World on Fire (2019) s01e03 Episode Script

Episode 3

1 Now we can stop pretending and get on with our lives.
After what we've just done? You betrayed me in the snap with some Polish knicker elastic.
She was having a fit for a long time.
We know what to do, Frau Campbell.
The bloody Navy? I'm fighting on the right side.
At least give me that! I'm joining up, too.
We have done nothing for the Polish people.
Nothing! We haven't lifted a finger.
You are dismissed.
This is your career.
This is everything! I was always destined to disappoint you.
If I have to die for my country, I will.
[LAUGHTER, CHATTING.]
Dutch courage, Lois! He's having to shave by himself there.
Private Broughton! Sorry, Sarge.
Ahem.
There is nobody serving.
I shall be straight out.
Warsaw now lies in ruins while Germany and Russia continue to carve out Poland between them.
Out at sea, the British Royal Navy are focusing their efforts on scouring the South Atlantic in search of the notorious German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee.
Hey, cook, how you doing? Name the time.
Name the day she lays an egg.
Take your bets.
What you thinking? - Five.
- Cough it up.
Come on, man.
Thruppence a bet.
Boys, you want to take a bet? Thruppenny.
- Come back later.
- No, you're all right, mate.
No? Your loss.
Rumoured to be somewhere off the coast of Argentina, the deadliest of Hitler's Kriegsmarine has been involved in a number of skirmishes with merchant ships.
There is a feeling that the Allied forces are simply hoping that the inevitable will never come to pass.
My father was a surgeon in the forces, and I went to boarding school aged seven, and I got used to it.
And that's what you do in this life.
You get used to it.
And it makes you a better person.
Eventually.
Resilient, at least.
A quality much undervalued.
Did you understand any of that? You may not speak English, but you're a much better listener than most men who do.
[SHE CHUCKLES.]
Quiet.
This is Jan Tomaszeski.
[GIGGLING.]
There is nothing funny about his name, and the next child to laugh will find that out through the back of my hand.
[CHALK SCRAPING.]
Right, lads.
Listen up! I am sure you were hoping to see proper action.
I know I was.
But these foxholes need digging with as much care as you take assembling your rifles, with just as much swearing.
When the German tanks cross the border, we need to be Private Broughton! Attention when Second Lieutenant Chase talks to you, else I'll have your bollocks on toast! Right, lads.
You all know the drill.
No kissing and cuddling till you get six feet down.
[GROANING.]
- Come on, then, ladies.
- Just to say, I don't think the lads are that keen to see proper action, sir.
So, my attempt at camaraderie was Oh, it it was a good try, sir.
But maybe try your jokes out on me first, sir.
- Trzymaj.
- Dla mnie? IN POLISH: [SHE SCOFFS.]
[CLICK.]
BOYS: German! German! German! German! German! German! German! German! German! German! German! German! German! German! German! German! German! German! German! German! You all right, Terry? Name the time, name the day Vera lays an egg.
Nearest time wins.
Thruppence a bet.
Go on.
Today 1100 hours.
Hey, no coaching.
Good lad, Terry.
- Time and day she lays an egg, hey? - You're sure it's a girl? - She laid an egg at Port Stanley.
- I bet she looked surprised.
I don't know what a surprised bird looks like.
I find that hard to believe.
Ginger.
Why would I want to line your dirty Manc pockets? I don't know.
Maybe you're saving up for a whore in Argentina.
All right, Tom, simmer down.
He gets over-excited, Henry.
You laughing at me, lad? - No, Henry.
- "No, sir.
" Don't have to call you sir, now, does he? Same rank.
Don't call him sir, Norman.
"No, sir.
" No, sir.
Sir? Come on, Tom, play nice! You're lucky you get called Henry.
Tom, mate! So what is it that you'd like to call me? DISTANT: Go on, Tom.
Spoilt for choice, really.
Let's just say it wouldn't be a word a mother would use.
Although your mother might.
You want? You fucking! That's enough.
Take your hands off me! Stay down! Stay down.
That's enough! There's a German shell with your fucking name on it! What the hell is wrong with you? Why do you have to go round winding everybody up? Why can't you just do your job like the rest of us? No, I'm standing up for Norman cos he can't stand up for himself.
You don't give a sherbet about Norman.
Think you made his life easier, making an enemy of our Henry? Stand up for Norman? No.
You used him to get at Henry cos that's what you do.
[SIRENS BLARE.]
Oh, bloody hell.
Come on, mate! Come on, mate! - Take my hand.
