is Commissioner Ehrll.
What is this?
You are Steven Dyer?
Yes.
Of course, I am.
I must telephone my wife.
She doesn't know where I am.
She'd be very worried
and she gets upset.
Please, answer
only my question.
No!
But I must make calls
to my wife and a lawyer.
I must.
Mr. Dyer, it's Christmas Eve.
You have a family,
we have families.
If we can get
through this quickly,
we can all go home
for Christmas perhaps.
All right?
Please.
How long were you an employee
of the firm Schumann-Fougere?
Did you understand the question?
Yes.
Please, answer it.
STEVEN DYER: About 10 years.
10 years?
STEVEN DYER: Yes.
You worked in the
international contracts
department?
Towards the end.
I have a niece who
worked in that department.
Perhaps it was before your time.
Her name is Gabby Heller.
I don't remember her.
Of course, it's
a large department.
STEVEN DYER: Yes.
And her job was
quite a minor one.
At what point during your
time at Schumann's did
you first decide
to commit espionage
against your employer?
Yes?
I don't understand.
What don't you
understand, Mr. Dyer?
Did you or did you not pass
secret documents belonging
to the firm of Schumann-Fougere
to an individual not employed
by that firm and not
resident in Switzerland,
specifically to a
man named Francois
Dutourd, a French
national, currently
a resident in Belgian?
Be very careful how
you answer, Mr. Dyer.
This is fantastic.
You've got it completely wrong.
All right.
I'll explain and you'll see,
you've got it very wrong.
Francois Dutourd works
in the Competitions
Department of the European
Commission in Brussels.
And his boss is or was-- I don't
know-- a man called Junger.
Dr. Christian Junger,
a West German national,
also resident in Belgium.
Yes, that's right.
Now the Competitions Department
investigates unfair trading
practices by
companies based in any
of the Common Market countries.
I don't know if you're
aware, Schumann's
is currently being investigated
by the Competitions Department.
I mean, I expect it's been
in the newspapers here.
But the Common Market
accused Schumann's
of exploiting their
dominate position
in the supply of vitamins.
And they base their case on
documents in their possession
which shows that Schumann's
has been doing this.
Now I am the person who supplied
Brussels with those documents
and copies of
contracts Schumann's
signed with their customers.
I gave them all to
Francois Dutourd.
So, you see, you are really
barking up the wrong tree.
In fact, we are all on the
same side of the fence,
bringing villains to justice.
Well, I'm happy to
have cleared this up.
And I shan't be
making any complaints.
It's been very
inconvenient for me, this.
Sit down.
All this is of no
interest to me.
Please.
Do you admit that
you passed documents
belonging to Schumann-Fougere
to an individual--
Yeah, but I explained.
Yes or no?
Yes, for reasons that--
Yes.
What was the nature
of these documents?
I've told you.
They were contracts with illegal
clauses, offering rebates--
They were business
contracts that you
understood Schumann's would want
and expect to remain secret.
Well, since they were
illegal, obviously--
You understood they
were secret, yes or no?
Yes.
COMMISSIONER MOSER:
And you took them
and gave them to a third party?
Yes.
So this is espionage.
No.
You can't say that.
It isn't true.
COMMISSIONER EHRILL:
What isn't true?
Well, I-- I'm not a spy.
I'm on the side of the law.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Mr. Dyer, when you stole
the documents from Schumann--
I didn't steal.
I exposed them.
How much were you
paid for this service?
Nothing.
You were offered employment
with the European Commission?
No.
Then what was your
motive for doing it?
I've told you-- I
felt it was right.
It was the right thing to do.
Is it not true that your
main motive was really
to embarrass your employer?
No.
You were a troublemaker,
Mr. Dyer, weren't you?
And for this reason, you weren't
promoted as fast as you would
like, so you thought
you would get
your own back on the company.
That's how it was, wasn't it?
Not true.
