Original subtitles

Hello, John.

What's happening over there?

We were sending our markets crazy this afternoon.

Everything seems to be going to gold and

silver.

Well, how far do you expect prime rates

to go?

Well, that would depress the economy, so keep

us all protected.

Right, speak to you on Monday.

Doc says they're talking of the prime rate

going over 20%.

We'll be late, Daddy.

That's only a charity do.

In any case, Her Royal Highness will have

so many hands to shake, she'll forgive us.

Karen?

Oh, thank you, love.

Daddy, we really will be late.

Oh, here we are.

Your perfect cop, Sir Arthur.

He does all the jobs around here that

the rest of us don't have time to

do.

Then perhaps you should introduce us.

Arthur Price.

I'm very pleased to meet you.

You must be new here.

Well, actually, it'll be six years on Monday.

You train a girl to be a perfect

PA and she goes off and gets married.

You're not going to get married, are you,

Arthur?

No, I wasn't thinking of it just yet,

Sir, no.

Hmm.

Ready, my dear?

Yes.

I'm just planting some polyanthus, Arthur.

Arthur?

Yes, sir.

Come in, Mrs Marsh.

Ah, thank you, Mrs Marsh.

All part of the service.

Arthur?

Yes?

I've been worried about you.

You're always pacing up and down, half the

night sometimes.

Ah, I'm terribly sorry.

Is it disturbing you?

You disturb me, Arthur.

You never go out in the evenings.

You never bring anyone here.

Haven't you any friends?

A girlfriend?

Well, I'm...

To tell you the truth, I mean, it's

so corny you won't believe it, but I've

fallen in love with the boss's daughter.

In fact, I've been in love with her

for years.

You should see her.

She's absolute perfection.

Dear.

Is her family rich?

Yes.

Does she know?

Well, how could she?

I mean, we've never really met except in

the office, where I just gaze at her

and, um...

Well, I can't get near her.

I don't know how to.

After all, I'm really only the office boy.

People do get promotion.

I don't see much chance of that.

I mean, I'm not really executive material, and

even if I did, I wouldn't know the

right things to say to her.

I'm sorry, Arthur.

I'm too old-fashioned to advise you, but

you could smarten yourself up a bit.

A shareholder in old portals?

Ah.

I, uh, wish I were.

No, I do work there, though.

How's the old place doing?

I work there too, only rather briefly.

Ah.

I, uh, don't remember seeing you there.

I was in the Brussels office.

I was encouraged to talk to her.

I'm rather proud, you know what I mean?

Lost on the oldest country.

Charlie Prince.

Oh, how do you do?

Arthur Price.

Yes.

Only one letter between us.

Prince and Price.

Ah, I hope we did this.

I used to call her a remittance man.

Do you know how families used to ship

their black sheep off to Australia or somewhere?

Send them an allowance as long as they're

kept out of sight?

Well, a family lawyer sends me a registered

envelope the first of each month.

Cash.

They wouldn't allow me to open a bank

account in case I write more bounces, so...

I get the lolly as long as I

stay clear of the family circle and live

under a poolside.

That's better.

I'm beginning to see straight.

I had a bad day.

Locked out.

Pardon?

Locked out of my squalid hotel.

Couldn't pay the bill.

And they won't let me have my luggage.

So, where do I sleep tonight?

In the park, I suppose.

Look.

Look.

Just to see you through, I have a

room and a spare bed.

My dear fellow, it's extremely good of you.

The trouble is, I haven't even got a

toothbrush, not unless I can get hold of

my luggage.

Well, now, how much do you owe the

hotel?

200-and-something pounds.

Well, now, look.

I was saving up for some clothes, but

I could lend you that money until you

receive your next registered envelope.

That's in ten days' time.

I'll repay you every penny.

And I'll give you my share of the

rent.

It used to belong to my great-grandfather.

On my mother's side, it's the posh side.

He was ambassador somewhere.

It's airtight, damp-proof, and proof.

I've made up the bed for you, Mr

Prince.

I'm so glad you've got company at last.

No, I try beer, but only for chasers.

You won't see much of me in the

evenings.

The thing is, I'm pursuing a bird.

She's a bit short of brains, but absolutely

loaded.

You still haven't told me.

Er, what?

What you want of me in exchange for

the loan and the bed.

Ah, well, what I want of you is

what I haven't got.

I mean, I suppose you'd call it style,

but I thought if we were to share

the room, you see, I thought some of

it might rub off on me.

Not just the accent.

I mean, well, your way of doing things.

That's just eaten an Oxford.

Took me seven years.

Good act.

I could pick it up in five minutes.

And we're roughly about the same sort of

size.

I wondered if now and again I might

borrow your clothes.

Never thought I'd be in the dress-hire

business.

Well, we could take it off your share

of the rent, you see.

Rent?

Oh, yes.

Yes, of course.

Ah, hello.

Are your fathers in the boardroom?

It's a lovely day, isn't it?

Yes.

And that's a very lovely dress.

You like it?

Well, I shouldn't say how much, not to

my boss's daughter.

I do wish you wouldn't be so menial,

Arthur.

Yes.

