Don't Make a Scene: Mission: Impossible

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. 

ETHAN I thought I was going to see Max. 

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. 

ETHAN I don't communicate very well through a shroud. 

MATTHIAS If Max doesn't like what you have to say, you'll be wearing that shroud indefinitely. 

ETHAN I'm willing to take the chance. 

MATTHIAS Very well. 

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? 

ETHAN I need one hundred fifty thousand dollars. 

MAX (laughs)

MAX Oh, Really? (laughs)

MAX And you thought if you simply showed up I might give it to you? 

ETHAN Why not? You gave Job a hundred and twenty five thousand. 

MAX Hmmm. The penny drops. You are.. 

MAX ...not Job. 

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. 

MAX  So you're something of a paradox.

ETHAN That depends. 

MAX On what? 

ETHAN Whether you like a paradox. 

ETHAN I want a hundred and fifty thousand dollars. 

MAX Ah, nah, 

MAX That's quite out of the question. 

ETHAN The disk Job sold you is worthless. 

ETHAN It's bait, part of an internal mole-hunt. 

MAX And how might you know that? 

MAX Are you another You're not a Company man? 

ETHAN Like Job? 

MAX Hmmm.

MAX Ah, but, we're asking about you. 

ETHAN I'm NOC. Was. Now disavowed. 

MAX Why, may I ask? 

ETHAN That's the question I want to ask Job. 

MAX I don't know Job any more than he knows me. 

ETHAN Even so, I'm sure you could arrange an introduction. 

MAX Why should I? 

ETHAN Because I can deliver the actual NOC list. The one you have is not only...

ETHAN ...worthless, it's certain to be equipped with a homing device to pinpoint your exact... 

ETHAN ...location.

MAX M-hm...

MAX Hm-hm...

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 Okay, boot it up

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 ...see if it's worthless. Not a tenable position, sir.

MAX (Pause.) Mm - Hmmm... 

ETHAN Tell you what. How good's the RF scanner you used in the car? 

MAX Very good. 

ETHAN Okay, use it. But I suggest pack up first. 

ANGLE MATTHIAS boots up. 

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. 

MATTHIAS Twenty-six, twenty-seven. So far so good. 

MAX That's not so good for you, my friend.

ETHAN I'd say you've got about two minutes.

She looks from the scanner to ETHAN as if she's trying to make up her mind about something.

The OTHER MAN goes to the windows -- --nothing happens. 

He opens the French doors that lead out onto a balcony. 

EXT. MAX'S APARTMENT - BALCONY - DAY 

The OTHER MAN comes out on the balcony. 

Nothing out here but a beautiful day.

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. 

MAX (to Ethan) Doesn't mean it's a signal. Could just be the hard drive heating up.

She looks from the scanner to ETHAN as if she's trying to make up her mind about something. 

MATTHIAS Forty-four. Forty-five. 

ETHAN I'd say you've got about two minutes. 

MAX still doubts it. 

The OTHER MAN goes to the windows -- --nothing happens. He opens the French doors that lead out onto a balcony. 

EXT. MAX'S APARTMENT - BALCONY - DAY 

The OTHER MAN comes out on the balcony. Nothing out here but a beautiful day. 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. 

INT. MAX'S APARTMENT - DAY Back inside: 

MATTHIAS Fifty-seven. Fifty-nine. 

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. 

INT. MAX'S BUILDING - LOBBY - DAY 

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 

A CLEANING WOMAN is vacuuming the hall carpeting when the AGENTS come up the stairs, guns drawn.

Her jaw drops and she turns off the vacuum cleaner. 

FEMALE IMF (in czech) Switch it on. Keep cleaning. 

KITTRIDGE looks at her sharply and gestures. She turns the vacuum back on. 

They reach the door of a certain apartment and -- 

INT. APARTMENT - DAY

-- KICK through it.

The AGENTS swarm into MAX'S apartment, guns waving in all directions. 

KITTRIDGE sweeps in between them and takes command of the place -- --but there's nobody here. TWO AGENTS race into the bedroom, and just as quickly out again. 

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. 

KITTRIDGE sweeps in between them

and takes command of the place --

--but there's nobody here. 

TWO AGENTS race into the bedroom, and just as quickly out again.

EXT. MAX'S APARTMENT BALCONY - DAY KITTRIDGE kicks open the door to the balcony, comes outside, and looks around. Nobody in sight. 

KITTRIDGE GOD D- 

CUT TO: INT. MAX'S APARTMENT - DAY 

KITTRIDGE waits on the balcony for his AGENTS to complete their search. 

HARRY BARNES, a middle-aged, gray suited, somewhat gray-faced bureaucrat, comes to join Kittridge. 

KITTRIDGE The man's gone black, Barnes. 

KITTRIDGE He's under until he decides to surface. 

BARNES Look we can use someone from the Embassy and we can get the local authorities involved. Close off his transportation. 

KITTRIDGE What can we do, Barnes? 

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 We taught them how to do it, for Christ's sake! 

BARNES So what do you suggest? 

KITTRIDGE Let's not waste time chasing him. Make him come to us.

KITTRIDGE Everybody's got pressure points. 

KITTRIDGE Find out something that's important to him personally and you squeeze.

CUT TO: 

INT.MAX'S CAR - ETHAN AND MAX - DAY 

MAX Oh dear, Gunther will never let me use one of his apartments again. 

MAX (turns to Ethan) Phew, sorry I doubted you, dear boy. 

MAX You are a good sport. Do accept the compliment. 

ETHAN Thanks, Max. 

ETHAN Or is it Maxine? 

INT. CAR - MOVING - DAY 

MAX (chuckles) 

MAX I don't have to tell you what a comfort anonymity can be in my profession -- 

MAX like a warm blanket.

MAX(abruptly) My deal with Job was subject to a successful boot scan.

MAX Obviously it didn't pass muster. Deal's off. 

ETHAN What was your deal with Job? 

MAX Six million dollars. 

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. 

ETHAN Ten million. 

ETHAN Ten million in negotiable U.S. Treasury certificates, 

ETHAN ...in bearer form, coupons attached. 

ETHAN And one more thing -- 

ETHAN ...your personal assurance that Job will be at the exchange. 

MAX Done. Bring it to me in London. I want it by the end of the week. 

ETHAN How will you make sure Job will be there? 

MAX How will you make sure I'll have the list in three days? It's been a delight. Now where can I drop you dear boy? 

ETHAN I'm not being dropped anywhere without my money. 

MAX manages to laugh without coughing. Then, with an admonishing forefinger: 

MAX I'm going to have to front you personally. Don't lose that money without losing your life. 

ETHAN I wouldn't dream of it. 

MAX settles back and regards ETHAN. A theatrical sigh. She fancies this guy. 

 

Mission: Impossible

 

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.