Original subtitles

SEYMOUR: Richard Fountain, son of the Foreign Secretary and brilliant young Oxford Don.

Enjoys sailing with his pupil, Bob Kirby.

He's unofficially engaged to Penelope Goodrich...

daughter of Walter Goodrich, Provost of Lancaster College.

Fountain is an authority on Greek mythology and is at present in Greece,

researching material for a book on Minoan rites.

I was informed by the Foreign Office that reports had been received from Greece

that Richard Fountain was involved with a group of people

suspected of drug and other criminal offences.

As neither government wanted a political scandal on their hands

I was asked to investigate the matter.

I felt sure that there had been a mistake.

The information certainly didn't fit with the Richard I knew.

We had met some years ago when we were both undergraduates at Oxford.

Richard was Walter Goodrich's protégé,

and after his finals was offered a post as lecturer at Lancaster college.

I have since been told how Goodrich had attempted to organise

both Richard's private and professional life.

So, as a first step, I decided to visit Oxford to try and find out

more about the state of mind he was in before he went to Greece.

- Hello! Mr. Seymour! - Nice to see you again, Parker.

Nice to have seen you, sir.

- Why, Seymour, how are you? - Very well. Good to see you again.

Glad you could make it.

Our Provost still gives the best parties at Oxford.

We're worried about Richard.

We were expecting him back from Greece two days ago.

Richard may not get back from Greece.

What's that I hear about Richard?

I'm so sorry, we haven't been introduced. Bob Kirby.

- Bob is Richard's star pupil. - How do you know so much about Richard?

I had a phone call from Richard's father.

Difficult. Bloody Socialist ministers!

Richard's father may be Foreign Secretary, but he has no sense of protocol.

- Why didn't he call me? - It's all a mystery.

Well, it's all a bit vague. The Foreign Office called me as well.

- The Foreign Office? - Yes, apparently Richard's in some sort of trouble.

- What kind of trouble? - The Greek authorities.

- But he would have written to me! - What did he do?

- Hit a Greek Colonel? - Don't be facetious, Mark.

- He does have quite a temper. - Richard's not violent.

His only fight now is to get to the top of this college

and succeed me when I retire.

The youngest Oxford Provost, ever.

The facts are that someone in the government is worried.

- What about? - The possibility of an international scandal.

SEYMOUR: I readily agreed but Penelope and Bob Kirby insisted on coming to Greece with me,

feeling that their knowledge of Richard would be useful.

So we left next day on the first available flight.

A scandal could be damaging politically and for Richard's career.

- Career? - Oh, don't start on that kick again, Bob!

You think he dug every little scheme that you and your father made for him, don't you?

- Daddy helped Richard a lot. - Oh come on, you've done your share of pushing too.

- You're just jealous. - Of what?!

Now shut up, both of you. You've done nothing but argue ever since we left England.

- You said you wanted to help Richard. - I do.

Then help him. Behave like an adults or go home.

SEYMOUR: On arrival in Athens I went straight to see my contact there.

The British Military Attache, Derek Longbow.

Does Penelope know?

Not the full details, obviously, because of security.

But I think she might be quite useful.

She and Richard are going to get engaged.

Oh! I thinks she's going to be in for a bit of a shock.

What do you know about this girl that Richard's keeping company with?

Chriseïs Constantinini?

- I met her at a party.

- Where? - At Johnny Catamanadris'.

- Catamandris...Catamandris?

I'm afraid I've rather lost touch with the Greek social scene, Derek.

- Would you fill me in? - The jet set.

Johnny Catamandris is the son of Colonel Catamandris,

their Minister of the Interior.

Along with our Foreign Secretaries son, makes quite a party.

- But Richard was in Mykonos, getting on with his research.

- Strange kind of research with that lot.

- What do you think's going on, some kind of intrigue? Blackmail?

- Isn't that what you're here to find out? - And you've got to help me, Derek.

- How's Richard mixed up with that crowd? - I've no idea.

- But I understand they're always together.

- Cable Richard to stay put in Mykonos till we get there.

Did you tell her yet?

Well, if you haven't, now's the time.

We don't want an emotional scene in public, do we?

Tell her.

If Richard's on the dockside to greet us,

- with the girl... - Yes, yes, I see your point.

I'll go and tell her.

- Hello, Penelope. - Hello.

Penelope, when all this started, when I got the details about Richard,

there was something I didn't tell you.

- What? - Well, it seems there's another woman.

- Her name is Chriseïs.

- Don't you think you've had enough? - Mind your own business.

Penelope, I know you're hurt about the girl, but you must try...

Excuse me. I've been to the villa.

- And? - They've gone.

Where to?

Ah...destination unknown.

- I gave that to Richard. - Oh, what is it?

A sort of...charm.

- Where did you find it? - At the police station.

They have files on all their guests.

Especially those who leave without paying their bills.

Evidently, all they left in their room was this.

And this notebook.

It must make some sense.

'Ariston men hydor...'

Water is best.

What on earth is Richard running away from?

- Well, whatever it was, they were in a desperate hurry. - Why, the police?

No...us.

Perhaps he's heard you and I are here too. He wouldn't like that, would he?

Now he's got Chriseïs.

- Chriseïs is your hang up. - Is she?

Oh come on Bob, we both failed Richard. He doesn't want either of us now!

Just because you couldn't make it with him...

I'll take care of her. Leave her to me.

- Look, this isn't getting us anywhere. - She's pushing her luck!

All right, so she's upset about the girl... but if...

- You ah...couldn't make it? - What?

That's what you said to Penelope, wasn't it?

What couldn't she make?

- Richard. - Is that a guess, or do you know?

No. Well...he told me.

He was very depressed and... well, it all came out.

And incidentally, I'm not homosexual, you know!

- And there was nothing between us... - No, no, I understand.

It goes much deeper than that.

Richard never told you, or Penelope but, he's never made it with anyone.

I refuse to continue this conversation any further.

Will you please leave my room?

Oh yes, I'm getting through to you, aren't I?

I know what you wanted from Richard. Prestige...status...

Your face in the glossy magazines.

The Honourable Lady Fountain entertains!

- You do talk a lot of rubbish. - I don't give a damn what you want.

- What I want is to find Richard. - So do I!

- Well, will you stop fighting me? - Are you going?

- No. - Right...then I am!

Hey, you!

Help!

The theory is that Richard believed that Walter Goodrich caused his impotence.

I can imagine that kind of classic resentment happening here in the Theatre of Minos...

Some of those Minoan rites were, well, to say the very least, a bit unsavoury.

But you can hardly believe that Minoan rites could take place at Oxford.

Can you imagine the Don being castrated by the Provost?

It's really metaphorical. You see, the Provost to Richard,

is a symbol of the establishment, and to Richard, the establishment destroys, castrates.

For example, Richard's marriage to Penelope,

or Goodrich's continual academic wheeling and dealing.

That's irrational.

According to Bob, Richard came to Greece in search of some sort of freedom.

- To seek his manhood... - Oh!

Well, they say that this climate works wonders for that sort of thing.

Maybe Bob's African background has given him a sort of vivid imagination.

- Do you think he was right? - I'm not sure.

- Hydra? - Hydra?

I knew there was something.

A couple of years ago there was a scandal.

It involved Johnny Catamandris. It was pretty bad.

I think that Richard left this notebook for us to find.

Yes, go on.

He could have been taken to Hydra possibly against his will.

Why Hydra?

Some ancient religious cults, cruel, vicious

are rumoured to still exist on the island, now, despite denial by the Greek Orthodox church.

Wait a minute, didn't Hercules sack the city of Hydra

because of the vicious behaviour of its inhabitants?

Yes. That's mythological history, of course.

On the other hand, history does have a way of repeating itself.

This old woman's daughter was murdered.

What was that he was saying about Richard?

The police want to question him.

It seems there were similar occurrences in Corinth and Mykonos when Richard was there.

The Inspector wants to know whether to charge the old woman.

No. No charges. Can you let her go?

- Where are they taking her? - She'll be well taken care of.

