Glorious 39 Page #4

who my real parents are.

I don't think about it much any more.

It's a big decision.

Betty. There used to be another

gramophone, an old wind-up one.

Whatever happened to that?

That old thing?

I put it away in the lumber room.

We're clear which sectors

we're concentrating on

and which remain

still to be enquired into?

I think we're all agreed

which areas are the highest...

reports that we've had back

so far are to be studied

at the next meeting.

The individual reports

we'll be looking into

are number 10, 15 and 22.

nothing more to say!

You keep ringing me!

And you've got to stop!

You've got to stop this!

We're just reminding you,

Mr. Haldane, of the information...

That information is private!

It's PRIVATE!

People do all sorts of things

in their lives!

And if I have, I have!

I just want you to stop calling me

and my parents...

We wanted you to realise

we meant what we said,

and it is best for you to listen to us.

I cannot believe

this is happening to me!

I want you to stop calling

my parents! Do you hear me?

DO YOU HEAR ME?

You have to agree to that! My father is ill!

He cannot stand it! You have no right...

I'm so sorry, miss. I had no idea

you were in here.

I didn't realise you might want

to listen to something in here!

Don't worry, Betty. It's my fault.

I had to listen to something

for the film I'm playing a part in.

- Going out, Papa?

- Hello, darling.

Yes. To the club,

where the atmosphere

will be feverish.

I need to talk to you,

when you have a moment.

Not now, darling.

There have been developments.

The world goes on moving

faster and faster

and I am not at all sure

we can stop that.

- More gramophone records, I see.

- Yes.

I thought you gave everything back

to Mr. Balcombe.

What is that?

- This is a real foxtrot, for once.

- Is it?

Good.

We don't want to give Mr. Balcombe

an excuse to return.

No, that would not be good.

We'll talk...when this crisis is over.

I love them having a party next door

as the balloon's going up.

Is the balloon going up? Now?

I should have listened to the wireless.

It may or may not be going up.

Should we be held

to our promise to Poland?

Do we really want to go to war for them?

Can this be happening all over again?

That's what's going on.

They're all travelling back from

their country estates as we speak.

It's as bad as that.

There's nothing you can do, Glorious.

You go on making your movie.

Cheer people up.

I can't just do that,

I have to do something more.

No, this is good advice.

It's an absolutely splendid thing

to cheer people up.

They're not going to do our scene

today. They've told us to go.

Not today? I don't believe it!

We will never be needed.

The weather's not right, apparently.

I've managed to get my father's

chauffeur to pick us up.

Will you come home with me, Gilbert?

Who could resist such an invitation?

I want to play you something, in private.

It's this gramophone record.

You're much better informed

about everything.

Flattery as well! Today is looking up.

We just have to pick up

my brother and sister at a ball.

It's not too far.

This is the way to travel

for a poor boy like me.

Always dreamt

I'd have a car like this as an actor.

Hasn't happened yet.

Never got above the title.

Not even once.

Time for some riotous living,

for no one has any idea

what's going to happen tomorrow.

So, what's the tune

you want to play me?

It's not a tune, it's a conversation.

It's a recording of a meeting.

I found it among things Mr. Balcombe

was storing with us in Norfolk.

There was another record as well,

of Hector screaming, really upset.

The man who killed himself?

Where is it?

It's broken. It got smashed.

Since the baby and the pushchair,

you don't trust what I say.

When did I say that?

I know it's my fault I haven't read

more about the political situation,

being too bound up with my work.

It's conceivable the secret service

are listening in and recording

the conversations

of those opposed to the government.

- That is possible?

- Extremely possible.

Yes, and that spying

and these recordings

could be used to put pressure

on people, couldn't they?

To blackmail them into silence,

if necessary.

- That too is possible, if risky.

- Yes,

because they wouldn't wish that

to become public.

No! Imagine what the supporters

of Winston Churchill

would do with information like that.

It would bring down

the present leadership,

Churchill would become Prime Minister,

that would lead to a bolder approach

to Germany!

Blackmail. Well, I never.

Although it's...possible, of course,

that elements in the secret service

are taking things further

than the Prime Minister intended.

Is that what's on that recording?

No, no.

It's merely a boring meeting.

But I thought perhaps you would know

who the people were.

Why would they record a boring meeting?

Perhaps because somebody

couldn't be there

and they didn't want notes taken?

That's just

a slightly drunken actor's guess.

But now, if war comes,

none of this matters.

On the contrary, my dear,

it will matter all the more.

Some of these people don't want a war.

They don't want Winston Churchill

as Prime Minister.

They want this country to be left alone.

They don't care

what's happening in Europe

as long as this lovely place

is not disturbed.

They'll want to make peace

as soon as they can,

maybe at any price,

and give Hitler

all sorts of things in return.

But we shouldn't worry.

We will be looking down at everybody

from a cinema screen

dressed in ludicrous Victorian dress.

That is, if we ever get our call.

Hello! Hello, down there!

There you are!

You're so early. You're much too early.

It is nearly 3 o'clock

in the afternoon, Celia.

You missed something gorgeous.

There were exotic birds

and fountains of gold water.

And Aunt Elizabeth is still here.

Like me, she hasn't slept all night.

So you've been up all night,

Aunt Elizabeth?

Yes. Still to go to bed!

I stayed up with the young people.

Haven't done that for years.

What amazing times we live in!

I was meant to go hours ago,

but I never did.

Mr. Williams!

Just the person I want to see.

- I am?

- You must come over here, come on,

and hear what I've got to tell you.

I've been tidying up my house,

or rather the servants have,

in case we have to run like mice,

and you'll never guess

what they have unearthed.

My whole collection

of theatre programmes,

- many of them featuring you.

- No!

You in Richard II and

in The Last Days of Pompeii...

Marvellous! I'd love to see them.

You'll have to come with me now,

because if this irritating war

breaks out,

the whole thing will get scattered.

You don't mind coming to my little

house by St Paul's after tea?

- Not at all. That'd be thrilling.

- Gilbert.

My career in theatre programmes.

I never kept anything.

- I was superstitious.

- Gilbert.

- Milk?

- Thank you.

We had an appointment.

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