Reilly: Ace of Spies (1983): Season 1, Episode 5 - Dreadnoughts and Crosses - full transcript

Reilly, who is now estranged from British intelligence due to hard feelings as a result of the D'Arcy Affair, is now headquartered in Russia as a representative of a German ship builder interested in selling warships to Russia. Reilly immerses himself in the corrupt world of Czarist politics in order to obtain the contract including bribes and coercion and takes delight in anticipating that his business coup will embarrass Zhakarov.

[gentle orchestral music]

[light, bouncy orchestral music]

[people chattering]
[bouncy orchestral music]

- His Excellency, the
Imperial German Ambassador.

And representative
of Blohm and Voss,

Admiral Heir Hans Schroeder.

- [Narrator] In 1904, the
Russian battle fleet was sunk

by the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Six years later, the czar
ordered the building of a

new fleet, which would be the
equal of any in the world.

This, the Russian
Naval Program of 1910,



was hailed in Europe as the
arms sale of the century.

The British sent to
Russia Basil Zaharov

to represent the
British firm, Vickers.

The Germans sent
Admiral Schroeder

to represent Blohm and Voss.

And with keen competition
expected from the French

and the Americans, the stage
was set for a commercial war

of unprecedented ferocity.

- You've not met my wife before,

Nadia, this is Basil Zaharov .

- Madame.

- How do you do, Mr. Zaharov?

- I don't envy you your duty,
standing about in drafty

corridors, unless of course
you are interested in warships?



- I am interested in
their crews, Mr. Zaharov.

I do hope that you are designing
a proper accommodation.

- Of course, madame.

The well-being of the men
is a basic consideration.

- Otherwise, they'd throw their
officers into the broilers.

[laughing]

- Ah, which is one of
the reasons why I suggest

that they should
always be oil fiber.

[laughing]

- Witty girl, St.
Petersburg is full of them.

- She's very lovely.

I'm surprised that
Reilly isn't here.

- Sidney Reilly?

- He is in St.
Petersburg, isn't he?

- Uh, afraid we're not talking
to Reilly at the moment.

He's taken up with the Germans.

- Mr. Zaharov, it's a
privilege to meet you, sir.

- This is Stubbs, one
of our commercial men.

- Mr. Stubbs.

- We were talking
about Reilly, Stubbs.

- Well the man's a traitor,
motivated only by money.

- Reilly is never
motivated by money.

He is interested in money, that
is quite a different matter.

[laughing]

I think we ought to have
white ensign on it, don't you?

Just to show them which is ours.

- [Narrator] Zaharov was
right to be concerned.

Reilly had come to
Russia two years earlier

and taken a job with a
German shipping agency.

It was widely assumed
that he had broken

with the British secret service
following the conclusion

of the D'Arcy affair, for
which he received small credit.

Now, with the aid of
his lawyer and friend,

Shasha Grammaticoff, he had
become an established figure

in St. Petersburg society,
where he was well placed

to serve his new masters.

[man clearing throat]

- Of course.

- Keep away from the
fire my dear fellow,

you'll take up all the heat.

For god's sake!

Did anyone order, do we need
it at this time, can't it wait?

[sizzling]

- Thanks.

- Your cards, please.

- Four of hearts, 10 of
spades, one, two, three kings.

- No!

[clearing throat]

- I will accept a
note, Count Lubinski.

- You expect me to pay!

- Unless you wish to continue.

- Never, never again.

- Would you fetch
the Count a pen?

[deep, mysterious music]

- You can obtain the
money from my partner,

Evan Mendrovovich.

On Monday morning.

[dramatic music]

- Well gentlemen, you've
seen the opposition in there.

Formidable, hm.

- I don't think you
should be too impressed,

your excellency.

We're competing against
each other all the time,

it's like a traveling circus.

Tokyo, Athens, Istanbul.

- But this is the biggest
order in modern times.

There's enough work her to keep

British yards open
for many a year.

- The bethel cruisers
are the star items.

If we win that order,
the rest will follow.

