SS-GB (2017): Season 1, Episode 3 - Episode #1.3 - full transcript

- I need you to check on someone.

A character called John Spode.

He may be Resistance, so draw a pistol,

and keep your wits about you.

He doesn't have the experience
to handle a case like this.

It is too dangerous for him.

Why was I invited here this evening?

We need nothing of you,
except loyalty to your country.

Have you heard the rumours
that the King is unwell?

You can't be thinking of
trying to free him?

I'm telling you, don't go back there
and say, "No deal."



What if I did?

Then they'd kill you.

Gallant British patriots.

- Are you proud of them?
- Jimmy!

This is your doing.

- Archer!
- General Kellermann.

Molotov, Von Ribbentrop
and Goebbels.

What a trio.

Putting all your eggs
in the basket, yes?

But after the Mall incident,

I am sure the Army will be
keeping a tighter watch.

Hauptsturmfuhrer Schroder.

Ich finde es ganz wunderbar,

dass Sie jetzt die Reichsleitung
der NSDAP hier vertreten.



Ich habe Ihre Rede gehrt,
anfang des Monats.

Ausgezeichnet. Klar und...

visionr.

Weiter so.

Do you think Marx's corpse will
prefer the mausoleum in Moscow?

The Russians think so.

Isn't that what's important?

Take a seat.

Thank you, sir.

Are you an angler, Superintendent?

No, sir.

Pity.

I caught that fellow, Superintendent.

Really, sir?

Standartenfuhrer Huth, on the
other hand, is a ski champion.

He went to Garmisch
for the 1936 Olympics.

For the combined downhill
and slalom event.

He won no medals.

But it is a distinction to compete?

Of course, sir.

The sport a man chooses tells you
a lot about his personality.

Standartenfuhrer Huth
is always in a hurry.

I am never in a hurry.

Do you understand, Superintendent?

It takes patience...

to make a lure that works...

that the fish will swallow
without even knowing it.

Are you sure you won't have cream?

The Reichsfuhrer-SS, Heinrich Himmler,

was asking me about developments
on this murder you're working on,

the one in Shepherd Market.

Developments?

Yes, sir.

The death of a good policeman.

Investigating what?

A photograph of a Professor Frick
and his colleagues

was found in the suspect's house.

Well...

what do you think this all means?
Who is this Professor Frick?

An atomic expert.

Like Dr. Spode was.

So this explains Standartenfuhrer
Huth's arrival, do you think...

the atomic business?

I suspect so, yes.

I'd like to be kept up-to-date
on all this, Superintendent.

You are doing a fine job
assisting Herr Dr. Huth,

but please don't exclude the leader
of your police force?

Good fellow.

- Here he is.
- Yeah.

Go on, then... say it.

I went over.

Told his mother.

Jimmy was her last boy left.

- Whoever did this...
- No, it's you, Doug.

You did this.

Right.

Cos I should have stuck with you.

They'd have left you alone.

Cos you're one of them.

Get me the fingerprinting kit.

Even I know it takes all sorts
to make up the Resistance, Harry.

There are those that put sugar
in German petrol tanks,

and those that scrawl anti-Nazi
slogans on walls. Fine.

But then there are those that are
willing to kill boys like Jimmy,

just to get a point across
to their own bloody people.

Can you not understand
people's anger?

They feel helpless.

They see us working with
the Germans and they lash out,

- and can you really blame them?
- Yes, I bloody can!

Then you're a fool.

And you're out of touch,
and that will ruin you as a copper.

For Christ's sakes, Harry.

What they did is no better
than the bloody Nazis.

So what do you believe in, Dougie?

Justice.

Was this justice for Jimmy?

I don't know these people.

Well, they're bloody animals.

Who do you know?

It's too dangerous for
you, too, isn't it?

Maybe it's time to quit.

I'd understand.

Not on your life.

There are no prints on this.

They've wiped it clean.

So much for the heat of anger.

Like I said...

I do not know these people.

Well, that's a shame.

Cos I'd like to think...

you'd have helped me
try and get them.

There's nothing I can do.

These people will turn on
anyone they start to doubt.

Yeah, well, don't you worry about me.

