BAKEWELL BLACKBOROW CREAN CURZON ELEANOR EMILY FRANK GREEN HOLNESS HOW HUDSON HUDSON_AND_WILD HURLEY HURLEY_VO HUSSEY MACKLIN MARSH MARSTON MCILROY MCNISH MEN ORDELEES PEARY PERRIS ROSALIND SHACKLETON SOLDIER SORLIE VINCENT WILD WORDIE WORSLEY ELEANOR Ssshhh, lie still. You'll only disturb the bandages. SOLDIER I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I, I woke up and I couldn't see. ELEANOR No one can see at the moment. It's still dark. SOLDIER What ti me is it? ELEANOR It's just after three. SOLDIER Well then it won't be not completely dark. If you look toward the east you'll see something. oh, I can smell it. Like walking past an orchard. What's your name? ELEANOR El eanor. SOLDIER That's pretty. El eanor who? ELEANOR Shackleton. SOLDIER Like the explorer. ELEANOR Yes, like the explorer. SOLDIER I wouldn’t mind a walk in the snow myself. oh, must be quiet there. No bloody artillery there. No bloody sun either. Right? ELEANOR That's right. SOLDIER Dark all day. Dark all bloody day. Just like the rest of us. SHACKLETON Hello, is someone in there? Colonel. Are you in there? What the bloody hell are you doing down here in the dark? ORDELEES Trying to get some sleep. SHACKLETON In the storeroom? Good God, what is this? Aladdin's cave? MARSTON Listen to that. HURLEY The ice starting to move. You can feel it underneath your feet like an ant standing on the back of an elephant. MARSTON So, you reckon we'll be out of here soon then, eh? HURLEY One way or another, yes. SHACKLETON Where do you get all this stuff? ORDELEES I collect it. nobody wants. Just things. Things might come in that useful one day. SHACKLETON Bent nails? ORDELEES I use them for cleaning the tins. SHACKLETON Oh, I see, the tins. well, you're as mad as a hatter, aren't you, old dear? ORDELEES I don't think so, sir. I think I'm rather sensible. MARSTON Ready. HURLEY Very still. And... now. FRANK Of course, everybody in the office knows my real name but they're too polite to show it. But whenever there's any Arctic news in the paper, they l eave the page open casually for me and then watch. There's a lot of giggling amongst the younger secretaries. A celebrity of a kind, I suppose. Anyway, how's school ? Is there any room for art in this sea of khaki? ROSALIND Well, I've finished at the Guildhall. FRANK So, darling, you're an actress at last. ROSALIND Don't make fun of me. I got a job. FRANK Oh God, don't tell me you're going to drive a train? ROSALIND No. I answered an advertisment in the 'Era'. I'm gonna be in a play at the Empire Theatre in Penge from August 5th. FRANK Penge in August ? Are you out of your mind? ROSALIND I have to start somewhere. I can't g0 on saying I want something and not doing anything about it. Your brother at least taught me that. FRANK Well, consider me rebuked. But Penge. And I thought it was still bear baiting and lewd dancing. I had no idea they went to the theatre. ROSALIND Well, they do. For fifteen minutes anyway. It's a one act play. FRANK Fifteen minutes? My dear, that's not theatre, it's music hall. You're going to be doing a turn. WILD It was on the good ship Hesperus, That sailed the wintry sea; HUDSON And the skipper had taken his little daughter, To bear hi m company. WILD Blue were her eyes as the fairy flax, Her cheeks like the dawn of day. HUDSON And her bosoms were white as the hawthorn buds, HUDSON AND WILD That opens in the month of May. HUDSON oh, father, I hear the sound of guns; Oh, say, what it may be? WILD some ships in distress; that cannot live In such an angry sea ! BAKEWELL The unmistakable sound of the English enjoying themselves. BLACKBOROW What is it? BAKEWELL Rum. Have some. BLACKBOROW I wouldn’t normally, you know. My mam doesn't approve. But I suppose Mi dwinter's Day is special. ORDELEES Dear beloved, as your pastor the Reverend Bubbling love, I would like to welcome you personally... to the Midwinter' s Day festivity, and in particular to our Chairman of our Parish council, sir Interesting shockl eton... BLACKBOROW I don't even know if she knows I'm here. I wrote, like, from, er, Buenos Ai res, but with the war and all that I, I don't know whether it'll get to her. BAKEWELL Maybe it's better if she thinks of you back there with those south American girls. BLACKBOROW I don't think she'd like that, actually. The girls I mean. But I hope she di d get the letter. I wouldn’t like her not knowing. Bloody hell. Come and take a look at this, boys, you've gotta see it. MCILROY Gentlemen, my name is... Lola. I come from... Espana... where the sun... shines. HOLNESS Look at this. MCNISH You come to me, lassie. MCILROY Arriba, ole. HOLNESS Eh up. GREEN Here he is. VINCENT Come on then, sir. Give us a bloody encore. MCILROY If you insist, bosun. SHACKLETON I think if the daylight doesn't come back pretty soon we're in trouble, Frankie. WILD Yes, boss. PERRIS Lady Shackleton, if a landing was impossible, he would have returned to south Georgia for the winter. we must assume he's decided to keep the 'Endurance ' with hi m which means we won't hear anything until the ice starts breaking up around Christmas. EMILY I feel that I've no Right to worry at all when so many are receiving such terrible news from France. PERRIS The public want to hear about something other than war. something that reminds them what we're fighting for. That's why I wanted to explain that we'll be running some articles from various experts, speculating on what may be happening to your husband. This is to keep the public interested, so that when we do et news they'll be ready for it. EMILY I understand, Mr Perris. He wouldn’t like to be forgotten. WILD It's starting to break up. WORSLEY The temperature was twenty­ three degrees and rising at first light this morning. SHACKLETON Right, let's get the dogs back on board. If we get the chance, we must be ready to sail immediately before it falls again. WORSLEY Which direction? SHACKLETON What? WORSLEY Which direction? Do we go on or do we go back? SHACKLETON I'm not sure that the choice will be ours to make, but the Ross sea Party should have started laying their depots by now. I think we could all do with a little variety in our diet, don't you, Frankie? WILD Yes, boss. Besides, I could do with the exercise. SHACKLETON Good. Come on, then, hmm. I'm starting a twenty-four... hour watch on the state of the ice, relieved every hour. And no-one is to leave the ship without permission. Is that understood? Chippy, I want a proper wheel house built for the steersman. when we do get into open water it's going to be pretty cold. You can use the wood from the shore hut. MCNISH Yes, boss. SHACKLETON colonel. seventy-two days' rations for every man packed on the sledges and ready on deck from tomorrow. ORDELEES Yes, sir. You di d say you wanted the rations on the sledges? SHACKLETON I di d. we must face the possibility that our ship could be damaged or even destroyed. If