The Winslow Boy Page #3

If you did it, you must tell me.

I shan't be angry with you, Ronnie,

provided you tell me the truth.

But if you lie, I shall know it.

Because a lie between you

and me cannot be hidden.

I shall know it, Ronnie.

So remember that before you speak.

Did you steal this postal order?

No, Father, I didn't.

Did you steal this postal order?

No, Father, I didn't.

Go on back to bed.

"The efforts of Mr. Arthur Winslow to

secure a fair trial for his son...

...having been thwarted at every

turn by a soulless oligarchy.... "

"Soulless oligarchy."

That's rather good.

" It is high time private and peaceful

citizens of this country woke to...

...the increasing encroachment

of their freedoms."

Tell me a piece of news.

I tell you news. A chap

on the train had on brown boots.

Brown boots, I ask you!

-Did he wear a brown suit?

-No excuse.

-Can you get this out?

-I'm going to the law library.

Polly, do you think you

can get this out?

-Fighting on many fronts?

-That's right.

Cannon to the right of you and so on?

Paying you yet?

I just do it for the sport

of the thing.

The other's from " Perplexed."

"With the troubles in the

Balkans and the inquiry...

...at which the judge confirmed

the findings that the boy was guilty...

...this correspondence now must cease."

In any case, it'll blow over

before the wedding.

-Postponed again?

-His father's out of town.

Nothing wrong? I won't have to

quirt him with my riding crop?

"This correspondence now must cease."

Well, I'm late for a meeting

with the guv.

What would one of your bookmaker

friends lay in the way of odds...

...of your getting a degree?

Well, let's think.

Say about evens?

I doubt whether your friend

would find many takers.

Well, perhaps 7-to-4 against.

And the odds against

your becoming a civil servant?

-A bit steeper.

-Exactly. Quite a bit steeper.

You don't want a bet, do you?

No, Dickie, I'm not a gambler.

And that is exactly the trouble.

Unhappily, I'm no longer in a position

to gamble L200 a year...

...on what you admit

is an outside chance.

It's the case, I suppose.

You want me to leave Oxford?

I'm afraid so.

-Straightaway?

-No, finish your year.

And then what?

I can get you a job at the bank.

Oh, Lord.

It'd be quite a good job.

My influence here still

counts for something.

Father, if I promised you,

really promised you....

I'm afraid my mind is made up.

Oh, Lord.

-This is a shock for you.

-What? No. It isn't, really.

I've been rather expecting it, as a

matter of fact. Things are tight.

Yes, they're tight.

And you're still hoping

to brief Sir Robert Morton?

Yes, we're hoping.

-That'd take a bit of tin.

-Yes, it will.

Still, I can't say but that it

isn't a bit of a slap in the face.

I thank you for bearing what must be

an unpleasant blow with some fortitude.

Nonsense, Father.

Miss Barnes from The Beacon to see

Arthur Winslow. I have an appointment.

-What a lovely home you have.

-It's showing its age a bit, but....

My paper usually sends me out on

stories that are of interest to women.

Stories with a little heart,

you know, like this one.

A father's fight for his

boy's honour.

I think the case has rather

wider implications than that.

Yes, of course.

What I'd like is to get a nice

picture of you and your boy.

My son's arriving from school soon.

His mother's gone to meet him.

From school? How interesting.

So you got a school to take him?

They didn't mind the unpleasantness?

Not at all, not at all.

No question of that.

I found it extraordinary

how fair-minded people are.

Yes, indeed.

And why is he coming back this time?

He's not being expelled again,

if that was your implication.

-He's doing quite well at school.

-Good.

Extraordinarily well,

considering the circumstances.

Why is he coming back?

He's coming to London to be

examined by Sir Robert Morton.

Robert Morton? Do you think

he'll take a little case like this?

-This is not a little case, madam.

-Of course not.

Of course not. It's not a little

case. Nothing of the sort.

Now, perhaps you wouldn't

mind giving me a few details.

When did it all start?

Four months ago.

I knew of the charge when

my son arrived with a letter...

...informing me of his expulsion.

I phoned Osbourne to protest...

...and I was referred by them to

the Lords of the Admiralty.

My solicitors then took the matter up.

We applied for a court-martial.

They ignored us.

We applied for a civil trial,

they ignored us again.

And after tremendous pressure,

letters to the papers...

...questions in the House

and by other means...

...to private citizens...

...the Admiralty eventually agreed

to an independent inquiry.

-Good.

-It was not good, madam.

At that independent inquiry, conducted

by the judge advocate of the fleet...

...against whom I'm saying nothing,

my son, a child of 1 4...

...was not represented by counsel,

solicitors or friends.

What happened at that inquiry?

What do you think? lnevitably,

he was found guilty again...

...and branded a second time before

the world as a thief and a forger.

What a shame.

I need hardly tell you, I will not

let the matter rest there.

I intend to fight this monstrous

injustice with every weapon...

...and every power at my disposal.

And I have a plan.

I've approached Sir Robert--

I have petitioned Sir Robert Morton--

What charming curtains.

What are they made of?

Madam, I fear I have no idea.

-Is that the poor little chap?

-Hello, Ronnie!

I say, Mr. Moore says

I needn't come back until Monday.

So that gives me three whole days.

How are you, my boy?

I'm tops, Father.

Mother says I've grown an inch.

That's the lad!

That's the lad.

That's the lad we need a picture of.

You want to take it outside?

I only mention it as the light's going.

Might we go to the park?

I was thinking we'd go to the park.

Do you think?

You could wear your uniform.

I don't think that

would be a good idea.

Something to stress his youth.

Do you have cricket clothes?

This lady's from The Beacon.

She's interested in your curtains.

Really? How nice.

Indeed. I was wondering

what they were made of.

-Which?

-In the drawing room.

They're an entirely new material. I'm

afraid I don't know what it's called.

I got it in Barker's last year.

It's a mixture of silk and velvet.

-We're losing the light.

-If we could, do you see...

...put him in cricket costume? It

would say both "youth" and " England."

-Oh, very well.

-I'll set up.

Yes, you set up.

Goodbye. Very best of good

fortune in your inspiring fight.

It was very good of you to talk to me.

-I've found the name of the material.

-Excellent.

Excellent. Marvellous.

-That's very kind of you.

-Not at all.

Ronnie, we'll meet you in the park.

What's she talking about?

-The case, I imagine.

-Oh, the case.

Father, did you know

the train had 1 4 coaches?

Had it really?

-Yes, all corridor.

-Remarkable.

I've had your half-term report, Ronnie.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes