- 27/04/2025
Part 4 of 6 of the period thriller. Now trapped in a marriage with his employer's daughter Pamela after her shock revelation, Ralph Gorse plots a way of escape as he tries to better himself. But he finds himself up against his resentful father in law Harold Bennett, who refuses to promote him in his workplace, and becomes increasingly disturbed by Donald Stimpson's digging into his background and contact with his wife. When he resumes his affair with Clarice Mannors he begins to form a money making idea in order to escape with her. But his plan goes badly - and fatally - wrong...
Starring Nigel Havers, Bernard Hepton, Fiona Fullerton, Rosemary Leach, Abigail McKern, George Baker, Gillian Raine, Terence Hardiman, Andy Greenhalgh, John Bott, Andrew Bicknell, Pamela Lyne, Jason James, Graham Cull and Matthew Devitt. Watch out for Terrence Hardiman - best known for The Demon Headmaster and Secret Army among others - giving a delightfully droll and intelligent performance as a insurance agent who proves more than a match for Ralph Gorse.
Starring Nigel Havers, Bernard Hepton, Fiona Fullerton, Rosemary Leach, Abigail McKern, George Baker, Gillian Raine, Terence Hardiman, Andy Greenhalgh, John Bott, Andrew Bicknell, Pamela Lyne, Jason James, Graham Cull and Matthew Devitt. Watch out for Terrence Hardiman - best known for The Demon Headmaster and Secret Army among others - giving a delightfully droll and intelligent performance as a insurance agent who proves more than a match for Ralph Gorse.
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TVTranscript
00:00You're the top, you're the Colosseum, you're the top, you're the Louvre Museum,
00:20you're a melody from a symphony by Strauss, you're an ascot bonnet, a Shakespeare sonnet, you're Mickey Mouse,
00:30you're the night, you're the Tower of Pisa, you're the smile on the Mona Lisa,
00:41I'm a worthless cheque, a total wreck, a flop, but if baby I'm the bottom, you're the top.
00:51Come along now, you're in the first car.
00:53Oh, oh, that was great!
01:10Best of luck, Louvre.
01:20Thank you, Daddy, for everything.
01:23Thank you, Vicka.
01:24Very nice.
01:29Oh, Ralph, I'm so happy, aren't you?
01:31Yes, of course.
01:32Of course I am.
01:41Ralph?
01:41Hmm?
01:42What's nothing?
01:43Nothing.
01:46Everything's perfectly all right.
01:53Well, Ralph, it's all over.
02:04I would have thought it was just beginning, Phyllis.
02:07I'm not sure you should call me Phyllis, should you?
02:09Well, it's your name, isn't it?
02:11I have no intention of calling your husband Mr. Bennett, I can assure you of that.
02:14Now, be careful.
02:16He's very fond of Pamela, and so am I.
02:20Be nice to her, won't you?
02:22Whatever gives you the idea, I won't be.
02:23Oh, quite a few things.
02:34Ah, there you are, Gorse.
02:36Oh, Ralph, please.
02:37As I was saying, it will have to be Harold and Ralph from now on, won't it?
02:40Indeed it will not.
02:41In my office, I'm Mr. Bennett, everybody on my staff, and that includes you.
02:44On parade, off parade, as it were, just like the army, eh?
02:46Exactly.
02:47If you'll excuse me, I'll just go to see the culinary arrangements.
02:53Ralph.
02:53If you'd given me half a chance, I was going to thank him for buying Pamela the house.
02:57Oh, least we could do.
02:58Can't have our daughter starting married life in some scruffy little combined room.
03:03Come on.
03:03Let's thank your lucky stars, Phyllis.
03:04You've never had to do that.
03:06I'm sorry, Ralph.
03:08I didn't mean it.
03:09Oh, yes, you did.
03:10Oh, don't be so, Finnskin.
03:12So boring.
03:16Stimson was here, outside the church.
03:20Was it?
03:22Awful old thing.
03:23Why?
03:24I think he's quite mad.
03:26Ralph, that awful, plumbly, bruised woman.
03:30Was she anything to you, honestly?
03:33Come along, Ralph.
03:34It's about time you paid some attention to your wife.
03:43A partnership?
03:45After two months?
03:46I thought you wanted Pamela to have a decent standard of living.
03:49I do, but that doesn't include handing over the running of my business to a petty blackmailer.
03:54Oh, those are harsh words, Harold.
03:55They're truthful words.
03:57And don't call me Harold!
03:59Then stop talking to me as if I'm some bloody grease monkey out of the workshop.
04:04I'd sooner make one of them a partner.
04:07And I say that with all sincerity.
04:08So you don't care what happens to your daughter then?
04:10I'll look after Pamela. Don't you worry about that.
04:11Oh, but I do worry, Harold.
04:13Harold, then don't.
04:15You've got a good home,
04:17an adequate salary,
04:18which is a great deal more than you're worth.
04:20So let that suffice for the time being.
04:22I could, if I was upset enough by your attitude,
04:26my dear Harold,
04:27show your dear wife certain photographs and hotel bills.
04:33Then do it.
04:34I care for my daughter, of course.
04:39Maybe she's in this marriage partly because of me.
04:42So do it.
04:43And be damned to you.
04:44All I was asking...
04:44No partnership!
04:46Never!
04:47And I think
04:53that when my daughter's child has a name,
04:56she'll be a damn sight better off without you.
04:59So any time you want to hand in your notice,
05:02it'll be most sympathetically received.
05:04And Gorse,
05:11as far as I'm concerned,
05:15you are simply a poor relation.
05:17What do you call this?
05:36Well, it was a shepherd's pie.
05:38But you are an hour and a half later than you said you'd be, darling.
05:42Perhaps if I...
05:42Take it away and bring me some bread and cheese or something.
05:44There's no whiskey nothing I suppose.
06:11You drank the last of it yesterday, darling.
06:13well if you knew that why didn't you buy some more a gentleman only drinks beer
06:19when he's thirsty
06:23darling I should say you'd had enough to drink already I'll be the sole judge of
06:28that darling
06:34oh Ralph eat something no appetite my love I lost it somewhere down at bloody
06:39Bennett's motors when your old fool of a father talked to me as if I were a
06:41Greek monkey please don't talk about him like that he's helped us he did pay all
06:47your creditors he means well really no he doesn't darling I know I got pregnant my
06:55fault but daddy gave us this house and everything in it the furniture
06:59everything we have to be great no we don't have to be grateful you have to be
07:04grateful he did it all for you what's he ever done for me tell me that so I just
07:08said darling he gave us this house no darling he gave you the house
07:13see the difference well I do a man likes to feel master in his own
07:19house and I don't feel like that I feel like a lodger or as your dear daddy so
07:25charmingly put it a poor relation well I'm sure daddy never said that he
07:29wouldn't he wouldn't he did ask him
07:31I don't know what you want I do everything I can for you considering this house is yours
07:37it's ours darling it's in your name that's only daddy being that's daddy being himself
07:43a man should own his own house otherwise he gets no respect from anyone
07:48I I don't know if daddy would agree to my changing the house into your name well then
07:54don't don't or do and don't tell him what's it got to do with him it's your house yes but he gave
07:58it to me oh darling you know what daddy's thinking no I don't know what daddy's thinking
08:09well he's thinking that it's him I'm talking about not me but he's thinking that since you
08:16got into such trouble with people owing them all that money and everything and not paying them
08:22back all those dud checks and everything well you have to see it from his point of view
08:30he wonders if you've turned over a new leaf well you do see that don't you Ralphie
08:36thank you what Mike and Nancy just how much you love me oh but I do
08:50two things one never call me Ralphie again sorry darling I didn't know you didn't like him
09:00and if you ever talk to me like that ever again I'll probably kill you
09:14and it's you well hello stranger how are you oh do you really want to know why do you ask that
09:39well because I haven't heard from you for months well you're hearing from me now obviously why
09:44well I want to see you why else I'm not sure I want to see you Ralph oh yes of course you do
09:48how about tea at the Ritz four o'clock on Sunday well I'm supposed to be busy all right don't bother
09:53then no I can do it I'll see you then but I shouldn't oh Ralph what's been going on I've got to go
09:58now goodbye she's in my office I was just telephoning your daughter to say I was going to be late
10:06I've got a prospect for the Morris it's a place of business not a domestic agency hope your prospect's
10:10a good one if you were as good at selling motor cars as you are as putting girls in the club
10:15we'd all be rich
10:20hello hello is that the Gauss residence is that mrs. Pamela Gauss yes who is this please
10:38this will be a little bit of a surprise to you Pamela but I don't want you to be alarmed
10:43this is Donald Stimson Donald oh I see yes do you remember me how could I forget
10:54do you want to speak to Ralph he isn't here no I want to speak to you to me why
11:01because I care what happens to you Pamela are you all right how do you mean all right
11:09well it's three months now since the wedding and is Ralph behaving himself
11:18I'm sorry mr. Stimson but I don't know what you mean I think you do
11:22no I don't but then sooner or later you will my dear and now I'll say goodbye but I want you to
11:29remember that I'm your friend now if Ralph becomes a problem and you can't talk to anybody about it your
11:36mother or your father will you ring me reading 4073 you can talk to me and tell me anything
11:44reading 4073 anything at all
12:06I don't believe it why all sorts of reasons none of them good ones so you don't love her love her
12:16I hardly know her I haven't got a single bloody thing in common with her then why on earth did
12:20you do it oh circumstances people money I could have always found you some money Ralph a hundred or so
12:28anyway it took a lot more than that darling let me get this straight you got into this marriage
12:32because of money Ralph I'm speechless well I'm more than speechless I'm devastated and I've got to get
12:38out of it what just go can you do that I think I really do think I'll have to what does that mean
12:44exactly well what I say nothing more nothing less I've got to get out of it I must well I can see it
12:48being boring and all that if you don't love her oh no it's not her fault she's not that bad in a way
12:55it's just that she shouldn't be married to me that's all that sounds pretty final the thing is I've
13:02got to get some money before I leave her for her and for me how do you propose to get that some
13:07sort of business deal or something that's all the marriage has ever been a business deal oh don't
13:11tell me about it Ralph you know where to find me when you want me and whether you're free
13:16or not free is anything to do with us come and see me when you've sorted everything out including
13:21the money the money yes of course naturally there's one rather complicating thing there's
13:29been a lot of war talk you know if the Germans go into Poland my father says it'll be war for sure
13:36war yes then we'll all have something to worry about won't we
13:41I bought that land over by Marcius farm to build a small engineering factory
13:49make what for goodness sake small parts for aircraft a war's coming no matter what mr.
13:54chamberlain says don't usually tell me your business why now
14:01if you put that thousand pounds you got back from goss into the project
14:04you could almost certainly double it or treble it within two or three years
14:11are you asking me to gamble my money on there being a war
14:14no i'm asking you to uh come in on the ground floor with me
14:19well it's very good of you but no thank you and i had all that with Rafe Gort
14:25my money is back in the bank on deposit and there it stays didn't stay there for him did it
14:29well maybe i've learned something since then yeah maybe i have too maybe i could put in a hundred
14:37pounds no thank you i don't need your money snell and i quite well enough for each to handle it
14:46i thought you'd might want to take my advice and come in on a genuinely good thing but no
14:52you know how all this talk of money upsets me donald then we won't talk about it anymore
14:59i must get home anyway i've got an early start tomorrow you're coming very well
15:09where are you going that's so important anyway just business
15:22i'm very glad you telephoned well i shouldn't have really
15:52ralph would be very upset if he knew well we'll have to see if he doesn't know won't we
15:59another cup please
16:02well first of all how are you i'm all right i mean i'm healthy enough but not happy
16:12no not really why is that my dear oh i don't know a lot of things
16:19thank you well like what for instance you said you had something to tell me about ralph
16:28ah first you must tell me how he's been behaving may not be necessary for me to tell you anything
16:34if he's treating you as a good husband should is he doing that no not exactly in what way is he being
16:47difficult you're very prejudiced against him aren't you no no no no i'm hoping you'll tell me that all's
16:55well that all's wrong is a little tiff a lover's quarrel
16:59i can't talk to daddy about it or to my mother you can talk to me
17:12weird
17:15so
17:17we've been having a lot of rouse rouse's been out a lot at night all night sometimes
17:25he spends all our money drinking gambling I don't know I found lipstick on his
17:36shirts I think there's another woman but worse even than that he he he got very
17:50upset when I refused to put the house in our joint names he kept on about it so I
17:59did it he really frightened me of that we had a row
18:09yes what did he say Pamela that he'd kill me
18:21and you know Mr Stipson the awful thing is I felt at that moment that he meant it
18:30have you finished I'm not hungry I'm sorry it's very nice though are you all right how do you mean
18:52it's just that you're being very nice to me that's all not quite sure how how to behave
18:57it's been so long I know I know I'm sorry it's my fault now I'll do these you sit down
19:04oh well all right if you're sure I do get a bit weary
19:09Pamela there's something I've been meaning to ask you yes if anything happened to me
19:18what would you do where would you go why what could happen to you well haven't
19:23you noticed we look like getting into a war oh that you mean if you went away in the army or something like that
19:30well yes something like that I don't know I suppose I try and keep this case on
19:42what if something happened to this place hmm how do you mean it in a bombing raid or something well it's possible
19:48they're even issuing gas masks for children anything's possible I'd say I suppose in a crisis I could always go and stay with my folks I'd hate it but I'd live through it somehow
19:59but now please don't talk about such awful things
20:03well just as long as I know you'll be all right that's all
20:07oh I think it's wonderful of you to worry about us so much
20:10Pamela I've got to go up to London for a couple of days I've got a good sales prospect up there
20:17oh couple of days I don't get so lonely all on my own in this place when you're away
20:23well why don't you go to your parents just for the weekend my prospect may say yes to half a dozen company cars
20:30I might even be able to impress dear daddy with that
20:33well I don't know
20:35well I don't want you to be miserable all over the weekend if you don't go to your folks I won't follow it up it may not happen anyway
20:40oh no Ralph you must try for it daddy would be impressed
20:43all right all right but not a word to your folks because it may not work out
20:48promise promise you know Ralph some people really do have the wrong idea about you
20:54what people your father oh well yes I suppose so
20:59yes well not a word to anyone
21:03captain gorse miss manners is expecting me are you a member sir no I'm not but I understand I've been signed in
21:15ah yes so you are sir I mr. Archibald sir that's Archibald who mr. Jonathan Archibald yes of course Archie
21:24through that door sir thank you
21:27here we are oh lovely Archie you were dreadfully unlucky I thought oh god not really they were too
21:45bloody good you're being too modest darling as usual natural what did you think of that spectacular
21:57I say I think somebody knows you or something or am I wrong no no he's an
22:12old friend I I left a message for him to come on
22:15Ralph over here
22:19darling he doesn't know many people he's been abroad
22:22I see
22:27Ralph how lovely of you to come along Ralph this is Archie Archie Ralph Gorse
22:34hello let me uh give you a drink thank you
22:42here we are old chap thank you
22:46I uh hear you're a colonial I'm sorry you've been abroad colonial service well not exactly I'm sorry I thought
22:55well for a bit yes um I'm in business now I'm afraid well somebody has to be don't they
23:00uh I mean uh mr. Chamberlain will soon have a government composed entirely of them won't he I hope so
23:06they can't do much worse than all those old Etonians can they
23:09absolutely not no well look uh I'm uh all sweaty if you'll excuse
23:17excuse me I'll uh go and have a tub
23:19see you later I'll chat
23:24what do you want to do now Ralph
23:26get out of here
23:29did you enjoy your supper darling scrumptious I get so hungry oh well that's only natural darling
23:35well it's so nice to be home I didn't realize how much I missed it
23:38well there's always room for a year you know that
23:40oh daddy what a funny thing to say I'm married to Ralph now I have a home of my own why should I come back here
23:47exactly Harold please
23:49you know what I mean if things ever got difficult between you and Gorse uh Ralph
23:53Harold
23:54it has to be said there's no need for the girl to stay a minute longer with Gorse if she's unhappy
23:59she hasn't said anything about being unhappy
24:01you're not unhappy
24:03are you darling
24:04no
24:05what makes you think I might be
24:07well nothing
24:08it's just your father worrying as usual
24:10no it isn't
24:11it's more than that
24:13I understand for a person that might know
24:17that Ralph Gorse has threatened you
24:20this person
24:22is it Mr Stimpson
24:23Harold please leave it
24:25indeed I will not
24:26it has to be said and I'm going to say it
24:28Stimpson says you told him
24:30Gorse threatened to kill you
24:32it was a row that's all
24:35well people say things they don't mean
24:37well that's true
24:38I've often said I could kill you Harold
24:40he's been in trouble before
24:42some scandal about a boy drowning
24:46well you've never said anything about that
24:48that's what Stimpson says
24:49he's been investigating Gorse's background to the year dot
24:53he was never in the army
24:54his father was a clerk in an office and he won a scholarship to his public school
24:58he was expelled after the drowning incident
25:00oh is that all
25:02a lot of nasty rumor put together by a man who hates Ralph Gorse
25:05oh really Harold I despair
25:07you can despair as much as you like
25:08Pamela you're not safe with Gorse
25:10daddy I can't believe how much you hate Ralph
25:13he can be so sweet and tender
25:15I think you're simply awful to talk about him that way
25:17and I won't listen to another word of it
25:19no I'm sorry mummy I'm going home this minute
25:21oh it's a perfectly sordid place
25:34why did we come in the back way haven't you booked me in or anything
25:38no I haven't I'm not going to either
25:39why bring me here of all places
25:42to show you life isn't all at Herling Club
25:46you hated it didn't you darling
25:48one day I'll join on my own terms
25:50you are silly
25:52why should anybody want to join it's a boring place
25:55not to me
25:56well I could ask Archie to put you up if you like
25:58one day maybe he'll think of it for himself
26:00what have you told your new bride
26:04hmm
26:05well where does she think you are tonight
26:06you must have said something
26:07I told her I was visiting a friend with a chest condition
26:13he said that
26:16oh really Ralph the poor girl
26:19oh she's all right
26:20I'll fix things for her when I leave
26:21when will that be
26:23one day soon
26:25then we'll be together
26:26just the two of us
26:28will we
26:29and what'll we live on
26:31actually I'm just about to come in to a thousand pounds
26:34a thousand pounds
26:36well I suppose we could live on that
26:39for a bit
26:40for a bit my god that's a fortune
26:42it's not really but it'll do
26:44where should we go?
26:46Montecolo?
26:47anywhere you like just you see
26:48hmm
26:49do you know I really rather like this
26:54this horrible sleazy room
26:57anything could happen here
26:58yes it could
26:59whatever it is
27:00it's got to happen within the next hour
27:01because then my darling
27:02you're leaving the same way you came in
27:04do you know what you make me feel like
27:06bringing me here
27:07a cheap tart
27:09oh
27:19hello Ralph?
27:37oh hello mommy
27:39yeah well I'm sorry about all that but I do think daddy was most unfair
27:44yeah well I'm going straight up to bed now I'm awfully tired
27:50yes
27:51night mom
28:14I can't think why you're getting rid of me like this Ralph
28:27because I have an early meeting in the morning
28:31most important business meeting
28:33well I don't believe that
28:35I expect you'll tell me the truth sometime
28:39there's one thing I do know
28:41it won't be another woman
28:43can you find your own way out?
28:45darling I've been walking out of strange hotels since I was 17
28:48goodbye then
28:49I'll see you soon
28:50couple of weeks
28:51I'll have the money by then
28:53darling you are funny
28:55I don't give a flying fig about the money
29:02but I'll remember this place
29:11you'll be wondering
29:13if you can catch up
29:14issues
29:15if you've already met
29:17finally
29:19sitting asleep
29:20sharing
29:21eating
29:22and then
29:23smoking
29:24hitting
29:26whatever
29:27then
29:28how?
29:29Are you enjoying
29:30singing
29:31is
29:33playing
29:34up
29:36criminal
29:38you
33:10Good morning, Millie.
33:32Where the bloody hell were you last night?
34:32Hearts go out to each and every one of us, to Harold and Phyllis and their great loss, and to the unhappy young husband, Ralph.
34:41Most of you will have read the report of the coroner's court, his verdict of death by misadventure is a sad summary of a young life snuffed out.
34:52The poor, dear lady.
35:22It's over, Donald.
35:29I mean, Rafe's widowed.
35:31He's lost his wife and his unborn child.
35:33I mean, nothing else can happen to him, even you must see that.
35:37Well, there's still a few ends to tie up.
35:40Donald, we may all be dead in a month.
35:43A week if those gas attacks start.
35:45Let's go home.
35:47If anything is going to happen to us, let it happen at home.
35:50I've told you my business here is not quite finished.
35:54Then mine is.
35:58Why I came here.
36:01I know why you did.
36:03You just wanted to see Rafe broken.
36:07Well, there you have.
36:09What that poor boy must be feeling at this moment.
36:12Nothing.
36:13What?
36:14That poor boy is feeling absolutely nothing.
36:20What a wicked thing to say.
36:23I know Rafe has behaved very badly.
36:26It's all right, all right, all right.
36:27He's deceived me.
36:28He's robbed you.
36:30And more.
36:31Well, I'm going to catch the next train.
36:37If you want to stay here, Donald, that is your business.
36:42Yes, it is, isn't it?
36:44And a pretty nasty business, I must say.
36:49I'll see you when I see you, Donald.
36:50Oh, Vicka.
37:11Well, I'll see you.
37:12What will you do now, Rafe?
37:19I have no idea.
37:21Haven't thought about it at all?
37:22No.
37:25I expect you'll go in the army, won't you?
37:28Well, most people.
37:29You were with a woman in that room, weren't you?
37:33Oh, does it matter?
37:36There's something fishy about all this.
37:39I wish I knew what it was.
37:44That lovely girl.
37:46Gone.
37:48She hadn't met you, you young bastard.
37:51Oh, Harold, please.
37:52It's no good.
37:54The coroner was satisfied with Rafe's explanation.
37:57Well, he might have been, but by God, I'm not.
38:00I'm satisfied with nothing about this young man.
38:02Nothing!
38:03Oh, Harold, please stop talking like that.
38:06You can't bring Pamela back.
38:11I'm selling bellensmothers, taking what I can get,
38:14and leaving this town.
38:16Well, that's the worst sensible thing you've said today, Harold.
38:20So you'll be out of a job.
38:22At least I can do that.
38:26What I can't understand is
38:28why Pamela went back to the house.
38:32I thought she was staying with you over the weekend.
38:35Why did she go back?
38:41Very strange, that.
38:42I have an appointment with Mr. Bennet.
39:02Straight up the stairs, Padlet.
39:03I don't like Ralph Gors any more than you do Mr. Simpson. I don't want any scandal either.
39:22I'm gonna try and sell this business and move down to the West Country for the
39:27duration. any breath of scandal might harm the chance of a decent sale.
39:32it's no scandal likely. first answer me a question if you will. who stands to get
39:39the insurance money? well Gors does of course. as her husband or two thousand
39:45pounds of it. well my daughter was given a lot of jewelry on her marriage by her
39:53mother's family. before she... before the tragedy your daughter told me that Gorse
40:05had forced her to put the house and contents in both names.
40:10do you realize what you're saying?
40:15the insurance assistant will be here in a minute. yeah he'll wait especially in
40:21view of our joint statement. he'll be glad to wait. joint statement? you insured the
40:28house and contents in your daughter's name only correct?
40:31Gorse gets her to change that to both names within a few weeks. and now he gets
40:37everything. do you want that to happen?
40:42no. i do not. that's what i thought.
40:49you are late Mr. Sawyer? i'm thinking Mr. Smith. sir? what is our objective here? to pay out as
41:17little as possible sir. exactly. and i don't like this one at all.
41:47Mr. Gorse? yes sir? Mr. Bennett said to tell you to wait out here. he's got someone in with him. really?
42:00Mr. Gorse?
42:02Mr. Gorse? working? as you wish?
42:13Mr. Gorse? working? working? as you wish?
42:23Mr. Gorse?
42:26Two gentlemen are waiting for you upstairs.
42:56Mr Gawson you told the coroner that on the night of the fire you stayed at the Royal
43:15Commercial Hotel in Paddington. so I did. I produced the bill and the reception class
43:20gave written evidence that I stayed there. I was highly fortunate that he remembered you.
43:24if he'd been in any way indecisive about remembering you I think you might have
43:29had trouble. not from Mr Smith and myself but from another quarter. you say that I
43:34lit the fire that I drove all the way from London and back to do it. I've not
43:38said that Mr Gawson. you've said it. but it is a most interesting hypothesis Mr Smith.
43:43yes it is. Mr Smith and I see a lot of fires and we hear a lot of people say things both to the
43:51police and coroners and to our good selves that either contradict each other or are not well
43:56remembered or sometimes regrettably are short of being the whole truth. are you saying I told the
44:02coroner a pack of lies? did I say that Mr Smith? I didn't say that not exactly. then what did you say?
44:09is it a fact that you and your wife had been in a state of domestic unhappiness for
44:13some time? no it isn't. if you say so. that does not really concern us. it may concern
44:21others. it may even concern the police. how the fire started now that concerns us a
44:29great deal Mr Gawson. I thought all that had been dealt with by the coroner.
44:32when the coroner returned a verdict of death by misadventure. we were surprised were we not
44:39Mr Smith that he did not ask for more detailed forensic evidence. we were very
44:44surprised. of course there's a war on now. things are slacker perhaps. what did you
44:48expect this um further forensic work to find? evidence of how the fire really
44:54started? was it? by accident. by your evidence you left newspapers adjacent to the stove from time to
45:02time. Mr Gawson how often do you think Mr Smith and I have investigated a fire
45:09started from that particular make of stove? I have no idea. no? never Mr Gawson. not from that
45:20particular make of stove. it's considered to be extremely safe.
45:25Mr Gawson you only recently became a joint beneficiary of this insurance policy
45:32which covers the house and its contents. and now since the unfortunate death of
45:38your wife you are the sole beneficiary. so what do we have here Mr Smith? a changed
45:46policy and then a fire. a fire of a kind Mr Smith and I have never seen before in which
45:53your wife dies. were there any fire lighters near the stove? well I have no idea. but there
46:00could have been. well perhaps. I do not tend the stove or light it so I wouldn't know. very well
46:06let's leave that for just a moment and turn to a rather disturbing aspect of this case. I have from
46:13an independent source. a sworn statement that you threatened to kill your wife less than a week ago.
46:19a sworn statement from whom? oh I regret I cannot tell you that. only if it's entered as evidence
46:24in a court of law. that's the only way you can learn who the person is. I think I can guess.
46:29information was also laid that you have a well shall I say less than impeccable history of money
46:35feelings. I refer to Mrs Joan Plumlee Bruce. does that name mean anything to you? go on. there's nothing
46:47more for me to say except that Mr Smith and I are not prepared to pay out to you in full or in part
46:54the sum insured. 1,994 pounds 18 shillings and sixpence without a very great deal more investigation
47:02of this fire both from the forensic point of view and from shall I say the motivational point of view.
47:12in short we're not satisfied Mr Gorse. not satisfied at all. correct Mr Smith?
47:16absolutely correct. of course you can sue us through the courts if you wish to do that.
47:28I will let you know what course of action I propose to take. naturally. we will await
47:34your decision with interest. good day gentlemen. and to you Mr Gorse.
47:46Mr Gorse.
47:48Mr Gorse.
48:05Mr Gorse.
48:09Mr Gorse.
48:11Mr Gorse.
48:14You're the top, you're Mahatma Gandhi
48:34You're the top, you're Napoleon Brandy
48:39You're the purple light of a summer night in Spain
48:44You're the national gallery, you're Garbo's salary, you're cellophane
48:49You're sublime, you're a turkey dinner
48:55You're the time of a Derby winner
49:00I'm a toy balloon that's faded soon to pop
49:05But if, baby, I'm the bottom, you're the top
49:14I'm a worthless check, a total rack, a flop
49:23But if, baby, I'm the bottle, you're the top
49:27I'm the bottom, you're the top
49:28I'm the top, you're the top
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