Rustifer
Senior HTF Member
Episode Commentary
“Our Man in Switzerland” (S5E33)
Another dreaded “international” episode—oh, the sacrifices I make to entertain myself. Thank god for vodka distilleries.
Opening scene: Kookie is gussied up in his best Sunday School suit, very business-like and delivering, on behalf of the firm Bailey & Spencer, $1 million in securities to their current client. Unfortunately, Kookie delivers it to it to an imposter who absconds with the goods. The Bailey & Spencer reputation is wholly besmirched and must be restored. The thief, Tony Dawson (Alan Caillou) is the head of what is called the “cleverest international gang in the world”. We’ll see about that. Read on.
Scotland Yard and Interpol indicate that the gang could well be meeting up in Gstaad, Switzerland. Stu Bailey books a flight and in no time is checking into the town’s quaint ski lodge creatively named the “Chalet” and sets about flirting with the cute desk clerk Adrianne Monet (Maria Machado). In between sharing brandy cocktails with her in front of a roaring fire—very cozy, very Alpiney--Stu awaits the arrival of his contact, Paul Fontaine (the ever-present international guest Kurt Krueger). In the meantime, we’re bombarded with stock footage of the Alps, skiers shushing down slopes, guests sucking down hot toddys and quaking aspens.
Maria Machado, Kurt Krueger, Albert Paulsen
In an attempt to launch a relationship with Adrianne, Stu peculiarly explains in detail his morning toiletry habits, inspiring her to declare he’s an “attractive yet dangerous man”. Huh? Morning absolutions as dangerous? Eventually his contact Paul Fontaine shows up and identifies himself as Interpol by quoting Stu’s curriculum vitae including his physical statistics: 6’1” and 161 lbs. What? At 6’1” weighing only 161 lbs., Stu must literally disappear when he turns sideways. Paul and Stu (in all his skinniness) lay in wait for the gang members to eventually show up.
Stu and Adrianne continue to flirt.
Finally, two of the thieves check in—Vito Orsini (Miguel Landa) and Rudolf Gerhardt (Albert Paulsen, who has never played a good guy in his entire career). They learn that Dawson, who has the loot and was to meet them at the lodge to distribute it, has been murdered. Did one of them double cross the other? Neither seems to have enough sense as to know whether snow falls up or down.
Stu and Adrianne upgrade to making out like backseat teenagers at the drive-in.
Paul Fontaine corners Orsini and Gerhardt, demanding the loot. Neither can deliver so he shoots them dead in the picturesque studio set of a snowy mountainside. Aha! A twist! The good guy is actually bad.
Stu and Adrianne continue touchy-feely aerobics. However, Stu smells a rat. Just as one would think the role of Adrianne Monet has no plot purpose whatsoever in the story, well…
It's an okay episode, but too much footage spent on Stu and Adrianne's burgeoning romance. Plus, it's never good to move the series away from the Strip and leave our favorite characters and locations behind.
Randoms:
For some reason, there’s almost no information available on actress Maria Machado. Born in Germany in 1937, IMDb lists only 26 acting credits for her from 1962 to 2014.
An unintended irony in the episode is that the missing securities are hidden in Adrianne’s family crypt. So, the money was in the Monet mausoleum. How alliteratively fitting.
“Our Man in Switzerland” (S5E33)
Another dreaded “international” episode—oh, the sacrifices I make to entertain myself. Thank god for vodka distilleries.
Opening scene: Kookie is gussied up in his best Sunday School suit, very business-like and delivering, on behalf of the firm Bailey & Spencer, $1 million in securities to their current client. Unfortunately, Kookie delivers it to it to an imposter who absconds with the goods. The Bailey & Spencer reputation is wholly besmirched and must be restored. The thief, Tony Dawson (Alan Caillou) is the head of what is called the “cleverest international gang in the world”. We’ll see about that. Read on.
Scotland Yard and Interpol indicate that the gang could well be meeting up in Gstaad, Switzerland. Stu Bailey books a flight and in no time is checking into the town’s quaint ski lodge creatively named the “Chalet” and sets about flirting with the cute desk clerk Adrianne Monet (Maria Machado). In between sharing brandy cocktails with her in front of a roaring fire—very cozy, very Alpiney--Stu awaits the arrival of his contact, Paul Fontaine (the ever-present international guest Kurt Krueger). In the meantime, we’re bombarded with stock footage of the Alps, skiers shushing down slopes, guests sucking down hot toddys and quaking aspens.
Maria Machado, Kurt Krueger, Albert Paulsen
In an attempt to launch a relationship with Adrianne, Stu peculiarly explains in detail his morning toiletry habits, inspiring her to declare he’s an “attractive yet dangerous man”. Huh? Morning absolutions as dangerous? Eventually his contact Paul Fontaine shows up and identifies himself as Interpol by quoting Stu’s curriculum vitae including his physical statistics: 6’1” and 161 lbs. What? At 6’1” weighing only 161 lbs., Stu must literally disappear when he turns sideways. Paul and Stu (in all his skinniness) lay in wait for the gang members to eventually show up.
Stu and Adrianne continue to flirt.
Finally, two of the thieves check in—Vito Orsini (Miguel Landa) and Rudolf Gerhardt (Albert Paulsen, who has never played a good guy in his entire career). They learn that Dawson, who has the loot and was to meet them at the lodge to distribute it, has been murdered. Did one of them double cross the other? Neither seems to have enough sense as to know whether snow falls up or down.
Stu and Adrianne upgrade to making out like backseat teenagers at the drive-in.
Paul Fontaine corners Orsini and Gerhardt, demanding the loot. Neither can deliver so he shoots them dead in the picturesque studio set of a snowy mountainside. Aha! A twist! The good guy is actually bad.
Stu and Adrianne continue touchy-feely aerobics. However, Stu smells a rat. Just as one would think the role of Adrianne Monet has no plot purpose whatsoever in the story, well…
It's an okay episode, but too much footage spent on Stu and Adrianne's burgeoning romance. Plus, it's never good to move the series away from the Strip and leave our favorite characters and locations behind.
Randoms:
For some reason, there’s almost no information available on actress Maria Machado. Born in Germany in 1937, IMDb lists only 26 acting credits for her from 1962 to 2014.
An unintended irony in the episode is that the missing securities are hidden in Adrianne’s family crypt. So, the money was in the Monet mausoleum. How alliteratively fitting.
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