MacGyver (1985–1992): Season 4, Episode 11 - The Battle of Tommy Giordano - full transcript

MacGyver: Tommy giordano
was a good friend of mine.

Had been since the first
time I gave him a bath

And got wetter than he did.

I'd known Tommy's
mom, Mary Ruth,

Since I first came to
the Phoenix foundation.

She was a lab
technician, one of the best.

Her husband, Richard,
was a successful surgeon.

They had everything
a family could want...

Except a happy marriage.

The divorce was hard, but now

mother and father
were both suing



For custody of Tommy.

Tommy really didn't understand

why his mom and dad were

suddenly at war with each other.

Or why he had to be

one of the casualties.

But you could see, he was
carrying around a lot more pain

than you'd think could fit
into an eight-year-old kid.

MacGyver,

if I go live with my mom,

My dad will think I
don't love him anymore.

And if I go live with my dad,

My mom will think
I don't love her.

I promise you, that's
not how it works.



See, you got to live somewhere,

so somebody has to have custody.

They both understand that.

Is that a rule?

It's better. It's a fact.

Like two part hydrogen
and one part oxygen?

And it never changes?
That kind of fact?

Yeah.

I don't know...

It's a little tough
now, but I promise,

It gets easier.

There she is!

Come on.

Bye.

Hi, mom.

Hi, honey.

I pay you a fortune

And you can't even
get me visitation rights.

You verbally abused
your wife for nine years,

Then you started in on
the judge, Dr. Giordano.

You didn't give me
a lot to work with.

Anyway, you'll have visitation
rights after six months.

You're gonna live
with me, Tommy.

What about dad?

You'll see him soon.

Don't make any trouble.
It's not gonna help.

We'll talk about
it later. Come on.

Just a second.

MacGyver.

Hi, son.

Hi, dad.

Look, Mary Ruth, I
wanted Tommy with me.

I admit I've been upset.

But let's call a truce.

Make it easy on Tom?

Friends?

I'd like that.

Tommy would, too.

Can I talk to him

Alone for a minute?

Say good-bye?

Dad, why can't we
just call the divorce off?

I'd like to.

But you know your mom.

Speaking of that, you
know how much trouble

She has taking care of things?

How she gets hysterical?

Well, if that happens and
she can't handle things,

I want you to call me, okay?

I will.

Look what MacGyver
bought me, dad.

He's taking mom and me

To the aquarium this afternoon.

I wish you were coming, too.

Me, too.

But I'll see you soon, huh?

You did the right thing.

Go back to law school... jerk.

You made the right decision
to blow this afternoon.

Peter vaccaro could
make his move any time.

I knew his father, Albert.

Peter I don't know.

Albert vaccaro never
got into narcotics.

He was like me.

He didn't want to see the
stuff get into schoolyards.

Peter, he don't care.

He thinks I'm
dribbling my oatmeal.

I'm going to have to
shred his tail feathers.

Narcotics is a
lucrative business.

Don't talk stupid, Paulie!

You got to draw
the line somewhere.

Me, I'm an old
man in baggy pants.

Pretty soon I gotta
answer for what I done.

I don't want ten-year-olds
on my conscience.

Peter vaccaro could
wait a fast couple of years

And Joe catano is history.

It's stupid to kill an old man.

Better to let life do it.

Excuse me.

Someone to see you, Mr. Catano.

I don't believe it.

Hello, uncle Joe.

Paulie, you remember

Richard giordano, eh?

He used to be my nephew
until he gave me the bum's rush.

Uncle Joe, that
was a long time ago.

I need help. It's Tommy.

He's sick? An accident? What?

It's private.

I'll, uh, make some calls.

See that they have the
ranch ready for us tonight.

Your jet's all arranged.

I'll be taking a
commercial flight later on.

Yeah, yeah, thanks,
Paulie, thanks.

Tommy's been taken away from me.

What do you mean, taken away?

His mother divorced me.

She got custody.

I didn't even get
visitation rights.

Don't lie to me. You
run around on her?

No, she left me!

Lied about me in court.
They believed her; That's it.

You're telling me the
truth? That's all there is to it?

That's all. I swear.

No court's got the right

to take a son away from
his father just like that.

I came to you.

You're the only family I have.

Oh, when you're in
trouble, I'm family, huh?

Want to go to
college, I'm family.

Medical school, I'm family.

Set you up in a fancy
medical practice, I'm family.

But when things are going
good, I'm just an old guy

you don't want to see
around your son, eh?

I was young.

You was out of line.

I look at you, I don't know you.

You're not a catano.

You're not like any
giordano I ever knew.

