Black Snake
In 1835, on the island of San Cristobal in the British West Indies, former London Soho prostitute Lady Susan Walker (Anouska Hempel) has achieved wealth and power through her multiple marriages, and n…
Black Snake
In 1835, on the island of San Cristobal in the British West Indies, former London Soho prostitute Lady Susan Walker (Anouska Hempel) has achieved wealth and power through her multiple marriages, and now runs her Blackmoor sugar cane plantation with ruthless severity. Susan's favorite possession is her whip, which she calls a "black snake." Also fond of whipping the slaves is her sometime lover, an older Irishman named Joxer Tierney (Percy Herbert). Susan's private army of mercenaries is led by the snobbish, homosexual Capt. Raymond Daladier (Bernard Boston), who, because he is a French soldier, disdains the slaves even though he is also black. The disgruntled slaves look to their hot-tempered compatriot Joshua (Milton McCollin) for leadership, and although he urges them to revolt, Joshua's Bible-quoting father, Isiah, counsels patience. Meanwhile, in England, Sir Charles Walker (David Warbeck) asks his patron, Lord Clive (Anthony Sharpe), to help him obtain employment at Blackmoor. Charles explains that he will pretend to be a lowly Cockney bookkeeper in order to investigate the presumed death of his brother Jonathan, Susan's most recent husband, who he believes was murdered by Susan. Charles soon arrives at San Cristobal, where, with his upper-class accent disguised and using the name Ronald Sopwith, he obtains the desired position. On the day of Charles' arrival, Joshua helps fellow slave Barnaby attempt to escape, but an informant alerts Joxer and Barnaby is pursued by the overseer and Raymond's men. Surprised by the violence, Charles tries to help Barnaby, who, terrified of the mercenaries, swims into the ocean, where he is eaten by a shark. On the beach, Charles meets Susan, who approves of his good looks and intimates that she will replace Joxer with him. Disgruntled, Joxer takes Charles to his lodgings and gives him Cleone (Vikki Richards), a pretty slave who is to serve Charles in every way. Joxer hopes to undermine Charles' position with the racist Susan, as he knows how she hates it when her lovers sleep with the slaves. Later the next evening, Charles is having sex with Cleone when he questions her about Jonathan, whom she calls a "duppie," or zombie, explaining that sometimes after a man dies he continues to walk the earth. Their tryst is interrupted by Raymond, who tells Charles that he has been summoned by Susan. Despite Cleone's pleas that he not go, Charles proceeds to the main house, where Susan flirtatiously tells him about her deceased husbands and shows him the grand mansion. She offers herself to him but cautions that he must choose between her and Cleone. Scoffing at Charles' Cockney accent, Susan then reveals her own humble origins, and Charles, assuming his real accent, concocts a story of leaving his English estates because he impregnated his gamekeeper's daughter. Their lovemaking is interrupted by the drunken, ranting Joxer. Joxer knocks Charles out and is raping Susan when the duppie appears and tosses Joxer aside. After Charles jumps on the doper, he realizes that the groaning, unkempt behemoth is his brother. Upon hearing his name, Jonathan runs away, with Charles in pursuit. Raymond finds the two men and, as Jonathan swims away, the Frenchman warns Charles to forget what he has seen and promises not to tell Susan that Jonathan is his brother if he will not reveal that Raymond failed to kill him. The next day, Charles and Joxer clash when Joxer is brutalizing a slave in the fields and Charles rips the whip from his hands. They are about to fight when Raymond appears and reprimands them for disagreeing in front of the slaves. Joxer laughs at Raymond's infatuation with Charles, and their quarrel is heightened when Joxer threatens to whip Charles for preventing him from beating an injured Isiah. Susan interferes, stating that no white man can be whipped unless she does it. Susan orders Charles to whip Isiah or be fired, and after Charles reluctantly picks up the whip, Joshua steps forward, insisting that he be punished instead. When Charles attempts to stop Susan from lashing both men, Joxer knocks him down. Later that night, Susan tells Charles that the black snake will become an extension of his arm as he grows accustomed to the island's violence. As they talk, Joshua sneaks in and puts a large snake into her bathtub, although Charles and Raymond rescue her before she is injured. Susan then orders that Joshua be crucified as a lesson to the others, although Joxer warns her that the heinous punishment will make him a martyr. Susan ignores him and soon after, the slaves watch as Joshua is nailed onto a wooden cross marked like an X, with Charles begging Susan to free the youth. Three days pass as Joshua clings to life, increasing the tension on the plantation. Charles is jailed when he again tries to free Joshua and Susan berates him, telling him that she is the only one who cares for him. Unable to contain his fury, Charles attempts to strangle her through the bars and reveals that Jonathan is his brother. Susan retorts that upon her orders, Raymond cut out Jonathan's tongue and also castrated him as revenge for his infidelities with the slave women. Susan was unaware, however, that Raymond had failed to complete her instructions by killing Jonathan. When Susan threatens to have Charles similarly mutilated, Raymond protests, reminding her that she promised to give him the Englishman when she was through with him. Susan acquiesces, then goes to the fields, where she orders Joxer to whip Joshua. Joxer protests, claiming that the insensible Joshua will not feel the lash, but relents when Susan promises to resume their sexual relationship. Reviving, Joshua recites some Bible verses and dies, and Joxer is forced to whip his corpse to prove that he is dead. After Susan rides away, the slaves, led by Isiah, capture Joxer, while in his rooms, Raymond attempts to seduce Charles. After his efforts prove unsuccessful, Raymond handcuffs Charles to his bed and departs. When Raymond searches the house, he discovers that his men have been hanged from the upper balcony. He is then attacked by the slaves, who hack him to death with their machetes. After Susan finds Raymond's dismembered body in her bathtub, she discovers that Joxer is tied to the front gate, where the slaves are taking turns whipping him. Armed with her own whip, Susan rushes outside but is overwhelmed by the slaves. Meanwhile, Jonathan frees Charles, who pleads with the slaves to stop, assuring them that they have earned their freedom but should end their rampage. Isiah insists that Susan must be punished, although Charles will be spared due to his previous kindnesses. When the slaves are distracted by the appearance of Jonathan, Susan escapes, grabs a shotgun and kills her rampaging husband. The slaves then carry Susan and Charles away, leaving Isiah to kill Joxer with a machete. While Charles is held back, Susan is tied to the same X bearing Joshua's body and is burned alive. After the carnage subsides, freedom sweeps through the islands, and Charles, who has stayed to live with Cleone, witnesses the abolition of slavery and the prosperity of those who work together peacefully.
Black Snake
Thriller
Film Details
In 1835, on the island of San Cristobal in the British West Indies, former London Soho prostitute Lady Susan Walker (Anouska Hempel) has achieved wealth and power through her multiple marriages, and now runs her Blackmoor sugar cane plantation with ruthless severity. Susan's favorite possession is her whip, which she calls a "black snake." Also fond of whipping the slaves is her sometime lover, an older Irishman named Joxer Tierney (Percy Herbert). Susan's private army of mercenaries is led by the snobbish, homosexual Capt.
Raymond Daladier (Bernard Boston), who, because he is a French soldier, disdains the slaves even though he is also black. The disgruntled slaves look to their hot-tempered compatriot Joshua (Milton McCollin) for leadership, and although he urges them to revolt, Joshua's Bible-quoting father, Isiah, counsels patience. Meanwhile, in England, Sir Charles Walker (David Warbeck) asks his patron, Lord Clive (Anthony Sharpe), to help him obtain employment at Blackmoor.
Charles explains that he will pretend to be a lowly Cockney bookkeeper in order to investigate the presumed death of his brother Jonathan, Susan's most recent husband, who he believes was murdered by Susan. Charles soon arrives at San Cristobal, where, with his upper-class accent disguised and using the name Ronald Sopwith, he obtains the desired position. On the day of Charles' arrival, Joshua helps fellow slave Barnaby attempt to escape, but an informant alerts Joxer and Barnaby is pursued by the overseer and Raymond's men.
Surprised by the violence, Charles tries to help Barnaby, who, terrified of the mercenaries, swims into the ocean, where he is eaten by a shark. On the beach, Charles meets Susan, who approves of his good looks and intimates that she will replace Joxer with him. Disgruntled, Joxer takes Charles to his lodgings and gives him Cleone (Vikki Richards), a pretty slave who is to serve Charles in every way.
Joxer hopes to undermine Charles' position with the racist Susan, as he knows how she hates it when her lovers sleep with the slaves. Later the next evening, Charles is having sex with Cleone when he questions her about Jonathan, whom she calls a "duppie," or zombie, explaining that sometimes after a man dies he continues to walk the earth. Their tryst is interrupted by Raymond, who tells Charles that he has been summoned by Susan.
Despite Cleone's pleas that he not go, Charles proceeds to the main house, where Susan flirtatiously tells him about her deceased husbands and shows him the grand mansion. She offers herself to him but cautions that he must choose between her and Cleone. Scoffing at Charles' Cockney accent, Susan then reveals her own humble origins, and Charles, assuming his real accent, concocts a story of leaving his English estates because he impregnated his gamekeeper's daughter.
Their lovemaking is interrupted by the drunken, ranting Joxer. Joxer knocks Charles out and is raping Susan when the duppie appears and tosses Joxer aside. After Charles jumps on the doper, he realizes that the groaning, unkempt behemoth is his brother.
Upon hearing his name, Jonathan runs away, with Charles in pursuit. Raymond finds the two men and, as Jonathan swims away, the Frenchman warns Charles to forget what he has seen and promises not to tell Susan that Jonathan is his brother if he will not reveal that Raymond failed to kill him. The next day, Charles and Joxer clash when Joxer is brutalizing a slave in the fields and Charles rips the whip from his hands.
They are about to fight when Raymond appears and reprimands them for disagreeing in front of the slaves. Joxer laughs at Raymond's infatuation with Charles, and their quarrel is heightened when Joxer threatens to whip Charles for preventing him from beating an injured Isiah. Susan interferes, stating that no white man can be whipped unless she does it.
Susan orders Charles to whip Isiah or be fired, and after Charles reluctantly picks up the whip, Joshua steps forward, insisting that he be punished instead. When Charles attempts to stop Susan from lashing both men, Joxer knocks him down. Later that night, Susan tells Charles that the black snake will become an extension of his arm as he grows accustomed to the island's violence.
As they talk, Joshua sneaks in and puts a large snake into her bathtub, although Charles and Raymond rescue her before she is injured. Susan then orders that Joshua be crucified as a lesson to the others, although Joxer warns her that the heinous punishment will make him a martyr. Susan ignores him and soon after, the slaves watch as Joshua is nailed onto a wooden cross marked like an X, with Charles begging Susan to free the youth.
Three days pass as Joshua clings to life, increasing the tension on the plantation. Charles is jailed when he again tries to free Joshua and Susan berates him, telling him that she is the only one who cares for him. Unable to contain his fury, Charles attempts to strangle her through the bars and reveals that Jonathan is his brother.
Susan retorts that upon her orders, Raymond cut out Jonathan's tongue and also castrated him as revenge for his infidelities with the slave women. Susan was unaware, however, that Raymond had failed to complete her instructions by killing Jonathan. When Susan threatens to have Charles similarly mutilated, Raymond protests, reminding her that she promised to give him the Englishman when she was through with him.
Susan acquiesces, then goes to the fields, where she orders Joxer to whip Joshua. Joxer protests, claiming that the insensible Joshua will not feel the lash, but relents when Susan promises to resume their sexual relationship. Reviving, Joshua recites some Bible verses and dies, and Joxer is forced to whip his corpse to prove that he is dead.
After Susan rides away, the slaves, led by Isiah, capture Joxer, while in his rooms, Raymond attempts to seduce Charles. After his efforts prove unsuccessful, Raymond handcuffs Charles to his bed and departs. When Raymond searches the house, he discovers that his men have been hanged from the upper balcony.
He is then attacked by the slaves, who hack him to death with their machetes. After Susan finds Raymond's dismembered body in her bathtub, she discovers that Joxer is tied to the front gate, where the slaves are taking turns whipping him. Armed with her own whip, Susan rushes outside but is overwhelmed by the slaves.
Meanwhile, Jonathan frees Charles, who pleads with the slaves to stop, assuring them that they have earned their freedom but should end their rampage. Isiah insists that Susan must be punished, although Charles will be spared due to his previous kindnesses. When the slaves are distracted by the appearance of Jonathan, Susan escapes, grabs a shotgun and kills her rampaging husband.
The slaves then carry Susan and Charles away, leaving Isiah to kill Joxer with a machete. While Charles is held back, Susan is tied to the same X bearing Joshua's body and is burned alive. After the carnage subsides, freedom sweeps through the islands, and Charles, who has stayed to live with Cleone, witnesses the abolition of slavery and the prosperity of those who work together peacefully..