The Ploughman's Lunch Page #18

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During this last speech of Jacek's we SEE James trying to

catch Susan's eye. She glances up and looks away.

INT. STAIRS - NIGHT

An hour later.

Wine glass in hand James goes upstairs. He comes to Tom's

room.

INT. TOM'S ROOM - NIGHT

Susan has been seeing Tom into bed. James watches from

the doorway. She kisses her brother and turns out the

light.

TOM:

Don't close the door. Don't turn

out the hall light.

SUSAN:

I won't. Goodnight.

TOM:

'Night.

James and Susan linger in the semi-darkness outside Tom's

room. From downstairs comes the sound of boisterous

conversation.

JAMES:

I haven't seen much of you.

SUSAN:

No. It's a bit of a madhouse.

For some reason a lot of my mother's

friends specialise in monologues.

JAMES:

He's all right, the professor.

Tom comes out of his room.

TOM:

Ah, Susy, it...

SUSAN:

Tom . .. bed! Go on.

Tom retreats into his bedroom. James and Susan move to

the head of the stairs.

JAMES:

Look, will you come on a walk with

me tomorrow?

SUSAN:

I might.

JAMES:

Might?

ANN (O.S.)

(calling from below)

Susan, James, are you up there?

SUSAN:

Hello, Mummy.

Ann comes half-way up the stairs.

ANN:

Betty's made some coffee. Do you

want some?

SUSAN:

Yes, we do.

ANN:

Well, we're in the library.

Ann lingers a moment. She wants James downstairs. As

soon as she has gone, he kisses Susan.

JAMES:

Might?

SUSAN:

(Strokes his face)

Yes. Might. Remember, you're

here to talk to my mother.

She leads the way downstairs.

INT. LIBRARY - NIGHT

The library. A fire burns. Ann pours the coffee and is

highly aware of James when he comes in. Jacek is a little

drunk.

JACEK:

Ah, Susan, James. Come and judge.

I am interrogating Matthew. I am

asking him how a director of

advertisements and a socialist get

along so well together. How does

the lion lie down with the lamb.

ANN:

By staying in town all week. And

lying down with several lambs.

MATTHEW:

Not so. We meet half way. Ann

has grown very fond of her material

comforts. She even owns land with

keep out signs posted on the

boundaries. And I...

ANN:

(wearily, to James)

I bought a wood because a local

farmer was going to cut it down.

The signs were already there.

JACEK:

And you...

MATTHEW:

I earn so much money at what I do

that I can't even begin to defend

it. I used to shoot a whole line

about the value and necessity of

advertising...

ANN:

You were more interesting then.

MATTHEW:

...but now I'm an agnostic. So is

Ann, if she'd only admit it.

ANN:

Come on, James. Defend me from

this tripe.

Expectant pause. Susan smirks. James is out of his depth.

JAMES:

Well, there's no reason why a

socialist shouldn't like comfort,

or own a wood, or be very rich.

The problem is making all that

available to everybody ...

All except Ann groan dismissively.

MATTHEW:

Rubbish!

JACEK:

Ah, if everybody is to have

everything, then you need to plan

very carefully, you need to control

the future. This is the tragedy

of Marxism. The future is not

ours to control, nothing turns out

as we plan it.

(to Ann)

You remember that charming note of

Enzensberger's, Spanish anarchists

in 1898 looked forward to a glorious

future after the revolution — a

world of incredibly tall shining

buildings, with elevators that

would save climbing stairs, electric

light for all, garbage disposal

chutes and wonderful household

gadgets. This vision is now a

reality in our cities, the victory

has been won and it looks just

like defeat. ..

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