Original subtitles

I have to go.

You behave today.

I've been thinking. Whoever the thief is

they're going to keep stealing from us.

So, we need to do something about it.

- Like what? - We should go to the village jeweller

and ask who sold Gwen's brooch to him.

- Good morning, girls. - Good morning, Mr Parker.

So glad you could join us, Ellen.

Sorry, Mr Parker.

So, while we wait for the others

are you all looking forward to the quiz tomorrow?

Last year, Malory Towers got thrashed

by the Thackerton boys in a local derby.

So, I hope we're not looking at a repeat performance.

- Not a chance. - But be warned.

I did some teacher training at Thackerton College

and they take this very seriously.

They'll try to intimidate you

undermine you in any way that they can.

That is why we need a captain that is quick-witted

hard-working, and a real all-rounder.

I believe there's one girl that's really demonstrated

these qualities and more this term.

Which is why I've decided that this year's captain will be...

Darrell!

- Congrats! - Thank you.

And your teammates will be Alicia, Jean

and Ellen.

- Me? - Your name is Ellen, isn't it?

The other questions won't be that easy. But I have faith in you.

Over the past few weeks you've really demonstrated

the kind of academic excellence I know you're capable of.

But this isn't an essay.

I'm no good when I'm put on the spot.

You're a super-smart scholarship girl. You'll be great.

Ellen, where are you going?

I need to prepare.

We haven't had class yet.

Ron?

You want something.

You know that brooch

- you took to the jewellers? - Yeah.

I wondered if you could get it back for me?

I've realised I can't bear to part with it.

So many happy memories.

I thought you needed the money to buy treats for your next trip.

My pocket money has finally come through, so I'll use that.

Well, I can't go today.

I've got too much to do in the garden.

- Can't it wait? - I could go tomorrow.

Very well.

But remember not to tell anyone anything about this.

Not a word.

I told you I wouldn't, didn't I?

Ah, there you are.

I was just saying I think we should practise

the quiz at lunchtime.

How do you practise a quiz?

Revise topics likely to come up. "Capital cities"...

"highest mountains", things like that.

We can split them up equally between us.

Sounds like a good plan.

You're all going to be brilliant.

I'm sorry you're not on the team.

Look, it's probably for the best.

Unless there's a question on Gregorian chants

I'd be pretty much useless.

- "Gregory" who? - Gregorian chant.

A sacred song, sung in Latin.

It's usually credited to Pope Gregory I, but...

Thank you, Irene.

Where's Ellen?

- I'm not sure. - She vanishes a lot, doesn't she?

She just likes studying without distractions.

Nobody studies that much.

Ellen does.

Perhaps that's what she wants us to think.

Sometimes she has to feed the cat too.

What? I thought Matron told Ron to take him away.

Ellen persuaded him to keep it hidden instead.

She's been looking after it.

She should have told us. We could have helped.

I think she needed somewhere private she could have some time on her own.

Just 'cause she's got some cat hidden away

doesn't mean she's not on the way to the jeweller right now.

Probably planning to bribe him to keep quiet about Gwen's brooch.

I hope you're not suggesting Ellen is the thief.

Things have only started going missing after she arrived.

- Coincidence? - Yes! She is a good, honest person.

Well, if it's not her, then it's somebody else from our dorm.

And I don't think anybody else is capable of something like this.

I'm not going to sit here listening to you pick on my friend.

Jean, please.

You can't go around throwing accusations like that.

I wanna find out who's been doing this. And...

I just want us to go back to the way we used to be.

Picking on Ellen isn't helping anyone.

Then let's work on this together, Darrell.

We can find out what's really been happening.

We can and we will.

But right now, we need to concentrate on the quiz.

To support the school.

Stop staring at her.

You know, she wasn't there when we went swimming.

The day Irene's hairclip went missing.

- Yes, she was. - No, she came late.

Very well, girls, you can go to lunch.

But I hope the quiz team is already prepping for tomorrow.

They've prepared some tough questions

but I have every faith in you.

I wonder where she was when Georgina's mirror went missing?

Why don't we check in my diary?

I always write down what I did and who with.

Then, if I can prove that Ellen was with us

we'll be able to get on with preparing for the quiz.

Deal.

Ellen?

I wondered if I might be excused from the quiz team.

We've been through this. Your class needs you!

I just think it would be better if you asked someone else.

I'm still weak in Latin, French and History.

Let me be candid with you.

When I was training at Thackerton College

the boys there were...

an arrogant little bunch of so-and-sos.

They had no respect for a mere trainee.

They pushed the very limits of acceptable behaviour.

My point is

I want Malory Towers to thrash them.

They'll be expecting to walk all over you

but you're every bit as smart as the best of them.

- Really? - Yes!

And you won't be alone.

The other girls will look out for you.

I'm sure you're going to do this school very proud.

So? Was I right?

Ellen didn't come to the pool till later on.

It was a lovely day, but she just sat on the side

with her feet in the water.

What's going on?

Have you noticed how Ellen is always sneaking off alone?

She likes her own company.

Darrell's got proof that

whenever things go missing, Ellen is nowhere to be seen.

But that doesn't make her a thief.

She's always up here "revising," or so she says.

Do you believe this, Darrell?

I don't know. It's not like we follow her around all the time.

I just want us to get ready for the quiz.

I think we should ask Ellen to explain where she was

on the days things went missing.

Alicia, as Head of Form, I forbid you from talking about this

until I've had a chance to look into it.

So, the rules.

Once you ring the bell, you have to answer the question.

Do it before Mr Parker has finished asking

and he won't complete it.

Give the wrong answer, and the other team wins a penalty.

We wouldn't want them stealing our points.

We can confer, but only before we ring the bell.

What if we disagree on what the right answer is?

Then, as captain, I'll make the final decision.

But we're a team. We have to trust each other.

- Yeah, right. - Just leave her alone, will you?

What are you all talking about?

You're stealing from us.

You think I'm the thief?

She's being silly. Ignore her.

Is this because I don't laugh at all your pranks, Alicia?

No. It's because we trusted you and we shouldn't have.

I wouldn't do something like that. I swear I never stole anything!

I know you didn't.

That's not what we think. Is it, Darrell?

Alicia! Sally told you to be quiet

because it's not fair to accuse anyone without proof.

So for now, Ellen is still part of this team.

I'm not feeling well.

- That was mean. - I just wanted us to hear

what she had to say.

Come in.

Ellen, how can I help?

I can't be on the quiz team.

- Why ever not? - Because the girls hate me.

They know I don't belong there.

If I let them down tomorrow it'll just prove them right.

You've just as much right to be there as any of them.

You're one of the smartest, hardest working students we have.

This quiz will be the perfect way

for you to win the respect of the other girls.

Please give my place on the team to someone else.

Why don't you sleep on it?

I'm sure once you've had

a good night's rest you'll feel differently.

Come and see me in the morning.

Ellen? What are you doing?

- You are the thief. - No. This isn't what it looks like.

I didn't want to believe Alicia, but she was right.

I'm not the thief, I promise. I wouldn't steal all your things.

Then what are you doing going through Mr Parker's drawer

in the middle of the night?

- I... I was just... - Just what?

- Just... - You have to tell Miss Grayling.

- I can't. - If you don't then I will!

Darrell!

Ellen?

What are you doing out of bed?

I need to see Miss Grayling.

It's the middle of the night. She's not there.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

Come on, let's get you to Matron.

Please, Ellen.

What's the matter?

Ellen?

What time is the quiz?

I don't think Ellen's coming.

- Perhaps she's been arrested? - Can we just focus, please?

Where did she sleep last night?

Ah, here you are. I have a message from Miss Grayling.

Unfortunately, Ellen is unable to attend the quiz.

Is she all right?

I'm afraid I can't discuss her personal situation with you.

So, I have decided that Irene will replace her on the quiz team.

That's not a very good idea.

Nonsense, you have a unique way of looking at the world

which you can bring to the team.

I'd rather bring not-being-there to the team?

- For their sake. - She's got no time to practise!

- The boys will be here any minute. - Details, details.

Good luck, girls.

- What's happened to Ellen? - She must be ill.

I know what's going on.

I caught her going through Mr Parker's drawer

in the middle of the night.

What? What did she take?

His pen. I caught her red-handed

and I insisted that she go to tell Miss Grayling about it.

I just wanted to find out who was stealing from us.

It wasn't personal.

Sorry, Ellen is the thief?

It can't be true.

- Rickety old pile, isn't it? - Really very shabby.

No wonder they're putting it out to pasture.

Well, well, boys. Look who it is.

Boys, come on!

- We are in so much trouble. - Good luck!

Look, for the next couple of hours

we have to put what happened with Ellen aside. Agreed?

Agreed.

I hope she's all right.

It's old "Nosy Parker"!

Boys. How good to see you again.

We would've thought you'd quit this teaching lark

after all the fun and games us Thackerton boys had with you.

Teaching here is very rewarding, as it happens.

- Right, right! - If you could take a seat.

- Who's in charge here? - Me. Darrell Rivers.

Sebastian Fairweather.

- Good luck. - May the best man win.

Shame you're just a boy then.

Malory Towers. We have this!

Thank you all for coming to this local derby.

The boys from Thackerton College

- are the reigning champions. - As always.

But perhaps this year they've met their match.

We start with a general knowledge round.

So, ready on those bells.

You press it after I've asked the question, Irene.

Sorry. Sorry.

It's all right.

