Original subtitles

- [Emmanuel] Sister Gabriel,

there's something I have to tell you.

Your brother, Simon. (loud booming)

He had an accident in his car.

- But I can't go out.

Surely it's not allowed.

- I am giving my permission.

- [Anna] But I hardly know my sister in law.

- [Nun] Apparently she's dreadfully upset.

- You don't understand.

It wasn't an accident, Anna.

The bastard killed himself.

I see every piece of paper that comes into this office,

and things are not as bad as Stan Beattie says.

He wants this mill and he wants it cheap.

(indistinct chatter)

(sombre music)

- [Priest] The body of Christ. - [Nun] Amen.

- [Priest] The body of Christ. - Amen.

- [Priest] The body of Christ.

- Amen

- [Priest] The body of Christ. - Amen.

- [Priest] The body of Christ. - Amen.

- [Priest] The body of Christ.

- Amen.

(slow theme music)

- I have to go to school.

Mom says she's not getting up today.

Uh, I'll die, I'll just die.

(playful music)

You're not supposed to park here.

(indistinct chatter)

- I know.

I know you're not supposed to mix with people.

They let you out to take care of Lynn's business.

Well this is a business now.

Oh there's girls up there

you'll remember, Anna.

Well women now,

most of them with kids and husbands

and not knowing where the years have gone.

They'll remember you too.

They'd like to see you.

- Oh I can't, Peggy.

- Your brother hated this mill, Anna.

But no matter how depressed he was

or how desperate he was

he always treated these people as his friends.

And they loved him.

Don't think we're all to busy to be upset.

(upbeat music)

Hi girls.

You remember Rene?

- Hello Rene.

You haven't changed.

- Well I can't say the same for you.

You remember Silv and Linda?

Silv, Linda!

And you won't this one.

Leila, Doris.

This is our baby.

- Hi Anna.

- Doris, Sister Gabriel. - Hi.

- Lynn's not with you?

- How's she doing?

- [Peggy] We hope she'll feel better once the baby is born.

- Left at home with two kids.

She'll feel worse with a third, won't she?

- Doris! - What?

- Come and say hello to Dawn.

(indistinct chatter)

- Get out here, love!

Peggy? (phone ringing)

- [Dawn] 20 year ago I brought you in here

and showed you how to work this machine,

didn't I, Anna?

I am allowed to call you that.

- Of course you are.

(indistinct chatter)

- [Rene] Eh up, gorgeous

- We keep a spare man down there in case we need one.

- Sister? (indistinct chatter)

- [Peggy] This is Hal, our overlooker.

There's nothing he doesn't know about these machines.

(indistinct chatter)

- The mill is alive with the sound of music.

There's only two things

a woman should do on their knees, Hal.

One of them is scrubbing floors

and the other one is pray.

Come on then, ladies.

The cabaret's over.

There's not enough noise in here.

And noise is money.

Isn't that right, Sister Gabriel?

- Mr. Beattie.

(upbeat pop music)

- Well let's be out of here.

Come on.

And turn that bloody radio off!

- His master's voice.

- We might as well go in the big office.

They'll be more room.

- I'd rather not.

- I'm sorry about your brother.

That'll have to come down.

I'll get another chair.

Here.

- Thanks.

- Lynn couldn't make it down then?

- Well I hope I can speak for her.

- Oh,

oh well, I mean it's...

It's always nice to have God on your side.

Especially when you have nothing else.

Well I won't bother you with details, Sister Gabriel.

- Please do.

- We're looking at closure, a month.

Maybe two.

- Can you pay the wages?

- If I pay nothing else.

- We have got orders, Stan.

- Yes, and no stock to produce them.

- Lynn has agreed to sell the car.

She has some personal debts,

but some of the money could go on stock.

- That would buy us time.

- Another month.

She didn't come down here to be told fairy stories.

(phone ringing)

- Excuse me.

- There's no point in

fooling ourselves.

See, um...

Simon.

He had these big ideas about expanding the business.

We've got a new spinner over in the workshop.

It cost 70 grand.

Did you see it?

Standing idle with a tarpaulin over it.

I mean we were on a knife edge before he bought that.

No one's work harder than me, Anna,

to save this firm.

I've busted my...

Look, I'll do my best for you.

- For Lynn.

- But I,

I can't perform miracles.

Sorry love, sorry.

It's nothing,

nothing personal.

Well I don't suppose we'll be seeing

so much more of you, Sister Gabriel.

I mean look, leave it to us.

We'll do our best.

Must be strange, eh?

I mean living,

living the way you do.

A lot of women all shut up together.

Like to be a fly on the wall

when you all get talking.

- We speak very little.

- Is that right?

- [Anna] I'll post the advertisement for the Aston Martin

before I go tomorrow.

- Simon will turn in his grave

when I sell his prized possession.

- Perhaps he'd realise that you'd need to sell the car.

Perhaps that's why he took your car that day.

- You mean he was thinking of me

when he committed suicide?

- You must make an appointment with the bank

to reassure them.

Do you want me to go through these files with you?

- I'm sure it will be immaculately clear.

- Peggy's promised to keep me informed about the mill,

but we'll just have to hope for the best

She'll be in tomorrow

to save you from going in.

- How kind of her.

- Oh no, not more.

(papers rustling)

Oh Lynn.

How can a bag of shoes cost 300 pounds?

- Handmade shoes!

Silk shirts,

ties.

A silk tie for every bloody day of the year.

Cashmere coats, we have them!

All these boxes, too, look.

Best shops, best labels.

The less we had the more Simon would spend it.

It was like a disease.

(slow music)

- Lynn.

- The suitcase is over there.

I've got a headache.

(flames crackling)

- What are you doing?

- Cleaning.

- Could you have sold them?

Or could you give them to somebody who needs them?

- No, tough isn't it?

Wicked.

That's what life's like.

We buy and break

and smash up and throw away

and lash out and feel pain.

It gives us a sense of purpose.

What's your purpose?

- I can't stay, Lynn.

They won't allow me.

- Yeah, running away runs in the family.

I wish you hadn't come.

It's only made things worse.

(slow music)

- Auntie Anna.

I did you a picture.

(car horn honking) It's for your wall.

- Thank you.

- Cab's here.

- I've got it!

No I had it!

(tapping on door)

- Jamie gave me this.

But we're not allowed.

Can you keep it for me?

(softly sobbing)

- I don't know what I'm gonna do, Anna.

- Neither do I.

(traffic whirring)

(coins rattling)

(slow music)

(bell ringing)

- Well home, Sister Gabriel.

- Good to see you back, Sister.

- It's good to be back.

(door closing)

(slow music)

(softly crying)

- Sister Gabriel?

- I don't want to cry for him.

- He was your brother.

Of course you must cry.

- He killed himself.

- Oh.

My child.

- I should pity him but I can't.

I feel nothing but anger.

He threw his life away for nothing.

Nothing except money.

And he left her alone.

Oh I hate him!

- That's enough, Sister.

- I hate him.

- How dare you presume to know

the nightmares that were in his head.

He never would have done it were he in his right mind.

You know that, don't you?

Don't you?

And so will our father in heaven.

Now,

let us pray for his soul.

- [Nuns] We bless oh Lord

that these thy gifts

which we are about to receive

through Christ our Lord, amen.

- Your blessing please.

- May the king of eternal glory

make us partake of his banquet in heaven.

We are happy to welcome Sister Gabriel

back amongst us.

Later in recreation

we will be able to speak to her.

(chair scraping the floor)

- It is clear humble that we ought to subject

this desire to the will of God.

He alone knows what is best for our souls.

Unto our spirit neither our efforts

remain generously and humbly faithful

to present grace.

Nor our own desperations towards higher perfection.

It is extremely important

always in peace

assured as we are of God's goodness and wisdom

in regard to each one of us.

In practise he himself careful to excess

not to restore particular addiction

of every spirit

who's very reserved.

His primary object was to establish the soul

in entire self abdication.

(silverware rattling)

(softly crying)

- [Peter] What do they eat?

- Hamburgers, mostly.

- What's a hamburger?

What do they wear?

- Lots of old-fashioned things like...

Well I saw one girl,

she was wearing her bra outside her dress.

- Mental illness is increasing, I believe.

- Oh, it's the fashion.

Some of them have shaved heads and black lipstick.

- How terrible, like vampires.

- Yes, but beautiful in a way.

- Some of us shave our heads.

- I don't think these people did it

in the name of virtue, sister.

- Black lips, oh no.

In my day it was a touch of Coty pink

and that was that.

- And the noise was terrible.

There was no silence.

- I used to like the shops.

All lit up a night.

Did you go out at night?

- I'm sure she didn't.

That would have been worldly.

- Some people live in churches

turned into flats.

And television goes on all night long.

- [Julian] Why?

- People who can't sleep.

- But everybody sleeps.

- Some don't outside.

- Probably can't because of the noise.

- If they'd turn the television off

there'd be less noise.

- That's true.

Oh the traffic.

- I don't think we should discuss

the pleasures of life outside.

It draws us away from our task

and fills our mind with unnecessary thoughts.

- There's no harm in talking.

- Sister Vincent is right.

- But I thought I was going to--

- When we entered here

we made the Lord the gift of our freedom.

We all understand why you had to visit your family,

Sister Gabriel.

But any further talk of the outside world

is an indulgence.

(indistinct mumbling)

We will keep your sister in law and her children

in our prayers.

(indistinct mumbling)

(water splashing)

- Sorry.

- Is this a test?

- I don't understand, sister.

- Everyone says it's me who should be avoiding you.

- You left me alone.

- You're excited for me.

- How often did you think of me?

- My mind was full of--

- I had nothing to think of but you.

- Oh that's not true.

Just remember your vows.

- I don't forget them as easily as you.

(slow music)

I saw your face at supper.

You looked at us like we were animals in a zoo.

- Are you unwell, Lis?

- Benedicte, I'm here to do the trays.

- Sister Dominic brought me the cellar key.

- Thank you.

- Night girls.

- [Girls] Night!

- Forget me head one of these days.

(chickens clucking) (gentle music)

- [Beattie] The thing is,

I wouldn't want to see you

waiting on an order we couldn't guarantee.

It's, it's, no it's just a dicey.

The thing is...

Look, we've known each other a long time.

I'd just as soon be honest with you.

I know it's not in my best interest

but it is in yours.

Well I hate to lose a regular customer but

it's, it's been down and out for a while now.

I don't know.

Faulkner's I suppose.

Yeah, well Faulkner's will be able to do it for you.

(chuckling)

(cheerful music)

(engine humming)

- Has she been working hard?

A virus neglected, abused

can easily become pneumonia.

It's not too sever but

if there's no improvement overnight

we'll move her to hospital.

- She'll live.

And it isn't something you brought back.

The doctor says the incubation would have started

before your return.

So, you needn't feel guilty about that.

You may see her for one minute only.

- Did you find my flower?

I missed you.

Every day.

I missed you more.

And now you can't find the way back.

Can you?

(slow music)

- I missed you too.

Sitting in the dark again?

- No point in wasting electricity

when I can barely see in the daylight.

- Do you know what happened?

- [Godric] About Sister Dominic?

Naturally.

- Will she go to hospital?

- I suspect they'll move her as a precaution.

- To hospital?

- Would you like her to go further?

I could quote from the manual of novices, if you like.

Repress and fly from as a mortal plague,

even though spiritual in origin,

particular friendships and familiar conversations,

arising from an attractive appearance

or a pleasing manner.

