SLIDE: "The following is based on the true story of Anthony Johnson and John Casor."

SOUNDTRACK: Throughout the movie, intermittently, the sound of a solo lute, and/or lute/wind duet, played in the renaissance style, provides mood, as per direction.

EXT. BEACH – DAY

SUPER: 1641

Eighteen-year-old VIRGINIA JOHNSON gallops along her beach, atop her horse, equipped with a standard man’s saddle. She hugs the animal tightly as she rides.

She is wearing white, elegant seventeenth-century undergarments, which contrast against her brown African skin. Her long brown ringlets dance freely behind her head.

Virginia brings her horse to a halt and turns to see her sister Elizabeth, down the beach, waving her arms. She kicks the horse and gallops back toward her sister.

The two Johnson sisters both possess striking beauty. Elizabeth’s conservative renaissance hairstyle contrasts with Virginia’s flowing locks.

Virginia is a complex personality, moving in and out of various personae fluidly. She is at once coquette, dominatrix, seducer, innocent virgin, confidante, defender of family, and defender of her beloved native Virginia.

She dismounts.

A ship is in the process of unloading people and goods. ANTHONY JOHNSON is speaking to the ship's CAPTAIN. As they converse, Anthony sizes up his new African-born servant.

The forty-one-year-old Anthony Johnson has a sturdy build. His short-cropped African hair is showing signs of early gray. He has an executive aura about him, as if he’s the man in charge.

JOHN CASOR is standing nearby, grasping a small, woolen satchel. He appears about twenty years of age.

He is tall, with a pleasant face, and is built like an Olympic athlete. His hair is long and natural, and severely disheveled.

He motions for John Casor to come closer.

He pulls out his coin pouch.

Anthony hands him the coins. The captain pockets the coins and shows him a piece of paper.

He folds it in half and hands it to Anthony. Anthony folds it in half again and goes to place it into his coat pocket. Unbeknownst to him, it doesn’t nest securely into the pocket and falls to the ground.

The captain salutes and walks away.

Anthony motions to John Casor.

Anthony turns and walks off. John Casor picks up the piece of paper, places it into his pocket, and follows Anthony.

John Casor is rowing Anthony’s boat toward Northampton, asthe two men become better acquainted.

Anthony takes a moment to process.

He thinks, then corrects himself.

The Johnson family lives in a modest, 7-bedroom Englishmanor house. The grounds are nicely landscaped, with flowerbeds and shrubs beneath a scattering of shade trees.Anthony is instructing two white servants, with John Casorstanding nearby.

Virginia and Elizabeth are spying out of a front window,observing John Casor’s arrival.

Anthony is completing his instructions to the men.

The three men begin their return to the fields.

Virginia and Elizabeth, in simple dresses, have John Casorsitting up on a barrel with his shirt off, as they shavehis head. Half of his hair is gone and half remains.

Elizabeth plunges the rag into a bucket of water.

Before Elizabeth has a chance to begin wiping him down,Anthony suddenly appears in the doorway.

Anthony walks off in a huff.

Virginia peers out of the doorway to ensure that Anthony isgone. She hands the rag to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth begins wiping him down, a bit apprehensively, butattentively.

Virginia and Elizabeth share a smile.

They laugh giddily.

Virginia and John Casor are seated at a table behind thehouse, as she teaches him the alphabet. She has a longscroll of paper rolled out, with all of the letters, plusquill, ink, and blank paper.

She touches his nose lightly, then writes out the word.Elizabeth walks up and sits next to Virginia.

Their mother, MARY JOHNSON, walks up and joins them.

Virginia, Elizabeth, and John Casor are walking away fromthe dock area toward the settlement. Virginia and Elizabethare dressed elegantly. John Casor, dressed in Englishworking-class garb, walks a pace behind the women.

A crowd of settlers has gathered for the Landing Dayopening ceremony. A SPEAKER, standing on a short dais, iswelcoming the crowd. Virginia is seated near the front on abench, surrounded by Elizabeth and friends.

JOSEPH, a nineteen-year-old boy rises and joins the speakeron the dais. They shake hands.

As the speaker’s voice continues in the background, whilehe welcomes the fourth-born child, a little white girlnamed SARAH approaches Virginia and tugs on her sleeve.

Sarah is embarrassed and runs off.

Another young white girl, about eighteen years of age, hasalso joined the speaker and Joseph on stage.

