On Location with 'The Sundowners' Page #5

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Oh, what's the use?

Welcome back, Rupe.

What would you like?

I'd like a schooner of beer,

among other things.

Ida, we have a visitor.

Oh, just a wild guess...

...but would you be Liz Brown,

Bluey's wife?

She's been traveling

three days and nights.

You took an awful risk.

- Might've had the baby on the train.

- I don't care. I want to be with Bluey.

And I don't care how angry he is either.

Oh, come on in and sit down.

You're all tired out.

- Sean, hurry up and get Liz a cuppa.

- All right.

There. Give me these, that's it.

I know the men

aren't supposed to bring their wives.

- Do you think they'll let me stay?

- Well, I don't know.

It's up to the boss, really.

What do you think, Jean?

Well, I don't see why she shouldn't.

There's lots of room up at the house.

And after all, it's my house too.

You wait here, Liz, and don't worry.

You powder your nose

after you've had your cuppa.

I'm gonna go and get your old man.

Sean here will keep you company.

He's a special friend of Bluey's.

Thank you.

I must look awful.

No, no, honest. You look good.

I mean, no worse

than a sheep does before-

You're not gonna have the baby now,

are you?

No.

I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing

to a special friend of Bluey's.

Liz! Liz! Liz!

Liz.

There's one doctor in Cawndilla.

He covers 500 miles,

so he's never there.

I just hope you women

know what you're doing.

We ought to,

we've been having babies long enough.

Tar-boy missing. Shearer missing.

All the men carrying on

like a bunch of school kids.

What sort of way is this to run a shed?

- Oh, shut up!

- Oh, shut up!

- Morning, Mum.

- Morning, dear.

There's a letter for you

from the Batemans.

- Bluey.

- Thanks.

Hey, listen to this, fellas.

It's from a mate of mine in Melbourne.

He puts five quid on a horse

and wins 200.

And here I am playing barber

to a mob of greasy sheep.

You're doing all right

out of greasy sheep. We all are.

I'm halfway to paying off

me radio shop.

I hate to say it, but Bluey's right.

One more season, and I'll own

the neatest pub you've ever seen.

A cheerful place that will be.

Come on, you blokes. Let's go!

- Oh, come on. What's the matter with-?

- Back to the torture chamber.

Come on.

Gotta get this thing going.

- Made it again.

- Good on you, missus.

Hey, wasn't that the starting bell?

They can start without me.

I'm gonna have a cuppa tea

with my missus.

Well, good on you.

You know, we haven't said 10 words

to each other all week?

I know.

What about going to town

on Saturday night?

You know, have a few drinks, talk.

What do you say?

Oh, I'd love it, Paddy.

Tell you what.

You let me have half a quid

out of the jam jar...

...I'll treat you like a bloke

with his first girl.

Ten shillings? Oh, I don't know.

Oh, come on, Ide.

I break me back for you.

Let me have a bit of fun.

Right-o. Saturday night it is, eh?

Spending the night in Cawndilla?

Would a cup of hot, strong tea

be possible?

A few more visits to Mrs. Firth

and you're gonna end up married.

I've paid many visits

to many Mrs. Firths all my life...

...and I'm still free.

- It's all a question of technique.

- Yeah.

But let's leave my problems

and consider yours.

Your good man seemed almost cheerful.

No, not really.

This job's got him down

worse than I expected.

Well, he's a man who hates routine.

What he need is a little excitement.

But where's he gonna get it?

Barring some sheep turning round

and shearing him.

Tea's up.

Time for a smoko, mate.

Right-o, let's stretch the spine for a bit.

Gentlemen, I have a sudden yen

for some nice, clean, easy money.

- Do you wanna start a two-up game?

- We'd only take money from each other.

What we want

is to take it from someone else.

What are you talking about?

In this shed, we have a gun shearer

who's among the fastest I've ever seen.

- Paddy.

- Exactly.

A shearing contest.

Well, I ain't no flaming

world's champion, you know.

Didn't say you were,

but let's have none of this hanging back.

Can't stand false modesty.

Well, if you blokes wanna risk

your money on me, I'll give it a burl.

Hey, Paddy!

Saturday night,

and you're just standing around?

Shearers ain't what they used to be.

Quinlan's taking us all in to Cawndilla.

We're going to fix up a shearing contest

with the Mulgrue mob.

- They're bound to be in town.

- Come on in with us.

I promised the missus I'd take her out.

She'd kill me if I welshed.

That's how it is when a bloke's married.

Can't call his soul his own.

- I tell you.

- You tell him, Ocker.

What about you, Sean?

You off to the pictures?

Rupe's taking me to a play,

with live actors.

Not very live probably,

it's just a small touring company.

- Don't start tearing it down in advance.

- No, it's a fine night, stars are shining.

My missus is all dolled up for me.

Let's not anybody

start tearing anything down.

Should have a tie, really.

What's the matter, darl?

You ain't dressed.

Paddy. Paddy, I can't go.

Liz is pretty close.

I just can't take a chance and leave her.

Why can't Bluey sit with her?

- What about the Halsteads?

- None of them know what to do.

Besides, she wants Bluey to go out

and have a good time.

I've been looking forward

to this all week long.

You think I haven't?

But you can understand, can't you?

Well, I suppose so.

Look, why don't we just forget

about going to town?

We go down by the tent

and build a fire, sit around and talk.

Pretend we're back on the track again.

We'll save ourselves 10 bob.

Well, you see, Liz asked

if she could bring her knitting over...

...and sit with me, company-like.

I thought you were going out

with the men-

What'd you have to do that for, Ide?

You didn't ask me about it.

- Hey, Bluey! What are you doing?

- Blue! Hey!

Come on, Bluey!

Thanks, Ide.

Hey, come on, Paddy.

Paddy, I wish you'd go along

and have a few beers. I'd feel better.

Besides, I need you to go

to see that Bluey gets back early...

...and not too drunk. Will you?

Right. Hey, Quinlan, wait for me!

Hey, Bluey, what are you gonna call

this girl of yours when she's born?

Ocker, I told you a dozen times,

it's gonna be a boy.

- That's right, ain't it, Paddy?

- Anything you say, Bluey.

Hey, Bluey. You ain't drinking

too much, are you?

- Oh, no.

- Right-o.

Why do you say this man of yours

can beat any shearer we got?

Is that just a figure of speech, or do you

have in mind, for example, money?

I got in mind, for example, 20 quid.

Beside what the rest of the blokes in my

team have in their minds, you follow?

When we was mixing it

by the trucks that day...

...I couldn't help but notice you kept

leading with your right, like this:

No offense,

but that's why I smeared you.

- My right's where I pack my punch.

- And where you leave yourself open.

Now, why don't you try

something like this:

- See?

- Like this, you mean?

- Watch it, Turk!

- Careful, mate!

See what I mean?

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