The Philanthropist s01e03 Episode Script

- the first time i was in paris, i fell in love.
With a girl from trenton, new jersey.
And the second time i was in paris, I fell in love with a swedish model named, um Haila.
And the third time I got food poisoning.
Oh, i know, i know, paris the cuisine magnifique, le gran vin food poisoning? pfff! impossible.
Butfortunately i was able to find A very friendly nurse Which brings us to last night.
- teddy, we got trouble.
[french singing continues.]
- i've always had this, uh this volatile relationship With the city of lights.
And this time was no different.
[men yelling in french.]
- paris.
Well, the cliche is certainly true.
Paris is fantastic when you're in love.
But this time, i didn't come to paris for love.
I came for something i like to call Mergers and acquisitions.
You coming? - baby, would you check us in? - mm.
- bonjour.
[continues in french.]
- olivia! - isabelle? [both squealing, giggling.]
- what are you doing here? - we're here for a few days.
- she never says hello to me like that.
- me neither.
- philip! This is isabelle sadoff.
Remember, i told you about the summer i spent in provence.
- ah[speaking french.]
- oh.
okay.
- enchante.
- enchante.
- i thought you were still in marseille.
- no, i'm here.
pr director for the hotel.
- amazing.
- yeah.
- ahem - oh, uh, i'm sorry.
This is my husband's partner teddy rist.
- enchante, mademoiselle.
- monsieur rist.
What brings you to paris? business or pleasure? - oh, must i choose? Isabelle was all french.
Her accent alone was killing me.
She was gorgeous.
But i was in paris to finesse the deal.
We were there to merge a mining company We owned in bulgaria with bauxite francais.
Bauxite is a mineral used In the manufacture of aircraft.
- i'm well aware of the value of affordable bauxite.
- thank you.
So philip had been slaving away on this deal for months, And, truth be told, we needed this merger to work Or we were going to lose our entire bulgarian investment.
So philip waswell, More worried than philip usually gets.
And mostly he was worried about me.
- ohyou want to call him, don't you? - i just had this horrible thought.
Teddyalone - mm.
- in paris.
And to get the french government To give an american company rail subsidies Ain't gonna be easy.
So i need the charming teddy in the morning, Not the hungover teddy.
- [laughing.]
- foreplay in the cellular age.
[ever fallen in love playing.]
[cell phone rings.]
- i can't see much of the future unless we find out what to blame what a shame [cell phone ringing.]
- yeah, hello.
- teddy.
Please tell me you're in bed.
- ha.
yeah, yeah, on my way.
Anyone in need of a hard six? Anyone, huh? How 'bout you, young lady? Wanna give me a hard six? - [laughs.]
that's exactly what i'm feeling.
- hard six.
- teddy, i need you rested And ready for the meeting with minister moehringer tomorrow.
[cheering.]
teddy! - you are quite the lucky boy.
- you wanna blow me a hard eight? - teddy! - yeah.
- are you gonna make me do this alone, man? - no, no, no, i'll be there.
hell, i'll sing la marseillaise butt naked Hanging from a chandelier if you want me to.
Just relax, you two, huh? just go do your tantric thing.
Eights.
- all righthe just hung up on me again.
- i'll go.
- no.
why you? - because if you go you'll just end up talking Fiduciary responsibility and get nowhere.
- and what are you gonna do? - i am gonna remind him of that night in rio.
- oh, yeah.
rio.
That's good.
[man shouting.]
it doesn't concern you, ivana! Stay out of it! it's none of your business! [slap.]
you stupid woman! - isabelle? what's going on? - new management has taken over The entertainment side of the hotel.
We now have an escort service.
- an escort service? that's very thoughtful of them.
- thanks for coming, teddy.
would you sit, please? - okay.
- they're trafficking in sex? - umthey're trafficking in sex? Sorry, who? who's they? - russians.
former fsb.
A man named bejan.
- he's a pimp? - not just a pimp.
an importer.
- i'm sorry.
Forgive me if i seem insensitive, but The louis quatorze is a five-star hotel Slap, bang in the middle of paris.
If someone wants to escape, Don't they just call the concierge and get a cab? - young, naive women are enticed to leave their countries With promises of jobs.
They're brought into france illegally.
No documentation, no passports.
They have no friends.
they barely speak the language.
They are guarded day and night At a safe house somewhere here in the city.
- then whydoesn't somebody just call the cops? - some of the police are on bejan's payroll.
- okay.
- and how many of these girls does, umbejan have? - 20, 30.
the number fluctuates.
- well, why are you still here? - early on Foolishly, before i fully understood, Iborrowed a large sum of money from bejan.
- we can pay your debt.
- would you? - [softly.]
yeah.
- would you really? - yeah, of course.
- thank you! - my friends will tell you That i have something of a an addictive personality, My single greatest addiction being To women.
Mostly i i want to seduce them.
Which, of course, means sensing their vulnerabilities.
And when they're truly vulnerable, Then aa second addiction kicks in.
I want to ease their pain.
Or maybe my own.
- aah! - olivia was inconsolable.
Philip was protective, and i[laughs.]
I was pissy.
- so you all saw the accident? - are you sure that's what it was, detective? - no, i'm not.
That's why i'm conducting an investigation, sir.
And, uh, you, madame.
You were friends with the woman? - yes, years ago.
- i'm going to take myife to our room.
- of course.
- oh, earlier i heard isabelle having an argument with a man.
It was that man.
- yes, i think we can do that.
- monsieur bejan.
- you know him? - quite well.
And i can assure you, he's not a suspect.
- uhwhy's that? - because i was with him when the death occurred.
Now, please go rest And i will contact you if i have further questions.
Thank you.
thank you.
- olivia, if you didn't trust the officer-- - isabelle said that some of the police were in on it.
- then why volunteer that you heard an argument with that guy? - bejan? - bejan, yeah.
If the detective is involved, he'll tell bejan.
- good! - good? What are you planning to do? Baby, you are the mother of a five-year-old Who's got a big soccer game on saturday.
- philip, i told isabelle that we would pay off her debt.
I am the reason that she went to talk to him.
I am the reason that she was in that room.
- baby, you can't blame yourself for that.
Teddyyou got something to say here? - i was thinking.
- about? - about those other women.
It was some night last night.
Girls falling from the sky, And i won 10,000 euros on the tables.
Marvelous.
- do i know you? - no.
But i hear you're a good man to know.
- well That depends.
- on what? - who you are And what you want.
- this is who i am And that is what i want.
- ivana, do you know who murdered isabelle? Was it bejan? - you are visitors.
you will be gone soon.
But i will still have to face him.
- i think we'll take that as a yes then.
- we want to make sure that he's charged for isabelle's murder.
- and make sure that you and the other girls are Are returned to safety.
- i won't leave.
- sorry.
um, why not? - he's kidnapping my sister and bringing her to paris.
- when? - he's going to send someone today to our house in moldova.
She's only 15! I tried to warn her, but the phone is disconnected.
- would you mind just, um, Writing your address in moldova down there? - what are you gonna do? - i haven't been to moldova in years.
- i swearhe can have sex 224 times In the space of two hours.
- it's impossible.
- yeah, but true.
- a desert rat, you say.
- it's called the shaw's jird.
- 224 times in two hours.
You counted that? - i had a lot of time to kill in fallujah.
- [chuckles.]
right.
[buzzer.]
- ivana was taken to rome when she was 14.
Thought she had a job as a nanny.
Eventually, her protector-- - wait a minute--her protector? - yeah.
[laughs.]
that's what she calls her pimps.
So her--her roman pimp decides to sell her to bejan, And he basically just shipped her here.
- that's terrible.
I mean, that's really, really terrible.
But i'm a businessman, olivia.
i'm not a caped crusader.
What do you expect me to do? - use your influence.
Talk to the transportation minister.
Get him to start an inquiry.
- all right.
Let's just see how the business side goes first, all right? Babe, i can't meet the man for the first time And make a hundred different requests.
I'm not saying that moehringer won't help us, But we got a lot at stake here! - yeah! - i'm gonna go see teddy.
- we're meeting him at the hangar.
- what? why? - he had to take a quick trip to moldova.
- let me guess.
To go retrieve ivana's sister? [buzzer.]
- i don't think anyone's home.
- ivana says raya doesn't come out of school until 3:00.
It's just a couple of minutes past.
So we wait, huh? We surveil.
- [chuckles.]
