The Four Feathers Page #3

trench o/s

(A regimental song)

Goodnight, Ladies...goodnight, Ladies...goodnight, Ladies, we hate to see you go...

HARRY shakes his head in despair.

TRENCH, castelton, willoughby and durrance together o/s

Merrily we roll along, roll along, roll along...Merrily we roll along, until the morning comes...

ETHNE smiles.

ETHNE:

Duty calls.

HARRY feels the quiet regret in her voice.

harry

We've two days leave before we sail. Once I tell them we're engaged I'm sure they'll give me more.

ETHNE:

As long as you promise to make me miserable. Argue with me all the time so I don't miss you a bit.

Her lightness is forced.

harrY

You'll be fine.

ETHNE:

You don't have to reassure me. I'm a soldier's daughter. Everything under control.

harry

I've never kissed a stiff upper lip before.

TRENCH's VOICE bellows out again as they kiss:

trench o/s

Goodnight, Ethne's...goodnight, Harry's...Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight...

HARRRY and ETHNE ignore him, the rain falling all around them.

INT. REGIMENTAL HALL/ WESTMINSTER BARRACKS - night.

The regimental song turns into a deafening roar. All around the mess hall, OFFICERS are laughing and banging on tables. HARRY and DURRANCE stand on wobbly stools, downing pints of beer. As soon as their glasses are empty they set off down the hall at a sprint. It's an obstacle course. The two friends duck under two long tables, and crawl on their bellies, towards two more glasses.

TRENCH and CASTELTON are busy laying bets on who'll win. DURRANCE and HARRY step over a bridge of chairs. They have to find a pint of beer hidden under one of them. DURRANCE finds his first. TRENCH looks at CASTELTON smugly, convinced he's going to win.

HARRY and DURRANCE step-walk over two long benches. DURRANCE falls off. HARRY overtakes him. He throws his head back and finishes off another pint. CASTELTON stands up, cheering.

HARRY and DURRANCE are level as they reach the last glass. As they start to drink HARRY stops, spluttering.

harry

This isn't beer, it's whisky.

trench

Down in one!

HARRY drinks again, but he's fallen behind. The pint of whisky disappears down DURRANCE's throat. Grinning, he makes his way towards the finish line. HARRY pours the whisky over his head, conceding defeat.

EXT. TRAINING GROUND/ WESTMINSTER barracks/ LONDON - Day.

An obstacle course of a different kind. The CAVALRY are training, galloping at full tilt, HARRY and DURRANCE bringing up the front. At the sound of a bugle, they dismount their horses, and sprint towards a row of bayonets. They snatch up the weapons and charge a row of dummies.

DRILL INSTRUCTOR

...In. Out. On guard...

The blades tear into the dummies, exposing soft leaves and hard wood.

DRILL INSTRUCTOR

...Hold the line...and charge...

The OFFICERS charge towards a second set of targets. Teeth bared, they drive their bayonets into the stuffed dummies. CASTELTON's blade sticks in a chunk of wood.

DRILL INSTRUCTOR

...In and out, Castelton, in and out...

CASTELTON pulls in frustation. He can't get the bayonet loose.

DRILL INSTRUCTOR

...They're coming at you boy. Rip it out or they'll stick you first.

CASTELTON puts his foot on the dummy's head and tries to wrench the blade free. Even though it's only a training exercise, his panic is real. TRENCH slows down as he watches his friend struggling in vain.

DRILL INSTRUCTOR

...Move on Trench. Castelton's dead. Enemy spear through his throat.

The OFFICERS continue, bayonets thrust forward, leaving the struggling CASTELTON behind.

EXT. STABLES/ training ground/ westminster barracks - day.

The men are washing up after exercises, dousing themselves with cold water. Everyone's teasing CASTELTON, except for TRENCH. For once he keeps quiet, knowing how hard his friend's taking it. A SEARGENT-MAJOR enters and salutes.

SERGEANT-MAJOR

Gentlemen... fifteen minutes, in the briefing room.

As he leaves, the MEN look at each other curiously.

INT. BRIEFING ROOM/ westminster barracks - day.

The Officers are assembled. HARRY, DURRANCE, TRENCH, WILLOUGHBY, and CASTELTON, take their places on the wooden benches. As he sits HARRY notices a map of Africa behind Colonel Hamilton.

COLONEL HAMILTON

...Gentlemen...

(when the room settles down)

The 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards have been ordered to forego their posting to India...

(Off murmurs of surprise)

...We ship out in three days, to establish a forward garrison in the Sudan...

There's a buzz of excitement. COLONEL HAMILTON can hardly contain his smile. He turns to GENERAL HOLMBY:

COLONEL HAMILTON

...General Holmby, Sir.

GENERAL HOLMBY, a severe looking military man, stands and faces the OFFICERS. Their eyes are lit-up with anticipation, all except Harry, who stares ahead, slowly turning inward.

GENERAL HOLMBY:

...I'd like to apologise for not giving you men more notice. I know many of you will find it hard to see your families now. Unfortunately we had no alternative...

He turns to the map and points out the Sudanese desert.

gENERAL HOLMBY

...Three days ago, an army of Egyptian reserves led by General Hicks, was ambushed at Tashgil by the Mahdi's forces. Upoun attack the Egyptians fled, leaving General Hicks and the British Officers with him, to fight a heroic, but in the end hopeless rearguard action. All of them died, sword in hand...

HARRY stares out silently, his whole world turned upside down.

geNERAL HOLMBY

...I hesitate to call this a mission of vengeance, but the honour of our country is at stake. This Government has finally seen fit to send its own troops to war...

There's loud cheering from the men now, regimental pride and bravado covering any trace of nerves.

EXT. COURTYARD/ westinster barracks - sunset.

The OFFICERS pour out into the courtyard, still exhilirated by the thought of seeing war. We hear TRENCH's voice rising above the others.

trench

...I wish I had more than one life to give for my country. Two would make me feel a lot safer.

HARRY laughs with the others, hiding his mounting anxiety.

INT. HARRY and DURRANCE's ROOM/ BARRACKS - NIGHT.

Laughter filters into Harry and Durrance's room. The two of them lie in their beds, watching the embers die out in the fireplace.

DURRANCE:

(Gazing up at the ceiling where the noise is coming from)

...I listen to them laugh, and I can't help wondering which ones won't be coming back. The worse part is I think I even know who they are.

haRRY

Am I one?

DURRANCE:

Of course not Harry. You're one of the lucky ones. Always have been.

HARRY picks up the reference to Ethne but doesn't say anything. More laughter filters through. HARRY stares out in the darkness, tormented.

DURRANCE:

What are you thinking?

harry

(Hesitating)

I'm wondering what a Godforesaken desert in the middle of nowhere has to do with her Majesty the Queen.

DURRANCE:

Ask Willoughby. He's on the Colonel's staff.

harry

I know what he'll say: 'It's not for us to question.'

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes