The Shipping News (2001) Movie Script
Ain't got all day.
Dad, I can't.
Ain't got all day, boy.
- Come on, boy.
- Help!
You can do it.
Come on...
let me see you move your arms.
Kick your legs.
You can do it.
Come on!
You're not trying!
Nobody's gonna make
it easy for you!
It's up to you!
I used to imagine
that I'd been given
to the wrong family at birth
and that somewhere in the world
my real people longed for me.
From where my father stood
my failure to dog-paddle
was only the first of many failures.
Failure to speak clearly.
Failure to sit up straight.
Failure to make friends
every time we moved
to another dreary upstate town.
In me...
my father recognised a failed life...
his own.
When I got admitted to the junior college,
my father figured it was a clerical error.
When I dropped out a year later,
he wasn't surprised.
Quoyle! Quoyle!
Job not stimulating enough for you?
No. I mean, yes.
I mean...
this is the best work I've ever had.
I stumbled into adulthood
learning to separate
my feelings from my life...
counting on nothing.
I got used to being invisible.
Until... someone noticed me.
I'm sick of this shit!
Where you going, Petal?
Let's go.
Wake up! Go!
What's your name?
Quoyle.
Are you all right?
I'm starving, Quoyle.
Aren't you?
I sell burglar alarms.
Really?
That-That must be
interesting work.
I'm an ink setter.
I work for the Poughkeepsie News.
You haven't touched your food.
Oh.
So, what do you think?
You want to marry me, don't you?
Huh?
It's 8:05.
I think I'm gonna fuck you
by 10:00.
What do you think of that?
Oh, my God.
That was the biggest one yet.
Yeah... I'm always hungry
after I get laid.
I guess 'cause I...
I burn up so many calories.
You live in a dump, Quoyle.
I love you.
Oh...
I love you.
Nibble, nibble,
little mouse.
What'd the doctor say?
If I end up with stretch marks,
sue his ass.
Yeah, but, Petal, Petal,
is everything okay?
Petal? Petal?
Petal, you're the only
woman I've ever loved.
You're-You're the only one.
Mm-hmm... How do you make
an Alabama Slamma?
Where are you, sweetheart?
Alabama, that's the point.
Look, look up the recipe.
It's on the fridge
where I keep the Mr Boston.
If you come home,
I'll make one for you.
Oh, Christ, never mind.
I'll have a vodka.
Oh, oh, it's okay, Bunny, honey.
Oh, I know...
All right, baby.
Has your friend gone?
My "friend."
Oh, shit.
Don't do that!
Don't touch me.
Stop doing stuff...
creeping around, cleaning up.
Look...
it's no good.
Find yourself a girlfriend.
I don't want a girlfriend;
I want you.
Your funeral.
Listen, you going
to be home for dinner?
Don't expect me.
- Bunny's missed you, and...
- Hey, Petal.
Hey, Bunny rabbit.
Petal's gotta run.
That's so pretty.
Here. So's that.
Thanks.
Beautiful.
Oh, shit!
- Sorry.
- That's okay.
Hi, this message
is for Daniel Smith
confirming your appointment
with Dr Davis today at noon.
Quoyle?
This is your father.
Lost your home number.
It's time for your mother and I
to put an end to it.
I left instructions with
the undertaker... Dayton & Sons.
Told them to notify my sister,
Agnis Hamm.
Not much of a life.
Nobody gave me nothing.
Other men would've given up
and turned into bums,
but I didn't.
I went without
so you could have advantages.
Not that you done anything
with them.
What, were they sick
or something?
Oh, come on.
They must've left something.
What's their house worth?
No, Petal, the bank is taking it.
There's nothing left. There were
medical bills and funeral costs and...
It's all gone, honey.
You wanna marry me, don't you?
- I won't have to go to school?
- It's an adventure.
Who goes to school
when they're on an adventure?
Is Daddy coming?
No. Daddy is boring.
Daddy's boring?
Mm-hmm. That's right.
You're a very clever girl.
There's Frank.
Come on, he's waitin'.
Hey, big guy!
Goodbye.
Hey, hey, hey! Whoa, whoa, whoa!
What about my pay?
What about my pay?
You owe me for three weeks.
Yes, Quoyle.
Q-U-O-Y-L-E.
Quoyle.
She didn't leave me a message
or anything... a note somewhere?
Only for you to pay me.
What? Uh, yeah, Bunny.
Bunny. Yes, that's,
that's her name.
She's, uh, six years old.
And Petal. Petal, yes...
Agnis Hamm.
Half-sister of Guy Quoyle.
I'm your aunt.
This is a really bad time.
So I heard.
I'm here to visit his ashes.
No, I mean this is
a really, really bad time.
She's never done anything like this.
I mean, she's walked out before,
but she's never taken Bunny.
I don't understand.
The potato chips
won't do you any good.
- Drink your tea.
- Huh?
Tea's a good drink.
Keep you going.
Do you think maybe you
could stick around for awhile?
Sorry, just passing through.
On my way to Newfoundland,
where our people come from.
You ever been there, nephew?
Only I want to say
farewell to Guy first,
if you'll tell me where he is.
Oh. Uh, sorry.
He's the one on the left.
Petal, hello!
Is that you? Hello?
Mr Quoyle?
Oh. Uh, yes, it is.
This is Investigator Danzig
from the New York State Police.
Oh, Jesus, have you found 'em?
- Yes, sir.
- Yeah?
Ow! Jesus! God damn it!
Hang on a second. Hello?
- Yes, sir, I'm still here.
- Oh, thank God.
- Hello. Can you hear me?
- That's not a problem.
Yeah. Uh, how's Bunny?
You know what?
I think she's gonna be all right.
Oh, Jesus, good.
And, and Petal?
Mr Quoyle, we'll talk about that
when we get there.
Uh-huh. You're gonna,
you're gonna bring her here?
- Yes, sir.
- Okay. And you have the address?
- Yes, we do.
- Oh, good.
And Petal?
Relax, sir, we'll be
there as soon as we can.
Okay, thank you. Thank you.
They're gonna bring Petal;
they're gonna bring Bunny.
They found 'em.
The cop said he's got something
to tell me about Petal.
I hope she didn't get in any trouble.
She's got such a temper on her.
There's just no telling
what she...
The convertible
went over a guardrail in Jersey.
Fortunately, your daughter
was no longer travelling
with Mrs Quoyle and, uh,
and her male companion.
She was mercifully
killed on impact,
I can promise you.
Look, uh, there is something else.
Seems she sold your daughter
to a black market adoption
outfit for $6,000.
There was even a receipt,
if you can imagine.
That's how we tracked her.
Daddy!
- Daddy!
- Hi, sweetheart.
Who's that?
That's your Great Aunt Agnis.
Where's Petal?
Mummy!
Mummy?
Maybe I could stay
just a day or two.
"Your loved one has
not left your heart
"or your thoughts
but is sleeping peacefully."
She's sleeping?
Yes. Peacefully.
In heaven.
With the angels.
If I was asleep, I'd wake up.
Why are you so scared, Daddy?
What do I do?
It takes a year, nephew...
a full turn of the calendar,
to get over losing someone.
That's a true sayin'.
The move'll help. You'll see.
What place on Earth could be
better than...
the place your people came from?
Smell that clean Northern Sea?
I'm not a water person.
At least the girl is.
I hope we're doing
the right thing, Aunt.
I thought
I'd never come back here.
But the older you get,
there's an ache, a pull...
something you've got to figure out.
Like you're a piece in a puzzle.
It takes some time to get used
to the rock beneath you.
It's a place like no other.
The people who came here
came by accident.
Those that stayed learned
strange things can happen...
omens and restless spirits...
magic.
We Quoyles,
we left it 50 year ago.
Hard times.
We're nearly there.
Quoyle Point.
Named after us. You.
Well, I don't understand.
It's May, there's so much snow.
Up here, forget everything
you thought you knew about the weather.
I was born in that house.
Empty 44 years...
Look at that roofline.
Straight as a ruler.
Look.
I wonder who that is.
It's your grandfather,
Sian Quoyle.
Died before I was born.
Died young... 12 year old.
Twelve?
Then he couldn't have been
my grandfather.
You don't know Newfoundlanders.
Who's this?
It's my father and...
and you.
I never did care for that hat.
Oh! My Lord, the table!
The blessed table!
There's no way we can live here.
It's all fixable.
We'll get a carpenter.
Oh, well, it might be cheaper
if we just build
a whole new house on the Riviera.
Only I wasn't born on the Riviera.
Daddy?
What?
Why did you wake me up?
I wanted to see
if you were asleep.
Are these cables so the house
won't blow away?
So far so good.
They say it rocked in storms
like a rocking chair.
Made the women sick,
so they lashed it down.
They're moaning.
The house is sad.
What?
You should let it loose.
I'm here to apply for a job.
Come on in.
Listen here.
Listen here, my son.
I'm going to need
clarification on this.
I got Doris Koontz down
as runner-up in "cakes and muffins"
but her entry is listed
as "strawberry rhubarb cobbler,"
which I believe
ought to be under "pies."
Name's Tert Card...
managing editor, rewrite man,
and snow shoveler.
You'll have to do
without the boss.
Himself, Jack Buggit,
has called in sick, as per usual.
Which is why I am occupying
his office, Billy Pretty,
and no bones about it.
Come in.
Name?
Uh, Quoyle.
I just got here yesterday
from New York...
Ah, you're a Quoyle, are you?
Well, I should've seen that right off.
Sit down.
Prior experience as a journalist?
Washington Post? London Times?
Oh, oh, no, I'm not a journalist.
I'm an ink setter.
I had that position...
Gammy Bird.
Are you in my office, Tert?
No, no, no, Jack. I'm just conducting
a job interview here at my desk.
Job interview?
Yeah, there's a Mr Quoyle here.
Says he's an ink setter.
The fella's a Quoyle, you say?
- And no mistake.
- Hmm.
Have him meet me at the dock
in, uh, one hour.
That bronchitis of yours
cleared up already?
Much better.
Thanks for your concern.
Okay, Jack.
Quoyle! Over here.
Step lively.
Uh... hello there, Mr Buggit.
The man at the...
The name's Jack.
Come on, get in.
I'm not a water person.
All Quoyles is water people.
Boats is in your blood.
That's why I'm hiring you.
I need somebody to cover
the shipping news.
