Darkest Hour Page #3

SAWYERS:

Your son.

WINSTON, his concentration broken, goes to the PHONE.

WINSTON:

(into Phone)

Randolph, quickly -

(listens)

Last night they said I may be madePrime Minister today. But that wasyesterday. Let’s see what Nevilledoes today. Thank--thank you my

boy. Keep buggering on!

Puts down the phone. Turns to look at ELIZABETH.

WINSTON (CONT’D)

Now...

Sips his SCOTCH. This calms him.

ELIZABETH LAYTON

General Ismay...

Moving to the end of the bed

WINSTON:

Ah, General Ismay.

(to Sawyers)

Sawyers - get rid of this will you?

Winston gestures to Sawyers to move his tray away and thenswings his legs - indecorously! -out of bed. ELIZABETH

quickly turns her face away! WINSTON then begins to pace -

WINSTON (CONT’D)

In the light of today’s events, thetime is ripe for many preparationsto be made...

(beat)

Are you striking those typewriterkeys in a normal fashion? It’sawfully loud, I can’t think!

(beat)

Read it back.

8.

ELIZABETH:

Ahh--To General Ismay. In the light

of today’s events, the time isright for many prep -

WINSTON:

RIPE! Not RIGHT! God's teeth girl!

I said ripe, ripe, ripe - P-P-P!

The last sentence...

ELIZABETH LAYTON

(shaken)

The--the time is ripe...

WINSTON:

For! FOR!

ELIZABETH LAYTON

(her nerve broken)

...many...many...many...

WINSTON:

How many “many”s did you write?!

One many!

(sighs)

“For...for MANY preparations-to

be made...”

He walks up to her and looks over her chair, and is horrified

to see -

WINSTON (CONT’D)

Single-spaced? What are you doing?!

What are you doing?!

ELIZABETH:

Someone set it on single-spacedand before I realised -

WINSTON:

Then why did you persist?!

ELIZABETH:

I -

As she starts to rush out -

WINSTON:

Tell Evans to send me someone who

can do it right the first time!

RIGHT! T-T-T-T!

INT. HALLWAY/ CHARTWELL - DAY

ELIZABETH comes down the stairs, and stops, her face tear-

stained.

9.

CLEMENTINE CHURCHILL - WINSTON’s WIFE, 55 YEARS OLD -

beautiful, elegant, highly-strung, is at that moment crossingthe hall, with a HANDFUL of BROWN ENVELOPES. She sees

ELIZABETH.

CLEMMIE:

Ah. He shouted at you. Did he shoutat you?

ELIZABETH:

Yes, but I....

CLEMMIE:

He can be an awful brute.

ELIZABETH:

No! I made too many mistakes.

CLEMMIE:

I think you were nervous. And hehas a knack for drawing out thevery worst in those trying tohelp him the most.

ELIZABETH:

Oh it’s not him. It’s me. He’s -

he’s -

CLEMMIE:

He’s just a man, like any other.

Wait here.

CLEMMIE climbs the stairs.

INT. BEDROOM/ CHARTWELL - DAY

CLEMMIE enters - WINSTON (on his knees) is looking for Tangothe cat under his bed.

CLEMMIE:

My Darling?

WINSTON:

The War Cabinet has been called.

The bloody cat is under the bedagain.

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