Reilly: Ace of Spies (1983): Season 1, Episode 6 - Dreadnoughts and Doublecrosses - full transcript

Sidney proceeds with his plan to get Count Massino of the Russian admiralty to approve a contract with the German ship factory he's representing over that of a British firm represented by rival Basil Zakharov. Not only will Sidney make a small fortune from the deal, but he will also double-cross his German employers by selling the blueprints to the English secret service for use against Germany in the impending World War. Sidney is able to bribe Massino by seducing his wife and offering to marry her after she divorces the count. Reilly plans to use the huge divorce settlement he has arranged with Massino to disguise the bribe he is paying him for the contract award. Basil tries to upset the plan by sending Margaret to St. Petersburg to embarrass Sideney ad Massimo.

[cheerful music]

[classical melancholy music]

[cheerful music]

[bell ringing]

- Sidney Reilly, I want
to see the Ambassador.

- This way sir.

- Thank you.

- If you'll excuse me sir,
I'll inform His Excellency.

- Thank you.

[paper crumpling]

- Good day Mr. Reilly.



This is a surprise.

We haven't seen
you for some time.

Since you took up with your
German friends in fact.

- I need to borrow
your cipher clerk.

- Thompson?

- I have a message
that needs decoding,

he may well have the key.

- Mr. Reilly, are
you intimating to me

that you are still engaged
by our Secret Service?

[machine beeping]

Thompson.

This is Mr. Reilly.

- We've met before sir.

- He has a little work for you.



- It's from the
German Trade Mission

here in St. Petersburg sir,

to the Department
of War, Berlin.

Tuesday 27th of October.

It is imperative we
retain Sidney Reilly

as our advisor in all future
dealings with the Russians.

Please clear this with
Naval High Command.

That's all sir.

- Thank you Thompson.

- Pleasure sir.

It's not every day I get to
crack a German navy code.

- Alright, thank you Thompson.

- Good day sir.
- Good day.

So, you're now actually
taking their money?

- If the clearance
goes through, yes.

- I don't see that that
serves our interests.

- You don't?

I shall sell the Russians
a German naval fleet

and I shall forward
copies of every blueprint

to the Admiralty in London.

Couldn't be clearer.

- [Narrator] In
the spring of 1910,

Cummings, the head of the
British Secret Service,

was called to the Foreign Office
to clarify the position of

Sidney Reilly in St. Petersburg.

Reilly had been sent
to the Russian capital

two years earlier by Cummings,

with orders to infiltrate the
German business community.

So successful had he
been in doing this,

that he aroused the
fears of Basil Zaharov,

the International
Armaments King.

Zaharov was prepared
to risk his reputation

to win the huge Russian
Battle Cruiser contract

for Vickers and the
British Dockyards.

But he had discovered
to his alarm

that Reilly was equally
determined to secure the order

for his new German masters.

- Morning Cummings.

- Mr. Edward.

- You know we're trying to
sell the Russians a new navy?

- We're not entirely cut off
in Whitehall Court Square.

- Well France and Germany
have got the same idea

and a commercial war has
broken out in St. Petersburg.

Zaharov has written the
most disturbing letter

to Cartwright here.

Cartwright will read it out.

I might explain
but Cartwright here

is from the Board of Trade.

- "Dear Cartwright.

"I have just
received information

"from many sources
in St. Petersburg

"that a campaign of
vilification has been mounted

"against the British
Trade Mission.

"There are slanderous attacks

"on the quality of
British workmanship,

"the expensiveness
of our products and
their late delivery.

"This campaign has been mounted

"by a man called Sidney Reilly."

Does the name ring
a bell Commander?

- Please go on.

- "Reilly represents many German
interests in St. Petersburg

"and is much respected
in Navy circles.

"He has become a close friend

"of the Russian
Minister of Marine

"and is on the
most intimate terms

"with the Minister's wife."

Zaharov ends his report by
saying that in his view,

Reilly is in the pay of
the British Secret Service

and I quote "if this is so,
could some pressure be brought

"to stop him rocking the boat."

- What do you say Cummings?

- What can I say?

- Well to begin with,
is he one of yours.

- That's a difficult
question to answer.

I should have to
have notice of it.

- My dear fellow,
it's quite simple.

Is he or isn't he?

- Well he was.

But one might surmise from that
letter that he no longer is.

- When you say was, am I
to deduce that this man

is still drawing
a salary from HMG?

- Not at all.

He was given several
hundred pounds.

- Several?

- Six to be exact.

And told to go to Russia.

- With what brief?

- To get into society
and make himself useful.

- And do you consider
that the demoralization,

not to say discrediting of
the British Trade Mission

falls into that category?

- Arguably not.

- In view of the circumstances,

don't you think it
would be a good idea

if you recalled Reilly?

- In view of the circumstances,
I don't think he'd come.

Reilly stands to make a
great deal in this matter.

- In what way?

- Well, the German
yards are fancy

to capture the Cruiser contracts

and Reilly is lucky
to be their broker.

- Hmm.

Any other way of
warning him off?

- Short of shooting him, no.

- Well that thought
had crossed my mind.

- Shooting Reilly?

- Yes.

- Is that the way you
normally go about things

at the Board of Trade.

- No.

But in this case it is a
particularly large order.

- Sir I would like to say

that I don't think
shooting Reilly

is a very good idea.

After all we only
have Zaharov's word

that he's not on our side.

"His object all sublime,
he may achieve in time."

What I mean is,

he may well be
playing a double game.

[audience clapping]

[guitars strumming]

- Um, is Sidney Reilly here?

- Yes at Souvorin's table.

[peaceful guitar music]

♪ With a glass that's full
like a summer flower ♪

♪ Breathing out perfume

♪ Let us drink a
toast to forest dear ♪

♪ The forest I belong with

[audience applauding]

- Psst.

[laughs]

- Where's Sidney?

Boris.

- Do you recognize this one?

- Yes it's from
Spirit Nova in Moscow.

- Why do all the best
shoemakers come from Moscow?

- Because that is
where the money is.

- Then why don't we
leave here and go there?

- Because your husband, who
is a close friend of mine,

would divorce you and demand
a vast sum in compensation.

- How much?

- I don't know, maybe
quarter of a million.

- Do you think I'm
worth that much?

Well?

- I'd like to get
you for nothing.

- That is a dangerous notion.

This is Russia.

- Very well if you insist
on a financial transaction,

I would pay the money
but make a profit on it.

- Very well Sidney.

But make your bid soon.

There are other
interested parties

and I'm getting tired
of living with Jan.

[clearing throat]

- Good evening friends.

- Ah now dear, you know my
lawyer, Shasha Grammaticoff.

- Good evening Shasha,
how are you tonight?

- My darling Nadia, how
delightful to see you.

- I thought I left
you at my apartment?

- Yes something came up.

I think we ought to go old boy.

- Would you excuse us?

Well?

- I've located your wife.

[suspenseful music]

- You're sure she's in there?

- Her names in the
book, that's all I know.

- Thank you.

Mrs. Reilly.

- She left.

- When?

- This morning.

- Did she leave a
forwarding address?

- Nope, nor did
she pay her bill.

So if either of you
gentlemen will oblige.

- How much is it?

- Don't.

- What?

- Pay it.

That's tantamount to saying
you're responsible for her.

- I am responsible for her.

How much?

- With taxes, 150.

- That 150 could cost
you your future Sidney.

A hundred thousands
times that amount.

- You're a lousy lawyer
Shasha, you always were.

[phone ringing]

- Hello.

Why did you leave so suddenly?

- [Sidney] Where are you?

- At home.

I just wanted to
tell you I love you.

- Nadia when you talked
about leaving Jan,

were you serious?

- Very.

- Good, then I shall come
round to talk to him tomorrow.

- First thing.

[clock chiming]

Thank you Thomas.

- What happened to
that little gypsy girl?

- What little gypsy girl?

- The pretty little one.

She seemed to disappear.

- She did disappear, with Boris.

- I thought Boris
was with Penina?

- He took them both home.

- Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

Her Mama will be onto me.

And I have to be at
the Ministry at 12.

- How are you feeling?

- I have a head like a foot.

- Jan, I am in love with Nadia.

- [laughs] The whole
world is my dear Reilly.

The whole world is.

Are you in love with him?

- Yes.

- Well we'd better arrange
for some sort of divorce.

I mean, if that's what you want?

This is what you want?

Is that what you want!

Perhaps we'd better wait
until she's made up her mind.

Meanwhile if you would convey
me to the Ministry of Marine,

I should be most grateful.

I mean, I'm perfectly capable
of walking in a straight line,

it's turning the corners
that might prove difficult.

- [Sidney] So what
about the settlement?

- It's going to cost you money.

It is regrettable

but it will have to be large
enough to satisfy my honor

and my honor, as you well know,

is about all I have left.

- How much?

- Half a million, that's
a nice round figure.

- Too round for me.

- We could bisect it,
that is, if she's serious.

- A quarter?

- Cash.

- It's possible.

- [Jan] Where are you going
to get that sort of money?

- I intend to join
Mendrovovich and Lubinsky.

It looks as if they might
get the Blohm and Voss Agency

and Blohm and Voss
looks like a good shot

for the Cruiser contract.

- Mendrovovich and
Lubinsky are not accredited

with the Ministry of Marine.

- Not at this moment, no.

- They import rail stock.

Freight cars, locomotives,
that sort of thing.

They won't wear them
at the Ministry.

- They will if you say so.

Make sure that
when Mendrovovich's
application comes up,

nobody on your staff vetoes it.

I'm not asking you to
do anything underhand,

merely to ensure that an
old and well established

Russian firm gets the
right to represent

a German naval yard
if it should want to.

- I would do that anyway.

- [Sidney] Good,
I knew you would.

- You really want
her, don't you?

- Yes.

But I also want that order.

- Well you're going to have
to work for it damned hard.

Damned hard.

[horn tooting]

- [Sidney] Tell Mr. Mendrovovich
that Mr. Reilly is here.

- Ah.

Well?

- There will be no
problem with the license.

- Good.

- Lebinsky has gone?

- He has.

- Good.

- Here's the draft agreement.

If you agree, we will
both be partners.

Equal partners.

- I want control.

- Control?

- 51, 49 Mendro.

Or I take my German
friends elsewhere.

- Good morning.

- Morning sir.

- Gentleman, for those of you
who are unacquainted with him,

this is Admiral Popakatoff,

my Naval Advisor
for this session.

[chairs clattering]

So without further
ado, let us begin.

The first tender is that of
Vickers Armstrong, is it not?

[gasps]

[murmuring]

- Gentleman, this is a warship

of the improved
Queen Mary class.

[suspenseful music]

- Hello Basil, when
did you arrive?

- Yesterday morning.

- How was your reception?

- Characteristically low key.

I was met by the Ambassador,
the band played Rule Brittania.

There was short speech
and a station buffet,

mainly for the
benefit of the press.

Then I was driven
to the Hermitage,

where I had been
allotted the West Wing.

The whole thing had
that indefinable air

of understatement so
typical of the British.

Who incidentally are
under the impression

that you've gone
over to the Germans.

Blohm and Voss was
mentioned, is that true?

- Yes.

- Is there some particular
reason for your defection

or is it merely for the money?

- Basil the words merely
and money never go together.

[clock chiming]

- Ah the famous
collection of Napoleona,

grows more impressive
with the years.

What is that?

- That was used to sign
the Treaty of Tilsit.

- How historic.

I see there is even some
ink left in the well?

Would it be an act of
sacrilege if I used it?

- Not at all.

- I have come here you
see, to write you a check.

- How very kind of you.

- As a matter of
fact, it's a bribe.

- For how much?

- 100.

Thousand.

Pounds.

That is the sum which
I consider necessary

to buy you out of the
Mendrovovich partnership.

- My new job's hardly announced

and yet here you are in St.
Peterburg buying me off.

- Not off, out.

So I suggest you take
this small fortune

and depart from this city as
speedily as decency allows.

- Basil why don't
you accept the fact

that you've lost this one.

