Original subtitles

Oh, Cross, you shouldn't have. I've only been gone three days.

Benson, this could be the most exciting day of our lives.

I want to, Gretchen, but I must save myself for the woman I marry.

Benson, I am not interested in you. I never was, and I never will be. Then I

can't accept these flowers.

Didn't get them for you. I got them for the President of the United States.

Shame on you, Krauss. He's a married man.

Chaplain Sergeant Hawthorne, Sergeant Tyler.

I'm in the kitchen.

I'm lost.

Oh, Miss Krauss. Oh, hi, Branson.

Hi. Krauss, I'm Sergeant Tyler.

Oh, big day, huh?

He's inviting senators?

He didn't say anything about senators to me.

Inviting them to what?

I just got off the phone with Washington. Yeah, yeah. Chicken is good,

good, fish is bad.

That's it?

You didn't find out anything about vegetables?

Vegetables? I forgot the darn vegetables.

I'll get back to you.

What's everybody running around about?

Well, because the president is coming to dinner, dummy.

Oh, tonight?

Yeah. Now, what am I going to fix? Should it be leg of lamb or chicken?

Send out for pizza.

That would be an insult to the President of the United States, a man with the

most difficult job in the world.

Excluding your beautician.

That does it. I'm fixing leg of lamb.

And you get the hoof.

Agent Bartlett and I appreciate your cooperation.

Now, let me just go over this list and put faces with names.

Catherine Olivia Gatling.

That's me.

Benson Dubois.

Present. Denise Florence Downey.

Denise Downey.

That's you.

I forgot.

I just changed my name.

Oh, no, no, it's my real name. I just got married to him.

She's nervous.

She's never been in trouble with the law before.

Nobody's in trouble. This is just standard procedure.

See, we run a check on everybody who will have access to the president.

Gretchen Wilhelmina Krauss?

Ja. I am a citizen, and I have the papers to prove it.

We like to call them the funny papers.

We prefer you don't joke about security.

John Downey? Yo!

Clayton Runnymede Endicott III.

I am he.

Runnymede.

Is that what the R stands for? Runnymede?

I'm warning you, Benson, many a fourth grader got his nose punched for making

fun of my name.

Make a note of that. He beats up on fourth graders.

Mr. Dubois.

The president's security is not a laughing matter.

I hope I don't have to remind you of that again.

Sorry, I'll keep my mouth shut.

I'd pay good money to see that.

Was you going to say anything to her?

You had it coming.

All right, are there any questions?

I have one. You didn't call my name.

That's right, Governor.

You've already been cleared.

We're going to be setting up some communications equipment now.

We'll be around for the rest of the day, but we'll try and stay out of your way.

Thank you all again for your cooperation.

Daddy? Yes? What happens if I don't pass the security check? Does that mean I

can't have dinner with the president?

Honey, I don't think you have a thing to worry about.

That depends.

Do they check your grades?

No, I don't think so.

That's good.

You a security resident? Nothing to worry about.

Unless, of course, she shows up with a blackjack in her book bag.

You're so strange.

What did I do? I was just trying to be nice.

Well, you shouldn't try things you're not familiar with.

Ja, und weil wir at it, don't act like a jerk tonight in front of the president.

I hardly need your advice. I'll have you know the Endicotts have graced many a

presidential meal.

Oh, really?

Yeah, turkeys are always popular at these affairs.

I can see I'm no longer needed here.

Yeah, well, at least he's gonna get to meet the president. I probably won't get

anywhere near him. Why not?

Well, I've got a criminal record.

In college, I was arrested at a demonstration.

An anti -war protest?

No, no, they were gonna raise the prices in the cafeteria.

I'm sure J. Edgar Hoover put that in his files. Pete Downey, ringleader of the

meatloaf conspiracy.

Oh, yeah? I was in jail for almost four hours.

Did you ever do anything bad, Denise?

Once. But the football team promised not to tell.

never want to do those kind of things with me.

Oh, do you think they check your records in the old country? Because, see, I was

once arrested for skinny dipping in the Burgermeister's fish pond.

What was the charge?

Impersonating a carp?

Forget it. I'd better go and start our meal.

Oh, I'm preparing a delicious leg of lamb.

But it'll turn out the same old way.

Your brain needs basting.

Oh, this is exciting. Did you ever have dinner with the president before?

Sort of.

Yeah, once about three years ago when I was in Hawaii, Jerry Ford came into a

restaurant where I was eating.

And you asked him to join you? No, he bumped into my table and spilled a bowl

soup in my lap.

What did you do?

Something resembling the limbo.

Good. We were waiting for you guys.

The governor wants to try out some toast on you.

I kind of like number three.

You're not supposed to tell him, Pete. Well, I'll shift him around so you won't

know which is which.

Oh, okay. Now, what do you think of this? To the president who is forthright

courageous.

Sir, it doesn't say anything.

I mean, anybody can be forthright and courageous.

Well, not just anybody, Clayton. I mean, Benedict Arnold, for example.

He wasn't forthright and courageous.

Well, why don't we just say that to the president?

He's no Benedict Arnold.

Well, maybe I better stick to something traditional.

Sir, I've taken the liberty of making a list of topics for dinner conversation.

Clayton, I'm perfectly capable of carrying on a conversation by myself.

Yes, I'm very well aware of that, sir.

But you shouldn't miss the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of

affairs, perhaps a touch of foreign policy.

You think I'm going to impress the president by reading off cue cards?

No, a politician who can read is always impressive.

Governor.

Governor? Yes.

May I take a minute of your time?

Yes, of course. What is it?

I'm afraid there's going to be one less person at your dinner party this

evening. Well, I hope you don't mean the president. No, no, no, sir.

We have found a possible security risk on your staff.

What? Who?

Well, the person in question is Benson Dubois.

Me? You've got to be kidding. There must be some mistake. I'm afraid not, sir.

What's the problem?

Problem is, we are trying to determine who you are.

Well, as far as I know, I'm Benson Dubois.

Oh? Army records indicate that Benson Dubois died in Korea in 1952.

Agent

McMullen,

what you're telling us can't possibly be true.

It's ridiculous.

There's got to be a screw -up somewhere in Army records. That is one

possibility. But for the time being, we have to assume that Benson Dubois is

dead. Well, for a dead man, I'd pay an awful lot of taxes.

Listen, I can vouch for this man. I've known him for over six years, and during

all that time, he's always been a living Benson Dubois.

If he's not Benson Dubois...

Who is he?

That's what we hope to discover.

Oh, come on. I can't believe this is happening.

You guys are acting like Benson's a spy or something. I'm afraid I can't comment

on that, sir.

No comment.

You're in big trouble, Benson.

I'm not in big trouble. The guy who screwed up my army records is in big

trouble. Now, now, now, let's calm down.

Agent McMullen, uh, Tom, is merely doing his duty.

Well, I'm tired of everyone doing their duty on me.

I'm sorry, sir. I'm simply following procedure.

Listen, uh, Agent McMullen, Tom, whatever your name is, why don't we just

the FBI records for my fingerprints and settle this entire mess?

You have an FBI record?

My military records. Oh, right. We intend to run a fingerprint check, but

meantime, we have to isolate you from the president.

Now, we're going to have to confine you to your office. It's merely routine.

Agent Bartlett will remain there with you.

Oh, so I'm being sent to my room without dinner?

If you'll come with me, sir. Now, wait a minute.

Why would Benson pretend to be somebody else for 30 years?

People have gone to greater lengths to topple the government.

This is stupid. You don't actually want me to believe that this man died in

Korea. Again, no comment, sir.

Ah, well.

Don't worry about it, Governor.

I'll go on to my room without my dinner. But I can tell you one thing. If I died

in Korea and this is the afterlife, it's damn disappointing.

Now, listen, I think we can convince the Secret Service that Benson DuBois is

Benson DuBois.

Now, let's list what we know about him.

He's very intelligent.

Right, right.

I'm not to put too fine a point on it, sir, but he would have to be intelligent

to be a spy.

Okay,

so I'll put it on the other side, too.

And I'll tell you one thing. When everyone else has gone home for the

Benson is still here working. You have to give him that.

What? Hard working.

Of course, on the other hand, that does leave him alone here with access to a

great deal of very sophisticated communications equipment.

I'll tell you what.

I think you're just looking in the wrong area. Now, let's talk about some of his

more personal qualities, like for his hobbies.

Oh, he loves to travel and take pictures.

What am I saying?

Benson is an all -around guy.

He's got a nice job, fancy car, plenty of girlfriends.

You just described James Bond.

All right, now, come on.

Nobody has said that the man we know as Benson DuBois is a spy.

Well, sir, that's obviously what they suspect.

Yeah, otherwise, why would they put an armed guard on him?

Benson, a Russian spy.

No wonder he doesn't like me.

Miss Cross, that's ridiculous. There are a hundred reasons not to like you.

Oh,

that didn't come out right.

Let's not turn against each other.

You know, this is dumb. We haven't proven anything.

Yeah, we have proven one thing. We have proven that none of us know Benson as

well as we thought we did.

You haven't proved anything to me.

I'm going to find Agent McMullen and tell him I think the whole thing stinks.

Haven't they heard anything yet? Sorry.

You know, this whole thing is a big mistake.

Maybe.

You think it'll get cleared up by the time the president gets here?

Possibly.

You ever say more than one word?

Rarely.

You must be great at parties.

Master of small talk.

Funny.

Listen, I'm getting cooped up in here.

Aren't you?

Can I go down and get a cup of coffee?

Sure.

Kitchen.

Proceed.

Do you guys ever work with Gladys Knight?

Agent McMullen, I've got a word with you. Yes, sir? I want to register a

protest against your treatment of my budget director, Benson DuBois.

I hope you people have made some progress in clearing up this

Actually, I was looking for you, sir.

We just received the results of the fingerprint check.

Good! I'm sure Benson will be happy to hear that.

I don't think so.

The prints we sent to Washington don't match those on file of Benson Dubois.

Now, if you'll excuse me, the president's due in 20 minutes, and I

secure the grounds.

This can't be happening. I can't accept it.

What's going to happen to Benson now?

Sir, I am afraid it's time that we start thinking about protecting our own

interests.

I don't care what you say, Pete, and I don't want to hear any more. In my

I know he's Benson.

Denise, the feds are not going to make a big stink about this unless they have

some facts. Well, even if he turns out to be a Russian spy, I still like him.

This is very upsetting.

Well, it could be more than upsetting. If it turns out that Benson is not who

says he is, then, sir, I am afraid you can kiss any further hopes for a

political career goodbye.

Clayton Benson is Benson.

Sir, I'm sorry. That is simply not clear. It is not...

I just

came down to get a cup of coffee.

Hello.

Benson.

Benson, right? I knew that.

Hi, Benson.

Hi.

Hi.

Sir.

What matters now is that that man, whoever he is, is under a cloud of

and we must figure out a way to distance this administration from that cloud.

Clayton. Yes, Benson. I can hear you.

Benson, what are you doing here?

I'm getting a cup of coffee. What's the matter with you people acting so

strange? Benson, I hate to be the one to tell you, but your fingerprints didn't

check out.

What?

Can you believe that?

How many times can those bird brains in Washington screw up?

This is a screw -up, you know.

Benson, whether or not...

We believe it. The fact of the matter is milk has been spilled and we have to

avoid getting any of it on us.

Hmm.

Is that the general opinion held in this room?

Benson, you're my friend.

No matter who you are.

Pete?

I'm basically a journalist. I try to remain neutral.

Governor?

Benson, this is very...

Difficult and confusing.

Well, I'll tell you what's difficult and confusing.

Standing here watching you people conduct a witch hunt.

Methinks he doth protest too much.

Clayton, I'm in a foul mood and I'd be perfectly happy to take it out on you.

It's hard to believe Benson is a Russian... spy.

Is that what they found out? No, not yet. But believe me, it's always the guy

you least suspect.

Well, I never suspected Benson.

See? Wait a minute. You guys are talking like Benson's guilty.

Well, honey, let's just say that right now it doesn't look good.

But there's no way.

Benson's our friend.

Think of all the things he's done for us.

He sure has gotten me out of a lot of jams. He was best man at our wedding.

Helped me get my citizenship papers.

Without him, I'd never gotten reelected.

I do have to admit he's come to my rescue on several occasions.

Right. So, what it boils down to is Benson is a very, very good man.

Right. Or he is the most devious spy that ever lived.

This is incredible.

Even my own friends don't believe me. As Nietzsche once said, Out of chaos comes

order.

Blow it out of your flannels, Dan.

Can we come in?

Sure. You three lost?

Vincent, I just want you to know that from now on, I'll be standing behind

Don't say things like that, Krause. It gives me bad dreams.

Sorry, we're late. Denise can't walk very fast.

Hey, that's not fair. I'm walking for two.

So, what's this all about?

Well, I just didn't want you to think that...

We thought that what they thought would change the way we think about you.

I can see a lot of thinking went into that thought.

Benson? Leighton?

I just want to go on record concerning your questionable status that I

wholeheartedly support whatever the governor's position is.

Leighton, if you're going to be two -faced, why do you wear the ugly one to

work?

Governor? Yes.

The president will be here any minute.

And I have some news for you. Now, just hold your horses, Agent McMullen. I've

got some news for you.

I want you to tell the president that if he wants to meet with me, I will be

here in Benson's office with Benson.

In that case, so will I.

I'm staying, too, Benson.

Yeah, right.

Yeah. We're all staying.

Put that in your free ear, Tom.

Bunsen, we're with you all the way. Now, that won't be necessary.

My news is that Mr.

Dubois has been cleared.

It seems you were the victim of a computer error at the Army Records

Well, that's a modern army.

Used to be they blamed everything on the enlisted man.

Ben, let's get to our posts.

Well, I guess we owe you an apology, Bunsen.

Not me. I always believed in you.

The rest of us owe you an apology, Benson.

I feel pretty ashamed of the way I acted.

Don't be too hard on yourself.

I suppose I would have acted the same way in a similar situation.

That's the terrible thing about suspicion.

Yeah, we just gave in to it.

I guess what really matters is that when the chips were down, you all stood by

me.

And that took a lot of courage.

Well, let's not stand here bumping our gums. We got a president to meet.

I can't believe it. He downy meets the president.

Benson, I am so nervous. I'm afraid I'm going to do something stupid in front of

the president. Do you have any advice?

Here, go to your room and stay there.

Very funny.

Well, it was worth a try.