The crowd applauds. The boys in the crowd cheerrespectfully. Virginia rises and joins the speaker on thedais. Sarah approaches with a bouquet and hands it toVirginia.

Virginia is strolling with Elizabeth and their whitegirlfriends. A crowd of boys is gathering behind them. JohnCasor lags behind, carrying the bouquet.

THOMAS, a handsome teenage boy, is working with his fatherand brother in their open-air shop. Thomas’ friend runs up.Thomas’ father and brother watch him run off.

Virginia, Elizabeth, and their pretty white girlfriends,AMY, KATHERINE, and JULIANNE, are now completely surroundedby boys. The girls are doing their best to make eye contactwith all of them.

Virginia has a rolled-up whip tucked in her waist. JohnCasor is close by.

A buzz radiates through the group. Two boys behind Virginiashove a skinny boy through the crowd, who suddenly findshimself facing Virginia.

Still holding the bouquet, he moves to her side.

Amy and Katherine scream with shock and disbelief, then runoff together, holding their mouths. Nearby settlers wonderwhat the commotion is about.

Virginia enters a church as two women are leaving.

Virginia smiles, and the women leave the church. Virginiasits in the back pew, in the corner.

Thomas, the tanner’s son, cautiously enters the church, andjoins Virginia.

Thomas gathers up his courage.

Virginia squeezes his hand gently.

The two sit in silence.

Virginia smiles warmly. Thomas leaves. Virginia wipes atear from her eye.

Another boy, HENRY, takes his place in the pew.

The rest of the girls, barge into the church and interrupt

The five girls are standing in a group at the end of a longtable, around which a group of middle-aged women, withcrosses around their necks, sit, drinking tea. John Casorstands behind and away from the girls.

The older women around the table are petrified, catatonic.They appear dead; zombie-like.

The girls wait a moment for some sign of life from theolder women. Then they regard each other, shrug theirshoulders, and walk off.

The girls are back near the dock area, with John Casorstill holding the bouquet

The SCARBOROUGHS are a family of white planters. Theirproperty is comparable to the Johnson’s.

Outside, there is a modest gathering underway of localfamilies, with food and drink. The racial mix of the groupis roughly two whites to one black.

A boy in costume plays the recorder, while women gossip,and children play.

Virginia and Elizabeth are together, off to the side.

Virginia nods. They share an anxious look.

The room is full of men, standing and sitting, with mugs ofale in hand, and cigars and pipes billowing smoke.

FRANCIS PAYNE, a local black planter, addresses the group,with a book in his hand.

Laughter rises and subsides.

The group responds with a mixture of reactions. They areinterrupted by MRS. SCARBOROUGH, who first signals herhusband.

CAPTAIN SCARBOROUGH addresses the gathering.

The crowd applauds and cheers. The men congratulateCharles, while the women take turns hugging Elizabeth.The young recorder player begins a new tune.

Off to the side, two local planters, LT. JOHN NEALE andMATTHEW PIPPIN, converse discreetly.

Anthony is meeting with Captain Scarborough.

WILLIAM TUCKER, blond, handsome, and nervous, approachesVirginia, Elizabeth, and Mary, who are huddled up together.

Mary smiles warmly. William leads Virginia off.

In a private setting, away from the other guests, Williamtries to explain.

Virginia tries to settle her emotions.

William nods.

She’s right, and his expression confirms it

The Johnson family is headed back home, with Anthony andMary riding a simple, two-seater, one-horse buggy. JohnCasor follows behind on horseback. Virginia and Elizabethlead the way on horseback, riding women’s saddles.

Virginia lifts her dress, swings her leg over the saddle,kicks the horse into a gallop, and takes off. Elizabethtries to follow, but quickly gives up.

Virginia is nestled into a pile of soft hay. Mary appears,followed by Elizabeth. Elizabeth lets out a playful scream,jumps, and lands in the hay. Mary falls into the haybetween them. Virginia’s mood lightens.

Virginia lifts her arm and points to her forearm.

She grabs her hair.

John Casor is walking hurriedly toward the manor house. Hearrives to find Virginia seated on the front porch.

She rises, turns to enter the house, and he follows.

Mary laughs heartily.

Virginia stands in the doorway and invites him in.

