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 1.
Episode One - BLUE AMENDS
1 EXT. CHINESE QUARTER- DAY 1 - 16:50 1
Thursday 6th February 1919 - A young CHINESE GIRL (MAI) is
running, carrying a baby. An older Chinese man (ZHANG, her
FATHER) is yelling at her in Chinese to hurry up, turning
and waiting then trotting along beside her.
ZHANG
(Hurry up. Or they will
kill us all.)
They run and cross a street between ragged horses and
creaking carts.
2 INT. CHINESE QUARTER, LAUNDRY - DAY 1 - 16:51 2
Grey sheets hang in lines inside the chaotically cramped
laundry. Steam hisses from irons and there is a giant
thumping sound of a steam hammer coming from a forging and
pressing factory nearby.
The heavy wet sheets are being scrubbed on steel washboards
by Chinese children aged seven to eleven. There are old
grandmothers using the steam irons, some with babies asleep
in slings on their backs. An old man lies asleep on an
ironing board. Through the steam we hear a dozen urgent
conversations in the same language.
We might think we are in Shanghai until we see a
caption....
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, 1919.
Mai bursts into the laundry and hands her baby to a young
cousin barely big enough to take the baby’s weight. She
hisses quickly in Cantonese...
MAI
(Do your tits still have
milk?)
The cousin nods as she takes the baby.
MAI
(Feed her)
Mai turns to leave but a grandmother calls out...
2.
GRANDMOTHER
(Hey! Where are you
going?)
Zhang steps in from outside and speaks with fear.
ZHANG
(They have asked for her)
GRANDMOTHER
(Who have asked for her?)
A pause. Zhang glances at his terrified daughter through a
billow of steam.
3 EXT. SLUM STREET - DAY 1 - 16:55 3
We are in a typical Small Heath tenement court. The yard is
a hundred foot long and dissected by a cobbled street. Two
four-storey tenements glare at each other across the
cobbles. Lines of washing are strung across the courtyard
and the sheets flap in the breeze.
Dozens of children of all ages, all barefoot and dressed in
rags, are playing on the cobbles. Women are hanging washing
or bringing it in, calling out to each other, their voices
echoing against the tenement walls. The air fizzes with
yelling and laughter.
We spend a moment with these people. A little boy pulls
open the door of an outside lavatory, exposing an old man
inside, to general hilarity. There are various cats and
dogs about the place. Tucked behind a blackened brick wall
an illegal gin still drips it’s lethal liquor into a stone
jar.
The women are all dressed in billowing dresses (in
Victorian style) with brightly colored calico head-scarves
wrapped around their heads.
In spite of the poverty, there is a feeling of huge energy
and vigor, rather than despair. In the background we hear
the thumping roar of heavy engineering factories.
After a few moments, a man riding a beautiful black horse
trots into the courtyard. The horse’s hooves click on the
cobbles.
Instantly, all talking and laughter stops. Whispered word
goes around the children and mothers like wildfire. All
games are frozen. Washing is left in baskets. Mothers turn
to the crowds of children to summon their own.
3.
We study the man who has produced such instant terror as he
rides into the courtyard. He is immaculately dressed in a
dark suit (odd for a man riding a horse) and his boots are
polished. He is mid-thirties, handsome and well groomed.
On his head he wears a Stetson Hatteras cap angled steeply
over his forehead, with generous folds of cloth hanging
over his ears. The peak puts his dark eyes in shadow.
This man is THOMAS Shelby.
He ducks under a line of sheets and finally pulls up his
horse and dismounts.
The courtyard is now miraculously empty, with all the
mothers and children now hiding in doorways or alleys.
They are all watching Thomas as he takes a gold watch on a
chain from his vest pocket and checks the time. His horse
snorts steam into the cold air.
At that moment, at the end of the street we see Mai and
Zhang arrive. They turn into the courtyard and slow down
when they see Thomas and the horse. Zhang takes Mai’s hand
and leads her on to the rendezvous.
Thomas takes out a fat Sweet Afton cigarette and lights it
with a match. Zhang and Mai approach as if Thomas were a
gunfighter in a Western street. All eyes are on them as
they meet.
Zhang speaks English with a heavy chinese accent.
ZHANG
Sir? This is her.
THOMAS
The girl who tells fortunes?
Zhang bows confirmation. Thomas hardly glances at Mai
before gesturing at Zhang to begin what is evidently a pre-
arranged exchange. With shaking hands, Zhang pulls a small
velvet bag from his inside pocket and holds it up for
Thomas to see. There is a golden dragon woven into the
velvet.
Thomas reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket. As he
reaches in, we see a long barreled Webley revolver hanging
in a tan-leather army issue holster. Zhang and Mai see it
too and shrink back. Thomas takes two pound notes out of
his pocket which he holds up for Zhang to take (making sure
everyone watching can see the transaction).
4.
Zhang takes the money then hands the velvet bag to Mai. He
quickly gives her instructions in Chinese and she seems to
be a little baffled. He urges her to do as she is told.
Mai hesitantly opens the velvet bag and pours a palm full
of red powder into her hand. Thomas half smiles and urges
her to obey Zhang’s whispers. Mai puts her hand near to the
horse’s nose and blows.
A cloud of red dust hits the horse. The horse snorts and
shies and we see Thomas’s face through the cloud of red
dust. Children in the alleys stare with wonder and whisper
to each other. We eavesdrop on one child explaining to her
little sister...
CHILD 1
They’re doing a magic spell to make
it win a race.
Mai blows some more red dust onto the horse’s nose and
Thomas rubs it into the soft flesh around the nostrils.
With the velvet bag now empty, Thomas drops his cigarette
and, in one easy movement, he mounts the horse. He looks
down at Zhang and Mai and touches his cap. He then looks
all around at the women and children watching and calls
out...
THOMAS
The horse’s name is Monaghan Boy.
Kempton 3 o’clock Monday. You
ladies have a bet yourselves but
don’t tell anybody else.
We might know Thomas is fully aware word of this will
spread like wild fire. He wheels the horse around and trots
away down the courtyard. Zhang and Mai watch him go. As
Thomas ducks under the flapping sheets, women and children
slowly emerge into their doorways and stare with open
mouths, mystified by what they just saw. Finally, a
grandmother speaks loudly to them all.
MOTHER
Those Peaky Blinder devils are
using witchcraft now.
4 EXT. GARRISON LANE - DAY 1 - 17:00 4
We re-join Thomas as he rides his beautiful black horse
down the industrial street, silencing the chaos around him
briefly as he goes.
5.
The street is busy with horse traffic and the odd car and
delivery van. Garrison Lane cuts between soaring industrial
buildings. The street is alive with children and, outside
every pub, men are gathered, smoking and drinking. On a
corner, a beggar is playing an accordion but he stops and
bows as Thomas passes. Other men look to their shoes as
Thomas rides by, some of them darting into doorways to
avoid his gaze.
Outside the CHAIN TAVERN a black Afro-Caribbean street
preacher with long straggly hair (JIMMY JESUS) is preaching
fire and brimstone to no one, a large leather-bound bible
in his hand...
JIMMY JESUS
...And Abraham made his home in a
cave, but it was good because God
resided there with him. You see
children, God does not care if you
live in a slum or in a mansion...
As the shadow of Thomas and his horse passes over Jimmy, he
glances up and nods a greeting.
Thomas slows to allow a line of men to cross the road. They
are all blind, walking in single file, each with a hand on
the shoulder of the man in front, the leader being led by a
dog. (These are men blinded in the war, now begging for
pennies).
The men sing ‘Molly Malone’ as they walk and the last in
line holds a begging bowl. Thomas leans down in the saddle
to drop a coin into their bowl.
As the line of blind men clears, two policemen walking in
the opposite direction see Thomas. They both look nervous
and touch their caps.
POLICEMAN
Good morning Mr Shelby.
Thomas ignores them and urges his horse on.
5 EXT. CHARLIE STRONG’S YARD - DAY 1 - 17:30 5
The yard is a fantastic collection. It is ostensibly a
scrap metal yard but there is junk and treasure of every
kind. The Grand Union Canal runs through the yard and there
are stables for dray horses beside the water. A bonfire
burns in a corner of the yard.
6.
The flames reflect on the high walls that seclude the yard
and there is a large corrugated iron gate. The gate is
being hammered from outside and a settled Gypsy (a
Diddicoi) named CHARLIE STRONG emerges from a small office
to open the gate.
He is mid-forties, hard as iron, dressed in a fine tweed
suit and cap but with a large golden earring in his left
ear to denote his race.
He opens the gate to find Thomas standing with his black
horse. No words are exchanged as Thomas enters and begins
to unsaddle the horse.
Charlie turns towards the bonfire and calls out.
CHARLIE
Curly? Get here.
From the billowing smoke another Diccicoi man (CURLY)
appears. His head is totally bald and he wears a dark suit
(and a gold earring). He approaches at a trot and we will
learn that he is, (to use the language of the time),
‘simple minded’. However, we will also learn that he has a
way with horses like no one else.
CHARLIE
Curly, come and tell this horse he
needs to get on a boat and stand
still.
Curly takes the horse and begins to whisper to it as he
leads it toward the canal, where a coal boat is waiting.
Charlie takes a cigarette from Thomas and smiles.
CHARLIE
I heard there’s been some mumbo
jumbo in the Garrison with a
Chinese girl. What’s afoot Tommy?
Thomas almost smiles too as he lights his cigarette.
THOMAS
It’s a game called ‘turning rust
into gold’.
Charlie moves a little closer.
CHARLIE
So you still have the stomach for
games?
7.
Thomas shrugs, stares into the flames.
THOMAS
Business as usual. Like we agreed.
Thomas looks up at Charlie without expression and repeats
to confirm...
THOMAS
Like we agreed.
Charlie takes a moment. We sense a secret between them.
CHARLIE
I’m finding sleep hard to come by.
THOMAS
Take less water with your rum.
CHARLIE
Tommy, what if word gets round that
it was you?
THOMAS
There’ll be no word from your lips,
Uncle Charlie.
Over at the canal side, Curly is placing a couple of planks
for the horse to walk on.
THOMAS
And he’s the only other one who
knows.
Charlie half smiles.
CHARLIE
I told him the whole thing was a
dream so that’s what he believes.
Charlie drops his cigarette into the flames...
CHARLIE
(Softly)
Bloody nightmare more like.
THOMAS (FIRMLY)
I’m dealing with it.
A pause. Charlie looks uncertain. Thomas turns and walks.
8.
Charlie watches him go and we suspect dangerous times are
upon them.
6 EXT. WATERY LANE - DAY 1 - 18:10 6
Two lines of two storey terraces form a long street where
children play. Thomas approaches a particular door. We will
learn that this is the Shelby home and headquarters.
Thomas opens the unlocked door and enters. We notice a
horse shoe nailed to the front door for luck as the door is
slammed in our faces...
7 INT. SHELBY HOME, PARLOUR - CONTINUOUS - DAY 1 - 18:11 7
Thomas breezes through a hallway and a parlour decorated
with brass and fancy floral crockery. The Shelby home is
compact, a typical terrace, but we might notice a surfeit
of brass and flowery ornamentation around the place. The
Shelbys are cash rich but without conventional good taste.
The home is decorated like a gypsy caravan, or a boatman’s
barge with lots of roses, elephants and castles.
We might glance a photograph of three brothers in military
uniform, smiling (this is Arthur, Tommy, and John - all in
Warwickshire Yeomanry uniform, with a freshly dug trench
behind them).
Thomas tosses his coat aside and passes through a small
kitchen, where a young boy (FINN, 10, Thomas’s youngest
brother) is smoking a cigarette into the flames of a coal
fire. A rabbit roasts on a spit. Finn hides the cigarette
and calls out as Thomas passes...
FINN
Arthur’s mad as hell.
THOMAS
What does a ten year old know about
hell?
FINN
I’m eleven Sunday.
Thomas keeps walking and passes into a pantry which has
been opened out to form a small back room. Instead of a
back wall, there is a black curtain. Thomas passes through
the curtain...
8 INT. BETTING SHOP - CONTINUOUS - DAY 1 - 18:12 8
9.
...To our surprise the pantry gives out onto a secret
world.
We find two hole terraced houses have been knocked through
to form a single open plan space with the windows boarded.
It is a fully functioning (illegal) betting shop and it is
buzzing with activity.
The large room is dominated by a huge blackboard on which
bets and odds are being chalked by two RUNNERS in shirt
sleeves. They stand on stepladders to reach the top of the
board. The room swirls with cigarette and cigar smoke and
there are half a dozen men queuing silently at a desk to
lay bets. A heavy looking man (a gang enforcer known as
SCUD-BOAT) is taking the bets in the form of coins wrapped
in scraps of paper.
Scud-boat unwraps the pieces of paper and drops coins into
a hat as he unrolls the next bet. Thomas pauses and peers
up at the blackboard. We see twenty bets, all for Monaghan
Boy.
The sight doesn’t please or displease him.
One of the men at the blackboard is young and pretty and
immaculately groomed. This is JOHN Shelby (Thomas’s 24 year
old brother). When he sees Thomas, he looks up from his
ledger and hisses with delight...
JOHN
Tommy, will you just look at the
board. Will you just look.
At that moment, at the far end of the room, a door opens
from a small office, partitioned by glass and curtains. A
man in his late thirties puts his head around the door. We
will learn that this is ARTHUR. He calls out angrily.
ARTHUR
Tommy! Get in here!
Arthur slams the door. John smiles as Thomas sets off
towards the partitioned office (we sense Thomas is in
trouble he can handle). Through reflections in the glass of
the partitioned office, we see Arthur’s angry, anxious
face, waiting.
9 INT. BETTING SHOP, ARTHUR’S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS - DAY 1 - 9
18:13
The office has a photograph of the King dominating the
wall.
10.
Beneath it sits the King of the Shelby gang, Arthur Shelby.
Arthur is three years older than Thomas, his hair slicked
and oiled, his jet black moustache dropping around his
thick lips. He wears gold chains and smokes a thick cigar,
the smoke almost hiding him. On the desk where he sits,
there is a half full bottle of rum and a mountain of coins,
pennies, shillings, farthings. He is counting them slowly
into a top hat as Thomas enters.
Thomas closes the door. Arthur deliberately takes a while
to finish his count before looking up.
ARTHUR
You was seen doing the powder trick
down at Garrison court.
Thomas leans back against the door.
THOMAS
Times are hard. People need a
reason to lay a bet.
(As the conversation continues, we should sense that Arthur
feels his authority is threatened by Thomas. Arthur is
angry and blustery. Thomas is cool, hardly moving from the
door).
ARTHUR
There was a Chinese.
THOMAS
The washer women say she’s a witch.
It helps them believe.
ARTHUR
We don’t mess with Chinese.
THOMAS
Look at the board...
ARTHUR
(Snapping back)
Chinese have cutters of their own.
THOMAS
We agreed. I’m taking charge of
drumming up new money.
ARTHUR
When did we agree that?
11.
Thomas simply glances at the bottle of rum on Arthur’s
desk.
Arthur retreats a little.
ARTHUR
What if Monaghan Boy wins?
Thomas stares hard at Arthur to suggest it’s all under
control. Arthur gets to his feet, his big fists on the
desk.
ARTHUR
You fixing races now Tommy?
Thomas angles his head. His eyes are hidden in shade.
ARTHUR
You have permission from Billy
Kimber to be fixing races?
Thomas doesn’t reply, his face hardening. Arthur comes
around the desk and comes close...
ARTHUR
What’s got into you Tommy? You
think we can take on the Chinese
and Billy Kimber. Billy has an
army...
Thomas interrupts firmly...
THOMAS
I think, Arthur. That’s what I do.
I think.
They stare at each other and once again Thomas glances at
the rum bottle.
THOMAS
So that you don’t have to.
Thomas turns and heads for the door.
ARTHUR
Tommy!
Thomas leaves and Arthur hurries after him...
ARTHUR
Tommy, there’s some news from
Belfast...
12.
10 INT. BETTING SHOP - CONTINUOUS - DAY 1 - 18:15 10
Thomas is already walking away through the smoke. Arthur
comes to the door and calls out...
ARTHUR
Tommy! I’m calling a family council
tonight at eight o’clock. This time
you be there Tommy!
John turns. Thomas walks on.
ARTHUR
You hear me?! There’s trouble
coming.
Thomas disappears through the velvet curtain. Arthur
seethes as he stares out. John studies him reacting to
Thomas’s defiance (which comes as no shock to John). Arthur
goes back into the office and slams the door.
Through the glass partition we see his silhouette as he
takes a swig of rum.
11 EXT. CANAL - DAY 1 - 18:25 11
On the oil-slicked surface of the canal a beer bottle
floats, neck up. We watch it float past the open doors of a
forging and pressing factory, which has its main entrance
and delivery bay facing the canal. Through the open door we
briefly glimpse the hell inside the factory. A white hot
furnace is smelting metal and a five hundred pound steam
hammer slams from the roof onto burning steel, setting off
a huge explosion of sparks.
Bare chested men are silhouettes against the burning white
heat and some of them swig beer from iron buckets.
The beer bottle floats on past the doorway and the pounding
of the hammer is now just a sound. We follow the bottle for
a few more moments and see Finn standing on the bank,
staring at the bottle as it passes. He has something in his
hands.
Then a bullet splashes in the water beside the bottle. Then
another.
We come around to see Finn holding a Webley revolver and
aiming it with both hands at the passing bottle. He cocks
the trigger with both thumbs with some difficulty and fires
again. This time, the bottle smashes. Then we hear an
anxious voice.
13.
VOICE
Finn?
Finn turns and sees a woman in her mid-twenties, pretty and
prettily dressed in sleek Twenties (Faux Flapper) style,
standing on the tow path, her expensive white shoes oozing
in the mud. She wears a white hat at a jaunty angle and she
has a jazz-age figure. Finn smiles at her.
FINN
Hello Ada.
The woman is ADA Shelby, Thomas’s younger sister. She will
almost always be dressed to kill. Her fancy clothes will
often contrast the mud and grime of her surroundings.
When Finn turns, he turns with the gun, so that it is
unintentionally aimed at Ada. Ada stares down the barrel of
the gun but she is brave and smiles.
ADA
Finn, my pigeon, do you want to put
the gun down?
FINN
It’s John’s. I found it on the
sideboard.
ADA
Put it down on the ground very,
very softly because the trigger is
cocked.
Finn begins to slowly put the gun down. Then, a sudden bang
from the foundry makes him jump and the gun slips from his
hand and the gun goes off. Ada does a little dance of shock
but the bullet flies wide. Ada then leaps forward and grabs
the gun. She unloads it like a professional and puts the
gun into her handbag.
ADA
John is a dead man. Aunt Polly will
rip his balls off.
Ada grabs Finn’s hand and marches off down the tow-path.
12 INT. 1ST CLASS TRAIN CARRIAGE - TRAVELLING - DAY 1 - 18:30 12
The carriage is spacious and the blinds are half drawn.
Only one man sits inside the six seat carriage. He is a
barrel-chested man with a bushy moustache and a wing
collar. He wears a heavy, dark suit.
14.
This is CHIEF INSPECTOR CAMPBELL.
He has round-rimmed spectacles on the tip of his nose as he
pulls a cardboard folder from a leather case. The desk in
the compartment is already covered in paperwork, all laid
out neatly in sections.
There is a large blue print map of ‘The BSA Factory (Small
Heath)’ with intricate detail of workshops and offices. The
map has been pushed to the top of the table.
Campbell is taking a bound folder from a leather case. The
cover of the new folder is labelled in red. ‘SPECIAL
BRANCH’.
Beneath it is written in black ‘Top Secret. BSA robbery.
Prime suspects’.
He opens the folder. On the first page we see a small mug
shot photograph of Arthur Shelby. His name is beneath the
photograph and among the text we might glimpse the words
‘Gangster. Racketeer. Illegal bookmaker’ in bold type.
Beneath it reads ‘GANG-NAME....PEAKY BLINDERS’.
He turns the page and we see a photograph of Thomas Shelby.
It is a head and shoulders shot but we see he is wearing
military uniform. Campbell scans the page, his pen hovering
over the text.
We come close to the text so that only two or three words
at a time are legible. We read the words ’King’s medal for
gallantry’ in bold. Below it we read the words
‘racketeering, protection, armed robbery’.
Beneath it in bold type, ‘GANG NAME...PEAKY BLINDERS’.
At that moment the carriage door slides open and the ticket
inspector enters.
Campbell closes his file calmly then shows his identity
badge. We glimpse the shield of the Special Branch. When he
speaks we will hear a Protestant Belfast accent.
CAMPBELL
Government business.
15.
The inspector gives him a sideways bow of the head in
deference. The inspector leaves. Campbell opens his file
again and turns a page to find a page devoted to ‘FREDDIE
THORNE’. We see a mug shot photograph of a handsome man in
his early thirties who is also wearing military uniform.
Beneath his name in bold type we read... ’BSA Union
Convenor.
Communist agitator. Bolshevik’.
Campbell turns the page back to look once again at the face
of Thomas Shelby and Freddie Thorne. He holds both pages in
view at once.
It’s as if Campbell is trying to decide which of the two
handsome uniformed men he will fall upon first. Then he
closes the book, settles back and closes his eyes.
13 EXT. GARRISON PUB, GARRISON LANE - DAY 1 - 18:45 13
We see Thomas approaching the pub and entering.
14 INT. GARRISON PUB - CONTINUOUS - DAY 1 - 18:45 14
The pub is an ornate Cathedral built to combat the gloom of
poverty.
Every brass is polished to a blinding shine. All the
mirrors are gilded. Where outside there is dereliction,
inside the pub there is an excess of colour and decoration.
There is a table by the window occupied by a group of men
whose faces we don’t see. Others stand at the bar, smoking
and drinking bitter or mild. Scud-boat is collecting bets
from punters at tables. Then Thomas enters.
Everyone in the pub freezes a little but they all try hard
to carry on as normal. We join Thomas as he comes to the
bar and removes his cap. A barman is about to hurry to
serve Thomas but he is outrun by the LANDLORD of the
Garrison whose name is HARRY FENTON. Harry is scarred above
the eye. He is instantly deferential and produces a bottle
of stout which he opens quickly and puts in front of
Thomas.
HARRY
On the house, Mr Shelby.
16.
Thomas barely looks up from his cigarette pack as he puts
some coins on the bar anyway. As Thomas lights his
cigarette, we notice through his smoke that the men at the
window table are looking over. One of the men is on his
feet, draining his pint with purpose. As he approaches the
bar, we recognize him as FREDDIE THORNE from the photo in
Campbell’s file.
Freddie comes to stand beside Thomas and appears to lack
the fear of almost everyone else.
FREDDIE (TO HARRY)
I’ll take a Mild.
Thomas hardly looks at Freddie but we feel a tension
between the men as they stand side-by-side. (Perhaps their
handsome silhouettes compete for our focus as they both
stare straight ahead). When Harry gives Freddie his pint,
Freddie pays with the money Thomas put down on the bar. It
is a deliberate gesture. Harry looks horrified. Thomas
draws on his cigarette and shrugs acceptance. Freddie half
smiles.
FREDDIE
Cheers Thomas. Good health to you.
Freddie sips his beer but doesn’t leave. Thomas knows there
is an agenda. Finally, Freddie speaks softly.
FREDDIE
Is it not enough everybody’s scared
to death of you these days Tommy?
You have to make fools of them as
well.
Thomas takes a weary breath (as if he expects this from
Freddie).
FREDDIE
People who believe in witches
spending money they don’t have on a
horse that can’t win.
Most in the pub have turned their backs, fearing Thomas.
Freddie persists in a soft voice.
FREDDIE
You have fun playing with their
ignorance...
Thomas glances back at Freddie’s friends near to the door.
17.
THOMAS
When the revolution comes you can
make me Minister of Information.
Freddie has picked up Thomas’s hat and is examining the
peak.
For the first time, we see its secret.
There are three razor blades sewn into the peak, hardly
visible but proud enough of the peak to be lethal.
Freddie makes a point of peering at the razor blades before
tossing the cap down onto the bar.
FREDDIE
The crown of a Prince.
Freddie turns to Thomas.
FREDDIE
Soon to be King I’d bet.
Thomas almost rises to the bait.
THOMAS
You don’t bet.
FREDDIE
No, but these past few days I’ve
been speculating.
Thomas orders another bottle with a gesture and Harry
quickly opens it. In the silence Thomas senses significant
business.
THOMAS
About what?
Freddie gestures back at his comrades who are all averting
their eyes.
FREDDIE
One of my Union comrades has a
sister who works in the telegraph
office at the BSA factory.
Thomas swigs his beer.
FREDDIE
18.
She says in the past week there’s
been messages coming from London to
the brass. From Winston Churchill
himself.
Thomas doesn’t react but we sense he knows more than he is
showing...
FREDDIE
Something about a robbery.
Thomas doesn’t react.
FREDDIE
‘A robbery of ‘national
significance’ it said. Underlined.
Twice.
Freddie waits for the words to land but Thomas is poker
faced.
FREDDIE
They’re keeping it out of the
papers but our girl is snooping.
Still Thomas doesn’t react.
FREDDIE
And she found something that’ll
make you laugh.
A pause.
FREDDIE
She found a list of names left on
the telegraph machine. And on the
list was your name and my name
together.
Thomas appears to be unmoved but Freddie knows him well and
knows he’s on to something.
FREDDIE )
Now what kind of list would have
the name of a Communist and the
name of a bookmaker side-by-side?
At last Thomas engages. He half smiles.
THOMAS
Perhaps it’s a list of men who give
false hope to the poor.
19.
Thomas turns to him and confronts.
THOMAS
The only difference between me and
you Freddie is that sometimes my
horses stand a chance of winning.
Thomas glances back with disgust at Freddie’s ‘comrades’.
Freddie stares at Thomas. We might sense that these two men
knew each other well once but now Freddie is appalled by
what his friend has become.
FREDDIE
(Quickly)
You know, there are days when I
hear about the cuttings and
beatings that I wish I’d let you
take that bullet in France.
Thomas is privately amused and retorts instantly...
THOMAS
There are nights I wish you had.
A pause. Perhaps Freddie understands how those nights feel.
Finally...
FREDDIE
(To business)
So you don’t know anything about a
robbery that would trouble Mr
Churchill?
Thomas swigs his beer.
THOMAS
Freddie, I prefer to drink alone.
Freddie studies him but before he can speak a figure walks
past the frosted glass behind them. First Thomas, then
Freddie, turn and they both recognize the man at the same
time.
THOMAS/FREDDIE
Ah shit.
Harry has seen the figure approaching the door too and he
reacts with alarm.
HARRY
Ah, not again.
20.
He dashes behind the bar...
HARRY
Take cover! It’s Danny Whizz Bang!
Everyone reacts. Suddenly the pub door flies open and DANNY
WHIZZ-BANG enters. Danny is a barrel of a man, short but
wide and round and full of muscle. His face is crimson with
rage and he immediately grabs a chair and hurls it across
the pub.
As everyone scatters, he becomes a one-man whirlwind and
begins to smash glasses and knock over chairs.
Thomas and Freddie swap a half amused glance before
silently resolving to act. They put down their drinks in
unison. They approach Danny from either side, and in
restraining the madman, we see that they are used to
working together in violent situations.
Freddie takes Danny’s attention as Thomas grabs him from
behind. Freddie dives forward and grabs Danny’s legs,
upending him. Danny kicks and flails but Thomas falls on
him face down. Now Thomas is lying on top of Danny, their
faces close. Thomas hisses in Danny’s ear.
THOMAS
Danny, you’re home. You’re home.
We’re all home in England.
Both Freddie and Thomas see the comedy of all this. Danny
growls out a furious mantra...
DANNY
Had to go bang, had to go bang, had
to go bang.
THOMAS
You’re not an artillery shell,
Danny, you’re a man.
Danny roars and struggles some more.
THOMAS
You’re not a whizz bang. You’re a
human being. Now get yourself
together for Christ’s sake.
After a moment Danny takes a huge breath and then takes
this on board. He begins to breath more easily. He looks up
at Thomas’s face just an inch from his own.
DANNY
21.
Ah hell. Did I do it again?
Thomas kneels up and dusts himself off. He looks up at
Freddie and the two men share a weary half smile.
THOMAS
Yeah you did it again Danny. Got to
stop doing this, man.
Thomas gets to his feet. Freddie holds out a hand and helps
Danny up and puts his cap firmly back on his head.
FREDDIE
Danny, next time you feel you’re
about to go bang, go down Aston.
The Garrison is a dangerous place
to break the rules.
To illustrate his point, Freddie gestures at Thomas who
turns away to get his drink. Danny is now fully himself. He
looks around at the damage and then recognizes where he is.
DANNY
Ah shit. Am I in the Garrison
Tavern? Oh God. Mr Shelby, I’m
sorry...
Thomas swigs his beer.
THOMAS
Go home to your wife, Danny. Try to
get all that smoke and mud out of
your head.
Danny bows his head.
DANNY
Yes Mr Shelby. I’m sorry Mr Shelby.
Danny turns and quickly hurries out. Freddie rejoins Thomas
at the bar and in silence they share amusement at Danny’s
bizarre behavior. Meanwhile Harry has hurried up to
Thomas....
HARRY
Mr Shelby, you have to do something
about him.
Freddie interrupts.
FREDDIE
22.
Damn right Harry. You pay the Peaky
Blinders a lot of money for
protection.
Thomas grits his teeth. Freddie needles him some more.
FREDDIE
You’re the law around here now
Tommy, aren’t you?
Freddie grabs his beer.
FREDDIE
Why don’t you put a bullet in Danny
Whizz Bang’s head. Like they do
with mad horses.
Thomas turns sharply and glares at Freddie. Freddie
considers his old friend then raises his hands in mock
surrender.
FREDDIE
Maybe you’ll have to put a bullet
in my head someday too.
Thomas and Freddie stare at each other. Thomas doesn’t
smile. He grabs his cap and angles it on his head before
heading for the door. He picks up a knocked over chair as
he goes and calls out so all the customers can hear...
THOMAS
Bring the bill to the Peaky
Blinders. We’ll take care of it.
Freddie watches him go and turns back to his beer. Now that
he is alone he stares down into it with deep regret in his
eyes.
15 EXT. SLUM STREET - DAY 1 - 19:55 15
John Shelby is walking down the alley.
Then suddenly, shockingly, a gun is pointed at his head. We
* see the lady holding the gun - this is AUNT POLLY, the *
matriach of the Shelby family, someone who all of the
brothers respect. She has a fierce expression and speaks *
with venom to John.
JOHN
What the bloody hell did you do
that for?
23.
John scurries backwards but Polly whacks him around the ear
with her hand.
JOHN
Aunt Polly....
POLLY
Don’t you Aunt Polly me. Look at
this gun.
Polly holds the Webley revolver up for John to look at.
POLLY
You recognize it?
John slowly does recognize it.
POLLY
This afternoon Finn was playing
with it by the cut. It was loaded.
He nearly shot Ada’s tits off.
John is horrified and slowly gets to his feet. He reaches
out for the gun but Polly pulls it away.
POLLY
He found it on the sideboard in the
betting shop.
JOHN
It must have dropped out of my
pocket...
POLLY
When you were drunk.
JOHN
Aunt Pol. I’m sorry.
Polly peers at him and softens a little.
POLLY
John, I know bringing up kids
without a woman is hard. I’ll keep
this among the women if you swear
not to leave guns laying around.
John takes a moment and nods agreement.
16 INT. SHELBY HOME - DAY 1 - 20:03 16
24.
Finn is eavesdropping at a closed door. We hear the rumble
of Arthur’s voice from the other side. Finn is smoking a
cigarette and listening intently. We pass through the door
to join the family council...
17 INT. BETTING SHOP - DAY 1 - 20:03 17
The family are gathered and Arthur is addressing them. In
the room we find John, Ada, Aunt Polly, Scud-boat (a
cousin), a weasel-like runner called FRED FARR (an uncle),
two twins in their twenties with hard, dark faces (NIPPER
AND HENRY) and a Gypsy cousin in his fifties called JOHNNY
LOVELOCK. Johnny wears a bowler hat and is accompanied by
his three sons, aged eleven to twenty, all dark with golden
earrings. Thomas stands near to the crackling fire.
Everyone is drinking beer. The air is thick with smoke.
Arthur is speaking and also taking swigs from a silver
flask.
We might see that he is already drunk but as an habitual
drunk he holds it well.
ARTHUR
I called this meeting because I got
some news. From Ireland.
Thomas watches Arthur like a hawk, waiting for him to
stumble...
ARTHUR
Nipper and Henry got back from
Belfast last night. They were
buying a stallion to cover their
mares.
Arthur gestures at Nipper and Henry and they confirm with a
nod.
ARTHUR
They were in a pub in the Shankhill
Road yesterday and there was a
copper handing out these.
Arthur produces a printed flyer, the size of an A5 sheet.
It is an offer of employment (we should use a copy of the
actual flyer which was produced at the time). Arthur hands
the sheet forward for first John, then Ada and the others
to look at.
John reads the top line of the flyer aloud...
25.
JOHN
‘If you’re over five feet and can
fight, come to Birmingham’.
There are puzzled looks as the flyer is passed on. Arthur
summarizes...
ARTHUR
They’re recruiting Protestant
Irishmen to come over here as
Specials.
ADA
To do what?
The flyer has arrived at Thomas who speaks up before Arthur
can speak.
THOMAS
To clean up the city.
Arthur is surprised by Thomas’s knowledge. Thomas looks
over to Arthur then steps away from the fire and begins to
address the meeting.
THOMAS
He’s a Chief Inspector. The last
four years he’s been clearing the
IRA out of Belfast...
ARTHUR
How do you know so bloody much?
THOMAS
Because I asked the coppers on our
payroll.
ARTHUR
Why didn’t you tell me?
THOMAS
I’m telling you.
The meeting looks flustered but Polly has fixed Thomas with
a stare. She has suspicions about Thomas which will grow.
POLLY
So why are they sending him to
Birmingham?
26.
There is silence. Arthur is about to speak but instead
takes a swig. He evidently has no idea. Thomas steps to the
head of the meeting (we should be free to feel that
Thomas’s usurping of Arthur is unsubtle and done without
grace).
THOMAS
There have been a lot of strikes at
the Austen works and the BSA
factory lately. Papers are talking
about sedition. Revolution. I
reckon it’s Communists he’s after.
Thomas and Polly stare at each other. We might see even now
that these two are the real power in the family. Polly
senses deceit in Thomas with a sixth sense...
POLLY
So this copper will leave us alone,
right?
THOMAS
There are Irishmen in Green Lanes
who left Belfast to get away from
him. They say Catholic men who
crossed him used to disappear in
the night.
John is on his feet.
JOHN
Yeah but we ain’t IRA. We bloody
fought for the King.
John looks around...
JOHN
Anyway, we’re Peaky Blinders. We’re
not scared of coppers.
JOHN
If they come for us, we’ll cut them
a smile each.
There are some sniggers from the young men. The older heads
are solemn. Thomas still has the flyer in his hand. He
calmly screws it up into a ball.
THOMAS
We’re just all going to have to be
more careful. That’s all.
He steps to the fire and throws the flyer into the flames.
27.
He turns back to Arthur and pointedly hands the authority
back to him (now that the business is done)...
THOMAS
So Arthur, is that it?
Arthur is a little fuzzy and nods. Polly now has deep
suspicions that Thomas knows more than he is saying. She
gets to her feet...
POLLY
This family does everything open.
You have nothing more to say to
this meeting, Tommy?
Silence. Thomas feels her suspicion and meets her stare.
THOMAS
Nothing that’s women’s business.
Polly stares back with cool certainty...
POLLY
This whole bloody enterprise was
‘women’s business’ while you boys
were away at war. What’s changed?
Thomas is equally cool as he gestures around...
THOMAS
We came back.
Thomas heads for the door and Arthur finally follows. Polly
reacts with a growl. Then we move close on the burning
flyer in the fireplace. In the flames we see a signature on
the bottom of the page, along with the name in print.
The flyer is signed by ‘Chief Inspector Chester Campbell’.
18 EXT. SNOW HILL TRAIN STATION - NIGHT 1 - 20:20 18
A huge steam train has pulled up at the buffers and clouds
of steam swirl across the platform. Through the white
clouds we see a figure emerging like an angel (or a devil).
As the cloud clears we see it is Chief Inspector Campbell.
He has thrown a shiny black cape over his dark suit. He has
a bowler hat on his head. His shoes are polished to a
shine.
He carries a cane.
28.
Campbell marches towards us and past, steam swirling around
him.
19 EXT. GARRISON LANE - NIGHT 1 - 20:30 19
The street is lively in the dark. Children still play out
and the men are mostly drunk. Buskers play and beggars beg.
As we join the scene, we are close on Jimmy Jesus, who is
standing on a box, preaching in his Birmingham/Jamaican
accent...
JIMMY JESUS
And the Lord will smite the unholy
when the great judgement comes. And
judgement is coming my friends.
Judgement is coming to this wicked
City...
Campbell’s carriage shoots through shot and we join
Campbell inside. We see him staring out at the street. His
face is impassive, the half lit street scene is reflected
on the cab window. He sees drunks staggering from pub-to-
pub and notices four young prostitutes standing on a street
corner.
Gangs of children smoke pipes and play barefoot. A horse is
being beaten into submission as it shies against the weight
of its dray. We pass the Chain pub and then approach the
twinkling lights of the Garrison, where young men with caps
pulled down over their eyes drink on the pavement, some
swigging from iron buckets.
As the Garrison approaches, a rock hits Campbell’s window
and the reflection is shattered. Campbell doesn’t even
flinch.
Another rock hits the carriage, then another. The driver
shouts down...
DRIVER
That’s it, I don’t go any further.
Campbell blinks impassively.
CAMPBELL
Take me to the Police Station.
The driver hurriedly turns his horse around and the cab
hurries away...
29.
As the cab clears shot, we find Ada Shelby, walking fast
down Garrison Lane, dressed in white with her hat angled on
her head. We follow her. She hurries past Jimmy Jesus as he
preaches some more...
JIMMY JESUS
Your wickedness and your
fornications will be revealed...
Ada hurries past him and disappears into the shadows.
20 EXT. CANAL TOW PATH, BRIDGE - NIGHT 1 - 20:40 20
In the gas lit half-darkness we find Ada reaching some
steps and trotting down them. The steps lead into more
darkness and we might begin to wonder where the hell she is
going.
Moonlight shimmers on the canal, and the noise of Garrison
Lane is distant. Ada arrives at a canal bridge and lights a
cigarette. She looks all around. A moment later a figure
emerges from the shadows.
In Ada’s match light we see the man is Freddie Thorne. Ada
smiles and goes to him. Freddie puts his arms around her
and kisses her on the forehead. She offers him her
cigarette and he takes a drag.
ADA
I got tickets for the Penny Crush.
They’re showing a Tom Mix picture.
Freddie smiles wearily as he smokes Ada’s cigarette.
FREDDIE
I’m not in the mood for the
pictures tonight Ada.
She takes the cigarette. She thinks she knows what Freddie
is in the mood for.
ADA
I’m not doing it here again. I got
covered in mud last time.
Freddie smiles again, takes her arm.
FREDDIE
Let’s just walk a bit.
30.
Ada is reluctant, staying put. In the distance there is
blinding light from a foundry and there are flashes of
light on the horizon from other factories.
ADA
If we go down as far as Greet we
could go to a pub.
FREDDIE
Your brothers have friends in
Greet. They have friends
everywhere. We’d have to walk to
London...
Ada pulls her arm free.
ADA
I’m with you because you’re the
only man around here not scared of
them.
Freddie leans against the bridge.
FREDDIE
Oh I’m scared of them alright.
She turns her back and speaks as if it’s a line from a
romantic novel.
ADA
But you love me more than you fear
them, right?
He turns her around and pulls her close.
ADA
I don’t want to be always sneaking
about.
FREDDIE
Soon, we’ll tell them.
ADA
When?
Freddie doesn’t answer. A pause.
FREDDIE
How did the family meeting go?
ADA
Usual.
31.
She smokes...
ADA
There’s a new copper coming.
Freddie takes the cigarette...
FREDDIE
Yeah I heard.
ADA
And Tommy says he’s after the likes
of you.
She turns to stare at Freddie pointedly.
ADA
So maybe you should burn your books
and stop making speeches.
He smiles. He pulls her close and addresses her lovingly.
FREDDIE
Oh my Ada. Only Princess of the
royal family of the Kingdom of
Small Heath.
FREDDIE
I am just a poor communist frog
with a big mouth. Give me a kiss,
Princess Ada.
They kiss each other with deep passion.
21 INT. CATHOLIC CHURCH - DAY 2 - 09:30 21
Friday 7th February - The church is ornate with bleeding
Christ’s around the altar. Polly is sitting alone at a pew
with her head bowed. The double doors open and Thomas
enters. He doesn’t pause or genuflect, he just walks to
Polly’s aisle. She doesn’t turn until he sits beside her.
THOMAS
I have ten minutes. What do you
want?
Polly reacts to the cursory tone.
POLLY
(Firmly)
An explanation.
32.
Thomas reacts to Polly in a way he reacts to no one else.
Her admonishments have an effect.
THOMAS
An explanation of what?
POLLY
Of what’s so secret.
A pause...
POLLY
I’ve always been able to tell...
THOMAS
(Interrupts)
Tell what?
POLLY
When you’re hiding something.
A pause.
POLLY
People round here talk. Some of
them work at the BSA.
Thomas reacts to a bull’s eye. He takes a weary breath.
POLLY
I’ve been talking to wives of
factory hands.
POLLY
Detectives have been asking
questions in the proofing shops.
Thomas looks up at the iconography. He doesn’t care for it.
POLLY
Nothing happens at the factory
without you knowing about it.
Thomas turns to Polly and we see he has respect for her.
Still he waits...
POLLY
Speak. God and Aunt Polly are
listening.
33.
Finally Thomas comes clean in a soft voice...
THOMAS
It was meant to be routine. I had a
buyer in London for some
motorcycles. I asked my men to
steal me four bikes with petrol
engines. I’m guessing my men were
drunk. There’s a still inside the
factory makes tram line gin... They
picked up the wrong fucking
crate...
POLLY
So what was in the crate?
Thomas takes a moment...
THOMAS
The boys delivered it to Charlie’s
yard as agreed.
22 FLASHBACK - EXT. CHARLIE’S YARD - NIGHT X - 22:00 22
By gas light and fire light, through drizzle, we see
Charlie, Curly and Thomas using crow bars to prize the
crate open. We move close. Thomas pulls down a box and
forces it open. We see dull metal, a barrel, a roll of
machine gun shells...
THOMAS (OOV)
They must’ve taken it from the
proofing bay instead of the export
bay.
We come close to Thomas’s face as he reacts to the sight of
the contents of the box. Curly steps into the light...
CURLY
Holy sweet baby of Mary.
23 INT. CATHOLIC CHURCH - DAY 2 - 09:31 23
Thomas stares ahead.
THOMAS
Inside the crate we found twenty
five Lewis machine guns with ten
thousand rounds of ammunition.
Fifty semi automatic rifles, two
hundred pistols with shells...
34.
Polly crosses herself.
THOMAS
All bound for Libya. Sitting right
there in Charlie Strong’s yard.
Polly is in shock.
POLLY
Jesus Tommy. Tell me you threw them
in the cut.
Thomas doesn’t exactly show uncertainty but there is a
flicker which he smothers.
Polly stares at him with horror, but Thomas keeps staring
straight ahead.
THOMAS
(Matter of fact)
We put them in the stables out of
the rain. The guns hadn’t been
greased yet...
A pause. Polly suddenly punches and hammers Thomas’s arm
and shoulders and Thomas calmly takes the blows for a while
then grabs her arm. She slowly gets control.
POLLY
That’s why they sent the copper
from Belfast.
Thomas looks away.
THOMAS
Maybe. Maybe not.
Polly laughs away the doubt...
POLLY
Thomas Shelby, you are bookmaker, a
robber, a fighting man, but you are
not a fool...
She lowers her voice out of respect for the Christ
statue...
POLLY
You sell those guns to anyone who
has use for them, you will hang.
A pause.
35.
POLLY
Dump them somewhere the police can
find them. When they know they
haven’t fallen into the wrong hands
perhaps this will blow over.
Thomas nods gently. Polly takes his hand.
POLLY
Tell Charlie to dump them tonight.
Thomas gets to his feet.
THOMAS
He won’t move contraband around
under a full Moon.
Polly is about to speak...
THOMAS
Three days until it wanes.
POLLY
And then you’ll do the right thing.
Thomas nods once and she grabs his arm and stares into his
eyes.
POLLY
You have your mother’s common sense
and your father’s devilment. I see
them fighting.
A pause.
POLLY
Let your mother win.
He turns and walks. His footsteps echo. Polly sits down
again in the pew and crosses herself with a mumbled prayer.
24 EXT. GARRISON LANE - DAY 2 - 09:40 24
We see the Garrison Tavern in early morning. Then, from
behind, we see a young woman crossing the street and
approaching the pub.
25 INT. GARRISON PUB - DAY 2 - 09:41 25
36.
The pub still bears the scars of Danny Whizz Bang’s visit
the day before. Harry is moving chairs and tables back when
he sees the silhouette of a woman walking past the window
then standing in the frosted glass of the door.
She knocks and Harry approaches. He opens the door and
finds a beautiful woman, dressed for practical work but
beautiful nonetheless. This is GRACE BURGESS. When Grace
speaks she will have a light Southern Irish accent...
GRACE
I’m here about the job as barmaid.
Harry turns and goes back to work.
HARRY
Are you mad?
GRACE
Am I what?
She steps inside.
HARRY
You know about this place?
Grace hesitates.
GRACE
I saw an advertisement.
He half smiles at her nervousness. Then speaks flatly.
HARRY
Job’s been filled.
GRACE
But it was in yesterday’s paper.
Harry grabs a broom and busies himself sweeping up
cigarette ends...
HARRY
Believe me love, I’m doing you a
favour.
GRACE
I’m not asking for favours, I’m
asking for employment.
HARRY
You’re too nice.
37.
GRACE
How can you know?
HARRY
And too pretty. They’d have you up
against a wall...
GRACE
I have experience.
Harry leans on his broom and peers at her. She reaches into
her bag for a sheet of paper...
GRACE
I have references...
Harry takes the sheet of paper.
HARRY
Which part of Ireland are you from?
GRACE
Galway. I worked in Dublin.
Harry glances at the crucifix around her neck.
HARRY
My mother was from Galway.
Grace smiles. He looks at her smile then nods and goes back
to his work...
HARRY
Too pretty.
He continues to sweep. Grace makes a decision.
GRACE
Watch...
Grace grabs a spittoon from the base of the bar....
GRACE
And listen...
Grace begins to sing the pretty Irish ballad ‘I wish I was
in Carrickfergus’ as she scoops up the other two spittoons.
She clutches all three in one hand and swirls them around
as she sings. Her voice is sweet and strong. She pours the
slimy, disgusting contents of one spittoon into the other
then that one into a third (with a slurp). Her song swoops
on...
38.
GRACE
(Singing)
...But the sea is wide, and I can’t
cross over...
Her face shows no reaction of horror as she brandishes the
fully charged spittoon then heads for the back of the bar.
Grace swiftly unlatches the bar divide and empties the
spittoon into the sink. She pours water from a jug into the
spittoon and returns to systematically half fill and swill
the other two spittoons. She then pours the dirty water
into one spittoon and takes it back to the sink and pours
it away.
All the time singing...
GRACE
...with gold and silver, I will
support you...
She places the three spittoons back in place with a
clatter, handles facing outward. She finishes her song with
a flourish to an amazed Harry...
GRACE
‘...Ah but I’m sick now, and my
days are over. So come all you
young men, and carry me down.’
Grace bows elegantly then straightens. Harry stares at her.
She smiles and glances at the freshly fixed glass pane.
GRACE
In Ireland my singing made them cry
and stopped them fighting.
Harry takes a breath. He studies her again then looks
around at his battered pub.
HARRY
I hope you know a lot of songs.
26 INT. POLICE STATION - DAY 2 - 10:00 26
A large meeting room has been cleared and twenty uniformed
police officers sit in rows of hard backed chairs. Smoke
rises from them. Amongst them is one Sergeant MOSS, who we
will meet again.
39.
There is a murmur of conversation until Chief Inspector
Campbell walks purposefully onto the small stage at the
front of the meeting room. The room falls silent.
He studies his officers for a few moments, his face devoid
of expression. He allows the silence to continue until it
hurts. The officers begin to shift uneasily in their seats.
Finally he speaks...
CAMPBELL
Babies. Discarded with the fish
bones and egg shells.
A puzzled pause.
CAMPBELL
Girls. Eleven years old. Pierced
and punctured by old men for
threepence a time. Rutted upon like
animals.
Silence.
CAMPBELL
Degradation. Fathers with their
daughters, brothers and sisters
sharing beds. Beggars and thieves
left to run in the streets and
astride the whole stinking pile of
wounds and rotten flesh...
A pause.
CAMPBELL
Your masters. The men who you touch
your cap to.
He stares down on them like God.
CAMPBELL
The Peaky Blinders. The vicious
merciless gangs who blind those who
see and cut out the tongues of
those who talk.
He stares down at the lines of officers...
CAMPBELL
40.
You are worse than them. Those of
you who have been taking their
bribes these years since the war.
Those of you who have looked the
other way, you are worse than them.
A pause before Campbell yells...
CAMPBELL
God damn you for soiling your
uniforms!!
There is a terrified silence.
CAMPBELL
Then there are the Communists. And
the IRA Fenians. Blacker hearts
still. They feed on the puss of all
this corruption like maggots in a
corpse. And like maggots, if they
are left to swell they will
eventually swarm like flies and
spread their rotten philosophy
across the country and across the
world.
His voice echoes to silence.
CAMPBELL
Those then are our enemies. A three
headed beast. It is my job to
decapitate each one and by God I
will do it.
CAMPBELL
I don’t trust any one of you until
you earn my trust and it takes some
earning.
He nods at the door and a uniformed officer opens it. To
Moss and everyone’s astonishment a line of twenty hard
looking men in heavy boots and working clothes march into
the room. They stare straight ahead, most with their
sleeves rolled up ready for work.
Their heavy boots drum on the wooden floor and Campbell
stares down on them with a watchful eye.
CAMPBELL
These are the new men who will be
bolstering your ranks. Good men.
From God fearing families.
41.
The men begin to form a line on the stage behind Campbell
and stare straight ahead.
CAMPBELL
They will be sworn in and in
uniform before the sun sets. By
sunrise tomorrow, they will be on
the streets.
A pause.
CAMPBELL
God help those who stand in our
way.
27 INT. PENNY CRUSH CINEMA, FOYER - DAY 3 - 10:45 27
Saturday 8th February - The queue has already formed and is
growing for a Charlie Chaplin film, snaking out through the
entrance door.
Then we see Arthur Shelby with a woman on each arm, both
dressed for fun. Arthur is leading them, chest puffed out,
straight through toward the cinema auditorium...
ARTHUR
You see ladies? When you’re with a
Blinder you don’t have to queue.
As Arthur disappears into the cinema, he doesn’t notice a
double line of four Specials marching at quick-march time
towards the entrance door of the cinema.
28 INT. PENNY CRUSH CINEMA, AUDITORIUM - DAY 3 - 10:46 28
Inside the otherwise empty auditorium, we find Arthur with
the two women taking their seats.
