Original subtitles

Let's stop now, Derek.

We'll have to chance it. But it's the whole estate!

Thank you. Thank you! Sorry. Fans.

Got everything? Er, the dog's in the kennels, and I cancelled the interview.

He didn't mind? Melvyn bragg? No. Well, he is pretty ga-ga these days.

You should drive an electric.

This is bad for my image. So? What about my image?

Gavin: Fine. Thank you(!)

Tim: If you don't want a lift, then get out!

I'm very sorry! No, please!

Not even one encore? I told you, Alberto - not tonight!

But the audience! What do I tell them?

It's new year's Eve - there's a place I must be!

No autographs! Jack - Kennedy airport, and step on it!

Sorry about that. I had the bishop on the phone. We're in a state over the abdication!

Oh, that! Have a beer! Thank you.

Are we on time? He hates lateness.

Car computer says four and a half hours. Cheers!

American accent: Ok, mom?

Are you gonna tell me? What?

You fly 2,000 miles, get me to drive another 600, and it's a party!

I'm very grateful, Barney.

What is this? Who are these people?

Just friends. People I used to work with.

You used to work? Like, you had a job?

I helped manage a leisure centre!

Ha! You're kidding!

In fact, I was rather good at it.

You've come from Chicago to spend an evening with people you worked with?

There's a bit more to it than that. It's a long story.

We've still 200 miles to go. It's not a secret, is it?

No, there's nothing secret about it! Go on, mom.

Well, I suppose it all began 30 years ago.

Mr brittas wouldn't let anyone go home.

We can't go home?! No, Linda. The police have warned people not to.

Why did we come in? Tim! Supposing we'd had a customer!

I've got a fancy dress!

We have people coming to dinner! We all had plans. Carole wants to go home to her baby.

Yes, mr brittas. Absolutely right.

But, like us, she has to put it on the back burner and sleep here!

No way! I spent £15 on my costume. I'm going home!

Sorry, Julie. I cannot let my staff go out in this!

Is it that bad? Bad enough for a lorry to crash into the badminton hall! Thank you, Laura.

The lines are all still down.

Right! How's the lorry driver? I asked him to stay, but he preferred the snow.

If he can make it, I can. Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh!

No! There's a blizzard out there, and a wind-chill factor of minus 30.

Only a lunatic would go out in conditions like that.

Hello, Gordon? Can you let me in?

What were you doing, darling? My pills - you said you'd get them from the chemist.

Don't say you forgot! Oh, Gordon!

Ha, ha! Oh, give them to me!

Of course, I didn't forget, but next time...

What about the weather? Closing in. I came because I've only three left.

-We're stuck here? -What'll we do?

We're going to seize this opportunity that fate has thrown our way!

What opportunity is that? Think, Laura, think!

We're starting work together. This is our big chance to bond together as a team!

You want us to bond, mr brittas?

Colin! Just for once we have time to have seminars and do role plays,

to work out which direction we're going towards - or maybe just sit around and have a good old chat!

Oh god! Try one of these, Julie.

Trust me! This is going to be fu-UN!

No more coal?!

It's a big place!

The coal lorry came on Christmas Eve! But you told him if he was late, he needn't turn up at all!

Right. How long will it last? What? The coal we have now.

Colin! How long will the coal last?

Well...

Machine bangs and hisses

at least we still have power!

Bad news there as well, Laura. It's a brand new generator, Colin!

The spare generator's fine, but it's gone flat out for two days, and...

We've got no petrol. Exactly. Right. Come on.

..No heat, limited electricity, and the weather will be bad for days.

How do you know? He's been on the roof, signalling.

I have made contact with a boy scout in sycamore road, who also knows morse...

-And according to a report on blue Peter - well done! -The weather won't improve for several days.

Consequently, I'm declaring a shift from code green to code purple.

Remind us, mr brittas which is code purple?

A potentially life-threatening situation, which enables me to commandeer resources.

Now, this is all the food we have.

Let's use the canteen! It's sealed by the police until after the inquests.

But if there's food there... Gavin, you wouldn't want to touch it.

Nothing else anyone would like to tell us about? No secret supplies...

