All language subtitles for The.Winslow.Boy.1999.1080p.WEBRip.x264

How do you do, sir?
- Good morning, sir.

Lovely sermon this morning.
- Good morning.

How are you today?

Come on, Father.
Yes. Yes.

He's a good man.
- Sorry, Arthur?

Good man, good sermon.

Pharaoh's dream,
dream of the King of Egypt.

Seven fat years,
seven lean years.

Good sermon.

Exceptional sermon.
I couldn't hear him.

Can one be good
if one's inaudible?

A problem in ethics
for you, Father.

Not everything
is a problem in ethics.

And the seven fat cows

were devoured by the
seven lean and hungry cows.

Yes, and don't I feel like
those lean and hungry cows.

My point, precisely.

Lunch in
about an hour, sir.

Thank you.
Yes, sir.

My, it's going to rain.

I could've told you that.
I feel it in my leg.

Would you please
mind the gramophone?

The center of
a well-regulated home.

Mother,
I'll be right down.

It helps me concentrate.
- Dearest.

Concentrate on what, pray?

Oh, Catherine.
It's all right,
Father, I just...

I just wanted
to see about the...

To study, Father.
To study.

What'd you say?

I said the gramophone,

the music
of the gramophone
helps me to study, Father.

Study is not
what you appeared
to be involved in

when I came downstairs
last night.

Your friend and you...

Edwina, Father.
Edwina had just
stopped by to...

She just stopped by
on the way

from Graham's dance
to fetch a book and...

And you are involved
with her in what,
a sort of what?

Reading club?
Um...

No, no, Father,
I must say that I believe

I have a right to
a certain measure
of autonomy.

I'm sorry,
what were we discussing?

Edwina.
Ah, Edwina.

What a fast
and flighty little...

I'm sorry, Dickie.
You're rather keen
on her, aren't you?

Well, you would have
had ample proof of
that fact, Grace,

if you'd seen them in
the attitude I caught
them in last night.

We were practicing
the Bunny Hug.

The what, dear?
The Bunny Hug.

Oh, is that what you're
calling it these days?

It's the new dance.

It's like
the Turkey Trot,
only more dignified.

Good sermon, miss?
Mmm-hmm.

Joseph interprets
Pharaoh's dreams.

No more like
the Fox Trot, really.

Fox Trot or
the Kangaroo Glide.

Well, whichever animal
is responsible

for the posture that
I found you and your
friend in last night.

Yes. Yes, yes.

Or to make an end,

I doubt...

I doubt the gramophone
aids you in what you
call your studies.

Ah-ha. Ah-ha.

I see.
It all comes
clear to me now.

Yes, it's raining.
May I see it?

We're talking about
a different subject,
aren't we, sir?

It's not about
the gramophone.

It's about Ronnie.

You know, sir,
I wouldn't have
thought it of you.

I certainly would not.
And at this festive season...

At this
festive season, Father,

to throw it up to me,
to bring that up again...

Nobody's bringing that up.
Yes, they are.

Ronnie, Ronnie...

Ronnie got into Osbourne,
as I did not. Why?

As he applies himself.

And Ronnie...
Ah, Dickie.

Do you have a coin
to give the fellow?

No, sir, I have not.

And if I may,
I'm going to my room.

Perhaps I might suggest you
take that gramophone with you.

May I ask why?

Because it's out of place
in a civilized home.

I'll take up
the other matter after lunch.

Oh, yes. I know.

Well, I don't think
I've ever
seen a nicer setting.

Is it his mother's?
Yes, it was.

Isn't it lovely?

Pelting down out there.

What, dear?

I said it's raining.
What are you reading?

Len Rogers' memoirs.

Who was Len Rogers?

He was a trades union leader.

Was he a radical?

Oh, yes, I'd say so.

Does John know of
your political beliefs?
Oh, yes.

And he still
wants to marry you?

Seems to.

Oh, I've asked John
to come early for lunch.

Hmm. What?

He's coming
early for lunch.

Oh, good.

You won't let me down
and forbid the match
or anything, will you?

Because I warn you,
if you do, I shall elope.

Never fear, my dear,
I'm far too delighted

at the prospect of getting
you off our hands at last.

Does Desmond know, by the way?

I'm not sure
I like that "at last."

Have you told Desmond yet?

Kate, do you love him?

John? Yes, I do.

Do you?
You don't behave
as if you're in love.

How does one behave
as if one is in love?

One doesn't read
The Social Evil
and the Social Good.

One reads Lord Byron.

Ah, is that so? I see.

You know, I don't think
you modern girls have the
feelings our generation did.

Very well, Mother.
I love John

in every way that
a woman can love a man.

Does that satisfy you?

My, look at the rain.

Hello. I thought I saw
someone in the garden.

Where?

Over there. Do you see?

Well, whoever it is,
is getting terribly wet.

Good morning, Violet.
- Good afternoon, sir.

Was that John?
Sounded like it.

Yes, it's John. Quick,
into the drawing room.

All right. Good. Here we go.

You've forgotten your bag.

What on earth is going on?

We're leaving you alone
with John.

When you finish,
cough or something.

What do you mean,
"Or something"?
Oh, I know.

Knock on the floor three times
with your stick and then
we'll come in.

You don't think that might
look a trifle coincidental?

Mr. Watherstone.

John. How are you?

Hello, sir.

Have you got a coin?

Here.

Thank Mr. Simms
for delivering on
a Sunday, will you?

Thank you much, sir.
Yes.

Glad to see you.
Glad you could come.

I see you have your tree.
Yes, yes.

Fellow just
put it up for us.

How are you, sir?
Oh, fine.

This arthritis is
troubling me a bit, but...

I'm sorry to hear that, sir.
Catherine told me
it was better.

Yes. It was better.

Now it's worse.

Well, now, I understand
you wish to marry
my daughter.

Yes, sir.

That is to say,
I proposed to her

and she's done me
the honor of accepting me.

I see. I trust when you
corrected yourself that
your second statement

wasn't a denial of your first.

I mean, you do
really wish to
marry her?

Yes, of course, sir.

Why, "Of course"?

There are plenty of people
about who don't wish to
marry her.

I mean,
of course because
I proposed to her.

Well, that too
doesn't necessarily follow.

However, we don't need
to quibble.

We'll take the sentimental
side of the project
for granted.

As regard to the
more practical side,
I hope you won't mind

if I ask you one or two
rather personal questions.

Naturally not, sir.
It's your duty.

Quite so.

Now, your income.
Are you able to
live on it?

No, sir.
I'm in the
regular army.

Yes, of course.

But my army pay
is supplemented by
an allowance from my father.

Yes, so I understand.

Now your pay will be,
I take it, about £24
a month?

Yes, sir,
that's exactly right.

So that your total income
with your subaltern's pay
and allowances,

plus the allowance from
your father would be,
I take it,

about £420 a year.

Again, exactly the figure.

Well, that all seems
perfectly satisfactory.

I don't think I need delay
my congratulations any longer.

Thank you, sir.

Do you smoke?
I do.

Now, I propose
to settle on my daughter
one-sixth of my total capital.

Which worked out
to the final fraction,

is exactly £833,
six shillings and eight pence.

But let's deal in round
figures, shall we, and
call it £850.

Well, I call that
very generous, sir.

Well, it's not as generous
as I would have liked,

but if that arrangement
seems agreeable,

I don't think that
we have anything more
that we need to discuss.

No, sir.
Splendid.

Pretty rotten weather,
isn't it, sir?

Yes, vile.

Would you
like a cigarette?

Ah, no, thank you, sir.
I'm still smoking.

Well?
Well, what?

How did your
little chat go?

I understood
you weren't supposed to know
we were having a little chat.

Oh.

You are infuriating.
Is everything all right, John?

Oh, I'm so glad.
I really am.

Thank you, Mrs. Winslow.

Can I kiss you?
- Of course.

Well, I'm practically
your mother now.

Well, I, by the same token,
am practically your father,
but if you'll forgive me.

Oh, he's gone and left
the garden gate open.

Could someone come and
close the garden gate for us?

I don't suppose
you two would mind
if we left you alone

for a few minutes,
would you?

Grace, I think
we might allow ourselves

a little modest
celebration at lunch, hmm?

Would you go and
get me the key of the cellar?
- Indeed I will.

Violet, would
you have someone see
to the gate, please?

Yes, sir.

Was it an ordeal?

Scared to death.
My poor darling.

The annoying thing was

that I had a whole lot of
neatly turned phrases
ready for him,

but he wouldn't
let me use them.

I'm sure they
were rather good.

I thought they were.

You want to do
your speech for me?

Love to.

What is it?

Ronnie, what is it?

Where did Father go?
Is he gone?

I'll go and get him.

Father.

No,
don't go and get him.
No! Kate, please don't.

No, don't.
Please, Kate, don't.

What's the trouble, Ronnie?

You'd better go and change,
hadn't you?

No.
What's the trouble, darling?

You can tell me.

You know
John Watherstone, darling.
You met him last holidays.

Don't you remember?
- I'll disappear.

Now, darling, what is it?

You can tell me.
Have you run away?

What is it then?

Oh, God.

I didn't do it.
Kate, really, I didn't.

No, darling. This letter
is addressed to Father.
Did you open it?

Yes.
You shouldn't have done that.

I was going to tear it up.

But we could
tell Father term had
ended two days sooner.

No.
I'm back for the
Christmas holidays.

No, darling.
Kate, I didn't do it.

Really, I didn't.

Ah, Ronnie, old lad,
how's everything?
Back early, eh?