that happens we'll have to take our chances on the ice. But don't worry, the weather is on our side, the summer is on its way. we'll get out of here under our own steam, I'm sure of it. Let's make a start. Thank you. PEARY With the sun circling round the sky day after day without setting, the Stars and stripes were planted and the records left with a piece of the flag. WILD Go back over that bit again where he talks about the tracker. ORDELEES No, I want to hear what he says next. WORSLEY What' s so funny? CREAN Peary talking about reaching the North Pole. WORSLEY Yes? PEARY ... the Pole itsel f, finally arrived on the 6th April, lg0g. CREAN The boss doesn't think he did. PEARY Here, in the idst of great fiel ds of heavy ice covering an ocean two mi les or more in depth...... covering an ocean two miles or more in depth, with the sun circling round the sky day after day without setting, the Stars and Stripes were planted and the records left with a piece of the flag. HUDSON What' s going on? SHACKLETON The ice is shifting. BLACKBOROW Can she take it? MCNISH No, she's built wrong. should have more curve in the hull so the pressure forces her up. MCNISH She's no ' rising. It's got a grip on us. VINCENT It'll melt again in the morning. We’ll be back to normal. HOLNESS Glad you think this is normal. SHACKLETON Where's the skipper? WILD He's already down there. The damage is on the port bow. It's hard to say how bad it is. SHACKLETON Are the pumps working? WORSLEY The hand pumps are frozen. we're doing what we can with the bilges, but it's no good against this. she's holed beneath the water. SHACKLETON What do you think? MCNISH I've nae access to the hull. The best I can do is to seal it off. SHACKLETON A coffer dam? MCNISH Yes, sir. SHACKLETON Right, take what you need. MACKLIN Lay the trestles flat. MACKLIN There we are. BLACKBOROW Ready? GREEN As I'll ever be. Go careful now. BLACKBOROW Don't worry, I always wanted to work in the circus. ORDELEES Careful. SHACKLETON How are they doing at the pumps, skipper? WORSLEY We' re working three hour shifts - fifteen minutes on, fifteen minutes off. We'll keep it up through the night. SHACKLETON I'll take a turn after dinner. where' s the prince? WILD With chippy building the dam. GREEN Dinner is served. Have you done this before? MCNISH Only once. GREEN Will it hold? MCNISH If the ice does nae shift it. I can make it waterproof, but no' ice proof. WILD We can't hold out against this. We've had the pumps going for forty-eight hours and the water's still rlslng. The men can't take it much longer. SHACKLETON I know. I wanted to stay off the ice as long as possible, they're not gonna find it easy. WILD Well, it'll cheer the dogs up anyway. SHACKLETON All Right, let's start getting the equipment off. And the dogs. We'll take a decision about where to sleep tonight later. Gently does it, Frankie. WILD Right. SHACKLETON Have you done a tent allocation? WILD Yes. SHACKLETON Better put Mr Hurley with me. where I can keep an eye on him. WORSLEY Over there. secure her next to the other cutter, and then we'll go back for the last. MARSTON Suddenly makes our freezing little cabin seem rather warm and solid, doesn't it? HUSSEY Are we sleeping here tonight? CREAN Dinner's on board. That's all I know. SHACKLETON Skipper, I think we should collect our last bits and pieces when we're finished dinner. WORSLEY Yes, boss. SHACKLETON Everyone, please make sure you bring your diaries. ORDELEES Anyone not want their bannock? Sorry, I... SHACKLETON Carry on, colonel. Eat while you can. MCILROY For tomorrow we diet. ORDELEES Ah, but what time do we die at? Huh. sorry. I was just BLACKBOROW Not much point in washing up, is there? GREEN I never l eave a dirty plate behind me. we must l eave it spick and span. Besides, we never know when we might be coming back. WORSLEY Boss? SHACKLETON Yes? WORSLEY Shall I give the order to abandon? SHACKLETON How are the men? WORSLEY Ready. I think they're relieved in a way. SHACKLETON You know what he said to me when he gave me this the King? "Make sure you bring it back." Those were his words. I think we should do what we were ordered to and take it home, don't you? well, don't just stand there, give the order. Go on. WORSLEY Yes, boss. Abandon ship Abandon ship WILD She's going, boys. It's time to get off. BAKEWELL We've been working at the umps. I'll just get my Jacket. WILD There's no ti me. The boss said come back for it later. come on. That's everyone, boss. SHACKLETON After you then, Frank. I wanna run the ensign up. No surrender. WILD Right. But we shoul dn't be too l ong. she 's very restl ess. BAKEWELL Come on. SHACKLETON Well, old lady, looks like we got it in the neck this time. ORDELEES I don't know, sir. At least it'll make your book more exciting. SHACKLETON D'you think so? well, maybe you're Right at that. Thank you for your efforts today, gentlemen. I know you're all very ti red so I'll be brief. we have eighteen sleeping bags which means that ten of us will have to use blankets. Each man please take a match. Those who choose the shortest ones get a blanket. And I seem to have earnt myself a blanket. Frank will give you the tent allocations. Get some rest, everyone. MCNISH Well, there 's a first time for everything. WILD Tent number one: the boss, Mr Hudson, Mr James and Mr Hurley. SHACKLETON You all Right, skipper? WILD Tent number two: Mr McNish, Mr Wordie... WORSLEY Look, there 's a light still on. VINCENT Emergency light, skipper. Battery's come on. WILD Tent number three: How, Bakewell, Stevenson, Holness, Putty... Vincent and Green. WORSLEY Like a heartbeat. As though she was telling us she was still alive. WILD Tent number four: Mr Cheetham, Mr Hussey... HOW I could see what he was up to. But I was too clever for him. Took the other match. GREEN Al most as clever as the rest of us. HOW What d'you mean? GREEN Well, have a look around you, mate. We 've all got sleeping bags, haven't we? WORDIE I hope Mrs Chippy's house­ trained. MCNISH Nah, she's just frightened like the rest of us. we'll never survive in small boats. MCILROY It's been done before. MCNISH Not with twenty-eight of us. And what's the point in scrabble in across the bloody ice if it’s gonna melt in a few weeks anyway? WILD Di d you sleep at all? SHACKLETON I had the choice of thinking lying down or thinking standing up. Standing up seemed more useful. How is she? HURLEY Well she's sunk a little lower. But she seems steady at the moment. There's still a lot of things we could salvage. SHACKLETON The loner we stay still the harder it'll be. Half of these men have never travelled on snow before. come on, room service. There you go, Frank. HURLEY Thanks, boss. WILD Rise and shine. Rise and shine. It's a beautiful morning out there. Guests wishing to have their shoes shined, please be so kind as to leave them at the door. SHACKLETON Something hot. Chippy, we need to get some sort of a runner fitted to the cutters so we can drag them. D'you think you could get that organised today? MCNISH Aye. when I've had some breakfast I dare say I'll manage it. SHACKLETON And keep her away from the dogs. They'll tear her to pieces if they get loose. Aye. We know that, don't we, darl in'? MCNISH Forward. Forward. Steady. Down. MARSTON Step Right up, gentlemen. A one day sale featuring brand new Burberrys, warm and dry. The latest fashions in men's undergarments. Must be sol d today, we're going out of business tomorrow. Don't be shy now, gentlemen. Step right up and help yourselves. WILD It's going to be bloody hard pulling a boat over this stuff if we can't even get a sled through. SHACKLETON There's no alternative. If we stay still, we'll starve crazy. or go WILD You don't think we should wait to float the cutters when the pack breaks up? SHACKLETON The pack is drifting north. we wait for it to break up, if it does break up, we may find ourselves in the middle of the south Atlantic. what chance do you think we stand there in open boats with twenty-eight men and no food? Our ship and our stores have gone. so I think it's time we went home. After the excitements of yesterday I'm sure we'd all rather sleep on l and, dry or otherwise. so I intend to make for the nearest. Here, have a look. Robertson Island. Now we'll establish a base there, then I'll take a smaller party across here, Graham Land, to Wilhel mina Bay. Now whalers from Deception Island use this and it's our shortest route to rescue. Right. Everything we need must be carried on the sledges. I am therefore allowing each man only two pounds weight of personal possessions. That includes your diaries, your shaving kit, your eating utensils. Everything else must go. And I mean everything. It's of no use to us now. We can carry nothing except what keeps us alive. And that includes animals, I'm afraid. I'm sorry, chippy, no pets. This is the Bible presented to us by Her Majesty Queen Alexandra. I'm keeping three pages. This is one of them. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me. Let's get on with it, boys. MARSTON Yes, boss. SHACKLETON Well done, boys. Five minutes to three, so we're ahead of ourselves, we haven't even begun. WILD I need to speak with you, sir. SHACKLETON Thank you. She won't stand a chance out there. The dogs'll tear her to pieces and you know it. Let me take her. MCNISH She's a bloody he. And I'll take her myself if you don't mind. SHACKLETON My job now is to make sure you all live. Every single one of you. To do that I cannot afford to be sentimental. If I am, you will die. Die frozen, di e starving, di e mad. I've seen it before. I do not intend to see it again. Now it's been brought to my attention that one or two people here may have picked up items discarded by others yesterday. Don't look so worried, bosun. I have a confession to make. I am one of those guilty people. I picked up a blook in the snow this morning. A poetry book. Robert Browning. I'm reminded of a line from a poem of his called 'Prospice'. "For sudden the worst turns the best to the brave." Let's make this our best, shall we? Robertson Island ! MEN Robertson Island. SHACKLETON Five miles a day MEN Five miles a day GREEN Right, there you are. And the next. WILD Hudson and Mcilroy have already scouted this floe. They reckon it's over a mi l e square. SHACKLETON Well, that should give us some stability. Five miles a day is obviously impossible, so we have two alternatives: we travel slow and risk running out of food, or we stay here, wait for the weather to get warmer, try and get out by boat. HURLEY I think we could get some more supplies off the ship before she disappears completely. That way we can preserve the sledding rations. SHACKLETON Good idea. skipper? WORSLEY I think we should stay here and see what happens. SHACKLETON Very well. Tell the men we're going to stay here for now, but I don't want anybody digging in. we have to be ready to move at any time. Frank, you take who you want, go back to the ship in the morning. No heroics. HURLEY Yes, boss. WILD I've got it. VINCENT Marzipan. No danger of going hungry now. walnuts. Another weight off me mind. WILD Keep going, we're at the Right place. There's more there, I'm sure of it. GREEN I've got no oven so don't go expecting any bread. It's hot and that’s the best thing I can say about it. SHACKLETON Come on, chef, let's have it then. GREEN Oh oh, this is bloody useless. Now the bloody bottom's burnt out. How can I bloody clook without a bloody pot to clook in? SHACKLETON Charlie, where are you going? GREEN I'm bloody going home. This is bloody stupid. I've had enough. ORDELEES Look, this must be dump camp. MCILROY What? ORDELEES All our stuff. It's all here somewhere. Hundreds of pounds worth just thrown away. such a ruddy waste. MCILROY Well, you won't find anything now. Ice melts, everything sinks. Ice freezes, it's gone. Simple as that. ORDELEES Someone' s had a go, look. MCILROY Could be penguins. ORDELEES Penguins looking for gold sovereigns, I presume. sixteen years I had that bicycle. A Rudge Whitworth. I won't find one like it again. Come on. HOW What are you doing? HURLEY Looking for my film. It's down there, underwater. The cans are sealed so the water can't get at it, but I can't reach. If you two blokes were to hold my legs, I think I could. VINCENT Are you crazy? You'll freeze to death if you go under there. That's i f you don't drown first. HURLEY I can't reach far enough on my own. I'm not going without them. VINCENT Pull Pull HURLEY There's another one. HOW She's on the move. HURLEY Yes, don't worry, I'll be quick. HOW Where's he gone? VINCENT I don't bloody know. Get him out of here. Pull, pull. He's bloody dead. HOW Just get his circulation going. VINCENT She 's going HOW Let's get him out. HURLEY I'm all Right, just get the bloody film. Take the cans. SHACKLETON Frank, we can't carry any more weight. HURLEY I'm not leaving 'em behind. SHACKLETON I have twenty-eight lives to consider. HURLEY So have I. And one year of each of those twenty-eight lives is in these pictures. what's the point of our survival if there 's no record of what 's happened? And if we don't make it, then this will be all the life that's left of us. Without these we've done nothing, except get lost like a bunch of schoolgirls on a nature ramble. SHACKLETON How many are there? HURLEY Five hundred and twenty. SHACKLETON Well, perhaps we could take a box. HURLEY Not enough. Two hundred. You make the selection. SHACKLETON One hundred, and we make the selection together. Deal ? HURLEY One hundred and fifty. Deal ? SHACKLETON Deal. HURLEY Penguins, two, regarding cameraman with amorous expression. SHACKLETON No more penguins. HURLEY View of south Georgia. Slightly out of focus. See captain in foreground. SHACKLETON No, certainly not. Doesn't do him justice. HURLEY Close shot, mad storekeeper in silly hat. SHACKLETON Staring at camera with glazed expression. No, too depressing. oh, wait, we have an obligation to his mother. we'll keep it. HURLEY Cantankerous old man standing on prow of ship. SHACKLETON Oh, you're Right, he does look miserable. And old. Cancel that career as a Hollywood photographer. HURLEY Put it in 'the Right to know' public have a box. SHACKLETON When did you take this? HURLEY First day we played football on the ice. SHACKLETON I never thought of her as beautiful. Al ways seemed dumpy somehow, heavy around the waist. HURLEY Well, she's what I see now. SHACKLETON First, I would like to pay tribute to chippy McNish, whose hard work has contrived to give us a safer and more seaworthy way home. Well done. I would like to christen them today after three people without whose help we would not be where we are today. GROANS/'BOOS' MUSIC: CONTINUES THRU SHACKLETON The 'stancomb wi lls', after my dear friend Miss Janet Stancomb-wi lls. Captained by Mr Hudson. The 'Dudley Docker', under the command of Captain Worsley. And the 'James caird' which I will myself command. No champagne, I'm afraid. She's going, boys. WORSLEY It's as though she never existed. WILD Nothing. Not even a dent in the bloody ice. Yet she was Right here. SHACKLETON Out of whose womb came the ice? And the hoary frost of Heaven, who hath gendered it? The waters are hi d as with stone, And the face of the deep is frozen. Thank you for saving the pictures. You were Right without them we'd just be left with words, and they're not always enough. HURLEY You start a fi re here at the bottom, using a little wood and petrol to get it going. Then you place the main blubber container on top thus. This is heated by the fi re. The blubber starts to boil, spilling back into the fi re increasing the intensity of the heat. SHACKLETON And the smoke. GREEN All we need now is something to bloody clook on it. SHACKLETON Yes. well done, Frank. ORDELEES Hudson. Distract hi m, for God's sake. Not like that. Pretend to be a seal. HUDSON Well, that didn't work, he's just disappeared. ORDELEES That's because you were waving your arms. Seals don't have arms. HUDSON Well they don't wear silly hats either. You told me to distract it, not to impersonate it. Look, there's another one. ORDELEES Where? HUDSON Right there. WORSLEY Cheetham. ORDELEES Whose is this? WORSLEY Vincent. ORDELEES Whose is this? WORSLEY Bakewell. ORDELEES Whose is this? WORSLEY McNish. ORDELEES Whose is this? WORSLEY Bl ackborow. ORDELEES Whose is this? BLACKBOROW It's a trick, isn't it? ORDELEES What is? BLACKBOROW How you call them out. ORDELEES What are you talking about? BLACKBOROW When you say "whose is this?" it means it's a small portion. And when you say "whose it this?” it's a bi g one. ORDELEES Don't be ridiculous. BLACKBOROW Well, you don't care, do you? You're the storeman. You can have what you like. ORDELEES How dare you say that ? WORSLEY Shut up, colonel. Bl ackborow. BLACKBOROW Skipper? WORSLEY You can choose the names tomorrow. BLACKBOROW Me, sir? WORSLEY Now let's get some sleep. BLACKBOROW Maybe it's the other way round. SHACKLETON The ice is getting less stable. I think we should get close to the sea while we still can. If we're organized we could average two, maybe three miles a day. WILD We'll never manage all three boats. we'll have to work in relays to move two as it is. HURLEY D'you think twenty-eight men can make it in two boats? SHACKLETON Yes, I do. If there's no alternative, they'll have to. we'll strike camp tomorrow. WORSLEY The men were looking forward to celebrating Christmas, boss. SHACKLETON Then we make tomorrow Christmas. I don't want to stay here any longer. It isn't safe. Now we'll have a feast tomorrow, and everything that's not going on the sledges can be eaten. MEN God rest ye merry gentlemen Let nothing you dismay For Jesus Christ our savior was born on Christmas Day To save us all from Satan's power when we were gone astrayo tidings of comfort and joy comfort and joy o tidings of comfort and joy MCNISH It's ripping into the hull s. They'll not take much more of it. What's he gonna do if we lose the cutter? we'll no' get everybody in as it is. WILD Go to sleep, old man. MCNISH Go and look at the hull s. I'm not joking. Ach, you're all too bloody terrified of him. WILD That's enough. VINCENT It's suici de. You can't fit twenty-eight men in two tiny boats. HOLNESS We're barely making six hundred yards an hour as it is. Another boat'd kill us. GREEN We should have stayed where we were. waited for the ice to break up. BAKEWELL And if it didn't? what then? He knows what he's doing. VINCENT No, he doesn't. None of them know what they're doing. SHACKLETON Good evening, 'Hoop Tent'. GREEN Evening, boss. VINCENT Boss. SHACKLETON Well done today. I know it was hard, but thank you. skipper says we might have some better weather tomorrow. so get some rest. VINCENT Yes, sir. GREEN Sir. SHACKLETON Carry on then. HOLNESS Do you think he heard? VINCENT Nah. He doesn't bloody listen. HURLEY How are they? SHACKLETON Tired. Pretty fed up. I think we all feel much the same. It wasn't much of a day. What di d we do, Buddha? Two mi les? HUDSON A mile and a half I reckon. SHACKLETON Well let's hope we do better tomorrow. WORSLEY Don't let it... WORSLEY come down on you. To the side. Hold the back. Hold the back. VINCENT Hol d it. WORSLEY Hold it. Hold it at the back. No, let it go, let it go. Let it go. watch your step. VINCENT Whoa, whoa, it's caught. It's caught on the ice. WORSLEY And strain. Take the stay. MCNISH Ah, this is bloody stupid. she's being torn apart. WORSLEY Come on, keep at it. we can get through this. MCNISH I'm not doing it. It's stupid. Look at the hull. You're supposed to be captain of this cutter and you're tearing her apart. VINCENT He's Right. WORSLEY We can't l eave it here, we have to go on. we can inspect any damage when we make camp. Now get back to your positions. Bring her round. MCNISH No. WORSLEY That's an order. MCNISH From who? WORSLEY From your captain. MCNISH Captain of what? You've no ship. we've no ship. so we're no longer under ship's Articles. And therefore we're under no compulsion to do anything that's bloody stupid. And for your information, we're no ' being paid either. WORSLEY Get back to your positions, all of you. MCNISH We'll no' be paid from the day she sank. No ship, no pay. Every sail or knows that. MCILROY No ship, no pay? I've never heard that before. VINCENT well, get yourself a copy of ship's Articles, admiral. SHACKLETON what is going on here? WORSLEY McNish here feels that there are certain... SHACKLETON Get these men back to work, captain. There's a base up ahead, Charlie's setting up a hoosh tent. Now move and that's an order. MCNISH You've no authority. SHACKLETON don't talk to me about authority. who gave you the authority to have twenty men standing still here, freezing? who gave you the authority to risk their lives while you discuss what you think? You wanna know why they're doing what they're doing? Because I told them to. If you think that's wrong, then you come to me. MCNISH The cutter's being torn apart. SHACKLETON I don't care about the bloody cutters I care about the bloody men. Their lives. That's what I'm responsible for. MCNISH Well I'm responsible for my life now, and that means I don't have to accept what some bastard who plants flags in snow for a living thinks I should do. VINCENT We haven't got a ship, we haven't got a contract. we don't have to do what you say. SHACKLETON I'm the leader of this expedition and your contract is with me, not the bloody ship. Now you do what I say and I will keep you alive, and I will keep you alive. But if you threaten my expedition, the lives of my men, if you become the danger, then I will have no hesitation in having you shot. MCNISH Aye. well, we know how much you like that. SHACKLETON Get back to your place, McNish. And you, Vincent. There's no other way. WILD Don't think for one second that I would hesitate to use this. SHACKLETON Give them a hand behind, will you, Mac? Right, let's get this boat moving, shall we? There a base half a mile ahead. If we all pull together, we can be there in a couple of hours. come on. As some of you may know, chippy and I had the opportunity of, er, a few moment' s discussion about your contract of employment. There seemed to be some confusion which I would like to straighten out. I have here a copy of the contract which you have all signed, and I shall read part of it for the benefit of those who seem not to have bothered. All members of the crew, without exception, to have inter­ changeable duties and to perform any duty on board, in the boats, or on the shore as directed by the master or owner. That means, gentlemen, that you're under my command until I release you, which will not be until we have reached a home port. It also means that you will be paid until that time, with or without the ship. Any questi ons. McNish? MCNISH No... sir. SHACKLETON Very odd. well, then, if Charlie's ready for us, I think, er, a little dinner is in order. Thank you. WORSLEY Is he all Right, do you think? WILD No, I don't think he is, but he won't let anyone see it. Leave him to me. SHACKLETON What can he hope to achieve by confronting me like that? Is he mad? WILD They're ti red. It's hard for them. They signed on to deliver an expedition... MCILROY Grub's up, captain. shall I tell the boss? WILD ... a taxi driver's job. WORSLEY No, leave him be. He's coming. WILD But they've no experience of this. SHACKLETON Well who does, for God's sake? do they think I'm doing this for my own enjoyment? our supplies low, our morale is low. don't move, we'll die. are If we WILD I know. But some of them are starting to think that we're going to di e anyway, so what's the point in moving? SHACKLETON Who said that? which of them said that? WILD No-one's saying it, yet it's what they're starting to think. SHACKLETON They are not will going to die. I them not l et die. Do you understand? will not let them bloody die. PERRIS We just didn't think that the 'Endurance' would be away for so long. we have an obligation to pay the crew 's families, but we expected the ship to be back in south America by November at the latest. EMILY When do you run out of funds? PERRIS Next month. EMILY What about the Royal Geographical society? we only took half of the thousand pounds that they offered us. PERRIS Unfortunately we promised to ask for the other half in writing. EMILY Well, tell them that we've not changed our minds. These are families with chi ldren and they are our responsibility. And I know that my husband wouldn’t allow them to suffer. PERRIS Even five hundred pounds, Lady Shackleton, would only last four months. EMILY If we don't have news very soon, it means that they're in trouble, doesn't it? PERRIS I'm afraid it does. EMILY well, perhaps the Royal Geographi cal soci ety shoul d start to worry about that, too. SHACKLETON The dogs won't make this, l et alone the it across boats. HURLEY It's breaking up fast. We'll be on the water soon enough. Perhaps we should just wait. Have you noticed anything unusual? SHACKLETON No wild life. HURLEY Nothing for three days. we've about two days' supply of meat left. SHACKLETON We can't take the dogs with us when we're on the boats. If we can't get any further, we should get rid of them. That should help us conserve our meat supply at least. Let's get back. HURLEY Boss. what about the 'stancomb-Will s'? SHACKLETON What about it? HURLEY I could take a team and go back for it. we haven't come that far. It could be our last chance. we might be able to pick up some food as well. SHACKLETON The ice is too dangerous. I'm not risking any lives. HURLEY 'Find a way or make one.' SHACKLETON What ? HURLEY Something my father once said to me. Find a way or make one.' I think we could do it. If it's impossible, we abandon it, we're no worse off. HURLEY Push it to port. WILD Hold her there. WORSLEY Riqht. WILD Ah, she's going, lads, she's going. WORSLEY All hands, all hands. Turn to port. Take WILD Go on, skipper, you can do it. MARSTON Why have we stopped? WORSLEY It's the boss. GREEN Boss's idea. Thought you gentlemen might like a little refreshment. HUDSON What is it? GREEN Don't you be rude now. It's as fine a cup of tea as you'll ever taste. Get it down you. SHACKLETON Chippy. MCNISH Thank you. SHACKLETON Well done. You're l ooking a little overl oaded, bosun. VINCENT It's our Christmas dinner, boss. Bakewell and me l eft most of ours behind. SHACKLETON Di d you now? well, you'll make number three tent happy toni ght, won't you? VINCENT Yes, boss. Thank you, boss. ORDELEES You' re not gonna let them get away with that, are you? Sir? SHACKLETON Relax, colonel. ORDELEES But that's a personal suppl y. SHACKLETON Well, di dn't you bring anything? ORDELEES No, because you sai d that we shoul dn't. SHACKLETON Well, perhaps you shoul d have. MCILROY Go on, go on. Go on, go on. Good dogs. HOW It doesn't seem Right after all the work they've done to get us here. MCNISH Ach, you're wasting your breath. That bastard does nae care. HOLNESS If those old ladies back in England who gave him all the money knew he was out here shooting dogs, they'd shoot him. MCNISH Aye. Well, maybe they'll find there's a queue. CREAN Come on, boy. MCNISH Incredi ble. Best thing I've ever eaten. CREAN Who 's that? GREEN Er, it's Nel son. CREAN Well, turn hi m over, he 's getting burnt. He doesn't deserve that. HURLEY And don't mi x them up. I wanna know who I'm eating. ORDELEES MACKLIN It's not the eating, it's the liking object to. ORDELEES The Chinese consider it a delicacy. MACKLIN Exactly. ORDELEES well, don't all llook at me, it's not my faul t. WORSLEY It's not you. can you feel anything? felt The ice. I swell, I'm sure