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1.
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Episode One - BLUE AMENDS
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1 EXT. CHINESE QUARTER- DAY 1 - 16:50 1
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Thursday 6th February 1919 - A young CHINESE GIRL (MAI) is
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running, carrying a baby. An older Chinese man (ZHANG, her
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FATHER) is yelling at her in Chinese to hurry up, turning
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and waiting then trotting along beside her.
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ZHANG
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(Hurry up. Or they will
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kill us all.)
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They run and cross a street between ragged horses and
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creaking carts.
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2 INT. CHINESE QUARTER, LAUNDRY - DAY 1 - 16:51 2
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Grey sheets hang in lines inside the chaotically cramped
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laundry. Steam hisses from irons and there is a giant
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thumping sound of a steam hammer coming from a forging and
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pressing factory nearby.
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The heavy wet sheets are being scrubbed on steel washboards
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by Chinese children aged seven to eleven. There are old
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grandmothers using the steam irons, some with babies asleep
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in slings on their backs. An old man lies asleep on an
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ironing board. Through the steam we hear a dozen urgent
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conversations in the same language.
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We might think we are in Shanghai until we see a
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caption....
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BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, 1919.
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Mai bursts into the laundry and hands her baby to a young
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cousin barely big enough to take the baby’s weight. She
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hisses quickly in Cantonese...
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MAI
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(Do your tits still have
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milk?)
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The cousin nods as she takes the baby.
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MAI
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(Feed her)
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Mai turns to leave but a grandmother calls out...
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2.
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GRANDMOTHER
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(Hey! Where are you
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going?)
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Zhang steps in from outside and speaks with fear.
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ZHANG
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(They have asked for her)
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GRANDMOTHER
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(Who have asked for her?)
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A pause. Zhang glances at his terrified daughter through a
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billow of steam.
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3 EXT. SLUM STREET - DAY 1 - 16:55 3
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We are in a typical Small Heath tenement court. The yard is
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a hundred foot long and dissected by a cobbled street. Two
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four-storey tenements glare at each other across the
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cobbles. Lines of washing are strung across the courtyard
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and the sheets flap in the breeze.
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Dozens of children of all ages, all barefoot and dressed in
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rags, are playing on the cobbles. Women are hanging washing
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or bringing it in, calling out to each other, their voices
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echoing against the tenement walls. The air fizzes with
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yelling and laughter.
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We spend a moment with these people. A little boy pulls
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open the door of an outside lavatory, exposing an old man
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inside, to general hilarity. There are various cats and
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dogs about the place. Tucked behind a blackened brick wall
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an illegal gin still drips it’s lethal liquor into a stone
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jar.
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The women are all dressed in billowing dresses (in
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Victorian style) with brightly colored calico head-scarves
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wrapped around their heads.
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In spite of the poverty, there is a feeling of huge energy
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and vigor, rather than despair. In the background we hear
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the thumping roar of heavy engineering factories.
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After a few moments, a man riding a beautiful black horse
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trots into the courtyard. The horse’s hooves click on the
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cobbles.
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Instantly, all talking and laughter stops. Whispered word
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goes around the children and mothers like wildfire. All
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games are frozen. Washing is left in baskets. Mothers turn
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to the crowds of children to summon their own.
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3.
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We study the man who has produced such instant terror as he
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rides into the courtyard. He is immaculately dressed in a
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dark suit (odd for a man riding a horse) and his boots are
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polished. He is mid-thirties, handsome and well groomed.
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On his head he wears a Stetson Hatteras cap angled steeply
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over his forehead, with generous folds of cloth hanging
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over his ears. The peak puts his dark eyes in shadow.
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This man is THOMAS Shelby.
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He ducks under a line of sheets and finally pulls up his
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horse and dismounts.
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The courtyard is now miraculously empty, with all the
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mothers and children now hiding in doorways or alleys.
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They are all watching Thomas as he takes a gold watch on a
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chain from his vest pocket and checks the time. His horse
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snorts steam into the cold air.
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At that moment, at the end of the street we see Mai and
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Zhang arrive. They turn into the courtyard and slow down
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when they see Thomas and the horse. Zhang takes Mai’s hand
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and leads her on to the rendezvous.
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Thomas takes out a fat Sweet Afton cigarette and lights it
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with a match. Zhang and Mai approach as if Thomas were a
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gunfighter in a Western street. All eyes are on them as
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they meet.
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Zhang speaks English with a heavy chinese accent.
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ZHANG
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Sir? This is her.
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THOMAS
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The girl who tells fortunes?
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Zhang bows confirmation. Thomas hardly glances at Mai
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before gesturing at Zhang to begin what is evidently a pre-
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arranged exchange. With shaking hands, Zhang pulls a small
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velvet bag from his inside pocket and holds it up for
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Thomas to see. There is a golden dragon woven into the
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velvet.
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Thomas reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket. As he
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reaches in, we see a long barreled Webley revolver hanging
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in a tan-leather army issue holster. Zhang and Mai see it
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too and shrink back. Thomas takes two pound notes out of
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his pocket which he holds up for Zhang to take (making sure
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everyone watching can see the transaction).
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4.
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Zhang takes the money then hands the velvet bag to Mai. He
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quickly gives her instructions in Chinese and she seems to
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be a little baffled. He urges her to do as she is told.
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Mai hesitantly opens the velvet bag and pours a palm full
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of red powder into her hand. Thomas half smiles and urges
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her to obey Zhang’s whispers. Mai puts her hand near to the
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horse’s nose and blows.
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A cloud of red dust hits the horse. The horse snorts and
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shies and we see Thomas’s face through the cloud of red
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dust. Children in the alleys stare with wonder and whisper
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to each other. We eavesdrop on one child explaining to her
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little sister...
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CHILD 1
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They’re doing a magic spell to make
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it win a race.
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Mai blows some more red dust onto the horse’s nose and
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Thomas rubs it into the soft flesh around the nostrils.
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With the velvet bag now empty, Thomas drops his cigarette
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and, in one easy movement, he mounts the horse. He looks
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down at Zhang and Mai and touches his cap. He then looks
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all around at the women and children watching and calls
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out...
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THOMAS
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The horse’s name is Monaghan Boy.
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Kempton 3 o’clock Monday. You
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ladies have a bet yourselves but
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don’t tell anybody else.
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We might know Thomas is fully aware word of this will
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spread like wild fire. He wheels the horse around and trots
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away down the courtyard. Zhang and Mai watch him go. As
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Thomas ducks under the flapping sheets, women and children
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slowly emerge into their doorways and stare with open
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mouths, mystified by what they just saw. Finally, a
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grandmother speaks loudly to them all.
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MOTHER
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Those Peaky Blinder devils are
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using witchcraft now.
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4 EXT. GARRISON LANE - DAY 1 - 17:00 4
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We re-join Thomas as he rides his beautiful black horse
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down the industrial street, silencing the chaos around him
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briefly as he goes.
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5.
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The street is busy with horse traffic and the odd car and
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delivery van. Garrison Lane cuts between soaring industrial
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buildings. The street is alive with children and, outside
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every pub, men are gathered, smoking and drinking. On a
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corner, a beggar is playing an accordion but he stops and
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bows as Thomas passes. Other men look to their shoes as
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Thomas rides by, some of them darting into doorways to
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avoid his gaze.
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Outside the CHAIN TAVERN a black Afro-Caribbean street
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preacher with long straggly hair (JIMMY JESUS) is preaching
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fire and brimstone to no one, a large leather-bound bible
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in his hand...
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JIMMY JESUS
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...And Abraham made his home in a
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cave, but it was good because God
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resided there with him. You see
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children, God does not care if you
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live in a slum or in a mansion...
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As the shadow of Thomas and his horse passes over Jimmy, he
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glances up and nods a greeting.
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Thomas slows to allow a line of men to cross the road. They
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are all blind, walking in single file, each with a hand on
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the shoulder of the man in front, the leader being led by a
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dog. (These are men blinded in the war, now begging for
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pennies).
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The men sing ‘Molly Malone’ as they walk and the last in
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line holds a begging bowl. Thomas leans down in the saddle
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to drop a coin into their bowl.
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As the line of blind men clears, two policemen walking in
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the opposite direction see Thomas. They both look nervous
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and touch their caps.
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POLICEMAN
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Good morning Mr Shelby.
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Thomas ignores them and urges his horse on.
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5 EXT. CHARLIE STRONG’S YARD - DAY 1 - 17:30 5
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The yard is a fantastic collection. It is ostensibly a
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scrap metal yard but there is junk and treasure of every
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kind. The Grand Union Canal runs through the yard and there
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are stables for dray horses beside the water. A bonfire
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burns in a corner of the yard.
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6.
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The flames reflect on the high walls that seclude the yard
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and there is a large corrugated iron gate. The gate is
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being hammered from outside and a settled Gypsy (a
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Diddicoi) named CHARLIE STRONG emerges from a small office
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to open the gate.
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He is mid-forties, hard as iron, dressed in a fine tweed
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suit and cap but with a large golden earring in his left
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ear to denote his race.
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He opens the gate to find Thomas standing with his black
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horse. No words are exchanged as Thomas enters and begins
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to unsaddle the horse.
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Charlie turns towards the bonfire and calls out.
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CHARLIE
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Curly? Get here.
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From the billowing smoke another Diccicoi man (CURLY)
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appears. His head is totally bald and he wears a dark suit
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(and a gold earring). He approaches at a trot and we will
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learn that he is, (to use the language of the time),
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‘simple minded’. However, we will also learn that he has a
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way with horses like no one else.
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CHARLIE
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Curly, come and tell this horse he
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needs to get on a boat and stand
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still.
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Curly takes the horse and begins to whisper to it as he
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leads it toward the canal, where a coal boat is waiting.
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Charlie takes a cigarette from Thomas and smiles.
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CHARLIE
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I heard there’s been some mumbo
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jumbo in the Garrison with a
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Chinese girl. What’s afoot Tommy?
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Thomas almost smiles too as he lights his cigarette.
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THOMAS
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It’s a game called ‘turning rust
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into gold’.
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Charlie moves a little closer.
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CHARLIE
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So you still have the stomach for
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games?
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7.
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Thomas shrugs, stares into the flames.
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THOMAS
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Business as usual. Like we agreed.
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Thomas looks up at Charlie without expression and repeats
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to confirm...
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THOMAS
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Like we agreed.
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Charlie takes a moment. We sense a secret between them.
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CHARLIE
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I’m finding sleep hard to come by.
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THOMAS
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Take less water with your rum.
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CHARLIE
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Tommy, what if word gets round that
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it was you?
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THOMAS
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There’ll be no word from your lips,
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Uncle Charlie.
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Over at the canal side, Curly is placing a couple of planks
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for the horse to walk on.
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THOMAS
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And he’s the only other one who
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knows.
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Charlie half smiles.
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CHARLIE
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I told him the whole thing was a
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dream so that’s what he believes.
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Charlie drops his cigarette into the flames...
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CHARLIE
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(Softly)
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Bloody nightmare more like.
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THOMAS (FIRMLY)
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I’m dealing with it.
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A pause. Charlie looks uncertain. Thomas turns and walks.
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8.
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Charlie watches him go and we suspect dangerous times are
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upon them.
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6 EXT. WATERY LANE - DAY 1 - 18:10 6
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Two lines of two storey terraces form a long street where
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children play. Thomas approaches a particular door. We will
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learn that this is the Shelby home and headquarters.
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Thomas opens the unlocked door and enters. We notice a
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horse shoe nailed to the front door for luck as the door is
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slammed in our faces...
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7 INT. SHELBY HOME, PARLOUR - CONTINUOUS - DAY 1 - 18:11 7
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Thomas breezes through a hallway and a parlour decorated
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with brass and fancy floral crockery. The Shelby home is
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compact, a typical terrace, but we might notice a surfeit
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of brass and flowery ornamentation around the place. The
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Shelbys are cash rich but without conventional good taste.
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The home is decorated like a gypsy caravan, or a boatman’s
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barge with lots of roses, elephants and castles.
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We might glance a photograph of three brothers in military
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uniform, smiling (this is Arthur, Tommy, and John - all in
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Warwickshire Yeomanry uniform, with a freshly dug trench
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behind them).
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Thomas tosses his coat aside and passes through a small
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kitchen, where a young boy (FINN, 10, Thomas’s youngest
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brother) is smoking a cigarette into the flames of a coal
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fire. A rabbit roasts on a spit. Finn hides the cigarette
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and calls out as Thomas passes...
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FINN
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Arthur’s mad as hell.
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THOMAS
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What does a ten year old know about
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hell?
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FINN
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I’m eleven Sunday.
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Thomas keeps walking and passes into a pantry which has
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been opened out to form a small back room. Instead of a
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back wall, there is a black curtain. Thomas passes through
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the curtain...
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8 INT. BETTING SHOP - CONTINUOUS - DAY 1 - 18:12 8
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9.
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...To our surprise the pantry gives out onto a secret
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world.
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We find two hole terraced houses have been knocked through
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to form a single open plan space with the windows boarded.
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It is a fully functioning (illegal) betting shop and it is
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buzzing with activity.
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The large room is dominated by a huge blackboard on which
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bets and odds are being chalked by two RUNNERS in shirt
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sleeves. They stand on stepladders to reach the top of the
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board. The room swirls with cigarette and cigar smoke and
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there are half a dozen men queuing silently at a desk to
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lay bets. A heavy looking man (a gang enforcer known as
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SCUD-BOAT) is taking the bets in the form of coins wrapped
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in scraps of paper.
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Scud-boat unwraps the pieces of paper and drops coins into
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a hat as he unrolls the next bet. Thomas pauses and peers
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up at the blackboard. We see twenty bets, all for Monaghan
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Boy.
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The sight doesn’t please or displease him.
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One of the men at the blackboard is young and pretty and
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immaculately groomed. This is JOHN Shelby (Thomas’s 24 year
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old brother). When he sees Thomas, he looks up from his
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ledger and hisses with delight...
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JOHN
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Tommy, will you just look at the
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board. Will you just look.
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At that moment, at the far end of the room, a door opens
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from a small office, partitioned by glass and curtains. A
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man in his late thirties puts his head around the door. We
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will learn that this is ARTHUR. He calls out angrily.
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ARTHUR
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Tommy! Get in here!
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Arthur slams the door. John smiles as Thomas sets off
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towards the partitioned office (we sense Thomas is in
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trouble he can handle). Through reflections in the glass of
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the partitioned office, we see Arthur’s angry, anxious
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face, waiting.
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9 INT. BETTING SHOP, ARTHUR’S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS - DAY 1 - 9
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18:13
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The office has a photograph of the King dominating the
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wall.
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10.
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Beneath it sits the King of the Shelby gang, Arthur Shelby.
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Arthur is three years older than Thomas, his hair slicked
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and oiled, his jet black moustache dropping around his
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thick lips. He wears gold chains and smokes a thick cigar,
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the smoke almost hiding him. On the desk where he sits,
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there is a half full bottle of rum and a mountain of coins,
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pennies, shillings, farthings. He is counting them slowly
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into a top hat as Thomas enters.
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Thomas closes the door. Arthur deliberately takes a while
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to finish his count before looking up.
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ARTHUR
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You was seen doing the powder trick
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down at Garrison court.
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Thomas leans back against the door.
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THOMAS
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Times are hard. People need a
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reason to lay a bet.
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(As the conversation continues, we should sense that Arthur
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feels his authority is threatened by Thomas. Arthur is
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angry and blustery. Thomas is cool, hardly moving from the
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door).
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ARTHUR
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There was a Chinese.
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THOMAS
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The washer women say she’s a witch.
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It helps them believe.
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ARTHUR
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We don’t mess with Chinese.
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THOMAS
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Look at the board...
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ARTHUR
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(Snapping back)
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Chinese have cutters of their own.
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THOMAS
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We agreed. I’m taking charge of
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drumming up new money.
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ARTHUR
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When did we agree that?
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11.
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Thomas simply glances at the bottle of rum on Arthur’s
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desk.
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Arthur retreats a little.
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ARTHUR
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What if Monaghan Boy wins?
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Thomas stares hard at Arthur to suggest it’s all under
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control. Arthur gets to his feet, his big fists on the
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desk.
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ARTHUR
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You fixing races now Tommy?
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Thomas angles his head. His eyes are hidden in shade.
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ARTHUR
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You have permission from Billy
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Kimber to be fixing races?
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Thomas doesn’t reply, his face hardening. Arthur comes
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|
around the desk and comes close...
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
What’s got into you Tommy? You
|
|
think we can take on the Chinese
|
|
and Billy Kimber. Billy has an
|
|
army...
|
|
|
|
Thomas interrupts firmly...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
I think, Arthur. That’s what I do.
|
|
I think.
|
|
|
|
They stare at each other and once again Thomas glances at
|
|
the rum bottle.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
So that you don’t have to.
|
|
|
|
Thomas turns and heads for the door.
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
Tommy!
|
|
|
|
Thomas leaves and Arthur hurries after him...
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
Tommy, there’s some news from
|
|
Belfast...
|
|
12.
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 INT. BETTING SHOP - CONTINUOUS - DAY 1 - 18:15 10
|
|
|
|
Thomas is already walking away through the smoke. Arthur
|
|
comes to the door and calls out...
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
Tommy! I’m calling a family council
|
|
tonight at eight o’clock. This time
|
|
you be there Tommy!
|
|
|
|
John turns. Thomas walks on.
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
You hear me?! There’s trouble
|
|
coming.
|
|
|
|
Thomas disappears through the velvet curtain. Arthur
|
|
seethes as he stares out. John studies him reacting to
|
|
Thomas’s defiance (which comes as no shock to John). Arthur
|
|
goes back into the office and slams the door.
|
|
|
|
Through the glass partition we see his silhouette as he
|
|
takes a swig of rum.
|
|
|
|
|
|
11 EXT. CANAL - DAY 1 - 18:25 11
|
|
|
|
On the oil-slicked surface of the canal a beer bottle
|
|
floats, neck up. We watch it float past the open doors of a
|
|
forging and pressing factory, which has its main entrance
|
|
and delivery bay facing the canal. Through the open door we
|
|
briefly glimpse the hell inside the factory. A white hot
|
|
furnace is smelting metal and a five hundred pound steam
|
|
hammer slams from the roof onto burning steel, setting off
|
|
a huge explosion of sparks.
|
|
|
|
Bare chested men are silhouettes against the burning white
|
|
heat and some of them swig beer from iron buckets.
|
|
|
|
The beer bottle floats on past the doorway and the pounding
|
|
of the hammer is now just a sound. We follow the bottle for
|
|
a few more moments and see Finn standing on the bank,
|
|
staring at the bottle as it passes. He has something in his
|
|
hands.
|
|
|
|
Then a bullet splashes in the water beside the bottle. Then
|
|
another.
|
|
|
|
We come around to see Finn holding a Webley revolver and
|
|
aiming it with both hands at the passing bottle. He cocks
|
|
the trigger with both thumbs with some difficulty and fires
|
|
again. This time, the bottle smashes. Then we hear an
|
|
anxious voice.
|
|
13.
|
|
|
|
|
|
VOICE
|
|
Finn?
|
|
|
|
Finn turns and sees a woman in her mid-twenties, pretty and
|
|
prettily dressed in sleek Twenties (Faux Flapper) style,
|
|
standing on the tow path, her expensive white shoes oozing
|
|
in the mud. She wears a white hat at a jaunty angle and she
|
|
has a jazz-age figure. Finn smiles at her.
|
|
|
|
FINN
|
|
Hello Ada.
|
|
|
|
The woman is ADA Shelby, Thomas’s younger sister. She will
|
|
almost always be dressed to kill. Her fancy clothes will
|
|
often contrast the mud and grime of her surroundings.
|
|
|
|
When Finn turns, he turns with the gun, so that it is
|
|
unintentionally aimed at Ada. Ada stares down the barrel of
|
|
the gun but she is brave and smiles.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
Finn, my pigeon, do you want to put
|
|
the gun down?
|
|
|
|
FINN
|
|
It’s John’s. I found it on the
|
|
sideboard.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
Put it down on the ground very,
|
|
very softly because the trigger is
|
|
cocked.
|
|
|
|
Finn begins to slowly put the gun down. Then, a sudden bang
|
|
from the foundry makes him jump and the gun slips from his
|
|
hand and the gun goes off. Ada does a little dance of shock
|
|
but the bullet flies wide. Ada then leaps forward and grabs
|
|
the gun. She unloads it like a professional and puts the
|
|
gun into her handbag.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
John is a dead man. Aunt Polly will
|
|
rip his balls off.
|
|
|
|
Ada grabs Finn’s hand and marches off down the tow-path.
|
|
|
|
|
|
12 INT. 1ST CLASS TRAIN CARRIAGE - TRAVELLING - DAY 1 - 18:30 12
|
|
|
|
The carriage is spacious and the blinds are half drawn.
|
|
Only one man sits inside the six seat carriage. He is a
|
|
barrel-chested man with a bushy moustache and a wing
|
|
collar. He wears a heavy, dark suit.
|
|
14.
|
|
|
|
|
|
This is CHIEF INSPECTOR CAMPBELL.
|
|
|
|
He has round-rimmed spectacles on the tip of his nose as he
|
|
pulls a cardboard folder from a leather case. The desk in
|
|
the compartment is already covered in paperwork, all laid
|
|
out neatly in sections.
|
|
|
|
There is a large blue print map of ‘The BSA Factory (Small
|
|
Heath)’ with intricate detail of workshops and offices. The
|
|
map has been pushed to the top of the table.
|
|
|
|
Campbell is taking a bound folder from a leather case. The
|
|
cover of the new folder is labelled in red. ‘SPECIAL
|
|
BRANCH’.
|
|
|
|
Beneath it is written in black ‘Top Secret. BSA robbery.
|
|
|
|
Prime suspects’.
|
|
|
|
He opens the folder. On the first page we see a small mug
|
|
shot photograph of Arthur Shelby. His name is beneath the
|
|
photograph and among the text we might glimpse the words
|
|
‘Gangster. Racketeer. Illegal bookmaker’ in bold type.
|
|
|
|
Beneath it reads ‘GANG-NAME....PEAKY BLINDERS’.
|
|
|
|
He turns the page and we see a photograph of Thomas Shelby.
|
|
|
|
It is a head and shoulders shot but we see he is wearing
|
|
military uniform. Campbell scans the page, his pen hovering
|
|
over the text.
|
|
|
|
We come close to the text so that only two or three words
|
|
at a time are legible. We read the words ’King’s medal for
|
|
gallantry’ in bold. Below it we read the words
|
|
‘racketeering, protection, armed robbery’.
|
|
|
|
Beneath it in bold type, ‘GANG NAME...PEAKY BLINDERS’.
|
|
|
|
At that moment the carriage door slides open and the ticket
|
|
inspector enters.
|
|
|
|
Campbell closes his file calmly then shows his identity
|
|
badge. We glimpse the shield of the Special Branch. When he
|
|
speaks we will hear a Protestant Belfast accent.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Government business.
|
|
15.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The inspector gives him a sideways bow of the head in
|
|
deference. The inspector leaves. Campbell opens his file
|
|
again and turns a page to find a page devoted to ‘FREDDIE
|
|
THORNE’. We see a mug shot photograph of a handsome man in
|
|
his early thirties who is also wearing military uniform.
|
|
|
|
Beneath his name in bold type we read... ’BSA Union
|
|
Convenor.
|
|
|
|
Communist agitator. Bolshevik’.
|
|
|
|
Campbell turns the page back to look once again at the face
|
|
of Thomas Shelby and Freddie Thorne. He holds both pages in
|
|
view at once.
|
|
|
|
It’s as if Campbell is trying to decide which of the two
|
|
handsome uniformed men he will fall upon first. Then he
|
|
closes the book, settles back and closes his eyes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
13 EXT. GARRISON PUB, GARRISON LANE - DAY 1 - 18:45 13
|
|
|
|
We see Thomas approaching the pub and entering.
|
|
|
|
|
|
14 INT. GARRISON PUB - CONTINUOUS - DAY 1 - 18:45 14
|
|
|
|
The pub is an ornate Cathedral built to combat the gloom of
|
|
poverty.
|
|
|
|
Every brass is polished to a blinding shine. All the
|
|
mirrors are gilded. Where outside there is dereliction,
|
|
inside the pub there is an excess of colour and decoration.
|
|
|
|
There is a table by the window occupied by a group of men
|
|
whose faces we don’t see. Others stand at the bar, smoking
|
|
and drinking bitter or mild. Scud-boat is collecting bets
|
|
from punters at tables. Then Thomas enters.
|
|
|
|
Everyone in the pub freezes a little but they all try hard
|
|
to carry on as normal. We join Thomas as he comes to the
|
|
bar and removes his cap. A barman is about to hurry to
|
|
serve Thomas but he is outrun by the LANDLORD of the
|
|
Garrison whose name is HARRY FENTON. Harry is scarred above
|
|
the eye. He is instantly deferential and produces a bottle
|
|
of stout which he opens quickly and puts in front of
|
|
Thomas.
