England
- I finished my play. - Well done.
Have you seen Mummy?
Well, she'll be in the drawing room, I expect.
I hope you're not gonna be getting under our feet today, Miss Briony.
We got a dinner for 10 to prepare.
- Hello, pal, I hear you're putting on a play. - Who told you?
Jungle drums.
- Will you come and see it? - I'm not sure that would be quite...
Why don't you let me read it?
You used to make me those beautiful bound copies of all your stories.
- I've kept them all. - I still want you to come.
- Let's see. - I have to go now.
Mummy, I need you!
Stupendous. It's stupendous, darling. Your first play.
Do you think so? Do you think Leon will like it?
Well, of course he will.
The Trials of Arabella, by Briony Tallis.
- Cee. - Yes?
What do you think it would feel like to be someone else?
Cooler, I should hope.
- I'm worried about the play. - I'm sure it's a masterpiece.
But we only have the afternoon to rehearse. What if the twins can't act?
You have to be nice to them. I wonder how'd you feel if your mother
had run off with Mr What's-his-name who reads the news on the wireless?
Perhaps I should have written Leon a story.
If you write a story, you only have to say the word "castle," and you could see
the towers and the woods and the village below, but...
In a play, it's...
It all depends on other people.
- Cee. - Yes?
Why don't you talk to Robbie any more?
I do. We just move in different circles, that's all.
- Do we have to do a play? - Why do we have to?
- It's to celebrate my brother Leon's visit. - I hate plays.
- So do I. - How can you hate plays?
- It's just showing off. - You'll be in this play or you'll get a clout.
- And I'll tell the parents. - You're not allowed to clout us.
We're guests in this house. And what did the parents say we were to make ourselves?
- Well, Pierrot? - Amenable.
- Jackson? - Amenable.
Amenable, that's right.
Now, Briony, what's your play about?
Well, it's about how
love is all very well, but you have to be sensible.
- I suppose you're going to be Arabella. - Well, not necessarily.
- In that case, do you mind if I play her? - Lola was in the school play.
Do say yes. It'd be the first decent thing to happen to me in months.
Well, yes, all right.
I suppose we should start by reading it.
If you're going to be Arabella, then I'll be the director, thank you very much.
Sorry.
I'm going to do the prologue.
"Prologue.
"This is the tale of spontaneous Arabella,
"who ran away with an extrinsic fellow.
"It grieved her parents to see their firstborn
"evanesce from her home to go to Eastbourne."
Yes?
- Nothing. Just thought I'd watch. - Rehearsals are private, I'm afraid.
You can see the play this evening.
- I'll have to work then. - Well, I'm sorry, Danny.
Can we go for a swim now? Yes, yes, yes!
- No, I don't really think there's time! - Cecilia will let us.
I'm sure a half-hour break would do us all good.
Cecilia? Cecilia!
Cecilia!
Cecilia! Cecilia, Cecilia. Please, can we go for a swim, Cecilia?
Yes, I don't see why not. Don't go out of your depth!
Can you do me one of your Bolshevik roll-ups?
- Beautiful day. - I suppose so. Too hot for me.
- Are you enjoying your book? - No, not really.
It gets better.
I prefer Fielding any day.
Much more passionate.
- Leon's coming down today, did you know? - I heard a rumour.
He's bringing a friend with him. It's Paul Marshall, the chocolate millionaire.
- Are the flowers for him? - Why shouldn't they be?
Leon says he's very charming.
The Old Man telephoned last night. He says you're planning on being a doctor.
- I'm thinking about it, yes. - Another six years of student life.
- How else do you become a doctor? - You could get a fellowship, now,
- couldn't you? With your First? - I don't want to teach.
I said I'd pay your father back.
That's not what I meant at all.
- Let me help with that. - No, I'm all right, thanks.
- Take the flowers. Take the flowers. - I'm all right. I'm all right.
Oh, you idiot.
Do you realise that's probably the most valuable thing we own?
Not any more, it isn't.
Careful!
I'm...
Hello, Robbie!
No need to encourage him.
Cee?
Mother?
- Where is everyone, Danny? - I don't know, sir.
Sir. Gasping for a drink.
- Will you have one? - Rather.
- Whisky? - Please.
- Leon! - Here she is.
Oh, I've missed you. I've been going completely doolally up here.
- This is my sister, Cecilia. Paul Marshall. - I've heard an awful lot about you.
- Likewise. - Where are we putting him?
In the blue room. Mother's lying down, she's got one of her migraines.
I'm not surprised, with this heat.
It's the big room next to the nursery.
Is the Old Man staying in town?
Looks like it. Some sort of rush on at the Ministry.
So aren't we doing the play? No.
- Why not? - Don't ask me.
I don't like it here.
There's always a problem when a new brand comes about.
The remarketing, the re-packaging, the re-shaping.
Even the re-flavouring in some cases, or whole new technology.
I think our main challenge is whether or not to launch the new Amo Bar.
The Army Amo. Do you see? Pass the Amo?
My source at the Ministry is very reliable,
I used to clean his shoes at Harrow, informs me we have a good chance
of including it in the standard issue ration pack.
Which means that I'd have to open at least three more factories.
More if they bring in conscription, which I say is bound to happen
if Herr Hitler doesn't pipe down.
He's about as likely to do that as buy shares
in Marks and Spencer's, wouldn't you agree?
- This isn't very good. - I make a cocktail with crushed ice,
rum and melted dark chocolate. It's absolutely scrumptious.
- Guess who we met on the way in? - Robbie.
- I told him to join us tonight. - Oh, Leon, you didn't.
So, Robbie, the housekeeper's son, whose father did a bunk 20 years ago,
gets a scholarship to the local grammar, the Old Man puts him through Cambridge,
goes up at the same time as Cee, and for three years she hardly speaks to him.
Wouldn't let him within a mile of her Roedean chums.
Anyone got a cigarette?
I don't know what the hell he's doing these days, messing about in flower beds.
As a matter of fact, he's planning on doing a medical degree.
And the Old Man said yes to that?
Look, I really think you should go down to the lodge and ask him not to come.
Why? Has something happened between you?
For God's sake.
- When can we go home? - Soon.
We can't go home. It's a divorce.
- How dare you say that? - Well, it's true!
You will never, ever use that word again! Do you understand?
- Now what are we going to do? - I'm always asking myself that.
My name is Paul Marshall. You must be the cousins from the north.
- What are your names? - Pierrot.
- Jackson. - What marvellous names.
Do you know our parents?
Well, I've read about them in the paper.
- What exactly have you read about them? - Oh, you know. The usual sort of nonsense.
I'll thank you not to talk about this in front of the children.
Your parents are absolutely wonderful people,
that's quite clear, and they love you and think about you all the time.
Jolly nice slacks.
We went to see a show and I got them at Liberty's.
- What was the show? - Hamlet.
Ah, yes. "To be or not to be."
I like your shoes.
Duckers in the Turl. They make a wooden thing, shaped like your foot.
Keep it forever.
I'm starving. When's dinner?
Well, I might be able to help you there, if you can guess what I do for a living.
- You've got a chocolate factory. - Everyone knows that.
Then it wasn't a guess, was it?
There'll be one of these in every kit bag of every soldier in the British Army.
Sugar casing, so it won't melt.
Why should they get free sweets?
'Cause they'll be fighting for their country.
Our daddy says there isn't going to be a war.
Your daddy is wrong.
- Calling it the Army Amo. - Amo, amas, amat.
Top marks.
It's boring how everything ends in "o." "Polo" and "Aero."
- And "Oxo" and "Brillo". - Sounds as if you don't want it.
Then I shall just have to give it to your sister.
Bite it.
You have to bite it.
The Princess was well aware of his remorseless wickedness.
But that made it no easier to overcome the voluminous love she felt
in her heart for Sir Romulus. The Princess knew instinctively
that the one with red hair was not to be trusted.
As his young ward dived again and again to the depths of the lake,
in search of the enchanted chalice, Sir Romulus twirled his luxuriant moustache.
Sir Romulus rode with his two companions, northwards, drawing ever closer
to an effulgent sea.
So heroic in manner, he appeared so valiant in word
No one could ever guess at the darkness
lurking in the black heart of Sir Romulus Turnbull.
He was the most dangerous man in the world.
"Dear Cecilia, I thought I should write to apologise for my clumsy
"and inconsiderate behaviour."
"Forgive me if I seem strange but I'm..."
Dear Cecilia, you'd be forgiven for thinking me mad,
the way I acted this afternoon.
The truth is I feel rather lightheaded and foolish in your presence, Cee,
and I don't think I can blame the heat.
"Will you forgive me?
"Robbie."
Off out then?
Yes, Leon's asked me to join them for dinner.
So that's why I've been polishing silver all afternoon.
I'll think of you when I see my face in the spoon.
You're not a bit like your father. Not in any way.
That's because I'm all yours. I'll be late.
Your shirts are hanging upstairs.
- Son. - Yes?
Nothing.
Briony! Is that you?
Are you all right?
Do you think you could do me a favour?
Could you run ahead and give this to Cee? I...
- Feel a bit of a fool handing it over myself. - All right.
Briony.
Briony!
- I suppose he's what you might call eligible. - Rather.
He certainly seems to think he's the cat's pyjamas.
Which is odd, considering he has pubic hair growing out of his ears.
I should imagine he'd give you a lot of very noisy, boneheaded sons.
- He's quite a good egg, actually. - You say that about everyone.
- Leon! - Rummy, if it ain't my little sis!
I wrote you a play, Leon. I wanted to do a play for you.
- The Trials Of Arabella. - Well, there's still time.
- Doesn't have to be this evening. - No, it's impossible.
Briony. Tell you what. I'm good at voices,
you're even better, so we'll read it out after dinner.
- Briony, did you read this letter? - Yes, let's. That's a wonderful idea.
- Briony! - Here we are. My choc-tail.
I insist you try it.
Wasn't there an envelope?
Do you mind if I come in?
I've had the most appalling evening.
The twins have been torturing me. Look.
How awful.
Chinese burns.
That's right.
They want to go home. They think it's me that's keeping them here.
Lola.
Can I tell you something? Something really terrible.
Yes, please.
What's the worst word you can possibly imagine?
- He's a sex maniac! - That's right.
- What's Cecilia going to do? - I don't know.
- You ought to call the police. - Do you think so?
He said he thought about it all day long.
All you have to do is show them the letter.
- You won't tell anyone, will you, promise? - I promise.
Good. If he found out, there's no knowing what he might do.
You're right.
You better tidy your face. I've still got to change.
Thanks, Briony. You're a real brick.
Cecilia!
- It was a mistake. - Briony read it.
My God, I'm so sorry. It was the wrong version.
Yes.
- It was never meant to be read. - No.
What was in the version I was meant to read?
I don't know. It was more formal. Less...
- Anatomical? - Yes.
It's been there for weeks, and then this morning by the fountain...
I've never done anything like that before.
And I was so angry with you, and with myself.
I thought if you went away to medical school, then I'd be happy, but...
I don't know how I could have been so ignorant about myself, so...
So stupid.
You do know what I'm talking about, don't you?
You knew before I did.
Why are you crying?
Don't you know?
Yes, I know exactly.