Television Producer: BRUCE GELLER (1930-1978) (1 Viewer)

[JohnHopper]

Author, composer, writer, songwriter, producer and educated at Yale University (BA degree). He joined ASCAP in 1961.

While producing Rawhide, he developed the idea for a new “cloak-and-dagger” series, Mission: Impossible. In 1966, Geller created, wrote, produced, and directed Mission: Impossible, the accomplishment for which he is best remembered. The show ran on CBS from 1966 to 1973 and earned him an Emmy Award in 1966 as producer plus another for Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama. During the early seasons, a photograph of Geller was included in the dossier of Impossible Missions Force (IMF) agents that IMF leaders Briggs and Phelps perused each week and was often visible on screen (such as in the episodes “Memory”, “Operation Rogosh” and “Operation - Heart”).

Continue to read at Wikipedia

 

[JohnHopper]

UNSOLD PILOT
Hunter (CBS/73 minutes)
production date: 1970
air date: 1973
producer: Bruce Geller
associate producer: Philip Fehrle
writer: Cliff Gould
director: Leonard Horn
director of photography: Jerry Sims
art director: Allen E. Smith
composer: Lalo Schifrin
cast: John Vernon, Steve Ihnat, Sabrina Scharf, Edward Binns, Fritz Weaver, Ramon Bieri, John Schuck, Barbara Rhoades, Roger Bowen, Woodrow Parfrey, Lonny Chapman, Ed Flanders, Sheldon Allman, Dary Jones, Tony Van Bridge, Lawrence Cook, Walter Stocker, Jerry Douglas, Peggy Rea, Bill Erwin, Nicky Blair, Marcy Brown, Jason Wingreen

Quote
“Plastic man can’t afford no personal habit of his own.”
—Praetorious describing chameleon Hunter.

Summary
After the killing of friendly rival driver Bill Cheever, a fatal crash at a racetrack injures government agent Alain Praetorious (actor Steve Ihnat) who is replaced by chameleon agent David Hunter (actor John Vernon) to expose an enemy brainwashing scheme led by mastermind Cirrak (actor Fritz Weaver) and to avoid an attack against a convoy of lethal chemical weapons.

Comments
After the telefilm title, the very first scene showing a car racing worker writing on a board is shot on video behind a screen. The cast and crew belong to the team of producer Bruce Geller, except director of photography Jerry Sims which is the only weak aspect of this experimental telefilm. Too bad, he couldn’t select a Mission: Impossible cinematographer like Gert Andersen, Michel Hugo, Keith C. Smith. As usual, Geller supervises the film editing and puts his stamp by adding optical zooms. Even though, it’s a pleasant pilot, you understand why it was not commissioned to become a regular series: the production values, the flat and over-lit cinematography, the solemn leading man who acts like a State official. Two years later, Geller will recycle a tiny selection of elements (the inserts of the car’s parts, the track hallucination, the accident, the conditioned victim) from this telefilm into the season 5 episode (“Death is The Fifth Gear”) of Mannix. Writer Cliff Gould depicts the NSB (National Security Bureau) environment of the officials (actor Edward Binns as the almighty chief, Ed Flanders as the wheelchair psychiatrist, Tony Van Bridge as the college professor, John Vernon as the inquisitive field agent) like the oppressive and sadistic heads of the Green Dome from the British series The Prisoner (1967) and injured Praetorious is almost on trial and tortured by his superiors who keep on interrogating him and showing the footages of the car accident and listening to an audio recording of his drug-induced sleeping delirium (“Scarecrow… stop the monkeys, stop the trees, stop the monkeys”) and even leading man Hunter coerces stubborn Praetorious with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz book so that he collaborates at his training. Gould already penned a script (the season 2 “End Game” from Mannix) for actor Steve Ihnat and will become the first season producer of The Streets of San Francisco. The last name Praetorious makes reference to two German Protestant artists: composer/organist Michael Praetorius and writer Johannes Praetorious. Composer Lalo Schifrin writes an elegant tension-filled, semi atonal and low-key score. The art director uses the Italian sans serif typeface Eurostile for the main titles, a typeface largely exploited at Universal television.

Review
It’s a good late Sixties espionage thriller and mystery that borrows from the brainwashing/MK Ultra concept of John Frankenheimer’s The Manchurian Candidate (1962): see the child bedroom scene that uses a shrill high-pitched whistle combined with the imagery (scarecrow, monkey, tree) of the fantasy novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as tools to give unconscious orders. It also tackles the question of identity and privacy through the knowledge of Praetorious’ personality. The story is divided in two parts: the preparation in which chameleon agent David Hunter studies and absorbs the mind of Alain Praetorious and becomes an arrogant left-handed pipe smoker Ferrarri driver, the assignment in which David Hunter infiltrates Tanner, a chemical and biological warfare base, as the head of security to unmask the enemy agent. To help Hunter in his assignment, the department informs the base that Praetorious used to undergo extensive plastic surgery after the car accident. One of the oddest scenes from the training is watching Hunter (shot in close-up on the lower part of the face) emulating the idiosyncrasy of delirious Praetorious while listening to the psychiatric recording about the monkeys! At the end of his training, David Hunter defines himself as the “substitute phony” in front of skeptical Praetorious. It features two dramatical surprises at the military base: the old employee who kows Praetorious and almost blows the cover of Hunter, the inside man-saboteur wearing unusual cow-boy boots.

Actors Notes
John Vernon is a prolific Canadian-born actor that you see on many major Silver Age television series (see Coronet Blue, The FBI, Bonanza, The High Chapparal, Hawaii Five-O, The Name of the Game, Search, The Six Million Dollar Man, Barnaby Jones, Ironside, Gunsmoke, Cannon) and telefilms (see Escape, The Questor Tapes), works with producer Bruce Geller on Mission: Impossible (see the season 3 “The Exchange”, the three-parter season 4 “The Falcon”, the season 5 “The Catafalque”, the season 7 “Movie”) and on Mannix (see the season 4 “Shadow Play”, the season 5 “Scapegoat”, the season 6 “To Kill a Memory”) and starts his American cinema career with two films done by British directors (John Boorman’s 1967 Point Blank and Alfred Hitchock’s 1969 Topaz), collaborate thrice with director Don Siegel (Dirty Harry, Charley Varrick, The Black Windmill) and participate at Clint Eastwood’s Civil War western The Outlaw Josey Wales. The actresses are well-chosen: Sabrina Scharf as Miss Novak, the assistant and secretary of David Hunter who carries rectangular spectacles and Barbara Rhoades as the accomplice of mastermind Cirrak, posing as a real estate agent. The cast of the Soviet operatives is good: Fritz Weaver, Barbara Rhoades, Ramon Bieri, John Schuck.