[suspenseful music]

- Margaret is here
in St. Petersburg.

Did you know?

- Yes.

- She's heard that you're
in the money again.

And she's homing in on you

with all the accuracy
of a Harrington torpedo.

A design for which,
incidentally, I own
all the patents.

- There was a lot of trouble

with the Harrington's
at Port Arthur.

- The snags have
since been ironed out.

- Margaret or no Margaret,
I'm home and dry.

- We shall see.

When I first arrived
in St. Petersburg,

I couldn't understand

how Massino could fit
into the scenario.

So honest a man is he,

that he would have made George
Washington appear devious.

And the fact that you were
sleeping with his wife

would seem to work
against any arrangement.

But there was something
about your affair with her

which was altogether too open.

And then of course, the whole
thing became clear to me.

There is to be a divorce.

And with the divorce,
a settlement.

The scheme is breathtaking
in its simplicity.

The Countess, is to
be transferred from
Count Massino to you

in the full glare of publicity

and with the blessing
of the Church.

Simultaneously a very
large sum of money

disguised as divorce court
damages will go the other way.

[suspenseful music]

You know you've restored
my faith in human nature.

Lately I had begun to doubt
that every man has his price.

But now I see it's just
a matter of the currency.

- We now turn to the armor.

As you'll from
your specifications

the magazines are
particularly well protected.

- What about the hoists?

- The hoists?

- In action shells
will be hoisted

from the magazines to the guns.

Your hoists are not armored.

- That lesson we
learnt at Port Arthur.

- Gentleman, the
hoists are not exposed.

May I refer you to page 96.

In it you will see details of
the very latest modifications.

[door knocking]

[clock chiming]

- Who is it?

- [Shasha] Grammaticoff, Shasha.

- You been drinking?

- Sidney if you think
I'm going to change

the habits of a lifetime
because you're in trouble

you're very much mistaken.

- [Sidney] Quiet, Nadia's here.

- [Nadia] Who is it?

- [Sidney] It's Shasha darling.

- My god what a body.

- Shasha, what do you want?

- Your lady wife old boy.

Has finally broken cover.

- Where is she?

- At the Hotel Europa.

- Good, let's get going.

- Sidney, is four
o'clock in the morning.

- The time of least
resistance my dear fellow.

- Yes, hers or yours?

[suspenseful music]

[door knocking]

Mrs. Reilly.

[door knocking]

- Who is it?

- [Sidney] Sidney.

- Go away.

Sidney.

- How are you Meg?

- Lost.

Terribly cold.

- What are you doing
in St. Petersburg?

- I wanted to see you.

Basil gave me the tickets.

When I got here there
was no one to meet me.

I have no money.

I couldn't find you.

- I'll call the porter back,

he'll bring you up some
wood and light a fire.

- No, don't.

You take care of me.

You will.

Won't you?

[melancholy music]

- Yes darling, I'll
see what I can do.

- The time of least
resistance indeed.

- You're up early.

- I'm going to the station
to make arrangements

for your return to Brussels.

- Now Sidney, I don't want
any of your grand gestures.

I've only just got here.

It was a long journey,

and I'm going to take
some time to recover.

- I don't think you know
what a hornet's nest

you're stirring up.

- Why is it that even
before we've had breakfast

you're telling me to go?

I'm not one of your whores.

We have a lot to discuss.

We haven't seen each
other for four years.

- Before you go, I want you
to meet Shasha Grammaticoff.

He's my lawyer.

- Sidney.

- I don't want to
discuss money with you.

But he will.

- Why do you always
talk about money?

- I'm playing for high
stakes this time Margaret.

And you are being used by
Basil to compromise me.

- Think about me.

For once, think about me.

- I am thinking about you.

Your life may be at risk,
do you understand that?

- I have left a number of
letters at my bank in Brussels

in case of that eventuality.

- In normal times
Margaret such a threat

would freeze the marrow of
even an old hand like myself.

But these are not normal times.

- You leave that bag alone.

[groans]

[dramatic music]

- I'll keep these around.

[suspenseful music]

- I'm sick.

Sidney.

- I'll have McGildry
come and see you.

