Synopsis
Kelly and Scotty are assigned as bodyguards to a spoiled young Arab king who wants to experience the highlife in Las Vegas.
[Location: USA]
French title: L’épervier
Italian title: Lo sparviero
Guest Stars
Walter Koenig (Bobby Seville), Clive Clerk (Bashik), Michael Constantine (Colonel Halouf), Andrea Darvi (Nezhnet), Steve Gravers (Patterson), David Renard (The Aide)
Written by
Walter Black
Directed by
Paul Wendkos
Original Airdate
26 October 1966
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Currently available on DVD
(UPC: 14381982923)
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Review
While in Las Vegas, Kelly and Scotty meet Bashik -- his name means "sparrowhawk" -- the young king of an Arab nation who is enjoying the Sin City nightlife while his uncle, the regent, is in Washington on business. Assigned to protect Bashik, the guys discover that there's a plot afoot to do away with their charge. One thing leads to another and before you know it all three men are stranded in the Nevada desert, left there to die by Colonel Halouf, the kingdom's chief security officer, and Bobby Seville, a crooner who turns out to be the son of an officer executed after a failed military coup in Bashik's country. Oddly enough, it's Bashik who saves the day, not to mention the lives of our heroes. But, in parting, he makes them Knights Commanders of the Order of the Scimitar, just the same.
Clive Clerk steals the show as Bashik, who is transformed from the spoiled young potentate that Kelly and Scotty can just barely tolerate to a brave, resourceful and well-meaning protagonist. Unfortunately, the plot is as old as the Sahara and just about as barren. A potentially great chase scene on Lake Mead is ruined by the fact that the men in the speedboat in pursuit of a water-skiing Bashik had ample time to run the young man over before Kelly and Scotty rush to the rescue -- we're assuming that was the plan, a nice little boating accident, though it's never made clear. But the most glaring plot error is that Kelly and Scotty seem inexplicably oblivious to the fact that it's an inside job, even after they've been locked in a garage at the king's residence and barely escape death by carbon monoxide poisoning. And what an extraordinary coincidence that Bashik is a huge fan of Bobby Seville, who just happens to be a vengeance-seeking fellow countryman! Still, there are some amusing scenes as the guys try to learn how to act around royalty, and the trek through the desert is pretty well done (no pun intended).
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