|
|
|
Run For Your Life
Starring Ben Gazzara
Episode:
The Rediscovery of Charlotte Hyde
|
|
To contact us, click Homepage link above
|
Synopsis: In Monte Carlo Paul has to come to the rescue of gigolo Ramon de Vega (Fernando Lamas) when “sparrow” Charlotte Hyde (Gena Rowlands) doesn't turn out as he bargained. With Emile Genest as the Judge, Wolfe Barzell as the Jeweler, Ted Roter as the Inspector, John Lodge as the Cartwright, Garry Wallberg as the Mechanic, Richard Angarola as the Lawyer, Eugene Borden as the Prosecutor, Brioni Farrell as Michele, Louis de Farra as the Bellman, Gigi Michel as the First Girl, Marlena Giovi as the Second Girl, Gil Peters as The First Man, Lucien Lanvin as the Second Man
|
Episode 17
First broadcast on
January 24, 1966
Written by Harold Gast
Story by John Thomas James
(Roy Huggins)
Directed by William Hale
|
SEE INDIVIDUAL PHOTOS OF ENTIRE CAST AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
and 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
John L. Russell A.S.C.
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
|
|
Ramon apologizes for snubbing Paul
|
The Plot:
Paul is test driving a racing car in Monte Carlo when he spots his gigolo friend Ramon de Vega courting Charlotte Hyde. Ramon says that he'll talk to Paul later, and the woman doesn't see him.
Next day, the good friends meet, and Ramon apologizes, saying that he needs to devote every moment to this woman, also expressing the worry that Paul might try to steal his “sparrow” like he did when they were in Mexico together.
|
|
Charlotte offers Ramon money
Charlotte asks Ramon to get her bracelet repaired
|
Ramon goes on to say that this particular lady seems rather difficult, but he's confident - as always - in his ability to charm a woman into providing him with a substantial sum of money. But Ramon senses that this sparrow is a bit of a hawk. Paul listens with gentle amusement, and they agree to meet after midnight.
Over dinner that evening, Charlotte tells Ramon that she is enjoying his company too much - not being lonely anymore - and doesn't want him to return to his ranch to raise needed funds. He replies that if he remains in Monte Carlo, he's bound to find a friend who will loan him $10,000. But Charlotte says that such a friend is already here, and that she will gladly get the funds from her own accounts.
Ramon is “outraged” at such an idea, of course, saying that he could never take money from her, but she finds this endearing, and he agrees to accept it.
When they go dancing her bracelet falls on the floor, and she asks him if he'd get it fixed for her, then adds that the bracelet is worth far more than the sum she proposed to lend him, a sign of how much she trusts him.
|
|
Ramon and Paul try to figure what happened
|
He takes the bracelet to a local jeweller, who says its 20 three-carat diamonds are extremely fine. The repaired piece is returned to Charlotte, but within the hour, following a call from her, Ramon is arrested by the police for theft. Paul tries to plead for Ramon, but the judge refuses him bail due to the great value of the stolen goods. Given time to consult in the judge's chambers, Ramon tells the story of the “hawk's” bracelet, and how he can't understand her actions, asking Paul to try and find Charlotte's motivation for wanting to put him in jail for ten years.
|
|
The jailer's daughter points out Charlotte
|
After getting out of his car, Paul is approached by the jail keeper's daughter , with a message that Ramon has learned that Charlotte is at the races. Using the ploy of a missing lucky charm, invaluable for the team,
Paul becomes acquainted with Charlotte, and asks her to have dinner with him that evening as compensation for the bad luck experienced minus the supposed good luck piece. Before dinner she tells Paul she's not a jet setter, and has to stay on in town for the trial of a man who stole her bracelet.
|
|
Paul warns Charlotte not to play with lives
|
Back in her suite Paul shows curiosity in the theft of Charlotte's bracelet.
But the more questions he asks, the more pointed they become, and she suspects him of being employed by Ramon.
He denies that, but then admits to being a friend. Paul says that she set Ramon up, then is acting as judge and jury because he is a gigolo.
She tells him to leave, but Paul warns her about playing with people's lives.
|
|
Over a lavish meal in jail they talk of Ramon's last affair
|
Paul visits Ramon in jail where he is enjoying a sumptuous lunch, courtesy of the jailor's daughter who stops by, and asks Ramon how he is enjoying the meal.
They again try to figure Charlotte's motivation, and decide that she'd planned the coup even before they met. Paul joins in the lunch, and plans to find more information about the woman and the bracelet.
After he comes up with some clues, he phones Charlotte and tells her that she's in trouble.
|
|
Paul wans Charlotte of the consequences of her actions
|
Paul visits Charlotte to tell her that the jig is up, that he knows that she is the sister of Ramon's last “sparrow,” and that, in addition to the fact she has not reported the bracelet's theft to her insurance, the original damage to the bracelet appeared intentional.
Paul says he can get a warrant to search her room, and even goes so far as to point out that Charlotte could serve a jail sentence for giving false testimony.
She is clearly angry, but also fearful, and the charges against Ramon are dropped.
|
|
Ramon reminds Paul of their fishing date
|
Paul meets Ramon as he is released, and suggests that he leave Monte Carlo immediately.
Ramon wants to wait until Charlotte arrives to sign some papers at the station, but Paul has even packed Ramon's car for a quick getaway to Spain. Ramon reminds him of their fishing date the following May, and says that he knows Paul will make it.
Ramon drives out of town, heading for the Pyrenees, but he is being followed by Charlotte in her car, an angry expression on her face.
|
|
Ramon frees Charlotte just before her car explodes
|
As the Mediterranean roads start to become winding with sharp cliff edges, Charlotte manoeuvres her car nearer and near to Ramon's, and attempts to drive him off the road, ramming his car several times. He keeps on trying evasive actions, and in one final effort to drive him off a cliff, Charlotte actually plunges her own car over. Ramon jumps out of his to save her. She's unable to get her door open, and he manages to extracate her only after breaking the door. Just before a fire causes her machine to explode, Ramon pulls her out, and carries Charlotte away to safety.
|
|
Paul can't believe Ramon has forgiven Charlotte
|
Paul and Ramon share a drink back in Monte Carlo, Paul advising that his friend must take proceedings, saying that Charlotte is insane, and tried to kill him, Ramon countering, “who doesn't have those impulses now and then?” He says that he spent the whole night by her bedside in the hospital, listening to her life history - always being wronged by men. Ramon proposes that she just used him as a substitute target for the others, and states that when she is released, he'll be on his way to Torremolinos.
Then Paul drops the bombshell about Charlotte's sister.
|
|
Charlotte thanks Paul for his help
|
Rather than being near suicide as Charlotte had led Paul to believe, her sister who'd been romanced by Ramon was now getting married. Both break up in convulsive laughter.
After Ramon is gone, Charlotte approaches Paul, wanting to know his whereabouts. “So you can go after him with a machine gun?” he asks. Charlotte says that in her case, Ramon really did leave her richer, and she wants to go to him. Paul tells her she can be there ahead of him if she flys, and she leaves Paul with a kiss.
|
|
 Review: This further light-hearted episode involving the Ramon de Vega character offers far more plot than the early offering “Someone Who Makes Me Feel Beautiful.” In fact, there are plenty of twists and turns which better show off Ramon's hectic lifestyle among the ladies.
Gena Rowlands - incredibly over-made up and bejeweled for a lady who spends most of her time in settlement house work - lets an inscrutable face disguise a seething anger while Fernando Lamas - easily floating above the waves, no matter how treacherous they get - is the foil for her intensity, offering us a little more character along with plot, even be it two-dimensional only in his case
and watch a video from this episode on the same page
|
Fernando Lamas
as Ramon de Vaga
|
Gena Rowlands as
Charlotte Hyde
|
Emile Genest
as the Judge
|
Wolfe Barzell
as the Jeweler
|
Ted Roter as
the Inspector
|
John Lodge as
The Cartwright
|
Garry Wallberg
as the Mechanic
|
|
Richard Angarola
as the Lawyer
|
Eugene Borden
as the Prosecutor
|
Brioni Farrell
as Michele
|
Louis de Farra
as the Bellman
|
Gigi Michel as
the First Girl
|
Marlena Giovi as
the Second Girl
|
Gil Peters as
The First Man
|
Lucien Lanvin as
the Second Man
|
|