Voila! Finally, the Ratcatcher
script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the Lynne Ramsey movie. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly
transcribed using the screenplay and/or viewings of Ratcatcher. I know, I know, I still need to get the cast names in there and I'll be eternally
tweaking it, so if you have any corrections, feel free to
drop me a line. You won't
hurt my feelings. Honest.
For God's sake,
look at the state of my curtain.
Look at you.
If I've told you once,
I've told you umpteen times.
Keep your trousers
tucked in your boots.
Ryan Quinn!
Are you listening to me?
Come here.
- Ma, can I go out and play?
- You can go out after.
Ma, leave it. I'll do it.
I look like a spaz
with them tucked in.
You won't say that when you trip
and fall on your backside.
I look stupid.
You keep 'em tucked in.
Is your foot in?
- Yes.
I'll do it myself.
Ma, can I go out and play?
- No, you can't.
- Ma, where are you going?
Ma, can I go out and play, please?
You're going to see your dad.
Don't you want to see your dad?
James, what are you up to?
What are you doing?
You fucking bastard!
Did you shit yourself?
I got you one there, huh?
I think this is what I'm looking for.
- Hi, how you doing?
- Fine. How are you?
- Just going to Susan's.
- Say hello for me.
See you later.
I thought it was you.
To the little man.
Get the fuck away from there!
Hey, beat it!
This is me. You're not going to let me
walk up here by myself. Look, why don't you come up
to my place for a little coffee? George, what you need
is a good woman to look after you. George!
Where have you been?
Go back to sleep.
Watch where you're going!
A little mouse!
Don't be touching it, darling.
No, no, no. Give me your hand.
Don't, please.
You can't touch it. It's vermin.
- It's just a little mouse.
Well, these conditions
speak for themselves. You can't possibly denythat there is a very considerable
health risk under whichmany of the good people
of Glasgow are at present living. There's a risk in the form
of decomposition of this material, a risk of fire, a risk of it being spread by rats, which are notorious vectors
of disease.
Remember Pete Connelly? He waited
months before he heard anything.
You've told me already.
Well, they ended up
with a great house, didn't they?
They were going to throw
this stuff out at work.
What's that for?
It's brand-new.
Hasn't even been opened.
What color is it?
It's a kind of pastel shade.
You've got to be joking.
It's gray!
- It's pale blue.
- Your ass it is.
Look at it in the light.
It's pale blue.
Definitely.
- You're not putting that up in here.
- Why not? It's good-quality paint.
- It's bloody horrible!
Look, give this place
a couple of coats,
cheer it up a little bit,
it's going to look beautiful.
What's the point?
We're moving.
Yeah, maybe.
There's tea in the pot
if you want some.
All right, I'm off.
It's good-quality paint.
James, don't you go near that canal.
Do you hear me?
What are you staring at,
you little pervert?
- That's my ma's.
- So? What's it got to do with you?
Do you want a photo?
- Of you?
Stop making a mess of that table.
Shut up.
Hey, gorgeous!
Where are you going?
Don't you have a pal or something?
Where are you going?
Nowhere.
Make yourself useful.
Get me a can of beer from the fridge.
What?
Go on, do what I tell you.
Move.
Yes! You beauty!
Go on, son! Beautiful, Celtic, beautiful!
I'm telling my dad on you.
My head!
- Big girls don't cry.
Go away.
- You gonna tell my da?
- Yes, I'm telling.
And I'll tell him
you drank his beer as well.
Anne Marie, shut up!
Okay, I won't tell.
- So you're not gonna tell my da?
- No, I won't tell.
Where's my beer?
Dad?
Where were you?
You gonna watch football?
It's an old firm game.
- I don't like football.
- I like football, Dad. Can I watch it?
You come over here
and watch it with me.
I've got it. Over here!
Where's the little mouse?
Remember that little mouse
you put down the toilet?
The little mouse.
It's gone out to sea, darling.
The seaside?
Yes. It went for a swim.
Da, James hurt me.
He drank your beer as well.
Did he now?
I'll see to that later.
Now let me watch.
Go on, son. Jump for it!
- You killed my mouse, Dad.
Yes, yes!
Goal! Attack!
Give them back, you bastard.
- Say pretty please.
- Pretty please.
- Pretty please with a cherry on top.
- Pretty please with a cherry on top.
What will you give me
if I give you them?
- Anything.
- No. Fuck off.
- The stupid cow can't see a thing.
- Have you lost your panties as well?
Just give me them back.
See you later, darling.
You bastard!
Fucking cow.
- Asshole!
- Fuckin' bitch!
Can you see my glasses in there?
Can you?
- No.
- Are you sure?
- Yes.
- Come and sit over here.
- What?
- Sit here.
- What's your name?
- James.
- You want a drag?
- No.
I'll kill that bastard Matt Monroe.
That canal gives me the creeps.
Did you know that boy
who drowned down here?
Ryan Quinn?
You wanna touch it?
See you later, James.
- It's heavy.
- Help me get it on.
Don't tilt it too much.
Have you got it?
- Yes. Hurry up.
Hold on a minute.
Okay, push it in. Lift it up.
What did you let go for?
- It's your fault.
- What are you talking about?
- It's all your fault!
You want to calm down?
What's the matter with you?
You killed my boy.
What are you fucking talking about?
That was my boy as well.
I loved him just as much as you,
and you know it.
You killed him.
You weren't there!
Come on, get a grip on yourself.
Please.
Get away from me, you bastard.
I hate you!
Get away!
I can't deal with you anymore.
Every time I come near you, we argue.
He left us.
He left my boy.
I couldn't watch him myself.
I hate him.
He killed my boy.
Where is James going?
James, get my packages.
Leaving them lying
in the middle of the street. Hurry up.
- James, come here, son.
- Where are you going?
- I was gonna take the packages up.
- Just do what you're told.
Would you give me a little hug?
He's the double of my Ryan, isn't he?
The same eyes.
Yes.
Maybe a little.
Will you do me a little favor?
Will you go up
to Ryan's room for me
and get the little box
on Ryan's bed?
Will you do that for me?
Go on, James. It's all right.
Oh, fuck.
They look great.
- They're hurting me.
- Shut up, you.
What do you say?
Say thanks to Mrs. Quinn.
- They're too small.
Thanks.
James, look what I've got.
Ah, it's lovely.
What's its name?
- Suzy. She's a she.
- It's nice.
I've got budgies and gerbils
in the house.
On my birthday I'm getting
rats, tigers, bears,
and mouse-eating snakes.
That's good.
When I'm older, I'm going to have
the biggest zoo in the world.
Look. I'm a member of the RSPCA.
That's good, man.
- What are you looking for?
- Nothing.
Wow, look at all
the little tadpoles in there.
- Have you ever seen a perch?
- A peach?
A perch.
It's about that size,
with spiky, jagged fins.
I saw a guy catch one the other day.
- Was it big?
About that size.
- You want to catch one?
- It's not that easy, Kenny.
I've got a net in the house.
It would pull you under.
- I'm a great swimmer.
- Another time, Kenny. See you later.
James, what am I?
Are you a bird?
No, I'm an ostrich.
An ostrich can't fly.
See you later, Kenny.
James, are you coming
to my zoo tomorrow?
- Maybe. Bye.
- See you later.
Is your mommy home, sweetheart?
She just went out
to see my auntie at the hospital.
Because I thought I saw her
coming up the road there.
She came up
and then she went back out.
I see.
Will you give her this?
Your mom's never in, is she?
Here, give her this from me.
Tell her the rent is due.
Has he gone away?
You could get pence for this.
A nice one there.
The smell in this place!
What's that?
Somebody's tossed out
a perfectly good dog.
- The smell of it!
- It's full of maggots.
- Fancy a swim?
- Fuck off.
- Fancy a Ryan Quinn?
- Fuck off. You first, mate.
Are you a good swimmer?
In you go.
- Piss off.
- What?
Hey, leave him alone. Don't do that to the little guy.
- You shit yourself.
- Just joking.
