PEAKY BLINDERS II Page #2

Pestilence took him. But Freddy

passed on his spirit and soul to a

new generation before he was

cruelly taken.

Tommy gestures at Karl Thorne. Ada has no expression. Tommy

takes out a piece of paper and it blows in the wind

TOMMY (CONT’D)

I promised I would read his

favorite poem over his grave. He

told me the poem is about

revolution...

One of the communists calls out irreverently...

COMMUNIST:

Amen.

(CONT'D)

PBII - Ep 1 - Steven Knight - SHOOTING SCRIPT - 20/02/14 p.5

10 CONT'D:
10

We come close to Ada. She has no tears in her eyes. Tommy

begins to read from the sheet....

TOMMY:

‘Scatter as from an unextinguished

hearth, ashes and sparks...’

As Tommy reads we re-acquaint ourselves with the ice in

Tommy’s soul. He is a little older, a little wiser, a man

betrayed the last time he gave anything of himself.

TOMMY (CONT’D)

‘Be through my lips to...’

11 EXT. CHURCH, YARD - DAY 1 11

We cut to the front of the church where the burial took

place. The wind blows through the huge cemetery trees as

Tommy’s reading bridges the cut...

TOMMY (OOV)

‘...Be through my lips to

unawakened earth, the trumpets of a

prophecy....’

In wide shot we see the congregation walking up the cemetery

path away from where the grave is being filled in.

TOMMY (OOV) (CONT’D)

‘O wind. If winter comes. Can

Spring be far behind?’

We come close as the congregation begin to gather mill near

to the exit of the church yard. On the road, near to the

graveyard, a fleet of four large black cars are waiting.

There are uniformed chauffeurs who smoke and chat while they

wait but they stand to attention as the family appear.

These are the drivers waiting to take the Shelby family home.

Times are evidently good.

The Shelby family slow and light cigarettes on one side of

the cemetery path. The communists congregate on the other

side, an informal dividing line. Ada stands among the

communists.

Tommy, Arthur and John light cigarettes from Tommy’s match.

The communists smoke too and glare at the family. For a laugh

John suddenly shouts ‘BOO’ at one of the communists and he

jumps. John and Arthur laugh...

Tommy blows smoke and, without a care for the animosity,

crosses the path to Ada.

(CONT'D)

PBII - Ep 1 - Steven Knight - SHOOTING SCRIPT - 20/02/14 p.6

11 CONT'D:
11

TOMMY (CONT’D)

Ada. I want to talk.

Tommy absorbs the hard stares. Ada leaves Karl in the care of

a comrade and steps beyond a crooked grave stone. The grave

gives them a measure of privacy.

TOMMY (CONT’D)

How is the boy taking it?

ADA (DISMISSIVE)

He’s fine. When he asks I resort to

saying ‘heaven’.

A pause.

TOMMY:

We thought now Freddy’s gone, you

might come back to Birmingham.

Ada half smiles, a little incredulous. She stares at the

waiting cars...

ADA:

Do you know how funny it is that

you’ve got chauffeurs in uniform

now?

TOMMY:

Just for the occasion...

ADA:

Do you know how unfair it is you’ve

got four Bugattis when half the

country’s starving...

Tommy gestures at the communists who are folding one of the

banners...

TOMMY:

So they’ve made you ashamed of

us...

Ada speaks softly, almost with regret...

ADA:

Sometimes when I think how I used

to be, it makes me embarrassed.

The word hangs. Tommy doesn’t show it but deep down he is

profoundly hurt by the word. At that moment Aunt Polly steps

close. She has Karl in her arms and a smile on her face...

AUNT POLLY:

I caught him trying to pinch

flowers off a grave.

Ada goes to take him but Aunt Polly holds back and glances at

Tommy.

(CONT'D)

PBII - Ep 1 - Steven Knight - SHOOTING SCRIPT - 20/02/14 p.7

11 CONT'D:
11

AUNT POLLY (CONT’D)

Is she coming home?

Ada takes Karl from Aunt Polly.

ADA:

I’m going home.

Aunt Polly is about to speak but Tommy speaks first and with

authority.

TOMMY:

It’s alright Polly. We make Ada

embarrassed.

ADA (QUICKLY)

That’s not what I said...

Ada is perhaps surprised by Tommy’s offence but Tommy

continues...

TOMMY:

There’s another reason we want you

home.

Ada is defiant but waits...

TOMMY (CONT’D)

We’re planning an expansion.

Ada knows what this means and is instantly disgusted...

ADA:

Oh Tommy...

TOMMY:

I’m taking premises in London...

AUNT POLLY (INTERRUPTING)

Tommy, it’s a funeral, business can

wait...

TOMMY (POINTEDLY)

If Ada was sobbing, I’d wait. But

she’s not.

Ada glares at Tommy, reacting to the inference. Again Tommy

absorbs the venom and continues...

TOMMY (CONT’D)

The expansion means it will be

dangerous to be a Shelby in London

for a while...

Ada instantly interrupts...

ADA:

Yeah, well, I’m not a Shelby

anymore.

(CONT'D)

PBII - Ep 1 - Steven Knight - SHOOTING SCRIPT - 20/02/14 p.8

11 CONT'D:
11

She turns to Aunt Polly and speaks the truth softly...

ADA (CONT’D)

And I’m not a Thorne either. I’m

free.

Ada communicates silently with Aunt Polly then speaks to the

boy...

ADA (CONT’D)

Come on Karl, let’s get you home...

Ada turns and walks to rejoin the communists. Tommy calls out

loud enough for the communists to hear...

TOMMY:

Oh and Ada, they’re not Bugattis,

they’re Daimlers. Much more

expensive.

Aunt Polly sighs and steps close to Tommy...

AUNT POLLY:

I told you to let me do it.

Tommy steps on his cigarette, the grave stone beside him.

TOMMY:

It’ll be alright. I’ll have some

men watch her house until the

danger’s passed.

Tommy walks back to join the family. Ada is with the

communists. Aunt Polly repeats softly...

AUNT POLLY:

‘Until the danger’s passed’.

A pause.

AUNT POLLY (CONT’D)

That’ll be the bloody day.

Then we hear a roaring engine and a motorbike pulls up

sharply among the chauffeurs. All heads turn. A young

eighteen year old leaps from the bike and runs down the path

of the church. He is dressed in Peaky clothes. He pushes his

way to Tommy and we see Tommy react to the news he imparts.

12 EXT. CHURCH YARD - MORNING 1 12

From wide we see the Peaky’s all hurrying to the waiting cars

and getting in. The chauffeurs are diving into the driving

seats and the family members are racing to get into the cars.

Ada and the communists look on and we might come close to

Ada’s face as she watches. In among the shame is there some

part of her that misses all the excitement?

(CONT'D)

PBII - Ep 1 - Steven Knight - SHOOTING SCRIPT - 20/02/14 p.9

12 CONT'D:
12

The cars begin to pull away...

13 EXT. GARRISON PUB, GARRISON LANE - DAY 1 13

The debris is spread far and wide. Three police officers are

trying to keep kids away from the damaged structure. Then the

fleet of cars returning from the funeral turn into view. The

cars slow and then stop. Tommy and the others all climb out.

Most stare with disbelief at the destruction but Tommy heads

for the pub.

There is a police rope and we see Inspector MOSS hurry

toward the lead car to help Tommy duck under the rope.

14 EXT. BOMBED GARRISON PUB, GARRISON LANE - DAY 1 14

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