Original subtitles

Desert Rose?

Come for the flowers, you're wasting your time.

I'm not here for that.

Mr Thorne's in real estate.

Reckons he had the mandate to sell the Greyling farm.

-Did he have any visitors? -No.

-You left this in his bed. -That f***ing ugly thing?

Your secret's safe.

Maybe we can talk about a partnership over the flower fest.

The Norfolk hosts the big Saturday night event,

and you make sure this place is closed.

I need you to say that you were with me.

-When? -On the night that Bill Thorne died.

Why would I lie? If you don't, I'll tell Patti about this.

He was terrorising my grandchild.

Hugo Heinz, from Port Nolloth. We've had words.

Why were you at the Greyling farm last night?

Business.

-What type of business? -Do I have to answer that now?

No.

We can continue this conversation down at the cop shop in Desert Rose.

-(gasping) -(gun shot)

-(laughing) -(jazz music over speakers)

-(Ilse) Oh, you're too much! -(indistinct chatter)

How are you, Cornishman?

(Cornelius) Freddy. Ladies.

What's the matter, Frederik?

(piano music in background)

Headmaster Woodbury, asked me to hand in my resignation.

What?

(Freddy) My contract was coming to an end.

It's just time to move on.

No Frederik, you know it's not fair.

After everything you've done for that school,

we deserve better than this, Frederik.

Leave this place, focus on your music full-time.

Nonsense.

-(chuckling) -He's an English teacher.

(Ilse) He's going to be a big deal.

We just need to leave this shit-hole.

-Desert Rose is our home. -(scoffing) Not anymore.

I'm gonna have to go on this one alone.

(Ilse) Hm?

I can't take my family.

(tense music)

What did you say?

(melancholy music)

So your Mom and I spoke,

we figured we've done our little bit as parents.

You're all good, and now...

you're free.

Free?

(Freddy) Yes.

Why would we want to be free of you?

(Freddy) Okay, maybe you don't, but you are, starting now.

Where are you going?

(Ilse) There's a big music scene in Port Nolloth,

and your father wants to reach for the stars.

-(Eben chuckling) -Someone has to pay the debts, Eben.

-How you gonna make money? -(Freddy) Gigs.

Playing what? Jan Pierewiet?

Original music, your mom knows my repertoire.

Wake up Dad, it's 2010. People don't want to hear songs

about sad old desert people.

-That's not true. -There's a market for this s***.

-How do you know, Mom? -Okay.

-What are we supposed to do? -How about live your life?

-(Freddy) If you like. -Lucy is six!

-Lucy's your kid. -And we are your kids!

So?

You can't just stop being our parents.

(Ilse) We're still your parents. Always and forever.

(Freddy) You're just not beholden to us.

You are your own unique people, free.

(melancholy music)

Anyways, your... your Mom is staying.

-(Eben) You're not going with him? -(Ilse sighing)

And I...

I support his decision.

-Bullshit. -Mom!

It's in my veins.

There'll be no disagreement.

I bugger off tomorrow morning.

-(Eben sobbing) -(sombre music)

(sombre music)

(engine starting)

(melancholy music)

# Artist: Neil Sandilands # # Tracey-Lee Oliver #

# Title: Desert Rose #

# There are legends in the sky #

# Desert Rose, she only knows #

# You've never tasted water # # My friend #

# Where the gemsbok stands alone #

# In the koppies shines the throne #

# Namaqualand # # My rose of diamond stone #

# And the rain, yes, the rain # # Will see us kissing once again #

# For the Desert Rose to bloom # # In heaven's name #

-(slow guitar music) -# Layla singing #

# yellow diamond looking trees #

# Sunday's in the art of mine #

# dominos and millies all the time #

Junior, what are you doing here?

-(ominous music) -(door opening)

-(Hugo) Eugene. -Get inside, geez, Louise.

-Hey, hey. -Are you slow?

I had nowhere else to go, okay?

-Did you shoot him? -Who?

(Eugene) The cop.

How... How did you know?

News bulletin.

It's on the news?

He's a f***ing cop, Hugo.

What is wrong with you?

Okay.

-Why did you do it? -Look, he connected us.

-He connected us? -Yes.

-Okay, who else knows? -No one, no one, no one knows.

Good.

-Ah, f***. -Hugo.

(tense music)

(Hugo) Freddy knows, he came to my shack.

(Eugene) What? Why?

I tried to kidnap his grandkid. She f***ing took my pinkie, Eugene!

(Eugene) Well...

If Freddy knows me, we have to deal with him.

No, no, no.

Do you think I want to be connected to a cop killer?

(snapping fingers)

This is your mess to clean up, Hugo.

(ominous music)

(Armand) Hey.

-(Eben) Hey. -(jackal howling)

-I'm Armand. -Eben.

I thought I might find you here.

What do you want?

-Help. -I'm not a tour guide.

I have money.

So, what do I look like to you? Box truck's over there if you want to...

No, no. That...

I'm looking for someone.

Who?

He went missing a week ago.

Dropped off the face of the earth.

Last we heard, he was on his way to Desert Rose.

I expect I'm going to find him, passed out in a brothel.

But I told my mom I'd find him, so, that's what I'm going to do.

-What's his name? -Van Rooyen.

-Bertus van Rooyen. -(dramatic music)

(Bertus gasping)

Bertus?

I've never...

I've never heard of him.

(ominous music)

(knocking on door)

(Patti crying out)

Patti?

(Patti) I wear clip-ons.

So?

This isn't mine.

-Whose is it? -How should I know?

-Is this Lucy Greyling's? -What?

Patti, no.

How can you ask me that?

-Because I'm not bloody blind, Gus! -She's a teenager, Patti.

I saw...

(whispering) The picture of her on your phone.

Where? Wait, wait. Lucy has a schoolgirl crush on me.

-(Pattie) Okay, okay! So, why is her -It's innocent.

-earring on our bedroom floor? -I didn't want to make a big deal

of it, because she's just lost her mother.

But... I think she might've placed it here

so you would find it and this would happen.

-(Patti laughs) -I mean, she's crazy, you know.

All the Greyling's are.

Oh G**, Gus.

What have you done?

Nothing.

(Patti sobbing)

(light-hearted music)

-Hey, did you find the car? -Yeah.

Where was it?

I found it at a strip club in Port Nolloth.

A car?

Guess who I found?

(Freddy) When did you go to Port Nolloth?

-Ella Vaalbooi. -What?

Hey?

I asked her to come back with me, but she said no.

She doesn't want to see you, Dad.

(country music over speakers)

(country music over speakers)

# Ella singing #

(crowd cheering)

(phone trilling)

(Ella over phone) Hello?

Ella.

-(Ella) Freddy. -I know you said I shouldn't call.

But what if I just listen?

Hi. Captain Williams, please. I'm his wife.

(Nurse) Ma'am, he was brought in with a gunshot wound.

-Is he alive? -(nurse) Your husband is in surgery.

Oh, thank G**. Thank G**.

(Layla moaning in pain)

Oh, I need to get to the labour ward, please.

-(moaning) -Are you okay, Ma'am?

(singing in Afrikaans)

Okay, sorry, sorry.

Fingers, I think you need to sing this.

(Johnny) People are coming to watch you.

We spoke about this.

We are the Shangri-la band and we do this together or there's nothing.

Just give us a lick, something that can get us into it.

You want a minor.

Let's try that.

Okay. Okay, Marge, this is the attack for it, so...

(Freddy playing ukulele)

...go the minor, E minor.

On a minor, on E.

♪ singing ♪

(melancholy music)

(sighing)

(melancholy music)

(melancholy music)

What does that jerk want now?

He wants to close us down over the flower festival.

-(Piet) Check this out, Cornelius! -(Jana laughing)

Lucy!

I need to talk to you.

What the f***? Are you crazy, lady?

Don't lie to me.

-Is this yours? -No.

I said don't lie to me! Is this...

-Just tell me. -No!

I wouldn't wear granny jewellery. Check it's...

-Are you in charge? -Yes.

-Two rooms. -Name?

-I didn't make a booking. -It's the flower fest, sir.

I'm afraid if you didn't make a booking...

(Hugo) Hugo Heinz. I've been here before.

Yes, Mr Heinz.

No bowling ball?

Very good to see you again, sir. Two rooms?

Ah, yes, the best I can offer you is room ten.

-It's two singles, en-suite. -Sharing?

(Hugo) We'll take it.

Enjoy your stay.

(Lucy) Where are you from?

Richtersveld.

-Wow, that's far. -Not that far.

Ella was in my band many moons ago.

Ella has a great voice.

She can sing where dogs can't hear.

-(Ella chuckling) Stop it. -A verse, please Ella.

Maybe later, I just arrived.

It's good that you're here, 'coz the band is like, really terrible.

-What? -(Freddy) What? F***!

-Freddy. -Layla Williams is having a baby,

so Auntie Marge, has to sing

and yeah, she sounds like an angry ostrich.

But Freddy, you're the one who sings in the band.

(Freddy) I will have none of that. Those days are long gone.

It's flower festival.

-People want to see Freddy Fingers. -(Freddy) Yeah, yeah.

-You see, Grandpa? -Did anyone see my other...

Ella.

Jana.

I'm sorry to hear about Rosie.

You know...

Eben says you're a stripper nowadays.

(Freddy) Got to pay the bills, right?

-I left that job. -(Jana) Mm.

What's next on the cards? Porn?

-Why, do you have tips for me? -(laughing) Really?

(Freddy) Can we just calm down and have an incredible meal?

Grandpa says Ella's got a beautiful voice.

(Freddy) She does.

(ominous music)

(fan whirring)

(Hugo snoring)

(Hugo snoring)

Why is she back?

-Flower fest. -Oh, come on.

I don't know.

Where is she sleeping?

She's sleeping in Rosie's bedroom.

-And you? -Couch.

(Freddy) Ishara.

She's my friend.

It's that simple.

Can you give her a chance?

(scoffing)

-She ruined our lives. -I did that.

Not her.

You did it because of her.

(Jana) Lucy! Lucy!

Hey!

What are you doing? Where are you going?

(Jana) Hey, wha...

-(door opening) -(baby crying)

Hey.

She's beautiful.

-Are you okay? -Yeah.

I was lucky, the bullet just grazed me.

-(band playing) -(Marge singing)

(Freddy) Marge, Marge.

-We need Layla, guys. -Yeah, uh...

Layla is in hospital, Marge.

(Marge) Sorry.

Take five.

(Freddy) I can't do this without you. I can't.

You know this music. You grew up with this music.

This is a Greyling song.

It's not Ella's fault.

I know.

It's mine.

Stop trying to love me, Dad.

I know that you brought me up and you expect my love in return,

but... (sniffing)

I have no love to give.

And I don't deserve it, because I killed her.

-I killed Mom. -No.

That night, you told Mom you loved Ella.

That's why she got drunk.

That's why I had to drive, and that's why she's dead.

That was me.

That was me.

I'm your father, I did that.

-That's my fault. -(Ishara sighing)

Do you remember that holiday?

At Auntie Emma's?

And Eben couldn't come.

You took me for a walk,

and you told me to never stop singing.

Because I really miss him.

(melancholy music)

(Gus) Lucy.

-(Lucy) You lied to me, Mr Dolly. -Lucy.

-Put the gun down, please! -I trusted you!

(Gus) What are you saying?

-I don't understand. -You and Auntie Jana!

-What? -I saw the earring!

You've been sleeping with my aunt!

Okay, now you've gone too far, young lady.

Come down from that horse and let's talk in my office.

Are you calling me a liar?

-No. -Say it!

-No, Lucy. -One!

-Two! -Okay! Okay.

(panting) It's true.

Don't shoot me, please.

I love my wife.

(Lucy laughing)

Lucy.

(breathing heavily)

(Marge singing Maanskyn)

F*** it, f*** it. Stop.

Stop.

No. (Freddy stammering)

There's no synth here. There's strings, there's beats.

(indistinct chatter)

-(Cornelius) Patti, Gus, welcome. -(Gus) Good evening.

Welcome to the Norfolk Hotel, folks.

So, tomorrow's a big day for our town.

People are coming from far and wide, to see the flowers.

There are no flowers.

(Cornelius) My advice, Avoid the Shangri-La.

Those people are crooks and they will steal your money.

(Hugo) Freddy Fingers is playing, there's no way I'm missing that.

(Cornelius laughing) Fingers is dead, pal.

They're trying to reheat an old meal. (Cornelius laughing)

Excuse me.

The Greyling's are a good family.

I taught with Rosanna and Lucy's my pupil...

I'm talking about the trash daughter, Jana.

She pushed Bill Thorne, the other night in my hotel room.

(Cornelius) Broke his neck. Crick!

-Like that. -(Hugo) Killed him?

(Cornelius) Yeah, and got away with it scot-free.

Best thing...

Stay away from that seedy place.

-Bad tree. Bad apples. -Jana didn't kill Bill Thorne.

-She wasn't even in your hotel. -What's that?

-She was with me. -(Cornelius) Oh, yeah?

Yes.

She was at our house for dinner.

So get your facts straight, Cornelius.

(Ella) You know, you can hate me all you want.

Honestly, I'm not here to be your friend, but...

he really needs you in a way that I can't help him.

What you reading?

Hey? Not much.

Nature mag, huh?

Yes.

Gorillas.

You ever seen one?

-On TV. -Joburg Zoo?

-I've never been to Joburg. -Serious?

No, I've never left the Northern Cape.

Well, you should.

One day.

It was good to meet you.

I'm leaving.

No.

I asked around. Retraced his steps, but no one knows where he is.

-I'm sorry. -Yeah.

Me too.

Thanks.

(upbeat music)

(cheering)

(upbeat music)

(indistinct chatter)

Patti.

You left this under my bed.

-Patti, I can explain... -No.

Don't speak.

I get it. You're a good person.

It's tough out here living in the dust.

We are all doing our best.

The Dolly's and the Greyling's are on the same side.

But this...

ends now.

(shakily) I don't know what it is, Jana.

Gus was so happy when we moved out here.

He was so excited to make a difference in this place.

At the school.