Do you deny making statements
attacking the company,
complaining of its
treatment of you?
Statements to who?
To Dieter Weigel.
You know Dieter Wiegel?
You spoke to him
of your resentments
against the company.
You were angered that
they didn't make you
their chief agent in Mexico.
But Dieter is my friend.
Oh, he's a true employee
of Schumann-Fougere and a law
citizen of Switzerland,
so I think we must believe
him when he reports
that you spoke
of your hatred for the company.
And this was why you decided
to become a spy, Mr. Dyer,
wasn't it?
Not true.
Not true.
Then what possible
reasons could you have?
They are criminals.
I exposed them.
Schumann has been
convicted of no crimes
under the laws of Switzerland.
But I'm not a spy.
One moment, please.
[GERMAN]
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
COMMISSIONER MOSER: We will
continue this tomorrow.
I can go home?
COMMISSIONER MOSER:
No, you will stay here.
I want to use the telephone.
COMMISSIONER MOSER: You
may make one phone call.
No doubt your wife will
want to hear from you.
Yes.
And a lawyer.
I went to call a lawyer.
And I have a right.
I'm a British citizen.
And British law says I
can speak to a lawyer.
But you're not a British
citizen, you are Maltese.
I was British
for over 30 years,
then Malta got independence
and they gave me that.
But when I worked
in Venezuela, I
was an honorary British consul.
In any case, Maltese
law is still British.
Who cares?
We are not in Britain
now or in Malta.
We are in Switzerland.
COMMISSIONER MOSER: And here,
we have our own local customs.
You have not been
charged yet, therefore,
there's no need for a lawyer.
One phone call, Mr.
Dyer, to your wife.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Understand, Mr. Dyer, if
you say anything to her
about Schumann's, the
Common Market, anything,
the interview will
be terminated.
Is that clear?
She wouldn't
understand anyway.
Haven't you told
her about this?
No.
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
Happy Christmas, Maddie.
What's happening?
What?
I don't know.
Maddie, I can't tell you.
Please, don't ask.
I brought you some clothes,
and a toothbrush, and a razor.
How do I look?
Awful?
I'm sorry.
How are the children?
Oh.
What have you told them?
I just said
daddy's away on busy.
Maddie, please, don't.
Please?
Please?
[CRYING]
When will you be coming home?
Soon.
Soon.
Really soon.
I don't understand this.
What have you done?
You're sure I've
done something?
You know that?
If you haven't,
why are you here?
Maddie, I think
you'd better go.
MADELEINE DYER: What
should I tell people?
Mamma?
I don't know.
[CRYING]
My brother said we
should find you a lawyer.
Should I?
Yes.
Yes, do, please.
I'll do anything,
only I don't understand.
Maddie, I've
done nothing wrong.
I promise you.
[CRYING]
[KNOCKING]
We're finished.
My wife should go now.
Madame Dyer?
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Mamma?
Mamma?
[GLASS CRASHING]
[BANGING]
Bonjour, Madame Dyer.
Bonjour.
S'il vous plait.
Bonjour, Madame.
Bonjour.
S'il vous plait.
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[CAR CRASHING]
[SPEAKING ITALIAN]
STEVEN DYER: The
Italian government,
they want to develop their
farming, so they offer grants.
You can check this easily.
There's no mystery.
COMMISSIONER MOSER: And
were their any other grants,
Mr. Dyer?
STEVEN DYER: I don't understand.
COMMISSIONER MOSER: Grants
from Brussels, for instance,
for services rendered?
No.
That's slander.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Madeleine?
No.
Mr. Dyer, I truly regret--
There was an accident?
No.
Well, of course there was.
There must have been.
I wish I could say
it was an accident.
Well, there's no other
way it could have happened.
You don't know Madeleine.
But how could it
have been an accident?
It's an accident.
A terrible accident.
Mr. Dyer, she--
she hanged herself.
I'm so sorry, Mr. Dyer.
Well, how could
she have killed--
[CRYING]
She killed herself!
Dear God, no!
No, no, no!
No!
No!
[CHURCH BELLS RINGING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[CRYING]
MADELEINE DYER (VOICEOVER):
Please, forgive
me for what I'm going to do.
They told me I will not see
Steven again for 20 years.
And I do not wish
to live without him.
And I don't understand.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Where are we going?
Basle.
[LAUGHING]
You, uh, want to
play a hand, Steven?
Not so good today?
You want to talk?
What are you thinking about?
I'm thinking
about my children.
As you don't know them,
it wouldn't interest you.
I don't believe it.
I sit here, day
after day, they won't
let me see a lawyer, nothing.
That's the fucking country.
I've been here six weeks.
Haven't seen a lawyer yet.
Six weeks.
For what?
One lousy joint.
If only I could
get to a phone.
There are people in
Brussels-- important people.
If they knew I was here,
I would be out in no time.
If I could just phone
them or write to them.
Let somebody else do it.
Well, there's guys
leaving here every day.
Give them these peoples' number.
They'll get in touch for you.
It's worth a shot.
PRISONER 1: Why are you
friendly to that man?
PRISONER 2: Because
he's in trouble.
He just lost his wife,
for Christ's sake.
PRISONER 1: I hear he's a spy.
PRISONER 2: What?
PRISONER 1: An enemy
of Switzerland.
A guard told me this.
PRISONER 2: He's a goddamn hero.
He turned in this
crooked company.
What do you mean, spy?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
I am Dr. Bauer.
I'm a lawyer.
Your wife talked to me about
defending you, before she--
[GASPING]
Where the hell have you been?
I've been sitting in here for--
For too long.
Please, sit down.
You see, we couldn't get
to see you until Brussels
put pressure on them.
I knew it.
Once Brussels heard, I
knew things would happen.
I am getting out now?
It's not so simple.
STEVEN DYER: What?
There's the question of bail.
The Swiss have set it
at 1 million francs.
And, well, Brussels
thinks that's too much.
Too much?
But I'm here
because of Brussels!
I'm sure the Swiss
will come down.
They're reasonable.
You won't be here much longer.
Are they treating you well here?
They fill me up with
pills to keep me quiet.
They wouldn't even
let me bury her.
Yes.
Yes, that was bad.
That was wrong.
I'm sorry.
What do you say we
go outside, Mr. Dyer?
Some fresh air?
What we'll argue is that
by signing the agreement
with the Common
Market, Switzerland
has accepted other standards
and [INAUDIBLE] those
only imposed by national law.
Will it work?
I don't know.
To assert that there
is a European code that
has precedence over
national courts of law--
that's still a
fairly new concept.
Hard to swallow.
Not just in Switzerland.
I shouldn't be facing a trial.
I shouldn't be here at all.
You know, Mr. Dyer,
as a Swiss lawyer,
I'm well aware of the
imperfections of our system,
but it is not an entirely
discreditable one.
There will be at trial.
And it will be conducted
fairly, as we see it here.
The lawyers will make the
decisions honestly, no doubt.
But you must understand that
those who have arrested you,
those who are holding you,
and those who will judge you
will all see what you've
done as a very wicked thing.
To do something that seems to
harm the interests of a firm
like Schumann-Fougere, which
has brought so much wealth
to this country-- well, it
will seem, to most Swiss,
like an attempt to push us
back to where we were once--
poor, neglected, a bit comical.
A land of mountains
and cuckoo clocks.
[LOCK CLANKING]
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
PRISONER 3: [SPEAKING GERMAN]
[SPEAKING SPANISH]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
The bail is paid--
25,000 francs.
Brussels paid?
Not exactly.
They agreed to pay, but the
check hasn't arrived yet.
Your wife's family gave me
the money, but you're out now.
[PHOTOS SNAPPING]
Come.
We must run the gauntlet.
[PHOTOS SNAPPING]
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
I don't speak German.
Mr. Dyer, Lars Bohner
for the Sunday Times--
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
There's a little confusion.
Are you a British
national, Mr. Dyer?
Yes, absolutely.
Have the British government
helped you in any--
What support have you
received from the Common Market?
No comment.
REPORTER 1: About
your wife, Mr. Dyer--
REPORTER 2: Did
you steal documents
from Schumann-Fougere?
- No!
I didn't steal, I reported.
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
Why couldn't I talk to them?
Your case still
has to be judged.
We don't want to
offend the Swiss.
And then Brussels-- we don't
want to offend them either.
Offend Brussels.
Still, you see there's a
lot of interest in your case.
And that's good for us.
Later on, maybe,
we use the press.
So how does it feel to be free?
How can Brussels
not have paid my bail?
I phoned with someone in
the commendations department.
They're very apologetic.
It was only administrative
difficulties-- paperwork.
Paperwork?
I was rotting in there.
Three months!
I've arranged for you
to phone Brussels tonight.
They're very keen
to talk to you.
We must do what we can to keep
Brussels on our side, Mr. Dyer.
There are many expenses you have
to face now-- legal expenses.
STEVEN DYER: Where are we going?
I have taken a room for
you, in a small hotel.
The journalists
won't find you there.
I want to see my children.
Tomorrow.
There are reporters around
your mother-in-law's house.
I have arranged somewhere
for you to join them.
Please.
Is it all right?
Ah.
Not bad.
Your phone call will be at 7:00.
The number is--
I know the number.
Oh.
Well, then I'll call for
you tomorrow morning.
9:00?
Well-- See you tomorrow then.
Yes.
[PHONE DIALING]
STEVEN DYER (ON PHONE):
Extension 425, s'il vous plait.
Dr. Junger?
Christian?
It's me, Steven.
Steven Dyer.
Steven, my dear fellow.
No, it's not Dr. Junger.
No, not Dutourd.
Poor Francois, he has the mumps.
The mumps, yes.
It's Sencini.
Giuseppe.
Do you remember me?
That's right.
Now Steven have
you been released?
When we heard what had happened,
we were shocked, absolutely.
Bye, Giuseppe.
Terrible, terrible.
Steven, would you hold
on a moment, please?
Dyer.
Steven, it's Christian.
Yes.
Yes.
I was away, now I'm back.
You know how it is-- Strasbourg,
Brussels, Washington.
Now has Giuseppe told you the
bad news about poor Francois?
His face all puff!
But Steven, there's some
very good news, too.
You'll be delighted.
It hasn't been
announced yet, but I
have information that
Schumann's will certainly
be convicted and fined heavily.
Our department will have
had its first success.
Isn't that splendid?
Yes, that's very good news.
That's really-- Christian,
what should I do now?
What?
Oh, what you should do?
Well, Steven, first, I think you
should get out of Switzerland.
I gather things may
not go so well for you,
if there's a trial.
Don't worry about
the bail money.
We are prepared to
forget about that.
I know I didn't.
Steven, it was because
of-- you know how it is.
We are all slaves to
bureaucracy around here.
Everything takes an age.
But I intend to reimburse
your wife's family, certainly.
Oh, don't you have
a farm somewhere?
Italy?
But I can't go
back there alone.
My wife and I, we-- we
were very happy there.
And to go back without
her-- no, I don't
want to go back to prison.
Christian, I don't
think you understand.
I am in trouble.
Money.
No, it's not just
the legal expenses.
Well, the farm.
I should have been there,
seeing the work was being done.
The Italians may
take away my grant.
If they do that, I shall
lose all my capital.
But I did it for you,
Christian, for your department.
Everything I did and my wife.
You have a responsibility!
We are prepared to consider
reasonable expenses, of course.
But if you haven't made
unwise speculations,
I don't see how-- you
can hardly blame us,
if your wife was so
unstable as to-- Steven,
things have gone
very badly for you.
I'm sorry.
But I thought you
understood there were risks.
Of course, there are
risks for us, too.
If any of us would have gone
to Switzerland while we were
investigating
Schumann's, we might
have got into a lot of trouble.
But you never did, did you?
None of you.
You would never meet
me in Switzerland.
Oh my god.
Steven, you've just
being released from prison.
You are probably tired, upset.
You're not in a condition to
sensibly discuss-- it's not
a question of letting you down.
But there are
things to discuss--
options, possibilities.
It all takes time.
We cannot settle everything
in one phone call.
Steven, we acknowledge we have
a responsibility, but please,
give us a little time.
Yes.
Of course.
Yes.
I have your lawyers number.
Of course, I will.
Goodbye, Steven.
Schizer!
[MUSIC PLAYING]
It was probably good
advice he was giving you.
I have an idea the Swiss
will be happy to see you go.
They gave me your passport.
That's unusual.
I think you are an
embarrassment to them.
I'm an embarrassment
everywhere.
You know, when I
was in prison, I
often wondered how the
police knew it was me
they should arrest.
How did they get my name?
I thought about that, too.
I know Schumann's was shown
the photocopies you took.
Do you remember if you
wrote on them at all?
Maybe.
But Brussels wouldn't have
let them see my handwriting.
They wouldn't have
been that careless.
Another possibility--
Schumann's may
have got your name in Brussels.
There was a rumor.
This is what happens.
Oh, quite innocently, maybe.
A bit of gossip in the
politicians ear at the cocktail
party-- only the
politician happened to be
a consultant for Schumann's.
But only the competitions
department knew about me.
I don't think you'll
ever know for sure.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Your children, Mr. Dyer.
[CRYING]
[PHOTO SNAPPING]
Ladies and gentlemen
of the press,
thank you for
attending here today.
I now have the
pleasure to introduce
to you Mr. Steven Dyer.
[PHOTO SNAPPING]
Before I answer
your questions,
I would like to read
a short statement,
explaining the circumstances
that have brought me to London.
After I was released from
prison and returned to Italy,
I found that the loans
and grants for my farm
had to be renegotiated.
The attitude of officials
was no longer friendly.
As you know,
Schumann-Fougere has
enormous investments in Italy.
A year later, the
European Commission
found Schumann's guilty of
improper trading practices.
The company was fined
240,000 pounds-- a fraction
of 1% of its annual turnover.
This fine was later reduced.
At the same time, the Bale
Criminal Court found me
guilty of economic espionage.
[PHOTO SNAPPING]
After a long campaign
by my lawyers,
the European Parliament
voted unanimously
that I should be compensated
for the suffering and losses
that my services to the
Common Market had brought me.
I had, by now, lost
hundreds and thousands
of pounds trying to save
my farm in the teeth
of official opposition.
I was offered, in compensation,
only 20,000 pounds.
And to get it, I had
to sign an agreement
absolving the
European Commission
from any further
responsibility in my case.
To pay the most immediate
of my debts, I signed.
By the beginning of this year,
I was destitute and facing
further imprisonment for debt.
I resolved to leave
Italy and come
to Britain, which I have always
regarded as my true homeland.
Hey, what's wrong?
Will they let us
live in England?
Yes, of course.
Of course, they will.
Don't worry.
Daddy knows what he's doing.
[ENGINE REVVING]
But wherever I am finally
permitted to live,
I shall continue in my fight
against the Swiss government
that unjustly convicted
me of espionage
and against the European
Commission, who were only too
glad to receive the
information I supplied,
but then, when disaster
fell, like Pontius Pilate,
tried to wash their
hands of the problem.
I shall not rest until they have
admitted their responsibility
and made full restitution
to me and to my children.
Thank you.
[PHOTOS SNAPPING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]