Charlie's Angels (1976–1981): Season 1, Episode 16 - Dirty Business - full transcript

CHARLIE:
Once upon a time,

there were three little girls
who went to the police academy.

And they were each assigned
very hazardous duties.

But I took them away
from all that,

and now they work for me.
My name is Charlie.

[DRILL OPERATING]

[RUSTLING AND RATTLING]

Hey, what's going on--?!

[TIRES SQUEALING]

Phalaenopsis Amabilisuperb!

Marvin, always so thoughtful,
so generous.



A filmmaker,
a regular Walt Disney.

But Gus, his papa,
he should rest in peace,

he was a real shtarker!

He was run down by a beer truck.

Did Marvin tell you?

He did say you were widowed,
Mrs. Goldman.

Gus almost survived the crash.

If only the truck
had been empty.

Such a shtarker!

After my stroke,
Marvin built me this, my refuge.

My salvation.

Such a boy.

Mama likes flowers.

Did he tell you he was
threatened last week?



No, he didn't.

Twice he was threatened.

How were you threatened,
Mr. Goldman?

Call him Marvin.

Phone calls, it meant nothing.

It meant nothing, heh.

Last night they almost
cooked him to a crisp.

And he still wouldn't
let me call professional help.

I called the insurance company.

They called the police.

And what else is there to do?

How can they help?

How can they hurt?

Angels, I've made arrangements
for one of you

to talk to a technician
at the police lab.

I'll get on it right away,
Charlie.

In the meantime, we're still
wondering why Mr. Goldman

was so reluctant to have
his mother hire us.

I did some checking on Mr.
Goldman's business affairs.

Call him Marvin.

Yes, well Marvin has several
silent partners.

Maybe they can give you an
angle, about his, uh,

his reluctance.

We'll check them out, Charlie.

Charlie, whoever broke
into Marvin's lab

went for the film
storage room specifically.

Luckily it was airtight
and Marvin got the door shut

and smothered the flames.

So, whatever this is all about,
Charlie, it must have something

to do with a piece of that film.

Which means we're going
to have to look at all of it.

All of it?

All of it.

Good thinking. I'd pursue that.

Oh, by the way, Charlie,
how's Millicent?

Not feeling too well,
I'm afraid, Jill.

She's still belly up.

Gloria's with her now.

KELLY:
Oh, who's Gloria?

An ichthyologist I've summoned.

Very bright lady.

We'll say a prayer for Gloria.

You mean Millicent.

Her too. Bye, Charlie.

Miss Munroe?
Yes?

Paul Baylor.

Our Deputy District Attorney?
Hi.

You were in there
asking questions

about the fire
in the Goldman lab.

Well, my boss made arrangements.

Your boss?

Charles Townsend.

The Townsend Agency.

I'm not used
to private detectives

getting involved in my cases,

Oh, you have a case,
I mean someone to prosecute?

No, uh, what I've got
is an anonymous phone call,

about a week ago.

I'm not following you.

The caller said that
the Goldman lab

was worth watching.

For what?

Well, that he didn't say

and I've been playing it by ear.

And then when I heard that you
were here asking questions--

You thought I might
have some information.

Well, maybe I was hoping.

Anyway, you're here,
and if the left hand

knew what the right hand
were doing...

Maybe we could find some
answers, together.

Would you mind?
Are you kidding?

You're the man with the terrific
batting average.

I mean,
Mr. Crime-Buster himself.

Well, there are some who think
I'm overly zealous.

Oh, the Manescu case.

You've been reading the papers.

Uh-huh, Paul Baylor,
The Avenging Angel.

Yeah.

Listen, I've got to run.

Can we, lunch later,
compare notes?

That's a good idea.

How about Donatello's?

12:30?

You're on.

Is that her?

That's her.

So, what does she know?

Nothing, yet.

If she gets too close,
then what?

I guess we'll just have
to use these again.

Oh boy.

I'm telling you,
my eyes hurt.

Have I got something
in this eye?

I don't think so.

It hurts.

You two look bloodshot.
Yeah.

Marvin's been showing us enough

footage for a minor
film festival.

Did you come up with anything
at the police lab?

No fingerprints, no tire marks

that they could isolate
in the parking lot.

But they're still trying

to trace the contents
of the canister.

Figures.

Check run this.

The clients are waiting
in the waiting room.

Marvin...
Hm?

You know those threatening
phone calls that you received?

Can you tell me exactly again
what the caller said to you?

He warned-- Warned me to shut
down my business.

And do what?

Well, he didn't suggest
a new line of work.

Paul Baylor, the Deputy D.A.

also received an anonymous phone
call about this lab.

He did?
Last week.

He said the caller told him

that the Film Lab
would bear watching.

Bear watching what?
What does that mean?

He didn't know I--

[SHEEP BLEATING]

Jill, do me a favor.

No, you're not hallucinating.

That was Little Bo Peep
wasn't it?

And her sheep.
I think so.

Er, we have a sound stage
in the back.

We rent it out.

They're filming
some children's stories.

Oh.

After you, ladies.

I never realized Little Bo Peep
was so mature.

What's he going to do?

Baylor, I mean.

Nothing yet.

Well, don't you have any idea
what he's going to do?

No, I don't, Marvin.

All right, roll them, Karl.

[MORSE CODE BEEPING]

Uh, Marvin, what is this?

Thank you, Karl.

Interesting film, Marvin.

Who was the guy with the earring
with the white bread?

Who knows? Who knows?

Look I don't make movies,
I develop film.

A lot of crazies come
in here all the time.

That was, er, Tolchuk!

My neck.

There's goats.

Little Bo Peep?

She meets a shepherd.

She meets a shepherd.

Let's get some air.

I'll be back in a minute.

We're really groping, you know?

I mean staring at all that film

Marvin keeps feeding us,
and we don't even know

what we're looking for.
Mm-hm.

Well, I'm having lunch
with Paul Baylor this afternoon.

Maybe he can help us get
a handle on this.

Thanks.

Love to meet him. Right?

Right. Bosley and I have
to check out a list

of Marvin's silent partners.

Well, I think I better
do this one solo.

Yes, right, uh-huh.
Let me explain why.

If he finds out Charlie
has three of us

working on his side
of the street, he's liable

to get a little uptight.
Logical.

You mean he looks
as good as his news photos,

and you don't want to share him.
Well, ugly he isn't.

See ya later.
Have a nice lunch.

I will.

She gets Baylor
and I get Marvin.

Listen, suffering--
It builds character.

Right.
You know what I mean?

Yeah.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Excuse me, Tolchuk?

How do you know, Tolchuk?

Your earring I saw your film,
I didn't understand it.

You weren't supposed
to understand.

It was in code.

Oh.

Well you think you could
explain it to me then?

Why should Tolchuk talk to you?

Well, you see I'm a reporter
for tBrown Earth Gazette.

And every year we do an annual

and I thought this year maybe
we could use you on the cover.

I mean, well,
the back of your head.

The film is about white bread.

White bread?

The rape of the wheat!

How do you rape wheat?

Not me!

Them!
Oh, I didn't mean you.

I didn't mean you.

The great energy comes
from the god Sun,

and it hammers its rays
into the earth,

and the great water god
in the sky spits down the rains.

Spits it...

And the plow ruptures
the dirt,

and out of the anguish

and the agony,
the seed quietly explodes!

And then it becomes wheat,

and it sacrifices
its virgin stalk

under the deadly blade
of the scythe.

And, and then,

this...
this rich, golden bounty,

is raped by your modern
processing plant.

I never thought of it that way.

Comes the revolution, you will!

I'm telling you,
she's getting too close.

We're going to have
to waste her.

Mrs. Evers?

Yes?

I stopped by your house

and your maid told me
you were here,

so I took a small liberty...

Did you enjoy it?

Enjoy, what?

Taking a small liberty
with my maid?

Oh, no, no,
not with her, with you.

That is, what I mean is she--
I wanted to talk with you,

so I took the small liberty
of coming down.

I'm glad we worked that out.

I understand that you have
an associate, Mr. Goldman?

Goldman?

No, no, I don't know
anyone by that name.

Well from the information
I've received,

you've helped finance
Mr. Goldman.

Now look, I told you
I don't know a Mr. Goldman,

and if you don't leave me alone,

I'll make certain you regret
having taken that small liberty.

