Snowy River: The McGregor Saga (1993) s01e02 Episode Script

- [Narrator.]
Previously on Snowy River: The McGregor Saga, Kathleen returns to Snowy River to claim her land.
I thought you'd gone on to England.
I did.
And now we're back.
The farm is not for sale, Mr.
Blackwood.
Well, it can't be, you don't own it.
[Narrator.]
And a young man travels halfway around the world to face a legend.
Have you ever met this Matt McGregor, famous man from Snowy River? So, you're going in the race yourself.
I didn't come this far to watch.
I came to win.
[Narrator.]
While his battle to prove himself threatens to tear a family apart.
What's going on, Luke? All my life I've been hearing about the man from Snowy River and it turns out he doesn't even have the guts to get on a horse.
Who are you? My name's McGregor.
We're cousins.
[Narrator.]
But not even the race of a lifetime could resolve his bitterness.
Look, Luke.
There's a place for you here.
I'll never sleep in this house until I own it.
(light delightful music) (light joyful music) (dogs whimpering) It's all right, I'm not gonna hurt you.
Aw, so you wanna play.
(dogs whimpering) [Jack.]
I think you better come out of there boy.
Well I'm not gonna hurt them.
No, but she's a dinger.
She might hurt you.
Now just move back slowly, lad.
That's the way.
(dog panting) (frenzied music) (horse galloping) [Luke.]
Come on, come on! [Young Boy.]
What's going on? (horse neighing) That horse is crazy.
What'd you do to him? I was trying to catch him to go for a ride.
He just rid up and broke free.
Father was right.
The horse is far too high-spirited for its own good.
Should be put down.
Put that rifle down.
I won't hear anymore talk about having the horse destroy.
You know it's a fine-looking animal.
I'd like to calm him.
There's no need for you to do anything.
Just go back to work.
We'll take it from here.
I'll talk to Daddy about Prince.
Well it won't do you any good.
Thanks for catching him for me.
You're welcome.
And stay away from the hired help.
(gentle music) Savage didn't go one way.
All system riders the other.
Frank Blackwood and that young cowboy from Wyoming.
Did much damage? Nah.
I was thinking of moving on anyway.
Well, you're always welcomed to stay here.
After all the line at charity, you know that.
Hi Dad.
Some of the O'Neil cattle have crossed on our side of the creek again.
I'll be right with you.
Three times in one week.
It's gonna be past the jug.
[Jack.]
You need a hand? You still off the grog? When Jack Kelly makes a promise, he keeps it.
Well, the cattle belong to Kathleen O'Neil.
Now there's someone who could really use a hand.
What, me, work for a woman? Spent me days milking cows and weeding vegetables.
I was born a stockman and I'll die a stockman.
There are worse things in life, you know.
[Jack.]
Name one.
(gentle music) Go on, go.
(horse galloping) Mark! Lloyd Prince has got away.
[Danni.]
Come on, get up.
Yeah, come on, come on, yeah.
Yeah! Go on.
Get up, come on.
[Matt.]
Yeah.
Yeah.
Now don't you start telling me that this is no place for a woman again, please.
I was just gonna suggest you take on some help.
Try to keep those cows in place before they start calving.
Oh, you know I'm not in a position to hire anyone, even if I wanted to.
What if you found someone willing to work for just board and key? [Kathleen.]
And where does one find such a chargeable person in this day and age? I've already told Matt here.
I make it a practice never to work for females.
Well, there is very little I can do about my sex, Mr.
Kelly.
Thanks.
But I am prepared to offer lodging and three meals a day in return for help with my cattle.
Milking cattle, I suppose.
Beef, shorthorn.
I don't milk cows and I don't weed vegetables.
Then we would seem ideally matched.
I have neither.
However, if you find the idea of working for a woman so disagreeable, then we have nothing more to say to each other.
Hang on a minute.
Don't go putting words in me mouth now.
I'm merely repeating what you just told me.
Ooh, the argumentative kind too, I see.
Oh, yes, argumentative.
Disputatious and far too independent of mind for a person like yourself.
And you forgot a bit about the fiery temper.
Just what is with you, Jack? Me? You're living from hair to mouth with seed out of your pants.
Someone offers you some honest work and you throw it back in their face.
What's got into you? I reckon he crossed through here.
He's thrown his shoe.
Does that mean we've lost him? [Luke.]
Not necessarily.
What's going on? Luke is trying to catch my horse for me.
Maybe you could help too, Robbie.
We don't need any help.
(horse galloping) We're supposed to finish checking the boundary.
You take the boundary.
I'll find the horse.
Come on, get up.
(light delightful music) (gentle music) Prince is a bit on the wild side, but I like that.
I just couldn't let Frank shoot him.
Oh, don't worry.
We'll find him for ya.
And I'll gentle him.
Come on, yeah, yeah! (hammer banging) Nailing nebs are a waste of time.
Them rails are gonna be set into the post and bolted.
Oh, do they indeed? Indeed they do.
It would help greatly if they wasn't riddled with bores.
I thought we agreed to go our separate ways, Mr.
Kelly.
No self-respecting human being deserts another in time of need, Mrs.
O'Neil.
Even if they happen to be a dreaded member of the opposite sex? Now if you kindly give me some elbow room, ma'am.
You did say three meals a day.
[Danni.]
Do you have any brothers or sisters? [Luke.]
Why? Well, I didn't know I had a cousin at all.
I was just wondering if there are any more.
[Luke.]
No, there's just me.
Why do you hate us? I don't hate you, Danni.
Then why do you hate my dad? That's between him and me.
I don't think I could like anyone who hated my dad.
I'm gonna have a lot of trouble liking you.
Well you have to try real hard 'cause I like you.
What's that? Oh, it's an old prospector's hut.
We used to use it when we were up here mustering cattle.
Come on.
(curious music) Whoa.
What are you doing here? I think this was my father's place, Danni.
I have a photograph of him standing in front of a hut.
I think this was the place.
See, he was a prospector.
Wow.
Look at this.
You can just make out his initials.
A.
M.
, Alec McGregor.
Could be Andy Morgan, one of our stockman.
He engraves his initials on everything.
Nah.
It's my father's.
I'd kind of appreciate it if you'd remove your hat in the family home, cousin.
(light delightful music) Excuse me please.
Thanks very much.
Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce our new district school teacher, Mr.
Thomas Pascoe.
(crowd applauding) Thank you, thank you.
That is most kind.
Can I say I'm delighted to meet with you all and to have this opportunity of teaching your sons and your daughters? I must warn you, I work extremely hard and I expect the same hard work from my pupils.
And I'm sure we will learn from each other.
If you have any questions, please ask them over cup of tea.
Thank you.
(crowd applauding) And how many of your children will I be teaching, Mrs.
O'Neil? Just the one, Mr.
Pascoe, Michael, he's 10.
And we recently arrived from England.
From England? And at least you had a proper education.
Oh, we're not all savages here, Mr.
Pascoe.
I'm Matt McGregor.
However, I think you might have your hands full with my daughter, Danni.
I look forward to the challenge, Mr.
McGregor.
Well if you'll excuse me, I must get back to the farm.
Mrs.
O'Neil has bravely taken on the task of running a property single-handedly.
Like you Mr.
Pascoe, I enjoy the challenge.
I think she'll be returning to England before long.
Oh, I wouldn't get my hopes up too high, Oliver.
She seems fairly settled to me.
What'd you think? What about, Kathleen or Mr.
Pascoe? I already know what you think about Mrs.
O'Neil.
(gentle music) [Matt.]
Danni, you got everything ready for school tomorrow? Yeah.
Do I really have to go? What do you think? Doesn't matter what I think.
My fate is sealed.
[Rob.]
Hey dad.
[Matt.]
Hmm? You know that old hut out near parks ridge? Yeah.
Who owns it? Well, no one really.
Well, who built it? Oh, as a matter of fact, your Uncle Alec.
Luke's father built it after the first gold strike.
[Rob.]
But it's on our land, isn't it? I bought it off him when he sailed to America.
Well you must still own the hut then.
Yeah, why do you want to know? [Rob.]
Well, Luke told Danni that he was gonna claim the place as his birthright.
He did not.
He just said he might do some prospecting.
Well he can't do that, can he? Legally, he can stake a claim anywhere he wants, as long as he works it.
Well he won't have done that yet.
Why don't we just throw him off? Because he's my brother's son.
(gentle music) (tense music) That horse isn't a rogue, Mr.
Blackwood.
He's just been poorly broken in.
[Oliver.]
You gotta catch him fist.
I intend to do that.
On your own time, not on mine.
