A Clockwork Orange Page #12

PEE:

There, there mother, it's alright. He doesn't mean it. You were in the

papers again, son. It said they had done great wrong to you. It said

how the Government drove you to try and do yourself in... and when you

think about it, son... maybe it was our fault too in a way... your

home's your home when it's all said and done, son.

Em sobs.

INT. HOSPITAL

Psychiatrist wheels trolley to Alex's bed. He is sitting up.

ALEX:

Good morning, Missus.

DR. TAYLOR

How are you feeling today?

ALEX:

Fine. Fine.

DR. TAYLOR

Good. I'm doctor Taylor.

ALEX:

I haven't seen you before.

DR. TAYLOR

I'm your Psychiatrist.

ALEX:

Psychiatrist? Huh, do I need one?

DR. TAYLOR

Just part of hospital routine.

ALEX:

What are we going to do? Talk about me sex life?

DR. TAYLOR

No... I'm going to show you some slides and you are going to tell me

what you think about them Alright?

ALEX:

Ohhh... jolly good. Perhaps you can explain me something to me first.

DR. TAYLOR

Yes?

ALEX:

Well, when I was all like ashamed up and half awake and unconscious

like, I kept having this dream like all these doctors were playing

around with me gulliver. You know... like the inside of me brain. I

seemed to have this dream over and over again. D'you think it means

anything?

DR. TAYLOR

Patients who've sustained the kind of injuries you have often have

dreams of this sort. It's all part of the recovery process.

ALEX:

Oh.

DR. TAYLOR

Now then, each of these slides needs a reply from one of the people in

the picture. You'll tell me what you think the person would say.

Alright?

ALEX:

Righty, right.

The doctor reads aloud the dialogue printed in the cartoon balloon - a

peacock.

DR. TAYLOR

Isn't the plumage beautiful?

ALEX:

I just say what the other person would say?

DR. TAYLOR

Yes. Yes, well don't think about it too long, just say the first thing

that pops into your mind.

ALEX:

Right... Knickers... Cabbages... It doesn't have a beak.

Alex laughs. Slide of woman speaking to boy.

DR. TAYLOR

Good. The boy you always quarrelled with is seriously ill.

ALEX:

That's right and I'll smash your face for you, yarblockos.

Slide of watch shop.

DR. TAYLOR

Good. It wa your fault... you sold me a crummy watch. I want my money

back.

ALEX:

Bollocks. You know what you can do with that watch? You can stick it up

your arse.

Slide of nude woman in bed, a man at the window.

DR. TAYLOR

Good. What do you want?

ALEX:

Excuse me, missus. No time for the old in-out, I've just come to read

the meter.

Slide of bird's nest with eggs.

DR. TAYLOR

Good. You can do whatever you like with these.

ALEX:

Eggiwegs. I would like to smash 'em. Pick up th elot and f... owww ...

He slams his hand down and cries out with pain.

ALEX:

F***ing hell...

DR. TAYLOR

Fine. Well, that's all there is to it. Are you alright?

ALEX:

I hope so. Is that the end then?

DR. TAYLOR

Yes.

ALEX:

I was quite enjoying that.

DR. TAYLOR

Good. I'm glad

ALEX:

How many did I get right?

DR. TAYLOR

It's not that kind of a test. But you seem well on the way to a

complete recovery.

ALEX:

And when do I get out of here then?

DR. TAYLOR

I'm sure it won't be long now.

INT. HOSPITAL - DAY

Alex sitting up, being fed by Nurse.

ALEX (V.O.)

So I waited and, O my brothers, I got a lot better munching away at

eggiwegs, and lomticks of toast and lovely steakiweaks and then, one

day, they said I was going to have a very special visitor.

Doctor enters followed by Minister and Matron.

MINISTER:

Good evening, my boy.

ALEX:

Hi, hi, hi there, my little droogies.

DOCTOR:

Well, how are you getting on today, young man?

ALEX:

Great, sir. Great.

DOCTOR:

Can I do anything more for you , Minister?

MINISTER:

I don't think so, Sir Leslie. Thank you very much.

DR. TAYLOR

Then I'll leave you to it. Nurse.

They exit. Minister moves to Alex.

MINISTER:

You seem to have a whole ward to yourself, my boy.

ALEX:

Yes, sir, and a very lovely place it is too, sir, when I wake up in the

middle of the night with my pain.

MINISTER:

Yes... well good to see you on the mend. I've kept in constant touch

with the hospital, of course, and now I've come to see you personally

to see how you're getting along.

ALEX:

I've suffered the tortures of the damned. The tortures of the damned,

sir.

MINISTER:

Yes I can... Oh look, let me do that for you, shall I?

ALEX:

Thank you, sir.

MINISTER:

I can tell you that I... and the Government of which I am a member are

deeply sorry about this, my boy. Deeply sorry. We tried to help you. We

followed recommendations had been made to us that turned out to be

wrong. An enquiry will place the responsibility where it belongs. We

want you to regard us as friends. We've put you right, you're the best

of treatments. We never wished you harm, but there are some that did

and do, and I think you know who those are. There are certain people

who wanted to use you for political ends. People who would have been

glad to have you dead because then they would have been able to blame

it all on the Government. I think you know who those are. There is also

a certain man - a writer of subversive literature - who has been

howling for your blood. He's been mad with desire to stick a knife into

you, but you're safe from him now, we've put him away. He found out

that you had done wrong to him - at least he believed you had done

wrong. He had formed this idea in his head that you h

ALEX:

Where is he now, sir?

MINISTER:

We put him away where he can do you no harm. You see we are looking

after your interests. We are interested in you, and when you leave here

you will have no further worries. We shall see to everything... a good

job on a good salary.

ALEX:

What job and how much?

MINISTER:

You must have an interesting job at a salary which you would regard as

adequate. Not only for the job which you are going to do and in

compensation for what you believe you have suffered, but also because

you are helping us.

ALEX:

Helping you, sir?

MINISTER:

We always help our friends, don't we?

(smiles)

It is no secret that the Government has lost a lot of popularity

because of you, my boy. There are some that think that at the next

election we shall be out. The press has chosen to take a very

unfavourable view of what we tried to do.

ALEX:

Well, who can blame them, sir?

MINISTER:

Mmmm, possibly. Yes. But public opinion has a way of changing and you,

Alex, if I may call you, Alex?

ALEX:

Certainly, sir. What do they call you at home?

MINISTER:

My name is Frederick. As I was saying, Alex, you can be instrumental in

changing the public verdict. Do you understand, Alex? Have I made

myself clear?

ALEX:

As an unmuddied lake, Fred. As clear as an azure sky of deepest summer.

You can rely on me, Fred.

MINISTER:

Good... good boy. Oh yes, I understand you're fond of music. I have

arranged a little surprise for you.

ALEX:

Surprise?

MINISTER:

One I think you will like... as a, how shall I put it, as a symbol of

our new understanding. An understanding between two friends.

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