Relic Radio Thrillers: "Worth Her Weight In Gold"

Series: The Man Called X
Original Air Date: September 5, 1948
Podcast Release: January 2, 2026
Starring: Herbert Marshall as Ken Thurston ("The Man Called X")

Episode Overview

This episode of Relic Radio Thrillers features an action-packed espionage tale from The Man Called X. Ken Thurston is called upon to protect a shipment of gold bound for famine relief in post-war China. Onboard a ship beset by modern-day piracy, Thurston must unravel alliances and expose betrayals—where the value of gold is weighed against human life. The plot mixes 1940s international intrigue, the realities of postwar inflation in China, and classic radio drama suspense aboard ship and in the air.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Summary

1. Briefing: Mission and Stakes

(02:46–04:32)

• Pirates have stolen over $2 million in gold from China coast steamers; Ken Thurston is assigned to guard a new gold shipment for the China Food Mission.
• The gold is urgently needed for famine relief due to massive inflation—"where gold is dear, life is cheap."
• The operation must remain secret; even the captain does not know about the gold.

2. Aboard the Manchu Queen: Passengers and Suspicions

(05:16–10:35)

• Key first-class passengers:
  • Ms. Bei Bao ("the Precious One"): Singer, seeking work in Hong Kong.
  • David Mao: Rug exporter, seems wealthy.
  • James Bliss: American ex-pilot, embittered and broke, arm in a cast.
  • Captain Durfee: Commanding final voyage before retirement.
• Tensions of post-war China and inflation: Most are fleeing economic ruin, leading to suspicions about motives.
• Early hint of conspiracy: Mao and Bei Bao appear to be connected (found photograph).

3. First Attempt at Piracy

(13:45–16:00)

• "Taoist priest" steerage passengers trigger an uprising, but are repelled with a high-pressure fire hose—a chilling demonstration of "modern justice."
• David Mao is caught wrecking the radio, accused of complicity; Ms. Bei Bao protests his innocence.
• The captain insists on bringing all suspects to trial in Hong Kong.

4. Morning After: Escalation and a Corpse

(18:01–19:13)

• Mao escapes from the brig; soon after, word comes that he was found dead by the Shanghai police.

5. The Gold Transfer and Overloading Dilemma

(19:13–21:40)

• The gold and Mao’s body are transferred to a small, overloaded plane bound for Hong Kong.
• Bliss’s suspiciously heavy cast is noted by Thurston—an early clue to weapon smuggling or double-cross.

6. Mid-Air Betrayals and Motive Revelation

(22:09–25:45)

• Captain Durfee and Ms. Bei Bao reveal themselves as criminal conspirators, holding Thurston, Zellschmidt, and Bliss at gunpoint.

• The destination is not Hong Kong but Ping Tsing, where they will rendezvous with fellow pirates and more gold.

• Plan: Dispose of the human "extra weight"—by dumping passengers through the bomb bay doors—to make room for yet more gold.

  “You’re just 130 pounds of human life, Precious One. The cheapest commodity in China. Your weight in gold means $145,000. You think you’re worth that to Durfee?”
  —Ken Thurston, 24:41

• Thurston reveals to Bei Bao that Durfee has betrayed her—Mao was murdered, and she herself is now expendable.

7. Climax: Betrayal Among Thieves

(25:45–27:44)

• Bei Bao confronts the cargo compartment, finds Mao’s corpse, and is killed.

• Bliss is pressed by Thurston to make a choice: Take the gold (and become a murderer) or show a shred of humanity.

• Rather than succumbing to greed, Bliss turns on Durfee instead:

  “Remember, only a sucker thinks human life can’t be measured in terms of gold.”
  —Ken Thurston, 27:25

• Bliss hands over his gun, returns to the controls, and spares Thurston and Zellschmidt.

8. Resolution and Closing Reflection

(27:44–28:27)

• Thurston reflects on hope for humanity, even in a world corrupted by the lust for gold and desperate survival.

  “There’s hope for this sorry world, Pega. Hope even for China. As long as there are men like Bliss who can pass up the big payoff they’ve dreamed of, so that millions may have a chance to live.”
  —Ken Thurston, 27:48

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Pagon Zellschmidt’s comic relief about Chinese inflation:

  “I got paid in Chinese money. $12 million to one American buck. I need four boats to take my profit with me.” (05:22)

• Captain Durfee’s ‘modern anti-pirate weapon’:

  “The high pressure fire hose… washing them over the side is deadlier than bullets. And best of all, 10 fathoms of shark-infested water provides swift justice.” (07:17)

• Discussion of human life vs. gold:

  “Strange thing about gold, Chief. You ever notice when gold is dear, life is cheap?” (04:25)

• Thurston’s moral test for Bliss at the climax:

  “What are you waiting for, Bliss? Just two human beings standing between you and $2 million in gold.” (27:20)

Key Timestamps for Segments

• Mission Briefing & Stakes: 02:46–04:32
• Shipboard Introductions & Motive Setting: 05:16–10:35
• Fake Uprising / Radio Sabotage: 13:45–16:00
• Morning After & Mao’s 'Escape': 18:01–19:13
• Airplane Double-Cross: 22:09–25:45
• Moral Climax & Bliss’s Decision: 27:01–27:44
• Ken Thurston’s Hope for Humanity: 27:48

Tone & Style

The episode blends dry humor (especially via Pagon Zellschmidt), grim realism about post-war suffering, and taut suspense. The tone is hard-boiled yet idealistic, with Ken Thurston’s sardonic insights and steady moral core contrasted against a world warped by inflation, desperation, and the seductive power of gold.

Concluding Thoughts

"Worth Her Weight In Gold" is a quintessential Man Called X tale: cloak-and-dagger action, social commentary on the cost of postwar chaos, and a final reaffirmation of hope in the face of betrayal. Through crisp character interactions and mounting suspense—on sea and in the air—the episode explores how, even in the darkest circumstances, conscience can triumph over greed.