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
On the house, Mr Shelby.
|
|
16.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas barely looks up from his cigarette pack as he puts
|
|
some coins on the bar anyway. As Thomas lights his
|
|
cigarette, we notice through his smoke that the men at the
|
|
window table are looking over. One of the men is on his
|
|
feet, draining his pint with purpose. As he approaches the
|
|
bar, we recognize him as FREDDIE THORNE from the photo in
|
|
Campbell’s file.
|
|
|
|
Freddie comes to stand beside Thomas and appears to lack
|
|
the fear of almost everyone else.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE (TO HARRY)
|
|
I’ll take a Mild.
|
|
|
|
Thomas hardly looks at Freddie but we feel a tension
|
|
between the men as they stand side-by-side. (Perhaps their
|
|
handsome silhouettes compete for our focus as they both
|
|
stare straight ahead). When Harry gives Freddie his pint,
|
|
Freddie pays with the money Thomas put down on the bar. It
|
|
is a deliberate gesture. Harry looks horrified. Thomas
|
|
draws on his cigarette and shrugs acceptance. Freddie half
|
|
smiles.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
Cheers Thomas. Good health to you.
|
|
|
|
Freddie sips his beer but doesn’t leave. Thomas knows there
|
|
is an agenda. Finally, Freddie speaks softly.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
Is it not enough everybody’s scared
|
|
to death of you these days Tommy?
|
|
You have to make fools of them as
|
|
well.
|
|
|
|
Thomas takes a weary breath (as if he expects this from
|
|
Freddie).
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
People who believe in witches
|
|
spending money they don’t have on a
|
|
horse that can’t win.
|
|
|
|
Most in the pub have turned their backs, fearing Thomas.
|
|
|
|
Freddie persists in a soft voice.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
You have fun playing with their
|
|
ignorance...
|
|
|
|
Thomas glances back at Freddie’s friends near to the door.
|
|
17.
|
|
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
When the revolution comes you can
|
|
make me Minister of Information.
|
|
|
|
Freddie has picked up Thomas’s hat and is examining the
|
|
peak.
|
|
|
|
For the first time, we see its secret.
|
|
|
|
There are three razor blades sewn into the peak, hardly
|
|
visible but proud enough of the peak to be lethal.
|
|
|
|
Freddie makes a point of peering at the razor blades before
|
|
tossing the cap down onto the bar.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
The crown of a Prince.
|
|
|
|
Freddie turns to Thomas.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
Soon to be King I’d bet.
|
|
|
|
Thomas almost rises to the bait.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
You don’t bet.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
No, but these past few days I’ve
|
|
been speculating.
|
|
|
|
Thomas orders another bottle with a gesture and Harry
|
|
quickly opens it. In the silence Thomas senses significant
|
|
business.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
About what?
|
|
|
|
Freddie gestures back at his comrades who are all averting
|
|
their eyes.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
One of my Union comrades has a
|
|
sister who works in the telegraph
|
|
office at the BSA factory.
|
|
|
|
Thomas swigs his beer.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
18.
|
|
|
|
|
|
She says in the past week there’s
|
|
been messages coming from London to
|
|
the brass. From Winston Churchill
|
|
himself.
|
|
|
|
Thomas doesn’t react but we sense he knows more than he is
|
|
showing...
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
Something about a robbery.
|
|
|
|
Thomas doesn’t react.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
‘A robbery of ‘national
|
|
significance’ it said. Underlined.
|
|
Twice.
|
|
|
|
Freddie waits for the words to land but Thomas is poker
|
|
faced.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
They’re keeping it out of the
|
|
papers but our girl is snooping.
|
|
|
|
Still Thomas doesn’t react.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
And she found something that’ll
|
|
make you laugh.
|
|
|
|
A pause.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
She found a list of names left on
|
|
the telegraph machine. And on the
|
|
list was your name and my name
|
|
together.
|
|
|
|
Thomas appears to be unmoved but Freddie knows him well and
|
|
knows he’s on to something.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE )
|
|
Now what kind of list would have
|
|
the name of a Communist and the
|
|
name of a bookmaker side-by-side?
|
|
|
|
At last Thomas engages. He half smiles.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Perhaps it’s a list of men who give
|
|
false hope to the poor.
|
|
19.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas turns to him and confronts.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
The only difference between me and
|
|
you Freddie is that sometimes my
|
|
horses stand a chance of winning.
|
|
|
|
Thomas glances back with disgust at Freddie’s ‘comrades’.
|
|
|
|
Freddie stares at Thomas. We might sense that these two men
|
|
knew each other well once but now Freddie is appalled by
|
|
what his friend has become.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
(Quickly)
|
|
You know, there are days when I
|
|
hear about the cuttings and
|
|
beatings that I wish I’d let you
|
|
take that bullet in France.
|
|
|
|
Thomas is privately amused and retorts instantly...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
There are nights I wish you had.
|
|
|
|
A pause. Perhaps Freddie understands how those nights feel.
|
|
|
|
Finally...
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
(To business)
|
|
So you don’t know anything about a
|
|
robbery that would trouble Mr
|
|
Churchill?
|
|
|
|
Thomas swigs his beer.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Freddie, I prefer to drink alone.
|
|
|
|
Freddie studies him but before he can speak a figure walks
|
|
past the frosted glass behind them. First Thomas, then
|
|
Freddie, turn and they both recognize the man at the same
|
|
time.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS/FREDDIE
|
|
Ah shit.
|
|
|
|
Harry has seen the figure approaching the door too and he
|
|
reacts with alarm.
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
Ah, not again.
|
|
20.
|
|
|
|
|
|
He dashes behind the bar...
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
Take cover! It’s Danny Whizz Bang!
|
|
|
|
Everyone reacts. Suddenly the pub door flies open and DANNY
|
|
WHIZZ-BANG enters. Danny is a barrel of a man, short but
|
|
wide and round and full of muscle. His face is crimson with
|
|
rage and he immediately grabs a chair and hurls it across
|
|
the pub.
|
|
|
|
As everyone scatters, he becomes a one-man whirlwind and
|
|
begins to smash glasses and knock over chairs.
|
|
|
|
Thomas and Freddie swap a half amused glance before
|
|
silently resolving to act. They put down their drinks in
|
|
unison. They approach Danny from either side, and in
|
|
restraining the madman, we see that they are used to
|
|
working together in violent situations.
|
|
|
|
Freddie takes Danny’s attention as Thomas grabs him from
|
|
behind. Freddie dives forward and grabs Danny’s legs,
|
|
upending him. Danny kicks and flails but Thomas falls on
|
|
him face down. Now Thomas is lying on top of Danny, their
|
|
faces close. Thomas hisses in Danny’s ear.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Danny, you’re home. You’re home.
|
|
We’re all home in England.
|
|
|
|
Both Freddie and Thomas see the comedy of all this. Danny
|
|
growls out a furious mantra...
|
|
|
|
DANNY
|
|
Had to go bang, had to go bang, had
|
|
to go bang.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
You’re not an artillery shell,
|
|
Danny, you’re a man.
|
|
|
|
Danny roars and struggles some more.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
You’re not a whizz bang. You’re a
|
|
human being. Now get yourself
|
|
together for Christ’s sake.
|
|
|
|
After a moment Danny takes a huge breath and then takes
|
|
this on board. He begins to breath more easily. He looks up
|
|
at Thomas’s face just an inch from his own.
|
|
|
|
DANNY
|
|
21.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ah hell. Did I do it again?
|
|
|
|
Thomas kneels up and dusts himself off. He looks up at
|
|
Freddie and the two men share a weary half smile.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Yeah you did it again Danny. Got to
|
|
stop doing this, man.
|
|
|
|
Thomas gets to his feet. Freddie holds out a hand and helps
|
|
Danny up and puts his cap firmly back on his head.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
Danny, next time you feel you’re
|
|
about to go bang, go down Aston.
|
|
The Garrison is a dangerous place
|
|
to break the rules.
|
|
|
|
To illustrate his point, Freddie gestures at Thomas who
|
|
turns away to get his drink. Danny is now fully himself. He
|
|
looks around at the damage and then recognizes where he is.
|
|
|
|
DANNY
|
|
Ah shit. Am I in the Garrison
|
|
Tavern? Oh God. Mr Shelby, I’m
|
|
sorry...
|
|
|
|
Thomas swigs his beer.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Go home to your wife, Danny. Try to
|
|
get all that smoke and mud out of
|
|
your head.
|
|
|
|
Danny bows his head.
|
|
|
|
DANNY
|
|
Yes Mr Shelby. I’m sorry Mr Shelby.
|
|
|
|
Danny turns and quickly hurries out. Freddie rejoins Thomas
|
|
at the bar and in silence they share amusement at Danny’s
|
|
bizarre behavior. Meanwhile Harry has hurried up to
|
|
Thomas....
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
Mr Shelby, you have to do something
|
|
about him.
|
|
|
|
Freddie interrupts.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
22.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Damn right Harry. You pay the Peaky
|
|
Blinders a lot of money for
|
|
protection.
|
|
|
|
Thomas grits his teeth. Freddie needles him some more.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
You’re the law around here now
|
|
Tommy, aren’t you?
|
|
|
|
Freddie grabs his beer.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
Why don’t you put a bullet in Danny
|
|
Whizz Bang’s head. Like they do
|
|
with mad horses.
|
|
|
|
Thomas turns sharply and glares at Freddie. Freddie
|
|
considers his old friend then raises his hands in mock
|
|
surrender.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
Maybe you’ll have to put a bullet
|
|
in my head someday too.
|
|
|
|
Thomas and Freddie stare at each other. Thomas doesn’t
|
|
smile. He grabs his cap and angles it on his head before
|
|
heading for the door. He picks up a knocked over chair as
|
|
he goes and calls out so all the customers can hear...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Bring the bill to the Peaky
|
|
Blinders. We’ll take care of it.
|
|
|
|
Freddie watches him go and turns back to his beer. Now that
|
|
he is alone he stares down into it with deep regret in his
|
|
eyes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
15 EXT. SLUM STREET - DAY 1 - 19:55 15
|
|
|
|
John Shelby is walking down the alley.
|
|
|
|
Then suddenly, shockingly, a gun is pointed at his head. We
|
|
* see the lady holding the gun - this is AUNT POLLY, the *
|
|
matriach of the Shelby family, someone who all of the
|
|
brothers respect. She has a fierce expression and speaks *
|
|
with venom to John.
|
|
|
|
JOHN
|
|
What the bloody hell did you do
|
|
that for?
|
|
23.
|
|
|
|
|
|
John scurries backwards but Polly whacks him around the ear
|
|
with her hand.
|
|
|
|
JOHN
|
|
Aunt Polly....
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
Don’t you Aunt Polly me. Look at
|
|
this gun.
|
|
|
|
Polly holds the Webley revolver up for John to look at.
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
You recognize it?
|
|
|
|
John slowly does recognize it.
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
This afternoon Finn was playing
|
|
with it by the cut. It was loaded.
|
|
He nearly shot Ada’s tits off.
|
|
|
|
John is horrified and slowly gets to his feet. He reaches
|
|
out for the gun but Polly pulls it away.
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
He found it on the sideboard in the
|
|
betting shop.
|
|
|
|
JOHN
|
|
It must have dropped out of my
|
|
pocket...
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
When you were drunk.
|
|
|
|
JOHN
|
|
Aunt Pol. I’m sorry.
|
|
|
|
Polly peers at him and softens a little.
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
John, I know bringing up kids
|
|
without a woman is hard. I’ll keep
|
|
this among the women if you swear
|
|
not to leave guns laying around.
|
|
|
|
John takes a moment and nods agreement.
|
|
|
|
|
|
16 INT. SHELBY HOME - DAY 1 - 20:03 16
|
|
24.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finn is eavesdropping at a closed door. We hear the rumble
|
|
of Arthur’s voice from the other side. Finn is smoking a
|
|
cigarette and listening intently. We pass through the door
|
|
to join the family council...
|
|
|
|
|
|
17 INT. BETTING SHOP - DAY 1 - 20:03 17
|
|
|
|
The family are gathered and Arthur is addressing them. In
|
|
the room we find John, Ada, Aunt Polly, Scud-boat (a
|
|
cousin), a weasel-like runner called FRED FARR (an uncle),
|
|
two twins in their twenties with hard, dark faces (NIPPER
|
|
AND HENRY) and a Gypsy cousin in his fifties called JOHNNY
|
|
LOVELOCK. Johnny wears a bowler hat and is accompanied by
|
|
his three sons, aged eleven to twenty, all dark with golden
|
|
earrings. Thomas stands near to the crackling fire.
|
|
|
|
Everyone is drinking beer. The air is thick with smoke.
|
|
|
|
Arthur is speaking and also taking swigs from a silver
|
|
flask.
|
|
|
|
We might see that he is already drunk but as an habitual
|
|
drunk he holds it well.
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
I called this meeting because I got
|
|
some news. From Ireland.
|
|
|
|
Thomas watches Arthur like a hawk, waiting for him to
|
|
stumble...
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
Nipper and Henry got back from
|
|
Belfast last night. They were
|
|
buying a stallion to cover their
|
|
mares.
|
|
|
|
Arthur gestures at Nipper and Henry and they confirm with a
|
|
nod.
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
They were in a pub in the Shankhill
|
|
Road yesterday and there was a
|
|
copper handing out these.
|
|
|
|
Arthur produces a printed flyer, the size of an A5 sheet.
|
|
It is an offer of employment (we should use a copy of the
|
|
actual flyer which was produced at the time). Arthur hands
|
|
the sheet forward for first John, then Ada and the others
|
|
to look at.
|
|
|
|
John reads the top line of the flyer aloud...
|
|
25.
|
|
|
|
|
|
JOHN
|
|
‘If you’re over five feet and can
|
|
fight, come to Birmingham’.
|
|
|
|
There are puzzled looks as the flyer is passed on. Arthur
|
|
summarizes...
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
They’re recruiting Protestant
|
|
Irishmen to come over here as
|
|
Specials.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
To do what?
|
|
|
|
The flyer has arrived at Thomas who speaks up before Arthur
|
|
can speak.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
To clean up the city.
|
|
|
|
Arthur is surprised by Thomas’s knowledge. Thomas looks
|
|
over to Arthur then steps away from the fire and begins to
|
|
address the meeting.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
He’s a Chief Inspector. The last
|
|
four years he’s been clearing the
|
|
IRA out of Belfast...
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
How do you know so bloody much?
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Because I asked the coppers on our
|
|
payroll.
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
Why didn’t you tell me?
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
I’m telling you.
|
|
|
|
The meeting looks flustered but Polly has fixed Thomas with
|
|
a stare. She has suspicions about Thomas which will grow.
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
So why are they sending him to
|
|
Birmingham?
|
|
26.
|
|
|
|
|
|
There is silence. Arthur is about to speak but instead
|
|
takes a swig. He evidently has no idea. Thomas steps to the
|
|
head of the meeting (we should be free to feel that
|
|
Thomas’s usurping of Arthur is unsubtle and done without
|
|
grace).
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
There have been a lot of strikes at
|
|
the Austen works and the BSA
|
|
factory lately. Papers are talking
|
|
about sedition. Revolution. I
|
|
reckon it’s Communists he’s after.
|
|
|
|
Thomas and Polly stare at each other. We might see even now
|
|
that these two are the real power in the family. Polly
|
|
senses deceit in Thomas with a sixth sense...
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
So this copper will leave us alone,
|
|
right?
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
There are Irishmen in Green Lanes
|
|
who left Belfast to get away from
|
|
him. They say Catholic men who
|
|
crossed him used to disappear in
|
|
the night.
|
|
|
|
John is on his feet.
|
|
|
|
JOHN
|
|
Yeah but we ain’t IRA. We bloody
|
|
fought for the King.
|
|
|
|
John looks around...
|
|
|
|
JOHN
|
|
Anyway, we’re Peaky Blinders. We’re
|
|
not scared of coppers.
|
|
|
|
JOHN
|
|
If they come for us, we’ll cut them
|
|
a smile each.
|
|
|
|
There are some sniggers from the young men. The older heads
|
|
are solemn. Thomas still has the flyer in his hand. He
|
|
calmly screws it up into a ball.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
We’re just all going to have to be
|
|
more careful. That’s all.
|
|
|
|
He steps to the fire and throws the flyer into the flames.
|
|
27.
|
|
|
|
|
|
He turns back to Arthur and pointedly hands the authority
|
|
back to him (now that the business is done)...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
So Arthur, is that it?
|
|
|
|
Arthur is a little fuzzy and nods. Polly now has deep
|
|
suspicions that Thomas knows more than he is saying. She
|
|
gets to her feet...
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
This family does everything open.
|
|
You have nothing more to say to
|
|
this meeting, Tommy?
|
|
|
|
Silence. Thomas feels her suspicion and meets her stare.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Nothing that’s women’s business.
|
|
|
|
Polly stares back with cool certainty...
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
This whole bloody enterprise was
|
|
‘women’s business’ while you boys
|
|
were away at war. What’s changed?
|
|
|
|
Thomas is equally cool as he gestures around...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
We came back.
|
|
|
|
Thomas heads for the door and Arthur finally follows. Polly
|
|
reacts with a growl. Then we move close on the burning
|
|
flyer in the fireplace. In the flames we see a signature on
|
|
the bottom of the page, along with the name in print.
|
|
|
|
The flyer is signed by ‘Chief Inspector Chester Campbell’.
|
|
|
|
|
|
18 EXT. SNOW HILL TRAIN STATION - NIGHT 1 - 20:20 18
|
|
|
|
A huge steam train has pulled up at the buffers and clouds
|
|
of steam swirl across the platform. Through the white
|
|
clouds we see a figure emerging like an angel (or a devil).
|
|
As the cloud clears we see it is Chief Inspector Campbell.
|
|
|
|
He has thrown a shiny black cape over his dark suit. He has
|
|
a bowler hat on his head. His shoes are polished to a
|
|
shine.
|
|
|
|
He carries a cane.
|
|
28.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Campbell marches towards us and past, steam swirling around
|
|
him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
19 EXT. GARRISON LANE - NIGHT 1 - 20:30 19
|
|
|
|
The street is lively in the dark. Children still play out
|
|
and the men are mostly drunk. Buskers play and beggars beg.
|
|
As we join the scene, we are close on Jimmy Jesus, who is
|
|
standing on a box, preaching in his Birmingham/Jamaican
|
|
accent...
|
|
|
|
JIMMY JESUS
|
|
And the Lord will smite the unholy
|
|
when the great judgement comes. And
|
|
judgement is coming my friends.
|
|
Judgement is coming to this wicked
|
|
City...
|
|
|
|
Campbell’s carriage shoots through shot and we join
|
|
Campbell inside. We see him staring out at the street. His
|
|
face is impassive, the half lit street scene is reflected
|
|
on the cab window. He sees drunks staggering from pub-to-
|
|
pub and notices four young prostitutes standing on a street
|
|
corner.
|
|
|
|
Gangs of children smoke pipes and play barefoot. A horse is
|
|
being beaten into submission as it shies against the weight
|
|
of its dray. We pass the Chain pub and then approach the
|
|
twinkling lights of the Garrison, where young men with caps
|
|
pulled down over their eyes drink on the pavement, some
|
|
swigging from iron buckets.
|
|
|
|
As the Garrison approaches, a rock hits Campbell’s window
|
|
and the reflection is shattered. Campbell doesn’t even
|
|
flinch.
|
|
|
|
Another rock hits the carriage, then another. The driver
|
|
shouts down...
|
|
|
|
DRIVER
|
|
That’s it, I don’t go any further.
|
|
|
|
Campbell blinks impassively.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Take me to the Police Station.
|
|
|
|
The driver hurriedly turns his horse around and the cab
|
|
hurries away...
|
|
29.
|
|
|
|
|
|
As the cab clears shot, we find Ada Shelby, walking fast
|
|
down Garrison Lane, dressed in white with her hat angled on
|
|
her head. We follow her. She hurries past Jimmy Jesus as he
|
|
preaches some more...
|
|
|
|
JIMMY JESUS
|
|
Your wickedness and your
|
|
fornications will be revealed...
|
|
|
|
Ada hurries past him and disappears into the shadows.
|
|
|
|
|
|
20 EXT. CANAL TOW PATH, BRIDGE - NIGHT 1 - 20:40 20
|
|
|
|
In the gas lit half-darkness we find Ada reaching some
|
|
steps and trotting down them. The steps lead into more
|
|
darkness and we might begin to wonder where the hell she is
|
|
going.
|
|
|
|
Moonlight shimmers on the canal, and the noise of Garrison
|
|
Lane is distant. Ada arrives at a canal bridge and lights a
|
|
cigarette. She looks all around. A moment later a figure
|
|
emerges from the shadows.
|
|
|
|
In Ada’s match light we see the man is Freddie Thorne. Ada
|
|
smiles and goes to him. Freddie puts his arms around her
|
|
and kisses her on the forehead. She offers him her
|
|
cigarette and he takes a drag.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
I got tickets for the Penny Crush.
|
|
They’re showing a Tom Mix picture.
|
|
|
|
Freddie smiles wearily as he smokes Ada’s cigarette.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
I’m not in the mood for the
|
|
pictures tonight Ada.
|
|
|
|
She takes the cigarette. She thinks she knows what Freddie
|
|
is in the mood for.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
I’m not doing it here again. I got
|
|
covered in mud last time.
|
|
|
|
Freddie smiles again, takes her arm.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
Let’s just walk a bit.
|
|
30.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ada is reluctant, staying put. In the distance there is
|
|
blinding light from a foundry and there are flashes of
|
|
light on the horizon from other factories.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
If we go down as far as Greet we
|
|
could go to a pub.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
Your brothers have friends in
|
|
Greet. They have friends
|
|
everywhere. We’d have to walk to
|
|
London...
|
|
|
|
Ada pulls her arm free.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
I’m with you because you’re the
|
|
only man around here not scared of
|
|
them.
|
|
|
|
Freddie leans against the bridge.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
Oh I’m scared of them alright.
|
|
|
|
She turns her back and speaks as if it’s a line from a
|
|
romantic novel.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
But you love me more than you fear
|
|
them, right?
|
|
|
|
He turns her around and pulls her close.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
I don’t want to be always sneaking
|
|
about.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
Soon, we’ll tell them.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
When?
|
|
|
|
Freddie doesn’t answer. A pause.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
How did the family meeting go?
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
Usual.
|
|
31.
|
|
|
|
|
|
She smokes...
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
There’s a new copper coming.
|
|
|
|
Freddie takes the cigarette...
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
Yeah I heard.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
And Tommy says he’s after the likes
|
|
of you.
|
|
|
|
She turns to stare at Freddie pointedly.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
So maybe you should burn your books
|
|
and stop making speeches.
|
|
|
|
He smiles. He pulls her close and addresses her lovingly.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
Oh my Ada. Only Princess of the
|
|
royal family of the Kingdom of
|
|
Small Heath.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
I am just a poor communist frog
|
|
with a big mouth. Give me a kiss,
|
|
Princess Ada.
|
|
|
|
They kiss each other with deep passion.
|
|
|
|
|
|
21 INT. CATHOLIC CHURCH - DAY 2 - 09:30 21
|
|
|
|
Friday 7th February - The church is ornate with bleeding
|
|
Christ’s around the altar. Polly is sitting alone at a pew
|
|
with her head bowed. The double doors open and Thomas
|
|
enters. He doesn’t pause or genuflect, he just walks to
|
|
Polly’s aisle. She doesn’t turn until he sits beside her.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
I have ten minutes. What do you
|
|
want?
|
|
|
|
Polly reacts to the cursory tone.
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
(Firmly)
|
|
An explanation.
|
|
32.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas reacts to Polly in a way he reacts to no one else.
|
|
|
|
Her admonishments have an effect.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
An explanation of what?
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
Of what’s so secret.
|
|
|
|
A pause...
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
I’ve always been able to tell...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
(Interrupts)
|
|
Tell what?
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
When you’re hiding something.
|
|
|
|
A pause.
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
People round here talk. Some of
|
|
them work at the BSA.
|
|
|
|
Thomas reacts to a bull’s eye. He takes a weary breath.
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
I’ve been talking to wives of
|
|
factory hands.
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
Detectives have been asking
|
|
questions in the proofing shops.
|
|
|
|
Thomas looks up at the iconography. He doesn’t care for it.
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
Nothing happens at the factory
|
|
without you knowing about it.
|
|
|
|
Thomas turns to Polly and we see he has respect for her.
|
|
|
|
Still he waits...
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
Speak. God and Aunt Polly are
|
|
listening.
|
|
33.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finally Thomas comes clean in a soft voice...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
It was meant to be routine. I had a
|
|
buyer in London for some
|
|
motorcycles. I asked my men to
|
|
steal me four bikes with petrol
|
|
engines. I’m guessing my men were
|
|
drunk. There’s a still inside the
|
|
factory makes tram line gin... They
|
|
picked up the wrong fucking
|
|
crate...
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
So what was in the crate?
|
|
|
|
Thomas takes a moment...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
The boys delivered it to Charlie’s
|
|
yard as agreed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
22 FLASHBACK - EXT. CHARLIE’S YARD - NIGHT X - 22:00 22
|
|
|
|
By gas light and fire light, through drizzle, we see
|
|
Charlie, Curly and Thomas using crow bars to prize the
|
|
crate open. We move close. Thomas pulls down a box and
|
|
forces it open. We see dull metal, a barrel, a roll of
|
|
machine gun shells...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS (OOV)
|
|
They must’ve taken it from the
|
|
proofing bay instead of the export
|
|
bay.
|
|
|
|
We come close to Thomas’s face as he reacts to the sight of
|
|
the contents of the box. Curly steps into the light...
|
|
|
|
CURLY
|
|
Holy sweet baby of Mary.
|
|
|
|
|
|
23 INT. CATHOLIC CHURCH - DAY 2 - 09:31 23
|
|
|
|
Thomas stares ahead.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Inside the crate we found twenty
|
|
five Lewis machine guns with ten
|
|
thousand rounds of ammunition.
|
|
Fifty semi automatic rifles, two
|
|
hundred pistols with shells...
|
|
34.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Polly crosses herself.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
All bound for Libya. Sitting right
|
|
there in Charlie Strong’s yard.
|
|
|
|
Polly is in shock.
