Rillington Place (2016): Season 1, Episode 1 - Ethel - full transcript

I do solemnly declare
that the evidence I shall give

shall be the truth, the whole truth
and nothing but the truth.

So help me God.

You have the wrong person in here.

I didn't do it.

Timothy Evans,
the jury finds you guilty...

Come on!

It wasn't me. Come on.

I didn't do it! Timothy Evans,
do you have any last words?

Christie done it.

It was Christie!



Morning, Harry.

Got something for me, have you?
Letter for your sister.

Thanks, Jack. Ta-ra.

It's him.

"My dearest Ethel,
how happy I am that you've found me."

"Shame that it was under
these circumstances, but..."

"had it not been, our paths
may never have crossed again."

"There's so much time
to make up for."

"So much to say."

"I wish I had the courage to come
back to you but I was embarrassed."

"I've let you down."

"And I knew you'd be better off
without me."

"I hope you can find it within
yourself to forgive me. Reg."

I thought you were dead.



Nine years.

Nine years without a word.

Why didn't you write?

I was ashamed.

I'm sorry, love.

Do you want a divorce?

A divorce? Aye.

Don't be daft.

Do you know how I found you?

Do you want to know?

Every month
for the past nine years...

I wrote to Scotland Yard.

Could they kindly inform me
if a John Christie

had befallen some tragedy?

100 letters, Reg. More.

I should've sent for you.

I should've.

I shouldn't even be in here.

I borrowed a car from a friend and
it turned out to be stolen, so...

Reg.

I missed you.

I missed you, love.

Let's make a fresh start.

There, there...

Apparently,
it's a very sought-after area.

It's only temporary.

A stepping stone.

Come and see the garden.

It needs a bit of love and care,
no doubt.

Spot of elbow grease.

We'll do our own planting...

if there's enough light.

Still one sugar?

Aye. Still one sugar.

'Can you see him?

'Yes. He's here. Just behind me.

'Here.'

The end's not
what I'd call cheerful.

Well, he had to get
his comeuppance, didn't he?

It's a nice night.

Aye.

Wrong way, darlin'!

Do you know her, Reg?

Know her?

She seemed to recognise you.

I bet she says that
to every chap that walks by.

Here. You're definitely going
the wrong way! Don't be shy.

Wrong way, darling!

Reg?

Mark my words,
you give him what he wants,

it's the last you'll see of him.
You're right.

I am, aren't I, Ethel?

I bet you saved yourself
for Mr Christie?

A LADY would never answer
such a question.

Girls.

We've been unlucky
but you'll always be my girl, Ethel.

Close your eyes.

Close your eyes.

Reg.

There. Where did you get it?

Don't ask, don't tell.

Good girl, Judy.

Come on, love.

I've been made privy to some...

confidential intelligence, Ethel.

There's going to be
heavy bombing tonight, so

you get yourself to the shelter.

What about you?

I'm on duty.

You will be careful, won't you?

I'll be fine.

Just you get yourself
to the shelter.

Night, love.

Move along.

That's it.
Inside. Mind the steps.

That's it. All the way down now.

Thank you.

Tuck your legs in.
Tuck your knees in.

That's it.

Sorry.

That's it, make a new friend.
Snuggle up.

Sorry.

Move down here.

Reg?

Reg?

I thought you were on duty?

Enforced break.

After 24 hours, it's mandatory.

What's going on in there?

The bedroom stinks of perfume.

Judy - she left you
a little present on the bed!

You didn't have to use
half the bottle, did you?!

It's posh, that.

Right.

Did you miss me, Reg?

Did you ever wonder
what I were up to?

'Course.

Was there ever anyone else?

Ethel Christie!

You know fine well
you're my first and only.

Come on, Reg, it was a long time.

Too long.

If there was, I'd understand.

Close your eyes.

What?

Close your eyes.

What for?

Well, you'll not find out
till you close them, so...

Close your eyes.

No peeking.

I'm not.

Open sesame!

Reginald Christie,
wherever did you get those?

Go on, then!

Reg.

Reg!

Reg?

Reg?

Reg?

Someone tried
to jimmy the window!

Get back to bed!

Come on.

Um... Could I have a word?

Um, Mrs Hodges
has a birthday coming up.

Sunday the 12th, to be precise,
and, well,

what with rationing and whatnot,

I'm rather at a loss
when it comes to a gift.

Well, not knowing Mrs Hodges
personally,

I'm not sure I'm best placed
to give you any advice...

Everyone knows policemen
can get all manner of things.

You're thinking of soldiers,
Mr Hodges.

Only last week, my niece
met a constable who gave her

a whole box of chocolates.

