The Imitation Game · written by Graham Moore · 2014

Young Alan and Christopher exchange encrypted notes in class; Alan retrieves one from the bin after the teacher discards it.

Scene 67 of 130 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Teacher
Alan Turing

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 59 min into a 1:57 film

The story so farBefore scene 67

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.
Scenes 31–50
Churchill’s order gives Turing authority and his half-built machine advances toward sustained work.
Just before
Scene 64
Turing seeks comfort from Christopher, and Joan enters the machine hut with an idea to encourage him.
Scene 65
Joan and Turing work equations in the beer hut; she draws the team back into conversation and argues that he will need their cooperation to beat Enigma, prompting him to ask how to make them like him.
Scene 66
Turing awkwardly offers the team apples and repeats a joke Joan taught him, then retreats to work alone with Christopher.
Scene 67
This scene

67INT. SHERBORNE SCHOOL FOR BOYS - DAY - 1927

Young Alan and Christopher are in math class.

The TEACHER drones on as the students pretend to pay attention.

Young Alan and Christopher PASS NOTES —

— Dropping them by each other’s desks —

— And snapping them up quickly.

TEACHER

Mr. Turing! Passing notes, are we?

ALAN TURING

No, Sir.

The Teacher comes over, and grabs the note from his hand.

ON THE NOTE: “FDFH RG TU HSD PDXT PEJND QERDZX.”

It’s encrypted.

TEACHER

(holding it up for everyone)

Only Mr. Turing would pass notes

written in gibberish.

The other students LAUGH as the Teacher drops the note in the trash.

Alan isn’t bothered by the laughter — he’s safe in his private world with Christopher.

The BELL RINGS. Class is over. AS EVERYONE SHUFFLES OUT:

TEACHER (CONT’D)

Alright you lot, do not forget your

calculus over break. Have a

pleasant holiday and we’ll resume

your integrals when you return.

Alan waits... And grabs the note from the trash.