I know that.
What do you want? I figure a horse that expensive, it should be worth more than a nice smile from your daughter for whoever catches and tames it.
(chuckles lightly) Everyone knows you would've claimed war on your uncle.
It's not money you need.
It's a powerful ally.
(weighty music) I'll go catch that horse.
All your favorites for tea.
Now you have a good day at school.
Aw, mom.
- Oh, go on.
- Bye.
(bell ringing) My name is Mr.
Pascoe.
I am your new teacher.
I am extremely well-educated.
And soon you will be too.
I will take no opposition to my authority.
Are there any questions? Now you know who I am.
It is my turn to get to know you.
As I call your name, you'll each get to your feet and tell me just a little about yourselves.
Ms.
Doreen Atherton.
My name is Doreen Atherton.
I live my with mother and father.
I have two big brothers who work on the farm with my father.
I love school and I'm very good at drawing.
I only missed one day from school last year and that was because my mother had my little sister.
Very good, Doreen.
(horse nickering) Robbie, be careful.
It's all right.
It's not going anywhere.
Are you boy? I can't believe we've found him so quickly.
Luke will be furious.
Yeah.
Come on, easy boy.
Easy.
That's the way.
Come on.
Good boy.
You did it.
Whoa, whoa, boy, whoa, easy.
Steady, steady.
Steady.
Steady, steady.
Come on.
(horse neighing) Come on.
Steady.
Good boy.
Sorry.
Now we just gotta hide him from your father and Frank and then I'll start teaching him some manners.
Won't you need Luke for that? Yeah, Luke's gonna teach anyone manners until he starts learning a few himself.
Good boy.
Your name is Master Carney and you live on the family farm.
Camp comp boy.
Don't you have no other ambitions apart from merely collaborating with a beast of the field? (children chuckles lightly) Well boy? I didn't know what you want me to say.
Do you have no cultural expectations? No hobbies? Do you not read books? There's never any time to read books.
Then you must make time and you will.
I shall see that you do.
Next.
(Sean crying) Name.
Sean Carney's crying, sir.
(tense music) Your name.
My name is Danni McGregor.
I live with my father and my brother Robbie.
I like school.
Sometimes.
He should be safe in here.
We only use the yards a couple times a year.
Let's start training him now.
I got some work to do for Dad.
But I'll come back tonight with some feed and we can start first thing in the morning.
I reckon by the end of the week all your troubles will be over.
(horse nickering) Robbie, I don't know how to thank you.
Yeah, well.
[Victoria.]
You don't seem totally pleased about it.
Pleased? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm pleased all right.
I'm pleased as punch.
It's just that you seemed so busy with father and well we had the morning off, so.
So you left me for dead and teamed up with my lame brain cousin.
Robbie happens to be a very nice boy, and one of the best horseman in the district.
That ain't saying much.
So where's the horse now? We put him in a yard on Langara.
We'll start work on him tomorrow.
We'd be happy to have your help, Luke.
Nah, I'll be busy.
[Michael.]
Everyone's scared of him, mom.
Even Jamie Fletcher, and he's not even scared of snakes.
Mr.
Pascoe is just letting everyone know where they stand.
That's all.
It's a very sensible move.
No one's even game enough to ask a question.
Oh, I'm sure you're exaggerating, Michael.
No, I'm not.
You can ask Danni McGregor.
I'll get the cattle down.
Good.
Now I always have dinner on the table at six, Mr.
Kelly.
So that should give you plenty of time to get cleaned up and take a bath.
Bath? Yes, Mr.
Kelly, a bath.
Or a swim in the creek, if you'd prefer.
Look, I don't.
Are you trying to tell me that you prefer not to take a bath, Mr.
Kelly? All this washing ain't healthy.
I mean, man could catch his death.
Then perhaps Michael can bring your dinner down to your camp.
Yes.
(Michael chuckles) This bad-tempered man makes fun of the kids.
[Rob.]
Well at least he won't make you fall asleep like how Mrs.
Weinwright used to.
I wish she was still our teacher.
I wish Mr.
Pascoe never came to Paterson's Ridge.
From what I've heard, he's a good teacher.
But he has a cane.
Who ever heard of a teacher without a cane? Mrs.
Weinwright didn't have one.
But we won't know if you're still learning anything from her.
You certainly didn't, that's for sure.
But did he actually use it, Danni? Well he did everything but.
He twisted Sean Carney's ear till it went purple.
Look, Sean Carney is a good kid, but he's never gonna top the class.
Well, nor did you.
It's not fair.
He's just a bit slow, that's all.
Well maybe that's not all.
Maybe he's.
I'm gonna tell Mrs.
Carney.
I was just gonna say that How about we let Mr.
Pascoe draw his way for awhile, huh? (gentle music) (perplexed music) [Thomas.]
Lokieb.
Yes, sir.
McGregor.
Danielle McGregor.
Here sir.
[Thomas.]
O'Neil.
[Michael.]
Here sir.
Ah, Master Carney.
So you have decided to grace us with your presence after all.
Yes sir.
Master Carney, lateness will not be tolerated.
Do you understand? Yes sir.
Come here, boy.
Hold out your hand.
Ow! That is a mere sample of what you will get if you are ever late again.
Now go to your seat.
(gentle music) Come to get the horse.
Horse stays where it is.
Over my dead body.
Any way you want it, cousin.
(grunts) (frenzied music) (horse neighs) (fist thuds) (horse galloping) The house was large and comfortable with pretty red curtains on the windows.
The cat sat by the open fire, licking and cleaning itself.
Very good, Doreen.
Next is Master Carney.
We are waiting.
Cat.
Sat.
We've already heard that, boy.
(foreboding music) Read it! Leave him alone.
What did you say? I said leave him alone.
He's trying his best.
We are all.
The class will break for recess.
All except you, Ms.
McGregor.
Whoa boy.
(gentle music) Easy, boy.
Steady.
Whoa, boy.
Easy, boy.
Steady, steady, whoa, steady.
Whoa, come on.
Come on.
Whoa, easy, boy, steady.
Come on, come on, steady, boy, come on.
Steady! Steady, boy! (horse galloping) Whoa! Yeah! Hey.
What are you doing home so soon? Danni.
Danni.
What's the matter love? What happened? I was rude to Mr.
Pascoe.
Oh, Danni.
Whoa.
(Rob grunting) Stay.
(Luke chuckles) Well, well.
What have we here? Get me up, will ya.
First thing's first, cousin.
I get you back up, I keep the horse.
Yes or no? I can't hear you.
Yeah, you get to keep the horse, all right.
[Luke.]
I have your word on that? [Rob.]
You have my word on that.
Just get me up.
My pleasure.
Come on, boy, come on, come on.
Come on, come on, come on.
I'll get the rope back to you as soon as I can.
I can't believe you'd leave me like that just for a horse.
To you it's just a horse.
(gentle music) [Kathleen.]
Thanks John.
Hi Mrs.
O'Neil.
[Kathleen.]
Hi Colin.
You planning extensions to the house.
Nothing so ambitious.
I'm just doing some repairs to the stockyards, if you can call them that.
Oh, don't tell me you've taken on Jack Kelly to help with the cattle.
He's a good man.
So far we've managed to disagree on just about everything.
Well, Jack has very definite ideas about the way the world should be structured.
Oh, this is good timing.
It saves me a trip to Langara.
Hey Dad.
Dad.
Now pay attention.
This is the sign for pounds, shillings.
I want a word with you, Pascoe.
I happen to be in the middle of a class.
Outside now.
Remain seated.
I'll be right back.
She was in the wrong, Mr.
McGregor.
Nothing would justify the treatment you did there.
Now get up you sniveling coward.
Dad! Whoa! Hey, what's wrong? Make sure you have him firmly in hand.
What's this all about? Matt, what's going on? He beat Danni with a cane, threshed her leg till she could hardly walk.
Stop it.
Stop it! Is this true, Mr.
Pascoe? There are moments in a school teacher's life when strict disciplinary measures are called for.
But what could the girl have done? She questioned my authority.
She tried to stop him from giving Sean Carney a belting.
I'm Sean Carney's mother.
(children cheering) Now listen to me, Pascoe.
I'm giving you 24 hours to pack your things and get out of this town.
Boys, we'll see what your town council has to say about this.
[Matt.]
Start packing, Pascoe.
(tense music) (gentle music) [Woman On Podium.]
And none of us wanna see that happen again, do we? (crowd murmurs) Now I understand your concern about the appointment of another teacher after the actions of Mr.
Pascoe, but at the same time, I mean, our children need an education, and I, for one, just cannot stand by and see the school closed.
