All language subtitles for CrZxgh7Rke4PBX

(TYPEWRITER LOADING)

(TYPEWRITER CLACKING)

(TYPEWRITER CLACKING)

(WOMEN TALKING)

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 anymore?

I do. We just move in
different circles, that's all.

(WHEELBARROW RATTLING)

Do we have to do a play?

Why do we have to?

It's to celebrate
my brother Leon's visit.

I hate plays.

JACKSON: 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.

LOLA: In that case,
do you mind if I play her?

PIERROT:
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."

(DOOR CREAKS)

Yes?

Nothing.
Just thought I'd watch.

BRIONY: Rehearsals are private,
I'm afraid.

You can see
the play this evening.

I'll have to work then.

Well, I'm sorry, Danny.

JACKSON: Can we go
for a swim now?

Yes, yes, yes!

No, I don't really
think there's time!

PIERROT: Cecilia will let us.

I'm sure a half-hour break
would do us all good.

PIERROT: Cecilia? Cecilia!

Cecilia!

(BEE BUZZING)

(BUZZING)

(GASPS)

(GASPS)

(PANTING)

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 rumor.

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.

Uh-huh.

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?

- I don't want to teach.
- With your First?

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 realize that's probably
the most valuable thing we own?

Not anymore, it isn't.

Careful!

I'm...

(CAR HORN HONKING)

LEON: Hello, Robbie!

No need to encourage him.

Cee?

Mother?

Where is everyone, Danny?

I don't know, sir.

Sir.

- LEON: Gasping for a drink.
- Sir?

- Will you have one?
- Rather.

- Whiskey?
- 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?

LEON: Looks like it.
Some sort of rush on at the Ministry.

(THUDDING)

So aren't we doing the play?

No.

Why not?

Don't ask me.

I don't like it here.

PAUL: There's always a problem
when a new brand comes about.

The remarketing,
the re-packaging, the re-shaping.

Even the re-flavoring 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?

(PAUL CHUCKLES)

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.

LEON: 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?

LOLA: 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 marvelous names.

JACKSON:
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.

PIERROT: 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.

JACKSON:
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.

BRIONY: 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 mustache.

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

(TYPEWRITER CLACKING)
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 apologize for my clumsy

"And inconsiderate
behavior."

(OPERA PLAYING)

"Forgive me if I seem
strange but I'm..."

(CHUCKLING)

ROBBIE: 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 favor?

Could you run ahead
and give this to Cee? I...

Feel a bit of a fool
handing it over myself.

All right.

Briony.

Briony!

(PANTING)

I suppose he's what
you might call eligible.

Rather.

He certainly seems to think
he's the cat's pajamas.

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?

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

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.

(SOBBING)

Lola.

Can I tell you something?
Something really terrible.

Yes, please.

What's the worst word
you can possibly imagine?

(BELL RINGING)

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.

(MEN CHATTERING)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(PANTING)

BRIONY: 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.

(CLOCK CHIMING)

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.

(SIGHING)

(BOTH PANTING)

Robbie.

Cecilia.

I love you.

I love you.

(MOANING)

(DOOR OPENING)

Someone's come in.

Cecilia!

People were sitting out
having dinner on the pavement.

It was always the view of my parents that
hot weather encouraged loose morals.

In high summer, my sister and I were
never allowed out of the house.

They thought the villagers would
be unnecessarily provoked.

What do you say, Cee? Does the hot
weather make you behave badly?

Good heavens, you're blushing.

It's just hot in here,
that's all.

Lola, wipe that lipstick off.
You're far too young.

What about you, Briony?
What sins have you committed today?

I've done nothing wrong.

EMILY: Have you seen
the twins recently?

They didn't look very happy last
time I saw them, poor little chaps.

BRIONY:
You know nothing about it.

EMILY: Briony. I can't imagine
what's got into you.

I've never known you
to be so rude.

Well, they're not
poor little chaps.

- Just look what they did to Lola.
- What are you talking about?

Jackson and Pierrot bruised her arm.
Gave her Chinese burns.

I'm afraid she's quite right.
I had to pull them off her.

How I got my war wound.

The twins did that, Lola?

Yes, it all turned into a bit of a wrestle,
I'm afraid. Still, no harm done, eh, Lola?

EMILY: Would you go and find
these boys, please, Briony?

Tell them dinner's ready,
and where are their manners?

- Why do I have to go?
- Briony, you'll do as you're told,

Or you'll go straight
to your room.

- BRIONY: It's a letter!
- Give it to me!

- BRIONY: They've run away.
- EMILY: Who has?

The twins.

"We are going to run away because Lola is
so horrid to us and we want to go home.

- "Also, there wasn't a play."
- Don't worry.

We'll send out some search parties.
They can't have gone far.

Cee, you come with me.

LEON: Pierrot!

CECILIA: Jackson!

PAUL: Boys!

Jackson!

Pierrot!

(RUSTLING)

(SCREAMS)

(GASPS)

(SOBBING)

Lola? Are you all right?

I'm sorry.
I didn't... I'm sorry.

Who was it?

I saw him.

I saw him.

It was him, wasn't it?

Yes, it was him.

Lola, who was it?

It was Robbie,
wasn't it? Robbie?

You saw him?

Like you said,
he's a sex maniac.

And you don't even know
what happened before dinner.

I caught him attacking
my sister in the library.

I don't know what he'd have
done if I hadn't come in.

You actually saw him?

Of course I did.
Plain as day.

He pushed me to the ground.
And then he put his hands over my eyes.

I couldn't actually...
I never actually...

Listen. I've known him
my whole life, and I saw him.

Because I couldn't
say for sure.

Well, I can. And I will.

Call the police. And she'll
be needing a doctor, as well.

(LOLA SOBBING)

It's all right, dear.
It's all right now.

Is Robbie back yet?

I haven't seen him.

I know who it was.

You saw him, then?

Yes, I saw him.

Just as you see me?

I know it was him.

You know it was him?
Or you saw him?

Yes, I did, I saw him.

With your own eyes?

Yes. I saw him,
I saw him with my own eyes.

Well done, darling.

(TYPEWRITER CLACKING)

My brother and I found the
two of them down by the lake.

POLICEMAN:
You didn't see anyone else?

I wouldn't necessarily believe everything
Briony tells you. She's rather fanciful.

When they went looking,
I went up to my Dad's.

I did, honest.

POLICEMAN: Why was that?

To tell him all about it.

I know I shouldn't
have opened it.

No, you should not.

But at least you've
done the right thing now.

(SNORING)

(TAPPING PIANO KEY)

Sir, there is someone coming.

- Time you went to bed.
- But...

Now.

(DOOR OPENING)

EMILY: Cecilia!

You liars! You liars!
Liars! Liars!

(GRACE WAILING)

(HARMONICA PLAYING)

I says to him, I says, "You can sit
down there, twiddling your thumbs,

"waiting to get your head
blown off, if you want to.

"I'm off out of it."

(SHUSHING)

(FLOOR CREAKING)

MAN: Bonsoir, monsieur.
Bonsoir?

(WHISPERING) Let me do this.

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

(ALL PANTING)

What's his game?

He says he's got
something for us.

Fucking hell!

(PANTS)

Come on, then.

How come a toff like you, talks French
and everything, ends up a private?

Not eligible for officers' training
if you join direct from prison.

You're pulling my tit.

No, I'm not.

They gave me a choice.
Stay in prison or join the Army.

And for the record, the
last thing I am is a toff.

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

I'm sorry I'm late,
I got lost.

Hello.
Hello.

Should we sit down?

Yes, of course.

I'm sorry,
I can't remember, I...

Two. Thank you.

Where are you living?

Tiny flat in Balham.
It's ghastly.

The landlady's rude
and horribly nosy.

You look the same.

Apart from the uniform,
of course.

Yes, I'm sorry. I've got to go back
to the hospital in half an hour.

Oh, God, that...

- Sorry.
- No.

Have you been in
touch with your family?

No, I told you I wouldn't.

Leon waited outside the hospital
last week, I just pushed past him.

Cee, you don't
owe me anything.

Robbie, didn't you
read my letters?

Had I been allowed to visit you,
had they let me every day,

I would have been
there every day.

Yes, but...

If all we have rests
on a few moments

in a library three and a half years ago,
then I'm not sure,

- I don't know if...
- Robbie, look at me.

Look at me.

(WHISPERS) Come back.

Come back to me.

ROBBIE: Dearest Cecilia.

Dearest Cecilia.

Cecilia.

A friend of mine has
a cottage by the coast.

Said we can borrow it
when you're next on leave.

White clapboard with
blue-painted window frames.

I hope this bus never comes.

Here.

Something to think
of while you're away.

I love you.

(SIGHS)

(PLANES DRONING)

Some poor sod's
gonna catch a packet.

CECILIA: My darling. Briony found my
address somehow, and sent a letter.

The first surprise was
she didn't go up to Cambridge.

She's doing nurse's training
at my old hospital.

I think she may be doing this
as some kind of penance.

She says she's beginning to get the full
grasp of what she did, and what it meant.

She wants to come
and talk to me.

I love you. I'll wait for you.
Come back.

Come back to me.

ROBBIE: Come back.
Come back to me.

Come back.
Come back to me.

So where we going, guv?

Fucking hate those boots!

I hate them worse than all the
fucking Germans put together!

You'll have a job getting
back to England in your socks.

Come on, pal,
you should be getting dressed.

If I fell in,
would you save me?

Of course.

(WATER SPLASHES)

Briony!

(GASPING)

(LAUGHS)

Thank you.

Thank you! Thank you,
thank you!

That's an incredibly bloody
stupid thing to do.

I wanted you to save me.

Don't you know how easily
you could have drowned?

You saved me.

Stupid child!

You could have killed us both.
Is that your idea of a joke?

I want to thank you
for saving my life.

I will be eternally
grateful to you.

ROBBIE: The story can resume.

Our story can resume.
I will simply resume.

Jerry, come and have a go
at us in fucking South End.

Or better still,
Trafalgar Square.

No one speaks the
fucking lingo out here.

You can't say, "Pass the biscuit,"
or "Where's me hand grenade?"

They just shrug. Because they hate us, too.
I mean, that's the point.

We fight in France and the
French fucking hate us.

Make me Home Secretary,
I'll sort this out in a fucking minute.

We got India and Africa, right?

Jerry can have France and Belgium
and wherever else they want.

Who's fucking ever been to Poland?
It's all about room, empire.

They want more empire,
give 'em this shithole, we keep ours,

and it's "Bob's your uncle" and
"Fanny's your fucking aunt"!

Think about it.

ROBBIE: Dearest Cecilia.
The story can resume.

The one I had been planning
on that evening walk.

I can become again the man who
once crossed the Surrey park

at dusk in my best suit,
swaggering on the promise of life.

The man who,
with the clarity of passion,

made love to you
in the library.

The story can resume.

I will return,

find you, love you, marry you.
And live without shame.

You can smell the sea.

Fuck me.

It's like something
out of the Bible.

Jesus Christ.

Come on, get everybody
to clean this mess up now.

ROBBIE: We've just arrived, sir.
Can you tell us what we're supposed to be doing?

Nothing. Just wait.

ROBBIE: Where are the ships?

A few made it in yesterday,
Luftwaffe blew them to buggery.

Lost 3,000 men when
they sank the Lancastria.

High command, in its infinite wisdom,
is denying us air cover.

A disgrace,
a fucking disaster.

No, look, the thing is, you see,
I'm expected back, you see.

There's over 300,000 men on this beach,
Private. You'll have to wait your turn.

Just be grateful
you're not wounded.

I've orders to leave
the wounded behind.

No, no, no, leave it, guv!

Never trust a sailor on dry land.
You're best off out of it.

(GUN FIRING)

That's not right.

(GUN FIRING)

(GUN FIRING)

Christ.

MAN: Can you hear me, laddies?

I'm coming home!

(SINGING) Take from our souls
the strain and stress

And let our ordered
lives confess

The beauty of Thy peace

The beauty of Thy peace

Breathe through
the heats of our desire

Thy coolness and Thy balm

Let sense be numb,
let flesh retire

Speak through
the earthquake, wind and fire

O still, small voice of calm

(PANTING)

(MEN WHOOPING)

Guv'nor.

I have to get
something to drink.

You need one.
You're gray.

He's gone all gray,
can you see?

There. Come on.

MAN:
All I want's a cup of tea now.

MAN: What the fuck you doing?

MAN: I'm coming home!
Laddie, I'm coming home!

(MEN SINGING)

Fuck 'em all! Fuck 'em all!
The long and the short and the tall

Fuck all the Sergeants
and WO1s

Fuck all the corporals
and their bastard sons

'Cause we're saying
goodbye to them all

As back to their
billets they crawl

You'll get no promotion
this side of the ocean

So cheer up, my lads
Fuck 'em all!

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

Mike!

Mike!

Hold up, guv.

Wait here.

Why don't you sit down?

It's so hot in here.

Take off your boots.

I have to get back.
I promised her.

To put things right.