- Nah, forget it, mate.
I better get on with my job like you said.
[YELLING.]
Come on, lads.
[BIRD CHIRPS.]
[YELLING.]
[SIREN ECHOES.]
[DISTANT TANNOY ANNOUNCEMENT.]
Move! What's the story, sir? All you need to know is she's sunk nine of ours, and we're not going to be tenth.
Get on with it! You got it! - PAC.
- Yeah, she's ready, mate.
TANNOY ANNOUNCEMEN - 2 APs, Vic.
- First AP ready.
- Good lad.
- [HE GRUNTS.]
Terry! Second AP.
Second AP ready, Terry? Go and find them, Terry.
Come on, mate, good lad.
She needs feeding.
She's hungry! Nice one, Vic.
[HE GRUNTS.]
ready too, Terry?! - Let's have 'em! Come on, lads! - Keep locking 'em.
[CRASH.]
Fucking hell.
If that took the canary out, nobody gets a refund.
[WHISTLING.]
[CRASH.]
Fucking hell.
[SCREAMING, YELLING.]
[EXPLOSIVES BURST.]
[HE BREATHES DEEPLY.]
[CRASH.]
[MUFFLED YELLING.]
[HE COUGHS.]
[HE COUGHS HARDER.]
Vic.
Vic.
Oh, no, no, no.
[HE BREATHES SHAKILY.]
[GUTTURAL COUGHING.]
[HE GROANS.]
We've got four dead here.
- What about you? - Ah, I'm not dead.
Don't you move, you bastard.
Ah.
[HE GRUNTS.]
- You ready? - Hm! Right, this is going to hurt, all right? We're going to get this tied off.
All right.
I'm going to count to three.
Don't.
Just do it.
All right.
One.
HE SCREAMS: FUCK! We're going to need a medic down here, sir! The medic is in a worse shape than Able Seaman Lowe.
We've lost a lot of men, but we don't seem to be sinking.
Right, this'll have to do you for now, yeah? Eh? This'll have to do for now! Let's get you up! [HE SCREAMS.]
Get you up these steps first, and if you slip, I'll catch you.
RADIO: HMS Exeter continues to search the sea for one of Germany's notorious pocket battleships, the Admiral Graf Spee, one of the deadliest of Hitler's Kriegsmarine.
Reports say the British are finally closing in on the battleship, and an engagement in battle looks imminent.
[SOFT CLASSICAL MUSIC.]
[HEAVY BREATHING.]
[BIRD CHIRPS.]
[HE CRIES.]
[SCATTERED APPLAUSE.]
[CHEERING.]
It's good to see you, ladies! [CHEERING, WHISTLING.]
[MUSIC PLAYS.]
Come on, boys.
Play it louder for the people at the back.
Heil Hitler.
Lois, can you just stop messing about? I know it's not the London Palladium, but it's our first continental engagement, so let's have some fun, eh? You're having enough fun for both of us, aren't you? [WOLF WHISTLE.]
What's up with you, love? Have you lost your horse? [SHE GIGGLES.]
That's more like it.
Peace News.
I fought in the Great War.
I know the truth of it.
Peace News.
Read about the alternative to war.
Try selling one to Hitler, pal.
Us killing innocent Germans, that's only going to make Hitler stronger, - not weaker.
- You want to be ashamed of yourself.
Siding with the Jerries while our lads are out there dying in the Atlantic.
What? What did you say? Haven't you heard? The Exeter's been hit.
Hit bad, they're saying.
The Exeter? Are you sure it was the Exeter that was hit? Oh.
Why don't you go down the docks, try selling those lads a paper! I would knock, but doesn't seem to be a door.
[HE LAUGHS.]
Quite the thing, hey? The two of us.
Here.
Why are you here? I ask myself the same question every hour.
I've done nothing but dig trenches since I No, I mean, why are you here? What have you come to say? I'm so glad to see you.
Gives me the chance to say I'm sorry.
I just wonder if you could ever forgive me, and maybe we could, one day, be a I don't know, we could at least just be - pals again.
- I'm not glad.
And no.
We can't be pals.
Got to get ready for the show, so What, is it? What can I do? Just go away, Harry! Please.
After what happened in the cinema, I will teach Hilda at home for now.
So you're just going to hide her away because of her epilepsy? What you saw, her fit.
Please, tell no-one.
- Tell no-one.
- Of course not.
Come on, Claudia.
You know I can keep a secret.
- We're drinking buddies! - This is serious, Frau Campbell.
Very serious.
Frau Gross.
She lives in the neighbourhood.
IN GERMAN: She had a son.
Michael.
A crippled boy and blind, too.
He used to sit outside on the front step and sing to passers-by, and one day he was gone.
- Just gone.
- And perhaps for the best.
It is not our place to do God's work! What do you mean gone? - Where? - He was sent to Dr Voller's clinic.
And we don't want the same thing happening to Hilda, so she will stay here where she's safe.
We may already have lost our son to this war.
IN GERMAN: - I'm here to see Dr Voller.
- Do you have an appointment? No, but I don't think he'll mind.
[CAR HONKS.]
GASPING, YELLING IN GERMAN [SHARP CLAPPING.]
[HE SPEAKS IN GERMAN.]
Here.
Thank you.
Thank you.
IN POLISH: Excuse me! You forgot your change.
Thank you.
My name is Klaus.
Klaus Rossler.
I'm Kasia.
Don't be nervous, Klaus Rossler.
Perhaps we can talk away from your friends? - Can I have a light? - Yeah.
Sorry.
I'm clumsy.
Even my little sister Hilda says so.
Come here.
I'm sorry.
The other men were teasing me so I came over and talked to you because you seemed nice, and I I don't think this is a good idea after all, do you? - I - Come on.
Now listen, honey [CHEERING.]
Well, I have to say How can you fix your mouth to tell me you're going away? I wouldn't leave you, love! Don't say that we must part Don't break my aching heart.
- I wouldn't do that! - I wouldn't break ya! You know you love me.
True for many years.
[WHOOPING.]
Love you night and day Can't you see my tears? How can you leave me? [INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
Listen while I say.
She's great.
You're great! After you've gone And left me crying After you've gone There's no denying You'll feel blue You'll feel sad You'll miss the dearest pal you've ever had.
[CHEERING.]
Psst.
IN POLISH: [DISTANT CRYING.]
Ah.
Come on, young man.
Can't stay like that.
Am I really so terrifying? Clearly.
RADIO: We have received reports today that contact has finally been made between HMS Exeter and one of Germany's most deadly heavy cruisers.
Flanked by the Achilles and Ajax, - The Exeter - [WHITE NOISE.]
after suffering extensive damage No, no, no, no.
[DISTORTED SPEECH.]
Hey? What's the matter with it? No.
Fucking radio Just stop stop it! I want him back! I want him back! I want my boy back! [HE SOBS.]
[COUGHING.]
I'm sorry, Vic.
I should have shook your hand.
Didn't have you down for the praying type, Bennett.
I wasn't praying, sir.
Wouldn't want to give God the work.
He's got enough on his own plate sorting this shit out.
[COUGHING.]
Hell of a crew.
I'm proud of every one of you.
You took part in a famous victory today, Bennett.
You should be very proud.
Yes, sir.
I am, sir.
Oi, Terry! Your winnings, mate.
You were as near as damn it, 1100 hours.
Well done, you.
I can't I can't take this.
Half the lads who bet on it are dead.
Well, you can do what you like with your half.
All the lads bought in fair and square.
It's our money now.
Well, I think we should give it to the to the widows or the Chaplain or something.
We're in the Atlantic off a country I've never heard of, chasing a ship I can't even fucking pronounce.
What's any of that got to do with the money? Vic's dead and I never got to shake his hand.
The world's fucked, mate.
You should look after number one.
[HE LAUGHS.]
[COINS JANGLE.]
Keep the fucking lot.
[GROANING.]
[MUSIC PLAYS.]
[ACCORDION PLAYS.]
[LAUGHING.]
Is Lois still around? The singer.
She's still around, but I think you've missed the boat, if you get my meaning.
[BELT RATTLES.]
I'm sorry.
I don't think I can.
What? Oh, I've got a sheath if that's what you're worried about.
No.
It isn't that.
It really isn't.
Sorry.
Just hold me, hey? It's not you.
There's something you should know.
Yeah, all right.
[DISTANT CONVERSATION.]
- What? - You're nice.
Nice? Is that all? What, do you want a certificate? [THEY LAUGH.]
[SHE GASPS.]
[GRUNTING.]
Ugh.
Bollocks! [SHE CRIES.]
Now, then.
Listen to me.
Listen to me! This young man is Jan.
And his father is a war hero.
His father died fighting that dreadful Hitler.
His brother is fighting Hitler as we speak.
His sister is fighting Hitler, too.
Yes, Adolf Hitler! Any boy who attacks this fine young man must be on Hitler's side in this war.
Is there anyone of you who's on Hitler's side? Hm? You.
No, ma'am.
You.
No, miss.
So now you know, I expect you to treat him with the RESPECT he deserves.
Off you go.
In you go.
Phil Potts.
It's all such a mess, Connie.
Will you be all right? You upset her again and I WILL break your neck.
I'm sorry.
I thought he might be taking advantage of you.
Very noble of you, but he wasn't.
Well he was in a way, - because he - Because what? Because I'm not over you so I'll do it with anyone who'll have me? You don't need to be like this, you know.
Be like what? Like something that you're not.
You'll end up hurting yourself.
I'm sorry.
I'm forgetting that hurting me was your job, wasn't it? I'm not "being like this" because of what happened to us, Harry.
I'm "being like this" because of what's happening here.
How much has changed.
I'm in a foreign country for the first time in my life, so I can be "like this" if I want to, and it's nobody's business, especially not yours.
[SHE CRIES SOFTLY.]
NANCY: The Graf Spee ended up scuttled, but not before inflicting damage and casualties on three British warships.
The Germans are celebrating their "great naval victory" at the Battle of River Plate, and, in London, the British are doing exactly the same.
How does this absurdity come about? In wartime, truth is no longer objective or even factual.
Sometimes truth is little more than wishful thinking.
This was Nancy Campbell, American Radio International from Berlin.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
Your Lois's sheet music.
I didn't want t'damage it.
It's not a telegram? What, does it look like a telegram? Thanks.
Oh.
MUSIC: [The Last Post.]
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses.
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever.
Amen.
- Amen.
- Attention! IN POLISH: [DOOR CREAKS.]
[ENGINE APPROACHES.]
[BABY CRIES.]
[FLOORBOARDS CREAK.]
[BABY CRIES.]
[HE CROAKS.]
[DOOR OPENS.]
[DOOR SLAMS.]
Well I have an easy answer for you.
There is no euthanasia programme.
Well, Hitler signed a decree in October, so I'd be surprised if that were true.
The Fuhrer's decree was for adults who may be enduring a life unworthy of life.
- No children were mentioned.
- I've been to the clinic.
I've stood outside and seen a bus full of children driven in.
I've spoken to a mother whose child died in the clinic.
I know the name of the head of the clinic, and I would like to meet him and talk to him.
- That wouldn't be advisable.
- OK.
Then I'll just continue making a nuisance of myself.
And then you might end up being deported.
And where will you end up as my official minder if I'm making a nuisance of myself? I wonder what that will do to your position in the Ministry.
[ENGINE REVS.]
[SHOUTING.]
Conrad! [SCREAMING.]
[GUN FIRES.]
SCREAMING, GUNSHO Sto lat, sto lat Niech zyje, zyje nam Sto lat, sto lat Niech zyje, zyje nam Jeszcze raz, jeszcze raz Niech zyje, zyje nam Niech zyje nam.
Happy birthday.
There.
I truly hope you have much better birthdays than this one in the future.
I thought it might help you with your English.
Ah.
That's Harold.
He's Harry's father.
Yes? My husband.
My father.
Husband? Yes.
Very good.
Yes.
Your mother.
Wife.
Harry.
Kasia.
Husband, wife.
- [SHE LAUGHS.]
- No.
Robina and Harold, husband and wife.
And Harry and Kasia.
Husband and wife.
It was only a bit of fun, sir.
And the girl, the singer.
She was You know.
She liked a bit of fun herself.
I was talking to her before the concert That's enough, Broughton.
I didn't know you knew her from home, sir.
Cos then I would have been a a bit more Careful.
Oh, I would have been careful, sir.
Don't worry about that.
I went to the talk about VD on basic training, so I am never without my sheath.
Unless you want to be the first British casualty on foreign soil, Private, I suggest you spare me the detail.
As it turned out, she wasn't all that keen anyway.
You really don't listen, do you, Private? Funny thing was, when it came to it, she said she couldn't cos she was up the duff.
It worked, mind you.
I went soft as a whelk the minute she told me that.
I'd get out of here now if I were you, Private, before he comes back with a pair of nutcrackers.
Lois! Lois.
I know! - I know.
- What do you know, Harry? I know what you said to Private Broughton about being pregnant.
Did the trick.
Put him off.
You're having a baby, aren't you? Why didn't you say something? Why didn't you tell me? Why, what are you going to do, ask me to marry you? I have to look after myself now, Harry.
Bloody hell, Lois, we'll miss the ferry.
Come on! Miss Campbell? Walk with me.
Thank you for agreeing to meet me, Dr Voller.
I don't have long.
I don't have much time, so I shall answer your question for you.
- Well, I haven't asked you one yet.
- I know what it will be.
What gives us the right to decide who lives or dies? Am I correct? Go on.
A general has that right.
A politician has that right.
Isn't it more appropriate that a doctor has that right? A doctor makes those decisions every day of his working life.
A doctor vows to alleviate suffering.
Yes, but the policy doesn't only talk about alleviating suffering.
It talks about not infecting the gene pool.
Human progress is driven by natural selection.
It isn't something the German Government have made up.
Human progress is driven by our capacity to look out for those who are weaker than us.
And I'm arguing the ideology, not nature.
Can I ask you a question? What gives you the right to perpetuate the suffering of another human being? I believe in science and human progress.
I don't know what you believe in, and I am not sure you do either.
I know you want to find a monster here, but there is no monster.
There's reason.
"The multiplication of the feeble-minded "is a very terrible danger to the race.
" You know who said that, Miss Campbell? Winston Churchill.
That's your argument? That we started it? Throughout the West, politicians and intellectuals agree that we have to root out the weak if the whole of humanity is to prosper.
The difference between them and the Third Reich is that we have the courage to pursue the idea.
We are the brave ones here.
You are the cowards.
[TINKLING MUSIC.]
[KNOCKING.]
[DOOR OPENS.]
Hallo, Frau Klopp NANCY IN GERMAN: [DOOR OPENS.]
Hello, Nancy.
Thank you.
Come.
Come inside.
[DOOR CLOSES.]
The first thing that happens is the family gets a letter from something called the Children's Speciality Institutions.
They seek consent to let the child go for treatment.
If the parents refuse, they get a second letter, this time emphasising the child's disability and potential for improving her life in the Institution.
If the parents don't co-operate, they are threatened with withdrawal of guardianship, and if they refuse again, they can both be called up for special labour duty in a camp nearby.
Und Michael.
Michael Gross? Did you find out what happened? Michael is dead.
The Institute talks about a treatment gone wrong.
But there is no treatment.
There is only murder.
Oh.
Oh I can't write about it yet.
Obviously I came to tell you about it right away How dare you.
- Wh what was that? - Uwe.
How dare you dig around and draw attention to yourself like this.
And then you come here and tell us.
You talked to Mrs Gross.
You talked to your Nazi minder at the Ministry, and they know you are a neighbour of ours.
- Not necessarily - Don't you think they follow you? Don't you think they know everything about you? And they know you live next door to us.
Don't you see? Get out.
Get out.
GET OUT! You have brought them to our door.
You have led them to our door.
- Uwe, please.
- No, no, Claudia.
Miss Campbell has put our dear Hilda in danger.
She must go, and we must pray.
Thank you, Frau Campbell.
Thank you.
I love it.
Let's see.
MUSIC: [Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.]
How was Harry? I know it won't go far.
But, you know you need it more than me, so Thank you for seeing me right after it happened.
Graf Spee sunk.
- What, did we hit her? - Nah.
Captain scuttled his own ship so we couldn't take her.
Shot himself.
You know, I don't know if that counts as one for us with it being an own goal and that, but Oh, God, shut your noise, would you? Don't tell anybody I've done this.
Yeah, well, I've heard they've been giving you grief about keeping the money.
Yeah, well, I ain't doing it for the lads, I'm doing it for Vic.
It's the sort of soppy thing he'd do, innit? This doesn't make us mates.
No.
Thanks for the money.
[COINS JANGLE.]
And maybe you could put it towards a hook.
[KNOCKING.]
[SHOUTING.]
GRUNTING, THUMPING [YELLING.]
[GUN FIRES.]
[HE MUMBLES.]
[SOBBING, MUMBLING.]
So you married a Polish girl, and you got that singer in a family way.
And she doesn't know you're married? I've got to say, sir, you've shocked me bow-legged.
I'm pretty shocked myself.
I'd have put good money on you being a virgin.
Thanks.
So have you, err, got a favourite at all, of the two? No Sergeant.
I love them both.
War's most likely done you a favour, then, hey, sir? It may have given me somewhere to hide.
No, no, I mean, you know if what we hear from Poland is as bad as they say, the Polish girl's most likely dead by now.
Come on! COME ON! [BIRDS SQUAWK.]
[HE WOLF WHISTLES.]
There.
[GUNSHOT.]

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