A Cruel Love The Ruth Ellis Story S01E04
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00:00You
00:30are due to hang at nine o'clock tomorrow morning, 22 hours from now.
00:52You wish to make a new statement about the murder of David Blakely, one that may materially
00:56affect your legal situation?
01:03Yes.
01:09I had been ill for two weeks.
01:14A miscarriage?
01:18David had been so sorry.
01:23You were watching me sleep.
01:26Listening to you snore.
01:29I don't snore.
01:31I want to be woken up by your snoring for the rest of my life.
01:39So be a little fool.
01:49Is your stomach still painful?
01:51It's fine.
01:53The illness is healing well.
01:57Good.
01:58Because I'm taking you out tonight.
02:02Clean slate.
02:03No more fighting, no more cinema cleaning girls.
02:07She was an usherette.
02:10I do have some self-respect.
02:14Neither one of us has been perfect.
02:15From now on, we're going to be a boring, old married couple.
02:21You in a housecoat, me in slippers, and occasionally, we'll talk of how young, foolish we used to
02:29be.
02:32Promise?
02:35Yes.
02:39See you tonight.
02:42Be ready at eight.
03:08Is David there?
03:33No.
03:37Hello?
03:44And who was that girl?
03:46Look, David isn't here, all right?
03:50I got Desmond to drive me to the ventilators.
03:53Wait here.
04:00I want to speak to David.
04:01He's not here.
04:02His car's outside.
04:04I know he's in there with some girl.
04:06That's our nanny.
04:07You did this, didn't you?
04:08You threw her at him.
04:10David!
04:11He's left you, Ruth.
04:12You won't see him ever again.
04:14You're lying.
04:15I have only ever told you the truth.
04:16You've never wanted to hear it.
04:18You can't just walk away with everything in ruins.
04:23I know you need someone to blame for the way your life has turned out.
04:27I had you down as a dangerous sort of woman, a predator who set a trap for a naive boy,
04:32but I was wrong.
04:33You were just a mess.
04:37A wretched, ungovernable, emotionally incontinent mess.
04:42A whirlwind of shabby destruction bringing everyone else down with you.
04:47My job, my savings, my thought, my unborn child are all gone because of him.
04:58He does not get to walk away without saying a word.
05:01He doesn't!
05:02I have to speak to him!
05:03David!
05:04There's nothing to say.
05:05Then I want my key back.
05:06Virgin of the Gardens, I want my key back.
05:08I'll have it sent to you.
05:09You cannot do this!
05:11You can't do this!
05:12David!
05:13David, I know you're in here!
05:15David!
05:17I felt I had to do something.
05:21Anything.
05:23To make him listen.
05:25Ruth!
05:26Ruth!
05:27David!
05:28That's enough!
05:29David!
05:30That's enough!
05:31The garden, there's nothing in here!
05:32Does he have a key to Edison Gardens, a place I rented for you, your new start?
05:37Has he been there all along?
05:39What are you looking for?
05:41David!
05:42Get in the car!
05:43David!
05:44In the car, Ruth!
05:45I had to go back the next day.
05:46I was determined to make David speak to me.
05:50Their plan, what they had wanted all along, to get David away from me,
05:55without looking back, without acknowledging what he had done to me,
05:58it had worked.
05:59Is it all in?
06:00Are you all in?
06:02All night I sat there and thought about the last two years.
06:06When I first met David, I was managing a successful club.
06:10I had two beautiful children.
06:14I had money in the bank.
06:16Admirers.
06:19A lovely flat.
06:21And now all I had was a bed-sitting room.
06:24No money, no job.
06:27And a man who swore he loved me one day and then beat and abused me the next.
06:34A man who was relieved when I lost the child he fathered.
06:39I thought and I thought.
06:41All the things he had said to me, all the things he had done to me,
06:44and I just felt pure rage.
06:58I don't know what to do.
07:01Make some coffee.
07:03I don't want any coffee.
07:04Tea, then!
07:05I don't want any fucking tea!
07:15I just wish he was dead.
07:18I wish he was dead.
07:19I wish he would jump in the lake and drown and I could just be free.
07:24We could be free.
07:26We could be free.
07:29I just want to be done with all of it.
07:32Do you?
07:35Whose idea was it to get the gun?
07:54No.
08:10I wouldn't know how to use it.
08:14I wouldn't know how to aim it.
08:17I'll show you.
08:25I need the permanent undersecretary of state.
08:27He's at Ascot.
08:28Well, get him bloody back from Ascot.
08:30What message should I give him?
08:32Tell him Ruth Ellis isn't going to hang tomorrow.
08:37Mrs. Ellis is accusing Desmond Cusson of conspiracy to murder.
08:41Yes.
08:42The execution will have to be postponed while he's interviewed.
08:45If charges are brought against him, Ruth Ellis will be the principal witness.
08:49She will be needed to give evidence.
08:51That's to say nothing for her own conviction, which can now be regarded as unsafe.
08:54She was drunk.
08:55She was influenced by this man.
08:57I anticipate a retrial at the very least.
08:59You are not, in fact, a criminal lawyer, Mr. Mishcom.
09:03You are a divorce solicitor.
09:07Yes.
09:09Well, the undersecretary is on his way back from Ascot.
09:11I will brief him and doubtless he will wish to speak to the home secretary.
09:14But the execution will be postponed while all this is investigated.
09:17I can give no such assurance, not on the strength of this alone.
09:21Then what would you need?
09:22We could do nothing until Cusson is interviewed at the very least.
09:25We must have some corroborating evidence.
09:28Until then, I'm afraid, these are just words.
09:31Then call Scotland Yard and instruct them to find him now.
09:34As I say, I will inform my superiors.
09:37We have 16 hours until she is due to die.
09:42You're right.
09:43I know little of criminal law.
09:45But I know how long it takes to divorce someone.
09:47Six months, minimum, between the degrees nicae and absolute,
09:52to ensure the grounds are correct, that the marriage is truly unsalvageable.
09:56Because a divorce is an absolute that cannot be undone.
09:59Your government passed that law.
10:01And you give this woman, between conviction and killing her, 22 days?
10:07Call the bloody police.
10:16Cusson left his office 20 minutes ago.
10:19He's on his way home.
10:21You said it yourself, sir.
10:23She pulled the trigger.
10:25Doesn't matter where she got the gun.
10:28You did everything right.
10:34Let's go.
10:36Let's go.
10:44Thank you for coming back.
10:45I know I wasn't the most gracious hostess last time.
10:49I deserved it.
10:51You're many things.
10:54But you're no coward.
10:56I wasn't when there was no hope.
11:01Now I'm bloody petrified.
11:05Let's go.
11:11I remember when you and Vicky came to visit me in hospital,
11:14and you brought gin and a gramophone.
11:18Matron told us not to turn the place into a bordello,
11:21but I admit she was absolutely smashed and dancing with us.
11:25I remember Vicky flashing the geriatric ward,
11:28and three of them proposing to her.
11:32We sat up on the roof and watched the sun come up.
11:42I wish we could do that tomorrow morning.
11:45Before Mr. Peerpoint.
11:48Or the hangman can sod off back to his pub.
11:53Your statement changed everything.
11:57You do know what his pub is called?
12:00Help the poor struggler.
12:04Joy told me.
12:09Listen.
12:11I can try to find Desmond.
12:14Get a confession.
12:15Take it to the police.
12:17We don't have to.
12:19DCI Davis has been at the home of us getting a rocket up his arse.
12:24They're going to find Desmond, Jackie.
12:26He's going to be arrested and charged tonight.
12:42Sir, you want to know if I have anything else that might help you?
12:46As you can see, I'm in no fit state to help anyone.
12:49But you knew.
12:50You clearly knew about the gun.
12:53I made certain suppositions which have proved to be true.
12:57And you told her to stay quiet?
12:59You advised her to lie, to perjure herself and crown court?
13:02I was bound by client confidentiality, as I still am.
13:07Mrs. Ellis made me swear not to say anything.
13:11You may say I made the wrong decision, and perhaps I did.
13:14My aim was to show that she wasn't the murderer.
13:17And perhaps I did.
13:18My aim was to show that she was provoked.
13:21Not that she conspired with anyone.
13:24Premeditated the whole thing.
13:25Well, that was very convenient for Desmond Cusson, that you took that route.
13:32Did you make a deal with him?
13:33Certainly not, my friend.
13:37I suppose my problem is that I'm not brave enough to stand up to them all.
13:43To stand up to it.
13:45It?
13:46The English machine.
13:48The whole thuddering weight of it.
13:52Are you talking about a conspiracy?
13:54Nothing so vulgar.
13:57The machine is bigger than any one man.
13:59It's bigger than any gentleman's club, courtroom or police station.
14:07It is concerned with self-preservation above all.
14:10And it is ruthless, you may say, to the point of savagery to anyone who threatens it.
14:16And Ruth threatens it in every possible way.
14:19And that is why the machine is determined to get her.
14:22It has been from the start.
14:25You're drunk, man.
14:27And this is dangerous nonsense.
14:30This is the law, the justice system, the finest in the world.
14:34And you say I'm talking nonsense.
14:37I was like you, you know.
14:40I thought I was one of the good ones fighting the machine.
14:46Until I realised I'm just a cock being ground in it.
14:51If you know something that could help her, we have hours to save her life.
14:57It's too late.
14:58It's too late.
14:59If you know something that could help her, we have hours to save her.
15:02Why didn't you say anything about Desmond Cussin before?
15:30It seemed traitorous.
15:34Until I realised he betrayed me worse.
15:36He promised to look after Andre.
15:40Nothing, not a visit, not a single penny.
15:44What does Andre know?
15:46He's been told you're in Italy, modelling swimsuits.
15:50The MP, Mr Rogers and his wife, they've been very kind.
15:55Offered to take him to the country for a few days.
15:58Get him away from all this.
16:00But now we might not need to.
16:04They tannoyed the Under-Secretary of State at Ascot.
16:08The press heard it.
16:09Reporters camped out of the house.
16:11One from bloody New Zealand.
16:13Evening papers all saying the same thing.
16:15A last minute reprieve.
16:17And there's been money sent in by well-wishers.
16:21Enough for you and Andre to get away somewhere.
16:23A new life.
16:25Oh, you'll never need to work again.
16:27Talk shows.
16:28After-dinner speeches.
16:31You're a flaming celebrity.
16:40Alice Evans!
16:41Bedley!
16:42Alice Evans!
16:43Bedley!
16:44Alice Evans!
16:45Bedley!
16:46Alice Evans!
16:47Bedley!
16:48Alice Evans!
16:49Bedley!
16:50There's hundreds of them.
16:57Alice Evans, let me Alice!
17:27Hundreds of people have gathered this evening
17:51outside Holloway Prison in support of Mrs Ruth Ellis,
17:55who is due to hang tomorrow morning
17:56for the murder of her lover, David Blakely.
17:59A nightclub hostess, Mrs Ellis, was sentenced to death
18:02at the Old Bailey on the 21st of June this year
18:04for killing Mr Blakely.
18:06Lawyers for Mrs Ellis claim that new evidence has surfaced
18:09implicating an unnamed person
18:11and placing them at the scene of the crime.
18:13Her newly appointed solicitor, Mr Victor Mishkon,
18:16has submitted evidence to the Home Office.
18:18This heat, it's hellish.
18:27Let's get out of London.
18:30Pack some things.
18:32It's nine o'clock.
18:48Twelve hours until she hangs.
18:50Why aren't you out looking for Desmond Cusson?
18:53She shot him in the back, right?
18:54Point blank range.
18:56An innocent bloke.
18:57Could have been any one of us.
18:59She deserves the bloody swing for it.
19:01Shut up, Peter.
19:04We look for him, all right?
19:06There's no answer at Cusson's flat.
19:08We've driven round the West End for hours.
19:10Won't be giving two men half a day
19:12to search the whole of bloody London.
19:15Does it really seem like anyone wants him to be found?
19:23Lucia, where is he?
19:26Upstairs.
19:27Thanks.
19:28Desmond, do you know how I can find him?
19:33You know me, Jackie.
19:35I'm no gross.
19:36No police.
19:38They've given up.
19:40Please, tell me, Maurice.
19:42Is he with one of your girls?
19:46She should have asked me.
19:50To take care of him.
19:53Blately.
19:58I'd have taken pleasure in it.
20:02Ruth is in there, waiting to die,
20:05while you're here enjoying yourself.
20:10Tell!
20:12Hurry up!
20:18I've got reporters chasing me night and day.
20:22Customers deserting me.
20:24And you want me to grass up one of the only punters I've got left?
20:28Yes.
20:32Ruthie wanted everything.
20:34A big job.
20:36Big posh plug.
20:38Big rock in her finger.
20:41She went too far.
20:43Took too much.
20:46She ruined all of us.
