Cavalcade

---

1

(ORCHESTRA PLAYING)

(CHORUS SINGING)

(BIG BEN TOLLING)

(CLOCK TOLLING)

Thank you, Bridges.

- Everything ready, Bridges?

- Yes, sir.

I thought we should never get here in time.

I'm sure that cabbie was tipsy, Robert.

So am I. He called me his old cockalorum.

- Oh, what did you say?

- Gave him another shilling.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

ROBERT:
You didn't mind our leaving

the others and coming on home'?

Why, darling, I loved you for thinking of it.

I hoped you would.

- Oh, Ellen, what lovely flowers.

- They're from Bridges and me, ma'am,

with our very best wishes, I'm sure.

- Oh, Ellen.

- Thank you both, so much.

Not at all, sir. It's a...

It's a pleasure, indeed.

(COUGHS)

How sweet of them to think of

giving us flowers on New Year's Eve.

Rather touching.

So touching that I almost want to cry.

Well, if you must.

This evening was planned sentimentally.

Sentimentally, but not tragically.

(LAUGHS) Splendid!

(WOMAN HUMMING)

You'll have to hurry up, cook,

if you want to see them celebrations.

Now...

Now, which would you wear, Mr. Bridges...

This nice porkpie hat or the lovely

picture hat the missus give me'?

Well, why not wear them

both and go as Lady Godiva?

You're vulgar.

Oh, look what you're doing,

squeezing that thing in people's eyes

and blinding them.

You'll be blinding someone

if you went as Lady Godiva.

Oh? Indeed?

Watch your step, cookie,

when you're celebratin'.

You know what you're like

after you've had a couple of snifters.

Don't be disgustin', Mr. Bridges.

(DOOR SLAMS)

New Year's Eve's gone to her head

and no mistake.

She's been queer all day.

Says she feels like as if

it's the end of everything.

Oh, so do I, for that matter.

Oh, don't start that all over again.

Oh, Alf, we've been so happy

here in service.

Can't bear to think what it's going

to be like when you've gone to the war.

Well, don't.

You were never cut out for a soldier.

Never mind what I was cut out for.

I am a soldier now, see?

What's gonna happen to me and baby

if anything happens to you?

Now, look here, old girl.

You married me for better or for worse.

Not for this kind of worse, I didn't.

You gallivanting in Africa,

and me stopping at home.

Oh, you got a lot to take on about,

I don't think.

Look at the missus and her brother

out there in that there Mafeking,

besieged by them there Boers

right from the beginning.

Not enough to eat, only horses and rats.

Yes, and now her husband's going

and two growing boys to look after.

- Have some sense.

- Sense? What's the sense in the war?

Nobody wanted to have a war.

We have to have wars now and then

just to prove we're top dog.

(BABBLING)

Now, stop arguing and help me

get out this punch

or the bells will be ringing

and they won't have anything to drink.

You look so beautiful tonight.

- Do I, Robert?

- Only your dress, I suppose. Very deceiving.

Yes, Robert.

- And the star in your hair.

- And the star in my hair.

And the fact that I love you

so very, very much.

After ten whole years

and two enormous children,

how can you?

Perhaps you're hideous

and ill-dispositioned

and tedious really, and I never knew.

- Perhaps.

- Well, it's too late now.

I'm set in the habit of loving you.

I shall never know the truth.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

Oh, how wonderful our marriage has been.

Has?

Give the future a chance.

We don't know if there

is to be a future, now.

(LAUGHS) That's a cheerful thought

for the new century.

About as cheerful

as the thought of being without you.

Oh, Robert, my dear, I shall miss you so.

What does it matter about the war,

about the Boers?

It can't matter, really.

Aren't you forgetting about

your brother Jim in Mafeking,

- hemmed in by the Boers?

- No, I'm not forgetting Jim.

- But it does seem so desperately hard.

- What does?

- Nothing. I was merely behaving badly.

- You?

You couldn't behave badly.

- I suppose this war will end someday.

- Why, of course.

- In a few months!

- Perhaps it'll be over before you get there.

Perhaps.

I believe you'd hate that.

I wonder if Jim's still alive.

Of course he's alive. They're all alive.

Mafeking's bound to be relieved soon.

- Just on time, sir. Nearly midnight.

- Put it down there, Bridges.

- Stay and drink with us, won't you?

- Thank you very much, ma'am.

- Thank you, ma'am.

- That's right.

- JOEY:
Mum!

- Oh, the children.

Sounded like Master Joe.

(HOOFBEATS)

How very impolite of the 20th century

to wake up the children.

Mum.

Oh, Joey, you awful child.

How dare you make such a noise.

Oh, darling,

you haven't got a pain, have you?

- I want to see New Year.

- Little boys mustn't.

What would you say if I spanked you

soundly and sent you to bed?

I would say,

old woman that lived in the shoe.

And what would you say

if I spanked you again

for calling your mother an old woman?

I would say nothing.

Mum, can we see

New Year tomorrow instead?

Shh. You'll wake up Edward.

By George, we ought

to have the children down.

A new century is a new century.

Ellen, go and get 'em

some milk to drink good luck.

- Darling...

- Shh. They're asleep.

Thank heaven they're too young to fight.

Peace and happiness for you, my darlings.

Please, God.

Peace and happiness always.

Darling, let's take them downstairs.

No, it's bad to break their sleep.

Once in a century won't matter, surely.

Just for once.

- Oh, well.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes