Original subtitles

Anybody here want to join a new pardner scheme?

| don't trust these saving schemes. Back home, people just teef the money an' gone.

He's got his eye on you, then?

ERNEST: | came up here last night but when | tried the door, it jammed.

Mr Wantage took off my bedroom door.

ASTON: Hosanna, my life would be poorer without you.

Will you marry me? — Of course I'll marry you!

HOSANNA: Don't bother send the letter to Daddy. I'll do it...

Little Greydon.

I'm married.

| have a husband and three children.

You lied to me.

BIRDS TWEET

MILK VAN PASSES

SHE GASPS

Did you have a bad dream?

SHE GRUNTS

| don't know how much more of this | can take.

Sneaking out of that house.

Sneaking into this house.

Sneaking back into that house.

SHE SUCKS HER TEETH

Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful to you.

Ah, it's the least | could do.

You're a good friend, Siobhan.

I've never had a friend before. Just my sister, Leah.

I'm honoured.

They'll be up soon and Diana will be wondering

SHE IMPERSONATES DIANA: "Where's my tea and toast?"

THEY LAUGH

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more

close up the wall with our English dead.

SHE LAUGHS

BIRDS SING

SHE SIGHS

FLOOR CREAKS

DIANA: Chantrelle?

Yes, Mrs Wantage?

Where's my tea and toast? Chop, chop!

Yes, Mrs Wantage.

Where the hell have you been?

You've been going over to the Hawksleys' house every night this week.

Don't bother to lie.

Do you know what day it is today?

It's my birthday.

And this morning | woke up and | thought, "Oh, no.

Chantrelle won't have got me a present."

But then | realised...

you could be my present.

Oh.

It'll be fun.

You'll enjoy it-- — Mr Wantage, I--

HE SHUSHES

Call me Ernest.

Please! | don't...

DIANA IN DISTANCE: Ernest? Where are you?

Coming, darling.

PATRICIA: Happy birthday, Daddy!

JAMES: Happy birthday, Daddy!

DIANA: Oh, here he is!

SHE SOBS

FACTORY HORN BLOWS

INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS

Shelton.

Hear me out now, man.

BELL RINGS

Please?

| don't want to hear anything from you.

| understand why you vex. — You...

You don't understand nothing. — Please, Shelton. Just...

Give me a chance to explain.

Alright.

Lunchtime.

INDISTINCT CONVERSATION

MRS HAWKSLEY: ...1 had no idea.

ERNEST: Ah. Alright.

Hm.

Come on.

Come on, stupid ting. Come on.

LINE RINGS

MACHINES CLANK

There's a call for you up in the office. They said it's urgent.

Who is it?

DOUGIE: | don't bloody know!

Listen, I'm not happy.

lam not happy at all.

And you can tell whoever the bloody hell that is, that you can't take calls at work.

Hello?

Leah! You have to listen. It's an emergency.

LEAH: Chantrelle, what happen?

He soon come back. —- Who?

Oh, Leah, he's touching me.

I'm in danger.

He took off my bedroom door. You have to-- - What?

It's Mr Wantage.

Please come for me. Soon as you can.

Leah? — LINE DISCONNECTS

Leah?

Hello?

TELEPHONE RATTLES

Who were you talking to?

SHE SHUDDERS

SHE REPLACES HANDSET

If you think that anyone is gonna believe a single word that you

a littke coloured girl, has to say, then you don't understand your place.

Get back to work.

Off you trot.

SHE PANTS

And again, once more.

Who call you?

| don't feel good.

God!

Lord Jesus! Dougie!

Come on, ladies, get back to work. — LEAH GROANS IN PAIN

Me belly. Shooting pain.

| think | need to take her to the doctors, you know, Dougie.

What for?

It looks like women's problems.

LEAH GROANS — Huh?

Women problems.

Oh. Oh.

Well... well, hurry up then.

We can't have her cluttering up the factory floor.

You alright? You can walk?

Take your time. Take your time.

DOUGIE: What you looking at? Get back to work!

OK. OK.

Oh, God.

Where are you running to?

Chantrelle needs me. | need to go to Borehamwood!

Leah, stop. You not going alone.

| have to work out which train to get there, how much it's gonna cost--

We can borrow Aston's car.

And do what? | can't drive.

But | can.

ENGINE STARTS

TYRES SQUEAL

GEARS GRIND

MRS BISWAS CHATTERS AND LAUGHS

CHANTRELLE: Can | help you?

DC Fulton. You must be Chantrelle.

ERNEST: Morris! —- FULTON: Ernest, old boy.

ERNEST: Straight through, Detective, you know the way.

Come into the study a moment.

Mr Wantage-- — | said come into the study.

ERNEST: | Know but what can you expect, Morris?

And close the door behind you.

Pour us a glass of brandy, would you? — I'll go and get some ice.

HE LAUGHS No one drinks brandy with ice, silly.

How's life down at the station?

FULTON: Immigrant crime is up. All their passports should be burnt.

But not your Chantrelle's, of course.

CHANTRELLE: Oh!

Sorry, Mr Wantage. I-- —- ERNEST: Don't worry.

Just clean it up, dear.

GLASS FRAGMENTS RATTLE

Tell me...

What's Ernest like to work for?

He's a good boss, sir.

Is the last nanny still residing at Her Majesty's pleasure?

Indeed.

Locked up!

You can go now.

HE LAUGHS

Cheers. — Cheers.

LEAH: Why are we slowing down?

This isn't the road Aston brought us on.

You said you could read map!

Give me.

We're going the wrong way.

We are nearly there. — Where?

HOSANNA: Little Greydon.

SHE SIGHS

What?

MUSIC: "Not Me (Man Smart, Woman Smarter)" by Hubert Porter

Morning. —- Good morning.

# Ever since the world began #

# Woman was always fooling man #

Good morning. — Blessings. Blessings.

MR MORRISON: Good morning. — Good morning, Mr Morrison.

Very lovely to see you.

Always a pleasure to have you.

HOSANNA: Air mail for England, please.

MR MORRISON: No problem.

Anything for me, yet?

MR MORRISON: No. No. No.

But all of these come back, you know.

HOSANNA: Oh, Lord Clementine. Trouble has set like rain.

Um, OK. It was lovely seeing you. Make sure you say hello to your mother for me.

Thank you. Walk good. — OK.

# ...that the men are leading the women astray #

# But | say that the women of today #

# Smarter than the man in every way #

ENGINE RUMBLES

HOSANNA: | have to see a friend. A fellow congregant.

Friend! We don't have time to visit friends, Hosanna.

| soon come.

SHE SIGHS

Me car! Somebody teef me car.

MRS BISWAS: Who's making all this noise?

Ah, your sister took it.

Leah said to tell you, that...

that she and Hosanna

“Borrowed your car to go pick up your sister.

Not to worry, all is well, they will be back tonight."

Ah!

She also said to tell you "It's Bernadette's pardner draw today

and you need to give it to her or else...

fight will 'bruk.'"

Thank you, Mrs Biswas. — Not so fast, Mr Brahms.

Yes, Mrs Biswas?

You are late with your rent, Mr Brahms.

You're right, Mrs Biswas. You know, wedding expenses, they're mounting.

Oh, no wonder you look like a man under pressure.

No wonder you're sweating.

But, no rent, no bed, Mr Brahms.

Hm?

SHE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE

GENTLE MUSIC —- QUIET CHATTER

Good day. I'm looking for a Miss Clementine MacFarlane.

| have an important message for her from home.

Just through there.

Thank you very much.

TELEPHONE RINGS

What the arse you doing here?

| need to speak to my father.

Where is he?

INDISTINCT CHATTER

Hosanna.

SHE BANGS ON WINDOW

Hosanna!

Who the backside is that?

My friend. — LEAH BANGS ON WINDOW

And she is vex. — Shh!

Look, | don't want no trouble.

But you didn't respond to my letter or telegram.

You didn't give me a choice. | need to know where my father is.

| only see him once since him come to England.