You take him upstairs.
I'll get Mother.

All right.

What's up then, old chap?

Nothing.

Have you been sacked?

Bad luck. What for?

I didn't do it.

Of course you didn't.
I know that.

Honestly, I didn't.
That's all right, old chap.

I believe you.
No need to go on about it.

I say, you're a bit damp,
aren't you?

I've been out in the rain.

You're shivering
a bit, too.

Oughtn't you to change?

I mean, we don't want you
catching pneumonia, do we?

I'm all right.

Mother.
There, darling.

There.

All right, now.

I didn't do it, Mother.

No, darling,
of course you didn't.

I know you didn't.

Let's get out of
these nasty wet things.

Don't tell Father.

No, darling.
Not yet. I promise.

A new uniform, too.
What a shame.

All right, Ronnie.
It's all right.

Bad news?

Expelled?

That's right.

What's he supposed
to have done?

He's supposed to have...

Just think what
that little creature
has been going through

these last 10 days.

It does seem pretty
heartless, I admit.

You must remember, darling...

You must remember,
he's not really at school.

He is in the services.

What difference can that make?

Their ways of
doing things may seem
to an outsider brutal,

but at least
they are always fair.

Must have been
a full inquiry before
they take a step of this sort.

What's more,
if there's been
a delay of 10 days,

it would only have been
in order to give the boy

a better chance
to clear himself.

I'm awfully sorry.

How will your father take it?

Ah, Violet.
It might kill him.

Oh, heavens, we've got
Desmond to lunch.
I'd forgotten.

Desmond?

Desmond Curry,
our family solicitor.

Oh, Lord. Darling,
be polite to him,
won't you?

Am I usually
rude to your guests?

No, but he doesn't
know about us yet.

Who does?

Yes, but he's been
in love with me for years.

It's a family joke.

Mr. Curry.

Hello, Desmond.
I don't think you
know John Watherstone.

No! But of course
I've heard a lot
about him.

How do you do?
Well, well, well.

I trust I'm not early.

No, no.
Punctual, as always.

Capital. Good.

How is your shoulder?
I'm so sorry.

No, I'm sorry.
Catherine. Please.

No, no. I was
only going to ask
how your shoulder was.

Ah, not very
well, I'm afraid.
The damp, you know.

I'm sorry to hear that.
Old cricket injury.

Well, it seems I'm to
congratulate you both.

Violet told me
just now at the door.

Yes, I must
congratulate you both.

Thank you.
Thank you so much, Desmond.

Of course,
it's quite expected,
I know. Quite expected.

Still, it was rather
a surprise hearing it
from Violet that way.

We were going to tell you,
Desmond, dear.

It was only official
this morning, you know.

In fact, you're the
first person to hear it.

Am I? Am I indeed?

Ah, I see
you've got your tree.

Hello, Mrs. Winslow.

Hello, Desmond, dear.

I've got him to bed.

Grace, when did we last
have the cellars seen to?

Nobody ill, I hope?

They're in
shocking condition.
Oh, hello, Desmond.

How are you?
You're not looking well.

The old cricket thing.
- Violet.

Is anybody ill?
Any relation of D.W.H. Curry?

He used to
play for Middlesex.

I am D.W.H. Curry.

Curry of Curry's Match?
That's right.

Hat-trick against the
Players in,
what year was it now?

1895 at Lord's.

You were a hero of mine.

Was I? Was I indeed?

I used to have
a signed photograph of you.

Yes, I used to sign a lot
once for schoolboys.

Well, I think
we might try a little of
the Madeira before luncheon.

Ah.
We're celebrating...

It's all right, Father.
Desmond knows.

Yes, indeed,
it's wonderful
news, isn't it?

I'll most gladly
drink a toast to the...

"Happy pair," I think
is the phrase that's
eluding you.

As a matter of fact, I was
looking for something
new to say.

Oh, a forlorn quest,
my dear Desmond.

A forlorn quest.

Arthur, really,
you mustn't be
so rude.

No, no, no, no. I meant,
naturally, that nobody,

with the possible
exception of Voltaire

could find anything new to
say about an engaged couple.

Hello.
Ah, Dickie.

A toast to the happy pair.

Oh, is that all
finally spliced up now?

Kate definitely
being entered for
the marriage stakes.

Good egg.

Quite so.
I should have added,

"With the possible
exception of Voltaire
and Dickie Winslow."

Are we allowed to drink
to our own healths?

Oh, I think
it's permissible.
No, it's bad luck.

We defy augury,
don't we, Kate?

You mustn't say
that, John, dear.

I know.
You can drink
each other's healths.

That's all right.

So our superstitious terrors
are allayed, are they?

Good.

To Catherine and John.

Oh, Violet.
We mustn't leave you out.

You must join us
in this toast.

Nothing for me, sir.

Your reluctance
would be more convincing

if I hadn't noticed
you brought an extra glass.

Oh, I didn't bring
it for myself, sir.

I brought it
for Master Ronnie.

You brought
another glass
for Master Ronnie?

Well, I thought you might
allow him just a taste, sir.

Just to drink the toast.
He's that grown-up
these days.

But Master Ronnie doesn't
get back from Osbourne
until Tuesday, Violet.

No, sir. He's back already.
The girl said.

No, but the
Christmas holidays don't
start until Tuesday, Violet.

Well, the girl saw him
with her own two eyes.
Isn't that right, ma'am?

Grace, what does this mean?

All right, Violet,
you can go.

Yes, miss.

Catherine, did you know
Ronnie was back?

Yes.

Dickie?
Yes, Father.

Grace?

We thought you
shouldn't know for
the time being, Arthur.

Just for the time being.

Is the boy very ill?

Answer me, someone.

Is the boy very ill?

No, Father,
he's not ill.

Will someone tell me
what has happened, please?

He, um...

He brought this letter
for you, Arthur.

Will you read it
to me, please?

Arthur, not
in front of the...

Will you read it
to me, please?

"Sir, I am commanded by
my Lords' Commissioners
of the Admiralty

"to inform you that
they have received
a communication

"from the Commanding Officer
of the Royal Naval College
at Osbourne,

"reporting the theft of
a five-shilling postal order

"at the college on
the seventh instant,

"which was afterwards
cashed at the Post Office.

"Investigation of
the circumstances
of the case

"leaves no other
conclusion possible

"than that
the postal order
was cashed by your son,

"Cadet Ronald Arthur Winslow.

"My Lords
deeply regret that they
must therefore request you

"to withdraw your son
from the college.

"I am, sir,
your obedient servant..."

It's signed by...

I can't read his name.

Desmond, would you be
kind enough to have Ronnie
come down and see me, please?

Arthur, he's in bed.
You told me he wasn't ill.

He's not at all well.
Thank you, Desmond.

Of course.

Perhaps the rest of you
would go into luncheon.

Grace, would you
take them in, please?

Arthur, don't you think...

Dickie, would you decant
the claret I brought up
from the cellar?

You will find it on the
sideboard in the dining room.

Yes, Father.
Thank you.

Arthur.
Yes, Grace.

Please don't...

Please don't...

What mustn't I do?

Please don't forget
he's only a child.

Come on, Mother.

Come on, darling.
It's all right.

Come in.

Come in and close the door.

Come over here.

Why aren't you in uniform?

It got wet.

How did it get wet?

I was out in the garden,
in the rain.

Why?

I was hiding.

From me?

Do you remember once
you promised me that

if you got into
trouble of any sort,
you'd come to me first?

Yes, Father.

Why didn't you
come to me now?

Why did you have to go
and hide in the garden?

I don't know, Father.

Are you so frightened of me?

It says in this letter
that you stole a postal order.

But I...

No.

I don't want you to say a word
until you've heard what I have
to say first.

If you did it,
you must tell me.

I shan't be angry with you,
Ronnie, provided you tell
me the truth.

But if you tell me a lie,
I shall know it.

Because a lie between
you and me cannot be hidden.

I shall know it, Ronnie.

So remember that
before you speak.

Hmm?

Did you steal
this postal order?

No, Father, I didn't.

Did you steal
this postal order?

No, Father, I didn't.

Go on back to bed.

"The efforts
of Mr. Arthur Winslow

"to secure
a fair trial for his son,

"having been
thwarted at every turn
by a soulless oligarchy..."

Soulless oligarchy,
that's rather good.

"It is high time
private and peaceful
citizens of this country

"woke to the increasing
encroachment of their
ancient freedoms."

Tell me
a piece of news.

I'll tell you
a piece of news.

Saw a chap
on the train today,
had on brown boots.

Brown boots, I ask you.

Did he have on a brown suit?
That doesn't excuse it.

Oh, can you
get this out
this afternoon?

I have to go
to the law library.

Polly, do you think you can
get this out this afternoon?

Fighting on many fronts,
is that it, Cath?

Yes, that's right, darling.

Cannon to the right
of you, and so on?
Mmm.

They paying you here yet?

No, I just do it for
the sport of the thing.

The other's from Perplexed.

"What with the present
troubles in the Balkans
and the further inquiry

"at which the Judge
Advocate of the Fleet
confirmed the findings

"that the boy was guilty,
da, da, da,

"this correspondence now
must cease."

Well, in any case,
it'll blow over
before the wedding.

Postponed again?

His father's
out of the country.

Nothing wrong? I mean,
I'm not gonna have to quirt
him with my riding crop, am I?

This correspondence now
must cease.

Well, I'm late for
a meeting with the guv.

Dickie,

what do you suppose
one of your bookmaker friends

would lay in the way
of odds against your
getting a degree?

Oh, well, let's think.
Say about evens?

Hmm.

I doubt whether at that price
your friend would find
many takers.

Well, perhaps
seven-to-four against.

I see. And the odds
against you eventually
becoming a civil servant?

Well, a bit steeper,
I suppose.

Exactly. Quite a bit steeper.

You don't want to
have a bet, do you?

No, Dickie,
I'm not a gambler.

And that is exactly
the trouble.

Unhappily, I'm no longer
in a position to gamble
£200 a year

on what you yourself
admit is an outside chance.

It's the case, I suppose.
Mmm-hmm.

You want me to leave Oxford,
is that it?

I'm afraid so.

Oh, straightaway?

No, no. You can
finish your year.
And then what?

I could get you a job
here at the bank.

Oh, Lord.

Oh, it'd be quite a good job.

Happily, my influence
here still counts
for something.

Father, if I promised you,
I mean, really promised you.

I'm afraid my mind
is finally made up.

Oh, Lord.

This is
rather a shock
for you, isn't it?

What? No, no.
It isn't, really.

I've been
rather expecting it,
as a matter of fact.

Things... Things are tight.

Yes, things are tight.

And you're still hoping...
Still hoping to brief
Sir Robert Morton?

Yes, we're hoping.

That'd take a bit of tin.

Yes, it will.
Uh-huh.

Still, I can't say but
that it isn't a bit of
a slap in the face.

Well, I must thank you,
Dickie, for bearing

what must have
been a very unpleasant
blow with some fortitude.

Oh, nonsense, Father.

Miss Barnes from The Beacon
to see Mr. Arthur Winslow.
I have an appointment.

What a lovely home
you have.

Yes, yes,
it's showing
its age a bit, but...

Mmm-hmm.

My paper usually sends
me out on stories which have
a special interest to women.

Stories with a little heart,
you know, like this one.

A father's fight for
his little boy's honor.

Well, I venture to
think the case has rather
wider implications than that.

Oh, yes, of course.

Now what I'd
really like to do is
to get a nice picture

of you and your
little boy together.

Oh, well,
my son is arriving from
school in a few minutes.

His mother's gone down
to the station to meet him.

From school?
How interesting.

So you got a school
to take him then?

I mean, they didn't
mind the unpleasantness?

No. Not at all,
not at all.

No question of that.
- Mmm-hmm.

I find it's extraordinary
how fair-minded people are.

Yes, indeed.

And why is he
coming back this time?

Well, he's not
being expelled again, if
that was your implication.

No.

Well, he is, in fact
doing quite well at school.

Oh, good.

Extraordinarily well,
when you consider
the circumstances.

And why is he
coming back to London?

He's coming to London to be
examined by Sir Robert Morton,

whom we're
hoping to brief.

Oh, Sir Robert Morton?

Do you really think
he'll take a little
case like this?

Oh, this is not
a little case, madam.

Oh, of course not.

Of course not.

Of course it's
not a little case.
Nothing of the sort.

Well, now,

perhaps you wouldn't mind
giving me a few details.

When did it all start?

Four months ago.

Mmm-hmm.

The first
I knew of the charge was
when my son arrived home

with a letter
from the Admiralty
informing me of his expulsion.

I telephoned
Osbourne to protest

and I was referred by them
to the Lords of the Admiralty.

My solicitors then
took the matter up.

We applied
to the Admiralty
for a court-martial.

They ignored us.

We applied
for a civil trial.
They ignored us again.

And after tremendous
pressure had been
brought to bear,

letters to the papers,
questions in the House

and other means
available to private
citizens of this country,

the Admiralty
eventually agreed to

what they called
an independent inquiry.

Oh, good.
It was not good, madam.

At that independent inquiry

conducted by the
Judge Advocate of the Fleet,

against whom I'm
saying nothing,
mind you,

my son, a child of 14,

was not represented by
counsel, solicitors
or friends.

And what happened at
that inquiry?

What do you
think happened?

Inevitably, he was
found guilty again

and branded for
the second time
before the world

as a thief and a forger.

What a shame.

I need hardly tell you,
madam, I am not prepared
to let the matter rest there.

I intend to fight this
monstrous injustice
with every weapon

and every power
at my disposal.

Mmm.
And I have a plan.

I've approached
Sir Robert...

Well, I might say
I have petitioned
Sir Robert Morton...

Oh, what charming curtains.
What are they made of?

Madam, I fear
I have no idea.

Ah.

Hello.
Is Violet back?

Is that the poor
little chap himself?

Hello, Ronnie.
- Hello, Father.

I say, Mr. Moore
says I needn't come back
until Monday, if you like.

So that gives me
three whole days.

How are you, my boy?

Oh, I'm absolutely
tophole, Father.

Mother says
I've grown an inch.

That's the lad.
That's the lad.

That's the lad
we need to get
a picture of.

You said
you wanted to
take it outside.

Yes, take it outside.

Yeah, I only mention
it as the light's going.

Yes. Might we
go to the park?

Do you know, I was thinking,
might we go to the park,
do you think?

You could wear your uniform.

Well, I don't think
that would be a good idea.

Well, something
to stress his youth and his...

Do you have
any cricket clothes?

Grace, this lady's from
The Beacon.

She's extremely
interested in your curtains.

Oh, really? How nice.

Yes, indeed.
I was wondering
what they were made of.

Eh, which?
In the drawing room.

Well, they're an entirely
new material, you know.

I'm afraid
I don't know
what it's called.

I got it in Barkers
last year.

Apparently it's a mixture
of silk and velvet.

We're losing
the light, miss.

Mr. Winslow, if we could,
do you see, put him in
cricket costume?

Do you see?

Something which would say
both youth and England.

Oh, very well.
I'm gonna set up.

Yes, you set up.
Goodbye, Mr. Winslow.

Very best
of good fortune
in your inspiring fight.

It's very good of you
to talk to me.

I'm sure our readers
would be most interested.

I've found the name
of the material.

Excellent. Excellent.
Marvelous.

That's very kind of you.
- Not at all.

Ronnie, we'll meet you
in the park.

What's she
talking about?

The case, I imagine.

Oh, the case.

Father, did you know
the train had 14 coaches?

Had it really?

Yes. All corridor.
Remarkable.

I've had your
half-term report, Ronnie.

Oh, yes?

On the whole,
it was pretty fair.

Oh, good.

I'm glad you seem to
be settling down so well.

Yes, thank you, Father.

Father, do you know
how long the train took?
No.

A hundred and
twenty-three miles

in two hours and
fifty-two minutes.

That's an average
of 46.73 miles an hour.

I worked it out.
Well, you worked it out well.

Now, hadn't you better go and
change for the photographer?

Oh, yes. Violet!
Violet's out.

Oh, will you tell her
I'm back?

Yes, I will. Now you need
to go and change.

I found
a new citation
in the law library.

Ronnie's back.
What?

I said, Ronnie's back.

Mmm.

New frock?

Bless you,
I've turned the cuffs.

Turned the cuffs.
What?

No, I said...
I said I like the frock.

Like it, eh?
Yes, I do.

I hope John likes it.

What are you reading?

Admiralty law.

New citation, "Cadet's
right to a first hearing."

Did John telephone?

Things are all right
between you two,
aren't they?

Oh, yes,
Father, of course.
Everything's perfect.

Good, good.

Couldn't be better.

Good.

Kate, are we both mad,
you and I?

Tell me.

Should we drop
the whole thing?

I don't consider that
a serious question.

You realize
your marriage settlement
will have to go, don't you?

Oh, yes. Of course, Father.
I gave that up for lost
weeks ago.

It won't
make any difference,
will it? To you and John?

Good heavens, no.

All right.

Let us pin our faith
on the appearance
of a champion.

You know what I think
of Sir Robert Morton, Father.

Don't let's go into
that again now.

I want the best.

The best in this case
is not Morton.

Then why does
everyone say he is?

Why does everyone
vote for slavery?

He's the best
if one happens to be

a large monopoly
attacking a trade union.

Then he is your lad.

Yes, indeed he is.

Did Mr. Watherstone
telephone, Violet?

I'm sorry, miss.
I just stepped out.

To the best
of my knowledge,
no one's telephoned.

Thank you.

Hello, Violet.
Good afternoon, sir.

Well, I imagine
if his heart isn't in it,
he won't accept the brief.

He might still.
It depends what
there is in it for him.

Luckily, there isn't much.

Well, there's a fairly
substantial check.

He doesn't want money.
He must be a very rich man.

What does he want then?

That which
advances his interests.

Well, I believe
you're prejudiced

because he spoke
against women's suffrage.

Is that a prejudice
or a position?

Winslow residence.

You tell me.

It's a position.
- Yes, sir.

He's always speaking
against what is right.

Mr. Curry, miss.

Mr. Curry.

Hello. Hello, Desmond.

Yes.

What? We... What?

Violet, did we receive
a letter from Mr. Curry?

Yes, I just... Now?
Yes, right. Thank you. Yes.

What is it, my dear?

Violet, hail us a cab.

Where's Ronnie?

He's in the park.

We'll have to
go without him.

Desmond got us
an appointment
with Sir Robert.

When?

Half an hour ago.

Ah.

We only have just
a very few moments.

I'm so sorry.
We didn't get your note.

He has an important...

A most important
dinner engagement, sir.

Where is the boy?

He'll be along with
my wife in a few moments.

I'm afraid
he can only spare us

a very few moments
of his time.

I assure you
we're conscious of it.

Catherine, you'd
better go on ahead.

Explain why we're late.
Make our apologies.
Go now.

Catherine!

It's straight on
through that doorway,

up the stairs
and to your left.

Thank you.

Excuse me, please.

Miss Catherine Winslow.
The Winslow case.

We understood that...

They're coming.

"They're coming"?

We didn't hear of
the appointment until...

Miss Catherine Winslow.

I beg your pardon.

I suppose
you know the history of
this case, do you, Sir Robert?

I believe
I've seen most of
the relevant documents.

Yes.
Yes, excellent.

Do you think
we can bring the case into
court by a collusive action?

I really have no idea.

Curry and Curry seem
to think that might hold.

Do they? They are
a very reliable firm.

Robert Morton.

Catherine Winslow.

Mr. Michaels, if I could
have your attention on
that other matter.

Yes, sir.

There...

I hope you
don't mind if I...

What could be
more absurd than
your asking me permission

to smoke in
your establishment?

Well, it is the custom.
I indulge, myself.

Yes, sir.
Indeed?

Some people
find that shocking.

Amazing how
little it takes to offend
the world's sensibilities.

No, thank you.

My father and brother
will be here in a moment.

What time are you dining?

8:00.

Far from here?

Devonshire House.

Oh. Well, then,
of course, you mustn't
on any account be late.

No.

I'm rather surprised
that a case of this sort

should interest you,
Sir Robert.

Are you?

It seems such
a very trivial affair

compared to most of your
great forensic triumphs.

I was in court during your
prosecution of Len Rogers

in the Trades Union
Embezzlement case.

Really?

Magnificently done.

Thank you.

I suppose you heard that
he committed suicide
a few months ago?

Yes, I had heard.

Many people believed
him innocent, you know.

So I understand.

As it happens, however,
he was guilty.

Ah, Sir Robert.

Sir Robert,
Sir Robert.
Sir Robert, I'm sorry.

I am so sorry
to keep you waiting.

Arthur Winslow.

I'm so sorry.
We didn't get your note.

That's perfectly all right.

Sir Robert is dining
at Devonshire House.

Yes, yes, yes, I see.
I know that you're
pressed for time, sir.

My son will be along
at any moment.

I assume that you
want to examine him.

Just a few questions.

I fear
that is all I will
have time for this evening.

I'm sorry to hear it.

My son has made
the journey from school

especially in the
hope of being interviewed.

And I had hoped that,
by the end of it,

I should know definitely yes
or no whether you would
accept the brief.

You, of course,
understand my anxiety.

Well, perhaps
Sir Robert would consent

to finish
his examination
some other time.

It might be arranged.

Tomorrow?

Tomorrow is impossible.
I'm in court all the morning

and in the
House of Commons
for the rest of the day.

I see.

Curry tells me you
think it might be possible

to proceed by
Petition of Right.

Would you mind
if I sat down, sir?

Please, just...

What is a Petition of Right?

Well, granting the
assumption that
the Admiralty,

as the Crown,
can do no wrong...

I thought that was exactly
the assumption we refused
to grant.

In law, I mean. Now,
a subject can sue
the Crown

nevertheless, by
Petition of Right.

Petition of Right, yes?

Redress being granted
as a matter of grace.

And the custom is
for the Attorney General,

on behalf of the Crown,
to endorse the petition

and allow the case to
come to court.

It is interesting to
note that the exact words
he uses on such occasions

are, "Let right be done."

"Let right be done."
I like that phrase, sir.

It has a certain ring
about it, has it not?

"Let right be done."

This way, please.

Oh, Grace.
This is Sir Robert.

That's my wife.
And this is Ronnie.

Ronnie, Sir Robert is going
to ask you a few questions,

which you must
answer truthfully,
as you always have done.

I expect you'd
like us to leave.

No, no.
Provided, of course,
you don't interrupt.

Would you sit down, please?

Hello, Mother.

Hello.

Sorry we're so late.

That's all right.
Nothing's happened at all.

Will you stand here facing me?

That's right.

Now, Ronald,
how old are you?

Fourteen and two months.

You were then,
13 and 10 months old

when you left Osbourne,
is that right?

Yes, sir.

Now, I would like
to cast your mind back

to December the seventh,
of last year.

Would you tell me,
in your own words,

exactly what happened to you
on that day.

It was half-holiday,

so we didn't have
any work after dinner.

Dinner at 1:00?

Yes, at least
until prep at 7:00.

Prep at 7:00, mmm-hmm.

Well, then,
just before dinner

I went along to the
Chief Petty Officer

and asked him to let me
have fifteen and six out of
what I had in the school bank.

Why did you do that?

I wanted to
buy an air pistol.

Which cost fifteen and six?

Yes, sir.

And how much money did you
have in the school bank
at the time?

Two pounds, three shillings.

So you see, what incentive
could he possibly have...

I must ask you
to be good enough
not to interrupt me, sir.

After you had withdrawn
the fifteen and six,
what did you do?

I had dinner.

Then what?

Then I went to the locker room
and put my fifteen and six
away in my locker.

Then I went to
go and get permission
to go to the post office.

Yes?

Then I went back
to the locker room,

again got out my money and
went down to the post office.

Yes, go on.

Then I bought
my postal order.

For fifteen and six?

Yes, sir.

Then I went back to college.

Then I met Elliot minor.

And he said,
"I say, isn't it rot?

"Someone's broken into
my locker and pinched
a postal order.

"I've reported it
to the PO."

And those were
Elliot minor's
exact words?

He might have used
another word for rot.

I see. Continue.

Well, then, just before prep,
I was told to go along and
see Commander Flower.

The woman from the
post office was there.

And the Commander said,
"Is this the boy?"

And she said, "It might be.
I can't be sure.

"They all look
so much alike."

You see,
she couldn't identify him.

Go on.

Then she said,
"I only know that the boy
who bought a postal order

"for fifteen and six

"was the
same boy who cashed
one for five shillings."

So the Commander said,

"Did you
buy a postal order
for fifteen and six?"

And I said, "Yes."

And then he made me write
Elliot's name on an envelope

and compared it to the
signature on the postal order.

Then they sent me
to the sanatorium and
10 days later I was sacked.

I mean, expelled.

I see.

Did you cash a postal order
belonging Elliot minor
for five shillings?

No, sir.

Did you break into
his locker and steal it?

No, sir.

And that is the truth,

the whole truth and
nothing but the truth?

Yes, sir.

Right.

The files, please.

This has
just come down
from Ridgeley-Pearce.

Thank you.

When the
Commander asked you to write
Elliot's name on an envelope,

how did you write it?
With Christian name
or initials?

I wrote,
"Charles K. Elliot."

Charles K. Elliot.

And did you by any chance
happen to see the forged
postal order

in the Commander's office?

Yes, sir.
The Commander
showed it to me.

Before or after you had
written Elliot's name
on the envelope?

After.
After.

And did you happen to
see how Elliot's name was
written on the postal order?

Yes, sir, the same.

The same.

"Charles K. Elliot."

Yes.

When you wrote
on the envelope,

what made you choose
that particular form?

Well, that was the way
he usually signed his name.

How did you know?

Well, he was
a great friend of mine.

That is no answer.
How did you know?

I'd seen him sign things.
What things?

Oh, ordinary things.

I repeat. What things?

Bits of paper.

Bits of paper.
Why did he sign his
name on bits of paper?

He was practicing
his signature.

And you saw him?
Yes.

Did he know you saw him?

Well, yes.

In other words,
he showed you exactly
how he wrote his signature?

Yes, I suppose he did.

Did you practice
writing it yourself?

I might have done.

What do you mean,
you might have done?
Did you or did you not?

Yes.

Ronnie. You never
told me that.

It was only for a joke.

Never mind
if it was for a joke or not.

The fact is, you practiced
forging Elliot's signature.

It wasn't forging.

What do you call it then?
Writing.

Whoever stole the
postal order and
cashed it

also wrote Elliot's
signature, didn't he?

Yes.

And oddly enough,
in the exact form

in which you had earlier
been practicing writing
his signature.

I say,
which side are you on?

Yes. All right.

Are you aware...

Are you aware that
the Admiralty sent up
the forged postal order

to Mr. Ridgeley-Pearce,

the greatest handwriting
expert in England?

Yes.

You are aware of that?

And you know that
Mr. Ridgeley-Pearce affirmed

that there was no doubt
that the signature on
the postal order

and the signature which
you wrote on the envelope
were by one and the same hand?

Yes.

And you still say
you didn't forge
that signature?

Yes, I do.

In other words,
Mr. Ridgeley-Pearce
doesn't know his job?

Well, he's wrong, anyway.

Is he indeed?

Are you aware that the
government is in possession

of 17 separate examples
of your handwriting

and that a board of
government experts
has identified them

as identical
with the signature
of Charles K. Elliot?

When you went into
the locker room after
dinner, were you alone?

I don't remember.

I think you do. Were you
alone in the locker room?

Yes.

And you knew
which was Elliot's locker?

Yes, of course.

Why did you go
in there at all?

I've told you. To put
my fifteen and six away.

Why?
I thought it would be safer.

Why safer than your pocket?

I don't know.

What time did Elliot
put his postal order
in his locker?

I don't know.
I didn't even know he
had a postal order at all.

What time did you
go to the locker room?

I don't remember.
Was it directly after dinner?

Yes, I think so.

What did you do after
leaving the locker room?

I've told you.
I went to get permission
to go down to the post office.

What time was that?

About a quarter past two.

But dinner is over
at a quarter to two

which means you were
in the locker room
for half an hour.

