The Passing Bells (2014–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - Episode #1.4 - full transcript
1917:- Tommy and Michael are haunted by memories of their dead comrades with Tommy determined to look out for the very young Derek. The war seems to be turning to the Allies' advantage and Michael's trench is attacked with him and his friend Fr4eddie taking prisoner though Michael determines to escape. Tommy gets himself onto the prisoner detail, allowing him to visit the hospital and Joanna, who informs him that she is pregnant. Back at the fighting Derek, suffering from shell-shock, runs off into No-Man's Land and Tommy risks his life by going after him.
The English and the French
are about to throw everything
they've got at us.
Then this is it?
That whatever happens here,
it'll be the end of it?
~ Seen any Germans yet? ~ Not yet.
~ You will.
Everyone will remember that
this is where we won the war...
here, at the Somme.
THUNDER RUMBLES
DISTANT EXPLOSION
EXPLOSIONS
Cyril!
BIRD SINGS
I can see him... every night
before I sleep.
If I sleep.
Then again every morning.
Sometimes I'll forget...
lost in a task...
.. then I'll remember.
And it's like watching him go
for the first time all over again.
CHEERING ECHOES
'We've lost him.
'Course we haven't.
'Yes, we have.'
Even if he comes back, he won't be
the same boy who left, will he?
Our little boy.
How could he be?
You have to stop thinking like this,
Annie.
Then tell me he will.
Lie to me!
It's coming up to three years.
We're fighting over a patch
of ground ten miles from here.
We're bringing troops
back from the East.
So we get more troops, and the
Americans will join the British.
Whatever happens, we're going
round in circles.
The whole world's going nowhere.
We're fighting over the same field.
We can still win.
Win what?
~ Careful! ~ Watch out!>
Sentry, get back up!>
Raid! They're coming!
SHOUTING
There's more coming!
INDISTINCT ORDERS SHOUTED
Come on, get those trucks loaded up!
Come on, get it on the lorry!
Yes, Sergeant.
INDISTINCT CHATTER
They're moving us
back up to where we started.
Started the war?
All this time... we won't have moved.
What if it never stops?
What if no-one wins...
and no-one gives up?
I mean, what if this is
all there is?
All there's ever going to be?
They tell us we're moving forward,
or north or east
or back where we started,
but half the time we have
no idea where we are.
We fire at these
figures in the distance,
but we don't really know who
we're shooting at.
This isn't a war
like I read about in school,
like I thought it was going be.
I'm not conquering anything,
marching into towns with flags.
So what if...
~ What if it never ends? ~ Wars end.
Yeah, but there's never been
a war like this, has there?
If there's never been a war like
this, how do we know it will end?
It will. It has to.
Maybe when there's no-one left
to fight any more?
There's no more leave before we go,
Edwards, I'm sorry.
~ It's just... I haven't seen her
for a month. ~ It's orders.
We have to move out this morning.
Been a rough ride, aye?
In the thick of it.
Same for everyone.
I'm just...
I know.
Look, we ran some raids
this morning.
There's a BWI prisoner detail
leaving in half an hour,
they could use another man.
The camp's half a mile
from where she'll be.
Now, I dare say they'd let you
stop off there,
if something terrible happened,
like you sprained
your ankle on the way.
Yes, Sergeant.
Thank you, Sergeant.
But I don't want to go
without you.
You'll be fine, just stick with
the other lads...
I'll meet you there.
Save me a decent bunk. All right?
The sergeant said you needed a hand.
Mission of mercy, I was told.
~ Girlfriend? ~ That's right.
All right, get them up!
~ Come on, come on, up! ~ Everybody!
~ On your feet. ~ Get up now.
They don't seem so different to us.
I bet if we'd met before the war,
in a bar,
we'd have talked, laughed together.
Maybe.
Well, anyway,
at least the war's over.
What?
We fought hard,
and now we're prisoners.
What... what else can we do?
We can escape.
