JUNE: Phil is the most extraordinary talent, and so committed... to the exclusion of all else.

IRENE: Soames says his career will prosper through the Robin Hill house.

Which I must always remember, and, of course, it means we can marry.

But there's never a chance to even talk about a date.

I have a plan.

One day next week, we'll arrange for Baynes to take us both to Robin Hill.

You could see how the house is coming, and I can see Phil, perhaps surprise him.

I don't wish to go there.

Why not?

I'm sorry, June, I simply don't.

So I continue to wait?

Does he come here much?

Not very much.

Not to talk about the house?

I think sometimes with Soames.

Then you don't see him?

No.

Why can't he call once in a while?

I do feel for you, June, but this time will pass.

But of course it will pass.

How trite you are.

Are we quarreling?

I don't know why we should be.

No.

No, nor do I. I think I should be going.

( horse snorts ) Gran!

I've just been beastly to Irene.

I'll send Baynes with a note to make it up.

Lunch, Parfitt.

Yes, sir.

What was your row about, with Irene?

I think it was really about Phil, not her.

Not attentive enough, hmm?

Not his fault.

Remarkable house, I hear.

Word is you've picked a man of rare talent.

SOAMES: Thank you, Dockwood, this will do.

Yes, sir.

Whoa there.

Whoa there.

Okay, Dockwood, go on.

Walk on, boy.

Walk on.

BOSINNEY ( in distance ): I'm not interested in the work being good; it has to be perfect in every detail.

I want you to get on with it right away.

MAN ( in distance ): Yes, governor.

Someone to see you.

Well, what do you think?

( taps floor with cane ) Hmm, seems solid enough.

( hammer pounding, saw scraping wood ) But you can feel the mood of it.

These rooms will have space and lightness.

There's no sense of confinement, one's spirit can live.

SOAMES: Which is exactly what she wants, isn't it?

BOSINNEY: Believe me, it's what you will want when you see it.

You find her artistic, don't you?

Yes.

Yes, I do.

BOSINNEY: Here are the accounts.

Well, I don't understand.

It's now £9,200; it's £700 more than we said.

I've told you a dozen times there'd be extras.

I assumed a ten-pound note.

Can £700 be called an extra?

Can I tell you something, Forsyte?

You're getting a house that isn't to be bettered in the county, but it seems you don't want to pay for it.

You want a first-rate man for a fourth-rate fee, and that's exactly what you've got!

I'm dammed if I'm going to do another stroke of work for you!

When I agree a price, it's what I expect to pay!

We'll go over the figures and see how the money's gone.

You know... in the early evening light, it looks even more beautiful.

Yes.

Good evening, Bilson.

Good evening, Miss June.

Mr.

Bosinney's here.

He's in the garden.

Oh, good, I'll just go through.

Don't hurry Mrs.

Forsyte.

BOSINNEY ( in distance ): You can see what it's going to look like.

( sounding closer ): My own ideas are becoming bricks and mortar for the very first time.

IRENE: I'm so excited for you, Phil-- I really am.

BOSINNEY: Soames doesn't understand what I'm trying to do, but I know you will.

Come down to the house on Sunday.

Uncle Swithin is taking me to Richmond Park.

Well, that's very near Robin Hill.

Were you talking about the house?

Yes.

Yes, we were.

I still haven't seen it.

Shall we all go down on Sunday?

Swithin is taking me for a drive on Sunday.

You can throw him over.

June, I'm not in the habit of throwing people over.

Shall we go in to supper?

Yes.

Yes.

Madam?

Wasn't it wonderful today?

It was the first day of summer.

BILSON ( quietly ): Serve the wine now.

BUTLER: Madam?

IRENE: Yes, thank you.

Thank you.

SOAMES: This is a little sauterne I've picked out, Bosinney.

I think you'll rather enjoy it.

It's a particular favorite of mine.

These lilies are wonderful.

Yes.

Yes.

The scent is extraordinary.

SOAMES: The Charlotte looks good.

How can you like the scent?

BILSON ( softly ): Serve Mr.

Bosinney next.

Bilson, take out the lilies.

No, let them stay.

Bilson.

Let them stay.

