Review S03E05- Sometimes We Play Dirty Too

[michaellevenson]

Robert Banks is a successful British business man, rich , self made, who runs ACI, a company involved in high tech equipment, selling mostly to Eastern Europe. In fact very few westerners had more access to sensitive areas behind the iron curtain than him. Not that the communists particularly wanted him , but they bought a lot of ACI goods and needed him to do deals with. Banks out of loyalty or devilment worked on the side for JIB, Joint Intelligence Bureau, a European wide intelligence gathering service. Whenever Banks noticed something that he thought might interest JIB he'd pass it on. And now he is dead! Smashed to pieces in a car crash. The head of JIB, Morris in London asks to see Burnside.
M " we're not happy Neil, something is fishy. Robert was such a likeable man friends everywhere, yet he goes to a party alone, leaves alone at 2 in the morning, and crashes into of all immovable things a tree"
Burnside. " even if the Russians didn't suspect his JIB activity I bet the Czechs did, how long had he been living in Prague?"
M " about four years, the Czech authorities are being unduly helpful, sending the body back quickly and not even asking compensation for a smashed telephone kiosk, which is unusual"
In C's office,
C " you want an autopsy? you don't think it is Banks do you?"
B " well I think we ought to make sure. And I'd like to send a sandbagger sir"
C " okay, if you're not completely satisfied after the autopsy, and if you think it's worth whatever it costs the taxpayer, then a sandbagger may go to Prague"
The autopsy confirms the cause of death, hurled through a windscreen at fast speed, but the body is no more than 30, and Banks is 45. Willie Caine is despatched. Willie in Prague at ACI HQ meets Banks's PA, a British girl, Linda, who knew about his JIB sideline, also tells Willie of a Marouska Horochova, a Czech girl having an affair with Banks. Interrogation of the guy who threw the party by Willie leads to an obvious conclusion. The guy speaks in broken English.

Yannik " the body all broken, head all damage from windscreen"
W " how did you identify the body"
Y " from ring on finger, also clothes he wore from party"
It seems Banks is still alive. Willie of course says nothing to anyone, any of the ACI employees could be Czech secret police. The hunt for Banks starts.
Previous Episode
https://www.imdforums.com/threads/s03e04-my-name-is-anna-wiseman.4966/
NEXT EPISODE
https://www.imdforums.com/threads/s03e06-who-needs-enemies.4973/

 

[michaellevenson]

Mrs Banks is in England, she came back two days before the car crash to put the couples children in a new boarding school. Burnside has checking done on Mrs Banks and puzzled at why she's booked to go back to Prague on a flight when her husband 's body is in England. He calls at the family home.
Willie has reported about Marouska Horochova and Geoff Ross has info for Burnside,
R " we know all about her, they say every woman is sitting on a fortune, she's been cashing in on hers"
B " she's KGB?"
R " not exactly, Czech SSD,not that it makes much difference"
Armed with all this Burnside confronts Mrs Banks.
B " My name is Burnside, ACI legal department, my condolences"
MB " really Mr Burnside I'm no fool, the only Burnside in ACI is female. So lets not play games. You're JIB I presume?"

B " erm..yes. Why are you flying back to Prague when your husbands body is here?"
MB " Didn't it occur to you as strange Robert had that accident when I had left to put our children in their new school"
B " you know about Marouska?"
MB " yes , at first she met Robert occasionally, then later she was at all ACI functions, I knew what would happen, Robert in a way is very naive gentle man, he fell for her"
B " you know she's secret police"
MB " oh yes, Robert did too, but gradually she turned him as you would say in your business. To be frank Mr Burnside I don't believe Robert is dead, and neither do you"
B " why are you returning to Prague?"
MB " I'll offer Robert a divorce, if he and Morouska leave Czechoslovakia and live in the west, if he refuses I'll kill her!"
B " do you have any photos of Robert with Marouska in them?"
MB " oh yes, she's in most of the photos of ACI functions"
B " then I believe I can save you a journey"
MB " you see Robert doesn't see it as defecting, just living with the woman he loves"
Back at HQ Burnside gets in touch with the the photographic department,he has a job for them.

 

[michaellevenson]

Willie goes to the embassy to collect the envelope Burnside has sent him. An envelope of touched up photos. Linda has let slip that ACI own a flat that Banks had used as a love nest with Marouska. Willie waits until she has left, then he enters, the door unlocked. Banks is there alive and well.
Banks " let me say one thing, make it absolutely clear, I'm not going back and you can't make me. The woman I'm in love with can't leave Czechoslovakia, it's that simple"
W " you know she's secret police?"
Bk " yes she told me, I used to work for JIB, two sides of the same dirty coin"
W " surely you don't think the SSD have gone to all this trouble so you can shack up with one of their agents. Grow up Mr Banks"
Bk " there's no catch"

Sometimes We Play Dirty Too (1980)
W " I'll tell you why they want you, because of what you know, stuff you don't even realise you know, like hardware ACI don't sell to the communists . You mustn't underestimate yourself, that's why they made it so easy for you. Will you carry on living here?"
Bk " no , Marouska says we can get a bigger flat, her people will provide it"
Willie smiles, this guy's naivety is unbelievable.
W " I wouldn't bother , as soon as Marouska has squeezed you dry she'll move on"
Bk " what the devil do you mean?"
W " you're not the first"
Bk " first what?"
W " idealist ,sucker, you choose the name. There have been others before you. Do you like looking at dirty pictures?"
Bk " no, I don't"
W " you'll love these. You're not cleared to know who these people are of course, this first one with Marouska is a general " Banks looks at the photos one by one, all important people having sex with a girl, the photos touched up , with Marouska's face on all of them.
W " this one with Marouska was an ambassador, this one a cabinet minister in Belgium, this one a foursome, don't know who the other girl with Marouska is though. Of course once the KGB got ahold of these their careers were finished, all of them"
Banks literally blubs ,
Bk " oh my god! What can I do where can I go?"
W " you're not going anywhere Mr Banks except back to England with me"
7/10