The Persuaders (1971) s01e18 Episode Script

Miss Zorakin's suite, please.
Yes? Oh, Michel.
I just wanted to say hello, tell you how much I've missed you.
Oh, I've missed you too, darling.
Oh, yes, of course I do.
But I can't talk now.
Soon.
Very soon.
Goodbye.
You were listening! I'm sorry, I couldn't help overhearing.
It was Michel, wasn't it? What if I was? I love him! Your father doesn't approve.
You're better off forgetting him.
My father never approves of any men I like.
He only does what he thinks is best for you.
Best for me? My father tries to run my life like he runs his businesses.
I have certain assets and they have to be protected against any unprofitable merger.
Well, I am sick of it! And you can tell him that in your report! - My report? - That's what you're paid for! - You'd better get dressed.
- When I'm ready! And hang those up! Excuse me.
Well? Everything is going exactly as planned, so relax.
It might be an appropriate moment for a toast.
- To the kidnap of Lisa Zorakin.
- I've got a better one.
To the half a million dollar ransom.
Yoo-hoo! - Daniel.
- Your Lordship.
You made it? - Well, I'm here How are you? - I'm fine.
- Good evening.
- You look terrific.
Terrific? That's odd, I'm exhausted.
Exhausted? You never looked better.
That jacket is a nice cut, kid.
I've driven 500 miles non-stop.
All I want to do is get into a nice, hot bath, have a long soak and an early night.
- A long soak and early night? - Yes.
That's for babies and old ladies.
Old is what I'll be unless I get some sleep.
You don't need sleep, what you need is a soak.
I'll lay out your clothes.
Daniel, I don't need to dress to go to bed.
- Lord Sinclair? - Coming, yes.
I've no idea what is going on in your devious mind but whatever it is, forget it.
Now, look, all I want you to do is do me a favour.
- No.
- What? Would I turn you down? - Of course.
- Have I ever failed you? - Frequently! - There are two girls There always are.
Yours is beautiful, delicate, exquisite.
- What's yours like? - She's OK.
- But you'll love yours.
- Yes, I think this is an ambush.
Turn around and look.
- And she's the ugly one.
- Oh.
Lisa, meet my good friend, Brett.
Brett, Lisa.
My friend only said you were stunningly beautiful.
It's nice to meet you.
Well, you can let go, she won't fall down.
This is Mary.
Mary, meet Brett.
- You two should have dinner.
- How do you do? That would be nice.
We've got to go to town but we'll be back in 40 minutes.
- OK, see you later.
- Yes.
- Bye, Mary.
- Goodbye.
Mary - You toad.
- What? - You sprung the ambush.
- What? She's beautiful! I'm going upstairs now to devise the most horrible revenge possible.
Por favor.
Take him to the toy department.
Come on, come on! Help, get me the police, please! Can't you see she's been kidnapped?! - What's all the excitement? - Lisa's been kidnapped.
- Kidnapped? - Mr Zorakin will never forgive me.
- Conrad Zorakin? Is he a relation? - He's Lisa's father.
We're trying to get him on the car phone.
Where's Danny? Oh, l-I don't know.
He was outside when it happened - But I don't know - Miss Bradford? I have Mr Zorakin.
Thank you.
No guests are to leave the hotel.
I want the police chief waiting when I get there.
And keep the switchboard clear.
And keep me informed of developments.
I'll be there soon.
What is it? Lisa has been kidnapped.
Use all the speed we got.
Phone the Madrid office, we'll need some money.
Don't forget, he wants to see the chief of police the moment he arrives and keep the switchboard clear.
- Very good.
- Thank you.
- Can I help? - Oh, Mr Wilde tried to help me.
Then he went after them in his car.
Well, that's something.
Don't worry - Danny will bring her back.
I hope so.
I certainly hope so.
Car passed? Gracias, no Freeze! Turn around, slow.
Put up your hands.
Put 'em up - higher! Go.
You all right? What's the matter? - Where'd you come from? - From here! - I thought we'd lost you.
- If you want me to leave, I'll go.
No? Can I sit down? If you've got any suggestions I'm more than ready to hear - I have.
- Not you.
You punch too hard.
