Episode 1 Peaky Blinders

This programme contains graphic violent scenes, strong language and some scenes of a sexual nature.

I'll be in London one week, at this address. Finish your business here and join me.

'Dear Grace...

'Before the war, when I had an important decision to make,

'I used to flip a coin.

'Perhaps that is what I will do again.'

# I've lain with the devil

# Cursed God above

# Forsaken heaven

# To bring you my love

# To bring you my love

# To bring you my love

# To bring you my love. #

THEME: "Red Right Hand" by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

# Take a little walk to the edge of town

# And go across the tracks

# Where the viaduct looms Like a bird of doom

# As it shifts and cracks

# Where secrets lie in the border fires

# In the humming wires

# Hey man, you know you're never coming back

# Past the square Past the bridge

# Past the mills Past the stacks

# On a gathering storm comes a tall, handsome man

# In a dusty black coat

# With a red right hand. #

..and give him peace. Amen.

-ALL:

-Amen.

HE CLEARS HIS THROAT

I promised my friend Freddie Thorne

that I'd say a few words over his grave

if he should pass before me.

I made this promise before he became me brother-in-law -

when we were in France, fighting for the King.

Amen.

And in the end it wasn't war that took Freddie.

-BABY CRIES

-Pestilence took him.

Come here.

But Freddie passed on his soul and his spirit to a new generation

before he was cruelly taken.

We thought, now Freddie's gone,

you might come back to Birmingham.

God, do you know how funny it is

that you've got chauffeurs in uniform now?

It's just for the occasion, Ada.

Do you know how unfair it is

that you've got four Bugattis when half the country's starving?

So now they've made you ashamed of us, eh?

Sometimes when I think how I used to be, it makes me embarrassed.

Karl's with his cousins.

I caught 'em trying to pinch flowers off a grave.

Ada, are you coming home?

I'm going home.

It's all right, Poll. We make Ada embarrassed.

That's not what I said.

There's another reason we want you home.

We're planning an expansion.

I'm taking premises in London...

-Tommy, it's a funeral, business can wait.

-Polly,

if Ada was weeping then I'd stop.

But she's not.

The expansion means it's going to be dangerous

to be a Shelby in London for a while.

Yeah, well, I'm not a Shelby anymore.

And I'm not a Thorne now, either.

I'm free.

I've got to get Karl home.

I told you. Let me do it.

It's all right.

I'll have some men watch her house till the danger passes.

"Till the danger passes"?

That'll be the bloody day.

THE CHILDREN SHOUT

It happened at exactly 7am.

Nobody saw anything. Our patrols were not in the area.

Mr Shelby, have you got any idea who might've done it?

I'd say it was something to do with the gas.

It's just been fitted.

Madam, the structure's not yet declared safe.

-DEBRIS CRUNCHES

-Madam!

This is all over the place.

Confetti.

You can go.

Right.

Who?

Who did this to us?

Whisky. Irish.

I heard there was a bit of a bang in your part of town.

Gas and electric don't mix.

Who'd have thought they would, eh?

How's business otherwise, Mr Shelby?

You know something?

In these times of hunger and hardship,

business is surprisingly good.

Which one of you is the Peaky Blinder devil?

Gentlemen.

# I drank some dirty water

# Shook evil hands

# I done some bad things

# They get easier to do

# And then I wrote a nasty letter

# And I sent it to the Lord

# I said, "Don't you dare come and bother me no more"

# Oh

# Oh, oh, oh

# Oh

# Oh, oh, oh... #

INDISTINCT CHATTER

MUSIC DROWNS SPEECH

Finn! Get in here.

Finn! Hold the phone. Come here.

-Take the odds.

-Yeah, sure.

MUSIC DROWNS CHATTER

Polly.

Did he say who did it?

He's gone to the Black Lion.

On his own?

Tommy does everything on his own.

-Should I go to the Black Lion?

-What?

-Should I go there and see him?

-No.

Where the fuck is Arthur?

Protecting the Garrison's whisky from the police.

For fuck's sake!

Polly, it feels a little bit to me like things are getting out of hand.

So get 'em in hand.

Do you know what Ada said to me this morning?

She said we all look like we work in a factory under the ground.

She said we look like ghosts.

She'll be back.

When?

When she needs us.

And anyway, who the fuck would blow up our pub?

-Six.

-Six what?

Six questions since you walked through the door.

Soon you're going to have to start being the man with the answers.

Why?

Seven.

Because when London happens, you'll have to hold up your end

or we'll find somebody else who can.

-IRISH ACCENT:

-Thomas Shelby.

You blew up my pub.

Anger defeats fear, good.

You blew up my pub.

