All language subtitles for The White House s01e03 Stuck in the Middle.eng

(audience cheers)
(audience applauds)

- Well, I'll be damned.

(bird chirping)

(tense music)

- Your jacket.

- [freeman] shit.

(banner rubbing)

Beady-eyed little bastard!

(jefferson clears throat)

Your excellency, I...

- Thought you'd wipe away

What looks like bird shit

With the british flag,

Captured by our valiant
troops at yorktown.

- Oh, my god.

I-I'm so sorry, your excellency.

- Don't be.

We fought a whole war

For the right to wipe
our asses with that rag.

Maybe next time,
use a newspaper.

One that I've read.

(dramatic music)

(tense music)
(birds chirping)

I will be honest
with you, freeman.

Here at the white house,

I prefer to hire white servants,

Even though on occasion
some of them let me down.

But, dr. Baker tells me you
are both diligent and discreet.

And the last of those two
is something I value highly.

- Nothing is more dangerous

Than a friend
without discretion.

Even a prudent
enemy is preferable.

- De la fontaine.

A slave quoting french poetry,

(speaks french).

I can see why your master
recommended you to me.

- Just something I
like to to say is all.

- When jefferson moves
in to the white house,

He essentially rents a slave
from a friend of his, a doctor,

For about $8 a month.

The name of the slave
is beyond ironic,

John freeman.

- John freeman had a unique
view of american politics.

He had a front row seat to the
founding of the united states

And the country and the
government as we know it today.

- You're a smart man, john.

Just remember this.

All that you see within
these four walls,

The words you hear,

Are never to be repeated.

- Your secrets are mine.

And should I fail you,

Let me be struck down.

- In 1801, thomas
jefferson became president.

The white house, thank god,

Is a bit more built.

Construction has continued,

But it must have seemed
very lonely and isolated.

So, thank goodness, in 1801,

James and dolley came to town.

(water flushing)

- It's taken months to arrive,

But they finally
installed it last week.

Designed by alexander
cumming of edinburgh.

- Oh, there was me thinking
you only hired scotsmen

To rake shit up.

- Dolley!

- Oh, I am so sorry,
your excellency.

I must remember my manners,

Now you are the president of
the supposedly united states.

(all laugh)

Well, it's very impressive.
- [jefferson] mm-hmm.

- I, for one shall be glad,

Not to make the trek
out the back lawn

In the middle of a snow storm.

- Quite so.

Now, let me show you
the rest of the changes.

- [brandus] jefferson, among
the many things that he did,

He was an architect.

And the white house was
a remarkable opportunity

For him to put his own
personal stamp on the building.

- Here we have the new portico.

And this,

This is where we plant a,

A new west wing.

- Well, it's very
impressive, thomas,

But do we have the
money for all these, uh,

Improvements?

- James madison has just been
selected by thomas jefferson

As his secretary of state.

James madison is a
very thoughtful person.

He's known as the father
of the us constitution.

- There were critics
who made fun of him

Because of his lack of height.

They called him little jimmy,

Five foot four.

- The costs will likely exceed
the $14,000 congress approved

For the changes made by adams.

But I...

We shall charm them.

(dolley chuckles)

Now, there's something I
would ask of you dolley,

With your husband's permission.

- Oh, yes, of course.

- What is it, thomas?

- Martha's death all
those many years ago,

Has robbed me,

Not only of my wife,

But of a partner in
this new endeavor,

A guiding light to illuminate
this drab cathedral.

- I'm not sure I
understand, thomas.

- The british sending
over a new ambassador,

Anthony merry.

And I am supposed to welcome him

By giving a dinner here
at the president's house.

I would like you
to be the hostess.

- Me? Why?

- Well, is there a woman
in america better suited?

You are clever, beautiful,

Widely admired for
your sense of style,

And crucially,

You love parties.

And I do not.

- Dolley is extroverted.

Dolly loves the social scene.

- She was particularly valuable
during the jefferson era

Because thomas
jefferson was a widower.

His wife martha died in 1782,

And there was really no
first lady to speak of.

- People always talk about
what a figure she had,

How beautiful she looked,

With a warm, lovely,
hospitable personality.

- Oh, I don't know, thomas.

Our house here in washington
is still unfinished.

Our belongings are
scattered in boxes.

There's already so
much I need to do.

- Well, that brings me
neatly to my next request.

I want you both to stay here
till your house is ready.

God knows there's enough space.

I-I won't take no for an answer.

- Well, of course,
we'd be delighted.

Wouldn't we, dolley?

(dolley chuckles)

- Wonderful.

Wonderful!
(dolley chuckles)

I shall inform the staff.

- You didn't have to say yes.

- Of course I did.

He didn't give us an option.

(dolley sighs)

Anyways, it's, not so bad.

You got indoor privies.

(man grunting)
(blade thudding)

- Hello?

Hello, I'm looking for...

Mr. Meyers? Maher?

Maher, I'm looking
for edward maher.

- I'm maher!

(freeman clears throat)

Who the bloody hell are you?

- Freeman, john.

And where did you steal this
uniform from freeman, john?

- I didn't steal nothing, sir.

I'm in the employ
of mr. Jefferson.

Same as you.

- Let's find the
truth of it then.

- [brandus] john freeman
comes to the white house.

He's really kind of a butler.

- Now, many of the
enslaved africans

That came to the white house,

Jefferson kept them
in the background.

But john freeman was treated
equally to his white servants.

- I really don't know why
they bloody put in doors

On this place,

If anyone and everyone's
just gonna keep barging in.

What is it, maher?

And why are you
manhandling freeman?

- Then this man is as
he says, in your employ.

- Indeed. What of it?

- He's black.
- Self-evidently.

- And he wears the
same uniform as I.

- If you have a point, maher,

Come to it.

- I won't wear the
same uniform as an ape.

- You feel passionately
about this?

- I do.

- Well then,

You are relieved of
your duties immediately.

- What?

- Your wages will be sent
to you in due course.

Goodbye, sir.

Goodbye, sir!

Well, don't just
stand there, freeman.

About your duties!

- Throughout his entire life,

Thomas jefferson had
contradictory actions

When it came to slavery.

Even as a lawyer,

He argued cases against slavery

And he argued cases for slavery.

- Why, thomas?

- You know why.

(bell ringing)

- It took you long enough.

- Are you expected, sir?

- Does an old friend
need an invitation?

- Sir! Stop!

- There you are.

Uh-uh.

Don't, um,

Don't get up.

- I'm so sorry, your excellency.

He just pushed past me and-

- It's all right, john.

You may leave this
gentleman with me.

- James callender
wants compensation

For a fine that he had to pay,

In addition to being
put into prison.

- James callender is such
an interesting character

'cause he did all of this
dirty work for jefferson.

- So, what brings
you to washington?

Have the distilleries
of richmond run dry?

(callender belches)

- I've come to take up my post.

- I'm sorry, james.

To which post are you referring?

- When callender is
sprung from jail,

He asked jefferson
for a plum post

In the federal government.

He wanted to be postmaster
of richmond, virginia.

And jefferson had realized

That callender might
be a little unreliable.

Callender had a drinking
problem that was well known.

- It was this hand that
placed you in that seat.

My pen.

Now, imagine for just a second,

If I let it slip that all
those articles I wrote,

Savaging your rivals,

Were sponsored,
written, and paid for

By the newly
installed president.

(callender grumbles)

I went to prison, thomas.

Your enemies put me behind bars.

And you,

You left me there,

Dangling in the wind.

Now, you will recompense me.

- The truth is, mr. Callender,

That I don't know what
you're talking about.

I can only assume prison
has disordered your memory.

I was happy as
president to pardon you,

But that is the very
limit of my goodwill.

I suggest you leave
now, mr. Callender.

Find a boarding house.

Take a bath, perhaps.

(callender laughs)

- Politicians, all the same.

You assume you're untouchable,

But everyone has secrets.

And my singular gift,

Is finding them.

(callender sniffles)

(piss splashing)
(callender moaning)

(callender sniffles)

There are some stains,

That never fade.

- Clean it up.

And never ever let that man
into this building again.

- Thomas jefferson
was not a warm man.

He kept his emotions close.

In fact, he probably did
not like to feel emotions.

Because when he felt them,

He felt them very deeply.

- On the one hand,

He doesn't like
interpersonal conflict.

On the other hand,

He puts himself at the center

Of some of the chief
political conflicts

Of the earlier republic.

(tense music)

One of the stories

That really just epitomizes
jefferson's personality,

Is something that's known
as the merry affair.

And it has to do with
the british ambassador, anthony merry.

(tense music)

- Is there nobody
here to announce us?

Outside, a quagmire.

While inside, well,

This.

This is the epicenter
of their new country?

- Come, we are the
king's representatives.

- Well, the king doesn't
have to attend parties

In a bog swamp.

Oh, god.
- What?

- They're not gonna make us
drink american wine, are they?

- I don't think such a
thing exists, my dear.

- Oh, small mercy.

Hmm.

- It's a burgundy from France.

- In England,

Staff only speak when spoken to.

- Sweet lord, that woman.

I've seen shorter giraffes.

- Shame on you, thomas.

That is ambassador
merry's wife, elizabeth.

- You suppose she lets
him sit on her lap?

(all chuckle)

- Unfortunately, when
anthony merry showed up,

He was walking into
a hornet's nest,

Because jefferson
hated the british.

He had gotten himself really
in debt with british merchants,

And he resented that.

- Mrs. Merry, ambassador.

- Mr. President, you have
a fine new home here.

- Thank you. Thank you.

Of course, it can't compare
with the vast palaces,

Your king moves between but...

- You must be delighted

With how well your
new presidency has begun, mr. Jefferson.

- [jefferson] well, I-

- I recall reading,

Not that long ago in
one of your newspapers,

That if you were elected that,

And I memorized the exact words,

"the air will be rent with
the cries of the distressed,

The soil will be
soaked with blood.

And the nation,

Black with crimes.

Murder, robbery, rape,
adultery, and incest,

Will be openly
taught and practiced.

It is quite a curriculum.

- The press here
write as they please.

