· · ·
turning to page one
turning to page one
Jack turns his Enigma machine to the day’s setting — “FSOQR” — and one by one types in the newly intercepted messages, recording the now decrypted results in a BOOKLET. On the cover, the booklet is marked: “ULTRA.”
ALAN TURING (V.O.)
Secrecy became the primary concern.
And for some reason they trusted
me.
Alan organizes stacks of similar ULTRA booklets when he has trouble finding one of them — He looks up to see Peter walking nearby.
ALAN TURING
Peter, do you have the 9:30
decrypts —
But instead of answering, Peter BUMPS HARD against Alan’s shoulder, scattering Alan’s papers to the floor.
Jack looks over. Peter keeps on walking.
No one helps Alan as he bends down to clean up his papers. Peter LEAVES Hut 8 without speaking a single word.
ON ALAN: He’s kneeling down in front of John’s MESSY DESK, picking up papers from the floor, when his eyes come level with something on the desk...
... It’s a BOOK. Buried underneath CRYPTOGRAPHIC PAPERS.
Alan stares at it strangely. Something about its shape and colour look familiar... He UNCOVERS it...
IT’S A BIBLE.
Holy shit.
There’s a page dog-eared. Alan opens to the page — it’s Matthew 7:7. “Seek and ye shall find...”
ON ALAN: JOHN CAIRNCROSS IS THE SOVIET SPY.
Suddenly:
JOHN CAIRNCROSS (O.S.)
Peter will come around eventually.
Alan turns and stands — there’s John, right behind him.
ON JOHN: He sees something on Alan’s face. Something is wrong. He looks down at the desk... AND SEES THE UNCOVERED BIBLE.
What’s John going to do? Alan is terrified...
JOHN CAIRNCROSS (CONT’D)
... Jack, could you give Alan and I
a moment?
Across the room, Jack looks over. Whatever is going on between Alan and John, he wants no part of it.
Jack leaves.
Alan is now alone with John, the Soviet spy.
JOHN CAIRNCROSS (CONT’D)
... The Soviets and us, we’re all
on the same side. What I’m doing
will help Britain.
ALAN TURING
I’ll tell Denniston.
JOHN CAIRNCROSS
No you won’t. Because if you tell
him my secret, I’ll tell him yours.
ON ALAN: Oh God, John was the one person he trusted.
JOHN CAIRNCROSS (CONT’D)
Do you know what they do to
homosexuals? You’ll never be able
to work again. Never be able to
teach. Your precious machine —
doubt you’ll ever see him again.
ON ALAN: Looks down. He’s beaten.
He puts an understanding hand on Alan’s shoulder.
JOHN CAIRNCROSS (CONT’D)
Until the history books are ready
to call you a hero, sometimes you
have to play the villain.
And with that, John takes his bible and leaves.
ON ALAN: What’s he going to do?