I wasn't in there
all that time.

How long were you there?

About five minutes.

What were you doing for
the other 25?

I don't remember. Perhaps
I waited outside the
CO's office.

And no one
saw you there either?

I remember.
I remember someone did see
me outside the CO's office.

A chap called Casey.
I spoke to him.

What did you say?

I said,
"Come down to the
post office with me.

"I'm going to
cash a postal order."

Cash a postal order?

I mean, get.

You said cash. Why did you
say cash if you meant get?

I don't know.

I suggest cash was the truth.

No, no,
it wasn't really.
You're muddling me.

You seem easily muddled.
How many other lies
have you told?

None. Really, I haven't.

I suggest your whole
testimony is a lie.

No, it's the truth!

I suggest
there is barely one
single word of truth

in anything
you said either to me
or to the Judge Advocate

or to the Commander.

I suggest
that you broke
into Elliot's locker.

That you stole the postal
order for five shillings
belonging to Elliot.

That you cashed it by
means of forging his name.

I didn't. I didn't.

I suggest that
you did it for a joke,

meaning to give Elliot
the five shillings back

but then when you met him
and he said he'd reported
the matter,

you got frightened
and decided to keep quiet.

No! No!
It isn't true!
It isn't true!

None of it's true!

I suggest
that by continuing
to deny your guilt

you are causing great
hardship to your family

and considerable annoyance to
high and important persons in
this country.

That's a disgraceful thing
to say.

I suggest
that the time
has at last come

for you to undo some of
the misery you have caused

by confessing to us all now
that you're a forger,
a liar and a thief!

How dare you!

I'm not. I'm not.
I didn't do it!

This is outrageous, sir.

I didn't do any of it.

It's all right, love.

It's all right.
It's all right.

Curry, can I drop
you anywhere?

No, I...

Send all of his files
here by tomorrow morning.

But will you need them now?

Oh, yes. The boy
is plainly innocent.

I accept the brief.

If we may...

Get this
to the First Lord,
will you?

Yes, sir.

The chief
point of criticism
against the Admiralty

appears to center in
the purely legal question

of the Petition of Right
brought by a member.

Hear, hear.

A citizen seeking redress of
the Petition of Right and
the demurrer thereto.

Nonsense!

This member has made
great play of this boy

with his eloquence
and address.

Yes.

Quite right.

And I was moved

as any honorable
member opposite by his
resonant use of the words,

"Let right be done,"

the time-honored phrase
with which, in his opinion,

the Attorney General
should, without question,

have supported Mr. Winslow's
Petition of Right.

Now, it is not
unpleasant to beguile...

All right, all right.
Let's break it down
into its essentials.

Do we have enough votes
to put the question?

How important
is it to you, Bobby?

How important is it?

Ah, well,
it's only important to win.

Shouldn't you
be in that House?

It's like he's repeating
himself forever.

Give me a piece of paper.

Am I missing
something here?

The thing is the votes.

Well, yes, well.

What do you
say to that, Tony?
Do we have the votes?

Say? Do we have the votes?

Well, I'd say,
do we have the money?

The answer's perhaps.

The point is,
do you really want
to spend it on this?

Pardon me.
Let me just have
a quick look, miss.

Can you bring it to a vote?

Can you bring
it to a vote, Tony?

Perhaps I can.
End of the day,
it's a 12-year-old boy.

Excuse me, sir.

You're sure
you want to fight it, Bob?

I wouldn't ask you
if I weren't.

I'm saying,
before we start
calling in markers.

All Dick's saying is,
choose your ground, Bob.

I hear you.
Because there's
no honorable retreat.

If you pick this up,
you're gonna have
to carry it.

Because it's your
best interest, Bobby.
That's the thing.

I understand.

The battles have raged
since the days of Greece

and our poor efforts
here today will not
arrest it.

What can we profit for this
age-old and, if I may,
ceremonial contest?

Not so, not so.

Yes, that I made clear.
And I find, looking around,

that in this chamber,
our friends...
Utter nonsense.

...in the loyal opposition...

Excuse me.
Excuse me.

...for make no mistake.

But though the loser
in this...

What did I miss?

You didn't miss anything.

The winner
can never, never...

What's going on?

He was just saying how
all the great crimes
are committed

in the name of
public tranquility.

And we respond,
yes, when the State gains,

when the State gains
and only then.

Close the book now.

Is everything all right?

Everything's fine.

Go to sleep now.

Good night, Mother.

Good night.

Good night, Ronnie.
Sleep well.

Good night.

I fancy this might be
a good opportunity of
talking to Violet.

I'll do it one day, Arthur.
Tomorrow, perhaps. Not now.

I think
you'd do better
to grasp the nettle.

Delay only adds
to your worries.

My worries?
What do you know
about my worries?

A good deal, Grace.

But I think
they would be
a lot lessened

if you faced the
situation squarely.

It won't
be easy for her
to find another place.

The facts at this moment
are that we have half
of the income

we had a year ago and
we're living at nearly
the same rate.

Whichever way you look
at it, it's bad economics.

I'm not talking
about economics, Arthur.
I'm talking about our life.

Things we took for granted
a year ago now,

which don't seem
to matter anymore.

Such as?

Such as a happy
home and anonymity and
an ordinary, respectable life.

There's your return for it,
I suppose.

I only pray to God
you know what you're doing.

I know exactly
what I am doing, Grace.

Do you, Arthur?

He's perfectly happy.

He's at a good school.
He's doing very well.

No one need ever have known
about Osbourne if you hadn't

shouted it out
to the whole world.

As it is,
whatever happens now,

he'll be known as the boy
who stole that postal order.

He didn't steal it, Grace.

You talk
about sacrificing
everything for him.

When he's grown up,
he won't thank you
for it, Arthur.

Even though you've given
your life to publish
his innocence,

as you call it.

Yes, Arthur. Your life.

You talk gaily about
arthritis and a touch of gout.

You know better than any of
the doctors what's the
matter with you.

You're destroying yourself,
Arthur, and me, and your
family besides.

For what, I'd like to know?
For what?

For justice, Grace.

Are you sure that's true?

Are you sure it isn't
pride and self-importance?

No, I don't think so.
I really don't think so.

No, I'm not going
to cry and say I'm sorry
and make things up again.

I can stand anything if
there is a reason for it.

But for no reason at all,
it's unfair to ask
so much of me.

It's unfair!

What's the matter, Father?

Your mother's
a little upset, that's all.

Why? Aren't things
going very well?

Yes. Everything's
going very well.

You go on back to bed.
Go to sleep. Good night.

Thank you very much.
Here you are.

Off you go.

Thank you, Violet.

How long have you
been with us, Violet?

Twenty-four years
come April, sir.

Is it as long as that?
Yes, sir.

Miss Kate was that high
when I first come in.

Mr. Dickie hadn't
even been thought of.

What do you think
of this case, Violet?

Fine old rumpus that is,
sir, and no mistake.

Yes, it is indeed
a fine old rumpus.

There was a bit
in the Evening News.
Did you read it, sir?

No, I didn't.
What did it say?

Oh, how it was a fuss about
nothing, shocking waste of
the government's time.

But how it was
a good thing all the same,

because it could
only happen in England.

There seems
a strange lack of
logic in that argument.

Well, perhaps they put
it a bit different, sir.

Still, that's what it said,
all right.

When you think
it's all because
of our Master Ronnie,

I have to laugh
about it sometimes.

Really, I do.

Wasting the
government's time
at his age. I never did.

Wonders will never cease.

No, wonders
will never cease.

Well, will that be all, sir?

Yes, Violet, that'll be all.

Good evening, Violet.
- Good evening, miss.

Catherine.
Hello, Father.

Hello.

How are you?

Slinking down alleyways.

Are they still camping
out in the street, then?

Oh, yes.

So how'd you
get on this evening?

Are those for me?
Yes.

Thank you.

Well, what happened?
Is the debate over?

As good as.

The First Lord
gave an assurance

that in the future there
would be no inquiry at
Osbourne or Dartmouth

without informing
the parents first.

That seemed to
satisfy most members.

Well, what about our case?
Is he going to allow us
a fair trial?

Apparently not.

But that's iniquitous.
I thought he'd be
forced to.

I thought so too.
The House, evidently,
thought otherwise.

So we're back
to where we started.

I'm sorry, Father?

I said, so we're
back where we started, then?

Is that it, you mean?

Yes, it looks like it.

But didn't Sir Robert protest
when the First Lord refused
a trial?

Oh, something
far more spectacular.

He'd had his feet on the
Treasury table and his
hat over his eyes

during most of
the First Lord's speech.

And he suddenly got up,
glared at the First Lord,

threw a bundle of notes on
the floor and stalked
out of the House.

Magnificent effect.

Or perhaps
a display of feeling?

Sir Robert, Father dear,
is not a man of feeling.

I doubt any emotion at all
can stir in that dead heart.

Well, he took the brief.

And what have
we done for him?
First-rate publicity.

The staunch defender
of the little man.

Lucky for him.

Mmm, and lucky for us, too.

No, don't fool yourself.

He's an avaricious,
a conniving and
unfeeling man.

We've bought his services,
for the moment.

We've bought him like
a cheap thrupenny whore.

Sir Robert Morton.

Good evening.

Sir Robert!
Good evening.

Something gone down
the wrong way?

Yes.

May I assist?

Most kind.

Good evening, sir.
Sir Robert.

I thought I would call
and give you an account
of the day's proceedings,

but perhaps your daughter
has forestalled me.

Sir Robert, would you
forgive me for a moment?

Catherine, I wonder if
you would be kind enough

to entertain Sir Robert
in my absence.

Did you know
I was in the gallery?

How could I have missed you
with such a charming
brown hat?

Oh, thank you.

Will you betray a technical
secret, Sir Robert?

What happened during
the first examination

to make you
so sure of his innocence?

Three things.

First of all, he made far
too many damaging admissions.

A guilty person would have
been much more careful
and on his guard.

Secondly I laid him a trap,

and thirdly,
left him a loophole.

Anyone who was guilty
would have fallen
into the one

and darted through
the other.

He did neither.

The trap was to
ask him suddenly

what time Elliot
put the postal order
in his locker, wasn't it?

Yes.

And the loophole?

I then suggested to him that
he'd stolen the postal order
for a joke,

which had he been guilty,
I'm quite sure he would
have admitted to

as being the lesser
of two evils.

I see. It was
very cleverly thought out.

Thank you.

And what of
the 25 minutes?

Twenty-five minutes?

Ronnie went back
to the locker room

and there were 25 minutes
there, which he could not
account for.

What was he doing?

Hmm.

But I thought
you should know.

Why on earth, me?

It is a crime
you indulge in.

What can you mean?

He was smoking a cigarette.

Sir Robert!
May we offer you
some refreshment?

Whiskey and soda, perhaps?

A whiskey, thank you.

My daughter told me of your
demonstration during the
First Lord's speech.

She described
it as magnificent.

Did she?
That was good of her.

It's a very old trick,
you know.

I've done it many times
in the courts. It's nearly
always surprisingly effective.

Was the First Lord at all
put out by it? Did you notice?

How could he have
failed to be?

I wish you could have
seen it, Father. It was...

I beg your pardon, sir,
I clean forgot to give
you this letter.

Thank you, Violet.

When did this come?

A few minutes ago, miss.

Thank you.

You know the writing?

I shouldn't bother to
read it if I were you.

Would you forgive me,
Sir Robert?

Of course.

Well, and
what do you think
the next step should be?

In the abstract
or the particular?

The particular, please.

I believe that
perhaps the best plan

would be to renew our
efforts to force the Director
of Public Prosecutions to act.

Don't you think that
would be rather unorthodox?

Well, I certainly hope so.

Do you think we have
a chance of success?

Of course,
or I would not suggest it.

Father, Sir Robert thinks
we might get the Director
of Public Prosecutions to act.

What?

What did you say?

We were discussing
how to proceed
with the case.

I'm afraid
I don't think,
all things considered,

that much purpose
would be served
by going on.

No, I don't think any purpose
would be served by going on.

That's absurd.

Of course we must go on.
How could you say otherwise?

I've made sacrifices
for this case.

Some of them
I had no right to make,
but I made them nonetheless.

But there is a limit.

And I've reached it.

I'm sorry, Sir Robert.

The Winslow case is
now closed.

Perhaps I should
explain this letter.

There is no need.

This letter
is from a certain
Colonel Watherstone,

who is the father of
the man I'm engaged to.

He writes
that our efforts to
discredit the Admiralty

in the House
of Commons today

have resulted merely
in our making the
name of Winslow

a nationwide laughingstock.

I don't care for his English.

It's not very good, is it?

He goes on to say
that unless my father

will give him
a firm undertaking

to drop this whining
and reckless agitation,

I suppose
he means the case,

he will exert every bit
of influence he has
over his son

to prevent him marrying me.

I see.

May I take a cigarette?

Yes, of course.

It's a vile habit,
isn't it?

Which of us is perfect?

That really was a most
charming hat, Miss Winslow.

I'm glad you liked it.

It seems decidedly
wrong to me that a lady
of your political persuasion

should be allowed
to adorn herself with such
a very feminine allurement.

It really looks so awfully
like trying to have the
best of both worlds.

Does it indeed?

It does.

And is that a particularly
female trait?

I'm not a militant,
you know, Sir Robert.

I don't go about shattering
glass or pouring acid down
pillar-boxes.

I'm very glad to hear it.

Both those activities
would be highly
unsuitable in that hat.

I have never
yet fully grasped

what active steps you take
to propagate your cause,
Miss Winslow.

I'm an organizing secretary
at the West London branch

of the Women's
Suffrage Association.

Indeed?

Is the work hard?

Very.

But not,
I should imagine,
particularly lucrative.

The work is
voluntary and unpaid.

Dear me.

What sacrifices you
young ladies seem prepared
to make for your convictions.

Forgive me, sir, if I spoke
out of turn just now.

Oh, that's quite all right.

Of course, you must
act as you think fit.

But might I suggest that
you delay your decision

until you've thought
a little while.

I'll give you
my answer presently.

Well, my father wrote
your father a letter.

Yes.
You read it?

Yes, did you?

He showed it to me.
Yes. What's his answer?

My father?
Yes.

I don't suppose
he'll send one.

He'll ignore it?

Isn't that the best
response to blackmail?

Yes.

It was rather highhanded
of the old man.

Highhanded?

The trouble is, he's serious.

I never thought he wasn't.

He's as
serious as can be.

If your father carries on
with the case,

he'll do everything
he threatened.

Your father will
forbid the match?

That's right.

An empty threat
then, isn't it?

Well, there's
always the allowance.

Yes, I see.
There's always the allowance.

And without
the settlement,

you know I can't live on
my pay. And with two of us...

I've heard it
said that two can
live as cheaply as one.

Don't you believe it.

Yes, I see.

You're off
to the House
of Commons again?

Oh, yes, it's hard
on you, John, isn't it?

A fellow thought
I'd like to see this.

He cut it out to show me.

Here's poor old John Bull

and he can't get
his work done because
of the Winslow situation.

What do you
think about that?

Do you want to
marry me, John?

Yes. Yes, I do.

But isn't it
already too late?

Even if we throw out the case,

would you still want to
marry the Winslow girl?

All that will
blow over in time.

And we'd still
have the allowance.

It is important, darling.
You can't shame me into
saying that it isn't.

I didn't mean to shame you.

Oh, but you did.

I'm sorry.

The case is lost, Catherine.

The case is lost. Give it up.

What's your answer?

I love you, John. The answer
is I want to be your wife.

Well, then,
you'll drop the case?

Yes, I will.

I must tell Sir Robert.

...histrionic hyperbole.
- Hear, hear.

It was
the Right Honorable and
learned gentleman opposite

to calumny the Admiralty,

for a child, gentlemen.
For a child.

A guilty child.

Or can we not, I do
beseech you, make an end?

One cannot sue the Crown!

Justice has been done
to the tenth decimal point.

And it is time to
lay aside nursery gossip

and to proceed with
the business of government.
The business of government...

You're all in, Bobby.

Hmm?

I say, you're all in.
Go home.

We're finished, Bob.

You've fought
the good fight.

You've fought
the good fight,

but we ain't got
the votes. It's over.

Well,
we did what we could.

Thanks for your support.

Don't break
your heart over it.

Everybody loses one.
There's no shame in it.
Sorry, Bobby.

Listen to Tony, Bob.

You can't hold back
the tide.

You couldn't have
fought harder.

The House is against you.
Let's let it go.

And I believe I can
state with certainty

that the mood
of this House is sure,
correct and supportive

of the Admiralty
on behalf of which,

and on behalf of those
it is sworn to guard.

I thank you for your patience.

And I thank you for your time.

What's this?

Mr. Speaker.
Put the question.

Hear, hear.
Put the question.
They're calling the question.

Let them call the question.
We're done.

There's no shame in it, Bob.

The motion is...
Here you are.

Point of order, Mr. Speaker.
Point of order.

I am on my feet.
Does this escape you?

Point of order, I say.

I am on my feet.
The man's
on his feet.

Gentlemen! There is
a motion on the floor.

Point of order.
I must insist!
What?

Upon what grounds?

Well, sit down
and I'll tell you.

That's right,
sit down!

Very well,
make your old speech.

Thank you.

I have a point of order,
Mr. Speaker.

I should like to
read into the record
two items. Two items.

First item,
popular song of the day.

How Still We See Thee Lie
or The Naughty Cadet.

"How dare
you sully Nelson's name
who for this land did die?

"Oh, naughty cadet,
for shame, for shame.

"How still we see thee lie."

They suggest, they suggest
our concern for the boy

might perhaps tarnish the
reputation of Lord Nelson.

No, I don't think so.

You said two items.

The other one is this.
It's from a slightly
older source.

It is this,

"You shall not
side with the great
against the powerless."

Mr. Speaker, point of order.

I'm on my feet!
Withdraw.

Will you yield?
I will not yield, Mr. Speaker.

"You shall not
side with the great
against the powerless."

Hear, hear.

Have you heard
those words, gentlemen?

Do you recognize
their source?

From that same source
I add this injunction.

It is this, "What you do
to the least of them,
you do to me."

Now...

Now, gentlemen...

Good afternoon, miss.

Hello.

I'll be damned
if that's not the most...

Get on the camera!
Will you get on the camera!

The most astounding thing.

What happened?
- Let me through, please.

What happened?
What happened?

First Lord
thought he was safe.
Thought he was home free.

Sir Robert spoke and
now he's under attack.

From whom?
From whom? From everybody.

When he comes out,
here's what I want.

But for God's sake,
wait for the crowd
to thin.

Excuse me.
Excuse me, sir.

Mr. Michaels.

Let them out,
let them out.

What happened?

It seems, miss,
it seems that rather
than risk a division,

the First Lord has
given an undertaking

to endorse the
Petition of Right.

It means that the
case of Winslow v. Rex
can therefore come to court.

Let the man out.
Ah, Sir Robert.

Bobby.

Well, Miss Winslow,
what are my instructions?

Do you need my
instructions, Sir Robert?

Aren't they already
on the petition?

Doesn't it say,
"Let right be done"?

Then we must endeavor
to see that it is.

The Winslow case.
I've got The Beacon.

I've got the news.

Read the latest about the
Winslow boy in these pages.

Right here in these pages.

Read it here.
- Yes, please.

Here it is. Thank you
very much, sir. Here.

Thank you.
Latest on the Winslow boy.

I've got the news.

You're thinner.

I like your new suit.

Off the peg at
three and a half guineas.

I say, does that stuff
go on all the time outside?

We're waiting
for the verdict.

Where's Kate?

Kate takes
the morning session.
I go in the afternoon.

How's it all going?

I don't know.

I've been there
all four days now

and hardly
understood a word.

Will there be room for me?

Oh, yes.

They reserve places
for the family.

How'd Ronnie get on
in the witness box?

Two days he was
cross-examined.
Two whole days.

You imagine?
Poor little pet.

I must say
he didn't seem
to mind much.

He said
two days with
the Attorney General

wasn't nearly as bad as
two minutes with Sir Robert.

Kate said he made a very
good impression on the jury.

How is Kate, Mother?

All right.

You heard about
John, I suppose.

Yes. That's what I meant.
How has she taken it?

You can never
tell with Kate.

She never
lets you know
what she's feeling.

We all think
he behaved very badly.

Your father's
on the terrace.

How are you, Dickie?

Very well,
thank you, Father.

Mr. Lamb tells me you've
joined the Territorials.

I'm sorry, Father, what?

Mr. Lamb tells me that
you've enlisted in
the Territorials.

Yes, Father.

Why have you done that?

Well, from all accounts
there's a fair chance
of a scrap soon.

If there is,
I want to get in on it.

If there is a scrap,
as you call it,

you'll do far better to
stay at the bank.

No, no. Too much
conflict at the bank.

Is that how
it seems to you?

Oh, yes.
Makes the blood run cold.

How's Catherine?

She's late. She was
in half-past yesterday.

Well, perhaps
they're taking the
lunch interval later today.

Lunch interval?

This isn't
a cricket match, Grace.

Nor, may I say is it
a matinee at the Gaiety.

Why are you wearing that
highly unsuitable getup?

Don't you like it, dear?
It's Madame DuPont's best.

Grace, your son
is facing a charge
of theft and forgery.

Oh, dear,
it's so difficult.

I can't wear the same
old dress day after day.

It's repetitious
and depressing.

I'll tell you what, Arthur.

I'll wear my black coat
and skirt tomorrow
for the verdict.

Yes, that's what I'll do.
I'll wear it for the verdict.

Did you say
my lunch was ready?

Yes, dear.
It's only cold.

I made
the salad myself.
Violet is at the trial.

Is Violet with you?
She was under sentence
the last time I saw you.

Neither your father nor I
had the courage to tell her.

I have the courage
to tell her.

Funny that you
don't then, dear.

See, Dickie, how these taunts
of cowardice are daily flung
at my head?

But should
I take them up,

I'm forbidden to
move in the matter.

Such is the logic of women.

Will you take him away
after the verdict?

He's promised to go
into a nursing home.

Will he?
How should I know?

Surely if
he loses this time,
he's lost for good?

I can only hope that
it's true.

Lord, the heat.

Mother, can't you get
rid of those reporters?

Hello, Dickie.

Hello, Kate.

Come to be in
at the death?

Is that what
it's going to be?

Looks like it.

You're late, Catherine.

I know. I'm sorry, Father.

There was
such a huge crowd.

I have to go and change.

Was it a bigger crowd
than yesterday?

Oh, yes, Mother, far bigger.

So how did it
go this morning?

Sir Robert finished his
cross-examination of
the postmistress.

I thought he'd demolished
her completely.

She admitted she
couldn't identify Ronnie
in the Commander's office.

She admitted
she couldn't be sure
of the time he came in.

She admitted she was
called away to the telephone

while he was buying
his fifteen and six
postal order,

and that all Osbourne cadets
looked alike to her in
their uniforms,

so that it might quite easily
have been another cadet
who cashed the five shillings.

It was a brilliant
cross-examination.

He didn't frighten her
or bully her.

He simply coaxed her
into tying herself
into knots.

Then, when he'd finished,
the Attorney General
asked her again

whether she was absolutely
positive that the same boy

that bought the
fifteen and six
postal order

also cashed the
five-shilling one.

She said, yes,
she was quite,
quite sure

because Ronnie was such
a good-looking little boy

that she'd specially
noticed him.

She hadn't said that in
her examination-in-chief.

Ronnie, good looking?
What utter rot.

Well, if she thought
he was so especially
good-looking,

why couldn't
she identify him
the same evening?

Don't ask me.
Ask the Attorney General.

I'm sure he
has a beautifully
reasonable answer.

Who else gave evidence
for the other side?

The Commander,
the Chief Petty Officer

and one of the boys
at the college.

Anything very damaging?

Nothing that
we didn't expect.

Did you see anyone
interesting in court, dear?

Yes, Mother.
John Watherstone.

John? You didn't
speak to him, I hope.

Yes, of course, I did.
- Kate, you didn't.

What did he say?

He wished us luck.

What impertinence.

Is that what it is?

I wonder if Violet
remembered to get
those onions.

I better get them myself
on the way back from court.

Yes, get them
on the way back.

I'm so sorry, dear.

What for, Mother?

John, being such a bad hat.

I never did like him
very much, you know.

No. I know.

You're looking well, Dickie.

A trifle thinner, perhaps.

Hard work, Father.

Or late hours?

You can't keep
late hours in Reading.

Oh! You could keep
late hours anywhere.

I had quite a good report
about you from Mr. Lamb
at the bank.

Good old Mr. Lamb.

I took him racing
last Saturday.

Had the time of
his life and lost his shirt.

Did he? Did he indeed?

Now, Dickie,
when we get to
the front door,

put your head down,
like me and charge
through them all.

Why don't you just
go through the garden?

I can't risk this hat
going through the roses.

I always say,
"I'm the maid and
I don't know nothing."

So don't be surprised.

Right-o, Mother.

Are we going to
lose this case, Kate?

How's Sir Robert?

The papers said
that he began today

by telling the judge
he felt ill

and might have to
ask for an adjournment.
I trust he won't collapse.

He won't.

It was just another
of those brilliant
tricks of his

he's always
boasting about.

It got him the sympathy
of the court and possibly...

No, I won't say that.

Say it.

Possibly provided him
with an excuse if
he's beaten.

I see.

Desmond.

Come in, Desmond.

I trust you do not
object to me employing
this rather furtive entry,

but the crowds
at the front door
are most alarming.

Most alarming.

Why have you
left the court?

My partner will
be holding the fort.

He is perfectly competent.
I promise you.

I'm glad to hear it.

I wondered if I might
see Catherine alone.

I have a matter
of some urgency to
communicate to her.

Ah. Do you wish to hear
this urgent matter, Kate?

Yes, Father.

Well.

Forgive me.

I have to be
back in court. I...

Perhaps you would
give me a moment
of your time.

Yes, of course, Desmond.

It occurred to me
during the lunch recess

that I had far better
see you today.

Yes.

I have a question
to put to you, Kate,

which if I had
postponed putting
until after the verdict,

you might, who knows,
have thought had been
prompted by pity

if we'd lost or,
or if we'd won,

your reply might,
again who knows,

have been influenced
by gratitude.

And that, of course,
wouldn't do.

Do you follow me, Kate?

Yes, Desmond.
I think I do.

Ah. Then perhaps
you have some inkling

of what the question is
I have to put to you?

Yes, I think I have.

Oh.

I'm sorry, Desmond.
I ought, I know,

to have followed the
usual practice in
such cases,

and told you I had
no inkling whatever.

No, no. Your directness
and honesty

are two of the qualities
I so much admire in you.

I'm glad that
you have guessed.

It makes my task
the easier.

The facts are these that
you don't love me
and never can,

and that I love you,
always have and
always will.

It is a situation which,
after most careful
consideration,

I am fully prepared
to accept.

I reached
this decision
some months ago,

but I thought at first
it might be better to
wait until this case

which is so much
on all our minds,
should be over.

Then at lunch today,

I determined to anticipate
the verdict tomorrow.

I see. Thank you
so much, Desmond.

That makes everything
much clearer.

There is much more
that I meant to say,

but I shall put it
in a letter.

Yes, Desmond. Do.

Will you give me a few days
to think it over?

Of course. Of course.

I need hardly tell you
how grateful I am.

There is no need,
Kate. No need at all.

You mustn't keep
your taxi waiting.

Yes.

Well.

Then I may expect
your answer in a few days.

Yes, Desmond.

I must get back to court.

Hmm. Well,

how do you think
it went this morning?

I thought the postmistress
restored the Admiralty's case

with that point
about Ronnie's looks.

Oh, no. No, no.
Not at all.

There is still
the overwhelming fact

that she couldn't
identify him.

What a brilliant
cross-examination,
was it not?

Brilliant.

Strange man, Sir Robert.

At times so cold
and distant and...

Passionless.

And yet, he has a real
passion about this case.

Does he?
Yes, I happen to know,

and of course this must on
no account go any further,

but I happen to know
that he has made

a very, very great
personal sacrifice

in order to
bring it to court.