He has a smooth stroke.

He had two.

Mr. Parmadoor?

That's me.

I am in the market
for a gift.

What sort of gift
did you have in mind?

Well, a gift of information,
actually, about Mr. Goldman?

I don't know anybody
by that name.

Well, you're one
of his investors.

Aren't you?

You're mistaken.

I don't think so.

Lady, get the hell out of here

before you get hurt.

I'll give Marvin your regards.

Bye.

Excuse me, I'm holding
that seat for a young lady.

White wine, please.

I'm sorry I'm late.
You're looking well, hello.

What's left for me to say?

You can tell me you've got vital
information that'll help us

get a handle on this case.

What I got is another anonymous
phone call about your client.

When?

About an hour ago.

And?

And the same vague reference
about watching the lab.

Listen. This could be dangerous.

If you come up with something,

I want you to call me
immediately.

If there's no answer
at my office,

call this other number.

Which is?

I've asked for help
from the police department.

An officer can be reached
at that number at all times.

This case--
Every time I turn a corner

I come up staring at myself.

And when you stare at yourself,
what do you feel?

Confusion.

It's hard, to see ourselves
as other people see us,

as they think we are.

But you and I, to do our jobs

we've really got to know
ourselves, make decisions.

It's tough.
But you do it so well.

You've got the best rate
of conviction in the state.

Well, let's hope
we have as much luck

with our little puzzle.

Let's hope.

Marvin, look, when can we see
the film we shot yesterday?

We better hold off
a couple of days.

And will you try to keep
the sheep out of the hallways!

Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Just get me the film will you?

Is, uh, that what
you call a photoplay?

Is it?

What?

A photoplay, for making movies.

A script, you mean.

Are you in the movies?

I'm a director.

Yeah?

Guess what?

You always wanted
to be an actress.

How'd you know that?

I guess you might say I've got
an eye for...talent.

I'm famous for it.

I bet you are.

You know, I'd do anything
to get in a movie.

You would, huh?

Yeah.

What kind of movies
do you make?

Free-form.

Yeah?

Free-form?

What exactly is free-form?

Show them, Bosley.

Now here's some film Marvin
didn't want us to see.

? Little Bo Peep ?

? Has lost her shepherd ?

Oh, Little Bo Peep.

That is not the Little Bo Peep

I knew and loved as a child.

KELLY: Yeah, well this is
the unabridged edition.

Oh, how do they do that?

Very carefully.

I'm confused.

Oh, all right, ask questions
and I'll try to explain.

Oh no, this plot I got figured.

Question is, what do we do
when our client turns out

to be a liar and a pornographer.

Well, we're not here
to examine his moral fiber,

we're supposed to find out
who's trying to burn him

out of business and why.

That's true, but there is a law

against this sort of thing.

She's right.

Jill's got Paul Baylor's
confidence.

If he finds out what Marvin's
been doing--

And he will.

Give me the phone.

Meaning, you're going
to tell him.

You've got it.

Mm-hm.

Mm-hm.

I'll take care of it.

I'm sorry.

You were saying?

I was saying, you realize,

I'm in a difficult position
with my client.

I was hired to protect him.

And now I'm going to blow
the whistle on him.

You can't cover for him
if he's breaking the law.

I guess that's true.

You bust drugs, prostitution,
you get organized crime.

It's the same thing
with pornography.

Maybe Marvin got mixed up
with some heavyweights.

That would explain his
reluctance in hiring us.

I would be willing to slap his
wrists, confiscate the film

and let it go at that,

if he'll cooperate.

That surprises me.

Because I'm willing to deal?

Uh-huh,

and because I think compromising
is difficult for you.

I admit I've never made
an offer like this before.

And you're right,
it's not easy for me.

Why then?

Call it a favor.

For me?

Do you mind?

Should I?

No, I'm the one
with the devil at his back.

The devil?

My old man was a preacher.

A sure enough, Texas born,
hellfire dust road preacher.

And he always told me walk
briskly toward the Lord,

because if you look back
you'll see the devil's face

and turn to stone.

So I guess I've been fast
forward all my life.

I think you've done great
in fast forward.

