Original subtitles

(Glass shattering)

(Clattering)

(Whipping)

(Banging on door)

(Dials phone)

(Whipping)

(Operator) 'Emergency. Emergency.'

'Which service do you require?'

'Hello? Caller? Caller?'

'Emergency. Which service, please? Emergency.'

- (Woman) Where are you? - In the study, Mrs Peel.

For the man who has everything?

For delivering that parting shot. Bang.

It's unique, isn't it? Whichever way you aim it, you hit the chandelier.

- Here's the file. Shall I recap? - Do.

First victim, Walter Carlson, found dead in his apartment on the fifth.

Fractured skull.

Number two ... Are you listening?

I'm all ears.

Andrew Denham, in his penthouse, on the sixth. Fractured skull.

- And last night, Samuel Hammond. - Fractured skull.

- Uh-uh. Broken neck. - My mistake.

Here's a list of their holdings.

Carlson was Chairman of Commercial Imports,

Denham, Head of Automatic Industries

and Hammond on the board of Electrical Industries.

- All up in the top bracket. - Mm. Where the vultures gather.

Meaning?

Few reach the top without making enemies.

Revenge.

Professional killers don't use a battering ram.

Whoever came in there was in a wild frenzy.

Did Hammond have any appointments yesterday?

Harachi at 2:30 today. That's the only appointment for today. No other entries.

Looks as though we've reached a dead end.

Correction, three dead ends.

Hm ... I wonder if there will be a fourth?

Hey, you!

Here, where do you think you're ...

(Man) "10457." Got that figure, Jim?

- (Jim) 'Yes. How's the Harachi deal?' - We're seeing the rep this afternoon.

- (Phone rings) - Hang on a minute will you?

Lambert here.

What? Well, why call me?

You've got a dozen men in security. Don't bother me about a think like that.

- You still there, Jim? - What's the trouble?

Someone's got in without a pass.

Now, look, I want an estimated cost for the first quarter.

(Glass shattering)

(Screams)

Jim, hold on, will you?

(Screams)

(Jim) 'What's going on?'

'Bob, are you there? Are you all right?'

What do you want? What do you want? Get back! Keep away!

You keep away from me. Do you hear? Keep away!

(Jim) 'Bob, are you still there? Bob?'

'Bob, who is it? What's happening up there?'

Oh.

Well, here are the witnesses' statements.

Less painful to have used the handle.

- Mm. They vary a little. - What?

Male, they say. Between 6' 2" and 6' 6".

Wearing a dark coat, hat, gloves and some say spectacles.

- Had they ever been him before? - No.

Odd, isn't it?

In spite of the maze of corridors, he knew exactly where to find Lambert.

- Did they hear anything? - The door.

The shots and a curious whip-like sound.

Whip-like?

(Imitates sound)

Extremely helpful. To add to the confusion, he was bullet-proof.

Mrs Peel, Hammond's diary. Didn't he have an appointment today?

Mm, at the Harachi Corporation. They're an electronics firm.

- He probably did business there. - So did this poor fellow.

"Honourable gentleman, our representative, Mr Tusamo,"

"will be in your capital, London city, on the 12th."

"Will you kindly telephone ... Harachi Corporation."

He obviously did lift the telephone. Made an appointment here for three.

- Really? - Harachi ...

They were in the news a few weeks ago.

They've developed a new a circuit element to replace the transistor.

- It could revolutionise electronics. - I see.

Lambert was probably competing for the European concessions.

This fellow's out of the race. He can hardly compete with a broken neck.

Just a minute, Steed.

The position of the head.

He's been hit from the front

and yet there isn't a trace of bruising on the face.

Conclusion, honourable lady?

- Jinchu. - Jinchu?

It's a karate blow.

Delivered by an expert, it breaks the neck

easier than a hangman's noose.

- Many in this country? Experts? - Very few.

Barely a handful in the whole of Europe.

