There is a scene which the
original script called for, but which was never used. This is when the Prisoner
tries to escape the deserted Village by helicopter. He climbs into the cabin
and discovers that the key is still in the ignition. He turns the ignition key
and finds that the fuel gauge registers full. Pressing the starter button the rotor
blades start to rotate sluggishly. They stop. He tries again, but the blades
move only a few inches before the battery gives out.
Seeing
the taxi, the Prisoner gets out of the helicopter and attaches two wires to the
two terminals of the helicopter’s battery, and the other ends to the battery of
the taxi. He starts the taxi’s engine, and places a rock upon the accelerator
pedal revving the engine. Then climbing back into the Alouette’s cabin, he
switches on the ignition and pushes the starter button. The rotor blades now
rotate quite fast. The engine coughs.
The
Prisoner tries again. It almost starts. He pushes the starter once again. The
battery starts to die, suddenly the engine fires. The Prisoner is wet with
perspiration. He revs the engine a couple of times, then climbing out of the
cabin, the Prisoner rips the wires from the battery. As this happens the
helicopter’s engine begins to falter. Quickly he leans into the cabin and revs
the engine like crazy. Still with his hand on the throttle he climbs back into
the cabin of the helicopter. The rotor blades are now coming up to speed
everything is fine. The Alouette helicopter begins to lift off the ground. A
foot or so off the ground the engine suddenly cuts. The rubber floats hit the
ground with a bump. The Prisoner pushes the starter almost frantically. The
rotor blades make a half turn only. His eyes go down to the instrument panel,
they stop on the petrol gauge, it still registers full. He taps the gauge with
a knuckle of a finger. The needle sinks slowly back to empty.
I'll
be seeing you
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