The only thing you ever got
from a catano was a lot of nerve.

What can I say? I was wrong.

But I want my son.

That's the first human
thing I've ever heard you say.

Uncle Joe, I swear
to you, if you help me,

I'll make it up to you.

You'll like Tommy.
He's a terrific little boy.

He looks just like mama.

You should have left that out.

You were beginning to win
me over until you overdid it.

What are you talking about?

Even when you were a kid, you
manipulated, played on people.

Always told them what
they wanted to hear

until you got what you wanted,

Then threw 'em away like
a used up piece of kleenex.

I'm sorry I bothered you.

Hold it!

I didn't say I wouldn't help.

I just wanted you to
know I was wise to you.

Where is the boy?

At the aquarium.

A friend of his
mother's took them.

Well, it so happens I'm
going on a little vacation

to Canada tonight.

It'd... be nice to have
the boy up there with me.

I'll arrange something.

Tommy: Wow, he's a giant!

What are they called, MacGyver?

Arapaima gigas.

Awesome.

They're so rad.

If I were a fish,
that's what I'd be.

That or a shark.

Do they have sharks here?

Yeah, right around the
corner in the next gallery.

Can I go see 'em?

All right, but don't
go running off, honey.

Okay.

You know what?

Hmm?

I'm scared to death.

Of what?

I don't know. Everything.

I've never really been alone.

All those years of
Richard telling me

I couldn't do anything...

After a while you
start to believe it.

I think it's about time you
start believing in yourself.

Where is he?

MacGyver: There he is.

Hey!

Mary Ruth: Tommy! Stop!

That's my boy!

Tommy!

( Muffled yell )

Surprise!

Dad!

Tommy!

( Tires squealing )

Tommy!

Policeman: How long have
you had sole custody of the child?

Since this morning.

Well, that means the custody
papers haven't even come down yet.

Wha...?

It'll take a few days.

And you have to have proof that

Mr. Giordano doesn't
intend to return the child.

What... what are
you talking about?

He's kidnapped my baby!

Look. In a few days, when
you have the right documents...

What good are documents if
you give him time to disappear?

I'm sorry.

Right now, this
is a civil matter.

I wish there was
more I could do.

Oh, MacGyver, what
am I going to do? What?

( Sobbing )

Tommy: Dad, what's going on?

We're taking a trip.

Your mom got custody

but, before you
go to live with her,

we get to take a trip.

It's part of the deal.

No kidding? Where are we going?

To a ranch in Canada.

I haven't got my clothes

Or a suitcase or anything.

We'll get some new ones.

What's mom going to do?

I guess she'll be with MacGyver.

Hey, you're going
to like the ranch.

I used to visit uncle Joe

up there when I was your age.

Who's uncle Joe?

Uncle Joe: That's me.

Your grandmother was my sister.

That's why I'm uncle Joe.

So how come I
never saw you before?

Well, I was away,
but now I'm back.

You know what I got in Canada?

Horses. Do you like horses?

Yeah!

Yeah? You and me
are going to be pals.

I like him.

One of those horses

is just a little bit
bigger than you.

Wow.

Here we go.

Mary Ruth, I want
you to know that

we're doing absolutely
everything in our power

to get Tommy back
safe and sound.

Thank you, Mr. Thornton.

Call me Pete, huh?

So what is a surgeon doing

with a couple of
professional thugs?

Well, I think I
can explain that.

When we hired you,

Phoenix did a thorough
background investigation on you.

Now, that's standard procedure.

But the review
included Richard's

family background.

Have you ever heard
of Joseph catano?

There was an uncle Joe.

He came to visit
when Tommy was born.

He... he brought a
huge Teddy bear.

But Richard was in a
hurry to get rid of him.

I never saw him again. Why?

Who is he?

He is the absolute, undisputed
head of the catano crime family.

I lived with Richard
for nine years.

How could he keep that from me?

Well, our information
is that Richard broke

with the family some time ago.

So, since he's an established
surgeon in his own right,

we didn't consider
the connection

to be a security risk
when we hired you.

I can't believe
this is happening.

What am I going to do?

I think we can start by
trying to find Joseph catano.

I have a call in
to George kaplan.

He handles organized
crime over at the FBI.

Yeah, but this is a civil
matter. Remember?

Just like always,

Richard's winning again.

He's not doing this
because he wants Tommy.

He's doing this because
he can't stand to lose.

( Intercom beeps )
Helen: Mr., Thornton,

there's a call for Mary
Ruth on line three.

It's Tommy.

Uh... go ahead,
Helen. Put it through.

Tommy?

