The Saint (1962–1969): Season 3, Episode 18 - The Sign of the Claw - full transcript

The Saint is in Malaya, working for the British government to locate a local terrorist gang who have killed a friend of his. He stays at a farm owned by Don Morland and his daughter Jean and finds that they are being threatened to leave by a neighbour called Valmon. When the Morlands refuse the farm is attacked and Jean is abducted. The Saint must rescue her and unmask the leader of the terrorists who goes by the Sign of the Claw.

Send six men inside.

When in position, tell me.

The jungles of Southeast Asia are amongst

the hottest spots in the world right now.

There is a full-scale war going on,

except nobody calls it a war.

Officially it's an anti-terrorist campaign,

but no matter what the politicians call it,

it's a battleground, probably the most savage on

the face of the earth.

Thanks, Jean.



Cheers to the future.

To the future.

Simon, why are you here?

Do I have to have a reason?

No.

If there's one man in

the world that doesn't need a reason

to come to this house, it's Simon Templar.

How long have you been in this country, Mr. Valmon?

All my life.

You must know it very well.

Well enough to know how tough it can be.

And that you will make this farm pay.

Give me a chance.



Dad's only been here a month.

Mr. Morland, I hope you'll think again

about selling the farm.

Supposing I add 500 to the price?

Eh, it's not the money, it's...

Well, the farm's not for sale.

Oh well, I tried.

Good luck.

Cheers.

If you reconsider, I'll still be in the market.

I won't.

Well, I'd better be getting along.

Oh, won't you stay for dinner?

Please do, this plenty.

Thank you, no, I'm expected back.

Another time then perhaps.

I hope we'll be good neighbors, Mr. Valmon.

And that my daughter and I will see you here frequently.

I hope so.

Goodbye, Mr. Templar.

Mr. Valmon.

I'll see you out.

Simon, what do you think of him?

Valmon?

If I had a dollar for every ounce of whiskey

that has gone down that gullet,

I'd be a millionaire.

Thank heavens he's not staying for dinner.

things are tough enough in the kitchen

without unexpected guests.

You have some more.

Oh, , Angkor, I thought you'd gone.

We're leaving now, miss.

I don't think you've met Mr. Templar, have you?

This is Angkor, our state manager,

and Harlum, the foreman.

How do you do?

I have checked everything.

I think the delivery should return early

tomorrow evening.

Well, be careful won't you?

Some of those roads are very dangerous.

Where are you going?

Down the coast, sir, the new tractors.

Nothing else you wish us to bring back

for you, miss?

No, I don't think so.

We'll get started.

Goodnight, miss.

Mr. Templar.

Goodnight.

I don't believe it.

Don't believe what?

Angkor and Harlun, they've never even heard you.

Not a flicker on their faces when I introduced you.

It's merely they're inscrutable oriental calm.

Now, for a long gossip and a good dinner.

Simon, you still haven't told us what

you're doing here.

It's ridiculous.

When we lived in London, we hardly ever saw you.

Now we live 200 miles from the coast, buried away in

the jungle, and you arrive at our front door.

I just happened to be passing.

Do you have any guns?

Yeah, in that cupboard over there.

Here's the key.

I'll get the shutters closed.

Get down, Jean.

Here, catch.

You cover that window.

Jean, get on the phone to base.

How far away are the troops?

About 30 miles, using helicopters,

they can get here pretty fast

once they know we're under attack.

Do you have any more men here?

No.

My men live down in the camper.

You can't expect help from them,

they're too afraid of terrorist reprisals.

The line's dead.

How far away is Valmon's farm?

Next Valley.

He's bound to hear the shooting

and he'll call out the military.

If he's not under attack himself.

Cease fire.

Close in.

He's dead.

The firing stopped, is it over?

I'm afraid it hasn't even started.

You better get yourself a gun.

They're closing in.

Jean, come cover this window.

I'm gonna make a run for the truck.

You'll never make it,

they're covering the road.

I'm not driving out, I've got a two-way

radio in the cab, I can call up

the military on the emergency band.

Father, you can't, it's parked right down

at the perimeter.

We've got to have help, Jean, and fast.

You best take a pistol, that rifle is too clumsy.

Dad.

Get back to the window, Jean, go on.

Do as he says.

Don, what's the wavelength on the radio.

1700, our call sign is 506.

Jean, give your father a revolver,

I'll be as fast as I can.

This is Bravo Six calling army base, Dekra,

can you read me, over?

Come on, come on.

They're firing the warehouses.

Dad.

Dad.

This is Bravo six calling army base, Dekra,

do you read me, over?

Bravo six, come in, Dekra, over.

This is Army base Dekra.

I read you, Bravo Six, come in.

Dekra, we're under heavy terrorist attack,

we need immediate help.

Major Rowney.

Hello, Bravo Six, we're on the way.

Good luck, Wilco out.

Bravo Six, sir, the Morland place, under attack.

Sound red alert.

Sir.

Call up field patrols, give them map references,

I want everything we've got converged

on that area, and snap to it.

It's all right, Jean.

Hold on, hold on, just a little longer.

The Army's on the way.

Well?

Agent in Dekra reported to headquarters,

troop counting helicopters taking off.

We're pulling out, give the signal.

Meet at the assembly point in five minutes.

Hello Alpha Four, require all available

reinforcements to carry out a full-scale search.

We move fast we can box them in.

Roger, confirm your position

as tango romeo, over.

Position correct.

Tell the helicopters to use flares.

I don't care if they set the jungle alight

as long as they find those guerillas.

And have some spotter planes standing by at dawn, over.

Wilco out.

Another helicopter, you're really pouring it on.

I'm using everything I've got.

They're completely bottled in.

What if they go this way?

Even better.

That looks like a sound Pass.

Got enough men up there to hold off an army.

Then it looks as if you got them.

I'm certain of it.

And if we can get one or two of them to talk

it might make your job up here easier.

You know why I'm here.

Not exactly.

Security told us that you were in the area

and we were to give you any help that you require.

Well, you've already done that by getting here so fast.

Thank you, corporal. That's all right, Sir.

How are you feeling now?

Terrible?

That's right, look on the bright side.

I understand you've not been here very long,

Mr. Morland.

Just a month.

I inherited the farm from my brother.

He died only a few weeks after he bought the place.

before that, it had been empty for years I understand.

Yes, your neighbor, Max Valmon, had been trying

to buy the place.

He was very angry when your brother beat him to it.

So he said.

Made me a very handsome offer.

If last night's attack is typical of conditions

out here, I might take him up on it.

I wouldn't be too hasty, Don, you hang on a bit.

And completed northerly sweep,

negative.

They made any contact yet?

Not yet, sir.

Their tracker dogs picked up a trail,

but lost it again.

Their field commander swears they're boxed

in this area here.

The choppers have put down men ahead of them,

and the ground patrol's on these flanks here.

Well, they can't get out.

Get me Lieutenant Vega.

Yes, sir.

Is he all right now?

I think so.

I'm giving him a sleeping pill.

I feel tired out.

I didn't realize how long we'd been on our feet.

Jean, you're uncle owned this place.

How did he die?

Well, apparently there was a tiger that

had been killing the stock.

My uncle went out after him and he didn't come back.

Two days later, the search party found him.

The tiger had savaged him almost beyond recognition.

Hello, Alpha Four,

sweep completed by all sub units.

Result, negative.

Repeat, negative, over.

There in that area somewhere.

Keep up the search, over.

Wilco, out.

Somewhere, they've got to be.

Simon, you still haven't told me what you're doing here.

I'm looking for someone.

Out here in the jungle?

A month ago he was in the Congo.

Before he left, the fighting had started again.

Before that, he was in Vietnam.

Shortly after his arrival there,

they started a big terrorist defensive.

Now he's here.

And because he's here, can we expect the fighting

to break out.

Mm-hmm.

Unless we stop, right here is next.

Who is he, Simon?

I don't know, but he calls himself Julius,

but he uses a dozen names with a dozen different

nationalities and passports to go with them.

I've never even seen him, but I'll know him when I do.

And he'll know me.

We lost them.

We scoured the whole area.

We checked and we double checked

and there's no trace of them.

They just vanished into thin air.

May I?

Of course.

Please help yourself, Mr. Valmon.

