Educating Rita (1983) - full transcript

In London, the twenty-seven year-old hairdresser Rita decides to complete her basic education before having children as desired by her husband Denny. She joins the literature course in an open university and has tutorial with the middle-aged Dr. Frank Bryant that is an alcoholic and deluded professor from the upper-class without self-esteem. Frank lives with the also Professor Julia and they have a loveless relationship; Julia has a love affair with the dean Brian. The amusing Rita gives motivation to Frank to prepare her for the exams to join the university while she leaves Denny and moves to the house of the waitress Trish, who loves Gustav Mahler and is a cult woman. Will she succeed in the exams?

If you think you were invited just to be
laughed at, you can get out now.

You were invited
because I wished to have your company.

Yeah, well.

I'm all right with you, here in this room,

but when I saw those people
you were with, I couldn't come in.

I just seized up, cos I'm a freak.

I can't talk to the people
I live with any more,

I can't talk to the likes of them
at your house

because I'm a half-caste.

I decided I wasn't coming here again.
I went to the pub.

'They were all singing, all of 'em.



'Denny, looking happy. He'd just got
a few days' holiday from work.

'And me mother, not really on top form,
something was worrying her.

'Probably me dad.

'They were never really
love's young dream.

'Our Sandra, in love.

'Her fianc?, about the same.

'And her mates, all of 'em, singing...

'oh, some song they'd learned
from the jukebox.

'And I thought, "Just what the frig
am I trying to do?

"'Why don't I just pack it in, stay here

"'and join in with the singin'?"'

- And why didn't you?
- You think I can, don't you?

You think because you pass a pub
doorway and hear them all singing,

you think we're all OK,
that we're surviving with the spirit intact.



? Together

? That's OK?

'I did join in the singing

'but when I turned around,
me mother had stopped singin',

'and she was cryin'.'

I said, "Why are you crying, Mother?"

And she said, "There must be
better songs to sing than this. "

And I thought, "Yeah,
that's what I'm trying to do, isn't it?"

Sing a better song.

That's why I've come back
and that's why I'm staying.

So let's start work.

Now, big smile in a minute.
Big smile, big cheese, all right?

All in, all in.

Right, here we go.

Cheese!

Great, great. Now, just one more.

Big smile, now, come on there, love.

Here we go.

Great.

- Now, smile.
- Well...

that's the last of you lot off me hands.

Mind you, I don't know why some of you
bother getting bloody married.

Smile! Lovely.

- What's that supposed to mean?
- You're still not pregnant.

- Smile.
- Lovely!

How old are you now, Susan?

74, Dad.

You're not, you're 27.

Been married six years
and still no babby to show for it.

Here's your sister, two minutes married
and she's already four months pregnant.

Lovely! Lovely!

Now, just the last one now, last one.

Why don't you broadcast it?

Nothing wrong with being pregnant
before you're married.

Your mother was three months gone
before I married her.

Smile!

That's just what
I've always admired in you, Dad -

you're overflowing
with innate sensitivity and charm.

Thank you all very much.

Say, Denny. Denny, I'm sorry for you, lad.

If she was a wife of mine I'd drown her.

If I was a wife of yours I'd drown meself.

Hey, that was your father you insulted.

Oh, sod off.

It's dead easy, Susan -

you stop going to that university
and you stop taking the pill

or you're out.

- Why?
- You know why.

I don't, Denny.
All I'm doing is getting an education.

Just trying to learn. And I love it.

It's not easy, I get it wrong half the time,
I'm laughed at half the time

but I love it because it makes me feel
as though I'm in the land of the living.

All you try and do is put a rope around
me neck and tie me to the ground.

Are you gonna pack it in, Susan?

Did he say anything else to you
before you left?

He said it's warped me,
he said I betrayed him.

And I suppose I have.

Where are you staying?

Erm, me mother's. She said I can
go there for a bit and then...

...then I'll get a flat.

I'll be all right in a minute.
Give me a minute.

- What was me Macbeth essay like?
- Sod Macbeth.

- Why?
- Rita...

Come on, I want you to tell me
what you thought about it.

- Under the circumstances...
- It doesn't matter.

Under the circumstances
I need to do this. What was it like?

I told you it was no good.
Was it really useless?

I don't know what to say.

Yeah, well,
try and think of something, Frank.

I don't mind if you tell me it was rubbish.
I don't want pity. Was it rubbish?