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
Jesus Tommy. Tell me you threw them
|
|
in the cut.
|
|
|
|
Thomas doesn’t exactly show uncertainty but there is a
|
|
flicker which he smothers.
|
|
|
|
Polly stares at him with horror, but Thomas keeps staring
|
|
straight ahead.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
(Matter of fact)
|
|
We put them in the stables out of
|
|
the rain. The guns hadn’t been
|
|
greased yet...
|
|
|
|
A pause. Polly suddenly punches and hammers Thomas’s arm
|
|
and shoulders and Thomas calmly takes the blows for a while
|
|
then grabs her arm. She slowly gets control.
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
That’s why they sent the copper
|
|
from Belfast.
|
|
|
|
Thomas looks away.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Maybe. Maybe not.
|
|
|
|
Polly laughs away the doubt...
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
Thomas Shelby, you are bookmaker, a
|
|
robber, a fighting man, but you are
|
|
not a fool...
|
|
|
|
She lowers her voice out of respect for the Christ
|
|
statue...
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
You sell those guns to anyone who
|
|
has use for them, you will hang.
|
|
|
|
A pause.
|
|
35.
|
|
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
Dump them somewhere the police can
|
|
find them. When they know they
|
|
haven’t fallen into the wrong hands
|
|
perhaps this will blow over.
|
|
|
|
Thomas nods gently. Polly takes his hand.
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
Tell Charlie to dump them tonight.
|
|
|
|
Thomas gets to his feet.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
He won’t move contraband around
|
|
under a full Moon.
|
|
|
|
Polly is about to speak...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Three days until it wanes.
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
And then you’ll do the right thing.
|
|
|
|
Thomas nods once and she grabs his arm and stares into his
|
|
eyes.
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
You have your mother’s common sense
|
|
and your father’s devilment. I see
|
|
them fighting.
|
|
|
|
A pause.
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
Let your mother win.
|
|
|
|
He turns and walks. His footsteps echo. Polly sits down
|
|
again in the pew and crosses herself with a mumbled prayer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
24 EXT. GARRISON LANE - DAY 2 - 09:40 24
|
|
|
|
We see the Garrison Tavern in early morning. Then, from
|
|
behind, we see a young woman crossing the street and
|
|
approaching the pub.
|
|
|
|
|
|
25 INT. GARRISON PUB - DAY 2 - 09:41 25
|
|
36.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The pub still bears the scars of Danny Whizz Bang’s visit
|
|
the day before. Harry is moving chairs and tables back when
|
|
he sees the silhouette of a woman walking past the window
|
|
then standing in the frosted glass of the door.
|
|
|
|
She knocks and Harry approaches. He opens the door and
|
|
finds a beautiful woman, dressed for practical work but
|
|
beautiful nonetheless. This is GRACE BURGESS. When Grace
|
|
speaks she will have a light Southern Irish accent...
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
I’m here about the job as barmaid.
|
|
|
|
Harry turns and goes back to work.
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
Are you mad?
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
Am I what?
|
|
|
|
She steps inside.
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
You know about this place?
|
|
|
|
Grace hesitates.
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
I saw an advertisement.
|
|
|
|
He half smiles at her nervousness. Then speaks flatly.
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
Job’s been filled.
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
But it was in yesterday’s paper.
|
|
|
|
Harry grabs a broom and busies himself sweeping up
|
|
cigarette ends...
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
Believe me love, I’m doing you a
|
|
favour.
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
I’m not asking for favours, I’m
|
|
asking for employment.
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
You’re too nice.
|
|
37.
|
|
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
How can you know?
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
And too pretty. They’d have you up
|
|
against a wall...
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
I have experience.
|
|
|
|
Harry leans on his broom and peers at her. She reaches into
|
|
her bag for a sheet of paper...
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
I have references...
|
|
|
|
Harry takes the sheet of paper.
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
Which part of Ireland are you from?
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
Galway. I worked in Dublin.
|
|
|
|
Harry glances at the crucifix around her neck.
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
My mother was from Galway.
|
|
|
|
Grace smiles. He looks at her smile then nods and goes back
|
|
to his work...
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
Too pretty.
|
|
|
|
He continues to sweep. Grace makes a decision.
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
Watch...
|
|
|
|
Grace grabs a spittoon from the base of the bar....
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
And listen...
|
|
|
|
Grace begins to sing the pretty Irish ballad ‘I wish I was
|
|
in Carrickfergus’ as she scoops up the other two spittoons.
|
|
She clutches all three in one hand and swirls them around
|
|
as she sings. Her voice is sweet and strong. She pours the
|
|
slimy, disgusting contents of one spittoon into the other
|
|
then that one into a third (with a slurp). Her song swoops
|
|
on...
|
|
38.
|
|
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
(Singing)
|
|
...But the sea is wide, and I can’t
|
|
cross over...
|
|
|
|
Her face shows no reaction of horror as she brandishes the
|
|
fully charged spittoon then heads for the back of the bar.
|
|
|
|
Grace swiftly unlatches the bar divide and empties the
|
|
spittoon into the sink. She pours water from a jug into the
|
|
spittoon and returns to systematically half fill and swill
|
|
the other two spittoons. She then pours the dirty water
|
|
into one spittoon and takes it back to the sink and pours
|
|
it away.
|
|
|
|
All the time singing...
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
...with gold and silver, I will
|
|
support you...
|
|
|
|
She places the three spittoons back in place with a
|
|
clatter, handles facing outward. She finishes her song with
|
|
a flourish to an amazed Harry...
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
‘...Ah but I’m sick now, and my
|
|
days are over. So come all you
|
|
young men, and carry me down.’
|
|
|
|
Grace bows elegantly then straightens. Harry stares at her.
|
|
|
|
She smiles and glances at the freshly fixed glass pane.
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
In Ireland my singing made them cry
|
|
and stopped them fighting.
|
|
|
|
Harry takes a breath. He studies her again then looks
|
|
around at his battered pub.
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
I hope you know a lot of songs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
26 INT. POLICE STATION - DAY 2 - 10:00 26
|
|
|
|
A large meeting room has been cleared and twenty uniformed
|
|
police officers sit in rows of hard backed chairs. Smoke
|
|
rises from them. Amongst them is one Sergeant MOSS, who we
|
|
will meet again.
|
|
39.
|
|
|
|
|
|
There is a murmur of conversation until Chief Inspector
|
|
Campbell walks purposefully onto the small stage at the
|
|
front of the meeting room. The room falls silent.
|
|
|
|
He studies his officers for a few moments, his face devoid
|
|
of expression. He allows the silence to continue until it
|
|
hurts. The officers begin to shift uneasily in their seats.
|
|
|
|
Finally he speaks...
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Babies. Discarded with the fish
|
|
bones and egg shells.
|
|
|
|
A puzzled pause.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Girls. Eleven years old. Pierced
|
|
and punctured by old men for
|
|
threepence a time. Rutted upon like
|
|
animals.
|
|
|
|
Silence.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Degradation. Fathers with their
|
|
daughters, brothers and sisters
|
|
sharing beds. Beggars and thieves
|
|
left to run in the streets and
|
|
astride the whole stinking pile of
|
|
wounds and rotten flesh...
|
|
|
|
A pause.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Your masters. The men who you touch
|
|
your cap to.
|
|
|
|
He stares down on them like God.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
The Peaky Blinders. The vicious
|
|
merciless gangs who blind those who
|
|
see and cut out the tongues of
|
|
those who talk.
|
|
|
|
He stares down at the lines of officers...
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
40.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You are worse than them. Those of
|
|
you who have been taking their
|
|
bribes these years since the war.
|
|
Those of you who have looked the
|
|
other way, you are worse than them.
|
|
|
|
A pause before Campbell yells...
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
God damn you for soiling your
|
|
uniforms!!
|
|
|
|
There is a terrified silence.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Then there are the Communists. And
|
|
the IRA Fenians. Blacker hearts
|
|
still. They feed on the puss of all
|
|
this corruption like maggots in a
|
|
corpse. And like maggots, if they
|
|
are left to swell they will
|
|
eventually swarm like flies and
|
|
spread their rotten philosophy
|
|
across the country and across the
|
|
world.
|
|
|
|
His voice echoes to silence.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Those then are our enemies. A three
|
|
headed beast. It is my job to
|
|
decapitate each one and by God I
|
|
will do it.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
I don’t trust any one of you until
|
|
you earn my trust and it takes some
|
|
earning.
|
|
|
|
He nods at the door and a uniformed officer opens it. To
|
|
Moss and everyone’s astonishment a line of twenty hard
|
|
looking men in heavy boots and working clothes march into
|
|
the room. They stare straight ahead, most with their
|
|
sleeves rolled up ready for work.
|
|
|
|
Their heavy boots drum on the wooden floor and Campbell
|
|
stares down on them with a watchful eye.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
These are the new men who will be
|
|
bolstering your ranks. Good men.
|
|
From God fearing families.
|
|
41.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The men begin to form a line on the stage behind Campbell
|
|
and stare straight ahead.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
They will be sworn in and in
|
|
uniform before the sun sets. By
|
|
sunrise tomorrow, they will be on
|
|
the streets.
|
|
|
|
A pause.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
God help those who stand in our
|
|
way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
27 INT. PENNY CRUSH CINEMA, FOYER - DAY 3 - 10:45 27
|
|
|
|
Saturday 8th February - The queue has already formed and is
|
|
growing for a Charlie Chaplin film, snaking out through the
|
|
entrance door.
|
|
|
|
Then we see Arthur Shelby with a woman on each arm, both
|
|
dressed for fun. Arthur is leading them, chest puffed out,
|
|
straight through toward the cinema auditorium...
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
You see ladies? When you’re with a
|
|
Blinder you don’t have to queue.
|
|
|
|
As Arthur disappears into the cinema, he doesn’t notice a
|
|
double line of four Specials marching at quick-march time
|
|
towards the entrance door of the cinema.
|
|
|
|
|
|
28 INT. PENNY CRUSH CINEMA, AUDITORIUM - DAY 3 - 10:46 28
|
|
|
|
Inside the otherwise empty auditorium, we find Arthur with
|
|
the two women taking their seats.
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
Right, I want a blow job off both
|
|
of you before they let the ordinary
|
|
people in.
|
|
|
|
The women laugh but right then the double doors of the
|
|
cinema burst open and the Specials, including Sergeant MOSS
|
|
pour in.
|
|
|
|
They grab Arthur roughly by the arms...
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
42.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eh? What the fuck are you
|
|
doing?!...
|
|
|
|
Arthur fights but the Specials quickly and efficiently pin
|
|
his arms up his back. The women scatter and the Specials
|
|
lead Arthur away...
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
Oi!! I’m Arthur Shelby!! I am
|
|
Arthur fucking Shelby!!
|
|
|
|
The policemen are brutal and fast. They slam Arthur into
|
|
the frame of the door before dragging him into the light...
|
|
|
|
|
|
29 INT. POLICE STATION, EMPTY ROOM - DAY 3 - 11:30 29
|
|
|
|
Arthur is hurled against the wall of a bare room. In the
|
|
van he has been given a brutal beating. His face is bloody
|
|
and bruised. He is in shock and in agony. Two officers grab
|
|
him and sit him down in a hard backed chair.
|
|
|
|
Arthur almost passes out and rolls onto the floor but one
|
|
of the policeman shoves him back in place. Arthur groans
|
|
with pain and rage.
|
|
|
|
Then Chief Inspector Campbell strolls into the room. He has
|
|
his cane in his hand and he stops to lean on it as he
|
|
stares at Arthur’s bloody face.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Arthur Shelby.
|
|
|
|
Arthur’s words hang limply...