ARTHUR
Right, I want a blow job off both
of you before they let the ordinary
people in.
The women laugh but right then the double doors of the
cinema burst open and the Specials, including Sergeant MOSS
pour in.
They grab Arthur roughly by the arms...
ARTHUR
42.
Eh? What the fuck are you
doing?!...
Arthur fights but the Specials quickly and efficiently pin
his arms up his back. The women scatter and the Specials
lead Arthur away...
ARTHUR
Oi!! I’m Arthur Shelby!! I am
Arthur fucking Shelby!!
The policemen are brutal and fast. They slam Arthur into
the frame of the door before dragging him into the light...
29 INT. POLICE STATION, EMPTY ROOM - DAY 3 - 11:30 29
Arthur is hurled against the wall of a bare room. In the
van he has been given a brutal beating. His face is bloody
and bruised. He is in shock and in agony. Two officers grab
him and sit him down in a hard backed chair.
Arthur almost passes out and rolls onto the floor but one
of the policeman shoves him back in place. Arthur groans
with pain and rage.
Then Chief Inspector Campbell strolls into the room. He has
his cane in his hand and he stops to lean on it as he
stares at Arthur’s bloody face.
CAMPBELL
Arthur Shelby.
Arthur’s words hang limply...
ARTHUR
What de huck...
Campbell whacks Arthur across the face with his cane.
CAMPBELL
Lead pack dog of the Peaky
Blinders.
Campbell gestures at one of the officers who produces the
cap which Arthur was wearing. Campbell studies the peak,
the razor blades sewn in place.
CAMPBELL
Your uniform, yes?
Arthur is breathing hard, bleeding from many wounds.
43.
Campbell roughly shoves the cap onto Arthur’s head and
peers at him.
CAMPBELL
Terrifying, I’m sure.
He turns to a uniformed officer - Sergeant MOSS.
CAMPBELL
Did he have a gun?
MOSS
(Local accent)
No gun Sir. Knife in his sock. Cosh
in his belt.
Campbell nods and patrols.
CAMPBELL
Mr Shelby, I want you to see this
as me introducing myself to you. Do
you understand?
Campbell patrols some more.
CAMPBELL
In all the world the only thing
that interests me is the truth.
He stops and studies Arthur. He comes close and stares deep
into his groggy eyes.
CAMPBELL
What do you know about the robbery?
Arthur is confused and blinks away blood.
ARTHUR
What robbery?
Campbell studies him for a moment then grabs his hand in a
lock and begins to twist his thumb back. Arthur growls in
pain.
CAMPBELL
I will ask you again. What do you
know about the robbery?
Arthur is strong and instinctively twists his hand free
with a yell but in the process his thumb breaks at the hand
joint.
He growls in agony and is breathing hard.
44.
Campbell grabs the tip of the thumb and holds it steady.
Arthur holds his breath then splutters...
ARTHUR
I swear to God I don’t know what
you’re talking about. What robbery?
Campbell studies Arthur and we sense a keen intuition. He
delicately lets go of his thumb.
CAMPBELL
After thirty five years of dealing
with animals like you, I can tell
just by sniffing the air whether or
not you are lying.
Arthur is cursing his broken thumb...
ARTHUR
I’m not fucking lying!
CAMPBELL
(Softly)
I know.
Arthur slowly looks up and gets his breath through pain.
CAMPBELL
I see nothing of interest behind
the blood in your eyes. And no
blood in your veins that could
carry even a trace of cunning or
guile. So...
Campbell straightens. He patrols again.
CAMPBELL
Understand this. It is well within
my power to have you and the rest
of your scum family face down in
the canal before the year is out.
He turns sharply. A long pause.
CAMPBELL
Alternatively, we can help each
other.
Even through agony, Arthur is taken by surprise. Campbell
smiles.
45.
30 INT. GARRISON PUB - DAY 3 - 12:30 30
It is Saturday lunchtime. The place is heaving with men,
some of them wearing blue scarfs. Beer is flying over the
bar and the talk is loud. A piano plays. Smoke swirls.
Grace is learning the ropes but she is already pulling
pints with aplomb. Harry brushes by...
GRACE
Is it always this busy on a
daytime?
Harry pulls a pint beside her...
HARRY
No. These boys are all on their way
to St. Andrews.
GRACE
To pray?
Harry chuckles.
HARRY
That’ll be the day. St. Andrews is
a football ground. The Blues are
playing.
Harry gestures at a group of four men, drinking beer and
smoking near the door...
HARRY
That’s the forward line and the
goalie believe it or not.
Harry takes his pint to his customer. Grace hears a tap on
one of the small windows to the private snug bar and
hurries to it.
She opens the small, frosted window. She comes face-to-face
with Thomas. Grace and Thomas peer at each other. There is
a crackle of electricity. After a moment...
THOMAS
I need a bottle of Rum.
Grace double takes. Harry has glimpsed who she is serving
and looks anxious. He calls out...
HARRY
Grace? Whatever it is, it’s on the
house.
46.
Grace is a little thrown. Thomas is putting coins on the
bar...
GRACE
A whole bottle?
Thomas looks up at her, his eyes shaded. She stammers...
GRACE
White rum or dark?
THOMAS
I don’t care.
Grace nods anxiously and turns around to the spirit
cupboard.
Thomas watches her and sees anxiety. She finds a bottle of
dark Rum and puts it onto the bar.
GRACE
Harry said on the house.
Thomas pushes the coins forward then peers at Grace.
THOMAS
Are you a whore?
Grace is astonished. Thomas stares at her.
THOMAS
Because if you’re not, you’re in
the wrong place.
Thomas takes the bottle of rum and leaves. Grace watches
him go. Harry hurries to her and Grace catches her
breath...
GRACE
He’s one of the ones you told me
about.
Harry quickly closes the frosted window and locks it.
HARRY
Grace, you’re a friendly girl but
be careful. If I say ‘on the house’
say nothing to whoever you’re
serving. If they decide they want
you there’s nothing anybody could
do about it.
Harry swigs a beer.
47.
HARRY
Lucky for you, since he got back
from France, Tommy doesn’t want
anybody at all.
31 INT. SHELBY HOME, PARLOUR - DAY 3 - 12:35 31
Arthur is sitting on a hard-backed chair, groaning in pain.
John and Polly are there and Ada is boiling water on the
open fire.
ADA
John, wipe the blood out of his
eye.
JOHN
Since when did you give orders?
Ada squeezes a cloth....
ADA
I’m a trained nurse.
ARTHUR
Don’t make me laugh, it hurts my
face.
ADA
I bloody am.
JOHN
You went to one first aid class in
the church hall and got thrown out
for giggling.
ADA
Not before learning how to stop
somebody from choking.
ARTHUR
I’m not choking.
ADA
You will be when I wrap this cloth
round your neck.
Thomas enters with the bottle of rum. The mood darkens...
48.
He grabs a cloth and soaks it in the rum. We sense
battlefield training is kicking in as he applies the spirit
to the worst of Arthur’s wounds. Arthur already has his
thumb strapped with tape. Thomas is close to Arthur. Arthur
drinks some more, the sting of the alcohol hurting his
mouth.
ARTHUR
He said Mr Churchill sent him to
Birmingham.
Ada brings a bowl of boiling water to the table.
ARTHUR
National interest, he said. He said
there’d been a robbery.
Polly turns sharply to glare at Thomas. Thomas steps back,
not reacting.
ARTHUR
He said he wants us to help him.
John is offended...
JOHN
We don’t help coppers.
ARTHUR
He knew all about our war records.
He said we’re patriots like him.
Ada has soaked a cloth in hot water and holds it onto
another wound...
ARTHUR
He said he wants us to be his eyes
and ears.
Arthur brushes Ada aside and peers at Thomas.
ARTHUR
I told him we’d have a family
meeting and a vote.
The two men stare at each other. Thomas says nothing.
Arthur takes another swig...
ARTHUR
Why not? We have no truck with
communists. Or Fenians.
Polly and Thomas are silent but Arthur is studying Thomas.
49.
ARTHUR
What the fuck is wrong with you?
Polly, what is wrong with him
lately?
Polly peers at Thomas for a moment.
POLLY
If I knew, I’d buy the cure from
Compton’s Chemists.
Thomas grabs his coat...
THOMAS
Arthur, you’re broken up pretty
bad.
He pulls his coat on, leaves. Arthur growls but his wounds
stop him from leaving his chair. Polly calls out...
POLLY
Tommy!
Thomas has already gone.
32 EXT. GARRISON LANE - DAY 3 - 12:40 32
We find Jimmy Jesus walking along the pavement near to the
Garrison, stopping every few paces to pick up cigarette
ends.
He drops each one into a small sack he has slung over his
shoulder.
As he walks, he hears a voice from an alley.
THOMAS
Hey Jimmy.
Jimmy ducks into the alley to join Thomas, who gives him a
cigarette and a light.
THOMAS
Jimmy, what do you see?
Jimmy blows smoke...
JIMMY JESUS
I see lots of new coppers in shiny
coats.
50.
THOMAS (SOFTLY)
Who do you see talking to them?
JIMMY JESUS
The silver back coppers don’t talk
to anybody. They’re looking for
something.
Thomas looks around...
THOMAS
Do they say what?
JIMMY JESUS
The ranks don’t know. They’ve just
been told to search cellars and out
houses.
Thomas hands Jimmy a ten shilling note. Jimmy studies him.
JIMMY JESUS
What’s happening Tommy?
Thomas hands Jimmy the pack of cigarettes.
THOMAS
Keep your eyes open and your mouth
shut.
Jimmy suddenly stands erect and salutes Thomas...
JIMMY JESUS
Yes Sir Sergeant Major.
The salute suggests Jimmy is a veteran too. Thomas doesn’t
salute back but instead walks away.
33 EXT. WATERY LANE - NIGHT 3 - 00:30 33
We’re outside the Shelby Home on Watery Lane.
34 INT. SHELBY HOME, THOMAS’ ROOM - NIGHT 3 - 00:30 34
The bedroom has a bay window overlooking the street
outside.
Gas light flickers from outside through net curtains. The
factories work all through the night and we hear the boom
of the giant steam hammers and see the flashes from the
steel foundries.
51.
Thomas is in restless sleep in a plain bed, with a water
jug and a bottle of whisky on the bedside table. The thud
of industry makes for a restless mood in the room and
Thomas mumbles under his breath.
