Original subtitles

ELSPETH: Is it much further?

TILLY: A good bit further.

What's Daddy gone ahead to do?

He's gone to make a house for us at the farm.

Horrible dust.

Doesn't it taste funny.

Is it the sort of farm that will have cows, sheep, and things?

It's more for growing coffee, I think.

But we'll have animals. Of course.

I didn't know coffee grew.

Do you think Daddy will have got my pony?

TILLY: I don't know, Elspeth.

I don't expect so.

He's got an awful lot of other things to buy,

starting the farm.

Oh, gosh! Mummy, look!

Will we see a lion?

TILLY: Perhaps.

What are those funny black pigs?

They're warthogs, I think.

Don't they look funny scuttling along

as if they're late for something?

Look!

They're all going into their hole the wrong way 'round.

It's quite sensible, really.

If something's chasing them, they don't have

to turn their backs.

Oh!

Nearly lost you.

JUMA:

We are coming to the country of cannibals.

These people scavenge like hyenas.

Sometimes their women give birth to snakes and lizards.

They're not to be trusted.

Here, your crops will not prosper,

and your cattle will die.

Silence, Juma.

Hm.

Is that true? About cannibals?

Of course it isn't true.

They're perfectly nice people.

Still, you could have a nice cannibal.

It's just that they eat people, not animals.

Thank you.

Hello! Hello! Hi!

TILLY: Careful. Don't fall off.

ELSPETH: I wish...

Thank you so much for having us to stay.

-Come and see us again. -Goodbye.

Oh.

-ELSPETH: Goodbye. -MAN: Goodbye.

-TILLY: Goodbye. -ELSPETH: Goodbye.

-Thank you. -MAN: Take care.

TILLY: Okay. Goodbye.

WOMAN: Goodbye.

Oh, it's going to be another really hot day.

-Perhaps he wasn't hungry. -

Would he have tried to eat us if he had been?

Darling, I don't know.

Probably he might have killed one of the oxen.

JUMA: These oxen are no meal for a lion.

They're old as great-grandmothers,

and their legs are like broken sticks.

When the new moon comes,

we shall still be traveling on this worthless cart.

Will you be silent, Juma?

Hm.

Hello, Tilly!

Toto!

Hello, darling.

Robin.

-Everything all right? -Fine.

Long journey. You've done well.

You must be exhausted.

Not too bad.

Good.

We'll have to put up for a few days at the hotel,

if you can call it that.

Pretty primitive, but quite clean.

Aren't we going on to the farm?

No.

One or two little problems.

The ox wagon won't get there.

Too many gullies.

I have to build a few bridges.

I found the perfect site,

but there doesn't seem to be much labor about.

But that agent friend of yours. What's his name?

-ROBIN: Roger Stilbeck. -Mm.

He said there was plenty of labor.

Africans two a penny -- That's what he said.

Yes, I know he did.

Perhaps he was thinking of ticks and white ants.

And the bush is a lot heavier

than I was led to believe, but...

Mm.

Mr. Stilbeck doesn't seem

to have been altogether very truthful.

He probably didn't know himself.

It's a marvelous place.

You'll love it.

Hello, Daddy.

sleepy.

We saw a marvelous lion.

I mean, a really big one.

Much bigger than any of the ones at the zoo.

I'm sorry they're such a scratch lot, Grant.

-ROBIN: They'll do. -What?

-They'll do, Major. -MAJOR: Yes.

The trouble is, all the smart safari people in Nairobi

bag the best of them.

Bribe them with new boots and big tips.

Ruination of the whole place.

TILLY: I wonder what they think about it all.

What?

What the porters think about it.

They don't think, madam.

Porters don't think.

ROBIN: Ready? Right.

Off we go.

Cheerio, Major.

Stick close. I know a shortcut.

Keep up.

Well, here we are.

You mean this is the farm?

Yes.

It's a lovely place, isn't it?

Nice for a picnic.

ROBIN: This, uh...

This grass and stuff should burn off quite easily.

We ought to be able to start plowing before the rains.

Plow this?

ROBIN: Yes. It's all plowable.

Roger Stilbeck guaranteed it. It's in the prospectus.

Yes, I remember.