- teddy'll be here, philip.
your deal will go through.
- i do care about this deal, but i care about teddy more.
He ain't a superhero either.
bleeds the same as me.
- yves moehringer, minister of transportation The key to the success of our bauxite deal.
[cameras clicking.]
- minister moehringer has arrived.
I'm afraid we'll have to start without monsieur rist.
- maybe we should reschedule.
- we have had another offer from a french conglomerate.
You have 24 hours to conclude the deal, Or we will move on.
- mm.
- is that her? - yeah.
That is her.
[stammers.]
- teddy, teddy-- Whoa.
they're armed.
they're gonna be armed.
[raya yelling.]
- we can't just let them take her.
- you want me to risk hitting her? - no.
- then we follow and pick a better moment.
[tires squealing.]
-to run a major Ladies and gentlemen Combining bauxite francais [cell phone buzzing.]
With maidstone-rist's interests in bulgaria Will increase revenue and jobs in both countries.
- excusez-moi, but, uh, is mr.
rist on his way? See, i understand That you share the title of ceo with mr.
rist, Mr.
maidstone, But it seems to me that a transaction Of such a magnitude Would be worthy of his presence, wouldn't you say? - unfortunately, he had an emergency.
He extends his apologies.
I can answer any of your concerns.
- then let's do address my concerns.
You see, we appreciate your interest In purchasing a french company, But i'm afraid the french people might not.
The chances of my government granting a rail subsidy To an american-owned corporation Are, i'm afraid, nil.
- what if we increase the percentage of deferred income? - a useless gesture.
Butsend the numbers.
- that'll take a few days to compile.
We don't have-- - send the numbers.
bon journee to you, mr.
maidstone.
merci.
monsieur.
- back in moldova, Dax and i followed the car holding raya To a railway station deep in the countryside.
To our surprise, bejan's men were transporting Nearly 20 other young women.
[camera clicking.]
[dog barking.]
On a purely business level, How do they keep moving trainloads of women Through customs across europe? - someone's on the grab.
- on the grab.
right.
As i've traveled the world, I'vei've seen my share of horrific sights.
And i'm always stunned, Not so much by the horror itself But by the fact that one human being Is doing something unspeakably horrible to another.
A woman is dead.
Other women are being raped emotionally, physically.
How can any real man not feel violated by that? [door rumbles shut.]
- i'd failed.
I had promised ivana that i'd keep her sister safe, And i'd failed.
And i hate to fail.
Ivana, i'm so sorry.
- i'm sure you did the best you could.
- this must have been a really hard thing to see, teddy.
- hey, how 'bout you and me and philip and ivana Flying down to the riviera for the weekend, huh? - you don't mean that.
- no.
i wish i did.
- i should get ready for the funeral.
- hey, wait a minute, wait a minute.
What if wh if daand i were Were to go to the house where the women are kept Andand just help set them and raya free? - teddy, don't you think-- - do you think you can show me the way? - no, we are--we are always traveling at night.
I don't know the city.
- damn.
damn.
Hey Hmm.
What if we were just to do this the old-fashioned way, huh? We throw a party.
what's bejan's number? Listen, as far as bejan is concerned, you and i have been doing the last tango since tuesday.
And undoubtedly, he will have heard That i blew off the french transport minister And surmised, not too incorrectly in my opinion, That i am a rich, degenerate lowlife.
So i have every confidence that he will swallow our story As easily as a glass of petrus '95.
Then once he gets the girls here and after i've paid him, Then i will have him arrested.
And then you and i will testify against him.
Are you gonna be okay? - teddy.
- would you mind waiting for me in the restaurant? - yes.
- thank you.
I apologize.
- accepted.
Look, teddy I can understand your need to dive into the impossible.
I even envy it a little bit.
But the global economy's having a nervous breakdown, And maidstone-rist isn't invulnerable.
We needed that deal, man, and that deal is all but dead.
- i think i may have found a way both to rescue the girls And get the deal back on track.
- oh.
how? - i haven't worked out the exact details yet, but - yeah.
well, we're going back to new york tonight.
At least i am.
- listen Do we have a, uh, a background profile On, umwhat's his name? The minister of transport-- - yves moehringer.
- right.
- of course we do.
you didn't even read it.
- hey, i was waiting for the movie version.
- teddy - would you mind Combing through that line by line? I just need some ammo on this guy.
Phil, please.
I'm asking you to help me here.
- all right.
one more day.
- thank you.
- i can't close the casino for private functions Unless i clear each guest myself.
I'm sure you understand.
security reasons.
- of course.
and security doesn't come cheap.
That's why there is half a million u.
s.
In a swiss bank account.
In a single call, I can have the funds transferred to your name.
- i prefer cash.
euros.
- in exchange, i do want the casino Closed off to the public.
I want extremely good service, And i want every girl you've got, From veterans to merci.
To virgins.
- you're in luck, mr.
rist.
A fresh supply has just arrived.
Are we done with ivana? - hmm? oh, no.
No, no, no.
far from it.
No, she is teaching me some Fascinating new uses for the slipknot.
You and he have more than just a business relationship.
- he says he loves me.
- hey, babe.
- hey.
- i'm sorry i couldn't come to the funeral.
- how was it? - sad.
You working? - yeah.
Teddy asked me to do some recon on yves moehringer As a way of getting the deal reignited.
- can i help? - you feel up for it? - nothing like standing over an open grave To gain perspective.
- hey.
- what are we digging for? - minister moehringer's weak spots.
- mm.
God, that's good.
Yes, i'll have three cases of the bordeaux, Andoh, hang it all.
Let's be devil may care and try the, uh The grand cru '86.
- you know your wines.
hmm? - ah.
- unfortunately, on my salary I can't afford perfection.
- well, there's more than one way to supplement an income, Detective colime.
- the usual, thomas.
Is that why you asked to see me? - that's very good too.
It's amazing what you can pick up Chatting to a barman.
I hear your mother's very ill, for example.
Please send her my best wishes.
- what concern is that of yours? - oh, none, i I just can't stand the thought that when she needs you most You'll be in prison.
- mr.
rist, you're in france And we're not intimidated by american bluntness.
No.
- no.
Only by russian thuggery, huh? Enslaving women, huh? I guess you probably figured it was no big deal, right? We're all of us slaves in one way or another, Be it to--to money or to our jobs Or obsessions, whatever it is.
But of course, There is one crucial difference, isn't there, Between us and the girls that bejan abuses On an hourly basis? And that is that you and i get to Get to choose our forms of bondage, hmm? - now, listen-- - no, no, no.
Don't get me wrong.
i know what it's like.
You have a need, a desperate need.
Somebody comes along, makes you an offer, And you try a little bit and there's no harm done and You try a little bit more, little bit more.
Then, all of a sudden, You're in way, way too deep.
And your conscience is screaming as you fall.
Just like sweet isabelle sadoff.
- ethics.
These dayswho can afford the luxury of ethics? - that's easy, detective.
People with immunity can.
- yo, coach, we got news.
- yeah, so have i.
Colime's agreed to potential legal immunity.
What's yours? - well, first of all, no one knows this yet, But moehringer is retiring from his cabinet post At the end of the month.
- now, you ready for this? His first wife, now dead, was russian.
- russian? - russian.
As in her maiden name was kryvosheienko.
- so? - so, bejan's not bejan's real name.
- no surprises there.
- it's kryvosheienko.
He's moehringer's former brother-in-law.
- ohso the worlds of sex trafficking and bauxite Collide on the railways of paris, huh? - right.
moehringer's setting up A nice little retirement nest egg for himself By letting bejan sneak the women over the border.
- wow.
This party's gonna be even more fun than i thought.
Hey.
- guys, check this out.
ivana.
- bejan exits through the service entrance On the southwest side of the building.
It's a black cayenne.
here's the license number.
- great.
well done.
- are you sure he has only one of these safe houses? - i asked him.
he said yes, there's only one.
- but teddy, if the girls are coming here, Why are we going there? - because i don't believe he's gonna bring all the girls here.
So if we don't locate that safe house now, We will never know if he was holding out on us or not.
so you and me, allons-y.
Yes, we were in a part of paris i'd never been before.
This was not the postcard paris, Nor was it the the paris of love.
- tell the ambassador he has to wait.
My apologies.
Please continue.
- where was i? - i believe you were tailing the man bejan.
- ah, yes.
About a half hour had gone by, And then bejan came out with the girls.
