The Summit-Five Affair (11 Sep. 1967)

In Berlin, an UNCLE employee is killed just as he is sending a message to Waverly about a security breach. This occurs just before UNCLE's Summit Five conference, when the leaders of ... See full summary »

Director:

Sutton Roley

Writer:

Robert E. Thompson

Stars:

Robert Vaughn, David McCallum, Leo G. Carroll

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Robert Vaughn	...	Napoleon Solo
David McCallum	...	Illya Kuryakin
Leo G. Carroll	...	Alexander Waverly
Albert Dekker	...	Harry Beldon
Lloyd Bochner	...	Gerald Strothers
Susanne Cramer	...	Helga Deniken
Don Chastain	...	Heinz Newman
James Millhollin	...	Wraithlike
Barbara Moore	...	Lisa Rogers

Storyline

In Berlin, an UNCLE employee is killed just as he is sending a message to Waverly about a security breach. This occurs just before UNCLE's Summit Five conference, when the leaders of UNCLE's five regions meet and new communications codes are activated. Solo is a suspect in the killing and is subjected to an intense interrogation. Solo and Kuryakin must find the real traitor before it's too late.

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Plot Keywords:

false confession | fur hat | lock pick | pleading | tears | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 September 1967 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Arena Productions, MGM Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

"Confess!"

The first episode of the fourth and final run of 'M.F.U' must have come as a shock to audiences, following a mostly dismal third season in which plots were constructed around such inane ideas as bombs full of essence of skunk and hiccup gas ( not to mention Sonny & Cher ). This Robert E.Thompson-scripted episode is John Le Carre by comparison.

Solo is being shown around U.N.C.L.E.'s Berlin headquarters when a frightened technician sends a message to Mr.Waverly, warning of the presence of a double agent in the organisation, only to be killed by a 'xeron actuator' ( oh, one of those! ). Suspicion falls on the following agents - flamboyant 'Harry Beldon' ( Albert Dekker ), suave 'Gerald Strothers' ( the excellent Lloyd Bochner ), beautiful 'Helga Denikin' ( Susanne Cramer ), and Solo himself. In an attempt to smoke out the culprit, Solo allows the finger of blame to be pointed at him, leading a harrowing interrogation scene straight out of 'The Prisoner', conducted by Strothers in 'No.2' mode. At one point, Solo even grabs his interrogator's leg and cries for Illya! Shocking stuff.

This was the first of three 'M.F.U.' assignments for director Sutton Roley ( the other two were the final two-parter 'The Seven Wonders Of The World Affair' ). He brought to his shows a highly distinctive visual style. One wishes he had been hired earlier, when Dean Hargrove and Peter Allan Fields were penning scripts. THRUSH is out to assassinate the top five heads of U.N.C.L.E. ( who meet once a year to exchange vital communications codes ). Albert Dekker, was 'Dr.Thorkel' in one of my favourite sci-fi pictures - 1940's 'Dr.Cyclops'.

Anthony Spinner came as a breath of fresh air after Boris Ingster. Even the spoof dedication in the closing credits was dropped! Barbara Moore makes her debut as 'Lisa Rogers', Mr.Waverly's new secretary, and though she does not get to do much throughout the season a regular female character was long overdue. U.N.C.L.E. H.Q. has been spruced up too, with more computers ( left over from N.A.S.A. ) on view. Jerry Goldsmith's theme is given a strident new arrangement and, while not quite up to the first season version, is markedly better than the second and third's. These changes gave 'U.N.C.L.E.' a fresh, up-to-date look, and got Season 4 off to a marvellous start.