The Wild Wild West (1965–1969): Season 4, Episode 21 - The Night of the Bleak Island - full transcript

On Bleak Island, James West travels to retrieve to a diamond that was left to the National Museum and teams up with his former associate Sir Nigel Scott of Scotland Yard to defeat a master criminal named Calendar.

Like this it was,
the night he died,

with the cold freeze
in your blood

and the wind
cussing every move you made.

Joseph Bleak said he wouldn't
leave this world easy.

By thunder,
the world was filled

with noise and corruption
when he did.

Did you know Mr. Bleak well?

Ha!
Nobody knew him well.

Being his business partner,

I suppose I knew him better
than anyone else.

He used to sit out there
in that island



with his money, his diamonds
and his art treasures

like Croesus himself.

You, ah, expect to get your
hands on some of that wealth

tonight
when they read the will?

No, sir. I don't.

This is a bad night for just
a pleasure trip, Mr. West.

There's the signal.

We all have a reason
for coming here.

You must have one too,
I'm sure.

Your uncle left something
of great value

to the National Museum.

Washington has sent me here
to get it, Mr. Chambers.

Joe Bleak had no right
giving that stuff away.

Belonged to us.



You're gonna find it hard
to argue with a dead man, sir.

It's like arguing
with a ghost.

The squabbling's begun already.
No good'll come of it.

( wind howling )

( suspenseful theme playing )

( grunts )

( suspenseful theme swells )

( eerie theme playing )

MAN 1:
Your aunt asked me
to welcome you

and the rest of the guests
to Bleak Island.

MAN 2: Is that you, Johnson?
MAN 1: Yes, sir.

MAN 2:
You've changed
in the last few years.

That's the house.

Outside
of the caretaker's place

and Joe's old greenhouse,
that's all there is.

Who else would wanna live
on this godforsaken island?

Aren't you coming ashore?

I ain't budging a mite, mister.

Nothing would get me ashore
on this kind of night.

He'll be abroad with them
green eyes a-and--

And them long teeth.

Big enough
to tear a man to pieces.

Shut up, you old fool.

Nobody believes those stories
about the hound of Bleak Island.

Now, come on, get off of there.

( howling in distance )

( howling continues )

Ohhh, Lord save us all.

( ominous theme playing )

( upbeat western theme playing )

( eerie theme playing )

( piano playing )

Thank you.

WOMAN:
Renald.

RENALD:
You're looking fine, Celia.

The only woman
I know

who could thrive
on this sea-bitten island.

It's good to see you,
Aunt Celia.

Mark, you've grown up.

Heh!
Suddenly you're a man.

Is Alicia here?

You're here for the reading
of the will, Mark,

not to make eyes
at Alicia.

You introduce me
to this gentleman?

Uh, this is
Mr. James West.

Mr. West, this is
my aunt, Celia Rydell.

How do you do, Mrs. Rydell?
You're Joseph Bleak's sister?

I'm sorry Joseph couldn't
donate a better night

to the United States
government.

Do you let your dogs
run loose on the island?

I've lived in this house
35 years, Mr. West.

We've never owned a pet.

Well, I thought I heard
a hound out there.

You heard something.

( piano playing continues )

Mr. West,
this is my husband, Steven.

How do you do, sir?
How do you do?

My late brother's ward,
Alicia.

WEST: Alicia.
How do you do?

His attorney,
Mordecai Krone.

Mr. West.
Mr. Krone, how do you do?

And Helen Merritt,

my brother's
housekeeper.

It isn't every man that can have
two women to run his life.

I was very fortunate
to have served such a man.

You won't know if it
was fortunate, Helen,

until the will is read.

Celia, I can think of no heat
that could warm us

as much as some
of Joseph's fine sherry.

Of course.

The Dona Baissas'61,
a really spectacular year.

A true nectar.

But then, uh, Joseph
collected only wines

that were good enough
for the gods.

Collect, sir?

Joseph Bleak collected
everything, Mr. West...

including people.

Well, I, myself, am very
grateful for his habit.

He was
the perfect guardian,

a wonderful man.

The, uh, sherry,
Jarvis.

STEVEN:
It'll take Jarvis
some time, Helen.

Meanwhile,

if you will show
our new arrivals to their rooms.

That was lovely, Alicia.
Why don't you play it again?

( howling in distance,
light banging )

( wind blowing )

( piano playing )

Miss Merritt,
am I wrong,

or did you deliberately
show me to my room last?

You're not wrong.

Would you mind
shutting the door, please?

( door closes )

( banging continues )

Listen to it, Mr. West.

What does it mean to you?

It sounds like
a loose shutter.

And I think a hammer and nail
could fix it.

It's the soul
of Joseph Bleak

demanding to be let
into his own house.

But they'll keep him out,
just as they managed

to keep the rest
of the outside world

from reaching him
while he lived.

I was the only person

that was able to penetrate
that wall

that Celia and her husband
built around her brother...

the only outsider.

You see,
I was, uh...

more than a housekeeper
to Joseph Bleak.

That's why Celia Rydell
hates me. She always has.

She never could share
her brother with anyone.

Now I think Celia
would rather kill me

than let me get a penny
of Joseph's estate.

Don't you think accusing
someone

of wanting to murder you
is a rather strong statement?

I only know
what I feel.

( howling )

That's the first time
it's ever been that close.

What do you know
about that animal?

We found a plow horse
one morning.

It had been ripped open
by some beast.

( howling continues )

No one had ever even seen
or heard of that creature

until after Joseph died.

The hound of Bleak Island
was a legend

that he created
to keep people off.

Now Celia has brought
a real beast here...

to kill me.

I'm asking
for your help.

If I die...

my blood
will be on your hands.

( somber theme playing )

( door opens )

( somber theme swells )

( eerie theme playing )

( laughter )

MAN 1: They're delicious.
MAN 2: Absolutely delicious.

( chattering )

Ahhh.

Ah, first a superlative
Puligny-Montrachet.

And now a brilliant Chambertin.

Joseph said that a nation
speaks for itself in its wines.

And immediately
after dinner,

Joseph's will
shall speak for him

and tell us all
what he thought of us.

( eerie theme swells )

Aunt Celia?
Yes, my dear?

Who's the empty place
for?

Oh, well, it's for a friend.

Someone who, uh...
must have been detained.

( liquid pouring )

Mr. West, tell me,

why does a man
seek danger as a career?

I prefer
the kind of hunting

where you don't put the trophies
on the wall, that's all.

But hunting's
more than a game, sir.

It's a science.

But certainly
you should know that.

After all, you track down
human beings,

a known quantity
more or less.

However,
I prefer to meet my quarry

on his savage terms and
let him know who's master.

Have you ever tried meeting

the thing that howls out there
on its terms?

Steven has tried
to find it, Renald,

but it's a--
It's a shadow, a ghost.

All this talk
about ghosts,

it's nonsense.

I've lived on Bleak Island
ever since I was a little girl.

And I've never seen one.

Only the old
are close enough to the grave

to know about that, my dear.

( chuckles lightly )

I think the matter of the will

is getting
on everybody's nerves.

What we need is some more wine.

Jarvis?

Jarvis, what in blue blazes
is the matter with--?

( suspenseful theme playing )

Jarvis!

( wind howling )

( suspenseful theme swells )

( action theme playing )

( grunting )

( dramatic theme playing )

( dramatic theme playing )

Sir Nigel Scott,

what an unexpected pleasure
under these circumstances.

James West,

I certainly never expected
to find you here.

Nor did I expect
to find you, sir.

Pure luck.

If it hadn't been
for that boatman

letting me off
on the north shore

and trudging through
that beastly muck

in the middle of the night,

and then hearing that commotion
between you and those men...

Well, one of them at least
has taste in clothes.

It's a very good piece
of Scotch wool. Who were they?

I don't know, sir,
but they had something to do

with the murder
up at the Bleak mansion.

Murder?

Oh, that means I'm too late.

