Dunkirk Page #2

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INT. COCKPIT, SPITFIRE 2 -CONTINUOUS

The pilot, Collins, checks his fuel gauge

COLLINS:

Sixty-eight gallons, Fortis Leader.

FORTIS LEADER:

(over radio)

Stay down at five hundred feet to

leave fuel for forty minutes

fighting time over Dunkirk.

COLLINS:

Understood. Vector 128, angels

point five.

INT. COCKPIT, SPITFIRE 1 -CONTINUOUS

Farrier checks his chart.

FORTIS LEADER:

Keep an eye on that gauge, even

when it gets lively -save enough

to get back.

With a glance at his fuel gauge, Farrier pulls on the stick.

EXT. SKY -CONTINUOUS

The three planes bank left in perfect harmony as we CUT

TO:

EXT. BEACH AT LA PANNE -LATE AFTERNOON

Tommy looks down at several patients on stretchers left

behind bearers dead or disappeared...

One of them groans. Still alive.

Tommy looks around. Gibson is there.

They grab the stretcher and hustle down the beach towards the

mole...

7.

EXT. BASE OF THE MOLE -CONTINUOUS

A Warrant Officer tries to keep order as men line up to start

the shuffle out along the eight-foot wide concrete mole.

The line of stretcher-bearers approaches...

From the base all you can see is the backs of helmeted heads

queuing out onto the narrow breakwater.

The Warrant Officer sees the stretchers, waves them past

WARRANT OFFICER:

Along the mole. All the way, she’s

leaving

A ship’s whistle

WARRANT OFFICER (CONT’D)

That’s it.

(he turns)

MAKE WAY! MAKE WAY!

The stretcher-bearers squeeze past...

EXT. BEACH -CONTINUOUS

Tommy and Gibson hear the ship’s whistle. They start running

with the stretcher, heading for the base of the mole...

EXT. BASE OF THE MOLE -CONTINUOUS

The Warrant Officer addresses a group of French soldiers.

WARRANT OFFICER:

NO FRENCH! NON FRANÇAISES SEULEMENT

ANGLAISES! ENGLISH ONLY,

YOU’LL HAVE YOUR OWN SHIPS!

Tommy and Gibson arrive, panting. The Warrant Officer looks

up at them. The ship’s whistle -the Warrant Officer points

up

WARRANT OFFICER (CONT’D)

That’s two minutes -you’ve missed

it.

He turns back to arguing with the French...

Tommy pushes forward with the stretcher. Soldiers try to let

him through on the narrow mole

8.

The Warrant Officer, seeing Tommy, just shakes his head.

EXT. HOSPITAL SHIP -CONTINUOUS

Stretchers are loaded up the gangplank onto the deck of the

ship, supervised by a Petty Officer.

He checks his watch, then looks along the mole at the

remaining stretchers...

EXT. THE MOLE -CONTINUOUS

Tommy weaves along the mole, squeezing past the mass of

troops jamming the breakwater...

Tommy leans out over the edge where the rail is missing, a

twenty-foot drop to the churning water...

Gibson follows, echoing Tommy’s route and footing.

EXT. HOSPITAL SHIP -CONTINUOUS

The last of the line of stretchers is carefully, awkwardly

raised up from the mole onto the deck of the ship. The Petty

Officer speaks urgently to the last stretcher-bearer.

PETTY OFFICER:

Last?

The Stretcher-Bearer nods, too breathless to speak, then

follows his colleagues back down off the ship.

An explosion hits the water nearby Everyone

hits the deck as shells impacts the water.

EXT. THE MOLE -CONTINUOUS

Tommy is pulled up short as Gibson stumbles An

ME 109 strafes the length of the mole with gunfire

soldiers hit the deck, several are hit...

Gibson struggles up.

CUT TO:

9.

EXT. WEYMOUTH HARBOUR -DAY

Peter and George rush things off the boat, then start loading

the orange life-preservers. Mr. Dawson looks up from his

charts to see naval officers and crew coming along the

harbour, assigning crew members to boats...

Peter follows his gaze

INT. MOONSTONE -CONTINUOUS

Peter bursts into the cabin, stacking life vests.

EXT. MOONSTONE -CONTINUOUS

The pile of life vests on the dock shrinks... Mr. Dawson

watches the naval men coming closer

CUT TO:

INT. COCKPIT, SPITFIRE 1 -CONTINUOUS

Farrier lightly brushes his fingers over the dashboard.

COLLINS:

(over radio)

Dunkirk’s so far, why can’t they

load at Calais?

Farrier looks over at his wing mate, Collins (Fortis 2).

FORTIS LEADER:

(over radio)

The enemy had something to say

about it.

INT. COCKPIT, SPITFIRE 2 -CONTINUOUS

Collins scans the skies above...

COLLINS:

Down here we’re sitting ducks.

FORTIS LEADER:

(over radio)

Keep ‘em peeled. They’ll come out

of the sun.

10.

INT. COCKPIT, SPITFIRE 1 -CONTINUOUS

Farrier looks around into the blinding sun...

CUT TO:

EXT. HOSPITAL SHIP -CONTINUOUS

The Petty Officer barks orders at the crew PETTY

OFFICER:

Man the bow line! Ready on the

stern!

Troops stuck down on the mole below look resentfully at the

ship preparing to depart. One Soldier calls up SOLDIER

Any more room?

The Petty Officer glares down at him.

EXT. THE MOLE -CONTINUOUS

Tommy breaks through a tight crowd of soldiers and stops.

In front of him is a jagged chasm. One narrow plank laid

across it. The drop is fifteen feet to rocks and concrete

below.

The ship’s whistle sounds. Tommy stares SOLDIER

Take a run at it!

Tommy glances at the Soldier who spoke. Looks back at Gibson.

TOMMY:

One, two, three!

Tommy bolts across, pure concentration, the plank bowing and

bouncing as he crosses the middle, Gibson following. Tommy’s

foot slips, he almost goes over, rights himself

Helpful arms grab them as they hit the other side, a couple

of cheers from the crowd. Tommy ploughs on

11.

EXT. HOSPITAL SHIP -CONTINUOUS

Tommy passes the stretcher-bearers coming back down the mole.

One of them moves to help but Tommy shakes his head, pushing

past.

The Petty Officer gestures at his men to pull the gangplanks

PETTY OFFICER:

PULL THE GANGPLANKS!

Tommy and Gibson arrive at the end of the mole.

TOMMY:

Oi!

A gangplank is shoved back down.

They struggle up it with the stretcher.

When they make it to the deck they practically drop their

burden, gasping for breath. Orderlies takes the stretcher

below.

Tommy and Gibson look around for a place to perch, catching

their breaths...

CUT TO:

EXT. MOONSTONE -CONTINUOUS

Mr. Dawson sees the Naval Officers stepping onto their dock

MR. DAWSON

Ready on the stern line.

George hops onto the dock, unties the stern line. Stops.

Looks at the approaching Officers. Then back to Mr. Dawson

GEORGE:

Aren’t you waiting for the navy?

Mr. Dawson starts the engine. Peter jumps down onto the boat

with the bow rope...

MR. DAWSON

They’ve asked for the Moonstone,

they’ll have her. With her captain.

PETER:

And his son.

12.

The boat moves off. Peter looks to catch the line from

George.

PETER (CONT’D)

Thanks for the help, George.

Who, instead, jumps onto the stern, to Peter’s surprise.

PETER (CONT’D)

You know where we’re going?

GEORGE:

France.

MR. DAWSON

Into war, George.

GEORGE:

I’ll be useful, sir.

Mr. Dawson looks at George. Pushes the throttle forward and

they motor out of the harbour into the English Channel...

CUT TO:

INT. COCKPIT, SPITFIRE 2 -DAY

Collins spots something

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