Anthony Head Credits

The Zero Option

Television movie (UK)

Role: Bruce Michaelis
Aired: November 19, 1988
Network: ITV
Availability: Has been released on video in the UK but is not currently available

Summary of Anthony Head's storyline: S.A.S. officer David Barber is blamed when a hostage situation goes bad and several hostages, including children, are killed. He decides to leave the army and joins a private security firm, SARACEN. His first assignment is to investigate a hijacking that was supposedly done by South African terrorists but may been a cover-up for a diamond robbery. There were £8 million worth of diamonds on board but only £2 million were taken. The firm has been hired by the diamond merchant to locate the missing diamonds and prove to the insurance company it was not an act of terrorism. Barber and his new partner Jack Carne suspect that former S.A.S. officers may have been involved. They also discover that a woman named Cheryl Simpson, who worked for the diamond merchants, disappeared shortly after the hijacking and is presumed dead. Barber meets her family and is convinced that Cheryl is not really dead.

Barber and Carne go to visit a possible suspect named Brown, who Carne knew previously, and discover he is being interrogated by two thugs. One of the thugs is killed in the ensuing fight as is Brown.

Quentin Collins is hosting an opening at his art gallery when his son-in-law Bruce Michaelis arrives, late because he had to take his wife to the doctor for a check-up. The two men step aside to talk and it is revealed that the thugs had worked for them. One of thugs, Riley, has been in touch with Quentin's son Ronnie. Quentin and Bruce suspect that whoever had arrived at Brown's house must have been South African Secret Service or MI5. Quentin is worried about having lost 6 million quid worth of diamonds and being mixed up with this mess. Bruce assures him that Ronnie is the only one mixed up in it and that he has made sure Quentin is not connected to this in any way. Quentin says that Ronnie is still his son and, as family, Bruce has to help Ronnie straighten out the mess caused when the hijacking didn't go as planned.

Bruce and Ronnie arrive at a scrap yard in Bruce's car. (Note: Bruce always has a driver and always remains in the backseat of the car.) Bruce is pressuring Ronnie to eliminate Riley to prevent him from revealing what he knows about the hijacking. Ronnie argues against this and Bruce points out that Ronnie has already had at least two men killed in his effort to find a man named Dunstan who apparently has disappeared with the diamonds. Bruce tells Ronnie to get it over with and then write off his attempt at being a criminal mastermind to experience. Ronnie calls him a bastard but leaves the car to do it. Bruce tells the car's driver to go around the block.

Meanwhile, Carne, having identified Riley from the license plate number, arrives at the yard to locate him. He arrives just as Riley is being killed at Ronnie's order and is discovered. He is locked in a shed. Ronnie and his thug consult with Bruce who orders them to let Carne go so that they can follow him and see who he works for. Ronnie protests but no one bothers to pretend to listen. Carne escapes on his own though and Bruce orders that he be allowed to go and followed. Everyone drives right past Ronnie who stamps his foot in frustration.

Bruce arrives at the art gallery to fill Quentin in on events. He has discovered that Barber and Carne work for SARACEN, although they don't yet know who hired the company to investigate. Bruce assures Quentin that they will get to the stones first. Quentin insists that when they do, Ronnie be in on it. He wants to give Ronnie the chance to get his self-respect back and says he knows Bruce won't let Ronnie make a fool of himself again.

Barber and Carne discover that Riley worked for Quentin Collins, philanthropist and art gallery owner; also, a gangster. They have also discovered the location of Cheryl Simpson who, it turns out, is with Dunstan. As they go off, they are followed by Bruce's men. Barber and Carne confront Dunstan who admits he was hired by Ronnie but decided to keep the diamonds when the hijacking didn't go according to plan. Ronnie, Bruce and their men arrive and everyone but Bruce heads off. Bruce, as usual, remains in the car. A gun battle ensues and Dunstan ends up fleeing by car, with Barber on the back. Ronnie follows him, assuming he has the stones. After a car chase, the car Ronnie is in flips over, trapping him inside. The driver of the car walks a short distance off, turns and shoots the gas tank, exploding the car. Bruce, who has been watching from his car at a safe distance, simply says, "Bye-bye, Ronnie." It turns out that Cheryl had the diamonds, not Dunstan so SARACEN successfully recovers those for their client.

Bruce is last seen throwing a gun out of his car window into a river (it's not entirely clear, but I think it's the gun used to blow up the car with Ronnie in it). He drives off saying, "All in all, not a totally wasted day."

Screen captures
Download clips