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Unbroken waves move across dark water. 1,INT.MICHAEL'S ROOM/ EXT. BEACH - DAY MICHAEL, dressed as a religious brother, sits in a chair. He is in his early thirties. MICHAEL moves his mouth as if to speak, but cannot find the words. He is against an anonymous dark background. Unbroken waves move across dark water. A PRIEST's voice is heard. It is more like a conversation than a confession.
Unbroken waves move across dark water. Suddenly with great force MICHAEL, bearded and wearing a T-shirt, explodes up out of the water with a gasping roar.
MICHAEL stares ahead. The PRIEST's hand makes a careless, unfocussed sign of the cross in the foreground.
2. EXT.HOME/ATLANTIC - DAY Distant shot of 'The Home', silent, windswept. Sea gulls. It is surrounded by a perimeter fence, more to define the area than imprison the boys. 3.INT.WOODWORK ROOM - DAY Close up of an almost completed cross of wood. Noise of sawing and hammering, voices and some laughter. The cross lies on the workbench. Hands pick up the cross and insert it in a vice, which is tightened. MICHAEL, in a clerical outfit covered by a work apron begins to plane the cross. He shouts over the noise and demonstrates to a PUPIL what he is doing. MICHAEL stops with the next boy and listens to him above the noise of the drills etc., leaning down with his ear close to the BOY and his hand on his shoulder. 4.INT MINIBUS - DAY A minibus drives slowly towards the gates of the perimeter fence.In the back sits OWEN KANE (aged 10). His face registers trepidation at seeing the grim, imposing exterior of 'the Home'. 5. INT.WOODWORK ROOM - DAY MICHAEL examines the varnished cross of the boy he is talking to and nods with approval. The boy swaggers, embarrassed at the praise. MICHAEL moves to a bench which has a rack with about twenty plastic crucified Christ figures hanging on it. He picks one up between his fingers and gives it to the BOY. 6. EXT.HOME -DAY BORSTAL BOYS walk in twos from one classroom to another across the quad, shepherded by a BROTHER. Seagulls scream overhead. The minibus pulls up at the front door. 7. INT.WOODWORK ROOM - DAY The BOY begins to pin Christ's outstretched hands to the cross with gentle taps of a small hammer.
Suddenly there is silence as BROTHER FINTAN enters the classroom. He walks to MICHAEL and speaks to him. MICHAEL takes off his apron and leaves. FINTAN walkkks to the front of the class, plucks up the knees of his soutane, and sits. The atmostphere has changed completely to one of unease and wariness and menace.
Someone starts to saw. Another hammers. The sound of work is re-established, but there are no voices as before. 8.INT CORRIDOR DAY MICHAEL hurries along an empty corridor. He stops at a door and dusts himself down. He runs his hand through his hair and knocks. |