Em, I'm sorry, Mr Hodges,
but, you see, I couldn't ask Reg.

I just couldn't.

You see, he's not that type of chap,
you know?

I don't mean to offend you,
Mr Hodges, I'm sorry.

No, no, not at all.

Can I go now?

Yes, yes. Yes, of course.

Thank you. Goodnight.

Goodnight.

Ethel! It's Reg.

Reg, what happened?

I was...

I was set upon
right outside the station.

Not a single bobby came to my aid.
Not one.

I've been the victim
of a vicious slur, Ethel.

The sergeant's wife is carrying on
with another fellow behind his back.

I ask you.

I know who the real culprit is -

it's the one
who pointed the finger at me.

But he's popular, see?

He's, he's, he's one of the lads.

He's turned the others against me.

It's like the Post Office
all over again.

What do you mean by that?

I mean you've been
wrongly accused again.

Well, they've had the best of me,
but that's torn it.

You're a natural policeman,
everyone says so.

They won't have a minute more of me,
not a minute!

Well, no need to make a decision
now, just sleep on it?

Let's get you off to bed?
Come on.

I'll not rest a minute, you know,
with all your tossing and turning.

Shall I keep you company?

No, thanks.
That would defeat the purpose.

My back's been giving me trouble.

So, it was a good night, then?

I wouldn't say that.

Barely got a wink.

Probably too much excitement.

Down at the Winchester.

The Winchester?

I don't know of any such place.

I followed you.

Right inside.

I saw you talking
to those two girls.

One of them were playing with
your hat, the hat I bought you.

No, you were dreaming.

You saw the state
I was in yesterday.

How could I have gone out
in that condition?

I saw you with my own two eyes.

No, you didn't.

It's impossible.

I want you to see Dr Odess
as a matter of urgency.

Nine years.

Nine years without a word.

Nine years thinking you were dead!

You're a dirty bastard,
Reginald Christie.

I don't want you touching me
ever again.

Do you understand?

His mother, his grandmother
and half his bloody uncles and aunts

and then he says he's had
a change of heart.

A change of heart!

They're all the same,
I swear to God.

You must know what men want, Ethel?

Come on,
how long have you been married?

15 years this March.

15 years! You must be
doing something right!

I'm here about Mr Christie.

MR Christie?

Aye. Since he finished
with the police, he...

He won't set foot outside
the house, you know, he...

He says he's too ill to even
think about getting another job.

He's taken on a strange mood
as well, and, er...

We never, never should
have moved to London, really.

I think that's what it is.
We shouldn't have moved to London.

Mrs Christie,
London is not the culprit here.

In my experience, every man
needs an extra measure of care

and attention as he...

as he weathers the storms
of middle age.

"Care and attention"?

From their wives, Mrs Christie.

I couldn't care for Reg any more
than I do... I just couldn't.

That sounds a touch complacent,
if you don't mind my saying so.

As my old Latin teacher used to say,
"Qui semper in melius locus" -

"There's always room
for improvement."

Right, Doctor.

Now, is there anything else?

No.

Do you fancy the pictures?

I thought we could celebrate.

Celebrate?

What have we got to celebrate?

I start a new job Monday.

New job?

I thought I'd surprise you.

It is a surprise.

I've met some smashing people,
Ethel. I think you'll like them.

Would I get an insurance payment
if I killed you, Arthur?

Well, we'd have
to get married first.

You won't find anyone
to marry you now,

although some say that James Doyle,

of The Bull,
used to be Father Doyle.

He never was!

Excommunicated after an incident
involving the bishop's wife.

You are funny, Reg!

It's true.

'It won't be long now.'

My dad says they've liberated Paris.

We should switch the wireless on.

Have you seen the wireless, Ethel?

It's in the cupboard.

I'll fetch it.
Arthur, would you give us a hand?

Where did you get that??

I made it myself.

Clever bugger, aren't you?
Arthur!

I like to think so.

My Reg can turn his hand
to anything.

Don't tell them at work, though,
they'll have me on the shop floor!

It needs an aerial, though.

A coat hanger and a bit of wire.

I could do it, if you, if you want?

You won't know where anything is.

I'll show you.

How's your catarrh, Muriel?

Rotten, I've been off
two days with it.

I trained as a doctor
before the war.

I didn't know that, Reg.

Would you like me
to take a quick peek?

You're very pretty.

A beauty.

Thank you.

Reg was telling me
he trained to be a doctor.

He does like to exaggerate.

St John's Ambulance volunteer,
wasn't it, Reg?

Someone made a spectacle
of themselves today.

Embarrassed yourself
good and proper.

Never mind. We won't be
seeing them again anyway.

What makes you say that?

I saw the way you looked
at her, Reg.

She's not one of the ones
you pay for.

Now, you give her a wide berth
or I'll have a word!

You keep a wide berth
or I'll tell her exactly

what respectable
Mr Christie gets up to...

Ring his bloody neck.

Bastard!

Er, Ethel, you've a letter.

Excuse me.

Ethel.

Ethel!

What rubbish is he spouting?

It's a long letter, Ethel,
to be saying nothing.

He's, er, he's sick is all.
He's not well.

What kind of excuse is that?

I don't know.

He must think you're daft.

Aye.

Listen, I've been thinking, Harry,
you know.

I'm happy you've met Janice.

You don't need me here anymore.

I'm going to go home.

He nearly bloody killed you.

The problem is, Harry,
he's not well.

You know he's not been right.

He's not been right
ever since I lost the baby.

That was years ago.

I think it's London, as well.
It's a horrible, horrible place.

You know, I think...

I just need to go home
and make it right.

Aye.

You'll be all right.

Got to start a family now.

I've plenty of time for that.

I've got to look after
the one I've got.

I'll be all right.

Would you take me home, please?

I need to go home.

I need to make it right.

Aye.

Ethel?

I didn't think you were coming back.

Harry.

Reg.

They begged me to stay, Harry.

Sergeant Thomas -
Taffy, we called him -

he said I was
an "asset to the force".

Did he now?

Yes, he did.

Right, I best be off.

Don't want to miss my train.

No, no, you don't.

Harry,
I've got something for you.

Shall I fetch it?

You won't know where it is.
Right.

Ethel?

Ethel?

Happy Christmas.

Well, it's an early
Christmas present.

Are you all right? Aye.

You don't want to miss your train.
Come on.

Are you sure
you won't come back with me?

No, Harry, I'm sure.
I'll be all right.

Come on, you're going
to miss your train.

Love you. I love you. Go on.

Be nice to get things
back to normal.

Bit of a mess in there, isn't it?

If only I'd known...

I wanted to get things shipshape
before you came back,

then you went and surprised me.

It's a nice surprise, I must say.

I've been hopeless without you,
Ethel.

Got myself into all kinds of bother.

Thought I was losing my mind.

Even Dr Odess was worried.

"What ails you, Mr Christie?",
he asked.

"Mrs Christie", I told him...

"and the absence thereof."

It's all fine now, though...

now that you're back.

Now that the lady of the house
has returned.

Home and dry, that's what we are,
Ethel. Home and dry.

Sit down.

You put your feet up.

I'll get the bedroom sorted,
tidied up.

Shipshape.

Nice cup of tea.

Was that the door?

Not expecting anyone?

Arthur.

Sorry to bother you, Mr Christie.

Have either of you seen Muriel?

She was supposed to meet me
hours ago.

Well, I haven't seen her
since last time you were here.

She said something
about coming to see you.

Me?

Something about her catarrh.

Well, she must have changed
her mind.

I don't know what to do,
no-one's seen her since last night.

Well, Muriel lives by Croydon,
doesn't she?

Yeah, what of it?

Well, well, there's been a lot
of flying bombs in that vicinity.

The wireless has been full of it.

God, don't say that.

Come on. We'll find her.

Hang on, that...

that looks like Muriel's coat.

It's mine.

I liked Muriel's so much,
I bought one for myself.

Come on.

Thank you, Mr Christie.

It's the least I can do.

I'll help you. Here we are.

Are you sure?
Hold my hand, come on, come here.

Get down before you do yourself
an injury.

Well, you've got to show me. Sh,
there's someone living down there.

And... open.

Well, it's a bit dark.

Dark?! No, there's windows.

No, you're right.

It's a fresh start.

It will be nice.
Right, so which one's ours?

Upstairs.

Well, what you waiting for?
Christmas?

Is she pretty, Reg?
Cheeky Beryl. Get up there.

Hard to say from this angle.

Well, you keep your bloody hands
to yourself. Do you hear me?

Show me.

Get yourself up them stairs.

Get off!

We're not long married,
Mr Christie.

Could do with some privacy.

We've never had a place of our own

so it'll be nice to know
you're keeping an eye out.

Women need to be handled
with care, Tim.

I just wanted to say thanks -

Mr Christie said
you'd talked some sense into her.

Your Beryl -

she was seen, Tim.

If I catch you out
with another bloke...

What do I need another bloke for?

Did you follow me home, Mr Christie?

You've been telling us lies
all this time.

Come on, Tim,
what have you done?