I'm going up the country
Baby, don't you want to go?
I'm going up the country
Baby, don't you want to go…
Times are hard for everyone. Your father included.
How fortunate he has a friend in you, Mr. McSwat.
Indeed.
Nothing wrong with a man taking a risk in business.
Except when he sends his daughters out to repay his loans.
That's good.
You're cut from the same bolt of cloth, all right.
Very sharp. We'll need all those smarts with our boys.
- I thought you also had girls? - I do.
And between you and me, they're a lot brighter.
A shame they can't take over the business.
They can't?
Mrs. McSwat was expecting your sister.
Thought you'd been sent to be married.
You know what they say. Those that can, marry,
and those that can't, come work for you.
No use of you running
Or screaming and crying
'Cause you've got a home, man
Here we are.
Your home for the year. Our little patch of paradise.
Whoa. Whoa.
Stand.
Cooee! McSwats!
- Hey! - She's here! She's here!
- Slow down. - Get her.
- I wanna bring her in. - Grab her dress!
- Stop pushing me. - Hey, I want to bring her in.
- Out of my way! - I've got it.
- Go on. - Okay.
Let me show you my room.
- Come on, hurry up. - Let me through.
- I'm gonna get ya! - Stop chasing me.
What are you doing?
- I'm gonna get you! - Come here.
Oi, let go.
- Careful. - Get off, you scamps.
- Hello my loves. - Stop!
- All of you! - Leave it.
I didn't, she did.
- Who's this? - Sybylla Melvyn, the sister.
We can't have two of them.
- It's just this one. - You said the other one was the nice one.
I'm the smart one.
So you're not married?
- That did not happen. - But you were engaged?
Yes.
- So? - It's complicated.
Drought-related financial collapse.
- He broke it off. - Ah.
Ah, well, we're happy to have you here for the year.
Even if you are an old spinster.
Spinster!
Spinster! Spinster! Spinster! Spinster!
- Spinster! Spinster! Spinster! - Hey! Hey! Hey!
- Stop! - Spinster! Spinster! Spinster!
- Dinner! - That's Mama's bowl.
This way.
- Sorry. - Move!
Both of you, get your hands off her. Time to eat some grub.
- Peter's courting Susie Duffy. - Yeah, and her dad owns 1,000 acres.
- Shut up, Jimmy. - But he does!
- Susie said it's rude to mention it. - Well, she is a catch.
And she sings the best of anyone else in the district.
Better.
She sings better than anyone else in the district.
We knew what you meant, Liza.
- Well, can we call you Sybylla? - Miss Melvyn's here to educate you.
- Not me. - Definitely not.
She will also do breakfast, sweeping,
chickens, vegetable garden, as well as helping out with the children.
All right.
- Dig in, McSwats. - Here you go, darling.
About time you had some help.
Well, it'll be nice to have someone else to scrub Jimmy's dirty pants.
I'm not dirty.
Are so!
Oh! Don't you start. Let's not get started on you.
Remember that dead rat sandwich?
Rat sandwich.
- Tommy, stop it. Stop it, Tommy! - That was disgusting.
May I see… my room?
I'll do it.
What about a Sunday watch? Does he have a Sunday watch?
Tell Mr. Duffy I have six fine gold watches in this week.
She thinks she's a toff,
but she's only old boozy Melvyn's daughter.
- Thought she'd be prettier. - That was her sister.
- This is the one we've got. - Well, why did we get this one?
Don't be mean.
They should be grateful we're taking her off their hands.
I had no choice. She had her bags packed.
- It's on your head. - No, it's on yours.
Mama, is she our servant now?
- I didn't eat it. - Yes, you did.
Goodbye my darling.
Oh, Syb.
You don't have to do this.
Have you met me?
You're a Bossier. We bend, but we do not break.
That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me.
Chin up.
What's your favorite book, Liza?
Mum and I like the catalogs.
Do you know those?
For buying things?
Exactly. I like the pictures.
Come on, miss.
- Tommy's as slow as a wet rag! - Too slow, Tommy! Beat it.
Slow, slow, slow.
- Time to sit down now, children. - Take that!
- Move! Move! - Sit down!
That's my desk.
Yes! It's come from Possum Gully.
So what? Toughen up!
