A Thousand Blows (2024) s01e06 Episode Script

1
I am looking for Lao.
Very easy for me to pin
both the stolen silver
and this murder on
you and your girls.
We're gonna hang for it and that's if
the Elephant Boys don't get to us first.
- Fuck.
- Indigo Jeremy's gonna be fuckin' furious.
Why don't you take the lead,
because you crave it so much?
No, the world won't forget what you did,
but I won't let them take you either.
Why do you fight for people
who are nothing to ya?
Lao Lam, I'm so pleased
to finally meet you.
Take him.
Buster Williams, world championship
bout, that's what you're proposing?
Yes.
It's opportunities like dis we
used to dream 'bout for real now.
There's been a whole change of plan
with the you versus Hezekiah thing.
[referee] Oi!
[contender groans]
Lunatic!
I've angered the Elephant gang.
But you'd have my
total protection
- if you marry me.
- No.
[Sugar] For the crime of
betraying his brother,
Treacle Goodson will be
barred from this pub!
[cheering]
[Treacle] You're angry at
me for taking your place,
well, Hezekiah's taken it
all, and you just let him.
And as for Mary, no wonder
she's not interested in ya.
[Treacle grunting, screaming]
Esme, where is Alec?
[Eliza] I'm so sorry.
Hezekiah Moscow?
Who the fuck waan fi know?
[child] This is a gift to
you from the Elephant Boys.
[Hezekiah] Alec!
Alec!
You remember Dead Yard?
All the people, the food
[chuckles]
the song.
Me would ramp and run around
until Daddy would say,
"It's not a party, it's
a time for respect."
And you would always ask,
"Why it tek so long?"
And his answer would be,
"Because that's how
long a spirit needs.
Nine nights, that's the
length of the journey."
But this is just
where it begins.
When your soul leave me
Brother
what now?
[crows cawing]
[pastor] O eternal
God and Father,
you are not the God of the
dead but of the living.
Cover us with your mercy,
dear Father, protect us from
fearing the sting of death
and lead us,
Father, to your son,
who is the way, the truth
- [sniffles, sighs]
- and the life.
[sighs]
- [pastor] We commend unto thy hand
- You have to be strong.
It don't make no sense.
Alec never troubled
nobody. Who would do this?
You can't let it haunt you.
[pastor] ashes to
ashes, dust to dust.
And we beseech thine infinite
goodness to give us grace
to live in thy fear and love
and to die in thy favour.
I see he decided against coming.
It's a shame. It might
lift his spirits.
It might be a while before Hezekiah
does anything that makes sense.
Why are you here?
Indigo.
The bodies are piling, Mary.
And they'll continue to pile
until you respect order.
Your precious boxer
had a near miss.
Don't let your luck run out.
I want you at Elephant and
Castle where I can see ya.
[Treacle] Well, Hezekiah's taken
it all, and you just let him.
All you've got left
is this dump of a pub.
And as for Mary [stammers]
Yeah, fuck it. I'll say it.
No wonder she's not
interested in ya.
- [glass shatters]
- [Treacle screaming]
- What have you done? What have you done?
- Stop it, Marianne!
[Punch] Sugar? What did you do?
Where's Treacle?
- Did you kill him?
- Uncle, what have you done?
[sobbing]
[Punch] Sugar?
[Sugar grunting]
Uncle Sugar?
Punch told me I
might find you here.
I thought you should know
my father's awake.
[Belle] That's the last one.
Don't just stand there with
your mouths open. Carry on.
Was this the plan all along?
Rally the troops, scurry out
of here like rats, no warning?
And if we told you,
what would it change?
I might remind you
of your duties.
What about the duties to
our own fucking necks, Mary?
You just keep inching closer
and closer to the fire
with no signs of stopping.
You're being hysterical, Eliza.
I rely on you to be steady.
No, you relied on me
to betray my instincts.
Not again. We're
going back to Jane's.
Indigo's warning, would we
have even known without Jane?
If I rang a bell every time a
man issued a fucking threat,
- nothing would get done.
- Open your fucking eyes, Mary.
It's not just a
threat. Alec's dead.
We're out of options. Face it.
Is this it?
Is it?
We were in this for life,
but you're not leading us
to a place we understand.
[sniffles] It's time to go.
[officer 1] You won't have long.
[Hezekiah] Sorry I
didn't come sooner.
[Lao] Hey. You are here now.
- I tried to stop it.
- Hezekiah.
- I wanted to protect you.
- Hey.
No, no, no. Lao, you shouldn't
be in here like this.
[Hezekiah breathing shakily]
Hezekiah.
In a matter of days I'll be handed
over to the Chinese government to die.
And we can grieve about
what things could have been
but that won't change the facts.
A better use of our time would
be to face what is haunting you.
Alec, um
Alec gone.
He was killed.
[breathes shakily]
[sighs] It's me bring
him here and him gone.
And now
Now I have a fight
like never before.
But why should I fight? Hmm?
How will it change?
I step inside the ring
now, and I'm lost.
Alec teach me things I
never knew I could do.
And after all him show me
[scoffs] and we come here,
I fight and win.
And not once did I
ask if him happy.
[sucks teeth]
I never knew if him happy.
[sucks teeth]
Together this was your dream.
You know what you have to do.
- You did it as a boy.
- [scoffs]
You lost the world, and look
at the man you are today.
You hold that pain
in both your hands,
and you focus it.
Your story is just beginning.
[Alec] Hezekiah.
Fight if yuh gwan fight.
[grunting]
[screams, grunts]
[breathing heavily]
Why am I here, Mary?
I see something in you.
- That's why I'm keeping you close.
- Really?
Because from what I hear
you don't have much choice.
I don't need anyone by my side
who don't want to be here.
That thing we discussed,
that's pressing.
Head to the infirmary,
tell Charlie Mitchell we
want one of his corpses.
[scoffs] And then what,
Mary? Stuff it in a satchel?
The rest will be revealed.
You know, so far I've gone along
with this, no questions asked.
But you're gonna need to give
me a little more than that.
I'll give you this,
I am fucking tired.
No matter what I do in this
place, everything turns to shit.
I'm going away.
New York, fresh start.
There's a man over
there who might help me.
- A man?
- My father.
But before I go, there are
things to set straight.
Why are you telling
me all of this?
'Cause you won't stop me.
Despite both our misgivings, we're
the only ones not ruled by fear.
Now get me that body.
[journalist 1] Mr Moscow,
statement for the Herald?
A statement for the press,
ahead of the fight, Mr Moscow?
[journalists clamouring]
[Earl] Mr Moscow is
feeling just fine.
Gentlemen, I think you
might want to hear me.
I think I have more to say, I think
I can answer all your questions.
Follow my lead.
Come along with me, gentlemen.
One for you later on, sir.
- Have you ever fought a world champion?
- [Earl] All your answers lie within.
[Peggy] He'll be
here any minute, Hez.
- Keep focused.
- [banging on door]
[Jerry] Hear ye, hear ye.
All the way from New York
City, Buster Williams!
That's the Gentleman
for you, boys.
Subtlety was never a strong
suit for the Americans.
- [journalist 2] Mr Moscow?
- That's him.
[journalist 2] Only one day to
the big fight. Are you ready?
Mr Moscow, just a
moment of your time.
Mr Williams is a highly
regarded man in this sport.
Many are describing your
contest as ill-matched.
Any concerns?
- Mr Bettinson?
- Yes?
Any more on your decision
to weigh the opponents
before the event
here tomorrow night?
[Peggy] Well, why not?
Adds balance to the competition.
Nothing great was ever spoiled
by structure. Write that.
And Lord Lonsdale, what's your
response to those cynics who say
this is just another hobby?
A contest at this
level in nature
is rare.
In 1810,
we had Molineaux versus Cribb.
Now, all that did
was stir up questions
about British skill versus
ancestral advantage.
No, no, no, no, no.
I say let 'em fight
before our eyes.
We'll decide if all men actually
do enter the ring as equals.
Hezekiah Moscow of Jamaica.
- [spectator] Yeah.
- And the Brooklyn Gent.
We might just end the debate
between science and strength.
[spectators chuckling]
[door closes]
[Jerry] You left in a rush.
You didn't like what he said.
You know, in this business,
it works to have thick skin.
- What people dem say does not concern me.
- Oh.
But it should.
See, in the people's minds
that's the real game.
You know?
Right now, my fighter is
out there embracing women
and shaking the
hands of working men.
He's more than a fighting man.
He's an idea.
What's your point?
[Jerry sighs]
I bet you have no
idea who I am, do you?
I'm the man that's gonna teach
you what your trainers never did.
That this world, for all
its science and progress,
will never see a day where someone
like you stands over a man like Buster
and watches him bleed.
See, I think they'd
be more inclined
to accept the version of events where
you are, in fact, a fierce opponent
where Buster faces resistance,
but perseveres in a
victory of skill, in say
the third round?
We have to make it
worth their time,
and I will make it worth yours.
So we can all leave with our
dignity and you with your life.
What do you say?
[patient coughing]
Here for Goodson.
Thank you.
I want him gone.
Madam, please.
Haven't you done enough?
I thought I saw the worst of you,
Sugar, but you know what you are?
You're a weight around
that man's neck.
Marianne, no.
[sniffles] Come on, girls.
Rent and food are paid till
you're up on your feet.
Marianne and the kids
- will want for nothing.
- [scoffs]
Is that all you
came here to say?
You know the man I am.
Yeah.
I'm reminded of that
every day I lay here.
Stay away, Sugar.
I fuckin' mean it.
From all of us,
especially my son.
I used to look at you
and everything you had,
your life and your family.
[sniffles]
And I thought it was all
because of my protection.
But now I know what you
found was in spite of me.
But I didn't get it
all wrong, Treacle.
The Blue Coat Boy,
everything we built
well, now it's yours.
[officer 1] Couple of new
ones came in this morning.
Let's see how long
they last down here.
[officer 2] Mmm.
[officer 1] Yeah?
If you wouldn't mind
opening the gate, gentlemen?
Are you new here?
This place is high
security, love.
Them souls are
unredeemable, I'm afraid.
It pains me how untrue those
words are in the eyes of our Lord.
Just how it pains me to know
that your families will starve
when the Governor hears you
blocked his direct orders.
Just make it quick.
[prisoners clamouring]
[prisoner whistling]
[Lao] Alice, what are you doing?
[breathing heavily]
Congratulations, Mr Lao.
You are now a dead man.
Luckily for you, I have
connections everywhere,
including Her Majesty's prisons.
You're under watchful eyes
so we provided a body.
Saves questions from
the authorities.
I think the word you're
looking for is thanks.
Here are your clothes and
your ticket to Liverpool.
[Mary] Where you'll start a new life
and never look back at the East End.
Mary.
What have you done?
I have stopped the sky
from falling on your head.
It was not your place to do so.
I cannot go.
If I live, what about Hezekiah?
- He needs me.
- Who do you think I did this for?
Living would only leave you hunted
every day until your final breath.
Do you think he'd want that?
Death is the only freedom
left after what you did, Lao.
And this is not a negotiation.
[breathes deeply]
[Mary] Hezekiah Moscow
outside his quarters.
It's a rare sight.
Not in the mood for
jokes tonight, Mary.
Lao is safe.
How can a man be safe
if he's waiting to die?
He is safe because I freed him.
But first I put him there.
It was the only way, Hez.
Think about what he did.
You cannot kill a man
without consequence.
Well, what was in it for you?
I know it's hard to believe
in anything right now,
but I have a plan and
it is going to work.
Me and you, fresh start.
After this fight,
you'll have your winnings,
you'll have a name in America.
- There's an open door.
- [scoffs]
Trust me, Hez, it's a
new world over there.
Women in my line of work, they sit at
the table with men making decisions.
And you you take your
fighting to the next level.
You chase all your dreams.
All you need to do is win.
[spectators chattering]
One last time because
someone interrupted.
We split up. Two groups.
First three rows have the only
names worth bothering with.
We move fast.
This ain't the Blue Coat Boy, and
you can hear a pin drop in there.
So, we strike when there's
raised voices or excitement.
Yes?
You with us, Esme?
Yeah, I am.
Good.
Right. Take positions then,
ladies. We've no time to waste.
Break.
[bell dings]
Calm! Quiet!
- Ladies and gentlemen, your contender
- [trumpets playing]
Good evening. I'm here.
