The Long Song (2018) s01e03 Episode Script

1 They won't rise against us.
They lack any ability to organise themselves.
You have a fine son.
A new slave, soon taken.
In just a few days, slavery will be finally abolished.
Right, there's another one here! There, there! - Where you be going in it? - Fishing.
I've made a plan.
I'm to be married to Robert Goodwin! This be good medicine.
Soothe the memory of your first child.
- You are my true wife, July.
- No, no! No, no! This field should be finished by now.
Well, send someone to find them and get them to work.
I will need you all to work seven full days a week from now on.
And don't be fool, just cos you have him pickney.
Him be good and him be fair! - Move it! - SHE YELPS We be slaves no more! Maybe it help if you just talk to the workers.
I've talked to them.
THEY CHAN Christmas a come, me wan me lama Christmas a come, me wan me lama.
I'll make them beg to work for me.
VOICEOVER: That Christmas, the sugar cane grew sweeter and taller than ever before seen in Jamaica.
Now it must be cut, boiled, barrelled and sold or Amity plantation would be finished.
But how all this get done now slaves be free? ROOSTER CROWS Robert Goodwin could think of nothing else but bringing his harvest home.
BABY MOANS Where you going? I have to work.
Just go back to sleep.
And July did fear her sweet, sweet husband prepare for battle.
- Dublin? - Dublin! - Come! - Come now! Come! Come! - What it say? - Come, read it.
- Massa going to double our rent! - No true! True! And hear this, start from today! Him try force us work seven days! Slavery.
Slavery has returned to Amity.
And so did battle commence.
INDISTINCT CHATTER Them coming from the village! It's quite all right, I'm expecting them.
- Massa, we not - I know why you've come and I wish to explain that I have taken this measure of increasing your rents for your own good.
You've all lived too long as slaves to really understand what's - now in your own best interests.
- But, Massa, that not be right! I have listened! You must understand that your houses, they belong to me, therefore I can rent them out to whomever I choose for whatever price I choose.
That's my right, you see, as a landowner.
So it will now be better for you to work seven days a week, because then you will be able to pay the new rent.
And anyone who does not pay the rent in full will be evicted.
THEY MUTTER AND GASP I am doing this for your own benefit.
I am.
Because whatever benefits the plantation, it benefits you, - the workers.
- But Massa Let me finish! Let me finish.
Let's put the past behind us, right? For once.
And let's come together, seven days a week, and let's make Amity Plantation once more the pride of Jamaica, of England, and of her great Empire.
Yes? Yes? Yes?! No.
One small word, 300 years coming.
Huh.
Hmm.
Well spoken, husband.
INDISTINCT SHOUTING No, me see it! Him ride up and he nail it to the tree! - Me see him walk - Hush up, hush up, hush up.
Hush up! Hush up! - Hush up mow! - Oh, shhh! - Massa no hear we.
- Him no listen.
Him say we must work as him direct or him will throw us out of we homes! Not fair! Him can't throw - we out! - This what him say.
- We not pay more rent! No more rent! Where we going to get the money? Hush, hush up! Hear me now! There be lands to the west of here, past the cotton tree, where no white man go.
No rent be paid, no bakkra come.
And there we could live, free.
- Yes! - Mm-hmm.
But the land be bad there - too many stone and rock.
No water.
We can't make it work there.
We have we home here! Our garden feed we! It's here we must stay! There be only one way to make the Massa listen.
- How? - We stop work and we pay no rent! CHEERING - Then him gone hear we! - CHEERING AND SHOUTING We going to make Massa listen to we, whether he want to listen or not! Next daybreak, the conch was not blown.
For three long days, the fields lay empty, the ripe cane rotting in the sun.
INSECTS BUZZ And for three long nights, Robert Goodwin did not sleep.
No.
BABY CRIES Sshhhh.
CRYING CONTINUES SHE GRUNTS Molly? Molly! Molly! Oh! For goodness' sake! Get it away, get it away! Get it away! No.
It's all right, it's all right.
It's all right.
- God Almighty! - It be gone, it be gone! No, it be gone! How many times have I told you to rid this place of them?! Come, come, come, come.
Come.
Sit.
Sit down, eat.
Me have bread and boil egg and tea.
- No, no.
- Do you want mango? The men will be here soon.
.
and I want to be there to meet them, so just join me there once you've seen to the child.
And bring the map.
Molly.
You can keep her close to you.
Make her stay inside? All right.
You have cow milk? Fresh? - Fresh this morning.
- All right.