Too late for what, sir?

For what? Heh-heh.

The question is, too late
for whom, James, dear boy.

I venture that your victim --

His name was Jarvis, sir.
He was a butler of Joseph Bleak.

Oh, then I venture that Jarvis
was murdered by blowgun.

Ah, beautiful piece of work.
Very old, very valuable.

You said blowgun?

Yes.

Examine the deceased

and you will probably find
a small puncture

about one inch
beneath the right ear.

If a hunter like Sir Nigel Scott
makes that kind of a guess,

then he knows
whom he's hunting.

Whom indeed. Heh-heh!

You know very well

I'm talking about
Dr. Jacob Calendar.

Calendar's dead.

Reported dead, James.

Assumed to be dead
by Scotland Yard,

who wouldn't know a dead man
from a live one

without a thermometer
or a stethoscope.

He will not be my undoing.

Calendar is supposed
to have died, of course.

And yet, suddenly,
in this past year,

there erupts a positive spate
of major crimes,

all of them perfect.

All of them
with the trademark

of my very old
and very familiar friend.

So, Nigel, you're telling me
that Calendar isn't dead?

He is very much alive.

( dramatic theme playing )

When we worked together
in London five years ago,

no one knew
what the man looked like.

Quite. And he's still
faceless to me,

a master of disguise
and impersonation.

But I can sense.
I can feel.

I know him
by his touch, James.

I know that Dr. Jacob Calendar
is on Bleak Island.

Who are you?

This is Sir Nigel Scott,
everyone.

He was our empty place
at dinner.

I asked him here to rid us
of that beast outside.

Celia,
don't be ridiculous.

MARK:
You're that English detective
who's been touring America.

Crime knows
no boundaries, sir.

ALICIA:
We've all read about you
in the papers, Sir Nigel.

CELIA:
When I heard that he was
in America, I wrote to him.

He came here to rid us
of that, uh...

That thing
howling out there.

You're all in more danger
than you realize.

In the meantime,

we only have your word
that you are Sir Nigel.

I can vouch for the gentleman.

We worked on a case together
in London.

Well, thank you, James.
Has the will been read?

No, not yet.

Then I suggest that you
proceed immediately.

KRONE:
I'll get my briefcase.

Where is the deceased?

WEST:
Right this way, sir.

You're right, Sir Nigel.
Just under the right ear.

( sniffs )

Curare.
Calendar's favorite.

Quick and silent.

The other question is,
where did it come from?

By thunder, if someone tries
to get at the rest of us,

he'll have to get past me first.

Ah, my darling.

It's been so long.

I never heard from you.

But I wrote to you
every week.

You wrote?
Yes.

I wrote.

I bet Aunt Celia
tore up all our letters.

But why?

Because she doesn't want me
to get too attached to you.

( sighs )

Or maybe it's because

she's afraid I'll inherit
more than she.

Ah, that's it, James:
the blowgun.

Observe how small it is,
almost like a whistle.

The murderer
could have fired the dart

seated next to you
at the dinner table,

yet never
have been detected.

Sir, why would a man like
Calendar come to Bleak Island?

For the same reason as you
did, James, dear boy.

What else?

Other than for one of
the most priceless treasures

in the world:

the Moon Diamond.

A thousand carats
of perfection.

A gem so pure it is said
to glow in the night.

It's gonna do all its glowing
from now on, sir,

in the National Museum
in Washington.

I'm here to see that
it doesn't go anyplace else.

Yes, I suspected
that was your mission.

The stone is worthy
of Washington's finest agent.

Ha-ha! Well, thank you.

MARK:
Gentlemen,

Mr. Krone is ready.

"To my beloved sister, Celia,
and her devoted husband, Steven,

"I hereby leave my home,

"my island
and $200,000 cash.

"To my talented nephew,
Mark Chambers,

"whom I am sure will one day
be a great artist,

"I leave my collection
of paintings,

"each a masterpiece.

"To my business partner,
Renald McAvity,

"I do hereby bequeath

"the one thing
he so richly deserves:

"a hell on earth.

