Original subtitles

Yes, who is it?

Extraordinary. To make that sort of impact, he must have weighed about 10

or be travelling about 100 miles an hour.

Roller skates?

He wasn't wearing any, I don't think.

Maybe he was practising a ski jump, launched himself from over there, flew

through the air... And forgot to apply his brakes.

No explanation at all.

Well, whatever it was, it was something very nasty.

Mr Steed?

Mrs. Peel?

I'm Cynthia Wentworth Howe, top hush secretary to the minister.

How do you do?

Top hush? We assistants come in four grades.

Confidential, secret, most secret, and top hush.

You've reached the top of your profession, then? Not quite.

My ultimate ambition is to achieve the special category of button lip.

The pinnacle of secrecy. Not a single syllable passed on before being vetted,

examined, coded, and cleared.

But to business, I must assist you in any way I can. Good.

Let's start with the man who got plastered, then.

Pla... We assistants don't approve of levity, Mr Steed.

The gentleman in question was Dr Charles Gray, A .D., Mem of Royal Instavik C .B

.E. R .I .P.

Dr Charles Gray was a brilliant and respected scientist, engaged on

development for the Ministry. His work was of a specialised and highly secret

nature.

Electric fans.

I beg your pardon?

This is the diagram of an electric fan.

Oh.

Specialized and highly secret?

I think we'd better have a look in the safe.

What? Dr. Gray's safe. We'd like to have a look at his papers.

His secret papers? You have the right idea.

You'll have to sign a check.

Right. Intrinsicant.

The three -headed bureaucrat.

Well, Gray wasn't killed for the plans of a fiendishly new electric fan.

Still warm.

I should warn you, if you're taking the papers away, there'll have to be a

special dispensation from security.

There's no need to bother.

Now that's a neat trick.

Burn the inside of a safe while it's locked and sealed on the outside.

What were the papers in there?

I suppose they were the details of Project 90.

Pardon? Project 90.

Now that sounds more interesting.

I've no idea what the project was. It was abandoned some months ago. They

overspent their allocation and got no results.

Then?

This was the team.

They were based at Risleydale Research Centre.

It's been closed down too now.

You recognize Dr.

Gray, of course.

And that's Dr.

Cresswell, Mr. Mankin, Mr. Joubert, and poor Mr. Bryant.

Poor Mr. Bryant? He fell out of a window in the last week.

Badly hurt?

Mortally. It was on the 12th floor.

That is Mankin, Cresswell, and Joubert that has a fine Gaelic ring to it. And

your French is impeccable.

Au revoir.

Don't forget to return the key.

Mr. Joubert?

You missed lunch again?

You really ought to eat something.

Mr. Joubert?

Call the generator.

Hurry, tell them there's something wrong with her power supply, quickly.

Hello?

Hello?

Did you get the generator room?

happened I was rather hoping you could tell me I'm not sure I came

out to use the phone and there was someone here a man I think and a

sound strange sort of sound strange how what kind of sound

well it was weird like

you

Thank you.

You don't happen to be carrying around a large brandy, do you?

No, I'm travelling light. What happened? Are you all right?

Well,

it happened like... I haven't the faintest idea.

It was something to do with a door.

No doors that fight back.

Yes, it was a car door.

It was around here. There was a blue van.

And it bit you?

Well, I went to open the rear door, and then, bingo, a galaxy of stars, then

oblivion. Do you think someone came up behind you?

No, no, I'm sure they didn't.

And I remember there was a very, very odd noise.

What kind of noise?

Well, very odd. It's hard to describe.

Like that?

Yes, like that.

Maurice Joubert's secretary, I did too. The late Maurice Joubert.

He's dead.

Well, it seems to me you are on the right track.

And that's about all.

Steve?

Could it have been a woman, whoever it was that attacked you?

Makeup.

Odd, greasy sort of makeup.

Looks as though we're dealing with a slippery customer.

Dr. Cresswell, it's very nice to see you.

This is the gentleman I came down to see.

How do you do?

Oh, allow me. My name is Steed. I'm sure the ministry told you we were coming.

Oh, yes.

Yes, that's right.

But I wasn't expecting... Oh, Mrs.

Peel is at times a little impetuous.

Do you always greet your visitors at gunpoint?

Oh, good heavens, no, no.

No, I had been out shooting rabbits, you see, and I didn't expect... Please

don't apologize.

Very glad to contact you.

You were in charge of Project 90?

Yes, absorbing project.

Oh, you mean you know about it? Couldn't understand why it was cancelled.

You still have a lot of friends at the ministry.

Oh, does that mean that the project is going to be opened again?

Not here. Let's discuss it later. At your home, you do live near here, I

believe. Oh, well, yes. As a matter of fact, just about a quarter mile. Want

another cup of tea?

Oh, well, I... Maybe even a drink?

Well, I suppose so. Good man.

Oh, Mrs. Peele will join us later. She wants to have a thorough look round

Risleydale.

Well, this is a pleasant spot. And very conveniently close to the old research

centre. Yes, yes. Well, I didn't think there was much point in moving.

And I must say that retirement doesn't have any of the terrors that I expected.

Why did you retire so early?

Well, I didn't have very much choice, did I? Oh, of course, Project 90 getting

the chop and all that. More or less.

Naturally, I disagreed with the decision.

Naturally. All the same, we could do with a few breakthroughs in that field.

Oh, exactly.

High -frequency electronics has tremendous potential.

Sherry? Thank you. High -frequency electronics.

Well, the Americans have poured millions into it. Well, of course they have.

We were well -established, you know. We were developing ultra -high frequencies

when the team went dotty. Doty?

Broadcast power.

Oh, broadcast power.

I was against the idea, you know, from the start.

I mean, it just isn't feasible.

Broadcasting electricity by radio waves. But you were the director of the

project. Yes, well, at first it seemed harmless enough. You know, simple bench

tests. But before I knew it, they were building generators.

They were using funds allocated for other work. The whole thing just got

completely out of hand.

And then the Ministry closed you down.

Years of work thrown away on a senseless pipe dream.

An entire project ruined by one man.

One man? The fool who started us on broadcast power.

Mankin. James Mankin.

Astonishing.

Some kind of natural phenomenon.

Natural?

Yes, a fireball.

You know, a cloud of static electricity.

Some sort of freak phenomenon.

That could be possible.

Well, I won't detain you any longer, Dr. Cresswell. Thank you very much for the

drink. Don't worry, I'll find my own way out.

Find anything?

Yes, I also heard something a few moments ago, a sort of crackling sound.

should have seen the fireworks in there. I'll tell you about it later.

Look, Steve, just there.

A handprint.

Preserved in make -up.

When do you think you'll get your first bite?

Never, if you keep on talking.

Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I forgot you were a top hush girl.

You know, it's quite surprising to find you doing this.

It's nice to get away from people once in a while.

I'm not people. I'm business. Ministry business.

My day off.

May I make a suggestion?

What?

I would say a flaming kestrel fly for these waters. No, I prefer red coachmen.

You're a fishing man, then?

At least a stretch on the test.

As a matter of fact, I got a ten -pound salmon last week. Really? Where? In Bond

Street. I was walking by a hotel and it fell out of the window straight into my

arms. It was a contretemps with a chef. He's a very volatile fellow. But he had

no aim with a salmon.

Of course, I threw it back. It would be hardly sporting to hold on to it.

Now, that suits you. It's very good for the face muscles.

You might as well get as much laughing in as you can before it happens.

Before what happens?

Before you get elevated to button lift. You can hardly laugh in button lift.

Well, what can I do for you?

Project 90. I'd like to see the ministry files.

Ministry files? That's utterly impossible. No one sees the ministry

Only red card holders.

But surely... I'm sorry, it's out of the question. Red card holders only. And a

red card, well, that's about as rare as a salmon in Bond Street.

Steed. I'd no idea.

All the confidential war records are kept here.

Have there been many confidential wars?

Cleaning must be a bit of a problem.

No cleaners with red cards.

I can hardly see the Prime Minister whisking his way around here with a

mop.

Well, I don't know. Maybe I could.

Voices aren't raised here.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

This is the one you need.

You seem to have pyromaniac mice.

It will be a terrible fuss.

A full inquiry.

Play havoc with your fishing.

Now, how do I find out about Project 90?

The only person who can help you now is Mankin.

James Mankin.

Mr. Mankin's very busy at the moment. Do you have an appointment?

No, but I'm sure he'll see me. John Steed from the Ministry.

One moment.

Mr. Mankin.

Yes, what is it?

Mr. Steed is here to see you. He says he's from the Ministry.

Very well, send him in. I'll see him. Go through, please.

Thank you.

Mr. Mankin?

Mr.

Mankin?

Yes? It's very kind of you to see me. I'm very busy.

You did say the ministry, Mr. Steele? Yes, about Project 90.

Oh? And broadcast power. Is it possible, Mr. Mankin? Your ministry doesn't seem

to think so.

But you do.

I spent years proving it. All it got me was the sack.

Dr. Creswell thinks it wasn't fully proved.

Dr. Creswell doesn't think.

Why are you so sure about broadcast power, Mr. Mankin? Why are you so

interested, Mr. Steele?

Because someone has been trying to destroy all trace of Project 90 and the

people who worked on it.

I heard about Bryant and Charles Gray. Accidents, they said.

No accidents.

Yesterday, Maurice Joubert was murdered.

Well?

You seem to be taking it very calmly.

I'm busy, and also I don't believe a word of it. I can assure you they were

accidents. I don't doubt it, but not because of Project 90.

The applications of broadcast power are quite ordinary, Mr. Steed.

There was no motive for murder in any of the work we did.

You could be mistaken.

Very well, I'll show you.

As simply as possible.

This device here produces static electricity.

The development of a Winshurst machine.

Oh. Oh, well, that makes things easier.

The electrostatic energy is converted into a very high -frequency wave pattern

here, fed into this transmitter, and just about ready.

You see this electric fan? No wires, no hidden batteries, but... Observe.

No power source other than the energy I'm broadcasting.

That's very strange.

You know, Dr. Gray was designing a fan when he was murdered.

That doesn't mean a thing.

This is the type of equipment we used on the project.

Hardly the ultimate weapon, Mr. Steed.

What are the... Do be careful.

What if the range and power were unlimited?

And it could be unlimited.

If we'd been given time to develop it, you could power anything.

Cars, aircraft, entire cities.

But Creswell never believed in it. He treated it like a toy.

But he surely gave the authorization for the research.

Yeah, and forced us into a demonstration we were all against.

And you failed.

Well, of course. I knew we'd fail. It was too soon. We weren't ready.

At least Creswell got the sack, along with the rest of us.

What are you doing here?

Still developing broadcast power?

Wish I was.

This is a commercial outfit. I spend most of my time tarting up stereophonic

sound and radar.

But whenever I get the chance, I return to this.

Then I should be careful, Mr. Mack.

I have a feeling someone has another use for broadcast power.

Bye.

Do you know anyone who wants to buy a vintage Bentley in a new two -tone shade

of green and slightly singed?

I have just survived an electrifying experience, and I'll swap you all the

details. For a large brandy? Ah, I was driving along the road, minding my own

business, enjoying and breathing the good country air, contemplating the

of England in summertime. You were driving along?

When I noticed a van following me. The one with handles that fight back?

Right, and as soon as I recognised the fact, pop.

Pop? Bang splat.

Bang splat?

All my car's wiring burnt out. The car was full of smoke. I was blinded. There

was a gate post rushing up towards me. But with a tremendous fervour in the

land, and I may say great driving skills.

And a good deal of luck.

Anyway, it was a very near thing. The car's still working, but all my little

dials are kaput. Even the altimeter.

Never mind. If one day you happen to be driving at more than 10 ,000 feet, I'm

sure you'll notice.

What do you think did it?

Broadcast power.

Sending electricity just as you would a radio message.

That's what Mankin was working on. You saw Mankin?

Oh, yes, I saw Mankin.

And I gave him something to think about.

Hello?

Yes, he's here.

It's for you.

Hello? Steed?

Mankin.

Look, what you were saying started me thinking, so I decided to ride out to

Risleydale. Oh, you've actually been there.

Yes, I'm there now.

Look, Steed, I think you may well be right.

Something is going on.

Hold on, Mr. Mankin.

Mankin's at Risleydale now. He's on to something.

Or up to something.

Do you want to meet him?

I'll see you later at Griswold.

Hello, Mr. Mankin?

Ah, Mrs.

Peel is on her way right now.

Right. I'll be waiting.

Hello, Dr. Cresswell. Not disturbing you, I hope?

Well, I'm rather... Good.