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
What de huck...
|
|
|
|
Campbell whacks Arthur across the face with his cane.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Lead pack dog of the Peaky
|
|
Blinders.
|
|
|
|
Campbell gestures at one of the officers who produces the
|
|
cap which Arthur was wearing. Campbell studies the peak,
|
|
the razor blades sewn in place.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Your uniform, yes?
|
|
|
|
Arthur is breathing hard, bleeding from many wounds.
|
|
43.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Campbell roughly shoves the cap onto Arthur’s head and
|
|
peers at him.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Terrifying, I’m sure.
|
|
|
|
He turns to a uniformed officer - Sergeant MOSS.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Did he have a gun?
|
|
|
|
MOSS
|
|
(Local accent)
|
|
No gun Sir. Knife in his sock. Cosh
|
|
in his belt.
|
|
|
|
Campbell nods and patrols.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Mr Shelby, I want you to see this
|
|
as me introducing myself to you. Do
|
|
you understand?
|
|
|
|
Campbell patrols some more.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
In all the world the only thing
|
|
that interests me is the truth.
|
|
|
|
He stops and studies Arthur. He comes close and stares deep
|
|
into his groggy eyes.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
What do you know about the robbery?
|
|
|
|
Arthur is confused and blinks away blood.
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
What robbery?
|
|
|
|
Campbell studies him for a moment then grabs his hand in a
|
|
lock and begins to twist his thumb back. Arthur growls in
|
|
pain.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
I will ask you again. What do you
|
|
know about the robbery?
|
|
|
|
Arthur is strong and instinctively twists his hand free
|
|
with a yell but in the process his thumb breaks at the hand
|
|
joint.
|
|
|
|
He growls in agony and is breathing hard.
|
|
44.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Campbell grabs the tip of the thumb and holds it steady.
|
|
|
|
Arthur holds his breath then splutters...
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
I swear to God I don’t know what
|
|
you’re talking about. What robbery?
|
|
|
|
Campbell studies Arthur and we sense a keen intuition. He
|
|
delicately lets go of his thumb.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
After thirty five years of dealing
|
|
with animals like you, I can tell
|
|
just by sniffing the air whether or
|
|
not you are lying.
|
|
|
|
Arthur is cursing his broken thumb...
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
I’m not fucking lying!
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
(Softly)
|
|
I know.
|
|
|
|
Arthur slowly looks up and gets his breath through pain.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
I see nothing of interest behind
|
|
the blood in your eyes. And no
|
|
blood in your veins that could
|
|
carry even a trace of cunning or
|
|
guile. So...
|
|
|
|
Campbell straightens. He patrols again.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Understand this. It is well within
|
|
my power to have you and the rest
|
|
of your scum family face down in
|
|
the canal before the year is out.
|
|
|
|
He turns sharply. A long pause.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Alternatively, we can help each
|
|
other.
|
|
|
|
Even through agony, Arthur is taken by surprise. Campbell
|
|
smiles.
|
|
45.
|
|
|
|
|
|
30 INT. GARRISON PUB - DAY 3 - 12:30 30
|
|
|
|
It is Saturday lunchtime. The place is heaving with men,
|
|
some of them wearing blue scarfs. Beer is flying over the
|
|
bar and the talk is loud. A piano plays. Smoke swirls.
|
|
|
|
Grace is learning the ropes but she is already pulling
|
|
pints with aplomb. Harry brushes by...
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
Is it always this busy on a
|
|
daytime?
|
|
|
|
Harry pulls a pint beside her...
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
No. These boys are all on their way
|
|
to St. Andrews.
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
To pray?
|
|
|
|
Harry chuckles.
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
That’ll be the day. St. Andrews is
|
|
a football ground. The Blues are
|
|
playing.
|
|
|
|
Harry gestures at a group of four men, drinking beer and
|
|
smoking near the door...
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
That’s the forward line and the
|
|
goalie believe it or not.
|
|
|
|
Harry takes his pint to his customer. Grace hears a tap on
|
|
one of the small windows to the private snug bar and
|
|
hurries to it.
|
|
|
|
She opens the small, frosted window. She comes face-to-face
|
|
with Thomas. Grace and Thomas peer at each other. There is
|
|
a crackle of electricity. After a moment...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
I need a bottle of Rum.
|
|
|
|
Grace double takes. Harry has glimpsed who she is serving
|
|
and looks anxious. He calls out...
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
Grace? Whatever it is, it’s on the
|
|
house.
|
|
46.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grace is a little thrown. Thomas is putting coins on the
|
|
bar...
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
A whole bottle?
|
|
|
|
Thomas looks up at her, his eyes shaded. She stammers...
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
White rum or dark?
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
I don’t care.
|
|
|
|
Grace nods anxiously and turns around to the spirit
|
|
cupboard.
|
|
|
|
Thomas watches her and sees anxiety. She finds a bottle of
|
|
dark Rum and puts it onto the bar.
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
Harry said on the house.
|
|
|
|
Thomas pushes the coins forward then peers at Grace.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Are you a whore?
|
|
|
|
Grace is astonished. Thomas stares at her.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Because if you’re not, you’re in
|
|
the wrong place.
|
|
|
|
Thomas takes the bottle of rum and leaves. Grace watches
|
|
him go. Harry hurries to her and Grace catches her
|
|
breath...
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
He’s one of the ones you told me
|
|
about.
|
|
|
|
Harry quickly closes the frosted window and locks it.
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
Grace, you’re a friendly girl but
|
|
be careful. If I say ‘on the house’
|
|
say nothing to whoever you’re
|
|
serving. If they decide they want
|
|
you there’s nothing anybody could
|
|
do about it.
|
|
|
|
Harry swigs a beer.
|
|
47.
|
|
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
Lucky for you, since he got back
|
|
from France, Tommy doesn’t want
|
|
anybody at all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
31 INT. SHELBY HOME, PARLOUR - DAY 3 - 12:35 31
|
|
|
|
Arthur is sitting on a hard-backed chair, groaning in pain.
|
|
|
|
John and Polly are there and Ada is boiling water on the
|
|
open fire.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
John, wipe the blood out of his
|
|
eye.
|
|
|
|
JOHN
|
|
Since when did you give orders?
|
|
|
|
Ada squeezes a cloth....
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
I’m a trained nurse.
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
Don’t make me laugh, it hurts my
|
|
face.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
I bloody am.
|
|
|
|
JOHN
|
|
You went to one first aid class in
|
|
the church hall and got thrown out
|
|
for giggling.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
Not before learning how to stop
|
|
somebody from choking.
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
I’m not choking.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
You will be when I wrap this cloth
|
|
round your neck.
|
|
|
|
Thomas enters with the bottle of rum. The mood darkens...
|
|
48.
|
|
|
|
|
|
He grabs a cloth and soaks it in the rum. We sense
|
|
battlefield training is kicking in as he applies the spirit
|
|
to the worst of Arthur’s wounds. Arthur already has his
|
|
thumb strapped with tape. Thomas is close to Arthur. Arthur
|
|
drinks some more, the sting of the alcohol hurting his
|
|
mouth.
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
He said Mr Churchill sent him to
|
|
Birmingham.
|
|
|
|
Ada brings a bowl of boiling water to the table.
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
National interest, he said. He said
|
|
there’d been a robbery.
|
|
|
|
Polly turns sharply to glare at Thomas. Thomas steps back,
|
|
not reacting.
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
He said he wants us to help him.
|
|
|
|
John is offended...
|
|
|
|
JOHN
|
|
We don’t help coppers.
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
He knew all about our war records.
|
|
He said we’re patriots like him.
|
|
|
|
Ada has soaked a cloth in hot water and holds it onto
|
|
another wound...
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
He said he wants us to be his eyes
|
|
and ears.
|
|
|
|
Arthur brushes Ada aside and peers at Thomas.
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
I told him we’d have a family
|
|
meeting and a vote.
|
|
|
|
The two men stare at each other. Thomas says nothing.
|
|
Arthur takes another swig...
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
Why not? We have no truck with
|
|
communists. Or Fenians.
|
|
|
|
Polly and Thomas are silent but Arthur is studying Thomas.
|
|
49.
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
What the fuck is wrong with you?
|
|
Polly, what is wrong with him
|
|
lately?
|
|
|
|
Polly peers at Thomas for a moment.
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
If I knew, I’d buy the cure from
|
|
Compton’s Chemists.
|
|
|
|
Thomas grabs his coat...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Arthur, you’re broken up pretty
|
|
bad.
|
|
|
|
He pulls his coat on, leaves. Arthur growls but his wounds
|
|
stop him from leaving his chair. Polly calls out...
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
Tommy!
|
|
|
|
Thomas has already gone.
|
|
|
|
|
|
32 EXT. GARRISON LANE - DAY 3 - 12:40 32
|
|
|
|
We find Jimmy Jesus walking along the pavement near to the
|
|
Garrison, stopping every few paces to pick up cigarette
|
|
ends.
|
|
|
|
He drops each one into a small sack he has slung over his
|
|
shoulder.
|
|
|
|
As he walks, he hears a voice from an alley.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Hey Jimmy.
|
|
|
|
Jimmy ducks into the alley to join Thomas, who gives him a
|
|
cigarette and a light.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Jimmy, what do you see?
|
|
|
|
Jimmy blows smoke...
|
|
|
|
JIMMY JESUS
|
|
I see lots of new coppers in shiny
|
|
coats.
|
|
50.
|
|
|
|
|
|
THOMAS (SOFTLY)
|
|
Who do you see talking to them?
|
|
|
|
JIMMY JESUS
|
|
The silver back coppers don’t talk
|
|
to anybody. They’re looking for
|
|
something.
|
|
|
|
Thomas looks around...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Do they say what?
|
|
|
|
JIMMY JESUS
|
|
The ranks don’t know. They’ve just
|
|
been told to search cellars and out
|
|
houses.
|
|
|
|
Thomas hands Jimmy a ten shilling note. Jimmy studies him.
|
|
|
|
JIMMY JESUS
|
|
What’s happening Tommy?
|
|
|
|
Thomas hands Jimmy the pack of cigarettes.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Keep your eyes open and your mouth
|
|
shut.
|
|
|
|
Jimmy suddenly stands erect and salutes Thomas...
|
|
|
|
JIMMY JESUS
|
|
Yes Sir Sergeant Major.
|
|
|
|
The salute suggests Jimmy is a veteran too. Thomas doesn’t
|
|
salute back but instead walks away.
|
|
|
|
|
|
33 EXT. WATERY LANE - NIGHT 3 - 00:30 33
|
|
|
|
We’re outside the Shelby Home on Watery Lane.
|
|
|
|
|
|
34 INT. SHELBY HOME, THOMAS’ ROOM - NIGHT 3 - 00:30 34
|
|
|
|
The bedroom has a bay window overlooking the street
|
|
outside.
|
|
|
|
Gas light flickers from outside through net curtains. The
|
|
factories work all through the night and we hear the boom
|
|
of the giant steam hammers and see the flashes from the
|
|
steel foundries.
|
|
51.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas is in restless sleep in a plain bed, with a water
|
|
jug and a bottle of whisky on the bedside table. The thud
|
|
of industry makes for a restless mood in the room and
|
|
Thomas mumbles under his breath.
|
|
|
|
Then he wakes with a start, breathing hard. He looks around
|
|
the room with incomprehension for a long time before coming
|
|
to himself. His hands are shaking and his eyes are wild.
|
|
|
|
He gets to his feet and hurries to a drawer. He pulls out a
|
|
small, white clay pipe and a red velvet bag (similar to the
|
|
one the chinese girl used).
|
|
|
|
From the bag he pours a palm full of brown opium.
|
|
|
|
He feverishly pours the opium into the pipe then lights a
|
|
match. He puts flame to the opium and draws. Then he blows
|
|
a cloud of smoke.
|
|
|
|
He slowly eases into the opium and takes some big breaths
|
|
of smoke. He goes to the window and pulls open the curtain
|
|
to look out over Montague Street. The terraces are all
|
|
sleeping in moonlight. Thomas looks deeply sad as he stares
|
|
out over his kingdom through his trailing smoke.
|
|
|
|
Then footsteps. Thomas sees two policemen, both wearing
|
|
shiny capes, walking down the cobbled street carrying long
|
|
coshes. The sight of them seems to take Thomas by surprise
|
|
and he stares down as they pass under his window.
|
|
|
|
One of the officers stops and peers up at the window,
|
|
apparently knowing who lives at that address. The two
|
|
policemen share a joke and one of them drags his finger
|
|
across his throat in a warning gesture to Thomas.
|
|
|
|
Thomas reacts. The challenge seems to spark a reaction. His
|
|
face hardens and he speaks softly to the departing
|
|
police...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
See you in No-Man’s land boys.
|
|
|
|
|
|
35 EXT. LITTLE ITALY - DAY 4 - 10:00 35
|
|
|
|
Sunday 9th February - The neighborhood of Nechells Green
|
|
has several streets occupied by Italian immigrants. It has
|
|
recently stopped raining, and the street is full of kids
|
|
and looks like all the streets, but the shop signs are in
|
|
Italian and the language being yelled out by children is
|
|
Italian too.
|
|
52.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sharply dressed Italian men and their families walk down a
|
|
stretch of houses and shops. Cigarettes are lit and
|
|
greetings are made. Newspapers blow around (with headlines
|
|
about strikes and wage cuts). It is a pleasant, colorful
|
|
scene...
