(Big Ben chimes)
Miss Paget, do you want to go back to Malaya? After what happened there?
It's because of what happened there
What good will it do you? Won't you be only torturing yourself?
No.
Now I've come into this money, I've thought of all the things I can do with it.
There's only one thing I really want to do
And I must do it.
I'm going back to the village in Malaya where they took us in,
where we lived for three years of the war.
Those people risked everything they had to protect us.
Now at last,
something I can do to pay them back.
No need to go in person. I could transmit a sum of money to them.
No, I don't want to do it like that.
I want to go back there myself and give them the one thing I know they really need.
I want to go back to dig a well.
- Jean! - Oh, Fatima!
Jean, you've come back to us at last.
It works!
Of course it works! When I dig a well, it always works.
(Speaks Malay)
(Shouts of excitement)
(Laughter)
(Drum beats)
(Other instruments join in)
Jean.
The well-it's finished.
Yes, it's finished.
And now you will leave us again.
What will you do, Jean?
Oh...
I don't know.
Perhaps you will get married.
(Firmly) No.
No.
(Thinks) No I shan't get married
I shall never get married not now
Not after all that's happened since the day that changed my whole life
That day in Kuala Lumpur in 1942
And if the telephone hadn't rung If only I hadn't stopped to pick it up
Pay attention, everybody. I've got something to say.
You've all been told what to do in a state of emergency.
Well, this is it. Get on the first train you can to Singapore.
When you get there, report to head office. Passages have been arranged for England.
(Astonished murmurs)
Please be quiet. The Japanese are at Tanjung Malim, 50 miles from here.
Special trains have been arranged for evacuees, so get out quick.
That's all. Goodbye.
You too, Jean. Just drop everything and get out.
What about Mrs Holland and the children? I thought the car was in dock.
I'm going to get it. Get on the first train you can.
Fight your way on if necessary.
See you in Singapore. Good luck and goodbye.
Goodbye, Mr Holland.
(Rings)
- The phone. - Don't bother about the phone now. Come on!
(Phone continues ringing) I'll catch you up.
- Hello. Who's that? - Oh, come on!
You go on. I won't be a minute.
- Hello? - Oh, Mrs Holland. He's just gone.
I've been trying to get the office for ten minutes Where is he?
He's gone to get the car.
The servants have all gone and I've got no help at all.
Jane, please go away.
- Mummy, the baby's crying! - I know. Go and get your things.
I can't manage the children on my own,
and pack at the same time.
(Line goes dead) What?
Hello?
(Car engine splutters)
Here, let me have a try.
(Engine fails to start)
Haven't you got a car I could hire?
All cars gone.
- Haven't you got anything at all? - All gone.
(Aeroplane roars overhead)
I wish he'd come. I wish he'd come!
Can I take my rocking horse?
No, darling, we can only take what we can carry.
- Take Bunty. - No, I want my rocking horse.
I don't want Bunty I want my rocking horse
I'll put the baby's things in this suitcase here.
Jean, he couldn't be so long getting the car.
I expect it's difficult getting repairs done today.
But he's been hours! Something must have happened.
(Baby cries)
(Gunfire)
(Firing continues)
Did you hear that? It was guns.
They must be blowing up the bridges.
(Car horn hoots)
Daddy!
Are you ready, darling?
What are you doing here, Jean?
I came to give your wife a hand, Mr Holland.
Now you're back, I can go and get the train.
You can't. There's no transport running.
- I'll get a lift somehow. - No, you're in with us. All set, Eileen?
- I'll be ready in a minute. - You are ready. Drop everything.
One suitcase each.
Come on, Jane.
- Quick, Jane. - Come on.
(Engine splutters)
(Engine revives)
Phew!
(Engine rattles)
(Engine cuts out)
That blasted mechanic.
Shall I start it, Dad?
I'll give you the word.
Try her now.
(Engine splutters)
Try her again.
(Engine splutters)
(Distant gunfire)
(Firing continues)
Well, THAT'S not blowing up bridges.
You'd better get out.
Freddie, try her again.
(Engine splutters)
How far have we come?
- About 5 or 6 miles. - But Panong's 50, isn't it?
Just about.
(Distant vehicle approaches)
In the ditch, quick! Come on, Freddie!
