Original subtitles

(heavy rain pattering) (gentle mysterious music)

(pants heavily)

(splitting wood cracks) (Rob puffs)

- This wood's still green.

It's hard to chop.

And hard to burn.

- Ah, that should hold it.

(grunts)

- Needs another piece, doesn't it?

- A few strips of leather,

bit of the old ingenuity,

works every time.

(spring creaks and snaps)

(Rob chuckles)

(splitting wood cracks)

(ax handle cracks)

(Matt chuckles)

(mysterious oboe music) (rain pattering)

- [Man] Watch this then!

- [Woman] Oh, Mr Plunkett

(both chuckle)

- [Emily] This ridiculous stove just won't get hot.

- Everything's so damp.

Trying to print a newspaper in this weather's just...

Colin! Look at you!

- It's freezing out there!

(Josh chuckles)

What? - You look funny.

- Thanks a lot.

- Oh, oh Colin!

- Blocked chimney.

I'll get up on the roof.

- I'll leave you to it,

I'd better get home.

- [Emily] Thanks Kathleen.

- Bye, bye Josh!

- Bye.

When's it gonna stop raining?

- Never.

- Be careful.

- Maybe we should build an ark.

(grunting)

- Move, come on, you silly thing, move!

- You look like you could use a hand.

- Um, yeah.

(calf bellows)

Where did you come from?

- Just passing.

Okay, push her up.

("The Man from Snowy River" by Peter Sullivan)

Come on, come on, up you go.

- She's moving!

(both grunt)

Uh! (giggles) (calf bellows)

- My name's Tuck.

- Danni.

Danni McGregor.

- Pleased to meet you, Danni McGregor.

- Just Tuck?

- Yeah, just Tuck.

(horse whinnies)

- Where's your horse?

- Haven't got one.

You're out here on foot?

- Is that so strange?

- Kind of.

- Are they your cattle?

- My dad's.

You heading to Paterson's Ridge?

- Yeah, I guess.

- We're not far from home.

You could maybe warm up, change your clothes?

That's if you want to.

- Yeah.

- Ugh, one unblocked chimney!

- Yay!

- Now, let's get it roaring, warm the place up.

- Oh no.

- What?

(water trickling)

Ugh, I must have knocked a sheet of iron loose.

- Well, there's nothing you can do

until it stops raining.

- It's not gonna stop raining.

- Of course it's going to stop.

- No, it's not.

- Josh, it's winter.

It always rains in winter.

- It's been raining forever.

It's not gonna stop.

We're all gonna drown.

- Rob, leave that will you?

I need a hand here.

Rob!

Morning.

- Morning, you must be Mr McGregor.

- Yes.

- I'm Tuck.

- Tuck helped me with one of the calves,

it was trapped in the creek.

- Looks like that calf put up a bit of a struggle.

- (chuckles) This is my brother Rob.

- Hiya, Rob.

- I thought the least we could do

was offer him a hot meal and a chance to dry out.

- Yeah, sure.

You're looking for work, are you?

- No, just a traveler, Mr McGregor.

- Where you travelin' to?

- Wherever the road takes me,

doesn't really matter.

- He's heading to Paterson's Ridge.

- Oh, if I can fix this wagon over here,

I can give you a lift into town.

- [Tuck] Broken spring?

- Yeah, I tried strapping it up with leather,

just won't hold.

- You could try binding the spring with wire.

- What, you know about these things?

- Yeah, I'm a coach builder by trade.

Come on, I'll give you a hand.

- It's worth a try.

- All right, put the wheel on.

- Here we go.

- Now lower it down.

- (grunts) Right.

- Easy, easy. - Yeah, yeah.

- There you are, that should hold together.

At least until you reach a blacksmith.

- Well, won't be today.

First thing tomorrow maybe.

Danni, why don't you get Mrs Tan

to make up that spare bed, huh?

- Sure.

I'll show you up to the house.

- Thanks.

- Ah, wood's green, can't get it out.

- You could always throw it on the fire.

- Ah, yeah.

- You would have thought of that, Rob.

- Yeah, I know.

- Why don't you take it in this time, Danni?

- Michael!

- Just fooling. (knocking)

More hot water.

- Coming.

- Sorry.

- It's all right.

- Better you than me.

One wash a week's one too many.

- Thanks, Michael.

Oh, wait.

It's worth a penny,

if you can change a pound note.

- No, I can't.

- Oh well, maybe I can.

A shilling.

There's your penny.

- Thanks.

- Mrs Tan said dinner won't be long.

- Thanks, Danni.

(melancholy music)

(split logs clatter)

- Keeping enough dry wood for the fires is your job.

It's always been your job.

- Well, it'd be nice to get a hand occasionally.

- If you'd cut it in the autumn, like I said,

then we wouldn't be trying to burn

green wood in the middle of winter.

- Dad, don't worry, I'll get the wood cut.

- What with?

You gave the wood-splitter to Montana.

- It's only a loan,

and I'll get the ax fixed, all right?

- Oof! - Sorry.

- Tuck, you're all cleaned up then?

- Yes, yeah, thanks for the hospitality.

- Ah, pleasure.

- [Tuck] A visitor.

- That's my wife, Kathleen.

You made it!

- Oh just, I mean, first the press jams,

then the back road,

the one you insist I use in the wet weather,

it's nothing than a river of mud.

I mean look at me, just...

- Kathleen, this is Tuck.

He'll be staying the night.

- Well, you should have told me

that we had a house guest, Matt.

Hello, Mr Tuck.

- Mrs McGregor.

- Well, if you'll excuse me, I'll...

- Of course.

- Hard day.

(crickets chirping) (thunder rumbling)

(Kathleen sneezes)

- Oh, bless you.

(thunder crashes)

- (chuckles) How about this weather?

Great, isn't it?

- Tuck, where did your journey begin?

- Well, where does any journey begin?

I guess I just love to travel.

Do you enjoy travel?

- Oh yes, but we don't get away as much as I'd like,

but it sounds like yours is more of a...

well, of an odyssey than a journey.

- An odyssey, well.

I read Homer's Odyssey when I was at school.

It's an amazing story.

Real voyage of discovery.

- Not much to discover in Paterson's Ridge, I'm afraid.

Except the train out of town, of course. (chuckles)

- Well, I'll be on that train tomorrow.

- Are you heading north or south?

- That's a good question.

North or south?

Which way would you go, Mr McGregor?

- Oh, north to the bush, south to the city.

You can give me the bush any time.

- How did you do that trick before?

- (chuckles) You just weren't watching, Michael.

(women ah)

- [Michael] I was watching.

(chuckling)

- My farewell performance.

Well, thank you all for dinner,

and for the hospitality.

- Oh, it's the least we could do

after you fixed the wagon for us.

- Good night, Danni.

- Good night.

- Night all.

- Good night, Tuck.

- Night.

(rooster crows)

(gentle music)

- Good morning!

- Morning.

Rain's stopped.

- Yeah, not soon enough.

I was beginning to think

it was gonna last forever.

- Teas made if you'd like one.

- Ah, thanks, but I'd better

sort out this wood situation.

- Morning. - Morning.

Dad, about the wood.

- Forget it, forget it.

You know, Rob, you're right.

We should all pitch in.

- Yeah, thanks.

(sweet gentle music)

- Matt?

(bacon sizzling)

- Mmm.

- Well, this is a nice way to start the day.

- Mmm, this is nicer.

(kisses smacking)

Aren't you in a good mood today.

- Mmm, I'm sorry I was so cross last night,

but nothing seemed to go right yesterday.

- Nothing did go right yesterday.

- It's a special kind of man

who can admit when he's wrong.

- Yeah, well, I was wrong.

But it's all sorted out now.

- Oh, sorry.

- No need to be.

- Have you seen Tuck?

- Yeah, I think he went outside.

- Thanks.

- Morning!

- Danni!

- What are you reading?

- A letter, it can wait.

- How did you sleep?

- Well, soft bed, scent of lavender,

what more could a man ask for?

Except the smile of a beautiful woman.

- Do I have a nice smile?

- Well now, let's have a look.

- Well I can't just smile for no reason.

- Of course you can, you just let it spill out.

There, you see.

Oh, a smile that could break a man's heart.

Pretty smile for a pretty girl.

- Come on.

- Where are we going?

- You'll see.

(sweet gentle music)

- Where are we going?

- Come on!

(water splashing)

- It's beautiful.

- Worth a smile.

This is my favorite place.

Come here when I'm feeling down.

When I'm here, it's like nothing else matters.

Look out, and I can see forever.

Something wrong?

(sweet romantic music)

- Sorry, I...

We better get back.

Your Dad'll be wanting to get to town.

- What?

- He was taking me into town, remember?

- Yeah.

(sweet gentle music)

How old are you?

23, come the spring.

- Do you have any brothers or sisters?

- No, much to my regret.

- It's not just Tuck, is it.

- No. - Then what?

- Does it matter?

- Of course it matters!

Come on.

- Tuck's name enough.

- Frank.

- It's not Frank.

- Tommy, (chuckles) Tommy Tuck.

All right, um...

Henry. - No!

- Harry? - Not even close.

- Theodore!

- [Tuck] Do I look like a Theodore?

(Danni giggles)

- Morning.

Hey, Josh!

Look, the rain's stopped!

Maybe now we can get up there and fix this roof.

- What happens if it starts again

and doesn't stop?

- Oh, it always stops, Josh.

- But the Bible said it didn't stop.

Not for for 40 days and 40 nights.

That's when the man built an ark.

- Noah.

The man's name was Noah.

Are you worried

that something's gonna happen to you?

Are you?

- Company, Josh.

- [Matt] Whoa.

- Morning! - Morning.

- You didn't float away out there?

- Oh no, another inch of rain and we would have.

- Hello. - Morning, I'm Tuck.

And you must be Colin.

- I'm Josh, he's Colin.

- You sure?

Pleased to meet you, Colin.

- Tuck.

- You must be Emily.

- I see Danni's been telling you all about us.

- She's kept me amused with the family secrets.

- I have not!

(hooves thundering) (wagon driver shouting)

- Shouldn't that be leaving instead of arriving?

- It did leave, first light.

- Goodbye.

- [Emily] Montana!

- Hi!

- [Kathleen] What Happened?

- Oh, the river's up, south of Blaine's Ravine.

- I'll get it.

- Thanks.

Coach couldn't get through.

I have got mud from here to breakfast.

Oh, that's mine.

Mornin', I'm Montana Hale.

- [Tuck] Tuck.

- Er, what about the Ridge Road?

- Mudslide, covered the road,

washed out the railway line.

- So there's no train?

- Not for a week.

Longer if there's any more rain.

Oh, if you'll excuse me,

I gotta get cleaned up.

- Well, it looks like we've got ourselves a house guest.

I'll be at the printery.

- [Matt] Yeah, okay.

Er, Rob, we've got work to do.

(Josh sighs)

- We're all gonna drown.

- So how long's Josh been like that?

- Too long.

- He's not your boy, is he?

- No, his parents died in a fire.

I think it's still on his mind.

- Is he scared of dying?

- That's not so strange, in some boys.

- Not so strange in some men either.

- I'm sure he's scared of a lot of things.

Drowning's just one of them.

- Maybe he's not scared for himself,

maybe he's scared for you and Emily?

Lost his mother and father,

and the thought of losing you must make him,

well, kind of focused on your well being.

- Wants me to build him an ark.

- (chuckles) That's not such a bad idea

after all this rain.

Children generally like me.

I come from a big family,

lots of brothers and sisters.

If you want, I can talk to him.

- Tuck!

You ready for the grand tour of Paterson's Ridge?

- Oh, off you go.

Thank you.

- Rob, how's it going?

- Getting there.

- So tell me about Rob.

Is he sweet on anyone?

- Montana, not that he's ever told her.

- You think she's sweet on him?

- If she let herself be.

Be sad if they didn't get together,

just because they were afraid to try.

- Yeah, there are enough sad people in the world.

- Well, I should go and help Emily,

are you coming?

- In a little while.

- Okay.

- She's a beautiful horse.

- Well, I sure think so.

- Yeah, Rob thinks so, too.

- Oh Rob would, it belonged to him.

Well, Matt at least.

- Yeah, he said seeing you on this horse

made his heart race.

- Rob said that?

- Personally, I think his heart's racing

because it's you he's lookin' at, not your horse.

- What makes you think that?

- Well, uh...

Nothing.

- What?

- It's just something he said.

- Well, what did he say?

No, I shouldn't really be telling anyone.

- Hey, hey, hey, hey!

- You won't tell him I told you.

- No, I won't tell.

- Well, he said you're the equal of any man,

and prettier than any woman he's ever met.

- Rob said that?

- Now, you won't tell him I told you?

- I won't tell him.

(playful gentle music)

- Hello, Rob.

- Montana...

Tuck...

I saw you were talking to Montana.

- Well, she was kinda talking to me.

- What about, anything in particular?

- No...

Not really.

- What do you mean, not really?

- Well, she was talking about you.

- She was, huh?

- Sure hope a woman talks about me that way some day.

- Why?

What did she say?

- No, if I told you, she'd know straight away it was me.

- I'm not gonna say anything.

- If you did, she'd probably just deny it anyway.

- I promise I won't breathe a word of it.

(playful music)

She said that?

- Huh! - Not a word!

- Thanks, Tuck.

- And of course it was me up half the night,

emptying the pots while Colin was snoring.

- More milk? - Just a little.

Woo!

- Emily? - Mm?

- When you fell in love with Colin,

how did you know, that you were in love, I mean?

- I just knew.

First time I met him.

It was love at first sight.

- [Danni] Yeah, but how did you know?

- It felt right when we were together.

Nothing else mattered.

- What about when you weren't together?

- Then I thought about him every moment.

He's very handsome.

Tuck.

- He kissed me.

- And, did you kiss him back?

- I don't know...

I suppose so, should I have?

- It depends. - On what?

- Whether you like him or not.

- Oh...

Emily, I think I do.

- Don't worry, there's nothing to be afraid of.

- Promise you won't tell anyone.

- I won't. - Promise!

- All right, I promise.

- Colin's almost finished.

- Good, Danni's got something she'd like to ask you.

- Emily, I... - Well, go on.

- Um...

- She'd like to know if you'll join us for lunch.

- Thanks, I'd like that.

- I'll call you when it's ready.

Well, off you go then.

This kitchen's only big enough for one.

- Josh, you wanna come out to play?

- Thanks, Emily.

(paper crinkles) (mysterious music)

- My darling Sarah,

how can I tell you just how much I love you,

and how deeply I miss you? (mysterious music)

- Tuck, thank you for helping with the roof today.

- Oh, anytime!

- I'd better get going too.

Thanks, Emily.

- Danni? - Yeah?

- Oh, it doesn't matter.

- Okay.

- What was all that about?

- Um, just women's business.

- Women's business?

- What do you think about Tuck?

- Josh seems to like him.

- But do you?

- M-hm, don't you?

- Yes, I mean, he's very friendly.

He has a way of making you feel...

- Good about yourself.

- Yes.

- Well, that's an asset, isn't it?

- I know.

Did you find out much about him?

- He's from a large family,

he doesn't have a trade to speak of, but...

- Danni said he was an only child,

and that he was a coach builder.

- Perhaps he was a coach builder once,

but what's all this about?

- Oh, I think it's just a misunderstanding.

- Well, would you like to tell me about it?

- I'm sure it's nothing to worry about.

(kiss smacking)

- What about this one?

- Oh, that's a fine piece of wood, Josh.

It's called a fiddle back.

The problem is, you cut it one end,

and it breaks the other.

- Are you gonna marry Danni?

- Do you think I should?

- She told Emily she likes you a lot.

- Do you like Danni? - Yep.

- What about Emily and Colin?

You don't want anything to happen to them, do you.

That's why we need to build an ark.

Perfect.

Did Danni say anything else?

- No.

- Come on, I'll race you back to town.

(mimics racing car revving)

- [Kathleen] Bye-bye, Colin.

- [Colin] Go easy on those new screens.

- [Matt] Yeah, thanks.

'Yup!

- [Danni] Bye, Emily.

- See you, Rob.

(wagon clatters) (hoof-beats thud)

- Can we see Tuck again?

- Of course you can.

Maybe you'd like to take

a buggy-ride out to Langara tomorrow?

- Good, I like Tuck.

- Come on.

(soft gentle music)

- (chuckles) Tired already?

- No, I don't mind watching.

- Well, watch this! (laughs)

(both laughing) (sweet playful music)

(dogs barking) (hoof-beats thudding)

I wonder what they're doing out here?

- Morning, Kathleen. - Morning!

- Why don't you go and see?

I should finish up here.

- Morning, Josh.

- Why are you all covered in hay?

- Checking up on me, are you?

- No, not at all.

- We were just mucking out the stables.

Do you want to go and collect some eggs?

- Yep. - Okay.

- All this way for eggs?

- Is Tuck still here?

- You don't think Danni normally gets covered in hay,

when she's mucking out the stables, do you?

Why, is something wrong?

- Oh, I just need to talk to him, Kathleen.

Excuse me.

Hello, Tuck.

- Emily! Out for a bracing drive?

- I like the fresh air, it clears my head.

Tuck? - Yes?

- You may think this is none of my business.

- Is this about Danni?

- This is about you and Danni.

- She's a very beautiful girl, Emily.

- And very innocent, when it comes to...

- Love? - Love, courting.

Men.

- Well, I'd never do anything to hurt her.

- I'm glad,

because she would be hurt,

deeply hurt, if she knew that...

She's infatuated with you, Tuck.

- I know.

- And perhaps, who knows when infatuation turns to love.

That's why, if there's anyone else,

if your heart is with...

- There is no one else.

- What about Sarah?

I'm sorry, yesterday, when you were at the house,

I found a letter on the floor.

I thought it was something Colin had dropped.

I only read the...

- You had no right.

- I didn't know!

- What I write has nothing to do with Danni.

- It has everything to do with Danni,

if you tell her you love her,

and you know there's someone else.

- I haven't told her I love her.

- Then what do you want from her?

- It's not like that.

- Tuck?

What is it, what's happened?

- I'm sorry.

- Emily?

- Why don't you take them inside, Josh?

I didn't want you to get hurt.

- Tuck wouldn't hurt me.

- There's so little you know about him.

- I know enough to love him.

And I think he likes me?

You're saying he doesn't?

- Talk to him, Danni.

- About what?

Emily?

- There's a woman, her name's Sarah.

(melancholy music)

- Tuck?

Tell me.

I want to know.

Look at me, Tuck.

Tell me about Sarah.

Who is she?

- My wife.

(locket jingles)

(melancholy music)

- What's going on?

- I never meant to hurt her.

- Is it true what she said?

Are you married?

- Maybe these will explain.

- Tuck, I think it's best, for Danni's sake,

if you left.

- I'm sorry.

- Matt?

I think you'd better read this.

- I worked out how you did that trick.

- You'll have to show me some other time.

It's all magic to me.

- Where you going?

- A place where I can see forever.

(horses whicker)

- Danni.

There's been a misunderstanding

between yourself and Tuck.

- What's there to misunderstand?

He's married.

- No, he was married.

His wife, Sarah, she died.

(melancholy music)

(sighs)

- Have you seen Tuck?

- He's gone.

- Did he say where he was going?

- Yeah, but, he didn't make sense.

- Tell me.

- He said he was going somewhere

where he could see forever.

(mysterious music)

(water rushing)

- David?

- You're the first person to call me that,

since Sarah died.

It was the last word she said.

She'd been sick.

We'd only been married three days.

(sobbing)

She died in my arms.

I couldn't, I couldn't believe it.

So I ran away from the truth.

And I wrote a letter,

telling her how much I loved her,

and I missed her.

- And very beautiful.

- (sobs) It didn't bring her back.

It was you who brought her back, Danni.

And this place,

and the way you looked at me,

brought her back to say goodbye.

(sobs) I loved you, Sarah.

I loved you so much. (crying)

(chuckling)

- [Matt] Are you sure I can't give you a lift?

- No, no, look, I'll be fine.

Listen, thanks for everything.

- So, which way are you headed?

- Further north, Sydney?

Maybe even up to Queensland.

- Good luck, and I hope

everything works out for you, Tuck.

- I think it will.

(melancholy music)

Excuse me.

- You take care.

- You can stay on 'til the train starts up again?

You don't have to leave?

- If I'm ever gonna come back,

I have to leave first.

- You will come back?

- One day.

Josh!

Here's your ark.

- It's small.

- Ah, but you see, it's a magic ark.

See, the more it rains, the bigger it'll get.

And there'll be room for you, and Colin,

and Emily, and for all the people you love in the world.

- Are you sure it's magic?

- Yeah, like this one.

You take care, Josh.

Making people happy, it's supposed to be what I do best.

- It's not working.

I do love you, Tuck.

If you stayed...

- I wish I could stay, but...

It's not right yet, not just yet.

I'll be back one day, Danni McGregor.

You watch out for me.

- I will.

- Bye, Tuck. - Bye.

- Bye, Tuck. - Good luck.

(melancholy music)

("Closing Theme" by Peter Sullivan)