Gambit

Here she is.

What do you think?

Perfect! Perfect!

Would she cooperate?

A girl making 50 Hong Kong cents a dance? Of course she'll cooperate.

Now... pay close attention.

Dean's the name, Harry Dean.

May I present Emile Fournier, art dealer and connoisseur.

Enchanté mademoiselle.

Won't you sit down?

How would you like to make 5,000 dollars?

Not Hong Kong...

Five thousand United States of America dollars.

That's five... zero... zero...

zero.

Good morning! My name is Dean... Harold Dean.

Ah, Sir Harold, welcome to Dammuz.

I am JK Ram, the manager of the Semiramis Hotel.

Good of you to meet us, Ram.

This is Lady Dean.

Ah, yes, Lady Dean.

I have a car for you, Sir Harold.

Ah, yes.

- If you will be good enough to follow me. - Yes, now about our luggage, old boy.

We don't want to lose that now, do we?

Of course not, Sir Harold. Your luggage will be sent down to you later at the hotel.

- Thank you very much indeed. - Not at all, Sir Harold.

Are you not coming with us?

No, I've one or two details to attend to.

I shall have the honour to see you later at the hotel.

Connect me with Mr. Shahbandar's private telephone immediately.

That is what I said... immediately.

Hello? Abdul?

Sir Harold and Lady Dean, sir.

Of course. Good morning, sir.

Good morning.

The royal suite is all ready for you.

- If you would care to register, Sir Harold? - Thank you.

Where can I cash a traveller's cheque, please?

- At the cashiers, of course. - Thank you.

- If I may have your passport, Sir Harold. - Yes.

Only a formality. We will return them immediately.

Please conduct Sir Harold and Lady Dean to the royal suite.

This way, Sir Harold.

"Pictorial's visit to the richest man in the world.

"An exclusive look at the shyest billionaire

"and his exotic hotel-apartment hideaway.

"Several times a year, mostly holidays,

"Ahmad Shahbandar, believed by many to be the wealthiest man in the world

"journeys to Dammuz

"and to his exotic penthouse in the world famous Hotel Semiramis."

Sit down, love, sit down.

"While his less exclusive countrymen make merry in the Casbah-flavoured city

"this latter day Arabian knight locks himself into his fortress

"to which only his most intimate associates have ever been invited."

We are going to change all that.

Take a look at this.

That's Shahbandar

twenty years ago.

Now... take a look at the girl.

That's why you're here.

She died a year after they married.

He never married again.

When he hears about you, he'll want to see you.

That means he has to see me.

The invitation should arrive any minute.

Come in.

What is it, Ram?

A very great honour, Sir Harold.

You are invited to take cocktails this evening at 6 o'clock

in the apartment of Mr. Ahmad Shahbandar.

Oh? Who's he?

Ahmad Shahbandar? He owns this hotel, sir.

He owns most of Dammuz.

Oh, he does, does he? Well, fancy that now.

Well, yes, I suppose I can fit him in.

Can you occupy yourself, my dear, while I have a drink with this... Shah chappie?

Oh, no, Sir Harold. The invitation is also for the Lady Dean.

Most assuredly for the Lady Dean.

Oh, really? All right then.

May I then come to collect you at ten minutes to six, sir?

Ten minutes to six it shall be, dear boy.

4279 please.

Hello?

Oh, hello, it's Harold Dean speaking.

It is me, Emile.

Have you made the delivery?

Yes, I have made the delivery.

Thank you, goodbye.

You must bear in mind at all times

this image of his wife is Shahbandar's lifelong obsession.

For 20 years he has never looked at another woman.

All he has ever wanted was a facsimile of her.

Remember that.

That'll be, Ram.

One last thing.

At 11:30, no matter where you are, no matter what you're doing, leave it.

Go to the airport. Be there by midnight. The plane leaves at 12:30.

Come in.

Ten minutes to six, Sir Harold. Mr. Shahbandar awaits your presence.

We're right with you, dear boy.

Sir Harold, Lady Dean, if you'll follow me.

- Lead on, dear boy! - Thank you so much.

There is only one entrance to Mr. Shahbandar's apartments

through his personal elevator

which was brought all the way from Paris in his own personal aircraft.

Then as you can see he has his own personal bodyguard.

If you'll be so kind, Lady Dean... Sir Harold.

If you will permit me, I shall now send the lift.

This mechanism is a little slow

but I believe we shall arrive with perfect punctuality.

One moment. I've dropped my cufflink down the lift shaft.

Goodness gracious! Well, I shall get it later, sir.

Not later, dear boy, now.

Mr. Shahbandar does not like to be kept waiting.

And I don't like to walk about half naked.

Why am I being kept waiting?

Try to be patient, effendi.

The British aristocracy insist on arriving too early or too late but never on time.

And while we are waiting would you care to make a decision about the Buddha?

What?

I promised him an early reply.

How much?

Only $5,000, extremely inexpensive.

All right, all right, buy it.

It has to be down there somewhere, doesn't it?

Don't worry, Ram, we'll find it.

Ah... very nice.

Very nice indeed.

How many Rolls does Mr. Shahbandar own?

Three sir: This one, the black one there...

and a new white one.

And how does one move these cars in and out of here?

In the usual manner, sir...

through the door.

That is the door.

Goodness gracious! It looks more like a safety curtain.

Here is the cufflink, Sir Harold. It was quite undamaged.

Good! I knew we'd find it.

Shall we go now, Sir Harold? Lady Dean?

Come along, darling.

- Could you fix this for me, dear boy? - It would be my pleasure, Sir Harold.

- Thank you. - You are most welcome, Sir Harold.

- Ah! Sir Harold, may I present to you... - Ah, Mr. Shahbandar!

I am Mr. Shahbandar's secretary.

I am sorry.

Welcome Sir Harold... my lady.

This way, please.

Darling?

If you'll just make yourselves comfortable, Mr. Shahbandar will here in a moment.

Thank you.

Sir Harold, how kind of you to come.

How do you do? May I present my wife?

Please be seated.

May I offer you some refreshment? Perhaps a little champagne.

That'd be splendid.

Aren't you going to join us?

We are not permitted alcohol.

I expect you're wondering why I wanted to meet you.

The thought had crossed my mind.

I presumed you wanted a chat about the world oil situation.

A remarkable thing has happened.

You might even call it a... miracle.

I don't know quite how to...

how to explain it.

You have a very beautiful wife, sir.

Have you been married long?

Four years.

You are fortunate.

I was married for only one year.

It was a wonderful year but...

it passed so quickly and then she was gone.

May I show you something...

- something quite extraordinary? - Certainly!

Please come with me.

Always interested in seeing something extraordinary.

This is my office and library.

This way please.

I must say, Mr. Shahbandar, you have some beautiful things.

This for instance.

Chinese, isn't it?

That's right, yes.

You see?

This bust is of the Empress Lissu.

She was born in Burma 2,300 years ago.

The daughter of a Burmese mother and a Greek father.

She married the Emperor of China when she was 12 years old.

I believe I gave the highest price ever for a work of art but that is not important.

You see I had to have her

because the face of the Lissu...

is the image of my late wife

and now...

you understand now what I meant...

by a miracle.

It's incredible!

It's absolutely amazing!

At the risk of appearing bad mannered, Mr. Shahbandar,

I wonder if I might have another glass of champagne.

- Of course. - Come, darling.

Indeed, now that you realise why I wanted to meet your wife.