All language subtitles for Upstairs Downstairs S04E12 Facing Fearful Odds WEB-DL DDP2 0 H 264-squalor (1)_track3_[eng]

(orchestral music)

- Why has everyone
only got margarine?

Don't you have butter
in this house anymore?

- Oh, Mrs. Bridges keeps
all the butter for upstairs.

- What I do and what I don't
do, Daisy, is my concern.

As for you Edward, if you don't
bring your rations with you,

you won't get fed.

-[Daisy] Well, he
can share mine.

- That's not the point.

It's an individual
rationing system.

Now that Edward's a Corporal.

- Acting, unpaid.

- He's somebody with a
certain amount of influence

or should be.

- Alright, Mrs. Bridges,

I'll have a word with the
Quarter Master General.

- Three years, 266 days.

Aye, it's a weary long
time for a war.

- It seems a long time
to spend losing one.

- We are by no means
beaten, Daisy.

- Ah, the usual planned
withdrawal, eh?

Yeah, I been to some of those.

- Edward, I'm surprised
at you, a soldier,

saying such a thing.

- We've been pushed
back 30 or 40 miles

and lost over a thousand guns.

They even admit that.

So how many do you
think we've really lost?

- Half the regiment.

The rest are wounded,
killed, or missing.

Some of them taken prisoners.

Ah, they never stood a chance.

They're really scraping
the barrel

up at the depot, I can tell you.

Even the artful dodgers
are getting drafted, now.

- Well, you won't have to
go again, will you Eddie?

- Well, they never tell you.

I don't think so, Daisy.

I'm C3 and you can't get
much lower than that.

- Oh, Daisy, you make
the tea, will you?

No use waiting for Ruby.

She's probably got run
over or blown up by a bomb.

She'll have some excuse.

- Got the meat, Mrs. Bridges.

Here are cards.

- What on earth's that
horrible stuff?

- It's scrag end down
neck, Mrs. Bridges.

- Scrag end, in this house?

I wouldn't give it to the cat.

- But there was ever such
a long queue, Mrs. Bridges,

and that's all he had.

- And that's all he had.

Did you tell him
who you was from?

- Couldn't do that,
Mrs. Bridges,

not in front of all them people.

- You take that straight
back to where it come from.

- I can't.

- You can, and you will.

And you'll ask to speak
to Mr. Goslin himself,

like I told you.

Tell him that I sent you.

And I want a nice round of beef.

Home killed, none of your
foreign, imported stuff.

Now get along with you, Ruby.

That girl.

No wonder we're getting beaten.

- Please sit down, all of you.

- Oh, I've got the kettle
to put on, Mr. Hudson,

and Mrs. Bellamy--

- Daisy, I asked you sit down.

Mrs. Bridges, would you mind?

You too, please.

Now I will no longer tolerate
the continuous stream

of defeatist talk that
I hear all the time

in this servant's hall.

May I remind you all
that only the other day,

on St. George's Day, in
the raid on Zeebrugge,

the Royal Navy gained
as great a victory

as any in our proud annals.

- Didn't stop them advancing
in France.

- No, Mrs. Bridges, but it
did coop up those U-boats

that have been sinking
our ships,

and causing this rationing

that you're always
complaining about.

If we are steadfast,
the tide will turn.

Now I want you all to
listen very carefully

to Earl Haig's order
to the army.

It applies to us all.

"There is no course open
to us but to fight it out.

"There must be no retirement.

"With our backs to the wall,

"and believing in the
justice of our cause,

"each one of us must
fight on to the end.

"The safety of our homes,
the freedom of mankind,

"depend alike upon the
conduct of each one of us

"at this critical moment."

Now Daisy, you can go
and put the kettle on.

- Doesn't sound as
though Earl Haig

thinks we've got
much of a chance.

- There's a visitor in
the morning room, milord.

- Who?

- Mrs. Hamilton, milord.

- Good day.

- A rather long one.

I think I'll go and see James.

- He's asleep.

He had another go of the
horrors this morning.

- Oh.

- Doctor Foley came and
gave him an injection.

Virginia Hamilton's here.

- Virginia Hamilton.

- Oh you remember.

- Oh yes, yes I do remember.

She's the widow from Scotland,

who's so persistent
about some charity.

- Yes, we have to
help her, Richard.

She's in terrible trouble.

She came off the Dover train
and arrived at my canteen

in a state of collapse.

She wanted to go to an hotel,
but I insisted she came here.

- Why?

- Her son, who is in the Navy,

is in arrest and being
court-martialed.

- Hazel my dear, I'm Civil
Lord of the Admiralty.

A political post.

The very last person in Britain

who can interfere in any way
with a naval court-martial.

- I'm not asking
you to interfere.

Only to help.

- Oh...