Both of which Sister Dominic has.

- I used her to fill a gap in my life here.

- Well, a deep human love can lead one away

from religious life.

Just the lack of it can lead one to it.

- I don't want to hurt her.

- Then get out of her way.

She has the makings of a good nun.

The ones who talk a lot always do.

I know it's a problem for you now,

but I suspect that very soon

Sister Dominic will be part of your past.

Leave me now, Sister,

or God forbid we may be guilty of a particular friendship.

(chuckling)

- [Man] Oh to be in England now that summer's here.

better still ought to be in Yorkshire, really.

The Texas of England is Yorkshire.

Take it across.

Come down, bring in the wall.

- Sister Vincent.

- You startled me.

- I didn't mean to.

Reverend Mother wishes to see you immediately.

There's been another telephone call.

- [Anna] Was it my sister-in-law?

Was it Lynn?

- A Mrs. Daikens.

- Peggy?

Well was it about Lynn?

- Why don't you leave here?

Go away and not come back.

- I'm sorry Sister?

- You've already spread disease here.

- That's not what the doctor said.

- A plague of restlessness and doubt.

You don't belong here.

God does not want you here.

Why don't you go away?

(moderate tempo music)

(lively music)

- [Godric] You let her go then?

- Her sister in law is in danger of losing the baby.

What choice did I have?

You came to the order late, Sister Godric.

You know the outside better than I.

Have we lost her?

- Not yet, I think.

Not yet.

- She's the best worker we've got.

And one of the few of us under 50.

- She may find her way back more easily

from a second trip.

- You'll need someone else to help you with the accounts.

- I can manage for a while.

Then perhaps Sister Dominic

when she's recovered?

- Can I carry that for you, sister?

(traffic whirring)

Am I allowed to talk to you?

- Of course you are.

- I just thought,

I was wondering if you'd be coming into the mill at all?

- Why do you ask that?

- Just that someone from the family ought to.

Somebody's got to stop what's going on.

(motor humming)

(gravel crunching)

Stan's been doing more than selling us short

on the phone.

I've got this mate that works at Faulkner's.

- Faulkner's Mill?

- He knows Stan Beattie's face.

He should do.

He's seen it enough recently,

at Faulkner's.

- What's he doing there?

They've always been our biggest competition.

- He might just be asking for a job.

Or he could be slipping them our orders

for a share of the profits.

Just a suspicion I've got.

- And what could we do?

- Get some proof.

Catch him at it.

Or at least get someone in there regularly

who could keep him in check.

- Well Lynn can't do that at the moment

and there's no one else.

- Isn't there?

(slow music)

- Thank God you've come back.

Don't do anymore of that.

- Hard work is a great healer.

And it keeps you warm.

- I don't put the heating on.

I'm frightened of the bill.

Thank God you're here.

You must stay this time.

You mustn't go back.

Please.

- Don't think about that now.

- The car was sold.

I'm using the old van from the mill.

- Have you been there?

- No.

No, I can't cope with it.

I don't care if it burns down.

- You mustn't be defeated.

There are ways.

We're all watched over.

- Not me.

I just wish I could escape from the whole bloody nightmare.

Like Simon did.

- You mustn't talk like that.

God never tries us beyond our strength.

- Oh shut up!

I thought you were here to help.

- Lynn.

- Shut up!

All that talk about faith and inner strength.

You don't know what I'm talking about.

When have you been so strong?

What have you done you self-centered bitch?

- Gave up everything.

- You gave up caring for others

when you walked out on your family 16 years ago!

That's when your mother really started drinking.

Very respectable alcoholic.

Not much in public, but my God

what she knocked back in the kitchen.

Your father used to phone Simon

when he couldn't get her up the stairs.

- Let go of me.

- You just turned your back and left it all to Simon

and look what it did to him.

- Let go of me!

