Maxim Script Section
- 1. 24tr0120t8 Bert shakes his head. BERT (stiffly): I don't want to be a part of this. Sal sees she's not going to get qny supportfrom Bert and exits. Bert puts his arms around Jack... BERT: She'll come round, son. We'll get through this. JACK But we won't forget them will we Dad? BERT No son we'll never forget Arthur and Eddie. Just like the song.... Eh? CHOIR - SOLO SINGER resumes song We two have run about the slopes, and picked the daisies fine; But we've wandered many aweary foot, slnce auld lang syne. CHORUS For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, we'lltake a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne The action shifts to the balcony. Soldiers are gathered on board a ship, sailingfrom the Middle East to Europe. They are members of the cavalry, who have had to give up their horses to help with the final push on the Western Front. Albert is a strong and steady soldier, pushing down his nerves to face the final hurdle of the war. He tries to calm Oliver, a young Welsh teenager, who has served the maiority of the war and now only wants to go home. A third soldier sits nearby, seemingly agitated by Oliver. OLIVER: It doesn't seem right, we've done our bit, and it feels like it should be over now. We should be sailing back home .....not heading off towards more danger. We've made it through everything, Gallipoli, the lot and it's a miracle we did, but I feel like we're on borrowed time. The luck's got to run out at some point, we can't possibly survive the Western Front too. We've all heard what it's like over there. It was at Paeschendaele that my cousin went missing. He got buried under all the mud, they reckon. I worry about my mum, how would she feel if that happened to me? SID: You should have thought of that before enlisting. Look, why don't you just keep it to yourself, eh? The rest of us don't need to hear you jabbering on. 6
- 2. 2411012018 Albert tuts at Sid, but wonts to try and stop Oliver from becoming hysterical. ALBERT: There really is no point keep going over it, you can't change any'thing. ALBERT: Yes, I do, but then maybe we should be glad it's all over for them. OLIVER: I suppose. ALBERT: And it rs nearly over for us. Like you say, we've survived this long, so I don't see why we can't make it through the last bit. Oliver paces around restlessly OLIVER: Before the war, I never imagined I'd travel so far and see things like deserts and pyramids. Who in my family would ever have thought it possible? But I've got to say I really miss the Welsh Mountains. All that barren landscapes...I even miss the feel of the Welsh rain against my face. SID: Fancy yourself a bit of a war poet, eh? That lad's going soft, all this talk of being scared and mountains. You'd have thought this war would have made a man of him. ALBERT: All right, just leave it Sid, will you? OLIVER: What's up with him? ALBERT: Truthfully, he's probably just as nervous as you. Look, just keep your chin up; see this as a little stop off on the way home. I have to get back, I'm planning on getting married, you see. I haven't asked her yet, but judging by her last letter, I'm sure she's expecting it. And besides that Jack, my dog, he'll be there waiting for me - he'll come running as soon as he sees me. Oliver nods and starts to sound more confident. OLIVER: That's great, good luck to you! There's no girl waiting for me, but I can almost see myself walking up the little lane to my mum's cottage. I can see it; I can feel it, if only we can survive France- An explosion rips through the ship. SOLOIST MYFANWY (In Welsh) 7 CHOIR MYFANWY in English OLIVER: I know I know, it just seems to calm my nerves- talking. Another thing is I'm not used to being a soldier without a horse. Ivor and me were going to get through the war together. I think I'm going to feel lost without him. Do you feel like that about Monty?
- 3. 24110/2018 CUT TO Ben bursts in running from the rear of the auditorium - he heads down to the far end of the room - looking at an imaginary gate in the wire fence. The others run after him more slowly and stop further back - in staggered positions BEN: I can't stand this any longer, let's just go and find out for ourselves. If we get enough of us together perhaps we can ram the door open. EDWARD: Don't be an idiot, Ben; don't go getting yourself into trouble just when it could all be coming to an end. THOMAS: Edward's right, don't throw your life away so easily. If the war is over- BEN: If it's over and we've lost we'll be as good as dead anyway. (He move back US of other two) THOMAS z (Spinning on the spot to face back towards Ben) Do you want to take that risk? If we've won they'll have to let us go, so you can be patient and wait, or you can kick up a fuss, get yourself shot and never have the chance to see home again. Think about it. Ben grows quieter, he doesn't want to die, all he wants is to get home. EDWARD: But if the Germans have won, why did they take us out of the factory to lock us back up here. What would be the point? Look, when I was captured it seemed like only a matter of time before Germany gave it up. BEN: They've got to have won, why else would the locals be cheering like that? Qt{ervous) So what happens now? Do you think they'll invade England? THOMAS: We can't say for ceftain what they'll do. BEN (anger rising againmoves from one side to the other): What about our families, we can't just sit here if they're going to be in danger of invasion. We have to do something! Thomas'patience with Ben is starting to wear thin. THOMAS: Would you stop being such a hot headed fool for once? EDWARD: I'm telling you none of this makes sense, we have to have won. pull yourself together! BEN: (Facing Edward) You don't know how it feels. you haven't been here long; it's been two years for me. THOMAS (angry - put his hand on Bens shoulder ond spins him to face him): Try four years and then tell me you've had enough. August 1914, that's when I was taken. you don't think I haven't felt the same as you? Four years of moving from camp to camp, being starved, the 8
- 4. 2411012018 back breaking labour.... This has been its own version of hell. If we do get home again, it'll be hard to talk about my war. Who do I share my experiences with? EDWARD: We're both Wolverhampton lads, Thomas, when we get home- and I'm telling you we will gethome, I'll stand you a few pints. BEN: I'm sorry, Thomas, I know you've got more reason to complain than I have' It doesn't make me feel any better though... EDWARD z (He moves towards gate) WelL if we have lost, why aren't the Germans saying anything? Surely they'd love to tell us at the first opportunity? Ben moves forward again looking at gate BEN: But listen, you can still hear the celebrations. THOMAS: I wonder if old Frau Klein is celebrating. BEN: Now, if there's one German I'd miss it's that old lady. EDWARD: I'd like to send her something when we get home. THOMAS: English sausages? BEN: Oh, I could really eat some English sausages again- I mean, I'm always grateful for whatever she sneaks us, but they're not proper sausages. EDWARD: The poor old dear can't have much herself; I don't know how she manages to save some for us. THOMAS: It's just nice to see a friendly face, her kindness has kept me going sometimes, I can tell you that. EDWARD: Those Express and Star parcels you got have been a bit of a god send, though. BEN: Yeah, it's all right if you're from Wolverhampton. EDWARD: Huh, I never got anything, I'm not sure anyone knows ['m here. BEN: Shh, listen. Do you hear that? It sounds like there's a commotion with the soldiers going on outside. EDWARD: They don't sound too happy. 9
- 5. 241t0t2018 THOMAS: All we can do is wait (He moves back US again); I won't allow myself to think of home yet. The state I'm in, my kids probably won't even recognise me; I'd frighten'em half to death. EDWARD: I've got a brother out there in the trenches somewhere; at least I think I do. It's been a good while since I've heard anything of him. Who knows if he,s even still alive? BEN: I've lost two brothers, mate. ... Mention of his brothers has got Ben thinking of home again. BEN: You know, me mam always wanted the family to get together every other Saturday night, just to sing songs or play games at the kitchen table. She was always nagging at me to join in and I'd always think 'what a waste of a Saturday.' I'd want to be with me mates down the pub. I didn't realise how precious those times were. Now I know not one minute of that time together was wasted... I just want to be able to tell Mam that. THOMAS: I reckon there are millions across this world right now that are wishing they could tum back the clock. Don't be too hard on yourself, lad. EDWARD: It's gone quieter out there now. THOMAS: We may as well get some rest. Who knows what will happen tomorrow, we might be marched on to somewhere else. BEN: Perhaps we'll just be shot. EDWARD (exasperated): Good God, Ben! THOMAS (shaking his head): And good night! CUT TO Frances enters from SR - walking talking to Rupert. She takes a chair and places it centre FRANCES: The problem while you were away Rupert was the fact that it was so difficult to find girls who want a career in domestic service at the moment. Once the maids started to leave to work in the factories, there was only Elsie left, and she has never been the brightest. I even had to take care of some of the cleaning myself while you were away! Have you ever heard of anything like it? RUPERT (bitter amusement): Good Lord, Frances, however did you cope? FRANCES (oblivious): We all had to make sacrifices, didn't we? RUPERT: Did you see the veterans begging on the street corner today? X'RANCES (Sighing): Rupert, you really do need to learn to switch off. l0