The Spy (2019): Season 1, Episode 1 - The Immigrant - full transcript

How was Damascus?

I need to talk with
the Israeli Prime Minister.

Merci.

Hello?

- Did we hear from the frog?
- Yes.

Rabbi Endebbo?

Yes.

Come with us.

Thank you for coming this late.

This is George Seif, Radio Damascus.

A few minutes ago, our beloved president,



Amin Al-Hafez,
asked me to read this announcement.

The Zionist spy, Eli Cohen...

You did good.

Now sign your name.

My poor boy,

you do not remember your name?

You do not know who you are.

...nuclear weapons...

Aah!

Husband,

I love you more than anything
in the whole world.

But if you come home late tonight,
I will kill you.

Nadia.

How much did it cost?



That is none of your business.

It's too expensive for me.

Nothing is too expensive for you,
mon amour.

Now hurry up if you don't want to be late.

It was so cheap. It was half...

It was half-price.

I love it.

Hey, what happened?

...and death in the Middle East...

Another attack in the north.

...battle heavily damages Tiberias

on the Israeli-Syrian border.

Israeli Premier inspects the ruins.

This farming settlement or kibbutzim,

lies in an area claimed by both nations.

The fighting erupted quickly

when Syrians allegedly fired

on Israeli farmers operating tractors.

Israel used tanks, mortars and aircraft

to counter-attack.

- We don't have to go.
- Syrian officials claim 70 Israelis killed

- on the ground...
- It's fine.

...and five warplanes shot down.

Israel claims six Syrian MiGs.

Israel supplied this film,

reportedly showing the dogfight
in the sky...

♪ Heartbreak Hotel
Blue Suede Shoes ♪

♪ Waltz away with all my blues ♪

♪ Take my trouble, take my pain ♪

♪ Come on aboard that Mystery Train ♪

♪ My boy Elvis ♪

♪ Real rock ♪

- ♪ My boy Elvis ♪
- I'll get this for you.

♪ Real rock ♪

- ♪ Little gravelly, ooh, sing for me ♪
- Come on.

And the kids. I mean the kids.

It's just so terrible. Really.

Did they say how many casualties?

- I mean...
- There you are.

- Hi.
- I've been looking for you all night.

I'm here with Nadia. You remember her?

- Oh, Nadia!
- Hi.

- Oh, hey!
- Hello.

You know my wife

is absolutely infatuated with you, right?

- Thank you so much.
- I mean, come on.

Could you get us a tonic water
with a lemon twist, please?

Arik, this is Eli.

Nadia's husband.

Oh, my God.

I am so sorry.

- I...
- I mean, really, Arik?

Really?

- No...
- No, no, no, it's fine.

- It's fine.
- No, I'm absolutely horrified.

Welcome.

- Ugh!
- Please, please, don't worry. Um...

- It's because of the waistcoat. Uh...
- No.

I'm fine, and to prove it,

I'm going to get us all
a round of tonic water.

- No, no, no.
- I'll come with you.

No, no, no.

With a lemon twist.

"Oh, the ki... the kids!

The kids, I c...

I care so much about the kids."

Okay, stop it.

- We're being unkind.
- I know.

They were nice to invite us.

Well, they invited us to add color
to their party, Nadia.

That's it.

What color is that?

Brown.

Oh, not that again.

That's not true.
She invited us because she likes me.

She's my friend.

She's your friend? You fix her dresses.

You're her employee. That's all.
You're her maid.

Did I upset you?

Nadi?

I didn't mean she's not your friend
or she doesn't like you.

That's exactly what you meant.

- You think that because they have money...
- No, no.

It's not because of that.

It's because they think
they're better than us.

- Who?
- All of them. Everyone.

With their stupid parties
and their childish music.

They have no idea what I did in Egypt.

They think I'm just another immigrant.

How would they know
if you don't tell them?

You sit quietly in the corner
and expect everyone to guess.

Well, they could ask.

You know what they see
when they look at me?