..People may have hidden away somewhere...?

Tim! No!

Tim, people might get angry if they find out later someone's been holding something back.

Just cos I had the sense to go shopping yesterday... Put it on the table, please, Tim.

Not fair. Tim!

Thank you. Anything else? It's just booze.

Make him share, Gordon. On the table.

Right. I shall be cataloguing these resources,

and working out a fair rationing system. All right? In the meantime,

I'll lock it away with three padlocks. Three?!

Yes, one for me, and one each for my deputies. In case one goes mad.

However, as I see it, the main danger we face is not lack of food, but a weakening of morale.

So I've laid on extra activities, starting with a spelling contest... Groaning

..and another level to the badminton tournament.

Sorry, but have you heard the helicopters?

What? Helicopters - listen!

Whirring they've come to drop supplies! We're saved!

Right! Follow me!

How will they get them to us? What? The supplies! We'll never find them in the snow! Well...

We can't leave the building! The authorities can cope with this, Linda.

They'll be able to deliver food.

Loud crashing

right - nothing simpler(!)

You won't believe this! I was in the corridor...

Bring it in, Colin. Yes, mr brittas. We've had a helicopter drop.

Stand back! There's enough for all!

Is that it? Cattle cake and pig nuts?

What do they think they're doing?! Is that all?

No - we've got ointment for fungal infection in hooves!

And a note - "next drop Saturday. Chin up to all at sunny hill farm."

There's more, mr brittas. What? Ten bales of hay and a box of candles.

A big help - just what we need(!)

Groaning get the candles, Colin.

I've made a new system based on weight and calorific needs. It's very simple.

Names at the sides, foods at the bottom.

For example, Linda's breakfast is two carrots, a sardine

and an after eight. Psst. Carole?

Why don't I get a sardine? Carole, some people are more valuable to the group than others.

Any more questions? Can we eat, Gordon? All in good time, darling.

Everyone should have a nutritional intake...

For god's sake, we're starving to death here! All right, form a queue!

This way - alphabetical order!

Mr brittas! Colin, you're with me. Yes, mr brittas, I know, but...

Let's not discuss it. We all want to have our breakfast. Yes, mr brittas.

Right. I shall go first...

Now you, Laura.

Colin. Mr brittas...

Do it, Colin. I can't. Colin, don't tell me you've lost your key.

No, not "lost". Where is it, then?

It's in my coat pocket, in the gents' cloakroom.

Well, get it! I can't!

In here? Yes, mr brittas, but...

When the helicopter dropped the bags, one must have come through the roof and broken a water pipe.

Your key's in there? On the left.

Can't we get the food? Not until it melts, Tim.

We're all gonna starve, and then freeze - and then we're gonna die!

No-one will die. There's a very simple answer to all this.

Colin will drill around the padlock and the door will open.

Breakfast rations will be issued.

Smashing glass what was that? I heard glass!

Something's broken, mr brittas.

Not the Brandy - please, please! Let it not be the Brandy...

Helen, all right. Careful, careful. Let me see.

Screaming get a fire extinguisher!

You've set fire to it, you stupid, stupid man!

There, mr brittas! Well done, Gavin.

All right, everyone. Panic over!

So's breakfast!

Food? No.

Right. Power? I'm working on it, but at the moment - none.

Right, and no let-up in the weather.

So - no heat, no light, no food...

So it's important we have a good sing-song tonight! Not another one?

Last time, Laura, people just didn't know the words.

I've had Carole write out these song sheets.

I'm h-a-p-p-y, down on jollity farm...

I see, mr brittas. You're picking the bright ones. How very clever!

If they won't sing, they can be a band. Colin on harmonica, Tim on bean bag shaker...

No beans. What? No beans! That was yesterday's soup

ok, use gravel. A sing-song isn't going to save us!

We must do something. Must we? We can't abandon them. You saw morale. I walk in and a fight breaks out.

Loud thuds good grief, what's that?

What are you doing? That's centre property!

It's wood! For a fire! That's Julie's door!

What if she has work to do? Don't be a prat!

We need heat or we'll die.

We can do it without ruining the leisure centre. Move, Gordon.

No! I won't let you ruin my centre.

No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

I said no!

It's the cupboard... Or we freeze.

They're personal things. Just the door, then.

It's just documents! They'll burn!

No, please! No, not the drawer, just the bits round it.

I've got it. Look!

We're meant to share food. I haven't any food.

There's juice here. It's not mine.

She's got more in the drawer. No, I haven't!

Leave her alone! The men always crack first.

What's happening? She's been hoarding food.

There'll be more. That's no excuse for brawling!

Yes, it is. This is chocolate dessert. She's got ten jars of it.

See what else she's got. I can explain. You see.

Is it something else we can eat? Only as a last resort.

Julie: What a new year's Eve! Tim: It's not, is it?!

Carole: I'd lost track of the days.

Gavin: The start of a new decade, we're here, in a cellar, eating baby food.

Ģ I'm rather enjoying it. What!?

Normally, I'm with Gordon's family. But it's nice being with people I like. Is it?

It's like being at boarding school. All chaps together, having fun.

"Fun" is not how I'd describe the last few days.

I agree with her. You may have plans for the holiday,

but Ben's father and I are having a bad time just now.

It's rather a relief to be here.

You've been so nice about the baby. It's like having a family.

I can't see the good of being starved and frozen to death by a man who gets us up at 5.30 for community singing.

Julie! I don't mean to be rude, mrs brittas, it's just... He's awful!

That's not fair. You don't have to defend him.

I don't defend him, and I'm his wife. He works very hard.

Whatever's happened these last few days, we can... Learn from him. What?

Learn from brittas? What have you learnt?

All right. Tolerance. He's not very tolerant, is he?

I mean, he's made me more tolerant. Everything used to annoy me -

traffic, rudeness, the post office. Now, they don't. They don't matter.

You see, it's making you a better person.

It's like police horses, isn't it? Sorry, Colin?

Police horses. They wave flags in their faces, stick forks in their backsides and let off fireworks.

So when it's the big parade, they can take anything. That's it.

I'd rather be somewhere with clean clothes and a drink - it's not quite party time.

Stop there! That, I may be able to provide.

As you may know, I have been boiling cattle cake.

We're not gonna eat it!

And from this corn mash base, using waste heat from the boiler,

and with this simple copper tubing, I have produced some fuel.

You've made a still! When put in our emergency generator... give me that.

Of course. With a few adjustments to the carburettor,

this is alcohol! 120% proof, mrs brittas.

Can we use it as fuel? It needs more additives.

That's not bad! Mrs brittas, I don't think you should be drinking that!

We only have a very small amount. How much?

Eight pints, but I'm hoping... Eight pints?

She's right. It's ok!

I think if we add blackcurrant juice... now try that, Laura.

I meant that spirit to provide heat and light. I think it does both quite well.

At least leave me enough to power the emergency exit signs.

Ah!

Look what I found! Where was that?

I suddenly realised. There's masses of wood, out there... In the lorry. A table, tea chests...

What lorry?

The one that crashed. It's got the set and costumes for an inspector calls.

-Clean clothes? -Yeah.

Tables and chairs? Probably got China and cutlery.

Yeah, there's whole crates of it. Why, what is it?

Well, that's made a difference.

It looks quite jolly. Much warmer.

More stuff for the boiler, please.

Coming up - one Mary and the visitation

I make that the last of the pictures, Linda.

It's only a prop! "On loan from the national gallery".

Oh.

Typical! What? The men leaving the women to do all the work.

Sorry I can't help, mrs brittas. How's it going?

No problems. With all the resources here, what could be easier than to make a simple radio receiver? Good.

Who's here? There's one too many places. Mr brittas.

Yes. Where is he? On the roof. Gavin and Tim have gone for him.

What's he doing? Signalling for help. I hope he's ok.

He's only got his jacket on. He gave that to me. I was a bit cold earlier.

Mr brittas!

Don't straighten him till he's thawed out.

We should warm him with our bodies. A last resort, Linda.

He was still signalling. He'd tied himself to the guttering!

Come on, Gordon.

Now. Drink this. What is it?

There's no time for a debate!

It's like a cartoon - Sylvester's frozen and the glow goes up from his feet.

What's happening? Where are we? In the boiler room. I'm about to serve supper.

You found food? It's not much of a meal. Egg and rice, spring lamb and pureed spinach.

We'll finish up with stewed apple and rusk surprise. So, if you'd like to take your seats.

Come on, Gordon.

There we are.

Who's for a little egg and rice? Before we start...

Could I say something, please? Only if it's very short.

I'd like to say, it'll be all right. What will?

I spoke to the lad in sycamore road. He says newsround reported a warm front.

Snow's clearing in wales - it'll be gone tomorrow. Then you can go home.

Home?

And... I'd also like to apologise.

The last few days haven't been easy, and I, as your leader, to an extent, take the responsibility for that.

It's all right. What?

We didn't mind... Really. Some of us have rather enjoyed it.

Some of us haven't. But we didn't mind, either. Not that much.

I'm proud. I'll admit I thought morale was beginning to crack.

But how wrong I was.

This is a good time to share with you an idea that I think you'll find exciting.

I haven't told anyone this before, but...

I... have a dream.

A dream that one day...

Hold it, everybody. I think I've got it. Yes!

Bells chime

happy new year, everybody!

Happy new year!

♪ Should auld acquaintance be forgot

♪ and never brought to mind

♪ should auld acquaintance... ♪

you know, I think we should do this every year.

♪ ..For auld lang syne, my dear

♪ for auld lang syne... ♪

So you've met every year since then?

Every new year's Eve for 30 years. Wow!

It's funny - mr brittas always wanted us to bond as a team.

And we did. It was the only way to survive.

Colin!

You got pretty close? Yes.

That's not why we meet. It's to say thank you.

Thank you?! Look at them, Barney.

Three millionaires, a pianist, an archdeacon and a government minister.

Not what normally happens to staff at a leisure centre! I guess not.

But ours was no normal centre. We walked through fire together...

Literally, on some occasions.

And it changed us.

Thanks. See you tomorrow. Ok, mom.

General murmur drowns conversation

I liked the new book. Thank you.

One for the TV? Not a cookery book - a novel.

About a useless sports centre manager whose staff detest him. It's funny.

People ask how I got the idea! Oh, it brings back memories!

These herbal remedies are making money. Can't complain. We go public next year.

You always liked the country.

I saw this valley... I thought, "at last, I can live at one with nature".

So you took up shooting? I found I really enjoyed it. You killed these?

Every one. I'm glad you're interested. Let me tell you how I got this one.

Sebastion coe is the best pm we've had since John Major. I see.

Still, we might lose this election.

Forty years of Tory rule, people may want a change. How are the children?

Very well. The twins are at Cambridge with Laura's Barney. Good.

Ben's in the Navy - in military submarines. Marvellous.

How he can bear those enclosed spaces, goodness knows!

Ladies and gentlemen, sir Gordon and lady brittas.

Sorry we're late, everyone.

Good to see you, mr brittas. Colin! Trouble on the motorway, I'm afraid.

He had to stop and report a man with a faulty fog-light. Let me get you a drink, mrs brittas. Thank you.

My word, we've put on a bit of weight, haven't we, Carol?

Too much time at the piano. Possibly, mr brittas.

Thank you, Tim. And thanks for sending me your book.

Not my cup of tea, but someone may buy it, eh?

Sorry, Linda. Mind yourself there. How are you these days? Fine, mr brittas.

Sorry to hear about you and Edward splitting up. He died. Did he?

Now you can find someone your own age, eh?

A UN peace envoy, and he still has the knack, eh?

Don't worry. As long as he's happy. Why do you put up with him? He'll never change!

We wouldn't have him any other way. That's why we invite him. If you'd take your seats.

Come on. Oops-a-Daisy. How many have you had?

Now, did you take my advice about having your tubes tied?

Tut-tut-tut-tut!

He clinks a glass

before I ask Linda to say grace,

perhaps Laura would be kind enough to honour us with our toast.

To friendship. To tolerance. And to the man who made us what we are.

Mr brittas. Mr brittas.

Mr brittas mr brittas.

Mr brittas. Mr brittas.