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Peaky Blinders – S06E04 – Sapphire | Transcript

Tommy establishes a connection between crime and political power that could alter the course of history. He also receives life-changing news from an unexpected source.
Peaky Blinders - S06E04 - Sapphire

Original air date: March 20, 2022

As the Shelby family mourns, Tommy enacts revenge as he murders the family of the woman who cursed his daughter. Distraught in grief, Tommy ignores letters from his personal doctor as his relationship with Lizzie strains even further. Ada is targeted by Nazi’s and Arthur’s addiction continues to spiral. The meeting between Captain Swing of the IRA, Oswald Mosley and Diana Mitford, Jack Nelson and Tommy takes place: Jack agrees to let Tommy trade opium in Boston as he gains information from Mosley about the political future of England and agrees with Captain Swing that the Irish working class can be turned. Tommy finally meets with his doctor and is told that due to coming into contact with his daughter while she was ill, he has developed inoperable tuberculoma and that he now only has between 1 year and 18 months left to live. The episode ends with Tommy talking to his late Aunt Polly asking her to give him the time he needs to do what he must do.

* * *

My brother sends his apologies for not being here and would like to invite all of you to his home for a meeting.

All you have to do is sit with Jack Nelson and talk about a new golden age.

If anyone is going to kill Tommy Shelby… It will be you.

The future belongs to us.

Your daughter has Consumption.

Consumption is a very infectious disease.

While they X-ray Ruby, they have to X-ray us.

It’ll be the girl’s mother who laid the curse.

Perhaps she waited until your little girl was seven so you’d know how it feels.

Now that I’m without whisky, I can hear the spirits clearly and they are saying Ruby will be well if I make amends.

She’s gone, Tommy.

LATCH CLUNKS

DOOR CREAKS

WIND GENTLY WHISTLES

♪ In this heart lies for you

♪ A lark born only for you

♪ Who sings only to you

♪ My love, my love

♪ My love

♪ I am waiting for you

♪ For only to adore you

♪ My heart is for you

♪ My love, my love

♪ My love

♪ This is my grief for you

♪ I will have you with me

♪ In my arms only

♪ For you are only

♪ My love, my love

♪ My love. ♪

WIND SOFTLY WHISTLES

Arthur.

I’ve written some words.

I can’t speak ’em.

ARTHUR EXHALES SHARPLY

You’re the oldest.

You speak ’em for me. ARTHUR EXHALES SHARPLY

I’m sorry, brother. I can’t do it.

CREAKING

We could have afforded a golden carriage.

She deserved a golden carriage.

But we didn’t afford ourselves that luxury.

Because gold doesn’t work.

That was the last lesson that Ruby taught us.

LAMP CREAKS

This place was her favourite place in the whole world.

And she used to say…

..”Dad…

..”you never know what’s going to come down the river.”

And it’s true.

Little Ruby’s fate came a thousand miles too soon.

But in her name and in her memory things will change.

And whatever comes down the river from now on we will make good…

..we will make peaceful and honest and good and send it on down the river better than it was.

In her memory we will do this.

HE SNIFFLES

But for now, we send her on, to wherever it is you go…

..in the hope that if there is a destination…

..that it’s a yard like this, with horses and boats for her to play on.

Tom, I’ve got the petrol.

TOM EXHALES SHARPLY

Who will light the flame?

Jeremiah?

Jeremiah, you made her laugh.

You light the flame.

No, no! No! Lizzie…

No, you won’t burn her! No!

Lizzie, shush, shush, shush!

SHE SOBS

I just want to see her.

I just want to see her face. We’ll go and see her together. Come on.

We’ll go and see her together. Yeah.

SHE CRIES

Oh, my baby.

SHE SNIFFLES

SHE SNIFFLES

The devils who did this will pay, Ruby.

What do you mean?

What do you mean?

Where are you going?

THEY MOUTH SILENTLY

SHE MOUTHS SILENTLY

SHE MOUTHS SILENTLY

BIRDS SQUAWK

VEHICLE APPROACHES

DOOR OPENS, CLOSES

Riley, I think the police are here.

Evadne Barwell?

Yeah. Who’s asking?

HE COCKS GUN

I am here on behalf of the blue sapphire.

SCREAMING

Don’t shoot! There are babies!

