Original subtitles

♪♪

Welcome to San Leone, Señor Mannix.

From the United States, huh?

You're a long way from home.

Here you are, Señor. La Punta.

Thank you. Oh, I may be getting an important phone call.

I'd appreciate it if you'd put it through right away.

Of course, sir.

Just my luck.

The day the president of the republic is coming to San Leone,

and I have to visit my wife's family.

- When's he coming? - Sunday.

And you approve of your work, of course, then?

Yes, as a matter of fact, I'm a very talented man.

Let's hope you're as talented with a rifle.

Is he reliable?

His type?

Do you think I'm a fool?

Would I risk everything if he were not to be trusted?

Look, on Sunday he will do what he's being paid for.

Then he'll disappear for a few days.

The island will be overrun

with police reinforcements from the mainland.

Then everything will depend

upon how fast our people in the capital can act,

how quickly we can seize control.

- The general's ready to take over. - Good.

When we have power, then Valdek will be free

to leave the country, as I promised him.

And if they cut him down, so what?

- Señor Mannix? - That's right.

You still wish to locate a certain Victor Valdek?

That's why I'm here.

And it's worth a lot of money?

How much is "a lot of money"?

8,000 pesos.

All right, where do we meet?

You know where the Casa Boria is?

I work there.

My name is Carlo Boldesca.

Meet me there at 4:00.

Good-bye.

You talk too much.

Does a Carlo Boldesca work here?

Yes, he does.

He's a porter.

- But it's his day off. - Well, that's strange.

He told me to meet him here at 4:00.

Maybe you'd do me a favor... Would you tell him I was here?

My name is Mannix.

Tell him that I'm still interested in his friend,

and that the price is all right.

He was just here.

He was asking for Carlo Boldesca.

- Hm. Did you tell him? - Yes.

He seemed to accept it?

But he said Carlo was a friend of Victor.

Now, how could Carlo even know about Victor?

It doesn't matter how he knows; I've sent him away.

I will be so glad when this is all over.

It won't be much longer, my dear.

Nearly all the arrangements are made.

And forget about Carlo.

He won't be talking to Mannix.

The police are interested in someone in here.

It's not you,

it's not me...

so it must be you!

How do you know the police are interested in me?

There's a dead man down there.

Somebody stabbed him and threw him over the edge.

Well, if you think I killed him, Inspector... arrest me.

No.

I don't think you killed him.

But I'm interested in this man you advertised for.

He's a hero.

He dragged a wealthy man's son out of a wrecked plane,

saved his life.

And now my men drag a man up the hill,

much too late to save his life.

Victor, Carlo Boldesca has been killed.

Did you have anything to do with it?

As if I would use a knife.

How much longer is this going on?

Adrianna, darling, if you can have patience

for a few more days, this will all be over.

He's not a man I find it easy to talk about.

It never is... about a man that you were once in love with.

Where is he now?

He's dead.

He was killed two years ago in the earthquake.

Mm.

I'll, uh...

have to check out his death for my client.

I hope you understand.

Then, will you go back to the United States?

If I'm satisfied he's dead, yes.

- Interesting man, huh? - Very.

A murderer, a thief, a forger.

Name it, Valdek was all of it.

Even a hero.

He was a very elusive man, always disappearing

before anyone could put the finger on him.

And he seemed to inspire loyalty in everybody he worked with.

No one ever betrayed him.

Not even a woman?

Not even a woman.

I got a present for you, a going-away present.

Here.

Any message with the money?

Tickets.

One to the mainland and one first-class to Los Angeles.

If you want my advice, be smart, use them.

You were leaving on the afternoon plane.

And you can tell him I intend to stay

until I find out what's going on around here.

What are you going to do about him now?

Well, that is for the count to decide.

All I know is there cannot be any more mistakes.

Adrianna...

tell me one thing.

This Mannix...

are you going to see him again?

I don't know.

Because it might be dangerous.

For me?

For Mannix.

You're finally admitting he's alive.

Yes.

I only wanted to put him in touch with my client.

Nobody had to lie to me or try and pay me off.

I know that... that's why I'm talking to you now.

What is he to you?

He's my husband.

Step aboard, Mr. Mannix.

I understand.

Mannix hasn't left the island.

Where is he?

From what I've just been told, he may be here.

He is an extremely obstinate person.

Let's go.

♪♪

It's a good thing you saw him.

Mm. Not so good for him.

Now, tell me, what is it that you object to in the idea?

What is it that's bothering you, Felipe?

When a plan is laid down, I like to stick to it.

But there are other ways of getting rid of Mannix, you know.

Of course.

But, my dear fellow, think of the advantages.

In the original plan,

Valdek fires the shot and disappears, hm?

- Mm. - Very well. But what then?

Everyone will be asking the same questions:

Who was the assassin?

Where is he?

Remember, it's from the balcony of this building

that the shot will be fired,

and the police will certainly speculate

as to why and how.

But the other way...

Valdek will still be the assassin.

Of course, naturally.

But you, Major Muller, become a hero,

and the police have no reason to suspect me at all.

Because up there on the balcony

will be the body of the assassin

whom you have caught in the act...

and whom you shot when he attacked you.

A hired killer from the United States

with the blood money in his pocket.

A man who only the other day broke into my house,

a man who can have not the slightest connection with me...

and whom we dispose of in this way...

very conveniently.

Aren't you pleased?

Doesn't the neatness of it delight you?

You don't object to being a hero, do you?

If I did...

you talked me out of it.

Well, perhaps you have

some personal feelings about killing Mr. Mannix?

No.

Good.

Killing him...

will be a pleasure.

♪♪

You think it's true, Inspector?

I don't know.

Rumors, whispers.

Her uncle works for the foreign office, huh?

He drinks too much wine.

He talks of an assassination.

When?

Where?

God knows.

Where will it get them?

It sets the pot boiling, hmm?

Reduces the country to chaos.

And then you know what happens.

The interested parties step in...

and in the name of law and order they dissolve the government.

And then we have martial law... and firing squads.

We'd better tighten our security in case it's set for the island.

Or better still, you get your hands on the assassin

before he makes an attempt if he is on the island.

Easy, huh?

We could pick up all the possibles on the island.

We'll pick them up, all right, but that's no guarantee.

He could be an unknown or tucked away someplace.

You pray to God that if it happens,

it happens on the mainland and not here.

Is he a possible?

Cassana took it.

At the time I didn't think anything of it,

but now I'm not so sure.

Hell, I'm not so sure about anything anymore.

I can pick up Gufo and Czerny in ten minutes,

but Mannix... he's gone.

Cassana says he flew over to the mainland yesterday.

Maybe I was wrong.

The important thing is, he's gone.

There was no need for violence.

I didn't want to use Gufo and Czerny.

They're crude, greedy men.

You know, I even liked Mannix.

He was stupid.

Stupid?

Throwing away $5,000.

Not everyone worships money.

It's a pleasant religion.

Greed when it's Gufo and Czerny,

but it's a religion when it's to you, huh?

Don't you think

that we're entitled to some of the vulgar pleasures of money?

After all we've been through.

I know things have been difficult for you.

But we're about to be free.

If you were staying longer, we'd have made you more comfortable.

The count wanted your last impression of him

to be a kindly one,

but unfortunately he can't be here.

He's giving a party.

♪♪

My dear marquesa,

it is not age that is destroying us, it is economics.

You are too pessimistic, my dear count.

Not at all... I fight.

I try to keep history from overwhelming me.

Oh, how?

Hmm, I do what is necessary.

Good or bad things?

Oh, sometimes, would you believe it, quite monstrous things.

You are joking.

My dear Alicia, since the new regime,

I am much too poor to joke, believe me.

How long will he be unconscious?

Long enough.

20 minutes should be long enough.

Have you a cigarette?

- Have you a cigarette? - Smoke later.

Is that an order, Major?

Yes, and put the damn rifle down until you have to use it.

Are you nervous, Major?

What is the matter, Major?

Have you never killed a man before?

I don't mean in combat.

There you shoot them down by the score,

you probably feel nothing.

I mean, have you ever killed a man, just one against the other?

It's not easy, not the first time.

It helps if you're angry,

or if the man is coming at you... That gives you an alibi,

but, Major, when a man is lying helpless...

Shut up!

Now it's time, Major.

I will shoot him at 150 meters.

I cannot miss.

In the mountains we used to shoot wild goats

at 200, 300 meters.

If we missed then, we had no dinner.

Did you ever shoot wild goats, Major?

You're talking too much.

Peasants... you fill your lives with nothing but talk.

Oh, I was born poor, that is true,

but it was God's mistake.

You see, we peasants want the same as you, Major.

We want the best,

not slop, and a man has only one life.

It says that on the television, right?

Look at that arrogant fool...

standing there like a monument to himself.

Yes, that must be his military training.

When you finish, you drop the rifle and get out.

Don't worry, Major, I won't wait to be congratulated by you.

Good-bye, Major, I'll send you a postcard.

No, no.

No, no, no, it wasn't me, Inspector.

It was him... the American.

He fired the shot?

I saw him do it with the rifle.

He even tried to shoot me,

so I hit him.

I should have killed him.

Luis, get everybody downstairs.

Dead center... That's where you hit him.

Hit who?

The president of the republic.

The president?

- Count Boria. - Yes.

Have you seen this man before?

Yes, once.

We found him late at night in the casa after we'd closed.

All right, talk.

I didn't shoot the president.

Now, w-why would I shoot him?

Luis, search him.

Dollars.

Could this be the reason?

Very interesting.

Could he be one of their government men?

Oh, come on, Inspector, they planted that on me.

Who planted it on you?

Major Muller o-or the real assassin.

Who would the real assassin be?

Victor Valdek.

Victor Valdek, by your own evidence,

is buried in a grave in Mirava.

He's not buried in Mirava.

He's not buried anyplace.

Can you prove that?

Yeah, his, his porter could...

- Carlo Boldesca. - Boldesca?

Yeah, h-he must have bumped into Valdek, recognized him.

And?

And then they killed him so that he wouldn't tell me.

Carlo did work for me, Inspector,

but I'm not in the habit of talking with my porters

about their personal affairs.

I know nothing about this Victor Valdek.

How do you know that Victor Valdek is alive?

His wife.

He has a wife living here on this island?

Yeah, Adrianna Medova.

She works for the count, too.

I don't know why the count and this Major Muller wanted

the president killed, but I do know

that Victor Valdek was to be the hit man.

You are suggesting to me that Count Boria is framing you

for a crime he used Victor Valdek to commit?

That's pretty obvious, isn't it?

I don't know how obvious it is, but it's certainly ingenious.

Count Boria.

My dear inspector, if I wished to have someone assassinated,

I would be extremely stupid to have it done

from one of my own places of business.

I think I want to talk to Mr. Mannix alone.

Certainly.

Luis, you stay.

Look, I am the one friend

that you have on this island.

You'd better tell me the truth.

You don't believe me?

How can I believe you?

You were found here with the gloves on,

with... with a warm rifle beside you.

How do you expect me to believe you?

Inspector.

I didn't do it.

You give me the lead on the people that you're working for...

The left, the right, the army, students, the government,

I don't care.

But just tell me the truth.

Victor Valdek is the man you want.

Victor Valdek is dead, and we both know that.

It's the firing squad for you, friend,

and maybe tomorrow at dawn.

Now you think about that.

And without the benefit of a trial.

No one will be able to fix it for you!

Not even your own people in Washington.

I've told you the truth. Now get Major Muller to talk,

or get Adrianna Medova.

Give me their names.

Tell me the truth.

I've told you everything I know.

Count Boria engineered the killing.

Valdek was the assassin.

Luis...

get the men back here.

I'm tired of talking to this assassin.

Come back, Mannix.

You don't have a chance.

In about 60 seconds the police'll be here

asking if you've seen me.

They were here last night, asking the same thing.

Bernard phoned. He thought you might show up here.

Joe...

did you shoot the number one man?

Come on, what do you think, Rosa?

I'm asking a question. Yes or no?

No, and if you don't believe it, the hell with you and Bernard.

I'll make it on my own.

Such heroics.

Come on.

Has my license expired, Inspector?

Today above of all days, Rosa, no jokes.

Well, a drink, then?

Your little boy from the States has been playing with guns.

All right, go through the whole place.

I don't think he did it.

Why not?

I know Joe Mannix.

Known him forever, it seems.

He isn't the kind.

Thanks for your expert analysis, Madame Freud.

I know men. It's my business.

As of this moment, you have no business.

Your bar is closed.

And I'll have one of my men staying at the door.

Can he play backgammon?

Well, is there any game he's good at?

Listen...

Rosa.

You put the finger

on Mannix for me,

and I promise you...

I'll give you all the money that we found on him.

Is it a lot of money?

It's $5,000.

Oh, dear. That much?

Mm-hmm.

Isn't it lousy...

I'm not gonna be able to earn it.

Now, don't complain, Joe, if the tomatoes are a little warm.

I stuffed them away

because Varga left a cop downstairs.

What's happening?

The Inspector is taking the city apart.

I've got to get my hands on Valdek.

Forget him.

You've got to get off the island.

Now, if you can make it to the Mainland,

it'll be easy enough to go underground

until things cool off.

Is the cheese good?

Delicious.

Oh, I spoke with Bernard.

Tomorrow they're taking you out of here.

Where to?

I don't know, but when you hear somebody tap three times

on the skylight, open it.

It'll be the undertaker.

Great timing, Rosa.

And do what he says. Bernard's arranged everything.

I'd better get back downstairs

before the ape starts looking for me.

Goodbye, Joe.

Oh.

Here, take this...

for insurance.

♪♪

♪♪

I'm going in that?

This won't be my best job.

It can't be. You wanted air.

Nobody ever asked for air before.

Who?

It's Ostrov. You know, from the market...

Gallstones.

Did you get the assassin yet?

We'll nab him. Don't worry.

Shh.

How long will I be here?

Depends. Maybe tomorrow night.

You know I didn't shoot him.

Whatever you say.

I wasn't a passionate follower of the president.

- Mm. - But stay here.

If the police see you,

they're not going to stop to ask questions.

- Yeah. Uh, Bernard? - Yes?

Do you know where Adrianna lives?

Yes. Why?

I want to know who owns, rents or lives

in all of the houses around her.

- It's important? - It's important.

Lock the door after me when I go.

I'll be back later tonight with some clothes.

Get into these.

There's money in the coat pocket.

You're moving out the first thing in the morning.

Did you find out about her neighbors?

Yes. The third house up

from Adrianna Medova's is unoccupied.

It's owned by Count Boria.

It's touchy.

Whatever you're thinking... Forget it.

♪♪

♪♪

What are you doing here? What do you want?

I'm looking for your husband.

He's not here!

Joe Mannix...

Nothing can help you. Don't you know that?

I didn't shoot him, and you know it. Your husband did.

You are all liars!

Adrianna, don't you understand that they're using you...

Your husband, the count, all of them!

The minute that you leave here, I'm going to call the police.

I know where Victor is.

You're trying to destroy him because I love him,

but he's my husband, and I know him,

and he's no assassin.

Now you...

All right!

Stand aside!

You were lucky there was a plainclothesman who spotted you.

Otherwise, they would have torn you apart.

Raise your hands!

Keep them there!

All right now,

we have an open square to cross.

Don't attract any attention

if you want to make it to the other side.

Let's go.

Before we go, Inspector, can I ask you one question?

You have one question.

If I can put my hands on Victor Valdek, alive,

would you take a chance on my story?

That you were framed?

Right.

I might.

I can get him for you in just about ten seconds.

If you don't get him now, you never will.

You can walk behind me, keep a gun at my back.

All right.

He's in there.

♪♪

Cassana.

He is not Cassana.

He is Victor Valdek.

Inspector, what is this all about?

What are you doing here?

I thought you were out of the city.

You said your mother was sick.

I got back last night.

My mother is fine.

It was a... a false alarm.

Is this the American who killed El Presidente?

Never mind about that.

He says you're Victor Valdek.

How did you get in here?

I know the caretaker.

What does he mean, I'm Valdek?

Inspector, passport with his picture,

but a phony name.

Let me see that.

Plane tickets all the way to Albania.

And a picture of his wife.

Now do you believe me, Inspector?

Send a couple of men up for Count Boria.

And the major... What's his name? Muller.

Oh, just one moment.

One moment.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Valdek!

Valdek!

Give it up, Valdek!

You'll get your wife killed!

Is it bad?

No.

How's yours?