(cheerful music) (classical melancholy music) (cheerful music) (bell ringing) - Sidney Reilly, I want to see the Ambassador.

- This way sir.

- Thank you.

- If you'll excuse me sir, I'll inform His Excellency.

- Thank you.

(paper crumpling) - Good day Mr. Reilly.

This is a surprise.

We haven't seen you for some time.

Since you took up with your German friends in fact.

- I need to borrow your cipher clerk.

- Thompson?

- I have a message that needs decoding, he may well have the key.

- Mr. Reilly, are you intimating to me that you are still engaged by our Secret Service?

(machine beeping) Thompson.

This is Mr. Reilly.

- We've met before sir.

- He has a little work for you.

- It's from the German Trade Mission here in St. Petersburg sir, to the Department of War, Berlin.

Tuesday 27th of October.

It is imperative we retain Sidney Reilly as our advisor in all future dealings with the Russians.

Please clear this with Naval High Command.

That's all sir.

- Thank you Thompson.

- Pleasure sir.

It's not every day I get to crack a German navy code.

- Alright, thank you Thompson.

- Good day sir.

- Good day.

So, you're now actually taking their money?

- If the clearance goes through, yes.

- I don't see that that serves our interests.

- You don't?

I shall sell the Russians a German naval fleet and I shall forward copies of every blueprint to the Admiralty in London.

Couldn't be clearer.

- [Narrator] In the spring of 1910, Cummings, the head of the British Secret Service, was called to the Foreign Office to clarify the position of Sidney Reilly in St. Petersburg.

Reilly had been sent to the Russian capital two years earlier by Cummings, with orders to infiltrate the German business community.

So successful had he been in doing this, that he aroused the fears of Basil Zaharov, the International Armaments King.

Zaharov was prepared to risk his reputation to win the huge Russian Battle Cruiser contract for Vickers and the British Dockyards.

But he had discovered to his alarm that Reilly was equally determined to secure the order for his new German masters.

- Morning Cummings.

- Mr. Edward.

- You know we're trying to sell the Russians a new navy?

- We're not entirely cut off in Whitehall Court Square.

- Well France and Germany have got the same idea and a commercial war has broken out in St. Petersburg.

Zaharov has written the most disturbing letter to Cartwright here.

Cartwright will read it out.

I might explain but Cartwright here is from the Board of Trade.

- "Dear Cartwright.

"I have just received information "from many sources in St. Petersburg "that a campaign of vilification has been mounted "against the British Trade Mission.

"There are slanderous attacks "on the quality of British workmanship, "the expensiveness of our products and their late delivery.

"This campaign has been mounted "by a man called Sidney Reilly."

Does the name ring a bell Commander?

- Please go on.

- "Reilly represents many German interests in St. Petersburg "and is much respected in Navy circles.

"He has become a close friend "of the Russian Minister of Marine "and is on the most intimate terms "with the Minister's wife."

Zaharov ends his report by saying that in his view, Reilly is in the pay of the British Secret Service and I quote "if this is so, could some pressure be brought "to stop him rocking the boat."

- What do you say Cummings?

- What can I say?

- Well to begin with, is he one of yours.

- That's a difficult question to answer.

I should have to have notice of it.

- My dear fellow, it's quite simple.

Is he or isn't he?

- Well he was.

But one might surmise from that letter that he no longer is.

- When you say was, am I to deduce that this man is still drawing a salary from HMG?

- Not at all.

He was given several hundred pounds.

- Several?

- Six to be exact.

And told to go to Russia.

- With what brief?

- To get into society and make himself useful.

- And do you consider that the demoralization, not to say discrediting of the British Trade Mission falls into that category?

- Arguably not.

- In view of the circumstances, don't you think it would be a good idea if you recalled Reilly?

- In view of the circumstances, I don't think he'd come.

Reilly stands to make a great deal in this matter.

- In what way?

- Well, the German yards are fancy to capture the Cruiser contracts and Reilly is lucky to be their broker.

- Hmm.

Any other way of warning him off?

- Short of shooting him, no.

- Well that thought had crossed my mind.

- Shooting Reilly?

- Yes.

- Is that the way you normally go about things at the Board of Trade.

- No.

But in this case it is a particularly large order.

- Sir I would like to say that I don't think shooting Reilly is a very good idea.

After all we only have Zaharov's word that he's not on our side.

"His object all sublime, he may achieve in time."

What I mean is, he may well be playing a double game.

(audience clapping) (guitars strumming) - Um, is Sidney Reilly here?

- Yes at Souvorin's table.

(peaceful guitar music) ♪ With a glass that's full like a summer flower ♪ ♪ Breathing out perfume ♪ ♪ Let us drink a toast to forest dear ♪ ♪ The forest I belong with ♪ (audience applauding) - Psst.

(laughs) - Where's Sidney?

Boris.

- Do you recognize this one?

- Yes it's from Spirit Nova in Moscow.

- Why do all the best shoemakers come from Moscow?

- Because that is where the money is.

- Then why don't we leave here and go there?

- Because your husband, who is a close friend of mine, would divorce you and demand a vast sum in compensation.

- How much?

- I don't know, maybe quarter of a million.

- Do you think I'm worth that much?

Well?

- I'd like to get you for nothing.

- That is a dangerous notion.

This is Russia.

- Very well if you insist on a financial transaction, I would pay the money but make a profit on it.

- Very well Sidney.

But make your bid soon.

There are other interested parties and I'm getting tired of living with Jan. (clearing throat) - Good evening friends.

- Ah now dear, you know my lawyer, Shasha Grammaticoff.

- Good evening Shasha, how are you tonight?

- My darling Nadia, how delightful to see you.

- I thought I left you at my apartment?

- Yes something came up.

I think we ought to go old boy.

- Would you excuse us?

Well?

- I've located your wife.

(suspenseful music) - You're sure she's in there?

- Her names in the book, that's all I know.

- Thank you.

Mrs. Reilly.

- She left.

- When?

- This morning.

- Did she leave a forwarding address?

- Nope, nor did she pay her bill.

So if either of you gentlemen will oblige.

- How much is it?

- Don't.

- What?

- Pay it.

That's tantamount to saying you're responsible for her.

- I am responsible for her.

How much?

- With taxes, 150.

- That 150 could cost you your future Sidney.

A hundred thousands times that amount.

- You're a lousy lawyer Shasha, you always were.

(phone ringing) - Hello.

Why did you leave so suddenly?

- [Sidney] Where are you?

- At home.

I just wanted to tell you I love you.

- Nadia when you talked about leaving Jan, were you serious?

- Very.

- Good, then I shall come round to talk to him tomorrow.

- First thing.

(clock chiming) Thank you Thomas.

- What happened to that little gypsy girl?

- What little gypsy girl?

- The pretty little one.

She seemed to disappear.

- She did disappear, with Boris.

- I thought Boris was with Penina?

- He took them both home.

- Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

Her Mama will be onto me.

And I have to be at the Ministry at 12.

- How are you feeling?

- I have a head like a foot.

- Jan, I am in love with Nadia.

- (laughs) The whole world is my dear Reilly.

The whole world is.

Are you in love with him?

- Yes.

- Well we'd better arrange for some sort of divorce.

I mean, if that's what you want?

This is what you want?

Is that what you want!

Perhaps we'd better wait until she's made up her mind.

Meanwhile if you would convey me to the Ministry of Marine, I should be most grateful.

I mean, I'm perfectly capable of walking in a straight line, it's turning the corners that might prove difficult.

- [Sidney] So what about the settlement?

- It's going to cost you money.

It is regrettable but it will have to be large enough to satisfy my honor and my honor, as you well know, is about all I have left.

- How much?

- Half a million, that's a nice round figure.

- Too round for me.

- We could bisect it, that is, if she's serious.

- A quarter?

- Cash.

- It's possible.

- [Jan] Where are you going to get that sort of money?

- I intend to join Mendrovovich and Lubinsky.

It looks as if they might get the Blohm and Voss Agency and Blohm and Voss looks like a good shot for the Cruiser contract.

- Mendrovovich and Lubinsky are not accredited with the Ministry of Marine.

- Not at this moment, no.

- They import rail stock.

Freight cars, locomotives, that sort of thing.

They won't wear them at the Ministry.

- They will if you say so.

Make sure that when Mendrovovich's application comes up, nobody on your staff vetoes it.

I'm not asking you to do anything underhand, merely to ensure that an old and well established Russian firm gets the right to represent a German naval yard if it should want to.

- I would do that anyway.

- [Sidney] Good, I knew you would.

- You really want her, don't you?

- Yes.

But I also want that order.

- Well you're going to have to work for it damned hard.

Damned hard.

(horn tooting) - [Sidney] Tell Mr. Mendrovovich that Mr. Reilly is here.

- Ah.

Well?

- There will be no problem with the license.

- Good.

- Lebinsky has gone?

- He has.

- Good.

