Vanity Fair (2018): Season 1, Episode 3 - A Quarrel About an Heiress - full transcript

The story so far,

'Miss Sharp made a friend
of everyone in her

'new family, well almost everyone.'

Be sure I have my eye always on you.

'With the help of a dear friend,

'Miss Sedley won back her
sweetheart.'

George!

'For now.'

I don't like the look
of Sedley's affairs.

I'm sorry!

'Back in darkest Hampshire, menfolk



'young and old fought for the chance
to partner Miss Sharp,

'who preferred an offer
from the lady with the money.'

Beware old London town,

Miss Sharp is on her way.

Tonight, Becky's fortunes go up,
and then down.

Is she downhearted?

No! This is Vanity Fair,

a world where everyone is striving

for what is not worth having.

Oh, I so love to see her
in pretty clothes!

She's worth every penny.

She's an angel.

The only one in the whole world
I can really trust.

I wonder what on earth
we did without her in days gone by.



Ow! Ow!

Ow!

For heaven's sake, Briggs,
everyday new snivel.

We don't have much time.

Napoleon's escaped!

Who?

Napoleon on the loose,
our old enemy gathering his forces!

Duke of Wellington
recalled to command!

Bless you, sir.

Enemy forces...

You haven't told her?

Nothing to tell yet.

Napoleon's escaped from Elba,
the Duke of Wellington's already

in Belgium and there's nothing
for a soldier to tell his fiancee?

You're not the one who has to deal
with her weeping and wailing.

I'll put it off
as long as possible,

I'll tell her
when we get our marching orders.

I'm cold.

I'm hot.

I'm so scared.

So scared.

Don't leave me.

I'm here. I'm here, I'm always here,
there's nothing to fear.

Death, t'will come for me,

and I shall face him alone,

for I have done no good in my life.

None.

I will be one of those pathetic
women who die...

...unmourned.

Oh, Becky.

Ow!
Misery guts!

God damn your eyes!

All gone wrong, it has, boy.

All gone wrong.

It's just here, that's the one.
Driver!

Odd sort of place to live.

It's a perfectly respectable
neighbourhood, Aunt.

I know they'll be pleased to see us.

Amelia!

We were passing and I couldn't
resist

and Matilda didn't object,
and so...

The middling sort, are they?

Stockbrokers, Aunt.

But you hate that kind of snobbery.

Oh, Becky!

What a lovely surprise!

Oh, Becky!

Oh, George, look who's here!

Miss Sharp.

Won't you come in, Miss Crawley?

Without a proper invitation?

Well, perhaps it's the modern way.

Quite.

Tea, Madam?

Wine, I think, Sam.

Of course, wine, thank you.

But Miss...

In the garden?

No, fresh air is
fatal to ladies of distinction.

My dear Mrs Sedley,

I do wonder at your judgement

in letting him loose
on the porcelain.

Sam, Sam, I'm so sorry.

It's not me
you should be worrying about.

How can they have wine, Miss?

The master's sold the cellar.

What?

This is none of your concern,
Amelia.

A gentleman is entitled
to sell his wine,

it's an investment
just like any other.

Did the sale raise enough, Mama?

Enough to repay Mr Osborne?

I'm not privy to the gentlemen's
business, now hush.

I'm in a gentleman's family now,
Mr Osborne,

good old English country stock,

noble and serious,

going back generations.

So may I take it your new situation

has not proved to be
the ordeal you feared, Miss Sharp?

The wages are tolerable,
thank you for reminding me

that I'm of the class of person
which needs to earn them.

I only make a polite enquiry.

Just think, Mr Osborne,

had you not stood in Mr Joss's way

you could have had a
Montmorency for a sister-in-law.

Which, considering your own

unimpressive pedigree, would have
been quite a coup.

Who was your grandfather, exactly?

He was a butcher.

Voila.

I'm not ashamed of my family.

Nor I of mine, sire.

Miss Sharp...

...the carriage is ready,
and my aunt is tiring.

Lord, she is that.

He likes you.

Hush, nonsense.

He's rich, or he soon will be.

He's so handsome.

He is very handsome.

Sharp by name,

and sharp I fear by nature.

Our Miss Sharp?

Wild, proud, a desperate flirt,

I only warn you as a friend,
Crawley.

Well...

Goodbye.

...sage advice, thank you, my boy.

Blast!

Oh! Oh! Oh!

She tripped over her dress.

Horrocks, take the girls.

Come along, girls.

Is Mama dead?

Let's get you upstairs.

Mum's dead!

Geddup!

Geddup, I say, geddup!

Geddup! Up! Get it up!

Geddup!

Oh, good morning Miss, er...

Miss Sharp joins us
from Queen's Crawley.

Oh, I was born on that estate, Miss!

The son of a humble under-gardener,
married the cook,

rose to be a butler. Now look at me.

I can see you've done very
well for yourself, Mr Raggles.

Not just a shopkeeper, not any more.

Mrs Raggles and I plan
to buy a house to let.

You shall be landlords!

You climbed the very heights,
Mr Raggles.

Some jam for your tea? Oh!

Mr Raggles bought it
for you specially.

Is there not a single little
sweetmeat in this house?

Oh...

The poor soul, how I long
to smooth her fevered brow.

It's no pleasure to me
to sit up all night with her,

and I wish she would
let you do it instead.

Oh, my dear friend...

...may I call you Arabella?

Have another glass of wine.

Oh, yes.

You are still her companion,

whereas I am but a poor little
girl without jot of harm in me.

To friendship?

To friendship.

Yes, dear Becky,

let no rivalry come between us.

Becky!

Becky!

Have I not tended that
dear couch for 23 years?

Oh!

Have I not attended that
dear couch 23 years?

Enter.

What is it, Briggs?

Your brother is here.

With his hand out, no doubt?
Get rid of him, Becky.

He is wearing black crepe. Oh!

Miss Crawley offers her
condolences on your sad news, sir.

Unfortunately,
she is not well enough to descend.

It's not her I want, Miss.

I want you Becky.

Back at Queen's Crawley, directly.

I hope to come soon, Sir,
once Miss Crawley's better.

Her'll cast you off like an old shoe

when she's worn you out,

but me, Becky,

I can't get on without you.

The house all goes wrong.

The girls run wild,

all my accounts
have got muddled again.

But Sir, I cannot leave your sister.

Then come as Lady Crawley.

Oh! Get out!

Marry me, Becky.

There, will that satisfy you?

Come back with me and be my wife.

Her ladyship not even buried,

and Sir Pitt is on his knee,

proposing to Miss Sharp!

Get out my way!

Shawl!

You shall do what you like
and spend what you like,

have it all your own way,

I'll make you happy, you see if I
don't, Becky.

Forgive me.

You shall be the mistress
of Queen's Crawley.

£4,000 a year.

And when I'm gone,

you can have the lot.

I'll leave it all to you.

Oh, I cannot marry you!

If there's another suitor
with a better offer,

I'd like to see
the whites of his eyes.

There is no suitor.

Then marry me, be my queen.

Oh, sir, I'm married already.

Uh?

And who'd take you to be a wife
without a shilling to your fortune?

Some street sweeper?

Oh...

If the proposal is respectable

is not the gentleman

supposed to kneel before the lady.

Please God don't tell her.

I have thanked Sir Pitt Crawley,
ma'am,

but have told him
that I never can become his Lady.

Pray, Miss Sharp, are you waiting
for the Prince Regent's divorce?

If you think our family
is not good enough for you?

You leave her alone, Matilda.

Whether she marries me or not,
she's a good little girl.

And I'm her friend.

Don't be ridiculous, Pitt.

Your room at Queen's Crawley is
waiting whenever you're ready.

Off with you!

Woof!

Oh!

Why on earth would
the child say no to him?

And don't say old and ugly.

Well, there must be some obstacle

in the form of an existing
romantic attachment.

Very astute, Briggs.

Some apothecary perhaps?

Or a house painter,

or maybe a young curate
has touched your heart?

He is young, certainly.

More than that...

...forgive me, I cannot say.

My silly, lovestruck darling.

I'll set the young
fellow up in a shop.

You'll have to tell me
his name then,

or I won't be able
to get him a sign.

Oh, Miss Crawley, love me always,
promise you will love me always.

Don't go sentimental on me,
Rebecca,

it doesn't suit you.

But for her sudden coldness,
I would have confessed all,

right there and then.

It was only when she'd said
she would set you up in a shop...

You're not regretting it, are you?

Lying here with you?

Right now?

How shall I regret marrying you?

Because you could have married
the Lord of the Manor instead.

I did regret that,
for one long moment.

You booby, I'm joking.

Hmm.

I do keep wondering

if we should have tried for
Matilda's blessing in advance.

So much more romantic,
just running away though, wasn't it?

If we tried, and she'd said no, you
might not have married me at all.

Oh, yes I would.

My Aunt adores us both.

She will come round.

I do have a plan.

A letter,

for Miss Briggs.
Oh!

Miss Briggs never gets letters.

It is from Miss Sharp!

Miss Sharp?

Yes, dear Becky.

Is she not upstairs in her room?

Oh!

Well, come on!

"Dear friend of my heart...

"..break the news
as your delicate sympathy

"will know how, to our dear,
our beloved benefactress.

"Beg her to receive her children.

Children? I don't understand
what you're talking about,

can I see that?

"For I am wedded

"to the best
and most generous of men.

"Miss Crawley's Rawdon...

"..is my Rawdon.

Married?

To Rawdon?

Monster!

Wretch!

Traitor! "Your affectionate and
grateful, Rebecca Crawley.

Treasure hunter, revolutionary...

"Tremble for the answer
which to seal her happiness."

Tremble, vixen.

Tremble in vain.

Damn you!

Anyone but him!

Get out!

I might have guessed.

Someone has to clear up after you.

You are stopping our letters
from getting to her.

Dear Aunt Matilda is
prostrate with grief and affliction,

such that the reading of begging
letters is medically prohibited.

Yes, in other words.

Mrs Crawley, lovely to see you.

What if she never comes round,
Becks?

What if she cuts me
off without a penny?

Then I'll make your fortune.

Gad, I really think you could.

Oh, look.

A sale!

"Due to the bankruptcy
of John Sedley, stockbroker."

Gad!
Sam!

Hello! Where are the family,
where's Amelia?

Search me.

Mr Sedley went bust and I moved on.

The Three Tuns in Blackfriars,

if you ever find yourself
in need of a pint.

Plenty more stuff in there.

Vultures.

Let's see
if we can afford some of the silver.

Lot 11, for this fine landscape
painting,

gilded frame, artist unknown.

Who wants to start,
who wants to start the bidding.

Oh, Rawdon, I must have this.

You want a fat fellow
on an elephant?

Amelia's brother was
a great pet of mine.

Lot 12 for this beautiful piano,

fine instrument, walnut casing,
well used,

but well looked after,
who's gonna start the bidding then,

ladies and gentlemen?

14 guineas, 14 guineas,

thank you Madam.
Becky.

Amelia knows I never had a piano in
my life, she'd want me to have it.

15, thank you. 16.

That's twice what it's worth.
Shh.

Looking for 17, 20, thank you, sir.

25! 25 guineas then,
ladies and gentlemen,

25 guineas for this fine piano...

I don't know who my rival is,
but he has long pockets.

It's going once, twice.

Well bid, sir. OK, lot 13,

ladies and gentlemen, this high
vase has...

Captain Dobbin!

What a terrible fate.

To lose everything you have.

My piano!

Whoa! Just give me a hand there?

Right you are.

Amelia, what's the meaning of this?

It means that George has not
forgotten me

in spite of everything
that keeps us apart.

You will send that piano back,

you will also send back his letters,

and any trinkets he has given you.

You will make it clear to
Captain George Osborne

that his engagement to you... No!

...his engagement to you is ended.

Mama?

For pity's sake, Mr Sedley,

she shall at least keep her piano.

Is the honour of our family
completely worthless to you?

That the man has made us bankrupt!

Our name can never be united
with that of Osborne, never!

Never!

So what if old Sedley
owes your father a bit of money?

It's more than a bit, Crawley.

I mean, the old man
went down owing father thousands.

Well, your father's got thousands.

And if they were old friends...

What difference does that make?

Gentlemen, any grown man that
loved a woman,

would run off and marry her,
and say damn to all the old rogues,

or am I wrong?

It's not as easy as that.

Young George, here, called her
a wild and desperate flirt,

but the new Mrs Crawley

is making me very happy man.

You got married? To Rebecca?

I did.

Captain Osborne, sir.

'My dearest George,

'my Papa has ordered me to return to
you these presents,

'and I am to write to you
for the last time.

'I release you from an engagement

'that is impossible
in our present misery.

'Goodbye my love.

'I pray to God to bless you always.

'Amelia.'

Make way!

All these years it never occurred
to me I might not marry Amelia.

Yes?

Sir, marching orders.

It was never a decision I made,

nor a decision I ever thought
would be unmade.

It's not all about you, George.

You know her, she'll be...

...fine, won't she?

Captain!

But this is wonderful news!

What, that I'm marching away to war?