Mom...

Tommy, where are you?

I'm at uncle Joe's with dad.

I just called to say good-bye.

What do you mean, good-bye?

We're going to
uncle Joe's ranch.

I thought you knew.

Where's the ranch, Tommy?

( Dial tone buzzing )

I was talking to mom.

No time for that now, kiddo.

We're on our way.

I wanted to say good-bye to mom.

You can call her
from Canada, okay?

Well, who's this?

Look at this kid.

Is he a catano or what?

It's Richard's son.

Tommy, this is Paul.

- Hello, Paul.
- Hi, Tommy.

Catano: We're going to
see a lot of Paul at the ranch.

He's so efficient, I
could sleep all day.

He's like talking to a computer.

But who's perfect, huh?

Mr. Vaccaro, it's Paul.

It's all set for tomorrow night.

Get your people up there.

Tell them to check into
the timberland motel in town.

I'll get in touch with them

and give them
their instructions.

No, sir. The
security's no problem.

I can get them past it.

Yes, sir.

Good-bye.

Tony, I want you on
the gate tomorrow night.

Yes, sir.

Yeah. Got it. Okay. Thanks.

Here's catano's address.

Get over there.

Kaplan's meeting you.

I'm still working on getting

your custody papers
rushed through.

MacGyver. Mrs. Giordano.
I'm George kaplan, FBI.

Where's Tommy?

Catano's people filed a
flight plan for his private jet.

He's on his way
to Canada by now.

Canada? Well, can't
you do something?

Stop the plane!

You have to understand.

The bureau can't get involved

unless there's a federal crime.

Don't tell us.
It's a civil matter.

I'm sorry.

But it's kidnapping!

You have to help me.

Don't you understand?

I have custody.

Why can't you have them arrested

when they get to Canada?

It's just not that simple.

You're talking about
international law.

It could take months to
get through legal channels.

Maybe even years.

Not good enough.

In circumstances like this, most
people hire a private detective

to snatch the child back.

Kaplan: But, in this case, I
wouldn't advise trying that.

Why not?

For the past few months,

there's been trouble
between Joe catano

And the new boss of the
vaccaro family... Peter vaccaro.

There's a contract
out on catano.

He's gone to the pads.

What does that mean?

It means catano's in hiding.

He's got a price on his head.

Oh, god. That means
Tommy's in danger, too.

I wish there was
something I could do to help,

but my hands are tied.

Yeah? Well, mine aren't.

Any law that says I
can't go after Tommy?

Yeah. It's called kidnapping.

It takes a parent
or legal guardian

to bring the boy across
the international border.

Otherwise, you're the
one facing the charges.

What if we both go after Tommy?

Look, I'm advising against it.

The only way you're
going to pull this off

is if you do it together.

We'd be walking into a
pretty messy situation.

Look, I've seen Richard do
some mean, manipulative things,

but I never thought he'd
put Tommy in danger.

He's not going to
get my baby killed.

I'm going.

How come those guys
have guns, uncle Joe?

Some people work hard
all their lives getting things,

and other people
work hard all their lives

Stealing what you worked for.

Now, Tommy, I want
you to do me a favor, huh?

You're not to go
outside that gate, huh?

Okay.

Tommy's okay.

Oh, thank god.

Can you get in there?

Well, in the daylight...
All those guards...

Might be a little tough.

MacGyver, look.

They must be from the other
family kaplan told us about.

Looks like they're doing

The same thing we
are, for different reasons.

You mean they came
up here to kill Joe?

All right, come on.

We'd better keep an eye on them.

Make sure they don't
move before we do.

Now, how does that feel?

I'm riding!

Oh, how about that, huh?

You're doing good. Yeah.

You know, r.J... That
stands for royal Jasper.

Some name, huh?

They always name
horses like that.

The good ones, anyway.

Now, you look at his neck, huh?

Proud and high.

Good legs.

That's because family
is everything with horses.

Just like it should
be with us catanos.

You know, I only
met your mother once.

Tell me about her.

Well, sometimes she's funny,

and we have a real good time.

But when dad's
around, she cries a lot.

I think she's smart,

but don't tell dad that.

He doesn't think so.

That's 'cause she messes
up when dad's around.

He makes her nervous.

I think I'd like
her... Your mother.

See that?

Man: So now what?

Man 2: We wait, is what.

As soon as we get the
phone call, we move in

And we get the job done, huh?

Here's our room.

It looks like they're
in room nine.

What do you say we check
into the room next door?

Whatever happens
in there, back me up.

Room ten, please.

They're all exactly alike.

Oh, not on the scale of the
great cosmos, they're not.

We want ten.

Why?

Numerology, man.

Numerology?

( Sighs ): The
Karma of any number

that's not divisible
by two or five

Just puts us into a
cosmic tailspin, totally.

Right, babe?

Oh, right.

The wrong number really
messes with my polarity.

Ten.

Are you two from California?

For sure.

Joe: Now taste this.

Richard ( On phone
): Yeah, I know.

- Yeah, it is a good location...
- Hmm?

I think it could work.

Okay.

You're kidding.

You can do better than 15%.

Dad, can I call mom now?

I'm on the phone.

I mean when you finish.

You said I could call.

She'll be worried
if I don't call.

Hang on for a minute.

Yeah, thanks.

( Sighs ): I brought
you on a trip.

I bought you toys.
You have horses to ride.

Isn't anything enough for you?

It's just mom all the time?

Don't you like being with me?

Sure I do.

Then I don't want to
hear any more whining.

Sorry about that.

I told you 15% is
not good enough.

You have to speak
bad to the boy?

I was on the phone to Austria.

I was about to wrap
up a partnership

in a clinic in Vienna.

Vienna?

You're going to
Vienna? With Tommy?

You snatch him away from
everything he ever knew

and now you want
to take him to Vienna?

Where they don't
even speak English?

It's a very lucrative practice.

I have to make some
plans for the future.

For you. All for you.

Nothing for the kid.

He'll have everything he wants.

All he wants is to be a kid.

Your kid.

What'd you want him for?

Because he's mine.

But he's not a silk tie
or an alpaca sweater.

He's a kid, Richie. A kid.

TV announcer: Familiar
face I spotted in the crowd...

One of the top NHL player
agents, Fred Thompson.

Fred, is there anybody
down there on ice level

who can play in the NHL
with the potential to play?

Thompson: Ken Kirby needs
to know where to put the puck.

He might be just the kind
of material the mustangs...

What are you doing?

Well, the only way we can
find out what they're planning

is to patch into
their phone line.

Can you get me a coat hanger?

The first thing I got to do

Is shove our phone line
over to their junction box.

And connect our phone to theirs.

TV announcer: Maybe
they can end it quickly.

No, the last break...

Now I've got to
connect the lines.

I'm gonna have
to get in their room.

I'll need five minutes.

What?

You're going to have
to get them out of there.

How? What'll I say?

Whatever it takes.

Tell them the car won't start,

you need help. Anything.

I can't.

You have to.

Now go.

I can do this.

What do you feel like?

I don't know.

How about some Chinese, huh?

Hey, you think they
got Chinese food

in Canada?

Yeah, sure they do, huh?

Come on.

( Chuckling )

You pay.

I'll flip you for it.

Oh, yeah.

( Car drives off )

They're gone.
They went out to eat.

All right, if you see
them coming back,

knock on the wall.

I'm going to call the store.

Oh, that's some toy.

My friend, MacGyver,
gave me one like it.

- Uh-huh...
- That's why I wanted this one.

It runs with this
remote control.

You can program it to do stuff.

Will you look at that?

You know, I could
never understand that.

You're a very smart
kid, you know that?

I could teach you.

Would you do that?

Oh, that's great.

Oh, look at it go.

( Giggling )

Look at that...

I figured out
maybe you'd like it

if uncle Joe put you
on a plane tomorrow...

Send you back to
see your mother.

You mean it?

Yeah.

Thanks, uncle Joe.

How would you like it if I
called you up sometime

just to shoot the breeze?

Yeah.

Yeah?

Make him go...

( Phone rings )

( Ringing )

( Knocking on
wall, phone rings )

They're coming back already!

( Phone rings )

( Phone ringing )

( Ringing continues )

Is that our phone?

( Phone ringing )

( Ringing )

( Ringing )

Hello?

( Dial tone buzzing )

Missed it.

What'd I tell you?

- ( Yells ): Oh!
- ( Crash )

Leave me alone!

( Banging )

Oh!

Stop it! Leave me alone!

What's that?

Either a fight,

or maybe somebody's
really in love, man.

( Chuckling )

( Crashing )

Oh!

( Screams ): Oh!

( Screaming, glass breaks )

No...!

( Banging on door )

Please, you gotta help me!

He's tearing up everything!

I think he's gonna kill me!

Who, lady?

My boyfriend, he's gone crazy!

You got to help me!

Look, lady, it's not
our problem, okay?

Oh, please!

He's gonna kill me!

He's hurt me before.

All right.

Come on.

The jerk's gonna hurt her.

I guess he left.

You ought to lock the door.

Oh, I will.

It was really sweet of you guys

to help me though.

I was really scared.

Look, uh, if he comes back...

Don't let him in, okay?

No, I won't.

Thank you, really.

I don't know what
I would have done

If you hadn't been there.

Thanks again.

( Door closes )

( Sighs heavily )

( Door opens and closes )

Nice going, ace.

( Phone rings )

Rizzo: Where were you?

Tom: What?

We got dinner
and brought it back.

- Listen.
- What's the game plan?

Is there a delivery
truck in the parking lot?

See if there's a delivery
truck in the parking lot.

Yeah.

That's your way in.

I've got Tony on the
gate with another guy.

Take out the other guy.

Tony's with us.

Tom: Yeah...

You pull up to the house,
and blow the horn twice.

When you do that, I
take out the old man.

You handle the two
bodyguards inside,

and Tony will clean
up in the bunkhouse.

You got it?

We saw a kid this afternoon.

Rizzo: Everybody goes.

Now move.

On our way.

( Line clicks, dial
tone buzzing )

All right, you can't
call out on this.

Get to a phone
and call the police.

Where are you going?

With them.

They don't get any
smoother in this setup.

I don't like whacking the kid.

Same here.

We got a job to do.

( Engine starts )

I need the police, quick!

Don't do that, lady.

You'll give me a heart attack.

It's an emergency.
Call the police!

There are no police here.

What do you mean?

There's a mountie
base. It's an hour away.

Look, somebody's
going to kill my little boy

at the catano ranch tonight!

Is this a prank, lady?

Does it look like a prank?

Just get the mounties to the
catano ranch as fast as you can!

Okay.

All right!

Wait a minute.

Go check the back.

Hi.

( Silenced gunshot )

Okay, one down.

I'll call the house.

We just drive in nice and easy.

Remember, once we open fire,

Nothing comes
out of there alive.

It's Tony.

The delivery's here, Mr. Rizzo.

Good.

Let's go.

( Starter cranking )

What's wrong with it?

I don't know.

( Starter cranking )

Man 1: Neither one
is a three-year-old.

Man 2: Boy, I tell you,

I didn't play him because I felt

the track conditions
were unfavorable.

Too hot, huh?

Mm.

Nah, I tell you.

I would have put a
couple of k on him.

He don't like the heat.

( Man coughs )

Did you use too
much garlic here?

How about some salt?

I'm dry, though.

Any beer here?

No, there's some milk
in the, uh, refrigerator.

You want to get some?

No beer, but milk we got.

Wednesday.

I can't stand to see
the kid unhappy.

And I'm not letting Richie
carry him off to Vienna.

( Starter cranking )

Give it some pedal.

( Engine starts )

Yeah!

Go.

I'll take care of the guys

in the bunkhouse.

( Car horn honking )

It's the delivery.

Hmm?

Go give 'em a hand.

Hey! What gives?

What's that?

It's the delivery...

From the vaccaro family.

So they got to you, too, huh?

Nothing personal, Joe.

It's business.

Who are you?

( Doorknob rattling )

My name's MacGyver.

I've come to take Tommy home.

( Glass breaks )

Come on. Hurry up.

What's going on here?

MacGyver!

What's he doing here?

Never mind.

Get the boy safe.

Vaccaro's people are here.

Where are you going?

This is your war, old man.

I'm getting out of here.

Without the kid?

Up there. Cover me.

Tommy, stay quiet.

Uh, there's a bunch of 'em.

I'd forget about
trying to shoot it out.

You got a better suggestion?

Maybe.

What are you doing?

Alcohol, ammonia...

Acid from coffee descaler.

If I can hook up
the power source...

That should be enough
to set off the alcohol.

After it blows,

the rest of the stuff will
make a smoke screen.

After that...

We're on our own.

Let's take some cover.

When I hit the button,
be ready to move.

Ready.

All right, let's
check downstairs.

( Coughing )

My, my,

haven't we been busy?

( Yells )

Awesome, mom.

Tommy!

Take Tommy home.

I'll see Richie doesn't
bother you anymore.

I don't know how to
thank you, MacGyver.

Both of you.

Hey, we love
Tommy, too, you know.

Oh, I don't mean just for Tommy.

I mean for me, too.

And thanks to you,

I've done things I never
dreamed I could do.

Like polishing off a
hit man with a skillet?

Right.

Thank goodness now all
I have to do is be a mom.

Are you kidding?

In a few years you're gonna
be dealing with a teenager.

Thornton: Yeah,
puberty. High school.

Borrowing the car.

Let me try it.

Come on.

Hey!

Better let me drive.