Father Brown (2013–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - The Man in the Tree - full transcript

MAN MOANING

BRANCHES SNAPPING

MAN MOANING

Hello?

Hello?

SHE SCREAMS

HE GROANS

SHE SCREAMS

It'll be nice having
a German visiting.

Very nice indeed.

I'm sure he'll know where he is
without the flag. Oh!



Sid?!

Father, I think that's him.

Father Franc, I presume?
Father Brown.

Mrs McCarthy, parish secretary.
Welcome.

Good morning.

Bishop Talbot sends his apologies.

He did so want to meet you himself

but, unfortunately,
a diocesan matter came up.

NOT that he resents Germans.

So, ich bin dein host!

Ah...

danke shoen.
Father, English, please.

Shall we?

WHISTLE BLOWS



Who'd have thought it,
the train was on time!

Ja, I heard it's quite
a rarity in England.

Our trains run like clockwork,
actually, Father.

Ja, of course,

and we have Britain to thank
for the Industrial Revolution.

Yes.

Such a pity so many of
our great factories were destroyed.

I think I should warn you that
the war is still a painful memory

for some of our parishioners.

No-one blames you personally,
of course.

We are very excited about
your Mass for Peace on Tuesday...

are you?

Are you excited, Father Franc?

My Gott!

Jesus, Mary and Joseph!

I just heard this...moaning...

and there he was.

Father Brown,
thank heavens you're here.

This is a crime scene.

It's all right, they're with me.

He's still alive.
Your presence is not required.

Although I suspect...

..if you check...

you'll find a carriage
with a shattered window.

The proximity to the viaduct
hadn't escaped me.

Stripped? On a train?!
What WAS he up to?

Any clues as to who he is? No.

Now, I really must ask you to leave

and please take your colleague
with you.

Perhaps a nice cup of tea?

Father...what if he dies
without being identified?

I'm sure the Inspector
will do all he can.

But what if he has a family
out there, worried sick about him?

We'll be late for mass.

ORGAN MUSIC PLAYS

Father Franc has travelled all
the way from Germany to visit us.

Is that what they call
an invasion these days?

His parishioners in Berlin bear
many of the scars

that have marked our families.

I trust you will all attend
his Mass for Peace on Tuesday.

And let's not forget Father Franc's
welcome soiree this evening. Mm!

A seasonal buffet will be provided.

Ah, Annie, welcome back.

I'm so glad you could join us today.

Don't be...I only come
to get up people's noses.

A month in prison has once again
failed to reform that woman. Yes.

Well, Annie's life has not
been blessed with opportunity.

Well, that's hardly an excuse for...

Yes, Mrs McCarthy?

..bad manners.

No, of course not...

..but it does explain
her prostitution.

God bless, Father.

I noticed you were on the train
this morning. Yes?

Did you spot anything suspicious
in your journey? No.

I slept the whole way.
If you'll excuse me, Father.

Annie!

Oh.

Prison food make you thin again.

I finish cleaning
and I cook for you.

Never offered to cook for me!

Cos you eat with your mouth open.

Have you seen who's staying
at the presbytery? Lucky girl.

Susie, no, you don't want to...

Are you Father Brown's guest?
Hello. I'm Susie, his housekeeper.

Guten morgen, erm... Morning.
Pleased to meet you.

Susie, I said...

So...now I scrub floor for Germans?

Poland help you to win war and...

right now I see Poland
means nothing to you people.

Well, I didn't...
Hang on a second, Susie! Sid!

Oh, brilliant(!) May have a word?

SID SIGHS

Do you know this man?

If you paid your artist, I might do.

Hm.

I hear you were on the train.
Did you see anything suspicious?

I did see Annie Mace
coming out of first class.

I suspect she didn't have a ticket.

Hm! A man was pushed
from the first class carriage.

Where did Annie get to?
Um, she was here a moment ago.

Right, I'll need
a witness statement.

Any chance we could just forget
what I just said?

Annie has problems with the police.
Perhaps I should speak to her?

Best to keep out of
the investigation, eh, Father?

HE SIGHS

Mrs McCarthy? Oh.

The Good Samaritan.

There's a parable I hold dear.

All alone, Father. Who is he?

The body carries a thousand clues.

The red mark on your nose

tells me you were reading
into the early hours.

Well, it's true.

The Gospel of Luke
never fails to enthral.

I expect Bill has a wife somewhere,
worried to death.

Bill?

I had to give him a name.

Now, I promised Mrs Murphy
a light tea before this soiree.

Her majesty's buffet fare
agrees with neither of us.

Father?

I need to speak to Annie Mace.

Oh, what about this one?

Lubie twoj usmiech.

SUSIE LAUGHS

What?! What are you laughing at?
I just said, "I like your smile."

In which language? Ooh-hoo!

I'm going to make you your own little
bit of Poland, just like home.

Listen, why don't you go see Annie?
Eh?

Her lady prison yarns
are always a good laugh.

No, I do my job properly.

Since when? Sid, please.

I'd stay out of her way,
if I was you.

So where in Poland are you from?

I'm just here to clean. All right?

I was hoping it might take
more than a few hours

before I saw you, Annie.

No, you weren't. You love it.

A witness saw you leave the
first class carriage in distress.

I didn't budge from
the delights of third class.

A man was pushed from
the first class carriage

shortly before the train
reached Kembleford.

Let's cut to the chase, Inspector...

we both know you've only brought
me here for one thing.

You do realise you're a suspect in
an attempted murder investigation?

Ten years ago, you... THAT was
self defence and you know it.

I won't be made the scapegoat
for this.

KNOCK ON DOOR
Your weekly visitor, sir. Oh!

He says it's urgent.

We gave Micky Spratt a ticking off.

His mum says he won't be drawing
rude things on your cart again.

I was on that train.

Is there something you'd like
to tell me, Christy? Not especially.

I was in third class.

I didn't see anything suspicious.

Right...thank you.

Christy, did you happen
to see Annie Mace at all?

I was worried because
she was sitting close by.

You hear stories about
her pinching stuff.

Did she leave the carriage
or seem distressed?

No. She didn't leave her seat once.

We've a witness who's certain
she did. I'm very sure she didn't.

So my witness is lying then?

I feel certain Bill
is a good Christian man.

The look of peace
that came over his face

when I read to him from Corinthians.

Are you quite sure?
He was found almost naked.

Have you seen Annie at all?

Not yet. Oh, she'll be here.
Hello, how are you?

One whiff of free food
and she's like a rat up a drainpipe.

Oh, talk of the devil.

Unlike Miss Mace
to be free of an evening!

So nice of Lady Felicia to wheel out
the old folk before they die.

Oh!

If Mrs McCarthy had soiree the only
guests would be her and a cat!

THEY LAUGH
How lovely you both look. Liar.

Annie, Sid tells me you may
have witnessed something

in the first class carriage. No.

The man in tree?
Are you a witness? Course not!

Maybe you could speak to her?
Why is everyone pointing finger?

She was so nice to me when I come
here. She would not push man.

Remember your promise.

GLASS RINGS

Ladies and gentlemen, our most
welcome German guest, Father Franc!

THEY APPLAUD

Er, hello...

thank you for this wonderful, um...
soiree, Lady Felicia.

Hear, hear!

And thank you all for welcoming me
to your beautiful country.

Has he seen Coventry? Hm?

Well, thank you for coming and...

ENGINE RUMBLES

Form an orderly queue, ladies!

HORN HONKS
Eh?

Annie seems to think she DIDN'T
witness anything on the train.

You are having a laugh?
Father, there is a free buffet.

Let your hair down for once.

So...

better get in early if you want
to ride on my "motor-sicle".

It's not motorcycle,
it's "motor-sicle"!

Looks expensive.

Well, that's the fruits
of hard graft, darling. Good evening.

I apologise. I approached uninvited.

Didn't stop you in Poland, did it?

GLASS SMASHING
Oh, what have you done?

Ow! Here you are, let me. No!

It needs to be cleaned.

It's, it's fine.
It's OK, come on. It's fine.

A respectable
member of the community

has contradicted
your witness statement.

Apparently Annie Mace
didn't move from third class.

And I hear that contraption
outside's yours? Mm-hm.

How did you afford it?
My granny gave me 50 quid.

Your grandmother in Southampton?
Who you've just visited?

Yeah, my dear old granny
in Southampton.

Well, you see we think the man,
given his stripped state,

was a victim of theft.

Anything you want to tell me? No.

You sure? Yep!

Fine. That'll be all...for now.

You're not suggesting Sid
had anything to do with this?

Was it Christy who contradicted
Sid's statement, by any chance?

You've a personal interest, Father.

So best keep your distance
this time.

Unless you want to find yourself
on the wrong side of the law?

Ah, keep it up, keep it up! Up!

OK...

I don't need your help.

There.

I don't need your help!

My apologies for helping.

WHISTLING

Have you given Christy
cause for a vendetta?

Sid, have you cheated him?

No more than usual.

Are you telling me everything?
What about the money for this?

Oh, shall I wheel Granny down here?

Yeah, that's right, I'll get her to
do a broadcast on Mrs M's bullhorn.

She gave me 50 quid.

Well, I'm sure a telephone call
to your grandmother

would quell Valentine's suspicions.

No, Granny don't have a telephone.
They're the devil's work, apparently.

A visit from our local
police officer

is no doubt being arranged then.

Fret not, Father.
It's all in hand.

The inspector knows
you're up to something.
SID CHUCKLES

If you don't tell me
what it is, I can't help you!

I'm beginning to think
that you don't trust me, Father.

CHRISTY: Rag and bone!

Christy!

Whoa. How's business?

Mustn't grumble.

Yes, well, um,
I'm glad I've caught you.

I'm a little confused.

I seem to recall that you said
you were asleep on the train,

yet I believe you provided
Annie Mace with an alibi?

I'm a Christian man, Father.

I've never once spoken
to that woman.

KNOCK ON DOOR

I've brought you some provisions!

Chunk of cheese...
couple of tins of apricots. Hm?

Just till you find your feet, eh?

Ta. I'm as parched as the Sahara.

Might I trouble you for a cup
of tea? My taps don't work.

Would you like me to see if I could
do anything about that?

As long as you're not here to ask me
any more stupid questions!

Where's Mrs McCarthy?

In the hospital.

She wants the man
to have company when he wakes.

Ahh!

Ah.

Oh! Come on.

OK.

SUSIE INHALES

OK.

You are like a doctor...

..face all serious.

Yeah?

If your hand went green
and fell off, it would be serious.

Only half floor would get scrubbed!
FATHER FRANC CHUCKLES

You're a funny Polish girl.

You don't know I funny...

you don't know me.

It's...OK for us to share a joke.

I never share joke with you.

You ain't going to find
anything in there. Indeed.

If they were
the man's missing clothes

they've clearly burned
to a cinder.

Oh, that's a shame, you're going
to have to take my word for it.

But I did find something useful...

at the post office.
Oi, that is private!

A concerned worker passed it to me.

"Dear Granny, thank you for socks.

"If the police knock,
tell them you gave me 50 quid.

"Sidney."

A stripped man is pushed from
a train, you step off £50 richer.

You robbed him. Things got
out of hand, didn't they?

Thought pinning the blame
on a soft target like Annie

would get you off the hook?

Sorry, where does it say that
in the telegram?

Sid, I'm giving you an opportunity
to tell the truth.

The judge will go far easier
on you if you do.

I didn't do anything.

Well, the victim's getting better

so, hopefully, he can confirm
that soon enough.

Oh, that's good,
he'll put you straight then.

In the meantime, you'll do your
defence a great deal of good

if you let me take a look around.

Shame you haven't got a warrant then.

Just one more superhuman
effort and...

Ah!

Let there be water.

Call the Pope, it's a miracle(!)

So, you do believe, then? Steady on.

I suspect you come
to church for more

than just getting up
Mrs McCarthy's nose.

Although, I can imagine
how that would appeal!

Not everybody there wants
to judge you, you know?

Do you believe in unicorns too?

There's men in your parish turn
their noses up then visit me.

Family men.

That bank manager, he went too far,
I had to hurt him.

Did anyone believe me?
Who visits you? Where do I start?

Mr Parnell, Mr Croker -
all pillars of the community.

Christy Nolan?

Never even spoken to Christy Nolan.

You seem anxious to defend someone
you've never spoken to.

There were scratch marks on the
man's face. Did you do that, Annie?

