The Hours

Synopsis: In 1951, Laura Brown, a pregnant housewife, is planning a party for her husband, but she can't stop reading the novel 'Mrs. Dalloway'. Clarissa Vaughn, a modern woman living in present times is throwing a party for her friend Richard, a famous author dying of AIDS. These two stories are simultaneously linked to the work and life of Virginia Woolf, who's writing the novel mentioned before.
Genre: Drama, Romance
Director(s): Stephen Daldry
Production: Miramax Films
  Won 1 Oscar. Another 41 wins & 125 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.6
Metacritic:
80
Rotten Tomatoes:
80%
PG-13
Year:
2002
110 min
$41,465,765
Website
5,733 Views


"Dearest, I feel certain

"that I am going mad again.

"I feel we can't go

"through another

of these terrible times,

"and I... shan't

"recover this time.

"I begin to hear voices,

and can't concentrate.

"So, I am doing

what seems to be

"the best thing to do.

"You have given me

"the greatest possible

happiness.

"You have been in every way

"all that anyone could be.

"I know

that I am spoiling your life,

"and without me,

you could work.

"And you will,

"I know.

"You see, I can't

even write this properly.

"What I want to say

is that I owe

"all the happiness

of my life to you.

"You have been entirely patient

with me...

"and

"incredibly good.

"Everything's gone

"from me but the certainty

"of your goodness.

"I can't go on

spoiling your life any longer.

"I don't think two people

could have been happier

"than we have been.

Virginia."

Good morning, Doctor.

Mr. Woolf.

No worse, I think.

I see.

The main thing is to keep her

where she is, and calm.

Friday, then.

Good morning, Leonard.

Good morning, Virginia.

How was your sleep?

Uneventful.

The headaches?

No. No headaches.

Doctor seemed pleased.

That's all from this morning?

Yes. This young man

has submitted his manuscript.

I've found three errors of fact

and two spelling mistakes,

and I'm not yet on page four.

Have you had breakfast?

Yes.

Liar.

Virginia, it's not

my insistence.

It's your own doctor's.

I'm going to send

Nelly up with some fruit

and a bun.

Right. Lunch, then.

Proper lunch,

husband and wife

sitting down together...

soup, pudding

and all.

By force if necessary.

Leonard, I believe

I may have a first sentence.

Work, then.

Then you must eat.

Mrs. Dalloway said...

she would buy the flowers...

herself.

"Mrs. Dalloway said

she would buy the flowers

herself."

Sally, I think I'll buy

the flowers myself.

What?

What flowers?

Oh, sh*t. I forgot.

You're never going

to be a big boy

if you don't eat

your breakfast.

You're going to be

the big brother.

It's a very important job.

Happy birthday.

- Morning, honey.

- Oh, Dan.

Roses on your own birthday.

You're too much.

Really.

He'll eat it

now that you're here.

It's your birthday.

You shouldn't be out

buying me flowers.

Well, you were still sleeping.

So?

Well, we decided

it would be better

if we let you sleep in

a little, didn't we?

Morning, bug.

You need to rest, Laura.

You're only four months away.

Dan, don't.

I'm fine.

I'm just tired.

I've been telling him

he's got to eat his breakfast.

That's true.

So, it's a beautiful day.

What are you two going

to be doing with it?

We've got our plans,

don't we?

What plans?

Hmm...

Well, it wouldn't

be much of a party,

would it, if I told you

every detail in advance?

Well, I better just stop

asking questions then, huh?

That the time?

I better get going.

Have a good day.

You, too.

Dan, happy birthday.

Oh, thank you.

You need to finish

your breakfast.

Oh, I'm going to make a cake.

That's what I'm going to do.

I'm going to make the cake

for Daddy's birthday.

Mommy, can I help?

Can I help make the cake?

Of course you can, sweet pea.

I'm not going to do

anything without you.

No, of course.

You have to come.

Of course.

Well, I always wanted you

and everybody involved

in the actual ceremony.

I don't know.

Around 60.

Well, it will.

It'll mean so much.

The whole occasion.

It's the least I can do

to have a nice dinner

and say thank you

to everybody.

You've done so much for him.

Oh, I take that as a yes.

He'll be thrilled.

