(PEOPLE LAUGHING)
(INDISTINCT TALKING)
GERRY ON TAPE: Hello, hello? Good.
I never said thank you for taking up our case.
Never thought I'd trust an English person again,
especially a lawyer.
Anyhow, I'll be as brief and accurate as I can
with names, dates, and places,
anything that might help in our defense.
To explain how I happened to be in England in 1974
at the time of the bombing,
I better take you back to Northern Ireland, where I come from.
See, Belfast in the early '70s was total chaos.
It was strange to see soldiers on the street,
all of them terrified of the civilian population,
any one of whom could be an IRA gunman.
I was just a petty thief, stealing scrap metal.
In Belfast, that was a dangerous occupation.
Get down, Gerry, for fuck's sake.
Tommo!
GERRY: The IRA had already given me three warnings,
and when a British patrol mistook me for a gunman,
that got me into real trouble.
Is he trying to fucking shoot us!
(MIMICKING ELECTRIC GUITAR)
There's a sniper. There's a sniper! He's up there!
I can't get a bead on him.
SOLDIER: Shoot him before he fucking kills us!
(GUNSHOTS)
Fucking bastards!
All right, hurry up and tell Mr. Kelly, love.
Two suspects proceeding back west...
Mr. Kelly!
Murderers!
Okay, we're gonna have to move the guns.
You go and move the gear, eh? Hurry up.
Right, everyone out now! Come on!
Get out of the fucking way! The Brits is after us.
The Brits is after us!
The Brits are after us!
In here! In here! Gerry!
WOMAN: Come on, come on. This way, lads.
Go! Go! Go! Go!
(BOYS YELLING)
Looks like they're coming out of everywhere.
They're right in front of us, boys.
Who is it? It's Conlon.
Grab him.
GIRL: It's your brother, your brother Gerry.
Oh, my God!
MAN: Get the women out of there!
Fucking English bastards!
They've started a riot to cover the sniper.
If we can isolate him, we can grab him.
Let's go, lads.
Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! Move it!
MAN: Get that blasted child out of here!
Get that child out of here now!
Let's move. Come on, lads.
Come on! Come on! Go! Go! Go!
Move that child!
(MEN SHOUTING)
MAN: Shoot that fucking gas now!
Come and fucking get us now, you bastards!
WOMAN: Let him go, you bastards!
Fucking bitch!
You okay?
I got a friend wants to talk to you.
Oh, fuck's sake! Come on. We can do this
the easy way or the hard way, all right?
Let's be smart. Come on.
GIRL: They're taking your brother away!
MAN: Where are you going? Where are you going?
DANNY: We weren't robbing no houses.
MAN: Don't fuck with me. Suddenly you're a good boy?
Have you been robbing people's houses again?
DANNY: We weren't robbing houses!
Search him. Did you get away all right?
Aye. Who was it?
Those two?
That isn't mine!
Peter. It isn't.
Shoot the bastards! They're always robbing our houses!
Fuck you!
Daddy! Daddy!
The IRA has our Gerry.
Go on, show me.
Yo, give him that.
Right, come on, lads.
(CROWD YELLING)
Right, Tommo, get the trousers down.
I fucking warned you, Danny.
We didn't do nothing, honestly.
Give you a break? What's she saying about us?
What are we supposed to have done?
This is what I'm gonna give you.
Now, get your trousers down.
You just ran into a house where we had all that gear,
and we've almost lost it.
What was I supposed to know? I was just trying to get away from the Brits.
'Cause you were stealing lead again, weren't you?
You were stealing lead. Shut up!
They were shooting at us. Shut up.
Get the strides down now. Why?
'Cause you'll get cloth in the wound
and lose your leg, that's why.
Come on, Peter. Give us a few slaps.
You don't have to shoot us. Fuck's sake.
(SCOFFS) Fucking Tarzan.
WOMAN: Look at the balls on him!
Jesus Christ!
Peter! Peter!
They're only young. Give them a chance.
We were just trying to scare some sense into them.
He was stealing lead again.
He ran through one of our houses and started all this shit.
Did you start all this?
(SNIFFING)
(SPITS)
Here, he'll never survive in this town. Never.
This is the last time.
You two blow.
And, Danny, it's the last time.
The same for you, Conlon. Let's go, lads.
GUISEPPE: Come back here.
We've never had a thief in our family.
We've had nothing in our family.
Will you get a job?
We can't get jobs. You know we can't get jobs.
I have a job.
You want me to work as a bookie's clerk?
I want you to have some respect.
Aye, respect for who?
For yourself.
(EXPLOSION)
We're getting you out of here.
GRANNY: He'll do no growing up in England, Guiseppe.
No family life there.
SARAH: Give over, Ma.
(DOOR OPENS)
GERRY: I'm going to miss the boat.
What's that? Sausages for your Aunt Annie.
Jesus Christ, Ma.
GRANNY: Here you are, son.
GERRY: Here, let me do that.
All right, I'm ready. Where are you going?
I'll walk with you.
Do you not trust me to get on the boat?
I'm sure I'll be back when I'm a millionaire, Gran.
Good luck. God bless.
I love you, son.
ANN: Cheerio, Gerry.
GERRY: Behave yourself, Ann.
Cheerio, Gerry.
Bye, Bridie.
He's gone now, forever.
I'll be surprised if he lasts a month.
Did I ever tell you the time I jumped ship?
Jumped overboard about 200 yards out to sea...
Swam back to this godforsaken place.
Why did you swim back?
There was a woman involved.
Oh, aye?
It was when I was healthy, before you were born.
What was her name?
Aye, you know her name.
You know your own mother's name. Sarah.
Sarah Maguire she was.
Then she had the misfortune to change it to Conlon.
MAN OVER PA: Boarding all passengers.
All second-class passengers boarding now.
Boarding all passengers.
All second-class passengers boarding now.
Go and live.
Go and live, Son.
That's the best advice I can give you.
Remember, honest money goes further.
GERRY: Honest money goes further.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Never look a gift horse in the mouth.
He had a cliche for every occasion.
I'll give you a call.
Right, Son.
GERRY: I ran up the gangplank to get away from him
and then I suddenly felt bad about it.
I decided to turn back
to call him Guiseppe for the first time in my life.
When I turned around, he had already walked away.
I just called after him.
Good-bye, Da!
(BELL TOLLING)
GERRY: Then I met my old schoolmate, Paul Hill.
Little did I know that after meeting him my life would change forever.
You're under arrest.
(CHUCKLES)
Fuck's sake, Gerry!
Still a head case. James Bond, license to kill.
Look at you, you're a fucking nervous wreck. What's the matter with you?
I'm glad to get outta Belfast.
Whoo! (SCREAMING)
(HOWLING)
Where're you going?
I'm going to London. What about you?
The same.
I need a drink.
Aye, I'm skint. I'll let you buy me one.
(ROCK MUSIC PLAYING)
(SINGING ALONG) Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in your prime Didn't you?
GERRY: I arrived in London on the 26th of June.
My mother had given me the address of my Aunt Annie,
but I had an invitation to a hippie commune
from my old friend Paddy Armstrong.
Jesus, Gerry, we've been walking around for hours.
It's only that big on the map.
Yeah, but it's a map, Gerry.
London's a big place, you know.
GERRY: What I was really looking for was free love and dope.
I think it's this way.
(CHUCKLING)
(KICKS DOOR)
(WHISTLES)
Paddy?
WOMAN: Yeah, what is it? GERRY: We're looking for Paddy.
Paddy who? Paddy from Belfast.
You know, Paddy Armstrong.
Paddy!
There's some people here to see you! Who is it?
WOMAN: Some Irish boys.
Jesus! Gerry Conlon.
What about you, Paddy?
Fuck's sake, I thought you was the drug squad. Come on in.
There you go.
Welcome to Xanadu.
Hi.
Jesus fucking wept.
Neat, ain't it?
Deptford Jim.
Paul Hill. Gerry Conlon from home. Right.
Before you can enter the circle,
you have to have the rite of passage.
Open your mouth.
Ah, I enjoyed that.
(COUGHS)
They can't stay. There's not enough room.
Jim! Our rule. No property, no law.
Just love.
All right, let's vote on it. If you want Gerry and...
What's your name? Paul.
No. We're gonna call you Saddest Moon.
(LAUGHS) Fuck off. Saddest Moon.
Right?
If you want Gerry and Saddest Moon to stay, raise your hands.
Four, five, six...
GERRY: Put your fucking hand up, Paddy. Right.
Eight. Looks like we're staying then.
What shall we call you then?
You can call me Wild One.
(LAUGHING)
Here, hold on. Come here.
Get off him, all right?
GERRY: What's the fucking problem?
Gerry, Gerry, Gerry, Gerry!
They have dead pig in here.
Just some sausages.
MAN: We're all vegetarians here.
I am a vegetarian. We're both vegetarians.
I was just taking them sausages to me Auntie Annie's.
Look, I have to be around there now.
I'll be back in a few minutes, all right?
Be back in a few minutes.
Piggy.
And Porky.
Is she related to the Royal Family or something?
Aye, she's fifth in line to the throne.
Ferguson's sausages, only good thing
that came out of that godforsaken place.
Would you like some more? No, I'm fine, thanks.
We better make tracks.
You sure you won't you stay? I've the bed made up.
You're very kind, but we need a bit of space, Auntie Annie.
We're forming a band and that there.
Aye. A rock band.
Where are you staying?
What, the address, you mean? Uh-huh.
Fillmore. Fillimore.
Fillimore Road. Fillimore Road. It's number sixty-something.
The number dropped off the door.
(LAUGHING)
What do you mean, the number dropped off the door?
Well, would you let me have it when you find out what it is, please?
Aye. And would you phone your mother?
Aye. (LAUGHS) There's only one problem.
(LAUGHING) It doesn't have a phone.
(LAUGHS)
JOE: Hello, Marian. Any problems? No.
Is it all there? Yeah.
Okay. We're in business.
WOMAN: Watch the cracks. Watch the cracks.
It's not fair. Their skirts are covering the cracks.
He's cheating!
I'm a referee! He's cheating.
Go!
(LAUGHING)
Whack!
Yay!
(YELLS)
Boom!
(EXPLOSION)
That wasn't too far away, was it?
Is that a bomb, Paddy?
PADDY: It's getting more like home.
(PHONE RINGS)
MAN: Hello? Hold on, hold on.
(WHISPERS) Guiseppe. Guiseppe. Long-distance call.
What? Long-distance call.
(CLEARS THROAT)
Go ahead. Hello?
Ask him for the money, Gerry. Hey, it's Gerry speaking.
GUISEPPE ON PHONE: Son. Hi. How are you doing?
I'm fine. How are you? Ask him.
It's been six weeks, you know, since you've been in touch.
I know. Sorry about that. I've been a bit busy.
It's just your ma's just a bit worried, you know. You still going to mass?
Aye, every Sunday. Like clockwork. Good.
Are you working? I have a couple of things going here.
A couple of things going here. Good. Ah, good.
And are you safe?
How do you mean? From all the bombs.
Aye, you could just hear them in the distance like, but...
(LAUGHING) Sorry about that.
Are you stuck? How do you mean, Da?
Are you short of cash?
Uh, no. No, I'm flush at the moment.
No problem. No, I have plenty of money.
All right. And, Gerry, keep in touch.
Aye. All right. Bye-bye, Da.
All right, Son. I'll tell your ma...
(HANGS UP) (COINS CLINKING)
Bye.
Sorry about that.
We've enough for chips.
(DOOR OPENS)
Sorry, we'd only enough money for two chips.
Are you all right? What?
There's bombs everywhere. People have been hurt.
There they are. It's the Irish.
Bringing all their troubles over here again.
Aye, it's all right when it happens over in Belfast.
You fucking prick!
I've seen people killed in front of my fucking eyes!
You stupid fucking prick!
Go home! Fuck you!
I don't fucking believe this. I'm getting out of here.
Are you coming, Paddy?
Where are you gonna sleep?
Ah, no problem. We'll sleep in the park or something.
I'll see you soon, sweetheart. Take care.
Mind your fucking manners! Prick.
WOMAN ON TV: Troops have entered the Ardoyne area of West Belfast
following the collapse of the provisional IRA cease-fire over the weekend.
Yeah, I'm watching it.
Civilians have been evacuated,
and there are reports of casualties in many areas.
Both sides are blaming each other...
Okay, I'll take care of it.
That's it. 8:00 tonight.
No warning.
That's my place. Youse are sitting there too long.
CB, Charlie Burke. That's me.
I carved my initials with this penknife.
No problem, Charlie. No problem. Whatever you say.
MAN: Closing the park. Park closing now.
Easy with the feet there, Charlie.
It's a big bench, you know, Charlie?
There's room for three of us here.
You're Irish too, aren't you?
I come over here when I was about your age.
Did you ever think of going home, Charlie?
Nah, I should.
There's nothing for me over there now.
MAN: Closing the park!
Could you... Could you lend us a few shillings?
I was gonna ask you the same.
Oh.
Gerry, we've no money left. It's all I have.
Well, now, I wouldn't like to take all your money.
No problem. Catch you again, Charlie.
MAN: Come on, come on. It's not even 8:00 yet.
WOMAN: All right, all right. (BELL TOLLING)
(EXPLOSION)
GERRY: We must've just said good night to Charlie Burke when the bomb went off.
I mean, all we were concerned about
was where we were gonna sleep that night.
We'd no money in our pockets.
We hadn't even the bus fare to Guildford even if we'd known where it was.
No fucking way I'm going back to Belfast.
I tell you that.
Hey, blondie. Hey, sexy.
(WHISTLES) You dropped something.
Back off, Paddy.
She's outta your league. (CAR DOOR CLOSES)
Here.
It's her fucking keys. I'm going in.
We should give 'em back, Gerry.
Put 'em through the letter box.
Put the keys back in the letter box, Gerry.
(CHUCKLES)
(VIBRATOR BUZZING)
(COUGHS)
Jesus Christ, how much money is there?
GERRY: I got £700 from the hooker's apartment.
I did feel a little bit guilty about that.
We spent that night in a hotel.
The next day we went and bought the same clothes, the same trousers,
same jackets, even the same shoes.
They seek him here They seek him there
(BLEATING) His clothes are loud
(KIDS BLEATING) But never square
BOY: Hey, mister, has your coat got fleas?
...'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion
And when he does his little rounds
Round the boutiques of London Town...
(DOOR OPENS)
Who are those two gorgeous women in the kitchen?
(GIRLS LAUGHING)
Did you miss me, Bridie? Look at Gerry.
He's a hippie!
Daddy, look at the money!
Do you want it? Oh, my God!
Want some treats?
Do you wanna be in my gang?
Yes, Gerry, I wanna be in your gang. I wanna be in your gang.
Over here. Take it easy.
Steady. Hey, calm it down. Just calm it down.
It's my money! It's mine!
No, it's my money. Calm it down. Stop it.
It's my money! Stop that!
He gave it to me! Stop that!
And they were always talking about the troubles, were they?
Yeah. Especially Paul Hill.
He was always talking about Belfast, the IRA, all that stuff.
Look, all I'm saying is this.
They had a lot of money, and Conlon went back to Belfast.
Come along, into the car. What the fuck is going on?
GRANNY: That was a bloody disgrace, them shooting you.
Aye. Did it hurt you, Danny?
It wasn't too bad.
The bullet bounced off the kneecap and come out the other side.
WOMAN ON TV: Five people are dead
and 75 seriously injured as a result of the IRA's
no-warning bomb attack on the Guildford pub.
Parliament has passed the Prevention of Terrorism Act
which allows terrorist suspects to be held in police custody for up to seven days.
Seven days. Geez.
It's the same here. Seven days. No difference.
...around London and arrested 19 suspects.
Gerry, there's your shoes.
Our reporter spoke to Commander Robert Dixon of the antiterrorist squad
about those arrests.
DIXON: We can't pretend people won't be inconvenienced.
Some of them may not deserve it.
That's why we shall use these powers as selectively as possible.
(DOOR BANGING OPEN)
(MEN SHOUTING)
POLICEMAN: Get up out of bed, you dirty, murdering bastard!
Hands above your head!
GERRY: I don't know what the fuck youse are looking for, mister, but I'm not it.
Gerry, your coat. He's done nothing.
Inside, sir. He's not political.
I have a right to speak to my son.
Keep calm, Gerry. Da! Da!
Keep calm, Gerry.
Get back in. Get back inside.
It's all right. It's all right.
Where are we going?
You'll find out soon enough.
Where'd he get this money?
I don't know.
They have no right to take him to England.
GERRY: Slow down a bit.
Look, I don't have a fucking clue what this is about, so I don't.
I've done nothing wrong.
When can I go back to Belfast?
Next time you see Belfast, they'll be flying day trips to the moon.
I always wanted to be an astronaut.
(EXHALES)
What are you charging me with?
You're being held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
What?
We can hold you for seven days and seven nights without charging you.
Since when was I a fucking terrorist? Were you part of that, Gerry?
And that. You proud of that?
And that. Why are you showing me these people?
(SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY)
No marks! Don't mark him! Don't mark him!
Are you fucking proud of that, huh?
Look at that! Look at that young, pretty girl there!
Now look at her!
(GROANING) You're out of your fucking minds!
Do you? You're out of your fucking minds!
The children know there's something terrible going on.
And you're not making it any easier.
I haven't the strength for this.
If he killed innocent people, I haven't the strength for the child.
Listen, I know that child. I carried that child.
Now, if you're not gonna believe in him, I will.
What, you think he's innocent?
When your son walked through that door looking like a bloody circus clown,
do you think he had murder in his eyes?
MEN: (SINGING) Happy birthday to you
WOMAN: It's a surprise.
Happy birthday to you... MAN: Shut up. No, shut up, shut up!
(SHUSHING)
When will Daddy be back?
He'll be back in a couple of days.
Why did they put Gerry in jail?
It's a mistake.
I'm on my way over to bring him back home.
OFFICER: Why are you getting narky again? Eh?
Are we touching a sore spot?
Name all the places you stayed while you were in England, Gerry.
I told you about 100 times already.
Then tell us again!
I stayed at the squat most of the time.
I was a couple of nights at my Auntie Annie's...
And one night at the hotel after I robbed the money.
Male. Late 40s.
Who taught you how to make the bomb, Gerry?
I never made any bombs.
Did Annie make the bomb, Gerry?
Is Annie Marian, Gerry?
Is Annie Marian?
Annie who?
Annie Maguire!
My Aunt Annie?
Oh, aye, Annie made the bomb, and Mother Teresa planted it.
What was Carole Richardson's part in this operation?
Are you Marian?
What?
Are you Marian?
She had nothing to do with it.
This man comes into my house. He puts a gun to my head.
He says I done Guildford.
I left Belfast to get away from people like him.
Show me what you want me to sign.
I have an alibi for that night.
What are you showing me these for?
Gerry told us you did it.
Then he's a fucking liar.
Armstrong drove the car.
Who was the woman in the back?
I don't know.
But you were in the Ford Cortina.
But you were in the red Ford Cortina.
He'll get used to your methods, and then he'll clam up.
I told you I was...
I told you I was in the Cortina. I told you it was a taxi.
No. The taxi was a Toyota Corolla.
GERRY: When can I ring home?
OFFICER 1: (LAUGHING) Let's start again. Who's Marian?
OFFICER 2: Was it someone Irish? OFFICER 1: Gerry?
Why are you getting narky again? Touching a sore spot?
What was her name?
OFFICER 2: Nothing to do with what?
OFFICER 1: Nothing to do with what, Gerry?
OFFICER 3: Talk to me.
OFFICER 1: You're evading the truth, Gerry. What was her name?
Two little girls asked me, "Why was Daddy blown up?"
Who taught you how to make the bomb, Gerry?
Gerry, talk to me.
No?
He'll do what he's told.
Look at him. He's a lying bastard.
He's a right fucking comedian. Aren't you, Gerry?
OFFICER 1: Who's Marian?
GERRY: I don't know what...
I'm getting fucking bored with this.
Who is Marian? GERRY: I don't know.
I'm gonna keep on asking you the question
until you give me a fucking answer!
Who is Marian? I don't know!
Yes, you fucking do!
Bollocks! Who is Marian?
We know who Marian is.
(GROANS)
(SOBBING) Are you the man in charge? Yes, I am.
For fuck's sake, tell 'em to stop hurting me.
I swear to God...
I know where I was at the time of the bombings.
I was with a madman called Charlie Burke.
Have you any other alibis?
I have told youse before...
I was with Paul Hill most of the day.
(SNAPPING FINGERS)
OFFICER: Tell Gerry Conlon like you said you would.
Who's this?
Gerry Conlon.
DIXON: Have you anything to say to him?
I've cleared my conscience.
I advise you to do the same.
(SOBS)
There's your statement.
I didn't do this.
I didn't fucking do this!
I didn't do it.
Please believe me.
What are you doing to me?
ANNIE: They wouldn't hold him if he hadn't done something.
Gerry is no angel.
I know that.
He needs a strong hand.
(GLASS SHATTERING)
Don't bloody move!
Get your hands up! Put your hands on your head!
You're all under arrest.
No, no, don't. Don't hurt the child! Put your hands up!
You're all being held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)
DIXON: Is Hill leading us up the garden path?
I don't know.
I can make him confess.
Why don't you have a word in his ear?
You're from the same town. He'll understand you.
Will you have the bomber?
Our job is to stop the bombing.
(WHISPERING) I'm gonna shoot your da.
What did you say to me?
Little Bridie'll have no daddy.
I'm gonna shoot Guiseppe.
(YELLING)
He's threatening to shoot my da!
He's threatening to kill my da!
Look at him! Look at him!
He's a madman!
I think you're hallucinating, son.
Nobody's gonna harm your father.
No!
Get him back. Get him back.
He threatened to kill my da.
DIXON: Nobody's gonna kill your father.
You mad bastard!
Take it easy, son. Take it easy.
He's not gonna harm your father.
(GERRY SOBBING)
Come on, let it all out.
Let it all out, all that hatred.
You hate us, don't you? Hmm?
You hate us enough to bomb and maim.
That is the trouble. You let it all out. Come on.
I don't hate you.
Yes, you do.
I can see it in your face. I can see all that hatred.
So why don't you just let it off your chest, huh,
before it starts to mess up with your mind?
Give me the fucking statement.
For fuck's sake, give me the statement.
Give me a fucking pen.
Right, that's my fucking name there.
You can write what you like.
POLICEMAN: All right, nice and easy. Come on.
Paul! Paul! What's going on?
Gerry! They stuck a fucking gun in my mouth!
So I told 'em a lot of bullshit!
GERRY: Why did you give 'em my fucking name?
I'm sorry!
It's fucking mad!
It'll be laughed out of fucking court!
GERRY ON TAPE: The four of us were split up.
I was taken to South London Remand Center.
You can check the dates, Gareth.
MAN: Kill that fucker!
(MEN SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY)
You fucking son of an Irish cow!
MAN: Kick that Irish fucking ass!
What is that?
Delousing.
I don't have fucking lice. I don't want that.
You have no choice, mate.
Okay, Conlon. Go see the room, shall we?
MAN: Come on, Mr. Conlon.
We got your son.
Well, let's go, shall we?
Da!
Da! Da! Da! Da!
Is that you, Son?
Da, here!
Da! Where are you?
(ALL CLAMORING)
Don't hurt my father. Don't hurt my father.
It'll be all right, Son. It'll be all right.
Don't kill him!
Da!
POLICEMAN: Come on, move along.
Move along. Come on, you.
PRISONER: Fuck you!
POLICEMAN: Shut up, you!
PRISONER: Shut up!
POLICEMAN: On the floor!
(KEYS RATTLING)
(DOOR UNLOCKING)
What the fuck are you doing here, Da?
I come over to your Aunt Annie's to get you a lawyer.
They arrested everybody in the house.
What?
What for, fuck's sake?
Conspiracy to murder.
Oh, no. Oh, fuck's sake, no. Jesus Christ!
Did you do it? Did you do it, Son?
No, I did not!
Of course I fucking didn't do it, fuck's sake!
(EXHALES DEEPLY)
Why are you looking at me like that?
What?
Why are you looking at me like that?
Like what?
Why do you always follow me? Huh?
Why do you always follow me when I do something wrong?
Why can't you follow me when I do something right?
What are you talking about?
Huh? What am I talking about? I'm talking about the medal.
What medal?
What fucking medal? What fucking medal?
The only fucking medal that was ever in our house.
That fucking medal.
The medal I won at football.
And you sat on the sidelines shouting instructions,
like you could only see what I was doing...
You couldn't even fucking play football
and you could only see what I was doing wrong.
I could never do anything good enough for you.
And after the game, you came up to me and you said...
You said, "Gerry, did you foul the ball?"
And I walked away from you, do you remember now?
I walked away from you into the dressing room.
You followed me in there and you said again, "Gerry, did you foul the ball?"
And all the other fathers were in there.
They were laughing at you, calling you "Poor Guiseppe."
And I ran out, and I hid, and I wrote your name on the ground,
your stupid Guiseppe fucking name,
I wrote it in the dirt, and I fucking pissed on it!
I pissed on it...
Because I did foul the ball.
What did it matter? We won. For once in our lives, we won.
You ruined that medal for me!
I took it to the pawn, and they laughed at me.
They wouldn't give me 50 pence for it.
This is shock.
And that's when I started to rob, to prove that I was no good.
Delayed shock.
Never mind delayed shock.
I've been like this since I was seven.
I remember Mummy said to me, "Don't upset Guiseppe. He's not well."
(WHISPERING) Oh, dear Lord, he's not well.
So we'd tiptoe around the house.
Like this, tiptoeing around the house.
"Not well, you know. He's not well."
Then I got Holy Communion. I thought I was eating you alive.
I mean, is it my fault you weren't well?
Why did you have to be sick all your life, Guiseppe?
Why did you have to be sick all your life for?
When that mad bastard out there threatened to shoot you, I was happy.
I swear to God. Honest to God, I was happy.
I was delighted! You know why?
Because finally it was all over.
It was over! You see?
And then I knew I was bad.
I knew I was bad then, you see, so I started to cry.
I started to tell lies, the same fucking lies
I've been telling all my gobshite fucking life.
(BABBLING)
Do you know what that mean? It means words don't mean nothing.
Stop this.
Huh? Only this time, I got everyone into trouble.
But it doesn't matter, does it? 'Cause I'm no good anyhow.
It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter.
Keep away from me. You've been following me all your fucking life,
and now here you are in jail. You doing this deliberately?
No. Stop it. Are you doing it deliberately?
Are you doing it deliberately?
You call that a fucking dig, huh?
Do you call that a fucking dig?
Hit me harder. Hit me like...
Hit me fucking harder! Hit me fucking harder!
Stop it. Calm down. For once in your fucking life!
Hit me like a real father! Just calm down. Stop it.
(YELLING)
Stop it.
(INDISTINCT)
(PANTING)
Just relax.
Hmm?
Relax.
Yeah?
Will you tell them, or shall I tell them?
You're my child. It's okay.
It's not your fault, Son, all right?
Everything's gonna be all right.
Okay. All right, Son.
OFFICER: Visitor for Conlon!
Two on for visit!
No touching.
Everybody else was allowed to touch.
IRA, closed visits. No contact.
Why are you doing this to us?
You have your father locked up in prison for murder.
MAN: Speak up, please.
It's not my fault, Ma.
GUISEPPE: Take it easy, Sarah.
I swear to God, I've done nothing wrong.
Why did you sign a confession, Son?
GUISEPPE: He did it to protect me, love.
You have a good son there and that's all you need to know.
You didn't sign anything yourself, did you, Guiseppe?
The only thing I said was I wanted to see you.
Look, they've no statement nor evidence against me.
I'll be out and home soon.
Sure, I'm only visiting here myself.
I'll be able to help out Gerry while I'm in here.
Danny's dead, Gerry.
What?
They found his body on waste ground.
The IRA said he was an incurable thief.
I sent a mass card from the family.
This one'll not go to school since you've been away.
Hey, you go to school for your mummy.
Yes, Daddy.
Daddy, when will you be home?
SARAH: I've pressed your Sunday suits for the trial.
You make sure and look your best now, Son.
But is there nitro or was there not nitro?
Yes, there are traces of nitro.
But are they all positive?
Well, yes, on six of them.
Who'd we miss?
The aunt, Aggie... Annie.
But her rubber glove showed a faint trace.
And the children? The children?
Positive.
The results may not be good enough for court.
Your word will be good enough for the court.
Yes, sir.
MAN 1: Kill the bastards! Kill 'em!
(CROWD CLAMORING)
MAN 2: Shoot the bastards!
MAN: Call number one.
Let's go. Jesus, it's a nightmare, Guiseppe.
Just stay calm, be on your best behavior,
and this'll be behind us soon.
That's it, come on.
Say a wee prayer.
It will be all right.
BAILIFF: All rise.
Sir Michael Hagerty will present the case on behalf of the Crown.
There are two series of charges here, ladies and gentlemen.
The four defendants in front
are charged with 11 counts in relation to the explosion of the Guildford pub
and the murders of five people.
The Crown will show that these were the bombers.
The seven defendants behind
are charged with the possession of explosives.
They're not charged with murder.
The Crown's case against them is
that they are a support network for the bombers,
and as such should be considered totally independent.
Control yourself. Pay attention.
My first witness is Inspector Robert Dixon.
"I swear by Almighty God that the evidence I give shall be the truth,
"the whole truth and nothing but the truth."
Inspector, why do you believe these four are the bombers?
First Hill, then Conlon, Armstrong, Richardson,
confessed to the bombing.
They are the IRA's ASU.
Can you explain ASUs for us?
Active Service Unit.
They are the elite of the IRA,
those who carry out the bombings and the shootings.
Very often they are combat veterans
with previous experience of shooting at soldiers
and planting explosives.
And the others, Annie Maguire and her family?
They are the IRA's support network.
They store...
Their families, friends, they store the weapons and explosives
and they provide what we call safe houses.
Thank you, Inspector.
Inspector, these people were arrested
two days after the Prevention of Terrorism Act was introduced.
That's correct.
Can you explain, please, the powers that this gives to the police?
It permits us to hold suspected terrorists
for a period of up to seven days.
Quite extraordinary powers in a democracy.
Quite difficult, I would've thought, for the police
to resist the temptation to deal forcibly with people.
Objection.
People whom they suspect of the biggest bombing campaign
on British mainland since the Second World War.
Objection. My Lord, I really must...
Get to the point!
Now, this bombing campaign
struck deep into the British people's sense of security.
The people looked to you, Inspector, to find those responsible.
Yes.
You must have been under the most intense pressure.
That's my job.
Now, all of the defendants claim...
Including young Patrick Maguire, aged just 14.
Patrick, would you stand up, please?
Thank you. All of the defendants claim
that they were subjected to physical and mental abuse while under police custody.
They were never harmed in any way.
He's fucking lying! They beat the shite out of us!
(GAVEL BANGING)
(ALL SHOUTING)
Silence! Stop this noise!
Please believe us! They beat us!
Silence! Just be quiet.
JUDGE: Sit them down!
Silence in the court!
Mr. Conlon says
that you pulled him by the hair and squeezed his testicles.
I never even spoke to Mr. Conlon.
I hope you burn in hell, Dixon.
JUDGE: Silence!
Mr. Hill says the police sat astride him and put a gun in his mouth.
There was no pressure of any kind.
You can go and fuck yourself, you lying fucking bastard!
JUDGE: Order! Order in court!
Inspector, in the case of the four main defendants,
you have no corroborating evidence of any kind.
I have the confessions of four obvious terrorists. What more do you want?
Well, nitroglycerine is a highly toxic substance.
It's when the substance to be tested...
GERRY: After a few weeks, we were bored out of our minds.
Just messed around and that there.
They must've been desperate for evidence.
They produced my Auntie Annie's washing-up gloves
like a rabbit out of a hat at one point.
Then it was my turn to take the stand.
Mr. Conlon, did you bomb Guildford?
No, I didn't.
The police claim that you were in Guildford on the night of the bombing.
Can you tell us where you were?
I was in a park in London at that time.
Who with?
With Paul Hill sitting there.
You met somebody else that night, about 8:00 p.m.
Aye, I met a man called Charlie Burke.
And who is he?
He was just like a, you know, like a fellow,
a homeless guy that we met in the park.
Why do you remember this man so clearly?
I remember thinking that if I didn't get out of London fast,
I was gonna end up like him.
You told this to the police? Aye.
What did they say?
They said he didn't exist.
Mr. Conlon, why did you confess to the Guildford bombing?
They beat me
and then they threatened to kill my father.
Will you repeat that please?
GERRY: They terrorized me for seven days.
And after that, they threatened to kill my father.
I'd have fucking signed anything after that.
Excuse my language.
Thank you.
You expect this jury to believe that decorated police officers
would risk their career and their reputation
by threatening your father?
I don't expect them to believe it by the time you finish with them,
but it happens to be truth, you know.
You're an honest man, aren't you, Mr. Conlon?
I like to think so.
You've told us you remember this Charlie Burke very well.
Aye.
Do you remember telling the police anything else about that night?
Let me refresh your memory.
You told Inspector Dixon
that you had committed a robbery on that night.
Now do you remember?
Aye.
Who did you rob?
Robbed a hooker.
You robbed a prostitute?
Aye.
And we are expected to believe a man
who claims he stole from a prostitute
before we would believe 10 police officers
who stood here on oath and called you a liar?
It's the truth.
You know, I mean...
I'm bound to say I don't find you very convincing.
Thank you, Mr. Conlon.
Why didn't you tell me that you stole from that woman?
You should've called me. I would've sent the money.
(DRUMMING ON TABLE)
Are you gonna be a thief and a liar all your life?
Standing up in that witness box, making faces to your mates.
(DRUMMING ON TABLE)
(LAUGHS)
At least you told the truth in there. That'll stand you.
