MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - #81 Commandante 1969

 

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Writer: Laurence Heath
Dir.: Barry Crane

Jim Phelps: Peter Graves
Paris: Leonard Nimoy
Dana Lambert: Lesley (Ann) Warren
Barney Collier: Greg Morris
Willy Armitage: Peter Lupus

Commandante Juan Acero: Lawrence Dane
Father Paolo Dominguin : Arthur Batanides
Major Carlos Martillo: Sid Haig

 

"Good morning, Jim. Until recently Father Dominguin has led a democratic revolution against the cruel dictatorship that rules the country. Now our far eastern enemies are taking over Father Dominguin's movement. Their agents are Carlos Martillo, a local insurgent and the legendary international revolutionary Juan Acero. ..."
They are planning to kill Father Dominguin who's kept prisoner in the village of Lagonas as soon as possible without raising the anger of the population. The IFM is to rescue the Father and to secure the control of the revolution. 

Acero has told the people that the Father is working with the USA to rectify the imprisonment. Officially Jim is representing a charity organization, but Acero suspects American Intelligence behind it. They agree on a deal: Father Dominguin for a delivery of weapons. Willy arrives with the truck after he has left Barney with some equipment in a nearby canyon. Out of these Barney builds a helicopter. When Willy arrives with the weapons the guns are taken and he and Jim are imprisoned too. A Chinese sponsor coming from the far eastern People's Republic, Paris , arrives, demanding the immediate execution of Father Dominguin. He fears the anger of the people if he did so. As he finds out about the helicopter, he has it sabotaged. 

Acero sends one of his men to free the three prisoners and they promise him to leave the country. Instead of driving out, they head for the helicopter. Acero and the others watch the chopper leaving and going down in flames. Now Acero pretends to be sorry for Father Dominguin's death, being sure that with his death the revolution has ended. No bodies found. They go and search the place. The Chinese Paris finds a hole in the ground covered by wood. Obviously the Father is still alive. Angrily Paris strips Acero of his power. When Acero tries to shoot Paris, Martillo shoots Acero. Before Paris leaves, he arranges for an explosion in the armory destroying all the weapons of Father Dominguin's opponents.