Series 2 — Episode 5
Mission to Montreal

Production details

Episode 27
Production Number : 3500
VTR/ABC/1747
Teddington Studio 2

Schedule

Friday 11th May 1962

* The VTR AMPEX INSERT is scene one, up until when the Director tells Joe to get make-up to “do something drastic”.

Saturday 12th May 1962

Equipment

Running time

Expected: 52′25″ + 2 commercial breaks of 2′05″ each
Actual running time with bumpers: 52′25″

The bumpers between the acts are generally 10 seconds from fade in to the “End of Act” bumper to the end of audio before the commercial, a 10 second still without audio, then cut to the next act bumper. This would play with the theme for around 10 seconds. Accordingly, with the episodes being in 3 acts, the running time of the action is approximately a minute less than listed above, minus the opening and closing credits (normally 0′16″, with a 2" fade, and anywhere from 0′41″ to 1′20″, hard cut or 1" fade or mix, respectively).

Regional broadcasts

* There is uncertainty about the broadcast by ABV2 Melbourne as The Decapod is listed for both 28 May and 30 July, 1964. 28 May would have had it in the same broadcast order as other Australian regions. It’s quite likely that The Decapod was replaced by Mission to Montreal on the first date and not broadcast until 30 July.

TV Times listing

Episode availability

• Video - original footage held by Studio Canal, available on the Studio Canal series 1&2 DVD set
• Script - Tony Pelly’s copy of the camera script and scene breakdown
• Production memos: wardrobe and make-up lists, artiste contact details, music cues list, budgets, TV Times submission.
• Publicity Stills - at least 17

Murders

Click a name to see the face

Transport

Continuity and trivia

1. 1:49 — the camera crashes into something with a loud bang when the director asks his Assistant Director to “get makeup to do something with her”.
2. 2:07 — terrible picture breakup.
3. 2:22 — when Peggy enters Carla’s dressing room, a member of the crew is standing in the shadows behind her.
4. 2:41–2:47 — It’s definitely a pre-Clemens episode, not only is a woman killed on camera, but we see the bloody stiletto afterwards.
5. 5:42/15:19/50:31 — the ship at night in Le Havre is different from the one that left the dock,and from that which arrives in Montreal.
6. 8:33 — the boom microphone dips into shot above Dr. King.
7. 11:16 — A thread gets caught in the transfer plate and stays at the bottom of the screen until 11:46.
8. 13:06 — when Marson tells Dr. King his name, someone coughs on the set. Marson goes on to tell Dr. King his father came from County Clare, his mother sold fish in Venice, and he was born on a Friday, and he has a half-moon shaped scar on his left shoulder blade.
9. 15:50 — Nicholson’s favoured rendezvous point is the boat deck, starboard side, third ventilator from the stairway.
10. 19:52 — Steed is reprimanded for using the passenger gangway when he joins the ship as a steward.
11. 20:00 — Sheila is reading a copy of Punch, a long-running British satirical magazine.
12. 25:28 (24:52) - As the camera zooms out and pans up to reveal Nicholson approaching Carla and the passenger, the boom microphone bobs into sight at the top of the screen for 15 frames (0.6 seconds).
13. 26:24 — A thread gets caught in the transfer plate and stays at the bottom of the screen; it moves at 34:45, 34:54 and 36:01 and finally disappears completely at 38:45 when Act 3 starts.
14. 31:20 — Dr. King prepares a derivative of diamin hydronate instead of giving Carla the shot of morphine sulfate she wanted.
15. 39:03 — the boom microphone dips briefly into shot as Steed goes to wake Dr. King.
16. 41:58 (40:45) - You wouldn’t see a doctor do it nowadays, Dr. King gives Carla a cigarette!