Are you not going to eat that sausage?
No.
They put a gun in my mouth
and made me confess to a murder I didn't commit.
So I said I did the big bombing
and named anybody I knew who was not in the IRA.
DEFENSE COUNSEL: Not in the IRA?
Definitely not in the IRA.
Why?
You know why.
Well, I just wanted to show how ridiculous it all was.
HAGGERTY: Inspector, the defendant Conlon presented an alibi.
One Charlie Burke.
Yes, sir, that name did appear in Mr. Conlon's statement.
We investigated it.
We couldn't find any trace of such a person.
And then there was this question of the robbery of a prostitute.
No robberies were reported in that area that night.
At the start of this trial, I shook Gerry Conlon's hand.
Subsequently, I was deeply shocked
when a member of the legal profession came to me
and asked me if I was now going to wash my hand.
In my long legal career, I cannot remember a case
where emotions have been so charged.
It falls to me now to appeal to you
the members of the jury,
not to get caught up in this tide of mass hysteria.
Inspector Dixon admits there are scores of inconsistencies in the confessions.
My clients contend that they were forced to confess
through brutality and intimidation.
Now, they may be foolish,
petty thieves, even drug abusers.
But they are not the ruthless bombers who have terrorized Britain for months.
You should find these young people not guilty.
Bollocks! OFFICER: Okay, let's go.
Get your fucking hands off me! Move it!
(INDISTINCT SHOUTING)
MAN: Hands off. Hands off! Hands off!
(DOOR CLOSES)
HAGGERTY: Ladies and gentlemen,
like my learned colleague in the defense,
I would caution you not to be swayed by your emotions.
The four people you see in the front
are one of the most cunning and cruel criminal conspiracies
ever to set foot on English soil.
Now, here are the facts of this case...
Inspector Dixon,
a decorated officer of great expertise,
acting on reliable information and good detective work,
arrested Paul Hill.
Who, guilt-ridden by the shame of his crime, confessed.
That confession led the police to the ringleader, Conlon,
and his terrorist family.
His aunt, Annie Maguire, the experienced bomb maker
who wore rubber gloves when handling explosives
in the kitchen of her home in Harlesden.
She even allowed her children to handle explosives.
Vincent, aged 16, Patrick, 14,
who did not... Could not know any better.
Guiseppe Conlon, her brother-in-law,
the courier who arrived with more explosives.
Armstrong and his dupe, Richardson, who carried the bomb.
Now, these are the people who, in a panic,
had to dispose of the nitroglycerine.
And that is what sealed their fate.
How do we know this?
Because the truth was on their hands.
It is a story written in the blood of their victims.
You have seen some of those who survived
their callous disregard for human life.
It is now your duty to protect society from them.
I am confident that that is what you will do.
Have you reached a verdict?
Yes, we have, My Lord.
JUDGE: How do you find the defendants?
JUROR: Guilty as charged.
(ALL CHEERING)
(GAVEL BANGING)
MAN: Hang the Irish bastards!
JUDGE: Order! Silence!
MAN: String 'em up!
Gerard Patrick Conlon.
Stand up.
JUDGE: I feel it is my duty to wonder aloud
why you were not charged with treason to the Crown,
a charge that carries a penalty of death by hanging.
A sentence I would have had no difficulty in passing
in this case.
I sentence you to life imprisonment
and I instruct that you shall serve (MOUTHING)
A minimum of 30 years.
Take him down.
Come on, Son.
Help me.
JUDGE: Paul Michael Hill.
In my view, your crime is such that
life shall mean life.
(SOBBING)
JUDGE: Annie Maguire, I recommend you serve 14 years!
What have I done, for Christ's sake?
JUDGE: Take her down!
Guiseppe Conlon, 12 years.
No! No, my husband's innocent!
Lord have mercy on you!
Patrick Joseph Armstrong, 30 years.
Carole Richardson, 30 years.
(CAROLE SOBBING)
(CONTINUES SOBBING)
(SOBBING STOPS)
(EXHALES DEEPLY)
GERRY ON TAPE: Our case was so insane
that if you made it up, nobody would believe it.
Look, Gareth, I know people say that I'm a compulsive storyteller
and nobody believed a word I said in court,
but, Gareth, Charlie Burke did exist.
He's not just a figment of my imagination.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)
Sorry.
GERRY: We were shipped off to Park Royal Prison,
an old Victorian fortress where the Britain's most dangerous criminals were held
in the maximum-security wing.
OFFICER: Place of birth. GERRY: Belfast.
Then you're British.
BARKER: This is your home for the rest of your life.
So accept it and get on with it. Right, come this way.
GERRY: The chief warder, Barker,
gave us blue denim uniforms with yellow stripes.
We were Category A,
the highest security class along with the rapists and murderers.
My father said we'd fight for an appeal,
but I didn't want to know about the legal system.
(PRISONERS TALKING INDISTINCTLY)
I'm going back to the cell.
Come on. Follow me.
(SILENCE)
Come on, Gerry.
Hey, Ronnie. There's those Irish bastards, Ronnie.
Irish scum.
My name's Guiseppe Conlon. I'm an innocent man.
So is my son.
We shouldn't even be in here.
Get that fucking scum off my floor.
(PRISONERS YELLING)
They must know they've made a mistake.
GUISEPPE: No, they don't.
The proof of our innocence must be there in the evidence.
We have to fight 'em to get an appeal.
I'll speak to Father Wilson.
Speak to everybody.
We'll write letters from in here. Start a campaign.
Have they been treating you all right?
Aye, fine. Fine.
Have they, Son?
Aye. No problem.
(INDISTINCT TALKING)
(MUTTERS)
Forgot the dessert spoons.
There we go.
(SIGHS)
Mmm. These chips are not bad.
Now don't you despair, Son.
Never mind about "don't despair."
What?
I mean, we're innocent, we can't even go out of the cell.
You're better off being guilty.
At least you get some respect.
MAN OVER PA: Landing officers on the threes for exercise.
Here, you can have my chips.
Landing officers on the threes for exercise.
Gerry, man.
Problem? You all right?
How do you like your new home?
DIXON: Bombing of pillar-box, Kensington High Street.
Bombing of pillar-box, Talbot Lodge.
Bombing of naval club.
Bombing of Aldershot Railway Station.
Attempted murder of Edward Heath.
Murder of Ross McWhirter.
Possession of firearms, Balcombe Street, December 6, 1975.
JOE: And the Guildford pub bombings.
You have innocent people in jail for that.
DIXON: Take him out.
(INDISTINCT)
He did it.
GERRY: Where's all the missing pieces?
(MEN LAUGHING)
We eat it up, man.
(LAUGHING) Before my woman send it in here, right,
she have it dipped in liquid acid.
LSD, man.
We've been dropping the British Empire for the last six months.
You want to fly? Pick a country.
Fuck's sake, don't give me Northern Ireland.
I don't want a bad trip. (LAUGHS)
Try Nepal, man. Take you to the Himalayas.
(MEN LAUGHING)
(REGGAE PLAYING)
(MEN LAUGHING)
See the dragon.
(MEN LAUGHING)
MAN OVER PA: Lights out in 15 minutes. Fifteen minutes.
Are you praying for the Seventh Cavalry?
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners
now and at the moment of our death. Amen. (IMITATES CAVALRY HORN)
That's not funny, Gerry.
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
(IMITATES CAVALRY HORN)
Blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
(LAUGHS)
Holy Mary, mother of God,
pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace...
(IMITATES CAVALRY HORN)
Are you on drugs?
Look, Da, I'll be older than you are now when I get out of this place.
If I get out.
Are you listening to me?
I'm not talking to you.
Now who's being childish?
I haven't had a sensible word out of you for two weeks.
That stuff will kill you.
Sure, I'm dead anyway.
Look, I'm sorry.
I'll not take it again so long as you live.
Are you happy now?
No.
Why not?
I don't want you to take it whether I live or die.
(EXHALES) Jesus Christ.
All right. I'll do nothing to annoy you in your grave.
Now are you happy?
Is that a promise?
Aye.
Maybe.
Gerry, man, check out your friend.
He look like the real thing.
GUARD: Come on.
Excuse me. All right.
Let's have a talk.
We have to eat in the cells.
See ya later.
Gerry. Gerry, come on.
Morning, paddy.
(SPITS)
Yes!
(ALL SHOUTING)
(ALARM BLARING)
Come on!
Yes, man, Gerry!
This one, this one, this one, 14 days solitary! Lock up!
Lock up!
He'll be all right. He'll be back in a couple of days.
I'm worried about Bridie.
Why?
She's dyed her hair blonde.
Well, she's only young.
