National Velvet

A happy, happy holiday

And many, many weeks of play

And merry, merry things to do

In summertime

All right, children, dismissed.

Mother has a chicken for you!

See you next autumn, Miss Sims!

I'll try hard in mathematics

next term!

All of you be good, and I hope you have

the loveliest of holidays.

Goodbye, Jane.

Happy holiday, Helen.

And thank you all for the lovely gifts.

These flowers!

They're Jennifer's, aren't they?

Thank you, dear. And the pears...

...those are from the Brown girls.

Thank you, Malvolia.

- A beautiful holiday.

- Thank you, dear.

- And you, Edwina.

- Happy holiday.

Nail polish?

I only put it on this morning.

She's meeting a boy, Miss Sims.

Does your mother know?

Not yet, Miss Sims. But she will.

Goodbye, Miss Sims.

Goodbye, Velvet. And thank you.

Don't thank me for anything.

I ate my pear. I forgot.

It was a kind thought anyway, Velvet.

She's absent-minded.

She's always dreaming.

I know.

What do you dream about

hour after hour?

Things.

Why not follow

your sister Mally's example?

Even the last day of school,

she brought her grammar.

Oh, don't move! My canaries!

Don't step on Trilby!

I'll miss the Brown girls.

You had no right to.

I'm so furious I could shake you.

I only wanted

to explain about the polish.

So you told Miss Sims

I was meeting a boy.

It's a wonder you didn't tell her

who and where.

I didn't know where.

I'll buy crunchies. My treat.

No, thanks.

I could slip my plate out.

Put it back. Your teeth won't straighten

if you push it out all the time.

Hello, Mr. Hallam.

No more on tick.

- Take my books home.

- Mine, too.

You know, Mally's thoughtless.

That was Ted, wasn't it?

Aren't you meeting him?

At the Spinney at four o'clock.

But you didn't even say hello.

In public?

Undignified.

Strange. Not dignified to be polite

when you're in love.

Velvet, you're too young

to understand some things.

Have you ever felt

keen about anything?

- Oh, yes!

- Horses!

What does it feel like

to be in love with a horse?

- I lose my lunch.

- You're a child.

Here's where you feel it.

It skips a beat.

See you at supper.

Step out now.

Stop pulling at the bit!

I wouldn't canter that horse uphill.

I don't usually. I was hurrying.

- Where to?

- No place. Just hurrying.

Don't you have school?

Summer holidays started today.

Where should you be?

Any place my feet take me.

Is that Sewels there?

Is that where you're going?

- I live there. My father's the butcher.

- That's nice.

I have two sisters and a brother.

That makes it chummy.

What you got?

The whole world.

My pa left it to me, all of it.

Hungry?

Did I ask for anything?

No, thank you.

I didn't mean to be rough, but a fellow

gets tired of folks being sorry for him.

It's like Edwina said...

...it skipped a beat

instead of losing lunch.

Are you feeling all right?

Isn't he beautiful?

He's new. I'd never seen him before.

He's got lots of vinegar,

I'll grant you.

About 15.2...

...more nearer 16 hands, I'd say.

He's got speed.

Short back...

...well ribbed up.

He's a nice mover.

- He's loose.

- He made it! Did you see him?

Come back!

You'll get trampled on!

There. What a lovely boy he is.

Oh, you're a sweet one!

You're a plucky one, Velvet.

What's his name, Mr. Ede?

Name?

He's a murderous pirate,

not deserving of a name!

Oh, no, not Pirate.

He's a gentle one.

I'll just call him Pie.

You're a pretty one, Pie.

You didn't mean to run away.

You're a wizard, Velvet.

- May I ride him, Mr. Ede?

- This horse?

- Please, let me ride him.

- Not this horse.

He's wild as a hare.

What's he doing, letting a girl

run in front of a horse?

But he did try to stop me.

Not too hard. Friend of yours, Velvet?

We think your horse is beautiful.

Where did you get him?

Bought him cheap at Barnet Fair,

but he's got the devil in him.

Tramping the roads, my lad?

If I am? England's a free country.

Free, is it?

You better detour around Sewels.

That's a piece of free advice.

Our constable don't like odd characters.

But he's a friend.

And he knows all about horses and...

And he's coming home for supper.

Velvet, your father won't like it.

I have business in Sewels.

No doubt.

Mrs. Herbert Brown.

That's very interesting.

Your father's address book?

Yes, ma'am. I found it in his

belongings. His name was Dan Taylor.

Did you wash your neck?

Yes, Mother.

It's soaking.

Next time unbutton your collar.

Mr. Taylor...

...do you like Poon's

mixture for canaries?

He doesn't know anything about canaries.

How do you know?

You know anything about canaries?

No, sir.

That's settled.

I was sick all night.

I was sick all night!

Go on.

I am getting on.

You're just rolling it

'round and 'round.

Now swallow.

Can't. Isn't slidey.

Isn't he lovely?

He collects insects.

Must he wear that bottle to the table?

Young man...

...there's a strict rule

about feeding Jacob at table.

I'm sorry.

Makes a beggar out of him.

- Where's Edwina?

- Meeting that boy.

Don't tease her when she comes in.

So sorry to be late.

'Dwina's late!

'Dwina, this is Mi Taylor.

I found him on the Brighton Road.

Don't look so shocked.

He was coming to see Mother anyway.

Uncanny, isn't it?

'Dwina's late and I was sick all night.

That's a lie. You weren't sick.

I could have been sick if I wanted to.

You told a story, didn't you?

Yes, it was a story.

You know what a story is.

What is it?

Say you're sorry.

Well?

He's thinking.

Make up your mind.

Yes, I'm sorry.

Go on. Sorry for what?

For being sick all night.

The child will make a lawyer.

Put that back.

It aches me when I eat.

It's a devil plate.

Ache or no, that cost

four pounds ten. It's solid gold.

How many times must I tell you girls

have only your faces for your fortunes?

Do you want to have

a face like a rabbit?

She'd rather have a face like a horse.

Enough, Mally.

You've things to say about your father.

You said that you knew him.

I didn't say anything.

You said you had things to talk of.

You must have known him.

Why'd he have your name

in his address book?

I thought you knew the answer.

To tell you the strict truth,

ma'am, I can't.

I found the book among

my father's belongings after he died.

And I thought since I was passing

through Sewels...

...you being an old friend

of his that...

...maybe you could...

No, thank you.

I'd better be running along

before it gets too dark.

Dark?

Forgot to cover the canaries!

You forgot something else too.

Amen.

Mally and her birds!

Must you go?

Yes, I'm afraid I must.

Where will you go?

Stay on the road,

find another town.

Father...

...how are you feeling?

You don't look well at all.

I never felt fitter in my life.

But you don't really look well, Father.

Do you need a helper in the shop,

just for summer?

More sheep come to market

in summer than winter.

May be something in what you say.

It's true more sheep come to market

in summer than in winter.

But, however it may grieve you...

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes