On Location with 'The Sundowners' Page #3

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Six months from now, he might

even wanna be a tram conductor.

And what if six months from now,

he still wants a place?

Well, that's when

we'll talk about it, then.

Right now, we better try

and get some sleep.

Anyway, we ain't got enough money

for a fence post, let alone a farm.

How much will we have in six months?

I thought I smelled smoke.

Well, my nose is too full of dust

to smell anything.

There's a fire on that ridge over there.

Well, that ridge is over two miles away.

Two miles ain't anything

if it's a crown fire.

It can go through the treetops

faster than a horse can run.

Everything underneath it, trees, scrub,

air, the lot, just goes up in flames.

- I see.

- Better get the mob on the run.

Fire. You better get a move on, quick.

Oh, it's coming this way.

There's a river two miles on.

Get to the other side, you'll be all right.

You hop down, Sean. We'll need you.

Don't go risking your life

for the sheep, now.

- See you the other side of the river.

- Come on.

It's a crown fire.

Get up to the head of the mob.

You can make a break for it

if you have to.

Tell Sean to get after Ida.

Get back to your mother, Sean.

Your dad says so.

- But what about-?

- Go on. Cut through there.

Move, boy, move. Go on.

Mum.

Mum! Mum!

- Dad told me to come ahead.

- But what about him and Mr. Venneker?

They'll be all right.

He knows what he's doing.

I hope so.

Come on, Sam, giddap!

Giddap!

Hey, the mob's breaking up.

I've got to turn them back.

Paddy, come back!

Paddy!

Paddy!

Paddy!

Paddy!

Paddy!

Whoa, back, Sam! Whoa, back!

Whoa, back. Whoa, back!

It's swinging away from us.

We're all right.

We're not all right.

Your dad's still in there.

Where's Paddy? Where's Paddy?

Mum! Mum!

Paddy.

Oh, Paddy.

Well, here it is, Ide.

What is it, darl?

Nothing, really.

Giddap, Sam.

Lord love a duck, a woman.

Been waiting long?

I've been having a bash at the piano.

You should've come sooner,

you would've heard me singing.

I've got a voice like a foghorn,

but I enjoy myself.

I don't think life's worth living

unless you enjoy yourself, eh?

Now, where are you from? You look

as though you've come a long way.

What are your names?

Oh, never mind, we can sign that later.

- How long you gonna be here?

- Just the night.

We're off to Queensland in the morning.

We come over from Bulinga.

Our name's Carmody.

Oh, Bulinga? I don't know where that is.

My word, you are lucky,

all this traveling.

I've always wanted to travel.

I came from Port Augusta for a week...

...about 15 years ago,

and I've never been back since.

Have they missed you?

Ain't he a joker? With a beard too.

I bet that scratches the girls, eh, love?

- Now then, what can I do to help?

- Well, we'd like a bath.

T oo right, too right. Plenty of hot water.

Now, who's going first?

Or is it all in together, this cold weather?

Now, follow me.

Nothing like a good hot bath.

Weakens the men

and strengthens the women.

Ought to be the other way around.

Now, come on, Mrs. Carmody.

I'll take you and sonny first.

I'll get the baggage, all right, Mum?

Carmody, do you think that creature

is planning to give us our baths?

I've got Ida to protect me.

But I'd watch my step if I was you.

Especially if you're gonna stick around

for a while.

Oh, yes. This is the end of the line,

isn't it?

Hey, that's right.

This is where we split up.

Rupe, aren't you moving with us?

No. I only signed on to come this far,

Sean. Job's finished.

Yeah, I suppose you're right.

- Come on, Carmody. I'll buy you a drink.

- No, let me buy you a drink.

You know, Rupe, sometimes

you make my teeth ache...

...but there's worse than you.

Now that we're parting, Carmody,

the drinks are on me.

Look, don't start another

flaming argument on me.

It's my show!

Look, Mum.

Shearers coming from all over Australia

to make money...

...and here we are,

turning our backs on it.

If we stay here, maybe I could get a job.

You're old enough to be a tar-boy.

If you and your dad

both work as a team...

...we could make quite a little

nest egg to put in the jam jar.

Just in case we ever decided to settle.

Settle? You mean, get a place?

Our own place?

But what about Dad?

He said that if in six months,

you still wanted it, we'd talk about it...

- ... and that was quite a while back.

- Did he mean it?

No. But he'll have to talk about it

if we've got the money and still want it.

- I do want it.

- Then that just leaves getting the money.

Well done, if I say so,

who sings it better alone.

There's nothing like a sing-song

to get the dust out of your lungs.

- How you going? All right?

- Very well.

How about a dance? Ida, can you play?

Oh, I haven't played for years.

I suppose I can try.

Good-o.

No, no, no.

No prancing. No, no.

Oh, that's more exhausting than track.

Rupe, we'd like you to come

to Queensland with us.

Now, what do you say?

I say, you'll hate yourself in the morning.

But I think I'll linger a while...

...and investigate the possibilities

of Cawndilla.

Paddy, do you think he means me?

I've never had such a good time.

I say, Ida,

why don't you stay here a while?

No, no, no. One night will do us.

We're the restless type, ain't we, Ide?

Looks that way, doesn't it?

Where are you going, Sean?

- I don't know. To bed, I suppose.

- No one can blame you.

Nothing's so revolting to the young

as the sight of their elders at play.

You get a good night's rest, Sean.

Gotta get an early start in the morning.

- Good night, son.

- Good night, Mum.

But think what we could do

with the money.

We could fix up the wagon,

get new gear, buy an extra horse.

You think Sam isn't tired?

You think poor old Sam

doesn't need a bit of a rest?

First it's Sean, then it's you,

and now it's Sam I gotta do all this for.

What about Ollie? Is he mad for me

to be shearing sheep too?

Mr. Venneker's coming with us after all.

That's nice. What are you doing here?

I didn't investigate the possibilities

of Cawndilla, after all.

Things got very serious

after you left the party and...

I'm an old fish, Carmody.

- I know the hook when I see it.

- You ain't going back to her?

I probably will, eventually.

She's an awfully pleasant person.

I flatter myself I created

a rather good impression on her.

Pity to waste it.

Shall we join the shearers?

Good day. You the shearing boss?

Yeah. Quinlan's the name.

Looks like you got your team

all filled up already, eh?

Pretty near.

- How good are you?

- Just fair. I ain't done it a while.

He doesn't like to boast, but he can

do better than 200 sheep a day.

- His best is 248.

- Yeah.

Mister, you got yourself a job.

Hold on there. Not so fast.

We're sticking together. It's all or none.

My kid wants to be a tar-boy.

Well, that's easy enough.

What about him? He don't look like

shearing no sheep, does he?

He's quite right, actually.

If I have to break my back, I'd rather

do it by some more merciful method.

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