Video transcript
Lights, camera, action! – 17. Parcel from my sister Kate – Miranda, Caringbah and Port Hacking High Schools

[acoustic guitar music playing]

HARRY: Boys, we'll never make it. Those Thompson boys will stop us for sure.

JACK: Let's face it, we're outnumbered and they're too strong. That flag's never coming off the pole.

TOM: Hey, what about my sister, Kate?

HARRY: She's a girl. Girls don't storm battlements and take castles and capture flags.

KATE: This one does!

[cheering]

I won't let you down, Tom.

[kookaburras calling]

THOMPSON BOY: There's a girl in the group!

[kookaburras calling]

[bush fauna calls]

THOMPSON BOY: What a bunch of girls.

[insects chirping]

[screams]

TOM: She's smacked you Thompson boys!

JACK: What a tiger. She's braver than brave.

[cheering]

[cheering]

KATE: Yes!

TOM: Go, Kate! Woo-hoo!

JACK: Yeah!

[rooster crowing]

[birds tweeting, insects chirping]

KATE: Who wants to try one of my biscuits? It's a new recipe.

JACK: I wouldn't, mate. She looks pretty, but the biscuits aren't.

TOM: They're downright dangerous.

KATE: You're hilarious. Come on, try one for me.

JACK: [sigh] Okay, lads, we'll all have one of Kate's biscuits.

[biscuits tapping]

[acoustic guitar music playing]

KATE: What's got you all in a fluster?

TOM: The old Hun's really been giving it to France and Britain. It's on, Jack. It's on.

JACK: We need to sign up, Tom. We need to do our part. And while we're at it, we'll see the world.

KATE: This isn't a game, Jack. It's not like capturing flags. This is war. People get killed. The newspapers don't tell you everything.

JACK: We better be in it. We can't not sign up.

KATE: If you boys are going, I'm going to sign up.

JACK: Sorry, Kate, they don't take women.

KATE: Why not? I can run faster, shoot straighter and ride better than all you lot.

TOM: They won't let you, Kate. They just won't.

KATE: We'll see about that.

[acoustic guitar music playing]

How do I look?

JACK: What are you doing here?

KATE: I'm signing up. How do I look?

TOM: You look like a girl dressed as a bloke. It's not gonna work.

JACK: Maybe if we gave her a few whiskers, she'll look the part.

TOM: Alright. I'll sort out the whiskers. You get the paperwork done.

JACK: Right-o.

TOM: Alright. See you in a second, mate.

[army drills]

Alright, now remember, Kate, deep voice, no eye contact and make sure you look down.

JACK: And if you're not sure, just say 'mate'. Here are your papers. I fixed them up the best I could.

ENLISTMENT OFFICER: Good luck, mate. Next? Name?

KATE: Aah,

mate?

ENLISTMENT OFFICER: Mate? Yeah, well, I'd love to be your mate. Why don't we have a cuppa and a bit of a chat? Don't be a boofhead son. I'm a sergeant. Now, what's your name?

KATE: Ben, sir.

ENLISTMENT OFFICER: Full name?

KATE: Down, Sir.

ENLISTMENT OFFICER: Ben Down? Ben Down? Your old man had a sense of humour, didn't he? What's your brother? Bob Down?

KATE: No. But my sister's called Ida.

ENLISTMENT OFFICER: Ida Down. Well, he did have a sense of humour, didn't he? Okay, go on to medic. Good luck.

[army drills]

JACK: That's all.

[army drills]

KATE: What am I going to do?

TOM: I've got no idea.

JACK: I know. When they ask you to take your clobber off, punch Tom.

TOM: Punch me? Have you seen how hard she hits?

JACK: Distraction, mate. Distraction.

KATE: I'm game.

MEDICAL OFFICER: Right, name?

JACK: Jack.

KATE: Take that, you mongrel!

MEDICAL OFFICER: Get off him, roughneck. If you can fight like that, you're fit enough for me. Go to the next room. Get your uniform.

KATE: Thanks very much.

MEDICAL OFFICER: What? You're a girl? Get this girl out of here.

TOM: At least you can say you gave your best shot.

JACK: You nearly got through. The shower blocks would have been a hurdle, though.

KATE: What can I do now?

TOM: Don't worry, sis. We'll be back before you know it.

[mwah]

KATE: Look after my brother.

[acoustic guitar music playing]

[church bells tolling]

WOMAN 1: You know, Mary's horse got out last week.

WOMAN 2: That's the third one this week.

KATE: Come on, ladies. We need to have these parcels ready by Friday or they'll miss the boat. What's wrong with Emma?

[church bells tolling]

WOMAN 2: She had a letter from the vicar. Her husband's missing on the Somme.

WOMAN 1: That's the third letter this week for someone. When will this beastly war end?

WOMAN 2: They said the war would be over by Christmas. That was two Christmases ago. There'll be no young men left soon.

[church bells tolling]

[acoustic guitar music playing]

VICAR: Kate?

KATE: No. No.

[train on track]

TICKET OFFICER: Can I help you, lass?

KATE: I would like passage to England, sir.

TICKET OFFICER: And who would that be for?

KATE: For me. I need to find my brother. He's missing in France.

TICKET OFFICER: Well, it's not that easy, what with those u-boats.

KATE: I just have to go.

TICKET OFFICER: Well, you have to go in a roundabout way.

KATE: Then can I go?

[acoustic guitar music playing]

NURSE: Can I help you, miss?

KATE: I'm here to see my brother Tom, Private Thomas Hook.

NURSE: It's the patient's rest time. You must come back later. These are very sick men.

KATE: I've come all the way from Australia, so I'm not going to come back later!

NURSE: Miss, I must insist!

TOM: Is that Kate? Is that my sister, Kate?

KATE: My Tom! My Tom!

TOM: Ah, slow down, sis. You'll break something else.

NURSE: Careful. He was caught in an explosion and then gassed as he lay on the field.

KATE: I thought I'd never see you again. I've got some biscuits for you outside in my suitcase.

TOM: I'm trying to get better, Kate, not worse.

KATE: That's not very nice. I've come halfway--

TOM: Sis, it's Jack. He was right there with me before the explosion. He pushed me out of the way, Kate. He pushed me out of the way.

KATE: It's okay, Tom. Where's Jack now?

TOM: This was in my hand when they found me. It's Jack's.

KATE: I found you, Tom. I'll find Jack.

[acoustic guitar music]

(singing) -- wild carefree years. When our eyes could see all that was good and our friendship grew stronger, so our love would last longer.

KATE: This is for you, Jack. You were braver than brave. I'll never forget you.

[acoustic guitar music]

(singing) Now the years have gone quickly past. Your memories are clear and fast, locked in my heart and my soul. And as death draws me gently near, for me there will be no fear for you I'll be braver than brave.

Oh, the joys of our childhoods, those wild carefree years, when our eyes could see all that was good. And our friendship grew stronger so our love would last longer, last till the end of our days.