Play for Today (1970–1984): Season 14, Episode 9 - Rainy Day Women - full transcript

[tense dramatic music]

[aeroplane engine whirs]

[Officiant] Colonel John Truman,

whose memory we
honour here today,

suffered as much at
Dunkirk as any man,

yet recovered to play
an outstanding part

in the Allied
invasion of Europe.

It is hard now for
even the oldest of us

to unlock the feeling
of the last war.

[mournful horn music]

[wood creaks]



[sinister music]

[John] For me then,
1940 was fast becoming

a summer without purpose,

of doctors, and
tests, and forms,

until at last they
gave me a mission.

[mysterious music]

That summer,

the countryside had suddenly
become an unknown world,

a ghost story
without the ghosts,

but they were
expected any minute.

[Guard] Can we see your
identification Sir?

Yes, of course.

I'm going to Darton,

this is the right road, is it?



[Guard] Aye, you've
a way to go yet.

What takes you up that way?

Just some business.

[Guard] They haven't caught
parachutists, have they?

No, nothing like that.

Just use your map,

but make sure you don't
give it to any strangers.

Very good.

[mysterious music]

Good afternoon.

Am I anywhere near Darton?

Couldn't say love.

My God, you're a
long way from home.

Any war news?

Oh, we don't pay no
attention to news now,

we just do as we like.

The kids love it here.

[mysterious music]

Hello there, am I
anywhere near Darton?

Is this the way to Darton?

[mysterious music]

[aircraft engines whir]

[aircraft engine screeches]

[knuckles rapping]

Who the bugger are you?

I was looking for Darton.

Captain John Truman.

Darton's only a mile or
so if you keep going.

Have you come for her?

[John] I'm sorry?

I was taking cover from a plane,

there was glass in the ditch.

Lucky there's been a drought.

What you want in Darton?

I'm on my way to
join my regiment.

Well you'll find Dr.
Miller's surgery by the pub.

Thank you.

[mysterious music]

Stop.

Turn off the engine.

You know, this car should have
been immobilised last night?

Yes, I know, but I was
sleeping in the vehicle--

Make sure next time Captain.

[mysterious music]

[Karen] Well let's
hope so anyway.

[Patient] Thank you very much.

[Karen] Bye bye.

[John] Good morning,
I'm Captain Truman.

Would it be convenient
for me to see the doctor?

Yes of course, please come in.

Do sit down.

[John] Thank you.

That's a storage
cupboard, Captain Truman,

I'm Dr. Miller.

Would you like to
show me you arm?

Yes, I'm sorry, I
wasn't thinking.

My husband is overseas,

I took over his practise.

What did you do, fall over?

[John] Sort of, in a ditch
last night, damn stupid.

Do you feel anything?

No.

It won't take long.

Are you on leave?

[dog barks]

[phone rings]

That'll be for me, it's the
only one in the village.

We were due an
exchange last year,

but now they have more
urgent priorities.

Morning.

Hello?

Did they send for you?

[John] I wanted a
room for the weekend.

Oh yes, yes of course.

Who did you think I was?

Nobody,

it's just there's
been some silly talk,

you know how it is these days.

[mysterious music]

[aircraft engine whirs]

[Reed] This came over
from postal censorship.

Spies at night are mastering
men from the village.

With brute blood...

Well it's written by
a child, or an idiot.

Yes, the Germans could
be landing any hour,

and MI5 is flooded with
this sort of rubbish,

they blame us, of course,

flashing lights, parachuting
nuns, poison sweets.

The rumours have got
completely out of hand.

Sometimes I think all we've done

at the Ministry of Information

is just to make everyone go mad,

no wonder they're seeing
spies under every haystack.

I wish I could find a spy.

You sound just like your father.

Yes, the civilians
are coping, of course,

but they're under so
much pressure already,

if things do get worse

we could see ourselves facing up

to a serious threat to
morale, a rainy day.

How are the children?

Fine.

What's rainy day?

Rainy day?

It's just ministerial
slang, that's all.

John, you can use this letter
as a starting-off point.

It's of no importance in itself,

but the village it comes from

is the sort of obscure place

one of my morale committees

could do with a
sensible report on,

isolated fen north of the Wash,

what's the atmosphere like,

how are they facing
up to things?

And you can wear your uniform,

just say that you're
rejoining your regiment.

I know it's not much of a job

to offer a frustrated
warrior like yourself.

But I am employed.

I assume you have
tried everybody else?

I'm perfectly all right,

bar the occasional nightmare,

but the doctors won't let
me back near the regiment

for at least two
months, I'm going mad,

it could be all over by then.

Yes, it could be for all of us.

Sorry, this place
breeds pessimism.

[Dennis] Come on Gayle,
you're not milking a cow.

This is Captain Truman.

My husband Joe,

Dennis Ibbetson, who
farms around here.

We met.

I hoped they would show up
with something like that.

Joe weren't able
to get in the army,

they turned him down--

Pint of best for Captain Truman.

A half please, Mrs.
Hutton, thank you.

Will you be staying long?

A few days, 'til I join
up with my regiment.

[Gayle] Where are you heading?

You should know
better than to ask.

Cheers.

Cheers.

So long as you're here,

you should see a bit
of the countryside.

We're going hunting
some birds later on,

gonna arrange a gun for you.

It looks a nice
part of the world.

It was, most of the men
are gone away in service,

some real rubbish moved in,

land girls, worse.

Can the girls handle the work?

Don't know cowslips
from cow shit,

made out it was
hell of a business.

Last night was typical,
weren't it Joe?

New girl just arrived,

someone sent her in to
milk one of the cows.

Joe looks in a little later

and found her looking
up its backside.

Wanting to know how
to turn the tap on.

[Ian] Morning.

[Dennis] Hello Ian.

[Ian] A glass of
lemonade please, love.

It's not easy.

Men from the ministry come
tramping over our land

ordering us to plough
everything in sight.

We're fighting hard enough

to get these women
to do overtime.

Still, we're ready for the
Germans in this village,

aren't we Joe?

Aye.

Glad to hear it,

fair shares, eh.

Yes, well,

I suppose I should go and
see your local constable,

he'll be wondering about my car.

No need Captain,

Ian's our special constable.

Hello.

[John] How do you do.

[Gayle] Captain Truman's
here for the weekend.

Ian, have a proper drink
with all of us, eh.

No thanks Dennis,

stomach's playing up a bit.

In any case, I'd like to take
a look around the village.

Blackbirds, Captain,
rich eating,

but we'll have a better
bag this afternoon.

We start out from
here in about an hour.

[he laughs]

[mysterious music]

I know this may seem a
bit of an inquisition

in your lunch hour,

but Mr. Ibbetson has
very kindly agreed

that you don't have
to be back at the farm

until four o'clock.

The church wardens thought
it would be a very good idea

if the four of us
had a little talk.

As you know, I'm here
all too infrequently.

These days, I'm afraid,

the clergy is rather
really like good jam,

it's spread very thinly.

Now Joan, you've
been here the longest

since leaving college,

and of course as the oldest,

you have a special
responsibility.

Susan, I know being the
youngest often seems hardest,

you were working in
a shop in Cambridge

up until last winter,

well this probably all
seems very dull here.

And Linda, you've just
got here from Wales.

Well now, let me say

one of the hardest
things about this war

is the way that it has
taken so many people

away from their homes
and their loved ones

and just plonked them down

bang in the middle
of strange places,

where it's very hard not to
bump into people, so to speak,

and to upset them.

You three have come to this
village to work on the land.

I'm sure you would be
happier back in the town,

going to dance
halls and cinemas,

but you have to be prepared

to respect your
employers here, Linda,

especially if they think

that you might be going astray.

This is a time

when we must all be
a little vigilant

and take care to whom
we give our loyalties.

It's very easy to be misled.

Try to think of this village

as a fleet of ships
sailing in formation.

The voyage will be a success

so long as the
ships do not collide

or get in one another's way.

But you see, each
and every one of you

has to obey your captain's
sailing instructions.

[they laugh]

As I was saying

[guns bang]

Good shooting Dennis.

[sinister music]

So you have no idea?

Nevermind.

It almost makes you
feel sorry for Hitler,

he would destroy all this.

It is beautiful, isn't it.

Pity I have to go
north tomorrow,

I could have given you a dinner.

It's not often one
gets the chance

of running into you chaps,

what are they calling you?

Cooper's Snoopers?

The press have
been a little hard.

Anyway, you certainly
seem well-protected.

Yes, Dennis Ibbetson's a
marvellous old bloodhound.

[Ian] There's a
lot of wasps about.

[Charlie] It's her again.

[Roy] Take the safety catch
off while your at it, Dennis.

[Ben] The witch's castle.

[Ian] Look at that
bloody blackout.

Who's the witch?

The source of all our troubles.

She's an internee's widow
called Alice Durkow,

and it wouldn't
surprise me at all

if her little boy wasn't
the author of your letter,

she's stuffed his head
so full of nonsense.

She makes her money

billeting those land girls
you saw with the vicar.

She's an atheist,

and if you ask me, she's a Nazi.

Her husband was German,

an unsuitable influence
to put it mildly.

But why wasn't she
interned with him?

We tried, but she's
English and slippery,

particularly with women.

Dennis Ibbetson puts
it rather more crudely,

it's like having a
rats' nest on top of us.

The village is divided
right down the middle.

And who lives there?

It belongs to our
GP, Colin Miller,

first-rate chap,
but he's overseas.

His wife's taken
over in the village,

she's a fair enough
physician in her way.

Now Joe, how are you getting
on with the medicine?

Are you sleeping all right?

I'm not so good, I'm
still a bit down.

I don't sleep like I used to.

[Karen] I think
you're overworking,

a pub and Dennis'
farm is too much.

I can give you something
to make you sleep.

If that'll do the trick, then.

Are you sure there's
nothing else worrying you?

[Joe] I'm all right
if I get my sleep.

Is Gayle all right?

Yeah, yeah,

it's just me not being myself.

With her?

I need something to
get me back there.

Yes of course, these
things easily happen,

we can get you right.

Get me back with her.

[Karen] The most likely thing
is you're a bit run-down,

it's a difficult time.

Yeah, I just need something.

[Karen] I can give you
something to make you sleep,

and if it gets worse

I could send you to
someone in Lincoln

who might be able to--

I don't want to see anyone.

There's a very good doctor
there who could help you.

No.

I can't do it, Doctor.

If I had some pills,
they'll help me do it.

It's not as easy as that, Joe,

I don't have pills for that,

I'd have to send
you to a specialist.

You can't do it?

I can't give you pills for that.

What's up with wife, Ian?

She's taking a bloody long time

to pop its head out.

There's nothing I
can do to help it.

Don't think you did
much in the first place.

[they laugh]

Thank you Mrs. Ibbetson.

Not having tea?

No, no, I promised Hutton
I'd get this back to him,

it's an official weapon.

Well if they come this weekend,

you're in safe hands.

[Dennis] Come on,
let's have a round.

[gas mask creaks]

Are you listening for horses?

For tunnelling,

they're tunnelling underneath us

from the Channel Islands,

it's how they'll win.

Who's tunnelling.

Waltz, the German engineer.

He reads nothing but comics.

[John] I'm sorry I
interrupted your sermon.

Even if we want to go to church,

most Sundays it's a
10-mile bike ride.

Bit much in our lunch hour,

I've only just got here.

Girls have been showing
me round the village.

[John] Ah, do you like it?

It's all right, I suppose.

I preferred my last posting,

there were lots of girls there.

This is so isolated.

Are you being well looked after?

Oh yes.

Can they stop Waltz?

Yes, yes.

How?

Sappers flood the
tunnel from Cornwall.

[she laughs]

[unsettling music]

Alice?

What are you doing?

Oh, I couldn't face those idiots

playing with their
guns out there,

so I stole this from Linda.

Listen:

I saw that the door leading
to the west wing was open wide

and that someone
was standing there.

I shall never forget the
expression on her face,

loathsome, triumphant,

the face of an exalting devil.

I haven't been so absorbed
in anything since...

[Joan] Our sermon was awful.

The poor man was so embarrassed,

he kept making veiled
references to you.

There are worse things,
Joan, than veiled references.

Joan, are you up there?

We must get back to the farm
by four or he'll kill us.

Oh, I'll never smell
anything again,

it's even worse than last time.

Come on Joan, he'll
hang us from the beams.

Well Alice is right,

we should stand up to him.

We can talk to the
representative.

Mrs. Leslie?

You know which side she's on.

Don't you get bored here?

No.

Alice knows so much.

Get her talking about
Vienna, or Spain.

Crush, crush.

But you should have
seen my last hostel,

there were dances, and films,

you could have boys visiting

as long as they
didn't go upstairs.

Have you girls got
up that manure ?

If they sent us kids

it'd be a bloody sight more use.

You frightened of getting dirty?

Damn pillocks.

I'll try it.

All right, you try it.

[engine whirs]

[sinister music]

[melancholy music]

[Joan and Alice laugh]

[phone rings]

Hello?

What's the matter Roy?

Ian's just called
for the doctor,

his wife's starting

Get that girl a stork,
it's bloody everywhere.

[Home Guard] Halt.

Just going for a drink.

How's Alice Durkow
tonight, then?

I dunno, she's all right.

I need to see your papers.

You have to test.

Test, but why?

You're new, you might not
be who you say you are,

isn't that right, Charlie?

Government orders.

Read this.

Why should I read it?

Because we're fighting
a bloody war, aren't we.

Clothes, wretch, soothe,
wrong, buckle, trow?

What?

Trow?

It's trough, it's
like a horse trough.

Trough, rats, through.

Again, faster.

Clothes, wretch, soothe, wrong,

buckle, trough, rats, through.

What do you think Charlie?

All right.

Get going then.

Back to the land.

I've given your uniform a
good brush down, Captain,

it's behind the
door of your room.

Thank you Mrs. Hutton.

And you'll have your
breakfast on the table

at eight o'clock sharp.

[sinister music]

Good night Mr. Hutton.

[sinister music]

[Gayle] You know
how long it takes,

there wasn't time
once I'd opened up.

[Joe] And you sat there
at dinner saying nothing,

said that Durkow witch
was a friend of yours.

I told you they'd send someone.

[Gayle] She seems
ordinary enough.

[Joe] How do you
know she's ordinary?

[Gayle] I met her out in
the lane, picking brambles,

she asked me in for tea.

It was nothing Joe,

just to be kind I
went in for a minute.

[Joe] You've been in
the bitch's house?

Take turns up there, is it,

you take turns?

[Gayle] No.

[Joe] Nest of bitches.

You know what Roy Bates heard?

She takes one of the land
girls into her room at night,

takes her in there with her.

[Gayle] No, I don't
believe it Joe.

[Joe] Three bloody jobs,

the farm, the pub,
and the volunteers,

seven days of the bloody
week, all the weeks a year.

[aircraft engine whirs]

[Joe groans]

[Gayle] No.

[body thuds]

[dog barks]

[sinister music]

Mrs. Hutton?

[knuckles rapping]

Who are you?

This is Captain
Truman, he's staying.

Alice Durkow.

He's not here Gayle,

so go up and get what you want.

I found Gayle outside my
house in a state of collapse.

Didn't you hear her screaming?

He might have killed her.

I heard some noise,

but I didn't think I had
any business to interfere.

Even though he nearly
fractured her skull?

I think you're being
overdramatic, Mrs. Durkow.

Am I?

He smashed her head
against a wall.

I'm sorry, but as you know,

this isn't a particularly
fruitful time

to get involved in
domestic disputes.

Why?

Because there's a war on.

It's obviously escaped
your attention,

but up above us,
in little boxes,

people are fighting
for their country.

Rumour has it that some
of them are even dying.

Oh yes, I'm sure
Joe Hutton regarded

what he did to his wife
as deeply patriotic,

after all, she was the friend
of a dangerous Nazi spy

who rapes and eats her young,

or is it the other way round?

I'm still worried
about concussion,

so can you go to the
surgery, wait for the doctor,

and tell her to
come out to my house

as quickly as possible.

Come on Gayle.

This is very kind of you.

I haven't even been
home to change,

it was one of those nights

that makes me despair
of my practise.

Mrs. Street very
nearly lost her baby,

we were very lucky.

[John] So was Durkow a Nazi?

No, that's just
hysterical gossip.

Durkow was a very shy man,

but he certainly wasn't a Nazi,

his internment was
quite ridiculous.

But he had been a
communist in Vienna,

and most of the village think

communists and Nazis
are the same thing,

including the magistrates.

How did he die?

He drowned on that deportation
ship going to Canada,

and even then the
press didn't give up,

there were headlines about
Nazis fighting like cowards

to get on the boats.

The Durkows had lived such
a private existence out here

that there was all sorts
of rubbish put about,

there still is.

Alice never seemed to care,

but she must have suffered.

That's where I live.

An aunt left her this.

There's always been something
about it I don't like.

[sinister music]

Yes, I'm sure my son wrote it.

What are you gonna
do, shoot him?

Mrs. Durkow, it's
not the policy--

It's Yeats, the poet,

only it's the wrong way round.

Tom must have remembered
it from one of my books.

How should it read?

Being so caught up,

so mastered by the
brute blood of the air.

A woman is entered,
brutally, by a god.

She suffers.

[John] What happens to her?

Power, power and knowledge.

Very potent myth.

Where from?

Greece.

It's very hot, isn't it?

Alice?

I don't think there's
any concussion,

she just needs a day's rest,

but do you think she
should stay here?

I'm afraid we need to
go back via Meldreth

since supplies have come
through at last, thank God.

Was she always so
sure of herself?

Yes, I think so.

But the odd thing is

she seems even
surer since he died.

I worry about her out here.

[melancholy music]

I wish we had more time,

I'd love to bathe in it.

I wonder where it ends.

What's the matter?

Oh dear, I think it's my time.

You should have
stayed in like Susan.

It'll be all right.

Funny how we get them together.

Where the hell's the
other girl got to?

We've still some stacking to do,

the weather could
break any time.

Not well.

And what the buck is the
matter with her, then?

It's her time of the
month, Mr. Ibbetson,

Joan's started too.

Better go and see to
the chickens then, hey?

Joe, got some stacking to do.

Hey, there's still
some bales to go up,

Joe and I'll give you a hand.

No sign of it breaking,

but I'll be glad to be shot
of this lot just the same.

[chaotic music]

That's it, up you go.

What the hell's
the matter, girl?

[chaotic music]

Lucky she's not
wearing her skirt.

[Dennis laughs]

[they laugh]

It's not your day, girl.

You'd better get home and
rest up with Susan, hey.

-Do you want to see it?
-What?

I said do you want
to see my blood?

That's what all this
is about, isn't it,

because I'm bleeding?

You want to watch your mouth,
you disgusting little--

Alice said it scares men.

You foul little bitch.

We're gonna have to sort you
people out once and for all,

you need a lesson,

I've a good mind to--

Like your wife?

What about Gayle?

We saw what you did
to her last night.

Where is she?

Where is she?

Clothes are gone.

Afternoon.

We're looking for Gayle.

She's at Alice Durkow's.

We'll get her.

No, she doesn't want to see you.

[Joe] I'm her husband.

It's her decision,
Joe, I'm sorry.

Wait until tomorrow at
least, then see her.

Come into my surgery later
and we'll have a chat.

She's right Joe,
give it a night.

I have an idea we can all
do ourselves a bit of good.

[John] I suppose we can
help ourselves with a drink.

Do you really think it's right

for his wife to stay out there?

She wants to.

The man's obviously
in quite a state.

It's very strange:

when the war started,

I took over this
practise for Colin,

and I thought there'd be

all sorts of trouble
with the women,

facing the war, many of
them without husbands,

but it isn't like that at all,

it's the men, those few
of them that are left,

almost as if the whole place

had lost its sexual
centre of gravity.

I thought you would
be wanting a drink.

[sinister music]

[cow moos]

Having trouble, girl?

Today's been
nothing but trouble,

let me give you a hand.

[milk sloshes]

And how are you?

I'm all right on the others,

it's just this one.

Ah there.

See, just watch my hands,

squeezing down
from top to bottom.

[milk sloshes]

That's good, that's very good.

How are you liking
it at Alice's,

you settling in?

Yeah.

Well no, not much to do.

No, I don't suppose
it's easy there.

It's all right,

I find some things
a bit strange.

Do you?

I think you deserve a
cup of tea after this.

[Patron] You can't
be too careful, Ben.

Evening.

Glad you could make it Ian,

there's business to discuss.

You'll have a drink?

I'll have a half,
thank you Dennis.

They're all over
the bloody place,

vicar down south
has been locked up

for praising Hitler
in his sermon.

Pint please Joe.

Bit hard on Joe having to
pull the pints all night.

It's not the only thing
he'll have to pull.

Listen to Adolf:

when people in Britain
are very curious,

and say, why doesn't he come,

we reply, calm yourselves,
calm yourselves,

he is coming,

he is coming.

[Dennis] Think he
means it Captain?

Yes I do.

So how would you feel

if you strongly suspected
someone in this village

of being a spy,

someone who could send
out signals to guide them?

Damned excited,

but I'd still have to try and
find some concrete evidence

to back up my suspicion.

And once you had that?

Once I had that

then of course I
would have to act.

Yes.

Why don't you come over
and have a drink with us.

[Radio Host] Good evening.

For a time

we must expect an
intensification of
the German attack:

heavy bombing, both
by day and night,

and a corresponding amount of
suffering to all our people.

We must try to stick it.

It is, and will be, a most
unpleasant proceeding.

[unsettling music]

[metallic knocking]

[unsettling music]

[metallic knocking]

Good morning Mrs. Durkow,

Dennis Ibbetson--

[Joe] Where's Gayle?

She left on the
bus this morning,

she's gone to her
sister's in Cambridge.

She's lying.

Mrs. Durkow, Dennis
Ibbetson here

claims to have some very
serious evidence against you.

I'm sure he does,

which makes you all the more
stupid for believing him.

Where's Linda.

Why?

Would you go and
get her, please.

Linda.

Tell him.

I've seen her with a
transmitter at night,

it's in a big wooden
box with wires.

[Home Guards] Get
in, come on get in.

[John] Just a minute

[Alice] You have no
right to do this.

[Dennis] Start in here.

[Home Guard] We'll soon find it,

take the whole bloody let out.

Hey, women can see

there's no room for privilege
and class interests:

communist stuff.

It's a government pamphlet.

[Home Guard] There's
nothing, Dennis.

That really is not necessary.

Got to find the bugger.

[she whimpers]

[ornaments smash]

You're not coming in my room.