Then he wakes with a start, breathing hard. He looks around
the room with incomprehension for a long time before coming
to himself. His hands are shaking and his eyes are wild.
He gets to his feet and hurries to a drawer. He pulls out a
small, white clay pipe and a red velvet bag (similar to the
one the chinese girl used).
From the bag he pours a palm full of brown opium.
He feverishly pours the opium into the pipe then lights a
match. He puts flame to the opium and draws. Then he blows
a cloud of smoke.
He slowly eases into the opium and takes some big breaths
of smoke. He goes to the window and pulls open the curtain
to look out over Montague Street. The terraces are all
sleeping in moonlight. Thomas looks deeply sad as he stares
out over his kingdom through his trailing smoke.
Then footsteps. Thomas sees two policemen, both wearing
shiny capes, walking down the cobbled street carrying long
coshes. The sight of them seems to take Thomas by surprise
and he stares down as they pass under his window.
One of the officers stops and peers up at the window,
apparently knowing who lives at that address. The two
policemen share a joke and one of them drags his finger
across his throat in a warning gesture to Thomas.
Thomas reacts. The challenge seems to spark a reaction. His
face hardens and he speaks softly to the departing
police...
THOMAS
See you in No-Man’s land boys.
35 EXT. LITTLE ITALY - DAY 4 - 10:00 35
Sunday 9th February - The neighborhood of Nechells Green
has several streets occupied by Italian immigrants. It has
recently stopped raining, and the street is full of kids
and looks like all the streets, but the shop signs are in
Italian and the language being yelled out by children is
Italian too.
52.
Sharply dressed Italian men and their families walk down a
stretch of houses and shops. Cigarettes are lit and
greetings are made. Newspapers blow around (with headlines
about strikes and wage cuts). It is a pleasant, colorful
scene...
Then, a man walking fast, wipes shot.
We join him and realize it is Danny Whizz Bang. He is
wearing just a suit jacket over a collarless shirt. We come
close to his face beneath his hat and hear him mumbling...
DANNY
Got to go bang, got to go bang...
He is not looking where he is going and clatters into a
metal table and chairs outside a small ITALIAN CAFE.
Chairs lean against two other tables, still stacked
following the recent rain. The cafe is closed and has its
blinds down.
Danny curses the tables and chairs and untangles his feet.
He stares like a mad man all around. He then picks up a
metal chair and hurls it to the ground.
Almost immediately, a waiter appears from inside the cafe.
WAITER
Hey, what you do? We’re closed.
Danny stares at him with wild eyes. He growls and turns
over another metal table. The waiter is a small guy but
he’s not scared. He pulls a small stiletto from the back of
his belt.
WAITER
Go home crazy man.
Danny stares at the knife. He breaths hard. Then he
suddenly yells...
DANNY WHIZZBANG
Fix bayonets!!!
He hurls himself at the waiter, grabs the knife, twists it
around and plunges it into the waiter’s chest. The waiter
grips Danny’s jacket with a death grip before falling into
the bloody rain. Danny stares, realizes, then walks.
36 EXT. TRAIN STATION, PLATFORM - DAY 4 - 11:43 36
53.
A steam train is waiting at platform five. Passengers are
alighting and boarding. We hear an announcement...
ANNOUNCEMENT
The train at platform five is the
Manchester Piccadilly bound 11.45
originating from London Euston.
It’s departure will be delayed by
fifteen minutes.
Through the crowd we see Campbell, dressed smartly, a top
hat on his head, hurrying toward the first class carriages.
Then we see Campbell approaching the Pullman car at the
front of the First Class section. Two plain clothes
detectives guard the door of the carriage and they check
Campbell’s papers before allowing him to board.
37 INT. PULLMAN CARRIAGE, TRAIN STATION - DAY 4 - 11:44 37
The carriage has been turned into an office, with no lack
of luxury.
Campbell is stopped by a DETECTIVE and briefly searched. He
is then shown through to the main carriage.
There is a well stocked drinks cabinet and a large desk.
There is thick cigar smoke and we see a pudgy man in pin
stripes working at the desk.
This is WINSTON CHURCHILL.
Campbell is introduced by one of the detectives...
DETECTIVE
Secretary of State, this is Chief
Inspector Campbell.
Campbell removes his hat and WINSTON CHURCHILL stands to
shake hands. Like many bullies, Campbell is awed by power.
CAMPBELL
Mr Churchill, may I say what a
great honour it is to meet you.
Churchill smiles and sits....
CHURCHILL
Bit of a whistle stop tour. Love
the hat by the way.
54.
CAMPBELL
Thank you. It’s beaver.
CHURCHILL
So how are you settling in?
CAMPBELL
I have set up a command network. I
have agents in place across the
city who will act as my eyes and
ears. I have begun to interrogate
suspects vigorously.
Churchill checks some papers (Campbell’s CV)...
CHURCHILL
You were in Belfast. I understand
you broke a few Fenian hearts
there.
CAMPBELL
A rat’s nest Sir.
Churchill peers out of the window...
CHURCHILL
So who do you think stole the guns?
Fenians or Communists?
Campbell begins to speak like a preacher, a mantra...
CAMPBELL
If it is IRA Fenians I will find
them and find the guns. If it is
Communists I will find them and
find the guns. If it is common
criminals I will find them and find
the guns. To me there are no
distinctions between any of the
above.
Churchill studies Campbell and is almost amused by him.
CHURCHILL
We chose you because you are
effective.
Churchill offers a cigar but Campbell declines...
CHURCHILL
55.
But remember this, Mr Campbell.
This is England, not Belfast.
Bodies thrown into rivers, wash up
in the papers here. We must keep
the existence of these stolen guns
out of the papers otherwise we will
simply be advertising them for
sale.
Campbell nods acceptance.
CHURCHILL
If there are bodies to be buried,
dig holes and dig them deep.
The platform whistle blows and Churchill closes his file...
CHURCHILL
I want everything accounted for
down to the last bullet.
38 INT. GARRISON PUB - NIGHT 4 - 20:30 38
It’s dark outside and the place is packed with drunk and
happy men.
Grace is standing on a make-shift stage near to the pub
piano and she is singing ‘The Boy I Love’, a sweet romantic
ballad with a lilting rhythm. The men in the pub are
singing along or swapping raucous laughter with the handful
of young prostitutes who hang out in pairs among the men.
Grace’s voice is strong and Harry peers at her with
admiration. The song continues for a while and then the pub
door opens. First John and then Thomas enter. All heads
turn away. Men peer into their beer and all the men stop
singing.
But Grace continues to sing.
Thomas stands near to the door, peering up at Grace. The
pianist stops playing. Even then Grace continues to sing.
There is silence apart from the song and Grace’s voice
falters only a little. She is nervous but somehow her
momentum keeps her going.
John waits for Thomas to decide his reaction. Thomas’s eyes
are shaded. He stares without expression and now it’s as if
the song is directed at him. Grace concludes her song...
GRACE
56.
The boy I love is up in the
gallery....
We come close on Thomas’s face...
GRACE
As pretty as a robin. As gentle as
a dove.
Then silence. Finally, Harry dares to speak up.
HARRY
We haven’t had singing in here
since the war.
Thomas glares up at Harry. After a moment.
THOMAS
Why do you think that is?
Thomas leads his brother to their own private snug bar and
the door slams behind them.
39 EXT. FREDDIE THORNE’S GARRET - NIGHT 4 - 20:45 39
Freddie lives in one room in a tenement. From outside,
through a metal grill window and through skipping children
we hear the sound of sex.
40 INT. FREDDIE THORNE’S GARRET - NIGHT 4 - 20:47 40
The room is functional and the walls lined with books,
mostly revolutionary literature. There is a single bed in
which Freddie and Ada are just recovering from sex. Freddie
lights a cigarette and shares it with Ada. We can hear
children playing outside. After a moment...
FREDDIE
So did Arthur say what kind of deal
this new copper offered him?
Ada turns angrily to Freddie.
ADA
The second your balls are empty
it’s back onto politics.
She gets out of bed and begins to dress, the cigarette
smouldering in her mouth. Freddie half smiles...
FREDDIE
57.
What did Tommy say?
Ada grabs a black mourning dress from the back of a chair.
She begins to dress with anger which Freddie knows will
pass...
ADA
He didn’t say anything. You know
what he’s like.
A pause. Freddie thinks fondly...
FREDDIE
Yeah, I know what he’s like. He
likes to take his fights onto the
mud. Doesn’t like to stand and
wait.
Ada turns to Freddie.
ADA
You know what he’d do if he found
out about us.
FREDDIE
(Calm, defiant)
He could try.
Ada turns back sharply (her black dress in her hand).
ADA
Sometimes it’s like you’re with me
to show you can.
Ada is about to pull on her black mourning dress but
Freddie takes her arms. He addresses her in a broken
mirror.
FREDDIE
One day me and Tommy will be on the
same side again.
Ada stares at his reflection.
ADA
Yeah. When you become a bookie.
Freddie laughs and embraces her from behind. He reaches for
a large black hat with a black veil, the kind worn by women
in mourning and common on the streets after the war. We
realize this is Ada’s disguise. He offers it to Ada...
58.
FREDDIE
There sister. Thanks for coming.
Ada half smiles.
ADA
I must be the only girl ever who
had to wear a black widow dress to
get to wear a white one.
She looks hopefully at Freddie. Freddie just smiles.
41 EXT. CHARLIE STRONG’S YARD - NIGHT 4 - 21:30 41
We find Curly and Charlie hauling heavy crates onto a coal
barge. They are in a hurry. We watch the work for a while
and see the gun cases as they are being loaded.
Charlie drops a sack into the hold of the boat then turns
to see Thomas entering the yard. Charlie joins Thomas at
the fire.
CHARLIE
They are aboard. There’s no Moon.
We can take them out to the turning
point beyond Gas Street and leave
them on the bank. They’ll be found
by railwaymen first thing.
Charlie nods and warms his hands on the flames. He responds
to Tommy’s silence and gets uneasy.
CHARLIE
Is that agreement?
A pause. Factories pound in the night...
THOMAS
(Softly)
I changed my mind.
A pause.
CHARLIE
You what?
THOMAS
(Flat)
I have an alternative strategy.
59.
Thomas takes a set of three large iron keys from his pocket
and offers them to Charlie. (We might realize, in the fire
light, Charlie feared something like this).
THOMAS
Tell Curly to take her out to the
old tobacco wharf. There’s a lock
up mooring we used to keep
cigarettes. He knows it.
Charlie stares at Thomas with horror, not taking the keys.
THOMAS
When the boat leaves your yard it’s
no longer your concern.
CHARLIE
(Firmly)
Have you lost your fucking mind?
Thomas lays the keys aside to light a cigarette....
CHARLIE
Have you not seen the streets?
They’ve sent an army to find these
things...
THOMAS
(Calm)
That’s right. They’ve shown their
hand...
CHARLIE
(Incredulous)
Their hand?
Thomas speaks almost as if he has rehearsed his
rationalization...
THOMAS
If they want them back this bad,
they’ll have to pay. That’s the way
of the world. Fortune drops
something valuable in your lap, you
don’t just dump it on the bank of
the cut.
Charlie stares at Thomas with disbelief...
CHARLIE
60.
You’re blood Tommy. I’ve always
looked out for you like a dad.
You’re going to bring holy hell
down on your head. This copper
takes no prisoners...
A half smile appears on Thomas’s face.
THOMAS
I’m told he didn’t serve.
A pause.
THOMAS
Reserved occupation.
Charlie peers at Thomas as if he is slowly realizing
something...
CHARLIE
It’s another war you’re looking for
Tommy?
Thomas finishes his cigarette and puts the bunch of keys in
Charlie’s top pocket.
THOMAS
The tobacco wharf. By order of the
Peaky Blinders.
42 EXT. MUSEUM - DAY 5 - 10:55 42
Monday 10th February - Campbell enters the museum.
43 INT. MUSEUM, STATUE ROOM - DAY 5 - 10:59 43
Campbell is wandering among the statues. The museum is
sparsely attended. He checks his watch. After a moment,
Grace walks by.
Campbell looks straight ahead as he talks...
CAMPBELL
Are you in position?
GRACE
I am in, Sir.
A shock. Grace works for Campbell (we might recall him
telling Churchill that he had agents in the field).
61.
CAMPBELL
Your first impressions.
Grace takes a moment...
GRACE
I am quite shocked at how these
people live.
Campbell looks grave...
CAMPBELL
As you know Grace, I was opposed to
the use of female operatives in the
beginning. But Belfast proved their
worth.
Grace seems keen to divert the flattery...
GRACE
Have you found anything out that
might help me?
CAMPBELL
I interrogated the head of the
Peaky Blinders. He didn’t know
anything. A brute. His gang may
even prove useful to us.
GRACE
It strikes me that it isn’t Arthur
who heads the Shelby family. It is
the younger one...
A pause.
GRACE
Thomas.
Grace nods as Campbell glances at her briefly.
GRACE
They say he won two medals for
gallantry in the War.
Campbell squeezes the end of his moustache...
CAMPBELL
You sound fascinated.
GRACE
(Ignoring)
62.
However, my opinion has not
changed. The bookmaker gangs have
other business and the communists
are too weak to have planned this.
I believe the guns were taken by
the IRA.
Campbell nods gently.
CAMPBELL
You must not let your history cloud
your judgement.
GRACE
(Knowing)
What history?
Silence as someone passes. Grace continues wearily...
GRACE
That the IRA murdered my father
will not affect my judgement.
Campbell hears but doesn’t quite believe. He hands her a
slip of paper with a list of serial numbers and speaks
softly.
CAMPBELL
If you see a gun, check the serial
numbers against this list.
Campbell turns to go, checking his watch. Then he stops and
smiles at Grace.
CAMPBELL
Your father was the finest officer
I ever worked with. I know he would
be very, very proud of you.
He drifts away. Grace seems to be deeply affected by
mention of her father but holds it all in check...
44 EXT. GRAND UNION CANAL - DAY 5 - 18:00 44
We find Leo, the Italian cafe owner, and another Italian
guy, standing on the tow path. They are dressed in black
suits and overcoats.
Behind them, we see a black coal barge slowly motoring up
the canal toward them. Leo reacts to someone crossing the
canal bridge.
63.
We see Thomas, escorting Danny Whizz Bang.
Thomas and Danny come down to the tow path a hundred yards
from where Leo and his friend are standing. Thomas is
wearing his cap and a long black coat.
We come close to Thomas and Danny. Thomas speaks with grim
seriousness. Danny removes his hat and twirls it in his
hand.
THOMAS
Danny, as you know, the man you
killed was Italian. And those two
men down there are his brothers.
Danny, filled with terrible remorse, glances in their
direction. They glare murder at him.
THOMAS
Now if I let the Italians do this
they’ll cut off your manhood and
let you drain. That’s how those
bastards do things.
Danny takes a breath, stares ahead. The factories bang and
hiss.
THOMAS
So, to stop a war breaking out
between us and the Italians, and to
save you from their barbarity, I
said I would dispatch you myself.
Danny nods, already expecting this.
THOMAS
They are here to witness.
Thomas offers Danny a cigarette and he takes it with
shaking hands. Thomas lights his cigarette. Danny takes a
big draw.
DANNY
I died over there anyway Tommy. I
left my fucking brains in the mud.
THOMAS
Yeah. You have any last requests,
comrade?
Danny takes a heavy breath.
DANNY
64.
You’ll look out for my Rosie and my
boys.
Thomas nods as he smokes.
DANNY
See they get apprenticeships. At
the BSA factory or the Austen.
They’ll make foremen. I know they
will. Just ordinary. Just ordinary
men. And they won’t get told to do
that shit, that shit, that shit we
got told to do.
Thomas nods gently. Danny peers at Thomas with tears in his
eyes.
DANNY
I suppose I ought to pray now.
Thomas looks away. The black coal barge is getting closer.
DANNY
Those fucking guns blew God right
out of my head.
Danny bows his head and fights tears. He hears the
squelching tread of the horse approaching.
DANNY
Is that boat for me?
Thomas nods...
THOMAS
We have to get your body out of the
city. This new copper, you know...
Danny nods.
DANNY
Don’t bury me anywhere where
there’s mud. Ok? Promise me. Bury
me on a hill. And tell Rosie where.
Thomas nods then pulls his Webley revolver from his pocket.
Danny’s eyes squeeze closed and his fists clench. Thomas
holds out his hand to shake. Danny shakes it.
THOMAS
You were a good man and a good
soldier.
65.
DANNY
Yes Sergeant Major.
Danny folds his hands over his belt and lowers his head.
The boat is almost alongside. Danny closes his eyes. Thomas
holds up the gun for the Italian brothers to see. He then
puts it to Danny’s temple...
THOMAS
(Softly)
In the bleak midwinter.
Danny nods. The boat is alongside. Thomas pulls the trigger
(and as he does, he kicks the backs of Danny’s knees.)
There is a splash of blood and brains on Thomas’s face.
Danny falls face first onto the deck of the boat as it
passes.
Thomas wipes the blood from his face and looks down at the
Italian brothers. They turn and walk away and Thomas walks
away in the opposite direction.
As he walks we see no emotion on his face.
45 INT. BETTING SHOP - NIGHT 5 - 20:20 45
Thomas enters through the customer entrance. He sits down,
lights a cigarette and opens a newspaper onto the racing
page. He studies the racing results. Outside we hear
children playing.
Then Arthur bursts in. His face is scarlet with rage, his
wounds still healing. He has a newspaper of his own in his
big meaty hand and he slaps it...
ARTHUR
(Furious)
It bloody won!
Tommy doesn’t look up from his paper.
ARTHUR
Monaghan Boy bloody won!
Thomas finally turns to Arthur. He has a deep, deadly look
on his face.
THOMAS
Yeah. It won.
A pause.
66.
THOMAS
And word will spread. So next time
we do the powder trick it won’t
just be the Garrison that’ll bet on
the horse, it’ll be the whole of
Small Heath. And you know what? The
horse will win again.
Thomas confronts Arthur, toe-to-toe...
THOMAS
And the third time we do it we’ll
have the whole of Birmingham
betting on it. A thousand quid bet
on the magic horse. And that time,
when we are ready, the horse will
lose.
They stare into each other’s eyes. Then, without diverting
his gaze, Thomas reaches out and grabs the rum bottle from
Arthur’s desk.
THOMAS
Have a drink and think about it
Arthur.
Thomas turns and leaves through the drape curtain. Arthur
considers the bottle.
46 EXT. CANAL TOW PATH, TUNNEL - NIGHT 5 - 20:30 46
The coal barge is moored. If we didn’t know the grim truth,
this would be a rural idyll.
After a moment, we see Charlie getting back onboard the
boat, carrying a shovel. We assume he has disposed of
Danny’s body.
Then, suddenly, Danny Whizz Bang emerges from the hold. He
is a little dazed and has just washed his face of blood.
CHARLIE
You ok Danny?
Charlie stows the shovel (he just went for a latrine
break).
DANNY
I’m still in shock. You’re sure
this isn’t heaven?
CHARLIE
67.
(smiling)
If it was heaven, what would I be
doing here? Tommy wanted you to
think it was real to try to knock
some sense into you.
Danny rubs his woozy head.
DANNY
A shell full of sheep brains hurts
pretty bad.
CHARLIE
It was meant to.
They prepare to set off.
DANNY
So where are you taking me?
CHARLIE
London. Tommy has a little job for
you. Give you chance to say thanks.
You’re a Peaky Blinder now Danny.
The boat glides from its mooring. Danny now looks to be
filled with foreboding.
47 INT. SHELBY HOUSE - NIGHT 5 - 20:40 47
Aunt Polly is polishing a big brass pot and we see her face
in the uncertain reflection in the brass. She hears someone
entering the house. Aunt Polly prepares herself. Thomas
enters and produces a wad of notes and two bags of coins
which he places on the table.
Polly takes the bag of coins and weighs it in her hand.
POLLY
A bad week.
Thomas removes his hat, sits down, rubs his eyes wearily.
Polly begins to count the money and speaks casually, hiding
her anxiety...
POLLY
There was no Moon last night. I
looked.
Thomas lights a cigarette...
68.
POLLY
Did you do the right thing?
THOMAS
(Firmly)
Yes. I did the right thing.
Polly stops counting and stares at him. She can read him
like a book.
Thomas turns and leaves. In Polly’s face we read that she
knows Thomas didn’t dispose of the guns. She reacts and
peers at the pile of coins. She knows there are dangerous
times to come.
48 EXT. GARRISON LANE - NIGHT 5 - 20:45 48
We hear the song ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ as we follow
Thomas walking through his kingdom. We are close on his
face, looking for reaction. He is resolved. He walks past
the Garrison...
As he walks, Grace peers out from inside the pub and
watches him go.
THE END