Man at the Top

One, two, three, four.

I'll caution again.

Put your arm out there, that's it.

Come on.

Good round.

Well done.

Well done.

Well, I'm delighted.

This is good news, David.

It is indeed.

I'm so glad we were able to persuade you.

Your Mr. Digby made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

What'll you have to drink, Joe?

Oh, thank you, a dry white wine, please.

Dry white wine.

Let's see.

Champagne?

All right then, fizzy dry white wine.

You open it, David.

I was asking someone about you the other day.

"What about Joe Lampton?" I said.

"What do you think of him?"

And I got a very emphatic reply,

overbearing, treacherous, conceited, aggressive.

Seems you've been working against him, a loser.

Well, I'm glad to have you on my side, Joe.

Thank you, sir.

One, two, three, four,

five, six, seven.

You mean they, uh, offered you a job?

Something like that.

Any good?

Not bad.

Managing director.

You're joking?

Straight up.

Managing director?

Jesus wept.

Well, why you?

What the hell do you know about chemicals?

Pharmaceuticals.

Ah, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, don't give me that.

The only time you've been near a chemist shop is

to buy a packet of French letters.

Well, that's where you're wrong.

I get mine from the barber's.

Well, I'm bloody glad

it didn't happen last month.

What?

All this, I'm glad His Lordship didn't pop the question

before you'd made up your mind to join us.

Lord Ackerman doesn't do the asking.

All that crude stuff's done by his lawyer,

a fellow called Digby,

one of those smooth, young fascists

with a smile like a bacon slicer.

Yeah, well, it's all right

if you like crawlin', I suppose,

if you don't mind lickin' boots 24 hours a day.

Go on, you wouldn't have lasted a month, Joe.

Well, we'll have to see.

I took the job.

Ah, now come on!

Look, Harry!

Nothing was agreed.

Nothing was settled.

Don't try to pretend I've let you down.

- You made it clear. - Nothing was signed!

No, nothing was signed.

I pity you, Joe.

If you're that ambitious,

it means you've got sod all else to live for.

Hilda asked me if you'd like to have dinner.

I'll tell her you had to get back.

In the parlance of we managing directors, Mr. Marshall,

up yours!

Dry white wine?

Thanks, Digby.

Who are these people?

Oh, you know, friends, associates, just people.

All hired from Rent-a-Guest.

At the moment, the accent is on politics.

A few weeks ago, it was theatrical.

That was when his daughter thought she might like

to become an actress.

When Lord Ackerman issues an invitation,

people tend to accept.

So I gather.

I didn't realise he was serious about politics,

not seriously serious, at any rate.

The exercise of power isn't a spectator sport.

Well, you know that.

How are you settling in?

No complaints so far.

Good, splendid.

Come and meet Hugh Tarrant.

Hugh!

Joe Lampton, Hugh Tarrant.

Pleased to meet you, Lampton.

Hugh's the financial director

for the Ackerman Group as a whole.

You know that, of course.

Of course.

I'm sure he knows a great deal about all of us.

I know enough.

A man of few words.

Who's that?

What?

Over there.

He means Alex.

I'll introduce you.

Alex, you look absolutely wizard.

Oh, thank you, David.

I don't think you've met Mr. Lampton.

Joe, this is Lady Ackerman.

So you're the latest acquisition?

Oh, aye, I'm a pretty rare specimen,

unique in many ways.

So I gathered.

Oh, David, go and rescue the home secretary.

Clive's cornered him in the library.

My husband always tries

to monopolise the principal guest, I'm afraid.

Tsk, tsk, how tiresome.

I, um, I do hope you're enjoying yourself, Mr. Lampton.

Hmm?

Not much.

Are you?

Well, nobody's listening to anybody.

You realise that, don't you?

They might just as well have spent the evening

at home listening to themselves talking.

I'm listening.

Clive says you're very ambitious.

Nothing wrong in ambition, is there?

Oh no, not necessarily.

I, I just wonder why.

Why?

Yes, I mean, what for?

What are you ambitious for, power, money, influence?

That'll do for a start.

There you are, you see,

ambitious and greedy.

You're very different from your predecessor, Mr. Lampton.

Mr. Taranath?

Yes, Mr. Taranath.

He was so, oh, correct, so formal.

How long have you been Lady Ackerman?

Three years.

Married before, divorced?

Yes.

So am I.

You're not all what I expected.

Oh, is that good or bad?

Oh good.

I expected some sort of John Peel in drag.

You know, I get the feeling you're making fun

of us all, Mr. Lampton.

Joe.

I, um, I think I'd better go

and mingle with the other guests.

Why not mingle with me?

How about lunch, next week?

I make it a rule never to have lunch with the employees.

Hurry, up, Digby.

Where is it, love?

Along the landing, last door on the left.

Hello, Mrs. Langham.

Is Caroline there?

Yes, it's me, Robin.

Hello, Carrie, it's Robin.

Look, I'd better come over to you.

Daddy's having another one of his boring cocktail things.

How long will you be?

- What? - How long will you be?

Oh, at least another hour, longer probably.

Oh, can you hang on a minute?

Okay, stand away.

One, two, three, four,

five, six, seven,

wipe your glove down!

Box on!

Stand away.

One, two, three,

four, five, six, seven,

eight, nine, out!

Beautiful, beautiful.

You leaving, sir?

Yes.

Nothing wrong, is there?

Thank you.

Should there be?

Well, I just wondered...

I just thought that that message might have upset you.

My dear Joe, what a frightful worrier you are.

It's a killer, you know, anxiety.

I'll see you on Tuesday.

- Tuesday? - At the board luncheon.

I do hope you can make it.

I gather that the Americans are quite keen to talk.