Having been widowed for 16 years, Ellen (Nanette Newman) lives in rural isolation in the Somerset countryside with her beautiful but backward daughter, Rosie (Tamar le Bailly). Rosie starts to develop some disturbing traits, but when a young man arrives one day and starts to turn up regularly by the house things take a sinister turn...
This was the 4th episode of series 2 of West Country Tales, the anthology supernatural series and the last of the surviving episodes, the others missing believed lost. And it is certainly one of the most disturbing tales in the series, so be warned. Narrated by Keith Barron, there is a added connection for the Barron household - the stranger is played by none other than Keith's son Jamie Barron.
This was the 4th episode of series 2 of West Country Tales, the anthology supernatural series and the last of the surviving episodes, the others missing believed lost. And it is certainly one of the most disturbing tales in the series, so be warned. Narrated by Keith Barron, there is a added connection for the Barron household - the stranger is played by none other than Keith's son Jamie Barron.
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TVTranscript
00:00This is the way Ellen came. She was young and beautiful and rode ahead in a pony and
00:28trap carrying her child. A local man followed with a cart containing the few worldly goods
00:35she wished to keep, her clothes, her books, her music and her painting things. The things
00:41most people hoard, the household gods, Ellen didn't want them. Her husband had died serving
00:50overseas, leaving Ellen and his child provided for. All that was 16 years ago.
01:21Ellen's retreat in the depths of a country, a beautiful answer to the crammed and trampling
01:28town. She hasn't added much to the house in 16 years and the careful relationships,
01:39the elaborate social rounds, she doesn't need them. She's basically a solitary person. Besides,
01:46Ellen has Rosie.
01:48She's as restless as a butterfly on a sunny day.
02:05I think it's the best one I've done.
02:15Rosie, caught in perpetual childhood.
02:28Scarlet, vermillion, her favourite colours.
02:43Rosie, Rosie, no. Darling, you shouldn't have done that. I'll get your picture.
02:58Rosie's turn to paint now.
03:04There, that's your picture. I don't like it. Darling, that's being silly. Come on, it's a
03:13nice painting. I'll help you do it. I don't want to. Rosie, bring the milk. Come and sit here.
03:27At first, Ellen was bitterly disappointed in Rosie and she blamed herself. What flaw,
03:37what omission in the ritual of love had marred her daughter?
03:41We won't do any painting today.
03:47But now she wouldn't change her. She's an adorable child. Even the touch of the fiend
03:56in her nature is so much a part of the wildness of living here.
04:00The house has many outbuildings in its sheltered gardens. They form an important
04:23part of Rosie's secret world.
04:53Doves fill the barn with their bubbling voices, the clap and flutter of their wings.
05:23Crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle, crack
05:53The panicky greed of the birds is exciting to Rosie.
06:06Don't get too excited, Rosie. Don't get too excited.
06:18Come on. Come on.
06:20Come on.
06:35Tucked away like people in a fairy story, the young princess trapped by a wicked spell and her tender guardian.
06:43But the spell shows itself now and then. In the calm, sequestered life, there are the black days.
07:14Rosie? What are you doing?
07:18Rosie knows she's done wrong.
07:21Show me your hands.
07:29Where have you put it this time? Come on, tell me.
07:44Have you put it under here again? Come on, Rosie, show me where it is.
08:01Oh, poor little bird.
08:13Oh.
08:19Promise me you won't do that again.
08:32This part of the garden is nourished by the corpses of Rosie's little victims.
08:38Black days, shadows on their sunlit existence.
08:44Ellen has never talked to anyone about Rosie, never asked for help.
08:50She feels so strongly that any outside influence would be destructive.
08:56She's devoted her life to her difficult child.
09:00And time has passed quickly in this separated existence, this dream of simplicity with its touches of nightmare.
09:09Rosie, do it.
09:11Rosie, do it.
09:24Rosie's tune, Mother and Daughter.
09:29Ellen, for one, believes it to be the gentlest, the most unselfish relationship in the world.
09:36And why should it ever change?
09:41The Sunlight Glittering
10:01The sunlight glittering, like the words, the ideas, that Rosie can never quite pin down.
10:12Trout, straight from the river, grilled over a wood fire.
10:18But sometimes a fish doesn't get home to Ellen.
10:42After sacrifice, the cleansing.
10:47It's a deep instinct.
11:06Good morning.
11:08Good morning.
11:10Who's he? Never seen him before.
11:13You're Rosie, aren't you?
11:15He knows her name.
11:17I've heard about you in the village.
11:19He's heard how she's kept like a prisoner in the cottage.
11:22Mind if I join you?
11:25A boy with romantic notions.
11:32My name's Paul.