- Haha, you missed me! - Stop!
Good job, Lucy!
You named her after my Mama?
She's a good layer.
Get Jimmy! Don't aim for me!
- Get Liza! - Got you!
- Stop! - Friends! Stop fighting!
Children! Liza!
Ouch!
- Stop! - Liza!
When I count to three I want everybody to freeze.
Dearest Harry,
If you could see me now.
My days, filled with drudgery.
Time here passes slow as mud.
Like Mama's stolen piano, my keys exist,
but I've long since lost my tune.
All this solitude makes my mind wander.
And of course, I journey towards you.
My heart flies through the skies,
across this vast country to try and find you.
Where are you, my love?
- Oh, Mum. Mum. - Mm?
Look at these gloves.
- "Finnest"? - "Finest leather."
Oh, shall we have some?
One letter from you would make my heart sing again.
But your silence only multiplies my loneliness.
Jimmy, if I have two shillings in my purse,
and the bread comes to one and six, how much change do I get?
None.
'Cause your family don't have two shillings to rub together no more.
Nice one, Jimmy.
Write to me, Harry. Tell me I'm not forgotten.
Help me remember the dream of our life together.
Where all we need to flourish is our love.
- Are you ready for her tea party? - Yeah, I'm going.
Do you like my doll? It's so pretty.
It's nice.
Jimmy.
Stop doing that.
James.
Mama!
Did she hurt you? You tell Mama everything.
Outside! Go on, all you kids, out of there.
- Jimmy says you thrashed him. - I never touched him.
- Are you calling him a liar? - Yes.
Plus, he's disobedient, boisterous, and obstreperous.
Oh, big words!
You think you're so high-and-mighty,
coming in here with all your airs and your graces,
but what exactly have you taught my children?
- Maybe they're unteachable. - Them?
You are as hopeless as your father and as stuck-up as your mother.
Well, you're all feral. And this place is like hell!
Is it, now?
Well, maybe instead of walking around here
with your nose stuck up in the air judging us,
you could do something to make my children actually respect you,
and then maybe they'd learn something.
- Excuse me. - Mm-hmm.
- Right, I'm off. I'm seeing Susie. - Bye, love.
Bye-bye.
- Say hello to Susie for me. - Yeah, I will.
- Scared her off last time. - I did not! I was asking questions.
- Don't. - Don't let the rats break you.
- She was scary. - I was not mean.
- I believe that. - She was.
- You stormed in there. - I wasn't. Beg your pardon.
But you're not the one who can step in here and do that.
I was not mean.
You were!
You never thrashed me.
I've got a big mouth, and I'm rowdy as.
Sorry, miss.
The children should have new school primers.
And the piano needs tuning.
- Mm. - Right, yes.
So…
- How scary was she? - Just could hear her.
Neighbors could hear.
- Neighbors could hear? - Yeah.
- Yes, they could. 100%. They could. - Was she that scary?
- Like a bunyip? - Kept it on the down-low.
Very scary. Tell you what…
- She was, like… She was scary. - Like a bunyip?
- I wasn't-- - Like a bunyip!
Give me another word.
- Snot! - That's a little short, don't you think?
How about we stretch ourselves?
- Phlegm? - Diarrhea!
Yes! That's very tricky to spell.
One, two, three, four, five…
That looks nice.
It does.
I like this one.
Oh, I think I'd wear that.
- But I would not wear that. - No.
After we deliver this lot, I've got another job lined up for us.
Good one, boss.
The more sheep we move, the more we earn,
and the quicker we can all get back to our lives.
So have you written to Sybylla yet?
Go, go, go.
Son!
- We have a visitor! - Oh.
Hello.
Susie Duffy. Uh, pity you are early.
Kids, clear the table. Sybylla, put the kettle on.
- Sarah, pick that up. - Susie.
- What an honor. Sit. - Yes.
- Clear the table. - Over here.
- Just take it. - Yes.
Oh no, no, not that one. Not that one.
Jimmy, get the good chair.
- I'll get it. - That's not the best.
You wouldn't know a good chair if you sat on one.
- I like this. - It's too small.
Very pleased to meet you, Susie Duffy.
- Sybylla Melvyn. - Hello, Sybylla.
Steady on. Come on, now. You're just making it worse.
- You don't have the right chair. - Yes.
- Mary-Anne, come and help me. - I have the chair.
- Good boy. - Good lad.
- Good, Jimmy. Great. - Mama. Come on.
- Come on, quick. - Sit. Sit. Sit.
- Sit down there. - Come on.
- Thank you, Peter. - Don't pick your nose.
Where'd you get your dress?
- That's breeding for you. - Go. Give the girl air.
- Kettle? Kettle. - Yeah, scram!
Here we go. There.
Susie Duffy.
All right, you lot. Time for bed.
I'm not even tired.
Get over here.
Come here!
Come here.
"Archibald Butler is a world-renowned traveling photographer."
Can we?
May we?
And of course…
- Ah, the school primers. - Ah.
And a letter. Looks like it's from Caddagat.
Hmm.
Syb, I have news I know you'd like.
Oh, I'm sorry to leave you here alone, Gert.
Don't let mother talk you into marrying any old suitor who comes along.
I won't.
That schoolteacher from Gool Gool asked me for another walk.
Oh, I like him.
Me too.
Shall we?
So you're leaving without saying goodbye?
Of course not.
Be sensible, Helen. How can this possibly be a plan?
Well… Julius is gonna take me to Gool Gool.
I'm gonna take the mail coach and train to Sydney.
- Augusta's gonna meet me. - Don't be facetious. You know what I mean.
- It's time, Mother. We both know it. - This is ridiculous.
- What are you going to do? - Get a job.
A job?
I need you, Helen. Julius needs you.
Oh, no, no. I don't need you.
I mean, we'll miss you, but I fully support Hels leaving.
Thank you, J.
My husband ran off and left me with nothing.
Why should I carry the shame of something that he did
for the rest of my life?
Oh, Helen, buck up.
I'm done. I did what you asked.
Helen.
Times are changing, Mother.
No, Helen, please don't go.
Helen!
I told you you'd like it.
Go, Helen!
Lovely. Now with the whole family.
- Right. Don't push. Oi! - Good.
You need to assert yourself with this lot, Susie.
I wouldn't know where to start.
Make room for Susie Duffy, you monsters.
Sarah in, that's it.
- That's too much. - Over you go, Jimmy.
I'll pop in here.
Hold still.
This is very kind of you to include me, Mr. McSwat.
I hope you don't look at this photograph next year and think, who is that girl?
Didn't your parents write?
Your father defaulted on his loan.
We have you for another year.
Did you know? That I was in for another year?
- Well, your dad's pretty hopeless. - That's fair.
Why do I have to pay for it?
I'm sorry you didn't know.
Don't cry, Peter.
- I'll work something out. - No, it's…
Uh, it's Susie. She's, um…
She's worried that we'll end up like my parents.
Common.
She said "common"?
- Well, you think it. - No.
I mean, I used to.
It's true.
She's so good, and she's kind.
And I love her more than anything in this world.
I know she feels the same.
No, she's broken it off with me.
Peter, listen.
If you let Susie go, you will regret it for the rest of your days.
You need to write to her.
And tell her the things that you love about her.
But I can't write.
I can't. Not like that.
I think I have an idea.
And it might help us both.
But you have to tell me all the things that you love about Susie.
Like… do you love the way his eyes crinkle when he laughs?
She.
She. I meant she.
I like the sound of her laugh.
We can work with that.
What else?
Uh, I like how she's so clean.
It's done.
Not yet.
Do you promise to help me?
I do.
Then here's the letter.
I've added three poems for good luck.
Send them in exactly the order they appear on the pile.
Susie won't be able to resist you, Peter.
I think Ma's right about you.
Beneath all your airs and your graces,
you're all right.
I'll take it.
- Now… - Oh.
Are you ready for part two of the plan?
Come on.
Mm.
Peter!
Stop!
Horace! Horace!
You're stealing our Peter away from Susie Duffy, and it is not on.
- Well, let's give the girl a chance. - We've given her everything.
This is how she repays us, like a snake in the grass?
A betrayer. Jezebel.
Language, Mother. We don't know the full story.
Well, what was that I just saw with my own eyes?
We're in love.
No. Not our Peter.
Why don't you ask him?
