Young Winston Page #7

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Martin. He'll tell you what to do.

Yes, sir.

Thank you very much, sir.

Oh, and Chapman-

I mean, Churchill...

- ... my compliments to the colonel.

- Yes, of course, sir.

Sir. Lieutenant Chapman re-

Churchill.

Sorry, sir.

Lieutenant Churchill reporting

from Major Finn.

- Come with me.

- Sir.

- Your horse reasonably fit?

- Yes, sir.

I've a message I want you to deliver.

I want you to see the situation...

...so that you can

describe what you've seen.

Sir.

Now, our estimate is something

approaching close on 60,000.

Though it may not seem like it,

they're coming on pretty fast.

I want you to report on what I've told

you and what you've seen...

...personally to General Kitchener.

Oh, God!

Oh, I'm sorry. I mean, yes, sir.

- You all right, Chapman?

- Yes, sir.

What do I say?

"Lieutenant Churchill reporting to

General Kitchener"? He'll kill me!

He'll send me home.

He'll have me court-martialled.

He'll skin me alive

before the entire army.

I'll be ruined.

Oh, my God!

Oh, well. I died for my country.

Sir, I come with a report

from the 21 st Lancers.

The Dervish army is advancing...

...between yourself and

the city of Omdurman.

Colonel Martin estimates their strength

in the region of 60,000.

I saw them 40 minutes ago.

They're moving rapidly.

- They're moving rapidly, you say?

- Yes, sir.

How long do you think I've got?

I would say an hour, sir.

Possibly an hour and a half.

An hour and a half

should be about right.

I hope.

Fire!

They're breaking, sir!

They're breaking!

Suring the mopping-up

operations the next day...

...I took part in

what was destined to become...

...the last full charge ever

of British cavalry.

Sound the trot.

Sound troop to the right.

Sound the charge!

Charge!

Charge!

Charge!

Bloody hell!

Mr. Winston Churchill...

...war correspondent, author,

recently resigned from the army...

...and candidate for parliament

for Oldham at the age of 23.

Twenty-four, actually. In November.

Thank you, Mr. Churchill.

There is gossip that

you were detested in the army...

...where you were known

as a medal hunter...

...a publicity seeker

and a social climber...

...pushing, aggressive

and scheming.

Forgive me. I'm sorry.

I was wondering why

a certain kind of person...

...always seems to believe

the worst about me.

At Sandhurst,

I was accused of being...

...everything from

a horse thief to a homosexual.

And I had to sue for libel, and win,

to prove my innocence on both counts.

As to what you have just said,

I'm sorry to hear it.

I thought I had served

my country faithfully...

- ... at some danger to myself.

- Yes.

Some officers have stated that

your criticism of General Kitchener...

...in your new book, The River War,

was inexcusable.

- Have you read the book?

- No.

Then perhaps you should read it.

My statements concerning his atrocious

treatment of enemy wounded...

...were entirely factual.

As to our victory, although

the enemy had superior numbers...

...they were no match

for a modern army.

I see. Your father also had...

...a weakness for offending people,

did he not?

I wouldn't call it a weakness.

I would describe it as his strength.

And I would attribute it

to the strength of his convictions.

My father was a brilliant man.

He had no time for fools.

Yes. Actually...

...you were not very well acquainted

with your father, were you?

Not as well as

I should have liked to have been.

However, solitary trees...

...if they grow at all, grow strong.

Indeed. Something you've read?

No. Something I have written.

In my new book, The River War.

You really should read it.

There are some good things in it.

Reverting to your father's enemies...

...do you imagine they will

welcome you into politics?

I don't know what you

mean by " enemies. "

Oh, come now! Lord Salisbury,

who kept him out of government.

Mr. Balfour, who supported

Lord Salisbury. Mr. Chamberlain...

...who destroyed your father's

last chance of returning.

- And the others.

- They were never enemies.

They may have disagreed at times...

...but that's the nature of politics,

isn't it?

Lord Salisbury has been very kind

to me. I dedicated my book to him.

Then you have no cause

to fight for in your father's name?

No wrong to right?

No vendetta to keep alive?

Vendetta?

That's an Italian word, isn't it?

Nothing like that in England, is there?

Why are you so friendly with David

Lloyd George, who is a Liberal?

- I like people.

- People who can help you?

A young man starting out

in life needs help.

Don't you think in these times,

politics has little room...

...for wealthy and privileged

young men?

I am not wealthy.

I live on what I earn.

And I support my mother

and my younger brother.

But why exactly do you wish to stand

for parliament, Mr. Churchill?

- To serve my country.

- And to advance yourself?

- Yes. Is there anything wrong in that?

- Is there anything right in it?

Who are you to aspire to the

greatest parliament in the world?

What do you have to offer, other than

your ego and your ambitions?

Only myself.

I believe in myself.

I believe in my destiny.

Really?

Have you consulted

a fortune-teller recently?

As a matter of fact, I have.

She agrees with me.

- Is it a crime to be 24?

- No, no. Not at all.

What would you like me to do?

Play games?

Be seen but not heard?

Close my eyes and ears?

Be a child forever?

Must we always be ruled by old men?

Doesn't every old man in politics...

...betray the wonderful things

he believed in when he was young?

And by doing that

betray his country?

I think there is room

for a young man...

...many young men,

in government.

If I could, I would say this

to young men all over the world:

" Come on. You are needed

more than ever now.

You must take your places

in life's fighting line.

Twenty to 25, those are the years.

Don't be content

with things as they are.

Yes, you will make mistakes.

But as long as

you are generous and true...

...you cannot hurt the world.

Nor even seriously distress her.

She was made to be wooed

and won by youth.

She has lived and thrived

only by repeated subjugations. "

Well...

- Something else you have written?

- No.

No, it's something

I'm going to write, I think.

Really?

In your autobiography, no doubt.

Yes.

Yes, I think I will write

an autobiography someday.

I think I'll have

something to write about.

Yes. Well...

The Oldham Evening Chronicle:

"Young Mr. Winston Churchill's

first attempt to enter politics...

...has met with defeat.

He has left for South Africa...

...as a correspondent

to write about our war with the Boers. "

In South Africa,

I had the good luck...

...to encounter

a Captain Aylmer Haldane...

...whom I had met in India,

and who had befriended me there.

He invited me to go out

on a reconnaissance with him...

...in an armoured train.

Going back?

This is as far as our orders take us.

Seems quiet enough.

Let's go and have a spot of breakfast,

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