I'm not going back inside
for the likes of him. Likes of who?

I said no questions!
Who is he? Look, GET OUT!

Who is he Annie? What did he do?

Dirty old priest. In all my time
I've never heard such filth.

You ought to be ASHAMED!

We were just talking.

It's the talkers
with the sickest minds!

Good morning to you.

I believe the police
are doing everything they can...

to locate your loved ones.

Now, with a little more effort,
you could be awake by teatime

and then, well,
we could be properly introduced.

If, however, you wake after
four o'clock I shall not be here

because my casserole
needs two hours on the stove.

CREAKING

KNOCK ON DOOR

One moment, Bill.

I just wanted to see how
Bill is bearing up.

I thought I might read to him.

It'll be the Bible that rouses him
from his coma, thank you very much.

I'm sure there's room
for two to mop his brow.

He's far too poorly to have his room
turned in to a Piccadilly Circus.

I heard his health
has improved a great deal.

The nurses tell me he's quite
dashing under his...injuries.

I wonder what he was doing
on that train?

Bill is a FAMILY man!

Is being almost naked
in first class a family pursuit?

SMASHING

What was that?

BILL CHOKES

Sweet Jesus!

Oh, Bill! Bill!

What? What?

Well, don't just stand there,
get a doctor!

Doctor! DOCTOR!

'DOCTOR!'

The window was wide open,
the pillow was on the ground.

The doctor thinks it's unlikely
he'll survive such a heart attack.

FATHER BROWN PRAYS QUIETLY

The culprit must have come back
to finish the job.

Perhaps it was careless of me to
inform Sid of his improved health?

For goodness' sake! It was not Sid.

It wasn't Sid.

Well, did you see
who attacked the man?

Either of you? I may have done,
had I not been delayed.

Inspector I must insist
that you speak to Christy Nolan

and Annie Mace once more.

They know something.

They acted very strangely
when I questioned them.

I've spoken to them already.

Father has given you
valuable information

and duty compels you to use it!

Unless, of course, a nameless victim
isn't worth your best efforts?

Is that the case?

Inspector?

All right, I'll speak to them,
one more time...but that's it.

That's all we're asking.

Is this payback for them
carriage clocks?

You'll get off the hook, you always
do. You said you were asleep!

I got confused.

Ah, you got confused about
whether you were awake or not?

I saw her come out of first class!
You'll be all right, Sid.

Only if you tell the truth.

I have! I'm a Christian man.

He's at death's door. Now,
if he dies, I face a murder charge.

Now you tell the Inspector
you got it wrong!

Witness intimidation and no alibi
for the murder attempts.

I'd say that was enough
for a search warrant.

Sid! Thanks for sending
the Inspector round, Father.

Annie said you'd been harassing her.
I did what you asked, now back off!

I can't just do nothing!

Because you're certain of Sid's
innocence because he's your friend.

So I'm certain of his innocence?

Conduct likely to cause
a breach of the peace

is a serious offence, Father.

I've told Miss Mace and Mr Nolan
you won't be bothering them again.

Oh, Father Franc?

It's my duty to visit
with the sick. May I?

Let's hope Bill is comfortable
with such familiarity.

Well, he looks at peace.

You presence has clearly been
of great comfort to him.

You seem tired, Mrs McCarthy.
Why don't you go home and rest?

I'll stay a while yet.

He hasn't got much longer.

Well, I am happy
to stay with him. No.

He's grown accustomed to me,
I think, and, well...

I'd like to be here when he...

Maybe you do not wish to return
to the presbytery just yet?

I'm sorry? Well, I imagine young
Susie may not have given you

the warmest of welcomes...

and...I must confess, neither did I.

But you mustn't take her cold front
too much to heart.

Losing her father in the war...

She's not one to make a fuss
but those scars run very deep.

Look again!

There's nothing here, sir!

Now...what would Sid have to pawn?

Rag and bone!

Whoa.

Inspector says I'm to call
if you harass me, Father.

Wouldn't dream of it!

I wanted to sell you a painting.
One of mine.

All right, then.

St Michael.
An inspiration to us all. Indeed.

None of us are holy
and we all have battles to face.

But holiness is what we mortals
must strive for, Father.

Many of the saints lived
scandalous lives...