- Like I said...
- I'm not worried about you.

You know where she is.

Tell Sylvia she should get out.

Join that cousin of yours
in the unoccupied zone.

She won't listen to me.

Let me try and persuade her.

Where is she?

You won't like it.

Hello?

It's all right.

I'm alone.

What do you want?

Help.

Not going to kick me out, then?

I don't see any harm in you being here.

It's not a crime scene any more.

I was the one who helped you
get away, remember?

Who killed Jimmy Dunn?

- I don't know anything.
- You know too much.

And if the Germans catch you,
they'll make sure they know it, too.

And take great pleasure in it, I'm sure.

Don't stay here, Sylvia.

Leave the controlled zone...
go to the Lakes.

You sound like Harry.

He's worried about you.

And these people you think
are your friends...

Shut up about it, OK?

If you were going to visit...

you could have brought some food.

Goodbye, Sylvia.

No! No!

Let him go!

Let him go!

We know what we're doing.

Let him go!

Scotland Yard duty officer, please.

Is that the duty officer?

This is Detective Superintendent
Douglas Archer.

Something might be coming for me
in the second post.

It's very important...
can you look out for it for me?

Yes.

Thank you.

You all right?

Call Scotland Yard,

tell them to collect a body,

and cut the power!

Some of the teachers haven't
come back to the school yet.

Any idea where they are?

No.

That smart, does it?

I'll live.

It's a nasty one, all right.

Why did he attack you?

You know why.

Some people think police
are helping the Germans.

If your Tom hadn't signed up
with the army reservists,

he'd be in the same position.

Why didn't you sign up, Mr. Archer?

I wasn't allowed...

reserved occupation.

Well, I'd rather have Tom here
than him being a hero.

Not that, I mean...

I know what you mean.

- Thank you, Mrs. Sheenan.
- No, well...

I like this record.

I first heard it with my wife.

We were at the Old Florida Club,
in Bruton Mews.

Snakehips Johnson played that night.

It went on till five in the morning.

I thought the Germans
had banned this music.

They have.

They label it degenerate,

but secretly they love it.

I got this from a Feldwebel.

I swapped it, like a kid in school.

You're lucky you still have
something to hear it with.

- Got any more for upstairs?
- Thank you.

Any post for me?

Yes, sir.

- All right?
- Right you are.

Anything interesting in the second post?

Dunn was looking for leads on Frick.

It seems the Professor's been
written out of history.

But why use the mail?

Jimmy must have seen that
he was being followed...

wanted to make sure this didn't fall
into the wrong hands.

A caution, no doubt, instilled by you.

It might be a bitter pill to swallow,

but you're very much like us,
Superintendent.

Excellent.

Have some "wanted"
posters made from that.

We'll put every name on that photograph

on a primary arrest sheet.

For the murder of Dr. Spode?

For questioning in connection
with the murder.

But aren't we assuming they're under
the protection of the German Army?

That will force the Army
to actually admit it.

What's that?

That's just an index from
the photo library.

Do you have anything else?

Nothing.

Time is a sickle, Archer.

This fellow must be caught.

Of course.

Papers.

Guten Tag.

Guten Tag.

Hello.

Superintendent Douglas Archer.

Captain Hesse.

You wish to visit the issuing
department, that's correct?

If I could.

Do you have a willing workforce
here, Captain?

We have British and Allied officers

of the rank of brigadier and upwards...

making artificial limbs
provides work for them.

And I wish to meet
one of their customers.

Who gets limbs here?

British ex-servicemen who live in
the southeastern control zone.

And what documentation do they
need to get through that door?

No-one gets past even the outer
gate without a pay-book,

proving discharge from the British Army.

When was the last time you sent
someone to try and gain access

without those papers?

Do you want me to alert the sentries?

No, that's the last thing I want.
I want my man to get through.

Where do you keep
your elbow-joints and pivots?

Is that a joke?

No. When I make jokes, I waggle my ears.

There should be an elbow-pivot
here for John Spode.

I'm hoping to make an arrest, Captain.

I hope not here.

This is an army establishment...

it's nothing to do with
the Civil Police or the SS.