- Daddy... - Ssh!
(Vehicle passes by)
(Vehicle stops nearby)
(Baby cries)
(Footsteps approach)
Stopped for a picnic?
Our car's broken down.
It's a fine time for that. Come on.
- We're making for Panong. - You're in luck. Hop in.
Move up inside. There's five more to come.
There's my teacher, Miss Horsefall.
Hello, Freddie.
Come in, Mrs Holland. Freddie, you'll find Timothy in there.
I'm sorry, sir, the Japs mustn't get your car. I'll have to burn it.
Driver, pull up 50 yards.
I've got 35 for you, sir.
16 women, 12 men and 7 children.
35? Well, shove 'em in the accounts office, please.
Driver, take them round the accounts office and tell them not to wander about.
I can get them away in fishing boats.
What about the launch, the Osprey? She's due back this evening.
She won't be back here, not now. It's fishing boats or nothing.
That's the accounts office in there.
Dad, can we go in the garden, please?
You can play with the other children, but don't make too much noise.
Jean, can I have something to wipe his face?
- Pass me the suitcase. - This one?
I suppose you haven't got such a thing as a cigarette, have you?
Come on, Arthur. Don't let everyone push you around.
I beg your pardon?
That is not a camp stool.
Old bag.
I wish I hadn't brought so many things.
You're lucky. I had to leave everything behind.
(Baby voice) Where's your papa, then?
(She makes soothing noises)
Miss Horsefall, excuse me,
but, you see, I'm a sick woman.
I'm sorry, Mrs Frith. I'll come back later.
Yeah!
(Freddie makes gunfire noises)
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Well, that's that. The fishing boats have put to sea. No boats.
(Telephone rings)
DO's office. Who? The lighthouse keeper?
Yes, he's here.
For you, sir.
Hello?
- The Osprey's just passed the lighthouse - Thank you, Johnson. That's fine.
They've sent the Osprey back. It's just passed the lighthouse.
- Get your party ready. - Right, sir.
(Children playing)
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
All right, get ready, please.
The launch is coming back, and we can get you to Singapore. Be as quick as you can.
I'll take these for you.
(Machine-gun fire)
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Sergeant, save your truck! Save your truck!
(Gunshots) Get back, man!
(Machine-gun fire)
Bang!
(Firing continues)
Bang!
Michael.
Michael!
(Cries)
Michael!
Everybody stand up.
Men stand against the wall,
with hands raised like that.
There. There.
Women stand in line, facing men.
Come on, hurry up.
We take all money, watches, jewellery...
and you get a receipt.
(Gives order in Japanese)
(Speaks Japanese)
All turn round now.
When Japanese officer comes,
- All bow. - (Speaks Japanese)
(Gives orders in Japanese)
You are prisoners now.
You do good things, you get good from Japanese.
You do bad things, you get shot very quick.
So do good things always, please.
Men must go to prison camp now.
Women and children stay here
You say goodbye now.
Please what will happen to the women and children?
Imperial Japanese soldiers always kind to women and children.
You say farewell now
Truck waiting. Thank you.
(Speaks Japanese)
Men outside, please.
Quick!
Quick, please!
Goodbye, Daddy.
(Baby cries)
Goodbye, dear.
(Gives order in Japanese)
You will send me a postcard, won't you?
Hurry, please.
Goodbye, you old stick-in-the-mud.
Don't let them take you. Please don't let them take you!
(Baby cries)
(Mrs Holland sobs uncontrollably)
You!
You come now very quick!
Don't go. Please!
Oh, don't go! Oh, please don't go!
(Baby wails)
(Gives order in Japanese)
Everybody stand up.
When Japanese officer comes, all bow.
Ladies.
Order has come.
You go back Kuala Lumpur.
Train to Singapore, perhaps.
Prisoners camp there for women and children.
- You will be very happy - Back to Kuala Lumpur?
Yes.
You start now.
Captain!
You speak to Japanese officer, you bow always.
- Captain, may I speak, please? - Yes.
Where is the truck?
The truck.
Truck for women?
No, you walk.
Walk? But it's 50 miles.
- You go one bit each day. - Impossible!
We can't walk in this heat
English women have grand thoughts always.
Japanese women not mind walk.
- Now YOU walk. - We're not Japanese women!
No.
You are the arrogant English.
You will apologise and bow.
Apologise, I say.
- Apologise! - No! Don't... shoot!
It is hard to be prisoner.
We will try to do good things.
Very good thoughts.
You march now
In line please
Kowtowing to a Jap! Disgusting!
No, she's quite right.
We ARE prisoners.
They can shoot us if they want to.
They can shoot me if I ever kowtow to a Jap.
You march now.
In line please
(Speaks Japanese)
OK!
Rest!
Rest, rest!
(Flies buzz)
(Baby cries)
I'll take him.
Are you all right, Mum?
Yes, dear, I'm all right.
Quinine.
Who's got some quinine?
Here.
Thank you.
Jean, damp this for me.
Tell Mrs Knowles not to drink that water.
I shouldn't drink that water if I were you, Mrs Knowles.
We'll get some fresh in the next village.
Go, go!
We go!
(Speaks Japanese)
Come on, everybody,
on your feet.
(Speaks Japanese)
We can't take all this stuff. Shall I just take enough for the baby and Freddie and Jane?
How far have we come?
We're doing fine. A good seven miles.
But it's 40 miles to Kuala Lumpur.
40 miles!
(Speaks Japanese)
(Distant shout)
Thank you.
- Eye drops. - Thank you.
- Chlorodine. - Thank you, dear.
- Two aspirins - Thank you
Thank you.
Quinine.
Thank you, dear.
I'm sorry I haven't got anything
How lucky you are not to have to bother with silly medicines.
And now this one.
No, that's for after meals.
Oh, this is to stimulate my appetite.
I'll take this for the children and come back for mine.
Jean... do something for me.
Speak to Mrs Frith. She mustn't get away with it.
I know what you want, but I'm a sick woman. I'm under doctor's orders.
It's a miracle I've got as far as this.
Come on, Mrs Frith, we must share our medicines.
You can keep your special ones.
- I'll just take the quinine and the codeine. - May God forgive you.
You'll be all right.
You'll be sorry when I'm dead.
Timothy.
Come here.
You can look after poor Timothy.
Well, I'd like to...
I'm so sorry, I simply haven't the strength.
You can look after each other.
Why you not march?
Very bad thing.
Can we please have a truck to Kuala Lumpur?
You not go Kuala Lumpur. No railroad.
British destroy bridges.
You go Port Swettenham. That way.
Then ship take you Singapore.
But it's nearly 50 miles to Port Swettenham!
How are we going to get there?
- Walk? - Yes, walk.
One bit each day. You get there very quick.
Then ship to Singapore.
(Baby cries)
Jean...
(Whispers) Mrs Holland.
Jean...
Let me see him.
Robin's really taken to you.
Poor boy.
I had such a bad time with him
I've never been strong since
You'll be all right.
Freddie...
Jane...
They're in God's hands now.
And yours.
Why don't you eat your supper, Freddie?
(Freddie sobs)
(Children chatter)
Very sorry.
No good.
You can have these, too.
You have money?
- No. - Cigarettes?
- No. - Anything else?
Nothing.
I must have some milk for the baby.
Tinned milk or powdered milk, anything.
English food all finished.
Well... haven't you any tins of soup or vegetables?
Very sorry. All finished.
(Baby cries)
(Speaks Cantonese)
(Replies in Cantonese)
(Woman speaks Cantonese)
(Continues)
- (Speaks Cantonese) - (He replies sharply)
(Speaks Cantonese)
Thank you.
That's the last one until end of the war.
Thank you very much.
(Speaks Cantonese)
(Woman speaks Cantonese)
(Children chatter and laugh)
Isn't it nice?
- Yes, it's lovely. - It's smart.
Goodbye. Thank you very much.
Come on, children.
Isn't it smart? They gave it to me.
My dear, there's such a thing as keeping up appearances.
(Children laugh)
(Shouts in Malay)
(Whistles tune)
(Continues whistling)
* All of you dukes and you duchesses...
Give us the adjuster, will you, Ben?
* Be careful of things that you touchess-es
* Because all of you light-fingered gentlemen
* We'll beat you in Botany...
Ben, get those ruddy Nips to get those women out of the way.
- I can't ruddy well see what I'm doing. - Are we in the way?
- Who said that? - I did.
Do you speak English?
I AM English.
BOTH: Ooh!
I'm sorry. I thought you were a boong.
(All exchange greetings)
But YOU'RE English!
No fear! We're Australians. We're driving this thing for the Japs up to Port Swettenham.
G'day. How are you?
JEAN: We're walking to Port Swettenham.
You're walking? Where from?
- From Kuala Panong. - Did you hear that, Ben?
That's a pretty rough deal. How do you get on for tuck if you haven't got a camp?
- We get a pint of fish stew a day. - And we beg from the Malays.
They give us food if they've got some.
What happens when you're sick?
We get well or we die. We've run out of medicine.
If you had such a thing as a cigarette, I'd throw my arms about you.
I'll settle for that. Here we are.
Thank you.
Light it for you?
Hello, Colonel.
Thanks, Ben.
You're pretty quick on the uptake.
She's quick on anything.
- I'm sorry, I haven't got a cigarette. - That's all right.
- I'll get one tonight. - Are you staying here tonight?
If you're staying, Mrs Boong, we are too.
(Shouting in Japanese)
Get back to walk!
Oh, drop dead.
You'd better beat it, ladies. Go on.
- See you later. - Thanks very much.
Hey...
What medicines do you want?
Quinine. Something for skin troubles, dysentery. Anything at all.
- Got any money? - No, we haven't.
Well, I'll fix something.
I didn't think the first time I talked to an English lady she'd look like you.
You're quite an oil painting yourself.
GUARD: Do you hear what I say?
Beat it.
How do we fix a breakdown, Ben?
Take a dekko at the hub,
pull out the half-shaft from the differential, strip the crown and pinion,
- Throw away the carburettor... - Throw away the truck.
How are you going to get medicine if you haven't any money?
The old truck looks pretty bad to me!
Yeah. It looks pretty crook!
We can sell it in the village.
- (Speaks Japanese) - (Replies in Japanese)
- (Cries out in Cantonese) - Shut up!
Shut up.
OK.
Look, friend.
Do you want some petrol?
- Petrol. - OK.
Two. You give me some quinine.
Petrol.
No, two petrol.
- You, me... quinine. - Petrol.
Do you want some petrol?
- Petrol, petrol. - Me want some quinine.
(Bird call)
(Makes bird call)
Here's some quinine.
This is the stuff the Chinese take for dysentery.
It's written in Chinese, but take three of these leaves every four hours.
I've got some Zam-Buck for the skin diseases.
- I can never pay you for all this. - The Japs paid, though they don't know it.
- Joe Harman. - My name is Jean Paget.
- Sorry I called you Mrs Boong. G'day. - Good day. Thank you.
Don't go.
What about the guards?
I'll watch 'em from here.
- OK? - OK.
- You want a fag? - Oh.
It's a Jappo.
Ta.
(Squealing)
(Squealing continues)
Good night.
(Speaks Japanese)
No, I don't come from Sydney. I work in the Northern Territory.
A place called Willstown, to the east of the Alice.
I'm a stockman.
Alice?
Yeah, Alice Springs.
It's a town dead in the centre between Darwin and Adelaide.
I thought the middle of Australia was all desert.
My word, no.
No, the Alice is beaut. You get three meals a day there every day. You'd like it.
Would I.
But your place, is it a sheep farm?
No, it's too hot for sheep.
Cattle. About 18,000 head.
It sounds a big place.
Mm. 2,700.
Acres?
No, square miles.
- On one farm? - Well, station, you know.
Well, how many men do you take to run it?
Well, about three, and about nine boongs.
What is this boong?
It's an Aussie word, boong. It means gippo, Abo, black fellow.
You can't get white fellows to work there. It's about 60 miles to the nearest homestead.
- It must be lonely. - Yes, it is...
...for women.
I suppose you've got to be born to it.
But you'd like the Alice.
It's beaut there. It's...
Well, the... country's all red and the... mountains are red.
And... in the evening, sometimes, it all goes kind of purple.
Of course, after the wet, it's green.
It's all right.
I suppose everybody likes their own place, and the Alice is my place.
Where does he come from, this Joe?
