Testament of Youth Page #10

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VERA:

I don’t know...nurse? There’s a

call for volunteers.

Vera shrugs, they smile.....He wants to find the right words

for her.

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VICTOR:

Roland won’t die young, Vera. He

was born to make his mark on the

world.

Vera’s face - eager to believe.

VERA:

Do you think?

VICTOR:

I’m sure of it.

She smiles - grateful

VERA CONT.

Thank you for being here. (A beat)

I’m sorry if you were hurt Victor

VICTOR:

(interrupting)

No, please, it’s fine.

VERA:

But I feel I

VICTOR:

There’s no need. In fact I’ve - met

a girl.

VERA:

That’s wonderful, I’m happy for

you! What’s her name?

VICTOR:

Molly. She’s keen.

VERA:

And she has you here with her.

She’s a luckier girl than I am,

then.

She puts her hand on his, squeezes it with a smile.

74 EXT. PORTER’S LODGE, SOMERVILLE - DAY 74

A new day. Vera emerges from the porter’s lodge to see a boy

of about 13 riding a red bicycle. He sees her, cycles over,

scrabbles inside his satchel and pulls out a telegram.

BOY ON BICYCLE:

Telegram, from the War Office.

Vera takes it, reads the name.

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VERA:

(dismay)

Miss Lorimer...

She holds it out to him, but he resists taking it back.

BOY ON BICYCLE:

Would you, Miss...?

Vera hesitates, looks at the telegram in her hand.

BOY ON BICYCLE:

Thanks Miss! I hate it when they

cry!

And with that, he turns and cycles off.

75 EXT. QUAD, ORIEL - A LITTLE LATER 75

Vera is waiting as Miss Lorimer emerges from a doorway,

behind a few chattering students.

She sees Vera looking at her, and hesitates, sensing

something. Vera steps over and hands her the envelope. Miss

Lorimer tears it open - reads quickly, and staggers.

Vera supports her arm, and helps her to the curved dip in a

stone arch. Miss Lorimer sits, stiff, stricken.

CLOSE ON Vera’s face....

76 EXT. BROAD STREET, OXFORD - DAY (AUTUMN) 76

Vera, on her way to a lecture, passes a news stand. A chalked

headline catches her eye: ”Heavy Casualties in Neuve

Chapelle.” Small groups of women are already congregated,

anxiously reading newspapers. Vera buys one.

She opens the paper, inside is a column of “Fallen in

Combat”. Vera looks down the column. It continues over the

page. She turns over; sees an entire double spread, with

column after column of men’s names in tiny print. Reeling,

she sits on a vacant bench, and turns over - another double

spread. Hundreds of them - all dead.

CUT TO:

77 IN VERA’S MIND - SHE SEES -77

Roland, in pouring rain, hunkered down in a muddy trench with

other men, under heavy shell fire - he turns and looks

straight at her -

A whistle goes, he turns to mount the trench -

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77A OMMITTED. 77A

78 INT. MISS LORIMER’S ROOM - DAY 78

Vera is standing before an astonished Miss Lorimer.

MISS LORIMER:

Nursing?! What on earth for?

VERA:

They need volunteers.

MISS LORIMER:

And I’m sure there are lots of

eager young women out there whohaven’t embarked on promisingcareers at Oxford!

VERA:

I need to do something, I can’t

stay here buried in books, not now!

MISS LORIMER:

You don’t own the truth about how

to get through this, Miss Brittain!

Your opinion is just that - anopinion. You’d do well to remember

it.

VERA:

(chastened)

I’m sorry...I didn’t mean...

MISS LORIMER:

This crisis needs people who canstand back and reflect. How can youthink of giving up a goldenopportunity you’ve worked so hard

for?

Vera looks down, says nothing.

MISS LORIMER (CONT’D)

So your mind’s quite made up.

A pause - Then VERA

(shaken)

Yes, it is.

Miss Lorimer turns away from her. Vera realises she’s

dismissed.

VERA (CONT’D)

Thank you, for.....

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She peters out, and heads for the door. Throws Miss Lorimer

one last look, but she still has her back turned.

ON Miss Lorimer - the upset showing on her face.

79 INT. CORRIDOR, 1ST LONDON GENERAL HOSPITAL - DAY (AUTUMN) 79

Vera, dressed in the floor-length uniform of the VAD nurse,

walks down a long, draughty corridor in the 1st London

General, a Victorian construct in Camberwell. Her footsteps

clip-clop on the floor.

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She cuts a resolute figure, but it’s an image of isolation -

of a person dwarfed by bigger events.

CUT TO:

80 INT. WARD, 1ST LONDON GENERAL - DAY 80

Vera stands in a row of freshly scrubbed, eager VADs, as a

stern career Sister in her 60’s, JONES, inspects them.

SISTER JONES V.O.

I know what visions have brought

you here, and I’m happy they

carried you to our door, but that’s

where you leave them. You’re not

Angels of Mercy swooping down to

mop the brows of grateful men;

you’re workers! And you’ll do

whatever you’re asked, no matter

how dirty, no matter how dull. Do I

make myself clear?

VADS TOGETHER:

Yes Sister.

Sister Jones’ steely gaze lands on Vera, she stops before

her.

SISTER JONES:

Hands.

Vera holds out her hands. Sister Jones examines them, sees

they’re smooth, white, spotless - a small sneer. She drops

them, walks on.

SISTER JONES:

Airs and graces will not be

tolerated, especially from those

who’ve come down from an ivory

tower. If you’ve any doubts, the

door’s there, you can leave now.

Silence. No one moves. Sister Jones gazes sternly at them.

81 INT. DORMITORY, CAMBERWELL LODGINGS - BEFORE DAWN 81

An alarm clock on a bedside unit rings. 5.45 am. Vera,

asleep in a narrow bed in a bare, cold room with five other

women, struggles to get up.

SISTER JONES V.O.

Your duties commence at 7 a.m

sharp. You do not sit down in the

wards, ever.

(MORE)

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SISTER JONES V.O. (cont'd)

You take instruction from the

professionals who’ve been doing

this job for years before you came

along.

82 INT. BUS, CAMBERWELL - EARLY MORNING 82

Vera boards a crowded bus, as rain beats at the windows

outside.

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She pushes her way through the weary commuters, and manages

to find a seat for herself at the back. She gazes out through

the rain at the dreary grey street outside.

83 INT. WARD, 1ST LONDON GENERAL - LATER THAT DAY 83

Sister Jones, a surgeon and two nurses are conferring

together as Vera and fellow VADs bustle in. Sister Jones

rounds on them.

SISTER JONES:

Who sterilised the instruments?

Behind her sits a tray of silver surgical instruments.

VERA:

I did, Sister.

The Sister’s eyes beam in on Vera, who looks tired.

SISTER JONES:

And would you say you’ve done a

good job?

Silence - Vera is thrown, but holds her nerve.

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