1. Excerpt from screenplay:
In Darkest England
An adapted screenplay
by
Christopher M. Butler
Based on the Book:
William and Catherine
by
Trevor Yaxley
FIRST DRAFT (2015)
Excerpt is from pages 5 through 15

2. TITLE: LONDON, 1885, 45 YEARS LATER
FADE IN …
INT. SMALL, DIRTY BEDROOM – NIGHT
A YOUNG GIRL with too much make up, apparently covering bruises
and her age, lies still in a bed with her eyes shut.
The room is silent until –
WE HEAR a man snore.
The YOUNG GIRL, the one they call Rosie but whose real name is
ANASTASIA, opens her eyes and slowly turns her head.
An older BALD MAN with a handlebar moustache sleeps next to
her. He continues to snore.
ANASTASIA quietly crawls out of bed and dresses in the lacey
undergarments she had been wearing earlier that night. She
moves silently to the door and puts her ear to it.
WE HEAR the drunken laughter of a few men outside the door.
ANASTASIA grabs a large jacket from a chair beside the bed. She
slips it on. It is an outer jacket uniform with various badges
sewn onto it. She does the same with the man’s boots.
ANASTASIA buttons up the jacket and quietly walks to a cracked
window at the other end of the room. She grabs a tattered
tablecloth from a small table under the window. She wraps the
cloth around her hand and wrist. She climbs up on table and
carefully SMASHES THE WINDOW with her wrapped hand.
WE HEAR the snoring stop.
ANASTASIA freezes in places and listens intently. She shuts her
eyes and whispers to herself.
WE HEAR the snoring resume.

3. ANASTASIA breathes a sigh of relief and pulls out the remaining
shards of glass from the window frame. She un-wraps the cloth
and lays it on the window sill.
CUT TO –
EXT. ALLEY OUTSIDE OF BEDROOM WINDOW – CONT.
ANASTASIA starts to pull herself up and through the
opening. She is partially through when suddenly –
ANASTASIA is pulled backward. She screams and quickly braces
herself against the outside wall.
CUT TO –
INT. SMALL BEDROOM – CONT.
The BALD MAN stands naked at the window, his hands grasped
tightly around one ankle.
ANASTASIA looks back.
BALD MAN
You little bitch! Where in the bloody
hell do you –
ANASTASIA pulls her free leg back and forcefully kicks the bald
man in the face with the bottom of his own boot.
The BALD MAN reels back, arms swinging wildly and blood spurting
from his nose. He loses his balance and falls backward on the
floor.
CUT TO –
EXT. ALLEY OUTSIDE BEDROOM WINDOWN – CONT.
ANASTASIA quickly squirms through the window opening and tumbles
to the ground. She quickly pulls herself up and runs. She
quickly disappears in the darkness.
The BALD MAN sticks his head out the window, blood still
streaming from his nose. He looks down the alley, a light cloud
of dust visible in the direction that she ran.
BALD MAN

4. You are mine, you bloody whore!!
You are mine!
CUT TO –
EXT. BRICK WALLS WITH CLOSED IRON GATE – DAY
A CHEEFUL MAN in a Salvation Army uniform whistles as he crosses
a cobblestone path inside a large compound. He has a badge that
reads FOLEY. The path leads to an iron gate, the rest of the
compound is surrounded by a brick wall.
FOLEY turns a large wheel which causes the iron gate to open
slowly. The rays of the early morning sun flood through the
opening onto the cobblestone path.
FOLEY continues to turn the wheel, the morning cold is
noticeable from the soldier’s breath visible in the air.
A SHADOW appears in the sunlight that shines through the
opening. FOLEY stops turning the wheel and looks at the figure
in the opening. A look of confusion appears on his face.
ANASTASIA stands in the opening, trembling, the police issued
trench coat draped over her small frame.
FOLEY
Miss?
ANASTASIA
I need – General.
FOLEY
Um … well … it would be …
(he looks around)
I’m not sure what trouble you –
ANASTASIA
I need … General.
FOLEY
That’s what I’m trying – we have
women on our staff that can help –
ANASTASIA becomes agitated.
ANASTASIA

5. General! General! I need General!
I need General! I need –
FOLEY
Bloody - !
(he smiles and holds up
his hand)
Just …
FOLEY walks back to the wheel and shuts the gate behind her. He
pulls a canteen from a bag. He walks back and offers it to her.
FOLEY
Water?
(mimics drinking)
Thirsty?
ANASTASIA nods. FOLEY hands her the canteen.
FOLEY
Please … just wait –
ANASTASIA
General –
FOLEY
Yes. You need him.
FOLEY looks at her and sighs. He turns and walks toward a large
building.
ANASTASIA sits on the ground, opens the canteen, and voraciously
drinks the water.
CUT TO –
INT. STUDY WITH DESK – CONT
TITLE: WILLIAM AND CATHERINES LIVING QUARTERS
The GENERAL WILLIAM BOOTH, now an older man with a tussle of
gray hair, bushy moustache and long beard, sits at a large
desk. He sips a cup of coffee and stares at a blank piece of
paper.