SHRIEKING, BABY CRIES

HE EXHALES SHARPLY

♪ From the silence

♪ From the night

♪ Comes a distant lullaby

♪ Cry, remember that first cry

♪ Your brother standing by

♪ And lot of loved

♪ Beloved sons of mine

♪ Sing a lullaby

♪ Mother is close by

♪ Innocent date

♪ Such innocent eyes…

HE EXHALES SHARPLY

♪ Envy stole your brother’s life

♪ Came home murdered piece of mind

HE EXHALES AND GRUNTS

♪ Left you nightmares on the pillow. ♪

ENGINE RUNS

ENGINE STOPS

HE EXHALES SHARPLY

Gold dust.

Our business is done, Esme. Get out of the car.

Not quite done, Tommy.

I thought this would be a good time. In fact, it’s the perfect time.

Some business is still unfinished.

Christians say, “The Lord gives, the Lord takes away.”

Our spirits are the same.

Spirits just took away your child.

Get out of the car, Esme.

ENGINE STARTS

But those same spirits want to give you a different child, Tommy.

HE SIGHS

What child?

ENGINE STOPS

A daughter lost.

A son found.

Before you went to France, a long time ago at Appleby Fair you slept with a girl.

Her name was Zelda. I met her.

She said you slept together under a hazel tree, May 1914.

When she fell pregnant, her father threatened to kill you, but you’d already joined the army and gone away to France.

You remember the girl and the hazel tree, don’t you, Tommy.

Whoever that boy is, Esme…

..whoever he is, our business is done here. I brought you to this camp for a reason, and I brought him as well.

He is yours.

A boy born with hazel eyes.

He calls himself Duke.

His mother is dead. He’s a thief.

He works the fairgrounds, but he says he wants more to his life than big wheels and carousels.

If the losing of Ruby has left a hole in your heart…

..I’ll send him to you.

If you give me a bit more gold…

..I’ll tell him Tommy Shelby can offer a man far, far more than big wheels and carousels.

HE EXHALES SHARPLY

Is our business done or not, Tommy?

I know where you went.

I’m going to spend more hours working in the Commons with Mr Churchill.

His fight is my fight.

I sat like a stone and thought about you killing someone in her name.

And the Shelby institutions will be expanded.

I will set up a fund to research the causes and cures for Consumption.

Did the woman you kill have children?

10,000 children die every year, Lizzie. Go to bed, Tommy.

I’ve been reading about new research.

Stop and close your fucking eyes. I will not…

I will not stop!

What is this good that you will become?

SHE BREATHES DEEPLY

I killed a woman.

I killed a woman and three men.

And their bodies will be thrown aboard the boat, like all the other bodies, but I am stepping off that boat and onto another boat.

Do you understand?

Yeah.

The doctor from the Sanatorium called and said that he needs to speak to you urgently.

But I think now you are beyond the help of doctors. Lizzie…

Frances said Arthur’s here.

Tommy?

Tom? Yeah, it’s me.

Ah, fuck.

Arthur, give me a light, will you?

I can’t find my lighter.

HE EXHALES SHARPLY

I’m sorry I couldn’t speak at the wagon, Tom.

Don’t be sorry.

What are you doing here?

Waiting for this fucking cup to fill up.

Nearly empty, this barrel.

There are plenty of barrels, Arthur.

Start another barrel.

I thought maybe they’re all full of fucking blood.

The junk, Tom…

..fucks you up your mind.

You know, Arthur.

You was already fucked up.

You was fucked up since you were a kid.

This is my theory.

It’s from that time I gave you a beating when you were 12 and I was nine.

We were fighting over cigarettes.

Maybe when I had you down on the ground, I gave you one too many to the head.

It was a draw, though, Tom.

Nah, I beat you.

I had you pinned. You actually didn’t.

We both agreed. You’re so fucked, you can’t remember, brother.

I do. I do remember little things.

I know you do.

So, do I.

The fog and the gas is clearing, eh?

TOMMY COUGHS

Here, that cup’s nearly full. Pass it here.

That’s…

Tommy…stuff any more.

You don’t drink no more, Tom.

After Polly was gone, Arthur…

..I thought I could just march and march.

I just kept up that fucking left, right, left, right, left, right, fucking rhythm.

I’d never have to stop.

Then Ruby went.

I stumbled and crashed.

And now here I am… sat on my arse on the ground like a fucking tunneller… with my old comrade Arthur.

Remember the January, Arthur?

The family boat?

The whole family living on something the size of ten of these fucking barrels.

Remember that night at Tile Cross, 16 of us sleeping on the boat, the coppers come.

We all swam like rats.

Except for Arthur.

Arthur holds them off with a boat hook, all on his own.

And I remember, I climbed back up at the lock and looked back and saw you waving that fucking boat hook in the copper’s faces…

ARTHUR CHUCKLES

..on your own.

That’s when I realised.

When I had you on the ground, all them years ago, it’s because you let me win.

You wanted me to win.

you’ve wanted me to win ever since.

What chance do I have…if you start doing that again, eh?

You’ll stop.

You’ll stop cos the family needs you to.

It’s like that long tunnel on the Dudley stretch.

You remember Dudley canal, line number one?

3,172 yards of fucking pitch blackness and rats swimming.

Yeah. Then we’d come round that corner and there’d be a shaft of light. And then we’d know.

Yeah. And you and me would both know it was nearly done.

That’s where we are now, Arthur.

Just a few more yards to go.

Then you’ll change your ways.

And I’ll change the fucking world.

♪ Like a slumber In the moss

♪ Like a display In the dark

♪ I have loved you From the start

♪ But there’s cold veneer near the cloud of you

♪ Of you

♪ Of you

♪ Of you

♪ Oh

♪ Sit on back in thrones of blue And inlay black, so righteous you

♪ Bear cold decree

♪ It’s dead to me

♪ Sit on through while your mistakes loom

♪ You’re stone dead blind and it’s drowning all

♪ Your company. ♪

We assumed, at this late hour, you would’ve had dinner.

There are drinks and sandwiches, if you want. We’re not here to eat.

Mr Shelby will be down shortly.

Please, tell Mr Shelby on behalf of us all that changing the world can wait.

He doesn’t want to wait.

There is Champagne.

Oh, goodie.

Charles?

I heard cars.

Mr Shelby, the guests are…

I know.

Dad, there’s a Bentley and a Rolls-Royce.

Yeah.

Go to bed, Charles.

I can’t sleep.

I see her, when I shut my eyes.

Go to your mum.

She’ll be awake.

She holds on to me.

Let her hold on to you.

You hear me?

Always let her hold on to you.

Go on.

Mr Shelby, the guests said they would understand if…

Have you served them drinks? Yes.

Yeah.

OK, Frances.

The agenda is in my head.

The agenda is in my head.

I’m OK.

Do I look OK?

If someone touches you, you won’t shatter.

Sing it.

Sing it. I love that song.

I…

..can’t be singing rebel songs in a house in grief and mourning.

Sing it to me softly.

It breaks my heart.

Don’t look at him. He’s English.

He can block his ears.

Darling, should she sing her rebel IRA song, while we wait or would that be inappropriate?

You know I went to a meeting of similar intent to this in Berlin.

Attended by the Chancellor himself…

..and Goering and Himmler.

It lasted until the sun came up.

We spoke about the future of the world in a serious way.

When the first rays of light entered the room, we all stood and stared at it, as if it were the world to come.

There was no singing, no giggling.

And when breakfast was served on the terrace, overlooking the mountains, they brought up some Jews.

And while we ate our eggs, they were forced to eat grass.

And we watched as we sipped our coffee.

We should all remember this is serious business.

Oh, Diana.

Now, look what you’ve done. You have killed the mood.

Let her sing her fucking song to raise our spirits. Go on, please.

♪ In a neat little town they call Belfast

♪ Apprentice to trade I was bound

♪ And many an hour’s sweet happiness

♪ Have I spent in that neat little town

♪ A sad misfortune came over me. ♪

♪ Blackbird, sit on my shoulder and tell me a song. ♪

Did it break?

Mum will fix it for you.

GLASS SHATTERS

♪ When I cry, do you hear in colour or black and white, bird?

