The Imitation Game · written by Graham Moore · 2014

Nock asks whether machines can think; Turing explains that different thinking does not make a machine mindless, then invites Nock to question him about the war.

Scene 81 of 130 · ≈ 2 min on screen · Act two

Detective Nock
Alan Turing

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:13 into a 1:57 film

The story so farBefore scene 81

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 78
At the engagement party Joan celebrates the unusual ring, while Cairncross warns Turing that disclosure of his homosexuality could put him in danger; the newly engaged couple dance.
Scene 79
Young Alan encodes an ‘I love you’ letter for Christopher and runs to meet him when the new school term begins.
Scene 80
Christopher never arrives; Alan’s hope collapses and the bullies who previously attacked him surround him again.
Scene 81
This scene

81INT. MANCHESTER POLICE STATION - INTERROGATION ROOM - 1951

Alan Turing sits alone in the interrogation room with his eyes closed.

Detective Nock enters.

DETECTIVE NOCK

Cup of tea?

ALAN TURING

(eyes closed)

Thanks, no.

DETECTIVE NOCK

... Mr. Turing, may I tell you a

secret?

ALAN TURING

I’m quite good with those.

DETECTIVE NOCK

I’m here to help you.

Suddenly, Alan opens his eyes.

ALAN TURING

(re: being in jail)

Clearly.

DETECTIVE NOCK

(changing tacks)

... Can machines think?

ALAN TURING

You’ve read my published work.

DETECTIVE NOCK

What makes you say that?

ALAN TURING

Because I’m sitting in a police

station, accused of entreating a

young man to touch my penis, and

you’re asking me whether machines

can think.

DETECTIVE NOCK

Can they? Could machines ever think

as human beings do?

ALAN TURING

Most people say no.

DETECTIVE NOCK

You’re not most people.

ALAN TURING

The problem is that you’re asking a

stupid question.

DETECTIVE NOCK

I am?

ALAN TURING

Of course machines can’t think “as

human beings do.” A machine is

different from a human being;

hence, it would think differently.

The interesting question is, just

because something thinks

differently from you, does that