♪
[seagulls crowing, goat bleating]
So is your wife at least writing to you from Athens?
No.
She said she needs time to think.
About what?
I wish I knew.
Maybe she's bored.
Am I boring?
Well, yes, you are, really.
[laughing]: No.
Except when you're talking about your carberongas.
Carburetor.
[laughs]
I just want you to be happy.
It's not for me to comment on your family.
♪
[birds chirping, screeching]
[animal grunting]
[gunshot]
[dog barking]
♪
[fireworks exploding]
GERRY: He seems sad.
It could just be from living with us.
MARGO: I think Frank's like me.
He's searching for meaning.
He's a sloth.
He's being slothful.
You're muddling him up with a Jack Russell.
Listen,
as we're not inheriting any money,
I've been doing some paid journalism.
Listen to my piece for the Daily Mail.
"Corfu is a jewel set in an azure sea
"with magical vistas at every turn.
The smiling locals cannot believe their good fortune."
LOUISA: Well, you've invented half of this.
"A fleet of stylish taxis is on hand
to whisk you around the island."
Well, there's Spiros.
Exactly.
"All modern conveniences are present and correct"?
There's no electricity.
Yes, there is an element of fiction.
Shouldn't you have another novel out?
Oh, yes. Thank you for asking.
I don't want to read it.
I just thought it might make us some cash.
[laughter]
LARRY: Lovely.
I'm going into town.
Ah, that would be Corfu town,
"The Eighth Wonder of the World.
Walk hand in hand among the..."
[birds crowing]
[bell tolling]
Was that Greek?
Yes.
Was it that bad?
I do not know.
We are not Greek.
Ah.
What are you?
Internationalists.
And what brings you...?[crunching]
Does your friend speak?
[speaking Spanish]
Not usually.
What brings you to Corfu?
We are in a traveling circus.
Oh, me too.
Ventriloquist.
I've a little man who I bring to life.
What do you do?
♪
[gasping]
I'm a contortionist.
[cheers and applause]
Please be my girlfriend.
[fire crackling, insects chirping]
We're not built to be alone, are we?
Are you talking about you and a famous local taxi driver?
No.
All of you.
Zoltan was odd today.
He brought me flowers, but... guilty flowers.
Like he's being unfaithful.
Of course he's not.
I wasn't going to tell you, as you'll get overexcited,
but I have a new girlfriend.
Elena.
She can get into the most extraordinary positions.
Ugh, horrid.Oh, please stop.
She's a professional.
There's nothing funny about prostitution.That's even worse.
She works for a bloody traveling circus.
Oh, I see.
I love circuses, don't you?
The mad acts and unpredictable animals.
You get all that here.
Yes, I realized that as I was saying it.
But let's go.
It'll be magical.
We'll ask Spiros to take us there.
♪
[brakes squealing]
MARGO: That's the circus?
Yes.
Now, where's my limber lover?
We Corfiots are suspicious of these people.
Why?
They worship Satan.
Are you sure?Maybe they don't,
but they are strange.[horse whinnying]
They have animals.
[trainer shouting]
[seagulls squawking]
So.
Being pregnant.
Does it feel like you've just eaten a huge meal?
No. Lower.
[deep voice]: Does it feel like you've eaten a huge meal?
[laughter]
Oh.
[Daphne chuckling]
Hello.
My son Larry has become friends with your contortionist.
Never seen him so happy,
and, well, we just thought it would be fun to call by.
We are not in the business of fun.
[man calling in foreign language]
Are you sure?
You are a circus.
[sighs]: We are.
So, when do you open?
When we are ready.
We lost some acts recently.
Hmm.
LOUISA: What does she do?
Apart from being that size?
I cannot say.
But she... talks.
[speaking Croatian, French]
Mother, this is Elena.
Hello.
I hear you can lick your own elbow.
Yes.Yep.
I can lick everything.
[chuckling]
How useful.
MARGO Now Zoltan's about to bugger off
with someone else,
I should run away to the circus.
Oh, don't do that.
But they are short of people,
you could offer to do an act.
Go on.
Go.
[horse whinnying]
[speaking local language]
You...
won't do an act.
Oh, you overheard.
Yes.
I used to do an overhearing act.
I would, but I don't have any skills.
Learn one, and you may perform it.
You have two days.
[clarinet playing ends]
[seagulls squawking]
[Daphne sighs]
Leslie, you are very nervous.
So you'd be.
