A Clockwork October

This is a supporting article for the work underway at The Hermetic Lessons blog. 

October begins with Alex in the midst of his unpleasant encounter with his former Droogs. Fleeing from his near drowning, he finds himself back at the Alexander home and he will spend the rest of the month at the scene of an earlier crime. Part 7 of Julli Kearns shot-by-shot analysis takes you through the action, find the date syncs for October within the script below. 

Bath torture scene 1-2 October

Alexander home exterior3-4 October

Alexander interior 5-31st October

Day by day synchronisation

DIM

This is to make sure you stay cured.

Georgie hits Alex in the stomach with his blackjack. Then, they

push his head under the water and methodically start to beat him

1with their blackjacks.

2 After a full minute of this, they drag him out, halt-drowned,

DIM

(laughing)

Be viddying you some more, some time Alex.

 EXT. "HOME" – NIGHT – HEAVY RAIN

Alex stumbles up the road to the entrance gate.

ALEX (V.O.)

Where was I to go, who had no home and no

money. I cried for meself, 3 Home, Home,

Home. It was Home I was wanting and it was

Home I came to, brothers, not realising in

the state I was in,4  where I was and had

been before.

Alex stumbles and crawls to the door.5 

INT. "HOME" – NIGHT

Mr. Alexander at his typewriter. 6

Julian a 6'4" – heavyweight weight-lifter lies across an exercise

bench working with bar-bells.

The door bell rings.

MR. ALEXANDER

Who on earth could that be?

JULIAN

7 I'll see who it is.

He goes to the door.

JULIAN

Yes, what is it?

No reply. He opens the door. Alex falls into the hall.

ALEX

(barely audible)

Help. Help me... Help me... Police.8

Julian picks him up like a child and carries him into the living

room.

9 INT. "HOME" – LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

ALEX (V.O.)

And would you believe it, O my brothers

and only friends, there was your faithful

Narrator being held helpless,10 like a babe

in arms, and suddenly realising where I

was and why HOME on the gate had looked so

familiar. But I knew I was safe. I knew he

would not rememeber me for, in those

carefree days, I and my so-called droogs

wore our maskies which were like real

11 horrorshow disguises.

JULIAN

 Frank, I think this young man needs help.

MR. ALEXANDER

Dear, dear, dear. Whatever happened to

you, my boy?

Mr. Alexander, now confined to a wheelchair, pushes himself away

from his desk, and rolls up to Julian. The water drips off Alex's

clothes. They look at each other.

ALEX

The police... The horrible ghastly Police.

They beat me up, sir. The Police beat me

up, sir.

Mr. Alexander stares at him. It becomes aparent he is insane.

MR. ALEXANDER

12 I know who you are! Isn't it your picture

in the newspapers? Didn't I see you this

morning on the video? Are you not the poor

victim of this horrible new technique?

ALEX

Yes, sir, that's exactly who I am, sir...

and what I am... a victim, sir.

Mr. Alexander becomes frenzied as the speech progresses.

MR. ALEXANDER

Then, by God, you have been sent here by

providence. Tortured in prison, then

thrown out to be tortured by the Police.

13 My heart goes out to you, poor, poor boy.

Oh, you are not the first to come here in

distress. The Police are fond of bringing

their victims to the outskirts of this

village. But it is providential that you,

who are also another kind of victim,

should come here. But you're cold and

shivering. Julian, 14 draw a bath for this

young man.

JULIAN

Certainly, Frank.

He carries Alex off.

ALEX

Thank you very much, sir. 15 God bless you,

sir.

Alexander bites his hand.

INT. "HOME" – BATHROOM

Alex soaks, eyes closed, in a hot tub.16

After a while he begins softly singing to himself: "Singin' in the

Rain".  INT. "HOME" – LIVING ROOM – DAY

Mr. Alexander is hunched over the phone, talking in hoarse

whipsers. The door to the bathroom is right behind him. While he

speaks Mr. Alexander throws nervous glances over his shoulder.

MR. ALEXANDER

I tell you, sir, they have turned this

young man into something other than a

human being. He has no power of choice any

more. He's committed to socially

acceptable acts, a little machine capable

only of good... He can be the most potent

weapon imaginable to ensure that the

Government is not returned at the 17  next

election. The Government's great boast, as

you know sir, is the way they have dealt

with crime in the last few months.

Recruiting brutal young roughs into the

police, proposing debilitation and willsapping techniques of conditioning. Oh,

we've seen it all before in other

countries The thin end of the wedge.

Before we know where we are we shall have

the full apparatus of totalitarianism.

18 This young boy is a living witness to

these diabolical proposals. The people –

the common people – must know... must see!

There are rare traditions of liberty to

defend. The tradition of liberty means

all. The common people will let it go! Oh,

yes – they will sell liberty for a quieter

life. That is why they must be 19 led, sir,

driven... pushed!!! Thank you very much,

sir. He'll be here.

Trembling with excitement and madness, Mr. Alexander hangs up the

phone. His eyes, shiny with anticipation. Then, suddenly, he

becomes aware of Alex's voice coming from the other side of the

door.

INT. "HOME" – BATHROOM

20 Alex in bath, singing.

ALEX

I'm singing in the rain,

21Just singing in the rain...

MR. ALEXANDER

22 His face horribly distorted in a Homeric rage.

INT. "HOME" – NIGHT

Alex, alone, in complete silence. Eating a large plate of

spaghetti.23 The giant, Julian, appears, carrying Mr. Alexander in

his wheelchair. He deposits him at the table.

ALEX

Good evening, sir.

MR. ALEXANDER

(very weird)

Good evening.

ALEX

It was very kind of you to leave this out

for me, sir. There was no-one around when

I finished my bath, so I started. 24 I hope

that's alright, sir.

MR. ALEXANDER

(too loud – voice out

of control)

25 Of course. Food alright?26

ALEX

Great, sir. Great.

MR. ALEXANDER

Try the wine!

ALEX

Thank you very much, sir. Cheers

Suddenly the thought occurs to Alex that the wine may be drugged

27or poisoned.

ALEX

Won't you join me, sir?

MR. ALEXANDER

No, my health doesn't allow it.

ALEX

(to Julian)

And you, sir?

JULIAN

No thank you.

Alex, stalling for time, reaches for bottle and reads the label.

ALEX

28 1960, Chateau, Saint Estephe, Medoc, very

good brand, sir.

He doesn't get a penny's change for his remarks from Alexander and

Julian.

He holds the glass up to the light.

ALEX

29 Very good colour, sir. Smells mice,

too.Very good number, sir. Very good.

Here's to it. 30

He downs the glass.

ALEX

Very refreshing, sir, very refreshing.

MR. ALEXANDER

(very arch)

I'm so pleased you appreciate good wine.

Have another glass! 31

ALEX

Thank you, sir.

MR. ALEXANDER

My wife...

Alex freezes.

MR. ALEXANDER

... used to do everything for me and leave

me to my writing.

ALEX

Your wife, sir? Has she gone away?

MR. ALEXANDER

No. 1st November She's dead!

ALEX

I'm sorry to hear about that, sir.