Obsession

Ladies and gentlemen!

Ladies and gentlemen...

I would like to propose a toast...

to Michael and Elizabeth Courtland...

this world's last romantics.

Happy tenth anniversary!

Happy anniversary!

And if you'll allow me, a special toast to this man...

a man of endless energy and ambition...

the cream of the new South...

my dear friend and new senior partner...

in what will soon be the finest real estate development in New Orleans...

the new Pontchartrain Estates!

Thank you, Bob.

Bob has very generously referred to me...

as part of the cream of the new South.

I think that might be a little bit genteel for me.

I would be more inclined to consider myself more of...

oh, skim milk of the Middle West or something.

Energy...

ambition.

I would hope...

that we could direct those qualities...

to try and retain...

for the new South...

some of the graceful values of the old South.

- Daddy. - What?

- Will you dance with me? - Will I dance with you?

What will you do if I dance with you?

I'll dance with you.

Let's bring Mommy in, okay?

- Good night. - Good night, John.

Bob, thanks again.

Thank you, Bob. Good night, Debbie.

Good night.

Thank you. It was nice having you.

Good night, Carl.

Mommy! Mommy!

Honey?

Turn it on.

Come on, kid. Talk, damn it!

Tell your daddy how much you want him to bring that money!

Daddy, please bring the money, please!

- That's real good. - Please come get me and Mommy, please!

That's good. That's real good.

Yes?

I'm supposed to bring this to Mr. Courtland.

Come in.

- What is it, son? - Mr. Courtland?

The man said you'd give me a tip.

Five dollars! Gee, thanks.

- What did he look like? - Who?

The man who gave you the bag.

Just a man.

Let's start at the beginning. Slow down.

Come on, kid! Talk, damn it!

Tell your daddy how much you want him to bring that money!

Daddy, please bring the money, please!

Please come get me and Mommy, please!

Call the police.

I guess I'll have to take my money out of the Pontchartrain project.

I know, Court.

Just thinkin' about it makes me sick.

You know, I'm not gonna take advantage of this.

We're gonna develop the land just as you planned.

We'll build your park.

Hell, I like trees.

If you pick up the option, you're not obligated to do my plan.

You can do anything you want with it. You know that.

I want to do this thing for you.

Thanks, Bob. I appreciate that.

Of course, there's still a week on the option.

If the police can get your money back, it'll be just like before.

Well, I guess somebody oughta get to the bank.

I'll go there myself.

Inspector Brie is here. He'd like to see you right now.

- Would you send him in? - Okay.

Hello, Inspector. Thank you for coming out. Sit down.

Thank you.

Would you like a cup of coffee?

No, thank you, Mr. Courtland.

It's an excruciating situation.

I guess I don't have to tell you that.

Preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.

I've seen many cases very similar to this.

They all ended up with the successful return of the hostages...

and the apprehension of the kidnappers.

It's just a matter of intelligence and calm nerves.

Just try to leave this as much as possible to us, Mr. Courtland.

There's nothing you can really do.

I'm willing to pay the money. The money isn't important.

That's the hell of it, Mr. Courtland.

These men are professionals.

If they're caught without the loot, they give up.

If they got the money in hand, we may have a very dangerous fight.

Are you sure?

Absolutely.

It is, of course, finally your decision.

What would you do?

Something the lab has developed.

Something the lab has developed.

We go through the drop as instructed.

False money and a small radio transmitter...

in a locked briefcase.

We track the pickup man by radio truck.

He leads us to the hostages.

Foolproof.

At no point will the lives of your wife and daughter be in danger.

Just leave it to us.

Give me an estimation.

I got it, I got it!

You oughta be happy, little girl. Your daddy come through with the money.

Everything's gonna be all right.

Mommy, Mommy! Daddy brought the money!

What the hell is that?

Transmitter.

Son of a bitch!

Look at this. This is what your old man thinks you're worth!

- Nothin'! - Mommy!

This is Detective Brie.

This is Detective Brie of the New Orleans police force.

The house is surrounded.

Come out with your hands raised and you will not be harmed.

- What do we do? - Be calm. Get the knife.

Don't panic.

Cut those ropes and let's get outta here.

Break that window open.

Mommy! Mommy!

Don't shoot unless you want the kid to get it!

Hold your fire. Hold your fire.

Peterson, this is Brie.

We're on the Broussard Road approaching the bridge.

Are your roadblocks in place?

All set on your side, Inspector.

I'm helping an oil truck off the road over here.

Get it out of there! We're on the bridge now!

The wife and daughter of New Orleans businessman Michael Courtland...

were killed yesterday...

when a kidnap-rescue effort sadly backfired.

Over here is Inspector August Brie, who's in charge of this case.

Inspector, can you tell us exactly what happened here?

I'm sorry.

I can't divulge any information at this time.

It's just been too tragic, that's all.

The police did all they could.

The search for the bodies remains fruitless...

hampered by the explosion of the automobile...

and the currents of the Mississippi.

Here are your tickets.

Now, remember, you leave at 12:30 tomorrow.

You arrive in Rome at 9:10 and you take the Rapido to Florence.

- Do you have your passport? - Yeah.

I'll put these in your briefcase.

You about ready, Michael? I won't be a second.

What's that Italian's name, D'Annunzio?

He's a bit of a bore, I'm afraid.

A rich one, though.

I hope his English is better than my Italian.

You let me take care of him. He's very susceptible to flattery.

He's gonna love it when I tell him he's as wise as Caesar...

and as honest as the pope.

You know, I'm gonna like this trip, Bob.

Really, I'm lookin' forward to it.

I can find out what you were doing on the Florentine junkets all these years.

Food, money...

and above all art, my man.

I'm a lover of fine art.

- It's my only vice. - You're just a Renaissance man, Robert.

He said 8:00.

Oh, thanks, Bob. You know, I think you're right.

I should have come back to Italy years ago.

I told you, old boy. It's the birthplace of western art.

One thing that puzzles me.

How do these old guys get such young wives?

- I'll ask them. - Don't.

I think so too. Would you like to see a picture of my wife?

Picture of your wife?

Go ahead, show him a picture.

As Americans say, "Such a jewel."

Wonderful woman.

And cook... such a cook.

She's lovely.

This is Maria. Such a wonderful woman.

- And I have six children. - She's lovely.

Lovely lady.

Aren't you glad you asked?

A fantastico woman.

That's why I have to make so much money.

She loves money, and she deserves it.

- Everybody likes money. - And women.

Oh, not everybody likes money, signor.

You take my partner here, Michael.

He and I own, in New Orleans...

one of the biggest, best plots of land in the suburban city.

For 15, 16 years...

he has refused to build anything on that land.

Nothing but a tomb.

If you gentlemen will excuse me, it's a little late.

Late? He thinks it's late.

Hell, I haven't even danced yet.