The Story: "As always, should you or any of your IM Force be caught or killed, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions." That was always the boiler-plate for any assignment message at the beginning of each "Mission: Impossible" episode—right before the inevitable destruction of the media involved, whether self-destructing or manually disposed of.*
But, we'd never seen that in the history of the "Mission: Impossible" series ** that ran for years on TV. A combination spy/con-artist/incredible mess scenario were elaborate plans were made only to have to punt when something went wrong, "Mission: Impossible" was something of a wonder—until it became clear that most enemies of the U.S. looked enough like Martin Landau that he could be disguised as them. No one was ever "caught or killed" or "disavowed."
Until Tom Cruise's production company made a deal with Paramount and saw that they owned "Mission: Impossible." And very quickly they did a deep dive into that premise of the "Disavoweds" among the NOC (Non-official cover) agents by killing a good number of them leaving Cruise's original character of "Ethan Hunt" to run a solo operation not unlike James Bond, and making the list of IMF active NOC's working undercover throughout the world the McGuffin of the story.
And who wants that list? Well, it's the larger target in the story of Ethan's hunt for the IMF betrayer—who has been trading secrets to a power broker by the name of "Max." Posing as that unknown IMF agent, Ethan infiltrates the secret circles to the Max.
And she's played by Vanessa Redgrave. And my respect for the movie went up many notches. I'm always delighted when I get a rare chance to see this actress, who I consider to be one of the greatest actors—of any sex—of all time, appear on the screen. Redgrave melds classical acting with "method" to always bring something unique and distinctive and entirely unpredictable to every role she plays. Inventive, intricate, and nuanced, she always surprises with just how good she is in any given part.
And she's terrific in this scene. And her producer/co-star knows it and betrays it a little. He's more serious in scenes when he's not in a two-shot looking right at her. And he's a bit more animated in this scene—although tied up—than he is throughout the rest. Redgrave raises all boats.
And she's haunting the subsequent films in the series. You can't help remember "Max" from the first film, and a couple times—rather overtly in M:I-Fallout—she's mentioned in the background. There's a character in the films called "The White Widow" (played by Vanessa Kirby), who is the daughter of "Max" Mitsopolis (Redgrave's character from the first film), and shots of Redgrave were displayed in M:I-F. Who knows? Even though they've mentioned that Redgrave's character is dead, that doesn't mean much in spy films—or even, specifically, Mission: Impossible films. I would love to see her again. And Kirby's character will be appearing in the next two M:I movies (according to IMDB).
And I would love to see out-takes of her scenes from this—if there were any.
You want to really make a thrilling spy movie? Cast a superb actor like Vanessa Redgrave and put in a cameo performance like this.
The Set-Up: The latest assignment of the IMForce has ended in disaster, with the deaths of all but two of the team: Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and the wife of the team leader, Claire Phelps (Emmanuelle Béart). But, why the mission went so awry and who was responsible (inside job?) is still being investigated by the IMF. Hunt is disavowed...and questioned by his superiors (including Henry Czerny's Eugene Kittridge)...but, realizing he's being made the official scape-goat, Hunt goes on the run and underground to find out for himself. His only clue is communications between "Job" (the likely Judas) and their contact on the other side, "Max". Hunt is posing as "Job" to arrange a meeting with this "Max" and he has brought, hooded, to a meeting place, unknown.
Cue the fuse!
INT. MAX'S APARTMENT - DAY
The black hood still on his head, ETHAN has trouble sitting
upright. He's before a desk, in an apartment somewhere in
the city -- it's impossible to tell where, as the blinds are
drawn. The place is roomy and lavishly furnished --
expensive Oriental rugs, well-chosen objects of art.
Somewhere down the block, a dog BARKS, steadily, every few
seconds. In the hallway outside the apartment door, someone
is VACUUMING. MATTHIAS and the OTHER MAN are nearby.
MATTHIAS
You misunderstood. No one sees Max.
ETHAN
Then what am I doing here?
MATTHIAS
Allowing Max to see you and hear what
you've got to say.
MAX'S figure into frame. MATTHIAS removes ETHAN's hood.
