Original subtitles

You awake?

Annie, I just got home from work.

I'll get you something to drink.

Do you want anything else?

Some music?

Hmm?

I'll put some music on.

It's been a lovely day.

Thank you.

Oh, you've not been up today?

No. You missed all the sunshine.

A bit of fresh air will do you good.

Jean?

Hmm?

Haven't you got a kiss from a pretty girl?

Have you got them?

You haven't.

Why not?

I couldn't.

You couldn't? Or you wouldn't?

Jean, you promised you would today. You promised.

Well,

if you love me, you must help me.

Everything all right?

I'll take these, shall I?

We're not winning then, Grandad.

Oh, well.

We can't have all the luck, can we?

Anyway.

He does nothing.

He just sits there.

He does nothing and he says nothing.

All right, there are, well, signals, I suppose, sometimes in the eyes, his

Signals?

Steve says they never register with him. He's never seen them.

I suppose I'm imagining that.

Yeah.

Is that all you have to say on the subject?

Sorry?

You're supposed to be Maggie's friend, aren't you? A doctor.

Oh, I'm not her father's doctor.

But still a friend.

Oh, yes.

John is involved in psychiatric group work.

Oh, I see.

Voluntary, unpaid and part -time. In an unofficial capacity.

Therefore, he pretends to prefer straight answers.

Well, if you don't get them.

I'm better.

We did the very same thing.

I don't know what you're talking about. Don't we?

With our son, with Paul, we look for science, for change, for some sort of

break in the pattern.

Even though that pattern is set, it can't be changed?

Yeah.

I think it's called hope.

I suppose we make up our minds to devote our time, nearly all our time, to them,

without thinking.

Yeah. I know I did.

I didn't work out the consequences when I agreed to have Dad at home.

It was instinctive.

A natural thing to do.

Of course.

I've got to admit it now.

It's a problem.

I have taken on one hell of a problem. But it's not one you change.

No. What about your working life?

Well, as you know, I've got a full -time nurse, and so far it hasn't affected

it. No, but it will, though, I'm afraid.

All right, then, so it will.

But he's not going to sit it out in some nursing home. I'm not having that.

Good for you.

Yes, good for her.

Like us, she's found a solution.

Well, not exactly a solution.

Then what is it?

It doesn't remove the doubt. It doesn't solve the problem.

It's not the solution.

So tell me... Well, you're talking about something completely different.

Still necessary, but... Of course I'm talking about caring. I'm talking about

giving comfort.

Exactly. You're talking about love.

And with the kindest intentions in the world, we all know how short -sighted

misleading love can be.

All I can say is that I'm glad your psychiatric patients only have to put up

with you part -time.

Oh, they're not my patients. But you're involved with them, aren't you? Yes.

Because he chose to be involved.

Which is why we didn't choose.

Isn't that what it's all about?

Isn't it?

Maggie's father, our son.

Keep them hanging on.

Keep them alive.

Of course, we love them.

Of course, they're too close to us. Of course, they're close to us. Yes, but we

do the same thing for a perfect stranger, someone we met on the street.

nothing to do with it. Just listen for once. I mean, would we?

Would we take them in, look after them, carry them to the bathroom, carry them

to the bedroom?

feed them, wash them, clothe them, cry for them, would you?

I can't answer that now, can I? Why not?

Oh, for God's sake, what is this?

Janey, a quiet dinner party, and it turns into some kind of psychiatric

examination.

Well, I don't need to be analyzed very much. Oh, my dear, no one's trying to

analyze you. Policemen and doctors are never off duty, and they never fail to

have a catalytic effect on everything and everyone.

It's true.

You know, my father had the right idea.

Dining out or dining at home, he would always have one thing to say before

sitting down at the table. Let all costs avoid controversial subjects during

dinner.

That's right.

So if no one minds, I'll make them into round coffee.

Jane, his father spent his entire life avoiding issues, major ones, minor ones,

sidestepped them all.

He died suddenly and peacefully in his sleep one night.

Therefore avoiding even the final issue.

Yeah.

But Janie will never accept it, but... I meant what I said just now.

The things I do for what's left of that son of mine, I wouldn't do for anyone

else. I couldn't do it with no heart.

How would you describe it?

I'd describe it as selfishness.

It's my selfishness.

It's not my son's loss I really care about. Not when I get around to thinking

about it truthfully.

It's my loss.

That's what really hurts.

Yes.

I think you were trying to talk about solutions before

Janie interrupted you.

Well, yes, yes.

You see, I suppose...

And the kind of cases we've been discussing, well, there isn't any one

solution, is there?

Death itself?

That's the result, not a solution.

Now, what is?

I think I'd better see if your wife needs some help with the coffee.

Oh, my God.

That's really beautiful.

I want to see.

I don't know.

Where's your dressing gown?

Are we saving electricity?

Thank you.

You're clever.

You really are clever.

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

Have another drink.

And sit down, for God's sake.

What's that? The second in two hours?

Three hours.

Three hours.

I think you have a problem.

Claire.

Come on.

It's going to be an evening in.

Together.

Just like old times.

I'll put him to bed. He's just about to switch everything off.

Oh, hello, Steve.

It's all right, love. I'll do it.

Did you have a good time?

Yes, fine.

Thanks.

Well, then, I'll... I'll leave you to it.

Good night. Good night.

Night, love.

A television game.

What's the point of it?

Well, he can't even see it. He can't see it in his way.

So what's his way?

I mean, you look at his eyes.

They're like windows.

That's all.

They're just windows.

Anyway.

Leave that.

Why, just thought I... No, no, no, leave it. It can all be done in the morning.

You think he's right for her?

Who? That John.

You think he's right for Maggie?

It's just a friend.

Oh, no, it's more than that. I'm sure it's more than that.

Anyway, I don't like him. He's trouble.

Because he speaks the truth?

I'm a kind. I can take the truth.

What's wrong?

It's just a lousy time of night, that's all.

Now, would you like me to stay?

Stay? Yes, be around.

But it's better than being alone.

I'm not alone.

I'd like to be with you tonight.

With Dad upstairs?

Steve in the house?

My place.

Why not?

It might be good for you.

Good for me?

Good for both of us.

All right.

Some other time.

If it fresh air will do you good who's always saying that?

What happens to me

you How am I supposed to survive without you

I mean, you've... Well, you've taught me everything.

I've never had to teach you. It was always there.

I don't know who I am without you.

What am I going to do? Where do I start?

The lost property office at Heathrow.

What? Why, that's where I met you. That's where I picked you up.

Oh, come on.

Must have been your air hostess uniform that did it to me.

Well, if you're just going to be silly.

The lost property office at Heathrow.

Of all places.

So which one of us was lost?

You were.

No, wrong.

You were.

When will you get them?

When?

What happens to me?

You see, it'll be the hospital again soon.

It'll be more delaying treatment.

I really don't want any more delaying...

Will you get them tomorrow?

Yeah.

Prescription forms.

A whole pad of them.

Plus the GP's rubber stamp. Show me.

Oh, he's gone.

So, what was the doctor doing taking his eyes off him?

He was in his little curtain.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, well, he's an old geezer.

That's the idea.

In a place like Friar Street, there should be no such thing as a curtain

in a doctor's surgery.

Only a barbed wire fence and a searchlight.

Right.

Now, how many have gone?

About a third. You checked the chemists in the area? Well, naturally.

And? We haven't found a big score yet.

There again, they could have gone anywhere to do it, couldn't they? Down

coast, anyway.

All right, where is she?

Barrett? Oh, no.

Good morning.

Fiona, is it?

Yes. Fiona what?

Wade. I see.

Right, now, where did you get this from, then? Fiona Wade.

I found it. You found it?

Well, whereabouts did you find it?

Castle Street.

Did you find anything else there?

Yes. Some sort of rubber stamp thing.

Like this?

Yes, that's the one.

So, where were they?

Told you.

Castle Street?

Yeah, but where exactly in Castle Street?

On the grounds.

Just lying on the grounds. Both these items?

Yeah. Why don't you hand them in?

What? Well, they were found on you. Am I? So why don't you hand them in at your

nearest doctor's surgery or police station?

I was going to. Even a chemist.

I was busy.

I was going to, but I was busy. I just hadn't got round to it.

I see.

So, where do you live, Fiona?

With friends.

Their address?

Yeah. I never looked. Hey!

Oh, track marks, Fiona. Dead veins.

Old ones.

Yeah, but they're still there.

Are you registered?

I was once.

There's dope burns on your clothes.

That was an accident. Oh, come on, Fiona, the truth. Now, what are you? A

Five hustler, right?

No. Yes, you are. You look like one, you smell like one. You knocking out dope?

Dope? Upper at Downers. Not me.

What, in possession of these?

I've got nothing, Dash. Go and look.

Address? No fixed abode.

You know what you can get for knocking out Doug?

I'm not doing it.

Well, who is then? Friends of yours?

I don't graft no one up.

All right then, you take the lot.

I've got too many friends.

Too many for what?

A lot of names.

Well, we've got a lot of time, a lot of people.

Hi. Morning.

How's your head?

Fine. Good?

Wonderful.

Didn't drink that much between us, did we?

No, we talked a lot.

Oh, that gives you hangovers?

Very often, yes.

This friend of... This friend of yours, John... Is he here to stay?

Why?

That's just one.

There's a doctor.

Triestry. Treating. A known addict left her alone with this prescription.

You understand all this?

It's old age.

Might just as well have the grinding knots on his desk.

Anyway, she's making a statement of sorts.

So we have to find her friends.

I mean, they're knocking the stuff out. It'll be barbs, amphetamines, that kind

of junk.

A trap squad.

Oh, they wouldn't want to touch it at this level. This is our level.

You know...

There are days when I get so paid sick and fine.

What? Of the people and the rash that we have to deal with.

How are you doing, Fiona?

Thought I'd fool you.

This is your prescription.

Yes. And this is mine.

But yours is for me, Queen.

Well, it was. I've made an addition to it.

You really are clever.

The writing, it's the same. I couldn't tell.

No, so instead of collecting one bottle of sleeping pills... He'll be collecting

two. Yes.

But the chemist, doesn't he know you?

It's none of his business.

Anyway, there's other chemists. I thought I'd go elsewhere.

Good idea.

Find somewhere where there's lots of people.

Yes.

Well, there shouldn't be any problem.

Will there be enough?

Only there must be enough, Gina.

If it goes wrong, there'll be enough.

Good.

See you later.

Do you remember Scarborough?

What? We went there, do you remember?

Oh, yes. Because I liked the song, I thought I liked the song, and you said,

well, let's go there then.

That's right, we just went.

It was marvellous.

When was it?

Oh, three years ago, the summer.

Oh, yes.

It's pity about the fair, though. I thought there'd be a fair there.

Well, in the song, they didn't mean that. Not that kind of fair.

Oh, I see. It's an old song, I told you. When they said fair in those days, they

meant a market.

Oh, yes.

And the cafe, do you remember?

Oh. cafe? Well, it was tea room, something like that. We stopped on the

because I needed to find a chemist to buy some makeup. And there was that nice

man in the cafe, that nice old man.

And I asked him where the chemist shop was and he told us.

Then what did he say?

He said, if you don't mind me saying so, my dear, you don't need makeup. You're

pretty enough without it.

Wasn't that nice of him? It was.

Your paperwork? Signed, sealed, delivered. Oh, thank you, sir.

You busy?

Yes, well, I have got... Do you mind if I perch for a minute?

Janey went away this morning.

Went away?

Oh, it wasn't a row, nothing like that, no. Just a serious discussion through

what was left of the night, but not a row.

Oh, good.

So she decided.

She's very good at sudden decisions.

Packed case, just like that.

So she decided to go off to the Lake District.

Yes, for a couple of days. She's got an aunt living up there.

Just a break. Just a break.

Well,

even the closest of couples can get too close sometimes, can't they?

They can, yes.

Suffocation job.

Happens to us all.

Cope all right on your own?

Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

But your friend who did it, John.

Did what?

Well, made us talk.

Jane and I sort of discussed things between ourselves.

Well, I suppose that's part of a psychiatrist's job. No, no, I know, I

I mean, he practices it. I think he's very good at it.

See, it's not what they say. It's what they make us say.

The thoughts they leave us with. Not theirs, exactly.

Our own thoughts.

Your son, Paul, was part of these thoughts?

Yeah.

Thanks, Jack.

That's right.

You have to say a lot.

I could never agree with their solution to things.

What? No, never in a million years.

Whose solution to what?

Your friend, John.

See ya.

I realised what he meant by solution.

I had time to think about it afterwards, to understand his reasoning.

Not to agree, not agree, but to understand.

What is it?

Well, his answer, his solution, what is it?

It's what the vets do.

What? Only to people.

Then suffering.

Misery.

Legally, of course.

Yeah.

Yeah, bring him in.

Ronald.

We found him.

Oh, yeah?

Yeah. We'll bring him in.

What do you expect me to do? Jump up in there and come down straight?

Well, that'd be one way of looking at it.

No, uh... Hey, you'd better make it now, Fiona.

Thieving? You can only do me for thieving.

So what about forgery?

No, that's out.

Can't write, can I?

We haven't got all day. See, we are.

Oh,

hello, Mrs. Barnes.

Mr. Merritt? Yes. That's you? Yes.

Where did you get this?

The doctor.

Do you know the doctor?

Yes, we know him, don't we?

When was this written?

Yesterday. Yesterday morning.

Just hold on a minute, will you? And the next, please.

That'll be a pound, please.

I won't keep you waiting, will you?

Here you are. Sorry about that.

Next.

Come on, darling, wake up.

Oh.

Oh, sorry.

All right then. What time?

Would you mind waiting? It'll be about five or ten minutes.

All right?

One minute.

All right.

And, well, I think you're all coming in out of the rain.

Yes, Dr. Tyson, is he there?

No, no, I don't want to know the surgery hours. It's a friend of his.

What?

Oh, oh, I see.

Well, look, perhaps you could tell him that I called.

Maggie Forbes.

No, it's all right. I'll call him at home later.

Yes, right.

Change your faith in human nature, yes?

Ah, ah.

People and trash we have to deal with. Is that what I said?

Yes. I haven't regained it.

Here you are, love.

And the next thing.

Oh, I want to.

Yeah,

missy?

We're closed in a minute.

Oh. Yeah.

Midday closing today.

So -so on the door.

I'm sorry.

You've been waiting for someone or what? Yes.

Yes, I'm waiting for someone.

They haven't turned up, have they?

No.

I mean, we're closed.

Yes, I'm sorry.

Oh, um... Sorry, I'm quite... Do

you want this?

What?

Paper bag.

Oh no.

These things cost money, you know.

And you say you forged a prescription in order to obtain this, is that right?

Yes. And your reason for doing that, you say, was to... To kill my friend.

This friend, is it a boyfriend?

No, a girlfriend?

Neighbour? It's the woman I lived with.

Oh, I see.

Well, as you brought the capsules here, which was the right thing to do. There's

another bottle with the same number of capsules.

Go on.

Left them with her.

When was this thing?

About four, four and a half hours ago.

Four? Keys.

Ambulance. Already think of that. And her GP.

Yeah, I told him. Woman's house. Ask her for them. She won't give them.

So why aren't you there?

I was on my way.

Would you believe who caged him one day?

Yes.

Would you mind if I listened in?

Listen in?