That's because me hear what him did back home

and | told him me want nuthin' more to do with him.

But me have an address for him, in Smethwick.

ASTON: I'll pay you later!

| Know you said you don't take payment piece, piece and we had a few words...

But...

here is a deposit for the dress my fiancée wants.

Look, | already told you we don't-- — I'll be back next week. Promise.

OK. OK.

Don't sell the dress to anybody else.

| won't.

Thank you.

HOSANNA SIGHS OK.

Ooh.

Thank you, Lord. OK.

OK.

You finish?

Now, you going to tell me what we really doing in Little Greydon?

Well-- — And don't lie to me, so help me God.

| was told my father is somewhere in England.

Your father?

Let me get this right, your father was here the whole time?

We sharing a room and you never mentioned a mumbling word.

How come you don't know where your father is?

It's because he doesn't want you to know.

| came to get an address for him.

And | didn't think it would cause such a hell and powderhouse.

My sister is in a house, where the man can't keep his hands to himself.

And you tek us miles out of the way to get an address for your father?

Call yourself a Christian!

That's enough, Leah-- — It's not nearly enough!

| never realised you were so selfish. - Me?

Me selfish?

Everything is about you.

You, your pickney, and your sister.

You wouldn't understand because you don't have a sister.

ENGINE STARTS

Why didn't you say something at the factory?

If | had Known, | wouldn't have brought us here.

SHE SIGHS

What now”?

HOSANNA: We nearly run out of fuel.

SHE SIGHS

ENGINE RUMBLES

Good day, sir.

CAR HORN TOOTS

| need to serve my customer.

We were here first. — Hosanna.

| am tired of people treating us like they can't see us.

PETROL PUMP CHIMES

PUMP NOZZLE CLATTERS

Whatever happens, do and say nothing.

We are in the middle of nowhere and don't know anybody here.

You hear me?

PETROL PUMP CHIMES

PUMP NOZZLE CLATTERS

# Sing Hosanna #

# Sing Hosanna #

# Sing Hosanna to the king of kings #

| need to talk to you. — | can't just now. Later?

MRS HAWKSLEY: Siobhan, who is it?

Uh, it's um...

I'm sorry.

Go and feed Rosie.

Now.

Siobhan doesn't have time to chat.

SHE BREATHES HEAVILY

DIANA: Chantrelle?

Chantrelle?

Chantrelle!

| was calling you. Where are you going?

I... | just came out to go to the shop.

Where are the children?

Having a nap, and as Mr Wantage is home, | thought I'd pop out for some provisions.

You left the children at home with Ernest?

| was only going to be ten minutes, and since he was in the house--

DIANA: | think we best get back.

You know, the children really like you.

Much more than the last nanny.

SHE CHUCKLES

| really like them too.

Mrs Wantage. —- Hm?

The last nanny, what was she...

locked up for?

Sorry, what?

| heard that your last nanny was arrested and sent to prison.

I-| just wanted to know why.

She didn't go to prison, | sacked her. She was lazy. Where did you hear that?

Is everything alright?

ERNEST: Oh, | found this littlhe one on the drive making a bid for freedom.

So, I'm going to have to keep the front and back doors locked, and remove the keys.

DIANA: Come with Mummy, James.

Hand over your house keys. We can't have you wandering off again.

SHE GRUNTS: No.

| beg your pardon?

You lied about the last nanny.

Give me your keys.

DOOR LOCKS

ASTON: The very man.

What you thinking ‘bout...

Leah?

HE LAUGHS

Shelton, it's me yuh talking to.

How you guess that me and Leah's getting close?

Wasn't hard.

Hm.

This morning she ask me to meet her.

And then she never turned up.

She married, right?

Children too. - Yes, but, uh--

But nothing.

She married.

Like my mother was married when she ran away from me, my father, and my brothers.

This situation is not the same as that.

She's not stringing you along.

She's a good woman.

| really don't want to not like her, you know, Aston.

Why you come looking for me?

Can you lend me ten pounds till next week?

