Darkest Hour Page #7

WINSTON (CONT’D)

-and I can only deal withone sh*t at a time!

He goes into the bedroom, followed by EVANS, where we find -

ELIZABETH LAYTON, typing at the nearby desk, and

ANTHONY EDEN, seated in a chair beside the bed, readingWINSTON’S TYPED SPEECH...

WINSTON (CONT’D)

Don’t spare me, Anthony--be frank.

EDEN:

Mmmmm.

As EDEN reads, WINSTON stares at him, awaiting his reaction.

WINSTON:

(to EDEN)

I think it’s rather good. Theending especially.

When EDEN says nothing the wait becomes agonizing. EDEN

finishes reading the speech, turns over the last page to seeif there is more on the back. There isn’t.

WINSTON waits for the verdict. EDEN takes off his glassesslowly and looks up at a hopeful WINSTON -

EDEN:

I don’t think so.

WINSTON:

You don’t think so, what?

37.

EDEN:

You’re suggesting we’re--somehow-winning.

(beat)

We’re not.

WINSTON:

No but...it will inspire them.

WINSTON (CONT'D)

You don’t understand -

EDEN:

Winston, I know -

WINSTON:

(stubbornly)

-no, no, no. I am going to imbue

them, Anthony, with a spirit offeeling they don’t yet know theyhave!

Silence. Stalemate. EDEN looks gravely concerned.

EDEN:

You asked my opinion. I cautionagainst it.

WINSTON stares at his trusted ally, his hopes fading, until -

he snaps his finger, pointing at EDEN -

WINSTON:

Cicero!

He’s on the move again - heading out of the bedroom, withEVANS and LAYTON, and finally EDEN, forced to follow...

INT. HALLWAY/ 10 DOWNING STREET - DAY

WINSTON:

“Live as“, “Live as brave men” -

da,da,da - “and if fortune is

adverse, something, something,

something

He then enters the -

INT. LIBRARY/ 10 DOWNING STREET - DAY

WINSTON:

(shouting)

CLEMMIE!!! CAT!!! CLEMMIE!!!

As he looks for his book in the library he findsCLEMMIE...STRESSED, struggling to cope, busily writing

CHEQUES.

38.

WINSTON (CONT’D)

Cat--my copy of Cicero. Did you

shelve it?

CLEMMIE:

Did you hear what I said?!

WINSTON:

What’s that?

CLEMMIE:

We’re broke.

WINSTON:

Everybody out! Get out!

He shooes JOHN EVANS, ELIZABETH and EDEN from the room as if

they were cats.

CLEMMIE:

I dare not write another cheque.

WINSTON:

I’ll economise - only four cigarsa day!

CLEMMIE:

You’re insufferable!

(beat)

Was there something else? Anything?

WINSTON:

Yes, my love for you.

CLEMMIE:

How much have you had to drinkthis morning?

He goes to her, drawing up a chair, close -

WINSTON:

I see you now as I first saw you innineteen hundred and four across a

crowded dance-floor. I simply stood-

speechless.

CLEMMIE:

I must have been very beautiful to

have achieved that miraculous

effect.

WINSTON:

Four years till we saw each otheragain.

CLEMMIE:

They went by in an absolute flash.

39.

WINSTON:

You didn’t lack for admirers. Your

fidèle serviteur in Sidney Peel.

CLEMMIE:

Brilliant man.

WINSTON:

Lionel Earle.

CLEMMIE:

Wonderful dancer.

WINSTON:

And then--at Lady St Hellier’sdinner party--who should show up?

CLEMMIE:

Pig. (little snort)

WINSTON:

The same.

They look at each other, their faces very close.

CLEMMIE:

Are we terribly old?

WINSTON:

Yes. I’m afraid you are.

She LAUGHS and pushes him away. Winston takes her hand.

WINSTON (CONT’D)

Will you hear me read my speech fortonight’s broadcast?

EXT. 10 DOWNING STREET / TREASURY - DAY

WINSTON emerges and is accosted by... the PRESS.

TERENCE BIRKEMP:

Prime Minister - the situation

in France - Is it true we’re

in full retreat? Is France lost?

He fires the REPORTER a steely look of rebuke and then spins,

faces their CAMERAS, takes his CIGAR out of his mouth with

INDEX and SECOND finger and makes, for the CAMERAS, his first-

ever V-FOR-VICTORY SIGN (but PALM-INWARD, the RUDE VERSION).

WINSTON crosses the road, practising a tongue-twister as heenters the TREASURY.

40.

INT. WINSTON’S OFFICE/ WAR ROOMS - NIGHT

WINSTON sitting on his bed, is AGITATED, UNEASY, UNSURE nowabout the speech he is to deliver on RADIO.

ELIZABETH LAYTON sits at a desk in the corner holding filesand paperwork.

Two MICROPHONES sit on a table. An ACTOR also stands by. TheProducer guides Winston to his desk.

BBC PRODUCER:

So--if you will sit here - at your

desk

WINSTON:

Mmmmm.

WINSTON sits, studying with CONCERN the SPEECH lying on thetable in front of him, and taking out his PEN.

BBC PRODUCER:

-and speak slowly and clearly.

Into the microphone.

WINSTON starts to jot last-minute CHANGES to the SPEECH.

Increasingly PRESSURISED, he CROSSES OUT the CHANGES he justmade, and tries to write alternatives. He’s clearly in a

state.

BBC PRODUCER (CONT’D)

So--if you are ready--on the stroke

of 9 the light will go red, and weshall go live to the nation. Nine OClock. Red light. You begin. Yes?

But WINSTON isn’t ready. He’s too busy trying to rewrite hisspeech

The SWEEP SECOND HAND on the WALL CLOCK approaches 12.

The PRODUCER, and ELIZABETH, become very concerned now as thelast seconds vanish -

BBC PRODUCER (CONT’D)

Prime Minister? Are we ready?

WINSTON:

(to himself)

One moment, one moment -

BBC PRODUCER:

We are going live. Prime -

WINSTON:

(exploding)

I SAID ONE MOMENT, DAMN YOU!

41.

This eruption stuns the PRODUCER and ELIZABETH.

WINSTON’s hand, holding the PEN, shakes now with indecisionas he fails to think of the right words in time -

BBC PRODUCER:

Four--three--two--one...

On the stroke of 9 pm, the light goes RED, bathing him in red

light. They are LIVE.

SILENCE. TOTAL SILENCE. The PRODUCER is now in a panic.

WINSTON seems frozen for a second, until -

WINSTON takes a breath and begins...

WINSTON:

“I speak to you for the first timeas Prime Minister in a solemn hour

for the life of our country, of ourEmpire, of our allies, and, aboveall, of the cause of Freedom. A

tremendous battle is raging inFrance and Flanders.”

ELIZABETH sighs relief, then follows on her carbon copy,

mouthing the words, many of which she knows by heart.

CAMERA follows the WIRES that lead out of the office, down

the corridor, and into the TRANSMITTER ROOM. Reveal BBC Radio

Recorder men.

INT. BUCKINGHAM PALACE - NIGHT

CLOSE ON:
A RADIO.

PULL BACK to reveal: The KING, looking up from the PAPER, ashe listens to WINSTON’s speech on the radio, and studies hisFRAMED FAMILY PHOTOS of his CHILDREN...Princesses ELIZABETH

and MARGARET.

WINSTON (O.S.)

“The Germans...by a remarkable

combination of air bombing andheavily armored tanks, have brokenthrough the French defenses northof the Maginot Line, and strongcolumns of their armoured vehicles

are ravaging the open country...”

CLOSE ON:
NEWSPAPER - the HEADLINE reads:

IN CONTROL, SAY FRENCH Despite Nazi Raid

42.

INT. FOREIGN OFFICE - NIGHT

HALIFAX sits at the table, a minister standing behind him asthey listen to Winston’s radio address

WINSTON (O.S.)

“...which for the first day or twowas without defenders...But!...I

have invincible confidence in the

French Army and its leaders. Only avery small part of that splendidArmy has yet been heavily engaged;

and only a very small part ofFrance has yet been invaded...Sideby side, the British and Frenchpeoples--have advanced...”

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