She's wearing a dog collar.
There's a fella chained to it. He's got one on, too.
Well...
As long as she's happy.
Lunch break.
(PRISONERS CHEERING)
Yes, Gerry, man! That's right!
Gerry's a bad boy!
Put the Englishman on their heavy, heavy manners.
Yes, sir. Go on, boy. Kick out them clods, yes?
This is Joe McAndrew. He has something important to tell you.
Hello, Mr. Conlon.
I'm watching you.
What is it?
I'm the one who planted the Guildford bomb, Mr. Conlon.
Did you tell the police that?
Yes, I did.
But we haven't heard a thing.
Will you just wait and see what he has to say, Da?
Go on.
I told them. They know... They know the truth.
They can't afford to face it.
It's a war. You're one if its innocent victims.
I'm sorry for your trouble.
Don't be sorry for us.
You should be sorry for the people you killed.
It was a military target, a soldiers' pub.
They were innocent people, God's children.
Look, I'll do all I can to help you while you're in here.
We don't need your help.
I'd appreciate it if you'd leave us alone.
Whatever you say.
I'm sorry about that.
(DOOR CLOSES)
What was that all about? You mind your fucking manners.
What? Manners to him?
I don't want any part of him, or his ways.
At least he stands up for himself. At least he fights back,
which is more than you ever did in your life.
What are you talking about?
Do you remember Lydon Hill? Huh?
You used to ride me up on the crossbar of your bike up Lydon Hill.
And then one day you couldn't make it to the top,
and I hopped off the crossbar, and I looked back,
and your face was all red.
Remember that? Aye.
It was working in the paint shed done that to you.
What?
It was the fumes from working in the paint shed done that to you.
Never mind jumping off the ferry and swimming back to Mummy.
It was the one job a Catholic can get,
and you wouldn't even fight back then.
Go on outside.
Play with your newfound friend.
Look, all I'm saying is that you've been a victim all your life.
It's about time you started to fight back.
Get out of my sight. I'm going.
(DOOR OPENS)
MAN: This is the only way it'll work. We have no alternative.
Well, what are you doing?
Nothing.
They didn't do it.
They all did it.
(DOOR BANGING SHUT)
I'm going back to Belfast.
GERRY: After the fight, nobody stopped us
going out in the yard to exercise.
I felt brilliant.
Joe explained things to me.
He explained how the Brits never left anywhere without a fight.
How they had to be beaten out of every country they ever occupied.
How this prison was just an extension of their system.
MAN: Calling for work on the threes.
We had to confront the chief prison officer, Barker.
Mr. Smalls.
But to do that, we had to take care of Ronnie Smalls.
Can I have a word about 54, Halsley Road?
Take a walk.
If anything happens to me or Gerry
or any other Irish prisoner,
we'll have 54, Halsley Road blown to smithereens
with your family in it.
Threaten my family and I'll cut your fucking head off.
I don't make threats.
I just carry out orders.
I don't want to hurt your family.
Your trouble is, Joe, you want to rule the fucking world.
Paddy's all right.
GERRY: Soon, we were all one happy family.
Again!
Even Kojak was ready to forgive.
Live and let live.
Barker began to panic.
He told us to take our socks out of the window.
He thought we were signaling to other prisoners.
We're not signaling. We're drying our socks out.
Take the socks out of the window. GERRY: Who says?
Mr. Barker.
GERRY: That was all the excuse Joe needed.
Give us two minutes.
GERRY: Hey, up and away we went. Are you with me?
What's he up to now?
(PRISONERS CHEERING)
All prison officers to vacate the wing.
All officers vacate the wing!
This'll damage the whole campaign.
Look, you do it your way, and we'll do it ours, all right?
You can read our demands.
Go back to your cells.
Blankets!
For God's sake, put a stop to this.
You're weakening my position, Guiseppe.
It will end in violence. Good.
What's good about it?
It's all they understand.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
GERRY: Barker refused to negotiate.
But with the screws gone, we'd a brief taste of freedom.
Check out Ronnie!
Him swallow half Africa.
(LAUGHING)
I give him about an hour.
GERRY: We found out later our protest got on TV.
And that's when the riot squad was ordered in.
Shh!
We were singled out as the ringleaders.
Now!
(ALL SHOUTING)
You just signed your own death warrant, Barker.
Are you happy now?
GERRY: And then you arrived, Gareth.
That's the first time I saw you, under a raining shower of sparks.
It was the first time I'd seen a woman in five years, other than my mother.
But to me, you were a lawyer first.
And I hated lawyers.
GARETH: And do you have a new isolation room?
GUARD: Prisoners! (WELDING)
Bert, Andrew.
Bailey, Benjamin. McAndrew, Joseph.
Sorry. Can you... I can't hear. Conlon, Gerard.
O'Brien, John.
Lynch, Bernard. Crisp, Quincy.
Lyon, Richard. Burns, Delrow.
What about Conlon? (WELDING STOPS)
Sorry. Guiseppe Conlon.
BARKER: He's on the third floor.
He has difficulty getting down the stairs.
Well, I'll just have to go up and see him then.
The delegation has seen enough. Right-o. Sorry.
Well, I won't be a minute. I'll just... Is that all right? Sorry.
I'll meet you outside, okay? Sorry.
Sorry, I can't...
Pulmonary thrombosis.
Uh-huh. And you're getting medication...
He's getting proper medication?
Are you? Yes?
Uh-huh.
Son?
Gerry!
That's... Is it Gerry?
That's Gerry. Uh-huh.
He's had a spot of bother with lawyers in the past.
He's all yours. Fifteen minutes.
Thank you. Sit down.
You wanted to see me, Gerry?
Why are you giving my father false hope?
Sorry?
He's been up and down these stairs every couple of weeks to see you.
He hasn't even seen my mother in six months.
Oh, I hear you're getting on very well with her, by the way.
Yes. She's a very brave woman.
Aye, you don't know the half of it.
The fucking stairs are killing him.
It's not the stairs that are killing your father, Gerry.
Why, what is it, then?
It's your lack of faith.
Lack of faith? Faith in what?
In yourself.
No, I have faith in myself.
Gerry Conlon, lifer, 30-year sentence.
And I know how to survive it. No problem.
At what price?
I'll pay the fucking price. Don't you worry about it.
The price for what?
Right.
You're very good at the English, aren't you?
You see, I don't understand your language.
Justice. Mercy. Clemency.
I literally don't understand what those words mean.
You see, I'd like to put in an application to get all my teeth extracted.
And that way I could put my fist in my mouth
and never speak another word of fuckin' English so long as I live...
Do you see what I'm saying, Miss Peirce? Mrs. Peirce, is it?
Are you trying to impress me?
Visit's up.
Don't give my father false hope, all right?
GARETH: Gerry! (GERRY VOCALIZING)
Well, you've got to help him!
GERRY: In prison, you pray for anything to break the monotony.
A snowstorm is like a present from God.
Whoo!
(GERRY SHOUTING) Stop!
Prison officers are not to be hit!
All right, you lot, you've asked for it.
Come along!
GERRY: After the riot, my father's health deteriorated badly.
He couldn't make it down the stairs to enjoy the snow.
I waved up to him, but he was looking at something else.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)
My da always saw the good in people.
He recognized it in you the minute he saw you, Gareth.
PRISONER: Guv, guv, where you going?
Where's me letters? Guv'nor!
Thank you.
I see you've been mentioned in Congress, Guiseppe.
What's that?
How'd you come by that name?
What? An Italian ice cream maker.
Had a shop on the corner of the street where I was born.
Guiseppe Fosco.
My mother fell in love with the name.
Were they...
You know. What?
Lovers. Who?
My mother and the Italian ice cream maker?
(CHUCKLES) Oh, no, God.
Jesus, no. No, they were not.
No, she just liked the name.
But it made my life hell.
All the other children laughing at you.
You have any kids yourself?
JOE: He's talking to Barker now.
Forget it, Joe. He can talk to whoever he fucking likes.
Two.
Flown the nest now.
GERRY: Whether Barker was responsible or not
for bringing in the riot squad, Joe never forgave him.
Joe was still at war.
And to him, Barker was the enemy.
Number?
The name is McAndrew.
Get out... Get out of the way, out of the light.
Get out of the light.
GUARD: Number?
Name's Gerry Conlon.
Piss off out of the light. Get out of the light!
You're 136.
There's someone sitting there.
PRISONER: Move when you're told.
Put it out.
(THE GODFATHER THEME PLAYING)
DON CORLEONE: How's your boy?
MICHAEL CORLEONE: He's good.
DON CORLEONE: You know, he looks more like you every day.
He's smarter than I am.
