Darkest Hour Page #6

to challenge them. In fact, I

strongly recommend we stop sending

our precious fighter-planes to be

wasted in France--save them for

our own defence.

WINSTON moves to the NAVAL MAP, showing WARSHIPDEPLOYMENTS...

WINSTON:

And our navy--sits idle,

neutralized, useless.

NAVAL ADMIRAL POUND

Our fleets no sooner come within

their range than we come under

blistering air attack.

WINSTON:

Their speed is devastating.

WINSTON returns to the ARMY MAP

GENERAL IRONSIDE

Panzer tanks. Plunging rapidly

westward, through the centre.

WINSTON:

But they will have to pause for

fuel supplies.

IRONSIDE looks at GENERAL ISMAY.

GENERAL IRONSIDE

Ismay?

31.

ISMAY:

This is not the last war, Sir.

Their tanks can stop for fuel at apetrol station.

WINSTON:

Petrol station?

GENERAL IRONSIDE

The road to Paris now lies open.

7 million refugees are on the move.

Collectively we are looking at thecollapse of Western Europe in afew days.

ISMAY:

Should the public be told?

WINSTON:

Not yet. First, we must rouseour old friends to an heroic

resistance. France must be saved.

CAMERA moves in on the MAP...

Over this, we start to dissolve in -

- footage of a FLAMINGO PASSENGER PLANE in flight -

-as the MAP itself dissolves into -

-a real rural LANDSCAPE, as seen from above...

EXT. AERIAL/ SKIES OVER FRANCE - DAY

WINSTON’s FLAMINGO PASSENGER PLANE flies over FRENCH FIELDS.

The PLANE is soon joined by two SPITFIRE FIGHTER ESCORTS, oneon each wing.

INT. FLAMINGO/ CIVILIAN PASSENGER PLANE - DAY

We see pilots in the cockpit looks down, a drink is pouredand is taken to Winston as he looks down -His face goesgrey as he sees - for the first time - CIVILIAN REFUGEES,

long meandering columns of desperate humanity.

On BOARD with WINSTON - ISMAY, DOWDING and IRONSIDE.

The SHOCK of this plays on his face.

WINSTON’s POV of: the vast tragedy. Amongst stragglingvagabonds and columns of refugees. Signs of the GERMANconquest - abandoned TANKS and ARTILLERY stand in flames.

32.

CLOSE ON:
A YOUNG REFUGEE BOY (his POV) looks up at WINSTON’s

PLANE. He holds his left hand up to his left eye to look atthe plane.

UP WITH CAPTION:
THURSDAY MAY 16

WINSTON:

This can’t go on. Must not.

INT/EXT. FRENCH AIRCRAFT HANGER - DAY

A LARGE DELEGATION of CIVILIANS and MILITARY await WINSTON,

as WINSTON alights the PLANE and approaches down a long REDCARPET.

PRIME MINISTER REYNAUD steps forward and shakes WINSTON’shand.

WINSTON:

(to REYNAUD)

Brace yourselves, I am about toadd to your terrible suffering-by

speaking French.

They sit at a long table in the hangar.

WINSTON (CONT’D)

(in bad FRENCH)

Bien que notre situation soit trèsgrave ce n'est pas la première foisque nous faisons face à une crise,

ensemble.

Subtitles:

Although our plight is grave,

this was not the first time we

has been in a crisis together.

REYNAUD:

Perhaps in English, Prime Minister.

WINSTON:

(after a moment’s offence)

We have--we have survived crises

before, and I am confident we will

survive this one. Tell me how youplan to counter-attack.

REYNAUD:

There is no plan.

Silence - then...

WINSTON:

(in FRENCH)

You must counter-attack. Premier,

you must!

(MORE)

33.

WINSTON (CONT'D)

(in ENGLISH)

You must counter-attack!

Vous devez contrattaquer! Il le

faut! Gentlemen--I do not believe

this Panzer breakthrough is a real

invasion.

REYNAUD:

Not a real invasion?

Stupefied looks from the FRENCH and ISMAY alike.

DALADIER:

(in FRENCH)

Tell this to the families of the

dead perhaps.

REYNAUD:

We sincerely appreciate yourefforts and optimism, but--we have

lost.

WINSTON seems unable/unwilling to process this -

WINSTON:

As long as--as their tanks are not

supported by infantry units theyare merely little flags, stuck

on the map, because the tank crewsare unable to support themselves.

No, I refuse to see in this

spectacular raid of the German

tanks a real invasion.

Silence to this. Is WINSTON losing his mind?

EXT. FRENCH-AIRFIELD - DAY

WINSTON’s FLAMINGO takes off.

INT. FRENCH STAFF-CAR/ FRENCH AIRFIELD - DAY

REYNAUD and DALADIER, side by side in the car, watchWINSTON’s FLAMINGO climbing into the sky

REYNAUD:

(in FRENCH, with SUBTITLES)

Il Devine! Delusional! (He’s

delusional)

DALADIER:

C’est Anglais (He’s English.)

34.

INT. PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY - DAY

SIR JOHN SIMON and LORD LONDONDERRY walk and talk along thelibary gallery

SIR JOHN SIMON:

He’s an actor. In love with the

sound of his own voice.

LONDONDERRY:

Oh I love to listen to him--but

we must never take his advice. Has

a hundred ideas a day. Four aregood, the other 96 downrightdangerous.

SIR JOHN SIMON:

His father was a great oratorbut...

LONDONDERRY:

Until he lost his mind to syphilis

SIR JOHN SIMON:

How nations suffer for the sins of

their fathers.

Across the AISLE, STANHOPE is also talking about CHURCHILLwith SIR SAMUEL HOARE

STANHOPE:

My opinion? At this criticaljuncture for the empire, we have adrunkard at the wheel.

SIR SAMUEL HOARE

Wakes with a scotch, bottle of

champagne at lunch, another atdinner, brandy and port till thewee hours...I wouldn’t let him

borrow my bicycle!

INT. TREASURY TOILETS - DAY

KINGSLEY WOOD is talking to a COLLEAGUE -

KINGSLEY WOOD:

He’s a Conservative, who defects to

the Liberals--lobs grenades at us

for 10 years--then flops

Conservative again, as it bloodysuits him! Sorry, but--he stands

for one thing:
himself!

35.

INT. CHAPEL - DAY

HALIFAX is sitting with KING GEORGE VI.

HALIFAX:

We might have to replace him,

Bertie.

KING GEORGE VI:

Replace him?!

HALIFAX:

We must strive for peace--for every

son and daughter of this land sothat we may emerge from this crisiswith something recognisable as

'home.'

KING GEORGE VI:

Spoken like a true Prime Minister.

INT. KITCHEN/ 10 DOWNING STREET - DAY

YELLOW POWDERED EGGS are being MIXED with WATER, then friedthen slopped onto a plate as SCRAMBLED EGGS. On a BREAKFASTTRAY (once more)are set - (in rapid cuts) BACON and POWDEREDEGGS, SCOTCH and SODA, a GLASS of WINE...

CAPTION:
SUNDAY, MAY 19, 1940

INT. DRESSING ROOM/BEDROOM/ 10 DOWNING STREET - DAY

JOHN EVANS stands outside the LOO (whose door is closed),

with a note-pad and pen, ready to record WINSTON’sinstructions.

JOHN EVANS:

Sir, you need to reply to the LordPrivy Seal.

INT. LOO/ 10 DOWNING STREET - DAY

WINSTON sits on the TOILET, reading a French newspaper whosefront page shows a picture of FRENCH SOLDIER with his armaround his FRENCH SWEETHEART, holding up his fingers in a VFOR-

VICTORY gesture (palm-outward). The headline is “V POUR

LA VICTOIRE”. Winston is sitting on the toilet.

WINSTON:

The Privy Seal?

JOHN EVANS:

Yes sir?

36.

WINSTON:

(reading)

“V for Victory”

WINSTON closes the newspaper, stands -

WINSTON (CONT’D)

Tell the Lord Privy Seal

INT. DRESSING ROOM/BEDROOM/ 10 DOWNING STREET - DAY

WINSTON (O.S.)

-tell him I’m sealed in the

Privy We

hear a flush and then WINSTON appears, wearing his pinksilk dressing-gown.

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