11:34Moving quietly as to a wild creature.
11:37Afraid?
11:38Fearing to startle her.
11:39I won't hurt you.
11:41She's poised for flight.
11:44Been doing some fishing?
11:49It's a lovely day.
11:55Don't you think the flowers look nice?
11:59The daffodils.
12:02We don't have many flowers where I come from.
12:08They're so beautiful, but it's such a shame to pick them.
12:23Oh, that's very kind. Thank you.
12:27I say.
12:31The princess leaves the prince in the beautiful garden,
12:35which is also her prison.
12:40And in her ivory tower, she wonders,
12:43will he come back?
12:51Ellen does a little unnecessary gardening by the water's edge.
12:55An excuse, of course.
12:58Rosie hasn't spoken to her mother.
13:00She doesn't need to.
13:02Ellen is alarmed.
13:04She's waiting for the visitor.
13:09The boy is not a fisherman,
13:11but he walks upstream carrying a rod.
13:14A justification for trespass.
13:20Good morning, Mum.
13:25I hoped I could see Rosie.
13:28Rosie?
13:31Um, I'm Rosie's mother.
13:36Um, would you?
13:41He's brought a gift for Rosie.
13:43Some poems.
13:45I've bought this book.
13:48It's some poems.
13:50I thought you might like it.
13:54Oh, I see.
13:57She's very beautiful. Rosie.
14:00Yes. Yes, she is.
14:10Could you see that she gets it?
14:13She can't help being alarmed by his friendliness.
14:18I'll give it to her.
14:21Oh, it's, uh...
14:24It's cold.
14:26I, uh...
14:29I have to go now.
14:38Mother returns home, alone.
14:44Mother's always no best.
14:51CLATTERING
14:59For...
15:02For...
15:05You.
15:07The poems might as well be written in a different language,
15:11but still she struggles to make sense of them.
15:14CLATTERING
15:19If...
15:24If you...
15:26Who would have thought that Rosie would ever want to read?
15:31Sure.
15:35That...
15:39Uh...
15:45CLATTERING
15:57If you should find me waiting for your love,
16:01you'll look into my eyes and know
16:04that all my heart is shining there
16:07for you to see.
16:10If you should find me waiting for your love...
16:19Don't turn away.
16:21Let love find me.
16:24Next day, Rosie sulks.
16:26Spends much of her time in the garden.
16:29Expectant.
16:31Ellen stays alert.
16:34Watchful.
16:36Protective.
16:38Ever-loving.
16:42And...
16:45And...
16:49And...
16:51Ever-loving.
17:22BIRDS CHIRP
17:30Rosie?
17:32Rosie?
17:34This anxiety in her heart,
17:37she wants to forbid.
17:39She's kept Rosie to herself so long.
17:43Too long, perhaps.
17:52BIRDS CHIRP
17:58Let's play a game.
18:00She's been so much in his thoughts that now he feels awkward.
18:04He's all hands and feet like a country bumpkin.
18:07All the planned gentleness gets caught up
18:10in a regretful display of childlike bullying.
18:14Shall I? I will. I'm going to.
18:16Please. I will.
18:18Ready? I'll tell Mother.
18:20Please. It's going.
18:22No. Two. Going.
18:24Three.
18:29Don't worry, Rosie. I'll get it.
18:34Innocent, intimate.
18:36Like children together.
18:40I can't get it. Try from over there, Rosie.
18:47He may read better than she does,
18:49but he can't skip across stones in the river
18:52and he's never caught a trout with his bare hands.
19:03He's troubled by her dismay.
19:05It's ruined.
19:08No, it's not.
19:10It'll be all right.
19:12Don't worry. Once it's dry, it'll be perfect.
19:15Absolutely perfect.
19:18Come on.
19:25Try and hit that over there.
19:27That's it.
19:32We ought to have my dog here.
19:34That would save us going all the way round there to get him.
19:37Did you teach him to do that?
19:39Yes.
19:41He's called Joe. You'd love him.
19:43I'm sure I would. I love dogs.
19:47Have you ever thought of getting one?
19:50Well, I've thought about it,
19:52but I've never asked my mother.
19:55You ought to ask her.
20:06How blind she's been.
20:08She never guessed Rosie could look so happy.
20:11It's a revelation.
20:13A friend.
20:15It seemed impossible.
20:18Calf love.
20:20Rosie kissed.
20:22Something to thank God for.
20:31So he chopped up enough logs to last us all the winter.
20:35Really very nice of him.
20:37Unfortunately, most of them were damp.
20:39He stays for tea quite often now.
20:41Oh, some more tea?
20:42Yes, thank you.
20:44But a simple suggestion can disrupt everything.
20:48Have you ever thought of having any animals here?
20:52Animals?
20:55Oh, no.
20:57We have enough trouble looking after the doves.
21:02I was going to buy Rosie a puppy.
21:05I would love a puppy.
21:07The idea of a puppy fills Rosie with delight.
21:11No, I...
21:13I don't think that would be a good idea.
21:17No, I think a puppy's out of the question.
21:20Poor spellbound Rosie.
21:23Rosie, why don't you go and play that piece I taught you on the piano?
21:28You know, your special tune.
21:30For Paul?
21:31Would you like that?
21:33Yes, that would be lovely.
21:35Under cover of Rosie's hesitating finger,
21:38Ellen has to explain to Paul.
21:42I want you to listen very carefully to what I'm going to say.
21:46I don't want you to mention a puppy to Rosie ever again.
21:52You see, she's...
21:55Well, she's very young for her years.
21:58And she mustn't be over-excited.
22:02It's not good for her.
22:05You see...
22:07You see...
22:10She did have a rabbit once.
22:13And I'm afraid that she...
22:27Paul, would you like to come out for a walk with me?
22:31Yes.
22:32Good.
22:34Come on, then.
22:36He can't bear it.
22:43He's wondered, of course.
22:45He thought Rosie was different.
22:48But now he knows.
22:58Paul?
23:07You will forget me a puppy, won't you?
23:10Rosie, I can't.
23:12You promised.
23:13Your mother said no.
23:14She can't stop you.
23:16I can't go against your mother.
23:18I want one!
23:20I want one!
23:22I want one.
23:27It doesn't matter.
23:30Will you come to the woods?
23:32Yes, come on.
23:36Come on.
23:49It's late when Rosie returns.
23:51And Ellen's imagination has been running riot.
23:54Where have you been?
23:57I don't want to talk about it.
24:01Rosie?
24:07Rosie doesn't want to talk.
24:10She won't talk.
24:12Supposing...
24:14Supposing Paul...
24:26Ellen waits anxiously all next morning.
24:30But Paul doesn't come.
24:33Their little world seems very cold.
24:36And sad.
24:38And strange.
24:43And Rosie...
24:45She's gone back to her old habits.
24:59Ellen must know.
25:01Must find out.
25:12Rosie, you must tell me where it is.
25:15Don't know.
25:17I'm not playing a game with you. Tell me.
25:19All was before Rosie's made the act of penitence.
25:23Now she won't tell.
25:28They search the grounds.
25:30Nothing there.
25:32She shouts at Rosie.
25:34Pushing.
25:36Pushing for the truth.
25:48Ellen learns nothing.
25:54That afternoon she shuts Rosie indoors
25:57and walks alone to the village.
26:01She calls at Paul's lodging.
26:16Good morning.
26:18I was just wondering if I could have a word with Paul.
26:21I'm afraid he's not in.
26:23He wasn't here last night as a matter of fact.
26:26He wasn't down to break in?
26:29He wasn't down to breakfast this morning
26:31so she went up to his room.
26:33The bed hadn't been slept in.
26:35So he can't have been in all night.
26:37Mind you, his clothes are still there
26:39and of course the room's paid for
26:41so it isn't anything like that.
26:47A raw wind clatters the branches of the trees.
26:50Ellen is battered by its freezing gusts.
26:55Dusk gathers in the garden
26:57pressing against the windows of the house.
27:05Rosie?
27:06Rosie's been sitting here all the time.
27:08Are you all right?
27:09Watching the darkness come.
27:12Ellen forces herself to appear calm.
27:15If she frightens Rosie
27:17she won't get anywhere.
27:22I've been looking for Paul.
27:27I can't find him.
27:29He's gone.
27:32Where has he gone?
27:34Gone.
27:38You must tell me everything.
27:41You must tell me everything so that I can help you.
27:48He's gone.
27:52Rosie, tell me where he's gone.
27:54Rosie.
27:55Rosie, you've got to tell me.
27:57Rosie!
27:58No!
27:59No!
28:00No!
28:01Rosie, come here!
28:02Rosie, tell me!
28:05Rosie!
28:06Come here!
28:07Rosie!
28:13He only went home to get his dog.
28:15It was a secret so he didn't say goodbye.
28:18And when they see him
28:20such a good sort of hairy, waggy dog
28:23maybe Ellen will change her mind.
28:26He knows it will be right for Rosie.
28:29A dog would make all the difference to her life.
28:34Rosie?
28:37Rosie?
28:38I've brought the dog.
28:42Rosie, I've brought Joe.
28:45Poor spellbound princess.
28:50Transformed with joy.
28:53Joe!
29:23Joe!
29:53THE END