"He cheated me
whenever he could

and thought I was too stupid
to know it."

That's a lie!

KRONE:
"Jail would not have been
enough punishment for him,

"but now I have my revenge.

Enjoy the fires
of perdition, Renald."

( howling in distance )

"To my loving ward, Alicia,

"whose sweetness
has brought light into my life,

"I leave $300,000
as a gift

"to be given her
on her wedding day.

"Though the National Museum
in Washington

"was informed some time ago
of my bequest,

"this will serve as official
notification to turn over

"to a properly designated
representative of the government

"one of my
most valued possessions:

the priceless Moon Diamond."

( paper rustling )

Well, officially
it's yours now,

but Calendar doesn't believe
in anything official.

You will need all the help
I can give you

to get that stone
off Bleak Island.

You can have Calendar.

All I want is that stone
off Bleak Island.

Fair enough.

"And now my final bequest

"to a woman who endured
the anger and scorn

"of my family
for many years

"out of her concern
and affection for me

"despite her great pride

"and because I think
she is endowed

"with the ability
to carry on for me,

"I hereby leave my 60 percent
of the Joseph Bleak Company

to Miss Helen Merritt."

Why,
that's preposterous!

He was
out of his mind.

She isn't even in the family!

I'll contest that will!

I'll take it
to court!

That woman
had him trapped!

I should have gotten
that share!

I'll stop you, Joe Bleak.

You're not going to ruin me.

I'll stop you.
You mark my words!

I'll stop you!

( banging )

( growling )

It's the hound.

The hound!

( growling continues )

I could swear
I hit it.

That creature
was near the front door,

and yet there isn't a track
on the ground.

This wind could have
blown away any tracks.

Logic is always reassuring.
I hope you're right.

Yes, you have an admirable
quality, James:

You never panic.

I wanna see
the Moon Diamond

and make some very tight
security arrangements.

( somber theme playing )

( suspenseful theme playing )

Joseph Bleak took some excellent
security measures himself.

He called this room
his room of treasure.

Yes, he was no fool.

( lock clicks )

( suspenseful theme swells )

Hardly for the eyes
of mortals, is it, James?

I wonder if the National
Museum will appreciate it.

The security men
have already been chosen

to guard it in Washington.

Calendar will sure
to try to get it

before it reaches there.

It appears there are
only two ways in here:

that window...

and the door.

And since Mrs. Rydell claims
that this is the only key...

It could be a trick.

Check the gas valves
and lock me inside.

( door opens )

( glass shatters )

( clattering )

( dramatic theme playing )

( gasps lightly )

( dramatic theme swells )

( suspenseful theme playing )

Ah.

There we are, old chap.

That's better.
You had me worried.

Someone threw gas in here.

That smacks of Dr. Calendar,
all right.

The Moon Diamond is gone,
James.

Stolen as easily
as you please.

Dimming the lights
was indeed a ruse.

Must have come in
through that window.

( woman screams, gunshots )

( dramatic theme playing )

( woman screaming )

( woman whimpering )

Easy. Take it easy.
I told you.

They want me dead.

He tried to shoot me.

Who?

Steven Rydell.

Take care of her.

Oh.
( sobbing )

STEVEN:
Hold it right there.

West,
I could have shot you.

The way you came running
through the woods, I thought--

What did you think?

I came looking
for that animal.

Something ran through
the woods, and I shot at it.

You shot at Helen Merritt.

Helen?

She's afraid of you
and your wife.

She thinks
you're trying to kill her.

That's preposterous.

What was she doing
out here?

Why was she down here
near the dock?

I'll tell you
what I was doing, Steven.

I was trying
to get away from here,

because I knew you'd do
just what you tried to do.

Try to murder me.

She's out of her mind.
Am I?

Then why did you make sure
I couldn't leave here?

Why is the boat gone?

I took a walk just before
dinner. It was gone then.

That means the boat left
before the diamond was stolen.

So the stone
is still on the island.

But if one of us
didn't take the boat, who did?

Who else is on this island?

This is an outrage.

Just because your diamond
is missing,

you're accusing us all
of being thieves.

In your case,
Mr. McAvity,

someone else has already
done that this evening.

Celia, this is your home.

Are you going to allow
this meddler to intimidate us?

Be quiet, Renald. Mr. West
is right, and you know it.

Thank you. I'd like all of you
to return to your rooms.

Sir Nigel's going
to conduct a search.

Ladies and gentlemen,
if you please.

Be careful, James.

( tense theme playing )

( door opens )

Sir Nigel.

Oh, you gave me quite a turn
for a moment.

( sighs )

He didn't come
from the window.

There's broken glass
on the outside of the sill,

which means it was broken
from the inside.

Well, then there must be another
entrance to the room.

It would seem so.

Well, that could hardly be
what we're looking for.

Ah, that's it, James.

Heh, this room
is full of surprises.

Fancy Joseph Bleak
building a secret entrance

to his own
treasure room.

( spooky theme playing )

SCOTT: Mr. Krone.
Who is it?

Oh, oh.

What brings you
down here?

( slurring ):
I...couldn't sleep.

I tried counting sheep,

but I started counting
all the bottles

that I knew were down here.

And one thing
led to another,

and all that counting
made me thirsty.

Mr. Krone,

weren't you afraid of the hound
or the murderer?

( chuckles )

I certainly didn't expect
to encounter him down here.

Please, uh...

don't tell Celia.

You needn't look at me
that way,

because f-four of those kegs
are mine.

Jarvis told me
it's Celia's surprise.

Well, why don't we let
bygones be bygones

and have a little
brandy nightcap?

No, it's empty.

( clanking )

Uh...

I-I-I didn't put it there.

I didn't steal it.

If you did, you're undoubtedly
our murderer as well.

Oh, no, no, no.

I-- I couldn't
kill anybody.

You gentlemen are my jury.
I'm pleading my case.

Is--? Is this the face
of a murderer?

Can't be Calendar.

If it is, I've led a lot
of wasted years chasing him.

But he could be a confederate.

Keep an eye on him.

There may be something
very interesting

in one
of these passages.

There's one thing
I can't stand, Mr. Krone:

incompetence in a criminal.

( eerie theme playing )

Oh, Mark.

( smooching )

You shouldn't have
come up here, Alicia.

It was the only way
we could be alone.

And I wanted to see you
so much.

Aunt Celia keeps
such a close watch on me.

Soon you'll be of age, then no
one will be able to interfere.

Then-- Then we can go away
together.

I'll take you
off this island.

Then we go away to Europe,
the continent, anywhere.

Just say you love me.
I love you. I love you.

I do. I love you.

( screams )

( eerie theme swells )

( suspenseful theme playing )

MARK:
Alicia!

Alicia! Alicia!

What happened?
Alicia. She-- She's gone!

( tense theme playing )

( whimpering )

( growling )

( screams )

Mark!

Oh!

( panting, whimpering )

( screaming )

Mark.

Oh, your arm.

It's all right.

Who was with you
in that greenhouse?

I don't know.
It was so dark.

I must have panicked.
I'm sorry, Mark.

Why would anyone
wanna kill either of you?

No reason, Mr. West.
We haven't harmed anyone.

Your uncle had
a very valuable wine cellar.

How come he didn't leave it
to anyone?

I.. I-I guess he left it
to Aunt Celia.

No one else?

Well, it was supposed
to be a surprise,

but she did
set some aside

for you, Sir Nigel
and Mr. Krone.

It was no surprise to Krone.

Oh?

Well, only Jarvis and I

selected the casks,
which we sent out as gifts.

Jarvis?

Yes. Well, we picked them out
in the wine cellar.

What's at the end
of this path?

ALICIA:
The old caretaker's cottage.

It hasn't been used
in years.

Take this, Mark.

I'll meet you back
at the house.

Yes, sir.

( distant howling )

( growling )

( men screaming )

( action theme playing )

Dr. Calendar.

I suppose
I could have run, James,

but your legs
would be so much stronger.

And really, I-- I couldn't pull
myself away from your expertise

in dealing
with some of my best men.

Poor chaps.

Just as a matter
of curiosity,

was it
in the wine cellar

that you began to have
your doubts about me?

It was a succession
of things.

I couldn't help wonder
how you knew Jarvis

had been hit with that dart
under the right ear.

Yes, yes.
Perhaps that was a mistake.

But Krone was an accident.

I hadn't counted on that idiot
breaking into one of the casks

which Celia
was giving to me.

The one you had hidden
the diamond in?

Sir Nigel, you seem to think
this is some kind of a game.

Oh, but it is, James.
Your intellect against mine.

What better game is there
for man to enjoy?

So, you see, you get
no points for Krone.

And now the game
comes to an end.

Sir Nigel,
why did you start this game?

Calendar is really dead,
isn't he?

Dead? Oh, yes, for some time.

And when he died,
something in me changed.

I hadn't realized

what a large part of my life
Calendar had become.

He provided all the excitement
and challenge of the hunt.

I couldn't do without it.

So you became the hound
and the hare.

And the Moon Diamond was
just one of your trophies.

Surely you of all people
must appreciate my plan.

You killed Jarvis because
he knew about the wine.

I had planned to take care
of the girl later,

but I would have felt
rather guilty about her.

But I knew it was just
a matter of time.

A trained mind
such as yours

would have put the pieces
together

before I had time
to get off the island.

Sometimes murder is a very
necessary part of the game.

Let's go back to the mainland,
Sir Nigel. I'm still ahead.

Oh, but you're not,
James.

A good player always
has a few moves left.

( dramatic theme playing )

Now, really, James, you
shouldn't have given your gun

to those two youngsters.

( eerie theme playing )

James, you must believe me.

It is with considerable regret
that I must dispose of you.

You were such
a noble adversary.

( distant howling )

I really believe
that hound hates me.

It took so many stern measures

to train him
to my every command.

So it is your dog?

Imagine my delight
when Celia invited me here

to rid the island

of the very dog
I had brought with me.

And now, my friend,
I must leave you.

I have the boat on the other
side of the island.

I wish I could say,
"Good luck, dear boy,"

but the rules of the game
forbid it.

Goodbye, James.

( suspenseful theme playing )

( growling )

( barking, growling )

( screams )

( mysterious theme playing )

WEST:
And as of 3 p.m., March 29th,

the Moon Diamond was officially
turned over

to the National Museum.

So much for that. Would you care
for more wine before dinner?

No, this is fine.

I don't see how a detective
like Sir Nigel

could do such a thing.

How did you ever
see through him?

Well--
( knock on door )

Oh, excuse me.

Hello.
Hello.

Mr. West, I hope you don't
mind us dropping in on you.

Not at all.

Oh, I'm sorry.
This is Nancy Conrad.

This is Alicia Crane
and Mark Chambers.

Hello.
It's Alicia Chambers now.

Oh, we were married
two weeks ago.

Congratulations. Won't
you join us in a toast?

We'd like to, but we're late.
We're in a rush.

We just stopped by
to deliver something to you.

When we were in Washington
on our honeymoon,

we met a friend of yours,
a Mr. Gordon.

And when he found out that
we were coming back this way,

he asked us to deliver
this to you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Goodbye.
Bye.

Would you mind
reading that for me, please?

( sighs )

"Dear Jim,
you'll be glad to know

"that things are pretty much
wrapped up back here.

"Don't be too long till--

Oh. "It won't be too long
till I'm on my way.

"In the meantime,
I know how dull it gets

"looking at the same
old things every day,

"so I sent something along
to brighten up your day.

See you soon. Artie."

( laughs )

Well, this really is
what I've always wanted.

Would you please set it
over there on the table?

Thank you.

So that's your friend Artemus?
WEST: Mm-hm.

NANCY:
He's kind of cute,

but then so are you.

( upbeat theme playing )

( upbeat western theme playing )