Hey, Stephen!
All right! Big man. How are you doing?
We're off to Margaret Anne's.
Keep a look out the window
in case her ma comes.
- All right, Margaret Anne, guess who.
- Billy? Try harder.
Who is it, Margaret Anne? Stephen. Okay, I don't know, but you better
get my glasses back, you prick. Who is it, Margaret Anne? It's you, Tommy.
Just fuck off. - Not bad, girl. One out of four.
- Leave me alone. Your breath stinks. Piss off. Piss off.
Don't you want a shot, man?
- Go on.
- Come on, on you go.
Hurry up. Go for it.
Go for it.
Go on.
Scared of the bird?
Whip it out.
- We've been there, done that.
- Got the T-shirt.
Hey, man, you okay?
What's it like down there?
He boldly went
where no man's gone before.
Call an ambulance for that guy.
Feather duster.
Push the cobwebs away.
- What was that?
- He stuck his two fingers up at us.
Hi, Lisa. Hi, Leanne.
Margaret, is it all right if I leave her
here? My ma will be back soon.
Lisa, don't play in the rubbish.
Where are you going?
Piss off.
I'm telling my ma on you.
I can do what I like.
It's a free country.
There's no way you're getting
on this bus with me. Go home. Beat it.
- Have you got a boyfriend?
- It's none of your business.
Look at the state of your knees.
They're pure black.
No, they're not.
Look, go home. You're not getting
on this bus with me.
- Just tell me where you're going.
- No, I'm not telling you nothing.
- Can I have a ten pence, please?
- Where are you going?
- Can I have a ten pence, please?
- Where are you going, son?
Here.
Just go on. Go on.
Okay, son, that's as far as I go.
This is the end of my line.
Are you getting off or what?
- You know I love you, don't you?
- Oh, go away.
Come here, gorgeous.
I'm always gorgeous
when you're half drunk.
Your ma...
is one in a million.
Da, shut up.
I'm trying to watch this.
Your ma is one in a million.
Look at him.
Anne, have you seen my cigarettes?
Ow, it's stinging!
It's nowhere near your eyes.
Get up.
They're not here.
- Scottish League Division Two,
- I was watching that.Stirling Albion Selkirk .
You jerk.
What?
Come here, you.
You've been scratching and all.
No, I haven't.
- Your head's crawling.
- No, it's not.
James, sit.
Where are my cigarettes?
Has anyone seen my cigarettes?
If you'd open your eyes,
you might find them.
They're over there.
I looked there.
There's your wages, sweetheart.
You want me to leave
a couple of cigarettes for you?
No, that's all right.
I've got some.
Okay, see you later.
James, take this trash down.
You take it down!
I got them from you,
you little cow.
Shut up!
Ma, he was scratching before me.
Take her out now
and get her ready, will you?
Ma, have you heard anything
about the new house yet?
No, sweetie, we're still waiting.
Keep your head down.
- Can I see it?
- Stay still.
What do they look like?
I can't see anything.
- Look.
Is that it?
James, you're gonna catch
lung cancer.
- Is that right, Kenny?
- I'm not allowed to play down there.
It's an envir... an enviro...
A really mental health hazard.
What?
Guess what.
- What?
- It's my birthday today.
Happy birthday.
Want to see my present?
Two minutes.
Are you still here?
- Yeah.
Are you all right in there, Snowball?
Happy birthday, Kenny.
- Who's your pal, James?
- Look, it's animal boy.
- What's that you've got?
- Stop it.
- I'm not doing anything.
- Stop it.
- Look, it's a rat.
- It's not a rat.
- What's its name, Kenny?
- Snowball.
- Ah, that's lovely.
- Let's see it out.
No.
OnlyJames can see it.
Let me see it.
It's lovely.
- Let me see it.
- No.
Come on, you're one of the boys.
Am l, James?
Okay, then, but only for a minute.
The little bastard bit me.
Give me my mouse back.
The fucking thing cut my finger.
Give it back!
Give me my fucking mouse back!
Move. I want it back!
You're going to kill it.
Throw it on the ground.