I know what I see.

They see an Arab.

That's it.

Jewish, yes.

But just an Arab.

You're my Arab.

Come on.

Aah.

- Eli.
- Hmm?

Can you do me a favor?

Yes.

Can you get me some tonic water
with a lemon twist?

Down!

- Get down!
- Down!

Everyone, get down!

Everyone down!

Everyone!

I'm sick and tired of burying
my sons and daughters...

Cigarette?

- There has to be a solution...
- I quit.

...and I want to know what it is.

And if you can't give me
the right answers,

I'll fetch someone who'll give them to me.

Jacob, this can't continue like this.

It cannot!

Bring me a solution!

We need to send someone there
as soon as possible.

- It doesn't work that way.
- Then make it work that way.

We have no one in there
to tell us what's going on.

We're completely blind and deaf.

I understand,
but what you're talking about takes time.

How long?

Syria's not like Egypt.

They're paranoid, suspicious.

To build a reliable cover, train...

Uh... We're talking at least two years.

You have six months, not a day more.

Impossible.

You wanna go in there
and tell him that right now?

I'll walk with you. Come on.

Let me know the moment
you identify an asset.

We've made this mistake once before.

Come with me.
I want to show you something.

Come with me. Okay?

I'm not supposed to show it to you.

Nathan.

It's fine.

In the past five months,
there were four attacks

from the Syrian Golan on our villages.

- The attacks are escalating.
- I know all this.

Shut up and listen!

These aerial images
we got from our American friends

show us the exact locations

from where the Syrians are shooting.

What are these dots here?

You tell me.

Definitely heavy equipment.

Tanks?

Dan...

these were taken one hour before...

and after the most recent attack.

No dots.

Where'd they go?

We think underground, but we're not sure.

So these attacks...

My God, they're not random.

It's a diversion.

The Syrians are trying to make us look
the other way.

Yes.

Why? What are they up to?

We have no idea what they're building,

but I can assure you
we're not going to like it.

The Golan is one of the most guarded
places in the world.

The Syrians don't let anyone in there.

Not even their own.

We need eyes and ears
on the other side of the border.

I understand that, but...

We owe our people
the right to live in peace and security.

In this land,
that right doesn't come without a price.

And sometimes the price is high,
as you very well know.

Look, at least before you say no to me,

consider all the people
we are responsible for.

Not just the one.

Show me that one again.

Mm.

Anything interesting?

Parents from Aleppo,

grew up in Alexandria,

immigrated to Israel three years ago.

Applied here twice already.

- And we disqualified him because...
- We don't like volunteers. Too eager.

And also because of his brother,

Maurice Cohen, analyst, Egyptian desk.

Oh, he smuggled Jews from Egypt to Israel.

- That's good.
- Yeah, including his whole family.

He joined them only years after.
He stayed to help.

Yes...

arrested in connection
with the Lavon Affair.

So he's got a record in Egypt.

Okay, then. I'll keep looking.

Do you want me to send everyone home?

Close the door?

I thought we stopped doing that.

Something about your husband.

Desperate times call for
desperate measures.

Just get me some coffee.

Right. Okay.

And close the door.

Hello?

Mrs. Burek,

I'm sorry I'm calling this late,

but I tried a few times.

- This is...
- I know who this is.

Please don't call here anymore.

- That's him?
- Mm-hm.

Explain the significance of this again.

I can teach anyone to transmit,

to make a bomb,

to go undercover.

But a true agent has instinct,

and that cannot be taught.

He either has it or he doesn't.

So you gave him the wrong address.

An operative should sense
that something is wrong,

and that he's being watched.

But there must be dozens of other windows
facing him.

And even if he knows this is a test,

how could he possibly know that...

Unbelievable.

Took him too long.

Do you know who we are?

Yes.

If I'm right,
I applied to you twice before.

You rejected me twice, too.

Circumstances change.

We want to offer you the opportunity
to do something important with your life.

Do you consider yourself a patriot?

I love this country with all my might.

If your country needed you
to quit your job,

would you do it?

To do what?

If your country needed you
to quit your job,

would you do it?

Yes.

If your country needed you
to lie to your friends, your family,

your wife,

would you do it?

Yes.

If your country asked you
to risk your life,

would you do it?

I already have.

Nothing about
this conversation is hypothetical.

Tomorrow morning, you will get up,

pack your lunch,

kiss your wife goodbye,

and come here without telling anyone.

You'll begin working with me and my team.

In the next few days,
you'll go through a series of tests,

and if you pass,

you'll go through a period of training.

If, after that, you're found to be
a good fit for us,

then we might hire you.

To do what?

Ow!

- What?
- Ow...

Mmph!

Again!

I'd like to kill this machine.
Before it kills me.

Thank you.

Come with me.

What?

Eli, no. I can't.

Really, I have to finish this dress.

- After.
- Eli, come on.

After.

Surveillance.

Two of my agents are following us
right now.

They've been following us for a while.

I want you to spot them
before we get to that juice bar.

Don't let them see you know,

that way you have an advantage.

Zig-zag,

in different directions.

Change your pattern,

and check the reflections
whenever you can.

Keep... Keep walking.

T-55, Russian.

Combines a high-velocity cannon
with exceptional long-range endurance.

MiG 17, Russian.

This model has an entirely new, thinner,

and more highly swept wing and tail plane

for speeds approaching Mach 1.

So...

who?

Um...

Not good enough, again.

You're not paying attention.

Our goal is 25 words a minute.

Go.

Faster. Faster! Run!

Come on, keep running!

Keep pushing!

Stop.

- Fourteen words. Three mistakes.
- Again.

Um...

Lieutenant Afif Al-Bizri.

Colonel...

Co... I... I mean, Colonel Afif Al-Bizri.

Run!

That's good.

One, two,

three, four...

The man in the brown shirt
and short sleeves.

Again.

Stop.

Forty-five words. Zero mistakes.

I can do better.

Ahmed Suidani, head of secret police.

T-55 tank, Russian.

120 millimeter mortar shells,
go.

The man with the green cap,

and the older woman
by the vegetable stand.

Both wrong.

Tomorrow you try again.

There's no room for mistake, Eli.

No room for mistake.

He spotted the both of you.

You're getting sloppy.

Sorry.

I'm looking for my husband, Eli Cohen.

Is this not...

He needs to head up from the north.

- From the south or the north?
- I couldn't spot it.

His father. He needs passage.

Do we know where they're sending us?

Everyone out!

Don't knock.

Let's all go.

Not you.

Eighty-eight.

He's cementing his cover.

Everything is moving according to plan.

We need to move him faster
into Buenos Aires.

- It's the perfect time to get in.
- I can't agree to that.

Last I checked, you work for me.

His cover is not yet secured.

Cover is never perfect.
People are dying while we wait.

He's of no use in Damascus
if he's not secure.

- Think of the risk of sending him.
- The Prime Minister spent his morning

consoling a mother
who lost two of her children.

A nine year-old girl who lost
both her parents and both her legs.

A Swedish volunteer who lost her eyesight

because she came to this country
to help pick tomatoes.

Don't lecture me about risk!

You've had six months.

I need my agent.

Are you working on your cover?

I didn't see you there.

- I thought you were done for the day?
- I am.

I'm just studying some more.

This is all so confusing.

They seem to have a revolution
every two months.

We like to joke that the leader is
the first Syrian officer

to get to the radio in the morning,

tell the people he's president.

Tomorrow I'm scheduled to hand in
your report to Jacob.

What does it say?

It says you passed all the exams,

and that you're ready to be operational.

Thank you.

Don't thank me yet.

You have 24 hours to think about it.

And I want you to really take your time

and think about it.

If you come back and say yes,
I'll hand in the report

and you'll begin working undercover.

But if you say you've decided
you don't want to pursue this,

I will amend the report.

