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117-THE HOSTAGE
Prologue:
Latin America, the district of the consulate of the United States of America: two men talk in the steps of the consulate and a yellow bike crosses the street. A blue van parks near the news stand and a black man, dressed with a desert jacket and sunglasses, comes out to buy the last issue of “La Centinela” and returns to the van where another man reads him an article from the front page of the newspaper, showing a big picture of Paris posing as American hotel magnate Walter A. Phelan. The black man signals his partner of the arrival of Paris-as-Phelan from the steps of the official building. Paris is warmly congratulated by American Consul Fred Sanders (Paris: “Thanks, Fred”, Fred: “You did a magnificent job, Paris. Walter Phelan, hotel magnate. Perfect cover”, Paris: “Well, the mission was successful because of your cooperation”, Fred: “Say good-bye to Jim and the others for me”, Paris: “I will. Thanks again”). Paris enters a taxi while the two men in the van watch him. The blue van follows the taxi. The cabbie watches Paris through the rear-view mirror, presses a button from the dashboard that locks the back doors and release the gas of a canister that is located at the bottom of his feet. Paris sees the knock-out gas, tries vainly to open the door and faints. The taxi and the blue van stop at the same time. The black man comes out and takes the body of Paris from the taxi, despite the presence of two men talking in a porch. He stores the body in the back of the blue van where his partner is waiting for and activates a radio transmitter to call the police headquarters and introduce himself as Robert Siomney, speaking on behalf of Jorge Cabal, leader of the Popular Revolutionary Front. He warns the authorities that he has abducted Walter Phelan and demands the release of three PRF members (Carlos Marchese, Rodolpho Torres and Luis Cabal) held prisoners at the Cortina Barracks in 24 hours otherwise, he will execute his hostage.
Tape scene:
No scene.
Summary:
To free Paris and cut dry the actions of the PRF, the IMF infiltrates the rebel village of San Estoban and has 24 hours to obtain the arrest of two notorious extreme left terrorists: Dr. Robert Siomney and his sidekick Frederico.
Cast and details:
• The lefty fanatical ideologist Dr. Robert Siomney aka the “Apostle of Revolucion” played by Lou Antonio
• Siomney’s butcher Frederico played by Lee Duncan
• The old chieftain of the PRF Jorge Cabal played by Joe de Santis (returning from the season 4 “Terror” but first seen in the season 1 “The Frame”)
• Cabal’s second in command Ortega played by Pepe Callahan (returning from the season 4 “Commandante”)
• Convict and Cabal’s son Luis Pedro played by Ron Castro
• Convict Carlos Marchese played by David Renard
• Prison Commandante played by Barry Russo (uncredited in the episode and in the companion book and returning from the season 1 The Carriers”)
The Popular Revolutionary Front
Cabal and Siomney watch the television news which reports the ultimatum of Siomney, a social description of Siomney (“the onetime medical student, the self-proclaimed ‘Apostle of Revolucion’ whose tactics, ranging from senseless destruction to outright murder, have terrorized a dozen different nations”) and the government’s refusal to answer to Siomney’s demand. Now dressed in a guerrilla outfit, Frederico bursts in and asserts that Paris-as-Phelan is badly sick. Siomney takes his medical bag from a sideboard and comes to the cell along with Cabal and Frederico. He examines suffering Paris and administrates him a drug to ease his pain. At Cabal’s office, Siomney pours himself a glass of red wine and Ortega intercepts and gives the message of appointment to Siomney who refuses the terms. He orders Ortega to call back and gives them his own coordinates of delivery: packing the medecine in a parachute canister and place it aboard an aircraft and radio contact must be made with the aircraft in one hour and twenty minutes. Siomney, Frederico, Ortega and Cabal watch the news. Later, Cabal is moved by the sad news: the “summary” execution. Frederico leads Paris from his cell to the office of Cabal. Ortega tells Cabal that Paris doesn’t worth the life of his son. Siomney reassures Cabal about his son’s fate and senses a ruse from the government: “And who is this Colonel Tiba, anyway? A minor department functionary. The government is obviously bluffling”. Siomney asks Paris to record a personal message to the US government to postpone the execution but he refuses, telling it’s no use. Siomney changes his tone and threatens Paris with a gun to do it straight away. Siomney activates the tape recorder and passes him the microphone. Siomney calls into question the so-called girlfriend of Luis in front of Jorge Cabal. Siomney, Frederico, Ortega and Cabal still watch the news. Jorge Cabal watches Marchese begging with great expectations and anxiety. At the sight of Marchese’ death, Jorge Cabal closes his eyes to express his turmoil and sadness. Jorge Cabal and Siomney watch the second execution in silence. Siomney suspects Dana’s easy coming and warns Jorge about it: “You see how simple it is? Too simple”. Jorge is very excited and leaves his desk to meet her. Feeling that Jorge is morally weak and will crack, Siomney orders Frederico to kill Dana on the sly whe she is alone. Back at the office of the PRF, Jorge listens to Jim’s commute proposition, stands up and walks away but Siomney keeps him from calling the prison commandante. Jorge watches on television his son in the colonnade section who is tied in and refuses the black hood: “No, not that. I’m not afraid to see death come for me.” At the office of the PRF, out of the blue, a gunshot is heard and Jorge rushes to the cell block, accompanied by Siomney, and witnesses Barney-as-Frederico, armed with a pistol, and the dead body of Paris lying on a bed. Jorge is disappointed and yells at Frederico. Siomney examines the body and senses no pulse. Jorge contacts Jim by radio and informs him of the death of Walter Phelan who tried to escape. Siomney laughs at Jim’s offer to trade him and Frederico against the life of Luis. Ortega points a gun at the back of Siomney and another guerrilla does the same with Frederico. Jorge talks to Jim on the radio and agrees to turn in both men. Jim demands the body of Phelan and gives him an appointment: the border of Ysidro province on route nine. Siomney tries to impress and scare Jorge by exclaiming: “You’ll die for this, Jorge”. He replies coldly: “No, Robert. You will die”. The guerrilla soldiers store both men and the body of Phelan in the back of the blue van that is driven by private Juan.
The IMF
In a hotel room in town, Jim concludes a discussion over the phone with consul Fred Sanders and informs the team (Barney, Barney and Dana) of Paris’ kidnapping (transfered from a taxi to a van). Jim figures it out that Paris is held prisoner in Cabal’s HQ but doesn’t know the location. Later on, a radio broadcast announces that the rebel faction wants to have immediate medication for Paris-as-Phelan. Dana asks Doug how Paris simulates the symptoms and he explains briefly the possibilities which is a clever way to be traced and escape from. Jim steps in and tells the team that the local government refuses to release the three PRF prisoners but it is willing to cooperate with their plan in exchange of Siomney’s capture. Doug shows Jim a phony vial of yellow medecine (containing vitamin B) and Barney hides a transmitter to its cap with a 500 miles range. Jim orders Barney to contact by radio the rebel to tell the rendezvous point for the medication. In the helicoptere, Barney watches a map with a transmitter signal and contacts Jim to give him the coordinates. At the hotel room, Jim and Dana pinpoint the location on a map and he (as Watchdog) contacts a jet (as High Flyer) to report the coordinates to take pictures of the HQ: Ysidro Hills, village of San Estoban, map coordinates E-15. Later, after listening to a tape player and on a black board, Doug has written down Paris’ private message and decoded it which reveals the PRF location of Paris’ detention: (church), (30), (yards), (headquarter), (cell), (in between). Barney shows Dana the exact location thanks to a drawing made from the picture taken from the jet. Barney informs Dana that the newspapers have been notified of the arrival of Luis Cabal’s girlfriend Anita Lugano to the prison. He wishes her good luck. Later, after the arrest of the two terrorists, the blue van stops in a clearing and Juan opens up the back and two government soldiers and Doug walk straight to it. Doug and a soldier carry the body of unconscious Paris near their military truck. Jim, dressed with a light brown military jacket, watches the scene. Doug makes Paris, who lies on the ground, breath a medecine to awake him. Siomney is handcuffed and escorted by a soldier when Dana stops her car. Jim unlocks the cuffs of Barney-as-Frederico who makes the mask’s peel-off in front of a surprised Siomney. One government soldier gets out the real Frederico from Dana’s trunk and leads him to the military truck. Siomney sees the living Dana followed by the living Paris and Doug. The two soldiers lock in the outlaws in the back of the military truck. The five IMFers get in Luis Cabal’s dusty station wagon and go.
Paris
Paris poses as American hotel construction magnate Walter A. Phelan.
The blue van arrives at the PRF’s HQ: a rural village protected by high walls. Blackman Frederico comes out, opens the back of the van and holds Paris tight. Jorge Cabal exits his office and meets Siomney, Frederico and Paris who is sent to the cell block. Paris pretends to stumble and grasps a handful of wild berries. Inside the cell, Frederico removes the handcuffs of Paris and locks him. Paris eats the fruits. Later, after experiencing the fever and the drug of Siomney, Paris awakes, laughs and tells Siomney that he suffers from a blood disease called “Hodgkin’s disease”. Siomney is furious, doesn’t believe him and questions him about his treatment. Paris states his medication consists of one and half milligrammes of vinblastine sulfate a week. Later on, Siomney injects the delivered yellow drug to Paris. Later at the office of the PRF and under the strain of Siomney, Paris first tells Siomney’s obligatory informations (“I’m in good health and have been well treated”) to the tape recorder and finishes with a private message to his so-called family which is the IMF team: “especially to my (son) Ricky, whose (twelfth) birthday is (tomorrow). Be a (good boy) son. (I love you) and to (Helen) my wife I send my dearest love”.
Jim Phelps
Jim poses as Special prosecutor Colonel Leon Tiba of the Inspector General’s Office, Department of Courts and Prisons.
In the government prison, at the warden office, Jim, dressed as a local officer, talks to the Commandante who is reluctant but wishes him good luck. The three PRF prisoners are lead to the holding room where, behind a wired glass, a bunch of journalists stare at them. The Commandante introduces Jim-as-Special prosecutor Colonel Leon Tiba to the press. Jim announces to the television that the releases are rejected by the government. Jim continues his official statement and asserts that the three prisoners have been found guilty of their crimes and are sentenced to “summary” execution. Jim reveals the precise schedule of the executions by the firing squad: the next day at 6 A.M. for Carlos Marchese, 9 A.M. for Rodolpho Torres and at 12:00 noon for Luis Cabal. He concludes by saying that the executions can be commuted by the release of Walter A. Phelan, unharmed and in good health. In the office of the warden, Jim briefs Dana on how to get into the PRF’s HQ by using the car of Luis Cabal and warns her about Siomney’s diehard attitude. He wishes her good luck. A guard opens up the heavy door leading to the place of the execution to four soldiers, armed with rifles. The press and a TV reporter watch the arrival of the soldiers behind the bars and comment the event. Up on the first floor of the Cortina prison, Jim opens the glass door to two soldiers holding tight PRF prisoner Carlos Marchese to lead him to the Colonnade section. The TV reporter keeps on commenting. Jim reads the death sentence to Carlos Marchese who looses his control, goes down on his knees and begs to be spared. Jim orders the two soldiers to move ahead Marchese to the doors. Before facing the firing squad, the soldiers stops near a side door and one of them shuts the mouth of Marchese with his hand and substitutes him with a prisoner’s dummy and locks him up in the room. The two soldiers tie in the dummy with ropes to the column and hides its face with a black hood. The television reporter comments the death ritual. Jim orders the execution to the squad: “Ready… Aim… Fire”. At 9 A.M., Jim orders the execution of Rodolfo Torres. Later, Jim opens the glass door of the first floor to let the two soldiers lead Luis Cabal down to the heavy door. Jim reads the death sentence to Luis. After learning the accidental death of Paris-as-Phelan, Jim offers an alternate solution: Robert Siomney and executioner Frederico delivered before midnight in order to commute Luis’ death sentence.
Jim and Doug
The press asks Jim-as-Commandante about a feedback from Siomney and Cabal. Jim cuts them dry and introduces Doug as personal representative of the United States government Douglas Lang who makes a statement denouncing the savagery of the PRF and the release negociation of Walter A. Phelan. Jim, once again, shortens the press’ questions. Jim contacts by radio the PRF and Doug talks to Siomney and none of them agree for a compromise. Later on, two soldiers bring Luis Cabal to the holding room and Jim asks him if he is willing to die. Luis replies wisely: “No one is ever willing to die… Colonel”. Doug offers Luis to make a plea to his father but he remains proud and strong: “The whimpering of a coward”. Jim orders the two soldiers to take him to Father Sanchez for the last confession. The press watches them. Jim makes a last statement to Jorge Cabal via the television camera and asks him to call by radio to cease the execution process. Jim starts to order: “Ready… Aim” when Doug opens the heavy door and interrupts the execution and move to Jim to have a talk.
Dana Lambert
Dana poses as Anita Lugano with a pink mini dress, the girlfriend of Luis Cabal, the PRF head's son. During the briefing in the hotel room, Dana wears an awful outfit (brown trousers and yellow shirt).
At the prison, in front of the press, Dana makes her entrance and faces the camera. A Television Nacional reporter asks the purpose of her visit and she replies to plead for mercy for Luis Cabal. Jim lets her in the office. She drives Luis’ old dusty station wagon. She listens to a radio broadcast dealing with the second death sentence and stops her car at the guerrilla raodblock. Three soldiers watch her. One Latin sergeant asks her the purpose of her visit to the vilage of San Estoban while a black private inspects the trunk and notice a secret compartment that he used to build for Luis Cabal to hide guns. The sergeant is not satisfied by her shallow answers and she insists and introduces herself as Luis Cabal’s future wife. The sergeant orders private Juan to drive her in to the village. She parks her car next to the office of the PRF when Siomney greets her. She asks to meet Jorge Cabal but Siomney orders Frederico to put her away in a cell. She discusses with Paris. She begs Cabal to free Paris and therefore save his son Luis. Jorge remains stoic and stiff to Dana’s plea: “My son is a soldier”. Frederico informs both Siomney and Cabal about a radio message. Cabal orders Siomney to release Dana. Frederico unlocks her door. Dana is in the office, stares at Jorge’s face for mercy and runs abruptly outside. She prays in the church of the village when Jorge meets her and he is moved by her love for Luis. Despite Dana’s demand to free Paris, Jorge remains proud and strong: “Our cause, our struggle, is more important, far more important than any one person. Even my son”. He exits. Dana takes a look at her wristwatch that reads 11:50. Frederico opens his flick knife, moves slowly towards Dana and, on his way to stab her in the back, Barney knocks him unconscious from the rear. After watching the storage of the two terrorists and the body of Paris in the blue van, Dana appears, holds the hands of Jorge tight and leave by car.
Doug Robert
Doug flies a helicoptere with Barney for the delivery. He poses as Douglas Lang, representative of the US government, sent to help Walter Phelan. For the anecdote, in the original script, Sam Elliott had the part of Walter A. Phelan.
Interrupting Jim’s firing squad and the elimination of Luis Cabal, Doug speaks to the camera and asserts that at the White House’s special request Luis Cabal has been granted a 15 minutes reprieve and asks the PRF to release immediately the American hostage.
Barney Collier
Barney poses as a government soldier and as a guerrilla rebel, carrying tinted spectacles
Doug flies Barney in the countryside and lands on a clearing. Dressed in a guerrilla outfit, Barney comes out of the helicoptere (shot tilted) and travels through the dense jungle. He sees, at a remote distance, a guerrilla truck (stock footage from “Terror”), quickly hides up on a tree and jumps to the roof of the truck and sneaks into the trunk. Arriving at the village, Barney gets out, snoops around the place and watches the people and Dana. After saving Dana, Barney injects a sedative to Frederico and covers his face with some white liquid plaster and paints and spreads on the facets. Barney tells Dana to get to the car and park it outside and stay hidden. Barney removes the dry mold from Frederico’s face and pours some liquid latex inside. Barney removes the finished mask from the mold and compares it with the face of Frederico. Dana keeps an eye at the door and gives the ok to Barney-as-Frederico to carry the body of the real Frederico into the trunk of the station wagon. Barney-as-Frederico goes to the office to join in Siomney and signals him that the job is done. Siomney orders Barney-as-Frederico to kill Paris so he unlocks his cell and gives him a vial of curare compound that simulates a 15 minutes death. Barney-as-Frederico pours some red paints on the white shirt’s pocket of Paris.
Doug and Barney
Doug flies a helicoptere over the region with Barney and guided by the voice of the rebel faction: both Doug and Barney are dressed in local military uniforms and the backlots are from the MGM estate. Hidden in a bush and near a jeep, Siomney and Frederico, using binoculars, watch the helicoptere. Siomney (as Eagle Control) contacts them to tell the location of the drop: an orange marker, and orders them to fly during 15 minutes at certain coordinates before returning home. Siomney is driven by Frederico back to HQ.
Willy is absent.
Since Paris is locked up in a cell, Barney replaces the master of disguises and as Alexander Ventlos in the season 3 "The Bunker", he fashions a ultra-fast mask on black henchman Frederico (Lee Duncan aka Greg Morris' stunt double). One night footage that’s supposed to depict the fence of the Latin american prison called the Cortina Barracks is actually recycled from the season 1 “Memory”. One footage depicting an overview of a folkloric Latin American town is already used in the prologue of “Flight” and was first seen in the season 4 “Death Squad”. Barry Crane seems to enjoy directing Latin American episodes (see the season 4 “Commandante” and “Death Squad” and the season 5 “Flight”, “The Rebel”, “The Hostage”, “The Catafalque”). Cinematographer Ronald W. Browne uses again the gimmick of the scale of shots in the same frame (Cf. “The Amateur”) thanks to a wide angle lens during Act 1: Ortega’s face in the foreground and Jorge Cabal’s face in the background. The main plot foreshadows the 1972 political film: “État de siège” directed by Costa-Gavras.
Review:
A pamphlet on lefty terrorism that is well highlit. The plot features many MISSION’s M.O. as the phony executions a la "Operation Rogosh" with dummies and a real firing squad a la "Memory". The death sentence scenes are exemplary because they remind the ritualized mood of “The Execution”: see the depressed behavior of Vic Dushell, there, and Marchese, here. Many scenes are noteworthy and are Mission’s trade marks: Paris’ kidnapping scene, Paris’ Hodgkin stroke scene and the unexpected rescue of Dana by Barney. I like the ending a lot: Siomney and the fake Frederico come out of the van, Jim unlocks the handcuffs of Barney who does the mask’s peel-off in front of amazed Siomney followed by the resurrection of dead Paris! This is the second kidnapped Paris episode after "My Friend, My Enemy". This is the second script, after “Flight”, by newcomer Harold Livingston which gives an episode with the theme of the emprisoned man: here, Paris is help prisoner in Cabal’s HQ. This is the last episode written by Livingston and directed by Barry Crane, after “Flight”.
Stock music:
• “The Rebel” (prologue: Paris comes out of the consulate; Act 1: Paris arrives at the PRF HQ; Act 2: Frederico brings back Paris to the office of Cabal; Paris records a message to the government; Act 4: Dana prays in the church of the village)
• “The Killer” (prologue: Paris is sat on a taxi; Act 1: Paris grabs wild berries and is sent to a cell; Frederico warns Siomney about Paris’ bad health; in the hotel room, Jim pinpoints the location of Cabal’s HQ along with Dana; Jim-as-Colonel Tiba tells the execution schedule to the television; Act 3: Barney jumps to the roof of the guerrilla truck and Dana is stopped at the guerrilla roadblock; the truck arrives at the village; Act 4: Barney knocks Frederico unconscious from the rear; Jim is on his way to order the execution of Luis Cabal)
• “The Council” (Act 2: four soldiers enter the execution place; Act 3: Jim orders the execution of Carlos Marchese; Act 4: Luis is escorted to the holding room and Jim and Doug make him an offer)
• “The Heir Apparent” (Act 4: Frederico opens his flick knife)
• “My Friend, My Enemy” (Act 4: at the office of the PRF, Jorge and Siomney hear a gun detonation and go to the cell of the so-called dead Paris)
• “The Contender” (Act 4: Ortega points a gun at the back of Siomney)
***IMF Out***
Thomas
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Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:32 am
filigrane <filigrane@...>
bellerocorp
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