THE NORTHERN SCHOOL OF FILM AND TELEVISION PRESENTS:
DRIVE
DIALOGUE AND AUDIO-DESCRIPTION
MARY: Look out!
LARRY DANN
KATE LAYDEN
A MAN RUSHES TO THE FRONT OF HIS CAR AND RECOILS.
HIS WIFE BENDS FORWARD TO SEE.
MARY: Oh Ray! Oh it's going to … Ray!
SHE GIVES HIM A PLEADING LOOK. RAY MOVES TO THE BOOT. MARY CLUTCHING HER PET CHIHUAHUA IS ROOTED TO THE SPOT. RAY PULLS OUT THE JACK. MOVING BACK TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR, RAY GLANCES ACROSS AT MARY, THEN DOWN AT THE BLOODIED STRAY DOG IN THE ROAD. HE RAISES THE JACK AND BRINGS IT DOWN.
DRIVE
BACK ON THE ROAD MARY, ON THE VERGE OF TEARS, KISSES HER PET DOG. RAY'S EYES ARE FIRMLY AHEAD. A TEAR ROLLING DOWN HER CHEEK, MARY TURNS AWAY FROM HIM. RAY GLANCES ACROSS AT HER AT A LOSS.
WRITTEN BY PAMELA WOODS
A SHOPPING CENTRE CARPARK. RAY IN FLAT CAP AND SPECS IS PACING, HOLDING AN ARRANGEMENT OF FLOWERS. MARY …
MARY: Alright Love?
…CLUTCHING HER BAG STRUTS TOWARDS THEIR GRAY SALOON. SHE LOOKS IN THROUGH THE CAR WINDOW.
MARY: Halloo Baby Boy! Mummy's back. Mummy's scrummy.
RAY: We're going to be late.
MARY: Look at him Ray. Look at the little sweetheart.
SHE GLARES AT HER HUSBAND. RAY STABS AT THE CAR REMOTE.
DIRECTED BY RAINA HAIG
ON A COUNTRY ROAD…
MARY: There's no reason we can't do the trip more often. Make sure it looks nicer. Or we could move back there … if we could arrange things. What about vandals?
RAY STARES AHEAD IGNORING HER. SHE OPENS A TIN OF BOILED SWEETS AND POPS ONE IN HER MOUTH. STILL GETTING NO REACTION SHE REACHES INTO HER LARGE WHITE HANDBAG AND POINTEDLY PULLS OUT A BOTTLE OF LUXURY SHAMPOO … AND A FANCY SPONGE.
RAY: Oh Mary.
SHE FLAUNTS A NEW PINK LIPSTICK. SEEING HIS LOOK OF DISGUST, SHE HURLS THE LIPSTICK OUT OF THE CAR, BURYING HER FACE IN HER HANDS.
THE CAR DRIVES ALONG A DESERTED MOORLAND ROAD.
BY THE ROADSIDE, BACKS TURNED TO EACH OTHER, RAY AND MARY ARE DRINKING TEA, MARY CLUTCHING HER DOG. RAY TURNS TO LOOK AT HER. HE SOFTENS AND MOVES TOWARDS HER. SHE IGNORES HIM, LETTING PEPE SIP FROM HER CUP.
A CAR FULL OF YOUTHS …
YOUTHS: Hey Grandma! Show us your tits. What's the matter Grandad? Can't you get it up?!
MARY: What did they say Ray? Ray! What did they say?
RAY FLINGS DOWN HIS MAP AND LEAPS INTO HIS CAR.
MARY: What are you doing Ray?
MARY GETS IN AND RAY SPEEDS OFF IN PURSUIT LEAVING THE MAP IN THE ROAD. HE GRITS HIS TEETH.
MARY: What are you doing Ray? Slow down!
HE SHOVES THE CAR INTO A STILL HIGHER GEAR, ACCELERATES UNTIL HE'S RIGHT BEHIND THE OTHER CAR. TWO OF THE YOUTHS MAKE "V" SIGNS. RAY TRIES TO OVERTAKE ON THE INSIDE BUT IS FORCED BACK.
RAY: Let me by!
MARY IS TERRIFIED. ANOTHER JEERING "V" SIGN. DETERMINED, RAY SWINGS TO OVERTAKE ON THE OUTSIDE. THE TWO CARS ARE NECK AND NECK.
MARY: Are you trying to kill us?
MARY CLUTCHES PEPE TO HER BREAST. RAY, ELATED, GRINS MANICALLY. TRIUMPHANTLY HE PULLS AHEAD. SPARKS FLY FROM THE ENGINE. HIS SMILE FREEZES INTO HORROR.
MARY: Oh! We're dead! We're dead!
A CLOUD OF SMOKE ENGULFS HIS CAR.
FORLORNLY, MARY LOOKS DOWN AN EMPTY PLATFORM. NO SIGN OF A TRAIN. SHE'S WELL GROOMED, EYEBROWS NEATLY PENCILED, HAIR TIED BACK IN A FRENCH PLEAT, IN A NAVY JACKET AND COAT AND A WHITE SKIRT. SHE'S SITTING ON A BENCH, HER HANDS CLASPED AROUND PEPE CURLED UP ON HER LAP. IN FRONT, TWO LARGE SUITCASES: ONE FLORAL, ONE BLACK. NEXT TO HER, THE FLOWERS. RAY, HANDS IN TROUSER POCKETS, APPROACHES, AND HE PASSES HER. SHE EYES HIM ACIDLY.
MARY: Well?
RAY: It won't be for another two hours. 9:03.
MARY: We could have been there hours ago, not sitting here. You ruined the engine.
RAY: The mechanic said the gearbox was going anyway.
MARY: Showing off to some hurry up boys! How old are you?
RAY: We've got plenty of time. Why don't we go into town, get a bite to eat, eh Love? Come on.
MARY: Perfectly good car. And these are spoilt.
SHE FLINGS THE FLOWERS INTO A BIN.
RAY: We'll buy some more when we get there.
MARY: If we ever do.
RAY: Well let's go and get a cup of tea. Come on.
MARY: I'm not happy Ray.
RAY: I know Love. I know.
CLUTCHING HER DOG AND HER WHITE BAG, SHE FOLLOWS RAY OUT OF THE STATION.
RAY PUTS A FORKFUL OF FOOD INTO HIS MOUTH. MARY STARES INTO SPACE. SHE OFFERS PEPE A PIECE OF BREAD, KISSING HIM ON THE FOREHEAD. RAY, SIPPING HIS TEA, STARES ACROSS THE TOP OF HIS CUP AS MARY FEEDS THE DOG EGGY BREAD FROM HER FINGERS. DISGUSTED, HE PUSHES AWAY THE REST OF HIS MEAL. HE LOOKS AROUND, HIS FACE GLISTENING WITH SWEAT IN THE OPPRESSIVE ATMOSPHERE. A YOUNG COUPLE IS CHATTING IN ONE CORNER. IN ANOTHER, A MAN READS A PAPER. RAY LOOKS AT HIS WATCH. THE DOG STARES UP AT HIM. IN DESPAIR, RAY RUBS HIS FACE.
DUSK. RAY AND MARY WALK ALONG A PARADE OF CLOSED SHOPS. RAY FOLLOWS WITH THE CASES AS MARY WANDERS FROM ONE SHOP WINDOW TO THE NEXT. CUDDLING HER DOG, SHE'S ABSORBED BY THE GOODS ON DISPLAY. RAY MOVES AHEAD WITH THE CASES. HE SEES A MAN COME OUT OF A CHEMIST'S WITH A CARRIER BAG. MARY'S FACE BRIGHTENS. RAY'S FACE FALLS. WITH A LOOK OF DEFIANCE SHE HURRIES TOWARDS THE NEON-LIT SHOP. RAY PUTS DOWN THE SUITCASES AND CONFRONTS HER IN THE DOORWAY. SHE THRUSTS THE DOG AT HIM.
MARY: I need a couple of things.
RAY: You won't be long?
SHE STEPS INSIDE, LETTING THE LATTICED GLASS DOOR SHUT IN HIS FACE. HE TURNS AWAY. MARY PICKS UP A BOTTLE OF LOTION. RAY, FEELING AWKWARD WITH PEPE, DROPS HIM DOWN AND TIES HIS LEAD TO ONE OF THE CASES.
RAY: You guard this Pepe, eh?
MARY IS STILL FINGERING THE BOTTLE OF LOTION. OUTSIDE RAY WAITS, HANDS IN POCKETS, HIS EXASPERATION MOUNTING. WITH SUDDEN RESOLVE HE BURSTS IN THROUGH THE DOOR.
RAY: Look I need a … all that tea. You keep an eye on the cases.
SHE NODS SHARPLY. HE STRIDES OUT OF THE DOOR AND HURRIES AWAY FROM THE SHOP LEAVING PEPE ON THE PAVEMENT.
IN A PARK, A GROUP OF LADS ARE HANGING OUT ON THE GRASS, DRINKING. ONE OF THEM RIDES A BIKE. RAY STRIDES PAST THEM INTO THE MOUTH OF A TUNNEL UNDER A BRIDGE, WATCHED BY A COUPLE OF THE YOUTHS. EMERGING, HE WALKS TOWARDS A PUBLIC TOILET.
INSIDE THE DINGY TOILET, HIS SLOUCHING FIGURE CASTS A HUGE SHADOW ON A BRICK WALL DAUBED WITH GRAFFITI. HE STEPS UP TO THE URINAL AND UNFASTENS HIS TROUSERS. HIS EYES MOVE UP THE GRAFFITIED WALL IN FRONT OF HIM. PHONE NUMBERS. SEXUAL SYMBOLS.
MARY EYES THE ROWS OF PERFUME BOTTLES. SHE GLANCES ACROSS THE SHOP TO THE FEMALE ASSISTANT WHO'S READING A PAPERBACK BEHIND THE COUNTER. CAREFULLY, SHE REMOVES A BOTTLE OF HAIR LOTION. AGAIN, ONE EYE ON THE ASSISTANT, SHE REACHES FOR A BAG OF GIFT-WRAPPED BATH SALTS, AND SLIPS IT INTO HER ROOMY WHITE BAG. WITH A HINT OF A SINFUL SMILE, SHE REACHES FOR ANOTHER BOTTLE.
CHEMIST: That's enough now!
RAY IS STILL ABSORBED BY THE LURID GRAFFITI AROUND HIM.
(COUGH)
HASTILY HE ZIPS UP HIS FLY, STEPS DOWN FROM THE URINAL AND SEES A LAD STANDING IN THE SHADOWS. THE BOY STEPS INTO THE LIGHT. RAY GOES TO LEAVE. THE BOY MOVES FORWARD WITH AN ENTICING SMILE, FORCING RAY TO BRUSH AGAINST HIM. UNCERTAINLY, RAY TURNS BACK TO FACE HIM.
BOY: You'd love it.
STUMBLING OUT OF THE TOILET BLOCK, RAY HURRIES BACK THROUGH THE TUNNEL, BUT STOPS FOR BREATH BEHIND A TREE, SCRUNCHING HIS FLAT CAP TO HIS CHEST.
CHEMIST: Not a loaf of bread is it? Something you just couldn't live without? You can't feed a starving family with that!
MARY WATCHES IN TERROR AS THE WHITE-COATED CHEMIST REACHES FOR A PHONE.
CHEMIST: Yes. This is Brian Leicester. Chemist in the High Street. Could I speak to a duty sergeant please? Yes, I'll hold. (To Mary:) You just take what you feel like!
MARY: I wish I were dead. Wish I were dead!
THE CHEMIST, TAKEN BY SURPRISE, SLOWLY REPLACES THE RECEIVER. HE EYES HER ANXIOUSLY.
MARY: I can't feel my arms. I can't feel my legs.
HE DASHES BEHIND THE COUNTER.
CHEMIST: Take a deep breath. Breathe into this.
HE OFFERS A PAPER BAG.
CHEMIST: It'll steady you.
MARY: I want to sink into the floor. I'm all pins and needles.
CHEMIST: Come on. Calm yourself.
MARY: I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so ashamed.