She closes the door behind him. Virginia’s bedchamber is awomb of femininity. It is filled with lace, soft pillows,and finery. She directs him to sit in a loveseat.

She picks up a pillow in a crimson sham and places it onhis lap. Then she places his hands on the pillow.

John Casor is too intimidated to respond.

He appears confused.

Virginia Johnson dramatic pause.

He nods an uncertain nod.

He does not. She continues, without waiting for his reply.

She slaps him across the face, without enough force tocause pain, but sufficient to gain his attention.

He hands over the pillow.

He moves toward the door and opens it. Virginia stops him.

Virginia closes the door, picks up the crimson pillow, andclutches it against her body. She goes to the window andpeers out for a moment. Then she hops onto her bed and lieson her side, still clutching the pillow.

Anthony Johnson is a hands-on planter. He is out by thefields, working with his servants. Mary hurries toward him.

Two young noblemen have arrived, accompanied by four armed guards who attend the horses. SIR ARCHER and LORD CLIFFORD are seated under a shade tree with Anthony. The nobles crank up their cigars. Mary stands behind Anthony.

She leaves for the house.

Mary emerges out of the doorway, with tray in hand, laden with tea and snacks. Virginia, in her best dress, snatches the tray away from her mother and heads for the men.

Virginia, in her coquette persona, serves the men.

After serving, Virginia continues to stand nearby, eavesdropping.

Virginia looks toward her mother, who is standing a few paces behind Anthony. Anthony turns, then turns back to Virginia.

He turns to Mary.

She walks off in a huff. Lord Clifford and Sir Anthony break out in laughter over the spectacle.

More laughter.

Virginia, wearing a romantic dress, and John Casor are atop horses, riding side-by-side.

She lets that sink in.

Virginia suddenly becomes stern and steely.

They make extended eye contact. She can see he understands. She softens her tone.

Virginia and John Casor are walking through the dunes. She stops and looks him over. She very slowly walks around him, sizing up his body. She grasps his forearm gently and moves his hand to his penis.

She continues to walk around him, very slowly, paying close attention to what he has in his hand. She stops.

She appears mesmerized as she gazes at him.

She wraps her arm around his neck. He picks her up into his arms, and carries her toward the water. At the water’s edge, he continues to hold onto her.

He continues to hold her in his arms. Virginia gives him a curious look.

He continues to hold her in his arms.

He sets her down gently. Virginia is intoxicated with power. She takes his forearm and moves it toward his penis.

She gazes for a moment, then turns and walks out into the surf. After a few paces, she turns 180 degrees and walks backwards.

When she reaches waist-deep water, she arches her back and spreads her legs apart to allow the waves to slap against her backside.

After two wave slaps, she allows a wave to carry her to his feet. She stands.

Virginia is naked atop her horse, riding a man’s saddle, galloping along at the water’s edge, with her body pressed tightly against the saddle.

Anthony is inspecting a large map on his desk, when Virginia barges in.

Anthony places his hands on his desk, slumps over, and shakes his head.

John Casor is standing atop a work cart, with a lantern inone hand, and a book in the other.

He is reading to Virginia, who is hanging out of herbedchamber window, wearing only underwear.He struggles with many of the words, but manages to plodthrough the lines.

Anthony suddenly appears on the lawn, wearing a nightshirtand a gentleman’s hat, with a short musket in his hand.

She wraps a light robe around her shoulders.

Anthony huffs off.

Anthony and Mary are in bed sharing pillow talk.

Virginia is tutoring John Casor at the table.

Mary is discreetly observing and listening to the couplefrom an open window.

They continue the lesson.

Virginia writes it out.

They both stand and Virginia walks around the table. Shemakes a fist and strikes him in the abdomen. He barelyflinches. She strikes him twice more. He cracks a subtlesmile.

She begins moving around him, punching him in variousplaces; first his chest, then his upper arm, then his back.With each blow, her mood lightens up.

Then she hauls off and hits him in the butt. She checks hisreaction, then hits him in the butt twice more, as hard asshe can. On the second blow, she sprains her wrist, thenrecoils with pain, holding her wrist.

One of Anthony’s WHITE SERVANTS hustles toward the rear ofthe house and WHISTLES. He waves toward John Casor.

He jogs off with the white servant.

Virginia basks in her mother’s wisdom and counsel.

She picks up the scrap of paper upon which Virginia wrotethe word 'love'.