This is wonderful news
for our campaign,

which is not against Napoleon,
but against your Aunt Matilda. So...

Right...

My dearest Aunt,

I married a painter's daughter
and I'm not ashamed of the union.

Run me through the body if I am!
Dear old booby.

Before quitting these shores

and commencing a battle which
may prove fatal...

Steady on, Becks!

...I beseech you, before I depart...

...perhaps never to return.

Am I too fast for you?
No, it's just...

...well, it doesn't really
sound much like me.

You want your letter
to sound like you?

Dear Aunt, jolly warm here,
thanks for the cake(!)

Perhaps I am a fool Becky...

...you shouldn't say so.

Oh, you darling,
'beseech' is spelt with two E's.

I ask nothing from you
as the battle begins,

but that we part not in anger.

Believe that I love you for...

"..yourself and not for money's
sake.

"Let me, let me see you
before I go."

That's not Rawdon!

He never wrote me a letter in
his life without asking for money.

But poor Captain Crawley
goes to war! And may perish.

I still think it's romantic.

Star-crossed lovers, and so on.
Briggs!

Oh, Miss Crawley,
do forgive the dear creatures.

Briggs!

Sunlight is bad for invalids.

Let us return
to the Lord for guidance.

"It is not enough to come
forth with a demonstration,

"however pathetic,

"of the evanescent
character of all this..."

Never a clever sort of boy, Rawdon,

but a very, very, affectionate one.

Affectionate enough to marry the
offspring of an opera girl,

which term, though we ladies may
blush to admit we know,

really means...

No! Stop.

Don't be cruel.

...harlot.

Never knows when to stop,
does she, Briggs?

I'll do all the talking, you just
stand there,

and look romantic,
and suffering and tall.

Right.

She's here.
Ugh.

Oh.

Oh, Arabella!

Please forgive me,
it was not my idea to drag you

into our tale of heartbreak and woe.

I can't stay long,

Martha is banished
to Queen's Crawley,

and I am back in favour,
and wish to stay that way.

I wrote to you,
for I only do as my Rawdon bids.

My heart is his forever,

yet soon he marches to war.

Oh!
Oh, Arabella, imagine!

Oh, I do! I do!

I believe my proud friend begins
to regret her breach with you,

Captain Crawley.

Oh, let us make the plan.

Oh! Yes, let's!

My point is a man who can get 10,000
a year by staying at home

is a fool to risk his life abroad.

I am a soldier, father.

Honour demands I must obey
my country's call.

Honour demands you should not marry
that swindling, bankrupt's daughter.

Mr Sedley is not a swindler.

In any case, Miss Sedley has
broken off our engagement.

Oh, then shall all my dreams
come true this night(!) Come.

Yes, I hope you're comfortable where
you're staying...

£200,000.

Diamonds, as big as pigeons' eggs.

Marry her, boy.

Miss Rhoda, pleasure.

Mr Osborne.

So...

You won't find in our humble
mansion that splendour of fare,

to which you are accustomed, my dear
Miss Swartz,

for I am a plain,
humble, British merchant.

We are all creatures of modern
Britain, are we not, Miss Swartz?

We take the places we deserve,

not those to which we were born.

I was born in Barbados.

And do you miss it?

The sun shines more
often over there,

but the education is superior here.

I hope to leave Miss Pinkerton's
very much an English lady.

Miss Pinkerton's in Chiswick?

Mmm, the very same, do you know it?

I wonder if you were ever
friendly with Miss Amelia Sedley?

I was!

The dearest girl,
so kind and generous.

Such friends we were...

What lovely weather
we've had this week.

Almost West Indian.

Choose your course, boy.

Miss Swartz, I love Amelia,

and we've been engaged
almost all our lives.

How dare you, sir?

Dare is not a word to be used
on the eve of war

to a gentleman and an officer of the
British Army.

I shall say what
I like to my own son!

I can cut him off without a shilling
if I like.

I know very well that you give me
plenty of money, sir,

you tell me so often there is no
fear of my forgetting.

I'll have no beggar marriages!

Who told me to love her?

You.

I might indeed have chosen
elsewhere,

and looked higher, perhaps,
in your society, but I obeyed you.

And now that her heart is mine,
you order me to fling it away,

to punish her. To kill her perhaps.

It is a shame, by heavens.

Will you do as I tell you!

Once and for all, sir!

Or will you take your pack
and walk out of this house forever?

I will do as my honour demands.

Perhaps I should have worn the grey.

It's not like you to get nervous.

Perhaps we mistook
the place or the time.

Oh, Miss Briggs is a friend indeed!

Wait, wait for my signal.
Right.

Now!

Gad!

Quick!

Come on, Rawdon, hurry!

It's our one chance!

Let's march on Paris!

Lovely day.

You wish to speak to me? Speak!

Ah. Yes, well, um, just, um, er,

I am sorry, that we've had a, er,

disagreement.

She's a great girl, Aunt,

and I, er,

I couldn't be happier, and all that.

She will betray you,
as she betrayed me.

You must know, Aunt.

I truly married for love.

Ha!

Then you are worse than a fool.

She will drag
you down into the mire.

You're a lost soul, Rawdon.

I'm not without pity.

Attend my lawyer tomorrow.

Driver!

Why did you get down?

Because she told me to.

You could have ridden with her
back to the house,

squired her indoors,
pushed your advantage.

Well, no I couldn't leave
you to get home on your own.

Rawdon, how can you not have
realised I'm perfectly

capable of being left to do
anything by myself?

Unlike me, you mean?

She bade me go to her
lawyers in the morning...

...where there will be
something for me.

Clever old booby.

George.

I've been walking all night.

You are a true friend

and a true gentleman, Dobbin,

and I'm ashamed of how far
I lag behind you.

I beg to impose on your friendship

on a matter of the greatest
importance.

A sight I never thought to see.

Dobbin, I will do the right thing.

Dearest Emmy...

...dearest wife.

What's this? Stop! Stop!

Emmy, please come inside, please!

Stand back, sir, for pity's sake.

It seems to me that for all
the happiest moments of my life,

you have been there.

Did you have a friend to show
you the same

kindness on the eve of your wedding?

I was that fool who rushes in alone

where battalions of angels
fear to tread.

But you are happy, Becky?

Financially,
there's room for improvement.

But you really love him?

Of course!

Though, we are still honeymooning,

there's plenty of time for the
scales to fall from our eyes.

I can't remember
a time before I loved George.

He's always been there.
He's so good. As you are.

I could be good, I could be very
good on £5000 a year.

All will be well, Becky.
In the end.

What can prevent it?

Morning!

You shall be the prettiest
bride in the whole world.

I only wish my family were here.

I have always managed
that one of those.

Now, we have husbands instead.

And so I ask again, when war will
soon break over our heads,

who are you to play with two young
people's affections,

and break their hearts?

I helped that villain's father

when he had not
a shilling to his name,

I'd rather see my daughter
dead at my feet

than married to the son
of an ungrateful enemy.

If you do not give her your consent,
sir, it would be her

loving duty before God
to marry without it.

Together, you and I,
we can stop this marriage,

she listens to you.

You cannot stand in the way
of your daughter's happiness!

Am I to have power over nothing
in this world, Captain Dobbin?

None of us has power over love, sir.

Mistaken?

No. Certainly.

I see.

Your aunt was quite clear.

Clear. Yes. Always.

Please convey my thanks to her.

Dearly beloved, we are gathered
here in the sight of God,

and in the face of this
congregation,

to join together this man,
and this woman, in holy matrimony.

And is commended of St Paul to be
honourable among all men.

Therefore, if any man can
show any just cause why

they may not
lawfully be joined together,

let him now speak,

or else here after,

forever hold his peace.

Wilt thou have this
woman to thy wedded wife?

I will.

Wilt thou have this man to thy
wedded husband?

I will.

I pronounce that they be man
and wife together.

May I kiss the bride too?

Once!

And now it's your turn, William.

Thank you,

for everything you have
done to bring us to this happy day.

£20?

And the letter from her lawyer
saying please leave us alone now.

My entire legacy from Aunt Matilda.

Becks, it's not even
enough to cover the rent!

Oh, we don't want be paying that!
We don't need the place anyway.

No, we don't?
Why not?

Becky, how will we manage now that
we are both married women

but for an instant, before the war
carries our menfolk away?

Nonsense, we'll go with them.

Oh? No, no, I don't think
that's a good idea.

Why not? Plenty of officers
take their wives.

Oh, George, don't let us be parted.

Ah, new adventure, in which Amelia
invades the low countries.

Capital!

Ah! Driver!

We happen to have a spare umbrella.

And so, Captain Dobbin,
you've laboured long

and hard to achieve something I
cannot believe you really want.

I'm, I'm very happy for them both.

Becky?

Shall we? Thank you, my love.