Original subtitles

Morning, sir.

Morning, sir.

See you soon, William.

Bye, Doc.

See you soon.

She's full up, Doc.

Oh, yes, good.

Well, let's see.

Here you are, Jenny, thank you.

I'll check the oil.

Oh, you don't want this?

any watch for your...

Well done, Dan. Thank you.

Afternoon.

Teaching your boy to drive, I see.

Good idea.

Seems like a bright lad.

My name's... Hazel.

Correct.

Already famous round here, am I?

Notorious. Yes, well, that's what I like about the country.

Everybody knows everybody.

My solicitor sent you a letter.

I replied to it last week.

Yes, well, that's why I wanted to see you in person.

I don't know why I'm bothered with the lawyers, really. Face to face, man to

man, that's the way I like to do business.

Dad? Oh, er... Ah.

Sorry.

Is there somewhere a little more private we could talk?

Is it fine for me?

Yes, well, whatever you say.

Let's be frank, you've got me over a barrel, really, haven't you? Have I?

Yes, well, I know I was going to have to pay out some money to buy you out.

I'm not complaining.

Business is business.

And I do happen to be a very rich man.

I'll give you 2 ,000 for this place.

Yes, that is a lot of money.

I'm prepared to put my cards on the table.

I've got one of the finest pheasant shoots in England here.

I want to make it the tops. I can't do that with you sitting in half a dozen

acres, slap bang in the middle.

Huh? So this is your lucky day.

I'm sorry, Mr Hazel. I thought I explained in my letter I'm not selling.

He's got quite a head for business, your dad, isn't he?

All right.

2 ,500, but that's my top whack. Mr Hazel, it's not for sale.

I don't know how to say it more clearly.

Come on, Dad, give me the... How

much

do you make in this place?

Eh?

Ten, maybe 12 quid a week, if you're lucky.

I'm offering you a small fortune.

The opportunity of a lifetime.

And what about the boy, though? Eh?

Shouldn't you be thinking about his future?

Do you think we should tell Danny?

You see, we're happy here.

I think I should warn you.

I always get what I want.

One way or another.

No one can have everything they want.

I can.

Happy here, are you?

We'll see about that.

Right now, where do we get to?

Where's the big friendly giant and how he could hear things?

Oh, yes.

Your mother always loved stories about giants, too.

The big friendly giant's sense of hearing was absolutely fantastic.

He could hear the tread of a ladybird as she walked past a leaf.

He could hear the whispering of ants as they scurried about under the soil,

gossiping.

See, my love?

There's a whole world of sound around us that we can't hear.

Because our ears... Dad?

What?

Is that a man?

Victor Hazel.

Do you think he's going to do nasty things to us?

Yes, well, I think he is.

He's a millionaire, isn't he?

Well, he's what we used to call a spiv in the war.

While the rest of us were off fighting, he was busy making money out of everyone

else's misery.

Is he a crook?

Hmm.

I suppose he is, sort of.

But all he reckons is how you and I are much enough for him.

Thank you.

I'll stay at school tomorrow.

Yeah.

She's bought her one small housing.

Morning, Mrs. Epstein.

Morning, ma 'am. Morning, Danny.

Bye, Danny.

Love you, Danny.

Bye. Bye.

Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye.

Bye.

no doubt have noticed a new face here this morning.

It's my pleasure to introduce Mr.

Lancaster.

Captain Lancaster.

He'll be taking the senior class.

I'm sure you'd all like to give him a warm welcome.

Did you not learn to knock before entering a room, lad?

I'm sorry, sir. I didn't think you were here.

My dad told me to give you this letter.

Thank you.

I'll take a wee nip just now and again, you understand?

Of course.

I mean, there's no great secret about it. What I mean to say is that nobody

knows.

I won't tell, I promise.

I'm sure.

You're late.

Danny, sir. Ask your name, boy.

Smith, sir.

Smith. Well.

Smith.

Do you know, if there's one thing I hate more than a boy who's late,

it's a boy who attempts to sneak and creep into my classroom like a

nasty little snake.

Would you understand?

Yes, sir.

Get to your place. Have the double.

Now, as it's the first air term, I'm prepared to be lenient.

Yes.

I want to make one thing very clear.

I will not... tolerate any breaches of the school rules.

Punctuality.

Order.

Discipline.

That's what I demand.

And I know how to get it.

Who are those men, Dad?

Men from the Ministry.

Some garage owners top up with low -grade fuel in their high -grade tanks.

Make a bit more cash.

It's an old dodge.

Right, sir, we're finished.

If you'd just like to sign here.

Got a blitz on, have you?

You've got routines, do you?

No, it's not.

A couple of your chaps were here two weeks ago.

I don't know anything about that, sir.

Well, you can tell Mr Victor Hazel from me that he's wasting his time.

I don't know what you're talking about, sir.

Good afternoon.

How was the first day back, Dan?

All right. There was a horrible new master ball catch in Lancaster.

Dad, did they really come because of Mr. Hill?

No doubt about it.

Well, I don't expect they'll be the last.

Yeah, well, of course he knew it was a put -up job.

That was the idea.

Well, you let me worry about that.

Hello? Is Councillor Mitchell still there, please?

Stan,

there's something I'd like you to do for me.

Danny Danny what you doing?

I'm sorry

Danny. I was wrong.

I shouldn't have done it.

I Didn't think you'd wake up. You never do Been up to hazel's woods

Do you know what poaching is?

You mean catching things?

Yes, well, it's rather more than that, actually. It's going out to the woods in

the middle of the night and coming home with a nice fat present for the pot.

But that's stealing!

What?

No, it's not.

How would you like a midnight feast, eh?

And I will explain to you the mysterious art of poaching.

Well, now, once upon a time... Dad.

Do you want your sausages?

Then listen to your old dad.

Once upon a time, people who lived in the country were incredibly poor.

In fact, some of them were starving.

And they were so poor that they had to poach. their own food in order to

survive. That was ages ago.

No, not so long ago. In your grandfather's day.

And then, when things got better, people just continued poaching because...

Well, because... Well, because it's one of the most exciting and difficult

sports there is.

But the pheasants still belong to somebody, don't they?

Ah, well, yes.

Strictly speaking. I mean, legally.

They belonged to the person whose land they happened to be on at the time. Now,

that's never really bothered anyone round here.

Not, of course, until Mr.

Smartypants Hazel came and bought up all the land.

Tea, sir? It's hot.

It's organised shoots like

Hazel's. Why?

Because they're unnatural.

I mean, they're against nature.

Do you know why he's got so many pheasants?

because he buys them as chicks.

He puts them in pens, and the keepers feed them like pets.

And when they're released, they're practically tame.

Then, on the big day of the shoot, an army of beaters crashes through the wood

and frightens them all up into the air, and a load of rich idiots who couldn't

hit a barn at 50 paces blasts the senses out of them. Well, that's disgusting.

That's organised slaughter.

It's one man on his own.

It's the hunter and his prey.

And the pheasants have a chance. I mean, it's not easy to catch a pheasant.

And anyway, there's the added spice of the keepers lurking behind the trees

loaded shotguns.

Guns? They wouldn't shoot you, would they?

Well, hazel's keepers might.

But in the old days, they just used to pepper your backside a bit.

Your old grandfather had a backside like a pincushion. Your grandpa was a

poacher.

He studied the art of poaching like... like a scientist.

Your grandfather discovered one of the greatest secrets of poaching.

What was that?

The time you were in bed, young man.

Oh, Dad, please.

I'm all right.

No, Danny, it's a secret.

Please.

Well... I suppose my dad told me... so that

I should tell you.

Pass it on, so to speak.

Like a family heirloom.

The thing he discovered, Master Daniel, was that pheasants

love.

Chickens like raisins, too.

I love those pheasants, though.

They adore them.

My old dad didn't stop there.

He thought about it.

And one day, the idea hit him.

Watch.

