"Going Straight"
Going, Going, Gone (1978)

Writers:

Dick Clement (writer)
Ian La Frenais (writer)

TV Series:

"Going Straight" (1978)

Original Air Date:

31 March 1978 (Season 1, Episode 5)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Reformed Criminal

Cast

Ronnie Barker	...	Norman Stanley Fletcher
Richard Beckinsale	...	Lennie Godber
Patricia Brake	...	Ingrid Fletcher
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lally Bowers	...	Mrs. Appleby
Nigel Hawthorne	...	Worm Wellings
Rikki Howard	...	Cheryl
Nicholas Lyndhurst	...	Raymond Fletcher
Martin Milman	...	Policeman
Donald Morley	...	Mr. Smith
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Thomas Clifford Crowther (as Peter Postlethwaite)
David Swift	...	Mr. McQueen

The only yard he knows is the one he backs his lorry in to

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This was my favourite episode of the spin off to Porridge, Going Straight.

Fletcher's job as a hotel porter is going extremely well. He gets given his first ever pay packet. But with all the deductions and debts he has to pay he is left with nothing. At the hotel, Fletcher thinks he has seen one of the customers before. Then an old woman, Mrs Appleby gives Fletcher some jewellery to put in the safe. Fletcher then twigs. The customer he thought he knew was a Wellings who was in Maidstone prison with him. He used to book into small hotels, him and an old lady, the old lady would have some fake jewellery and pretend it was worth thousands. She would then ring room service and ask for a glass of milk or something and Wellings would come down, nick the cheap jewellery and then would claim mega in the insurance. Fletcher tells this to Godber who has come to see Fletcher. Mrs Appleby rings for some milk. So they decide to go and confront Wellings. They give him the jewellery and tell him to leave the hotel. The next morning, Fletcher's boss tells him about Mrs Appleby and tells him she is a very wealthy woman who regularly stays in the hotel. The jewellery is worth £10,000. Fletcher goes to Welling's room and sees he has made it away down the fire escape with the jewellery. Fletcher knows he is doomed and will probably go back to prison. Then Godber tells Fletcher he and Ingrid are getting married. At the hotel that evening, Wellings comes back with the jewellery and says he really is going straight. Then Wellings tells Fletcher that he had the jewellery checked and it was worth absolutely nothing.

A very clever script. The great actor Nigel Hawthrone played Wellings, he will be best remembered for his role in Yes Minister. He played Wellings extremely well.

Best Bit: When Fletcher and Godber confront Wellings, they pretend Godber is part of Scotland yard, WELLINGS: God Fletcher, fancy you grassing on me, FLETCHER: I didn't grass on you, WELLINGS: Yes you did, this lads of the yard for God sake, FLETCHER: This lad is a lorry driver, the only yard he knows is the one he backs his lorry in to