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Run For Your Life
Starring Ben Gazzara
Episode:
Sequestro Part 2
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To contact us, click Homepage link above
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Synopsis: Paul has been kidnapped by brothers Enzo (Harry Guardino) and Tonio (Sal Mineo), and everyone's life starts to unravel when Enzo's fiancée Marta (Marianna Hill) goes into a Sicilian city to check for arrival of the ransom money. With David Mauro as Blanco, Mario Badolati as the Cab Driver, Luke Gerard as the Cyclist
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Episode 24
First broadcast on
March 21, 1966
Written by A. Martin Zweiback
Directed by Richard Benedict
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SEE INDIVIDUAL PHOTOS OF ENTIRE CAST AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
See a video clip from the double episode "Sequestro"
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
Robert Watts A.C.E.
Unit Manager
Willard H. Sheldon
Assistant Director
George Bisk
Set Decorators
John McCartey &
Robert C. Bradfield
Sound
Frank H. Wilkinson
Color Coordinator
Robert Brower
Color by Technicolor
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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Marta shaves Paul
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The Plot:
While her fiancé and his brother are going to catch the bus for Tirano, Marta is shaving Paul, who has been kidnapped by them to obtain a ransom to cover her dowry. She is looking forward to going to Tirano herself to check on the post office box, saying that she'd never been to the city before, her mother having guarding Marta very closely. When Paul asks what her mother thinks of the kidnapping plot Marta confesses that she doesn't know about it, and thinks her daughter is helping an uncle with the harvest.
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Marta hears a bird from her childhood
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She adds that both families are strict, and Enzo would never marry her if she kissed another man. When Marta is finished shaving Paul, she hears a bird in the trees, and tells him that it's a good sign that everything will work out well, as she hasn't seen or heard this bird since one like it used to sit on the window sill of the home where she lived as a child. Marta says that she's looked out for one like it all the years since.
Suddenly, Enzo rides up, and seeing Paul outside the cave, he knocks him over easily while Paul is running back inside, his hands bound.
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Tonio brings a dress from the city for Marta
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In Tirano Tonio checks the post office box and finds it empty. Then he does some shopping. Marta goes to meet him with the horse, and is very excited when she sees that he has a large package. He says that it's a dress for her that Enzo asked him to buy for her own trip into the city.
When Marta tries on the dress Enzo orders that she will not go to town. Tonio, who had originally been against the idea, now pleads her case, and says that his brother is being cruel. Enzo replies that he is risking everything for her, and Marta won't even speak to him [ over the way he treated Paul ].
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Enzo allows Marta to go to Tirano
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When she finds out that's the only obstruction to her traveling, Marta says she will talk until his ears ache, and Enzo allows her to go.
The next day Marta waits to change into her new white dress until they get to the bus stop, so it wouldn't get soiled riding the horse. She looks so beautiful that Enzo begins kissing her, and she resists his embrace, telling him that his hands are dirty.
He slaps her for the remark, and a moment later the bus arrives, and she gets on board.
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As Tonio plays the flute, Paul asks him about Marta
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Back in the cave Paul asks Tonio if Marta has enough money to see a movie while she's in Tirano, but is told not to get involved in their problems. Paul replies that Marta is a joy, not a problem, and then asks Tonio why he doesn't tell her that he loves her.
“Hold your tongue, if you value your life, “ Tonio responds, but Paul tells him that he can try, but he doesn't sound like Enzo.
Tonio threatens Paul about saying anything to his brother who then returns in a terrible temper over the incident with Marta at the bus stop.
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Marta calls the cab driver a thief for charging her so much
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Enzo criticizes the way Tonio has left Paul's feet unbound. Though Tonio keeps asking what is wrong, Enzo just answers that nothing is, then leaves to check on Paul's car.
When he's gone Paul asks Tonio if that was the man he just said that Marta was so lucky to have.
In Tirano Marta takes a taxi to the post office, and is shocked at the cost, and calls the driver a pick pocket. She eventually pays him, and then checks the post office box which contains nothing.
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The stranger in the cinema offers Marta popcorn
Bianco plies Marta with liquor while she insults him
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Her next stop is a movie theatre where Marta is almost immediately approached by another patron offering her popcorn.
They engage in a great deal of banter, Marta feeling very confident of herself, and pretending to be a hip city girl, but no match for this man bent on seduction.
He tells her there are films where they show more than kissing, and Marta appears interested.
Meanwhile, Enzo is drinking heavily when he locates Paul's car.
By the time he gets behind the wheel of the rental vehicle, he is completely drunk, and races along the road until he crashes into a tree.
Marta's new friend, Bianco, takes her to a bar to quench her thirst after the popcorn, and when she asks for a lemon drink, orders one with rum in it.
Most of the time Marta is putting him down, and he takes her jibes in a good-natured way. He talks of Caruso singing the song “Marta,” and invites her to his apartment to hear the recording.
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Tonio says it will be better when hope is gone
Though in a vulnerable position, Marta feels confident
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Alone in the cave, Tonio starts to open up to Paul a little about his feelings for Marta, saying that it will be better for him when they are married, and he can stop hoping. Paul expresses his sympathy.
Tonio suddenly snarls out, “save your sorrow for yourself!”
However, Paul responds that he never knew self pity to accomplish anything.
Enzo not having returned, Tonio proposes taking the horse and cart to pick Marta up at the bus.
He removes the handcuffs, and they go outside where Paul listens for the bird Marta called a good sign, but hears nothing.
Tonio drives the cart to the bus stop, but it passes with no one getting off.
In Tirano Marta has made herself comfortable on Bianco's sofa when he puts on the records for her.
She tells him it's not Caruso singing, and continues to malign him at every turn, while Bianco maintains his oily manner of wanting to do everything to please her.
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Bianco says he'll do anything to win her
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He takes her hand and remarks that she is very strong, but she counters that it's more a matter of he being very weak - the reason why she was not afraid to come to his apartment. He asks if he might only kiss her hand, but she refuses him.
Bianco tells her that she is so beautiful that nothing but a god is good enough for her, but Marta says she'll settle for a man.
This is the breakthrough he was waiting for, and he asks her what kind of man. “Name him, and I will strive to be like him,” he babbles.
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Marta laughs at Bianco in the James Dean mask
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She points to the old movie magazine he had handed her showing a picture of James Dean, and says that he is her favorite.
Bianco leaves the room, and comes back wearing a James Dean mask.
Marta laughs uncontrollably, pointing a mocking finger at Bianco.
He goes over to her,, pulls off the James Dean mask and begins kissing her passionately.
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Marta says it's the end of her life
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Later Bianco gets up from a chair across the room, and shuts off the phonograph. Marta turns to him from the sofa sadly, and says, “you want to know something? I'm not really a city girl. I'm a country girl.”
“I would never have known it,” he answers, then says, “you want to know something? I'm not really James Dean. He's dead.”
“So am I,” replies Marta, and when he asks what she means, she says, “my life is over now,” but Bianco tells her it's not so serious.
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"Nothing happened," says Marta
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In Paul's crashed car, Enzo continues drinking. Marta hitch hikes a ride, and from the road, makes it over difficult terrain back to the cave. Tonio is relieved to see her, but asks angrily why she wasn't on the bus.
“Nothing happened!” she shouts back. He asks her again, and she says that she merely missed it. When Marta wonders where Enzo is, Tonio said that he went to check on Paul's car and didn't return, but Tonio wanted to make sure that she was safely back before going out looking for his brother.
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"Why is everyone asking me?" Marta shouts
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Alone with Marta after Tonio has left to search for Enzo, Paul asks her what happened.
“Nothing!” she shrieks, finally shouts fiercely, “why is everyone asking me?”
A drunken Enzo then staggers into the cave on his own, and Marta asks him if he's all right.
She says urgently that she must talk to him outside, but again and again, he tells her that the cave is fine.
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"Never again,"Enzo growls viciously
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He remarks that the prisoner has not escaped and she has returned safely, so all is well. Enzo says drunkenly that, if the money is not there tomorrow, they will take the car to Tirano and sell it, and all be rich.
Then he suddenly growls, “and never again will you tell me that my hands are too dirty to touch you.
She again begs Enzo tearfully to come outside so that she can talk to him, but he passes out from the drink. Marta sobs desperately. Then she turns on Paul, and asks him why he is not sleeping.
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Marta indicates Paul must be silent as she frees him
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She sobs at length, then later goes to Paul and unlocks the handcuffs, and takes him outside. She gives him directions to get to his grandfather's village, and Paul asks her to come with him.
Marta replies that her future is with Enzo, but Paul says that he can't let her risk her life for him, but Marta is confident that Enzo would never hurt her for letting Paul escape, then snarls at him, “go!”
When Enzo awakes, and finds Paul has escaped, he roars at her, “what do you mean he is gone?”
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"What do you mean?" Enzo roars
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As he starts to go out she tells him that what they've been doing has been wrong from the beginning, then startles him with a whole new shock, and says that she can't marry him. He turns on her, and she confesses that she is no longer the kind of woman he would marry.
“What do you mean?” he shouts, grabbing her, and repeating the question louder and louder.
In the bushes nearby, the returning Tonio sees Paul, and their eyes meet just as a shot is heard.
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Marta dies in Paul's arms
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“Marta,” says Tonio, and the two men rush to the cave. Paul arrives first as a staggering Marta falls into his arms. Tonio sees his brother with the gun in his hand, and goes to him, asking what he has done.
“She betrayed me!” repeats Enzo emotionally. About to aim his gun at Paul, he shouts, “and it's all his fault!”
Tonio attempts to wrest the weapon from his brother's hand to prevent another killing, but the gun goes off, and Enzo falls to the ground. Tonio embraces his dead brother, and screams his name.
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 A band is out to welcome Paul in the horse cart
The jubilant mood of the crowd is lost on Tonio and Paul
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In the morning the two survivors put Enzo and Marta into the horse cart, and then drive it along the road to report to the authorities. Eventually, they encounter a man on a scooter,
Paul asks where the nearest police station is, and learns that it is located at the end of the very village where he was headed a week earlier - the place where his grandfather was born.
Hearing his accent, the young man inquires if he might be the American whose visit to the village is being anticipated with great excitement.
Paul says that he is, and the young man volunteers to ride ahead and tell organizers of the welcome that Paul is on his way.
When the cart finally arrives in the village, everyone is out in the streets with posters of welcome, waving and throwing confetti.
A brass band is leading the enthusiastic crowd as grim-faced Paul and Tonio drive the horse cart and its tragic cargo - the bodies of Marta and Enzo - to the police station.
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A fine and well-rounded drama with wonderful performances by all.
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Harry Guardino
as Enzo
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Sal Mineo
as Tonio
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Marianna Hill
as Marta
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David Mauro
as Blanco
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Mario Badolati as
the Cab Driver
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Luke Gerard as
the Cyclist
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