All language subtitles for A.Cruel.Love.The.Ruth.Ellis.Story.S01E01.WEB-DL.1080p.1WinStudio-en

[ Woman vocalising ]

♪♪

♪♪

[ Clock ticking ]

[ Door opens, keys jingle ]

[ Door closes ]

♪♪

How lovely.
Thank you, Joy.

[ Thudding in distance ]

♪♪

♪♪

[ Dishes clatter ]

Sorry.

♪♪

♪♪

[ Clock ticks ]

[ Door opens, closes ]

♪♪

It will...calm you.

No, thank you.

♪♪

[ Music box playing ]

♪♪

♪♪

David?

♪♪

[ Gunshots fire ]

[ Door opens ]

♪♪

Clive: Why did you do it?!

Why did you have to kill him?!

[ Breathing heavily ]

♪♪

[ Voice echoing indistinctly ]

Woman:
Nail file. Scent bottle.

Lip brush.
Sixpence in copper.

Powder compact.

[ Music box playing ]

One .38 revolver and six
empty cases, already in custody.

[ Music box continues playing ]

Davies: We've just seen
the body of David Blakely

at Hampstead Mortuary.

I understand you know
something about it.

Tell us about
how Blakely ended up dead.

I am guilty.

I'm rather confused.

Hold still!

I've got lippy on, Vicki.

Well, not enough for Morrie.

Perfect.
Drinks on you tonight?

If I get the job.

Knock him dead.

Morris:
You're a good hostess, Ruthie,

but it's a big step
from hostessing to management.

Not many girls of your...

background make it.

I know, sir, but I will.

A peer of the realm, an actor,

and a travelling salesman
all want a table.

You've got one left.
Who gets it?

Well...

the poshos get a kick
out of being treated like scum.

So you send
Lord Snootybollocks packing.

He'll tell all his mates
and come back for more.

The actor
just wants free booze.

So you set him up at the bar,
let everyone get an eyeful,

got yourself a gossip piece
in "The Mirror" the next day.

Now the salesman --
he may look shabby,

but he's got pockets
full of cash.

A few years ago he was a hero,
fighting Nazis.

Now he's flogging dusters
door to door.

You make him feel
like somebody again,

he'll spend everything he's got.

He gets the table.

[ Chuckles ]

Ruth: How's it going
with the new bloke?

He sent me every bouquet
from The Dorchester's florist.

-How'd you meet him, anyway?
-Stephen, obviously.

Of course,
that bone-crunching perv.

Vicki: He's been good to me.

Could introduce you
to Lord Astor.

He's just got divorced.
-No, thanks.

What you need is a nice,
rich husband, big, posh house.

All you'd have to do
is spank him once a week.

[ Laughs ]
-Thank you.

[ Indistinct conversations,
music playing ]

Do you mind?

This is a private conversation.

Shush, I know him
from Carroll's.

Oh.

Erm, er, sorry.
I wasn't, erm, eavesdropping.

It's Miss Ellis?

Yes. Hello.

Er, Desmond Cussen.

This is Vicki Martin.
My children, Andre and Georgina.

Hm.

"The Beano."

I'm more of a "Magnet" man
myself.

Well,
I was thinking that I might

go to Carroll's Club
tonight.

Actually,
I'm not working there any more.

Got a new job.

-Desmond: Er, congratulations.
-Ruth: Thank you.

It's at the Little Club.

Er, good--
Er, goodbye then.

[ Laughs ]

Stephen Ward may be a perv,
but at least he's amusing.

[ Sighs ]

It's, erm...very funny today.

♪♪

♪♪

Desmond?

Since I'm celebrating,

you can buy me a drink later
if you like.

That would be lovely.

♪♪

Shall we?

-Evening, Reggie.
-Evening.

Evening.

Ruth: The club's reopening
next week, redecorated.

I'll be London's
youngest club manager.

Quite an achievement.

I've been working
since I was 14 --

Cinema Cafe,
Lyon's Corner House.

Most of the money
went to my mother. Still does.

It's all I've ever wanted to do,
really -- work.

I-I thought, erm, girls mostly
wanted to get married.

Tried that.
No, thank you.

And the, erm, the -- the
children's, erm -- their father?

I'm separated from Georgina's,

and Andre's was killed
in the war.

Hm.

So, you've done all that
on your own.

I've done nothing with my life,

except turn my father's
successful business

into a middling one.

[ Chuckles ]

You, on the other hand --
well, you're quite something.

[ Indistinct conversations,
music playing ]

Can I get you another drink?

I'm buying.

♪♪

Oh! Sorry.

I suppose you're the hostess?

I'll have another gin and tonic.

As a matter of fact,
I'm an old has-been.

[ Chuckles ]

Two vermouths, please,
and who is that pompous arse?

Some racing driver.

♪♪

♪♪

Davies: You set out from home
tonight with a gun in your bag,

and you shot David Blakely.

That is correct.

Blakely was your lover.

Why did you want to kill him?

Ruth: He hadn't picked me up
when he said he would.

He was drinking
with some friends,

and there was...

some other woman there.

I became very furious.

Where did you get the gun from?

It was given to me
as security in a club.

By whom?

A man.
I don't remember his name.

When was this?

About three years ago.

Mrs. Ellis, when you put
the gun in your bag,

did you intend
to kill Blakely with it?

Yes.

I left Andre at home,

I took the gun, and I got
in a taxi to Hampstead.

Andre -- who's that?

My son.

Where's Andre now, Ruth?

[ Siren wailing ]

[ Buzzer buzzing ]

Woman:
Yes? Can I help you?

Detective Inspector Peter Gill.

Andre, the son of
Mrs. Ruth Ellis -- where is he?

Woman: Here.
It's room number five.

♪♪

Andre: Mum?

It's alright, Andre.
Go back to sleep.

♪♪

♪♪

[ Cat meowing ]

[ Telephone ringing ]

♪♪

Hello?

♪♪

♪♪

[ Bell dings ]

♪♪

Ruth: I can't afford to pay
solicitor's fees, Mr. Bickford.

That's all in hand.

Mrs. Ellis, you have signed
a written statement

admitting your guilt
without any legal advice.

Ruth: Well, I am guilty.

I've already agreed
to tell the court

I fully intended
to shoot David --

Stop there.
Do you feel quite well?

Have the police
treated you well?

Perfectly.

Ever been in any trouble
with them before?

Certainly not.

Why did you decide...

to do what you did
earlier tonight?

I was in a rage...

at the way David and his friends
were treating me...

laughing at me...

hanging up when I tried to call,
like I was nothing.

You killed him because
he wouldn't answer the phone?

When did you decide
you were going to do this?

[ Liquid pouring ]

[ Breathing raggedly ]

Yesterday morning.
I hadn't been able to sleep.

I hadn't been able
to find David.

I suddenly had an overwhelming
and peculiar desire to kill him.

You thought he was
with another woman?

What, you lost control?

No, I saw things clearly
for the first time.

♪♪

Has a doctor ever
treated you for...

mental instability?

I'm not cuckoo, if that's
what you mean.

No, no, no.
Of course, but it --

it's important that we explore

every possible line
of defence.

You don't understand,
Mr. Bickford.

I'm not interested
in any defence.

Bickford: You have admitted
to a capital crime.

Without mitigation,
without a defence,

any judge would be forced to --

To hang me. Yes.

I chose to do what I did.
I don't regret it.

I don't ask you or anyone else
to plead for my life.

An eye for an eye.

I took David's life.

I don't ask you to save mine.

♪♪

♪♪

[ Keys jangle ]

[ Lock clicks ]

[ Breathing heavily ]

♪♪

Just over there by the piano,
Sam.

Lovely.

What do you think?
Too much?

Jackie: I think it's perfect.

Thanks, Jackie.

Almost.

♪♪

[ Band playing upbeat music ]

Good evening.
Welcome.

Woman:
Ruth, you look wonderful.

Thank you.

Vicki...

What do you think?

Bloody gorgeous!

-Hello, Cooch.
-Hi.

-Champagne?
-Oh, please.

Champagne each
for the Vicki and Cooch.

♪♪

♪♪

I've seen you before.

You look...

different.

I was probably
rather rude to you.

I probably deserved it.

Can I buy you a drink?

I run this place, Mr. Blakely.
Let me get you one.

♪♪

♪♪

Well remembered.

I'm very good at my job.

♪♪

♪♪

Hm.

It's a little too much tonic.

Perhaps you should go back
to Carroll's.

Most nights I'm at the
Steering Wheel Club, actually.

I'm a --
-Racing driver, I know.

I expect you're waiting
for me to ask you about it.

[ Chuckles ]

I travel all over Europe.
I meet a lot of famous people.

You think I should go weak at
the knees for your little hobby.

I was once engaged
to a Canadian Airforce pilot.

Now, flying -- that's something.

Not just racing toy cars.

Oh, believe me,
they're not toys.

♪♪

Who's he?
Your boyfriend?

Do you care?

Not particularly.

I think you do.

I think you came here for me.

I'm not taken by
this little...

international playboy act.

I think you're a spoiled brat
spending Daddy's money,

and you are too used
to getting your own way.

I do always get my own way.

♪♪

[ Finale plays ]

-Ruth: This one's on me.
-Thank you.

Ruthie looking after you
alright?

Always.

You need some extra special
looking after, you let her know.

Oh, th-that's not, erm...

Have lunch with me tomorrow.

Gosh, I'm so busy
with the place, I --

You could bring Andre
and Georgina,

and we could do
whatever you want.

Andre has been going on
about the zoo.

The zoo it is.

Erm, I could, er,
pick you up at 10:00?

♪♪

♪♪

David: I haven't been able
to get you out of my mind.

I know.

You've been thinking
about me, too?

About what an arrogant bastard
you are.

It's all an act.

But you know that, don't you?

Because you are, too.

♪♪

♪♪

[ Cat meowing ]

♪♪

♪♪

Mr. Bickford!
Just in time for Peter's round.

Have you dusted the gun
for fingerprints?

Whose prints would
we be looking for?

Half a dozen witnesses
saw her shoot Blakely.

Question is,
who gave her the gun?

She claims it was security
for a loan at the Little Club,

that she kept it in a drawer
for three years.

-And?
-We both know that
can't possibly be true.

That gun hasn't been sitting
in a drawer.

It's in perfect working
condition. It's oiled.

You're a two-bob brief,
not an arms expert.

I prosecuted war crimes
in Austria.

Believe me, I know guns.

Does anything about this crime
make any sense to you at all?

A young woman
with no previous record,

never even fired a gun.

20 years of policing
have taught me

anyone is capable
of almost anything.

Have you conducted even
the most cursory investigation

into where she obtained
that gun?

What I am investigating is the
murder of an innocent young man.

And what interests me
are the four bullets

that that gun and your client
put into him.

Hey!

You know David went down
after the first shot?

He was on the ground
when she fired the next three.

Point-blank range.

Tell your client
to do the decent thing.

Spare his family a trial.

Judge: Ruth Ellis,
you have been charged

with the murder
of David Blakely.

You will appear in this court to
enter a plea in 10 days' time.

Until then,
you will be remanded in custody

at Holloway Women's Prison.

♪♪

Where did the gun come from,
Ruth?

I told you,
security for a loan.

If I'm to defend you,
I need you to be honest with me.

Ruth: Honest, Mr. Bickford?

My parents had a visit from
a journalist at "The Mirror,"

says his newspaper are paying
my legal fees, your fees.

That's why you turned up
the night I was arrested --

because a tabloid wants
an exclusive.

Someone's put you up to this.

Someone gave you the gun,
and you're protecting them.

Man: This way, Miss.

♪♪

[ Door opens ]

[ Door closes ]

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Ruth: Look how long
your eyelashes are.

Are you wearing mascara?

I once threw a girl in
Frensham Ponds

for asking me that.

Naughty boy.

You don't know the half of it.

I heard you once drove a Bentley
around the Albert Hall

at 60 miles per hour.

Mm-hmm.

Didn't get caught, though.

[ Chuckles ]

I'm late.

[ Kisses, grunts ]

Ruth: Late for what?

Race meeting in Surrey.

Well, you can show me what
all the fuss is about then

with your toy cars.

Hmm?

I'll pack a champagne picnic.

♪♪

[ Indistinct conversation ]

♪♪

Thank you.

Now, mind your fingers.
Alright, you all in?

[ Giggles ]

♪♪

-[ Tyres screech ]
-Ruth: Whoo!

[ Giggles ]

♪♪

♪♪

It's a twin-cam version
of the 1500 Singer HRC.

[ Both laugh ]

Give me that.

Look, we call it "The Emperor."

This car is gonna make my name.

You don't believe me.

Hm.

-[ Engine revs ]
-[ Laughs ]

-The Emperor has arrived.
-Clive: Ah, David.

-Carole: David, darling.
-Anthony: Well, how's
she running?

David:
Like silk, old boy, like silk.

It's a beautiful day for it, eh?

-Good to see you, David.
-Hi.

Er, this is Clive Gunnell
and Anthony Findlater.
-Hello.

-Ant's been working
on the car with me.

-Well, he's the money,
and I'm the brains.

-Hello.
-Hello.

And this is Carole Findlater.

Carole, Ruth Ellis.
Ruth works at the Little Club.

-Carole: Does she now?
-Manages it, actually.

We brought champagne.
-Ah.

-Let's crack it open, shall we?
-Good choice.

Carole: So, what did you think
of The Emperor?

Don't tell David,
but I thought it was thrilling.

You're very sweet.

-David! Stop that! Stop! David!
-Watch out.

Are they always like that?

Ant's never entirely
trusted him,

ever since...

[ Band music plays ]

Since what?

It's no secret.
David and I had a tendresse.

Oh, an affair, darling --
all very much in the past,

we laugh about it now,
but, well, I'm afraid

Ant never finds it very funny.

Anthony:
Carole, darling, we're off.

You know,
I do hope we see you again.

One never knows with David,

but I'm keeping my fingers
firmly crossed for you.

Coming!

Anthony:
David's being naughty.

[ Conversation continues
indistinctly ]

♪♪

I'm so sorry
to put you all through this.

You have to plead insanity.

Ruth:
I was sane when I did it.

I meant to do it.
I won't lie.

What about Andre?

Ruth: It'll be alright, Mum.
It's alright.

He's going to be taken care of.

It's all arranged.

Arranged with who?
Who? Ruthie!

She swears she was sane
when she did it.

And I know my daughter.

Stubborn as a mule
when she wants to be.

What's going to happen to her?

I need something...

to mount some sort of defence.

She won't tell me
where she got the gun.

And her reasons
for wanting Blakely dead

make precious little sense.

You know he knocked her about?

David was violent towards her?

She does pick 'em, our Ruth.

She has a history
of violent relationships?

Her ex-husband, George Ellis --

handy with his fists, too.

I don't know what went wrong.

She was such a...

happy little girl.

Ray of sunshine.

[ Sniffles ]

Are you alright, love?

Just get some water.

[ Sobbing quietly ]

Bickford: Muriel?

Is there anything
you can tell me

that might help your sister?

Alfred: Muriel?

Ruth...

she lost a baby recently.

It was David's.

[ Both laughing ]

Stop! Terrible!

Jackie?

[ Giggles ]

[ Slow-tempo music playing ]

[ Thudding ]

♪♪

Jackie,
will you help Mr. Cussen?

-Come on.
-Yes, of course.

[ Pounding on door ]

Morris:
Not good for business --

favouring some punters,
neglecting others.

Go home to your wife, Morris.

Ah, lover boy doesn't know,
does he?

Her rate's 10 quid a night.

Worth every penny.

She asked you to leave.

Piss off,
little Lord Fauntleroy.

You know,
I don't think I will.

I think I'll be staying tonight
and tomorrow night.

