Ten Pound Poms (2023) s01e06 Episode Script

Before I met you, I had a child.
And one day soon,
I will get him back.
SAILOR: Everything's in order.
MAN: The main thing now,
prepare for what happens
after the birth.
Cockroaches, JJ, really?
BILL: I would rather be the lonely
bachelor than a betrayed husband.
I'm going to give you
no choices at all.
What? No! No! (SOBS)
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
VOICEOVER:
At the Portsmouth Naval base,
Britain prepares for the worst
in the Suez crisis.
President Nasar
continues to defy the Western powers
on his seizure of the canal
and seeks the support of Russia
and the Arab League countries.
Meanwhile, a French fleet
sails for too long
as diplomats desperately
seek a conference
that will head off war.
Uh, so what now? Milkshake?
Arty, it won't happen again.
- What won't?
- The war.
(INHALES)
That's what they said last time.
After all we went through,
the world won't go to war again.
And if they do
me and you will be here,
in Australia.
And we will find a deserted beach,
then we will hide
until it's all over.
- What did I do to deserve you?
- (CHUCKLES)
Come.
You can buy me a waffle.
- A waffle?
- A waffle.
(LAUGHS)
(BIRDSONG)
Your face
makes me happy.
Time was, I thought
I'd never be happy again.
Funny old life, in't it?
In my hut,
sh, no-one knows about this,
top secret,
I have a stove burner,
eggs, bacon and tomato
packed in ice,
fresh as can be.
And we are gonna have ourselves
a great British fry-up.
Oh!
(WHISTLES CHEERFULLY)
(WHISTLING STOPS)
- ARTY: Oh
- (LOUD CRASH)
(CREAKING)
VOICEOVER: Australia,
a great place for families.
Australia is an exciting new land,
a country in the modern world.
Create a real home for your family.
A good place to grow.
There's a bright future.
Come over to the sunny side.
The cost of the journey
halfway around the world is £10.
Look for a new start
On your way to Australia.
I can't pretend I knew Arty well.
We weren't lifelong friends.
But I know he was a good man.
And I know he was determined
to put the past behind him
and embrace the freedom
we're all now enjoying.
(SHUDDERS)
They called him Party Arty.
And he
He was
He survived everything
the Nazis threw at him.
He fought,
not only for his own country,
but for a safer world.
And he got through those horrors
And they were horrors.
only to die in such a
in such a pointless
- And we know who's to blame.
- Yes, we do.
(MURMURS OF AGREEMENT)
Eh, we don't do this.
This service is about Arty.
He wouldn't want us doing this.
(ORGAN PLAYS)
(ALL SING) And did those feet
in ancient times
Walk upon England's
mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant
pastures seen? ♪
You OK?
You know. When we first arrived
walking past his hut
I hear, "Psst! Psst! In here."
There's Arty
sticking out the window.
(CHUCKLES) Yeah.
When we were sorting out
his things
I found his wallet.
Inside
I'll show you.
"Life is brief. Enjoy it."
Now, listen
I want you to keep it
in your wallet. Right?
And we both need to live by it.
Yeah.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
STEVIE: Oh!
(CRASH)
Are you? Are you OK?
PATTIE: Marco! What are you?
Sorry, clumsy me.
Yeah, clumsy?
Whoops! Clumsy.
- Clumsy me.
- PATTIE: Stevie! Stevie!
- Eh?
- Eh?
BILL: Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Whoa! Stop! You want to fight
like animals,
do it elsewhere.
Show some respect.
Tomorrow, Itie - me and you.
Any time you like, England.
Stevie, just just leave it.
Four o'clock, back paddock.
Just going to the lavatory.
(WHISPERS) OK.
SHIELA: I only have a minute,
but I wanted to speak with you.
Come to tell me I'm to blame?
- JJ
- Save your breath.
I know you're going.
I am.
And I want to thank you
for the wonderful times we've had,
but I'm a married woman, a mother.
And deeply unhappy.
I've come to realize that
there's no other option
but to.accept my situation.
JJ: No.
No, that is exactly
what you don't have to accept.
We could be happy.
You know that.
I know you know that.
(CHAIR LEGS SQUEAK)
(CLAPPING)
JJ: OK, then.
Here I am.
Who else wants to have a go at me?
Hm?
Come on, one of you.
- You killed him.
- Bill.
JJ: No.
Let him speak.
That's what they're saying.
With your neglect.
Letting this place
go to wrack and ruin.
Nothing ever being fixed.
Nothing ever being replaced.
We were promised a dream
of a wonderful new life
and instead we got this.
But clever me,
I've gone and bought my family
a beautiful new home.
(CHUCKLES)
Come on, girls.
BILL: Hm.
(DOG BARKS IN DISTANCE)
MAN: This is a true beauty, mate.
It's like a home on wheels,
trust me.
So why you selling it?
Need the cash, mate.
(SCHOOL BELL RINGS)
TEACHER: Bye. Run along now.
(CHILDREN CHATTER INDISTINCTLY)
(CHILDREN LAUGH AND PLAY)
(DOOR BELL RINGS)
Hello, I'm Katheryn.
I'm from the adoption welfare unit.
This is just a routine visit
to ask a few questions
about your progress.
Right
Do you have ten minutes?
Nobody told us there was
going to be a review.
Well, we find spontaneous visits
get a better picture
of the natural home life,
otherwise people, you know, tidy up,
put their children
in their best clothes.
Right, right, well,
I hope you find
the place acceptable.
Thank you.
Is your husband still at work?
Yes, he works out in Yalanda.
And remind me again
of what his occupation is?
He's a finance officer
for the Chrysler company.
- Great.
- Yes, it's a good job.
He earns a good living,
which is helpful
for looking after a child.
So I can see.
Is that Michael there
playing with his friend?
FRAN: Yes, that's his friend Joe,
from next door.
So how is Michael settling in?
Good. Yes. He's, um
a great little kid.
He's happy and relaxed,
which is an achievement
on our part, I think.
The little blighter
has been through some rough times.
I know.
His birth mother didn't want him
and apparently tossed him into care,
and then he was shipped over here
and wound up
in some horrible orphanage.
Can you imagine,
a child that age stuck on a boat,
sent to the other side
of the world on his own?
He must have been terrified
wh-which is why
my husband and I chose him.
Do you mind me asking how you
managed to adopt a British child?
(STAMMERS)
It's all agreed and legal,
we have the paperwork.
Yeah, I'm sure.
It was a loophole, really
but from a place of kindness.
My husband offered the orphanage
a large donation
which will help with the care
of so many other children,
and in return they
Bent the rules?
It's allowed in
"special circumstances."
It was agreed.
When he came to us,
he he was inside himself,
kind of withdrawn.
But we've plied him
with love and affection
and we've told him
whatever happened in his past
is over.
And every night
I climb into his little bed
and I tell him that,
"Mummy's here," and,
"Nothing bad
is ever gonna happen again."
Does he ever talk about
his old life? His mother?
I'm not sure how much he remembers.
He just knows that
she didn't want him.
Sorry, may I?
- FRAN: Oh. Bathroom?
- Yeah.
Just through there, to the left.
(SHAKING)
FRAN: Well, I hope I've managed
to reassure you
that everything is good.
Yes, thank you.
- I should go.
- I'll show you out.
Michael
Michael, I'm I'm Kate.
Hello, Kate.
Are you happy here?
(SOFTLY) Good.
I am glad.
You're a good boy.
And this is your home now.
I'm going to come and see you
again very soon, OK?
MICHAEL: OK.
Great.
I'll see myself out.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(THUDS AND GRUNTS)
(CROWD CLAMOR)
(WHISTLE BLOWS)
(CROWD APPLAUDS)
(PATTIE SIGHS)
You're cut.
Please, Stevie, just stop it.
If I pull out, he wins.
Who cares?
I care.
I
I don't want you getting hurt.
