Finding Neverland Page #2

With those eyes, my bonny lad,

I'm afraid you'd never see it.

However, with just a wee bit of imagination,

I can turn around right now and see...

the great bear, Porthos.

Dance with me.

Thank you. I don't think I've ever seen

a performance quite like it.

We're here every day, and the bear

is always more than happy to perform.

Well, perhaps we'll see you here

tomorrow then.

Perhaps.

- Peter, jump up please, darling. Quick.

- Bye.

Bye.

- Peter, didn't you enjoy that ?

- I've seen better.

Well, Michael wanted the bear

kept prisoner with him,

and Peter insisted

that Michael was hardly a prisoner

and Porthos simply wasn't a bear at all.

I do very much hope to see them tomorrow.

- What's her name ?

- Sylvia. Um...

Mrs... something Davies.

Llewelyn Davies ?

- You know her ?

- I know who she is, of course.

Why, she's a du Maurier,

for heaven's sake.

Her father was the artist.

Her brother's the actor.

And there was something... tragic

that happened with her husband.

Oh, yes. He died.

Cancer of the jaw, I believe.

That's horrible.

Yes. Apparently, he left her with four boys

and no income to speak of.

If it wasn't for her mother's help...

James.

- We should have them to dinner.

- Should we ?

Absolutely. I've always wanted

to meet Madam du Maurier.

Why, she knows practically

everyone there is worth knowing.

- What are you writing about ?

- Oh.

Nothing of any great consequence.

I can't write.

Have you ever kept a journal ?

Ever tried your hand at writing a play ?

Well, then how do you know ?

I know. That's all.

I see. Where's your mother today

and the rest of the boys ?

Home. Mother's got a bit of a chest cold.

I'm sure everyone would be happy

to see you though. One afternoon.

I should leave you to your writing.

Peter.

I'll see you later then.

Why didn't you tell me, Charles ?

You knew it wasn't any good.

Why didn't you tell me. James ?

You knew it wasn't any good. Hm ?

I took an extended lease on the theater,

keeping the actors on.

- I don't have another play.

- I'm sure you will.

- Won't you ?

- We'll see.

I need you to sign for the storage,

Mr Frohman.

- Lower.

- Easy does it. Take your time.

It was never meant to be taken seriously.

You know what happened, James ?

They changed it.

- They changed what ?

- The critics.

They made it important.

Hm ?

What's it called ?

What's it called ?

- "Play."

- "Play."

Bang, bang, bang !

Bang !

Return the boy to us, you nasty lnjun.

Our people teach boy lndian ways,

make him great warrior.

Our chief, Running Nose, never let him go.

Bang, bang, bang !

Me wounded, Peter. Time's short.

You go. Spread wings

and soar like eagle above enemy.

Fly back to our chief.

Tell her of my brave defeat.

That's crazy. Indians can't fly.

Of course they can. Go on, go on, go on.

Listen to us, boy.

This lnjun kidnapped you.

Not true. We kidnap no one. You lost boy.

I teach you ways of the brave.

I take you as my own son.

You are not my father.

Bang, bang, bang, bang !

- I've got him !

- Let me go !

- Stop it, you two.

- Ooh, we are awful, aren't we ?

- I'm warning you.

- Oh, I'm scared.

Of course, you had a bit of fun

for a change.

- Stop it, you two. Get off !

- Don't.

- Jack !

- Stop it !

- Get off, George !

- Peter.

- I'm terribly sorry.

- No, it wasn't your fault.

I'm afraid it might have been.

To be honest, I'm just happy you got him

to join in the game.

Oh, yes, I was a tremendous success.

Mr Barrie, it's more

than I've been able to achieve.

Peter's a different boy since his father died.

You know, I don't think

he's even had a good cry about it.

Well, grief affects us all in different ways,

doesn't it ?

Yes, it does.

Oh, by the way, my wife would like

to invite you and the boys over to dinner.

Your mother as well.

Oh.

How kind. That would be lovely.

Well...

Don't you all look lovely in your little suits ?

And, Mrs du Maurier, what a shame it is

that we've not met until this evening.

How kind of you to say so.

Not at all. I can't tell you how many times

I've been to a charity or a social event

and seen your name listed

among the organizers.

It's the very thing I would love to do myself

if I could just find the time.

My problem is in finding the time

to do everything else.

At the moment I am running

two households.

Sylvia believes she can get by

without a housekeeper.

Mother.

My house is quite large enough for us all,

- but the idea of living with me seems...

- Not now, please, mother.

- We help her keep the house in order.

- Don't interrupt, George.

- Where did you get your manners ?

- Sorry, Grandmother.

Mr Barrie, I understand you've become

playmates of my grandchildren.

- Oh, they indulge me, really.

- On the contrary.

The other day we took to an exploration

of darkest Africa in our garden.

But Mr Barrie was taken ill

by the bite of a... What was it ?

Tsetse fly. Quite horrible.

Yes, and he swelled to the size

of a hippopotamus.

Fingers like sausages.

And we had to float in him down the river

like he was a great bloated raft.

But the fishing was good, wasn't it ?

James.

Please.

- Bye.

- Thank you so much.

- Lovely evening.

- Thank you. Bye.

- Good night.

- Good night.

Well, that was a disaster.

Painful.

Utterly painful to see.

I don't know what you mean.

I had a lovely time.

Oh, James, please.

"My problem is in finding

the time to do everything else."

- I never felt so judged in my life.

- Judged ? How do you mean ?

A grown man, for heaven's sake,

playing all day long with children ?

In any case, I hardly think they'll be

the social contact we'd hoped for.

I hadn't really thought of them that way.

I just enjoy their company.

He's been a good friend to us, Mother.

Yes. But what does that mean ? Hm ?

Surely you don't intend...

..to keep spending your afternoons

with those children, do you ?

And so today, ladies and gentlemen,

using only the wind

and his own physical strength,

George Llewelyn Davies shall test

the very limits of the atmosphere

using his tethered craft. Go on, boy.

- Go on, George.

- You're going to break it, George.

- George, stop !

- I just need a bit more speed.

I want to do it.

Hold off a bit, George.

I think it's in need of a tail.

Oh, wait.

- Here. James, this will do.

- That's a good idea.

- No, it's not heavy enough.

- I want to do it.

- You coming, Peter ?

- Porthos !

It'll work this time.

Porthos, give us your bell. That's good.

- Michael ?

- Yeah ?

- Now, would you like to give it a go ?

- Yes, please.

- Oh, he can't run fast enough.

- Of course he can.

- Let him try, Jack.

- Now, George, you hold the kite.

George.

Come on, boys, let's go back up to the top.

Come on, Peter.

Right, George, hold it up. Darling,

you've got to run now. Ready ? Ready ?

- Run ! Run, Michael !

- Run !

Oh.

- Oh, I told you this wasn't going to work.

- I don't think he's fast enough.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes