The Adventures of Swiss Family Robinson (1998–…): Season 1, Episode 17 - The Ghost of Raven Jones: Part 2 - full transcript
Monsoon winds have destroyed the family's crops and set their animals free. Tensions run high between family members now that they're faced with the prospect of starting again and once more have to go hunting for food. Ernst in particular is angry with David for seeming to have given up on the daily ritual of lighting the beacon, in the hope of attracting rescue. He confronts his father and an angry scene ensues. Elizabeth confirms David's growing realization that Ernst is simply coming of age and both pray that he receives guidance from the dear Lord as he struggles with approaching manhood in the tropical ( and at times dangerous/claustrophobic paradise). During a hunting expedition, Billy, Ernst and Emily are "haunted" by a ghostly sound. Emily is already convinced of the presence of ghosts on the island, and the nightly moaning of the monsoon winds only adds to the feeling of dread. The ghostly figure of an old man appears to Christina and terrifies her. When the old man appears to Ernst, the young man gives chase, only to be captured by the old man and kept prisoner in a cave. The old man turns out to be "Raven Jones", an almost mythical pirate and adventurer who escaped hanging and disappeared many years ago. Driven mad by years of solitude, Jones is paranoid that the Robinsons are searching for an imagined horde of treasure, hidden somewhere on the island, which he has been looking for himself. Jones has been trying to drive them away from the island with his ghostly antics. He prepares to kill Ernst, but by appealing to the hero that Raven Jones once was, Ernst wins a stay of execution. By now, however, Parsons has got wind of the "treasure" and comes after Raven Jones. There is a violent confrontation, during which Raven Jones is killed defending Ernst, who is left hanging over a ravine. Parsons has Ernst at his mercy. The family arrive just in time to save Ernst and it is Parsons who ends up in the ravine. David and Ernst are reconciled. But Parsons lives to fight another day. Raven Jones is given a decent burial, and the family discover a bountiful crop of rice, grown by the man over many years (his real treasure). Ernst in turn through his narration realizes that his particular treasure is the love and support of his family.
- Something must
- have taken the fish.
Unless, of course,
it was a ghost.
There's no one there.
I'm just imagining things.
[EERIE LAUGHTER]
You're keeping a
pig in the tree house?
The kite!
It's a spirit, calling us on.
- We share the
- island with the souls
Of the living and the dead.
The Ben is coming around here.
Parsons won't be far behind.
Oh.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Where are you going?
- Someone has to
- provide the food,
Since all the men around here
are afraid of a little ghost.
Can't stay here a
minute longer, Billy.
You're not really going to
take the raft out, are you?
You could drift for weeks,
months, without seeing land.
I don't care about land.
A passing ship will do.
Look, I'm just going
to plot a rough course,
- and hope that if
- I'm picked up soon,
I can organize a rescue
party or something.
But Ernst...
Billy, I don't
do this for myself.
You do understand, don't you?
It's just that if I don't
try, I'm going to go insane.
Now look, you must
promise me something.
I'm going to need a
bit of time to prepare.
So please, just keep
this between ourselves,
just until I'm gone, all right?
Do you promise me?
I promise.
Thank you.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
What is it?
Elizabeth, are you ill?
Oh, it's, it's nothing.
She fainted clean away.
I said I'm all right, Joanna.
Thank you, Joanna.
I'm sorry, my dear.
I'm just a little tired.
Oh, of course.
Please forgive me.
I've been so wrapped
up in my own thoughts.
David, do you think
Ernst could be right?
About what?
Well, perhaps we nearer
the mainland than we thought.
But what if there
is no mainland?
Just another island like this
one, and another, and another.
What then?
You're right, of course.
You know, I understand
how Ernst feels.
Do you think he knows that?
I don't know.
But where we differ is
that I put the family's
safety first and escape second.
That's all.
Well, perhaps you two
need to talk it through.
Why don't you go to him.
And please, let
him have his say.
- Only if you promise
- to get some rest.
I can't stay with you.
Mama says I hadn't
leave the tree house.
Now, Barnabas, you know you
can't stay in the tree house
during the day.
Be a good pig, and keep quiet.
We thought you said
they had nothing.
- You go get the pig,
- I'll keep watch.
Go on, what's the matter?
Nothing.
- Ain't getting
- soft on me, are you?
It just doesn't seem
right, that's all, punishing
them for what their father did.
What better way to punish him?
His precious family
is all he lives for.
We'll grind him down, see?
Then when he's ready to break,
we'll move in for the kill,
right?
Right.
So, how does roast pork
sound to you, shipmate?
Sounds fine.
Gotcha!
[PIG SQUEALS]
Oh, my God.
Ernst!
Ernst!
I'm here.
Who's on the raft?
Billy?
Billy.
Billy!
[PIG SQUEALS]
This way.
Aw.
Billy!
Billy, come this way.
- Oh my God, it's a
- shark in the water.
Billy, Billy, there's a shark!
Billy!
Hold on, Billy.
Billy, come this way.
Throw us the line.
Throw us the line, Billy.
Again, once more.
Good.
Hold on tight, Billy.
Hold on, Billy.
Ahh!
Oh, take the line,
[INAUDIBLE] We're coming, Billy.
Billy.
I have him.
Hold the line, Ernst.
Climb up.
You're safe now, lad.
Are you all right?
Good.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[EERIE LAUGHTER]
Billy, what in the name of God
did you think you were doing?
You could have been killed.
- I was trying to
- reach the ship, sir,
To bring it back to rescue.
Ship?
What ship?
Just over the horizon, sir.
- It was my idea.
- No, Ernst.
Yes, it was.
I told Billy I was
planning to take the raft.
Is this the truth?
It didn't seem right for
Ernst to risk his life.
I thought if anyone should go...
First of all, Billy,
you are every bit a member
of this family as anyone else.
- I have told you
- before, and I will
Repeat myself, that we live or
die here as a family, together.
If and when we are to be
saved, by a raft, or a ship,
or by clinging to the
tail feathers of a passing
albatross, we will decide our
course together, as a family.
Have I made myself
perfectly clear?
Yes, sir.
Good.
Ernst, I thought you
and I had discussed this.
[SCREAM]
[EERIE LAUGHTER]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Emily.
Ah.
Are you all right?
What is it?
It was a warning.
We have to leave,
leave the island today.
If we don't, it will
kill us all one by one.
Who will kill us all?
It was sitting on a rock,
pointing and grinning at me.
Pointing at you.
Yes.
No.
Pointing out to sea,
telling us to go.
A dead thing, like a man, but
with no flesh on his bones.
[EERIE LAUGHTER]
And a skeleton, with a look
of purest evil in its face.
[MONKEY CRIES]
Come on out here, oh, ain't
nothing but a pile of bones.
Leave it, idiot.
Who wants to get to
the bottom of this?
Something's not right.
Don't, Parsons.
What's the matter now?
He can't hurt you.
Look, we may be violating
consecrated ground.
Where'd you get
such long words, boy?
But what does it all mean?
It means somebody is
trying to scare us off.
Now, why would they
want to do that?
- Why should we get
- off this island?
You know, don't you, matey?
You know, all right.
How is she?
She's fine.
Do you she imagined it, too?
No, I don't.
What's happening, David?
Who's doing this?
I thought it was Parsons.
Now I'm not sure.
Ernst, go and fetch your
bow, and we'll see if we
can find Emily's apparition.
The rest of you, stay
close to the house.
Joanna, use this if you have to.
But take heart, everyone.
Whatever's out there, I'm sure
we can reckon with it easily.
Father.
Barnabas!
Barnabas, I told
you to stay outside.
- ERNST (VOICEOVER):
- For all of our relief
From the unexpected
entry of Barnabas,
another unknown inhabitant
was also making his presence
felt. Parsons and
Ben were the first
to notice, which
caused them a degree
of confusion and concern.
- Who's th...
- Shhh!
[INAUDIBLE].
Is it just friend?
Ha?
But they look like that.
Dah, you're a fool.
- All right, we go
- home for supper.
She came out of
the trees, up there.
Do we know which
path she was on?
No.
- We might as well not
- even bother looking.
You're right.
Ernst, I have to speak
to you about something.
Billy.
Look, I'm sorry about that.
- I had no idea what
- he was thinking.
- It has nothing to do
- with Billy, it's about you.
I'm very disappointed.
I thought no matter what
happened, I could count on you.
I understand your frustration.
- But you're forgetting
- the enormous obstacles
That we've already overcome
to survive this long.
And you're forgetting,
father, that I'm not a child.
No, that's exactly my point.
The other children look up to
you, because you're the eldest.
We need you to set an example.
- Well, that's what
- I'm trying to do.
By getting yourself killed?
By trying to find a way off
this island, since you won't.
What do you mean, I won't?
We used to light
the beacon every day,
- take turns keeping watch.
- And what happened?
- We brought pirates here.
- Now, I ask you...
What did the beacon profit us?
It gave us hope.
- I think we're doing
- everything that we can.
Yeah, well that's always
what you think, isn't it?
- Well, you talk about
- us putting together.
What you really mean is that
we all agree to obey you.
Well, I've got my own ideas now.
I can't obey you any more.
As long as I'm the head of
this family, you will obey me.
- Well, then,
- consider me no longer
Part of this family, father.
Mummy says we're not going
to eat you, you're too small.
You can stay here with us
for as long as you like.
Just don't get any
bigger, that's all.
Billy, take this to Emily
for me, would you please?
Oh, and Billy, I thought what
you did today was very brave.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Do you believe
in ghosts, Mama?
- I suppose I'd have
- to see one first.
So, you don't believe in them?
I believe that there is
another world, beyond this one,
where we go when we die.
Now, some poor souls
are not able to pass
over into that world.
Why not?
Because of some
sadness in their lives,
or something unresolved.
Maybe they can harm us.
Come on, eat.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Ah.
- It's just an old
- hermit, living in a cave.
Aye.
Well then...
Quiet.
- Why are we
- bothering with him?
Idle curiosity.
Ah, me old friend, the monsoon.
Thought we'd seen
the last of him.
Be a good lad, and
keep a look out.
I'm going to get some shut eye.
Aren't you going to eat that?
Don't feed it to the pig.
He's got a name, you know.
Don't feed it to Barnabas.
We haven't got much left.
Are you feeling better now?
There's nothing wrong
with me, I mean, not now.
When I saw the thing,
it surprised me.
That's all.
You weren't frightened, then?
No, not really,
more surprised.
I was, too, when
I saw the old man.
I was terribly surprised.
Do you think they can
get to us in here?
Let them try.
Yes, let them try.
[LIGHTENING STRIKES]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Aren't you afraid to
be here by yourself?
Afraid of what, ghosts?
No, I'm not afraid.
No chance of lighting
the beacon in this,
unless lightning strikes it.
Maybe it'll strike
me, even better.
Father's only trying
to protect us, Ernst.
Is he?
Well, of course.
I think he wants to
stay here, like Billy.
He doesn't want to be a slave.
I mean, think about it.
What has father
got to go back to?
No, he's settled here for good.
You're being unfair.
- He's done his best
- for all of us.
If you'd have gone out on that
raft, you'd be dead by now.
Is that what you want?
I'd have managed.
No, you wouldn't have.
Father was right.
You know he was.
Admit it.
All right, then, I admit it.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
The rain's easing off.
Coming?
That's him.
Stay here.
Ernst, I'm coming with you.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
I was wrong, Elizabeth.
I should have let
him go on the raft.
It was risky, I know,
but it's what he wants.
He wants to prove himself a man.
He needs a challenge.
It's... it's just...
Do you remember when he
was a, a little tiny boy,
and I would toss him up in
the air, over and over again?
And he'd squeal with,
with terror, and delight.
I'd always catch him
at the last moment.
Now, I feel I have to
toss him up in the air
and stand aside,
and let him fall.
Or land on his feet.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Ernst!
[EERIE LAUGHTER]
Ernst!
Ernst!
Ah!
Oh.
He was standing there.
Right beside him.
And then it all went black,
and they just vanished.
Well, I must go find him.
In this storm?
In the dark?
Of course.
No, David.
You could get yourself killed
stumbling about out there.
Ernst is young and
strong, and easily able
to defend himself
against a poor old man.
Who is he?
Probably some poor devil
who's been shipwrecked
here, like ourselves.
And Ernst probably has taken
the poor old man prisoner
- by now, and is waiting
- until it's light
Before he brings him down.
ERNST (VOICEOVER): I wonder who
Mother was trying to reassure,
the rest of the
family, or herself.
I was the one held prisoner.
The only question was, by whom?
Oh.
Oh.
Eh.
Eh.
Eh.
Who are you?
Uh, If you just let
me go now, then, uh,
I'll say no more about this.
I mean, I shouldn't have
run after you like that.
It was, uh, rude of me.
Well, why don't you answer?
You'll recognize the
cave when you see it?
I'm sure I will.
- If Ernst returns,
- fire the pistol.
We'll come back.
- Let's go, Billy,
- and find our hermit.
I wonder what he wants?
I think he wants
to be rid of us all.
But why, if he's all alone?
David take care.
He's had his way long enough.
It's time we asked our
ghost some questions.
Don't worry, we'll find Ernst.
Come on, Billy.
- I know you can make
- sounds, I heard you laughing.
You know?
That sound you make to
frighten little children?
Think you can probably talk.
So answer me.
Why are you here?
What do you want with me?
[THEME SONG] Time to
go, our ship is leaving.
No time for breathing.
Life goes on.
Mmm.
When I see we're on
the same side fighting,
then it's time to leave.
Should have known how
the rain is falling.
Now we love so much more,
'cause that's what life's for.
Get away, ah, ahh.
We should get away.
This is the moment.
Day by day, the
world will go away.
With you by my side,
I know I was right.
And I will stay with you, if
you decide we should get away.
Get away.
Get away from it all.