December Bride (1990)

[bunniefuu]

Come on in, Martha,
and the child.

You can see, Martha, women'shands are needed here.

Could be they are,Andrew, could be they are.

More room for the
two of you here than

in that cottage yonder.

You may come and
go as you please.

Few people visit here.

We keep ourselves to ourselvesup here, except to go to Lord's

house on the Sabbath day.

What do you say to it, Martha?

What do you say?

You're a woman of
few words, Sarah.

Well, what's to say, sir?

Sit down a moment.

Sit you down.

Speak with a man.

Oh, what's the wee boat, sir?

A wee boat, Sarah.

What's it for?

To go on the water.

Does she swim?

Oh, it will swim, surely.

It'll be in
Portaferry in an hour.

Were you ever in Portaferry?

I was not.

Were you ever on the water?

No.

Ms. Gilmartin, where's
the furthest place

you've ever been?

[inaudible]

MR. ECHLIN: Oh, Lord,
take care of us.

Sarah?

We're working here.

My son's calling you.

Sarah?

You come and ride on the water.

Some time we've called
to use the wee boat.

Aye, sir.

I will surely.

[drums b*ating]

Wish, sir.

Ach.

You not like the drums?

Community.

Why do you not like the drums?

Anywhere else.

Martha?

It is written in
scripture, their horses

are safe from fear, neitheris the rod of God upon them.

SARAH: Why don't we
go between those?

MR. ECHLIN: See that?

You won't clear that?

Why, Andrew?

Why, daughter?

Why?

There.

There's Pentlands.

It's yonder.

Andrew, is Pentlands the nameof the island or is it a man?

Pentlands?

Be a dear with his mother.

Have you come for
the ram, Andrew?

MR. ECHLIN: Aye,
Mother Pentland.

It's time again for
the loan of the ram.

Not much down on
their way at that.

Fergus, you fetch him
for your cousin Andrew.

Right.

Here.

Who's that with you?

- Martha Gilmartin's daughter.- Huh?

Martha Gilmartin's
daughter, Sarah.

They're giving us a hand there.

Sarah?

Here.

Here, here.

Come here, let's see you, child.

[thunder]

Aye.

Good, Sarah, good.

Fergus, is the ram ready yet?

Aye, Ma.

They're bringing him in now.

How will you fetch himto the boat then, Andrew?

Do you want the use of
the sleigh to drag him?

I will not.

I carry to the boat each
year, Mother Pentland.

I'll fetch him on myshoulders now, a bit of a ran.

Not this one, Andrew.

I doubt you'll not.

Bold, bad bastard,
wicked tempered.

MOTHER PENTLAND: Is
it way low, Andrew?

MR. ECHLIN: Aye, it will be.

We best not stay too long.

Ach, give him here, father.

- Leave me alone.
- Give him here.

I can manage.

Leave me alone.

Let's hope there issunshine and warm weather

when next you come, Sarah.

We'll be waiting
until summer then.

I'll [inaudible] Irelandsoon enough for [inaudible].

Went there all summer.

Fergus.

Should have used the sleigh.

Sarah, Fergus, go
on the other side.

Go on the side.

Andrew?

MR. ECHLIN: Turn around, Frank.

Turn around.

We'll not cross that.

Hold that ram, Sarah.

Hold it.

Frank.

Hold it, Sarah.

Where's Father?

Grab hold, Sarah.

Grab hold.

Where are the oars?

No, no, there's too many.

Too many.

Andrew.

MR. ECHLIN: There's too many.

Hamilton.

Hamilton.

Grab Father.

He let go.

He let go of the boat.

Andrew.

Sorry.

[whispering]

The elder son is
bound to marry now.

There'll be a stranger
woman in here.

Guess you'll be back intoyour cottage, Martha.

Ms. Gilmartin?

You and your mother will bidea while, until Frank and me--

until things here--

Yous are in no hurry away.

If my mother wants to stay.

The minister's here.

And Fergus.

Why are you doing that?

Before the prayer is said?

Our rights are done.

Sorry for your trouble.

Crossing from our place, too.

He would go, he
would carry the ram,

he would not wait for the storm.

You knew my father.

I must go thank the minister.

FERGUS: Did you cry?

What?

Did you cry out
in the water, Sarah?

While that boat was goingunder, did you cry to me, Sarah?

What odds?

The wind would not have
brought your sign to me.

You drowning in the storm outthere and I hear nothing--

Fergus, I didn't drown.

I didn't drown, that's all.

Surely, daughter,
that is not all.

Plucked from the deep
by the Almighty's hand.

Ach.

Ms. Gilmartin,
there is a pattern

to what the Lord has done, takenthe riped and spared the green.

No one was taken, Minister.

No one spared.

The keel could not carry us all.

That man let go to let us live.

He did the sparing.

Daughter--

Oh, when you go out, Sarah,lass, bring your mother in.

And open Frank's door untilyou hear the prayer being said.

MINISTER: Teach.

We beseech thee.

Thy sons and daughters gatherhere, at nature framed by thy

almighty named
can never be tamed

to man's will and
mercifully grant

on to us, blessing
on thy eternal peace.

What in the name
of God, woman,

do you be putting in that?

Never you ask.

Finish it.

Don't [inaudible], Agnes, orthey'll burn you for a witch.

Oh, the lot, there's somethat burn me yet for knowing

what grows in a hedge.

Your cousin now,
Fergus down yonder,

he, with one touch
of his hand, can

lift the sickness from acow and cure other similars.

Oh, nonsense.

Aye, Martha, so you say.

I pulled him here into thisworld, and his brother.

And of these, many of
them are so [inaudible].

I'll be here to see
you tomorrow night.

You'll soon have your man again.

I'll see you home.

AGNES: You will not.

MARTHA: I'll see
you to the lane.

[door closing]

[door opening]

Mr. Echlin tells me
you're staying on then

here, you and your daughter.

Aye.

They want that.

I didn't see ye in
church, Ms. Gilmartin,

nor Mr. Echlin, not sincehis father's funeral,

nor Master Frank.

Now, he's up and about again.

It is your duty, Sarah,
to go with your mother.

The scripture says remember--

Next Sunday then, I
hope, all four of you,

unless we're falling
by the wayside here.

Mr. Sorleyson,
sir, I do what I can.

Not one of them will
go one step with me.

Well, we must pray.

Aren't you ashamed
to give your minister

cause to speak to me that rude?

Mother, what has
he to do with me?

He is your clergyman,servant of the Church of God.

Forget your god, you'll
never prosper, Sarah.

Prosper?

My da, your husband,
he remembered his god

every Sunday on his knees.

d*ed a drinker f or allthat, drunk, on the roads

of Sligo for all his prayer.

You've a duty to God.

Aye, yous have all done yourduty to God, all your people,

and all your lives you'veslaved for richer folk.

I'll not do it, Mother.

I'll find some other road.

What other road?

Sarah.

There's more to me than that.

MARTHA: Sarah--

Whoa.

Are you wanting
a lift, Martha?

Shall we run you to the farm?

You will know, Agnes.

Frank is fetching me today.

Frank will fetch me.

Martha.

No sign of the Echlin
boys again today I see.

You must prevail upon them.

They must return to
their congregation.

And not my Sarah?

Aye, Sarah, too.

Of course.

Lord above, you see?

You see how I am shamed
in your own house?

He's forgot the oldwoman, hell roast his soul.

Frank?

Sarah?

Sarah?

Martha.

Martha, now-- oh,
Frank, where were you?

What about Martha here?

She was to be fetched
from her church.

Sorry.

She has to be fetched.

You knew that.

I forgot.

Sarah?

Where were you?

Where were you, Sarah,when I was at God's church?

Over the brae.

Doing what?

We're all home
now, no harm done.

Let's have our dinner.

Over the brae doing what?

Sarah, look at you, jezebel.

What way is that to bedressed on the Sabbath day?

Dress how I please,
Sunday or any other day.

Martha--

Hamilton Echlin, hear you me,and you, Sarah, and you, Frank.

Sarah is my daughter,
and I'll not

see her run about a heathen.

If there's no
change in his house,

I'm away back home,
God forgive me.

This is our house, Martha.

You remember what you are,a servant in our house.

HAMILTON: Now that's enough.

It's more than enough.

Martha, I'm sorry we
left you to walk home.

But our going to churchor not, that's our affair.

Sarah, now, is your affair.

There's argument
enough about religion

in this godforsaken
country without our

adding till it here now.

Let's sit down and
have our dinner.

MARTHA: Not another bite willpass my lips beneath this roof.

Come on, Sarah.
- No, no.

Will you give me a job here?

Hammy, will you
give me a job here?

I will not come betweenyou and your mother, Sarah.

Go, Martha, if you
must, and I am sorry.

Go, one or the both of yous, asyous will, and we'll be sorry.

Or stay and I'll be glad.

But both or the one of
yous, as yous decide.

I'll say no more.

I'll stay.

No boat no more, no
Pentlands ram no more.

Quiet with your mother gone.

Quiet at the house.

She's gone, that's
all, back to her own.

Without her here,
I feel the oldest.

You are, Hamilton.

I feel the oldest,
a younger man no more.

You're master here.

Frank and me.

No, you.

Sarah.

What do you do?

Today's a Friday.

You can't feed a Catholicwith meat on a Friday.

Oh, I'm right and
sorry, Mrs. Dineen.

So it is, the day is a Friday.

Sarah, there's
fish in the house.

Get up you and cook the
woman a bit of fish.

That was a sore way you
had with that woman.

There's been many
a harvester come

and gone here in my father'stime, and not one of them

went without good kitchenat the end of the day.

And so it will be in our house.

For me?

What is it?

Have a look-see.

I can't see anything.

What is it, Hamilton?

See here.

SARAH: Oh, Hammy.

HAMILTON: No, look.

[laughter]

Hammy?

Hamilton?

Hammy, and the young lady.

First today, bit of this glass.

Poor company, so yous are.

So is everyone else.

You know that, Hammy?

Aye, they are.

HAMILTON: God bless us,Sarah, the waste the drink

will make of a man.

The three curse of
Ireland-- England,

religion, and the drink.

Did you ever hear,
Sarah, of how God

and Saint Peter
went to Darndale one

day and met their
heavenly abode.

Among the countless humansouls in bliss of paradise,

God had greeting for themall, and they for him,

until they came to
a great red door.

Hush, sir, Saint Peter say.

We pass on tip-toe here.

And why ever is that, says God.

Why, sir, behind that greatred door are the Presbyterian

[inaudible], sir.

You'd not disturb
their bliss now.

They think they have all
heaven to themselves.

[laughter]

[SINGING] I will give you finebeavers and a fine silken gown.

I will give you smart petticoatsflounced to the crowns.

I will give you fair truthsand live but for thee.

If you'll leave your own
true love and marry me.

[horse approaching]

I've got teeth for Hirah.

Will you set them in?

Will you?

We have the kelp to burn.

Thaw and Hirah will
have to be fixed.

Don't want you to
go near Sarah again.

Don't go.

Boys-- both of them,
what's happened to you?

Frank?

Aye, Frank.

Sarah.

Me.

Sarah.

Sarah, the sheep.

Oh, no, not in the house.

Get in.

[laughter]

No, no, no.

HAMILTON: Take 'em
in the house, Sarah.

Give them a bite to eat.

SARAH: They're well
over [inaudible].

[laughter]

Will you get out of my yard?

What do you say?

It'll be ours, from heredown to the hedge line yonder

and back along the foreshore.

I'm for it.

I'll sleep on it, Frank.

I'll tell you in the morn.

Agnes would have us
for a landlord then.

And that Brady
Dineen next to her.

Aye, Sarah, so
would your mother.

Have us her landlord then.

Well.

I'm neither for it
nor against it, Frank.

I'll tell you in the morning.

How you doing?

What's that Quin doing here?

He'll never let a Catholic bid.

Birdie's here.

Yeah, he has no money.

He's only here for this show.

Armstrong, then.

Aye.

He'd sooner the land grewwild than an Echlin had it.

It's ours.

AUCTIONEER: All right,
gentlemen, gather round.

By order-- by order of ThomasOliver Fitzroy Burke Esquire,

of the Darianne House[inaudible] and [inaudible],

[inaudible] and
the county of Down,

I hereby declare the auctionsfor the following lands

and properties appertaining.

Namely the fields along
the foreshore there

to the far point, which willinclude the cottage over there

and the twin cottages
behind me here.

Right, gentlemen, startthe bidding on the fields.

Any more bids?

Any more bids?

This is a very
good property now.

95?

95.

Agnes, Agnes.

Oh, Christ.

[inaudible] who's bought it?

They'll be good to their own.

AUCTIONEER: 150.

Oh, lads.

Oh, lads.

Our land.

Hamilton?

[dog barking]

[yelling]

Aye, you look at me.

Aren't they the women then?

I have two men.

If we grow tatties
in the upper field,

we'll need a new storehouse.

Aye.

We'd need a cottage cleared.

Yeah.

Not your mothers.

No.

We cannot move Agnes.

Who?

Move Brady, is it?

They're Catholic,
and you can put

poor Brady, ma and her childrenon the road for a storehouse.

Well, we didn't be the onlyones with the land, Hammy.

There's more than one place theycan go to in the countryside.

Quin's after askingalready about the grazing

of the lower loch field.

HAMILTON: Well, we won't
aye or no to anything

until we work the
new land for a year.

Four seasons will show uswhat we need, and where.

AGNES: It's a boy surely.

Wee scout here, two fathersindeed, when some has none.

What'll the parish make at that?

What'll you tell your mother?

Mother?

Mother?

Sarah, do not think
I mean reprove you,

but the poor child, whois the-- which of the two

men will you marry, Sarah?
- Marry?

None of them.

But, Sarah, your good name--

What ails my name?

[baby crying]

You baby heathen.

What are you?

Baby heathen.

You are wee scout.

What is it, dear?

A thought for your sermon?

Yes.

Yes, this-- this
garden is a parable.

These potatoes,
there, our flowers,

so pretty, so trim, so orderly.

The tatties too are tidy
after their own kind,

but their homes so lank,
so green, so unruly,

like goats beside the
sheep, don't you think?

That's lovely, Edwin.

The people here will
understand that.

Well--

Yes?

Nature is a bad
example to simple folk.

And I'm not so sure
they are that simple.

[baby crying]

Look at the tree.

Look.

Can you hear that?

Can you?

The birds?

Mr. Echlin, I'll not hinder.

Aye, you'll not.

The 90 and 9 are here,
and all to be saved.

Rest your legs, sir.

Take a hold of that.

Mr. Echlin, I have waited.

The child must have a name.

I'll marry her.

That's the first
sound word I've

heard spoken on this matter.

But she'll not marry
me, the stubborn hussy.

Frank, then?

Frank will marry no one.

You'll never see
his wedding day.

Do you intend all of you,all three of you, to continue--

It's our way and it works.

You've a stony
road before ye all.

No church, no
orange brotherhood.

I've wanted none of that.

When the community
are offended,

these are a people
with hard hearts.

The crops have been rearedon stony ground before.

AGNES: Ach.

Did you break the wee fella?

Oh, give them here.

That one, did you
see the look of her?

Ach, pay no heed.

What call has
Brady Dineen to give

me a look the like of that?

Brady was learned as a childto stick to the high road

on matters like these.

She's annoyed to see you
taking the short road

and arriving with
more to show for it,

and that with more ease.

Are you saying, Agnes,
that one envies me?

Aye, you could say that,if it's an enviable matter

coming the short road by these.

Ms. Gilmartin, the childmust have a name, a surname.

He has, my name.

That is impossible.

No, it's not.

Here's how our
farm is husbanded.

For all the past might say,there's more than one recipe

for making a house.

You'll never be happy, Sarah.

You'll never feel at peace.

Are you at peace?

Ms. Gilmartin, I'm
only trying to advise.

Sarah, I have to
advise on these things.

Marry, is it?

The child must have a surname?

Marry-- marry and
sanctify the sore.

That's all you want, you clergy,to bend and contrive any matter

until it's smooth to the eye.

All botched inside, butoutward, smooth to the eye,

like lazy work.

Frank?

Husband's name?

No husband.

Father's name?

Not certain.

Well, then, your name.

The bud-- the bud
in the wild hedge--

Another parable, dear?

The hip, the hull, the
traveler's joy-- joy.

The bud opens, it does not pray,please, my maker, let me open.

It's hour is here, it opens.

My dear--

It opens and it flowers.

That is it's morality.

I don't really think--
the people here--

you can say that--

I can't say anything tothe people here, not anymore.

Victoria--

No, no, it's-- it's nothing.

No, Edwin.

Something is very wrong.

I do see.

There's a living-- aliving come vacant in Largon.

It's a town, a tidy, wee town.

[baby crying]

That one, in my mother'shouse, whose notion was that?

Mine.

And I agree with him.

And not one word
of this to me?

A papish woman in
my mother's house?

Hold your tongue
and hear you me.

This land is Echlin land.

Echlin is the name house
is in and Echlins is

the say who live in it or no.

Well, about that,
is it, a name?

Name?

Well, my name isGilmartin, and so is his.

Remember yous that.

HAMILTON: Sarah.

[drum b*ating]

[laughter]

Frank.

Aye.

Soon be the 12th again.

Community.

Hm?

Frank, are we bad to you?

There's no splitting
the two of you now.

[baby crying]

[drum b*ating]

Frank?

Fergus.

How you doing?

You [inaudible]?

Can't complain.

How are you getting now?

On the island all alone?

You never thought ofgetting married yourself?

Could happen.

Know what I think, Fergus?

The an ill thing to be
ever looking behind you.

Yesterday and tomorrow,
them's bad [inaudible].

Yesterday's over.

Are you free then, Frank?

Free man, are you?

Aye.

As you are, Fergus.

It is indeed a
great pleasure for me

to preside over such
a splendid assemblage,

in itself, a testament
to your loyalty

to the crown and constitution.

And on behalf of themembers of this district,

I extend the cordial
welcome to you all.

It is right that we
thank the almighty,

that it is our luck to
live in times of peace

as compared to those
our forefathers

lived in 100 years ago.

It is furthermore our right topraise God on the advancement

of our brothers' strength inOrangism throughout the length

and breadth of this land.

That our--

[applause]

These ideas and
shelter those who

differ from us that we areconsistent in our profession,

our right--

I propose today that we showour unwavering constancy--

Fight.

Boo.

Wait, wait, take this one.

Take this scarf.

Seven.

Here I am.

Echlin, boy.

There's a young lady
that wait for you.

This be yours.

Didn't get it easy to
give it back that easy.

Give me.

Give me.

I know who you are.

A way home with you then.

To the crossroads,
you can take me.

Not lead me home, I've brothers.

The crossroads.

Good night, Frank.

No.

Tell me your name.

Molly, Molly McPherbus.

Good night, Frank Echlin.

Molly.

I didn't get my
reward for the scarf.

Saturday, I'll call for you.

No.

No.

Well, here or there.

Saturday, here at night.

Saturday?

Aye.

Saturday.

He'll not be long
now, Sarah, coming home.

Indeed, and I hope not.

Sure as the land late already.

Echlin.

[groaning]

Mother?

What?

What's the use?

Martha?

Martha.

She's in love with a man.

Sure, I know that, son.

I know that.

[laughter]

You didn't tell me you cameall this way on that old thing.

[laughter]

Was that the minister earlier?

What did he want?

Oh, get in, you whore.

A Jezebel.

Aye.

That's what they stay.

Well, them ones below, daughterof Jezebel, they say I am.

What's to be done?

Talk to her.

Marry him, Martha.

I don't stop you,
to marry you want.

Yous young ones are
all for marrying

now, all for a convention.

How can I, Mother?

What have I for a name?

A bride enters the churchon the arm of her father.

I don't even know
which of them two--

All I ask of you is
a father and a name.

Marry, is it?

Me?

For a surname for you?

Make all smooth to the eye?

Oh, have you thought
how it is for me?

For Andrew and me?

We've to go among those people.

That's not easy, Mother.

Who says it's to be easy?

Mother, you say my
grandfather drowned.

He let go an upturned boatfor yous three younger ones

to live.

He let go.

My own blood draggedthat man up from the deep

to make a parable at me.

Oh, we is changed.

Things move on.

[music playing]

Oh, Mother.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our young must live.

Things move on.

[music playing]