- Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, 1904. Willie MacLean is an 12-year-old with a passion for horses and is helping his family get by the best since the death of his older brother in at the local coal mine (the Pit). Willie's older sister, Nellie, is perused by the Scot newcomer Ned Hall, who is always at odds with the mine's owner, Mr. Frawley over the working conditions. Meanwhile, Charley is hiding from the widow MacTavish over her husband's death, while Willie decides to enter his beloved horse, Sable, in a riding competition.—Anonymous
- Glace Bay, Cape Brenton, Nova Scotia, Canada; 1904. Willie MacLean is a 12-year-old schoolboy struggling to keep his family together some years after the death of his older brother, and recent death of his father, both miners, at the local coal mine. Willie is planning to race his beloved horse in a race at an annual Miners Picnic against Spider, a local 'pit boy' under the tutelage of Charley, Willie's horse handler. Willie's older sister, Nellie, is hoping that miner Ned Hall will propose marriage to her so he can support her, Willie, and their two younger siblings, Sarah and Maggie. Ned frequently locks horns with the officious mine owner, Mr. Frawley, over the poor working conditions and asks him for a promotion to the dangerous 'face level' so he can earn more money. Meanwhile, Willie's school teacher, Ann Harper, a young woman from Boston, is hoping Willie will not be able to return to work in the pit, and hopes to spruce up the Miners Picnic with her special clam chowder.—Anonymous
- Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, 1904. Spider beats up Willie, a slightly larger boy. A boy (Angus) and a girl (both smaller than Willie or Spider) are cheering for Willie. Two larger boys are cheering for Spider. Spider is a pit boy at the local mine while Willie attends school. The girl, Molly, kicks one of the larger boys with Spider. Willie says he has been training for weeks and is not going to back out.
Ned Hall asks Mr. Frawley to put him on the mine face with Allan MacKinnon as his partner. Ned arrives for dinner at Nellie's, Willie's older sister. He has gotten the job at the face, which is a more dangerous job, but it pays more. Ned says they can get married on Saturday. Nellie says he hasn't even asked. After she sends him outside he asks. Her little sisters, Maggie and Sarah, chant "yes, yes, yes." Willie, asks Nellie if she is going to accept Ned's proposal. She says she won't be taken for granted. Willie asks who will pay the rent. Nellie says Willie won't have to go back to work in the mine but she won't say yes to Ned just to keep their house.
A fiddler practices and a girl step dances. Charley and Jeremiah expound. It is the miner's picnic. Charley is hiding from the widow MacTavish. Charley does not want to be a judge for the step dancing, saying the he is a singer. But when he sees Mrs. MacTavish coming he grabs the judges badge and ducks under the wooden stage to hide. Willie is going to have his horse Sable compete. When he sees Spider he runs and hides leaving Molly McIntyre and Angus to brush Sable. Angus (who is smaller than anyone) decides to run and hide too. A group of young women are step dancing on the stage in a line. Little girls watch and step dance on the grass. Charley and Willie are both hiding under the wooden stage. Charley is wearing a judges badge and claiming he is judging by listening. (He is still hiding from widow MacTavish.)
Anne Harper, a school teacher from Boston, is entering her clam Chowder in the cooking contest. Mrs. MacTavish doesn't think someone from Boston can prepare a good chowder. And people from Boston are "hoity toity" she tells Nellie. Mrs. MacTavish suggests that Nellie not waste time and grab onto Ned. A woman with a baby, Flora McClure, walks by. Mrs. MacTavish tells Nellie the story of Flora McClure as she tastes the chowders. Flora McClure's husband was killed when his faulty lamp went out and he was crawling back in total darkness by feel back to the rake to be picked up. But he got ran over by the rake since the driver who didn't see him. Now the company has evicted her and her baby, turned them out of her house. And there is another baby on the way. Nellie is worried about the dangerous promotion Ned has taken. Mrs. MacTavish wonders why Nellie hasn't been thrown out of her house. Nellie explains that Ned has been paying the rent. Mrs. MacTavish has selected the best chowder. She takes a second taste. Nellie points out that it is Miss Harper's chowder. Mrs. MacTavish is surprised.
Willie and Spider race their horses. The horses are pulling weights (a large set of boards) which drag behind them. Sable takes the lead. Willie is unwilling to use the switch on Sable. Willie drops his switch. Spider switches his horse liberally and passes Willie and wins. Charley sings. (He is ok but a group of people listen.) Mrs. MacTavish says he has the voice of an angel to Miss Harper who agrees. Mrs. MacTavish gives Miss Harper the blue ribbon for her clam chowder and says she must have been taking lessons from a local.
As Ned asks Nellie to marry him, Nellie recounts losing her grandfather, brother and father to the pit. Mrs. McClure walks by and they give her condolences. Flora says they killed him and threw her out of her house. She hates the pit. Ned agrees to go for a farm if that is what Nellie wants. Miss Harper says she is proud of Willie and she gives Willie her blue ribbon. Spider sees and he takes it and rides off. Willie chases him on Sable. Willie grabs the blue ribbon as Sable passes Spider and his horse.
Mr. Frawley gives a speech. The mine is planning to start using electricity as he demonstrates by turning on some lights. Ned proposes again and Nellie says "yes".
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What is the broadcast (satellite or terrestrial TV) release date of The Light to the Future (1999) in Australia?
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