Thriller s06e03- Nightmare For A Nightingale

[michaellevenson]

Tony Risanti is an opera singer, a good one, but not quite good enough for major stardom. He is also a gambler and owes money to the Mafia, not a good place to be. In his apartment on the Italian riviera overlooking the cliffs and water below ,Tony listens to a vinyl record. The record is his own, his face on the sleeve, his voice singing is heard. In the apartment with him is a tramp, a drunken youngish man Tony has invited up. Tony turns off the record, "I have a good voice, not bad, but not good enough, now here is the voice of an angel, someone who is going to make it really big."

Tony puts another record on, a woman's voice is heard, an operatic beautiful voice, Tony and the tramp listen mesmerised. The lady singing is Tony's wife Anna. Tony sighs, " an angel, what a pity I won't be around to see her reach the top. You envy me don't you?" The tramp smiles inanely as he doesn't understand a word of English and is getting drunker by the minute as he swigs from a bottle of wine.


Tony continues, " you think I got it made don't you, a beautiful wife, a fancy apartment, but you know what, I'm no better off than you. In fact, you're better off than me, you've got no one chasing you for money, so that's why I'm going to kill you."
The tramp smiles and says," ah grazie ", he hasn't a clue what's being said.
Tony, " yeah, I'm going to kill you, then dress you in my clothes then throw you over the cliff. By the time your body is washed up no one will doubt it's me. I think you've drunk enough, come here."
The tramp staggers to his feet and Tony leads him onto the balcony overlooking the clifftop and crashing waves below. Tony has grabbed a heavy ornament , he holds it behind his back as the tramp stares out to sea. Suddenly Tony smashes the ornament down on the tramp's skull......

 

[michaellevenson]

ELEVEN YEARS LATER

Anna Cartell , opera singer extraordinaire is performing at London's Albert Hall before a packed audience. At the end of her performance the audience cheer, flowers thrown onto the stage. In her dressing room awaiting her return is Sam Meadows her agent and Giles Turner the tour manager. Both are ecstatic, Anna has hit the very top, all is set for next month's sell out tour of Russia.
Giles, " it is going to be fantastic, I knew it would work, Russia will love her. And it's my planning that got us here."
Sam laughs, " your planning? Who said she was ready, me! "

They both laugh, Giles says, " look we both did it," But also in the room is Maria, Anna's personal assistant, " no gentlemen, Anna did it."
Giles holds up a glass of champagne, " you know Sam, she's right, Anna did it, a toast to Anna."
Anna enters the room, with her is an American from the London embassy, Hal Bridie. Giles and Sam offers their congratulations and Sam wants to discuss the Russian tour but Anna says, " can we do it tomorrow Sam, I'm tired, and anyway I've something to discuss with you too."
Sam, " is it important Anna?"
Anna," yeah it is, but tomorrow okay Sam?"
Anna and Hal leave, Sam turns to Giles puzzled, " she has something to tell us?"

 

[michaellevenson]

That evening Anna and Hal arrive back at her apartment after an evening out for a meal, Anna turns the light on and jumps in surprise, Sam is sitting there in an armchair waiting for them.
Anna, " Sam, what are you doing here?"
Sam is apologetic, " It was a silly idea, I had no right to but...."
Anna, " come on Sam, what's wrong."
Sam, " you said you had something to tell us, I had the thought that perhaps I better hear it before Giles in case it's bad news."
Anna, " it's not bad news Sam, not for me anyway. Hal has been made ambassador , he's staying in London, it's the first step to the Presidency, he's aiming for the White House Sam."
Sam, " well congratulations Hal."
Anna looks concerned, " thing is Sam ,we're going to get married, soon as possible."
Sam looks shocked, but then smiles, " a love story yeah, the public love that, the story released by me at the right time, we can ride into Russia on a wave of public excitement."
Anna, " Sam, there's not going to be a Russian tour, I'm retiring, I just want to be Mrs Bridie, when we finish in London that's it Sam."
Sam can't believe what he's hearing , " this is the most ridiculous thing I've heard. You are at the very top Anna, the world is at your feet."
Hal, " so am I Sam."
Anna, " when London is over , it's over for both of us Sam, I'm sorry, you can't change my mind."
Sam looks devastated, he gets up, gives Anna a peck on the cheek and leaves.

 

[michaellevenson]

Anna is visiting a house that she and Hal are thinking of buying. The house out in the countryside, and empty , she enters the hallway and hears something odd, a man singing, an opera aria being sung. The singing is coming from the cellar, nervously Anna descends the dusty stairs down into the darkness of the cellar holding a candle, the electric turned off. In the middle of the cellar is a record turntable, Anna listens , she recognises the voice, and then turns off the player.

A man emerges from the shadows, grey hair, eleven years older, wearing his trademark white suit, but unmistakably Tony.
Anna shocked, " Tony..you're dead!"
Tony, " no Anna, alive and well....sort of"
Tony swigs from a hip flask of whisky.
Anna, " I don't understand, why didn't you tell me, it's been 11 years!"
Tony, " I was ill for a long time..er ..amnesia that's right." Tony hands her a red carnation, " for you Anna, remember how I always gave you carnations."
Anna, " but there was a body, I identified you."
Tony, " probably someone broke into my place, yeah I suppose so, stole my clothes and that ring you bought me."
Anna realises the truth, " oh my God! Did you kill someone Tony?"
Tony, " that would be very hard to prove without a body. I was up to my neck in debt, and those guys play rough, and you would have been got to, I protected you Anna, now it's my turn."
Anna, " what an earth are you talking about?"
Tony, " Hal Bridie, you're about to become an heiress to millions. That's the kind of action I understand, that I want a piece of. One word from me and you're still married to me, and Bridie is playing around with a married woman. One whisper and Bridie's career is over. But I'm not a whisperer Anna, I'm a yeller, a New York Yankee stadium bottom of the 9th yeller. I'm not wrapping it up Anna, it's blackmail."
Anna, " you wouldn't Tony."
Tony, " not only I would but I have to, I haven't changed Anna, I'm still drowning and Bridie's money looks like a liferaft. 40,000 then I'm gone, dead as I have been these last 11 years, 40,000 that's all , he probably spends more than that on feed for his race horses."
Anna shouts out, " no Tony, I know you, you'll keep coming back for more."
Tony, " I promise, a deal, 40,000 then I'm gone."
Anna, " you've never kept to a deal in your life."
Tony grabs her, " this time I swear. "

Anna moves up the stairs turns and pushes him forcibly away," NO!"
Tony stumbles backwards down the stairs and lies motionless at the foot, Anna looks down in disgust, " alright Tony you win, I'll get the money somehow."
Tony doesn't stir, Anna comes back down the stairs, " stop messing about Tony."
Anna bends down, she sees blood pouring out of the side of Tony's head, " oh god!"
Suddenly a voice is heard, the realtor has entered the house, " Mrs Bridie are you here?"
Anna quickly opens a broom cupboard and drags Tony's body inside, closes it and pushes a crate across the floor to cover the blood stain. The realtor gentleman enters and sees Anna sitting on the crate.
Realtor, " I hope it's not bad luck or anything to call you Mrs Bridie before the wedding, I've spoken to Mr Bridie he says you're interested in the house."
Anna tries to stay composed " yes erm...can you keep people away from the property...erm...while I make up my mind about buying it.?"
Realtor, " ah that sounds possessive excellent. I can give you the time you want to consider it Mrs Bridie. "
Anna looks relieved, she leaves, with a quick backward glance at the cupboard, and sees a tiny trickle of blood running out of the cupboard, what is she going to do?!

 

[michaellevenson]

That evening Anna is performing at the Royal Albert Hall again, Giles and Sam watch from the side.
Giles, " thank god she didn't sing like this yesterday when the critics were in. She's off, edgy, something is wrong. "
Anna is singing, Hal in the front row, when Anna is distracted by someone taking their seat in the upper gallery, in one of the private boxes. A man, in a white suit, holding a single red carnation. His face obscured by shadow. Anna pauses stumbles on a note or two, the audience restless.


The man leans forward in the box, Anna stops singing, peers up to get a look at the face then collapses on stage. Anna comes to instantly and looks up at the box, the man has gone.
Back in the dressing room, Giles is panicking, what about the rest of the London season? What shall we tell the media? Sam reassures him, " Anna is just tired, no need to panic."
When Giles leaves Sam wants to know the truth, what happened? Anna insists it was nothing, just nerves. Hal comes in and when alone with Anna tells her, " I was watching Anna, you looked terrified, someone in that box scared you. Tell me Anna, I love you I can help."
Anna again insists it's nothing. Hal leaves and Maria enters, Anna notices the flowers sent here by the public, particularly the carnations.
Anna, " get rid of them Maria, they remind me of...someone, give them to charity."

 

[michaellevenson]

Later that evening Anna drives out to the house that contains her deadly secret, the body of Tony. She has the keys from the realtor and nervously enters the cellar. The blood stain on the floor at the broom cupboard is dried, and steeling herself she opens the cupboard door....AND NOTHING! NO BODY.
She hears singing, Tony's voice, a record player is playing Anna walks up to it, " Tony are you here?" There's no one here, panicking she runs out , back into her car and speeds off . Hal appears from behind a tree, staring after her departing vehicle, a cold look on his face.
The next evening in her dressing room after giving a better performance than the previous night, Anna is with Sam when Maria walks in carrying a huge bouquet of carnations, " look at these lovely flowers."
Anna goes ballistic screaming, " NO NO IT CAN'T BE HE'S DEAD!"
Sam motions Maria to leave, " Anna , that's it, no more humouring you, I want the truth, what is wrong."
Anna, " it's Tony, remember him, big bad drunk Tony."
Sam, " Tony!? What about him?"


