The English Game (2020) s01e03 Episode Script

[woman] Moira, come and help me with this.
- [water splashing]
- Hang these up.
[indistinct chatter]
- Afternoon, Mrs. Laggey.
- [baby crying]
You got my letter!
Terra.
You all right?
[woman] Fergie.
What on earth are you doing here?
[Fergus] I thought I'd surprise you.
[Fergus] Ma?
Where is he?
[man coughing]
What's been going on, Dad?
[groaning]
[spits]
Oh, aye.
Back with your tail between your legs, eh?
I'm just visiting, Dad.
You have to stop with the
Do your teammates know
you're getting paid?
They work just as hard as you,
and they get nothing.
[scoffs]
The team's much better
since Jimmy and me joined.
[laughing]
[grumbles] It's the blind
leading the stupid.
I'm trying to make things better, Dad.
But the violence has to end.
I would never have dreamt of letting a man
pay me when I was playing.
[hisses]
Do you not feel ashamed?
You're never gonna change.
[scoffs] Get.
What if I can find a house for us?
Away from here. Away from him.
The best thing you can do is go back there
and make the best of yourself.
You've got a gift in those boots.
A chance to get out of this life.
I love you, Ma, and I love the girls,
and the thought of him
hurting any of you I can't.
We'll survive.
I may have a way, Ma.
[man] Just get out there and serve them.
- What are you waiting for, Miss Almond?
- Yes, sir.
[hushed indistinct chatter]
Anything else for you, sir?
Well, I rather like the look
of the apple tart.
I shouldn't if I were you.
Why's that?
There's nutmeg in it.
You know how nutmeg gives you heartburn.
Well, in that case, just a glass of port.
Of course, sir.
Martha
I say, come along. Come on.
[Hornby] Arthur Kinnaird in a riot?
I daresay the Eton Wall Game
would've been good preparation for it.
I was lucky Stokes took pity on me. Lord
knows what would've happened if he hadn't.
[Hornby] Indeed.
In fact, this trip's turned out to be
rather an alarming eye-opener for you.
You said it.
I'm sorry you got caught up
in the whole thing,
but given that you survived,
I'm not sorry you saw what you did.
You'll take home a far clearer idea
of what people are up against here,
on both sides of the argument.
I will.
- What time is our train?
- A quarter past three.
But Alma and I
Yes?
- We were talking earlier.
- And?
[Ada] Shall I say?
I thought it might do her good
to stay on for a few days.
- Would you mind terribly?
- Not if that's what you want.
Uh, I have to report back to the bank.
And I have the football match
against Darlington on Saturday.
See? You can play whenever you like
without a word from me.
[Ada] Do let her stay.
She can rest and play.
[maid laughing in background]
[birds twittering]
I thought I might see Aunt Louisa
while I'm here.
We're never in this part of England,
so it seemed a chance too good to miss.
You must give her my love.
Is she still doing her frightful daubs?
No, she gets something out of it,
I suppose.
[Arthur] I was thinking of the first time
I ever saw you
at a ball she gave at her house.
You were standing in her garden,
looking as bored as I felt.
Do you remember?
I remember you ignored me
and spoke to my cousin all night.
She spoke to me.
I listened.
It's strange to think these trees
will live 200 years, at least.
Long after we're gone.
[train chugging]
[train whistle blowing]
[horse neighing]
- Mr. Cartwright.
- Mr. Suter.
What a pleasant surprise.
Did you mean it?
One hundred pounds and another six a week?
I'm a man of my word.
I'll do it.
Well, that's music to my ears.
Only, I can't leave straightaway.
Give me a few days to make things right
with Jimmy and the team.
And Mr. Walsh.
Smile, Mr. Suter.
Something extraordinary
is about to happen.
You and I,
we're gonna win this year's FA Cup.
[chuckles]
Come on.
The bank can wait another day
for their report.
They'll have read the newspapers.
They know what you've been caught up in.
Besides,
I want to hear all about your adventures
amongst the great unwashed.
Alfred, they're decent people.
[laughs]
Ah!
It's precisely because I've been away
for so long that I have to go in today.
- I need to see my father.
- Oh, can't it wait?
Not really.
I'm investing in a new business,
shirt manufacturing, in the north.