But you'll love this.
I'm ashamed it's taken me so long
to fall in love with you,
but now I have.
You're already the mother of my child.
Daphne Likourgou, will you be my wife?
I made it myself.
Out of wood.
It's quite unusual.
Yes, I will marry you.
Wonderful.
Let's go and tell everyone.
Here.
Oh, no.
Is it because the ring's made out of wood?
No.
♪
Go on.
No.
Please.
For me, it's work.
Well, for me, it's pleasure.
And I'll make sure all my family come to your circus.
Oh, it can only be downhill from here.
♪
[footsteps approaching]
FLORENCE: Leslie?
Hello, Florence.Margo's gone, I'm afraid.
Oh.
Can I be Margo for a moment?
Not easy, but I'll give it a go.
Thank you, yes.
I, um...
I wanted Margo's opinion, as she's a girl.
But so are you, in a way.
Thank you.
So, uh, I proposed to Daphne.
Oh, well done.
How'd it go?
Well, she said yes... then ran off in tears.
Mmm.
Happy tears?Not really.
Her brain is basted in hormones.
Is that what it is?
How many months gone is she?
[sighs]: I'm not sure.
She keeps knocking ornaments over with her belly.
Actually, I know she's seven months,
because my husband examined her.
Oh, yes.God,
I remember when I was at seven months.
One day, I tried to open the door
with a banana instead of a key.
I slept with Daphne five months ago.
Well, you know my husband.
Talk about making it up as he goes along.
Leslie...
[chicken clucking]
[hammering]
[humming tune]
You know, Frank would be good in the circus.
"Blink less than the creature, win a fish."
[Louisa chuckles]
What's going on in your head, hmm?
[Louisa chopping]
It's wondering the same about me.
♪
I think I know why you ran off.
I'm very emotional.
Me too.
Because it's not my baby, is it?
No.
[sighs]
[knocking at door, door opens]
Thanks.
[door closes]Oh.
Fleet Street's contribution
to the war against Durrell family poverty.
Oh, thank you.
I'd so love not to be worrying about money.
Well, I'll earn damn all from my novel.
[settling on bed]
Henry's written, urging me to resist censorship.
It's not about censorship,
it's to stop you breaking the law.
Why do you have to write about sex all the time?
Because it's everywhere.
Look at you and Spiros.
You'd have to use a machete to cut through the hormone thicket.
That's an exaggeration.
Mmm.
So.
I'll publish in Paris
and be read by the avant-garde.
Whereas this, which I wrote for the Times,
will reach the boring millions.
"Corfu is like a painting by Rousseau,
"verdant and alive with metaphorical tigers.
"Come for the sunbeams, linger for the quietude,
the legendary Greek xenia..."
You're exhausting."And..."
[panting]
For months, you made me feel bad
about not wanting my baby,
then not wanting to marry you.
I know. I apologize.
Oh, well, that's all right then.
I lost Dionysia, who I adored,
because I put you in the family way, apparently.
Well, it's your fault.
You should not have had three girlfriends.
Yeah, how many boyfriends did you have?
And I only slept with one-- you!
Because the others wouldn't let you.
Well, yes, perhaps.
But... huh!
Leslie, I love you more than the baby's father.
Does that mean anything to you?
Yes.
A baby needs a father.
I know.
I grew up without one.
And you will be a good one.
If not for me, for someone.
[sighs]
It was more easy to lie to you
when you were being horrible to me.
Who is the father?
Spiros.
Spiros?
Not Spiros the taxi driver.
Oh, God, don't do that.
There are thousands of Spiros on the island.
Leslie, I love you, and I still want to marry you.
Will you?
I don't know.
I really don't know.
♪
[insects chirping]
[struggling]
So... not juggling.
Would you like to be a clown?
That's sort of already the roll I have at home.
Ah, good, you're experienced.
I'd prefer something new.
What do you think of this one, hmm?
♪
What do you think of...
[people calling in many languages]
[chattering]
[women laughing]
MARGO: So, tell me what she does.
DRAGAN: She's a prima donna.
But without her, we are nothing.
She makes... gasp.
She makes the audience gasp?
Yes.
In life...
and in the circus,
we need to gasp.
That's so true.
You could be magician's assistant.
I don't want to be an assistant.
I want to be the magician.
[donkey brays]
Hello, sir.
You can do animal tricks.
Yes.
Yes, but before I agree,
I must check that you take good care of your animals.