- Here's the draft agreement.

If you agree, we will both be partners.

Equal partners.

- I want control.

- Control?

- 51, 49 Mendro.

Or I take my German friends elsewhere.

- Good morning.

- Morning sir.

- Gentleman, for those of you who are unacquainted with him, this is Admiral Popakatoff, my Naval Advisor for this session.

(chairs clattering) So without further ado, let us begin.

The first tender is that of Vickers Armstrong, is it not?

(gasps) (murmuring) - Gentleman, this is a warship of the improved Queen Mary class.

(suspenseful music) - Hello Basil, when did you arrive?

- Yesterday morning.

- How was your reception?

- Characteristically low key.

I was met by the Ambassador, the band played Rule Brittania.

There was short speech and a station buffet, mainly for the benefit of the press.

Then I was driven to the Hermitage, where I had been allotted the West Wing.

The whole thing had that indefinable air of understatement so typical of the British.

Who incidentally are under the impression that you've gone over to the Germans.

Blohm and Voss was mentioned, is that true?

- Yes.

- Is there some particular reason for your defection or is it merely for the money?

- Basil the words merely and money never go together.

(clock chiming) - Ah the famous collection of Napoleona, grows more impressive with the years.

What is that?

- That was used to sign the Treaty of Tilsit.

- How historic.

I see there is even some ink left in the well?

Would it be an act of sacrilege if I used it?

- Not at all.

- I have come here you see, to write you a check.

- How very kind of you.

- As a matter of fact, it's a bribe.

- For how much?

- 100.

Thousand.

Pounds.

That is the sum which I consider necessary to buy you out of the Mendrovovich partnership.

- My new job's hardly announced and yet here you are in St. Peterburg buying me off.

- Not off, out.

So I suggest you take this small fortune and depart from this city as speedily as decency allows.

- Basil why don't you accept the fact that you've lost this one.

(suspenseful music) - Margaret is here in St. Petersburg.

Did you know?

- Yes.

- She's heard that you're in the money again.

And she's homing in on you with all the accuracy of a Harrington torpedo.

A design for which, incidentally, I own all the patents.

- There was a lot of trouble with the Harrington's at Port Arthur.

- The snags have since been ironed out.

- Margaret or no Margaret, I'm home and dry.

- We shall see.

When I first arrived in St. Petersburg, I couldn't understand how Massino could fit into the scenario.

So honest a man is he, that he would have made George Washington appear devious.

And the fact that you were sleeping with his wife would seem to work against any arrangement.

But there was something about your affair with her which was altogether too open.

And then of course, the whole thing became clear to me.

There is to be a divorce.

And with the divorce, a settlement.

The scheme is breathtaking in its simplicity.

The Countess, is to be transferred from Count Massino to you in the full glare of publicity and with the blessing of the Church.

Simultaneously a very large sum of money disguised as divorce court damages will go the other way.

(suspenseful music) You know you've restored my faith in human nature.

Lately I had begun to doubt that every man has his price.

But now I see it's just a matter of the currency.

- We now turn to the armor.

As you'll from your specifications the magazines are particularly well protected.

- What about the hoists?

- The hoists?

- In action shells will be hoisted from the magazines to the guns.

Your hoists are not armored.

- That lesson we learnt at Port Arthur.

- Gentleman, the hoists are not exposed.

May I refer you to page 96.

In it you will see details of the very latest modifications.

(door knocking) (clock chiming) - Who is it?

- [Shasha] Grammaticoff, Shasha.

- You been drinking?

- Sidney if you think I'm going to change the habits of a lifetime because you're in trouble you're very much mistaken.

- [Sidney] Quiet, Nadia's here.

- [Nadia] Who is it?

- [Sidney] It's Shasha darling.

- My god what a body.

- Shasha, what do you want?

- Your lady wife old boy.

Has finally broken cover.

- Where is she?

- At the Hotel Europa.

- Good, let's get going.

- Sidney, is four o'clock in the morning.

- The time of least resistance my dear fellow.

- Yes, hers or yours?

(suspenseful music) (door knocking) Mrs. Reilly.

(door knocking) - Who is it?

- [Sidney] Sidney.

- Go away.

Sidney.

- How are you Meg?

- Lost.

Terribly cold.

- What are you doing in St. Petersburg?

- I wanted to see you.

Basil gave me the tickets.

When I got here there was no one to meet me.

I have no money.

I couldn't find you.

- I'll call the porter back, he'll bring you up some wood and light a fire.

- No, don't.

