Charles Hart Bell is driving through the south of France while his friend Colin and his girlfriend Sue Mandel kiss. Sue tells Charles to open it up and he obliges, speeding down the road. She finally tells him to be careful but Charles keeps accelerating, taking the curves at high speed. He finally pulls to a halt and asks what the fuss is about, and Sue suggests that they go to the villa. When Charles warns that her father Lester Mandel wouldn’t like it, Sue doesn’t care and kisses Colin again.
At the villa, Sue and Colin dance while Charles watches. Colin nods to Charles, who goes through Sue’s purse. Once he’s done, he goes into the library and finds Lester’s hidden safe. He quickly opens it with the keys from Sue’s purse and takes out an envelope filled with bills. Once he has the money, Charles puts everything back and picks out a book to read.
McGill is sleeping when Lester‘s man Brent ignores the do-not-disturb sign on his door and knocks. The former agent finally answers the door. Brent tells him that Lester wants to see him, and explains that Lester is a big man in Europe. McGill refuses and when Brent insists he come immediately, knocks him to the floor and goes to shave.
Later, McGill meets with Lester at his villa. Lester knows all about McGill’s background, and shows him a photo of Sue. He complains that his daughter is running wild with a couple of con men, Charles and Colin. He knows about the $20,000 they stole, and he didn’t call the police because Sue may be involved. Lester wants McGill to recover the money and find out what’s going on with Sue and the con men. McGill quotes him his going rate and agrees.
McGill tracks the trio to a bar and Charles suggests that they take the Mendel yacht out. Sue warns that Lester has forbid it, and complains that her father suspects her of taking the $20,000. McGill invites Sue to dance, and Charles refuses for her. McGill invites Sue to speak for herself, and she accepts his offer. On the dance floor, McGill holds Sue tightly. Colin figures that McGill is an operator, but Colin figures that he’s small-time and no problem.
After the song ends, they go back to the table and McGill tells Sue that they might dance again later. He sits down and the two con men listen as McGill orders a bottle of Scotch. Charles and Colin try to get Sue out, but she says that she’s happy there and watches McGill as he flips and catches a coin off the table edge The two men go over despite Sue’s warning and demand an apology from McGill, warning that he should avoid small-time games. McGill invites them to play and bets a thousand francs, and the con men have no choice but to put up. Sue watches as Charles tries and fails, and then leaves with Sue. She smiles at McGill before going, amused by the entire thing.
Later, McGill gives Lester his report. Charles was convicted of fraud for bouncing checks, and has been in trouble for beating a woman. Colin’s family disowned him. McGill is sure that they stole the money using Sue’s key, and Charles spent the money to pay off the woman he beat. The ex-agent warns Lester that Sue is becoming a playgirl, and Lester admits that he’s been too busy with business to deal with her. He asks McGill for help with Sue, and wants him to prove to Sue that the con men took the money. McGill warns that it won’t make any difference but agrees... for another $2,000.
Later, McGill checks into the hotel where Colin and Charles are staying. They watch as McGill arrives at the front desk, and pays the clerk David heavily to get him his usual suite. He gives David a full envelope to put in the safe and loudly tells the clerk to refer his calls from Rome and London to him. Charles tells Colin to stay put and goes to the desk, and pays David for some information.
At the pool, Sue is sunbathing on the diving board when McGill drips ice water on her to get her attention. She’s upset that he’s just interested in her looks and walks off, and McGill joins her at a table. He introduces himself and Sue says that she spends money having fun, as Colin and Charles comes out. McGill excuses himself, saying that he has a date that night, and refuses to break it when Sue invites him to join her. Colin and Charles confront him and Charles knows his name and his cover. He apologizes for Colin’s rudeness the other night, but McGill brushes them off and walks away. Colin worries that McGill isn’t small-time, and Charles says that they aren’t either.
That night, McGill is at the villa checking the safe when the woman he called, Mrs. Brown, arrives. She quickly works out that he doesn’t own the house and McGill assures her that she works for the owner. Mrs. Brown warns that all she has to sell is information and McGill shows her a photo of Charles. He says that he knows she reported Charles for assault and then dropped the charges. McGill tosses her an envelope of money, and Mrs. Brown says that she first thought that the man who beat her was Charles. She suddenly changed her mind, claiming that she made a mistake, and the police dropped the case because she was the only witness. McGill takes the envelope back and says that he only pays for the truth, and asks how much Charles paid her. Mrs. Brown angrily says that at least Charles was drunk when he beat her, and McGill offers her the money back. She figures that Charles will do the same to someone else, and disgustedly takes the money.
A few days later, McGill finds Sue at the pool and says that he’s been in Paris for the last few days. Colin and Charles watch and Charles wonders if McGill is after Sue or Sue is after their rival. Meanwhile, McGill suggests that they go for a swim. He shoves her in and Colin, watching, wonders if it’s time to move on. Charles says that they desperately need more cash and figures that they can get it from McGill. Meanwhile, McGill helps Sue out. Intrigued, she asks him a date and says that she doesn’t care what Colin and Charles think of them together. Charles comes over and tells Sue that Colin is with an old school friend. They’ll be playing poker later, and Charles says that it will last all night. Before he goes, Charles invites McGill to join them and warns that there’s no limit, and McGill is glad to accept.
That night in his hotel room, McGill practices his dealing and realizes that it’s been a long time
At Charles’ place, Colin arrives with their associate Kemp. Charles is happy to have their confederate there and explains that they’ll let McGill win for awhile and then cut him off. Kemp explains that Charles will signal them when he has the best hand, and then they’ll raise until they have everything McGill owns. They arrange signals and Charles insists that they take McGill... one way or another.
Lester returns home from business and Sue comes in. She wonders why he’s there, and then explains that she’s been stood up for a poker game. They spar verbally over money, and Lester says that he’ll be there for two days. He asks if he’ll see Sue again, and she says that she’s very busy.
When McGill arrives, the four men play poker and McGill wins consistently. Colin gets a winning hand and signals his confederates, and they start raising the stakes. McGill realizes what they’re up to and McGill folds, and just smiles when they complain.
In her bedroom, Sue stares at the clock.
McGill finally raises a thousand on a hand, and confirms that Charles said no limit. He insists on strictly cash, and Charles gets the remaining money that he stole. He calls and raises another thousand, and Colin folds. McGill raises two, and Kemp calls. Charles points out that McGill has been winning when he deals, and McGill points out that they’re squeezing him. He mimics their signals, then throws the table over when Kemp goes for him. McGill grabs the envelope and uses Colin as a shield and gets out as Charles goes for his gun. Charles figures that they can let him go because they have his winnings, and realize that the envelope with the money is missing.
McGill calls Sue and has her meet him at the pool. He suggests that they go somewhere privately to talk, and she tells McGill that he’s different. Back at McGill’s room, McGill asks if she’s serious with Colin. He then sits her down and tells her what he’s learned about Charles’ criminal history. Sue figures that Lester hired her, and McGill insists that Charles and Colin are con men. She accuses McGill of getting his kicks from prying and doesn’t care that Lester lost $20,000. Charles and Colin sneak in and knock McGill out from behind, and take the envelope from his jacket. They burn the envelope and Charles offers to let Sue see McGill’s face when he wakes up. Colin says that McGill knows too much about them, and Charles turns on some music to cover the noise and opens the window looking out on the ocean below. Sue tries to stop them, and McGill wakes up and kicks them away. He fights with Colin and staggers out into the hallway, and Charles goes after him. After a brutal fight, McGill manages to toss Charles over the balcony onto a coffee table below. Sue runs out and screams, and McGill tells her to look at it.
The next day at the villa, McGill tells Lester what happened. Sue has taken off and cabled and needs money, and Lester doesn’t know what else he can do but send it. A battered McGill advises him to reconcile with his daughter, and Lester says that she isn’t worth it. McGill says that she saved his life and Lester wonders what his life is worth. The ex-agent demands his fee and asks how much Sue is worth. When Lester says that she’s worth everything, McGill tells him to tell Sue that and leaves. Lester goes to the phone and starts to call Sue... and then hangs up.
Written by Gadfly on Oct 11, 2015