But I'm investigating a murder.

The British Army always allowed
the Civil Police...

I'm not interested in ancient history.

This camp, it's under
German Army jurisdiction,

and you have no powers here.

Fine.

Then I'll wait outside the gate
and arrest him off army property.

You would be in grave danger of
being shot down by my sentries.

Why?

I won't be using a gun.

Herr Archer...

there's no need for this.

These walls are secure.

Much safer to arrest your man here.

I will make an exception.

You must be hungry.

Danke.

How long do you plan on
keeping up this vigil?

Why not let us take over?

You go back and, if he comes,
we will apprehend him.

Well, that's not your job.

And he will come.

Listen to me. Listen to me!

We don't have much time.
I can help you, Spode.

I know you burned the plans.
Did you make copies? Photographs?

You know who I am. I can help you.

You?

You fool.

John Spode, you're under arrest.

For what?

Murder.

I warn you, anything you say may be taken
down and used in evidence against you.

Come on.

Are you John Spode,
and is your brother William?

Yes, yes...

How did you get on to me?

The pivot for your false arm.

I found it at the flat
at Shepherd's Market.

You must have been in quite
a hurry, to leave that behind.

You're the great detective.

Do you deny killing your brother?

How could I?

I wouldn't have hurt your son.

I just needed a way
to get you to listen,

so you'd help us.

And all everyone told me was
that you were incorruptible.

For the purposes of this interview,

we're only concerned with
the killing of your brother.

Has anyone got a cigarette?

I have some.

What do you prefer, Superintendent?

I have French, Turkish, American...

It's been a long time since I tasted
a French cigarette.

I'll need you to make
your confession in writing.

Do you permit the prisoner to smoke?

Why did you do it?

You have your confession...
isn't that enough?

This is the best cigarette
I've tasted in an age.

Won't find anything like this
in prison, I expect.

It's not my job to chase
Resistance fighters.

You lost your arm taking on a Panzer...

a friend of mine told me.

Were you in the fighting too?

No.

You didn't miss anything.

It was all over before it began.

Only a bloody fool tries to jam
the sprocket wheel of a Mark IV

with a tyre lever.

He went past me without even noticing...

and took my arm with him.

You being there wouldn't have made
much difference, Superintendent,

believe me.

Is it a confession you wanted,
or absolution?

Understanding.

Your brother had his corneas
burned by radiation.

Was he dying?

So, you put him out of his misery.

But why did you leave the pivot
from your elbow behind?

Erm, d-do you have it with you?

You found this in the room?

Yes.

Spode.

Spode?

Jesus.

Get him some water!
Your medical section!

He needs cardiac stimulants.

Cyanide capsules.

I have seen it on a man
straight after Armistice.

I should have searched him.

What do you care?

Like he said, you have
got your confession.

You can close the file now, can't you?

You just stood there
and watched him, you stupid pig.

And this half-witted army officer,
Hesse, watched too?

Yes.

Any chance that
he passed him the capsule?

No, sir.

So from the moment you arrested Spode,

was there even the briefest
opportunity for this damned

army officer, Hesse, to pass him
anything at all?

No chance at all, sir.

If we get this one wrong,
Superintendent Archer,

you'll find yourself in Dachau.

Do you know what Dachau is?

I've heard the rumours, sir.

They are all true, believe me.

Canonbury 7946.

Harry...

Look, Dougie, I heard
about the Tube attack.

- Yeah?
- I should've...

Don't worry, it wasn't your fault.
I'm fine.

Look, I want you to check on
an army artillery officer,

Captain Hesse.

Find out all you can.

Call me back in 15 minutes.

Right you are. At Wittenham?

All right.

Yeah?

Yeah, I checked with
the boys at Hendon...

Hesse is Army Intelligence.

But why would they want
to keep a man down there?

I don't know, but I'm going to find out.

All right, thanks.

Hello, handsome.

I want to speak with Captain Hesse.

Superintendent Archer,
you'd better come in.

It's all right, he's one of mine.

Colonel Mayhew, what a surprise!

How the devil did you find this place?

Captain Hesse here doesn't check
his rear-view mirror quite as often

as one would imagine a man who
just committed murder might.