He's the doctor at the Embassy.

[groans]

- The hull as you see,
under the water line

has a bulbous stem
leading to tapered chime.

This is repeated under
the after quarters,

which of course greatly
adds to her speed.

- Now I notice you've
fitted bilge keels.

- Ah yes, the prototype
showed a tendency to roll.

- [Jan] What was the angle?

- 18 degrees.

Beaufort scale eight.

- On page 104 of
the specifications

the vessel is described as
"a stable gun platform."

How would reconcile
that Herr Schroeder

with an 18 degree roll?

- [Schroeder] We have fitted
bilge keels, Your Excellency.

[suspenseful music]

- [Popakatoff] May I
ask you a question?

- [Schroeder] By all means.

- [Popakatoff] Assuming
that bar bit guns

are framed upon the beam
and fired on broadside--

[suspenseful music]

- So Sidney is married?

- Yes.

- To you?

- Yes.

- So what does that make me?

- His whore.

[laughs]

- You have come to claim him?

- To warn you.

Look what I've become.

- You blame your
situation upon him?

- He destroyed me.

I didn't want to come here.

- But you did.

- I don't know anybody.

I have to have help.

- Never mind.

I shall give you tea

and we shall talk about Sidney,

which is what you
want to do isn't it?

How long have you been married?

- 10 years.

- I met her.

- Who?

- Your wife, Margaret.

She came to my house.

I gave her tea.

She is as mad as a hatter.

She is also dangerous.

Did you really murder
her first husband?

- Who else was there?

- Only Thomas, he let her in.

- What about Jan?

- He doesn't know, yet.

Why didn't you tell me about--

- Would it have made
that much difference?

- Yes!

No.

- Look.

Zaharov imported her with
the idea of embarrassing me.

- Well he has succeeded.

It's pathetic really.

She wants to tell everyone
she's married to you.

- The fact is she is.

- Get her out of here
before she destroys us all.

[melancholy music]

[people chattering]

- She left the Europa at 10.

Went to Zanier Street.

God knows what happened there.

But she went from there
to lunch at Krill's

where she got drunk.

Accused the waiter
of assaulting her,

accused me of following her,

picked up a knife, you
know the kinds they cut a--

- Where is she now?

- At the Nevski Police Station.

My friend Grigorenko
has her in custody.

She's asked for a bottle of gin

and the British
Ambassador, in that order.

- Go to the Europa, pay the bill

and remove the rest
of her belongings.

Then let me talk to Grigorenko.

[bell ringing]

- Good evening Mr. Reilly.

You are expected,
do come in sir.

- Thank you Thomas.

- All my papers are
with my husband.

- What about your luggage?

- It is at the hotel.

- The Europa?

- Yes.

- I'm sorry madam, your
luggage is not at the Europa.

- I tell you it is.

[suspenseful music]

- Madam not only is your
luggage not at the hotel,

in fact no person of your
name is registered there.

- Call Basil Zaharov,
he will identify me.

- Madam if you are Mrs. Reilly,

why is it that you
have not at any time

asked to see your husband?

- Because he had me arrested.

- Zaharov is showing
considerable energy.

He's making a meal of the fact

that the Tsar and the King
of England are cousins.

The palace is crawling with
British Naval Officers.

- Why did you ask me here Jan?

- This woman who
claims to be your wife,

she must be got rid of.

- She is my wife.

- I cannot allow
Nadia to divorce me

unless you're free to marry her.

Any other course, here of
all places, is unthinkable.

The matter did
not come up before

because I assumed from your
behavior, you were not married.

I was wrong to do so.

- If I didn't know you better.

I would've assumed that you
were not married either.

Nor for that matter, your wife.

- Please take me
seriously Sidney.

This woman has only got
to get herself invited

to one of our many
official receptions

and she will deliver
the performance

she's come 1,000 miles to give.

And the fat will be in the fire.

- She'll be gone
within 48 hours.

- I hope so.

Be careful.

I am not to be relied upon.

My sense of honor
sometimes gets the better

of my instinct for survival.

- I shall deal with her.

- Discretely please.