And she loves me.
She's waiting for me.

(ARTILLERY FIRING)

(EXPLOSION)

Oi!

Wait, wait, wait.

Hey, what have you
done with your boots?

Look, you're sure
you're feeling all right?

Never better.

Now I'm wondering whether the beach
really is the best place for dinner.

(BOMB EXPLODING)

I'm not sure,
I don't recognize it.

Dunno.
This'll do, down here.

No.

No, no, it's further on.

What is?

This place I know, an old
cottage with white clapboards

and blue-painted
window frames.

Aw, yes. Yeah, that's right,
that's where we're going.

It's close to here.

We're there. This is it.

Here we are, guv.
Down here.

That's all right, guv.
That's right.

Get your head down. Get your head down.
There you go.

(HUMMING)

Tuck yourself in.
Keep yourself warm.

Chew on a bit of this.

But quiet like,
or they'll all be wanting some.

Try and get some sleep.

(SINGING)

ROBBIE: Find you.

Love you.

Marry you.

And live without shame.

I love you. Come back.
Come back to me.

- Bit too much noise, guv'nor.
- What?

What noise?

You keep shouting.

Some of the lads are
getting a bit peeved.

What?

Christ.
You look a bit rough.

Thing is, I've decided
to stay on for a bit.

I'm meeting someone, and I'm
always keeping her waiting.

Now, listen.
Listen to me, guv'nor.

I went out for a Jimmy Riddle just now.
Guess what I saw!

They're getting themselves
sorted out down on the beach.

The boats are back, and a geezer from
the Buffs is marching us down at 7:00.

We're away.
We're off home, mate.

So get some more sleep,
and no more of your bleeding shouting.

All right?

I won't say a word.

Wake me before 7:00,
would you? Thanks so much.

You won't hear another
word from me. Promise.

Bed castors should be lined up
and pointing inwards.

I found three yesterday
that weren't.

You know who you are.

Which of you were responsible for
putting away the blankets today?

I was, Sister.

I don't suppose you can
tell us what you did wrong?

No, Sister.

Labels are folded to the inside,
are they not?

- Yes, Sister.
- Do them again.

Nurse Tallis,
I'll see you in my office.

The rest of you are excused.

Is this job at all
important to you, Tallis?

Very important, Sister.

Yesterday, you were
seconded to men's surgical.

When your patient came round from his anesthetic,
it seems the first thing he did

was ask for Briony.
Who might Briony be?

Well, me, Sister.

There is no Briony.

You are Tallis. Nurse Tallis.
Is that understood?

Yes, Sister.

There is no Briony.

MAN ON RADIO: This is the BBC Home Service.
Here is the news.

The BEF, with their French allies,
are fighting a desperate battle

in the northern zone
of the Western Front.

The Allied Forces have not lost cohesion,
and their morale is high.

The RAF continues to give
all the support in its power

to the Allied armies in northeastern
France and Belgium. Railways, roads,

bridges and enemy troops have been
continuously attacked, yesterday...

(WOMEN CHATTERING)

Thanks. I never could make the
scissors work with my left hand.

Mummy always did it for me.

There, you're done.

Bother!

Night-night, Ponty.

Good night, Tallis.

Don't panic!
It's only me.

Fiona, I almost jumped
out of my skin.

So this is where you
duck to after lights out.

I thought you might be in the
middle of some tempestuous romance.

Don't you freeze
to death up here?

I love London.

Do you think all of this will
be bombed and just disappear?

No.

I don't know.

Do you write about
Sister Drummond?

- Do you write about me?
- Sometimes.

Can I look?

I'd rather you didn't.
It's private.

I don't see any point
in writing a story

if you're not going
to let anyone read it.

It's not ready yet.
It's unfinished.

What's it about?

It's complicated.

Yes?

It's just...

It's about a young girl, a young and
foolish girl, who sees something from

her bedroom window which she doesn't
understand, but she thinks she does.

I probably won't
ever finish it.

I look at you, Tallis,
and you're so mysterious.

I've never been mysterious.

Do you know what
I decided tonight?

What?

I could never marry a man
who wasn't in the Royal Navy.

(SNIGGERING)

(SHUSHING)

Here we are.
Cecilia Tallis.

I think this is her address.

Thank you.

Dear Cecilia. Please don't throw
this away without reading it.

As you'll have seen from the
notepaper, I'm here at St. Thomas'

doing my nurses' training.

I decided not to take up
my place at Cambridge.

Oh, God.

I decided I wanted to make myself useful.
Do something practical.

It says in the newspaper the Army
are making strategic withdrawals.

Yes, I saw that.

It's a euphemism for retreat.

No matter how hard I work,
no matter how long the hours,

I can't escape from what I did

and what it meant,

the full extent of which I am
only now beginning to grasp.

Cee, please write
and tell me we can meet.

Your sister, Briony.

So do you?

Do I what?

Have a secret fiance in France.
That's what everyone thinks.

No, of course not.

Imagine not knowing
if he'd ever come back.

I've never been in love.

What, never?
Not even a crush?

Oh, I had a crush once,
when I was 10 or 11.

I jumped into a river to see if
he'd save me from drowning.

Now you're teasing me.

Oh, no.
And he did save me.

But as soon as I told him I loved him,
the feeling sort of disappeared.

Something's happened.

(BELL RINGING)

NURSE: Outside, quickly.

(CLAMORING)

(GROANING)

Robbie.

Excuse me.

Nurse Tallis, you speak a little French,
if I remember rightly.

Only school French, Sister.

There's a soldier in Bed 13.
Go and sit with him for a minute. Hold his hand.

Off you go.

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

Robbie?

Luc.

Luc Cornet.

Tallis.

Tallis.

- Tallis.
- Briony.

Je m'appelle Briony.

SISTER: Stand up,
Nurse Tallis.

Now go and wash
the blood off your face.

NARRATOR: The Navy has earned our undying gratitude.
The Army is undefeated.

Courage has brought them through
unconquered, their spirit unbowed.

This is the epic of Dunkirk.

A name that will live forever
in the annals of warfare.

In the course of
a comprehensive tour,

Queen Elizabeth is seen here visiting a
chocolate factory in the north of England.

The confectionary magnate and
friend of the British Army,

Mr. Paul Marshall, gave the Queen
a tour of the Army Amo factory

with his lovely, soon-to-be-wed fiancée,
Miss Lola Quincey.

What a mouthwatering
couple they are.

Keep the Amo coming.
Our boys have a sweet tooth.

Secondly, for a remedy against sin,
and to avoid fornication,

that such persons as have
not the gift of continence,

might marry and keep themselves
undefiled members of Christ's body.

Thirdly, it was ordained, for the
mutual society, help and comfort,

that the one ought
to have the other.

I saw him.

Therefore, if any man
can show any just cause

why they may not be
lawfully joined together...

I know it was him.

...let him now speak
or forever hold his peace.

(GASPS)

I saw him.
I saw him with my own eyes.

(ORGAN PLAYING)

WOMAN: Let the nursey through.

They're going down
to the country today.

Never been out
of London before.

I hope they get
a nice family.

They don't know what they're
in for with this lot.

Come on.

I'm looking for Miss Tallis.
Cecilia Tallis.

Is she in?

Tallis! Door!

I tried writing.
You wouldn't answer.

I have to talk to you.

(DOOR CLOSING)

So you're a ward sister now?

Yes.

Thanks.

I want to go in front of a judge
and change my evidence, Cee.

Don't call me that.

Please don't call me that.

I know what I did was terrible.
I don't expect you to forgive me.

Oh, don't worry, I won't.

You're an unreliable witness.
They'll never reopen the case.

Well, at least I could tell
everyone else what I did.

I can go home and explain
to Mummy and Daddy and Leon...

So what's stopping you?

Well, I wanted
to see you first.

They don't want to hear
any more about it.

That unpleasantness is all tidied away
in the past, thank you very much.

But...

I'll be late.
Better get moving.

Excuse me.

He sleeps so deeply.

What is she doing here?

She wanted to speak to me.

Oh, yes, what about?

The terrible thing I did.

Robbie. Darling.

(BREATHING DEEPLY)

I'll be quite
honest with you.

I'm torn between
breaking your neck here

and taking you and throwing
you down the stairs.

Oh, God.

Do you have any idea what it's like in jail?
Of course, you don't.

Tell me, did it give you
pleasure to think of me inside?

- No.
- But you did nothing about it.

- No.
- Do you think I assaulted your cousin?

- No.
- Did you think it then?

Yes. But yes and no.

- And what's made you so certain now?
- Growing up.

- Growing up?
- I was 13.

How old do you have to be to know the
difference between right and wrong?

What are you, 18?

Do you have to be 18 before you can
bring yourself to own up to a lie?