He gave Spode a cyanide cigarette.

What's this?

You're imagining things.

I have the cigarette.

It seems it was more important
to the Army that Spode be silenced

than let him to fall into
the hands of the SS.

What were you afraid he'd tell them?

Archer. Archer!

We have more important
matters at hand here.

More important than murder?

What exactly are you doing here?

Hesse...

Well?

These men are all
German Army Intelligence, yes?

What the hell's going on?

Miss Barga tells me
that I should trust you,

but I'm not sure that I can.

You haven't answered my question.

What the hell are you doing here
with German Army Intelligence?

We're in talks.

Talks?

About His Majesty.

The fact is that some of them
feel it's incompatible with

the honour of the German Army
that the King of England should be

in custody, guarded by SS units.

I know, old-fashioned buggers,
aren't they?

More's our luck.

Remember our conversation
about Rear Admiral Connolly,

over there in Washington?

If the King were free, and able to
confirm publicly Connolly's rank

and position, it would transform
Britain's position in the world.

You're not seriously suggesting

that the German Army are going
to try and help free the King?

A certain few will do
everything they can to help,

save getting into a fight.

What do they get out of it?

The escape of the King from
SS custody would disgrace the SS

and consolidate the Army's
Commander-in-Chief

in his position of power here,

and not just here...

the repercussions would be felt
all the way to Berlin.

We have the support of
the general staff in this business.

What's the catch?

The General will see you both now.

So, the younger Spode is dead too?

As I understand it, yes.

And your police officer
followed Captain Hesse here?

That's right.

I will come to you later.

Now, you listen to me, Major.

If you want my co-operation,

you're going to have to woo me,

and I'm very difficult to please.

You have the impertinent manner
of the revolutionary.

It will get you nowhere.

Let me remind you of your position...

No. Let me remind you of your position.

If there's any explaining to be done,

then you'll do it.

You're playing a dangerous game,
Superintendent.

Not nearly as dangerous
as the one you're playing.

If I submit a full report about
young Spode's murder this afternoon,

the German C-in-C of Great Britain

will likely find it very healthy
to distance himself from you,

as will your colleagues in Berlin.

You're not out of here yet.

My car is equipped with
a radio telegraph.

I wouldn't come into
a notorious district like this,

late at night,
without taking precautions.

What have you said?

Nothing that can't be unsaid.

Congratulations on apprehending
Dr. Spode's killer, Superintendent.

Well, he was denied a trial,

so we'll never really know, will we?

Did he make a copy of
the calculations his brother

stole from Bringle Sands?

I asked him.

He denied it.

Did you believe him?

In that case, I will hold you
personally responsible

if a copy falls into the wrong hands.

I had a feeling you'd say
something like that.

Captain Hesse must not be included
in any reports to your authorities,

or the King has no chance of freedom.

Well, Archer?

Very well.

Good.

I'll need to know how you would
dispose of His Majesty.

Our honour requires that
his safety be assured.

We'll fly him out of a disused airfield.

Your staff are advising us
on which one to choose, sir.

Will you go too?

I've no orders as yet, sir.

If we do decide to proceed,
be ready to move fast.

Gute Nacht.

An aeroplane flying out
of a disused airfield?

Now, was that just for the Huns,
or is that really the best way

we've got of getting the King
out of the country?

Have you got a better idea?

Ship him out as diplomatic mail.

You're a political innocent, Archer.

Forged documents, then...

ones that would make the Germans think
he was a diplomatic consignment.

Worse.

The escape of the King will be in
every history book ever written.

Do you want it recorded that
the only way we could get him out

of the country was by forging
the signature of a foreigner?

The same reason we can't have him
do anything ridiculous,

like dress up as a chambermaid,

or pretend to be a German
lavatory attendant.

You operate in a very
strange world, Colonel.

You have no idea.

Goodnight, Archer.

A swordstick? It's so British.

It was worse than that...
it was an umbrella-stick.

I'm glad you didn't die that way.

Me too.

And thanks for nursing my ear.

It's the least I could do.

No feeling, sadly.

You won't get me that way.