Say that you've been found
an unlikely candidate.

You want me to say no?

This is your life

we're talking about.

I want you to know
you're not obligated to do this.

It's a bit late for that.

Twenty-four hours.

Let me know.

Hello?

Nadi.

What?

You okay?

Your mother told me once
that when a man brings his wife flowers,

he's cheating on her.

That sounds
exactly like my mother.

- Who are you cheating on me with?
- What...

Do you mean...

I went to the store today to visit you.

They told me you haven't worked there
for months.

I'm sorry, I should've...

told you before.

I just wanted to make sure
that they offered me the job

before I got you excited.

Yeah, but you want this?

To be... What is it again?

I will be a buyer

for the Ministry of Defence.

I'll be traveling all around the world...

purchasing supplies, furniture,

maybe even weapons for Israel.

- Is it dangerous?
- What?

No. No.

Eli, if this is about money,
I can get another job.

No, I will not have my wife work two jobs.

You're a primitive man.

I'm your primitive man.

This is the opportunity

for me to give you the life
that I promised you, Nadi.

Will you be gone
for a long period of time?

Working for the government,

it has so much potential.

If I prove myself over the next few years,

who knows,
they might even make me an ambassador,

and that means that you will be
Mrs. Ambassador Cohen.

So why did you go to visit my old work?

I just happened to be nearby.

That's all.

Then say yes, Eli...

to the job.

Say yes.

Uh... Der Spiegel, bitte.

Shalom. My name is Salinger.

Welcome to Zürich.

Take your clothes off, Eli.

What is it?

Oh, it's nothing.

It's stupid. My wife and I, we...

We write each other letters
and we leave them in silly places.

Read it and give it to me.

I'll read it later.

There is no later.

Eli, I love you more than anything
in the whole wide world,

even with that stupid mustache.

She said she loves my mustache.

Hm.

Get dressed,

Kamel.

I will wait outside.

How's the not smoking?

Great.

Should try gum.

I'll take that under consideration.

He's arrived.
He's getting debriefed as we speak.

Good. Very good.

What's that?

So I guess Mrs. Burek is
uninterested in my bribes?

You shouldn't have done that.

What happened to him was not your fault.

Maybe.

He knew the risks.

We lost an agent.

It happens.

You know, the first time I saw Mrs. Burek

was when I delivered the bad news.

Before that,

I didn't know what she looked like.

It was easier that way.

Clean, efficient.

It's company policy.

Can I ask you something?

Sure.

- Buenos Aires...
- Hm.

It's way above my pay grade,

and maybe I shouldn't even ask
this question, but...

aren't we risking him being exposed
to more people than he should be?

That's exactly the point.

Argentina is the most important
Arab expat center.

It's the ideal place for Eli

to create relationships
within the Arab community

in a more controlled environment.

It's a calculated risk.

My name...

is Kamel Amin Thaabeth.

My name...

My name...

is Kamel...

My name...

My name is Kamel Amin Thaabeth.

I was named after my father,

Amin Thaabeth.

My mother's name is Sa'id Abrahim.

They were both born in Damascus,

but moved to Beirut looking for work.

That is where I was born...

in 1915.

Eventually...

my parents moved to Buenos Aires...

where my father owned
a very big textile factory

on Legazzi Street.

Number 74.

Four.

That is where I live now.

Legazzi Street.

Number 74.

When my father passed...

May he rest in peace...

...I took over the business,
and, I'm proud to say,

it became one of the most prominent
textile companies in South America.

My mother...

May she rest in peace...

...died years before.

I do not have any brothers or sisters.

I had an older sister, but...

she passed away
when I was three years old.

So just me.

I've never been to Damascus myself.

But...

I fell in love with it through the stories
my father told me.

I am the biggest patriot
of my beloved country.

I feel it is now time...

for me to come back...

to contribute in whatever way I can.

I believe that I can make a difference.

My name...

is Kamel Amin...

Thaabeth.

We don't have much time. Please.

Sign your letter.