The Iron Lady Page #10

DICKENS:

Where is your mother?

The YOUNG PROSTITUTE laughs, ducking away. On DICKENS

watching, distraught and troubled, the bob of dark curls

disappearing down a dimly lit street. DICKENS turns walks

away, turning into

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38 EXT. ALLEYWAY. LONDON. 1857. NIGHT. 38

DICKENS POV as he walks. He sees the faces of GRUBBY STREET

CHILDREN and YOUNG PROSTITUTES face after face, caught in a

labyrinth of alleyways.

DICKENS VO:

Last Saturday I sat next to a

gentleman at dinner and he asked me

in some fury why it was that our

city should help those who do not

help themselves.

DICKENS keeps walking passing an almost hellish world of

poverty and sickness, BABIES crying in YOUNG MOTHERS arms-

DICKENS VO (CONT’D)

By ‘those’ he meant the many fallen

women that we see around us every

day and their offspring, many who

rely on this hospital today. I

replied.

SCAB RIDDEN INFANTS staring blankly out of rundown doorways.

DICKENS VO (CONT’D)

The two grim nurses, poverty and

sickness bring these children

before you and preside over their

births, rock their wretched

cradles, nail down their little

coffins, pile up the earth above

their graves. Their unnatural

deaths form one third of the annual

deaths in this great town. “But

what of God?” He piously replied.

“What of him?” I asked.

39 INT. FREEMASONS HALL. LONDON. 1857. EVENING. 39

An ATTENTIVE AUDIENCE of WEALTHY BUSINESSMEN and WIVES,

BENEFACTORS, INTELLECTUALS and PATRONS.

Above reads a banner-

Prosperity to the Hospital for Sick Children-

DICKENS caught amidst the marble busts of prominent

statesmen.

DICKENS:

“I feel sure God looks leniently on

all vice that proceeds from human

tenderness and natural passion.”

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 51.

CLOSE ON NELLY shining with pride. Some way to the back MRS

TERNAN, FANNY and MARIA looking on. JOHN stands a few inches

behind, looking on.

DICKENS (CONT’D)

I hope we will too and give

generously tonight.

40 INT. FREEMASONS HALL. LONDON. 1857. EVENING. 40

NELLY, MRS TERNAN, MARIA and FANNY standing standing behind a

table on which are silver collecting plates and a collecting

box.

NELLY:

Good night, Sir..Thank you.

They smiles at the SPILL of PEOPLE putting change and notes

into the plates.

MRS TERNAN:

Surely you can do better than that,

Sir?

MARIA:

Five pounds, Nelly. Five

pounds.

DICKENS crossing the room-

DICKENS:

Goodnight..Goodnight..Thank you.

DIGNITARIES and GUESTS draining from the room, heading

home.

DICKENS (CONT’D)

Maria have you fleeced them?

DICKENS moving over to greet NELLY, MRS TERNAN, MARIA

and FANNY lining up the donation boxes.

MARIA:

With every ounce of my soul,

Mr Dickens.

FANNY:

We can barely carry them.

DICKENS nods, oddly dishevelled, distracted tonight. He

smiles at them all

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 52.

DICKENS:

Thank you. Thank

You..Goodness..I did not

believe we would raise so much

money...Where does one begin?

DICKENS fingers lightly grazing the boxes, heavy with

money, lined up on a table.

NELLY:

They will take some counting.

He looks at NELLY, her smile quietly disarming him.

DICKENS:

Yes..Yes.

MRS TERNAN:

Such an achievement.

DICKENS:

We must celebrate.

NELLY:

Yes..Yes..We must.

41 INT. DRAWING ROOM. TAVISTOCK HOUSE. LONDON. 1857. EVENING.41

A wide, drawing room, some furniture covered in dust sheets-

DICKENS tentatively leading MRS TERNAN through the ghostly

darkened landscape of Tavistock House.

MRS TERNAN:

You are moving in or out Mr

Dickens?

A dust sheet covering a grand piano and the occasional

chair just visible in another room.

DICKENS:

I am thinking of letting it.

FANNY, NELLY and MARIA close behind, the collecting boxes

being carried by DICKENS valet, JOHN, lugging boxes that he

puts on the floor.

DICKENS (CONT’D)

My wife prefers to live outside

of the public glare. London

tires her and Gad’s Hill is where

she likes to retreat with the

children.

NELLY takes in the silence, the endless emptiness, evident

in every room.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 53.

MRS TERNAN:

Gad’s Hill. Is that in

Rochester-

DICKENS:

(nods)

It is close. Walking distance.

MRS TERNAN:

Nelly was born in Rochester.

DICKENS laughs, delighted at the coincidence, looking to

NELLY.

DICKENS:

I was schooled in Chatham.

NELLY:

Yes but my earliest memories are of

Newcastle.

DICKENS:

Newcastle I do not know so well.

FANNY and MARIA taking in the room. FANNY turns, seeing

DICKENS smiling at NELLY. MRS TERNAN peers through the

window, out into the murky darkness-

MRS TERNAN:

Ah a garden.

A grand piano, covered in a dust sheet, NELLY pulls a corner

aside to reveal dusty keys. LIPS CLOSE to an ivory key, she

blows-

DICKENS:

(leading her)

Would you like to see it?

MRS TERNAN laughs, DICKENS leading her out.

MRS TERNAN:

(following him)

It is getting dark.

DICKENS:

Come..Come. Let me show you.

DICKENS leads MRS TERNAN out, leaving FANNY, MARIA and NELLY.

MARIA:

He always seems so alone.

FANNY:

Yes.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 54.

NELLY presses down on a piano key, testing the note, caught

on a repetitive middle C

FANNY (CONT’D)

(hushed)

It is like a mausoleum.

On NELLY watching DICKENS leading MRS TERNAN around a

darkened garden.

42 INT. DRAWING ROOM. TAVISTOCK HOUSE. LONDON. 1857. NIGHT 42

NELLY caught peering at DICKENS desk; meticulously laid

out papers, manuscripts and pencils, sharpened and in a

row.

MRS TERNAN OOV:

(calling back)

Nelly-

MRS TERNAN, MARIA and FANNY preparing to leave, standing

in a distant hallway. DICKENS hovers, considering the

many boxes now lined up on the floor.

MRS TERNAN:

We must leave you. Fanny has an

audition in the morning and

must rest her voice.

DICKENS:

Yes of course yes.

MARIA:

We have a wager on how much was

collected. I think five hundred

but Fanny thinks-

FANNY:

More..More..

DICKENS smiles, making his goodbyes as they reach for

gloves and coats, pulling them on as they head towards

the door.

DICKENS:

I will count them right away.

They must be banked tomorrow.

MRS TERNAN:

You will be up all night.

DICKENS:

I don’t sleep well anyway.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 55.

NELLY:

We could help you. Together it will

take us no time.

FANNY:

You have rehearsal in the

morning, Nelly.

MRS TERNAN:

Nelly and I will stay and help Mr

Dickens. If he does not object.

DICKENS:

Well..No..I..thank you.

FANNY:

Mama-

MRS TERNAN offers firm gaze, ushering FANNY and MARIA out.

MRS TERNAN:

We shall not be late.

FANNY disappearing out into the dark night looks back at

NELLY, smiling reassuringly.

MARIA/ FANNY

Good night.

DICKENS:

Good night.

The door closes-

SILENCE:

DICKENS stands awkward, hovering, unsure what comes

next.

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