Get back to our lines.
SOLDIER GASPS
~ What's going on? ~ Deserter.
Time to move out.
GUNSHOTS
Keep quiet.
Continue.
We'll rest up here.
Gentlemen, fall in a line. Now.
You have an hour.
A minute longer,
you'll be a deserter.
are about to throw everything
they've got at us.
Then this is it?
That whatever happens here,
it'll be the end of it?
~ Seen any Germans yet? ~ Not yet.
~ You will.
Everyone will remember that
this is where we won the war...
here, at the Somme.
THUNDER RUMBLES
DISTANT EXPLOSION
EXPLOSIONS
Cyril!
BIRD SINGS
I can see him... every night
before I sleep.
If I sleep.
Then again every morning.
Sometimes I'll forget...
lost in a task...
.. then I'll remember.
And it's like watching him go
for the first time all over again.
CHEERING ECHOES
'We've lost him.
'Course we haven't.
'Yes, we have.'
Even if he comes back, he won't be
the same boy who left, will he?
Our little boy.
How could he be?
You have to stop thinking like this,
Annie.
Then tell me he will.
Lie to me!
It's coming up to three years.
We're fighting over a patch
of ground ten miles from here.
We're bringing troops
back from the East.
So we get more troops, and the
Americans will join the British.
Whatever happens, we're going
round in circles.
The whole world's going nowhere.
We're fighting over the same field.
We can still win.
Win what?
~ Careful! ~ Watch out!>
Sentry, get back up!>
Raid! They're coming!
SHOUTING
There's more coming!
INDISTINCT ORDERS SHOUTED
Come on, get those trucks loaded up!
Come on, get it on the lorry!
Yes, Sergeant.
INDISTINCT CHATTER
They're moving us
back up to where we started.
Started the war?
All this time... we won't have moved.
What if it never stops?
What if no-one wins...
and no-one gives up?
I mean, what if this is
all there is?
All there's ever going to be?
They tell us we're moving forward,
or north or east
or back where we started,
but half the time we have
no idea where we are.
We fire at these
figures in the distance,
but we don't really know who
we're shooting at.
This isn't a war
like I read about in school,
like I thought it was going be.
I'm not conquering anything,
marching into towns with flags.
So what if...
~ What if it never ends? ~ Wars end.
Yeah, but there's never been
a war like this, has there?
If there's never been a war like
this, how do we know it will end?
It will. It has to.
Maybe when there's no-one left
to fight any more?
There's no more leave before we go,
Edwards, I'm sorry.
~ It's just... I haven't seen her
for a month. ~ It's orders.
We have to move out this morning.
Been a rough ride, aye?
In the thick of it.
Same for everyone.
I'm just...
I know.
Look, we ran some raids
this morning.
There's a BWI prisoner detail
leaving in half an hour,
they could use another man.
The camp's half a mile
from where she'll be.
Now, I dare say they'd let you
stop off there,
if something terrible happened,
like you sprained
your ankle on the way.
Yes, Sergeant.
Thank you, Sergeant.
But I don't want to go
without you.
You'll be fine, just stick with
the other lads...
I'll meet you there.
Save me a decent bunk. All right?
The sergeant said you needed a hand.
Mission of mercy, I was told.
~ Girlfriend? ~ That's right.
All right, get them up!
~ Come on, come on, up! ~ Everybody!
~ On your feet. ~ Get up now.
They don't seem so different to us.
I bet if we'd met before the war,
in a bar,
we'd have talked, laughed together.
Maybe.
Well, anyway,
at least the war's over.
What?
We fought hard,
and now we're prisoners.
What... what else can we do?
We can escape.
Get back to our lines.
SOLDIER GASPS
~ What's going on? ~ Deserter.
Time to move out.
GUNSHOTS
Keep quiet.
Continue.
We'll rest up here.
Gentlemen, fall in a line. Now.
You have an hour.
A minute longer,
you'll be a deserter.