A Thousand Blows

The colour of my skin is making it very difficult for me

to find lodging in the city.

You are just one?

Yeah, man. Me just one.

My name is Mary Carr,

Queen of the Forty Elephants.

The biggest independent gang of female thieves

in the whole of London.

Aboard the Trans-Siberian Express,

there is a trade delegation sent by Emperor Qing of China.

You're going to steal from the Queen of England?

Are you in, or are you out?

You took this money out of my box

in my private room.

Get out of my sight, and don't you ever fucking come back.

You could earn some money in the ring.

- You were good. - You were better.

My position already filled.

Not here for the boxing then?

What do you wanna see a lion for?

I don't want to see a lion. I want to tame one.

Let's start your training today.

It's five bob a day. Six on Sundays.

Cages are for animals.

Introducing the East London Gladiator.

Henry "Sugar" Goodson!

Prepare!

Hold!

Hezekiah! Go home!

Sugar! Sugar! Sugar!

Both don't show concern and sizing each other up!

- To the body! - Get him on the ropes.

- He's quick. He's too quick. - He can handle himself, this one.

- -

Think. Think!

- Come on now. - The lion tamer's landed a blow!

But can he land two more for his five bob?

Take your time!

This is on a knife's edge, ladies and gentlemen!

- - Keep him on the rope!

Keep him on the ropes, son.

- -

Sugar! Sugar!

Sugar! Sugar! Sugar!

Papa!

It's a miracle, ladies and gentlemen!

He's on his feet!

He's back from the dead!

Come on, lads!

Keep your hands up!

Sugar! Come on!

Take off his chin.

That's it. That's it.

- - Give it to him, son.

Fuckin' great!

- Turn him. Turn him! - Move off him!

Don't come any closer. Get out of the corner, son.

Come on, Sugar.

Come on, son. Take it back in! Take it back!

Come on! You got it, son!

Bite his fuckin' ear off!

Go on, Sugar!

Hold him. Hold him down. Hold on!

Get your hands up!

Charlie.

That's it. It's done. It's done.

- - Get up! Come on!

Oh, stay down. We know you were down.

- - Go on, son. Back off!

- Back up. You're done. You're done. -

Mare!

Get out the road!

Mary!

Mare!

Come down here, Mare!

Mary!

Hey. Hey.

- Mare! - Hey, hey, hey.

Hey, listen.

Stop.

Give me the gun.

- - Please.

Give me the gun.

And the brave boy from the land of ruby red rum,

has at last had enough punishment!

Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes Sugar Goodson's sweet science surgery!

Oi, Mary!

Who is he?

- What? - Who is he?

He's a lion tamer, Treacle.

What is he to you?

Nobody's anything to me.

Come on!

Wait, wait.

Wait. Wait.

Hey. Hey, hey, hey. Listen to me.

Listen to me. Listen to me. Listen to me!

There is more to you than this.

- - Yes.

I think there is more to you than this.

I must see my Mary.

Mary.

Mare!

Mare!

- - No!

All right. Fuck off, and go home.

Give him a round of applause. Give him a round of applause. Come on.

Fuck off! Give him room.

- Fuck! - Come on!

Come on, what was that? It's a fix!

You're a cheat! You're a fucking cheat!

- Boo! - Go on, get in.

Come on.

He didn't even see it coming.

You all right?

You, uh, forgot to collect your winnings.

For landing your blows.

It should've been the whole night's takings. You had Sugar beat.

That man was your friend.

No.

No, he was a cock with complications. Many complications.

Best you concern yourself with only yourself in this life.

Them as wish to die can suit themselves.

If you're so concerned, then spend two bob on a funeral.

Alternatively, we wrap him up and throw him in the river.

Sharkey liked the river. Loved it actually.

As a little boy, he grew up in the mud between the tides.

He would much prefer the river full of honest eels

to any fuckin' churchyard full of mug punters.

You. Are you gonna help?

Which part of the river?

Right. There's a place called Hell's Gateway.

We'll have to wait for the tides.

After three, we sling him.

What, without a prayer?

Oh, there's no God

who cares to stray East beyond the territory of the Angel, Islington.

- Throw. -

River picks them up from here.

Like a train at the station.

Floats them, drags them to the middle,

then takes them express down to South End where the dogfish do the undertaking.

What language you just count in?

"What the fuck are they saying?"

The coppers ask as we confer in the back of the paddy wagon.

Tonight you lost the fight, but you got my attention.

Which is worth more than a night's takings at the Blue Coat Boy.

Sometimes fate is like this old river.

Washes up the exact thing you need at the exact, right time.

What is it you need?

You.

The last chess piece for my strategy.

- You play chess? - With people.

And...

And I am a pawn?

More like a knight in battered armour.

I have an imminent criminal engagement

which will require someone with your abilities

and which would pay you personally £100 in English paper cash.

Huh.

£100, Mr Lion Tamer.

How many blows would you have to give and take to earn that in five shilling lots?

And why should I trust you, Mary Carr?

You are in London.

This city makes only one promise,

that it will kill you the first chance it gets.

Strip your flesh as quick as them dogfish.

You think we don't have dogfish where me from?

Oh, we have them.

Mmm.

Them wear white suits and red uniforms.

And when you face them,

drop your guard,

fall for one of their lies...

Me know all about cruelty, Mary Carr.

That is a commodity your people saw fit to share with the world.

My offer stands.

And you can trust me to keep my word.

Me and my ladies are shopping this morning.

But when you're ready to talk,

you can find me in The Green Dolphin Hotel

making some very complex arrangements.

Hez, where you been?

Me did a worry.

So...

you did so worry that you drink a bokkle of whisky and fall asleep?