I see they burnt down your warehouses.

I'm afraid so.

We heard the firing, but I didn't dare

risk sending any of my boys to help.

I thought they might attack my place too.

Fortunately the Army here in time.

Yes, I saw the helicopters.

Aren't they leaving some of their men here?

No, it seems unlikely that the terrorists

will attack again.

Major Rowney tells me that the pattern's

usually hit and run.

Well, I hope that holds good.

Look, Morland, I am still willing

to buy this property.

I'll give you the same price that

your brother paid for it.

I gave you my answer last night.

But don't you realize the risk you're taking

in staying here?

All right, you survived this attack,

but there will be more.

In the last couple of years,

they've hit my farm four times.

But you still stay.

Yes, because I am prepared.

Because I am fighting for something

that's been in my family for three generations.

My grandfather hacked our farm

out of a wilderness.

I hope one day I shall have a grandson.

I shall be proud if he defends this place

with your enthusiasm.

Oh, don't be stupid, Morland.

Morning, Templar.

Valmon.

I'm still trying to get Morland

to change his mind about selling.

He'd be much better off in England.

Very noble.

What?

You're concern for Morland's welfare,

very noble.

But you know, somehow, I can't help feeling

that you have some other motive

for wanting this property.

You're quite right, of course.

I need this farm to expand my own interests.

I have large capital investments

in heavy agricultural machinery.

To justify this, I need more acreage.

It's just a matter of simple economics.

Ah.

Whatever the reason, I am still not selling.

All right.

But I warn you, I intend to have this property

and I shall use every legal means

at my disposal.

Whatever happened to your noble concern

for Morland's welfare?

From now on, this is strictly business.

In the past, you've had certain rights of way

across my farm.

Those rights end as from now.

You can't do that.

I just did.

You might also find it a little difficult

hiring local labor.

As you know, the only village around here

is on my land.

Any man who works for you loses his home.

Compared to you, Simon Legree

sounds like Santa Claus.

I'll break you, Morland.

In a month, you'll be willing to sell at any price.

I don't think he's going to make

the diplomatic corp.

Curses, those rights of way,

I really am in trouble.

My only access to the rail heads across his land.

To go around by the road is nearly 70 miles.

What's the legal position?

That's what I'll have to find out.

There's a lawyer in Dekla who's acting for me.

I better call him.

Damn it, the lines are still down.

Well, there's nothing for it,

I'll have to drive down there.

How will you manage with that arm.

Oh, it will be all right.

I'll drive you if you like.

No, I'd rather Jean wasn't left here on her own.

I'll manage.

If I start now, I'll be back by mid afternoon.

Oh, Don, while you're away,

I'll get Jean to show me around the property.

Yeah, fine.

Cheerio.

It was quite a climb.

It's quite a view.

The whole of that valley down there

is Valmon's land.

It runs North for almost 20 miles.

Pretty remote, isn't it?

He says he enjoys isolation.

Does Valmon really control all the labor around here?

Yes.

Angkor and Harlun are our only two regular workers.

They used to work for my uncle

and we sort of inherited them with the farm.

So far we've not been able to hire anybody else.

Now this, I take it, is the edge

of your land.

Yes.

Let's take a look around.

That's a neat little warning system.

After you.

Don't move.

Deadly.

I got a feeling visitors aren't very welcome.

Trip wires and punjis.

What is it?

They're bamboo points hardened in fire,

so even if you don't impale yourself

you get a pretty poisonous dose of splinters.

Simon, I think we ought to go back.

Watch it.

Anybody goes to this much trouble

must have something worth hiding.

He doesn't have to be hiding anything.

Surely these are just anti-terrorist traps.

Maybe.

We'll take a look anyway.

What was that?

Sounds like a tiger.

We'd be better off in this direction.

Say what you like, the after church walk

in England was never like this.

These old Buddha shrines are dotted

all over the jungle.

Want to go inside?

Might as well.

Doesn't look as though anyone's used this for years.

It's nice to get out of the sun.

Do you smell something?

I don't think so.

A whiff of petrol.

We mustn't leave it too long before we get back,

it gets dark very quickly.

I don't know, I just found something interesting.

A Leana?

Yes.

