ASSISTANT_DIRECTOR BAKEWELL BEARDED_APPLICANT BLACKBOROW CAIRD CAIRO CAVALRY_OFFICER CECILY CECILY_AND_RAYMOND CREAN CREW CURZON CURZON_VO DIRECTOR DOCKER DOCKER_VO ELEANOR EMILY EQUERRY FAMILY FIRST_LIEUTENANT FRANK FRANKS FRESHFIELD GREEN HARBOUR HEAD_WAITER HOLNESS HUDSON HURLEY HUSSEY JACOBSEN JANET JUDGE KELTIE KING_GEORGE KING_GEORGE_V MACKLIN MAN_IN_AUDIENCE MARCIE MARSTON MCILROY MCNISH MEN MORGAN ODDENINO ORDELEES PERRIS PRISON_GUARD RAYMOND RECEPTIONIST ROSALIND ROSALIND_VO SECRETARY SHACKLETON SHACKLETON_VO TAXI_DRIVER THORALF VALIENTE VERY_YOUNG_APPLICANT VINCENT WHALEMAN WILD WORDIE WORSLEY  

SHACKLETON VO
 Er, hi er l i egt der magneti she Pol , und ...
SHACKLETON
... hi er ads auf unser Hei mfart gen Nord entdeckte neue Land. Danke. Hi er ei nen kl ei nen Adel i e-Pengui n bei der Besi chti gung ei nes Hundes. Danke.	und hi er zwei Kai ser­ Pengui ne bei der sel ben Beschaefti gung. Danke. Danke.
 MAN IN AUDIENCE
 ei n Engl aender koennte so stolz se1 n auf sei n versagen.	si e wol l ten den suedpol errei chen, und... wi e andere haben  si e versagt.	und jetzt kommen si e her, uns mi t Ihrem versagen zu unterhal ten.
SHACKLETON
Franks ... what does 'versagen' mean?
FRANKS
Fai l ure. He's sayi ng
SHACKLETON
I know what he's sayi ng.  Thank you for your questi on.	You're ri ht, si r, we fai l ed. we fai l ed to reach the South Pol e.	I turned back.	I chose l i fe over death for myself and for my fri ends, whi ch i s why I am here to tel l you about i t toni ght.	But others fol l ow i n our footsteps - Captai n Scott taki ng our route, the Norwegi an, Amundsen , from the Bay of whal es.	And i f they shoul d fai l , then I wi l l try agai n because I bel i eve i t i s i n our nature to expl ore, to reach out i nto the unknown. The onl y true fai l ure -- woul d be not to expl ore at al l . Danke mei n hei r. Franks.
FRANKS
Your German sounded al most perfect toni ght.
SHACKLETON
Real l y?
FRANKS 
I thi nk they just don't want to be l ectured by an Engl i shman any more.
SHACKLETON
Oh.
FRANKS 
The manager says 'The Dai l y chroni cl e' have tel ephoned three ti mes thi s eveni ng. They're on the l i ne now. Yes.
SHACKLETON
Thank you. Si r Ernest Shackl eton. Yes. I see. What date exactl y? And Scott, where i s he?
SHACKLETON
wel l , i t i s trul y extraordi nary news and , er, I woul d offer hi m my hearti est cong ratul ations. Yes, you can quote me. Thank you. Goodbye. Amundsen i s back i n Tasmani a. He says he reached the south Pol e on December the 14th l ast year.	Looks l i ke my career as a l ecturer i s over.
FRANKS 
What about Scott?
SHACKLETON
No si gn of hi m.
FAMILY
No-one  cares for me  Not a fri end i n al l the worl d have I None to soothe my fears None to dry my tears Al l alone i n sorrow I must di e
SHACKLETON 
That's i t.
FAMILY 
Not a fri end i n al l the worl d have I
EMILY 
What' s al l that noi se?
FAMILY 
None to soothe my fears None to dry my tears Al l al one in sorrow I must di e
ELEANOR
Oh, somethi ng Mi key used to make us si ng i n Irel and when we were chi l dren. A temperance song, i f you can bel i eve it. um, Frank's here.
EMILY
Oh.
ELEANOR
But don't worry, I'l l deal wi th i t.
SHACKLETON
Ah, here's my boy. Your aunts have come to pay you a vi si t.
SHACKLETON 
They' re a terri fyi ng gang. You shoul d never l i sten to a word that any of them say, you know. But they'l l al l be a hundred and two by the ti me you grow up, so you won't have to. Aunti e Kathl een, Aunti e
FRANK
I suppose I must et creing around l i ke cri mi nal .
SHACKLETON
I'm gl ad you came.
FRANK
I'm sorry, coul dn't face everybody. Not al l at once. I've had enough l ectures to l ast a l ifeti me.
SHACKLETON
Franki e, you di d the best you coul d.	You were iust unl ucky. It's onl y money after al l . It's never been one of our strengths.
FRANK
My sol i ci tor says I must prepare mysel f for a pri son sentence. How does one do that I wonder? 'Wal ki ng round i n ci rcl es ' practi ce, I suppose.
SHACKLETON
coul d fi nd you a pai r of stri ped pyjamas, make you a bowl of porri dge or somethi ng. come on i n. It, i t 's just us.
FRANK
Mi key, I do hope that al l thi s i s not goi ng to hurt you. Your pl ans, I mean.
SHACKLETON
Oh, what pl ans? what can I do? The fashi on at the moment i s for dead expl orers. come on. No, my next, er, expedi tion i s to the seasi de.
EMILY 
You promi sed.	I have the l etter. You sai d you'd never go back.
SHACKLETON
I know, but thi ngs have changed. Besi des, I can't  l ecture any more, I'm out of date.	I'm just one more explorer who fai led to reach the Pol e, but one who i nconveni entl y happens to be al i ve.
EMILY
Don't say that.	Don't ever say that. what about your  ci garette company? I thought you were going to concentrate on that.
SHACKLETON
I don't thi nk I'm much of a sal esman.
CECILY
Pl ease can we go paddl i ng, mama?
EMILY 
No, darl i ng.
RAYMOND
Pl ease, mama.	Please, mama.
EMILY 
 You can do anythi ng when you bel i eve i n i t.
CECILY AND RAYMOND
Pl ease, mama.	Pl ease, mama. Pl ease, mama.
SHACKLETON
But that's what I mean. That's why I need to go back.
RAYMOND
Pl ease, mama.	Pl ease, mama.
EMILY 
No, darl i ng.
SHACKLETON
Chi l dren, l i sten to your mother.	she knows best one more tri p south.	That's all i t wi ll be. I'll be too old to go agai n after that anyway. I'l l stay at home. I'll never take my slippers off. You can nai l them to my feet. I promi se. oh my goodness, I'm soaki ng wet. Who put al l thi s water here?  chi l dren, hel p me, pl ease! Look, I'l l be i n London for a few days ... just to fi nd out i f i t's possi bl e.  oh, good afternoon, madam. It'l l just be busi ness meeti ngs.	very bori ng, you'd hate i t. Anyway, nothi ng wi l l be defi ni te.
FRANK
Shackl eton. I reserved a tabl e for three.
HEAD WAITER
Yes, si r. Mrs Chetwynd. si r Ernest has al ready arri ved.
FRANK
That was defi ni tel y a funny l ook.
ROSALIND
Darl i ng, they don't go i n for funny l ooks, that's why I come here.
SHACKLETON
Oh.
FRANK
Good God , hal f London seems to be i n uni form these days. They can't possi bl y al l be real . There's a costumi er somewhere maki ng a fortune.
SHACKLETON
How's school ?
ROSALIND
I di d my reci tation today. Mi ss Rorke was very pl eased.
FRANK
Who were you?
ROSALIND
Porti a.
FRANK
Oh, very stern.	What' s thi s?
SHACKLETON
Gi ve that back.
FRANK
Oh, dear, I thi nk my brother' s devel opi ng an i nterest i n modern art.
SHACKLETON
Can I have that back, pl ease?
ROSALIND
What on earth i s i t?
FRANK
Wel l , I'd say i t's ei ther an el ephant wi th an arrow through i ts head , or i t's the south Pol e.	No pri zes there then.
ROSALIND
Let me see i t.
SHACKLETON
Can we order?	um, thank you.
ROSALIND
You sai d you'd never go back.
SHACKLETON
Don't worry , no-one will let me. can I have my menu , pl ease?
 
ROSALIND
You sai d you di dn't want to go back.
SHACKLETON
know what I said.
SHACKLETON
The race to the Pol e i s over. what I'm proposi ng i s somethi ng much more important.
PERRIS 
The publ i c l i kes a race. And 'The chroni cl e ' l i kes what the publ i c l i kes.
SHACKLETON
The publ i c wi l l l i ke thi s - a crossi ng of the enti re conti nent. The longest Antarctic or Arctic journey ever attempted , mostly over compl etel y unexplored  terri tory.
PERRIS
I'd sti l l prefer a race. Thank you, Hel en.  It must be an expensi ve busi ness. How much d'you need?
SHACKLETON
Er, to equi p the whol e expedi ti on? um , about, er, si xty thousand pounds.
PERRIS
So, do you want to make a pu bl i c appeal?
SHACKLETON
No, I've tri ed that before. The accounti ng i s i mpossi bl y compl i cated. I'm looking for a small group of pri vate i nvestors.
PERRIS 
Wel l , i f i t hel ps, I may know some peopl e who mi ght be     i nterested i n the movi ng pi cture ri ghts. Pl ease, si t down.	I may be even i nterested myself . If there's a war, the newsreel 's goi ng to be very important. But what about your brother?
SHACKLETON
Well , the timi ng of the tri al i s unfortunate, but i t'l l be over soon. It's a matter of a thousand pounds.
PERRIS 
D'you know a Frank Hi rd?
SHACKLETON
Wel l , I, I've met hi m.
PERRIS
Mr Hi rd i s tel l i ng anyone that'l l l i sten that your brother stole sixty thousand pounds from hi s father, Lord Ronal d Gower. He says you i ntrod uced Lord Ronal d to your brother and knew al l about i t.
SHACKLETON
Hi rd i s a madman. I put the matter i n the hands of my   sol i ci tors and he wi thdrew hi s al l egations i mmedi atel y.
PERRIS
So i t's not true?
SHACKLETON
That I was i nvol ved? Absol utel y not. Thus, l adi es and gentl emen, i t i s my hope and my i ntenti on to make thi s journey, to the Pol e and the mysteri es beyond , crossi ng the enti re Antarcti c Conti nent from one side to the other.	cl ose your eyes for a moment, pl ease, and i ma9i ne Antarcti ca. Let your mi nd wander across a, a frozen sea, waves twi sted i nto fantasti cal shapes. Iceber9s l i ke fai ry castl es shimmeri ng i n pearl y shades of cobal t bl ue and rose. And si l ence. Utter. Absol ute. Broken only by the thundercrack of spl i tti ng i ce. The l ast page of that great atl as, drawn by the expl orers of the anci ent worl d , l i es open before us. And what shal l we cal l it, thi s new l and we have just di scovered?
WILD
We'l l cal l i t Archi bal d Dexter's Land.
SHACKLETON
Mr Frank wi l d , I thank you. I gi ve you Archi bal d Dexter's Land. And that heavenl y peak that has just appeared out of the mi st?
MORGAN
Mount J ack Morgan.
SHACKLETON
Exactl y, Mr Morgan. Mount J ack Morgan!
ROSALIND
Wel l , he 's convi nced there's goi ng to be a war.
SHACKLETON
Yes, I know, he tol d me.
ROSALIND
I suppose the band was your i dea?
SHACKLETON
Gui l ty.
ROSALIND
Wel l ?
SHACKLETON
Wel l what?
ROSALIND
How di d you do?
SHACKLETON 
Oh , one i nvi tati on to go to the races and a req uest from Mr Morgan' s offi ce to keep i n touch wi th developments. A zero. A nought. Nothi ng.
ROSALIND
so what's next?
SHACKLETON
I don't know. Rent an offi ce and get started , I suppose.
MARCIE
Excuse me, si r.
SHACKLETON
Yes, what i s i t?
MARCIE
I've come about the job. I'm sorry I'm earl y.
SHACKLETON
How di d you know who I was?
MARCIE
I've seen your pi cture, si r.
SHACKLETON
Wel l , come on, open the door then. So what' s your name?
MARCIE
Sparks, sir. Marci e Sparks.
SHACKLETON
Wel l take these then. How d'you spell apostrophe, Marcie?
MARCIE
Si r?
SHACKLETON
Apostrophe, how do you , er, spel l i t?
MARCIE
A-p-o-s-t-r-o-p-h-e.
SHACKLETON
What do you thi nk, Franki e?
WILD
No i dea, boss.
SHACKLETON
Me nei ther, but i t sounds convi nci ng.	That's half the battl e. Yes, I'l l take thi s one, Frank.
WILD
Ri ghto.
SHACKLETON
Marci e, thi s i s Frank wi l d , my second i n command.	The most experi enced Antarcti c man you'l l ever meet.
WILD
How d'you do?
SHACKLETON
Tom Crean, who was wi th captai n Scott's party l ast year. But we won't hol d that a9ai nst him... will we, Tom?
CREAN
No, si r. How d'you do?
MARCIE
Pl eased to meet you.
SHACKLETON
Come on then, l et's see what you're made of. To the Edi tor of 'The Ti mes' . Si r, it has been an open secret for some time that I have been desi rous of l eadi ng another expedi tion to the south Pol ar regi ons ... Tom, be a good    fel l ow, pop downstai rs.	Put a note on the door to say the posi ti on i s fi l l ed. I can  announce  that such an expedi ti on wi l l start next year.
KELTIE
I have taken the l i berty of cal l i ng the expedi ti on 'The Imperi al Trans-Antarcti c ...'who the bl oody hel l does he thi nk he i s?
CURZON
Apparentl y he's been promi sed ten thousand pounds by the Government.
KELTIE
Onl y i f he rai ses al l of the rest of the money fi rst. Lloyd George i s no fool . where i s Shackl eton goi ng to fi nd sixty thousand pounds ? He hasn't even pai d for hi s l ast expedi ti on.
FRESHFIELD
Well , I hope he's not expecti ng to get any money from us. Thi s i s the Royal Geog raphi cal society, i t i s not the Royal Antarcti c Expl orati on soci ety. we have other responsi bi l i ti es.
CURZON
Gentl emen, I woul d advi se caution. It's not i n our power to stop hi m, and if we try and he goes ahead the newspapers, who are hi s friends, wi l l only make us   l ook fooli sh. 	I propose that we volunteer a smal l donati on, before he asks for a larger one, of shal l we say one thousand pounds ? Very well , I shall make i t i n two payments of fi ve hundred pounds, and I wi l l make i t   cl ear to Sir Ernest that we do not expect hi m to ask for the second payment.
KELTIE
In wri ti ng.
CURZON
I beg your pardon, Si r John?
KELTIE
Get hi m to agree to that i n wri ti ng.
EMILY 
so, you have some money?
SHACKLETON
Wel l , five hund red pounds wi l l barel y keep the expedi ti on i n dog  food.
EMILY
what about thi s 'fri end' that you sai d was so generous?
SHACKLETON
Mr Harvey seems to have changed hi s mi nd suddenly.
EMILY
But you have an offi ce, and you're adverti si ng for men?
SHACKLETON
No, I'm not.	wel l , wel l , yes I am, and we've, er, we've made a start. Thank you.
EMILY 
so i t i s defi ni te?
SHACKLETON
Nothi ng i s defi ni te.
MARCIE
Good ness me.
MARSTON
There's two more sacks downstai rs. I'm George Marston, offi ci al arti st.
WILD
Putty!	You ol d bastard.
MARSTON
Someti mes known as Putty.
WILD
Have you sol d a pai nti ng yet?
MARSTON
Yes, I have as a matter of fact.
CREAN
George.
MARSTON
Tom.
CREAN
Let me take those.
MARSTON
Wel l , i t seems hal f the country wants to come wi th us.
WILD
Wel l , the boss made the announcement sound too damn comfy.
MARSTON
Is he here?
WILD
No.	He's out on the stump.
SHACKLETON
My party, havi ng sai l ed through the mel ti ng i ce of the Weddel l sea wi l l , er, l and here at, er, vahsel Bay. And there we wi l l , er, make a base and a smal l er party wi l l start a march towards the, um ...
JANET 
Scone?
SHACKLETON
Er, the, the scone, preci sely. Er, at the same time a second group wi l l l and on the other si de of the conti nent, er, the Ross sea, and make thei r way across the Beardmore Gl aci er towards the Pol e. I, I, I mean the, er, scone, um , l ayi ng food depots as they go so that my party wi l l have suppl i es for the second half of the journey.
JANET
Oh, Bunny, stop that.	Bunny, get off.
SHACKLETON
There 's a good dog.
JANET
Oh, I'm so sorry, Si r Ernest. He 's got such a sweet tooth.
 SHACKLETON
Er, I'm bei ng funded by the Government and , um, by the Royal Geog raphi cal soci ety. And , er, have several pri vate sponsors but, of course, there i s sti l l a few thousand pounds I need to fi nd before we are compl etel y secure .
JANET 
It must requi re great courage to return to a place where you've suffered so much.
SHACKLETON
What I aspi red to be and was not comforts me, A brute I mi ght have been, but woul d not si nk i' the scal e.
JANET 
Robert Browni ng.
SHACKLETON
A favourite of mi ne .
JANET 
Mi ne, too. It's not i ven to al l of us to l i ve a l i fe l i ke yours, but you have the power to share your vi si on and take us wi th you. Thank you. Now I must l et you go. It's a l ong journey to London and you have much to do . 
SHACKLETON
Yes, wel l , er, thank you for seei ng me and , er, perhaps you wi l l be abl e to gi ve some thought to the possi bi l i ty of becomi ng a sponsor.
JANET
si r Ernest, my contri buti on towards your exciti ng adventure i s over there on the desk. Pl ease. I'm not the sort of woman to waste a man' s time.
SHACKLETON
Mi ss Stancomb-wi l l s, I don't know how to thank you.
JANET
By succeedi ng, of course, and perhaps by addressi ng me i n future as J anet.
JUDGE 
Franci s Shackl eton, thi s court has heard ... how you have vi ol ated al l the rul es of commerci al moral i ty i n defraudi ng a l ady, advanced i n years, who bel i eved that you were not  onl y her fi nanci al advi ser, but al so her fri end.	Your own bankruptcy precl udes your abi l i ty to repay her. But i t i s the duty of thi s court to make i t cl ear that we cannot tol erate behavi our of thi s sort.I therefore sentence you to fifteen months hard l abour.
ROSALIND VO
What, no more?
ROSALIND 
Pay hi m si x thousand and deface the bond. Doubl e six thousand , and then trebl e that, Before a friend of thi s descri pti on shal l l ose a hai r through Bassani o's faul t. Fi rst go wi th me to church and cal l me wife, And then away to Veni ce to your fri end ; For never shal l you l i e by HIM. Porti a's si de Wi th an unq ui et soul . You shal l have gol d To pay the petty debt twenty times over.  what do you thi nk?
SHACKLETON
I thi nk you should have defended Frank.
ROSALIND
Don't patroni se me.
SHACKLETON
I'm not.	If you want to be an actress, you wi l l be an actress. Knowi ng what you want i s the hard part, not getti ng it.
ROSALIND
Promi se?
SHACKLETON
Promi se.
ROSALIND
And what i f al l I want i s for you to stay here wi th me?
SHACKLETON
My purse, my person, my extremest means Li e al l unl ocked to your occasions. But onl y for another half an hour.
VERY YOUNG APPLICANT 
Ever si nce I read the adverti sement i n the newspaper I haven't been abl e to sl eep wi th exci tement. My parents were a bi t nervous at fi rst, but my mother advi sed me to   l ie i n a bath fi l l ed wi th i ce cubes. she sai d i t mi ght hel p me to make up my mi nd. But I was q ui te sure.
MARSTON
Thi s i s a di ffi cul t one. Fifty-three year ol d Cambri dge parasi ti c bi oloi st.	Does he go in 'Hopeless cos he's fifty-three, or 'Mad' cos he studi ed parasi tes at Cambri dge when everyone knows they al l go to Oxford?
CREAN
Now he 's i n both.
HUDSON
Um, d'you thi nk he ...?
MARCIE
Don't worry, Mr Hudson , he knows you're here.
HUDSON
Yes, I know. I just coul dn't... wel l I had to come. A l etter just di dn't seem enough.
SHACKLETON
And you thi nk that thi s wi l l work?
ORDELEES 
 In theory, yes, si r. I'm good wi th machi nes. came up totow n on my motorbi ke this morni ng.
SHACKLETON
Thi s i s the bi ke that broke down?
ORDELEES 
Yes, si r, but I had i t fi xed i n a ji ffy.
SHACKLETON
Yes, of course. coul d you bui l d thi s?
ORDELEES 
I don't see why not.
MARSTON
we three sporty gi rl s have deci ded to wri te and beg of you to take us wi th you on your expedi ti on to the south Pol e.
SHACKLETON
heard that. No. Marci e?
MARCIE
Yes, boss?
SHACKLETON
Polite  'no'. we're goi ng to the Admi ral ty to persuade the Fi rst Lord to gi ve us captai n orde-Lees.
MARCIE
Yes, boss. You've got Dudl ey Docker at three.
SHACKLETON
Yes, I know, Mr Hudson, you're a navi gator.
HUDSON
Excuse me.
SHACKLETON
Wait here, pl ease. Now whatever you do keep your mouth shut and l et me do the tal ki ng.
ORDELEES 
Yes, si r.
SHACKLETON
What was your name agai n?
ORDELEES 
Orde-Lees. Thomas. Tom, even.	 Well... nobody cal l s me Tom but
SHACKLETON
Ready?
ORDELEES 
Yes, si r.
SHACKLETON
Don't l ook nervous.
ORDELEES 
No, si r.
FIRST LIEUTENANT 
Si r.
SHACKLETON
Don't worry, I won't be a moment. we just have a qui ck questi on for the Fi rst Lord.
FIRST LIEUTENANT 
But, si r, you can't go i n there.	Si r.
SHACKLETON
Wel l , I'm off for a game of golf now.	D'you pl ay?
ORDELEES 
NO, si r.
SHACKLETON
Me nei ther.  Ah, thank you, Mr, er ...
HUDSON
Hudson.
SHACKLETON
Can I gi ve you a l i ft anywhere?
ORDELEES 
Er, no, thank you. I thi nk I'l l wal k. Mi ght even dance i f you don't mi nd.
HUDSON
Si r ...
SHACKLETON
Now, Mr Hudson, I've got hundred appl i cations for navi gators, you know.
HUDSON
Yes, si r. But I was just wonderi ng if i t was ...
SHACKLETON
 Hop i n, you've got twenty mi nutes to yoursel f.
DOCKER VO
My work ...
DOCKER
... has brought me a great deal of money. That's why you're here I take i t?
SHACKLETON
Yes, si r.
DOCKER
But pl ay now, that's just as important.	Last year I took the whol e year off. Bl oody marvel lous. You     ever done that?
SHACKLETON
No, I haven't.
DOCKER
You shoul d try i t. Si mpl e but damned effecti ve. I'm taki ng three months off now, and si x months off next year. And d'you know somethi ng? I have never fel t better. That's what I l ook for i n a man, d'you see? wel l , you know what I mean. Can't afford to be unheal thy i n your posi tion, can you?
SHACKLETON
No, qui te.
DOCKER
Without good heal th you can't produce weal th, that's the motto. I've tol d the Pri me Mi ni ster I'd have half the cabi net on the street i f I had my way. Poor heal th. Hmm? How can you run the country i f you can't run your own body properl y? You see my poi nt?
SHACKLETON
Yes, I certai nl y do. And what does the Army have to say about thi s?
CAVALRY OFFICER
My co most sympatheti c. In fact, i t was hi s i dea real l y that I shoul d appl y.	sai d I was probabl y most sui ted to Arcti c work. If the regi ment was cal l ed up, of course I'd have to come back. But I'd make my own way, I'm used to that.
BEARDED APPLICANT 
I had an i ntroduction to the  l ate captai n Scott, whose work I very much admi red. But, of course, that i sn't of much use now. But, er, I thought I'd try my l uck anyway.
WORSLEY 
I saw the si gn, as pl ai n as you l i ke, Burli ngton Street. But thi s i s the thi ng, i t was fi l l ed with i ce. The whol e bl oody street was packed wi th i ce, and there I was sai l i ng strai ght down i t. I mean, I don't normal l y remember dreams at al l , but thi s was ...
SHACKLETON
Where wi l l the sun set thi s eveni ng, Mr, um ...
WORSLEY 
Worsl ey.
SHACKLETON
Worsl ey, thank you.
WORSLEY 
Over there, si x forty-seven. so I got strai ght up, came to Burl i ngton street.	I di dn't know what I was looki ng for but, um, wel l , you can imagi ne what I fel t when I saw your sign downstai rs . 'Imperi al Trans-Antarcti c Expedi tion' . what el se coul d I do? I wal ked strai ght up.
ODDENINO
My ai m i s to teach the expedi ti on how to prepare sim pl e dishes i n di fferent ways.	An arti st can create a great pai nti ng wi th a l imi ted pal ette of colours. A great chef can use a few i ngredi ents to create a thousand di shes.
SHACKLETON
Thank you, si gnor oddeni no. Leave i t.	It's a sti l l pi cture anyway. It doesn't matter whether i t's going or not.
ORDELEES 
Yes, si r.
SHACKLETON
J oi n the l i ne.  Ladder.  Thank you, ski pper.
WORSLEY
Thank you, si r.
SHACKLETON
Thank you, gentlemen.
CURZON VO
There i s a suspicion i n some quarters that these machi nes you're goi ng to take ...
 CURZON
though usel ess i n sci entifi c expl ori ng, great effect upon the public
SHACKLETON
My Lord , I cannot i gnore the public
CURZON
Is that not an admi ssion of my poi nt?
SHACKLETON
I'd cal l i t a statement, not an admi ssi on.
KELTIE
What wei ght do you carry i n your aeropl anes?
SHACKLETON
Er, i t i s not an aeropl ane, i t i s a sl edge wi th an aeropl ane propell er.
KELTIE
I see .
FRESHFIELD
Are you taki ng an expert i n dog-d rivi ng?
SHACKLETON
Yes, one . Al l the dogs wi l l fol low the l eadi ng team, so onl y one expert handl er i s requi red on thi s sort of ground.
CURZON
It i s the nature of the ground , si r Ernest, that i s, of course, the great uncertai nty. You mi ght, for exampl e, come across a mountai n range .
SHACKLETON
Possi bl y.
CURZON
And if you di d , i t woul d real l y be sci ntifi cal l y much more 1nterest1 ng to expl ore that rather than your journey strai ght across.
SHACKLETON
The journey across i s the thing I have set myself to do . I thought I had made that cl ear. I do not bel i eve there i s a single individual living under the uni on J ack i n any part of the Empi re who woul d not wi sh the fi rstnational flag carried across the Antarctic to be British.
KELTIE
Save your speeches for the papers.we 're here to di scuss the advancement of knowl edge .
SHACKLETON
Then we share a common purpose.
CURZON
Si r Ernest, you must
understand that as sci enti sts, i t's i nevi tabl e that this commi ttee wi l l put the sci ence fi rst.
SHACKLETON
My Lord , I not onl y accept that, I embrace it.	But grateful as I am for the generous contri bution of the Soci ety, thi s commi ttee must accept that sci enti sts do not pay for sci ence . I make no apol ogy for seeki ng publ i ci ty. wi thout somethi ng that the newsmen can understand and support there i s no pu bl i c. Wi thout the pu bl i c, there are no sponsors. wi thout sponsorship, there i s no expedition. Bel i eve me, I wish there were an easi er way.
DIRECTOR
the fan.	 And rol l camera. cue fan, cue snow and  action!
SHACKLETON
The snow's not very realistic you know.	 It shoul d come up from below more.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Really? well , when I get a moment, I'll tell hi m that.
PERRIS
Ernest, let's leave them to i t, shall we? J ust think of the money they're paying . Anyway, I've got something I want to show you.
SHACKLETON
Hmm?	Now, I've found a shi p.
PERRIS
Where ?
SHACKLETON
Norway, bui l t by the Bel gi an expl orer De Gerl ache for Arctic tourists, but he can't sel l i t. I think we can get i t for a good pri ce.
PERRIS
How much?
SHACKLETON
You worry too much. Now, she 's cal l ed 'Pol ari s'.we 'l l have to come up wi th a better name. What i s thi s?
PERRIS 
It's a movi ng pi cture, cal l ed 'Home of The Bl i zzard' . Made a fortune i n Sydney, and I'm tryi n to get the ri ghts to show 1 t here.	shot by a chap cal l ed Hurl ey.	Frank Hurl ey.
SHACKLETON
Wel l , there 's nothi ng new about movi ng pi ctures, you know.
PERRIS 
I know, but thi s man' s di fferent. He makes you feel you're right there standi ng on the snow wi th them. Look, pengui ns. Publ i c just love 'em. That's what we need i n our fi l m, lots of pengui ns. If we get    Hurl ey, our fi lm company coul d rai se another ten thousand pounds at l east. That way, we may be abl e to pay for that shi p of yours, whatever you cal l her.
SHACKLETON
'Endurance' . That 's what we shoul d cal l her.	From my fami ly motto.
PERRIS 
What 's your motto?
SHACKLETON
'By endurance we conquer'. Raymond , if you don't want your food. l eave i t alone. Don't si t there just pi cki ng at i t.
SHACKLETON 
oh, for God's sake, go up to your room if you've finished
EMILY
Cecily, if you've fi ni shed too, you can run along.
CECILY 
Pl ease may I have some more potatoes ?
EMILY 
Later, darling. Run along now.
EMILY 
None of us see very much of you now.	This is important to us.
SHACKLETON
I know, I'm sorry. I ... I've got to two sponsors who want to withdraw thei r money because they're terri fi ed there 's goi ng to be a war, and , er, the Norwegi ans are demanding payment for the ship. If i t doesn't l eave London by the end of thi s month, I lose all chance of getting to Antarctica this year. I mean, I mi ght as wel l stop now.
 EMILY
So you're goi ng to Scotl and?
SHACKLETON
Yes, to see Si r J ames cai rd.  Oh, si r Ernest, ti mes are hard with the war comi ng, but woul d , er, ten shi l li ngs be of any assi stance i n your great expedi ti on? And , er, woul d’you mi nd tel l i ng me i f there 's any change. I, I, I, I'm sorry. Look, chi l dren, thi s i s your father speaki ng. I am on my his knees, I am so sorry I shouted.	But please, woul d anyone li ke to come down the street and purchase tuppence worth of i ce-cream? Pri nces's Street.
TAXI DRIVER
Ri ght, si r.
SECRETARY 
Si r J ames wi l l see you now.
CAIRD
The Austri ans are convi nced that the assassi nati on of thei r Archd uke was fi nanced by the Serbs. If the declare war, Germany wi l l fol l ow and France and Russi a wi l l be cl ose behi nd. Much as he may wi sh to temporize, the Prime Mi ni ster wi l l have l i ttl e al ternati ve but to support hi s al l i es.
SHACKLETON
Si r J ames, I know my duty if war i s decl ared.
CAIRD
NO, no, no, my meani ng was that you have l i ttl e time to succeed i n your pl ans. You wi l l surel y have to l eave next month i f you're to reach the Antarcti c thi s season.
SHACKLETON
Er, the 'Endurance' i s ready to sai l .
CAIRD
Once she has been pai d for.
SHACKLETON
Dudl ey Docker, the chai rman of bsa, has donated the funds to cover that.
CAIRD
of course. But, er, i f Docker's money i s payi ng for the shi p, what wi l l you use to provi si on her?
SHACKLETON
I wi l l soon have suffi ci ent.
 
CAIRD
I see. swal l ows. Pretty, aren't they?	'Free      as a bi rd' , that 's what they say, i s i t not? I've al ways envi ed that. But who 's to say they do not l ook down and envy us? I have exami ned Lord Iveagh's copy of your projected accounts. If my cal cul ati ons are correct, the shortfal l i s twenty-four thousand pounds. Is that fai r?
SHACKLETON
Yes.
CAIRD
You've al ready mortgaged the movi ng pi cture ri ghts to a  fi lm company, and the photographi c and story ri ghts to 'The Dai l y Chroni cl e', SO you have nearly hal f your expenses yet to fi nd and nothi ng l eft to sel l .  I am a prudent man, si r Ernest, and cannot ri sk my money on an expedi ti on that may never take place.	And what about your fami l y?	How wi l l they survive when you've used every concei vabl e resource of the expedi ti on to fi nance its very exi stence?