[she whimpers]

Who the hell do
you think you are,

the bloody Gestapo?

She's probably got it in there.

[Charlie] I've got it.

[Dennis] Good old Charlie.

Where's the key?

Where's the key?

You have no right to do this.

[she whimpers]

[wood creaks]

[Charlie] Look at
that, I knew it.

That's it, that's
the transmitter.

[Home Guard] Dennis were
right, she's a bloody Nazi spy.

This couldn't transmit anything,

it's an electrical hair remover.

Will you all get
out of here now.

Get out.

Not giving up yet Captain,

we'll get the evidence we need.

Oh no you won't,

because after I
leave here tomorrow

I'm going to regimental HQ

to recommend that
you and your squad

are discharged from duty.

You wouldn't dare,

the village has to be protected.

Yes, from you.

Jumped up little bully,
there's always one.

No, there are quite a few,

it's just they don't
often have guns.

That was awful,

I'll go back and see her later.

I think we both need a drink.

[mysterious music]

Colin and I wanted, above all,

to make a difference somewhere.

We chose this village because
it needed medical care.

There were things
here that shocked me.

I still remember a little
boy walking into my surgery

with little bubbles under
his skin, they crackled.

[John] What was it?

Gas gangrene, from
untreated wounds.

That sort of thing hasn't
been seen for years,

but there he was in the surgery.

We had enough money
to keep our fees low,

and we even thought

that if we encourage changes
in diet and sanitation,

one day we might actually
transform the place.

But you didn't?

No, since the war
it's all I can do

to stop things
getting even worse.

I prayed for war.

I worked in the city,

I used to hang around the
docks looking for spies.

I don't know why I thought
there'd be spies at the docks.

Do you know what this means?

[Karen] See no evil.

Your prayers were
answered, then?

No, not really,

I certainly haven't
caught any spies.

No, for me this war has
been like standing outside,

watching something
through a window,

and not being able to get in.

I want to see
heroes and villains,

and all I see is...

What they say about Alice and
the land girl, is it true?

Possibly, do you care?

Yes, it's not what
I want to fight for.

But you have to
fight for everyone.

I can't choose just
to help some people,

I have to help everyone,

I have to care for everyone.

Even captains who
fall in ditches?

Yes, even you.

You're not free.

What do you mean?

I don't know;

yes I do.

[Karen] Tell me.

No,

I just mean what
you have to charge,

the other night for example.

Oh, the other night.

Two guineas from
commencement of labour,

that's the basic charge.

And the others?

For a second
practitioner, one guinea,

that's not counting
emergencies, or anaesthetic.

[wood bangs]

I think I should go.

[sinister music]

I can hear him now?

What?

Waltz, I can hear him in the
ground, he must be coming.

Oh yes.

[sinister music]

[phone rings]

Joe.

It's happening tonight,

we've just had word,

we've got a crack at
'em, it's come through.

[mysterious music]

[unsettling music]

Linda?

Are you all right?

He made me tell him.

But you do want us to win?

I suppose so.

But you see, for myself,

I'm not sure I really
want anyone to win.

It's selfish, but I really like

you, and Joan, and
Susan living here.

They'll still let us be
land girls after the war,

they've said so.

You're only here because
they need you to be here.

Afterwards, when they
need you to breed babies,

you'll be gone,

they won't want land girls,

they won't even remember you.

But I will.

No, it has to cover the hole.

[they laugh]

[glass smashing]

[Alice] Did you hear something?

You're to come now,

Alice Durkow's,
something's happened.

[sinister music]

Sorry about your
jacket, Captain.

Where are they?

Bitches have gone.

We've already searched the area,

we're going after them.

It could have been an accident.

Even though they butchered him?

You still don't understand.

[John] Understand what?

The code word came through
by telephone two hours ago,

the invasion's begun.

-What?
-As soon as I heard

I came out here and found this.

[Home Guard] Nazi
spies, the lot of them.

We've got all
areas on the alert,

we'll get 'em wherever they are.

Ian Street and Ben,
man the road blocks,

Joe and me'll mount
the search at once.

[bells toll]

Just a minute.

Look, I understand how you feel,

but all we can really
do is report this

and stand by our OPs.

I'll personally
see that you and--

Why are you here Captain Truman?

I'll tell you why you're here:

you're not from your regiment,

you're not even on
active service, sick.

We've lost one man already,

I'm not having some
spineless little civilian

from Ministry of Information

giving my squad orders.

Charlie, has that car
been properly immobilised.

No, it's road-worthy.

I warned you when we first met.

[gun bangs]

Don't worry, we'll check
back here before dawn.

[sinister music]

There's still my car.

No, they have the road blocked.

I'll walk to the phone box

and I'll see you
back at your house.

[sinister music]

Have you reported the casualty?

-Of course.
-And?

Someone should be
here in the morning,

there's a big slap on tonight.

What do you mean in the
morning, a man's been killed.

I'm afraid they won't accept
an unofficial call Sir.

[tense music]

[melancholy music]

He made us take our
clothes off with it,

and then he took Susan first,

and I grabbed hold of it

and it went off
against his thigh.

He was twisting around.

[Alice] He was almost dead,

the second shot
was to finish it.

Why didn't you
come here at once?

We tried to,

but they began
searching the area

and we knew nobody
would believe us,

so we hid and waited.

Come in out of sight,

we can sort it all
out in the morning.

You believe their story?

[Karen] Yes, don't you?

We can't let them stay here,

Ibbetson will be back.

He'll have to break
the door down.

My God, you think the
door will keep him out?

Don't you see, we can't afford
any of this, not tonight.

This is like wallowing
in a cess pit

while someone is
tearing apart our home.

What's important is what's
happening out there,

the Germans are invading,

and we're getting caught up

in our foul, little
village vendetta.

Do you know what Ibbetson
said to me before you came?

I wasn't going to tell you,

he told me what he'd
do when he found them.

Who exactly do you think

we're supposed to be
fighting out there?

Ghosts with swastikas,
or men like him,

who want nothing more than to
stick their bayonets up women?

Look, Ibbetson is English,

he is subject to the law.

Does that mean it doesn't hurt?

No, it means we
have a common enemy.

There's trouble with
the blackout upstairs.

This reminds me of Vienna.

We did an awful lot hiding
there from the Nazis,

Steven used to call it
communist hide-and-seek.

But you were never caught?

Yes we were, in the end.

They came at dawn.

Later, I managed to discover
that he was in a camp

that had been built as
an animal enclosure.

Whereabouts?

In Hertfordshire.

What if they come back?

-We can talk to them.
-You know they won't listen.

There is a military base
across the fen at Thrushton,

you could get help there.

I can't leave.

What good will it
do if you stay,

you're no use to us on your own.

Our only chance is
if you get help.

Look,

I'm not gonna ask you to
be brave, Mrs. Durkow,

but you should understand

that I might just be
able to add some sanity

to what's happening here,

I'm not Ibbetson.

Yes you are.

What the hell does that mean?

That you're afraid.

I felt that about you when we
first met, and it puzzled me,

but then I realised
in the garden that day

it's not the war
that frightens you,

it's yourself, and women.

This is a bloody strange
time to be playing doctor.

Have you no idea
what Karen is risking

letting you stay here?

Yes, you can categorise us,

revere us, despise
us, Karen, Alice,

but I'm beginning to
think it's all you can do.

I think you almost
deserve Ibbetson.

[tense music]

[melancholy music]

Like waiting for the
Indians to attack

I used to have a corridor
dream when I was a child.

It was a dark corridor,

darkness like glue.

Of course there was a
witch in the corridor,

and I would feel
her coming after me,

that awful fluttering
from her black skirts

as she comes so near.

You still dream that, don't you?

Alice says there's a
military base at Thrushton.

If I can reach it,

we can have them
ferried out of here.

It's 11 miles across the fen.

We can have a military
vehicle here before dawn.

Look, what Ibbetson said to me,

maybe he was just drunk,

he wouldn't do
that, he couldn't.

Oh yes he could.

I'll come back.

Why?

Because I do have to
fight for everyone.

Even witches?

Even witches.

[tense dramatic music]

What the hell?

I'm a captain, I need
to see your CO urgently.

Well as it happens,
I'm going right there,

it's one big flap tonight.

What happened to you,
did you fall in the sea?

Please, would you...

Please, somebody
disappeared with my papers

nearly an hour ago,

I have to see your CO.

All right Captain Truman,

he's giving you 10 minutes,

it better be important.

I'm sorry, but I'm finding
it difficult to understand.

I have a full-scale invasion
alert, bridges blown up,

several officers killed
by exploding mines,

reports of massed air
attacks on London,

yet you want me to spare men

because of a civilian
shooting accident?

There is a real danger
of an incident Sir.

The local home guard is led
by a man who's unbalanced.

The women are being blamed,

there could be sexual violence.

I know we're seeing everything
else tonight Captain,

but land girls, Home Guard?

Do the police know?

Yes, but he's simply--

-[phone rings]
-Yes?

[Correspondent]
Evidently, he's been on

temporary medical discharge
since Dunkirk, shell shock.

Thank you.

