Our Girl

10:
00:00 EXT. SALISBURY PLAIN.

10:
00:00 MUSIC IN - NAPALM

A helicopter flies overhead.

The rear operations group are on exercise.

10:
00:06 BBC LOGO

We see MOLLY DAWES caked in mud on her 'mission specific' training

– battlefield simulation. We see soldiers firing weapons with

explosions echoing all around.

Molly runs to a ‘battle casualty’ to check his pulse and gets

a message into her ear piece and looks around.

RADIO VO:

Private Dawes. Report to the O.C.

10:
00:22 CAPTION: OCTOBER 2013

10:
00:23 INT. ARMORED VEHICLE/EXT. SALISBURY PLAIN

CORPORAL JACKMAN and MAJOR BRICE are sitting in the armoured

vehicle watching the training sessions. They watch as Molly comes

over to them and stands to attention. Corporal Kelly drake is

with her.

MAJOR BRICE:

Relax Dawes.

10:
00:25 MUSIC OUT - NAPALM

She does.

MAJOR BRICE (CONT’D)

Bit cold out there, isn't it?

MOLLY:

Yes sir, tayter's sir.

MAJOR BRICE:

You’d better go and pack your sun

cream Dawes. You're off to Afghan

and it's 47 degrees.

10:
00:36 MUSIC IN – DORIAN (INST)

10:
00:38 EXT. MOLLY'S HOUSE. STREET. EAST HAM.

Molly stands on the street in her uniform looking up at her family

home, her kit bag in her hand.

MAJOR BRICE (VO)

Battle casualty replacement.

She walks along to the front door.

10:
00:48 INT. MOLLY'S HOUSE. EAST HAM.

Molly greets and hugs her mum Belinda in the kitchen.

MAJOR BRICE (VO)

You've done well on your mission

specific training so you've got

tonight to say goodbye to your

family.

Molly heads out the kitchen to go up the stairs. Belinda looks

sad and worried.

10:
00:59 INT. MOLLY'S HOUSE. BEDROOM.

Molly’s sister Bella is asleep. Molly kisses her hand and touches

Bella’s cheek.

10:
01:03 INT. MOLLY'S HOUSE. LANDING.

Molly gently shuts the bedroom door.

MAJOR BRICE (VO)

It’s not going to be easy Dawes.

Molly heads down the stairs and opens the front door to head off.

Dave appears and the top of the stairs and watches her go.

MAJOR PRICE (VO)

You’re serving your country..do

yourself proud.

Molly shuts the front door. Dave looks concerned.

10:
01:20 EXT. MOLLY'S HOUSE. EAST HAM.

Molly is heading off with her kit bag looking happy.

10:
01:24 INT. BRIZE NORTON. DAY 2. 10:59

Molly enters with her kit bag and paper.

MAJOR BRICE (VO)

Brize Norton, 11.00 hours tomorrow.

You're to report to a Corporal

Kinders and be attached to his

section under Captain James.

Molly looks around nervously.

MAJOR BRICE (VO)

First impressions are important.

Make the right one.

Molly hands over her papers to a soldier at the desk.

KINDERS:

Private Dawes?

Molly looks round to see Corp. Kinders.

MOLLY:

Yes corporal.

10:
01:44 INT/EXT. MILITARY AIRFIELD. BRIZE NORTON.

Molly follows Kinders. Through the window she sees the three

sections that make up the platoon she is joining

Assembling on rostra for the obligatory pre-deployment

Platoon photograph.

KINDERS (OOV)

Welcome to the Under Fives.

Molly emerges from the building with Kinders. There is a Hercules

airplane behind them.

KINDERS:

(pointing)

Right, Dawes, you are with 2

section. Double in and join them.

10:
02:06 MUSIC OUT – DORIAN (INST)

Molly puts her kit bag down and joins on the very end. They are

all chatting around her. Captain James emerges from a building.

Suddenly the entire atmosphere changes.

JAMES strides towards his platoon and stands still in

Front of them - such is his command he does not need

To say a word to have them braced up and totally silent.

JAMES:

(with quiet authority)

Can it really take you massive

cockwombles this long to get into

your sections for a bloody

photograph?

Molly emits a little smile. James flashes his eyes towards her.

He is not happy.

JAMES (CONT'D)

What are you laughing at, medic?

MOLLY:

'Cockwomble', Sir.

SILENCE.

JAMES:

For the benefit of our alleged new

medic, who are we?

The platoon barks their well-practiced answer in unison.

PLATOON:

The Under Fives, sir!

He looks back up at Molly.

JAMES:

And why d'you think we're called

that, medic?

MOLLY:

I don't know sir.

JAMES:

Well, take a look.

Molly studies the extremely young looking platoon.

MOLLY:

They look young, sir?

JAMES:

And every one of them is in my charge

so if you can't cut it as our medic

and part of the team I have no

hesitation in lobbing you out of the

plane. Is that understood?

Molly gets his power and hold and knows to behave instantly.

MOLLY:

Yes sir.

10:
02:57 MUSIC IN – WAR RAGES ON

James heads back to the front and takes his place with the

Three section corporals, Kinders, Jenkins and Grayson, at the

front of the platoon. Molly glances over at James as the photograph

is taken. He turns and looks at her briefly before looking back,

eyes front.

10:
03:10 TITLES IN

10:
03:24 CARD: LACEY TURNER

10:
03:26 CARD: IWAN RHEON

10:
03:29 CARD: BEN ALDRIDGE

10:
03:37 CARD: OUR GIRL

10:
03:41 TITLES OUT

10:
03:41 INT. BRIZE NORTON.

The platoon are all moving down from the rostrum and taking five

minutes down time. A few of them start to sniff out Molly.

DANGLE-BERRIES

I love a medic, me.

BRAINS:

Cos he's sick in the head... He'll

need you poppet.

10:
03:43 CAPTION: Created and Written by

TONY GROUNDS:

MANSFIELD MIKE:

Pleased to make your acquaintance

darling. I'm Mansfield Mike.

Although I'm not actually from

Mansfield.

10:
03:48 CAPTION: Produced by

KEN HORN:

10:
03:49 MUSIC OUT – WAR RAGES ON

BRAINS:

Yeah, he is!

MANSFIELD MIKE:

No, I’m not. I'm from Derby,

actually.

10:
03:53 CAPTION: Directed by

ANTHONY PHILIPSON

Everybody laughs. Molly doesn’t look impressed.

Molly stands awkwardly. Someone approaches her from behind and

speaks in her ear. She swings round and sees Smurf.

SMURF:

Well if it ain't my 'Friday night

round the back of the Indian take away

in Guildford.'

Molly is clearly thunderstruck to see him.

MOLLY:

Oh bollocks.

SMURF:

We were bound to meet up again at some

point. That's the army for you.

MOLLY:

Is that what you call me, 'round the

back of the Indian take away'?

SMURF:

Only for short hand. I was gonna text

you back but we weren't allowed

phones at Catterick.

MOLLY:

You got something on your chin...

Smurf touches his chin.

MOLLY (CONT’D)

Oh, it’s just a bit of bullshit.

SMURF:

I bet you don't remember what they call

me.

MOLLY:

I do actually, it's in my phone,

'Smurf'... Cos you look like one.

SMURF:

No I don't, I'm bunk up material, me.

I could have had any of your section

that night but I chose you.

MOLLY:

Oh I'm so proud.

(increasingly anxious)

Listen, don’t say anything to the

others, yeah?

Rate this script:5.0 / 2 votes