Original subtitles

Garden's looking lovely, Henry. We're taking care of it for you.

Got a gardener in especially.

Frank called in the other night. Asked after you.

Everybody sends their love. Mum's going to Spain again this year.

Same villa she had last year. Said she prefers that to an hotel.

Being her own boss, like.

And, Henry, she wishes you could be with us.

Well, we all do.

Things aren't too bad in here, are they?

I'm greasing enough palms.

Nobody leaning on you, is there?

I want out, Charley!

Henry--

Out, Charley, out!

How is he, Charley?

Still running the show in there, is he? Still got the screws jumping?

He's not going to make it.

His eyes, I know that look. We've got to get him out.

But, Charley, he's top security wing, there's no chance.

Not the old way, no.

But they do things different these days.

Like this.

Oi! What do you think--!

Right, let's be having you!

We did it! By God, we pulled it off!

Get down.

Over there and face the wall.

Bodie! Doyle!

Something that might interest us.

Then it must be death or disaster.

Certainly death.

And if it's tied into an arms robbery, it could be disaster.

You heard what the gentleman said.

That's no gentleman, that's George Cowley.

And it isn't even Saint Valentine's Day.

I know this one. Thomas Patrick Murphy.

Liverpool Irish. Been looking for him.

Yeh, but someone found him first.

Yeh, didn't they, though.

So?

I looked it over.

Well, that won't tell us much, will it? Did you get the plans of the place?

Yeh. Charley, it'll take an army.

That's what we've got, haven't we? An army?

What do we know?

Six Webleys, calibre.44,

twenty Armalite rifles with ammunition to match and--wait for it--

two boxes of grenades, sixteen to a box and every one a big bang.

Great.

Nice clear view of the street. Nothing overlooking.

It's lovely. What about the police uniforms?

They're arranged.

Mugs.

You were in Belfast, weren't you?

Yup.

But if you think you're going to draw me in on that one, forget it.

Strictly keeping the peace.

Whose peace?

And a head on my shoulders.

Grenades?

Grenades.

Jesus!

Billy. Billy!

He's getting deaf as well as simple.

Friday, then. And a hand-picked squad.

We'll swap ideas on that. Later tonight.

CI5 Criminal Intelligence.

The Action Squad. The Big A. The Squad.

All right, so we may have half a dozen names, but only one job:

To see that no one messes on our doorstep.

And that means preventive detection, preventive action.

To detect, deter and prevent, and or take suitable action and or actions

against those transgressors against the law

outside the norm of criminal activity.

To contain and render ineffective such by whatever means necessary.

That's our official brief:

By any means necessary.

That's our loophole.

Now I'll tell you my interpretation,

I'll tell you what it's really going to be like.

You'll be paired off, and from then on, you're the Bisto Kids.

The slightest whiff of anything and you move in

Shake 'em down, crush 'em

before they even start to grow, like an alley fight.

And that's what this is, an alley fight. So kick him in the goolies first

Do unto others now what they're still thinking about.

Oh, there'll be squeals.

And once in a while, you'll turn a law-abiding citizen

into an authority-hating anarchist.

There'll be squeals and letters to MPs.

But that's the price they have, and we have,

to pay to keep this island clean and smelling--

even if ever so faintly-- of roses and lavender.

But you make a mistake like that and I'll back you to the hilt.

But make the other kind of mistake,

the kind that ends up with innocent people

bleeding all over the High Street,

and the only backing you'll get is with my boot and right out

of this organisation. Any questions?

Uhm. Rank, sir?

Eh?

If we are to be paired up,

obviously one of us has to be senior to the other.

Obviously? Why obviously?

Two fellows on the roof arguing who's in charge, they'll both get shot.

You're a team, like footballers are a team.

They don't have conferences in front of goal, do they?

Too bloody right they don't. First one there kicks the ball.

Have anything to discuss, do it before or after the game.

Preferably after.

Anything else?

Right. See you all back here after lunch.

Enjoy the lecture?

Oh, we always do, sir, but...

But what, Bodie?

Oh, a bit heavy, sir. Fascist overtones.

Fascist?

What do you know about--? Fight fire with fire.

Where do you think he got that leg?

Spain.

It had better be important, you know my feelings.

Our place of work is out on the street.

Any man standing around here isn't doing his job.

Think it's quite important.

Grenades.

Bye-bye. Bye.

Well, do you think you might see me there, then?

Yeah, I hope so. I might be meeting Phil, too.

Oh, really? I might ask Peter.

Yeah, all right. Should be a good evening.

Yeah. Well, if you could come along before?

All right, yeah. I'll meet you there, shall I?

All right.

Bye-bye. Bye-bye.

Emma!

No, I'm plumping for a bank raid.

Why not another terrorist group?

Because the Irish group knocked over the Army base,

and less than a couple of hours later, they got knocked over themselves.

Now, you're not telling me another terrorist group

knocked over the Irish lot?

Yes, Doyle, that's how I'd see it.

Look, someone knew about the Army raid, right?

They knew enough to be sitting there waiting for the Irish lot

when they arrived with the loot. They knew and we didn't.

And who sometimes knows more than we do?

Criminals. They're setting up a bank raid.

It's the guns they were after.

The grenades were just an unexpected bonus.

That's comforting.

If it's true.

Cowley.

Yes?

Where?

Right.

Dartingford Hospital. One of your grenades has just turned up.

Bodie. This is Doyle. Where is he?

There.

Yeh. Could be our man.

He's holding a Webley.44 along with

a 38B cup.

You what?

Here, have a look at that.

There's wandering hands with a vengeance for you.

Oh, nice

What about those buildings up there. Can we get above him?

We tried that. He's too good a shot.

What do we know?

William Turner. He was a patient here two years ago.

What'd they do, take out the wrong appendix?

Who's the girl.

A nurse. Emma Bolding.

- Does she know him? - Nope.

Ah, that's bad.

Oh, I don't know. She might keep him talking anyway.

I wouldn't rely on it. A hand grenade down her bra

can be a new experience for a girl.

What does he want?

To see Dr Brook, his psychiatrist. We've sent for him.

Does he know that?

Well, there seemed no point.

You keep him talking, keep him interested, that's the point.

Turner! Turner!

- Is that his name? - I told you.

Is that the name he answers to?

I dunno. Someone said Billy.

Billy, right.

Billy! Billy Turner!

Just want to tell you we're doing everything we can

We've sent for Dr Brook and he's on his way.

Do you understand, Billy?

Whole bloody road show, he's the star, and he doesn't want to answer.

So, he's not a show off.

No, no, he's introverted.

And a pound gets you a penny

he was being treated at this place for depression.

Depressives get suicidal.

Dr Brook's here.

William Turner, Billy. Yes, I remember him well.

About two years ago.

He was sent to me by his probation officer.

A depressive. I remember him very well indeed.

Why? Two years ago.

You must have seen four or five hundred patients since then.

What's different about him?

It's because he tried to kill me.

It's unusual. Frequently, the link between a patient

and a psychiatrist is a sublime one. They form attachment.

But not with Billy.

Yes, but in the wholly negative sense. He blamed me for his being here.

So why does he want to see you now?

I couldn't say. I could guess.

Doctor, he's got a grenade shoved down a nurse's cleavage

and a loaded gun at her head.

So, guess. Could he still want you dead?

It's very possible, yes. I mean Billy's mind is a...

No, if that's what he's demanding, then I will see him.

No, Doctor.

But if those are his terms, what are you going to do?

You ever wear a white coat?

Has Billy ever seen you in a white coat?

Yes. A few times, conducting physical examinations,

I might have worn one.

So he might associate it with you.

Yes, he might, but I don't see what--

I want one white coat. You see that garbage skip by the wall?

Get your boys to hump it as close to Billy as they can.

Thank you.

All you need now is a wig.

Bodie.

Billy! Billy! Dr Brook is here.

In just a few minutes, he's coming over to speak to you, Billy.

He's coming right over there to talk to you face to face.

- Bodie-- - Listen, it's a stalemate, right?

Now, you give him what he wants and then what?

He'll shoot Brook and blow himself up.

We don't know that.

Yeah, we don't not know that, do we?

The right technique is to keep him talking, play him, tire him out.

Suppose his left hand tires first?

Go on.

It's about four pounds pressure to keep a hand grenade lever clamped down.

Not much, just four pounds.

But, after an hour, it feels like eight, and then twelve, and then cramp sets in.

And then suddenly it's raining Nurse Emma Bolding.

All right.

Billy! Billy! Dr Brook is here.

He's right here beside me, Billy. He's coming over to see you.

He's coming over all on his own, Billy, to see you.

You'll know him as soon as you see him.

You'll know him by his white coat.

Listen, soon as I get out there, get their heads down and keep them down.

If that grenade's one of ours, it's an X4A.

Ten seconds fuse if it's primed--

Primed right. Yeh. If.

Samuel Becket'd like that. Life in a word--if.

Don't know how far he's going to let me get before he twigs.

Can you take him?

- Bodie. - Can you bloody take him?

Yeah, I can bloody take him!

I know you can. Just gives a man confidence to have it confirmed.

Billy! Dr Brook is coming out now.

All right?

Okay.

Your lucky day, Nurse Bolding. He doesn't often do that.

Henry. Henry!

I'm springing you, Henry. Do you hear me?

I'm getting you out of here. Just in time for the weekend.

You'll be out on your way to somewhere sunny.

You don't have to do a thing.

Just sit there and wait for them to open the gates.

Mum sends her love.

And now from your local news desk.

There was an incident...

I don't think he believed me. Still, it gave him a bit of a boost.

...Billy Turner attacked one of the nurses

and held her hostage with the threat of a hand grenade.

The grenade exploded, but no one was hurt.

It is believed that the hand grenade

was one of a number stolen earlier in the week

- along with other weapons... - Move. Move!

Now here is the weather forecast...

That Billy. That mother's...

We'll have to keep out of the way till Friday.

That Billy. That bloody Billy.

They won't tie him in with us. Not right away.

But they will when they start sweating him.

I bet your eyes fell out n your cheeks, didn't they?

I told you it was impersonal. Like doctor and patient.

Ah. How many doctors have you known? Impersonal!

Listen, I shacked up with a doctor in East Africa

and she was an absolute raver.

Every time we did it, she took my pulse.

To see if you were still alive?

To see how soon I'd be ready to do it again.

She said I was a perfect physical specimen.

Oh, well, you know, I mean--East Africa.

She was probably comparing you to the red-arsed baboon.

C'mon, Doyle, level with me.

You know these art classes you used to go to?

The life classes. You mean to say, it didn't disturb you anywhere at all?

You'd have to be crotchless.

No, no, it was impersonal. They were just models.

Bet if a bird posed nude with an apple, you painted the apple.

Yeah.

No, they were nice girls.

All girls are nice girls-- as long as they're under fifty,

still warm and come across.

William Turner. A lot of small form but mainly GBH to order.

Ah, heavy boy for hire.

Doctor's certificate.

He's fit for interrogation, but lay off that shoulder.

Sir. Doctor's signature.

Looks very like your writing, sir.

That's the file copy. And lay off that shoulder.

I want a lawyer.

Why, son? Do you want to make a will?

He coughed.

If you mean he talked, then say so.

He talked, sir.

Well?

Been doing odd jobs for the Turkels.

Turkel?

Yeh, Charley and Henry Turkel, scourge of the East End. Terrible Twins.

Oh, yes. And the grenade?

Oh, he nicked it-- stole it from Turkel's place.

You've told the local police? They're going to turn it over?

They are going to search the place, yes, sir.

Ach! Don't fence with me, Doyle

I'm too old and this leg of mine is killing me.

For God's sake, have a drink, both of you.

- Thank you. - Thank you, sir.

Did you have to lean on him?

Just, uh...all we did was stimulate his imagination a bit.

Anything...any...anything...

Ah, thanks.

You should have it out, sir.

That bullet in your leg.

Oh, they can do that all right, but they can't...

can't guarantee that they won't have to take the leg with it.

What would you do, eh?

Me, sir? I'd have another drink, sir.

So Turkel's up to something, eh? Did he say what?

No. Billy's too far down the ladder to know that.

But, whatever it is, it's planned for Friday and concerns a top cop.

He said the top cop. Mixed up in it in some way.

Mixed up? A bent cop?

Maybe.

The top cop?

That's what he said, yes, sir.

Sounds like the Chief Commissioner.

Don't be so damned ridiculous

And don't you repeat that outside this office!

Ah, get out, both of you. Go on!

Yes, sir.

You'll check him out all the same, sir?

Bodie.

You did well, today, even if you did break all the rules.

Rules, sir?

Broke the rules.

Ah, you know the form. Dog eat dog.

Ah, that's okay. As long as you're not a dog.

Checked the house.

It's all Mother Hubbard. Charley Turkel skipped.

No papers or anything?

Oh, there's papers all right. I've got my men working on them now.

They might be finished by next Christmas.

But there won't be anything. Charley's a wily bird.

Oh, you know him well, do you?

It helps to stay friendly.

Helps what? Your bank balance?

Now, hold on.

Helps with criminal information. That's what you meant to say, isn't it?

You CI5 boys think you're the cat's whiskers, don't you?

Well, at least we're at the right end of the cat.

Ah, come on.

We're all on the same side, remember. Go on, Sergeant.

Well, it's only a small thing.

That's the rumour.

Ignore him. What?

Found this in the kitchen. Not from one of my boys.

Police button.

The top cop.

And, always assuming you admit there could be such a thing, a bent top cop.

Charles Turkel.

Charles Turkel, you're under arrest.

Bet you never thought I'd put me hand on your collar, Charley.

How do I look, eh? The real thing?

A good joke, Dapper. Good joke.

I really enjoyed it.

Breakfast.

But, I didn't order--

You would have done if you'd thought of it.

Ah, you're a good girl, Betty.

No, just careful. You should have got some sleep.

Ah, today's Friday. I'll get some sleep when it's Saturday.

Computers spew out something else?

Ah, just the crime sheets on the Turkel brothers.

They're both as bad as each other.

Makes you wonder why there's only one of them inside.

Betty, it's been staring me in the face.

Do you mind not bending the bell?

Sorry, sir.

Sir? You must be blind or something.

No, just, uh...diplomatic.

Bodie!

Hey, wait a minute!

Bodie!

Get out!

C'mon. C'mon, handsome. Good morning.

You might have phoned, you know.

Yeh, I could have phoned,

but I thought you'd prefer the deluxe personal service

Work.

You must be Betty. He's told me a lot about you.

You...

You must be Betty.

Well, I had to say something.

Not that, not to her. Her name's Claire.

Yes, I know. I was doing you a favour.

Huh?

Well, I've added an extra spice of jealousy to your relationship.

I was getting enough spice without that. I was. Where we going?

To see the old man.

I think Turkel's going to spring his brother.

Take the prison?

That'd be hopeless. Even with grenades, he's in top security.

No, he's getting to be more subtle than that.

He's learned some new tricks.

If I'm right, this is an exchange job.

Snatch and a swap? Who?

A top cop. The top cop.

The Commissioner?

No. Who's above him? Who's our boss? The Home Secretary.

What?

I've lowered the boom. A complete change of itinerary for him.

Which was what?

He was due to make a personal commendation.

Ah, lunch at the Guild Hall, meeting with the PM, visit to his barber.

I've squashed 'em all and we're going to trace the whole route.

Personal commendation?

A bit of internal PR.

A local copper with more guts than good sense commended for bravery.

The HM thought it would be a nice gesture if he personally--

Went along to the station to make the presentation.

Found this at Turkel's house.

You, there. Get back in. Go on. Right up here.

Looks all right.

Yeah, looks.

Hold it.

All right?

That's fine, Miss.

Um, I've given you my driving licence. Doesn't one of us have to sign something?

Oh, ah, yes.

If you sign there, Miss, I'll fill in the details later.

That's fine, Miss.

Doesn't look as if there's anything wrong there.

He'd have to look good, wouldn't he?

Let's assume they've got the proper uniforms.

The timing's dead right.

Timing?

Yeh, it's right between shifts. What time is the HM due there?

Oh, about ten minutes from now.

Yeh, dead right. There'd only be ten or twenty people in there at the most.

They could lock those up in the cells.

You're just guessing.

Yes, sir.

Just the same, ten, twenty people in there?

Well, that's a guess, too.

There'd be station staff, duty officer, radio room.

Well, that's a simple thing, isn't it?

Just call up the radio room.

And what would you say with a rifle

pressed against your head. Yeh, apart from that.

Describe the Home Secretary to me.

The man we all work for. What's he look like? Doyle?

Well, uh, he's about, about fifty, fifty-five.

Bodie?

Yeh, like Ray says, you know. Average age, build, height.

Just another politician.

Yeh.

Bit like me, would you say?

Well, not twins.

But not unalike either, eh.

And if you're expecting him,

he'd arrive in a car pretty much like this, wouldn't he

Well, if you don't know him, why should they?

I'll either make a damned fool of myself or we'll know, won't we?

Bodie, they'll expect him... me to have a bodyguard.

Oh, you can't go in looking like that.

You'd better go and buy yourself something respectable.

Oh, your handgun. They'll find that right away.

But perhaps a...

Ask me what it feels like to be a screw.

If we're not out in two minutes--

Send the balloon up.

No, if we're not out, it means we're hostages

along with ten or twenty others.

We're not dealing with a terrorist. No brave causes.

We're dealing with a criminal mind, and that means single-minded.

I don't like it.

You'll follow my instructions to a T. On your way.

There's a car pulling in.

It's him. It's got to be him.

All right, it's all systems go. This way, Mr Secretary.

You're gonna read a special news flash.

Doyle to HQ. Doyle to HQ.

Loud and clear. All units.

Attention all units, attention all units. Here is a matter of grave importance.

This is the Home Secretary.

I'm being held hostage in Woodlane Police Station.

The station has been locked and barred.

Kill the siren. Look, I want that end blocked up.

And shut that lamp off.

...policemen are also being held prisoner in the cells.

So far, no one has been harmed, but there are nineteen hostages here--

Nineteen, do you hear that, nineteen.

And at the top of the pile is the Home Secretary.

And nobody gets hurt.

And, as long as you play ball, nobody will. Do you hear that?

Yeh, we hear. What do you want?

A plane, an escort, and Henry Turkel.

That's going to take time.

You've got one hour. One.

I hope you know what you're doing.

You manage to raise the prison?

Yeh. They're not happy.

Happy? I didn't expect them to be happy.

Have a car standing by to collect Turkel, will you?

Doyle?

- So you're Doyle. - Yeh.

You issued orders to seal off this area.

Yes, sir.

With nobody watching the police station.

That's right.

What the hell--

George Cowley's express orders.

Cowley's being held.

That's right. So he can't countermand my orders, can he, sir.

What rank are you?

We don't have rank in CI5.

What rank were you?

Detective Constable.

I'm taking over.

No.

If you'd just care to read the small print in my authority, sir.

Sorry, sir, but you're not.

Henry Turkel's on his way.

Right. Any advice would be welcome, sir. Excuse me.

Charley. There's nothing moving out here, Charley.

They're being sensible.

No, I mean nothing at all.

It's the new system, Charley.

To avoid panicking the public, new system.

Seal off the area, tell them a gas main's blown,

something like that.

Go upstairs and see whether you can see anything from up there.

Huh! He did it. He did it! He got one on all of you.

No, no, leave him cuffed. Tully.

C'mon. C'mon.

Your lads know all about the Official Secrets Act, I hope.

Doyle, anything we can do to help?

No. Thank you, sir.

There's nothing moving nowhere, Charley.

I'm tired. Any objections?

I don't like it, Charley.

There's nobody.

We'll have another talk on the radio.

Charley! Charley Turkel! Charley, I've got your brother!

Henry's out! You see?

Hey, where's the escort?

What about the plane?

There won't be any.

That's part of the new system, too. No compromise.

Let's see 'im.

Bring him out where I can see 'im.

Come on, then. Bring him out and let me see him.

That's why the area's clear. No one within half a mile.

No press, no public. In fact, nobody knows what's happening here.

Nor will they ever know exactly what happened here.

Oh, we'll make a press release eventually, give them the bones of the story.

You demanding your brother's release,

a double cross, and poor Henry Turkel got his head blown clean off his shoulders.

And what about the death of the Home Secretary?

What'll they say about that?

I'm not the Home Secretary, Charley. Just someone doing a job.

Charley!

I'm waiting, Charley!

I'm still waiting, Charley, and my finger's getting tired.

We've still got hostages!

One gunshot and he's dead, Charley. Your brother's dead.

Bodie, a good man.

Moves like a cat. He's armed.

I'd say he's got a fair chance of holding your mob off in the cells for long enough.

Oh, yes, you could blast him out eventually,

but one shot and your brother won't have anywhere to put his hat.

And the first shot won't be the last, Charley.

The whole squad's going to move in.

And there aren't going to be any survivors.

You've got to believe that, Charley. All of you better believe it.

We're coming out.

They're coming out.

Right, right, come on!

Permission to be admiringly insolent, sir.

You're a brave old bastard.

Permission denied. Anyway, it's inaccurate. I'm not brave.

I'm surprised he didn't tell you to take that suit back.

He did. That's where we're going.