|
|
|
|
Then, a man walking fast, wipes shot.
|
|
|
|
We join him and realize it is Danny Whizz Bang. He is
|
|
wearing just a suit jacket over a collarless shirt. We come
|
|
close to his face beneath his hat and hear him mumbling...
|
|
|
|
DANNY
|
|
Got to go bang, got to go bang...
|
|
|
|
He is not looking where he is going and clatters into a
|
|
metal table and chairs outside a small ITALIAN CAFE.
|
|
|
|
Chairs lean against two other tables, still stacked
|
|
following the recent rain. The cafe is closed and has its
|
|
blinds down.
|
|
|
|
Danny curses the tables and chairs and untangles his feet.
|
|
|
|
He stares like a mad man all around. He then picks up a
|
|
metal chair and hurls it to the ground.
|
|
|
|
Almost immediately, a waiter appears from inside the cafe.
|
|
|
|
WAITER
|
|
Hey, what you do? We’re closed.
|
|
|
|
Danny stares at him with wild eyes. He growls and turns
|
|
over another metal table. The waiter is a small guy but
|
|
he’s not scared. He pulls a small stiletto from the back of
|
|
his belt.
|
|
|
|
WAITER
|
|
Go home crazy man.
|
|
|
|
Danny stares at the knife. He breaths hard. Then he
|
|
suddenly yells...
|
|
|
|
DANNY WHIZZBANG
|
|
Fix bayonets!!!
|
|
|
|
He hurls himself at the waiter, grabs the knife, twists it
|
|
around and plunges it into the waiter’s chest. The waiter
|
|
grips Danny’s jacket with a death grip before falling into
|
|
the bloody rain. Danny stares, realizes, then walks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
36 EXT. TRAIN STATION, PLATFORM - DAY 4 - 11:43 36
|
|
53.
|
|
|
|
|
|
A steam train is waiting at platform five. Passengers are
|
|
alighting and boarding. We hear an announcement...
|
|
|
|
ANNOUNCEMENT
|
|
The train at platform five is the
|
|
Manchester Piccadilly bound 11.45
|
|
originating from London Euston.
|
|
It’s departure will be delayed by
|
|
fifteen minutes.
|
|
|
|
Through the crowd we see Campbell, dressed smartly, a top
|
|
hat on his head, hurrying toward the first class carriages.
|
|
|
|
Then we see Campbell approaching the Pullman car at the
|
|
front of the First Class section. Two plain clothes
|
|
detectives guard the door of the carriage and they check
|
|
Campbell’s papers before allowing him to board.
|
|
|
|
|
|
37 INT. PULLMAN CARRIAGE, TRAIN STATION - DAY 4 - 11:44 37
|
|
|
|
The carriage has been turned into an office, with no lack
|
|
of luxury.
|
|
|
|
Campbell is stopped by a DETECTIVE and briefly searched. He
|
|
is then shown through to the main carriage.
|
|
|
|
There is a well stocked drinks cabinet and a large desk.
|
|
|
|
There is thick cigar smoke and we see a pudgy man in pin
|
|
stripes working at the desk.
|
|
|
|
This is WINSTON CHURCHILL.
|
|
|
|
Campbell is introduced by one of the detectives...
|
|
|
|
DETECTIVE
|
|
Secretary of State, this is Chief
|
|
Inspector Campbell.
|
|
|
|
Campbell removes his hat and WINSTON CHURCHILL stands to
|
|
shake hands. Like many bullies, Campbell is awed by power.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Mr Churchill, may I say what a
|
|
great honour it is to meet you.
|
|
|
|
Churchill smiles and sits....
|
|
|
|
CHURCHILL
|
|
Bit of a whistle stop tour. Love
|
|
the hat by the way.
|
|
54.
|
|
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Thank you. It’s beaver.
|
|
|
|
CHURCHILL
|
|
So how are you settling in?
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
I have set up a command network. I
|
|
have agents in place across the
|
|
city who will act as my eyes and
|
|
ears. I have begun to interrogate
|
|
suspects vigorously.
|
|
|
|
Churchill checks some papers (Campbell’s CV)...
|
|
|
|
CHURCHILL
|
|
You were in Belfast. I understand
|
|
you broke a few Fenian hearts
|
|
there.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
A rat’s nest Sir.
|
|
|
|
Churchill peers out of the window...
|
|
|
|
CHURCHILL
|
|
So who do you think stole the guns?
|
|
Fenians or Communists?
|
|
|
|
Campbell begins to speak like a preacher, a mantra...
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
If it is IRA Fenians I will find
|
|
them and find the guns. If it is
|
|
Communists I will find them and
|
|
find the guns. If it is common
|
|
criminals I will find them and find
|
|
the guns. To me there are no
|
|
distinctions between any of the
|
|
above.
|
|
|
|
Churchill studies Campbell and is almost amused by him.
|
|
|
|
CHURCHILL
|
|
We chose you because you are
|
|
effective.
|
|
|
|
Churchill offers a cigar but Campbell declines...
|
|
|
|
CHURCHILL
|
|
55.
|
|
|
|
|
|
But remember this, Mr Campbell.
|
|
This is England, not Belfast.
|
|
Bodies thrown into rivers, wash up
|
|
in the papers here. We must keep
|
|
the existence of these stolen guns
|
|
out of the papers otherwise we will
|
|
simply be advertising them for
|
|
sale.
|
|
|
|
Campbell nods acceptance.
|
|
|
|
CHURCHILL
|
|
If there are bodies to be buried,
|
|
dig holes and dig them deep.
|
|
|
|
The platform whistle blows and Churchill closes his file...
|
|
|
|
CHURCHILL
|
|
I want everything accounted for
|
|
down to the last bullet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
38 INT. GARRISON PUB - NIGHT 4 - 20:30 38
|
|
|
|
It’s dark outside and the place is packed with drunk and
|
|
happy men.
|
|
|
|
Grace is standing on a make-shift stage near to the pub
|
|
piano and she is singing ‘The Boy I Love’, a sweet romantic
|
|
ballad with a lilting rhythm. The men in the pub are
|
|
singing along or swapping raucous laughter with the handful
|
|
of young prostitutes who hang out in pairs among the men.
|
|
|
|
Grace’s voice is strong and Harry peers at her with
|
|
admiration. The song continues for a while and then the pub
|
|
door opens. First John and then Thomas enter. All heads
|
|
turn away. Men peer into their beer and all the men stop
|
|
singing.
|
|
|
|
But Grace continues to sing.
|
|
|
|
Thomas stands near to the door, peering up at Grace. The
|
|
pianist stops playing. Even then Grace continues to sing.
|
|
|
|
There is silence apart from the song and Grace’s voice
|
|
falters only a little. She is nervous but somehow her
|
|
momentum keeps her going.
|
|
|
|
John waits for Thomas to decide his reaction. Thomas’s eyes
|
|
are shaded. He stares without expression and now it’s as if
|
|
the song is directed at him. Grace concludes her song...
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
56.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The boy I love is up in the
|
|
gallery....
|
|
|
|
We come close on Thomas’s face...
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
As pretty as a robin. As gentle as
|
|
a dove.
|
|
|
|
Then silence. Finally, Harry dares to speak up.
|
|
|
|
HARRY
|
|
We haven’t had singing in here
|
|
since the war.
|
|
|
|
Thomas glares up at Harry. After a moment.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Why do you think that is?
|
|
|
|
Thomas leads his brother to their own private snug bar and
|
|
the door slams behind them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
39 EXT. FREDDIE THORNE’S GARRET - NIGHT 4 - 20:45 39
|
|
|
|
Freddie lives in one room in a tenement. From outside,
|
|
through a metal grill window and through skipping children
|
|
we hear the sound of sex.
|
|
|
|
|
|
40 INT. FREDDIE THORNE’S GARRET - NIGHT 4 - 20:47 40
|
|
|
|
The room is functional and the walls lined with books,
|
|
mostly revolutionary literature. There is a single bed in
|
|
which Freddie and Ada are just recovering from sex. Freddie
|
|
lights a cigarette and shares it with Ada. We can hear
|
|
children playing outside. After a moment...
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
So did Arthur say what kind of deal
|
|
this new copper offered him?
|
|
|
|
Ada turns angrily to Freddie.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
The second your balls are empty
|
|
it’s back onto politics.
|
|
|
|
She gets out of bed and begins to dress, the cigarette
|
|
smouldering in her mouth. Freddie half smiles...
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
57.
|
|
|
|
|
|
What did Tommy say?
|
|
|
|
Ada grabs a black mourning dress from the back of a chair.
|
|
|
|
She begins to dress with anger which Freddie knows will
|
|
pass...
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
He didn’t say anything. You know
|
|
what he’s like.
|
|
|
|
A pause. Freddie thinks fondly...
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
Yeah, I know what he’s like. He
|
|
likes to take his fights onto the
|
|
mud. Doesn’t like to stand and
|
|
wait.
|
|
|
|
Ada turns to Freddie.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
You know what he’d do if he found
|
|
out about us.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
(Calm, defiant)
|
|
He could try.
|
|
|
|
Ada turns back sharply (her black dress in her hand).
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
Sometimes it’s like you’re with me
|
|
to show you can.
|
|
|
|
Ada is about to pull on her black mourning dress but
|
|
Freddie takes her arms. He addresses her in a broken
|
|
mirror.
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
One day me and Tommy will be on the
|
|
same side again.
|
|
|
|
Ada stares at his reflection.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
Yeah. When you become a bookie.
|
|
|
|
Freddie laughs and embraces her from behind. He reaches for
|
|
a large black hat with a black veil, the kind worn by women
|
|
in mourning and common on the streets after the war. We
|
|
realize this is Ada’s disguise. He offers it to Ada...
|
|
58.
|
|
|
|
|
|
FREDDIE
|
|
There sister. Thanks for coming.
|
|
|
|
Ada half smiles.
|
|
|
|
ADA
|
|
I must be the only girl ever who
|
|
had to wear a black widow dress to
|
|
get to wear a white one.
|
|
|
|
She looks hopefully at Freddie. Freddie just smiles.
|
|
|
|
|
|
41 EXT. CHARLIE STRONG’S YARD - NIGHT 4 - 21:30 41
|
|
|
|
We find Curly and Charlie hauling heavy crates onto a coal
|
|
barge. They are in a hurry. We watch the work for a while
|
|
and see the gun cases as they are being loaded.
|
|
|
|
Charlie drops a sack into the hold of the boat then turns
|
|
to see Thomas entering the yard. Charlie joins Thomas at
|
|
the fire.
|
|
|
|
CHARLIE
|
|
They are aboard. There’s no Moon.
|
|
We can take them out to the turning
|
|
point beyond Gas Street and leave
|
|
them on the bank. They’ll be found
|
|
by railwaymen first thing.
|
|
|
|
Charlie nods and warms his hands on the flames. He responds
|
|
to Tommy’s silence and gets uneasy.
|
|
|
|
CHARLIE
|
|
Is that agreement?
|
|
|
|
A pause. Factories pound in the night...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
(Softly)
|
|
I changed my mind.
|
|
|
|
A pause.
|
|
|
|
CHARLIE
|
|
You what?
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
(Flat)
|
|
I have an alternative strategy.
|
|
59.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas takes a set of three large iron keys from his pocket
|
|
and offers them to Charlie. (We might realize, in the fire
|
|
light, Charlie feared something like this).
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Tell Curly to take her out to the
|
|
old tobacco wharf. There’s a lock
|
|
up mooring we used to keep
|
|
cigarettes. He knows it.
|
|
|
|
Charlie stares at Thomas with horror, not taking the keys.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
When the boat leaves your yard it’s
|
|
no longer your concern.
|
|
|
|
CHARLIE
|
|
(Firmly)
|
|
Have you lost your fucking mind?
|
|
|
|
Thomas lays the keys aside to light a cigarette....
|
|
|
|
CHARLIE
|
|
Have you not seen the streets?
|
|
They’ve sent an army to find these
|
|
things...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
(Calm)
|
|
That’s right. They’ve shown their
|
|
hand...
|
|
|
|
CHARLIE
|
|
(Incredulous)
|
|
Their hand?
|
|
|
|
Thomas speaks almost as if he has rehearsed his
|
|
rationalization...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
If they want them back this bad,
|
|
they’ll have to pay. That’s the way
|
|
of the world. Fortune drops
|
|
something valuable in your lap, you
|
|
don’t just dump it on the bank of
|
|
the cut.
|
|
|
|
Charlie stares at Thomas with disbelief...
|
|
|
|
CHARLIE
|
|
60.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You’re blood Tommy. I’ve always
|
|
looked out for you like a dad.
|
|
You’re going to bring holy hell
|
|
down on your head. This copper
|
|
takes no prisoners...
|
|
|
|
A half smile appears on Thomas’s face.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
I’m told he didn’t serve.
|
|
|
|
A pause.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Reserved occupation.
|
|
|
|
Charlie peers at Thomas as if he is slowly realizing
|
|
something...
|
|
|
|
CHARLIE
|
|
It’s another war you’re looking for
|
|
Tommy?
|
|
|
|
Thomas finishes his cigarette and puts the bunch of keys in
|
|
Charlie’s top pocket.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
The tobacco wharf. By order of the
|
|
Peaky Blinders.
|
|
|
|
|
|
42 EXT. MUSEUM - DAY 5 - 10:55 42
|
|
|
|
Monday 10th February - Campbell enters the museum.
|
|
|
|
|
|
43 INT. MUSEUM, STATUE ROOM - DAY 5 - 10:59 43
|
|
|
|
Campbell is wandering among the statues. The museum is
|
|
sparsely attended. He checks his watch. After a moment,
|
|
Grace walks by.
|
|
|
|
Campbell looks straight ahead as he talks...
