Jamaica Inn Page #11

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- and she goes. PATIENCE stiffens with stabbing fear -

PATIENCE:

Mary? You’re not going to the law!

MARY still ignores her PATIENCE

(CONT’D)

We feed you don't we? I'll send

your uncle after you. I'll send him

out to fetch you back. Mary?

MARY ignores her as she keeps on walking.

66 EXT. COUNTRYSIDE OUTSIDE ALTARNUN - DAY 5 66

MARY’s hem is mud covered and she’s tired as she approaches

Altarnun up on the hill.

Now she’s close enough to see the town her resolve weakens in

the face of the task before her and for a second she stops.

Two MEN in a nearby field are loading newly shorn sheep

fleeces onto a cart and MARY glances at them.

One of them is WILL, the man who was at the inn last night.

If for no other reason than to be away from his stare, she

sharply continues on to Altarnun.

67 EXT. MAIN STREET, ALTARNUN - DAY 5 67

If Launceston was the Wild West, then Altarnun is the last

place on earth, a tiny, deserted, grim shack of a village; an

ancient church; an inn; a handful of mining cottages and

surrounding farms, all on the very bitter edges of poverty.

MARY stares as she walks, no idea what to do now she’s here. *

The place is deserted, except for an inn. MARY has no choice.

She heads towards it.

*

*

68 INT. THE CROWN INN, ALTARNUN - DAY 5 68

A smattering of MEN sit drinking in the gloom as MARY enters

hesitantly, self conscious as they stare at her, the only

WOMAN.

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MARY blushes, knows that they must think she is a prostitute

and her nerve nearly fails her.

She hesitates, then screws up her courage and moves to the

LANDLORD at the bar, asking quietly

MARY:

Excuse me? Is there a Constable *

here? *

LANDLORD OF THE CROWN

(eyes her, wily)

Constable, eh? Why, what you done?

MARY blushes, excruciated. But he looks around then points

LANDLORD OF THE CROWN (CONT’D)

Aah… There he is. Eli Brown.

MARY is shocked to see that ELI from Jamaica Inn is the local

Constable. He’s turning towards her, but by the time his eyes

reach her -

-she’s gone.

EXT. STREET, ALTARNUN - DAY 5 69

MARY bolts out of the inn, snatching a frightened glance

behind her in case ELI is following.

She looks around in panic, then we share her POV of Altarnun *

church at the top of the hill, a small rectory near to it, *

which seems to offer the hope of salvation. *

MARY hurries up the dirt track towards the church, glancing *

behind her to check that ELI isn’t following. *

69A INT. ALTARNUN CHURCH - DAY 5 69A *

MARY enters the church, but it’s deserted. Just the light *

from stained glass windows casting an eerie green glow, *

making it look as though it’s underwater. *

MARY turns to exit but reacts to see someone right behind her-*

FRANCIS DAVEY *

I am Francis Davey, the vicar of *

Altarnun church. *

FRANCIS DAVEY is ethereal and charismatic and he speaks with *

soft intensity-

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MARY’s relief is palpable. *

MARY:

Mary Yellan, sir. *

He nods, scrutinising her. *

FRANCIS DAVEY *

Do you wish to speak with me, Mary? *

But a WOMAN appears behind him, exasperated, interrupting -*

HANNAH:

Mr Davey? You can’t make stew *

inside a church! *

FRANCIS DAVEY:

My sister Hannah, Mary Yellan.

MARY’s POV of HANNAH, 40, plain, and slightly mannish, *

soberly dressed, as she stops, holding a still-live chicken *

upsidedown by its legs, as she looks at MARY in curiosity. *

FRANCIS DAVEY (CONT’D)

And Beth. Who helps us at the

vicarage.

MARY’s relief is cut short to see that the young woman from

the inn last night is indeed behind HANNAH. *

BETH eyes MARY warily (anxious to find her talking to the

vicar), and she pointedly signals MARY with her eyes -

BETH:

I’m pleased to meet you.

MARY’s face falls, wrong-footed but

FRANCIS DAVEY:

Hannah. Mary wishes to speak with

me so perhaps you and Beth might -*

But MARY has seen BETH glance sharply at her, fearing what

she might reveal and she loses confidence, scared to speak in

front of someone she knows is dealing with her uncle.

MARY:

(interrupts) *

Oh! No. I - didn’t - I was just… *

But she shakes her head, can’t quite find a lie. HANNAH eyes *

her, shrewd

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HANNAH:

You’re new to our Parish, Mary?

MARY glances at BETH again, but has no choice but to tell

them. She’s ashamed as she looks down and confesses

MARY:

I'm… at Jamaica Inn.

DAVEY and HANNAH exchange a look; like everybody else they *

know about Jamaica Inn but are surprised there is a girl *

there.

FRANCIS DAVEY:

God’s house is open to any who

would hear his word.

MARY looks at him, hoping this is true. But

WOMAN/MRS TRELAWN

Mr Davey?

A tired, ragged mining wife, 30s has entered and MARY loses *

her moment as DAVEY turns to speak quietly to her. *

HANNAH watches the woman, but remains more interested in MARY-*

HANNAH:

Jamaica Inn. You’re family, I *

suppose?

DAVEY turns back to them, interrupts, MRS TRELAWN still

waiting -

FRANCIS DAVEY:

Hannah, Mrs Trelawn has need of me.

Her husband Abe didn't come home

last night -

HANNAH:

(quiet judgement)

Drunk inside some inn, was he - ?

MARY looks sick at the mention of ABE’s name and

disappearance. DAVEY turns to her

FRANCIS DAVEY:

I hope we'll see you at a service, *

Mary?

HANNAH *

Hear him preach. He’s very good. *

You won’t regret it.

HANNAH follows DAVEY and MRS TRELAWN out. MARY’s still *

reeling, but BETH misses it and quietly justifies

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BETH:

Thank you for not saying anything.

I mean, it's not like it's so wrong

bringing back a few kegs on the

side to sell.

(smiles)

And it isn’t like Will’s stealing

them. He’ll trade them for his

sheep fleeces.

*

*

*

*

*

Now MARY looks at her - JOSS obviously agreed to WILL’s

proposal then. BETH’s hopeful BETH

(CONT’D)

We’re getting married. *

- MARY digests this. *

BETH (CONT’D)

I have to go. *

BETH smiles parting, heads out. On MARY, putting these new

connections together. She needs a new plan.

*

*

70 EXT. BODMIN MOOR, ALTARNUN TOWARDS LAUNCESTON - DAY 5 70

The moors stretch out, bleak and desolate as MARY trudges on.

She heads towards the flatter landscape where ancient

‘hurlers’, giant granite circles, can be seen.

71 EXT. BODMIN MOOR, TOWARDS LAUNCESTON - DAY 5 71

MARY passes by the hurlers, each stone taller than a MAN.

A flock of sheep is grazing wild nearby and they ripple away

as she passes through them.

MARY glances at them, but after a moment, something behind

them spooks them and they baaa more urgently, in a fluster,

and suddenly herd off to one side.

MARY steadies herself against their flow, and frowns, looking

behind her -

- catching a glimpse of a black shadow, darting behind one of

the stones - and now all the birds fly up and off as one, in

a great chorus of wings, and the sheep start to bolt.

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