Watch that one.

Get up.

Stoker, come on.

Do anything you like to her.

She won't move.

If she was a pheasant, we could muffle her right now.

That's the beauty of it.

That's the poetry.

It's completely silent.

Go on.

Sticky hat, my old dad used to call it.

And it's a landmark invention.

in the history of poaching.

We've had a report if I thought you might be getting one did you indeed

we're empowered under Section 3. If you want to inspect the place, I've no

objection. This is the workshop, office, store.

Live in accommodation?

Try on the back.

I'd be very happy to show you around.

Please. Well, I'm glad you're adopting a responsible attitude.

I never seen anything like it in my life. A tin top to wash in, a hole in

ground to... Do you really think this is the proper way to bring up a child in

this day and age?

I do, Miss Hunter, in this day and age especially.

Why don't we discuss it over a cup of tea? According to our records, you

send Danny to school until he was seven and a half. Now, are you aware of the

legal requirement?

Yes, I'm perfectly well aware.

But you see, I taught Danny myself.

Oh, I'm afraid that just won't do, Mr Smith.

The law's quite clear.

Attendance at a school is compulsory.

Unless alternative instruction is provided by a qualified teacher.

Well, I am a qualified teacher.

I taught full -time before the war.

Well, did it never occur to you that Danny might benefit from the

of children his own age?

Oh, damn it. I thought she sounded a bit rough when you drove up this morning.

Do you have trouble starting her in the mornings?

She does.

Points, is it, Danny?

And carburettor.

Uh -huh. Fuel pump's a bit wonky, too.

I can fix it, but it really needs a new one. All right, Dan.

We'll leave you to it.

What? Your car's in safe hands, Miss Hunter.

I don't know what you're doing.

Come and have a cup of tea.

Danny's been tinkering with motor cars since...

He could walk.

Mr. Parker, teeth?

I suppose he's the best nine -year -old mechanic in the world.

I know I should have asked you first, but... Well, I thought it would convince

you that he hasn't been wasting his time.

You're right. I should have made him go to school earlier, but...

My wife died when he was four months old.

But he was all I had.

Fine -looking girl.

Sounds like he's ready for us.

Would you like to try her?

Well... Bless my son.

Thank you very much.

Oh, I'm convinced.

And I can assure you, you won't be hearing any more from the council.

Danny, you're a lucky boy.

You've got the most stiffing father.

Ready, Mr. Parker.

I'm probably talking out of turn, Mr. Smith.

But if I were you, I'd hang on to this bit of land of yours.

Say no more.

Mum's the word, eh?

Goodbye, and God bless you both.

Well done, Dad.

He's OK.

Come on, Dad.

I get nothing. Do those tools. Don't forget them.

I'm asleep and I don't know it.

Not since your mother died.

I made a vow then that I wouldn't go out poaching until you were old enough to

be left alone at night.

I'm old enough now.

You can go out whenever you like.

Do you mean that?

As long as you tell me.

Of course I will.

Stan.

Peter here.

So what happened then?

Oh, he had an answer for everything, did he?

No, forget it, forget it.

Stan, when did I ever forget a favour?

Yeah, yeah, I suppose that could be arranged.

Goodbye.

An answer to everything, eh?

We'll see about that.

Weasel, Danny.

You missed it, went down there.

I love weasels.

What a brave little animal.

Do you know that a mother weasel will fight to the death to protect her young?

Even against a fox, which is a hundred times bigger than her.

You hear that?

Come on.

Don't frighten him. Don't frighten him.

Barbaric.

Did you know that you're right through his leg?

it right off to get out of this.

Some vile thing.

Just what do you expect from Hazel?

There you go. Go on, off you go. Go on, go on.

Dad!

Come on, Dad.

Smith? Oh, how kind of you to grace us with your presence at last.

I'm sorry, sir. My dad told me to tell you that... Don't want any of your

excuses. You're late, boy.

Late!

Come here.

Now, what did I say about...

unpunctuality. I said it would be punished, didn't I?

1 ,000 lines by tomorrow morning.

Now get to your place.

Hi, Dad.

Hi, Danny.

What happened?

I got 1 ,000 lines.

Well, didn't you explain?

I've got a chance to.

You've got it in for you, little Captain. Now get to hunting.

I suppose I'd better get on with it.

There's a gag.

547 lines to go.

I thought I might go out again tonight.

Am I right?

Of course.

I should be back by nine, but don't wait up.

I might park in bed at eight. Promise?

Promise.

You will be back.

Of course I will.

Unless the keepers catch me.

They won't.

I'll be up in Hazel's Woods.

You're back by nine.

Did you see a light?

Nah.

What was that?

Nothing. Come on, let's get on with it. I want to get home.

Here's one of his fancy ideas.

He doesn't pay us fancy wages, does he?

All right,

darling. I think we got one.

You're no good to hide your face.

We've got you now, me lad.

Let's have the beggar out.

No, we're going to fetch Hazel.

This was his idea. He can take responsibility.

You have a pretty good idea how we've got down there.

Come on.

Yeah, wait a minute. We can't leave him here.

Look, if he could get out, he'd have got out, wouldn't he?

Come on.

Is that you, Dad?

Danny. Are you all right?

Danny.

I think I've broke my ankle.

I don't know how I can get out.

There's a tow rope in the back of the Austin.

All right, let's go.

A bit more acceleration.

Get in.

Give her some gun.

Come on, come on.

Keep going.

Good boy.

Gently out with the clutch.

Good boy.

Keep going.

Nothing, nothing.

That beggar from the garage, sir,

I just know it was. Of course it was.

Yeah, well, if he tries that again, he will.

Rabbits, I don't have to remind you that you are legally entitled to shoot him

on sight.

Yes, I want him.

I don't care how you get him, just get him.

There's a hundred foot of peace in it for you when you do.

Oh, sorry.

You really ought to take something for the pain, you know.

This will do me.

Oh, it can't be too stoical, you know.

Bloody awful man.

Hazel. Oh, sorry, Dan.

You didn't hear that.

Absolutely appalling.

I mean, you could have been killed, you know.

Oh, yes, you could, you could.

What happened? Have you seen him popping up to the woods by himself?

One of these knives.

Just imagine.

Oh, no, it's disgraceful. Utterly, utterly disgraceful.

Aha.

Morning, William.

Morning, enough.

Morning. Morning.

Morning, Sergeant.

Ooh.

You look nasty.

Is he broken?

Hmm. We've had a complaint from Mr. Lord God Almighty Hazel.

Oh, yes.

Yes, he's got some idea in his head that you was up in his woods last night

poaching his peasants and that you might have broken your ankle.

So I'm afraid I've got to take a statement.

Right then.

Can you account for your whereabouts last night?

The suspect replied that he was at home all night.

Now, how do you account for the fact that your ankle is broken?

The suspect replied that he broke it accidental, falling down the

steps of his caravan.

That will be your ambulance, Doctor.

Don't worry, man. I'll be back tonight.

Well done, Sergeant.

They'll just set the bone, they'll plaster him up, and be as bright as

Right. I'll be off now, then.

Easy, easy.

I'm all right, my love. A bit woozy.

Did we? Now, look here. You listen to me. No, you listen to me.

Do you think I don't know what's going on here?

Do you think I don't know you're all in this together? What did you take me for?

Morning, you smith.

If you trespass my land again, you're going to get shot.

Who the devil do you think you are?

Just because you've got a little bit of money, you think you've got the right

to... Shut up, will you?

You hear me, smith?

Hello, Mr. Hazel.

You're on my land.

You have one minute to get off.

Summons the beggar, sir.

Ah, want to catch him right handy.

Yes, that's all very well, sir. We might not try it again.

Oh, see, Will.

You won't be able to resist it.

You'll risk anything to get even with me.

And when we get him, boys, we'll see what he'll take to this precious garage

his.

You know, that fellow, he... He really ought to be.

I mean, he ought to be.

Well, he ought to be, wouldn't he? He will be.

I'll say to that.

Lovely tea, Danny.

Lovely, I suppose.

And now, William, this is to make you sleep.

Oh, no, no, no, no, no. No, no, honestly.

Oh, yes, yes, yes, honestly.

Straightway, too.

Go on, Dad.

You too, boys.

Stand up.

Morgan.

Smith.

Oh.

What were you whispering about?

Nothing, sir.

You were cheating.

No, sir.

You were cheating.

Come out here, first of all.

yep.

hold out your hand.

I was not cheating sir.

why so whisper during exams of cheating as far as I'm concerned? hold out your

hand.

I haven't finished yet.

Captain Lancaster!

I'd like to wear it with you.

Immediately, if you please.

I thought I made it crystal clear when I appointed you that I will not tolerate

any form of corporal punishment in my school.

That's perfectly within my rights.

The boys were cheating.

Oh, were they?

Were they indeed?

All right.

Down, down, down. Down, down.

Sit down.

Kindly good.

Now then.

On your word of honour, were either of you cheating just now?

Danny? No, sir.

Sidney? No, sir.

Fountain Lancaster.

If I catch you using the cane ever again in my school, you'll be out in your

ear.

Is that understood?

Is that understood, sir?

Yes, sir.

Good, sir.

Well done.

Ow!

Try this

one.

What about with your hand?

Who did this?

Who did this, Danny?

Dad.

Was it Lancaster?

He thought me and Sue were cheating.

Cheating? You?

Right.

Where are you going?

I'm going to see this Captain Lancaster.

Dad, please don't. Please.

And I'm going to beat the living daylights out of him. Please don't.

make everything worse. It'll make him stop and think before he lays a hand on

child again. I guarantee that.

I hate you.

I'm sorry, darling.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. You're right.

You're right. I'm all angry inside when people get like that. It comes out.

I want to get even with people like that.

I had this dream.

You know the shooting season starts on Saturday?

Yeah. Well, they'll all be up there. All be up at Hazel's.

All the local bigwigs on a toss down to London.

Oh, they don't give a fig for Hazel.

But they know his fields will be crawling with pheasants.

That's all they care about.

But what if it wasn't?

But what if what wasn't?

What if there wasn't a pheasant in sight?

Nothing.

What if someone had poached the lot?

Make him the laughing stock of the county. He'd never show his face around

again. That's a fantastic idea.

Yeah.

Trouble is, no one could poach six or seven hundred peasants.

It's impossible.

Flabbergasting. If it works, it will make Danny the all -time champion of the

world.

Can you give us the stuff?

Yes,

well, of course. I think it will require a little planning.

Military planning.

Afternoon, Snoddy.

Oh, would you be free tomorrow?

Raisins, eh?

One bag, do you?

How many have you got?

I don't know.

20 or 30, I suppose.

We'll take the lot.

I think we're going to do it.

You should go to bed, my love.

I've got all tomorrow.

My clothes up for the day.

Come on, Dan. Sit up.

Come straight back off the stool, all right?

If we're not up in the woods by sunset, we'll be too late.

Danny!

Go on.

Having 40 winks, are we, Smith?

Well, we'll have to wake you up a bit, won't we?

Stay behind after the bell.

But, sir, I've got to get home.

You'll do as you're told, boy.

Right, Smith.

Lisa, I'll do any other punishment. I just can't be late tonight.

Then you'd better put a bit of beef into it, hadn't you?

Twenty times.

At the double.

Come on, boy!

Take those feet upon!

Captain Lancaster.

What on earth are you doing, man?

I... He was... This isn't a school.

It's a bear pit.

Most disgusting shambles I've ever seen.

I'm resigning.

Jeremy, as of now.

Good.

Wait a minute.

What's that?

This way, this way.

Stay here.

I've had this.

I'm off home.

For about a hundred quid.

A hundred quid?

Our lad won't be out poaching with his leg in plaster, will he?

And I'm certainly not standing out here all night on the wages I get paid.

Are you coming?

Maybe there's something we haven't thought of.

Give it time.

What? Give it time.

Thank you.

It's epic.

That's the last.

I can hardly believe it.

It's historic.

What are we going to do with them all when they wake up?

What do you think we should do with them, Danny?

We've got to spread the good news.

Come on, Danny.

This will let the village know.

Morning. Check your names.

Fred Purdy.

I'll be standing.

Yes.

What the

devil does Hazel think this is?

A wedding?

I suppose he thinks it's traditional.

Traditional?

Punch at a chute?

Good God. The fellow said... I said... Morning,

Hazel. Morning, Lord Clavery.

Charles. Spitting a record bag today?

Well, we'll try not to disappoint you.

Could you spare a moment, Sir Charles?

Morning, Clavery.

Morning, Duke.

What do you think of this?

Punch at a chute.

Exactly what you'd expect from a fellow like Hazel.

Doesn't know the first thing.

Couldn't be out here at all this early in the season. It was a nonsense.

I'm impressed, Victor.

How impressed?

You're going to have a lot of local opposition.

Old Clavery, for instance.

He'll go mad.

He's mad already.

No one's going to listen to him.

Perhaps.

What about the village?

I'm going to be very happy about a new town in the backyard.

Voice for the people, you know. It's all in line with government policy, and I

bought out every acre I knew.

What about this plot here?

Garage, smallholding, whatever it is.

Got it.

How much did it cost you?

It's the key to the whole thing, or didn't the owner know that?

I must have forgotten to tell him.

All right, Victor.

I think I can persuade the board.

I'm in.

What's the best stand for the first drive?

I'll be number four. Number four.

Listen!

First drive's up through Homewood to the house. Everybody know it?

Keep the lines straight and use those sticks.

Get on with it

Number

seven

The fourth.

Good show.

I know, sir.

I know.

Ah, there he is now, sir. Excuse me.

What the

devil's happening, eh?

Where have all the birds gone?

I can't understand it.

One sparrow!

Nothing.

Now you listen to me. I can't keep them hanging around much longer.

So find me some birds, or you can find yourself another job.

Never enjoyed anything so much as all my life.

Dad,

don't shoot them!

Don't shoot us too, Danny. It's not what the birds are coming from.

Come on, Danny.

Got you this time.

Diesel!

You're in for it now, my lad.

Dangerous driving.

Driving without due care and attention.

Ah, Sergeant, the very man I wanted to see.

Hmm? Why don't you do something useful for a change and arrest this man?

Arrest him?

What for?

Don't pretend to be more of a fool than you are.

For stealing my sentence.

There's enough evidence, isn't there?

Are you claiming these birds as your birds, sir?

Of course they're my birds, you blockhead. I'm not so sure about that,

You're not so sure about that. Well, who else's bloody birds do they be? For

language, sir.

Please. At the present moment, sir, these birds are on Mr. Smith's land.

In which case, these be Mr.

Smith's birds.

That's the law.

Is that about it? That's quite right. That's the law.

Mr.

Smith? Yes?

Do I understand you still own this land?

I certainly do.

I see.

My name is Charles Tallon, the premier building corporation.

If you're thinking of selling.

Which I'm not.

Well, I didn't think you were.

I'm afraid the deal's off, Hazel. And something tells me you won't be building

your new town here.

New town?

Hazel, what do I do? Get out of here, you dodgy old fool!

Excuse me, I... We don't understand the... Well, it's quite simple.

Hazel was never interested in pheasants or shooting.

He was going to use the whole of his estate for a new town.

Luckily for you, Mr Smith here seems to have saved the day.

Not me.

Danny. If he hadn't rescued me from the wood, Hazel would have forced me to sell

the land.

Yes, I'd rather think he would, wouldn't he?

Oh, then it's three cheers for Danny.

I'm glad you're here. Hip hip!

Hooray!

Hip hip!

Hooray! God bless you, Donny boy.

Hip hip!