New Gold Mountain (2021) s01e02 Episode Script

1
You are Leung Wei Shing?
I intend starting a Chinese print
edition to serve the Chinese population.
The seam is drying out.
We've been pushed out
of the good claims.
(WHIMPERS AND GROANS)
They won't and see we've
been skimming the take.
I will be meeting our new surveyor
to discuss his findings.
MAN: She's not afraid to take
things to extremes. She's here for you.
Burn like this,
can't let it dry out.
How'd it happen?
Heat.
Patrick fuckin' Thomas is it now?
It's a white woman.
MAN: There's been a woman murdered.
She's cut right open.
Where's she from?
Does anyone know her?
SHING: What do you think will happen if the 'gwailou'
find a murdered white woman in Chinese clothes?
(GASPS)
Ah
(PEOPLE CHAT INDISTINCTLY OUTSIDE)
The wise man is one
who knows what he doesn't know.
I think we might have something.
Scar face, red hair?
Our opium man says he has a match.
Where?
Mr Chen. Bang on time.
Is this it?
Just came in from Melbourne.
Thought I'd give you the honours.
Chinese letters for the press.
Second-hand, but I was assured
the problems were repairable.
Six shillings, week in advance.
Get him out of here!
You!
We have to find him
and shut him up.
Maybe the 'gwailou' didn't see you.
He saw me.
If he hasn't said anything
I need to know who he is.
Scar up his face,
ear missing, red hair.
Keep looking.
MAN: Dingoes, skinned and cut!
(THUD!)
(VIOLIN PLAYS CELTIC FOLK TUNE)
(HUBBUB OF VOICES)
MAN 2: Watch it!
Get out of the way!
Filthy Chow.
MAN 3: And here in these far-flung
lands filled with savages,
and worse
diseases
in which occur total cessation of
all apparent function and vitality,
such as to give rise
to the most calamitous of extremes
ever befallen
to the lot of mere mortality.
To be buried alive.
(CROWD MURMURS)
The boundaries which divide life
from death are shadowy and vague.
Who's to say where one ends
..and the other begins?
But fear has no place
for the forward-thinking.
Because today I bring,
but for a small sum
..the safety casket.
(CROWD GASPS)
(BELL DINGS)
(CROWD APPLAUDS)
WEESEL: Watch out!
Make way for the body.
Get back!
MAN: It's the blacks!
Who else would do this?
Someone should arrest them!
Mr Shing.
An unexpected good fortune.
Just who I was on my way to see.
My luck is boundless.
A word.
I wanted to make sure our agreement
from last night remains intact.
Extortion is the word, I believe.
You have the text?
For what?
Your advertisement.
I haven't given it any thought.
A product, a service, public
notice.
In London, there are publications
where men advertise for wives.
"Snappy dresser, sense of humour."
You may have to embellish somewhat,
increase your appeal.
No matter your plan,
payment over 12 months is £52.
I'll pay by the week.
I'd prefer a sizeable
To bleed me dry, yes.
(COINS CLINK, THUD ON DESK)
And exactly what tone of publication
am I to be associated with?
The paper's going through
a transitional phase.
But I thought a piece
about last night's murder.
My understanding is
it was quite brutal.
People like a mystery
and some blood.
I don't see the shame
in giving it to them.
So, if you'll excuse me
..I have work to do.
Murder stories are the gutter press.
Albert would never have allowed
Albert's dead.
I think we can fix most.
Carve replacements
for what's missing.
It will take time.
Good.
I want a print run
as soon as we can.
Week in advance.
MAN: I told you it's over here.
(GUNSHOT)
(MAN SHOUTS)
(MEN LAUGH)
Watch this, yeah?
You know, takes an animal
to cut a woman up.
How many animals around
this camp can hold a knife?
MAN: Can you?
(CLICK!)
Bam!
Ha!
(MEN LAUGH)
What is this?
You don't trust my numbers?
I wouldn't take it personally.
Next step is to check the accounts.
You have a bookkeeper?
My brother.
A brother?
Oh, and I was to meet our new
surveyor, Yong, this morning.
He failed to attend.
His habit is to meet with
the camp's bookkeeper upon arrival.
Yong might have trouble
making this meeting.
Being three feet under the ground.
I'll figure something out.
I have an idea. Meet me later.
I'll deal with Sun.
I always want to see you,
little brother. And English.
I don't need to practise.
I was thinking about
what you said to me yesterday.
I should have more fun.
When was the last time
we had a drink together? Huh?
You're always too busy.
A person can't change?
I mean, we're in a new land.
We work enough here,
buy a house in Melbourne,
start a business.
Cheung Lei wants to see the books.
How are the accounts?
The numbers add up,
if that's what you mean.
But it doesn't matter when she sees
how much gold we're actually getting out.
Talk to the men you trust.
Tell them to work slower.
And keep the numbers down.
And if they won't?
Convince them.
Also
she may ask whether you had told me
where Yong was prospecting.
You should say no.
Why?
Well, he seems to have gone missing.
Nothing.
And it's not your problem.
(KNOCKS ON DOOR)
Mrs Albert Roberts, Ballarat Star.
I'm here because of the growing
Never heard of it.
It's new. I'm here because
of the growing public interest
in the body that was found
last night in the bush.
I wondered if I might
look at the victim.
May I help, Mrs?
Roberts. Ballarat Star.
I see.
I'm Dr Grayson.
Well, I've only made
a cursory examination so far.
Incision from the bottom of the
sternum to the edge of the pelvic floor.
Blood already congealed, so it
happened some time after death.
Bone fractures. Significant blow
to the side of the skull.
A beating would be my guess,
though an extreme one.
Who is she?
Some simpleton got herself
into trouble, I can only assume.
Annie Thomas, actually.
Husband just confirmed.
Either way, she was out there
a good day before being found.
Husband didn't report her missing?
Pretty one like that
You'd think he'd be missing
something. (CHUCKLES)
Have some respect.
Respect?
You know
I've seen that top before.
Down at the George.
Husband or not,
only women in that place is whores.
So mind your fat gob there,
sweetheart.
(CLANKING)
(MUTED CONVERSATION IN CANTONESE)
This is your idea?
Dingoes.
Chinese surveyor on his own
Things can go wrong.
We need to frighten her.
Never heard of them killing
anybody. Build a new camp.
Just make it look real
and keep her far away from the seam.
Hattie
No fish today?
Dead lady from the other night.
I remember.
Name's Annie.
Husband's a digger. I know him.
Poor man.
How is he?
Type not to mess with.
Her body was moved
from the Chinese trail.
Don't suppose you'd know
how that came about?
Can't understand
why you'd think that.
Look on your face
when she came in last night.
I appreciate you coming to me first, but
I'm not sure what you expect me to do
White woman gets killed,
fingers point to blacks.
There's blood coming.
White people aren't going to listen
to me any more than you.
If there's proof
What proof?
Hoofprints.
Fresh from when she died.
I followed them out past Blue Rock.
Only ones out that country
are Aboriginals and outlaws.
He was an outlaw.
I need to think.
Thinking's not doing!
I'll be at the river bend.
Do something, or I will.
Mr Shing!
Fine morning.
Apart from the
you know, horrific murder.
I hope you have a suspect.
Not my job.
Husband, maybe.
Autopsy should tell them more.
Time of death, weapon.
Well, I would certainly
love to hear more, but, uh
Of course.
Keep up the good work.
Weesel.
What was in this spot?
Pleasant O'Quinn.
Gold thief.
Hmm.
You were right.
Your outlaw.
How do you know it's him?
One of my people saw him near
the tracks around the time she died.
A white man murdered that woman.
That's where the blame needs to go.
You said you wanted to do something.
I'm not killing anybody.
Neither of us would survive
doing that, even an outlaw.
But a white man does it
that's a different story.
What white man?
The husband.
The type not to be messed with,
you said.
Just needs someone to point him
in the right direction.
I came here to help you.
Skin might be different,
but we are the same, you and me.
Both do what we have to
for our people.
Right now
..this is what it takes.
Not now, girl.
I know who it was
killed your missus.
How?
I went out to where she died.
Took a look about.
Hoofprints.
Bullets in the trees.
Men who made those
are ones who killed her.
Woman died the way she did
..English will take
their pound of flesh.
Blacks, Irish
doesn't matter.
Just takes someone
to do what's right.
Then we do.
EARLE: Been a while since
I was out hunting outlaws.
How many men would you say
you shot down in California?
Seventeen's where we lost count.
Are you selling me a dog?
Seventeen men?
That's right.
Have you come to learn
much of the land during your stay?
I happen to have a keen interest
in native flora and fauna
if you're also of a curious mind.
For example, right there,
what you're seeing
is the 'Melia azedarach',
commonly known as white cedar.
It's reliable nourishment if
you ever find yourself in a bind.
Or if you want to spend a week
dying in a pool of your own shit.
(CHUCKLES)
Shit your pants.
Fuck off.
(METAL CLANKS)
(EXHALES)
(SIGHS)
(PIANO PLAYS)
(CLEARS THROAT)
No women in here.
Except for a job.
What if I was?
Talk to Bertha.
(MOANING)
(FASTER MOANING)
(MOANS CONTINUE)
(WOMEN CHAT SOFTLY)
Ooh. Tipping the velvet's
extra, honey.
But you can have
a Mother Goose.
Or a night pedal.
No, I wanted to know about
a woman who may have been here.
Curly brown hair,
might have had a yellow dress.
The one they found last night?
Rosie!
Woman they found.
Came in to talk to you, wasn't it?
Who's asking?
If you're trying to get me soused,
it ain't needed.
There's no secrets here.
Well, except professional.
Annie worked here too?
(LAUGHS)
Her? No.
Real romantic, that one.
Like want a poem read
before she'd spread type.
Then how did you know her?
I'm printing it either way.
Just depends
if your name's part of it or not.
Look, I only met her
a couple of times.
Maybe a month ago.
She was seeing someone.
And from the way she talked,
it was someone that she loved.
But I never saw him here.
To be frank, woman never made
a big impression.
Except, said that she was
'enfant'.
Pregnant?
Figured I was the type
to know what to do about it.
So I sent her to Grayson.
The doctor?
Much a lizard as a gent
if I had to pin it down, but
it's half a quid for a pennyroyal
and it's better than any
One dose, a little blood. Week
later you're back in the saddle.
And she went to him?
Never came back.
(HORSE WHINNIES)
Place looks dead to me.
Well, that there
is a disappointment.
Shit!
BURKE: My arse has turned blue.
EARLE: There goes 18.
(GUNSHOT)
JORAH: Oh! Come on!
(GUNSHOTS CONTINUE)
PATRICK: Take cover!
Don't you run, girl!
PATRICK: Throw me a gun!
Earle!
Let 'em come!
Come on, 18!
PATRICK: Where's Hattie?
She's that way!
I don't know, I don't know.
Ohh! (GRUNTS)
(GRUNTS)
PATRICK: I think you got one!
Stop!
(GROANS) Agh, agh agh!
(GRUNTS) I'm hit!
I'm hit!
I'm hit!
You okay?
(GROANS)
Where? Where?
(GRUNTS)
I don't know.
It certainly felt as if
for a moment
Where's Hattie?
I saw one of them go after her.
That way.
(GROANS)
(LEAVES CRUNCH)
(HORSE APPROACHES)
(RIFLE COCKS)
(CLICK!)
Shit!
(HORSE SNORTS)
What'd you do that for?
God oh, God!
Help me!
Hey, you got to help!
I wrote my ma.
Bought a claim
and I was gonna
I didn't mean to.
What?
She ran.
The woman?
Never hurt her.
She
had a black with her.
Guide.
I clipped him.
Then I saw the other one.
Who? Saw who?
Chinaman Chinaman.
I I wrote my ma.
Did I tell you?
Yeah, you told me.
(SIGHS)
You okay?
I got him.
I thought you didn't even know
I had a brother.
My family were farmers.
We ran.
No burial.
Bodies left to rot in the field.
No reason. No lesson.
It must be nice
to have a brother so close.
He spent most of his time
in the north when he was young.
It was coming here
that gave us the chance
to better know each other again.
And you?
A woman in your position
There must be a story.