Oh, my God.

I'm thrilled.

Oh, good.

What if nobody comes?

This is Clarissa Vaughan.

Yes, I am just confirming

that you're sending a car

to pick me up first.

Yeah.

- Hi, Clarissa.

- Hi, can't talk.

And then we're

going over to 679 Hudson,

which is at 9th and 14th.

Then you will take me uptown

and you will wait for us.

And it'll be over at seven.

Flowers!

What a beautiful morning.

Hi, Clarissa.

How are you?

I'm having a party.

My friend Richard's won

the Carruthers.

Well, that's just terrific...

if I knew what it was.

It's a poetry prize

for a life's work.

It's the most prestigious.

For a poet,

it's the best you can do.

Oh, very good.

So, what would you like?

The lilies are perfect.

No. Too morbid.

Hydrangeas, I think.

And, um...

Oh, oh, let's just have

buckets of roses.

And... I think I'm going

to take these with me.

Rodney?

Okay.

Thank you.

I actually tried

to read Richard's novel.

You did?

Oh, I know. It's not easy.

I know.

It did take him

ten years to write.

Maybe it just takes

another ten to read.

It's you, isn't it?

What is?

In the novel,

isn't it meant to be you?

Oh, I see.

Yeah.

Sort of.

I mean, in a way.

You know, Richard's a writer.

That's what he is.

He uses things

which actually happen.

Yeah.

And years ago,

he and I were students.

That's true.

But, you know,

then he changes things.

Oh, sure.

I don't mean in a bad way.

It's more like...

he makes them his own.

A woman's whole life...

in a single day,

just one day...

and in that day,

her whole life.

This is what we need.

Shortening...

Mrs. Dalloway, it's you.

Yes, it's me!

Oh... It's me.

Come in.

Richard,

it's a beautiful morning.

How about we let in

a little more light?

Is it still morning?

Yes, it is.

Have I died?

Good morning, my dear.

Any visitors?

Yes.

Are they still here?

No. They've gone.

Mm. How'd they look?

Today?

Sort of like black fire.

I mean, sort of light

and dark at the same time.

There was one a bit

like an electrified jellyfish.

They were singing.

May have been Greek.

So the ceremony is at 5:00.

Do you remember?

And then...

the party is right after.

They did bring you breakfast,

didn't they?

What a question. Of course.

Richard, you did eat it?

Well, can you see it?

Is it here?

Any breakfast lying around?

No, I don't see it.

Well, then I must have

eaten it, mustn't I?

I suppose.

Does it matter?

Of course, it matters.

You know what the doctors say.

Have you been skipping pills?

Clarissa, I can't take this.

Take what?

Having to be proud and brave

in front of everybody.

Oh. Honey, it's not

a performance.

Of course it is.

I got the prize

for my performance.

Well, that is

nonsense.

I got the prize for having AIDS

and going nuts

and being brave about it.

I actually got the prize

for having come through.

It's not true.

- For surviving, that's what

- It's not true.

I got the prize for.

Oh, you think they

would have given it to me

if I were healthy?

Yes, as a matter of fact, I do.

Is it here somewhere?

What?

The prize.

I'd like to look at it.

No, you haven't gotten it yet.

It's tonight.

Are you sure?

Um...

I remember

the ceremony perfectly.

I seem to have

fallen out of time.

Richard.

Richard...

it's a party,

and it's only a party.

Hmm? Populated entirely

by people who respect

and admire you.

A small party, is it?

A select party, is it?

Your friends.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote

David Hare

Sir David Hare Born5 June 1947 (age 70) St Leonards-on-Sea, Hastings, East Sussex OccupationPlaywright, screenwriter, director EducationMA (Cantab.), English Literature Alma materLancing College Jesus College, Cambridge Notable worksThe Judas Kiss Plenty Pravda The Absence of War Licking Hitler Skylight Strapless The Blue Room Stuff Happens Notable awardsBAFTA, Golden Bear, Olivier Award SpouseNicole Farhi Sir David Hare (born 5 June 1947) is an English playwright, screenwriter and theatre and film director. Best known for his stage work, Hare has also enjoyed great success with films, receiving two Academy Award nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay for writing. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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