MacGyver (1985–1992): Season 4, Episode 14 - Gold Rush - full transcript
A downed World War II plane in the Arctic is suspected of containing lots of gold. A joint US-Russian team goes to retrieve the gold but it turns up missing, MacGyver thinks that a US soldier is the man responsible for the crash.
I was
ready for a lazy week
Of serious scuba
diving off the grand keys.
A Spanish galleon
loaded with treasure
had gone down over
four centuries ago,
and I was going to spend
my vacation looking for it.
But... Pete Thornton
had another idea.
It also involved
treasure hunting,
But he told me I could leave
my Hawaiian shirt at home.
The Phoenix foundation
had assigned me to lead
a us-Soviet
expedition to recover
over $100 million
worth of Russian gold.
It had gone down with
a military cargo plane
in the last days
of world war ii.
The only American
among the Russian crew
was also the plane's
only survivor...
A young navigator
named lieutenant turk west.
Colonel turk west, Mr. MacGyver.
Hey, colonel.
The gear has
already been loaded.
Thanks.
How much did your man Thornton
brief you on our mission?
He told me the
air force satellite
Spotted the location
of your plane.
Not the air force, MacGyver. Me.
I even stayed in the reserves
So I could keep
searching for that plane.
And now after all my effort,
uncle Sam isn't
gonna get the gold.
The russkies are.
Well, they paid the
12 million they owed.
It belongs to them.
If I had my way, I'd give it all
To the Afghan freedom fighters.
They could use
that hundred million
that bullion's worth now.
So could the Russians,
for earthquake relief.
If you buy that line,
you believe in the tooth fairy.
Well, here come the Russians.
Allow me.
Thank you.
Mr. MacGyver.
I am air marshal barinov.
And it's a very great
pleasure to meet you.
Yeah, it's good to
meet you too, general.
Hello, MacGyver.
You look the same.
Somebody obviously
forgot to tell me
you were assigned
to the expedition.
I'm surprised.
This is my project.
I requested you.
MacGyver, it's been five years.
You don't seem
pleased to see me again.
You're right. I'm not.
This way, sir.
Colonel west, the years
have treated you well.
Well, if you insist
on military protocol,
you'll find your arm
getting very tired.
Sorry, general, once
I serve under a man,
it's hard to forget.
Even after 45 years?
That's one flight I'll
always remember.
I know what you mean.
Of the hundreds of missions
that I was in charge
of during the war,
that one haunts me, too.
This is Dr. Natalia velskaya,
ministry of economics.
Oh, yes, the keeper of the gold.
These are the latest
enhanced satellite photos.
According to our experts,
This bright spot here is
the tail section of the plane.
Why, after all these years,
does it only show up now?
The arctic wind
patterns shifted.
Instead of keeping the
plane buried, it's exposed it,
temporarily.
How temporary?
Very.
We got a storm brewing.
Once it hits, we'd
be lucky to get out.
My government's offer
of a transport
helicopter still stands.
It could be here tomorrow.
Yeah, so could the storm.
Load up. We leave in an hour.
Why are we stopping?
We're losing our trail.
I better check it out.
I have read your
official report, colonel,
but it does not
tell me everything.
How bad was the storm?
It was terrible.
We were fighting
80-mile-an-hour headwinds
Trying to stay on course.
We'd used up
almost all our fuel.
I wanted to find a
place to set down,
But captain orbensky
thought he could make it.
And then our #1
engine caught fire.
That's when he
ordered me to bail out.
He said he wanted
at least one survivor
to organize a rescue mission.
He was wrong, you know.
I could have found
a place to land,
in spite of the one bad engine.
Is there anything I
can do to help you?
Yeah, stay out of my way.
MacGyver, why don't
you... Lighten up?
I'm not mata hari.
All right.
Maybe you can tell me
exactly why you're here.
I'm trying to make a difference.
I have seen the faces of
the children in Armenia.
No food, no homes.
Recovering this gold
is important to them.
And to me.
You know, you gushed
just like that back in Helsinki.
What was it?
Something about your
uncle trying to defect
and needing my help?
That was five years
ago, MacGyver.
I had no choice. Not then.
Why should I believe you now?
Because times have changed.
And because it is the truth.
That's it.
That's the plane.
After all these years.
I never thought...
What kind of scanner is it?
Ultrasound.
It's a prototype developed
by the Phoenix foundation.
Well, the fuselage is intact.
The pilot put it
down in one piece.
Cargo door seems to be missing.
That's how we'll get in.
But how?
Oh.
That'll do it.
45 years...
My men are not here.
Well, that means they
survived the crash.
One bar?
There were over 500
bars of gold in this crate.
Where's the rest of it?
Where's the rest of it?
A ghost plane and
one bar of gold.
Not much for thousands
of starving people, is it?
Well, the crew couldn't have
moved that much gold very far,
So there's a chance
we'll still find it.
That is what I've always
admired about you.
The way you...
Never let go of
something worthwhile.
MacGyver...
Please, I would
like to clear the air.
What happened
with us in Helsinki.
My uncle was planning to defect,
but the kgb found out.
They threatened
to put him in prison
if I didn't help them obtain
those papers you were carrying.
All these years
I have wanted to apologize.
That is why I asked
for you on this project.
Okay.
Apology accepted.
Thank you.
Here, let me help you with that.
looks like those boys
were carrying
more than just gold.
Some memories this brings back.
- Oh...
Here, you try.
What you Americans
call "white thunder."
Ah. White lightning.
150-proof alcohol.
Oh, that's right,
MacGyver. You don't drink.
The crews on these flights
were supplying one another
with rations of hard-
to-come-by items,
and this lightning
Would likely be traded for
American cigarettes or nylons.
How strange things were then.
Things are kind of
strange right now.
With a cargo door missing,
an entire crew,
500 bars of gold?
Where can they be?
Maybe the plane can tell us.
Well, it looks
like they had fuel.
How do you know?
Oh, the Gauge
is frozen at its last reading.
See if you can
find the pilot's log.
It might give us
an answer or two.
Colonel...
MacGyver has discovered
something interesting.
Really? What?
The fuel Gauge
is stuck at half full.
What do you make of that?
I don't know.
Could be a blocked fuel line.
I, uh...
I think I'll take
this outside, sir.
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
I could use an interpreter here.
"Contents
classified, secret.
"to be opened only by authorized
us military personnel."
It's a dictaphone.
The manifest listed
a box of transcriptions.
According to what I read,
they would record interrogations
of high-ranking German prisoners
and send them to
Washington for study.
These old recording
cylinders are pretty fragile.
I don't think they'd keep one
on the spindle to transport it.
It could mean that the crew made
a recording after they crashed.
Could be right, doctor.
Natalie. Please.
Well, it looks like
they had it rigged
To the plane's
electrical system.
So how do we listen to it?
That's a good question.
That looks great, MacGyver,
but how do we amplify it?
Give me your bear.
My Mischa?
He's my good luck, MacGyver.
Be careful.
Sorry.
All for a good cause.
Let's hope we get lucky, huh?
You sabotaged
that flight, west!
Because of your greed,
Two good men died.
Let the past
Die with them.
You don't have to
add new blood to old.
You're a soldier,
Not a murderer!
Give it up!
I can't!
Almost every day of my life,
I've thought about that gold.
I failed the first time.
I won't today.
It's going to be mine.
All mine!
All right, hold it steady.
It is December 2, 1944.
Hello, comrade west.
This message is from
your crew.
We found the timing device
You made to shut off the petrol.
And we have prepared
for your return.
You can find us and
your treasure by locating
The coordinates on
the back of the gold bar.
We will wait for you,
Lieutenant west.
West.
How did west think he
could succeed at such a plot?
He was the navigator.
All he had to do
was pick a point
where he wanted
the plane to crash,
And estimate the flying
time it would take to get there.
Then it was just a matter
Of rigging the fuel
system with a timer.
He bails out and
the plane goes down.
Yeah, except the storm
threw the plane off course.
This is not working.
We are done for.
I remember you don't
drink, but somehow,
This seems like a
good time to start.
MacGyver, that
much will finish you off.
You have an idea.
Yeah.
Grab the sleeping bags.
Uh, take one of the strings
off that and soak it in alcohol.
Here.
Keep that coming.
Cheers.
Got a light?
The Helsinki ambassador hotel.
Where we met.
Glad you're sentimental.
Let's go!
What if it doesn't work?
It worked.
Now, west...
How do we find him?
We'll follow the cat tracks.
Oh, Sergei,
you deserve better than this.
You devoted your life
to your country, Sergei.
We will find the gold.
The children...
The families who benefit
will know your part in this.
That is how you
will be remembered.
I promise you that.
Come on, Natalie. Let's go.
Nice try, captain.
You had me going
there for a minute.
Oh!
What?
Oh.
Blood.
Well, what do you know?
Just when I thought
my number was up,
who comes along but MacGyver
and Dr. Commie.
My luck's holding up, isn't it?
But yours is running out.
Hey, come on.
Use your head.
You can't get all that gold
out of here on your own.
You need our help.
You think this is
the only booby-trap?
No, I don't.
That's why I'm going to
use you as my shields.
Now the first
thing you can do...
Is get that thing out of my way.
You, too.
Come on.
Leave her out of it, huh?
Give me a break, MacGyver.
You think it's gonna upset
me to waste one more red?
Let's go.
Come on.
Okay, get through there, doctor.
Come on.
Okay, come on.
All right, get back now.
Stand clear.
The pack, MacGyver.
And go real easy.
Whoa.
You I need, MacGyver.
She's expendable.
Ladies first.
Come on.
Natalie, hold it!
Well...
from the corrosion,
I'd say that bottle
was filled with battery acid.
The other one's probably
filled with high aviation fuel.
Smash the two together,
the fumes mix, and boom.
The whole place comes down.
Well, I've got to hand
it to captain orbensky.
At least he figured
if I got past that prop,
I wouldn't notice this
little welcome sign.
Well...
What are we
going to do about it?
There's no way of knowing
how those bottles are connected.
The best thing to do
with a booby trap you find
is just leave it alone.
Heh, heh.
You know the drill.
Move.
There it is!
So that's how they got it here.
On the cargo door.
Where is the light coming from?
Oh...
We must be near the surface.
It is beautiful.
For a tomb.
Enjoy it, doctor.
It's gonna be your tomb.
Okay, move it.
Whoa! Hold it.
Uh, MacGyver and I are
going to wait back here,
aren't we, MacGyver?
Go on.
Go on!
MacGyver!
Natalie, don't move.
Just freeze.
I am already frozen.
Natalie... whatever you
do, don't shift your weight.
This thing's rigged
like a bouncing Betty.
A what?
A mine.
When your foot
comes up... It goes off.
What's it rigged to?
There's no way of knowing.
Maybe those jars back there.
Hold it, just a minute.
Where do you think you're going?
I'm gonna weigh the
Springs down with gold.
Oh, no, you don't.
Hey, nobody's
touching that gold.
Every brick of that
goes out of here with me.
You got a better idea?
Yeah. Disarm it.
All right, give me your pack.
What for?
You want to get out of here?
Give me the pack.
Okay.
MacGyver, he's
going to kill us anyway.
If I can't bring this
gold to my people,
then I believe
the next best thing
is to just step off
and take him with us.
What do you think?
I think you shouldn't go
Russian on me just yet.
What do you mean, "Russian"?
You know, heroic, fatalistic...
Russian.
Oh, that Russian.
Natalie, I don't
think you should be
considering breathing just now.
All right...
Nice and slowly...
Take a step back.
Thanks for your help, MacGyver.
I'll never forget it.
You pig! I should have done it,
I should have stepped off!
MacGyver, here...
Take my hands.
Reach...
Come on. Yes.
Yes.
No!
It's my gold.
All mine.
Please.
I beat you!
I won.
I won!
That's it.
Yes...
We got to get out of here.
How?
Same way the gold got in.
Jump!
Thank you.
Oh, I never thought I
would be warm again.
At least I know the gold
is finally going
to do some good.
My only regret is
that general barinov
is not here to see it.
Well, he lived
his life as a hero.
Seems he died the same way.
Why, MacGyver, you're
beginning to sound Russian.
What do you mean, "Russian"?
You know... Poetic,
philosophical...
Russian.
Ooh! Ooh.
Brr...
Great timing, Pete.
Yeah.
I just beat the storm.
Oh...
Well, I got here as soon
as I heard there was trouble.
Well, who could have guessed
a career officer
like west going bad?
You two look like you were
in the middle of something.