I have had to learn ways to be
effective.
GOK: Just up here.
Something doesn't feel right.
I can see blood.
Go see what else you can find.
It's safe.
Dingoes.
Mostly safe, but they're territorial.
Yong must have set up camp
near one of their dens.
Dingoes?
I've seen them take kangaroos.
Anything?
Not even bones.
It occurs to me
I must see to another matter
on our return,
if you think we'll be safe.
That's why we're here.
To make sure you're safe.
Mrs Roberts.
Sorry to barge in.
I had more questions
about Annie Thomas.
I see.
I thought we could start
with some of your medical interests
more generally.
You've come to the right place.
I lecture professionally.
And those?
Ah the jars.
The early embryo.
Cow, sheep, turtle.
And, of course, human.
European, Negroid.
I've found celestial
hard to procure.
All alike in the early stages.
In humans,
you can see the gill slits,
your very living flesh,
once that of a fish.
As was mine.
In us all, the primal drives
of the animal
eat
breed
kill.
And Annie Thomas?
Thought it odd this morning that you wouldn't
mention that you knew her previously.
I've never met the woman.
She came to you for a service.
Our conversation's finished.
I don't care about the legality,
only We'll not be meeting again.
Good day.
(MAN GASPS)
You'll excuse the arrangement.
Better to be some distance
from the camp.
What is this?
Death by a thousand cuts.
The key is where to start.
A finger?
Or a toe?
But then you can't go back
to something smaller.
Imagine the shame.
The nose.
You can take 13 or 14 pieces
with some
care.
(KNIFE SLICES)
Who is he?
Stole from us in Gold Mountain.
Thought coming here
he would avoid punishment.
A headman, once.
Like yourself.
More charming, perhaps.
Smarter.
You asked before how it was
to be a woman in my position
only child, and a daughter, no
less.
Unnoticed, unseen, unwanted.
My father's concubine forced
to care for the useless girl.
A chore they especially resented
was to read me a bedtime story.
You know them?
All the same. Someone
falls in love, but they have
disguised themselves
to be something they're not.
Afraid to show their true self
in case they are rejected.
For a long time, I found myself
not being seen for what I was.
It was unpleasant.
I will not ask again.
So, if I may go
You are the headman.
(BREATHES SHAKILY)
It's not weak, you know.
What?
To feel bad over doing what you did.
To that boy.
People die. Nothing new.
Cry now and there'd be
no time left in a day.
What are you out here for?
Why aren't you with your people?
Don't have any.
I come from Lutruwita.
Mother from there.
Father a whitefella. Sealer.
Raped her. That's how I came.
Later she had my brothers.
Gone now.
Bunjil wanted me to live.
That's what my mother would say.
Rest of that mob
Like I said
people die, nothing new.
I'm not even sure
it's special anymore.
You wanted to know about my arm.
We had our little girl
two year after I got in.
Evelyn, we called her.
Hair like Annie's,
even when she was born.
Took slow to walking,
but she could talk.
Died when the diggers
were striking against the crown.
Fire got started.
Tents set close.
She was screaming.
I tried to get her out.
There was a man,
one of the leaders
The fire was his fault.
So I hurt him.
Bad.
His friends called us traitors.
So we ran.
Took different names.
Other things don't change so easy.
I saw that little girl in Annie
every single day.
Her face, her hair
the way she talked.
Came a time I couldn't look at her.
Couldn't listen.
And now
Never thought I'd miss pain.
So you hold on to that hurt
you got inside you there.
Over that boy and what you did.
It means the bastards haven't
turned you into one of them.
(RUSTLING)
(DOOR OPENS)
Custom we have is to ask
before we enter people's house.
Wasn't them.
Those kids we killed.
It was.
I was with one when he died.
Said there was more to it.
Said he saw a Chinaman.
A dying man can lie, too.
That was in her things.
"To Annie, with all my love."
Just wanted to let you know, since
we're looking out for one another.
So alike and all.
(DOOR CLOSES)
How did it go?
Good! See, all it takes
is motivation.
When you put your mind to something,
then everything can be
(NERVOUSLY) I just, uh
I still need to review
the books one more time.