Tommy has a reputation to uphold.

A reputation for not being scared of anything.

In all the world, violent men are the easiest to deal with.

So tell me, which brand of rebel are you, eh?

I read somewhere that you Paddies

started fighting amongst yourselves, now.

The King offers you a peace treaty and you start a war about it.

That's funny, don't you think?

A war about peace.

So are you for the treaty or against the treaty?

Forgive me, I get confused.

You are one decision away from death, Mr Shelby.

So stop fucking smiling.

Your name is Irene O'Donnell.

You have a son at the Cherry Wood Road School in Harborne.

He has irons on his legs, his name is Sean,

he comes last in every race, poor boy.

Poor boy if the race was important.

Do you know what I mean, Irene O'Donnell?

There are other ways of carrying out this mission.

Please allow me to put a bullet in this scum tinker's head.

No.

He researches his enemies,

that's why he's been chosen.

I am chosen?

I'm chosen.

Can the chosen one smoke?

A vacancy has appeared and you're going to fill it.

Chosen by whom?

By an informed consensus.

I have things to do.

So perhaps you could tell the chosen one

what he's been chosen for.

From now on, Mr Shelby,

you shut your fucking Gypsy mouth and listen to your instructions.

Fuck!

I need the area round the co-operative stables

clear of coppers between midnight and four tonight.

Right. Could I ask why?

Well, whatever it is you're going to do, don't start any fires.

The firemen go out on strike at midnight.

That's all. You can go.

I've got some information you might be interested in.

No charge.

There's an old friend of ours coming back to the city.

Just passing through, he says.

He's very grand these days.

He's head of some secret department -

the Irish Desk.

So I doubt he'll be bothering with the likes of us, eh?

I'll say good night, Tom.

I want to speak to a representative!

MAN CALLS OUT

Father! Father!

It was the Ulsterman, the man with the wolf head!

Get the fuck off me!

You must reconcile yourself with the fate that awaits.

I demand to speak to a representative of His Majesty the King!

Make your peace with God.

A representative of His Majesty the King!

-Father.

-Come on.

Where are you going?

Does someone here have business with the King?

Major Campbell.

-SHOUTING CONTINUES

-About time.

I am a very busy man, Governor.

In seven and a half minutes,

the man in that cell is due to be hanged for murder.

The murder of an Irish activist in Whitechapel.

Does the case ring any bells, Major Campbell?

No, Governor,

I hear no bells.

Since yesterday morning,

he's been claiming that the murder was ordered

by the British Secret Intelligence Service.

It's a little late to be coming up with nonsense like that,

don't you think?

He was told if he kept his mouth shut

there would be a last-minute pardon,

which has not materialised.

Forgive me, Governor,

but what business is this of mine?

He says the man who hired him

was an Intelligence Service Chief of Staff,

an Ulsterman.

Carries a cane with a wolf-head handle,

a bullet wound in his right leg.

No...

Still no bells. Governor...

..you have a very clear remit.

Part of that remit is to oversee the smooth completion

of executions sanctioned by the Crown.

And in the next four minutes it is your duty to escort that man...

..to the gates of hell.

Is that clear?

And...if you should ever have the desire

to discuss this matter with anyone else...

..I know where you live.

Arthur, Tommy's called a family meeting.

Arthur!

He just beat the shit out of an apprentice.

I had to take half the kid away in buckets.

Arthur!

2,000.

Come on.

Sit down, Finn.

-Where the bloody hell is Tommy?

-He's on his way.

All right then, while we're waiting patiently...

Whisky - left over from the explosion.

It's good stuff, as well.

Right...

Before Tommy gets here,

I think there's a few things we need to get straight

between the rest of us.

YOU think?

Yeah.

Yeah, I do. I want to know...

..when did we all take a vote on this expansion south?

If you have anything to say, you wait for Thomas.

Polly's fucking right.

I see all the books.

Legal and off track.

Sort of stuff you don't see.

And in the past year

the Shelby Company Limited

has been making £150...

a day.

Right? A fucking day.

Sometimes more.

So what I want to know

is why are we changing things?

Polly, look what's happened already.

We haven't even set foot in London yet

and they've already blown up our fucking pub.

-Who said anything about cockneys?

-Who else?

Do you know who did it, do you?

No, she doesn't know who did it.

I'm told only family are allowed to speak.

Everyone's allowed to speak.

On your feet, Esme, let's hear what you have to say.

I speak for our household.

-So...

-John, this company is a modern enterprise

and believes in equal rights for women.

On your feet, Esme.

I'm not a blood member of this family

but perhaps, indeed, because I'm NOT a member

I can see things in a different light.

So I'll get to my point.

That would be nice.

As my husband said,

Shelby Company Limited is now very successful.

But London...

I have kin in Shepherd's Bush and Portobello.

It's more like wars between armies down there.

And the coppers fight side-by-side with them.

And there are foreigners of every description...

..and the use of bombs is the least of it.

I have a child,

blessed with the Shelby family good looks.

I want John to see him grow up.

I want us to someday live somewhere with fresh air and trees

and keep chickens or something.

But London is just smoke and trouble, Thomas.

"Thomas"?

That's all I have to say.

-ARTHUR:

-That was a lot of words, a lot of words.

Wash them down with a nice drink.

Thank you, Esme.

Firstly, the bang in the pub was nothing to do with London.

Understood?

The bang is something I'm dealing with on my own.

Secondly, we've nothing to fear from the proposed business expansion

so long as we stick together.

And after the first few weeks,

nine tenths of what we do in London will be legal.

The other tenth is in good hands. Isn't that right, Arthur?

That's right.

Now, some of you in this room have expressed their reservations.

Fair enough.

Any of you who want no part in the future of this company,

walk out the door...

..right now.

Go raise your chickens.

For those of you with ambition...

..the expansion process begins tomorrow.

Tomorrow?

I'm company treasurer, you should speak to me first.

It's Newmarket tomorrow, third busiest day of the year.

We have 18 staff.

Who you trust with 200 quid takings?

Oh, I changed the combination.

So what's going on, Thomas?

Who'd you meet at the Black Lion?

Give me the combination, Polly.

Polly, give me the combination!

What happened to the pub is Irish business.

We're in a situation where, for everyone's safety,

it's best if some things remain undisclosed.

So why tomorrow?

Like you say, tomorrow's Newmarket.

All the London bosses will be at the races.

What, so you just roll up and take the city?

No, we take the opportunity to show our hand.

The Italian gangs and the Jewish gangs

have been at war in London for six months.

It's not our war.

The Jews have been having the worst of it. They need allies.

-Yeah, but we don't.

-We need a foothold

at the southern end of the Grand Union.

The Jews control Camden Town.

Your mother said,

"It's his cleverness that'll kill him."

No-one gets killed, Polly.

We go down tomorrow when it's quiet and we leave our message.

If Alfie Solomon and his Camden boys come to us,

we'll negotiate the use of a secure bonded warehouse

and then our legal activities in London can begin.

Now please, open the fucking safe.

Do you know, it was a fine speech you made in there...

..about this company believing in equal rights for women.

But when it comes to it,

you don't listen to a word we say.

Maybe you don't trust us.

She was one woman, Thomas.

Well, maybe it's time you forgot about her.

Forgot about who?

SHE SIGHS

SHE UNLOCKS THE SAFE

You and the boys, go and get yourselves killed.

GRUNTING

HE EXHALES

Are you going to London now?

No, there's something I have to do first.

Oh, I've got a typewriter like that.

I got it out of a catalogue.

I'm doing a correspondence course.

I'm learning to do it with my eyes shut.

It's a test you have to do.

Will you come back before you go?

No.

I wish, just once, you wouldn't pay me,

as if we were ordinary people.

Yeah.

Let's begin.

Hands on the table.

Tonight we have two new pilgrims joining us.

So, let's welcome them.

Starting with you.

Who is it that you're seeking to reach?

My husband.

He was taken six months ago by the influenza.

I tried to reach him through Mrs Breach at Sparkhill

but she kept getting his middle name wrong.

Don't talk about Mrs Breach in this house.

She's an un-sanctified charlatan.

And you?

Who do you seek?

Well, the truth...

Sorry, the truth is, I'm not even sure she's dead.

So I came here to find out.

Er...

You see, my son and my daughter

were taken from me when they were very small -

taken by the parish authorities.

And I never knew what happened to them.

But lately...

I've had a feeling.

Like, a feeling...

I can't put it into words.

And I keep having a dream.

I see a pretty girl,

about 18 years old.

And she's standing across the street...

..and she tells me she's passed over.

Now, my daughter would have been 18 this year.

On May 15th.

And this girl has dark eyes like mine.

And she shouts...and shouts.

And she tells me she wants to talk to me

because I'm her mother.

Now, I don't even know what name they gave her

after they stole her from me.

But if she does want to say goodbye...

I thought this would be the place.

You're wearing the Black Madonna.

You're Gypsy?

The part of me that dreams is Gypsy.

My maiden name is Shelby.

So...

..perhaps you could do me first.

No!

SHE YELLS

No!

NO!

SHE CRIES

WHIMPERING: No...

CLANGING

# But if you come

# And all the flowers are dying

# And I am dead

# As dead I well may be

# You'll come and find

# The place where I am lying

# And kneel and say

# An "Ave" there for me

# And I will know

# Though soft ye tread above me

# And then my grave

# Will richer, sweeter be

# And you'll bend down

# And tell me that you love me

# And I will rest in peace

# Until you come to me. #

Eamonn Duggan?

All right, Tommy's here.

Hang on!

John!

I'm coming!

7 o'clock, 12 o'clock,

10 if I'm still sober.

I got it from the doctor -

it keeps me nice and calm.

Same thing they gave us in the trenches

to stop us fucking wanking.

Polly said it's good for me temper.

-It slows me down, Tom.

-Arthur...

there are some things Polly doesn't understand.

-I need you fast. Not slow, eh?

-DOOR OPENS

She wouldn't let go of my fucking leg.

-I bet that's not all she wouldn't let go of!

-Right.

You know she's against this, Tom. She's got opinions.

Nothing wrong with opinions, John.

-Get in the fucking car.

-Shut up!

-ARTHUR SHOUTS:

-Right!

The Peaky Blinders are going on fucking holiday!

Sit down, you mad bastard.

DOOR CLOSES

You're against this the same as me, aren't you?

Look out for anyone putting big money on Divine Star

in the 3:30 at Newmarket.

She's one of ours.

Anything over £1, tell me.

Polly...

I don't wish to pry into your business

but you should know something.

That woman is a trickster.

What woman?

Her sister was in the wash house early,

boasting there'd been a Shelby at the table.

What woman?

Gypsies talk to each other.

What woman?

You went to see Mrs Price in the Patch last night.

I'm sorry...

So what do you know?

I know they push the glass.

The man, it's her cousin. He pushes the glass.

It's a trick.

They tell you what you already believe.

She set up after the war because of all the widows.

Polly, I just thought you should know.

And in this fucking wash house,

did they tell you why I went there?

You tell a soul in this family,

and I swear I will cut you.

I don't need a knife to stop me telling secrets given in confidence.

It is a matter of honour.

Look at this! Look.

I love it.

Your Esme was right about one thing -

you can't beat the countryside.

You know, I think I want to live in the country one day...

..and keep chickens.

Yeah, we'll see you in London, Arthur.

-Oh, for fuck's sake!

-Take these.

We need to bury him.

Who the fuck is that?

It's Irish business.

I thought it best if I deal with it on my own.

Come on, we did a thousand of these in France.

John, grab his head.

So, we're not really going to London?

Once we bury him,

then the holiday begins.

GIGGLING

CAR HORN TOOTS

Much obliged.

BAND PLAYS ENERGETICALLY

It's a fucking freak show.

What the fuck is that racket?

-This is what they call music these days, brother.

-Music?!

Oi!

Oi! Put it away.

Fuck off!

Fucking look at this spot, eh?

It's all right, isn't it?

Irish whisky - a bottle.

And hurry up!

MUSIC DROWNS SPEECH

Fucking hell,

I recognise a few of these lads.

That's Sabini's cousin, over there.

That's right, Arthur, it's Sabini's club.

Jesus Christ, everybody in here's a fucking face.

Just the lieutenants, John. No sign of the officers.

Right, let's line them up.

Holiday!

Gentlemen, there's been a mistake.

I'm afraid you're going to have to leave.

We just bought a fucking bottle.

Some of the men here recognise you from the racetracks in the north.

Yeah, we get that a lot.

They say you have no business coming south of the line

without prior agreement.

And what line would that be, my friend?

They say this is provocation.

Right, well, you tell them we're on holiday.

You're breaking the rules.

They say you are the Peaky Blinders...

-MAN SHOUTS:

-Peaky scum!

BAND CONTINUES PLAYING

-HE LAUGHS

-Who the fuck's next?

Come here!

PEOPLE SHRIEK

Put some ice on 'em!

Get out.

Yeah?

Yeah?

Are you going to use that?

Didn't think so.

We came here...

not to make enemies...

No!

We came here to make new friends.

Those of you who are last

will soon be first.

And those of you who are downtrodden

will rise up.

Yip.

You know where to find us.

I think I've lost a tooth.

I'll have none left at this rate!

Some fucking holiday this is.

Yeah? You all right without your fucking medicine, Arthur?

-Here, this'll fix you.

-Give me that!

You, John boy...eh? How are you?

-Or should I ask your fucking wife?

-Oh, give over!

No more talk of chickens, do you hear me?

Fuck the chickens.

I've 50 quid in me pocket.

Let's paint the town, eh?

JOHN CHEERS

-KNOCK ON DOOR

-Come.

-Oh, dear God!

-Good Lord, I assumed it was Betty with tea.

Forgive me, sir, but your secretary was not at the desk.

No, because she takes lunch - like normal people.

And you can turn around,

this lady is a professional life model.

She does this for a living.

I'm more than happy to come back later, sir.

No, no, no. Later on I'm in the house. Just, erm...

..keep your back turned, if you must.

MAJOR CAMPBELL MUMBLES

I would guess you haven't been exposed to Bohemian society, Major?

Well, I...I...play cards on occasion.

You're a stranger to cocaine and exotic dancing, too, I imagine.

I find the more obvious vices the easiest to resist.

It's the sneaky little obscure ones that bring you to your knees, yes?

So what business is so urgent it trumps lunch?

Well, sir, our man in Birmingham

has passed his first test with flying colours.

Oh, I'm horrible at faces.

So I think we can begin to prepare him for the bigger task.

-Expressions elude me, I think too much.

-Sir?

I need your authority to proceed with all urgency

in preparing the new man for the bigger task.

You're talking about your bookmaker.

Yes, sir.

You have a history with this man. Why did you choose him?

To apply pressure on a man for this type of work

you have to know his weaknesses

and I know this man's weaknesses intimately.

And after "mission accomplished",

do we trust him to keep his mouth shut?

Absolutely not, sir.

So when he's served his purpose,

he will be consigned to history

in exactly the same way as his predecessor.

You mean at the end of a rope?

Well, the end of the rope

has been this man's destiny since the night he was born.

DOOR OPENS

You're early.

Shut your eyes, Lizzie.

What?

Shut your eyes. Go on, shut your eyes.

Good.

Now, come with me.

No, shut your eyes!

-SHE LAUGHS

-This way.

-What are you doing, Tom?

You've got to sit down here. Right...

Sit down. Now, OK...

-Type this.

-Why?

Lizzie, type this.

"If wi..." Put your cigarette down.

Right. "If winter comes..."

-SHE STARTS TYPING

-"..then can spring be far behind?"

Why?! Did you say spring?

Lizzie, what comes after winter?

Let's see.

That's a question. Where's the question mark?

Put in the question mark.

Now type this.

"Wanted - secretary for expanding business."

Slow down!

"Must be able to take dictation and touch-type."

"Five days a week.

"Eight pounds and four shillings a month.

"Must be able to start immediately."

Are you serious?

Things are starting to happen, Lizzie.

I need someone who can look the other way sometimes.

And you can stop the other work too, Lizzie.

All of it this time.

No exceptions.

Eight o'clock, Monday morning, the upstairs office.

Don't be late.

DOOR OPENS

Newmarket was profitable.

Arthur told me how you left your message.

And when I asked him where his medicine was,

he said you poured it away.

All I poured away was opium and bromide.

Oh, that's how it works in London, isn't it?

Every boss has to have a mad dog at his side.

Yeah, somebody who can't be predicted, somebody mad in the head.

But Thomas Shelby uses his own brother.

-Stop fucking fighting me!

-Somebody has to.

That arrived an hour ago.

There's no name on it but it comes from Camden Town.

I was going to burn it.

I should have.

Well done, Tommy, you've picked a side.

Now you're at war with Sabini.

Ada, are you coming for a drink?

No, the woman upstairs is looking after Karl.

She goes mad if I'm late!

Ada Shelby?

No.

THEY GRUNT

Your brother broke the rules.

I don't have a fucking brother.

Me and my friends here need a bit of female company.

-Let's go for a drive.

-No!

-Hold her steady, boys.

-Get off!

SHE YELLS

Fucking hold him!

TOMMY GROANS

Tommy Shelby, I missed you at my club.

I was at the races.

Sabini.

Don't say my name.

Jesus!

Franco, take my name out of his mouth.

TOMMY GROANS AND GURGLES

While you're in there, do a bit of digging for gold.

Pay for the petrol.

HE MOANS

HE SPLUTTERS

You see how much I know about you?

I even know what's in your fucking mouth.

Look at me.

Look at me!

Look at me.

You take up with the Jews.

Yeah, you think that's what London's all about.

You can just come down, pick a side.

You fucking clown!

Now your life is over.

My face is the last thing you'll ever see on earth.

Your mistake.

You remember that when you get to hell.

Finish him off.

GUNSHOTS AND SHOUTING

WHISTLES BLOW

CAR ENGINE STARTS

FOOTSTEPS DRAW NEAR

MAJOR CAMPBELL: I suppose we should see if the bastard's still alive.

# On a gathering storm comes a tall, handsome man

# In a dusty black coat

# With a red right hand. #