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Suffragette (2015)
Women do not have the
calmness of temperament or the balance of mind to exercise judgment in political affairs. If we allow women to vote, it will mean the loss of social structure. Women are well represented by their fathers, brothers, husbands. Once the vote was given, it would be impossible to stop at this. Women would then demand the rights of becoming MPs, cabinet ministers, judges. Maud, take this up the West End. It's meant to be there by 6:00. Deliveries should have picked it up. Votes for women! Votes for women! Votes for women! Victory will be ours! Votes for women! Victory! Votes for women! Is George sleeping? Yeah. Mrs. Garston fed him bread and jam. You all right? It's late. Taylor sent me up to town. - Have a look. - It's nothing. I got caught in a scuffle. There were loads of those women shouting. Broke all the windows on the West End. I'll deliver that package for you in the morning. - You coming to bed? - I'm just gonna get this done. Arms up. Arms up. You keep doing that, you're never gonna get it on. Here's the slippers. All right, dear. Oh, come here. Be good. Come on, you lot. Oi, Mrs. Miller! Mrs. Miller! - Don't you ignore me. - Sorry, Mr. Taylor. - Late again? - Oh, I'm fairly late. I'm... Shut your mouth. You listen to me. That's the second time you've been late and you've only been here three weeks. - I haven't been late... - Don't answer me back. This is what I'm telling you. - I'm sorry. - You want me to dismiss you? Is that it? No. No, Mr. Taylor. No, sir, I don't. - I won't be late tomorrow. - Well, you pull your finger out. Drive belt's loose again. It was checked on Friday, Maud. You can smell burning. I'd check 'em all. Get your toolbox! Check the drive belt on number six! Ta. We meet Mondays and Thursdays, if you're interested. The Ellyns pharmacy. Hey, Maud. That package get to Barclays yesterday? George had his chest again. Sonny took it up for me this morning. You ready? This is my oldest. Maggie. Hello, Maggie. It is men who have all legal rights over our children. It is men who control our economic existence. Who's that? MP's wife. Mrs. Haughton. She's here at Christmas giving out tangerines to the children. And the prime minister, Mr. Asquith, has agreed to a hearing of testimonies of working women up and down the country. We have an opportunity to demonstrate that as women are equal to men in their labors, so they should be equal to men in their right to vote. You've never labored in your life. This is your moment to come forward and speak up, and I will choose one person from this laundry to deliver their testimony at the House of Commons. These will be heard by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Lloyd George. No one cares, love. Some of us do, Mrs. Coleman, so shut your bleeding cake-hole. Hear, hear. Thank you for your support. Votes for women. Ladies, votes for women. The power is in your hands. - Thank you, ladies. - Oh, go home. Votes for women. Thank you. Mommy! Mommy! Hello, kids. Give me half a moment. Are you gonna give your testimony then? Mr. Taylor's a good employer. - To you he is. - Take that back. I can't take back what I see. - You've been here less than a month. - And? I've been doing laundry work ever since I was 13. Maggie's only 12, and she's in here already. It's as tough for us women as it's ever been. We've got to do whatever we can, however we can. What, like smashing windows? It's not respectable. Strangle what's respectable. You want me to respect the law, then make the law respectable. So, Georgie... Georgie, this is six. Yeah? You ready? You watching? You got yours. You see Mrs. Haughton today? Wants some of the women to go to Parliament. She thinks we should be paid more. On her high horse again. Say good night to the king, George. Good night, sir. Good boy. Come on. Now, young sir, can you give me a big breath in, please? Ah. Good boy. And out. And now another big one, please. And big breath out. Good boy. And a big breath in. Oh, yes. Here comes the 11:00 just passing through the tunnel. Good. It's on time. Uh... He's all right. Good boy. You're a suffragette, Mrs. Ellyn? Yes, but I consider myself more of a soldier, Mrs. Watts. These women's testimonies make a difference? Maybe. But as Mrs. Pankhurst says, "It's deeds, not words that will get us the vote." Make up a combination. Now, George, do you like barley sugar? Afternoon. Are the others here yet? Uh, no. Not yet. But you can go through. Plenty of steam. Couple of drops in the water, twice daily. Keep him warm. No, no. No charge. - Good-bye. - Thank you. - Thank you, Mr. Ellyn. - Mrs. Watts. Come on. Let's get you wrapped up. Superintendent Burrill. Mr. Haughton, thank you for coming here. This is Inspector... Inspector Sneed. Benedict Haughton, Home Office. I'm reliably informed that you have considerable experience of surveillance within the Special Branch. I've gathered intelligence on various anarchists, sir, including Fenian agitators in Liverpool and Manchester. I can show you. Employment of these cameras would be the first of its kind in the country. They are considerably more advanced than anything we've used before. Thank you. Compact enough to be used without a tripod. It means we can operate them covertly on the streets. Right. Let's start with Mrs. Edith Ellyn. Chief commandant. She's clever. Been arrested nine times, incarcerated four. She's educated without scruples, which makes her particularly dangerous. It's worth noting her husband, Mr. Hugh Ellyn. Pharmacist. He's been incarcerated twice for abetting his wife's activities. Fully paid-up member of the Men's League. Here's an old hand... Mrs. Violet Miller. She moves around a lot. Been arrested a number of times. Incarcerated twice. Spits out children. Husband's a violent drunk. She agitates. Gets her hands dirty. She'll be using her zeal to recruit. To justify the unjustifiable. Now, who's this here? Um, Watts. Maud Watts. Not seen her before. - That's a good girl. Come on. Come on. - No! Get off. It'll be all right. It'll be all right. You know who I like. Get back to work. Go on. Get out of here. What did you want, Maud? Fourteen short on soap paddles. Why don't you tell acquisitions if we're short? Eh? I don't want a slipup like that to happen again, do you hear? She reminds me of you at that age. Oi, Mrs. Miller, I heard a whisper you've been chosen to deliver your testimony - to Mr. Lloyd George. - Tomorrow. Leave the vote to us men, eh, Mrs. Miller? And we'll leave you to the home. I've already made up the hours. I worked late Tuesday and Thursday. And Maggie will mop up any extra. Why don't you tell Mr. Miller I'll give you a clip round here and knock some sense into you if he won't. It'll do her some good, eh? Violet. I'll come with you tomorrow, hear you speak. Maud. What are you doing? I'm just gonna listen. We want the vote! We want the vote! Violet. Where were you? We waited... - Violet. - It's nothing. I'm all right. Mrs. Haughton's inside. Well, come on then. Oh, Mrs. Miller... Oh, my dear. Glass House Laundry next. Sheffield Weavers Union, please be ready. You'll be straight after. You cannot deliver your testimony like this. Deputations will be heard one by one. - I'm fine. - No, Mrs. Miller, you're not. Lloyd George will dismiss you and what will you say? Glass House Laundry. Maud. You speak for me. I can't. - It is written down. - No, I'm not... I'm not good at... - All you'd have to do is read it. - Please ask someone else. - Someone can do it better than I can. - You can tell them. - We have no time. - Glass House Laundry, please. - Violet... - You can do this. You can do it. You tell them. Good luck, Maud. Shall you begin, Mrs. Miller? Watts. It's Mrs. Watts, sir. Mrs. Miller isn't able to... I have her testimony. You work at the Glass House Laundry in Bethnal Green too? I was born there. Then I should like to hear your testimony. I don't know what to say. Your mother worked at the laundry? From when she was 14. She'd strapped me on her back or under the copper vats if I'd sleep. All the women did it who had babies then. Your employer allowed that? - He'd have you back as soon as you could. - He? Mr. Taylor. And does your mother still work at the laundry? She died when I was four. I see. A vat tipped. Scalded her. What of your father? Don't know him. And you've worked for Mr. Taylor... Part-time from when I was seven. Full-time from when I was 12. Don't need much schooling to laundry shirts. I was good at collars, steaming the fine lacing. Got the hands for it. I was made head washer at 17, forewoman at 20. I'm 24 now, so... You're young for such a position. Laundry work's a short life if you're a woman. And why is that? You get your aches and your chest cough, crushed fingers, leg ulcers, burns, headaches from the gas. We had one girl last year poisoned. Can't work again. Ruined her lungs. And your pay? We get 13 shillings a week, sir. For a man it's 19. And we work a third more the hours. They're outside most days on deliveries, so at least they're in the fresh air. What would the vote mean to you, Mrs. Watts? I never thought we'd get the vote, so I've never thought about what it would mean. So why are you here? The thought that we might. That this life... There is another way of living this life. Sorry. My words... I'm not... No, no. The finest eloquence is that which gets things done. Thank you, Mrs. Watts. I believe we have all that down. We shall have a response for you very soon. An amendment to the bill might just force the change towards the vote. Thank you, sir. Can we please have Sheffield Weavers Union? - You've been drinking. - Just a brandy. - Mrs. Haughton treated us. - Mrs. Haughton can afford it. I spoke, Sonny. I thought you were just gonna listen. Violet couldn't, so they asked me. I was just gonna say what she would have said, but then he asked me if I worked at laundry as well. And I just started talking. To Mr. Lloyd George. - If we got the vote... - What would you do with it, Maud? Do the same you do with yours, Sonny... exercise my rights. Exercise your rights? You're a suffragette now? - One of those Panks? - No. Mrs. Miller is. You know how they like to talk. You spend your time with her, that's what they'll call you. I'm only looking out for you, Maud. I know. That's all I've ever done. - Oi, Maud. - Violet. Mrs. Ellyn's invited you to tea. - Has she? - Yeah. She says you've gone and woken up the dinosaurs of Westminster. - Where are Mr. Ellyn's certificates? - Hmm? Oh, he hasn't any. His father passed the business to him, but he never really took to chemistry. I actually wanted to become a doctor. My father didn't approve. I'm still good at diagnosis. So you're married? Twenty-three years now. Oh, I had hoped that one day it might have read "Ellyn and daughters." One must look to the next generation. I hear you spoke well. I was thinking we could take him to the seaside this summer. Don't go drinking champagne on beer money, Maud. Arms up. Go to the pictures, Friday. Give me. Give me. Come here. Oi, Mrs. Miller. Bet you wish you were a man. - Yeah, bet you wish you weren't old. - Saucy cow. Come here. - Wish us luck. - Luck would be you'd stop this now, go to work. - Go on. - Go. - You ready? - Yeah. Here, Maud. You look the part. Shout, shout Up with your song Cry with the wind for the dawn is breaking March, march Swing you along Wide blows our banner and hope is waking - Can you see anything? - They haven't opened the doors yet. Lo, they call and glad is their word Loud and louder it swells It's him. The prime minister duly reviewed all the women's testimonies. After careful debate with a number of MPs very sympathetic to the women's cause, it was carried that there was not the evidence to support any change to the suffrage bill. What? - No votes for women then, sir? - No. No votes. But Mr. Lloyd George listened. He took it all down. A sham. A sham. It's a sham! How dare you! Liar! - Liar! - Liar! - Liar! - Shame on you, sir! Shame on you! Liar! Liar! Go on now. You've had your fun. Get back! Move back now! Come on! Go home! You won't push me back! Violet! Hey, leave her alone! Don't hurt me! No! Leave her! Leave... Get in here! Get in there! No! No! Good afternoon, Officer. Benedict Haughton. How much is bail, please? Two pound, sir. No, Benedict, you must bail all of the women. I cannot be the only one to go free. - Benedict, please. - I will not. - How much is the sum? - Two pound each. 12 to release all the women. Please, sign it. It's my money. It's my money. You're my wife. You'll act like a wife. I have humored you, Alice, thus far, but this is an outrage. Thank you. Come on. I have to fetch my son by 6:00. I'm late. He'll need his tea. You won't be home for tea. Would you like me to contact your husband, Mrs. Watts? - I picked up a suffragette last week. - I'm not a suffragette. Rough little diamond. In her bloomers, three bricks. Works for Mrs. Pankhurst directly. I asked her why she does it. She said it makes her life worth something. She's just the hod carrier. I'm not a suffragette. I'm glad. You know, they say that the way certain types of women have been acting these past few months lends a good deal of color to the argument that the mental equilibrium of the female sex is less than that of the male's. But I don't agree. There's no madness in it. They know exactly what they're doing. But my opinion doesn't matter. My job is to enforce the law, Mrs. Watts. So I'm going to give you some advice now, and I sincerely hope you take it. You serve your time now. At worst you'll get a week. Then you go home to your husband. They lied to us. They didn't lie. They promised nothing. They gave nothing. Coat. One set of stockings. Hole. Right foot. Don't be alarmed, Maud. Stay calm. We're political prisoners. We have the right to wear our own clothes. Arms up. We have the right... Please. Sorry, Georgie. Oi. Your wife is a fucking disgrace, Sonny. You should be keeping her under control. Police are bringing these bitches to their knees. At least Maud will be used to that. Come on, Maud. She's missing her boy. We've all been separated from those we love, Maud. My mother. When I was a child, I barely saw her. She worked day and night, fighting for me to be educated as my brother was. But that didn't come without a sacrifice. There's Emily. She's done more time here than any of us. She's on hunger strike. Orders from Mrs. Pankhurst are we're to follow. If they will not accept us as political prisoners, we will strike until they do. Not Maud. It's her first time here. - Emily. - Violet. We got a new member. - This is Maud. - Welcome, Maud. Faster. Move. Oh, Hugh. Welcome, Mrs. Watts. Please, come with us. I've got to go. I've got to see my son. Everyone gets one their first time, Maud. For your first incarceration. Thanks. Mrs. Miller, the escalation of violence from the police will be met with force. You will receive word. Are they in? Mrs. Garston! Sonny? - How's George? - Shh. He's asleep. I'm sorry, Sonny. Sonny, I tried to get back as quickly as I could, but they kept me there... I can't look at you. You don't know what they did to us. Us? What's it done to me and George? I had the police around. I said I didn't know anything. Got the whole street whispering. I covered for you to Taylor, but he knew. It won't happen again. - Mama. - Hi, darling. Mmm. Get back to bed! Go on, darling. I'll be there in a minute. - Now. - Go on, darling. - You eaten? - Mrs. Garston did her best. I'll make you some tea. I waited and waited for you until it was almost dawn. I was praying for you to come home. I'm back now. You won't ever shame me like that again. Go on. On your way. I've had enough of you. You've been nothing but trouble since you got here. I'll see you at home, pal. I love you. It's all right. Votes for women! Hello, Maud. Nice to see you're feeling better. Sonny tells me you've not been well. It's all right, you know? I found someone else willing to, uh, make up the hours. Mum. You wait for me here. I won't be long. Maud. Violet. There's a big gathering on Friday. They're saying she's to speak. I got to go. I can't. You can't not. If we'd had a girl, what would we have called her? Margaret. After my mother. What kind of life would she have had? Same as yours. I'm working late tonight. Intelligence confirms a growing intention to retaliate. They're putting their strategy in place. Our contact in Lewisham tells us Mrs. Pankhurst is to give an address. - When? - Any day now. We don't know where yet, but I'm sure our East London ladies will lead us there. - Emily. - Maud. It's good to see you again. You've heard her speak before? Many times. She's without fear. - Emily, Edith's waiting for us. - You made it then? Edith. You're here. We must hurry. It'll be the first time she's appeared for months. They'll be on alert to arrest her. Hello, Mrs. Pankhurst. - Good luck, Mrs. Pankhurst. - Thank you. Well done! My friends, in spite of His Majesty's Government, I am here tonight. I know the sacrifice you have made to be here. Many of you, I know, are estranged from the lives you once had. Yet, I feel your spirit tonight. For 50 years, we have labored peacefully to secure the vote for women. - We've been ridiculed, battered and ignored. - Yes. Now we have realized that deeds and sacrifice must be the order of the day. Yeah! We are fighting for a time in which every little girl born into the world will have an equal chance with her brothers. Never underestimate the power we women have - to define our own destinies. - Yes! We do not want to be lawbreakers. We want to be lawmakers. Be militant, each of you in your own way. Those of you who can break windows, break them. Those of you who can further attack the sacred idol of property, do so. We have been left with no alternative but to defy this government. If we must go to prison to obtain the vote, let it be the windows of government, not the bodies of women which shall be broken. Around the back, Maud. Around the back. I incite this meeting and all the women in Britain to rebellion. I would rather be a rebel than a slave. Don't let Mrs. Pankhurst be arrested! No surrender! - Edith. - Mrs. P. Dear Emily. This is Mrs. Watts, Mrs. Pankhurst. - Maud. - Thank you, Maud. Never surrender. Never give up the fight. Don't! Let go of me! Don't bother arresting them. Let their husbands deal with them. Drop them at their front doors. Sonny, I'm sorry. I took you on, Maud. I thought I could straighten you out. What if you don't need to? You're a mother, Maud. You're a wife. My wife. That's what you're meant to be. I'm not just that anymore. Sonny! Sonny! What are you doing? Sonny! Son... Sonny, let... What... Sonny! Sonny! - Get out! - Sonny! Let me see George! Sonny? Let me see George. Sonny. Sonny! Let me in! I wanna see George! Sonny! Hey! You're a disgrace! Right. This is it. Two and six a week. Make it two and four. The union will pay. Go on then. I'll get you some blankets and clothes from the WSPU jumble. They collect stuff for women who... I'm sorry. No, no, no, no, no. Don't cry. It aggravates them more if they see it hasn't touched you. So you practice now with me. Do it, Maud. And God shall wipe away all their tears. And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying. Neither shall there be any more pain. For the former things are passed away. Two and four a week and a bed of bleeding nails. Sweet dreams, Maudie. So Mrs. Pankhurst is briefly out of hiding. Gentlemen, this is a deliberate escalation of which the government cannot accept. Who knows what they will do next. They've been given orders to be ready. The East London branch, in particular, is to mobilize. Should we even be taking these threats seriously? I would not underestimate the threat. Neither would the prime minister. If it's to be tackled, we need to get closer in. I hope to track down those still open to persuasion and have them infiltrate and inform on the others. We've identified weaknesses in their ranks. We're hoping one of them will break. So I'm going to release these to the press. Here. Maud. You seen yourself? The shame of it. "Mrs. Pankhurst's Undesirables." It's not a bad photograph, though. I might cut it out. Put it on me wall. I want you out, Maud. After everything I've done for you. And how I've paid for it. Mr. Taylor. What are you lookin' at? Call the police! Come back, Maud! You'll walk free out of here, today. In return, you'll help me. There is information you'll pass to me. Anything you know, anything you hear, even if it's only a snippet or a piece of conversation that's of interest. Look at me. He deserved it. - If I told you... - And do you think anyone listens to a girl like you? That anyone cares? They don't. You're nothing in the world. I grew up with girls like you, Maud. People who sacrificed life for revenge and a cause. I know you. And so do they. They know how to draw on girls like you. Girls with no money, no prospects, who want things to be better. They pimp and they preen and they fluff you and they tell you you are the foot soldiers of the cause. But you're only fodder... for a battle none of you can win. I'm offering you a lifeline. Take it. Before it is too late. Come on, George. George, you're scuffing your shoes doin' that! What's the matter with you? What would your mother say? Eh? George! What am I going to do with ya? Come on. Maud? I thought you wouldn't come today. March on. - So... - Next time, get his left hand and all. It was an accident. Now, ladies, I ask you to remain vigilant while coming and going. Uh, we know we're being watched. But hopefully, they will not expect to find us here. I recognized the militant path may not be for all of you, but, well, all