Is Your Journey Really Necessary?

by Geoffrey Lancashire


Episode Number: 17
Director: Gerry Mill

 

CAST

Edwin Ashton   Colin Douglas
Sefton Briggs   John McKelvey
Tony Briggs   Trevor Bowen
Jenny Graham   Wanda Ventham
Rupert Innes   Timothy Carlton
George Askew   John Savident
Noreen McDermott   Sheila Manahan
Mary Foster   Joan Heath
Stanley   Alan Gerrard
Daniels   Walter Horsbrugh
The Ticket Collector   Roy Maxwell
An Air-Raid Warden   Mike Hayden
A Serviceman   Malcolm Stevens
A Girl   Veronica Kelly

 




LIVERPOOL, MAY 1941

A Street in Liverpool   Sefton Briggs and his solicitor, George Askew, are walking through a bombed-out section of town, but an air-raid warden will not permit them to proceed any further because an unexploded bomb has been found in the vicinity.

A Public Park   Sefton reveals to George that he is considering an administrative change in the business, turning the printing works into a limited company.

In order to retain majority control, he will need to count on adding Jean's twenty-five-percent share to his own thirty percent—sibling support which he plans to fortify by naming Edwin as one of the three directors on the board (in addition to Sefton and Tony).

The Briggs Home   Sefton arrives home and asks his housekeeper, Mary Foster, whether the afternoon post has been delivered.

She says yes, but, upon looking through the small stack, Sefton is disappointed to see no letter from Tony.

When he asks her if Mr. Ashton has telephoned, she tells him that the telephone has not rung all day.

The Works   Edwin telephones Sefton and agrees to meet him at "half sevenish."

The Briggs Home   Mrs. Foster tells Sefton that she hopes the cloudless sky ("a bombers' moon") does not portend another air raid that night.

Edwin arrives and looks warily at his brother-in-law.

Over drinks, Sefton asks Edwin whether there is any substance to the rumor that Pringle has offered him a job as general manager.

Edwin says it is indeed true, adding that the terms and conditions were "more than tempting."

Speaking frankly, Sefton tells Edwin that if he loses him as manager, he might as well close the works.

Then Sefton comes to the point: he will be forming a limited company with Edwin as one of the managing directors (along with Sefton and Tony).

Edwin asks what Tony thinks of the new arrangement, and Sefton fibs that Tony (who has not been consulted at all) could not have been happier.

The two men part company cordially, with Edwin promising to sleep on the offer.

No sooner has Edwin left than Sefton telephones the telegraph office to wire a message to his son.

A North Sea Town   Aboard ship, Tony and Lieutenant Commander Rupert Innes discuss their corvette's structural problems ("sprung a plate").

When the ship personnel are dismissed from duty, Jenny Graham is waiting ashore to greet Tony.

They kiss, and then Tony tells her that the damaged ship will be going into dry dock, giving the men a three-day weekend.

Jenny informs him that she has been unable to secure a flat at the hospital where she works as a pharmacist.

The Dolphin   At a local pub, The Dolphin, a wire for Tony requests that he telephone his father at once.

When he places the call, Sefton says he must discuss some important business matters with him.

Tony, however, replies that he has no leave coming, so he cannot return to Liverpool anytime soon.

After the telephone conversation has ended, he explains to Jenny that his father has Victorian principles, and therefore she must remain a secret because he would never understand their relationship.

Rupert Innes interrupts their chat to tell Tony a new "Famous Last Words" that he has heard.

A North Sea Town   Jenny and Tony take a romantic stroll to the water's edge, kissing and discussing the near future.

Tony suggests that he book a room for them, in Scarborough, for the long weekend.

Jenny quips, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," and Tony says, "Mr. and Mrs. Tony Briggs," to which she responds, "Just for this weekend."

The Works   Edwin and pressman Stanley are inspecting the superficial damage done during the previous night's air raid.

Sefton arrives with his suitcase, explaining that he plans a surprise visit to Tony on the east coast.

Before he departs Liverpool, however, Sefton talks with George Askew, who cautions him that Sefton could lose control of the business if Jean (25%), sister Helen (25%), and Tony (10%) were to form a limited company.

A North Sea Town   Aboard ship, Rupert asks Tony if he is going home to Liverpool for the weekend.

Tony confesses that he will be spending the weekend with Jenny Graham.

Rupert offers him the use of his Morgan motorcar, and Tony gladly accepts.

As Tony and Jenny are walking along, Tony mentions that Jenny really should be wearing a wedding ring, to make appearances seem proper.

He borrows her old engagement ring for sizing purposes and, despite her demurral, insists that he will buy one for her that afternoon.

Aboard a Train   A man sitting next to Sefton tries to strike up a conversation about the war, but Sefton utters hardly a word in reply.

A North Sea Town   Sitting on a beached rowboat in the park, Jenny confides to Tony that she once was engaged to a fellow student named Stephen Edward McAllister, who married someone else instead.

His bride was Jenny's friend, Rosemary, who was pregnant and had to marry him.

Jenny explains that she bought the ring from her former fiancé with money from their joint account.

She asks Tony about the women in his life, and he confesses that there have been some—but certainly no engagement rings.

Jenny wonders whether he has spent weekends with them, and he says no, that she is the first.

Aboard a Train   The conductor requests tickets, and a young soldier and his sweetheart, who have been kissing passionately for some time, hurry to leave the compartment.

Now Sefton becomes talkative, deploring the wartime loss of moral propriety.

The man sitting next to him is more tolerant of such behaviour, contending that a soldier on leave should be allowed to kiss a pretty girl if he so desires.

"I never accept a general lowering of standards," Sefton pontificates, "and this is a first-class compartment, but they did not have first-class tickets."

The Dolphin   Sefton enters the pub and introduces himself to Mrs. McDermott, whom he rang the night before from Leeds.

He books a room for one night and mentions that he is there to see his son, Sublieutenant Briggs.

When he shows her a photograph, she recognises Tony at once.

She tells Sefton that Tony's corvette is waiting to go into dry dock, so he may have the weekend off, something Sefton finds to be quite interesting.

She suggests that he might get further information at the shed.

A North Sea Town   Tony is driving the Morgan along a narrow road until he startles a pedestrian—who, he is shocked to discover, is none other than his own father.

Visibly hurt that Tony is not very pleased to see him, Sefton says that the whole family misses him.

The Dolphin   Sefton accuses his son of lying to him when he claimed that he could not come to Liverpool for the weekend.

He is also disappointed that Tony never asks about the family's well-being and says, "It's unnatural."

Sefton begins talking business, explaining that Edwin has been offered a managerial position by Pringle, so a limited company must be established—with Edwin as one of its directors.

It is clear that Tony's mind is elsewhere entirely, and he blurts out that he has a date.

Resentful of his father's surprise visit, he goes to buy a couple of drinks.

He sees Jenny at the entrance and warns her that his father is there.

When she asks if their weekend together is to be called off, Tony says no, that the plans have not changed.

Sefton approaches the couple, and Tony introduces him to Jenny, with whom he seems to be quite pleased.

While Tony is getting the drinks, Sefton and Jenny become acquainted, and Sefton asks her to postpone her date long enough for him to have a business discussion with Tony.

Then Sefton suggests that he and Tony talk for an hour that night and finish up the following day.

Sefton even invites the couple to have dinner with him, and Tony reluctantly agrees.

A North Sea Town   Tony has second thoughts and decides to assert himself by insisting that he and Jenny leave at once.

He also tells Jenny that he has bought her a ring, and he asks her to marry him.

Jenny answers that she is sorry, but she just does not yet know for sure.

The Dolphin   Sefton begins talking business with Tony and suggests that they travel to Newcastle tomorrow to view some printing equipment for possible purchase.

When Tony responds that he will be with Jenny tomorrow, Sefton realises that his son is planning to spend the weekend with her.

Tony says he is in love with Jenny, which prompts Sefton to demand to know more about her.

Sefton is angry that his son told him a lie that brought him across England, only to learn that Tony would rather spend a weekend with his girlfriend than decide his future in the business.

Disgusted, Tony storms out of the pub.

A North Sea Town   Tony stands on a pier, smoking and contemplating the awkward situation his father has created.

He pulls a tiny box from his pocket and looks at the engagement ring.

A few minutes later, the couple meet outside a shop, and Tony shows Jenny the ring.

She reminds Tony that she has not accepted his proposal of marriage and asks whether she might keep the ring in its box for now.

The Dolphin   Exhausted from his long journey, Sefton has fallen asleep at his corner table, so Tony and Jenny awake him.

Tony advises him that they will have dinner together, and then he and Jenny will be departing.

After dinner, Tony begins to leave with Jenny when Sefton tells him that some formal papers need to be signed if the limited company is to be established.

Impatient at the delay, Tony indicates that whatever Sefton thinks is best will be fine with him.

As Tony leaves to bring the car around, Sefton visits with Jenny.

Sefton cautions her not to rush into a wartime marriage.

She, in turn, suggests that he get married again, but Sefton tells her that his housekeeper looks after him.

Jenny shows Sefton the ring and says they may indeed get married.

She says that she really wanted Tony to giver her a ring all along, but now it just does not seem important anymore.

Tony returns to the pub, and the couple make ready to leave on their excursion.

When Sefton asks if they are going far, Jenny tells him no, only to Scarborough.

A North Sea Town   As Tony and Jenny are about to drive off, Sefton tells her that she will be welcome in his house.

The Morgan pulls away, and Sefton watches it disappear into the distance.


Script Excerpt 1
Tony/Jenny

Script Excerpt 2
Sefton/Daniels