Original subtitles

One, two, three, four, five, six,

seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12...

37, 38, 39.

Of course war is inevitable,

we're both aware of that.

But it won't come this year.

I presume you've read my reports.

If their plans for the 15th are successful,

the whole of Europe will be plunged into war immediately.

We still have the fleet, Scudder.

You're overstating the danger.

Karolides can hold the Balkans together.

But if you don't act now before the 15th,

the fleet will be endangered,

and Karolides will be assassinated.

Sir Hugh, have I ever cried wolf before?

All right, give us the details.

I admit I don't know their English names,

but every other fact, I can verify.

You've been retired too long, Scudder,

you're seeing phantoms everywhere.

And you, Lord Harkness,

are spending too much time at your club.

That's quite enough, Scudder.

I cannot tolerate complacency.

Incivility does nothing to strengthen your hand, you know.

So you're all prepared to ignore the obvious warnings?

I'll do what I can for you.

- For my case... - Oh don't be so touchy.

I'm not in this for my pride.

Scudder.

Don't you understand?

The peace of the world is in danger now.

I'm in danger.

So are you and your colleagues.

It's always been an obsession of Scudder's.

He sees Prussians in every wardrobe.

Can't ignore him, he's always been reliable.

In the past perhaps.

I believe him.

Well, sleep on it, I'll speak to you in the morning.

Goodnight, my lord.

Goodnight.

Come on.

My dear Appleton, what an unexpected pleasure.

What on Earth?

Lord Harkness.

Lord Harkness.

No one here will underestimate the tragedy of the death

of Lord Harkness.

He stood solidly against all aggression.

His words of guarantee to Serbia are well-remembered,

and had full backing from everyone of us here,

every member of this society,

which has worked so tirelessly for peace in Europe.

Empire Rooms. It's urgent.

All right, gov.

But I am now convinced that we are entering

upon the last hours of that peace.

War is not only inevitable, gentlemen,

its shadow has already fallen on us.

You ready, Hugh?

Well, should we take your carriage or mine?

Internal combustion or horse-drawn, you choose.

Horse, let's stick to the old order while we may.

Votes for women!

Votes for women?

Oh, it'll come.

It has to.

Votes for women!

No, no, you can't come through here.

Votes for women!

We want the vote!

We want the vote.

Good evening, my name's Scudder, Colonel Scudder.

I need your help.

May I come in?

You have an apartment here, don't you?

It really is rather urgent, Mr. Hannay.

Now this might bother you, but I have no alternative.

You have a novel way of scraping an acquaintance, Colonel.

How did you know my name?

I know a good deal about you, Mr. Hannay.

Enough to believe I can rely on your help.

Sit down.

And if I don't wish to?

Help, that is.

Keep away from the door.

Snap.

But mine's loaded.

Move away from the door, and put the gun down on the desk.

If you please.

I don't relish being threatened in my own apartment.

Go over to the window,

look down carefully into the street,

and tell me what you see.

Watching your place?

Yes,

He's a member of the Prussian intelligence service.

At this moment, two of his associates

are searching my apartment upstairs.

I need sanctuary for perhaps 24 hours, can you help?

My information convinces me that on the 15th of this month,

an attempt will be made to assassinate Karolides.

The Greek Premier?

Yes, but as long as he can hold the Balkans together,

a major war can at least be delayed until Britain and France

are a great deal better prepared than they are at present.

My research is all in here, Mr. Hannay.

I need time to collate it.

Time, and a safe place in which to work.

I don't understand half your stuff about sleepers,

or how to fix the British fleet.

I'm not even sure you're telling me the truth.

So, if you want somewhere to stay,

you're welcome to use the smoking room.

But I warn you, I'm going to Scotland

the day after tomorrow.

Scotland?

Mm, Strathallan,

the village I spent the first few years of my life in.

It's what they call in South Africa a one-horse dorp.

Will it be a safe place to hide

from people hunting for you?

It isn't there, we searched his apartment thoroughly.

Both Scudder and his notes have to be found.

He must be somewhere in the building,

he can't have got out.

We've investigated the backgrounds

of all the tenants,

only four have any reason to shelter Scudder.

I want their apartments searched.

Morning, Hannay.

Good morning.

Impressive.

In a defensive position, one should always have a line

of retreat available.

I may need to appear unrecognized.

I'm sorry there's nothing more amusing for breakfast,

but as I'm going back to South Africa,

I've let the staff go.

Colonel, just out of curiosity,

why don't you simply go to the police?

I have no proof.

Ah.

May I ask where you'll be today?

I'm going to my bank,

going to the Union Castle Office

to get a ticket to Cape Town

and St. Pancras to reserve a seat to Scotland, why?

Just habit.

Mr. Hannay?

Yes?

If I need to disappear, but need a last ally,

may I find you in Strathallan?

Yes, of course.

Scudder's hat.

Excuse me.

Morning.

Morning, Mr. Scudder, didn't recognize you for a minute.

Cab!

Scudder's in that cab.

Hannay!

Excuse me.

Someone's fainted.

That man had a knife.

Yes he did, I saw it, too.

Get the police.

Just a minute, sir!

There he is!

That's the one!

When I let him in, he pulled a gun on me.

He said there were men searching his rooms,

and after his blood,

and he said something about the 15th

and this plot to murder Karolides.

And you can prove that?

They killed him, didn't they?

Why would he do that if he wasn't speaking the truth?

But you didn't believe him?

Of course I...

Well, I, I wasn't quite sure what to believe then.

So, you emptied his gun, locked him in,

and booked passage to Cape Town?

And then, when he escaped from your flat,

you prepared a second chance for them St. Pancras?

Why would I want Scudder killed?

I've been in England on leave for 10 weeks.

I was bored, so I decided to go back to South Africa,

that is why I booked the passage to Cape Town.

How long have you been in South Africa?

25 years, since I was a child.

And of those years, how many have you spent

in the German colonies of Africa?

Five,

Five? Doing what?

I'm a mining engineer.

Prove it.

What do you want me to do, sink a shaft?

Write to them, ask them.

Who? The German authorities in east and southwest Africa?

What are you trying to say?

Can't you get it into your head

that Scudder was onto something big?

So big it involves a war between this country and Germany.

And Scudder told you this?

It was in his notebook,

the black notebook he was trying to give me

when he was killed.

We didn't find any notebook.

I don't believe this is happening to me.

Hannay.

Where did you learn your German?

In Africa, dummkopf, where did you learn yours?

Right...

I want a solicitor, and I want bail.

Everything you've said and done is directly involved

with official secrets and the defense of the realm.

There's no question of bail

with murder and treason hanging around your neck.

The evidence assembled against you

by the Metropolitan Police Authority in regard...

to the violent death of Colonel Franklin Scudder,

a former agent of the British Intelligence Service,

and your possible involvement in the deaths of Lord Harkness

and Sir Hugh Porton,

satisfies me that you should be kept

in custody pending trial.

Bail cannot be admitted.

Here he comes!

Where's the notebook, Mr. Hannay?

What notebook?

Scudder's notebook.

Bring him a chair.

We've saved you from the gallows,

surely we can expect a little cooperation in return.

If I knew what you were talking about...

Mr. Scudder spent the whole of one night

in your apartment,

he was still there the following morning.

Surely you must have had some kind of conversation with him.

I thought he was a harmless lunatic.

He was obviously frightened of something,

but he wouldn't tell me what.

I felt sorry for him.

I told him he could spend the night

in my apartment, and he promised to give me

a full explanation the next evening.

Your colleagues prevented that.

Remove the handcuffs.

Give him a meal and something to drink, will you?

By the way,

what do you know of the 39 steps?

The what?

Perhaps he's as innocent as he makes himself out to be.

What about the notebook?

If he knows where it is, he'll try to reach it.

It's his only way of establishing

his innocence to the police.

I think we should leave him to his own devices

for a little while.

He's out.

Where's that train going?

Nowhere, it's empty.

I dropped my diary here last night.

Check down there.

I'm extremely grateful.

It's what we called in South Africa

a one-horse dorp.

Strathallan.

Scots Express, platform one.

Dumfries, sir?

Platform one, better hurry.

Thank you.

Overpowered a vicar in a lavatory at St. Pancras.

Left his own suit behind.

What kind of a...

Check all trains that left St. Pancras

since seven this morning.

Every one to be searched, every one.

What's happening?

What's happening, Officer?

Nothing to worry about, sir.

Stay in.

I'm going down the river bank

to see if he's under the bridge.

Right, Sarge.

Don't get out of the carriage, madam, please.

Well, he's not down there,

he must still be aboard the train.

Aye, but where?

Come on, there's another train due!

Come on!

All back in the train.

We'll raise the alarm at the next station,

get a search party out.

Good evening.

My research is all in this notebook, Mr. Hannay.

Mr. Hannay, if I have to disappear,

may I find you in Strathallan?

And when you get him, mind I want my hat back.

Keep your eyes open for him, sir,

he's a dangerous character.

How will we recognize him?

Ah, well, he's disguised as a tramp,

wearing a long black coat and an old hat.

Found him.

Oi!

What are you doin' here?

This wood is private property.

What the hell's going on here?

This is private property, and you are trespassing.

I'm sorry, we're looking for a friend of ours.

Hm.

Well some fool went in there a minute ago.

Well, we'll get him out for you.

Ah, you'll do no such thing.

I'm responsible.

Hold it, everybody.

What the devil do you think you're doing, man?

Lost my way.

Lost your way?

You're on a private estate, dammit.

Oh, I'm extremely sorry.

Did I startle the birds?

What birds?

We've only had a brace all day.

Anyway, it's not my shoot, it's Hamilton's.

Running in like that, you might have been shot.

Yes, I suppose I might.

What are you doing?

Doing?

It's a wager.

Wager?

Yes,

What sort of wager?

I have 500 guineas on it.

That's going it pretty strong.

Well, what's it about?

Well, I have these two friends who bet me...

that given an hour's start,

I couldn't reach Inverness before they caught me.

A manhunt?

How marvelous.

Enormously exhilarating.

Sleeping rough, changing clothes with a tramp

to throw them off the scent.

If you'll forgive the expression.

However, not only do I smell to high heaven,

I am extremely hungry.

Oh, David, he must come back for refreshments.

What?

Oh yes, yes of course.

I'm Hamilton, this is Miss Mackenzie, Lord Rohan.

Uh huh.

Royce.

Dick Royce.

How do you do?

All right everybody, let's get back to the house.

After 36 hours of living rough,

I should think you need a bath and a shave.

That sure would throw them off the scent.

And a very civilized dinner.

Yes, Royce, they'll never look for you here.

Stay to dinner.

How about a whiskey?

Listen, I read an article in the papers the other day...

Excuse me.

I wouldn't have recognized you.

You even smell different.

You look breathtaking.

Thank you.

To the good fortune that sent me.

Come and meet some of the other guests.

I can't see any other guests.

At dinner, will you take Lady Nettleship in?

Who takes you?

David.

My fiancé.

Ah.

Mr. Renfrow, I have to see the master at once.

Porton was a damn good man, so was Harkness.

No peace-mongering with those two.

Do you believe these rumors about Germany

having a hand in the murders?

Well, we shan't know that, shall we,

until this Hannay is caught.

The scoundrel.

The steward wants a word with you, sir,

he says it is most urgent.

I'm sorry, will you excuse me a moment?

Indeed.

Well, what do you think, Mr. Royce?

Will there be war?

Yes,

Murdered?

That's what Constable Forbes says.

Where?

Near Duncan Spinney.

He says he'll want statements from anyone who was in the woods.

Yes, yes, of course.

Sir.

And all because of this Greek, um, What's his name?

Karolides, he's addressing both houses.

Karolides?

In London?

Yes.

When?

15th.

Imagine, a foreigner addressing

the House of Commons, and the Lords.

What's wrong, David?

One of my keepers

has been murdered up in the woods.

Oh, David.

The police will want statements from everyone

who was at the shoot.

I'm afraid I shall have to ask you, Mr. Royce,

to stay until morning.

Yes, of course.

Superintendent Lomas, Lord.

Come in.

You wanted to see me, sir?

It seems you've been jumping to conclusions.

Hannay was involved, he is involved.

But only as an innocent bystander.

He's not in the clear yet.

Everything he told you about his life in Africa

is confirmed here by irreproachable authority.

Good God, man, he's been decorated twice

for his services against the Boers.

And his years in the German colonies?

AS a mining engineer, and a copper prospector

for a British firm based in the town.

Very well, sir, you have your opinion.

His story about Scudder's notebook is true.

The booking office clerk confirmed that.

Now, the foreign agents will be out to murder him

and get it back.

We should issue a statement that Hannay is innocent,

and he can come in to safety,

and you can stop looking for him.

No!

Sir.

If we stop looking for him,

the enemy will have a clear field.

We must find him before they do.

Constable Forbes to see you, sir.

I'm sorry to be bothering you so late, sir.

Ian, come on in.

You'll have heard already about poor Donald.

Aye, I have.

It's just possible, maybe even more than possible,

that it's somehow connected with this man, Hannay.

Hannay?

The fellow who escaped from the police in London?

They've established he left the Express

at Drumbrigg's viaduct, and he appears to be heading

in this general direction.

He's said to be a highly dangerous man,

so we're just going the rounds and warning people.

We've asked everybody to let us know

if they see any strangers at all.

Is there any description?

I've no details yet, sir.

There is some...

...if we see anyone we believe to be the murderer,

we'll let you know immediately, you can be sure of that.

Aye, fine.

Well, thanks, ma'am, sir.

Will you have a dram before you go?

Ah, that's very kind, sir, but I'll be away to my bed.

It's been a long day.

Aye, well thank you, Ian, goodnight.

Goodnight.

Why?

Why didn't you tell him about Royce?

Because the idea is ridiculous.

He obviously isn't a criminal.

You're rather taken with him, aren't you?

I don't believe he's a murderer.

The local bobby was here

looking for Richard Hannay.

What did you tell him?

Nothing.

David?

He likes you, but he has a strong sense of duty.

I don't have much time then, do I?

I'm not a murderer.

I'm being pursued by a couple of Prussian agents

who seem to think I can put a stop to their plans.

You mean they'd kill you?

They won't.

I've hunted in Africa for 20 years,

I'm quite at home in the open.

Can't I help?

Hide you, perhaps?

No.

By the 15th, the police will know I'm innocent.

Maybe I'll see you in London.

I'm engaged to David.

Yes,

Take care.

I need a push!

Hey Billy, Jimmy,

Sir Harry needs a push.

You there, are you the liberal spokesman?

Yes!

Then get in, man,

you're half an hour late.

I thought you'd never make it.

I couldn't possibly speak for an hour on my own.

All right, push.

Friends, neighbors, and fellow liberals.

I should like on your behalf to welcome this evening

the prospective liberal candidate for our borough,

Sir Harry McLean.

We are also gratified to have, on this occasion,

a notable campaigner for the liberal cause, mister,

mister...

...Rolls.

Mr. Rolls.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you, Mr. Rolls.

Mr. Chairman, Sir Harry McLean,

ladies and gentlemen.

As I was being introduced just now,

a question occurred to me.

What is a liberal?

What does he believe?

Now, can anyone enlighten me?

You sir, what do you believe?

I thought you were supposed to be the expert.

Well, I know what I believe, but do you?

What about the Irish question?

Foreign policy?

When are you going to stop asking questions

and tell us something?

Very well, I will tell you.

You're not awake, the country isn't awake.

You don't think, you have no idea if...

You have no idea if those two men who just came in

are fellow liberals or agents of a foreign power.

That's right, look at them.

Ask questions.

Are they what they seem to be?

And are you what you seem to be, sir?

Yes, I'm a true Briton,

and I believe that all men

should be free and equal under God.

Do they?

Or are they impostors?

Steady on, old chum.

We must be on our guard at all times against those

who would draw Europe into chaos and carnage.

Aye, that's the Tories for ye.

That's right, and if you believe that,

there's only one thing to do, isn't there?

What?

Vote for Sir Harry?

Right!

Vote for Sir Harry McLean.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Sir Harry McLean.

Wait, your speech, what the hell did it mean?

But you were due to speak for half an hour.

Stomach cramp.

Ladies and gentlemen, please,

I'm Sure we are all most gratified to hear Mr. Rolls,

Mr. Rolls' fearless denunciation of the Tory Party.

Hannay is trying to reach somewhere specific.

Here, he checked, he goes on there.

