"We Shall Not Be Moved"

The nineteenth episode of MatH doesn't have an American counterpart, although this plot certainly would've worked for 3'sC, considering the number of times Stanley Roper threatens eviction.  "We Shall Not Be Moved" aired on 13 November 1974.

The male mind revisited:  The episode opens in the kitchen, as Jo is cooking something we never see or hear about, and the other two are playing chess.
Robin:  Now, don't misunderstand me, Chrissy.  I mean, I like girls.  You know, they're my favourite opposite sex.  I'm just saying that they are different from men.
Chrissy:  Yes, helpless, feather-brained sex objects.
Jo:  Leave me out of it.

He says it's been proved scientifically that the woman's brain is lighter than the man's.  Chrissy says perhaps it gets more exercise.

He asks where are your female mathematicians, philosophers, or writers.  Wikipedia lists quite a few each of mathematicians and philosophers, but Chrissy decides to answer the last part of his question, probably because there are more household names.  She mentions the Bronte sisters, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and Jane Austen.  So he adds in children's author Enid Blyton.  He says women write lightweight stuff.  "Where's your Gulag Archipelago?"  ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gulag_Archipelago ).  Jo says it's at the base of the spine.

Robin says chess is the ultimate example.  The male mind can cope with it, because it's pure applied logic.  Chrissy points out that he's put his queen where the king should be.  He says he was just testing her.

The doorbell rings and Jo lets in Mrs. Roper, who says she's on the scrounge.  She wants to borrow their suitcase.  She's going to visit her sister in Purley, which is in the south of London.  She's looking forward to it, especially since George isn't going. 

Her sister has a swimming pool, kidney-shaped since the brother-in-law is in the meat trade.  Robin says it's lucky the man doesn't doctor cats for a living.  (We'd say "fix" them.)  Mrs. Roper has tried to persuade her husband to go in the pool, knowing he can't swim.

Jo brings out a suitcase, saying they only have two, their best and a tatty one.  Of course Mrs. Roper thinks this one is tatty, when it's their best.

After Mrs. Roper leaves, Jo tells Robin not to worry about the chess game.  "You'll get that piece back when you change ends at half-time."

Ethel:  When we switch to downstairs, we see that Mrs. Roper's leopard-print slacks have a matching jacket.  She's packing. 

George can't stand her sister Ethel or nameless brother-in-law, the latter a show-off, like her brother in "While the Cat's Away."  This brother-in-law has a wine cellar. 

Mildred sits down and complains about the spring in the settee.

Her taxi shows up.  She asks George if he'll miss her.
George:  I'll miss you as much as you'll miss me.
Mildred:  I see.

She says she'll be back in a week.  He reluctantly kisses her goodbye, then wipes his mouth.

As soon as she goes out the front door, he takes out a folded piece of paper and laughs mischievously.

Waugh:  Robin moves the chess game into the lounge since the light is better there.  Chrissy is winning.  She takes his queen.  He says the bright light is giving him a headache.

The doorbell rings.  As Robin goes to answer it, Jo comes up with "another famous woman writer, Evelyn Waugh."

Mr. Roper comes in but takes awhile to get to the point.  He takes out the folded paper, which turns out to be their lease that expired three weeks ago.  Robin thinks Mr. Roper wants to raise the rent, but Mr. Roper wants to evict them.  It won't be immediately.  The end of the week will do.

Jerry:  The next scene introduces George's friend, Jerry, who'll be making two more appearances on MatH, plus a few on George & Mildred.  He's played by Roy Kinnear, who not only did a load of British television, including That Was the Week That Was and The Avengers, but some film roles as well, most memorably as Veruca Salt's father in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.  Jerry isn't exactly a pleasant fellow, but it's delightful to see Roy Kinnear.

Jerry tells George that he's doing the right thing.  Using George's beer, Jerry draws the trio's flat on the table, not to scale.  He shows George how they can make five self-contained dwelling units, for 15 quid a week each.  Bill the bartender (uncredited) wipes the table down.

George doesn't know how Mildred will take it, although we can guess.  Jerry says by the time she gets back, "they're out, we're in, fate accomplished."

George invites him over.  He found out where Mildred hid the Scotch.

Twit:  Chrissy is on the phone.  After she hangs up, she says that the Citizens' Advice Bureau said that Mr. Roper has to give them three months' notice in writing.  "And even then, he has to apply for a possession order.  And even then, we can appeal to the rent tribunal."

They wonder who should tell Mr. Roper.  Jo volunteers, but Robin dismisses her.  She says, "You've got me marked down as a twit, haven't you?"  When he includes her, she says she can't because she'll never remember it all.  Chrissy says she'll do it, but not on her own.

Emotional blackmail:  George tells Jerry he found the Scotch in the drawer with his clean underpants.  Mildred obviously reckoned he wouldn't change while she was away.  (For a week?)  Jerry calls her a cunning cow.

George says she doesn't scare him, he wears the pants in the house.  Jerry jokes, "And the underwear."

Jerry says he has half of his workforce standing by, although that turns out to be only one man.  George asks about the furniture.  Jerry says it's very nice, except for the spring sticking up his backside.  George means the furniture upstairs.  Jerry says he has a couple fellows who can put it in storage.

The kids come by to have a word.  George introduces his friend, saying, "He's, er, Jerry."  Robin hears this as "He's a Jerry," probably because Mr. Roper is established as hating Germans.  Robin tells Jerry, "Welcome to Britain."

Robin and Chrissy don't know how to put it.  Then Jo calmly says, "Well, you can't evict us without three months' notice in writing, which we can challenge, requiring you to apply for a possession order.  Then we can appeal to the rent tribunal."

Jerry makes up a story about Mr. Roper needing the flat for his mother.  She's dying and wants to spend her last days with her only son.  Unless George has seven sisters, that part is a lie, too. 

Robin says the flat is rather large for one old lady, but Jerry says there will be a full-time nurse.  He claims George didn't tell them because that would've been emotional blackmail.

They give in and leave.  George tells Jerry his mother has been dead for eleven years.

Wombles:  Chrissy is on the phone again, this time ringing up places for rent, as Robin and Jo check the newspaper.  Jo sees one out of their league, a three-bedroom flat for 45 pounds a week.  It's in Wimbledon Common, so Robin says it's expensive because of all those Wombles spotters.  ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wombles )

Jo finds something else interesting after Chrissy is off the phone.
Jo:  "Not a day for speaking your mind.  Those close to you may become impatient."
Robin:  Stop reading your horoscope!

Robin is going to ring up about a flat for three people to share.  It's only twice as much as they can afford.  But when he gets the landlady on the phone, she asks if he's suntanned and if he has frizzy hair.
Chrissy:  She wants to know if you're coloured, and she's not allowed to ask.
Robin:  (with an exaggerated "black" accent) Well, hush my mouth, Soul Sister!  I's a whitey, sho nuff, and no cotton-- She's hung up.

Filing cabinet:  We get a transition of a view of the rental ads with a few circled, as inappropriately cheerful music plays.

Then we're in a rental office, where the young agent is played by Derek Seaton, who was one of the policemen on "It's Only Money."  Robin and Chrissy tell him that they want something suitable for three to share.  Seeing only two of them, he asks, "Are you pregnant?"  Neither of them is, but the third flatmate is using her lunch hour to eat.  They're taking turns.

They can afford eight pounds each at most. 

The phone rings and as the agent answers, he tells Robin to have a look in the filing cabinet.  Robin tells Chrissy he doesn't think it'll be big enough for the three of them.  She laughs.

The agent writes down one promising prospect, two bedrooms for twelve a week.

After he hangs up, Robin says there are only two flats listed.  The agent says actually there's only one now.  It's a one-bedroom flat.  Robin considers it but Chrissy gives him a dubious yet amused look.

She asks about the phone call, but the agent wants it himself.  That's the reason he took this job.  It's the only way to find a decent flat in London.

Tears of joy:  We get another shot of rental ads, this time with ads both circled and crossed out.

Then we see the girls at the pub.  Jo sees a listing for a cheap houseboat in Camden, probably cheap because there's no river in Camden. 

Robin comes back from visiting a flat in Fulham.  He and a girl went to ring the bell at the same time.  They laughed together, and while he was still laughing, she nipped in and got the flat.

He says that legally Roper can't kick them out.  Jerry is in the pub and he overhears this, spilling his drink.  He comes over and says that Roper told his mother yesterday.  She cried tears of joy.  Robin knows he won't say anything to Roper.

It's fun to stay at the Y...:  Later, the trio are packing up.  Chrissy says, "Three years and this is all I've got to show for it."  This means that she must've moved into the flat in '71 (or very late in '70). 

Robin says she also has a heart full of memories, golden moments of friendship to look back on, some smiles, and some tears.  Then he says he thought a bit of gooey sentimentality might help.  She tells him to shut up.

Mr. Roper comes in and asks when they're leaving.  Not till 3.

Robin is going back to the YMCA, while Chrissy's going to the YWCA.  Robin says, "We tried to swap but they wouldn't let us."  Jo is going to stay with a girlfriend, even though I don't think we've met any of her female friends besides Chrissy.

The trio got George's mother flowers as a welcoming gift.  They wonder when she'll be getting there.  He says he doesn't know, since he's not sure which direction she's coming from, implying he doesn't know if she went to Heaven or Hell.

After Mr. Roper leaves, Chrissy says that they never finished the chess game and it's been a week.  Robin says there's no point in rushing.


Six rather than five:  At the pub, George tells Jerry that when he saw the flowers, he began to feel he was doing something mean.  (I think he means cruel rather than cheap, although both are applicable here.)  Jerry is unswayed.  He again uses George's beer to draw the flat, this time making six dwelling units.  Granted, none of them could get to the bog (bathroom).  Bill again wipes away the drawing.

Jerry again mentions that he has a couple fellows to move the trio's furniture, which leads us to the next scene.

Removal men:  The two fellows show up in the entryway.  One of the actors, Michael Redfern, will go on to both Robin's Nest and George & Mildred, as well as The Young Ones and Eastenders, while the other, Ian Sharp, will return to MatH as Tom.  At this point, I can't tell you which is which, and it doesn't really matter for this episode.

They know they need to see a Mr. Roper, so when Robin runs downstairs, they think that's him.  Before he leaves, he tells them they need to see the man in the ground-floor flat.  They look in and say they'll soon have this stuff out.

Robin and Rodin:  Robin and Chrissy are playing chess again.  He's got his head on his fist.  She says he looks just like that statue The Thinker, except that he's not stark-naked.  Robin says that can be arranged, since it's half an hour till the van's due.

Jo brings them tea.  She suggests moving the man with the pointed hat.  Robin says they'll soon be going their separate ways.  She knows he's leading up to an insult.  He tells her to mind her own business.

Jo leaves to take down the rentbook.  Chrissy says Robin's right, they are going their separate ways.  They may never see each other again.  He asks why he should want to see a girl who thrashes him at chess.

Little bugger:  Jo knocks on the Ropers' door.  Mrs. Roper comes in the front door.  She's again in the leopard-print outfit.  She tells Jo she's wasting her time because George is probably down at the pub.  Jo says she came down to give them the rentbook and say goodbye.

Back upstairs, Chrissy wants Robin to not move a piece to a particular spot.  He says he hates girls that patronise him.
Chrissy:  More or less than girls who beat you at chess?
Robin:  The same.

Jo and Mrs. Roper come in.  Mildred says it's a good thing she took the early train.  She looks around at the packed-up flat and asks, "What's the little bugger been up to now?"