There are soldiers of 18, old enough to
be left to die by the side of the road,

- did you know that?
- Yes.

Five years ago, you didn't
care about telling the truth.

You, all your family, you just
assumed that for all my education,

I was still little better than a servant.
Still not to be trusted!

Thanks to you, they were able to close ranks
and throw me to the fucking wolves!

- Robbie! Look at me, look at me.
- Don't!

Come back. Come back.

Come back to me.

CECILIA: Briony.

There isn't much time.

Robbie has to report for duty at 6:00,
and he's got a train to catch.

So sit down.

There are some things
you're going to do for us.

You'll go to your parents
as soon as you can,

and you'll tell them
everything they need to know

to be convinced that the
evidence you gave was false.

You'll meet with a solicitor,
make a statement,

have it signed, witnessed, send copies to us.
Is that clear?

Yes.

You'll write a detailed letter to me
explaining everything that happened

leading up to you saying
you saw me by the lake.

Try to include whatever
you can remember

of what Danny Hardman
was doing that night.

- Hardman?
- Yes.

It wasn't Danny Hardman.

It was Leon's friend,
Marshall.

I don't believe you.

He's married Lola.
I've just come from their wedding.

Lola won't be able to
testify against him now.

(BREATHING DEEPLY)

He's immune.

I'm very, very sorry for the terrible
distress that I have caused.

I am very, very sorry.

ROBBIE: Just do as
we've asked of you.

Write it all down,
just the truth, no rhymes.

No embellishments,
no adjectives.

And then leave us be.

I will, I promise.

(DOOR CLOSING)

BRIONY: I'm sorry.
Could we stop for a moment?

MAN: Of course.
ls something the matter?

I just need a couple
of minutes by myself.

(TAPE REWINDING)

...minutes by myself.

MAN: Briony Tallis, your new novel,

your twenty-first,
is called Atonement. It's...

Briony?

I'm sorry.
Could we stop for a moment?

Briony Tallis, I'd like to talk now
about your new novel, Atonement,

which comes out in a few days
to coincide with your birthday.

It's your
twenty-first novel...

It's my last novel.

Oh, really?
Are you retiring?

I'm dying.

My doctor tells me I have something
called vascular dementia,

which is essentially a
continuous series of tiny strokes.

Your brain closes down,
gradually you lose words, you lose your memory,

which for a writer
is pretty much the point.

So that's why I could finally write
the book, I think. I had to.

And why, of course,
it's my last novel.

Strangely enough,

it would be just as accurate
to call it my first novel.

I wrote several drafts as far back as my time
at St. Thomas' Hospital during the War.

I just couldn't ever
find the way to do it.

Because the novel is autobiographical,
is that right?

Yes, entirely. I haven't changed
any names, including my own.

And was that the problem?

No.

I had, for a very long time,
decided to tell the absolute truth.

No rhymes, no embellishments.

And I think...

You've read the book,
you'll understand why.

I got first-hand accounts of all the
events I didn't personally witness,

the conditions in prison,
the evacuation to Dunkirk, everything.

But the effect of all this
honesty was rather pitiless.

You see, I couldn't any longer imagine
what purpose would be served by it.

By what? Sorry.
Served by honesty?

By honesty.

Or reality.

Because, in fact,

I was too much of a coward to go
and see my sister in June, 1940.

I never made that
journey to Balham.

ROBBIE: Do you have any idea
what it's like in jail?

BRIONY: So the scene in which I confess
to them is imagined.

CECILIA: He sleeps so deeply.

BRIONY: Invented.

ROBBIE: How old do you have to be to know
the difference between right and wrong?

BRIONY: And, in fact,
could never have happened.

Because

Robbie Turner died
of septicemia at Bray-Dunes

on June the first, 1940,

the last day of the evacuation.

Cheerio, pal.

And I was never able to put things right
with my sister, Cecilia,

because she was killed
on the 15th of October, 1940,

by the bomb that destroyed the gas and
water mains above Balham tube station.

(BOMBS EXPLODING)

So...

My sister and Robbie were never
able to have the time together

they both so longed for,
and deserved.

And which,
ever since, I've...

Ever since I've
always felt I prevented.

But what sense of hope,

or satisfaction, could a reader derive
from an ending like that?

So, in the book, I wanted to give Robbie
and Cecilia what they lost out on in life.

I'd like to think this
isn't weakness or evasion,

but a final act of kindness.

I gave them their happiness.

(BOTH LAUGHING)