The Darling Buds of May (TV Series)

The Darling Buds of May: Part 1 (1991)

David Jason: Pop Larkin

Photos 

Quotes 

• [young tax inspector] 

  Charley : I'm sorry, Mr. Larkin, but under Section 39 of the Finance Act, you are required by law to...

  [a horse whinnies as it's led out the stable by a young girl wearing jodhpurs and riding boots, and his jaw drops at the sight of her] 

  Charley : to...

  Pop Larkin : That's my eldest daughter, Mariette. Crazy on horses. That mare's hers. Do you like horses, Mr. erm... Sorry, didn't catch your name.

  Charley : Charlton.

  Pop Larkin : Charlton. Mariette! Mariette, come, come here a jiff. Here. There's a young man here who's crazy on horses and wants to meet you.

• Pop Larkin : Where you going? On the boat again?

  Mariette : Might do.

  [looks into Charley's eager eyes] 

  Mariette : Might not get that far.

  Pop Larkin : [charming accent:]  Perfick.

  [happy contented sigh] 

  Pop Larkin : Life's perfick wherever you go.

  [mouths cigar] 

  Mariette : [the couple walks over to a paddock, Charley closing the gate behind them, leaning over it, gazing back pensively, and she smiles, coming up from behind]  What are you thinking about?

  Charley : All of it. You, Pop, Ma. I didn't think there was such a place.

  Mariette : [softly, dreamily]  Why won't you come strawberry picking?

  Charley : [has to be practical]  I've already explained.

  Mariette : [softly, dreamily]  Would you come?

  Charley : [happily surrendering]  Yes...!

• Charley : Mr. Larkin, of course this is confidential in every way, but at what would you estimate your income?

  Pop Larkin : [taken aback]  Estimate? Estimate income? Did you hear that, Ma? You hear that? Income.

  Ma Larkin : [scoffs]  Outcome, I should say. Outcome, more likely.

  Pop Larkin : Look, I've got six kids to clothe and feed, this place to run, I've got fodder to buy. You know, wheat is as dear as gold dust. I mean, pig food. The cost of that is enough to frighten you to death. And the cost of living is going up all the time, you know. I've got vet's fees, cos we've had it all in here. We've had swine fever, foot and mouth. Fowl pest. We've got birds dying all over the place. Income, old man? I should like some, old man. I should like some.

  [Charley looks up at him] 

  Pop Larkin : Now if I could sell a nightingale's song,

  [winks] 

  Pop Larkin : then I'd have some income. I've got them in the woods, you know, at the back of the house. Singing all day, Mr. Charlton, singing all day.

  Charley : Really?

  [quoting:] 

  Charley : 'The wakeful nightingale, she all night long her amorous descant sang'. I didn't realize they sang all day.

  Pop Larkin : Oh yeah! And all night too, during the mating season. Like everything else. They go at it hell for leather, don't they?

  Ma Larkin : [laughs hysterically]  You married, Mr. Charlton?

  Charley : No.

  Ma Larkin : Tell you what, why don't you get Mariette to take you up to the woods and hear the nightingales?

  Charley : [shyly, to Mariette]  Well, erm...

  Mariette : Only if you'd like to.

  Charley : Well, yes, I think I would.

  Mariette : In that case, I'll change. It's getting a bit warm for jodhpurs.