The Imitation Game · written by Graham Moore · 2014

Christopher lends young Alan a cryptography book and explains how visible messages can hide meaning until a key is found, recognizing Alan’s aptitude.

Scene 47 of 130 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Young Alan
Christopher

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 39 min into a 1:57 film

The story so farBefore scene 47

At Bletchley Park, Alan Turing must persuade a skeptical team to build a machine that can break Enigma before the war is lost, while concealing the self the law condemns.

Scenes 1–12
Turing is investigated as a guarded outsider in 1951, then enters Bletchley in 1939 looking for the puzzle he can solve.
Scenes 13–30
He sees the scale of Enigma, believes a machine can solve it, and grows isolated from colleagues who make little progress.
Scene 36
Churchill’s order gives Turing command authority; he fires two linguists and begins reshaping the team around his approach.
Just before
Scene 44
Menzies questions whether crossword solvers can be useful at Bletchley, and Turing takes him into the room to test the recruits.
Scene 45
Joan Clarke arrives despite an agent’s objection, sits the test, and finishes in five minutes thirty-four seconds, surprising Turing and securing her place among the candidates.
Scene 46
The two successful candidates, including Joan, are sworn to secrecy; Turing explains that they will break Enigma to help win the war.
Scene 47
This scene

47EXT. SHERBORNE SCHOOL FOR BOYS - DAY - 1927

Young Alan and Christopher sit under a tree, the school in the distance.

Alan is going through a crossword puzzle, Christopher is reading a book. Their legs are touching affectionately without either even knowing, like two people who are effortlessly comfortable with one another.

YOUNG ALAN

What’s that you’re reading?

Christopher shows him: “A Guide to Codes and Cyphers.”

CHRISTOPHER

It’s about cryptography.

YOUNG ALAN

What’s cryptography?

CHRISTOPHER

It’s complicated. You wouldn’t

understand.

YOUNG ALAN

I’m only fourteen months younger

than you. Don’t treat me like a

child.

CHRISTOPHER

Cryptography is the science of

codes.

YOUNG ALAN

Like secret messages?

CHRISTOPHER

Not secret. That’s the brilliant

part. Messages that anyone can see,

but no one knows what they mean,

unless you have the key.

YOUNG ALAN

(confused)

How is that different from talking?

CHRISTOPHER

Talking?

YOUNG ALAN

When people talk to each other they

never say what they mean. They say

something else. And you’re supposed

to just know what they mean. Only,

I never do. So how is that

different?

CHRISTOPHER

(handing him the book)

Alan, I have a funny feeling that

you’re going to be very good at

this.