I thought if I caught you at this time, you'd be free. Well, no, I'm extremely

busy. Forgive the unconventional entrance.

It's basic training. Old habits die hardy. Do you mind?

Look, Steve, I don't wish to be rude, but I was deeply engrossed in this

diagram before you came in, and I wish to get on with it. I thought you were

pacing the floor before I came in. It looked to me as though you were waiting

for someone, but you couldn't have been waiting for anyone if you were engrossed

in the circuit diagram. Well, I was thinking.

Go ahead. I'll be as quiet as a mouse.

You're extremely edgy, Dr. Cresswell.

You've been working too hard. Why not some of this excellent sherry? It is

excellent. Steed, what do you want?

Information.

Mankin seems to feel that you were sabotaging Project 90.

Are you sure you're not waiting for someone?

Oh, it's ridiculous.

What is?

Manken's suggestion.

It's ridiculous. Why should I or anybody wish to sabotage Project 90?

Broadcast electricity.

I thought the Ministry had abandoned that particular little pipe dream.

the Ministry have, but somebody else is still pursuing it. It'd make a very neat

little secret weapon, if it were possible.

If? That's what I said. If.

Hayworth. This is an unexpected pleasure. I didn't expect to see you.

This is Mr. Steed from the Ministry.

This is Peter Hayworth.

Delighted. Forgive me, sprained a tendon playing bridge.

You play a rough game, Mr. Steed. Well, I expect you called for those papers.

Well, there we are.

They won't keep you, then.

Don't go now. You've only just arrived. Dr.

Cresswell's the host, but I'm doing the honors. He's a trifle off color today.

You're an electronics expert, too, I imagine.

Those papers, very complex to the layman. Well, he does occasionally

So you've worked together before.

Project 90, eh?

Ah, that must be Mrs. Peel.

Mrs. Peel? Told her to meet me here. She may have some news from Risleydale.

I thought I told you to kill her.

I thought I had.

Mrs. Peel. How did it go at Risleydale?

False alarm.

Oh, I'm sorry. We haven't met.

Mrs. Peel, may I introduce Peter Hayworth? You know Dr.

Cresswell? How do you do?

Hadn't we better get going? We're going to be late for that dinner appointment

with Mankin.

What dinner?

Oh, yes. Thank you for jogging my memory.

I think, gentlemen, we'd better say goodbye.

Goodbye. Allow me. Thank you.

I am sorry.

My pleasure. I don't usually fall for strangers.

Well, goodbye, Mrs. Peel.

Steed, goodbye, Doctor.

Goodbye.

What was all that about?

You didn't trip, we don't have a dinner engagement, and to plumb the depths of

utter banality with I don't usually fall for strangers. It was a corny situation

calling for corny measures.

I wanted to get my hand on his collar.

Didn't you see? It was thick with make -up.

Odd, greasy sort of make -up.

There should be enough here to put under a microscope.

Good girl.

And Manken?

Dead, I'm afraid.

Electrocuted. So would I be if I didn't have rubber soles on my shoes.

And the kick on the shin?

Who's that?

I just felt like that.

Are you sure you took care of Mankin?

Oh, yes.

Gave him a nasty shock.

So they've all gone, then.

Mankin, Gray, Bryant, Joubert.

All their files are destroyed.

All the dangers are eliminated.

Except for Steed and Mrs. Peel.

Well, they can only guess as to what's happened. They don't know how it was

done.

I think it's about time we showed them.

Yes, I know it's late.

I've been slaving over a hot Bunsen burner.

Yes, I've been doing tests on that sample of makeup.

It contains particles of aluminium.

And there are also traces of a non -conducting oil.

It doesn't conduct electricity.

That's right, it acts as a sort of insulation.

Wait.

It's perfectly logical. After all, an ordinary makeup insulates a girl against

all sorts of things.

No, not those sort of things.

Against the wind and the weather, for example.

So why not a makeup that insulates the wearer against high voltage?

Hmm?

All right.

Yes, I'll see you tomorrow.

I want you in my arms again, Mrs. Peel.

Into my arms.

Good morning, Mrs. Peel.

I trust you slept well.

As well as can be expected.

What time is breakfast?

I would have rung, but as you can see, I'm all tied up. And you'll stay that

way?

Oh, it's you, my shocking friend.

I hate to tell you, but I think you're losing your power.