In fact, I'm moving in,

so there'll be no more
late-night calls

from you or any other
sweaty, old bastards,

unless you want my stepfather
to speak to his good friend,

the commissioner
at Scotland Yard,

and tell him you're running
a brothel.

Clean up the bar downstairs.

It's a bloody state!

Did you mean it?

♪♪

I want to live with you.

♪♪

♪♪

So how many have you had
up here?

Ruth: How many?

David: Men.

♪♪

It's gonna have to stop,
you know?

'Cause I'm not gonna be able
to stand it.

[ Ruth gasping ]

I'm awfully afraid
I'm falling in love with you.

Bickford:
He beat you, didn't he?

"Body covered in large bruises
with the skin broken in places.

Temporary deafness in one ear.

Strangulation bruises on neck.

Recent pregnancy loss,

likely due to
blows to the abdomen."

This is what
your doctor recorded.

Why didn't you tell the police?

They never asked.

You lost a baby
because David beat you.

There are four defences
to murder --

self-defence, insanity,
proof you didn't do it.

But we can't use any of those.

The fourth is provocation.

If David did something
so terrible to you,

it caused you
to temporarily lose control,

that could be a defence.

[ Ruth gasping ]

[ Breathing heavily ]

Get back into bed now!

[ Door closes ]

I didn't lose control.

If you could be honest
about what you've suffered,

if you can gain their sympathy,

then the jury could recommend
mercy.

I won't stand in a courtroom
and beg.

And I didn't kill David
because he beat me.

Why did you kill him?

You wouldn't understand.

You think I'm just
a drab, little man in a suit.

[ Chuckles ]
Perhaps I am.

But men like me -- we've seen
things you can't imagine --

inconceivable acts of cruelty,
inconceivable suffering,

and always the impulse is
never to speak of it again,

because to speak of it
makes it real.

I know you're lying
about the murder.

You said it was a black cab
dropped you at the Magdala Pub,

but not one cabbie
has come forward.

I've met a lot
of London cabbies,

and they remember who's
in the back of their cars,

especially when they're blondes
all over the papers,

accused of murder.

Right.

That's all, Mr. Bickford.

♪♪

Mr. Bickford?
These came for Mrs. Ellis.

She's sent these every day.

♪♪

♪♪

[ Breathing raggedly ]

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Mrs. Ellis has been remanded
in Holloway Prison,

charged with murder.

I have been instructed
to act as her solicitor.

I believe you're
a friend of hers.

More than a friend.

Well, I wouldn't say that.

Bickford:
Someone must have helped her.

Someone must have given her
a gun.

Was it you?

I have only her interests
in mind.

♪♪

It was Desmond Cussen
gave you the gun,

drove you to the Magdala.

He confessed to me.

Wouldn't say much.

He's lying.

-I have to tell the police.
-No.

I'd be struck off.
I could be prosecuted.

I'll plead Not Guilty.
That's what you want, isn't it?

I will let you fight my case
in court.

But his name stays out of it.

Bickford:
I'd be committing a crime,

withholding Cussen's confession
from the police.

I-I could be
seen as an accessory

to murder after the fact.

You'd be committing perjury.

These are my terms.

Well, I can't accept them.

Fine. I never wanted a lawyer,
Mr. Bickford.

I want to plead Guilty.

But you are the one who is so
concerned with saving my life,

though I haven't quite
worked out why.

These terrible things you saw...

...I suppose they happened
in the war?

Was it you who did them?

So, this is all what?

Penance?

I'm sorry I wasn't able
to help you, Mrs. Ellis.

♪♪

Mr. Bickford, I'll do it.
I'll do the trial your way.

You can use provocation
as defence.

You can go for manslaughter.

If we do this...

you must do everything I ask --

give evidence
in your own defence.

And his name stays out of it.

[ Indistinct conversations
echoing ]

[ Dialling ]

[ Telephone ringing ]

Knightsbridge 044.

-Jackie, it's Ruth.
-Ruth!

I need to know he's being
taken care of properly.

Jackie: Who?

David.

♪ I still believe ♪

♪ We were meant for each other ♪

♪ I still believe ♪

♪ That you're mine
and no other ♪

What's your real voice?

What?

Your accent.

♪ With our love all aflame ♪

I know it's not this fake
telephone voice you put on.

[ Man continues
singing indistinctly
over record player ]

Where did you grow up?

♪♪

We moved around --

Manchester, Basingstoke.

I was born in Rhyl.

Mm-hmm.

I've never met anyone from Rhyl.

Hmm.

Well, we're a very exotic breed.

You're different to the girls
I know.

Carole?

That's all over.

It's you I want...

♪ Though my heart is breaking ♪

...and only you.

♪ I still believe ♪

[ Knocking on door ]

♪♪

He won't give you
what you deserve, you know.

He'll never marry you.

Oh, for Christ's sake, who said
anything about marriage?

You could have everything
you want, everything
the children want.

You could -- You could be set
for life with me.

Desmond, how much have you had
to drink? Come on.

Who you are, what you do...

it doesn't matter to me.

But it does to him.

You don't know that.

I do.

He's engaged.

What is this?

Bugger off home to bed,
old chap.

No, you should leave.

You know you're a joke to her.

I flew Lancasters in the war.

I dropped bombs
on German children.

And for what?

To defend entitled boys
like you,

who take everything
that they want,

and they never give
a second's thought

to the people that they destroy.

Well, sooner or later,
the bill will come in.

♪♪

[ Chuckles ]

♪♪

Is it true?

It isn't real.
It's -- It's for my mother.

For your mother?

Should have known that's
what you were doing here --

hiding from Mummy.

Stop it.

I was right about you...

playing with your toy cars.
playing at being a man.

'Cause you're not, are you?

You're just a frightened
little boy.

"The Emperor"?

It's you that's the joke.
[ Groans ]

♪♪

♪♪

Ruth: "Dear Mrs. Blakely.

No doubt these last few days
have been a shock to you."

♪♪

"The two people I blame
for your son's death and my own

are his so-called
friends, the Findlaters."

"You will not
understand this yet,

but perhaps before I hang,
you will."

David: I'm so sorry.

Ruth: "I implore you to forgive
David for living with me,

but we were very much in love
with one another.

Unfortunately,
David was not satisfied

with one woman in his life."

"I shall die loving your son."

[ Sobbing quietly ]

Ruth:
"And you should feel content

that his death has been repaid."

[ Sobbing ]

It's alright.

It's alright.

"Goodbye.

Ruth Ellis."

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Bickford: It was Desmond Cussen
gave you the gun.

I have to tell the police.

No.

Bickford: I'd be struck off.
I could be prosecuted.

I will let you fight my case
in court.

But his name stays out of it.

These are my terms.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Judge: Ruth Ellis...

you are charged with the murder
of David Blakely.

How do you plead?

Not Guilty.

[ Spectators murmur ]

Bickford:
They've called Desmond Cussen

as a witness
for the prosecution.

The prosecution?
What do they know about Desmond?

Bickford: I don't know,
but when this goes to trial,

Desmond will be speaking
against you.

Everything he's seen you suffer,
we can't use it,

but it's not too late

to go to the police
and tell them about it.

There is nothing to tell.

There's something
you need to understand, Ruth.

You represent everything
they fear,

and they're going to try
to destroy you.

-"They"?
-The police, newspapers,

even the courts.

An ambitious woman,
no respect for class boundaries,

no respect
for sexual boundaries.

A mother who has, as they
see it, abandoned her children.

You have used everything
to try to advance yourself

at the expense of everything
they value,

and they won't forgive you
for it.

You're going to be on trial
for far more than murder.

And we will need to use
everything we have.

I won't betray anyone.

Well, then I hope to God
we can say the same of him.

♪♪

Jackie: It will all come out
at the trial --

what you put her through,
what you made her suffer.

Hey. Why put his family
through a pointless trial?

'Cause I believe she's
not guilty of murder.

Davies:
You've seen the press here.

You know this'll be the biggest
case of both of our careers.

And I promise you,
I will see her hang.

Why has the Crown called
Desmond Cussen as a witness?

What's he given them?

See you in court.

♪♪