- Shut up! - There is no choice.
No! No, I think he might be very useful.
You're staying.
There was nothing I could do, Mr Zorakin.
- I tried - All right, all right.
- Who's in charge? - This gentleman.
You.
- Who are you? - Inspector Santos.
- Everything possible is being done.
- Well, I wouldn't expect less! - Any ransom note yet? - Nothing.
- Well, it will come.
- An American went after them.
- American? - Yes.
A friend of mine.
- Danny Wilde.
- Wilde? Er, Lord Sinclair.
Wilde, you say? It is possible.
How was he involved? Oh, Mary saw it all.
Oh.
l-I was struggling with them, Mr Wilde ran up and we were thrown to the ground.
- Or he tried to pull you off.
- Oh, no, he was trying to help.
- It's possible.
- Ridiculous.
- He followed with a car.
- To join his friends.
Mr Zorakin, I know that you're worried, but you're being rather fanciful.
I overlook nothing! I know Wilde.
We were competitors in a recent business transaction.
He lost a great deal of money.
And kidnapped your daughter to get even? - It's possible.
- It's ridiculous.
I want a description of Wilde issued right away.
You can't do that.
You'll find there's very little I can't do.
l-I'm sorry if I implicated your friend.
It's not your fault.
I think I'll take a look around.
Danny should've been back by now.
- Whose car is this? - Danny Wilde's.
"Half a million dollars.
We'll contact you.
" It has to be a set-up.
Arrange for the money.
And $100,000 for the man who will kill him.
You're late, room service.
Might as well eat while you can.
Get back.
What happens next? When we get the money, you can go.
Sometime tonight, I imagine.
And you expect me to go back to the hotel and not say anything? That's up to you, but frankly I don't think it'll be that easy.
Zorakin will have paid up, he'll want revenge and you will be the target.
Half a million dollars.
- You've heard from them? - A phone call.
No chance of tracing.
- What do you do with the money? - We'll come to that.
- I want you to deal with this.
- Oh, why? I checked you out.
You're honest and you know how to handle yourself.
Well, isn't that interesting? - Cos I checked you out, too.
- Really? You didn't come out well - rumours of connections with organised crime.
- Talk, just talk.
- And the Senate hearings in '58? There was never enough evidence to bring charges.
Mr Zorakin won damages against newspapers that made scurrilous accusations.
Thank you, we don't have to explain to Sinclair.
My record is clean.
Let's say you've been lucky.
I've always done what I had to do to get what I wanted.
All I want now is for you to handle this business.
I still want to know why me.
Surely it can't have escaped your checkout that I am a close friend of Danny Wilde's? So you can talk sense to him, make sure he doesn't try anything.
I want Lisa back.
That's all that matters.
Danny has nothing to do with it.
I don't believe it.
But you have the chance to prove you're right.
Will you do it? All right.
On one condition.
Go on.
You don't send your friends here looking for Danny until I get back and he can explain.
Agreed.
I expect you back here at midnight, with Lisa, or there'll be a lot of trigger-happy people looking for you.
Where do I take this? To a deserted village called Condos.
Three miles beyond, there'll be a marker.
Take the money there and wait for further instructions.
The road is empty.
Nothing in sight.
- Good.
- Has he found the radio? - Nobody followed him? - He's on his own.
- He's obeying instructions.
- Let's get on with it! 'Listen closely and follow my directions in every detail.
'Get the money and start into the woods and follow the track.
'Keep going until I tell you to stop.
That's all.
' He's on his way.
I can smell the money! Come on! All right, stop where you are.
Now, put the case on the ground.
Now, go back to your car and drive off.
'Lisa will be back at her hotel in a couple of hours.
' Beautiful.
Michel was right, he said Zorakin wouldn't take any chances.
After him! Now, you didn't think I'd leave that money lying around? - Where's Lisa? - Try and find her.
I was going to, but now you're going to help me.
- I'll tell you nothing.
- What odds are you giving? Where's Lisa? Where is she?! Lisa, are you all right? Don't worry.
Where's Daniel? Over there.
Funny.
Very, very funny.
- Storing up for the winter? - Don't apologise.
I hope you're feeling better, don't worry - I'm all right.
