Darkest Hour Page #11

proposed is not only futile, but

involves us in a deadly danger.

HALIFAX:

THE DEADLY DANGER HERE IS THIS

ROMANTIC FANTASY OF FIGHTING TO THE

END!!! What is “the end” if not

the destruction of all?

There is nothing heroic in going

down fighting if it can be avoided.

Nothing even remotely patriotic in

death or glory if the odds are on

the former; nothing inglorious in

trying to shorten a war that we are

clearly losing.

WINSTON cannot bear this talk -

WINSTON HALIFAX (CONT'D)

Europe is still -Europe is lost!

HALIFAX (CONT’D)

And before our forces are wiped out

completely this is the time to

negotiate, in order to obtain the

best conditions possible. It would

not be in Hitler’s interests to

insist on outrageous terms. He will

know his own weaknesses. He will be

reasonable.

WINSTON cannot bear this talk -

61.

WINSTON:

When will the lesson be learned?

How many more dictators must bewooed, appeased--Good God, given

immense privileges, before we

learn!--that you can’t reason

with a tiger when your head is in

its mouth!

WINSTON rises and walks out. HALIFAX, escaping CHAMBERLAIN’sgrip on his forearm, alone chases WINSTON...into -

INT. SMALL CORRIDOR TO TUNNEL/ WAR ROOMS - DAY

HALIFAX pursues WINSTON into the vestibule-

HALIFAX:

PRIME MINISTER -

WINSTON turns back to him - they are now enclosed in thevestibule.

HALIFAX (CONT’D)

Winston! Yesterday you gavepermission for -

WINSTON:

What permission?

HALIFAX:

- for me to meet

HALIFAX (CONT’D) WINSTON

-with Bastianini -- I sanctioned -

WINSTON (CONT’D)

-the theoretical ex-

WINSTON (CONT'D)

-ploration -

HALIFAX:

-theoretical?! -

WINSTON:

- of what price Italy would ask. Nomore. I did not sanction-

HALIFAX:

If you will not allow any furtherexploration of a peace agreement,

then--you will have my resignation.

WINSTON:

Don’t be absurd. I need youEdward. You know I do!

62.

HALIFAX:

I will not stand by to watchanother generation of young men dieat the bloody altar of your hubris!

WINSTON:

And you would have us die as lambs!

HALIFAX:

Was Gallipoli not enough for you?!

WINSTON:

(angry)

How dare you?! Our troops werechewing barbed wire in Flanders! I

saw it! Opening a second front,

outflanking the Turks, was aserious military idea - and itcould’ve damn-well worked if - the

Admirals and First Sea Lord hadn’t

dithered away our element ofsurprise!

Silence. WINSTON realises he’s gone too far. Totally lost hispoise. He calms himself. But too late. HALIFAX, undaunted,

fixes WINSTON with a cold judicial eye -

HALIFAX:

The choice is yours. You have 24hours to enter into peace talks, orI resign.

HALIFAX walks back into the war rooms. WINSTON, regretful forhis display of temper.

INT. HALLWAY/ 10 DOWNING STREET - DAY

WINSTON emerges from the ELEVATOR, to find -

-the YOUNG CONSERVATIVE MP, ERNLE HASTINGS, waiting for himat the bottom of the stairs.

ERNLE HASTINGS:

Prime Minister. I wonder if we

might schedule you to address theOuter Cabinet?

WINSTON climbs the stairs, without saying a word.

INT. TREASURY TOILETS - DAY

HALIFAX, energized, and CHAMBERLAIN, looking unwell, conferas CHAMBERLAIN dampens a handkerchief and dabs his head withcold water...

63.

HALIFAX:

I told him. It shook him.

CHAMBERLAIN:

Imagine it did.

HALIFAX:

Gave him 24 hours--I don’t expect

him to agree, so I will resign

first. You then join me. That’s

critical if we are to trigger a

revolt in the chamber. I’ll

announce it. The King will back us.

