Original subtitles

A natural wizard?

Surely not.

Practically a child.

A very successful child.

Made a fortune and a family hotel business.

Mama's rich, Papa's rich, and he made them even richer.

And he's putting money into the White Sands?

We're desperate for an infusion of cash. What with the roof to fix, the footings

to shore up.

Butter him up, old girl. He could be the answer to our prayers.

Good morning, Mr. Osborne. Sorry to keep you waiting. May I introduce my

business partner, Miss Hetty King.

Pleasure, Miss King.

Oh, no, the pleasure's mine, Miss Osborne.

So pleased you found time to respond to our letter.

You've had a chance, I trust, to look around our establishment.

I have.

And what do you think?

B .I.

B .I.? Burn it.

B .I. What a wit. Hear that, Hetty? Burn it.

My time is valuable, Mr. Tremaine. I never wasted on jokes.

To be blunt, this hotel is a dinosaur.

Have you noticed?

The White Sands is the pride and joy of this island.

Madam, there are hotels being built today that make this one look like a

from the Dark Ages.

I say S .F .S.

Start from scratch.

Here's the plan.

Trainloads of tourists, conventions, group packages. We'll triple the

in a year.

Next you'll suggest showgirls and singing waiters?

Precisely. Which is why I would tear out this dining room and turn it into a

cafeteria. What is a cafeteria?

It's sort of a smorgasbord.

You expect my guests to line up like sheep?

What do you think, young man?

Me?

Well, I think it might be fun.

If we set up separate stations.

Salad's there, and main course is there.

Food stations?

By Jiminy Tremaine, there's the sort of fellow we like to work with.

The contract, sir.

Sign on the dotted line, and I'll bring in the work crew.

I'm sorry.

I cannot turn the white stands into a circus.

It's your funeral, Tremaine.

Great hotels are run by visionaries, not by old progies.

Good day, sir.

Madam.

I'll give you a week to think this over.

Stay in touch. You've got potential.

Is it right, Hetty King?

Am I over the hill?

Of course not.

You're a man of wit.

And vitality. And that is visionary in my book.

Health of the hotel.

Fine service and good old -fashioned hospitality. I'll never go out of date.

Mark my words.

Oops.

School. I'm late.

Good day there, Pierre. Felix.

I wouldn't treat you for...

Ten of those insolent young whippersnappers.

You know, she can be very sweet.

Miss King?

Who else?

We think alike on so many issues.

Au contraire.

You say white, she says black. You say night, she says day.

You... fight about everything.

Oh, nonsense. A few little tiffs over the years, they mean nothing.

I must do right by her, Pierre.

All the money she invested here, she could lose it all.

If Osborne is right.

Miss King, Miss King!

Telegram! Oh, nobody take the budget!

Oh, it could be in your mouth.

Telegram.

From Mr. Pettibone.

Stopping early tomorrow at the Avonlea School with Mr. Tunbridge, Deputy

Minister of Education.

Oh, tomorrow.

Good grief.

Now then, first I'll say a few words of welcome to Mr. Tunbridge and then we'll

have the Lord's Prayer.

Is there a volunteer, anybody?

Me. I'll do it, Miss King. Very good.

Becky Lester.

Next, then, we should have some rendition or other of the Maple Leaf

Miss King, Cecily and I can sing in harmony.

Yes, of course.

Excellent. Miss King, Dora knows her times table's upside down and sideways.

Mind your own beeswax, Davy Keith.

I'll be a nervous wreck.

Oh, nonsense, Dora. Davy's right.

Well, you do, you have a veritable genius for numbers.

Oh, you're no class.

This will be the ideal opportunity for you to show off your talents.

So I think I'll invite your families.

Why,

of course. I'd be delighted to attend.

I'll bring some pastries, if you like.

And, Hedy, thank you for thinking of me.

Which is best?

The stripe or the velvet.

Oh, heaven's sakes, it's a hat.

Oh, you're right.

Yes, the velvet's more refined.

Elegant, stylish, the rest.

Hey, King, the deputy minister isn't coming to give you an award, you know.

won't even notice what's on your head. But how do you know, Rachel?

Well, I've been thinking.

What about the governor general's award for best teacher?

Oh, can you imagine?

With a trip to Ottawa for the Gallop presentation.

Well, I could wear the velvet then.

Hattie, it's bad luck to count your chickens.

Now get a move on.

They're here!

Everybody, get in.

Where are they?

Mr. Tumbridge, Mr.

Pettibone. Oh, how good of you to pay us call.

Good day, Miss King. Your superintendent, Mr. Pettibone, is

today.

Welcome to the Avondale School.

Oh, please, right this way.

Here, Mr. Tumbridge, sir.

Oh, thank you.

Well, now, this is a pleasure.

Good day, class.

Good day, Mr.

Tumbridge, sir.

Please be seated.

Mr.

Tumbridge, may I say that despite the short notice, the children have managed

prepare a recital in your honor. Oh, yes, we have songs and a recitation.

Miss King, could I have a word with you privately?

Privately? Oh, yes, of course.

At ease, everyone.

I fear there's been a slight misunderstanding, Miss King. I'm on a

schedule. I'm afraid I can't stay for your recital. Please give my apologies

the children, but I'm here for the inauguration of the new school and

Now, you will be receiving details by post, but I wanted to give you the

official news in person.

The news. You, Miss King, are to be moved over to the Carmody School to

class in English composition.

Oh.

No, no, no, I couldn't.

I wouldn't dream of abandoning the Avenue School.

My students need me.

You don't understand, Miss King.

Either you accept the Carmody position or we must ask you to retire. Retire?

Did you say retire?

Well, it's your choice, of course.

But one -room schoolhouses are a thing of the past.

Carmody will have 20 rooms with specialized courses in shorthand and

business practice.

A student seeking a superior education will come from all the surrounding

villages.

I mean, you're...

They're shipping some of my pupils over to Calvary.

Not some of them, Miss King. All of them.

Next year, the Albany School will be closed.

Progress, Miss King.

Down with the old, up with the new.

Onward and upward.

Petty.

Petty bone.

Miss King. Shall we go?

Thank you kindly, Miss King.

Good day, class.

Good day.

I didn't know, Hetty. I'm sorry.

Let go.

If you like.

No, no, don't.

I mean... I don't mind if you don't mind.

Do you think I should give up the hotel business and retire?

Move back to Scotland.

Scotland? No.

Oh, no, you won't.

Simon, I will be lost without you.

Oh, Hattie.

I never dreamed.

Neither did I.

Mr. Tremaine, pardonnez -moi.

Oh, yes,

Pierre.

A lovely night, isn't it?

I suppose so.

I thought I should warn you. Young Felix is planning to give some sort of dance

lessons.

He's putting up signs as we speak.

Oh, really? How lovely.

I thought you disapproved.

What are you going to do?

Do?

Did you ever see the moon shine so brightly, Pierre?

Are you sure you're all right, Hattie King?

Far be it from me to interfere where I'm not wanted, but is there anything you'd

like to tell me?

You know, it's strange.

Here life's dealt me its cruelest blow, and yet somehow I feel

strangely elated.

Yes, well, there's an old -fashioned name for that. It's called lunacy.

What are you talking about?

Plain horse sense, that's what.

Take it from me, Hetty, when your heart skips a beat, it isn't love, it's

indigestion.

I can't believe this has happened.

Every cloud has a silver lining, Eddie.

Platitudes.

We did have some wonderful times in this old place, didn't we?

What's wrong with a one -room schoolhouse? That's what I want to know.

I know, Eddie.

It's difficult to set one's mind on a new course.

Oh, another platitude.

One door closes and another opens.

And fools.

Frantic rats to me, Maudra. They're like sheep conforming to the latest fad.

Exactly.

We don't conform, do we, Simon? We continue to like the things that we

You know what we are.

We're rebels.

Yes.

Revolutionaries, that's us.

Revolutionaries. You know, Hetty, when push comes to shove, you're the only one

that truly understands me.

Likewise, Simon.

Oh, it's such fun, isn't it, having someone to confide in?

In the past few years, I've come to realize how fleeting is time.

How much you mean to me.

Would you?

Oh, no.

Then you'll be mine forever and ever.

Oh, yes, yes.

Yes, yes.

Ah,

I was hoping to have a word with you, Mr. Osborne.

I've worked out a new proposal to take this decrepit hotel off your hands.

You don't have the money to fix it, and I'm not prepared to throw good money

after bad and invest in this museum so that you can relinquish your debt.

I have plans to save the place, but it would mean you're selling out.

Now, hold on a minute, Mr. Osborne.

I will never hand over control of this fine hotel.

It's a part of my life.

And I could never convince my business partner to give up her stake, no.

A change of ownership is out of the question, I'm afraid.

What about the people who depend on you for employment?

In the present course of destruction that you've chosen, they'll be out of

in less than a year.

You have no choice.

I will buy you and your partner out with a respectable sum.

At this point, it's only LOE.

L -O -E.

Liquidate or evaporate.

I've dictated the basic terms to my attorneys, who will drop a long -form

agreement.

I could even include provisions for the continued employment of key staff.

Thank you for coming all this way to discuss investment. Our conversation has

been most enlightening, Mr. Osborne.

I will take what you've said under advisement.

I will let you know when I've reached my decision.

Don't MTB now.

Missed the boat.

Smile. Don't, Hetty.

First outing as an engaged couple.

Bridge with the kings and the petty boons.

That's what he'll be, I suppose.

Years after years of bridge.

Week after week, like clockwork.

Listening to Clive and Muriel and Alec and Janet.

Yes.

Never mind.

We may grow to like it.

Come on now.

Let's find the others.

Probably in the parlor.

No matter what. I can't do that. Everyone,

to Hedy and Simon, our very best wishes for a long and happy life together.

To Hedy and Simon.

Thank you.

Where are you two lovebirds going to build your little nest?

The White Sands.

Some disgusting to do, don't we, darling?

No, we don't, dearest.

Why would I want to live in a hotel when I've a perfectly lovely home to live

in? And one that's been in the family for generations.

Why would I live in your little home when I have the day and night

responsibilities for a great big hotel?

But you're giving up the hotel.

Oh, thank you.

Hedy, I must commend you on your wise decision.

What decision? I haven't made one yet.

We're just discussing it. No.

No, no, I was referring to your wisdom in turning down Carmody.

Very astute of you. Go out with a blaze of glory, say I.

What are you talking about?

Clive. No, no, no, let him speak. Go on, Clive.

There's nothing.

It's just that if I were in your shoes, I would feel the same way. All those

smart... Young things on staff.

I'd have difficulty keeping up with them.

Difficult.

What's difficult about it?

Have some cake, dear.

Now, surely, Clive, you're not insinuating that some young snippet, wet

the ears, is a better teacher than I am.

Hattie, I'm on your side.

It doesn't matter what I think.

It's what the deputy minister thinks that counts.

Oh, and what, praise tell, is that?

Well, that your teaching methods are outdated.

That's why he's closing the Avonlea schoolhouse.

Eddie, we mustn't get excited.

Now, look here, Clive Pettibone.

I'll pit my pupils against that Carmody lot any day of the week.

Math, English, geography, you name it.

Just you wait.

I want a contest.

A contest?

Fair and square between the two schools to settle what I consider to be a

question of slender... But what if you lose?

My students won't lose. They'll win.

And then your precious Mr. Tumbridge will have to reconsider his decision to

close my school. Come along, dear. I feel a very big headache coming on.

Deputy Minister Ickrow.

I've got my students in training at one.

What about the wedding?

What?

Oh,

surely Simon, you don't think I'd let our wedding place second fiddle to a

showdown between two schools, do you?

Do you? No, no, of course not.

I'll settle up everything with Osborne.

Dinner.

Tomorrow night.

At the hotel.

Eight o 'clock.

Delicious, hmm?

I'll be there.

With bells on.

Look here, Mr. Tombridge. This whole situation is extremely regrettable. Miss

King is very upset. I just wish I'd been able to warn her.

This is, after all, in accordance with the Ministry of Education's progressive

new policies.

Hedy King is highly respected. For miles around, she feels her reputation has

been damaged.

She wants to hold a contest between the two schools to prove her point.

A contest?

Oh, this is most irregular.

Why not?

If Avonlea loses, your decision to close the school will have been justified,

and this way, Miss King and her students will have had their day in court, so to

speak.

Well, I'll, um... I'll give it some thought.

Thank you, sir.

A written test.

To be taken in Carmody the day after tomorrow.

Questions to be prepared by a committee of three.

Myself, the Carmody principal, and a ministry official.

Don't worry, Miss King. They don't scare us.

We don't want our school to close.

No. We're going to beat their pants off. Yeah.

Indeed we will, David Kidd.

Indeed we will.

All right, children.

Let's prepare to do battle.

Dividing into teams.

Math here.

Geography over there. English across the back.

Ready. March.

Now remember, the fate of our school is at stake.

I know you'll do me proud.

For God, for country, for Avonlea, to work.

Will you see what I brought you?

Oh, Lydia, please, not now.

I'm in a triffle, honey. I'm supposed to be meeting Simon for dinner at eight o

'clock. It'll only take a moment.

It's Grandmother King's wedding dress. I found it in the attic.

Oh,

my.

Oh, my.

You look like a real bride.

Oh, thank you, child.

I know you're in a big rush to go out, but I have a problem with my long

division. Davy's in a real sweat over his objects of proposition.

Proposition, yes.

Mrs. Lynn's at her foreign missions meeting, so she can't help. Oh, yes, I

forgot.

Good grief, it's 20 to 8.

Oh, well, I... stay to help, but I've got to get home and put money to bed.

Yes, of course.

All right, Dora dear.

I'll see what I can do.

Only a few moments now.

Now, Olivia, just leave it there.

I'll try it on later, I promise.

Good.

I am tired.

Yeah.

No,

no, Davy.

One doesn't say who are you speaking to.

No.

What now?

I don't... See who that is, will you, dear?

No, no, you see, one says, to whom are you speaking?

Whom is the object of the preposition to, you see.

Miss King, you gotta help us. Me and Wiley, we're going off our rockers with

these here latitudes and longitudes.

Ma said you'd straighten us out. Would you, Miss King, please? We gotta win.

Yes, all right.

Oh, get out the atlas.

Quickly now, quickly.

Be seated, both of you.

Miss King, you sure look pretty with that veil on.

Oh, the veil.

Oh, yes, the veil.

I'll get it.

Now what?

Miss King, you have to help us. I'm stuck on this Latin poetry and the

need help with their English.

Oh.

Yes, all right.

All right.

I'll see to you each in turn.

Is he first?

She

stood

him up.

Well, perhaps it's for the best.

You think so?

Love is like a delicate souffle.

It can rise or fall, and nobody ever knows why.

One thing I do know, our friend over there will be miserable if he gives up

he loves best.

You mean Aunt Hattie?

No, no, my boy.

I mean the hotel.

I'll get it.

Hello, Simon.

Oh, how could I have... I'm so sorry. No, no, it's quite all right.

It was just a little snack.

Nothing special.

It's just the conscious tomorrow, you know, and suddenly...

Everyone needed my help.

Yes,

I'll be in Carmody tomorrow to cheer you on.

No, no, I understand.

I'm not upset.

No.

No.

Good night, my dear.

I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon.

Have you made up your mind?

It should be a simple choice, Tremaine.

I'm not prepared to talk about the business affairs of the present.

You'll have to wait until tomorrow.

Well, old man, in another few weeks you'll be lassoed and wed.

How are you two getting along?

I don't know.

She's been under a great deal of pressure, as you can see.

It'll pass.

Planning on a nice long honeymoon, are you?

Yes.

Just between you and me, I've got surprise plans in the works for a trip

Scotland after I deal with the hotel. Oh, yeah?

Go. visiting all my old haunts.

She's never been across the ocean, you know.

Of course, if heavenly winds, the honeymoon could go right out the window.

Nonsense. A woman in love doesn't cancel her honeymoon.

It's an unwritten law.

Just the same. Keep Scotland on your heart, will you?

I'd prefer to surprise Hetty in a romantic way.

And time's up.

Prophetic words, eh?

Excuse me, please. Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Avenue General Store.

Yes.

Yes.

I'll tell them.

Avonlea has won.

The school stays open.

Three cheers for us.

Cheers to the future.

To you, Eddie King.

You certainly pulled it off.

No, no, not I.

No, no, it was my students.

The best in the province.

Oh, dear me, Simon.

You know...

The school's staying open only in a very short honeymoon.

But I was planning something special.

Unique.

Once in a lifetime excursion.

Full of history.

Oh, yes, but you know, I've been thinking that there are some very

hotels in Halifax.

Why not a quick weekend trip?

A weekend in Halifax?

That's all the time from school I can afford, really.

Never mind.

We'll leave Saturday and take in a moving picture show and stroll along the

and be back in time for school first thing Monday morning.

Aunt Hattie, a telegram from the Deputy Minister of Education.

Congratulations, no doubt.

The old goat will be eating crow by now, that's for certain.

The decision's been stayed.

The exams were remarked.

Apparently we didn't win, after all.

And Tumbridge may still close the Abner School.

Dear Lord.

Carmody, Principal, filed a complaint against me for...

He said he saw me handling my students during this, um...

Excuse me for revealing the question ahead of

time.

Hattie!

Hattie Kim, you have to come out of this sooner or later.

No, I don't, and I won't.

Never has a king been subjected to such vile accusations.

Oh, this is a shame.

My poor school, my poor dear students.

Oh, it's a black, black day.

Nor will I, Simon Tremaine, nor will I...

Drag your good name into the mire with me.

So, here.

Take this.

You're off the hook.

Hetty.

You mustn't.

It's her pride.

She couldn't be worse if they cut off her right arm.

But what about my pride?

