Hope and Glory Page #16

ROGER:

Go on, Pauline. Be a sport.

PAULINE:

No, I won't. There's too many of

you.

ROGER:

One at a time.

PAULINE:

No, I won't.

ROGER:

I'll give you something.

He gets a box, opens it and shows it her. It is full of

looted jewelry, brooches, cheap bracelets. PAULINE is

delighted. She pokes around and chooses a necklace, puts it

on.

PAULINE:

All right. Line up.

They form a n orderly queue and PAULINE pulls up her skirt.

She holds her knickers open by the elastic so that it is

possible to look inside. The boys file past, each peering

inside her knickers for a second or two.

BOY 2

I seen better.

BILL is on the end. As his turn approaches, his face is tense

with apprehension.

PAULINE:

It won't bite you.

They all laugh at his expense. Hi swings punches, flying in

all directions and they hits back. One or two land. They hurt

the recipients and they hit back. ROGER calls a halt.

ROGER:

Pack it in. It's time to smash

things up.

EXT. ANOTHER BOMBED SITE - EVENING

The gang loot and pillage, smashing as they go. Behind a

piece of broken wall, BILL discovers a soldier and a girl

clasped together, the girl is pressed against a door. BILL

moves closer. The soldier fumbles with her clothing, but she

is so wild with passion that his efforts are impeded. BILL

registers the familiar gasps and cries that he is becoming

accustomed to hearing from the injured, the dying and the

coupling. The girl moves her head and her face becomes

visible over the soldier's shoulder. It is DAWN. She sees

BILL as he sees her. She mouths the words: 'Go away'. He

turns to shake and cry. He moves away, then on an angry

impulse picks up a stone and throws it. The soldier lets out

a cry. He turns revealing himself as BRUCE.

BILL:

(shouting)

F***!

Hearing the sacred cry, the gang come running. They see BILL

hurling stones and quickly join in. BRUCE protests angrily

and throws a couple of rocks himself, but he is overwhelmed.

He protects DAWN from the onslaught and they flee.

ROGER:

Teach him a lesson. Think they can

come over here and take our women.

BOY 2

Wasn't that your sister, Rohan?

BILL shakes his head, denying her.

INT. ROHAN HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

GRACE is cutting down a coat for SUE; BILL is reading a

comic, the Dandy; DAWN is darning stockings. The doorbell

SOUNDS and DAWN catapults from her chair to greet the

visitor. She returns with BRUCE, now evidently a welcome and

regular guest.

BILL throws friendly punches, one wild one catches him in the

crotch. He takes it bravely. He distributes largesse, a tin

of corned beef and a packet of tea for GRACE, chewing gum for

SUE, a model barrage balloon for BILL and a pair of nylons

for DAWN.

BRUCE:

You need suspenders for this kind.

She laughs, then holds the stockings against her skin in a

transport of sexual delight.

DAWN:

I'm going to cross my legs and make

that rustling noise.

Finally and dramatically, BRUCE pulls out a package in a

brown-paper bag. He gives it to GRACE. She opens it. It is a

piece of beef steak. GRACE is overcome.

GRACE:

Steak! I can't remember the last

time...

BRUCE:

crooning ironically

'The last time I saw sirloin...'

GRACE holds the raw meat in her two hands and impulsively

kisses it.

BRUCE:

Take it away. I know your husband's

been away a long time, but....

DAWN:

Don't be so cheeky, Bruce.

He holds up his hands in supplication.

BRUCE:

Sorry, sorry. Too long in the

barrack room.

Itma has just ended and a programme has started up about the

evacuation of Dunkirk. Its tone is quasi-religious -

patriotic as it tells of the armada of little boats

heroically snatching the remnants of the British Army out of

the jaws of the Nazis. Churchill's voice booms out of the

wireless.

CHURCHILL (V.0.)

If the British Empire lasts for a

thousand years, men will say, this

was their finest hour.

BRUCE has been horsing around with BILL, and all the time

DAWN devours him with her eyes.

GRACE:

Oh, do let's listen to this. I

never tire of listening to it. I

gives me goose pimples.

BRUCE:

You haven't been taking your orange

juice.

The insolent sally gives DAWN the excuse to jump on him and

force him on to the sofa and into a respectful silence.

Stirring music punctuates the dramatic narration, which

celebrates the bravery of the soldiers fighting their last

ditch stand. BRUCE giggles.

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