Suffragette Page #9

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MORE CHEERS-

EXT. SIDE STREET. NR CAMDEN SQUARE. LONDON. 1913. NIGHT.

Police officers pile into a car.

EXT. CAMDEN SQUARE. LONDON. 1913. NIGHT.

MAUD stares up MRS PANKHURST, captivated.

MRS PANKHURST:

We are fighting for a time when

every little girl born into the

world will have an equal chance

with her brothers. Never

underestimate the power we women

have to define our own destinies.

We do not want to be law breakers,

we want to be law makers.

CHEERS:

SUDDENLY THE DISTANT BEAM of CAR HEADLAMPS flick up, grazing

the WOMEN’s faces, bringing urgency to MRS PANKHURST’s

speech.

MRS PANKHURST (CONT’D)

Be militant. Each of you in your

own way. Those of you who can break

windows, break them. Those of you

who can further attack the sacred

idol of property, do so. We have

been left with no alternative but

to defy this government.

The CROWD ERUPTS WHISTLING, CHEERING, FOOT STOMPING, SINGING-

A POLICE WHISTLE blows. POLICE VEHICLES push into the crowd.

MRS PANKHURST (CONT’D)

If we must go to prison to obtain

the vote, let it be the windows of

government not the bodies of women

that shall be broken.

VIOLET turns to MAUD.

VIOLET:

Round the back Maud. Round the

back.

MRS PANKHURST:

I incite this meeting, and all the

women in Britain, to rebellion!

On MAUD, EMILY, EDITH and VIOLET as they weave their way

through the crowd.

MRS PANKHURST (CONT’D)

I would rather be a rebel than a

slave!

The CHEERS and FOOT STOMPING RISING NOW. POLICE WHISTLES as

the MEN are revealed as MORE AND MORE POLICE OFFICERS. STEED

is amongst them, waving on the vehicles.

ON MRS PANKHURST shrouded in her veil and hat now, being led

down the steps and through the crowd, surrounded by her

FEMALE BODYGUARD.

ELEGANT WOMEN:

(shouting)

Don’t let Mrs Pankhurst be

arrested!

POLICE OFFICERS push and shove, but the WOMEN form a

barricade-

The POLICE OFFICERS momentarily thwarted. Despite the WOMEN’s

best attempts, the POLICE OFFICERS push through-

The SWIPE and SLAM of BATONS beating the shrouded MRS

PANKHURST to the ground.

The SURGE of SUFFRAGETTES all around, shouting and

protesting.

THE POLICE OFFICERS ripping off MRS PANKHURST’s HAT and VEIL.

The POLICE OFFICERS’ faces suddenly fall-

A smiling if bruised ELEGANT WOMAN/FEMALE BODYGUARD DRESSED

AS A DECOY MRS PANKHURST, her veil and hat now on the ground,

looking up at the bemused POLICE OFFICERS.

WOMEN OOV:

No Surrender.

MALE BYSTANDER:

It’s not her!

EXT. SIDE STREET. NR CAMDEN SQUARE. LONDON. 1913. NIGHT.

MAUD, VIOLET, EDITH and EMILY hurry down a side street.

They intercept the REAL MRS PANKURST in the same hat being

escorted towards a waiting CAR.

MAUD, VIOLET, EDITH, EMILY and a CLUSTER OF WOMEN moving in,

in choreographed unison, pinned close around MRS PANKHURST,

acting as barricade, leading her towards the car.

MRS PANKHURST:

Edith.

MRS PANKHURST smiles in passing at VIOLET and EDITH.

EDITH:

Mrs P.

MRS PANKHURST:

Dear Emily.

EMILY:

This is Mrs Watts, Mrs Pankhurst.

MRS PANKHURST smiles, on seeing EMILY, patting her hand-

MAUD:

Maud.

MRS PANKHURST:

Thank you, Maud.

She climbs into the car, then leans out.

MRS PANKHURST (CONT’D)

(to MAUD)

Never surrender. Never give up the

fight!

MAUD smiles.

As the car pulls away, women run past, following closely by

the police. One POLICEMAN grabs MAUD.

EXT. SIDE STREET. NR CAMDEN SQUARE. LONDON. 1913. NIGHT.

On STEED, shoving MAUD towards a passing POLICE OFFICER.

STEED:

Don’t bother arresting them.

On STEED holding MAUD’s defiant look.

STEED (CONT’D)

Let their husbands deal with them.

Drop them at their front doors.

INT. POLICE VAN. LONDON. 1913. NIGHT.

MAUD and a POLICE OFFICER sit in silence, facing one another.

A second POLICE OFFICER also seated with EDITH, EMILY and

OTHER WOMEN further down the van.

INT. FRONT ROOM. MAUD’S HOUSE. BETHNAL GREEN. 1913. NIGHT

SONNY paces, anger building.

EXT. BACKSTREET/TENEMENT.BETHNAL GREEN. LONDON.1913.NIGHT

The police van enters their street.

EXT. TENEMENT. MAUD’S HOUSE. BETHNAL GREEN. 1913. NIGHT.

The SLAM of the POLICE VAN door-

On MAUD, staring at the illuminated window, SONNY already

opening the door. He looks beyond to the van, sickened,

turning his back on MAUD-

MAUD:

Sonny. I’m sorry.

SONNY:

I took you on, Maud. I thought I

could straighten you out.

On MAUD, pain, edged with a growing anger-

MAUD:

What if you don’t need to?

SONNY:

You’re a mother, Maud. You’re a

wife. My wife. That’s what you’re

meant to be.

MAUD:

I’m not just that any more-

SONNY despairing, shoving her away.

MAUD (CONT’D)

(growing desperation)

Sonny...Sonny, what are you doing?

MAUD reaching for SONNY, trying to stop him as he enters the

house. He rounds on her before she can get back in, gathering

up anything he can find of hers as he comes out again; coats,

hat, boots, a bag, a box...anything - just ridding the house

of MAUD, hurling MAUD’s things out onto the street.

MAUD (CONT’D)

Sonny...Sonny...

GET OUT!

SONNY:

He slams the door on her.

MAUD hammering on the door, terror and desperation growing-

MAUD:

(shouting louder)

Sonny! Let me see George! Sonny.

SONNY!

SILENCE-

The lights going out in the house.

ON MAUD, with growing fury, beating on SONNY’s door with the

last bit of strength she has, with her fist.

MAUD (CONT’D)

(shouting)

Sonny. I want to see George.

On MAUD, despair threatening to overwhelm, turning to see MRS

GARSTON, standing in the doorway of her house next door,

seeing it all-

SILENCE-

MAUD picking up her possessions scattered across the street.

MAUD sinks down, desperately gathering them together.

EXT. STAIRWELL. BEDSIT. BETHNAL GREEN. 1913. NIGHT.

VIOLET and MAUD walk in the rain down a dank, dimly lit

street.

VIOLET:

Right. This is it.

INT. MAUD’S ROOM. BEDSIT. BETHNAL GREEN. 1913. NIGHT.

MAUD with VIOLET climb the stairs into a small room,

following a PINCHED LOOKING LANDLADY.

LANDLADY:

It’s two and six a week.

VIOLET:

Make it two and four. The union

will pay.

The LANDLADY eyes VIOLET and MAUD with obvious disdain before

turning away. MAUD takes in the rundown room, now alone with

VIOLET.

VIOLET (CONT’D)

I’ll get you blankets and clothes

from the WSPU jumble. They collect

stuff for women who-

VIOLET wavers, sees MAUD’s misery growing.

VIOLET (CONT’D)

I’m sorry.

On MAUD breaking, tears starting to flow.

VIOLET (CONT’D)

No no no. Don’t cry. It aggravates

them more if they see it hasn’t

touched you. So you practise now on

me. Do it Maud.

VIOLET reaches out a hand, touches MAUD’s cheek, wiping away

MAUD’s angry, desperate tears.

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