of it. BLACKBOROW You're Right, it's moving. WORSLEY We're back at sea again, boys. SHACKLETON What can you see? WORSLEY I can see somethin, but it's hard to tell what l t is. SHACKLETON What do you think it is? WORSLEY I think it's l and. SHACKLETON Accordinq to your reckoning this morning we're here. You're looking north-west to here. It's either Clarence Island or Elephant Island. I think it's Elephant Island. WILD How far's that? SHACKLETON I'd say two days sailing. I want the boats packed and ready to l aunch. WORSLEY I feel like a captain again. WILD What d'you mean? WORSLEY Well, this floe's about as bi g as the 'Endurance'. Put up some canvas, I could sail her out of here. WILD I'll start plotting you a course, si r. WORSLEY She wouldn’t l ast ten minutes. she won't l ast more than a day or two as it is. SHACKLETON Watchmen, are you alert? One. WORSLEY Yes, boss. SHACKLETON She's starting to spl it. crack. crackI crackI Get off the i ce. come on. VINCENT wake up now, boysI Get up. BAKEWELL Jesus Christ, it's tearing apart. MoveI VINCENT Man in the waterI Man in the waterI SHACKLETON Come on. Holness. Give me some help. come on. VINCENT Come on. SHACKLETON Come on. HOLNESS: GROANS WORSLEY Get hi m up. VINCENT Are you all Right, man? HOLNESS No. I've l ost my bl eedin' tobacco, haven' t I? SHACKLETON I'm reall y sorry about that, Hol ness. Reall y sorry. HOLNESS I'm not sl eeping on a sodding i ceberg again that's for sure. HURLEY Everyone's cl ear. we're out of the pack. SHACKLETON Well, thank God for that. GREEN I di dn't think we stood a chance. MCNISH Well, who says we do? HURLEY We've been very l ucky. MUSIC: OUT SHACKLETON Head for the 'Docker'. we need the skipper to take a si ghting whi l e we sti ll have the sun. SEA/MEN: BREATHE HEAVILY SHACKLETON Well, how much closer are we now? WORSLEY We' re no cl oser. we're further away. WILD That's i mpossi bl e. SHACKLETON No, no, it means that the, the ice has been moving away from us, not us moving away from it. HUDSON What's our course? WORSLEY Nor-nor-east. SHACKLETON Then we row. Come on. BAKEWELL J esus, they don't know where we are or where we 're going. CREAN Save your strength. PERRIS The expedition is without any funds for a relief party, and the money left by sir Ernest Shackleton to pay the dependents of the men serving is almost exhausted. unless the 'Endurance' reaches port within the next few days, we are advised that arrangements should be at once commenced... for the organisati on of a rel i ef expediti on to the... Weddell Sea. WORSLEY If you can't pull, et away from the oars. You re just making it harder for everyone el se. MARSTON: Gi ve me the oar, colonel. CREAN Perce, give me a hand. BLACKBOROW I, I, I can't, sir. I can't move my feet. BAKEWELL Stamp them. Keep stamping them. I'll Take hel p. that. BAKEWELL It's his back. MCILROY All Right, take my oar. SHACKLETON 'Wi ll s' ' all well? MCILROY I'll look after hi m. CREAN 'Will s' all well, sir. SHACKLETON 'Docker'? Are you well? WORSLEY 'Docker's' well. MARSTON We could so with some cl ean underwearI SHACKLETON I have some at home. Tell my wife I'm on the way. Here. Take these. Wear them till your hands come back. HURLEY No, I'm all Right. SHACKLETON Don't be such a bl oody fool. Take the bloody things or I'll throw them in the seaI HURLEY Thank you. SHACKLETON Come on. Let's pull I Pull I Pull I Pull I MARSH The Prime Minister has had the enclosed letter... asking hi m to receive a deputation about the necessity of sending a relief expedition for sir Ernest Shackleton. This does not seem to be a matter in which the Prime Minister should take initiative, and I have ascertained that the Admiralty would not take it up, so I'm writing to ask if you think the Royal Geographical society would wish to act and perhaps to make representation to the Treasury. Yours sincerel y, Marsh. WORSLEY Good morning. MARSTON Morning. Is it ti me for breakfast? WORSLEY It must be. MARSTON What do you think? Tea or coffee? MARSTON I never can decide. Drives the wife crazy. she always has to make both every morning. WORSLEY Hit me. MARSTON What? WORSLEY Hit me. MARSTON You bastard. WORSLEY What have you got under there? ORDELEES Nothing. MUSIC: CONTINUES WORSLEY Are you hiding food? ORDELEES His feet are completely gone. Frostbite. WORSLEY I'm sorry. Are you all Right? ORDELEES Yes, thank you. SHACKLETON Where' s the 'Docker' ? HURLEY I don't know. I can onl y see the 'Wills '. SHACKLETON If that bastard is lost I'll kill im. WorsleyI Worsl eyI Worsl eyI Frank, what's that? WILD It's l and. The stupi d bugger' s got us to El ephant Island and l ost hi mself. MARSTON Ski pper. ski pper. Is he dead? MACKLIN No, he's still breathing. MARSTON Any si gn of the others? HOLNESS No, si r, we must have d rifted apart in the ni ght. SHACKLETON I'll take the 'wills' in first, she's the lightest. Charlie, get your stuff together. I want you and Frank to come with me. Blackborow? BLACKBOROW Here, si r. SHACKLETON No one's ever landed on Elephant Island before. As the youngest of the party you'll be the first to step ashore. BLACKBOROW Yes, si r. Thank you, si r. HOLNESS I'll wake hi m up. MACKLIN What the hell are you doing? HOLNESS You want him awake, don't you? MACKLIN Ski pper, what course? we're at the island. WORSLEY Keep her away four degrees. SHACKLETON Go on. come on, Bl ackborow, you're the fi rst. come on, man. Gi ve me a hand. Get up, man. What' s wrong with his feet? CREAN He hasn't got any I don't think. HURLEY Frostbite. SHACKLETON Come on now. well, Perce, you were the first person to sit down on Elephant Island anyway. BLACKBOROW Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. MUSIC: IN HURLEY Oh, isn't it beautiful? GREEN It's the most beautiful bloody beach I've ever seen. SHACKLETON Charlie? GREEN Yes, boss. SHACKLETON Have you got your stove? GREEN Er, yes, boss. SHACKLETON I think a little lunch is in order. GREEN Right, boss, I'll what I can find. go and see EMILY The del ay in hearing from my husband must be due to weather conditions. In any case, the 'Endurance' is sure to be short of coal, and is probably drifting with the ice or travelling under sail. ROSALIND There is no doubt, however, that a relief ship should be got ready without delay and leave here in August at the latest for the Weddell Sea. Do you think that means she knows something? FRANK It means that Perris isn't getting anywhere with the Government, and he's trying to create some public sympathy. ROSALIND Because he needs more money? FRANK Because otherwise there won't be a relief expedition. There' s a war on, daring. Antarctic explorers in the snow aren't exactly the Government's priority at the moment. SHACKLETON How's Buddha? MCILROY Still in pain, and there's not much to give hi m. Thanks. He's, er, done some damage to his spine. I think there may be an abscess. And his hands are badly frostbitten. Apparently he had no gloves yesterday. Blackborow and Greenstreet are more cheerful but their feet are pretty bad. They won't be going anywhere for a while. SHACKLETON I'm afraid we'll all have to be on the move. MCILROY What? SHACKLETON This beach is too dangerous. Frank and I looked at the high water marks on the cliff. WILD When this weather picks up, the whole bloody beach will be underwater. BAKEWELL Can't we get further ashore anywhere ? HURLEY I had a look around as well. I don't think so. SHACKLETON Don't look so gloomy. we're on l and, we 're safe. we have food, we have water. we're alive. we'll find another beach. After today nothing will be hard ever again. GREEN Morning, boss. SHACKLETON Charl i e. Di d you sleep? GREEN Oh, bl oody tent bl ew down. How about you? SHACKLETON No. GREEN How l ong d'you reckon we' re gonna stay here then? SHACKLETON Not too long, I hope. How about we make a start with breakfast ? Come on, I'll gi ve you a hand. GREEN Right, boss. SHACKLETON Rise and shine, gentl emen. VINCENT Do us a favor and fuck off, boss. we 're dead in here. SHACKLETON Come on, I've brought you some mi l k. VINCENT Oh, I l ost me gl oves in the ni ght. For all I know I l ost me sodding hands. I just wanna sl eep now. HOLNESS Get off, you bastard, you're on me foot. VINCENT I'm not on your bl eedin' foot. I don't even know where it is, and I doubt you do either. HOLNESS Right, boss, I'll have some of that mil k. WORSLEY Careful, boss, we 're a little muddy. You wouldn’t think we'd be that warm but we are. SHACKLETON Mack, how 's Hudson? MACKLIN He's in a lot of pain. He has a lare abscess on his behind. There’s not very much I can do about it, but I've washed out as much of the salt as I can. Have you seen Hussey? SHACKLETON No, I thought he was fine. MACKLIN He's taking is rather badl y, I'm afrai d. SHACKLETON Here. MACKLIN Thanks, boss. SHACKLETON Chippy. I suppose there 's no way we can make the 'caird' more seaworthy without wood? MCNISH Who says we don't have wood? what do you want to do? SHACKLETON Make her unsinkabl e. MCNISH Cover her over, you mean? Make a deck? SHACKLETON Yes. But Isuppose that's i mpossi bl e. MCNISH Who 's the carpenter around here you or me? He hasnae sl ept for days. we'll put hi m in my tent. His is no use. SHACKLETON I'm gonna take a small group of men on the 'Caird' to go and get help. I was hoping you'd agree to be one of them. MCNISH Well, I'd better make sure she 's water tight then, Right? SHACKLETON I can only take six men with me, and so far every one of you who can stand has volunteered. ORDELEES Except me, sir. I'm not much use in a boat. WILD Not much use on the bl oody pl anet. SHACKLETON Settle down now. we're eight hundred and seventy miles away from the whaling stati on at south Georgi a. If we're lucky with the weather, we could be there in twelve days, pick up a ship, back here in under a month. couple of bottles of brandy, a few cigarettes, we could have ourselves a pretty bloody good winter. of course, if any of you wanted to go home as well that could be arranged. I know those who remain will have the harder task. If we should not come back, you'll have to think of another plan. I've asked Frank wild to take charge of the party. And the doctors Mack in and Mcilroy to stay behind to tend the men who are sick. They've kindly agreed. Now with me I'm taking the skipper who, over the last few days, has proved to us he's the finest navigator on earth, chippy McNish, who will start work immedi ately on the 'James caird', seaman Mccarty and seaman Vincent, who gave me such a valuable lesson in charm this morning. Tom, I'd like you to be with me as well. CREAN Yes, boss. SHACKLETON Now I want to l eave in four days so there's plenty to do. I'm afraid Charlie Green isn't too well. The doctors have ordered a complete rest so I will need to appoint a temporary chef. Hussey, I'd like you to take charge. I'm asking Frank Hurley to assist you. HUSSEY Yes, boss, thank you. SHACKLETON I'd like to have taken you with me in the 'Caird'. HURLEY You've chosen a good team. SHACKLETON You're the expedition photographer, Frank, I think it Right that you stay with the expedition. In some ways you are the expedition. I don't know what our chances are in the 'Caird', evens at best I suspect. If we di e, then what we've done lies with you and your pictures. You are our story. If I don't come back I wanna make sure there's someone there to tell it. I've d rawn up this letter. It gives you back the rights to all your pictures and your films if I die. HURLEY Thank you, I appreciate it. SHACKLETON It's a tri ck, of course. HURLEY Si r? SHACKLETON I'm not intending to di e. ORDELEES Well, I suppose that's the last we'll see of them. WILD Fuck off, you shite. ORDELEES Yes, master. WORSLEY Seven hund red and thi rty mi les by my reckoning. CREAN And all of it like this? WORSLEY This is the easy part. can I gi ve you a hand? CREAN Thanks. Pass the pot, wi ll you? SHACKLETON Incredi bl e. so beauti ful. Imagine what people would say in London i f one of them came floating up the Thames. MCNISH They'd say if there's an iceberg in London what the bloody hell's happening in Scotland? WORSLEY It's a privilege to see a master chef at work. whoa. MACKLIN Cumberl and sausage with Engl ish mustard. MARSTON Um, macaroni cheese. HOW Pickled onion. WORDIE Venison pi e. BAKEWELL Pork and beans. WORDIE Mmm. HUSSEY Scones with jam and cream. HOLNESS Bread and butter pudding. GREEN Roast potatoes. ORDELEES Pig's trotters. WORDIE What? MCILROY Marmalade pudding and Devonshi re cream. WILD Mmm. Dumpling. MCILROY What sort of dumpl ing? WILD What do you think? A bloody bi g sort of dumpl ing. WORSLEY Stop. SHACKLETON Twelve-twenty and thirty-two seconds. MCILROY I'm sorry, old man, I have to have a look at it. It's very swollen. WILD Can you do anything about it? MCILROY Al though it's painful I, I don't think it's dangerous at the moment. SHACKLETON Gentl y, ski pper, we need those pages. WORSLEY Ninety-three mi l es since yesterday. SHACKLETON Let's hope the wind holds. MCILROY His left foot isn't healing properl y, and I think the toes are becoming gangrenous. WILD And you want to amputate ? MCILROY I don't think there's any al ternative. Nothing to worry about, young man. BLACKBOROW No, si r, I wasn't. SHACKLETON Something's changed. can you feel it? MCNISH The roll. she's heavier. WORSLEY I know what it is. Ice. MCILROY When I put this over your face I want you to breath deepl y. o 'you understand? BLACKBOROW Yes, si r. MCILROY Ready? Just hold that there, would you, Frank? Thank you. MACKLIN There you go. SHACKLETON They mustn't damage the deck. we can't afford to l et any more water in. MCILROY Bandages, pl ease. And could you pass me the methyl ated spi rits? WILD How much of that stuff have you got? MCILROY Enough. WILD Enough for me to borrow some? MCILROY You' re the boss. MEN It's