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Run For Your Life
Starring Ben Gazzara
Episode:
The Carnival Ends at Midnight
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Synopsis: Paul is in Rio de Janeiro trying to trick a Larry Carter (Peter Lawford) into returning to the US to face trial when Molly Pierce (Anne Helm), daughter of his victim, makes an attempt on the murderer's life. With Edward Colmans as the Police Officer, Tom Allen as J. Thomas Bledsoe, Angela Dorian as Carmen, Anna Mizraki as Isabella, Stella Garcia as the First Brazilian Girl, Ines Pedroza as the Second Brazilian Girl, Carlos Rivas as the Thug, Edy Williams as the Watusi Dancer
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Episode 16
First broadcast on
January 10, 1966
Teleplay by Boris Sobelman
Story by John Thomas James
(Roy Huggins)
Directed by Richard Benedict
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SEE INDIVIDUAL PHOTOS OF ENTIRE CAST AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
Watch a video from this episode on the same page
Creative Team
Producer
Jo Swerling Jr.
Associate Producer
Paul Freeman
Music
Pete Rugolo
Director of Photography
Ray Flin
Art Director
Howard E. Johnson
Film Editor
Carl Pingitore
Unit Manager
Willard Sheldon
Assistant Director
Joseph Cayalies
Set Decorators
John McCartey &
Perry Murdoch
Sound
Frank H. Wilkinson
Color Coordinator
Robert Brower
Color by Pathe
Editorial Dept. Head
David J. O'Connell
Musical Supervisor
Stanley Wilson
Costumes by Burton Miller
Makeup
Bud Westmore
Hair Stylist
Larry Germain
Links to Other Episodes
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Paul befriends Larry after he is attacked
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The Plot:
Paul has come to Rio de Janeiro at the request of his former fiancée to track down the killer of her father who's gone to Brazil to escape extradition.
His first ploy to catch Larry Carter is to have him attacked in the street by a couple muggers who run away when Paul shouts at them. Paul then helps Larry up, and they agree to meet the following day. When Larry leaves the scene, the two heavies approach Paul, and he pays them off.
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 Larry lands in the hospital after a drive-by shooting
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As they return to their hotel the next evening, a car flies by shooting, and Larry falls to the ground. His injuries are not great, but he is hospitalised and a police officer questions both, either of whom could be the intended victim. When he leaves, Larry suggests they go to another part of Brazil.
Paul phones a friend at the US consulate who is able to find that the license plate of the car that Paul noted came from a rental agency. Checking with them leads him directly to the person who attempted to kill Larry.
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 Paul says he knows that Molly shot at Larry
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Paul proceeds to the hotel room of Molly Pierce, younger sister of his erstwhile fiancée Kate, and tells her that he is on a mission for Kate to bring their father's killer back to the US legally, and that he knows it was Molly who shot at him. She responds that the action was to save her sanity.
Paul goes to the phone to ring Kate to bring her sister home, but Molly begs him to give her a chance, and that she will leave on her own the next day, insisting that she stay the night with him before he takes her to the airport at 5 pm.
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Molly finally gets Paul to let her stay
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But when he wakes on the sofa the next morning, she is gone. First concerned, he then finds a note from Molly asking him to join her for breakfast downstairs. She believes this proves that she can be trusted to stay in Rio.
Paul is dubious, but she says that she needs to be there until she sees Larry Carter extradited back to America.
Molly wants Paul to take her to dinner, but he says that he has other plans, and refuses to tell her how he plans to trick Larry.
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Hague finds a letter to Paul about his diagnosis
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That evening Paul joins Larry at a nightclub with two Brazilian girls who say that they aren't able to remain in Rio for carnival, but must go back with their father to his country estate near Belem where Mardi Gras celebrations will be even better, according to them. Larry is interested, but Paul says he principally came to Brazil to experience carnival in Rio de Janeiro. The girls invite them to Belem, but then say there won't be room in their father's plane. Larry suggests that, since Paul was an Air Force pilot, they could charter their own plane, and fly north to accept the invitation.
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 A sleepy Molly returns from dancing in the morning
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When Paul returns late to his room, Molly is there. He angrily tells her that she could have jeopardized the entire operation by her presence in the room.
Then, feeling proud of his plan, Paul reveals how he intends to fly Larry to French Guiana where extradition papers will be waiting, and that the two wealthy sisters were only actresses he hired. Molly gets Paul to take her to a late-night dancing spot. When they return to her hotel, Molly asks why Paul and her sister's relationship ended, but she is too sleepy to pursue the tragic subject.
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Paul says he'll feel better when Molly is gone
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The next day Larry meets Paul, presumably to fly to Belem, and fall into Paul's trap, when he suddenly reneges from the trip on a hunch that it might be a trick, possibly on the part of the two sisters. He adds that he even suspected Paul for a while, but is now certain the two women were at the heart of the plot.
Paul goes directly to Molly, to get her out of Rio immediately, but the first flight back isn't until 2 am. She again tries to delay things, but Paul says he'll feel better when she is safe and back at school. But instead of packing, she goes out.
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Larry says he's wanted for murder but innocent
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Paul is in his room pacing when Larry enters with a peace offering of Bourbon, saying he shouldn't have spoiled the flight or mistrusted his friend.
Larry thinks the situation over and says he'll take Paul up on his offer to listen, and tells him that he's wanted for murder, and can't leave Brazil.
Then Larry says that he is innocent, framed by the victim's husband who used Larry's gun with his prints on it in order to get rid of her spouse, but inherit his money.
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Molly accidentally shoots Larry
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Larry becomes depressed with the conversation, and they go out to take part in the Carnival.
Paul then goes back to his hotel and phones Molly about taking her to the airport, only to find out she's checked out. When he discovers her gun is gone, he rings Larry. Though Paul's just left him at his room, there is no answer, and he rushes back to the room.
There, Molly is holding Larry at gunpoint as he denies having killed her father, speaking to her calmly and trying to get her to put the weapon down.
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Larry confesses the murder as he lies dying
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When Paul knocks on the door, Molly turns, and Larry throws something to get the gun out of her hand, but instead, it fires and hits him.
Paul phones for the doctor, and Molly says that she wanted to kill Larry, but couldn't, and only shot him by accident.
Larry confirms this, and mortally wounded, asks for pen and paper. When Paul questions what he's written, he says it's a confession.Disbelieving, Paul asks whom he's trying to protect. Larry answers, “my immortal soul,” and dies.
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Notes & Comments: While most of the scenes with Molly don't really move the story forward, and seem fairly gratuitous, the rest of the episode is well-paced and interesting.
These sections hold the attention as Paul's plan develops and fizzles, then the guilt of Larry Carter is thrown into question, also to have another twist.
Molly's final scene has substantial drama, but only as a catalyst and not a presence where she again waters things down. Peter Lawford's smooth talking, as he tries to get her to put the gun down, seems to portray him as the liar we've assumed he was.
Watch a video from this episode on the same page
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Peter Lawford
as Larry Carter
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Anne Helm as
Molly Pierce
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Edward Colmans
as the Police Officer
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Tom Allen as
J. Thomas Bledsoe
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Angela Dorian
as Carmen
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Anna Mizraki
as Isabella
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Stella Garcia as
the First Girl
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Ines Pedroza as
the Second Girl
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Eliana Pittman
as the Singer
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Carlos Rivas
as the Thug
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