I'm going to have a little heart
to heart with Marvin,

then I'll get back to you. Okay?

Could you put a rush on that?

A rush?

In getting back to me.

Compliment noted.

And accepted.

When--

When this is all cleared up

and I haven't got
a clock at my back,

I'm going to come
at you like a freight train.

Oh, you are?

I are.

Listen, I've got to run,

got a late meeting
with the Grand Jury.

The Manescu case?

We go to trial next week.

The Avenging Angel
back in action.

Keep in touch?

Watch out for the devil.

Hi Bree, it's Jill.

Mm-hm, I think everything's
going to be okay.

Hey, I'm too tired to drive out
to the beach tonight.

Can I stay at your place?

I have my garage key.

Oh, thank you.

I'll tippy-toe.

Bye.

[ENGINE STARTS]

[TIRES SQUEALING]

Do you know the price

of an imported
Phalaenopsis Amabilis ?

I never drove one.

You don't drive it,
you smell it!

It happens
to be a rare white orchid

that can only be found
in Malaya.

As you probably noticed,
my mother acquired

a fondness for them last year.

Oh, come on Marvin.

You're not going to blame all
this on your mother!

And her flowers?

Look, Marvin,
we appreciate your expenses,

but Jill was nearly
killed last night,

now you have got
to level with us.

I was going to tell you.

I really was.

But if my mother ever knew
what I was doing--

Marvin, I talked to an investor
of yours, Mrs. Evers.

Well, how'd you get to know her?

There's also a certain
Mr. Parmadoor...

Now he nearly fed himself
to his fish

when I mentioned your name.

Well, they have
no complaints with me.

They've made money with me.

You get along with them?

No problems?

Well, yes.

It took
a little persuading to, uh,

get them to agree to invest.

What kind of persuasion, Marvin?

Well, they asked to see
examples of my work.

They must have liked
what they saw.

Not really.

Then why did they invest?

Well, they committed
certain indiscretions

at a motel that I own.

And these indiscretions

were captured, er,
cinematically.

Wait a minute, wait a minute,

are you saying that your
investors

were unknowing participants
in the examples

that you showed them
of your work?

Yes.

Oh, boy.

Oh, Marvin,

you are a very
enterprising fellow.

Not to mention a liar,
a pornographer, a blackmailer.

Well, I never
said I was perfect.

Okay.

Where do we go from here?

Well,

first we try to tie up
a few of these pieces.

Okay.

You say you received the first
threatening phone call,

ten days ago.
Yes.

Were you, uh, were you shooting

one of your
epidermal epics then?

Sally of Sin City.

That is a provocative title.

I thought of it myself.

Oh. I've got a title
for you, Marvin.

It's called
"Show Us the Naughty Film."

Yeah, well I've got a title
for you too.

It's called "Go Tell Charlie
What's Going On."

Yes.

Karl, rSally of Sin City,
aliLittle Bo Peep.

Little Bo Peep ?

Marvin, really.

There are just scenes.

We haven't put the picture
together yet.

Tacky, Marvin,
this is very tacky stuff.

Hey wait a minute.
What's wrong?

Run the film back.

Oh, no, no, no.

This man didn't-- He wasn't
supposed to be in this shot.

No, there's a better
segment coming up.

I don't care about that.

Run the film back. I want
to see that man's face.

Run the film back, Karl.

And keep re-running it.

I want to get
a closer look at him.

Keep re-running it, Karl.

What is it?

You know that man who shot at me
the other night in the garage?

Yeah?

He was about the same size,
that same blond hair.

You sure?

No, it's, it's just
a feeling I have.

The blond hair.

Well, wait. So,
so what you're saying is that

this is the piece of film

that was supposed
to be burned in the fire?

Maybe.

Well, why? You can't even see
his face.

Well, that man
doesn't know that.

Right! And for some reason

he doesn't want
to be seen there, now.

JILL:
Marvin, stop the film this time.

Marvin what's up the hill
from that building?

Nothing.
Just an old apartment house.

I'm going to go there
and have a look.

What for?

I don't know,
it's just a feeling.

Marvin, can you get me a blow-up
of that piece of film?

A close-up on the car?
Sure.

The license plate?

Listen, uh, Kelly,

what's that guy's name
that we went to the academy with

who works at the DMV?

Lt. Cantrell.
Ed Cantrell.

Okay, listen, I'll call him.

He'll probably put
a rush on it for us.

Okay, look I'll stay here,
get the blow-up,

call you at
Cantrell's office

that way we'll save time.
Right.

I've got two more minutes
on this reel

and I think we have a better
angle on the license plate.

Let me know if you find
something.
All right.

Why don't you roll
the rest of it.

Keep on rolling it, Karl.
All of it.

Oh, hello, yes,

can I have Lieutenant
Ed Cantrell's office, please?

Thank you.

Ed, this is Kelly Garrett.
Is Sabrina there?

Marvin, what was it again?

2-9-4...

O-D-L.

Sabrina, I've got it.

License number 294 ODL.

Okay, you start on it.

I'll be down in a minute.

Bye.

Marvin, we may pull you
out of this yet.

Manescu.

That's Baylor's case.

Mobile Operator.

Yeah.

This is Jill Munroe.

Paul Baylor gave me this number.

I understand.

Oh, then you know
about the Goldman Case?

Yes, and I've been alerted

to help you in any possible way
I can, Miss Munroe.

Great.

I'm at the corner of Eighth
and LaGrande.

Would you like me to come
right down there?

Yes, I think
I've stumbled on something.

I'm on my way.

Thank you.

Did you find out whose
license it was?

Yeah, we've got to get
to Jill, fast!

Hello, Mobile?

Mobile Operator this
is an emergency.

Miss Munroe?

Yes?

I'm Detective Sergeant Danner.

This is Detective Lembeck.

I appreciate y'all coming.

You said that you
stumbled on something.

Yes. Paul Baylor told you, we
were studying the Goldman film?

Yes.

Did you find something?

Well, let me show you.

When they were filming here,
a man came out of this alley,

sort of panicked when he saw
the cameras, he turned around,

got into a car that was parked
right there and drove away

with another man.

A man. Could you
identify him?

No, other than he had blonde
hair, and it was dark.

So I figured I'd come down here,
and look around for myself.

Look around, for what?

Well, I didn't know.

But look I found out,
in that rear apartment

in the corner that's
where Manescu lives.

Manescu?

You know, Manescu,

that's the man Paul Baylor
indicted for murder.

His trial is due to start
sometime next week.

That's right.

Manescu is supposed to live here
in this area, right?

Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm not familiar with that case.

Oh, well, Paul Baylor told me

he received some calls
telling him

to keep an eye
on the Goldman Lab.

And I knew he was in the middle
of the Manescu trial, so,

I figured there was some sort
of connection.

Possible.

Um, well,
the newspapers say

that Manescu claimed

the evidence was planted
in his apartment.

I'm not following you.

Well, the blond man,
you know he--

Uh, I explained it,
when he was--

Well, let me show you okay?

[GUNSHOT]

Don't!

Hold it!

I'm sorry.

Me too.

All those years, fast forward.

Now I guess I'll have
to look back.

Watch out for the devil.

Before you condemn Baylor
and us, remember,

he's got the best damn
conviction rate in the state.

How many times have
you planted evidence?

We did what was necessary,
when it was necessary.

And that's the most frightening
thing I've heard today.

You okay?

I've had better days.

Yeah.

Jill, the anonymous phone calls

Baylor claims to have received:
There were none?

No, he was just baiting me
into working with him

so he'd know
if I was getting too close.

Esther Goldman called me.
She's very grateful.

I take it she
doesn't know about

Marvin's cinematic
indiscretions?

Marvin's taken her
on a short cruise.

Hopefully by the time
he gets back,

the media will have moved on

to some other form
of current events.

Since Marvin was cooperative

there won't be
any charges filed.

By the way, Charlie,
how's Millicent, your fish?

Still belly up. I'm afraid.

What about the ichthyologist,
Gloria?

Oh, about the same.

I'm still saying a prayer
for her, Charlie.

Gloria?

No, Millicent. Gloria's prayers

have already
been answered by now.

I'm doing my best to keep
her faith intact.

Bye, Angels.

By the way, what is
an ichthyologist?

It doesn't matter, Bosley.

It doesn't matter.