Original subtitles

(pleasant music)

- I wish you were coming with us.

- Well, somebody's gotta help Michael at Langower.

- Michael, don't forget to move those mares.

- No, I won't.

- [Kathleen] Look after yourself,

and do as Colin says, all right?

- I will. Have a good time.

- [Kathleen] We will.

- You know where to find us.

- Dad, get on. Enjoy yourself.

(train whistle blows)

- Bye Colin.

- See ya, Rob.

- [Conductor] Final call for the daylight to Melbourne.

All aboard!

- I get the window seat.

- Hello Montana. - Howdy.

- Come on.

- Montana. I'm glad you could come.

- Yeah, well, I just decided.

- Good, good.

- Didn't know you were going to Melbourne.

- I have some business to do, things to buy.

- Are you gonna see the Prince of Wales?

- Only if he happens to walk right in front of me, Josh.

- Where are you staying?

- The Shamrock Hotel.

- Rob, you're blocking the passageway.

- The Shamrock?

That's where I'm staying.

- Well, Kathleen said it was a good hotel.

- Anyone sitting here?

- No.

- Well, traveling on the same train,

staying in the same hotel.

It's quite a coincidence, wouldn't you say?

(train whistle blows)

- Oh!

(dramatic music)

- Not now.

Come on.

(pleasant music)

- Come on, Josh.

- Mr. McGregor, good to see you again.

- Yes, likewise.

You know my son, Rob.

- Rob, yes. Keys.

- Thank you.

Well, you can be in room 39 and I'm in 38.

- Good.

- Listen, if you're not doing anything later,

I thought we might go to one of those fancy tea houses.

- Well, that'd be nice.

But I've got some things to do.

- Well, when you're ready.

- [Matt] All right, we're all set. Adjoining rooms.

Luggage.

- Josh, quickly Josh. Do keep up.

- There you go. - Thank you very much.

- Is it still on? Are we going?

- Yes, downstairs in 15 minutes.

- Can I wait downstairs? Please?

- All right.

But stay in the foyer and don't go into the street, okay?

- Here's yours. See you soon.

Sounds like you two are cooking something up.

- Um, well.

Do you think Montana could come to the Governor's Ball

with us tonight?

- I thought she was here on business.

- She is.

It's just, there's more to life than

riding horses and chasing after cattle.

Do you know the poor girl doesn't even own a dress?

- Huh, so that's what you're getting.

- Mmm.

Well, we offered. Montana accepted.

And I thought, well, what's the point of having a dress

if you've got nowhere to wear it?

- Mmm. Governor's Ball.

And I don't suppose the fact that Rob's going's

got anything to do with this.

- The thought had crossed my mind.

- Does he know that?

- No.

- Montana?

- No.

- Well, I might be able to arrange the invitation.

- Good.

- Are the rooms private?

- Oh, privacy is assured, madame.

- Mademoiselle, please. I'm not married.

- You waste valuable time.

- Why are your feet wet?

- Go away, boy.

- Why?

- Because I asked you to.

- That's not a very good reason.

- [Man] There he is!

Excuse me.

(pleasant music)

- No luck? - No.

He's probably gone back up to the room.

Don't wait, I'll see you later.

- Are you sure?

- Positive. Josh won't have gone far.

- Come on.

(suspenseful music)

(grunting)

- It's all right, boy.

I'm not gonna hurt you. It's all right.

All right.

I'm being hunted by the enemies of the crown.

They're out to get the prince.

The prince is in deadly danger. Do you understand?

(grunts)

- [Man] Any sign of him?

- If you cry out when I remove my hand,

we'll both be in grave danger.

- [Man] Search the hotel again.

- You take this to the prince.

You tell him what I told you.

Now you hide. Don't let them see you.

- He said I was to give the letter to the prince.

He says the prince is in deadly danger.

- The prince.

- The Prince of Wales, this is his royal seal.

- Well, if this was sent by the prince,

then why give it back to him unopened?

- The prince isn't staying at this hotel, is he?

- Governor's Mansion.

- (scoffs) This has got to be a practical joke.

- It's not a joke.

Men were chasing him. I saw them.

- If you'd only stayed in the hotel like I'd asked.

- I better go and see him.

- Ah, so you're just gonna drop in

on the Prince of Wales, eh?

- No, I've heard he's a very charming, approachable man.

- Yeah, but he's royalty.

- Yeah, and I'm a loyal subject

trying to do him a good turn.

What's the problem?

(regal music)

- I'm afraid the prince is too busy

to see you, Mr. McGregor.

- It's most unlike Hotchkiss to be late.

- Your highness, if I could just have a moment of your time.

- Who is this man?

- The Honorable Matthew McGregor of Paterson's Ridge,

your highness.

- A pleasure to meet you, McGregor.

Your patience and loyalty to the crown

have been duly noted.

- Thank you, your highness.

It's imperative that I...

- As I said, his highness'es busy schedule

will not permit him to see you now.

- The prince's life could be in danger.

- Of all the excuses one hears from earnest well-wishers.

- This is not an excuse.

There's a letter. - What letter?

- You arrange for a meeting with the prince

and I'll show you.

- Show me the letter now.

If I think it's important enough, I will pass it on to him.

- Look, there might be anything in this.

If you can just arrange for a meeting for five minutes

with his highness.

- Sir James, his highness is asking for you.

- Call back at half past four. I'll see what I can do.

(somber music)

- What is it? - Not sure.

Josh.

Come on, Josh. There's nothing to see.

Josh.

- The day dress is lovely,

but I still think you should've got a ball gown.

- I'm not going to some fancy ball and that's final.

So I don't need a ball dress.

- Matt is getting you an invitation.

Now Montana, I want you all dressed up

and the center of attention,

take my word for it.

- I don't want to be the center of attention, Kathleen,

I just want to be me.

- What is it, Emily?

- Matt's upstairs with Rob and Josh.

A man's been killed.

- Are you sure it was the same man, Josh?

- Yes.

- Did you give the letter to the prince?

- Couldn't get near him.

Protocol everywhere.

- I reckon we should just open it.

- You open somebody's mail back home

and you're in a mess of trouble.

- If the man can't give you five minutes to hear you out,

he obviously needs help.

It's in a foreign language.

- I studied language at college. May I?

There's Greek letters here but it's not Greek.

I think it's Russian.

- Any luck?

- Mr. McGregor, I'm sorry, none of our staff can help you

but, perhaps you could try the embassies?

How 'bout the docks?

I believe a Russian steamship berthed just this morning.

- Well, thanks for your help.

- Oh, one moment, please.

Miss Koromansky, a moment of your time.

- Yes?

- Miss Koromansky, you are Russian, are you not?

- Why do you wish to know?

- Well, Mr. McGregor here and his son

have a letter which appears to be written in Russian,

and I thought perhaps you might translate it for them.

- Where did you get this?

- Can you translate it?

- It's, it's of no importance.

It's a love letter.

- Oh, a love letter.

- You don't believe me?

- Well, if you say it's a love letter,

then of course we believe you.

- Would you excuse me?

- Ah, Miss Koromansky, the letter?

- Oh, I am (mumbles).

- I think she's lying.

- It's not me. I look awful.

- You look great, Montana.

- And you'd look even better in a ball gown.

- Get this straight once and for all, Kathleen,

I'm not going to the ball.

There isn't even a place to holster a six-gun.

- It's not as if you're dressing for

a showdown at High Noon, Montana.

- Well, what am I dressing for?

- To catch the eye of a beau.

- I wonder what Rob will think.

- I don't happen to care what Rob thinks

one way or the other.

- Where have you been?

We're already running late.

- It is not safe.

I have just seen a letter.

- What letter?

(thuds)

- Hi. Just taking a look around.

- It is good to familiarize oneself

with one's surroundings.

You are staying at the hotel?

- Next floor up.

- We also are next floor up.

- Well, I reckon that about makes us neighbors.

- Pleasure to make your acquaintance, neighbor.

(speaking foreign language)

- Well, it was nice talking with you.

(speaking foreign language)

Hi, Rob.

- You're wearing a dress.

- So?

- So, why?

- Because sometimes women wear dresses.

- Well, I know, it's just that you never...

Er, can you hold on just a minute?

Thanks.

- I knew this was a dumb idea.

- Then he said something about running late.

Then she told him about having seen the letter.

Then Montana came down the stairs,

those two started speaking Russian and that was it.

- The letter must have been meant for them.

They're staying at the hotel.

- Well, if it was meant for them,

why didn't the man that Josh was talking to

just give it to 'em?

- Because someone was after him,

and rather than let the prince's letter

fall into the wrong hands, he came to Josh.

Now I want you to tell us again what the man said

when he gave you the letter.

- He said the prince is in deadly danger,

that I had to give the letter to the prince

or bad things would happen.

- I'm due back at government house in half an hour,

hopefully to speak with him.

I want to take Josh with me.

- Josh, would you like to go with Matt

and meet Prince Edward?

- I'm afraid his highness is unavoidably detained

on matters of state.

- We're not gonna see the prince?

- The prince is in very great demand, my boy.

- But the man said his life was in danger.

- And what else did the man say?

- He gave me a letter to give to the prince.

- And where is this letter?

- Apologies, Sir James, the papers are ready to be signed.

- [James] Now?

- [Man] The courier is waiting, sir.

- This shouldn't take more than a few moments,

and then we'll have a look at that mysterious letter, eh?

I told you I was not to be disturbed.

- Josh, Josh, what is it? What's the problem?

- That was him.

- Who?

- The man who was chasing him. That was him.

- You sure?

- He had that scar, and he was wearing that ring.

- Let's go.

- Mr. McGregor.

Mr. McGregor?

- There must be some mistake.

- Well, it certainly doesn't look that way.

(knocking)

- Am I interrupting something?

- Montana, come in an close the door.

It seems one of the men Josh saw in the basement

this morning is an assistant to the private secretary

of the Prince of Wales.

- Well, it sounds like that prince has got himself

into a lot of trouble.

- I think the sooner we get Josh out of Melbourne,

back to Paterson's Ridge and safe, the better.

- I'll make the necessary arrangements.

You ready to go home, Josh?

- I think this Russian woman and her boyfriend

know more than what they're letting on.

This is no love letter.

- What makes you think he's her boyfriend?

- Well, they're traveling together, aren't they?

- Well, that doesn't necessarily mean they're attached.

- You were wearing a dress.

- Not anymore.

- Rob's right.

This Russian couple know a lot more than they're letting on.

- Well, there's only one way to find out.

- It is my considered opinion that threats must be

ignored and new time for meeting must be set.

(knocking)

- Who is it?

- [Matt] Matt McGregor, Miss Koromansky.

I'd like to talk to you for a moment.

- I am just getting ready to go out.

- We'd like you to take another look

at this letter, if you don't mind.

- I have already told you, it is a love letter.

- A translation would be a big help.

- Well, there's no time.

I am already running late.

Please to come in.

- Hi, neighbor. Remember me?

- Of course I remember you, neighbor.

Now you look even more stunning.

- I don't believe we've been introduced, sir.

Matt McGregor.

- No, indeed.

Nicholas Romanov at your service, Mr. McGregor.

The letter you have in your possession

was intended for me.

A warning.

- But this bears the royal seal of the Prince of Wales.

- From one prince to another prince.

- From one prince to another? I don't understand.

- I, too, am a prince, neighbor.

- No.

- Prince of all Russia.

- No.

- And I offer apologies for the way

you have all been drawn into plots

to destroy myself and my family.

You know about the war in the Russian Crimea, Mr. McGregor?

- Oh, not a great deal.

I heard about the charge of the light brigade.

Into the valley of death rode the...

- There were many valleys of death.

A senseless, stupid war that nobody wins.

- But the war did end 10 years ago.

- Some of our military leaders believe

they were betrayed by Queen Victoria and the royal family.

They claim Russia plans revenge by moving troops

across Afghan border and destroying British forces

in India.

This is a lie.

- Why, to stir up trouble?

- To get Queen Victoria to move troops to Afghan border.

They will be kindling for a new inferno

between our countries.

- Ah, and this is the reason you want to meet up

with Prince Edward?

- If Edward and I talk man to man,

I can convince him Russia doesn't want another war.

- And the letter from Edward?

- To warn me my life is in danger

if we meet at the ball tonight as planned.

If I am murdered by English assassins,

there will be a war, a war like no other.

- Any idea who's behind this conspiracy?

- I only know time is running out.

Edward will sail for England before the end of the week.

If I don't meet with him, in person, before he leaves,

I will have failed my family and my country.

Perhaps tonight after the ball,

Edward will meet me later in my rooms.

- No, that's too dangerous.

One man's already dead.

It's very likely that whoever's responsible

is keeping a close watch.

Will you trust me to deliver your message

to Prince Edward?

(foreboding music)

- She's kinda pretty, isn't she?

- Ah, well, she's all right. I guess.

- Some girls look good in dresses.

- Yeah, some girls do.

- Bet she can't leg-tie a cow.

- They're coming.

- Mr. McGregor is a man of perfect persuasion Svetlana.

It seems best if we do not go to the ball after all.

Perhaps you'd like to use my invitation, neighbor?

Svetlana will see to it that you are properly attired.

- Poor old Josh. He's exhausted.

- A good night's sleep, he'll be all right.

- Thanks.

I was going to take him to the Melbourne Zoo.

He was really disappointed.

- There'll be plenty of time for that.

Tomorrow I thought why don't we do something special?

Just the three of us.

We could go fishing.

- Aren't you worried about what's happening

down in Melbourne?

- It's not the first ball to suffer (mumbles).

- No, I don't mean that.

- Dad would have sent word with you

if he needed any help.

They'll be all right.

You sorry you're not going to the ball?

- It'd help if you put your arm around me.

That's better.

They'll be just about ready to leave.

I wonder if Montana's going with them.

- [Matt] Well don't you three look lovely?

- Well, should we go?

- Well?

(stately ball music)

- Who is that?

- Matthew McGregor, your highness.

You met briefly this morning.

- And the woman at his side?

- I believe she is his wife.

- Indeed.

- Perhaps Montana would like to dance, Rob.

- Would you care to dance?

- Ah, it's not exactly my style.

- Well, there's nothing to it. Just follow me.

- Here comes trouble.

- Time to part company.

- Good luck.

Sir James.

- McGregor, it seems you're a busy man.

I purposely set time aside today.

- My apologies, Sir James.

The young lad was suddenly taken ill.

Under the circumstances...

- And the letter?

You do have it?

- Oh, yes.

That's a very interesting medal.

I've never seen anything quite like that before.

The lion ram.

- Crimean campaign. Battle of Balaclava.

A right royal mess it was, too.

Wars are fought to be won, not end in stalemate.

To the victor belong the spoils.

- I thought you said you couldn't dance.

- I just said it wasn't my style, that's all.

- So what made you change your mind about coming?

- Well, I figured you and Matt could use some help

if something happened.

- Was that the only reason?

- Of course.

Why else would I have come?

You don't think I like this sort of thing, do you?

- No, I don't suppose you do.

- Either the letter exists, McGregor,

or it's all a fabrication.

And if it's a fabrication...

- Mr. McGregor, I must congratulate you

on having such a knowledgeable wife.

I had no idea you colonials were so well versed

in the intricacies of foreign affairs, eh Sir James?

- No, indeed your highness.

- Perhaps we might talk in more private surroundings.

- Thank you, your highness.

- Sir James.

- I was hoping to speak with you in private, sir.

- Sir James is my most trusted advisor, Mr. McGregor.

I have no secrets from him.

- Of course.

- The dearly departed Hotchkiss.

The man who was to deliver this letter

was my personal bodyguard.

- Well, I don't believe that his death

was an accident, sir.

- We're beset with enemies within.

The difficult part is trying to uncover them,

but we will.

- We will.

- The men who killed Mr. Hotchkiss didn't want

the Tsarevitch to get the message.

They wanted this meeting to go ahead.

- My cousin's life is in great danger.

- Sometimes, your highness, we must place

our personal concerns aside and concentrate

on the affairs of state.

Rumor has it the Russians are planning to invade India.

- No, this is not true, your highness.

- How could you possibly know that?

- Because I've met and spoken with the Tsarevitch.

He still wishes to meet with you at any cost.

- Do you think for one minute a prince of the royal blood

is going to confide in a commoner?

- Steady, Sir James.

William Hotchkiss was also a commoner.

I would be only too willing to meet with Nicholas

if his safety could be guaranteed.

- Your highness, I must strongly protest.

- Your protest has been duly noted, Sir James.

Can you guarantee my cousin's safety, Mr. McGregor?

- Well, I, um,

yes, sir, I think I can.

- Then the only question to be determined is

where?

- Thanks, I can breathe again.

- So did you enjoy tonight?

- I had never seen so much glitter in all my life.

It was wonderful.

I thought Rob and Montana looked very happy.

- Oh, yes they did,

after Rob finally found the nerve to ask her for a dance.

- Kathleen, I've been invited to go on a picnic

with the Milnes tomorrow.

- The Milnes.

- Dad's parliamentary friend.

- Oh.

- I got chatting with his daughter, Margaret.

She was the one in the green dress.

They're going to the gardens,

and I thought I might go along.

- Oh, I see.

- So you approve?

Could you talk to dad for me?

He's always a bit funny about me when I'm in Melbourne.

- Of course I can.

There shouldn't be a problem.

He knows George very well.

- Thanks, Kathleen.

- Now, doesn't he have a son?

- Mr. Milne?

- [Kathleen] Mm, I thought I saw him at the ball.

- Um, actually, he could have been there.

- Mm, tall, dark, and dangerously handsome, as I recall.

Is he going, too?

- If you don't want me to go, I'll...

- Go and have a good time.

Just be back at the hotel before it's dark.

- Thanks, Kathleen.

He's awfully nice.

I just hope he notices me.

- Well, there's no doubt of that.

Perhaps it's best that you're not here

when all this other business is going on.

- You will be careful, won't you?

- We will.

Good night.

- Are you saying the prince's private secretary's

a traitor?

- He also happens to be a veteran of the Crimean war,

and a very embittered one at that.

- He could have ordered the death

of the prince's emissary.

- I reckon the sooner we tell the prince

he's got a traitor in his midst, the better.

- Hmm, well unfortunately, it's not that simple.

See, the trouble is, the prince trusts him,

so we need proof.

- Well how do we get proof between now and tomorrow morning?

- Well, I'm not sure I can answer that,

but I do have a plan.

(laughing)

- So, what happened to that fancy tea house

you were going to take me to?

- Ah, yes, I'm sorry about that.

I've been sort of busy actually.

- Oh.

I'd settle for a cup of coffee in your room.

- In my room?

- Well, I'm sharing with Daddy.

Is there something wrong with your room?

- Ah, no, no, of course not.

- So late.

I began to think you weren't coming back.

- You have some nerve inviting me back to your room

when you knew good and well...

- I tell you I had no idea that she was gonna...

- Oh, enough talk.

It's obvious you've got your hands full.

- Montana, wait.

- Let her go.

- What are you doing in my room?

- The future of a nation is more important

than the lovers' quarrel.

- We're not lovers. - Good. I'm glad.

She's not your type.

Close the door.

Tsarevitch waits to hear what has happened.

I must report back to him.

- Well, ah, dad told me he's arranged a meeting

between the Tsarevitch and Prince Edward

tomorrow morning at some private location.

Ten o'clock.

- They can't allow.

It's too dangerous.

- Well, my father seems to have a plan.

- Your father, forgive me,

is a little better than a peasant.

- A peasant? He's a member of parliament.

- He knows nothing of international politics.

- Well, at least he got to see the Prince of Wales,

which is more than either you or your Tsarevitch

have been able to do.

And he arranged a meeting.

- Where?

- Well.

- Are you sure this is going to work?

- No, but it has to.

(knocking)

Montana.

Well, you ready?

- We are ready.

- Follow them.

- This is Montana Hale, your highness,

your good friend and neighbor from the

United States of America.

- The same young lady out there on the dance floor

last night?

- Yes, it is, sir.

- Remarkable transformation.

- I'll ride up front.

Oh, it's all right, Kathleen.

I know what I'm doing.

- Your highness.

- You stay with our friend, here.

I'll look inside.

- And what do we do now?

- We wait.

- And what if they don't come?

- Oh, they'll come. They'll come.

- What do you think, my prince?

- Dad's right. They'll come.

- Why are we stopping?

- There's been a slight change of plan, your highness.

- Without my approval?

- There wasn't time to get your approval.

- My good woman, this is tantamount

to being abducted against my will.

What about my meeting with the Tsarevitch?

- Oh, the meeting will still go ahead, your highness.

- How? Where?

- What's wrong with right here, cousin?

- Nicholas!

- Trusty cab driver, your highness.

- Cab driver, indeed.

Let's talk.

- I worry about Nicholas.

How much longer?

(metal clangs)

- Here.

Look sharp.

(foreboding music)

(gun cocks)

(gun fires)

- Rob!

- [Rob] I'm all right.

(grunts)

- Where are the others?

- [Rob] Are you all right?

(grunts)

- Sir James Hamilton. Where is he?

You tell me.

- You'll get nothing out of me.

- The prince, is that it?

Is Sir James with the Prince of Wales?

- I think this little meeting is now over.

- Sir James?

- Your highness.

(grunts)

(gun cocks)

- [Svetlana] We must go faster.

- Ya!

- All along, it was you.

I suspected Frobisher, but never you.

Why, James?

Why?

- Because I was one of the 600 in the Crimean carnage.

Reason enough.

- You'll hang for this.

- On the contrary, it is you who are about to die,

assassinated by agents of the Tsarevitch,

who, in turn, will be shot in revenge by your loyal aides.

Her majesty will have no choice

but to declare war on Russia.

- You're forgetting, there are witnesses.

- Who will, unfortunately, be killed in the crossfire.

- This won't bring those men back, Sir James.

- They won't have died in vain, Mrs. McGregor.

Russia will be ours.

- Listen to me.

- I've spent far too many years

listening to you, your highness.

There's nothing more for us to say.

- Hold it!

(gun fires)

- War is not the answer to the troubles of the world, James.

It never has been.

- I enter the valley of death.

- We wanted you to share this historic moment.

The peace treaty between our two countries

is now official.

(clapping)

- No more war.

Only good will and cooperation.

- And not before time.

- I would love to stay, but,

I have to go into town, if you'll excuse me.

- May I accompany you?

I like to see for myself the standard of living

of Australian peasants.

- Over here we don't call them peasants, Svetlana.

- No? Serfs?

- Did I hear someone say they were going into town?

Would you like a driver?

- Yes.

- You're not leaving us, Mrs. McGregor?

- Well, unfortunately, your highness,

I have a newspaper to run.

But I'll be back in time to say goodbye.

- A woman of many talents, Mr. McGregor.

- This is her husband, cousin?

- Indeed, cousin.

As is our brave little friend over here.

- You don't look like cousins.

- Josh.

- That is because we are twice removed.

- Which means they're second cousins, Josh.

- And now, thanks to you,

we are one, big, happy family.

(clapping)

- So, this is where serfs bring goods to the market, yes?

- Hmm, yes.

- Come, show me the marketplace.

Something wrong?

- No, no, not at all.

Ah, Montana, just showing Svet...

Miss Koromansky where the serfs,

where the locals do business.

- Oh, that's nice.

I'm on my way to Langower to take Nick,

I mean the Tsarevitch, fishing.

- Nice horse. Too good for a serf.

In my country, only people of good breeding ride horses.

- Oh, Kathleen, I was beginning to think

you were gone for good.

No doubt you met the Prince of Wales?

- Oh, yes.

As a matter of fact, James,

he's out at Lengower right now having afternoon tea.

- Uh-huh.

No doubt next week it'll be the Tsar of Russia.

- No, the Tsar of Russia is actually out there, too, James.

(pleasant music)