[Jerry] Let's gather round.
Our heavenly Father.
We ask that your will is done,
and you stand with
Buster inside that ring.
Mr Moscow? Sir?
A message for you
from Miss Davies, sir.
The best of luck.
[Victoria] Sir,
when so far away from home, I find
comfort in these words from Shakespeare.
"All the world's a stage and all
the men and women merely players."
You have every reason to win.
Victoria Davies.
[MC] Ladies and gentlemen,
you join us today
in what is said to
be a landmark event,
a prize title competition that has sent
ripples throughout the city and the world.
From New York,
we have the esteemed and so
far undefeated Buster Williams.
- [cheering]
- Otherwise known as the Brooklyn Gent!
And residing right here
in London's East End,
- we have the one
- Hezekiah Moscow of Morant Bay!
A Jamaican Hakka man!
My name means
strength of the Lord.
And I am here to fight like
my people are watching.
[spectators murmuring]
[sparse applause]
Seconds out.
Round one.
- [bell dings]
- Hey!
[referee] Gentlemen,
come to the middle.
Touch gloves.
Box on.
[bell dings]
[Jerry] Watch that jab!
That's it. Watch that jab!
That's it!
Focus, Buster.
Keep up that pace!
- That's it!
- Ooh.
[Jerry] That's it.
- That's it, Buster.
- You like that?
[Jerry] Let him have it.
- Let him dance. Let him dance!
- Here we go.
Find it, Hez. Find the rhythm.
- You're dancing?
- Let him dance. Let him dance.
- Let him tire himself out.
- Come on. Let's see you throw some, huh?
Come on, use the right one!
- [groans]
- [Jerry] Less talking.
- That's it! That's it!
- [spectators gasp]
[Jerry] Check, Buster.
Keep your guard up!
Concentrate!
- [bell dings]
- It's our round.
- [chuckles]
- [Jerry] Buster, sit down.
- Sit down.
- [Buster] Nice moves.
Listen to me.
Stay focused.
- Let him get tired. Watch the feet.
- You got it.
[bell dings]
Stay focused.
Stay on him, Buster!
Watch that hook! There he
is. There he is! Recover!
Watch yourself! That's
it! That's it! Yes!
Go, Buster!
You lay down now like a good boy,
and I might just let you live.
[referee] Whoa, whoa,
whoa. Back up. Back up.
- Referee!
- Referee!
[Jerry shouting, muffled]
[muffled] Get out of his way!
[muffled] Stick to the
plan. This is your round.
[muffled] Right now, all out!
Go!
[muffled] Buster, what
did I say? What did I say?
[referee] One
[Jerry] Come on, Buster!
- Listen to what I said!
- [referee] two
- Oh!
- Thank you.
[referee] three
[Peggy, muffled]
Wake up, Hezekiah!
[laughing]
Hezekiah, me don't
waan you to fi sorry.
I waan you fi be great.
[muffled] Move!
Hez, Hez. Come on.
[muffled] Come on, Hez.
Hez, come on! Come on!
- Come on! Come on, Hez!
- [referee] five
- [Mary] Come on!
- [referee] six
- [Mary] Come on, Hez!
- [referee] seven
- eight
- [Jerry] That's it, Buster.
[spectators cheering]
[referee] Mr Moscow.
Are you good to continue?
Oh.
[referee] Carry on.
- One
- [Jerry] Buster, get up!
- two
- [Jerry] Buster, get up!
- three, four, five
- [Jerry] Buster, get up!
Doctor! Come on, Doctor. Get in!
- Get in, help him. Help him.
- [doctor] Stand Stand back!
Buster? Buster?
[Jerry] Get back!
Get him out. Get
him out. That's it.
Watch his legs. Watch his legs.
[breathes heavily]
What's the problem, Punch?
[sighs] Nothing.
No, spit it out.
[sighs]
You put enough
thought into this?
You did a terrible thing.
Worse than anything
I've ever seen you do.
Because I know what matters.
But this this place
is both of yours,
and he's alive.
Now I know, I ain't saying
this is easy to come back from.
But at what point have you
not punished yourself enough?
[sighs]
Show me where to sign.
[banging on door]
Come back tomorrow,
we're closed.
