Original subtitles

CHARLES: They won't rise against us. They lack any ability

-to organize themselves. -OLD JULY: You have a fine son.

JULY: A new slave. Soon taken.

In just a few days, slavery will be finally abolished.

Right, there's another one here. There, there. Quick.

-Where you be going in it? -Fishing.

I've made a plan.

[laughs]: I'm to be married to Robert Goodwin.

ROSE: This be good medicine.

Soothe the memory of your first child.

ROBERT: You are my true wife, July.

No! No! No! No!

ROBERT: 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. -Seven days?

And don't be fool just 'cause you have him pickney.

Him be good and him be fair.

-Move it! -Hey!

We be slaves no more!

-Maybe it help if you just talk to the workers. -I've talked to them.

? Not a hat on me head, me wan' me lama

? Christmas a come, me wan' me lama

? Christmas a come, me wan' me lama

? Christmas a come, me wan' me lama.

ROBERT: I'll make them beg to work for me.

[insects trilling]

OLD JULY: That Christmas,

the sugarcane grew sweeter and taller

than ever before seen in Jamaica.

?

Now it must be cut, boiled, barreled

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.

[Emily fussing]

Where you going?

I have to work.

Just go back to sleep.

OLD JULY: And July did fear

her sweet, sweet husband

-prepare for battle. -[door closes]

[grunts]

-Dublin? Come. -Dublin.

-Come now. -PEGGY: Come. Come.

-What it say? -Come, read it.

DUBLIN: Massa gon' double our rent.

-No true. -True. And hear this.

-Start from today. -[others exclaiming]

Him try force us work seven days.

[indistinct chatter]

Slavery.

Slavery has returned to Amity.

OLD JULY: And so did battle commence.

?

[excited 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 rent

-for your own good. -[murmuring]

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. -No, no, listen.

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.

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.

[Robert grunts]

[chuckles softly]

OLD JULY: One small word.

300 years coming.

?

-[Robert exhales] -[Caroline chuckles]

Mm. Well-spoken, husband.

[Robert panting]

[loud chatter]

[indistinct shouting]

ROSE: No, me see it.

Him ride up, and he nail it to the tree.

-[overlapping chatter] -JAMES: Hush up, hush up, hush up.

Hush up! Hush up now!

Shh!

Massa no hear we.

-OTHERS: No. -ROSE: No, he not listen.

Him say we must work as him direct

or him will throw us out of we homes!

-Not fair. Can't throw we out. -JAMES: 'Tis what him say.

We not pay more rent.

PEGGY: No more rent!

-Where we gon' get the money? -MAN: No more rent.

-Hush up, hush up. Hear me now. -MAN: No more rent.

There be lands to the west of here,

past the cotton tree,

where no white man go.

No rent be paid.

No bakra come.

And there we could live, free.

ROSE: Yes!

-Yes. -Mm-hmm.

EZRA: But the land be bad there.

-Mm-hmm. -Too many stone and rock.

No water. We can't make it work there.

PEGGY: We have we home here.

Our garden feed we.

It's here we must stay.

-[overlapping chatter] -JAMES: There be

only one way to make the massa listen.

-PEGGY: How? -We stop work,

-and we pay no rent! -No more rent!

Then him gon' hear we.

PEGGY: We gon' make massa listen to we

whether he want to listen or not.

OLD JULY: Next daybreak,

the conch was not blown.

?

For three long days, the fields lay empty.

The ripe cane

-rotting in the sun. -[flies buzzing]

And for three long nights, Robert Goodwin

did not sleep.

No.

[Emily crying]

[crying continues]

[crying continues in distance]

[crying loudly]

?

Shh.

[scribbling]

[crying continues]

[muffled crying]

JULY: Molly!

Molly!

[panting]

Molly!

[water splashing]

[door opens, closes]

[screams] For goodness' sake! Get it away!

-Get it away! Get it away! -[Emily crying]

No. It's all right. It's all right.

-It's all right. -God Almighty.

It be gone, it be gone. No, no, it be gone.

How many times have I told you to rid this place of them?

Come, come. Come. Sit.

Sit down, eat.

Me have bread and boil egg and tea.

-No. No. -You want mango?

The men will be here soon,

and I want to be there to meet them.

-All right. -So just join me there

once you've seen to the child.

And bring the map.

[door opens]

[door closes]

[rooster crows]

JULY: Molly.

You can keep her close to you.

-Mm. -Make her stay inside?

All right. You have cow milk?

-Mm. -Fresh?

-Fresh this morning. -All right.

Give it to her if she wake, all right?

-[Emily crying] -Oh, Mama soon come.

[horse neighs]

Elias, come.

ROBERT: 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.

[horse neighing]

Come on, boy, show the map!

JACKSON: Whoa, easy! Whoa, easy.

Whoa. Come back here. Hey.

ROBERT: 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? -ROBERT: 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.

But 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.

Hyah! Come on!

[indistinct shouting]

That be all?

?

CAROLINE: Marguerite!

[insects trilling]

Marguerite, where are you?

[chickens clucking, dogs barking in distance]

Marguerite!

[footsteps at doorstep]

[creaking]

Marguerite, he hasn't come back. Is he in here with you?

No, him not here.

Oh.

It's actually quite pleasant in here.

[tuts]

[breathing heavily]

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.

[Emily cooing]

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- the 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.

[shouting]

[Caroline speaking indistinctly]

?

-[shouting] -[horse neighs]

It's not his fault.

It's not his fault.

?

[shuddering softly]

[shouting]

Hurry up! Go, go, go!

Bring me that vase!

Hurry up! Hurry up!

Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on!

?

[rooster crows]

-[Emily babbling] -[Caroline chuckles]

Oh.

This dear little one.

So light-skinned.

You look just like him.

Not like a nigger child at all.

[fussing]

She's adorable. What did you say she was called?

-[door opens] -Robert!

Oh, God. What's happened?

ROBERT: 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. [chuckles]

ROBERT: They're to commence taking off four of the cane pieces

-tomorrow morning at conch blow. -[laughs]

-They've assured me of it. -Well done!

-Yes. [breathing heavily] -[chuckling]

Yes, if my father were here today,

I believe he would shake my hand.

-Yes, he would. -He would.

-Sit down. -Right.

-CAROLINE: Oh. [chuckles] -[exhales]

-Yes. -Yes. [gasps] Oh, God. You've been hurt.

-Oh, will you bring some water quickly, Marguerite? -No, no, it's fine.

No, it's fine.

-CAROLINE: Oh. [panting] -Yes.

You heard your mistress, Marguerite.

Bring some water.

[Caroline panting]

You've done it.

Will they cut the cane now?

-It'll get in on time? -[sniffles]

James has told me they will. [exhales]

[panting]

[insects trilling]

[clock ticking]

OLD JULY: 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.

[chickens clucking in distance]

Still here, husband?

[sniffs]

What?

[breathing heavily]

Did the conch blow? [panting]

Did you hear the conch?

No.

[panting]

Jackson! Jackson!

Bring my horse!

?

Where's Papa, hmm?

[clucking]

When's Papa coming home?

-Huh... -[horse neighs]

ELIAS: 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. -CAROLINE: What is it?!

What's wrong with him, boy?!

He not speak, missus!

JULY: Molly! [panting]

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.

-[grunts] -[panting, grunting]

-[grunts] -Oh.

[smooching] Ha.

JULY: Husband?!

Ah-ah!

-CAROLINE: Robert! -JULY: Where he be?

ELIAS: He be here before.

Right here.

Ah!

Ah-ah!

CAROLINE: Robert!

Ha-ha!

Ha!

CAROLINE: Oh.

Where... where...

where are all the Negroes?

[slashing sounds]

Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa!

[panting]

Husband?!

[Robert grunting]

Come.

Come, husband. What you be doing?

[panting]

M...

Please, you must stop this.

[grunting]

Mm-mm, mm-mm, mm-mm. You cannot cut cane.

[grunting]

Husband, please!

The Negroes have all gone.

Every one of them.

They've deserted me.

[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 is... -No, no, no.

-You is not right, Robert. -No.

I've no need for Negroes now. Look!

Look, I can do it myself! Look!

Stop. Please stop.

-Come home. Stop this. -Do not touch me.

Come home, Robert. [gasps]

-[choking] -How dare you touch me, nigger!

-I told you not to touch me! -[shouting]

-I told you not to touch me! -Mercy, massa!

-Don't touch me! -Mercy, massa!

Robert! What are you doing?!

-[shouting, panting] -[Robert panting]

[panting]

[cries, panting]

ROBERT: I'm not...

I'm just trying to...

[panting]

[crying]

[sniffling]

[crying]

OLD JULY: What had become

of July's so sweet, true-true husband?

Gone.

[closes book]

[moth wings fluttering]

[gasps, exhales]

[exhales]

[grunting]

OLD JULY: 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.

?

[indistinct chatter]

?

OLD JULY: And without them,

all Robert Goodwin's fine dreams lay in tatters.

[chickens clucking]

[Molly speaking indistinctly in distance]

[Caroline exhales]

[sniffling]

[sighs]

Robert.

Robert, I beg you, I beg you,

whisper what is wrong so that it might be made right.

Talk to me.

-[grunts] -[exhales weakly]

Robert, you must take water.

[exhales]

-You must. -Mm.

[breathing heavily]

[sniffles]

Robert, you must take water.

Otherwise, you will die.

-Come on. Please. -[grunting]

[sniffling]

-Me must try. -No! No!

-He will take water from me. -No! No! 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 no need no bakra doctor!

It's absolutely out of the question!

-I forbid you from going into that room! -[Emily crying]

Get away! And keep that child quiet!

Oh.

-[moans] Emily? -Robert.

-[crying continues] -[Caroline exhales]

[Robert grunts softly]

Emily.

-Shh. Hush, hush. Hmm? -[fussing]

We were shouting.

Mm-hmm.

Mm.

Marguerite.

I would like to take the child to see Robert.

Think it might help him.

-[crying] -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.

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.

[Emily coos]

Robert, I've brought you Emily.

?

[Emily cooing]

?

OLD JULY: After that,

Emily was brought to Robert Goodwin

for a short while every day.

Soon he would take water, tea

and milk.

?

[chopping]

MOLLY: Why? Hmm?

Miss July, why you stay here?

Huh?

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. -CAROLINE: No.

No, no, I've told you a hundred times.

-He hasn't asked for you, so... -[chuckles]

You cannot keep me from him.

Me is a free woman now, just like you.

CAROLINE: No.

He does not want to see you.

He's said so himself.

Then him no see Emily no more.

Well, 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 fusses]

[whispers]: Come on.

? Mama gon' rock ?

-[rhythmic thudding] -[Robert speaking indistinctly]

Mm, Papa.

? Mama gon' rock. ?

[Caroline and Robert laugh]

[Caroline moans]

[Caroline panting]

Robert, my love.

ROBERT: Yes, yes.

[Caroline moaning]

[Robert chuckles, moans]

?

JULY [whispers]: Hey.

You is to place this dish before the massa, you hear?

-Yes, Miss July. -Hold on.

[indistinct chatter]

The massa, not the missus.

-Mm-hmm. -And don't drop it.

-Yes, Miss July. -All right.

ROBERT: Well, that is the idea, yes?

CAROLINE: What did Father say in his letter, my dear?

ROBERT: Well, 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.

CAROLINE: Mm.

ROBERT: More comfortable, he says.

-And safer. -[sighs] 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?

Oh, my God!

Get them off! Get them... Get them off me!

[Caroline and Robert screaming]

-CAROLINE: No! [screaming] -[chuckles]

ROBERT: Are they on me?

[Caroline and Robert gasping]

?

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? -BYRON: Yes, massa.

[loudly]: Neither of us wishes to bid her any sort of goodbye.

Savvy?

-Savvy? Savvy, boy? -Yes, massa.

Good. Right, go.

?

[indistinct chatter]

?

WORKER: Mistress.

[others murmuring]

?

CAROLINE: Robert.

DRIVER: [clicks tongue] Go on.

?

[driver grunts]

?

Me have milk. Fresh.

You want me take Miss Emily and feed her?

[Emily cooing]

?

[Molly whispering indistinctly]

[grunts]

[insects trilling]

[wood creaking]

[wind gusting]

-[fussing] -ROBERT: I love you.

Never, never doubt that.

-[Emily crying] -I'm yours.

[horses neighing]

[gasps softly]

Molly?

?

Molly?

Molly!

[woman laughing]

-Elias. -ELIAS: Hmm?

-JULY: Where Molly be? -Miss Molly not here.

She gone.

JULY: What?

Wh-Where she go?

She be gone to England with the missus.

Me took them in the cart.

?

Did she...

She have pickney?

ELIAS: Mm-hmm.

She carried the massa's pickney with her.

What?

No. No, no. No, no. No, no.

Them gone!

Ship sail!

-[July sobbing] -Miss July, ship already sail.

?

[July screams]

[sobbing]

?

[insects trilling]

OLD JULY: 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 travelers

of the very highest rank

that our July grew richer and richer.

[exhales]

So there is no need

to feel pity for the plight of our July.

Oh, no.

[scoffs]

If only that were true.

