In the opening
pre-title sequence, we are taken back to the year 1945 in Manchester, England. Outside
the Spain & Wilcox Textiles factory, a chemist named Wilcox, who
specializes in fabric formulas, hides a bomb activation device and large spool
of wire in a car belonging to his partner Gregory Spain. He then goes inside
the factory and stands beside a calendar on the wall showing the month of
August. Wilcox nods hello to an
ignorant derelict he’d recently hired as a helper. He then begins working with
laboratory equipment. Mr. Spain walks over to him and asks if he will have that
miracle fiber formula completed by morning and Wilcox says he will. Spain then
leaves and gets in his car, driving away with the hidden bomb activator and
roll of wire.
Wilcox gives the bum
helper a suit jacket and hat as a gift. After the bum is dressed in Wilcox’s
clothing, he turns around and Wilcox bashes him in the back of the head,
knocking him unconscious onto the floor. He then grabs a stack of dynamite
sticks tied together and places them under the bum’s body. He unrolls a long spool
of wire he connected to the bomb. The spool is attached to a bomb activation
device similar to the one he’d hidden in Spain’s car. He takes the reel back to his car where he places it in the trunk,
but leaves the trunk lid open so the wire will continue unreeling as he drives
a good distance away from the factory. Wilcox then stops the car, removes the
spool and bomb activation device from the trunk, and pushes down on the handle.
The factory blows up into flames. (Not much of the bum could have remained, but
apparently enough to later have authorities believe the dead man is Wilcox,
since he was wearing Wilcox’s clothing, leading authorities to believe Gregory Spain had murdered him after authorities find a bomb apparatus
in Spain’s car. How will authorities know the jacket and hat belonged to
Wilcox?)
In the next scene it
is the present time (1959) and Gregory Spain is being released from Dartmoor Prison
after serving 14 years for the murder of Wilcox (who we know is still alive). Spain
is picked up by his chauffer. Spain later meets with a private investigator
named Mr. Newton, who he’d hired to track down Wilcox. (Meaning Spain knows it
was not Wilcox who died in that fire. How does he know that and Scotland Yard
did not? Was it because of the bomb equipment strangely found in his car?) Mr.
Newton tells Spain that Wilcox was traced to an apartment (a “flat”) at 112 Haddon Court, London in October of 1945 (two months after the incident). (In
London there is, in fact, a property called Haddon Court.) Mr. Newton also says that
Wilcox then married a woman named May Stokes who died four weeks after the
wedding. (This is starting to get ridiculous; how do authorities not know this?
And, meanwhile, Spain was still serving time in prison.) Mr. Newton says that Wilcox
then purchased a steam ship ticket to the United States on December 28. 1945,
and that Wilcox was last seen sometime around January 12, 1946. Newton was also
able to obtain a photograph of Wilcox that he pulls from his pocket and hands
to Spain. Newton offers to go to the U.S., but Spain says he’ll go himself. Mr.
Newton then recommends the services of “a very clever man” named Peter Gunn.
(Apparently Gunn’s investigative skills are so renowned that it has reached
circles in Europe.)
A plane is shown
flying over what is clearly Manhattan in New York City. Spain meets with Gunn
in what is possibly a hotel room and gives him some of the information that
Newton had provided. Spain tells Gunn all he has to do is find Wilcox. He says
that Wilcox worked in textiles and was working on a new formula in fibers. When
Gunn insists on knowing why he must track down Wilcox, Spain lies and tells
Gunn that he is an attorney. (That doesn’t answer the question, does it?) Spain
hands Gunn an envelope with money and Gunn says he’ll be in touch. After Gunn
leaves, Spain pulls out a revolver and looks at it with a smile.
Peter Gunn visits the
Joe-Jack Fabric Company where he meets with two professionals in textiles
(fabrics); their names are Joe and Jack. They are acquaintances of Gunn and both
excitedly shout out his name upon arrival. The two fabric salesmen are
extremely hyper and talkative, complementing Gunn often on how “wonderful” he
looks. The salesmen show Gunn around describing the various different-colored
fabrics throughout the shop. Gunn then shows Joe and Jack a photograph of
Wilcox and asks if they know him. Gunn tells them the man speaks with a British
accent. The men don’t know him, but they tell Gunn he should see Sadie at Men’s Clothing Journal Magazine; that
Sadie knows everyone in the business.
Gunn is at the Men’s
Clothing Journal office going through papers handed to him by a well-shaped and
attractive woman named Sadie. He finds a photo of a man matching the photo he
has of Wilcox, but a description on the back of the photo gives the name Thomas
Blankenship, who operates a factory called Blankenship Mills in the city of
Oldfield. (Oldfield, Missouri?) Sadie tells Peter Gunn “that’s Upstate”. (Where
in the United States aside from New York City do people refer to places north
of that area as “Upstate”?) Gunn thanks Sadie and he’s so excited and happy
that he kisses her on the forehead before leaving. The woman appears pleased by
Gunn’s affectionate overtone.
Gunn then arrives at
the plant owned by Wilcox (now calling himself Blankenship) and enters
Blankenship’s office where he is in a business meeting with two other men.
Peter Gunn introduces himself as a reporter with Men’s Clothing Journal.
Blankenship seems eager to receive Gunn, saying he always has time for the
press. He mentions that he’s preparing for a textiles show and they are
trying to come up with a name for a new fabric he’d designed. Gunn suggests
“Haddon Court”, the property where Blankenship had lived after the Manchester
incident and at the time had married a woman that died several weeks later. (This episode never
makes clear how that marriage is relevant to the plot.) Blankenship suddenly
becomes spooked by Gunn’s suggestion, possibly realizing he’s been discovered.
He tells the other two men in the office to leave and give him some privacy.
Blankenship wants to know who sent Gunn, now knowing he’s not a reporter. Gunn says
he was sent by the Men’s Clothing Journal, but Wilcox isn’t buying it.
Blankenship asks Gunn, “What do you want?” Gunn tells him he’s not sure, but,
“We’ll contact you,” he says. He then leaves the office and Blankenship picks
up the phone to make a call.
As Gunn is driving
his car along a road, a car parked nearby is seen with someone extending an arm
and hand holding a revolver. The person shoots at Gunn, who brings his car to a
stop. Gunn opens the car door and ducks behind it to shoot back. The mysterious
shooter then flees. Gunn gets back in his car to give chase, but discovers one
of the shooter’s bullets punctured a front tire leaving it flat. (Apparently,
Thomas Blankenship has underground henchmen at his immediate disposal that he
can call upon for such deeds. Why would he be associated with such people?)
Peter Gunn arrives
back at Gregory Spain’s place and let’s Spain know that he is very angry at having
been shot at during his investigation into finding Wilcox. Gunn demands to know
why Spain asked for Wilcox to be found. Spain agrees to tell Gunn everything
after Gunn first discloses information about Wilcox and his whereabouts. Gunn
tells Spain that Wilcox now goes by the name Thomas Blankenship and he is
president of Blankenship Mills in Oldfield about 85 miles away. Spain then
confesses his intentions; how he was unjustly accused and sentenced for killing
him. He then tells Gunn he’s already paid for what he’s going to do; kill
Wilcox. Spain then storms out of the room.
Gunn uses a phone in
the room to call Lt. Jacoby and asks him to pick up Spain, who is headed to
Oldfield to murder someone. Jacoby says he’ll put in a call to Oldfield authorities.
Gunn then calls Blankenship Mills to speak to Wilcox, but learns that he is on
his way to a textile show taking place at The Commodore Hotel, “here” in the
same town Gunn is in! (Some coincidence; Wilcox traveled from England to the
United States and could have settled anywhere, but happened to do so in Peter
Gunn’s neck of the woods, the private detective that Gregory Spain had been
recommended to see for assistance.)
At Lt. Jacoby’s
office, Gunn shows Jacoby an old newspaper he’d found in Spain’s room dated
September 5, 1945 with a headline about the inventor who died in a lab
explosion. In another newspaper (not clear how Gunn came across it) dated
September 3, 1945, Gunn points out an ad for a “Caretaker Wanted” and to apply
at Spain & Wilcox Textiles, LTD, and to “See Mr. Wilcox.” Gunn mentions how
the explosion occurred two days after the want ad. (In what might be a goof-up
in production, at the start of the episode a calendar on the wall showed it to
be August, 1945, yet news about the murder and ad for the caretaker who was
already hired and killed appeared the following month.) Lt. Jacoby tells Gunn
that even if authorities pick up Gregory Spain, they can’t hold him long
because he hasn’t done anything. There is a discussion about double jeopardy
and how Spain can’t be tried again if he does kill Wilcox. Peter Gunn then has
an idea; contact Scotland Yard and have them pick up Wilcox for the murder of
the caretaker. (Where’s the proof for that now? A newspaper ad Gunn found?) A
police officer enters Jacoby’s office and notifies him that Blankenship just
checked into The Commodore Hotel. Both he and Gunn leave.
There is a lot of
activity in a large banquet hall room at the hotel with people setting up their
textiles exhibits. There are three hot blonde-haired models in bathing attire
and exposing lots of nice bare legs in the rear of the room having their pictures taken by
a professional photographer. (What is their purpose at a show about fabrics?)
Gunn points out Blankenship, who is standing on a ladder high above the ground
hanging sheets of fabric. They walk over and Jacoby tells “Mr. Wilcox” that
he’s under arrest for suspicion of murder and he will know more when he hears
from Scotland Yard. Wilcox tells Gunn and Jacoby that Gregory Spain must have
sent them as assassins to kill him. Gunn tells him that Spain is on his way to
Oldfield to kill him. Suddenly, Spain appears holding a gun. Spain says he had
called the factory in Oldfield and learned of Wilcox’s location. Jacoby reaches
for his revolver and Spain tells him to not move. He then tells Wilcox how he
“looks well for a dead man.” Spain accuses Wilcox of the frame up job, but
Wilcox blames it on the police getting it all wrong.
Spain says that
Wilcox had convinced him and his friends to invest in the production of a
miracle fiber. “You spent the money, stole the formula, and left me to bear the
brunt and failure of bankruptcy,” Spain says. Wilcox, in a panic that he will
be killed, tells Spain he’s got lots of money now and will make it up to him.
Spain says it won’t make up for 14 years of prison. Gunn calls out to Spain,
who says he has no worries because of double jeopardy. Gunn then appears to try
a bluff, saying, “double jeopardy doesn’t apply here.” Spain appears surprised.
Jacoby tells Spain it’s another time and another place; it’s a separate crime.
Spain isn’t buying it or isn’t sure if it’s true and tells Wilcox he will kill
him anyway.
Wilcox then tosses a
large bolt of fabric down into Spain’s face, causing him to fall backward into
a water fountain pond while taking a shot from his gun. While still standing on
top of the ladder, Wilcox uses it to glide from one side of the room to the
other and lands safely on the ground. (A very talented acrobatic move for a
textile chemist.) Everyone in the room, including the three blonde models,
start screaming and running for cover. Gunn goes after Wilcox, who manages to
push part of an exhibit into Gunn’s face to fight him off. Jacoby pulls Gregory
Spain out of the pond and orders everyone out of the room. Wilcox is back up
high above the ground again hiding behind another exhibit and takes three shots
at Gunn with a revolver. (Where did Wilcox get the gun from?) He then climbs
even higher, completely exposing his entire body (seems kind of stupid of him
to do that) while continuing to shoot. He shoots three more times and runs out
of bullets. (Kudos to this production for accuracy! Six shots from a six-shot
revolver. In early days of television it was common to have much more than six
shots come out of such a gun without reloading.) Wilcox then grabs onto a long
vine of fabric and swings like Tarzan across the room, however, Gregory Spain shoots
at Wilcox while swinging, killing him. One woman in the room lets out a long,
loud, terrifying scream (ugh). Spain tells Jacoby he had to do it. “It’s all I
lived for,” he says. Jacoby looks at people standing around and asks for someone
to call an ambulance. (It appears ambulances were also called in those days to
pick up dead bodies. We know Wilcox is dead because Gunn says, “Should make an
interesting trial,” referring back to the double jeopardy element.) Jacoby
takes Spain’s gun from him and leads him away. Everyone else leaves the room,
leaving Wilcox’s body alone on the floor.
QUOTES:
Gunn at Lt. Jacoby’s police station office…
Gunn: “You can’t do anything even if he does kill the guy.”
Jacoby: “What do you mean?”
Gunn: “Double jeopardy…”
Jacoby: “A man can’t be tried twice for the same
crime.”
Gunn: “That right. Once he’s acquitted, he can even brag about
how he did it. But he wasn’t acquitted; he was convicted.”
Jacoby: “You can’t walk into a room and kill a guy.”
Gunn: “He spent 14 years in prison for killing that guy…can he
be tried twice? Punished twice?”
NOTES:
This episode offers a
fascinating twist into the legalities of double jeopardy, whereas an accused
that was found Not Guilty, or was found Guilty and served a sentence for a
crime, cannot be prosecuted twice in a criminal court for the same offense.
Film/editing Goof-up:
The calendar shown on the wall at start of episode has days numbered
incorrectly for August, 1945. That page from the calendar would be accurate for
October, 1945. However, it appears producers simply got lazy and instead of
obtaining an actual 1945 calendar, they used one made around the time episode
was filmed. That page would be accurate for December, 1958 (this episode first
aired on April 6, 1959). A strip of sheet with large bold letters reading AUGUST – 1945 was then placed at the
top of the page. But…how often have we seen a calendar that shows the year in
large type on EVERY month’s page? It seems kind of silly that someone would
have to be reminded in August that it’s still 1945.
The actor John Abbott,
who played Wilcox (Blankenship), had a beard and was balding at the top of his
head. His stunt double, when using the ladder to glide from one side of the
room to the other, had a full head of hair and appeared to be clean
shaven.
This episode was
directed by Boris Sagal, who in 1981 was killed when he turned the wrong way
getting off a helicopter and his head was nearly chopped off by the helicopter’s
tail rotor blades. This occurred in the parking lot of the Timberline Lodge in
Oregon. He died five hours later in a Portland hospital. Sagal was 57 years
old.
DECEASED: A transient hired by Wilcox as a caretaker killed in explosion from bomb
placed by Wilcox. Wilcox shot by Gregory Spain.
Total Gunn Kills: 0 -
Series Total: 7
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