Give it to her if she wakes, all right? Oh, mama soon come.
BABY CRIES Elias, come.
Firstly, I want to make this plain - this day is to serve as a warning to all the workers on this plantation, understood? - About time, too.
- Right, show the map.
Come on, boy, show the map! Whoa, easy, whoa! Easy! HORSES WHINNY Come on, come on! Quickly! The workers village is there.
Do you see it? Our first task will be to ride in and set fire to their gardens, - burn their crops to the ground.
- We should burn them out? No, no, no.
Do not burn their houses down.
They'll be needed again once the negroes have agreed to return to work.
Now, these fires should bring the workers out into the fields to try and save their crops.
That will be our cue to move inside their houses where only the women and children will remain.
But you can throw their belongings out into the lanes, kill their animals, trample their crops, make as much noise as possible.
- And we can use our guns? - Yes, yes, but with care.
I do not want anyone killed.
And be in no doubt, gentlemen, I mean to frighten every last one of those negroes and make it plain that I will evict anyone who does not work exactly as I direct! - Yes? - Yes.
- Yes.
May God protect and help us this day as we do thy work.
Ya! Come on! That be all? Marguerite! Marguerite, where are you? Marguerite! Marguerite, he hasn't come back.
Is he in here with you? No, him not here.
Oh, it's actually quite pleasant in here.
I'm so worried about him.
What if he's been set upon? What if he's lying somewhere, injured? What if? I don't know what to do.
Would you come up and sit with me? Me must look after me pickney.
Emily, me little girl.
She must be fed.
You may, you may bring the child.
Me no have to serve you no more.
Please.
The negroes drove him to this action.
What other course could he have taken? He's tried so hard, he's done everything he could.
Negroes cannot be reasoned with.
If these abolitionists in England had actually lived with slaves, they would know that freeing them is folly, it's folly! I've been here before.
I know how this happens.
Can't speak of it.
It's not his fault.
YELLING AND GUNSHOTS - BABY GURGLES - Oh, this dear little one.
So light-skinned.
You look just like him.
Not like a nigger child at all.
She's adorable.
What did you say she was called? Robert! Oh, God, what's happened?! It's been a great success.
We've triumphed.
They finally understand where their duty lies - - to their master and to God! - Robert, you're safe! They're to commence taking off four of the cane pieces tomorrow morning at conch blow.
They've assured me of it.
CAROLINE LAUGHS - Well done! - Yes! Yes, if my father were here today, I believe he would shake my hand.
- Yes, he would! - He would.
- Sit down.
- Right.
- Yes.
- Yes.
Oh, God, you've been hurt! Oh, will you bring some water quickly, Marguerite?! No, it's fine.
Yes.
You heard your mistress, Marguerite.
Bring some water.
You've done it! Will they cut the cane now? - It'll get in on time? - James has told me they will.
That night was the first night since him baby born that Robert Goodwin did not come to his maidservant's bed.
And though she lay awake all night in hope the new day dawned silent once again.
You're still here, husband.
What? Did the conch blow? Did you hear the conch? No.
Jackson! Jackson! Bring my horse! Where's Papa, hmm? When's Papa coming home? Where be Miss July? Miss July! - Miss July! Whoa, whoa, whoa! - Where be the Massa? Massa in the east field.
Him not right, Miss July! - Him hurt? - Him not hurt but him not good.
What is it? What's wrong with him, boy? He not speak, Mrs! Molly! Molly! Take Emily, keep her safe with you till me get back, yeah? - And what are you doing? - Bring him home.
Him not right.
What? Wait! Wait! Help me, boy, help me! Husband! - Robert! - Where he be? He be here before.
Right here.
Robert! Where where, where are all the negroes? Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Husband! Come.
Come, husband, what you be doing? Please, you must stop this! You cannot cut cane.
Husband, please! The negroes have all gone, every one of them.
They've deserted me.
HE CHUCKLES There's not one left on the whole plantation.
- There's not one left! - You come.
Come.
Hmm? Come.
Just come back to the house and rest.
You must - No, no, no! - Something's not right, Robert! No! I've no need for negroes now, look! Look, I can do it myself! Look! Robert, please! Stop! Come home! - Do not touch me! - Please, Robert! Come How dare you touch me, nigger! I told you not to touch me! SHE SCREAMS I told you not to touch me! - Mercy, Massa! Mercy, Massa! - Don't touch me! - Robert! - What are you doing?! - JULY SCREAMS AND GASPS I'm not I'm just trying to What had become of July's so sweet, true, true husband? Gone.
FLUTTERING SHE GASPS But what of the workers who once toil so hard at Amity? Where did they go? Them flee that burning village to find the lands that Dublin Hilton did speak of.
James Richards did make the plan for the felling of trees and the building of huts.
Clearing the land for the planting of crops was driven by Peggy Jump.
Here, at last, they would be undisturbed by white men.
Come now, all for this this this be free! And without them, all Robert Goodwin's fine dreams lay in tatters.
Robert.
Robert, I beg you, I beg you whisper what is wrong so that it might be made right.
Talk to me.
Robert, you must take water.
You must! SHE GASPS Robert, you must take water, otherwise you will die.
Come on, please! - Me must try! - No! No! - He will take water from me.
- No! Out, out! Get out! He cannot see any negroes now! The doctor has made it quite plain.
It is negroes that have caused him this illness! But me make him well again! - Him need no bakkra doctor! - You leave, you leave him! It is absolutely out of the question! I forbid you from going into that room! Get away! - BABY CRIES - And keep that child quiet! Hmm Emily? Robert?! CRYING CONTINUES Emily.
Shh.
Hush, shh.
- Hmm? We were shouting.
- Mm-hmm.
- BABY SETTLES Marguerite.
I would like to take the child to see Robert.
I think it might help him.
BABY CRIES No.
No, me can take her to him.
That's simply not possible.
You know I cannot risk him being any further upset.
Marguerite it's his life! It's his life.
When he wakes and he asks for you, then you may go in.
Until then, I cannot take the risk.
Then me can see him? When he asks for you, yes.
May I? Here.
Here she is.
Robert, I've brought you Emily.
EMILY GURGLES After that, Emily was brought to Robert Goodwin for a short while every day.
Soon he would take water, tea and milk.
CHOPPING Why, hmm? - Miss July, why you stay here? - What? Well, him not even look upon you no more.
- Only have eyes for him Miss Emily.
- That not be true! That be true.
All do know it.
- No.
No, no, no, no.
- Yes, yes.
Him try kill you! Him be sick and me make him well again.
No, it's no good, Marguerite.
Byron is under strict instruction not to let you in.
- But me must see him! - No.
No, no, I've told you 100 times.
He hasn't asked for you, so You cannot keep me from him! Me is a free woman now, just like you! No.
He does not want to see you.
He said so himself.
Then him no see Emily no more! Well, it matters not.
He's getting stronger by the day and, as soon as he is well enough, we will leave for England.
That day can't come soon enough.
Molly? Molly! EMILY CRIES - Mama gon' rock.
- INDISTINCT VOICES Hmm, Papa.
- Mama gon' rock.
- LAUGHTER - Robert, my love.
- Yes, yes! GASPING Hey! You is to place this dish before the Massa, you hear? - Yes, Miss July.
- Hold on.
INDISTINCT VOICES - The Massa, not the Mrs.
- Mm-hmm.
- And no drop it! - Yes, Miss July.
All right.
Well, that is the idea, yes? What does your father say in his letter, my dear? Father says we shouldn't take the stagecoach from London when we arrive but hire a carriage and pair to bring us to Chesterfield instead.
Mm.
More comfortable, he says, and safer.
Oh, I can only hope our voyage home is calmer than the one that brought me here.
That was the worst possible journey! The storms were appalling! Well, they can be dreadful, yes, of course.
What's this? Christ Almighty! Jesus Christ! - What the? - Oh, God! Get them off! - Get them off me! - CAROLINE SHRIEKS HE CHUCKLES Byron, Byron.
Remember Miss July is not to be allowed anywhere near the house or the garden, hmm? Do not let her return to her room until we've quite departed.
And do not under any circumstances permit her to approach either the mistress or myself.
- Understood? - Yes, Massa.
Neither of us wishes to bid her any sort of goodbye, savvy? - Savvy? Savvy, boy? - Yes, Massa.
Good! Right, go! Mistress.
Mistress.
Me have milk.
Fresh.
You want me take Miss Emily and feed her? I love you.
Never, never doubt that.
- I'm yours.
- HORSES WHINNY Molly? Molly? Molly! - Elias.
- Hmm? Where Molly be? - Miss Molly not here.
She gone.
- What? Well, where she go? She be gone to England with the Mrs.
Me took them in the cart.
Did she - did she have pickney? - Mm-hmm.
She carried the Massa's pickney with her.
What?! No, no, no, no! Them gone! Ship sail! - Miss July, ship already sail! - JULY WAILS SHE SCREAMS SHE SOBS And what did become of our July? She did pack up her belongings into a cloth bag and walk in upon the town.
And there did she rent for herself a fine shop and lodging house.
And such was the demand from travellers of the very highest rank that our July grew richer and richer.
So there is no need to feel pity for the plight of our July, oh, no.
Tcha! If only that were true.
After Emily was taken, there was only one place our July knew to go.
By the time she reached there she barely had breath left in her.
Lord! Hey! Come here! Me think it be the girl from the house! - Who that? - Yes, who? - Whit be? She all right? - Move! Give me space! INDISTINCT CHATTER July! Ssshh, you're safe.
Here she was tenderly nursed back to health and them free negroes did give her food and shelter, and with them she did settle.
We gon' take care of you.
- We make you well again.
- JULY MUMBLES INDISTINCTLY Ssshh.
But I have not the stomach to tell of the trouble them all did see on that stony scrap of land.
Must I write of the planters come to burn them out? CHILDREN GIGGLE Of drought and flood and earthquake? Of hunger and of yellow fever, or of digging the earth for so many graves? No.
All I will say is that July did grow old until one day Oi! Where did you get that chicken? - I, I don't do nothing! - You stole it! I don't do nothing! Take your hands off me! What you doing? Let me go! GAVEL BANGS Silence! Quiet! The next case concerns the larceny of a domestic hen, Your Worship.
Very well, get on with it.
Place your hand upon the Bible and tell the court your full name.
SHE MUMBLES Speak up to the court! For pity's sake! Someone fetch her some water.
While we're waiting, let's hear the facts.
Your Worship, the accused was found by the town constable at two o'clock yesterday afternoon.
She was in possession of a fowl which he established had been stolen from one of the market vendors.
Hmm, I see.
Where does she live? Where does she work? She is a squatter on the lands that border the old Amity plantation, Your Worship.
There used to be a number of negroes living there, but the land is poor and many have succumbed to starvation.
There's only a handful left.
Can you now speak your name? July.
July? July what? Me no steal the hen! Someone upon Allen Pen did give it to me to raise, and me did raise it! Is she saying she owned the hen herself? Me place me hand upon the book and the Lord strike me down - if me not speak true! - What?! She is prepared to swear upon the Bible, Your Worship.
Has she been in front of us before? It seems not, Your Worship.
Oh! Let her go! It's too hot to be dealing with this kind of trivia.
Case dismissed! GAVEL BANGS And what of me hen? He make me lose it! It was me only hen and now me have none! DOOR SLAMS Excuse me, madam.
Madam, you are July July of Amity Plantation? You were once a slave on that plantation, I believe.
No, not me.
But I believe you are.
I, I was in the courtroom just now.
Madam my name is Thomas Kinsman.
Please, would you permit me to escort you to my house, to give you some food and drink? At first I did not trust this shiny-shoe black man.
I believed his charity to be a trick.
And yet my belly was empty.
Come, what did I have left to lose? Hmm.
Are you quite comfortable, madam? Why you talk so? I was brought up in England.
I went to school in the great City of London.
I was just 12 years old when I was apprenticed to a printer in that city.
Although I was the only black boy in his employment, he treated me fairly, judged me on my merit alone.
In time he taught me everything he knew about his trade, that printer.
And when he died Did this man desire a servant to scurry and run? No, no, no.
I would never serve again.
Here we are.
Come, meet my wife, Lilian.
All right, boy.
CLOCK TICKS Thank you, my dear.
Come.
You see, madam, I I sold up that printing business in London and, and decided to start afresh here in Jamaica because, all my life, I've had a question, a burning question.
I I had these papers, you see.
Why this man was recounting this long, long tale, I did not know.
I resolved to eat his food and leave.
Madam, I have been searching ever since I arrived here.
The public records, the court lists, libraries.
I'd nearly given up hope of finding you alive.
Madam, these papers tell of a baby left on the steps of a Baptist church 34 years ago.
The minister's wife, she found out the name of the young slave girl who left the child - July of Amity Plantation.
Madam, I I was that baby.
And I have lived within my son's house from that day to this.
Corrine? Louise? My son, him bid me write my story down and him will make it into a printed book, bound in leather and stamped in gold.
"It is important," him say.
I still think of my baby girl, grown up now in England.
Does she know her true mama was born a slave? Maybe my book reach her one day.
Mama, come.
We have a feast! My story is finally at an end.
The Long Song has come full up-to-date.
But my voice is only one among so, so many that are now lost, but whose lives should never be forgotten.