SHACKLETON
My famil y understand that the expedi tion must come fi rst.
CAIRD
And if you fai l?
SHACKLETON
I wi l l not fai l ! You thi nk the threat of war makes i t hard to rai se money? It doesn't make any bloody difference. If i t's not a war, i t 's a peace, or the Stock Market, or the weather, or the ti me of year. It i s al ways hard because what I do appears unreasonabl e to other men, I know that. But I wi l l be i n Antarcti ca thi s year, I promi se you. I'm sorry. Thank you for your time.
CAIRD
No, si t down, pl ease.	Pl ease. I asked you to come here because I had to make a deci si on.	After thi s conversation, I real i se there i s onl y one opti on open to me if I am to protect myself and my money.	 Thi s i s a cheque for twenty-four thousand pounds. If I were to ive you less, the expedi ti on mi ght never happen, and my money woul d be wasted. I do not l i ke waste. I parti cul arl y do not l i ke to see a man's abi l i ti es wasted.
CAIRO 
There i s onl y one condi ti on. Try to persuade your other contri butors to return to you some of the expedi ti on's   ri ghts. I bel i eve a man shoul d be rewarded for hi s efforts.
HARBOUR
Lady Shackl eton?
EMILY 
Yes .
HARBOUR
I'm sorry to cal l so l ate. My name's Harbour. Thi s i s Mr Granger. Is your husband i n?
EMILY 
He 's i n Scotl and.  Thank you, Becky.
HARBOUR
I have here a summons to appear before a magi strate i n connection wi th an appl i cati on for the repayment of one thousand pounds, owed to Mi ss Mary Brown. Now, in light of your husband's imminent departure to foreign parts, the court has authorised an emergency heari ng to consi der the matter.
WORSLEY 
Mobi l i zati on i s expected any day now. Dobbs and Brockl ehurst have al ready l eft to joi n thei r regi ments. Ordeless and Hudson are consul ti ng the Admi ral ty. Both the doctors have spoken to me, and as a Royal Naval Reservist, I may be cal led on myself .
SHACKLETON
If i t happens, captai n, if it happens.
WORSLEY 
Yes, sir. But ...
SHACKLETON 
We wi l l take the shi p down to Margate as pl anned. If war has not been decl ared then we will sail for south Ameri ca. Is that understood?
WORSLEY 
Yes, si r.
MARCIE
Si r?
SHACKLETON
Not now, Marci e.
SHACKLETON 
Marcie! Shut the door.	Don't l et anybody el se i n.
MARCIE
Are you al l ri ght, si r?
SHACKLETON
Yes, I'm al l ri ght now.	It's just a touch of, er, sciati ca. I get i t someti mes. coul d you pour me a glass of water, pl ease?
WORSLEY
If i t's i n connection wi th the expedition, I thi nk we're pretty well full up.  well maybe not, then.
SHACKLETON
Those men ...
MARCIE
They say they're here to ...
SHACKLETON
Yes, I know why they're here. Tell captai n Worsl ey to go back to the shi p. I'll meet hi m there l ater. And get me a cheque book. They want money. If I pay them, they wi l l go away. I haven't got time to deal wi th them now.
MARCIE
Yes, si r.
SHACKLETON
Marci e? Er, there 's no need to say anythi ng about thi s.
MARCIE
The sciatica?
SHACKLETON
That's ri ght. Yes .
WILD
The men are waiting i n the wardroom, boss.
SHACKLETON
Thank you, Frank. Any news?
WILD
There's a rumor that the Navy's been mobilized.
SHACKLETON
At ease, men. Fi rst, l et me say that if war i s decl ared , any man who wi shes to l eave the expedi ti on to serve hi s country wi l l be free to do so. It i s clear to me where our fi rst duty l i es, and thi s morni ng I tel egraphed the Fi rst Lord of the Admi ral ty and put our ship and every one of us at hi s      disposal. we now awai t hi s deci si on. I hope you wi l l forgive me, but I particularl y ask that i f he saw fi t to employ us in the servi ce of our country, he mi ght al l ow us to stay together, perhaps aboard a destroyer. I did thi s because I can honestl y thi nk of no fi ner group of men with whom to serve . Thank you.
CREAN
Three cheers for the boss. Hi p, hi p.
MEN
Hooray!
CREAN
Hi p, hi p.
MEN
Hooray!
CREAN
Hi p, hi p.
MEN
Hooray!
SHACKLETON
Yes. Sti l l nothi ng?
WORSLEY
Hudson' s at the tel egraph  offi ce. He'l l stay there ti l l somethi ng comes through.
SHACKLETON
They'l l tel l us to wai t, I know i t. If we wai t, we 'l l l ose the i ce. It'l l be another year before we could 90 agai n and by that ti me   i t'l l be too late. There'l l be a war on.  
WORSLEY
I l i ked the i dea of us servi ng together on a destroyer.
SHACKLETON
Do you real l y thi nk they'd l et us stay together?
HUDSON
Where' s the boss ?
SHACKLETON
It's from Wi nston Churchi l l . There's onl y one word... 'Proceed'. I thi nk we can take that as a di rect order from the Admi ral ty. Do you agree, gentl emen?
MEN
Yes, si r.
SHACKLETON
Ski pper?
WORSLEY
Yes, si r.
SHACKLETON
Let 's get on wi th i t, then. I have to go back to London for a week or two to make our final arrangements.	I'll meet you al l i n Buenos Ai res.
EQUERRY
His Majesty was pleased to read i n the newspapers that the 'Endurance ' had sailed yesterday. when will you be leaving, Sir Ernest?
SHACKLETON
Next month. I have some business matters to settle here fi rst.
EQUERRY 
This will only be a brief meeting, I'm afraid.
SHACKLETON
Of course. I understand.
EQUERRY 
Si r Ernest, Your Majesty.
KING GEORGE V
I promised you a flag, I think.	I had hoped to present it on board, see your ship and al l that. But they cancelled Cowes because of all this fuss the Austrians are making. Pi ty real l y.	 Does the heart ood , don't you think? Her MaJesty, Queen Alexandra, tell s me you have a fine ship. what do you cal l her?
SHACKLETON
'Endurance' . she sai l ed for South America yesterday.	of course, I tel egraphed to Mr Churchill first to offer my
KING GEORGE V
I know, I know. we all face a hard road , sir Ernest, and who is to say which of us should envy the other?
SHACKLETON
So there i s no hope?
 KING GEORGE V
The Pri me Minister informs me that we wi l l be at war by the morni ng. Possi bly , even  tonight.It i s a terri ble thing to be responsi bl e for the lives of so many.  A terri ble thing.
SHACKLETON
Yes, si r.
KING GEORGE V
My great, great, great, great grandfather, George II, was the last king to lead his army in battle. A hundred and seventy years ago. Dettingen, against the bloody French.	 No such luck for me, though. when do you leave?
SHACKLETON
September 19th, on the 'La Negra', wi th the dogs.
KING GEORGE V
Dogs? You're taking dogs?
SHACKLETON
Yes, Your Majesty.
KING GEORGE V
How many?
SHACKLETON
Sixty nine, sir. From Canada.
 KING GEORGE
Marvellous. That's marvellous. Dogs. Imagine that. They must be a comfort to you.
SHACKLETON 
Oh, yes, si r.
KING GEORGE V
Wel l , here i t i s. The fl ag.  And make sure you bri ng i t back.
SHACKLETON
I wi l l , si r.  Thank you.
KING GEORGE V
Sir Ernest do you feel fear when you embark on an adventure such as thi s?
SHACKLETON
Yes, Your Majesty.
KING GEORGE V
Yes, of course.	God's speed.
RAYMOND
I'f I coming goi ng wi the you. I'm going With you.
 SHACKLETON
I know you want to, but pl ease l ook after your mother. Go to Aunti e El eanor now, go on. Ooh, thanks for  l ooki ng after my hat. Go to mummy.
EMILY
oh, darl i ng. Let's wave good bye to daddy.
WILD
Come along. come along, i n here. Keep those two apart. That's it, that's it. Morni ng.
SHACKLETON
Everythi ng's ready?
WILD
They're al l on board , boss. Those are the l ast of them.
SHACKLETON
Good.	where' s that dog handl er?
WILD
Lost hi m.
SHACKLETON
What do you mean?
WILD
Buggered off. Back to Canada. I've got a l ad from the Dogs' Home who 's agreed to come with us as far as Buenos Ai res. oh, you've a visitor, by the way.
SHACKLETON
What?
WILD
A vi si tor. Doctor Mc Ilroy's wi th her.
ROSALIND
They l ook more l i ke wol ves than dogs.
MCILROY
That they probably are. Just hope they don't get ill .
WILD
He was usel ess anyway.The dog man.
MCILROY
No mention of 'wol f Doctor' at the i ntervi ew.
 SHACKLETON
Darling, what are you doing here?
ROSALIND
Seei ng you off. Doctor Mcil roy has been taking care of me.
MCILROY
I'l l just go and see i f Frank needs a hand.
ROSALIND
I'm sorry. I shoul dn't have come.
SHACKLETON
Don't worry about hi m.
ROSALIND
I'm not worri ed about hi m, I'm worri ed about you.
 MCILROY
Frank.
WILD
Mmm.
MCILROY
That's Lady Chetwynd.
WILD
Yes, i ndeed.
MCILROY
The boss doesn't l ook too pl eased.
ROSALIND
How does Emily do it? Does she get used to it? Does it get better? Does she make a fool of herself too?
SHACKLETON
Emi ly i sn't l i ke that.
ROSALIND
Isn't she?
EMILY
Wait here, please.
ROSALIND
Oh God , I meant to play this very graceful l y.	 Be... very British and all that, and look at me.
SHACKLETON
It's al l  ri ght now.
WILD
Boss.
SHACKLETON
Yes?
 WILD
We'd better ...
SHACKLETON
Emi l y! What are you doi ng here? I, I'm sorry about that, i t's just someone…
EMILY
I know who she i s. Your father telephoned just after you left.	 Frank is being released from prison on Wednesday and I thought you'd want to know.
SHACKLETON
Yes. Look, I have to go wi th them and see them aboard ship. But I won't sail . I'll , I'll take a ship next week.  I'll be back tomorrow. I love you. Eleanor.
ELEANOR
What are you doi ng here? You know there mi ght be newspapermen.
SHACKLETON
There's been no announcement of the rel ease. It'l l be all ri ght. what are you weari ng?
ELEANOR
I've, um joi ned the Reserves. Nursi ng I go to France next week
 SHACKLETON
Next week?
ELEANOR
There's goi ng to be a war, Mikey. I've had to do somethi ng.
SHACKLETON
Not yet.
ELEANOR
Look.
PRISON GUARD
Ri ght, lads. Out you come.
SHACKLETON
You stay here.	You're the conspi cuous one.
PRISON GUARD
Sir.
FRANK
The papers said you'd sailed.