- Please, don't get up.

Mrs. Hamilton, how very
nice to see you again.

- Thank you.

Oh, and my congratulations
on your elevation.

- Quite undeserved.

- Well now I really
must be going,

I've done nothing but
make a great nuisance,

no really, I'm quite
all right now.

- Nothing of the sort.

Sit down and take these.

- Thank you.

- Mrs. Hamilton has
had a great shock.

- Oh yes, Hazel explained to
me briefly about your son.

Is that the one you told
us was a midshipman?

- Yes that's right,
Michael, my eldest.

You see since he was tiny
he's never had any thought

in his head except to
join the navy and...

Oh, you of all people,

why should I bother you
with my troubles.

- Oh please, I'd like to know.

- Well, about a month ago,

he was so pleased because
he was promoted

acting sub-lieutenant
above all his term.

- That must have made
you very proud.

- Two days ago, I
received a telegram to say

that he was in arrest at Dover

and was to be court-martialed.

- What for?

- Cowardice.

- Do you know why?

- No, not really.

Michael was on a
coastal motorboat

in some action against Ostend.

- Oh yes, that was the
same night as Zeebrugge.

The plan was to block the
entrances to both channels,

the Ostend business
was a failure.

Of course you don't read
about this in the newspapers,

but between ourselves,

we think the enemy had
been forewarned.

- Well something happened
to Michael.

Oh, it sounds so silly,

but I couldn't find
out any of the details.

Down there it was
all so difficult,

nobody would talk about it.

- Well of course, the
case is sub judice.

- It was all very embarrassing,
really.

Several of my husband's
old friends were very kind.

But it didn't seem there
was anything they could do.

- Mrs. Hamilton, have
you got a good lawyer?

- My, my husband's family
use a firm in Edinburgh.

The man's very nice, he's a
bit of an old fuddy duddy.

- What about Geoffrey?

- Yes.

Edinburgh's rather a long way
away, and my advice to you,

Mrs. Hamilton, is that you
ought to see a good lawyer

rather quickly.

I'm not speaking now as
Civil Lord of the Admiralty.

- No, I understand.

- Well, if you'd like I will
telephone Sir Geoffrey Dillon,

who is a personal friend
and a very good lawyer.

- Oh, that would be very kind.

- I think you may find
that he too, at first,

is a bit of an old fuddy duddy.

- Mrs. Bridges.

Mrs. Bridges?

- Yes, what is it?

- Mrs. Bridges.

- Oh, Mr. Hudson.

- There will be two extra for
dinner tonight, Mrs. Bridges.

- Two extra for dinner?

But only an hour ago
the mistress told--

- Mrs. Bellamy asked to
convey to you her apologies

for the sudden change of plans.

Mrs. Hamilton is coming,
and Sir Geoffrey Dillon.

- And what am I going
to about food?

Has anyone thought of that, eh?

Oh.

Ruby.

- Yes, Mrs. Bridges?

- Fetch me my war recipe book.

Visitors are not going to
have this family's meat ration

for a whole week.

I can tell you that.

This rationing's going
to be the death of me.

Right.

Well they can start
with cabbage-leaf soup.

Followed by victory oatmeal
rissoles and potato substitute.

And finish up with sugarless
rhubarb tart.

And you can cook it
for them, Ruby.

- Mrs. Bridges asked me
to make her apologies

for the somewhat patriotic
nature of the dinner, madame.

- Thank you, Hudson.

That'll be all.

- Madame.

- I thought the sweet
was quite delicious.

So nice to have something
not swamped in rich cream

and sugary sauces.

- Good.

- Hardly the usual
time or place,

but I think we should
get down to business,

the circumstances being
somewhat unusual.

- Yes, please, Sir Geoffrey.

- The proceedings come under
the Naval Discipline Act,

Part One, Articles of
War, Paragraph Two,

Misconduct in the Presence
of the Enemy.

I had a word with the
Judge Advocate,

and I have the charge, would
you like me to read it?

For that he, acting
sub-lieutenant Michael Drury
Hamilton,

then being the officer
commanding His Majesty's vessel,

coastal motorboat 47B.

- He can't have been in command.

- I think the commanding
officer had been killed.

- And being a person subject
to the Naval Discipline Act,

on the 23rd day of April,
1918, from cowardice, did not,

during the action between
His Majesty's fleet

and the fleet of the
German Empire,

in his own person and
according to his rank,

encourage his inferior
officers and men

to fight courageously.

What sort of person is
your son, Mrs. Hamilton?

- I've had a signal, Geoffrey.

You'll be able to talk
to him yourself.

- Thank you.

- He's rather shy, if
you don't know him.

But underneath he's
very determined,

and very brave.

Though it sounds rather silly.

To me, he's thoughtful,
unselfish, he's funny.