Don't let me stop you.
No, no, that's okay, Pete.
I was just working
on my Russian.
But I think the lesson is over.
Only for now.
ready for a lazy week
Of serious scuba
diving off the grand keys.
A Spanish galleon
loaded with treasure
had gone down over
four centuries ago,
and I was going to spend
my vacation looking for it.
But... Pete Thornton
had another idea.
It also involved
treasure hunting,
But he told me I could leave
my Hawaiian shirt at home.
The Phoenix foundation
had assigned me to lead
a us-Soviet
expedition to recover
over $100 million
worth of Russian gold.
It had gone down with
a military cargo plane
in the last days
of world war ii.
The only American
among the Russian crew
was also the plane's
only survivor...
A young navigator
named lieutenant turk west.
Colonel turk west, Mr. MacGyver.
Hey, colonel.
The gear has
already been loaded.
Thanks.
How much did your man Thornton
brief you on our mission?
He told me the
air force satellite
Spotted the location
of your plane.
Not the air force, MacGyver. Me.
I even stayed in the reserves
So I could keep
searching for that plane.
And now after all my effort,
uncle Sam isn't
gonna get the gold.
The russkies are.
Well, they paid the
12 million they owed.
It belongs to them.
If I had my way, I'd give it all
To the Afghan freedom fighters.
They could use
that hundred million
that bullion's worth now.
So could the Russians,
for earthquake relief.
If you buy that line,
you believe in the tooth fairy.
Well, here come the Russians.
Allow me.
Thank you.
Mr. MacGyver.
I am air marshal barinov.
And it's a very great
pleasure to meet you.
Yeah, it's good to
meet you too, general.
Hello, MacGyver.
You look the same.
Somebody obviously
forgot to tell me
you were assigned
to the expedition.
I'm surprised.
This is my project.
I requested you.
MacGyver, it's been five years.
You don't seem
pleased to see me again.
You're right. I'm not.
This way, sir.
Colonel west, the years
have treated you well.
Well, if you insist
on military protocol,
you'll find your arm
getting very tired.
Sorry, general, once
I serve under a man,
it's hard to forget.
Even after 45 years?
That's one flight I'll
always remember.
I know what you mean.
Of the hundreds of missions
that I was in charge
of during the war,
that one haunts me, too.
This is Dr. Natalia velskaya,
ministry of economics.
Oh, yes, the keeper of the gold.
These are the latest
enhanced satellite photos.
According to our experts,
This bright spot here is
the tail section of the plane.
Why, after all these years,
does it only show up now?
The arctic wind
patterns shifted.
Instead of keeping the
plane buried, it's exposed it,
temporarily.
How temporary?
Very.
We got a storm brewing.
Once it hits, we'd
be lucky to get out.
My government's offer
of a transport
helicopter still stands.
It could be here tomorrow.
Yeah, so could the storm.
Load up. We leave in an hour.
Why are we stopping?
We're losing our trail.
I better check it out.
I have read your
official report, colonel,
but it does not
tell me everything.
How bad was the storm?
It was terrible.
We were fighting
80-mile-an-hour headwinds
Trying to stay on course.
We'd used up
almost all our fuel.
I wanted to find a
place to set down,
But captain orbensky
thought he could make it.
And then our #1
engine caught fire.
That's when he
ordered me to bail out.
He said he wanted
at least one survivor
to organize a rescue mission.
He was wrong, you know.
I could have found
a place to land,
in spite of the one bad engine.
Is there anything I
can do to help you?
Yeah, stay out of my way.
MacGyver, why don't
you... Lighten up?
I'm not mata hari.
All right.
Maybe you can tell me
exactly why you're here.
I'm trying to make a difference.
I have seen the faces of
the children in Armenia.
No food, no homes.
Recovering this gold
is important to them.
And to me.
You know, you gushed
just like that back in Helsinki.
What was it?
Something about your
uncle trying to defect
and needing my help?
That was five years
ago, MacGyver.
I had no choice. Not then.
Why should I believe you now?
Because times have changed.
And because it is the truth.
That's it.
That's the plane.
After all these years.
I never thought...
What kind of scanner is it?
Ultrasound.
It's a prototype developed
by the Phoenix foundation.
Well, the fuselage is intact.