- Excuse me.
What shall we do with this one? Lock him up for the police later.
OK.
Let him go! What are you talking about? I'm sorry, Lisa, it's gone wrong.
Daniel, has the rug been pulled out from under our feet? - Why? - Why did you have to spoil things? Why did you have to interfere? We should've heard by now.
Sinclair will contact us when there's news.
Something's gone wrong - I just feel it.
I wish we could do something.
There's a great deal we can do.
You said they could have until midnight.
I know what I said.
We'll give them a little longer.
Something's gone wrong.
Whose idea was it to stage the phoney kidnapping? - Mine! - Mine! We both sort of developed it.
Why? If you wanted to get married why not ask good old big daddy? You don't know my father.
I do, and I don't like him, but I'm not his daughter.
- I wish I wasn't.
- So your father doesn't approve? When he found out, he had detectives check on me.
I had no money, no job - I want to be a writer - so I was marked down as unsuitable.
Zorakin offered me money not to see Lisa.
You're both over 21, why didn't you just take off? How could we? Michel has nothing, I have no money, how could we? Some people do, you know.
He can afford it, why shouldn't he give us something? That's no way to get money out of your father, but - Your Lordship.
- Thank you.
These two other guys, where do they figure in this? Well, I hired them to help, $5,000 each.
It would have worked - the kidnap looked real, everybody believed it! Why did you have to interfere? Because Sir Lancelot here involved Daniel.
That was a mistake.
I know that now.
But I thought he'd take attention off us.
Believe me, you did.
Zorakin was set to offer contracts to every gun-happy assassin in Europe.
And he still might if we don't get you back.
We must get you back.
Daniel? - I haven't eaten.
- Would you like to die well-fed? - I'll get heartburn.
- Let's go.
- Go where? - To tell Dad what you told us.
- I'm not going back to him! - Excuse me - You can do anything you want.
- Then why not let us go? We can't! The entire Spanish police force is looking for Daniel.
He's not safe until you and the money are returned.
Then you can sort out your love life.
- Does that answer your question? - No! I'm not going anywhere.
- Now - Please - I'll take care of this.
- Thank you.
Michel Michel! Let him go! - Ahh! Daniel? - Michel, do something! Please! I'm sorry, Lisa.
- At least someone has some sense.
- Let go! Michel! Calm down, don't get so excited.
Wait will you Will you wait a minute? Let go! Take her other arm, Daniel.
Come on.
Oof! Let me go! - Get round the other side, Daniel.
- Let me out! Let me go! Get back there.
Daniel.
Daniel! Daniel! Get her off me! She'll kill us all! Let me go! I'm gonna give your father money to take you back! I'm not going back! - What are we gonna do? - I have an idea.
That was good thinking, pal.
You're a smart kid.
- I don't feel one bit guilty.
- Why should you? All right, what's the plan? We find a telephone and call Zorakin.
We pick up the money and deliver it all to the hotel.
I love it, I love it.
You're a smart guy.
Oh! Who'd wanna kidnap her anyway? Just calm down.
Sit down and be quiet.
- Buenos dias, senor.
- Buenos dias.
Two bottles of your best Ow! And a Mickey Finn for the lady, or preferably a shot of chloroform.
- Si, senor.
- They're having a lovers' tiff.
- Do you have a phone? - This way, senor.
I hate you! They are lovers, senor? - American.
- Ah, si.
- The telephone? - This way.
Will you will you calm down? Ow! Now, look Brett! Hurry up! - Brett! - Mr Zorakin, please.
Bring her over! Now, stop.
Zorakin? Sinclair.
We've got her.
Good.
Good.
They've got her.
Is she all right? Oh, yes.
Alive and kicking.
Very much so.
Yes.
Oh, there's quite a story to tell.
By the way, I didn't spend the money! I left I have to stop at Condos to pick it up.
Tell me when you get here.
Is Lisa there? Put her on.
You what?! You want to talk to her?! Oh, yes.
He wants to talk to you.
Father? I'm all right.
Don't trust them - Danny Wilde planned it all! This is a trick to get more money! Hello? Oh, yes, she's all right.
All right.
Put Lisa back on.
What did she mean? I want to talk to her! You can talk to her when we get back.
She doesn't understand, poor child, what's going on.
Ow! We'll talk later.
El loco.
I'm sorry! I'm really sorry.
- She's sorry.
- Now he'll never let me marry him.
Please let me go back to Michel - I don't care about the money! L-look, let's talk to your father, then you can go anywhere - Oof! - Now, stop it! - Help yourself.
- Gracias, senor.
De nada, de nada.
They're going to Condos to collect the money.
Get the men, we're going there.
Wouldn't it terrible if it weren't here? Don't joke about it.
What is it? Did you find it? Huh? He found it.
That's my boy.
Well, don't feel so bad.
You win some, lose some.
Take the money and run.
How can I tell my father? He's going to be so angry.
Just tell him you and Michel wish to be married.
I suppose so.
Will you stay with me while I tell him? We'll be around.
- I'd appreciate that.
- Our pleasure.
Open this door! Open it! - Well, no car - And no money.
And no girl.
You know, her father's not going to believe it.
- He'll kill us.
- I don't know After we talk to him man to man, explain - You think he'll listen? - Of course.
Then he'll kill us.
Come on, faster, faster.
You know, I've given our situation a lot of thought - Reached a conclusion? - We're in bad trouble.
I too have given the matter considerable thought, - and I think you're wrong.
- Why? - We're in desperate trouble.
- Let's tell Zorakin.
What can he do? - We're about to find out.
- Is it him? Without a doubt.
- Right, you do all the talking.
- Why? I can't think of anything to say.
You do it all, kid.
- Hi, Zorry.
- Mr Zorakin.
All right, where is she? - Tell him.
- I'm going to, but in my own way.
Your daughter, Mr Zorakin, is, er is a very high-spirited girl, knows her own mind.
Is she here? - No.
Not exactly, that is.
- Then, where is she? - She's with the money.
- Where is that? - That's what we're talking about.
- So far you've told me nothing.
Now I want to hear it.
All of it.
Where is Lisa?! Lisa! What happened? How could you get back here?! They were going to take me to the hotel - but what does it matter now? It's not important! I hate to break this up, but we should get out of here.
He's right, the police will be here.
Don't worry, darling, everything is exactly as it was.
Now we can go on with our plan.
No, we didn't get the money.
My dowry.
Mein Gott.
- Aren't I clever? - Lisa, that's that's fantastic! We still have problems.
Wilde and Sinclair will tell your father the whole story.
Let them.
He'll never believe them.
You're lying.
- I don't think he believes us.
- I don't think so.
Lisa wouldn't do that, that's my daughter you're talking about! - I know her too well.
- Are you sure? How much time have you spent with her during the last five years? I didn't come here for a lecture in parenthood.
- You set this up.
- What are you talking about? I won that deal and now you're trying to get even.
- You - Where is she? Where is Lisa?! I would say probably halfway to the border.
You're going to tell me the truth.
Hold it! Go, Daniel! Got it! Did I say something wrong? - A thought's occurred to me.
- What? They can shoot through these! Hey! Come here.
What are they doing? Writing an apology Any ideas? - It needs the supreme sacrifice - Very funny.
See where that ladder goes.
It broke.
We could make a break for Zorakin's car.
How are we gonna make a break for it? Get serious.
Don't be negative.
Somebody has to make a move.
- Why haven't they started shooting? - Are you complaining? No Now I'm complaining.
Pinal? Are you all right?! Freeze! Butch Cassidy, eh? - What we told you was true.
- I don't believe it.
Mind if we borrow the car? - Daniel, are you driving? - I'll drive.
Then get the keys.
The keys! Thank you.
Now, get to a telephone.
And get a car up here, fast.
Zorakin won't give up.
He'll spend his life looking for us.
Not if we get him back Lisa.
Where do we find her? We ought to start at the cottage.
Good thinking.
There, take Matra's share.
It's up to you if you give it to him.
He's probably running for his life.
Thanks.
That's it, I guess.
We had some bad moments there.
- It turned out right.
- I'll take your car.
Good luck.
Sorry I won't be at the wedding.
So am I, Kurt.
Thank you.
See you around, maybe.