(Whipping)

(Whipping continues)

(Chants)

(Whispers)

- Please state your business, Mrs Peel. - I'm interested in karate.

Interest is for the onlooker.

From students we require dedication.

Nightly attendance for practice and demonstration.

- We never tolerate absentees. - I appreciate that.

Then appreciate, too, Mrs Peel, that karate, unlike judo, is not a sport.

It is a science, an art, a discipline.

- The word "karate" ... - Means "empty hand".

But the hands, though empty, can become more deadly than any weapon.

It is the concentration of force

and the development of courage.

Please.

Some of my students can split a roof tile with one finger.

And one whom we call Oyama, the tall mountain,

can shatter a door with a single stroke.

It is difficult for a woman to compete in such company.

It's the idea of competition that appeals to me.

Then I suggest that perhaps fencing will be more suitable for your purpose.

I think not, Mr ...

Here, I am known as Sensei ... the knowledgeable one.

Oyuka, Mrs Peel is leaving now.

What makes Oyuka the exception?

Oyuka, the immoveable one, is a third dan at judo, a first at karate.

There are few men who could pass her, if she did not wish them to.

- And if I could? - I shouldn't try, Obaki.

The foolish one.

But if you can, you'll be most welcome.

Oyuka!

You attacked her as a woman, but she has the skill of a man.

A bad mistake, Oyuka.

(Phone rings)

(Receptionist) Harachi. Good afternoon.

If you could come tomorrow afternoon at three.

- Will you please be seated? - Thank you.

Yes. Very well. Thank you. Goodbye.

I'm from Industrial Deployments.

I have an appointment with Mr Tusamo at three.

- Tea, Mr Lambert? - I'm not Mr Lambert.

- You're not Mr Lambert? - He's regrettably indisposed.

- You have a letter of authority? - Yes.

Ooh ... There.

Thank you.

(Tusamo on phone) 'Yes?'

Mr Lambert is indisposed. Mr Steed is here from Industrial Deployments.

- 'Please ask him to come in.' - You may go in.

Thank you. We'll have the tea later, Miss ...

- Smith. - Smith.

I am sorry to hear that Mr Lambert is indisposed.

- You are from Industrial Deployments? - Yes.

You are acquainted with our recent developments?

You produced a new circuit element for the transistor.

I'm here to negotiate the rights for concession.

This heralds a new age, Mr Steed.

Computers no bigger than a cigarette box.

Pocket television and radios smaller than a wristwatch.

- No worldwide patent? - Hardly necessary.

The manufacture of the element is complex

and would require a capital outlay of 50 million.

Ten years before we have competitor.

You give the concession to the company, which gives the biggest slice of profit.

Admirably put, Mr Steed.

Be pointless to ask if you've had any offers already?

We have saying, Mr Steed, "In darkness ceiling is always higher."

- Confucius? - Tusamo.

Regret that other competitors cannot be disclosed.

I'll have to get in touch with my board,

but I'm sure we can make a favourable offer.

Our production facilities nowhere near measure up to yours.

We started with room no bigger than this.

Please, go on.

This was site of first plant producing transistor radios.

Extended in 1958, following record exports.

And that section over there?

Research division established in 1960

to manufacture inexpensive record player.

Most successful and achieved highest profit for company,

which enabled us to extend factory and brought many government contracts.

(Phone buzzes)

Excuse, please. Yes?

(Receptionist) 'Your next appointment is here, Mr Tusamo.'

- In one moment. - 'Very well, sir.'

Well, you'll be hearing from me shortly.

This way, please.

Thank you.

- Goodbye. - Goodbye.

I am ready now.

How did you manage it?

As Tusamo might have said, "We have a proverb."

"He who talks too much forgets his listener."

- Son of Confucius? - Steed.

- How often do the karate boys meet? - Nightly.

- Got a list of the members? - It wouldn't help much.

Most of them have got Japanese pseudonyms.

I must say, I can't wait to meet Oyama, the Tall Mountain.

- What's he got that I haven't got? - A hobby.

Archaeology, philately, knitting?

Splitting doors.

This is interesting.

Victim one, Carlson Convercial Imports. Two, Denham, Automatic Industrials.

Hammond, Electrical Industries Lambert, Industrial Deployment.

But if you kill off one negotiator, they'll replace him with another.

That's not too easy. They must need a lot of reorganisation.

Tusamo is only 36 hours in London.

Well, that leaves us United Automation and Jephcott Products Limited.

Which is your preference, Mrs Peel?

(Chuckles) Eenny, Meeny, Miney, Mo.

(Whirrs)

(Robot stops)

It's fascinating. How much does it retail at?

£4, but our terms are very favourable with orders above a gross.

It's certainly a possibility. I'll have to see Mr Jephcott first.

- Will he be long? - I'll go and see.

(Robot stops)

- Mrs Peel? - Yes.

How do you do? Sorry to have kept you.

You represent Whittle and Fendle's stores?

Mm, we're opening a new toy department.

We can find plenty to interest you.

We have no equals in the field of electronic toys.

Here's something we're very proud of. He comes when he's whistled.

- Really? - Yes, go on. Have a try.

(Whistles)

I'm not very good at whistling.

No, you're not, are you? Try one of these.

(Whistles)

(Chuckles) He's marvellous!

These novelties are only a fraction of our business.

We produce everything from tea makers to radar equipment.

With the new advance in electronics, we've a lot more on the drawing board.

- Oh? - If I may leave you with our catalogue.

I have rather a pressing appointment.

You'll find the details of our full range in here.

I do hope we'll see you again.

Well, I'm really very interested in ...

(Grunting)

And now a demonstration of tameshiwari

by a student of whom I am truly proud.

A fifth dan at judo, a fourth dan at karate.

Oyama is an example of what can be achieved

through practice and dedication.

(Gong strikes)

I give you ... Oyama.

(Doorbell buzzes)

- Hello, Steed. - Gilbert, very good of you to come round.

- Not at all. - Will you have a drink?

Daren't. I'm seeing the Minister about those research estimates.

- Which gives you exactly three minutes. - Time enough.

- Are you sure? - Positive.

What's happening at United Automation?

United Automation? They produce industrial and domestic appliances.

- Know who runs it? Do you know? - Worked under him. Dr Armstrong.

Why did he leave the Ministry?

Well, you know what we're doing down there.

Armstrong refused to toe the official line.

He felt we should be constructive, instead of destructive.

He had some crazy idea about building a machine

to clear debris from radioactive areas.

Top brass said no, but he went ahead.

Had an accident, wrecked the building,

lost half his stuff and put himself in a wheelchair.

- And they turfed him out of his job. - Mm, with few tears, I might add.

Well, tell me more.

I think Armstrong was born with a slide rule in his mouth.

Sure his first words were, "Pi r squared".

(Chuckles)

Given a choice between Lollabrigida and an electronic calculator,

he would choose the equation every time.

He's certainly very elusive. How do we find this human computer?

That isn't easy.

He's buried himself in under a jungle gadgetry.

- We'll have to pull some strings. - Well, start pulling.

I'm so sorry.

That's your three minutes.

Well, Benson?

- 'I've seen Tusamo again.' - Go on.

- 'There are two offers still to come.' - Two? Who's the other one?

'I don't know. I couldn't quite hear.'

I thought that girl was being cooperative.

'She is, but it's not easy. He keeps the names in a confidential file.'

'She's trying. I should be hearing from her.'

When you do, call me at once. Understand?

'Yes.'

(Clattering)

I thought you were supposed to be at Jephcott's.

He's got a board meeting till six.

I didn't fancy squatting outside the factory till then. Coffee?

No, thanks.

You were supposed to be at United Automation.

I decided to change into something with a literary sheen.

I'm playing it as a journalist.

Getting gen on automation in modern society.

Will the machine supplant man or a woman, for that matter?

- And will it? - Not if I have anything to do with it.

United Automation is impregnable.

"Admission by appointment only and don't forget your punch card."

Your what? What's this for?

I'll figure that out when I get there.

With pleasure.

(Machine clicks)

- Mr Steed? - Yes.

Please, stay where you are. My infirmity in no way impedes my activity.

- I'm Dr Armstrong. - How do you do?

I'm afraid this will have to be brief, but, please, do sit down.

Thank you.

This is the age of the push button, Mr Steed.

My factory is entirely automated.

That appointment card was neat, but can't it be duplicated?

It's recoded periodically.

Oh. You've no staff at all?

For maintenance and for sales.

As a journalist you'll appreciate that we human beings are fallible,

temperamental and so often unreliable.

The machine, however, is obedient and invariably more competent.

- Machines can go wrong. - Oh, indeed.

So one builds each circuit in triplicate.

Failure can be rectified automatically.

Without risk of haemorrhage or surgery.

A perfect trouble-free labour force

available at one's fingertips, as you can see.

For security.

Efficiency.

Air conditioned for comfort.

And relaxation.

(♪ Classical music)

Well, that kind of music wasn't composed by a computer.

It will be in time.

(Music stops)

Today we have machines that not only work, but think.

I'll show you exactly how a machine can think.

If you'll come over here, Mr Steed.

I hold in my hand a card,

which is programmed for complex equations.

We drop it in.

Turn the knob.

(Machine whirrs)

The answer.

I'll take your word for it.

Correctly programmed, the machine could answer questions

on finance, science, even military and political matters.

It could supplant the human brain entirely.

- Is this for publication? - I'm theorising, of course.

The problem is size.

With the development with new circuit elements, it can only be a matter ...

(Phone buzzes)

Excuse me.

- Yes? - 'I've got the information.'

Go on. - 'Offer is from Industrial Deployments.'

'But Lambert's dead. They've no one else to negotiate.'

- Well, somebody else turned up. - 'Who?'

A man called Steed. John Steed.

'Is that him?'

Yes. He's the one who followed me in.

'All right. Leave this to me. I'll be with you in a moment.'

- I hope this has been of interest. - It has indeed.

Well, I never let my visitors leave empty-handed.

We hope to market these very shortly.

Solid ink.

Solid?

The temperature of the hand

electronically feeds a stream of carbon particles into the nib,

emitted only on contact.

Cannot leak or dry out.

Refilled only once in ten years.

The ink manufacturers will love you!

- You've been very informative. - It's my pleasure.

(Lift door closes)

- What was he doing here? - Snooping, undoubtedly.

Well, why let him go?

Benson, you were employed to take orders, not give them,

I may be confined to this chair,

but I'm perfectly capable of dealing with Mr Steed.

But we've someone else to deal with first.

Roger, prepare for target assignment.

Right, well, so long as you can guarantee delivery for tomorrow.

Fine. Bye-bye.

(Glass shattering)

(Whipping)

(Clattering)

He's certainly taking his time. That light went out ages ago.

No other exit?

The warehouse, but his car's parked out front.

How do you do?

It's that casual air of elegance. It always betrays me.

(Doll) 'I love you, Daddy. I love you, Daddy.'

- How do I turn it off? - You lay it down.

Looks as though he's been hit by a five-tonne truck.

It's extraordinary. This man is a karate expert.

Not expert enough.

Steed, look.

Big fellow.

Came in here.

Exit, Mr Jephcott.

Leaving the field clear for Dr Armstrong.

- Who's confined to a wheelchair. - He could have hired someone.

Who could possibly crash in through there and deal with kill Jephcott?

Well ...

(Whirrs)

I thought I might be paying Dr Armstrong a second visit,

so I making myself a bevy of skeleton keys.

- How's that, eh? - Masterly.

It's pretty easy to get in. It's not so easy to get out.

So I've taken out insurance.

Hm, well, I'd like a policy. One never knows.

One doesn't.

Well, you need to get in touch with Mr Tusamo, Harachi Corporation.

Oh, I'll have to give you his number.

What's the Japanese for "Hyde Park Corner"?

- That's nice. - A wee present from Dr Armstrong.

And if Tusamo's not in his office, any idea which hotel he's staying at?

No. Try them all.

Say you're my secretary and I'll give him an offer in the morning.

Strange about Dr Armstrong.

He's very keen to get that concession,

but he doesn't seem to be interested in profit.

If I'm not back by 11:30, I've stayed for breakfast.

You don't eat breakfast!

(Ticks)

(Clicks)

Come along, Benson. Don't be nervous.

He's quite harmless until programmed.

Then only I can stop him.

He's like a child, really.

But one day he'll have a brain

more efficient than this computer.

He'll be powered by solar energy

and that casing will stand the blast of an atomic shell.

Even now he travels with the accuracy of a guided missile,

directed by a simple radio transmitter in the pen.

(Peel) Thank you, Mr Tusamo.

Mr Steed will call you tomorrow morning without fail.

Yes, I've got that. 11:30.

Right. Goodbye.

Now Steed's frequency is .113.

There he is.

I hope that the pen is nestling comfortably

in his breast pocket.

That's it.

Roger is now tuned to the same frequency.

The concession is ours.

(Ticks)

(Sighs)

- It's getting hot in here. - It's your nerves.

- It's over 70. - Impossible.

Well, take a look.

Must be a faulty thermostat. I'll ring Maintenance.

(Footsteps approaching)

It's come to report.

What's wrong?

The thermostat was altered manually. There's an intruder in the building.

(Machine whirrs)

It's all over.

(Phone rings)

(Dialling tone)

(Rings)

(Whipping and clattering)

(Footsteps approaching)

(Grunts)

Count yourself fortunate, Mr Steed.

The cybernaut was programmed to capture, not kill.

Oh, that's very decent of you.

Oh, is that another one. Looks almost human.

Put it away, Benson.

That's the trouble with man. Such an impulsive creature.

Cannot cope with crises.

Today, one wrong decision, one simple error,

could bring complete destruction.

I suppose you have an answer, Doctor.

There, Mr Steed, the electronic brain.

Oh, not this one, but I have the blueprint here.

A small, complex computer, built with these new circuit elements,

incapable of a wrong decision.

And what's the end product? The perfect politician?

Exactly. Government by automation.

Sounds like an electronic dictatorship.

It's the only solution.

I'd say that was up to the voters. They might disagree.

Once I get delivery from Harachi,

an army of cybernauts is only a matter of time.

Doctor, look.

A friend of yours, Mr Steed?

Well, it's an opportunity to demonstrate my radio-controlled cybernauts.

(Machine clicks)

(Armstrong) What a charming young woman.

I'm sorry she won't be joining us.

(Whirring)

I think you'll agree the automated assassin was a stroke of genius.

Loyal, obedient and extremely efficient.

Just how efficient you'll be seeing any moment.

I wouldn't if I were you.

Is this your idea of progress?

The ultimate in human achievements.

Human? A cybernautic police state?

Push-button bobbies?

(Chuckles) Automated martinis?

Remote-controlled olives?

No, I think I'll stick to good old flesh and blood.

(Gunshots)

There's no escape, Steed!

(Lift door opens)

(Whipping)

(Whipping)

(Gunshots)

Mrs Peel, throw the pen away!

(Gunshot)

Mrs Peel, throw me the pen.

The pen! Throw it me!

It's a short-wave device. Works like a guided missile.

- Get rid of it! - Don't worry, I will.

That won't help you, Steed! This one has a brain of its own.

Stop!

Stop!

Stop!

Stop! Stop!

(Screams)

"It moves in the dark. It leaves no mark. It's as hard as steel."

Nine down. Now what would that be, Mrs Peel?

Cybernaut?

(Pen snaps)

Oh!

- I don't hold with those new fangled things. - Oh.

(Engine revs)