We call it free speech.

The first amendment
in our bill of rights.

Perhaps you've heard of it.

- Mrs. Merry, mr. Ambassador,

Let me introduce you
to a few more guests

Before dinner is served.

- I know that face.

Whatever you're thinking,

Don't do it.

We need to court the british,

Keep them close,

Even if they provoke us.

- Right so, james.

We must know our place.

(tense music)

- This must be some
sort of mistake.

They haven't set
the cards out yet.

We'll be at the head of the
table with mr. Jefferson.

- There is no mistake.

They invited us here with the
intention of humiliating us.

(elizabeth scoffs)

- Anthony and elizabeth
merry are both rather stuffy.

And thomas jefferson is
notorious for being informal.

(bell ringing)

And instead of having
any formal seating,

People would just sit
as they called it,

Pell-mell,

Which is you find
your own seats.

- Jefferson as the host,

He should have escorted
elizabeth merry,

But instead he grabs dolley
and it becomes a whole scandal.

- Quickly, anthony, quick,

(tense music)

- (speaks french), how
is the burgundy wine?

- Worse, the ambassador
from France is there.

And great britain and
France are currently at war

With one another.

Merry feels like these
are purposeful slights,

Aimed at the british,

And it really creates
a diplomatic crisis

For the jefferson administration

At the very time that
america and great britain,

Are on the verge of a major
trade war with one another.

- This is an outrage.

I think we should
leave immediately.

- We're not going anywhere.

We've already retreated
once from this country.

If it's a battle he wants,

It's a battle we shall have.

- You should not have
done this, thomas.

- Dolley madison was criticized.

What is this woman doing?

Stepping in as if she is
the wife of the president.

It's inappropriate.

And what does
madison think of it?

Why does he allow his wife
to go off and do this?

(horses braying)

- Well, vice president burr,

I suppose this is what we get

For having freedom of the press.

- Mm-hmm, and would you
like me to continue?

- If you must.

- The allegations,

There are many in lured,

But to summarize,

They state that you and mrs.
Madison are in a relationship.

And that mrs. Madison
and her sister,

Are routinely pimped out

To foreign dignitaries to
secure political favor by you.

- It couldn't possibly be true.

Dolley madison getting pimped
out by jefferson to men,

That's crazy.

(tense music)

- Have the madisons
read these lies yet?

- They have.

They packed up all
their belongings

And left for alternative
lodgings in town,

An hour ago.

- Damn, callender!

(tense music)

I must stop him.

(tense music)

(horse galloping)

(horse whinnying)

- God, thomas,
what are you doing?

- You left without
saying anything?

- We had no choice.

- It's all nonsense.

You know there's nothing
between dolley and me.

How could there be?

You're my dearest friends.

- It's not about
what we know, thomas.

It's about what people think.

The disgusting things they
said about my sister and me,

About us.

Some people will believe that.

You asked callender
to start a fire,

And now it is raging
out of control.

The lies he spreads
today are just that,

Lies.

Tomorrow, he may
hit upon the truth.

He need only go to
your home at monticello

And ask the right questions.

- There was something
else going on as well.

A little bit of a secret.

- Jefferson believed and hoped
that he could keep it quiet.

- You think you can
control the press.

You cannot.

(jefferson sighs)

(bird chirping)

- Captain lewis,

My thanks for
arriving so promptly.

- I heard it was urgent.

- It is.

It is.

I have a special
mission for you.

One that requires the
utmost discretion.

- Meriwether lewis is
a close family friend

Of thomas jefferson.

He had been in the military.

And when jefferson
was president,

He realized he needed
to hire a secretary.

And he had come to
admire and respect him,

Thought he could trust him.

- You understand
what's required?

- I won't let you down, sir.

- Mm.

(horse galloping)

(insects chirping)

(people chattering)

- Mr. Callender?

I'll keep this brief.

Mr. Callender,

I've been authorized
by an understood party

To offer you the sum of $50.

In exchange for
this one time fee,

You'll stop writing
any more articles

About president jefferson,

His officials,

And their families.

- I was told you were in the
army at one time, mr. Lewis.

Now, which of the
boys in the barracks

Couldn't get enough of you?

Those blue eyes.

The curls.

Last time I saw hair like that,

Was on the nether regions
of a parisian whore, hmm.

- I won't be baited, callender.

You'll accept this payment
and desist your lie.

- The problem is, captain,

Is that $50 is such a
very poultry sum of money

For such a big ask?

It's barely enough to keep a man

In ale and oats for a month.

And, yeah,

My appetites are prodigious.

As I've learned
are your master's.

See, jefferson,

Has a young woman in his
employ at monticello,

An attractive black woman,

A slave.

Now, I have your
attention, captain lewis.

And soon,

I will have the
whole of america's.

- You offered napoleon $15
million for new orleans,

And 10 was our limit!

- He will never acknowledge me.

- Nothing can derail this.

- Tell the president,

James t. Callender
is coming for him!

(all laughing)

- No one will ever believe him.

Let him shoot his mouth off.

(door slamming)

(fist thudding)

(dramatic music)

(static crackling)

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