Original subtitles

I need you to check on someone.

ARCHER". A character called John Spode.

He may be Resistance.

Draw a pistol and keep your wits about you.

HARRY: He doesn't have the experience to handle a case like this.

It is too dangerous for him.

(BAND PLAYING JAZZ MUSIC)

Why was I invited here this evening?

We need nothing of you, except loyalty to your country.

Have you heard the rumours that the king is unwell?

You can't be thinking of trying to free him.

I'm telling you, don't go back there and say, "No deal."

What if I did?

Then they'll kill you.

HUTH: "The gallant British patriots."

- Are you proud of them? ARCHER: Jimmy?

This is your doing.

(PANTING)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

- Archer. - General Kellermann.

Ah, Molotov, Ribbentrop and Goebbels. What a trio.

Putting all your eggs in the basket, yes?

But after the Mall incident, I'm sure

the army will be keeping a tighter watch.

(SOLDIERS CHANTING)

(KELLERMANN SPEAKING GERMAN)

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)

KELLERMANN: Do you think Marx's corpse will prefer the mausoleum in Moscow?

The Russians think so. Isn't that what's important?

- Take a seat. - Thank you, sir.

Are you an angler, Superintendent?

- No, sir. - Pity.

I caught that fellow, Superintendent.

Really, sir?

Standartenféihrer Huth, on the other hand, is a ski champion.

He went to Garmisch for the 1936 Olympics.

For the combined downhill and slalom event.

He won no medals.

- But it is a distinction to compete. - Of course, sir.

The sport a man chooses tells a lot about his personality.

Standartenféihrer Huth is always in a hurry. (IMITATES WHIRRING)

I'm never in a hurry.

Do you understand, Superintendent?

It takes patience...

to make a lure that works.

That the fish will swallow without even knowing it.

Are you sure you won't have cream?

The ReichsfUhrer SS Heinrich Himmler was asking me about developments

on this murder you are working on. The one in Shepherd Market.

Developments?

Yes, sir.

The death of a good policeman.

Investigating what?

A photograph of, uh, Professor Frik and his colleagues.

Found in the suspect's house.

Well, what do you think this all means? Who is this Professor Frik?

An atomic expert like Dr Spode was.

So this explains Standartenfiihrer Huth's arrival, do you think?

The atomic business?

lsuspectso,yes.

I'd like to be kept up to date on all this, Superintendent.

You are doing a fine job assisting Herr Dr Huth.

But please, don't exclude the leader of your police force. Hmm?

Good fellow.

- Here he is. - Yeah.

Go on then, say it.

I went over, told his mother.

Jimmy was her last boy left.

- Whoever did this-- - No, it's you, Doug.

You did this.

Right.

'Cause I should have stuck with you. They'd have left you alone.

'Cause you're one of them.

Give me the fingerprinting kit.

Even I know it takes all sorts to make up the Resistance, Harry.

There are those who put sugar in German petrol tanks,

and those that scrawl anti-Nazi slogans on walls. Fine.

But then there are those that are willing to kill boys like Jimmy,

just to get a point across to their own bloody people.

Can you not understand people's anger? Hmm?

They feel helpless. They see us working with the Germans

and they lash out and can you blame them?

Yes, I bloody can!

Then you're a fool.

And you're out of touch and that will ruin you as a copper.

For Christ's sake, Harry.

What they did is no better than the bloody Nazis.

So what do you believe in, Douggie, huh?

Jusfice.

- Was this justice for Jimmy? - I don't know these people.

(TELEPHONE RINGING)

Well, they're bloody animals.

Who do you know?

It's too dangerous for you too, isn't it'?

Maybe it's time to quit.

- I 'd understand. - Not on your life.

There are no prints on this.

They wiped it clean.

So much for the heat of anger.

Like I said, I do not know these people.

Well, that's a shame.

'Cause I'd like to think...

you'd have helped me try and get them.

There's nothing I can do.

These people will turn on anyone they start to doubt.

Yeah, well, don't you worry about me.

- Because-- - I'm not worried about you.

You know where she is.

(DOOR OPENS)

Tell Sylvia she should get out.

Join that cousin of yours on the unoccupied side.

She won't listen to me.

Let me try and persuade her.

Where is she?

You won't like it.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

(KNOCKING)

Hello.

It's all right. I'm alone.

What do you want?

Help.

- You're not going to kick me out then? - I don't see any harm in you being here.

It's not a crime scene any more.

I was the one who helped you get away. Remember?

(MATCH STRIKING)

Who killed Jimmy Dunn'?

- I don't know anything. - You know too much.

And if the Germans catch you, they'll make sure they know it, too.

(SCOFFS) Take great pleasure in it, I'm sure.

Don't stay here, Sylvia.

Leave the controlled zone. Go to the lakes.

You sound like Harry.

He's worried about you.

And these people who you think are your friends...

Shut up about it. OK?

If you're going to visit, you could have bought some food.

Goodbye, Sylvia.

(DOOR CLOSES)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

No!

No! Let me go!

Let me go!

(BOTH GRUNTING)

(CHOKING)

We know what we're doing.

(GASPING)

(COUGHS)

Let him go!

(PANTING)

(COUGHING)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

Scotland Yard duty officer, please.

Is that the duty officer?

This is Detective Superintendent Douglas Archer.

Something might be coming for me in the second post.

It's very important. Can you look out for it for me?

Uh-huh.

Yes. Thank you.

(TRAIN APPROACHING)

(THUDDING)

(GRUNTS)

(BOTH GRUNTING)

(GROANS)

(SCREAMS)

(PANTING)

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)

You all right?

Call Scotland Yard.

Tell them to collect a body.

And cut the power.

(PANTING)

(BLUES MUSIC PLAYING)

Some of the teachers haven't come back to the school yet.

Any idea where they are?

No.

Ow.

Smart, does it?

(CHUCKLES) I'll live.

It's a nasty one, all right.

Why did he attack you?

You know why.

Some people think police are helping the Germans.

If your Torn hadn't signed up with the army reservists,

he'd be in the same position.

Why didn't you sign up, Mr Archer?

I wasn't allowed.

Reserved occupation.

Well, I'd rather have Tom here than him being a hero.

Not that I mean...

I know what you mean.

- Thank you, Mrs Sheenan. - No, wait.

I like this record.

I first heard it with my wife.

We were at the old Florida club, in Bruton Mews.

Snakehips Johnson played that night.

It went on until 5:00 in the morning.

I thought the Germans banned this music?

They have.

They label it "degenerate."

But secretly they love it.

I got this from a Feldwebel.

I swapped it like a kid in school.

You're lucky you still have something to hear it with. (CHUCKLES)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

Thank you.

Post for me?

WOMAN: Yes, sir.

All right.

Anything interesting in the second post?

Dunn was looking for leads on Frik.

It seems that the professor has been written out of history.

But why use the mail?

Jimmy must have seen that he was being followed.

Wanted to make sure this didn't fall into the wrong hands.

A caution, no doubt, instilled by you.

Might be a bitter pill to swallow,

but you're very much like us, Superintendent.

Excellent. Have some wanted posters made from that.

We'll put every name on that photograph on a primary arrest sheet.

And the murder of Dr Spode?

For questioning in connection with the murder.

But aren't assuming that they're under the protection of the German army?

That will force the army to actually admit it.

What's that?

Well, that's just an index from the photo lab.

Do you have anything else?

Nothing.

Time is a sickle, Archer.

- This fellow must be caught. - Of course.

Gate pass.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

(SPEAKS IN GERMAN)

(SPEAKS IN GERMAN)

HESSE: Hello. - Superintendent Douglas Archer.

Captain Hesse. You wish to visit the issuing department? That's correct?

If I could.

You have a willing workforce here, Captain?

HESSE: We have British and Allied officers

of the rank of brigadier and upwards.

Making artificial limbs provides work for them.

ARCHER: Ah. And I wish to meet one of their customers.

Who gets limbs here?

HESSE: British ex-servicemen who live in the southeastern control zone.

ARCHER: And what documentation do they need to get through that door?

No one gets past even the other gate

without a paper proving discharge from the British army.

When was the last time you sent someone to try and gain access

without that paper?

You want me to alert the sentries?

No, that's the last thing I want.

I want my man to get through.

Where do you keep your elbow joints and pivots?

Is that a joke?

No. When I make jokes I waggle my ears.

There should be a elbow pivot here for John Spode.

I'm hoping to make an arrest, Captain.

I hope not here.

This is an army establishment.

It has nothing to do with the civil police or the SS.

But I'm investigating a murder.

The British army always allowed the civil police--

I'm not interested in ancient history.

This camp is under German army jurisdiction

and you have no powers here.

Fine.

Then I'll wait outside the gate and arrest him off army property.

You would be in grave danger

of being shot down by my sentries.

Why?

I won't be using a gun.

Archer.

There is no need for this.

These walls are secure.

Much safer to arrest your man here.

I will make an exception.

(SIGHS)

HESS-E: You must be hungry.

Thank you.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

How long do you plan on keeping up this vigil?

Why not let us take over?

You go back, and if he comes we will apprehend him.

But that's not your job.

And he will come.

Listen to me, listen to me! We don't have much time.

I can help you, Spode.

I know you burnt the plans. Did you make copies, photographs?

You know who I am. I can help you.

You?

Ah, you fool.

(PANTING)

John Spode, you are under arrest.

- For what? - Murder.

I warn you, anything you say may be taken down

and used in evidence against you.

Come on.

ARCHER: Are you John Spade?

And is your brother William?

Yes. Yes.

How did you get onto me?

The pivot to your false arm.

I found it at the flat at Shepherd's Market.

You must've been in quite a hurry to leave that behind.

You're the great detective.

Do you deny killing your brother?

How could I?

I wouldn't have hurt your son.

I just needed a way to get you to listen.

So you'd help us.

All everyone told me was that you were...

-incorruptible. - For the purposes of this interview,

we're only concerned with the killing of your brother.

(SNIFFS)

Has anyone got a cigarette?

I have some.

What do you prefer, Superintendent?

I have French, Turkish,

American...

Been a long time since I tasted a French cigarette.

I need you to make your confession.

In writing.

HESSE: You permit the prisoner to smoke?

Why did you do it?

You have your confession.

Isn't that enough?

(SIGHS)

This is the best cigarette I've tasted in an age.

Won't find anything like this in prison, I expect?

It's not my job

to chase Resistance fighters.

You lost your arm taking on a Panzer.

A friend of mine told me.

Were you in the fighting, too?

No.

You didn't miss anything.

It was all over before it began.

Only a bloody fool tries to jam the sprocket wheel

of a Mark IV with a tyre lever.

It went past me without even noticing.

And took my arm with it.

(CHUCKLES)

You being there wouldn't have made much difference, Superintendent.

Believe me.

Is it a confession you wanted?

Or absolution?

Understanding.

Your brother has his corneas burnt by radiation.

Was he dying?

So you put him out of his misery?

But why did you leave

the pivot from your elbow behind?

Do you have it with you?

You found this in the room?

Yes.

(CHOKING)

Swede?

SP°de?

He needs some water.

Your medical section! He needs cardiac stimulus.

(HESSE SPEAKING GERMAN)

Cyanide capsules.

I've seen it on a man straight after armistice.

(SIGHING) Should've searched him.

(SIGHS)

What do you care?

(SIGHS) Like you said...

you've got your confession. You can close the file now.

Can't you?

You just stood there and watched him. You stupid pig.

And this half-witted army officer has a watch, too?

Yes.

HUTH: Any chance that he passed him the capsule?

No, sir.

So from the moment you arrested Spade,

was there even the briefest opportunity for this damned army officer Hesse

to pass him anything at all?

No chance at all, sir.

If we get this one wrong, Superintendent Archer,

you'll find yourself in Dachau.

You know what Dachau is?

I've heard the rumours, sir.

They're all true, believe me.

(LINE DISCONNECTS)

Canonbury 7946.

- Harry... HARRY: Look, Douggie...

- I heard about the tube attack. - Yeah.

- I should've-- - Don't worry. It wasn't your fault.

I'm fine.

Look“.

I want you to check on an army artillery officer,

Captain Hesse.

Find out all you can.

Call me back in 15 minutes.

HARRY". Right you are, at Wittenham.

All right.

(TELEPHONE RINGING)

Yeah?

Yeah, I checked with the boys at Hendon.

Hesse is Army Intelligence.

But why would they want to keep a man down there?

ARCHER: I don't know.

But I'm gonna find out.

All right, thanks.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

WOMAN". Hello, handsome.

(BELL RINGS)

I want to speak with Captain Hesse.

MAN: Superintendent Archer, you better come in.

It's all right, he's one of mine.

ARCHER: Colonel Mayhew, what a surprise.

GEORGE: How the devil did you find this place?

Captain Hesse here doesn't check his rearview mirror

quite as often as one would imagine a man who just

committed murder might.

