Mission Impossible (1966) s02e23 Episode Script

The Phoenix

Good afternoon, Mr.
Phelps.
The party chairman of a small Iron Curtain country recently demoted this man, the infamous Stefan Prohosh from his post as head of Internal Security and relegated him to the unimportant position of Director of the People's Art Museum.
In an attempt to regain power, Prohosh has had a sample of a highly secret alloy stolen from an experimental laboratory in western Europe.
This sample has been cleverly hidden in this massive modern sculpture which arrives at the museum tomorrow.
Prohosh hopes to trade this invaluable metal sample to one of the major Red Nations for their support in his bid for power.
Your mission, Jim, should you decide to accept it, is to recover the alloy and stop Prohosh.
As always, should you or any of your IM Force be caught or killed, the secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions.
This tape will self-destruct in five seconds.
Good luck, Jim.
Pretty shade.
Good.
That's fine, Barney.
- Is the rifle set? - Over here, Jim.
Scratched just enough.
Jim, how long will Cinnamon and I have to maintain our diversion? The sculpture arrives at the museum about 2 in the afternoon.
The chairman gets there exactly at 5.
Now, we have to keep Prohosh busy in his office until that time.
Have you got the warning system figured out? We'll know if anybody comes in the corridor.
This will give us 10 seconds to shut down.
What about the explosive? It's a shaped charge.
Lots of noise, but no real danger.
- How about the detonators? - Right here.
One for you.
One for Prohosh.
Well, in that case, there's nothing to keep us from our visit to the Novotshina Museum of Art.
That's right.
- That's it.
Watch it, now.
- Easy.
That pile of steel is going to bring Prohosh back into the arena.
Back into power again.
And no one, no one is going to stop us this time.
Not even him.
The chairman will be with us in just a few hours now.
- Watch it.
- Watch it.
All right, very gently, come on.
You guys hear that? - Careful.
- Slowly, I said! That's right.
Now, now, now, stop it.
Hold it.
That's good.
Then pull it.
Hold it.
- Careful.
- Near that one.
Very slowly out this way.
That's fine.
Very careful, very careful.
And now, you, this corner.
That's fine, very careful.
Come out this way.
Now, easy.
Careful, this way.
All right.
Excuse me, you'll have to move your things out of the way.
Yes, of course.
Now, clear that corner.
Now, you, very slowly, out this way.
One at a time.
All right.
All right.
Hold it.
Now, now, a little to the side.
A little bit more, swing it out.
A little bit more.
- Everything set? - All set.
Hold it.
- Nicolas.
- Ten seconds.
Please pick it up.
All right.
A little bit more.
Come on, slowly.
Come first.
That's right.
A little bit down.
Come on, Martin.
Find the man that fired that shot.
Close all the gates! Janos, get outside and find him.
The shot came from that window.
Seal this building off! And keep that crate moving.
- Guard.
- From the top floor.
- A puff of smoke.
- Come.
Internal Security Bureau.
This is Stefan Prohosh, minister of culture.
This is an emergency.
One moment, Minister Prohosh.
Kazimer Gurzinski speaking, comrade minister.
An attempt has been made on my life.
- Where are you now? - In my office.
- My men have started a - Get Inspector Jenko.
Would you please repeat that last, comrade? I was just dispatching Inspector Jenko and one of my best teams to investigate this incident.
This is not an incident.
An attempt has been made on my life.
Please to remain in your office until my men arrive.
And give them full and detailed report of this incident.
Don't move.
Turn.
This clumsy attempt of yours has failed.
Minister Prohosh is still alive.
A condition you will not enjoy much longer.
Easy.
Eight times they try to kill me.
Eight times I walk away.
They'll never kill Stefan Prohosh.
Never.
Not Prohosh.
Just one minute.
Come in.
You found him, Janos.
In the building across the street.
Who do you work for? No one.
Who paid you to do this? Who paid you? You flatter yourself, minister.
It would be better to ask who did I pay for the privilege of killing you.
Look, Janos, we have here a patriot.
A fool.
A fool who failed.
Remember that.
You failed.
Prohosh lives.
Now we will see how well you die.
Keep him here, Janos.
I'll see how they're coming with the sculpture.
How much longer? - Fifteen minutes, no more.
- Good.
The chairman will be here in a little more than an hour.
When you're finished, post a guard in this wing.
Yes, sir.
Captain, tell the guard to check this room on each tour of the wing.
Yes, sir.
- Sergei.
- Yes, sir? - Your duty will be this gallery.
- Yes, sir.
Investigation Section, Internal Security Bureau.
Open the door.
Has he decided to tell us anything, Janos? Not yet.
So - Who is it? - Inspector Jenko, Internal Security.
One moment.
The door.
Come in.
Turn very slowly and place your hands against the wall.
What is the meaning of this? Just do as you are told.
Their weapons.
You may turn around now, gentlemen.
And hand me your identity cards.
Over there.
I assure you all of this is quite unnecessary.
Remember, it was you who called the Internal Security.
You forget, I was once the chief of that branch.
One does not forget one's lessons that easily.
Nine months ago, three men came to see me.
They too were believed to have come from Internal Security.
They almost killed me before I could kill them.
Not this time.
These are in order.
I learned a long time ago it is much easier to explain too much caution than to bleed for not enough.
Perhaps that's why I'm still alive.
Return their guns.
Very well.
I would now like to proceed with the investigation without added delay.
Investigation? What investigation? We have the assassin.
There he sits.
A mouse too frightened to squeak.
Your name? These are his papers.
Where was he taken? In the building across the street.
Top floor.
- The weapon? - Here.
Where was this attempt on your life made? In the foyer.
Would you show me, please? I don't understand.
You have your man.
Take him and leave.
In an hour, the chairman will be here.
I don't want any more trouble.
It is precisely because the chairman is due that I'm going to make certain there is no more trouble.
- Inspector.
- Yes? This rifle was clamped in a vice when it was fired.
So? What do you think this means? I do not know yet.
In that case, I think we had better examine the foyer.
Will you join us, comrade minister? Seven millimetre, same as the rifle.
You said the rifle was fired while clamped in a vice? Yes, inspector.
Now, I think I see why.
The bullet came in at a steep angle through the stained glass.
But the assassin could not possibly have seen through the glass in order to aim.
So the rifle was pre-aimed and fired when you came into range, minister.
Pre-aimed? Well, simple geometry would give the exact aiming point.
That explains the rule he had, inspector.
He measured the precise distance between the floor and the walls and locked the rifle off.
But if he couldn't see me, how would he know when to fire? An accomplice here in the museum watching you could tell him.
So From here.
Who does this belong to? You say building was sealed the moment the shot was fired? Of course.
I want a floor by floor search, every inch of this building.
Somewhere another killer is hiding.
The chairman is due in less than one hour.
I expect full cooperation from museum guards.
Yes, certainly.
- Carry on.
- Guard.
Are you on duty in this wing? - Yes, sir.
- What are your orders? I tour both halls and look in the gallery here each time I pass it.
All right, this entire building is being searched.
- Let no one else in this area.
- Yes, sir.
This will warn us before he comes in.
Let's go.
Good.
The sculpture is far enough from the rear wall.
Let's start with the lights.
Come.
We know you are not alone in this.
I said, we know you are not alone.
Someone had to tell you when to pull that trigger.
I want to know who that someone is.
You are wrong.
There is no one else.
I am waiting.
Someone's coming.
He's gone past.
There must be two or 300 steel bars in this thing.
Yeah, we've only got to get one.
And we've got until 5:00 to do it.
Here it is.
Mark it.
Right.
Inspector, give the minister and me a few moments.
We will have the information you want.
You are too gentle.
Gentlemen, this is a matter for Internal Security.
We will handle it in our own way.
And what's that? To beg for answers? In the old days, he would be begging.
Begging to talk.
Hey.
This way.
It's free.
Okay.
Now weld it into place.
What is your name? Tell him.
- Stelka Nedveska.
- What? Stelka Nedveska.
And him? My brother, Nicolas.
So a brother and sister come here to kill Minister Prohosh.
Willy, check to make sure I cover up all the scorch marks.
Right.
Hold it.
Who else is involved with you? Were you also supposed to kill chairman? Oh, no.
No.
No, no.
We would never harm the chairman.
- It was nothing like that.
- Like what? I mean, it was not political.
Well, then, what was it? My dear, I do not have time to be patient.
The chairman will arrive at 5:00.
Now, the whole story or we must proceed to other methods, huh? It's boiling in here, Janos.
Do something with the heat.
Don't be a fool, woman.
Listen to me.
You will tell me sooner or later.
At a distance, be courageous.
Up close, be practical.
Someone's coming.
What are you doing? Something's happened to the signal.
I've lost the signal completely.
- We'll have to take our chances.
- Let's go.
You have 10 seconds to decide how we shall proceed.
This man, when he was in power, he was He was not human.
He was like an animal who preyed on the helpless.
He came to our town with his men.
We were in the fields We were in the fields, we were working.
We hid and we watched.
He forced everybody out into the street.
Everyone in the town.
We watched as he said that there was a saboteur being hidden.
That the people should give him up.
No one spoke up.
So he lined everybody up and he shot them.
Our parents were slaughtered with the others.
That is why That is why we tried to kill comrade minister.
That is why! That is why! This end's free.
- How are you doing? - I've almost got it.
You're early.
I want to see the great sculpture before I go on duty.
I'm not supposed to let anyone near it.
Someone's out there.
We've got to hold that piece in place.
Stay out of the light.
Well, what do you think of it? This is what the fuss is all about? I understand the artist who did it got the Order of Merit and lives in a house with seven rooms.
Hold on, Willy.
Hold on.
We should have become artists instead of soldiers.
Only artists make pretty things, huh? We're almost out of time and we've still got two cuts to make.
- Are you all right? - Yeah, I'm okay.
Look, inspector, you've got your assassins.
Certainly, you can fill out your report at your office.
The chairman is due at any moment.
That is precisely why I am still here.
These two could have accomplices working with them.
They might make another attempt on your life.
One more to go.
That's it.
I've got it.
You I am holding personally responsible for these two until I return.
Shall we greet the chairman, comrade minister? Clear the door, please.
If you want to welcome the chairman, don't be in the way.
No one is to approach the chairman or speak to him unless the chairman speaks to him first.
All right, all right.
Wait over by the gallery.
You are sure all of these people work in museum? I'm positive.
Positive.
Prohosh.
Welcome, Mr.
Chairman.
Welcome to the People's Museum.
Good to see you again, Prohosh.
It's been a year or two, hasn't it? - Inspector Jenko.
- Mr.
Chairman.
I envy you, your new position.
Free of cares of the political life, surrounded by beauty rather than intrigue.
One serves where one is most needed, Mr.
Chairman.
Now, if you care to look at the sculpture.
Lead the way, Prohosh.
Lead the way.
Mr.
Chairman, my father served with you in the Battle of Borgava.
Yes, he would be so happy to know I'm meeting you.
Your father his name? Shall we proceed? Mr.
Chairman, the People's Museum is proud to welcome you as the first visitor to see our newest acquisition.
The most recent work by our comrade, Vitol Balkovski.
- Comrade minister.
- Yes? I was to tell you on your arrival here to please call your office immediately.
Yes, yes.
As soon as the chairman leaves.
Comrade, I was to emphasize that it is most urgent.
You are to call Comrade Janos at once.
Perhaps it has to do with the assassins.
The phone.
Mr.
Chairman, I think it is better when viewed from a distance, eh? Oh, yes, of course.
Yeah.
It has the spirit, vitality of the struggle that has made our nation the greatest on Earth.
It is my fondest hope that our comrades here at home and those visiting from other lands will find inspiration in this great work.
Mr.
Chairman, are you all right? Are you all right? Yes, yes, I see my enemies persist.
Comrade chairman.
Why were you not at my side, comrade minister? That is where you belonged.
I was called to the telephone.
Tell him.
Inspector, tell him.
Inspector, tell him.
Mr.
Chairman, the remains of a remote control detonator.
Whoever has the transmitter for this is the man who tried to kill you.
- Hold him.
- Don't touch me.
- I have nothing.
- Guards! Search him.
Search him.
Comrade chairman, I must protest.
Search him.
We have come for the prisoners.
My orders are to keep them There is only one way to deal with fool like you, Prohosh.
- Take him.
- No.
It's a mistake.
I'm loyal.
I'm innocent.
It's a conspiracy against Prohosh.
- Let's go.
- I'm innocent.
I'm loyal.
I'm innocent! I'm loyal.
I'm loyal to you, comrade chairman.
My old friend.
Petrov, believe me.
I'm innocent.
I'm innocent.

Previous EpisodeNext Episode