- And you're
reasonably confident?

- I'd be more confident if I
know what Reilly was up to.

- You're not coming
to the Massinos?

- No sure, humble
attaches like myself

do not get invited
to such functions.

- Well, thank you for
coming along Stubbs,

we'll see you tomorrow.

- Was there some
particular reason

for going on to Massino's?

- No but Reilly will be there.

- I was hoping for
an early night.

[people talking and laughing]

- Countess.

My dear Count Massino, I'm
so grateful to be invited,

to be able to discuss
with all these experts

the qualities of
the modern warship.

- I should go, if I hear one
more word about warships,

I shall be sick.

[uplifting orchestral music]

Is Basil Zaharov coming?

- He's been invited.

- Jan please, introduce me.

- [laughing] You seem anxious
to make an impression.

- My dear fellow,
the man is a legend.

[uplifting orchestral music]

- [Shasha] Ever watch a man
blow his brains out, Sidney?

- Yes, once.

- Do come over and tell me
if this one's doing it right.

He's got the telephone in one
hand, revolver in the other,

and no one in the room is paying

the slightest attention to him.

- I don't understand why
Mendrovovich was not invited.

- He's a Jew.

You know, I really think he's
going to pull the trigger.

- I think money has changed
hands in these placings.

Shmarid Crosey got himself
placed beside the Grand Duke.

And Bethlehem Steel set between

the Minister and
the Imperial Franc.

- Well that's hardly
surprising, old boy,

there isn't a nobleman
in Petersburg who
hasn't been bought

by one of the big companies.

- Still, it disappoints me
that people of this quality

can talk business over a table.

- There's only one thing
these people don't do

over a table, and
that they do under it.

Hello.

[gun firing]
[people screaming]

[people talking excitedly]

- Hello.

Madame, your husband
has shot himself.

Yes.

I, I'm sorry to say I,

yes, he's dead,
God rest his soul.

[phone clicking in receiver]

- Come with me.

- I thought I heard a shot.

- Basil, allow me to
introduce you, Baron Formick,

Basil Zaharov, I don't
think you've met.

- No we have not.

- It sounded like an Egram, 652.

- Yes, a very popular model.

My dear fellow, I'm delighted
to make your acquaintance.

- Please, excuse me.

[people chattering]

- Was he an
acquaintance of yours?

- No.

I think my husband
knew him slightly,

he was a vain man,
not without wit.

But it appears to have
deserted him tonight.

We haven't met before, have we?

- No, I'm Sidney Reilly.

- I'm Nadia Massino,
thank you Mr. Reilly,

I'm most grateful.

- My darling, what happened?

- Gunnerhoff just shot himself.

- Look, I think you ought
to lie down for awhile.

- Oh, no, no, no, no, no,
let's get out of here,

let's go to Panina's,
I want to get drunk.

- [Count Massino] I
can't leave my own party.

- Of course you must go.

- Goodnight, sir.

- Goodnight, Basil,
I'll see you tomorrow.

- Goodnight.

Do you know the countess?

- [Sidney] No.

- She's a very lovely lady.

How's Margaret?

- Last I heard,
she was in Munich.

- That was three years ago.

She's back in London, you know.

- What are you doing here
in St. Petersburg, Basil?

- Well just a brief
visit, dear boy.

- The Navy contracts?

- Someone has to
lay the groundwork.

The British
government picked me.

- Don't they always.

- Well the more difficult tasks

they do tend to lay at my door.

- And the more profitable.

- Before I came out here,
I asked Cummings about you.

He was most evasive,
he always is.

You fell out.

- I haven't worked
for the British

since the D'Arcy business.

We had a difference of opinion.

So I decided to come
back to my native land

and make my life here.

- The perfect answer,
direct, simple,

and incontrovertibly true, I
don't believe a word of it.

- You always had a low
opinion of me, Basil.

- On the contrary, how
much are they paying you

at this German shipping
firm you work for?

It is German, isn't it?

- More than Cummings ever did.

- How would you like to
make some real money?

I need someone to look
after our sales office here

while I'm in England.

- No.

- Why not?

- I want to make my own
fortune, Basil, not yours.

- Let's hurry in, gentlemen.

- All right, put him down here.

Careful.

- What was his name again?

- Gunnerhoff.

- I don't believe we met.

- Well you have now.

- Goodnight, gentlemen.

I'm leaving for
London tomorrow night,

but I shall watch your progress
here with great interest.

- Bon voyage, Basil.

- Until next time.

- You know Zaharov?

- I used to.

- Renew your
acquaintance, old boy,

the man is worth millions.

- [muffled] he is.

[horse hooves clopping]

What do you make of
our Minister of Marine?

- What, Massino?

First class fellow, old boy.

Charming, civilized,
almost European.

Married to Nadia, you
know she's the only woman

in Petersburg who
doesn't wear a corset.

Apart from these little scampy.

[women laughing]

[all laughing]

- Is it true he's
a trained engineer?

- Oh yes, no one's going to
pull the wool over his eyes.

He knows a great
deal about warships.

- Has he got any money?

I mean behind all those
aristocratic titles.

- You know, I don't know.

He possibly owns half the
Ukraine, but I doubt it.

He lives as if there
were no tomorrow.

[lively music]

[crowd applauding]

[lively music]
[crowd clapping rhythmically]

♪ Bring me the
glass that's full ♪

♪ Like a summer flower

♪ Breathing out perfume

♪ Let us drink a
toast to such a dear ♪

♪ To such a rowdy [muffled]

[Lively music]
[crowd clapping rhythmically]

[crowd cheering]

[somber orchestral music]

- It was just the
last straw, really.

[Nadia crying]

[horse hooves clomping]

[dog barking]
[birds chirping]

[dog howling]
[door bell ringing]

- Good morning.

- Sidney Reilly for Mr. Stubbs.

- He is expecting you, sir.

- [Sidney] Thank you.

- Mr. Reilly, sir.

- Morning, Stubbs.

- I have been recalled.

- Why?

- I don't know.

- Who will replace you?

- No one.

- Is there anyone I
can count on here?

- No.

Maybe the doctor,
McGilvery, he's sound.

Otherwise--

- What about Massino?

- The Count sir,
is an old Herovian,

that's about all I
can say for Massino.

I'm afraid you'll
be on your own.

- Before you burn
everything old boy,

I need some information
about an Evan Mendrovovich.

He's president of
an import agency,

Mendrovovich and Lubinsky.

I also want to know
about a newspaper owner

called Boris Souvorin,
ate breakfast at Cooper's.

- Come on, Sidney, I'm hungry.

Gentlemen, may I introduce
Mr. Sidney Reilly.

Sidney, this is
Evan Mendrovovich.

- How do you do?

- How do you do?

- And Boris Souvorin.

- Welcome.

- How do you do?

- Your name is known to me.

- Uh, watch it old boy,
I am his lawyer you know,

careful what you say.

[laughing]

- I'm acquainted with your
partner, Count Lubinsky.

- Oh, that is the connection.

- Uh, by the way,
Boris, when he's awake,

runs the most established
newspaper in Petersburg.

- What business
are you in, Reilly?

- Uh, shipping.

- Excuse me.

My chair.

- Very well, so sorry to bother.

- Another table.

- [Boris] Oh come
on, Count Lubinsky,

there's room for us all.

- Not for him.

- For god's sake, let's have
no melodrama, it's breakfast.

- A seat at this table
is by invitation only.

- Well then I have invited him.

- And I do too.

- But I

have not.

And that is the rule about
breakfast at Cooper's,

is it not?

- You want to make
an issue of this?

- Are you speaking as
my host or as my lawyer?

- Ah, we'll find another table.

Demetri, another table, please.

- Sure.

- Gentlemen, bon appetite.

- Pleasure, Mr. Reilly.

- I've had enough of your
back-handed friend, Mendro.