a lie. A damned infernal lie. It's a lie. It's a lie, it's a lie, it's a lie HURLEY Now the Lords that dwell inside this place lead very virtuous lives Each one keeps a harem fair, of mermaids for his wives Perhaps you don't believe me And at my words you've smi led But I vow it's the gospel truth Just ask that bastard wi ld MEN It's a lie. A damned infernal lie. It's a lie. It's a lie, it's a lie, it's a lie. CURZON The Pri me Mlnlster wanted me to gi ve this to you personally. PERRIS What' s this? CURZON A committee. PERRIS A committee? CURZON While the Prime Mlnlster does not consider the fate of the Trans Imperial Expedition to be a Government matter. He nonetheless feel s a personal concern and therefore proposes that a committee of interested parties, including representatives of the Board of Trade, the Treasury, should meet and discuss possible action. PERRIS It's the middl e of May. If a ship is not crewed and ready to leave within eight weeks it won't be able to get through the ice for another year, by which time we'll be rescuing corpses. WORSLEY Morning, boss. SHACKLETON Morning, ski pper. WORSLEY What's it like? SHACKLETON I think it's clearing, boys. For God's sake hold on. EMILY Hello? Hello? who 's speaking? Hello. ROSALIND Um, I'm sorry to call you. um, this;s... EMILY I know who you are. ROSALIND I, I know I shouldn't call. I know that he'd be angry. EMILY And me? How would I be? ROSALIND I, I, I, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I shoul dn't have. EMILY say what you wish. You want to know if he's alive? ROSALIND Yes. EMILY You want to know if he's breathing somewhere? or lying in some cold, hard chamber where no-one can ever touch hi m? Does that upset you? Don't you ever think about it? Are you surprised that I have d reams about where he might be? or do you think somehow I know because I've sat here before waiting with no news, long after the deadline is dead? ROSALIND I'm very sorry, I shoul dn't have called you. EMILY It's easi er to cry when you have no chi l d to watch you. ROSALIND I have a chi l d. His name's vi ctor. He's seven. EMILY I'm sorry, I di d n't know that. ROSALIND No. EMILY You want to know i f he's al i ve? EMILY Yes he is al i ve. ROSALIND Oh, thank you. MCNISH So where are we now? SHACKLETON We're on south Georgia. But unfortunately the whaling station's on the other side of the island, and there' s a mountain in between. MCNISH You shoul dnae be all owed to read a compass on your own. SHACKLETON Do you think that we could sell these to the publ i c? WORSLEY What? SHACKLETON Baby albatross. To the gastronomic connoisseur, al batross a la mode. Could be worth something. WORSLEY 'Al batross a l a Shackleton' wouldhave more impact. SHACKLETON Or 'a l a Worsl ey', sounds more French. With fresh 'Crean', of course. CREAN What' s that? SHACKLETON We have to deci de what to do. WORSLEY I think it wouldbe di ffi cul t to l aunch the 'cai rd'. SHACKLETON So do I. Ithink we have to cross by l and. Those who can't walk can stay here. we'll come back for them. WORSLEY Well, bosun' s very bad and I don't think chi ppy could cope on his own. SHACKLETON Then we'll l eave them with McCarty. "There are two points in the adventure of the diver: one when a beggar, he prepares to pl unge, one when a prince he rises with his pearl." Have you ever cl imbed a mountain? WORSLEY No. SHACKLETON Nor me. WORSLEY The al batross wi ll be pl eased. SHACKLETON We can't get down here. Let's try further al ong. Well, so much for cutting steps. Maybe we could get further on our arses. WORSLEY We don't know what' s ahead. It could be a preci pi ce. CREAN Not according to the map. SHACKLETON Not according to the map. Shall we? Oh. How far have we got? WORSLEY A thousand feet, perhaps more. CREAN Me trousers are ruined. CREAN Just a short one. Must sl eep for a moment. SHACKLETON Come on, come on, you've had hal f an hour. WORSLEY What? SHACKLETON You've had hal f an hour's sl eep. CURZON Gentlemen, I shoul d like to welcome you to this inaugural meeting of the Trans Antarcti c Expedition Relief Committee. SHACKLETON Ti me. what ti me is it? WORSLEY About seven. SHACKLETON Exactl y. what time is it exactl y? WORSLEY Seven. It's just before seven o'cl ock. why? SHACKLETON Listen. CREAN For what? WORSLEY I have to do something. There may be women here. SHACKLETON What? WORSLEY Can't go around with my trousers fl apping open. can, can you l end me a hand? CREAN Keep sti ll. SHACKLETON The manager' s house. Is this the manager' s house? Do you know me? My name is Ernest Shackleton. we have lost our ship and come over the island. SORLIE Ernest Shackleton? My fri end. SHACKLETON I'm afrai d that we smell a l ittl e. SORLIE This is a all smell whal ing station. we a l ittl e. SHACKLETON We've been away so l ong. Tell us about the war. when di d it end? SORLIE The war? The war, my fri end, is not over. They have gone mad. Europe has gone mad. They've ki ll ed mi ll i ons and mi ll i ons of peopl e. It's a war like no other war. WORSLEY Who is winning? SORLIE Well, whoever is l eft al ive in the end. won't you sit down, pl ease. Pl ease. SHACKLETON No, thank you, I, I... Ineed to borrow a ship. My men need hel p, Ineed to borrow a ship. SORLIE J ust sit, pl ease. You're safe now, and your men wi ll be safe now. SHACKLETON Do you have a camera? we shoul d take a pi cture. SORLIE Don't worry about that. J ust rest. SHACKLETON Frank wouldwant us to take a pi cture. wouldn’t he? HURLEY Where' s Marston? WILD If he isn't here, he doesn't eat. MARSTON ShipI ShipI WILD Ssh, ssh. sshh. MARSTON ShipI MARSTON ShipI ShipI WILD Come on. SHACKLETON Are you all well? WILD All well, boss. We are all well. we are all well. HURLEY VO It took four separate attempts in different ships before Si r Ernest Shackleton finally reached Elephant Island on August 30th, lgl6, four months and six days after he had left on the 'James Caird'. The steam tug 'Yelcho ' was totally unsuitable for such a rescue, but somehow the ice cl eared and she reached the beach. worried that she might be trapped in the ice, Shackleton di d not even step ashore. The crew of the 'Endurance' had a hero's welcome in Punta Arenas. Shackleton wrote to his wife that day, "I have done it. Damn the Admi ralty. Not a l i fe lost and we have been through hell. soon I will be home, then I will rest". There was to be little rest. Within three months most of the crew had found their way to the front line. Shackleton was to return to the Antarctic one final ti me, in lg22. Eiht of the 'Endurance' crew sailed with hi m, including Frank Wild, Worsley, the two doctors Mcil roy and Macklin, Hussey and his banjo, and Charlie Green as the cook. Shackleton died of a heart attack as the ship reached south Georgia. on his wife Emi l y's instruction, Shackleton di d not return to England but was buried in the cemetery at the whaling station at Grytviken.