I ask is for you to make your decision now. Anyone who doesn't want to stay may leave. I need only those who can give their full commitment. There will be no judgment. Good. We can begin. Violet, the map, please. Now... I have marked up a map. The pillar boxes are red. The telegraph wires are green. We shall cut into the heart of communications. But remember, it is vital that no life is harmed during your activities. We shall start early, before dawn. That way the streets should be deserted. Everyone take a list of the locations. Memorize them, then burn them. We don't want them falling into the wrong hands, do we? You're it. George. George. George. Shh, shh. Mmm, darling. How slow. Georgie, you can run faster than that. - Wait, wait, wait. - Run, run, run. - No! - That's it. Come here. Unbelievable, you. - Who dressed you this morning? - Dad. Dad. You still got your nightshirt on. When you coming home? I don't know. Have you done something very bad, Mama? Don't think so. I just can't come home at the moment. Is it because of your sickness? Dad says you're not well in the head. That's not true, George. Go on. Here you are. That's for today. That's for tomorrow. And that's to save till I see you next. Off you go. George. Come inside. - Don't take him again, Maud. - Let me see him. Please. Trust you with him? After what you did to Taylor? What did Taylor do to me, Sonny? For years. George belongs to me. The law says he's mine, Maud. Where he belongs is up to me. That's the law. Dear Mr. Steed. I thought about your offer, and I have to say no. You see, I am a suffragette after all. You tell me no one listens to girls like me. Well, I can't have that anymore. All my life I've been respectful, done what men told me. I know better now. I'm worth no more, no less than you. Mrs. Pankhurst said, "If it's right for men to fight for their freedom, then it's right for women to fight for theirs." George, back to bed. If the laws says I can't see my son, I will fight to change that law. We're both foot soldiers in our own way. - Come on, Maud. - Everyone, find a partner. Both fighting for our cause. - Maud. - I'm all right. You have to participate if you want to change the way the world is run. - Hyah! - Ohh! Jolly good. All right, Maudie. I won't betray mine. Would you betray yours? If you thought I would, you were wrong about me. Yours sincerely, Maud Watts. Another explosion at Cadogan Square. It's happening all over London, sir. And telegraph wires cut. Miss Withers was seen in the vicinity. You get a warrant. Morning. Inspector. That's a lot of worming tablets, Mr. Ellyn. - One of life's great parasites, Inspector Steed. - Is your wife in? - Edith! - Just concluding a treatment. I can go through. Uh, mastitis. See you on Friday. You're a wet nurse now, eh, Miss Withers? Shall we get this over with? You've searched before and found nothing, but I'm happy to comply again. You're a very clever woman, Mrs. Ellyn. I'll give you that, the way you seduce these women. Draw them in, train them in destruction. You're under arrest, Miss Withers. I'd advise you not to struggle. - Take her out. - Get off! Come on. Get off! Get off me! I'd advise you not to struggle. Take her out. - Am I also to be arrested? - No! Not today, Mrs. Ellyn. No! No! Let go of me! Oh! Oh! Miss Withers will get six months at least. I could do a few weeks, Edith, but... What are you saying? This isn't the time to stand down. No, we push on. Capitalize on press interest. The press do nothing but scorn and mock us. They scorn and mock us because they feel our threat. - Mrs. Haughton. - Ladies. Have you got the information I asked for? Lloyd George's summerhouse is not yet completed. He was complaining about it at dinner just the other night. It's being built next to the golf course at Walton-on-the-Hill, paid for by the owner of the News of the World. Valuable information. Thank you. Edith, come here. Mrs. Watts, how is your son? It's his birthday tomorrow. I'm so sorry for you. I trusted my husband and this government. I was wrong. - I have to go. - I don't have the strength. Please, just listen to me, Edith. A minister's home? That's going too far. Why too far? It's unoccupied. It is empty. No one will be harmed. Your commitment, Edith. I always knew you'd take it as far as it must go, but this... - Mrs. Pankhurst, she asked us... - Mrs. Pankhurst asked too much. Violet. Vi! Listen, you can't do this. You can't bring me into this and then just leave me. I'm sorry, Maud, but I can't. I'm... Not now. - Oh, Vi. - I can't take care of the ones I got. Oh. When are you due? Summer. Oh, Maud, I'm so sorry. I just want to wish him happy birthday. At least let me do that. Not now. Sonny. - Sonny. - Don't. - You can't... - You're too late. This is Mr. and Mrs. Drayton. They're taking George. What are you talking about? Adopting him. - Sonny... - We have a very nice home, with a garden... and all that he'll need. - No. George... - I can't look after him, Maud. - Sonny, please. - I can't be a mother to him. We have no family, Maud. No one to take him. I can't do it all. - Mrs. Garston won't take him. No one around here will. - Sonny, just let me... - George... - We've been cast out, Maud. We've been cast out. Georgie, come here. Come here. Come here. Say your good-byes and then let him go. Open your present. Georgie... your mother's name is Maud Watts. Don't forget that name... 'cause I will be waiting for you to find me. Will you find me, George? Don't forget it. - Come on. - No. No. No! - Come on, George. - No. No. - Let him... Take him. - Mama. No. Darling. No. Sonny... Ohh! - Mama. - Sonny! No! - What have you done? - Maud, it's for the best. What have you done? - Shush! - What have you done? - It's for the best. - What have you done? - No! No! - Maud! What have you done, Sonny? - What have you done? - Maud... What have you done? - Can I help you with that? - No, I can do it. So Violet will not be joining us anymore? No. She questioned our strategy. Our friends are there to challenge us. To keep the balances and checks, Edith. - No, no. They're can be no doubting. - The movement is divided now. Even Sylvia Pankhurst is opposed to her mother and her sister's militant strategy. The only way is forward. And what if you blow yourself up with one of those damn things? What happens to your damn cause then? - Emily. - Are you all right? Maud! Hugh, go. Mrs. Watts. Come with us, please. You're under arrest. When women attack the home of... of a government minister, we have reached a state of anarchy we can no longer ignore. This has to stop. The press can only be tamed so long. They grow more and more interested in these damn women while we in government must try to quash every new story. Pankhurst claims responsibility for the bombing and faces prison while the real culprits go free. She going to milk every ounce of attention she can in prison. We've made some key arrests. Punish those responsible in whatever way you can. You women cleaned yourselves up well. Couldn't find a scrap of dynamite on any of you. - Then why am I here? - Oh, you'll be charged. For illegal meetings if for nothing else. You know there was a housekeeper on her way back when the bomb went off? She forgot her gloves. If she was two minutes later, what would that have done for your cause? Violence doesn't discern! It takes the innocent and the guilty! What gives you the right to put that woman's life at risk? What gave you the right to stand in the middle of a riot and watch women beaten and do nothing? - You're a hypocrite. - I uphold the law. The law means nothing. I've had no say in making the law. That's an excuse. It's all we have. We break windows, we burn things, 'cause war is the only language men listen to. 'Cause you've beaten us and betrayed us, and there's nothing else left. And there's nothing left but to stop you. What are you gonna do? Lock us all up? We're in every home. We're half the human race. You can't stop us all. You might lose your life before this is over. And we will win. Sylvia, can you hear me? Five days. Will you eat now? No! No! Hold her still. No! No! No! Treatment of them grows increasingly barbaric, sir. What is the alternative? They will not hold us to ransom with their threats. The fear is they won't break, sir. If one of them dies, we'll have blood on our hands and they'll have their martyr. That must not happen. Or Mrs. Pankhurst will have won. - Hello, Edith. - Maud. - Maud, can I drive you? - Best not. I've left you bedding at the church. The union will send you word. Emily. - Maud? - Violet. I heard you were sleeping here. It's only bread and a bit of broth. That's all. A little at a time. Your tummy will be sore what you've been through. Whatever you're planning next, you be careful. You get caught again, you'll see two years inside at least. - Maybe longer. - Violet. Maybe worse. Oh. Little monkey. George used to kick me until night. How's Maggie? Working every hour God sends down at the laundry. She's the only one who can bring in a proper wage now. Now, come on. You eat something. - When did they raid? - First thing this morning. Six arrests. Edith, what are you doing here? You're not well. There will be a vigil for Mrs. Pankhurst tonight at Westminster Abbey. She's not going to last this time in prison, Maud. - The king must pardon her. - He's not going to pardon her, Emily. - Then we got to make him. - How, when the government silences the press? Look, one column on the bombing. How do we make ourselves heard? One just has to gather one's strength. If it is the world's attention that we must capture... We take it straight to the king. Do something he can't ignore. Edith, you're too weak to face another prison sentence. Oh, nonsense, Hugh. - Maud, please. - She's right. Every violent assault weakens her. Her heart cannot take it. Maud. He's at the Derby on Wednesday. The king is to attend. There will be thousands there. You'll be stopped before you get through the gates. In those crowds, we'll go unnoticed. We will raise our flag in front of the world's cameras. The king's horse... Will be third in the parade ring. - Done. - The eyes of the world upon us. Maud, no matter the risk, we must not fail. I want you to have this. Edith gave it to me. It has been an inspiration to a great many of us. Thank you. So... tomorrow then? Tomorrow. Here's the latest from surveillance, sir. Miss Maud Watts. She's sleeping in St. Paul's church. Hugh, we ready? I just need two milligrams of the cold salt tincture, if you please. Could you not have finished the orders last night? What did you say? Cold salt... Hugh? Hugh? Hugh! - Let me out. - I can't. - What do you mean? What do you mean? - I'm sorry. You've given enough. Now we're going to be late. Let me out. Please, let me out! Your heart won't take it, Edith. I can't let you out. I'm sorry. Keep to the left, please. Ladies and gentlemen, to the left, please. Please have your tickets ready. Please have your tickets ready, ladies and gentlemen. Where's Edith? She wasn't at the station. - Tickets, please! - Miss? Would you like to take the next turnstile? The queue's much shorter. Ta. - Your Majesty! - Your Majesty! There he is. Your Majesty! There's the king. - Your Majesty! - Please, over here! Now. - Your Majesty! - Please, over here! Majesty! Over here! Your Majesty! Sorry, miss. It's green badges to enter the paddock. Can I help you? Thank you very much, sir. Sorry. We will find another way. Sorry. Excuse me. Excuse me. Thank you. - Let the gentleman through, please. - Excuse me. Follow me. Sorry, sir. Sorry. Emily. Emily. Excuse me. Pardon. Excuse me. Excuse me. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Excuse me. Emily. Emily. Never surrender. Never give up the fight. Emily! Emily! Maggie! Maggie. Come on, darling. Come on, Maggie. Let's go. - What are you doing, Mrs. Watts? - Let's go. - Where are you taking me? - Oi! Halt! Sorry. Sorry. Get back to work! Ellen, I'll get the door myself! Maud. This is Maggie, Violet's daughter. She can launder and sew. She does the best collar starching, and she can clean. Come in, Maggie. Be good. Don't talk back. Maud. Come in, Maggie. I'm Mrs. Haughton. "The woman wanderer goes forth to seek the land of freedom. 'How am I to get there?' Reason answers, 'There is one way, and one way only. Down the banks of labor, through the waters of suffering. There is no other.' The woman, having discarded all to which she'd formerly clung, cries out, 'For what do I go to this far land which no one has ever reached? I am alone. I'm utterly alone.'" It's in every paper. They say thousands will line the streets. We go on, Edith. You taught me that. You want to take that? - Daisy. - Thank you. It's almost 1:00, Maggie. Get your gloves and help Mrs. Ellen. "And Reason said to her, 'Silence. What do you hear?' And she said, 'I hear the sound of feet. A thousand times, ten thousands and thousands of thousands, and they beat this way.' 'They are the feet of those that shall follow you. Lead on.'" |
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