Secret Agent (1964–1967): Season 2, Episode 11 - To Our Best Friend - full transcript

Rutledge here.

Yes, Andy.

No, no I'm afraid I won't be able to make

the trade fair reception.

Well to tell you the truth,
old man, I didn't get home

til rather late and I've
got to turn in early.

Yes, sure, I'll see you tomorrow.

Fine, yep.

Comrade.

How do you do?

Za vas.



Comrade Poltyev greets
you and hopes you had

a fruitful visit to Iraq.

Thank you, things didn't go too badly.

I have some pieces of
information that I think will

fascinate comrade Poltyev.

Oh.

Our contact in Baghdad
has some most interesting--

We must await the
arrival of comrade Solomin.

And who is comrade Solomin, if I may ask?

Oh comrade Solomin has taken
over from comrade Poltyev.

Oh.

Then I expect I must
congratulate comrade Poltyev

on his promotion.

Promotion?



I suppose you could call it that.

Comrade Rutledge, allow me
to present Comrade Solomin.

How do you do.

You will please make
your report immediately.

The comrade is pressed for time.

Just as the comrade pleases.

First, the news from our agent in Baghdad.

He's going to give us the news.

The comrade would like to
know the name of this agent.

Please tell the comrade,
most respectfully,

that I am not permitted to reveal

our sources of information,

but I'm sure he'll be
very interested to know

that our man there has a direct contact

with a member of British M9.

Posle vas.

Nicely timed, old man.

You must contact London immediately.

Our M9 man in Baghdad has gone double.

Tell them a full report follows.

Posle vas.

Is this a good idea?

Excellent.

No one is interested in public call boxes.

If you say so.

I had to talk to you before you left.

Am I going somewhere?

Baghdad.

We think our associate over there

has been cooking the books.

We want you to find out if he's
been playing a double game.

Drake?

I'm sorry, I can't help you.

I don't understand you.

Our associate out there
happens to be a friend of mine.

But of course.

That's why we picked you.

Then you can find somebody else.

We have confirmation.

Absolute proof?

As good as.

Very well, it's better me
than one of the General's men.

I'll do it.

Right away.

We are extremely worried.

No more than I am.

Darling.

Yeah?

You know this old print I picked up

in the bazaar yesterday,
I think it's rather good.

Eh? Who did you pick up?

Idiot.

I shouldn't be surprised if it weren't

a genuine copy of a genuine --

Sayyed.

Oh, where's he got to?

Hello.

No!

John!

Oh it's nice to see you Leslie.

Oh, Bill, Bill!

What is it now?

Come and see, there's
a gorgeous beast down here.

What kind of a beast?

A large one with cold blue eyes.

And what kind of a beast
has got cold blue eyes?

John!

Hello Bill, how are you?

Ah, this is great.

Isn't it wonderful,
how long are you staying?

Oh now that's a question
I always like to--

Leslie, is that bottle in the fridge?

Oh, where are your things?

Oh, at the Hotel Excelsior.

Oh John, Sayyed will
fetch them right away.

Oh no, but--
-You're staying here.

Well well well.

Well you're looking fine.

Yes, you don't look so bad yourself.

Well come in, John.
-Yeah.

Rest your weary limbs, eh?
-Yeah.

Ah, yep.

How are things in London?

Oh, well nothing new.

Just wondered.

They haven't contacted me for a week now.

Oh?

You're not grumbling, are you?

I thought there might
be a bit of a shake-up.

Why have they sent you out here?

Oh, it's a little job,
I'll tell you about it later.

Didn't they signal you I was coming?

No.
-Huh, that's funny.

What's going on there?
-Where?

London.

Oh, eh nothing, why?

There's nobody sharpening
a knife for me, is there?

No, why would there be?

Are you sure?

Why?

You would tell me, wouldn't you?

Hmm?

Bill, what on earth gives you the idea

that someone's got their
knives out for you?

No reason.

A fifth sense maybe.

Oh now, come on now.

You must have some reason
at the back of your mind.

What a beautiful sight.

Me or the bottle?

Both.

Sayyed, you remember Mr. Drake.

