Little Dorrit (2008): Season 1, Episode 5 - Episode #1.5 - full transcript

I'm sorry, John, but I could
never feel about you that way.

But I hope you
will have a good wife one day.

I'd set my heart on you.

I'm sorry I let them
bully me into giving you up.

Dear Flora, you weren't to blame.

I never blamed you. But I...

Did he say Dorrit?

Yes, sir, we're here to see my
sister, Fanny Dorrit. So am I!

Edmund Sparkler, at your service.

Guard it with your life.

Miss Dorrit, are you quite
sure you wish your sister to know



the nature of our relationship?
Quite sure, Ma'am.

Then I suppose
I shall have to tell her.

Do sit down.

I have a son, Miss Dorrit, by my
first husband. He is 22 years old.

I first married extremely young.
PARROT SQUAWKS

Be quiet, bird! This son - his name

is Edmund Sparkler - is very
impressible, very easily led.

So when I heard that my son was
fascinated by a dancer I was sure

it must be a dancer from the Opera,
where young men moving in society

are usually fascinated.

I need hardly say that when
I found out what the theatre

was, and the kind of entertainment to
be found there, I was much surprised.

And then, when I found that
your sister, by rejecting my son's

advances, had brought him
to the point of proposing marriage,



my feelings were
of the profoundest anguish.
SQUAWKING

Bird! Be quiet!

And I told her that I might be
a dancer, but I consider my family

quite as good as her son's,

and I did not see any honour
in being connected with them.

So you did. And so it may be.

But sadly, the fact is we are all
creatures of society in one way

will never recognise the society
in which you and your sister move.

I am afraid we should find ourselves
compelled to look down upon you with

contempt. We should feel obliged
to recoil from you with abhorrence.

Did I or did I not tell you
I'd already refused him?

You say so, but Sparkler

is a young man, and young men
are apt to persevere.

And if he were to persevere, you
might very well change your mind.

And in the event of a marriage,
my son would have nothing whatsoever.

He would be an absolute beggar.

Which makes no odds to me,
cos I don't want him anyway!

PARROT SQUAWKS

I am a creature of impulse,
Miss Dorrit.

And as such I beg you
to accept this small gift.

And just to seal our mutual
understanding, perhaps you will

be so good as to accept a mark of
my appreciation at the dressmaker's.

You are too kind.

I believe at last
we understand each other.

And now, I think,
it is time to part forever.

And on the best of terms.

Goodbye, Miss Dorrit.

So pleased to have
made your acquaintance.

PARROT SQUAWKS

Rent man! Quick, Pancks,
get inside, lock the door!

Rent man!

All well with the books, Mr Clennam?

Pretty well.
All well with the works, Mr Doyce?

Pretty well, I'd say. That Italian
fellow's a good little workman.

I've told you, Auntie, Arthur's

really, really... Aah!

Visitors! Come along, up you go now.

Get off me! Slowly, easy does it.
Come, let me assist you.

Mrs Finching, welcome to Doyce and
Clennam. Come through to the office.

Oh, good gracious, Arthur...

Mr Clennam I should say, what a
climb we have had to get up here.

Most unkind of you never to have come
back to see us since that day, but I

suppose you were more pleasantly
engaged, and is she fair or dark,

blue eyes or black, I wonder?

And to think of Doyce and Clennam.

How did it all come about, I wonder?

I know I have no right to ask the
question, not any more, the golden

chain between us that once was
forged being snapped and very proper.

But I thought that I would call
with Mr F's aunt and congratulate you

and offer best wishes.

I am very happy to see you, Flora.
Thank you for your good wishes.

There's milestones
on the Dover road!

She's in fine spirits today!

Let him meet it if he can!

Oh, dear, very lively.
You seem to stimulate her, Arthur...

Doyce and Clennam, I should say!

One last remark knowing you were
interested in "her", it came to me,

good gracious, why not have her here?
Um, whom do you mean?

Why, your little friend of course!
The seamstress!

Little Dorrit! Yes!
I recall you saying you have a very

fond and tender feeling for her.
I do, Flora.

As once you had for me
in dear dead days gone by.

Oh, no, no, no, Flora!
It's nothing like that. I am

simply interested in Miss Dorrit's
welfare, and her family's welfare.

Oh. But does she know that?

I'm sure she does.

Oh, well, in that case
it can do no harm either way!

She can come and do some
needlework at our house if she wants.

I'm sure she'd be glad to, Flora.

