The Ploughman's Lunch Page #2

---

NEWSREADER:

BBC News at twelve o'clock. There

is cautious optimism in Brussels

that formula may be reached to

break--

EXT. BRIXTON - LATE AFTERNOON

James hurries home through the din of rush hour Brixton.

INT. JAMES' FLAT - LATE AFTERNOON

James' flat is one floor of a large Victorian house. The

decent-sized rooms knocked together make a very large

bedsitting room. Bare boards, junk furniture, but elegant.

Heavy stereo stack, a lot of records, a lot of paperbacks.

In high spirits, James prepares to go out. He chooses a

shirt, begins to undress. The TV is on.

INT. JAMES' FLAT - NIGHT

An hour later. James is dressed to go out. The big room

is now in darkness except for the light by James' armchair.

He is talking on the phone to his friend Jeremy Hancock.

JAMES:

C'mon, you promised...tell her

you've got to finish a piece...I

know...I know, but it's my big

night...yes she's going to be

there...C'mon! All I want you to

do is introduce me to her. And

remember, build me up...good man.

INT. PUBLISHING HOUSE - NIGHT

A high-ceilinged room in a publishing house, Bloomsbury.

A launch party. About forty guests. Waiters take round

trays with glasses of wine. By some large double doors is

a display of school textbooks. Most prominently featured

is the book being launched today - Goldbooks Schools Series

No. 5 The Cold War, edited by Prefessor J. Gerty.

James is led by a PERSONAL ASSISTANT through the crowd to

meet GOLD, who is surrounded by ATTENTIVE YOUNG MEN.

GOLD:

.....took him by the elbow, steered

him into a quiet corner and said

"Where do you think you are, young

man? Fabers?"

From the circle of polite laughter, Gold extends his hand

towards James.

GOLD:

Glad you could come.

PERSONAL ASSIATANT

James Penfield.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote