The Duchess Assignment

"The Duchess Assignment" is the 23rd episode of the first series of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and produced by their company AP Films (APF). Written by Martin Crump and directed by David Elliott, it was first broadcast on 17 February 1966 on ATV Midlands.

"The Duchess Assignment"
Thunderbirds episode
Episode no.Series 1
Episode 23
Directed byDavid Elliott
Written byMartin Crump
Cinematography byJulien Lugrin
Editing byHarry Ledger
Production code23
Original air date17 February 1966
Guest character voices
Miss Godolphin
Air Terrainean Flight Attendant
Deborah, Duchess of Royston
Brophy
Air Show Spectator
Fireflash Co-Pilot
Chandler
Casino Owner
First Croupier
Hotel Receptionist
Wilbur Dandridge III
Air Show Spectator (Percy)
Customs Officer
Captain Hanson
Automated Elevator Voice
Second Croupier
Hendricks

Set in the 2060s, the series follows the exploits of International Rescue, an organisation that uses technologically-advanced rescue vehicles to save human life. The main characters are ex-astronaut Jeff Tracy, founder of International Rescue, and his five adult sons, who pilot the organisation's main vehicles: the Thunderbird machines. In "The Duchess Assignment", International Rescue must save Lady Penelope's friend after she is kidnapped by criminals intent on stealing the fee for her valuable loaned painting.

Plot

During a visit to France, Lady Penelope (voiced by Sylvia Anderson) finds an old acquaintance – Deborah, Duchess of Royston – losing heavily at a casino. Unaware that criminals Brophy and Chandler are eavesdropping on the conversation, Deborah tells Penelope that she has been driven to gambling after "falling on hard times" and has already been forced to part with most of her possessions. Penelope realises that the roulette table has been rigged in the casino's favour but is unable to stop the croupiers running off with Deborah's money and tiara. Parker (voiced by David Graham) engages in a gunfight with the casino owner, who escapes in a car driven by one of the croupiers. Penelope and Parker give chase in FAB 1 but the fraudsters get away.

Deborah now has just one valuable possession left: Portrait of a Gazelle, a painting by Braquasso. Penelope tells Jeff Tracy (voiced by Peter Dyneley) of the Duchess's financial problems. Eager to help, Jeff contacts his friend, gazelle-obsessed New York City businessman Wilbur Dandridge III, whose company Gazelle Automations is seeking inspiration for its new logo. Although Deborah is unwilling to sell the painting outright, she agrees to loan it to Dandridge for the same price, and flies from London to New York to supervise the handover in person.

Before Hendricks, Dandridge's chauffeur, can collect Deborah and the painting from the airport, he is knocked unconscious by Brophy and Chandler, who plan to steal the Duchess's fee. When Deborah lands, Brophy, posing as Hendricks, drives her to a derelict house in the countryside and ties her to a chair in the basement. He switches on a leaking gas supply and leaves her to suffocate. Meanwhile, Chandler arrives at Gazelle Automations with the painting, introducing himself as the Duchess's representative. He is unaware that Penelope has been tracking Deborah's movements via a homing device hidden inside a St. Christopher brooch that she gave to the Duchess as a present, and that she has warned Dandridge to expect an impostor. Dandridge pulls a gun on Chandler and the crook surrenders, but in doing so throws the painting into the air, where it is grazed by a bullet hastily fired by Dandridge.

Penelope contacts Tracy Island to warn International Rescue that Deborah is in danger. Jeff immediately dispatches Scott (voiced by Shane Rimmer) and Virgil (voiced by David Holliday) in Thunderbirds 1 and 2. In the basement, Deborah's attempts to break free cause her to knock a ladder into an old fuse box, which emits sparks that ignite the gas. Scott and Virgil arrive just as an explosion devastates the house. While Virgil tunnels into the burning basement in the Mole, Scott mans the DOMO and uses its powerful suction pads to support the house's sole surviving wall. Having retrieved Deborah, Virgil clears the area before the wall finally collapses and destroys the basement.

Penelope visits Deborah as she recovers in hospital. Dandridge arrives with news that Portrait of a Gazelle is irreparably damaged. However, to the amazement of her visitors, Deborah unscrews the handle of her umbrella to reveal the original painting rolled-up inside – the canvas that travelled to New York was a copy. Parker enters, announcing that reporters are offering substantial sums for the rights to the Duchess's life story. In addition, all those who have wronged Deborah – Brophy, Chandler and the fraudsters running the casino – have been arrested and all her stolen money is being returned. Before long, Deborah is back at the casino.

Production
[Christine Finn and Sylvia Anderson] couldn't quite capture the tone required. Peter Dyneley and I could see that we would have trouble making it to the pub by two o'clock if this went on much longer, so I suggested to Gerry [Anderson] that I play the Duchess. He gave me a strange look but agreed to let me have a go ... I simply gave an impression of Dame Edith and it worked perfectly.

— Ray Barrett recalls the voice recording in his autobiography[1]

The puppet that appears as Deborah, Duchess of Royston was based on actress Dame Edith Evans, known for her work on stage as well as in films such as The Importance of Being Earnest (1952).[2] Evans also served as the inspiration for the character's voice, which was ultimately supplied by Ray Barrett when neither Christine Finn nor Sylvia Anderson were able to produce suitable tones during the episode's dialogue recording session.[2][3] In a 2008 interview, Barrett recalled saying to producer Gerry Anderson "Oh, sod this. Gerry, I'll play it", to which Anderson replied "What?" and others gave puzzled looks.[4] The rest of the voice cast found Barrett's imitation of Evans highly amusing.[2][3][5] Matt Zimmerman commented, "how we got through that episode I'll never know. I never laughed so much in my life."[6] Sylvia Anderson thought the voice "marvellously camp" and the recording session "quite hilarious".[7]

The shot of Parker pulling his gun on the casino owner uses forced perspective: from the foreground of the shot, a human hand (belonging to a member of the crew wearing a suit sleeve and holding a prop gun) takes aim at the ​1⁄3-scale casino owner puppet in the background.[2] Other episodes containing shots of this type include "30 Minutes After Noon" and "The Man from MI.5".[2]

The carrier aircraft featured in the London Air Display scene was one of the first designs that model-maker Mike Trim contributed to the series.[8][9] Trim also designed the DOMO (Demolition and Object Moving Operator) – a modified version of the Excavator, which was originally built for "Martian Invasion" and is also seen in "Cry Wolf".[10][11] Effects director Derek Meddings described the DOMO model as "practical-looking" and "very dramatic on-screen".[12]

Portrait of a Gazelle and the splatter paintings that appear in the art gallery scene were created by production designer Keith Wilson.[13] One of the paintings visible in the background is an abstract of the character of Alan Tracy, which Wilson originally created for the episode "Move – And You're Dead".[10]

The puppet that appears as Wilbur Dandridge III first played Warren Grafton in "Brink of Disaster".[10] The puppet of the disguised Hood can be seen standing behind Jeff Tracy at the air display.[10]

Broadcast and reception

"The Duchess Assignment" received its first UK network broadcast on 6 March 1992 on BBC 2.[2]

Critical response

Stephen La Rivière, author of Filmed in Supermarionation: A History of the Future, considers "The Duchess Assignment" to have an "enjoyable, quirky charm", praising aspects such as the design of the Duchess puppet and describing the episode in general as "one of the most unusual episodes in the Anderson canon".[3] Sylvia Anderson commends Martin Crump's script for its integration of action sequences into a plot that is "far from futuristic".[7]

Michael Coldwell, reviewing the episode for Panini UK, praises David Elliott's "assured direction" and art director Bob Bell's "outstanding" set design, as well as the script's "balance of action, futuristic technology and distinctively quirky characterisation". He considers Barrett's impression of Edith Evans "in full Lady Bracknell mode" to be a "fine match" for the character of the Duchess. Coldwell suggests that the episode's "Ealing Comedy set-up" displays Gerry Anderson's "affection for English eccentricity" and argues that the International Rescue's reduced role shows "just how well Lady Penelope and Parker could have carried their own series".[13]

Marcus Hearn, author of Thunderbirds: The Vault, calls the episode "engaging". He observes that Deborah is left destitute by her "addiction to gambling, which is another of the adult vices that makes a surprise appearance in a series ostensibly aimed at children."[14] Tom Fox of Starburst magazine gives the episode four stars out of five, judging the plot predictable but praising the series' "return to detective-style shenanigans" after "The Perils of Penelope" and "Vault of Death".[15] Mike Fillis, a contributor to Cult Times and Ultimate DVD magazines, applauds the episode's humour and sound effects.[16][17] He compares the character of the Duchess of Royston to Dame Margaret Rutherford's portrayal of the Duchess of Brighton in the 1963 film The V.I.P.s.[17]

John Marriott, in his book Thunderbirds Are Go!, describes the DOMO as "entertaining" and expresses disappointment that it does not appear in subsequent episodes.[18] Science-fiction writer John Peel notes the auto-nurse featured in the hospital scene, describing it as "almost a duplicate" of a device later seen in Star Trek: The Original Series.[19]

References
  1. Barrett, Ray; Corris, Peter (1995). Ray Barrett: An Autobiography. Milsons Point, New South Wales: Random House Australia. pp. 150–151. ISBN 978-0-091830-74-8.
  2. Bentley, Chris (2005) [2000]. The Complete Book of Thunderbirds (2nd ed.). London, UK: Carlton Books. p. 86. ISBN 978-1-84442-454-2.
  3. La Rivière, Stephen (2009). Filmed in Supermarionation: A History of the Future. Neshannock, Pennsylvania: Hermes Press. p. 116. ISBN 978-1-932563-23-8.
  4. "An Interview With Ray Barrett". YouTube. 22 November 2008. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  5. Thunderbirds – A Complete Guide to the Classic Series, p. 31.
  6. "NTBS News Flash: Live from Thunderbird 5 – Interviews" (PDF). tracyislandchronicles.com. January–February 2011. p. 9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 October 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  7. Anderson, Sylvia. "Thunderbirds – Episode Guide". sylviaanderson.org.uk. Archived from the original on 3 May 2008. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  8. Meddings 1993, p. 72.
  9. Thunderbirds – A Complete Guide to the Classic Series, p. 51.
  10. Bentley, Chris (2008) [2001]. The Complete Gerry Anderson: The Authorised Episode Guide (4th ed.). London, UK: Reynolds & Hearn. p. 109. ISBN 978-1-905287-74-1.
  11. Thunderbirds – A Complete Guide to the Classic Series, p. 49.
  12. Meddings 1993, p. 55.
  13. Thunderbirds – A Complete Guide to the Classic Series, p. 80.
  14. Hearn, Marcus (2015). Thunderbirds: The Vault. London, UK: Virgin Books. p. 161. ISBN 978-0-753-55635-1.
  15. Fox, Tom (August 2004). Payne, Andrew (ed.). "TV View". Starburst Special. No. 65. London, UK: Visual Imagination. p. 52. ISSN 0958-7128.
  16. Fillis, Mike (February 2001). Richardson, David (ed.). "Thunderbirds Volumes 5-8 ... Are Go!". Ultimate DVD. No. 14. London, UK: Visual Imagination. p. 61. ISSN 1468-6112.
  17. Fillis, Mike (May 2001). Atkinson, Richard (ed.). "Thunderbirds: Volumes 11 & 12". Cult Times. No. 68. London, UK: Visual Imagination. p. 62. ISSN 1360-6530.
  18. Marriott, John (1992). Thunderbirds Are Go!. Pan Macmillan. p. 45. ISBN 978-1-85283-164-6.
  19. Peel, John (1993). Thunderbirds, Stingray, Captain Scarlet: The Authorised Programme Guide. London, UK: Virgin Books. p. 103. ISBN 978-0-86369-728-9.

Works cited
  • Hearn, Marcus, ed. (September 2015). Thunderbirds – A Complete Guide to the Classic Series. Tunbridge Wells, UK: Panini UK. ISBN 978-1-84653-212-2.
  • Meddings, Derek (1993). 21st Century Visions. Surrey, UK: Paper Tiger Books. ISBN 978-1-85028-243-3.
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