- Why don't you join them?

- We are partners.

Although I see you so rarely
that I sometimes forget.

- Well don't you forget, don't.

You need me, without
my protection

you would not last 10
minutes in this town.

[men laughing]

- How much do you owe him?

- You'll find out in due course.

- The note is on the firm.

- Mm-hm, well you be careful,
he's not all he seems to be.

- Hello.

Hello, yes, I've been
down to the warehouse,

and I can confirm that
the wagons were delivered.

No, no, no, no, the northwestern
goods are at Moscow.

Yeah, goodbye.

How can you lose
four brand new wagons

each 20 meters long?

- I would have thought
it would be quite easy,

Russia's a big place.

- You're right, and we
have 8,000 miles of track

between here and Vladavoster.

8,000 miles, and
those made me rich.

- I'm glad you feel
that way because

I have here a note
signed by your partner,

Count Lubinsky,
for 70,000 rubles.

- 70,000.

He didn't tell me it was
for that kind of figure.

Ah, the man will have
ruined me, eventually.

He's bleeding me dry.

- Why don't you replace him?

- With whom, another
aristocratic drunk?

And moreover, the new
drunk would have to be

more powerful than the old.

Because, Count Lubinsky
will make it his business

to take his revenge on me.

- My dear fellow, you
are one of the most

successful businessmen
in St. Petersburg.

- Yes.

And I am well off
sir, as you are.

And when the next
program comes around

my business could
be taken from me.

That is why I need
friends at court like

the Count Lubinsky, he's my
insurance and he knows it.

- He's not my idea of insurance.

Tell me, now that
the railway's built,

have you ever thought of perhaps

going into the marine business?

Importing warships,
for instance.

- [laughing] I know nothing
about the marine business.

- I don't wish to flatter
you, but I can think of no one

more suitable than you to
represent the big German yards.

- Yes, I don't think you realize

the difficulties
that it entails.

- On the contrary, I've
made a precise study.

- Mr. Reilly, what
exactly are you asking?

- I can bring you
the business of the

Blohm and Voss naval
yard in Hamburg.

They are favored for the
battle cruiser contract,

you must know that.

- Yes, and what do I
have to do in return?

- Sack Lubinsky.

- And.

- Bring me in as your partner.

- Mr. Reilly, I have a license
to import railroad stock.

Get me a license
to import warships

and then we'll talk business.

[gun firing]

- It is out of the
question, Sidney.

[gun firing]

Russian bureaucrats
do not give licenses

to railway men to start
selling battleships.

It would set a precedent.

It would cut through
100 years of corruption.

It would confuse
people, nobody'd know
who to bribe anymore.

There is not the
slightest possibility

of Mendro getting
a marine license.

[gun firing]

- Won't be easy, but
it's not impossible.

- In what cellar did you
collect that grime, may I ask?

- The boilers of
a German cruiser.

122 nautical miles
in five hours,

burning less than
70 tons of coal.

That's quick going.

And, it's better than
anything Zaharov has to offer.

- So how do we get
Mendrovovich his license?

- One applies
pressure at the top.

- Oh yes, what do
you mean, Massino?

- Through his wife, Nadia.

She's in love with me.

- You [laughing loudly] my god.

You're a cold bloody bastard.

- 2 1/2 percent of five billion,

that's what the cruiser
contract would bring in.

Why it's enough to
furnish this place.

[laughing]

- I have never known
a scheme more likely

to overreach itself, Sidney.

You are playing with
people who love you,

for that reason, they're
behavior is likely to prove

unpredictable, yet you are
cold bloodedly setting out

to manipulate them
like pieces in a game.

Incidentally, what about you,
are you in love with her?

Uh, I must declare an
interest here, old boy,

I'm in love with her
myself, you know.

Still, it would be something
if we pulled it off.

- For one thing, Zaharov
would be humiliated.

Surely that's worth
achieving in itself.

- Ah yes, I was coming to that.

He won't let you
get away with it.

He's planning to spend
a million out there

just oiling the wheels.