Always in a northwesterly direction.

Now he's here tonight, so he'll go on to there.

Clan Writh, is there a hotel there?

There's a hydro there, a health resort,

favored by Scottish hypochondriacs.

We shall take rooms there.

I've caught up with you at last.

You killed Donald.

What the hell are you talking about?

Donald.

Oh no, not again.

Now let's see what you can do with a man who's prepared.

Now try to keep your head up, Mr. Murchison.

Mr. Murchison's due for another treatment,

shall we complete the formalities later?

Certainly, sir.

Good afternoon.

Can you understand what I'm saying?

A gentle restorative.

Never underestimate an amateur.

Your brain is clear now, you can see perfectly well,

you can hear well enough.

Slowly sensation will return to your arms and body,

and lastly, to your legs.

After dinner, you and I will talk.

I want the real notebook.

Dougie, Gene.

Hello, there.

Good evening, Mr. Hamilton.

Miss Mackenzie, Mr. Hamilton, delighted to see you.

Evening, Crombie.

Good house tonight.

Excellent, sir.

Every seat taken.

But remember, Hannay, I'm a patriot.

I will do my duty, however distasteful.

I will have that real notebook

or I shall kill you.

Good.

Time for a pink gin before the recital.

Liqueur.

Thank you.

Thank you.

There's that same man.

What?

One of the Prussians

Mr. Hannay was trying to warn us about.

Room service.

Oh, bust.

Good evening, sir, what can I do for you?

Oh, a foreign gentleman?

A wee bite to eat, sir?

A dram?

Ah, that's the ticket then.

What might be your pleasure, sir, the whiskey?

Drop of brandy, perhaps?

Ah, neat, sir?

Water?

Soda?

Ah, large or small?

Oh, sorry, sir, large?

Very good, sir, large brandy and soda.

I'll be with you in a jiffy.

Thank God for braille.

I've been recognized.

Good evening, I wonder if you could help us.

We'd be delighted.

We're looking for our cousin, his name's Hannay.

Would you know where he might be?

Hannay, I've heard that name somewhere.

Out and about, Mr. Murchison?

Ladies and gentlemen,

may I have your attention, please?

The recital, as you know, will begin in 15 minutes.

You've plenty of time for the soiree, sir.

I'm so sorry.

Good heavens, we were just talking about you.

I'm awfully sorry.

Campbell!

Look this is entirely my fault.

Will you see that this gentleman's clothes are cleaned,

and that he and his colleagues

have dinner this evening at my expense.

That won't be necess,

Nonsense, I insist.

David, our cousin is having one of his attacks.

We must get him to his doctor.

May I help?

No, no, no, you're a guest.

Campbell, I'll borrow a couple of your chaps, if I may?

Yes, Mr. Hamilton.

Will you send the coats out to the car?

Certainly, sir.

And sir, may I suggest you change out of those clothes

as soon as possible?

Yes, of course.

Tell me, who is that young gentleman?

I should like to return his hospitality sometime.

Poor fellow.

Did he say anything before he died?

What I think Scudder said,

Well, it sounded like "host-of-us."

Doesn't make sense.

No, it doesn't.

Host of us?

Coast of us?

Most of us?

Toast of us, roast of us, it's impossible.

The man was dying.

Ghost of us?

You do understand, Hannay, I'd insist on coming with you,

but with poor Donald's funeral today,

I have to take all the servants to it.

I know, you've done more than enough.

And I don't have far to go.

Aye, and they won't be looking for you in those clothes.

Why did he want you to go to Strathallan?

If I knew that...

Somewhere between leaving your rooms

and reaching St. Pancras,

Colonel Scudder must have got rid of the real notebook

in a safe place.

Good thinking, but where, and how?

I know what I'd do.

Perfectly simple.

I'd put it in a pillar box, the first one I could find.

Post office.

Post office!

Oh yes, sign there, Mr. Scudder.

Thank you.

Whoa.

I'll get David's car ready.

Hm.

Is it all in code?

Yes,

Except for this one phrase,

"The 39 steps, 11:45, Ariadne's thread."

Ariadne's thread?

It's one of the questions they asked me at their house.

What did I know of the 39 steps?

Ariadne gave a thread to her lover so that he could escape

from the labyrinth after slaying the monster.

Escape after a slaying.

Karolides?

At 11.45?

Richard, there's something wrong.

Of course.

Wait here.

Downstairs.

Alex, go!

Yes?

Mr. Appleton, we've decoded the message from Berlin.

"British fleet, affirmative.

Karolides, affirmative.

Urgent you confirm requirements by Ariadne, on 15th."

What was the last message from Scotland?

They're both on their way back, sir.

Then reply, "The sleepers will proceed as planned."

All right, Mr. Hannay,

no need to hold your breath any longer.

Danke schon.

How's the head?

It's fine, just a graze.

Here.

Where are we?

Just south of Sheffield.

My train from London nearly missed the connection.

Oh, by the way,

I've brought you the announcement of your death.

Well that should start our friends

looking for the notebook, anyway.

Well, it doesn't give us much time to decipher it.

Tomorrow Karolides addresses

both Houses of Parliament at 11:45.

11:45?

That's the time set for the assassination.

We're not amateurs, Mr. Hannay,

Karolides will be guarded at every moment.

And we also have the best code-breaker

at the War Office waiting for this notebook.

Oh, if that meets with your approval, that is.

He only eats once a year, Sir Walter.

This is the first breakfast I've had in a week.

Come in.

- Good morning, gentlemen. - Morning, sir.

Would you care for a cup of coffee?

No thank you, sir.

We have the clothes you wanted, Mr. Hannay.

Thank you.

How's Tillotson doing with the notebook?

It seems it was Scudder's own personal code, sir.

But I understand that Tillotson's

cracked the key to it half an hour ago.

Then when shall we have the details?

He wants to see you, Mr. Hannay, and myself

at the War Office at 11 o'clock.

But that'll leave us 45 minutes.

I have a meeting of the Imperial General's staff at 10:15.

That usually takes about an hour.

Sir Walter, that meeting couldn't have anything to do

with what Scudder called the safety of the British fleet?

Mr. Hannay, we owe a great debt to you

for your courage and resourcefulness,

but you must realize there are still some matters

that are classified as highly confidential.

Yes, I do understand that.

But you must realize

that I'm not exaggerating about these three Prussians.

They are men of extraordinary courage and devotion.

Courage?

Yes, I know.

But they are courageous.

And dangerous.

We are taking as many pre...

...Lomas!

Lines of policemen won't safeguard Karolides.

They're not going to rush up and throw a bomb.

These men were chosen as sleepers

because they can pass themselves off in any social situation

as natives of this country, not so much by disguise

as by outrageous bluff.

Is Mr. Hannay suggesting

that we shouldn't guard Mr. Karolides?

No.

I simply want to remind you both

that Scudder's not so far been wrong about anything.

And today, at 11:45,

Karolides will be killed.

What the...

Get the girl.

That's the house where they held me prisoner.

Martins, find out who lives there.

Superintendent, it's Edmond Appleton's house.

Oh, you've got it wrong this time, Mr. Hannay.

Edmond Appleton is a successful businessman

and a friend of half the British Cabinet.

Edmond Appleton has shot grouse with King George.

Scudder did tell me one thing

about the man we're looking for.

He was standing beside Porton when he was assassinated.

So it was Edmond Appleton.

Hannay, come here!

Superintendent?

Yes.

Somebody's been trying to copy

Sir Walter Bullivant's signature.

Superintendent, I repeat, the man who took the minutes

of this meeting was Sir Walter Bullivant.

I tell you he wasn't!

Dammit, he's a member of my club,

I've known him for years.

He was an impostor, sir.

Now you must answer our questions.

Must?

Are you insane, Superintendent?

You may judge that for yourself

when Mr. Karolides is assassinated.

Now what was discussed at the meeting?

I warn you your career is in grave danger.

So is Mr. Karolides, Sir, and so is the British fleet.

Gentlemen, would you please just answer three questions?

Did Sir Walter sign anything?

No, no, he didn't.

Does the phrase the 39 steps signify anything to you?

Really, Mr. Hannay these games...

...Ariadne's thread?

Ariadne?

It's the name of a ship.

What ship?

A German cruiser, she's lying off Gravesend.

Asked permission to drop anchor there last night.

That's how they plan to escape.

I've been to Sir Walter Bullivant's house, sir.

The butler was trussed up in the cupboard.

He said Sir Walter and Miss Mackenzie were both abducted.

Now, sir, will you answer our question?

You haven't a moment to loose.

We were discussing the role of the navy

in the event of war with Germany.

The bogus Sir Walter

has the battle dispositions of the entire fleet.

Uniform, sir.

You know, Scudder unearthed an extraordinary

amount of stuff, but, well he, I remember once...

...Tillotson, tell us what you found out.

In 40 minutes, the Greek Prime Minister may be assassinated.

Yes, yes, I know, their timetable is quite remarkable.

I mean, the sheer volume of background research

these Prussians must've carried out is...

...Tillotson!

Do you know how they're going

to carry out the assassination?

Ah, well Scudder only refers to it as the 39 steps.

But what does it mean?

Well, I don't know.

It isn't in the book?

No.

You know how they're going to reach the Ariadne?

No.

Well this had better be good news.

I don't know what it is, it doesn't make sense, sir.

Well?

Well, after Sir Walter was abducted from his home,

he went to his office for 20 minutes

before going to that meeting.

The man at the Imperial Staff meeting

may not have been the real Sir Walter,

but the man who came here most certainly was.

Tell me, what exactly did he do while he was here?

He read the urgent mail I put in front of him,

he signed two memoranda I drafted,

he took a telephone call from his tailor,

he signed the Ministry of Works permit,

and then he went off to his meeting.

He signed three papers.

Let me see those signatures, quickly.

Please.

Gentlemen, gentlemen, please.

We would ask you to take your seats

in the House within 10 minutes.

Mr. Karolides?

Yes,

You will be escorted into the Chamber

within 15 minutes, sir.

Thank you.

I assure you the signatures are quite genuine.

Why would he risk coming here?

It doesn't make any sense.

Because there's something here

vitally important to their plans.

Scudder's let us down.

He didn't have the answer.

I don't suppose you know what the 39 steps are, do you?

Anyone with any knowledge

of the Palace of Westminster would know that.

What?

Well, it's common knowledge.

The run of steps to the various levels of Big Ben

were all built in multiples of 13.

It was quite an outcry at the time.

But what of the 39?

Well, 39 steps lead you from Lauderdale door

to the belfry of Big Ben itself.

Big Ben.

Appleton signed a permit

for routine work to be carried out on the clock!

Hold the damn door.

39.

Clever Scudder.

They must be up there.

Wright, break it down.

We have Sir Walter Bullivant

and Miss Mackenzie.

Do you hear?

We hear.

Then send someone in we can talk to.

He is to come alone, and unarmed.

He's ready.

Hannay.

Yes, one step ahead of you both, as usual.

You're really not very bright, are you?

Listen carefully, we have Sir Walter and the girl,

and our passports.

If we reach Brahman safely, they'll be released, unharmed.

Is that clear?

Brahman?

You won't even get as far as the Ariadne.

Hannay, there is one thing that you cannot know.

If anything happens to us,

and we don't reach our rendezvous,

they will both be killed.

By Appleton?

Go back down, Hannay,

and if you really value their two lives,

ask Mr. Lomas to call off his men.

No interruptions, we've got four minutes left.

They have some kind of device up there

that must be synchronized to trigger off an explosion

in the parliament when the minute hand reaches 11:45.

So?

It mustn't reach 11:45.

How the hell do you think you're going to stop it?

Stop the hand?

Rifle.

Hannay, you're not going to...

...there's no alternative.

But they may be able to set that thing off by hand anyway.

That's your problem.

All right, load your rifle.

And you.

Wright, Scott, take over here.

The rest of you, stand by with me.

Shoot that lock off.

Wright, look after the wounded.

And tell Scott to stand by to bring Hannay in

as soon as I put this thing out of action.

Yes, sir.

Bring Hannay in.

Give me your hand.

Don't be bloody stupid.

You get a line to him.

Tie that next to the post.

Right.

Okay, I'm lowering a rope to you.

Put your foot through the loop.

A little to the left.

That's it.

Look.

And there's a police launch down by the pier.

They're out!

After you, Mr. Appleton.