The Iron Lady Page #6

18 INT. PARLOUR/LIBRARY. SCHOOLHOUSE. MARGATE. NIGHT. 1885. 18

The aftermath of a pleasant if small dinner party, a

GOVERNOR and his WIFE, LAMBOURNE and his YOUNG WIFE,

REVEREND BENHAM and GEORGE hosting and happy at the helm. A

tray of sweet wine and tea close by. A fire burning in the

grate and the oil lamps lit.

GEORGE:

I was just showing Malcolm-

GEORGE lost in conversation with the GOVERNOR a copy of A

Tale of Two Cities in his hand, leaning against a bookshelf-

GEORGE (CONT’D)

See it is signed.

NELLY passes around tea, topping up a glass here or there.

GEORGE (CONT’D)

Apparently he modelled the

character of Lucie Manette on

Nelly.The families were very

close when Nelly was a child.

NELLY:

George, please. I am sure he drew

inspiration from many people. Our

guests do not wish to be bored

with

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 27A.

GEORGE:

My wife adores his novels. Of

course he’s often very funny

but...I find a little bleak.

(MORE)

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 28.

GEORGE (CONT'D)

One wonders what demons raged in

his mind.

BENHAM:

Indeed.

GEORGE:

Thackeray, now there’s a writer.

NELLY:

You can’t compare them.

BENHAM:

Oh I agree. I am for Mr Dickens.

There are times that I have

envied Mrs Wharton Robinson to

have known him- even as a child.

NELLY thoughtful, BENHAM animated sipping on his after

dinner wine.

BENHAM (CONT’D)

A true humanitarian, wittily

observant yet burning with a

political bonfire that elevates

and brings urgency to his work. A

writer- yes, at times bleak, but

one who makes us laugh at our own

absurdity. We see ourselves

clearly in all our folly. Yes, he

is still with us!

NELLY suddenly stands, the scrape of her chair, sudden and

surprising, blowing out a candle on a table.

NELLY:

Thank you Mr Benham.

NELLY fiddles, intent on getting the nub of the waxed

candle out.

BENHAM:

It is a subject in which I

sometimes run away with myself.

BENHAM’s eyes dart to NELLY.

BENHAM (CONT’D)

As Mrs Wharton Robinson knows

only too well.

BENHAM looks to NELLY, offering conciliatory smile.

GOVERNOR:

Run away....Run away..I for one

am determined to revisit him

immediately. Where would you

suggest I begin?

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 28A.

LAMBOURNE:

Martin Chuzzlewit.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 29.

BENHAM:

Yes..Of course..So many to choose

from. Where to start? Any novel but

for brief pleasure I would suggest

browsing through a copy of Dickens

weekly literary magazine-

NELLY turns back to see BENHAM peering at a copy of

Household Words, A printed journal composed by Charles

Dickens, one of several on a shelf.

BENHAM (CONT’D)

Household words. A collection of

many of his writings and indeed

chapters of his novels. I am sure

Mrs Wharton Robinson would not

mind if you cared to borrow-

NELLY:

Of course. Of course.

GEORGE:

My wife has nearly every edition.

We have run out of shelves.

MARY enters with more refreshment-

GEORGE (CONT’D)

Ah good. Thank you Mary.

They nod their thanks in passing, GEORGE once more drawing

the GOVERNOR and his WIFE into conversation. BENHAM reaches

for a copy of the Frozen Deep playtext-

BENHAM:

The Frozen Deep. You have the text

of Mr Collins’ play?

NELLY turns, suddenly on edge. BENHAM’s eyes already grazing

over several notes made in some folded pages slipped between

the pages of the playtext. On these papers, the lines are

scored through, the sense of this as a once worked text. And

just visible, pressed in the folds of the these pages-

A tiny lock of hair.

NELLY:

Yes. It is not a good play.

NELLY with gentle precision, takes the playtext out of

BENHAM’s hands, snapping it shut and sliding it once more

into the shelf.

NELLY (CONT’D)

But I will find you one.

BENHAM oddly thrown, yet trying to gather himself,

curiosity stirred as NELLY’s eyes search the titles.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 29A.

NELLY (CONT’D)

(beat)

David Copperfield. For our reading?

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 30.

BENHAM:

Will you walk again tomorrow?

NELLY:

(beat)

Perhaps.

BENHAM:

May I join you?

NELLY hesitates, pulling a text down from a shelf,

seemingly distracted.

NELLY:

I walk at quite a pace.

19 INT. BEDROOM. SCHOOLHOUSE. MARGATE. 1885. NIGHT. 19

NELLY brushes her hair, GEORGE undressing close by. Both

silent, neither able to make the first move. Suddenly,

NELLY turns on him.

NELLY:

Why must you do that? Flaunt my

connection? It is dull.

GEORGE:

Dull to have known Charles

Dickens?

GEORGE looks at NELLY, with a quizzical smile.

NELLY:

I was a child.

NELLY climbs into bed next to him.

NELLY (CONT’D)

Yet to refer to him as bleak.

It is a misconception-

GEORGE:

What? I do not understand what you

are talking of, Nelly. This

constant agitation.

SILENCE:

GEORGE (CONT’D)

Nelly-

NELLY deflects turning to wind the clock on the bedside

table.

NELLY:

I am just tired.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 31.

20 INT.BEDROOM. SCHOOLHALL. MARGATE. NIGHT. 1885. 20

Darkness-

NELLY, eyes flickering closed, on top of GEORGE, the steady

rise and fall of her naked back as she grips him, lost in

lovemaking, intense and connected with GEORGE until reaching

shuddering climax, GEORGE looks at her, a sense of her flying

ahead without him-

NELLY, sated, leans forward, the moment dissolving across her

face.

GEORGE tenderly cups the back of her head and neck with the

palm of his hand, his lips close to her cheek, the warmth

of her breath on his neck, the rhythm sobering. They lie,

GEORGE turns, looks for her, NELLY’s eyes closed.

DICKENS VO:

It was a murky confusion - here and

there blotted with a colour like

the colour of the smoke from damp

fuel

21 INT. ORCHESTRA GALLERY. ST MARTIN’S HALL. 1857. DAY. 21

Through ornate railings, NELLY, MARIA, MRS TERNAN and

FANNY TERNAN [ early 20’s] NELLY’s older pretty sister,

silently peering down-

DICKENS mid reading, addresses a packed AUDIENCE, lost in

performance. His eyes briefly graze NELLY’s, a flicker of

surprise, quickly dismissed as he resumes intense, hunched

over the podium.

DICKENS:

As we struggled on, nearer and

nearer to the sea, from which

this mighty wind was blowing

dead on shore, its force became

more and more terrific..

The AUDIENCE enwrapped, NELLY tightly gripping the

programme for DICKENS reading of David Copperfield.

DICKENS (CONT’D)

Long before we saw the sea, its

spray was on our lips, and

showered salt rain upon us.

CUT TO:

NELLY grips the handrail, leaning towards DICKENS, eyes

fixed.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 32.

DICKENS (CONT’D)

As the receding wave swept back

with a hoarse roar, it seemed to

scoop out deep caves in the beach,

as if its purpose were to undermine

the earth.

CUT TO:

DICKENS stalking the stage, papers in hand, captivating the

AUDIENCE:

DICKENS (CONT’D)

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