Bush Christmas (1983)

[bunniefuu]

[thunder rumbling]

[birds singing]

[upbeat country music]

[upbeat music]

[horse whinnying]

- That's three seconds
better than his last run.

- He'll win, I know he will.

- Well done, Manalpuy.

[soft acoustic music]

- One more bad season
and we're finished here.

I'm afraid it's gonna be a
lean Christmas for you kids.

- Dad, you mustn't worry.

Prince is gonna win.

- And all our
troubles will be over.

- Well, let's not
worry about it anymore.

I just want you
to enjoy the day.

- Can't I come in the
pictures with you and dad?

- No!

- Look, we've had
three hard years.

The floods nearly wiped us out,

and then the drought?

- Well, it's been tough
for everyone, of course.

My own business is down.

As much as I'd like to help.

- All I'm asking is
another six months.

Now, the drought's over,

I need time to
fatten a few cattle

and sell them for
a reasonable price.

Then I can pay off the mortgage.

- Thompson, I
can't wait forever.

Carrol, Water is worth twice
the price you've offered.

- I made you a fair offer.

- We're not selling, Carrol.

Not at any price.

- Suit yourself.

The mortgage falls due
on January the first,

hope you'll have the
money to pay for it.

Otherwise you'll wish you'd
taken like very generous offer.

Have a Merry Christmas.

- I'd like a bike,

an air r*fle, and a cricket bat,

and a football.

Look at that knife.

Maybe next year.

- Maybe this year, Johnny,

if Prince wins the cup.

- Helen, what would you like?

Dresses? Yuch.

- I'd like that one.

For Mom.

[whistling]

[piano music]

- You really think we'll
pack them in this time, Bill?

- Sly, come here.

Come here.

[tuning instruments]

If we don't, we're finished.

We owe for the hall, the
rent for the amplifier.

We owe the band six weeks wages.

And on top of that,
the bus'll only go

about another 150 yards
before it falls to bits.

So, if were you, I'd
pray for a crowd.

[fiddle music]

- We'll see you later, kids.

- Bye.

- Well Bobby, how are you?

[crowd chatting]

- I'm not dancing with any girl.

- Johnny, it's a bush dance,
you don't have to dance close.

- Yeah, just put your
arm around their waist.

- Yuck.

- All right then, you
can sit and watch.

- Next please.

Thank you.

One two three four,
enjoy the show.

Two.

[upbeat music]

[lyrics muffled]

♪ The feeling is a mighty one ♪

♪ And it often be admired ♪

♪ They haven't seen
the [muffled] expired ♪

♪ Along the board [muffled] ♪

♪ And passing by the
ringer said [muffled] ♪

[lyrics muffled]

[audience applauding
and cheering]

- It's hardly what I call music,

but I suppose it has a
certain rustic charm.

- Yeah, I suppose it does.

- And now I'd like you
to take your partners

for a strip the willow!

[cheering]

- Wanna come for a dance?

- Sure do.

[acoustic music]

- What do you reckon Bill?

[muffled speaking]

- Who cares?

After all that lovely money.

I've gotta say my
boy, we've done it.

- Maybe I'll tell the fellas.

- If we split with the band,

we won't have enough money
left over for a decent feed.

We're broke, again.

We're not gonna
split with the band.

We're just gonna split.

- The bus?

- The bus.

[slow fiddle music]

♪ You can talk of your whiskey
and talk of your beer ♪

♪ There's something much
nicer that [muffled] here ♪

♪ It sits on the
fire [muffled] ♪

♪ There's nothing much
nicer than a Billy of tea ♪

- Did you see that little creep?

Come on, man.

[lyrics muffled]

♪ Wait till it's ready,
my Billy of tea ♪

♪ You can talk of your whiskey
and talk of your beer ♪

- That should just
cover what you owe us.

Hand it over, mate.

♪ There's nothing much
nicer than a Billy of tea ♪

♪ There's nothing much
nicer than a Billy of tea ♪

[muffled speaking]

- Dancing with girls are stupid.

- Didn't you like the song?

- Ever heard "The Wombat
Singing in the Hills," dad?

- Wombats don't sing.

- Exactly.

[laughing]

- Is he talking about me?

- Shut up, Sly, I'm thinking.

- What about?

- Dinner.

- Easy on the
Lammington's Manalpuy.

You're riding Prince in the cup,

we don't want you overweight.

- Prince is winning [muffled].

- Yeah well, maybe
he could Johnny,

but let's not tell
the world, eh?

- Shut up, Sly.

[truck running]

- [Johnny] Prince'll
win by a mile, Jack.

- I wouldn't bet
against him, son.

- If we can get a
bid on that horse.

- Shut up.

I'm still thinking.

[kids singing]

- [Dad] We've got
two hours to go kids,

are you gonna sing all the way?

- [Kate] Ben, do we
have to sell to Carrol?

- [Ben] Well, it's that
or lose the property.

It might be a long way from
town, Katie, but it's home.

- [Sly] Blimey, where do
they live, New Zealand?

I hope you filled the tank.

- [Bill] Just about.

I was right in the
middle of doing it,

when the owner came back.

We pull a few seats
out of the bus,

tie them in the back,

and we're in business.

- [Sly] That's rustling.

They hang horse thieves.

- [Bill] But we're not
stealing the animals, Sly.

We're borrowing.

We'll take it around
the bush tracks,

win enough races
to build up a bank,

then we turn her loose.

A simple loan.

[flute music]

- [Ben] All right, half an hour
to trim the Christmas tree,

then off to bed.

- Oh no!

I'll get the jack.

- We haven't got
a jack, I sold it.

Wouldn't matter anyway, I
sold the spare wheel too.

- That means we can't
steal the horse.

- Borrow.

- Borrow the horse.

[horse whinnying]

Bill.

If they hang you for
stealing one horse,

what would they do for three?

[whinnying]

- This one right here.

[muffled speaking]

["Silent Night"]

- Are you enjoying
this [muffled].

- Very much, Aunt Kate.

- He's not a bad
bloke, for a pommy.

- Must be strange for you,

Christmas in summer.

- It is a little bizarre.

I've been wondering what you'll
serve for Christmas dinner.

Cold poultry and
salads I suppose.

- No, there'll roast chook
and [indistinct] things,

and Christmas pudding with
drippings and hot custard.

- But it'll be a hundred
degrees in the shade.

- It's Christmas.

- Kids in bed?

- Not yet.

You will be back by
Christmas eve, won't you?

- We'll leave first
thing in the morning.

Get the cattle there
in a couple of days.

I'll be back in time.

I promise.

Now tomato sauce, a man can't
live without tomato sauce.

[whinnying]

- Prince?

Good boy.

Prince.

- That's him.

That's the horse.

- [Bill] Yeah.

[crickets chirping]

[birds chirping]

[mischievous music]

[muffled speaking]

- What have you got there?

- Food.

- Good boy Sly, come on.

[whinnying]

[mischievous music]

- [Sly] He's so big.

- Give me a bridle.

A rope one.

I'll get Prince, you
get the other two.

- You, you want
me to go in there?

- Well how else do you
think we're gonna catch him?

- I'm more worried
about them catching me.

- Try to pick a quiet one.

- How do you tell the quiet
one from the noisy one?

- Come on, Sly.

[whinnying]

There, come on.

[snorting]

[cattle mooing]

- Good luck!

[upbeat country music]

- This is John Thompson
calling School of the Air,

come in Miss Curtis.

- No, I saw the
men leave Manalpuy,

no one was riding Prince.

- Prince can open gates himself.

- Not that one.

- Mom!

Will you come here?

- You go look for them.

It was all right last night.

Your father used it.

- Well, it's dead
as a sausage now.

- One of the bulbs is missing.

[truck trying to start]

- Hold it a sec, mom.

- What is it?

- The rotor's gone.

- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

- [Bill] Come on Sly, keep up.

- [Sly] Keep up? I
can hardly keep on.

[bird screeching]

- [Manalpuy] They're not
trying to hide their tracks.

- [Kate] Because they
know we can't follow them.

- [Helen] But we can.

Dad put some of the horses
down in the south paddock.

We can get them.

- No!

They might be dangerous.

None of us are
leaving this farm.

Is that understood?

- We could get dad.

- By the time we
reached your father,

they'd be in the Warrigals.

- The Warrigals?

They must be crazy.

Oh, those thieves,
we've got to get them.

- Helen, I said no.

[soft guitar music]

- Who is it, who's there?

- Hey, wake up.

- No, no.

- You haven't got
your pyjamas on.

- It was too hot.

Look Helen, your mother.

- Shh, she can hear you.

- That's what I'm
trying to tell you.

- Manalpuy's going after Prince.

He's saddling up a horse, now.

- But your mother
said no one was to-

- I know.

I want you to tell
her in the morning.

- Why can't you tell her?

- [Helen] Because
I'm going with him.

I'm gonna bring back Prince.

- Helen, Helen,

come back.

Helen?

- [Manalpuy] You can't come.

- Give me one good reason.

- [John] Helen.

- Ah, John.

- I only woke him so he
could tell your mother.

- And if you try going
without me, I'll tell her now.

- Look, someone's got to
stay here and look after mum.

It's the man's job.

That's why we left you.

- Mum does need looking after.

- And I'm certainly going.

I can't let you
go off with just,

with those thieves around.

I take it we have
ample provisions?

- [Johnny] Ample what?

- [Helen] We'll
live off the land,

like Manalpuy.

[didgeridoo music]

[birds singing]

- Helen?

[dramatic instrumental music]

[whinnying]

- Sly, Sly.

This side.

[whinnying]

Come on.

- I can't get my
foot in the pedal.

Can't get my foot in the pedal.

- [Bill] You said
you could ride.

- I can!

My mum used to take
me to Brighton.

You know, like lead you
up and down like doggies.

I always fell off.

- Sly, come here.

Grab my foot, give me a lift up.

Lord, look at you.

Bushy's hat.

Cowboy boots, oilskin trousers,

you can't even ride.

- It's my stage
costume, isn't it?

I hate the bush.

- Well this is what you do,

you hang over the reins,

feet in the stirrups, and grip
with your knees, all right?

- Mm-hmm.

- Now you give me a start.

- Right.

What'll I say?

- Just use your imagination.

It's a race, right?

- All right.

On your blocks.

- [Bill] Huh?

- Take the water.

Go!

[comedic instrumental music]

[yelling]

[horse whinnying]

[Bill yelling]

[Bill laughing]

- Sly, my boy.

We've got the fastest
horse this side

of the Randwick racetrack.

We're gonna make millions.

[laughing]

- [Sly] We can't go through
there, I'll get my boots wet.

- [Bill] Stick them
behind your ear.

- [Sly] Why?

- [Bill] 'Cause you're
already went there.

- Ha ha.

[soft instrumental music]

- [Helen] Stay awake, Johnny.

- You have it.

It's the last.

Here, Johnny.

I've had enough.

- Bush tomatoes again.

- Just try to think of
it as a roast of beef,

with crisp golden
potatoes, all steaming.

- Michael.

[crickets chirping]

Helen?

Helen, I'm hungry.

- I know.

Manalpuy promised
in the morning.

[wind blowing]

- What is it?

- Nothing.

Just the wind

in the trees.

- But there isn't any wind.

- It's not the wind.

- It is the wind.

[wind blowing]

- Manalpuy?

Manalpuy?

[faint humming]

[didgeridoos humming]

[man chanting]

[cricket chirping]

- [Kate] See it, will
you, somebody see it?

- [Johnny] Is this all
we get for breakfast?

- [Michael] It's all
you might get for days.

- Days? When is Christmas?

And Christmas dinner?

- How are we gonna get food?

We can't live on berries.

- Where'd you get that?

- What's that for?

- I'm an old Boy Scout.

Be prepared.

- You wouldn't sh**t anyone.

- Aborigines, I don't think
they'll like us being here.

- If they don't like it,

I'm not real keen on it myself.

- They're galloping Prince
down there and back again.

- Then we'll just
have to move faster.

At least we've got a weapon now,

that gives us an advantage.

[g*n firing]

- Who'd you sh**t?

You shot an Aborigine.

They'll m*ssacre us.

- [Bill] Dead as a doornail.

- You shot one of their pets.

- Ah Sly.

- They weren't sh**ting at us.

The sound was too far away.

- Maybe we should go back.

- I suppose the station
hands could track them.

Couldn't they?

- Still no tracks to follow.

- [Bill] Raining cats and dogs.

- [Sly] We'll have to stop.

- [Bill] Why?

- [Sly] We're getting wet.

[thunder crashing]

[thunder crashing]

- [Helen] We have
to find shelter.

- There.

[thunder crashing]

[lightning cracking]

- This is an old Aborigine cave.

All right John,
give me your saddle.

[thunder rumbling]

Get some wood.

- What, now?

- [Helen] Yes, now.

[Michael muffled speaking]

- Back into the cave.

- [Helen] Don't worry about me.

[thunder rumbling]

- Get more wood.

- What's the point?

It's too wet to burn anyway.

- [Manalpuy] All
right, stay inside.

I'll get more.

- I'll help.

- Take your clothes
off and dry them.

[acoustic guitar music]

- Here.

- Get higher.

- I'll turn my head.

And turn yours Johnny.

- I've seen them before.

- John.

- Well, I'm your brother.

- Don't look.

All right.

Your turn now.

[thunder rumbling]

[chuckling]

[thunder crashing]

- This rain is
probably the best thing

that could have happened for us.

[thunder rumbling]

- Bill.

- What?

Get a hold of yourself.

[thunder rumbling]

[birds singing]

[soft acoustic music]

- Whoa, whoa.

- [Bill] Come on,
we'll have to move.

The creeks'll be up
after that little lot.

- [Sly] Don't worry, a burst
of rain [muffled] these boots.

- [Bill] Well,
they're big enough.

- [Johnny] Feels terrible.

- They'll dry as we get going.

- Tracks washed away.

- Well that does it, we
can't follow them now.

- [Manalpuy] Not without help.

- [Helen] Who do you think
is going to help him?

- [Michael] Where
are we gonna get help

in this forsaken place?

- Just follow him, Michael.

- Crazy, they're all crazy.

Who did it, who put
those stones there?

- [Manalpuy] Curry.

- [Michael] Who is Curry?

- The Courier Aboriginals,

Manalpuy's people.

- [Sly] I don't know
what's more painful,

falling off or staying on.

[acoustic guitar music]

[whinnying]

- It don't mean [muffled] to me.

Are we there yet?

- Yeah, we're at the top.

- [Sly] I'll never walk again.

- Well, it's too steep
to ride down down.

- Down? We only just got up.

- Yeah.

Then we go down,
and up, and down.

- You kidding.

The only thing that goes up
and down that often's a yo-yo.

It's half of Australia.

- It's only about
an inch on the map.

- How any inches to
where we're going?

- About three.

- Three inches?

I can't walk three inches.

- Right, we'll see
you later then.

- Well, no you don't,
you don't leave me here.

You go, I go.

- Oh, it's good to
have real loyal mates.

Anybody who was following us,

that rain would have fixed them.

We'll stop for some food later.

Smart food.

- Come on.

Ow! Get off my boots, stupid.

To be a singer and go on tour.

Didn't learn to walk
till I was five.

Sometimes I wish
I hadn't bothered.

Taxi!

[soft acoustic music]

[bushers yelling]

- Ben!

Ben!

[upbeat country music]

The children are up
in the Warrigals.

- The Warrigals, what
are they doing up there?

- Someone stole Prince, the
children went after them.

- Ah God.

Jack, let the others
bring them in.

You'll come with
me and the missus.

We didn't sell the cattle.

Agent took one look and laughed.

Come on.

[uptempo country music]

[cattle mooing]

[birds singing]

- [Bill] Lean back
in the saddle.

Give your horse a chance.

- What's in it for me?

If we were meant to be here,

there'd be running escalators.

[groaning]

- [Helen] We're at
the top, Johnny.

We'll rest soon.

[birds chirping]

We made it.

- I'll look for tracks later.

- It'll be too dark then.

- Well, you look.

- I'm sorry, I didn't
mean it that way.

I wouldn't see the tracks
if they were on my nose.

- Yeah, I'm sorry too.

We'll look in the morning.

- Manalpuy, I'm hungry.

- All right Johnny.

- I'll help.

- Aren't you too tired?

- Not to eat.

[ethereal chanting]

- No, no!