I'll be presumptuous, then.

I'd like to take you out.

I have a copy of What's On in

my office.

I don't care what's on.

Hmm.

What's On is as follows.

At Studio One, a French film.

At Studio Two, an Italian film.

At the Cine Centre, a film described as

the erotic experience of an era.

There are also the Chinese acrobats, the Balinese

dancers, Madame Butterfly, and, of course, the mousetrap.

Arthur.

I don't care what's on.

I'd like you to take me out.

Ah.

Well, um...

Tuesday or Wednesday or...

Tonight?

Tonight?

As Granny used to say, I must powder

my nose.

Aha!

Postman.

First of the month yesterday.

Registered letter for Mr Prince.

Yes.

Yes, that's me.

Shall I put it?

Here it is.

On the dot.

Would you mind if I gave you my

share of the rent next week?

This bird's costing me the earth.

Well, um...

About the 200 pound...

What?

I mean, um...

What about the 200 pound I lent you?

Can we leave that till next month?

Someone owes me two.

Look, here's 20 for expenses.

Who's this girl of yours?

I'm not telling you.

You don't laugh.

Lizzie, you're ashamed of her.

No, the opposite.

Oh.

You want to impress her.

Yes.

Could you...

On a small budget.

Yes.

Well, to start with...

Hang on.

Hang on.

Wine.

Everything decent is ruinous.

You see, they have a rather good house

wine here.

A flinty sort of burgundy.

Care to try it?

You can always send it back.

It'll save your fibre.

Taxis.

The man who gets the taxi always gets

the girl.

You go into the Ritz by the Piccadilly

entrance, go through the hotel and out to

the other entrance where there's a commissioner.

He gets the taxi and the girl is

staggered by your insolence.

Do I, um...

Do I tip the commissioner?

Give the bastard 10p.

The girl won't know it isn't 50.

I could suggest some changes in your cabinery.

Don't say toilet.

Say loo.

Don't say serviette.

Say napkin.

For God's sake, don't say pardon.

Say what?

If it breaks below 70, we could up

charge the selling.

I'll take one.

You're very smart these days, aren't you?

Thank you, sir.

It's thanks to my Aunt Mary, sir.

I was her sole heir.

She was rather well advised on her investments.

I'm glad for you.

Look, I must have something.

Take a slummy.

They love it.

You know perfectly well that only senior partners

are authorised to deal.

I heard about this revolution on the early

morning news.

I dashed into the office at 8.

There was no-one here I could consult

except the cleaners.

I sent the Telex on my own authority.

You've landed us up to the neck in

a deal that...

John, can you spare a minute?

Yes, I know.

It looks as if your unauthorised Telex has

probably made us a great deal of money.

Well done, Arthur.

Thank you, sir.

I'm just off to the Palmer's.

My bird's friend's got a place there.

She's paying my fare.

I'm sorry, but you'll have to manage without

my wardrobe.

I need it.

Hard luck.

You can have that suit and the shirt

still at the laundry.

You owe me five weeks' rent and the

loan.

300 sodding pounds.

I'll send it to you.

I'll send you a cheque.

You've got no bank account, you told me.

I need the clothes and I need the

money.

That's your problem.

For me, it's farm trees, white beaches and

the tinkle of ice in rum cocktails.

What are

you doing, Arthur?

Um...

Mr Prince has gone abroad and his damn

trunk takes up far too much room.

You might have hurt yourself or scratched the

paint.

No, there's no damage done.

Eleanor, I wondered if I could put it

in your cellar just for the time being.

He wants it sent on, you see.

Well, I hardly ever go down there.

I doubt if there's room.

The lock's awkward.

I'll let you in.

There's his uniform trunk.

That's his tin hat, as we used to

call them.

The dent is German shrapnel.

And he was killed by one of our

own bombs.

I hardly ever come down here.

Too many memories.

Morning.

Mr Charlie Prince?

That's me.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

You're an angel.

And he does deserve it.

A register office wedding, I suppose?

Yes.

Neither of us go to church.

Oh, good.

That's easily arranged.

Well, that's not quite how I saw it

at all, sir.

I saw Anne radiant in clouds of white,

bridesmaids, the choir, the crowded church.

In fact, I saw her with the best

of everything.

You do want the best for your daughter,

sir.

Of course.

Of course, that is a way of putting

it.

It would be an opportunity to get together

and celebrate as a family.

Daddy, let's ask all the family.

It's all right this time around.

Good evening.

We've called to see Mr Prince, Charles Prince.

Oh, I understand he's gone abroad.

Did he leave a forwarding address?

Not with me.

Won't you come in a moment?

Thank you.

Arthur, it's a gentleman to see Mr Prince.

Arthur is a friend of Mr Prince.

I'm sure he'll be able to help you.

Such a nice man.

They share the first floor flat.

Well, that is until Mr Prince went abroad.

He did leave a trunk.

It's in the cellar.

Arthur!

You live here too?

We've come to see Charlie.

He's my brother.

We used to call him Prince Charlie.

Bonnie Prince Charlie!

Strange.

No forwarding address.

I'd like to see that trunk.

Mr Prince!

THE

END