The only thing that will hurt
is losing to that braggart.
This is madness.
All right, fine, get yourself
killed, just
just don't expect me to watch.
Pattie.
Pattie!
She can't face seeing you lose, huh?
(CROWD LAUGH)
Aw
WOMAN: Let's go, Stevie.
Come on!
(PANTING)
(GRUNTS)
Hit him, Stevie!
(ONLOOKERS GROAN)
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
(WHISTLE BLOWS)
(SHEILA SIGHS)
I'm famished. Shall we eat?
What a beautiful boat they have.
BILL: Isn't it?
Do you think we could get a boat
one day?
I should love to spend time
on the water.
Within a year. I guarantee it.
It's good to see you smile.
You're still the most beautiful
woman I have ever laid eyes on.
Hello, Kate.
Kate!
Kate!
Kate!
Kate!
Kate, stop running!
Kate!
(SHE SHRIEKS)
(HE PANTS)
(HE GROANS)
(HE GASPS)
(BOTH PANT)
(FOOTSTEPS)
Imagine my surprise
when I woke up
in a Southampton hotel room
alone,
having missed the boat.
I'm sorry.
Are you?
Why, Kate?
The child
I've had a long time to think
He's not "the child".
He's MY child.
My son.
So
have you found him?
Thought not.
What do you care?
What do I care?
Kate, you have my ring
on your finger. Or you did have.
I wanted us to come here together.
Was this your plan all along?
Hmm?
Sign us up as a couple -
easier for couples to get accepted -
and then leave me at the dock.
- No.
- Then why leave me?
Because whenever I tried to talk
about Michael,
it was always,
"What is done is done."
Kate
He's my son and I want him back.
And if you've come all the way here
to tell me that I'm wrong,
well, you might as well jump back on
that boat and sail home!
When I woke up and the dawning
of what you'd done hit me,
I was
(HE EXHALES)
Angry, yes. Seething. But
mostly broken.
I'm sorry.
But you always wanted everything
the way that you wanted it.
There was no changing your mind.
I can't help the man I am, Kate.
I'm a realist.
A pragmatist.
It's what the Army does to you.
I know how the world works.
Not how we want it to be
or how we'd like it to be
but how it really is.
And your boy
he's someone else's boy now.
We can't undo that.
- So I just give up?
- Yes.
Kate, you couldn't look after him.
You were a single mother.
Young mother.
And in the best interests of
the child
Best interests?!
What about my best interests?
You couldn't offer him a loving home
so wheels were set in motion.
Yeah, wheels that I didn't agree to!
I thought it was temporary.
Until I got myself in
a better place.
- I think you knew.
- What?
When you let him go. I think you
knew you'd never see him again.
No, I didn't!
I didn't
I grew him.
I I gave him life.
And now I can't get him back.
He haunts my every thought.
I feel him.
I could smell him.
And he's not here.
He's He's not in my arms.
Kate
I love you.
I sailed six weeks on a bloody boat.
Surely that shows my commitment?
Henry, I made my choice.
I came here to look for Michael.
I've a job lined up.
In Cairns. Good money.
Military training.
(HE SNIFFS)
They're not expecting me for another
month, but that's where I'm going.
And I want you to come with me.
There's hospital work up there.
I've bought a van.
Drive up the coast.
A little holiday.
Together.
We can remember what we love about
each other.
We'll have a child of our own
one day.
Make a life for ourselves in the sunshine.
And when we're old
and we look back on all this
madness
it will just be something that
happened once.
In our past.
(BANGING AND CLATTERING)
Hey!
Oi, mate!
- Yes, mate?
- What's going on?
Renovating the hut
for the new arrivals.
- What?!
- You bloody deaf?
What's the matter?
They're burning Arty's things.
Fixing his hut. It's a disgrace.
No-one should be in that hut.
Right
- Maria!
- What is wrong?
Come with me.
Hey!
Someone died in that hut.
My friend died in that hut.
That's why we're fixing it up.
You're burning his things.
His memorial's still there
and you're burning his life away.
He's barely fresh in the ground.
No, no, not me, mate. I don't make
the decisions.
I'm just doing what I'm told.
(FOOTSTEPS)
Why are you burning his things?
Excuse me, we're in a meeting.
I don't care. I'm not talking to
you. I'm talking to him.
- Are you?
- Just let me introduce you,
please. This is my mother,
Mrs Walker.
She makes all the decisions
around here.
Oh.
Mother, this is Annie and Maria.
Maria has been an endless thorn
in my side,
saying that this hostel is not fit
for dogs.
- Really?
- That's right. It's a dump.
And yet you're still here.
The point is, a man died in one of
your huts. He DIED!
I'm aware of that.
Mr Farthingdon never put in any
complaints to us,
probably because he was running an
illegal alcohol business
in contravention of hostel rules.
A service hostel residents availled
themselves of.
That hut cannot be patched up and
have other people thrown in there.
What would you like us to do?
- Keep it as a shrine, Mrs?
- Roberts.
Why are you burning his things?
Because Mr Farthingdon and his
illegal endeavors,
his storage methods
and his keeping of perishibles
has likely led to the infestation
of white ants,
so everything gets destroyed.
This is lies.
I resent that. Now, please
Maria's been telling JJ for months
about the problems in these huts.
The dry rot. The termites.
And every reported case has been
dealt with.
- Not true.
- I have passed your concerns
upwards on every occasion.
And they have been dealt with!
The death on this hostel was not
from our neglect
but the nefarious activities of
your deceased friend.
Now, I'm sorry if that's tough to hear
You're a liar!
If you call me liar again,
I have no option but to ask you to
collect your valuables
and exit this facility. And if you
want to know the truth,
your friend was in our pay.
What?
He was our informer.
- N-Never.
- Oh, yes.
So good of him to keep quiet.
Telling us when people had jobs they
weren't declaring,
so it was very much in our interest
that he stayed alive.
You are a liar.
I warned you.
Right.
Gather everyone you can.
Wake them up. Knock on doors.
- Annie
- No, we're not standing for it.
Get everyone outside Arty's.
Yee-ha!
Hey, mate. Gather your lot together
and meet us outside Arty's.
Straight away.
(THEY SPEAK ITALIAN)
Hostel meeting at Arty's.
- Come now.
- Right.
ANNIE: Right, come on.
Form a circle.
Form a circle. Come in. Come on.
Come on.
Right.
We need better conditions here.
(MURMURS OF AGREEMENT)
We need the management to take responsibility.
(MURMURS OF AGREEMENT)
We all know that this hostel is
falling apart.
- MAN: Absolutely.
- And we cannot stand by
and watch another family move into
that deathtrap.
Right?
(CROWD MURMURS)
We want you out.
Tools down.
Come on.
Yeah. No can do, love. We're here
till the job's finished.
Really?
Out! Out!
Out!
CROWD: Out! Out! Out! Out!
Out! Out!
Out! Out! Out! Out!
Out! Out! Out! Out!
Out! Out! Out!
- No! No, no, no.
- You bloody lunatic!
No, we don't do this! No, stop!
Ivan No, we don't Ivan!
No! Ivan! No!
Ivan, no!
Stop!
- CROWD: Out! Out!
- Stop!
They're animals.
ANNIE: Please stop!
If you treat people like animals,
they'll behave like animals.
CROWD: Out! Out! Out! Out!
You caused this.
Stop! This is meant to be
a peaceful protest!
(CROWD CONTINUES TO CHANT)
What are you doing?
Will you just calm down! Please!
CROWD: Burn! Burn! Burn! Burn!
Isn't this exciting?
Burn! Burn! Burn! Burn! Burn!
CROWD: Burn! Burn! Burn! Burn!
(SIREN WAILS)
She's the ringleader.
Annie Roberts.
- Arrest her.
- You! Hands out, no fuss.
I was trying to stop them, actually.
- I said no fuss.
- No, no, you've got this wrong.
You've got it wrong. This was a
peaceful protest.
MRS WALKER: She's lying.
She's the leader.
I haven't done anything!
- Terry!
- What are you doing?!
(ANNIE GASPS)
- Get off her! Leave her alone!
- No!
Terry! Oh, God!
Terry! You can't do that!
You can't do that.
TERRY: Stop! Annie!
- Hey!
- No, it's OK, sweetheart.
- Mum!
- It's OK.
- Hey, hey, hey.
- It's OK.
- She's my mum.
- She hasn't done anything.
- Go to your dad.
- Mum!
- Go to your dad.
- Hey!
You can't bloody take her!
She hasn't done anything! Mum!
Mum. Mum!
Wait!
It's OK!
It's OK.
Mum!
(SHE SCREAMS)
(SHE GASPS)
(SHE GROANS)
Pattie!
Pattie
The baby.
Kylie, we need help.
- Go to the hospital.
- I'll go.
Breathe. Breathe, honey.
(SHE GASPS)
Kate, help! Help, it's Pattie.
- The baby!
- What's happened?
The baby! She's hurt! There's blood.
Stevie! We need your dad's van.
You're OK.
Help's coming, OK? You're going to
be OK. You're going to be all right.
- Pattie!
- Kate!
I need to lie her flat.
Lie her flat.
That's it. All right, darling.
- She needs to go to the hospital.
- I'm in so much pain!
All right, Pattie, listen to me.
You need to calm down, all right?
The baby is coming but I know what
to do, OK?
Just keep breathing for me.
(VEHICLE APPROACHES)
Stevie!
We need an ambulance.
No. No, no, no. She needs to go now.
OK? I'll go with her.
Henry, go and get the camper
van - Is she OK? Pattie!
Stevie
Inciting a riot?
You could get deported for this.
Pom!
I was trying to stop the riot!
And I'm not a bloody pom!
(PATTIE SCREAMS)
- Stevie, how long?
- We're almost there.
All right
Pattie, listen to me.
Slow it down.
Look at me. Look at me.
You're all right. You're all right.
We're nearly there.
Calm
- Pattie!
- Stay awake!
Pattie, stay awake!
Stay awake, Pattie.
Pattie.
Pattie, stay with us.
Stay awake.
(ENGINE TURNS OVER)
(ENGINE FIRES)
(PHONE RINGS)
Marlene Chase.
ANNIE: Marlene, I've been arrested.
Arrested?
- Where is she?
- She's in theater.
Will the baby survive?
I don't know.
You are holding a friend of mine,
Annie Roberts.
- Correct.
- Just so we are clear,
she is innocent of all charges and
claims police brutality.
And just so we are doubly clear,
a very close friend of mine works
in television,
and if Mrs Roberts isn't released
within the hour,
I'll be calling him with this story.
Mr Roberts?
Can I talk with you?
Hmm.
Your Pattie.
I think I love her.
And she likes me.
You don't love her.
You barely know her.
I know what I feel.
And I know what I feel!
And I'm her father.
I couldn't stand it if anything
happened to her.
I can't lose her.
Not before we've even started.
(HE SOBS)
When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother, what will I be?
Will I be pretty?
Will I be rich?
Here's what she said to me ♪
Wendy, do you know what's happening
with the girl we brought in?
I need to tell her family something.
They're getting desperate.
Put a gown on.
Pattie - is she OK?
She's still sedated.
And the baby?
(BABIES CRY)
(WHISPERS) She's colored.
When I grew up and fell in love
I asked my sweetheart
what lies ahead
Will we have rainbows
day after day?
Here's what my sweetheart
said ♪
MUFFLED: Hello?
Hello? Is everything all right?
MUFFLED: Hello? Is everything
all right?
MUFFLED: The lady who lives
in there.
- Have you seen her?
- Yeah, she's out on our boat.
Boat?
What? When?
A short time ago. Why?
Whose is that boat?
Que sera sera
Whatever will be will be ♪
It's a little girl.
A little baby girl.
Oh, God. And Pattie, is she OK?
She's still out, but she's fine.
It's over.
OK?
I don't know if you know,
but the baby isn't white.
Yeah, I know.
Mum! Mum!
Right, what's happening? Is she OK?
It's a little girl.
Oh, thank God.
Oh, my God! Bloody hell!
And Pattie. How's Pattie?
Yeah. The doctor's coming out soon.
But she's OK. She pulled through.
Come here.
Hey
Everything OK?
I think it will be, yeah.
For the first time in a long time,
I think everything will be.
I'll come to Cairns.
We can have a family.
We'll be happy.
I love you, Kate.
I love you too.
Give me five minutes to clean up,
OK?
Yeah.
Sheila!
Sheila!
Sheila!
(ROCKS RUMBLE)
Sheila!
No!
(BOTH PANT)
Why did you do that?
I love you, you bloody fool!
(CHILDREN LAUGH AND CHAT)
WOMAN: Can you go now, please?
Bye!
(BOYS CHATTER)
- Oh
- Sweetheart. It's OK.
It's OK, sweetheart.
It's all right.
(PATTIE SOBS)
It's OK. It's OK.
Have you held her yet?
They've asked me three times what
I'm planning on doing with her.
I haven't even seen her.
Terry, go and get the nurse, please.
I-I'll go.
She's my niece.
Keep you warm.
You had us worried there, kiddo.
I had myself worried.
I've been thinking.
Well, that's dangerous.
You don't have to give it up.
The baby.
How do you mean?
Stevie, get up, lad.
You're crazy.
You're not even her dad.
I can be, though.
What is a dad? It's just someone who
brings you up.
Just slow down. You're not even courting.
- Annie?
- Just leave the lad.
People will know she's not yours.
I don't care.
You'd do that for me?
You can still do your schooling.
We'll find a way.
Please! Give us a chance.
Life's brief.
Enjoy it.
Yeah.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
(SHE LAUGHS)
(FOOTSTEPS APPROACH)
She's beautiful.
She's amazing.
Like her mother.
And her grandmother.
Bloody grandmother.
I sound ancient!
(PATTIE LAUGHS)
G'day, mate.
You're an Australian now.
She'll never be a pom.
And we can keep her.
(BOYS CHATTER)
Yeah, yeah. I was good.
Michael?
Hello.
Remember me?
I'm going to your house now, so I'll
give you a lift.
It's OK.
You're safe with me.
Bye.
- KATE: Hi.
- Hi.
(DOOR CLOSES)
You don't remember me.
I do.
You're the lady that came.
No, darling.
I'm going to tell you something now
and it's going to be really hard
for you to understand, OK?
OK.
This is a photograph
from when you were a baby.
When you lived in England with
your mummy.
That little baby there is you.
And that lady
That lady
is your real mummy.
But
that's you.
Yeah.
I'm your real mummy.
And I didn't ever not want you, Micheal.
They took you from me.
And I've come all this way to tell
you that
because you are my son.
And I love you all the way to the
moon and back.
That's what I used to say to you
when we were together.
I'd hold you really tight
and I'd say,
"Michael
"..I love you all the way to the
moon and back
"40,000 times."
And you'd smile.
And I had no idea where you were.
And that's why it's taken me so long
to find you.
(SHE GASPS)
I love you
so much.
And I know that you have a new mummy
now and a nice big house.
But see
you're my little boy.
So
Can I go home?
To England?
No, to Mummy.
(SHE GASPS)
Yeah.
Yeah, I'll take you home.
After we go for a little drive, yeah?
Just us two.
(ENGINE STARTS)
Real Mummy and Michael.
Look at that sky.
You don't get that
- in Manchester.
- You don't get that in Manchester.
It's not going to be easy for her,
you know.
Or the baby.
I know.
But this is her home.
And ours.
So we face whatever comes
as a family.
As a family.
G'day.
Welcome to paradise.