Download - The Witch

THE TALE OF MARGARET QUAINE

BY

NATHAN RUSSELL-RABY

28/10/2011

FADE IN

Text on screen, CASTLE RUSHEN, ISLE OF MAN. 1617

1 INT. CASTLE RUSHEN DUNGEONS. DAY

WIDE SHOT of the dungeon, dwarfing our protagonist

MARGARET QUAINE in the vast space of the echoing cave like

dungeons. We track in very slowly on Mrs Quaine.

Margaret looks beaten, wearing rags and tattered clothing,

is slouched against the wall, her hands cuffed to it, her

ankles cuffed together and held down by a ball and chain.

She’s clearly given up on life - she doesn’t even look

upset anymore, the poor soul’s gone completely hollow.

Down the steps of the dungeon walks the BISHOP OF SODOR

AND MANN, and two male GUARDS of Castle Rushen dungeons

before him.

The Bishop is an arrogant man, clearly proud of his

status, in the obvious belief that he is God’s personal

gift to the world.

They make their way over to Margaret, who looks up at the

Bishop with a look of disgust.

BISHOP

(to Margaret)

By choosing to hand your soul

over to the devil you have

committed a crime against man and

a crime against God.

Margaret looks at the Bishop with a face that can only

really say "I’m beyond the point of caring."

The guards come up closer to Margaret but hesitate a bit

before going to unlock her from the chains.

BISHOP

Come on ladies what’re you scared

of? She won’t turn you into a

frog... you’d need to be a

handsome Prince for that, neither

of which are you.

The guards move forward and pick her up. She seems to

recognize the younger of them, he glances at her briefly

then looks away in shame. She quickly slips a tattered

note into his pocket. Once she is to her feet, they begin

to march her through the dungeon.

CUT TO:

2.

2 EXT. THE FARM. NIGHT

FLASHBACK

Margey and her husband stack bones on a large wooden fire

and light it. The flames are seen from high above as if

the spirit of the animals is being released back into the

surroundings.

CUT TO:

3 INT. THE QUAINE FAMILY HOME. EVENING

FLASHBACK

The Quaine’s are at home in their farmhouse. As a farm

house of the 1600’s it’s quite respectable. For a

relatively middle class family, the home isn’t the poorest

looking house you could imagine. MR QUAINE is sitting down

with his feet up, clearly resting up after a hard day’s

work in the farm.

Their baby boy, ROBERT is sat on the floor playing with a

toy doll.

Margaret Quaine is working at the kitchen/stove with the

dinner when there is a knock at the door. Mr Quaine

answers the door to see the CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD and a few

other SOLDIERS stood there with orders for Margaret’s

arrest.

MR QUAINE

Can I help you?

CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD

(barging into their home

immediately)

I’m dreadfully sorry Mr Quaine

but I have here with me orders

from the Lord of Mann for your

wife’s arrest.

MR QUAINE

Get out, what in the hell for?


Your wife has been accused of

practicing Witchcraft.

MR QUAINE

Is this a joke?


I’m afraid not sir.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: (2) 3.

MR QUAINE

This is ridiculous! What are you

doing? She’s no witch! On what

grounds are you basing this on?


She was seen dancing naked in the

field casting a spell over your

crops for a good harvest...

MR QUAINE

What pervert was fantasizing over

my wife in this way?


She was spotted by the Bishop of

Sodor and Mann himself, Sir.

MR QUAINE

(stomach sinks)

... the Bishop?

As the Captain of the Guard argues with Mr Quaine, the

guards march her out of the door.


I’m afraid so Sir.

MR QUAINE

No don’t you see, the Bishop

is... he, he wanted my land. He

wanted my land on behalf of the

church, I refused to give it to

him and... and... She’s innocent

I swear!


Save it for the Jury, Mr Quaine.

MR QUAINE

Look at her, she’s beautiful.

That is not the face of a witch

No! She’s innocent, I swear she’s

innocent, please listen to me!

CUT TO:


The guards are slowly marching Margaret across the large

dungeons to the staircase/exit.

Brief Flashbacks of Margaret’s trial.

CUT TO:

4.

5 INT. CHURCH HALL. DAY

FLASHBACK

In a dark, but beautifully decorated church, the members

of the Ecclesiastical court are all seated round a table.

The members of the court are the Vicar’s for each Parish.

BALLAUGH, MICHAEL, JURBY and SOUTH OF THE MOUNTAIN RANGE.

Sat at the end of the table is the Bishop.

In the corner of the room, chained up and held by the

guards is Margaret Quaine. On the other side of the room,

held back by the guards is Mr Quaine.

BISHOP

I saw her. I saw her naked as the

day God made her, prancing about

in the field, speaking the tongue

of the Devil! Singing and

Chanting in Ancient Speak!

The other members of the court look angry, disappointed.

Maybe even laughing at the woman’s idiocy.

BISHOP (cont’d)

Then we are to make a decision

Gentlemen...

The Vicar’s, sat in their chairs, sipping their wine,

muttering to each other.

BALLAUGH

For the Parish of Ballaugh... I

believe this woman to be guilty

of witch craft.

The Bishop marks this town on his sheet of paper with his

quill. He’s making a tally.

BISHOP

And Kirk Michael?

MICHAEL

For the Parish of Kirk Michael...

I believe this woman to be guilty

of witch craft.

Margaret and Mr Quaine watch in pain as each Vicar

delivers their verdict.

JURBY

For the Parish of Jurby... I

believe this woman to be guilty

of witch craft.

The Bishop turns to face the Vicar for the SOUTH OF THE

MOUNTAIN RANGE.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: (2) 5.

BISHOP

Reverend...

The Vicar contemplates his decision.

SOUTH OF THE MOUNTAIN RANGE

I don’t... I don’t know I mean...

Look at her. Is that really the

face of a witch?

MICHAEL

The Devil has been known to

assume pleasing forms.

BISHOP

The Sun is setting, Reverend...

The Vicar for South of the Mountain Range sighs.


For the Parish... of the South of

the Mountain Range... I believe

this woman to be guilty of witch

craft.

BISHOP

And she must therefore be put to

death?

Mr Quaine screams at the bishop.

MR QUAINE

No! You Son of a Bitch!

He struggles as the guards hold him back. His wife just

watches him with a look of sorrow.

The Bishop stands up and stands face to face with Mr

Quaine. He looks down on him, knowing exactly where he

stands. Sometimes, you don’t need words. The Vicar for

Jurby stands up, holding the church records in his hands,

reading them as he speaks and approaches the Bishop.

JURBY

Mr Quaine... the same Mr Quaine

who refused to donate a mere

percentage of his masses of acres

of land to the Church in 1615?

The Vicar for Michael, still sat relaxed in his chair,

let’s out a gasp of laughter.

MICHAEL

Hah! Devil Worshipers if there

ever were such a thing!

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: (3) 6.

MR QUAINE

You unimaginable Bastard. That’s

what all this is about isn’t it?

The Bishop smiles as he looks Mr Quaine straight in the

eye, close enough to smell eachothers breath.

BISHOP

I’d sure hate to be stood in your

shoes right now Quaine.

The Bishop turns around and heads back to the table.

CUT TO:


Margaret is being marched through the dungeon to the site

of her execution.

CUT TO:

7 INT. CHURCH HALL. DAY

FLASHBACK

Juxtaposing between clips of her making the walk to the

staircase and clips of her trial, constantly and quite

quickly.

BISHOP

And what are we to do about her?

JURBY

Beheading?

BISHOP

And have her rise again as a

Lycanthrope?

MICHAEL

What about the Slieu Whallian?


The what?

BISHOP

The barrels. Barrel’s made with

knives on the inside... the witch

is put inside the barrel and

rolled down the Hill at Slieu

Whallian. If she survives this

provides indisputable evidence

she’s a witch, and she’s drowned

in the River Neb.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: (2) 7.


That’s Barbaric.

BISHOP

It’s our duty to clean up God’s

Earth of this Filth, Reverend,

however Barbaric this may be.

Mr Quaine, still being held back by the guards, screams

with anger before he breaks down into tears.

MR QUAINE

Please don’t do this.

BISHOP

Quiet or you’ll be put in the

barrel with her.

MR QUAINE

Take me. Please take me instead.

BISHOP

I’ve had enough of this man,

guards take him away.

Mr Quaine, struggling and in tears is pulled away by the

guards as they exit the Church.

MR QUAINE

Please! She has a child! She has

a child you can’t do this to her!

No! Pleeeease I’m begging you!

The doors of the church slam shut, silencing Mr Quaine.

BISHOP

Where were we?

JURBY

Burning. It eliminates all

further possibility of Vampyrism

or Lycanthropy.

The Bishop announces Margaret’s sentence.

BISHOP

Margaret Ine Quaine. You shall be

burned at the stake at noon

tomorrow in the courtyards of

Castle Rushen.

Margaret’s reaction is cold, terribly deep in thought, no

dialogue, no heavy overblown emotion from her - subtle and

silent, all her thoughts kept in her own head.

CUT TO:

8.


Margaret is about to head up the stairs/exit.

As Margaret gets closer to the exit the heckles of the

angry peasants/audience awaiting the death of the witch is

heard out of shot.

Before Margaret makes her way up the stairs to the exit,

she stands face to face with thew Bishop and shoots him a

filthy look of disgust. The Bishop has a slight evil smile

on him, before changing to sole anger for his dialogue.

BISHOP

Your destiny awaits you, Witch.

Margaret sighs before she holds her head high and walks up

the tall staircase to the exit.