- Do we know where Richard is? - No.

SEYMOUR: We needed help if we were to find Richard quickly.

So we contacted Colonel Stavros of Greek Intelligence.

I can assure you, Colonel, that we'll stick to our side of the bargain.

Good. I'm sure that Mr. Fountain's father,

such a friend of Greece, would not wish him involved in any scandal on Greek soil.

We'll try and have Fountain out of the country in forty-eight hours.

Now we must go to the airport.

I have place a helicopter at your disposal.

- Thank you, Colonel. - You are very welcome.

I have instructed the Mayor of Hydra to give you every assistance.

Thank you very much, Colonel.

- Goodbye. - Right.

Where did the Mayor go?

Ex transport.

All this red carpet treatment.

I'm beginning to think that Richard is a reincarnation of Lord Byron.

The authorities are faced with a major problem.

- Whatever Richard's been up to. - Murder?

Don't be so dramatic, Penelope. There's no proof.

However, obviously Richard's been involved in some kind of scandal.

A very important Greek.

The Greek government are just as anxious as we are to get Richard out of the country.

I bet. Anything to save some Greek V.I.P.

A habit which I fear is not the exclusive province of the Greeks.

Suppose it was murder?

I see. And where does that path lead to?

The monastery.

If it was Richard, he's sick.

They've taken him to the Monastery of the Blood of Christ.

Well, thank you very much, Yanis, for your help and transport.

Bye.

Not far now.

- Don't you see, Tony? Hydra...

The hundred-headed monster.

Each head when it was cut off grew again,

by nature of some power derived from its central body.

A kind of infection.

- Guaranteeing mortality.

But that's mythology.

But doesn't it remind you of any cult or superstition?

It reminds me of all superstitions.

- Christianity for one.

The abbot says that in fact Chriseïs did bring him up here to be cured.

That the monks had treated him...

- Cured? What from? - An ancient sickness.

- Go on. - Apparently she doesn't want him to be cured,

merely to be kept alive.

Now he says that he thinks that

- she loves him, but that when she has no further use for him

she'll cast him off.

Then let him die.

Now what's he talking about? Do you know what he means?

I think I do.

Centuries ago the people of Hydra brought this curse to the island.

The monks tried to fight it,

- and in so doing found a cure for it. - What form is this curse or sickness take?

- It's to do with the blood.

Are you all right, Penelope?

Yes, I think I'll just go for a walk.

She looked a bit sick. maybe I should go with her?

No, stay where you are.

No, I'll be all right. Thank you.

Yes. The abbot says they took this mountain path.

Where does it lead to?

To that old fort up there.

- Journey of about...

two, three hours.

Two or three hours.

That's only five miles. We can use the land rover.

It's not passable. It's just a mule track.

What's that all about?

The monks cells are normally out of bounds to women.

But in this case the abbot has given his permission.

You didn't just leave him there, did you?

- Leave who there? - Richard.

He was lying there...dead.

- Where? - In a temple, up there.

You come with me.

- Look. - What happened?

The monks make some great moonshine.

You were suffering from wine plus sunshine.

- Nothing worse. - Oh!

You just take it easy now.

- You don't have to go, do you? - I must.

- The abbot will look after you. - Take me with you.

Now you rest. We'll be back as soon as we can.

And with Richard.

Thank you.

Are you all right? Put this on.

Tony? He's in a trance.

- They've taken the mules. - What?!

Bastards!

- We better carry him down. - In the dark?

- No, we'll wait till dawn. - Could you take the two kids with you?

Right. Pick up Penelope at the monastery, and get her off the island.

- And Richard? - I don't want Penelope to see him like this.

Bob?

He's awake.

I got your cable in Mykonos.

I wanted to stay till you came.

Chriseïs' influence was too strong.

I found myself speaking in riddles.

I was trying to cheat her...

or you.

I don't know.

That's a pretty crazy riddle.

Ariston men idor. Idor...you understood.

It was Derek Longbow. A classical education still has its uses.

Where's Chriseïs?

She's gone.

- Try to sleep. - You must watch for her.

She'll be back.

He's too weak to travel.

He's too sick to be carried down in this condition.

I'll just have to pick up any sort of transport I can get.

Where...where are you going?

Down to Hydra.

To make some arrangements to get us out of here.

You can't go...not yet. Anyone!

I must...protect you.

- Bob... - Yes?

Take me outside. Place me facing the mountains.

- Please. - All right.

O Zeus, put strength back into my limbs.

Grant a safe passage to our friend and deliver us from evil.

O Great Father of the Gods, send us a sign.

What's this all about?

All this looking out at the sky. He seems to be placating the gods.

Take care, Derek.

Look out!

- The eagle!

The eagle.

The eagle. Did you see the sign?

- Didn't you count? - Count what?

There are six people here... and the eagle only swooped five times.

I'll get back as soon as I can.

That means one of us is must die here.

Soon.

I couldn't fight her.

I thought that she loved me.

I loved her.

I thought she was the escape I was looking for.

But even then I couldn't...

- I couldn't... - You don't have to tell us.

I must.

In case she comes back.

Go on, Richard.

I couldn't...

make love to her.

But Chriseïs said it didn't matter.

She said there were other things.

What things, Richard?

If we're going to help you we must know.

- Where is Richard? - I told you...at the fort.

Now don't worry, Richard is going to be all right.

You said in a state of shock.

Don't try to hide anything, Derek. How bad is he?

Well, he's suffering from some kind of hallucination.

It would be better if he didn't see you until he was in England.

Now you go home and say nothing.

That won't be difficult if you don't explain!

Oh I wish I knew what the hell was happening. What am I going to tell father?

Absolutely nothing. Just tell him that Richard was taken ill and Tony will explain it all later.

Now bon voyage. Have a good trip.

- Bye. - Bye bye.

I need your help.

- ...Athens. - Athens?

- They don't trust us to carry out their inspections. - Why?

They send their military to interfere. He's waiting for you.

- There. - Oh.

- Colonel Stavros? - What did you find?

Well, it was some kind of orgiastic ritual.

- And Fountain? - He wasn't involved.

He was in a hypnotic trance.

You expect us to accept that story?

- In Corinth, Mykonos, Crete, Fountain was merely... - An accessory after the fact!

- Yes. - Major, this is an order...

- Get Fountain out of Greece not one minute... - That's exactly what we intend to do.

We need to use your helicopter again.

In the mountains?

We can take landing flares, panels...

Very well.

- I will help you all I can. - Thank you, Colonel.

Derek's taking his time. Hope there's nothing wrong.

The whole thing is wrong.

But you can't see it.

Now look, I've been through the whole syllabus of sexual deviation. If you know, tell me.

Look, I might as well put on a head dress, some war paint and dance around you three times!

You'll never believe it.

Swooping eagles, monks with phony cures, ritualistic murder!

There's got to be a perfectly logical explanation, not this mumbo jumbo!

Mumbo jumbo?

- I suppose you don't believe in superstition? - No.

- Never walked around a ladder? - Never.

Or thrown salt over your shoulder?

All right, what's your explanation?

- Dependence. - What?

Dependence.

Richard came to Greece in search of freedom.

The plan backfired and he became dependent on Chriseïs.

Because she's the inheritance of an ancient and obscene practice.

Come on Bob, in this day and age?!

Look, only a year back a man was sacrificed in a London park.

You've got your witches covens in Mayfair, voodoo in Soho. How do you explain that?

Logic? Science?!

- Help!

- Over here!

This way!

That must be Chriseïs! Go back!

Give me your hand!

Derek, try to get a foothold!

Bob!

- You killed her! - It was an accident.

We've got to get off the island, fast!

- Help me with Richard. - She's not dead yet!

What the hell are you trying to do, you bloody fool?!

It was an accident. What do you want to do, make it murder?

SEYMOUR: Hours seemed to pass before the helicopter arrived to pick us up.

We had a difficult time convincing the authorities in Athens with our story,

but were finally allowed to take Richard back to England.

- Hello Tony. - Hello Basil. How nice to see you.

- Sad business. - Yes.

- How did it happen? - In Hydra.

- Where's he buried? - Athens.

He's have liked that. Derek was fond of Greece...

- You know when I... - Sutherland, good to see you again but I must dash.

- Let's have dinner some time. - Yes.

- Richard! - Where are you going?

Oxford.

- Take care. - Of course.

SEYMOUR: The one man I knew who might logically explain the vents in Greece

was Professor Holmstrom.

Vampirism is a phenomena popularly associated with Central and Eastern Europe.

It is however, of course, universal,

though happily, extremely rare.

Mind you, the romantic aspects of vampirism of course, we know mainly through the movies.

Count Dracula and such...

The immortal bloodsucker with the over-developed molars.

Graves opening at sunset as he goes forth on his nightly prowl

for beautiful victims.

Garlands of garlic to prevent our heroine from donating her blood to an unworldly cause.

Ready holy cross, blinding the eyes of our thirsty villain.

And finally, his gory demise, as the stake pierces his heart and sends his tormented soul into another world.

That's charming, isn't it?

Oh, so much for the legend of vampirism, Tony.

Hokum, I call it!

Yes, well you can call it what you like.

I happen to have spent a whole lifetime studying the origins of man.

You see, so I know that there is a more serious and scientific aspect.

For instance, did you know that vampirism is a sexual perversion?

Erik, this is no time for jokes.

Sadomasochism my dear man, is no joke.

Now, sadomasochistic perversions, as you know

are more likely to appeal to frigid females and impotent males.

This friend of yours, what was his name? What's his sexual status?

You know I really don't know.

Well, example: the man is impotent so he's searching for fulfillment.

He meets a girl, well the girl... or even a man I suppose,

Well let's skip the rather special cases of the homosexual vampire shall we?

All right, anybody, anybody, male or female,

provided they satisfy his sexual appetite.

Are you trying to tell me that a girl sucking blood from a man's neck

can induce an orgasm?

Yes, of course.

- Erik! - Now come, come, Tony. Don't be so naive.

Man works and loves in many ways.

Now some men, for instance, get excitement only from statues.

The Pygmalion syndrome.

Other men can only make love in a coffin.

You have voyeurs, transvestites, narcissists, bestialists... It's a funny old world we live in.

And by the same token you also have masochistic vampires.

Now, if this is the case with your friend, well, I must tell you, there is a grave risk.

- The best advice I can give you is make sure he's not reminded of it.

- I'll do that. I'm sure with some rest he'll recover.

SEYMOUR: Back at college, Richard rested, then returned to his sporting activities and studies.

The shadow began to lift and gradually his life seemed to return to normality.

Now, Richard, I hope you won't mind my talking shop two weeks before term.

- Even if I did it wouldn't stop you. - Quite!

I've got rather a tight schedule for you I'm afraid.

First there's your official welcome back to college at a quincentenary dinner.

- Lovely party, Walter. - Very glad you could come.

Thank you.

I suppose I'll have to make a speech.

Oh, just something short and witty.

Then I've arranged that course of lectures for you at Manchester.

In term, with all my other commitments!

Good money, plus expenses.

Help your status, dear boy.

And now for our other spot of business, your engagement to Penelope.

I shall make the announcement tonight.

Aren't you rather taking things for granted, sir?

I've hardly discussed the matter with Penelope.

I have. She's thrilled.

Penelope darling, I'm so delighted for you, and you Richard.

- To Penelope and Richard, long life and happiness. - Cheers.

God help them both.

I'm not even in college this term!

I've been put into some lousy boarding house on the Woodstock Road.

Who arranged that?

Dr. Walter Goodrich.

Who else?

Typical!

Why that bastard!

We're back to square one, Richard.

Chriseïs won't like that.

Chriseïs won't like that at all!

Happy darling?

Yes, of course I am.

- How do you feel? - Look.

I must finish this chapter tonight.

If I'm in the way...? I'm sorry.

- I'll see you tomorrow. - All right, my darling.

Don't work too late.

- Good night, Richard. - Good night

Chriseïs? Chriseïs?

Well that's what Mark Honeydew wrote me.

That your father's been putting the pressure on Richard again.

Mark Honeydew's an old woman!

- Let's stick to the point, shall we?

Daddy's not putting the pressure on Richard. He's arranging

- things out of kindness.

Then tell your father that that type of kindness can kill.

Oh, stop being such a bloody bully, Tony. I'm doing my best!

Well, it's just not good enough. You've got... Hello...?

Hello? Penelope?

SEYMOUR: Bob Kirby rang me and said it was vital I come to Oxford immediately.

There were signs that Richard was beginning to crack again.

Mr. Kirby!

Bob!

- Geoff, will you excuse me a minute, please? - Sure.

Okay, Bob, what's all this about?

- Are you sure? - Quite.

But that's impossible. She just can't be...

Look, I told you what we should have done in Greece.

- But you wouldn't listen to me. - That is over.

- Is it? - All right!

The point is he mustn't get any worse.

- Let's get him out of Oxford. - It's Richard's speech tonight.

Speech? What speech?

- The quincentenary dinner.

- Do you remember at the Vice Chancellor's election, there was the most frightful scene?

Charles Crabtree, that most long-winded of orators...

Oh, and talking speeches, you will keep yours brief, won't you, dear boy?

Of course.

Well, Charles' bladder had grown weak with the yarn...

The payoff of some thirty minute anecdote of total tedium, he suddenly flew from the high table

with his gown billowing out behind him like Count Dracula's cloak.

Come along Robert. Time for din din.

We mustn't keep dear Dr. Goodrich waiting.

- Have you dined in the hall before? - Yes, sir, I have.

Your Royal Highness. Excellency... My lords, ladies and gentlemen...

It is my very great pleasure this evening as Provost of Lancaster College

in the University of Oxford... To welcome back to college

- our truly beloved magistrate...

Richard Fountain.

My friends, when a man comes back from abroad it is as you know an ancient custom

that he brings a message.

Mine is a message of freedom.

Let us beware of those who seek to possess our bodies and our minds.

- For the academic world

- dehumanises us, and we become its natural dependents.

Love me says the academic

and do exactly as I tell you.

In this protection racket

of the establishment

the outsiders are labelled 'them'. The collective enemy.

The reds, the blacks, the whites, the yellow peril. We are brain-washed

into the same hatreds, of the same threats and over the years our behaviour has become captive.

And so in brotherhood we plunge to our own destruction.

But the gods...

The gods have given us freedom, my friends.

Do not be trapped by the petty schemes of academic hirelings.

The thieves who come to take your soul

are sitting among you now.

Smooth deceivers...

in scarlet gowns!

Preparing as soon as they rise from this table

to leech on to you!

Such a man is sitting there! Or there!

Or there. Or there.

Worst of all there!

Richard!

But that's not all, my friends. Use your power...

Enough, Richard, enough!

Leave him alone. You had your chance!

Richard. Take it easy.

Don't touch me!

Come on.

Quiet!

Be quiet and sit down!

I command you!

Richard.

Through there.

- Where did they go? - Come on!

CHRISEÏS: Richard.

- Richard.

- Make love to me. - Love me, love me, Richard.

- Love me...

- Make love to me, Richard. Richard.

In there!

My god! You bastard!

Richard!

- God!

As Provost of Lancaster College in the University of Oxford

I am empowered to act as coroner

in respect of death which occurred within the college precincts.

The privilege is granted to all provosts of this college

by our founder, King Henry VI,

and is countenanced by his royal successors.

The inquest may take place in private without the presence of the press, the police

or any other outside authority.

Only the verdict need be made public.

It is my verdict

that Penelope... That Penelope Goodrich...

and Richard Fountain...

being misused by the world did in equal consent

take their own lives.

The one by the letting of blood

the other by falling from a college building

while temporarily of unsound mind.

May God, and our beloved founder, have pity for their souls.

SEYMOUR: Officially the matter was closed, but as Bob had realised back in Greece,

I now knew there was one last act still to be carried out.

I can't go through with it.

- We have to. - I can't!