Of course he does.

Salaam, Sayyed.

Now John, we don't want
you working all the time.

We want to see plenty of you
this time, now you promise.

All right, I promise.

That's fine.

Well, you certainly do
yourselves well these days.

How do you mean?
-The Arabian nights.

Oh, the apartment.

Leslie rents it from an ageing princess.

We get it for a song.

Pure Dresden, very brittle,
but a darling old thing.

And do you always have
a bottle of champagne in the fridge

in case somebody drops in?

Oh no, no no, that's just for my birthday.

Oh, many happy returns to--

Oh, it's not until tomorrow.

Oh, I came just in time.

It's today now.

Here's to me old friend.

Well, I'm not that old.

Well, here's to my oldest friend.

To our best friend.

Cheers.

Is Leslie down yet?

Not yet.

Where can we talk?

How about taking a stroll
in the cool night air?

All right.

Is this safe?

What, from bugging?

You think I don't know my job?

What do you know about Ala ed-Deen?

Quite a bit.

He's the "eminence grise"
behind the far left out here.

We hear that he's been up
to tricks with the Russians.

Yeah, that would be natural enough.

Our people play tag with the right.

What kind of tricks?

Treacherous tricks.

Treachery, that's a loaded word isn't it?

All right.

You think so?

Well some people might
think that my activities

out here were treacherous.

Oh yeah, in what way?

Well it depends whose
eyes you're looking through.

A hero through one man's eyes

can be a traitor through another's.

Yes.

Well to get back to ed-Deen.

He's considered to be a serious threat

to our policies in this part of the world.

oh?

Look, the idea is that we raid his place

and we believe the
documents we'd find there

could be an embarrassment to him.

They might nip his political
ambitions in the bud.

And it might also backfire.

Imperialistic interference,

it might do ed-Deen more good than harm.

But it's not our job to
question policy, is it?

No, ours but to do or die.

Now when do you intend to carry
out this ill-advised plan?

Well as soon as you can set it up.

You don't expect any trouble, do you?

No, should be simple enough.

ed-Deen wouldn't expect us
to do anything so stupid.

Oh come on now, John, level with me.

Why have they sent you out here?

Why didn't they trust this one to me?

I was at a loose end, I'm supposed to be

a dab hand at this sort
of thing, send for Drake.

It's stupid, isn't it.

Dinner is served gentlemen.

Oh.

Ooh, it's cold, John would
you bring my wrap, please?

Oh yes, sure.

Tomorrow night?

It's a date.

I've decided to stage
a raid on ed-Deen's place.

It's all set for tonight,
nobody apart from Bill Vincent

knows about my plan so
that if all goes well

it would indicate that he is in the clear.

If anything goes wrong,
investigation proceeds.

Interesting smell up here.

They should bottle it.

Looks nice and quiet over there.

Well I told you, he's not
at home, he's at the rally.

What am I waiting for?

Pass me the radio.

What do you want that for?

Oh, just a bit of gadgetry
in case I walk into a trap.

Good luck.

Thanks.

Stand still, don't move.

All right boys.

Turn on the lights

Again.

Move it.

What went on in there?

It was a trap, someone talked.

London.

Never could keep their mouths shut.

I think it was someone nearer home.

John, I thought we had a burglar.

All right Sayyed.

Really John, do you think
I'm a complete amateur?

I check over the whole place every week.

No, there are no bugs here.

That's not the way it leaked.

I told you somebody in London talked.

No.

How can you be sure?

Nobody in London knew about the raid.

But who have you talked
to since you've been here.

No Bill, there were only
two people who knew about it.

You and me.

Well then they were
waiting for somebody else.

ed-Deen was--
-They were waiting for me.

They talked to me in English.

Well someone else must have known.

I mean, somebody briefed you in London.

They briefed me, all right.

But the briefing had
nothing to do with ed-Deen.

It was a trap?

You set a trap for me?

Do you mean they think I've gone double?

But we've worked together
for 10 years now.

You can't believe it.

But you do, eh?

Why didn't you get somebody
else to do their dirty work?

Oh no.

It was a pushover, wasn't it?