HALIFAX nods. CHAMBERLAIN now mentors him, paternally -

CHAMBERLAIN:

Be sure of your motives, Edward.

Country first! Country First

always. Career third, fourth-

after family, and church - and,

in your case (small smile) -fox

hunting. Come.

CHAMBERLAIN bravely leads an emotional HALIFAX out of theBATHROOM.

EXT. WESTMINSTER/ LONDON - NIGHT

HIGH-ANGLE WIDE-SHOT of LONDON - then PAN to reveal RADIO

AERIALS, as we hear -

RADIO ANNOUNCER (O.S.)

“Today, the Admiralty have made an

Order requesting all owners of self-

propelled pleasure craft, between

30' and 100' in length, to send all

particulars to the Admiralty,

immediately -

INT. LIBRARY/ 10 DOWNING STREET - NIGHT

WINSTON listens to the RADIO BROADCAST:

RADIO ANNOUNCER:

“- if they have not already beenoffered or requisitioned.“

WINSTON turns off the RADIO, turns to face ELIZABETH LAYTON

who sits at her type-writer, waiting. They look at eachother.

CHURCHILL:

(dictating)

To Brigadier Nicholson, 30thInfantry Brigade. Calais.

(MORE)

64.

CHURCHILL (CONT'D)

Every hour you continue to existis of the greatest help to ourforces at Dunkirk. Have the

greatest possible admiration foryour splendid stand.

Your evacuation however--yourevacuation will not, repeat not,

take place.

Signed...

ELIZABETH LAYTON, has stopped typing.

CHURCHILL, looks up and sees tears in her eyes. He goes toher, offering a handkerchief.

CHURCHILL (CONT’D)

Here.

(softening)

What is it?

ELIZABETH LAYTON

May I be excused?

CHURCHILL:

You may not. Tell me what thisis about.

ELIZABETH LAYTON

No-one tells us anything. It’s allclassified and--we hear scraps and

it’s worse than knowing nothing.

CHURCHILL:

What would you like to know?

She stares into his eyes -

ELIZABETH LAYTON

How many men will survive?

He stares at her - it’s the great PUBLIC QUESTION. Itdeserves an answer.

CHURCHILL:

Come with me. Come on.

INT. TUNNEL/ BENEATH 10 DOWNING STREET - NIGHT

WINSTON leads ELIZABETH down the long tunnel -

INT. CORRIDOR/ WAR ROOMS - NIGHT

-ELIZABETH follows WINSTON to the MAP-ROOM.

CHURCHILL:

Come in.

65.

ELIZABETH:

No. I’m not allowed in the MapRoom.

CHURCHILL:

You are now.

INT. MAP ROOM/ WAR-ROOMS - NIGHT

She enters the MAP ROOM, which is manned with MALE personnelwho look askance at ELIZABETH. WINSTON shows her the ARMY

MAP of WESTERN EUROPE. The BRITISH FORCES are represented,

surrounded by GERMAN troops at the seaside town of DUNKIRK.

WINSTON:

The German army now controlsevery French port except Dunkirk,

here--and Calais, here to the west,

where a garrison is drawing fireand delaying the German advance onDunkirk.

She nods.

WINSTON (CONT’D)

At both points our troops areencircled. We’re still trying toclear Dunkirk harbour of wrecked

ships so we can then land the boatswe need to get our boys off thosebeaches, but enemy planes areattacking us constantly. Our onlyhope in Dunkirk is thick cloudcover to thwart these attacks, but-the

skies remain clear. Even then I

am told we will need a miracle to

get even 10% of our men out.

She is shocked -

WINSTON (CONT’D)

Courage, Miss Layton--courage.

ELIZABETH:

How long have they got if we don’trescue them?

WINSTON:

One, maybe two days.

ISMAY enters -

WINSTON (CONT’D)

General?

66.

ISMAY:

News from Calais, the 30th

Infantry, sir. They’ve retreated tothe town’s citadel...

As a last and probably hopelessstand-the order “Everyman forhimself’ has been given.

WINSTON:

(As he exits)

Good.

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