Finding Neverland

- (man) Lights up! - (man #2) Beginners, please!

- (man #3) Your five-minute call, sir. - (man #1) Places.

Places. Everyone to their places.

Sh. Quiet, everyone.

Opening nights? I love opening nights.

- How are you? Good to see you. - (man #2) Good evening, Charles.

- (Charles) Sir Herbert, how are you? - This is my wife.

- Oh, Lady Herbert. - How do you do?

May I give you a peck?

One of Mr Barrie's finest?

Oh, that genius Scotsman has done it again.

It's the best thing I've produced in 25 years.

I already have investors interested back home in New York.

- (Herbert) See you on Broadway! - (laughter)

First positions, people.

Standing by, please, ladies and gentlemen.

If you could take your opening positions, please.

Beginners, please take your opening positions.

Audience are coming in. Standing by.

- Good audience. - Sorry?

Good audience tonight.

OK. That's great, thank you. How much longer?

Um, ten minutes, sir.

I love opening nights.

I want to dance with your wife at the after-party.

- Oh, my goodness. - Good evening, Mr Frohman.

- How are you, John? - V ery well.

It's the best thing that I've produced in 25 years.

- Hello, George. How are you? - Healthy and wealthy, I see.

You've rearranged a holiday for me and I won't forget it.

- For you, Charles, anything. - You won't regret it.

I'm sure.

- Have you got the tickets? - They're in my pocket.

- There's Mrs Barrie. - Oh, Mr and Mrs Snow.

We were so hoping to speak with your husband before the show.

- (Mr Snow) Have you seen him? - I'm not sure where he is, actually.

We do miss seeing you on stage. You were so wonderful.

Yes, well, it's been some time now. Are you right to find your seat?

Oh, yes, yes.

See you at the party, then.

Excuse me. Could you find Mr Barrie

and remind him that they're doing his play this evening.

- Yes, ma'am. - Thank you.

Let's close the doors.

Really, I mustn't inconvenience you in this way.

I can wait quite well in the shop.

'Tis no inconvenience. The shop is chilly. And there is a fire here.

Really, you are uncommonly good.

Sorry, sir.

Mrs Barrie wanted me to remind you that the play's begun.

- Though I imagine you know that. - They hate it.

- Sir? - It's like a dentist's office out there. Why?

- I wouldn't say they hate it, sir. - What do you think? Do you like it?

- I've just been hired here, sir. - Yes or no? I'm not bothered.

- I'm not really qualified to... - Do you like it? Is it crap?

- Crap, sir? - Go on, say it. Just say it.

It's shite, isn't it? Go on. Say it.

- Don't know if I'm... - "It's bull's pizzle, Mr Barrie." Go on, say it.

- It's bull's pizzle, Mr Barrie. - I knew it.

- No, I haven't even seen it. - I knew it. Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Might I knock a tune, milord, for a moment?

- I'm an old man... - (snoring)

...and I've seen few of the sights.

Absolute rubbish from start to finish.

Yes, I found it fearfully dull.

Say goodbye to your investment, old boy.

Good to see you. My apologies.

We'll get them with the next one, Charles, I promise.

- Of course we will, James. - I know you put a lot into this one.

A fortune, James, but I am fortunate because I can afford to lose a fortune.

- Can you? - No, I can't. How are you?

- Arthur. - James.

You were sorely missed at the last club meeting.

Was I?

We were beginning to wonder which is your hobby, writing or cricket.

You wanted to speak with Mr Barrie, didn't you?

Oh, yes, but we shouldn't interrupt them, should we?

I don't see why not.

If you ask me, the problem lies in our batting order.

- James. - Hello, darling.

You remember Mr and Mrs Snow, don't you?

- Mrs Snow. - Mr Barrie.

Mr Snow.

The Snows have been waiting to meet with you all evening.

- (Mrs Snow) Oh, yes. - Is that right?

Your play this evening, it was remarkable, wasn't it?

Was it?

Well, thank you. That's very kind of you. I'm glad you liked it.

How did you feel it went?

- I think I can do better. - Really?

- Mary? Hello? - (distant) Yes, James?

I'm headed off for the park if you'd like to join me. It's a beautiful morning.

You'll be working, won't you?

Perhaps, yes.

I'll let you to your work then.

- Morning, Mr Barrie. - Morning, Emma.

- Have a good day, sir. - And you.

That's it. Go on, boy. Go get it, boy.

