For the Love of Benji (1977) Movie Script

1
Benji.
As a matter of
fact, I think we
should probably
move everybody over.
Are you
sure he'll be alright?
He'll be just fine.
And listen, my cat travels
this way all the time.
I hope so because
Tiffany hasn't
been feeling too well lately.
She has sort of a condition.
Well, we'll take good care
of her I promise you that.
But you only have
three tickets here,
I show a four reservation.
Oh well, Dr. Chapman isn't
coming until next week.
I did phone in and
postpone that reservation.
Let me check, ma'am.
Computers.
We're going to Greece.
I'm sorry?
We're going to Greece.
Yes, I know.
You do?
Well, it's the only
place this flight goes.
Excuse me.
What day was Dr.
Chapman's reservation?
Thursday.
Thursday?
I'll be right back, ma'am.
It's not pounds,
it's kilograms.
There's over two pounds
In each kilogram.
Did you think Benji
had lost weight?
No, I was just joking,
I knew it all the time.
You did not.
I did too.
I'm sorry this
Is taking so long.
Oh, that's alright.
Where in
Greece are you going?
To Crete.
Really?
That's where we're going.
Oh well, it's a
beautiful island.
I've been there
many times myself.
I'll have to tell you some good
places to go while you're there.
Good.
There's no need if we
don't make the plane.
Okay,
ma'am the doctor's
reservation for next
week is confirmed.
Have a nice day.
Oh, thank you very much.
Okay, kids, we're off to the
land of Diogenes and Aristotle.
What's an Aristotle?
Aristotle
is a who, not a what.
I'm sure
he's just joking
and knew it all the time.
Oh, sure.
Hi there, Benji boy.
This won't hurt a bit.
Easy boy, easy, come on.
Come on.
See you in Crete.
Oh no, now you've done enough.
No, no I insist on it.
I know the place
too, believe me.
Tonight you're gonna
have the greatest
food you've ever
had in your life.
Oh, do you believe that?
Will it be Greek food?
Very Greek.
What's Greek food like?
Well, it, well
let's just say there's
not going to be a
lot of fried chicken.
- Hey Mr.
- Dietrich, look.
Can
you believe that?
You can't escape them anymore.
Paul, Cindy.
I'm
Chandler Dietrich.
Did he leave his
name or anything?
Is anything wrong?
Oh no, I just have a phone
call to make that's all.
I'll be back in a minute.
Okay.
Oh, listen, could
you do me a favor?
Of course.
Keep an eye out for
my luggage, will you?
I have two bags,
both of them blue
with a stripe down the side.
Okay.
Oh, and ['ll tell you
what, I'll get a cab for us.
We can ride into town together.
That way you won't have to worry
about any language
problem on the way.
That's great, thank you.
No, no thank you.
Welcome
to Greece, Mr. Dietrich.
Do you have the coordinate code?
Yes, I have it and
it's in a safe place.
Good.
The map is in an envelope taped
under the shelf below the phone.
The project is getting out
of hand, waste no time.
Signal if you need help.
We'll always be watching.
I won't need any help and
I don't like being watched.
I'll handle this myself.
Do you understand?
Hello?
Hello?
Well, where are they
and why aren't they here?
I'm sure they'll arrive.
They must have missed the
plane change in Athens.
Now please, don't worry.
I go call and find out for sure.
And I promise you
they'll get the
best of care and be
on the next flight.
Well, please hurry.
What is the next flight?
Tomorrow morning.
What's the matter?
Benji and Tiffany
didn't get here.
What?
Well, he seems to think they
missed the plane
change in Athens.
But he's not sure?
Well, he's gone to call.
Well, why don't you
let me check it for you?
Don't forget to tell
him they haven't had
anything to eat or drink
in almost I2 hours.
And that Tiffany
has a condition.
Hey!
I say, is this the
baggage storage area?
My word!
What was that?
It's him!
Well, I must say,
he's frightfully rude.
No, you ninny, the dog,
come on quickly, come on!
I'm almost positive
It was him, but it all
happened so fast I have
no idea which way he went.
Well, he's going to come
and jump into your lap,
so I suggest we keep on looking.
Yes, dear.
Oh, do stop the Greek lessons.
You know I can never understand
a word of that gibberish.
Too bad, I was commenting
on your intelligence.
Then I'm very glad I
didn't understand it.
On the contrary,
occasionally you give birth
to the most marvelously
brilliant ideas.
However simple.
And although I hate to admit it,
checking at the dog
pound was one of them.
I hope you realize I won't
be the only one to think of it.
And with all this
interest around Benji
there's going to
be a few visitors.
I'm sure of It.
It seems our hideaway scientist
has become a very important man.
And very valuable.
Quite true.
Have you found anything?
Not a thing.
Not a thing.
If only we knew where to look.
I say, it's started already.
You answer the
door and I'll take
our popular friend
upstairs and take
a few photographs
out of the window.
Just give me a few
moments to prepare
and then get rid of them.
I'm sorry,
there must be a mistake.
We haven't been there
and we do not have a dog.
Oh, this is
your name and address?
Yes, it is,
but we do not have a dog.
Never have had and we did not
pick up a dog at
the pound today.
There is no way
we would ever have
a dog within a
hundred yards of us.
I see, well maybe
your husband picked up the dog.
My
Husband hates dogs.
I see.
I do not.
Well,
thank you very much.
Don't you believe
a word of it.
You're welcome.
Oh good.
Can I have a look at
your face, please?
Ah, thank you very much.
Well what do you
think Benji, old boy,
Is he really with Olympic?
I wouldn't want to
lay a bet on it.
Oh well, we have
him nicely recorded.
No, no, no, no, no I'm afraid
you've got to stay in here.
There's a good boy.
Here, here, we'll
have none of that.
No, bad dog.
Now you might just as well
make yourself comfortable.
This is going to be
your home for a while.
Yes?
How do you do?
I'm here about the dog you
picked up at the pound today.
I'm sorry,
that is somebody's mistake
and I wish whoever it
is would correct that.
You're the second person
to ask that question.
Benji!
Steady boy, steady.
Just don't move.
Good boy.
Benji.
I know you're in here, Benji.
Benji?
Here, Benji.
Here, Benji boy.
Benji.
Why are you afraid of me?
I never hurt you.
Benji, Benji.
Benji.
Benji.
Benji.
Benji.
Come on, Benji.
Come on, boy.
Benji, come on boy.
Hey!
Shoo!
Shoo!
Shoo, shoo!
Shoo!
Shoo!
Shoo, shoo!
Ah, ah, ah, don't
get up gentlemen.
Just stay put.
I assume you Know your
identity's no longer a secret.
Tell you what, give me
the dog and I'll try
to see that you come
out of this alive.
No, I'll take
care of that myself.
You gentlemen have a nice day.
Stay!
Benji!
Look Mary, it's Benji!
Benji, Benji!
It really is him!
Oh hi, there you little pumpkin!
You can go.
All over Athens and
couldn't find him.
I was scared we'd
never even see him again.
And guess who else is
gonna be glad to see you.
Okay, go on.
You know,
I think he's gonna...
Yes?
Oh, I need to borrow
your dog for a few days.
I beg your pardon?
I said I need to borrow
your dog for a few days.
Who are you, what
are you talking about?
Look, believe
me, it's at least
partially for the
dog's own safety.
He'll be returned
unharmed in a day or two.
Oh Chandler, I'm
so glad...
Chandler!
Why did you do that?
Will you tell me
what's going on here?
Mary, it's okay,
I promise you.
Now don't worry, here.
You take this gun, keep it on
him and call the police, okay?
No, it's not okay.
I don't like guns and I don't
know what this is all about.
Well, I can't
explain right now.
I just can't, you're gonna
have to trust me that's all.
Trust you for what?
Well, I'm gonna have to take
Benji for a couple of days.
Why, what has he done?
Cindy, he hasn't done
anything and I'm gonna
take very good care of
him, I promise you that.
Well, if he hasn't
done anything,
why do you want
to take him away?
And why does this
man want to take him?
Mary, listen to
me, all of you.
I work for the United
States government.
And Benji is the key to a
very important situation.
Now it's my fault he's involved
in all this and I'm sorry.
I had no idea it was gonna
become so complicated.
But it has and that's
all I can say right now.
Does that mean Benji's a spy?
No, he's not a
spy, but he is very
important to the United States.
Hey, that's neat, he
might become famous.
This is not neat.
No Cindy, you're right.
It's not neat.
But he is important
and necessary, okay?
But what did he do,
why is he necessary?
Honey, I can't tell
you that right now,
but I'll explain it to you
when I bring him back, okay?