Well... Sir?

Thank you.

JUNE: Bring me some water, please, Bilson.

BILSON: Yes, Miss June.

There were those women in the park as I came through.

What women?

You know.

There seem to be more and more of them these days.

SOAMES: I don't think we need to talk about them now.

Don't you?

When should one talk of them?

There's no necessity to talk of them.

Well, someone should.

Magistrates.

I can't think who else.

Oh, round them up, I suppose, and lock them away but don't, whatever you do, mention them at dinner.

Bosinney, have some brandy.

Thank you.

You're drinking nothing, June.

No.

I think we should leave now.

So soon?

It's been most pleasant, thank you.

Come, Phil.

BOSINNEY: June, aren't you being rude?

Then stay.

I'll go alone.

IRENE: Please... don't.

Really I must.

Good night.

Thank you for dinner.

Excuse me.

IRENE: Good night.

And good luck.

You found me appalling, I suppose.

Yes.

It's just that I never see you.

I know you're desperately busy, but... we were finally together and you only seemed... you seemed never to look at me.

I'm sorry, my dear, if that's how it appeared.

You hardly seemed to notice me.

I was merely being polite.

Phil... I want to say something to you.

You don't give me a chance to be nice to you.

You haven't for ages.

I want to mean everything to you and I want to do everything for you.

We could if you took me to your rooms on Sunday.

Perhaps another day.

Not Sunday.

Why not Sunday?

I have an engagement.

With whom?

An engagement which will prevent my taking you to my rooms.

Work.

I'm sorry.

Who are you writing to?

Uncle Swithin.

Why?

Because I don't think I should go anywhere on Sunday.

You're not putting him off, are you?

I am, as a matter of fact.

I think you should go.

Does it really matter to you?

He's my uncle, and I happen to know he's rather looking forward to it.

It's one wifely duty you could manage to fulfill.

Very well.

And I say, I like your hat.

And that frock fits you like a skin.

Yes, tight as a drum.

Now, are you still on for Richmond Park?

A look at the deer and the chestnut trees?

Richmond is close to Robin Hill, isn't it?

Similar neck of the woods, my dear.

Uncle Swithin... would you be a dear, and drive me to Robin Hill?

I haven't yet seen the house, you see.

Certainly.

Certainly, my dear.

Get on, Sonny, get on.

Ah, welcome.

Welcome to Robin Hill.

SWITHIN: Good afternoon, young man.

Good afternoon, sir.

I'm so glad you could come!

Thank you.

Good Lord.

Extraordinary.

Come, let me show you around.

SWITHIN: Handsome!

You'll be wanting statues.

Bust of a Roman god?

Can't beat a Roman god.

Ah, that's more like it, granite columns.

Excellent space for a billiards room.

Oh, no, it's to be an open courtyard with a glass ceiling.

Glass ceiling?

People will look through.

What, people on the roof, you mean?

( Irene chuckles ) You take my advice, Irene.

Get yourself a billiards table.

I'd gladly play you a frame or two for a fiver-- but you'll lose!

Ah, there's a good view from here.

SWITHIN: Who needs to go down there for the view?

Monarch of all he surveys.

IRENE ( chuckles ): Oh, I don't think he's surveying much.

He slept for the last two miles.

What do you think?

I think it will be beautiful.

Irene... You must know I love you.

I don't believe Soames Forsyte cares for you, except as a possession.

I'm not thinking about Soames Forsyte.

Uncle Swithin... Is asleep.

Is waiting.

As is June, for you.

( sighs ) You'll never make anything of that house, young fellow.

Too newfangled.

The only good thing is the wine cellar-- you'll have room for some 600 or 700 dozen.

A very pooty little cellar.

Get on, Sonny, get on!

Go on, now!

Get on!

SWITHIN: All you got!

Good morning, Mr.

Forsyte.

You seeing your young man today?

You ask me that every day.

Oh.

Won't ask it again, then.

Is he taking you to the ball?

Of course.

You will be seeing him again, then.

JOLYON: How's that?

YOUNG JOLYON: I'll get it.

Dad?

Oop!

( cheering ) Jolly, come over here.

You want something to drink?