And so I made the decision to love it here, and I tried.

For him, for us.

A rose wilting in the sun, is how he described me to his brother.

Too soft,

with prickles. And I know what he meant.

His brother didn't laugh, though. He looked at me.

He looked at me.

I know how it feels.

Anyway, time passed and...

Gus relaxed, he went on netball camp.

Then I stayed at home, and looked after the garden.

And Gus's brother...

He would come and help me choose the sweetest gnomes and frogs.

And it was so...

So, that happened.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry that Lucy got hurt in all of this.

Gus has a good heart. He's a good man.

I think that we've all just...

We've all let ourselves unravel a bit, haven't we?

(Jana chuckling)

We're having a baby.

Patti.

So, for now...

this is home.

Thank you.

(Jana sniffing)

(crowd cheering)

Well, here is, the Johnny Cash of the Kalahari,

the smoothest note in the Namaqua.

Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together

for the pride of Desert Rose, Freddy Fingers!

(crowd cheering)

(crowd chanting) Fingers, Fingers!

(crowd cheering)

You're in for a bit of a treat!

(crowd cheering)

(band playing Maanskyn)

Hey.

Where's Lucy?

I haven't seen her.

(band playing Maanskyn)

-(crowd cheering) -(crowd chanting) Fingers, Fingers!

(Freddy) I'd like to invite,

a very dear friend and a remarkable woman,

onto the stage. Let's hear it for Ella Vaalbooi.

(audience applauding)

This song is for my daughter, Rosie.

(band playing Desert Rose)

# and the desert, she's asleep #

# and the wind # # whispers her secrets back to me #

-(Eugene) Lucy. -(gasping) Eugene.

Have a seat, there's something I want to ask you.

Sit, Lucy.

# There are legends in the sky #

# Desert Rose, she only knows #

# You've never tasted water # # My friend #

# Where the gemsbok stands alone #

# We're all just skull and bones #

# Namaqualand # # My rose of diamond stone #

-No. -(ominous music)

(Lucy screaming)

The night she died,

your mother wanted to tell me something.

And I could tell by her voice it was important.

And the only thing she ever cared about was you.

-What was it? -How am I supposed to know, Eu gene?

-Don't call me that. -(whispering) Eugene.

-You need to show me respect. -Don't move!

-(Jana) Lucy. -(dramatic music)

(Jana) What my sister, ever saw in you, seriously.

(Ella) Fingers!

Alive and well, and living in Desert Rose.

-Damn f***ing right. -(Ella chuckling)

(Ella) You were amazing.

(dramatic music)

-(Ella gasping) -(Freddy groaning)

(Ella shrieking)

-(Ella screaming) -(Ishara) Dad!

-(Ella) Freddy! -Dad!

-(Freddy groaning) -(Ella) We need a doctor!

(Ishara) Springbok!

(Ella) No, he'll die before we get there!

(Ishara) Dad, call Philander, call Philander! Philander!

-(Freddy groaning) -(Ishara yelling)

Philander!

-Eben! Eben! -(Jana screaming)

(Eben groaning)

-Stop! -(Hugo yelling)

(dramatic music)

(Jana panting)

-Lucy. -(Hugo groaning)

(ominous music)

(Hugo groaning)

(Ella crying) Freddy. Freddy, stay with me, please.

Freddy, stay with me.

(melancholy music)

(Hugo groaning)

F***!

(dramatic music)

-(Hugo) F***! -(Hugo groaning)

(tense music)

-(Lucy) F*** off! -You know, Jana...

Jana, was the first to realise there was something going on

between me and Rosie, but I didn't care.

-(Lucy grunting) -Organised for Bill Thorne,

to sell the farmhouse to Freddy, and for me to loan Freddy the money.

When Freddy, skipped town, she offered Eben to me

to pay off the debt. Why do you think she did all that?

She wanted to build a life for her daughter.

To do what Freddy never did for her.

-(Lucy sobbing) -To keep her safe.

Why are you telling me this?

The night she died, Rosie.

-She wanted me to meet you. -(Lucy sobbing/groaning)

To meet my little girl.

-(Lucy sobbing/groaning) -You will come and live with me,

-and we will keep you safe. -In your dreams, Eu gene!

-(Lucy spitting) -I'm your father!

-No! -Say it! No!

-(choking) -I am your father!

(Eben) Eugene!

You're not a father.

-You're a childless, bloodless... -(Lucy screaming) Please!

No more, please. (sobbing) No more, please.

(Jana) It's okay. It's okay.

Are you okay? Are you okay?

(sombre music)

-(Lucy sobbing) -It's okay, it's okay.

(Eugene whimpering)

(melancholy music)

(sobbing)

(sobbing)

(Ishara chuckling)

(thunder rumbling)

(melancholy music)

(Lucy sobbing)

(thunder rumbling)

.