- I'm intrigued.
- All right, I'll see you at practice.
After watching Darwen humiliate Brigg,
I'm convinced
we need to redouble our efforts.
- High praise for Darwen.
- I mean it.
Marindin seems to be encouraging
more talk than play this season.
He's become all master and no task.
Well, we can't let such things
hold us back
if we're going to defend our title.
Speaking of which,
he asked me to remind you
to return the Cup
to Association headquarters today
so it can be ready for this year's winner.
It'll be back here soon, no doubt.
- [man] Come here, little chap. Here we go.
- [boy] Daddy, let me down!
[man grunts]
[Arthur] Do you remember a man
from Darwen called Stokes?
The shirtmaker.
He came to the bank
with a proposal for a loan.
- And we turned him down.
- Yes.
But whilst I was in Darwen, I, uh
I had a chance
to examine his proposal in detail,
and it really is sound.
I want us to approve the loan.
- And I intend to help him.
- [scoffs]
And this is based on what?
That he plays a good half-back?
I told you.
- His proposal is really
- Is excellent, yes.
Really, Arthur.
I send you north to assess a serious loan
to a group of major mill owners,
and you come back with a handful of beans.
I've been sitting in the garden
reading and thinking,
which is just what I'm here for.
I hope it is.
[chuckles softly]
I know I'm stuck.
I know that's what you all believe.
- No, it's not.
- Yes, it is.
Including Arthur.
Ever since we were married
I've been preparing to be a mother.
It's the only future I saw for myself,
but that hasn't happened, has it?
It hasn't happened yet.
It hasn't happened yet.
And as a result
I'm not quite sure who I am anymore.
The worst of it is,
I can't seem to help Arthur.
And he can't help me.
At least he has his football to focus on.
True. [chuckles]
I rather envy him.
And I never thought I'd say that.
[Ada] Perhaps you need something too.
I was wondering if you'd like to join
Monkey and I tomorrow
at the charity we're patrons of?
Thank you.
[players chattering]
[grunting]
[player] Have a go, Kinnaird!
[players clapping]
[player yells]
Right, I think that's quite enough
of that for one day, thank you, chaps.
Nonsense.
- Got at least another half-hour in us.
- [groans]
[Arthur] Come on.
What's the point, Arthur? I mean
No, you're right, you're right.
It won't be at all humiliating
when the head of the Football Association
has to hand over the Cup
to a group of northern mill workers.
Fine. Lyttelton, swap positions
with Kinnaird, will you?
[Lyttelton] Pointless.
Same again.
So I've been reading up
on our next opponents.
Yes, where exactly is Darlington?
- Durham.
- Ugh.
- Another mill town?
- Not really.
More, er, industry and railways.
- Well, I've never heard of the team.
- They only registered this year.
Along with another 147.
It's an epidemic.
I remember the days
when gentlemen played gentlemen.
They're getting better, you know.
Darwen's Fergus Suter dominated
the game against Brigg.
I thought Darwen men kept busy
by burning their mills down.
[snickering]
They don't run around setting fire
to things for fun,
but they're desperate.
They need security.
They want a better life,
and who can blame them?
Don't be so serious, Arthur.
Alma's away. You're off the lead.
Relax.
- Sir.
- Thank you.
[door closes]
I'll have a tray in the library tonight.
Can you tell Mrs. Roberts?
Very good, sir.
[horses clomping]
- Betsy?
- [sniffling]
What is it?
Well, at least I don't have to
put on this horrible apron again.
They sacked you?
[sighs]
I suppose you were lucky
to get away with it for this long.
- I'm such a fool.
- Hey, don't say that.
But I am.
It's time I face the truth.
I have no job and nothing coming in,
so I can't pay my rent beyond this week.
You can stay with me at Aunt Jane's
a couple of nights.
It'll be a squeeze,
but we can't see you on the streets.
Thank you.
But I need somewhere for longer,
for me and the baby.
Yeah. We'll work it out.
[sniffles]
There might be a place.
Not Brockshall.
I'm not like you, Martha.
I'm not strong.
There's no one to look out for me.
What choice do I have?
[sniffles]
Shh.
Welcome to Brockshall Refuge.