No, thanks.

JOLYON: Your wife seems well.

Yes, she is.

She is well.

I can't say so much for June.

No?

Anything I say, she bites my head off.

I'd like to punch the fellow's head!

It's this Bosinney?

He never sees her.

And when he does, she comes home crying her eyes out.

Perhaps it's better if it should come to an end.

Well... I dare say your sympathy's with him.

Both of them.

Has he fallen for some other woman?

They say so.

And I suppose they've told you who it is?

Soames's wife.

So Swithin tells me.

She and June were bosom friends.

( exhales ): Poor little June.

We need to know what his intentions are.

I can't do it, I'd... But... well, he goes to your club, doesn't he?

Dad!

Well, what's the matter?

Dad, it's not been many years since the family closed ranks against me-- for doing precisely, it seems, what Bosinney is about to do.

I'm sorry, Dad.

And if my son has failings, could he not improve upon them... with your help?

It is not his failings; it is him.

Are there not matters that you yourself might alter?

It would be a matter of wishing to.

When you speak together, for example... We don't speak to any consequence; he is for the most part silent, and I find that agreeable.

Yes, he's unlike James in that respect.

James has always spoken rather more than he needed.

To outward appearances, Soames would seem to be a very good husband.

You are not married to him.

I'm sorry.

Is it... Is it to do with a certain close area within marriage?

It's not that alone.

You see, I always rather dreaded the occurrence, though I have on the whole enjoyed its results; my children have afforded me much pleasure and have distracted me from the relentlessness of marriage.

I wondered if the house in Robin Hill might not prove congenial in that respect.

Forgive me, my dear, but you seem so... cold.

I know.

I know I do, and I'm not a cold person.

I am not, Emily.

I know I am not.

This is not me sitting here; this is... some... wife.

What can I do?

I do not love him.

I cannot love him.

I do not want to love him.

Sorry.

Sorry.

And you do not think that children... No.

Never.

Down.

SOAMES: This'll do, just here.

DOCKWOOD: Very good, sir.

Whoa, there!

Thank you, Dockwood, onward.

( clicking tongue ): Walk on, boy.

SOAMES: Morning, Bosinney.

Are you taking a break?

I'm giving you notice to terminate my employment, as the house is almost finished.

You undertook to decorate; we have a contract.

( sighs ) You've never once come down without suggesting something that runs counter to my scheme.

If I am to decorate, then I must have a free hand.

I'd say you've had a free hand all along.

I haven't been able to make a single suggestion that you've agreed with.

Just keep it below £12,000, that's all.

How am I expected to predict to the pound?

If you go over by, say, £50 or so, there'll be no difficulty between us-- and in those terms, you may have a free hand.

Will you put it in writing?

Yes, I will put it in writing.

Very well.

Drive on.

( horse whinnies ) Bosinney... ( louder ): Bosinney!

( horse's clopping fades ) Dockwood, back to London.

MERCHANT: Hot potatoes-- come and get your hot potatoes!

Phil?

( bell rings ) Phil?

Phil?

Hasn't she eaten anything?

I'm afraid not, sir.

Ah.

I was thinking, if you still haven't heard from young... from young Bosinney... maybe one of the aunts could take you?

I'm not going.

You're tired?

I'm not well.

Well, perhaps I should send... I need to rest.

I want you to take me.

What?

To the ball.

My dear girl, I'm about to go to bed.

I'm sorry, Gran, but I want to go.

I'm all right, now.

No, dear, no.

This is quite foolish.

Then I shall go on my own.

But you can't poss... Don't be a silly girl!

Parfitt, have the carriage ready.

I thought you were unwell.

Get me some hot water.

I'll have to wash.

Yes, sir.

JOLYON: It's nearly 11:00!

( orchestra playing a waltz ) ( murmuring, laughing ) Seen someone you know?

I see we've got the buccaneer.

So what do we all think?

Is he sweet on Mrs.

Forsyte?

Oh, George, don't be so silly!

Rumor is she's interested in him.

Why shouldn't she amuse herself?

Soames is so tiring, and Mr.

Bosinney's rather chic.

But as to doing anything, of course she wouldn't.

