John Drake
Just a few to kick start this thread....
Fair Exchange
When crossing the border: "You're daddies been very worried about you"
No Marks for Servility
When Drake breaks the glass in his hand and acts so coolly about it
The Battle of the Cameras
The suave Drake asking for Judo lessons from Genicot - love the way he throws his cane, hat and cigarette
Not so Jolly Roger
When Drake alters the schedule: "I'll play the Teddy Bears Picnic all night long"
Junior Member
I'll add a few choice bits of dialog I've always liked and a classic scene:
Don’t Nail Him Yet
Sheila (opposition agent): We’ve got to leave right now. The question is shall we kill you or take you with us?
Drake, brightly: My passport is up-to-date.
Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove
Drake: Have you ever been spanked in the middle of a casino?
Elaine: No, but I think I could get to like it.
It’s Up to the Lady
Nikos: I have very pretty friend. Would you like to meet her? You’re on vacation, after all.
Drake, glaring: You know, there’s a word for you.
Nikos, smiling slyly: Incorrigible?
Drake: Your English is good. I’ll give you that.
Hired Assassin
Bad guy sneaks up on Drake with a gun but Drake is too quick and gets the drop on him with a large pistol.
Drake: Mine’s bigger than yours.
The Black Book
When Drake drives his sports car right alongside Simone’s and tips his hat.
John Drake
brilliant!Originally Posted by 731HOP
Junior Member
Well, there was this fight scene John had with a guard next to a car i think, from one the earlier 24 min episodes.
I seem to remember he kicked the gun from the guy and did a great throwing technique. And there was a woman with him. I remember i liked that one. I wonder whats the name of the episode?
Last edited by LoBo; 30-04-10 at 02:50.
Junior Member
Forget it. I found the name of the episode in a book i received today. The book is called Prisoner" and "Danger Man" by Dave Rogers. The name of the episode was Time to Kill.
Junior Member
My favourite bit of dialogue, is also from my favourite episode. THE PAPER CHASE. Yes, I know (and love) all the others, but, this one, stayed in my mind long after seeing it - particularly, the whole Señora Nandina (deliciously played by Joan Greenwood) sections. I wrote more in detail about this episode, but, the exchange - particularly their last - at the hotel, when John wakes up.
Drake wakes up, after the fight, looks around and says; 'where am I?' After a minute of small-talk (all of which takes place in the reflection in a mirror), Nandina starts asking him...questions;
'What's your name?'
'I told you,' Drake says. 'No- your real name,' Nandina asks. 'Ari,' Drake says 'Vederci.'
"I had a good feeling about you,'she says, and walks towards the door. When he opens the door, Drake asks;
'What were you?' 'Long ago?'she replies. He nods. She gives a knowing look back at him. After a few seconds, Drake gives a wink- an acknowledgment - of...?
With that, she walks away - and then quickly returns. 'Grazie,' she says.
"Prego,' says Drake.
I love it for what it doesn't say, and, it's meaning - which, at first seems obvious - is all the more intriguing, post Danger Man, post Prisoner.
'The past is prologue.'
Junior Member
I always forget which hour episode it was but the scene where Drake visits the *armourer* and there is a hanging lamp, which the short man can walk underneath, but John Drake keeps banging his head on (even when he knows the lamp is there) makes me laugh every time, and McGoohan's physical acting is superbly captured.
From the first series, the despairing horror Drake evinces in 'Find and Return', when Donald Pleasence's character casually tells him he has killed the old agent friend of Drake (played by Warren Mitchell) simply because it was prudent, is fantastically done.
Junior Member
Over the past few days, I've been watching these straight through for the first time. I only had some episodes on one of the A&E DVD sets before, but now I've got the whole series.
I'm really enjoying the black and white episodes. I've just finished the twelfth episode, The Sisters, which has been among my favorites. I'm enjoying how intelligent Drake is, how he works through situations using his wits and uses his fists as a defense, not as a first resort. In this episode, as with others, I've also liked how the episodes tackle real issues. This isn't as realistic as, say, LeCarre, but Drake is dealing with moles in foreign embassies, verifying identities of defectors, investigating deaths of treasury officers, etc., not the high fantasy stuff that UNCLE, Bond or the Avengers dealt with.
I also like how real and human Drake is. In The Sisters, he has compassion for the defector. In The Key, it's his concern for the potential mole reporter when he knows that his wife has betrayed him. But for some reason, my favorite moment in the series so far is at the end of An Affair of State, when, while trying to rush to his plane, he confesses to Sra. Vargas that he had to lie about her pregancy. His warm and jovial response to her news that she is marks John Drake as a different sort of television spy, and it's to the credit of the scripts and McGoohan's inhabiting the role as a real person, emphasizing the Man part of Danger Man as much as the Danger.
Junior Member
I really enjoy when Drake gets to show his range by creating different characters, often with great accents - the drunk in The Blue Veil, the suave cosmopolitan in Position of Trust or Under the Lake, the rebel in The Sanctuary and especially in The Actor when he says something like - me? I'm not an actor. I am watching The Secret Agent series now and don't find that it has as much wit/humor or moments of pathos as in the Danger Man series.
Junior Member
"Koroshi. A murder scene. Starring you."
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