Withnail & I 2: Beer and Loving in Penrith (3)
By HarryC
- 122 reads
Marwood decides to attend Monty's funeral in Highgate Cemetery, in the hopes of seeing Withnail again after the 30-year gap...
FADE UP:
14. EXT. HIGHGATE CEMETERY (ENTRANCE)- DAY
A grey, drizzly day.
CUT TO:
14.1 EXT. HIGHGATE CEMETERY - DAY
MEDIUM SHOT, from behind some gravestones, of MONTY’s funeral service taking place. There are only two mourners, aside from the VICAR officiating. Both are standing under umbrellas, expensively and somberly dressed. One is WITHNAIL, the other is EDWINA. The VICAR is reading from Baudelaire.
VICAR (CLOSE ON MIC.)
“O Death, old captain, it is time! Let us lift anchor. This land tires us, O Death. Let us be under way! If the sky and the sea are black as ink, Our hearts, those you know, have rays of light.”
As he speaks, pull back a short way to show MARWOOD in the foreground, standing partly behind a tree - dark suit, raincoat collar up, umbrella shielding his face slightly so that the mourners can’t really see who it is.
CUT TO:
CLOSE UP of WITHNAIL, looking down at the coffin, straight-faced. He is wearing pink-tinted wire-framed glasses. He is tanned and slim, but starting to look his age.
VICAR (CONT’D, V.O.)
Montague Withnail, we honour your life and are blessed to have heard your laughter, seen your smile and felt your reassuring hand in ours. Our lives are richer for having known you and having shared in the love you gave us and the love we felt for you.
CUT TO:
CLOSE UP of EDWINA. She is around fifty, glamorous, impeccably made up, with a demeanour of self-assurance. She has long, strawberry blonde hair which is spread out around her collar.
VICAR (CONT’D, V.O.)
You are no longer bound by this world, but a part of it. No longer tied to one place or one time, but free. And so we ask that you go now, with all our love, as tenderly and reverently we yield your body to the bosom of the earth. Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
CUT TO:
MEDIUM SHOT again as WITHNAIL and EDWINA step away from the graveside and onto the path, walking away from shot - EDWINA slightly ahead.
MARWOOD steps forward to follow them
CUT TO:
MARWOOD just behind WITHNAIL.
MARWOOD
Excuse me… Douglas Wayne?
WITHNAIL looks back, a little irritated, slowing but not stopping.
MARWOOD (QUIETLY)
Hello, Withnail.
WITHNAIL stops, shocked suddenly. There is just the faintest West Coast accent in his voice - otherwise, it’s as it was.
WITHNAIL
My God! Is it…?
MARWOOD
Yes.
They both pause - an arm-length apart. For a silent moment, it’s uncertain what they are going to do.
WITHNAIL
Motherfuck! I mean… my God!
WITHNAIL steps towards MARWOOD and they grasp each other’s forearms in an enthusiastically-restrained greeting. They then step back and look at one another.
MARWOOD
How are you?
They then come together and embrace briefly - though still with restraint, not a proper man-hug.
WITHNAIL
I don’t believe it. It is you.
They step apart again, though still holding each other’s forearms.
WITHNAIL (CONT’D)
I’m…
WITHNAIL shakes his head, too taken aback to know how to respond properly.
MARWOOD
Good?
WITHNAIL
Yes. Well… better now. How the devil are you?
MARWOOD
I’m alright, thanks. Good to see you.
They shake hands, with much more enthusiasm.
WITHNAIL
And you.
MARWOOD glances off up the path.
MARWOOD
Sorry… I don’t want to hold you up.
CUT TO:
MARWOOD’s P.O.V. of EDWINA. She has paused on the path, about twenty yards off, and turned to see what’s delayed WITHNAIL. She tilts her head as she sees MARWOOD.
CUT TO:
WITHNAIL and MARWOOD again. WITHNAIL turns he head to EDWINA.
WITHNAIL (CALLING)
I’ll catch you up in a minute.
CUT TO:
MARWOOD’s P.O.V. of EDWINA again. She turns and continues along the path. She glances back once.
CUT TO:
WITHNAIL and MARWOOD.
MARWOOD
Is that your wife?
WITHNAIL
What? Oh no, no. That’s Edwina. Monty’s… daughter.
MARWOOD (SURPRISED)
Daughter? Oh.
WITHNAIL
I know. Shock, eh? God, it’s so good to see you again. Such a surprise. How did you know about…?
MARWOOD
I saw the Notice in The Times. Luck, really.
WITHNAIL
Oh, yes… of course. Edwina put it in. Poor old Monty, eh?
MARWOOD
Yes. My sincerest condolences.
WITHNAIL
Thank you. God… we must celebrate. I don’t mean… I mean…
MARWOOD
I know what you mean.
WITHNAIL
Would you like to come and meet Edwina?
MARWOOD (STEPPING BACK)
No, no… honestly. I just wanted to say hello. Pay my respects. I guessed you’d be here.
WITHNAIL
And I’m so, so glad you did. You wouldn’t believe. Listen, Edwina and I have a few things to clear up at the funeral directors. Could we meet up somewhere in a bit for a drink? Are you still in London?
MARWOOD
No. Margate.
WITHNAIL
Margate? Christ!
MARWOOD
It’s alright, actually. I’m okay.
WITHNAIL
Where are you staying, then?
MARWOOD
I’m not. Just come up for the day.
WITHNAIL
Well, listen. My hotel’s near St Pancras. Why don’t I meet you near our old place? It’s not far from here. Say, Camden Town subway entrance?
MARWOOD
Alright. When?
WITHNAIL (GLANCES AT WATCH)
Shall we say… twelve o’clock?
MARWOOD
Okay. Alright.
WITHNAIL
Good. We’ll find a bar. Like old times.
MARWOOD
Well… maybe not quite. Liver’s a bit less resilient now.
WITHNAIL
Same here. But balls to that! It’s Monty’s wake.
MARWOOD
True.
WITHNAIL starts to go.
WITHNAIL
Alright, good. Twelve o’clock.
MARWOOD
Twelve o’clock it is.
WITHNAIL
It’s just… so good to see you. Lots to catch up on.
MARWOOD (GLANCING UP PATH)
Clearly. You, too.
WITHNAIL dashes off. Stay on MARWOOD as he watches him go - his expression running through the emotions.
CUT TO:
MARWOOD’s P.O.V. of WITHNAIL and EDWINA. EDWINA has stopped again and is looking back at MARWOOD. She smiles and gives a small wave of her hand.
CUT TO:
MARWOOD again. He acknowledges the smile and wave. Then he turns and walks away in the opposite direction. He glances back again quickly, once.
CUT TO:
MARWOOD’s P.O.V. EDWINA is walking with her arm through WITHNAIL’s. She also glances back quickly.
FADE OUT.
(to be continued) https://www.abctales.com/story/harryc/withnail-i-2-beer-and-loving-penrith-4
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