The pilot put it
down in one piece.
Cargo door seems to be missing.
That's how we'll get in.
But how?
Oh.
That'll do it.
45 years...
My men are not here.
Well, that means they
survived the crash.
One bar?
There were over 500
bars of gold in this crate.
Where's the rest of it?
Where's the rest of it?
A ghost plane and
one bar of gold.
Not much for thousands
of starving people, is it?
Well, the crew couldn't have
moved that much gold very far,
So there's a chance
we'll still find it.
That is what I've always
admired about you.
The way you...
Never let go of
something worthwhile.
MacGyver...
Please, I would
like to clear the air.
What happened
with us in Helsinki.
My uncle was planning to defect,
but the kgb found out.
They threatened
to put him in prison
if I didn't help them obtain
those papers you were carrying.
All these years
I have wanted to apologize.
That is why I asked
for you on this project.
Okay.
Apology accepted.
Thank you.
Here, let me help you with that.
looks like those boys
were carrying
more than just gold.
Some memories this brings back.
- Oh...
Here, you try.
What you Americans
call "white thunder."
Ah. White lightning.
150-proof alcohol.
Oh, that's right,
MacGyver. You don't drink.
The crews on these flights
were supplying one another
with rations of hard-
to-come-by items,
and this lightning
Would likely be traded for
American cigarettes or nylons.
How strange things were then.
Things are kind of
strange right now.
With a cargo door missing,
an entire crew,
500 bars of gold?
Where can they be?
Maybe the plane can tell us.
Well, it looks
like they had fuel.
How do you know?
Oh, the Gauge
is frozen at its last reading.
See if you can
find the pilot's log.
It might give us
an answer or two.
Colonel...
MacGyver has discovered
something interesting.
Really? What?
The fuel Gauge
is stuck at half full.
What do you make of that?
I don't know.
Could be a blocked fuel line.
I, uh...
I think I'll take
this outside, sir.
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
I could use an interpreter here.
"Contents
classified, secret.
"to be opened only by authorized
us military personnel."
It's a dictaphone.
The manifest listed
a box of transcriptions.
According to what I read,
they would record interrogations
of high-ranking German prisoners
and send them to
Washington for study.
These old recording
cylinders are pretty fragile.
I don't think they'd keep one
on the spindle to transport it.
It could mean that the crew made
a recording after they crashed.
Could be right, doctor.
Natalie. Please.
Well, it looks like
they had it rigged
To the plane's
electrical system.
So how do we listen to it?
That's a good question.
That looks great, MacGyver,
but how do we amplify it?
Give me your bear.
My Mischa?
He's my good luck, MacGyver.
Be careful.
Sorry.
All for a good cause.
Let's hope we get lucky, huh?
You sabotaged
that flight, west!
Because of your greed,
Two good men died.
Let the past
Die with them.
You don't have to
add new blood to old.
You're a soldier,
Not a murderer!
Give it up!
I can't!
Almost every day of my life,
I've thought about that gold.
I failed the first time.
I won't today.
It's going to be mine.
All mine!
All right, hold it steady.
It is December 2, 1944.
Hello, comrade west.
This message is from
your crew.
We found the timing device
You made to shut off the petrol.
And we have prepared
for your return.
You can find us and
your treasure by locating
The coordinates on
the back of the gold bar.
We will wait for you,
Lieutenant west.
West.
How did west think he
could succeed at such a plot?
He was the navigator.
All he had to do
was pick a point
where he wanted
the plane to crash,
And estimate the flying
time it would take to get there.
Then it was just a matter
Of rigging the fuel
system with a timer.
He bails out and
the plane goes down.
Yeah, except the storm
threw the plane off course.
This is not working.
We are done for.
I remember you don't
drink, but somehow,
This seems like a
good time to start.
MacGyver, that
much will finish you off.
You have an idea.
Yeah.
Grab the sleeping bags.
Uh, take one of the strings
off that and soak it in alcohol.
Here.
Keep that coming.
Cheers.
Got a light?
The Helsinki ambassador hotel.
Where we met.
Glad you're sentimental.
Let's go!
What if it doesn't work?
It worked.
Now, west...
How do we find him?
We'll follow the cat tracks.
Oh, Sergei,
you deserve better than this.
You devoted your life
to your country, Sergei.
We will find the gold.
The children...
The families who benefit
will know your part in this.
That is how you
will be remembered.
I promise you that.
Come on, Natalie. Let's go.
Nice try, captain.
You had me going
there for a minute.
Oh!
What?
Oh.
Blood.
Well, what do you know?
Just when I thought
my number was up,
who comes along but MacGyver
and Dr. Commie.
My luck's holding up, isn't it?
But yours is running out.
Hey, come on.
Use your head.
You can't get all that gold
out of here on your own.
You need our help.
You think this is
the only booby-trap?
No, I don't.
That's why I'm going to
use you as my shields.
Now the first
thing you can do...
Is get that thing out of my way.
You, too.
Come on.
Leave her out of it, huh?
Give me a break, MacGyver.
You think it's gonna upset
me to waste one more red?
Let's go.
Come on.
Okay, get through there, doctor.
Come on.
Okay, come on.
All right, get back now.
Stand clear.
The pack, MacGyver.
And go real easy.
Whoa.
You I need, MacGyver.
She's expendable.
Ladies first.
Come on.
Natalie, hold it!
Well...
from the corrosion,
I'd say that bottle
was filled with battery acid.
The other one's probably
filled with high aviation fuel.
Smash the two together,
the fumes mix, and boom.
The whole place comes down.
Well, I've got to hand
it to captain orbensky.
At least he figured
if I got past that prop,
I wouldn't notice this
little welcome sign.
Well...
What are we
going to do about it?
There's no way of knowing
how those bottles are connected.
The best thing to do
with a booby trap you find
is just leave it alone.
Heh, heh.
You know the drill.
Move.
There it is!
So that's how they got it here.
On the cargo door.
Where is the light coming from?
Oh...
We must be near the surface.
It is beautiful.
For a tomb.
Enjoy it, doctor.
It's gonna be your tomb.
Okay, move it.
Whoa! Hold it.
Uh, MacGyver and I are
going to wait back here,
aren't we, MacGyver?
Go on.
Go on!
MacGyver!
Natalie, don't move.
Just freeze.
I am already frozen.
Natalie... whatever you
do, don't shift your weight.
This thing's rigged
like a bouncing Betty.
A what?
A mine.
When your foot
comes up... It goes off.
What's it rigged to?
There's no way of knowing.
Maybe those jars back there.
Hold it, just a minute.
Where do you think you're going?
I'm gonna weigh the
Springs down with gold.
Oh, no, you don't.
Hey, nobody's
touching that gold.
Every brick of that
goes out of here with me.
You got a better idea?
Yeah. Disarm it.
All right, give me your pack.
What for?
You want to get out of here?
Give me the pack.
Okay.
MacGyver, he's
going to kill us anyway.
If I can't bring this
gold to my people,
then I believe
the next best thing
is to just step off
and take him with us.
What do you think?
I think you shouldn't go
Russian on me just yet.
What do you mean, "Russian"?
You know, heroic, fatalistic...
Russian.
Oh, that Russian.
Natalie, I don't
think you should be
considering breathing just now.
All right...
Nice and slowly...
Take a step back.
Thanks for your help, MacGyver.
I'll never forget it.
You pig! I should have done it,
I should have stepped off!
MacGyver, here...
Take my hands.
Reach...
Come on. Yes.
Yes.
No!
It's my gold.
All mine.
Please.
I beat you!
I won.
I won!
That's it.
Yes...
We got to get out of here.
How?
Same way the gold got in.
Jump!
Thank you.
Oh, I never thought I
would be warm again.
At least I know the gold
is finally going
to do some good.
My only regret is
that general barinov
is not here to see it.
Well, he lived
his life as a hero.
Seems he died the same way.
Why, MacGyver, you're
beginning to sound Russian.
What do you mean, "Russian"?
You know... Poetic,
philosophical...
Russian.
Ooh! Ooh.
Brr...
Great timing, Pete.
Yeah.
I just beat the storm.
Oh...
Well, I got here as soon
as I heard there was trouble.
Well, who could have guessed
a career officer
like west going bad?
You two look like you were
in the middle of something.
Don't let me stop you.
No, no, that's okay, Pete.
I was just working
on my Russian.
But I think the lesson is over.
Only for now.