That's right. Good boy. Grab it. Good.

Who do you belong to? Come on, boy. Come on.

Excuse me, sir, you're standing on my sleeve.

Am I? So sorry.

I might point out you're lying under my bench.

I have to, I'm afraid.

I've been put in a dungeon by the evil Prince George.

I'm sorry if it bothers you.

Well, if you're trapped in the dungeon, there isn't much to be done now, is there?

Perhaps I could slide a key to you through the bars.

I wouldn't risk it, sir. The evil Prince George has tortured many men.

I'm sorry. Is he bothering you, sir?

My brother can be an extremely irritating sort of person.

Aha, Prince George, I gather.

I understand you are the horrible tyrant who imprisoned this unfortunate wretch.

I'm not horrible really, but a firm ruler, yes. Kind and tolerant.

And what precisely is... What did you say your name was?

- Michael. - What precisely is Michael's crime?

- He's my younger brother. - Ah.

- Fair enough. Sorry, lad. Cannot free you. - That's all right.

- Do you mind us playing with your dog? - No. Go on.

This is Jack, second in line to the throne and that one's Michael. He's only five.

And I'm in prison for it.

- I'm so sorry. Are my boys bothering you? - (Michael) We're not bothering him, Mum.

Michael, darling, come out from under there.

I can't. I'm in prison.

Oh, I see.

JM Barrie. Pleased to meet you.

JM Barrie, the author? A pleasure. Sylvia Llewelyn Davies.

- (Jack) Are you a writer? - I am.

He's a playwright, Jack. Quite a famous one, at that.

- I apologize. I imagine you're writing. - No. Not at all.

- Where's Peter? - What have you written, Mr Barrie?

Well, currently, I make my living entertaining princes and their courts

with my trained bear, Porthos.

If you command your brother, Peter, to join us,

I am willing, Prince George, to give you just such a performance

in exchange for the freedom of this prisoner, of course.

- V ery well. - V ery well.

Now...

I want you to pay particular attention to the teeth.

Some unscrupulous trainers will show you a bear whose teeth have all been pulled,

while other cowards will force the brute into a muzzle.

Only the true master would attempt these tricks without either measure of safety.

- What did you bring me over here for? - (whispers) Peter.

This is absurd. It's just a dog.

Come on, darling.

- "Just a dog"? "Just"? - (Porthos whines)

Porthos, don't listen to him.

Porthos dreams of being a bear

and you want to dash those dreams by saying he's "just a dog"? (tuts)

What a horrible, candle-snuffing word.

That's like saying, "He can't climb that mountain, he's just a man."

Or, "That's not a diamond, it's just a rock."

"Just."

Fine then. Turn him into a bear. If you can.

Peter, where are your manners?

With those eyes, my bonny lad, I'm afraid you'd never see it.

However, with just a wee bit of imagination,

I can turn around right now and see...

the great bear, Porthos.

Dance with me.

Thank you. I don't think I've ever seen a performance quite like it.

We're here every day, and the bear is always more than happy to perform.

Well, perhaps we'll see you here tomorrow then.

Perhaps.

- Peter, jump up please, darling. Quick. - (children) Bye.

Bye.

- Peter, didn't you enjoy that? - I've seen better.

Well, Michael wanted the bear kept prisoner with him,

and Peter insisted that Michael was hardly a prisoner

and Porthos simply wasn't a bear at all.

I do very much hope to see them tomorrow.

- What's her name? - Sylvia. Um...

Mrs... something Davies.

Llewelyn Davies?

- You know her? - I know who she is, of course.

Why, she's a du Maurier, for heaven's sake.

Her father was the artist. Her brother's the actor.

And there was something... tragic that happened with her husband.

Oh, yes. He died.

Cancer of the jaw, I believe.

That's horrible.

Yes. Apparently, he left her with four boys and no income to speak of.

If it wasn't for her mother's help...

James.

- We should have them to dinner. - Should we?

Absolutely. I've always wanted to meet Madam du Maurier.

Why, she knows practically everyone there is worth knowing.

- What are you writing about? - Oh.

Nothing of any great consequence.

I can't write.

Have you ever kept a journal?

Ever tried your hand at writing a play?

Well, then how do you know?

I know. That's all.

I see. Where's your mother today and the rest of the boys?

Home. Mother's got a bit of a chest cold.

I'm sure everyone would be happy to see you though. One afternoon.

I should leave you to your writing.

Peter.