He gave Spode a cyanide cigarette.

GEORGE: What's this?

You're imagining things.

I have the cigarette.

It seems it was more important to the army

that Spode be silenced than let him fall into the hands of the SS.

What were you afraid he'd tell them?

GEORGE: Archer...

We have more important matters at hand here.

More important than murder?

What exactly are you doing here?

(DOOR OPENS)

Hesse“.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

ARCHER: Well?

These men are all German Army Intelligence, yes?

What the hell is going on?

Miss Barga tells me that I should trust you.

But I'm not sure that I can.

You haven't answered my question.

What the hell are you doing here with German Army Intelligence?

We're in talks.

- Talks? GEORGE: About His Majesty.

The fact is, that some of them feel

it's incompatible with the honour of the German army

that the King of England should be in custody.

Guarded by SS units.

I know.

Old-fashioned buggers, aren't they?

More's our luck.

Remember our conversation about Rear Admiral Connolly?

Over there in Washington?

If the King were free, and able to confirm publicly

Connolly's rank and position,

it would transform Britain's position in the world.

You're not seriously suggesting

that the German army are gonna try and help free the King.

A certain few will do everything they can to help,

save getting into a fight.

What do they get out of it?

Escape of the King from SS custody would disgrace the SS

and consolidate the army's commander-in-chief

in his position of power here.

And not just here.

The repercussions would be felt all the way to Berlin.

We have the support of the German staff in this business.

What's the catch?

(DOOR OPENS)

The General will see you both now.

So,

the younger Spode is dead, too.

As I understand it, yes.

And your police officer

-followed Captain Hesse here. - That's right.

GENERAL RUFF: I will come to you later.

ARCHER". Now you listen to me, Major.

If you want my cooperation,

you're gonna have to woo me.

And I'm very difficult to please.

You have the impertinent manner

of the revolutionary.

It will get you nowhere.

Let me remind you of your position.

No, let me remind you of yours.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

If there's any explaining to be done...

then you'll do it.

You're playing a dangerous game, Superintendent.

Not nearly as dangerous as the one you're playing.

If I submit a full report about young Spode's murder this afternoon,

the German C&C of Great Britain

will likely find it very healthy to distance itself from you.

As will your colleagues in Berlin.

You're not out of here yet.

My car is equipped with a radio telegraph.

I wouldn't come into a notorious district like this

late at night without taking precautions.

What have you said?

Nothing that can't be unsaid.

Congratulations on apprehending Dr Spode's killer, Superintendent.

Well, he was denied a trial.

So we'll never really know, will we?

Did he make a copy of the calculation his brother stole from Bringle Sands?

I asked him.

He denied it.

GENERAL RUFF: Do you believe him?

In that case,

I will hold you personally responsible if a copy falls into the wrong hands.

I had the feeling you'd say something like that.

Captain Hesse

must not be included in any reports to your authorities.

Or the King has no chance at freedom.

GEORGE: Well, Archer?

Very well.

Good.

I'll need to know, how you would dispose of His Majesty.

Our honour requires that his safety be assured.

We'll fly him out of a disused airfield.

Your staff are advising us on which one to choose, sir.

GENERAL RUFF: Will you go, too?

I've no orders as yet, sir.

If we do decide to proceed...

be ready to move fast.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

(CLEARS THROAT)

An airplane flying over a disused airfield.

Is that just for the Huns,

or is that really the best way of getting the King out of the country?

You've a better idea?

Ship him out as diplomatic mail.

(SCOFFS)

You're a political innocent, Archer.

Forged documents, then?

Ones that will make the Germans think he was a diplomatic consignment.

Worse. The escape of the King

will be in every history book ever written.

Do you want it recorded

that the only way we could get him out of the country

was by forging the signature of a foreigner?

Same reason we can't have him do anything ridiculous like

dress up as a chambermaid or pretend to be a...

German lavatory attendant.

(CHUCKLES)

You operate in a very strange world, Colonel.

You have no idea.

Good night, Archer.

(LAUGHS)

A sword stick, it's so British.

It was worse than that, it was an umbrella stick.

I'm glad you didn't die that way.

(SCOFFS)

Me, too.

And thanks for nursing my ear.

It's the least I could do.

No feeling, sadly.

You won't get me that way.

Isn't the way to an Englishman's heart through his lobes?

(CHUCKLES)

(BOTH CHUCKLE)

Do you think he killed his own brother?