SHACKLETON
Yeah , I had some thi ngs to  fi ni sh before I left and I, I wanted to see you.
FRANK
Wel l, I, I've been quite a  celebrity these past weeks. what wi th all the noise you've been making. I even discussed your intimate intentions with the Governor.
SHACKLETON
Here.
FRANK
He'l l be very sad to have mi ssed you.	I'm sorry. I was ... I was never as good as you at looking brave. I've had  a very horrible time, with nobody to help me.
SHACKLETON
You' re safe now.
EMILY 
No, thank you.
SHACKLETON
Er, no, no. I, no thank you.
EMILY 
I di dn't have to choose this life you know.
SHACKLETON
I know. I, I'm sorry. I, I don't know what to say.
EMILY
What can you say? You're leaving both of us. There's nothing neither of us can do about it. It just seems so horrible that she had to have al l the tears.
 SHACKLETON
Let me write to you when I'm on board ship. I'l l be clearer then. Any, anything I say now won't be what I mean.
EMILY 
What do you call her?  What do you call her?
SHACKLETON
Er, who?
EMILY 
Her nickname?
SHACKLETON
'Mouse'.
EMILY 
Everybody has a bloody nickname with you. Everybody except me. Do you know, one of your men asked me what mi ne was? And I had to say that I didn't have one. And he asked what would I choose.  I said 'Honey'. Isn't that pathetic?
 SHACKLETON
lave you. I couldn't 90 on without you, and that i s the truth. But I don't know what to do.
EMILY 
You have to go.	I know you do.	If you di dn't, who would you be?
JANET 
I've sent the servants out on errands, although they were a little surprised by my urgent need for butterscotch and string. How is the tea? I hope it's all right. I made it myself.
SHACKLETON
Thank you.
JANET 
Ah. Have you spoken to the military?
SHACKLETON
I saw Kitchener yesterday. He said I was too old and that it would be impossi ble to give me a job at the moment.
JANET 
Well then, where' s the argument ? Are you worried about your family?
SHACKLETON
I seem to be worried about everything.
JANET
well , don't be.	 I may be of li ttle use to you and your men in the Antarctic, but I can be of help here. I'l l make sure that your family is safe. I'll make it my busi ness. Nicely. I can be ni ce. Arichold lady gets used to people not tel l i ng her the truth. Flatteri ng her, perhaps. But you've never done that. You've always paid me the compliment of speaking from your heart.	Now allow me to do the same. Go to the Pol e. Go before it's too late. Not everyone i s fortunate enough to understand their own talent. But you know yours. well , use i t. For your family, and for your country.
HURLEY
Wai t here, mate. I'l l go aboard and get some help wi th those boxes.
MCILROY
Can I hel p you?
HURLEY
Is thi s the 'Endurance' ?
MCILROY
It i s.
HURLEY 
Frank Hurley, photographer and fi l m-maker.
MCILROY 
Mcil roy. surgeon and temporary night watchman. welcome aboard.
HURLEY
Where i s everybody?
MCILROY
Shore leave. They'll be back later. we've had rather a chaotic time getting here. Ship handles like a pig i n open water, used up all our coal. Ended up hacking the deck to bits to get here on time. Some of the crew went a bit wild.
HURLEY
Yeah , so I see.	where's sir Ernest? I'm supposed to report to hi m.
MCILROY 
Arriving toni ght on the 'urugayo'. Have you got any bags?
HURLEY 
I've got a few bags with me, yes.
MCILROY 
Mmm.	I'll give you a hand.
RECEPTIONIST
Sir Ernest, I'll have your luggage sent up straight away.
SHACKLETON
Very good.
WILD
Welcome to Buenos Aires. sinor Ginelli has arranged a suite on the fi rst floor.
SHACKLETON
Thank you. How long have you been here, Frank?
WILD
Five days. worsley's been here two weeks. A bit of trouble on the voyage.
SHACKLETON
So I heard. I ran into ordeless at the docks. He says there was too much alcohol on board.
WILD
I wouldn't pay any attention to him, but I think the skipper's style was a little informal . The crew call hi m 'Wuzzles' .
SHACKLETON
What?
WILD
'Wuzzles' .
SHACKLETON
'Wuzzles' .
WILD
Shi p was a bi t of a mess when she arrived. They were burning the dog kennel s as fuel for the last three days.
SHACKLETON
What?
 WILD
Don't worry. Shi p's carpenter McNish seems to have i t i n hand.
SHACKLETON
What about the rest of the men?
WILD
One or two seem a l i ttl e undi sci pl i ned.
SHACKLETON
Well, I can't do anything about i t now. But tell 'wuzzles' I want a full inspection at 08.00 hours tomorrow morning. Is that understood?
WILD
Yes.
SHACKLETON
we got here, anyway.
WILD
Yes, boss.
SHACKLETON
Captain, is everybody present ?
WORSLEY
Er, no, si r. we're missing Able Seamen Irving and Barr.
SHACKLETON
Where are they?
 WORSLEY
Well, sir, we have been looking for them since Wednesday. There may have been some confusion about l eave.
SHACKLETON
Dismiss them.
WORSLEY 
Well I think it's quite genuine ...
SHACKLETON
Pay  them  off, captain. our lives, all our lives depend on each other. There can be no-one on this ship who does not understand that. what was that?
WORSLEY 
Shi p's cat, si r, Mrs chi ppy.
SHACKLETON
Mrs who?
MCNISH
Mrs chi ppy, si r. She's mi ne. McNish. shi p's carpenter.
SHACKLETON
Wel l, Mr chippy, keep Mrs Chippy out of the way when the dogs come on board. Anybody else not present?
WORSLEY 
Wel l , si r, the cook i s bel ow, but I'm afrai d he 's unabl e ...
 SHACKLETON
Frank, get hi m out of here. I want hi m off thi s shi p. Find hi m a room somewhere and we'll send his kit on later.
WILD
Ri ght. Up. come on. Let's go. Let's go.
MCILROY
That's i t. There we go now.
WILD
Whoops.
SHACKLETON
So, who wants to make breakfast?
HURLEY
Wel l , I thi nk I can manage to brew up some coffee.
SHACKLETON
And you are?
HURLEY
Frank Hurl ey. I arri ved last ni ght.
SHACKLETON
Mr Hurl ey. A pri nce among men, so they tell me. Ernest Shackleton, two sugars and no mi 1k .
MCILROY
I'll give you a hand your highness.
SHACKLETON
Skipper, I don't i ntend to dwel l on the events of the voyage here.
WORSLEY
Wel l , si r, we had great di ffi ...
SHACKLETON
I don't need an explanation, nor do I wi sh there to be any confusi on about how the shi p wi l l be run from now on. I propose that, for the duration of the voyage to vahsel Bay, I will assume the post of captain and you wi l l be the sailing master. I will continue to add ress you as ski pper, that way your authority is less likel y to be undermined. You will resume the captaincy only when I have gone ashore.	Is that understood?
WORSLEY 
Yes, si r.
SHACKLETON
Yes?
HURLEY 
Room servi ce.
SHACKLETON
Ah, Mr Hurl ey, thank you. Er, i t smel l s del i ci ous. Was there somethi ng el se?
HURLEY 
I wonder i f now woul d be a good ti me to di scuss my contract of employment.
SHACKLETON
Certai nl y. It'l l be the same as wi th the Mawson expedi tion. Three hundred pounds per annum payabl e i n arrears.
HURLEY 
And twenty-fi ve percent of the photographi c and fi l m rights?
SHACKLETON
I'm afrai d not, they've al ready been sol d to 'The Dai l y chroni cl e '.
HURLEY 
Si r, I was tol d I'd Get twenty-fi ve percent of the ri ghts I woul dn't have come otherwi se.
SHACKLETON
I can't help you , I'm afrai d. The deal has al ready been done . And thi s i s excel l ent coffee, by the way. 
HURLEY
That deal was done wi thout consul ti ng me.
SHACKLETON
I know.	And wi thout you we woul d not be here. I am agai n i n your debt.
HURLEY
Wel l , I'm afrai d , si r, i t appears that I am the one who i s i n debt.
SHACKLETON
You see, ski pper, you have to be strong. Show them who 's boss. Now, where am I gonna find another cook?
WORDIE
What's goi ng on?
HURLEY
I'm l eavi ng.
WORDIE
Leavi ng? why?
MCILROY
The pri nce has been refused hi s ransom by the ki ng.
WORDIE
Wel l , i f i t's any consol ati on, he's l ucky the ki ng di dn't ask hi m to pay the ransom hi msel f.
HURLEY
What do you mean?
WORDIE
He asked me for a l oan. There's a probl em payi ng for some of the suppl i es and I have an arrangement wi th a bank here that al l ows me to access funds.
HURLEY
Jesus.
BAKEWELL
she's a beauty.
BLACKBOROW
From London, too.
BAKEWELL
Fancy giving her a go? Excuse me, si r.
WILD
Yes?
BAKEWELL
Are you l ooki n for crew? I served on the Gol den Gate', ran aground a month ago.
WILD
You're a bl oody Yank.
BAKEWELL
No, I'm from Canada.	A l oyal subject of the Empi re.
WILD
Wel l , come aboard and meet the boss then.
BLACKBOROW
Thank you, si r.
WILD
Oh, not you, son.
BLACKBOROW
Oh, I'm from wal es and I'm very l oyal , too.
WILD
We can't take chi l d ren where we 're goi ng.
SHACKLETON
Frank, meet Charl es Green our new chef .
WILD
Hel lo.
GREEN
Hell o, si r.
SHACKLETON
Now I need you to have a word wi th the manager of the 'Andes' where he's presentl y empl oyed.
WILD
Thi s i s Mr, um ...
BAKEWELL
Bakewel l . Wi l l i am Bakewel l from  Canada.
SHACKLETON
Excuse me a moment, wi l l you? Mr
Hurl ey.
HURLEY 
I'm sorry, si r, but I have no al ternati ve.
SHACKLETON
Gi ve me your hand , Mr Hurl ey. Twenty-five percent, wasn't  i t?
HURLEY 
Yes, si r, that's ri ght.
SHACKLETON
That's settl ed then. By the way, I hope you brought your di nner jacket.
HURLEY
Si r?
SHACKLETON
Farewel l di nner wi th the Argenti ne Government toni ght. See you there. Mr Bakewel l .
MCILROY
I'l l take them.	I thi nk I know the dri l l by now.
HURLEY 
Thanks.
WILD
The Engl i sh have such an affi ni ty wi th ani mal s that i t's part of our character. we don't anti ci pate probl ems.
HUDSON
 a l i ne of mi rrors faci ng the sun ...
MCILROY 
Mossman has a theory that the heavy rainfall here in Argentina i s a direct consequence of the ice not melti n in the Weddel l sea, but we ll  see if he's ri ght when we get there.
 VALIENTE
Gentlemen, may I, on behal f of my Government, wish you every success on your voyage, and present you wi th a small token. A radi o recei ver whi ch wi l l al l ow you to recei ve our time si gnal on the fi rst day of every month. Si gnor ornel l i , if you pl ease. Si r Ernest, gentl emen, I have one more guest to present to you. As you see, he's come dressed for the occasi on.