Auf weidersehn.
Oh, darling! Think! Tomorrow we'll be out of the country! We'll start a life of our own, with all the things we talked about! I'll be away from my father and we'll be together.
Just the two of us.
No, Lisa! You're not coming with me.
What are you saying? What are you talking about? I've got what I wanted, here.
That's all that matters.
You were never even part of my future.
But we planned it, we planned it together.
I planned it.
All the way.
Goodbye, Lisa.
I wish I could say it's been fun.
Don't worry, your father will always buy you somebody else.
Michel! Michel! Lisa, what's happened? Where's Michel? Lisa, where's Michel? It's right more by luck than judgement.
Yes.
From now on we go exactly as planned, hmm? Fine.
The motel? I could meet you there in about an hour? Fine.
Yes, it's a nice feeling, isn't it? We're rich.
Bye.
Try to remember something he said or did that might give us a lead.
No, nothing.
It's important - a place, a time, anything.
I don't know and I don't care.
It's not important.
Hello? Hello? Hello? Habla Senor Santos.
- Inspector.
- Oh! Inspector Santos.
Oh, hi.
Danny Wilde.
Listen, Lisa's here with us and the guy's probably on his way to the border.
I will put an alert out and contact you if I hear anything.
- Mr Zorakin, what's happened? - Everything has happened.
Any news? - Wilde called, Lisa's safe.
- Lisa's with him? So I understand.
I don't understand.
They've got my car, my money and my daughter! Santos, I want those men caught, understand? There were three border crossings he could head for.
- Which do you think? - That one.
We'll go to this one.
The frontier's ahead, about three miles.
Room service? Cabin 40.
I'd like a bottle of champagne and two glasses.
Right away.
Thank you.
Oh, French champ No, Daniel.
No record of my car or any other car.
Let's try the next one.
Santos.
Si.
Si.
- What is it? - Sinclair's car was seen.
- Where? - Here.
Yes? We're going that way now.
All right, thank you.
The car was seen in Aurelia.
We're on that road now.
It's a straight road, no turn-offs.
- Border patrol hasn't seen him.
- So he's somewhere in between.
Let's see if he's holed up anywhere.
Success.
Checked in an hour ago, cabin 40.
I thought you'd Lisa? But how did you find me here? Hi, pal.
How's the kidnap business? I don't think he's very pleased to see us.
- He should be.
- We're here to protect you.
You've no idea.
She could've torn you apart.
My goodness, look - money, champagne.
He certainly knows how to live.
Hurry, Zorakin's waiting.
Care for a glass? - The money.
- Mm? Oh, Daniel.
Why did you have to do that? It seemed like a good idea.
Why shouldn't I? It means we'll have to carry him out to the car.
Come on, now.
Up.
Leave him alone.
Talk about surprises.
- Give me the money.
- Give her the money.
I imagine you're the brains behind this.
It couldn't be him.
I set it up, if that's what you mean.
And a quarter of a million is hardly enough for putting up with her.
Now, give me the money.
Mary, I hate to tell you, but you're way out of character.
English gentlewomen do not point guns.
Keep away.
The only value of a gun is if you intend to use it.
And I don't think you will.
- I wouldn't risk it.
- Think about it.
Kill me and you'll have to kill Daniel and Lisa, and you wouldn't want to do that, would you? Now give me the gun.
Please.
Give me the gun.
Daniel, I I don't think it's working! Always works in movies.
Now Don't ever let me do that again, will you? Brett! Thank you! - Sweet, impetuous thing.
- Danny, goodbye.
Run along, my dear, you'll be late.
So long.
Well, gentlemen, anything you want, anything in the world.
- I was wrong and I admit it.
- OK, you admit it.
You could spend more time with Lisa - be a father to her.
You might get to like each other.
I intend to, depend on it.
And Danny, you and I, we are both in oil.
Right.
Oil.
You want to expand a little bit, open up new markets, go into oil freight Now, if you and Lisa were to get together - marry, even we might combine our resources.
- Where did he go? - You said the magic word.
Marriage.
Oh.
Well, Danny's a nice boy but you have a title.
It'll look good on the notepaper.
If you were to join the family, we might get you a seat on the board.