All language subtitles for A.Cruel.Love.The.Ruth.Ellis.Story.S01E02

I want to look my best...

for David.

The defence rests
on a single word -- provocation.

And we all know that's risky.

Not a single
applicable precedent in
an English murder trial.

Blakely beat Ruth black
and blue.

He humiliated her, took her
for every penny she had.

I believe, if we can show that,
then this isn't murder.

It's manslaughter.

You must get
the Crown's witnesses

to reveal what they know --
like Cussen,

who by all rights should
be a-a witness for defence.

They may have got to him,
somehow,

may have some rabbit in a hat.

You must push him in the cross.

Well, if that's all,
Mr. Bickford.

Ruth, this is Mr. Stevenson, QC,
Lead Counsel.

He'll take you
through the defence strategy.

I just want those malicious
snobs to pay for what they did.

Malicious snobs?

The Findlaters.

If it weren't for them,
David would still be alive.

Dr. Whittaker's theory --

the effects of jealousy
on hysterical women.

I think we should lean on it.

Ruth isn't hysterical.

She shot Blakely
because he was unfaithful.

You heard her --
her anger at the Findlaters

because they tried
to tempt him with other women.

She was consumed
by sexual jealousy,

which provoked
her uncontrollably to murder.

She was provoked
by Blakely's violence.

She'd miscarried a child.

She has hardly mentioned that.

Because she's traumatised.

It's a question of what
the jury will understand.

You should never have
let her bleach her hair.

Does she look
like a beaten woman to you?

Blonde tart!

Ooh! God, hold it still,
for Christ's sake!

Oi! Stop looking up her skirt,
you!

-Vicki!!
-Hello.

-Hello.
-Hello.

What do you think?
A bit vulgar?

Bloody ridiculous.
I love it.

Been reading all about you
in the gossip columns.

Oh, yes, snotty bastards
can't believe

a girl from Staines
could marry a prince.

There's a revolution coming,
girls.

Class and what school you went
to -- no one'll give a toss,

long as you know
how to have a good time.

Look at you and David.

-Oh, yes, huh?
-Ooh!

Mm.
What's he doing here?

He's restful, compared to David.

Hm.

One of those
who just wants a cuddle?

It's not like that.
We haven't actually --

He probably
follows you upstairs,

watches through a crack
in the door.

-Creepy old bastard.
-Stop! Shh! You're terrible!

Someone's coming up.

-Ooh!
-That'll be David. Alright.

Everyone, positions, quickly!

Mrs. Ellis is a woman
of 28, divorced,

and the story
you are going to hear is this --

that in 1954 and 1955,

she was having simultaneous
love affairs with two men,

David Blakely, the deceased,
and another man called Cussen,

whom I shall call before you.

Blakely was trying
to break off the connexion,

and the accused woman
was angry at this,

even though she had
another lover at the time.

She therefore took
a loaded gun,

found David, and shot him by
emptying that revolver at him.

Now, you are not here in the
least concerned with adultery

or sexual misconduct.

You are not trying her
for immorality...

but for murder.

-Surprise!
-Surprise!

Oh, aren't you sweet?

I'm so sorry, darling.

David asked me to let you know
he can't make it.

He's tied up with work.

Well, it's about time
he bloody did some. Hmm?

More cake for us.

Oh, darling.
Look, I'm sorry.

I'm sure if he'd realised
the effort you'd gone to...

We both know he's not working.
Were you with him?

Of course not.

Look, David's engaged
to be married to Mary Dawson.

He's been living here with me
for months.

You've been a lovely friend
to him.

Bless you.

The prosecution calls
Desmond Cussen.

Give you a hand clearing up?

You had known
the accused, Mrs. Ellis,

for around two years?

Did you become a close friend
of hers?

Yes.

You will not mind
if we use plain words.

Were you her lover?

For a short time, yes.

On Sunday, the tenth of April,
the day of the alleged murder,

did she and her son
spend most of the day

at your flat with you?

Yes.

That evening, did you drive
her back to Egerton Gardens?

Yes.

About what time?

Er, about 7:30.

About 7:30
on the Sunday night,

and that is the last
you saw of her?

Yes.

