Maze

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REPORTER 1:
Inside these blocks,

three hundred and fifty convicted terrorists

are demanding political

rather than criminal status.

They back this demand

by what's called "The Dirty Protest."

REPORTER 2:
The men are not wearing clothes.

They call them the "blanket men",

all they wear are blankets.

REPORTER 3:
The IRA is trying

to force the British government

to grant the prisoners five demands

using the weapon of last resort,

the hunger strike.

MARGARET THATCHER:

There is no such thing as political murder,

political bombing or political violence.

There is only criminal murder,

criminal bombing and criminal violence.

REPORTER 4:

Attitudes have hardened on both sides

after the deaths of ten hunger-strikers.

REPORTER 5:
The decision to end

the hunger strike was taken last night.

After visits from Republican leaders who

told them there was no point in going on.

For him.

And you can stay over there Gordon,

they're short a body.

Since when do we let them wear civvies?

New rule.

Which idiot decided that?

Dunno, don't care.

See ya, Gordon.

BLANKET MAN 1:
What are you doing Larry?

BLANKET MAN 2:
You're a traitor

Larry Marley, a f***ing traitor!

H7 first and then H2.

GORDON:
Prisoner for transfer. Marley.

Move.

PRISONER 1:
What do we have here?

PRISONER 2:
Look at the state of him.

The blanket men are all mad they say,

but you don't look so scary. Does he?

Like a mouse.

Buried any of your IRA mates lately?

What's that rumble I feel?

Oh, I'm starving.

(MEN LAUGHING)

You made the right choice.

Twenty-eight.

I don't see any of you going

on f***ing hunger strike.

F***ing "hard men"...

Get back to your f***ing cells.

IRA INMATE:

Stay up your own end, Loyalist bastards.

(INDISTINCT SHOUTING)

(CELL DOOR OPENING)

What time do visits start?

"What time do visits start, Sir."

GORDON:
O'Shea.

Marley.

Delahunty.

Feeney.

I didn't know whether to believe it

when they said you were coming off.

I'm glad you remember me.

I almost didn't.

- You look terrible.

- Yeah.

You think this is bad,

you should have seen me before.

I wanted to...

All this time...

I know...

but the protest was important.

How are the boys?

Grand.

Growing up fast without you.

If things were different, Kate,

you know what I'd choose.

Sorry about your friends

on the hunger strike.

It must have been bad in here.

Sometimes...

Sometimes I feel like a cheat,

being alive when they're not.

You know what I mean?

Since the hunger strike ended,

everybody thinks we're finished.

The bigger problem is that we do too.

I mean, take a look at the men.

We need to prove, not just to the world, but

ourselves too, that we've still got a pulse.

What's on your mind?

You don't mean an escape, surely?

From here? You're joking, right?

We don't even know where we are.

I've been in here four years

and I couldn't tell you

what's on the other side of that wall.

Well it's time we found out, eh?

Is it worth the risk?

If they catch you making plans,

it'll be a few more years on your time.

Why don't you ask the ten

hunger strikers if it's worth it.

I owe it to them to at least try.

You can do what you want for now.

But believe me, you're wasting your time.

Too many new faces round here, lads.

You shoulda stayed on the blanket,

ya Fenian bastard.

Youse better watch your backs. All of you.

Is that right, Kenny boy?

Take a look around.

There's more of us than you now.

Where the f***'s he going?

Going for an afternoon stroll, Larry?

Yep. Big date, your sister.

Gordon about?

Wait here.

- What is it?

- I wanna volunteer for work...

Orderly duty.

You! The last of the blanket men!

Couldn't stick being treated like a criminal

now all of a sudden you want to skivvy?

My wife always said

I was a dab hand with a mop.

No way. Forget it.

Get many volunteers from our side, do you?

I bet someone higher up would see it

different, wouldn't they?

Maybe I should ask them.

Bring him in here.

I dunno about this.

I really don't think it's a good idea.

What's the worst can happen?

The place might get a bit cleaner?

All right. Let him in.

I'm giving you one chance, Marley.

Any funny business, and you're back in there.

Drop of tea, Gordon?

F*** off!

What are you playing at, Larry?

I'm talking to you. We do not do scab labour.

He's a Judas, that's what he is,

betraying the hunger strikers.

You do not know me...

WARDER:
Hey!

JOE:
Are you just going

to let him sell us out like that?

You're his O.C., do something!

If he wants to keep himself busy,

I'm not gonna stop him.

But he's working for them!

Our friends died so we wouldn't

have to do sh*t like that.

We are political prisoners.

- How can you just sit there?

- And I am your O.C. too, Joe

and I'm asking you to stow it, okay?

The thing is, I agree with him.

No, I don't know what time...

Just some of the other fellas.

GORDON:
We went out last month.

All right, we'll go out Saturday

just the three of us.

A trolling spinner, isn't it?

I used to do a bit myself.

(SIGHS)

Prisoner Marley returning to the wing.

GORDON:
You're sure it's the one

you want, not the blue one?

No, it's perfect, thanks Dad.

Just checking.

So where do you want to eat?

We're going to a restaurant too?

Of course, it's called going out.

I wouldn't know.

(CAR ENGINE STARTS)

(JILL SCREAMING) Janet!

Don't you move!

You all right?

Are you hurt?

Message from your son.

Come on.

Get in.

- Gordon not in today?

- Get in the f***ing van!

WARDER:
Ya Fenian scum!

Right.

Listen, my son's talking about

joining the family business.

You want me to get someone to talk to him?

No.

He's mule-headed like me.

If we tell him he can't,

he'll just find some other way.

I need to be out there dealing with this.

You do realise if you escape,

you won't be able to go home.

Ever.

They'll hunt you in every bush

and ditch in the country.

Larry this is Bobby, Bobby, Larry.

So, what have you got?

Right.

Well, what do you need?

Detail. Lots of it.

Eyes and ears. Anyone moving around,

getting an x-ray, peeling spuds, whatever,

they need to remember what they see.

- We'll get on it.

- What else?

I need to find what they missed,

there has to be a flaw.

Why? Because you want one?

Meet my rain cloud,

it follows me around all day.

You know they used to burn

unbelievers at the stake, Oscar.

I'd love you to prove me wrong fellas.

Our block is over here,

and there's another one right behind.

How do you know that?

I hear them out there in their yard.

See? He's using his head.

Now some smart bastard put sweat

and overtime into keeping us in here.

We have to put a hell

of a lot more into getting out.

(MAN WHISTLES)

There was a hit on your warder last night.

He's alive.

Jesus. Who the hell called that?

It was an outside op.

His wife and kid were there.

Well that's just great!

How am I supposed to get him to trust me

if we're trying to blow his brains out.

You're wasting your time with that one.

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