You'll get a list
from the harbour master...
what ships go in to Killick-Claw...
But, Mr Buggit,
I-I-I'm an ink setter.
Pay attention, me old son.
I don't need no ink setter,
I need a reporter.
And you'll do local car wrecks.
Take the picture, write the story.
We run a front-page photo
of a car wreck every week,
whether or not
we actually have a car wreck.
Now, there's a knack for taking photos
that make you feel something.
If there's a dark patch
on the ground,
it reads blood whether
it's motor oil or Diet Coke.
And you want
something human, uh,
a child's mitten, a purse,
a baseball cap
lying in the road.
See, that's what makes it human.
That's what makes the reader feel.
- Jack, I'm, I'm no reporter.
- Jesus sweet Christ.
You think any of them tomcods
knew how to write
when I hired them?
I get a feeling about people,
that's all.
Welcome home, Guy.
I can't do it.
I mean, even if I knew the first thing
about writing, which I don't, I...
- Car crashes... I can't cover those.
- Why not?
You know why not.
We face up to the things
we're afraid of
because we can't go around them.
Car wrecks are
a fact of life up here.
Come winter, a drive into town
will be damn near impossible.
We'll buy us a boat.
Look, I already told you,
I'm not a water person.
They dragged it here.
What, honey?
The house.
They dragged it here.
- You must've had a dream, sweetheart.
- Who told you about that?
A long time ago, on Gaze Island,
the old Quoyles couldn't make
a go of it there,
so they lashed the house
with ropes and they dragged it.
Yeah, they dragged it.
Across the ice,
clear to the mainland.
Right here.
This is from the
"News of Your Neighbours" column.
"The pole on the corner of Main
and West streets
"has a sign on it that says it's
illegal to place anything on that pole.
"We see the postman
has landed in the clink
"for throwing the mail in
Killick-Claw Harbour.
"He said he had too much to deliver
"and the folks could take a dip
and help themselves.
Guess it helps if you can swim."
This is professional stuff.
How am I supposed to write this?
You can't. You'll get it wrong.
Here now, miss! Don't you talk to your
father like that! Course he can do it.
Petal says
Dad never gets anything right.
Yeah, well, it'll work out.
Hello.
You must be Quoyle.
B. Beaufield Nutbeem.
I head up the foreign
news department.
Steals every story off
that goddamn short wave.
Which Tert takes
the liberty of rewriting
in his own mystical tongue.
Only to save you from charges
of plagiarism, Nutbeem.
Uh, Mr Billy Pretty,
an old fish dog and local landmark.
Edits the home news page...
poems, baby photos, household tips.
There's your desk, Quoyle.
Is there, um, a computer?
Well, do you see one?
No, I just...
I see everyone else...
Keen powers of observation.
I can see why Jack snatched you
off the job market.
Gammy Bird.
Uh-huh.
Right on to it.
Well, Quoyle,
you lead a charmed life.
Two minutes on the job,
and you got your first car wreck.
As far as I can tell,
the site is really fresh,
about 10, 15 minutes,
uh, at the most.
You got two victims...
one male, one female.
Not one vital sign between them,
so we're gonna wait
till the police come now.
Uh, the rate of speed we estimate at 65,
so there's nothing unlawful here.
There's not a whole lot
you can do, right,
when a moose decides
to get in your way.
That's for sure.
The driver most likely
had his chest crushed
before the car hit the water,
so at least that's a mercy.
Yeah. Yeah.
Well, there's that,
and the moose,
which is a gift really,
when you think about it...
out of season like that...
a moose that size.
Oh, Lord, yes.
Billy, I suppose we could split it
four ways, right?
How much could you fit
in the station wagon there?
- I'll take the hind quarter.
- I know we're gonna want to use...
some of those recipes
from the "Home Page," you know?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
He's new, is he?
New fella.
There you go.
It's wrecks like that
that sells papers.
Oh, Jack knows his readers.
Now, mind you, there's more
people down under these waters
than are killed on the roads.
You'll want to get yourself
a nice little boat before long.
Something that fits the water.
I just don't want
to think about a boat right...
Wh-Who's that?
- Why?
- Oh, I was just curious.
I've seen her around.
She's very tall.
I... I mean
she... she's got good posture.
She seems very...
Her stride is different.
It was grief that caused her boy
to be not right.
She was carrying him when
her husband was drowned at sea.
Like I was saying,
there's more life lost that way.
How's your car wreck coming,
Quoyle?
If I wanted War and Peace,
I would have hired
William bloody Shakespeare.
"The policeman ate breakfast
at the Codcake Diner
before he arrived
at the accident scene"?
Yes?
Your spelling is fine,
and I've seen
plenty worse grammar.
But-But finding
the centre of your story...
the beating heart of it...
that's what makes a reporter.
Now, you'll have to start
by making up some headlines.
You know? Short, punchy,
dramatic headlines.
Now, have a look. What do you see?
Tell me the headline.
Horizon Fills with Dark Clouds.
Imminent Storm Threatens Village.
But what if no storm comes?
Village Spared from Deadly Storm.
- How was your first day?
- What's all this?
Nephew, we can't fix up
the house proper
on a journalist's wages,
so I've un-retired.
- From what?
- Boat upholstery.
All us Quoyles have
a feeling for boats.
Who-Who's this?
That's Dennis Buggit,
master carpenter.
Ah, only till I gets
me lobster licence.
I'm a fisherman in me soul.
Buggit, huh?
You wouldn't be related
to my boss
down at the Gammy Bird?
Mm-hmm. Yeah. My dad.
Tomorrow I'll run two-by-fours
under your second storey.
Oh, and, uh, I was you,
I wouldn't sleep in
your upstairs tonight
unless you want to wake up
downstairs with a thud.
Yeah.
Yes, boy.
What? What?
What is it? What is it?
A ghost. The window.
A skinny ghost, and a white dog.
I-I didn't dream it.
Don't say I did.
- I won't, I won't, sweetheart, okay.
- There's a ghost there.
Okay, okay, shh, okay.
Okay, shh.
Okay.
Okay. Shh.
Oh, excuse me?
- This is our first day at school.
- I don't like these kids.
- Bunny. Um, she's in the after-school...
- They're boring!
Boring, boring, boring!
Bunny, that's enough.
I'm sorry.
She's-She's not usually like this.
Not usually like what?
I hate going to new places
where I don't know anybody.
I don't know anybody.
What's wrong with him?
Bunny, that is... There is
nothing wrong with him, all right?
This is Herry.
When he was being born,
he didn't get enough air
to breathe...
and that makes him a little slower
than most people.
What's your name?
Bunny.
A bunny rabbit.
- That's what my mother calls me.
- Is Mummy at work now?
No, she's asleep
with the angels.
I am a bunny rabbit.
Oh, you certainly are.
Boing, boing, boing, boing...
Whi-Which of those women
are in charge here?
Neither of them.
They're just mums.
Oh, 'cause somebody really ought to be
paying more attention to them.
I mean, look at that.
There's scissors on the ground.
I mean, somebody really ought to be
supervising them, don't you think?
Yeah.
Better get back to work.
Supervising and all.
I'm Wavey Prowse.
I run the place.
They are having entirely
too much fun, aren't they?
It's a constant problem
around here.
Bumbling Dad Humiliated at Day Care.
Quoyle!
C'mon over, Quoyle!
Order's up now.
Come and get it.
Aye, sir.
Hey.
Hmm. You've been
to the harbourmaster's.
Yeah, boats in, boats out.
Not exactly the stuff of legends.
Sometimes there's
a story behind the story.
What can I do you for, then?
Oh, um, I'll have, uh,
what-whatever they're having.
- What are you having?
- Squid burger. It's good.
All right, then.
You want some fries with that?
Okay.
All right, then, be back.
- Have you got yourself a boat yet?
- No.
You ought to get Alvin Yark
to build you one.
Or you could buy Nutbeem's.
I built a Chinese junk.
Sailed it up from Brazil.
Unfortunately, I missed
Manhattan by a mile or two
and got stranded here when
I shipwrecked by Gaze Island.
I've almost finished my repairs.
I'll be sailing away soon.
She's ugly, and...
the only thing I've ever loved.
Eh, your story tugs at me bladder.
Excuse me.
Um, what is it between those two?
You have to
understand about the curse.
Jack Buggit's father,
his grandfather,
his great-grandfather,
all died at sea.
Jack is... sensitive.
Especially about the sea.
"Sensitive."
It's what they call people around here
who, um, "know" things.
So, Dennis is forbidden the sea.
But being free,
Newfie and 21, he goes anyway.
- What? And that's enough?
- Death storm.
A massive wave cracks
her steel hull amidships,
a one-inch crack
from starboard to port.
Men go in the water.
Dennis is lost.
After about a week,
they come to Jack and tell him
the search is to be called off.
Jack stands like a stone.
Then he turns... quick,
the way he does... and says...
"He's alive...
and I know where."
So, off he goes, out to sea
on his own, in just a skiff
and finds Dennis.
Can you imagine the odds?
Finds him. Finds him.
Both arms broken, 99% dead.
The boy comes to.
And Jack says to him,
"If you ever step foot
in a boat again,
I'll drown you myself."
And do you know what Dennis said?
- Say it fast.
- He said...
"All fishing licences
are spoken for.
I'd appreciate it
if you gave me yours."
Jack looked in his eyes,
and they never spoke again.
Quoyle... you got
the "Shipping News" written up yet?
Oh, yes.
There's nothing here.
Boats in, boats out.
What else is there?
If I knew, I'd write it myself.
I took a chance on you, Quoyle.
Don't let me down.
Go get the aspirin now!
Oh, shut up!
I had as much to drink
last night as you did!
Excuse me.
Do I know you?
I'm a... I-I work
for the local paper.
I do the-the "Shipping News."
I was just... Is this your boat?
That's a boat.
This is a Botterjacht.
She was built for Hitler.
- He was the original owner.
- Really?
I-I just wanted to ask you
a-a couple of questions.
The finest Botterjacht
ever built in Holland.
Tell him what happened
in Hurricane Bob.
And she's incredibly heavy.
40 tons of solid oak.
Tell him!
She broke free of her moorings
and pounded six boats...
expensive ones... to rubble.
Wham!
Now tell him who let
our insurance lapse.
Wham!