Get away!

You're a woman!

No.

- What is this place,
I want to look.

- [Johnny] Leave
my sister alone.

- Manalpuy.

Manalpuy, how dare you?

- You didn't see it.

You didn't see it,
you didn't see it!

- See what?

- There was nothing
there, nothing.

- All right.

- We'll head straight
for the mountains.

Don't worry, love.

We'll find them.

[dog barking]

It's Christmas.

No presents, no dinner, no tree.

What is it?

- Our Christmas dinner.

- Who's there?

- [Manalpuy] Only us.

- [Johnny] We're
missing Christmas.

- Ah Johnny, I hoped
you wouldn't know.

- Listen John, back
home in England

there's no Christmas
till tomorrow.

- What difference
does that make?

- Well, we could have an
English Christmas tomorrow.

- We won't be home
tomorrow either.

And all we've got the
Christmas dinner is one-

- Johnny.

- You've caught something.

- A rabbit, I'll
bet it's a rabbit.

Beautiful crispy-skinned rabbit,

all golden and juicy.

- [Ben] Go on Sly.

Meal fit for a king.

- Is it ready?

- Try it.

- What is that?

- Our dinner.

- Our Christmas dinner.

- It's a lizard.

I wouldn't touch
that slimy thing

if I was starving to death.

- Neither would I.

[chuckling]

- Well, people eat
snails and frogs' legs.

- Please, Helen.

- Well, I don't
see the difference.

- Well, try one of these.

- [Johnny] Witchities.

[gasping]

[retching]

He must have a weak stomach.

[groaning]

[soft guitar music]

["Silent Night"]

- Try to sleep, Johnny.

- It doesn't feel
like Christmas.

- I'm sorry about
your sacred place.

I didn't know.

Can you forgive me?

- I will, but my
people will not.

- What will they do?

- They'll do nothing.

- [Helen] Oh, well
that's all right then.

- No, it's not.

They'll not leave
sign for us, anymore.

[birds singing]

[horse whinnying]

- This is your knife, Michael.

Isn't it?

- Merry Christmas, Johnny.

- You're giving it to me?

As a present?

Geez, it's a beauty.

- Merry Christmas, everybody.

- Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas, Johnny.

- Merry Christmas, Michael.

- Merry Christmas, Manalpuy.

- Merry Christmas, Manalpuy.

- Merry Christmas.

- Merry Christmas, Manalpuy.

- [Ben] Don't let up Jack,
they've had a big start.

- [Helen] Be careful, Manalpuy.

- [Manalpuy] I can
see them a mile away.

- What do we do now?

- Wait until dark.

[crickets chirping]

- Shut up and listen.

Who's there?

- It's those men from the band.

- Come out here.

I'm gonna take a look.

Do as you're told.

[Manalpuy howling]

- What's that?

- A dingo.

Wild dog.

[g*n firing]

That's enough excitement
for one night.

- More than enough.

[crickets chirping]

[crickets chirping]

- Manalpuy.

Johnny, come on.

Johnny, no.

[g*n firing]

[upbeat country music]

- Hey!

[g*n firing]

- Bill, Bill, we're
being attacked.

[g*n firing]

[whinnying]

[Johnny yelling]

[g*n firing]

- Johnny, are you all right?

- I've hurt my knee.

- What was that?

Was it blacks?

- All I know is we're
in a lot of trouble.

Let's see if anything's missing.

- The horses!

- I know the horses are gone.

- They've taken my boots.

- And they've taken the food.

- How can I sing
without my boots?

- At least they
didn't take the water.

[g*n clicking]

Now we are in trouble.

[muffled speaking]

[acoustic guitar music]

- Well, Sly.

- Well, Bill.

- Come on, let's get
after the horses.

- What about the saddles?

- You want to carry them?

[birds cackling]

- We've gotta push on, Jack.

They must have come this way.

- [Michael] You
all right Johnny?

- Yeah.

[muffled speaking]

- Come on, Sly.

Shake it up.

- My feet are full of bendies.

Around here, you'll get a
backside full of spears.

- Helen?

- Johnny, what is it?

- It's my knee,
it's really sore.

- We can't stay here.

It won't be too far.

- Look, why don't
you go scout ahead.

See if there's somewhere
that we can rest.

You might even see the horses.

- The horses will be miles away.

- I'm gonna climb up
there and take a look.

- I might be able to carry you.

- I don't want to be carried.

- Helen, Manalpuy, quickly.

- Hello, there!

Help!

- [Helen] I haven't
even heard a dog bark.

- [Michael] It looks deserted.

- [Johnny] It might
be it's haunted.

- [Helen] Oh Johnny does
no such thing as ghosts.

- [Michael] Well actually in
England, there's a castle.

- [Helen] Michael!

[dark piano music]

I wonder where everybody is?

- What is it?

- [Helen] It used
to be the cool room,

where they hung
the meat carcasses.

- [Johnny] It smells like it.

It's a bit creepy, isn't it?

[dark piano]

- Is anybody there?

- Hello?

Anyone home?

- I suppose we should go in.

- Well, come on.

[dark piano]

[door creaking]

- Gee, food.

[screaming]

- Excuse me, ma'am?

Excuse me, ma'am?

[upbeat country music]

- Gotcha!

Now, what are you gonna do?

- Let us down, we give up.

- That's very wise.

- You're kidnappers.

- And horse-nappers,

my father's right
behind with the police.

- Yeah, and he sent you on
in front of soften us up.

- Yeah.

- Now you just hang on

while we discuss what
we're gonna do with you.

Sly?

- Well, we decided you're right.

According to the law,

I suppose we're kidnappers, now.

- You'll go to jail
for years, for life.

- That's true, too.

But being a such
soft-hearted kooks,

we're gonna let
you off the hook.

[laughing]

Off the hook.

But as we're also kidnappers,

we can't afford to
let you kids go.

So we might have to let
you hang around for awhile.

- Whoa.

Now come this way, boss.

- Do you reckon any of
their boots'll fit us?

[laughing]

- We could try.

- Hey!

[upbeat country music]

Little shavers.

[screaming]

- Helen's fallen down.

- [Helen] Help!

- Quick, grab my hand.

Helen?

- Got him!

[yelling]

- Michael.

Manalpuy, you all right?

- [Michael] I think so.

- Sly, you idiot.

Where's the rope?

- In the house.

I think.

- Michael, there's
water running in.

- What's the matter?

- By the time those
kids get home,

every cop in the country'll
be out looking for us.

Not just for horse-stealing,
for kidnapping.

- Well, we can't just
leave them there, can we?

- They'll be all right.

Someone will come
along and pull them up.

No worries.

We'll be miles away.

We'll find the horses.

- Bill, Bill.

Look.

Blimey, it's like a sign.

- Johnny, the water's
up to our knees.

What's happening up there?

- They've gone for ropes.

They won't be long.

- [Helen] The water's
coming faster.

- They'll be all right.

They'll get out okay.

Here, they'll find this.

- [Sly] Yeah, of course
they will, like I did.

- And we'll be rich, Sly.

New bus, new band,

new instruments.

- New boots.

- Give me a hand.

All my life, I've had nothing,

but beating my head against a
wall to earn an honest quid.

Come on.

Watch, Sly.

- The water's getting higher.

It's nearly up to my waist.

Johnny, you've
got to get a rope.

- [Johnny] I'll go
and have a look.

Bridles.

Here it comes.

- It doesn't reach.

- [Johnny] That's all there is.

- Here.

Step in my hands, you
might be able to reach.

[whistling]

- We're gonna have a tour.

London, New York.

- Ah, the hell with it.

- Mate?

- They followed us all the way,

they tracked us up
over them mountains.

- And they took our
food and my boots.

- Yeah, they did that too.

I'm going back.

- Bill, go back and
you're going back to jail.

- [Bill] I'm not leaving them
kids stuck down that hole.

- Ah hell.

Giddy up.

- Right, now you.

- Well what about you?

- Don't worry.

Tie it under your arms.

Manalpuy ought to be
able to pull you up.

Pull the rein!

- Michael.

He won't be able to
reach the bridle.

- Hurry up!

- Looks like they're doing
all right by themselves.

[whinnying]

- It's still too short.

It can't reach Michael.

- Here.

Now watch out below.

Tie that under your arms,

and we'll pull you up.

- All right, all the way.

[grunting]

- Sly, try to find
him a blanket.

- I'm all right.

Look after Helen.

[yelling]

[whinnying]

[splashing]

- If you promise
not to follow us,

we'll leave the
two other horses.

Otherwise you'll
have to walk home.

- We promise.

- Now move over son.

- You're not taking Prince.

- Yeah, I guess
you're right, John.

I guess you're right.

- Boss!

- [Ben] They're all there, Jack.

Safe and sound.

- And they got Prince.

[acoustic guitar]

- Dad!

- Uncle Ben!

- Hi kids.

- Hi.

- [Ben] You okay?

- Yeah, fine.

- [Johnny] I'm okay, dad.

- [Ben] Helen, how's Prince?

- [Helen] I hope he's not
too tired for the race.

- [Ben] He'll be all right.

Let's get going.

Well, you did it, ace.

Good idea, kid.

Good idea.

- You should have seen Manalpuy,

he was swinging to [muffled].

- Really?

[laughing]

Good old Manalpuy, eh?

- Yeah.

[carnival music]

- Two pounds on the press.

- That's 24 pounds,
the favourite, Prince.

- Yes, ma'am.

- [Woman] Pound please.

- Pound on Prince, again.

- Now do your best, Manalpuy.

But don't take
any chances, okay?

There you are, Prince.

- Good luck, Manalpuy.

- Good luck, Manalpuy.

- Thank you.

Thank you.

- [Woman] Five
pounds on the other.

- You want five pounds
on the [muffled].

- That's 10 pounds [muffled].

Thank you, sir.

- Where do they
race to, Uncle Ben?

- Straight out of town,
cross country and back, Mike.

It's about four miles,

and they do it twice.

- [Michael] In a four-mile
race, I've seen a lot of them.

- Yeah, it is.

But dad doesn't have
much choice, does he?

- Better look after
this truck, Thompson.

It'll be mine in
a couple of days,

along with the rest
of Carol Warren.

- Don't count your
chickens, Carrol.

- I can afford to.

That's my horse, bought
him in the city last week.

He's a steeplechaser.

Won every race he's
been entered in.

And that's Derby Mulcahy
that's riding him.

Good luck with your nag.

You're gonna need it.

- What's a steeplechaser dad?

- And who's Derby Mulcahy.

- He's a professional jockey.

I'm sorry kids, I don't think
Prince has got a chance.

[upbeat country music]

[crowd cheering]

- Where's Prince?

- All that climbing
in the Warrigals,

he's worn out.

- He can do it, he can.

Go Prince, go.

- He's gaining.

- Go Manalpuy.

- [Helen] Come on Prince!

Keep it going,
Manalpuy go, go go!

[muffled yelling]

[fast-paced country music]

- Come on, Manalpuy.

- Come on, Manalpuy.

[crowd cheering]

- Kate, we've done
it, we've done it.

We've saved the old place.

- That's enough, daddy.

Our presents, Merry Christmas!

- Great race, Manalpuy.

- Good boy.

- Thank you.

Thanks.

[crowd murmuring]

- Good on ya, love.

[muffled speaking]

- Here's a big one on Prince.

- Oh, the big if.

There we are.

- Thanks all son.

- Good on ya, mate.

- Pleasure to do
business with you.

Have a big win,
did you, youngster?

- Yep.

- Good horse, that Prince.

- Yes, he is.

- You're a lucky man.

- Carrol, I believe
I owe you some money.

Happy new year.

- You know Sly,

I've been thinking.

- Oh are you now?

- I reckon with the money
we've got between us,

we should be able to afford to
buy a small shearing outfit.

- You want to be a shearer?

You want to work?

- No, no no no no
no, not exactly.

I just thought we might
borrow a few sheep,

you know, maybe about a dozen
from each property we pass by.

I only need them
for an hour or two.

Shear them, put them back.

They grow their wool again
so, nobody's lost anything.

It's only borrowing really.

- [Sly] Well.

Yeah, I suppose it is.

Only borrowing.

- [Bill] Yeah Sly, it's
been a nice Christmas.

A real nice Christmas.

[laughing]

[humming and laughing]

[uptempo instrumental music]