When you talk to this woman, I won't need to see her. It's your place. I

Are you interested?

Why not? See you later, Fiona.

Mrs. Jean Cole?

Yes. Oh, well, not Mrs. anymore. I'm divorced.

I don't use... Yeah, I'm Detective Inspector Croft. This is Detective

Forbes. Now, you told the sergeant that you intended to kill your friend with

capsules similar to these. Is that right?

Yes. And did you also forge a prescription for that second bottle of

Yes. And do you know what those capsules are? Yes, sleeping pills.

Barbiturates. Now, how many have you given to your friend?

Well, I haven't exactly given them. You told the sergeant... I left them beside

her bed.

Then how do you know she'll take them? Oh, she would. She wanted to.

Well, she said this to you?

Yes.

Not when I left them. You were on a previous occasion?

On many previous occasions.

I didn't want to wake her.

I didn't want to stay.

So you left the capsules beside the bed where she could find them? Yes.

Full bottle? Yes. Anything else?

Some wine.

How much wine?

A tumblerful.

Did she have any breakfast?

No. What about lunch? No, she wouldn't have eaten any lunch.

Are you saying that your friend... Look, what's her full name?

Claire.

Claire Rowlandson. Yeah, are you saying that Claire Rowlandson was a party to

this act? Yeah.

To poisoning herself with barbiturates in order to bring about her own death?

Oh, you can't punish her. It's too late.

Yes. I'm saying that.

So what are you, Mrs. Cone?

What? I mean, what are you? Would you consider yourself to be a responsible

person? What?

Well, I came here, didn't I? Look, I'm sorry. I can't hear. I said I came here.

Oh, yes, you came here after treating your friend to a nice cocktail of wine

barbiturates on an empty stomach enough to guarantee an O .D. Oh, yes, you came

here four and a half hours later. I mean, what were you doing for four and a

half hours?

I sat in the park.

Oh.

You sat in the park.

Right, I ask you again, would you consider yourself a responsible person?

Forgery, abuse of drugs, aiding and abetting suicide.

Now, suicide or attempted suicide is no longer a crime. But a person may still

be criminally liable for complicity in another's suicide.

Now, did you know that, Mrs Cole?

All right, you've made that clear, I understand. But I'm not trying to run

I came here, didn't I? I came here to you. Yes, four and a half hours later.

For how long have you and Claire Rawlinson been sharing the same address?

Twelve and a half years. Who owns the property?

We do. Both of you?

Yes. Furniture, goods inside the house? It belongs to both of us. What about

insurance? Do you both have life insurance?

Yes. Does Miss Rawlinson... Sorry, is it Miss? Yes, it is. Does Miss Rawlinson

have any living relatives?

No. So, you and Miss Rawlinson have been living together for something like

twelve and a half years?

Yes. As close friends. That's right, yes.

I see. Excuse me, excuse me, but I don't think you do, Theo. No? No, no.

You're kind of person. You're never prepared.

Now, look, Mrs Cole, just tell me, will you, before we wrap this thing up, just

what do you hope to gain by your friend's death? Me?

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Look, why don't you ask me what I have to lose?

Mrs Cole... Go on, go on, you try it. You just ask me what I have to lose. For

God's sake.

She was dying anyway.

She was suffering, and I loved her. And she was going to die, and there was

nothing in the world that could be done about it.

Dying of what?

Leukemia.

And it

would... It would backward and... forward to that depressing hospital

and forwards for blood transfusions and the rest and all a waste of time because

eventually she would be going into hospital for the last time and

she knew knew she was dying

And these.

These were for you.

No.

Mrs. Carlyle.

I shouldn't think, even under the circumstances, that they'll keep you

Oh. That's not for me to say. That's for Inspector Croft to say.

But there are ways of letting you go home. Once you've made a statement,

like that, you'll want to go home, won't you?

Home.

You say you've been together for 12 and a half years?

That's right, yes.

It's a long time.

Oh, yes.

It is.

We met in the 60s.

