Frieda

—

Do you take this woman as your wife?

I do.

And you, Frieda Mansfeld,

are you ready to take this man as your husband?

Yes.

The ring? Where's the ring?

I now pronounce you man and wife...

Come on, hurry up, go faster.

Follow the train track, that'll take you to the Russians,

then you're gonna be there. God be with you.

Feel better?

But thirsty. —won't be long now.

Russia and then england, home.

Home. Your home.

What is it, you look scared?

England.

England?

Nothing to be frightened of in england.

Certainly not in denfield where I come from.

You're not frightened of me, are you?

You'll be alright.

It's a pleasant, peaceful spot.

At least, it used to be. Tucked away in the south.

A kindly, good-natured people, most of them.

Easy going.

Nothing to be frightened of in denfield, nothing at all.

It's quite an ordinary town,

like any other town in england.

Most of the families have lived there for donkey's years.

Ours has.

An old house, just off the market square.

I was born in that house, spent most of my life there.

My brother, Alan, was married from that house the day before I was shot down.

Five years ago. Only five years ago.

Yes, that's right, Alan's wedding.

Summer, five years ago. 1940, just after dunkirk.

My brother, Alan, and Judy.

Flight lieutenant Alan Dawson, d. F. C.

Judith Diana Elizabeth.

Champagne, speeches, aunts, uncles and friends.

Judy, Alan, and me.

We 'd always been together, the three of us, since we were kids.

It had always been more or less understood that Judy should marry one of us.

The question was, which?

To the best man.

Who lost?

Mother was delighted whichever it was.

She loved Judy.

She always wanted a daughter, now she had one.

All my love, Robert.

- Robert. - Dear Robert.

Mother dear. Dear mother.

Life begins and ends with a family in the four walls of home.

Aunt Neil's different. Ambitious, progressive.

Passionately concerned with what's happening to the world,

as well as to the family.

She'll end up in the war cabinet.

They could do with a bit of shaking up, too.

- —I'ii say. - Here's to you, Bob.

- Robert. - Cheers, Bob.

Edith was there, of course, in charge of my step brother, Tony.

Good old Edith.

She's looked after us almost as long as I can remember.

Edith and the hat she wore for all occasions.

Weddings, christenings, funerals.

A tough, solid, dependable hat, like Edith herself

happy, Liz? —terribly happy, darling.

But the name is Judy.

I, Judith, took thee, Alan.

Liz to me.

Don't worry, Judy, you'll be alright.

Alan was born under a lucky star.

Five years.

Seems more like 500.

But you have nothing to be frightened of.

Nothing to worry about.

They're just ordinary, everyday people.

Most of the others in denfield are much the same.

You'll like them alright.

But... but can they like me?

A German.

Front page again, picture and all, ain't half set the cat amongst the pigeons.

Good morning. —here, half a mo.

How they taking it, mrs d and the rest?

If I was you, young man, I'd try minding me own business by way of a change.

Ah, go on, give us a tip. The whole town's talking its head off.

Well, I'm not.

Is that the papers, Edith? I'll go. Oh, you've got them.

Edith, is it in again? —it is.

She's on the front page, mother. —who, dear?

A werewolf.

Tony, frieda helped Robert to escape. We must all remember that.

Now, run and get your things, dear, there's a good boy.

You'll be late for school.

J' Lily the werewolf is my name, I bite, I eat... I

what's that you're singing, Tony? —oh, nothing.

Aunt Nell, we're famous, aren't we?

- Notorious would be nearer the Mark. - —what's the difference?

One's more or less pleasant, the other isn't.

That's what I thought.

How long is she going to live with us?

Until Robert can afford a home of his own.

Why can't he afford it now? I thought schoolmasters were awfully rich.

Robert hasn't been a schoolmaster for six years.

- Yes, but... - You'd better hurry up or you'll be late.

What's the matter? —It's this girl of Roberts.

They're writing to the papers. Upsetting mrs Dawson.

Upsetting everyone. None of their business.

- I'm glad you approve of her, anyway. - Approve?

I certainly do not, but I have a right to say what I think.

I'm one of the family, they're not.

Your bacon's under the grill.

- What do you think, Edith? - —never you mind.

Now the rockets have stopped I had hoped we might finish the war in peace.

- Oh, beg your pardon, miss. - —thank you.

Bob's marriage has shaken Edith to her foundations.

It's going to shake all of us, one way or another.

Heavens, I'm starving.

Nell, have you settled what day you'll open your election campaign?

I'm not sure that I'm going to stand.

- But you've agreed? - I happen to be Robert's aunt.

But, darling, Robert, Robert's wife,

they have nothing to do with you standing for parliament.

They'll have everything to do with it if I stand.

But why?

This marriage is like a red rag to a bull.

John bull.

My opponent would be a fool if he didn't wave it for all he's worth.

I'll go.

- May I come in? Oh, good morning. - Hello, mr Hobson.

Hello. —morning, miss Dawson.

You've come about the repairs to the upstairs room?

Well, I... I have and I haven't.

Mother's awfully anxious for them to be done by the time Robert and his wife arrive.

Well, it's like this, I... I've only one man and he...

Well, he lost his son in the ardennes.

I know, mr Hobson.

- —Well, he... - You can be frank with us.

The fact is, miss Dawson, he's against this marriage.

He won't come within a mile of this place, not if there's a German in it.

He says...

I'm sorry, ma'am, but that's how it is.

Don't apologise, we quite understand.

I'm sorry.

Oh, no.

How can people feel like that?

Without any difficulty, I imagine, in the sixth year of the war.

Mother, darling, Robert's coming home.

Cling onto that, it's the only thing that counts.

Robert's coming home.

Is that you, Nell?

I'm making a salad for lunch. Did Chapman's let you have any tomatoes?

Where are you, Nell?

Robert.

Robert.

Hello, mother. —oh, my dear.

Let me look at you.

You're thinner and...

Mother, this is frieda, my wife.

- —It's alright, mother, she won't bite. -

My dear.

Well, let's go upstairs now, shall we? Come along.

We weren't expecting you till tomorrow you see, Robert.

And... Nell's in the town somewhere.

And Judy will be back to lunch.

She's been helping mr whitlock with his farm.

He's shorthanded with both his boys away.

- —And Tony's at school, of course. - Robert.

Hello, Edith.

Oh, Robert.

I... I thought you'd been called up?

I've been bowler-hatted on account of me feet.

Edith, this is my wife.

Pleased to meet you, madam.

That's right. Come along now.

Robert's had this room ever since he was a small boy.

I'm having a wardrobe moved in for frieda's things, Robert.

And here's the old chest of draws for yours.

Why, what is it, my dear?

- —Won't this do for you, Robert? - For one of us, mother.

For one of you?

Robert, you are married?

Yes and no.

I think I must sit down.

We were married in krakow, Poland, at a protestant church.

Now frieda's a catholic so the marriage isn't valid for her.

But I'll go round st Margaret's in the morning

and fix things up with father herriot.

You're...

- You're not going through it all again? - Yes, mother.

Meanwhile, frieda must have her own room.