Darkest Hour

On BLACK SCREEN:
Run CAPTIONS:

MAY 9TH 1940:
HITLER HAS INVADED CZECHOSLOVAKIA, POLAND,

DENMARK, AND NORWAY. HE IS NOW POISED TO CONQUER THE REST OF

EUROPE.

IN BRITAIN, PARLIAMENT HAS LOST FAITH IN ITS LEADER, NEVILLE

CHAMBERLAIN.

THE SEARCH FOR A REPLACEMENT HAS ALREADY BEGUN…

FADE IN....

INT. HOUSE OF COMMONS CHAMBER - DAY

...is in an uproar. The PRIME MINISTER, NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN

(71), sits with the MAJORITY, RULING CONSERVATIVE PARTY onone side of the house...

...whilst the LEADER of the MINORITY, OPPOSITION LABOUR

PARTY, CLEMENT ATTLEE (57) sits with the OPPOSITION PARTIESon the other side.

They face each other like two warring armies. Shouting.

Accusations. Wild gesturing. Paper darts thrown. Mayhem.

CAPTION:
MAY 9, 1940

ATTLEE rises to his feet, amid jeers and heckles, to denounceCHAMBERLAIN, directly opposite him across the aisle

ATTLEE:

Mr Speaker! Mr Speaker!

SPEAKER:

The Honourable Leader of the

Opposition, Clement Attlee!

ATTLEE:

Mr Speaker--Mr Speaker--it seems I

have not been clear enough. Thenlet me leave no doubt regarding myfeelings about Mr Chamberlain’s

future as Prime Minister.

(over boos and applause)

Owing to his years of inactivityand incompetence -

(cheers and boos)

(MORE)

2.

ATTLEE (CONT'D)

-we find him personallyresponsible, personally responsiblefor leaving our nation ruinouslyunprepared to face the present Naziperil. We are at war, Mr Speaker.

At war. And leaving aside whetherhe is fit to be a leader in peacetime

he has proven himselfincapable of leading us in wartime.

Cries of support to this -

Looking down from the LORDS GALLERY is - VISCOUNT HALIFAX(59), appalled by what he is seeing. He exchanges a look withthe bereft CHAMBERLAIN.

ATTLEE (CONT’D)

Therefore, in the national

interest, we the Opposition, arewilling to enter into a GrandCoalition--with the “ruling”

Conservative Party, so-called!...

An OPPOSITION MP stands and starts singing "Rule Britannia".

Others soon begin to join in.

SPEAKER:

Order! Order!

ATTLEE:

...but not, and I stress this,

never, under the leadership of MrChamberlain...

(angle on CHAMBERLAIN)

...who has lost the confidence of

this House!

A REBEL CONSERVATIVE MEMBER rises and crosses the floor to

stand with the OPPOSITION MPs, betraying Chamberlain.

ATTLEE (CONT’D)

(directly to CHAMBERLAIN)

In the country’s interest man,

resign! Step down! And let usfind a new leader!

UPROAR, and many cry “HEAR-HEAR!” and “GO!”

SPEAKER:

I said, ORDER!

The camera passes along the CONSERVATIVE benches to findANTHONY EDEN (43), behind him sits KINGSLEY WOOD (59).

KINGSLEY WOOD:

(into EDEN’s ear)

Where’s Winston?

3.

On the bench beside EDEN, as if to reserve a space, is an oldRoyal Naval Yacht Club CAP.

EDEN:

Ensuring his fingerprintsare not on the murder weapon.

The singing of “Rule Britannia” continues over -

INT. DINING ROOM/ SIR JOHN SIMON’S COUNTRY HOUSE - NIGHT

NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN addresses the other CONSERVATIVE guestsgathered around a circular dining table.

CHAMBERLAIN:

Accordingly--tomorrow--I will

resign as Prime Minister.

GREAT FEAR in the faces of the NOBLES. CUT BETWEEN their

FACES, during the following -

CHAMBERLAIN (CONT’D)

(suppressing emotion)

As the Opposition refuse to join agovernment headed by me, we mustselect my successor.

(beat)

I will step down tomorrow but Iwanted my own party, the gentlemenI most respect, to know first.

LORD LONDONDERRY.

Halifax. There’s no question!

Our Foreign Secretary -

SIR JOHN SIMON:

No contest! HALIFAX

HALIFAX:

I appreciate your confidence but mytime has yet to come. However, onwhomever the task may fall, heshall be charged with the securityof these islands and of our Empire,

and shall be required to exploreall avenues.

CHAMBERLAIN:

Including that of Diplomatic talks.

HALIFAX:

Indeed, towards the restoration of

peace in Europe.

ALL:

Hear Hear!!!

4.

CHAMBERLAIN:

Gentlemen, I’m afraid there is onlyone candidate. Only, one man thatthe Opposition will accept?

ALL:

Oh no.

SIR JOHN SIMON:

Surely not...

INT. CHARTWELL/ COUNTRY HOUSE OF WINSTON & CLEMENTINECHURCHILL DAY

CAPTION:
FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1940

A plate of BACON & EGGS is set on a BREAKFAST TRAY. Then...aglass of WHITE WINE is poured by WINSTON’s VALET, SAWYERS,

and set beside the plate. A glass of SCOTCH and SODA is alsoprepared and set beside these on the tray. For Breakfast?

SAWYERS carries the TRAY through servants quarters towardsthe ENTRANCE HALL of the house, where -

-the TRAY passes by - WINSTON’s PRIVATE SECRETARY, JOHNEVANS (35), as he schools the NEW YOUNG SECRETARY, ELIZABETHLAYTON. Evans, an immaculately-groomed rake, snobbishlythinks himself infinitely superior to the Elizabeth Laytonsof the world.

JOHN EVANS:

(to ELIZABETH)

...and if he stretches out his hand

and says, “Gimme”, you need to

anticipate what he wants -black

pen, red pen, paper, or “Clop”,

that’s his hole punch.

EVANS and LAYTON walk past -

-SAWYERS-with-TRAY, as he waits for the COOK to iron a

NEWSPAPER (DAILY EXPRESS)and as the SCULLERY MAIDS, over hershoulder, ANXIOUSLY read the headline:

"CHAMBERLAIN TO RESIGN”

SAWYERS:

Don’t smudge the ink.

MAID:

How selfish to resign, time likethis.

COOK:

D’you think they’ll take me to

Downing Street?

5.

SAWYERS:

Not after the Spotted Dick youserved last week.

The COOK then sets the PAPER on the TRAY, whereupon SAWYERScarries the TRAY up the stairs.

CUT TO:

EVANS and LAYTON approach a BEDROOM DOORWAY.

JOHN EVANS:

...He mumbles, so it’s almost

impossible to catch everything.

And be prepared to type fast –

short bursts - and double-spaced,

he hates single-spaced--hates it!

Good luck.

EVANS knocks on the door, opens it and then pushes the now-

quaking ELIZABETH LAYTON inside, closing the door again.

INT. BEDROOM/ CHARTWELL - DAY

Her POV of the dimly-lit room. And then, a MATCH is struck, a

CIGAR lit. We can just make out a MAN in bed, as -

SAWYERS tugs open the CURTAINS, revealing -

-WINSTON CHURCHILL (65), in BED, with the BREAKFAST TRAY onhis lap, in a pink silk dressing-gown (naked beneath). Hisdispatch box, piled high with telegrams, stands open by hisbed . His marmalade cat, TANGO, sits at the end of the bed,

as WINSTON reads a dispatch and dictates...

WINSTON:

To the French Ambassador. Come on -

WINSTON looks up at ELIZABETH, to see if she is writing thisdown. She’s not -

WINSTON (CONT’D)

-telegram!

ELIZABETH realises, to her horror, that the dictation has

already begun, and she hurries to the TYPE-WRITER, which hasalready been loaded with a sheet...She begins to type FAST,

in short bursts -

WINSTON (CONT’D)

(dictating)

With German forces crossing intoHolland...Holland alone...requestreassurance...that French forces

will now move--move at once--to

protect Belgium. Stop. Read!

6.

ELIZABETH:

(nervously)

“To--to the French Ambassador.

With German forces crossinginto Holland...Holland alone...

request reassurance that -

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