VINCENT 
Get that bloody ani mal off the tabl e.
HOLNESS 
Oh, shush. She's doi ng no harm.
VINCENT 
Don’t care, I'm eating.
MCNISH
Here, there's no need to fri ghten her.
BAKEWELL
So, he sai d we'd spend the wi nter at vahsel Bay.
HOLNESS
We were tol d we were gonna del i ver them there then return to Buenos Ai res ti l l the i ce broke up next summer.
MCNISH
Wel l , my guess i s he's afrai d i f he l ets us go, naebody' l l ever come back and fi nd hi m agai n.
SHACKLETON
Are we al l here? where's
Hudson?
MCILROY 
Kidnapped we understand , si r, by a group of young l adi es, but promi sed to be back by morni ng.
SHACKLETON
Gentl emen, may I read you the text of a messa9e I've just sent to 'The Dai l y chroni cl e'? we are l eavi ng now to carry on our whi te warfare. And our last message to our country i s that we wi l l do our best to make good.	Though we shal l be shut off from the outer worl d for many months, our thoughts and prayers wi l l be wi th our countrymen fighti ng at the front. we hope, i n our smal l way, to add vi ctori es i n sci ence and discovery to that certai n vi ctory whi ch our nati on shal l achi eve i n the cause of honour and li berty.  Dated Buenos Ai res, October 26th , 1914. Let the toast be to vi ctory.
 CREW
To vi ctory.
SHACKLETON
Any l uck?
HURLEY
We got a brief signal just after we left port, since then nothing. we need to get the antenna higher, if possi ble. The mai nmast woul d be best.
SHACKLETON
I'l l get someone to gi ve you a hand.
HURLEY
NO, I shoul d be abl e to manage.
SHACKLETON
Take Tom, he's the best man al oft I've ever seen. Al l ri ght? Gentl emen, thi s pl ace i s a shambl es. These fl oors need a scrub.
 ORDELEES 
Shal l we get out of the way, si r?
SHACKLETON
No, colonel, I want you three to scrub i t out.	The lower deck will issue you wi th brushes and buckets. Doctor Macklin, you can draw up a rooster. I want this place scrubbed out every Wednesday.
MACKLIN
Yes, boss.
SHACKLETON
Carry on.
ORDELEES 
Was he maki ng a joke?
MACKLIN
I don't thi nk so.
ORDELEES 
Bl oody hel l .
HUDSON
I heard that once winter sets in the Germans wlll surrender anyway.	 Before Christmas even. No winter uniforms, apparently. Pity really, I was hoping for a chance to have a go .
WORDIE
I don't know about Christmas, but it'll be over before we get back. Germany can't stand up to us, France and Russia.
GREEN
Less ski n, more potatoes, please, gentlemen.	At this rate we'l l be out of vegetables before we get to South Georgi a.
WORDIE
Aye aye, si r.
ORDELEES 
How d'you get house mai d's knee?
MCILROY 
By bei ng a housemai d?
ORDELEES 
Preci sel y. I thi nk I've got i t.
HURLEY
Are you all right, boss? Just pretend I'm not here.
HOLNESS 
Jesus. It's a bloke, si r.
SHACKLETON
Well, what sort of a bl oke?
HOLNESS 
!don't know, si r, but he's a big'un and he's i n rope locker.
SHACKLETON
MCILROY
What's up?
WILD
Hol ness thi nks he's seen a ghost. come out of there whoever the bl oody hel l you are!
BLACKBOROW 
J ust comi ng.
BLACKBOROW
Sorry, si r, I di dn't mean to cause a di sturbance.
SHACKLETON
Who the bl oody hel l are you?
BLACKBOROW
Perce Bl ackborow, si r. Abl e seaman.	I've got my papers and everythi ng. I'm from wal es.
SHACKLETON
You amaze me. Who hel ped you get aboard?
BLACKBOROW
Nobody, si r.
SHACKLETON
who hel ped him? !
BAKEWELL
I di d , si r.
BLACKBOROW
It's not hi s faul t, si r, i t was my i dea.
SHACKLETON
Be qui et, I'm comi ng to you. How ol d are you?
BLACKBOROW
Ni neteen, si r.	Nearl y twenty. Please don't send me back.
SHACKLETON
Mr Bl ackborow, have you ever been to the Antarctic?
 BLACKBOROW
No, si r.
SHACKLETON
Those of us who have been there, who have seen men starve, go mad and di e, are not so bloody amused!
BLACKBOROW
No, si r.	 It's just I heard you were two men short. so I thought I coul d hel p out l i ke.
SHACKLETON
Oh, did you? Do you know what starvation is, Mr Blackborow? Have you ever watched a man eat a biscuit and want to kill hi m for just one crumb of i t?
BLACKBOROW
No, si r. I'm sorry, si r.
WILD
We are a man short, boss.
SHACKLETON
Are we? wel l , maybe he'd come i n useful. If we do face starvation, the stowaway i s always the fi rst one we eat. Isn't that ri ght, Mr wi l d?
WILD
Yes, boss.
BLACKBOROW
They'd get more meat off you, si r.
SHACKLETON
Don't push your luck, Blackborow. Take hi m to the bosun, fi nd somethi ng for hi m to do . And introduce hi m to the cook on the way, so that he knows what he looks l i ke.
WILD
Aye aye, boss.
SHACKLETON
Come on, then , l et's get back to work. That  i ncl udes you , too, Bakewel l .
BAKEWELL
Yes, si r.
HURLEY
Try and look respectabl e you l ot.
SHACKLETON
Good morni ng, Frank.
HURLEY
Boss.
SHACKLETON
Come on you l ot, l et's have some order. Spread out at the back.  Mack, you come down the front here .
MACKLIN
Yes, boss.
HURLEY
And look right into the camera. That's where the rest of the world i s.	 Straight into the lens, right here. Think of your wives, your sweethearts. Your children, your grandchildren, your great grandchildren.	That's where they are, all  in there. Now everybody hold that.	 wait for i t.
HURLEY 
Thank you al l .
SHACKLETON
Do you want one more for safety, Frank?
HURLEY
No, si r, I onl y need the one chance. I got the pi cture.
GREEN
May I present, for your pl easure ... Bl ackborow Pi e.
 WORSLEY
Why i s that, chef?
WILD
Because there 's steak i n there somewhere, but i t's up to you to fi nd i t.
GREEN
You have i t. Shoul d I take the boss something i n hi s cabi n, si r?
WILD
No, don't worry about i t. Asked not to be disturbed.
GREEN
Al l ri ght.
WORSLEY
Sorry to di sturb you , boss, we 're close to South Georgi a. It's a l ittl e foggy out there but we shoul d be at Grytvi ken i n an hour. Are you all ri ght?
SHACKLETON
Yes, I'm al l ri ght, ski pper.
WORSLEY
Woul d you l i ke one of the doctors to have a l ook at you?
SHACKLETON
No. Thank you.	You take her i n. I'll be fi ne in the morning.
WORSLEY 
Boss.
ORDELEES 
It feel s l i ke a pi rate ki ngdom.
SHACKLETON
They spend hal f their l ife on the ocean hunti ng the greatest creature on the pl anet, the other half here i n thi s stench.
WORDIE
What an extraordi nary way to l ive.
SHACKLETON
Not for these men madmen, criminals, outcasts of every kind the calibans of the Pole.	 But they know the ice.
VINCENT 
Remi nds me of Bi rmi ngham.
HOLNESS
No. Bi rmi ngham smel l s worse.
JACOBSEN
Are you enjoyi ng your di nner, si r Ernest.
SHACKLETON
Thank you, yes.
JACOBSEN
The sausages are ou r own reci pe.
SHACKLETON
Mmm.
JACOBSEN
Pork fed excl usi vel y on whal e bl ubber.
SHACKLETON
Do they enjoy i t?
JACOBSEN
Wel l , we just d ri ve the pi gs i nto the bel l y of the dead whal e and l eave them there. They eat -- or starve.
SHACKLETON
Most i nteresti ng.
THORALF
Is i t your i ntenti on , Lord Shackl eton, to l and at vahsel Bay?
SHACKLETON
Yes, i t is.
THORALF
Thi s i s not good. The i ce i s very bi g thi s year. It goes very far north.
 SHACKLETON
Wel l , we are prepared to force our way through if necessary. The 'Endurance' was built for ice work.
JACOBSEN
There i s no possi bi l i ty to reach the bay at the moment. You must wai t here for warmer weather.
SHACKLETON
Well, i n Engl and we're used to waiti ng for warmer weather, aren't we .
JACOBSEN
In Norway al so. As you well know, the Weddell sea is hemmed in on three sides like a 'u'. It's the Antarctic continent, the Palmer Peninsula and these islands. The current is very strong. It moves like the clock, forcing the ice against the Peninsula where it is packed tight. It cannot escape, i t doesn't melt, even now that the summer is starting.
SHACKLETON
Yes, but we can sti l l get through here, down the eastern side, by Coats Land.	I've  tal ked to  about thi s. The i ce i s more open. we can l and at vahsel Bay.
JACOBSEN
But i t's very bad thi s year. The worst we have known.	 I've had captai ns back thi s week who say the i ce i s sol i d as far as here.
SHACKLETON
Are you sayi ng i t 's i mpossi bl e?
JACOBSEN
It's not impossi bl e but i t's very di ffi cul t. You'l l have to fi ght your way through a thousand miles of i ce to reach l and.
SHACKLETON
Wel l , goi ng back to Engl and i s impossible, so I suppose we'l l just have to settle for very di fficult.
MCILROY 
The l ower deck are offeri ng three to one we'l l be here for Chri stmas.
HURLEY 
thi nk I'l l keep my money, thanks, you won't stay that l ong.
MCILROY 
From up there Grytvi ken l ooks almost romanti c.
 HURLEY
It's just a matter of choosi ng the ri ght pl ace to l ook at i t from.
MCILROY 
Oh, real l y? In that case I have a coupl e of mai den aunts who 'd be very i nterested to meet you.
SHACKLETON 
I know full well that I am wanting in many ways domestically, that for sometimes past we have not seen eye to eye and the fault lies with me. I have committed al l sorts of crimes in thought if not always in action. I suppose I am just good as an explorer and nothing else. I love the fight, and when things go easy I hate it. Even though when things are wrong I get worried. I'm a bit ti red tonight and just wandering along, but now that I am on my own work I will be more at peace.
CREW
whiskey is the life of man whiskey Johnny Oh whiskey from an old ti n can whiskey for my Johnny oh whiskey here and whiskey there whiskey Johnny Oh I'll get whiskey everywhere whiskey for my Johnny
MCNISH
What are we dri nki ng, chef?
GREEN
I'd say, um , one part vinegar, two parts methylated spiri ts and , er, ten parts ...
VINCENT 
Whale .
CREW
whiskey for my J ohnny 
WHALEMAN
I'll d ri nk for your return.
VINCENT 
It's our departure, mate, we 're goi ng.
