A Place to Call Home (2013–2018): Season 3, Episode 4 - Too Old to Dream - full transcript

Order, please! Order!

This year's ball is in aid
of Mr Goddard's soup kitchen.

Returned Soldiers' Refuge. Well,
why don't you come and have a look?

Does he want something else?
Did you want something else?

Shall I put you on the roster?

I don't think so, Mr Goddard.
I'm not sure I'm of use.

Are you expecting, love?

Is that it?
I can't have this baby, Peg.

You are carrying a child!
Aunt Peg, please! No.

So I've decided to run for
pre-selection as a candidate

for the Country Party.



Is Jack Anna's natural father?

Yes.

They can all keep a
secret, that's for sure.

The most important thing, I think,

is that your parents loved Anna
as if she were their own.

And who were you being?
I sent the soil from the west hill

to be analysed. Very good soil
for planting quality grapes.

Rightio, chaps, problem solved.
Where am I?

Resident card shark Miss Bligh's
offered to make up a table.

Watch out for my sister,
she's lethal.

So, it's Olivia you'll be painting,
Lloyd.

And my son and husband.

Lucky me.

Cigarette?



No, thank you.

I don't want to just be pretending.

I wanted to thank you for today,
but I am a happily married woman.

The church teaches us that
a child is a gift, a gift from God.

However, I've never been in
your position.

Duck bill ready?

How far along is she?
11, 12 weeks, she says.

I love you.
I always will.

You are carrying a child!

It's so sad for George that
your marriage didn't proceed.

Stop. Stop!
Lie down!

I've changed my mind!

It's way too late in the piece to change
your mind! If you leave now, you won't

get your money back.
Get her out of here.

I said get her out of here!
No!

No, not that door!

You should have told me
you were a nurse.

Excuse me, Missus, you dropped...

Get back in here! Now sit down
and I'll be with you in a moment.

I couldn't do it, Aunt Peg.

God was watching down, my love.
He was.

A baby.

Babies only need love, darling.

You'll work it out.

Ah, excellent evening, thank you.

James, I've just been telling
Sir Richard about your plans.

Excellent, James.
Open the door and let the future in.

Graham Greene. To paraphrase.

I'm not a total philistine.

What a relief, Sir Richard.

Let the future in.

Men from the boys. It's excellent.
Thank you, Sir Richard.

I wouldn't mind trading
Macquarie Street for Inverness.

Oh, I could live on the land.

Or off the land. On and off.
Well, it's hard work.

It's all card games
and morning tea.

A ride out on the horse from time
to time to check on the sheep.

You medicos, all sailing
around on your yachts on

whatever afternoon it is.

Yes, don't fall ill on a Wednesday.

Doctor has the tiller in the one
hand and a lager in the other.

So, what sort of portrait's this
Ellis-Parker going to do?

All your abstract swirly bulldust my child
can do better than that sort of thing?

Another Archibald scandal?

Good abstract
painters, take Picasso...

Someone has to, I s'pose.
...began his painting career with

portraits. Modelling Velasquez.

The question for
our modern times...

Oh, don't tell me
Lloyd wants 'em nude.

...is why anyone
would want a portrait.

They are simply a substitute
photograph. One wants

an expression of the subject
and that is what Lloyd will do.

It's not a real job, is it?

It's not something a real man does.

Did you know that he was
an official war painter

on the front line of France?

Since his return, every
exhibition he's had has sold out.

Oh, an investment tip, Sir Richard.

You go to all of those, do you?

Exhibitions? Opening nights?

Red dots.
I do when I'm in town.

Can you write? Why don't you show
me what you can do? Write me...

What do you call it?
Critique, a review.

Let Sydneysiders know what
they should like about art.

That's not the role of a critic.

Of course it's bloody not. I know
that. I'm trying you out for a job.

A word, George.

What's he talking about?

Art reporter. Moi.

So, this is it?

You'll head back to the city?

The art scene is
hardly a fulltime job.

You'll get seduced by
the bright lights.

First part of that
sentence, I quite like.

You're back to health. You're ready.

All my regional editors are on
board, very keen to see you run.

Pre-selection committee knows which
way to jump and all you have to do

is pull your finger out.

Brace yourself, George.
I back winners.

Do you come down to Sydney
very often?

Yes, sometimes.

You'll dine with me next time,
I hope.

Monday to Friday,
my body is a temple.

Saturday to Sunday, a ruin.

Goodnight, Mr Fox.

Thank you for everything you've
done for my father.

How's my beautiful boy?

Georgie?

Georgie? James, it's Georgie.

The baby's not there.

I can't find him.

Georgie, where are you?

Oh, dear God, where is he?

James, I can't find him.

I can't find him!

Livvy, just calm down.

I need to know where he is!

I need you to find him.

Just find him!

I will. We will. Just calm down!

Alright! Alright. George,
we need to notify the police.

Not until we've finished
searching the house.

Please, we are wasting time.

Ah, nothing, sir.
I checked all the bedrooms.

Someone has taken him.

They must have, because...
because where else could he be?

I've found him.
Thank God.

Now we can all go to bed.

There you are, darling.

Georgie. Oh, shh.
Quite a relief.

Make yourself decent.
Where was he?

He was in Rose's room.
He was in bed with her.

I didn't mean to worry you.
Of course you didn't.

In bed with her?

He wasn't settling. The poor wean's
gums were sore. He's teething.

Everyone was busy. You wasn't here.

Of course I was here,
you stupid girl.

Giving us all a fright like that.
He's perfectly fine, Olivia.

Thank you, Reggie.

Livvy.

Olivia. It's alright. It's alright.

The baby's right here. He's sound
asleep. You go back to sleep now.

Hello!

Oh! Gino!

I thought you said
they were vines.

They are.

It's all rootstock.
They're like weensy,

little baby vines.
It's a twig, darling.

It's sangiovese rootstock.

It'll grow into a beautiful vine
that will produce grapes that will

make a beautiful bottle of chianti.
It's Hans Christian Anderson.

It's the Ugly Duckling.

You are such a romantic and you

are a much more attractive
vine than I thought you were.

So, how much is all
this going to cost?

Caro.

It's an investment.

But you would ask if you needed
any help, wouldn't you, Gino?

If you needed money, or anything?

I got the money.

How long till they start producing?

Oh, five years.
Maybe 10.

Well, ah, I need

to get your mother back to Ash Park
before her reputation's in tatters.

Bye, Mama.

Bye, Jack. Bye, Papa.

Papa.

Papa.

Dear Prudence, do forgive me.

Poor Norman was forced
to remind me of the time.

I was thoroughly absorbed
by the Women's Weekly.

Did you know they are planning to
enter an all-women team in the Redex

Car Trials? It's quite remarkable.

Good on them. I can't think of

anything worse. The lack of
facilities. Can you imagine?

They breed them
differently these days.

Clearly with scant regard
for personal hygiene.

Now, the fundraiser.

The rest of the committee
have seen fit to ignore your...

How shall I put it?

Unconventional critique
of the proposed event.

If you're referring to my
observation that the primary purpose

of a fundraiser is to raise funds,
I hardly regard that as a critique.

Critique or not, it put
a few noses out of joint.

Douglas Goddard telephoned.

Seems he's trying to chase you down.

Thought you might
still be staying here.

Oh, probably wanting a donation.

Sarah, she is coming?

She's in Sydney, remember?

Her Aunt wasn't well.
Peg?

Mm.

She did not tell
me she was leaving.

Bloody women, eh?

They're an independent
lot these days, Rene.

Bloody women.

The rubbish that some of these so-called
critics write about modern art.

They probably think
Monet is avant-garde.

My wife just bought a Monet.

Oh, I imagine it went
with the wallpaper.

Doesn't Jack serve breakfast?

In more ways than one.

Your sister thinks I'm an ignoramus.
Don't take it personally.

When I mentioned I liked Stubbs,
she almost wept.

I'd rather ride a horse
than see it on a wall.

Thankfully, George's
political views are

slightly more progressive.
Well, not too progressive, I hope.

We don't want to
frighten the horses.

Oh, if I don't get moving soon,

my secretary's going to
bring out the old whip,

which might not be an altogether
unpleasant experience. Ladies.

I'll see you out.
Tell me when they've confirmed

pre-selection
and I'll get things rolling.

As I said, George, I back winners.

Well, we've had too many politicians around
here who make promises they never keep.

I do intend to get things done.

That's what we want to
hear on the hustings.

You're a shoe-in, George, but you do
need a wife. I'll see you in Sydney.

I didn't mean to scare you,
Miss Olivia, I truly didn't.

I love little Georgie.
I know you do.

I know.

Let's just...

We'll leave it at that, shall we?

Thank you, Miss Olivia.

Darling.

I feel so silly,
making all that fuss last night.

But you don't think it a bit much
she had our son in bed with her?

Darling Livvy,
you're like a tiger with her cub.

You're right.

Come here.

Livvy.

Not in front of the baby.

It's not right.

No. Of course not.

Thank you, sir. I do
appreciate your time.

Hooroo, Ted. We'll see ya.

See ya, Roy.

He's a good bloke, Ted.

Yeah.
Where's that bloody dog gone?

Thank you for this, Roy.

Given the circumstances, I didn't

think it appropriate to call
on the farmers in my vehicle.

Mr Bligh, your vehicle would have
bust her hump up that first hill.

Here!

Pretty serious about
this politics lark, eh?

Yes, I am. I want to drag

Inverness into the 20th century,
kicking and screaming if need be.

You heard Ted. Two days of rain
and this road's impassable. How's a

man supposed to make a living if he
can't even get his stock to market?

Some people don't take
too kindly to change.

Which is why I may need your help.

Well, I'll be glad
to talk to 'em for ya.

Whether or not they'll
listen, that's another thing.

Thank you, Roy.

I'll drop you on
the way to the hospital.

Something I want to do for Missy.

Here! Get in the back!

I thought I'd get you out and about,
doing a bit of hard yakka.

Ah, there's to be no hard
yakka, just gentle physical work.

Gentle.

You understand?

Roy wants you to
move back in with him.

And he's right.
Fresh air and exercise will do you

more good than lying about here.
I leave the hospital?

Too right.
Today, if you like?

I think the nurses will like
not to have the scary man.

Yeah.
I'll get it!

I'll get it!

I'm looking for Miss P Malone.
Yes.

No. I'm sorry.
She was a young girl. Blonde.

You must mean my niece, Sarah.

I'll just get her.
Hang on a minute.

Sarah!

I telephoned the doctor.
I told him Linda was

unwell but he didn't listen.
I overheard you were a nurse.

Yes. Yes, come in.
She needs to lie down.

I'm so sorry.

Can I talk to you for a moment?

Linda's very sick, Nancy.
She needs to go to the hospital.

No. If I take her to
the hospital, they will report her.

She needs to see a doctor.
Can't you fix her?

No. Only a doctor can help her now.

They will report her to the police.
It would kill her father.

Right now, the only thing we
need to be concerned about is

saving your daughter's life.

You think Linda could die?

Yes.

Call for you, Doctor Duncan.

Ah, I'll take it in my office.

Jack Duncan.

Are you alright?

Yes.

Yes. Ah,
get her here as soon as possible.

Has the mother got a car?

I'll organise transport.

I'll think of something.

Elizabeth.
Jack telephoned me.

He said you had urgent
need of Norman's services.

Sarah,
I'm fully apprised of the situation.

Come in.

It was an incomplete procedure.

Let's get you to the hospital.

Nice and easy.

Here's your case, dear.

Thanks, Peg.

Darling, I love you.

Sarah! Where is Sarah!

Now, calm down, dear old mate.
She'll be home directly.

Where do you want this?
How about right there?

I'll get a bit of grub on.

Got a couple of lamb chops with
your name written all over 'em.

That's better, eh?

How often do they have
to be watered?

Every day for the first month.
By hand?

After that, once a week.

So we cart the water over
here and then we water each

one of them by hand, every day?

One day, we'll get irrigation.

What about everything else, Gino?

When do we find time to do all

the rest of the work?
Hey.

Everything will be good.

Yeah? It'll all work out. Come on,
just one more row and we're done.

But I haven't ridden
Stardust in days.

You can ride him tomorrow.

I promise.

Please, just wait here.

I'll be back in a moment.

You up to assisting?
Of course.

It'll just be the two of us.

What's happening?

Why aren't they saying anything?

Your daughter is in
the best of hands now.

Linda is all I've got.

You know you're going to have
to be very strong. Come along.

I'll wait with you.

She's still bleeding.

Blood pressure fluctuating.

Thank you, Marjorie.

She'll be alright, won't she?

We'll do our best.

Linda, my name is Jack Duncan.
I'm a doctor here at Inverness.

I'm going to be looking after you.

Hysterectomy at 15.

There's a lot of blood here.

Thank you. And a bowl?

Take a closer look
at that, will you?

Can't see for the blood.

The uterine wall's perforated.

Come on, Linda, stay with us.

Why is it taking so long?

They've been in there for hours.

Inverness Hospital?

Is that you, Mrs Collins?
Yes?

Um, there was a young girl
brought in earlier.

Oh, yes.

As a matter of
fact, I'm very worried, Mrs Bligh.

They are still in surgery
and it has been quite some time.

These will go nicely
in the dining room.

And perhaps some white ones as well?

Great Maiden's Blush.

What did you say?

Oh, it's the name of the rose.

Father gave it to my mother on
their first wedding anniversary.

He always was a romantic.

So, is this the young prince?

Yes.
Does he have a name?

George.

After his grandfather.

Well, a fine, solid young fellow
you are.

I will try to do justice
to you, young George.

And particular justice to you.

You look a little flushed, Olivia.

I'm sorry.

I couldn't stop the bleeding.

I tried.
There was nothing I could do.

But you said... You said...

I'm so sorry.

Oh, Jack.

Barukh attah Adonai eloheinu
Melekh ha'olam, dayan ha-emet.

Ruptured appendix.

I thought 'miscarriage' was the usual
euphemism on the death certificate.

The man was a butcher.

I had to remove the uterus
and I still couldn't save her.

Elizabeth doesn't need
to know the details.

He should be struck off.

He probably is struck off. Christ.

She was 15. She was only a child.
Maybe we shouldn't have brought her

here. All that way.

If she'd gone to a Sydney
hospital, she still might be alive.

Now, Jack, enough.
You did the best you could.

You really shouldn't
be here, Elizabeth.

You're too involved as it is.

Sarah's right.
Thank you both for your

consideration, but it's
quite unnecessary.

You're buggered.
Come on, I'll run you home.

That could have been me.

I almost went through with it.

But you didn't.

I don't know how I'm going to
tell Rene about the baby.

We often spoke of having children.

And then the war came.

I know it's going to
break his heart.

Hey, he may surprise you.

Sarah.

..he didn't report it.

Evening, Doctor Duncan.
I thought you'd left.

I have paperwork to finish.

Sergeant Franklin?

Got a bloke in lock up
I want you to see.

Got a nasty gash on his leg.

And how'd he come by that?

Came in with it. I hear you've
had a busy night yourself.

Yes.
Mrs Bligh.

I was going to leave you a message.

I believe it was your car
that brought the girl in here.

Yes, it was.

I might need you to make a statement
to that effect in the near future.

Might you?
Right then.

Sergeant.

Remind me, the reason you didn't
join up?

Well, I couldn't.

And I had to look after my mother.

Mm, I miss your mother.

I knew her well.

As you know, we served on the War
Memorial Committee together.

Very competent woman.

More than capable
of running the farm

single-handedly, I'd have thought.

Mrs Bligh.

I promised your mother I
would look after you

and I intend to keep that promise.

You have more than acquitted
that promise, we both know that.

You're wrong, Jack. You went to war.

You fought and suffered
for this country.

It's I who shall be
forever in your debt.

No, no, no, no, no. That needs to be
in the middle of the room.

Somewhere the men
can gather around it.

That's it. Very good.

Now, the feet are secure?

Yes, thank you, Rodney.

Thank you.

# When I grow too old to dream

# I'll have you to remember

# When I grow too old to dream

# Your love will lift my heart

# So, kiss me, my sweet

# And so let us part

# And when I grow too old to dream

# That kiss will live in my heart

# When I grow too old to dream

♪ I'll have you to remember ♪

All this coming and going must put
quite a strain on a relationship.

Sydney's such a wild, old place.

Don't waste your breath, Regina.

I've had better men than you try to
rattle my cage.

Carolyn had quite the reputation
at one time.

Are you sure you're alright?

I'm very happy to stay.

I'm fine, honestly.

Regina has everything in hand.

You promised you'd go with Olivia with
Georgie to the hospital, remember?

Regina isn't Elaine, George.

They may look alike,
but that's as far as it goes.

It wasn't just Regina.

It was mother too, remember?

She is worming her way into this place
far too much and I don't trust her.

Carolyn, you worry too much.

Miss Art Reporter.

I can do this, Jack.

I know I can.

There you are...

Edward.
...Edward.

What a brave little boy. A bit of

redness and swelling is normal.
He may get a slight temperature.

Telephone
or just contact us if you're at

all worried.
It's alright.

All done?
He hasn't had the injection yet.

Can I help?

Oh, would you?

He always settles
with his grandfather.

Of course he does.
It's alright.

I need to freshen up.

I'll just be a moment.

I believe it's baby George's turn.

I hope Rene's enjoying the Satie.

We seem to share similar tastes
in music.

Yes, he loves...

George.

These gifts. This kindness.

It has to stop.

I think it's best you stay away.

Sarah!
Ah, Olivia. Come on in.

I am so glad it's you.

Yes, well, the waiting's the worst.

Oh, thank you.

I've never seen the men so happy.

So engaged.

I talk to them, of course.

I make sure they're fed, but this
was living. They were alive.

I must be going.
May I leave this here?

Yes. Yes, of course.
My coat?

Ah, I hung it up.
I'll get it for you.

I have so many
ideas for this place.

Things we could do with the men.

If it's not too much of an

imposition, I'd really like
to talk to you about them.

Oh, certainly, Mr Goddard.
I'd be most interested.

Well, if you're not doing anything this
evening, perhaps we might have dinner.

I don't think so.

But thank you for the invitation.

If Prudence Swanson could have seen
you with those men...

A toast to The Chronicle's newest
art critic!

Well, I'm not going to drink to
something that may never happen.

You haven't even written anything
yet and has it occurred to you Sir

Richard may not like what you write?
Don't be so Presbyterian, mother.

I don't expect him
to like what I write.

I expect him to
publish what I write.

Vanity, thy name is woman.

Oh, alright.

Thank you.
There are two openings next

Wednesday. I plan to go to both.

One of the artists is
very avant-garde.

You have a good brain, Carolyn.
It's about time it was used.

Oh, good heavens.

Oh, is that a flea? Where on
earth have you been, Mother?

Playing piano at a returned
servicemen's refuge all day,

since you ask.

Suddenly at a loss for words?

Not a very good omen for your future
career, I wouldn't have thought.

Why were you working at Carlo's?
I was helping a friend.

You've got to learn
to say, no, Gino.

I'm not saying it's not
good to help friends, it is.

But we don't have the time
to do our own work, let alone

anyone else's. Gino!

Maybe he will help us one day.

The men were initially a little
reticent, but we persisted.

I have completely exhausted
my wartime repertoire.

I never knew you had one.

No, I found the whole experience
profoundly moving.

Mr Goddard said he'd never
seen the men look so alive.

No, what was the word he used?

'Engaged'. That was it.

He said the men were engaged.

These men,
they're all war veterans?

Yeah,
damaged beyond repair, some of them.

Jack was lucky to have you.

So, tell me, who is this Mr
Goddard you keep talking about?

Douglas Goddard.

I've mentioned his
name precisely twice.

Goddard's Menswear?
Mm.

Widower, about your age?

I am interested in the welfare of

our returned servicemen
and so is Mr Goddard.

How's Regina been behaving herself?

That woman has an uncanny knack

for making herself
invaluable to George.

You know, I cannot credit your
brother's apparent inability to

see through her wiles.

This is George we're
talking about, Mother.

Mm.
Sweet, kind George.