Sons and Lovers

Morning, Tom.

Paul?

Yes, mum?

What you doing down so early, son?

I was finishing this.

My picture? You finished that last night.

Well, I changed it a bit. Look.

Bless my soul. Whenever did you see me in a hat like that?

The moment I woke up. I suddenly said to myself,

"that's not my mother in that nubbly old bonnet."

It's my bonnet. What's the matter with it?

well, I thought it could do with a pick-me-up, that one.

I'll box your ears for impudence.

Putting me in that sort of Bobby-dazzler.

You love it, my pigeon. You know you do.

If you were wearin' that, and I was walkin' down the street behind you,

I'd say, "doesn't that little person fancy herself?"

Well, she doesn't. She's not at all sure that it suits her.

I suppose you'd rather be in dirty black, looking as though you were wrapped in burnt paper.

To me, it's right for you.

It's too young for me. Oh, it's too young, is it?

Why don't you buy some false white hair and stick it on your head?

I'll be white soon enough. Don't you dare.

What would I want with a white-haired mother?

Paul, don't. Not those knives. Go on. I'll manage.

All right. If you don't need me, I'll go on.

Where are you going, son? To see Miriam.

Can't you wait till you've had your breakfast?

I've had some toast. That's all I want.

Miriam Leivers must be marvelously fascinating

if you can't wait till the sun's up

before you go traipsing off to that farm again.

Well, I like Miriam.

Uh, I'll start work next week, and I won't see her for a while.

Like her?

Seems there's no one else for you but her now.

Oh, nonsense, mother. You talk as if we're lovers.

She doesn't even walk with my arm.

Why are you always flying off to her, then?

I like to talk to her.

Is there no one else to talk to?

Not about the things we talk of. What things?

Painting and books. You don't care about Herbert Spencer or Robert...

how do you know I don't care about Herbert Spencer? Do you ever try me?

Mother, it's different. Miriam and I are young...

and I'm old. Now we get to the truth of it.

And it's not in that drawing.

Yes, I may stand aside. I'm only good enough to wait on you.

Miriam has all the rest.

They're coming down, and the kettle not boiling. Good-bye, mum.

Oh.

Here, dad. Look at Paul's latest.

Who's it supposed to be, then? You know well enough, and I think it's good.

You'd look a proper Gabby, you would, dressed in a bonnet like that.

I don't see why.

Are you limping, son? Oh, it's nothing, mother.

They was betting me last night I couldn't dive into the canal off of the bridge.

And you did? Aye, I went right to the bottom.

Scraped my knee on some old tin cans.

But I won two shillings. You're a wild one.

Two Bob, eh? You be in the moon and stars tonight?

Oh, I thought I might take mother to the fair.

Hey, mother, do you want to come to the fair? I'll see.

Take your dad to a pint in the stars first, son.

I might, at that.

Dad, you've spoiled it. What?

The sketch. Oh, oh. We'll soon get that right.

Give it here.

No, no, no. You're making it worse.

What are you doing with that?

Nothing, lass. Just a little accident. We'll soon have it.

You've ruined it. Well, he can soon knock off another, can't he?

He's got nothing else to do but lie up there in bed.

He was up hours before you, working on this sketch you've just spoiled.

And how much were we going to get for that?

He'll bring home his share when he starts work next week.

Work? That lad doesn't know what work is.

Sitting on his bottom all week in an office.

scholarships and holidays and spouting algebra,

while we're sweating down there like suffocating bats.

Aye. Well, hurry up and stop your shouting, 'cause we're late.

He only shouts when he knows he's in the wrong.

He's only getting half as much as Arthur anyway.

Now, if that lad was to go down the pit...

he's not going down the pit, and you know it.

He's going to earn decent money one day.

Decent? What we get's indecent, I suppose?

Come on, dad, and stop your shouting.

And I'm keeping him where he'll get his chance...

above the ground.

Oh! Oh, it's you.

Oh. Good morning, my lady. You look more beautiful than ever.

I'm sure she's the dark lady of the sonnets.

Oh, no. She's the lady of the lake.

Ha, ha, ha. Oh, it's good to be up here.

When I came up this morning,

I stopped for a moment to look off at Nottingham in the distance.

And I imagined it to be London. I saw myself in my own studio by the river.

Painting beautiful women all day. Huh. No.

Painting life, real people and real things, wherever I find them.

That's what you want more than anything, isn't it? Yes.

But the place where you were born and grew up isn't so easy to throw off.

my mother's had a very hard time.

I owe her a great deal, and I want to repay her somehow.

I want to do something too.

I want a chance to be somebody.

Oh.

I forgot to bring that book of Shelley. Oh.

I'll bring it tomorrow.

You know, my mother disapproves more and more

of the books you bring.

She blames you for putting ideas into my head.

Does she think heaven frowns on ideas?

Your mother breathes religion through her nostrils.

Do you think that's wrong?

It's not religious just to be religious.

I think a crow is religious as it sails across the sky.

It's showing the glory of god, but it doesn't know it.

God doesn't know things. He is things.

I don't think my mother would understand that.

But I do.

Looking at you now, there's more religion in you...

Than your mother could ever learn from the saints.

what is it?

It's the mine!

Jimmy, you all right?

My son?

My son.

It's a sad homecoming for you, William. Yes, mother.

I'll put the kettle on.

Well, William, how is the job?

Well, I like London, mother.

You can, uh, have a lot of fun there.

That wasn't what I asked, son.

Oh, the job's all right.

I hope you're getting your sleep.

You can't go working in that shop all day

and gallivanting all night.

The human frame won't stand it.

I'll try, mother.

Well, Paul, when do you start work at Jordan's?

Next week, but I've been thinking.

It won't pay much,

and now with Arthur... gone,

I think I should go down the mine. You haven't seen enough today?

it won't be forever,

just till we get back on our feet.

We'll manage.

I don't want you wasting yourself

instead of finding a place in the world.

Is Jordan's a place in the world?

Making out orders for elastic stockings and women's corsets?

It's better than coal dust and drink. You prefer that?

William, tell him.

Tell him how you felt when the letter came, saying you'd got the job.

Tell him.

I'd have worked for a shilling a week, and slept by the river because...

because it was a start. I'd escaped.

Stick to what you are, son.

Don't let yourself be dragged down. That will do!

So he'll be dragged down, will he?

What's good enough for me isn't good enough for him?

My father sent me down the pit when I was 12.

And you sent Arthur!

He wanted it. You'll not hold that against me.

You've no right to set your sons against their father.

When a man tries hard for his family, he wants a bit of respect, a bit of gratitude.

You treat me like a dog. You lot think you're so fine

because you won't get dirt in your hands and coal on your faces!

What's so fine about sitting on a stool six days a week

and having a few shillings left to buy a new seat for your britches?

And what do you do with all the money you've got left?

The same as I'm gonna do now.

I'll see you again when I see you.

And it'll be before I want to.

Nottingham, Melton Mowbray,

Kettering, London train!

Well, son, I hope you'll come back to a happier house at Christmas.

Mother, it didn't seem right to tell you this after, well, after Arthur, but...

I've met a wonderful girl, mother. I'm going to get married.

- Who is she? - Her name is Louisa Lily Isobel western.

All the men have been running after her, but I'm the one she's picked.

I hope that's not why you went chasing her, because all the others were running.

Here.

Why, she's got a naked bust.

You sound like Miriam's mother. She's got beautiful shoulders.

I didn't expect to see so much of them at the first view.

Wait till you meet her, mother. You won't blame me then.

You should see all the eyes when I walk down Piccadilly with her.

Well, no wonder, if that's all she wears. Good-bye, love. Take care of yourself.

And don't forget to get your proper rest. Bye-bye, mother.

Good-bye, will. Good-bye.

Oh. The photograph! What?

The photograph! Oh!

Spending all his money on a dressed-up creature.

No, the creature's naked, mother.

It's strange to think... She means more to him now than his own mother.

Oh, what nonsense you talk. It's true.

Oh, I know it's silly, but that's the way mothers are.

Well, I shan't get married as long as I've got you.