Sacrifice? What,
of another brief?

No, no, no. That is
no sacrifice to him. No.

He was offered...
You really promise to
keep this to yourself?

My dear Desmond, whatever
the government offered him

can't be as startling
as all that.

He's in the opposition.

Indeed. Therefore, a most,
a most gracious compliment.

And what position
was he offered?

Yes, that's right.

That's right.

And he turned it down,

simply in order to carry
on with the case of
Winslow v. Rex.

Strange are the ways
of men, are they not?

Goodbye, my dear.

Father, I've been a fool.

Have you, my dear?

An utter fool.

In default of
further information,

I can only repeat,
"Have you, my dear?"

There can be
no further information.
I'm under a pledge of secrecy.

What did Desmond want?

To marry me.

Well, I trust
that the folly
you were referring to

wasn't your
acceptance of him.

Would it be
such folly, though?

Lunacy.

I'm nearly 30, you know.

Thirty isn't the end of life.

Is that so?

Better far to
live and die an old maid
than to be married to Desmond.

Even an old maid must eat.

Did you take
my suggestion

with regard to your
Suffrage Association?

Yes, Father.
You demanded a salary?

I asked for one.

And they're going to
give it to you, I trust?

£2 a week.

No, Father,
the choice is quite simple.

Either I marry Desmond and
settle down into quite
a comfortable

and not really
useless existence,

or I go on for
the rest of my life

in the service of
a hopeless cause.

A hopeless cause.

I've never heard you
say that before.

I've never felt it before.

John's getting
married next month.

Ah, yes.
I see, I see.

Did he tell you?

Yes. He was
very apologetic.

Apologetic?

It's a girl
I know slightly.

She'll make him
a good wife.

Is he in love with her?

Mmm-mmm.

No more than
he was with me.

Perhaps even
a little less.

Why is he marrying her
so soon...

After jilting me?

Because he thinks
there's going to
be a war soon

and if there is,
his regiment will
be among the first

to go overseas.

She's a general's daughter.
Very, very suitable.

Oh, Kate, I'm so sorry.

If you could go back,
Father, and choose again,

would your choice
be different?

Perhaps.

I don't think so.

I don't think so, either.

I still say we both
knew what we were doing
and we were right to do it.

You're not gonna
marry Desmond,
are you?

In the words
of the prime minister,
Father, "Wait and see."

Winslow case result!

Find out about
the Winslow case!

What's that boy shouting?

Only, "Winslow case latest."

Winslow case result!

It doesn't sound
to me like latest.

Did they win
or did they lose?

I've got the
Winslow case result!

Result?

In these pages!
Winslow case result!

No. There must
be some mistake.

Oh, sir.

Oh, sir.

Yes, Violet, what is it?

Miss Kate.

Miss Kate.

I don't know
how to tell you.

Just after they
come back from lunch,

Mrs. Winslow,
she weren't there
neither nor Master Ronnie.

The shouting,
the carrying on,

you never heard
anything like it
in all your life

and Sir Robert standing there
at the table with his wig
on crooked,

tears running
down his face.

Running down his face,
they were!

Cook and me, we did
a bit of crying, too.

Everyone was cheering.
Judge kept shouting.
It wasn't any good.

Even the jury joined in.

Some of them
climbed out of the box to
shake hands with Sir Robert.

Outside in the street,
it was just the same.

Couldn't move for the crowd.

Think they'd all gone mad
the way they was carryin' on.

Some shouting,
"Good old Winslow,"

some singing, "For
he's a jolly good fellow."

Cook had her hat
knocked off again.
She did.

Sure as
I'm standin'
here to tell you.

Well, sir, you must be
feeling nice and pleased,

now it's all over.

Yes, Violet. I am.

Always said it
would come out all right
in the end, didn't I?

Yes.

Yes, you did.

Yes, I did.

Well, I don't mind
telling you, sir.

I wondered sometimes
if you and Miss Kate

weren't just
wasting your time

carrying on the way
you have been.

Still, couldn't
have felt that if
you'd been in court today.

Oh, sir, Mrs. Winslow
asked me to remember
most particular

to pick up some onions
from the greengrocer, but...

Oh, that's
all right, Violet.

I believe
Mrs. Winslow's
picking them up herself.

Oh, jolly good, miss.
Oh, poor madam.

What a sell for her
when she gets to court
and finds it's all over.

Well, congratulations,
I'm sure, sir.

Thank you, Violet.

It would appear then
that we've won.

Yes, Father,
it would appear
that we've won.

I would have liked
to have been there.

Sir Robert Morton.

Good afternoon.

I thought
you might like to
hear the actual terms

of the Attorney
General's statement,

so I jotted them
down for you.

"On behalf
of the Admiralty,"
etcetera, etcetera,

"the cadet
Ronald Arthur Winslow

"did not write the
name on the postal order.

"He did not take it.
He did not cash it.

"That he is consequently
innocent of the charge.

"That this is
a full, unreserved

"and a complete acceptance
of his statements."

Thank you, Sir Robert.

It's hard for me
to find the words
with which to thank you.

Pray do not
trouble yourself to
search for them, sir,

and let us take
these rather conventional
expressions of gratitude

for granted, shall we?

Pity you were not
in court, Miss Winslow.

The verdict appeared
to cause quite a stir.

So I heard.

Why did
the Admiralty
resign the case?

Oh, it was
a foregone conclusion.

Oh?

Once the
handwriting expert
had been discredited,

not for the first time
in legal history,

I knew we had
a sporting chance.

But this morning,
you seemed so depressed.

Did I?

Perhaps the heat
in the courtroom.

Oh, sir.

The gentlemen at the
front door say, please,
will you make a statement.

They say they won't
go away unless you do.

Oh, very well,
Violet. Thank you.

Sir.

Hmm.

What shall I say to them?

I hardly think
it matters, sir.

Whatever you say will have
little bearing on what
they write.

I could say,
"This victory isn't mine,
it belongs to the people."

How does that strike you, sir?
A trifle pretentious, perhaps?

Perhaps, sir.
Hmm.

I should
say it nonetheless.
It will be very popular.

Perhaps I should just say,
"Thank God we beat 'em."

Miss Winslow,

might I be rude enough to ask
you for a glass of your
excellent whiskey?

Yes, of course.

Very kind.

I beg your pardon.

How remiss of me
not to offer you
any hospitality.

I'll correct
that straightaway.

What must you think of me?

Perhaps you
would forgive me
in not getting up?

The heat
in that courtroom
was really so infernal.

Are you all right,
Sir Robert?

Oh, it's just
a slight nervous
reaction, that's all.

Besides, I've not been
feeling myself all day.

I told the judge so this
morning, if you remember.

But I doubt
if he believed me.
He thought it was a trick.

What suspicious minds
people have, have they not?

Yes.

Thank you.

I'm afraid
I have a confession

and an apology to
make to you, Sir Robert.

Dear lady, I'm sure the one
is rash and the other
is superfluous.

I far rather hear neither.

I'm afraid you must.

This is probably the
last time I shall see you,

and it is a better penance
for me to say this than
to write it.

I have entirely misjudged
your attitude to this case,

and if in doing so
I have ever seemed to you
either rude or ungrateful,

I am sincerely
and humbly sorry.

My dear Miss Winslow,
you have never seemed to
me either rude or ungrateful.

And my attitude to this case
has been the same as yours,

a determination to win,
at all costs.

Only, when you
talk of gratitude,

you must remember that those
costs were not mine,
but yours.

Weren't they also
yours, Sir Robert?

I beg your pardon?

Haven't you too made
a certain sacrifice
for the case?

The robes of that office
would not have suited me.

Wouldn't they?

And what is more,
I fully intend to
have Curry censured

for revealing a confidence.

I must ask you
never to divulge it
to another living soul.

And I'd like you
to forget it yourself.

I shall never divulge it.

I'm afraid
I can't promise
to forget it myself.

Very well,
if you choose to endow

an unimportant incident
with a romantic significance,

you are perfectly
at liberty to do so.

Would you show me out
another way, please?

Thank you.

There you are.

I say, Sir Robert,

I'm most awfully sorry.
I didn't know anything
was going to happen.

Where were you?

At the pictures.

Pictures?
Mmm. Cinematograph.

Ah.

I say, we won, didn't we?

Yes, we won.

How about that?

We won.

One thing puzzles me.

Why are you always
at such pains

to prevent people knowing
the truth about you,
Sir Robert?

Am I, indeed?
You know that you are. Why?

Which of us knows
the truth about himself?

That is no answer.

My dear Miss Winslow,
are you cross-examining me?

On this point.

Why are you ashamed
of your emotions?

To fight a case
on emotional grounds is
the surest way to lose it.

Is it?

Emotions cloud the issue.

Cold, clear logic
wins the day.

Was it cold, clear logic
that made you weep today
at the verdict?

I wept today
because right
had been done.

Not justice?

No, not justice.

Right.

Easy to do justice.
Very hard to do right.

Well, now, I must
leave the witness box.

Miss Winslow, I hope
I shall see you again.

One day perhaps in the
House of Commons, up
in the gallery.

Yes, Sir Robert.
In the House of
Commons one day,

but not up in the gallery.

Across the floor, one day.

You still pursue
your feminist activities.

Oh, yes.

Pity.

It's a lost cause.

Oh, do you really
think so, Sir Robert?

How little you know
about women.

Goodbye. I doubt
that we shall meet again.

Oh, do you really
think so, Miss Winslow?

How little
you know about men.