Receptions, conferences,
bribery, blackmail,

and when necessary, a
little barbershop brutality.

- I know how Basil works, but
what I want to know is Shasha,

are you in with me?

[slamming]

- With both feet, old boy.

But Sidney, you deviate by
just one degree either side

of your course, and I'm
going to blow your head off.

[gun firing]

- An air race.

- It was Reilly's idea.

- Sounds splendid.

- Splendid?

It will inflame the city,
and liven the season,

and make us rich.

- Is there anyone in Russia
who can fly these machines?

- No, but we shall all
learn, shan't we Reilly?

- It's not too
difficult, I'm told.

- Where do we get the machines?

- Well we'll import
them, along with

the mechanics and
the instructors.

It sounds expensive, but
Reilly showed me the returns

from the Rheems
meeting last year.

It was financed by
the champagne industry

and they made a profit.

- And what part do I play
in this venture, Mr. Reilly?

- You must be our patron.

- Yes sir, that is the
point of our visit.

Will you accept the presidency

of the St. Petersburg Aero Club?

- I should be
absolutely delighted.

[chuckling]

- To Massino.

- To Massino.
- Massino.

- And his most
beautiful countess.

- And to the St.
Petersburg Aero Club,

long may it flourish.

[dramatic music]

[glass shattering]

[bells tolling]

- [Admiral] Yes.

- Commander Cummings, Admiral.

- What do you want, Commander?

- I have a message.

From St. Petersburg.

From Reilly.

- Ah, Reilly.

- This card.

[bell tolling]

- Weather brightening,
hopefully something soon.

How long has he been away?

- Just over two years.

- Tell me, did it float
up the Thames in a bottle?

Or is the post from
Russia just a trifle slow?

- [Cummings] I just
thought you'd like to know.

- Know what, Commander?

- That he sent us a card.

- I shall cherish it.

Hopefully something soon.

- Shasha has asked us to
his lodge for holy week.

- Will Reilly be there?

- I suppose so.

- Do we have to go?

- I like him.

He's a sound chap,
not like some.

We had a fellow in today
criticizing a crozae design.

Yet he didn't have
one word of French.

How can a man, by just
a 30 page prospectus,

in a language he
doesn't understand,

and then have the
nerve to criticize it.

- Well I don't want to go.

- For heaven sake
Nadia, if you don't want

to go, we won't go.

We can all go to the
batcher and shoot the pig.

- All?

- The three of us,
you, me, and Reilly.

I want to pick his brains.

All right, we'll add Shasha.

- Why do you persist
in pointing me

in the direction of Reilly?

What sort of perverse
pleasure do you get from it?

- Are you attracted to him?

You're in love with him.

- Why don't you ask me
if I'm in love with you?

- I'm asking you
if you love him.

[somber, dramatic music]

- I don't know, I am just
trying to keep out of his way.

- Well, I don't believe in
running away from things.

- You are not me.

- If it weren't him, it
would be somebody else!

[horse snorting]

[birds cawing]

[horse whinnying]

- What about the horses?

- We'll leave them here.

- And the rifles?

The rifles, we are
going against pig.

- No rifles.

Pistols.

- [laughing] Pistols,
against wild pigs?

You don't really think a
pistol's going to stop a pig?

It weights two tons, it's
faster than the train.

- It appeals to my
sense of fair play.

That is suppose to
be an English virtue.

- If it is, I'm
never noticed it.

- Aim for the neck,
and make it drop.

- Drop after how many shots?

- Well there's usually
only time to fire one.

We move down the valley,
towards the stream.

First Shasha, to
his right, Sidney,

to his right,
Nadia, then myself.

Sensava the gamekeeper
will take the high ground.

He alone will carry a rifle.

Maintain a steady pace,
keep the person on your left

constantly in view,
remember that to your right,

you're covered, or should be.

When we reach the start
line, I will raise my hand.

That signifies that
the safety catches

may be taken off the weapons.

