The Ploughman's Lunch Page #11

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JEREMY:

On the torture of very small

children, but don't start telling

them about their rights--

JAMES:

Hold those rights.

JEREMY:

Tame those rights...you know, we're

even freighting in a couple of

exiled Argie trade unionists from

Paris for a TV tie in. One of

them had his balls tap-danced on

by the secret police. The other

one had to be hosed off the wall

of his cell after the police-- yes

my good man?

A muscular COACH in a tracksuit, is rapping on the glass

door. And opening it. He wears a towel around his neck.

JEREMY:

I'm sorry. This is a private

conversation. You'll have to wait

outside.

COACH:

You can't smoke in here. This is

a squash court.

JEREMY:

Well we booked it for a smoke,

didn't we James?

JAMES:

And we're not quiet finished.

COACH:

Come on. Out!

A few players have gathered to watch outside.

JEREMY:

The court is ours for another half

hour. Please run along.

The coach advances into the court, picks up their rackets

and stands over them. He pushes a racket under Jermey's

chin.

COACH:

I said, out.

JAMES:

On the other hand, we might be

more comfortable at the bar. I've

got some news on Suez.

JEREMY:

(racket still under

his chin)

A serious drunk might be of use, I

suppose.

INT. JAMES' FLAT - MORNING

James adjusts his tie in the mirror. The PHONE RINGS, Lay

over James's voice into SCENES 38 and 39.

JAMES:

Ohm hello, Dad, I've been meaning

to phone you. How is she?...Oh...in

the night?...Oh God. What does

the doctor say?...Look, I will, I

will. I promise. But it's

impossible at the moment, now with

the crisis on. I'm working night

and day...Look, tell her I'll come

as soon as I can. I promise...Look,

Dad, I've got to dash. Give her

my love. Yes...bye.

EXT. BRIXTON - DAY

James walks down a Brixton street, down a narrow road to a

set of lock-up garages. A group of black kids are playing

football here. James steps round puddles, careful not to

muddy his shoes. He scowls at the kids and unlocks his

garage.

James backs his car out of the garage. An early sixties

Jaguar saloon. He gets to close to the garage door. The

game of football rages around his car, as if it was not

there.

EXT. CAR WASH - DAY

Ten minutes later. A car wash. From the driver's POV we

SEE the revolving brushes advance and engulf the car.

The phone conversation ends. James reaches down and pushes

a tape into the car tape deck. We will HEAR the recording

all through James's journey to SCENE 41.

LECTURER (V.O.)

(from tape)

You see, if we talk of a nation,

like an individual, we can also

speak of it acting deceitfully.

Britain and France had entered

into a secret agreement with the

Arabs' deadly enemy, the Israelis.

The agreement was signed or

initialled by the Foreign Secretary,

Selwyn Lloyd on about October 23,

at Sevres. The Israelis were to

attack Egypt on an agreed date.

British planes based in Cyprus

were to precision bomb Egyptian

airfields to protect Israeli cities

from retaliation. After putting

out an ultimatum to both side to

withdraw to ten miles from the

Canal, which of course the Egyptians

would have to ignore since the

Canal is 100 miles inside their

territory, the British and the

French would invade on the pretext

of 'separating the combatants'.

That became something of a catch

phrase - 'Separating the

combatants'.

EXT. CITY - DAY

James's car makes its way through the city.

EXT. M11 MOTORWAY - DAY

An hour later. The M11. James's car speeds away from us.

EXT. NORTH NORFOLK - DAY

An hour and a half later. James drives along a country

road.

EXT. THE BARRINGTON HOUSE - DAY

A small BOY, TOM, peers over a wall at James's car as it

sweeps into the drive.

INT. LIBRARY - DAY

Five minutes later. The Barrington house. The library.

James waits alone. The house stands in its own grounds -

an old rectory, spacious, but not over-grand. Much charm.

19th and 20th Century oil paintings, a serious reader's

library. Pleasant disorder, but no squalor. There is one

housekeeper.

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