Original subtitles

Good morning.

Is it possible to make an appointment with Rita?

I'm sorry, we don't have anyone here by the name of Rita.

In that case, is Olga free?

This way, please.

Thank you.

Good morning, Miss Carter.

This is Miklos Klaar, the head of Cinefot Studios,

one of the largest behind the Iron Curtain.

Klaar has political ambitions.

And to further them, has turned captured American newsreel footage

into an atrocity film

portraying our soldiers as wanton murderers.

He's planning to show this to representatives of the world press.

If this film is shown, it will seriously damage

the United States and our future peace talks.

The mission, should it be accepted,

would be to stop Klaar, and in such a way

that he can never repeat this technique.

As always, should any of the IM Force be caught or killed,

the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions.

This tape recording will decompose immediately.

Good luck.

Torvald, you are not the man that I married.

When your fear left you,

you were not afraid for me, but for yourself.

After it was over,

as far as you were concerned, it was...

You were fine.

Fine? You wouldn't cut off Sarah Bernhardt.

Now, most of the lot is just like any other motion picture studio,

security just good enough to keep out uninvited tourists.

But here, where Klaar's office,

soundstage, and film vault are,

is strictly off-limits and very, very well-guarded.

Well, how does Barney get into Klaar's film vault on the third floor?

I can't, but I won't have to.

It'll be easy for me to learn how far up the water pipes run vertically,

because the plumber's snake hits the top.

How do you measure the horizontal distance to the sprinklers?

Cinnamon will get that for me.

She has a specially tailored skirt

that permits her to take a stride exactly 30 inches long.

Cinnamon, you see how this goes on?

Does it come off as easily?

Don't pad your part. Getting it off is my job.

If we destroy Klaar's film, won't he just make it again?

That's just what we want him to do.

- David, are you ready? - Sure. Somebody say "action."

Action.

Target six.

What is it, Corporal?

This man has a file cabinet for the building, but he does not have a pass.

Everyone who works on a motion picture lot

makes a production about everything.

This is not an atomic plant, Corporal. Let the man in!

Clear up your paperwork later in the day.

Captain Petyov of the Ministry of Propaganda

to see Miklos Klaar.

A Captain Petyov to see Mr Klaar.

All right.

- Go ahead, sir. - Thank you.

- Where are you going? - Second floor.

All right, but no further. It's off-limits.

Yes, sir?

- Captain Petyov? - Yes.

Wrong size.

Captain Petyov, I am Miklos Klaar.

Welcome to Cinefot Studios. Come in, come in.

- Thank you. - How was your trip?

Well, it's an old story.

Our planes are slow, but also uncomfortable.

I've heard a great deal about you.

You are very kind.

Our ministry has arranged for a screening

for the representatives of the world press

of your film at the Swiss legation the day after tomorrow.

- Good. Excellent. - I understand this brilliant project

is entirely your creation.

- You're very kind. Please sit, sit. - Thank you.

I understand the basic elements and ideas of this project.

However, I would be very appreciative

if you would fill me in on some of the details.

Details, it's what makes an idea work.

Realise, I must have looked at 100,000 feet

of captured American newsreel footage just to select this one small piece.

American film stock, identifiable as such,

shot with an American camera

by a photographer with the American Army.

The photographer is now dead.

Killed in action?

My piece of film

was also shot on American stock with an American camera.

But it was shot here on a jungle set.

Splice the two together,

and the one-minute film will show the world

what gangsters the Americans really are.

Shot on a set? Spliced together?

How can this possibly look like the same piece of film?

That is what makes detail so important.

This is the captured newsreel footage.

All documentary film footage, right?

Yes.

Wrong.

You noticed the black frame

where the fifth soldier passed very close to the camera?

- Yes. - That is where I made the splice.

From there on is my film.

- That's hard to believe. - Watch.

I will back up and show it to you again.

This is the spot where he blocks out the camera.

Watch the terrain, the foliage.

The smallest defects, the graininess of the film.

Detail, detail. Watch, watch.

You see?

You see?

Well, my friend, what do you think?

- It is brilliant. - Thank you.

- Totally incriminating. - Then I have your approval?

I should like to see it again before I give my approval.

Certainly.

Oh, my glasses!

What rotten luck. But you have another pair?

No, I have a prescription, but it would take a full day to have it filled.

I will see that film again tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow? Well, perhaps if you stood extra close.

No, no. I cannot give my approval to a film I have only seen once clearly.

- Terrible, terrible. - Of course. I understand.

- Yes? - Sir, the gate called.

An extra named Mikeli hasn't checked off the lot yet.

You're sure it is not an interview with a producer or director?

All the producers and directors have left, sir.

No, no.

Don't.

Who are you? What are you doing here?

What's this?

- What are you doing here? - Are you Mr Klaar?

You are the extra who did not check off the lot.

- Tina Mikeli. - How did you get past the guard?

What is this film you are stealing?

- I am not a thief, Mr Klaar. This is... - Don't move!

That is my film, not your film.

It's film of you.

I was trying to put it on your desk.

You could not have put it in the mail?

Of course I could have, and your secretary

would have returned it to me unopened.

Or worse, she would have looked at it and told you it was terrible.

But it is not. It is a good film, Mr Klaar. I am good.

A fine producer should know about me.

You have no lack of ego, Miss Mikeli.

Please, Mr Klaar, if this film is not as good as I say it is,

I swear, I will never trouble you again.

All right. Come.

Off-limits gate.

The missing extra, Miss Mikeli, she is with me. It's all right.

Yes, sir, Mr Klaar. Thank you.

It is Nora's speech from the third act of The Doll's House.

- It is the part where she... - I know the speech.

Yes, yes, of course.

Come.

Torvald, you are not the man that I married.

When your fear left you,

you were not afraid for me, but for yourself.

After it was over,

as far as you were concerned,

it was exactly as if nothing at all had happened.

Exactly as before, I was again your little doll.

And now you will treat me with doubly gentle care

because I was so delicate and fragile.

Torvald, it was then that it dawned upon me

that I have been living here in this house

with a stranger for eight years.

You're quite... Quite good.

Thank you so very much, Mr Klaar.

I will look at it again in a day or two in the projection room.

Then perhaps I can... Perhaps I can find something for you.

Thank you so much, Mr Klaar.

And I do so much want to apologize for the way I came in here.

It was rude, it was wrong, but I'm sorry.

Forget it. Come now.

I will show you out the gates, and perhaps I can

call you in a few days, Miss Mikeli. Socially?

Yes, of course, Mr Klaar.

You will remember at the beginning of the film...

Please, sir, could you show it to me from the splice?

- The black frame you told me about? - Certainly.

Understand, to the eye, black is black.

Marvellous, truly marvellous.

I want you to know those are the exact words I will use

when I give my report to the Ministry.

You're very kind. Thank you.

- What is that? - What?

Should this be happening?

No, no.

Did you do something?

I didn't touch your machine until just now. I noticed it.

I'm sorry, but the film has been splitting as it comes out.

- Perhaps there is a bug. - Perhaps.

You have another print, yes?

No, only one was made for security reasons.

But it's easy to make another print.

- The negative is next door in the vault. - Good. Good.

Look at it! Look at it!

Ruined!

Everything ruined!

Precious film!

Find out what happened! Find out and let me know immediately!

Yes, sir.

- Don't apologize to me. Do something. - I will.

Of course.

What's the matter with me?

I still have the newsreel footage.

I still have the set. I still have a day.

The atrocity part, I will shoot it again.

- Good morning, Eric. - Good morning, sir.

- This is Captain Petyov. - How do you do, Captain.

Eric is my assistant. Everything ready?

- Yes, Mr Klaar. We're almost ready. - Good. I want to check the foliage.

Right, sir.

Hit the backing.

Okay, let's test it.

Well, what do you think, Captain?

You mean, this will look like what I saw in the film?

It is what you saw.

Standing here, you can see the equipment, the stage walls.

The viewer will not. It just needs to be dressed.

I understand.

You.

You there, with the cart.

What in the name of heaven is this?

These are the dead bodies you asked for, sir.

I ask for dead bodies.

Someone decides to save me money.

Dummies cost nothing.

Extras cost only practically nothing.

Of course, the picture is ruined, but what of that?

Get these things out of here.

All right.

As soon as everyone is ready, I want a full rehearsal.

Yes, sir. All right, men, into places.

Explain to them to do exactly the same thing as they did the last time.

Yes, sir.

All right, men, as you were before.

Put a double on that.

And give me a single up here.

You, freshen up this foliage.

Hugo, this will be

exactly the same thing as we shot the last time.

Captain!

Fire on the set!

The bucket.

- I'm terribly sorry. - That was extremely careless, Captain.

Please forgive me. I was so fascinated

I must have dropped a match without looking.

Forgive me.

My Americans, please.

All right, men, over here.

Now, everyone watch this very closely.

This is to refresh your memories of what we did last time.

Now, this is the point where you block out the lens

and our film begins, remember?

Very well. One rehearsal, then I would like to try a take.

Yes, sir.

Now remember, you must hit your marks exactly.

You block out the lens, then continue on without turning your back.

I do not want to see your face in close-up yet.

All right, men, into places.

Bring in the wounded.

Special effects gun, please.

Ready, Hugo?

Quiet.

Action!

Cut, cut, cut!

When you come in, you must have your heads lower,

more of a crouch.

More, more, more pleading. More fear. Thank you.

- Special effects ready? - Yes, sir.

Then this will be picture.

Places, everyone.

Quiet. Roll it.

- You have speed, Hugo? - Speed.

Then action!

No, no, no, no.

Cut.

- Print it and get me a messenger. - Yes, sir.

Excellent. Excellent.

Thank you, Doctor. Thank you. You died beautiful. Thank you.

Thank you. It was excellent. Excellent. The best one yet.

Beautiful, no?

Listen carefully.

Take this film and rush, I repeat, rush it to the lab and wait there.

Wait until it is developed, then bring it to me in my office,

to me and no one else.

Yes, we can congratulate ourselves, Petyov.

Having to re-shoot the film was a stroke of luck.

It will be even better than the first time.

This evening, if I may say so,

will be a richly deserved triumph.

Yes, even more than that. To this evening.

This evening, my friend.

I know.

I know just as sure as I am sitting here

someone is out to get me.

There is a plot.

What are you talking about?

You do not understand the motion picture business.

Such jealousy.

You really think so?

That will be the messenger with the film.

Sir, this man was found in the basement. He has no pass.

Well, now.

Now you see, Petyov? You see?

Who are you?

More important, what studio are you working for?

Who sent you? Bernardian at Magda?

Chapniss? Vacheck? What were you doing down there?

Well, speak.

Miklos, you're being foolish.

There may be more to this than you think, perhaps even espionage.

Yes, let me take this fellow down

to NVD Headquarters and sweat him a bit.

We'll get to the truth. Come.

- Sir. I have the film, sir. - Good, thank you. That will be all.

- Soldier, take this man along. - No, no, no, Petyov.

They can take him to NVD themselves.

I am taking no chances.

I am putting this film in my pocket,

and you and I are personally going to escort it to the Swiss legation.

- But I think I should... - No, Captain. I must absolutely insist.

You two, take him out. You other two, come with us.

Because not only do I want to see these films

safely in the legation,

I am personally going to hand it to the projectionist,

and you and I are going to watch it being threaded into the machine.

I swear, nothing is going to happen to this film.

Nothing.

Fine.

Now, do not touch anything.

Do not do anything except hit the switch when I tell you.

No one comes in. No one.

You, outside the door. You, inside.

Come, Captain. Our curtain is going up.

Welcome, gentlemen. Welcome. Welcome.

Good to see you.

Allow me to introduce myself. I am Miklos Klaar.

This is my friend Captain Petyov.

- How do you do? - Nice to see you.

- Sokoloff, Coordinated News. - Yes. How good to see you.

George Bengst, International Wire Service.

A pleasure, Mr Bengst.

May I introduce Klaus Hansen, World Press.

Mr Hansen, I am glad to see you. In fact, I am delighted to see you all,

for you are going to see for yourselves, gentlemen,

how the Americans

who profess to adhere to the Geneva Convention,

have been violating it, as we, who know better,

have claimed all along.

The film you are about to see was shot by an American cameraman

exactly as you will see it,

while he was on a news-gathering assignment

with an American combat patrol in the war zone

near the village of Quon Doc.

Once you have seen the film, I will be very happy to answer

any and all questions. Shall we?

Whenever you are ready.

No, no, no, no.

I don't understand it.

That is the most callous and brutal thing I've ever seen.

It's horrible.

I can't believe it but it's there.

That's terrible.

There is one thing I want to ask, and that is why the Americans...

What's that?

Cue my Americans.

Projectionist. Projectionist.

Cut, cut, cut!

When you come in, you must have your heads lower,

more of a crouch.

And more, more, more pleading. More fear.

Well, this was just a hoax.

Then this will be picture. Places, everyone.

Gentlemen, you are seeing a homemade movie.

Mr Klaar!

You must think we're fools.

Mr Klaar, I thought we could ask questions.

Where and when was this shot?