The Ploughman's Lunch

THE PLOUGHMAN'S LUNCH An original screenplay by Ian McEwan Post Production Draft, 1985 FADE IN: INT. BBC RADIO NEWSROOM - LATE MORNING We are IN CLOSE as a story arrives on a press service teleprinter.A Hand tears away the sheet.The CAMERA TRACKS as we follow the story.It passes through the copytaster's hands and it passes on down to the summaries desk. This is a time of steady activity.Journalists move about the room to consult.Others are writing in longhand, and several are dictating copy to typists, who are all women. One or two people - NEWSREADERS - sit about doing nothing. Much movement of paper. Over the sound of typewriters and the murmur of dictating voices we HEAR a WOMAN'S VOICE over the P.A. Announce, "The Leader of the Opposition on five".A few journalists pick up their headsets, but they do not stop writing.We establish the atmosphere - laconic but efficient, and a little down-at-heel. At the summaries desk we find JAMES PENFIELD.He stands to the side of a little behind a seated secretary, dictating in a laconic deadpan voice from a sheet of scrawled longhand. JAMES Between fifty and sixty scrap metal workers are.. The phone rings.James snatches it and answers without breaking stride. JAMES Hello.Newsroom. The secretary waits, her face totally inexpressive. JAMES Who?Paul Dean?He doesn't work here anymore. ANOTHER JOURNALIST (calling over his shoulder as he passes) Went to IRN. JAMES No.No.Sorry.Try IRN. He drops the receiver and continues.