You were my friend.

You had the hospitality
of my house, and --

Get out of here!

Bill.

John, what is it?

Get out.

John, what's
happened, what's this all about?

Ask Bill.
-I have, he won't tell me.

It's to do with our firm.

Well then why all this personal animosity?

It's a question of
policy, get Bill to explain.

John, don't lie to me,
I know what you two really do.

How do you know that?

I've known for a long time.

Bill told you?

He had to.

To save our marriage.

He kept on disappearing.

Well sometimes for days.

Business trips for World Travel.

He always used to call me and
make reasonable explanations

but later on they didn't always check.

Then there was an Australian girl.

Well he was supposed to be
in Tehran on business then

a girlfriend of mine came back from Persia

and said he was seen about everywhere

with this beautiful dark-haired secretary

in Anglo-American.

And I left him.

He chased after me to London.

That was when he told me.

The girl is now in prison.
Serves her right.

What for, selling secrets?

No, running after Bill.

Well you wouldn't understand.

You're not a jealous person.

Anyway of course, you're
not married, are you?

That's why.

It doesn't work in this game.

I thought that you and
Bill were the exception.

Goodbye, Leslie.
-John, listen, listen--

Ask Bill.

Look John, whatever
it is I'm not having you

walk out of my house in
the middle of the night.

Oh please, you must stay.

Look, if you two can
just talk this thing over

in the morning I know
there's some misunderstanding

or mistake, oh please.

I hope there is a mistake.

You'll stay?

As it's your birthday.

But I have to take a little stroll.

I'll be back.

This orange juice is positively warm.

Phelps, catch that waiter will you please.

Sir.

Don't bother, Phelps.

While I wait, the rest of
my breakfast will get cold.

Good morning, Drake.

And how did you know I was here?

Or is that a silly question?

Phelps, you must be more careful.

I'm sorry sir.

Don't let it happen again.

That'll be all until you relieve Simpson.

Call in every two hours.

Yes sir.

When did you get in?

I have only just arrived.

I was in Beirut.

London called me last night
and I came right over.

Dirty business, this.

What is?

This report on Bill Vincent.

They phoned it through to the
Lebanese embassy last night.

And what exactly are you doing here?

Taking over from you, old man.

I should have thought you'd
have been on your way by now.

How are you going to handle it?

Not really any of you business
old man, but since you ask

I'm going to order him out on
the first flight back home.

And if he refuses?

Then I shall keep my
bloodhounds on his trail

until he gets so scared that
he bolts for the other side.

That'll give us an excuse
to take care of him.

No recriminations, much tidier altogether.

Better watch your step.

We may all be making a mistake about him.

I understand you were
a friend of his, coffee?

Yes.

I am a friend of his
and I don't intend to see him involved

in any of those unfortunate accidents

that you arrange so neatly.

Look old man, this really
is none of your business,

the General is my only boss.

Butcher Bavestock?

He can keep his hired
assassins out of this.

I'll have you know
that I resent that Drake.

You're sure that you won't have
any coffee, it's delicious.

No thank you.

Then I'd appreciate it if you'd

trot along home and leave the field to me.

I'll bet you would.

But I don't intend to.

I intend to stay on and referee this bout

and if you deliver one foul blow

I'll see that questions
are asked in Parliament.

Have a pleasant flight home.

Good morning Sayyed.

You went out early today.
-Yes, I did indeed, Sayyed.

Are Mr. and Mrs. Vincent about?

They have just gone out.

Oh, just yourself in the place?

Yes sir.

Come with me, would you Sayyed.

Would you take this to the
Hotel Excelsior for me?

Hotel Excelsior?

That's right.

Thank you.

How low can you get?

I'm sorry. If you didn't pass
on the news of the raid

then we must find out who did.

I was trying to discover

if your pillow talk with
Leslie had been bugged.

Did you tell her about the raid?

Why did you tell her you work for M9?

Is it a tooth?

No, it's just a cut.

I know it's not in the book

but I did.

I don't suppose I'm the
first agent to tell his wife.

Who else did you tell?

That's a stupid question.

Is it?

Who else did she tell?

No one.

How do you know?

You come from a very
large family, don't you?

Mm, ah yes.

Tendency to confide, agent's
predictable character flaw.

My character may be full of flaws,

but I don't rat on my friends.

Bill

promise me that whatever
you do, you won't run.

Run, why should I run?

Don't.

I'm warning you.

Don't run.

If you want me

I'll be at the Hotel Excelsior.

Good afternoon, Natalie.

Good afternoon, Mrs. Vincent,
I was hoping you'd look in.

Your green silk's ready for fitting.

I haven't time now.

Yes?

Oh, hello Mr. Vincent.

Uh, Mrs. Vincent?

I am afraid she's not here.

Of course I am sure.

She did come in earlier.

A pity I missed her.

Never mind, thank you, goodbye.

Oh I say,

I'm most terribly sorry, I was backing

and the gas pedal stuck,

must be the oddest thing
to happen, isn't it?

You should have it fixed.

Yeah, well I really am most
terribly sorry, actually.

Look, my insurance company will pay.

Here's my driving license.

I expect you'll want my name and address,

and if I might just see
your driving license.

I'm not interested in
insurance Mr. Lawrence,

I don't live in this country,
I'm merely passing through.

I can get this thing
straightened out when I get home.

You just give me 500 dinar
and we can forget about it.

I say, that's terribly decent of you

but I'd rather the insurance company paid.

Now if I might just see
your license, please.

I don't see what possible interest

that could be to you Mr. Lawrence.

Not to me, to the insurance company.

I don't see what possible
reason you can have

for refusing to show it to me, Mr.?

Oh.

Well um, in that case I shall
have to appeal to the police.

If you do that Mr. Lawrence,

I'm afraid I shall have to charge you

with negligent driving.

I don't see why you
should be so aggressive.

I mean, I only asked to see your license.

Very well.

Well thank you.

You can forget about
the claim Mr. Lawrence,

my brother owns a garage.

He'll take care of it for nothing.

Thank you so much.

Not at all.

Ah Sayyed, yes, is Mr. Vincent in?

Oh dear, what a pity I missed him.

I'll speak to Mrs. Vincent then.

Yes, Mr. Drake.

Hello Leslie, how are you?

I'm fine.

Poor Bill, you don't know
what you've done to him.

I've got good news for him,

I've been ordered home right away.

Is your job finished here then?

Yes yes, they've called
the whole thing off.

Leslie, are you still there?

Yes, yes.

This is goodbye I'm afraid.

You must see Bill before you go.

Oh, no time, next time
you're both in London

you must come and stay with me.

Of course.

Promise?
-Yes yes, I promise.

All right, goodbye Leslie.

Goodbye John.

Don't leave it so long next time.

Why hello, Mrs. Vincent.

I will finish this and then--
-I'll be with you

in a few moments, Natalie.

Ivan.

Everything's all right,
they've called the inquiry off.

John's going home.

John. He's still here.

What are you doing here?

You do speak to Ivan
in Russian, don't you?

Russian, why on earth should I do that?

He is Russian, isn't he?

Is he? I've never asked him.

What are you doing here?

Don't fence, Leslie.

We're old friends, let's stay friends.

Let's be honest with each other.

Why shouldn't we be?

I bumped into a gentleman's car.

His name was Jules Henry Becker,

at least that's what it
said on his driving license

issued in Cairo, I telephoned
our embassy in Cairo to check.

No one there has a license in that name.

So I came along here to find
out what it's all about.

But he's not here.

No he's not.

What are you doing here?

Ivan,

he's an old friend of mine.

Ivan, or Jules?

I only know Ivan.

Bill doesn't know Ivan.

John, promise me you
won't mention this to Bill.

Don't tell me you've
been unfaithful to him.

I suppose you could call it that.

Would you like a drink?

No thank you.

So you've got a guilty secret,

that's nothing to be ashamed
of, you're only doing your job.

We're both doing our job.

John, I don't understand you.

You're frightening me.

Let me tell you the story of your life.

You were born shall we say
somewhere north of here.

You know exactly where I was born.

You showed great promise at school.

Particularly in languages.

One day a stranger came to interview you

and you said goodbye to your
parents and went to Moscow.

You took an intensive course
in the English language,

you didn't know why then.

And presently another
stranger came to see you.

And you were sent on a long
journey into the Steppes.

You came across a small town,

and this was the biggest
surprise of your life.

It was a complete replica
of an English town.

You had started your
training as a secret agent.

You stayed there for five
years until you spoke,

thought, dreamed in your new language

and then you were given
a British passport,

and you went home.

Home to a place that you had never seen.

You stayed long enough somewhere
to get a genuine background

and then you went to London.

One day they pointed Bill
out to you and they said,

he's an important British agent.

Marry him.

That's the most fantastic
story I have ever heard.

But true.

You sure you wouldn't like a drink?

Gin, a whisky, a rum?

Some vodka?

Oh shall we,

shall we send out an SOS?

Where would you like to call?

Moscow?

What frequency do you receive on?

What time are your watches?

Your bag, please.

You seen one of these before?

Yes, I thought so.

Hmm, very neat.

It had to be, you see.

Your bag was with your wrap
beside us on the terrace

when Bill and I were talking.

Well Leslie, now I have
another reason for liking you.

We're in the same business.

On opposite sides.

On different teams.

What are you going to do?

It's not for him to choose.

Hello, Ivan, I was expecting you.

Don't.

Ah, come now,

surely you don't object
if I smoke, do you?

Please keep your hands out
of your pockets, Mr. Lawrence.

Now you're not to worry,
I never carry a gun.

They're noisy, and they hurt people.

Besides, I manage very well without.

You got a light, Leslie?

Keep away from him.

Oh now, Leslie knows I won't hurt her.

Don't you, Leslie?

Thank you.

Here.

Go down and open the door to the cellar.

No, Ivan.

I'm ordering you.

Now come, Leslie, you know
the first duty of a good agent,

unquestioning obedience,
isn't that so Ivan?

He should be as lively as a cricket

in three or four hours.

I'm sorry to do this to your boyfriend.

He's not my boyfriend.

Yes, I know that.

After you married Bill

you fell in love with him, didn't you?

Yes.

Did you report that to Moscow?

No.

That was very unprofessional of you.

I couldn't.

They'd have taken me away from him.

It must have been difficult.

Two opposing loyalties and trying to be

honest to both of them.

What will you do now?

I'll go home.

To Bill?

No no, my real home.

My life here is finished.

Will you say goodbye to him?

I can't.

Do it for me.

It's a good thing she has gone.

If she hadn't, I--

She was doing what she was forced to do.

She didn't have to fool me all the time.

She was doing her best.

Her loyalties were divided.

And I came a poor second.

I don't think so.

By the way, I forgot to
thank you for clearing me.

I feel just fine about that.

Yeah.

Oh well, that's --

I'd better be on my way.

Oh, and she sent you her love.

Yes.

It's Phelps, sir, he's on the run,

filling up with petrol now.

We're out of town, he's on his way north.

Go ahead as planned.

Hello old man, brandy?

No thanks.

Settle your lunch.

Aren't you rather outstaying
your welcome here?

Oh I'm going home tonight.

I'm very pleased to hear it.

I understand your people
are getting anxious.

Not anymore.

I've just called them.

So you're convinced at last.

I always was, it just
wasn't in Bill's character.

And what do you mean by that?

It was his wife.

Planted on him years
before they were married.

You sure of that?

Yes.

Why?

Then why has he bolted?

North, for the frontier.

He must be after Leslie.

This is most embarrassing.

You,

you haven't given your men any

special instructions, have you?

He was running.

Stop them.

I can't.

I've no means of contacting them.

He won't suffer any pain.

Gas brings on a feeling of wellbeing.

Absolute complacency and
then unconsciousness.

He won't feel a thing.

Your men.

Everything in
order sir, they just moved on.

There they are.

Is that gas poisonous?

Good heavens no, it's
quite harmless, old man.

Take the wheel.

What's that, old man?

I'm going to make a jump.

Drive as close as you can.

You're crazy.
-Do as I tell you!