The man in charge didn't inspire confidence.
Oh, I treat my animals better than my humans.
Hmm, excellent.
[playing clarinet]
[gasping]
Well, I can take that off the list.
I have a bad back.
So how many performances will you do?
For the circus, I mean.
Not for me.
At this rate?
One very short one.
Nobody has bought tickets.
Maybe you'd sell more tickets
if you were all a bit... jollier.
We are mainly from eastern Europe.
Smiling does not come natural.
[chuckling]
Do you know what you're doing?
Yes.
I borrowed all this stuff from Dragan, the ringmaster.
Sadly, the instructions are in foreign.
You should call yourself "The Amazing Margoni."
Yeah.[placing manual on table]
[announcer voice]: And now...
Durrellina,
the mistress of delusion.
Illusion.
We'll see.
[announcer voice]: And now... the boy...
levitates...
in a magic way.
[thuds]Ow!
Oh, God, I'm so sorry.
He's all right.
Oh, that.
I hate magic.
Why?
Because it's a form of lying.
Well, that's a little harsh.
I mean, the same could be said for acting, or...
Well, that's how I feel!
[knocking on door]
Oh, hello, Zoltan.
How are you?
I am superb, thank you, Mrs. Durrell.
Margo seems to think you're not happy with her.
Do reassure her, won't you?
You know, it's bad enough worrying about four children.
And when you add in their boyfriends
and pregnant or contortionist girlfriends,
it can be quite a burden.
And that's before we get to me.
[stammers]
Zoltan.
Who should I sympathize with first?
You or Leslie?
Do Leslie.
I'll work on my sawing the Turkish boyfriend in half trick.
[knock on door, door opens]
Oh.
Spiros said something funny about guns earlier.
About the Greek army.
Did he?
Well, it was a hoot.
What's wrong?
I'm not the father of Daphne's child.
What?
Daphne was pregnant before we met
Oh, Leslie.
He abandoned her.
So now of course I'm wondering,
did she sleep with me just to trap me?
No.
She says she's still keen for us to marry
and bring up the child together.
What do you want to do?
I sort of hate her for what she's done, but...
maybe it doesn't matter who made the baby,
we love being together.
But after everything Daphne's put you through,
could you trust her ever again?
Oh.
Come on.
[insects chirping]
[footsteps approaching]
Oh, glad you're all getting in the mood.
Leslie isn't the father of Daphne's baby.
I... I told him something wasn't right.
"Read some novels," I said.
Women are programmed to protect their babies at whatever cost.
Well done, Larry.
Never knowingly diplomatic.
Oh, sorry, it's one of mine.
Elena's asked us to help save the show tomorrow.
Half the acts are missing.
The new stilt-walker has vertigo.
And nobody's buying tickets.
MARGO: I'm pulling out.
My levitation trick will only bring the family to shame.
No!
No, try something else.
Get Leslie involved.
Gerry's already helping.
And, well, Spiros and I will drum up business,
Spiros is spending a lot of time around here.
Yes.
Yes, he is.
And tomorrow, he'll be helping me save the circus.
♪
[birds gobbling]
[horn honks]
[engine stops, gear shifts]
Wow.
What did I do to deserve this?
Well, where do I start?
Let's go finish those shelves.
Ah, no.
We have something to pick up from the circus.
[door closes]
♪
Ready?
Ready!
[cheering]
[whistling]
[shouting in Greek]:
♪
[gasps]
ZOLTAN: Margo, we need to talk.
[sighs] Well just...
don't go.I have argued,
but they need me back in Izmir
for the family business.Why?
They are modernizing our manufacture of rivets.
There are important decisions to be made
about production quantity.
It is an exciting time for rivets, in fact, because we...
Not as exciting as us.
There is love, and there is family.
Sometimes you cannot have both.
Why not just say you have to go back
instead of being all moody?
I've had a very tiring fortnight.
It seemed better to make you hate me,
so you don't feel sad when I go.
Where do you get all these?
Is there a manual of stupid ideas for boys?
Not to my knowledge.
Well, aren't you going to invite me
to go back to Turkey with you?
Yes, of course.
Come with me.
No, I can't, let's be realistic.
Oh.
All right.
Come and see me later at the circus
and realize what you'll be missing.
I know already.
Well, I'm going to catch a bullet in my mouth,
so you should be there in case I get shot in the head.
[closing case]
[sighs]
[horn honking]
SPIROS [shouting]:
Bad things may happen, but fear not, everyone.
Life is a circus.
What else can she do, ladies and gentlemen?
Find out this evening!
And... don't try this at home.
[cheers and applause]
[chicken clucking]
All right.
I'll cure you of this strange affliction.
Look into my eyes.
♪ I ain't got nobody
♪ And maybe nobody got me
[vocalizing]
[slams bag]
Stupid animals.
[footsteps retreating]
[Dragan calling, orchestra playing]
[speaking local language]
Well.
A few people.Yes.
I think without our efforts,
they'd be performing to,
well, you, me, and some fireflies.
♪
LARRY: Now, don't show off and overdo it.
I have to show off, it is a circus.
Mmm, that feels nice.
Good, now me.
You're an extraordinary animal trainer.
But the thing is, Carlos, you and I both know
that animals will only do what they want to do.
And if you try and force them to do it...
LESLIE: I never should have agreed to this.
I was emotionally vulnerable.
There's a lot of that around at the moment, but thank you.
I'm sorry about Zoltan
leaving for Turkey.
He was a real dope, but you licked him into shape.
I did, didn't I?
Hmm.
Hello.
What's in your box?
My beard.
Put it on me.
[cheers and applause]
Get on!
Roger!
Speak!
[laughing]
[cheers and applause]
So that's why
we have all those animals.
Why do I feel increasingly like a gooseberry?
I will now catch a bullet
in this metal cup...
in my mouth.
No, she will not catch a bullet.
Did you know about this?No.
Shall I stop her?
[sighs]: Let's risk it.
I have three more children.
And I've got you.
MARGO: The bullet which will go through the glass is real.
[rifle bolt closing]
Hmm.
♪
[groans]
[gunshot]
[gasps]
[murmuring]
He's a doctor.
[gasps, applause]
Oh, dear, where will I find a talking head?
[cheers and applause]
DRAGAN: Good evening!
The climax of the show.
I koryfosi,prepare to gasp.
Ladies and gentlemen, kyríes kai k rioi,
meine Damen und Herren, signore e signori,
mesdames et messieurs,
dame gospoda,the Talking Head
of Transylvania.
[clarinet playing]
Good evening!
DRAGAN: Where are you from,
Talking Head?
I'm from Transylvania, as you said.
[laughter]
But also,
I come from inside your own heads.
[murmuring]
Stop it!
What do you think of Corfu?
It is empyrean.
Good.
Kalós.
And now, questions from the audience.
Can you predict the future?
Yes.
What will happen?
That is...
quite a, quite a general question.
[laughter]
In the future,
many visitors will come to this special island
and be happy.
[clarinet playing, murmuring]
I want to enjoy this moment.
Me too.
LARRY: Also, in the future,
everyone will have things called
telephones.
Good, thank you, Talking Head.
One more question.
The Talking Head...
Do you have a question, Louisa?
You've always called me Mrs. Durrell.
I know.
DRAGAN: You are talking!
You have a question?
Ah, well...
I know what is in your head,
pretty middle-aged lady.
So I know what your question is:
"Will I find love soon?"
[clarinet playing]
And the answer is, you have found it.
But like the wind, it is hard to carry home.
DRAGAN: Thank you very much, Talking Head.
Ladies and gentlemen,
a round of applause for Talking Head.
While I'm married, I can't say,
"I love you."
I understand.
But please, imagine me saying it.
DRAGAN: Signore e signori, mesdames et messieurs...
Believe me, I have.
DRAGAN: The final surprise!
Many times.
[explosion, gasps]
[cheers and applause]
Thank you, thank you.
♪
[birds chirping]
LESLIE: Well, that was quite a night.
Wasn't it?
Maybe that's what you need.
I can see you on a pair of stilts.
GERRY: I know what he needs.
To go home.
Home where?
Carlos the animal minder is going back to Colombia.
He could, uh,
take Frank with him, release him into the wild.
Yeah, I think he needs some love.
[knocking at door]
[sets cup down, chair scraping]
Oh, hello.
Are you together?
No.
No, I am with Margo, Daphne is...
Well, I know that.
Come in.
[clears throat]
Thank you.
[footsteps approaching, door closes]
Um, shall I speak first?
May I speak first?
[sighs]
The father, Spiros, came to my house
last night, after the circus.
Oh.
And... is he going to stay?
Yes.
So now you are free.