Where is June?

I'll see you later.

DARTIE: Old Soames looks put out.

Why's that?

I don't know.

( snickering ): Could he be jealous?

Be all right if he had some cause, eh?

IRENE: Please-- you're holding me too close.

DARTIE: Come on-- seems to me you like a bit of close work.

Why should the buccaneer have it all to himself?

Cousin Soames!

( people chattering ) ( women laughing ) Phil?

( waltz ends ) There you are!

Now, come back inside.

They're wondering where you are.

Dartie, please.

Leave her alone!

I say, what's this, a tryst?

I said leave her alone!

Now look here, Mr.

Buccaneer... I saw the way you were dancing with her just now-- just leave her alone.

Defending her honor, eh?

Isn't that what a husband should do?

Get out of here, just get out!

Get out of here before I kill you!

Right.

Steady on, old chap.

Steady on.

IRENE: Why did you not bring June?

I didn't want her.

You are engaged to her, Mr.

Bosinney.

But I shan't marry her, Mrs.

Forsyte.

Then you should tell her.

And I will.

( sighs ) Why shan't you marry her?

Can't you see what I feel for you?

Are you blind?

I believe you feel the same way.

I'm sure you do not love your husband.

Do you?

I loathe him.

Then come to me.

I am married.

What does that matter?

It matters.

Do you love me?

Please don't ask that.

Could you love me?

June... Don't say June.

Say no if that's what you mean!

Then... no.

I do not love you.

Phil?

Phil.

Don't make me say it.

( orchestra playing lively piece ) You should give an eye to your wife, old boy.

What?

Might see more than you bargained for.

( music ends, people chatter) ( orchestra begins playing a Strauss waltz ) ( Strauss waltz continues ) JOLYON: June!

June!

( Strauss waltz continues ) Will you let me go?

What?

You promised you would let me go if our marriage was not a success.

Is it a success?

Behave yourself and it would be!

Will you let me go?

Of course I won't!

Why do you never look at me like you look at him?

What is wrong with me?

I believe you're made of stone.

A damned good beating to bring you to your senses is what you need!

No.

No!

( door shuts ) Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm truly sorry.

Let go of me.

( whispers ): I'm sorry.

Let go of me!

Forgive me.

Forgive me.

Irene.

Irene, unlock the door.

Irene.

( knocks on door ) Unlock the door, Irene.

( begins breathing heavily ) ( grunts ) Let me in, Irene!

Let me in!

I demand you open this door!

Will you!

( grunting ) ( panting ) ( knocking lightly ) ( calmly ): Irene?

Unlock the door, Irene.

( quietly ): Irene.

( music playing; children giggling ) WOMAN: Thank you, ma'am.

Ah, good afternoon, Bilson.

Madam.

Thank you, Bilson.

( waltz playing ) I heard from Father that Old Jolyon took June off to the Alps this morning.

Recuperation from her recent disappointment.

Did you go along and say good-bye?

No.

No, I rather thought not.

Excuse me.

Bilson tells me you've been out all day.

Yes.

Where did you go?

Robin Hill.

Oh.

Why would you have gone there?

The house is finished.

Yes, I'm aware of that.

And a house needs furnishing before one can live in it.

I went to see what might suit.

Does that mean you may be reconciled to living there?

Wait.

There.

Thank you.

My mother says Florence is enchanting at this time of the year.

Would it not be refreshing to holiday there?

You cannot leave now, surely.

Why not?

The house needs your attention.

You've spent all this money.

It wouldn't be prudent.

EMILY: Soames!

It's much more imposing than I'd imagined.

The country will give a new perspective.

And it will prove, I think, that life does not begin and end in London.

Thank you.

Dockwood, on.

DOCKWOOD: Come on, boy.

Yes, we're counting the days till the end of the week, when the architect moves out, and Irene and I move in.

JAMES: How long is the walk from the station?

You'll be in a carriage, I suppose.

Just here, Dockwood.

JAMES: What will the train fare set you back?

Much less than you'd think.

People forget about these things.

Now, if you'll all just wait here.

I did send word ahead, but we don't want you tripping over buckets and the like.

I thought it was finished.

All but... all but.

Wait here.

He's like a child with a new toy.

Welcome.

Welcome to Robin Hill.

SOAMES: Mother, mind the steps.

EMILY: Are you pleased with your new home, Irene?

IRENE: It's a work of art.

EMILY: Soames has always had good taste.

I am quite envious, Mr.

Bosinney.

BOSINNEY: You look alarmed at the prospect, sir.

JAMES: She wouldn't last five minutes in the country.

Emily, look at this-- look.

Inspired.

Room for your entire art collection.

Yes, and more besides.

And the light!

The best view is from the verandah.

Come and see.

EMILY: I should worry about the cold.

JAMES: I should worry about the bills-- hot water pipes everywhere.

SOAMES: On a good day, one can see right across to Epsom.

( whispers ): They are entranced by it.

Despite themselves.

Exactly.

And this is just the beginning.

You're going to be the toast of every drawing room in town.

Come away with me forever.

( footsteps approaching ) Mr.

Bosinney, won't you be my guide?

Of course.

Forgive me.

Excuse me.

Come through.

EMILY: I'm rather intrigued about this central part.

You will not make the effort, not even for my parents.

I am here, aren't I?

Yes, why is that?

The truth is you care nothing for this house.

You couldn't be more wrong.

( all conversing in next room) IRENE: Uncle Swithin suggested a billiard table.

JAMES: There's something to be said for that.

BOSINNEY: Had Soames requested a games room... He would have built me a table of ebony and had the pockets lined with gold.

The queen herself might request that to no avail.

Gold stands for everything I despise in decoration.

£12,400, Bosinney, against an agreed starting figure of 8,000.

Just remind me how we arrived at that figure.

BOSINNEY: I'm rather tired of that conversation.

We revised that sum.

SOAMES: Yes, three times.

Usually after the fact.

You confirmed it in writing.

£12,000, with a leeway of up to £50 for accidents and your fastidiousness.

Soames... There's nothing accidental about £400.

There is stained glass instead of clear.

There is ebony instead of pitch pine, granite instead of sandstone.

There is breach of contract.

There is invention instead of imitation.

At whose behest?

It's my name on the deeds.

And mine for which the house will be remembered.

Your name, sir, is as worthless as your word.

Look, I am here to design, not to listen to your insults.

You have broken your contract.

I have the right to recover my money.

BOSINNEY: You have here a house which will be the envy of your friends, and at a rate which will never be repeated.

Now, good afternoon to you, sir.

Don't walk away from me.

I have said my piece.

You force my hand if you do.

To do what?

To resort to the law.

Soames.

It would cost you more to bring the case than you could ever hope to win.

I am arguing about the principle.

Principle?

There isn't a single person in this room who believes that is your motive, least of all yourself.

Three hundred and fifty pounds.

It's a mere trifle, it's quite beneath your contempt.

No!

No, you are beneath my contempt, if you persist with this when you know Phil has nothing.

Phil!

How long have you been saying you want him out of your life?

This binds you together for months.

I will not see that man make a fool of me.

No, you're quite capable of doing it by yourself.

WOMAN: Will it really get to court?

WINIFRED: Soames is adamant it will.

DARTIE: Brush your best togs off.

Be standing room only in the gallery.

I doubt it.

Quite the joey where your brother's concerned.

Anyone else-- quid to a bloater, she'd be hanging off the grapevine.

WINIFRED: It's a dull contractual wrangle, Monty, not Norton versus Lord Melbourne.

There've been wars fought over less.

Less than the hand of a woman?

JULEY: No, dear, keep up.

It was Bosinney's sunken bath that did it.

It was a marble flower tub, Juley, amongst other things.

It was a woman!

A marble woman?!

Irene Forsyte.

( whispering ): No!

What's 350 to a man like Soames?

He's marking the buccaneer's card-- "trespassers will be prosecuted."

Well, you must've heard the whispers.

When you said they danced at Swithin's ball... You thought she meant a waltz.

JULEY: But Soames is the perfect husband.

I can't believe it.

Oh, you want to, both of you, admit it.

Oh, please.

One can see how men might find Irene charming.