Oh, it took six
very expensive lawyers
to weasel us out of it.
Jesus! An inch from bankruptcy.
Moral of the story?
When you marry a tour guide,
confine his authority
to mixing the drinks.
- Did I come at a bad time?
- Yeah.
Ten years ago would've been better.
Wife Fires Artillery on Hitler's Boat.
- Hello.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- You guys need a ride?
Thanks, but, uh,
Herry likes to walk.
Oh. Well, it's a nice day
for a walk.
Mr Quoyle, about the other day?
I'm sorry we got off
on the wrong foot.
No, that's, that's all right.
I-I was way off base.
I-I admire anybody
that works with kids.
That's the hardest job
in the world, you know?
- I'm-I'm a journalist, myself.
- Really?
Have you seen our local paper?
Strictly fish wrap.
What?
I'm the new reporter there.
Oy... uh... oh...
No, I'm-I'm sure...
That'll be, uh...
- Good luck to you.
- Oh, thank you very much.
- It was nice to see you again.
- Nice to see you.
- Bye, Herry.
- Bye.
Dennis?
Bunny.
W-What are you doing?
She's boring. Boring.
How was Bunny when you
picked her up from day care?
All right. A little snotty.
What's that?
Robert Burns.
Someone gave that to you.
Someone that you're missing.
Six year ago today.
Leukaemia.
We weren't married,
but that's a technicality.
- That your boat?
- Yeah, I just bought her.
- One question remains... Why?
- Well, she's a speedboat.
It's a shit boat.
Wallowing, cockeyed bastard.
- It'll sink in a bathtub.
- Makes you cry to look at her.
Just a coffin, boy.
Let me know when you're serious.
I'll take you down to see Alvin Yark.
He'll make you up
a sweet little rodney.
You don't have the sense
God gave a doughnut, do you?
I'm going home.
The best you can do is bury it
some dark night.
What in hell a name's this?
"Hitler's Barge."
Uh, that's, uh, a vessel in port.
It goes with the "Shipping News."
So, what about
the motorcycle accident?
Oh, I'm still working on that,
but I think this is a better story.
What do you mean?
You didn't do the one
Jack wanted you to do?
You did one
that he don't know you did?
Well, this is worse
than your boat.
Jack even sniffs this,
he'll cut you up for lobster bait.
I think I'll run it.
...and he crawled off the grass
onto a branch, and he made a cocoon,
which is like a house,
except it's for a caterpillar...
- Hey, Bunny.
- Shh. I'm reading.
He thinks I know how.
Oh, oh... no, no...
Go on, get the pig.
See you tomorrow.
- Oh, bye, Sarah. Bye, Patrick.
- Bye.
Hey, can you hold these rods
together for me?
You have to hold them flush
against each other.
- Okay.
- Thanks.
Be careful, honey.
- I want to see if it can fly.
- Well, not in the house, sweetheart.
Throw it up in the air,
high as you can.
- Okay.
- And count till it comes down.
One, two, three, four, five.
Hey. Have you been
to flight school?
- Not really.
- No? Oh, my.
Aunt?
- Hey, guess what?
- Just keep it down.
This is my assistant,
Mavis Bangs.
- Oh, hello.
- How are you?
Did you read my article
on the Hitler boat?
What?
Silver and Bennett Melville
were clients of mine.
They pulled anchor last night
without paying a penny
for all the work we did for them.
The buggers.
Now, you find out where they're to,
we'll give you the Pulitzer.
What, you make juju beads
out of lobster feelers?
Oh, that's pretty remarkable,
missus.
Now, where do you export these?
Haiti?
Oh, well... um, I'll tell you what.
I'll-I'll, uh, do my best.
I'll try to get you a bit of ink
in the next edition, how's that?
Well, you know, these things take
some time to work out, you know?
- Card?
- Hold on.
If you're going to shanghai me office,
Tert, you best conceal the evidence.
- Oh, no, Jack...
- Nah.
This, uh, Hitler boat...
You assign it?
Nope, sir.
It wasn't my idea.
Get me Quoyle.
Quoyle... he wants you.
- Mr Buggit, it was what you said...
- Have a seat.
I got four phone calls last night
about the Hitler boat... four.
People enjoyed it.
Mrs Buggit liked it.
Of course, you don't know
nothing about boats,
but that's entertaining, too.
So, listen here, me old son,
I'm giving you a weekly column.
A story about a different boat
every week.
Human stuff.
Who owned the boat, who lived
and died on her, who drowned,
who was saved,
who lost his fortune,
who had his heart broke.
You follow?
Tert!
Jack?
Order this boy a new computer.
And buy him a real one,
not one of them Japan clones.
- You got that?
- Uh-huh.
Oh, Mr Buggit,
I-I-I don't know what to say.
Did I not tell you?
My name is Jack.
Jack.
IBM, please.
Get back to your work, Quoyle.
I... B... M.
Lumbering Idiot Stuns Crowd...
For a Change.
Herry Prowse!
Look how well your kite is doing.
Are you making it dance
with your thoughts?
Your kite is doing so much
better than Mr Quoyle's.
Do you think Bunny's strange...
I mean, mentally?
The skinny ghost
with the white dog?
She told you about that?
Maybe she's sensitive.
The way some folks are around here.
And what about the necklaces?
Do you know how many
of those she makes?
And I found her bashing her baby
doll's brains out with a hammer.
A baby doll doesn't have brains.
It's a toy.
Do you know she's...
saving a room for her mother?
- Did she tell you that?
- Yeah.
Is she strange, that's all? Is she okay?
If-If you had to take a guess.
That little girl's
the only friend my son ever had.
So she's strange, you bet.
It crashed!
All right. There you go.
Do you know how he died?
My husband?
It was a calm night
when Herold took the boat out.
There was no sign of any storm.
Storms can be sudden around here.
He wasn't the only one
whose boat went down.
It was four years ago...
and it's yesterday.
Look how high we're up.
Uh-huh. Beat you to the car.
Did I blow it,
or can you still be my friend?
Your friend? Sure.
Is this yours?
The ghost brought it.
Then he ran away.
The skinny ghost
with the white dog?
Don't say I dreamt it.
Ah, you're getting the hang of it.
Now, coax her a wee bit
to starboard.
Attaboy. You're a Quoyle...
There's seawater in your veins.
How are things with your girl?
Oh, Bunny's just still adjusting,
I think.
Oh, I was talking
about Wavey Prowse.
Sorry... sorry! Whoa!
Jesus! Sorry.
I... Wavey and I
are just friends.
Fine. Don't have
to drown me over it.
This is where I grew up.
That's my poor old father there.
And that's where your house stood.
Before they dragged it
across the ice.
Yes, sir.
Before they was driven away.
Driven away by what?
You never knew? Ah, well.
It's neither here nor there,
right?
The point is, they made
a new place for theirselves.
No, by what?
Driven away by what?
Oh, that's old stuff, boy.
It's in my blood.
You ought to be able to tell me.
Well, they come to Gaze Island
centuries ago, they did.
The old Quoyles was rackers.
They were, they were pirates,
sort of like.
You see them cairns?
Fires used to burn in them
to guide the ships at sea
like lighthouses.
Now, the Quoyles
would move the fires
to fool the ships.
They'd lure them into the rocks
so the Quoyles could grab their loot.
Oh, they was a savage lot,
the old Quoyles.
Then they went too far one day,
they... nailed a man to a tree
and they cut off his nose
to draw the nippers and the flies
that-that ate him alive.
And that's when the Quoyles
was given their walking papers.
Jesus.
Now, there's still an old Quoyle
down in one of these coves somewhere.
They say he slept with his wife
after she was dead.
Anything else I should know?
That about covers it.
When the knitting pins
you is abreast
Hold the tiller to the west
Behind the pins you must steer
Till the old man's shoe
does appear
Pull, pull!
Show me that necklace.
See, if you make the loops bigger,
you don't have to make so many.
Okay.
Good morning.
Can I talk to you for a minute?
- Where's that chair from?
- Excuse me?
The chair that you're sitting in.
Where's it from? Where'd you get it?
It's not from around here, right?
It's foreign, it's exotic.
I don't want pirate's loot
in this home.
Billy Pretty told me all about it.
It's a good thing
somebody finally did.
I don't believe in dwelling
in the past.
No? Then what
are we doing here?
Making a future.
Well, well, well. If it ain't
the second coming of the Quoyles.
Taking a long and hearty meal break,
I can't help but noticing.
Hope you've got a good idea
for your next story, Quoyle.
I'd hate for Jack to think
that it was just beginner's luck.
Let the man digest, Tert.
Mind you, if I was the esteemed author
of the "Shipping News" column,
I'd pick up
the McGonigle Oil Field story.
Petro-dollars;
a golden flood of jobs.
You write a story about that,
I'll put it right there on the front page.
Thank you for stopping by, Tert.
Yeah, thanks, Tert.
- Aw, gee.
- What was that all about?
Oh, uh, he owns Mobil Oil.
Ten shares.
What about your column?
- What about it?
- You said you'd read it to me.
Yeah, I will,
once the game is done.
"There's a 1904 photo hung
in the Killick-Claw Library.
"Eight schooners heading out
to the fishing grounds.
"Their sails are white
and beautiful.
"But nowadays
you're just as likely to see
"a big black shape of an oil tanker
like the ruptured Golden Goose.
"Last week it leaked
14,000 tons of crude
"onto the seabirds, fish
and boats at Cape Despot.
"There will be more
and more tankers.
"They will get old and corroded,
and their tanks will split.
"And there will be less fish,
and less fishermen.
Nobody hangs a picture of an oil tanker
on their wall, do they?"
What do you think?
I think when Tert Card sees it,
he'll stay up nights
thinking of cheap shots
to pay you back.
I think he won't stop
until you're fired.
I think I haven't been so proud
of a friend...
since I don't know when.
Uh, what do you think?
Pretty impressive, huh?
Like I said,
nobody hangs one of those.
Well... your column's
front page stuff.
Only now it's more a caption,
is all.
"More than 3,000 tankers
proudly ride the world's seas.
"Even the biggest take advantage
of Newfoundland's deep water
ports and refineries."
Spelled it all perfect,
so as not to embarrass you.
"Oil and Newfoundland go
together like ham and eggs.
And like ham and eggs, they'll
nourish us in the coming years."
Even put your name on it.
"Let's all hang a picture
of an oil tanker on our wall."
Man of your principles...
I understand the only honourable
course is resignation.
And if you're off to see Jack Buggit,
you're gonna have to swim.
For I runs the Gammy Bird, every inch
of it, which he'd have to do without me.
And if you think he's going
to choose you over fishing,
then you're dumber than a doughnut.
If that's possible.
Jack?
For Christ sakes, Quoyle,
cut your motor!
All right, what's the emergency?
- Can't it wait till I'm done fishing?
- It's about my column.
Card, he printed it
not the way I wrote it.
Well, so?
You disapprove how Card
runs my newspaper...
enough to lose your job?
Yes or no?
Yes.
So, this is what
Jack and I think:
We want to run Quoyle's
wrong-headed oil spills story
because controversy sells papers,
and papers sells ads.
But the oil tanker picture stays.
You should have seen
Tert's face.
- Yeah?
- Oh, it was a beautiful thing.
That's all right, I've seen it.
- Oh, it's great.
- Mm-hmm.
Let's see what the special is.
How do you feel
about ordering to go?
- You ever had that before?
- No, what is it?
Seal-flipper pie.
Yeah, it's made from, like,
the knuckle part of the flipper.
The slimy cartilage part.
Yeah, it's good, though.
I mean, it's a good choice
if you like that sort of thing.
I... You know, I'm really
not all that hungry.
I just wanted, you know,
to come and sit.
- I had a big lunch today.
- Yeah.
They say you're not
a real Newfoundlander
till you've had a piece
of seal-flipper pie.
- That's what they say?
- Yeah, that's right.
Mmm, good.
That's surprising.
I never eat it, myself.
You never eat this?
This is horrible.
Here, I got you some real food.
Look.
Christ.
I knew somebody was out here.
Oh, for Christ's sake.
He's still burning off the fever.
Any feeling yet?
Little tingles.
- You're lucky.
- I'm fine.
I'll be ready to get
right back in that water
in another 20, 30 years.
Do you know how close
you were to dying?
I'll get my uncle, Alvin Yark,
to build you a proper boat.
And learn how to use it, okay?
Okay.
Good.
Were the eyes open or closed?
I don't know. Just said
it was a disembodied head.
What'd the police have
to say about it?
Still working on it. A little late
to return the head to its owner, though.
Hello, nephew.
"Mrs Silver Melville
was arrested early today
"in Lanai, Hawaii,
for the murder of her husband,
"socialite and raconteur,
Mr Bayonet Melville.
"'He pushed me once too often, '
Mrs Melville confessed,
"'so I finally pushed back."'
Good for you, my dear.
Well, he probably deserved it.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Don't get your hopes up.
You're the first man who ever cooked
for me. You got a lot of leeway.
How are they?
They're both asleep
in Bunny's bed.
Should we trust them?
I can do this.
You just don't think...
- Oh, no. No, I know. Here.
- I can't...
Let me do that, all right?
There you go.
- Can you feel that?
- Yeah.
Through your bandage?
What?
Your husband, he never...
He never cooked you a meal?
Why are we talking
about my husband?
Because I understand.
You said, "It's four years ago
and it's yesterday."
I understand that.
My husband's not
who we're talking about, right?
I'll go get Herry. He wouldn't like
waking up in a strange bed.
- Hey!
- Huh?
Who are you?
Huh? Yeah.
I tied magic in these knots
to protect you from the house.
No good ever come from the old place.
Never, never... never.
You... you have no...
business in the Quoyle house.
- I get you out of there.
- But I am a Quoyle.
A Quoyle?
I was a Quoyle
before you was anything.
Leave the house.
Tell, uh...
Agnis hello from...
Cousin Nolan.
You know why Agnis come back?
To show she ain't afraid
of the place no more.
'Cause I know what she's done.
I know.
She got rid of the baby
she was carrying.
What could she do? What?
She was only 12.
And it was her own brother
that done it to her.
No. No! No! No!
Please! No! No! Please!
- Does that belong to you?
- Sorry.
There's still hot water in the kettle,
if you want some tea.
I've started looking for a place
for me and Bunny.
You sure you're going
to be okay at your shop?
I said I would, didn't I?
I think Silver Melville was right
to chop her husband's head off.
He probably deserved it.
I think more women
should do what she did.
Maybe some should have done it
to their own brother...
my father.
Cousin Nolan dropped by
last night.
I always thought if anyone knew,
I'd be turned to stone.
Shit!
Here.
Tea's a good drink.
It'll keep you going.
When someone hurts you
that much, how do you...
Does it ever go away?
Is it possible?
Her name was Irene.
The love of my life.
You look happy.
So, yeah, it is possible.
Agnis tells me
we got to move for the winter.
It'll be a three-hour drive
from here to the point. All the ice...
Me and Bunny, we're going to have
to find a room in town somewhere.
I'll have the usual,
please, Annie. Thank you.
Well, if it's a place to stay you need,
you can have my trailer.
- Timing's perfect.
- What are you talking about?
My boat's ready.
If I stay here any longer,
I might begin to like the place.
I'm throwing myself
a farewell party on Saturday.
- Departure to follow Sunday.
- The rootless traitor.
Regrets soon after, no doubt.
Quoyle of the north!
Quoyle of the north.
Have you and Wavey
done the dirty yet?
Shh! She's the grieving widow.
Grieving for Herold Prowse.
Oh, that's a good one.
Let me tell you something
about old Herold Prowse.
It's like a party game in town...
to look at babies
and see if they look like Herold.
Hey. Hey!
Everyone! To Nutbeem!
To Nutbeem!
We all loves
our fucking Nutbeem, what?
Lets us keep him here then!
Got your chainsaw, Neddie?
Nutbeem!
Hoh-oh-oh!
What's wrong?
I'm a Quoyle.
I'm one of the Quoyles,
pirates and looters and murderers.
My father raped his little sister,
and then he taught me how to swim.
Stop that.
Jesus, you smell like a brewery.
Stop it.
Go on, Herry. Go on.
Stop it!
Herry.
Sorry, Herry.
I'm sorry, Petal.
I'm so sorry.
I meant Wavey.
Good. I feel much better.
When were you going to tell me
about your fucked-up marriage?
I'm scrambling eggs.
Are you gonna be able to eat?
No.
Listen, I'm...
Maybe I should just go.
You forget where the door is?
He ran off to Winnipeg
with some little bitch.
She was barely out of high school.
Is that fucked up enough for you?
Herold, my husband,
he didn't die.
Not that he didn't deserve to.
He left me when I was eight months
pregnant... no good to him in bed.
So I took his 15-footer
out into the bay,
cracked the hull with
a hatchet and sunk her...
and pretended he was drowned...
and played the grieving widow
and packed my bags to leave town.
But then a funny thing happened.
All these folk I grew up with, they
put their hearts around me and Herry
so we wouldn't be alone.
And I just couldn't leave.
I'm sorry, Wavey.
You're always sorry.
You're looking dishy, Quoyle.
I'm afraid my offer
to let you stay in my trailer
will have to be retracted.
Sorry about that.
And your boat.
I'm some disgusted
with the human race.
I never would have
made it anyway.
Storms would have
blown me to bits.
You boys saved my life,
I imagine.
I've gathered up my savings,
and I'm flying back to Brazil
where the water is
swimming-pool green.
You and Bunny can stay
with the wife and me.
To Brazil.
Brazil.
- Brazil.
- Brazil.
We can stay with Aunt Agnis
over at her shop.
Barely enough room there
for myself.
You'll like it at
Dennis' house, sweetie.
No, I won't.
- Hi, Quoyle. Hi, Bunny.
- Welcome, weary travellers.
- Our home's your home.
- No, it's not.
- Come on in.
- Bunny.
Come on in, sweetie.
I made a big seal-flipper pie.
- What's that?
- Weather light. Storm coming.
Big one.
The house... the house...
house.
I...
What is it, Quoyle?
What?
It's gone.
- What?
- The green house is gone.
I didn't dream it.
Don't say I did.
Yeah? Oh, hi, Mum.
Some storm, eh?
What?
Oh.
Yes. Yes, of course.
What's a wake?
It's to say goodbye.
Mr Buggit is sleeping
with the angels.
He was a hard man,
but he was fair.
Another one
for the Buggit curse.
Dennis...
Yeah, I'm still looking
for my dad's navy medal.
I found it.
Don't you worry.
It's going to be all right.
Thank you.
Mum.
What?
Good.
I found it...
in his desk at the office.
Would you write something
for the Gammy Bird about Jack?
Yes, I'll try.
Jack is...
Jack is all right now.
You all know...
we are only passing by.
We walk over these stones
a few times.
Our boats... sail for a little while
on the waves
and then they have to sink.
Jack knew that better
than anyone. Right, Jack?
Yes, boy.
He's awake!
- Jack! Jack!
- Get a doctor!
Oh, Jack... oh, Jack.
- Oh, Jack.
- No, no.
Come here, son.
I beat the curse.
The fishing licence is yours.
Sweetheart, you ready?
I want to have a wake for Petal.
Why didn't we have a wake?
Why didn't we wake her up?
It worked for him.
Honey, Mr Buggit wasn't really...
It's more like he was in a coma.
From the cold water.
It's like he was sleeping.
- Petal was asleep.
- No, honey...
You said she was asleep
with the angels.
I know what I said,
but she's not sleeping.
- You said! You said!
- Honey, honey, listen to me.
I know what I said.
Listen to me. Listen to me.
I just... I was too scared
to tell you the truth.
Petal is dead.
And you know that.
I know you know it.
It's okay.
Is it because of me?
- What?
- That she drove away.
Well, why would you say that?
Because...
Because I'm boring.
No, honey,
it's not because of you.
And you are anything but boring.
Come here.
You just come here.
Hon...
You believe me, don't you?
You still don't
believe me, do you?
About the house.
I told you so.
It's all right.
Worse things have happened
to both of us.
Maybe one day we'll build
a summerhouse out here.
Summer.
Do they have summer here?
Oh, you'll know it's summer
when the partridge berries are out.
And we can make partridge
berry duff and sweet berry okie.
- Will you show me how?
- I will, yeah.
I will.
There are still
so many things I don't know.
If a piece of knotted string
can unleash the wind,
and if a drowned man can awaken,
then I believe
a broken man can heal.
Deadly Storm Takes House.
Leaves... Excellent View.
Dad, I can't.
Ain't got all day, boy.
- Come on, boy.
- Help!
You can do it.
Come on...
let me see you move your arms.
Kick your legs.
You can do it.
Come on!
You're not trying!
Nobody's gonna make
it easy for you!
It's up to you!
I used to imagine
that I'd been given
to the wrong family at birth
and that somewhere in the world
my real people longed for me.
From where my father stood
my failure to dog-paddle
was only the first of many failures.
Failure to speak clearly.
Failure to sit up straight.
Failure to make friends
every time we moved
to another dreary upstate town.
In me...
my father recognised a failed life...
his own.
When I got admitted to the junior college,
my father figured it was a clerical error.
When I dropped out a year later,
he wasn't surprised.
Quoyle! Quoyle!
Job not stimulating enough for you?
No. I mean, yes.
I mean...
this is the best work I've ever had.
I stumbled into adulthood
learning to separate
my feelings from my life...
counting on nothing.
I got used to being invisible.
Until... someone noticed me.
I'm sick of this shit!
Where you going, Petal?
Let's go.
Wake up! Go!
What's your name?
Quoyle.
Are you all right?
I'm starving, Quoyle.
Aren't you?
I sell burglar alarms.
Really?
That-That must be
interesting work.
I'm an ink setter.
I work for the Poughkeepsie News.
You haven't touched your food.
Oh.
So, what do you think?
You want to marry me, don't you?
Huh?
It's 8:05.
I think I'm gonna fuck you
by 10:00.
What do you think of that?
Oh, my God.
That was the biggest one yet.
Yeah... I'm always hungry
after I get laid.
I guess 'cause I...
I burn up so many calories.
You live in a dump, Quoyle.
I love you.
Oh...
I love you.
Nibble, nibble,
little mouse.
What'd the doctor say?
If I end up with stretch marks,
sue his ass.
Yeah, but, Petal, Petal,
is everything okay?
Petal? Petal?
Petal, you're the only
woman I've ever loved.
You're-You're the only one.
Mm-hmm... How do you make
an Alabama Slamma?
Where are you, sweetheart?
Alabama, that's the point.
Look, look up the recipe.
It's on the fridge
where I keep the Mr Boston.
If you come home,
I'll make one for you.
Oh, Christ, never mind.
I'll have a vodka.
Oh, oh, it's okay, Bunny, honey.
Oh, I know...
All right, baby.
Has your friend gone?
My "friend."
Oh, shit.
Don't do that!
Don't touch me.
Stop doing stuff...
creeping around, cleaning up.
Look...
it's no good.
Find yourself a girlfriend.
I don't want a girlfriend;
I want you.
Your funeral.
Listen, you going
to be home for dinner?
Don't expect me.
- Bunny's missed you, and...
- Hey, Petal.
Hey, Bunny rabbit.
Petal's gotta run.
That's so pretty.
Here. So's that.
Thanks.
Beautiful.
Oh, shit!
- Sorry.
- That's okay.
Hi, this message
is for Daniel Smith
confirming your appointment
with Dr Davis today at noon.
Quoyle?
This is your father.
Lost your home number.
It's time for your mother and I
to put an end to it.
I left instructions with
the undertaker... Dayton & Sons.
Told them to notify my sister,
Agnis Hamm.
Not much of a life.
Nobody gave me nothing.
Other men would've given up
and turned into bums,
but I didn't.
I went without
so you could have advantages.
Not that you done anything
with them.
What, were they sick
or something?
Oh, come on.
They must've left something.
What's their house worth?
No, Petal, the bank is taking it.
There's nothing left. There were
medical bills and funeral costs and...
It's all gone, honey.
You wanna marry me, don't you?
- I won't have to go to school?
- It's an adventure.
Who goes to school
when they're on an adventure?
Is Daddy coming?
No. Daddy is boring.
Daddy's boring?
Mm-hmm. That's right.
You're a very clever girl.
There's Frank.
Come on, he's waitin'.
Hey, big guy!
Goodbye.
Hey, hey, hey! Whoa, whoa, whoa!
What about my pay?
What about my pay?
You owe me for three weeks.
Yes, Quoyle.
Q-U-O-Y-L-E.
Quoyle.
She didn't leave me a message
or anything... a note somewhere?
Only for you to pay me.
What? Uh, yeah, Bunny.
Bunny. Yes, that's,
that's her name.
She's, uh, six years old.
And Petal. Petal, yes...
Agnis Hamm.
Half-sister of Guy Quoyle.
I'm your aunt.
This is a really bad time.
So I heard.
I'm here to visit his ashes.
No, I mean this is
a really, really bad time.
She's never done anything like this.
I mean, she's walked out before,
but she's never taken Bunny.
I don't understand.
The potato chips
won't do you any good.
- Drink your tea.
- Huh?
Tea's a good drink.
Keep you going.
Do you think maybe you
could stick around for awhile?
Sorry, just passing through.
On my way to Newfoundland,
where our people come from.
You ever been there, nephew?
Only I want to say
farewell to Guy first,
if you'll tell me where he is.
Oh. Uh, sorry.
He's the one on the left.
Petal, hello!
Is that you? Hello?
Mr Quoyle?
Oh. Uh, yes, it is.
This is Investigator Danzig
from the New York State Police.
Oh, Jesus, have you found 'em?
- Yes, sir.
- Yeah?
Ow! Jesus! God damn it!
Hang on a second. Hello?
- Yes, sir, I'm still here.
- Oh, thank God.
- Hello. Can you hear me?
- That's not a problem.
Yeah. Uh, how's Bunny?
You know what?
I think she's gonna be all right.
Oh, Jesus, good.
And, and Petal?
Mr Quoyle, we'll talk about that
when we get there.
Uh-huh. You're gonna,
you're gonna bring her here?
- Yes, sir.
- Okay. And you have the address?
- Yes, we do.
- Oh, good.
And Petal?
Relax, sir, we'll be
there as soon as we can.
Okay, thank you. Thank you.
They're gonna bring Petal;
they're gonna bring Bunny.
They found 'em.
The cop said he's got something
to tell me about Petal.
I hope she didn't get in any trouble.
She's got such a temper on her.
There's just no telling
what she...
The convertible
went over a guardrail in Jersey.
Fortunately, your daughter
was no longer travelling
with Mrs Quoyle and, uh,
and her male companion.
She was mercifully
killed on impact,
I can promise you.
Look, uh, there is something else.
Seems she sold your daughter
to a black market adoption
outfit for $6,000.
There was even a receipt,
if you can imagine.
That's how we tracked her.
Daddy!
- Daddy!
- Hi, sweetheart.
Who's that?
That's your Great Aunt Agnis.
Where's Petal?
Mummy!
Mummy?
Maybe I could stay
just a day or two.
"Your loved one has
not left your heart
"or your thoughts
but is sleeping peacefully."
She's sleeping?
Yes. Peacefully.
In heaven.
With the angels.
If I was asleep, I'd wake up.
Why are you so scared, Daddy?
What do I do?
It takes a year, nephew...
a full turn of the calendar,
to get over losing someone.
That's a true sayin'.
The move'll help. You'll see.
What place on Earth could be
better than...
the place your people came from?
Smell that clean Northern Sea?
I'm not a water person.
At least the girl is.
I hope we're doing
the right thing, Aunt.
I thought
I'd never come back here.
But the older you get,
there's an ache, a pull...
something you've got to figure out.
Like you're a piece in a puzzle.
It takes some time to get used
to the rock beneath you.
It's a place like no other.
The people who came here
came by accident.
Those that stayed learned
strange things can happen...
omens and restless spirits...
magic.
We Quoyles,
we left it 50 year ago.
Hard times.
We're nearly there.
Quoyle Point.
Named after us. You.
Well, I don't understand.
It's May, there's so much snow.
Up here, forget everything
you thought you knew about the weather.
I was born in that house.
Empty 44 years...
Look at that roofline.
Straight as a ruler.
Look.
I wonder who that is.
It's your grandfather,
Sian Quoyle.
Died before I was born.
Died young... 12 year old.
Twelve?
Then he couldn't have been
my grandfather.
You don't know Newfoundlanders.
Who's this?
It's my father and...
and you.
I never did care for that hat.
Oh! My Lord, the table!
The blessed table!
There's no way we can live here.
It's all fixable.
We'll get a carpenter.
Oh, well, it might be cheaper
if we just build
a whole new house on the Riviera.
Only I wasn't born on the Riviera.
Daddy?
What?
Why did you wake me up?
I wanted to see
if you were asleep.
Are these cables so the house
won't blow away?
So far so good.
They say it rocked in storms
like a rocking chair.
Made the women sick,
so they lashed it down.
They're moaning.
The house is sad.
What?
You should let it loose.
I'm here to apply for a job.
Come on in.
Listen here.
Listen here, my son.
I'm going to need
clarification on this.
I got Doris Koontz down
as runner-up in "cakes and muffins"
but her entry is listed
as "strawberry rhubarb cobbler,"
which I believe
ought to be under "pies."
Name's Tert Card...
managing editor, rewrite man,
and snow shoveler.
You'll have to do
without the boss.
Himself, Jack Buggit,
has called in sick, as per usual.
Which is why I am occupying
his office, Billy Pretty,
and no bones about it.
Come in.
Name?
Uh, Quoyle.
I just got here yesterday
from New York...
Ah, you're a Quoyle, are you?
Well, I should've seen that right off.
Sit down.
Prior experience as a journalist?
Washington Post? London Times?
Oh, oh, no, I'm not a journalist.
I'm an ink setter.
I had that position...
Gammy Bird.
Are you in my office, Tert?
No, no, no, Jack. I'm just conducting
a job interview here at my desk.
Job interview?
Yeah, there's a Mr Quoyle here.
Says he's an ink setter.
The fella's a Quoyle, you say?
- And no mistake.
- Hmm.
Have him meet me at the dock
in, uh, one hour.
That bronchitis of yours
cleared up already?
Much better.
Thanks for your concern.
Okay, Jack.
Quoyle! Over here.
Step lively.
Uh... hello there, Mr Buggit.
The man at the...
The name's Jack.
Come on, get in.
I'm not a water person.
All Quoyles is water people.
Boats is in your blood.
That's why I'm hiring you.
I need somebody to cover
the shipping news.
You'll get a list
from the harbour master...
what ships go in to Killick-Claw...
But, Mr Buggit,
I-I-I'm an ink setter.
Pay attention, me old son.
I don't need no ink setter,
I need a reporter.
And you'll do local car wrecks.
Take the picture, write the story.
We run a front-page photo
of a car wreck every week,
whether or not
we actually have a car wreck.
Now, there's a knack for taking photos
that make you feel something.
If there's a dark patch
on the ground,
it reads blood whether
it's motor oil or Diet Coke.
And you want
something human, uh,
a child's mitten, a purse,
a baseball cap
lying in the road.
See, that's what makes it human.
That's what makes the reader feel.
- Jack, I'm, I'm no reporter.
- Jesus sweet Christ.
You think any of them tomcods
knew how to write
when I hired them?
I get a feeling about people,
that's all.
Welcome home, Guy.
I can't do it.
I mean, even if I knew the first thing
about writing, which I don't, I...
- Car crashes... I can't cover those.
- Why not?
You know why not.
We face up to the things
we're afraid of
because we can't go around them.
Car wrecks are
a fact of life up here.
Come winter, a drive into town
will be damn near impossible.
We'll buy us a boat.
Look, I already told you,
I'm not a water person.
They dragged it here.
What, honey?
The house.
They dragged it here.
- You must've had a dream, sweetheart.
- Who told you about that?
A long time ago, on Gaze Island,
the old Quoyles couldn't make
a go of it there,
so they lashed the house
with ropes and they dragged it.
Yeah, they dragged it.
Across the ice,
clear to the mainland.
Right here.
This is from the
"News of Your Neighbours" column.
"The pole on the corner of Main
and West streets
"has a sign on it that says it's
illegal to place anything on that pole.
"We see the postman
has landed in the clink
"for throwing the mail in
Killick-Claw Harbour.
"He said he had too much to deliver
"and the folks could take a dip
and help themselves.
Guess it helps if you can swim."
This is professional stuff.
How am I supposed to write this?
You can't. You'll get it wrong.
Here now, miss! Don't you talk to your
father like that! Course he can do it.
Petal says
Dad never gets anything right.
Yeah, well, it'll work out.
Hello.
You must be Quoyle.
B. Beaufield Nutbeem.
I head up the foreign
news department.
Steals every story off
that goddamn short wave.
Which Tert takes
the liberty of rewriting
in his own mystical tongue.
Only to save you from charges
of plagiarism, Nutbeem.
Uh, Mr Billy Pretty,
an old fish dog and local landmark.
Edits the home news page...
poems, baby photos, household tips.
There's your desk, Quoyle.
Is there, um, a computer?
Well, do you see one?
No, I just...
I see everyone else...
Keen powers of observation.
I can see why Jack snatched you
off the job market.
Gammy Bird.
Uh-huh.
Right on to it.
Well, Quoyle,
you lead a charmed life.
Two minutes on the job,
and you got your first car wreck.
As far as I can tell,
the site is really fresh,
about 10, 15 minutes,
uh, at the most.
You got two victims...
one male, one female.
Not one vital sign between them,
so we're gonna wait
till the police come now.
Uh, the rate of speed we estimate at 65,
so there's nothing unlawful here.
There's not a whole lot
you can do, right,
when a moose decides
to get in your way.
That's for sure.
The driver most likely
had his chest crushed
before the car hit the water,
so at least that's a mercy.
Yeah. Yeah.
Well, there's that,
and the moose,
which is a gift really,
when you think about it...
out of season like that...
a moose that size.
Oh, Lord, yes.
Billy, I suppose we could split it
four ways, right?
How much could you fit
in the station wagon there?
- I'll take the hind quarter.
- I know we're gonna want to use...
some of those recipes
from the "Home Page," you know?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
He's new, is he?
New fella.
There you go.
It's wrecks like that
that sells papers.
Oh, Jack knows his readers.
Now, mind you, there's more
people down under these waters
than are killed on the roads.
You'll want to get yourself
a nice little boat before long.
Something that fits the water.
I just don't want
to think about a boat right...
Wh-Who's that?
- Why?
- Oh, I was just curious.
I've seen her around.
She's very tall.
I... I mean
she... she's got good posture.
She seems very...
Her stride is different.
It was grief that caused her boy
to be not right.
She was carrying him when
her husband was drowned at sea.
Like I was saying,
there's more life lost that way.
How's your car wreck coming,
Quoyle?
If I wanted War and Peace,
I would have hired
William bloody Shakespeare.
"The policeman ate breakfast
at the Codcake Diner
before he arrived
at the accident scene"?
Yes?
Your spelling is fine,
and I've seen
plenty worse grammar.
But-But finding
the centre of your story...
the beating heart of it...
that's what makes a reporter.
Now, you'll have to start
by making up some headlines.
You know? Short, punchy,
dramatic headlines.
Now, have a look. What do you see?
Tell me the headline.
Horizon Fills with Dark Clouds.
Imminent Storm Threatens Village.
But what if no storm comes?
Village Spared from Deadly Storm.
- How was your first day?
- What's all this?
Nephew, we can't fix up
the house proper
on a journalist's wages,
so I've un-retired.
- From what?
- Boat upholstery.
All us Quoyles have
a feeling for boats.
Who-Who's this?
That's Dennis Buggit,
master carpenter.
Ah, only till I gets
me lobster licence.
I'm a fisherman in me soul.
Buggit, huh?
You wouldn't be related
to my boss
down at the Gammy Bird?
Mm-hmm. Yeah. My dad.
Tomorrow I'll run two-by-fours
under your second storey.
Oh, and, uh, I was you,
I wouldn't sleep in
your upstairs tonight
unless you want to wake up
downstairs with a thud.
Yeah.
Yes, boy.
What? What?
What is it? What is it?
A ghost. The window.
A skinny ghost, and a white dog.
I-I didn't dream it.
Don't say I did.
- I won't, I won't, sweetheart, okay.
- There's a ghost there.
Okay, okay, shh, okay.
Okay, shh.
Okay.
Okay. Shh.
Oh, excuse me?
- This is our first day at school.
- I don't like these kids.
- Bunny. Um, she's in the after-school...
- They're boring!
Boring, boring, boring!
Bunny, that's enough.
I'm sorry.
She's-She's not usually like this.
Not usually like what?
I hate going to new places
where I don't know anybody.
I don't know anybody.
What's wrong with him?
Bunny, that is... There is
nothing wrong with him, all right?
This is Herry.
When he was being born,
he didn't get enough air
to breathe...
and that makes him a little slower
than most people.
What's your name?
Bunny.
A bunny rabbit.
- That's what my mother calls me.
- Is Mummy at work now?
No, she's asleep
with the angels.
I am a bunny rabbit.
Oh, you certainly are.
Boing, boing, boing, boing...
Whi-Which of those women
are in charge here?
Neither of them.
They're just mums.
Oh, 'cause somebody really ought to be
paying more attention to them.
I mean, look at that.
There's scissors on the ground.
I mean, somebody really ought to be
supervising them, don't you think?
Yeah.
Better get back to work.
Supervising and all.
I'm Wavey Prowse.
I run the place.
They are having entirely
too much fun, aren't they?
It's a constant problem
around here.
Bumbling Dad Humiliated at Day Care.
Quoyle!
C'mon over, Quoyle!
Order's up now.
Come and get it.
Aye, sir.
Hey.
Hmm. You've been
to the harbourmaster's.
Yeah, boats in, boats out.
Not exactly the stuff of legends.
Sometimes there's
a story behind the story.
What can I do you for, then?
Oh, um, I'll have, uh,
what-whatever they're having.
- What are you having?
- Squid burger. It's good.
All right, then.
You want some fries with that?
Okay.
All right, then, be back.
- Have you got yourself a boat yet?
- No.
You ought to get Alvin Yark
to build you one.
Or you could buy Nutbeem's.
I built a Chinese junk.
Sailed it up from Brazil.
Unfortunately, I missed
Manhattan by a mile or two
and got stranded here when
I shipwrecked by Gaze Island.
I've almost finished my repairs.
I'll be sailing away soon.
She's ugly, and...
the only thing I've ever loved.
Eh, your story tugs at me bladder.
Excuse me.
Um, what is it between those two?
You have to
understand about the curse.
Jack Buggit's father,
his grandfather,
his great-grandfather,
all died at sea.
Jack is... sensitive.
Especially about the sea.
"Sensitive."
It's what they call people around here
who, um, "know" things.
So, Dennis is forbidden the sea.
But being free,
Newfie and 21, he goes anyway.
- What? And that's enough?
- Death storm.
A massive wave cracks
her steel hull amidships,
a one-inch crack
from starboard to port.
Men go in the water.
Dennis is lost.
After about a week,
they come to Jack and tell him
the search is to be called off.
Jack stands like a stone.
Then he turns... quick,
the way he does... and says...
"He's alive...
and I know where."
So, off he goes, out to sea
on his own, in just a skiff
and finds Dennis.
Can you imagine the odds?
Finds him. Finds him.
Both arms broken, 99% dead.
The boy comes to.
And Jack says to him,
"If you ever step foot
in a boat again,
I'll drown you myself."
And do you know what Dennis said?
- Say it fast.
- He said...
"All fishing licences
are spoken for.
I'd appreciate it
if you gave me yours."
Jack looked in his eyes,
and they never spoke again.
Quoyle... you got
the "Shipping News" written up yet?
Oh, yes.
There's nothing here.
Boats in, boats out.
What else is there?
If I knew, I'd write it myself.
I took a chance on you, Quoyle.
Don't let me down.
Go get the aspirin now!
Oh, shut up!
I had as much to drink
last night as you did!
Excuse me.
Do I know you?
I'm a... I-I work
for the local paper.
I do the-the "Shipping News."
I was just... Is this your boat?
That's a boat.
This is a Botterjacht.
She was built for Hitler.
- He was the original owner.
- Really?
I-I just wanted to ask you
a-a couple of questions.
The finest Botterjacht
ever built in Holland.
Tell him what happened
in Hurricane Bob.
And she's incredibly heavy.
40 tons of solid oak.
Tell him!
She broke free of her moorings
and pounded six boats...
expensive ones... to rubble.
Wham!
Now tell him who let
our insurance lapse.
Wham!
Oh, it took six
very expensive lawyers
to weasel us out of it.
Jesus! An inch from bankruptcy.
Moral of the story?
When you marry a tour guide,
confine his authority
to mixing the drinks.
- Did I come at a bad time?
- Yeah.
Ten years ago would've been better.
Wife Fires Artillery on Hitler's Boat.
- Hello.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- You guys need a ride?
Thanks, but, uh,
Herry likes to walk.
Oh. Well, it's a nice day
for a walk.
Mr Quoyle, about the other day?
I'm sorry we got off
on the wrong foot.
No, that's, that's all right.
I-I was way off base.
I-I admire anybody
that works with kids.
That's the hardest job
in the world, you know?
- I'm-I'm a journalist, myself.
- Really?
Have you seen our local paper?
Strictly fish wrap.
What?
I'm the new reporter there.
Oy... uh... oh...
No, I'm-I'm sure...
That'll be, uh...
- Good luck to you.
- Oh, thank you very much.
- It was nice to see you again.
- Nice to see you.
- Bye, Herry.
- Bye.
Dennis?
Bunny.
W-What are you doing?
She's boring. Boring.
How was Bunny when you
picked her up from day care?
All right. A little snotty.
What's that?
Robert Burns.
Someone gave that to you.
Someone that you're missing.
Six year ago today.
Leukaemia.
We weren't married,
but that's a technicality.
- That your boat?
- Yeah, I just bought her.
- One question remains... Why?
- Well, she's a speedboat.
It's a shit boat.
Wallowing, cockeyed bastard.
- It'll sink in a bathtub.
- Makes you cry to look at her.
Just a coffin, boy.
Let me know when you're serious.
I'll take you down to see Alvin Yark.
He'll make you up
a sweet little rodney.
You don't have the sense
God gave a doughnut, do you?
I'm going home.
The best you can do is bury it
some dark night.
What in hell a name's this?
"Hitler's Barge."
Uh, that's, uh, a vessel in port.
It goes with the "Shipping News."
So, what about
the motorcycle accident?
Oh, I'm still working on that,
but I think this is a better story.
What do you mean?
You didn't do the one
Jack wanted you to do?
You did one
that he don't know you did?
Well, this is worse
than your boat.
Jack even sniffs this,
he'll cut you up for lobster bait.
I think I'll run it.
...and he crawled off the grass
onto a branch, and he made a cocoon,
which is like a house,
except it's for a caterpillar...
- Hey, Bunny.
- Shh. I'm reading.
He thinks I know how.
Oh, oh... no, no...
Go on, get the pig.
See you tomorrow.
- Oh, bye, Sarah. Bye, Patrick.
- Bye.
Hey, can you hold these rods
together for me?
You have to hold them flush
against each other.
- Okay.
- Thanks.
Be careful, honey.
- I want to see if it can fly.
- Well, not in the house, sweetheart.
Throw it up in the air,
high as you can.
- Okay.
- And count till it comes down.
One, two, three, four, five.
Hey. Have you been
to flight school?
- Not really.
- No? Oh, my.
Aunt?
- Hey, guess what?
- Just keep it down.
This is my assistant,
Mavis Bangs.
- Oh, hello.
- How are you?
Did you read my article
on the Hitler boat?
What?
Silver and Bennett Melville
were clients of mine.
They pulled anchor last night
without paying a penny
for all the work we did for them.
The buggers.
Now, you find out where they're to,
we'll give you the Pulitzer.
What, you make juju beads
out of lobster feelers?
Oh, that's pretty remarkable,
missus.
Now, where do you export these?
Haiti?
Oh, well... um, I'll tell you what.
I'll-I'll, uh, do my best.
I'll try to get you a bit of ink
in the next edition, how's that?
Well, you know, these things take
some time to work out, you know?
- Card?
- Hold on.
If you're going to shanghai me office,
Tert, you best conceal the evidence.
- Oh, no, Jack...
- Nah.
This, uh, Hitler boat...
You assign it?
Nope, sir.
It wasn't my idea.
Get me Quoyle.
Quoyle... he wants you.
- Mr Buggit, it was what you said...
- Have a seat.
I got four phone calls last night
about the Hitler boat... four.
People enjoyed it.
Mrs Buggit liked it.
Of course, you don't know
nothing about boats,
but that's entertaining, too.
So, listen here, me old son,
I'm giving you a weekly column.
A story about a different boat
every week.
Human stuff.
Who owned the boat, who lived
and died on her, who drowned,
who was saved,
who lost his fortune,
who had his heart broke.
You follow?
Tert!
Jack?
Order this boy a new computer.
And buy him a real one,
not one of them Japan clones.
- You got that?
- Uh-huh.
Oh, Mr Buggit,
I-I-I don't know what to say.
Did I not tell you?
My name is Jack.
Jack.
IBM, please.
Get back to your work, Quoyle.
I... B... M.
Lumbering Idiot Stuns Crowd...
For a Change.
Herry Prowse!
Look how well your kite is doing.
Are you making it dance
with your thoughts?
Your kite is doing so much
better than Mr Quoyle's.
Do you think Bunny's strange...
I mean, mentally?
The skinny ghost
with the white dog?
She told you about that?
Maybe she's sensitive.
The way some folks are around here.
And what about the necklaces?
Do you know how many
of those she makes?
And I found her bashing her baby
doll's brains out with a hammer.
A baby doll doesn't have brains.
It's a toy.
Do you know she's...
saving a room for her mother?
- Did she tell you that?
- Yeah.
Is she strange, that's all? Is she okay?
If-If you had to take a guess.
That little girl's
the only friend my son ever had.
So she's strange, you bet.
It crashed!
All right. There you go.
Do you know how he died?
My husband?
It was a calm night
when Herold took the boat out.
There was no sign of any storm.
Storms can be sudden around here.
He wasn't the only one
whose boat went down.
It was four years ago...
and it's yesterday.
Look how high we're up.
Uh-huh. Beat you to the car.
Did I blow it,
or can you still be my friend?
Your friend? Sure.
Is this yours?
The ghost brought it.
Then he ran away.
The skinny ghost
with the white dog?
Don't say I dreamt it.
Ah, you're getting the hang of it.
Now, coax her a wee bit
to starboard.
Attaboy. You're a Quoyle...
There's seawater in your veins.
How are things with your girl?
Oh, Bunny's just still adjusting,
I think.
Oh, I was talking
about Wavey Prowse.
Sorry... sorry! Whoa!
Jesus! Sorry.
I... Wavey and I
are just friends.
Fine. Don't have
to drown me over it.
This is where I grew up.
That's my poor old father there.
And that's where your house stood.
Before they dragged it
across the ice.
Yes, sir.
Before they was driven away.
Driven away by what?
You never knew? Ah, well.
It's neither here nor there,
right?
The point is, they made
a new place for theirselves.
No, by what?
Driven away by what?
Oh, that's old stuff, boy.
It's in my blood.
You ought to be able to tell me.
Well, they come to Gaze Island
centuries ago, they did.
The old Quoyles was rackers.
They were, they were pirates,
sort of like.
You see them cairns?
Fires used to burn in them
to guide the ships at sea
like lighthouses.
Now, the Quoyles
would move the fires
to fool the ships.
They'd lure them into the rocks
so the Quoyles could grab their loot.
Oh, they was a savage lot,
the old Quoyles.
Then they went too far one day,
they... nailed a man to a tree
and they cut off his nose
to draw the nippers and the flies
that-that ate him alive.
And that's when the Quoyles
was given their walking papers.
Jesus.
Now, there's still an old Quoyle
down in one of these coves somewhere.
They say he slept with his wife
after she was dead.
Anything else I should know?
That about covers it.
When the knitting pins
you is abreast
Hold the tiller to the west
Behind the pins you must steer
Till the old man's shoe
does appear
Pull, pull!
Show me that necklace.
See, if you make the loops bigger,
you don't have to make so many.
Okay.
Good morning.
Can I talk to you for a minute?
- Where's that chair from?
- Excuse me?
The chair that you're sitting in.
Where's it from? Where'd you get it?
It's not from around here, right?
It's foreign, it's exotic.
I don't want pirate's loot
in this home.
Billy Pretty told me all about it.
It's a good thing
somebody finally did.
I don't believe in dwelling
in the past.
No? Then what
are we doing here?
Making a future.
Well, well, well. If it ain't
the second coming of the Quoyles.
Taking a long and hearty meal break,
I can't help but noticing.
Hope you've got a good idea
for your next story, Quoyle.
I'd hate for Jack to think
that it was just beginner's luck.
Let the man digest, Tert.
Mind you, if I was the esteemed author
of the "Shipping News" column,
I'd pick up
the McGonigle Oil Field story.
Petro-dollars;
a golden flood of jobs.
You write a story about that,
I'll put it right there on the front page.
Thank you for stopping by, Tert.
Yeah, thanks, Tert.
- Aw, gee.
- What was that all about?
Oh, uh, he owns Mobil Oil.
Ten shares.
What about your column?
- What about it?
- You said you'd read it to me.
Yeah, I will,
once the game is done.
"There's a 1904 photo hung
in the Killick-Claw Library.
"Eight schooners heading out
to the fishing grounds.
"Their sails are white
and beautiful.
"But nowadays
you're just as likely to see
"a big black shape of an oil tanker
like the ruptured Golden Goose.
"Last week it leaked
14,000 tons of crude
"onto the seabirds, fish
and boats at Cape Despot.
"There will be more
and more tankers.
"They will get old and corroded,
and their tanks will split.
"And there will be less fish,
and less fishermen.
Nobody hangs a picture of an oil tanker
on their wall, do they?"
What do you think?
I think when Tert Card sees it,
he'll stay up nights
thinking of cheap shots
to pay you back.
I think he won't stop
until you're fired.
I think I haven't been so proud
of a friend...
since I don't know when.
Uh, what do you think?
Pretty impressive, huh?
Like I said,
nobody hangs one of those.
Well... your column's
front page stuff.
Only now it's more a caption,
is all.
"More than 3,000 tankers
proudly ride the world's seas.
"Even the biggest take advantage
of Newfoundland's deep water
ports and refineries."
Spelled it all perfect,
so as not to embarrass you.
"Oil and Newfoundland go
together like ham and eggs.
And like ham and eggs, they'll
nourish us in the coming years."
Even put your name on it.
"Let's all hang a picture
of an oil tanker on our wall."
Man of your principles...
I understand the only honourable
course is resignation.
And if you're off to see Jack Buggit,
you're gonna have to swim.
For I runs the Gammy Bird, every inch
of it, which he'd have to do without me.
And if you think he's going
to choose you over fishing,
then you're dumber than a doughnut.
If that's possible.
Jack?
For Christ sakes, Quoyle,
cut your motor!
All right, what's the emergency?
- Can't it wait till I'm done fishing?
- It's about my column.
Card, he printed it
not the way I wrote it.
Well, so?
You disapprove how Card
runs my newspaper...
enough to lose your job?
Yes or no?
Yes.
So, this is what
Jack and I think:
We want to run Quoyle's
wrong-headed oil spills story
because controversy sells papers,
and papers sells ads.
But the oil tanker picture stays.
You should have seen
Tert's face.
- Yeah?
- Oh, it was a beautiful thing.
That's all right, I've seen it.
- Oh, it's great.
- Mm-hmm.
Let's see what the special is.
How do you feel
about ordering to go?
- You ever had that before?
- No, what is it?
Seal-flipper pie.
Yeah, it's made from, like,
the knuckle part of the flipper.
The slimy cartilage part.
Yeah, it's good, though.
I mean, it's a good choice
if you like that sort of thing.
I... You know, I'm really
not all that hungry.
I just wanted, you know,
to come and sit.
- I had a big lunch today.
- Yeah.
They say you're not
a real Newfoundlander
till you've had a piece
of seal-flipper pie.
- That's what they say?
- Yeah, that's right.
Mmm, good.
That's surprising.
I never eat it, myself.
You never eat this?
This is horrible.
Here, I got you some real food.
Look.
Christ.
I knew somebody was out here.
Oh, for Christ's sake.
He's still burning off the fever.
Any feeling yet?
Little tingles.
- You're lucky.
- I'm fine.
I'll be ready to get
right back in that water
in another 20, 30 years.
Do you know how close
you were to dying?
I'll get my uncle, Alvin Yark,
to build you a proper boat.
And learn how to use it, okay?
Okay.
Good.
Were the eyes open or closed?
I don't know. Just said
it was a disembodied head.
What'd the police have
to say about it?
Still working on it. A little late
to return the head to its owner, though.
Hello, nephew.
"Mrs Silver Melville
was arrested early today
"in Lanai, Hawaii,
for the murder of her husband,
"socialite and raconteur,
Mr Bayonet Melville.
"'He pushed me once too often, '
Mrs Melville confessed,
"'so I finally pushed back."'
Good for you, my dear.
Well, he probably deserved it.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Don't get your hopes up.
You're the first man who ever cooked
for me. You got a lot of leeway.
How are they?
They're both asleep
in Bunny's bed.
Should we trust them?
I can do this.
You just don't think...
- Oh, no. No, I know. Here.
- I can't...
Let me do that, all right?
There you go.
- Can you feel that?
- Yeah.
Through your bandage?
What?
Your husband, he never...
He never cooked you a meal?
Why are we talking
about my husband?
Because I understand.
You said, "It's four years ago
and it's yesterday."
I understand that.
My husband's not
who we're talking about, right?
I'll go get Herry. He wouldn't like
waking up in a strange bed.
- Hey!
- Huh?
Who are you?
Huh? Yeah.
I tied magic in these knots
to protect you from the house.
No good ever come from the old place.
Never, never... never.
You... you have no...
business in the Quoyle house.
- I get you out of there.
- But I am a Quoyle.
A Quoyle?
I was a Quoyle
before you was anything.
Leave the house.
Tell, uh...
Agnis hello from...
Cousin Nolan.
You know why Agnis come back?
To show she ain't afraid
of the place no more.
'Cause I know what she's done.
I know.
She got rid of the baby
she was carrying.
What could she do? What?
She was only 12.
And it was her own brother
that done it to her.
No. No! No! No!
Please! No! No! Please!
- Does that belong to you?
- Sorry.
There's still hot water in the kettle,
if you want some tea.
I've started looking for a place
for me and Bunny.
You sure you're going
to be okay at your shop?
I said I would, didn't I?
I think Silver Melville was right
to chop her husband's head off.
He probably deserved it.
I think more women
should do what she did.
Maybe some should have done it
to their own brother...
my father.
Cousin Nolan dropped by
last night.
I always thought if anyone knew,
I'd be turned to stone.
Shit!
Here.
Tea's a good drink.
It'll keep you going.
When someone hurts you
that much, how do you...
Does it ever go away?
Is it possible?
Her name was Irene.
The love of my life.
You look happy.
So, yeah, it is possible.
Agnis tells me
we got to move for the winter.
It'll be a three-hour drive
from here to the point. All the ice...
Me and Bunny, we're going to have
to find a room in town somewhere.
I'll have the usual,
please, Annie. Thank you.
Well, if it's a place to stay you need,
you can have my trailer.
- Timing's perfect.
- What are you talking about?
My boat's ready.
If I stay here any longer,
I might begin to like the place.
I'm throwing myself
a farewell party on Saturday.
- Departure to follow Sunday.
- The rootless traitor.
Regrets soon after, no doubt.
Quoyle of the north!
Quoyle of the north.
Have you and Wavey
done the dirty yet?
Shh! She's the grieving widow.
Grieving for Herold Prowse.
Oh, that's a good one.
Let me tell you something
about old Herold Prowse.
It's like a party game in town...
to look at babies
and see if they look like Herold.
Hey. Hey!
Everyone! To Nutbeem!
To Nutbeem!
We all loves
our fucking Nutbeem, what?
Lets us keep him here then!
Got your chainsaw, Neddie?
Nutbeem!
Hoh-oh-oh!
What's wrong?
I'm a Quoyle.
I'm one of the Quoyles,
pirates and looters and murderers.
My father raped his little sister,
and then he taught me how to swim.
Stop that.
Jesus, you smell like a brewery.
Stop it.
Go on, Herry. Go on.
Stop it!
Herry.
Sorry, Herry.
I'm sorry, Petal.
I'm so sorry.
I meant Wavey.
Good. I feel much better.
When were you going to tell me
about your fucked-up marriage?
I'm scrambling eggs.
Are you gonna be able to eat?
No.
Listen, I'm...
Maybe I should just go.
You forget where the door is?
He ran off to Winnipeg
with some little bitch.
She was barely out of high school.
Is that fucked up enough for you?
Herold, my husband,
he didn't die.
Not that he didn't deserve to.
He left me when I was eight months
pregnant... no good to him in bed.
So I took his 15-footer
out into the bay,
cracked the hull with
a hatchet and sunk her...
and pretended he was drowned...
and played the grieving widow
and packed my bags to leave town.
But then a funny thing happened.
All these folk I grew up with, they
put their hearts around me and Herry
so we wouldn't be alone.
And I just couldn't leave.
I'm sorry, Wavey.
You're always sorry.
You're looking dishy, Quoyle.
I'm afraid my offer
to let you stay in my trailer
will have to be retracted.
Sorry about that.
And your boat.
I'm some disgusted
with the human race.
I never would have
made it anyway.
Storms would have
blown me to bits.
You boys saved my life,
I imagine.
I've gathered up my savings,
and I'm flying back to Brazil
where the water is
swimming-pool green.
You and Bunny can stay
with the wife and me.
To Brazil.
Brazil.
- Brazil.
- Brazil.
We can stay with Aunt Agnis
over at her shop.
Barely enough room there
for myself.
You'll like it at
Dennis' house, sweetie.
No, I won't.
- Hi, Quoyle. Hi, Bunny.
- Welcome, weary travellers.
- Our home's your home.
- No, it's not.
- Come on in.
- Bunny.
Come on in, sweetie.
I made a big seal-flipper pie.
- What's that?
- Weather light. Storm coming.
Big one.
The house... the house...
house.
I...
What is it, Quoyle?
What?
It's gone.
- What?
- The green house is gone.
I didn't dream it.
Don't say I did.
Yeah? Oh, hi, Mum.
Some storm, eh?
What?
Oh.
Yes. Yes, of course.
What's a wake?
It's to say goodbye.
Mr Buggit is sleeping
with the angels.
He was a hard man,
but he was fair.
Another one
for the Buggit curse.
Dennis...
Yeah, I'm still looking
for my dad's navy medal.
I found it.
Don't you worry.
It's going to be all right.
Thank you.
Mum.
What?
Good.
I found it...
in his desk at the office.
Would you write something
for the Gammy Bird about Jack?
Yes, I'll try.
Jack is...
Jack is all right now.
You all know...
we are only passing by.
We walk over these stones
a few times.
Our boats... sail for a little while
on the waves
and then they have to sink.
Jack knew that better
than anyone. Right, Jack?
Yes, boy.
He's awake!
- Jack! Jack!
- Get a doctor!
Oh, Jack... oh, Jack.
- Oh, Jack.
- No, no.
Come here, son.
I beat the curse.
The fishing licence is yours.
Sweetheart, you ready?
I want to have a wake for Petal.
Why didn't we have a wake?
Why didn't we wake her up?
It worked for him.
Honey, Mr Buggit wasn't really...
It's more like he was in a coma.
From the cold water.
It's like he was sleeping.
- Petal was asleep.
- No, honey...
You said she was asleep
with the angels.
I know what I said,
but she's not sleeping.
- You said! You said!
- Honey, honey, listen to me.
I know what I said.
Listen to me. Listen to me.
I just... I was too scared
to tell you the truth.
Petal is dead.
And you know that.
I know you know it.
It's okay.
Is it because of me?
- What?
- That she drove away.
Well, why would you say that?
Because...
Because I'm boring.
No, honey,
it's not because of you.
And you are anything but boring.
Come here.
You just come here.
Hon...
You believe me, don't you?
You still don't
believe me, do you?
About the house.
I told you so.
It's all right.
Worse things have happened
to both of us.
Maybe one day we'll build
a summerhouse out here.
Summer.
Do they have summer here?
Oh, you'll know it's summer
when the partridge berries are out.
And we can make partridge
berry duff and sweet berry okie.
- Will you show me how?
- I will, yeah.
I will.
There are still
so many things I don't know.
If a piece of knotted string
can unleash the wind,
and if a drowned man can awaken,
then I believe
a broken man can heal.
Deadly Storm Takes House.
Leaves... Excellent View.