Whisky Galore!

'North west of Scotland, on the broad expanse of the Atlantic

'lie the lovely islands of the Outer Hebrides -

'small patches of sand and rock rising out of the ocean.

'To the west there is nothing... except America.

'The inhabitants scrape a frugal living from the sea,

'and the low-lying hills of coarse grass

'and peat bog.

'A happy people, with few and simple pleasures.

'The little island of Todday is a completely isolated community

'a hundred miles from the mainland,

'and from any cinema or dancehall.

'Oh, but the islanders know how to enjoy themselves.

'They have all that they need.'

Slainte mhath.

'But in 1943, disaster overwhelmed this little island.

'Not famine, nor pestilence,

'nor Hitler's bombs, nor an invading army

'but something far...

'FAR worse.'

There is no whisky!

'Whisky - uisge-beatha.

'In Gaelic "the water of life."

'And, to a TRUE islander,

'life without it is not worth living.

'From that day, every man went into mourning.

'Mourning for a departed spirit...'

He went terrible quick at the end.

What was I to do?

With every bottle in the bar chock full of nothing.

Aye.

Will Winston Churchill be knowing the Government has run out of whisky?

I don't believe he will.

It is a pity he won't be saying something about it on the wireless.

Aye, it's a terrible war.

Do you remember the Sabbath the war started?

Nobody on the island could mind such a storm of rain.

It was a sign.

A sign of what was coming to us...

Water...

Just nothing but water.

Ah, well, I must be going.

Good night.

Good night, Mr Macroon.

I could have done with a dram. I've had a terrible shock.

What was that? Ask George here.

What have you been doing to Joseph?

I...I asked Catriona to marry me.

< What did she say?

She said yes.

Got the mails ready?

Yes, father.

Sticklips and cigarettes!

Your mother would have had more sense.

You'll not have to worry about me much longer.

You're not married yet.

Are you not going to the pier? Why would I?

I thought your sergeant arrives today. MY sergeant? I don't know what you mean.

There! The tightest little island in the world.

You'll be finding a few changes, Sergeant. You've been away from us for some time.

2 years, 3 months.

Well, well, is it that long? In Africa, eh?

That's right. Africa.

That is a place I have never been.

Ah, they'll be glad to see you back. D'you think so?

Aye, the Home Guard amusements are not the same without you. Them!

I hear they've become a bit stale. Ech! That's Captain Waggett's nonsense.

Surely it's up to you, Constable, the long arm of the law?

You must INSIST Cpt MacKechnie takes the ammunition back. Doesn't he know there's a war on?

He says it is a Board of Trade regulation.

Dolly!

What time is this cargo boat expected? Not at all, Mr Waggett!

Yes, dear? I have to go to the pier. Is anything the matter, Paul?

Cpt MacKechnie refuses to take the ammunition back with the mails on board.

But he always has the mails on board. Exactly.

THEY SIGH

I was not really expecting anything.

I just came down, in case...

I'll get back to my boat, Joseph. You will be waiting for the mails. Aye.

Just a lot of letters for nothing.

Hi!

How's yourself, Mr Macroon? None too well, Sergeant.

Nothing wrong with the family, Peggy and Catriona? What would be wrong?

They're fine. Both of them smoking away like chimneys. That's good.

One of them thinks she's going to marry.

Peggy? I believe it will be.

What are you saying, Joseph?

'Tis Catriona is going to marry George.

Aye, maybe. That's great news! Something like, that is.

I'm after telling you, Mr Waggett, I cannot accept explosives on this ship!

It is my duty to see I am in a state of full defence.

How can I if my cartridges do NOT fit my rifles? That's a bit awkward.

It's more than awkward! This kind of thing led to the fall of France.

A rule is a rule, a regulation is a regulation.

The ammunition ARRIVED on the Island Queen. But Cpt MacKechnie did not know they was explosives.

If I had, I would never have brought them.

I cannot get any 300 ammunition from Ordinance until this 303 gets back! I had a wire to say so.

Yes? Oh, welcome back, Sergeant. Can I be of any help, sir? No.

Why not return the .300 rifles and keep the .303 ammunition?

They can send the .303 rifles...

I'd rather have rifles and no ammunition than ammunition and no rifles. Sir?

Can I suggest...? What? Why not leave it at Macroon's shop?

Then query it with Headquarters. Yes. But not without a guard.

Now, er...finish your compositions.

And don't make too much noise.

Is-Is anything the matter, Mother?

To think that I should be hearing from others that my own SON is to be married.

George Campbell, is this true?

I-I only knew myself yesterday evening that...

You mean you'd not been thinking of that girl till then? W-Well, I was thinking about her, yes...

Then WHY was I kept in the dark?

When I got back you were in bed...

The bed I have made for myself, on which I must lie. This comes of spoiling you. Spoiling me?!

Spare the rod... (You never did.) ..and spoil the child.

I didn't want to upset you...

You KNEW it would upset me, but you think only of yourself!

You've always thought only of yourself. How many times as a child did I catch you in the blackcurrants

when you knew I wanted all the blackcurrants for my own jam?

Mother, if I bring Catriona to tea, will you be nice to her?

The day you bring Catriona Macroon into this house, I walk out!

I'll go to your Aunt Ida in Glasgow.

But you hate Glasgow. What if I do?

The Lord chastiseth them that he loveth. Who am I to set myself up against the Lord?

..they are not so nice as the people on Garryboo. They are stuck up.

The Island Queen is a beautiful boat,

but there was no whisky this week.

And when there is no whisky we are all very sad.

Come on, get a move on.

Every time they move the roadblock it takes longer. Why is that?

It IS pretty heavy going, you know, sir.

All right, Sergeant, again. Once again, men! Move!

It's very discouraging. Yes, sir.

Just one point, sir. What's that?

If this is the only road on the island,

all Jerry will need to do is turn around and go the other way.

Yes. I wondered when you'd think of that.

You should have thought of that, Mr Campbell!

It's easy to put right with a couple more roadblocks.

Put that in hand. Yes, sir.

They've become appallingly slack. When there was a chance of invasion they were keen enough.

Now the immediate danger has gone, their keenness has gone too.

Well, it's understandable, sir.

They don't do things for the sake of doing them, like the English.

WE play the game for the sake of the game. Other nations play the game for the sake of winning it.

I tried to introduce football on to the island.

I managed to get hold of a football and presented it to the school. I was the referee.

I had to give a foul against the Garryboo team - for a deliberate assault.

What do you think happened? I don't know, sir.

Willie MacLennan deliberately dribbled the ball to the touchline

and kicked it into the sea.

HORN BEEPS

What on earth's this nonsense!?

It is a roadblock, Doctor. Well, let me through.

We cannot. Waggett says you are a German tank. What are you playing at?

Playing? I'm not playing at anything. Then what's all this?

It's a Home Guard exercise.

I've been up all night delivering twins. I want to get home. Let me through! Twins?

Yes, two girls it was. Och, the poor soul. Two girls.

What a calamity! And himself away at sea.

Doctor Maclaren, I am responsible for the defence of this island and I find your attitude obstructive.

Obstructive!? Did I build this roadblock?

It...

Open the roadblock, Sergeant.

Right, men. Once again... Move!

Come on, come on. Get a move on.

Soldiers!

It's a pity you cannot be staying longer. Do you think it's a pity?

They ALL think it's a pity.

Bit of luck being sent here. I was getting desperate.

I didn't think I'd see you until after the war.

I don't understand what you say. A pity you haven't the Gaelic.

It's plain enough what I'm saying, in any language.

Will you marry me, Peggy?

What a thing to be asking, Sergeant Odd. Why not call me Fred?

People would be thinking me terribly ignorant to be calling you Fred.

You're so old.

I'm only 16 years older than you.

17.

So you've got it all worked out like a sum, eh?

I ought to be pleased you bothered.

How many girls have you asked to marry you? I've never asked any.

I made a point of not asking them. Just made love to them?

Which you can't say I've done to you.

Will you marry me?

Och! It is a foolishness. Anybody else?

Anybody else where? Anybody else wants to marry you?

If you want to be cheeky you must be cheeky in the Gaelic.

If I said it in Gaelic, you'd give me an answer?

Perhaps I would. But you cannot be saying it, can you?

Ah girl...

ackem orst...am poser me!

Learning the Gaelic just to take the eyes out of me. How deceitful!

Well, what about it?

SHE GIGGLES

If I'm not good enough to come to tea, I'm not good enough to marry you.

I'll not be taking you from your mother's apron. She doesn't know you're weaned!

It was a shock to her. She'd be the same about any girl.

If I'm just ANY girl to you, you'll be just any man to me!

Let me explain... Your mother may treat you like a baby, but you'll not be treating ME like one!

SHIP'S FOGHORN

FOGHORN CONTINUES Do you hear that, Doctor?