Darkest Hour Page #3

CLEMMIE:

Yourself.

WINSTON:

Which self?

CLEMMIE walks away. WINSTON turns to a wall on which are

hung many HATS - (Royal Naval Yacht Club Cap, Admiral’s hatwith plume, aviator helmet with goggles, riding hat, pithhelmet, French WW1 helmet, fez, Homburg, top hat, etc ) all

on display like HUNTING TROPHIES.

13.

WINSTON (CONT’D)

(to himself)

Which self should I be today?

WINSTON surveys the collection, then plucks the TOP HAT fromits hook -

WINSTON (CONT’D)

One should have had power when ayoung man. When wits were sharp,

sinews strong. Oh well.

He returns to her -

WINSTON (CONT’D)

Lead on Macduff-When

youth departs--

may wisdom prove enough.

They kiss, and she gives him a silver BOX OF MATCHES,

embossed with loving message from his children.

EXT/INT. PRINCES STREET/ WINSTON’S CAR - DAY

WINSTON, in the back seat, (with JOHN EVANS in front) looksout the window at the human traffic - seems like he’s in a

gold-fish bowl, disconnected. He watches as -MEN IN BOWLER

HATS and YOUNG WOMEN in SUMMER DRESSES walk to work.

JOHN EVANS:

Hardly seems like there’s a waron at all.

THREE DELIVERY BOYS ride by on bicycles, notice him and waveexcitedly.

WINSTON:

How odd it is.

JOHN EVANS:

Sir?

They stop, waiting behind a BUS.

WINSTON:

You know--I have never ridden a

bus. Never queued for bread. Ibelieve I can boil an egg but onlybecause I saw it done once.

EXT. BUCKINGHAM PALACE - DAY

WINSTON’s car approaches the Palace gates, which are open.

The CAR drives up to the PALACE. WINSTON gets out and he andEVANS enter the PALACE -

14.

INT. PALACE ENTRANCE - DAY

A grand hall.

Winston removing his hat and coat, hands his cane and gloves,

then hat to a LIVERIED DOORMAN whilst a LIVERIED STAFF MEMBER

waits nearby.

WINSTON:

The only time I tried to ride theUnderground was during the GeneralStrike. Clemmie dropped me at SouthKensington station. I went down-but

I got lost and came straight

back up. Awful!

(girding himself)

Well, “Here we go”...

EVANS:

Good luck sir.

WINSTON strides away, following the EQUERRY.

INT. STATE CHAMBERS/ BUCKINGHAM PALACE - DAY

KING GEORGE VI (agitated, troubled) speaks with the ill,

weak, outgoing PRIME-MINISTER NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN.

CHAMBERLAIN watches the KING.

GEORGE VI:

Why not Halifax? I favour Halifax.

CHAMBERLAIN:

I wanted Halifax. The Lords wanted

Halifax. Halifax wanted Halifax.

GEORGE VI:

Then--then why have I been forced

to send for Churchill?

CHAMBERLAIN:

Because he’s the only member of ourparty who has the support of theOpposition.

GEORGE VI:

His record is a litany ofcatastrophe. Gallipoli, 25,000dead. The India Policy. RussianCivil War. The Gold Standard. The

the the Abdication. And now this

Norway ‘adventure’. What, eighteenhundred men?

15.

CHAMBERLAIN:

One aircraft carrier, two cruisers,

seven destroyers and a submarine.

GEORGE VI:

Winston lacks judgement.

CHAMBERLAIN:

He was right about Hitler.

GEORGE VI:

Even a stopped clock is righttwice a day.

EQUERRY enters.

EQUERRY:

First Lord of the Admiralty,

Mr Winston Churchill!

GEORGE VI:

Early.

CHAMBERLAIN:

Keen.

GEORGE VI:

I accept your resignation--but I

want you to know--how--cruelly I

think you’ve been treated.

CHAMBERLAIN:

Thank you Your Majesty.

He and GEORGE shake hands.

EQUERRY:

This way, my Lord.

The KING waits - SIGHS deeply, until...

We hear footsteps approaching. WINSTON enters.

WINSTON:

Your Majesty.

GEORGE VI:

Mr Churchill.

GEORGE VI (CONT’D)

I believe you know why I--II have asked you here today.

WINSTON:

Sir, I simply can’t imagine why.

16.

GEORGE VI:

It is my duty to-to-to invite youto take up - the position of ofPrime Minister of this United

Kingdom. Will you form agovernment?

WINSTON:

I will.

GEORGE VI:

Very well.

WINSTON bows, and when the KING offers his hand, WINSTON

kisses it. WINSTON rises.

GEORGE VI (CONT’D)

That was--quite easy.

WINSTON:

Yes.

They stare at each other in uneasy silence.

WINSTON (CONT’D)

I believe we are to meet regularly.

GEORGE VI:

Once a week, I’m afraid. How are

you on--on--on Mondays?

WINSTON:

I shall endeavour to be available

on Mondays.

GEORGE VI:

Four o’clock?

WINSTON:

(resolutely)

I nap at 4.

GEORGE VI:

Is that--permissible?

WINSTON:

No. But necessary. I work late.

GEORGE VI:

Then perhaps lunch?

WINSTON:

Lunch! Mondays.

(WINSTON bows)

Your majesty.

GEORGE VI:

Prime Minister.

17.

When WINSTON backs out of the room, the KING anxiously lightsa cigarette, and broods.

EXT. 10 DOWNING STREET - DAY

WINSTON pulls up in his PRIVATE CAR, alights, (followed byEVANS) waves at the PRESS, an effortless SELF-PUBLICIST, attotal ease in the spotlight. Ever the showman - taps theNUMBER 10 on the famous front door with his walking stick forthe amusement of the PHOTOGRAPHERS -

PHOTOGRAPHER:

Prime Minister? First order of

business, sir?

WINSTON:

A glass of Pol Roger!

He enters the building, and -

INT. HALLWAY/ 10 DOWNING STREET - DAY

-is greeted by EDEN.

EDEN:

Prime Minister!

WINSTON:

Anthony.

EDEN:

How was the K-k-king?

WINSTON:

Anxious. Never forgiven me forsupporting his brother’smarriage to Wallis Simpson.

WINSTON and EDEN step into his office, with WINSTON closingthe door on EVANS in the hallway.

INT. OFFICE/ 10 DOWNING STREET - CONTINUOUS

EDEN:

You only have to meet him once aweek.

WINSTON:

That’s like saying you only have tohave your tooth pulled once a week.

EDEN takes out a pen, opens a notebook -

18.

EDEN:

Composition of your War Cabinet.

Who should sit on it?

WINSTON:

Chamberlain. And the Reverend “HolyFox” -

EDEN:

(writes)

Halifax. Keeping your enemiesclose?

WINSTON:

More than that, without them the

party will get rid of me.

(beat)

And that sheep in sheep’s clothing,

Attlee.

MARY, CHURCHILL’s 18 year old daughter, appears in thedoorway.

MARY CHURCHILL:

Come on Daddy--everyone’s waiting.

WINSTON:

Be there in a jiffy, my love.

MARY exits.

EDEN:

I heard that before you were asked,

they offered it to Lord Halifax.

WINSTON:

(shakes head)

I doubt that. Halifax would never

turn it down. He's the fourth son

of an Earl. Fourth sons turn

nothing down.

EDEN:

I only wish the position had comeyour way in better times, sir. Youhave an enormous task ahead of you.

WINSTON:

I hope it’s not too late. I amvery much afraid it is. But we can

only do our best.

INT. LIVING ROOM/ 10 DOWNING STREET - DAY

CLEMMIE and the CHURCHILL CHILDREN wear GAS-MASKS as theyshout -

19.

CHURCHILL CHILDREN

HURRAY!

RANDOLPH CHURCHILL

Hip Hip

CHURCHILL CHILDREN

HURRAY!

WINSTON enters - and stops, aghast, and stares at his family -

WINSTON:

Good lord, what a frightful sight!

CLEMMIE, SARAH CHURCHILL (26), DIANA CHURCHILL(31), RANDOLPHCHURCHILL (29) and his WIFE PAMELA (pregnant), and MARYCHURCHILL (18) all pull off their GAS MASKS, grab theirglasses of CHAMPAGNE, then converge on him and kiss him.

He stares at them, a SMILE FORMING AT LAST, deeply touched,

actually. He is presented with a glass of champagne.

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