"(JOYFUL SQUEALING AND LAUGHTER)" "Come on, Glorious!" "(INDISTINCT SHOUTING AND SQUEALING)" "(BOY) How does Wilfred fit into it?" "(GIRL) Oh, he always wins." "He will never beat Wilfred!" "Wilfred the Great!" "Princess Celia!" "Fat Men dancing!" "Thin Men dancing!" "That is what we call them because that is what they do!" " En garde!" "Voilà!" " (SCREAMS)" "Victory for me!" "Victory, victory, victory!" "Come on, Glorious." "(CHURCH BELLS CHIME)" " (MAN) Yes?" " Hi." "It's Michael." "Michael Walton." " Is Mr Page there?" " Which one do you want?" "Both, if possible." "(DOOR BUZZES)" "(MAN) Come up, Michael." "(KNOCKS)" "Come in." "I am Walter, this is Oliver." "And you are our cousin Michael." "Yes... that's me." "I believe we met once when you were six months old." "I am sure he remembers it vividly!" "Have some cake." "(CHURCH BELLS CHIME)" "Delicious cake." "Is that the two of you?" "It is indeed." "As I am sure you've guessed, I am the baby." "You do have a lot of radios." "They're from our childhood." "Would you like to hear one?" "It'll take a moment to warm up." "What do you want to ask both of us, Michael?" "Right, yes, um..." "I've just got one question, really." "I'm interested in history." "Family history." "And you're the only ones left from that time." "Yes." " My grandmother." " (WALTER) Yes, Celia." "Of course." "I just wondered..." "What happened to her sister, Anne?" "(WALTER) She was an actress." "She was indeed." "She made some films." "She played the best friend or the school teacher." "That's her, up there." "Anne was the oldest." "She was adopted, of course." "As frequently happens, they were desperate for children." "But they didn't think they could have any, and so they adopted one." "And then, lo and behold, along came the babies anyway." "They were all very close." "You didn't think it would work." "Let's see if we can find something more appropriate." "What happened to her?" "Tell me." "It's not always a good place to go, Michael - the past." " This is a little bit better." " (SOUNDS COMING FROM RADIO)" "Let's see if we can get a clearer signal." "(STATIC, BAND MUSIC PLAYING)" "(WALTER) It had been a fantastic summer, that summer of '39." "The most glorious summer most people could remember for a very long time." "The year before, it had seemed war with Germany had been averted, the policy of appeasing Hitler, of reasoning with him, really had worked." "And even now it seemed it might still work." "Your grandmother, and Anne and Ralph, had grown up in a most beautiful house with an even more beautiful garden." "It was a very exciting time." "Ralph was doing well at the Foreign Office," "Anne had a part she was pleased about in a new movie." "It was your great-grandfather's birthday, and they had prepared the most wonderful table for him, or rather Anne had, because she was in charge of most things." "(LAUGHTER)" "The Fat Men on the march." "It's one of your very best tables, Anne." "(CHUCKLES)" "(CELIA) I like your friend." "The other one's a little dotty." "(ANNE) Maybe a little, but he can be great fun." "Anne, he is beautiful." "Why all the knights?" "What are they up to?" "Ah." "It's... it's something we started as children." "Perhaps I'll get to take one of these home." "(LAUGHS) They're absolutely everywhere!" "Do you want to see?" "(RALPH) It's all her fault!" "Anne started it, and then we all did them." "We call them "Fat Men dancing"." "This reminds me of someone I used to work with." "(LAUGHS) And now there's no escaping them!" "Oh, that's George." "His sister, Sonia, disappeared a few days ago, so he's a little upset." "Were you allowed to put them everywhere you wanted?" "Almost everywhere!" "We were not allowed in those." "This is the shell line." "We were not allowed to cross it." "Those buildings were stuffed with Papa's papers he used for his books." " I bet you did cross it, though." " No, never needed to." "We never have." "Even now, none of us." "There were so many other places to play." "Do you want to see where it all started?" "We have time to go, don't we, Anne?" "Please?" "Say yes." "Yes." "If we're quick." "Oh!" "(ECHOING) Mr Speaker!" "Marvellous place to come to rehearse one's speeches!" "Point of order, Mr Speaker!" "The Honourable Member must retract that immediately!" "(LAWRENCE LAUGHS)" "Both the first part and the third part." "So this is where it all comes from, the stories we made up about chubby men doing heroic things!" "They were all deeply flawed, our knights, overweight and lazy." " We liked them like that." " But they could be very brave when we wanted them to be." "They slaughtered anyone who dared attack them!" "Your father made terrific speeches in the House of Commons." "It's a pity he speaks so less often now." "Well, his health has always been delicate." "That's why he takes more of a back seat now." "I've heard a lot about your papa." "Heard he's the most charming man in England." "Which makes me rather nervous." "What if he doesn't like me?" "(BIRDS CHIRPING)" "Hello." "Happy birthday." "Oh, my, my, my!" "What a glorious homecoming!" "Anne, you've surpassed yourself, absolutely surpassed yourself!" "You all have." "Henry, you've met, of course." "This is Joseph Balcombe, a colleague of Henry's." "Joseph, these are my children." "It is a delight to find it is your father's birthday." " Happy birthday, Papa." " Thank you." " Your mother is still getting ready?" " Naturally." " She did all the flowers, of course." " Hector!" "Good to see you!" " Happy birthday." " Thank you." " And you must be Lawrence." " I am." "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." "And happy birthday." "Thank you." "You certainly live up to Anne's description of you." "Papa!" "(CHUCKLES) There is no easy reply to that." "Did he say he is one of the cleverest people in the Foreign Office and I had better watch out?" "Because that is the truth." "(DISTANT CHATTERING AND LAUGHTER)" "Why are you here in these parts, Mr Balcombe?" "A little fishing." "I was determined to get in some fishing somehow." " How very sensible." " And coming here to such an ancient place, it's..." "Well, it's quite possible to think that all is right with the world." "But it isn't, is it?" "We're not sleepwalking towards disaster." "We're going up to it, welcoming it with open arms." "I've certainly been known to do that in my time." "Precisely in what way are we doing that?" "I will tell you precisely." "We're not content with letting Hitler march into Czechoslovakia and Austria." "Now we're saying, "That's all right, old chap." "Take some more countries."" " Are we saying that?" " Yes, we are." "Hitler wants to take over Europe, and we are letting him do it so long as he doesn't bother us." "That can't be allowed." "Forgive a statement that's obvious, or what I think is obvious, but evil has to be stood up to." "But one has to be in a position to do that." " One has to have the means." " We've got the bloody means!" "Even if we have let Germany re-arm, we mustn't exaggerate how strong she is!" "Under this current government of Mr Chamberlain, my own leader, we are behaving as if we have to avoid war at absolutely all costs." "So every day we do something that makes the situation worse." "Do you really think that is true?" "What did you have in mind?" "To give you one example, I've heard rumours." "I've heard the most extraordinary rumours that we are trying to interest the Nazis in accepting a gigantic secret loan, which we will negotiate for them on the international markets, so they might turn their armament industry back to peaceful means." "We are actually planning to give them money!" "That does sound truly bizarre, Hector." "Alexander fought in the war, got wounded, so I don't criticise him, but not enough other people are speaking out." "It's up to young MPs like me to get rid of our present leadership, which is leading us towards our doom." "That is... quite a claim, Mr Haldane." "Yes, and I'm aware it isn't a popular thing to say the present leadership will stand no opposition or criticism." "The present leadership view Mr Churchill as dangerous because he would stand up to Hitler." "He doesn't care about giving offence to the Nazis." "So I feel I have to do everything in my power to make sure Mr Churchill is not ignored." "Come on Thursday." "The house will be empty in the afternoon." " Can you come?" "(LAUGHS)" " Yes." "I'll still be at Cranmore, I can come." "(BALCOMBE) Excuse me." "A very pleasant evening." "Thank you." "(HECTOR) Who is that man?" "A strange, strange man." "(ENGINE STARTS)" "Thank you for such a wonderful birthday." "(DISTANT LAUGHTER)" " It wasn't spoilt by Hector?" " No." "I'm used to his fiery outbursts." "And there is the possibility he could be right." "Will you read to me, darling?" "I love it when you read to me." "What would you like me to read?" "It doesn't matter." "Some Keats, anything." "(ANNE) "My heart aches," ""and a drowsy numbness pains my sense," ""as though of hemlock I had drunk," ""or emptied some dull opiate..."" "(BIRDS CHIRPING)" "(CAT MEOWS)" "(CAT MEOWS)" "(MEOWING CONTINUES)" "Oh, Sonia." "How did you get in there?" "(DOOR OPENS)" "You've made me break the rules, Sonia." "What've you been doing in here anyway?" "Reading Papa's manuscript about Napoleon?" "(CHUCKLES)" "What are these doing here?" "Been having a good listen, have you?" "(CHUCKLES)" "(FOOTSTEPS)" "Hello?" "Mama?" " I found Sonia." " That's splendid." "So much needs doing." " You didn't see anyone pass by here?" " No, dear." "It must have been one of the servants." "Look who I've found." "Ah!" "She got into one of the sheds." "She didn't realise it was forbidden territory." "I thought you knew that." "Grumpy old girl." "So good you're back." "Look what I found there too." "Foxtrots." "One of your favourites, Papa!" "(CELIA) She's been dancing in there too." "How odd." "I don't think I put gramophone records in there." " I wonder how that happened." " Let's see if it still plays." "(MAN 1 ON RECORD) Did you receive the letter?" "(MAN 2) Yes, I believe I did receive that." "I thought we dealt with that subject you raised with me before and were allowing time for reflection." "There are various factors which have to be taken into consideration... (CHUCKLING) That's no foxtrot." "I'd like to see Papa dancing to that!" " (CHUCKLES)" " That's very strange." "I think this must be Joseph's doing." "Mr Balcombe asked if he could store some government overflow with us." "They're drowning in paper, apparently." "The government needs to store things here?" "It seemed a harmless thing to do." "The reason he gave is interesting, and quite funny, and rather rude." "He said there were so few places where one can trust the servants won't go any more, but knowing our servants, that wasn't a worry here." "He said that?" "They hardly manage to clean the house, let alone the outbuildings!" "People didn't count on Sonia and Anne." "Why are they storing records that are labelled as foxtrots?" "Which clearly are not." "That's probably their idea of maximum security." ""Let's call everything after a dance." ""That'll fool everybody, nobody will see through that!" (LAUGHS)" "Since Munich they've been recording many government calls because people's note-taking has been so inadequate." "But I had no idea we had some here." "It's rather exciting." "(LAWRENCE) Are you sure there's nobody here?" "(ANNE) There shouldn't be." "Not even the servants." "They've all gone to the fête." "Do we have to have George watching?" " That's Sonia." " (CHUCKLES)" "Do we have to have her watching?" "She likes to watch people make love." "How many people has she watched?" "Oh, I've asked, but she's not telling." "(CAR DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES)" "(GIRL) It's the way we always come, Aunt Elizabeth." "Well, there appear to be no servants." "(SCOFFS) There's no one to take my coat." " Shall I take it?" " Oh, that's all right, my dear." "Aunt Elizabeth!" "What a surprise!" "I thought you were arriving tomorrow." "There's been a slight change of plan." "Which I hope is not inconvenient." "It has been quite an extraordinarily busy fortnight." "First, the ball at Blenheim Palace, which I must admit was spectacular!" "People said it put Versailles to shame." "Then there was the one at Holland House, which was an awful crush, and full of politicians and film stars." " No offence, my dear." " It sounds exhausting." "Actually, it was rather invigorating." "You're looking very well, my dear." "Positively glowing." "It must be the country air." "(LAUGHS)" "(DISTANT CHATTERING AND LAUGHTER)" "I'll see you in London." "Promise?" "Of course." "Even though so much is happening, nothing is going to stop me seeing you." "You don't mind me doing the crossword here, do you?" "Of course not, Gilbert." "We won't work today." "It's always the bit players who get delayed." "Come on, Gilbert, no moaning today." "I'm looking forward to our scene next week." "You're coming up for the weekend, for the picnic, so we can rehearse?" "I'm honoured to be invited, and of course I'm coming." "But I don't really feel the need to rehearse." "It's the same old part for me, the jolly old gentleman." "Phone call, Miss Keyes." "Hello?" " It's Lawrence." " Hello." " Have you heard the news?" " No." "What?" "Hector is dead." "What?" "What happened?" "That's terrible." "I think he killed himself." "Oh, my God." " It's in the newspaper." " I haven't seen the newspaper." "He must have killed himself or..." "Or what?" "No, I..." "I can't talk on the telephone." "I'm going to Scotland to see his parents." "I'll find out more." " As soon as I'm back..." " How long are you going for?" "Not long." " When I'm back, I have to see you." " I have to see you too." "(LAWRENCE HANGS UP)" "There you are." "I thought you'd been called and gone without me." "What's the matter?" "Somebody I know has died." "Oh, yes." "Hector Haldane." "Always thought he had a marvellous name." "He was one of the young Members of Parliament speaking out against appeasing Herr Hitler." "I read one of his speeches once." "Passionate stuff." "He's been calling for a change at the top for a new prime minister." "(GILBERT) How sad." "He was a man of potential." "I saw him only two weeks ago." "(DOOR OPENS)" "There you are, my dear!" "We thought you weren't coming." "I'm sorry I'm late." "It's a long journey from the studio." "You'll have a thrilling evening, meeting our new vicar." " Have you heard the news?" " We have." "Poor Hector." "It's terrible news." "He was so full of life." "(CHURCH BELL CHIMES)" "So, Alexander." "I'm glad to see some things don't change." "The family still matters here, clearly." "You should've put a coat on, Celia." "No wonder you're cold." "(ALEXANDER) Of course you're shocked, my dear." " Do you know what happened?" " No." "Lawrence didn't tell me very much." "He said he thought Hector had killed himself." "It's possible." "He was excitable." "But there was something very touching about him." "And very brave." "I'm so honoured you were able to come this evening." "We're delighted to get our own private performance." "And we are all here." "You've already met Kathleen, my sister." "Her boy is in the choir." "Oh, yes." "I hope you approve." "I'm conducting the choir myself tonight." "It's an anthem that reaches back almost as far as your family!" "Let us hope he is an improvement on the last one." "Are we allowed to wave at Walter?" "You're still looking so pale, my dear." "Yes." "I was just thinking about Mr Balcombe." "What does he do, Papa?" "He works at the Home Office doing various things." "He's in the secret service." "It's obvious." "Is he?" "Would he have taken an interest in Hector?" "Very possibly, but I don't think he can have bumped him off." "Bumped him off?" "Oh, Anne, your love of the dramatic!" "No, I didn't mean that, of course." "Mind you, he is rather spooky." "He seems a little odd, I admit, but he shares my love of fishing." "It's just..." "Hector seemed worried about him." "You can't just get rid of Members of Parliament like that." "(CHOIR SINGING IN LATIN)" "Both the first part... and the third part." "Forgive a statement that's obvious, but evil has to be stood up to." "I'll ask Mr Balcombe to move all the stuff he's got stored in our sheds." "It's not right we have things around the house and we don't know what they are." "He can do it very soon." "He's coming to the picnic." "We'll feed him up and then get him to take everything away." "What a splendid estate you have here!" "It's no wonder you're so proud of it, Sir Alexander." "I remember hearing you speak at a meeting" " about the wonders of nature." " It's marvellous someone remembers." "It was inspiring." "(BABY CRYING)" "I know I've seen you in the theatre many times." "One or two performances really stood out." " Your porter, in Macbeth..." " Oh, yes." "Drunken porter, as I remember." "Especially towards the end of the week. (LAUGHS)" "Come on, everybody." "We've got to walk off all this food." " Let's go to the mossy island." " Why do we have to?" "I can't move!" "We can't take the baby to the mossy island." "It's all right." "I'll stay here and look after it." "Don't worry, Aunt Elizabeth, I'll stay." "Learn my lines." "We'll both sit and look after him together." "(FLIES BUZZING)" "(BABY BABBLES)" "I think I might stretch my legs after all, if you don't mind." "I'll lose all use of them if I don't get out of this ridiculous chair at once." "(LAWRENCE) Are you sure there's nobody here?" "(ANNE) There shouldn't be." "(ANNE SIGHS)" "Oliver?" "They must have come back for him." "Oliver?" "Oliver!" "Hello!" "Papa!" "Have you got Oliver with you?" "!" "Papa?" "Walter!" "Didn't you hear me?" "Have they got Oliver with them?" " No." "YOU'VE got Oliver." " No, he's gone." "Somebody must've come back for him when I wasn't looking." "He's not on the mossy island." "I've just been there." "(TWIG SNAPS)" "Hello?" "Who's that?" "Walter, go back and get them all, right now." "Go on." "Go and get them all right now." "Quick!" "(PANTING)" "(BABY CRYING)" "Oliver!" "(BABY CONTINUES CRYING)" "(ECHOING) Oliver!" "Who's got Oliver?" "!" "(BABY CRYING)" "(GASPS)" "Walter!" "What are you doing here?" "I told you to go and find them all!" "I've done that." "They're all coming back." "I came to help." " Are you playing a game, Walter?" " No, I'm not playing a game." "Did you move Oliver?" "Were you told to play a game?" "I told you, I am not playing a game." "Tell me where Oliver is." "Tell me where he is!" "(ALEXANDER) Anne!" "There she is." " Have you got Oliver?" " We haven't." "He's gone!" "I was just there, and I turned round and he was gone," " and the pushchair vanished!" " Calm down." " He can't have gone far." " They took the pushchair!" " Oh, my God!" " I found his shoe." "If we all fan out, we can cover a lot of ground." "I'm so sorry!" " Oliver!" " Oliver!" "I think we should take this path." "But I've looked here." "Of course I have." "We're following the path!" " I've been down this path." " Everything's all right." "Everything's going to be all right." "He's not anywhere here." "I've looked here, of course I have!" "(ALL SHOUTING FOR OLIVER)" "Oliver!" "Oh, my God!" "Oh, thank God!" "(RALPH) We've found him, everybody!" "(BABY CRYING)" "Here he is, safe and sound." "The panic's over." "I'm sorry!" "(ELIZABETH) How on earth did he get there?" "I don't know." "I really don't know." "I..." "I must have fallen asleep for a few seconds and... he was gone." " Somebody moved him." " Somebody moved him?" "Maybe you were concentrating so much on your lines, darling," " you walked with him, not realising." " I didn't walk with him!" " I didn't move him!" " Are you sure about that?" " You said you fell asleep." " I didn't walk with him." "I didn't move him, I'm absolutely certain." "I did not move him!" "He did have a hell of a lot packed away in our sheds." "I hear they've got the Duke of Wellington to take several tons of confidential material and put it in his basement!" "They're so worried about Communist infiltration, they'd rather put it in a duke's wine cellar." "What excuse did you give, Papa, to make him take it all away?" "I said in winter the sheds all leak." "I didn't move the baby." "You ought to believe me." " I do." " Then who moved him?" " It was Walter." " Walter?" " Why would he do that?" " Maybe it WAS the boy." "Who knows?" "Perhaps he'd had wine when we weren't looking." "Or somebody asked him to move him." "Why would they do that, darling?" "To make me seem unreliable, a bit dotty." "He knows I'm friends with Lawrence and with Hector." "I think we should let Mr Balcombe disappear with all his boxes and just not invite him again - ever." "We want to be sure we get rid of him, which I'm sure we can do." "We've lost a terrific chance to do a lot of snooping." " So, I think that is everything." " Including all the foxtrots?" "I believe so, yes." "And there's nothing left behind in here, is there?" " In the house?" " I don't think so, Joseph." "No." "No." "I don't know of anything." " (KNOCKING)" " Come in." "I just wanted to see how you are." "I'm absolutely fine." "There's nothing wrong with me." "Of course not." "Anyway, the spooky man has gone at last." "Papa says we're returning to London in the morning." " Really?" " Yes." "Because Parliament may be about to be recalled." "It's a bit of a crisis, apparently." "But I think it's terrific we're going." "Nowadays I can't stand it down here after a couple of weeks." "No disrespect to Sonia." "You'll forgive me, won't you?" "I really miss Horatio." "(MEOWS)" "(MAID) Oh, Sir Alexander!" "I wasn't expecting you!" "The house is not aired!" "We had no idea you were coming back to London today." "And Mrs Hardiman is not back till the end of the week." "(ALEXANDER) No need to alarm yourself, Betty." "We live in unpredictable times." "We can manage without Mrs Hardiman." "And there is this awful racket from next door, sir." "They're getting ready for a party." " There's been banging all day long." " I'm sure it will all be fine." "As long as they don't throw anything into our garden." "And remember to invite us." "(DANCE MUSIC PLAYING FAINTLY)" "It doesn't seem to be our home at all, does it?" "The house all wrapped up like this." " No." " The FO will be abuzz." "(DANCE MUSIC PLAYING)" "Glorious..." "I know it's a very sensitive subject, but with my new job, I have access to all sorts of things, and I know who to ask to find out even more." "So... only if you wish it, of course, but I could find out who your real parents were." " You could?" " So what do you think?" "I don't know if I want to know." "For some reason, it's never really worried me who my real parents are." "I don't think about it much any more." "It's a big decision." "(DANCE MUSIC PLAYING)" "Oh, Betty." "There used to be another gramophone, an old wind-up one." "Whatever happened to that?" "Oh, that old thing?" "I put it away in the lumber room." "(MAN ON RECORD) We're clear which sectors we're concentrating on and which remain still to be enquired into?" "I think we're all agreed which areas are the highest  reports that we've had back so far are to be studied at the next meeting." "The individual reports we'll be looking into are number 10, 15 and 22." "37 is still being..." "(AGITATED MAN)... nothing more to say!" "You keep ringing me!" "And you've got to stop!" "You've got to stop this!" "(MAN 1) We're just reminding you, Mr Haldane, of the information..." "That information is private!" "It's PRIVATE!" "People do all sorts of things in their lives!" "And if I have, I have!" "I just want you to stop calling me and my parents... (MAN 1) We wanted you to realise we meant what we said, and it is best for you to listen to us." "(HEC TOR) I cannot believe this is happening to me!" "I want you to stop calling my parents!" "Do you hear me?" "DOYOU HEAR ME?" "You have to agree to that!" "My father is ill!" "He cannot stand it!" "You have no right... (CRASHES)" "I'm so sorry, miss." "I had no idea you were in here." "I didn't realise you might want to listen to something in here!" "Don't worry, Betty." "It's my fault." "I had to listen to something for the film I'm playing a part in." " Going out, Papa?" " Hello, darling." "Yes." "To the club, where the atmosphere will be feverish." "I need to talk to you, when you have a moment." "Not now, darling." "There have been developments." "The world goes on moving faster and faster and I am not at all sure we can stop that." " More gramophone records, I see." " Yes." "I thought you gave everything back to Mr Balcombe." "What is that?" " This is a real foxtrot, for once." " Is it?" "Good." "We don't want to give Mr Balcombe an excuse to return." "No, that would not be good." "We'll talk... when this crisis is over." "(DANCE MUSIC PLAYING FAINTLY)" "I love them having a party next door as the balloon's going up." "Is the balloon going up?" "Now?" "I should have listened to the wireless." "It may or may not be going up." "Should we be held to our promise to Poland?" "Do we really want to go to war for them?" "Can this be happening all over again?" "That's what's going on." "They're all travelling back from their country estates as we speak." "It's as bad as that." "There's nothing you can do, Glorious." "You go on making your movie." "Cheer people up." "I can't just do that, I have to do something more." "No, this is good advice." "It's an absolutely splendid thing to cheer people up." "They're not going to do our scene today." "They've told us to go." "Not today?" "I don't believe it!" "We will never be needed." "The weather's not right, apparently." "I've managed to get my father's chauffeur to pick us up." "Will you come home with me, Gilbert?" "Who could resist such an invitation?" "I want to play you something, in private." "It's this gramophone record." "You're much better informed about everything." "Flattery as well!" "Today is looking up." "We just have to pick up my brother and sister at a ball." "(ANNE) It's not too far." "This is the way to travel for a poor boy like me." "Always dreamt I'd have a car like this as an actor." "Hasn't happened yet." "Never got above the title." "Not even once." "(GILBERT) Time for some riotous living, for no one has any idea what's going to happen tomorrow." "So, what's the tune you want to play me?" "It's not a tune, it's a conversation." "It's a recording of a meeting." "I found it among things Mr Balcombe was storing with us in Norfolk." "There was another record as well, of Hector screaming, really upset." "The man who killed himself?" "Where is it?" "It's broken." "It got smashed." "Since the baby and the pushchair, you don't trust what I say." "When did I say that?" "I know it's my fault I haven't read more about the political situation, being too bound up with my work." "It's conceivable the secret service are listening in and recording the conversations of those opposed to the government." " That is possible?" " Extremely possible." "Yes, and that spying and these recordings could be used to put pressure on people, couldn't they?" "To blackmail them into silence, if necessary." " That too is possible, if risky." " Yes, because they wouldn't wish that to become public." "No!" "Imagine what the supporters of Winston Churchill would do with information like that." "It would bring down the present leadership," "Churchill would become Prime Minister, that would lead to a bolder approach to Germany!" "Blackmail." "Well, I never." "Although it's... possible, of course, that elements in the secret service are taking things further than the Prime Minister intended." "Is that what's on that recording?" "Oh, no, no." "It's merely a boring meeting." "But I thought perhaps you would know who the people were." "Why would they record a boring meeting?" "Perhaps because somebody couldn't be there and they didn't want notes taken?" "That's just a slightly drunken actor's guess." "But now, if war comes, none of this matters." "On the contrary, my dear, it will matter all the more." "Some of these people don't want a war." "They don't want Winston Churchill as Prime Minister." "They want this country to be left alone." "They don't care what's happening in Europe as long as this lovely place is not disturbed." "They'll want to make peace as soon as they can, maybe at any price, and give Hitler all sorts of things in return." "But we shouldn't worry." "We will be looking down at everybody from a cinema screen dressed in ludicrous Victorian dress." "That is, if we ever get our call." "(RALPH) Hello!" "Hello, down there!" "There you are!" "You're so early." "You're much too early." "It is nearly 3 o'clock in the afternoon, Celia." "You missed something gorgeous." "There were exotic birds and fountains of gold water." "And Aunt Elizabeth is still here." "Like me, she hasn't slept all night." "So you've been up all night, Aunt Elizabeth?" "Yes." "Still to go to bed!" "I stayed up with the young people." "Haven't done that for years." "What amazing times we live in!" "I was meant to go hours ago, but I never did." " (CHUCKLES)" " Oh, Mr Williams!" "Just the person I want to see." " I am?" " You must come over here, come on, and hear what I've got to tell you." "I've been tidying up my house, or rather the servants have, in case we have to run like mice, and you'll never guess what they have unearthed." "My whole collection of theatre programmes," " many of them featuring you." " (CHUCKLING) No!" "Mm." "You in Richard II and in The Last Days of Pompeii..." "Marvellous!" "I'd love to see them." "(WHISPERS)" "You'll have to come with me now, because if this irritating war breaks out, the whole thing will get scattered." "You don't mind coming to my little house by St Paul's after tea?" " Not at all." "That'd be thrilling." " Gilbert." "My career in theatre programmes." "I never kept anything." " I was superstitious." " Gilbert." " Milk?" " Thank you." "Hmm?" "We had an appointment." "Yes..." "Give me what you want me to listen to, dear, the record, and I'll listen to it when I get home, I promise." "(RALPH) I'd love to have seen The Last Days of Pompeii." "(RALPH LAUGHS)" "What?" "I didn't say anything." "(BIRDS CHIRPING)" "(DIRECTOR) Where is he?" "Where the hell is Mr Williams?" "I'm late." "I'm late." "Well, come on!" "Come on, Gilbert!" " Where've you been?" " Anne..." "(DIRECTOR) We have to go straightaway." "No rehearsal." "It's clouding over, we're losing the light." "We need to film now." "Mark it, please House of Cheyney, scene 105, take 1." "(DIRECTOR) Action!" "Uncle, I know you said not to take the job at the big house." "But the master has been so kind to me, and it is a fine opportunity." "(GILBERT) There will be other opportunities." "I know you have your eye on him." "But he is engaged to another and, however much you hope, that situation will not change." "You should listen to me, Jenny." "(DIRECTOR) Cut!" "Everyone, I have an announcement to make." "Apparently..." "I'm not quite sure how to put it." " We're now at war." " (MURMURING)" "We're at war with Germany." "So it's happened." "This news is very shocking, but we still have a job to do." "I've asked for a wireless to be sent up, and when it arrives, we can gather round it, take an early tea break." "But for now, we'll pick up from where we were." "Roll up." "Action!" " Do you understand, Anne?" " Yes, I think so." "Which bit do you think I don't understand?" "That we're at war, or what "action" means?" "Come on, for God's sake!" "Action!" " (ANNE) Thank you." " (CAR DRIVES AWAY)" "You're not waiting for me, are you?" "I'm sorry." "It was a very long day." " We've been watching the door." " Mama's gone to bed early." "But we thought we should all be together." "We thought today of all days you might read to us." ""Thy love is better than high birth to me," ""Richer than wealth, prouder than garments' cost," ""Of more delight than hawks or horses be;" ""And having thee, of all men's pride I boast..."" "(VOMITING)" "Goodness, Mick!" "What did you do last night?" "(GUNSHOT)" "(OFFICER) Sorry, miss, this is no place for you." "Come along." " (GASPS)" " You step outside." "I was just taking him his tea." "I was only a couple of minutes late." "He wasn't in his dressing room." "That's when I found him." "They say it looks like he shot himself..." "They said I shouldn't ask but..." "that's how it looks." " Did you see a note?" " I didn't see much." " So you didn't see a note?" " I couldn't really look at anything." "I was only a tiny bit late and... there he was." "And I can't get through to them on location." "I've called and called." "His scene is very soon." "It would be terrible if they were expecting him." " (WOMAN) Yes?" " Can I speak to Lawrence Newbolt?" "Putting you through." "I'm... sorry, I made a mistake." "I was misinformed." "Mr Newbolt is not here." "He's gone to Paris." "To Paris?" "But he was in Scotland." "He WAS in Scotland, and now he's in Paris." "He went this morning." "This morning?" " When will he be back?" " That is classified, of course." "(THUNDER RUMBLES)" "(KNOCKING)" "I've just seen the dreadful news in the paper about Mr Williams." "I am so sorry." " You must be so upset." " Yes." "It was horrible." "I really was very fond of him." "Does anybody know what happened?" "They say he shot himself." "That's what it looks like." "But there wasn't a note." "I waited for hours to see if they would find a note from him, a message." " And they didn't." " He may not have written one." "It's an extraordinarily emotional time right now, for me too." "It seems it was so recent, the last war, and having been there myself, darling, having fought in that delightful show," "I can tell you I dream about it nearly every night." "I know a lot of people are very confused." "And I don't want to seem hysterical or overdramatic..." "You're an actress." "Some of that is required." " (CHUCKLES) Yes, that's true." " You're so bright and original, full of your stories and drawings, always, never lost that." "Your comic knights and their adventures." "Yes, and so I don't want it to seem as though I'm imagining things." "I understand." "And Gilbert may have killed himself." "But what if he didn't?" "What if something else is going on?" "I mean, first Hector and then him." "Why would they concern themselves with Gilbert?" "It doesn't seem likely, darling, that they're linked." " I love you." " (SIGHS)" "No one knows what each day will bring at the moment, and that's very disconcerting." "It applies to me as well." "One thing is certain:" "we won't let Mr Balcombe anywhere near us, whatever he's up to." "I will keep you safe." "Some things I'm still good at, darling." "I just heard the news." "It's awful." "It is amazing how much has changed in a day." "It's incredible, coming through the park just now" "I thought I saw this huge silver beast." "A silver beast?" "It was, in fact, a barrage balloon being inflated, but it was moving by itself along the ground." "And they say two million people are being evacuated today." "And lots and lots of people are having their pets put down." " Their pets?" " Mm." "Really?" "How awful!" "Because they're leaving and there's nobody to look after them, or because they feel it's being responsible." " I may be going to America." " To America?" " When are you going?" " Maybe very soon." "Things keeps changing, but at the moment the government suggests" "I should go there and try and raise funds for the war effort." "Don't worry." "Remember what I said." "So can you go down to Norfolk to look after Aunt Elizabeth?" "She's staying down there." "You know she hates to be alone." "Your mother will join you when she can." "Won't you, darling?" "I just need to leave this garden in the best state I can." "It would be good if you could go to Norfolk, darling." "Yes." "They just want me at the studio for one more day, to do some sound." "Miss Keyes!" "These were in your dressing room." "I don't know if you meant to leave them behind." "I think the cigarette case is Mr Williams'... but I didn't know who else to give it to." "I didn't see this in my dressing room." "It was in a cupboard right at the back." "It will be a shock seeing him again, Anne." "You'll find it distressing seeing Mr Williams springing back to life, so to speak." "Yes, of course it's strange..." "so soon after." "Yes, that's why I thought we'd get it out of the way, get it done while we still can." "Who knows where we'll be next week?" "You just need to do your first line again." "There was some noise on it." "Uncle, I know you said I shouldn't take the job at the big house... (DIRECTOR) You look radiant up there, Anne, don't you think?" "...and it is a fine opportunity." "There will be other opportunities." "I know you have... (DIRECTOR) Gilbert is a bit detached, isn't he?" "You can see it." "He wasn't quite there." "Obviously already decided what he was going to do." "(ANNE REVOICES) Uncle, I know you think" "I shouldn't have taken the job..." "Is that?" "That was a bit off, I'm afraid." "Maybe you should watch the whole scene, get in the mood." "Perhaps we should have done that first." "(SOUND PLAYING BACKWARDS)" "I know you have your eye on him." "But he is engaged to another, and however much you hope, that situation will not change." "You should listen to it again, Anne." "What..." "What the hell is he doing?" "He's saying the wrong line." "It's utterly wrong!" "Rewind." "Rewind that." "I need to watch that back." "(REEL REWINDS IN SLOW MOTION)" "You should listen to it again, Anne." "Did you hear that? "You should listen to it again, Anne."" "Rewind again, please." "(REEL REWINDS)" "The real line is, "You should listen to me, Jenny."" "He called you Anne instead of Jenny and totally rewrote the line." "You should listen to it again, Anne." "Anne." "Listen." "(RATTLING)" " Ah, you're here, Miss Anne." " I'm late, Lucy, I know." "There you are." "I've been waiting to have my tea until you arrived." "There's some miserable-looking walnut cake, but the sandwiches look promising." "It's been a long journey." "I'm just going to change." "(MAN) So we're exploring the objectives that we set out and agreed upon at the last meeting and how we might achieve them in practice." "And the third objective remains, I think you'll agree, as important as ever and shouldn't be forgotten..." "And I think it will simplify matters if we combine the next two under the same heading and treat them together..." "Oh, Gilbert." "(BALCOMBE) We should make sure the scheme for applying the greatest pressure on these individuals" " is coordinated in one place." " Balcombe." "The operation that was mounted on the first two individuals has been successful and they will be troubling us no more." "And the third one, on Hector Haldane, is, I think, about to be achieved." "But we do now need to give this operation a name to ease communication amongst us." "(RALPH) Oh, I can give you a name." "You want a name?" "I've got the perfect name." "Let's call it "Thin Men Dancing"." "We won't forget that in a hurry, a name like that." "(BALCOMBE) "Thin Men Dancing"?" "It's certainly eccentric." "Where did that come from?" "Anyway, why not?" " No chance of confusion there!" " Ralph." "No!" "I've got the perfect name." "Let's call it "Thin Men Dancing"." "And let us see how much dancing they need to do!" "(SOBBING)" "I did knock, miss." "I didn't think you could hear me." "Her Ladyship's wondering if you're ready for tea." "Beatrice Townsend rang me yesterday." "She said at least there is one silver lining to this war:" "one won't have to wake up every Friday morning wondering if one has got the guest list right for the weekend." "But I expect the competition between her and Emerald Cunard will begin again very soon." "They won't let a small thing like a war stop their entertaining." "Nor should they." "Don't you agree?" "I agree it will take more than a war to stop them." "And we mustn't let it stop us either." "We must stick together down here, my dear, or we will go absolutely mad." "We will do everything together - listen to the wireless, play mah-jong, go to church, do everything like twin sisters." "Yes, Aunt Elizabeth." "Don't look so thoughtful, my dear." "But, of course, you have had such a horrid shock." "Poor Mr Williams." "I hope it wasn't seeing his whole career spread out in the programmes from my collection that made him so desperate." "Having one's life summed up can be very dispiriting." "This little war makes everything uncertain." "(RADIO) This is the National Programme from London." "First news, copyright reserved." "(MAN) The Foreign Office." "Can I have extension 182, Lawrence Newbolt, please?" "One moment." "I'm sorry, there is no reply from extension 182." "(NEWS OVER RADIO)" "You've broken the rules already, my dear, moving the gramophone!" "We're going to do everything together, remember?" "Come in here and let's listen to what the world is getting up to and if we should take it seriously." "(ELIZABETH) I can usually only enjoy the countryside in very small doses." "But it is very peaceful here." "The war seems such a long way off." "Although, since no bombs are dropping anywhere, maybe London is this quiet." "Do you know what's happening with Papa?" " Have you heard from him?" " No, I haven't." "But then he dislikes using the telephone almost as much as I do." "We don't seem to be alone." "(ELIZABETH) Anyone we know?" "(ELIZABETH) Apparently not." "Just have to change