The Night Manager

Wanna know how the trick is done?

It's a straw man operation. You are the straw man.

No offence.

Your name is Andrew Birch.

A... merchant venturer.

Decent history in commerce, no skeletons, no murky deals.

Maybe you and I have done deals together, maybe we haven't.

Let them guess.

So, I go to the clowns,

the brokers, venture boys, flexible banks, and I say,

"This fellow Birch, he's a very smart cookie,

"got a brilliant plan, just needs backing.

"Something to do with agricultural hardware,

"quick profits is my gift to you.

"He's clever, he's handsome,

"he's good with all the right people.

"Didn't want you missing out. Company is called Tradepass.

Double your money in four months max."

It's "trust Dickie" time.

And they do.

Well...

Register the company in Cyprus, you have a bank in Geneva.

No questions asked, no accounts to be filed.

You are my lead actor.

You're my main man, my star.

We make the deal.

No one knows what we're selling, no one wants to know.

All they care about is the money.

They don't want to know what's really at stake,

because if they did, they wouldn't sleep at night.

No one can know where the money comes from.

Except you and me, Andrew.

We know.

It's 11:00.

We're having a business meeting. I thought I told you.

A business meeting with Thomas?

Not Thomas.

Andrew.

Andrew is coming aboard.

Well, I'm not part of your little venture,

so what do I call you?

Your son is leaving.

If you'd like to take him to the airport.

Oh, bloody hell...

Come here, babe. - Hello, what's this?

It's a goodbye present.

My God! Boy's got talent.

My son, the painter.

Very good, Danny.

Certainly is.

That's terrific, Dans. Thank you.

Now, you better get a move on. - Aren't you coming?

Can't, I'm afraid. Work.

Give your old man a hug.

Jed'll take you to the airport

and your mother will be at the other end.

Come on now, chin up.

Goodbye, Thomas.

Bye, Danny. - But he's not Thomas anymore.

He's Andrew.

Jed, darling...

But I'm still Jed and your dad's still your dad, so...

Is that right?

Come on, baby.

What do you want?

Please, sit down.

Your girlfriend tells me you're gonna take her to Istanbul.

Very romantic.

I did what you asked.

And how's the sleeping?

Still bad.

You are not good as a confessor at all.

"One good deed at a time."

Isn't that what the good Lord says?

Where did you get this? - Lucky dip.

Don't bullshit me.

Who got you this?

Someone on the inside?

Don't make trouble with me, Juan.

I'd much prefer to be your friend.

I think you'd prefer it, too.

Now, look here. I've got code names,

and I've got numbers and pages to cross-reference.

But what I don't have is someone to join the dots

and tell me what the bloody hell is going on.

Would you leave me alone?

You have my word.

Jesus Christ.

What is wrong with you? - What do you think you're doing?

No one saw me.

You saw no one see you. It's not the same thing.

Where's Roper?

He left last night for a meeting in Geneva.

Jesus.

I really don't think this was a good idea.

I'm sorry if my recklessness upsets you.

Just tell me what you were doing in his private study?

Same as you.

I wanted to find out more about the man who's employing me.

I'm not employed by anyone. - No?

I'm in a relationship, Andrew.

Business or pleasure?

Love.

Right.

Is this your son?

Why do you have that?

Is he your son?

Yes.

Where is he?

He lives with my sister, she takes care of him.

Why isn't he here with you?

Because I left him.

I was 17, I couldn't be a mother.

My sister had a kid already and her husband's a nice guy.

He doesn't do meth for breakfast.

So, I think I made the right call.

Does Roper know?

He wasn't supposed to know. - Why?

Because that's not what he bought on the Upper East Side.

I'm young and beautiful.

Remember?

So, why are you here, why'd you come and see me?

You know, I actually have no idea.

What do you want from us?

Jed, I'm not your way out of this.

That's not what I'm asking.

I think you should go.

Go home along the beach.

Make sure...

If anyone asks,

say you couldn't sleep and you went for a night-time stroll.

Make sure they see you.

Be nice to Roper.

Make him happy.

Make him believe it.

Why the hell would I listen to you?

Come on, mate.

Unbelievable.

What are you...

Jesus.

Alright, look. Investors in Tradepass.

Translated by the Spaniard.

Names on the left. Numbers on the right.

So, Roper buys MOD-certified weapons for $300 million,

is cash-flowed by people

who know nothing about what they're trading in.

But investors are guaranteed 20% profit at the end of 12 months.

So, Roper pays back 360 million at the end of the deal.

But look what he sells it for. - What's that?

"Estimated sale price." His dad was an auctioneer.

That's a profit of 240 million. - Yeah.

It's not bad for a year's work, and look at this.

Who are Halo and Felix?

There we are. - Rob Singhal. IEA.

'Course.

It's Mayhew. I think he's on the warpath.

An unmarked van forcing me off the Mall.

Is this what it's come to?

This is London, for Christ's sake!

They were probably just trying to scare you.

They're gonna get a Whitehall knife-fight

like they've never seen.

Your budget is tripled.

Don't ask where I got it, best you don't know.

How many more people do you want?

Intelligence gathering, analysis... six minimum.

Er, people I can trust. - You choose them.

You choose everything. Get Steadman back here.

Tell him we're joining forces.

Get a new kit. New everything. - OK.

Rex, you need to sit down. Can I show you something?

Where did you get this?

Rex. Who are Halo and Felix?

I don't know.

Could you make a guess?

Good trip?

It was alright.

"It was alright"?

Two days of meetings with Swiss bankers, Corky.

It wasn't exactly Babylonian.

Andrew! I didn't get you a snow globe,

if that's what you're wondering.

How's the homework coming?

Ah, it's pretty good, I think.

Well, better be.

I'm going to be testing you. Where's Jed?

I don't know actually. I haven't seen much of her.

Ah. Thar she blows.

Jed, darling.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, too.

Come on, I wanna show you how much I missed you.

Andrew. Top floor. One hour.

So, you're joining up?

Send the kid back to mummy and then it's off to work we go.

Right.

Thanks to some very clever footwork

by some queens unfriendly to the cause,

you're going in my place.

Corky, I have no idea what you're talking about.