I didn't know him long enough...

to really decide.

Both brothers dead. (SIGHS)

You knew the Spodes, didn't you?

You met them before the war.

When you were writing an article on Professor Frik and his work.

And I assume one of them contacted you

with the plan to get the atomic calculations

into American hands.

And that's what you were doing coming to collect the film that day.

You're very clever.

Though you seem to have confused interrogation with seduction.

I hope you're not saying I had anything to do with the murder.

I would still like to seduce you.

But I wanna know.

Yes, you're right.

I interviewed the older one for the piece on Frik.

He remembered me.

I'm not surprised.

I asked Bernard Staines about the Spodes before I came out here.

Suddenly I'm up to my neck in the Resistance.

Things have been going pretty fast for the two of us.

In the last 48 hours,

I've lost one man, killed another...

Made love to me for the first time.

How can I forget?

You seem different.

Maybe I am.

I like you more.

Is the interrogation over?

There's one last thing.

You know, someone on that inaugural flight from New York

did a bit of smuggling.

Oh, really?

ARCHER: Now, a hat box like this...

would be perfect for hiding away a newsreel.

You seem to be more interested in false bottoms than real ones.

Well...

We can't have that, can we?

(CHUCKLES)

ARCHER: This ceremony tomorrow is going to be bloody tedious.

Apparently the Russians are even more long-winded than the Jerries.

I assume you're a guest of honour, darling?

(CHUCKLES)

Disinterring Karl Marx

and mailing him back to Moscow is quite the story.

But I'm sick of peddling their propaganda.

Let's find excuses.

We could have a morning together.

I can't.

So you were all ready to pass on

the atomic plans to somebody at the American Embassy?

Does it matter?

Yes, it does.

(SIGHS)

The guy I knew and trusted at the embassy just moved back home.

So...

I was gonna have to play it by ear.

You have an answer for everything, don't you?

It only seems that way because you never stop asking me questions.

I'm not a spy, Douglas.

I hear people lie to me all the time.

So you can tell when I'm telling the truth.

You are cleverer than most.

(CHUCKLES)

That's why you like me.

That's one of the reasons.

Have you heard anything,

about a plot

to free the King and take him to America?

Maybe I have.

I don't give it much credence.

Or at least the American part.

Why not?

Because your king would be a liability to America.

You think Roosevelt wants to go into the school books

as the man who invited the King of England

back to the US of A?

Don't go thinking Roosevelt is some kind of

fanatical Anglophile.

He's a politician.

Back home that means a wily bird.

Well, of course it's politically sensitive.

Politically, it's suicide.

Every politician is promising

he won't get American boys into a foreign war.

You think anyone's gonna invite your king there?

When he's the focal point of the whole European wrangle?

Wrangle?

Over here, we call it war.

You call it anything you like.

But for most people back home, it's in the past tense.

And the Germans, they changed the tense.

(SIGHS)

(GROANS)

Sorry, Doug.

I needed to know where you stood.

Did it Work?

(SIGHS)

I wasn't just joking around.

It's not gonna be easy to draw America into the war.

No...

But with those calculations...

They might've woken them up.

I guess we'll never know.

Hello, Arthur.

Hello, Superintendent.

Any special instructions?

Over or...

under development?

The only special instruction

is keep your mouth shut about it.

Righto.

Good man. Thanks.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

Archer!

General Kellermann.

Ah, Molotov, Ribbentrop and Goebbels. What a trio.

Putting all your eggs in the basket, yes?

But after the Mall incident

I'm sure the army will be keeping a tighter watch.

(SOLDIERS CHANTING)

(KELLERMANN SPEAKING GERMAN)

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

(SOLDIERS CHANTING IN GERMAN)

(EXPLOSION)

(SCREAMING)

(SCREAMING CONTINUES)

You're gonna go the unoccupied zone. You'll be safer there.

(GUNSHOTS) (CLAMOURING)

It's starting.

What is?

(GUNSHOTS)

The crackdown.

Do you want to stay with me, Archer?

On my personal staff.

You can come all the way to the top.

(KNOCKING)

ARCHER: Harry Woods didn't turn up for a meeting with the crime super.

You don't think he could have been picked up?

(CLAMOURING)

The Germans seem damn close to producing an atomic bomb.

We have no option but to go in and raid Bringle Sands.

Steal what we can and sabotage the rest.

You want me to get the King to Bringle Sands?

(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)