Vindication Swim (2024) Movie Script
1
The sea is calling.
Its abs and flows beckon me to return to
its embrace.
The winds and tides whisper my name as
they draw a veneerah.
But do not fear the water.
Natsidis, my daughter, my child.
Do not fear to lose sight
of the shore, for I will
wait for you on the other
side of the dark waters.
Let them carry you, Natsidis.
Let the waves draw you home.
Let them carry you, Natsidis.
Let them carry you home.
The sea is calling.
Draw a veneerah.
Let them carry you, Natsidis.
Let them carry you, Natsidis.
Let them carry you, Natsidis.
Let them carry you, Natsidis.
Champion, Miss Gertrude Eddley,
today made history.
Becoming the first ever lady to conquer
the English Channel.
Following an intensive training regime in
her native New Jersey, the American
entered the chilly waters of Cap Rene
early Saturday morning, and for the next
forty hours and thirty-one minutes,
battled against the waves, filled with
enough grit and determination to see her
through to Dover.
While the Americans revel in the glory of
their new Queen of the waves, news of her
victory will surely come as a blow to
Britain's female Channel hosts.
I finished the shipping report you asked
for.
Leave it on the desk.
Is that all?
Yes, that's all.
Dear Sir Arthur, I understand that you
were looking to sponsor a British woman in
an English Channel
swim, now that we've been
beaten by the Americans
in our own backyard.
No doubt you are aware that I was so very
close to becoming the first ever woman to
complete the feat in my seventh attempt
last year.
I would have tried again that summer if
I'd had the funds to do so.
Still, this time has given me the ability
to rebuild my stamina at the Hobon Bath,
where I train each evening without fail
around my work as a stenographer.
It is dull work, poorly paid, and I cannot
slake my desire for the Channel.
With each tap of the key, I hear the
splash of the sea.
Every waking hour I dream of the water.
What once compelled me as a girl now
consumes me as a woman.
Despite the loss to
Gertrude Edelie this
summer, I remain firm
and resolute in mindset.
To become the first
British woman to swim the
English Channel would be
for me the greatest honour.
Yours faithfully, Mercedes Gleitz.
Excuse me, madam.
Miss Gleitz?
Yes.
Thank you.
Wait here, please.
And I'll fetch you once they're ready.
Yes, of course.
Right away, sir.
Gade's medical results, sir, requires your
signature.
Sir Arthur Coleridge?
Yes, my dear.
Apologies for the intrusion.
I am Mercedes Gleitz.
I have been corresponding with you in
regards to a Channel swim.
I frankly can't understand why I'm not
even being considered.
In your letter of rejection you failed to
acknowledge any of my achievements.
So I've come here to ask you what more can
I possibly do?
Look, my dear, sponsorship
for such a swim cannot
be granted on a whim to
any lady who comes looking.
There are certain attributes which must be
considered.
Such as?
Well, you see, the Association have
already selected their sponsor.
A fine lady by the name of Mrs. Edith
Gade.
In fact, she resigned her
post as a doctor at King's
College Hospital in order to
take up her sponsorship offer.
There is also the issue of your name.
You see, Miss Gleitz, for a woman of your
circumstances, it would be neither
suitable nor appropriate for us to sponsor
you at this time.
If only they knew how much you loved this
country.
I knew how you know, Edith Gade.
She was on my staff at Weimar during the
war.
Only lasted three months before she was
struck off the register and how she was
readmitted to King's College, God only
knows.
Now breathe in for me.
And exhale.
Breathe in.
And exhale.
You're back to fighting fit.
Ever considered changing the name to
something more Anglicised?
No, I shouldn't need to.
I was born here for heaven's sake.
Look, there is an old client of mine,
Mr Harold Best.
Harold Best?
Didn't he swim the channel?
He did.
He dropped off the map
after the war, but I feel you
might be able to coax him
out of his self-imposed exile.
Mr Best?
Hello?
Mr Best?
What's the nature of your calling?
I'm looking for Mr Best.
I know that.
What for?
I'm told he might be able to train me.
Well, he ain't here.
But if you're ill-bent, you might try the
volunteer.
Thank you.
I'm looking for Mr Best.
I'm told I might find him here.
You mean old Harold Best?
That's him, over in the corner.
Thank you.
You've not been previously acquainted.
No.
My name is Mercedes Gleitz.
I'm a swimmer, and I'm told you might
train me.
I don't train anymore.
Especially not girls.
Well, I can assure you, I will make it
worth your while.
I intend to do everything.
I do not train girls.
Now, sling your hook.
Fine.
In your current state, you could hardly
teach a fish to swim, let alone a girl.
Good day, Mr Best.
Your pronouncements will someday land you
in a whole heap of bother.
It's not done so already.
A ransom will roar.
Like true British sailors.
A ransom will roar.
All over the salt sea.
Until we find landings.
In the Channel of Holdingland.
From ushen to silly.
Is 35 Leagues.
It's so risque.
That's vital.
They really reveal all.
There's everything.
That's right.
Very naughty.
Sure.
It's just not proper.
She wants to strip off and dive in that
god-awful water.
Well, it's downright dangerous.
She ought to go back to being a real
woman.
Maybe she can't.
My doctor says it can unsex a woman or
that physically strain on the body.
It's obscene.
Ah,
Mr. Deitz.
I understand you speak German and can
write in shorthand.
Is that correct?
Yes.
I'm fluent in German and somewhat with a
stenography.
Good.
In that case, I shall need you to work
linked tomorrow night.
Is that all right?
Yes.
Yes, that should be fine.
Excellent.
See you then.
How long
have you been with us now, Miss Kletz?
Just shy of two years, I believe.
Two years?
Really?
I don't smoke, thank you.
And you live alone, I believe.
Yes, I do.
Such a pity.
It really would be a tragedy if a beautiful
girl like you would be left on the shelf.
As it were.
I must confess, many a
day I've seen you in here
and given thought to
stealing a kiss myself.
If it's not too bold to say.
It's Mercedes, isn't it?
It's Miss Kletz, and that's his too bold.
You have a sharp tongue.
You know, I've had a lot of girls working
for me in here.
They come and they go.
But the ones who do best in this company
tend to adopt a more friendly attitude.
I suggest you go away and think about
that.
Miss Kletz.
We'll go on.
And be warm.
What's the verdict?
Well, the wind's kicking up about 12
knots.
She looks gentle here, but we're clear of
the harbour wall.
You'll feel it, Gustin, true enough.
And she's meant to pick up around the day,
too.
But you can never tell with the sea.
Can she make the swim?
She'll be fine.
Fine, this northerly don't shift to her
south-south-west.
With that, she could compete against time
and tide.
I
think it's about four miles, not course.
Well, keep her steady, dammit!
She should turn around and try again come
August.
We are not turning back.
This weather will pass my sundown.
She'll never make it.
She has to try!
Now keep her steady!
Strong south-westerly has blown in,
which, matched with the Ebb tide,
is putting us dangerously close to the
shoals of Goodwin sand.
However, despite conditions, enough to
deter even the most steadfast sailor,
Miss Gright's spirits remain high as she
breaks on relentlessly against the current.
5pm, and we're still too clear halfway.
I'm told by the oarsmen
that we've missed the tide,
which will add another
six hours onto the swim.
Are you sure you want to carry on with all
this?
The night will soon be upon us,
and we're still nine miles from shore.
There's no shame in quitting.
No!
I'm not quitting!
Not now!
I've got to make it!
I've got to!
Get her out!
Quick!
I've got to make it!
What is it?
It's my shoulder!
And you really think you've got a chance
at swimming the channel?
I'll have you know I'm not
some bored housewife who one
Sunday decided she wanted
to attempt to channel swim.
I'm deadly serious.
Hell bent, you might say.
Well, let's see you take to the water
then.
All right.
So, what changed your mind?
You remind me of someone that I knew a
long time ago.
May I ask who?
No, you may not.
I know you said that money is tight.
It's not why I'm doing it.
You can pay me back out of your winnings.
I want it understood.
You may think that you got close last
time.
Cold, extreme fatigue.
It's best at the strongest of men.
Well, thank God I'm a woman.
Amateur swimming association
Swansea, Mrs. Edith Gate,
was seen here at a fundraising
ball held in her honour.
An English rose with a smile to mesmerise
the nation.
The slender swimmer was joined by
Association President Sir Arthur Colerich,
who relayed his confidence
and spoke of his desire to help
raise the prestige of Britain's
lady channel swimmers.
The battle between Britain's bathing
beauties entered a new stage today, with Mrs.
Edith Gate's arrival in Dover
alongside husband and trainer,
Mr. Samuel Huntington, ahead of rival
swimmer, Miss Gleitz.
When asked if she felt any reluctance in
competing against seven-time attemptee,
Miss Gleitz, Gate simply replied,
may the best woman win.
Coming.
My resignation.
You can't quit.
You have no husband.
Besides your employment here, you have
nothing.
What on earth do you intend to do?
I'm going to swim the channel.
Good day.
I've got just two suits.
No class homie, I'm afraid.
Waved off from some tanker station,
Miss Gleitz today departed from London,
bound for the Dover
coast, in preparation for
what will be her eighth
attempt at a channel swim.
Accompanying the pretty young typist,
trainer Harold Best, who swam the channel
himself in 1911, and
was for a time lauded as
Britain's finest swimmer
since Captain Webb.
What many a superstitious mariner may
mistake for a mermaid, the swimming beauty
seen in folks in harbour is, in fact,
Miss Gleitz, sticking to her rigorous
training regime and sharing
no fear of submerging
herself beneath the
chilly harbour waters.
Although with Miss Gleitz going
head-to-head with Mrs. Gate in the race
for the channel, it
certainly doesn't appear as
if it will be any cooler in
the water this summer.
Miss Gleitz.
Can I help you?
My name is Mr. Habers, and I've been sent
to deliver this to you, courtesy of Mr.
Huntington.
He helps you find a satisfactory
compensation, and politely requests you
return to London that she really is
convenient.
And why would I want to do that?
Well, I think you'll find Mr. Huntington's
been extremely generous.
In his offer, I wager the
amount far it sees such which
someone such as yourself
would usually be akin to.
Someone such as myself?
In this country, Miss Gleitz, an unmarried
woman at your age, raises suspicion.
Yeah, and five years cavorting around in a
one-piece has done nothing to dispel that.
Isn't it best you step aside now and avoid
further humiliation, losing to Mrs. Gate?
Perhaps even if you
reverse-defining her husband, the
money can at least afford
you a sense of propriety.
Well, Mr. Habers, when you put it like
that, it does make an awful lot of sense.
Despite being new to the
sport, I'm sure Mrs. Gate's
integrity alone will see
her across the finish line.
Should you need it, I could escort you to
the railway station tomorrow morning.
That won't be necessary.
As you wish.
Perhaps you could give me the name of Mr.
Huntington's hotel.
I should like to write to him personally,
to thank him for his generosity.
The seapro-cutter.
Samuel Huntington, I presume?
May I help you?
I believe this belongs to you.
You're not even able to buy the ASA,
but you can't buy me.
As to the finish, then, Miss Gleitz.
What does Alice ensunced?
I don't know.
I don't know what to say.
A fitting farewell at Dover Harbor today,
as Miss Mercedes Gleitz sets off to France
to undertake her eighth attempt at the
channel.
Following the havoc wreaked upon the
swimming season by the tempestuous
weather, Miss Gleitz will attempt to swim
back in the direction of England,
hoping to beat the southwesterly winds.
Undaunted by the prospect of making a swim
so late in the season, the gamble may well
land victory for the plucky former typist,
as news comes of Mrs. Gade's departure
from the race in response to this summer's
storms.
Bonjour.
Salut.
Bonjour.
Bonjour.
Bonjour.
Bonjour.
Nice?
Bonjour, mr.
Vistas, always.
How?
Do you want to
The conditions tomorrow should be nigh on
perfect.
So by so westerly blowing nip tight to
boot It should be flat as a mill pond.
What if I don't make it?
Oh, I'll wager you can arrive at a
thousand reasons why you won't.
All you have to do is hang on to the one
that says you can.
Only there, you know, just beyond the
horizon.
For hour after hour, you'll be kicking
away at the ocean.
Then you reach that point, you raise your
head out of the water, and you see it.
See what?
White cliffs.
It's when you know you've made it.
Why did you stop swimming?
I mean, you had it all.
You were the best swimmer in the world,
and then you just left it all behind.
The sea gave me everything, and it took it
all away.
My son joined the navy.
As soon as he came of age, he served as
signalman aboard SS Mendy.
21st of February, 1917, she was
struck by a merchant vessel off St.
Catherine's Point.
Went down in eight minutes.
My boy went down with her.
My wife, Margaret, couldn't take the pain.
Loss of her only son.
Your deal took her mind.
Then took her life.
I
wanted to thank you for everything.
This is all I've got.
25 fathoms.
We're falling behind.
Here.
I was tied.
Can anyone lay eyes on the swimmer?
I can't spot her for all this glare.
Here.
There she is.
Two o'clock off the starboard bow.
Steamer, head is straight for us.
Quickly, boy!
Go on!
Quickly.
What the hell?!
What?!
All those chairs!
What?!
All those chairs!
Can you do it?!
What?!
What are those chairs?!
Where?!
What's changing?!
Faster!
Capture!
Capture!
Come on!
Quickly!
Swim!
There's a boat there ahead.
Take it slowly.
Mercedes!
Fire at the river!
Fire at the...
Watch!
Don't go!
My heart is on the starboard!
Come on, Mercedes!
Come!
Come!
Go!
Hold fast and watch the wake!
Stay calm!
Stay calm!
Swim!
Clear!
Ahoy!
Hey!
What are you doing here?
We are approaching the Cte d'Angre Terre,
but we are going three miles.
Thank you, monsieur.
Come on, let's go.
Buddy!
Sit down.
Sit down.
You don't want it.
Oh, come on.
Miss Mercedes Gleitz, the pretty young
typist, today claimed victory over the
English Channel on what
was her eighth attempt
at navigating the water
between Calais and Dover.
Tucking down on St. Margaret's Bay at ten
minutes past six in the evening,
the plucky swimmer spent her grueling
fifteen hours and fifteen minutes at sea
battling strong currents
and jellyfish stings as she
made her way across the
world's busiest shipping lane.
Having proved herself to be a swimmer
worth her salt, Miss Gleitz will go down
in history as the first British woman to
ever swim the English Channel.
The Home Secretary today met with Miss
Mercedes Gleitz at his offices in Whitehall.
The swimmer pledged support for his equal
franchise bill, which would bring about
equal voting rights for
women nationwide and lower
the female voting age
from thirty to twenty-one.
And, strange prospect, do you
expect having your boys transmitted
by wireless into the home
of every man in the country?
Yes, it is a little strange.
I find it's rather like the white cliffs.
You know they're there, but you can't
quite see them all the same.
I ask, indeed.
Now tell us, if you will,
what was it exactly that
led you to decide to
swim the English Channel?
I suppose it's a lure of the water.
We are all drawn to the sea.
It hugs back to the first days of human
exploration.
That sense of not knowing what lies beyond,
but yearning to find out nonetheless.
Ever since I was a girl, I've had a
longing for the water.
To swim, for me, is like nothing else in
the world.
I understand the water,
its movements, its rhythm,
and sometimes I fancy
it understands me too.
Having traded pebbles for pearls,
Channel Swimmer Mercedes Gleitz was seen
sporting an elegance contrary to her usual
swimming attire.
At the London premiere of the new VB
Daniels Notion picture, Swim Girl Swim.
Miss Gleitz was welcomed at the special
guest on thread carpet of the romantic
comedy picture about two ladies involved
in the world of channel swimming.
Featuring a cameo appearance from fellow
channel champions, Miss Gertrude Edelman.
Well, it's lovely to be back in London.
And it's lovely to see so many of you turn
out tonight for the movie.
Hello?
There has been a development.
Miss Edith Gaye splashed onto the sands of
St Margaret's Bay at low tide this morning
following the shock completion of an
English channel swim.
Believed to have withdrawn
from the race, Gaye's spontaneous
appearance has rocked the
boat of the swimming world.
In a record time of 13 hours and 10
minutes, the slender swimmer triumphed
over temperatures well below that which
any normal body, male or female,
could feasibly endure for any prolonged
period.
Her swim, too, comes just a short while
after fellow lady swimmer Miss Mercedes
Gleitz also completed a crossing in
October.
When asked on the shore about how her
victory felt, Mrs Gaye simply replied,
tiring, but went on to thank her team and
added, that I suppose it goes to show that
indeed anyone can swim the English
channel.
I don't see this should affect anything
much.
It's still the first English woman to swim
in.
Because time, true enough, but affect
anything much, that remains.
You saw it first, failed to see how she
jeopardized that in form.
I can assure you, that woman's not to be
trusted.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great
pleasure to bring to you a pair of ladies
who need no introduction, but I shall give
them one regardless.
It was said that for a woman to swim the
channel, it was an impossible feat.
Now, this summer of 27, we see not one,
but two homegrown ladies conquer the sea.
One of you now holds the
record as the fastest ever
channel swimmer at a time
of 13 hours and 10 minutes.
And the other, an equally impressive 15
hours and 15 minutes.
So, without further ado, for this
evening's honourable guest, please put
their hands together in vigorous
applause for Miss Mercedes Glatz and Mrs.
Edith Gay.
Have a wonderful evening and enjoy the
band.
Coming.
Gentlemen, ladies, I'm afraid you have to
excuse me.
There's something I must attend to.
Well, Mercedes, nice to put a face to the
name.
A far cry from the pretty young typist.
Who would have thought
a girl from such humble
beginnings would achieve
such sporting success?
Surely, once back, it is of little
consequence.
You yourself said that anyone can swim the
channel.
You said press, so you do not believe it
then.
I haven't really paid a day's thought.
Why do you ask?
I suppose I just find it odd that you would
make such a profound claim to the press.
Then not actually believe in it.
Well, perhaps I do believe in it.
Well, do you?
I suppose that, yes, anyone can
theoretically swim the channel.
Don't you agree, Miss Blytes?
No.
It takes a great deal more
than a theoretical belief
in swimming the channel
to make it in practice.
I mean, how can you theoretically account
for the cold?
Or the tide?
Surely it's of little consequence.
The swim was made, and as far as I'm
concerned, that's all that matters.
Perhaps.
Well, fifteen hours at sea is ample time
for thinking.
You certainly seem to have an opinion on
most things.
And a quiet and new taste for champagne,
I see.
Touche.
But then again, I could hardly hold a
candle to your drinking abilities.
What do you mean?
I was just surprised to see you drinking
champagne so effortlessly, immediately
after swimming for thirteen hours and ten
minutes.
Oh, I see.
And not a shiver in sight.
I'm sorry.
Your hands.
They didn't tremble at all when you took
the glass.
It was quite remarkable.
Especially when I could hardly hold up my
own head.
My head is spinning with all this chatter.
I must be excused.
I need to go and powder my nose.
My apologies.
I didn't mean to cause discomfort.
I did only complete the swim a couple of
days ago, and I applaud your efforts.
I really do.
Fastest woman in the world.
You're too kind, really.
Enjoy the rest of your night.
Samuel, darling.
Why did you do that?
She found a way to get under your skin.
True enough.
But to take the bait.
You saw the picture show.
She strode out the beach as if she'd just
been for a paddle.
No sooner has she left the water.
She's there swooning around.
No sign of fatigue whatsoever.
You know there's rationale to what I'm
saying.
But even if you're hypothetically right,
and she didn't actually make the full
swim, for you, a fellow
swimmer, to come forward
and make such an
accusation, what don't you see?
It's suicide.
You know how people will look at you.
I imagine.
Not so different from the way they
perceive me now.
I'm paraded out, blasted on
advertisements.
And don't go thinking.
There's pure on account of my talents in
the water.
Well, you signed up to swim the channel.
You knew exactly what it would entail.
I signed up to be a swimmer, not a pin-up
girl, Harold.
No, please, please,
don't pretend that you're
again all the fame
that this has given you.
Pull over, please.
What are you doing?
It's a nice evening.
I think I shall walk.
Thank you very much.
Allergation, Sir Deverge,
casting doubt upon the plausibility
of the channel attempt
undertaken by Mrs. Edith Gade.
Your sense of the swim came under scrutiny
following revelations by photographer Mr.
P.J.
Templeton, who came forward alleging he
was offered a substantial financial sum by
Mrs. Gade's husband
in return for forged
pictures documenting
various stages of the swim.
I was offered 400 to
photograph Mrs. Gade in the water,
just offshore, and accompany
them by boat across the channel.
Whereupon I returned to the water, I would
take pictures of her arrival in Dover.
I'm coming!
Also placed
under scrutiny in light of the hoax is
amateur swimming association president Sir
Arthur Coleridge, who
championed Mrs. Gade and
drew the association
was her official sponsor.
However, the panel
later found Sir Arthur to be
absolved of conspiracy in
connection to the Gade case.
In what has been termed the hoax of the
century, Mrs. Gade and her husband were
fined 100 each for swearing to a false
affidavit.