It can fly, Kenny.
Let it fly toJames.
Go on.
- All right, James! My mouse can fly.
- Where's it gonna fly to?
- Go on, James. Fucking kill it.
- Where will it fly to, James?
Just fling it at the wall.
- The moon.
- That's sad.
My mouse is going to the moon?
You better put it back in its cage.
It's done enough flying today.
My ma's gonna slap you for this.
Your mother only wears panties
to keep her ankles warm.
- Is that a friend of yours, James?
- You going to the moon with him? - Look, James.
- He's a fuckin'psycho. "I'm going to the moon. "
Look, everybody.
Bye-bye, Snowball.
Hi, James.
Hi, Kenny.
What are you doing?
- What?
- What are you doing?
- I'm gonna catch a perch.
- How are you gonna do that?
- I'll show you.
You see this bread?
I'm going to throw it in like that.
When they come up,
I'm going to do this and catch it.
I'll catch one, James.
Watch this.
I've got it, I've got it!
- Do some more.
See that, man?
- What was that, Kenny?
- They're bitin'.
- Aren't there any down there?
- Don't know. Must be.
- You want a hand?
- No, James. I want to do it all myself.
Okay. I'm gonna go, Kenny.
See you later.
Is he stupid or something?
He's all right.
I've got one.
Oh, it got away.
Ow, you're hurting me.
You wanna see 'em?
I can't see anything.
There's the little beast. See?
You need your glasses back.
Hang on.
I'll find another one.
A bigger one.
I've got it.
See it?
Yes, I think so.
The big beast.
You're done.
Did you kill them all?
I think so.
You need to go wash it now.
George!
George, you have to help me.
It's my boy... he's in the canal!
You've got to wet your hair first.
Fifty-seven! I can get up to
if I count faster.
- Where's the soap?
- I don't know.
I need to pee.
Although neither side
is willing to say so openly, it's clear the threat to bring in troops
made the strike leaders back down. Clearing up all this mess will mean
thousands of poundsin bonuses and overtime
for the refuse collectors, compensating them for the nine weeks
they've been on strike. The threat of someone else
doing the workand the fact they'd lose
all the extra moneyproduced an abrupt
change of heart.
Your da's a hero.
- Is your mother or father in?
- My da's in, but he's sleeping. - We're from the council. Can we come in?
- Is it about our new house? Come on in.
Da.
It's the new house people. Wake up.
- Fuck off.
- It's the new house people.
- What?
Who the fuck are you?
I'm Miss McDonald. This is Mr. Mohan.
We're from the council.
We've come to inspect
the condition of your property
and assess your standard of living.
Have we caught you
at a bad time?
We just want to look around.
- Mrs. Fowler's boy was in the canal.
I had to go in the canal,
and I can't even swim.
I had to go through the rubbish
out back. Have you seen out there?
It's a fucking disgrace.
I see it's a three-bedroom property
you're looking for, Mr. Gillespie.
That's right.
Are we getting a big house
with a bath, a toilet and a field?
Are we, Da?
You'd better come back
when the wife's here.
We've got all the information we need.
Thanks very much, Mr. Gillespie.
Bye-bye now.
Sorry about the mess.
Come here, you.
Can't you fucking do anything right?
What did you let them in for?
- 'Cause I thought that...
- 'Cause you thought.
Are we still getting the new house?
If we don't, it's your fucking fault.
Now get out of my sight.
Would you hold still a minute?
What's the matter with you?
I'm itchy.
Are you about finished?
I think you caught something
in that canal.
All right, you're all done.
Margaret says the council inspectors
were up to see her house today.
They didn't come here, did they?
- Who?
This place was a mess.
Dad, here. Mr. Mullen never took
the money for it.
He didn't?
- Tell you what: You keep it, sweetie.
- Really? Thanks, Da.
He told me to tell you you're a hero.
- Did he?
Look at the face on you.
Here's your shoes, Daddy.
That's brilliant.
Can I have pence?
That's Mom's!
Where does that boy go?
Ladies and gentlemen,
boys and girls, it's a great pleasure for me
as Lord Provostto welcome you here...
