Parnell Page #7

Synopsis: The life of Irish politician Charles Stewart Parnell, following from 1880 onward his struggle to secure Home Rule, pursued in prison, Parliament, and elsewhere. Emphasis is on the relationship with married Katie O'Shea which threatens to bring all Parnell's plans to ruin. Moderately accurate historically.
Director(s): John M. Stahl
Production: MGM
 
IMDB:
5.2
PASSED
Year:
1937
118 min
64 Views


Well, it isn't all

I have to say.

I can't think what

Willies doing to allow it.

Can't you? He's waiting to

see which way the cat jumps.

If the judge's finding should

not be favorable to Mr. Parnell,

Willie will be

as outraged as you are.

If he should be

vindicated,

Willie will be the first to

boast of having sheltered Parnell

When he was a sick man

with the world against him.

Very convenient

situation for Willie.

To connive at his own

wife's carryings on.

Carryings on?

You talk like the old maid that

you're undoubtedly going to be.

Why shouldn't Katie

have a guest in the house?

I am old enough to be a respectable

chaperone, goodness knows,

And alarming enough,

as you'll find out

If you don't keep that silly

gossiping tongue of yours still.

Well, I don't care.

That will do.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon, sir.

Is Mrs. O'shea at home?

Yes, sir.

She's in the library.

And, uh, Mr. Parnell?

He's in the garden

getting some sun.

Hello, Katie.

Good afternoon, Willie.

Well, you asked me to

come down. What's up?

I want to talk

to you seriously.

Willie, I-

Later.

How are you,

Mr. Parnell?

Very well. Thank you.

You're looking well.

I hope you're not

worried about the trial.

I hear it's not going

as well as it might.

Have you been there?

No. I thought you had enough

support with that battery of lawyers

And all the members

of the party,

So Ive been spending my time

among the English conservatives

Doing missionary work,

you might say.

Made quite a few

converts, I think.

I'm sure.

If you please,

ma'am, sir Charles Russell

Is calling

on Mr. Parnell.

He was on

the train with me.

I didn't know

he was coming here.

Would you excuse me?

Surely.

His counsel coming

down here on a Sunday?

That doesn't look

very promising.

You've no doubt

as to the outcome?

Mr. Parnell is certain

he'll be vindicated.

A lot of Irishmen

who've been riding high

Will be down in the dirt

if he isn't.

Willie?

Yes?

You're firmly established

in politics now.

You don't need my help.

There's nothing more you

can possibly need me for.

I will always

need you, Kate.

That's beside the point.

What are you trying to say?

Let me divorce you.

Now, Katie?

Yes.

With Parnell's position

so precarious,

The English solidly

against him,

And the Irish troubled

and suspicious,

Do you think this is a

time to talk of divorce?

For Parnell's sake,

I mean?

Is it only Mr. Parnell

you're considering?

Well, I admit

Im considering

Willie O'shea's

welfare a bit.

I wouldn't be human

if I didn't,

But it's you, too, Kate.

I couldn't bear to have a whisper

of scandal out against you.

What do you mean?

Well, Parnell's been

living here for months.

You know

how people talk.

No, Katie.

Let's see what happens

at the trial.

Then if the future turns out to

be what we all hope it will be,

Then of course you'll

have your divorce.

Sorry I have to go now.

Sad to leave the country on

such a lovely summer's afternoon,

But duties in town, cause

of old Ireland, you know.

Say good-Bye

to Mr. Parnell for me.

You were saying,

sir Charles?

I was saying if there

were anything-

The slightest proof of

this forgery, we could hope.

But when our own handwriting

expert, who is shaky as they are-

How can they be shaky?

I'll stake my life that I

never made an "s" like that

Or misspelled

"hesitancy." E- N-C-Y.

You know that.

I know it.

Can we prove it

to the 3 judges?

If we don't...

I'm declared a murderer.

It's fantastic.

The paper's calling its

last 2 witnesses tomorrow.

Unless we can shake them,

definitely implicate them,

I'm afraid-

I know.

You understand why Im

talking to you like this?

I felt that I had

to make things plain.

You have made

things plain.

The situation

is desperate.

I won't keep you

any longer.

You have Mr. Davitt

waiting for you.

Thanks for the warning,

sir Charles.

I'll see you

in the morning.

When these letters were

published by your newspaper,

Was there any shadow

of doubt in your mind

That they were written

by Mr. Parnell?

No, sir Richard.

None.

Did you make any attempt

to test their authenticity?

Yes.

What attempt?

I submitted them

to Mr. Ingalls,

A handwriting expert.

And his report

to you was?

That they were without question

in Mr. Parnell's handwriting.

Yes.

Where did you

procure the letters?

I received them

from Mr. Henderson,

The secretary of the Irish

loyal and patriotic union.

And what

was your motive

And the motive of your

paper in publishing them?

We considered it

a public duty.

Thank you.

That's all.

The Irish loyal

and patriotic union...

From which you

obtain these letters

Is an organization

opposed to Mr. Parnell.

Is that right?

Substantially, yes.

Its objects are to

destroy the Irish party,

Of which Mr. Parnell

is the leader.

Is that right?

To a large extent, yes.

So you would be very

pleased to be provided

With any evidence

against Mr. Parnell.

You would have been eager

to believe these letters.

I wouldn't say that.

Did you ask Mr. Henderson

where he got these letters?

Uh, no, I don't

believe I did.

Why didn't you?

Because I trusted

Mr. Henderson implicitly.

Had you known him

previously?

Slightly.

How slightly?

Well, uh,

I met him once.

You've met him once,

But you trusted him

implicitly.

Yes.

You know now that he

obtained these letters

From Mr. Richard Pigott,

a Dublin journalist.

Do you know Mr. Pigott?

I know of him.

Is your knowledge

of Mr. Pigott

Favorable to Mr. Pigott?

Must I answer

that question, milord?

I, uh-I think so.

I'll repeat it for you.

Was your knowledge

of Mr. Pigott

Favorable

to Mr. Pigott?

Not altogether.

Thank you.

That's all.

Mr. Richard Pigott.

The evidence I shall give to the

court touching the matters in question

Shall be the truth,

the whole truth,

And nothing but the truth,

so help me god.

The evidence I shall give to the

court touching the matters in question

Shall be the truth,

the whole truth,

And nothing but the

truth, so help me god.

Your name

is Richard Pigott?

That's right.

Your age?

Oh, Ive seen 4 and 50

summers come and go.

You mean you are 54?

That's what

I mean, milord.

Why can't you

say so?

I beg your

lordship's pardon.

I'm 54.

Your occupation?

I'm a scribe.

I beg your pardon.

A scribe. A scribbler.

A pusher of the pen,

in modern slang.

An inkslinger. An

inhabitant of grub street.

I'm sorry, lady.

You can't go in there.

The court's full.

I want to see

Mr. Parnell.

I'm afraid you can't,

lady.

You can go up

in the public gallery

If there's

any room left there.

But I want to speak to

him. I must speak to him.

Please let me go in.

It's terribly urgent.

I'm sorry, lady. I have my

orders. The court's full.

Can't you ask him to come

out for just a moment?

It's a matter

of life and death.

Well, Ill see

what I can do.

Who was it

you said you wanted?

Mr. Parnell. Right, ma'am. Thank you.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes

John Van Druten

John William Van Druten (1 June 1901 – 19 December 1957) was an English playwright and theatre director, known professionally as John Van Druten. He began his career in London, and later moved to America becoming a U.S. citizen. He was known for his plays of witty and urbane observations of contemporary life and society. more…

All John Van Druten scripts | John Van Druten Scripts

0 fans

Submitted on August 05, 2018

Discuss this script with the community:

0 Comments

    Translation

    Translate and read this script in other languages:

    Select another language:

    • - Select -
    • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
    • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
    • Español (Spanish)
    • Esperanto (Esperanto)
    • 日本語 (Japanese)
    • Português (Portuguese)
    • Deutsch (German)
    • العربية (Arabic)
    • Français (French)
    • Русский (Russian)
    • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
    • 한국어 (Korean)
    • עברית (Hebrew)
    • Gaeilge (Irish)
    • Українська (Ukrainian)
    • اردو (Urdu)
    • Magyar (Hungarian)
    • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
    • Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Italiano (Italian)
    • தமிழ் (Tamil)
    • Türkçe (Turkish)
    • తెలుగు (Telugu)
    • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
    • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
    • Čeština (Czech)
    • Polski (Polish)
    • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Românește (Romanian)
    • Nederlands (Dutch)
    • Ελληνικά (Greek)
    • Latinum (Latin)
    • Svenska (Swedish)
    • Dansk (Danish)
    • Suomi (Finnish)
    • فارسی (Persian)
    • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
    • հայերեն (Armenian)
    • Norsk (Norwegian)
    • English (English)

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this screenplay to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Parnell" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Jul 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/parnell_15620>.

    We need you!

    Help us build the largest writers community and scripts collection on the web!

    Watch the movie trailer

    Parnell

    Browse Scripts.com

    The Studio:

    ScreenWriting Tool

    Write your screenplay and focus on the story with many helpful features.


    Quiz

    Are you a screenwriting master?

    »
    In screenwriting, what does "FADE IN:" signify?
    A A transition between scenes
    B The end of the screenplay
    C The beginning of the screenplay
    D A camera movement