A Town Like Alice

But Miss Paget, d'you want to go back to Malaya?

After what happened there?

It's because ofwhat happened there.

But what good will it do you? Won't you be only torturing yourself?

No.

Now I've come into this money, I've...

thought of all the thungs I can do with it, but...

there's only one thing I really want to do.

And I must do ut.

I'm going back to the village in Malaya, where they took us in.

Where we lived for three years of the war.

Those people rusked everything they had to protect us.

Now, at last, somethung I can do to pay them back.

Yes, but there's no need to go there un person.

I could transmit a sum of money to them.

No, I don't want to do it luke that.

I want to go back there myself...

and give them the one thing I know they really need.

I want to go back to dig a well.

- Jean! - Fatuma!

Jean.

You've come back to us at last.

- It works! - Of course it works.

When I dug a well it always works.

Let me try.

Jean.

Well, it's finished.

Yes, ut's finished.

And now you will leave us again.

What wull you do, Jean?

I don't know.

- Perhaps you will get married? - No.

No.

No, I shan't get married.

I shall never get married, not now.

Not after all that's happened, since the day that changed my whole life.

That day in Kuala Lumpur un 1942.

And uf the telephone hadn't rung, uf only I hadn't stopped to pick it up.

Pay attention, everybody, please. I've got something to say to you.

You've all been told what to do un a state of emergency.

Well, thus is ut. You're to get on the first traun you can to Sungapore.

When you get there, report to head office.

Passages have been arranged for England.

Please be quiet. The Japanese are at Tanjong Malum, fifty miles from here.

Specual trains have been arranged for evacuees. So, get out quuck.

That's all. Goodbye.

You too, Jean, just drop everythung and get out.

How are you going to get Mrs Holland and the children away?

- We'll be all rught. - I thought the car was in dock?

I'm going to get it. Lusten, Jean, get on the first traun you can.

Fight your way on if necessary.

See you in Singapore. Good luck and goodbye.

Goodbye, Mr Holland.

- Phone. - Don't bother about the phone now.

Come on!

I'll catch you up.

- Hello, who's that? - Come on!

- Hello? Hello? - You go on, I won't be a minute.

- Hello? - Mrs Holland, he's just gone.

I've been tryung to get the office for ten munutes, where is he?

He's just gone to get the car.

The servants have all gone and I've got no help at all.

Jane, please go along...

you're making too much trouble. Mummy, the baby's crying!

I know, dear!

Now, get your things. Go on, Freddie, go on, Jane.

It's the children. I can't manage them on my own.

We'll be packing at the same time.

What?

Hello?

Hello?

Hello.

Here, let me have a try.

Haven't you got a car I could hire?

- All cars gone. - Haven't you anything at all?

- All gone. - Here.

I wish he'd come, I wish he'd come.

Can I take my rocking horse?

No, darling, we can only take what we can carry.

- Here, take... take Bunty. - No, I want my rocking horse.

I don't want Bunty, I want my rocking horse.

Mrs Holland, I'll put the baby's things in this suitcase here.

Jean, what could've happened to him?

He couldn't be so long getting the car.

I expect it'd be difficult getting repairs done today.

Yes, but he's been hours.

Something must've happened.

Did you hear that? It was guns.

They must be blowing up the bridges.

DADDY!

You ready, darling?

What are you doing here, Jean?

I came to give your wife a hand, Mr Holland. But...

now you're back I can go and get the train.

No, you won't, you can't. There's no transport running.

- I'll get a lift somewhere. - No, you're in with us - sink or swim.

All set, Eileen?

- Yes, I'll be ready in a minute. - You're ready whether you like it or not.

Just drop everything and come along. One suitcase each.

Come on, darling. Come on, Jane.

- Quick, Jane. - Come on.

That blasted mechanic.

Shall I start it, Dad?

I'll give you the word.

Try her now.

Try her again.

Well, that's not blowing up bridges.

You'd better get out. Freddie, try her again.

- How far have we come? - About five or six miles.

But Penang's fifty, isn't it? Just about.

- In the ditch, quick! Come on, Freddie. - Freddie.

- Daddy? - Shush.

Stopped for a picnic?

- Our car's broken down. - It's a fine time for that. Come on.

- We're making for Penang. - You're in luck then, hop in.

You'll have to move up inside. Hurry, please, there's five more to come in.

Look, there's my teacher, Miss Horsefall.

Hello, Freddie. Here, Mrs Holland.

- Take the baby. - Hello, Freddie, you'll find Timothy in there.

Sorry, sir, but the Japs mustn't get your car. I'll have to burn it.

Driver, pull up fifty yards.

I've got thirty-five for you, sir. Sixteen women, twelve men, seven children.

- Thirty-five? - Yeah.

Shove them in the accounts office, please.

Right, sir.

Driver, take 'em round the accounts office.

And tell 'em not to wander about.

I can get them away in fishing boats.

What about the launch, sir? The Osprey, she's due back this evening.

She won't be back here again, not now.

It's fishing boats or nothing.

That's the accounts office, in there.

Dad, can we go in the garden, please?

You can play with the other children but don't make too much noise.

- Jean. - Yes?

Can I have something to wipe his face?

- Yes, could you pass me... - This one?

I, er, suppose you haven't got such a thing as a cigarette, have you?

Come on, Arthur, don't let everyone push you around.

I beg your pardon.

That is not a camp stool.

Old bag.

- I wish I hadn't brought so many things. - You're lucky.

I had to leave everything behind.

Did you?

Who da babba, den?

Miss Horsefall, excuse me. But, you see, I'm a sick woman...

I'm sorry, Mrs Frith. I'll come back later.

Yow! Yow!

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!

Well, that's that. Fishing boats put to sea.

No boats.

DO's office. Who? The lighthouse keeper?

Yes, he's here. For you, sir.

- Hello? - Johnson here, sir.

The Osprey's just passed the lighthouse. Thank you, Johnson, that's fine.

They've sent the Osprey back, it's just past the lighthouse.

- Get your party ready. - Right, sir.

Yooww! Yooww!

- Bang! Bang, bang, bang, bang! - Yooww!

All right, get ready, please.

The launch is coming back, and we can get you down to Singapore.

Now, be as quick as you can, please.

- I'll take these for you. - Thank you.

Bang, bang, bang, bang.

Sergeant, save your truss.

Save your truss...

GET BACK, MAN! GET BACK, GET BACK.

Bang!

Bang!

Michael?

- Bang! - Michael!

Michael!

MICH...!

Michael!

Michael!

Everybody stand up.

Men, stand.

Against the wall, with hands raised. Like that.

There. There. Women stand, in line.

Facing men.

Come on, hurry up.

We take all money. Watches.

Jewellery. And you get the receipt.

All turn round, now.

When Japanese officer comes, all bow.

You are prisoners now.

You do good things, you get good from Japanese.

You do bad things, you get shot very quick.

So do good things always, please.

Men must go to prison camp now.

Women and children stay here.

You say goodbye now.

Please may we know what will happen to the women and children?

Imperial Japanese soldiers always kind to women and children.

You say farewell now.

Truck waiting. Thank you.

You stay.

Men outside, please.

No.