20:54I know you're not a bad man.
20:55But you've done some bad things.
20:58To Ruth.
21:02To me.
21:05This is your chance to fix it.
21:06All of it.
21:08Help me find him.
21:11Please.
21:18Open the door, Desmond.
21:21There's no police here.
21:22There's no police here.
21:42He's been here all along.
21:47I've come here as a friend.
21:49To ask you to do the right thing.
21:51The police know you helped kill Blakely.
21:53You may not have pulled the trigger.
21:54But he is dead because of you.
21:57She's lying.
21:59Save her own skin.
22:00I don't blame her.
22:00But I...
22:02Nothing to do with any of it.
22:04You have one chance to save the woman you loved.
22:10She never loved me.
22:12Is that why you did it?
22:13To punish Ruth and David together?
22:16You knew she would be arrested.
22:19She came to you when she was desperate.
22:22You could have helped her.
22:23You should have helped her.
22:25But instead you gave a broken woman a loaded gun.
22:29You know, they haven't even told Andre yet about what is happening to his mother.
22:34But soon they will have to.
22:36They will have to tell him that she isn't in Italy modeling swimsuits.
22:42That she's dead.
22:46Hanged.
22:49And he will not even be able to visit her grave.
22:52Because she will be buried with murderers in the prison pit.
22:56What you have done to that child is unforgivable.
23:00I told Ruth.
23:01He should have been at her mother's that day.
23:03Was Andre there?
23:06Did he see something?
23:10Well, make sure he gets this.
23:16We're leaving.
23:18Go.
23:31He's gone.
23:33Of course he has.
23:35I told the police but he could be anywhere by now.
23:40He talked about Andre.
23:43Was Andre there when Desmond gave you the gun?
23:45Did he see Desmond give it to you?
23:51Right hand on first.
23:52Left hand supporting.
23:55Legs shoulder-width apart.
24:00Elbows straight, not locked.
24:02Now this little blade is the sight.
24:05Get that on your target.
24:07Then squeeze the trigger.
24:09Most importantly, don't hold your breath or you'll tense up.
24:13And you won't hit the target.
24:16Just breathe.
24:21In and out.
24:24Nice and calm.
24:32I can't do it.
24:36Yes, you can.
24:46I see.
24:57I told you to wait in the car.
24:58Go back now.
25:04How much does he know?
25:06He knows enough.
25:08He's a witness.
25:10The police need evidence to support your statement.
25:12We thought only Desmond could give that, but Andre could.
25:16I won't.
25:16I will not use him like that.
25:18I will not ask that of him.
25:20I think he knows you're here.
25:23Of course he does.
25:27He's a smart boy.
25:28He doesn't believe that nonsense about swimsuits in Italy.
25:30Then let him talk to the police.
25:36If he gives his statement to the police and it fails,
25:40and it fails,
25:44he will blame himself.
25:46But you still have a chance.
25:48If you ask him to do this,
25:52he needs to tell them and the police what he knows tonight.
26:03I won't be long.
26:10You will look after him.
26:12You promise.
26:13Whatever happens.
26:15I swear it.
26:40You're quite well there, dear.
26:49Yes, she's quite all right, thank you.
26:53Are you all right?
26:58I don't know.
27:03I'm here.
27:05I'm with you.
27:06I love you.
27:11I know.
27:17I don't think I can.
27:21Of course you can.
27:40So,
27:54four bottles of light ale, please.
27:56Oh, and two packs of cigarettes.
28:01Come on, because we're having a party around the corner.
28:04Please, leave the poor girl alone.
28:06Honey, it would have been rude not to invite her.
28:08Leave the poor girl alone.
28:09David.
28:11David.
28:23Jesus, Ruth, what are you...
28:25No, guys, she's gonna...
28:39Oh, my God.
28:54I won't be long.
29:14Why did you have to kill him?
29:25Yes?
29:33I took down your statement this morning.
29:35It appears that another version was recorded, too,
29:37by the prison officer who sat with us.
29:41In his version, you ask Cousin for the gun.
29:45I didn't say that.
29:46I'm asking myself why they're focused on this version,
29:50why they might be favoring it.
29:52Because they want it all to be over.
29:54The protests, the noise, the fuss,
29:57the newspapers, the petitions,
29:58all these people talking about what a mess it is.
30:00It's an embarrassment.
30:01They want it over and done with.
30:02They were looking for a reason to ignore what I told them,
30:04to say that Desmond's part doesn't matter,
30:06and they found it.
30:07They can't ignore it.
30:08There are legal procedures.
30:09Mr. Pickford was right all along.
30:11He said they wouldn't let me get away with it,
30:12and they won't.
30:15Right.
30:17No matter what anyone says or does now,
30:20it won't do anything.
30:22They are determined to put an end to this,
30:25and they will.
30:25Tomorrow at 9 a.m.
30:28I want you to call my parents and say
30:30that Andre is going to go away with the MP, Mr. Rogers,
30:32and his wife has planned.
30:33You don't want him to make a statement to police.
30:35No, I want him out of London and away from here immediately.
30:37Please do it now.
30:52My kingdom come.
31:12Make them stop.
31:13Wyatt.
31:14I don't...
31:16I wanted to be over.
31:19Come with me.
31:20I wanted to be over.
31:21Africa... Africa...
31:51I thought you might like to finally take your beer privileges.
32:01Is this allowed? Out here?
32:05No.
32:07But what can they do to you?
32:21Thanks.
32:26Not done much.
32:31You might not believe this, but the last few weeks have been some of the best of my life.
32:36You've all been so kind to me.
32:39Calling me Mrs. Ellis.
32:42Three square meals a day.
32:45All those jam puddings.
32:50No screaming, no fighting, no men knocking on my door in the middle of the night.
32:57I really rather like it here.
33:20Can you put me through to the governor of Holloway Prison?
33:51Mrs. Ellis...
33:52You've come to tell me there's not going to be a reprieve.
34:00It's quite all right.
34:05It's quite all right. Promise.
34:15What time is it?
34:19Two a.m.
34:24Seven hours then.
34:32Would you like to sit up together? I have some brandy in my office.
34:39Actually, I'd quite like to get some sleep if you don't mind.
35:10Philip, how long?
35:11I want to speak to the Home Secretary. I insist on speaking to him personally.
35:15The Home Secretary's made his position very clear.
35:18And what is that position?
35:19He says if she isn't hanged tomorrow, she never will be.
35:26I have practiced law for 20 years, and until today I would not have thought it possible that it should be used by Englishmen in this way.
35:33As a fig leaf for an act of pure savagery.
35:53I have practiced law for 20 years, and until today I would not have thought it possible that it should be used by Englishmen in this way.
36:13I have practiced law for 20 years, and until today I would not have thought it possible that it should be used by Englishmen in this way.
36:33I have practiced law for 20 years, and until today I would not have thought it possible that it should be used by Englishmen in this way.
36:57No more prison smocks then? Can't say I'm sorry.
37:07Hardy Amy's. Spent my entire first wage from carols on it.
37:12It's lovely.
37:14My mother was horrified. Said I should have made do with rayon like everybody else.
37:19Probably should have made do with a lot of things.
37:22Little house in Basingstoke, job in a typing pool.
37:27Week in Bognor with a fat husband once a year.
37:31But I couldn't. I wanted everything I could get out of this life. Every drop.
37:43And I don't regret it.
37:48Not a single moment.
37:53Jacqueline!
37:59I'm sorry. I tried. They won't let me run the story in the newspaper.
38:04You need evidence of what Kassim did?
38:08I need something.
38:12When all this is over, you talk to Andre. Hassan.
38:40You're lovely. Thank you, Joy.
39:10Sorry.
39:40It will calm you.
39:42No, thank you.
39:52I've got to tell her.
40:22I'm so sorry, Mrs. Ellis. I just need a moment with the undersheriff.
40:43There's been a call from a Miss Holmes claiming to be the Home Secretary's office.
40:47A reprieve. I've tried to verify it. No one there knows anything about it.
40:57Hoax?
41:00Must be.
41:02Mustn't it?
41:05This Miss Holmes?
41:08I've tried two private secretaries.
41:12No one's heard of her.
41:25I won't be needing these anymore.
41:36Do you want me to, ma'am?
41:39I can't make her wait. It's torture.
41:46I mean, it's got to be a hoax.
41:53Proceed.
42:02All right, lass. All right.
42:08Follow me.
42:25Don't worry, lass. I won't hurt you.
42:55Don't worry.
43:24Don't worry.
43:53Don't worry.
44:22Don't worry.
44:51Don't worry.
45:20Don't worry.