My other children adore him.

In the Navy he's always
been rather a success.

Perhaps too successful.

- When you saw him at Dover,
what did he say to you?

- Oh, not much I'm afraid,
he didn't want to talk to me,

or seem to be able
to talk, he...

Just said how terribly
sorry he was,

and how he'd let
his father down.

- Quite clearly, the less he
has to do with his own defense,

the better.

- Who do you suggest defends?

- Well, no specific
qualifications are called for,

according to the regulations.

You know, the Navy has
retained some customs

going back to before
Nelson's time.

For instance, if the
accused is found guilty,

they point his sword at him.

Quite barbaric.

I expect you've heard
the old adage,

that inside every solicitor,

there is a barrister
pleading to get out.

I must confess I would
be most interested.

That is if I were
acceptable to Mrs. Hamilton.

- Oh...

Of course, Sir Geoffrey.

- Thank you, I shall do my best.

The proceedings will be
held at Dover Castle.

A most interesting place,

it contains the pharos,
you know,

the Roman lighthouse in which
they kept a constant fire

blazing to guide their
ships across the Channel.

- Excuse me, milord,
Sub-Lieutenant Michael Hamilton,

and escort.

- I was lying on the
deck, sort of shivering.

I was very very frightened.

- Not very surprising.

What were you thinking?

- Well I was hoping
no one would notice,

and trying to pull
myself together,

when Chief Webb came
and knelt beside me.

I think he thought
I'd been wounded.

- I see.

- He told me the skipper
had been killed.

That meant I was in command.

- Yes.

- I mean I knew that
perfectly well.

I knew it was my duty
to go to the bridge

and take over, but...

I just couldn't move.

I mean I just couldn't.

My body just wouldn't
move, somehow.

- And what happened then?

- Well I managed to say
something, and Webb went away.

He's a ripping sort of fellow,
he never said anything.

But he knew I was funking
it, as well as I did.

When the firing had
stopped, I...

Well I felt all right again.

But that doesn't alter the fact

that I behaved like
a rotten coward.

I mean I shall have to
tell them that, shan't I?

It's no good shirking the truth,
I shall have to say that--

- It seems to me that you've
said a great deal already.

Are you willing to
have me defend you?

- But Mother and Lord
Bellamy said--

- The final choice
must be yours.

- Well yes, sir, please.

- In that case, you must
do exactly as I tell you.

- Yes, sir.

- You'll plead not guilty.

- But sir, how can I?

- You're not required to
speak in your own defense,

I shall do the talking.

- But if I think I'm
really guilty--

- It's not what you
think that matters.

It's what the officers
of the court think.

They'll be senior naval officers

with a great deal more
experience of the Navy than you,

and quite frankly
much better able

to judge your behavior
than yourself.

- I see, sir.

- Now you want a fair
trial, don't you?

You want to know what people
think of your actions?

- Well yes, of course.

- From now on, you'll
keep your mouth shut.

Anything you want to
say, you will say to me.

Now I want you to sit here,

and write down every single
thing you can remember

about that night.

- Yes, sir.

- Well he was quite young.

But he looked really fierce.

I bet he's used that
sword before now.

- What was it all about?

- Well it's Mrs. Hamilton's
son in trouble

if you ask me.

- Wonder if they'll
make him walk the plank?

- Hello?

This is Lord Bellamy's
residence, who's that?

Who?

Edward, what on earth,
good heaven...

Who?

Daisy, but...

Oh, hold the line.

Daisy.

Edward is wishing to speak
to you on the telephone.

- Edward?

On the telephone?

- Well you better come
and speak to him, then.

- Hello?

Edward?

You do sound funny.

- Edward.

On the telephone.

- Edward telephoning?

I never did, whatever next.

- That instrument was not
installed for the likes of us.

It is for the use
of those upstairs,

and for no one else, Daisy.

I would like to make
it clear to you,

and you to make it
clear to Edward,

that never again under
any circumstances

may he telephone this house.

- Well he said he was
sorry, Mr. Hudson.

But it's an emergency.

- What sort of an emergency?

- Well, he won't be able
to get up here today.

- Don't call that an emergency.

- But he wants me
to take an omnibus

and go up there to him.

If I could have the afternoon
off, please Mr. Hudson.

- No, with Rose away on
her holiday at Southwald,

that could hardly be
more inconvenient, Daisy.

- Well I can manage.

- Yes, yes Ruby,
I'm sure you can.

But not until upstairs
luncheon has been cleared.

- Oh yes, Mr. Hudson,
thank you Mr. Hudson.

-[Hudson] And mind what I
said about the telephone.

-[Daisy] Yes Mr. Hudson,
thank you Mr. Hudson.

- And three bags
full, Mr. Hudson.