I don't see raya, do you? - nope.
[sighs.]
She must still be inside.
We need to find her.
- well, if she is in there, There's got to be at least one guard left.
- wait here.
[liquid dripping.]
[whispering.]
teddy, what are you doing? I told you to wait! - [whispering.]
okay.
- wait here.
- okay, okay.
[sniffing.]
- no guards.
- no guards? Well, that's just sloppy.
I have no respect for corrupt men who are sloppy.
- no, sweetie, go to sleep.
there's no ghost under the bed.
I love you.
Wanna put grandma back on the phone? Yeah, i-i know, grace.
he'll be fine.
Just, um, if he's not asleep in an hour, Give me a call, all right? Yeah.
thanks.
bye.
- how old is your son? - he's 5 going on 50.
- you are very fortunate.
I cannot have a child.
- any sign of her? - over here.
[girl cries out.]
[girl speaking moldovan.]
- raya, raya, raya! raya, no! Raya, raya! hey, it's all right! [raya crying out.]
raya, raya! I'm a friend.
i'm a friend of ivana's.
It's okay.
Don't worry.
I'm gonna take you to your sister.
You're gonna be safe.
- teddy, we got trouble.
- okay, guard the back door.
- how do we know there is one? - dax, it's a house.
All houses have back doors.
- not where i come from.
- just go and check.
- all right.
but what are you gonna do? - don't worry.
i have a plan.
Just wait.
wait here.
[men speaking in french.]
- whoa, whoa, whoa.
Follow me.
come on! Let's go, quick! [beep beep.]
- it's a text from bejan.
He'll be here in ten minutes.
he wants me downstairs.
- i guess we should go welcome him.
- i found the back door.
- right.
you see, dax? That'll teach you to have a little faith In the principles of architecture.
Now, take her downstairs.
And don't come back, whatever happens.
- whoa--what are you doing? - i'm gonna create a diversion.
- teddy, you don't know what you're doing.
I'll be the diversion.
- no, you will not be the diversion.
You'll take her downstairs, keep her safe.
You're gonna look after her.
that's an order.
Get out of here.
go! - gaz.
- feu! attention! [continues yelling.]
- so much for the back door.
[coughing.]
[yelling.]
Okay, so i'll be the first to tell you, My plan was not exactly risk-free.
Too much could go wrong.
Once bejan delivered the girls, I still had to get him out of the casino So that olivia or philip could move the girls Upstairs to safety.
I was also relying on detective colime Who i didn't know for certain if i could trust.
- i do not see raya.
Where is my sister? i would like to see her.
- in due time, hmm? Come.
- wonderful party.
- oh, you just wait.
there's gonna be fireworks.
- [laughing.]
formidable.
Well, i do hope that mr.
rist Will not be once again unavoidably detained.
- would you like more champagne? - why not? - ah, there he is.
[chuckling.]
Teddy, let me introduce you to yves moehringer, Minister of transportation.
- ah.
the elusive mr.
rist.
- not just yet.
thank you.
- but i'm very pleased to have been invited here, Given the fact that i could not extend A government subsidy to you.
- ohthe night is yet young.
Who knows what fate might have in store for us? I need a few moments with my business partners.
It is a business matter entirely unrelated to france.
- of course, of course.
Business must not wait, but Later we focus onpleasure.
- [mutters.]
walk with me.
Is everything a go out here? - everything is great.
All you have to do is hand bejan the money, And the games begin.
- okay.
if you see moehringer try to leave, You tackle him-- to the ground, if necessary.
- remind me how i got into this.
- deep-rooted sense of humanity? - all right, i'm on it.
- hey, um, do me a favor and be careful.
You're not a superhero, you know.
- youyou thought i always looked so good in tights.
- i'm serious.
- ivana, would you mind locking the door? I don't want any uninvited guests Crashing in on our nasty little transaction.
- why nasty? I'm simply selling a product as you do with bauxite.
- hmm.
Umvodka, yeah? Tell me a little bit about yourself, huh? Married, kids? - the money, mr.
rist.
- you know, i[laughs.]
i love kids, me.
Pesky little rug rats.
I always wanted a daughter.
You ever wonder what it might be like to To have a daughter? - are you plying something? - no.