- You know Messino, I
don't wish to be impolite,

but it is quite obvious
to me why your little

weekend parties go unreported
in the society columns.

Your guests never come back.

[laughing]

They either die of exposure,
get eaten by bears,

or trampled on by pigs.

[laughing]

[dog barking loudly]

[horn blowing]

[dramatic blowing]

- Safety catches off.

[dramatic orchestral music]

[dogs barking]

[bold orchestral music]

[dogs barking]

[choppy, edgy orchestral music]

[suspenseful orchestral music]

[rumbling and gnashing]

[suspenseful orchestral music]

[birds singing]

[bouncy orchestral music]

[tense orchestral music]

- Reilly.

- Nadia?

- I've fallen.

[tense orchestral music]

I'm stuck.

[tense orchestral music]

And I can smell pig.

[dramatic orchestral music]

[growling and gnashing]

- I'm gonna try and
throw him this way.

[trees and brush crunching]

[suspenseful orchestral music]

Messino.

- [Count Messino] I hear you.

- There's pig in here.

I'm trying to draw him out.

- [Count Messino] Keep coming.

[grunting and snorting]

[pig growling]

[gun firing]
[pig growling]

[horse whinnying]

[gun firing]

[horse whinnying]

[dogs barking]

[men chattering]

- Are you all right?

- Yes.

[light, gentle orchestral music]

- Did Jan get him?

- Yes.

[uplifting orchestral music]

- Put your hand in there.

[uplifting orchestral music]

[thunder clapping]

Oh!

- I shall be returning to
St. Petersburg tomorrow.

- So soon?

- Yes.

You know, I had him in my sites.

It was touch and go whether
I shot him, or the pig.

- Well Jan don't ever say
you never had your chance.

[grimacing]

- [Sidney Voiceover] My
dear Cummings, it is likely

that in the near future
I will become the agent

for the German shipbuilding
firm of Blohm and Voss

here in St. Petersburg.

Consequently, the way
will be open for me

to photograph the drawings
of every German warship

ordered for the
new Russian Navy.

- I am therefore writing
to ask whether you wish

to take advantage of my
situation here or not.

- Well of course we do, we want
every damn thing we can get.

- There's just one snag, sir.

Reilly's scheme is
dependent on the Germans

getting the contract, and
Zaharov is spending millions

to ensure that they don't.

He wants the work to come here,

and he has strong
government support.

- You mean to say Reilly
intends to sell the Czar

a German Navy, and expects
us to help him to do so?

The man's mad.

If it were ever found out
that the Navy actually backed

a plan to sell German
capital ships to,

it's treason, chaps
have been shot for less.

- Should I pull him out, sir?

- Hm, what do you
think, Fothergill?

- I don't think he'd come.

- [Admiral] What do you
mean, he won't come, Major,

he'll do what he's told.

- What I mean is, I don't
think now is the right time

to indulge in a trial of
strength with Reilly, sir.

This is worth millions to him.

- You mean he's in
it for the money?

- [Fothergill] Yes sir.

- My god.

The man is completely
without principle.

- Well sir, what should we do?

- Well gentlemen, we
appear to have run aground,

and since reversing the
engines won't get us off,

we are just going to have to
wait for the tide, are we not?

- You don't think this is
something we ought to refer up?

- [Admiral] To the
prime minister?

- To the king.

- No, not at the
moment, thank you.

No let's just uh, wait and see.

- Ah.

What is he up to?

- I don't know.

[suspenseful orchestral music]

- [Announcer] St. Petersburg!

- Pardon, Madame.

- [Announcer] St. Petersburg.

- [Margaret] Okay.

- Mrs. Sidney Reilly?

- Yes.

- I'm the porter from the
Imperial Hotel, Mrs. Reilly.

Welcome to St. Petersburg.

Are those your bags?

- Yes, can, can you
get them down for me?

- Certainly.

[boat horn blowing]

- Oh, what lovely flowers.

Welcome to St.
Petersburg, Basil Zaharov.

[traditional, flowing
orchestral music]