MARY BLOWS HER NOSE INTO THE BAG.
MARY: If Ray finds out -- I wish I were dead!
THE CHEMIST TAKES HER PULSE. HE LOOKS ANXIOUSLY ACROSS TO HIS ASSISTANT WHO MOUTHS "AMBULANCE!".
CHEMIST: Look, I won't call the police.
JILL: Can I get you something? A glass of water?
MARY NODS SHAKILY.
MARY: We had an accident … We're on our way … Got to get the train to the grave. I'm worried about the vandals. It's not his birthday 'till next month, but I have to go now. I have to make sure it's tidy.
THE GIRL HANDS HER A GLASS OF WATER.
PEERING FURTIVELY AROUND THE TREE, RAY LOOKS BACK TOWARDS THE TOILET BLOCK. HE STEPS OUT, PULLS ON HIS CAP AND RE-ENTERS THE TUNNEL.
THE CHEMIST LOADS MARY'S SUITCASES INTO THE BACK OF HIS CAR.
MARY: What about my husband? He'll be worried if I'm not here.
CHEMIST: Jill will wait for him, won't you Jill?
MARY: Please don't tell him what I've done. It'll kill him.
JILL: Don't worry Love, I won't.
SHE PUTS HER ARM ROUND MARY AND ESCORTS HER TO THE CAR.
RAY, GLANCING APPREHENSIVELY AROUND HIM, STEPS BACK
INSIDE THE TOILET BLOCK.
AT THE STATION, MARY AND THE CHEMIST COME ONTO THE PLATFORM. SHE HAS
PEPE IN HER ARMS. HE PUTS DOWN THE BAGS.
MARY: Thank you so much. You really have been very kind.
CHEMIST: That's alright. I wouldn't be in good shape either if I lost one of mine.
HE PATS HER ON THE ARM …
CHEMIST: Take care of yourself.
… AND THEN LEAVES MARY ON THE PLATFORM.
RAY , WAITING, SCANS THE GRAFFITI ON THE WALL: "FUCK YOU!" HE TWITCHES. "CHILD MOLESTER" HE SHIFTS UNEASILY. "AIDS. KILL FAGS" HE GULPS UNCOMFORTABLY. HEARING SOUNDS OUTSIDE, HE LOOKS AT HIS WATCH AND STARTS. HURRIEDLY HE LEAVES. . . RELIEVED. OUT OF THE SHADOWS:
BOY: So you came back?
THE BOY SMILES.
RAY: I - I thought I'd dropped something.
BOY: Is that right?
(Sound of can dropping)
A MENACING GANG OF YOUTHS CONVERGE ON RAY. IN TERROR, HE RUNS.
BOY: Get him!
THE STATION CLOCK READS 8:40. MARY WAITS WITH GROWING ANXIETY.
RAY RUNS INTO A WOODLAND CLEARING, IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDED. TRIES TO ESCAPE. THEY BLOCK HIM. ONE YOUTH REMOVES RAY'S SPECS. RAY DESPERATELY FUMBLES INSIDE HIS INSIDE POCKET. EAGERLY, HE PRODUCES SOME BANK NOTES. ONE OF THEM TAKES THE MONEY, GRINNING.
RAY: Let me go now, fellas! Let me go.
LAD: Have him!
ANOTHER ONE BUTTS HIM WITH HIS SHAVED HEAD. HE FALLS TO THE GROUND. THEY CROWD ROUND AND PUT THE BOOT IN. RAY STRUGGLES TO GET UP. A KICK TO THE JAW KNOCKS HIM BACK. THE KICKS KEEP COMING. HE LIES IN A CRUMPLED HEAP, KNEES PULLED UP TO HIS CHEST. ONE OF THEM PULLS DOWN RAY'S TROUSERS.
(Sound of car horn)
THE GANG LOOK UP INTO CAR HEADLIGHTS. THEY SCATTER. THE CAR DRIVER LEAPS THE FENCE.
CHEMIST: You alright, mate?
RAY, ON ALL FOURS, TROUSERS ROUND HIS ANKLES, GROPES FOR HIS SPECS. HE SCRAMBLES TO HIS FEET AS THE CHEMIST ADVANCES, PULLS UP HIS TROUSERS AND RUNS OFF INTO THE DARKNESS.
MARY WAITS FORLORNLY AT THE STATION.
RAY SPRINTS OUT ONTO A DIMLY LIT PAVEMENT. HE SPINS ROUND, UNSURE OF HIS LOCATION, THEN DASHES AT FULL PELT DOWN THE DESERTED NIGHT STREET.
IT'S SEVEN MINUTES TO NINE.
HIS FEET POUND THE PAVEMENT. ANOTHER STREET. HE CHANGES DIRECTION. FINDS HIMSELF ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE NOW CLOSED CHEMIST'S.
JILL: Excuse me!
RAY CHECKS HIS WATCH AND HURRIES OFF DOWN THE STREET WITHOUT RESPONDING.
JILL: Excuse me!
MARY ANXIOUSLY EYES THE CLOCK. IT'S ONE MINUTE PAST NINE. SHE SPOTS RAY ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE TRACK AND RUNS FORWARD TO THE EDGE OF THE PLATFORM. RAY GESTURES, CONFUSED. MARY MOTIONS FOR HIM TO GO BACK AND CROSS OVER.
HE LUMBERS DOWN TOWARDS HER. THEIR EYES MEET. HIS GAZE EXHAUSTED AND VULNERABLE, HERS RELIEVED.
MARY: Ray! Where have you been?
RAY: I lost my wallet.
MARY: I've been worried sick.
HE TAKES A STEP TOWARDS HER.
RAY: You weren't at the chemist's.
MARY'S FACE FREEZES FOR A SPLIT SECOND.
MARY: Get the bags Love. Train's coming.
STILL CONFUSED, RAY PICKS UP THE CASES, AND THEY GO TO BOARD THEIR TRAIN.
IN THE CARRIAGE … MARY UNFASTENS HER COAT AND PUTS IT UP ON THE LUGGAGE RACK. RAY STOWS THE CASES. WITH A CALMNESS SPREADING ACROSS HER FACE, MARY PICKS UP PEPE AND PUTS HIM ON HER LAP. RAY SLUMPS DOWN OPPOSITE. HIS HEAD FALLS BACK AND HE CLOSES HIS EYES. SUDDENLY THROUGH THE WINDOW …
MARY: Vandals! See what they're doing! Look Ray!
SOME YOUTHS ARE DEFACING A WALL. TURNING AWAY FROM THE WINDOW, RAY HIDES HIS FACE BEHIND HIS HAND.
MARY: Ray?
MARY EYES HIM ANXIOUSLY AS HE FIGHTS BACK HIS TEARS.
MARY: Ray?
SLOWLY, HE RAISES HIS HEAD TO LOOK AT HER. DEMORALISED, SHATTERED, JACKET DIRTY AND DISHEVELED. HE STANDS UP, CROSSES OVER AND SITS NEXT TO MARY. SHE EYES HIM UNCERTAINLY. SLOWLY, HE PUTS HIS ARM AROUND HER. SHE LEANS INTO HIM RELIEVED, CLOSING HER EYES FOR A MOMENT.
MARY: We could have missed the train.
RAY NODS. HIS EYES CLOSE WITH EXHAUSTION AND RELIEF AS THEY HUDDLE TOGETHER AND THE TRAIN JOURNEYS INTO THE NIGHT.
PRODUCER: NICK PRICE
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: HELEN ARGYROS
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: BEATRICE LYONS-MATTHEWS
EDITOR: JONATHAN HAREN
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: JO CLAYTON
COMPOSER: SIMON WALLACE
CAST:
RAY: LARRY DANN
MARY: KATE LAYDEN
CHEMIST: WILLIAM LESLIE
CHEMIST'S ASSISTANT: ALISON JOHNSTON
BOY: ANDREW MEYER
PEPE: BLUE
THE AUDIO-DESCRIPTION WAS:
WRITTEN BY VERONIKA HYKS
NARRATED BY BOB PECK
EDITED BY ROSIE CULLEN
DIRECTED BY RAINA HAIG