No, no, it wasn't rubbish.

It was a totally honest, passionate
account of your reaction to a play.

- Sentimental?
- No, it was too honest for that.

It was almost moving.

But in terms of what you're asking me
to teach you,

in terms of passing examinations...

God. You see, I...

Say it! Go on. Say it.

In those terms, it's worthless.

It shouldn't be but it is.

But, in its own terms,

it's wonderful.

It's worthless, you said.

If it's worthless, you have got to tell me
because I wanna write essays like those.

I wanna learn and pass exams
like they do.

Yes, but if you're gonna write that sort
of stuff, you're going to have to change.

All right. But just tell me how to do it.

Yes, but I don't know if I want to tell you.

I don't know that I want to teach you.

What you have already is too valuable.

Valuable? What's valuable?

The only thing I value is here,

comin' here once a week.

But don't you see? If you're gonna write
that sort of stuff, pass examinations,

you're gonna have to suppress,
perhaps abandon, your uniqueness.

I'm gonna have to change you.

But don't you realise I want to change?

Is this your way of telling me
that I'm not good enough?

Of course you're good enough.

- If that's what you're saying, I'll go now.
- No.

Rita, I promise you,
you are good enough.

You see, it's difficult for you
with someone like me

but you've just got to keep telling me
and I'll start to take it in.

With me, you've gotta be dead firm.

You won't hurt me feelings.

If I do something that's crap,
I don't want pity,

I want you to say, "That's crap. "

Here.

It's crap.

So we dump it on the fire
and we start again.

- Frank.
- What?

- I don't wanna go.
- You have to.

Frank, I wish you were gonna be there.

- You understand me.
- So will the tutors at summer school.

- What if they realise how thick I am?
- They won't because you're not.

Rita, my dear, you can do it now.

Write the kind of essay you've begun to
write and you'll have nothing to fear.

- I still wish you were gonna be there.
- So do I, Rita.

Right, I've got your address in France,
so, er, I'll write to you, every day.

So have a good holiday.
And don't drink too much, will ya?

And no all-night parties.

- I should be so lucky!
- I mean it.

- Oh, do ya?
- Yes.

All right, I'll go to bed at ten every night
with a cup of cocoa and Howards End.

That's if Howard shows up.

- Bye-bye.
- Bye, Frank.

It's a pity I never brought my diary -

"One should always have something
sensational to read on the train"!

Oscar Wilde.

'Dear Frank,
today was me first real day here,

'and you know what?
I actually rode a bike.

'How's France?
I haven't heard from you.

'At first,
it was like I thought it would be.

'I didn't know anyone
and I was gonna go home.

'But, Frank, listen,
you would've been dead proud of me.

'I was standing in the library, you know,
looking at the books

'pretending I was dead clever.

'Anyway, this tutor
came up to me and he said... '

Are you fond of Ferlinghetti?

'Frank, it was on the tip of me tongue to
say, "Only when served with Parmesan. "

'But, Frank, I didn't, I held it back.
And I heard meself saying... '

Erm, actually, I'm not too familiar
with the American poets.

Well, if you like Ferlinghetti...

'Frank, he started telling me
all about the American poets.

'He wasn't even one of me official tutors.

'There must have been hundreds of us
in this lecture hall

'but when the professor finished
and asked if anyone had any questions,

'I stood up.

'Honest to God, I stood up. '

Yes?

'And everyone's looking at me.
I don't know what possessed me.

'I was going to sit down but hundreds
of people had seen me stand up.

'So I did it. I asked him a question. '

Erm, I was... I was wondering
if you think that Chekhov

was showing us the aristocracy
as, like, a decaying class.

This view of a Chekhovian aristocracy
in decay,

it is, I presume, one you've picked up
from Dr Palmer's book on Chekhov?

- No, no. I mean, excuse me, but no.
- I beg your pardon?

No, I didn't get it from that book.
I haven't read it.

Er, you see, the way I see Chekhov...

'Frank, you couldn't keep me down
after that.

'I've been asking questions all week,
mostly about Chekhov

'because, as you know,
I'm dead familiar with Chekhov. '

Hello, Bursar. How are you?
A new term beckons.

Dr Bryant, you're back
before term begins.

Preparations, Bursar, preparations.

I can't stand here idling,
there's work to be done.

Frank!

Rita!

My God, what is this vision
I see before me?

Do you like it? I've got a whole
new wardrobe. Do you like it?

It's very nice.
Did you manage to get any work done?

Work? We never stopped.

Lashing us with it, they were.

Another essay - lash! Do it again - smack!

Another lecture - lash! It was fantastic.

Frank, I could've stayed forever.

Oh, Frank, I've got so much to tell ya.

- Well, I'm free for the rest of the day.
- Great.

I bought you cigarettes in the duty free.

Frank, I've packed up.

Congratulations.

- Got a present for you.
- Oh? What is it?

It's not much but I thought, you know...

- Oh.
- Look, see what's written on it.

It's engraved.

"Must only be used for poetry.

"By strictest order, Rita. "

- I thought it'd be a gentle hint.
- Gentle?

What are we gonna be doing this term,
Frank? Let's do a dead good poet.

One of the greats.

- A dead good poet...
- Mmm.

- I've got just the man for you.
- Who?

They overcomplicate him, Rita,
they overcomplicate him.

You won't, you'll love him.

I was going to introduce him to you
before but I was saving him for you.

- Who?
- Read this.

O Rose, thou art sick!

The invisible worm
That flies in the night,

In the howling storm,

Has found out thy bed
Of crimson joy:

And his dark secret love

Does thy life destroy.

- You know it.
- Yeah, we did it at summer school.

- You did Blake at summer school?
- Yeah.

You weren't supposed to.

No, I know but we had this lecturer
and he was a real Blake freak.

So you've, er, you've done, er, Blake?

Yeah.

- Songs Of Innocence And Experience?
- Oh, course.

Well, you don't do Blake without doing
Innocence And Experience, do you?

Thanks, Frank.

Sure you don't want me to come in?
You never know who you'll meet.

If I end up as a white slave
I'll send you a postcard.

Go on! I'll see you at the tutorial.

Yes?

Erm... I've come about the advert.
You know, for sharing the flat.

Wouldn't you just die
without Mahler?

Oh! What am I doing?

Come in, come in.

Just through there, we're up the stairs,
sort of mezzanine level. Follow me.

Well, this is it.
A small place but mine own.

Do say you'll take it! You're positively
the first human being that's applied.

Yeah. Yeah, I'll take it.

What?

I said I'll take the flat!

Oh, what am I doing?

This is madness!

What do you...?

- What do you do?
- Er, I'm a hairdresser.

Oh, dear. By choice?

I suppose so.

What do you do?

Oh, darling, a bit of this, a bit of that.

I'm running a bistro
for a friend at the moment.

Fascinating people. You'd love it!

What did you say your name was?

- Well, I've, er...
- Oh, Mahler!

Wouldn't you just die without him?

Hello, Frank.

Hello, Rita. You're late.

I know, I know. I'm terribly sorry, Frank.

But, Frank, wouldn't you simply die
without Mahler?

Frankly, no.
Why are you talking like that?

I have merely decided to talk properly.

You see, as Trish says, there's not a lot
of point in discussing beautiful literature

with a ugly voice.

But you haven't got an ugly voice.
At least, you didn't have.

- Why don't you just be yourself?
- I am being meself.

- Who the hell is Trish, anyway?
- Me new flatmate.

- Oh. Is she a good flatmate?
- Frank, she's fantastic.

She's dead classy, you know?
She's got taste, like you have.

Everything in the flat
is dead unpretentious.

Just books and plants everywhere.

I'm having the time of me life.

I am, you know? I feel young.

Rita, 27 is hardly old.

Yes, I know but I mean, I feel young.

I can be young, like them down there.

I want you to do an essay on Blake.

I know you're an expert on Blake now

but I haven't had the benefit
of your wisdom on the subject.

Are you still on that stuff?

Did I ever say I wasn't?

- Well, no, but...
- But what?

Why do it when you've got
so much going for you?

It is because I have
so much going for me that I do it.

Life is such a rich and frantic world

that I need the drink
to help me step delicately through it.

It'll kill you, Frank.

Rita, I thought you weren't interested
in reforming me.

- I'm not! It's just...
- Just what?

Well, I thought you might have started
reforming yourself.

Under your influence?

But, Rita, if I take the oath -
if I repent and reform -

what will I do
when your influence is no longer here?

No, your going is as inevitable as...

- Macbeth.
- As tragedy, yes.

But it will not be a tragedy
because I shall be glad to see you go.

Oh, thank you very much.

Will you really?

Be glad to see you go? Of course.

I wouldn't want you to stay
in a room like this forever.

You can be a real misery sometimes.

I was dead happy when I came in.

Now I feel like I'm having
a bad night in the morgue.

- He's eaten it.
- He hasn't!

Darling, could you take table 14?

- Yeah, OK.
- That horrible man

keeps coming in here to chat me up.

Where are the real men these days?

Why don't we get the likes of Shelley
and Byron and Coleridge in here?

- I think they'd smell a bit.
- Oh, you are a love.

Did you see
the production of Saint Joan...

Can I take your order?

Er, I'll begin with the p?t? mackerel.

Oh, yeah, that's very good, yeah.

Really, it was beautiful.

- It was written later than that.
- It was 1926.

I know that Shaw wrote
Saint Joan in 1926.

He didn't, Tiger. Shaw wrote it in 1936.

Actually, Shaw wrote Saint Joan in 1923

but the first production was in 1924
at the New Theatre in London.

More wine, anyone?

- Hi, Susan.
- Hiya.

Hi, Susan!
Susan!

- What?
- We want you to settle an argument.

- What about?
- Lawrence's early works.

I reckon they're a load of rubbish.

- Hello, Susan.
- What's up?

Hiya, Frank.

I'm sorry I'm late. I got talking to some
students, I never realised the time.

Well, well, well.
You talking to students, Rita.

Well, don't sound so surprised!
I can talk, you know.

You used to be so wary of them.

God knows why. They don't half
come out with some rubbish.

You're telling me!

Do you know what one of them said?

He said that, as a novel, he preferred
Lady Chatterley to Sons And Lovers.

Right, so I thought,
"Right, either I can ignore this

"or I can put him straight. "

So I put him straight.

- So you finished him off, did you, Rita?
- Oh, Frank, he was asking for it.

He was an idiot.
His argument just crumbled.

It wasn't just me, anyway.
Everyone agreed with me.

Tiger was with them.
Do you know Tiger?

Yes.

He's dead mad, you know.

He's only known me five minutes,
he's inviting me to go abroad.

They're all going to the south of France,
slumming it.

You can't go, you've got exams.

Me exams are before the summer.

Well, y-you've got to, er,
wait for the results.

His real name's Tyson,
they call him Tiger.

Is there any point in going on with this?

Is there any point
in working towards an examination

if you're gonna fall in love
and set off to the south of France?

Fall in love? With who?

My God, Frank, I'm just talking
to some students down on the lawn.

Jesus, I've heard of matchmaking
but this is ridiculous.

Well, stop burbling on about Mr Tyson.

I'm not burbling on.

Well? What's me essay like?

It, er...

It wouldn't look out of place with these.

Honest?

Dead honest.

? Why are we waiting?

? Why are we waiting?

? Why are we waiting

? Oh why, oh why?

Poetry.

Literature.

What does it benefit a man...

if he gaineth the whole of literature

and loseth his soul?

No but seriously, folks,

there is something that I have always
wanted to ask you, and it is -

have you seen Peer Gynt
on the radio?

Er...

assonance.

Do you know... Do you know
what assonance means?

Eh? It means getting the rhyme wrong!

It's terrible, isn't it?

Terrible.

Taking the name of literature in vain,

it's like pissing on Wordsworth's tomb.

The difference between
the tragic and tragedy

is inevitability.

Come on, let's get him to his room.

Did you know that Macbeth
was a maggoty apple?

Not many people know that.

Dr Bryant, the Vice Chancellor feels,
and we all agree,

that this sort of thing
must never happen again

or the consequences could be serious.

Thank you.

Sod them, eh, Rita?

Sod them!

- Will they sack you?
- Good God, no.

That would involve making a decision.

Pissed is all right. To get the sack, it
would have to be rape on a grand scale.

And not just with students. That would
only amount to a slight misdemeanour.

No. For dismissal, it would have to be
nothing less than buggering the Bursar.

Frank, even if you don't
think about yourself,

- what about your students?
- What about them?

It's hardly fair if the lecturer's so pissed
he's falling off the platform.

I may have fallen off, my dear,
but I went down talking.

- Look, I'll see you next week, eh?
- We've got a tutorial.

You're not in any state
for a tutorial, Frank.

We'll talk about
me Blake essay next week.

Hello, Rita.

Oh. Hiya, Frank.

I'm sorry I never made your tutorial,
it's just we're dead busy here.

When you didn't arrive,
I telephoned the shop.

- Which shop?
- The hairdresser's,

where I thought you worked.

- I haven't worked there for ages.
- Yes, so it seems.

- You didn't tell me.
- Oh, didn't I?

I thought I had.

What's wrong?

Well, it struck me that there was a time
when you used to tell me everything.

I thought I had told you.

Do you think I could
have a drink, please? Seeing as I'm here.

Not for free, I'll pay.

Who cares if I've left hairdressing
to work in a bistro?

- I care.
- Why?

Why do you care?

- It's just boring, insignificant detail.
- Is it?

Yes. That's why
I couldn't stand hairdressing.

I don't wanna talk about
irrelevant rubbish any more.

What do you talk about
here in your bistro?

We talk about what's important, Frank,

and leave out the boring details
for those who want them.

Is Mr Tyson one of your customers?

Look, for your information,
I do find Tiger fascinating

like I find a lot of
those people fascinating.

They're young and-and passionate
about things that matter.

They're not trapped.

They're too young for that.

And I like being with them.

Well, perhaps you don't want
to waste your time

coming to my tutorials any more.

Frank, we've just been too busy here.

I haven't stopped coming altogether.

All right. Come this evening.

I can't. I'm meeting Trish soon,
we've got tickets for The Seagull.

Oh, yes, well, when Chekhov calls.

Oh, dear.

You really can't bear to spend a moment
with me now, can you?

Frank, that is not true.

It's just that tonight I've got
to go to the theatre.

As I was saying,
if you want to stop coming...

Oh, for Christ's sake, I don't wanna
stop coming! What about me exam?

Don't worry about that,
you'd sail through it.

You really don't have to put in the odd
appearance out of sentimentality.

I'd rather you spared me that.

If you could stop pouring that junk
down your throat

in the hope that it'll make you
feel like a poet,

you might be able to talk about
things that matter

instead of where I do and don't work.

And then it might actually
be worth turning up.

Are you capable of recognising
what does and does not matter?

I understand literary criticism and that's
what we're supposed to be dealing with.

Oh, literary criticism, eh?

Literary criticism.

Give me an essay on that lot
by next week.

An assessment of a lesser known
English poet.

Me.

Yes, yes, Morgan!

But it's the publishers I'm worried about.

Frank...

Brian was just passing,
he dropped in to make a phone call.

Yes, yes,
I think you know why, Morgan.

We can't go on like this,
things are getting ridiculous.

The advance that they offered
was, as usual, inadequate.

Brian.

- I am an academic author of repute...
- Brian, I haven't paid the bill.

Hang on, Morgan,
Frank's trying to tell me something.

They disconnected us
this morning.

Morgan, fuck off.

- Frank...
- Yes, O faithful one?

For God's sake! How could anyone
be faithful to you, Frank?

Julia has at least tried
and what has she had in return?

What have any of us had
in return, Frank?

Only my soul, Brian,
which I must confess is very little.

Frank, I'm leaving you. Brian and I are...

Brian is leaving Elaine, and we're going.

Congratulations, Brian.

Better luck next time, eh, Julia?

Hello, Frank!

What the hell are you doing here?

Where've you been, Frank?
I've been up to your room a few times.

I went to see Julia,
she said I'd find you here.

She's nice, Julia, isn't she?

Are you sober?

If you mean am I still this side
of reasonable comprehension then yes.

Good, because I want you to hear this.

This is brilliant. You have got
to start writing again, Frank.

It is brilliant.

It's... It's witty, it's profound.

Full of style.

Oh! Tell me again and again.

No, Frank, it's not just me that thinks so.

Me and Trish read them and she agrees.

Why did you stop writing
when you can produce work like that?

Now, what did Trish say? Yes -

it's more resonant
than purely contemporary poetry.

It has, like, it has in it a direct line
through to the 19th-century traditions

of, like, wit and classical allusion.

Oh. That's marvellous, Rita.

It's fortunate that I never
gave this to you earlier.

Just think if you'd have seen this
when you first came.

Oh, well, I'd have never understood it.

You would've thrown it across the room

and dismissed it as total shit.

I know, but I could never
have understood it then

because I wouldn't have recognised
or understood the allusions.

I've done a fine job on you, haven't I?

It's true, Frank. I mean, I can see it now.

You know, Rita, like you,
I'm going to change my name.

From now on I am going to insist
on being called Mary.

Mary Shelley.

Do you understand that allusion, Rita?

What?

Mary Shelley wrote a little Gothic number
called Frankenstein.

So?

This clever, pyrotechnical pile
of self-conscious allusion...

is worthless, talentless shit.

There is more poetry
in the... telephone directory

and probably more insight.

However...

this has one advantage
over the telephone directory.

It is easier to rip.

It is pretentious, characterless
and without style.

It's not.

Oh, I don't expect you to believe me.

You recognise the hallmark
of literature now, don't you?

Why don't you just go away?

I don't think I can bear it any longer.

Oh. Can't bear what, Frank?

You, my dear.

You.

Yeah.

Yeah. Well, er...

I'll tell you what you can't bear,
Mr Self-Pitying Piss Artist,

what you can't bear
is that I'm educated now.

I've got what you have
and you don't like it.

I mean, good God, I don't need you.

I've got a room full of books!

I know what wine to buy,
what clothes to wear, what plays to see,

what papers to read,
and I can do it without you.

Is that all you wanted? Have you come
all this way for so very, very little?

Oh, yeah, it's little to you, isn't it, Frank?

Little to you who squanders
every opportunity

and mocks and takes it for granted.

Found a culture, have you, Rita?

Found a better song to sing?

No.

You found a different song to sing.

And, on your lips,
it is shrill and hollow and tuneless.

Oh, Rita, Rita, Rita.

Ohhhh, Rita!

Nobody calls me Rita but you.

I dropped that pretentious crap
as soon as I saw it for what it was.

Nobody calls me Rita.

What is it now, then, eh?
Emily or Charlotte or Jane or Virginia?

Trish!

Trish!

Come on, we're gonna be late!

Trish?

Trish!

God.

Ambulance, quick.

- Hello, Dr Bryant.
- Hello, Mr Tyson.

Hello, Doctor.

Oh! A table for one, please.

Sorry, we're full.

- Oh. I'll have a drink at the bar.
- You've had enough.

- I haven't.
- You have.

- I wanna talk to Rita.
- Never heard of her.

- She works here.
- You must have the wrong place.

- I'm telling you, Rita works here.
- Come on, out.

- No.
- Yes.

- Hello, Dr Bryant. What's wrong?
- He's pissed.

- Mr Tyson, where's Rita?
- I told you...

It's all right.

- Have you seen Rita? She works here.
- You mean Susan?

Oh, yes, I suppose I do.

She hasn't been in this evening.

I forgot to remind her
that her exam is tomorrow.

She might be up at the Flamingo.

Oh. Well, thank you, Mr Tyson.

- Don't you think you're a bit...
- If you see her, will you tell her it's 9am?

- Yeah.
- Thank you.

Thank you.

Why?

Darling, why not?

Oh, Trish, don't. Come on, it's all right,
don't cry. You're still here.

That's why I'm crying -

it didn't work.

It didn't bloody work.

Trish.

Look, you didn't really mean
to kill yourself.

- You were just...
- Just what, darling?

Poor Susan.

You think I've got everything, don't you?

Trish, you have.

Oh, yes.

When I listen to poetry and music...

then I can live.

You see, darling, the rest of the time,

it's just me.

That's not enough.

Whoo!

Hey!

Do you know a girl called Rita?

Forget Rita, I don't wanna
see you drinking.

Dr Bryant, what are you doing here?

- Lesley, have you seen Rita?
- What?

- Have you seen Rita?
- Come and dance!

- No, I can't!
- Come on!

I can't dance! I can't! No!

Bursar!

Wake up, Bursar!

Come on, man!

Ah!

Bursar! Join me for a drink.

Dr Bryant!

- Go to bed.
- Right.

I will.

Good night, Bursar.

Susan! Where are you going?

- For a walk.
- Do you want a lift? Come on.

- No, it's all right, I'd rather walk.
- You missed a great party.

Yeah, well. I'll see ya.

- I saw your tutor.
- What?

Your exam's this morning.

Oh.

Don't forget you're coming to France.

Susan!

Oh, hiya, Denny.

- Oh, this is Barbara.
- Hello.

- Susan.
- How are ya?

- OK.
- When's it due?

- I've got another three months now.
- It's gonna be a boy.

- I hear you're doing well at the college.
- Well, you know.

I hardly recognised you,
you look the part.

Doesn't she, eh? Look the real student.

Be on drugs and demonstrations next!

Right, well, we gotta go. Going down
to the hospital for the checkup.

- I always go with her.
- It's good to see you, Denny.

Take care of yourself.
And look after them two.

Oh, he does, you know, he's very good.

- Ta-ra.
- See ya.

At 9am precisely,

I shall instruct you to turn over
your examination papers

and the examination will have begun.

You have three hours.

You may not talk to anyone.

It is now nine o'clock. Please commence.

Have they sacked you?

- Not quite.
- Oh.

Well, why are you
packing your books up?

I made rather a night of it last night
so they're giving me a holiday.

Two years in Australia.

Did you bugger the Bursar?

- Metaphorically.
- What are you gonna do?

What do you think?
Australia is a paradise for the likes of me.

Christ's sakes,
why did you come back here?

I came to tell you you're a good teacher.

Oh!

Thanks for entering me for the exam.

That's all right.
I know what it had come to mean to you.

You didn't want me to take it, did you?

I nearly didn't. I sat there for ages.

I sat there thinking
while everyone was scribbling away,

thinking about what you said,
about what you'd done for me.

- What I've done for you...
- Shut up.

I'm doing the talking. Frank, that's what's
wrong with you - you talk too much!

You think you did nothing for me,

you think I just ended up
with a load of quotes and empty phrases.

Well, all right, I did
but that wasn't your doing.

I was too hungry for it all.

I didn't question anything.

I wanted it all too much
so I wouldn't let it be questioned.

Told you I was stupid.

- You're not stupid.
- If I say I'm stupid then I'm stupid, OK?

So don't argue.

I mean...

It's like Trish. You know?

I thought she was so cool and together.

I got home last night,
she'd tried to top herself.

Yeah. Magic, isn't it?

Spent half her life eating health food
and wholefood to live longer

and the other half trying to kill herself.

So I was thinking about it all
when I should've been doing my exam.

Do you know what
the first question was?

"Suggest ways in which one might deal

"with some of the staging difficulties
in a production of Ibsen's Peer Gynt. "

- And you wrote, "Do it on the radio"?
- No, I could've done.

You'd have been dead proud of me
if I'd done that, wouldn't you?

But I chose not to.

I had a choice. I did the exam.

Because of what you'd given me,
I had a choice.

Anyway...

that's what I wanted to come back
and tell you. You're a good teacher.

I hear good things about Australia.

Everything out there is just beginning.

The thing is...

why don't you come as well?

It would be good to leave a country
that's finishing for one that's beginning.

God, Frank, if you could get threepence
back on those bottles

you could buy Australia.

- You're being evasive.
- I know.

Tiger's asked me to go to France
with his mob.

- Will you go?
- I dunno.

He's a bit of a wanker, really.

But I've never been abroad.

I've been offered a job
in London, as well.

- What are you going to do?
- I dunno.

I might go to France,
I might go to London.

Or just stay here
and carry on with me studies.

I might even stay here and have a baby.
I don't know.

I'll make a decision.

I'll choose. I dunno.

Well, whatever you do,

you might as well take this with you.

- What is it?
- It's a dress, really.

I bought it for an educated
woman friend of mine.

It may not fit,
I was rather pissed when I bought it.

An educated woman? What kind
of education were you giving her?

In choosing it, I concentrated
on the word "woman"

- rather than on the word "educated".
- Thank you.

All I've ever done is take from you.
I've never given you anything.

There is something I can really give you.

Oh?

Sit down.

I said sit.

I'm gonna take ten years off you.

'This is the final call
for PA-167.

'This flight connects at Heathrow

'for Qantas flight 351

'to Sydney, Australia. '

Frank, come on! Where've you been?
It's taking off in a minute.

Your result arrived this morning,
I went to pick it up.

- The gate's about to close.
- Just coming.

Frank, we haven't got time.

What does it say?

Right, I've passed.
Now, will you get on that bloody plane?

Let me see.

You passed with distinction.

I'm proud of you, Rita.

I'm proud of both of us.

- Sir, you'll miss your flight.
- Yeah, OK.

- Frank.
- What?

Thanks.