We preferred the 60s. I don't know why. I knew there were silly times, really.

Everybody pretending to enjoy themselves, looking for beautiful

And then again, I suppose I was lucky.

I really did find something.

I found something beautiful.

There's no capsules.

I couldn't. I was scared.

But, Claire, I... I didn't want her to suffer any more.

Do you understand?

I can't condone what you've done.

But do you understand it?

In a way, yes.

Who are you?

Doctor, what? Hello, Claire. How are you? What are you doing here, Doctor?

Me?

Oh, just came to see you.

You can't keep away, is that it? That's it.

They're still there, wherever you are.

I haven't touched any.

Oh, good.

I drank some wine and I wrote the note.

Well?

But I haven't taken any pills.

It's a good boy now.

You see, I wasn't really going to touch those things.

Of course you weren't. Not on my own.

Not without Jean.

Where is she? Where is Jean?

She'll be here soon.

Something. Something.

She'll be home.

Very weak.

Hospital?

I think so.

She's all right. Well, if you can call it all right.

She wouldn't take the capsules.

Not without a friend in it.

Where is she?

Hospital. Could be her last visit there, the doctor reckons.

Shame. Nice -looking bird.

Jean Cole.

Yeah?

Book and Bale.

Cinderhorn.

Garden. Had enough for one day.

You grump! Stop, you idiot!

You! You!

All right, hold him, Cal! Yes! Take him to the interview room!

Now sit down!

Let her roll it.

He's a liar.

I was going to ring you.

Oh? I'm off out for the night.

Frank's place is... He's having a bit of a party.

You don't mind?

Why should I mind?

Anyway, you won't be all alone.

Your friend called by.

Hello, Maggie.

John. I'll see you sometime tomorrow night, love. Hey, what about Dad?

Oh, he's fine.

He's still watching those games.

Well, you can never lose that way, can you?

Bye. Bye -bye, love.

John, er, I wanted to ask you something.

Well, I let her go.

Yeah, booked and bailed.

Funny woman.

Funny, yeah.

Eh? Well, first of all, I think she was running a formation dancing team

somewhere in Croydon.

Yet she's like that.

Well, it takes all sorts, doesn't it? Yeah, well, we all know what they need.

Women like that.

Yeah. Come back to my place?

Yeah. Yes, I believe that in some cases, but in a lot of cases,

Legalised termination of life should be condemned.

Well, I don't.

I didn't expect you to agree, not with your job.

But how can you believe in that?

Why shouldn't I believe in it?

I've seen a lot of suffering.

Too much suffering.

I mean, that woman you were telling me about, the one your colleagues dealt

today.

A girl who is dying.

Who knows she's going to die.

Having to endure months of what we euphemistically call delayed treatment.

Why shouldn't it be ended for her?

Why should she have to suffer?

John, it isn't morally right to pick... Oh, please don't get religious on me.

No, I wasn't going to.

Do you believe in abortion?

In certain cases, yes.

We're doing it then, aren't we?

At the beginning of the life cycle.

So why not at the end of it?

And my father?

Rattle's son?

I'm not going to answer that, you know it.

All right, then answer this if you can.

If you knew as a general practitioner that one of your patients had been

this way by a loving, caring relative or friend, would you report it?

As the law stands, I'd have to report it.

And if the law were to change in favour of euthanasia?

It would still be an offence for anyone to kill just anyone.

You see, that woman today, the one who came to see us, to tell us, she tried,

but she failed.

She couldn't do it properly.

She couldn't just sit there and see her friend die that way.

And I believe in her heart of hearts. She was hoping that those capsules

wouldn't be taken.

Yeah.

Because underneath it all, her friend's suffering was...

Just that much better than no friend at all.

For the time being.

Just something.

For the time being.

John, do you want a drink?

Well, I thought we might go out for a night.

Have a meal, perhaps.

No, thanks, John, not tonight.

All right.

Think you want to be on my own tonight?

You don't regret a single day.