Virginia, Elizabeth, and John Casor are on horses, on their way to Virginia’s land.

There is a conspiratorial blush on their faces.

The three find a cozy area in the dunes. Virginia andElizabeth sit comfortably, with John Casor standing.VIRGINIA(to John Casor)Remove your clothing.ELIZABETHYou simply order him to strip?

Elizabeth is embarrassed, and can only sneak peeks at him.

John Casor follows her command.

The two women watch. Elizabeth's eyes get wider and wider.

Virginia's facial response suggests that half a baby mightbe about right.

She takes ahold of Elizabeth’s hand and places it on JohnCasor's penis.

Elizabeth is fully engaged now.

The women watch. Then, Elizabeth suddenly screams, pullsher hand away, reacts backwardly, and gathers her dress. Atfirst, she is at a loss for words. She breaks into giggle.

Virginia, in a modest dress with conservative neckline, isprimping in her mirror. Julianne’s voice calls out.

Virginia hurries down the hallway to a guest room. Inside,her three girlfriends are fussing with the bodices providedby Virginia. The bodices are cut so low, they cover none ofthe breast. Instead, they serve only to lift them.

The girls are waiting at the forest's edge, with lightshawls draped around their shoulders. John Casorapproaches.

The girls do their best to keep up with him as he marchesthrough the forest.

John Casor is in a small clearing, sizing up a tall,straight tree. A fallen tree trunk lies on the ground.

The girls find him in the clearing. Virginia inspects hischosen climbing tree.

The other girls have already taken seats on the fallentrunk. Virginia joins them. John Casor stands, facing thegirls a few feet away. Six breasts are in full view.

The girls blush.

Virginia rises and stands next to John Casor. She beginsstroking his muscles with her fingertips, outlining thecuts in his muscle.

She moves her free hand behind him, out of the view of herfriends, and begins scratching his butt and lower back withher fingernails.

John Casor’s body begins to react to the stimuli.

Virginia joins them on the log. Agog, they enjoy the view.

John Casor goes to his tree and begins climbing.

Amy rises, moves to the tree, and looks upward. She faints.The other girls ignore her.

Virginia and her three friends are preparing to leave.

Amy lifts up a satchel.

A raucous party is underway in a clearing, attended byteenagers and young adults. The racial mix is about evenlysplit. It is midday, but a bonfire crackles. A large barrelof ale is propped up on a log, with mugs in many hands.An ensemble of ten male musicians, jams and entertains.

Five white musicians play traditional renaissanceinstruments; a viol, an archaic guitar, a flute, a lute,and a second wind instrument.

Five black drummers beat out a rhythm on various-sized,tuned, hollowed-out logs. The music is a fusion ofrenaissance dance and march, with African rhythms.

Black and white girls dance in a group. The white girlsappear to be trying to mimic the black girls' movements.

John Casor, Virginia and the girls have just landed intheir boat, late in the afternoon. Several boats are dockedalong the bank. The rhythms are heard nearby.

John Casor steadies the boat as the girls disembark. A sixfoot tall cross has been planted in the ground near theriverbank. Some friends arrive to greet them.

Under the full moon, John Casor has taken over drumming duties on the largest of the log-drums. The rhythms have heated up.

A series of shots captures the festivities. Blacks and whites intermingle fluidly.

A few revelers appear tipsy from the ale. One of them breaks into an Irish-style dance, and people surround him and clap.

Amy has donned a bodice and dances alongside a topless black girl.

One of the black drummers hands over his sticks to a white boy, and he gets into the rhythm.

John Casor hands an extra set of sticks to Virginia. She stands next to him, picks up the rhythm, and gives it a go.

The men have set up a musket firing range, with a row of watermelons. They load and fire at will. Anthony is training John Casor. He fires and hits his melon.

John Casor slowly reloads.

John Casor hands his musket to another man. They walk together, slowly.

He pats John Casor on the back and walks off.

Virginia and John Casor are on horseback, on their way to her land. She is wearing a romantic dress. He is wearing a casual gentleman’s outfit.

Virginia and John Casor are riding atop a horse, naked,with John Casor in the saddle, and Virginia sitting crosssaddle against his lap. He pulls the horse up.

John Casor has been working hard on these lines. He comesacross like the bard himself, accent and all. At theconclusion, he touches her cheek with his fingertips.

She plants a fervent kiss on his lips and he responds. Theybreak their kiss reluctantly.

A group of mostly black Christians has gathered for John Casor's baptism. A small chorus of singers off to the side, sings a renaissance chorale.

Two men walk him into the river, turn him, hold his back, and lower him into the water.

Virginia is crying against Elizabeth's shoulder.

A modest group of family, close friends, and eligible bachelors is gathered on the Scarborough lawn to witness the marriage between Elizabeth and Charles Scarborough.

Hugs and congratulations break out throughout the group. A musical ensemble strikes up a renaissance dance piece. Anthony and Mary have moved to the side to speak privately.

Virginia and Elizabeth speak privately.

Anthony is meeting with his BARRISTER, who has some documents laid out. Mary observes from nearby.

Anthony grabs the document.

Anthony and Mary are in bed. She is sitting up and he islying down, propped up by pillows.

Anthony turns onto his side, violently.

Virginia and John Casor are camping out, under the stars,with a campfire blazing and crackling.

White servants are pitching hay off of a cart for Anthony’smodest herd of dairy cows and cattle.

John Casor is busy hanging tobacco leaves with otherservants. Two musket rounds are heard in the distance. Allmen stop work. Then another round.

Anthony comes running. He reaches a large bell mounted to apost, grabs the rope, and begins tolling. All servants rushto his side.

The men are preparing at their armory shed. Six Pamunkeywarriors charge them from across the field. A volley ofarrows misses the men.

Musket blasts bring down two. The men charge the fourremaining Indians with swords and battle axes, and makequick work of them.

Anthony, his two teenage sons, and John Casor mount horses.

They head out.

The modest fighting force has grown in numbers. As theyenter a clearing, Pamunkey warriors rush them from thetrees.

John Casor dismounts and charges. Four servants, two whiteand two black, fall in behind him.

Anthony and his two sons fight from atop their horses withmuskets and swords. A servant reloads for them.

John Casor quickly adopts a battle tactic. His steelremains strapped to his side. When he confronts a warrior,he first controls the weapon, then knocks him out. JohnCasor throws a haymaker punch.

When a warrior hits the ground, the squad either cuts histhroat, or splits his skull. They are like scavengers,feeding off of the lead tank. Control weapon – haymaker –scavengers. Control weapon – haymaker – scavengers. It’s avideo game.

An arrow finds John Casor’s back. He ignores the arrow andfights on.

The meadow is ultimately won, with minimal losses. The menare soaked in blood, including blood from their own wounds.

They catch their breath.

He remounts his horse.

The local Northampton church is packed, with planters nearthe front, and servants behind. Captain Scarboroughaddresses the men.

The roar from the men, shakes the church.

SUPER: 1648

Virginia and John Casor are having intercourse atop hertrotting horse. He is in the saddle, as she faces him,holding on for dear life. The horses' trot provides theirneeded motion. She screams with each gait, in ecstaticpain.

The horse has pulled up and the two are in a mad embrace.Virginia is exhausted. John Casor whispers in her ear.

She pulls her head back.

Virginia sighs and moans, squeezes his shoulders, andattacks his face with kisses.

Eight finely-dressed men, including NICHOLAS SPENCER, areseated around a large, heavy wood table, in front of alarge fireplace, smoking cigars, pipes, and drinking ale.

The men include Matthew Pippin and Lt. John Neale, who weremember from the Scarborough wedding announcementgathering.

The entryway door flies open. CAPT. MONTAGUE, a gray-hairedman with a prominent mustache, enters with a large leathersatchel, stuffed with papers. All stand.

Capt. Montague sits at the head of the table and all areseated.

The men express their collective agreement and approval.

Virginia and John Casor are walking, side-by-side in light,casual garments. Virginia has a more mature demeanor. Shewears her hair up, more conservatively. The weather isbreezy. She regards the land.

Virginia lets that sink in. She regards him respectfully.

Anthony is standing in the corner of the room by the light,examining some new hand tools. Mary is across the room,dusting objects on a shelf.

Virginia and John Casor approach the main room, a bitapprehensively. She stops and clutches his arms.

John Casor enters the main room and stands before Anthony.Mary stands discreetly across the room. Virginia eavesdropsfrom just outside.

Anthony was unprepared for this conversation.

He pounds his chest.

A deathly silence floods the room.

Virginia rushes her father at warp speed and slaps him sohard he loses his balance and falls into a chair. Sheglares at him, eye to eye, for an inordinate amount oftime. John Casor gently leads her out of the room.

Mary approaches Anthony from across the room.

Mary does not answer.

John Casor and Virginia, riding a woman's saddle, ride upto Sir Archer's gate. Both are formally dressed. Two armedguards greet them.

John Casor helps her dismount.

Lord Archer and Virginia stroll casually, stoppingintermittently to regard the flora as they converse.

He gathers his thoughts.

Virginia and John Casor are walking the horses away fromthe entrance.

Virginia and John Casor are seated on logs.

CAPT. SAMUEL GOULDSMITH arrives on horseback, accompaniedby a white servant. He dismounts.

From nearby, John Casor approaches him. As they speak,Anthony emerges from the front door to witness theexchange.

Anthony is now close by.

We flash back momentarily to the scene at the dock, whenthe Captain hands Anthony the bill of sale, and it dropsfrom his pocket.

We flash forward.

Anthony and Mary are gazing out of the window together.

Anthony has convened a gathering of the entire Johnsonclan, including Elizabeth and Charles Scarborough.

Anthony looks around the room and realizes he’soutnumbered.

Anthony is relaxing in a chair with his feet up, as heburns a cigar. Mary emerges out of the rear door.

Anthony exits the front door to find three MEN and twoWOMEN holding bibles, with crosses around their necks.

Anthony returns to the house.

As he enters, he finds Virginia just inside the doorway. Hepasses by her with no acknowledgement nor comment.

Anthony enters to find a nervous Mary.

Virginia rushes into the room and embraces Anthony.

Virginia and John Casor are sitting high in the dunes. Heis playing with sand, having it flow out of his fist likean hourglass.

ROBERT PARKER is tending a horse. John Casor enters.

John Casor nods.

John Casor nods.

Robert Parker nods.

John Casor is negotiating with WILLIAM KENDALL near acornfield.

John Casor is negotiating with Lt. John Neale, who weremember from the slavery cabal meeting.

Mary walks out of the stable carrying two buckets of milk.Virginia runs up.

Virginia nods.

Virginia appears confused.

Anthony is playing air musketeer, trying out a new sword.Virginia approaches him, hurriedly.

Anthony's face shifts from pleasure to concern.

Mary calls out from the back of the house.

Anthony and his barrister are conferring.

John Casor is walking through the plantation. Four BURLYWHITE MEN approach him. One is carrying leg irons. Twocarry short chains in their hands.

They laugh. One man violently pushes John Casor to theground, as another raises a short chain to strike him.

Virginia is atop her horse in the late afternoon, at theedge of the plantation, sitting impatiently, lookingeverywhere. With concern, she rides off.

Virginia approaches her mother.

Virginia walks stealthily through the farm. She sees somecrude structures a short distance away, and approaches.

John Casor is seated on the ground, leaning against hiscrude hut. He is in leg shackles, with a long, single chainsecured to a nearby tree. His eyes are swollen and nearlyclosed from beatings.

As Virginia nears him, her pace slows as she sees hiscondition. Emotion overcomes her. She drops to her knees.

She kisses his face.

She cuddles next to him.

The door to Virginia's bedchamber flies open. She rushes inand grabs the crimson pillow. She plunges her hand throughan open seam and finds the bill of sale.

After inspecting it, she hops up onto her bed, and lies onher side, still clutching the pillow against her body.

After a moment, she jumps off of the bed and racesdownstairs.

Virginia, emotionally frayed, rushes into the room to findher mother.

Anthony enters.

Virginia pulls the bill of sale out of her waist, unfoldsit, and slaps it down onto a table.

Mary inspects the document.

Anthony and Virginia meet with the barrister. He isinspecting the bill of sale.

He picks up the bill of sale.

Virginia, in her finest, is helped up onto her horse by awhite servant. Mary hurries over.

One of the guards helps Virginia off of her horse.

Sir Archer and Virginia sip tea on his balcony.

Sir Archer sips tea and ponders.

Anthony and his barrister are on one side, with Lt. Nealeand his barrister on the other. Virginia and Mary sitbehind. John Casor is seated near the front, off to theside.

The panel of three justices renders their verdict.

Heavy gavel comes down.

Lt. Neale is at the head of the big table, meeting with hisslavery cabal.

The group voices their collective agreement.

John Casor is at the edge of the swamp, shoveling up soiland stacking it onto a big pile. Virginia approaches.

He sets the shovel down and scoops up a big wad of soil.

John Casor is leading his horse down the beach. Strapped tothe horse are ropes, dragging a telephone pole-sized pole.

Back behind the dunes, away from the beach, he is busydigging, excavating a deep hole in the sandy ground. Fourtelephone poles lie nearby, side by side.

He has positioned one of the poles so that one end is atthe bottom of a hole. Ropes tied to his horse are strappedaround the pole. He walks the horse cautiously to get thepole to vertical.

John Casor is leading a horse-drawn cart, piled high withplanting soil.

He shovels planting soil off of the cart into a large,wood-bordered planting area.

He and Virginia are admiring the four vertical pylons,which extend six feet above the level of the ground.

They both beam and embrace.

Seven armed WHITE MEN are atop their horses. Anthonyemerges and sizes them up.

Anthony returns into his house. The men stand around for afew seconds, regard each other silently, then slowly turntheir horses to leave.

Anthony is loading muskets. Mary joins him.

The extended Johnson family, including Elizabeth andCharles Scarborough, and Anthony’s two grown sons arescattered throughout the house. Dinner has been completed,but food still remains on the large dining table.The men stoke cigars. John Casor and Virginia are thecenter of attention. Elizabeth and Mary share theirexcitement over the baby with Virginia.

Virginia and Elizabeth share thoughts.

Mary spots Anthony across the room speaking with JohnCasor, and joins them.

A breeze is blowing. A dozen riders trot onto the Johnsongrounds, dismount and secure their horses. They pulltorches out of their saddles. A man with a lantern providesfire to ignite the torches.

A man lights a large haystack ablaze.

A man sets fire to the stable, with animals trapped within.

A man pours accelerant onto the tobacco crop. Two other menignite the accelerant.

Men run through the cornfield, setting plants afire.

A man sets bundles of tobacco ablaze.

One man pours accelerant onto a small house, and a secondman lights it on fire.

Another man lights a second small house on fire.Two men set outbuildings afire.

With the plantation ablaze, the men cast their torches tothe ground, mount their horses, and gallop off.

Anthony and John Casor are speaking, with Anthony's twosons listening in.

John Casor smells something in the air.

John Casor moves to a nearby window and sees the orangeglow outside.

The men race outside.

The men are running, looking to see what can be saved.

Anthony's two sons and Charles head for the stable.

The animals are in peril, as the stable burns around them.

The three men lead animals out.

Anthony and John Casor view the devastation across thehorizon.

In shock, Anthony and John Casor walk through theplantation, observing the catastrophe in progress.

Anthony is walking his property along with John Casor, histwo sons, and nine of his African-born, neighboringproperty owners, including Francis Payne, who we rememberfrom the Scarborough wedding announcement gathering.

They are in shock, as they regard the ruins of thedevastation. Building sites and fields still smolder.

The group reaches the arsonists’ staging area. John Casorinspects the ground evidence.

Anthony picks up one of the torches.

Francis Payne sees a group of men over in the distance,near the house, beginning to dismount. He points.

Anthony turns and sizes up the group.

John Casor, Anthony’s sons and their nine black neighbors,race toward their armory. Anthony hurries toward the house.

Out of breath, Anthony confronts the fifteen VISITORSwearing crosses, a number of whom are armed. Some havedismounted and some remain on horseback.

Two men go for the front door.

At that moment, Anthony's squad of friends and familyarrives and quickly surrounds the visitors. Each is armedwith two hand muskets. John Casor hands a musket toAnthony.

There is a dead, still silence. It drags on. One visitormounts his horse. The two men on the porch walk to theirhorses and mount. The remaining visitors mount their horsesand they all ride away.

From her bedroom, looking through her glass window,Virginia witnesses the conclusion of the confrontation witha look of extreme horror on her face.

Anthony, Mary, Virginia, and Elizabeth stand, facing threejustices. John Casor and Charles Scarborough sit behind.Anthony’s barrister addresses the court.

As the family walks away from the court building, the womenwalk together behind the men.

Anthony has gathered the extended family for anannouncement. He is both defeated and undefeated.

Virginia, Elizabeth, and Mary are huddled up.

SUPER: 1670