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Are you in position?
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
I am in, Sir.
|
|
|
|
A shock. Grace works for Campbell (we might recall him
|
|
telling Churchill that he had agents in the field).
|
|
61.
|
|
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Your first impressions.
|
|
|
|
Grace takes a moment...
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
I am quite shocked at how these
|
|
people live.
|
|
|
|
Campbell looks grave...
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
As you know Grace, I was opposed to
|
|
the use of female operatives in the
|
|
beginning. But Belfast proved their
|
|
worth.
|
|
|
|
Grace seems keen to divert the flattery...
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
Have you found anything out that
|
|
might help me?
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
I interrogated the head of the
|
|
Peaky Blinders. He didn’t know
|
|
anything. A brute. His gang may
|
|
even prove useful to us.
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
It strikes me that it isn’t Arthur
|
|
who heads the Shelby family. It is
|
|
the younger one...
|
|
|
|
A pause.
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
Thomas.
|
|
|
|
Grace nods as Campbell glances at her briefly.
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
They say he won two medals for
|
|
gallantry in the War.
|
|
|
|
Campbell squeezes the end of his moustache...
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
You sound fascinated.
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
(Ignoring)
|
|
62.
|
|
|
|
|
|
However, my opinion has not
|
|
changed. The bookmaker gangs have
|
|
other business and the communists
|
|
are too weak to have planned this.
|
|
I believe the guns were taken by
|
|
the IRA.
|
|
|
|
Campbell nods gently.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
You must not let your history cloud
|
|
your judgement.
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
(Knowing)
|
|
What history?
|
|
|
|
Silence as someone passes. Grace continues wearily...
|
|
|
|
GRACE
|
|
That the IRA murdered my father
|
|
will not affect my judgement.
|
|
|
|
Campbell hears but doesn’t quite believe. He hands her a
|
|
slip of paper with a list of serial numbers and speaks
|
|
softly.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
If you see a gun, check the serial
|
|
numbers against this list.
|
|
|
|
Campbell turns to go, checking his watch. Then he stops and
|
|
smiles at Grace.
|
|
|
|
CAMPBELL
|
|
Your father was the finest officer
|
|
I ever worked with. I know he would
|
|
be very, very proud of you.
|
|
|
|
He drifts away. Grace seems to be deeply affected by
|
|
mention of her father but holds it all in check...
|
|
|
|
|
|
44 EXT. GRAND UNION CANAL - DAY 5 - 18:00 44
|
|
|
|
We find Leo, the Italian cafe owner, and another Italian
|
|
guy, standing on the tow path. They are dressed in black
|
|
suits and overcoats.
|
|
|
|
Behind them, we see a black coal barge slowly motoring up
|
|
the canal toward them. Leo reacts to someone crossing the
|
|
canal bridge.
|
|
63.
|
|
|
|
|
|
We see Thomas, escorting Danny Whizz Bang.
|
|
|
|
Thomas and Danny come down to the tow path a hundred yards
|
|
from where Leo and his friend are standing. Thomas is
|
|
wearing his cap and a long black coat.
|
|
|
|
We come close to Thomas and Danny. Thomas speaks with grim
|
|
seriousness. Danny removes his hat and twirls it in his
|
|
hand.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Danny, as you know, the man you
|
|
killed was Italian. And those two
|
|
men down there are his brothers.
|
|
|
|
Danny, filled with terrible remorse, glances in their
|
|
direction. They glare murder at him.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Now if I let the Italians do this
|
|
they’ll cut off your manhood and
|
|
let you drain. That’s how those
|
|
bastards do things.
|
|
|
|
Danny takes a breath, stares ahead. The factories bang and
|
|
hiss.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
So, to stop a war breaking out
|
|
between us and the Italians, and to
|
|
save you from their barbarity, I
|
|
said I would dispatch you myself.
|
|
|
|
Danny nods, already expecting this.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
They are here to witness.
|
|
|
|
Thomas offers Danny a cigarette and he takes it with
|
|
shaking hands. Thomas lights his cigarette. Danny takes a
|
|
big draw.
|
|
|
|
DANNY
|
|
I died over there anyway Tommy. I
|
|
left my fucking brains in the mud.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Yeah. You have any last requests,
|
|
comrade?
|
|
|
|
Danny takes a heavy breath.
|
|
|
|
DANNY
|
|
64.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You’ll look out for my Rosie and my
|
|
boys.
|
|
|
|
Thomas nods as he smokes.
|
|
|
|
DANNY
|
|
See they get apprenticeships. At
|
|
the BSA factory or the Austen.
|
|
They’ll make foremen. I know they
|
|
will. Just ordinary. Just ordinary
|
|
men. And they won’t get told to do
|
|
that shit, that shit, that shit we
|
|
got told to do.
|
|
|
|
Thomas nods gently. Danny peers at Thomas with tears in his
|
|
eyes.
|
|
|
|
DANNY
|
|
I suppose I ought to pray now.
|
|
|
|
Thomas looks away. The black coal barge is getting closer.
|
|
|
|
DANNY
|
|
Those fucking guns blew God right
|
|
out of my head.
|
|
|
|
Danny bows his head and fights tears. He hears the
|
|
squelching tread of the horse approaching.
|
|
|
|
DANNY
|
|
Is that boat for me?
|
|
|
|
Thomas nods...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
We have to get your body out of the
|
|
city. This new copper, you know...
|
|
|
|
Danny nods.
|
|
|
|
DANNY
|
|
Don’t bury me anywhere where
|
|
there’s mud. Ok? Promise me. Bury
|
|
me on a hill. And tell Rosie where.
|
|
|
|
Thomas nods then pulls his Webley revolver from his pocket.
|
|
|
|
Danny’s eyes squeeze closed and his fists clench. Thomas
|
|
holds out his hand to shake. Danny shakes it.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
You were a good man and a good
|
|
soldier.
|
|
65.
|
|
|
|
|
|
DANNY
|
|
Yes Sergeant Major.
|
|
|
|
Danny folds his hands over his belt and lowers his head.
|
|
The boat is almost alongside. Danny closes his eyes. Thomas
|
|
holds up the gun for the Italian brothers to see. He then
|
|
puts it to Danny’s temple...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
(Softly)
|
|
In the bleak midwinter.
|
|
|
|
Danny nods. The boat is alongside. Thomas pulls the trigger
|
|
(and as he does, he kicks the backs of Danny’s knees.)
|
|
There is a splash of blood and brains on Thomas’s face.
|
|
|
|
Danny falls face first onto the deck of the boat as it
|
|
passes.
|
|
|
|
Thomas wipes the blood from his face and looks down at the
|
|
Italian brothers. They turn and walk away and Thomas walks
|
|
away in the opposite direction.
|
|
|
|
As he walks we see no emotion on his face.
|
|
|
|
|
|
45 INT. BETTING SHOP - NIGHT 5 - 20:20 45
|
|
|
|
Thomas enters through the customer entrance. He sits down,
|
|
lights a cigarette and opens a newspaper onto the racing
|
|
page. He studies the racing results. Outside we hear
|
|
children playing.
|
|
|
|
Then Arthur bursts in. His face is scarlet with rage, his
|
|
wounds still healing. He has a newspaper of his own in his
|
|
big meaty hand and he slaps it...
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
(Furious)
|
|
It bloody won!
|
|
|
|
Tommy doesn’t look up from his paper.
|
|
|
|
ARTHUR
|
|
Monaghan Boy bloody won!
|
|
|
|
Thomas finally turns to Arthur. He has a deep, deadly look
|
|
on his face.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Yeah. It won.
|
|
|
|
A pause.
|
|
66.
|
|
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
And word will spread. So next time
|
|
we do the powder trick it won’t
|
|
just be the Garrison that’ll bet on
|
|
the horse, it’ll be the whole of
|
|
Small Heath. And you know what? The
|
|
horse will win again.
|
|
|
|
Thomas confronts Arthur, toe-to-toe...
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
And the third time we do it we’ll
|
|
have the whole of Birmingham
|
|
betting on it. A thousand quid bet
|
|
on the magic horse. And that time,
|
|
when we are ready, the horse will
|
|
lose.
|
|
|
|
They stare into each other’s eyes. Then, without diverting
|
|
his gaze, Thomas reaches out and grabs the rum bottle from
|
|
Arthur’s desk.
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
Have a drink and think about it
|
|
Arthur.
|
|
|
|
Thomas turns and leaves through the drape curtain. Arthur
|
|
considers the bottle.
|
|
|
|
|
|
46 EXT. CANAL TOW PATH, TUNNEL - NIGHT 5 - 20:30 46
|
|
|
|
The coal barge is moored. If we didn’t know the grim truth,
|
|
this would be a rural idyll.
|
|
|
|
After a moment, we see Charlie getting back onboard the
|
|
boat, carrying a shovel. We assume he has disposed of
|
|
Danny’s body.
|
|
|
|
Then, suddenly, Danny Whizz Bang emerges from the hold. He
|
|
is a little dazed and has just washed his face of blood.
|
|
|
|
CHARLIE
|
|
You ok Danny?
|
|
|
|
Charlie stows the shovel (he just went for a latrine
|
|
break).
|
|
|
|
DANNY
|
|
I’m still in shock. You’re sure
|
|
this isn’t heaven?
|
|
|
|
CHARLIE
|
|
67.
|
|
|
|
|
|
(smiling)
|
|
If it was heaven, what would I be
|
|
doing here? Tommy wanted you to
|
|
think it was real to try to knock
|
|
some sense into you.
|
|
|
|
Danny rubs his woozy head.
|
|
|
|
DANNY
|
|
A shell full of sheep brains hurts
|
|
pretty bad.
|
|
|
|
CHARLIE
|
|
It was meant to.
|
|
|
|
They prepare to set off.
|
|
|
|
DANNY
|
|
So where are you taking me?
|
|
|
|
CHARLIE
|
|
London. Tommy has a little job for
|
|
you. Give you chance to say thanks.
|
|
You’re a Peaky Blinder now Danny.
|
|
|
|
The boat glides from its mooring. Danny now looks to be
|
|
filled with foreboding.
|
|
|
|
|
|
47 INT. SHELBY HOUSE - NIGHT 5 - 20:40 47
|
|
|
|
Aunt Polly is polishing a big brass pot and we see her face
|
|
in the uncertain reflection in the brass. She hears someone
|
|
entering the house. Aunt Polly prepares herself. Thomas
|
|
enters and produces a wad of notes and two bags of coins
|
|
which he places on the table.
|
|
|
|
Polly takes the bag of coins and weighs it in her hand.
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
A bad week.
|
|
|
|
Thomas removes his hat, sits down, rubs his eyes wearily.
|
|
|
|
Polly begins to count the money and speaks casually, hiding
|
|
her anxiety...
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
There was no Moon last night. I
|
|
looked.
|
|
|
|
Thomas lights a cigarette...
|
|
68.
|
|
|
|
|
|
POLLY
|
|
Did you do the right thing?
|
|
|
|
THOMAS
|
|
(Firmly)
|
|
Yes. I did the right thing.
|
|
|
|
Polly stops counting and stares at him. She can read him
|
|
like a book.
|
|
|
|
Thomas turns and leaves. In Polly’s face we read that she
|
|
knows Thomas didn’t dispose of the guns. She reacts and
|
|
peers at the pile of coins. She knows there are dangerous
|
|
times to come.
|
|
|
|
|
|
48 EXT. GARRISON LANE - NIGHT 5 - 20:45 48
|
|
|
|
We hear the song ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ as we follow
|
|
Thomas walking through his kingdom. We are close on his
|
|
face, looking for reaction. He is resolved. He walks past
|
|
the Garrison...
|
|
|
|
As he walks, Grace peers out from inside the pub and
|
|
watches him go.
|
|
|
|
THE END
|
|
|