Quite deliberate.

We didn't want to kill you.

Yet. And I'm sure you have a very good reason.

Certainly. I imagine you know where you are.

I'm at Risley Dale.

But that's obvious.

And then there's the question of Steed.

Steed?

That's all we want.

That's why we had to keep you alive, Mrs. Peel.

To get Steed to come here.

I'm the bait.

Two for the price of one.

He'll know it's a trap.

Not if you call him.

And you will call him.

When I have edited our little conversation.

Forgive me.

Mrs.

Peel, good morning. How are you?

Mrs. Peel, are you all right?

Where are you?

I'm at Risleydale.

Mrs. Peel?

Hello?

He'll be here in about 30 minutes.

Perhaps. Oh, he'll come.

He may have his suspicions, but that won't matter.

He won't suspect you.

And you are going to kill him.

Spare my blushes.

Mrs. Peel, you are looking at a superman.

You're wrong. His pectorals are far from perfect.

He's a prototype, the first of many.

His power is unlimited.

False. His power is limited by what your little blue van out there, your mobile

generator, is capable of giving out.

Say, about 10 ,000 volts?

Oh, no, Mrs. Peel, much more than that. We take the power from a small engine,

but we build it up, transform it, pushing it up and up. Until he becomes a

walking dynamo.

The technique is so simple.

First he is sprayed with... With a non -conductive oil.

It acts as an insulation, a sort of protection.

Then comes a substance containing aluminium particles, a sort of outer

You said that you had destroyed all the files.

I did. It was an educated guess, Dr. Croswell.

Plus, a little research.

What a great pity, Mrs. Peel.

That brilliant mind won't be with us much longer.

I must test the generator.

A walking dynamo.

My pectorals may leave much to be desired, Mrs. Peel, but I'm the most

man you are ever likely to meet.

Hear that?

Power.

Broadcast power.

A life force flowing into me, fed by radio waves, making me the most powerful

man on Earth, a king omnipotent.

Careful you don't blow a fuse.

Oh, no.

My protection is guaranteed. You see, you were right.

The inner skin protects me, the non -conductive oil.

And the aluminium particles carry the electric charge.

Very good, Mrs Peel. Top marks.

The power ripples across my skin like muscles.

At least 25 ,000 volts of it I can kill, burn, destroy.

A superman.

And in a few months' time, there will be a hundred like him.

For what purpose?

You might call it a takeover bid, Mrs. Peel.

Society owes me many things.

And when my army of supermen moves in on society, I shall dictate the terms

then.

I will bring the government to its knees.

I will become the government.

I will rule.

What happens if there's a power cut?

The table is completely insulated, Mrs. Peel.

But soon, you will be charged with 25 ,000 votes.

And then whoever touches you will earth you. And the shock will kill both you

and the person who touches you. And I'm sure Mr. Steed will want to free you.

It's rather elaborate, but it's in the nature of an experiment.

A technique that we've been wanting to try for a very long time.

Steed's coming.

Mrs. B, I recognize those eyes anywhere.

I knew you had sterling qualities, but bright silver.

Where do you hallmark?

Don't worry, I'll have you out in a jiffy. Time for pleasantries later.

I haven't to be charged with 25 ,000 volts.

I attribute that to your personal magnetism. I mean it. Listen to that

generator. It's lucky I'm not Earth, then. I happen to be wearing rubber

galoshes, the English gentleman's best friend.

Guaranteed to protect you against the vagaries of our delightful planet and

25 ,000 volts.

Oh.

There's something wrong.

She's still holding the charge.

It's up to me, then.

Criswell's a complete megalomaniac. He's planning to take over the country.

Well, we've got to stop him.

How does that fit, Morgan?

Well, not exactly snug, but adequate.

um

No!

You ruined his makeup.

Steve?

Where have you been?

I've been waiting for you.

I've been messing about with all this electricity.

I don't know how, but I'm magnetized.

I'm stuck to the car.

It's no laughing matter, Mrs. Beale. How am I to call the garage and tell them

I'm stuck to my... Well, how am I to call the garage?

This is most indelicate of you.

Now, let me see.

How can I be constructive?

What are you, AC or DC?

I've never had occasion to find out.

Here.

Let me give you a hand.

Don't fight it, Mrs. Peel.

We're inseparable.