The DVD
The print is not restored and still look good enough. The SD picture quality is soft. It has only one option: six chapters. It features no extra, no subtitles.


Hunter | Torturing injured Alain Praetorious

Hunter | Discovering the Secret Base of Tanner

Hunter | Visiting a House for Sale or Rent

Hunter | Meeting the Enemy Agents

Hunter | Testing the Guinea Pig

Pictures of chameleon agent David Hunter (actor John Vernon).

 

[JohnHopper]

COMPARISON

The Racetrack Accident | Hunter (1970)
the unsold pilot with Steve Ihnat

The Racetrack Accident | Mannix (1972)
“Death is The Fifth Gear” with Mike Connors

The Racetrack Accident | Hunter versus Mannix

Pictures of The End Titles.

 

[Desslar]

Imagine if John Vernon were an action star. Who could they get to play the authority figure (mayor/police chief/etc.) who wouldn't get shouted down by Vernon?

 

[RBailey]

Is this still available to purchase? I've looked for it on Amazon to no avail.

 

[JohnHopper]

Is this still available to purchase? I've looked for it on Amazon to no avail.

See on Amazon

 

[RBailey]

See on Amazon

Thank you!

 

[JohnHopper]

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE SEASON 4

Episode #14
“The Falcon, Part 1” (1970)
producer: Stanley Kallis
executive producer: Bruce Geller
associate producer: Barry Crane
script consultant: Paul Playdon
writer: Paul Playdon
director: Reza S. Badiyi
cinematographer: Keith C. Smith
composer: Richard Markowitz
theme music: Lalo Schifrin

Quote:
“As soon as the marriage is consummated, I want him executed.”
—General Ramon Sabattini (actor John Vernon).

Tape scene:
In broad day light, Jim drives a blue convertible car inside a drive-in cinema and stops in the middle. He takes a hanged envelop and hitches a portable speaker: the speaker inserts are from the season 1 “The Psychic”.

Summary:
To suspend the rise of General Ramon Sabattini (actor John Vernon) who wishes to take the throne by marrying the bride named Francesca (actress Diane Baker) of the so-called deceased and now imprisoned Prince Stefan (actor Joseph Reale) and then ally with the Asian Communist bloc, the IMF infiltrates the royal family as a magician company to entertain King Nicolai (actor Noel Harrison), the childlike cousin of Prince Stefan. Paris (actor Leonard Nimoy) as Zastro the magician briefs Francesca in her bedroom about their scheme to free her.

Cast and details:
• Ruthless General Ramon Sabattini with a beard played by John Vernon (returning from the season 3 “The Exchange”)
• Sabattini’s partner Colonel Manuel Vargas played by Logan Ramsey (returning from the season 3 “Nicole” whose last name is Valdas, a variation of Vargas)
• Jailer Major Rousek played by Dal Jenkins (returning from the season 3 “Nicole”)
• Prince Stefan played by Joseph Reale (returning from the season 3 “Nicole”)
• Stefan’s bride Francesca played by Diane Baker
• Simpleton King Nicolai played by Noel Harrison
• The Bishop played by Marcel Hilaire
• The Foyer Captain played by magician Tony Giorgio (returning from the season 3 “The System”)

Guest IMFers
• Female IMFer Tracey who poses as sophisticated Zastro’s assistant mind reader Madame Vinsky (actress Lee Meriwether’s best part). Tracey does the hairstyle on Sebastian inside the green Zastro company van.
• Master of disguise Sebastian (no credits: Frank da Vinci) posing as Zastro who is put in a case.
• A falcon named Lucifer which triggers the alarm as in Jules Dassin’s Topkapi!

During the dossier scene, Jim launches a new file of Willy, dressed in suit.
Sabattini obliges Nicolai to sign official documents.
Francesca calls her brother Nicolai by the nickname Nicky.
King Nicolai is a clock collector-expert and is childishly infatuated with magy.

Paris looks like Count Dracula aka the Prince of Darkness with a pet bird whose name has a diabolical meaning: Lucifer!

Paris poses as Zastro the “flamboyant” magician aka Leonard Nimoy’s favourite part. Paris adopts the curly hairstyle. Paris does some makeup on Sebastian inside the green Zastro company van. Paris and Tracey make a dashing entrance by limousine. Paris-as-Zastro introduces himself as well as his assistant Tracey-as-Vinsky to King Nicolai and gives a preview of his magic talents. Paris walks to the crown jewels room along with Nicolai to look for Lucifer. Paris sees the guard and presses a button on his remote control to call the raptor back and to help and easy up Barney’s burden. He is given by Tracey three items for Francesca: a box with a pill, a box with red paint and a Dirringer pistol (containing a first real bullet and a second blank), and travels from his widow’s bedroom to Francesca’s secured widow with bars in the tradition of cat burglar Cary Grant, dressed in black and walking on the roof, in Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief. He passes her the three items and briefs her quickly when Sabattini steps in and notices Francesca’s hands. As a diversion, Paris launches a coin towards her white cat to scare it so that Francesca switches her items against a medaillon of her dear one. On his way to return to his bedroom, Paris breaks and misses a rung in the wooden ladder, falls (as Barney in the season 4 “The Controllers”), grabs the balcony and finds himself hanged when a guard comes out to inspect. Paris looks like Count Dracula aka the Prince of Darkness with a pet bird whose name has a diabolical meaning: Lucifer! The logo of the Zastro company van is a red bird of prey inside the cloak of a magician.

Jim poses as a Deutsch tourist (with a goatee and brown hair) and arrives in the bus of the Amsterdam Cultural Society and uses a walking stick to fix a bug in the floor of the corridor that leads to the crown jewels room. “The floor of the corridor is pressurized,” states a guard. Jim pretends to take pictures with a medium format Hasselblad while adding chemical glue dots with his stick to the floor for Barney.

