The Weak and the Wicked

Jean Raymond.

Jean Raymond. Bring her up.

Take it. Whatever it is.

Members of the jury, are you agreed upon your verdict?

We are.

Do you find the prisoner guilty or not-guilty?

Guilty.

Prisoner at the bar. Have you anything to say before sentence is passed on you?

Jean Raymond.

You have been found guilty of the crime with which you have been charged.

And I must say that I take the gravest view of the offence committed by you.

You have had advantages in life denied to many.

The benefits of a good home.

An education which should have taught the difference between right and wrong.

It is impossible for me to deal less than strictly with you.

I'm going to send you to prison. For twelve months.

If it went against you, I thought it would be a long time or a short one.

But if you behave, you'll get remission and only do eight months.

What are you doing tonight, gorgeous?

Let me have your handbag, please.

A friend of yours is waiting to see you.

- Who? - Doctor Hale.

I should ask him to send you in a pot of face cream and some powder.

You can take it in if you've got it with you.

Otherwise, it will be a long time before you can get any more.

You want to smoke, I expect. It will be a long wait before you go to Blackdown.

- Alright. - Thank you.

Hello Michael.

I only heard yesterday. I came as soon as I could.

- If there's anything I can do, anything. - There isn't.

I feel to blame for all this. That night I walked out on you...

- You said a lot of home truths. - Maybe, but I shouldn't have left you.

At least... not until I had knocked some sense into you.

Don't let's talk about me. Tell me about yourself.

Have you got a job yet?

Yes, in Guildford. They've opened a temporary Health Centre there.

Oh good for you. Are you a big success?

I don't know about that. The patients seem to like me.

I will only be there a short while so I am looking for something more permanent.

Michael, will you do something for me?

We're allowed to take cream and powder in with us.

- Could you run out and get me some? - Of course.

- What kind do you like? - Anything.

Your time is up.

I... I hope you'll be alright.

I'll come and see you whenever I can, and I'll write.

Jean, I'm so sorry for everything.

Goodbye Michael.

Here is a companion for you.

Give us a fag. There's a pal.

- What's your name? - Jean Raymond.

Oh, mine is "Betty". Betty Brown.

You don't look like the sort of person that goes to prison.

How long have you got?

- A year. - That's tough.

I got two years, but I was covering up for Norman you see. He's my boyfriend.

It was his stuff really. He only kept it at my place.

And you know, when I saw him in court, he didn't even say good morning to me.

And me lying my guts out for him.

Of course, he's ever such a moody boy.

He doesn't say much. You know, the quiet type. But he'll stick by me alright.

He's promised to visit me whenever he can.

Norman is a good boy, really.

Though mum is not struck on him, but then she's doesn't know him like I do.

No, I suppose not.

- What are you in for? - Fraud.

- Got to be pretty smart for that. - I wasn't smart.

I was just weak.

Come in.

Darling, the results just came through. I'm qualified! I've got my degree.

- Michael, how wonderful! Congratulations. - Bless you Jean.

- Let me look at you. "Doctor Hale". - Let's go and celebrate.

- I can't. I have got to go out. - Where to?

Just a small party. Nobody you know.

- What are you going to do now? - Sleep for a month and then find a job.

- Harley Street? - Stoke On Trent, more like.

- Jean, would you come with me? - To Stoke On Trent?

Wherever it is. Would you, Jean?

Or am I asking you to give up too much? That's it, isn't it? You gambling again?

Here we go. You want me to go back to Cambridge and finish my studies.

Alright. You've heard it all before.

You must understand. If you go to this gambling party tonight, we're through.

I mean that, Jean.

Then that's that, isn't it.

I'm sorry.

There's no hope for us, Jean. If you had any guts at all, you'd do ask I ask.

But you're just a miserable, self-centred little weakling.

Well, I'm fed up trying to lead you by the hand.

From now on go your own sweet way.

Make your bets please.

No more bets on the table. Thank you.

Seven, red. Odd numbers...

Another couple of hundred Harry. I'll have to give you a cheque.

Make your bets please.

Make your bets please.

Thank you.

Make your bets please.

Make your bets please.

Dix. Noir.

What a terrible run of luck.

Numbers one to eighteen.

Make your bets please.

I have to be honest with you Mr Seymour. I haven't the funds to meet the cheque.

Then you haven't been absolutely honest with me, have you Miss Raymond?

- I shall pay you as soon as I can. - And when will that be?

I'm not sure. But I always pay my gambling debts.

- What is that worth? - I don't know.

- Insured? - Yes. - How much for?

A hundred pounds.

Perhaps you would like to leave that with me as security?

I'd rather not. It was the last thing my father gave me.

You feel safe, don't you Miss Raymond?

You come here to gamble then refuse to honour your debts.

Because you think that the law will protect you.

I don't think that.

I've met your kind before, and I've learnt to take care of myself.

You will find that I have my own method of exacting payment.

Now... get out!

" With my money gone and no job, I found it difficult to live ."

" Michael, I thought had walked out of my life ."

" And all my so-called friends dropped me when they heard I was broke ."

Pam!

I've been hunting high and low for you.

You've no idea of the trouble I had finding your address.

Very sweet of you to bother.

When I never saw you around for a time, I worried.

I imagine things have been difficult, haven't they?

Difficult isn't the word. No-one wants to give a girl with no talent a job.

How would you feel about work in a dress shop?

I would jump at the idea.

I've a friend who may take you on. You'd like her.

Like her? She'd be an angel from heaven.

Not heaven, dear. Knightsbridge.

" Pam was as good as her word, and I got the job at the dress shop ."

" Soon, we were the closest of friends ."

" And sometimes we used to dine at a restaurant round the corner ."

- A telephone call for you, Miss Raymond. - Excuse me.

- Hello? - Sheila, is that you?

Who did you say?

I am speaking to Miss Rayband, aren't I?

No. My name is "Raymond". The waiter must have made a mistake. Hold on.

- They wanted a Miss "Rayband". - I am sorry, Madame.

- Shall we go? - Wait. I haven't finished my coffee.

- Damn. I've lost my cigarette case. - Are you sure?

I wouldn't mind so much, but it is the last good thing I possess.

Don't panic. We'll find it.

" But we didn't. Although we searched everywhere ."

" So, in the end I had to claim the insurance ."

Pam, we're in the money. From the insurance company.

We must have a drink on this. Here, run out to the pub.

" The insurance money was very welcome. It meant a few little extras ."

" And life ran on smoothly enough ."

" Until one day, while I was waiting for Pam ."

- Miss Raymond? - Yes.

We're Police Officers. There's a few questions we'd like to ask you.

But I still don't understand.

The Insurance Company believes you did not in fact lose your cigarette case.

What reason do you have for believing such a thing?

Certain information was there. Have you any objection to our looking around?

You can turn the place inside-out if you like.

- What is that? - A pawn ticket for a cigarette case.

- Have you never seen this before? - Of course not.

- Can you suggest how it came to be here? - I have no idea.

I'm afraid we must ask you to accompany us the station.

But I can't tell you a thing about it.

You would be wise not to say any more just now, Miss Raymond.

Next witness... Mrs Vickers.

" I felt sure Pam would help me to prove my innocence ."

No, she never told me she'd lost her cigarette case.

No. I can't say she was a particularly truthful person.

Yes, she was a heavy gambler.

" And then I knew ."

" Suddenly all the odd, unexplained incidents of the past weeks came clear ."

" Of course, Pam was working for Seymour ."

You will find that I have my own method of exacting payment.

Now... get out!

" No wonder Pam was so eager to find me after I'd broken away from my old life ."

Pam!

I've hunted high and low for you. The trouble I had finding your new address.

Sweet of you to bother.

" And that night at the restaurant, when I was called to the telephone ."

" That was her opportunity ."

No. My name is "Raymond". The waiter must have made a mistake. Hold on.

Thanks.

" After that, it was easy for her to pawn the case and plant the ticket on me ."

" She certainly did it the day the cheque arrived from the insurance company ."

" And so Seymour exacted payment. As he said he would ."

You mean you were framed? Why didn't you go for him?

I couldn't prove anything.

Besides, in a way I was guilty of fraud.

I cheated.

Come with me.

- Oh well. Ta-ta home-sweet-home. - This way.

Come along.

Get into line.

What price Balmoral, Jeanie?

Follow me. This way.

Four receptions.

In here. Take off all your clothes and put this on.

Here.