my shoes, dear, after that country walk." "You've got my other shoes, haven't you?" " Let me help you." " Thank you, my dear." "I'm so glad you're here to keep me company, my dear." "Thank you." "And now I am going to spoil it all and ask you just to scrape the shoes." "Because if they go into the bag like that, they'll make these shoes all muddy on the way back." "There's a scraper round the corner." "(TWIG SNAPS)" "There you are, my dear." "I was just telling the vicar we must do some fundraising for the restoration." "After all, it was our family that built this church." "And what a good job they made of it." "Hopefully we will still be looking after it in another thousand years." "It must be marvellous to end up being part of such a family." ""To end up"?" "I haven't just joined, you know." "Of course." "A slip of the tongue." "I meant such an old, established family." "The sense of history." "It must be such a good feeling." "(CHOIR SINGING IN LATIN)" "(COUGHS)" "I just have to get rid of this." "(ANNE COUGHS)" "(JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING)" "(SIGHS) Of course, it won't start." "(CAR ENGINE STARTS UP)" "Miss Anne, that car ain't safe to drive." "I have to go to London urgently." "I got a message from work." " That car ain't safe, Miss Anne." " I've got to go." "Get out of the way, Lucy!" "Miss Anne, don't go!" "Miss Anne!" "Don't go!" "Come on." "You're not going to give out on me." "(HORN HONKING)" "What the hell does he want?" "Bloody farmers!" "The road ahead is closed." "There is a military exercise taking place." "You'll have to find another route through." "I'm going to London." "How do I get there?" "By another route." "Yeah." "Thank you for that." "Just thought you might help (!" ")" "Where's that lorry that passed me?" "You seem to have allowed him through with no problem." "Could you switch your engine off, please?" " Can I see your identity card?" " My identity card?" " I don't have one." " You don't have one?" "From yesterday everyone needs to carry an identity card." "It's the law." "There are no exceptions." " I'm afraid I'll have to detain you." " Detain me?" "Why?" "I've been down at the film studio." "That's why I don't have one." "I really need to get to London today." "Without a card you're going nowhere." "I am the daughter of a Member of Parliament, Sir Alexander Keyes." "If you telephone him, or allow me..." "Step out of the vehicle, please." "Move over to that side of the vehicle, please." "Get into the vehicle." "I think you might at least tell me where I'm going." "(CAR ENGINE STARTS UP)" "(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)" "Can I ask you to come this way now?" "Come on, quickly!" "We've had a lot of people like you today, taking no notice of the regulations." "So this is what happens." "(ANNE) Hello again." "I don't suppose you're going to tell me how long I am going to be held here." "I wouldn't complain if I were you, miss." "We have the power now to detain anyone indefinitely." " Did you know that?" " No, I didn't know." "Habeas corpus." "Do you know what habeas corpus is, miss?" "Of course..." "Of course I do." "Well, it doesn't exist any more." "It's gone." "We can keep you as long as we want, wherever we want." "Don't need to ask a judge any more, don't need to ask anybody." "Don't even need to tell anyone where you've gone." "(INDISTINCT CHATTER)" "Glorious!" "What are you doing?" "What has happened to you?" "Thank God you're here!" "Papa got a call from these soldiers saying you'd been detained!" "They called the Houses of Parliament." "Aunt Elizabeth telephoned to say you rushed out coughing like you were about to die in the middle of choir practice." "The vicar was heartbroken." "Why did you do that, Glorious?" "I had to... get away." "I've got a bit of a confession to make." "Although it won't come as a great surprise." "I'm terribly in love." "I'm so in love with Lawrence," "I couldn't bear to be away from him, shut away in the country." "I had this incredible urge to see him." "How wonderful, darling!" "That's fantastic!" "That is pretty romantic, Glorious, yes." "There's a party tonight at the Foreign Office, and we've helped arrange it." "(RALPH) Nothing can stop the parties happening, especially not this one." "It's all the ambassadors." "Lawrence is going to be there too." "Isn't that good timing?" "He is?" "Now you've been detained, you've got to come." "(RALPH) Dawson will drive your car back to Aunt Elizabeth." "I thought it was dangerous to drive." "Apparently it is!" "That's why you shouldn't be driving it." "But Dawson's expendable, isn't he!" "Lots more where you came from, aren't there!" "I get to drive the Rolls, which is terrific." "Come on, Glorious." "We're hosts to tonight's party, remember." "Lots to do!" "Yes, including a hot bath for you, darling." "You look a real country girl like that!" "You've time to have a really good wallow before you see him." "You see, everything's gone now." "It's all in storage." "And with the whole town blacked out, isn't it strange, darling?" "Like being in another place completely." "On the moon or something!" " You look so lovely." " Why, thank you!" "I am the hostess of this party, in a way, so I'm just a tiny bit nervous." "It's part of my new job." "I am attached to the Court of St James now!" "I am going to need to go a little early." "That's fine." "I'll escort Anne." "We'll go together." "All right." "I must volunteer too." "I have to do something for the war effort." "Glorious, you don't have to do that." "You're an actress." " That's what you keep doing." " Ah!" "But talking of volunteering..." "A lot of our childhood things down here..." "I'm not sure what's going to happen to them." "(CAT MEOWS)" "Do you recognise him?" "It's Bombardier." "Oh, yes, of course." "Aunt Elizabeth's cat." "So, darling, this is a little bit nasty, but Aunt Elizabeth wants him put down because she's left London." "I was going to take him to the vet, but now you're here, could you do it?" "I'm needed at work, you see." "And I can't ask one of the servants to do it." "And I would be so upset taking him anyway!" " Will you do it?" " If that's what has to be done." "You look so good, Glorious." "Here you are!" "So far, no disasters." "They haven't started throwing things?" "Give them time!" "Argentina has been extremely talkative." "And America." "Mr Kennedy goes on about how much stronger Germany is than we are and how everything is over for us and we'd better realise it!" "(GIGGLES)" "Darling, you must go downstairs to the other party." "That's altogether more fun." "(ALEXANDER) Now, I have a series of flags here, these little flags, and somewhere on the map of the world over here" " is some treasure!" " (CHILDREN GASP)" "So you stick your flag wherever you think the treasure is, and whoever is the nearest will get a rather marvellous prize!" "(GASPING AND LAUGHTER)" "So come on, everybody, take a flag." "(EXCITED SHOUTING)" "Darling!" "There you are!" " It's terrific to see you." " You're not angry with me?" " For leaving Norfolk?" " Of course not." "I understand." "Would you take this, and organise the treasure hunt?" "Children, Ralph here will now be in charge!" "Gladly." "Just don't forget to tell me where the treasure is." "It's all the children of the ambassadors in London." "They don't know whether they'll be travelling back to their countries." " They don't know what's happening." " A bit like us." "A bit like us, yes." "I should never have sent you to the country with Aunt Elizabeth." "How could I have done that?" "You belong here, with all of us." " (INDISTINCT CHATTER)" " Fantastic." "Now you must go and get yourself some jelly." "Some jelly?" "Why?" "(INDISTINCT CHATTER)" "(ANNE GASPS)" " Oh, Lawrence!" " Hello, darling." "Oh, I didn't know whether I'd ever see you again." "I didn't know whether you'd really be here." "Yes, they suddenly sent me to France." "Don't cry." "I am not cry..." "I'm not crying." "It's just, for a moment, everything seemed all right, and I know it isn't." "Now then, when we've got all our flags pinned up," "I think we should have a bit of a sing-song." "What about a song from each of your countries?" " Everybody like the sound of that?" " (ALL) Yes!" " Something terrible is going on." " I know." " Ralph is involved." " I know that too." "You know?" "Do you think he realises the full extent of what they're doing?" " Maybe he doesn't." " I don't know the answer." "He's my brother." "I can't believe he would..." "I want to believe he couldn't." "What I've found out is that there's a group of them in the secret service and a motley collection of other people, including some very determined aristocrats who are trying to bring this war to an end before it's even started." "They think we have no chance." "They want to do a deal with Hitler." "I think they killed my friend Gilbert." " And they blackmailed Hector..." " They are very dangerous." "# Be there at our waking, your faith there, we pray" "# Your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day #" "They drove Hector to kill himself," " I've got a recording of a meeting." " Can you give it to me?" "I don't have it here." "I really have to have it." "Proof is invaluable." "I must get it tomorrow." "We'll meet in the morning, Somewhere I won't be followed." "(SINGS SONG IN FRENCH)" "I know." "The vet's." "(SCOFFS) The vet?" "I have to take a cat to be put down." "We could meet there." " Yes, that sounds rather perfect." " (FOOTSTEPS)" " It's all right." "We are in love." " Are we?" "That's what I told him, and that's what he's going to see." "Not in front of the children, Glorious!" "Come along." "If we're to use your idea, I'd better get the address of a vet." "We can't use one that's near the house." "It has to be out of the way, in the suburbs." "You understand?" "I'll do that now, use the great resources of the building." " No, don't go." " I won't be a moment." "(ALL) # He whistled and he sang till the green woods rang" "# And he won the heart of a lady #" "Now we've started the singing, we'll have to do every single country!" "Not my most brilliant idea." "Come with me, Glorious." " I've got something to show you." " Come with you where?" "Follow me." "It's important." "I think you should come as well." "It's such a big basement." "Where are we going?" "You've only seen a corner of it." "(SOUND OF TYPING)" "Right." "Come on in." "This is Miss Semel." " She's working late." " She is." "Now, we have two things for you, Anne." " Your identity card..." " That was quick." "Splendid." "I asked Ralph to arrange it, and that is quick." "Rather a long walk to get to it, though." "That's perfect." "You have your card." "You're officially you." "I'd better get back to the ambassadors, darling." "I've spent too much time with the children." "They're so much more interesting (!" ")" " I'll come with you." " Just a moment." " What is it?" " Why are you running away?" "I'm not running away." "Why would I do that?" "I don't know." "I found out the other thing, the one we talked about." "It seems a rather appropriate moment to do it, to go with the card." "If you want." "You mean about my parents?" "Do you want to hear, or do you want to run off?" "All right." "Why not?" " Good night, Miss Semel." " Good night." "I think you'll be pleased." "It explains your theatrical bent - well, I think it does." "They were a Romany family." "Your parents were gypsies." "There are no pictures, sadly." "One of them must've been blonde, mustn't they?" "Maybe they had Russian blood." "Thank you." "You're right." "I do like the idea." "I see nothing wrong in coming from gypsies." "I think I'll go back to the party now." "Hello?" "Walter!" "How are you here?" "You were in church this morning!" "YOU'RE here, and YOU were in the church." "Why are you here?" "I didn't realise you were the son of an ambassador." "They thought I might be able to contribute to the party." "I'm sure you will be." "Excuse me." "Anne!" " Don't you realise?" " Don't I realise what?" "(WHISPERS) They don't love you." "Lawrence!" "Thank God it's you." "What is this?" "I wasn't that long." " Here, have some more." " Oh, thank you." "I have an address for you." " You can find out anything here." " I've just discovered that." "We'll meet there." "Put the evidence you have into an envelope, and address it to someone other than me." " Who?" " Doesn't matter." "Winston Churchill." "(LAUGHS)" " Will they follow me there?" " No." "Keep an eye out, but I don't think so." "They won't follow you into the vet." "They're far too squeamish." "There you are, darling." "I'm off to take Bombardier to the vet for..." " Well, you know what for." " Yes." "What things have come to." "There may be lot of people there, so I could be a while." "Anne, if it's not too much to ask," "I think you should take Horatio too." "He needs to be done as well." "Take our cat?" "Why?" "If I'm going to the US next week, we'll be shutting up the house." "I'll take Bombardier because Aunt Elizabeth has asked for that to happen." "I'll find another home for Horatio." " I'm sure I can." " No, darling, we can't do that." "A lot of other people are having to do this." "They can be told it's not necessary yet." "I find myself having to tell them that it is." "Anyway, we'll get Dawson to see to it." "Don't worry yourself." "Come and sit with me and help me." "I need your help." "No, I'm the only one who's not doing anything at the moment, so I should do it, if that's what's required." "I will take the cats to be put to sleep, then I will come back and help you." "There's no school any more." "These children haven't been evacuated, so they're running wild." "We'll find Lawrence, but I won't let anything happen to you." "I will find a way." "(DOGS BARKING)" "Excuse me." "Have you filled out your form?" "My form?" "What form?" "No." "I've only just arrived." "Are you here to have your pets put down?" "I'm... meeting someone first." "I have to see him." "You can't join the queue until you've filled out a consent form." "All those people have, so must you." "Sit out there and fill out a form." "(WOMAN SOBBING)" "Excuse me." "Has anyone been asking for Miss Keyes?" "No, miss." " (DOG WHINES) - (VET) Mrs Evans?" "I..." "I haven't quite finished filling it out." "I haven't signed it because I'm merely..." "That'll do." "Not everybody signs them." " As long as it's filled out." " Has anybody asked for me?" "I was meeting with someone here, and until then..." " You may come in, Miss?" " (NURSE) Miss Keyes." "(VET) Miss Keyes." "But I... haven't joined the queue." "I..." "I don't want to queue-jump." "I've only just done the form." "Please, come in here, Miss Keyes." "And bring your cats with you, of course." "(DOG BARKS)" "We're being inundated at the moment." "I think because we have the space to deal with large animals as well, which you don't get in the centre of town." "But it's amazing how quickly one gets used to such things." " Why have I jumped the queue?" " You seemed a little agitated to us." "Agitated?" "There are people crying out there." "I think I'm quite calm in comparison." "We like people to be certain about what they're doing, and you seemed rather upset and nervous." "Believe me, I can tell." "Well... maybe I just need a little time, to sit and consider, and until I meet my friend, I really won't..." "I thought so." "We have a little room, just through there, precisely for that purpose, for people to make sure." "It's best you use it." "(GASPS)" "(WHIMPERS)" "(GASPS)" "(SOBS)" "(NURSE) Miss Keyes?" "Miss Keyes?" "(SOBS)" "(INDISTINCT CHATTER)" "I've changed my mind." "I'm not ready to do this." "Thank you for giving me time to reconsider." "We must call you a taxi." "Miss Keyes?" " You can't manage like that." " (NURSE) Miss Keyes!" "You're not safe with me now." "(CATS MEOW)" "(TEARFULLY) Go." "Go on." "Go." "(GASPS)" "Hello." "Can you do something for me?" "I... need you to post this." "I'll..." "I'll give you some money." "It needs a stamp." "You'll get a stamp for it?" "It's really urgent." "Anne!" "Anne!" "Where are you?" "Here she is." "I thought some homemade lemonade might do the trick." "I knew she was upset." "People do find it upsetting." "I'll just leave it here, shall I?" "Why are you here?" "They found your number on the form and phoned me to say you were distraught, and when I got here you'd run out with the cats onto the common." "Why did you come right out here, darling, to this place?" "I don't know." "I couldn't bear to do it near home." " I let them go." " You let them go?" "Well, why not?" "It's terrible." "Look what's happened in just a few days." "It's like a vision of hell, isn't it?" "Animals going onto a fire in a quiet English suburb." "The world's gone mad." "People are finding out what war really means." "Maybe we need something stronger than lemonade." "Here, darling." "Are you aware..." "of what they are doing?" "They're doing something awful." "Who, darling?" "Are you doing it too?" "(CHURCH BELLS CHIME)" "Darling, you're back with us." "This noise doesn't help, does it?" "It's just somebody's wedding." "You're in Aunt Elizabeth's house." "(SLURRING) I thought her house was all shut up." "(RALPH) Our home is being used for other things." "This is Mrs Knight." "She will look after you." "(CHURCH BELL CHIMES)" "(RALPH) Let's call it "Thin Men Dancing"!" "Where are you going?" "(RALPH) Don't you realise?" "We want people to feel defeated, to feel there's no hope." "That way we can do our deal with Germany." "(SCREAMS)" "Get out!" "Get away from here!" "Get out!" "(INDISTINCT CHATTER)" "(GASPING)" "What is happening to me?" "This is just so you can rest, darling." "You've been ill." "You must get better." "Are they poisoning me?" "Poisoning you?" "Of course not, darling." "I can still remember when I held you for the first time." "When you arrived to be with us, a bundle." "You came in a taxi with a nurse." "And when I held you and felt you heavy in my arms, it was the most beautiful present." "I could never let harm come to that." "So you loved me then?" ""Then"?" "I love you!" "(CHURCH BELLS CHIME)" "I thought you'd never wake up." "I wish I hadn't." "You're not eating your food, I see." "Your father asked me to pay you a visit." "My father?" " I don't believe you." " Of course." "He and I are working together." "Have been for a long time." "Your father is a very influential person." "Charmingly absent-minded, but very, very influential." "He hides his true seriousness, my dear, except from those of us who really know him." "This recording of our meeting, the one you tried to post, was made for him, of course." "I am sure you knew that, my dear." "All the records were for him." "Why else would they have been stored at your house?" "It's a little hot, isn't it?" "We're using your house in London for a series of meetings." "Your father is chairing those meetings." "That is why you are here." "How simple it is, and how very important." "Are you going to kill me?" "My dear, what sort of question is that?" "Even for an actress (!" ")" "Really!" "The adopted daughter of my old friend?" "What could have given you such an idea?" "(INTERFERENCE ON RADIO)" "(SWITCHES RADIO OFF)" " What happened to her?" " You think we know?" "Yes, I think you do." "(CHURCH BELLS CHIME)" "You are a little feverish, aren't you, darling?" "Hot and cold flushes." " You've got a temperature." " Mr Balcombe was here." "You're mistaken, darling." "Mr Balcombe was not here." "I would never let him come back." "We don't need to see that spooky man ever again." "So quiet, isn't it?" "No children, no pets." "It's the most peculiar thing, the silence out there." "Except for the horrid bells." "They're talking about stopping the bells ringing till the end of the war." "Talk about a silver lining!" "That would be simply marvellous." "Now we need to find you something delightful to eat." "I am not eating anything until you stop putting something else in it." "(DOOR CLOSES)" "Mr Balcombe was here." "I didn't dream it." "He had Lawrence killed." "You're feverish, darling." "You let that man come back and see me." "How could you do that?" "This war is a terrible thing, my dear." "As you know, I hate exaggeration, but everything we believe in, everything I believe in - democracy, culture - will be destroyed if we get involved in this ruinous war." "I certainly don't sympathise with the Nazi ideology." "In fact, I rather despise it." "But there is absolutely no chance of us winning this war." "We will be completely destroyed unless we make peace." "And we are working to arrange that peace very hard." "Nothing must disturb that." "Ralph understands this." "Celia understands it in her own way." "But somehow I knew... you wouldn't." "So we have to keep you here." " To do what with?" " To keep you safe." "I couldn't share certain things with you, what I need to do for this country." "Maybe there are two sorts of love." "I don't want to be made to choose." "(GRUNTING)" "Mama?" "(SIGHS) Mama!" "Mama!" "(VOICES OUTSIDE)" "(CRIES OUT IN FRUSTRATION)" "(INDISTINCT CHATTER)" "You've turned into a proper hostess when I wasn't looking." " Ralph can go." " He's already agreed to..." "Someone has to be here for Anne." "We must monitor the situation." "(RALPH) Nobody would listen to Anne." "She's got no evidence." "But it is best we do this." "It's simple." "We bring Mrs Knight back." "It's the best solution." "Mrs Knight will get something down her that will keep her quiet, sedated for days." "We can have an outing with the ambassadors' children." " (CELIA LAUGHS)" " You fucking bastards!" "You are nothing to do with me!" "You will not bring that ghastly woman back here!" "You think I'm going to let that bitch look after me?" "I will not let that fucking woman terrorise me!" "Why are you looking like that?" "Why should you be surprised?" "I'm not frightened of you!" "Remember, I am the child of gypsies!" "It was bound to come out sooner or later, what I'm really like!" "That's what YOU think, isn't it!" "Here it is!" "Darling..." "Don't you fucking "darling" me, you bastard!" "You are nothing to do with me!" "This is not the way, Glorious." "Will you just leave me alone with her?" "(DOOR CLOSES)" "Why don't you ever do what you're told?" "Why do you insist that you always know best?" "Because, in the end, what you never realised was you knew nothing." "Nothing that really mattered!" "You would not listen to me, would you?" "I told you to get on with your life." "And now look at you." "Look at you!" "We just have to stop giving you water, Glorious, and it's all over." "(CELIA) What do we do now?" "(DOOR IS LOCKED)" "(RALPH) We leave her." "(GRUNTING)" "It would depend on the condition." "(LAUGHS)" "(INDISTINCT CHATTER)" "I'll never let you go away again." "(GASPS)" "Bombardier!" "You can't get in, and I can't get out." "(SOBS)" "(AIR-RAID SIRENS)" "(THUD)" "Anyone there?" "(CHILDREN PLAYING OUTSIDE)" "Mama, did you open the door?" "Thank you, Mama." "Go." "(SIGHS)" " Walter." " Anne!" "What are you doing?" "I need to get away from here." "Come this way." "I'll find you a taxi." "I will." "(CHILDREN PLAYING)" "Who are those children?" "I thought all the children had been evacuated from around here." "They have." "(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)" "There they are." "You can join your family, Anne." "We're just giving the ambassadors' children a little outing." " Come and help." " Come and join us, Anne." "Anne!" "Come here, darling." "Come to me." "(CHURCH BELL CHIMES)" " And none of us saw her again." " None of us!" "She died, I believe, in Canada about twenty years ago." "(OLIVER) We're the only ones left." "No words of condemnation for me?" "No." "You were..." "you were very young, after all." "(OLIVER) I was a baby!" "And it was such a long time ago." "Nobody remembers!" "I just did what they wanted." "I did what Mr Balcombe and the family wanted." "They said she needed to be taught a lesson." "I was only doing what was expected." "It was a very strange time back then." "I even tried to warn her." "They've all gone now." "Can't trouble us." "Can't trouble Walter." "Yes." "I must go." "There is just one thing, a little favour." "Another one?" "My mother arranged to meet me round here." "She would have been waiting a little while now." "It's very close by." "If you could just come and say hello, I know she'd appreciate it." "Please." "Will you come?" "(CHURCH BELL CHIMES)" "(PIGEONS FLUTTERING)" "Dear God!" "It's impossible!" "Walter, Oliver..." "This is my mother." "And this... is Anne Keyes." "It's good to meet you again, gentlemen." "It's so very good." "Anne." "I had no idea, no idea at all." "No idea that I was still here?" "No, I know you didn't." "You knew all along." "You knew!" "We wanted to hear it from your own lips." "I just wanted to say hello again." "Since we are family."