I'd like to take this opportunity to
apologize to the British public,
whom I've deceived, and the amateur
swimming association, whose good name I
have tarnished in my unfounded
and wholly fabricated claims of
a successful channel swim that
let it be stated here on record.
What I sought to prove through my hoax was
that indeed anyone can claim a channel
swim, regardless of whether such an
endeavor was completed.
Once again, I apologize most sincerely for
my actions.
And shall resign myself from the world of
open water swimming.
They're having your pee before the
tribunal.
We'll both have to testify
in order to prove and
confirm that you did
indeed complete the swim.
I don't understand.
They're worried that you... Also
fabricated particulars of your swim.
In their eyes, they've caught her,
so another woman swimmer, caving the same
feet mere weeks prior...
Will arouse suspicion.
The association has a reputation to
uphold.
They've already adopted a new constitution
in response to all this.
They can't do this.
Don't worry.
We'll go in there together.
I'll protest your innocence.
Now, you need to get some rest.
All right.
And, Harold?
Good night.
It's not your fault.
It's not your fault.
It's not your fault.
It's not your fault.
Now, remember.
Speak only when you've spoken to.
And don't try to keep your head.
The panel will look disfavorably upon a
woman who speaks out.
That's just the nature of it, I'm afraid.
Ms. Gleitz, do you need an English word?
The Channel Swimming Association will
begin deliberation today on the case of
Ms. Gleitz, attesting to the legitimacy of
her English channel swim.
The former typist was cross-examined by
the panel, along with trainer Harold Best.
The integrity of Ms. Gleitz was
thrown into doubt as the panel
probed into her previous
failed attempts at the crossing.
Dr. H.W.
Phillips, Ms. Gleitz's longtime physician,
who was present on all eight swims,
was brought forward to provide his medical
documents as evidence in the case.
The purpose of this hearing shall be to
examine.
It is the prerogative of the panel to
examine that which is brought before us,
and to arrive at a solid judgement.
Indeed, Madam, was there
even a registered member of the
CSA aboard the pilot vessel
for the duration of the swim?
No, there was not.
And was an official present
at either the stepping off into
the water at Capri's Nest or
at the completion in Dover?
No.
First, there has to be a complete
violation of CSA rules and
strong grounds for the
revocation of Ms. Gleitz's record.
Mr Chairman, would you be so kind as to
note that my learned friend has made a
number of inaccurate assumptions in his
pronouncements?
And owing to his uncertainty
in these matters, what
he has said ought to
be struck from the record.
Sit down!
Please, Mr Best, on what grounds might his
suppositions constitute such action?
Well, in fact, at the time
of Ms. Gleitz's swim, the
official regulations of the CSA
had not yet come into effect.
So the swim was, in fact,
completed within the bounds
of legality for the time
at which it took place.
Very well.
But the fact still remains, there is an
innate lack of...
I don't even validate the swim.
Take my title.
It doesn't matter what they call you.
What matters is what you do.
But that's the problem.
They don't believe I did it.
Then make them believe.
But you don't understand.
I can't.
I don't see you've got a choice.
Harold?
Mercedes?
Is that you?
Edith, why are you calling me?
What more could you possibly want from me?
I called to tell you that what I did had
nothing to do with you.
I'll never understand why you did this.
When you know full well I did swim the
town.
I know you did.
But they'll never believe you.
I'm sorry, Mercedes.
Seems to me you've got two choices.
One, you can change your name, move to
the country, nor speak of swimming again.
Or two, you can face those bastards
head-on, show them what you know to be
true, that you can swim the English
Channel.
Miss Gleitz has a statement she has
prepared.
Now, I understand your concern,
perhaps more so than my coach.
I'm of the opinion that to continue
further would be futile.
And therefore, I will no longer seek to
protest my case before this tribune.
Instead, I shall vindicate myself through
the undertaking of another swim,
and if I succeed, I want it stated here,
now, that my title as the first English
woman to swim the channel shall remain
steady.
Very well.
But on your head be it, Miss Gleitz.
To great fanfare, Mercedes Gleitz sets out
on her vindication swim to restore the
prestige of Britain's lady channel
swimmers in the eyes of the world.
My conscience is clear,
but I want to repeat my
performance in front of
all the witnesses I can.
Having done it once, I am determined to
swim it again.
The plucky words of Miss
Gleitz as she prepares
to once again conquer
the English channel.
From the outset, the swim was beset by
difficulty, with near-all witness vessels
forced to turn back with the onset of
inclement weather.
The band, set to serenade Miss Gleitz on
her crossing, were overcome by a strong
bout of seasickness and forced to abandon
their accompaniment.
Prior to setting out, there was fierce
debate among the seafaring community as to
whether a woman could survive a swim so
late in the year, following sightings of
herrings off-deal, which signals the
arrival of cold North Sea water.
However, trainer Harold Best stood firm
and relayed his confidence in Miss Gleitz,
asserting, she possesses
powers of endurance
as I have never seen
in the strongest of men.
Miss Gleitz, I have brought
you here today because I
have a proposal that I believe
may be of interest to you.
The ASA, being as they are, is unwilling
to fund a channel swim in October.
However, I believe I can still be of
assistance to you.
I am willing to cover the cost of the
swim, personally.
I was a fool not to take you on when I had
the chance.
Here, have some grapes.
How long have I been going?
You're at four hours, twenty-six minutes
in the water.
I'm going to have to take it off.
It's taping.
Fine.
You can do that.
But it'll have to go back on again in an
hour.
I'm going to put a stop to this.
It's gone on for far too long.
I'm afraid I've had no choice but to
terminate the swim.
The conditions are simply too cold.
How far are we from shore?
About six miles.
That's a lot of open water.
It's a lot of water.
She moves so slowly.
If she continues to be exposed to these
temperatures, she'll more than likely
develop pipothermia, if she's not done so
already.
Give her more time to keep used to these
conditions.
She won't be able to withstand
this cold much longer, as
the team's medical officer,
I can't terminate the swim.
You need to get her out.
She has to be brought back into the boat
now.
There's no time to lose!
I can see them!
I can see them!
Wait!
I can see them!
I can see them!
What is this?!
That's it!
I'm putting a stop to this!
She needs to be taken out of the water
now!
Mercedes, stop!
Stop!
Mercedes, stop!
Hurry!
Hurry!
Hurry!
Stop now!
Stop, Mercedes!
Someone cost a line!
Take the line!
Take the line, Mercedes!
Come back!
Mercedes!
Come back!
We're over!
Mercedes, come to the boat!
Watch out!
Mercedes!
Stop!
Mercedes, come to the boat!
Come to the boat now!
Come on!
Please, Mercedes.
Please, it's over!
Mercedes!
Mercedes!
Mercedes!
I can see them!
I can see them!
Let me see the arm.
I can feel some swelling.
Does this hurt?
Can we get us something warm to drink?
I can see them!
It's only a sprain, swimmer's shoulder.
I can see them!
I can see them!
Or does this hurt for me?
I hear you as my lift, for love's no break
that thou join me.
I'm here loved to choose, and see my path,
But now, play that for me.
And with them all, those angel faces
smile, which I have heard.
And with them
all, those angel faces smile, which I have
heard.