Ladies and gentlemen, I think you'll all agree this is a wonderful offer of Mrs.
O'Neil's.
All those in favor of Kathleen holding the reigns until a suitable replacement can be found, say I.
[All.]
I.
(crowd murmurs) Thank you.
Don't think for a minute that I don't know what's behind this move of yours, Mr.
Blackwood.
Mrs.
O'Neil, you do me a grave injustice.
Because if you think the extra work will force me off my farm, you're in for a big disappointment.
I don't understand.
You see, the extra money I earn will go to buy more stock.
And in case you haven't heard, I've hired a stockman to look after my cattle.
What stockman? Mr.
Jack Kelly.
(Oliver laughs) Jack Kelly? He's just an unreliable old soak.
You mean, he drinks.
Like a fish deal lady and has done several years.
(Oliver laughs) Some stockman you hired.
I gave Mr.
Kelly's parcel of food just like you asked, Mom.
Good, Michael.
He said to tell you the big grown cow's getting ready to have her calf.
He started telling me all these funny stories about a platypus and he said he wanna show me a burrow.
Michael, I don't think you should be spending so much time with Mr.
Kelly.
I thought you liked him.
We don't know him very well.
I'd like to see the platypus.
Well, don't get your hopes up.
Goodnight, Mom.
Goodnight.
(gentle music) Oh, it's you, Jack.
I was on my way home.
Saw the fire.
You're getting a bit old for this kind of thing, aren't you? As old as you feel.
Well, seeing as we're out here alone, how about a little something to keep the cold night air at bay? Let's not stand or stare at me, Jack.
Two old seasoned campaigners like us.
Here's to the warmth of a long hot summer.
(sad harmonica music) Nice one.
Yeah, that's good.
You know something happy? No.
Well, I heard you caught Victoria's horse.
I thought that would make you happy.
Luke stole it from me.
Yeah, why'd you let him do that? I didn't let him do it.
Obviously, he wanted it more than you did.
Obviously.
(sad harmonica music) Eh, eh, eh.
Something cheerful.
(cheerful harmonica music) (light joyful music) Mr.
Kelly.
Move it, get in there.
Get in.
Move it.
Get in, get in.
Come on, come on.
[Kathleen.]
Push them in, Michael.
Get in.
[Kathleen.]
Get in there.
Ah, just dropped by to see if Jack needed a hand.
I thought you'd two be well on your way to school by now.
We're not going to school today because that cantankerous old boozer, that you tried to pass off as a stockman, got into the whiskey last night and went bush.
Jack hasn't touched liquor for almost a year.
No? Then what'd you make of this? I found it at his camp this morning.
My late husband was a drunkard, Mr.
McGregor.
So believe me, I know what I'm talking about.
[Michael.]
Mom.
Just a minute, Michael.
He left behind him a trail of bad debts and more broken promises than I care to remember.
And I let you go and settle me with another one.
Ah, I can't understand that he gave me his word.
[Michael.]
Mom.
A word of a drunkard.
It's worthless, Mr.
McGregor.
Mom.
Mom, it's Mr.
Kelly.
(delightful music) The cow had her calf, just like Mr.
Kelly said it would.
Mr.
Kelly.
Slipped away during the night.
By the time I caught up with her, she'd crossed the creek and dropped her calf.
Kathleen was just a little bit worried about you, Jack.
Seems I owe you an apology, Mr.
Kelly.
Tipped it on the flyer.
Every last drop of it.
The day Oliver Blackwood pushes over an old bushy like me is the day I give the game away.
(door knocking) Mrs.
O'Neil, come in, come in.
Running a little late for school, aren't you? On your first day.
School can wait, Mr.
Blackwood, until after I've returned this to its rightful owner.
You're going to deny that you tried pawning it off onto Jack Kelly last night? Looks like he made a sizable dent in its contents.
He tipped them out.
And if you so much as put a foot on my property and try such an underhanded trick again, I'll have the lawyer onto you for trespassing.
Is that understood? Why, Mrs.
O'Neil, whatever must you think of me.
Here we are, Michael.
Thanks, Mom.
(light delightful music) I'm delighted you could join us, Mr.
Kelly.
Please sit down.
Yes, ma'am.
This was my father's.
It's mine now, my birthright.
You can't take it away from me.
I wouldn't want it.
Either way it's still McGregor property.
(light joyful music)