Notes on a Scandal (2006) Screenplay

SCREENPLAY BY PATRICK MARBER

BASED ON THE BOOK BY ZOE HELLER

AI,T, RIGHTS RESERVED. O COPYRIGHT 2005. DNA FILMS T,TD. NO POKTlON OF THIS SCRIPT MAY RE PFRFORMED,

PUBLTSHED, REPRODUCED, SOLD OR DISTRIBUTED BY ANY MFANS, OR QUOTED Oli PUBLISHED IN ANY MEDTUM,

INC1,UDTNG ANY WEB SITE, WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATTON.

DISPOSAL OF THIS SCRIPT COPY DOES NOT ALTER ANY OF THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVF.

1 FADE IN:

EXT. PARLIAMENT HILL, NORTH LONDON - DAY (SEPTEMBER) I

Barbara alone on a bench. She i s high above t h e c i t y , t h e view i s magnificent.

She watches t h e couples, kids playing, famil ies .

BARBARA ( V -0 . ) People have always t r u s t e d me with t h e i r s ec re t s .

INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY

Barbara wri t ing her d ia ry i n her one bedroom, basement f l a t .

BARBARA (V.O.) But who do I t r u s t with mine?

A whole shelf of hardback notebooks, her co l l ec t ion .o f d i a r i e s da t ing back t o t h e 1950'3.

BARB= (V.O. ) You. Only you.

EXT. ARCHWAY ROAD - EARLY MORNING

The roa r of t r a f f i c . The urban ravine of t h e Archway Road.

The red, black and gold cast- i ron ' su ic ide bridge' which s t raddles it.

Barbara dr iv ing t o work i n her old VW Polo.

EXT. ST GEORGE'S SCHOOL/CAR PARK - MORNING

The school i s a bleak, Victorian building with various modern add-ons.

Barbara locks her c a r and heads f o r t h e main entrance.

INT. CLASSROOM - MINUTES LATER

Barbara takes out her lesson planner, t e x t books, r eg i s t r a r . . She organizes them nea t ly on her desk.

Barbara s t a r e s a t t h e rows of empty desks and cha i r s .