MirrorMask

I am queen of everything

in this part of town.

I am queen of the city

and queen of the towers...

and queen of the small little wiggly things.

And everyone who looks at me:

"So she is such a wonderful queen...

"and not ever embarrassing at all,

and so normal and goes to school...

"and has nothing to worry about...

"except..."

But I am the queen of evil,

and I must warn you...

you cannot escape my cunning use

of black magic markers!

Pingo, have you seen Helena?

No. Come, take over.

Sorry. One minute.

Two adults and two kids, please.

Mr. Valentine,

I knew you would come to save our city.

Well, I am a very important man.

You're going to be a very dead man

in a minute.

I think he's very brave,

well, not really brave, Mr. Valentine.

Right.

So I suppose you are going to

turn us all into spiders...

or three-legged chairs or something.

You may think

I'm a hardhearted black sock...

but underneath this dark woolly exterior

is a naked pink foot.

- Have you seen Helena?

- I thought she's out front with you.

Hang on,

if you're here, who's selling tickets?

Pingo.

Helena.

I'm drawing.

You're not even dressed yet.

Come on, you're not a kid anymore.

I shouldn't have to...

I don't want to go.

I feel like an idiot, I look like an idiot.

Not again.

We can't have this conversation again!

You don't look like an idiot.

Nobody looks like an idiot, it's just...

Yeah. One minute.

- Helena.

- It never ends.

"Helena, juggle, Helena, sell the popcorn,

Helena, smile for the punters."

You know your dad keeps this circus

running on charm and peanuts.

- It's his dream.

- Exactly. It's his thing.

- Why should I suffer for it?

- You're not.

All of those kids in there,

they want to run away and join a circus.

Great. They can have my life.

I want to run away and join real life.

- Helena, please.

- No.

Be reasonable. Come on, open the door.

- Helena!

- Okay! I'm getting dressed.

- There is no need to shout at me.

- I'm not...

- You're going to be the death of me.

- I wish I was.

Selfish.

So selfish, Helena.

If you knew what it takes for your dad

and me to keep this circus going...

Like you ever stop telling me.

Real life.

I don't think you could

handle real life, Helena.

Real life. You couldn't handle real life.

Silly cow.

Helena Campbell,

what have you been saying to your mother?

- Nothing.

- Later.

Right, everybody. Big smiles and...

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls...

let me hear you put your hands together...

for the very lovely Joanne!

That's our cue.

Your appreciation, ladies and gentlemen...

for the queen of the Spanish web...

the very beautiful Joanne.

And now, ladies and gentlemen,

boys and girls...

from darkest Peru...

Raymondo and Fortuna!

I love you!

Yes?

I realize.

I know I shouldn't let her

get under my skin...

But she's so very, very good at it.

Well, that's easy for you to say.

Hey, bambino,

you want to juggle with the bananas?

No way.

You know what you get

if you juggle the bananas.

No. What do you get

if you juggle with the bananas?

- Gorillas!

- Gorillas?

You say gorillas?

I'm sure you said gorillas.

Joanne, you were cutting it a bit fine there,

love. You had me worried.

It's not Mrs. Campbell,

Mr. Campbell, it's me.

She's over there.

Mum!

Something quintessentially French.

I've never been to France, you know.

Your late Uncle Bozzy, he used to say:

"What have they got that we haven't got...

"Nan, my love,

and how about a nice few days in Frinton?"

Five letters, beginning with a "P."

- Poodle, Petal...

- Paris it is, Mrs. Bagwell.

Paris?

... and one set of plates and

a Thompson holiday for two in Swansea.

Okay, Mr. Bagwell, your turn.

I went to Monaco once

when your auntie Flo was ill...

and your uncle Vernon

wanted someone to saw in half.

I told him I don't mind you two staying,

but I draw the line at animals.

I'm not feeding them.

If your lot want to come over here

it will be nice to see you...

but I'm just going upstairs

to have a cup of coffee with Mrs. Greenberg.

She's got a cafeteria, you know.

I have to go.

Was that Dad?

On the phone? Yes, that was your dad.

Now, you watch this with me.

It's educational.

I asked you to let me talk to him,

if he called, Nan.

He's not going to be able to keep them

happy much longer, you know.

- There, you see, that was educational.

- Keep who happy?

Don't worry, love, your dad will see to it.

And give my love to your mum.

- Yeah, I'd better go, okay, Nan?

- Yes.

- Bye now.

- Bye-bye, love. Bye.

- Does it look that bad?

- Helena.

Isn't your dad with you?

I've got papers for him to sign.

No, he wanted to come,

but he couldn't make it. It's just me.

I know Dr. Witherspoon left him a message.

He's at the bank.

He's seeing the manager this afternoon.

- Listen, I don't want you tiring her out.

- What do you think I'm going to do?

Take her dancing?

Hey, Mum.

Helena.

Hello, love.

No Dad today, then?

They'll phone him, I expect.

Here.

How are you feeling?

I'd rather be juggling bananas.

Where's your fruit?

I brought you fruit yesterday.

She didn't take it, did she?

Did she?

No.

They've put it away, love.

I'm not to eat anything today.

- Why not?

- It's just routine, you know.

How's your aunt Nan?

She'll be down on Saturday.

- You're not being a bother, are you?

- She lost her teeth yesterday.

I said, "If Mum was here, she'd find them.

She's amazing at finding things."

She said, "If your mum can find them,

she must be a miracle worker."

They'll be staring her in the face.

They always are.

They were in the fridge.

You're a good girl.

A good girl, love.

You know...

Mum, I didn't mean what I said.

"There was a little girl

"She had a little curl

Right in the middle of her forehead

"When she was good,

she was very, very good"

Helena.

Look, all I'm saying

is that with a little time...

we can be back on the road.

I think we'll be better than ever.

It's been 10 days.

That's 15 shows we've missed.

- Why must everything grind to a halt?

- Hi, Eric.

- Hey, Helena.

- I can't leave Joanne now.

- Can I get through, please.

- It's for her we're here.

It's too late in the season

for the rest of us.

If we knew that the circus...

was going to be back on the road in,

let's say a week...

we could find stuff to

tide us over till then.

We are going to Quebec, me and my sisters.

We are rats sinking the leaving ship.

- Dad, can I have a word, please?

- Stean, please.

- Oh, I'm sorry.

- Look. I'm coming, love.

Just hold those thoughts.

- Is everything all right?

- You were meant to be at the hospital today.

- You told them about the bank manager?

- Yes, Dad.

They want you to phone Dr. Witherspoon.

- Now?

- Yes.

Maybe this'll be a blessing for some of us.

- I know you always wanted off the road.

- Yeah, not like this.

It's his dream.

Dreams only get you that far, darling.

After that, you need cash.

Your mother's...

They're operating on her tonight.

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