Denial Page #21

SAM:

So, Deborah, are you going to be

with us for long?

DEBORAH:

I don’t know. I have to go back at

some point.

Full Blue Script // December 4th 2015 102102.

SAM:

But when?

DEBORAH:

Oh you know. When the judge is

ready. Could be weeks, could be

months.

SAM:

And then you just get on a plane?

DEBORAH:

When somebody phones.

STORM:

And do they tell you the result in

advance?

DEBORAH:

No. But my lawyers get told.

STORM:

You’re joking. They get told? And

they can’t tell you?

DEBORAH shakes her head.

DEBORAH:

They get the verdict twenty four

hours in advance. 9am, the day

before. To the minute. To give them

time to prepare a response. And

what’s worse...

STORM:

There’s worse?

DEBORAH:

Irving gets it too.

LIBBY:

Why?

DEBORAH:

Because he’s his own lawyer. So

he’s allowed it. And I’m not.

SAM:

How do you live with this nonsense?

They all laugh. DEBORAH smiles.

DEBORAH:

Funny thing is, I miss it.

SAM:

Why? Why do you miss it?

Full Blue Script // December 4th 2015 103103.

DEBORAH:

Oh. Because I became part of a

team.

DEBORAH is still. The others don’t know how to react. She’s

lost for a moment in her own thoughts.

132 INT. JUDGE’S CHAMBERS. NIGHT 132

GRAY reaches for another file. He is working under a desk

lamp. He refers back over several pages, holding them with

thumb and finger. Then he continues hand-writing. THEREFORE

IT IS CLEAR FROM ANY DISPASSIONATE READING OF THE EVIDENCE...

133 INT. CLASSROOM. EMORY. DAY 133

New students. Fresh faces, fresh clothes. DEBORAH standing,

leaning against her desk. The Mutt, moody at her side.

DEBORAH:

When people say glibly “Oh if I’d

been in Germany then of course I’d

never have collaborated, I’d have

resisted,” then I just want to

laugh. Do you have any idea how

difficult and dangerous it was?

Standing up to the enemy was

arduous and uncertain and

exhausting. But they had to do it.

It's only with hindsight things get

called heroic. At the time you're

just fearful. Fearful how they're

going to work out.

134 INT. JUDGE’S CHAMBERS. DAY 134

A CLERK clears away the tea things as GRAY finishes writing

the frontispiece: IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE, QUEENS BENCH

DIVISION. Then his name: THE HON. MR. JUSTICE GRAY. He sits

back, content, stacking the papers.

135 EXT. WOOD. DAY 135

DEBORAH is running through spring growth, The Mutt extremely

happy at her heels. A phone is audible from her pocket. She

fumbles for it.

DEBORAH:

Deborah Lipstadt.

JULIUS (PHONE)

Ah good, there you are.

Full Blue Script // December 4th 2015 104104.

DEBORAH:

Is that you, Anthony?

136 INT. MISHCON DE REYA. OFFICES. DAY 136

JULIUS is sitting, calm at his desk, LAURA opposite.

JULIUS:

Just to say we’ve been told to

expect the verdict on Tuesday.

DEBORAH (PHONE)

Tuesday? Are you sure?

JULIUS:

Do you know, I don’t think they’d

have said it unless it were true?

137 EXT. WOOD. DAY 137

DEBORAH is rushing in the opposite direction, much faster to

get back home. The Mutt is frantic to keep up.

DEBORAH:

I’ve been wondering if we could

work some sort of code. When you

have the verdict. Like, I’d call

and say ‘How’s the weather?’ and

you’d say ‘Good’ meaning...

JULIUS (PHONE)

I get it.

DEBORAH:

Or you say ‘Weather’s bad’

meaning...

JULIUS (PHONE)

Only of course I’d be disbarred.

I’d never be allowed to practice

law in England again.

DEBORAH:

Good. So there would be an upside.

138 INT. ATHENAEUM HOTEL. LONDON. NIGHT 138

DEBORAH is back in the very same room, looking around - her

cases on the bed, half-unpacked. A knock on the door. The

very same BELLBOY, carrying the very same gift of lilies, as

in Scene 74. Neither of them say anything. Then they both

smile. The TV is on in the corner. A TELEVISION HISTORIAN is

speaking.

Full Blue Script // December 4th 2015 105105.

HISTORIAN:

This trial is sending a chill

through the community of 20th

century historians. Which historian

isn’t thinking ‘Would my work

really survive this kind of

scrutiny’? Show me one historian

who has not broken into a cold

sweat at the thought of undergoing

similar treatment.

DEBORAH frowns, worried.

139 INT. MISHCON DE REYA. LOBBY, STAIRS & OFFICE. DAY 139

DEBORAH is on a bench. She looks at the clock on the wall.

8.57 am. 8.58. 8.59. Interminable. It ticks over to 9.00.

CAPTION:
APRIL 11th, 2000

An ASSISTANT appears.

ASSISTANT:

Mr Julius is waiting.

DEBORAH follows. They go up the stairs, one by one, DEBORAH

behind. It’s like going to an execution. Then into JULIUS’

office. There are three people - LIBSON, LAURA and JULIUS all

waiting. In front of each of them, a large white document.

JULIUS:

Deborah.

DEBORAH:

Well?

140 EXT. HIGH COURT. DAY 140

Pandemonium. Police barriers. Onlookers, photographers and

reporters. DEBORAH pushes her way through with JULIUS, both

inscrutable. In response to the shouts, they say nothing.

They go inside. IRVING gets out of a car. Everyone shouts at

him for a quote, but he just smiles. An egg flies through the

air and lands on his shoulder. He moves on, taking no notice.

141 INT. JUDGE’S CHAMBERS. DAY 141

GRAY sits, sipping tea. There is a box of thick white

documents on his desk, but otherwise it is clear. The CLERK

knocks at the door. GRAY nods. The CLERK takes the box away.

Full Blue Script // December 4th 2015 106106.

142 INT. COURTROOM. DAY 142

All the documents and computers have gone. IRVING comes into

the court, alone. IRVING goes to take his usual place

opposite RAMPTON. Meticulously he takes off his egg-stained

jacket. DEBORAH watches, impassive. The CLERK comes out with

copies of the verdict and the COURT USHER distributes them to

NEWSMEN. They run out of the court, desperately turning to

the last page. Just the word VERDICT. Then a blank. What the

hell?

143 EXT. HIGH COURT. DAY 143

NETWORK REPORTERS are all doing versions of:

NETWORK REPORTERS

This massive 334 page document,

which does not disclose the final

verdict, is studiously even-handed,

praising David Irving’s skill as a

military historian, while at the

same time drawing attention to

flaws in some of his reasoning.

144 INT. CORRIDOR & COURTROOM. DAY 144

GRAY sweeps along the corridor, his determination apparent.

He goes into the packed court.

COURT USHER:

Court rise.

He sees IRVING on one side, FORBES WATSON and DEBORAH on the

other. As the whole court bows, for the first time, DEBORAH

lowers her head. JULIUS smiles at the gesture. Then GRAY

sits.

GRAY:

I shall read my judgement.

145 EXT. HIGH COURT. DAY 145

LAURA comes out into the street. She lights a cigarette and

wanders away from the scrum. She begins to shake. Tears pour

down her face. A PASSER-BY asks her if she’s all right.

LAURA:

Yes. Yes, really. Really I’m fine.

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