..it was only when they were
most burdened

that they found the grace
to turn their lives around.

You must get very lonely riding
around on that cart all day?

We all know how much
you miss your mother.

Perhaps in your loneliness...

you have sought company? No.

Perhaps you sought
company from Annie...?

..and feel pressured to provide her
with an alibi

so that she doesn't reveal
your relationship? Christy...

..I won't tell anybody!

Put the phone down.
Police, please. Christy...

find strength in honesty.

They're asking if a crime
is being committed now.

Well, um...

Mm. Yes, it's an emergency!

I know what happened now, Susie.

About what?

Your father...

..I'm so sorry.

Why?

It wasn't you, was it? No.

But, um...

..you feel guilty even
looking at me, don't you?

You do not understand.

Of course I do!

I've buried many friends...

..and family.

You lost people?

And...

..the ones who survive...

people I love, good people...

..they're hated by you - everyone.

I don't like to hate...

..but we can not pretend
nothing happened.

But we can stop it from killing
all that is good in us...

..or else they all died for nothing.

So long time I wait
to feel better...

I miss my parents.

Ja.

I miss my family too.

But maybe something good
will come from all that bad?

We retrieved this
from the pawnbroker...

..funny thing is, it's covered
in the man's fingerprints...

and yours.

Right, I'll tell you the truth.
You've had your chance.

No, look, I found it in a bin.
Of course you did.

This is why I couldn't
be honest with you!

Sid. Don't.

Do not do this to me.

I've no choice but to charge you
with attempted murder.

It's hardly a breach of the peace.
I was only talking.

The inspector made himself clear,
Father.

Let's not be too hasty.

Father Brown...

you harassed Christy Nolan
despite being warned not to.

This will be used as evidence.

If you give me any further cause
to charge you... Sid is innocent.

Sid's prints are
on the man's wallet.

He gave a false statement,
threatened a witness,

he asked his granny to lie... Hmm.

..and he has no alibi
for either murder attempt.

You're heading for
a criminal record yourself,

what more is it going to take
before you accept the truth?

There must be
a reasonable explanation.

If it wasn't Sid in that cell you'd
believe their guilt as much as I do.

There's a poor man at death's door,
his family deserves justice.

You're trying to stop them
getting that.

The truth is...

Sid went too far this time.

Tell the judge
he's a good boy at heart.

Where is Sid?

I'm afraid he may not
be coming back.

No!

I'll talk to Annie.
Find out what she knows.

It's best we let the police
do their job. How can you say that?

Maybe, maybe Annie's boyfriend
do it, maybe he is big thug?

Boyfriend? I don't know him,
she keep secret.

Annie didn't have a boyfriend
on the train...

Of course!

Where's Mrs McCarthy?

We have bags of highly desirable
antiques from our spring clean

in the kitchen.

Mass is about to start.

This fiasco hardly counts
as the Sabbath. Come along!

I feel sick.

If you don't come to Mass,
people might say that you push man.

You want that?

Come, we'll make you some tea first,
calm your nerves.

I'll give you a shilling
for the lot.

I'm going to the police!

Sid has been charged,
he's on his way to court,

the police are confident
of their case

and, if the man dies, Sid will hang.

You attacked a man before.
That was self defence, I told you!

Prostitutes are not known
for their honesty.

Don't you dare talk to her
like that! Forgive me.

You gave her an alibi because
she's your girlfriend, isn't she?

Christy don't like that word.

I won't tell anybody...

but I need to know the truth
about the man.

Do you want Sid's death
on your conscience?

The man pulled me into his carriage.

Must have known my sort,
thought I was fair game.

I scratched him, ran, but that's all!

What happened then, Christy?
Did you confront him?

She didn't tell me
till we got off the train.

I didn't want any bother.

I didn't think telling a fib
would get Sid in trouble.

Will you tell the truth
to the Inspector?

I'm sure he'll be discrete
and it would help Sid.

I did want to tell you but I didn't
think you'd believe me,

what with the man's standing.

Standing?

Bad things have happened...

..but...

..good things can come from bad.

Peace...can end pain...

..hating your enemy
does not bring your enemy pain,

it brings us pain.

It stops us from receiving love.

DOOR CLOSING

To quote Sunday's...

..hymn...

And it's the message of the mass
each week to go in peace,

loving God and what?

To go in peace,
loving God and, what, Father?

Um, well...

..i-in Germany, the expression
is to go in peace, loving God

and...be fruitful.

Fruitful?

The Roman Catholic Church urges
"fruitfulness" on the faithful?

What cultish gibberings
is he spreading in the Lord's house?

By night, he revels in...

unholy affections...

by day he mocks the creed.

Is this what passes for
a Catholic priest in Germany?

What's happening?!
Call the police to the hospital.

Forgive me, Lord.

There were little signs
along the way...

your blasphemy when you saw the body

and your subsequent unease.

And then, of course,
your fondness for Susie.

He's Father Franc...

and who are you?

I am no-one any more.

You are a man...

with a free will.

Responsible for your actions.

He never took responsibility.

As things stand...
you are no better than him.

Yes, I am!

Then put that pillow down...

..and confess.

My name is Wilhelm...

..I was a doctor.

..I was put in prison
for opposing the Nazis...

and then HE slaughtered my wife
to punish me.

Just because he could.

I'm so sorry.

I did everything the right way,
I campaigned for his capture

but he denied everything...

..and then I found out he'd worked
his way into the Priesthood.

And you followed him here?

All the way from Germany...

'..and there he was...
Franz Prepffler -

'Nazi...

killer...

monster.'

He didn't remember me...

'..but his pride
was too great to resist.

'I praised the glorious Nazis,
their courage,

'and he soon joined in.'

He was...so...proud of his cruelty.

I could listen to no more.

He killed my wife,
he would tell the truth...

HE LAUGHS

'..but...he just laughed at me...'

DROWNED OUT BY TRAIN WHISTLING

The red mist descended.

FRANZ RANTS IN GERMAN

'I thought I'd killed him.
It was not what I'd intended.'

But I needed to get off the train
so I stripped him,

I took his cassock.

It's hard to catch a killer when you
don't know who the victim is.

'So I pushed him from the train.'

'I found Prepffler's wallet.

'I didn't want his money.

'Even wearing his clothes
made me sick.'

'Trust Sid to sniff it out.'

'I wanted to get away...'

There he is.

'..but there you were.'

Father Franc, I presume?

Father Brown.

I just wanted him to regret
what he had done.

When he was found in that tree,
I had to stay and finish it.

He knew who I was.

You tried to kill him
yesterday? Ja.

Du...

HE WHEEZES

It is his heart.

Your enemy's life or your liberty?

No I can't,
I can't go back to prison.

What kind of man are you?
Killer or Doctor?

I'm not like him! Prove it.

POLICE BELLS RINGING

POLICE WHISTLE BLOWING

What are you doing?

Trust me, it's his only chance.

FOOTSTEPS ECHOING

Come on!

He has a rhythm.

WHISTLE BLOWS

You did the right thing. 'Police!'

He was never going to say sorry,
I must have known that.

Police, open this door!

I almost killed a man.

I don't see an evil man
in front of me.

I see a man who has suffered more
than I can comprehend.

How you live your life
from this moment onwards

is what really matters.

Open this door, now!

Open...

Where's the priest?

That's him, there.

I thought you might like
a nice cup of tea?

It's true, you lusted after a priest

but, in the end, it turned out
he wasn't a priest, so no harm done!

Our brave hero
of false imprisonment returns.

Ah, well, now, next time
you find a wallet...

I know, I know...
..you be sure and hand it in!

I heard you bought
some friezes for a Nazi.

Yes, but he was arrested
before he had time to enjoy them.

Mrs McCarthy, why don't you make Sid
a nice, soothing cup of tea? Mm.

Brakowalo mi twojego usmiechu...?

THEY ALL CHUCKLE

I missed your smile too.

Don't think that your friendship
wasn't real.

I'm sure Wilhelm
cared for you a great deal.

I hope so.

ANNIE: Rag and bone!
Any rag and bone!

Yeah, it's me.

Cat got your tongue?
THEY BOTH LAUGH

They don't care that people talk?
Not any more.

They look so happy.

You will be too. Given time.

I hope you don't mean Sid?
Sid? Sid who?!

Father...

No, of course not.