[uncomfortable grunt]
You said once
that having a baby feels like being buried alive.
Yes.
Though we don't really know what we want, do we?
Until it's snatched away.
Or is that just me?
No, it's me too.
You must go.
Knowing your father,
he'll want you to squeeze in a quick wedding.
Yes.
You were very good at the circus.
Yeah.
[sniffles] Thanks.
The magic hasn't lasted through to today.
[sighs]
♪
Sorry to miss you last night.
I was trying to persuade Father to let me stay.
Thanks.
He's a serious man.
Seeing you being shot in a circus would not help.
I can see that.
But it did not work.
I have a goodbye present for you.
And I have one for you.
It's some underwear of mine.
I asked Larry, and he said boys like this sort of present.
That is so true.
Do you want some of my underwear?
I don't, but thank you.
Ah.
I made it for you myself.
That's genuinely the best present I've ever had.
This is too.
It's you.
Standing in the door.
I hope you don't mind.
This way, I am still in your life.
In a small way.
Me and the ghost of your great aunt Hermione.
[chickens clucking]
LOUISA: Let's not dwell on our love troubles.
Remember, life is a circus.
And the circus is moving on
and taking its contortionist with it.
Galini didn't come?
Not you too.
You'll be all right, you still got your man.
If you mean Spiros,
may I remind you,
he still has a wife and children.
What will you do with him when he's safely home.
CARLOS: We will live together in the trees.
Hmm.
[horse whinnying]
DRAGAN: Mrs. Durrell,
what would I do without you and your family?
Well, I'm sure you would manage.
But we've loved helping.
[chuckling]
We're moving on.
South, to Gouvia.
Gouvia's north.
North?
[shouting in Italian]
North, north, north!
I'm so sorry to say good-bye.
[Elena moaning]
You're making this very hard for me.
Cheeky boy.
That's the bitter truth, Margo.
We try to be fascinating and lovely.
But all men want is a girlfriend who's really bendy.
♪
Hello.
Go on.
No.
Two hours ago, I was getting ready
to settle down and have a baby.
Excuse me, could you teach me how you do the...
Hello, Leslie.
Hello.
I leave circus.
I stay with you!
Oh, no.
No, that's really thoughtful of you,
but I've just ended a really serious...
...relationship, no.
No, Mum...
Gerry!
Galini!
[donkey snorts]
Sorry, my parents not let me go to the circus yesterday.
Oh well, you're here now.
[donkey snorting]
[insects chirping]
LARRY: Okay, everyone on the terrace.
Gerry, bring the donkey.
GERRY: All right, Talking Head.
Spiros.
Thank you for last night.
Thank you...
Mrs. Durrells.
Oh.
So not Louisa?
My wife returned this morning.
With the children.
Oh.
How splendid.
Yes.
It was good to see the little ones.
They've grown in only a few weeks.
Sorry.
Well...
It'll have to be me who finishes the shelves.
No.
I am still available...
with my handyman hat on.
Hmm.
Well, we all have our different hats, don't we?
I'll have to dust off my lovelorn widow's veil.
No.
I don't like that one.
Well, there's my mothering hat.
It's more like a crash helmet at the moment.
It's...
[voice breaking]: It's been a bad day for love for the Durrells.
Only Gerry's got through it unscathed.
Call me Louisa.
One last time.
[kisses]
Louisa.
[sniffs]
[crying softly]
Oh.
SPIROS: I, uh...
dropped off, uh, some guests for you.
I'll go check on them.
Oh, thank you.
[crying]
[sobbing]
There.
We can stay here till all the tears are out.
[sniffs]: There'll be more to come...
over the next weeks and months.
And years.
[sniffling]
Well, in that case...
you need a distraction.
So...
Rather than apologize,
because this is my fault,
let's look on this as an opportunity.
[people murmuring]
It seems my travel journalism
is bearing...
unexpectedly heavy fruit.
[murmuring]
Have these people come from England?
Yes.
On the last ferry.
They loved what I wrote about Corfu...
You made it all up!
...and they want to enjoy it as much as we have.
What are they doing at the house?
I mentioned that I live here.
They seem to have taken that as an invitation.
[footsteps approaching]
MARGO: Isn't it lovely?
Visitors.
No, no, it's not.
We can't afford to put them up.
We have nothing.Yes, we charge them.
Yeah, we can open up the attic and squeeze a few in there.
Yeah!
[chattering]
♪
[singing in Greek]
♪