Young Winston Page #9

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Thank you, Mr. Howard.

This is our engine man, Mr. Dewsnap.

Stay with him for a moment

while I get the food and blankets.

- Are the others ready?

- Waiting down below, sir.

I know who you are.

You're young

Winston-bloody-Churchill.

Don't worry.

I'm from Oldham, you see.

Me wife writes to me regular.

She told me how you got beat

at last election.

Don't worry, lad.

You'll get all their votes next time.

Right. Come on, now.

Watch your step here.

Don't trip over the tracks.

Round the other side.

I couldn't bring much food.

The housemaids are all Boers.

Can't take the risk.

Take one of these, lad.

Ever been down a coalmine before?

I think you'll find it an experience.

Not very comfortable, I'm afraid.

But you mustn't move away from here,

whatever happens.

I'll try to bring you more food

tomorrow. You'll be all right, won't you?

Of course. It's very cosy.

Just like home.

Well, Mr. Howard, gentlemen...

- ... thank you very much.

- Our pleasure.

You've been shamefully careless

with this watch, Winston.

The repair bill was very expensive.

If you can't tak e proper care

of a fine watch...

...you don't deserve to have one.

Yes, Father.

I remained underground

for three days and nights...

...while the brave Mr. Howard planned

how to spirit me across the border...

...to Portuguese East Africa...

...from whence I could tak e ship

to British territory.

Thank you, Mr. Dewsnap.

Pretoria. "Mr. Winston Churchill

has given himself up. "

Johannesburg.

"It is announced here that Winston

Churchill has been recaptured...

...dressed as a woman. "

Pretoria.

" Although Mr. Churchill

is still at liberty...

...there is no doubt that he will

soon be a prisoner again. "

Johannesburg.

"It is reported that Mr. Churchill

has been captured...

...disguised as a policeman. "

Rome. "So far as is known...

...Mr. Winston Churchill

is still at liberty.

The entire world watches

the progress of his escape. "

Paris. "There is no confirmation

that Mr. Churchill has been captured.

At the same time, however,

no one knows his whereabouts...

...or if he is alive and well. "

I was not yet aware...

...that I had leapt from a latrine

into world celebrity.

London.

"Young Mr. Winston Churchill continues

to give the Boers a run for their money.

Everyone in Britain

is cheering him on. "

New York.

"Winston Churchill, who is American

on his mother's side, is still free.

The whole world is praying for him. "

I'm free!

I'm free!

I'm Winston-bloody-Churchill!

And I'm free!

Ladies and gentlemen...

...a man who,

after his daring escape...

...rejoined the army of his country...

...distinguished himself again

and again in battle...

...helped to free his fellow officers...

...from the very same prison

he escaped from.

I give you...

Ladies...

Ladies and gentlemen of Oldham.

Friends.

I promised Mr. Daniel Dewsnap...

...without whose wonderful help

I should not be here tonight...

...that the first time

I returned to Oldham...

...I would give his love to his wife.

She's here! She's right there!

And thus, at my second attempt...

...the Tory electors of Oldham

sent me victorious...

...into the mother of parliaments.

The Times.

"In raising his amendment...

...against the government's bill

on military expenditure...

...young Mr. Winston Churchill

in his first major speech...

...seems bent, after one short

and promising year in the House...

...on repeating the most disastrous

mistak e of his father's career. "

I don't understand.

- I wish I could understand.

- Does it really matter?

Yes, it does matter.

It matters very much to me.

I never understood your father when he

did what he did, throwing his life away.

And now you're doing the same thing.

Only this time, I know in advance.

You're being dramatic.

I'm not throwing my life away.

But you are, my darling.

Everything you've worked so hard for.

I've had a note from Arthur Balfour.

No, thank you.

He says the prime minister's

very angry with you.

Winston, you can't attack...

...the three most important men in

your party, in the government...

...and think that they'll forgive and

forget. You'll be finished after tonight.

We'll see.

Oh, Winston.

- It isn't Pamela, is it? Because-

- Pamela?

No, of course not.

Of course I loved Pamela.

Still do.

I'll never love another woman.

But she had every right and reason

to marry an earl.

A " belted" earl,

as you Americans say.

I do wish you weren't so friendly with

Lloyd George. An odious little man.

He has the most annoying

way of looking at women.

I'm sorry, darling, I must go.

Sign for me, will you, please?

Winston...

...for my sake.

I'm begging you.

Don't move your amendment.

Don't speak tonight.

Please.

Good evening. Good evening.

Are you prepared to face these savage

beasts who even now are lying in wait?

As prepared as I'll ever be.

- Excuse me, sir.

- Oh, I'll deal with this, Mother.

I intend to escort your son

to the arena.

You're very kind.

Winston speaks of you often.

Oh, we are great friends, I trust,

despite our political differences.

Your presence in the House tonight

makes it a special occasion.

I am sure it will inspire

all the speakers.

Are you speaking tonight?

No, no. I shall be listening with

great interest to your son.

Well, now, Winston, I said

I would escort you, so let us go.

I hope one day to escort him

to the other side of the floor.

Heaven forbid.

Lovely lady, your mother.

- Has she talked you out of it?

- No.

He'll have your head. Lord Salisbury

never forgets, as you should know.

Well, there'll always be room for you

in the Liberal Party.

Why don't you quit the Tories

and come over to us?

Never.

Good luck.

Excuse me.

- to a thorough sweeping...

...and almost revolutionary

reconstruction of the army...

...we have failed to rise

to the hopes of the country.

Is there any competent authority...

...who really believes that

the right honourable gentleman...

...has made the best

of his opportunities?

Hear, hear! Hear, hear!

Hear, hear!

Mr. Churchill.

Mr. Speaker...

...I stand here tonight

to plead the cause of economy.

It may be, at some other time

and under other circumstances...

...I may take a directly

opposite position.

But tonight, I speak on behalf

of military economy...

- ... and retrenchment.

- Hear, hear!

The secretary of state for war

is asking...

...indeed demanding...

...a great deal of money.

I do not think he should have it.

I say it humbly...

...but with, I hope, becoming pride...

...no one has a better right

to this position than I have.

For it is a cause I have inherited.

And it is a cause for which

the late Lord Randolph Churchill...

...made the greatest sacrifice

of any minister of modern times.

I am glad the House

has allowed me...

...after an interval of 15 years...

...to lift again the tattered flag...

...that I found lying

on a stricken field.

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