Original subtitles

I want to look my best...

for David.

The defence rests on a single word... provocation.

And we all know that's risky.

Not a single applicable precedent in an English murder trial.

Blakely beat Ruth black and blue.

He humiliated her, took her for every penny she had.

I believe, if we can show that, then this isn't murder.

It's manslaughter.

You must get the Crown's witnesses

to reveal what they know... like Cussen,

who by all rights should be a-a witness for defence.

They may have got to him, somehow,

may have some rabbit in a hat.

You must push him in the cross.

Well, if that's all, Mr. Bickford.

Ruth, this is Mr. Stevenson, QC, Lead Counsel.

He'll take you through the defence strategy.

I just want those malicious snobs to pay for what they did.

Malicious snobs?

The Findlaters.

If it weren't for them, David would still be alive.

Dr. Whittaker's theory...

the effects of jealousy on hysterical women.

I think we should lean on it.

Ruth isn't hysterical.

She shot Blakely because he was unfaithful.

You heard her... her anger at the Findlaters

because they tried to tempt him with other women.

She was consumed by sexual jealousy,

which provoked her uncontrollably to murder.

She was provoked by Blakely's violence.

She'd miscarried a child.

She has hardly mentioned that.

Because she's traumatised.

It's a question of what the jury will understand.

You should never have let her bleach her hair.

Does she look like a beaten woman to you?

Blonde tart!

Ooh! God, hold it still, for Christ's sake!

Oi! Stop looking up her skirt, you!

- Vicki!! - Hello.

- Hello. - Hello.

What do you think? A bit vulgar?

Bloody ridiculous. I love it.

Been reading all about you in the gossip columns.

Oh, yes, snotty bastards can't believe

a girl from Staines could marry a prince.

There's a revolution coming, girls.

Class and what school you went to... no one'll give a toss,

long as you know how to have a good time.

Look at you and David.

- Oh, yes, huh? - Ooh!

Mm. What's he doing here?

He's restful, compared to David.

Hm.

One of those who just wants a cuddle?

It's not like that. We haven't actually...

He probably follows you upstairs,

watches through a crack in the door.

- Creepy old bastard. - Stop! Shh! You're terrible!

Someone's coming up.

- Ooh! - That'll be David. Alright.

Everyone, positions, quickly!

Mrs. Ellis is a woman of 28, divorced,

and the story you are going to hear is this...

that in 1954 and 1955,

she was having simultaneous love affairs with two men,

David Blakely, the deceased, and another man called Cussen,

whom I shall call before you.

Blakely was trying to break off the connexion,

and the accused woman was angry at this,

even though she had another lover at the time.

She therefore took a loaded gun,

found David, and shot him by emptying that revolver at him.

Now, you are not here in the least concerned with adultery

or sexual misconduct.

You are not trying her for immorality...

but for murder.

- Surprise! - Surprise!

Oh, aren't you sweet?

I'm so sorry, darling.

David asked me to let you know he can't make it.

He's tied up with work.

Well, it's about time he bloody did some. Hmm?

More cake for us.

Oh, darling. Look, I'm sorry.

I'm sure if he'd realised the effort you'd gone to...

We both know he's not working. Were you with him?

Of course not.

Look, David's engaged to be married to Mary Dawson.

He's been living here with me for months.

You've been a lovely friend to him.

Bless you.

The prosecution calls Desmond Cussen.

Give you a hand clearing up?

You had known the accused, Mrs. Ellis,

for around two years?

Did you become a close friend of hers?

Yes.

You will not mind if we use plain words.

Were you her lover?

For a short time, yes.

On Sunday, the tenth of April, the day of the alleged murder,

did she and her son spend most of the day

at your flat with you?

Yes.

That evening, did you drive her back to Egerton Gardens?

Yes.

About what time?

Er, about 7:30.

About 7:30 on the Sunday night,

and that is the last you saw of her?

Yes.

Thank you.

They're trying to convict her of immorality.

That's why they've called Cussen.

They want the jury to see it in the flesh.

He instructed them not to consider sexual misconduct.

And that's why he raised it, to draw attention to it.

Mr. Stevenson?

Mr. Cussen...

were you very much in love with this young woman?

Yes.

At the time, you were begging the defendant

to marry you if she could?

Do you need to go to her?

George wants to take her.

George, your husband?

Some rich, childless colleague of his, a woman dentist,

wants Georgina to go and live with her...

wants to adopt her.

George says he'll give me a divorce if I say yes.

You don't need to give up your child, Ruth.

Let me look after you all.

Marry me.

Or don't marry me.

I don't care.

What about David?

Oh, forget him.

I can give you everything that you need.

Just let me be with you.

Please God, let me be with you.

Have you ever seen marks or bruises on her?

Yes.

Were they bad bruises?

Yes.

I do not want to press you for details,

but how often did you see that sort of mark on her?

Must be on... half a dozen occasions.

Thank you, my Lord.

Thank you, Mr. Cussen.

You may step down.

I heard two bangs... shots.

And then what did you see?

I saw David lying on the ground

and Mrs. Ellis pointing a gun into his back.

Why did you have to kill him?

No questions.

Leslie Davies, Detective Chief Inspector, my Lord.

You saw the accused woman detained

at Hampstead Police Station?

I did, my Lord.

Did you form any impression of her emotional condition

at the time of the arrest?

I did, my Lord.

I was most impressed by the fact she seemed very...

...composed.

No questions.

Why aren't you cross-examining them?

I didn't see there was anything useful to be added.

He broke her down piece by piece.

You must get Findlater to... to... to reveal what he knows,

what he and his wife saw her suffer.

Mr. Bickford, my job is to show

what made the accused so morbidly jealous

that she was provoked to kill.

Now, if Blakely was merely a nasty thug,

she'd hardly mind if he went off with another woman, would she?

It won't work.

As a defence, it's not enough.

I know who gave her the gun.

She didn't carry out this crime alone.

She instructed me not to mention it,

but we must overrule her, in her own best interest.

Keep your voice down, for Christ's sake.

Drag someone else into it now,

and it becomes premeditated conspiracy to murder.

No hope of manslaughter.

What if she was persuaded, coerced even?

We have a defence!

She was provoked by uncontrollable sexual jealousy,

and you should never breach your client's confidence again.

Is that understood?

Yes, Mr. Stevenson.

The defence calls Anthony Findlater.

I swear by almighty God that the evidence I shall give

shall be the truth, the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth.

...David, darling. Hello, you two.

Give it here! It's my turn!

- Perfect timing. - Oh, no. Watch out.

...Anthony, darling. ...Carole, my love.

David, how are you?

I'm so sorry... about last night.

I was humiliated, David, in front of everyone,

by your friend, Carole.

Yes, well, I think she was a bit upset.

Why?

I told her I was breaking it off with Mary.

I'm not marrying someone just because they approve of her.

I don't care what they think.

I don't care what any of them think.

I want to be with you.

Well, poor Mary.

You might have chosen a better day than your birthday,

you heartless bastard.

I wondered if I might get an advance on my wages.

Been sponging again, has he?

Gonna have to start charging you rent on the flat.

You can't do that.

That flat is a place of business, not a love nest.

You think he'll make you happy?

I'm not asking him to leave.

Rent will be £12 a week then.

What's this?

The children are asleep,

and dinner will be served in five minutes.

What are we having?

The only thing I know how to cook...

egg and soldiers.

- Ah. - Nanny taught me.

Course she did.

And I always serve my boiled eggs...

with Pol Roger.

What will your mother think

about you breaking it off with Mary?

Not very happy, I shouldn't think.

Hm.

She likes to pretend we're a model family,

which is...

frankly, delusional.

Your parents divorced?

Mm.

I was 11.

What happened?

Er, my father had an affair...

...with a waitress half his age.

And she got pregnant, had an abortion,

and... she died.

Christ.

They accused him of procuring the drugs.

You know, he was a GP.

They tried him for murder.

He was acquitted.

The judge said there was no case to answer.

Yeah, he went back to his medical practise,

his... his golf,

but our family...

it was poisoned.

I'm so sorry.

Are these... love bites?

Who? Who is she?

Jealousy doesn't suit you, darling.

For God's sake, Carole?

She's married to my best friend.

Which is exactly why you'd both do it.

You've got it in for her, haven't you?

Because you're an imitation, and she's the real thing.

When you're cross the accent slips, darling.

I used to think your sort had manners!

What a fool I was!

There's nothing going on with me and David,

hasn't been for years.

You expect me to believe that, the way you are with him?

Both of you, actually.

- Now look here... - Stay out of this, Ant.

Take her.

You're like leeches, both of you,

the way you follow him around, fawning over him.

It's em... embarrassing.

How dare you come to my house with my child here?

Now you might have dragged David into your seedy, little world,

but you will not drag me.

And to talk about leeches?

You have been a parasite on David since the day you met him,

thinking you could drag yourself up in the world,

drag your whole squalid family up.

David is naive. I'm not. His friends are not.

We know what you're up to.

It is not... It is not like that.

And you know what he's like. You know what he does.

He never did it to me.

This is of your own making, Ruth... all of it.

And you will be stopped before you destroy David, too.

Sooner or later, I will make him see

who and what you are...

that you are...

well, a predator, and this is all a trap.

Then you will have my blood on your hands.

Don't come here again.

Mr. Anthony Findlater...

in the days before Mr. Blakely's death,

while he was staying with you,

you received several telephone calls from Mrs. Ellis.

Yes.

Was it quite plain to you when you spoke to her

on the telephone that she was in a desperate state of emotion?

Er, no.

Did you observe no indication that she was

a very desperate woman at the time?

David, I know you're in there!

David!

No.

Was it obvious to you that she was in a state

of considerable emotional disturbance?

I didn't get that impression.

She might've been.

On the Saturday night, did you and Blakely

come out of the house with a young woman?

I believe she was your nanny.

I do not remember.

You will appreciate what is being suggested...

that there is some reason for Ruth Ellis being jealous

of some new woman on the scene.

I did not even know that Mrs. Ellis knew we had a nanny.

Mr. Stevenson?

No further questions.

So that's it?

That's all they're going to ask him?

Put Carole up there.

It's... It's too late.

Put Carole in the witness box

and ask her about the weeks leading up to David's death.

Ask her what she did to my baby.

What did she do?

We can't call Carole, but you can tell them.

This jury... they... they want your blood.

To them, you're... you're not a-a person,

you're a character in a story,

a cold-blooded murderess

in a cheap thriller they've read before.

And they know the ending. Change the story.

Give them a different ending.

Make them want to save your life.

David Blakely was living with you in a flat

which you occupied above the Little Club?

Yes.

Were you at that time doing your best

to build up the, er, business of the club?

My one concern was to build up the business,

which had been a failure beforehand.

And at that time, were you very much in love with him?

Oh!

Did you tell him that you wanted

to break off the relationship with him?

David!

Yes.

Stop. Stop.

I want you to go.

I want you to pack your things and go tonight.

Stop! God, it's not even the cheating and the violence.

That's nothing new.

It's that you let those malicious snobs

think that I'm the one taking advantage of you!

How did he treat you physically?

I want you to leave! I want you to get out now!

He was violent on occasions.

I found this...

in your bedside table.

It's his.

Isn't it?

And how did that violence manifest itself?

He only used to hit me with his fists and hands.

But I bruise very easily.

What effect did all this have on you?

I began to feel ill about the whole thing.

While this was going on, what was happening

to your own earnings at the club?

David?

They were deteriorating, and so was the business.

Don't you ever come down here looking like that again.

No wonder this place is bloody empty!

David! David!

David, step away from the road!

I'll do it, I swear!

If you leave me, I'll do it.

David, step away from the road, please! Please!

Now, all this time you and he were living at the club,

had he any money?

I had to give him money all the time...

bought his clothes and things.

I paid his drinks bills and things.

My stepfather's threatening to cut me off!

It'll be over for me!

The racing.

There's nothing else I can do. It's not like I haven't tried.

I'm just... I'm just useless!

Alright.

- My father's inheritance is gone! - It's alright. It's alright.

-My... My family are gone! My mother hardly speaks to me! -It's alright. It's alright.

How did David then behave toward you?

He was possessive and jealous.

He seemed... I thought he seemed devoted to me.

Please don't leave me.

Look at you.

What happened to your feelings from then on?

He was a very likeable person, and I got very attached to him.

Marry me.

I'm already married.

Then divorce him.

- What about your family? - I don't care about them.

I will never have any happiness unless you marry me.

This is a photograph that Blakely gave you.

Yes?

Yes.

Did he write on it in your presence?

Yes.

"To Ruth.

All my love.

David.'

My Lord, I wonder if she might sit down?

Yes, certainly.

I'm quite alright.

Do, by all means.

I don't need to sit down.

And then, two weeks before David's death,

did you find that you were pregnant?

Yes.

What happened about it?

Well, we got into a fight and David got very violent.

He thumped me in the tummy.

I do not know if that's what caused the miscarriage

or not, though.

You, er...

had a...

a miscarriage?

Yes.

And we've heard the evidence about you taking a revolver

and getting a cab to Hampstead and shooting him.

Is that right?

Quite correct.

Why did you do it?

I don't really know, quite seriously.

I was just very upset.

"I do not really know why I shot him."

Is that right?

Yes.

Mrs. Ellis...

when you fired that revolver at close range

into the body of David Blakely,

what did you intend to do?

It is quite obvious, when I shot him, I intended to kill him.

I hope they appreciated the suit.

It's real Astrakhan, you know.

What was that?

What was what?

In the witness box.

You looked embarrassed. Y-You looked bored.

It became perfectly clear none of this is going to do any good.

What were you going to tell them about what the Findlaters did,

about the miscarriage?

Thank you for securing my hair appointment.

I know the prison were rather difficult about it.

I think they thought I was going to drink the bleach.

No chance, not at least before I got my roots done.

Oh, for God's sake, Ruth!

Make these people understand what you've been through!

Tell them about whatever it was the Findlaters did,

or... or tell me, at least.

No one wants to hear about my insides.

The jury don't, Stevenson certainly doesn't,

and you... I know you think you do, but you don't.

No one wants to hear about women bleeding

and what men do to make them bleed.

It's all a little bit embarrassing for everyone.

It's certainly not going to get me off a murder charge.

They believed Ant, you see...

and his lies.

We should have told the police about Cussen's involvement.

You've perjured yourself in the witness box,

and I allowed it.

You've condemned yourself.

So, what follows, Dr. Whittaker,

as to the effect of infidelity

by the male partner on the female mind?

Well, women are more prone to hysterical reactions than men.

They are inclined to lose some of their inhibitory capacity

and solve their problems on a more...

primitive level.

George Ellis, please.

In your view, had the accused

considered the consequences of what she was doing?

Well, I asked her if she thought about her children,

and she said she did not think of them at all.

Alright. Now, you be good for Daddy, okay?

I'll call tonight to see how she's settling in.

Give it a few days, eh? My solicitor will be in touch.

About the divorce proceedings.

Thank you, Dr. Whittaker.

You may step down.

That is my case, my Lord.

Before you address the jury, it would be as well

if we had a short discussion as to the law.

You may release the jury until tomorrow morning.

I gather you wish to address the jury

as to the question of provocation.

I do, my Lord.

There has to be some conduct, has there not,

on the part of the deceased man

which caused this unfortunate result?

What is the evidence of conduct on Blakely's part

which is considered to amount to provocation?

May I be absolutely frank about that, my Lord?

The answer is that there is no authority...

no authority that has ever considered

the effects on the female mind of infidelity.

Does your proposition come to this...

if a man associates with a woman

and then leaves her suddenly

and she is a jealous woman, emotionally disturbed,

and goes out and shoots him, that is sufficient grounds

for the jury to reduce the crime of murder to manslaughter?

Mr. Bickford?

A single day to hear all the evidence in a murder trial?

Why did nobody ask about the gun?

I'm sorry?

Well, I know she lied about how she got it.

There was never any gun left at the club as security.

I told the police, but nobody seemed to care.

And what about that black cab that was never found?

You know Desmond Cussen used to drive a black cab for fun?

- Is it him? - What?

- Did... Did he help her? - I don't know.

It's not true, is it?

It's not too late. You can get her back.

The... The three of you... you can all...

live with me.

I know you think you can save me.

But it's just a sweet fantasy

to distract from the sordid truth,

which is that you are a lonely drunk,

and I'm a hostess whose company you pay for.

Why are you doing this, Ruth?

Because I love him.

I will save you.

Whether you want me to or not.

It is my duty as a Judge, as a matter of law,

to direct the jury that the evidence in this case

does not support a verdict of manslaughter

on the grounds of provocation.

My Lord, in view of that ruling,

it does not seem that it would be proper

for me to address the jury at all.

It does not seem to me that there is any issue left

on which you could address the jury.

No, my Lord.

I am obliged.

In the circumstances, my Lord, I have nothing more to say.

Members of the jury...

according to our law, it is no defence for a woman

who is charged with the murder of her lover,

to prove she was a jealous woman

and had been badly treated by her lover,

and after he left her without warning,

she became furious with him and formed an intention to kill him.

None of these facts, individually or collectively,

afford any defence.

Shame on you!

All of you!

Get off me!

Hampstead Police Station.

I need to talk to you about Ruth Ellis and Desmond Cussen.

Jury's back.

14 minutes.

Members of the jury, are you agreed upon your verdict?

We are.

Do you find Ruth Ellis guilty or not guilty of murder?

Guilty.

Prisoner at the bar, you stand convicted of murder.

Have you anything to say

before judgement of death is passed according to law?

Ruth Ellis...

the jury has convicted you of murder.

In my view, it was the only verdict possible.

You will be taken hence to the prison

in which you were last confined

and from there to a place of execution,

where you will suffer death by hanging

and thereafter your body buried

within the precincts of the prison,

and may the Lord have mercy on your soul.

Amen.

Thanks.

Ah, that went very well.

Thank you, Edward. It went better than expected.

- See you outside. - Thank you.

Is that man your Junior Treasury Counsel?

That's correct.

Edward Cussen?

Is he related to Desmond Cussen?

Mm.

They are cousins.

That's why you called Desmond as a witness, isn't it?

To protect him from other accusations,

such as conspiracy to murder.

Do you know much about Buddhism, Mr. Bickford?

I've practised it for 30 years,

and one of its teachings is that we are all responsible

for our own liberation.

Ruth Ellis Knows this.

No one else... no judge or jury, no friend...

has put her in her present position.

It is her own actions that have done so.

That is karma.

I shall be starting the reprieve case immediately.

Well, we did the best we could for her.

No. No, we did not.

This whole process has been a disgrace, a sham.

I'm going to fight for her to be reprieved...

do things differently, as they should have been done.

Desmond's cousin is in the same chambers as Christmas Humphreys.

He's a bloody silk.

You knew... about Desmond.

Edward Cussen and I worked together during the war.

Jesus Christ.

You were all in it together.

Of course.

That's why you didn't cross-examine.

They asked you to protect him.

No.

No, they didn't.

Look, dragging somebody else into it wouldn't have helped...

wouldn't have helped at all.

A woman like her...

they were never gonna let her off.

She deserves clemency for what she's suffered,

and I will fight for that.

You're to be moved.