1
[soft music]
[music plays]
[ominous music]
[distant yelling]
[shouting]
[sound muffled]
[echoing sigh]
[shouting]
[man] Almighty
and everlasting God.
The comfort of the sad,
the strength
of them that suffer.
Let the prayers of thy children
who cry out of any tribulation
come unto thee...
[yells]
...and unto every Christian soul
that is distressed
grant thou mercy.
[fishermen]
Away, boys, away...
[shouting]
They says I
hang for money...
[yelling]
So hang, boys, hang...
[man] Grant refreshment...
...through Jesus Christ
our Lord.
[shouting]
- Amen.
- So hang, boys, hang...
[shouting]
[man] Work, Griffith, now!
[singing continues]
And then I hanged me granny
So hang, boys, hang
[shouting]
Then I hanged me mother
Away, boys, away...
Get back! Get back! I said
get back! I swear, I'll...
- So hang, boys, hang
- [man] Let me be safe.
I hanged me sister Sally
Away, boys, away
I hanged
me whole damned family
So hang, boys, hang...
Griffith! Come on!
- Bastard Company men!
- Move!
I strung her up quite canny
So hang, boys, hang
And I'd hang
my mate and skipper
Away, boys, away
I'd hang 'em
by their flippers...
You been fighting again, Tom?
So hang, boys, hang
I'd hang a ruddy copper
Away, boys, away
I'd give him the
long dropper
So hang, boys, hang
With a rope,
a block, a ladder
Away, boys, away
Cos hangin' is so funny
So hang, boys, hang...
Thomas.
That him?
Aye.
You've never kept
the Smalls before, I hear.
She's not an easy keep, boy.
She don't want us here.
Neither do these bastard rocks.
A stint on that wooden bitch,
well, ha!
Well...
You'll see.
[chuckles]
- You'll see.
- [man hawks noisily]
[sighs]
Hello, old girl.
[breathes deeply]
[gentle piano music]
[seagulls cry]
[slurps noisily]
Enough oil?
[gentle snoring]
[Griffith]
Salt pork: 100 pounds.
Salt beef: 50 pounds.
Flour: two barrels.
Rice: 50 pounds.
Weather: partly cloudy.
[bell rings]
A moderate breeze.
TG, principal
lighthouse keeper.
[bell rings]
[man 1] Henry Rees, John Elias,
Daniel Rowlands,
Christmas Evans,
David Jones, Charles Johns.
In company with Christ,
who died and now lives.
May they rejoice
in your kingdom,
where all our tears
are wiped away.
Amen.
[bell rings]
[ringing continues]
The weather is turning.
Rain.
Aye.
[Griffith] Seventh day.
Weather: rain first half
of watch, afterwards, clearing.
Calm.
Structure and lens
in good repair.
TG, principal
lighthouse keeper.
Good.
Mmm. Very good.
I know you do not want me here,
Tom, but we have a job to do.
Hmm.
Good, good.
If they find you out here,
we'll both be relieved
of our duty.
Only you and I are here, Tom.
Do you plan to tell them?
I cannot fish from up there.
Aye. You're right, Thomas.
We're here to keep the light.
And that we must do together.
Do you play?
Play what, Howell?
[Griffith] 12th day.
Weather: winds increasing
from northeast and east.
TG, principal
lighthouse keeper.
Ha! [laughs]
You'll need to do better
than that, boy!
[Griffith] You will look after
us whilst we're here,
will you not, old girl?
Yes. A month.
A month is all.
Good girl.
We'll be gone before long.
[Griffith] No fish?
[Howell] Do you ever wonder
what is happening back there?
Back on shore?
Sometimes.
What is happening right now...
...back home in Solva.
People are living their lives.
They work, eat, sleep and shit.
Same as us here on this rock.
Here on this rock, aye.
Twenty-five miles from land.
Do you ever ask yourself
why we do this?
My father was a keeper, same as
his father. It's in my blood.
And this...
This is peace.
True peace. Out here...
There's nothing else like it.
[Howell] Peace?
There's nothing here, Tom.
Nothing.
Waves and rocks is all.
Yeah.
There we have it.
Peace.
Another hour. We've work to do.
I wish to apologize, Tom.
I did not mean to offend you,
to question your reasons
for keeping,
or the peace you find here.
I understand what it is
you find in all this.
Do you?
No. I do not think you do.
Not peace, nor keeping.
I am not new to this work...
We have a responsibility,
Howell.
The greatest responsibility.
Ships from all across
this world,
America, India, Africa,
will pass,
and we are the only light
in the vast, deep darkness.
We live and die
to keep those at sea safe.
Tom...
What happened...
South Bishop Island...
[slams bowl down]
[Griffith] The light.
Henry Rees,
John Elias,
Daniel Rowlands,
Christmas Evans,
David Jones,
Charles Johns.
In company with Christ,
who died and now lives.
Amen.
Hello?
Hello?
Hello?!
Hello?!
Henry Rees,
John Elias...
...Daniel Rowlands,
Christmas Evans,
David Jones...
[bell rings repeatedly]
No. No...
When did it come in?
Small hours.
[door opens]
Two-hour shifts.
Sound the warning
every five minutes.
She could be in for a few days.
[sighs]
[bell ringing continues]
Howell!
[Griffith] 22nd Day.
It's time.
Weather:
heavy fog still.
Squalls from northeast
and east.
Squalls increasing in force,
last hour of watch.
[thunder]
[door opens]
Storm's coming in.
It will clear this damned fog
at least.
We have work to do. Oil.
[Griffith]
Weather: torrential rain.
Howell! Oil!
Heavy winds
from northeast and north.
Squalls increasing.
[dripping water]
- [Howell] This is not good.
- She will pass.
[both grunt]
[thunder]
[Griffith] 30th day.
Storm endless.
Heavy squalls increasing.
Gales from northeast and east.
No relief boat has yet landed.
Rations low.
It's getting worse.
There will be no way
to escape this rock.
Our time could be up and nobody
would even know. [chuckles]
We are running low on fuel.
The rations, the drinking water,
depleted!
We have another few days here.
They'll send relief
when this is done.
It will pass!
[waves crash]
...and Jesus answered
and said unto him,
"Seest thou
these great buildings?"
"There shall not be left
one stone upon a stone,
that shall not be thrown down."
"Moreover in those days,
after that tribulation,
the sun shall wax dark,
and the moon
shall not give her light...
...and the stars of heaven
shall fall...
...and the powers
which are in heaven shall fall."
[thunder]
[clattering]
[grunts]
Thomas! No!
We need to repair it.
Too dangerous in this.
At first light.
[wind howls]
They will not come in this.
There will be no rescue vessel
until this is done.
They have to come for us.
I've never seen its like.
- Never.
- [creaking]
They will not chance a boat.
[Howell]
We don't have much longer.
I know.
This is the last of the meat?
You carry that with you now?
That will be of no help.
Not here.
Not on this rock.
Think that will help you?
Pleading?
Pleading with Him up there?
That He hears you?
Cares? That He will answer you?
Listen!
Listen!
[distant rumble of storm]
That is the only God
that answers out here.
[chair scrapes on floor]
Tom?
Tom!
Tom...
[exhales]
What? It's not the Sabbath,
is it?
[Howell] What is this?
[Griffith] Ah. Henry Whiteside.
He built this wooden bitch.
Began summer of 1775.
Winter of '76, a storm came in.
Whiteside and his boys
were trapped out here in it.
No rescue boats.
She was a bad one.
Like this.
So, old Whiteside put a message
in one of these.
Begged for rescue.
Pleaded for it.
[grunts]
Like you, to Him.
Well, that bottle
made the crossing.
Twenty-five miles
of the Irish Sea.
Twenty-five miles of hell.
They came for them?
Aye.
This chest has been here
since that lamp was first lit.
Why?
You know why.
A mercy.
This island
does not want us here.
Before this beacon was built,
she took hundreds of lives.
Perhaps she is still hungry.
And if we were to die,
if they do not come,
the tower washes away,
however it went...
[grunts]
...I would rather die drunk.
[thunder]
[wind howls]
[grunts]
That will do it.
You've saved our souls.
Told you, that book
will do no good.
Not here, not now.
It is my only solace.
Oooh... solace!
You are drunk, Tom.
There are six men
beyond solace now.
Leave it, Tom.
Six good men, all dead,
and you are here.
Do you ever think of them?
With every breath I draw.
I did not want this haul.
Not here.
- Not with you!
- Leave it.
There is an ill luck about you,
Thomas Howell!
You've brought this down on us.
Cursed us!
- You!
- You need to sleep, Tom!
You've damned us both!
What you did has damned us both!
You should not be here!
The sea, she remembers all.
You, with your book...
How often did you visit chapel
before South Bishop?
Get out of my sight.
[waves crash]
[creaking]
Tom!
Tom!
Good girl.
Tom...
No.
No, no, no. No.
Please.
There is no hope.
We're dead men.
The storm will take us.
It's over.
- It's over!
- [gun fires]
[grunts] Damn you!
Damn you!
[grunting]
Over!
It's over! Over!
Over! Over!
[high-pitched sound
drowns out his voice]
[creaking]
[groans]
[groans]
[spits]
[distant thunder]
[groans]
[groans]
[groans]
Got me good.
[laughs]
- To this hell.
- [grunts]
[laughs]
[both laugh]
[Griffith]
When I was a little lad
And 'tis my mother
that told me
[both] Way, haul away
We'll haul away, Joe
If I did not kiss the girls
Then my lips grow moldy
Way, haul away
We'll haul away, Joe
Way, haul away
We'll haul away, Joe
King Louis
was the king of France
Before the revolution
Way, haul away
We'll haul away, Joe
And then he got
his head cut off
And spoiled his constitution
Way, haul away
Haul away, Joe
This island... is cursed.
Of that I am sure.
You're right. Of that I am sure.
- To be on land.
- [chuckles]
- Land.
- Land.
If you could be anywhere now...
...where would you be?
Anywhere?
Abermawr.
Ah... Abermawr.
Oh, you should see it.
Summer meadows
and the bluebell woods.
- Abermawr.
- [sighs]
It is where I proposed
to my wife.
If I could be there,
on that day, forever.
You never talk of your family.
Yeah.
Gone. All gone.
Gone.
Gone, gone...
Tom.
Tom.
Bonny young thing.
I'd have done anything for her.
Anything.
Heledd.
Your wife?
My wife... and my darling Annie.
Daughter?
Hmm.
Consumption took them both.
I'm sorry, Tom.
I lost them ten year ago.
No. No.
Eleven.
Ah.
I'll lie with them soon enough.
Well, they call me
Hangin' Johnny
Away, boys, away
Well, I never hanged nobody
- So it's hang, boys, hang
- Tom.
What?
- South Bishop.
- Oh...
You blame me, Tom.
You... all of you.
Henry Rees, John Elias,
Daniel Rowlands,
Christmas Evans, David Jones...
...Charles Johns.
Henry Rees.
John Elias.
Daniel Rowlands.
Christmas Evans.
David Jones.
Charles Johns.
Six men dead because of me.
- Do you know what happened?
- It's not the time.
Do you know what happened?
You fell asleep.
I fell asleep and six men died.
I fell asleep and left
12 children without fathers
and widowed four wives.
So you are right.
I am a curse.
This storm, a punishment.
I pray that they are...
at His side.
- That they are safe...
- Pray?
I pray for them every night.
Six men dead and you pray?
Do you think He cares?
Listens?
No.
My Annie was four when that
bastard saw fit to cut her down!
Four!
Tiny!
And in the cold ground, my baby!
My Annie!
And do you think prayer
brought her back to me? No!
If He can put us into the world,
this darkness,
this pit of pain and cruelty,
then we are nothing to Him!
So you pray.
Pray and grovel!
See if He listens.
See if that brings them back!
[wind howls]
[vomits]
- Tom! Tom! Tom! Tom!
- [groans] What?
The beacon!
[laughs]
Tom, help me!
Fuck the light! Fuck this place!
Tom, we have to light her!
Leave her dark!
- Do you not see?
- Tom, please!
- We are dead men! Dead!
- Tom, help me!
- We have to light her! Please!
- Dead!
Tom, help me!
Help, you say?
- Why do you not beg Him?
- No!
If you grovel before Him,
does He hear you?
- Does He care?
- Help me, Tom!
- Do You hear us?
- Tom!
No! Tell me!
- We have to light the light!
- Where is your God now?
- [screams]
- No!
Tom!
Tom! [grunts]
[groans]
[Howell] Tom!
Take my hand!
[grunts]
[grunts]
Tom!
[sobs] Tom... Tom...
No!
No!
[door opens]
[footsteps]
[sobs]
You will lie with them, Tom.
I promise you.
[whispers prayer]
[Howell] I do not know
what to do for you, Tom.
It's seven men now.
And you blame me...
All of you.
South Bishop...
Do you know what happened?
What really happened?
It was my fourth keep.
But... but my first island.
An island, Tom.
An island, like this.
Miles from land...
and a fog came in.
A fog, heavy.
Seven days.
We thought it would never end.
No relief on an island.
They will not risk a boat.
We rang that bastard bell,
day and night and...
...and on the sixth day,
Lewis fell sick.
A fever, bad.
So I... I stood on that platform
and rang that bell for 15 hours.
I cannot remember sleeping, Tom.
But when I woke up,
six men were dead.
They hit the rocks in the fog,
drowned, all of them,
because I slept.
And now this,
another dead man...
And they will blame me
for you also.
But you fell, Tom.
You fell!
To the Smalls.
Still hungry.
How's the food, Tom?
How long, Tom?
How long till they come for us?
You do not wish to talk
tonight? Fine.
- Fine!
- [bowl clatters]
You'll have to do better
than that, boy.
[chuckles]
You'll have to do better
than that.
[thunder]
Henry Rees,
John Elias,
Daniel Rowlands,
Christmas Evans,
David Jones,
Charles Johns...
Thomas Griffith.
In company with Christ,
who died and now lives.
[waves crash]
[thunder]
[sighs]
You stink, Tom.
Outside, Tom.
[grunts] You're going outside.
[grunts]
[groans]
Bastard!
You'll be fine here, Tom.
I will not give your body
up to the sea.
She is deep and dark...
and endless.
That is no burial for a man.
Henry Rees, John Elias... they
never retrieved their bodies.
I cannot do the same to you.
You will rest
with your wife and daughter,
that I promise you.
[thunder]
[rustling]
[rustling]
[rustling]
Tom?
You're dead, you're dead!
[rustling]
[rustling]
[grunts]
[yells]
[grunts]
[pants]
Storm endless.
Thomas Griffith is dead.
A terrible accident.
I fear to be left alone
without aid on the Smalls.
Supplies low. TH, light keeper.
[whispers]
In company with Christ
who died and now lives.
May he rejoice
in your kingdom...
[pants]
[in his sleep] No...
[gasps]
[Griffith whispers]
Seven men...
David Jones,
Charles Johns,
Thomas Griffith,
Henry Rees,
John Elias,
Daniel Rowlands,
Christmas Evans,
David Jones,
Charles Johns,
Thomas Griffith.
[hisses]
[gasps]
[steady knocking]
[knocking continues]
[thunder]
[Howell] I plan to stay true
to my post
and maintain the light
as best I can.
I begin to fear for my sanity,
alone on this wretched island.
No relief boat
has been dispatched
into this damned storm.
Have they left me here
to perish?
[muffled crash]
God save me.
