Cromwell Page #9

Synopsis: Disgusted with the policies of King Charles I, Oliver Cromwell plans to take his family to the New World. But on the eve of their departure, Cromwell is drawn into the tangled web of religion and politics that will result in the English Civil War.
Director(s): Ken Hughes
Production: Columbia Pictures
  Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 5 nominations.
 
IMDB:
6.9
G
Year:
1970
139 min
2,718 Views


This tired, sickening man,

this country oaf...

...crude in speech and manner?

This rough fellow...

...does he display the bearing

of a king?

- You are the one man who can govern.

- In the name of God...

...did we cut the head off this king

only to steal his crown?

This hollow golden ring,

this worthless trinket.

Give it to a whore,

for the price of her bed!

If you would find a head to fit it,

let it adorn some court jester...

...or some strolling player

that he may play your king, but not I.

Power must be absolute,

or it be no power at all.

It was not for power that we did this.

Have you not understood that yet?

Now, Ireton, mark me,

and mark me well.

That you be hard-set upon courses

has not escaped me...

...and if you seek to use me

towards such ends...

...though I love you like a brother,

I swear, I will destroy you.

Every freeborn Englishman be he

the lowest of the lowest...

...is entitled to a voice

in the governing of this country.

But there is no vote for the poor,

for the underprivileged...

...no vote for all those

who took up arms...

...to put down the very autocracy that

this Parliament now imposes upon us.

You did not vote this Parliament

into office.

This gaggle of buffoons, these villains!

Much has been said in this House

about the so-called inequity...

...of certain members being financially

involved in national projects.

Members have ascribed to this state

of affairs dark and sinister motives.

I say if we in Parliament

cannot gain from ruling the country...

...there's really very little point

in our being here at all.

No member of this House should be

permitted to profit from office.

Hear! Hear!

If this House knew its duty,

it would terminate...

...and let a new Parliament be elected.

- Order!

- Gentlemen, I move that this House...

...be given power to remain in office a

further three years without re-election.

A committee of inquiry should be set

up to investigate...

...the financial involvement

of certain members.

Order!

Mr. Speaker. May I have your

permission to address this assembly?

By all means, sir.

My lords, honourable members...

...I have always desired, above my life,

a free Parliament...

...sitting by the authority

of the good people of this nation.

A Parliament open and visible,

to be seen by all men.

It is six years since I handed over

to you this great responsibility...

...in the hope that you would make

good and wholesome laws...

...which the people of this nation

expected of you.

I must confess to some abatement

of my hopes...

...for what has happened

in my absence.

Instead of uniting the good people

of this nation...

...with righteousness and peace...

...which would have been a glorious

and Christian thing to have done...

...what do I find?

Anarchy, corruption...

...division and dissatisfaction.

I say that the enemies of this nation...

...have flourished

under your protection.

You were from the beginning

a provisional government...

...not truly representative

of the people.

For have the people elected you?

Has this House gone once

to the people it purports to represent?

No, it has not! And after six years

of misgovernment, what do we find?

Sir Thomas Fairfax moves a bill

to give this House a further lease...

...of its worthless

and dishonourable life!

Gentlemen, an immovable Parliament

is more obnoxious...

...than an immovable king!

You are drunkards, tricksters,

villains, whoremasters...

...godless, self-seeking,

ambitious tricksters.

You are no more capable of conducting

the nation's affairs...

...than you are of running a brothel!

You are scum, sir.

And not truly elected scum at that.

This is no Parliament.

I shall put an end to it.

I hereby declare this Parliament

dissolved!

- Colonel Harrison!

- Yes, sir. Troops forward!

Rubbish.

- Remove them!

- Come on, get them out.

This is dictatorship, sir! Dictatorship!

Dictator! Dictatorship!

- This is illegal!

- Come, sir.

- I refuse to quit this chair.

- By your leave, sir.

Away with this bauble!

I seem to recall

that we cut off a king's head...

...for such as this.

You are a traitor, sir. It is the likes of

you who have turned my hand to this.

I have sought the Lord's guidance

night and day in this matter.

It is not idly done,

for this nation will be justly governed.

I will give this nation back

its self-respect.

We will walk in this world

with our heads held high.

I will liberate man's souls

from the darkness of ignorance.

I will build schools

and universities for all.

This will become

the golden age of learning.

I will bring the law within the reach

of every common man.

There'll be work and bread for all.

This nation will prosper

because it is a godly nation...

...and because we walk hand in hand

with the Lord.

I swear by the name of the living God...

...that I will see this nation...

...properly governed...

...if I have to do it myself.

Dear God,

give me the strength to do it...

...alone.

Oliver Cromwell ruled the nation

as lord protector for five years.

In that short time, he raised England

to be a great power...

... feared and respected

throughout the world.

Under his hand

were laid the foundations...

... of a truly democratic nation.

In 1658, he died.

Three years later, Charles,

prince of Wales, was crowned king...

... and a monarch sat once more

upon the throne of England.

But an England

never to be the same again.

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Ken Hughes

Kenneth Graham "Ken" Hughes (19 January 1922 – 28 April 2001) was a British film director, writer and producer, who is best known as the co-writer and director of the children's film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968). more…

All Ken Hughes scripts | Ken Hughes Scripts

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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