Check out that guy's sideburns.
James, do you think Snowball's
on the moon yet?
You be quiet.
I don't want to hear another word
about that mouse. Now shut up.
- Even the McKays are moving soon.
- Yes, I heard, sweetie.
- When are we going to be moving?
- We'll hear soon.
You always say that.
I will now hand out
the certificates and the medals
as awards for your acts of bravery.
Thank you very much,
ladies and gentlemen.
As I call your name,
will you please come forward?
Thanks, George. Don't know what
I would have done.
I can't thank you enough.
What have you got to say
to Mr. Gillespie, Kenny?
We sent Snowball to the moon.
Didn't we, James?
What did I tell you to say?
Look at the man when you're speaking!
Thanks for saving my wife...
I mean life.
- My da's a hero.
- That's right, sweetheart.
Look, there he is up there.
See him?
- Alan McCallen.
- George Gillespie.
Da, it's lovely.
Can I keep it?
I'm going for a quick drink,
meeting the boys at the pub.
Don't be too long.
See you later, sweetie.
Ma, remember:
Put Tom Jones on.
Ma, I asked you to put Tom Jones on.
You weren't listening.
I told you to put Tom Jones on.
You guys wouldn't know a good tune
if it came up and bit you.
- Put Tom Jones on!
- Stop screaming in my ear.
Tom Jones is shit, Anne Marie.
You're a big shit.
Hey, you two, that's enough
of that language in my house.
- He said it first.
- You hear me, young lady?
- Da swears all the time.
- Okay, who's dancing?
Come on, who's gonna dance?
I'll dance by myself.
Me and your da were the best jivers
at the Lindella.
She's mad.
Is that right? Bet you couldn't do it.
Are you dancing?
You're supposed to say,
"Are you asking?" Are you dancing?
- No way.
- Come on, James. One dance for your Ma.
James can't jive.
James can't jive.
Watch this move.
James can jive.
Let's try a double.
- James can't jive.
- Yes, he can. James is a good jiver.
I'll dance with you, Ma.
One drink, one little drink. That's all.
Then you can go home.
You're a lovely woman,
but I need to go.
I don't have any money.
Come on.
I've got to go.
Buy yourself a drink, okay?
You're a lovely woman.
See you later, darling.
Look after yourself.
You too. Bye.
Mister, can you hold my cat for me
so I can go to the ice cream van?
Sure I can.
Be careful crossing the street.
- Yes, dear?
- Can I get one of these?
Where'd you get the cat, you pussy?
Fuck off, all of you.
Who do you think you're talking to?
Try them on.
I don't want to.
I bought them for you, you ungrateful
little bastard. Now get 'em on.
Look at 'em. They're too big.
Let me see.
I don't fuckin' like football!
I thought I heard a noise.
What are you doing up here, son?
Who are you looking for?
Don't you have a tongue
in your head?
Oh, my God, they're getting
younger and younger.
Another one.
Shit. There's your ma.
Don't worry, she won't come in.
Just turn the light out.
I'm freezing.
Aren't you coming in?
James, do you love me?
Yes.
Come on, let's go.
Don't forget that mask.
Get those masks on!
Scabs! You're nothing
but a bunch of scabs.
Every last one of you.
- Shut your face. It's about time
these bags were cleared. You mind your own business,
you old cow!
Hey, come on.
Beat it!
James!
Look!
- Can I get up?
- No, we're too busy.
James, look. I killed it.
I thought you were
a member of the RSPCA.
My ma says they're verm... verm...
They're pests.
You're ma's looking for you.
- Is she?
Yes.
Look at the moon.
Hello, Snowball.
Snowball's dead, Kenny.
You killed him.
Calm down, for fuck's sake.
Go for it.
Poor cow, poor cow,
poor cow, poor cow.
Come on, it's my turn.
Remember, be nice to him.
I'm not your pal anymore.
Fuck off, fuck off.
- Fucking spastic!
- I saw you, I saw you, I saw you.
You killed Ryan Quinn.
You killed him.
Where have you been?