Willy poses as a Zastro delivery man who couples a trailer to the green van and carries a case containing Barney when a Foyer Captain asks him to check the contents! He installs the Barney case in the reception hall thanks to King Nicolai’s vivid intervention and also the Sebastian case. To cover the sound of Barney’s electric saw, Willy operates a noisy motorized screwdriver in order to settle the Zastro setting. Willy leaves the palace by van, places two metal rods on the road and triggers by remote control the explosion of the bishop’s tyre. Willy poses as a local peasant (carrying a beret) driving a wagon and stops by to fix the bishop’s black car. Willy, playing a clumsy average man unable to use a jack, ruins on purpose the spare wheel.

Barney wears a blue jeans outfit and is delivered in the magician’s secret props case in the Trojan horse tradition. He opens the bottom of the case, turns on his headband flashlight, and puts a hole on the floor’s tile with a heavy power saw that has the shape of a square. He travels in a tight conduit below the ground and verifies Jim’s dots with a Led detector. After finding the location, he triggers a signal by remote control to falcon Lucifer (equipped with a receiver on his claw) which flies straight to the corridor and lands on the hot floor due to Jim’s bug. The alarm rings and the guards react. Barney drills with his saw. Unfortunately, a guard stands still on the square below Barney who is forced to lift up the human weight. After the alert is gone, he surfaces, picks the lock on the display cabinets and substitutes all jewels by replicas including the crown, a necklace and a diamond. A second danger occurs: Colonel Vargas pops up in the crown jewels room to get the Montavia crown for Francesca and Barney holds the square's floor (see the green Asian statue scene in the season 3 “The Mind of Stefan Miklos”). Barney settles a pillar with a jack to block the square.

Comments:
Actor-gambler-magician Tony Giorgio trains Leonard Nimoy in the art of white magy; Noel Harrison is the son of British actor Rex Harrison and Noel is known for his part as Mark Slate in The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.. The country of the episode may be Spain during the dictatorship of General Franco known as the “Caudillo”: see the names of the officers (General Sabattini, Colonel Vargas and Captain Buccaro). The character templates refer to the political figures from XVIII century France or the XX century Russia (see Nicholas II of Russia) and King Nicolai, as Louis XVI, is a clock collector and expert and Sabattini, as Robespierre, plans to execute the royal family, and Vargas, as the fanatical revolutionary Fouquier-Tinville, wishes to get rid of his leader.

Review:
This is producer Stanley Kallis’ cinematic masterpiece: a fancy Romantic and epic monarchic plot combined with the doppelganger sub theme and a tribute to historical-adventure film such as The Prisoner of Zenda—the most beatiful scene is highlit in a lovers editing transition that plays like this: in his room, Nicolai succeeds in repairing his clock which lets go two little angels kissing each other (zoom in), cut to Francesca kissing chained Prince Stefan in his cell (extreme close-up, cut to a medium shot then slow zoom out to Sabattini). An unusually fine season 4 one because of its original tone (a heartbreaking love story combined with a power struggle) thanks to writer Paul Playdon’s ambitious input and it is a veiled remake of the season 3 “The Bunker” because of the main characters’ analogy: imprisoned Stefan, Francesca and General Sabattini are antique versions of imprisoned Dr. Erich Rojak, his wife Anna and Colonel Ziegler. As in the season 1 “Old Man Out” and the season 4 “Robot”, the IMF poses as entertainers. The episode borrows from the season 3 “The Heir Apparent” (Jim as a tourist, the bishop and the imperialistic officer). Barney’s jewels theft reminds Jules Dassin’s Topkapi. Notice Richard Markowitz’s bigger-than-life original score with a slight Greek flavor. Lee Meriwether guest stars in four episodes with original scores, and especially in Richard Markowitz’s ones: “The Numbers Game”, “Robot”, “The Falcon”.

“To Be Continued - Next Week”

Pictures of royal bride Francesca (actress Diane Baker).

 

[JohnHopper]

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE SEASON 4

Episode #15
“The Falcon, Part 2” (1970)
producer: Stanley Kallis
executive producer: Bruce Geller
associate producer: Barry Crane
script consultant: Paul Playdon
writer: Paul Playdon
director: Reza S. Badiyi
cinematographer: Keith C. Smith
composer: Richard Markowitz
theme music: Lalo Schifrin

Quote:
“Vargas. Ambition has its rewards. And also its danger. I am the best chance you have.”
—General Ramon Sabattini (actor John Vernon).

Preview:
“Last week in Part One”
A 6 minutes 7 trailer of the previous part including the tape, dossier and apartment scenes.

Summary:
Paris (actor Leonard Nimoy) escapes from falling from Francesca’s terrasse. At 1 o’clock, he performs as Zastro his bag of magic tricks in front of the Royal assembly and kidnaps and replaces King Nicolai (actor Noel Harrison). Francesca (actress Diane Baker) simulates death to cancel the wedding and she is released by Barney (actor Greg Morris) from her grave. Tracey (actress Lee Meriwether) as Madame Vinsky indoctrinates Colonel Vargas (actor Logan Ramsey). Paris as King Nicolai forges Sabattini’s notebook and adds the name of Colonel Vargas in the execution list.

Cast and details:
• Pro-Asian Communist Captain Buccaro played by Jack Donner (returning from the season 3 “The Bunker”).

Inside the office of Colonel Vargas, you can see two symbols of absolute power: a statue of Napoleon and a bust of Ceasar! Colonel Vargas remembers Madame Vinsky’s prediction: zoom in on Vargas’ troubled face, quick cut to the bloody dress, cut back to Vargas who moves his face towards Madame Vinsky in the back, zoom in on Madame Vinsky’s stoic face. He tells Zastro to get out without Madame Vinsky. He makes check the authenticity of the jewels crown which are all fakes.

Francesca walks to the altar with a bunch of flowers and a Dirringer. She swallows the death-induced pill when Nicolai declares that she carries a gun (meaning to shoot Sabattini). She fires at a vase and Nicolai catches her waist and pulls the trigger on her. She collapses and a stain of blood is spread on her dress (the bullet paints it). She awakes in the grave and screams for help as claustrophobic Cinnamon in the season 3 “The Exchange”! The candle of her tomb goes dark. Francesca puts on a blue overall, gets up in the conduit with Barney, crawls back to the magic case.

Jim steps into the Royal crypt with the tourists, pretends to take pictures, grabs a falling diamond and leaves by bus. In the van, Jim prepares the contents of his briefcase: camera projector, drugs. He poses as blackmailer and jewel receiver Mr. Roger Benedict. He meets Sabattini and Vargas and give them his calling card via a guard: the Kratazof diamond. He asserts to have met Prince Stefan who passes him the royal loot and threatens Sabattini with a compromising letter. He sends a signal to Tracey with his wristwatch to her earring. Jim and Sabattini go to the Arngrim prison to meet Prince Stefan.

“One, I am not a performer, I am an artiste. Two, my name is Zastro and three, I am leaving.”
—Paris as Zastro the magician

Paris returns safely to his bedroom and prepares his latex masks of Nicolai and himself. Due to his schedule, Paris-as-Zastro has a little argument with Sabattini because of the show (Sabattini: “Performers do not give orders in the palace, whatever your name is” and Paris-as-Zastro replies nervously: “One, I am not a performer, I am an artiste. Two, my name is Zastro and three, I am leaving”). The show starts, Paris asks for a volunteer and naturally selects Nicolai: inside the magic traveling booth, Nicolai is drugged in the back with a syringe by Sebastian who poses as Zastro while Paris does the peel-off and poses as King Nicolai. Paris-as-Nicolai carries the body of her sister to the royal crypt, places it on the opened tomb and orders to seal it fast despite the religious ritual. Paris-as-Nicolai come in the office of Sabattini to crack his safe with a hearing apparatus and gives Tracey the combination (Right 49, Left 73, Right 7) by talkie-walkie. He forges a notebook by adding the name of Colonel Vargas in a so-called execution list.

Tracey makes some hairstyle on Paris. Tracey-as-Madame Vinsky pops up in the middle of a smoke screen, dressed in silver and carrying the falcon, and (as Dan Briggs in the season 1 “Old Man Out”) reads the thoughts of Nicolai: a series of numbers written in a paper held by Colonel Vargas. During the show, she foretells the future of Sabattini (“A great event will take place here this afternoon. But not the one that is planned”), Francesca (“I see red. Red on a field of white”) and Vargas (“There is a man in this room. A man who has many decisions to make”) and announces the arrival of the bishop (thanks to Jim who communicates with her through her earring) and interrumpts the act. She phones Vargas for a private appointment in her room. Tracey tells him that the Asian connection (see the season 4 “Commandante”) is no good and that Sabattini will eliminate him soon enough. She brings him to the office of Sabattini to verify a death list of officers.

Sebastian-as-Zastro activates a smoke screen and asks Paris-as-Nicolai which person he wishes to see: Prince Stefan’s face appears due to a lamp (see the same method used in the season 2 “The Killing”). Fired by Vargas, Sebastian-as-Zastro leaves the palace and does the peel-off inside the green van.

Willy still as a peasant slowly drives the bishop in his wagon to create a delay–upset, the bishop calls a motorcycle to bring him to the palace by side-car. At 2 o’clock, Willy returns to the palace and dismantles the magic setting. Willy loads the two cases: one with drugged Nicolai and one with Barney and Francesca, and leaves by van. Willy removes the Zastro logo of the green van which reveals another one: “Companica de Aqua”.

Still in the conduit, Barney uses a silent drill to put a hole in the ceiling of the Royal crypt and sucks the dirt with a rubber tubing (as in Jules Dassin’s Du Rififi chez les hommes) at the same time. He lets drop a diamond to Jim. Barney carries on crawling when the floor collapses, he falls, bumps his head and faints (as in the season 4 “The Controllers, Part II”). Barney awakes and realizes he is “almost” blind by making a series of tests. He desperately calls Jim to cancel the assignment but Jim insists and guides him with the map of the crypt in the underground corridors. Barney walks painfully and escapes from another hole at the last minute thanks to the pipe. Barney stops to the exact location and assembles a mini drill with great difficulties. He inserts in a plastic tube that lets the oxygen enter in Francesca’s tomb. He recovers his sight and calls Jim back. He digs the wall to release Francesca. After returning to the case with her, he drives a “Companica de Gaz” van and flee.

Comments:
General Ramon Sabattini has a weakness: he is a dedicated legalist and is stuck with King Nicolai in order he signs documents to get full power.

Review:
Still lush and engrossing because of the revivals of the story (Barney’s accident, Jim’s improvisation to help a jeopardized Barney, Francesca’s wedding and death and claustrophobia), the magician act and Tracey’s input. As in the season 3 “The Cardinal” with Rollin, a character (Francesca) is sealed inside a tomb!

“To Be Continued - Next Week”

Stock music:
• “The Falcon, Part I” by Richard Markowitz
• “Pilot” by Lalo Schifrin (Act 2: inside the magic booth, Sebastian-as-Zastro drugs Nicolai in the rear with a syringe)
• “The Contender” by Lalo Schifrin (Act 4: Madame Vinsky offers Vargas a way out in running with the crown jewels)


Pictures of royal bride Francesca (actress Diane Baker).

 

[JohnHopper]

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE SEASON 4

Episode #16
“The Falcon, Part 3” (1970)
producer: Stanley Kallis
executive producer: Bruce Geller
associate producer: Barry Crane
script consultant: Paul Playdon
writer: Paul Playdon
director: Reza S. Badiyi
cinematographer: Keith C. Smith
composer: Richard Markowitz
theme music: Lalo Schifrin

Quote:
“I told you, Vargas. I was the best chance you had.”
—General Ramon Sabattini (actor John Vernon).

Preview:
“In the Previous Episodes”
A 6 minutes 51 trailer of the previous part including the tape, dossier and apartment scenes.

Summary:
Paris as King Nicolai leaves the office of Sabattini at the last minute when Tracey as Madame Vinsky and Colonel Vargas arrive to check out the execution list. Jim (actor Peter Graves) as jewel crook Mr. Benedict enters the Arngrim prison to make Prince Stefan (actor Joseph Reale) talk about the location of the crown jewels with the help of an injection. Feeling threatened, Vargas orders Captain Buccaro (actor Jack Donner) to send a clock loaded with explosives and triggered by remote control to King Nicolai (actor Noel Harrison) and General Sabattini (actor John Vernon) that blows after Sabattini leaving the King’s room. Paris (actor Leonard Nimoy) is unmasked and both Buccaro and Vargas (actor Logan Ramsey) are gunned down at point blank by angry Sabattini. Jim and Stefan flee the prison with Barney. Willy releases Lucifer to help Paris and Tracey who run inside a royal limousine.

