An Inspector Calls (2015) - full transcript

Do you believe in God?

Yes.

How can you?

I can't believe in people.

I have to believe in something,
or I'd fall.

Fall down through the cracks...

and never stop falling.

Thank you, sir.

Come in.

Hello.

Hello.



Thank you.

Arthur. I don't think that's really
appropriate - not with Sheila here.

Nonsense, Mummy. She's heard
a lot worse than that.

Have you? You know I have.

An altogether excellent dinner.
You must tell cook from me, Sybil.

And you're not supposed to say
such things in front of guests.

In trouble again!

Well, it really was first class,
Mrs Birling.

Thank you. I don't think of Gerald
as a guest, you know.

Not any more.

I don't see how he can be,
after tonight.

Oh, do take some, Mummy.

It is a special occasion.

Very well. Just a little.



All right, Edna.
I'll ring from the drawing room

when we want coffee. Yes, ma'am.

What's the matter with you?

I don't know. Sorry, I just...

Ah, he's squiffy.

No, I'm not. Sheila.

Now that our glasses are
full, I'd like to say a few words

to mark the occasion.
Stop it, you two.

Gerald, I don't mind telling you

that your engagement to Sheila...

.means a tremendous amount to me.

You're just the kind of son-in-law
I've always wanted.

Your father and I have been
rivals in business

for longer than I care to remember,

but you're bringing us together.

Hm.

And perhaps we can look forward to
a time when Birling and Company

and Crofts Limited are no longer
competing, but working as one.

Hear hear. Lower costs,

higher prices, eh? My father
would certainly agree to that.

You're making it sound like
a political alliance.

We know there's
a lot more to it than that.

And you've chosen the best
possible time to be married.

The economy's on the way up at last,

the workers are knuckling under

and realising what's good
for them... What about war?

There's not going to be a war, Eric.

The Germans don't want a war

any more than we do. Really?

Because according to the papers...
Let's not talk about this now.

I want to wish the pair of you
the very best that life can bring.

Yes, Gerald.

Sheila, darling...

our congratulations
and very best wishes.

Thank you.

Um... Yes. To both of you.

She's not bad really, Gerald.

Got a bit of a temper -
watch out for the right hook.

Chump. Really,
I hope you find happiness.

I really do.

Well, I can't drink to this,
can I? When do I drink?

You can drink to me.

All right, I will.

I drink to you, Gerald.

And I drink to you.

I hope that I can make you
as happy as you deserve to be.

And I would like to begin...

by giving you this.

Oh, Gerald! Is it the one
you wanted me to have?

The very one.

Ah, look, Mummy, isn't it a beauty?

It certainly is.

Well done.

Oh, Gerald...

Steady the buffs.

Now I really feel engaged.

Yes, well, I should hope
that you do!

Well, now... shall we go through?

Yes, let's.

We won't be long.
Don't be.

Eric? May I have a word?

Yes, Mama, of course.

Please don't drink too much port.

I'm not squiffy.

Well, I think you are
a little bit... "squiffy".

Why are you drinking
so much tonight anyway?

You clearly can't take as much
as your father...

or Gerald, if it comes to it.

I expect you'll be saying that
when I'm 40.

Well, I may not be here when
you're 40, so I'm saying it now.

Don't worry, Mother.

I'm just...
Standards, Eric.

They very much wanted to be here,
of course,

but they've got into the habit

of taking a short break
at this time of year...

What, they leave you
in charge of the works?

They do, yes.

Do you hear that, Eric?

Gerald's father leaves him
in charge from time to time.

Very impressive.

That'll be you one day...

if you buck your ideas up.

Happy?

Yes.

There was a time when I thought
this would never happen.

Well done.

I haven't won a prize.

Well, you have, in a way.

You've secured your whole future.

Don't take this
the wrong way, Gerald,

but I've a feeling your mother

thinks you could have done
better than my girl -

socially and so on.

I... I really don't think...

Oh, it's quite all right.
I don't blame her.

Sybil's parents were just the same
when I was courting her.

Were they? Oh, yes.

Now, there's something
I'd like you to mention to her...

quietly, if you don't mind.

It seems there's
a pretty good chance

that I might find my way
on to the next honours list.

A knighthood. Oh, I say!

Congratulations! Thanks.

Well, it's a bit early for that,
but I've had one or two hints.

Well, you know I had that spell
as Lord Mayor, of course.

And I'm known as
a useful party man.

I think I stand a fair chance

as long as we keep out of trouble

for the next few months. Well,
if that's the only obstacle...

The family knows, but, um...
no-one else does.

I shall mention it to her
in confidence.

She'll be delighted. Good.

I've said this to Eric before,

it's not where you start in this
life, it's where you finish.

Now, a man can achieve anything
he wants to in this country,

if he puts his mind to it.

And that's part of
what makes it great.

I couldn't agree with you more.
The thing to do

is to keep your head down and
concentrate on your own business.

The way these cranks talk now,

you'd think everybody
has to look after everybody else,

and we're all mixed up together,
like bees in a hive.

"Community"! If I hear that word
one more time...

You take it from me -

a man must look after
his own affairs.

Look after himself and his family,
and then everything else just...

A-hem!

Please, sir, an inspector's called.

What kind of inspector?

A police inspector, sir.
He says it's important.

Well, you'd better let him
in here then.

Ah, nuisance.

Are you still on the bench, sir?

Yes. It'll be something
about a warrant, I bet.

Hm.

Inspector Goole, sir.

Mr Birling?

Yes, Inspector.
Sit down if you like.

Thank you, sir.

I hope this won't take too long,

only we're in the middle
of a family celebration.

A glass of port?
Or we have some whisky.

No, thank you, Mr Birling.
I'm on duty.

You're new, aren't you?
Yes, sir. Recently transferred.

I thought I'd never
seen your face before.

I know all the police round here.
Of course.

So, what can I do for you?
If it's about a warrant...

I'd like some information,
if you don't mind.

Oh?

Three hours ago, a young woman died
in the Infirmary.

She'd taken steps
to end her own life.

The doctors tried to save her,
but it was too late.

Good heavens, how dreadful.

And?

Who... Who was she?

And you are?

Um... Eric Birling.
My son.

Her name was Eva Smith.

Eva Smith...

Do you remember her, Mr Birling?

The name seems familiar,
but, er...

...it doesn't really mean
anything to me.

I've just been round to the room
she had.

She left a letter
and a sort of diary.

Now, it seems that she was employed
in your works

at one time.
Ah... that's it, is it?

Well, we have several hundred
young women working there,

and they keep changing.

Well, this young woman, Eva Smith,
she was a bit out of the ordinary.

I found a photograph of her
in her lodgings.

Perhaps you'd remember her
from that.

May I see it, please?

I'm afraid not.

Why not? I only...

It's the way I work.
One line of inquiry at a time.

Very well, um...

would I know her, Father?

No. No. That girl left us...

...oh, nearly two years ago.

Long before you even
started at the works.

The end of September, 1910.
Yes, that's about right.

So you remember her now?

Yes, I do.

Look here, sir, wouldn't you
rather I was out of all this?

No, Gerald. No, you stay.

I'm sure the inspector
will have no objection.

This is Gerald Croft,
son of Sir George Croft.

You know, Crofts Limited.

We're celebrating his engagement
to my daughter, as it happens.

I see, so Mr Gerald Croft is
to marry Miss Sheila Birling?

I hope so, yes.

Then I'd prefer you to stay, sir.

Look...

...there's nothing mysterious
or scandalous about this business.

At least not as far
as I'm concerned.

It was perfectly straightforward...

What was?

I discharged her, that's all.
I discharged her from the works.

Why did you do that, sir?

Why? What does it matter why?

She was a trouble-maker. That's why.

In what way?

She was part of a gang of five.

They started coming to me
that summer,

wanting me to put their wages up.
I refused.

She was the ringleader...

Why do you say that?

Because she was.

It was her did all the talking.

The next thing I knew, she'd brought
the whole workforce out on strike.

I heard about it.

They knew what they were
doing. They waited until we had

a huge order to deliver,

the biggest one we'd ever had.

So one might say they were clever?

Yes. One might say that.

In a dangerous sort of way.
Exactly.

So you sacked her?

No. Not at first I didn't.

What did you do?

I gave her a chance...

...if you must know.

I'm glad you could come to see me,
Miss Smith.

How are you coping?

All right, thank you.

Are you?

You've lost those roses
in your cheeks.

It must be getting on for
two weeks now.

You must be starting
to feel the pinch.

We are.

All of us are.

But we don't feel
we have a choice.

Mr Birling, our rents
are going up all the time,

but we haven't had a wage rise
in over two years.

Most of us are going hungry
to pay our rent.

We're going without coal to pay...
Where are you from?

The countryside, isn't it?

One of those villages
up on the tops.

It's nice up there.

Honest.

What do your parents
think you're up to down here?

I don't want to talk about
my family, if you don't mind.

I've got a daughter same age as you.

I wouldn't be very happy if she
found herself in your position.

I'm sorry, I don't think
this is fair, sir.

And I know there are other factories
that pay 25 shillings...

Here's what I suggest.

You're a good worker,
I know that.

How about I make you
Leading Operator?

You'll have ten girls
working under you.

I'll pay you your 25 shillings.

You can call them back
and we'll get that order out.

I'm afraid I can't accept that.

Why not?

It has to be for all of us.

Sir, it has to be for all of us.

Quite the little agitator,
aren't you?

You wouldn't talk to me
like this if I were a man.

You wouldn't get away with
paying us so little if we were men.

Your little strike
won't last another week.