CUT TO:

9 EXT. CASTLE RUSHEN COURTYARD. DAY

At the center of the typical looking Castle Courtyard is

the stake; empty at present.The EXECUTIONER is stood,

beside the stake in uniform.

There are PEASANTS dressed in rags, screaming and heckling

Margaret as the guards slowly escort her to the stake. The

guards then tie and chain her to the stake, the whole time

she’s silent, through either wanting to go out with

dignity or out of sheer fear. Throughout the scene of her

being tied up, peasants throwing rocks at her and

screaming abuse at her. "Burn the Witch" they shout. The

village drum begins to play the death march as the Bishop

unravels a scroll to sentence Margaret to death.

BISHOP

(at the top of his voice,

announcing it to the entire

courtyard)

Margaret Ine Quaine. You have

been found guilty of witchcraft!

The villagers scream with anger.

BISHOP

A crime against God! A crime for

which there is no repent! You are

therefore, here by sentenced to

be burned at the stake until

death!

Margaret watches as her executioner lights the torch. Now,

we can really see the fear in her eyes.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: (2) 9.

BISHOP (cont’d)

(not reading, improvising

this new death sentence)

And... for good measure, Robert

Quaine; the son of Margaret Ine

Quaine, shall also be burned to

death... for baring the blood of

a Witch!

One of the guards carries Robert in his arms, making his

way through the crowd towards the stake. Now, after almost

complete silence throughout the entire film, Margaret

begins to react. The peasants all pipe down and are no

longer as impressed to see the execution as they were

before.

MARGARET

(screaming)

No! please no!

The guard holds the baby before the haystacks beneath the

stake and watches as Margaret screams and throws herself

about hysterically, although still tied tightly to the

stake.

GUARD

(hesitating before placing

the baby on the haystack)

Bishop he’s -

BISHOP

Burn the Witch!

The Executioner, watching over.

GUARD

He’s just a child he’s not guilty

of anything! I won’t do this!

BISHOP

He bares the blood of Satan he’ll

be sent to ninth Circle of Hell

to burn with him. Burn him!

Margaret still screaming and crying in sheer agony. The

Bishop grabs hold of the baby, snatching him off of the

guard, putting him down on the stake. he turns around and

looks at the Executioner who is stood hesitant with the

torch in his hand. The Bishop rolls his eyes at yet

another characters hesitance.

BISHOP (cont’d)

They’re evil! They are Witches!

We must rid God’s Earth of their

Evil and burn them!

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: (3) 10.

The Executioner stands at the stake, contemplating whether

to burn the child... unfortunately, he takes his time in

deciding, and the Bishop snatches the burning torch off of

him.

The Bishop turns to the stake and looks at Margaret.

Close up of Margaret in tears and agony, followed by a

close up of the Bishop watching her and her baby. The

Bishop’s face is hard to read. Is he angry, or is he

feeling a touch of remorse... in any case, he refuses to

listen to the good in him.

Close up of The Bishop lighting the stake with the torch

before taking a step back.

The sounds of the screams can be heard as we watch the

fire burn.

In an almost seamless transition, the screams slowly begin

to fade as we pull out of the roaring fire.

CUT TO:

10 EXT. QUAINE FARM. FIELDS. EVENING

As we pull out from the Fire, Mr Quaine is stacking animal

bones onto the large, wooden bonfire.

The flames are seen from high above as if the spirit of

the animals is being released back into the surroundings.

Mr Quaine looks destroyed as he piles on the last set of

bones.

He takes a step back and overlooks the Bonfire before

heading back to his home.

CUT TO:

11 EXT. THE QUAINE FAMILY HOME. EVENING

Outside the house is a guard. Mr Quaine approaches his

front door and as you’d imagine is not really pleased to

see him.

He slows down and looks at the guard, who approaches him.

The guard, reaching into his pocket, pulls out the note

and hands it to Mr Quaine.

The Guard nods his head at Mr Quaine and walks away.

Mr Quaine unfolds the tattered note and begins to read it.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: (2) 11.

MARGARET

(voice over)

Husband, when you awake and I am

not where you look, you will find

us in the sun’s reflection on the

sea.

We see the sun reflecting upon the Manx Ocean.

MARGARET (cont’d)

(voice over)

You will find us in the winds

play upon the fields of grain

We see a shot of the waves moving along the fields.

MARGARET (cont’d)

(voice over)

When you lie asleep, we will be

in the string of stars above

Shots of the night sky, shooting stars roaring above the

land for movement.

MARGARET (cont’d)

(voice over)

And in the early morning when

awakened by the song of the

birds, it is our voice you are

hearing.

Inter cut between shots of the Islands natural beauty.

MARGARET (cont’d)

(voice over)

So do not weep

We are not dead

Mr Quaine folds the letter up as he admires the setting

sun over the fields.

FADE TO BLACK.

CREDITS.

Download - The Witch

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