Though Monty's always failed to see the attraction.

WOMAN: But quiet-- if anything, a shrinking violet.

I rather fear she's been plucked.

And I rather fear we're going to be late.

Come, dear.

Late?

Bye, dear.

We have another call this afternoon, chum of Monty's.

Good-bye, dear.

Do forgive us.

Ladies.

Freddie, they love all the tattle.

Well, I don't.

I wish Winifred would leave that man at home.

Dartie?

Implying that I enjoy his tittle-tattle.

Enjoy it?

I could barely understand it.

The Queen's English is a foreign language to him.

Mm-hmm.

Whatever shall we say to Soames?

Nothing.

How on earth should we say it?

No, we shall simply pass it over.

We might, but will the likes of Montague Dartie?

"Quite the joey," indeed.

And what did the solicitor say?

He told me exactly what I knew-- I have a case, every bit as strong as Soames'.

Now people will see him for what he is.

He is a solicitor, the son of a solicitor.

He knows how to construct a case.

Oh, as does my own fellow.

He's instructed Jobling and Boulter, one of the best in their field.

And I might be intimidated, if I didn't have right on my side.

You do believe that, don't you?

Of course I do, Phil.

But money speaks, even in a court of law.

I have money.

Or will have.

There's the house for Wilson, and there'll be more work after that.

My reputation's growing.

What, then?

What should I do?

Not fight, just flee?

We could do that.

We could not!

I could set up in Liverpool or Glasgow or Paris if I wanted to.

I'm a free man.

Soames cannot stop me from working.

He could try.

If I were with you, he would try.

I don't think you should leave.

You've done nothing wrong.

Welcome home.

Welcome home, sir.

What lovely weather you're having, Parfitt.

Yes, sir.

A pleasant journey, sir?

If truth to tell, I need another holiday to recover from the holiday.

Hello, Parfitt.

Miss June.

I see you have been busy.

We took a detour to Paris.

Gran indulged me with a little shopping.

Tell me how I lived so long without knowing the difference between bouclé and chenille.

Don't start all that again, Gran.

So Miss June is returning home refreshed?

Like a new woman, Parfitt.

MAN: A pile of packages and the like inside the carriage, Mary.

MARY: Right you are, John.

Give me some tea in the study, Parfitt.

Right away, sir.

BOSINNEY: The convention would be to close this off-- a wall here, a door here.

I propose a hinged partition-- a huge folding door, if you like.

Privacy and intimacy when you need it, but the etched glass panels means you lose none of the light.

This, I like.

But I am still unconvinced about the verandah.

You did something similar in the house at Robin Hill?

Similar, not the same.

I should like to see it for myself.

It's clearer on here.

Constructed.

I need a better sense of the proportions.

I... no longer have access.

You can speak to the owner, surely.

I am in dispute with the owner.

A small matter, soon to be resolved.

But I can show you an example of this type of thing, and if you are agreeable, I can have contracts drawn up by the end of the week.

What kind of dispute?

Oh, it's nothing-- a few hundred pounds.

You are owed?

You owe?

He says.

I wish I had known of this earlier.

It has no bearing on the job.

You have my word.

Really, Mr.

Wilson, I do assure you it's nothing.

I suggest you come back to me when the matter is resolved.

If it's characters you require, I can provide them.

When you are in a position to proceed, come back to me.

Good day.

BOSINNEY: He thinks I'm a thief.

IRENE: He wants to commission you.

After the court case, once he knows I can be trusted.

Any client I approach now will feel the same.

If he had only signed the contract!

I'd have borrowed against it.

I could have withstood a loss in court.

You won't lose.

But if I do, I lose everything.

Not everything.

Home, business-- it would bankrupt me, Irene.

Not everything.

Here.

My father's.

I cannot take this.

You must.

We have to take our lead from Soames-- play this purely as a legal matter.

We shall act the dutiful wife and the wronged architect.

They shall know nothing of our plans.

Even a hint of scandal could turn the judge against you.

We shall behave like hypocrites.

We shall behave discreetly-- just a few more weeks.

It will be worth it in the end.

But you doted on your father.

I am offering you the watch.

The memories are not for sale.