Scott of the Antarctic

'September 9th, 1904,

'on board the Discovery, homeward bound from the Antarctic.

'I've added a little, I hope, to the knowledge gleaned

'by Captain Cook, Sir James Ross and other explorers before me.

'But I have only touched the fringe of things.

'I leave behind a whole continent,

'vast, mysterious, inhospitable,

'and still, to all intents and purposes, unknown.'

Well, good night, Scott. — Good night, sir.

I'm sorry, but that's how the land lies.

Thank you. Good night. — Good luck to you.

Sit up a little, Con- — Hm?

Sit up. — Hm, sorry.

Something's gone wrong, hasn't it?

You can't go ahead.

Oh, we can go ahead, all right.

The Treasury won't let us have the money, that's all.

Is that very bad? — Yes.

It means I get the men but not the backing.

— I should have to make a public appeal. — Well, why don't you?

You see, if I do go ahead with this show, I might lose my chance in the Navy.

That would mean looking for some other job,

and that would mean discomfort and unpleasantness for you.

As far as I'm concerned, I'd take it on any day.

As far as we're concerned, Con, any day.

You knew the Antarctic long before you knew me.

I always knew you'd go back.

And I'm not the least jealous.

As a matter of fact, I don't think I'd love you so much if you didn't.

Don't move, Con.

Do you remember walking along the sands

just after the tide had gone out?

I asked you what exploration really meant to you.

The sands were still wet,

and you said, "The fascination of making the first footmarks."

I'm a very, very lucky man.

Now, what shall it be?

"I appeal with confidence" or "I confidently appeal"?

"It is with confidence that we appeal..."

Lunch!

Lunch is ready, dear.

Just in time, Oriana.

What is it? — A flea, a rare one.

Just hold him while I get some spirit to preserve him.

No ordinary flea, Oriana.

I'll send him to Rothschild for his collection.

You might as well send him my soufflé too.

Is that done now? — Yes, quite done.

Never mind.

Oh, how's the drawing going?

Natterer's Bat. Lovely name.

Oh, isn't it heavenly here?

All on our own.

Except for dead bats. — And very dead grouse.

I wish they wouldn't keep sending them to you on your holiday.

I'll go and see.

Natterer's Bat.

Natterer's Bat.

Did you hear me, Mrs Wilson? I suppose you couldn't help it.

I came here by motor car. I've left it exhausted alongside the gate.

How far have you come? — The last lap was nearly a mile.

Bill about? — Yes. Do you want him?

Er, yes, I do rather.

Well, he's working, you know. — Yes, I know.

He's — Working.

Come along.

That noise was Captain Scott. — Hello, Con.

Hello, Bill. — Haven't seen you lately.

You forget, Captain Scott's been on his honeymoon.

Well, as a matter of fact, I've been rather busy,

but we hope to have a honeymoon someday, somewhere.

Well, Con?

What's up?

Shackleton hasn't done it, Bill. He nearly did but not quite.

I'm going back.

Shall we go in?

— Mind if I kick it up a bit? — No, carry on. They're your boots.

How far did Shackleton get?

He got to within 90 miles of the Pole.

Isn't 90 miles near enough? — No.

Because it isn't it. It's not the South Pole.

That's still there, waiting.

And, er, I think an Englishman should get there first.

Well, Bill? What do you say?

There's my work for the Grouse Commission.

That's no obstacle. We shan't be leaving for at least a year.

I think my exploring days are over.

I don't want to get somewhere first just for the sake of doing it.

Now, if it had been a rather different proposition,

if the idea was to go back

and carry on all the jobs we started on the Discovery expedition...

But that is the idea, Bill. That's it. We'll do better.

We'll work on the Barrier, on the mountains, right up to the Pole.

Ours will be the best equipped expedition.

Dozens of scientists under that most eminent of all scientists: Dr Wilson.

Yes, that is different!

Come with me, Bill.

I couldn't let him go without me, could I, Oriana?

No.

Thank you.

Well, I wonder if the motor will start.

Yes, I wonder. You can't possibly go without having something to eat.

No, of course not.

That's the fly you caught the two—pounder on,

in the burn at Clachen.

Remember? — Yes.

It's a long time ago now.

Look, the gut's all perished.

So it is.

Oh, darling!

Darling!

Morning, Teddy. — Oh, good morning, sir.

What have you got there?

Well, it's a... It's a sort of cash chart.

That's the target, there's the date, sir,

and the contributions coming in.

Hm. Long way to go yet.

Anything in the post?

Not much money but plenty of people.

"Dear and honoured sir,"

"if I could be allowed to join your expedition"

"I would even become a British subject-."

Here's one from a Bluecoat boy. He says,

"It's frightfully cold in my dormitory so I'm sure I should be all right."

Let him down lightly. Anything else?

No big cheque, I'm afraid.

Oh, some details about your lecture tour, sir.

Excuse me, sir. There's a young lady here about a dog.

A dog?

Oh, show her in, Caroline.

Name, please, Miss?

Helen Field.

Chair, Teddy. — Yes, sir.

Please sit down, Miss Field.

Thank you.

I've brought you the money for a sledge dog.

You said we might. Anyone, I mean. In your appeal.

How very kind of you, Miss Field.

My name is Scott. — Yes, I know that.

And this is Lieutenant Evans, my second in command.

I didn't know that. How are you? I hope you're well.

How are you, Teddy? — Oh, very well, thank you, indeed.

Look, here's the envelope with the money from the school.

And...

You know, Miss Field,

when business firms send us cheques, we're pleased enough,

but somehow this means more.

Please thank them tremendously.

Tell me, how many are there? — 300, nearly.

Well, please thank them all.

We intend to call the dogs by the names of any schools that give them.

Rugby, Fettes, that sort of thing. What's the name of your school?

South Hampstead High School for Girls.

Yes. I think we'd better just call him Hampstead.

Thank you for having turned out

on such a dirty night to hear this talk.

During the past few days I have had the pleasure,

or rather, I should say, the great pleasure

of addressing meetings like this all over the country.

And knowing, as I do,

the rivalry that exists among our towns and cities

I am hoping that, as the result of this rivalry,

I shall be able to report to my committee in London

that your city has gone one, if not a great deal, better

than your fellow cities.

Um, thank you.

Well, I'm sure we're all very grateful to Captain Scott

for coming and giving us this illuminating account of the Antarctic

and I'm sure that if anyone wants to ask any questions.

Captain Scott will be only too pleased to answer them.

That might be in the national interest,

but it does occur to me to ask,

why must this country send another expedition?

What about the Norwegians? What about Nansen?

Nansen has given up polar exploration. He's getting on, you know.

What about that other fellow?

Amundsen? He's making for the North Pole, not the South.

What's the difference?

What's the prospect of trade between this city and the South Pole?

Is there any coal down there,

anything I can buy or sell?

I'm sorry we didn't raise more for you, but I suppose every penny counts.

Better luck somewhere else.

Are you sure I can't give you a lift? It's not far out of my way.

No, please don't bother.

Well, then, I'll just wish you a good night and good luck.

Thank you. Good night.

Captain Scott?

Yes?

Glad I've caught you.

I've come from India.

Want to join your show, if you'll have me.

Good with horses.

Do you mean to tell me you've come 6,000 miles

to join my expedition? — Yes. Landed this morning.

Who are you? — My name's Oates.

I'm with the Inniskillings. — Hm.

No sense in getting soaked, is there?

That's better.

Cavalryman, eh? — Yes, sir, dragoons.