The Passing Bells (2014–…): Season 1, Episode 5 - Episode #1.5 - full transcript
Joanna and her baby are living with Tommy's parents who read news of a likely armistice to her whilst in privation-hit Germany William and Susan also hear that peace is imminent. On the Western Front news of the Kaiser's abdication and flight fuels optimism and the Treaty of Versailles is drawn up. Unaware that the fighting is shortly to end Tommy takes Kevin's place mending broken barbed wire. He encounters Michael and they fight . Peace is indeed declared but for the two lads the war is over for good.
All this time, we won't have moved.
GUNFIRE
You got away from the British?
~ How many of you? ~ Just me.
GUNSHOT
Leave them.
What?!
Get off me!
You'll get us both killed!
HE GROANS
How do we know...
~ .. it will end?
~ It will. It has to.
Maybe when there's no-one left
to fight any more?
GUNFIRE AND EXPLOSIONS
GASPING
One big push.
Please... please,
you're nearly there.
SCREAMING AND SOBBING
BOMB EXPLODES
BABY CRIES
It's a boy.
HE SNIFFS
DISTANT GUNFIRE
SHELL EXPLODES
I'm sorry, that's all I've got.
THEY SHOUT AND ARGUE
Tommy!
It's a boy!
They called him Thomas!
It's a boy!
THEY CHEER
HAMMERING AND BANGING
Move back, dig in,
move back, dig in.
We've done nothing
but go backwards for a month.
All I'm saying is,
why don't we just keep going back?
All the way home?
Just throw down our guns and go?
D'you think I want to be here?!
D'you think any of us
want to be here?!
But we are!
I haven't spent four years of my
life watching people that I love
die all around me
just to drop my rifle and go home!
Sorry. Sorry!
I've watched my friends die too.
I'm sick of it.
I suppose I can smell the end of it.
And I'm just as frightened by that,
as I am of fighting.
We keep moving forward, but how come
we haven't seen any Germans?
We will. Can't think what else
we're doing here.
We're pushing them back, that's all.
They're saying the Germans
might have had enough
now the Americans have joined us.
A bloke from the Irish Guards
said that he heard some of them
were giving up
and heading back home.
Don't tell me...
This'll all be over by Christmas.
~ That's what they're saying.
~ Yeah and they said that in 1914,
1915, and '16 and '17...
All right, but what if they're right
what they're saying this time?
And we can go home?
Then I'll kiss everyone I see
from here to Blighty...
Well, maybe not everyone.
It's got to be over soon.
I don't know if I can do
much more...
You'll be all right.
No, I mean it, Tommy,
I think I'll go mad.
Just stick with me, all right?
We'll go home together.
SHE HUMS TO THE BABY
There's an article about Poland.
"As revolution
grows across Europe
"and the armistice gets closer,
it is thought there could be
"a new People's Republic of Poland
within weeks!"
Can I keep it? To show my father?
SHELLING AND GUNFIRE
Right, they've dug in 200 yards
ahead and put wire down,
so artillery's going to let them
know we're here!
EXPLOSION, SCREAMING
Stretcher Bearers!
~ Coming, Sir!
~ Move yourselves.
Come on!
Move yourselves!
We've got injured. Come on, move!
SHELLING CONTINUES
"With Hungary
and now Austria out of the war,
"the Germans are becoming
isolated
"and the armistice grows
nearer by the day."
Excuse me. Joanna Brown. Joanna.
"It is thought that German terms
will soon be presented
"to the Allied and Associated
Governments and finally...
".. the war will be over."
CHEERING
Her dad's been killed.
I'm not sure if we'll get
any more leave, son,
not while top brass thinks
we've got them on the run.
~ All we're hearing is push forward.
~ I've got a baby, Sergeant.
Yeah. Well, if this armistice
happens,
we'll all be home for good soon.
~ Do you really think so?
~ It'll happen,
just don't ask me when.
Hopefully before that nipper
of yours starts school.
I'll ask. All right?
Sergeant?
Is there any chance of moving Derek
back to supply trenches?
He's not right.
Go out there and find me
a man who is.
GUNFIRE AND BOMBING
Wasn't much use today, was I?
We've marched miles
in the past few weeks,
you're just tired, that's all.
We all are.
But you're doing brilliantly.
Head down, push on
till the job's done, remember?
I'll try, Tommy.
But every time a shell goes off,
I jump out of my skin.
My hands are always shaking...
.. my nerves are shot.
I don't want to die.
Just stay close to me,
you'll be all right.
D'you think I'm a coward?
No!
Don't ever say that.
We're all scared...
every single one of us.
Maybe you're more used to it
than I am.
Sometimes my hands are shaking
so much,
I have to wedge my arm into
the sandbags just to fire me rifle.
There's nothing wrong
with being scared,
it just means you're human.
Being scared will keep you alive.
You get some sleep.
Thanks, Tommy.
Why are you always reading that?
It reminds me of home, I suppose.
It's the first book I ever got.
Must have been about six.
I mark off the ones I've seen,
sketch them sometimes too.
It's funny...
.. I don't think people realise
how beautiful birds are.
You know, you see them out here.
They even land on the barbed wire.
Something so beautiful...
.. in the middle of something
so ugly.
D'you think it's true
what people are saying?
That the fighting will stop soon?
We'll see.
It's funny, innit?
100 years from now,
none of us'll be here...
.. and all this...
.. will be ancient history.
I wonder what
people will make of it.
Doesn't seem that long
since I was putting
his dad to bed in the same room.
I'm sorry.
BABY COOS
My father died for something
he believed in,
so I'm sad, but... I'm proud too.
Just like little Thomas will be
when his dad comes home.
All the officers have been called
back to the command centre.
~ You think this is it?
~ Something's happening.
~ I can't believe he's coming home.
~ Nothing's been announced yet.
The papers say it's over!
Well, the fighting doesn't just
stop, they have to agree terms.
The price may be more than
we're willing to pay.
But we have no choice.
Choice or not, they're politicians,
so it's going to take time.
They won't keep fighting, will they?
Not while they're talking?!
~ Probably.
~ But that's stupid!
If everyone knows it's over,
why let more boys die?!
~ That's not the way they see it.
~ Why not? Don't they have children?
Writing home?
Maybe if the rumours are true,
I won't have to post it,
I can take it myself.
But who knows
what we'll be going back to.
Does it matter?
As long as we're home.
It won't be the home we left
if we lose this war.
There's no food, no jobs...
My wife will be there.
Everything else
we can just re-build in time.
Right now, I'd settle for sitting
in front of a warm fire.
Kaiser Bill's chucked the towel in,
boys, we've got 'em on the run!
What's that mean, Sergeant?
Means he's abdicated, they'll
be like headless chickens now.
~ Be home by Christmas!
~ Ah! Heard that one before!
Did you hear?
I heard.
So that's it then?
Well, they haven't told us
to start packing up to go home yet.
Yeah, but they will do, won't they?
If the Kaiser's gone,
that's good, isn't it?
Yeah, it's good.
It won't be long now.
EXPLOSION
All we need now
is for someone to tell that lot!
EXPLOSIONS AND SHOUTING
GUNFIRE
Place is agreed.
Railway siding, Compiegne Forest.
GUNFIRE AND SHELLING CONTINUES
Come on.
GUNFIRE AND SHOUTING
SHELLS EXPLODING
HE GASPS
HE GASPS
Monday morning...
Eh?
Looked in my diary this morning
and saw it was Monday.
Damn.
Missed Sunday roast again yesterday.
Beef and Yorkshire pudding,
swimming in gravy.
Just think, back at home...
.. everyone going back to work
after the weekend.
Another week starting.
It's quiet.
They were shelling us
this time yesterday.
Maybe they're having a lie-in.
~ Morning, boys. ~ Sergeant.
Looks like a shell's taken out
a section of the wire.
It's your turn, Del.
It's all right, Sergeant,
I'll do it.
Dead in line with the next elbow,
you should be able to pull it
back together and tie it.
It's all quiet over there,
but keep your head down,
in case they've got
a sniper on watch.
Don't worry about that.
You didn't have to do that,
it's my turn.
You'd only get tangled up
in the wire
and I'd have to come
and get you anyway.
Thanks, Tommy.
Give me a shout
when dinner's ready.
Gentlemen...
THEY STRAIN AND GRUNT
Take this. Go!
GUNSHOT
HE GASPS
The war is over!
Germany's surrendered!
It's over!
CHEERING
BIRD TWEETS
HE GASPS SOFTLY
MUSIC DROWNS SPEECH
LAUGHTER
SHE SINGS SOFTLY
GUNFIRE
You got away from the British?
~ How many of you? ~ Just me.
GUNSHOT
Leave them.
What?!
Get off me!
You'll get us both killed!
HE GROANS
How do we know...
~ .. it will end?
~ It will. It has to.
Maybe when there's no-one left
to fight any more?
GUNFIRE AND EXPLOSIONS
GASPING
One big push.
Please... please,
you're nearly there.
SCREAMING AND SOBBING
BOMB EXPLODES
BABY CRIES
It's a boy.
HE SNIFFS
DISTANT GUNFIRE
SHELL EXPLODES
I'm sorry, that's all I've got.
THEY SHOUT AND ARGUE
Tommy!
It's a boy!
They called him Thomas!
It's a boy!
THEY CHEER
HAMMERING AND BANGING
Move back, dig in,
move back, dig in.
We've done nothing
but go backwards for a month.
All I'm saying is,
why don't we just keep going back?
All the way home?
Just throw down our guns and go?
D'you think I want to be here?!
D'you think any of us
want to be here?!
But we are!
I haven't spent four years of my
life watching people that I love
die all around me
just to drop my rifle and go home!
Sorry. Sorry!
I've watched my friends die too.
I'm sick of it.
I suppose I can smell the end of it.
And I'm just as frightened by that,
as I am of fighting.
We keep moving forward, but how come
we haven't seen any Germans?
We will. Can't think what else
we're doing here.
We're pushing them back, that's all.
They're saying the Germans
might have had enough
now the Americans have joined us.
A bloke from the Irish Guards
said that he heard some of them
were giving up
and heading back home.
Don't tell me...
This'll all be over by Christmas.
~ That's what they're saying.
~ Yeah and they said that in 1914,
1915, and '16 and '17...
All right, but what if they're right
what they're saying this time?
And we can go home?
Then I'll kiss everyone I see
from here to Blighty...
Well, maybe not everyone.
It's got to be over soon.
I don't know if I can do
much more...
You'll be all right.
No, I mean it, Tommy,
I think I'll go mad.
Just stick with me, all right?
We'll go home together.
SHE HUMS TO THE BABY
There's an article about Poland.
"As revolution
grows across Europe
"and the armistice gets closer,
it is thought there could be
"a new People's Republic of Poland
within weeks!"
Can I keep it? To show my father?
SHELLING AND GUNFIRE
Right, they've dug in 200 yards
ahead and put wire down,
so artillery's going to let them
know we're here!
EXPLOSION, SCREAMING
Stretcher Bearers!
~ Coming, Sir!
~ Move yourselves.
Come on!
Move yourselves!
We've got injured. Come on, move!
SHELLING CONTINUES
"With Hungary
and now Austria out of the war,
"the Germans are becoming
isolated
"and the armistice grows
nearer by the day."
Excuse me. Joanna Brown. Joanna.
"It is thought that German terms
will soon be presented
"to the Allied and Associated
Governments and finally...
".. the war will be over."
CHEERING
Her dad's been killed.
I'm not sure if we'll get
any more leave, son,
not while top brass thinks
we've got them on the run.
~ All we're hearing is push forward.
~ I've got a baby, Sergeant.
Yeah. Well, if this armistice
happens,
we'll all be home for good soon.
~ Do you really think so?
~ It'll happen,
just don't ask me when.
Hopefully before that nipper
of yours starts school.
I'll ask. All right?
Sergeant?
Is there any chance of moving Derek
back to supply trenches?
He's not right.
Go out there and find me
a man who is.
GUNFIRE AND BOMBING
Wasn't much use today, was I?
We've marched miles
in the past few weeks,
you're just tired, that's all.
We all are.
But you're doing brilliantly.
Head down, push on
till the job's done, remember?
I'll try, Tommy.
But every time a shell goes off,
I jump out of my skin.
My hands are always shaking...
.. my nerves are shot.
I don't want to die.
Just stay close to me,
you'll be all right.
D'you think I'm a coward?
No!
Don't ever say that.
We're all scared...
every single one of us.
Maybe you're more used to it
than I am.
Sometimes my hands are shaking
so much,
I have to wedge my arm into
the sandbags just to fire me rifle.
There's nothing wrong
with being scared,
it just means you're human.
Being scared will keep you alive.
You get some sleep.
Thanks, Tommy.
Why are you always reading that?
It reminds me of home, I suppose.
It's the first book I ever got.
Must have been about six.
I mark off the ones I've seen,
sketch them sometimes too.
It's funny...
.. I don't think people realise
how beautiful birds are.
You know, you see them out here.
They even land on the barbed wire.
Something so beautiful...
.. in the middle of something
so ugly.
D'you think it's true
what people are saying?
That the fighting will stop soon?
We'll see.
It's funny, innit?
100 years from now,
none of us'll be here...
.. and all this...
.. will be ancient history.
I wonder what
people will make of it.
Doesn't seem that long
since I was putting
his dad to bed in the same room.
I'm sorry.
BABY COOS
My father died for something
he believed in,
so I'm sad, but... I'm proud too.
Just like little Thomas will be
when his dad comes home.
All the officers have been called
back to the command centre.
~ You think this is it?
~ Something's happening.
~ I can't believe he's coming home.
~ Nothing's been announced yet.
The papers say it's over!
Well, the fighting doesn't just
stop, they have to agree terms.
The price may be more than
we're willing to pay.
But we have no choice.
Choice or not, they're politicians,
so it's going to take time.
They won't keep fighting, will they?
Not while they're talking?!
~ Probably.
~ But that's stupid!
If everyone knows it's over,
why let more boys die?!
~ That's not the way they see it.
~ Why not? Don't they have children?
Writing home?
Maybe if the rumours are true,
I won't have to post it,
I can take it myself.
But who knows
what we'll be going back to.
Does it matter?
As long as we're home.
It won't be the home we left
if we lose this war.
There's no food, no jobs...
My wife will be there.
Everything else
we can just re-build in time.
Right now, I'd settle for sitting
in front of a warm fire.
Kaiser Bill's chucked the towel in,
boys, we've got 'em on the run!
What's that mean, Sergeant?
Means he's abdicated, they'll
be like headless chickens now.
~ Be home by Christmas!
~ Ah! Heard that one before!
Did you hear?
I heard.
So that's it then?
Well, they haven't told us
to start packing up to go home yet.
Yeah, but they will do, won't they?
If the Kaiser's gone,
that's good, isn't it?
Yeah, it's good.
It won't be long now.
EXPLOSION
All we need now
is for someone to tell that lot!
EXPLOSIONS AND SHOUTING
GUNFIRE
Place is agreed.
Railway siding, Compiegne Forest.
GUNFIRE AND SHELLING CONTINUES
Come on.
GUNFIRE AND SHOUTING
SHELLS EXPLODING
HE GASPS
HE GASPS
Monday morning...
Eh?
Looked in my diary this morning
and saw it was Monday.
Damn.
Missed Sunday roast again yesterday.
Beef and Yorkshire pudding,
swimming in gravy.
Just think, back at home...
.. everyone going back to work
after the weekend.
Another week starting.
It's quiet.
They were shelling us
this time yesterday.
Maybe they're having a lie-in.
~ Morning, boys. ~ Sergeant.
Looks like a shell's taken out
a section of the wire.
It's your turn, Del.
It's all right, Sergeant,
I'll do it.
Dead in line with the next elbow,
you should be able to pull it
back together and tie it.
It's all quiet over there,
but keep your head down,
in case they've got
a sniper on watch.
Don't worry about that.
You didn't have to do that,
it's my turn.
You'd only get tangled up
in the wire
and I'd have to come
and get you anyway.
Thanks, Tommy.
Give me a shout
when dinner's ready.
Gentlemen...
THEY STRAIN AND GRUNT
Take this. Go!
GUNSHOT
HE GASPS
The war is over!
Germany's surrendered!
It's over!
CHEERING
BIRD TWEETS
HE GASPS SOFTLY
MUSIC DROWNS SPEECH
LAUGHTER
SHE SINGS SOFTLY