"Best coffee land in East Africa," didn't it say?

"Soil analyzed by experts.

Thousands of years of untapped fertility

locked up in the earth.

A gift at ú4 an acre."

Even I know this land isn't worth 1/4 of that.

ROBIN: Well...

I mean, the prospectus --

Darling Robin...

that's why they print a prospectus --

-for people like you to believe. -

Well, you have to trust people.

Perhaps when we starve or get eaten by the animals,

they'll put that on our tombstone.

Elspeth. Look. Here.

This is where I thought we'd put the house.

We can dam the water to a reservoir down there,

pump up to a water tower up there,

and then gravity feed to the house and factory.

First plantation over to the right.

We might start a vegetable garden...

build a small dairy down by the river.

Lots of people settling 'round here soon,

so we can sell them milk and butter,

and make a bit on the side.

You can help with that, Elspeth.

ELSPETH: I can't see a river.

ROBIN: No, of course you can't, if you don't look.

I thought we could plant an avenue through here...

join up with the feeder road to Thika.

Perhaps an orchard near the house.

And then solid coffee as far as the other boundary.

I do hope we have nice neighbors.

It'll make such a difference.

Really, darling.

You make it sound just like Wimbledon.

Tilly...

...look, if you want to go back home, you've only to say so.

You know that.

You were the one who was so keen to come...

to escape from those endless dreary house parties.

You've always loathed London.

We can't go back home again even if we wanted to

for the simple reason we can't afford to.

We haven't a bean in the world,

thanks to your friends in the city who you trusted,

and who have systematically cheated you over the years,

just like your chum Roger Stilbeck.

Diamond mines in Mozambique, gold in Peru,

oil wells in Turkey.

I remember your old nanny saying to me when we got engaged,

"Mr. Robin was born with a hole in his pocket."

No, we're going to stay.

And we're going to make it the best coffee farm in East Africa,

just like it says in the prospectus.

Found it -- at last.

What do you want it for so badly?

Well, I read somewhere there was nothing like a bit of music

to attract the natives.

They come flocking 'round as soon as they hear it.

What shall we have -- "The Bluebells of Scotland"

or "The Lost Chord"?

Oh, let's have "The Bluebells" first.

Must be patriotic.

Rather disappointing.

Ernie likes it, anyway.

Thought there must be a party.

Whoa.

Roos, my name.

Robin Grant.

My wife and daughter.

You on a safari, Mr. Grant?

No. We -- We live here.

Oh. I live over there, 2 miles.

Uh-huh. Farming?

I'm a hunter, not a farmer.

Bad farming here.

I've been trying to find some local labor

to get things started.

There don't seem to be any men about.

ROOS: Oh, there's plenty of them.

Lazy devils.

Sit around all day painting themselves up

and greasing their pigtails while the women do all the work.

If you want to get hold of them, put out a safari lamp.

They'll come like moths 'round a candle.

-Thank you. -ROOS: Don't overpay them.

And any lip, give them 15 up.

It's the only way to treat them.

Only language they understand.

TILLY: Will you have, uh...

Will you have a cup of tea with us, Mr. Roos?

No, thank you, missus.

I hear there's elephant come down over Ember way,

and I want that ivory.

Well, thank you for your help.

You must come and see us when we're more organized.

What's your name, missy?

Elspeth.

Mine's Peter.

Come on.

Did you see his eye?

All funny.

Yes.

-It didn't move! -Glass.

A glass eye.

Do you think he takes it out at night?

Darling! We don't talk about that.

-But -- -ROBIN: Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh.

Anyway, I thought he was rather nice.

Damned helpful about the lamp trick, anyway.

If it works.

Time to go to bed.

Oh, must I?

Yes.

But suppose something happens.

Bed.

Good night, sweetheart.

Long day. Night-night.

I'll come and say good night.

-Mummy. -Mm-hmm?

Are you ever frightened at night?

You needn't be frightened, darling.

Nothing's gonna harm you.

But are you?

Yes. Sometimes.

How far away do you think the sea is?

Oh.

I don't know.

Good night, my darling. Sleep tight.

-Mummy. -Hmm?

ELSPETH: Do you sometimes wish we'd never come?

No, darling.

Of course I don't.