Yes, well,

I think you're being
overdramatic Captain,

and God knows we've had
enough drama tonight already.

As I've already made it clear,

I'll get someone over
there later this morning,

but I suggest you
rest here until then.

Please could you help
me, there's trouble--

No, not tonight mate.

[sinister music]

[Soldier] Oi, you,
what are you doing?

You realise I could have
you court marshalled

for what you did?

Look, you've got
to listen to me,

if we don't go there now--

Captain Truman, I've already
explained my decision.

Fortunately for you,

I don't intend to take
your behaviour any further,

but I'm going to keep you
locked up here until morning.

Please, just let me leave,

I'll go at once.

The man's sick.

Turn his light off
and let him sleep.

I'll arrange transport
in the morning.

[Soldier] Sir.

I suppose we'd better
cover ourselves.

Try and get ahold of
regional security.

Very good Sir.

[unsettling music]

[phone rings]

John, they've summoned me
to take you back to London,

before they knew.

Knew what?

What's happened?

I think it's best if
you see for yourself.

[discordant music]

No one in there had any hope.

I'm very sorry.

[John] What happened?

A German bomber must have been
making a run for the coast.

Apparently the blackout
wasn't good here,

they saw the light
and just unloaded,

whole place was flattened.

Same kind of thing over
at Meldreth two weeks ago.

Careful Sir.

Two Home Guard are
already missing,

must have been trying to
get them out of there.

What's this?

Looks like cable, why?

Were there any other raids
round here last night?

No, no, this was a freak.

Can't even work out the type

because every damn one exploded.

Sappers could hardly
have done a better job.

[sinister music]

They said bridges
were blown up tonight.

Yes, are you all right?

Anything else?

You don't really work

for the Ministry of
Information at all, do you?

I do have other employers, yes.

Once you very nearly
told me about it,

and like everything
else, I never understood.

What are you talking about?

Rainy day,

something so threatening to
internal morale during invasion

that it is simply obliterated,

the evidence destroyed.

What's that?

A burnt cable, or
detonating fuse.

John, I don't think
you're very well.

What was so terrible

that your people
had to blow it up?

John.

How did the women really die?

You have a wife and children,

how do you want them
to remember 1940?

[John] I have to know.

It was a slaughterhouse,

the women were
tortured and killed.

The two men responsible
were drunk enough

to open fire on our men.

Fortunately, we lost no
one before they died.

[he whimpers]

I'm afraid, John,

some of the deadliest
weapons in this war

are proving to be lies.

We can just thank God

that most of them are
directed against the enemy,

and the others can be easily
revealed in the future,

but this, this comes
into neither category,

it can appear in no
histories, no memoirs,

because on a night like this,

our only course was to alter it.

But you can't bring
them back to life.

No, but we can give
them a decent death

at the hands of the enemy.

[John] What about
their families?

Families?

Can you honestly say that
they'd be any happier knowing?

Perhaps I would
like them to know.

Yes, perhaps you would.

John, if you want
to repel the enemy,

if you want to get back
to your father's regiment,

protect your country,

it's your choice.

It's no choice.

Better get you home.

[game beeps]

[Game Narrator] Bombs away.

Tim, you must come through now,

and turn that off.

It's high time

for his grandchildren
to put in an appearance.

Where's Christopher?

He was outside.

[John] The Cromwell
invasion alert

proved to be a
notorious false alarm,

and this journal was obviously
coloured by the illness

which so badly affected
my judgement at the time.

I thank God

that later I was able to
serve my country in earnest.

[melancholy music]

Christopher?

Come in and have a Coca-Cola.

Your father was wondering
where on earth you were.

He'd been retired for
several years, of course,

but then there were committees,
and all those charities.

Ah, Christopher.

You know Mrs. Peacock,
and this is Major Smith.

Hello Chris,

where are you going?

We always think Chris might
take after his grandfather,

so long as he's not blinded
by those awful video games.

[Mrs. Peacock] Well Chris,

are you going to
follow the flag?

There was a very good turnout
from the regiment in church,

as a matter of fact.

He'd have been proud.

Oh, the summer house?

Yes, my father used to
like sitting in there.

[Attendee] I have
chap who looks in

about two or three times a week

and he's particularly
good on deadheading.

[Jennifer] Of course,
it's desperately unsafe,

riddled with wood worm.

In fact, my father
was so worried

that one of the children were
going to hurt themselves.

[Female Attendee] Of course,

John moved into
the dressing room.

[Male Attendee] It was
a bloody good innings,

and at least he lived
to see the Falklands.

[Female Attendee] Shame
about the weather,

it was a lovely service.

[Alice] I think it's so
important to die with dignity.

[reflective woodwind music]