WHALEMAN
Oh, no, no. You are coming back very soon. Your ship is not good for the ice.	 So I drink for your return.
MCNISH
I'll drink to that.
JACOBSEN
The boats back this afternoon have seen some big 'bergs which means that the Weddell is starting to break up.
SHACKLETON
So we stil l have a chance of maki ng l andfal l by Chri stmas.
HUDSON
Good evening, sorry I'm l ate. I'm, er, I'm no good wi th costumes.
HURLEY
Gentl emen, gentl emen , pray sil ence.	our l ast guest has, I thi nk, just arri ved.
HUDSON
I'm Budd ha, d'you see?  wel l , never mi nd , perhaps i t doesn't transl ate.
HURLEY
Thanks to Putty here, he  received a personally engraved invitation. unfortunately , some of the details ...
MCILROY
Such as the ti me.
MARSTON
And the dress code.
HURLEY
were sl i ghtl y i naccurate.
HUDSON
I'm so sorry I'm l ate. I can never qui te thi nk of ... Oh my God. Oh, ha bl oody ha.
MARSTON
Get hi m, boys.
MCNISH
Why do you stay -- out here i n the mi ddl e of bl oody nowhere?
WHALEMAN
To get away from up there. whalemen not fi t up there. People up there not like queer folk like whalemen around. we not can write poetry. we not can paint pictures from the  silly world , so -- we come here. No damn use anywhere else.
MCNISH
Mmm.	To those of us who are 'no damn use anywhere else' .
MEN
No damn use anywhere el se!
HURLEY 
Incredi bl e, i sn't she?
 SHACKLETON
Where' s your camera?
HURLEY
Ah, she'l l be gone before I coul d set i t up. Besi des, someti mes just the eyes are good enough.
SHACKLETON
She 's worth about five thousand pounds, and that's not counti ng the carcass or the bones. D'you know how much whal e oi l they produce at Grytvi ken every year? Two and a hal f mi l l i on gal l ons. It's  a gol dmi ne. An i nvestment of fifty thousand pounds, you coul d make doubl e that i n profi t every year. wi th a decent manager worki ng out here you coul d put your feet up at home, l i ve l i ke a ki ng.
HURLEY
Don't you thi nk she's beauti ful?
SHACKLETON
You' re not a busi nessman, Frank.
HURLEY
But I am. I just chose to make my busi ness out of doi ng somethi ng that I l ove.
SHACKLETON
Wel l , that 's the i dea.	But someti mes there 's more bl oody busi ness than you expect .
MEN
Up to the west end Right in the best end Straight from the country came Miss Molly Brown Father' s a curate But couldn't endure it That's why the lady's residi ng in town
CREAN
Anythi ng?
HURLEY
Nothi ng. No si gnal at all .
CREAN
D'you want me to take a look up top?
HURLEY
It's not the antenna. I'm not sure what i t i s.
 BLACKBOROW
Stupi d real l y, I've always hated the col d.
VINCENT 
We 'll be back at the whal i ng stati on i n a week. He won't get through the i ce thi s year.
MCNISH
Ah, you don't know bl oody expl orers.	He'l l not turn back. He cannae afford to .
WILD
Ski pper reports pack i ce off the starboard bow. About half a mile .
SHACKLETON
What? It can't be thi s far north.
SHACKLETON
Slow down, ski pper, i n case we hit a growl er. And steer away from te pack, I don't want to enter i t here.
WORSLEY
Hard aport. Hard aport.
SHACKLETON
Hard aport, bosun.
VINCENT 
Hard aport!
SHACKLETON
Chi ppy.
MCNISH
Yes, boss?
SHACKLETON
It's getti ng a l i ttl e fresh up here. can you do somethi ng about i t?
MCNISH
can make a wi ndbreak, si r.
SHACKLETON
Thanks.	And I thi nk i t may be hel pful to have some way of vi sual l y si gnal l i ng the hel msman now we're at the i ce.
MCNISH
Aye aye, si r.
SHACKLETON
Thank you. AS lon as you never actual l y gi ve hi m the sol uti on.
MCILROY
What' s thi s 'growler' we're al l so worri ed about?
HURLEY 
Underwater ice. You can't see i t ti l l you hi t i t.
MCILROY 
Ah, charmi ng.
ORDELEES 
Remarkabl e, i sn't i t?  Li ke l ooki ng at the desert for the fi rst time.
SHACKLETON 
The pack i s more or l ess where we expected , or at l east where J acobsen ...
SHACKLETON
sai d i t woul d be. so we'l l take a south-easterl y course, ski rti ng around i t, as l ong as we can , but i t i s pretty l oose, and at some poi nt we wi l l have to start to push through if we're to reach vahsel Bay before wi nter. Those of you wi thout much experi ence at the hel m are goi ng to fi nd i t pretty hard work navi gati ng the i ce at fi rst.	We 'l l al l take an hour at a time each duri ng the day.
ORDELEES 
How far is i t to ou r l andi ng poi nt?
SHACKLETON
 Navi gator?
 HUDSON
About a thousand mi l es, si r.
SHACKLETON
And don't expect much nig ht from now on. In two weeks' time it will be Decem ber 21st, the l ongest Antarcti c day. The sun wi l l be above the hori zon for twenty-four hours. Do not l et thi s affect your sleep, you're goi ng to need i t.
HUDSON
Oh, l ook, seal s.  Beauti ful ... aren't they.
WILD
Doughbal l s.
GREEN
Yes, si r.
WILD
Ever cooked seal?
GREEN
Er, oi l , butter, dri ed parsl ey, a l ot of fresh ground pepper.
WILD
Wel l , break out the pepper.
WILD
Excuse me, boys.
SHACKLETON
Why have we stopped the engi nes?
WORSLEY
Franki e 's bagged a seal . He's oi ng across the fl oes after   l t.
SHACKLETON
Wel l , as long as we 've stopped , we mi ght as wel l l et everybody off.  Bi t of exerci se mi ght do us al l good. Offside, offside .
ORDELEES 
Offsi de, offside .
BAKEWELL
Why, i sn't that what I'm supposed to do?
 MARSTON
Don't be too hard on hi m, ref, he can't hel p bei ng a forei gner.
ORDELEES 
My bal l , I thi nk. Free ki ck to the shore party. Skipper.
SHACKLETON
Take a shot, wuzzles.
WORSLEY
Yes, boss.
MARSTON
Go on, wuzzl es.
MCNISH
Aye, go on, wuzzl es, me darl i n' .
SHACKLETON
Oooh.
ORDELEES 
Are you al l ri ght, boss?
SHACKLETON
Yes, I'm al l ri ght, colonel .  Pl ay on!
MEN
 It's a long way to Ti pperary It's a l ong way to go It's a l ong way to Ti pperary To the sweetest gi rl I know
BAKEWELL
Look, they l ove i t.
HUSSEY
Let 's try somethi ng el se.
MCILROY
How about 'Scotland The Brave '?
WORSLEY
Hard a starboard.
WORDIE
Hard a starboard.
WORSLEY
Mi dshi ps.
WORDIE
Mi dshi ps .
WORSLEY
Port easy.
WORDIE
Port easy.
WORSLEY
Hard apart .
WORDIE
Hard apart.
HURLEY 
Make your bl oody mi nd up.
WORSLEY
Reverse engi nes. Hard aport.
CREAN
Reverse engines.
WORDIE
Hard aport.
WORSLEY
Ful l speed ahead.
SHACKLETON
Easy, skipper.
ORDELEES 
Come on.
HURLEY
What's al l the fuss about?
WILD
It's the col onel . He's doi ng a job of work.
MCILROY
I don't bel i eve it.
HUSSEY
I thouht i t was medi cal l y impossi bl e.
ORDELEES 
Ha bl oody ha.
MACKLIN
Coul d be a mass del usi on, of course, has been known.
ORDELEES 
Look, i f you don't want to hel p, you can just bugger off the l ot of you.
WILD
Oh, don't worry, we've got a shi p to run.
ORDELEES 
Come on, get out of i t.	Get out .
MCILROY
Are you al l right?
HURLEY
It's i ncredi bl e.
SHACKLETON
So we di dn't make l andfal l by
Chri stmas.
WORSLEY
NO, si r. Damned i ce.
SHACKLETON
We 'l l serve grog at mi dni ght to those who are on watch.
WORSLEY
Yes, boss.
SHACKLETON
Damned i ce. Happy Chri stmas.
HURLEY
What ti me is it?
SHACKLETON
Mi dni ght.
BLACKBOROW
Happy Chri stmas, si r.
SHACKLETON
Happy Chri stmas.
 MARSTON
I saw three shi ps come sail i ng i n on Chri stmas Day on Chri stmas Day
MEN  
I saw saigi ng i n on Chri stmas morni ng three shi ps come Day i n the
 MARSTON 
 And what was i n those shi ps al 1 three
MEN 
on Chri stmas Day on Chri stmas Day
MARSTON 
And what was i n those shi ps al 1 three
MEN 
On Chri stmas Day i n the morni ng
WORSLEY
Er, to our ski pper must go the best present of al l But what to gi ve was a puzzl e unti l I remembered that because he 's i n charge It's a pol i ceman's whi stl e for wuzzl es
SHACKLETON
Al l ri ght. Yes, al l ri ght. Yes, um, so, er ...  To the boss who has gui ded us al l from afar Er, someti mes by map and, er, someti mes by star There i s onl y one gi ft as I know how you are so here for your pl easure a bi g fat ci gar Thank you very much , thank you. Very, very ki nd of you.
MEN
God rest ye merry gentl emen Let nothi ng you di smay For J esus Chri st our savi our was born on Chri stmas Day To save us al l from Satan's power when we were gone astray o ti di ngs of comfort and joy 
MEN
Comfort and joy o ti di ngs of comfort and joy The hol l y and the i vy when they are both ful l grown Of al l the thi ngs that are i n the ...
SHACKLETON
From your fami l y?
MARSTON
 Yes. Look, I'm fi ne boss. You go i n and joi n the others.
SHACKLETON
I know.	I'm fi ne, too I just needed a l i ttl e ai r. such a beauti ful day.Do you noti ce anythi ng?
MARSTON
What d'you mean?
SHACKLETON
Temperature' s ri si ng.	we'l l get there, you know.
MARSTON
I know.
SHACKLETON
Less than five hund red mi l es. we're hal fway.	ski pper reckons we'l l be i nsi de the Antarcti c ci rcl e by tomorrow.
MARSTON
I know.
SHACKLETON
You don't, by any chance, have a l i ght, do you?
MARSTON
No.
SHACKLETON
Wel l , come on then, l et's go and fi nd one.
SHACKLETON
We've covered nearl y ni ne hundred mi l es si nce south Georgi a. Four hund red i n the l ast week al one. If we keep thi s up, we'l l reach vahsel Bay by the end of the week.
MCILROY
Excuse me, boss. ski pper wants you on deck.He's si ghted l and.
SHACKLETON
We' re beyond coats Land. Thi s i s further than any shi p has ever been. our fi rst discovery. we'l l have to cal l i t 'James Cai rd Land', that'l l make the ol d bugger happy.