[bird screeches]

[whimpering softly]

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.

[muffled footsteps]

Lord.

Hey!

Come here!

[rapid footsteps approaching]

Me think it be the girl from the house!

-Who that? -It's who? -Who that?

-Who that? -[grunts] What? -Who it be?

-Move. She can't breathe. -Is she all right?

Move. Give me space.

[overlapping chatter]

July.

?

[July whimpering]

PEGGY: Shh. You're safe, July.

OLD JULY: Here she was tenderly nursed back to health...

[speaking indistinctly]

And them free Negroes did give her food and shelter.

And with them she did settle.

[Peggy speaking indistinctly]

You're safe.

-We gonna take care of you. -[July whimpers]

PEGGY: Hush, hush.

We make you well again.

[July muttering weakly]

Shh.

[Peggy and Rose speaking indistinctly]

[July panting]

But I have not the stomach to tell of the trouble

them all did see on that stony scrap of land.

[children chattering, laughing in distance]

Must I write of the planters come to burn them out?

[chattering, laughing]

Of drought and flood and earthquake?

Mm.

Of hunger and of yellow fever?

Or of digging the earth for so many graves?

No.

[indistinct chatter]

All I will say is that July did grow old.

[chicken clucking]

Until one day...

-Oi! Where'd you get that chicken? -[shouting]

-No, I don't do nothin'! I don't do nothin'! -You stole it. Come on.

-Take your hand off of me! What you doing? -[grunting]

Let me go!

[gavel banging]

MAGISTRATE: Silence!

-Quiet! -[July panting]

CLERK: The next case

concerns the larceny of a domestic hen, Your Worship.

Very well.

Get on with it.

CLERK: Place your hand upon the Bible.

Tell the court your full name.

[breathing heavily]

[muttering hoarsely]

Speak up to the court!

-[grunting softly] -[magistrate sighs]

For pity's sake,

someone fetch her some water.

[exhales]

And while we're waiting,

let's hear the facts.

Your Worship, the... [clears throat]

accused was found

by the town constable at 2:00 yesterday afternoon.

She was in possession of a fowl,

which he established had been stolen

from one of the market vendors.

MAGISTRATE: 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.

[sipping]

[enunciating]: Can you now speak your name?

July.

MAGISTRATE: July?

J-July what?

Me no steal the hen. [sobs]

Someone 'pon Allen Pen did give it to me to raise,

and me did raise it.

Is she saying she owned the hen herself?

JULY: Me place me hand 'pon the book,

and Lord strike me down

-if me not speak true. -MAGISTRATE: What?

CLERK: She is prepared to swear

upon the Bible, Your Worship.

Has she been in front of us before?

CLERK: It seems not, Your Worship.

[magistrate groans]

Let her go.

It's too hot to be dealing with this kind of trivia.

Case dismissed.

[gavel bangs]

A-And what of me hen?

He make me lose it!

It was me only hen and now me have none!

[door slams]

-[footsteps approaching] -[groans]

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?

OLD JULY: At first, I did not trust this shiny-shoe Black man.

I believed his charity to be a trick.

And yet, me 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 and judged me on my merit alone.

In time, he taught me everything he knew

about his trade, that printer.

-[fading]: And when he died... -OLD JULY: Did this man desire a servant

to scurry and run?

No, no, no- I would never serve again.

Well, here we are.

Come, meet my wife, Lilian.

DRIVER: All right, boy.

[footsteps approaching]

Thank you, my dear.

-Come and sit. -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-a burning question.

I... I had these papers, you see...

OLD JULY: 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...

[laughs softly] 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 was that baby.

?

[children laughing, chattering]

OLD JULY: And I have lived within my son's house

from that day to this.

-[giggling] -LILIAN: Corine? Louise?

-OLD JULY: My son... -[fly buzzing]

him bid me write my story down

and he 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.

[laughter and chatter nearby]

[chatter continues]

-CORINE: Yes, Mama. -THOMAS: Mama, come.

We have a feast.

? Hill and gully ?

? Hill and gully... ?

OLD JULY: My story is finally at an end.

The long song has come full up to date.

? Hill and gully... ?

But my voice is only one among so, so many

that are now lost,

but whose lives should never be forgotten.

? Hill and gully ?

? And you tumble down, you break ya neck

? Hill and gully ?

? Hill and gully rider ?

? Hill and gully ?

-? Hill and gully rider ?

? And you better mind, you tumble down

[fading]: ? Hill and gully...

?

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