I refuse to break off our engagement, Hetty King.

No, I tell you.

Take it. You're a stubborn fool, Hickey King.

But I'm just as stubborn as you are.

Poor Miss King.

Everything's going wrong.

We have to do something, Davy.

We have to do it quick.

Has Osborne left? Did he withdraw his offer?

You haven't had a morsel of food today. How about a nice hot roast beef sandwich

with gravy and home -fried potatoes?

Thank you, Pierre.

I couldn't choke down a crumb.

What with the constant complaining from the guests about the plumbing, the leaky

roof, the lack of electricity.

Not to mention this... this contract.

Putting my name on this dotted line is like... Signing your life away.

Exactly.

What's wrong with me?

It's plain as the nose on your face.

You are not ready to leave the hotel business.

I like running this place.

In fact, I love it.

I love the walls. I love the ceilings.

Furniture. I don't want the Osbournes of the world changing as much as a doily.

Tell me, lad.

You've known your aunt much longer than I have.

Just how important is teaching a school to her?

It's where her heart is.

If she gave it up, she'd be unhappy.

Unhappy.

She'd be miserable.

Well, there you have it, gentlemen.

She loves me.

I love her.

But what do we do about it?

Well, let's start with fixing the roof.

Then we can patch the plumbing. We'll have this old place looking like a brand

new hotel in no time.

We'll never let it fall apart.

You sure Mr. Tremaine said he'd give us a ride?

He promised.

As long as we keep it, it's the only you know who.

Let's go.

Just where do you think you're going?

Um, we were just going to school.

At six o 'clock in the morning?

Mrs. Lind, I cannot tell a lie. Shut up, Dora.

We're going to go look for the blue -backed springle goose.

We have to do a paper on it.

The blue -backed what?

It's a very rare bird.

And if we don't go right now, we'll miss it. Because it only comes once a year.

Well, I never... I suppose, if you must... We'll be back in time for lunch.

You see, Mr. Tunbridge, sir, I know Miss King didn't cheat.

She only looked at me to give me a little bit of encouragement.

There's nothing wrong with that.

Test me right now. I can answer any question you ask me.

Mr. Tunbridge, I see no need to test the child again. It's quite obvious that

they are trying to cover up for Miss King.

They cheated on the exam.

The heavenly school should close as planned. Then we can teach them a thing

two about the three R's. Reading, writing.

And respect for the truth.

Excuse me.

Wilson.

What are the markings all over these pages?

The children erased some of their answers during the exam. They were

Oh, I'm sure there's more here than meets the eye. The writing, it's

inconsistent.

None of it matches the individual paper.

Wilson, you can fool some of the people some of the time.

Dora,

what's ten times seven?

It's seventy, of course.

Davy, what's the past tense of the verb to be?

Was. Dora, double elevens?

One hundred and thirty -two. Davy, name me three prepositions.

Under, over, on. Dora, sixty -eight plus two minus seven?

Sixty -three. Davy, what's the conjunction?

And.

Get yourself together.

Quick. Mr. Tunbridge is coming up the walk with the children.

What? Blue -backed, sprinkled goose.

Miss King?

Mrs. Lynde, we got company.

Miss King?

Mr.

Tunbridge. Forgive the intrusion, Miss King, but your students summoned me to a

meeting. to discuss the complaint filed by the Carmody principal.

The what?

Yes, there seems to be a certain desperation over at Carmody to increase

student population of that school in order to increase funding.

Oh.

Principal Wilson, he reached our answers.

We showed him how brilliant we are. Mind you, my boy.

Thanks to a brilliant teacher.

Yes, I apologize for the odious suggestions.

previous day.

Such devotion and scholarship among these admirable children, it can't be

ignored. The retabulated exams prove, as we originally thought, that the Avonlea

School is the hands -down winner of the competition.

Miss King, the Avonlea School will remain open as long as you remain at the

helm.

Then this is the...

A glorious day, family.

Thank you.

One minute. Oh, I'm...

I haven't seen you as happy as this in a long, long time.

You look happy, too.

You know me so well.

Like a book.

We've been fooling ourselves, haven't we?

Your marriage proposal, Simon Tremaine, is the greatest compliment I've

ever been paid.

Do you think they'll give me my money back?

Perhaps you'd better save it.

You may fall in love again.

No.

I'm still in love.

Oh, my.

I don't feel marriage really suits either of us.

No, probably not.

Would you care to indulge in old hotel custom?

What?

No.

I'd much prefer a quiet stroll together along our decrepit veranda.

Whatever pleases you, darling.