AustLit

'Ryan is assigned to protect a visiting foreign Trade Minister and Premier Elect when it is learn [sic] that the Minister is the target for assassination by extremists.

'Tension mounts when the Minister's young daughter is injured in a letter bomb explosion, obviously intended for the Minister.

'During the subsequent investigation, Ryan is forced to match wits with a brilliant professional assassin.'

Source: Synopsis held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection (RMIT).

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'CONRAD: 55. Trade Minister and Premier elect for his country - based somewhere in East Europe. Conrad is a man of great power and dignity. He is determined to win an important trade deal for his country while in Australia. In spite of personal danger and family tragedy, he continues on with his work to the admiration of those surrounding him. We feel a great deal of sympathy for this man as his ideals and hopes are violently challenged by the opposing extremists.

'ZITA: 26. A naturally beautiful young woman with little or no affectation. She is Conrad's mistress and his daughter's governess. Zita is caught in a terrible dilema [sic] between love for Conrad and the totalitarian extremism of her party. Whatever she does - people she cares for are going to die. Once we realise her position we will feel sorry for her. She is a warm creature living a terrible lie.

'STEFAN KESSLER: 48. Conrad's Security Chief. A brutal man. Kills. He is prepared to take the action of a storm trooper or secret police to get what he wants. His methods and loyalty are put into question when matched with Ryan's approach to the same problems. Must drive.

'RACHEL: 9. We'll love Rachel from the first time we meet her. She's every father's daughter. Likes to help Conrad in his work and has an innocent inquiring mind.

'VALDIS: 28. East European. A student from Conrad's country. He is also a political extremist of the worst kind. He departs from standing orders to attempt Conrad's assassination himself. Valdis is prepared to kill almost without qualm. He dislikes Kane - fears him. Must drive.

'CURT: 26. East European. A student from Conrad's country. He is more sensitive, a more concerned person than Valdis. But just as deadly. His enormous fear of Kane could be judged to be his prime motivating factor. Curt is just a pawn - a lightweight - to be used and then discarded.

'KANE: 38. A superb speciman of man. Big. Rugged. A professional assassin. No trace of an accent - we don't know where he came from. There's never been one like him. A mind like a computer. Nerves of steel. Rarely, if ever, shows any emotion. He dresses well. Everything Kane does is totally professional. He's the best. It's as simple as that.

'VIC DARCY: 45. Attached to the Australian Security Force. He is cold almost a thug like figure. He gets Ryan into this gambit and sticks around to make sure there are no slip-ups.

'MARTY: 32. A working class, small time crim. Specialises in plastic explosives. Generally a cocksure little man, he sticks to a code of criminal ethics. However, under Ryan's pressue he disintegrates rapidly.

'NANCY: 25. Marty's sister. A good looking bird, with a working class background. One scene - one line.

'COURIER: Should be roughly the same age, size, and height as Valdis. Must ride a motor bike. No lines.

'GUARDS: The guards should be tough, hard looking men. The type that could be mistaken for killers. They're no pushover in a fight.

'GUARD ONE

'" TWO

'" THREE A couple of lines

'" FOUR

'" FIVE

'AMBULANCE DRIVER: Stock type - must drive - any age will do.

'AMBULANCE ATTENDANT: Stock type - any age will do - a few lines.'