-Good night. -Good night.

They've come, by George.

We mustn't frighten them.

I wonder what we do now.

Juma. Juma.

Juma, tell them if they will work for me,

I will give them meat.

They do not eat meat.

Well, I will give them a rupee to start with.

They are too stupid to understand rupees.

Oh, just let Juma deal with them, Robin.

All right.

JUMA:

He asks, "What is this light?

Has it fallen from a star?"

Show it to him.

-Juma.

Tell them that I will give a lamp like this

to everyone who will come to work for me for one month.

He says the spirit in the lamp serves only Europeans.

It cannot serve him.

Explain about paraffin, Juma, can you?

He'll never understand.

Of course he won't.

He's probably never seen paraffin before in his life.

Give me the lamp.

See?

They've gone.

Asante sana, Juma. Thank you.

Yes.

They look ideal farm laborers.

9 feet, about.

Do you think that's big enough for the veranda?

It looks huge to me.

Can you hear someone singing?

Yes.

Yes, I can.

Leave the sticks.

Tilly!

TILLY: Robin!

For goodness' sake, do something.

ROBIN: Well, what?

Well, get your gun if nothing else.

That wouldn't do much good.

We have come to build your house, Bwana.

I am Njombo.

I work many times with Europeans.

Good.

Very glad you've come.

Jambo.

My name is Grant...

-...Njombo. -

This is my wife and daughter.

Njombo.

-Jambo. -

-Jambo. -

Where do we build the house?

I'll show you.

Here.

We cannot build a house like this.

Why not?

NJOMBO: Not good.

Well, it's good for us, and we are to live in it.

It will fall down.

Not if it's built properly.

Why do you not have a round house like we have?

Because I want a house like that.

Many evil spirits will come to live in the corners.

Oh, please, do as I say.

NJOMBO:

Asante, Juma.

They won't use my nails.

They say iron is too valuable.

Iron is only for ornaments.

I wonder why they have round houses

and we have rectangular ones.

Perhaps it's a sign of civilization.

The Colosseum was round.

Perhaps it's the furniture.

Our sort of furniture wouldn't fit very well in a round house.

They only have three-legged stools...

and beds made of sticks lashed together

high enough for their goats to live underneath...

a fire in the middle, and no windows.

Oh, there must be a terrible fug.

Well, the idea is that the smoke kills the lice

and the goats' urine keeps down the jiggers.

TILLY: There you are.

-Thank you. -How practical, really.

What are the walls going to be made of?

I'm not really too sure.

Good, Bwana?

Very good, Njombo.

Now you can make the roof.

-No. -No roof?

The roof is for the women tomorrow.

Ah.

NJOMBO:

ROBIN: Thank you all very much.

We are very pleased with our house.

Thank you, Njombo.

Now you may go.

I am not going.

I am staying to work for you, Bwana and Memsabu.

I'm a good size. All sorts of jobs.

We have no ponies.

But we will have, Robin.

You said I could have a pony one day, Daddy.

-You have mules. -Yes, but...

All right.

I will build myself a house.

And then I will find a wife.

Very good.

She will make a shamba,

and then I'll bring my goats,

and we will have children.

ROBIN: Well, I must say...

...not bad for under 10 quid.

What are these, Tilly?

They're flame trees.

Sound expensive.

They were, rather, but worth it.

The flowers are scarlet, like flame.

They're used by witch doctors to make black magic.

Can I help you?

Look. Our first brood.

ELSPETH: Mummy, there's a woman with a baby.

It's been terribly burned or something.

Here.

The baby's burned.

Tell her to bring the baby into the house.

NJOMBO: No. She's better here.

She says you're a white woman

who has healing medicine for such things.

Well, I haven't.

It must go to hospital.

-How? -TILLY: On the mules.

Njombo, bring the mules.

NJOMBO: Two of the mules are with Bwana.

Then bring the other one.

The other one is lame.

-You are telling lies, Njombo.

Anyway, the nearest hospital is in Nairobi,

and I'm sure the baby would be dead by then.

I will go and get the medicine lady.

-She will know what to do. -All right, Njombo.

And tell her to go and wait in the shade.

Asante, Memsabu.

Is the baby dead?

Not quite.

Njombo is getting a medicine lady.

I wonder what she'll be like.

Like a medicine man, I suppose.

A sort of old lady witch doctor.

Ah, whoa. Whoa.

MRS. NIMMO:

My name is Nimmo.

-Mrs. Nimmo. -Tilly Grant.

My daughter, Elspeth.

So, you're the new people 'round here.

Well, what a pleasure it is to meet you.

Would you like a drink -- a cup of tea or beer?

Oh, a glass of lemonade would be most acceptable.

I never touch alcohol out here.

Elspeth.

-Njombo. -NJOMBO: Yes, Memsabu.

Tell the woman to bring the baby here.

TILLY: It is good of you to come, Mrs. Nimmo.

One of the native women has a very badly burned baby.

Oh, it's always happening. They're so careless.

Oh, thank you, my dear.

Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear.

Poor wee thing.

Could I have a towel and some water --

boiled water, mind -- and some Vaseline?

Oh, we haven't any Vaseline, I'm afraid.

-Plenty of bandages. -MRS. NIMMO: Lint?

Oh, I'm sorry. You see, we -- we...

Never mind. It doesn't matter.

I've some in my bag.

Over here.

Thank you.

You'll be Scottish, then, being called Grant.

I'm not. My husband is -- from Inverness.

Oh, a Highlander.

Would he be any relation to Lord Grant,

the procurator fiscal?

I really don't know.

My Uncle James, who's also in the law,

was very honored by his friendship at one time.

Oh?

You get on with your lessons, Elspeth.

Poor little thing.

Even at this age, they seem to accept disaster, pain, and death

as their natural lot.

You'll have to get used to it, Mrs. Grant,

if you're going to live in Africa.

Asante, memsabu.

Do you think it will survive?

It might.

It's amazing how tough they are.

-Do come and sit down. -Oh, thank you.

Oh, what nice things you have, Mrs. Grant.

TILLY: Have you been out here long?

Oh, a year or two.

Mr. Nimmo was one of the first settlers around Thika.

He farms? Do sit down.

We have a farm,

but Mr. Nimmo prefers to be called a big game hunter.

He's one of the finest shots in all Africa,

or so I've been told.

He's not here now?

Not at present.

At present, I believe he's in the Congo after ivory.

It must be very lonely for you.

Yes, it is,

but you have to look on the bright side, as I always say.

It's lucky you're a doctor.

MRS. NIMMO: Oh, I'm not a doctor, Mrs. Grant.

I was a nursing sister in Edinburgh.

And being possessed of a sense of adventure,

I came out on contract to the hospital in Nairobi,

and that's where Mr. Nimmo caught me.

He says he went in with piles and came out with Maggie.

-

It's one of his little jokes.

I do my best for the poor benighted, immoral heathens

we have 'round here, but, uh...

some of the things I have seen would make a tinker blush.

I'd be most grateful, Mrs. Nimmo,

if you could give me a list

of some of the things I ought to have.

Oh, I'll certainly do that, Mrs. Grant...

though, mostly, it's a case of Epsom salts and faith.

If you'll excuse me, I'll just get my little book.

MRS. NIMMO: Elspeth -- That's a good Scottish name.

-Yes, Mrs. Nimmo. -And how old are you?

-Nearly 11. -And not at school?

No. Mr. Playfair says it's not possible.

-And who is he? -He's our bank manager.

JUMA: Siafu, siafu.

When the siafu come, it means rain.

Poor little things.

Only just hatched.

-Why did this have to happen? -

What good do siafu do?

Christ.

That's a very valuable piece of furniture.

Been in my family for years.

I know it has.

It seems a pity to treat good things in that way.

TILLY: What way?

How else do you want me to treat it?

This isn't the Victoria and Albert Museum exactly.

At least it's being useful.

We need all these things, according to Mrs. Nimmo.

Where else am I going to put them?

Well, you might have shown it a little more respect than that,

I would have thought.

I wish I'd never come to this rotten country!

The place is full of horrible diseases

and crawling with insects, and I hate it!

Everything's raw and crude.

All the natives are savages.

Nobody knows how to do anything properly.

And there's no one to talk to for hundreds of miles,

and I hate it.