Darkest Hour

Order! - (PEOPLE CLAMORING)

Order! Order!

Mr. Speaker! Mr. Speaker!

Order! The leader...

Order.

The leader of the Opposition, Clement Attlee.

Mr. Speaker.

It seems that I have not been clear enough.

Then let me leave no doubt

about my feelings regarding Mr. Chamberlain's future

as prime minister.

All right, honorable gentlemen!

Give way! Give way!

Give way!

Owing to his years of inactivity

and incompetence,

we find him personally responsible...

personally responsible for leaving this nation

ruinously unprepared to face the present Nazi peril.

Order! Order! - Sit down!

Shame on you! Shame!

We are at war, Mr. Speaker...

at war. And leaving aside whether he is fit

to be a leader in peacetime, he has proved himself incapable

of leading us in wartime!

Sit down!

Order! Order!

I said, "Order!"

Therefore, in the national interest,

we, the Opposition, are willing to enter into

a grand coalition with the ruling Conservative Party...

so-called...

- Order! Order! - But not...

and I stress never... under the leadership

of Mr. Chamberlain, who has lost

the confidence of this House.

In the country's interest, man,

resign, step down, and let us find a new leader.

Sit down. Shame on you.

- Shame. - You've got some nerve!

Where's Winston?

Ensuring his fingerprints are not on the murder weapon.

Order!

As the Opposition refuse

to join any government headed by me,

we must now select my successor,

someone with new strength

to form a coalition government.

I will step down tomorrow,

but, I did want my own party,

the gentlemen I most respect,

to know first.

Yeah.

- And it must be Halifax. - Hear, hear.

There's no question.

- Our foreign secretary. - Halifax.

Yeah, of course.

No contest. Halifax.

Thank you, gentlemen.

I appreciate your confidence in me.

However, my time has not yet come.

Then who?

But, on whomever the task may fall,

he shall be required to explore every avenue.

Including that of diplomatic talks.

Indeed. Towards the restoration of peace in Europe.

- Absolutely. - Hear, hear.

Well, gentlemen, there is only one candidate...

only one man the Opposition will accept.

- Oh, no. Oh, surely not. - God, has it come to that?

No, no, no.

No, this is totally absurd.

And if he stretches out his hand

and says, "Gimme,"

you need to anticipate what he wants.

Black pen, red pen, paper

or "clop"... that's his hole punch.

How selfish to resign, time like this.

Do you think they'll take me

to Downing Street if he gets the job?

Not after that spotted dick you served last week, eh?

He mumbles, so it's almost impossible to catch everything.

Be prepared to type fast... short bursts and double-spaced.

He hates single-spaced. Hates it.

Good luck.

To the French ambassador.

With German forces...

crossing into Holland...

Holland alone...

Come on. Telegram.

Holland alone...

requests reassurance

that French forces will now move...

No, move at once.

- Into, to protect Belgium. - (TYPING)

- Stop. - (PHONE RINGING)

French ambassador, sir.

Monsieur Ambassador.

Oh.

They've already invaded Belgium?

Holland and Belgium?

I will convey your plea to the prime minister at once.

Yes. The situation is still very confused.

Yes.

Good-bye.

"To the French ambassador.

- With German..." - No, scrap that.

- New telegram. - (PHONE RINGS)

To General Ismay.

In...

- What is it now? - Your son.

Randolph, quickly.

No, last night, they said

I might be made prime minister today,

but that-that was yesterday.

Let's see what happens today.

Yeah? Let's see what,

let's see what Neville does today.

Yes.

Thank you, my boy.

Yes.

Yes. Keep buggering on.

Where, now...

"To General Ismay."

Ah, General Ismay.

Yeah. Sawyers.

Get rid of this, will you?

- (GASPS) - To General Ismay.

In light of today's events,

the time is ripe...

- for many preparations to be... - (TYPING)

Are you

striking those keys in a normal fashion?

It's awfully loud. I can't... I can't hear myself think.

Read it back.

"To General Ismay.

In the light of today's events, the time is right..."

"Ripe"! Not "right"!

God's teeth, girl.

I said "ripe"!

Ripe! Ripe!

Last sentence.

"The time is ripe." Puh.

- For... - "For..."

- For... - "Man-Many, many, many..."

Many, many, many, many, many.

How many "many" s did you write, you nincompoop?

One "many." For...

"For many preparations to be made."

Single-spaced. Single-spaced!

Were you not briefed, young lady?

Single-spaced!

Someone set it on single-space, and...

Then why did you persist?

- Well, I... - Oh, goddamn! Tell...

Tell Evans to send me someone

who can get it right the first time!

Go on! Out!

"Right"!

He shouted at you.

- Did he shout at you? - No.

- He can be an awful brute! - I'm...

- I made too many mistakes. - I think you were nervous,

and he has a knack for drawing out the very worst

in those who are trying to help him the most.

No, no, it's not... It's not him.

It's me. He's... he's...

He's a man, like any other.

Come on. What you doing?

Dearest.

The War Cabinet's been called.

- Bloody cat's under the bed again. My darling?

Tango. - May I tell you something

I feel you really ought to know?

I have noticed a recent deterioration in your manner.

You're not as kind as you used to be.

You've become rough.

And sarcastic and overbearing and rude.

Oh, is this about the new girl?

If the king does ask you to become prime minister...

We don't know that for sure.

I don't want you to be disliked.

More than I already am?

My darling, you are on the brink

of having tremendous power,

surpassed only by that of the king,

and with such power you really must try and be more kind.

And, if possible, calm. (CHUCKLES)

I want others to love and respect you, as I do.

Telegram for Mr. Churchill.

Excuse me?

I'm not...

...troops have destroyed all bridges

of the Isle and Meuse rivers.

This is the BBC Home Service.

Here is a short news bulletin.

The German army invaded

Holland and Belgium early this morning, by land...

- There's a telegram. - ...and by landings

From parachutes.