When it comes off ETHAN finds himself looking up at...a tall
woman of indeterminate age. She's handsome to the point of
severity.
MAX
Who are you and what are you doing here?
MAX Yes,
Job is not given to quoting Scripture in
his communications. MAX And there was its
tone -- aggressive but playful. Job is
not playful.
ETHAN I want a
hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
MAX Hmmm.
ETHAN
Because I can deliver the actual NOC
list. The one you have is not only...
MAX
It's easy to say the disk is worthless
when you say I can't look at the
information and see if it's worthless.
Not a tenable position, sir.
ETHAN ...and in anywhere from
thirty seconds to ten minutes you're
gonna have Virginia farm boys hopping
around you like jackrabbits.
MAX
It's easy to say the disk is worthless
when you say I can't...
MAX look at the information and...
MAX look at the information and...
MAX
(Pause.)
Mm - Hmmm...
ETHAN
Tell you what. How good's the RF scanner
you used in the car?
MAX
Very good.
There's a little musical noise and the
screen brightens. The computer WHIRS and CLICKS and a
complex list of names, addresses, phone numbers and other
personal information scrolls by. But Matthias is watching
the digital read-out on the RF scanner.
The OTHER MAN comes out on the balcony.
He walks to the railing and looks down at
the street.
Down below, the dog that's still barking is tied to a street
sign. WOOF. WOOF. WOOF. Abruptly, it stops.EXT. MAX'S APARTMENT
A pollution control van and a taxi arrive amidst other street
activity. KITTRIDGE and the FEMALE CZECH AGENT exit the taxi
as BARNES and TWO OTHER UNDERCOVER MALE IMF agents leave the
van.
On the scanner, the digital read-out is now in the thirties.
MATTHIAS
Thirty-two and thirty-three change.
MATTHIAS
Forty-four. Forty-five.
ETHAN
I'd say you've got about two minutes.
MAX still doubts it.
INT. MAX'S APARTMENT - DAY
Back inside:
MATTHIAS
Fifty-seven. Fifty-nine.
Led by KITTRIDGE, the FIVE IMF AGENTS wearing Kevlar-lined
trenchcoats creep through the lobby of the building and hit
the stairs. They climb them silently.
INT. MAX'S BUILDING HALLWAY - DAY
FEMALE IMF
(in czech)
Switch it on. Keep cleaning.
KITTRIDGE looks at her sharply and gestures. She turns the
vacuum back on.
EXT. POWDER TOWER - TOP SHOT - DAY
MAX, ETHAN, MATTHIAS and the OTHER MAN move quickly across
the bridge that connects Max's apartment to the tower.
BARNES
Look we can use someone from the Embassy
and we can get the local authorities
involved. Close off his transportation.
KITTRIDGE
Put a guy at the
airport? How many identities do you
think Hunt has? How many times has he
slipped past custom, in how many
countries? These guys are trained to be
ghosts.
KITTRIDGE
Let's not waste time chasing him. Make
him come to us. KITTRIDGE
Everybody's got pressure
points.
ETHAN
Thanks, Max.
INT. CAR - MOVING - DAY
MAX(abruptly)
My deal with Job was subject to a
successful boot scan. MAX Obviously it
didn't pass muster. Deal's off.
MAX I'll give you the
same. But I want the complete list now,
not just Eastern Europe. I won't do this
piecemeal,
MAX ...it's too dangerous. I want the entire list,the true name of every
non-official cover agent throughout the
world.
MAX ...it's too dangerous. I want the entire list,
ETHAN
Ten million.
ETHAN ...in bearer
form, coupons attached.
MAX
Done. Bring it to me in London. I want
it by the end of the week.
Words by David Koepp and Robert Towne
Pictures by Stephen H. Burum and Brian De Palma
Mission: Impossible is available on DVD and Blu-Ray from Paramount Home Video.
* I always thought that if they just used cassettes instead of mini-reel-to-reels, the tapes would have self-destructed playing them in your car! (Sorry, you have to be a certain age to get that joke).
** Maybe they did, but I stopped watching regularly when Martin Landau and Barbara Bain left the series.
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