6. The GENERAL grumbles with a frown as he picks up a quill pen and
holds it over an ink well. He holds his hand still in the air
for a moment and then tosses down the quill.
GENERAL
Bullocks!
WE HEAR his wife, CATHERINE, in the next room.
CATHERINE (O.S)
Patience, William. Patience. How can the
Good Lord let His Spirit give you the
words to write when your tempestuous and
foul disposition cause Him to grieve so.
The GENERAL rubs his eyes.
GENERAL
A better question to ask, my meddlesome,
mate, is why He chooses to let His Spirit
speak when I wag my tongue, yet go mute
when the means of evangelism is the
written word?
CATHERINE (O.S.)
(laughing)
Ironic, considering your oratory skills play
into your vanity, while a quill immediately
brings out your humility.
WE HEAR a knock at the door.
GENERAL
Yes, enter.
The door opens and FOLEY enters.
FOLEY
My apologies, General.
The GENERAL waves his hand.
GENERAL
A welcome reprieve from …
other pursuits. What can I do for
you this morning, Foley?

7. FOLEY
I’m afraid there is … well … a girl
who is quite insistent on an audience
with you sir.
The GENERAL looks at Foley.
GENERAL
I assume there is more …
FOLEY
Yes – of course – she is … the girl
is very … it’s all very curious …
FOLEY motions to the window.
FOLEY
If I may …
FOLEY walks to the window with the General following.
CATHERINE enters the room wearing her bedclothes. She looks
weak and pale.
CATHERINE
What is all the fuss about, Mr. Foley?
GENERAL
(to Foley)
The curiosity of felines and females …
FOLEY removes his hat and bows to Catherine.
FOLEY
G’morning, maam. My apologies
for the disturbance. I was just speaking
about this strange girl that showed up.
FOLEY pulls back the lace over the window.
FOLEY
By the gate.
The GENERAL and CATHERINE look through the window. The GENERAL
squints and opens the window to get a better look.
CATHERINE

8. Felines and females … look at
you crane your neck.
GENERAL
The result of failing eyesight – not
morbid curiosity.
(pulls back from window)
What am I supposed to be looking
at sir?
CATHERINE looks down.
CATHERINE
Is that a constable’s overcoat, Mr.
Foley?
FOLEY
It appears so.
CATHERINE
Curious.
(to Foley)
And what do you ascertain her age
to be?
FOLEY
My guess … just turned teen – if
that.
CATHERINE
But made to look older?
FOLEY
Yes, mum. And she has an accent –
Russian I think. I don’t think she
even speaks English.
(beat)
And she’s been handled – quite rough.
CATHERINE turns to William.
CATHERINE
It’s Providence, William.
The GENERAL nods, deep in thought.
CATHERINE (cont.)

9. On the day of your meeting with
Mr. Stead. No doubt.
The GENERAL turns to Foley.
GENERAL
Foley, if you would be so kind to
have Miss Kimball clean the girl
up and feed her. I will meet her in
the main meeting room after.
CATHERINE kisses the General on the cheek.
CATHERINE
I must lie back down.
GENERAL
Of course, my love.
FOLEY bows as Catherine moves toward her bedroom.
CATHERINE
Good day, Mr. Foley.
CATHERINE exits. Foley starts to leave.
GENERAL
Foley – please bring me the
overcoat right away and also send
a messenger to have Bramwell
come early – before the meeting.
Post haste.
FOLEY
Of course, sir.
FOLEY hurries out the door.
The GENERAL sits back down at the desk. He puts on his reading
glasses, dips his quill in ink and quickly scribbles on the
paper. He holds up the paper and gently blows on it.
The sentence on the paper reads:
In Darkest England and the Way Out
He sets the paper down and smiles.

10. CUT TO –
FADE OUT …
TITLE: The Bottoms
“Worst Slum in Nottingham”
1850
FADE IN …
EXT. STREET CORNER - DAY
WILLIAM BOOTH, now in his early 20’s, walks out of an alleyway
while rolling an empty barrel to the street corner. He pushes
it upright and climbs on top of it. The walkway is crowded with
DRUNKS and PROSTITUTES who seem oblivious to the well-dressed
man with a top hat.
WILLIAM removes his hat and looks around.
WILLIAM
(singing)
Outcasts of men, to you I call, Harlots
and publicans and thieves!
He spreads His arms to embrace you all.
Sinners alone, His grace receives:
No need of Him the righteous have,
He came the lost to seek and save.
WILLIAM finishes the hymn and looks at the crowd that has
gathered around him.
WILLIAM
Friends …
A tomato is thrown from the crowd, just missing William. He
continues unfazed.
WILLIAM (cont.)
I would like to put a few straight
questions to you …
WILLIAM stares at the crowd with a somber look.