He was on his way to break it all off with Susie Duffy when you stopped us.
Thank God I did.
I realize how destitute I must seem.
And my papa already owes you so much.
But I know how thrilled he'll be once we're all family.
Peter. Son.
Be honest.
Are you really choosing this girl over Susie?
I would never.
Peter McSwat! You're not getting away with this.
I'm gonna tell the world what you've done!
Starting with Susie Duffy.
And what would it take to shut you up?
Sybylla?
Eddie.
You've come on like a haystack.
You look like cow shit.
How you been?
I hate this place.
- Dad's hopeless. - Sybylla?
Can you fetch the desk?
"There was an unfortunate incident between Sybylla and our Peter."
"Best Sybylla come home before causing any more trouble."
- What incident? - It was nothing.
What about our loan?
Read on.
They've cleared your father's loan?
With one condition.
Papa is never allowed to borrow money from McSwat ever again.
This is a lot of money for nothing.
Be honest. What did you do?
I finally found the inspiration I needed to put pen to paper.
Sybylla, I don't have any patience today for your nonsense.
And yet, here we are.
Free of the McSwats forever. Because of me.
Definitely my best work.
Stop, you're going too fast. Too fast. Keep up.
- Under. - I'm trying. You're too fast.
Sybylla.
You're back?
And you're debt-free.
It's hard to believe, but the McSwats are finally off our back.
We don't owe them anything.
Trust you to fix it, Syb.
You always were too clever by half.
Let's get some food on the table.
Come on. Sit down.
Come on.
Florence, would you like some bread?
Me too.
Granny gave it to me.
Told me, "Bossiers bend, but we do not break."
That sounds like my mother.
Take it, Mama.
I'll save it for an emergency.
Helen told me about Harry Beecham.
I think he's forgotten about me, Mama.
Oh, Syb.
I'm sorry.
How do you know if love is real?
You sacrifice everything for it.
We're doing well. Let's set up camp.
Here's the thing.
Nell and me, we were thinking we'd go back up to Queensland.
One more job.
We've been following you around all year.
And you know Charlie wants to find his mob.
We need the pay, Nell.
I have to keep saving.
You really think Sybylla cares what you have?
I need to make it up to her. I let her down.
Yeah, you did.
So what are you gonna do about it?
The summer of 1900 scorched the earth
with the same careless brutality as the banks.
Even the shadows splintered under the heat,
and not a creek dared whisper.
Been shopping?
Came into some money.
You sold your necklace?
Found an emergency.
I read your story about the bushranger and his friend Cora.
That story got rejected. Veracity issues.
Which is fair. I really don't know anything about bushranging.
So write your truth, Sybylla.
Do you think you're a good writer?
Yes.
Give it here.
Harry!
You're here.
I've been an idiot, Syb.
Possibly.
I should've written.
I didn't know what to say.
Harry, you're here now.
Syb. I've been earning good money droving.
I should have enough for a farm near Gool Gool.
I'm so happy for you.
Happy for us.
I wanted to give you more, but I've already wasted too much time.
Sybylla Melvyn…
Let's start our lives together.
Will you marry me?
No.
No?
No.
I don't understand.
I can't marry you, Harry.
I've come to take you away from all of this.
I don't need to be rescued.
It's not you, Harry.
There's something deep inside of me
that makes me unsuitable to be anyone's wife.
And if I denied it air and time
and space to flourish, it would destroy both our dreams.
I want to be a writer.
And I need to give it every fiber of my being.
If I marry you, I'll never know if I can.
White, silicon eyes
Watching storms, sitting quiet
Reading books
In the heat of city lights
I know I'm just a girl
But can I change lives?
If I am nothing
If I am trying
I think I can
And we become
Nighttime dreamers
And street walkers, small talkers
When we should be daydreamers
And moonwalkers
And dream talkers
And we become
Nighttime dreamers…
Small talkers
When we should be daydreamers
And moonwalkers
And dream talkers
Nothing can die while we are here
Then we become nighttime dreamers
Street walkers and small talkers
We should be
Daydreamers and moonwalkers
Dream talkers and we become
Nighttime dreamers and street walkers
And small talkers, and we should be
Nothing can die while we are here
- Nothing can die while we are here - Daydreamers