Escape to Nowhere (1973) - full transcript

ESCAPE TO NOWHERE

Welcome to England, Mr Halyakov.

As you know, nuclear fission reaction as
caused by conventional atomic reactors

will continue to need
uranium reserves.

After the first flash of optimism
in the early stadiums

research into the control of fusion energy
had been suspended.

Then, Gentlemen,
you created a sensation

by perfecting a toric machine,
the first Tokomak.

The four prototypes of which the Kurchatov
institute allowed us to admire last July.

Now in our turn we show you
the very first British model.

This is the machine which the army
is not interested in.



Thank heaven, as we say
on this side of the world.

To the Soviet Embassy.

London is a wonderful city.
Just like Leningrad.

There are good restaurants.
In Soho? And busy all night?

Contact the Embassy!

What's the trouble?
He wants to ride in the ambulance.

Are you injured?

Asks whether you are wounded.
You must go to the hospital.

The gentleman does not want to leave
his compatriot.

Then I'll take the liberty of
taking you in my car. Thank you.

Where do we go, sir?
- Do you know where St. Stephen's hospital is?

St. Stephen's hospital?! Let me see...
St. Stephen's hospital...

No, I'm afraid I don't, sir.

Do you happen to know where the Thames is?
- The Thames? Oh, I think I know where the Thames is.



- Please hurry!
- Right.

Cross Westminster Bridge, then on your
right hand side there's Lambeth Palace.

Right, sir.
From there on we'll ask our way.

Right, sir.
Come on! Certainly, sir.

Sorry, sir.

Can you hear me?

I'm sorry, gentlemen, but the patient
has suffered a cerebral haemorrhage

and cannot be disturbed.

He said he has a brain haemorrhage
and we can not see him.

I want to phone the
Soviet Embassy, immediately.

Certainly, follow me.

We are terribly sorry.
We want to see him.

Certainly.

Before the official expressions
of sympathy, I offer you mine.

Thank you.

What do you mean, "cremated"?

I don't know a thing.
I have just come on duty.

I was told he was in the crematorium.
Who gave the order?

I haven't the faintest...
I know nobody, I'm new here.

Where is the head of this hospital?
In bed. Do you know what time it is?

Where is the crematorium?
The crematorium?

I'm afraid you're too late, sir.
It's all over already quickly, you know.

I agree. There certainly is a mistake.
You should lodge a complaint, sir.

We shall demand an inquiry.
This very day.

Anyway, if you would care to
fill in the form while you are here...

Form?! What form?

Don't you wish to collect the ashes?

We're delighted to welcome you
to military intelligence.

We apologize for the somewhat
unceremonious invitation.

I'm sure you'll understand that sometimes
our operations have to be carried out

without proper regard
to the immunities.

Ted, would you be kind enough
to close that door?

Thank you.

I'm told that before I came in you
declined the whiskey, you declined a cigar.

I know you both drink and smoke.

May I appeal to you to drop this
ungracious behaviour

and at least accept
our third offer...

...which is your freedom.

Unfortunately, nothing is free any longer
in this deteriorating world.

Would you believe it, I have to pay for this cigar,
I have to pay for this 30 year old whiskey.

So you don't want to be surprised,
if I ask you for a contribution

towards the cost of your
return to the West.

It isn't just a visit,
it is a return, isn't it?

Is it not?

Oh, of course... you're not really
familiar with our language. It's normal.

Howard, would you be kind enough
to put Mr. Halyakov in the picture,

at least what we know about him.
You might read him his dosset.

Your name is Cl?ment Tib?re.
You are French.

You were born in Dijon,
on September 27th, 1924.

You did well at school,
but you left college at 18

in order to go to England and alter
your birth date in the documents

which is prohibited.

You have a job as a
"special operations executive".

Do you have the St. George Cross?

Hasn't he got the George Cross?

Please, let's continue
without further interruption.

In the "Special Operations Executive" file
it is noted that...

your qualities in observation and
intervention are excellent.

Yet you have an
extremely bad temper.

On December 9th, 1943 you lead
the operation "Palinode",

without the permission
of your boss,

but whose success earned you
the St. George Cross.

There it is! Congratulations!
Are you satisfied?

After the war you returned to France
and moved from Dijon to Paris.

There you fell in love
with a young Italian woman,

Ms. Maria Menella.

You wanted to get a profession
and marry her.

So you became a physicist.

So far no errors?!

You married in 1951.

Your son was born - Jean-Marie.

He died in 1960.

You spent in the Soviet Union.

Did you know that?

He fell off a cliff at Bell-in-en-Mer
during the month of July.

You are one of the physicists
who are looking in seawater

for the source of energy

which will remove the need of
oil, coal and nuclear power.

What makes you very interesting
in the eyes of agents of the East

is that you are world famous.

Your boss, Professor Quincy,
known worldwide, retired,

would never feel disturbed.

He was too... let's see

But you...

What did you do on that train
to Austria in October '57, huh?

You were going to participate in the International
Congress on Nuclear Fusion in Vienna.

But you didn't know that you left
in a completely different direction.

(chatting in German)

Excuse me.

- Do you have a lighter?
- Sure.

Arrival in Vienna in
about 30 minutes!

30 minutes until arrival in Vienna.

They found a corpse, mutilated
beyond recognition

somewhere on the embankment of the
railway line between Munich and Salzburg.

This provided information
given by the then press

whereby you were dead.

Not at all, fortunately.

At the eastern border
the police checked the passport

of a Soviet vionchelist,
accompanied by his wife.

The passport was fine.

16 years have passed since.
First two years in a cell.

You refused to work,
because of your character.

And then 14 years of scientific work
the Institute "Kurchatov"

where you achieved miracles.

Because of these miracles we are surprised
that the Russians took that huge risk

to send you here
with its scientific delegation.

Did you forget that you are from Dijon?

Here is the price for your freedom:

Among the British technicians
that will go to the Soviet Union tomorrow,

following the invitation of
the Kurchatov Institute,

there are some who will carry state secrets
inside their tooth brush case

or in their pen cap.

Those state secrets will remain secret
if these people surrender to the Russians.

We had two serious cases of
information leaks,

and if there's a third I will be fired

and replaced by this gentleman,
who lurks around my chair.

Mr. Tib?re, we do not know
which of these technicians

have been giving out information
for 3 years in favor of the East.

But you... you know them,

because you know who works with you.

Mr. Cl?ment Tib?re,

will you be so kind

to tell us who those men are?

No.

You don't know them?
I know them.

- Then tell us who they are.
- No.

May I ask why?
- Because I want to get back to the Soviet Union.

But this is impossible.
You are dead.

This time we keep the corpse.

I see.

If I tell you who is
working for them,

what do you think will happen?

You'll get back to France,
free, with a lot of money

with a false name...
And with a fake nose.

Because if I was gone today
and you capture those two tomorrow,

they will make the connection,
will seek me and find me...

...and kill me,
regardless of where and when!

Mr. Tib?re, please! Remain calm

- in our place.
- Keep calm?! No!

I have chosen my place, and it is
in the Soviet Union - till the end!

I now have no choice.
And I haven't for a long time.

As you know all about me,
you should know that.

I do not talk about cigars and freedom,

because with a bullet in the head
a man is not free.

You know what the KGB is, right?
You know, because you are the same.

You are the same, but in Russian version.
If I you get out of here free

you will be dead before you get
across the road outside.

I'll be dead and free,
2 meters to the west.

Even if I hide on roofs
or in the dugout

or in the remotest village
in Mexico, they will come for me.

The KGB will kill me
for edification.

This is why they permitted
that I come to the west.

They know that the best way to keep an eye
on me is that I do it myself.

We are moved by your confession.

However, I repeat
the question politely.

Are you willing to give us the names of the
English technicians who work for your lab?

The plane for Moscow
takes off tomorrow at 9 a.m.

You'd be terribly wrong if you'd
let those two spies go.

What do you hope for?

Those people up there,
although Englishmen,

have no sense of humor.
They will kill you. And them too.

We will kill you.

Because if you are of no use,

they will get angry.

If you make up your mind,
ring the bell.

Frankly, I don't care personally.
But this is your only chance.

And it is minimal, as he said.

Well.

Yes?

Keep the light switched on.

- Is that all?
- Yes.

OK.

30 minutes.

The plane takes off at 9.
After that time is ours.

What's the use of being so stubborn?

Don't be stupid!

But it's Mrs. Harding!

Last Call. Flight 123 to Moscow.

Mrs. Harding?

Would you come with us, please?
But why?

It won't take very long.
But the plane... I'm catching the plane.

Please, Mrs. Harding. Excuse me.

Mr. Jarvis, you too.
Thank you, Mr. Jarvis.

Call a doctor.

Probably it's too late.

DESTRUCTION SUBJECT H.

The rest is at the Morgan bank. The
account is on the name of Jacques Rolland.

I hope you like the name.

The papers.

Here you are.

The passport's on another name.
Just in case.

Make your choice.
Howard can give you advice.

After the war, they refined them.

This one.

I hope you are doing well.

Is there anything else
you can do for you?

Call a taxi for me.

Already done.

And, Mr. Tib?re...

Good luck!

French Embassy.

No, straight on! Straight on!

Hey, you!

Can I help you?

What are you doing here?

I'm looking for the way out.

- The way out?
- Yes.

- It's that way.
- Thank you.

Excuse me.

- Breakfast, sir?
- No, thank you.

Attention, attention!

Passengers to Amiens and Paris

to board the train 404,
first track.

Customs and passport checks
will be done en route.

Sir?

"C?te-du-Rhone" wine, please.
In a glass? Yes.

Can I use your phone?
Yes, it's downstairs.

TIBERE - bookseller

Pardon?

Yes? Who is it?

Mr... Harold Holden?

Hold on a sec.

A man from abroad is asking for you, Mr. Tib?re.
He's selling two books of Faulkner.

He can bring them then.
But he can't right now.

He suggests to meet in the hotel
he stays at, the Intercontinental.

Tell him I'll meet him.

September 17th
at Champs-Elysees theater

Wait. I want to go
to the Champs-Elysees theater.

Seat 38, madam.

Here you are.

Thank you.

POSSIBLE CONTACTS IN PARIS

RAOUL BASQUET Bookstore "TIBERE"

Mr. Holden?

I expected Mr. Tib?re

I am his successor,
Raoul Basquet.

Take a seat.

Mr. Tibere sold the bookstore to me
6 years ago. Then he died.

Did you work with him?

Yes.

Will you show me the books?

Sir?

CONTACT

BASTIEN GUICHAT

Yes? Who's there?
Cl?ment Tibere.

Good morning, Jeanne.

It'll explain it to you.
Is Bastian here?

No.

Bastian left me long time ago.

He married again.

I...

I went to the old address...

Then I found you in the phone book.
You were about to go out?

Yes, but...

Jeanne!

Can I stay here?

Why not contact the police,

and... how to say...
the Secret Service.

All of these things...
supposed to protect you.

These things, as you call it...
They know them better than me.

There was was an Englishman
in the Soviet Union.

His name was Robinson,
he was a biologist.

He had been kidnapped, like me.

He escaped from Moscow
with an Italian soccer team.

I don't know how they did it,
but what is heard is

that Scotland Yard had been hiding him for two years
in a prison in Chelsea, so that he'll be forgotten.

And at the end of the second year
he was found strangled in his cell.

Nobody complained, because everyone
works for the Russians. Everyone!

Bastian had a friend
at the police.

No, Jeanne! No way!

He was very unhappy with his life.
Bastian?

You were his best friend.
I barely knew him.

Give me this.

Don't you have parents?
The bookstore...

My father sold the bookstore
and then died.

Will you go to Grenoble?

Grenoble...

16 years... a lifetime...

Nothing has changed
since Michelle left.

After she left, I was all alone.

She's dead.
(the woman on the poster)

I only give you a blanket,
it's warm in here.

How old is she?
- 25.

Almost graduated in medicine,
already married.

I'm a grandmother.

Jeanne, I want to tell you...
What can I say?

I guess you have everything you need.
Yes, thank you.

Jeanne!

Jeanne?

Is he here yet?
When I left, he was still sleeping.

Sit down.
I'll go and look for him.

This gentleman is from the NAS -
special forces for...

In the morning I went to a friend
of Basten and he sent me to him.

Mr. Chat... He said Chat.
Mr. Cl?ment Tibere.

I told you not to do this.

I know, but it did.

I bought your shirt. Blue color.

You don't believe me?
This is not the point.

Things did not depend
only on the two of us.

He means that he believes you.
You should go together in...

management.
There are some issues...

What?

He wants to say that an investigation...
Stop translating!

After 16 years
I still get every sentence!

Jeanne...

I am surprised that you returned here.
First they look for you in your home.

I think they're looking for me everywhere.

So I prefer to die at home
...at first I thought so.

But yesterday something happened.

Maybe I found a way to make a deal.

See, if they get some of their own men
back, for example, one important spy,

in return they can leave me
in peace, right?

Am I right?

Yes, but before you go back, the other
one should go. And who is he?

Talk to me, I want to help you.

Do you trust me? In everything.

Well, let's go.

Cl?ment, will you come back?

Where's the car?
It is around the corner.

Pick up the car and
come back to the door.

You don't want to take the
passage through the sewer, do you?

Relax.

Look out!

Don't you see I want to park the car?
Pull up!

Get off the car.

Get out of the car.

- Swap the car.
- What?

You will get into mine.
Do what I say.

Come on.

Get in, sir.

Get in!

Did you know
that one of your headlights is not lit?

No, but I live not far from here.

Pull over there to the right, please.

What a job!

CRAZY CAR
DRIVING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION

Look, not even the glass is broken.

The Security Office has taken care of your
man of the red taxi.

That night in Paris.
Dropped from 5th floor of the hotel.

A Pole. Sold check books,
stolen from a dispensary.

Does that tell you anything? No.

You will be in Paris in 23 hours. Someone
from the NSS will wait on the platform.

What I can do
is to take your driver's license.

He spoke with your colleague about
the exchange with a man.

An exchange with whom?
I do not know.

If they can catch an Russian agent,
they can swap him for his freedom.

I did not understand really.
Don't you want to sit down?

Sorry.

Ma'am?

- Ms. Berger?
- No.

Sorry.

Do you want?

I'll bring it on Tuesday.

OK, until then.

- Here.
- But I don't have change.

Me, too. Don't bother. Thank you.
We agreed on 150.

Would you like to waste them?
Where are you going?

Please, don't ask any questions now.

I'm not a wanted criminal,
in case you want to know.

- Are you in trouble?
- Yes.

I could leave later.
Where are you going?

I don't know.

Here you are. A coffee?
No, I'm finished.

Do you have a sheet of paper?
I'm going to ask.

I did not know. Never.

Life is over, Maria.
And it is never to return.

At least for me.
I'm not sharing time with you anymore.

But after everything that happened,
surely you have heard about me.

Probably the police
is coming to your house.

Probably they took the surprise for a lie.

Or are you dead?

I'm finally on my way.

I even decided to stay here until the end

until they come to kill me.

The hope for the exchange at the
concert on September 17th,

...it's too far.
And I even have no proof.

But yesterday I read in the newspaper that
the conductor will be in Geneva tomorrow.

I'll try my last chance,
although I have no hope.

GRENOBLE

In our next program you will hear

a concert of the orchestra
Suisse Romande,

virtuously directed by
Boris Korodine,

live from our studios in Geneva.

The concert will begin at 20:30
and will continue until 21:35.

At 21:40 Franny Fletcher
will present us...

You did that many times, didn't you?

This will take at least two hours.
That's not possible!

One hour to find the spare part in Grenoble
and another for lunch break.

If we ever find the part.

While waiting, I'll eat something.

However, do your best.
Rely on me.

Get Simko and hurry up.
Yes, boss.

As always?

Can I use your phone?
Yes, in the office, Mr. Griya.

Please, some bread.

I've been knowing this...

for two days.

The police came to the house...

How did you find me?

Dr. Griya, he saw you in the car repair
shop across the street and called me.

Something for the lady?

No, thanks.

You don't live in Monflyori anymore?

You know... Jeanne-Marie...

Yes, I know.

You are... you are married?

You married again?
How do you know?

I stayed in your bedroom this morning.

The police gave me
a phone number for you.

You can call, Cl?ment.

It's for your life.

Is it true what they say?
What do they say?

While you were there...

He was very...

Eventually married him.

Then our child was born and...

But now I don't know what to do.
Nothing.

There's nothing to do.

I wanted to tell you in a letter.
When?

Yesterday.

But then you came here.

Nothing to do, Marie.

You go on with your life
as before.

This is...

This is your life.

I will go on... And you?

I'll be fine.

I've grown old, right? Recognized me?
Oh, yes.

The gentleman doesn't want the coffee?

- He left.
- He left?

Here's the bill.

I'll pay it.

Can you drive?

Come, I want to sleep.

Give me that.

Good day, sir. Papers, please.

Thank you, you can go.

TELEVISION SUISSE ROMANDE

Now, live from Geneva,

a concert for violin and orchestra
by Johann Sebastian Bach,

conducted by Boris Korodine,

with violinist Tanya Weber.

Start in 5 seconds.

Sir, what do you want?

Sir!

How long will the concert be?
About an hour. Why?

I came to see Mr. Korodine.
You have to wait until it's finished.

I prefer to wait at the hotel.
You don't happen to know where he stays at?

(asking the woman) Do you know?
In the "President" hotel, as always.

Thank you.

Where's the phone? Right there.

Suite 305, Mr. Korodine.

Suite 305 - and you are Mr. Korodine or want to call him?
- Mr. Korodine.

It's 842.
Connecting you. Second cabin.

10 minutes talking on the phone
but I'm not allowed to be late!

Miss?

I can not open the door.
Which apartment?

- 842.
- Now you'll see.

No wonder, because your key is for 833.
I will open the door with mine.

Here you go. Good night.
Good night.

I'll bring you the key.
Thank you.

Wear your glasses. This is the key
for 833, not 842.

Strange!

Currently, the man from 842 is conducting
a concert of Bach on the radio.

I opened the door for him.
You opened the door for him?

Now you will hear "The Age of the Baroque",

a broadcasting collaboration
from Zurich, Berlin and Rome,

presented by Francis Fletcher.

KGB ORDERED
IMMEDIATELY LIQUIDATE H13

MOVING BLUE FIAT JK 64221

This is a sheet of Jeanne Rolland.

Here, see for yourself.

He must be in the room.

LAUNDRY

NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY

I sent copies to decipher.
But what's the decoding?

It was put in an envelope and sent by mail.

He said the 20 conductor transmitted
information scores, like these.

The Concorde plans may
have gone beyond that.

24 beats.

- So he says.
- Crazy man.

Don't smoke in here, please.
Do you know where?

He says he will keep cover,
hold on until the conductor is caught.

If they arrest Korodine,
the Russians must agree to the exchange.

- What is this?
- Nothing.

The paper is Austrian
and this is the watermark.

Did you ask London about him?
Sure. They haven't heard of him.

When is the Korodine's concert?
Today at 3 c'clock.

The gentleman is from the insurance company.
He wants to see where the car was opened.

What about the dog?
They couldn't find it.

Why not just come to tell us:

"Ransack Korodine's luggage
and arrest him!"

Instead we send letters?
Would you believe him?

He has no faith to anyone.

Nothing.

Three o'clock. Aren't you hungry?
Yes. No.

Finished. Nothing. We tried everything.

What I noticed is
music scores that are inconsistent...

Where it should be white,
notes were black.

But this is not relevant.
How is it not?

The Sigma Laboratory is busy.
Release them!

In the cars! Immediately!

They knew that Korodine was lost,
so they didn't kill Tib?re.

The exchange took place on
November 15th, 5:10 a.m.

in the mountains near Neunkirchen,
at the Austrian border.

Maria got to know about it from the press,

but never heard anything else anymore
about Cl?ment Tibere.

And even if she heard from him
she wouldn't share with anyone.