Darkest Hour Page #16

WINSTON forces a SMILE, then departs.

After a moment, the MP’s rise, look at each other, murmur,

rise and follow him.

INT. COMMITTEE ROOM/ PARLIAMENT - DAY

The ROOM is now FULL with 40 MEN - CABINET MEMBERS and YOUNG

BACK-BENCHERS.

WINSTON enters, with JOHN EVANS - shakes the hand of YOUNG

CONSERVATIVE MP (ERNLE HASTINGS).

The DOORS are CLOSED.

WINSTON stands in front of the GATHERING.

They wait for him to speak.

At first no words come from WINSTON, and then -

90.

WINSTON:

Later today--I will address the

House on the matter of our nation’s

security.

(silence)

At this very moment the War Cabinetis drafting papers that lay out ourwillingness to enter into peacetalks with Herr Hitler, via his

lacky, Signor Mussolini.

(pause)

I have thought carefully in theselast days--whether

(pause)

-whether it was part of my duty--

to consider entering intonegotiations with -

(beat)

-that Man.

He puts on his GLASSES and takes out a MATCH-BOOK - on whichis written the names of the people he met in the Underground.

WINSTON (CONT’D)

But then I spoke--with Oliver

Wilson -

(starts to read names fromhis matchbook)

-Mrs Jessie Sutton, Mrs Abigail

Walker...

ANGLE ON:
the CARD. The names of the TUBE COMMUTERS are all

written there...

REACTION:
MP’s, slight confusion as they try to remember whothese people are...

WINSTON (CONT’D)

...Marcus Peters, Agnes Dillon,

Maurice Baker, Alice Simpson, and

Miss Margaret Jerome--brave, good,

true citizens of this kingdom--and

they argued, strongly, that it was

idle to think that, if we tried to

make peace now, we should get

better terms than if we fought it

out. The Germans, Mr Baker felt,

would demand - in the name of

disarmament - our naval bases, and

much else. And I think he’s right.

Jessie Sutton, speaking for many,

believes we should then become a

slave state, though a British

Government - which would be

Hitler's puppet - would be set up -

under Mosley or some such person.

91.

ERNLE HASTINGS:

No!

WINSTON:

And I join with them in asking a

further question, a question I put

to you:
where should we be at the

end of all that?

He SURVEYS their silent UNCERTAIN FACES.

WINSTON (CONT’D)

(silence)

Perhaps some might benefit--thepowerful might be able to parlaygood terms--preserved in their

country redoubts, out of sight ofthe Swastika flying on BuckinghamPalace, over Windsor, draped onthese very buildings -

BACK-BENCHER 1

Never!

WINSTON:

So I come to you--to learn your

minds in this grave hour.

The FACES of the MP’s are RESOLUTE, MOVED, READY TO FIGHT.

WINSTON (CONT’D)

You see, we do still have immense

reserves and advantages...

A NOISE begins to build in the room, mumbling, turning intoshouts, over which WINSTON must shout -

WINSTON (CONT’D)

...and it was pointed out to me -

(holding up list of namesfrom Underground)

- by my new friends--that you might

even rise up and tear me down wereI for one moment to contemplateparley or surrender.

A spontaneous round of emotional applause. It surprisesWINSTON. It surprises even those who are applauding.

WINSTON (CONT’D)

Were they wrong?

ALL:

NO! NO!

WINSTON:

Then...then...then -

92.

The DIN dies down. When silence returns...

WINSTON (CONT’D)

-then--it appears to be your will

also, that if this long islandstory of ours is to end at last,

then it should only be -

(pause, then powerfully -)

-when each one of us lies chokingin his own blood upon the ground!

A GIANT HOORAY goes up and the YOUNG MPs RUSH UP to WINSTON,

who is soon SWAMPED by MPs shaking his HAND, PATTING HIM on

the back - a MASSIVE SIGN OF SUPPORT.

INT. WAR CABINET ROOM/ WAR ROOMS - DAY

WINSTON somberly addresses the WAR CABINET (plus ANTHONY EDEN).

WINSTON:

And when I asked to know their

minds there occurred a

demonstration which, considering

the character of the gathering,

quite surprised me. There is nodoubt that if we falter at all in

the leading of the nation weshould all be hurled out of office.

I am sure now that every Minister onboth sides of the house is ready tobe killed quite soon, and have allhis family and possessionsdestroyed, rather than give in. Inthis they represent almost all thepeople. It falls to me in thesecoming days and months to expresstheir sentiments. There shall be no

negotiated peace...

(to HALIFAX)

..and you must each do now as yousee fit.

(beat)

I must now address parliament, andI’m yet to write a word of myspeech.

WINSTON grabs his SILVER BOX OF MATCHES left earlier on thetable -

WINSTON (CONT’D)

There’s the buggers.

-then walks out, passing the tall IRONSIDE, and clapping him onthe shoulder.

WINSTON (CONT’D)

“Tiny”.

93.

GENERAL IRONSIDE - having his war at last - smiles.

IRONSIDE:

Sir.

EDEN happily follows his LEADER now.

REACTION:
HALIFAX. BETRAYAL.

CHAMBERLAIN avoids HALIFAX’s eyes.

ATTLEE and GREENWOOD smile.

INT. CORRIDOR - WAR ROOMS / ELIZABETH’S ROOM - DAY

WINSTON walks toward ELIZABETH LAYTON’s “Shoe-Box” room,

knocks, opens the door, remains in the doorway -

WINSTON:

Miss Layton?

ELIZABETH looks up from her work -

ELIZABETH:

Sir?

WINSTON:

I’m in need of you.

INT. WAR CABINET ROOM - DAY

HALIFAX detains CHAMBERLAIN as the CABINET leaves the meeting -

HALIFAX:

We must both now resign. Force avote of no confidence. I have yourword?

CHAMBERLAIN:

Let us--let us go to the Commonsfirst. Join our colleagues. Andspeak after the Prime Minister’saddress.

CHAMBERLAIN takes his coat and leaves HALIFAX worried.

INT. BEDROOM/ 10 DOWNING STREET - DAY

CLEMMIE is getting dressed, and then turns to look at herselfin the mirror, and reveal -

-that she is in UNIFORM (Red Cross).

94.

CLEMMIE:

(to her reflection)

Here lies a woman, who is alwaystired--for she lived in a world

where too much was required.

EXT. PARLIAMENT - DAY

CAMERA moves in on WINSTON’S PARKED CAR, and we graduallyhear the sound of - TYPING.

Through the WINDOW of the CAR we finally see -

WINSTON, dictating to ELIZABETH LAYTON, her TYPE-WRITER onher knee going clack, clack, clack. (WINSTON gesticulates ashe composes the crucial words.)

INT. COMMONS/ PARLIAMENT - DAY

WINSTON addresses a PACKED HOUSE of COMMONS. A CROWD of some

FIVE HUNDRED listen, with more in the GALLERY. Among theGALLERY crowd, JOHN EVANS.

ELIZABETH LAYTON arrives late, and learns over the hand-rail,

looking down anxiously at -

WINSTON, as he launches his final assault -

WINSTON:

Turning once again--to the question

of invasion--I would observe that

there has never been a period inall these long centuries of whichwe boast, when an absolute

guarantee against invasion couldhave been given to our people.

ANGLE ON:
HALIFAX, in the GALLERY, keenly watching.

WINSTON (CONT’D)

I have, myself--full confidence

that if all do their duty, ifnothing is neglected, and if thebest arrangements are made, as theyare being made, we shall proveourselves once more able to defend

our island home, to ride out the

storm of war, and to outlive the

menace of tyranny -

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