[banging continues]
It's like the world ends when you come
between a working man and his gin.
[banging continues]
What part of closed
don't you understand?
I want no trouble
with you, Jane.
We need to have a chat
about Mary and Hezekiah.
- I ain't got time for this.
- [Jane] Make time. It's serious.
[John] Until the doctor Until the
doctor says so, he won fair and square.
- That was a win.
- So wah?
We
This how your people
take loss? Huh?
I want to shake his hand!
I want to shake his hand.
I should start by saying I
know you're not Lady Farnley,
however, that is not my concern.
I must be fast, but I
feel a sense of duty.
I saw what you did down
there. You care for that man.
If you know this
world as well as I do,
you should know he is not about
to be celebrated like a winner.
Listen to me, my carriage is outside,
just get him out of here quickly.
- Miss Davies, are you lost?
- [chuckles] Yes, actually.
- Will you help me to the carriages?
- Yes.
Perfect. Thank you.
[spectator] Where is he then?
Ladies and gentlemen,
it is with deep regret
that I must inform you that
due to injuries sustained,
our contender, Buster
Williams, has sadly
has sadly been pronounced dead.
- [spectators clamouring]
- In light of this information,
tonight's contest has
been declared void.
- Hez! Hez! We need to go.
- This is absolutely outrageous.
Arrest him! Arrest him!
[Mary] Hez, we need to go!
Mary!
- Stay out! Stay back!
- Get out! Stay back!
- [Peggy] Get out of the ring!
- [Eliza] Get back!
Get back! Get back!
Come on. Let's go!
[Victoria] Quickly.
[Mary breathing heavily]
- [Anne] Punch! Open up!
- [Punch] God's sake! What now?
- [banging on door]
- [Mary] Hez, you have to go inside.
This is the only
place that's safe.
Esme, if you wanna be of
use, when that door opens,
you go ahead of him and
you smooth things out.
Sugar will need talking to.
- I think it'd be better coming from you.
- No. Not anymore.
[Anne] We need to
speak to Sugar.
[Punch] I'll go up
and see if he's awake.
[Anne] Thanks.
I thought you was done with me?
Not enough to watch you
get fed to the wolves.
Coming in?
Something I need to attend to.
[chuckles]
See, Mary, it can happen
to the best of us.
Look, what I'm about to say
might be hard to swallow,
but I need you to listen.
Forget titles, in my
eyes you won tonight
Mary, a man is dead.
And we're still breathing.
Just.
I could name a hundred men
within a mile from here
who would kill us both
for their next meal.
He would've killed
you in a heartbeat.
- There is nothing keeping us here anymore.
- [sighs]
Especially after tonight.
We have to go.
Trust me.
It's all taken care of.
We'll be on the first ship
to New York by sunrise.
Will you meet me by Jack Mac's?
[Hezekiah sighs]
Drink?
I promise my intentions
aren't to twist the knife.
Truth be told,
we have a lot more in
common in this moment
than either of us would choose.
What do you want?
I have information.
Information about what?
Something I think
you should know.
If one day we do
stand in that ring
and tear each other to
the bone for her heart,
let it be based on the
truth of what she is.
She knows.
She knows?
She knows who
killed your brother.
[Mary] Hez.
- Hez?
- Get back from me.
You don't even ask me why
because you know.
You know what you done.
How?
How could you look at me?
Please, let me explain.
[inhales sharply]
I I tried.
I I tried to s-stop it.
Every word that comes
out of your mouth
is a lie.
I have lied. I lie, I I lie.
I lie so much to
everyone I know.
It's what keeps me alive!
It-It
But this, uh this is true.
This Hez.
This is This
This is the only thing in my
life that has ever been tr-true.
You are dead to me, Mary Carr.
No.
You don't mean that.
You are dead to me.
Leave.
- Hez, you don't mean t
- Move!
No.
[sniffles]
[wind howling]
You'd better know
what you're doing.
[person] What did
you find, Hezekiah?
[Mary] You need a queen, the best
queen the Forty Elephants ever had.
You've got your business
face on, and it scares me.
I gave you the tools to survive.
This is loaded, and I
do know how to use it.
My name is Hezekiah Moscow, and
today you will answer to God.