Original subtitles

ALEC: The major from the hotel asked me to bring it over.

He thought the little girl might like it as a pet.

Well, it's very kind of you, Mr. Wilton.

Wil-- Wilson.

I'm so sorry. Mr. Wilson.

But I honestly don't think we can.

Oh, but we can. I'll look after her.

I really will devote almost all my time to her.

Come and have a beer.

Thank you.

The thing is, you see, darling,

we're going to Nairobi for the New Year races, and --

Oh, am I coming too?

No.

I'm afraid it's too difficult

because the Palmers are taking us with them in their car

and we're going to stay with friends of theirs.

But I've arranged for you to stay with Mrs. Nimmo.

Oh, no.

Now, she's really very nice.

Anyway, it's all arranged.

We hate leaving you, Elspeth, but it's only for a few days.

And Daddy really does need a little holiday.

He's been working terribly hard.

Yes.

What about all my other animals?

What about George and Mary and the lame hen?

Well, Njombo will come and collect you every day

and bring you over here to feed them.

In that case, I can look after her.

And I promise to be good with Mrs. Nimmo.

Oh, all right.

I'll go and get her some milk.

She must be dying of thirst without her mother.

Don't worry.

I'll get Sammy to knock the poor little thing on the head

as soon as Elspeth's out of the way.

I'm afraid I gave in.

Blackmail.

More or less.

We'll live to regret it.

Probably.

My daughter is growing up to be a criminal, Mr. Wilson.

I say, I'm sorry if I --

Oh, not at all. No.

Mr. Wilson has bought the block of land

beyond the river on the way to the main road.

Oh.

Have you had much experience of farming

back at home, Mr. Wilson?

N-No.

I was working in a bank in Barnsley three months ago,

I-I had a spot of chest trouble,

and the local doctor said I must have a change.

So I cashed up all my savings, and, you know, here I am.

I'm a bit of an ignoramus, but I'm willing to learn.

Of course, I've got

all the government pamphlets on farming out here.

Mm. Much good they'll do you.

You'd best borrow some chains and bullocks

and my headman over the New Year.

Get some of your stumps cut out for a start.

That's very kind of you, Mr. Grant.

Thank you very much for Twinkle, Mr. Wilson.

Not at all.

Why Twinkle?

Well, she's just like a star, isn't she?

Oh. Is she?

Good.

Right. Well, I'll be off, then.

Oh, have a word with my headman.

Twinkle. That's a good name.

-She's very hungry. -Oh, she was hungry.

One of the reasons I came here

was to avoid having to wear things like this.

Do you know this is the first time

I've actually ever packed for myself?

And I'm not very good at it.

It's rather awful,

but if we hocked these, we could probably send Elspeth to school.

I don't think she wants to go to school.

I'm sure she doesn't.

You never went to school.

No, but I had an endless succession of governesses.

And you loathed every one of them.

Yes.

Well, at least Elspeth is spared that.

-ELSPETH: Goodbye! -Goodbye, darling.

Have a wonderful time.

-You have a good time. -Goodbye, sweetheart.

-We'll be back very soon. -And be good with Mrs. Nimmo.

Yes. I will.

Do what she tells you.

Yes.

Bye.

We'll be back next year!

Ready to go, memsabu?

Not quite, Njombo.

Bye, George. Bye, Mary.

Good fly catching.

Bye, Twinkle.

I'll be back to see you tomorrow.

Well, Elspeth, dear,

it's nice you've come for a wee visit.

Well, it's so very nice of you to have me, Mrs. Nimmo.

I do hope I won't be any inconvenience.

No, no.

It's nice to have company for Hogmanay.

Now, Njombo, don't forget to feed Twinkle.

Of course not, memsaab ndogo.

Mr. Nimmo is most disappointed he can't be here.

He writes that he's detained on business in the Belgian Congo.

Now, you just settle in,

and then we'll have tea when you're ready.

I've made an angel cake with my own hands as a special treat.

Thank you.

I am ready.

Just show me those hands.

They could do with a good scrubbing.

And comb your hair and put on a frock.

A frock?

You have a frock?

Oh, yes.

I make it a rule no young lady comes to my table

not properly dressed.

Yes, Mrs. Nimmo.

What would you like to start with, dear?

A piece of cake, please, Mrs. Nimmo.

Polite people always start with bread and butter.

Yes, Mrs. Nimmo.

Sorry to disturb you.

Oh! It's Mr. Wilson come to protect us.

You're just in time for a cup of tea.

-Hello, Elspeth. -Hello, Mr. Wilson.

No. Please don't get up.

Uh, a couple of friends are coming up from Nairobi.

I thought I'd have a party at the Blue Posts,

welcome in the New Year.

Drat! That lazy boy.

Elspeth, be so kind as to ask Matu for another cup.

Yes.

Will you sit down, Mr. Wilson?

Thank you.

Do hope you can come.

Oh. I-I'm sorry. No.

I-I couldn't leave Elspeth.

Oh, but you could, Mrs. Nimmo.

What ever would your parents think,

me leaving you alone here among all those heathens?

Quite a charming little girl.

Yes.

But the way her parents let her run around with the natives,

she'll soon be one herself.

Mr. Grant says she'll be going to school at home --

home home -- when the crop come into bearing.

When their crop comes into bearing.

When I buy a castle in Spain.

What that child needs is --

On a tray, Matu.

Tray.

Might as well talk to the wall as to some of these black boys.

I say.

What a charming place you've got here.

It's quite a home from home.

Oh. Sugar?

Uh, two lumps.

Just a few bits and pieces of my own.

I haven't always lived like a tinker, as I do here.

My grandfather was a writer to the signet

and my great-uncle's cousin Lord Lyon, King of Arms.

Thank you.

Why don't you have the party here, Mrs. Nimmo?

Oh, n-no. Please.

What a nice idea.

Of course! It would give me such pleasure.

Well -- Well, thank you.

Don't worry about the whiskey. We'll bring our own.

What I'll do for their dinner, heaven alone knows.

Oh, for a nice, juicy undercut of prime Scots beef

or a good Midlothian turkey.

But you're such a good cook, Mrs. Nimmo.

Aye, but what can a body do with fowls the size of starlings

and mutton tough as old boots.

And the way the cook keeps my kitchen.

It's lucky, like Mr. Wilson said,

that the food isn't the most important part of the evening.

MARY: Have you ever seen a more perfect sight, Victor?

We might be back in the old country.

The snow outside... the church bells pealing...

...the waifs ready for their glass of port wine.

Oh, isn't everything as neat and tidy as a --

as a fusilier's coat on his wedding day?

Come on. Open the bottle, Victor.

And we will wish Mrs. Nimmo the best of health and happiness,

and her good man also.

Oh, I hardly ever touch alcohol --

except, of course, on festive occasions.

Oh.

Oh, I'm sorry. I don't have any soda water.

No need to gas my booze.

I leave the gassing to the politicians.

That's right.

Well, God bless all our friends.

And damnation to our enemies.

-Slainte. -Cheers.

Ah. I'm as dry as a ship's biscuit.

And I think it's high time

you went along to bed, Elspeth, dear.

Ah.

Now, seeing as how it's the festive time of year,

I have got a bit of a present for you, Elspeth.

Well, it's...it's not as grand as I would have wished.

I think it's lovely.

Thank you very much.

Oh. I'm glad you like it.

Come along, Elspeth.

Time to take the road to Bedfordshire.

MARY: Oh, now, just a minute.

Before Elspeth goes to her bed,

we must rest the bones of the old year

as well as wishing strength to the new.

Bless you my child.

And may 1914 bring you all the luck in the world.

-VICTOR: Cheers. -Slainte.

Say good night, Elspeth.

-Good night, everybody. -Good night, Elspeth.

Good night, Elspeth.

Well, come on now, Victor. For God's sake.

What are you doing with that bottle?

Here.

I hope your friends won't get rowdy.

I...can't guarantee it.

MARY: For heaven's sake.

Mr. Nimmo wouldn't care for any horseplay in his house.

I look to you, Mr. Wilson, if there should be any trouble.

If there's any trouble, Mrs. Nimmo,

I should lock away the breakables.

Well, that's not a very gallant remark.

-Mnh-mnh. -MARY:

You'll probably find me hiding under your bed.

The things you say.

Now, don't you say your prayers?

I always say them in bed.

Oh, kneeling's better.

Why?

Well...because it's more respectful.

Oh.

Good night, my dear.

Good night, Mrs. Nimmo.

Sleep tight.

ALEC:

Ah!

See, you men?

That's no good!

Come on! Give us a dance!

Come on!

da-da-da-de-da-da...

da-da-da, da-da-da

Come on, you thingummy!

da-da-da-da-da-da...

Whoo-hoo!

da-da-da-dum

de-da-da-dum

de-da-da, de-da-da

Yoo-hoo!

Hey!

Ah.

Aha. Ah.

Gotcha, you nickel sniffer!

Oh! No! No!

-No! -Ah! Poke the hole!

Stop! They're heirlooms!

Huh?

Ah!

-

MRS. NIMMO:

Good on you, old Mary!

-Ah! -MRS. NIMMO:

VICTOR:

VICTOR: Come on, Mary! Race you home!

-Ya-ha! -Yee-ha!

ALEC: Good shooting.

No one cares about my poor warming pans.

Who needs warming pans in Africa, Mrs. Simmo --

Mrs. -- S-Simmo.

Mrs. Nimmo.

Mrs. Meadow.

It's Maggie to you, Mr. Wilson, now that we're old friends.

I think I'd better go home.

What?

And leave a lone woman unprotected

with that band of tipsy hooligans riding about?

Your place is to protect me, Mr. Wilson.

A-Alec.

Alec.

I'm a lone woman...

Not tonight, Maggie.

Did you sleep well, Elspeth, dear?

Not very.

I'm not surprised.

Now, eat up your porridge. It's good for the brain.

I thought that was fish.

It is fish, too, dear.

Porridge is good for everything.

It will make you grow into a big, fine girl.

But I don't want to be a big, fine girl.

I want to be a jockey.

Thank you.

ALEC: Good morning.

Oh, good morning, Mr. Wilson.

Please help yourself to coffee.

Thank you.

If there's one piece of advice

I'd give to a child on the outset of life, it's...

...don't see in the New Year with a mixed party of Scots,

Irish, and...whatever he was.

It's like TNT.

Elspeth, what are you doing?

Look.

It's bleeding.

Excuse me.

What's the matter?

Mr. Wilson isn't feeling quite himself today.

And it's bad manners anyway to play with your food.

No, no, Matu. I'll see to it.

That was done by my Aunt Katherine with her own hand

before she ever married and went out to India.

Very precious to me.

Of great sentimental value.

I'll buy you something nice, Mrs. Nimmo.

Oh, that's a kind thought.

When your ship comes in.

I haven't got a ship.

Well, we all have, in a manner of speaking.

Only sometimes they sink.

Well, I'll be off, then.

Thank you for your hospitality and everything.

It was kind of you to stay, Mr. Wilson.

I must confess I shouldn't have liked

to have stopped here alone with the bairn

with those wild hooligans galloping about.

Well, any time you need protection, Maggie,

you send for me.

Thank you, Mr. Wilson.

I'm sure that won't be necessary.

Mr. Nimmo will be home any day.

My mouth feels like the bottom of a parrot's cage.

Bye, Elspeth.

Bye, Mag-- Mrs. Nimmo.

ELSPETH: Bye, Mr. Wilson!

What did Mr. Wilson mean about "parrot's cage"?

I'm sure I don't know, dear.

Sometimes he uses the very strangest phraseology.

Now, come along.

It's hot.

I think Ongoni would like a drink.

There you are, boy.

Good boy.

There was a holiday at Memsaab Nimmo?

Yes.

To ask God for rain.

No. It was for New Year.

What is New Year?

Well, a new year has begun.

Don't you have New Year?

No.

We have the millet rains, which are short,

and then we have bean rains, which are long.

Well, how do you know how old you are?

I remember when I became a man.

It was the millet harvest we call Sheets of Iron.

Why Sheets of Iron?

It was when the new roofs of iron came.

Shh.

The leopard is too clever for them.

Isn't it dangerous to go on?

No. He has a full stomach.

Now, don't you ever wander off, or the leopards will get you.

Do you hear, Twinkle?

I say.

Could you tell me if Captain and Mrs. Palmer live here?

No. They live on the next farm, just over the hill.

Not far.

Thank you.

But they're not there.

They've gone to the races in Nairobi

with my mother and father,

and they won't be back until this evening.

Unfortunately, I was considered too young to go.

My name is Elspeth Grant.

Ah. Mine's Ian Crawford. How do you do?

How do you do?

Would you care for some refreshment, Mr. Crawford?

Well, yes, I should rather care for a glass of beer.

And I think the others could do with something.

If you tell them to go 'round the back,

they'll find our syce, Njombo.

Thank you.

Ahmed.

Karanja!

So you like racing, Miss Grant?

Very much.

In fact, one day I hope to win quite a lot of races.

Mm. Have you a pony?

No, not yet.

Yes, memsaab ndogo?

Beer and lime juice, please.

Do sit down.

Thank you.

Have you come far, Mr. Crawford?

Well, yes. About 1,000 miles.

Gosh.

I've been up in Abyssinia buying ponies.

Thank you.

Oh, delicious.

That's the first glass of beer I've had

since we crossed the border at Moyale.

Are there lots of horses up there?

Oh, yes. The Somalis breed them.

Are Somalis nice?

Well, I'm not sure "nice" is the right word.

They're very grand, mostly princes --

or say they are.

And they are villains and very bloodthirsty.

I had to pay for these ponies with Winchester rifles

and smuggle them out afterwards.

And even then we lost a couple in the desert from lion.

You are lucky.

Would I have to have a Winchester rifle

if I wanted one of your ponies?

I'm afraid they're all bespoke. They're for the Palmers.

Oh.

And one of the races was held up for half an hour

because a silly old rhino got on the course

and frightened the horses and jockeys into fits.

And did you have a nice time with Mrs. Nimmo?

Oh, yes. A very nice time.

Oh!

Look what a lady gave me as a present.

Oh. How kind.

What lady was that?

It was the Irish lady who came to the New Year's Eve party.

Oh. Nice you had a party.

Was it fun?

Yes, it was fun.

They all drank a lot of whiskey and danced

and ate raisins dipped in burning brandy.

And then the Irish lady and her friend

who was called Victor,

shot holes in all Mrs. Nimmo's warming pans.

Gosh, it was funny.

And Mrs. Nimmo was livid

'cause they were heirlooms or something.

One can hardly blame her.

Was Mr. Wilson there too?

Yes, he was there.

He's a terrible funk.

He hid under the sofa.

And the next morning,

he said his mouth felt like the bottom of a parrot's cage.

He stayed the night?

Yes, in case Mrs. Nimmo was ravished.

Well, I'm glad you all had such a nice time.

And I learnt all the names

of the kings and queens of England --

and Scotland, us and Mrs. Nimmo both being Scottish.

Quite right.

Would you like to hear me recite them?

Yes, darling. Of course I would.

Oh, and a man called Crawford came here for a drink.

He's had a terrible time

smuggling ponies out of Abyssinia.

Well.

It's nice to be back in the peace and quiet of the country.

Ahmed makes me uneasy.

I always have the feeling I ought to be on my knees

like like some Circassian slave

offering him a bowl of rose water.

He's the only regal character I've ever encountered.

Yes. I know what you mean. I felt like that at first.

But his manners are so perfect,

he's managed to make me feel like a caliph born to command.

So we're both satisfied.

ELSPETH: Good morning.

You've got your wish.

It's a present for you.

What's her name?

I don't think she's got one.

Did she belong to a prince?

Well, she belonged to a ras, who is a kind of prince.

Oh.

Well, then you must call her something very beautiful

and elegant, like Guinevere or Cleopatra.

I think I shall call her Moyale.

Thank you so much.

It's the nicest present I've ever had.

Moyale.

The way they scuttle off,

you'd think they'd never seen a white woman before.

They probably never have.

Why has everybody brought guns?

Chief Kupanya said the village is plagued

with wild guinea fowl who scratch up all the seeds.

So they're gonna have a shoot later.

Make a nice change from our scrawny little chickens.

Oh.

We'll put it a little bit higher than that.

Just look at the view they've got.

Tremendous.

They believe their god lives on a mountain.

Mount Kenya.

We're changing all that -- for the better, I hope.

I don't know.

The missionaries all fight each other --

Papist against Church of England

and the Presbyterians against the lot.

No wonder the natives think Christians are a bit mad.

But, Ian, you have to admit

that when we've got going properly,

we'll be able to knock a bit of civilization into them

and all this dirt and disease will go.

To be replaced by what?

Well, cleanliness, education, decency.

A proper standard of living.

Working for the white man, farming the natives' land.

It's not their land.

They don't even bother to farm it properly.

They wouldn't agree.

Where you grow coffee, they grazed sheep and goats.

And in 100 years' time, when you've got

a few million natives working for a few thousand white men,

there could be big trouble.

No, we're lucky to be here now, I think, at the beginning.

What made you come here in the first place?

Because my father was a colonel in the Indian army.

Posted out here to supervise the coolies

building the railway.

He was an engineer.

And I stay because I enjoy it.

You can do what you like,

free of the slavery of wage earning back at home.

Well, I came out here to play a small part

in building up a new protectorate under the Crown.

Seems a good enough reason for anybody.

As far as the Africans are concerned,

they're very fortunate to come under British rule.

Hereward, beer or lemonade?

Lemonade, please.

The trouble with picnics is that I always eat too much.

ELSPETH: So do I.

IAN: The chief himself.

This is the man that killed your headman.

He's made a full confession.

Good.

Well, he's taken his time about it.

I thought he'd give in in the end.

Better take him to my farm under guard in case he escapes.

I will not escape, sir.

HEREWARD: Good Lord.

Good morning, sir.

Save all sinners. God save the king.

Mission boy. There you are.

Come on, Tilly.

Let's give you some practice with your gun.

Oh. All right. I'm sure I need it.

I'll go and get the beaters organized.

I can't believe he murdered our headman.

Probably he didn't do it.

He didn't, actually.

Who did, then?

Do you both absolutely swear not to tell anyone

if I tell you?

Yes, we promise.

Yes.

Njombo, our syce, killed him

when your headman was very drunk and attacked him with a panga.

Well, I never.

Who told you?

I wangled it out of Sammy, our headman.

And that boy is going to spend months in prison

waiting to be tried for something he didn't do.

You can't keep them out of prison in this country.

They call them Hoteli ya Kingi Georgi.

They love it.

Good food, plenty of gossip.

Then, when the trial comes,

there'll be a muddle, no witnesses.

You know the sort of thing.

And he'll be let off.

I expect old Kupanya has seen that justice has been done

long ago.

He has.

Njombo has been fined all his goats,

and now he can't get a wife like he wanted.

IAN:

There's real justice for you.

Elspeth, why don't you go

and make sure the boys are looking after Moyale properly?

That child already knows more about Africa

than all the rest of us.

Thank you.

You have me at your mercy. You know that.

I've done nothing.

You don't have to.

Just exist.

Shh.

You're indiscreet.

It's too late for discretion.

Too late?

Oh, Ian, please.

Don't try to mesmerize me.

Damn birds won't get up.

Mark, Tilly!

Miss.

Still, good style.

I think you're terribly brave to shoot at all.

It's really much less alarming when you fire it yourself

than when somebody else does.

Like sins.

Sins?

When other people commit them, you're shocked.

When you commit them yourself, it seems quite natural.

I hope you're not speaking from experience, my dear.

Good shot, Hereward.

Elspeth, come back!

Come back!

Elspeth, stay back!

TILLY: Elspeth, come back!

It was having a baby!

Elspeth, what on earth were you doing?

Elspeth, you must never, never leave the line.

A female? Pity.

I think it's most cruel, beastly, and brutal.

TILLY: Elspeth!

I'm sorry, but one couldn't tell.

I want to go home.

You certainly are going home.

I'll take her...

and leave the rest of you to slay more guinea fowl.

Come on, Elspeth.

Well, I've had enough sport,

if that's what Hereward calls guinea fowl shooting.

You mustn't be unkind about Hereward.

Perhaps not.

But he's such a fine specimen, he ought to be stuffed himself.

I wish they'd stop slopping along.

I'm so worried about Twinkle.

And I hate Captain Palmer.

Twinkle!

Twinkle!

Twinkle.

Thank heavens you're all right.

Twinkle, it was awful.

Have a drink.

Yes, I will.

Amisi?

Hello, darling. Oh.

Have you been good today?

Will you be going away soon?

I have one more Abyssinian trip to do.

Then I shall come back to you.

A whiskey and soda.

Sherry.

There was a scandal when I ran away with Hereward.

I was married before, you know.

I didn't.

But it makes no difference to me.

I was married at 18 to a man much older than myself.

There was a rumor, I believe, that my father lost me at cards.

I don't think that's true,

but my parents did rather push me into it.

And I had no idea what love was all about, like I do now.

There's an Eastern flavor to this story.

I'm sure Ahmed would think it was all a great fuss

about nothing.

The only thing he'd be interested in

is how much your father might have won if he hadn't lost you.

Asante.

I was most unhappy, which was rather inconsiderate of me,

as it suited everyone else so well.

Thank you.

My husband bundled me off to the country

to pull myself together.

And there I met Hereward.

At a hunt ball.

Naturally.

He was sympathetic, handsome, and kind.

He is kind.

We eloped.

All very romantic.

But, of course, it ruined his career in the Army.

He had to leave what he loved doing most -- soldiering.

So now we are here.

He gave up a lot for me,

and I hope he will find this new life some compensation.

I think he is, slowly.

So you see why at least, as far as I'm concerned,

you must keep your freedom.

You've warned me off,

but I'm not one to go hunting tigers in Bengal

or climbing the Himalayas.

My heart doesn't bleed for Hereward one bit.

Besides, I have time on my side.

Don't waste it waiting for me.

I'll waste it how I like.

Well, one of us must talk to her.

If you won't, I must.

All right. I will.

Hello.

Elspeth, the way you behaved this afternoon

was quite unforgivable.

Your mother and I are deeply ashamed of you.

The way I behaved?!

Yes.

You were extremely rude to Captain Palmer.

Only because of the awful thing he did.

What Captain Palmer chooses to do or not to do

is absolutely no business of yours.

It was very rude.

And indeed what makes it worse

is that they've been so kind and given you the pony.

That was Lettice -- Mrs. Palmer.

Be that as it may, you will write an apology in the morning.

I won't!

Oh, yes, you will.

Bend over.

You're turning into a spoiled, impertinent, boring little girl!

Now, go to bed.