[suspenseful music]

- [Margaret] Why have
you brought me here?

[groaning]

[dramatic music]

- Do you know this woman?

We pulled her out of the canal.

- Please.

- These were found
on her person.

- They're mine.

- And what were they
doing on the deceased?

- Sidney!

[suspenseful music]

Alright.

What do you want?

- Leave St.
Petersburg right away.

There's a steamer sailing
tonight for Egret,

and I shall see
that you're fixed up

with the necessary warrants.

You'll be given new clothes

and enough money to get
you back to Brussels.

I do advise you
not to return here.

Nor to communicate
with Zaharov again.

Should you even
attempt to do so,

you will end up like
the woman through there.

- I need more money
when I get back.

- It will be waiting for you.

- And what about Basil?

- Forget

Basil.

- I owe him for the ticket.

- And it is the committees
unanimous approval

that the order for the
prototype Battle Cruiser

go to the yard of
Blohm and Voss,

agents Mendrovich and Lubinsky.

[clapping]

[singing in foreign language]

[boat horn blares]

- [Man] Keep her door
locked until you're at sea.

Goodbye Mrs. Reilly.

[melancholy music]

- [Ambassador]
Good night Charles.

- [Charles] Good night
sir, many thanks.

- [Ambassador]
Good night Oliver.

We'll see you at the
chancery tomorrow.

Yes, goodnight ladies.

- [Ladies Together]
Goodnight sir.

- Evening sir.

- Another message Mr. Reilly?

- Afraid so sir.

Good evening Basil,

I thought you left town.

- Not quite,

I'm invited to have dinner
with the Tsar tomorrow.

- Some sort of a
consolation prize hmm?

- It will be he who
needs the consolation.

When I tell him my
little after dinner story

of espionage and intrigue
in the Imperial Navy.

Of ladies bartered
for battleships

and the divorce
courts used as banks.

- The Ambassador phoned and
said you had a job for me sir?

- Yes, this cable I
want it unscrambled.

It's an Admiralty
cipher of some kind.

- It won't take long
sir, would you care to--

- That's alright Thompson.

Mr. Reilly can keep me company.

- Give me five minutes sir.

- I hear Margaret has
left St. Petersburg.

- Yes.

- In something of
a panic I hear?

Still who can define what
goes on in a woman's mind.

- It was a mistake to have
brought her here Basil.

- Perhaps.

[speaking in foreign language]

- So, tell me more about
this dinner tomorrow.

- I shall propose a toast
to the British Navy,

without whose enthusiasm
the shipyards of Germany

would not now be enjoying
their very full order books.

- You're cheating Basil, you've
been beaten fair and square.

- This isn't a game dear boy.

- Yes it is.

- You would throw 35,000
British workers out of jobs

so that Russian orders
would go to German yards,

for no other reason
that the Royal Navy

gets its hands on
the German drawings.

- There's a war coming.

The plans are important.

And in that context,

your actions could be
construed as treason.

- Oh now, come now.

We are selling battleships.

Let us leave emotional words
like treason out in the hall

together with the dress
swords and the umbrellas, hmm?

- I can't believe
that you would stoop

to such a childish maneuver.

Smacks of Peak.

- There will be repercussions
at court of course.

The King won't speak to me.

But you will be discredited

and with you the
German shipyards.

And I will have the order.

Not only that, but every
damn ship on the tender.

- No no, the price is too high.

You can't afford
the unpopularity.

You're already known as
the merchant of death.

- Amongst certain sections
of the press maybe.

But the shipyard workers
will be behind me,

they need the jobs.

It could even save
the governments bacon,

such is the magnitude
of the order.

So you may have your Admirals,

but I ultimately have
the Prime Minister.

- Here's your message sir.

It's from Buckingham Palace.

- Thank you Thompson.

Oh dear.

"Please advise Zaharov to
cancel all further engagements

"and to return to London
without further delay."

Signed by the King.

- Check the text for errors.

- Yes sir.

- Your move Basil.

- Very well.

I will allow you the game.

- Allow me.

[laughing]

Allow me.

I've run rings around you Basil.

[classical melancholy music]