Cast and details:
Francesca wait for in the green van as a blue collar worker.

Colonel Vargas calls Sabattini and asks him to return to the palace immediately. Vargas meets Captain Buccaro and asks him to execute his death plan without the “Asian proposition” option. Vargas goes see Madame Vinsky to announce her that a bomb is set in King Nicolai’s room. Vargas begs Sabattini for mercy but he dies under the gun!

Captain Buccaro gives a bugged clock with a bomb to a guard who delivers it to King Nicolai’s room. Buccaro goes straight to Colonel Vargas’ office and shows him his remote control. He listens to Nicolai and Sabattini and holds tight his device when the telephone rings: Vargas’ call. Buccaro sweats hard, hears Sabattini leaving the room and swiftly triggers the explosion. Buccaro is shot down in the back by agonizing Sabattini!

General Sabattini is told by a guard that Colonel Vargas wishes to meet him in King Nicolai’s quarters. Sabattini is wounded but conscious, is furious about Vargas who denounces Buccaro and Madame Vinsky. A Foyer guard found out that Francesca’s tomb is empty, exhausted Sabattini tries to figure it out the IMF’s scheme in front of arrested Paris and Tracey and he realizes the role played by Roger Benedict (Jim) and calls the prison but the line is dead. Dressed with a black leathered trench coat, he is driven by limousine to the prison, goes down to the cell of Stefan by elevator and guns down the screen and the briefcase projector. He discovers the con, passes through the screen and faints.

Jim as Mr Benedict enters the cell of Prince Stefan along with Sabattini and drugs the prisoner to make him confess the location of the crown jewels. Jim pretends to interrogate Stefan and discreetly tips him off for his collaboration (silence). Jim drops a button on the floor and plays with a yellow pills box. Jim presses a button from his briefcase to signal Barney back. Jim receives a call of Tracey in jeopardy, drops a wad of bank notes near the warders and calls Willy to the rescue while activating the screen (white switch) and the briefcase projector (green switch) by remote control. On his way to the cell, the warder happily takes the cash off the ground, Jim activates the alarm (red switch). Jim unlocks the hand chains of Stefan and inserts fuses on his feet chains to cut them down. Jim and Stefan run from the cell but Stefan's feet chain is blocked and stopped him. Jim puts him down at the arrival of the elevator.

Paris-as-Nicolai comes out of Sabattini’s office at the last minute just before the arrival of Vargas and Tracey. Paris is surprised (optical zoom in on his face) by the delivery of a clock brought by a guard. Paris undergoes the shock of the explosion, is lied on the floor with bruises and his latex mask is torn down. He is questioned by Sabattini. Paris signals Willy by remote control to launch the falcon which attacks the Foyer guard meanwhile he beats up and disarms the Captain. He leaves with Tracey and threatens in the back the Captain with his gun to take the limousine. Paris and Tracey arrive at the rendez-vous point and join in their IMF partners and the Royal family.

Tracey is shocked (optical zoom in on her face) to learn the unexpected news of the bomb and tells Vargas not to kill King Nicolai with Sabattini. Tracey is on the run, blocks the door of her room and calls Jim.

Barney simulates a gas leak (as in the season 2 “The Survivors”) by launching a rocket (see the season 1 “Memory”) in the ventilation box of the Arngrim Prison’s building. As a blue collar worker from the “Companica de Gaz”, he drives to the Arngrim prison and steps into the basement to control the gas level. He picks the lock on the alarm system lines and connects a device to it to trigger and keep the alarm ringing by remote control. He opens a locked metallic door with a jack then checks the warder room with a long portable mirror and passes to reach the stairs when an unexpected noise occurs. The warder stands up and goes verifying when a soldier gets down the stairs from the rooftop. The warder leaves, Barney gets down and hide (as Rollin in the season 1 “Old Man Out”), the soldier goes to a clipboard and gets out. Barney walks from the rooftop to the elevator room and gets down through the elevator shaft: stock footages from the season 3 “Doomsday”. The elevator skims past him and he stops at a level to install and stick to the wall a detonator linked to three explosive charges. He gets down to the bottom and sends Jim a visual signal: Jim’s red drug bottle lights. Barney puts a hole to the wall with a long silent drill and inserts in a metallic cylinder that releases an extension for the screen. Barney drills again to create an exit passage when the elevator comes closer and Major Rousek inspects the cell of Stefan and goes back to his office. In the basement, a security guard is unable to stop the alarm. Barney keeps on drilling with his mini device. He removes a huge block of stone from the wall by bare hands. He triggers the three charges that opens a passage to the street. Barney, Jim and Stefan walk to the green van of Willy: the scene is shot hand-held!

Willy as a blue collar worker for the “Companica de Aqua” goes down to the sewer and redirect the telephone lines back to his van where he uses the communication-suitcase to intercept a conversation between an Arngrim military and the gas company operator. Over the phone, Willy poses as Captain Petrov from the Arngrim prison to call off the gas company. Warned by Jim, Willy cuts down the thick wire of the phone lines in the sewer. Willy drives Jim, Barney and Stefan to a rendez-vous point in the remote countryside.

Comments:
The Arngrim prison is the entrance of the Paramount Studio! The back of the green van is a studio set! Find some Latin Gellerese idioms: “Estara” for stairs and “Ascensora” for elevator. As in previous parts (Part 1 with Paris, Part 2 with Barney), at least, one IMFer encounters an unexpected event that can compromise the well-oiled plan and, here, Paris and Tracey. The character of Francesca is not the center of the narrative anymore in order to let the revelation blossom, in other words, the release of Prince Stefan and the punishment of the crooked rulers: Sabattini, Buccaro, Vargas.

Review:
It’s the terrific final fireworks that contain more surprises: the bomb, the film projection con, the arrest of Paris and Tracey, the falcon’s attack, guest John Vernon’s memorable wounded performance (especially the tragic ending) at the cell and Prince Stefan’s feet chains that keeps him from leaving the elevator shaft! The cherry on top is to watch the green van leaving the country but shot in a tilted upside down motion!

Stock music:
• “The Falcon, Part I” by Richard Markowitz
• “The Contender” by Lalo Schifrin (Act 2: Jim drops a button to the floor and keeps on interrogating Stefan; Act 3: In the warder section, Jim calls Willy and returns to the cell)
• “Pilot” by Lalo Schifrin (Act 4: Barney drills at the sound of the alarm; Jim cuts the feet’s chains of Stefan)


Mission: Impossible | The Falcon, Part 1 | The Kiss of the Royal Couple Scene

Mission: Impossible | The Falcon, Part 1 | Francesca Leaves the Cell Scene

Mission: Impossible | The Falcon, Part 2 | The Pride of Zastro the Magician Scene

Mission: Impossible | The Falcon, Part 2 | The Fatal Wedding of Francesca Scene

Mission: Impossible | The Falcon, Part 3 | The Agony of Wounded Sabattini Scene

 

[JohnHopper]

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE SEASON 3

Episode #22
“Nicole” (1969)
producer: Stanley Kallis
executive producer: Bruce Geller
associate producer: Barry Crane
script consultant: Paul Playdon
writer: Paul Playdon
director: Stuart Hagmann
cinematographer: Keith C. Smith
theme music: Lalo schifrin

Tape scene:
Recycled from the season 2 “The Photographer”.

Jim stops his blue convertible car near a building, climbs the poorly lit stairs of an entrance, stops at the first floor, enters a warehouse filled with paintings, heads to a control panel and pushes a button that makes a canvas arise and lets show a mini reel tape player and a A4 kraft envelop.

Summary:
Jim and Rollin are briefed by agent Sparrow (distress phone 311-8571) to look after a list of double agents that is kept in the study’s safe of Minister of Intelligence Anton Valdas’ chateau, behind the Iron Curtain. At Valdas’ official party, while Jim falls in love with double agent Nicole Vedette, on the first floor, Rollin steals the precious envelop but things turn wrong and Jim is shot in the belly by officer Razoff and held prisoner. Rollin refuses to let his friend down. Nicole makes wounded Jim believe that the list is false and helps him to escape from his cell. Valdas orders his men to track them down. Fortunately, Rollin poses as one of the watchdogs to save Jim but not Nicole who dies because of Valdas’ pistol shooting.

Cast and details:
• Minister of Intelligence Anton Valdas with a medical collar played by Logan Ramsey
• Skinny officer Razoff played by Dal Jenkins
• Janus agent and Valdas’ secretary Nicole Vedette played by Joan Collins
• Operative Sparrow played by James McCallion
• Rollin’s unnamed contact played by Jacques Denbeaux (returning from the season 1 “A Cube of Sugar”)
• Old lady Madame Prokov played by Ann Shoemaker
• Young blonde Ilsa played by Anita Mann
• Young blonde Helga played by Rena Horton
• Minister in Valdas’ study played by Jon Lormer (returning from the season 2 “The Counterfeiter”)
• The Study Guard played by Joseph Reale
• The Cell Guard played by Fred Krone

Double agent Nicole Vedette first appears as a fantasy, dressed with a sophisticated evening wear, during the whole Act 1, starting at the first floor of the chateau when Jim as Major Ivan is glued to her piercing dark eyes. Then they gently keep on staring at each other through people, staged like a love merry-go-around. Nicole knows astrology and Valdas implies she is a nymphomaniac because of her interest for a military (Jim) but it’s all pretense to fool the audience. From Act 2, Nicole is casual, tormented and on the run, toys with Jim’s sincere love and appears as a deceiver.

Jim poses as Major Ivan. To depict that Jim falls in love with Nicole, director Stuart Hagmann shoots them in close-ups with a long lense (creating a flat and blured perspective) through objects and people by rack focusing (to shift from out-of-focus to in-focus) and show them starring and walking at each other as a love waltz—this hide and seek scene is sweet and delightful. When Nicole drinks with Jim, you can hear the theme of Cinnamon; Nicole guesses the profile of Jim-as-Ivan: 37, Pisces, unmarried, educated at the Venskry Academy. Besides, Hagmann over-uses the fade over process to show Jim and Nicole’s escape in the woods that is recycled six times: notice the use of moon insert, low angle shot of a dark sky with trees inserts, zoom in with a long lense, high angle studio sets shots. Jim passes out twice: first after releasing Rollin and being gunned down by Razoff and then in the first floor of the barn next to Nicole. One strange scene takes place in the barn: after being healed by Valdas’ doctor thanks to an injection (I guess morphine to ease the pain) in the neck and by searching inside Nicole’s bag for a cigarette, Jim discovers that her matches are bugged by Valdas (dolly in on Jim’s face) and we later learn she doesn’t know it. Stuart Hagmann shows Jim and Nicole blinded by Valdas’ car and men.

Rollin pose as libidinous old and sick General Ventakoff with grey hair, moustache (a la “The Glass Cage”) and sideburns who is deaf and crippled and walks with a stick; Rollin emphasizes the senile side of his character and calls Valdas: Valdrat; Rollin chases two blondes (Ilsa and Helga) and then pretends to be drunk, drugs the study guard with a wet handkerchief, presses a button behind a bookcase, uses his fake audio device to crack the safe (but it is protected by a newly installed pressurized floor that triggers an alarm) and he is trapped in the office because of the moving metallic fence. Later on, when Rollin, posing as a tourist with a camera, meets a contact in the hallway of a hotel, they test each other like this: - The Man: “Hey. You got a cigarette? - Rollin: “Yes, I have.” - The Man: “Keep it. It’s your last one.” - Rollin: “We can share it.” As in the season 2 “The Town”, Rollin goes look for his friend, keeps an eye on Valdas’ black car via binoculars, poses as a Valdas search party military by knocking one of the three in the rear. Valdas guns down Nicole and Rollin swiftly reacts by killing Valdas with a machine gun.

Cinnamon, Barney and Willy are absent—during the briefing, Rollin says that he will ask Barney some informations about the German safe of Valdas.

Comments:
Funny how the characters played by Joan Collins have an intense relationship with the leading man and end up dead in all Desilu series: see the season 1 “The City on the Edge of Forever” from Star Trek. The reactionary character of Madame Prokov complains to Jim about Ventakoff’s obscene leaning and she dislikes modern art. The agent name Sparrow is already used in the season 1 episode “Memory”. Both Nicole and Sparrow are double agents and she is on the list. As Cinnamon, Nicole wears a pink article of clothing: her shirt, and, as Jim, she is gunned down in the belly. To stop the alarm, Valdas turns a button anticlockwise, located at the bottom of a wall lamp in the corridor and adds a bug in Nicole’s hand bag after her first escape attempt. Oddly enough, Valdas drinks a Brandy inside his black Mercedes while talking to Nicole who threatens him with blackmailed informations to protect her life. The grey set of the concrete basement with its long stairs is recycled in many season 3 episodes: “The System”, “The Glass Cage”, “Live Bait”, “The Bunker, Part I”. This episode features no dossier scene so the IMF logo appears at the start of Act I. The apartment scene at Sparrow’s place is shot under the table with a fluid dolly shot, meaning Sparrow is doubtful.

Review:
It’s a departure from the series’ format because the leading man is shot and manipulated like a puppet and a very pleasant Jim and Rollin on a mission episode. Director Stuart Hagmann’s kinetic visual style (wide angle hand-held camera shots, swift pan shots, high angle shots, upsidedown shots: see Jim wakes up in the cell and watches Nicole) helps this tragic love story that is Paul Playdon’s lightest season 3 script: this is Hagmann/Playdon’s second and last collaboration, after the season 3 “Live Bait”. After this season “The Exchange” with Cinnamon, this is the second IMF agent who fails and is caught up by the other side. Recommended for fans of Joan Collins—one fashion detail I enjoy: the brown handkerchief with a pink dot print carried as a belt by Nicole. Anyway, the last couple scene is memorable and touchy: sad Jim carries dying Nicole in his arms and leaves her, accompanied by Jerry Fielding’s final sentimental cue from “The Cardinal”, followed by Jim and Rollin’s close-ups in the running fast black Mercedes (as in the season 3 “The Glass Cage, find again the same car stock footage from the season 1 “The Carriers”). It’s more or less the rough template for the season 4 masterpiece “The Falcon” which shares the same guest cast (Logan Ramsey whose character name goes from Valdas to Vargas, Dal Jenkins, Joseph Reale) and the same basic tragic romantic story—replace Joan Collins by Diane Baker. As in the season 3 “Nitro”, notice the pulsating technician beat from the season 3 “Live Bait” used to illustrate Rollin attempt to crack the safe of Valdas during Act 1. From Act 3, you can hear the sentimental cues from the season 3 “The Play”.

Stock music:
• “The Bunker” (Act 1: the outdoors of the chateau; Jim briefs lying down Rollin and leaves the bedroom of the first floor; Act 2: Valdas gets up the stairs of the basement; Nicole discovers that Jim passes out and comes out of the barn to join Valdas’ Mercedes; Act 3: A doctor comes out of the Mercedes to heal Jim; the military search party walks in the woods; Jim and Nicole leave the barn and cross the woods; Jim shows Nicole the bugged match box and throws it out; Act 4: the search party uses the German shepherds to pinpoint the couple)
• “The Diplomat” (Act 1: party music at Valdas’ chateau)
• “Cinnamon Theme” (Act 1: Jim first talks to Nicole at the party while sipping a drink)
• “Memory” (Act 1: Rollin drugs the guard unconscious with a wet handkerchief; Act 3: in the barn, Jim discovers the bugged match box)
• “Live Bait” (Act 1: Rollin steps into the study to crack the safe of Valda)
• “The Execution” (Act 1: Rollin triggers the alarm; Act 2: Razoff and two guards run and look for the study; Valdas escapes and Jim is shot down by Razoff standing at the top of the stairs while Rollin flees by car; Jim pretends to be dead in his cell; Act 3: Razoff warns Valdas that Jim is healed; Act 4: Jim drops the rifle loaded with blanks; Valdas is on his way to gun down Jim and Nicole)
• “The Play” (Act 2: Jim and Rollin are running away from the first floor with Valdas; Act 3: Nicole tells Valdas he will easily find someone to replace her; after discovering the bugged match box, Jim realizes that Nicole is a traitor; Nicole helps wounded Jim that stumbles upon a stone and near a tree and confesses Valdas’ plan to Jim in the woods; Act 4: Jim tells Nicole he discovers the bugged match box in the hay loft; surrounded, Nicole begs Valdas to let go Jim free)
• “The Contender” (Act 2: Nicole threatens the guard with a pistol and frees Jim from his basement’s cell)
• “Operation Rogosh” (Act 2: Nicole necks chop the cell guard with the grip of the pistol; Jim and Nicole escape from the basement and run in the woods; Jim and Nicole cross the woods while the search party track them down)
• “The Cardinal” (Act 2: Rollin meets an agent in the hallway and passes him a pack of cigarette; Act 4: sad Jim gives a last look at Nicole and leaves with Rollin in Valdas’ Mercedes)
• “Pilot” (Act 2: pretending to be dead in his cell, Jim gives a punch to the guard; Valdas guns Nicole down and Rollin blasts away at Valdas with a tommy gun)
• “Trek” (Act 4: Jim and Nicole run away from the search party which locate them and is on their tail)


Mission: Impossible | Nicole | Two Lovers at the Official Party

Pictures of double agent Nicole Vedette (actress Joan Collins).

 

[Wiseguy]

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE SEASON 4

Episode #15
“The Falcon, Part 2” (1970)
producer: Stanley Kallis
executive producer: Bruce Geller
associate producer: Barry Crane
script consultant: Paul Playdon
writer: Paul Playdon
director: Reza S. Badiyi
cinematographer: Keith C. Smith
composer: Richard Markowitz
theme music: Lalo Schifrin

Quote:
“Vargas. Ambition has its rewards. And also its danger. I am the best chance you have.”
—General Ramon Sabattini (actor John Vernon).

Preview:
“Last week in Part One”
A 6 minutes 7 trailer of the previous part including the tape, dossier and apartment scenes.

Summary:
Paris (actor Leonard Nimoy) escapes from falling from Francesca’s terrasse. At 1 o’clock, he performs as Zastro his bag of magic tricks in front of the Royal assembly and kidnaps and replaces King Nicolai (actor Noel Harrison). Francesca (actress Diane Baker) simulates death to cancel the wedding and she is released by Barney (actor Greg Morris) from her grave. Tracey (actress Lee Meriwether) as Madame Vinsky indoctrinates Colonel Vargas (actor Logan Ramsey). Paris as King Nicolai forges Sabattini’s notebook and adds the name of Colonel Vargas in the execution list.

Cast and details:
• Pro-Asian Communist Captain Buccaro played by Jack Donner (returning from the season 3 “The Bunker”).

Inside the office of Colonel Vargas, you can see two symbols of absolute power: a statue of Napoleon and a bust of Ceasar! Colonel Vargas remembers Madame Vinsky’s prediction: zoom in on Vargas’ troubled face, quick cut to the bloody dress, cut back to Vargas who moves his face towards Madame Vinsky in the back, zoom in on Madame Vinsky’s stoic face. He tells Zastro to get out without Madame Vinsky. He makes check the authenticity of the jewels crown which are all fakes.

Francesca walks to the altar with a bunch of flowers and a Dirringer. She swallows the death-induced pill when Nicolai declares that she carries a gun (meaning to shoot Sabattini). She fires at a vase and Nicolai catches her waist and pulls the trigger on her. She collapses and a stain of blood is spread on her dress (the bullet paints it). She awakes in the grave and screams for help as claustrophobic Cinnamon in the season 3 “The Exchange”! The candle of her tomb goes dark. Francesca puts on a blue overall, gets up in the conduit with Barney, crawls back to the magic case.

Jim steps into the Royal crypt with the tourists, pretends to take pictures, grabs a falling diamond and leaves by bus. In the van, Jim prepares the contents of his briefcase: camera projector, drugs. He poses as blackmailer and jewel receiver Mr. Roger Benedict. He meets Sabattini and Vargas and give them his calling card via a guard: the Kratazof diamond. He asserts to have met Prince Stefan who passes him the royal loot and threatens Sabattini with a compromising letter. He sends a signal to Tracey with his wristwatch to her earring. Jim and Sabattini go to the Arngrim prison to meet Prince Stefan.

“One, I am not a performer, I am an artiste. Two, my name is Zastro and three, I am leaving.”
—Paris as Zastro the magician

Paris returns safely to his bedroom and prepares his latex masks of Nicolai and himself. Due his schedule, Paris-as-Zastro has a little argument with Sabattini because of the show (Sabattini: “Performers do not give orders in the palace, whatever your name is” and Paris-as-Zastro replies nervously: “One, I am not a performer, I am an artiste. Two, my name is Zastro and three, I am leaving”). The show starts, Paris asks for a volunteer and naturally selects Nicolai: inside the magic traveling booth, Nicolai is drugged in the back with a syringe by Sebastian who poses as Zastro while Paris does the peel-off and poses as King Nicolai. Paris-as-Nicolai carries the body of her sister to the royal crypt, places it on the opened tomb and orders to seal it fast despite the religious ritual. Paris-as-Nicolai come in the office of Sabattini to crack his safe with a hearing apparatus and gives Tracey the combination (Right 49, Left 73, Right 7) by talkie-walkie. He forges a notebook by adding the name of Colonel Vargas in a so-called execution list.

Tracey makes some hairstyle on Paris. Tracey-as-Madame Vinsky pops up in the middle of a smoke screen, dressed in silver and carrying the falcon, and (as Dan Briggs in the season 1 “Old Man Out”) reads the thoughts of Nicolai: a series of numbers written in a paper held by Colonel Vargas. During the show, she foretells the future of Sabattini (“A great event will take place here this afternoon. But not the one that is planned”), Francesca (“I see red. Red on a field of white”) and Vargas (“There is a man in this room. A man who has many decisions to make”) and announces the arrival of the bishop (thanks to Jim who communicates with her through her earring) and interrumpts the act. She phones Vargas for a private appointment in her room. Tracey tells him that the Asian connection (see the season 4 “Commandante”) is no good and that Sabattini will eliminate him soon enough. She brings him to the office of Sabattini to verify a death list of officers.

Sebastian-as-Zastro activates a smoke screen and asks Paris-as-Nicolai which person he wishes to see: Prince Stefan’s face appears due to a lamp (see the same method used in the season 2 “The Killing”). Fired by Vargas, Sebastian-as-Zastro leaves the palace and does the peel-off inside the green van.

Willy still as a peasant slowly drives the bishop in his wagon to create a delay–upset, the bishop calls a motorcycle to bring him to the palace by side-car. At 2 o’clock, Willy returns to the palace and dismantles the magic setting. Willy loads the two cases: one with drugged Nicolai and one with Barney and Francesca, and leaves by van. Willy removes the Zastro logo of the green van which reveals another one: “Companica de Aqua”.

Still in the conduit, Barney uses a silent drill to put a hole in the ceiling of the Royal crypt and sucks the dirt with a rubber tubing (as in Jules Dassin’s Du Rififi chez les hommes) at the same time. He lets drop a diamond to Jim. Barney carries on crawling when the floor collapses, he falls, bumps his head and faints (as in the season 4 “The Controllers, Part II”). Barney awakes and realizes he is “almost” blind by making a series of tests. He desperately calls Jim to cancel the assignment but Jim insists and guides him with the map of the crypt in the underground corridors. Barney walks painfully and escapes from another hole at the last minute thanks to the pipe. Barney stops to the exact location and assembles a mini drill with great difficulties. He inserts in a plastic tube that lets the oxygen enter in Francesca’s tomb. He recovers his sight and calls Jim back. He digs the wall to release Francesca. After returning to the case with her, he drives a “Companica de Gaz” van and flee.

Comments:
General Ramon Sabattini has a weakness: he is a dedicated legalist and is stuck with King Nicolai in order he signs documents to get full power.

Review:
Still lush and engrossing because of the revivals of the story (Barney’s accident, Jim’s improvisation to help a jeopardized Barney, Francesca’s wedding and death and claustrophobia), the magician act and Tracey’s input. As in the season 3 “The Cardinal” with Rollin, a character (Francesca) is sealed inside a tomb!

“To Be Continued - Next Week”

Stock music:
• “The Falcon, Part I” by Richard Markowitz
• “Pilot” by Lalo Schifrin (Act 2: inside the magic booth, Sebastian-as-Zastro drugs Nicolai in the rear with a syringe)
• “The Contender” by Lalo Schifrin (Act 4: Madame Vinsky offers Vargas a way out in running with the crown jewels)


Pictures of royal bride Francesca (actress Diane Baker).

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Why does Paris climb down the trellis (looks more like a trellis than a ladder) to encounter the weak link in the chain when he should be climbing up (which indeed he does after he regains his footing)?