Who painted the Mona Lisa?

- Leonardo Da Vinci. - Correct.

What element does CA denote?

- Calcium. - Correct.

Correct... correct.

The correct answer is Mary Shelley. That's another penalty point.

Arachnophobia is the fear of what?

Spiders.

- Henry VIII's first w... - Catherine of Aragon!

I'm afraid you didn't ring the bell, Jean.

- Victor? - Is it Catherine of Aragon?

Correct.

For pity's sake.

How many...

A very early ring there, Darrell.

I can't complete the question so...

how many?

Seven?

The question was

"How many loaves in a baker's dozen?"

- The answer was... - Thirteen.

That's another penalty point.

Great work, team.

Maybe you could try answering some questions

instead of criticising the rest of us.

Name a secondary colour.

What is a young swan called?

- Cygnet. - Correct.

Who wrote Jane Eyre?

Charlotte Bronte.

Correct!

Next question.

Which Shakespeare play did Ariel appear in?

- I know this! - Great! What is it?

What are you doing? What is she doing?

It's how she remembers things. She links them to a piece of music.

Any answers?

- Irene? - Hamlet.

- No. - Or possibly Romeo and Juliet?

- I have to take your first answer. - A Midsummer Night's Dream?

The horse has already bolted, Irene.

That's another penalty point.

The correct answer was The Tempest.

That was on the tip of my tongue.

So, our final question before the break.

We have this.

Which is the longest river in the world?

Please.

- The Amazon. - The Nile.

- The Amazon. - The correct answer is the Nile.

So, the scores at halftime are 39 versus 19

to Thackerton College.

They're never gonna win.

They can't keep up with us!

Did you get it?

"Hello, Ron. It's good to see you."

"How are you today?"

I don't have time for niceties.

I managed to get into the village this morning.

Here you go.

And you promise you won't tell the others?

Even if they ask or...

make up a story to try and trick you?

They'll think me so silly.

I've got better things to talk about.

Be seeing you then?

Oh, yes. Have a good day...

doing whatever it is you do.

We need a new strategy.

We could start by answering some questions correctly?

And the first new rule is no criticising each other.

It's not helping.

If Ellen was here she would have known

those questions about trees.

Well, she's not. So we'll just have to focus on what we can do.

We're giving away penalty points all over the place.

If we're going to win, we need to be much more disciplined.

So, I propose

that we confer on every question, but I'll press the bell

and answer for everyone. Agreed?

They're coming over.

- I heard this school is closing. - I wouldn't believe the rumours.

Pater told me and he's never wrong.

Well, this time your father is.

If the school is closing, then maybe

you could spend more time doing something

more suitable, like cooking or sewing.

And you can carry on being smug for no good reason that I can see.

If you could retake your seats please, teams.

We've got to beat them.

For once, I completely agree with you.

So, we move onto a round about the natural world.

Which is the only country lemurs are found in?

- Darrell? - Madagascar.

Correct.

What is the name given to the berries on a rose bush?

- Rose hips. - Correct.

Well done, Jean!

- Yes! - Yes!

How many ribs... Correct!

- Twenty-four. - Correct!

What defines... Correct! Correct!

...chestnut trees?

- Conkers. - Correct.

- The Titanic. - Correct.

What is the capital of Canada?

Ottawa.

- Ottawa. - Correct.

How many symphonies did Mozart...

- Forty-one. - Correct!

Mozart did indeed write 41 symphonies.

Final question.

We end the music round with a question on Gregorian Chant.

Gregorian Chant?

Who is usually regarded as the founder of Gregorian Chant?

Irene, this is a question in your specialist subject.

Yes, I know.

Not this again.

If there are no takers I will have to ask a different question.

Pope Gregory the First.

Pope Gregory the First.

- Pope Gregory the First? - Yes!

Pope Gregory the First.

Is the right answer!

I declare Malory Towers this year's winners!

Well done!

Excellent work, girls. Well done.

- Well, that showed them. - It certainly did.

Sebastian. Well played.

You, too.

And a team full of girls.

Who'd have thought?

"Who'd have thought?"

That'll show them!

You saved the day!

It was great!

Gwen! You got your brooch back.

It was so important to Mother so I asked Ron to buy it back for me.

Did he ask who'd sold it?

He did, but the jeweller couldn't remember.

Was it a Malory Towers girl?

Alicia, as far as I'm aware, this is an end to the matter.

We've found the thief, so...

I really don't want to hear another word about it.

- If you're sure. - Everybody, come.

I just want to say, well done, Malory Towers!

- Hip-hip... - Hooray!

- Hip-hip... - Hooray!

Jean, are you all right?

I haven't seen Ellen since yesterday.

Do you think they could have expelled her?

Does that mean we'll never see her again?

Come on, let's get ready for class.