Finding Neverland Page #3

It's not going to work

if no one believes in him.

- Now, give him a chance.

- Michael, go back to your starting position.

- Come on, darling, try again.

- George, you take the kite.

Now this time, I don't want a flea's breath

of doubt. We must get that kite in the air.

Right. Look, I think I feel a bit

more breeze. Are you ready, Michael ?

- You can do it, Michael.

- You've got to run. Run, Michael, run.

- Run !

- That's it !

Yes ! He did it !

Keep running ! Keep running !

What are you writing about now ?

Oh, just making notes.

I'm never really certain what they're about

until I've read them over later.

Something about the kite ?

Now, why do you ask that ?

I don't know.

If I were a writer I think I could tell

a whole story about flying the kite today.

Perhaps you should then. That's

a fantastic idea. Why not give it a try ?

I hope you haven't been talking about

anything too serious with this one.

No. Talking a bit of silliness really.

Can we have him for supper ?

Have him to stay for supper, Michael.

We're not cannibals.

You are welcome, you know.

Sylvia. Mr Barrie.

Where have you been ?

Flying a kite, Mother,

and having a wonderful time.

I'm sorry. I didn't know

you were coming this evening.

No ? Well, apparently you forgot then.

- I brought some supper along for us all.

- You didn't need to do that.

Well, there's no food in the house, is there ?

Really. You don't need to wait

till the cupboard is bare.

Please, Mother. Come on, darlings.

Wipe feet. There's been

enough tracking round here.

George, I thought you said you were going

to help your mother take care of the house.

Coat, Michael, please. Yes.

- And... coat hanger. Good.

- Will we see you tomorrow ?

No. You're going to be helping

round the house tomorrow.

Mother, there is absolutely no need for this.

You can't do everything yourself.

Look at you. You're horribly flush.

You're wearing yourself out.

Thank you for a lovely day, James.

Excuse me, Mother.

So from tomorrow, we're going to have

some discipline around here.

And not one of you will escape.

- Good evening, Mr Barrie.

- Good evening, Sarah.

- Good evening, Mr Barrie.

- Good evening, Emma.

You missed supper.

Perhaps I'll have something later.

I have a bit of writing I wanted to do.

Are you sure ? It was a lovely meal. Duck.

Sarah let Emma cook this evening.

Is that right ? Listen, what would you think

of loaning Emma out to the Davies

for the occasional evening ?

They don't actually have a cook.

I take it Mrs Davies enjoyed the meal

that she had here ?

I imagine she could use an extra hand

now and again. That's all.

That's very charitable of you.

Perhaps we can send over

some of the silver as well.

And what about linen ?

I wouldn't be surprised if some of hers

was looking a bit shabby.

Please, Mary, stop.

Maybe she can send over

some of the things we've run short on.

My husband, for example.

We rarely see him in this house.

That hasn't seemed to bother you

for some time now.

Lords and ladies, His Royal Highness,

King Michael the Benevolent,

protector of the realm.

That scepter's made of wood.

Yes, well, we dream on a budget here,

don't we ?

No, I mean, everyone thinks it's made

of gold, but it's just an old hunk of wood.

The means to an end, Peter.

What we've done is taken

an old hunk of wood

and transformed it for all the world to see

into the most magnificent gold.

- There you go.

- What's this ?

All great writers begin with a good

leather binding and a respectable title.

Open it.

"The Boy Castaways."

"Being a record of the terrible adventures

of the brothers Davies,

faithfully set forth by...

Peter Llewelyn Davies."

Kipling would swallow his own ear

for a title like that.

Stab him, George. You can do it.

I still have no idea what to write.

Write about anything.

Write about your family.

- Write about the talking whale.

- What whale ?

The one that's trapped in your imagination

and desperate to get out. Come sit down.

I have actually begun writing about the

adventures of the Davies brothers myself.

- A play ?

- A play indeed, yes.

And I would be extremely honored

if you would allow me the use of your name

for one of the characters.

I don't know what to say.

Say yes.

Good man.

Porthos ! That's mine. Let go.

I won't go to bed. I won't, I won't.

You should have been in bed

half an hour ago, young man.

I'm afraid I've grown hopelessly lax

in my discipline.

Nonsense. Young boys

should never be sent to bed.

They always wake up a day older.

And then, before you know it,

they're grown.

Their father would have been horrified.

Of course, he never would have allowed

a dog in the house either.

He'd have tied him up in the yard.

Right ! Last one in bed's a hairy toad.

You mean a lot to my boys, you know.

Especially Peter.

It seems to me

that Peter's trying to grow up too fast.

I imagine he thinks that grown-ups don't

hurt as deeply as children do when they...

when they lose someone.

I lost my elder brother, David,

when I was just Peter's age.

And it nearly destroyed my mother.

James, I'm so sorry.

Your poor mother.

I can't imagine losing a child.

Aye.

She didn't get out of bed for months.

She wouldn't eat.

I tried everything to make her happy, but...

she only wanted David.

So...

one day...

I dressed myself in David's clothing

and I went to her.

You must have frightened her to death.

I think it was the first time

she ever actually... looked at me.

And that was the end of the boy James.

I used to say to myself

he'd gone to Neverland.

Where ?

Neverland. It's a wonderful place.

I've not spoken about this before

to anyone.

Ever.

What's it like... Neverland ?

One day I'll take you there.

Wait a minute, James.

He's a fairy ?

Er, no. He's the irrepressible

spirit of youth. Tinker Bell is the fairy.

- Tinker Bell is a woman ?

- She's not a woman. She's a fairy.

He is a boy who stays young forever.

James, how does anyone

stay young forever ? It doesn't work.

He just believes, Charles.

He imagines life the way he wants it to be,

and he believes in it long enough and hard

enough that it all appears before him, see ?

James, I'm your friend.

You're coming off a flop.

- You have a man who is a fairy.

- No, a boy who has a fairy.

And this girl calls herself Tinker.

And you have a pirate ship on stage

surrounded by tons and tons of water.

- That's a lot of water.

- It's a lot of water.

- Yes, and that's a lot of money.

- It is, but we can fake the water.

Oh, well, if we can fake the water

then I'm sure your play will be a hit.

You know what I think I'll do ? I think

I'll imagine life the way I want it to be...

Long enough and hard enough ?

Yes, and then the money for the play

will appear magically before me.

- That's right. That's it.

- Yes.

How does the clock wind up

inside the crocodile ?

- He swallows it.

- Ah, of course he does.

Out !

How was he ?

- Well done.

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