Michael Collins Page #5

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You're the statesman.

You know how far we can push them.

They know you.

That's the point. They don't know you.

Don't do this to me, Dev. Don't do it.

l'm no good at talk.

l'm a yob from West Cork.

Please!

You'll head our team, Michael...

...to negotiate a treaty

for the first time in history...

...between lreland and England.

We need to keep

a final arbitrator in reserve.

You.

That will be the lrish people.

And me...

...as president of the lrish Republic.

Why does he want me there?

Why?

-You put the fear of God into them.

-Save me the bullshit.

Mick, you are the strongest card we have.

What's he up to?

-What are you talking about?

-l have one simple asset.

All these years,

no one knows what l look like.

Which one of you is Michael Collins?

He is.

That's him.

The small fella.

'From your very own plenipotentiary,

to the provisions of the said document...

'...hereinafter to be referred to

as The Letter:

'They didn't defeat us by force of arms...

'...but now they'll try to

do it by force of verbiage.

'The English language wasn't

meant to be spoken like that.

'How did these people ever

get to run an empire?'

Don't.

Why not?

'Cause you'll get hurt.

How will l get hurt?

l'm in love with him.

l'm sorry.

l have to tell you.

Have you told him?

No.

And maybe l never will.

l'm only telling you

because l can't hurt you.

Lucky Mick.

I did my best, Kitty,

but it won't be good enough.

We'll have an Irish Free State,

instead of an Irish Republic.

We'll have our own government.

But we have to swear allegiance

to the English Crown.

The position of the

north will be reviewed...

...but now it remains part

of the British Empire.

This treaty isjust a steppingstone.

I hope the country sees it as such.

How are you?

ls this true?

lt's the best anyone could have got.

This gives up the north...

...divides the country.

You expect us to give an oath

of allegiance to the Crown?

They can't comprehend

giving us the Republic.

And that's why Dev sent me.

What?

He knew we'd get no Republic.

He wanted me to bring back the bad news.

We can use the lrish Free State

to achieve the Republic we want.

lt's either this or war.

l won't go to war over words.

What if it's war either way, Mick?

You published the terms

without my agreement!

-They were the best we could get.

-ln your opinion!

You sent me there knowing

they were the best we'd get.

-ldle speculation.

-No, it's the truth.

Or else you'd have gone yourself.

We don't have the Republic...

...but freedom to achieve it.

Peacefully.

Surely it's time for peace.

What would you know about peace?

You said we could negotiate

on behalf of our government...

...the D il and the lrish people.

lf they reject it, l'll reject it.

lf they stand by it, l'll stand by it.

l want to know you'll do the same.

Will you come in for a pint?

He's read the papers.

Say something, would you?

l've known the two of you for four years.

You've slept together,

lived together, fought together.

But your war is over now.

What if it's just the beginning?

Christ.

l'd be better off in Longford.

We were elected by the people of lreland...

We were elected by the people.

Did they think we were liars when we

meant to uphold the lrish Republic?

The letters preceding the negotiations...

...not once demanded recognition

of the lrish Republic!

We knew it would have been refused!

So Mr. Collins is asking us...

...to accept an oath of allegiance

to a foreign king...

...and the partition...

...and the partition of the northern part

of the country!

Mr. Collins,

the man who won the recent war...

...has himself described the treaty...

...as a steppingstone toward

the ultimate freedom!

Mr. Griffith has described Mr. Collins

as the man who won the war!

Point of order, Mr. Chairman.

Are we discussing the treaty or myself?

The minister does not like what l say!

Anything about me, say it!

Mr. Collins, your position in the army...

...was as chief of one subsection.

Nobody sought notoriety except you!

Come on, Cathal!

One person was held up by the press...

...and put into a position he never held.

He was made a romantic figure...

...a mystical character...

...which he certainly is not!

The person l refer to is Michael Collins!

l would plead...

...with every person here.

Make me a scapegoat, if you will.

Call me a traitor, if you will.

But please, let's save the country.

The alternative to this treaty is a war...

...which nobody in this gathering

can even contemplate.

lf the price of freedom...

...the price of peace,

is blackening my name...

...l will gladly pay it.

Thank you.

The result, ladies and gentlemen...

...is 64 to 57.

A majority of seven...

...in favor of the treaty.

There is one thing l want to say.

l want it to go...

...to the country...

...and to the world.

And it is this:

The lrish people established the Republic.

lt can only...

...be disestablished...

...by the lrish people.

As a protest...

...against the ratification of this treaty...

...which can only subvert...

...the Republic...

...l...

...and my deputies...

...are leaving this house.

Traitors!

Traitors, all!

Not you, Harry.

All right, you've won.

You always win, Mr. Collins.

Rarely, Miss Kiernan.

Very rarely.

Jesus, l hate you.

Sure. Join the club.

You're seven minutes late, Mr. Collins.

You've kept us waiting 700 years.

You can have your seven minutes.

Let's get this over with.

Company, present arms!

So that's what caused all the bother?

Now what?

Do l get to wear that hat?

This treaty...

...bars the way to the Republic...

...with the blood...

...of fellow lrishmen!

lf it is only with civil war...

...that we can get our independence...

...then so be it!

The Volunteers...

...will have to wade through lrish blood...

...through the blood of some members

of this government...

...in order to get...

...lrish freedom!

After 700 years....

After 700 years....

Let him speak!

Kitty, don't!

Leave him be!

You put the heart across me, Kitty.

l like the sound of your voice.

They won't accept the treaty.

No matter how the vote goes.

You heard what de Valera said.

'And to wade through rivers of blood....'

And who's blood you think

he's talking about?

Yours.

Will you marry me?

Yeah.

You will?

lt's that simple?

Yeah.

Who gave you that, you little runt?

What's all this about?

-We've taken over the Four Courts.

-You f***ing fool!

Mind your language.

You'll start a civil war!

We'll defend the Republic.

These kids don't know guns!

-We know how to train them.

-The way l trained you?

-On whose orders?

-The Volunteer Executive.

Dev's part of it?

His half of it?

Go away home to your mothers,

all of you!

You know what this means?

The army's split down the middle.

-Who's in there?

-Mellowes, Lynch...

...Tom Barry, Oscar Traynor.

Keep it off.

Why?

There's a gunman outside by the railings.

Jesus' sake.

They won't shoot me, then.

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