Good girl.
Mary, I'm sorry.
Oh, that's okay, I guess.
But you will take
good care of him?
I will and you better
call the police right away.
And if he wakes up
point that right at him.
Come on, Benji.
But I don't know
anything about guns.
The only thing
you have to know is
you point it at him and
he won't bother you.
Cindy, I think you'll
be very proud of Benji
and I'll see you
in a few days, huh?
Far out, Benji's a spy.
He is not a spy.
I bet that guy's a spy, too.
- Mary!
- Mary!
You stay exactly
where you are.
Kids get behind the bed.
Would you please send
the police to room 701?
Yes, I did, the police.
Thank you.
Where's the dog?
The brown one.
He's safely away from here.
Is he with
Chandler Dietrich?
Is that who that was?
That doesn't happen to
be any of your business.
I suppose he told you he
was a United States agent?
That's not your
business, either.
Yes, lady, it is.
You see, Chandler Dietrich
was found this morning
at the bottom of a
river in New Jersey.
The man who was here is
not Chandler Dietrich
and he's not an agent for
the United States government.
Now will you please put down
that gun so I can go after him?
I suppose you're gonna
tell me you are an agent.
What else?
I don't believe you.
Well, we can
wait for the police
and wait 30 minutes
for them to get here,
another hour for
them to check it out
and by that time your
Dietrich imposter
could be halfway
to Saudi Arabia.
Of course, it's not
terribly important.
I'm just trying to save the
life of a top scientist,
preserve a project of worldwide
significance, no big deal.
Well, say something!
I don't know what to say!
Okay.
How about say
goodbye to your dog?
Because this man who has him,
once he's through,
he'll probably kill him.
I can't believe that.
Chandler is a very nice man.
Lady, he's an
international thief.
He's a probable murderer
and what your dog
probably has tattooed somewhere
on his body is
worth nothing to him.
If anyone else gets
their hands on it.
Now, If he's killed a person,
is he going to stop
at a little brown dog?
I'm sorry I had to say those
things, but you won't be.
Well, Benji boy, it
looks like we made it.
Do you still plan
to dispose of him?
You see, the wife and I sort
of like the little chap.
What are you doing here?
Well, to be frightfully
honest we thought
it might have
crossed your mind to,
as you say, run out on us.
Run out on you?
There's nothing to run out on.
You see you didn't
complete your half
of the bargain, you
let him get away.
Yes, of
course, I suppose
full value wasn't
received, but all in all,
a partnership's like a marriage,
you know, for
better or for worse.
And we did expose ourselves
to an enormous amount of risk.
Yes, I
suppose that's true.
Still, if you would have
delivered the goods.
Uh, I do hope this
Isn't going to be a problem.
No, of course, not.
I suppose you do deserve
something for your effort.
Shall we try to hit
on a compromise?
Under
the circumstances,
I think those are
very fair terms.
What do you think, my dear?
I think
it's quite honorable.
Well, shall
we have a drink then?
Excellent idea.
Come along, Elizabeth.
Well, it's a pleasure
doing business with you.
My dear.
Oh, by the way, you
never said about the dog.
Oh, he goes overboard,
but then so do you.
Benji!
Benji!
Call him again.
Benji!
Come here, Benji!
So, anyway,
Benji just happened to be
going to the right
place at the right time.
For security reasons
someone decided
to let him carry
the coordinate code
for the secret meeting
with the scientist.
What's so important
about the scientist?
They think he's close
to a formula that'll
turn one barrel of
oil into 10 or 12.
And you can guess how many folks
would like to get
their hands on that.
The whole thing sounds
like a James Bond movie.
Yeah, except in a movie
I'd be Robert Redford
and you'd be Genevieve Bujold.
Anyway, it was a very
simple and very clever plan
except the man we thought was
Dietrich found out about it,
eliminated the real
Dietrich and took his place.
He was gonna sell the scientist
to the highest bidder.
Would have worked
too, if Benji hadn't
missed that plane
change in Athens.
Hey, you're not living up
to your part of the bargain!
If I'm gonna talk,
you've gotta pull.
So talk.
This person you
thought was Dietrich,
how did he found
out about all this?
Oh, I don't know,
security leak
somewhere, I guess.
Happens all the time.
By the way, how's Benji,
any signs of wear and tear?
I don't think
Benji's ever been better.