Original subtitles

Claudia Jones, feminist, advocate and pioneer.

What happened to us, Barry?

Life happened, Carmel.

Don't you do it, Carmel.

Don't you utter even a single damn word.

What if I asked nicely?

If I really needed you to be there with me?

What then?

Would you come?

You're a fool, Carmel.

You've always been a damn fool.

There you go.

Oh, Carm.

Come on.

Come and sit and have a chat with us.

Yeah? OK.

Come on.

Your Barry don't deserve you, Carm.

He really don't.

Staying out at night to screw them trampy slags

when he's got someone like you at home.

Come on.

Look at me.

You're a very attractive woman.

Yeah, and you're smart and kind.

Best boss in Hackney.

Who could have her pick of men.

One that treats you with dignity

and respect.

We're here for you, Carm.

Be brave.

And maybe put on a bit of lippy, yeah? Mm.

Yeah. Yeah!

Yeah.

♪ The dream helps you forget

♪ You ain't never danced a step

♪ You were never fleet of foot

♪ Hippy

♪ All the pathos you can keep... ♪

Mr Dempsey.

Do you fancy a sticky finger?

Excuse me?

Sticky fingers. They're home-made.

Yeah. Pretty good too, even if I do say so myself.

Go on, treat yourself.

Is this lefty loudmouth really trying to flirt with you?

Mm?

SHE CHUCKLES Yeah.

See?

What did I tell you?

They're all as cocksure as you over in town planning,

Mr Reuben Dempsey?

Do you fancy another one?

Better not.

A moment on the lips...

I can think of worse places to spend a lifetime.

You admire her?

Mm-hm. I do, in a funny way.

Thatcher the Milk Snatcher?

Not her politics.

But, you know, as a woman in power,

who gave those public school toffs in Cabinet what for... type of thing.

I can guarantee you that Thatcher is anything but a champion

of women's rights.

Still a role model, isn't she?

Showing how a woman can have it all.

Bet Carm could have it all,

couldn't she, Reuben, eh?

Yeah, she definitely could.

If she wanted it badly enough.

If I was you I'd ask for a refund on that politics degree.

And lose that hair of yours too, while you're at it.

Cos a professor you most certainly ain't.

Jam Rock Style by Scotty

Hey. Hey.

So I just dropped by to give you...

Your pink penis.

..this.

Oh! THEY CHUCKLE

Huh?

Thank you.

Can I make you a cuppa?

Yeah, that'd be nice.

Look at he.

He must like his tea sweet and black.

Carmel, stop you now.

God never sleeps.

Biscuit?

I have custard creams.

Oh, they're nice. Crunchy and... creamy.

Jesus didn't die for you to do this!

You like fig rolls?

They're delicious.

Soft, sweet.

Looks like everyone's gone for lunch.

The hell is this white boy doing?

I have... garibaldis too.

I don't know what they are, but they sound nice.

"That is to say, my life as a married woman in a new home..."

It does not say that, Reuben.

That really is the good book.

Huh?

You like?

It's very nice.

Mm-hm?

I love you.

Are you serious?

As serious as I've ever been about anything in my whole life.

Move in with me.

I can make you happy.

At least tell me you feel the same.

He's back. I've got to go.

I love you. I've got to go!

You're back early.

Who was that?

No-one.

No-one?

Just Merty.

What I'm about to say...

..isn't easy.

Barrington...

Barry...

What I'm about to say isn't easy.

And please don't feel I've reached this decision lightly,

because Lord knows I haven't.

But, in the end, I truly, truly think it is what's best for all of us

in the long run.

Oh, God.

You, me and the girls.

Barry...

What I'm about to say...

Mummy's home!

Mum! What's all this?

You don't deserve a break upon occasions?

Come. It's a surprise.

Come. He's been cooking all day.

Sit. I have, too!

Take the weight off.

There's sausages, potatoes.

Because... Fishcakes!

..your daughters have something to show you.

Right, let's... What it is?

Five, six, seven, eight.

Nh! Nh!

Mm! Yes, yes.

Oh, yes! Good!

Uh-huh!

Go, Maxine! Go, Maxine!

Go, Maxine! Go, Maxine! Go, Maxine!

Hey! Go, Maxine! Go, Maxine!

Yes, Maxine, yes!

Go, Donna! Go, Donna!

Go, Donna! Go, Donna!

Yeah! Nice, nice, nice.

All that rehearsing!

How long did that take?

It was so cool.

Thank you, baby. Mwah!

Oh, Donna.

God bless you. We're just going to get changed.

Hurry back, eh? We're eating soon.

See that? All day.

All day. All day.

You all right?

Barry...

What I'm about to say...

..isn't easy.

And please don't feel I've reached this decision... Can you hold on?

I truly, truly... Hold on.

Before you say anything further,

just so you know...

I know I can be better.

You know, a better husband,

a better father.

I promise.

This was the promise you made, Carmel.

From now on, I will.

Till death us do part.

I swear.

Yeah?

I swear, I swear.

Swear down.

OK.

OK.

OK.

Sausages, gravy.

Potato. Potato. Mm-hm.

Take the job at Lambeth.

Move south and forget about me.

No, no.

See, I can't...

..and I won't. Not without you.

I'm a married woman, Reuben.

Marriage is a gift from God,

who... who I made a sacred vow in front of.

I can't break it.

I won't.

I've sacrificed too much.

Thanks very much. It's been a pleasure.

Hey, see you for drinks in a couple of weeks.

Adios.

You deserve to be happy, don't you?

Carmel...

Take the job, Reuben!

You know if you go now, that's it?

There's no going back.

All right, see you all. Bye, Reuben.

Don't work too hard.

OK.

Carmel!

It's so good to see you, cousin.

Must feel good to be home now.

Augusta!

You looking pale, woman. Come.

I'll come in, I'll come in.

Oi! All right, all right. Together.

Come here.

Look at this place.

It shook with Papi's rage.

Tore through Mummy.

You couldn't wait to leave.

When you flee the nest,

fly as far as you can,

because the guilt will pull you back.

So here you are, Carmel,

the dutiful daughter.

And for what?

Francis, please!

You dare to defy me?!

You're the wife!

After everything I gave you!

Francis, please! Bitch.

You ungrateful, disrespectful... No!

What's the matter?

Come.

He in his room.

Doctor said him not have much time left at all.

But...

..I-I don't think I can.

Child, your papi a good man.

He was many things.

But good...

Listen.

You will feel different after a likkle rest

and some food.

Me go fix you something.

Your daddy changed, Carmel.

Old age softened him, like he flesh.

You was always in his prayers.

Remember, child,

to err is human,

but to forgive...

So, I'm surprised not to see Barry with you.

He had a client he couldn't let down.

Hmm. He was always industrious like that. Mm-hm.

As industrious as he was handsome.

Who had the pick of the whole island,

until my own cousin go and win the jackpot.

What a beauty you did look on your wedding day.

We're married now.

They want touching.

Barry, wake up!

They need caressing.

I can't believe we're soon going England.

We'll see Her Majesty.

Might even invite us to have tea at the palace

to welcome us.

We got our whole lifetime ahead of us.

I love you, Barry.

Morning, husband.

All gnarled and tangled up.

Mm!

Ow!

Carmelita Miller?

It is, isn't it?

Hubert?

Look at you.

Wow!

Look at you.

But listen to you.

Oh, yeah. I'm fully grown now.

So American.

Hubert.

Ohh.

Sorry about your daddy.

It's a part of life.

Doesn't make it any easier.

My wife, Everine,

she passed just over a year and a half ago now and...

I'm sorry.

Thank you.

That's why I came back, you know, home.

Mm.

I heard you were stateside.

Mm, DC.

Yeah, I was a university professor.

Mm-mm!

You always were a bit of a swot.

How was the empire?

How did that treat you?

Was it everything you would hope for?

My sister, Beryl.

Yeah.

Always said, "Carmelita,

"she could achieve anything she put her mind to."

Yeah? Mm.

Yeah.

I did, eventually.

My degree in business administration

led to a career in housing management.

Oh! I was responsible for well over 2,000 properties.

Damn! Big boss lady.

Mm-hm!

Them were some of the happiest days of my life...

..where I felt most wanted.

Needed.

Loved.

Hey, hey.

I know it's hard coming back.

My daddy would always say,

"Boy, never go backward, only forward."

Sometimes I think you need to go back in order to move forward.

This house,

it was your grandmother's. Mm.

It's exactly how I remember it.

Can you remember what happened there?

Hmm?

That's where you told me you were choosing Barry instead.

I remember. Yeah.

Insisted on having one final kiss.

Yeah, said it was a way of cushioning the blow.

I don't remember that.

Oh. Yeah, you said Jack Lemmon types are cute and all that,

but what you really were after was a Rock Hudson.

Oh, Lord!

I've been working out ever since.

Yeah.

Barry was always the luckiest guy on the island.

I'd better get back.

Oh, hey, Carm.

I...

Carm, I...

Please.

Lord...

..please grant me the power of forgiveness...

..so that the sinners...

..the fornicators...

..the abusers...

..they may be...

You ain't fooling nobody, Carmel.

Least of all Him.

My God!

Carmel?!

It's you?

Odette?

Ooh! THEY LAUGH

Oh!

Hi!

Ooh!

New me.

I love it!

Me not seen you nearly 30 years

and you just turn up me local here.

30 years. Hmm.

Odette,

how you just left London so and you never even say goodbye?

I'm sorry.

It was a hard time for me and Morris... with our divorce.

I understand.

Odette...

..I need a drink.

Something happen?

What?

What happened?

Carmel?

My papi's dying.

Oh... yes, I... I heard.

I'm sorry.

I'm not.

Come.

Young man.

Augusta.

Where you been?

You're too late.

He passed.

Hello?

He's dead, Barry.

Papi.

He gone.

Lord, I'm so sorry, Carmel.

I feel like a orphan, Barry.

When you coming out for the funeral?

Barry?

Mm-hm.

You know I don't business with funeral.

Yes, but... this is me papi!

I need you.

I really need you to come out.

People will expect you to be here by my side.

I am... sorry, Carmel.

I just can't.

Morning, husband.

You're a fool, Carmel.

You've always been a damn fool.