It's an honor to meet you, Mrs. Kinnaird.
[chuckles]
My husband is a great admirer
of Mr. Kinnaird.
[baby crying]
Of course,
football makes widows of us all.
The refuge was set up by my mother
some years ago.
The idea was to provide a refuge
for women in trouble,
but there's been such a high demand
on its services recently.
It simply isn't possible to help
every woman who comes through the door.
Solomon's choice.
- How difficult.
- You're right, Mrs. Kinnaird.
But the work must be done.
Would you care to join us
for one of the interviews?
[Martha] Here we are.
It'll be fine.
Be sure and show
the right sort of desperation.
Maybe cry a little.
But not so much
they want to put me in an asylum.
What if they won't take me?
You'll be fine.
Just tell the truth.
Here.
None of this is your fault.
[sniffles]
Let's get it over with.
I worked at the Cotton Masters' Club
until I
I had to come away.
And I've made dress alterations
for some of the local women.
If you don't have much,
a bit of lace can lift your heart.
I'm sure it can.
I'm hoping to find work
as a proper dressmaker's apprentice.
That sounds like a sensible plan.
- With how many men have you sinned?
- I say!
Is this really
You do not have to answer that,
Miss Cronshaw.
I can answer, ma'am.
I've sinned just the once,
with Charlie Brand.
How did you come to sin?
He'd asked me to marry him.
I loved him, you see.
Am I allowed to say that?
Love gets us all into trouble,
in one way or another, Miss Cronshaw.
Yes, but not in that way.
I thought it'd be all right,
but he got drunk down the George
celebrating with friends.
And he met a sergeant from the army
who offered him the Queen's shilling.
I've not seen him since.
You don't seem very ashamed
of your dismal story.
No, I am ashamed.
Very ashamed, sir.
But while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.
It says so in the Bible.
I think you'll find
That is precisely what the Bible says,
Miss Cronshaw.
Though whether you are right to quote
the Bible to us is another matter.
[babies crying]
[sighs] Poor little souls.
No baby chooses to be born this way.
No baby chooses to be born at all.
[crying continues in background]
Do you have a family, Mrs. Cartwright?
No, Mrs. Kinnaird.
I have no children.
No, um
living children.
[chuckles]
What about you?
I have no living children either.
I do so hope you'll consider
helping Miss Cronshaw.
I'm afraid she did not make
a very favorable impression.
What a shame.
I liked her.
Well then, I think we have space
for one more.
Don't you, Mrs. Cartwright?
Very well.
If you insist.
We will stand together
in defense of Miss Cronshaw.
Shall we?
[indistinct chatter]
[Jimmy] I'm really
getting married tomorrow.
Fergie, you're back.
[Jimmy] Oh!
[Tommy] The captain has returned.
We're just waiting on Jimmy's answer
to what he's most looking forward to:
our FA Cup match against
Derby Saint Luke's or his wedding!
- [Stokes] I know what I'd rather.
- The match against Derby, of course.
- [laughter]
- [Jimmy] We'll be in the quarter-finals.
[Hindle] What else have you got planned
on your last night as a free man?
[Tommy] Ooh.
[Jimmy] I might get Doris to join us.
- [Hindle] That's not a bad question.
- [Jimmy] She'd enjoy all this.
[laughter]
[indistinct chatter continues]
Enjoying yourself, are you?
[crowd quietens]
Well, I only think that somehow,
you've forgotten how important
tomorrow is.
Mr. Walsh, sorry. It's my fault.
Is this really the best you can do
for your friend who's getting married?
Congratulations, Jimmy!
[laughter and cheering]
And here's a wedding gift from me.
Rosie, love?
[Walsh] Have a couple on me.
[cheering]
Cheers!
Now, have a good night,
but not too good, mind.
We've got a game to win.
You okay, son?
Look, whatever it is,
I know you'll beat it.
You're a born winner.
Bringing you down here has been
the best thing I've ever done, lad.
Mr. Walsh?
Thank you.
- You made it.
- Jimmy!
[both laughing]
Fergie.
- It's been a while.
- Aye.
This is Davy Burns.
He's an old mate from Partick.
He plays for Blackburn now.
- [booing]
- Go on, get out.
Cartwright's put me in charge
of training this week.
The blind leading the stupid.
He's even more like his old da
than I remember.
[grunting]
[Fergus groans]
[Martha] Fergus!
Move.
You hurt? Fergus?
[Martha sighs]
[Martha shushes softly] It's okay.
[gasps]
You put me to bed like a child.
- Like Jenie.
- [chuckles]
Well, you passed out.
Fergie
What happened back there?
You were devouring that whiskey
as if it had wronged you.
On the football field, you're a genius.
And away from it, you're a puzzle.
[Fergus] Well, that's easy for you to say.
You don't understand the game.
I've seen you play, haven't I?
It's what music must look like.
Fergie, what is it?
You're hurt and
you're unhappy and
I want to help.
You don't know what I come from.
You don't know anything about my life
before I came to Darwen.
Is that what this is about?
Your mother and your sisters?
No, it's not about them.
And your father, then?
Mr. Burns said you were like him.
What were your parents like?
[scoffs]
Well, I hardly remember them.
They died before I was ten.
Well, if you ask me,
you've had a lucky escape.
You can't let your father
shape your whole life, Fergus.
As you just said
you don't know a thing about me.
[door opens]
[door closes]
[players chattering]
- Is there any sign of Suter?
- I've not seen him this morning.
No wonder, the state he was in last night.
- What do you mean?
- He got smacked square in the face.
- By who?
- It was nothing.
Just a bit of banter, that's all.
He'll be here.
It were that new Blackburn player,
Davy Burns.
Davy Burns? Cartwright's brought himself
a player from Partick?
It's an old pal of Jimmy's,
but not Fergie's, so it seems.
Now listen, you may have heard the rumor
that Derby Saint Luke's
are a bunch of thugs.
Well, it's true.
Be careful, Jimmy, you don't want
a black eye on your wedding day.
- It'd be worth it to see Doris's face.
- You're not funny, Marshall.
But I will say this,
they can't play half as well as you lot,
- so don't be intimidated.
- [audience applauding]
There's a place in the quarter-finals
at stake.
There's Suter now.
- [Tommy] Come on, lads.
- Where were you?
I'm sorry.
Cartwright needs to control his players.
- Don't let it put you off your game.
- Right. Let's go on with the match.
- [whistle blows]
- [Walsh] Right! Come on, Darwen!
[man] Boys!
[Walsh] Come on, lads!
Suter, get after it!
[players yelling]
[audience exclaims]
- [Tommy] What are you doing?
- [player] Pass the ball!
One more! One more!
Play the ball wide!
Move forward, son!
[grunting]
Pull yourself together, Suter!
[Tommy] Suter, switch on!
[audience cheering, applauding]
One more! One more! I'm open!
[Stokes] Play it!
[Tommy] You keep losing it!
[Walsh] Pass the ball, Suter!
[audience cheering]
[cheering]
[Tommy] Suter!
Suter, to me!
[players yelling and chattering]
Suter, to me! Suter!
[audience groaning]
What are you playing at?
[blowing whistle]
[audience grumbling]
[Fergus grunts]
We're out of the Cup.
We're out of the bloody Cup!
What happened?
[scattered applause]
- [knock on door]
- [door opens]
I'm on my way to the club.
I wondered if you'd join me.
Not today.
You sure?
Yeah, afraid so.
Did you ever read those W.H.G. Kingston
novels when you were a boy?
- One or two.
- I read the lot.
In fact, I hated finishing them.
I always wanted
to climb back into the book.
But there was always a new story
waiting for me.
I'm not following you.
But I suspect we're not
talking about books, are we?
[clears throat]
You can't hold onto the past, Arthur,
even if you want to.
It's time to start a new story.
Well, perhaps I haven't finished
the last one.
I'm passing the FA later,
if you'd like me to drop it off.
No.
I'll do it.
- I'm ready.
- [chuckles]
She wanted to, um, call him Henry.
Our son.
[Arthur sighs]
[door opens, closes]
[groaning]
[whimpering]
I can't manage it! I can't!
You've carried a child full-term
and now it's about to be born.
That's a miracle, Betsy.
To me, that's a miracle.
Alma, go. I'll stay.
Mrs. Kinnaird
please stay if you can. [groaning]
We are gonna do this together, Betsy,
until the midwife returns.
[groaning]
Forget about the match, Fergie.
Come on. It's my wedding day.
Something happened in Glasgow, didn't it?
Whatever it is, you can tell me.
You're my brother, Fergie.
[girl shouting in distance]
You're right.
All that matters is
you're getting married.
[chuckles] I'm really getting married.
[laughing]
You're going back to Glasgow, aren't you?
No.
Jimmy knows you better
than you know yourself.
He said you'd never abandon your family.
Doris, we're not leaving Darwen.
I'm going to be his wife.
This is about me now, too.
Listen
we're staying in Darwen.
I don't believe you.
Well, you have to.
I won't mess up your wedding day,
but this is not about my going back.
Mr. Cartwright,
the chairman at Blackburn
he's offered me more money.
A lot more money.
[scoffs]
- You can't.
- I don't want to.
Believe me.
But what can I do?
I can't leave my mother and my sisters
with my father.
Not when there's a chance
to get them away from him.
I'll tell him after the wedding.
[baby mewling softly]
[chuckles]
Hello, little one.
[laughs]
You're beautiful.
[laughs]
[sighs contentedly]
[baby mewling]
To
To have and to hold
from this day forward.
For better
No, "richer."
No, "better."
Oh, hell.
For better
In sickness and in health,
to love, cherish, and obey.
Come on, Jimmy.
Until death us do part
according to God's holy ordinance and
thereto
thereto
thereto
The ring.
It's the ring next, isn't it? [chuckles]
[Jimmy] What you're doing
with an idiot like me, I'll never know.
But this idiot
will spend the rest of his life
trying to make you as happy
as you make him.
[Doris weeping softly]
Doris?
[Doris] No, don't.
[laughs] Don't open the door.
You mustn't see me,
not before the wedding.
I'm not sure I can wait until then.
You are a daft idiot.
You're very welcome to come and help
at Brockshall anytime.
Thank you. I will.
And I'm sorry to dash off now.
I don't understand why he's asked you
to meet him at Rossie.
Has he given a clue?
- You can tell me.
- No.
No, but you know Arthur.
- He can be very mysterious.
- Oh, I love a good mystery.
[Ada chuckles]
They told me to come straight here.
They have the governess cart waiting.
What is this place?
Is it newly planted?
It is.
Welcome to Henry's Wood.
I don't understand.
I left you alone
with your grief.
I left you
with no one to share it.
You had your own grief to deal with.
This is my point. I wanted a place
where we could remember him together.
So that we can remember him with love.
These trees are ash.
So, these ones should last
two or three centuries, at least.
And their descendants will keep it
Henry's Wood forever.
[fiddle playing]
[patrons singing] Then a little table ♪
Then a little chair ♪
Then a tiny house in a tiny square ♪
Then a little wife ♪
Then a little tin ♪
And don't ♪
There's something I've got to tell you.
[guests cheering]
[hooting, whistling]
[Jimmy laughs]
[whistling continues]
A few words, Jimmy Love!
Come on, say something, lad.
I know I might not sound like a Darwenite.
- You don't look like one either.
- [laughter]
[stammers] But you may like
to hear that
Darwen's the first home
I've ever known.
[chuckles]
I've had a bumpy life
with no family and one friend.
Well, until I got here. [chuckles]
But now I
I know what it is to belong.
[guests] Aww!
So, first
I must thank my Doris
for giving me a future.
Next, I'd like to thank my best man,
best friend. [laughs]
You may have heard of him.
His name is Fergus Suter.
[guests cheer]
[hushed chatter]
- To Fergie.
- Suter the shooter.
[guests] Suter the shooter!
Come on, Fergie. What about a speech?
[male guest] Come on, Fergie!
[chuckles]
Ladies and gentlemen
Can you explain this?
What is it?
Cartwright's put an advertisement in here.
"If people want to watch
the great Fergus Suter lift the FA Cup,
they should get themselves down
to Blackburn to watch him play."
[Jimmy] But it's not true. It can't be.
Fergie.
I didn't have a choice.
Martha, wait.
Oh, love.
[Fergus] Jimmy
Jimmy, I swear.