"Mission: Impossible" Old Man Out: Part 1 (1966)

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Director:

Charles R. Rondeau

Writers:

Ellis Marcus (written by)
Bruce Geller (creator)

TV Series:

"Mission: Impossible" (1966)

Original Air Date:

8 October 1966 (Season 1, Episode 4)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

An elderly cardinal has been taken prisoner by an Eastern European country because the clergyman is a leader of the political opposition...

Plot Keywords:

Clock Watcher | Mission | Deception | Misdirection | Dictatorship

Cast

Steven Hill	...	Daniel Briggs
Barbara Bain	...	Cinnamon Carter
Greg Morris	...	Barney Collier
Peter Lupus	...	Willy Armitage
Martin Landau	...	Rollin Hand
Mary Ann Mobley	...	Crystal Walker
Cyril Delevanti	...	Cardinal Vossek
Joseph Ruskin	...	Colonel Scutari
Oscar Beregi Jr.	...	The Commandant (as Oscar Beregi)
William Wintersole	...	The Captain
Monte Markham	...	Tosk

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Desilu Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Desilu Productions

Trivia:

Monte Markham's TV debut.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the staged "trapeze accident," Barney has released one side of the trapeze bar support, leaving Crystal hanging by a single rope with the other rope dangling below her. After she recovers and is being lowered, the trapeze has miraculously been rehung.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[a persistent knocking is heard at the theater door. The projectionist opens it]
Projectionist contact: We're closed.
Daniel Briggs: There's a short subject I'd like to see.
Projectionist contact: A cartoon?
Daniel Briggs: No, the documentary.
Projectionist contact: Fourth row, end seat on the right side.

Well-Crafted Episode With Many Novel Twists

First segment of a two-part show is grand entertainment in a delightfully old-fashioned manner. The team is hired to rescue a priest who has been imprisoned in an unnamed European country. Our group of heroes pretends to be a traveling circus troupe. The beautiful Crystal Walker plays a trapeze lady and character actor Cyril Delevanti plays the old cardinal. Barbara Bain has a great cat-fight with Walker and Steven Hill plays a clown. Martin Landau returns as Rollin Hand. It ends with a fabulous cliffhanger that leaves you hungry for the second part. Very pleasant episode with lots of suspenseful sequences. Recommended to fans of the TV series.