Tom?
Help!
Please!
Help!
[rings bell]
Help!
Help!
Help!
[steady knocking]
[muffled crash]
[loud crash]
[clattering]
[gasps]
[steady knocking]
[breathes heavily]
[steady knocking continues]
I now know this island
is wicked
beyond the darkest of dreams.
These rocks are cursed.
What is this limbo?
Has he damned my soul?
His dead right arm now hangs
inches from my window.
It is beckoning me outside
to face this endless storm...
...and the evil spirits
that dance across
the poisoned waters.
No ship will land here.
Am I in hell?
[steady knocking continues]
- Quiet!
- [knocking stops]
[steady knocking continues]
Poor move, Tom. Poor move.
You blame me, Tom.
You fell.
You fell.
[whispering]
Poor move.
[whispering]
You blame me, but you fell.
But you fell.
[whispering continues]
You blame me, but you fell.
Concentrate, Tom. Concentrate.
Six men, not seven.
[mutters]
You blame me, Tom. You blame me,
and I cannot
be held accountable for that.
[steady knocking continues]
[whispering]
You blame me, but you fell.
- Tom, quiet now. Quiet!
- [steady knocking continues]
Why can you not leave me alone,
you bastard?
You are dead, Tom.
Thomas hangs outside my window.
No Christian burial for a man.
No rest.
His soul, I am certain,
is halfway between this life
and the next one.
And I fear that it haunts me
within this black tower.
[steady knocking continues]
There is no longer
any distraction
from the darker corners
of my imagination.
A purgatory that grows
as this damned storm rages on.
I fear the Devil lurks within
the shadows
of this tower with me.
- This island...
- [Griffith whispers] Thomas...
[Howell] Is this hell?
[Griffith whispers]
Thomas Howell.
[Howell]
Is this his punishment?
May God save my soul.
[steady knocking continues]
- [Griffith whispers] Thomas.
- [gasps]
- Thomas Howell.
- [banging]
[grunts]
- [Griffith whispers] Thomas.
- [banging]
Thomas Howell...
Seven men.
[Griffith] Come now,
Thomas Howell.
It is time.
- You know what you must do.
- No...
Seven men, Thomas Howell.
- No...
- Seven men.
Leave me!
Join us.
- No!
- Seven men, Thomas Howell.
- Seven men.
- Leave me! Leave!
Seven men, Thomas Howell.
Seven men.
Join us.
[Howell] I know that the Lord
has damned me for what I did.
My very soul is now in peril.
I can no longer endure
this punishment.
And unto every Christian soul
that is distressed
grant thou mercy.
Forgive me.
[Griffith whispers] Eight men.
[steady knocking]
[banging]
[groans]
Bastard.
[steady knocking continues]
[laughs]
You are dead, Tom.
Leave me alone.
[Griffith whispers] Join us.
When he comes for me...
I suffer the darkness
of the other world.
Come now, Thomas Howell.
- [whispering]
- Join us.
[Howell] Through
the black hours of every night,
this Devil's knock
interrupts my terrible dreams.
[Griffith whispers]
Accept his punishment.
[Howell] I know now that Thomas
Griffith haunts this tower.
He wishes me
to damn myself to hell.
He wishes to punish me.
He walks this cursed place
in the darkness of death,
and he wishes me to damn
my eternal soul with the noose.
Leave me!
He will not take me.
He will not take me!
He will not take me!
He will not take me!
No!
[Howell] Tom?
[Griffith]
When can I go home, Thomas?
[Howell] You cannot go home.
Why?
[Howell] Because you fell.
So I cannot go home?
[Howell] No.
[Griffith] I'm lonely out here.
Will you stay with me?
I cannot stay.
- Why?
- I...
You are...
I cannot find them.
Not here.
Not in this place.
Who?
Heledd...
...and my Annie.
I cannot find them here.
I cannot find them here.
Am I... in hell?
The others are here, Thomas.
The others?
Henry Rees,
John Elias,
Daniel Rowlands,
Christmas Evans...
...David Jones,
Charles Johns.
No.
And now you.
I'm not dead, Tom.
No...
No, no, no. No, no, no! No!
[Howell] I know what I must do.
I must rid myself
of Thomas Griffith.
I must cast him into the deep.
[Griffith]
This island took you, Thomas.
Your soul, it is already lost.
You will not take me.
You will not take me.
The Devil is here!
[Griffith] Do you not remember,
Thomas? Ending it?
When he comes for me...
Ending it all with the noose?
[Howell] I did not damn myself.
I did not hang!
- I did not damn myself!
- You are in hell.
- I did not damn myself!
- Eight men, Thomas.
- The Devil...
- Eight men.
[Griffith whispers] Come now,
Thomas Howell. It is time.
- [Griffith] Eight men.
- Seven!
- Eight men.
- Seven.
- Eight men.
- Seven men.
You are in hell. It is time.
- Seven men.
- Thomas Howell.
Seven.
I will not damn myself to hell!
- Seven men.
- Come!
[Griffith] Charon waits!
No!
[Howell] You will not take me.
You will not take me.
The Devil is here.
I will endure your punishment.
- Seven.
- And I will be redeemed!
Henry Rees!
John Elias! Daniel Rowlands!
Christmas Evans! David Jones!
Charles Johns! Thomas Griffith!
I will endure your punishment...
and I will be redeemed!
[sobs]
I've seen it, Tom.
[Griffith] What, Thomas?
What did you see?
You're in hell.
[Griffith sighs]
We're both in hell, Thomas.
The storm took us both.
It took you, Tom.
Took you.
Both our souls burn, Thomas.
No.
We both died on this island,
Thomas.
Both you... and I.
Come now...
...Thomas Howell.
It's time to leave.
Lasciate ogne speranza,
voi ch'entrate.
Lasciate ogne speranza,
voi ch'entrate...
[banging]
I have paid.
You will not take me.
I am not dead.
I have paid.
I did not hang.
I did not hang!
I did not damn myself!
No!
[echoing voice] Thomas Howell.
[Howell] No!
You will not take me.
You will not take me!
[deep voice]
It is time, Thomas Howell.
[Howell] I am redeemed!
- Thomas!
- I am redeemed!
Thomas!
[Howell] You will not take me!
I have paid...
You're safe!
You're safe now.
You're going home.
- Thomas Griffith...
- You're safe now.
Henry Rees, Thomas Griffith,
Henry Rees, John Elias,
Daniel Rowlands,
Christmas Evans...
- [man] Thomas!
- ...David Jones, Thomas Howell,
Henry Rees, John Elias,
Daniel Rowlands,
Christmas Evans...
- [man] Thomas!
- Henry Rees, John Elias,
Daniel Rowlands,
Christmas Evans, David Jones...
- Thomas! Thomas, it's us!
- I have paid!
- I have paid for them all!
- Thomas!
I have paid! I have paid!
Daniel Rowlands,
Christmas Evans,
John Elias, Daniel Rowlands,
Christmas Evans, David Jones,
Charles Johns. I have paid!
- Thomas, it's us!
- I have paid for them all!
I have paid! I have paid...
Well, they call me
Hangin' Johnny
Away, boys, away
They says I hangs for money
So hang, boys, hang
And they said I hangs
for money
Away, boys, away
But hangin' is so funny
So hang, boys, hang
At first I hanged me mammy
Away, boys, away
And then I hanged me daddy
So hang, boys, hang
Oh yes, I hanged me mother
Away, boys, away
Me sister and me brother
So hang, boys, hang
I hanged me sister Sally
Away, boys, away
I hanged
me whole damned family
So hang, boys, hang
I even hanged me granny
Away, boys, away
I strung her up
quite canny
So hang, boys, hang
So, they call me
Hangin' Johnny
Away, boys, away
Cos hangin' is so funny
So hang, boys, hang
[man yells]