He talked about... a town called Alice.
He made it sound...
...all right.
No ship for you here! You go Port Dickson that way
(Thunder crashes)
So sorry No food for persons here
You must go Tampin That way.
(Officers shout in Japanese)
We've got one of these at home.
So have we.
So have we, too.
I found it first!
My dear, I'd already seen it from the corridor.
I got here first and I'm staying here
I'm tired and I'm fed up
MRS DUDLEY FROST: We're all tired
In any case, I'm older.
I wouldn't dispute THAT.
Oh, one of these days!
What is it?
Nothing.
I was just wondering just how long one can go on, that's all.
EBBEY: Quick quick!
Down the corridor! Come on hurry! You'll never believe it! It works!
It's working Come on!
Hurry hurry!
I just turned on the tap and it worked.
(Squeals of delight)
Now we can have a bath, girls!
(Laughter)
(Baby cries)
Thank you.
Soap, please.
Now, darling, don't cry. Come on.
There we are. Come on, lie down.
Lie down. There's a good boy. I'll be back in a minute.
Stop it, Timothy. Stop it!
Wait for me! Wait for me! I'm coming!
(Groans)
(Makes aeroplane noise)
Look, Marzy. Bananas.
(Makes aeroplane noise)
(Speaks Japanese)
(Bird screeches)
FREDDIE: Gunso!
Gunso!
(Distressed cries)
(Mumbles) Mummy...
Mummy... Mummy...
Freddie, what is it? What's happened?
Freddie, what is it?
What is it? What's the matter?
- (Speaks Japanese) - What's that?
(Speaks Japanese)
I can't understand! Freddie, what is it?
(Speaks Japanese)
MISS HORSEFALL: Snake!
Yeah, snake.
(Sobs)
Come along, dear.
We'll go for a walk.
Freddie?
Freddie!
(Sobs)
I'm sorry, I can't have you here.
I have no facilities for women prisoners.
No rations.
Tonight you will stay in school. Tomorrow you must go elsewhere.
What's going to become of us?
You've got to understand.
We've been walking for four months. Four months, this way and that way.
Nobody taking any responsibility for us. Nobody caring.
Four of us have died already.
Now this little boy.
We must get to Singapore, or we shall all die.
Haven't you any ships?
Yes, we have ships.
For Singapore?
Well, the ships go to Singapore, yes.
Thank God.
When can you send us?
Tomorrow?
Can we go tomorrow?
You stay tonight in the schoolhouse.
Tomorrow we see.
You come here.
No, you.
You got very nice baby.
He's not mine. His mother's dead.
I'm taking him to Singapore.
I have order. No more prisoners to go to Singapore.
Strict order. Very sorry.
What can we do? Can we stay here?
You stay tonight, yes.
But no longer?
Sorry, Malay children need this school.
Can we build our own camp? We won't ask you for anything.
Except food.
No food here for prisoners.
No, you go to prison camp.
You go to prison camp at Kuantan.
Kuant...
But that's on the east coast.
That's on the other side of Malaya. Nearly 200 miles!
OK, 200 miles.
But how do we get there? By rail, by truck?
MISS HORSEFALL: Walk? Is that it?
We walk!
Women and children, 200 miles.
We walk until the rest of us die.
That's what you want, isn't it?
Why don't you have the courage to shoot us all? Go on shoot us!
Go on, shoot us! Women and babies!
Shoot! Shoot!
- Shoot! - No.
All right, Captain.
We will walk to Kuantan.
Come here! Come here, please.
200 miles.
Yes, that is very far with a baby.
I make other arrangement.
You could send us by truck?
No, you stay here. I make good arrangement.
You stay good house, English house.
All of us, you mean?
Others walk Kuantan.
You stay
You keep baby if you want
Japanese soldiers very kind to women.
You will be very happy.
Come back! Come back!
You, come here.
Kuantan...
that's 200 miles.
We'll never get over the mountains.
Oh, yes, we will.
(Car engine starts)
(Speaks Japanese)
(Engine revs)
I think it's the carb.
BEN: Yeah, it must be.
Thank you.
Jean!
Jean, where have you been? I thought you were going to Port Swettenham.
Where have you been?
Joe, they keep moving us on, they won't let us stop.
They say there's no camp for us anywhere.
(Shouts in Japanese)
- Joe, go back. - (Shouts in Japanese)
- Can I get anything for you? For the kids? - Joe, go back!
BEN: They mean business.
We'll be all right. Please go, you'll be killed!
Where are you bound for?
- Kuantan. - Our camp's at Kuantan!
We're up and down that road every week! I'll find you!
(Guards shout)
I... can't...
Ebbey!
Gunso.
Come along, dear.
Come along.
- I can't. - Try.
Try.
Come along.
Jean, you've been giving Jane quinine.
I want some for Brenda.
You know there's been none for a week.
I saw you giving it to her!
Does she look like it?
We must go on. We must get out of the swamps.
How is she, Mrs Frost?
She can't go any further.
We'll rest here till daylight.
There, darling. Have a little rest.
Isn't there any drinking water?
Not till we boil some.
Jean.
Poor little Jane.
(Sobs)
MRS RHODES: * There's a friend for little children
* Above the bright blue sky
* A friend who never changes
* Whose love will never die
* Our earthly friends may fail us
* And change with changing years
* This friend is always worthy
* Of that dear name he bears
Hey, look!
Look.
It's them!
How many?
One, two...
three, four, five, six...
BEN: There she is, the one with the baby.
(Horn beeps)
OK for Operation Breakdown?
Yeah.
"Dear Mrs Boong..."
Who's Mrs Boong?
(Distant horn beeps)
What's it like?
- What, Southampton? - Yeah.
Oh, docks and ships.
The countryside's green and cool.
I've had enough of heat and sun and fever.
You're not kidding!
There's an ice rink there. I used to skate a lot.
I could waltz.
What, on ice?
I'd like to have seen that.
What did you do in Kuala Lumpur?
Oh, just a secretary. Nothing special.
Look...
Your feed tomorrow, what will you get?
We may be lucky tomorrow.
We'll be all right when we get to Kuantan,
to a real prison camp.
- In Kuantan? - Yes, there's one there, isn't there?
Sure... yes.
I wouldn't know. Yeah, you'll be all right there.
I can get a couple of chickens and drop 'em off when we come back upcountry.
Joe, I wouldn't like you to do that.
You attend to your business, Mrs Boong, and I'll attend to mine.
Take everything you can get. The prisoner's motto... and mine.
Please don't take risks for us.
Anybody can run rings round the Japs, as long as you know how to scrounge.
All clear?
Just a minute.
OK.
One other thing.
Mr Boong, did he get away?
There's no Mr Boong, Joe.
Here.
Thanks, mate.
* Wrap me up with my stockwhip and blanket
* And bury me deep down below
* Where the dingoes and crows can't molest me
* Way down where the coolabahs grow
* Dinky di
* Way down where the coolabah grows
* If I had the flight of a bronze wing...
(Speaks Japanese)
For once I agree with him. Take it easy!
OK, sweetie.
That goes for you too, Colonel.
All right, then. How do we celebrate?
Feed 'em chicken and champagne?
- Just chicken. - Just chicken... Just chicken?!
I see. Know any?
No.
* If I had the flight of a bronze wing
* Far over these plains I would fly
* And I'd fly to the arms of my loved one
* And there I'd be willing to die
* And there I'd be willing to die...
(Speaks Japanese)
(Continues)
(Replies in Japanese)
* Dinky di, dinky di...
- Look out. - Hello.
Captain Sugaya's got some chickens, hasn't he?
No, Joe! Don't try anything.
Not with Sugaya.
* Dinky di
* Dinky di...
(Gramophone plays)
(Chicken clucks)
(Chicken squawks)
(Boy shouts in Malay)
(Others join in)
More wood?
I doubt if my stomach will stand up to all this rich food.
Perhaps she'd better give it away.
Oh, no!
How many's that now, Timothy?
333.
334.
(Women laugh)
Don't suck your fingers, Timothy.
(Plane flies overhead)
The sergeant's coming!
(Whispers) Be careful.
For you, Gunso.
Thank you.
I know one of your men stole my chickens. Who was it?
We haven't seen your chickens. You searched our camp.
- How many men away? - None.
You?
- One. - When did he go?
Yesterday, but he couldn't have taken the chickens.
(Shouts in Japanese)
Here we come!
(Excited chattering)
The parson's nose!
Your stomach seems to be standing up to it all right, Mrs Frith.
TIMOTHY: I've got the wishbone!
There.
Pull it. Pull, pull, pull!
Oh!
Which one?
Aw!
Wish!
What did you wish for?
I couldn't think of a single thing.
(Speaks Japanese)
(Continues)
(Speaks Japanese)
(Replies in Japanese)
Where you get chicken?
JEAN: We buy.
Where you get money?
We sell ring.
You don't speak truth.
Australian soldier stole... Give you.
We haven't seen Australian soldiers for three days.
We buy.
You lying!
Australian soldier steal, give you.
Look at that!
We buy! We sell wedding ring off dead woman.
You come here!
(Jean sobs)
Tell the truth!
Truth! Truth!
Truth!
Tobacco?
Arigato.
(Truck horn)
(Gives order in Japanese)
You get in!
Tell the truth! Come on!
Jean, Jean!
You stole chickens, give woman!
You did! You did!
Come here!
Stop! I stole your bloody chickens and gave them to her!
SERGEANT: You shut up!
Don't kill him!
Not yet.
Don't kill him!
Not yet!
(Gives order in Japanese)
JEAN: Joe!
Joe!
(Speaks Japanese)
(Repeats order)
(Speaks Japanese)
No...
Please, God, no.
Please, God...
MRS FRITH: Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory.
For ever and ever,
Amen.
(Speaks Japanese)
(Replies)
(Gives order in Japanese)
You very bad people.
You do bad things.
Australian man die.
You be very sorry.
Your Japanese sergeant, you make disgrace for him.
Now I punish sergeant, too.
I take other soldier away.
Your sergeant feel bad shame,
alone with women prisoners.
(Speaks Japanese)
No prison camp here for you.
I send you to Kotabaru. You walk now.
Go!
Prisoners. Attention!
This prisoner executed not for stealing, but for striking Japanese guard.
But Japanese chivalry permit honour to soldier.
Japanese Bushido is like European law of chivalry.
(Gives order in Japanese)
You now die.
I offer you last wish.
What you want?
(Faintly) I want to die on my feet throttling the life out of you
You little
All right, you can have him.
Robin.
Robin!
Don't touch him! Don't dare touch him!
Keep your hands off him! Don't touch him!
- Don't touch him! - Jean, don't.
The man's done no harm.
He's a Jap. Isn't that enough?
I hate him! I hate him!
I hate him!
(Sobbing) I hate him! I hate him!
(Robin mumbles)
I hate him.
(Children shout excitedly)
(Speaks Malay)
(Mutters in Japanese)
(Mutters)
(Mumbles)
(Mumbles repeatedly)
Your children, Gunso?
Poor sergeant.
You can't really hate people, can you?
It's a wonderful thing to find out.
You're thinking of Joe.
I was thinking of the first time I saw him.
When he crawled out from under the truck.
His face when he heard me speak English...
And the times when we talked together...
...and we shared a cigarette.
And the time when he... talked about a town called Alice.
(Jean speaks Malay)
As there is no man to speak for us,
forgive me if I ask you to talk business with a woman.
(He replies in Malay)
What do you want?
We have walked for many hundreds of miles.
And no Japanese officer will take us in,
or feed us, or look after us when we're sick.
So for months we've marched from town to town.
And in that time, more than half of us have died.
Now our guard is dead.
If we go on till we find another Japanese officer, he won't want us either.
He'll send us on again, and we shall grow ill, and we shall all die.
It is written that the angels said, "Every soul shall taste of death."
Is it not also written,
"If you be kind towards women, God is well acquainted with what you do"?
Where is that written?
In the Fourth Sura.
Are you of the faith?
No.
But wise words are well in any faith.
Tell me what you want.
To stay here in your village.
To work in the rice field as your women do.
To work...
just for our food and somewhere to sleep.
White women have never worked in the rice field.
White women have never marched till they died.
We have little food,
little water.
Our young men have been taken to work for the Japanese.
We will grow more food for everyone.
If I let you stay here,
the Japanese might be angry.
They might punish us,
kill us.
If you say we must go, we must go.
We are in your hands.
Oh, this'll be bad for my rheumatism!
I won't last long like this
You're the toughest of us all, Mrs Frith!
You've lasted this far, you'll last for ever.
Too much? Too heavy?
I've told you before, if a Malay can do it, I can do it.
Come on, load me up.
It isn't the first time I've been called horsey.
(Counts to four in Malay)
* London Bridge is falling down
* Falling down, falling down
* London Bridge is falling down
* My fair lady
* Let us build it up again
* Up again, up again
* Let us build it up again
* My fair lady
(Singing continues)
Hello Robin!
(Thinks) Dear Robin
For three years as the rice was sown and harvested and sown and harvested again
I looked after you and watched you grow
And when the war ended and I gave you back to your father
it was like losing my own child
(Pipes and drums play)
The water's good, Suleiman. You have done well.
Good. Now I must go back to my home.
- Where's that? - Kuantan
Kuantan?
Very bad Japanese man in Kuantan during the war
Captain Sugaya. Many bad things done.
Many evil things.
Suleiman...
I was in Kuantan.
When we were starving...
...a prisoner stole some food for us.
Captain Sugaya crucified him.
I remember that. He was a long time in hospital.
But he died!
How could he be in hospital?
My son shall tell you.
Jacob! The Australian soldier who was crucified during the war.
Did he die?
He went to hospital.
What?
Jacob, come here.
Tell Miss Jean if that man... Did he live or did he die?
Captain Sugaya ordered him to be taken down that night.
The guards were good They took him to hospital
He lived
What is it, Jean?
Oh, please help me! Please help me to find him!
I must know if he lived, if he's alive, if he got home.
You seem to have everything here.
Sure. We've got a picture theatre and a swimming pool.
And two hotels, and another one going up.
Alice is a beaut.
There's your man.
Hey, mate!
Hello, Dave.
I want you to meet Miss Paget.
This is Jack Burns, Shell agent. He's been here for 25 years.
- He knows everybody. - Hello, Miss Paget. Pleased to meet you.
- Do you know a Joe... - You're from England.
- I've folks in Wolverhampton. Is that near you? - About 200 miles away.
- You know the Fletchers in Wolverhampton? - Wolverhampton's a big place.
Yes, I suppose so. What was it you wanted?
Did you ever know a Joe Harman?
Joe? Yeah, I knew him.
Did he come home after the war?
Sure. He took up his old position as manager over at Willstown, out in the bush.
He took his family with him, I suppose?
I didn't know Joe was married.
Oh, perhaps I got it wrong. Engaged?
Could be. I never heard of it. You, Dave?
No
How do I get to Willstown?
Eddie Connellan flies the mail out once a week.
But it's a cow of a place.
G'day, Dave.
Hi, Sam. For Daphne Campbell. Her shoes will be ready next week.
I'm going across to Miller's now. I'll be back this evening. I'll bring the beer then.
This is Miss Paget. She wants to get into Willstown.
That's something new. Most people want to get out of it. Get inside, Miss Paget.
It don't take a minute to get into Willstown, get through it and get out of it.
It's all yours.
Where can I find Joe Harman?
Joe?
- Yes. Is he around? - He's not here.
He's gone off
- Where to? - He didn't say
He's left the country I do know that
He's been gone for a couple of months
Well, when's he due back?
He don't write. If he thinks as I do about Willstown,
he'll NEVER come back.
It's a fair cow, isn't it?
Yes, it's a fair cow.
Miss Paget and I don't know each other very well. We never had much of a chance.
- You know what happened. - Are you all right now?
I'm fine.
Last time I saw her, she was dressed up like a native with a sarong.
I don't remember much about it
They were beating her up
Mr Harman, I've got some news for you.
You've come across the world to England to look for her
That's right.
Well, she's gone across the world to Australia to look for you.
Hey!
(Aeroplane flies overhead)
TANNOY: Announcing the arrival of Trans Australia Airways flight 571 from Darwin
(Tyres screech)
(Aeroplane approaches)
G'day, Paul. I'm going on with Eddie Connellan to Willstown. Any messages for me?
- No. Sorry, Joe. - Are you sure?
No nothing
Joe.
Oh, Joe.