Man on a String

Smashing spy rings

and operating the United States'

own World-Wide intelligence network

is the joint responsibility of several federal agencies

here consolidated and fictively named

the U.S. central bureau of intelligence.

At home and abroad, the CBI works with maximum secrecy.

Its inspectors and special agents

supervise their units and develop their cases

from undercover field offices.

Well, what's up?

It's uncanny how the Russians

can smell out a double agent.

We were that close to planting one of our men

at a listening post inside the kremlin.

Jan hassert?

Tossed off a train in Switzerland.

The director wants us to develop Boris mitrov.

Frank, I want you to take this case.

Leave for Los Angeles as soon as you can.

Who'll brief me? — Los Angeles.

They've had a string on mitrov for over a year now.

And there's a break expected within the next 48 hours.

Well, I might as well start packing.

In Los Angeles

is one of the CBI's busiest field offices.

Here, for more than 18 months,

special agents have been watching the activities

of a certain russian—born American named Boris mitrov.

Boris mitrov, born in Russia.

Well known musician and Hollywood producer.

Robert Avery has been mitrov's assistant for about a year.

Colonel Vladimir kubelov, nicknamed vadja,

one of the Soviet embassy's big shots

and ranking kgb officer in Washington.

Adrian Benson, an American multimillionaire

and his third wife, Helen Benson.

Both are communists.

Benson's trying to buy control

of the Boris mitrov film studios.

And this is Boris mitrov's 82—year—old father.

He came from Russia aboard a Norwegian freighter

which docked in San Francisco yesterday.

That's the break you've been expecting?

Yes it is, Mr. Sanford.

The arrival of a gentle old man

at his son's home in Beverly Hills

is a turning point in the mitrov case,

a case destined to evolve

into one of the most celebrated

counterintelligence operations in CBI history.

Papa, this is Helga and sven.

They've been waiting to make you comfortable.

Welcome to america, Mr. Mitrov.

Thank you. — welcome, sir.

Thank you.

Sven, will you get the luggage please?

Yes, sir. — thank you.

How do you do, Mr. Avery?

Hello, Helga.

Oh!

This is beautiful!

How many families live here with you, Boris?

One, papa, just us.

Well, you mean this is all,

all yours?

And yours.

Everything is so big.

It must cost much money to run a house like this.

Well, in Hollywood you have to live expensively

or nobody will believe that you're successful.

That's so true. (Laughs)

Why don't I tell Helga to bring some tea?

Or would you rather have a drink, Bob?

No thanks, I told dottie I'd be home early.

I'm glad you arrived safely, sir.

I am glad to be here.

Goodbye. — goodbye.

I'll see you at the studio in the morning.

I'll be back in a minute, papa.

From the layout of his house

to the identities of his associates,

the CBI already knows every detail of mitrov's life.

Wherever the subject and his associates go,

they are covered by a squad of special agents.

So, papa.

My picture and your brothers', long time ago.

They disappeared,

and some of the men they worked with.

No one has heard from them.

But they're all right, papa.

I got word through the Russian embassy in Washington.

The Russian embassy knows this?

Yes.

In Moscow I ask question everywhere,

even at the kremlin.

Nobody had an answer.

You're here and they'll be here, I promise you.

But boris—— (doorbell rings)

Excuse me a minute, papa.

Well, good afternoon. — good afternoon.

Vadja. — hello, Boris.

I wasn't expecting you.

Papa, I want you to meet vadja kubelov.

He's been very helpful to us.

How do you do? — It's nice to see you.

Always a pleasure to meet my son's friends.

I hope you had a good voyage.

Today was best of all.

Will you excuse me?

I still have to unpack.

Oh, sven will help you, papa.

Did you have to come today, vadja?

I didn't wanna waste any more time

making our final arrangements.

To your good health, and your father's.

Thank you for getting him here.

You didn't think we really would, did you?

I don't know what I thought.

I've been trying for so long.

Well, these things are never simple.

Boris, I'm sorry that you couldn't

have just taken my word for it

instead of making it part of a deal.

The papers, by the way, are all drawn up.

We'll drive out to the bensons' tomorrow afternoon

so you can sign them.

What does a banker know about running a studio?

For our purposes, he doesn't have to know very much.

No, I suppose not.

What about my brothers?

They weren't part of our agreement.

No, but you said you'd get them over

as soon after my father arrived as it was possible.

Well, we'll discuss it some other time.

We'll discuss it now.

Oh Boris, we're friends in spite of all this business

but surely you must know by now

that I can't put that ahead of my work.

If you want to help your brothers, you can.

It all depends entirely on your future work for us.

To your brothers.

An invisible electronic beam

directed against the window pane

enables agents to record conversations

taking place inside.

Ah, vadja.

Hello, Helen darling.

And you're Boris mitrov.

Vadja's told us so much about you.

And this is my husband, Adrian.

How do you do?

Vadja — Adrian.

Well, make yourselves comfortable

and I'll see we get something to drink.

Let me help you, hm?

Sit down.

Well, I'm glad we're finally

going to get these famous papers signed.

I'm sure you are.

I suppose you intend to make changes

in the operation of the studio?

As many as necessary to integrate my work for vadja

into the framework of an established company,

so that I can operate with greater security.

How far can Boris be pushed?

Well, he has no choice now that his father is here.

If we can get him to come along willingly,

I think he'll be very useful.

You do all those things

and you'll wreck the company and me!

My reputation's been built on hard work

and I intend to keep it that way.

Of course, it's your reputation we're buying.

Well, gentlemen, I hope you're through talking business.

It's time to relax.

Oh Boris, we're so glad

that you've come in with us at last.

Let's drink to our new venture.

What would you like?

Well, it's a bit early but, oh, scotch will do.

Week after week, outside and inside,

agents watch the studio whose control

Boris has been forced to give up to Benson.

Testing, one, two, three.

Does anybody read me?

Mr. M just entered the studio.

All right, thanks.

Mr. Sanford, that was agent Johnson reporting in, sir.

Mr. M just went into the studio.

Fine, are we ready?

Well, as soon as we hear anything in there

we flip the switch and she rolls.

You're an hour late.

What happened?

We'll never get this picture done.

Everything's going wrong.

I've seen you weather tougher storms than this.

I've had something on my mind lately.

It's nothing to do with the work.