You already know how much you owe me? — | Know.

No, | not giving you the money.

Mim-mm.

| already borrow the money from the pardner.

Hm?

You did what?

You crazy!

Wedding dress expensive, you know!

How'd you get your hands on the money? | thought that Leah was the banker.

She just asked me to give Bernadette draw today, and--

Oh, are you mad?

Please, | beg you, don't say nothing to Leah.

If you don't get the money back by the end of today

| will tell Bernadette.

You know that means.

Your whole family name in the mud.

Is that the same truck from the garage?

It's him.

What is he doing?

He's—-he's coming straight at us.

You can't drive any faster?

You want to drive?

TRUCK HORN TOOTS

Go, go, go, Hosanna. Drive, Hosanna!

TRUCK HORN TOOTS

HOSANNA: I'm trying, Leah! Please!

Jesus, saviour, pilot us, remove this devil from our back.

Remove his foot from the gas pedal and pour love in the place of hate.

Go, go, Hosanna!

Jesus, saviour, | begging you.

Watch over us today!

ERNEST: If you hold it...

like this, Chantrelle...

then all you need to do is push this button here.

You got that?

Can we hurry up?

Just a second, darling.

Just wind it forward, like this.

And now we're good to go.

Good.

Now, uh, let's take one with the both of you.

Ernest.

HE CHUCKLES

Go on.

ERNEST CLEARS HIS THROAT

Say cheese!

Let yourself into the car, I'll put the camera away.

No, it's OK. I'll wait.

Chantrelle, put this in the study, and be careful.

DIANA: Why did you want a photograph of her?

ERNEST: She's part of the family now, isn't she?

DIANA: Do you think she's pretty?

ERNEST: Oh, you're not jealous are you, darling?

DIANA: Of course I'm not jealous.

DOOR UNLOCKS

DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES

DOOR LOCKS

BIRD CALLS

At least we safe.

Praise the Lord for that.

Hm.

SHE EXHALES

My life wasn't as good as it did look, you know?

You see, when my mother died...

hit my father hard.

Started to drink, more than he used to.

Then he left Jamaica with the collection money

leaving me to deal with a whole heap of vex people.

You were dealing with this all by yourself? - Yes.

This is the first time | have told anybody.

Because | want you to know, | am really sorry.

| never mean to hurt you or Chantrelle.

You two have been so good to me.

VEHICLE APPROACHES

Hey, hey, hey! — Whoo!

SHE EXHALES

Siobhan!

Siobhan!

Come on!

SHE GRUNTS IN FRUSTRATION

Siobhan!

SHE PANTS

ENGINE REVS

SHE SIGHS

OK.

Mind yourself now.

Hold on. Hold on.

SHE STRAINS —- ENGINE REVS

SHE GROANS

You call yourself a farm girl?

Put you back into it, like you pushing a plough through dry soil.

You want to come out here?

Come on, girl. Here we go.

ENGINE REVS - SHE STRAINS

Here we go. Here we go.

OK.

SHE STRAINS

HOSANNA: | feel it. Almost there. Almost there!

Alright! SHE SQUEALS WITH DELIGHT

SHE LAUGHS

You can't keep Clarendon women down.

Put your foot down, Hosanna.

MUSIC: "Down in Mexico" by the Coasters

# Now down in the Mexicali #

# There's a crazy little place that | know #

# Where the drinks are hotter... #

MUSIC PLAYING INDISTINCTLY IN PUB

PEOPLE CHATTER

Sorry.

PEOPLE CHATTER

MAN CLEARS HIS THROAT —- CHATTER STOPS

PEOPLE CHATTER

CHATTER STOPS

DOOR SQUEAKS

MAN CLEARS HIS THROAT

| hear you the money man.

Can we go in the back?

No.

We're amongst friends.

MAN: Exactly.

Anything you wanna say can be said right here.

Can | borrow £30 for a couple of weeks?

MEN CHUCKLE QUIETLY

Thirty pound, is it?

HE EXHALES

That's a lot of money for a Black bastard.

MEN LAUGH

Why do you need it?

I'm a bit short.

Oh well, if you don't wanna tell me, | don't have to give it to you.

Just wanna make sure it's for a good cause, like.

It's for my wedding.

MEN LAUGH LOUDLY

Pipe down. Pipe down!

Hear the man out.

Well, if it's for a wedding.

Everyone loves a wedding.

MEN MURMUR AGREEMENT

HE BREATHES DEEPLY

MEN LAUGH

MEN LAUGH

MAN: See that?

I'm never a happy man if my money's late.

So, if it ain't come back, when you say it will...

things could turn a little bit nasty.

Definitely two weeks.

SHE GRUNTS

SHE STRAINS

URGENT KNOCK AT DOOR

KNOCK AT DOOR

KNOCK AT DOOR

SHE GASPS Leah!

DOOR HANDLE RATTLES — Come, open the door.

No, | can't, he took me keys.

Go around the back.

Alright. —- We soon come.

Alright.

THEY PANT

CHANTRELLE: They've locked me in!

Stand back!

LEAH: Right, on three.

One, two...

three!

DOOR THUDS

LEAH: We do it at the same time.

OK.

Here we go.

One, two...

three!

THEY LAUGH

You're late!

No time for tears. — Right. Come.

Wait, | have to find my passport.

Oh, my passport must be in here.

Let's just leave it. - HOSANNA: You can get another one.

No.

CHANTRELLE GASPS Oh!

OK.

Where you going with all that money?

If you think I'm leaving this money behind, think again.

They haven't paid me a penny since I've been here.

This is mine. | worked too hard for it.

lam saying nothing. - Alright.

My luggage! It's right at the top of the house

HOSANNA: | will get it.

Right? Right? Let's go.

VEHICLE APPROACHES — SHE GASPS

SHE BREATHES SHAKILY

Hosanna, hide! Dem come back. Hide!

Right.

You stay here. I'll get rid of dem.

DOOR CLOSES

DIANA LAUGHS The Earth is moving for me.

You may have to carry me, husband. SHE CHUCKLES

You promised me a glass of champagne.

You want me to get it for you, Mr Wantage?

Thank you, Chantrelle.

DIANA: I'll see you upstairs.

Hm. I'll join you in a moment.

HE BREATHES DEEPLY

FOOTSTEPS IN DISTANCE

GLASSES CLINK

HE CLEARS HIS THROAT

SHE GASPS

HE GRUNTS

Stop. Stop it.

HE SHUSHES - CHANTRELLE: Please.

HE SHUSHES

TRAY CLATTERS

Take your hands off my sister!

HE SNORTS

Why's she in my house?

Your husband's a dutty, stinking, disgusting wretch.

He wanted me for his birthday! He's an animal.

What is she talking about, Ernest?

Don't listen to her.

I've told you, | don't want her. — Liar!

He's lied to me, he's lying to you. — | don't believe you.

| don't care, what you believe, you stupid woman!

But one day he'll do it again. And again. And again.

She's mad. HE CHUCKLES

Can't you see that?

Don't touch me.

How could you humiliate me like this?

If | were you, | would leave him.

That would be a good place to start.

That's enough!

Get out!

We're going.

| love your children.

But God forbid they grow up to be anything like you.

MUSIC: "Don't Explain" by Billie Holiday

MAN: Evening. - ASTON: Evening.

Aston.

Your pardner.

Hey, hey.

SHE LAUGHS

And if you want to buy me something, you can, you know.

I'm not gonna buy you a ting! —- THEY LAUGH

Enjoy. — Thank you.

Well, where you get the money from?

You no have to worry ‘bout it.

DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES

Siobhan-- —- We need to leave.

But—— — LEAH: Now.

You ready, sister?

# Cry to hear folks chatter #

# And | Know you cheat #

# Right or wrong, don't matter... #

I'm going to make sure we three are never parted again.

# Don't explain #

# Hush now #

# Don't explain #

# You're my joy and pain #

# My life's yours, love #

# Don't explain #