Isn't the way to an Englishman's
heart through his lobes?

Do you think he killed his own brother?

I didn't know him long enough
to really decide.

Both brothers dead...

You knew the Spodes, didn't you?

You met them before the war,

when you were writing an article
on Professor Frick and his work,

and I assume one of them contacted
you with the plan to get

the atomic calculations into
American hands,

and that's what you were doing,
coming to collect the film that day.

You're very clever,

though you seemed to have confused
interrogation with seduction.

I hope you're not saying I had
anything to do with the murder?

I'd still like to seduce you...

but I want to know.

Yes. You're right.

I interviewed the older one
for the piece on Frick.

He remembered me.

I'm not surprised.

I asked Bernard Staines about
the Spodes before I came out here.

Suddenly, I'm up to my neck
in the Resistance.

Yeah, things have been going
pretty fast for the two of us.

In the last 48 hours,
I've lost one man, killed another...

Made love to me for the first time.

How can I forget?

You seem different.

Maybe I am.

I like you more.

Is the interrogation over?

Just one last thing.

You know, someone on that
inaugural flight from New York

did a bit of smuggling.

Really?

Now, a hatbox like this

would be perfect for
hiding away a newsreel.

You seem to be more interested
in false bottoms than real ones.

Well...

we can't have that, can we?

This ceremony tomorrow is
going to be bloody tedious.

Apparently, the Russians are even
more long-winded than the Jerries.

I assume you're a guest of honour,
darling.

Disinterring Karl Marx and
mailing him back to Moscow

is quite the story,

but I'm sick of peddling
their propaganda.

Let's find excuses.

We could have a morning together.

I can't.

So you were all ready to pass on
the atomic plans to somebody

at the American Embassy?

Does it matter?

Yes, it does.

The guy I knew and trusted at
the embassy just moved back home,

so I was going to have
to play it by ear.

Ha! You have an answer
for everything, don't you?

It only seems that way because you
never stop asking me questions.

I'm not a spy, Douglas.

I hear people lie to me all the time.

So you can tell when
I'm telling the truth?

You are cleverer than most.

And that's why you like me.

Well, that's one of the reasons.

Have you heard anything
about a plot to free the King

and take him to America?

Maybe I have,

but I don't give it much credence.

Or, at least, the American part.

Why not?

Because your King would be
a liability to America.

Do you think Roosevelt wants to
go into the schoolbooks as the man

who invited the King of England
back to the US of A?

Don't go thinking Roosevelt is
some kind of fanatical Anglophile.

He's a politician, and back home,
that means a wily bird.

Well, of course,
it's politically sensitive.

Politically, it's suicide.

Every politician is promising
he won't get American boys

into a foreign war.

Do you think anyone's going
to invite your King there,

when he's the focal point of
the whole European wrangle?

Wrangle?

Over here, we call it war.

You can call it anything you like,

but for most people back home,
it's in the past tense.

And the Germans...
they changed the tense.

Sorry, Doug.

I needed to know where you stood.

Did it work?

I wasn't just joking around.

It's not going to be easy
to draw America into the war.

No.

But with those calculations...

they might have woken them up.

I guess we'll never know.

Hello, Arthur.

Hello, Superintendent.

Any special instructions?

Over or under development?

The only special instruction is
keep your mouth shut about it.

Righto.

Good man. Thanks.

Archer!

General Kellermann.

Molotov, Von Ribbentrop
and Goebbels. What a trio!

Putting all your eggs
in the basket, yes?

But after the Mall incident,

I am sure the army will be keeping
a tighter watch.

Hauptsturmfuhrer Schroder.

Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!

You're going to go
to the unoccupied zone.

You'll be safer there.

- It's starting.
- What is?

The crackdown.

Do you want to stay with me, Archer,
on my personal staff?

You can come all the way to the top.

Harry Woods didn't turn up for
a meeting with the Crime Super.

You don't think
he could've been picked up?

They're arresting thousands

and drafting in interrogators
from everywhere.

The Germans seem damn close
to producing an atomic bomb.

We have no option but to go in
and raid Bringle Sands.

Still, we can sabotage the rest.

You want me to get the King
to Bringle Sands?