Sam is driving to the house, Anna next to him.
Sam, " it was an accident, at worst it's manslaughter. You've told me what happened and I believe you. You went back and the cupboard was bare."
Anna, " that's right Sam, am I losing my mind ?"
Sam, " I tell you what I think, you killed him and your mind couldn't accept it, so when you opened the cupboard you saw what you wanted to see, no Tony."
Anna , " you think so Sam?"
Sam, " I'm sure, well we're here, we'll find out...come on".

In the cellar Sam goes towards the cupboard, Anna holds back , not daring to look. Sam opens the door, Tony's dead body falls out. Anna goes to leave, Sam calls out. " You can't run Anna, you have to face it, listen I believe you, it was an accident, but accidents can happen anywhere. Why don't I arrange for this accident to happen elsewhere, they'll never trace it back to you."
Anna, " oh Sam you are amazing thank you."
Sam , " listen baby, I look after your interests don't I, I'll take him somewhere far from here."

 

[michaellevenson]

Anna in her dressing room downing whisky, pacing nervously as Sam comes in.
Sam, " your troubles are over, I took him to Kent, near Faversham there's a deserted mineshaft, Tony is at the bottom of it. It'll be months before he's found , perhaps years. Now Anna you owe me, you owe me a performance of a lifetime. They're waiting for you kid, the audience, give it all you've got..for me "

Anna performs brilliantly and hurries back to the dressing room where Hal is waiting.
Anna, " Hal darling I want you to know whatever happens I would never do anything to hurt your career."
Hal, " my career? What is wrong, and don't tell me nothing, I know you too well. You might as well know, the other night I followed you to the house, you were only in there 5 minutes but you ran out like the devil was chasing you."
Anna, " oh Hal I've done something dreadful, Sam is covering it up, but I know it's wrong, my husband Tony, I killed him!"
Hal is flabbergasted, " YOU DID WHAT!!"

 

[michaellevenson]

It's late, gone midnight, Anna still in her dressing room when the phone rings, it's Hal.
Hal, " darling I'm with the police now, we've found Tony , exactly where Sam said, but darling you said he fell and hit his head, but he died of a stab wound. He was stabbed to death....darling...darling..are you there?"
Anna isn't listening to the call, she has placed the receiver down and walked out down a corridor to the prop room. She has heard Tony's singing voice again. On a table is a record player, a record playing on it. Next to the player is a figure, a man in a white suit, Tony, Anna runs up to the figure, but it's only a mannequin dressed to resemble Tony. Anna grabs the record and smashes it shouting, "YOU'RE DEAD..DEAD.."

Sam appears, " yes he's dead Anna, died 11 years ago, he'll not bother you again, I saw to that. I look after you Anna, always have done."
Anna is confused, " but who's been doing this, the carnations, the record at the house, this foolishness here, all of it."
Sam, " it's like good poker play, you have to build an ascendancy, stay in control.Tony was a shark got what he deserved, I saved you from a prison sentence, now I own you body and voice, particularly the voice, retiring? After I heaved you to the top on my shoulders, MY SHOULDERS Anna, years of sacrifice, sweat and investment, no more thoughts of retiring. "
Anna gasps, " no Sam, no."

Sam, " you mean yes Sam. You hit me with that marriage news, the bottom of my world dropped out, if it hadn't been for Tony...."
Anna picks up on this, " if it hadn't been for Tony what? Did you see Tony, you couldn't have done....unless...( realisation)..I didn't kill him! ...I didn't kill him did I Sam?"
Hal Bridie appears from the stairs and walks over, " no honey you didn't kill him, just stunned him, but Tony decided to capitalise on this, and he went to the person who had most to lose by your retirement, Sam. Between them they cooked up a scheme to push you to despair, and Sam, you were a willing participant, until you didn't need Tony any more then you stuck a knife in him."

Police sirens are heard getting closer, Sam looks dejected , he could just have trained and built another singing career, found another promising talent, but instead , what the hell has he done?
Hal, " don't run Sam, I'd hate to have to hit you."



Cast;
Anna.....Susan Flannery
Tony...Keith Baxter
Sam....Sydney Tafler
Giles....Ronald Leigh- Hunt
Hal.....Stuart Damon
Marie....Gita Denise

On to next episode

Thriller s06e04 - Dial A Deadly Number

A young man, Paul Kirby , walks up the stairs of a lonely country mansion, up to the landing, knocks on the door, wants to see Helen. Suddenly the door opens, someone holding a large curved blade, Paul is stabbed and crashes down the stairs, looking down on him is Helen Curry with knife in hand...

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