- The news seems better today.

- What does it matter?

No one's going to win this war.

- The Americans were in
action for the first time,

in France.

- Hmph, just in time
to pick up the pieces.

What's gone wrong in this
house, you can ring and ring

and nothing ever happens.

- We are rather short of
servants with Rose on holiday.

- Whenever I ask, I'm told
there are visitors to meals

and goodness knows what.

- Now James.
- After all, it's my house.

- My dear boy--

- Nobody seems to care
about me anymore.

Least of all Hazel.

- Now don't be absurd.

- Anyway, what she going
off down to Dover

with this woman?

- Mrs. Hamilton's having
a rotten time,

you know how kindhearted
Hazel is.

- Mrs. Hamilton isn't being
court-martialed, is she?

- No, but her son is
very young, he's only 17.

- Damn silly.

Sending a boy like
that into action.

We wouldn't have had a trooper
of that age in the regiment,

let alone an officer.

- I will inform Their
Lordships of your opinion.

(door knocking)

- Ruby, what on earth
are you doing in here?

- I'm sorry, sir, Daisy's
got the day--

- Take this tray down,
it's been waiting an hour.

- Yes, sir.

- And tell Mrs. Bridges she's
given me far too much to eat.

I can't take any exercise,

so I don't want to be
stuffed like a goose.

- Yes, sir.

- Chief Petty Officer
Webb, during the operations

against Zeebrugge and
Ostend, known as ZO,

you were coxswain of
coastal motorboat 47B.

- Yes, sir.

- Will you describe to the
court, in your own words,

what happened to your boat

after she departed from
Stroom Bank whistle buoy.

- Yes, sir.

We proceeded inshore
towards Ostend harbor,

on a course set for
the bell buoy,

which was our start
point for laying smoke.

When we heard the surf,
it was a bit of a mystery.

Us not knowing as we did later,

that the enemy knew our plans
and had moved the buoys.

- Please confine your evidence
to what actually happened.

- Sir.

As we turned to starboard
and began to lay smoke,

the enemy opened up on
us from the shore.

It was as if they knew that...

The boat was exposed
to very heavy gunfire

and machine guns at close range.

The wind being unfortunately
offshore,

we were shown up against
our own smoke.

I have never experienced
such heavy fire.

It was like the sea was
boiling all round us.

The boat was hit by
three or four shells

and raked by machine gun fire.

I observed two of the
foredeck Lewis guns

with their crews blown
into the sea.

It was like hell.

It was a miracle anyone
stayed alive up there.

The skipper, Lieutenant
Twiss I should say,

was hit by a shell splinter
and killed instantly.

I put over the helm and
turned back into our own smoke

and the firing decreased
and became inaccurate.

I proceeded to the foredeck

to find acting Sub-Lieutenant
Hamilton,

who was in the command
of the Lewis guns.

I found him lying
inert on the deck.

At first I thought he was dead.

But he was breathing
and his eyes were open.

I knelt beside him and asked
him if he was all right.

He did not reply.

- What happened next?

- I informed acting
Sub-Lieutenant Hamilton

of the dead of Lieutenant Twiss.

He did not reply.

I again asked him
if he was wounded.

He replied, no.

- Did he say anything else?

- Yes, sir.

He said, he said, "You
carry on, Beatty."

- What did he mean by Beatty?

- Well, sir.

I imagine it was a reference
to the time

when acting Sub-Lieutenant
Hamilton was a midi,

uh, midshipman, sir.

I was his navigation instructor,

and some of the young
gentlemen referred to me,

in a playful manner, as Beatty,

on account of the angle
I wore my cap.

- All right.

Proceed with your evidence.

- I returned to the bridge and
put the boat back on course.

After he had lay in the smoke,

I was joined by acting
Sub-Lieutenant Hamilton,

and on his orders we proceeded
back to the rendezvous.

- Did you discuss
what had happened?

- No, sir, there was
too much to do.

There was the dead and
wounded to see to,

and the boat was
near to sinking.

- When acting Sub-Lieutenant
Hamilton told you

that he was not wounded,

and yet made no move to get up

or follow you back
to the bridge,

what did you think?

- I don't rightly
follow you, sir.

- Did you conclude that he
was incapable of doing so

through fear?

- I object.

Prosecuting officer
is putting words

into the mouth of the witness.

- Objection allowed.

The witness' thoughts
are irrelevant.

- I have no further questions.

- Does the defense wish to
cross-question the witness?

- If you please.

Acting Sub-Lieutenant
Hamilton's job

was commanding the foredeck,
was it not?

- Yes, sir.
- A very important one.

- Yes, sir.

- And your job as coxswain
was to steer

and navigate the boat?

-[Webb] Yes, sir.

