Father Brown (2013–…): Season 10, Episode 1 - The Winds of Change - full transcript

God of all you survey, Father?

It is an extraordinary achievement.

Congratulations, Joe,
and you, Peter.

Pete did all the hard work.

You think he's joking!

Oh, they keep on coming.

You must be proud of your husband,
Jennifer.

Not enough to forgive him
for abandoning me

these last three years.

No tears for my wife, please,
Father.

I lost her to amateur dramatics
years ago.



You were wonderful in The Provoked
Wife last month. Thank you, Father.

Is that St Mary's?

Marvellous. Glad you like it. Oh!

I'd already had their models made.

I hope you don't mind.
Nice to see them again.

Have you heard from them, Father?

Mrs McCarthy wrote from Ireland
last week.

She says she misses Kembleford
but she's sure she made

the right decision to move back.

Her wayward sister
has suffered another heartbreak.

What about Bunty?

She's on safari in Africa,
having the adventure of a lifetime.

Kembleford's loss, though.

Well, you can't keep a butterfly
in a jar, can you, Father? No.



Hey! Oh. Will you excuse us?

Take the girls, if you like.

Getting abandoned, Father?

Yes. Well, Inspector Mallory's
successor has been delayed.

They asked for someone to
fill in for a few days.

I thought you'd had your
fill of Kembleford.

I needed a port in the storm.

I've discovered my boss
has been lining his pockets,

accepting bribes
from an East End mob.

His hearing is tomorrow.
He's clearly in for the chop.

Let's just say things have been a
little tense in Special Branch.

I can imagine.

Speaking of tense,
I hear Inspector Mallory asked

to be transferred as far away
from you as possible.

Inspector Mallory assured me
he was moving to Scotland

for the golf, and I have
no reason to doubt him.

Chief Inspector. Father.

Funny seeing yourself like that.

Excellent likeness, Sergeant.

Really?

Harry Grover.

What are you doing here?
I paid like everyone else, Joe.

Oh. It's an ambush
by the parish council.

Got to be honest, I prefer
your two-inch versions.

You're not welcome here, Grover.

Oh, I gather that. You know,
my houses are a darned sight

prettier than those eyesores.

What a shame you won't get a chance
to build them in Kembleford.

No-one wants you in this village,

so why not do the dignified thing
and pack your bags?

Oh...

See you tonight at the village hall.

Mrs Jones, what, may I ask,
appeals to you most

about the position
of parish secretary?

Well, Father, I love the smell
of churches.

To be honest, I need an excuse
to get out of the house.

If Mrs McCarthy did it,
how difficult can it be?

You need help, Father.

I do, Mrs Burns.

I am thorough, tidy
and highly organised.

With me in charge,

you would be free to concentrate
entirely on the Lord's work.

And as a regular member of
St Mary's congregation,

I need hardly question
your commitment to the Lord.

I haven't missed a
Sunday Mass since I was eight.

I can recite the entire
Penny Catechism off by heart.

Not even Mrs McCarthy
could manage that.

I will let you know my decision
by this evening, Mrs Burns.

That is acceptable.

Good day, Father. Good day to you.

FATHER BROWN SIGHS

Mrs McCarthy, I think we have just
found your natural successor.

DOOR OPENS

I'm so sorry, Father.

Oh, a bit of a wardrobe drama.

Mrs Devine, isn't it? Yes.

Or Isobel. Whichever, really.

Please. Oh, thank you.

So, this is it.

Kembleford's very own
221B Baker Street.

It's not normally this untidy.

Oh, you should see my house. Chaos.

SHE CHUCKLES

Mrs McCarthy and I both
enjoyed your performance

in The Provoked Wife.
Oh, a minor role.

Jennifer Mossop completely
stole the show.

I understand you're heavily involved
in the Kembleford Players.

Oh, yes. Acting, selling tickets,
mending the set.

It's, it's my great passion.

Plenty of room for God as well,
of course.

As long as he doesn't clash
with rehearsals.

Would I be allowed to
join in your investigations?

The successful candidate
could certainly get involved

if they were so inclined.

Wonderful!

But that is, of course, only
a small part of my work here.

Absolutely.

First and foremost, the
parish secretary must have a tidy,

efficient and organised mind.

Oh, I like to think my organised,
tidy and...

Efficient... efficient mind
is a particular strength.

Excellent.

In that case, would you mind taking
a look at this sheet of accounts

from St Mary's? Of course.

I see. Interesting.

Very interesting, in fact.

Any observations?

Er...

ANGRY CHATTERING

Please, let Miss Streatham speak.

I love Kembleford.

I was born here,
so was my late father.

The last thing I would do
is threaten

what makes our village so special.

This is how you show your love
for Kembleford?

200 houses that we don't want built
on our precious green fields.

The only people that will benefit
from this travesty of a plan

are my sister here...

..and that snake oil salesman
over there.

Perhaps our village could benefit
from new people, Brendan.

Change isn't always bad.

With respect, Scarlett, we don't
want Kembleford to change.

We want it to stay exactly as it is.

PEOPLE SHOUT AGREEMENT

Hundreds more customers
for your shops.

Hundreds more people putting
money on your tables.

Your parish council insists that
that doesn't matter to you.

I wonder if that's true.

What you catch,

you keep.

You're a disgrace, Harry Grover.

Don't worry,
after the vote tomorrow,

that idiot will be gone
from Kembleford for good.

Thank God.

CAR ENGINE TURNS OVER

Chief Inspector. Isobel.

Er, Mrs Devine. Hello.

You're back.

Just for a few days.

I'll sit in the car, sir.

Yes.

So, how is your husband?

Oh, Ronald passed away.

I'm very sorry. He was a good man.
Yes, he was.

Thank you.

Ah, er... Good day to you,
Mrs Devine.

Mrs Devine, might I have a word?

Of course, Father.

Thank you for your enthusiastic
interview. Oh, not at all.

Thank YOU.

I'm afraid I'm giving the position
to another candidate.

Oh, no.

A difficult decision,
I can assure you.

And now I'm very much looking
forward to your next performance

at the Kembleford Players.

Of course. Thank you, Father.

Well, if you'll excuse me.

Mrs Burns. Thank you.

Ha-ha! Hello, Mrs Divine.

Father. Peter.

You wanted to see me? Yes.
To ask a small favour, actually.

The parish council would
like you to be the independent

observer at the Streatham Meadow
vote this evening.

Having you there may help to,
well, defuse the tension.

Ah, yes. Well, I would be delighted.

Marvellous. Thank you.
Oh, excuse me.

Hello again, Joe.

And what are you doing here?

What are you doing here?

Nothing was stolen,
in case you were wondering, Father.

Ah, much obliged to you, Sergeant.

No sign of a struggle.

It would appear that
poor Joe knew his assailant.

Thank you, Father.
I'd got that far.

Joe used to walk his dog
along this path

at exactly the same time every day.

I used to see him
when I was visiting.

We would obviously have found
that out too, in due course.

And there is something else you may
wish to consider, Chief Inspector.

Yes?

Earlier today, when I was
at the model village,

I found that the miniature figurine
of Joe

had been moved to this exact spot.

Someone clearly heard about
the murder and moved him

to his last resting place.

Except that according to Joe's
daily dog-walking routine,

he was murdered within the last
hour, and his statue was

moved at least two hours ago.

Hang on, Father.

Are you saying you saw some
kind of prediction of this murder?

Prediction?

Anticipation?

Not sure. I'm not sure we're ready
to bring Voodoo into this just yet.

Given the tensions in the village
hall last night, I'd like to speak

to that developer, Harry Grover.

I can show you where he's staying.

Leaving us so soon, Mr Grover?

I'm a realist.

Meaning? You were there last night.

Only a madman would believe
the parish council will vote

for my development now. Well,
the vote just got a bit closer.

Joe Telford is dead.

What? Stabbed on the footpath,
just two minutes away.

Poor chap. That's terrible.

We understand he walked down that
path at the same time every morning.

Why the hell would I kill
Joe Telford?

I already told you, Streatham Meadow
was a lost cause.

Anger. Bitterness.

Where were you between
nine and ten this morning?

Here, packing, alone.

£150.

Quite a sum.

Well, I gave it all away
last night.

What can I say? I'm a generous man.

I estimate your largesse
last night

to be nearer £50.

I like to carry cash.

Well, are you going to arrest me
for that?

You lost a very dear friend.

I'm sorry.

He was the other half of me.

You've got a nerve. I'm paying my
respects like you are, Brendan.

I'm very sorry for your loss, Peter,
but this is nothing to do with us.

You're happy to cash in on the soil
carrying our father's ashes.

What else are you capable of?

Give it a rest.

You're so full of anger
at what Dad did,

you can't see straight any more.

PHONE SLAMS

SULLIVAN SHOUTS IN FRUSTRATION

Is everything all right, sir?
No.

My corrupt boss has just
been cleared of all charges.

I thought you said you caught him
red-handed. I did.

It's a stitch-up. Travesty.

So what are you going to do now,
sir?

The moment I clear this case up,
I'm going straight back to London.

That snake isn't getting
away with this.

Clear that up.

There you are, Father.

Mrs Burns. Oh!

Our two o'clock meeting. I waited
at St Mary's for over an hour.

I'm so sorry. Events have rather...

You heard about poor Joe Telford?
Oh, a good man.

Though his attendance at Mass
could be erratic.

Well, I found his miniature
lying here in the exact spot

where he was killed,

an hour before the crime took place.

Do we suppose that the
murderer put him here?

"We?" Don't ask me.

I just want to get started.

What with the choir arriving
this afternoon

and more votive candles to order.

I'm afraid our tour of St Mary's
will have to wait, Mrs Burns. Oh.

I fear a woman's life is in danger.
Oh!

Jennifer.

She... she's not breathing.

You mind your head, sir.

So you're claiming this murder was
also announced at the model village?

Yes.

Do you have any explanation
for this strangeness?

No.

Well, while you muse over that, I'm
going to do the old-fashioned thing

of charging the man found standing
over the body, holding this.

Same size of knife
that killed Joe.

Grover's blade of choice, it seems.

But why would Jennifer
meet Harry Grover?

He was the enemy.

Everyone has their price, Father.

Found in Grover's jacket pocket.

He was trying to bribe her.

I was on my way to see Scarlett
to discuss tonight's vote.

As I drove past Streatham Meadow,

I recognised Jennifer's car
in the lay-by.

I stopped, looked over the style,
and I saw her.

I mean, I tried to help her.
I took out the knife, but...

Here's what really happened.

You arranged to meet Jennifer Mossop
in that field to pay her a bribe.

She turned you down, didn't she?

You saw your chance of a
big payday slipping away.

The red mist descended,
same as when Joe Telford turned down

your dirty money. No!

None of that happened.

What have I done?
Why is God punishing me?

Peter, I wish I could
give you an easy answer.

Harry Grover will hang, I assume?

I don't believe he's the culprit.

The man's guilt is as clear as day.
But Harry's no fool.

If he killed Jennifer and Joe,
he'd have covered his tracks.

Only a fool would have thought

that Kembleford would have voted
for his proposal.

I think he's been framed.

And if I'm right
and the killer is still at large,

then you two need to be
extremely vigilant.

Father Brown!

Oh, Father Brown.

A little faster, Hercules,
there's a good boy.

Mrs Divine. Can it wait?

Not really.
You see, it's about Jennifer.

Jennifer Mo...
MRS DEVINE SCREAMS

Oh!

Oh, Hercules!
I've killed Father Brown.

Oh.

Oh, thank the Lord.

Are you all right, Father?

I'm not sure yet.

Don't worry,
I'm an experienced first aider.

I drove ambulances in the war.

Tell me where it hurts.

Nowhere. Are you sure?

Yes.

Nature's own mattress. Oh.

Oh!

You were pedalling awfully fast.

Not fast enough to avoid you,
Mrs Devine.

Now, you say you have some
information.

Yes.

Harry Grover was cast to play
Jennifer's lover, Constant,

in The Provoked Wife.

Yes.

Well, after the first few
rehearsals, Harry admitted

he was only doing it to win
support for his development.

Jennifer was furious,
and she insisted that Mildred,

the director, replace him.

Anything else?

Mr Devine, before you dislodged me
from my bicycle,

I was on my way to speak
to a key suspect in the murders

of Jennifer Mossop and Joe Telford.

Oh, this is just typical of me.

Diving in and messing things up.

Enthusiasm is an admirable quality,
Mrs Devine.

Most of the time.
I'm so sorry, Father.

It's just, it's been two years
since my Ronald died and,

well, I suppose I was just desperate
for some excitement.

And the prospect of working
with the great Father Brown,

solving crimes and having
these marvellous adventures, well,

I just really, really
wanted that job.

I'm sorry.

Oh, no.
No need to apologise, Father.

I would have given it
to Mrs Burns too.

The rehearsals between
Harry and Jennifer. How were they?

I don't know. I wasn't there.

Ah.

Well, good day, Mrs Devine.

Good day, Father.

BIKE BELL DINGS

Hercules...

..what a fool I am.

Peter Mossop is a good man.
He doesn't deserve this.

Are your father's ashes really
scattered on Streatham Meadow?

It was his favourite
spot in the world.

And yet you want
to build houses on it?

Yes, because that's the only way
I can keep his beloved farm going.

I've got debts, Father. Huge ones.

I promised Dad that I'd keep
this place going.

Turns out I'm not as good
at farming as I thought.

So you need to win this vote.

I didn't kill them, though,
if that's what you're thinking.

When Jennifer was murdered,
I was working flat-out here.

Tom will back me up.

Why did you fall out with Brendan?

My brother has all these principles,
these funny ideas.

No chemicals, no harming animals.
He's one of those vegetarians.

He used to insult Dad.
Tell him he was a dinosaur.

They fell out, and when Dad died,
he left me the farm.

Brendan's been furious with me
ever since.

Does your brother know
about your debts? God, no.

I wouldn't give him
the satisfaction.

I can already see the smile on his
face when we lose the vote tonight.

On a majority decision
of two to one...

..the development of
Streatham Meadow has been approved.

BOOING

What? That can't be.

How could you? You hypocrite.

It wasn't me, Peter,
as you well know.

And you got what you wanted.

As usual.

That farm's rubbish. Disgusting.

Why did you do that?

Ladies, gentlemen, please...
Thank you, Father.

I can handle myself.

This is the end of Kembleford.

Who knows, Mrs Burns?

Having new people in the village
might be a good idea.

Yes, but what kind of people
would they be, Father?

Father Brown?

If Peter or Brendan voted
in favour of the development,

doesn't that make them
a murder suspect?

Does indeed, Mrs Devine.

You've already worked out how to
prove who it was, haven't you?

I can't believe Brendan betrayed us.

Betrayed Joe and Jennifer.

If it's any comfort, no houses
will be built whilst Harry Grover

is in a cell charged with murder.
Thank goodness.

Can I get you a drink, Father?

Little early for me,
but perhaps a glass of water.

Of course.

No.

CAR HORN HOOTS Father Brown!

Father!

After the vote, I spoke to Mildred,
who directed The Provoked Wife.

Apparently, Jennifer's scenes
with Harry were electric.

Mildred was devastated
when she had to replace Harry.

Well, that is interesting.

The rehearsals for The Provoked
Wife, were they every evening?

Lord, no.
Tuesdays and Thursdays. Why?

I think I will pay
Harry Grover a visit.

Get me a confession, Father.

Thank you, Sergeant.

Aren't you going to congratulate
me on my stunning victory? No.

I'm not sure you ever really
wanted to win that vote.

Chief Inspector Sullivan
got it wrong.

You did arrange to meet Jennifer
in Streatham Meadow,

but not to bribe her.

What?

Kembleford Players meet on
Tuesdays and Thursdays.

But Jennifer told Peter
she was rehearsing

four or five evenings a week.

So?

I believe that she met you
on those other evenings.

I also believe that truth
will be your friend in this, Harry.

I signed up for the play
to win Jennifer's vote.

I didn't plan on
falling in love with her.

So why did Jennifer get you fired
from the production?

It was getting
quite intense between us.

She was afraid people would
realise what was going on.

The packed bags,
the cash withdrawal.

You were planning
to run away together.

That was why you met her
in Streatham Meadow.

When I got there, Jennifer,

she was already...

I asked her who did it,
but she couldn't speak.

When I took out the knife...

I was holding her when she went.

How did you arrange to meet her?

I sent her a note.

Did you know about
Jennifer and Harry?

I saw her coming out of his house
one evening.

When she was supposed
to be at a rehearsal?

Didn't think I could hate the man
more than I already did.

What did you say to Jennifer?

I said nothing.

And I did nothing.

Why, Peter?

Because I knew turning a
blind eye was the best chance I had

of holding on to her.

Harry would lose the vote
and leave Kembleford.

The affair would end and
Jennifer would come back to me.

I had it all worked out.
Everything was going to be fine.

Still keeping up the act I see,
Brendan.

I believe the police graphologist
will identify

one of these as your handwriting.

Why on Earth would the police
be interested?

Because it would make you a suspect

in Jennifer and Joe's murder
investigation.

Father,

what I'm about to tell you
is in utmost confidence?

You have my word.

You're right,
I did vote for the development.

Compromising your principles and
gifting your sister a fortune.

Why? Because I want to save
Streatham Farm.

On my last visit to see Scarlett,

I spotted a bank letter
about her mountain of debt.

Suddenly, everything made sense.

If she doesn't build
on Streatham Meadow,

she'll have to sell the farm.
But why does it matter to you?

Your father disowned you
and cut you out of his will.

I disagreed with my father,
but I never, ever

wanted us to lose the farm.

If Jennifer and Joe
had still been alive,

you'd still have lost the vote.

Yes, but they weren't.

I saw an opportunity
and I went for it.

You're barking up the wrong tree
if you think I killed them.

I couldn't even wring
a chicken's neck.

Oh, Father.
I was seeking inspiration.

Great minds think alike.

I was putting the suspect where they
say they were when Joe was murdered.

Oh. Oh, that's Harry.

At home, packing.

Brendan has just admitted
that he voted for the development.

Why?

To save Streatham Farm. Gosh.

He was in Hambleston,
talking to a farmer

about natural farming methods,
when Joe was murdered.

Right.

Joe and Jennifer's models
were moved before they died.

Maybe the murderer is using
the model village as a sort of map

to choose the best place for murder.

Did you move me, Mrs Devine?

No, Father Brown.

Brendan is not the killer. Right.

Scarlett. Her farm hand swears
he was with her at the time

of Jennifer's death,
so that counts her out.

Which leaves Peter and Harry.

Peter has a motive for
killing Jennifer.

But he would never
have murdered Joe.

That's one thing everyone
can agree on.

Yes, everyone does agree on that.

Oh. Father?

Ora pro nobis.

I need to get to the police station.

I'll come with you. No.

Continue your search
for the smaller me,

and please be alert.

If I'm right, the killer is one
of the most troubled souls

I have ever known.

Where are you, Father?

BEE BUZZES

BIKE BELL DINGS

Father.

Peter.

Where are you off to?

To tell Chief Inspector Sullivan
he's got the wrong person.

The Streatham Meadow controversy
was just a smokescreen

for the real murder motive,
wasn't it, Peter?

Which was?

A few days ago...

..you found a note from
Harry to Jennifer

arranging to meet at
Streatham Meadow

to discuss leaving you.

I imagine that was the
first time you realised

that they were having an affair.

In your anger, you decided
that they both deserved

the ultimate punishment.

Peter.

Hello, darling.

Why are you here?

To tell you I love you.

CAR APPROACHES

Come here, my angel.

JENNIFER GASPS

SHE MOANS

Goodbye, Jennifer.

Quite the theory, Father.

However, you seem to have forgotten
that the person that killed Jennifer

also killed Joe.

You knew that when Jennifer's affair
with Harry came to light,

you'd be the main murder suspect.

But you calculated that the
best way to deflect suspicion,

and to save yourself from
the gallows, was to murder Joe.

What are you doing here?

You killed an entirely innocent man
that you loved as a brother.

Evil can take men to places...

..that still surprise me.

Too clever by half, Father.

Harry Grove is in a cell.

If you kill me, that will
prove his innocence.

All those dangerous criminals
you helped put away,

all those grudges.

When the police find you here dead,
they won't know here to start.

The first thing I did when I found
that note was to show it to Joe.

He told me he already knew
about the affair.

He said he'd seen Jennifer
come out of Harry's house

on his dog walks.

He said he'd kept it quiet
because he wanted to spare me.

But I knew the real reason.

He was worried I'd be distracted
from finishing the model village.

Tell him how angry I felt.

It made the blade go in
a little easier.

CAR HORN BLARES

I found you, Father.

Yes, you did.

I owe you, Father.

£5 in the collection box
should cover it.

So...

..are you ready to build
Kembleford's future?

I can't stay here.
Not without Jennifer.

Where will you go? No idea.

But I'll find some
place soon, I'm sure.

People may stamp and shout,
but Britain needs houses.

That isn't going to change.

Thanks again, Father.

I see you've lost none
of your recklessness, Father.

Still, I can now get back to London.

I'd like to say
it's been a pleasure.

At least it's been brief.

Chief Inspector.

Telephone call from London, sir.

Father.

Where on earth have you been,
Father?

Mrs Burns, what's happened?

You ordered the wrong candles

and you forgot to mention the altar
service practice in the newsletter.

Er...

I think we need a discussion
about your priorities, Father.

Yes, Mrs Burns,
I think we probably do.

Hello, Father.

You two seem surprisingly cheerful.

Scarlett's asked me to help
run the farm with her.

If we work together, we think
we might just be able to save it.

No chemicals, though.

That sounds like a marvellous plan.

Excuse me.

Mrs Devine. Oh, Father, I was just
bringing you home. Thank you.

Mrs Devine, I suggested to Mrs Burns

that she look
for alternative employment.

Gosh. Why?

Most of Kembleford seems
very happy to stand still,

but I think it needs a change.

I think Kembleford needs somebody

more open-minded, more tolerant
of the world and of me.

And...

..and someone who drives a car
like an ambulance.

Yippee!

Quick confession, Father.

I haven't been to Mass
since Christmas Day.

Yes, I know.

Still here, Chief Inspector?

Inspector Mallory's successor
has pulled out.

And my underhanded, scheming
boss has me transferred here

on a permanent basis.

I sense disappointment.
Disappointment?!

Until I can prove his guilt,
I'm stuck in this...

..godforsaken backwater for good.

It's dreadful news,
Chief Inspector. Really.

Why did Inspector Mallory's
successor pull out?

He was put off by stories
of an interfering priest.

Mrs Devine.

You never know,

maybe he'll get used
to being back here.

Maybe he will.