Original subtitles

♪ We are the ones with the dirty jobs

♪ I've nowhere to go, nothing to show

♪ For the time spent loving you

♪ We are the ones who get no choice

♪ Standing on your own

♪ You feel so alone

♪ But there's a growing voice

♪ Saying we don't have to take it

♪ A bed and a sink

♪ They're not enough

♪ You gave me that much

♪ But you've lost your touch

♪ I can do without it now

♪ We are the ones who can leave it all

♪ Steam up for the day

♪ Blow the whole world away

♪ And slam shut the door

♪ 'Cause we're not gonna take it ♪

They can't pull this place down, they can't.

He's gone.

He's taken everything.

Only thing left is one pair of shoes under the bed.

How can he have just walked out like that?

'' l can't live with you,'' he said.

''You're a slag.'' Packs his stuff.

l called him a German poof.

He went mad.

He ripped off all my clothes, hit me in the mouth.

My lip's killing me.

Why don't you have a good steam?

l know you'll say that l've got to get a job,

l've got to stand on my own two feet.

How can l find a job like this?

l've got to have excitement, or l die.

l couldn't stand the boredom of it.

l'd go mad.

He can't have just left like that, can he?

Well, love, he has ...so he can.

Now that it's happened, you've just got to face it.

What's going to happen to me now, Violet?

Right now you're going to take off your clothes

and have a good steam-up.

l even went down on my knees to him.

l begged him, l even said l'd try and stop swearing.

l've got this horrible feeling.

lt came up from deep down inside of me.

lt's a terrible feeling.

l'm all choked up.

l said l've got to get meself a job.

He said your place is in the home.

'' l've got no money,'' l said.

See, my wrists, they're all bruised.

That's from banging them against the wall!

Trouble is, l know that it's hopeless.

l want him back, Vi.

l want him back more than anything.

lt's starting to snow again.

Shut up, Bill. You've been saying that for years.

This place was built as a luxury for working people, not a shithouse.

Yes, love?

- ls Sarah Constable here? - Uh, no. Not yet.

Er, she always comes on a Friday, though.

One of my regulars, is Sarah.

Not as regular as some, but most Fridays.

l expect she'll be here soon. She loves a good steam-up.

- You had your roof fixed yet, Mrs M? - No.

But l've always been a lucky person.

Perhaps it'll stop when the weather gets better.

lt'll frighten Dawn to have a man climbing about on the roof.

- Might fall through! -

Why don't you have a steam-up while you're waiting? Tea?

No. l'll wait for Sarah to come and show me the ropes.

You ought to get them to re-house you.

l like the early morning in the summertime.

ln the summertime l go out and water my garden.

They wouldn't give me a garden if l moved.

Besides, l'd rather have a hole in the roof than leave my garden.

Mum made me a lovely dinner yesterday, Vi.

Roast chicken, roast potatoes, bread sauce, cauliflower.

- Gravy! - Gravy!

Very nice.

We did enjoy it. Enjoyed it, yes, lovely, Mum.

Hi, Josie.

They do look good, don't they?

You're back with that foreign fellow. l can tell.

Yeah! Do you know what?

l've got my rollers in my hair, a long nightdress,

the top of a pair of old pyjamas...

..and he still wants to fuck me.

His life is automatic.

Get up, get dressed, go to work,

come home, have dinner, have a wash, watch telly, have a screw.

Only thing he does like - sex, every night, and loads of it.

l'm even getting sick of that.

- And you know me, l love it. - You want to get decent fellow.

A decent man! There aren't any of those anymore.

My husband was a gentleman,

but that's because he was seventeen years older than me.

He never interfered with me, not after Dawn was born.

- Well, you can't have my husband. - Well, there you are.

So, l'm stuck with my Jerry.

Oh, he said to me, Vi, '' l'm bored.''

''Oh, so you're bored, are you?''

So l picks up his shirt

and one by one,

l start twisting off the buttons.

One, two, three, four.

''There you are,'' l says,

''Go and sew those back on. That'll give you something to do.''

Well, he just looks at me. Stared at me, like this.

Then he says, '' Do you like snow?''

'' Not much,'' l says.

And he goes to my cupboard and gets out a bag of flour

and scatters it everywhere.

lt gone all over the place. l just laughed.

He didn't laugh.

He sat and stared at me while l cleaned up.

Oh, there's no joy there.

l'm so sorry l'm late.

l was early.

Both my assistants went out

for long business lunches and there was a crisis.

- Hi, Sarah. - Hello.

Nothing makes me more angry than their expensive lunches.

No wonder young men get heart attacks.

- You look great. - So do you.

You haven't changed a bit.

- But you've had masses of children. - Only three.

Come on, let's take our things off. l'll show you around.

- Hello. - Oh, Nancy, this is Violet.

- Hello, Violet. - Violet takes care of us all here.

When l'm in debt, like now, it's as if only half of me were there.

The other half's going round and round in my head.

Shall l pay me electric?

Shall l pay me telephone bill?

lf l sell that carriage clock, l might be able to settle the gas bill.

Round and round. Oh, it drives you mad!

There's only three ways of getting money.

One, you inherit it, two, you marry it, three, you earn it.

Well, three's out. So what can l do?

Get yourself a job, love.

What? ln Woolworths?

l'd go mad with boredom, you know l would.

l'd like to work in Woolworths.

Sarah, the most ghastly thing's happened.

- What is it? - The washing machine's broken.

The man promised to come yesterday. And l waited for him all day.

- He never turned up? - No.

And, to top it all, as l was leaving on my way to come over here,

poor Nina was sick all over the bedroom carpet.

Poor thing, she's fifteen years old.

Oh, dogs! We become so dependent on them.

Here, Josie.

He's going to have to pay my bills. lt's not that l'm greedy.

lt's just that l haven't got it.

And Oliver split with his girlfriend.

Since he's going to be at university in York,

what's the point of having a girlfriend in London?

He wouldn't be able to see her at weekends.

Come on. Let's go.

- Here's your usual. - Oh, Violet.

l brought this fabulous shampoo from Paris.

- You must try it. - l didn't think l'd wash my hair.

What? But that's part of it!

Hey, you've got to surrender to all the sensations

- that water can give you. -

You've got the cold shower stinging your skin,

the softness of the steam.

lt's excellent to take a cold drink when you've been in the heat.

The scrubbing, lathering, hot and cold water

being thrown all over you.

The icy shock of the plunge.

How could you possibly leave out your hair?

Let's get into the steam. You'll love it.

Blood red...silk.

A pool...of red...silk.

My body...slipping

from side...to side...

..on this...blood...

red...silk.

l was just wondering if what l'd like would be

a piece of fried pork with an egg on it.

Or eggs and bacon and beans.

Or...a leg of lamb

with fresh mint from the garden

what the frost hasn't killed,

roast potatoes,

carrots,

and then...a lovely steam pudding

with treacle poured all over it.

- Try it, it's special. - You must tell me about your job.

Oh, l come here to get away from it.

My offices are in the new block just around the corner.

Even my secretary doesn't know about this place.

l love it, but you have to work terribly hard.

lt was a surprise when you took up law. Blast!

- What is it? - l left the vinegar in the decanter.

lt was stained. You get stains out of cut-glass decanters

by filling them with salt and vinegar.

That's really useful information! Come on.

Take your hat off.

l never use shampoo.

lt's a waste of money.

Were you surprised when l got in touch with you after all this time?

lt was a nice surprise.

l was nervous how you'd get on with William.

Or how he would get on with me.

Do you miss living with a man?

No, not the with men l have lived with.

Hm, the problem is that l do fancy men.

l would like to be with one man,

but l don't want any of the hassle that comes with them.

- ♪ And you can't have one... - ..without the other.

Dawn and me look forward to coming here all the week.

lt's our big day.

lt's boring all the other days.

You be quiet!

You get well looked after, don't you?

lt's boring!

She's been hearing the policemen again.

She thinks they're hiding in the garden, watching her.

These three policemen, Dawn keeps on seeing them.

We've always been a decent family. Kept ourselves to ourselves.

Never let my children play in the streets.

l've lived round here most of my life and l've never had hot water.

Then l'm lucky, 'cause if l had hot water l'd be like Josie,

always worrying about the bills

and l wouldn't get the company l get here.

Dawn, up on the scales.

l'm not going back to skipping whatever Auntie Bernice says!

Get up. l want to see how you're doing.

Oh, you'd better have a good steam-up.

You've put three pounds on since last week.

No, l haven't. lt's me hair what's grown.

Oh, no, it is not. lt's those jelly babies you keep eating.

Mind, not all the neighbours are good.

There's an old woman in the street.

She says she's seen her drinking gin

and attempting to sing in the microphone.

My Girl! Shouldn't never go in the pub.

You're so marvellously sexy.

How do you get more sexy-looking as time goes by?

Well, l don't feel it.

But l do seem to be more energetic.

- - lt's hot!

l don't.

l mean, l get energetic at home, looking after everything,

trying to make sure everything really works.

- Actually, l don't get out much. - lt's rather nice coming here.

Nice?

lt's wonderful coming here.

You know, you look a bit hurt,

a bit forlorn.

Perhaps you out to get out more.

Now that the children are older, why don't you get a job?

l wanted to get a job, but William said

we couldn't afford the extra help.

What possible use can one be in the big wide world

when all one knows how to do is to stay in

and wait for the telephone engineer,

the gas man, the man from the electricity board,

the man to fix the washing machine?

Why is it always men, l wonder?

l suppose all the women are waiting in like me.

Ladies-in-waiting!

lt sounds like Buckingham Palace or a prison.

And you have to be there

every day when they get back from school.

Always be there.

Otherwise your friends say you'll have neglected children,

they'll turn into delinquents,

they'll steal, take drugs...

..and they'll end up dead from an overdose.

So different from your life.

l used to get terribly hurt,

but l protect myself now.

How do you do that?

Well, l listen a lot...

..not like at school.

l think a lot more.

lt's become a habit to put in more hours and thought

than might be considered normal,

making it pretty damn hard for them to attack me

and tell me l'm wrong or that l'm stupid, or that l'm lazy.

Work is a great protector.

Here, Celia, you come from a good home.

ls this normal?

He has it six times the other night,

and after every time he went and had a wash

and he expects me to do the same.

l was trooping back and forth all night.

Mad bastard!

No wonder l'm wore out.

Mm.

My cat stayed out all night.

Never done that before.

l shouldn't worry. He's probably got a girlfriend.

He's not interested in girlfriends.

He's been doctored.

Mind you, it could be the toms are making his life a misery.

l had a friend once, she had a doctored tom.

There weren't any females in the area.

Local toms made his life a misery.

Took him for a female.

Made his life a misery.

l was just wondering how it was that you got started.

- One minute you were, sort of, jet set. - Drop out!

Well... And the next you're a qualified lawyer.

How did you take off?

Well, l went to see old Mr Nicholas, my father's solicitor.

He looked at me so sadly.

He said, ''With your academic record, had you been your father's son,

''you would be head of a large corporation by this time.''

Suddenly l got very angry.

l said to him, '' How do you do it? How do l go about it?''

He helped me. He really encouraged me.

And l worked hard,

but it took a long time.

Work, goodness, it can't just be work.

Ooh!

Give yourself a good hard rub.

Oh, it's warm, it's luxury.

l wish that l dared get in the plunge.

lt's not deep, it's only very cold.

l feel beautifully healthy. l'm dying for a cigarette.

Oh, l'm frightened of water.

l never learnt to swim.

There's always a problem somewhere.

Enjoy yourself while you can. That's what l always say.

l'm frightened of putting me head right under.

So now l'm going to be working. Just like you.

At least my body will be admired and not abused.

That's a start.

The club's topless and l've just got to wear seamless tights

and this blood-red shawl round me waist.

- Exactly what l should wear at work. - l've seen a jacket just like yours.

Now l'm going to have some money.

l know l'm extravagant with clothes, but that's me.

l've always been like that.

You've got lovely kids, Violet.

And not one of them in borstal. You're lucky!

Listen, if anyone ever says,

'' lsn't Violet lucky? She's got four lovely kids,''

you tell them l sweated blood every moment of their growing.

And if they're any good now, that's why.

My little boy's been stuck in reform school since he was fifteen.

Just like his dad.

How about your kids, Nancy?

My eldest is about to go to university,

my youngest is about to go to boarding school.

l bet you did it all just right.

Always in bed early, so you could cook the kids' breakfast in the morning.

Sometimes l resented it. l never said so.

Once they all forgot my birthday. The whole family.

l'd never reminded them. l just thought to myself,

''You're going to grow up into horrible people and it's all your fault.''

l wish my Johnny had gone to university instead of borstal.

All he knows is thieving.

ls your husband well-off, Nancy?

We were pretty hard-up when we first married.

Now we've got a lot of school fees, so we had to give up our skiing break.

- You mean you've never been in debt? - No!

Fuck me!

That's the first time l've ever met anyone who's never been in debt.

My husband left me.

Why didn't you tell me?

Last summer, one evening, we were going out for dinner.

l'd put my dress out.

lt was one l adored. l'd had it for ages. With a Victorian laced bodice.

l got it from Laura Ashley when they first opened.

l was resting. William was a little late home.

The magnolia was in blossom outside the open window.

He came upstairs. He sat on the edge of my bed.

'' l've fallen in love with someone else,'' he said.

'' l want to leave.'' And he left that evening, after seventeen years.

l remember wondering,

as l looked at my dress, what l'd done wrong.

l hope you find someone else for yourself.

You can't find someone else when you've got children.

Why not?

A man's scared of taking on a woman with children.

Besides, it would upset them.

l reckon Sarah's got an advantage there.

Please don't tell me what advantage l may or may not have.

Children...they always seem to be a mistake.

When you don't want them, there they are.

And when you get rid of them, you want them again.

Children!

Babies!

Course you couldn't say it to Sarah,

but l feel l would have missed something

- if l hadn't had my little boy. - Oh, l absolutely agree.

But, l mean, you need a man and somewhere to live.

The sort of life you had.

Do you live in a big house?

Oh, now that's just the sort of place that l'd like.

Look at the windows.

- Must have a load of rooms? - Yes, far too many.

Oh, l'd just like to lie there,

and have people pay to come and look at me.

l wouldn't have to move a muscle.

l'd just lie there in the nude.

And everybody would pay to come and have a good look.

Mum's not well.

She told me to come. l've come on me own.

What's the matter with her?

Sick... it came up like a fountain.

l had to run and fetch a great big bowl.

- When was that? -

Last night, when we was lying in bed.

lt was dark, except for the telly.

And she says,

''We are born to die.''

How is she now?

She's sleeping.

She told me to come.

l didn't want to leave her, but she says,

'' l ain't having you hanging around me no more, Dawn.

''Violet will make you a sandwich.''

Why don't you go in the steam with Sarah?

No. l want to have a good cry.

Well, the steam's a good place for crying.

- Has she seen the doctor? - No. Auntie Bernice came over.

She called me an idle slut.

And said Mum ain't going to get better no more

and she'll have me put away.

She was angry with me 'cause the milk was still on the step at half past ten.

She doesn't understand, does she?

Thanks.

Here, Nance,

can you see if that's a little spot l've got on me beautiful bum?

l can't see anything.

Here, look at you in the mirror!

Oh, God, is that face really mine?

You're not a bad-looking woman. A lot of fellows would fancy you.

Take a good look at yourself.

Another thing, you've got sexy legs!

Mine only look good when l wear me high heels.

When we first got married,

William made me walk about naked,

said l had the most beautiful body he'd ever seen.

He refused to let me be shy.

He took hundreds of photographs.

lt's funny, really.

Now l look at my face and l see this intense woman

with blue eyes and unfamiliar face.

Do you know what my mum said to me the other day?

She said that my arse was bigger than hers.

Well, l could have died.

''Your arse, Mum, is twice the size of mine.''

'' lt's all according to how you look at it,'' she says.

'' l stick out more in front because l've had so many children.''

That really got on my nerves.

Listen, whatever you want, my love, you go ahead and you get it.

l don't stint meself. lf l don't get what l want, l'm miserable.

- Do you always know what you want? - No, l don't!

Sometimes l feel all anyhow and l couldn't care less.

But mostly l know.

Bill? Gas conked out.

l'm not complaining, l'm telling you.

Oh, great!

l'll tell the management what l think of them in four-letter words.

Celia, keep an eye on things for me.

Sure, OK.

Why are men such shits?

lt's weakness. lt is, it's weak.

Because it's easier to be a shit.

Easier not to say what you're going to do,

not to ring when you say you'll ring, not to arrive when you say you'll arrive.

To tell you bleeding lies every time they open their bleeding mouths!

Well, we mustn't let them be shits.

lt's our fault we let them get away with it.

- Why do we let them get away with it? - They think they're important.

Mothers who do everything for their sons.

Yes, perhaps it is us.

When l had my first baby, l remember the nurse saying,

''Wake up, dear, you have a son.''

l can remember the thrill at those words.

l kept repeating them over all that week.

l may be only a woman but l have given birth to a male.

For me, that was the ultimate success.

You see...

..they are conditioned from the very start to feel important.

That's been part of the kick now that l'm working.

'Cause what l do is recognised, it's considered important.

l know, l know what it's like to be at home

doing those undefined things that women do.

The stresses and strains. Oh, the responsibilities.

Most professional career women do forget. You probably will.

You will give me a timely kick up the arse if l show any signs of it!

Why don't we believe we are as important as men?

l don't mean better or worse but as important.

lt's as if men hadn't realised

how exciting it could be to know a woman...really well.

Well, that's a thrilling moment in any woman's life.

You had your first kid.

Oh, for the first time l felt a real woman.

But most of the time l was acting...the perfect wife.

Even in bed, it never occurred to me that l could ask for what l wanted.

What? You never told him what you really felt?

l tried telling him once, but he said,

'' Don't disturb me now, l've got a heavy workload.''

You shouldn't have let him get away with that.

You should have yelled at him,

''What are you then, a man or a toad?

''You're supposed to be my husband! l'm your wife!''

That's what l used to say to my old man.

l'd have a row, we'd make it up

and then he'd cuddle me up and say, ''Josie, l love ya.''

lf he hadn't been done for the jewellery robbery

and got sent down for fifteen years, l'd have been all right.

Most men aren't worth bothering about!

What would we have to get excited over?

- Shall l weigh myself? - No, don't you bother about nothing.

What's the matter, Vi?

l just...l just can't believe it.

What?

They're closing the place down.

The management just told me they...

They're gonna close. The bastards!

- What's happening? - They're closing the baths.

The management said,

they're going to build a...a leisure centre

with a big underground car park.

l told him l had 1 23 customers last week,

but he said that wasn't enough. The place is obsolete.

Course, they've been running it down for years on purpose.

They said that the council say

that people want leisure centres, not baths.

They've done market research.

Well, we're people, aren't we?

Where does he think l'm going to have my fantasies?

Anyhow, my flat's freezing.

- Mum and me won't be allowed to come? - No one'll be able to come.

They're going to close.

No!

- Dawn! -

Dawn, don't!

Dawn, shush.

- We're not going to let them. -

Sit down! We're not going to let it happen.

Have a tea, lots of sugar.

They shouldn't make decisions

over and above them what runs the baths.

Eighteen years l've been here.

l know more about this place, who comes here and why,

than the whole of the council put together.

- Well, we'll just have to fight them. - Right.

Violet?

- Violet? - Yes, love?

There's a horrible snake-like thing crawling across the window.

Oh, that's my Russian vine!

Grown like a lunatic, it has!

All the cold in Siberia couldn't kill him.

lt writhes when the wind blows.

lt's making awful wriggly shadows all across the glass.

l'm sure it's full of slimy things. Spiders and slugs and all slimy.

l don't know how you can bear it.

lt's making me feel worse.

l wish l'd stayed at home.

What? ln this weather? You're mad. You'd have froze to death.

You close your eyes for a little bit and l'll make you a nice cup of tea.

Look what he done!

Oh, my God. What happened?

He done that last night. He'd been drinking.

He put his hands around my throat.

'' l'm going to kill you!'' he says.

lt frightened me to death, but l didn't let him see it.

''You're touched,'' l says.

Then he takes off all my clothes, he stays fully dressed,

makes me stand naked in the front room.

Then he puts his hands round my neck again.

'' l'm going to kill you.

'' l'm going to gas you,'' he says in a horrible, deep voice.

'' Don't be silly,'' l says.

'' l'm not going to have nothing to do with you.''

''Get on the bed,'' he says.

'' No,'' l says.

'' l'm not going to have nothing to do with you.''

So, wallop! He hits me.

'' Now you've got your job,

''you think you're the only woman in the world, huh?''

How come l always get hit on the left side?

What on earth made you take him back?

'' Don't throw dirty water away till you get clean,'' me mum always said.

Oh, Josie!

l get so fed up with poverty!

Do you know how long l worked till?

From Saturday night l worked till 7 o'clock Sunday morning.

- l earned sixty pounds. - Oh, that's wonderful.

Wonderful! lt's hard work! Still l earned me rent money.

Well, Sunday afternoon l was so tired, he turns up.

''You look disgusting,'' he says.

l was choked. l was so choked, l thought,

'' ls it really worth it? My struggle to stand on my two feet?''

So, l took him back. Then we has it.

But it don't do me no good so after he's gone l got me vibro out.

l had to.

l had so much tension in me,

it was like a screw going round the back of my neck.

You must borrow my vibro, my love.

l had it going this morning from five past eight till five to nine.

l had this beautiful fantasy...

..fucking meself.

They're like stallions when they are young.

lt's fantastic to have it off with a young fellow if you're hot-blooded.

lf you fancy him, have him! Don't feel guilt about it.

You've got to have a fling sometimes.

Otherwise you just get old and boring.

l don't know how you do it, Josie!

Mum?

Are you awake?

l just came to see how you are.

l hope Nancy give your hair a good scrub.

Yeah.

You feeling better, Mum?

Well, l've got to feel better, haven't l?

l can't spend the rest of my life laying on this bed.

- What would you do on men's day? - You shut up.

Go and take your tablet.

Who's going to look after you if l go?

Oh, Mum...

- l'll look after you. -

l'll give you...baked beans on toast.

Lots of baked beans on toast.

And toast...all running with butter.

And a cherry brandy.

We was having it,

and l was really getting into it enjoying it, when he comes.

'' Hold up,'' l says, ''What about me?''

Well, after that, l made him plates me for an hour till l came.

Every time he lifts his head, l push it back down again.

l wouldn't even let him up to breathe.

Oh, l could feel it from the bottom of my toes to the top of my skull.

Ooh. Haven't come like that for months. Did me the world of good.

l've got to go and do some work. l don't think it'll be much help.

Sarah wants me to make some placards to save our baths.

- Oh, SOB. - She wants me to use bright colours.

She remembers the things l did at school.

l hated art, sitting there, drawing boxes.

Why don't you give me a hand? Sarah said you'd be good at slogans.

Oh, no, l hate responsibility.

lf l can find someone to keep me, why should l go to work?

Oh, l'm really relaxed now.

Oh, l'm lying nude by a river

and a man in a white suit who l've never seen before

comes and kneels at my feet and starts to kiss me.

He kisses me all the way up my body.

l give up.

- Getting on all right, Nancy? - Hmm, all right.

How about you? Things are going to be a bit miserable for you, aren't they?

l mustn't grumble. l'll get to see me grandchildren more often.

- l'm not gonna look for another job. - Maybe Sarah's right.

Maybe we can save the baths.

Well, we can always try, that's the motto.

Have l got some news!

But l'll tell everybody at the meeting later.

- Do you think it's all right? - lt's excellent.

- l think you'll need a stencil. - Yes, that will be a good idea.

l saw William yesterday for the first time since he left.

l said to him, '' l was so lonely during our marriage,''

and he said, ''So was l. So lonely.''

Well...l was lonely too when l was with David.

There were always millions of people around all the time.

And that can get very lonely.

All the comings and goings and to-ings and fro-ings

in different weathers, different seasons,

not to mention the time always being wrong.

You felt as though your house was a prison,

believe you me, my life was.

You get bundled into a huge, heavy machine

and it lumbers into the air. You can't get off.

You've got to go wherever it is going.

When you get there, it's hotel rooms, hotel suites, room service,

Then you're put into another car and taken back to the airport.

And when you arrive, you get taken to another hotel.

lt sounded so glamorous when l saw you in those glossy magazines.

He started screwing other girls

the first time l crossed the Atlantic with him.

And l was left all alone in a hotel suite

with a phone that never rang.

Oh, except of course room service

to enquire whether l'd like Pepsi rather than Coke or vice versa.

Do you know, l was abandoned in Caracas once

for a whole week with no credit cards,

no return ticket, no money, no nothing.

l couldn't even step out of the hotel.

When l plucked up enough courage

to telephone David's agents in New York,

they said, '' Don't be so silly, Sarah, David's got to be alone sometimes.''

Did he forget you or what?

l don't know. l suppose so.

l don't think l made much impression upon his memory at that time.

Funny...

you can do up the same button day after day

but it doesn't mean you'd recognise it if it fell off on the carpet.

Oh, Sarah!

He cried like a baby when l said l couldn't bear it any longer.

What do they know?

They know nothing.

They never even felt pain.

Men aren't capable of feeling pain like women.

Josie, come on! Coming!

- Violet. - Angela.

My bag... Oh, thanks, Dawn.

You're breaking into my fantasies, Sarah.

Look at the hairs on me legs!

The last time l shaved them, l used Jerry's razor. He went mad.

He said it was disgusting and threw it away.

My husband always lets me use his.

''Well, why have two when one will do?'' he says.

He's gonna have to do up my hallway. l'm gonna have it done in new wood.

- Have you told him yet? - Yeah.

''Oh, no,'' he says, '' lt'll look too small.''

l says, '' l don't care if it looks like a rabbit hutch.

'' l can't afford a damp course and l'm not gonna have

'' mould growing in my hall.''

Now, if l can keep on doing three nights at the topless,

l can pay for my license and the insurance on me car.

Then l am in the clear.

Oh, l get so fed up with poverty!

Life's difficult for everyone at times.

Well, my life is just survival.

l had to wank the fellow off to get the club job in the first place.

You didn't have to Josie, you chose to.

You sound just like my teacher.

She hit me once with a ruler.

l ran home and told me mum.

And me mum comes up to the school, bless her, and slaps the teacher.

l got chucked out. l'd have to have left the next month, anyway, l was pregnant.

Well, Sarah's right, Josie.

You didn't have to, but you chose to.

Now, how am l gonna pay my bills?

lt's all very well for women like you!

My dear, Josie!

At fifteen l was doing early morning cleaning with me mum.

At sixteen l was having a baby!

You were still at school!

What do you know about it, anyway?

l know you have to pay for self-respect.

l'm going to tell you something.

l don't want to be like you!

lt's boring! lt's every day!

- Boring! Boring! Boring! - Josie!

Do you know why us working-class girls have a little bit on the side?

Why we spend money on clothes, make-up and shoes,

when we don't, as you say, ''Strictly need them?''

Because we've been brought up to do the shit work!

And we can't expect to do anything but the shit work

unless we find a man with a bit of money

and we hang on to him!

Anyway, who's to say that your life's any better than mine?

l've been to South Africa, to Barbados, Tenerife.

l've laid beside more pools than you've had hot dinners!

- On stolen money! - So what?

l want beautiful clothes, beautiful travelling cars.

At least, l've had them, which is more than l can say for you.

You can keep your drab, dreary life

and your good name, if that's what you want.

Women should be beautiful creatures of pleasure.

Do you know what it feels like

to go into a library when you don't know your way around

and you just get looked down on because of your accent?

l've never looked down on you.

- That's simply not fair! - ln a way you do!

We're not friends! l'm a part of the show that you come to watch.

Josie, for heaven's sake, cool it.

l'm sorry if l sounded like your teacher and l'm very, very sorry indeed, but...

Oh, stop being so kind and enlightened and bloody superior!

- - Josie!

l'd like to have a good job,

l'd like to be enlightened.

You'll never get that horrible feeling of being turned down

for job after job because you haven't got the right qualifications,

and you can't speak right and you can't spell!

And you know that in the end they're not even going to offer you the cleaning!

You wouldn't ask me on to do your cleaning, would you, Nancy?

Oh, no, you've got enough money to pay some poor cow

to clean up after you.

How do you pay for your self respect?

How much does your bloody husband pay you so he can stay away?

- Oh, stop it! - Nancy.

Why should l stop?

- Oh, Josie... - Who do you think you are?

You're just an ordinary woman with a bit of money

who's been deserted by her old man.

l'm not surprised he left you.

- He wanted loving, not organising. - Bloody hell, Josie!

You know very well Nancy's had a shitty time lately.

Why can't we stop all this, and have our meeting?

l haven't finished yet.

l want to tell you about how l got the club job.

l sat there and took my top off, and he touched my tits.

That poxy club

and a fellow l didn't even fancy,

with his hands right up my skirt.

Then he takes off his trousers and his socks

and he spreads one of them roller towels on the floor

and he expects me to lie down on it.

So l screwed up me eyes tightly

and l said, '' Come on, Josie...

..''you need the money.''

You know, it's about time you got yourself organised, Josie

and started earning some real money.

Real money? What's real money to you?

Come on, how much do you earn? lt's a lot, isn't it?

- Tell me, how much? - l get enough.

- lt's private. - lt's always enough, when it's private.

My financial situation is so simple,

you could write it on the back of a bus ticket!

When l was married, l was a skiv, a drudge.

l still would be if l was with him now.

lt's the same thing, day in and day out.

Do this, do that, that's security.

Well, l was wildly in love.

l wanted total commitment. l didn't want security.

But then l got used to certain things.

Well, l'd rather be living with a fellow.

l may be broke, but l can do whatever l feel like doing.

lf l want to stay in bed in the morning l stay there.

lf l want to get drunk, l get drunk, and if l want to fuck, l fuck!

And sometimes you fuck when you don't want to fuck.

Well, what about you? You, you don't dare do what you want!

l lost me temper.

l get so angry all the time.

My husband never encouraged me,

never encouraged me to do anything, not even to make friends.

The only people who came to our house

were other successful businessmen and their wives. l...

ln the end, everything of me got eroded.

Actually, l admire you. l'd like to be like you.

lt's true, l wouldn't have asked you to a dinner party,

not when William was around.

l couldn't even have my own friends.

She'd like to be like me?

Yes, but l couldn't be. l couldn't be like Sarah either.

l know l am terribly limited.

Perhaps l stayed with William

because l had a lovely house, a lovely garden.

And l could see no way that l could maintain myself

and the children in the manner to which we were accustomed.

Blimey!

You hypocrite! You are like me.

No.

No, Nancy wants to change.

You know enough about me bleeding life.

What can l do?

You're right. l'm sorry. lt would be terribly hard.

Perhaps l would like to change...

..but l can't perceive what l could change into.

A home, children.

l'm a one-man woman.

And l'm not, is that what you mean?

- l'm a promiscuous woman. - No, of course not.

Well, if l have been promiscuous

it's because l've been looking...

..searching, you know, trying to find my mate.

Somebody who wanted what l wanted.

- Children? -

And now it's...it...it's... a pa-panic that comes over me.

After all that lovely, irresponsible life.

Lots of sex, travel, experience.

A whole load of meaningful relationships...

..a career which l want.

And, and, and then, you see, l just panic.

l haven't had a child, and time is running short.

And who do l have a child with?

Hmm?

Where do l find the father for this child?

Oh, l've thought and thought

about...getting pregnant, not telling the man.

Playing the heroic, single parent and all that.

How can you do that to a child?

How can you do that to a man?

Even if l could have my career and bring up the children...perfectly...

Sorry, Nan.

That's what my dreams are about.

Where is everybody?

What about our meeting?

- What on earth's been going on? - l'll tell you what's been going on.

Fighting and showing off.

Mrs Meadow, you'll join the meeting, won't you?

Auntie Bernice wouldn't like it at all.

'' Drawing attention to yourself,'' she'd say.

Let's get you another chair.

- Can l be on the committee? - Yeah.

You sit at the head of the table and be on the committee.

Now, l thought the first thing to do was to get some expert advice.

- You did it yourself - No. l had to go to New York.

l got an assistant to do it for me.

As treasurer of the Save the Baths committee,

- l should like a note of the cost. - The cost?

How much was the advice? The cost, we need to know.

The fee? Oh, the fee will be 200 pounds per hour.

Oh! l hope it wasn't more than 1 5 minutes.

- How many hours? - One hour, forty-five minutes.

l should like to contribute to half the fee.

- l accept. - Blow me! l'm wasting me life!

- lt's all a fantasy! - Perhaps not.

We have a very good chance.

We must present our case

at the council meeting at the town hall on Friday 1 3th.

We need a minimum of one hundred signatures

petitioning for an enquiry to be held to examine the ruling.

Dawn's father wouldn't hold with that kind of thing at all.

Oh, that's not the point. You want the baths, don't you?

Yes, Mum.

Yes.

But l know l can't sign nothing.

You never know what might happen if you sign.

Something l do know.

l can get lots of signatures of people who live round here.

l mean, l'd sign.

We need a voice.

- A voice? - Yes. Someone to present our case.

Well, thank goodness for you, Sarah.

l could do it.

l don't think l'm the right man for the job.

l think we need somebody local.

Josie, Josie. Josie, you can make our speech at the town hall.

You say things marvellously.

Oh, l've never spoken in front of an audience.

- You do it all the time, love! -

- Hi, everybody! - Hi.

The posters look great!

Well done! Oh, l like the balloons.

You can save me a T-shirt.

There! A couple of them.

- Can l give you a hand, Vi? - lt's done, except for the water.

Sarah wants to talk to you in the hot room.

No, she's in the exercise room.

Mrs Meadow, what do you think about our placards

and our slogans and our T-shirts and everything?

l don't hold with slogans.

- Slogans is nasty! - l think they're great.

l think it's all lovely.

Dawn, you shouldn't be wearing that T-shirt.

Have you got your woollen vest on underneath?

Oh, Mum!

Have a balloon.

l thought of putting my house up for sale. What do you think of that?

l think that's a terrific idea.

You've got to go for what you want, Nance.

Actually, l'm terribly keyed-up about the meeting.

- Do you think Josie'll be all right? - As a matter of fact, l do.

The question is whether they'll just bulldoze us, anyway.

Oh, they can't do that. We've got to save our baths.

After having missed out on so much for so long

and then able to come here with company and contact,

the joy of being naked in a warm place together.

Oh, we've got to win.

Nance, you know, you're such a romantic!

But you're right.

You're not going to that meeting.

Daddy wouldn't like that.

lf Daddy was here, we wouldn't have that hole in the roof.

Perhaps it'll go away.

Remember, Mum, we had that leak four years ago

and that went away on its own.

Yeah.

lt'll probably clear up.

Roofs usually do.

Oh, it is funny, but l do feel as if things are clearing.

l had a dream last night that made me feel alive.

You know how Josie's always talking about

sexual desire and sexual experience and melting,

and l feel so pinched and cold and jealous,

l've put myself out into the cold like an Eskimo grandmother.

Anyway in this dream, l was going to pick up some things

from some friends of mine, people l've known for years,

and l knocked at the door, but there was no one in.

l pushed the door and l went in and called.

The room seemed to be empty.

And then, as l was taking off my raincoat

l realised that this friend, this man was standing in the shadows

on the other side of the room.

l was a bit stopped in my tracks because he was looking at me,

you know, with such intensity.

- Well, ooh, sex... -

lt was incredibly erotic.

Well, anyway, l woke up, of course, alone in my big bed,

but l felt terribly happy.

Even though it wasn't true,

l still felt as if there was someone

who wanted to make love to me.

l met this Pakistani fellow outside.

He said, ''Violet, you've got the best steam in London.

''Acid is a poison that lingers

''and your steam gets every ounce of it out of my system.''

So, he gives me a fiver towards our campaign.

What are you doing, Dawn?

Uh, drink your, uh, tonic, darling. She's only painting.

l don't want her getting no paint on her plastics.

Oh, don't worry, she won't.

- Wow! - Wow.

Well, even if we do lose,

we've made friends and it's been a good party.

The party isn't over yet. We've all that food to eat upstairs.

- And, of course, a sit-in if we fail. - l'm not sure about the sit-in.

- We'll win. - Now who's the romantic!

Nance, which should l wear? This, this, or this?

- l think this with that. - You've got good taste.

Nance, l do like your hair like that.

- Do l look all right? - You look very nice.

Just twist your skirt round a little.

Sarah, can l borrow your pink scarf?

Thanks.

''You are proposing

''to spend four million pounds on this leisure centre.

''And in the exact place where we have our Turkish baths,

''you're planning to build an underground car park

''at the cost of half a million pounds.''

lt's ages since l went out in the evening.

Of course, you won't win with them council people.

Made up their mind years ago, they did.

The figures speak for themselves.

The architects has advised that, due to deterioration

seventy-five thousand pounds need to be spent to restore the baths.

Look at that figure in relation to eleven thousand pounds

spent on fireworks...this year.

Dawn,

get that stupid shirt off and come and take your tablets.

What do you want Mum, chop suey or chicken?

l'll make you a lovely plate of dinner.

Come and take your tablets or the police'll be after you.

Oh, get that thing off.

Wicked girl. You're putting me off my food.

The police won't come in here. Violet don't allow men in here.

Dawn, stop tormenting your mother.

Knives and forks.

l feel nice when l don't take my tablets.

l like being cheeky.

We all do. But we don't talk about it at dinner time.

Josie?

- Josie? - Josie!

Get out of there. Josie!

We are of the opinion

that this council has taken the liberty

and jumped the gun

by closing our baths without proper consultation.

And we are not gonna let you get away with it.

l would like to refer you to the Public Health Act of 1 936.

And if you would like to look at Section 86 and Section 349,

you will see that the local authority has an obligation to...

- Come on, Josie. - Coming!

But whatever the laws say or don't say,

let's not forget that there are 9,000 homes

without baths in Trigate,

25,000 pensioners who haven't got a bath at home.

Or if they have, can't afford to heat the water!

Oh, l like this.

l like us all sitting at the table together.

Now, l'd like to be a matron at a hospital,

looking after lots of people.

lt reminds me of years gone by.

The whole family would spend Christmas together.

lt's not like that anymore.

l'm so hungry.

l'm starving.

Last time we all had Christmas together,

Auntie Bernice says,

''Why can't you leave your knife and fork straight

''when you've finished eating?''

'' l'm not interested in cutlery,'' l told her.

'' l just enjoy the dinner.''

And thank goodness we didn't have to cook it.

My husband used to bring his business friends home for supper.

''You're a frightfully good cook,'' they'd say.

so l had to live up to my reputation.

Superwoman.

- We want to look after everybody. - Right.

When a fellow stays the night with me,

l end up cooking the breakfast.

l spent the best ten years of my life feeding me kid and me old man.

ln he'd come, me old man, rubbing his hands.

The first thing he says, ''What's for dinner, then?''

They go bald, they go impotent,

but they never lose interest in their grub.

l preferred the nursery to the kitchen.

And then, suddenly, they've grown too big for it

and they burst through the walls,

saying, '' Now what? More. Where do we go from here?''

You don't know.

- They start talking about money. - And sex and drugs.

And they try to commit suicide.

They start nicking cars and end up getting put away.

They tell us we're old and badly dressed

and we'll get cancer if we go on smoking.

And they tell you if they're unhappy and it's your fault.

- They leave home. - Or they won't leave home.

lf they go out into the world knowing they're well-loved, it's satisfying.

lt's one of the most satisfying things

when l look at my kids and...l'm proud of them.

Me, too.

Mum...do you remember that woman

we saw dancing with a spangle in her belly button?

No.

Well, l remember, it was at the Star and Garter.

Her and Daddy took me there for my birthday

and they had this woman in a jungle costume

dancing with a diamond in her belly.

- - Dawn!

She thought we should get up and leave, but l made a fuss

so Daddy told her to shut her eyes till it was over.

Was it good?

Oh, it was beautiful.

She danced like this.

Of course, it's all Daddy's fault.

Taking her to the Star and Garter for that Christmas show.

That was the start of it.

You're a really good dancer, Dawn.

l never dance anymore.

When was the last time you really danced, Nance?

Ages ago. William had some important clients to entertain.

And they brought their wives, so he took me.

One of the men was young and so we went on to a nightclub.

He picked me as his partner and we danced and danced.

He danced beautifully.

William was furious! l bet!

You look like a lot of monkeys.

Bill, you'll soon find out what you can do.

l remember one night in Rio when l was still with David.

Naturally, we were staying at the grandest hotel in town,

stuffy as hell with mind-blowing air-conditioning.

Everybody was sitting around, you know, drinking, smoking,

talking about sums of money, money, money.

l went into the bedroom,

out of that door down the corridor and right out of that hotel.

l didn't even take my bag.

l was wearing this rather flimsy white cotton dress

and extremely high-heeled green sandals.

l knew l was taking a risk.

- Ooh, Josie. -

But somehow, l don't know, it excited me.

And right around the corner from the hotel

there was this rather poor street, but very colourful.

And there were these boys playing just this kind of music.

They were sitting on the steps of some place

that was closed for the night and everybody was singing and dancing.

- Did you dance? - lt was impossible not to.

There was music in the air.

We danced and danced.

Woo!

The last time l ever really danced.

Come on, Nancy, get those hips moving!

Now, Dawn, don't get all aerated.

See what you're doing? You've got them all aerated.

Do you think we'd fall out if we tried to run this place together?

- We'd have to work hard at it. - Relationships are too frail.

With men they're frail.

How is it

that one day you can have such a close intimacy with a man

that you have the right to put your hand in his pocket out walking,

just to keep your fingers warm,

but really he's thinking about another woman?

lt's not worth it.

Next time l'm going to write my own marriage vows.

'' l promise to listen to you and try to understand what you're saying.

'' l promise to talk to you and tell you who l am.''

Oh, that's beautiful. l shivered.

l love my Jerry.

l want to feel my love for him real inside me.

Not a pretend love, but a real love, with all my feelings.

l'd like that, too.

l'd like to be with a man, living with a man,

getting really close, feeling you belong together.

l dream of it.

The warmth.

l dream of having my very own, very gentle, loving man.

What a lot of dreamers we are!

Do you know what l'm going to do?

When l speak at the meeting tonight,

l'm going to give them the facts and figures,

but then, l'm going to make them a suggestion.

lf they could give us a grant,

we could do wonders with this place.

New beds, luxury towels, soft lighting.

- Poets would come. -

And we'd all get together and we'd have discussions

about how we want to run the place.

lt sounds sensible to me, love.

And l'll be right behind you when you stand up and say it tonight.

Now get ready or we're going to be late.

Come on, Dawn.

Mum, we've won!

Mum? Mum?

Mum!

Your mum's in here. She fell asleep in my big chair.

We've won, we've won!

My daughter says, '' Happy endings are old-fashioned.''

l've got some champagne! Let's open it.

Now is the time to celebrate.

Oh, what a great idea, Nancy!

- l don't feel like tea this evening. -

l feel a lot better.

Funny, l really had a good sleep in your old armchair.

l get pills from the doctor. They don't do me no good.

He doesn't know my body.

- -

Violet.

We're going to drink a toast to Violet and to the baths.

Joy, Dawn, Celia, Sarah.

Oops. Thank you, Nancy.

Violet! And the baths, Vi.

You're making me cry.

l took the microphone and l spoke up.

How many times must l tell you never to talk to strangers?

- Your husband was nice. - Oh, yeah, he stuck up for me.

But Josie was the star, the star of the occasion.

- Josie. - lt's true, Josie.

You're incredibly eloquent. Passionate, but precise.

We couldn't have done it without you, Sarah.

Sarah.

They've given us 5,000 pounds for urgent repairs

and they've given us six months to get the attendance up.

So do you think we can do it?

'Cause none of that money can go on making the place look any better.

Most of it has to go on the plumbing, new parts and...

So how do we get the attendance up?

Because we need new towels and we need new curtains.

- Look at them. - And new beds.

lt's tricky. ln six months?

We can no longer go on lighting candles

and picking primroses to hide the shabbiness.

We've got to make a sales pitch, that's what.

'' Here, lady, here's a bargain, a free bath for a new customer.

''Sign on for ten baths, you get another free one.

'' Bring a friend, and we give you a T- shirt.''

- A T-shirt. -

Come on, Dawn, get your hat on.

No! Why bleeding we'll should we go home?

l'm staying.

But we won our case. We don't have to occupy.

- We don't have to have our sit-in now. - No.

Why shouldn't we stay here, anyway?

That's what we'll do.

We'll stay here anyway and have our sit-in.

Of course, we need publicity.

That's the way we get the attendance up!

lt'd be a bit of a disappointment, l've come all prepared to stay.

l've got your tablets and my tablets and two hot water bottles.

Just like the war, going down in the air-raid shelter.

Hello, Joe? Listen, love...l won't be home tonight.

We've decided to stay.

Yeah, l know, but, well, we just felt like it.

Listen, there's a fish pie in...

Oh, no, no, no, don't worry, don't worry.

We're having a good time. Yeah.

All right, God bless.

Oh...and thanks for what you said tonight.

Everybody thinks you were great.

Right, love. Night.

We can make this place like a palace,

all pink and white marble and plants hanging from the ceilings.

And animals and flowers.

And a hot fountain, rising out of the middle of the plunge.

Violet could wear a leopard-skin bathing costume,

and l'd have white satin, with a sheen on it.

And Dawn could wear her birthday suit.

Come on, Sarah.

Come on, Mrs Meadow, join us.

Look at me!

Woo-hoo!

For twenty years, all l've ever thought about

has been money, make-up and me home!

- And sex! - Beautiful clothes!

And sex! Oh, all right, and sex!

Watch out, Mrs M!

- Oh, you wicked girl! - You've all gone mad!

- Josie! - l'm changing that! l'm branching out!

l'm changing that! l'm branching out!

l'm going, somehow or other, to get meself...

doing something!

Josie, public speaking like that, you could join the council!

Great! The council! Woo-hoo!

To the council! Dawn! Sarah!

Here, let's go and get the balloons!

Get them all in the water! Lovely!

Mum, look what l can do!

My throat feels as if my heart has risen up into it.

You know the heart, you feed it to the animals.

You boil it. It's hard and fibrous.

You can't swallow it. It won't go down.

Like an animal, a marine animal,

you want it to survive.

- - Oh, lovely!

l'm glad we stayed.

♪ Don't you play games with my fantasies

♪ If you mess me around I'll be straight out the door

♪ I am done with playing games for free

♪ I've found someone that someone is me

♪ You can cry like a baby Make love all night long

♪ But you just want taking away from me

♪ Your love on its own It don't seem much

♪ But I've had a taste I'm not going to waste

♪ The feelings I have found

♪ A necklace of pearls

♪ We can't be wrong

♪ You don't sleep but you dream

♪ The stone is worn down by the stream

♪ Together we are strong

♪ We're never going to take it

♪ Don't you play games with my fantasies

♪ If you mess me around I'll be straight out the door

♪ I am done with playing games for free

♪ I've found someone that someone is me

♪ You can cry like a baby Make love all night long

♪ You can fly like an angel and rhyme like a song

♪ But I know that I'm right Yes, I know that I'm right

♪ And I'm strong ♪