Far from the Madding Crowd Page #4

farmer?

JOSEPH POORGRASS

Look - the barn!

Sure enough, the fire has spread to the roof of the barn,

where all the crop is kept.

GABRIEL:

This rick is lost. It’s the barn

you need to save. D’you understand?

They stare uselessly at the stranger.

GABRIEL (CONT’D)

Ladder?

JOSEPH POORGRASS

It was on the rick.

GABRIEL thinks for a moment. He takes the scarf from JOSEPH’s

neck and wraps it around his face, making a make-shift mask.

Then he grabs a bucket of water, pours it over his head, and

strides towards the barn.

34 EXT. RICK YARD, EVERDENE FARM - NIGHT 34

A haywain has ignited, burning furiously down one side, the

side nearest the barn.

GABRIEL:

Get it away! Now!

And he leads the men in pulling the flaming cart away from

the precious barn.

But it’s too late! The barn roof is starting to burn.

They do so, but the cart itself is in flames now. GABRIEL

steadies himself and looks across to the barn roof.

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35 INT. BARN, RICK YARD, EVERDENE FARM - NIGHT 35

GABRIEL runs inside, through smoke and the crop, searching

for a way to the roof. The whole building is a tinderbox, but

he clambers to the highest level despite the flames above

him.

36 EXT. BARN, RICK YARD, EVERDENE FARM - NIGHT 36

And now he appears on the roof (through a hatch? via a

ladder? TO BE DISCUSSED) and begins smothering the burning

thatch as the MEN watch from below.

37 EXT. RICK YARD, EVERDENE FARM - DAWN 37

The fire is extinguished. Thick smoke hangs in the air, a

battlefield after the fighting. GABRIEL, blackened and

exhausted, is washing the soot from his face. He gathers his

possessions, ready to move on, when a maid approaches. This

is LIDDY

LIDDY (O.S.)

The farmer’s here.

GABRIEL:

About time too. Where’s he been?

LIDDY:

She’d like to thank you.

GABRIEL stops still. Stands straight.

A FIGURE approaches, her face covered against the smoke. A

WOMAN. She slows. Stops. She uncovers her face -

BATHSHEBA:

No. It can’t be.

GABRIEL smiles. And BATHSHEBA EVERDENE, owner of Weatherbury

Farm smiles back at him.

BATHSHEBA (CONT’D)

Mr Oak, is that really you?

GABRIEL:

Do you happen to want a shepherd,

ma’am?

BATHSHEBA:

As a matter of fact, I do.

38 EXT. RICK YARD, EVERDENE FARM - DAY 38

As the WORKERS clear away the fire damage, BATHSHEBA and OAK

walk.

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BATHSHEBA:

I owe you an immense debt, Mr Oak.

If I’d lost the barn, I’d have lost

my farm.

GABRIEL:

Your farm?

BATHSHEBA:

It’s my inheritance -

And they turn a corner, REVEALING the main house, a little

run-down perhaps, but still fine and imposing.

BATHSHEBA (CONT’D)

I loved it here as a little girl.

When my uncle passed away, he left

it to me. Of course it’s a little

ragged now but this was once the

finest farm for miles. I intend to

make it so again.

(she glances at Gabriel)

Perhaps you find the idea

preposterous too, Mr Oak?

GABRIEL:

I no longer have that luxury.

BATHSHEBA:

I’m truly sorry to hear of your

great loss, Mr Oak, but if this

reversal of fortunes causes you any

embarrassment...

(GABRIEL is silent))

I think it best if you address me

as ‘ma’am’ or ‘Miss Everdene’. In

turn I will address you as Mr Oak.

GABRIEL:

I understand. Ma’am.

An awkward smile, and she goes.

38A INT. GREAT HALL, EVERDENE FARM - DAY 38A

BATHSHEBA sits at a great oak table, a cash box in front of

her.

A noise from the doorway - LIDDY, BATHSHEBA’s maid, friend

and confidante.

FFMC Shooting Script Sept 2013 19

Fiercely protective of her mistress and, despite being the

daughter of BILLY SMALLBURY, fiercely proud of her status.

LIDDY:

Miss, the philistines are upon us!

The MEN loiter in the doorway, waiting to be paid.

BATHSHEBA:

Send them in.

39 INT. GREAT HALL, EVERDENE FARM - DAY 39

A little later. Paid or waiting to be paid are

JAN COGGAN - strong, capable, reliable, a companionable

bachelor.

LABAN TALL. Handsome, conceited, suspicious of GABRIEL’s easy

charm.

JOSEPH POORGRASS is weak, physically inept, painfully shy,

especially around BATHSHEBA.

JACOB SMALLBURY, LIDDY’s grandfather, is the self-appointed

elder statesman, given to wise pronouncements, alcohol and

laziness.

BILLY SMALLBURY, his son, is reliable, slightly put-upon by

both father and daughter.

CAINY BALL is an awkward teenager, easily distracted, always

in the way.

TEDDY COGGAN, JAN’s young brother, is the youngest, indulged

and spoiled by the others.

TEMPERANCE and SOBERNESS MILLER are the opposite of what

their names suggest; flirtatious, irreverent, ‘yielding’.

MRS COGGAN is the housekeeper and cook, JAN’s mother,

perpetually harassed and dusted in flour.

SUSAN TALL is the ferocious, controlling wife of Laban,

perpetually enraged at his boozing, his lack of social

advancement.

MARYANN MONEY is LIDDY’s side-kick, good-humoured, a dreamer,

easily perplexed.

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BATHSHEBA hands out the money to each in turn, LIDDY proudly

by her side. Next up is -

BATHSHEBA:

Joseph Poorgrass! Which one is

Joseph Poorgrass?

JOSPEH POORGRASS steps forward. LIDDY indicates ‘hat off’.

BATHSHEBA (CONT’D)

And what do you do, Joseph

Poorgrass?

JOSEPH POORGRASS

I does general things and in Spring

I shoot the rooks and help at pig-

killing, Sir, I mean Ma’am.

BATHSHEBA:

Here’s seven and ninepence, and

another ten shillings as I’m new.

JOSEPH POORGRASS

Thank you, Ma’am.

BATHSHEBA:

Now. Fanny Robbin? Where is she?

JACOB SMALLBURY:

She has run away ma’am. With a

soldier.

GABRIEL picks up on this -

PENNYWAYS:

Not a soldier, a sergeant!

Sceptical laughter. BATHSHEBA is unamused.

BATHSHEBA:

Bailiff Pennyways, here is ten

shillings and a further ten. This

ends our association. You are

dismissed.

PENNYWAYS:

Beg pardon, ma’am?

BATHSHEBA:

When my uncle was alive, this was a

fine, productive farm. Since his

death it has fallen into ruin

PENNYWAYS leans into BATHSHEBA, his face full of menace.

GABRIEL stands, at the ready.

PENNYWAYS:

Now see here, Miss

FFMC Shooting Script Sept 2013

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BATHSHEBA:

-a fire threatens to destroy the

barn and you’re nowhere to be

found. I have no use for men like

you, Mr Pennyways. You are

dismissed.

She holds her nerve. PENNYWAYS’s bluff is called. A moment as

he scans the room for support that will not come. Addressing

the others -

PENNYWAYS:

I’d get out while you can if I was

you!

And he leaves. If BATHSHEBA is shaken, she hides it well.

Settling herself.

BATHSHEBA:

Now. You’ve met Mr Oak, our new

shepherd. You understand your

duties, Mr Oak?

GABRIEL:

If I don’t, I’ll ask you. Ma’am.

BATHSHEBA:

(she stands to address the

room)

From now on you have a mistress,

not a master. I don’t yet know my

talents in farming, but I shall do

my best. If you suppose, because

I’m a woman, that I don’t know bad

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