BORGIA STICK, THE (TV)
Summary
A made-for-television movie filmed on location in Manhattan and suburban New York, this suspense thriller concerns a seemingly average suburban couple who are actually operatives involved in money laundering for an international crime syndicate. Tom and Eve Harrison appear to be a happy young couple, active in community affairs and close friends with their next-door neighbors, the Carters. But after Tom and Hal Carter take their daily commuter train into Manhattan and part ways, Tom slips into a public dressing room, changes his clothes, unfolds a fancy walking stick, and becomes another person. As the mysterious "Mr. Bennet," Tom goes about the daily business of channeling syndicate money into insurance and finance companies by making large cash deposits into phony trust fund accounts at banks all over the country. This money is later used to purchase legitimate companies. His code name for these activities is "Borgia Stick," which relates to the handle of his walking stick, once the base of a goblet belonging to one of the Borgias. Eve has also excelled at her job, which is to be the ideal housewife and help advance Tom's position in the community. Two things begin to unravel Tom and Eve's fabric of lies. First, Tom tells Eve that he's fallen in love with her and wants them to leave the "company" together. Though they have lived together for five years, neither -- as per company instructions -- knows anything about the other's past, nor does Eve ever ask what Tom really does all day. After initially becoming frightened and hostile at Tom's suggestion that they leave and have a real life together, she realizes that she is in love with him as well. Second, a man begins to follow the couple. Tom arranges an emergency meeting with two major syndicate bosses, Anderson and Willoughby, and tells them he believes he is being followed by a cop. During their meeting Tom's true identity is disclosed and Tom is shocked to learn secrets about Eve's past. Tom is told he will be sent to Rio de Janeiro until it is safe to return to the States. However, Anderson senses that Eve and Tom have gown close and arranges to test her loyalty by reassigning her to work as a prostitute at a go-go bar in Greenwich Village. Eve fails the test and returns home to Tom. As they make plans, their next-door-neighbor Hal Carter -- actually a police officer who has spent two years trying to bring down the syndicate -- is using bugging devises to listen in on them. Accidentally, Tom discovers Hal's true identity and what he is up to. As Tom and Eve prepare to flee, the syndicate calls, telling them to go to the Mt. Croton station, where they will be taken to a private hospital and given plastic surgery before being sent to live in another country together. Tom and Eve must decide whom to trust as they run for their lives. Commercials deleted.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by Kip and Sherrill Lewis on behalf of Richard Lewis.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: February 25, 1967 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:38:28
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:29459
- GENRE: Drama, action/adventure; Drama, mystery/suspense
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, action/adventure; Drama, mystery/suspense; Money laundering
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV, 1967
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Richard Lewis … Producer
- David Lowell Rich … Director
- A.J. Russell … Writer
- Kenyon Hopkins … Music by
- George Benson … Music by
- Don Murray … Cast, Tom Harrison
- Inger Stevens … Cast, Eve Harrison
- Barry Nelson … Cast, Hal Carter
- Fritz Weaver … Cast, Anderson
- Sorrell Booke … Cast, Alton
- Marc Connelly … Cast, Davenport
- Kathleen Maguire … Cast, Ruth
- Dana Elcar … Cast, Craigmeyer
- Barnard Hughes … Cast, Dr. Helm
- Sudi Bond … Cast, Wilma
- Frederick Rolf … Cast, Rigley
- Hugh Franklin … Cast, Willoughby
- Ralph Waite … Cast, the Man from Toledo
- Valerie Allen … Cast, Louise
- Conrad Bain … Cast, the Attorney
- House Jameson … Cast, Win Hollingsworth
- John Randolph … Cast, Smith
- Doreen Lang … Cast, Mrs. Hollingsworth