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Secret agent John Drake (Patrick McGoohan) just happens to be in Rome when banker Delroy (Philip Latham) is murdered, and naturally, Drake's friend and Delroy's colleague Finch (Court Benson) asks him for assistance in finding the killer - not so much out of sentimentality but because Delroy apparently has embezzled $5 million in gold. Drake is quick to find out Delroy has shared the apartment he has been murdered at with a woman - it's just that nobody knows who she actually was. The only clue Drake is the mystery woman's dresses, all made by designer Gina Scarlotti (Barbara Shelley), who upon meeting proves to be a rather charming woman who even feels drawn to Drake - but she's either unable or unwilling to identify the identity of Delroy's girlfriend. Drake also questions Delroy's wife Stella (Delphi Lawrence), but unsurprisingly, she's the last person to know the identity of her husband's mistress - but she's in league with Delroy's killer Mayne (John Lee), unbeknown by Drake of course. Ultimately the only clue Drake has to the mystery woman is a painting of an island paradise, painted by her, and he can actually identify the very island that picture shows, travels there ... and finds out the woman he has been after is actually Gina Scarlotti herself. And she has no idea where the embezzled gold might be, but manages to help him find it nevertheless. But as soon as the gold's located, Stella, Mayne, and his muscle Mego (Colin Douglas) show up on the island as well, and all that amounts to a big fight that's only ended by Gina shooting Mayne dead.

Now by no means the re-invention of the genre as such, this is nevertheless a pretty decent piece of crime TV, mainly due to a script that balances the predictability of its plot with witty dialogue, interesting characters, and a brisk pace that doesn't leave one overthinking things too much. And Patrick McGoohan sure enough is a perfect fit for the lead, possessing just the right mix of coolness and charm to bring the character to life quite admirably.

By the way, the village standing in for the island village is Portmeirion, Wales, UK, the very same place also used as The Village in another Patrick McGoohan series, The Prisoner.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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