The sea is calling.
Its abs and flows beckon me to return to
its embrace.
The winds and tides whisper my name as
they draw a veneerah.
But do not fear the water.
Natsidis, my daughter, my child.
Do not fear to lose sight
of the shore, for I will
wait for you on the other
side of the dark waters.
Let them carry you, Natsidis.
Let the waves draw you home.
Let them carry you, Natsidis.
Let them carry you home.
The sea is calling.
Draw a veneerah.
Let them carry you, Natsidis.
Let them carry you, Natsidis.
Let them carry you, Natsidis.
Let them carry you, Natsidis.
Champion, Miss Gertrude Eddley,
today made history.
Becoming the first ever lady to conquer
the English Channel.
Following an intensive training regime in
her native New Jersey, the American
entered the chilly waters of Cap Rene
early Saturday morning, and for the next
forty hours and thirty-one minutes,
battled against the waves, filled with
enough grit and determination to see her
through to Dover.
While the Americans revel in the glory of
their new Queen of the waves, news of her
victory will surely come as a blow to
Britain's female Channel hosts.
I finished the shipping report you asked
for.
Leave it on the desk.
Is that all?
Yes, that's all.
Dear Sir Arthur, I understand that you
were looking to sponsor a British woman in
an English Channel
swim, now that we've been
beaten by the Americans
in our own backyard.
No doubt you are aware that I was so very
close to becoming the first ever woman to
complete the feat in my seventh attempt
last year.
I would have tried again that summer if
I'd had the funds to do so.
Still, this time has given me the ability
to rebuild my stamina at the Hobon Bath,
where I train each evening without fail
around my work as a stenographer.
It is dull work, poorly paid, and I cannot
slake my desire for the Channel.
With each tap of the key, I hear the
splash of the sea.
Every waking hour I dream of the water.
What once compelled me as a girl now
consumes me as a woman.
Despite the loss to
Gertrude Edelie this
summer, I remain firm
and resolute in mindset.
To become the first
British woman to swim the
English Channel would be
for me the greatest honour.
Yours faithfully, Mercedes Gleitz.
Excuse me, madam.
Miss Gleitz?
Yes.
Thank you.
Wait here, please.
And I'll fetch you once they're ready.
Yes, of course.
Right away, sir.
Gade's medical results, sir, requires your
signature.
Sir Arthur Coleridge?
Yes, my dear.
Apologies for the intrusion.
I am Mercedes Gleitz.
I have been corresponding with you in
regards to a Channel swim.
I frankly can't understand why I'm not
even being considered.
In your letter of rejection you failed to
acknowledge any of my achievements.
So I've come here to ask you what more can
I possibly do?
Look, my dear, sponsorship
for such a swim cannot
be granted on a whim to
any lady who comes looking.
There are certain attributes which must be
considered.
Such as?
Well, you see, the Association have
already selected their sponsor.
A fine lady by the name of Mrs. Edith
Gade.
In fact, she resigned her
post as a doctor at King's
College Hospital in order to
take up her sponsorship offer.
There is also the issue of your name.
You see, Miss Gleitz, for a woman of your
circumstances, it would be neither
suitable nor appropriate for us to sponsor
you at this time.
If only they knew how much you loved this
country.
I knew how you know, Edith Gade.
She was on my staff at Weimar during the
war.
Only lasted three months before she was
struck off the register and how she was
readmitted to King's College, God only
knows.
Now breathe in for me.
And exhale.
Breathe in.
And exhale.
You're back to fighting fit.
Ever considered changing the name to
something more Anglicised?
No, I shouldn't need to.
I was born here for heaven's sake.
Look, there is an old client of mine,
Mr Harold Best.
Harold Best?
Didn't he swim the channel?
He did.
He dropped off the map
after the war, but I feel you
might be able to coax him
out of his self-imposed exile.
Mr Best?
Hello?
Mr Best?
What's the nature of your calling?
I'm looking for Mr Best.
I know that.
What for?
I'm told he might be able to train me.
Well, he ain't here.
But if you're ill-bent, you might try the
volunteer.
Thank you.
I'm looking for Mr Best.
I'm told I might find him here.
You mean old Harold Best?
That's him, over in the corner.
Thank you.
You've not been previously acquainted.
No.
My name is Mercedes Gleitz.
I'm a swimmer, and I'm told you might
train me.
I don't train anymore.
Especially not girls.
Well, I can assure you, I will make it
worth your while.
I intend to do everything.
I do not train girls.
Now, sling your hook.
Fine.
In your current state, you could hardly
teach a fish to swim, let alone a girl.
Good day, Mr Best.
Your pronouncements will someday land you
in a whole heap of bother.
It's not done so already.
A ransom will roar.
Like true British sailors.
A ransom will roar.
All over the salt sea.
Until we find landings.
In the Channel of Holdingland.
From ushen to silly.
Is 35 Leagues.
It's so risque.
That's vital.
They really reveal all.
There's everything.
That's right.
Very naughty.
Sure.
It's just not proper.
She wants to strip off and dive in that
god-awful water.
Well, it's downright dangerous.
She ought to go back to being a real
woman.
Maybe she can't.
My doctor says it can unsex a woman or
that physically strain on the body.
It's obscene.
Ah,
Mr. Deitz.
I understand you speak German and can
write in shorthand.
Is that correct?
Yes.
I'm fluent in German and somewhat with a
stenography.
Good.
In that case, I shall need you to work
linked tomorrow night.
Is that all right?
Yes.
Yes, that should be fine.
Excellent.
See you then.
How long
have you been with us now, Miss Kletz?
Just shy of two years, I believe.
Two years?
Really?
I don't smoke, thank you.
And you live alone, I believe.
Yes, I do.
Such a pity.
It really would be a tragedy if a beautiful
girl like you would be left on the shelf.
As it were.
I must confess, many a
day I've seen you in here
and given thought to
stealing a kiss myself.
If it's not too bold to say.
It's Mercedes, isn't it?
It's Miss Kletz, and that's his too bold.
You have a sharp tongue.
You know, I've had a lot of girls working
for me in here.
They come and they go.
But the ones who do best in this company
tend to adopt a more friendly attitude.
I suggest you go away and think about
that.
Miss Kletz.
We'll go on.
And be warm.
What's the verdict?
Well, the wind's kicking up about 12
knots.
She looks gentle here, but we're clear of
the harbour wall.
You'll feel it, Gustin, true enough.
And she's meant to pick up around the day,
too.
But you can never tell with the sea.
Can she make the swim?
She'll be fine.
Fine, this northerly don't shift to her
south-south-west.
With that, she could compete against time
and tide.
I
think it's about four miles, not course.
Well, keep her steady, dammit!
She should turn around and try again come
August.
We are not turning back.
This weather will pass my sundown.
She'll never make it.
She has to try!
Now keep her steady!
Strong south-westerly has blown in,
which, matched with the Ebb tide,
is putting us dangerously close to the
shoals of Goodwin sand.
However, despite conditions, enough to
deter even the most steadfast sailor,
Miss Gright's spirits remain high as she
breaks on relentlessly against the current.
5pm, and we're still too clear halfway.
I'm told by the oarsmen
that we've missed the tide,
which will add another
six hours onto the swim.
Are you sure you want to carry on with all
this?
The night will soon be upon us,
and we're still nine miles from shore.
There's no shame in quitting.
No!
I'm not quitting!
Not now!
I've got to make it!
I've got to!
Get her out!
Quick!
I've got to make it!
What is it?
It's my shoulder!
And you really think you've got a chance
at swimming the channel?
I'll have you know I'm not
some bored housewife who one
Sunday decided she wanted
to attempt to channel swim.
I'm deadly serious.
Hell bent, you might say.
Well, let's see you take to the water
then.
All right.
So, what changed your mind?
You remind me of someone that I knew a
long time ago.
May I ask who?
No, you may not.
I know you said that money is tight.
It's not why I'm doing it.
You can pay me back out of your winnings.
I want it understood.
You may think that you got close last
time.
Cold, extreme fatigue.
It's best at the strongest of men.
Well, thank God I'm a woman.
Amateur swimming association
Swansea, Mrs. Edith Gate,
was seen here at a fundraising
ball held in her honour.
An English rose with a smile to mesmerise
the nation.
The slender swimmer was joined by
Association President Sir Arthur Colerich,
who relayed his confidence
and spoke of his desire to help
raise the prestige of Britain's
lady channel swimmers.
The battle between Britain's bathing
beauties entered a new stage today, with Mrs.
Edith Gate's arrival in Dover
alongside husband and trainer,
Mr. Samuel Huntington, ahead of rival
swimmer, Miss Gleitz.
When asked if she felt any reluctance in
competing against seven-time attemptee,
Miss Gleitz, Gate simply replied,
may the best woman win.
Coming.
My resignation.
You can't quit.
You have no husband.
Besides your employment here, you have
nothing.
What on earth do you intend to do?
I'm going to swim the channel.
Good day.
I've got just two suits.
No class homie, I'm afraid.
Waved off from some tanker station,
Miss Gleitz today departed from London,
bound for the Dover
coast, in preparation for
what will be her eighth
attempt at a channel swim.
Accompanying the pretty young typist,
trainer Harold Best, who swam the channel
himself in 1911, and
was for a time lauded as
Britain's finest swimmer
since Captain Webb.
What many a superstitious mariner may
mistake for a mermaid, the swimming beauty
seen in folks in harbour is, in fact,
Miss Gleitz, sticking to her rigorous
training regime and sharing
no fear of submerging
herself beneath the
chilly harbour waters.
Although with Miss Gleitz going
head-to-head with Mrs. Gate in the race
for the channel, it
certainly doesn't appear as
if it will be any cooler in
the water this summer.
Miss Gleitz.
Can I help you?
My name is Mr. Habers, and I've been sent
to deliver this to you, courtesy of Mr.
Huntington.
He helps you find a satisfactory
compensation, and politely requests you
return to London that she really is
convenient.
And why would I want to do that?
Well, I think you'll find Mr. Huntington's
been extremely generous.
In his offer, I wager the
amount far it sees such which
someone such as yourself
would usually be akin to.
Someone such as myself?
In this country, Miss Gleitz, an unmarried
woman at your age, raises suspicion.
Yeah, and five years cavorting around in a
one-piece has done nothing to dispel that.
Isn't it best you step aside now and avoid
further humiliation, losing to Mrs. Gate?
Perhaps even if you
reverse-defining her husband, the
money can at least afford
you a sense of propriety.
Well, Mr. Habers, when you put it like
that, it does make an awful lot of sense.
Despite being new to the
sport, I'm sure Mrs. Gate's
integrity alone will see
her across the finish line.
Should you need it, I could escort you to
the railway station tomorrow morning.
That won't be necessary.
As you wish.
Perhaps you could give me the name of Mr.
Huntington's hotel.
I should like to write to him personally,
to thank him for his generosity.
The seapro-cutter.
Samuel Huntington, I presume?
May I help you?
I believe this belongs to you.
You're not even able to buy the ASA,
but you can't buy me.
As to the finish, then, Miss Gleitz.
What does Alice ensunced?
I don't know.
I don't know what to say.
A fitting farewell at Dover Harbor today,
as Miss Mercedes Gleitz sets off to France
to undertake her eighth attempt at the
channel.
Following the havoc wreaked upon the
swimming season by the tempestuous
weather, Miss Gleitz will attempt to swim
back in the direction of England,
hoping to beat the southwesterly winds.
Undaunted by the prospect of making a swim
so late in the season, the gamble may well
land victory for the plucky former typist,
as news comes of Mrs. Gade's departure
from the race in response to this summer's
storms.
Bonjour.
Salut.
Bonjour.
Bonjour.
Bonjour.
Bonjour.
Nice?
Bonjour, mr.
Vistas, always.
How?
Do you want to
The conditions tomorrow should be nigh on
perfect.
So by so westerly blowing nip tight to
boot It should be flat as a mill pond.
What if I don't make it?
Oh, I'll wager you can arrive at a
thousand reasons why you won't.
All you have to do is hang on to the one
that says you can.
Only there, you know, just beyond the
horizon.
For hour after hour, you'll be kicking
away at the ocean.
Then you reach that point, you raise your
head out of the water, and you see it.
See what?
White cliffs.
It's when you know you've made it.
Why did you stop swimming?
I mean, you had it all.
You were the best swimmer in the world,
and then you just left it all behind.
The sea gave me everything, and it took it
all away.
My son joined the navy.
As soon as he came of age, he served as
signalman aboard SS Mendy.
21st of February, 1917, she was
struck by a merchant vessel off St.
Catherine's Point.
Went down in eight minutes.
My boy went down with her.
My wife, Margaret, couldn't take the pain.
Loss of her only son.
Your deal took her mind.
Then took her life.
I
wanted to thank you for everything.
This is all I've got.
25 fathoms.
We're falling behind.
Here.
I was tied.
Can anyone lay eyes on the swimmer?
I can't spot her for all this glare.
Here.
There she is.
Two o'clock off the starboard bow.
Steamer, head is straight for us.
Quickly, boy!
Go on!
Quickly.
What the hell?!
What?!
All those chairs!
What?!
All those chairs!
Can you do it?!
What?!
What are those chairs?!
Where?!
What's changing?!
Faster!
Capture!
Capture!
Come on!
Quickly!
Swim!
There's a boat there ahead.
Take it slowly.
Mercedes!
Fire at the river!
Fire at the...
Watch!
Don't go!
My heart is on the starboard!
Come on, Mercedes!
Come!
Come!
Go!
Hold fast and watch the wake!
Stay calm!
Stay calm!
Swim!
Clear!
Ahoy!
Hey!
What are you doing here?
We are approaching the Cte d'Angre Terre,
but we are going three miles.
Thank you, monsieur.
Come on, let's go.
Buddy!
Sit down.
Sit down.
You don't want it.
Oh, come on.
Miss Mercedes Gleitz, the pretty young
typist, today claimed victory over the
English Channel on what
was her eighth attempt
at navigating the water
between Calais and Dover.
Tucking down on St. Margaret's Bay at ten
minutes past six in the evening,
the plucky swimmer spent her grueling
fifteen hours and fifteen minutes at sea
battling strong currents
and jellyfish stings as she
made her way across the
world's busiest shipping lane.
Having proved herself to be a swimmer
worth her salt, Miss Gleitz will go down
in history as the first British woman to
ever swim the English Channel.
The Home Secretary today met with Miss
Mercedes Gleitz at his offices in Whitehall.
The swimmer pledged support for his equal
franchise bill, which would bring about
equal voting rights for
women nationwide and lower
the female voting age
from thirty to twenty-one.
And, strange prospect, do you
expect having your boys transmitted
by wireless into the home
of every man in the country?
Yes, it is a little strange.
I find it's rather like the white cliffs.
You know they're there, but you can't
quite see them all the same.
I ask, indeed.
Now tell us, if you will,
what was it exactly that
led you to decide to
swim the English Channel?
I suppose it's a lure of the water.
We are all drawn to the sea.
It hugs back to the first days of human
exploration.
That sense of not knowing what lies beyond,
but yearning to find out nonetheless.
Ever since I was a girl, I've had a
longing for the water.
To swim, for me, is like nothing else in
the world.
I understand the water,
its movements, its rhythm,
and sometimes I fancy
it understands me too.
Having traded pebbles for pearls,
Channel Swimmer Mercedes Gleitz was seen
sporting an elegance contrary to her usual
swimming attire.
At the London premiere of the new VB
Daniels Notion picture, Swim Girl Swim.
Miss Gleitz was welcomed at the special
guest on thread carpet of the romantic
comedy picture about two ladies involved
in the world of channel swimming.
Featuring a cameo appearance from fellow
channel champions, Miss Gertrude Edelman.
Well, it's lovely to be back in London.
And it's lovely to see so many of you turn
out tonight for the movie.
Hello?
There has been a development.
Miss Edith Gaye splashed onto the sands of
St Margaret's Bay at low tide this morning
following the shock completion of an
English channel swim.
Believed to have withdrawn
from the race, Gaye's spontaneous
appearance has rocked the
boat of the swimming world.
In a record time of 13 hours and 10
minutes, the slender swimmer triumphed
over temperatures well below that which
any normal body, male or female,
could feasibly endure for any prolonged
period.
Her swim, too, comes just a short while
after fellow lady swimmer Miss Mercedes
Gleitz also completed a crossing in
October.
When asked on the shore about how her
victory felt, Mrs Gaye simply replied,
tiring, but went on to thank her team and
added, that I suppose it goes to show that
indeed anyone can swim the English
channel.
I don't see this should affect anything
much.
It's still the first English woman to swim
in.
Because time, true enough, but affect
anything much, that remains.
You saw it first, failed to see how she
jeopardized that in form.
I can assure you, that woman's not to be
trusted.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great
pleasure to bring to you a pair of ladies
who need no introduction, but I shall give
them one regardless.
It was said that for a woman to swim the
channel, it was an impossible feat.
Now, this summer of 27, we see not one,
but two homegrown ladies conquer the sea.
One of you now holds the
record as the fastest ever
channel swimmer at a time
of 13 hours and 10 minutes.
And the other, an equally impressive 15
hours and 15 minutes.
So, without further ado, for this
evening's honourable guest, please put
their hands together in vigorous
applause for Miss Mercedes Glatz and Mrs.
Edith Gay.
Have a wonderful evening and enjoy the
band.
Coming.
Gentlemen, ladies, I'm afraid you have to
excuse me.
There's something I must attend to.
Well, Mercedes, nice to put a face to the
name.
A far cry from the pretty young typist.
Who would have thought
a girl from such humble
beginnings would achieve
such sporting success?
Surely, once back, it is of little
consequence.
You yourself said that anyone can swim the
channel.
You said press, so you do not believe it
then.
I haven't really paid a day's thought.
Why do you ask?
I suppose I just find it odd that you would
make such a profound claim to the press.
Then not actually believe in it.
Well, perhaps I do believe in it.
Well, do you?
I suppose that, yes, anyone can
theoretically swim the channel.
Don't you agree, Miss Blytes?
No.
It takes a great deal more
than a theoretical belief
in swimming the channel
to make it in practice.
I mean, how can you theoretically account
for the cold?
Or the tide?
Surely it's of little consequence.
The swim was made, and as far as I'm
concerned, that's all that matters.
Perhaps.
Well, fifteen hours at sea is ample time
for thinking.
You certainly seem to have an opinion on
most things.
And a quiet and new taste for champagne,
I see.
Touche.
But then again, I could hardly hold a
candle to your drinking abilities.
What do you mean?
I was just surprised to see you drinking
champagne so effortlessly, immediately
after swimming for thirteen hours and ten
minutes.
Oh, I see.
And not a shiver in sight.
I'm sorry.
Your hands.
They didn't tremble at all when you took
the glass.
It was quite remarkable.
Especially when I could hardly hold up my
own head.
My head is spinning with all this chatter.
I must be excused.
I need to go and powder my nose.
My apologies.
I didn't mean to cause discomfort.
I did only complete the swim a couple of
days ago, and I applaud your efforts.
I really do.
Fastest woman in the world.
You're too kind, really.
Enjoy the rest of your night.
Samuel, darling.
Why did you do that?
She found a way to get under your skin.
True enough.
But to take the bait.
You saw the picture show.
She strode out the beach as if she'd just
been for a paddle.
No sooner has she left the water.
She's there swooning around.
No sign of fatigue whatsoever.
You know there's rationale to what I'm
saying.
But even if you're hypothetically right,
and she didn't actually make the full
swim, for you, a fellow
swimmer, to come forward
and make such an
accusation, what don't you see?
It's suicide.
You know how people will look at you.
I imagine.
Not so different from the way they
perceive me now.
I'm paraded out, blasted on
advertisements.
And don't go thinking.
There's pure on account of my talents in
the water.
Well, you signed up to swim the channel.
You knew exactly what it would entail.
I signed up to be a swimmer, not a pin-up
girl, Harold.
No, please, please,
don't pretend that you're
again all the fame
that this has given you.
Pull over, please.
What are you doing?
It's a nice evening.
I think I shall walk.
Thank you very much.
Allergation, Sir Deverge,
casting doubt upon the plausibility
of the channel attempt
undertaken by Mrs. Edith Gade.
Your sense of the swim came under scrutiny
following revelations by photographer Mr.
P.J.
Templeton, who came forward alleging he
was offered a substantial financial sum by
Mrs. Gade's husband
in return for forged
pictures documenting
various stages of the swim.
I was offered 400 to
photograph Mrs. Gade in the water,
just offshore, and accompany
them by boat across the channel.
Whereupon I returned to the water, I would
take pictures of her arrival in Dover.
I'm coming!
Also placed
under scrutiny in light of the hoax is
amateur swimming association president Sir
Arthur Coleridge, who
championed Mrs. Gade and
drew the association
was her official sponsor.
However, the panel
later found Sir Arthur to be
absolved of conspiracy in
connection to the Gade case.
In what has been termed the hoax of the
century, Mrs. Gade and her husband were
fined 100 each for swearing to a false
affidavit.
I'd like to take this opportunity to
apologize to the British public,
whom I've deceived, and the amateur
swimming association, whose good name I
have tarnished in my unfounded
and wholly fabricated claims of
a successful channel swim that
let it be stated here on record.
What I sought to prove through my hoax was
that indeed anyone can claim a channel
swim, regardless of whether such an
endeavor was completed.
Once again, I apologize most sincerely for
my actions.
And shall resign myself from the world of
open water swimming.
They're having your pee before the
tribunal.
We'll both have to testify
in order to prove and
confirm that you did
indeed complete the swim.
I don't understand.
They're worried that you... Also
fabricated particulars of your swim.
In their eyes, they've caught her,
so another woman swimmer, caving the same
feet mere weeks prior...
Will arouse suspicion.
The association has a reputation to
uphold.
They've already adopted a new constitution
in response to all this.
They can't do this.
Don't worry.
We'll go in there together.
I'll protest your innocence.
Now, you need to get some rest.
All right.
And, Harold?
Good night.
It's not your fault.
It's not your fault.
It's not your fault.
It's not your fault.
Now, remember.
Speak only when you've spoken to.
And don't try to keep your head.
The panel will look disfavorably upon a
woman who speaks out.
That's just the nature of it, I'm afraid.
Ms. Gleitz, do you need an English word?
The Channel Swimming Association will
begin deliberation today on the case of
Ms. Gleitz, attesting to the legitimacy of
her English channel swim.
The former typist was cross-examined by
the panel, along with trainer Harold Best.
The integrity of Ms. Gleitz was
thrown into doubt as the panel
probed into her previous
failed attempts at the crossing.
Dr. H.W.
Phillips, Ms. Gleitz's longtime physician,
who was present on all eight swims,
was brought forward to provide his medical
documents as evidence in the case.
The purpose of this hearing shall be to
examine.
It is the prerogative of the panel to
examine that which is brought before us,
and to arrive at a solid judgement.
Indeed, Madam, was there
even a registered member of the
CSA aboard the pilot vessel
for the duration of the swim?
No, there was not.
And was an official present
at either the stepping off into
the water at Capri's Nest or
at the completion in Dover?
No.
First, there has to be a complete
violation of CSA rules and
strong grounds for the
revocation of Ms. Gleitz's record.
Mr Chairman, would you be so kind as to
note that my learned friend has made a
number of inaccurate assumptions in his
pronouncements?
And owing to his uncertainty
in these matters, what
he has said ought to
be struck from the record.
Sit down!
Please, Mr Best, on what grounds might his
suppositions constitute such action?
Well, in fact, at the time
of Ms. Gleitz's swim, the
official regulations of the CSA
had not yet come into effect.
So the swim was, in fact,
completed within the bounds
of legality for the time
at which it took place.
Very well.
But the fact still remains, there is an
innate lack of...
I don't even validate the swim.
Take my title.
It doesn't matter what they call you.
What matters is what you do.
But that's the problem.
They don't believe I did it.
Then make them believe.
But you don't understand.
I can't.
I don't see you've got a choice.
Harold?
Mercedes?
Is that you?
Edith, why are you calling me?
What more could you possibly want from me?
I called to tell you that what I did had
nothing to do with you.
I'll never understand why you did this.
When you know full well I did swim the
town.
I know you did.
But they'll never believe you.
I'm sorry, Mercedes.
Seems to me you've got two choices.
One, you can change your name, move to
the country, nor speak of swimming again.
Or two, you can face those bastards
head-on, show them what you know to be
true, that you can swim the English
Channel.
Miss Gleitz has a statement she has
prepared.
Now, I understand your concern,
perhaps more so than my coach.
I'm of the opinion that to continue
further would be futile.
And therefore, I will no longer seek to
protest my case before this tribune.
Instead, I shall vindicate myself through
the undertaking of another swim,
and if I succeed, I want it stated here,
now, that my title as the first English
woman to swim the channel shall remain
steady.
Very well.
But on your head be it, Miss Gleitz.
To great fanfare, Mercedes Gleitz sets out
on her vindication swim to restore the
prestige of Britain's lady channel
swimmers in the eyes of the world.
My conscience is clear,
but I want to repeat my
performance in front of
all the witnesses I can.
Having done it once, I am determined to
swim it again.
The plucky words of Miss
Gleitz as she prepares
to once again conquer
the English channel.
From the outset, the swim was beset by
difficulty, with near-all witness vessels
forced to turn back with the onset of
inclement weather.
The band, set to serenade Miss Gleitz on
her crossing, were overcome by a strong
bout of seasickness and forced to abandon
their accompaniment.
Prior to setting out, there was fierce
debate among the seafaring community as to
whether a woman could survive a swim so
late in the year, following sightings of
herrings off-deal, which signals the
arrival of cold North Sea water.
However, trainer Harold Best stood firm
and relayed his confidence in Miss Gleitz,
asserting, she possesses
powers of endurance
as I have never seen
in the strongest of men.
Miss Gleitz, I have brought
you here today because I
have a proposal that I believe
may be of interest to you.
The ASA, being as they are, is unwilling
to fund a channel swim in October.
However, I believe I can still be of
assistance to you.
I am willing to cover the cost of the
swim, personally.
I was a fool not to take you on when I had
the chance.
Here, have some grapes.
How long have I been going?
You're at four hours, twenty-six minutes
in the water.
I'm going to have to take it off.
It's taping.
Fine.
You can do that.
But it'll have to go back on again in an
hour.
I'm going to put a stop to this.
It's gone on for far too long.
I'm afraid I've had no choice but to
terminate the swim.
The conditions are simply too cold.
How far are we from shore?
About six miles.
That's a lot of open water.
It's a lot of water.
She moves so slowly.
If she continues to be exposed to these
temperatures, she'll more than likely
develop pipothermia, if she's not done so
already.
Give her more time to keep used to these
conditions.
She won't be able to withstand
this cold much longer, as
the team's medical officer,
I can't terminate the swim.
You need to get her out.
She has to be brought back into the boat
now.
There's no time to lose!
I can see them!
I can see them!
Wait!
I can see them!
I can see them!
What is this?!
That's it!
I'm putting a stop to this!
She needs to be taken out of the water
now!
Mercedes, stop!
Stop!
Mercedes, stop!
Hurry!
Hurry!
Hurry!
Stop now!
Stop, Mercedes!
Someone cost a line!
Take the line!
Take the line, Mercedes!
Come back!
Mercedes!
Come back!
We're over!
Mercedes, come to the boat!
Watch out!
Mercedes!
Stop!
Mercedes, come to the boat!
Come to the boat now!
Come on!
Please, Mercedes.
Please, it's over!
Mercedes!
Mercedes!
Mercedes!
I can see them!
I can see them!
Let me see the arm.
I can feel some swelling.
Does this hurt?
Can we get us something warm to drink?
I can see them!
It's only a sprain, swimmer's shoulder.
I can see them!
I can see them!
Or does this hurt for me?
I hear you as my lift, for love's no break
that thou join me.
I'm here loved to choose, and see my path,
But now, play that for me.
And with them all, those angel faces
smile, which I have heard.
And with them
all, those angel faces smile, which I have
heard.