Original subtitles

No need to push and shove. There's room for all.

Molly won't be going abroad in a hurry. Crowd up.

You like some wickedness and vice.

Here it is. This is the girl. Fornication...

..bigamy, incest, and worse to come, ladies and gentlemen.

Moll Flanders, her final descent into depravity.

Moll Flanders, in the shadow of the gallows...

Moll Flanders, whore and thief!

The Lord's Prayer says, 'Lead us not into temptation.'

You don't do that, Lord. For around me I see only temptation.

Forgive me, Lord, and show me the way to live honestly.

Deliver me from evil, I beg. If you don't, on your head be it!

Oh Jesus, Lord, forgive me. I don't want to be a wicked woman.

Truly!

Help me, Lord.

Amen.

'God knows I never meant to be wicked. But I had to eat.'

'Again, I found myself walking out, ready for my fate.'

Stop, thief!

God bless you, Mrs.

Let it lie there a while.

It's a girl! Look!

Another bundle from Lancashire!

I'd prefer to call it that.

Fate put it into my hands, ma'am.

Where it's from, it will not be missed.

But it is warm?

About as warm as it could be, ma'am.

By God!

You're a bold one, Mrs Molly.

You carry it off like you were born to it.

I hope you don't think ill of me.

Ill? I think very well of you.

Think you were the only one doing this?

How do you think my other gentlewomen earn their keep?

I never thought.

One thing or the other. Some of them both. I think no less of them.

They're no worse, they pay their way

They call me Mother, some of them. I'm that good to them.

I'm glad you've been straight.

We can be true friends now.

'Slowly, I got used to my new life.'

'The parcels from Lancashire came often.'

'I lost my innocence, and saw myself as a true merchant venturer.'

Let me assist you, ma'am.

'As our captains scoured the seas, bringing their prizes...

..so I scoured the streets, high and low.'

Thank you.

From Lancashire?

From Lancashire.

Good girl.

Thank you, Mother.

'But I was not a good girl.'

'I was a bad woman, growing worse by the day.'

'One evening, not long after...

..I came very close to the worst crime of all.'

Good night, my dear. Why are you out on your own so late?

I was at dancing school, now I'm going home.

What, all by yourself?

Meggy was to come for me, but I didn't see her.

Never mind.

I'll walk with you. The town is full of bad men and thieves.

Do you know where you live?

Aye, ma'am, in St John's Street.

I know it well. Which way do you go?

Down here, I think.

I can show you a quicker way, through the churchyard.

What's your name, miss?

Mary Edwards, if you please.

Mary, we'll have you home in two shakes of a dog's tail!

Down here, that's the way.

I don't like this way.

A big girl like you, you're not afraid of the dark, are you?

I want to go the other way.

No, this is the best way.

Take my hand, and don't be afraid.

Ooh!

Now, look what I've done!

I've broken my shoelace.

Can you be a clever girl and tie it for me?

See where it's broken?

Where?

Never mind, child, I'll do it myself

There.

Whatever's the matter? Come.

We don't want your mother to fret.

This isn't the way.

Of course it is. Come, child.

It's not the way, it's not the way!

Be quiet, child!

It's not the way, it's not!

Who are you? I don't know you.

You be silent or you'll know more than you care to!

Not a sound.

Now...

..you listen to me.

You never saw me.

If ever you cry out, if ever you speak of this...

..be sure I shall find you...

..little miss.

Now you be a good girl, and make your way home.

Lucky it was me she met and not a hardened criminal!

What was her mother doing, letting her roam the streets?

That's asking to have her girl robbed and mur-

Where was her maid all this time?

Where was this Meggy?

Up against the wall with some fellow, no doubt.

It's not as if I did her any harm.

It's a lesson for the parents.

They'll take better care next time.

Why do you stare at me?

Is that you, Molly?

Yes, Mother.

It's not the way! It's not the way! It's not the way!

Who are you? I don't know you! It's not the way!

Come on, my dear.

..bad men and thieves...

You're not afraid of the dark...

Be silent or you will know more than you care to...

Not a sound. Not a sound...

Molly, my dear.

Leave me, Mother.

I am not well.

Shall I bring you some broth?

What?

No. Nothing.

Nothing.

Leave me.

I shall be well soon.

'Lord...

..why did you take my Jemmy away?'

If we could have lived together, none of this would have come about.

Why don't you answer me?

'You might think this a turning point.'

'In truth, it was just a staging post.'

'Little by little, my horrid visions faded.'

'I began to take food and drink.'

'And found at length that I could bear a little company.'

Come in, Molly, my dear.

That's the way.

This is Mrs Diver. You may have seen her about.

No need to stand on ceremony. You're in the same business.

We've met, haven't we?

No need to stare like that. I'm not a ghost.

I was sure you'd been hanged.

They don't get rid of Lucy Diver that easy.

I pleaded mistaken identity. They found nothing on me...

..or on the road. For you took the bundle for yourself.

There was no case to answer.

But you got a case to answer.

How much did you get for it?

So hardly won and dearly paid for?

I don't remember.

About eight shillings.

Eight shillings!

I'll make it up to you.

Think no more of it!

You buy me a supper and we'll call it even!

You're not angry?

Bless you, no!

You helped get me off. You was meant to do what you did.

Pleased to meet you.

My lady here always praises you.

Sorry you've been unwell.

I had a turn that day you saw me.

I was so bad, I couldn't go out for weeks. But it passed.

I'll say it passed!

A demon, that one!

I am. I am!

Folk think I'm on the other game, cos I'm pretty. But I hate men.

They're nasty, dirty things!

I used to like 'em, but I can't abide 'em now.

I'd rather have their wallets than their pricks any day!

We thought, Moll, you might like a companion, get you back into it.

Lucy's looking for a new partner.

It's a compliment. Lucy is the sharpest dip in England.

Pocketbooks and watches.

I am the best. I say it cos it's true!

If you can learn, Moll, I can teach you.

What do you say? Give it a trial?

If you don't like it, we can kiss and part.

Say yes, because I need a steady pal

It's twice the fun and half the danger, I promise.

I will.

Give her a kiss, seal the bargain!

That's the way!

And one again for luck!

And one for Mother, too!

And now let's drink to friendship and free enterprise!

Friendship and free enterprise!

No harm done, ma'am. I am well.

My pocket book!

It must have been those rogues!

Two men, I'd know them again.

What am I to do? My watch!

A beauty. Worth three guineas easily.

Even on the dark side of the fence.

You're my beauties, too.

Didn't she do well, Lucy?

Moll Cutpurse would have been proud!

Let's do some more. I like this work.

Oh, Molly!

You're a darling. You are!

'The dancing class girl was still on my mind.'

'I was plagued with the thought that she had met a sad fate when I left.'

'I asked Lucy to come to St John's Street.'

'On our third visit, I met with my reward.'

'And now I felt I had nothing to reproach myself with.'

'Me and my partner went out every day and knew only success.'

'We were proud, and fancied ourselves the best thieves alive.'

'You treacherous trull!'

Treacherous trull, very good, go to it, Lady Wishfort!

By God, you're handsome.

Will you come and play with me?

Gladly. If my friend can come up too

Have the pair of 'em, my lord!

When you're ready, my lord (!)

Aye, fire away, ladies!

Close your eyes.

'Mr Mirabell seduced me.'

Aye, he did too!

'I'm not the first he's wheedled...

Close your eyes, my lord...

..and count to ten.

And you shall see wonders.

One... two...

..three...

..four... five...

..six...

..seven... eight...

..eight and a half... nine...

..ten.

There now!

I thought that was a good play!

Indeed, I was sorry to leave before the end!

Oh, thou frontless impudence!

Treacherous trull!

That fop will think us treacherous trulls...

..when he finds his rings and trinkets gone!

Serve him right, the dirty bastard.

Moll, am I not the best partner you ever had?

Aye, for I never had any other!

No, Moll, say true.

Am I not the best and the dearest?

There was a man who was dear to me once, but he went away.

I tell you this, Moll.

I never cared for any man the way I care for you.

'Not three days after this, my dear Lucy was taken up before my eyes.'

Thief!

That one!

Thief! Look! There he goes!

Sir, let her go, you are mistaken.

It was a rogue with ginger hair.

I saw him plain as day.

Thief! Thief!

Bring her to the magistrate!

What else could I do?

Any more and I'd be carried off myself.

You expect me to put my own head in the noose?

Leave me alone.

'Lucy pleaded her belly, but to no avail.'

'She had lain with none but me these several months.'

The sentence of this court...

..is that you be taken to a place of execution.

And that there, you be hanged by the neck until dead.

May the Lord have mercy on you.

'She asked for me to be there, so I went.'

'Though I could scarcely see for tears.'

'My dearest Lucy.'

Hold your tongue, parson!

'She was brave as could be.'

Lucy Diver wants her say!

I thank you all for coming here to see me hung.

I was the sharpest dip in London!

But I never hurt so much as a fly.

What's a few gold watches and a few gold chains?

I believe God loves me and will forgive me.

Though the Justice won't!

If God don't like me, I don't like him and I don't want to go to heaven

To all my friends...

..I say don't be sad for me.

I had a short life...

..but a jolly one.

And I wish you more luck than I had myself!

Tell everyone that Lucy Diver left this life with her head held high!

Look at her dance!

I never seen the like of it!

Aaagh!

Steady, sir, let me help.

Have a care, ma'am.

'I suppose she was the best friend I ever had.'

'Closer to me than a sister.'

'A very true and faithful companion'

'After that, I cared little for anyone or anything.'

'The world had served me ill, and I would serve it ill too.'

Forgive me, madam, if I speak freely

I have supped well.

But I would have you know...

..it is not my custom.

I am a man of sense and virtue.

My wife is a good and excellent woman, but excessively.

In short, madam...

..I have a whim to ride round the park in a coach.

I wouldn't do anything untoward.

But if...

..in the event...

..something should come to pass...

How shall I put it?

You would be well rewarded.

In that case, sir, you may do what you will...

..and welcome.

'This was a business I had not tried before.'

'I thought, why not? As well this way as another.'

'There is nothing so absurd, surfeiting and ridiculous...

'..as a man heated by wine and a gust of his inclination together.'

Oh, my head is dizzy.

Let me hold you.

Ah, what snowy white bosoms!

Let me hold them.

Oh!

'He is possessed by two devils.'

'His vice tramples on all that was that was good.'

Let me suck, let me suck.

Ah! What bliss!

Let me forage further.

'His senses are blinded by their own rage.'

'Such a man is worse than lunatic.'

Climb on my lap!

Oh, oh! Excellent!

Giddy up!

Ride a cock horse!

I die! I die!

I die!

Oh, Martha.

Forgive me. Forgive me.

Forgive me!

'These are the men who go like the ox to the slaughter, says Solomon.'

'Till the dart strikes through their liver.'

There, there...

..that's the way, my brave boy.

Here's fine.

Sleep tight.

Mind the fleas don't bite.

Sir Richard Gregory... baronet.

Well, now. He's a fine gentleman, and a justice of the peace.

He sends girls down for that. I hope he's learnt his lesson.

He will when he wakes, Mother.

Maybe we should drive it home.

I'd say he'd pay a good deal to make sure Lady G don't hear.

Or, if he liked you so much...

..we might make a regular arrangement. Easy work, Moll.

'Easy. But I hadn't the taste for it now.'

'I'd rather rob folks straight than wheedle it out of them.'

'I was in a groove, and I could not get out, nor did I wish to.'

'My name was a byword for thievery, though few would recognise my face.'

'Moll Flanders...

..famous for wickedness.'

'Never captured.'

'And so I continued, year in, year out.'

'Beyond hope...

..beyond fear, beyond pity...

..beyond desire.'

Oi!

Hold her!

Hold her!

Run for the constable, Judy!

Good God, Abigail, what's going on?

This. We caught her taking this.

She is mistaken, sir.

Let her up.

I meant to take them into the daylight, sir.

Into the daylight? Saucy trollop!

Then why didn't you call out?

Why did you fight and try to run?

She fought us like a badger. Bit us to the bone.

I beg you, sir, let me go.

Let me pay for the silks and go, though I no longer have them.

I am a distressed widow.

Things are tempting to me.

Take pity on me. Don't pursue me to my death.

It's the first time I have ever...

Will you send me to my death, and let my poor children starve?

Listen to the saucy bitch!

If you are a widow, I am very sorry.

But the constable has been called. It's out of my hands.

You must go before the justice, see what he says.

Make way!

Make way, now!

Is this the woman?

Aye, constable. Take her up.

Come with me.

Now.

Steady... steady.

Make way.

I know her. That's Moll Flanders. It is!

Prisoner at the bar, you are committed to custody...

..in Newgate Prison until you are brought to trial. Take her down.

Come on, in you go.

Oh! It's Molly!

Moll!

Moll! Moll! Moll!

Moll!

Get off.

Molly, my dear.

Welcome to the college.

Who will you lie with, Moll?

I'll lie by myself, damn your eyes!

So now I am come full circle, to the place where I was born.

Now I am here, I find the horrors are not so unbearable as I thought.

For has not my life been like unto a prison these long years?

A prison of wickedness and despair, I mean.

You see, I am rehearsing my repentance.

I tried everything with that jade who got you.

I offered 100 guineas to go away...

..but she will go and have her say.

The master is not so strong.

He says it's out of his hands, though.

We must hope for a merciful judge.

A merciful judge (!)

Then I'm damned indeed.

Prisoner at the bar.

The sentence of the court is that you be taken away...

..at such time is deemed convenient, to a place of execution.

There to be hung until dead.

May the Lord have mercy on your soul

My Lord.

I am with child.

Referred to the next sessions.

Take her down.

Now I do begin to feel a sense of my own wickedness.

Standing in the terror of the rope.

For I am no more with child than the judge himself.

Shall I truly be no more?

Shall I truly live an eternity in the infinite torment of hell?

I cannot believe it.

Yet I fear it is true.

Ladies and gentlemen, carefully, you may enter.

But don't get too close.

At the trial they said she fought as fierce as a bear. Thank you, sir.

Here she is...

..Moll Flanders, the most notorious thief in England.

Enough! Enough!

Take them away before I tear their flesh. I do not want company.

Come on, out of it.

Just for a moment.

Please.

In private.

Very well, sir.

Moll.

Do you know me?

Don't you remember?

All those years ago in Colchester?

I think you do, Moll.

Do I?

It's Rowland, Moll.

Of course I do.

You've grown fat.

Well... I suppose.

I've never forgotten you, Moll.

I think you were my first true love.

I know I was yours.

I have an uneasy conscience about you.

Do you? Have you come to save me?

Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do.

I'm very sorry for you, Moll.

Well, there's a comfort.

I'm Mayor of Colchester now, Moll.

Are you? I'm a thief and a whore.

Blood will out, I suppose.

How long have you been here, Annie?

Four month.

When I came here I thought I was in hell, I'm used to it now.

You pled your belly, didn't you?

So did I.

I'm not with child. Are you?

Not to my certain knowledge.

They'll call us both down next sessions, I expect.

How can you be so easy about it?

Easy?

I can't help it. I was always easy.

And what signifies being sad?

If I'm hanged, there's an end of me.

♪ If I swing by the string

♪ I shall hear the bell ring

♪ And then there's an end

♪ Of poor Annie. ♪

Don't be glum, Moll.

Give us a kiss.

Mmm.

Sweet breath.

Now, Molly.

I fear your time of fame has passed.

What do you mean?

You've been eclipsed.

A famous man is here. James Sullivan himself.

Sullivan the highwayman, and two of his gang.

Taken at Hounslow two days ago.

He's a topping gentleman.

I warrant you will see him go through to the Press Yard.

And half England will see him hanged.

Which is Sullivan, then?

That's him, that's him.

Ain't he handsome!

He could have me for a smile!

Jemmy!

Jemmy!

One hour.

One hour. In private.

Jemmy?

Jemmy, it's me.

It's Moll.

I heard you were here.

As I was coming in, I thought I heard you call.

I did call.

Is your name Sullivan now, then?

No.

No, it's...

..just a name I'm known by.

One of several.

We've left it a little late to look each other up.

I hope not too late.

I hope not.

I'm not the woman you knew, Jemmy.

You are, Moll.

Yes, you are.

I wish I could be, but I'm not.

You are.

You are.

I've done bad things.

I've done bad things.

I've killed men.

I don't care.

So you live yourself.

How long do we have?

An hour.

I don't know you.

You're a stranger.

No, I'm not.

I meant to come and find you.

I swear I did.

We were always on the run, the horses dying under us.

It's no life.

I kept telling myself, just one last time.

There's no need to cozen me. We're neither of us angels.

How does your case stand?

Do you have a chance?

I have high hopes.

We killed four at Hounslow.

They have one witness to testify.

Money may help him lose his memory.

They've not got a strong case, Moll.

Now they have you, they won't let you go scot-free.

Put in for transportation before your trial.

If the case is weak, they'll strike a bargain.

Put in for Virginia.

Where all your lands and riches lie.

It's true. I do have land there.

I think I have.

I'll believe you.

I'm a very trusting man.

But what about yourself?

I was resigned to dying before I knew you were alive.

But now...

If you can get out...

..I have...

..one hope.

Sir Richard Gregory, justice of the peace.

Find him. Say Moll Flanders needs help.

If he doesn't, Martha will hear.

Tell him you know about 'ride a cockhorse'.

So will his wife, if he don't get me a pardon.

James Seagrave.

Also known as James Sullivan.

Accused of highway theft and murder.

Petitions for transportation to Virginia...

..in lieu of trial and sentence.

Granted.

Mrs Margaret Flanders, known as Moll Flanders.

Having pleaded her belly, appears to answer her former sentence.

Hanged by the neck at Tyburn.

No further stay of execution.

Shall I see Jemmy again?

He's a liar and a rogue and I've put my life in his hands.

He could have any woman he wanted.

Why come back for me?

Well, Moll.

It's your time.

Do you want the priest?

He can keep his scurvy face well clear.

I shall be sorry to see you go, Moll

I believe you. You've made good trade out of me.

Not a word from Jemmy.

He always was a crooked dog.

'Man that is born of woman...

..is of few days and full of trouble

'He cometh forth like a flower and is cut down.'

'He fleeth as a shadow, and continueth not.'

'Dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, bringing me into judgement with thee?'

'Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.'

'Seeing his days are determined, his months are with thee.'

Hold hard, hangman!

Don't do nothing sudden!

By petition of Sir Richard Gregory, magistrate at London sessions.

The sentence on Moll Flanders is commuted.

Transportation to Virginia.

Untie that noose, hangman.

Land ho!

'God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform.'

'And if, in his wisdom, he smiles on me and Jemmy...

..who are you to disagree?'

'We are all on the Wheel of Fate.'

'Sometimes we make our own luck.'

'Sometimes we need a little help.'

'We all want to be good and we all want to prosper.'

'God grant you never have to choose'