No, i'm just making idle conversation.
- the money.
- there's half a mil there.
That's approximately 17,000 euros.
Per woman.
[cell phone rings.]
- da.
No.
- i should start moving the women upstairs.
- all right, i'm gonna call dax, Tell him we're coming.
- okay.
[whispering.]
would you make your way upstairs? - excuse me, ladies.
would you please go upstairs? - let's walk upstairs.
[sighs.]
- life is full of twists and turns, mr.
rist.
The house i own was burned to the ground this evening.
- no! - mm.
And worsesome merchandise of mine was stolen.
- really? Who would do such a thing? - when you love a woman You can read her thoughts.
Through the shine of her eyes You can see into her very soul.
You can tell When she has betrayed you.
everything was going according to plan Except that i had a gun in my eye.
- that must have hurt.
- yes.
that's an understatement.
- how did you escape? - i--no, no.
I've forgotten to tell you something about philip.
Philip, he was holding the fort exceptionally well.
- mr.
moehringer.
- ah, mr.
maidstone.
I'm afraid i have to leave you.
- ah, go? no, no, no - well, all of the young ladies seem to have gone.
- don't you worry about that.
they'll all be back.
It's part of the big surprise we have for you.
- aha.
the fireworks.
- exactement.
boom, boom, boom! - stop! you'll blind him! - it's all right, ivana.
I have the situation completely under control.
You're not a stupid man, bejan.
You're not gonna shoot me here, Not with a room full of witnesses right next door, The minister of transportation amongst them.
[grunts, groans.]
You know, there are There are plenty of other places on my body You could stick that thing, yeah? - stand up.
let's go.
No, no, no, no, no.
this way.
- just out of interest easy! Where exactly are you taking me? A late night stroll along the banks of the seine.
How very romantic.
- stop.
Mr.
rist As we say in my country [speaking russian.]
[gunshot.]
- you were meant to arrest him.
[gunshot.]
- knowing bejan, such an attempt would have been futile.
- we had an agreement! - oh, come on, mr.
rist.
Drop the pretense.
aren't you glad he's dead? - yes.
[man singing in french.]
You see, there are ethics, and then there are ethics.
- i have to thank you for being so patient.
It's now time for the fireworks.
- it's getting late.
- pap boy, get your button finger ready.
- just one more minute.
- mr.
rist, is everything all right? - everything is fine with me.
younot so much.
I think it's only fair to tell you That i have an appointment tomorrow morning with your boss.
- with my boss.
- mm.
The prime minister.
And if you're really smart, You'll call a lawyer on your way home in the car.
Ivanawill you come out here, please? Take a look at these.
They're the opening credits to ivana's nightmare.
- what are these? - ivana, is there something you wanted to say To monsieur moehringer? - my first two months in paris I slept with 400 men.
I earned 12,000 euros of which i did not receive a cent.
How muchof that money Is in your account? How much joydid you have off my misery? - ivana, it's over.
it's all right.
- are you ready for that picture? - no-- [cameras clicking.]
- yves moehringer will be arrested at once And fully prosecuted.
- and the girls? - we will repatriate them.
- first class? - indeed.
Or we will grant them residency in france, Whichever they prefer.
- thank you.
Well, there is just one other small thing.
- [laughs.]
oui.
Our administration will be happy to grant railway subsidies To maidstone and rist.
- merci.
oh Ah.
[kiss.]
Oh - vive la france, huh? - [laughs.]
vive la france.
- what's that? - oh.
pff.
nothing.
- what is it? - no, it's nothing.
- oh, come on.
What is it? - it's a bit embarrassing, really.
You know how the french get all emotional.
Well, the prime minister, He goes a bit crazy with his kissing and his hugging And more kissing and he ended up giving me the legion d'honneur.
[all laughing.]
- no! Wow - you should have this.
You deserve it way more than i do.
- oh, hardly.
- no, i mean, really.
I don't want the damn thing.
- okay, i'll give it to terry.
- right.
little boys love playing soldiers.
Speaking of which, we got a soccer game to go to.
- hey, um, why don't i catch up with you two? I may have a date.
- a date? With whom? - i don't know yet.
But this is paris and i am teddy rist.
- mm.
[philip laughing.]
[pop song in french.]
- no.
pardonnez-moi.