Come next Monday morning,

those girls will realise
they're down to their last pennies,

they'll come traipsing
through those gates.

You just watch.

Not you.

Well, for what it's worth,

I don't see how you could have
done anything else, sir.

That's right. I couldn't.

You could have paid them.
I beg your pardon?

You could have paid them
the 25 shillings.

There must have been a way.
And you'd know that how?

I do work at the factory, Father.

Eric, you can't have people
like that in the work force.

And that's the bottom line.

I pay people the going rate.

And if people don't like it,
they're free to leave

and go elsewhere.

Oh, yes, because there are
so many jobs elsewhere.

You know, it's not as easy
for the girls.

It's hard for them to just up
and leave their home towns.

You're an expert on girls now,
are you?

I'm saying you could have
at least let her keep her job.

Just because she had a bit more
spirit than the rest of them...

If you don't come down hard
on some of these people,

they'll soon be asking
for the earth.

- That's right.
- They might.

But it's better to ask for the earth
than to take it.

What do you mean by that?

I'm sure you know
exactly what I mean.

Sorry. Mother wants to know
when you'll be coming through.

What's going on?
It's all right, darling.

The inspector here is just asking
your father a few questions.

A girl he sacked committed
suicide this afternoon.

Oh.

- That's dreadful.
- A girl I sacked two years ago.

Her... doing what she did
had nothing to do with me.

I can't agree with you there, sir.
You see, what happened to her then

may have determined
what happened to her afterwards.

A chain of events.

I can't be held responsible
for what...

people I had dealings with choose to
do in two or three years' time.

It's a ridiculous notion.

Is it?

What did you say your name is?

Inspector Goole.

How do you get on
with the Chief Constable?

Because you might like to
know that I play golf with him

at the West Brumley, regularly.

I don't play golf.

This girl, was she young?

Yes, miss. She was.

It's very sad. Yes.

Was she pretty?

Well, she wasn't pretty
when I saw her this afternoon.

But yes, she had been pretty.

That's enough.
Sheila, go back to your mother.

Tell her I'm about done here.

Stay, please, Miss Birling.

I don't care for your attitude.

I've told you everything I know
about that girl,

and I must say I don't see
that it's very important.

Now, I'd ask you to leave and let us

get on with what's left
of our evening.

I'll leave when I've finished,
Mr Birling.

Mr Birling has told you
everything he knows.

And surely it's what happened
to the girl afterwards

that should interest you most.

What did happen to her?

Did she find another job?

According to her diary, she was
out of work for several weeks.

Both her parents were dead,
so she'd no home to go back to.

Living in lodgings,
few friends, half-starved.

She was feeling desperate.

I should think she was.

Oh, there are lots of young women
living that sort of existence

in every city and town
across the world, Miss Birling.

She doesn't
need to hear about that.

Perhaps I ought to hear about it.

Then, after two months,
she had what seemed to her

a tremendous stroke of good luck.

She was offered a position
in a shop - a very good shop.

Milwards.

There you are, you see?

Milwards? The department store?
We go there.

Yes. There was a good deal
of influenza about at that time,

and they suddenly found
themselves short-handed

and, er, well,
they took a chance on her.

I've sometimes thought it must be
a very pleasant place to work.

Yes, it was, for a while.

It was a nice change
from the factory.

She enjoyed being amongst all
the pretty clothes. She did well.

And then, after six weeks...

she was asked to leave.

Causing trouble? No. No.

A customer made a complaint
about her and she had to go.

As I said, causing trouble.
I'm afraid that is the problem

with people like her -

they're always going to
make employers uneasy.

When was this?
When was she asked to leave?

At the end of January last year.

Darling?

What did she look like?

I have a photograph of her,
if you'd like to see.

What is it, Sheila?

It was, um, me.

I...complained about her.

Why did you complain about her,
Miss Birling?

If my daughter complained,
she'd have had good reason to.

Yes. I didn't, I...

I didn't have a good reason to.

I...I was in a bad mood, I...

I had wanted to go shopping
on my own, that's all.

It wouldn't be right at all.
Yes, you've said that.

That sort of shape
would look much better on a...

a different sort of figure.

It's all very well trying to
follow the latest fashions,

but one has to know
what suits one's shape.

That's something you'll learn
as you go along.

I don't need a lecture on style.

Kindly keep your voice down.

Mummy, please can I look around
on my own for a while?

We could meet up again in...
half an hour, shall we say?

Do you need any assistance,
Mrs Birling?

Not at present, Miss Francis.

I've been admiring this.

Yes. It's lovely, isn't it?
A new design - just in.

I was just saying, it's not
the right shape for my daughter.

Oh...
I think it would suit me.

You, girl?

Come here, would you?

Do you see?

It is not an easy style to carry
off. It's a question of bearing.

I'd like to try it on.

Yes, of course, miss.

Don't stay, Mummy.
There's really no need.

I'll be downstairs.

Send for me if you need me.

It was embarrassing.

I felt as if everybody
was watching.

It looks lovely, miss.

Hm... does it?
I'm not sure the colour's right.

What are you smiling at?

I...I wasn't. I was only...
You were sniggering. I'm not blind.

I'm sure she wasn't, Miss Birling...

I'm some sort of cause
for amusement, am I?

No. Of course not.
Miss Birling...

I'd like to see the manager, please.

I'm sure she didn't mean...
Now. Please.

Yes, miss.
I'll go and find him at once.

Undo it.

I really wasn't laughing, miss.
I would never...

Be quiet.
You've done enough already.

The manager came and...

And what?

And, well, he tried
to smooth things over, but...

...I said that if I found the girl
in the shop the next time I went in,

I'd tell my father
to close our account immediately,

and we'd take our business
elsewhere.

And so he dismissed her?

Well, not in front of me,
but... yes, I suppose he did.

I never saw her after that.

I'm sorry.
I'm so, so sorry...

You don't have to apologise
to anyone.

I was sorry even as I did it.
I... I don't know why I did it.

You did it because
you were jealous of her.

Yes. That was part of it.

Yes. She was... so pretty.

She seemed so sure of herself.

I'd... I'd never do it again.
Not to anyone.

It's all right now.

It certainly was...

...unfortunate.

Oh, just say it, Gerald!
It was a horrible thing to do.

Horrible. I suppose you've never

done anything you regret.
I wasn't criticising you.

I'm sorry.

Well, I say it's a bloody shame.

She must have loved our family!
You be quiet!

I wonder if she made the connection
between...

I expect you're going tell me
I'm involved with it too?

I've noticed them giving me

a sort of look sometimes
at Milwards.

I suppose...

Oh, why had this to happen?

That's what I asked myself
this afternoon,

when I was looking at that dead
girl. Why had this to happen?

And then I said to myself,

"Well, we'll try to understand
why it had to happen."

And that's why I'm here,

and why I won't be going until
I know exactly why it happened.

You knew, didn't you?

That it was me.

Yes. I thought it probably was,
because of something she wrote.

Is that why she did it?

Then why didn't you say so
from the start?

Instead of launching in,
upsetting the girl...

Is that why she did it?

Sheila... I want to know.

Things were extremely difficult
for her after she left Milwards.

They couldn't give her a reference
in the light of what happened.

So, after several months of
loneliness and near-starvation,

she decided she had no option
but to try something else.

So she changed her name.

What to? What did
she change her name to?

She changed her name to
Daisy Renton.

What?

I said, she changed her name
to Daisy Renton.

What's wrong?

May I get myself a whisky?

Of course.

You knew her, didn't you?

- Leave him be a moment.
- Gerald?

How did you know her?

I, um...

Eric, go and ask your mother
to come in here.

I want to talk to Gerald alone.
Except for the inspector.

- He can stay.
- Whatever needs to be said,

I'd rather it was said
in front of me.

Will you go, Eric?!

Eric, is he still here,
this inspector, whoever he is?

Yes. Yes. Where's Sheila?

A girl's died, suicide.

Answer the question!

Arthur, what is going on?

If you're so afraid to tell me,
it can only mean one thing.

I'm not afraid.

I'm not a child.
I'd rather have the truth.

And now it seems that Gerald
has had dealings with her too.

What do you mean?
What sort of dealings?

He hasn't said yet.

Well, I think this has gone on
long enough.

I think we need to
give them a moment.

No. This is supposed to be their
engagement party... I know that...

I can't believe you've left them
in there. Sybil...

I asked you a question, Mr Croft,
and I want you to answer it.

Look, I will answer it, but I...

I don't think
this is the right time or...

Well, that's for me to decide.

When and where
did you first meet her?

It was in the bar
at the Palace Variety Theatre.

I happened to look in one night.

I wasn't intending to stay long.

Whisky, please.

Alderman Meggarty.

Yes? Gerald Croft.

We met at the Masonic Dinner
last year.

Ah, yes.

I think my father, Lord Croft,
introduced us.

Yes. Happen he did.

You've been looking after my girl
for me, I see. I'm indebted to you.

I'm so sorry I'm late, darling.
Ready to go?

Yes.

I hope to see you soon,
and thank you, again.

Goodnight.

Goodnight to you too.

Please forgive me. I'm afraid
that was the most shocking liberty.

No, no. It was...

I just... I could never bear
to see a damsel in distress.

It was very kind of you, sir.

Was it?

Good.

Well, shall we have a drink
by way of an apology?

You don't need to apologise.

By way of celebration, then?
Our escape from the beast.

You're unwell.

No, no, I'm...

God, you poor thing.

It's only because
I haven't had any...

I'll be all right in a moment.

Take your time.

Sorry. Don't be silly.

Would you let me buy you dinner?

I haven't eaten myself,
as it happens,

and I have a table booked
at the County Hotel.

I'd rather not eat alone.

Please. It's quiet there,
and respectable.

What do you say?

She relaxed a little
after she'd had something to eat.

Told me a little bit about herself.

I asked her why
she'd gone to the Palace Bar.

She said it was the first time
she'd ever been there...

...which is what I'd suspected.

Did she know what sort of place
it was?

Yes.

Someone had told her. But...
She was desperate.

Yes.

Yes, she really was.

She was about to be
thrown out of her lodgings -

a rotten place, apparently,
but she couldn't pay the rent and...

Go on, please, Mr Croft.

Well, it happened
that a friend of mine...

...had just gone abroad
for six months.

And left me the keys to a nice
little set of rooms he has in town.

And I suggested she go and stay
there, until she found her feet.

It...

It made her cry.

My kindness, she said.

She was so unused to it.

Did you take her there that evening?

Yes.

So... do you think you'll be
all right, Miss Renton?

Daisy.

Yes, I think I will.

I feel like Goldilocks.

What's that?

Um... are you sure your friend
won't come back?

Absolutely sure. Trust me.

Er...

To, um... to tide you over.

I'll, um... I'll pay you back.
Thank you.

Well...
...any complaints, Miss,

just call for the management.

Um...

I'll come by tomorrow after work,
if that's all right with you?

Yes.

If you're not here,
don't worry. I'll...

I'll try again later.

Well, um...

...goodnight.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

And did you go back
the following evening?

Yes.

Did you stay? Steady on.

Of course he did.

She became your mistress, did she?

Yes.

It... it wasn't what I intended
to happen.

I hope you can see that.

I wanted to help her
more than anything else.

How disgusting!

No.

No, Mrs Birling,
forgive me, but it wasn't.

Look, it may have been wrong,
but it wasn't disgusting.

When was this?

Last summer.

Of course.

You hardly came near me
last summer.

I thought I'd done something
to drive you away.

Sheila... You told me you were busy
at the works.

I was. That... You told me that
so many times.

Yes, that was true, I was busy.
Very busy, but...

Did you love her?

Yes. That's just what I was going to
ask. Did you love her?

Look... I didn't feel as strongly
for her as she felt about me.

Oh, of course, you were
her wonderful Fairy Prince.

She was dependent on me.
So grateful.

You must have adored it. Well, yes,
all right, I did. For a time.

Nearly any man would have done.

I think that's the best thing
you've said tonight.

At least it's honest.

God...

God, I'm sorry.

It's just, um...

...thinking she's really dead.

When did it end, Mr Croft?

In September.

In September.

We both knew
it couldn't go on indefinitely.

And in September I had to go away
on business for a few weeks.

I suggested that we use the time
to finish it.

How did she take that?

Better than I'd hoped.

She was very gallant about it.

Oh... how nice for you.

I'd given her some money.

Enough to see her through
to the end of the year.

And... when I got back from my trip
she'd moved out of the rooms.

I never saw her again.

Well, that's something.
A clean break.

So, you'd had what you wanted
from her, and you cast her aside.

It didn't feel like that.
Didn't it?

Do you know where she went?

She went away for two months to
a place by the sea to be quiet.

To remember all that had
happened between you.

To make it last longer.

How can you possibly know that?

She kept a diary.

She wrote that she feared

there'd never be anything
as good for her ever again.

Well, if that was her idea of good,

I'm afraid there
was no hope for her.

Mother, don't.

My husband has told me what was said
earlier this evening, Inspector...?

Er, Goole.

And I must say I am rather outraged

that you are trying to lay the blame
for this situation at our door.

With girls of that class,
one can never really know

what kind of trouble
they've created for themselves.

Stop it!

I think I need to, um...

step out for a moment,
if that's all right.

Yes. I've finished with you
for the time being, Mr Croft.

Wait.

I don't dislike you.

And in some odd way

I think I respect you
more than I've ever done.

I believe what you said

about wanting to help her
in the first place.

And it was my fault, really,
that she was so desperate.

But...

...this has made a difference,
hasn't it?

Yes.

Sheila...

I'm not defending him, but, um...

the fact is...

- young men...
- Gerald knows what I mean.

Yes. I do.

I...I need to go.

You stay put.

May I see the photograph,
Inspector?

No, not yet.

Eric, you stay here!

You needn't worry. He'll be back.

We don't need you to reassure us
about our son, Inspector.

Would you like to see the photograph
of the girl, Mrs Birling?

No. I wouldn't.

I can't think of any reason
why I should.

I really think you ought to look.

Very well.

Recognise her?

No, I don't.

Well, she might have
changed lately,

but I can't believe she could have
changed that much.

I don't know what you mean.

I mean that
you're not telling me the truth.

Look, I'm not going to have this.
You apologise to my wife!

For what? Doing my duty?

For being so offensive about it.

You seem to forget
that I am a public man.

Public men have responsibilities
as well as privileges.

Possibly.

But I'm quite sure
you weren't sent here

to talk to me about responsibility.

Oh, don't you realise
how ridiculous you seem?

What on earth...?
Putting on airs. Both of you.

Pretending that we're above all this
when we're not. We're really not.

We're up to our necks in it.
Be quiet at once!

Tell him the truth, Mummy. Please.

He'll make you tell it anyway.
Don't you see?

You seem to have made

a very great impression
on this girl, Inspector.

Yes. Yes, we often do
on the young ones.

Mrs Birling, you're a member,
a prominent member,

of the Brumley Women's Charity
Organisation, aren't you?

Yes, she is.

Why?

It's an organisation
to which women in distress

can appeal for help
in various forms. Is that so?

Yes. We've done a great deal of work
helping deserving causes.

Yeah. There was a meeting of
the interviewing committee

two weeks ago. You were in the
chair, I believe. And if I was?

Why are you crying?

I...I shouldn't have done that.

I thought you were at the bar
because...

I thought... It doesn't make
any difference.

It had to happen.
It might as well have been now.

Oh, don't say that.

Please, God, don't say that.

What's your name?

I don't know.

What do you mean?

This girl in the photograph,
the girl you don't recognise,

she came to you and asked your
organisation for help, didn't she?

Didn't she?

Yes.

- Mother...
- Is this true?

Not as Eva Smith.
Nor as Daisy Renton.

No. As what?

Mrs Birling.

She pretended afterwards that
Mrs Birling just happened to be

the first name she'd thought of.
It might have been.

She might have heard it mentioned
whilst she was waiting and...

Damned impudence.

She admitted,
once I began questioning her,

that she had no claim
on the name whatsoever,

that she was not married at all,

and that the story she came in with,

of a husband who'd deserted her,
was quite false.

It didn't take me long

to get the truth,
or some of the truth, out of her.

Now, let's start again.

What's your name?

Alice... Grey.

And why have you come to us
for help, Miss Grey?

I don't have any money.
Please speak up.

I don't have any money.

Are you looking for work? Actively?

I was, but...

And what was the truth?
Why did she want your help?

I think you know very well
why she wanted help.

I'm going to have a baby.

I see.

And who is the father of this child?

I'd rather not say.

Does he know of your condition? Yes.

Then it's his business
to support you.

Well, he doesn't have any money.

Not... really. He's very young.
He drinks too much...

That's no excuse. He's old enough to
have done what he's done.

He did want to help. He, um...

started giving me money, but then
I realised he was stealing it.

I told him not to any more.

I don't want him to get into
trouble. He's sweet, really...

That's enough.

Given your present state,

I find it hard to believe in
your extraordinary scruples.

They're not extraordinary. I mean...

I was raised to do my best
by people... One moment.

I don't see that
we can assist in this case.

I'm afraid I agree.

There are too many discrepancies,
apart from anything else.

Agreed.

Miss Grey. I'm afraid
we won't be able to help you.

I suggest you go and find
this young man

and that the two of you marry

and that you bring up your child
together.

We can't marry. He...
We are not of the same... class.

It wouldn't work...
You must make it work.

Well, is... that it?

You're supposed to be the ones
that help.

What is all this
if you don't really want to help?

You've heard our decision.

Next. Come forward, please.

Good day to you, Miss Grey.

Your name is?
Mary Kelly, Ma'am.

And why are you here?

I've been thrown out of my lodgings,
Ma'am. I can't pay the rent...

She was pregnant?

Yes.

Yet she still...

I can't... I can't bear it.

Perhaps now you people
will understand

exactly how desperate she'd become.

How pregnant was she? I mean...

About three months.

At least it wasn't yours.

Well, I think it says something
about the character of the girl...

that she took her own life...

...knowing that she...

If you ask me, I think it was
an extremely cowardly act.

Steady on, Sybil.
I'm entitled to my opinion.

Yes, but...

Oh, damn it!

This isn't going to
look good for us.

The press will have a field day.

I wish you'd...

helped the girl, you know.

Really? Really? Yes!

I wasn't the one who put her
out of a job in the first place.

I did my duty. No more or less.

You still don't feel sorry
for what you did, Mrs Birling?

No, I do not.

I'm sorry she died, naturally,

but I don't accept any blame
for it at all.

Who is to blame, then?

Well, firstly, the girl herself!

And secondly, the young man
who got her into trouble.

And if, as she claims, he was
of a different class from her,

some drunken young idler,

then all the more reason
why he shouldn't escape!

He should be made an example of.

Publicly?

Yes. Publicly.

He should be forced to confront
what he's done. Mother...

And if you don't mind my saying,
you should be out looking for him,

rather than harassing us
with unnecessary questions.

Then you really would be
"doing your duty".

Oh, I certainly intend
to do my duty, Mrs Birling.

Mother, stop.

Surely you can see?

Eric...

But Eric's not...

He...

He...

Show me.

'Look at me.'

Please.

You're so beautiful.

Can I see you again?

Why do you laugh?

That's not the sort of question
you ask a girl like me.

Well, I'm asking it.

I'm asking.

When did you first meet the girl?

Sarah.

Her name was Sarah.

A few months ago.

November...
Sybil, I think you should leave.

You too, Sheila.

I'm staying.

Where did you meet her?

I, um... You went to
the Palace Bar, did you?

And why shouldn't I have
been there?

You know, I'm old enough to
be married, for God's sake!

You should have kept your...

You could have shown
some self-control.

What, like Gerald, you mean?

Like all the other men in this
town? Alderman Meggarty...

Like you, for all I know.

Shut your mouth!

So, what?
You were feeling... restless?

Frustrated? Lonely?

Yes.

So you picked her up
and went back to her place?

Yes. Only at that moment...

she seemed to change her mind.

Go on.

But I was...

I was drunk, and...

I had to see it through.

You were rough with her?

Yes.

A little, that first time.

How many times were there?!

Did you think about her,
while you were forcing her?

I didn't force her. Not really.

While you were using her?

As if she were an animal.

A thing.

Did you think about
the implications for her life?

No.

You can put that down!

That's done enough damage already.

Let him have a drink.

On this occasion,
let him have a drink.

How often did you see her?

As often as she'd let me.

Paying every time, I presume?

It wasn't like that.

She listened to me.

She helped me.

I'm sure she did.

I needed her!

I needed her
much more than she needed me.

When did you realise
she was going to have a child?

About a month ago.

Thank you for coming.

What's wrong?

Sarah?

Did she suggest
you ought to marry her?

She didn't want me
to marry her. I... offered...

Oh, Eric.

She thought that I didn't love her.

She said that she didn't want me
to ruin my life.

What did you propose to do?

I didn't really know what to do.

I insisted on giving her money.

How much money?

Um, £50 in all.

£50?!

Where did you find that
on your wages?

On top of drinking
and whoring round the town?

I got it from the firm.

I took it from the firm.

You mean you stole it.

I was going to pay it back.

Eric?

From my safe?

There were some accounts
that needed collecting.

I went to them and I asked for cash.

Gave them the firm's receipt
and then kept the money.

Yes.

There was nothing else I could do!

You stole from them.

You stole from our clients!

Well, maybe if you paid me
a decent amount,

instead of leaving me short...
My fault, now, is it?

You damned fool.

Why the hell didn't you come to me?
Why do you think?!

Because you're not the kind
of father a chap can go to

when he's in trouble. That's why!

You know what your problem is?

You're spoilt.

Arthur! He's been spoilt
since the day he was born.

With your public school and your...

varsity ways...
Yes, yes, yes.

I'm ruined, aren't I?!

Stop!

I don't have the time for this.

You can sort out your differences
when I'm gone.

What did the girl do
when she realised

you were stealing the money?

She said she wouldn't take any more.

She asked me to stay away,
and I'm a coward, so I did.

So she was telling the truth.

Everything she told you was true.

And calling herself Mrs Birling...

It all makes sense now.

What do you mean?

You spoke to her?

When? Did she come here?

Eric...

She went to your mother's committee
for help two weeks ago.

Your mother refused that help.

Why?

I didn't believe her.

She needed your help.

Yes. I know that now, but...

My child.

That was my child.
I didn't understand the situation.

I didn't understand.

How did she die?

She took her own life.

I know that.

How?

She swallowed a large amount
of disinfectant.

It burnt her insides out.

She died in agony.

Listen to me.

All of you.

I don't need to know any more.

Neither do you.

You each helped to kill her.

Remember that.

Never forget.

Look...

Inspector...

I would give thousands...

...yes, thousands,

if I could...

You're offering the money
at the wrong time, Mr Birling.

Eva Smith is gone.

You can't do her any more harm.

You can't do her any good now,
either.

You can't even say,
"I'm sorry, Eva Smith."

But just remember this.

There are millions and millions
of Eva Smiths and John Smiths

still left with us, with their
lives and hopes and fears,

their suffering
and chance of happiness

all intertwined with our lives,

and what we think,

and say,

and do.

We don't live alone upon this earth.

We are responsible for each other.

And if mankind
will not learn that lesson,

then the time will come, soon,

when he will be taught it

in fire...

...and blood...

...and anguish.

Goodnight.

There'll be an inquest.

Yes, I'm afraid there will.

We may be called upon
as witnesses.

- All of this is bound to come out.
- I hope it does.

So do I.

Well, you're more of a fool
than I took you for.

You're the only one of us
who's done something criminal.

How can you say that?

Because that's how the law works.

For the rest of us...

...just...

Shame.

It'll be the end of my knighthood,
that's for sure.

You'll have to tell me exactly
which accounts you stole from.

I'll be lucky
if I can keep you out of prison.

Then I'll go to prison.

I'd rather go to prison
than stay here.

Eric, dear...
You'll stay here

long enough to pay that money back!

If it takes you a hundred years!

Eric...

I'll do anything to stop myself from
turning into another one of them.

All they care about
is covering this up.

I hope there is a war.

I hope it finishes them.

Do you know the worst thing?

I would have done it again.

You know, sometimes I find myself

looking at girls, and...

You won't do it again.
Not after this.

Everything's changed. It's...

I am so sorry, Eric.

It's...

It's ghastly, it really is.

I need to get myself a drink.
I can get you...

It's all right.

Are you all right? Sheila...
Not now, Gerald.

Eric...

What?

Please don't.

We all need to come to terms
with what's happened.

The police will be back.

They'll want statements.

I just hope they don't
send him again, that's all.

Dreadful man.

I can't imagine ever seeing
the inspector again.

When he left, it was so...

...final.

He wasn't like a police officer
at all.

He was unnecessarily harsh.

Not like any police officer
I've ever met.

Do you not think
it's strange that...

...he didn't ask us
for statements now,

tonight? I mean,
it was almost as though

he wasn't interested in procedure,

he just wanted us to...

To face what we've done.

Yes.

I thought he was extraordinary.

It was as though he could see
into our souls.

What was his name?

Um...

Inspector Goold, I think.
I thought he said Goole.

Edna.

What did that inspector say to you
when he came to the door?

He said he were a police inspector.

He asked if you were home, and said
he needed to see you urgently.

Did he show you identification?

No, sir.

What did he say his name was?

Inspector Goold, I think he said.

Hmm.

Have I done something wrong?

No. No, not at all.

Why don't you go up to bed now?

I can see to the tea.

Well... Thank you, miss.

There's something
not quite right here.

Arthur?

Who are you calling?
Chief Constable.

Is that wise?

Brumley 8742, please.

Do you think he'll know about...?

Colonel Roberts, please.

It's Mr Arthur Birling.

Roberts?

Er, sorry to ring you up so late.

Um... can you tell me,

has an Inspector Goole
joined your staff lately?

Goole, or Goold, possibly.

New man, recently transferred.

Tall...

I see.

Yes... well, that settles it.

No, no, no, no, no,
it's just a little argument

we were having among ourselves.

Er... thank you. Thank you.

Um, I will.

Thank you. Goodnight.

There is no Inspector Goole.

No-one new at the Brumley force
at all.

I don't understand.

We've been had.

A hoax.

I knew he wasn't a police officer.

You should have checked his
credentials the moment he arrived.

Why would anyone do that?

Perhaps... someone heard
about the knighthood and...

wanted to bring me down a peg.

Jealousy. Malicious jealousy.

This changes everything.

So who was he?

What are we going to do?

Shall we ring Colonel Roberts again?
No, no. Wait...

No, let me think this through.

It doesn't change anything.

Of course it does.
It doesn't.

Everything we told the inspector
still happened.

- He wasn't an inspector.
- Well, he certainly inspected us.

We told him the truth.

Didn't we?

She's right.

It doesn't change anything.
Sarah's still dead,

and between us, we killed her.

Did we?

You know that we did.

No, think about it.

The hoaxer goes round town, say,
finding things out about us,

things that...
Things that might make us ashamed.

And then he comes here

and persuades us all into confessing

that we each played a part
in this girl's death.

We did. Yes, but...

how do we know we were all
talking about the same girl?

We all did what we said we did, hmm?

But how do we know
that your Eva Smith

is the same girl as my, um...

Well, as my Daisy Renton?

Because we looked at the photograph.

I didn't.

Simply took his word for it.

And do you remember how peculiar
he was about only one person

seeing the photograph at once?

What if they were all different?

You're right.

We were all talking about
different girls. No.

I don't believe it.
The facts fit together too well.

She called herself Mrs Birling.

Why would she have done that
if she wasn't the same girl who...

I mean, who's to say there was
a girl who died this afternoon?

Whose word do we have for that...

...but his?

Yes, Nurse?

Yes, yes, I'm still here.

Right.

I understand.

No. Thank you, Nurse.

Yes. Goodnight.

No suicides.

No girl.

Oh, thank the Lord!

Thank the Lord!

I have never been so happy...

...to have been had!

I'm going to try everything
to win you back.

Do you believe in God?

Yes.

How can you?

I can't believe in people.

I have to believe in something,
or I'd fall.

Fall down through the cracks.

And never stop falling.

Miss! What's happened?

I'm going to go and find her.

Birling residence.

Speaking.

I understand.

A girl has died.

Suicide.

A police inspector is on his way
to ask us... some questions.