You take care of me.

You will.

Won't you?

(melancholy music) - Yes darling, I'll see what I can do.

- The time of least resistance indeed.

- You're up early.

- I'm going to the station to make arrangements for your return to Brussels.

- Now Sidney, I don't want any of your grand gestures.

I've only just got here.

It was a long journey, and I'm going to take some time to recover.

- I don't think you know what a hornet's nest you're stirring up.

- Why is it that even before we've had breakfast you're telling me to go?

I'm not one of your whores.

We have a lot to discuss.

We haven't seen each other for four years.

- Before you go, I want you to meet Shasha Grammaticoff.

He's my lawyer.

- Sidney.

- I don't want to discuss money with you.

But he will.

- Why do you always talk about money?

- I'm playing for high stakes this time Margaret.

And you are being used by Basil to compromise me.

- Think about me.

For once, think about me.

- I am thinking about you.

Your life may be at risk, do you understand that?

- I have left a number of letters at my bank in Brussels in case of that eventuality.

- In normal times Margaret such a threat would freeze the marrow of even an old hand like myself.

But these are not normal times.

- You leave that bag alone.

(groans) (dramatic music) - I'll keep these around.

(suspenseful music) - I'm sick.

Sidney.

- I'll have McGildry come and see you.

He's the doctor at the Embassy.

(groans) - The hull as you see, under the water line has a bulbous stem leading to tapered chime.

This is repeated under the after quarters, which of course greatly adds to her speed.

- Now I notice you've fitted bilge keels.

- Ah yes, the prototype showed a tendency to roll.

- [Jan] What was the angle?

- 18 degrees.

Beaufort scale eight.

- On page 104 of the specifications the vessel is described as "a stable gun platform."

How would reconcile that Herr Schroeder with an 18 degree roll?

- [Schroeder] We have fitted bilge keels, Your Excellency.

(suspenseful music) - [Popakatoff] May I ask you a question?

- [Schroeder] By all means.

- [Popakatoff] Assuming that bar bit guns are framed upon the beam and fired on broadside-- (suspenseful music) - So Sidney is married?

- Yes.

- To you?

- Yes.

- So what does that make me?

- His whore.

(laughs) - You have come to claim him?

- To warn you.

Look what I've become.

- You blame your situation upon him?

- He destroyed me.

I didn't want to come here.

- But you did.

- I don't know anybody.

I have to have help.

- Never mind.

I shall give you tea and we shall talk about Sidney, which is what you want to do isn't it?

How long have you been married?

- 10 years.

- I met her.

- Who?

- Your wife, Margaret.

She came to my house.

I gave her tea.

She is as mad as a hatter.

She is also dangerous.

Did you really murder her first husband?

- Who else was there?

- Only Thomas, he let her in.

- What about Jan?

- He doesn't know, yet.

Why didn't you tell me about-- - Would it have made that much difference?

- Yes!

No.

- Look.

Zaharov imported her with the idea of embarrassing me.

- Well he has succeeded.

It's pathetic really.

She wants to tell everyone she's married to you.

- The fact is she is.

- Get her out of here before she destroys us all.

(melancholy music) (people chattering) - She left the Europa at 10.

Went to Zanier Street.

God knows what happened there.

But she went from there to lunch at Krill's where she got drunk.

Accused the waiter of assaulting her, accused me of following her, picked up a knife, you know the kinds they cut a-- - Where is she now?

- At the Nevski Police Station.

My friend Grigorenko has her in custody.

She's asked for a bottle of gin and the British Ambassador, in that order.

- Go to the Europa, pay the bill and remove the rest of her belongings.

Then let me talk to Grigorenko.

(bell ringing) - Good evening Mr. Reilly.

You are expected, do come in sir.

- Thank you Thomas.

- All my papers are with my husband.

- What about your luggage?

- It is at the hotel.

- The Europa?

- Yes.

- I'm sorry madam, your luggage is not at the Europa.

- I tell you it is.

(suspenseful music) - Madam not only is your luggage not at the hotel, in fact no person of your name is registered there.

- Call Basil Zaharov, he will identify me.

- Madam if you are Mrs. Reilly, why is it that you have not at any time asked to see your husband?

- Because he had me arrested.

- Zaharov is showing considerable energy.

He's making a meal of the fact that the Tsar and the King of England are cousins.

The palace is crawling with British Naval Officers.

- Why did you ask me here Jan?

- This woman who claims to be your wife, she must be got rid of.

- She is my wife.

- I cannot allow Nadia to divorce me unless you're free to marry her.

Any other course, here of all places, is unthinkable.

The matter did not come up before because I assumed from your behavior, you were not married.

I was wrong to do so.

- If I didn't know you better.

I would've assumed that you were not married either.

Nor for that matter, your wife.

- Please take me seriously Sidney.

This woman has only got to get herself invited to one of our many official receptions and she will deliver the performance she's come 1,000 miles to give.

And the fat will be in the fire.

- She'll be gone within 48 hours.

- I hope so.

Be careful.

I am not to be relied upon.

My sense of honor sometimes gets the better of my instinct for survival.

- I shall deal with her.

- Discretely please.

(suspenseful music) - [Margaret] Why have you brought me here?

(groaning) (dramatic music) - Do you know this woman?

We pulled her out of the canal.

- Please.

- These were found on her person.

- They're mine.

- And what were they doing on the deceased?

- Sidney!

(suspenseful music) Alright.

What do you want?

- Leave St. Petersburg right away.

There's a steamer sailing tonight for Egret, and I shall see that you're fixed up with the necessary warrants.

You'll be given new clothes and enough money to get you back to Brussels.

I do advise you not to return here.

Nor to communicate with Zaharov again.

Should you even attempt to do so, you will end up like the woman through there.

- I need more money when I get back.

- It will be waiting for you.

- And what about Basil?

- Forget Basil.

- I owe him for the ticket.

- And it is the committees unanimous approval that the order for the prototype Battle Cruiser go to the yard of Blohm and Voss, agents Mendrovich and Lubinsky.

(clapping) (singing in foreign language) (boat horn blares) - [Man] Keep her door locked until you're at sea.

Goodbye Mrs. Reilly.

(melancholy music) - [Ambassador] Good night Charles.

- [Charles] Good night sir, many thanks.

- [Ambassador] Good night Oliver.

We'll see you at the chancery tomorrow.

Yes, goodnight ladies.

- [Ladies Together] Goodnight sir.

- Evening sir.

- Another message Mr. Reilly?

- Afraid so sir.

Good evening Basil, I thought you left town.

- Not quite, I'm invited to have dinner with the Tsar tomorrow.

- Some sort of a consolation prize hmm?

- It will be he who needs the consolation.

When I tell him my little after dinner story of espionage and intrigue in the Imperial Navy.

Of ladies bartered for battleships and the divorce courts used as banks.

- The Ambassador phoned and said you had a job for me sir?

- Yes, this cable I want it unscrambled.

It's an Admiralty cipher of some kind.

- It won't take long sir, would you care to-- - That's alright Thompson.

Mr. Reilly can keep me company.

- Give me five minutes sir.

- I hear Margaret has left St. Petersburg.

- Yes.

- In something of a panic I hear?

Still who can define what goes on in a woman's mind.

- It was a mistake to have brought her here Basil.

- Perhaps.

(speaking in foreign language) - So, tell me more about this dinner tomorrow.

- I shall propose a toast to the British Navy, without whose enthusiasm the shipyards of Germany would not now be enjoying their very full order books.

- You're cheating Basil, you've been beaten fair and square.

- This isn't a game dear boy.

- Yes it is.

- You would throw 35,000 British workers out of jobs so that Russian orders would go to German yards, for no other reason that the Royal Navy gets its hands on the German drawings.

- There's a war coming.

The plans are important.

And in that context, your actions could be construed as treason.

- Oh now, come now.

We are selling battleships.

Let us leave emotional words like treason out in the hall together with the dress swords and the umbrellas, hmm?

- I can't believe that you would stoop to such a childish maneuver.

Smacks of Peak.

- There will be repercussions at court of course.

The King won't speak to me.

But you will be discredited and with you the German shipyards.

And I will have the order.

Not only that, but every damn ship on the tender.

- No no, the price is too high.

You can't afford the unpopularity.

You're already known as the merchant of death.

- Amongst certain sections of the press maybe.

But the shipyard workers will be behind me, they need the jobs.

It could even save the governments bacon, such is the magnitude of the order.

So you may have your Admirals, but I ultimately have the Prime Minister.

- Here's your message sir.

It's from Buckingham Palace.

- Thank you Thompson.

Oh dear.

"Please advise Zaharov to cancel all further engagements "and to return to London without further delay."

Signed by the King.

- Check the text for errors.

- Yes sir.

- Your move Basil.

- Very well.

I will allow you the game.

- Allow me.

(laughing) Allow me.

I've run rings around you Basil.

(classical melancholy music)