Heart to Heart

Yes, I would agree with that.

How does a man fulfil himself in life?

I would say that a man fulfils himself by the knowledge that

he has always tried what to do is right rather than what is expedient.

Well, can a man always distinguish between the two?

-Oh, I think so. -Ah!

Well, there is a thing called conscience.

Oh, but consciences vary, surely?

A certain action to one man may seem right, to another wrong.

Yes, I agree. I'm not claiming there are any absolute standards.

But the only certain rule in life is that

happiness lies in doing one's duty.

And one's duty is to do what seems right to one at the time,

even though, ultimately, it may prove wrong.

Even though it may harm not only yourself but other persons?

Oh, I think so. There's no doubt about that at all, in my mind, anyway.

No, a man must always try to do his duty as he sees that duty at the time.

I don't think there's any escape from that, Mr Mann.

You've had a very long career, Sir John.

-Thirty five years. -Thirty five years.

In your first year as a barrister, how much did you earn?

-Exactly £15. -And last year?

Oh, don't worry about the inspector of taxes.

If he should be looking in, you can always say it was a slip of the tongue.

Might I suggest it was nearer fifteen thousand than fifteen?

Well, yes, I suppose you could suggest that.

So you consider that your life has been a long and successful journey?

-We'll take three next. -Camera three.

Certainly and successful, if you judge success purely by increase of income.

Well, surely that's not an unusual way of measuring success.

He's rambling a bit. Joe, he hasn't looked at his clock.

Does he know he's only got 90 seconds?

Not unusual, I agree, but not, in my view, the best one.

Well, I'm afraid our time is getting short

so I must come to my last, my final question.

Well, I shall try to face it bravely.

How does a man fulfil himself in life?

Mmm?

You've already asked me that question.

-Oh, Lord! Has he been, uh... -I often, I often,

-ask a key question twice, Sir John. -Load the captions.

-John, be ready to cut off sound. -Sometimes one gives

a different answer the second time.

You, as a lawyer, would appreciate the value in cross-examining...

In a court of law, I am never allowed to repeat a question

that has already been answered.

Yes, but this isn't a court of law, Sir John, this is Heart to Heart.

And, in conclusion, may I say

what a very rewarding experience it has been for me to have had you

as my 59th victim.

Well, I will say he has a sublime gift for recovery.

Cue Grams. Sublime? I mean, it's got to be, hasn't it?

-Two, track in as usual. -Super captions.

Cue announcer.

You have just seen the 59th edition of Heart to Heart,

a British Television Company presentation.

In on victim.

And in tonight's Heart to Heart, the victim...

Super his caption.

-Was Sir John Dawson-Brown QC. -Cut!

-And your grand inquisitor, as always... -Super his captions.

David Mann.

Take it out. Cue David.

And so, ladies and gentlemen, we come to the end of another edition

of Heart to Heart.

Tomorrow night, at our usual 9:15, we will present the last programme

in our present series.

And for this special occasion, we've chosen a man who I'm sure you'll agree

is a very special victim indeed. None other than a...

A man whose, whose meteoric rise in politics, ladies and gentlemen,

has made his name the talk of the nation.

Appointed only a few days ago,

his name has now become a household word.

It's a name, ladies and gentlemen...

Joe, he's dried on the name.

Get the idiot board, chalk up Johnson, but quick.

He is eminently fitted to end the present series.

We have been fortunate in...

And here it is, ladies and gentlemen, the Right Honourable

Sir Stanley Johnson, MP, Minister of Labour.

So don't forget. Tune in tomorrow night.

And once again we will present the truth,

the real truth, the truth of the heart. Good night and thank you.

Good night and thank you. Grams up. Super captions.

Fade it slowly.

Fade me out, too.

Joe, for God's sake, I gave you the sign.

Did you have to take all night?

Sorry, Dave. Right, clear studio!

But you were the last person I thought would fluff on Stan Johnson.

Mickey, you fry me with that light. Does it have to be so close?

This is the one who gets you all those fans.

Oh, come on.

Sir John, can we have some photographs, please?

In your original chair, if you don't mind.

-Stills please, David. -All right.

Thank you.

It's all right. The fluff on the name, he got away with it, touch wood.

Where do you find wood in a television control room?

Shepherd's Bush, I expect, Frank.

Finest old mahogany.

That's uncalled for, Fred. The motto of fifth channel is "Amity To All".

-Even the BBC? -They do good work, Bill.

Their viewers are very happy, I'm told. All 16 of them.

The cigarette for you. Only 3/10 for 20.

Tell me what did you do before this?

I was a lecturer in political economy at Oxford.

Really? (SMIRKING)

Quite a change from all this, I daresay.

Yes, quite a change.

Smile please, Mr Mann. That's it. Lovely.

Thank you very much, gentlemen. We're through.

Okay, all right. Thank you, gentlemen, the ordeal is over.

Thank you, Sir John.

-Oh, Mr Godsell, was it all right? -Sir John, thank you. Yes, very good.

Very good indeed.

Um, have you met my production secretary, Mrs Weston?

-How do you... -How do you think it went, Mrs Weston?

Oh, one of the best chairs we've ever had.

Mind you, he asked me some pretty tough questions, this young man.

That's my job, Sir John, to get at the truth.

Of course, mine, too, you know.

Oh, not quite, is it? Surely yours is only to get that

aspect of truth which may suit your case.

Please, now, let's don't get into another heart to heart, please.

Oh, Frank, the controller would like to see you.

Doesn't he ever leave that office? Does he eat and sleep there as well?

-He just likes watching television. -Well, hasn't he got a set at home?

And his wife likes Coronation Street and she talks.

To him, when she doesn't have to?

All right. Well, will you look after, um, Sir John?

Oh, great pleasure.

One of your best, David.

Goodbye, Mr Mann. Thank you for letting me off so lightly.

Good night, Sir John.

This way, sir.

-(SMIRKING) Did I? -Oh, I wouldn't say that.

-If I did, I was bad, he's a phoney. -Well, that came out.

-A time server. -That came out too.

With a very odd sex life, I shouldn't wonder.

That didn't come out.

And why should it? What's an odd sex life got to do with truth of the heart?

-Do you want me to answer that question? -No, Mrs Weston.

I want you to join me in a drink.

-Uh, I'll watch you if you like. -You'll join me.

Tom, can I have a couple of glasses?

You'll get me into trouble with the union, you will.

It's all right, I'll drink from the flask.

All right, Tom. Forget it.

Tough girl, eh?

No, not tough at all. I'm far too soft about some things.

For instance, I should be confiscating that.

I should have you barred from television.

That is if I'm not barred myself, after tonight.

-How bad was it? -Not good, Mr Mann.

Why you always call me Mr Mann?

Because you always call me Mrs Weston.

I only do that to remind myself that you're married.

-How is Mrs Mann, by the way? -Oh, fine, fine.

-Enjoying the new flat, I suppose? -Like mad!

Good!

-Ta-da, David. See you tomorrow. -Ta-da.

That is, if there is a tomorrow.

I suppose they can't sack me before that. Or can they?

Well, they could refuse your new contract.

So?

Oh, I see. It's your night for being the embittered success, is it, Mr Mann?

Listen, Mrs Weston.

A thing doesn't stop being true just because it's become a cliché.

As has been written about so badly, so often, success can be hell.

Now, you tell me about it.

I only know about failure, and that isn't exactly heaven.

I wasn't a failure before this circus.

Well, you will be after this circus, if you're go on as you're going.

Well, I have to have a couple of drinks before I go in front of the cameras.

I've got to.

It's got nothing to do with nerves or strain.

I could do this job on my head any night.

And one of these nights you will.

Oh, Jessie, for heaven's sake, stop this eternal wisecracking.

That's part of the whole thing, this eternal wisecracking.

It's as if everyone in this profession has to joke about their work

in order to keep sane.

Other people don't joke about their jobs, do they?

Farmers do. I know, I was brought up in the country.

Why do I drink? Oh, why do I drink?

Can you tell me that?

Well, I can give you one good reason.

Because you can afford to.

Farmers usually can't, except on Saturdays nights.

-Oh, Jess! -That wasn't a wisecrack, Mr Mann,

it was just a cliché.

Look, hadn't we better get out of here before we get locked in for the night

-and I am fatally compromised? -You might just get strangled.

-I'd still get compromised. -Hmm.

And, of course, Mr Weston wouldn't like that.

-He'd hate it. -A-ha!

-And so would Mrs Mann. -Oh!

Sorry, that was the last one from the flask.

It's the first six from the bottle, if you ask me.