The Kremlin Letter (1970)

Micheál MacLiammóir: Sweet Alice

Quotes 

• Sweet Alice : Before World War II, intelligence operations were conducted by independent agents. They knew one another. They played ball together. They traded information. They even split fees. But, you see, after the war, bureaucracy took over. Where before there had been a dozen agents in the field, there were now thousands of them. Gathering information and feeding it into computers. Certain restrictions were placed upon the old-timers. Sturdevant couldn't or wouldn't change his ways, And finally, every major agency turned its back on him. The group disbanded, and Sturdevant dropped out of sight. Then, in 1954, he was reported dead in Istanbul.

  Charles Rone : How'd he die?

  Sweet Alice : He committed suicide. Supposedly the Highwayman handed him the gun and watched him blow his brains out. Oh, yes. You - You've got some fine playmates.

• Sweet Alice : He was a brutal, sadistic, conscienceless assassin. He was also, as an individual spy, sans pareil.

• Sweet Alice : [Opening lines of the film] 

  [Sweet Alice has checked a briefcase as he enters the museum in Paris, takes the claim check] 

  Sweet Alice : So, the man in Moscow's agreed to send back the letter.

  Polakov : For one million dollars.

  Sweet Alice : Mmm, for that kind of money we're entitled to know his name.

  Polakov : And then what further need would you have of me?

  Sweet Alice : When do you get back to Paris?

  Polakov : One week, ten days.

  Sweet Alice : I see. Well, you have one week to recover the letter. Seven days, Polakov.

  [Lays down the claim check] 

  Sweet Alice : There's your million.