Jerry-built:  George comes in the front door and sees the suitcase.  He calls to his wife.  He goes in the flat.  We don't see it, just his stunned reaction as he says, "Oh my God!"

Back upstairs, Mildred says that George's mother has been dead for 11 years.  Far too forgiving, Jo says, "Perhaps he's forgotten."

Mildred says that George has been on about this for months, wanting to split the flat up and get more rent.  "And he waits till I go away."

George peeks in the open door.  She says she knows he's there.  She can smell the fear.

He says it was Jerry's idea.  She says his friend is the one who thought up the phrase "jerry-built."  ("Jerry-rigged" is the equivalent American phrase.)

She tells the trio that if anyone's leaving, it'll be George.  She says they'll go down to their flat to discuss it in private.  He'd rather stay upstairs, but she insists.

Chrissy says, "So much for male superiority."  Robin says, "Aw, who cares?  It means we're staying."  He hugs her and lifts her off the ground, which is quite a trick considering they're about the same height.  She tells him, "Put me down, you don't know where I've been."

They go back to the chess game.  Jo still thinks Robin should move the one with the pointed hat.  He's so happy to be staying that he humours her.  She says now that gives him checkmate.  He gives her a little kiss, not really paying attention to the game, but Chrissy says, "Oh, she's right.  You've won."

Robin says it was obvious from the start.  "I mean, the male mind--"  Chrissy throws a pillow at him.

Nothing:  George doesn't want Mildred to go into their flat.  She tells him to get out of her way.  He suggests they discuss the matter out in the entryway, or they could go for a walk.  She asks, "What's in there?"  He says, "Nothing."  He turns out to be telling the literal truth.  All that's left is the birdcage and some newspapers on the floor.

He says the furniture is only in storage, but she wants to get fancy new furniture like her sister's.

Commentary:  "I Shall Not Be Moved" was originally a folk song.  In the 1930s, it got pluralized for use as a protest song.  It says in part, "Just like a tree that's standing by the water/ I shall not be moved."  The trio are not that determined/stubborn.  As soon as they hear that their flat is going to Mr. Roper's mother, they decide not to fight, even though they have the legal right to do so.

Perhaps more than any other episode so far, this episode is about the Battle of the Sexes.  You of course have the Ropers, with deservedly hen-pecked George.  He claims he wears the pants, but he's enough scared of his wife to wait till she's gone before he evicts the tenants.  She probably won't physically hurt him, although she wouldn't mind if he drowned.

Chrissy and Robin's chess game runs throughout, even though a week passes.  Significantly, he puts his queen where his king should be, symbol of the upheaval of sex roles in the 1970s.  He knows Chrissy is at least as smart as he is, but he likes pontificating on the male mind.  Even when he goes to look at a property, he's outsmarted by a girl who grabs the flat  while he's still laughing.

And then there's Jo.  The dumb-blonding of her character is not as dramatic as with Amer-Chrissy, but she does seem to be getting dimmer, and there are more lines about it, from her as well as her flatmates.  However, she is bright enough to remember the laws about eviction, as well as to figure out how to play chess without knowing what the pieces are called.  She's at least smarter than Jerry, who leads George astray and doesn't know how to say "fait accompli."

The other form of prejudice addressed in this episode is racial.  "We Shall Not Be Moved" was adopted by the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, although never as well known as "We Shall Overcome."  Robin is used to Mr. Roper's prejudice against the Germans, so he just assumes it even when it's not the case.  But when faced with a bigoted potential landlady, he responds by acting like a stereotypical "coloured" man.  Of course, Robin makes bigoted jokes himself (like the one about eating missionaries last week), but I think he's more politically incorrect than hateful.

One last note.  So much has changed in the past year that Robin and Chrissy only joke about their possible separation forever, rather than get genuinely sentimental.  On "Carry Me Back to Old Southampton," they did both.  There's still RCST, but they seem to have made peace with it, for the moment anyway.