Thank you for thinking of her.
You can't make

a head and brains out of a brass
knob if there's nothing in it.

You couldn't do it with your
Uncle George while he was living,

much less now he's dead!

Oh, dear, livelier than ever.

Perhaps we'd better go.

Oh!

Come along, Aunt. Time for your rest!

Let him chuck me out the window!

Come on, Auntie!

Mr Casby! Mr Casby!
Mr Casby! Mr Casby!

Pa's visiting his tenants,
they love him, you know.

They think he's a saint,
I don't know why.

They think it's Pancks grinding their
faces in the dust but it's Pa.

You know he loves money so very much
it's quite a scandal, really.

Ah, ain't he
a lovely man, Mr Clennam!

Come on, Auntie.

Where you taking me now?

Careful, be careful! That's it.

Chivery old and Chivery new.

Just the men I wanted to see.

Mr Pancks. And what can I do for you?

Bit of private
business for a client.

And what has your
business to do with me?

I want to see your
books, Mr Chivery. 1805.

Who came in and who left.

Confidential, that is, Mr Pancks.

No, it ain't.

Oh, dear, oh, dear, all right then,

there's half a crown
to oil your joints.

Much obliged, Mr Pancks.

Edwards, Matthews, Bishop,
Kitchener, Elliot, Dickens...

William Dorrit. £120.

Address - 4 Gower Street North.
Date of Birth - 24.10.1775.

County of Birth - Dorset.

I'm much obliged to you, Mr Chivery.

Oh, Amy!

PARROT SQUAWKS

Hallo, Mater. Pa home?

Your stepfather is
returned from the city, yes.

Good-oh. By the way,
Edmund, I had a visitor today.

Miss Dorrit called, with her sister.
Did she, biggod?

And I missed her! What a shame.

She's a deuced fine girl. You will
not be seeing her again, Edmund.

Now look here! I say!
You can't do that.

She's a deuced fine girl.

I have done it, Edmund.
And with Miss Dorrit's full assent.

She... She's chucked me?

Yes. I'm afraid she has, Edmund.

Now go and get dressed for dinner.

This is so unfair!
Go and get dressed!

PARROT SQUAWKS

Encore! Encore!

I don't know why you're
looking so disapproving.

I don't know what to say.
You don't like Mr Sparkler?

Like him? No. He's an idiot.

So you'll be quite happy
not to see him any more?

I'll be delighted, Amy.
I wish you hadn't...

taken jewellery and things
from Mrs Merdle, Fanny.

You little fool!

Have you no spirit at all?

Would you let a woman like that put
her foot upon your family, and thank

her for it? No, but... Then make her
pay for it, you naive little mouse!

What else could you do?
You make her pay for it, and do

your family some credit!

If you despise me because I'm a
dancer, then why did you put me in

the way of being one?
It was your doing.

You're the one who chivvied me
into taking lessons. And now...

the ground before this Mrs Merdle.

I wouldn't, Fanny. It was only
taking jewellery from her seemed...

Oh, I suppose you'd have us starve!
You drag us down, Amy.

Sometimes I think you want to
see us in the gutter! Fanny!

Forgive me, Amy!
You didn't deserve that.

But I do have my pride.
So do I, Fanny.

It just comes out
in different ways, I suppose.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

KNOCK ON DOOR

Mr Clennam, sir, to see Mr Dorrit?

Actually, I just wanted to leave
this note for Amy, if you wouldn't

mind passing it on. Of course.

Before you go, sir,

perhaps I might ask a favour...

He'll sit there hours, Mr Clennam.

Hours, he will.

May I ask... It's Miss Dorrit, sir.
He's breaking his heart for her.

Ever since he asked her
and she refused him.

I had no idea. But of course,
he must have known her a long time.

Brought up together, sir.
Played together.

Always dreamed that one day...

But her brother and sister
are very high in their views

and look down on John,

and her father's all for himself
and against sharing her with anyone.

So she's made a sacrifice
of herself and turned him down.

And you believe...she loves your
son? Never had eyes for no-one else.

Mr Clennam, if you felt
able to have a word with her,

make her see there's a young man
there who loves her very dearly.

I'm not sure I'm the right person
for the job, Mr Chivery.

I don't think my interference
would be appreciated.

She looks up to you, sir.

You look out for her and her family.

She knows that you have
her best interests at heart.

I wouldn't ask,
but it breaks a father's heart.

Uh-hum!

Ah...

Your guests are here, sir.

Yes.

I suppose they are.

Do you intend to go down
and greet them, sir?

Yes, yes.

I suppose I should.

So that's Merdle, is it?

He don't look like anybody very
much to me. You might think that.

He's a quiet bird.

But he's got the City in the
palm of his hand. And Parliament.

And the Circumlocution Office.

Well, look, look, there's Tite
Barnacle himself, dancing attendance.

Mrs Merdle's a fine-looking woman.

Yes, indeed.
Magnificent pair of lungs.

I speak as a medical man, of course.

And very well decorated.

Well, he can afford it.

They say he made another
£100,000 just last week.

Two, I heard, and Bellows
at the Treasury said four!

Well, good luck to him.

My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen,
my friends and colleagues.

Before we dine I cannot allow

the moment to pass without a word of
gratitude to our host. Hear, hear.

Mr Merdle, one can say without
any exaggeration, is the wonder

of the age. Everything he touches,
it would seem, turns to gold.

APPLAUSE

Money, we have heard it said,
is the root of all evil.

Oh, no, no, no, no.

But look around you!

What do you see here
but an abundance of goodness?

Goodness, my friends!

All the riches of nature and what
has made this possible but money?

Money is the fuel
that feeds the engine of our

great and glorious empire,
and our host is the Great Engineer!

My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I give you our host, Mr Merdle!

Mr Merdle!

I thought he didn't
look too chipper.

Man like that must be under a good
deal of mental strain, I suppose.

No doubt, no doubt. But I've found

nothing at all the matter with him.

He may have some deep-seated
recondite complaint, I suppose.

But I'm damned
if I could identify it.

They say that gold's a poison.

Nonsense. Mercury now, or lead.

Well, he doesn't look a happy man.

I wouldn't change places with him,
for all his millions. Nor I...

Nor I.

Where to, son?

Yes, I have to say, a very bad day's
work, Pancks, a very bad day's work.

It seems to me, and I must insist
on making the observation forcefully,

you should have
collected much more money.

I can't...
Much... Ssh... More money!

I can't collect
what they haven't got, Mr Casby.

The fact is, the rent you charge is
more than they can pay, most of 'em.

My dear man, that is nothing

to do with me.
My mind is on higher things.

Your job is to collect the rent,
and I expect you to do it.

Well, well,
CLOCK CHIMES

I think it must be teatime.

Well, well.

Miss Dorrit, is it? Yes, sir.

Very good.

Very good.

You make yourself comfortable,
Miss Dorrit...

while you wait.

There you are, my dear, so sorry to

have kept you waiting, have you been
sitting there in your bonnet all this

time? Pray, for goodness sake, let
me take it off for you... There!

Why, what a good
little thing you are, my dear!

Though anyone that interested Arthur
Clennam so much must interest me,

have you known him long?
Not very long.

I met him when I was working
at Mrs Clennam's house.

Oh, Mrs Clennam! Aren't you
terribly frightened of her?

I know I was when Arthur and I were
childhood sweethearts in the dear

dead days gone by without recall,
though the spark still remains,

and sometimes rather more than
a spark, I like to fancy!

Ah!

Should I start my work now, ma'am?

Oh, you industrious little fairy,
there's not the slightest hurry

for that and it's better that we
begin by being confidential about

our mutual friend, is it not?

But I can work
and listen at the same time.

I would feel more comfortable...
Truly, ma'am.

Oh, very well, whatever
you like best! Here!

Hem away! Hem away!

Now, where was I? Yes. You must know,

and I am sure
you do know, that before I

was introduced to the late Mr F
I was engaged to dear Arthur Clennam.

We were all in all to one
another, it was the morning of life,

it was bliss it was frenzy,
till we were rent asunder by the

Fates and Arthur went to China and
I became the statue bride of Mr F.

But that was quite
a long time ago, wasn't it?

Not to me, you adorable
little elf, not to me!

To me it is as if it
was only yesterday!

Ask me not if I love him still,
or if he still loves me, or what

the end will be... And wonder not if
I should seem comparatively cold

to Arthur or he should seem
comparatively cold to me, surrounded

as we are by watchful eyes... Ssh!

Now I have told you all,

and for Arthur's sake I will
always be a friend to you,

my dear girl, and in Arthur's name
you may always rely upon me!

I hope I didn't startle you. No.

I was just thinking about you.

I have been at Mrs Finching's
this afternoon, and she talked

a good deal about you. She cares
about you very much, I think.

Mmm.

I sometimes come here to think.

It seems unfeeling, somehow,

to be seeing the river,
and the sky,

and so much change and motion...

And then to go back, and find
Father in that same cramped place.

Well, you bring back
the freshness of the world with you.

That cheers him, I'm sure.

Do you think so?
Yes. Yes, I do, Little Dorrit.

Ah, I...

I had a talk with Mr Chivery today.

He wanted to speak
to me about his son.

Oh. I wish he had not! He made me
promise I'd say something to you.

I know what these affairs
of the heart are like. How we...

How we hesitate.

There's someone I care about very
much, but I have held back from

declaring my love. Not Mrs Finching?

No, no, no, not Flora!

No, someone much younger than Flora.

You don't know her.

But this is not about me.

All I really wanted to say was
that if you love John Chivery...

If you truly do love him, then

seize your chance of happiness.
You shouldn't sacrifice yourself

for your father's sake.

He will be well looked after whether
you marry or not. Please, stop.

I don't love John. I wish I could,
it distresses me to see him unhappy,

but I can't love him,

not in that way, not to be his wife.

And now everyone is unhappy,

or angry with me.

I wish you hadn't
spoken to Mr Chivery.

I wish you hadn't spoken to me.

You will never hear another word
from me upon the subject,

I promise you.

Thank you.

Are we still friends?

Yes.

Still friends.

Oi! Little Mother! Maggy!

You promised to stay near Father.
So I did, but he wouldn't let me.

If he takes and sends me out,
then I have to go.

What did he send you out for?
It's a secret, you're not to know.

I'm to take two letters to So and So.
That's you.

Come over here, where she can't see.

I see. All right, Maggy.
I'll take care of them.

Come, Maggy.

I had better go home. Goodbye.

Don't be distressed.

I know what those letters
were. They were nothing.

How can you and I be friends when my
family sponge upon you? Come, Maggy!

I thought I might
look in on Fanny later.

You know, get a pass for
the show, see what's what.

Might even take her out for
supper if I get what I'm expecting.

A letter for you, Mr Dorrit.

Oh, yes!

Very good of you
to bring it up, Chivery.

Yes, it was, wasn't it?

Oh, yes.

Oh, very handsome, very gratifying.

Well, I'm blowed!

"Mr Clennam begs to be excused
from complying with your request!"

How about that?
And he calls himself a gentleman.

He is nothing but a mean,
low-spirited sort of a fellow...

And tight as an oyster!
Well, that's my evening spoilt.

Perhaps you phrased your request
in a less than appropriate manner,

Edward?

Are you not ashamed
of yourself, Tip?

Writing begging letters to a man you
hardly know, when you are perfectly

able to earn your own bread?

No need to take that
line with me, Amy.

As a matter of fact,
it's you who's letting us down,

going about like a little timid
mouse, and dressing like a skivvy.

You could at least put on a bit
of a show like the rest of us.

But I suppose you ain't
got no pride.

How dare you speak like that to me!

And how dare you insult
a man who is worth ten of you?

Have you any idea
who got your debts paid?

I love you, Tip,

but sometimes I am ashamed
to have you as my brother!

Excuse me, Father.

Don't let 'em see you crying,
Miss Dorrit, dry your eyes.

Give me your hand.

It's all right,
I'm a fortune teller.

I'm studying to be
your good fairy, I am.

A life of toil.

For what else are we made for?

But what's this?

Prison bars and a family fallen

on hard times, but who is this
trying to look after them all?

It's you!

But the deuce of it is,

if this isn't Pancks the gypsy
in the corner here, seeing it all.

Now what am I doing there, eh?

What is all that about?

Well, you shall live
to see, Miss Dorrit.

You shall live to see.

I'm going to get to the bottom
of this Dorrit business

or blow myself up in the attempt.

I want to ask you if we could
be more than friends...

If you would consent to be my wife.

'My name is Blandois.'

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

Amidst the chaos of war...

Whatever you might think
about German military ambition,

it has nothing to do
with German science.

What is this madness?

..some ideas
become louder than bombs.

I'm going to write
to Albert Einstein.

Consorting with the enemy
is a treasonable offence.

Your imagination
is a little over-excited.

I intend to excite it
a great deal more.

The pursuit of truth in science
takes us beyond hatred.

It is the best of us.
Great minds think alike...

Amidst the chaos of war...

He could have spent his life
shaking hands and cutting ribbons,

waiting patiently for his destiny.