Original subtitles

Alison and the housekeeper's son, Gwyn, find an old dinner service in the loft,

and Alison traces its pattern to make paper owls.

Nancy, the housekeeper, is furious with Alison when she finds the plates have

been moved.

They were a present from her former lover, Bertram, who was killed in a

motorbike accident.

Alison's stepfather, Clive, tries to calm them both down.

The gardener, Hugh, hints to Alison's stepbrother, Roger, at a link between

the triangle of Gwyn, Roger, and Alison, and the tragic legend of Bleduith,

created out of flowers as a wife for the hero Thu, and turned into an owl when

she deserted him for the young man Gronu.

Roger is in fact becoming increasingly isolated and unhappy as the odd man out

among the three young people.

Alison and Gwynn arrange to meet in the stables at four o'clock each day.

Gwynn is scornful of the spineless way in which Alison and Roger allow their

parents to organize their lives for them.

But he himself is desperately afraid that Nancy may not let him continue at

grammar school.

He's obsessed by his Welsh accent, and confesses to Alison that he has bought

an elocution course on gramophone records.

Alison tries to reassure him, but their relationship is discovered by her mother

Margaret, who forbids Alison to have anything to do with Gwyn.

For four successive days, Gwyn waits at four o'clock for an Alison who doesn't

come.

One afternoon... Clive is told by Alison about strange noises heard behind a

padlock door.

When Hugh is questioned, he implies that Nancy locked the door and threw the key

in the river.

Utterly absorbed, Alison fails to realise that it is nearly four o'clock

and that she is still standing in the stable yard.

Gwyn suddenly appears.

Clive asks her what he's staring at.

Alison doesn't reply, and under Clive's direction, is forced to snub Gwyn to his

face.

Is that what they teach you at the ground up?

Wish it was.

A-level profanity. Bye.

That'll be worth taking.

What's all this?

Oh, you may well ask.

Just a minute. I've got a bone to pick with you.

What are you doing? Clearing out.

No. I told him.

We're going?

48 hours from tomorrow, I told him. And I don't want no references, no known

used.

I'm off.

I told him.

Only two more days?

Only two days?

Ma'am, not yet.

Please, ma'am.

How did he find out? What have you been saying behind my back? Nothing, ma'am.

Nobody knows what I done with that key.

Nobody.

It's you, is it?

Soft-soaping me and then running to them with your tails. No!

What key?

After all I've done for you, running to them with your tails.

You think you're one of them now, don't you? You know it all, don't you?

Right, my lad, right.

You know where you'll start next month.

Behind that counter at the co-op.

That's your finish, boy.

I'll come back when you're most civilised.

How absolutely embarrassing.

It's disgusting.

Well, haven't you ever cried?

Haven't you?

Don't be an idiot.

Not answer my question.

Well, years ago, maybe. Not recently.

And certainly not in public.

What about when your mother left?

Hmm? Shut it.

Don't be coarse. You've heard nothing yet.

I only ask.

And I'm only telling you. Shut it.

I don't know. Why are you so thin-skinned about your parents?

You've done pretty well out of it. Or your father has.

You leave my boy. Clive's sweet, but he's a bit of a rough diamond, isn't he?

Mummy's people were very surprised when she married him. Yes, she was pretty

damn quick off the mark for a widow.

Does she always home on to the nearest bank book?

Archer.

I think I ought to go and see what's the matter with Gwyn.

Well, on your head be it.

But I'd leave well alone if I were you.

Well, a couple more days and you'll have no problem. Oh, you're hateful.

Now then, Ali.

Look, this place will be a lot better without those two weirdies.

Well, admit it.

I shouldn't be surprised if the whole thing's a put-up job between them and

that half-bacon moron to scare us out.

So they can dig up the treasure.

Or is it the very nerve centre of the illicit Welsh whisky trade, look you?

You're not even vaguely funny.

Look, you know that what Gwyn told me makes sense.

If it was anybody else, you'd agree.

That battery on wires, hogwash.

Yes, you feel he's right, I know you do.

You can't bear to think he's cleverer than you are, if that's your trouble.

You couldn't have worked it up like Gwyn hasn't. You call that working it out?

That moonshine, that claptrap?

Oh, he's smart. Too smart.

He had it all pat the day after you found those plates, didn't he? The very

next day.

Oh, he's smart, all right.

He knows instinctively. He belongs here.

Instinctively? Do me a favour. He wants to believe it. Him and Bacon Bontz. You

can talk yourself into anything if you try hard enough.

Like now?

Like hell. Oh, you're stupid. I may be stupid, but I'm not blubbing on the

stairs. Perhaps you never had cause to. Perhaps?

Look, Ali, let's stop this.

okay he's clever but he's not one of us he never will be he's a

yobbo a clever yobbo that's all there is to it

What will you do when you leave school?

Go in with Dad, of course.

But what do you want?

I told you.

You want to?

Yes.

Well, what else?

Well, you like photography and you're good at it.

Yes, you are.

Wouldn't you like to be a photographer?

I might not be good enough.

Well, you don't know until you try.

You mean professionally?

What would I use for money?

It takes years to become established.

Anyhow, Dad has it all lined up for me.

Look, I'm serious.

If you wanted to be a photographer, what would Clive say?

He'd make the wallpaper curl.

And you?

Would you stick out against him?

Would you?

Against Margaret?

I don't know.

It's awful.

I never felt anything that strongly.

Well, I can always do it in my spare time.

It's a hobby.

What started you off on this?

Gwyn, he's upset me.

You're not the only one he's upset.

What will happen to him?

What do you think he'll do with himself?

He'll become a teacher.

Something equally wet.

His mother is threatening to make him leave school and work in a shop. Then

he'll work in a shop.

Well, can't you realize?

He has to find everything for himself.

Do him the world of good.

The awful thing is, he knows it, but he doesn't know where to begin.

He's saved up and bought an elocution course on gramophone records.

You'd never guess to listen to him.

He can't use them. He hasn't got a record player, that's what I mean.

Doesn't it make you feel ashamed?

Not really.

It's four o'clock, girl.

Aren't you forgetting something?

Like meeting me in the stables every day?

What are you doing?

Talking to you.

Go away!

Sorry, miss.

What's that to me?

I'm going the day after tomorrow.

Alison, tomorrow.

One day.

Where have you been, girl?

Mummy saw us up the mountain.

She was watching us through binoculars.

Dirty-minded bitch.

She was waiting for me and now I daren't.

I just daren't.

Oh, Gwyn, please go.

I'm going after tomorrow, so I'm here now.

I've nothing to lose.

But I have, you don't know.

You better tell me then. I'm listening.

Go away.

Nice drawing you're doing.

Go away. Anybody can see.

The

stables

are this way.

fire a minute sir.

what?

how do you like my bonny fire?

very good.

it's a beauty bonny fire.

do you have them to Birmingham?

sometimes.

what are you burning?

boulder.

Reminds me of when I was a kid baking potatoes.

It is all right for you to go now.

It is quite safe.

I don't understand.

I understand what it's been like since you went to that mountain. I'll give you

that free girl.

Your man couldn't do worse in these last five days.

Come on.

You tell me.

Marie says... if I talk to you again...

she'll...

Leave the choir.

What? She means it. I have to leave the choir.

And she won't renew my subscription.

Subscription? For the tennis club.

Club? Yes, well, you see... See, see, see, see... Quiet!

See, see... She said that, did she? Your mum? And you didn't tell her where she

could stop the choir and the tennis?

What do you mean?

That's why you didn't come, is it?

It did happen.

We were up there on the mountain.

It did all happen.

Of course.

And you gave me that box with the owl in.

Why?

I was happy.

I wanted to give you a present.

And the choir and the tennis?

You put that against everything else?

It's Mummy.

I can't bear to see her hurt or upset.

No.

Naturally.

All right, girl.

Don't be angry.

You frighten me when you're angry.

I'm not angry.

Never mind.

Did you find out about your cousin Bertram?

Yes.

He was very clever with his hands.

And all those animals in the billiard room were his work.

And he made the cases for them.

What else?

That's all. Mummy wouldn't tell me anymore.

Nothing about how you were killed?

No.

Shall I tell you then?

How did you manage that?

In for a penny, in for a pound.

I thought my mum would have an idea about what's going on.

So a couple of days ago, I... Well, I siphoned off half a glass of port from a

decanter.

It's all she needs.

And she was in the right mood for getting a kick out of finishing it.

And that was that.

Bye.

What?

You were right about his being good with his hands.

He had this vintage motorbike, see?

Done it up himself.

And one day he was coming up over the pass.

One in four just there.

And he failed to negotiate a bend, as they say.

He'd left his brakes at home.

The bike jammed itself on some slate.

But he went 300 feet.

You'll come?

Tomorrow? I can't.

There's only tomorrow.

I can't. I'm going back to Abba.

I know.

Tomorrow, Alison.

Please.

Can't you see? You must. Oh, stop it.

Stop it. Stop tearing me between you.

You and Mummy, you go on till I don't know who I am, what I'm doing.

Of course I can see now.

But afterwards she starts and...

What she says is right then.

I just want you to be yourself.

What's that?

What you make me?

I'm one person with mum and another with you. I can't argue.

You twist everything around to what you want. Is that fair?

You will be here.

Tomorrow.

It's the last time.

Quinn. How now, brown cow?

What's he on about?

Nothing.

What's that brown cow? Nothing, Gwyn. Are you having trouble?

No.

Tea? Yes, I'm coming.

How's the rain in Spain?

Still mainly on the plain?

What's he on about? Be quiet, Roger.

What's that about cows and rain?

Don't tell me you haven't reached the lesson yet.

I thought it came on the very first record.

Aren't you? You told him. You told him. Told him. No.

You told him. Was it a good life? No, Gwyn. I bet it was.

What else? What else was funny?

You're wrong.

You wouldn't have told him about the sheep and the stilts, will you? Not when

you got the big life. It wasn't like that. I promise, it wasn't. You couldn't

run back quick enough, could you? You're not quite on the ball, actually.

Ali didn't say much.

I mean, I don't know whether you're using the complete improver prole set.

Or the shorter course of Oik's exercises.

The getting by in the shop.

Alison?

Quinn.

Don't look at me like that.

Don't.

Don't look at me like that.

Calm down, Ali.

It's okay, he's gone.

He's done a bunk.

I told you, he's a yob.

I told you.

He's a yob.