WORSLEY
Look there,  boss,  to the ri ght.	There's a bay. D'you see i t? It l ooks   shel tered. I thi nk we coul d put stores ashore there.
SHACKLETON
No. No, not yet. If we l and here i t'l l put an extra two hund red mi l es on the sledgi ng journey.
WORSLEY
 It 's just comi ng up away from there 's a spur that 'll force us the coast.
SHACKLETON
The temperature 's good. we've got another month, possi bl y two, of summer to go and cl ear water ahead of us . Let's not gi ve up now, ski pper.
WORSLEY
Aye aye, boss.  Keep her steady, Tom.
HURLEY 
They're pul l i ng away from me. Get wuzzl es to go wi th them. I just need one more shot.
BLACKBOROW
Ski pper.
WORSLEY 
I know, he wants one more shot.  Hol d your speed , Tom.
MCILROY
Leave i t, ol d man, we 're worki ng.
HUDSON
Li sten.
ORDELEES 
What i s i t?
MCILROY
Looks l i ke porri dge .
HUDSON
She 's hol di ng her speed. It's just sl ush.
ORDELEES 
Is i t me or i s i t getti ng col der?
WORSLEY 
I'm on ful l power but we 're onl y maki ng three knots. It's costing us a l ot of coal .
SHACKLETON
What can they see up top?
WORSLEY 
Lookout says 'no cl ear water', but there 's some l ow cl oud on the port bow, that coul d i ndi cate a channel .
SHACKLETON
Hol d your course.
WORSLEY 
Aye aye, boss.
SHACKLETON
Tom , get those gentl emen down on the deck wi th nothi ng better to do to start baggi ng coal . We need to be ready for l andi ng.	Incl ude the col onel i n the party, if you don't mi nd.
CREAN
It'd be a pl easure, boss. Mr orde-Lees.
ORDELEES 
Yes?
CREAN
The boss has a job for you at l ast.
MCILROY 
Is i t my i magi nati on or are we getti ng further from l and away rather than closer?
HURLEY 
There are grounded  'bergs ahead. The i ce i s bei ng stacked agai nst them. He's tryi ng to get around 'em but my money says we 'l l be back i n South Georgi a eati ng whal e sausages i n a coupl e of weeks.
ORDELEES 
Then why does he want us to bag the bal l y coal?
HURLEY 
Keeps the mi nd occupi ed.
WORSLEY 
The pack i ce i s sol i d up ahead. we coul d go further north but the temperature' s droppi ng al l the ti me, and I don't want to go any further than I have to.	 It's costi ng us a l ot of coal at the moment.
SHACKLETON
We'l l cut the engi nes.	we 'll anchor to the fl oe and wai t for i t to open up . we shoul d conserve the fuel i n case we need to get back to South Georgi a.
 WORSLEY
Aye aye, boss.
HURLEY
What di d I tel l you? He 's cut the engi nes. I smel l whal e sausages.
HURLEY
Coul d I eat i t?
MCILROY 
You'd have to be very hungry. Fourteen.
HUDSON
It's ani mal , i t's femal e,    we 've never seen i t, i t doesn't l i ve i n the Antarcti c. It can't tal k, you'd only eat i t i f you were starvi ng.
MACKLIN
And i t's hai ry.
HUDSON
And i t's hai ry.  Can you stroke i t?
MCILROY 
Mmm ... yes.	Fi fteen.
VINCENT 
We shoul d turn round and 90 home.	Joi n up, do somethi ng useful .
BLACKBOROW
I don't know, war mi ght be over by now.
MCNISH
Wel l , I hope the Russi ans got the Kai ser. Knowi ng our lot, they'd probabl y set hi m up i n a pal ace and gi ve the bastard a pensi on.
VINCENT 
Sti l l makes no sense bei ng stuck out here, does i t?
HURLEY 
But i t i s a body part?
MCILROY
Yes.
MACKLIN
Head?
MCILROY
Warm, but no.  Ei ghteen.
HUDSON
Hai ry body part, i t has to be a chi n.
MACKLIN
NO, i t's too obvi ous. Eyebrow.
MCILROY
Yes.
MCILROY
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah , ah. But whose?
HUSSEY
What d'you mean 'whose'?
MCILROY
Oh, I'm thi nki ng of a speci fi c one.
HUDSON
A speci fic eyebrow? Don't be ridi cul ous.
MACKLIN
Mari e Ll oyd.
MCILROY
Ri ght sex, wrong woman. Twenty. I wi n.
MACKLIN
How are we supposed to guess whose eyebrow?
MCILROY
Belongs to a gi rl cal l ed Noreen, actual l y.
HUDSON
And who the damned hel l 's she?
MCILROY
Fi rst gi rl I ever ki ssed.
HUDSON
So we're supposed to get the eyebrow of the fi rst gi rl you ever ki ssed?
MCILROY
Wel l , I was hopi ng you'd narrow i t down to the l eft eyebrow.
MCILROY
uh-uh.	Now then, boys.
MACKLIN
I thought i t was supposed to be getti ng warmer.
WORDIE
Maybe thi s i s warmer.
MACKLIN
Had  ape thi s morni ng. as i t hi t the ground. No, i t's true. Look. Look at that.	Frozen dog u ri ne.
ORDELEES 
What are you looki ng at?
WORDIE
Watch out, ol d boy, the deck's i ci ng up.
ORDELEES 
Real l y? You amaze me.
SHACKLETON
Wel l , at l east someone's happy we' re stuck.
WILD
Do you thi nk we are stuck?
SHACKLETON
We 're stuck unti l we're unstuck.
MCILROY 
Pull .
HURLEY
Bri ng her up. come on, that's i t.
HURLEY 
Keep i t steady.	Keep comi ng. Al l ri ght, hol d i t there.
HURLEY 
It was i ncredi bl e. I don't know how far I coul d see but at l east twenty mi l es i n every di recti on. Everythi ng whi te except for the crooked shadow of our shi p.	stuck l i ke a matchsti ck i n a giant's wedding cake. Down here we feel l i ke we're somethi ng a force movi ng through the l andscape. Up there you real i se we 're nothi ng. A speck a spot, i n the wi l derness.
HUDSON
The boss wants everyone on deck i mmedi atel y. There 's water about two hundred yards ahead. The whol e fl oe may be breaki ng up.
SHACKLETON 
We 've had a si ghti ng of open water.	It's about two hund red yards ahead.	we need to cut a channel through. Ski pper, you take the bri dge. The eni nes are bei ng fi red up. I’ll take charge on the i ce. Every man get themsel ves an impl ement, l et's get movi ng. Ri ght, boys, l et's get to i t.
CREAN
Get yoursel ves spread out now. Gi ve yoursel ves pl enty of space.
WORSLEY
Reverse engi nes and prepare for ful l ahead ram. Ful l ahead.	Ful l ahead.
SHACKLETON
Franki e. Thi s i ce must be over si x foot thi ck.	we 're not gonna make i t wi th pi cks and shovel s.
WILD
We have to try and break her out somehow.
SHACKLETON
I know. Port. Starboard. Port Starboard. Port. Starboard. Port. Al l ri ght, take a break, everybody. we 'l l gi ve the bows one more go i n fi ve mi nutes.
 WILD
One, two, th ree, four, five. Two, three, four. One, two, three, four, five. Two, three, four. one, two, th ree, four, five. Two, th ree, four one, two, three, four, fi ve. Two, th ree, four.	One, two, three, four, five. Two, three, four. one, two, three, four, five.
SHACKLETON
Frank.
WILD
Two, th ree 
SHACKLETON
That's enough.
WILD
Are you al l ri ght?
SHACKLETON
Yes, Frank, I'm al l ri ght. I've always loved the dark ever si nce I was a chi l d. Bedti me stori es, mi dni ght feasts. Dreams. somehow i n the dark i t's easi er to remember what you want to be. I'm afrai d we 're al l goi ng to have to l earn to l ove i t now.
WILD
Wel l , Mr Hurl ey's been worki ng on that. The boys woul d l i ke you to take a l ook.
SHACKLETON
Yes, of course . I've made the deci sion about who wi l l come wi th me on the crossi ng of the Conti nent. It goes wi thout sayi ng that I'd  l i ke you to be one of them.
WILD
I woul d be honoured.
SHACKLETON
I'm goi ng to stop the pretence that we can be out of here before summer. It won't be easy but I want the men to concentrate on the preparati ons for the l and journey ahead.	I'd l i ke you to take charge of that.
 WILD
Yes, boss.
SHACKLETON
I have accepted the fact that we are unl i kel y to escape the i ce thi s wi nter.	I therefore propose that we cease to operate as a shi p's company and become a wi nter base stati on.   ski pper.
WORSLEY
There'l l be no more watches, simpl y a ni ght-watchman to  l ook after the stoves as we wi l l be standi ng down the boi l ers to preserve fuel .
SHACKLETON
Thi s del ay wi l l not al ter our pl ans. we wi l l use thi s extra time to prepare oursel ves more ful l y. I've therefore deci ded to name the party who wi l l make the fi nal jour ney wi th me across the Pol e.   Frank.
WILD
Each man sel ected m ust choose and trai n hi s own dogs i n preparati on for thi s hi stori c journey. Thi s wi l l be our busi ness i n the comi ng weeks.
SHACKLETON
!propose to take five men  Frank wi l d , Tom Crean, Mack, Putty and I suppose, just i n case the pai nt freezes, we'l l need a photograph to prove we've done i t, so we 'll have to take you , Mr Hurl ey. Now, was there somethi ng that you wanted me to see?
HURLEY 
Yes, boss . If you'd care to step outsi de.
SHACKLETON
Wel l now, what have you got for me?
HURLEY 
Enl i ghtenment, boss as ever. Thank you , Doc.
 SHACKLETON
It's l i ke Bl ackpool on a Saturday ni ght. Is there no end to your tal ents, Mr Hurl ey?	I am, as ever, in your debt.
HURLEY 
I appreci ate the offer to travel wi th you.
SHACKLETON
Wel l , I coul dn't l eave you behi nd now, coul d I?
 MARSTON
What the hel l was that?
SHACKLETON
A whal e. underneath the shi p. Looki ng for a hol e i n the i ce i t thi nks we're one.
MCNISH
Is i t buggery.
SHACKLETON
Did somebody speak?
MCNISH
No, si r. But I was just thi nki ng, i t di dnae feel l i ke a whal e.
SHACKLETON
What' s your anal ysi s then, McNi sh?
MCNISH
It's the i ce. It's movi ng. You can feel i t through the side of the shi p.
SHACKLETON
Is that what you thi nk?
MCNISH
Yes, si r.
 SHACKLETON
Wel l, I thi nk i t 's a whal e. Got a whiff of chef's di nner I suspect. Perhaps, ski pper, we shoul d make thi s party offi ci al .
SHACKLETON
Let 's have an i ssue of grog to all hands.
WORSLEY 
Yes, si r.
SHACKLETON
Tom.