- Now if acting Sub-Lieutenant
Hamilton had decided,

even though in command,
to remain on the foredeck,

would that have surprised you?

- No, sir.

- Which it seems is
exactly what he did.

Thank you, Chief Petty Officer.

- The witness may stand down.

- CMB 47B rejoined the
flotilla at 0247 hours

at the rendezvous.

Owing to her poor condition,
I took her in tow,

and took her crew on
board my own boat.

On the orders of the
force commander

we then proceeded back to port.

On the passage, Sub-Lieutenant
Hamilton

was ordered to my cabin to
make a report of the operation,

as was customary.

He said to me,

"Don't ask me what
happened, sir.

"I funked it and
let you all down.

"If you want to know
what happened, ask Webb.

"He saved the day, he
ought to get a medal."

I asked him to explain,

but he became incoherent
and broke down.

On return to port I put
acting Sub-Lieutenant Hamilton

in arrest and charged him
with his present offense.

- Sir Geoffrey Dillon, please
proceed with the defense.

- Thank you.

I call as witness Lieutenant
Lightfoot.

- Lieutenant Lightfoot
is prosecuting officer.

- He is also the accused's
commanding officer

and a very vital witness
in this case.

May I refer you to the
Admiralty memorandum

on court-martial procedures,
Section 685, paragraph two.

"The prosecutor is a
competent witness,

"as is a member of the court,

"and whether previously objected
to or not by either side,

"is not necessarily
disqualified from being examined

"as a witness should it be found

"that he can give material
evidence."

- Please carry on.

- You bear an especial
responsibility in this case,

do you not?

A very grave responsibility.

- Yes, I do.

- If acting Sub-Lieutenant
Hamilton

had not come to your
cabin and confessed to you

his supposed failure,

do you think he'd be here now?

- That is a hypothetical
question

which I'm unable to answer.

- Now you have told us that
he made incoherent statements

and broke down.

Did you not consider that
he was in a state of shock?

- I think everyone's in a
state of shock to some extent

after an action.

- It did not occur to
you that he was ill

and ought to see a doctor?

- He did not request it.

As it happened the one
doctor then available

had 23 wounded men to attend to.

Some of them dying.

- Now, you have quoted
the accused as saying,

"Don't ask me what
happened, sir, I funked it

"and let you all down.

"If you want to know
what happened, ask Webb.

"He saved the day, he
ought to get a medal."

Is that all Hamilton
said to you?

-[Lightfoot] I believe so.

- I don't think that was all.

You have your report,
pray consult it.

- He did make one other remark.

"I'm terribly sorry, sir,
it won't happen again.

"I'll know what to
expect next time."

- Thank you, Lieutenant
Lightfoot.

I have one more question
for you.

Do you think that instead
of arresting

acting Sub-Lieutenant Hamilton
you would have been wiser

to tell him to pull
himself together

and forget the whole thing?

- I believe I did my duty.

- Thank you, Lieutenant
Lightfoot.

Acting Sub-Lieutenant Hamilton

has not yet attained
his 18th birthday.

He is a young man whose
record up to this point

in the Royal Navy has
been irreproachable.

He would hardly have been
selected for promotion

at this tender age if
it had not been so.

He was chosen to take part
in this possibly difficult

and dangerous operation
for that very reason.

No one could have known
that within a few minutes

of acting Sub-Lieutenant
Hamilton going into action

against the enemy
he would undergo

an ordeal of shot and shell

that few sailors are
called upon to endure

in their whole careers.

The sea was boiling all round.

The foredeck,

which was acting Sub-Lieutenant
Hamilton's command,

was like hell.

It was a miracle that
anyone stayed alive.

Those are the statements
of the prosecution witness,

a chief petty officer,
an experienced sailor,

a man not given I would
imagine to making statements

of a wild or exaggerated nature.

Yet one man on that foredeck
did survive.

Acting Sub-Lieutenant Hamilton.

Is it surprising that as a
result of the shocking
explosions

all round him, his
brain and body

suffered a temporary paralysis?

Yet in spite of that, acting
Sub-Lieutenant Hamilton

was able to summon up
enough common sense

to order Chief Petty
Officer Webb to carry on.

Knowing that he himself
was temporarily incapable.

Every man is entitled
to his own opinion.

But I don't think that
fair-minded and experienced
officers

such as you gentlemen can
have any doubt, as I have not,

that this young man went
to his senior officer

and blamed himself, quite
wrongly as it happened,

risked his whole career, so
that his chief petty officer

should receive the recognition

which was undoubtedly his due.

What could be more honest,

more unselfish, more honorable?

I believe that in judging
this young man,

we should talk of
courage, not of cowardice.

I ask you to acquit acting
Sub-Lieutenant Hamilton,

to give him that honorable
discharge

which he so justly deserves.

Let him prove to you by
his own future conduct

that your trust in him
has not been misplaced

and that the steel of his
courage has been tempered

by his first and
terrible ordeal.

- It is now for the
prosecuting officer to sum up.

- This country is facing
one of the gravest crises

in her history.

The whole service awaits your
verdict with great interest.

Any weakness in your judgment
might give the backsliders

a chance to let their
country down in action.

Let your verdict on
Sub-Lieutenant Hamilton

be an example to them all.

- Clear the court.

-[Mrs. Hamilton] Thank
you, Sir Geoffrey,

I thought you were
quite splendid.

-[Hazel] After that they
couldn't possibly find him
guilty.

They simply couldn't.

- I don't know.

These men are naval officers,
you know, not judges.

They think differently, they
have different standards.

And of course they
put the Navy first.

Just as your son did,
Mrs. Hamilton.

- And my husband, yes that's
quite true, Sir Geoffrey.

- The court is reassembling.

- The court finds that
acting Sub-Lieutenant Michael

Drury Hamilton, through
cowardice,

did not during the action
between His Majesty's fleet

and the fleet of the
German Empire,

in his own person and
according to his rank,

encourage his inferior
officers and his men

to fight courageously.

And is guilty of the
act charged against him.

The court sentences the
aforesaid acting Sub-Lieutenant

Michael Drury Hamilton
to be reprimanded.

- Ruby?

What's happened to
my meat scraps?

They've all gone.

All them scraps the Major left.

- It must be the mice again.

- I'd like to see the mouse

that can climb up the
side of that saucepan,

lift off the lid and
put it back on again.

Human mouse, if you ask me.

But I'm not asking me,
Ruby, I'm asking you.

Have you been stealing
my scraps?

Have you?

- Oh no, honest Mrs. Bridges.

- What is the matter
now, Mrs. Bridges?

- Ruby's been stealing
my meat scraps,

that's what's the matter.

Of course she won't
admit it, not to me.

- Have you, Ruby?

- Well, I did take one
or two very little bits,

nothing more than
grease and skin.

For the poor animals at the zoo.

- Animals at the zoo?

- Yes, poor things.

They were so grateful,
they're half starved.

- Oh, to feed the
animals at the zoo

is a very Christian gesture
Mrs. Bridges.

I think she may be forgiven.

Oh, time for the Major's tea.

- It's all ready,
in the kitchen.

- Daisy, where is that girl?

- Oh, Daisy's gone
to like lay down.

Well, she was feeling poorly.

I'll take the tray
up Mr. Hudson.

- You will do nothing
of the sort.

I will take it up myself.

- I hope it's nothing
more than poorly.

What with the rationing
and the U-boats

and the Germans on our doorstep.

And if you so much as
touch one tiny scrap

in this house again,

I'll have Mr. Hudson take
you down to the station

and clap you behind bars.

You see if I don't.

- Yes, Mrs. Bridges.

- Sounds like a great
hoo-ha about nothing to me.

Sort of thing the Colonel
dealt with every day himself

when we were in action.

- I'm sorry

that you felt neglected.

Richard said that you had.

- Forget about it.

Just me making a fuss about
nothing in my usual spoilt way.

- When Rose comes back
from her holiday,

she's giving up her job
in the omnibuses.

She'll be here especially
to look after you.

- Well why should Rose
spoil her life just for me?

- Well I could get Nurse
Wilkins back if you'd prefer it.

- Forget about it.

Don't worry me about it, I'm
not worth it, I'm useless.

Just a burden to everybody.

And I'm not getting any better.

- Doctor Foley says
that you are.

It just needs time.

- That's what all the
bloody quacks say,

that's what they're paid for,
why can't they be honest?

Why can't anyone be honest?

If I was a horse or a
dog I'd be for the bullet

and good riddance.

(door knocking)

- Hudson?

-[Hudson] Madame.

-[Hazel] Thank you.

- Hudson, come in!

Don't you go sneaking
off like that.

You found a way of winning
the war yet?

- Well not exactly, Major.

- The soldiers would
find a way, guaranteed.

Put the Kaiser, little
Willy, Hindenburg,

in one frontline trench.

Lloyd George, Haig, Foch,
and all the froggy generals

in the one opposite.

Give them a thousand bombs
to throw at each other.

The war would be over in a week.

- Very good, Major.

Very good indeed.

Hudson?

Hudson, when Miss
Elizabeth and I

used to come to your pantry,

you'd do a trick for
us, do you remember?

- I can't say I--

- Yes yes, a very good
trick with matches.

- Oh, yes.

- Do it for me, here.

- Well, it's...

It's quite some time since I...

Let me see now.

There were the two
supports, right?

A wee bridge.

Across the middle.

Light the fire.

- Wonderful.

May I do it now?

- It could hardly have
been a better verdict

in the circumstances.

- No, it's a great relief.

I don't know what would
have happened

without your dear Sir Geoffrey.

I can't thank you enough
for finding him.

- Nothing.

No, Geoffrey's a
tower of strength

when it comes to a crisis.

- He pretends to be such
a dry old dragon.

He really has a heart of gold.

I just hope everyone...

I hope Michael won't think I
played the interfering mother

using money and influence
to get him off lightly.

- When my son was wounded at
Passchendaele last October,

I was easily persuaded,
against all my principles,

to go out in a private
ambulance and bring him back.

We're only human.

Well now it's all over,
you can forget it.

- Yes.

I wish I could persuade
Michael to do that.

- Oh he will, don't worry.

He'll get another chance.

This verdict won't damage
his career in the long run.

He's young.

- I wonder.

I know the Navy so well.

It's such a small
family, really.

Oh of course that's
it great strength.

It has its disadvantages.

In the future, whenever
Michael's name comes up

for a job or even in ordinary
conversation on a ship

or at a dinner party,

Michael Hamilton they'll think,
even if they don't say it.

That Charles' boy who
was court-martialed

for that business at Ostend?

Very sad.

Oh yes, I know so well.

- He'll just have to
take his chances

and prove them all wrong.

- Good evening, sir.

-[Bellamy] Hello.

- We ought to go, Mother,
I've kept the taxicab waiting.

- Michael's taking
me out to supper,

and then we're going
on to see a show.

- Chu Chin Chow, for
the third time.

- We both adore it.

And I must go up and tidy,
Hazel said I might use her room.

- Don't be too long.

- I won't be two shakes
of a duck's whisker.

- We've all heard that before.

Would you like a
glass of sherry?

- Thank you, sir.

- Oh, would you prefer
a cocktail?

- No, a glass of sherry,
thank you sir.

Thank you very much
for your help, sir.

- Well.

All's well that ends well.

Put it down to experience.

- Yes, sir.

- Sure you'll be all
right next time.

- Yes, I think I will.

But I don't expect there'll
be a next time for me.

Not in this war.

It wouldn't be fair with so
many of the other fellows

wanting a chance.

- That's true.

- It's no one's fault
but my own,

but I would have just
liked the chance

to show them all
I was all right.

For mother's sake as much as...

-[Bellamy] Well, that's quick.

Enjoy Chu Chin Chow again.

For the third time.

(footsteps tapping)

(door opening)

-[Mrs. Bridges] Daisy?

- Well?

- I thought you were
supposed to be poorly.

- Oh I was, I just popped out
for a breath of fresh air.

Mr. Hudson gone on patrol yet?

Well, what's wrong?

- There's a sergeant, I
mean soldier-sergeant,

with MP on his arm
outside with Mr. Hudson.

- What's that supposed to mean?

- That's what we wondered.

- Well, MP means
military police.

- I'd better go and
lay the dinner.

It's just his lordship
and Mrs. Bellamy isn't it?

- Sit down, Daisy.

That was the provost sergeant

from the Middlesex Regiment
depot at Mill Hill.

-[Mrs. Bridges] Whatever
did he want, Mr. Hudson?

- He wanted to know the
whereabouts of Edward,

who is absent without leave.

- Oh my lord.

Hope he's not ill again.

- I don't know, Mrs. Bridges.

If he was, the correct
procedure would have been

for him to see the
regimental doctor.

Which he has so far made
no effort to do.

- What's the use of that,

that doctor was the one who said

he was fit to go abroad again.

- Was he, Daisy?

Was he indeed, how interesting.

Especially as it happens
Edwards is one of the draft

due to leave for
France tomorrow.

- Oh.

That's not right.

- No, it's not right,
not Edward.

- No, it certainly isn't right.

You all know as well as I do

if Eddie has to go through

another barrage of shelling
like before,

he's going to be stark,
staring mad

for the rest of his life.

A sort of half-portion of a man.

Like the poor Major upstairs.

- Daisy, this is a
national emergency.

We are fighting at
the last ditch

with our backs to the wall.

- So you keep saying,
well why haven't you gone?

They're calling up
married men of 50

and there's nothing
wrong with you.

- Daisy, how dare you.

- If you want to know, I have
applied two or three times.

I'm told that there is
no time to train me.

And that anyway my job here is
of vital national importance.

- Quite right, too.

- I am told that there are many
worse than Edward going out.

And anyway, they're
only to be employed

in replacing lines of
communications troops

fit for the front.

- That's what they say.

- Where is Edward, Daisy?

- How should I know?

- I think you do know.

And you're not leaving
this room till you tell me.

Ruby, I think you know
too, where is he?

- Anyway, what business
is it of yours?

- It is my business because
as long as I'm butler here

I shall not stand aside
and see disgrace,

scandal, or rot sprout
from this house.

He is a former employee and
his wife works here, and...

And I am very fond of the boy.

- Oh, well you're so fond
of him you'd send him

to a loony bin for the
rest of his life?

- You're his wife, Daisy.

Are you prepared to ruin
his life and yours forever?

- That's nonsense.

He's only AWOL, he might
have to a week or two

in the glasshouse and that's
better than France any day.

- You have been strangely
misinformed, my girl.

Deliberately missing
a draft for France

is considered as much desertion

as running away from
the enemy in action.

Or worse.

Especially when the crime
is committed by a corporal

and an old soldier.

It is the worst crime
a soldier can commit.

A terrible example to the
young men in his regiment.

And there is a dreadful
punishment for it.

A firing squad at dawn.

- I don't believe you.

Mrs. Hamilton's son was
court-martialed for cowardice.

He got away with nothing
worse than a telling off.

- And that was quite
different, Daisy.

- Daisy.

For pity's sake, tell us.

- Mr. Hudson, Edward's--

- Ruby!

He's in his father's
house in Walthamstow.

It's been bombed, and
it's all boarded up.

And they're away.

- Thank you.

Ruby, fetch me the money box.

- But that's for our holiday.

- Fetch it!

Now, Daisy.

You will find a taxi meter,

drive to Walthamstow,
collect Edward,

and take him immediately
to Mill Hill,

and report to the
guard room there.

- Walthamstow to Mill
Hill in a taxi-meter cab?

- Who's going to
pay it all back?

- When I get to the
police station

I will telephone the
guard room at Mill Hill

and explain that Edward
has been suffering from

temporary loss of memory
and is now better.

Now is that clear now, Daisy?

- Yes, Mr. Hudson.

- Well off you go now,
my girl, quickly.

- What about dinner
and the bedrooms?

- Mrs. Bridges and Ruby
must hold the fort,

away you go, girl, quickly
now, quickly.

- Oh my god.

What ever next?

So that's what the meat
scraps was for.

Feeding the poor animals
at the zoo.

One of these days my girl,

that tongue of yours
is going to frizzle up

and stick to the roof
of your mouth.

Well then, what about
them vegetables?

- Oh...

The wickedness there
is in this world.

- Daisy, how's Edward?

- Sir, milord.

- What's the matter with Daisy?

- Oh, Edward went back to France

on a draft this morning, milord.

- Oh, poor girl.

Now would you please
find Mrs. Bellamy

and Mrs. Hamilton and
say I'd be very obliged

if they'd come to the
morning room immediately?

- Milord I think that
Mrs. Hamilton is already

a wee thing late for
her train to Scotland.

- Do as I say.

- Milord.

(women speaking)

- Richard.

You're back so early.

- Virginia my dear, do sit down.

You know how fond
we all are of you.

Virginia,

Michael was killed in
action in Ostend last night.

I've just been on the
telephone to Dover.

- How?

- Please tell me everything
you know.

- The night you went
to the theater,

I had a talk with Michael.

The next day I ran into
Roger Keyes at the Admiralty.

I'm afraid I'm not
explaining this very well.

- I understand.

- Roger Keyes is a great
admiral, great man.

A great leader.

He knew about Michael,
of course.

I think even before
I mentioned it,

he'd decided to give
him another chance.

It was this new business
at Ostend being planned.

- Keyes was Michael's
great hero.

Do you know what happened?

- I have a report.

I'll leave it here.

- You'll read it now, please.

- Are you sure?
- Yes I'm sure.

- Michael was on the
coastal motorboat

ordered to lead and escort
the blockship Vindictive

up the Channel to the
lock gates at Ostend.

And to place a calcic-phosphide
light buoy in position

to guide her.

As the port torpedo was
discharged at the lock gates,

the boat came under heavy
and accurate enfilade fire

from the western and
eastern piers.

Commanding the foredeck,
acting Sub-Lieutenant Hamilton

continued to return enemy
fire with his Lewis gun

in spite of the fact that
he was badly wounded.

When the signal came, he
somehow managed to launch

the marker buoy single-handed,

and light the fuse
before dying at his post.

There is no doubt that the
success of the whole operation

was ensured by the
consummate bravery

and the complete disregard
for his own safety

shown by this very gallant
young officer.

Please forgive me, Virginia,
for my part.

- Don't apologize, Richard.

If Michael's father
had been alive

it is exactly what he
would have wished.

For how can man die better

than facing fearful odds

for the ashes of his fathers

and the temples of his gods.

That was Michael's...

-[Hazel] I'll go to her.

- Is there anywhere in the world

a woman braver than that?

(orchestral music)