Darkest Hour Page #2

WINSTON:

-immediate reassurance -

ELIZABETH adjusts the typewriter’s carriage and paten andtypes the word “IMMEDIATE” above the previous text...

ELIZABETH:

“-immediate - reassurance - “

WINSTON:

“ - that -” Go on - “- that “

SAWYERS enters, as ELIZABETH struggles to re-set thecarriage.

ELIZABETH:

“ - that - “

The BEDROOM TELEPHONE rings -

SAWYERS:

French Ambassador sir -

WINSTON:

Monsieur Ambassador!

(pause)

Ah. They’ve already invadedBelgium.

(pause)

I will convey your plea to thePrime Minister at once. Yes, the

situation is still very confused.

Goodbye.

WINSTON hangs up. A concerned pause, and then -

WINSTON (CONT’D)

Holland and Belgium.

ELIZABETH types this - tap,tap,tap,tap -

WINSTON (CONT’D)

No, no, no.

ELIZABETH:

(confused)

Sir?

WINSTON:

Scrap that. New telegram.

7.

In a fluster, she pulls out the old PAGE from the TYPEWRITERCARRIAGE and quickly inserts a new page, as

WINSTON (CONT’D)

To General Ismay...

WINSTON grabs his WHISKEY and SODA, as - the PHONE ringsagain. SAWYERS re-appears.

WINSTON (CONT’D)

Dammit Sawyers! What is it now?!

SAWYERS:

Your son.

WINSTON, his concentration broken, goes to the PHONE.

WINSTON:

(into Phone)

Randolph, quickly -

(listens)

Last night they said I may be madePrime Minister today. But that wasyesterday. Let’s see what Nevilledoes today. Thank--thank you my

boy. Keep buggering on!

Puts down the phone. Turns to look at ELIZABETH.

WINSTON (CONT’D)

Now...

Sips his SCOTCH. This calms him.

ELIZABETH LAYTON

General Ismay...

Moving to the end of the bed

WINSTON:

Ah, General Ismay.

(to Sawyers)

Sawyers - get rid of this will you?

Winston gestures to Sawyers to move his tray away and thenswings his legs - indecorously! -out of bed. ELIZABETH

quickly turns her face away! WINSTON then begins to pace -

WINSTON (CONT’D)

In the light of today’s events, thetime is ripe for many preparationsto be made...

(beat)

Are you striking those typewriterkeys in a normal fashion? It’sawfully loud, I can’t think!

(beat)

Read it back.

8.

ELIZABETH:

Ahh--To General Ismay. In the light

of today’s events, the time isright for many prep -

WINSTON:

RIPE! Not RIGHT! God's teeth girl!

I said ripe, ripe, ripe - P-P-P!

The last sentence...

ELIZABETH LAYTON

(shaken)

The--the time is ripe...

WINSTON:

For! FOR!

ELIZABETH LAYTON

(her nerve broken)

...many...many...many...

WINSTON:

How many “many”s did you write?!

One many!

(sighs)

“For...for MANY preparations-to

be made...”

He walks up to her and looks over her chair, and is horrified

to see -

WINSTON (CONT’D)

Single-spaced? What are you doing?!

What are you doing?!

ELIZABETH:

Someone set it on single-spacedand before I realised -

WINSTON:

Then why did you persist?!

ELIZABETH:

I -

As she starts to rush out -

WINSTON:

Tell Evans to send me someone who

can do it right the first time!

RIGHT! T-T-T-T!

INT. HALLWAY/ CHARTWELL - DAY

ELIZABETH comes down the stairs, and stops, her face tear-

stained.

9.

CLEMENTINE CHURCHILL - WINSTON’s WIFE, 55 YEARS OLD -

beautiful, elegant, highly-strung, is at that moment crossingthe hall, with a HANDFUL of BROWN ENVELOPES. She sees

ELIZABETH.

CLEMMIE:

Ah. He shouted at you. Did he shoutat you?

ELIZABETH:

Yes, but I....

CLEMMIE:

He can be an awful brute.

ELIZABETH:

No! I made too many mistakes.

CLEMMIE:

I think you were nervous. And hehas a knack for drawing out thevery worst in those trying tohelp him the most.