Three years old, he can read the funny papers.
PRISONER: There's a hair in the fucking projector!
Yeah, get the fucking hair out the projector, will you?
(SHUSHES)
Come on. Get it out!
PRISONER: Get it out! (SHUSHING)
PRISONER: I'm going fucking blind up here, guv. Lively!
We'll get there, Pop. Quiet.
I didn't say a fucking thing. You're blocking.
Shut it.
(MOVIE CONTINUES)
I knew that Santino was gonna have to go through all this.
And Fredo, well...
Fredo was wrong.
And I never... I never wanted this for you.
Oi, you!
(SCREAMING)
(ALL CLAMORING)
Barker! Move back, Barker!
Get in there!
Get it out!
(SHUDDERING)
GUARD: Stretcher!
Let's check this out.
All right, mate. You're with us.
All right. Stretcher!
Gently, now.
Come on, up!
That was a good day's work, McAndrew.
That was a good day's work.
Get away from me.
Will you not look me in the eye when I'm speaking to you?
See, I know how to look at people without blinking as well.
In all my godforsaken life, I've never known
what it was like to want to kill somebody until now.
You're a brave man, Joe, a brave man.
GUARD: Gerard Conlon, back on the threes.
Stand your ground.
PRISONER: Hawkins, returning to his cell.
Benjamin Bailey, back to his cell!
Benjamin Bailey, returning to his cell.
7445, Casey, back to his cell.
6309, Johnston, level three.
Regis, 113, going up to number two.
(PRISONERS CALLING OFF)
GUARD 1: Back to your cell now! GUARD 2: Keep moving.
GERRY: Barker was maimed for life
and Joe was sent to another prison.
He's in solitary confinement somewhere.
We've had no news of him since then.
The new chief screw had the yard painted
and I was back walking in circles again.
Back to the cells.
Come on. Move.
I'd like to help you out with the campaign, Da...
If that's all right with you.
Do you mean it?
Aye.
That's great.
Okay, Gerry, what I need from you is the whole story,
your whole story, in as much detail as you can remember.
Every detail you can think of, and I need you to write it down.
It's really important.
(SIGHS)
I can't do this.
I can't write this, Da.
Could your son not give you a hand?
Nah. He's up in his cell writing away.
Okay.
Tape recorder.
You're... You're a good talker.
Talk.
GERRY: The strange thing is...
The strange thing is sometimes I think he's a little jealous
of me taking over the campaign and that there.
Going up and down the stairs to meet you.
That's something I never thought about Guiseppe,
that he could be jealous.
Anyhow, the main thing is to get the case reopened
because I don't know how long he can survive in here.
I'm tired of this.
Come on. We have to do this. Come on.
You behave yourself.
Get your head down.
When I was a wee lad, I used to wonder what you were doing under the towel.
And one day when you and Ma were out,
I got a big bowl of boiling water,
whacked a big drop of Vicks and then put the towel over my head.
And then I sat there trying to figure out what it was all about
'cause nothing was happening.
And then I figured you must've been drinking it. Do you remember that?
So I stuck my tongue in it. Do you remember that?
(INHALES DEEPLY)
(COUGHS)
How could I forget?
And your tongue swelled up like a football.
Had to rush you to the hospital.
First time you'd stopped talking in your life.
(BOTH CHUCKLING)
Give us that.
(COUGHING)
I'll do your chest for you, Da.
Was I always bad, was I?
Not always.
I don't deserve to spend the rest of my life in here, do I?
All they've done is block out the light.
They can't block out the light in here.
Listen.
Every night...
I take your mother's hand in mine.
We go out the front door, into Cyprus Street,
down to Falls Road, up the Antrim Road
to Cave Hill.
We look back down
on poor, troubled Belfast.
I've been doing that every night
for five years now.
As if I never left your mother.
What I remember most about my childhood is,
holding your hand.
My wee hand in your big hand.
And the smell of tobacco. I remember that...
I could smell the tobacco off the palm of your hand.
When I want to feel happy, I try to remember the smell of tobacco.
Hold my hand.
(LAUGHS) Get the fuck...
Now, don't go sentimental on me now.
Don't be upset, Da. Look, I'll hold your hand if you like.
I'm going to die.
Don't be saying that.
I'm scared.
You've no reason to be scared.
You have nothing to be scared about.
Don't you be comforting me when I can see the truth staring me in the face.
I'm scared I'm gonna die here among strangers.
You're not fucking dying, all right.
Can I not say a thing without you fucking contradicting me?
I'm scared to leave your mother behind.
Look, you are not going to die, all right, Da?
Even if you do, sure I can look after Ma all right.
You think I'd leave Sarah in your care?
What do you mean?
You haven't the maturity to take care of yourself, let alone your mother.
I haven't much time between appointments, Mrs. Peirce.
How can I help you? Thank you.
I'm the solicitor for the Conlons, Chief Inspector.
Guiseppe Conlon is critically ill, as you may know.
I've petitioned before the court for his compassionate parole.
They want your clearance.
That'll be difficult, Mrs. Peirce.
These people have committed horrific crimes.
Society demands that they serve their time.
But they didn't do it, Chief Inspector.
Says who?
Say the real bombers.
They told you they did it, Mr. Dixon.
Gerry Conlon told me he did it, Mrs. Peirce.
These people are liars.
They're liars for a cause. That's the worst kind.
But he's dying. Guiseppe's dying.
A lot of people are dying. It's a dirty war.
Well, I'll see what I can do.
Is this your family, Mr. Dixon?
That's my wife and my son.
You have another appointment.
Yes.
I'll see you again, Mr. Dixon.
(SNORING)
Are you all right, Da?
Da?
Are you all right?
Wake up, Da. Da?
Da, can you hear me? Can you hear me, Guiseppe?
Come on, dear God in heaven, don't do this to me.
Come on. Wake up.
Wake up! Fuck's sake, come on!
Come on, come on, wake up!
There you go. Thank you, God.
You're all right, Da. You're all right. (GASPING)
You're all right, Da. I'm going to get some help.
I'm going to get some help, all right?
Number 73! Number 73!
(ALARM BLARING)
Please come quickly! My father's sick!
Benbay, Guiseppe's taken bad!
Da! Da! Put your arms around me.
I'm getting you out of bed.
Come on, put your arms around me. That's it, come on.
PRISONER: It's Conlon!
Open the fucking door!
PRISONER: He's number 73!
Open the fucking door!
PRISONER: Guiseppe!
GERRY: Fuck, he can't breathe. He can't fucking breathe!
He can't breathe! (WHEEZING)
Look, my father's fucking dying!
He needs oxygen!
PRISONER: Give him a fucking break!
Open the fucking gate!
I'm right here, Da. I'm right here.
GUARD: Get him in here! Get him in here!
MAN: What the fuck is going on? GUARD: Stay where you are.
Hammersmith Hospital now.
Look, I want to go with him. Please, can I go with him?
Boss, I'd like to go with him.
I've got to get clearance first. It's out of my hands.
You're gonna be all right, Da!
I'll be with you as soon as I can.
Take him back to his cell.
PRISONER: Leave him alone, you bastards! Just let him be!
He's still awake.
Your father passed away an hour ago.
Thank you very much.
I'm sorry.
(DOOR CLOSING)
Guiseppe is dead, man!
They kill Guiseppe!
Gerry, man!
Gerry!
They killed Guiseppe!
Well, I think they ought to take the word "compassion"
out of the English dictionary.
They fouled the ball, Gareth.
They fouled the fucking ball, and they're as guilty as sin.
Believe me, if there's one thing I know about, it's guilt, you know.
Keep looking 'em in the eye, and it's gonna reveal itself.
You have to keep up the pressure.
Do what you have to do.
CROWD: (CHANTING) Free the Four! Free the Four!
Free the Four! Free the Four!
(MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO)
(GRUNTS)
(TURNS DOWN VOLUME)
Those were meant to be here three weeks ago.
"The Parade of Innocence." What do you think?
MAN ON TV: Thousands of people lined the streets of Dublin,
London and Liverpool today in demonstrations
demanding the release of the Guildford Four.
Questions have been raised...
Say good night to Daddy, darling.
Good night, Dad.
Good night, Son.
Free the Four! Free the Four!
(CHANTING CONTINUES)
GARETH: Mr. Dixon!
(INDISTINCT)
This was a mistake.
Why don't we let her see the files?
What harm could it do?
Mr. Dixon!
Yes? You never get tired of this sort of thing? What's that?
This is a court order that I be allowed to see the Guiseppe Conlon case files.
Good morning.
JENKINS: There are a few rules to be observed.
Here's a complete list of the Conlon, Guiseppe case files,
the only files you'll need to see.
I'll go to the file drawer and bring it out.
You'll open it in front of me, take a page at a time,
read it, and then return it.
Is there a problem, Mr. Dixon?
Problem? Not at all, Mrs. Peirce.
Our chief archivist, Mr. Jenkins, is here to assist you.
If you want to make a photocopy, I and I alone will do it,
and you use this pen at all times for any notes.
Why?
JENKINS: If you deface or alter any document,
we'll be able to trace it through the ink type in this pen.
There are national security issues involved here, Mrs. Peirce.
We wouldn't want police intelligence files
leaked to the IRA now, would we?
Conlon, Guiseppe file.
MAN: Yes, sir.
Might as well leave my kit on the bus,
'cause I'm not staying in your jail.
So, our new VIP prisoner.
Welcome to Scotland.
I'm an innocent man. My father was an innocent man.
He died in one of your jails.
There's nothing you can do to hurt me.
They've moved me to a Scottish jail to break up my campaign.
Put him in solitary.
This is a peaceful protest.
I'm not observing prison rules.
We'll teach you manners.
Better men than you have tried that already.
Your Honor, I have not seen my client for two months.
He's been moved to Scotland,
which has seriously impeded my investigation into his case,
so I'm filing this motion to gain proper access...
CROWD: (CHANTING) Free the Four! Free the Four!
Free the Four!
(PRISONERS CHEERING)
Thanks a lot. Good day.
Thanks, thanks, thanks.
(COUGHS)
(SNEEZES)
Sorry. Could you copy that for me, please?
Thank you.
(SNIFFLES)
GERRY ON TAPE: I just want my mother to be happy.
I'd like her to know
that Guiseppe talked about her every day of his life.
He missed her terribly.
It's strange to be in a cell without him.
I can't seem to get his face out of my mind.
Everywhere I look, I see him.
Strange what time does when you're in prison.
Like, you can be staring at the wall.
Drip, drip, drip.
It takes an eternity.
And then you blink, and three years have gone by.
I mean, what I'm trying to...
I don't know what the fuck I'm trying to say.
But I can't forget what they did to my family.
I just can't forget.
(BLABBERING)
(SHOUTING)
(YELLING)
(PANTING)
Morning.
Where's Jenkins?
He telephoned in sick.
I'm afraid you're going to have to come back tomorrow.
No, no, I can't. I've got a case in court tomorrow.
There's just too much to get through.
Well, I can't help you.
Please. Look, I've got a court order.
You saw what Mr. Jenkins did. You just bring me the files.
I'll take the notes and give them straight back to you. Please.
What name is it?
Conlon.
All right. Thanks. Thank you very much. Cheers.
What name was that again?
Conlon.
Well, we've got two Conlon boxes.
Is it Guiseppe Conlon or Gerard Conlon?
Gerard.
(SIGHS)
Well, that's the start of them.
GERRY: Fuck 'em!
Fuck 'em!
It's good news, Gerry.
We're talking about a piece of evidence
that says they knew all along,
that they let my father die in prison?
Would you mind telling me what's good about that, Gareth?
We'll get them in court.
"We'll get them in court?"
For fuck's sake, will you catch yourself?
They've kept us in prison for 15 years.
They can keep us in for another 15.
This is the fuckin' government, Gareth!
It's the fuckin' government! What are they gonna say?
"We're sorry about that?"
"Made a wee bit of a mistake there, but you can be on your way now?"
What are they gonna say? "Sorry we killed your da"?
"Sorry we fucked your fucking life to hell"?
What are they going to say?
Gerry...
Look, I'm not putting my mother through hell again.
Are you afraid of court?
Look, I just don't wanna be humiliated again.
(SIREN BLARING)
DIXON: I swear by Almighty God
that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth
and nothing but the truth.
Mr. Dixon, do you know these young people
known as the Guildford Four?
Yes, I do.
Do you know how long they have spent in jail?
Fifteen years, I believe.
Do you know Annie Maguire
who served her 14 years without remission?
Do you know her son Vincent who served five years?
Do you know her son Patrick who served four?
Do you know her husband, Paddy Maguire,
who served 12 years?
Carole Richardson was 17 when she went to jail, Mr. Dixon.
Now she is 32.
Do you know Carole Richardson?
My Lord, what is the point of this?
Yes, come to the point, Mrs. Peirce.
Do you know who this is, Mr. Dixon?
No, I don't.
Well, then would you be so kind
as to read this statement that you took from him
on the 3rd of November, 1974?
A statement, My Lord, which vindicates all of these people,
all these innocent people.
My Lord, I need to see a copy of this statement.
Either that man or his superior or his superior's superior
ordered that these people be used as scapegoats
by a nation that was baying for blood... Mrs. Peirce!
My Lord!
In return for the innocent blood spilled on the streets of Guildford!
And by God, you've got your blood, Mr. Dixon.
Mrs. Peirce is making a political speech.
This is outrageous. You got the blood of Guiseppe Conlon,
you got the lifeblood of Carole Richardson,
and you got 15 years of blood and sweat and pain from my client
whose only crime was that he was Irish. JUDGE: Silence in court!
And he was foolish, and he was in the wrong place at the wrong time!
Mrs. Peirce, I will have you removed from the court.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)
And one of your colleagues, My Lord,
who sat where you sit now said, and I quote,
"It is a pity you were not charged with treason to the Crown,
"a charge that carries a penalty of death by hanging.
"A sentence I would have no difficulty in passing in this case."
Mrs. Peirce, I am trying to read this document.
I will not tell you again to be silent
or you will be removed from the court.
(WHISPERING)
My Lord, this document
brings the entire British legal system into disrepute.
My Lord, this is new evidence.
It is shocking new evidence.
My Lord, this evidence
was not submitted at the trial that is under appeal.
That, I believe, is the point that Mrs. Peirce is trying to make.
Proceed, Mrs. Peirce.
My Lord, I demand a recess.
There will be no demands made in my court.
Stand back.
My Lord, this alibi for Gerry Conlon
was taken by Mr. Dixon
one month after Gerry Conlon was arrested.
This note was attached to it when I found it in police files.
It reads, "Not to be shown to the defense."
(PEOPLE MURMURING)
I have one question to ask you, Mr. Dixon.
Why was the alibi for Gerry Conlon,
who was charged with the murder of five innocent people,
kept from the defense?
(MOUTHING)
MAN 1: Give us an answer! MAN 2: Answer the question!
(GAVEL BANGING) JUDGE: Silence!
MAN 3: It's about time!
JUDGE: Order in the court!
My Lord, I would like to approach the bench.
This is most irregular.
Yes. I am aware of that, My Lord.
Very well.
(WHISPERING)
Mr. Dixon, you may stand down.
GARETH: No! No! No! My Lord!
My Lord, this is the man who should be under arrest!
JUDGE: Be silent, Mrs. Peirce! (PEOPLE SHOUTING)
This court is now in recess.
Guards, get ready.
Look, don't try and make me the fall guy
for the whole British legal establishment.
Look, if I accept this mercy deal...
They've a flippin' cheek, offering me mercy.
I mean, they should be begging for mercy themselves.
You ready, Mr. Conlon? Aye.
I know the difference between right and wrong.
I know. The truth has to come out.
They may not want to hear it in the court,
but there's people outside who'll listen.
Just think about it, will you?
Just think about it.
All right.
Aye. Give us three of them.
(ALL CHEERING)
Silence!
In the matter of Her Majesty vs. Gerard Patrick Conlon,
the case is hereby dismissed.
(ALL CHEERING)
My husband died in your prison an innocent man!
I'm going out the front door. I'll see you outside.
This way. Let's go. I'm going out the front door.
What about Guiseppe Conlon?
Your Honor, he was an innocent man!
Mr. Conlon, that's not a good idea. Use the back...
For security reasons.
I'm a free man, and I'm going out the front door.
Get back.
In the matter of Her Majesty vs. Paul Hill,
the case is hereby dismissed.
(CROWD CHEERING)
Leave me alone! I'm going out the front door with Gerry!
JUDGE: In the matter of Her Majesty vs. Patrick Armstrong,
the case is hereby dismissed.
In the matter of Her Majesty vs. Carole Richardson,
the case is hereby dismissed.
I'm an innocent man!
I spent 15 years in prison for something I didn't do!
I watched my father die
in a British prison for something he didn't do!
And this government still says he's guilty!
I want to tell them
that until my father is proved innocent,
until all the people involved in this case are proved innocent,
until the guilty ones are brought to justice,
I will fight on
in the name of my father and of the truth.
(ALL CHEERING)
(SLOW MUSIC PLAYING)