(slow music)

- Sorry, sorry.

- It doesn't matter.

- Wasn't true what I said about your mother.

- Yes it was.

When you enter the order they tell you

that a nun is like a pane of glass.

When one breaks, you replace it.

That's how I feel.

Colourless.

Unmarked.

No one, no one for myself.

Not a husband or a lover.

Nor a child.

- But when we visited you

you always seemed so tranquil.

- Oh I was.

It's me that's changed, not the place.

Began to wonder why I woke up every morning.

What difference did it make?

No one really needed me.

- We need you, Auntie Anna.

(slow music)

(latch clicking)

- Peggy!

Where the bloody hell is that spec for Glover?

- Good morning, Mr. Beattie.

- Anna is back with us for a while, Stan.

She's offered to help out down here.

- Well, yeah,

you don't want to worry about that, love.

- Yes I do, Mr. Beattie.

And I have Lynn's full authority.

Would you like to telephone her?

- I thought she could have your old office, Stan.

- I'd like that spec for Glovers and I'd like it now.

Well, if anything this month's figures

are worse than I expected.

- What about the money from the sale of the car?

- Went on wages and raw materials.

- The shortfall is 2000 pounds.

- Yes, it will be.

If Fitzgeralds pays for that last order.

- They're a bit slow.

- Can't we insist?

- Sister Gabriel,

you don't quite seem to understand.

Let me explain it to you.

You can't put the squeeze on a big firm like Fitzgeralds.

We need them more than they need us.

There's other people they can go to for yarn.

- But they owe us.

- I'll send them a tactful reminder.

- I think trade will pick up if we just hang on.

- Yeah, well I mean we have to

let a few of the girls go for a while.

- No.

No.

My father always said never get rid of your work force

even when times are really bad.

They're not going to wait around til you whistle.

And I agree with him.

- Yeah well,

times have changed, love.

But you will let me know if you,

if you have any other ideas,

won't you?

(door slamming)

(slow music)

- Sister Dominic.

You've been walking in your sleep, Sister Dominic.

There's a good girl.

- Sister Gabriel?

- Sister Gabriel has left us.

We pray for her safe return.

(keys jingling)

- Have you seen Hal?

(machine humming)

Hal, I've got a great idea.

Have we still got those fly spinners?

- Hall and Stell.

Keichley.

Beautiful.

- Here are the bobbins.

Should be 160 of them.

- How do you know that?

- I counted them when I was little.

Do you think it'll work, Hal?

- Is the pope Catholic?

Sorry.

(laughing)

- Do what?

- Well we sell the new machine

and go back to using the old fly spinners.

Hal says they'll work perfectly.

- Oh!

Oh, so that who's behind all this.

- No, it was my own idea.

- Look Ms. Anna, uh Sister Gabriel.

- Ms. Anna will do fine.

- Look, look, look.

No offence,

but you don't know what you're talking about.

Let me show you.

You see,

you can't make fancy yarns like these

on those old machines.

And that is what Fitzgeralds wants.

- And they're the ones that don't pay us

and take up most of our spare production.

We can't go on trading like that, can we?

- You have to produce what the customer wants!

- Then we'll find new customers, Mr. Beattie.

- And how are we gonna keep going

while we're looking for them?

- We'll sell the new spinner.

- I telephoned Batson's, the textile agent.

They're coming to look at it tomorrow afternoon.

- We couldn't fill a big order

without that machine.

- The girls won't complain about overtime.

- I think we've covered every angle.

- Yeah.

Right.

Right you,

you do what you like.

You ruin the business if you want.

But don't you ever say

I didn't warn you.

- Okay love, you wanna lift Joan?

- No thanks, we're going to straight to fish shop, cock.

(indistinct chatter)

- Do you need a lift, Leila?

- No, I'm waiting for someone, thanks.

(car engine humming)

(slow music)

(moaning)

(lively music)

(moaning)

(gentle theme music)