ELIZABETH:

Oh it’s not him. It’s me. He’s -

he’s -

CLEMMIE:

He’s just a man, like any other.

Wait here.

CLEMMIE climbs the stairs.

INT. BEDROOM/ CHARTWELL - DAY

CLEMMIE enters - WINSTON (on his knees) is looking for Tangothe cat under his bed.

CLEMMIE:

My Darling?

WINSTON:

The War Cabinet has been called.

The bloody cat is under the bedagain.

CLEMMIE indicates that SAWYERS should go and moves aroundWINSTON tucking his shirt in.

CLEMMIE:

Can I tell you something that Ifeel you ought to know?

He looks at her -

10.

CLEMMIE (CONT’D)

I’ve noticed a recent deterioration

in your manner. You’re not so kindas you used to be. You’ve becomerough, sarcastic, over-bearing andrude.

WINSTON:

Is this about the new girl?

CLEMMIE:

If the King asks you to becomePrime Minister -

WINSTON:

We don’t know that -

CLEMMIE:

I don’t want you to be disliked.

WINSTON:

More than I already am?

CLEMMIE:

Darling, you may be on the brink,

the brink--of having tremendous

power, surpassed only by the King.

With such power you really must tryto be more kind and, if possible,

calm. I want others to love and

respect you as I do.

Clemmie falls back in the bed, shortly joined by Winston-

they share a moment of fondness.

EXT. CHARTWELL - DAY

WIDE SHOT of Chartwell bathed in sunshine. ELIZABETH LAYTON,

with hat and coat now on, is attempting to make a discreetescape from the house but is stopped by a MOTORCYCLE COURIERwith a telegram to deliver. We do not hear what is said.

CLOSE-UP on the telegram turning in ELIZABETH’S hands as theCOURIER rides away. ELIZABETH looks back to the house, makesher decision and re-enters the lair.

INT. STAIRS / CHARTWELL - DAY

ELIZABETH climbs the stairs holding a telegram, braced toonce more enter the Lion’s Den. She enters -

INT. BEDROOM/ CHARTWELL - DAY

- and finds WINSTON, CLEMMIE, JOHN EVANS, SAWYERS and a MAID -

all listening with rapt attention to a RADIO BROADCAST.

11.

BBC RADIO ANNOUNCER

“This is BBC Home Service. Here is

a short news bulletin. The German

army invaded Holland and Belgium

early this morning, by land, and

land parachutes-

ELIZABETH:

There’s a telegram.

JOHN EVANS:

Sssshhh!

BBC RADIO ANNOUNCER

...”The Armies of the Low Countries

are resisting. An appeal for help

has been made to the Allied

governments and Brussels says the

Allied troops are moving to their

support...”

ELIZABETH:

It’s from the Palace.

All eyes turn to look at her, as if an elephant has enteredthe room. A silent beat in which no-one breathes.

WINSTON:

Thank you, Miss...?

ELIZABETH:

Layton.

INT. STUDY/HALLWAY, CHARTWELL - DAY

CLEMMIE hands WINSTON his watch, glasses, cigar case, matchesand a sugar cube.

CLEMMIE:

You’re shaking.

WINSTON:

So are you!

It’s true CLEMMIE is just as nervous -

CLEMMIE:

You from excitement--I from terror.

You have been wanting this your

entire adult life.

WINSTON:

No--since the nursery.

CLEMMIE laughs.

12.

WINSTON (CONT’D)

But do the public want me?

CLEMMIE:

It’s your own Party to whom you’llhave to prove yourself.

WINSTON:

I’m getting the job only becausethe ship is sinking. It’s not agift, it’s revenge.

CLEMMIE:

Let them see your true qualities.

Your courage...

WINSTON:

...My poor judgement.

CLEMMIE:

...Your lack of vanity.

WINSTON:

...My iron will.

CLEMMIE:

(in playful rebuke)

...Your sense of humour.

WINSTON:

Ho Ho Ho!

CLEMMIE:

Now go.

WINSTON:

Go?

CLEMMIE:

Be.

WINSTON:

Be?

She touches his face tenderly -

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