Thank you.

They're trying
to convict her of immorality.

That's why
they've called Cussen.

They want the jury
to see it in the flesh.

He instructed them not
to consider sexual misconduct.

And that's why he raised it,
to draw attention to it.

Mr. Stevenson?

Mr. Cussen...

were you very much in love
with this young woman?

Yes.

At the time,
you were begging the defendant

to marry you if she could?

Do you need to go to her?

George wants to take her.

George, your husband?

Some rich, childless colleague
of his, a woman dentist,

wants Georgina to go
and live with her...

wants to adopt her.

George says he'll give me
a divorce if I say yes.

You don't need
to give up your child, Ruth.

Let me look after you all.

Marry me.

Or don't marry me.

I don't care.

What about David?

Oh, forget him.

I can give you everything
that you need.

Just let me be with you.

Please God, let me be with you.

Have you ever seen
marks or bruises on her?

Yes.

Were they bad bruises?

Yes.

I do not want to press you
for details,

but how often did you see
that sort of mark on her?

Must be on...
half a dozen occasions.

Thank you, my Lord.

Thank you, Mr. Cussen.

You may step down.

I heard two bangs -- shots.

And then what did you see?

I saw David
lying on the ground

and Mrs. Ellis pointing
a gun into his back.

Why did you have to kill him?

No questions.

Leslie Davies, Detective
Chief Inspector, my Lord.

You saw
the accused woman detained

at Hampstead Police Station?

I did, my Lord.

Did you form any impression
of her emotional condition

at the time of the arrest?

I did, my Lord.

I was most impressed
by the fact she seemed very...

...composed.

No questions.

Why aren't you
cross-examining them?

I didn't see there was
anything useful to be added.

He broke her down
piece by piece.

You must get Findlater to --
to -- to reveal what he knows,

what he and his wife
saw her suffer.

Mr. Bickford,
my job is to show

what made the accused
so morbidly jealous

that she was provoked to kill.

Now, if Blakely was merely
a nasty thug,

she'd hardly mind if he went off
with another woman, would she?

It won't work.

As a defence, it's not enough.

I know who gave her the gun.

She didn't carry out
this crime alone.

She instructed me
not to mention it,

but we must overrule her,
in her own best interest.

Keep your voice down,
for Christ's sake.

Drag someone else into it now,

and it becomes premeditated
conspiracy to murder.

No hope of manslaughter.

What if she was persuaded,
coerced even?

We have a defence!

She was provoked by
uncontrollable sexual jealousy,

and you should never breach
your client's confidence again.

Is that understood?

Yes, Mr. Stevenson.

The defence calls
Anthony Findlater.

I swear by almighty God
that the evidence I shall give

shall be the truth,
the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth.

-- David, darling.
Hello, you two.

Give it here! It's my turn!

-Perfect timing.
-Oh, no. Watch out.

-- Anthony, darling.
-- Carole, my love.

David, how are you?

I'm so sorry...about last night.

I was humiliated, David,
in front of everyone,

by your friend, Carole.

Yes, well,
I think she was a bit upset.

Why?

I told her
I was breaking it off with Mary.

I'm not marrying someone just
because they approve of her.

I don't care what they think.

I don't care what any of them
think.

I want to be with you.

Well, poor Mary.

You might have chosen
a better day than your birthday,

you heartless bastard.

I wondered if I might get
an advance on my wages.

Been sponging again, has he?

Gonna have to start
charging you rent on the flat.

You can't do that.

That flat is a place
of business, not a love nest.

You think he'll make you happy?

I'm not asking him to leave.

Rent will be £12 a week then.

What's this?

The children are asleep,

and dinner will be served
in five minutes.

What are we having?

The only thing
I know how to cook --

egg and soldiers.

-Ah.
-Nanny taught me.

Course she did.

And I always serve
my boiled eggs...

with Pol Roger.

What will your mother think

about you breaking it off
with Mary?

Not very happy,
I shouldn't think.

Hm.

She likes to pretend
we're a model family,

which is...

frankly, delusional.

Your parents divorced?

Mm.

I was 11.

What happened?

Er, my father had an affair...

...with a waitress half his age.

And she got pregnant,
had an abortion,

and...she died.

Christ.

They accused him
of procuring the drugs.

You know, he was a GP.

They tried him for murder.

He was acquitted.

The judge said there was no case
to answer.

Yeah, he went back
to his medical practise,

his -- his golf,

but our family...

it was poisoned.

I'm so sorry.

Are these...love bites?

Who? Who is she?

Jealousy
doesn't suit you, darling.

For God's sake, Carole?

She's married
to my best friend.

Which is exactly
why you'd both do it.

You've got it in for her,
haven't you?

Because you're an imitation,
and she's the real thing.

When you're cross
the accent slips, darling.

I used to think
your sort had manners!

What a fool I was!

There's nothing
going on with me and David,

hasn't been for years.

You expect me to believe that,
the way you are with him?

Both of you, actually.

-Now look here --
-Stay out of this, Ant.

Take her.

You're like leeches,
both of you,

the way you follow him around,
fawning over him.

It's em-- embarrassing.

How dare you come to my house
with my child here?

Now you might have dragged David
into your seedy, little world,

but you will not drag me.

And to talk about leeches?

You have been a parasite on
David since the day you met him,

thinking you could drag
yourself up in the world,

drag your whole squalid family
up.

David is naive. I'm not.
His friends are not.

We know what you're up to.

It is not --
It is not like that.

And you know what he's like.
You know what he does.

He never did it to me.

This is of your own making,
Ruth -- all of it.

And you will be stopped
before you destroy David, too.

Sooner or later,
I will make him see

who and what you are...

that you are...

well, a predator,
and this is all a trap.

Then you will have my blood
on your hands.

Don't come here again.

Mr. Anthony Findlater...

in the days
before Mr. Blakely's death,

while he was staying with you,

you received several
telephone calls from Mrs. Ellis.

Yes.

Was it quite plain
to you when you spoke to her

on the telephone that she was
in a desperate state of emotion?

Er, no.

Did you observe
no indication that she was

a very desperate woman
at the time?

David, I know you're in there!

David!

No.

Was it obvious to you
that she was in a state

of considerable
emotional disturbance?

I didn't
get that impression.

She might've been.

On the Saturday
night, did you and Blakely

come out of the house
with a young woman?

I believe she was your nanny.

I do not remember.

You will appreciate
what is being suggested...

that there is some reason
for Ruth Ellis being jealous

of some new woman on the scene.

I did not even know that
Mrs. Ellis knew we had a nanny.

Mr. Stevenson?

No further questions.

So that's it?

That's all
they're going to ask him?

Put Carole up there.

It's -- It's too late.

Put Carole in the witness box

and ask her about the weeks
leading up to David's death.

Ask her what she did
to my baby.

What did she do?

We can't call Carole,
but you can tell them.

This jury -- they --
they want your blood.

To them,
you're -- you're not a-a person,

you're a character in a story,

a cold-blooded murderess

in a cheap thriller
they've read before.

And they know the ending.
Change the story.

Give them a different ending.

Make them want
to save your life.

David Blakely
was living with you in a flat

which you occupied
above the Little Club?

Yes.

Were you at that time
doing your best

to build up the, er, business
of the club?

My one concern was
to build up the business,

which had been a failure
beforehand.

And at that time, were you
very much in love with him?

Oh!

Did you tell him
that you wanted

to break off the relationship
with him?

David!

Yes.

Stop. Stop.

I want you to go.

I want you to pack your things
and go tonight.

Stop! God, it's not even
the cheating and the violence.

That's nothing new.

It's that you let
those malicious snobs

think that I'm the one
taking advantage of you!

How did he
treat you physically?

I want you to leave!
I want you to get out now!

He was violent on occasions.

I found this...

in your bedside table.

It's his.

Isn't it?

And how did
that violence manifest itself?

He only used to hit me
with his fists and hands.

But I bruise very easily.

What effect did
all this have on you?

I began to feel ill
about the whole thing.

While this was
going on, what was happening

to your own earnings
at the club?

David?

They were deteriorating,
and so was the business.

Don't you ever come down
here looking like that again.

No wonder this place
is bloody empty!

David! David!

David, step away from the road!

I'll do it, I swear!

If you leave me, I'll do it.

David, step away from the road,
please! Please!

Now, all this time you
and he were living at the club,

had he any money?

I had to give him money
all the time --

bought his clothes and things.

I paid his drinks bills
and things.

My stepfather's threatening
to cut me off!

It'll be over for me!

The racing.

There's nothing else I can do.
It's not like I haven't tried.

I'm just -- I'm just useless!

Alright.

-My father's
inheritance is gone!
-It's alright. It's alright.

-My -- My family are gone!
My mother hardly speaks to me!
-It's alright. It's alright.

How did David
then behave toward you?

He was possessive and jealous.

He seemed -- I thought
he seemed devoted to me.

Please don't leave me.

Look at you.

What happened
to your feelings from then on?

He was a very likeable person,
and I got very attached to him.

Marry me.

I'm already married.

Then divorce him.

-What about your family?
-I don't care about them.

I will never have any happiness
unless you marry me.

This is a photograph
that Blakely gave you.

Yes?

Yes.

Did he write on it
in your presence?

Yes.

"To Ruth.

All my love.

David.'

My Lord,
I wonder if she might sit down?

Yes, certainly.

I'm quite alright.

Do, by all means.

I don't need to sit down.

And then,
two weeks before David's death,

did you find
that you were pregnant?

Yes.

What happened about it?

Well, we got into a fight
and David got very violent.

He thumped me in the tummy.

I do not know if that's
what caused the miscarriage

or not, though.

You, er...

had a...

a miscarriage?

Yes.

And we've heard the evidence
about you taking a revolver

and getting a cab to Hampstead
and shooting him.

Is that right?

Quite correct.

Why did you do it?

I don't really know,
quite seriously.

I was just very upset.

"I do not
really know why I shot him."

Is that right?

Yes.

Mrs. Ellis...

when you fired that revolver
at close range

into the body of David Blakely,

what did you intend to do?

It is quite obvious, when I shot
him, I intended to kill him.

I hope they appreciated
the suit.

It's real Astrakhan, you know.

What was that?

What was what?

In the witness box.

You looked embarrassed.
Y-You looked bored.

It became perfectly clear none
of this is going to do any good.

What were you going to tell them
about what the Findlaters did,

about the miscarriage?

Thank you for securing
my hair appointment.

I know the prison were
rather difficult about it.

I think they thought
I was going to drink the bleach.

No chance, not at least
before I got my roots done.

Oh, for God's sake, Ruth!

Make these people understand
what you've been through!

Tell them about whatever
it was the Findlaters did,

or -- or tell me, at least.

No one wants to hear
about my insides.

The jury don't,
Stevenson certainly doesn't,

and you -- I know you think
you do, but you don't.

No one wants to hear
about women bleeding

and what men do
to make them bleed.

It's all a little bit
embarrassing for everyone.

It's certainly not going
to get me off a murder charge.

They believed Ant, you see...

and his lies.

We should have told the police
about Cussen's involvement.

You've perjured yourself
in the witness box,

and I allowed it.

You've condemned yourself.

So, what follows,
Dr. Whittaker,

as to the effect of infidelity

by the male partner
on the female mind?

Well, women are more prone to
hysterical reactions than men.

They are inclined to lose some
of their inhibitory capacity

and solve their problems
on a more...

primitive level.

George Ellis, please.

In your view,
had the accused

considered the consequences
of what she was doing?

Well, I asked her if
she thought about her children,

and she said she did not think
of them at all.

Alright. Now, you be good
for Daddy, okay?

I'll call tonight
to see how she's settling in.

Give it a few days, eh?
My solicitor will be in touch.

about the divorce proceedings.

Thank you, Dr. Whittaker.

You may step down.

That is my case, my Lord.

Before you address
the jury, it would be as well

if we had a short discussion
as to the law.

You may release the jury
until tomorrow morning.

I gather you wish
to address the jury

as to the question
of provocation.

I do, my Lord.

There has to be some conduct,
has there not,

on the part of the deceased man

which caused
this unfortunate result?

What is the evidence of conduct
on Blakely's part

which is considered
to amount to provocation?

May I be absolutely frank
about that, my Lord?

The answer is that
there is no authority --

no authority
that has ever considered

the effects on the female mind
of infidelity.

Does your
proposition come to this --

if a man associates
with a woman

and then leaves her suddenly

and she is a jealous woman,
emotionally disturbed,

and goes out and shoots him,
that is sufficient grounds

for the jury to reduce the crime
of murder to manslaughter?

Mr. Bickford?

A single day to hear all
the evidence in a murder trial?

Why did nobody ask
about the gun?

I'm sorry?

Well, I know she lied
about how she got it.

There was never any gun left
at the club as security.

I told the police,
but nobody seemed to care.

And what about that black cab
that was never found?

You know Desmond Cussen used to
drive a black cab for fun?

-Is it him?
-What?

-Did -- Did he help her?
-I don't know.

It's not true, is it?

It's not too late.
You can get her back.

The -- The three of you --
you can all...

live with me.

I know you think
you can save me.

But it's just a sweet fantasy

to distract
from the sordid truth,

which is that you are
a lonely drunk,

and I'm a hostess
whose company you pay for.

Why are you doing this, Ruth?

Because I love him.

I will save you.

Whether you want me to or not.

It is my duty as a Judge,
as a matter of law,

to direct the jury
that the evidence in this case

does not support a verdict
of manslaughter

on the grounds of provocation.

My Lord,
in view of that ruling,

it does not seem
that it would be proper

for me to address
the jury at all.

It does not seem to me
that there is any issue left

on which
you could address the jury.

No, my Lord.

I am obliged.

In the circumstances, my Lord,
I have nothing more to say.

Members of the jury...

according to our law,
it is no defence for a woman

who is charged
with the murder of her lover,

to prove she was a jealous woman

and had been badly treated
by her lover,

and after he left her
without warning,

she became furious with him and
formed an intention to kill him.

None of these facts,
individually or collectively,

afford any defence.

Shame on you!

All of you!

Get off me!

Hampstead Police Station.

I need to talk to you about
Ruth Ellis and Desmond Cussen.

Jury's back.

14 minutes.

Members of the jury, are
you agreed upon your verdict?

We are.

Do you find Ruth Ellis
guilty or not guilty of murder?

Guilty.

Prisoner at the bar,
you stand convicted of murder.

Have you anything to say

before judgement of death
is passed according to law?

Ruth Ellis...

the jury has convicted you
of murder.

In my view, it was
the only verdict possible.

You will be taken hence
to the prison

in which you were last confined

and from there
to a place of execution,

where you will suffer death
by hanging

and thereafter your body buried

within the precincts
of the prison,

and may the Lord
have mercy on your soul.

Amen.

Thanks.

Ah, that went very well.

Thank you, Edward.
It went better than expected.

-See you outside.
-Thank you.

Is that man your
Junior Treasury Counsel?

That's correct.

Edward Cussen?

Is he related to Desmond Cussen?

Mm.

They are cousins.

That's why you called Desmond
as a witness, isn't it?

To protect him from
other accusations,

such as conspiracy to murder.

Do you know much
about Buddhism, Mr. Bickford?

I've practised it
for 30 years,

and one of its teachings
is that we are all responsible

for our own liberation.

Ruth Ellis Knows this.

No one else --
no judge or jury, no friend --

has put her
in her present position.

It is her own actions
that have done so.

That is karma.

I shall be starting
the reprieve case immediately.

Well, we did the best we could
for her.

No.
No, we did not.

This whole process has been
a disgrace, a sham.

I'm going to fight for her
to be reprieved --

do things differently,
as they should have been done.

Desmond's cousin is in the same
chambers as Christmas Humphreys.

He's a bloody silk.

You knew...about Desmond.

Edward Cussen and I
worked together during the war.

Jesus Christ.

You were all in it together.

Of course.

That's why you didn't
cross-examine.

They asked you to protect him.

No.

No, they didn't.

Look, dragging somebody else
into it wouldn't have helped --

wouldn't have helped at all.

A woman like her --

they were never
gonna let her off.

She deserves clemency
for what she's suffered,

and I will fight for that.

You're to be moved.