Denial Page #19

see one of them reading our news to

us.

RAMPTON stops the video.

RAMPTON:

Now, Mr. Irving, who is the “them”

and who is the “us”?

IRVING:

Trevor McDonald.

Full Blue Script // December 4th 2015 9292.

GRAY:

McDonald?

IRVING:

A newsreader, my Lord.

RAMPTON:

A black newsreader.

IRVING:

Well in fact this is a stock speech

I used to make. I would say “In the

good old days, the announcer used

to wear a dinner jacket, but now

they have women reading the news,

and they have -” it’s part of a

general speech.

RAMPTON:

Yes. “It is our news and they’re

reading it to me.”

RAMPTON starts the video again.

IRVING (VIDEO)

If “they” could have their own news

which they were reading to us I

suppose it would be very

interesting. For the time being, I

would be prepared to accept that

the BBC should have a dinner-

jacketed gentleman reading all the

important news, followed by a lady

reading all the less important

news. Followed by Trevor McDonald

giving all the latest news about

muggings and drug busts.

RAMPTON turns the video off.

RAMPTON:

“Rest lost in loud laughter and

applause.” Are you not appalled by

that?

IRVING:

Not in the least. This is a witty

speech delivered after dinner to an

audience in a private club.

RAMPTON:

‘Witty’, did you say?

IRVING:

Well, it got laughter.

Full Blue Script // December 4th 2015 9393.

RAMPTON:

No doubt. As Dr Goebbels’ audience

would have laughed at him.

LAURA is watching intently, appalled. DEBORAH looks down to

the familiar cartoon in front of her, and for the first time

looks not at her own gagged figure but at RAMPTON leading the

charge. She smiles to herself.

RAMPTON (CONT’D)

“I am not anti-coloured, take it

from me. Nothing pleases me more

than when I arrive at an airport

and I see a coloured family there -

When I see black families arriving

at the airport I am happy. And when

I see them leaving at London

airport I am happy.” Well, Mr

Irving? Well?

IRVING shrugs, as if it were nothing.

IRVING:

I think we all dislike tourists of

any colour.

RAMPTON:

Tourists? These are black people.

You were speaking to a bunch of

racists.

IRVING:

No I was not. They were perfectly

ordinary guests at a...

RAMPTON:

If they were ordinary, why were

there cheers?

IRVING:

Well obviously they liked the

jokes.

RAMPTON looks at him in disbelief.

RAMPTON:

Mr Irving, before we proceed any

further, I think you might be

advised to have a look at your own

diary, if you would not mind.

38, please, Mr Irving. 38, tab 10

of the bundle K4.

RAMPTON is forbidding now, lifting a new document. It’s tense

as IRVING and GRAY both turn pages. Then:

Full Blue Script // December 4th 2015 9494.

RAMPTON (CONT’D)

“A quiet evening at home.

Jessica...” Who is Jessica?

IRVING:

My little infant child.

RAMPTON:

Yes.

IRVING:

She was nine months old at this

time.

RAMPTON:

Nine months old in September 1994.

“Jessica is turning into a fine

little lady. She sits very upright

on an ordinary chair, a product of

our regular walks to the bank, I am

sure. On those walks we sing the

binkety-bankety-bong song. She

stars in a poem when half-breed

children are wheeled past.” And

then you go into italics: “I am a

baby Aryan/ Not Jewish or

sectarian/ I have no plans to

marry/ An ape or Rastafarian.”

There is a silence. RAMPTON puts the document down. DEBORAH

is open-mouthed in disbelief.

RAMPTON (CONT’D)

Racist, Mr Irving? Anti-Semitic, Mr

Irving?

IRVING:

I do not think so.

RAMPTON:

Teaching your little child this

kind of poison?

IRVING:

Do you think a nine month old can

understand words spoken in English

or any other language?

RAMPTON:

The poor little child has been

taught a racist ditty by her

perverted racist father.

IRVING:

Have you ever read Edward Lear or

Hilaire Belloc?

Full Blue Script // December 4th 2015 9595.

RAMPTON:

They have not brought a libel

action, Mr Irving. You have. Mr

Irving, you sued because you said

we called you a racist and an

extremist.

IRVING:

Yes, but I am not a racist.

RAMPTON is finished. He does not even look at IRVING.

RAMPTON:

Mr Irving, look at the words on the

page.

125 EXT. HIGH COURT. DAY 125

The whole gang coming out together - DEBORAH, RAMPTON, LAURA,

JULIUS, LIBSON etc. They are high as kites.

LAURA:

That was good stuff...

LIBSON:

Well done, there it is. Anti-

Semitism, racism, holocaust denial:

we always said it was a package

didn’t we? Symptoms, motive,

purpose. What else do they want?

DEBORAH looks at JULIUS who is impassive.

DEBORAH:

What did you think, Anthony?

JULIUS:

Think? I thought nothing. Much the

most boring morning we’ve had in

court so far.

DEBORAH:

My God... You do love to be

contrary.

JULIUS:

The man’s an anti-Semite. It’s like

having sh*t on your shoe. You wipe

it off. You don’t have to study it.

DEBORAH:

Thanks Anthony. My whole life’s

been studying it.

They both laugh.

Full Blue Script // December 4th 2015 9696.

125A EXT. STRAND. DAY 125A

Continuous. DEBORAH takes JULIUS on one arm and RAMPTON on

the other as they prepare to cross the road. As they wait for

a bus to pass, IRVING is talking to KATE KELLAND, a Reuters

reporter in the background.

IRVING:

You can hardly accuse me of being a

racist. Among my domestic staff I

had a Barbadian, a Punjabi, a Sri

Lankan, and Pakistani. And I can

tell you they were all very

attractive girls with very nice

breasts.

KELLAND stands, amazed. IRVING is matter of fact.

KELLAND:

I’m sorry? Can you say that again?

126 INT. RAMPTON’S CHAMBERS. DAY 126

Everyone gathered together for the last time, eating

sandwiches, drinking wine - DEBORAH, JULIUS, LAURA, HEATHER,

LIBSON, NIK, THOMAS. There is a silence. Then:

RAMPTON:

You know what I’ll miss? I’ll miss

these lunches.

ALL:

Me too. Me too.

They look round, smiling. Then raise their glasses silently.

LAURA looks to DEBORAH.

LAURA:

It’s something I never expected. My

parents made me take up law. And

the first case I get, I feel I’m

making a difference. It’s a

wonderful feeling. I never, ever

expected that.

RAMPTON:

But, Laura, why on earth do you

think it’s any different for me?

RAMPTON has looked up in genuine surprise.

127 EXT. HIGH COURT. DAY 127

The pavements are crammed again, with news crews, as the

GROUP returning from lunch pass the NETWORK REPORTERS.

Full Blue Script // December 4th 2015 9797.

NETWORK REPORTERS

This trial has been both long, now

running for almost eight weeks and

hugely expensive. Its cost is

currently estimated at over three

million pounds. Some are saying

this trial raises serious issues

for freedom of speech. Now only the

two summings-up remain before the

judge, Charles Gray QC, retires for

what we are told will be at least

four weeks to consider his verdict.

128 INT. HIGH COURT. DAY 128

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