MEN LAUGH

♪ The morning is new but the feeling is old

♪ Intervene, blackbird, and shorten the road

♪ Blackbird, the way I imagined love was wrong

♪ I’ve come

♪ to love him like I couldn’t fathom, blackbird

♪ What I tap away at I fear and I long

♪ Intervene, blackbird, and shorten the road

GUN FIRES

♪ Blackbird, slip into my slumber and show me a song

♪ When I dream

♪ Do you see in colour or at all, bird?

♪ The picture is peaceful but I dream alone

♪ Intervene, blackbird, and shorten the road. ♪

SOBS: She’s not here any more.

♪ Her eyes, they shone like diamonds

♪ I thought her the Queen. ♪

Mr Shelby. No, please, no condolences.

Thank you all for coming.

Now, let’s try to find out how this new world of ours will look, shall we?

Perhaps, Mr Mosley, we can turn to what practical things Mr Nelson can do to further our cause, while he’s in the country.

It’s me who has the ear of the President of the United States.

Which is kind of why I’m here, right?

We do, indeed, have things for you to whisper into the President’s ear.

Tell him we are England.

We are the mood England is in.

And in Ireland, appeasers to the English abound but we represent the true liberated spirit of the country that… populated your own.

I hear about communists in both places.

We are the bulwark against them.

When it comes to the working class, we could move our people from Republicanism…

..to Fascism with just a nudge.

They trust us.

You ride with hounds, Mr Mosley.

Will you hunt communists?

Oh, my hounds are baying.

Shelby…

..you run as a socialist.

Mr Shelby has one of the largest Commons majorities in England.

In the heart of England.

When the time comes, he’ll resign his party whip and run as an independent.

But underneath, do you truly believe in the cause, Mr Shelby?

I’m here.

Mr Nelson, I’m here four nights…

Four nights after and I am here… in this room, in this meeting, I am here and I am serious.

Prove it to him.

Prove it physically.

Perish Judah.

Perish Judah.

That thing is going to get us killed.

Go to bed.

At school, they’ve stopped talking to me.

They say the black rubs off.

When they come to power, they’ll take her off you.

They’re going to separate us all out.

They’ll send her to Africa.

Yeah?

And where will they send you?

Where will they send you, Karl?

You’re half Gypsy, so…

..to Egypt maybe?

Something I never told you before… because it wasn’t important.

Maybe now, it is.

Your dad was Jewish.

He was the son of a tailor in Stechford.

They changed their name to Thorne to stop the bricks coming through the window.

So, where will they send you, Karl?

Mr Nelson, you can report back to your President that the aristocracy and the meritocracy are united in their conviction that a new order is coming.

Also, Mr Nelson, at present our weapons are coming from Germany.

The British are closing our supply lines down.

We would value a supply from Boston.

Weapons, I can give you, if they’re to be used in a good cause.

And while on the subject of import and export, Mr Shelby, in light of our new relationship, and since you have proven your commitment in a most extraordinary way,

Boston is now officially open for the importation of your merchandise.

Good.

If we have established what we came here to establish, perhaps we should all say goodnight.

Absolutely.

HE SHOUTS

That’s the same typewriter you bought me all those years ago… to help me become respectable.

Do you remember?

Yeah.

This arrived.

It’s from the sanatorium.

I’ve already paid Ruby’s medical bills.

I don’t think it’s a bill.

It says it’s urgent. It’s from the senior consultant.

Why didn’t you come to bed?

Why didn’t you come to bed?

I’m typing up my recollection of the meeting.

If I…if I do it straight away, I can quote people word for word.

The information is more… useful to Mr Churchill if it is word for word.

I burnt her chair.

The paint on the wood left a smell in the air.

I didn’t open the window.

I quite like the smell.

Not yet.

Not yet.

I have this work to do cos now I know… that I will change.

That I have to change.

And change for good, Lizzie.

Not just yet.

PHONE RINGS

Hello?

Oh.

♪ She had a heartful of love and devotion

♪ She had a mindful of tyranny and terror

♪ Well, I try I do, I really try

♪ But I just… Baby, I do, I error

♪ So, come and find me my darling one

♪ I’m down to the grounds the very dregs

♪ Here she comes blocking the sun

♪ Blood running down the inside of her legs

♪ The moon in the sky is battered and mangled

♪ And the bells from the chapel go jingle-jangle

♪ Jingle-jangle, jingle-jangle Jingle-jangle, jingle-jangle

♪ Do you love me?

♪ Do you love me?

♪ Do you love me? ♪

KNOCKING

♪ Do you love me? ♪

I saw him leave.

He keeps this apartment expressly for this purpose, doesn’t he?

Are you following me, Mr Shelby?

I’m flattered…

..but why?

When I do business with someone, I make it my business to know their secrets.

Mosley’s reputation is no secret.

Not him, you.

How did you know I’d come here?

I know things.

I read people’s minds, you know.

Little glances across tables. It’s a gift.

The whole family…

..witches and sorcerers.

Your uncle will disown you.

Fucking his business partner behind his back.

You think he has morals?

He’s a Catholic.

Men do what they want, women do what they are told.

Will you tell Michael?

Michael is family.

We are a family healed.

You have no interest in me… or in Michael.

So, why don’t you just tell me what you actually want?

You will be with Mosley… when he’s in Berlin.

You’ll be in the room, when he meets senior members of the German Government.

I want to know what is discussed… and I want to know what is decided.

And if I lie?

I will know.

You know Michael thinks you’re the devil… and I think he might actually be right.

That was the other reason I came here.

What are Michael’s real intentions toward me, Gina?

And if you lie, I will know.

Tommy…

..he intends to complete the deal.

And then, you both walk away.

WHISPERS: Fuck.

BUZZING

KNOCKING

Come.

Mr Shelby, Doctor Holford.

Send him in.

You said it had to be in person. Here I am.

You might want to sit down. Mr Shelby, I know that you are still grieving for your daughter… but I have news that cannot wait. When you were X-rayed and examined at the sanatorium ten days ago… there was no TB found in your lung. But I am afraid they found something else. Something related to your daughter’s illness.

They tried to speak to you at the hospital but you were not co-operating. After your daughter’s death, you could not be found to be informed in person. Eventually, as your personal doctor, they called me.

I didn’t offer you tea. You look like death. Do you want tea?

No.

At the sanatorium, they conducted blood tests. The tests suggest that the shadow you can see at the base of your skull… is not cancer. It is tuberculoma. A tubercular growth caused by the same bacteria as TB. You may have picked it up from your daughter. Once this disease enters a household, it can run wild. It can be transmitted with a simple kiss.

It seems the Shelby household is no exception.

Mr Shelby, as I say, I am aware that you are still grieving… but you must understand this is very serious.

From the size of the tumour, expansion must’ve been rapid. I have no doubt that you are already experiencing symptoms? Have you recently suffered seizures?

Bouts of weakness, dissociation, hallucinations?

Why didn’t you come and see me?

I have work to do. Am I a danger to others?

No.

Unlike TB, tuberculoma is not infectious.

Mr Shelby, it is not infectious… but in your case… I am afraid it is inoperable. The growth is in your brain stem. Any attempt to remove it would result in trauma and brain haemorrhage. Whilst you were refusing my calls, I showed your X-rays to three of the best surgeons in the country. They all said they would not operate… as it would be futile. Of course, you will want a second opinion for yourself.

Doctor Helen Rutherford at St Thomas’.

She is a friend.

This…

How bad will it get?

As the tumour grows, the rate of physical and mental deterioration will increase. Eventually, you will need people around you constantly, who love you very much.

How long?

I understand you have defeated many enemies, Mr Shelby. Now, you have a new one… inside you. You cannot defeat it… but you can keep it at bay for a while. If you live correctly, if you are determined and if you fight…

I asked you a question. So, I want an answer. I don’t want your fucking platitudes. How long before I need people around me, who love me very much?

Sorry. It’s fine, Lizzie.

My accountant here was just leaving.

I will telephone you, when I get back to London.

No, I don’t have enough time.

You’re an accountant, give me a fucking number now.

One year. Perhaps 18 months.

That’s fine. That’s all I need to know. I will adjust my finances accordingly. Thank you.

I will write to you, explaining the full implications. Yeah, thank you.

Good day.

Something serious?

No, no, just a… just a bill I wasn’t expecting and I… I’ll have to pay it.

Will you give me a minute on my own, Lizzie?

Yeah.

Not a devil… just an ordinary mortal man.

POLLY: There will be a war in this family… and one of you will die.

WHISPERS: Polly.

Just give me enough time to do what I have to do.

Kill.

Kill.

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