Made out of plastic-covered wire.

What is it?

I was right about the petrol.

It's a small generating plant.

Come and take a look.

What's it for?

I don't know yet.

Like the old saying goes, where there's smoke,

there's fire, and where there's a generator,

there's fire.

For what?

Better ask him.

Ms. Jean, I have been most worried.

I sent Harlun to search for you.

You didn't see him?

No, we made some pretty big detours.

No doubt Harlun will return shortly.

And now I must report to Mr. Morland.

Where is he?

He's not with you?

No, he went to Dekra this morning.

You mean he's not back yet?

No, Miss.

How long does it take to drive back from Dekra.

Two hours, two and a half at the most.

Simon, he should have been back ages ago.

Something's happened to him, I know it.

Jean, it's too early to jump

to conclusions.

He wouldn't drive very fast with an injured arm.

What are we going to do?

I suggest we wait an hour.

If he's not back by then, we start our own little war.

You can go.

What's going on, Valmon?

What are terrorist troops doing here?

They're my men.

Yours?

I had them intercept you on your way

back from Dekra.

You see, I'm determined to have your farm.

So now you're going to try physical force.

You've had your opportunity.

From now on, it's out of my hands.

Dr. Julius is taking charge.

Valmon tells me you've proved most stubborn.

However, I'm sure before this night has ended,

we can find some amicable solution to our problems.

That wound in your shoulder,

does it cause you much pain?

Perhaps we can do something about it.

Shall we discuss the sale of your farm?

Sale!

Why don't you just kill me and get it over?

That would solve nothing.

Valmon, tell him what will happen.

Tomorrow morning, we'll go together

to an independent lawyer at Dekra,

you will sell the property to me

at the same price that your brother paid for it.

You will take the money, and you will return to England.

The moment I get clear of you,

what's to stop me reporting the whole affair

to the embassy?

The thought had crossed our minds.

Your silence will be guaranteed by your daughter.

Tonight she'll be flown across the border,

there she will live at camp.

If she works hard and obeys orders,

she'll remain reasonably fit.

Unless you decide to tell somebody

about our arrangement.

No!

Yes, Mr. Morland, in a few years time,

perhaps the need for secrecy will be less important.

If you've cooperated, your daughter

may be returned to you.

You'll have to kill me, Julius.

I swear to God, I'll hunt you down.

The world won't be big enough to hide in.

Well?

Nothing, Miss.

I went as far as the North fence.

I found no sign of Harlun.

The next move's up to us.

From what we saw this afternoon,

Valmon's farm is a good deal more

than it pretends to be.

That's the place to start looking.

I will come with you, sir.

No, Angkor, I want you to take this message

straight to Dekra to Major Rowney.

How you get there, I don't care,

just be as fast as you can.

Yes, sir.

What are we going to do?

You're going to stay here.

No, Simon, I'm coming with you.

I'm sorry, Jean, there's no alternative.

I have to move fast.

Besides, you'll be safer here.

How long will you be?

It's hard to say.

Angkor shouldn't be long getting that message

to through to Dekra, and then he'll

be back with the troops.

Simon, I'm scared.

I know, I'm sorry it has to be this way.

Now, be a good girl and lock the windows up

after me, okay?

Be careful, Simon.

If the welcome back's anything like the farewell,

nothing will keep me away.

Hello?

Hello?

Is anyone there?

Harlun, what happened to you?

Sir, Templar, please, we must run.

This man is following me.

What man?

He do this to me.

This man kills Mr. Morland's brother, not tiger.

Killed to seem like tiger.

Now we go, please.

Wait.

Please, sir.

Thanks, Harlun.

No, you better keep it.

I want you to try to get through to Dekra.

Tell Major Rowney to go to Valmon's farm.

Angkor's trying to get through too.

Here.

I'll try, sir. Good luck.

Hello?

Hello?

Who is it?

Please say something.

We are holding your father, Ms. Morland.

No, I don't believe you.

Who are you?

Who I am is not important.

What I say is true.

He wants you to join him.

No, it's a trick to get me out of here.

We will get you out anyway.

We would prefer not to use violence.

No, I won't listen to you, I won't!

Ms. Jean.

Angkor.

Let me in, please.

They are closing around me.

Angkor.

You have nothing to worry now, Miss.

Here, we need to put this back.

Angkor, look!

You haven't met Captain Tawau?

Angkor, you too?

He has the honor to serve the forces

which will rid this land of its oppressors,

men like your father, Ms. Morland.

What have you done with him?

Where is he?

You shall see for yourself.

Landing lights.

You have remarkable recuperative powers.

Isn't that so, Mr. Templar?

I said, isn't that so?

Simon, don't!

Sit down!

Keep your hands in your lap.

Before you die, you'll regret that.

I regret it now.

I should have snapped your leg off.

It's been a long hunt, Julius.

You've been very persistent.

But why, Templar?

Why have you followed me?

You killed Franklin in Saigon.

He was a fool.

He was my friend.

You follow me all over the world

to avenge the death of one man.

No, thousands.

That's your stock in trade, isn't it?

Rabble-rousing, death, destruction.

I create incidents, Mr. Templar,

and happily, when men fire guns, someone gets shot.

I'm merely an agent for my government.

I'm merely an agent for mine.

Oh?

You're here officially.

Well, I shall see that your personal effects

are mailed to foreign office.

No doubt they'll award you a posthumous medal.

Watch him.

Get the landing lights on.

Go down to the shrine, start the generator.

When you hear the aircraft, switch on the landing lights.

Yes, sir.

And airstrip.

Yes, quite a fair sized one.

And they're extending it.

Then the really big transports will be able to land,

with artillery and ammunition.

That's why they tried to buy you out.

Anyone living in the next valley would see

the planes coming in.

And the attack last night.

Designed to help you make up your mind.

Better go out and give them a hand to unload.

They won't want to hang about.

Do you really think you can command a whole invasion

from here without the army finding out about it?

Well, we've made a pretty good start.

General Kwang is flying in tonight.

He's gonna set out the date for the first all-out attack.

Helped by a staunch British farm owner

whose family have been here for generations.

And why not?

You newcomers here make me sick.

You don't even know the reason.

Now look, six months ago when this country

became independent, the government was taken

over by a bunch of wogs.

They started ordering us about,

telling us what we could do

and what we couldn't do.

Seems reasonable, it's their country.

Their country.

Without us, they'd still be in their stall hats.

I'd say whatever you've put into this country,

you've taken out again with considerable interest.

We've earned it.

Every penny of it.

I'm not gonna have any little jumped officials

telling me what to do.

I'll smash this government by any means

that I can find.

And you think the rebel government

will treat you any better?

Yes.

When they gain power, I'll see to it

that I live in a way that I was used to.

If you believe that, you'll believe anything.

Well, Ms. Morland, you'd better

start saying your goodbyes.

The plane to take you out will be here in a few moments.

There she is.

Right on time.

Three miles.

Where are the landing lights?

They'll be there, they've never failed us yet.

Landing lights!

There they are.

And here we go.

What's going on?

I don't know.

Let's find out.

What's all the commotion about?

What the devil are they saying?

The natives would appear to be restless.

Shut up.

I can't see the strip.

We're coming into the trees, stick up!

She won't lift, she won't lift!

The plane out there crashed!

Come on, let's get out of here.

Get a few in here, he's got no shakes.

Tawau, look!

Get back!

There's no other way out.

Get some men.

Get under cover.

Fire through the door.

He's .

Find some ammunition left.

Get me a grenade.

What's happening out there?

I don't know.

Well, find out.

They'll try rushing us next.

I'm gonna let one get inside.

But why?

We need his gun.

What's happening out there?

Are you in there, sir?

Yeah.

Sorry we're a little late.

It took Harlun quite a while to reach us.

Your timing's immaculate.

Well, I'm glad you're safe.

Now, if you'll excuse me, we've got some rounding

up to do.

You'll forgive us if we don't join you.

And apart from a few stragglers, we got them all.

What I can't understand is,

how did the plane crash in the jungle.

Oh, didn't I explain that?

About the landing lights?

What about them.

I moved them.

Simon, that's brilliant.

Well, I'm afraid the brilliance

is not mine, really, I read about it

in an adventure story years ago.

You're adorable.