An English Haunting (2020) - full transcript

You must be Margot.

I'm Marian Clark, I've
been taking care of

the house and your father
these past few days.

I'm sorry to have
called you in such

a state of urgency,
but the situation here

has become difficult.

You must be Blake.

Afternoon, miss.

Clark.

Your grandfather told
me a lot about you

before he, well.



You'd best come up,
see for yourself.

So the old crank's
still breathing?

He's been better,
Miss Clemonte,

but you'll be glad to
know he's resting now.

Oh yes, very glad.

You can leave their bags here.

We'll be back for them later.

Blake?

Don't straggle, please.

Aubrey
resides on the top floor,

so you'll have
almost the entirety

of Clemonte Hall to yourselves.

He looks just like Nana did.

He's been this way
for nearly a week now.



I mean, he wasn't much better
before this last episode,

but at least he had
the energy to find

his way about the
house on his own.

It's most troublesome
for his nurse, poor girl,

but you won't have that
problem as you can tell.

And where's the nurse now?

She left.

Said Mr. Clemonte scared
her, that he was creepy.

Couldn't bear to be alone
in the house with him.

Believe me, I pleaded
with her to stay

whilst we found a replacement,

but there's no consoling her.

I'm afraid you're
our last resort.

Does he talk then?

Hasn't spoken a word in days.

He can
still talk though?

I don't know how
much you know about

your father's illness,
Miss Clemonte,

but his mind has
severely deteriorated.

It's been going this
way for a long time.

When he does speak it's
complete gibberish.

Doesn't know who
he's speaking to,

where he is, or even
who he is anymore.

Can he hear us?

It's hard to tell.

If he shits the bed
I'm not cleaning it.

You can deal with that, Blake.

For Christ's sake, Mom.

Please, Miss Clemonte,
we contacted you

because he needs his family.

He needs your love and care.

I'll show him about
as much love and care

as he's shown me in my life.

How about that, Dad?

Oh, don't worry.

I've got worse problems than
dealing with shitty sheets.

It's not a bad
price to pay to keep

a roof over our heads.

This room is for you, Blake.

It's a very special room.

I hope you'll like it.

Fit for a king.

And if you'll come
with me, Miss Clemonte,

your room is just down the hall.

Oh, yes.

This will do me
nicely, I should think.

There are spare
blankets and sheets

in the wardrobe if you need be.

What have you found there?

Some old toy.

Just came outta nowhere.

Do you like it, Blake?

You can have it if you want.

Just leave it alone, Blake.

It looks filthy.

So, what do you think?

Spooky enough for you?

No, actually.

It's rather peaceful.

Spectacular, even.

I think I'm gonna love it here.

Well it's certainly
more space than

your father would've
left us with.

When I was a girl I was
terrified of staying here.

All these old rooms, long
dark halls, dusty furniture.

Now it all just appears
quite miserable,

empty, and soulless.

Somewhere I can call home.

Vile thing, isn't he?

Mom.

Always was a
ghastly looking man.

He's like some wax
work that should

be displayed in the
chamber of horrors.

No wonder they kept him in
the attic all this time.

You shouldn't do that here.

I know, I shouldn't.

Well, tis what it is.

Free house, free place to stay
till the old bastard croaks.

Do you have to be so unkind?

What if he can hear us?

Oh, I hope to god he can.

Aubrey wasn't a
pleasant man, you know.

He was a recluse.

Very secretive with
macabre interests.

Drove my mother to
the brink of madness.

He was
always kind to me.

Oh, you were so young
you wouldn't remember.

I remember it well,
spending time with him.

It's all coming back
to me now I'm here.

Unusual for your grandfather.

I'm gonna take a look around.

Off you go then.

It's our house now.

That was nice.

I thought you weren't
gonna do that here.

Oh, drop it, I'm
just settling it.

That was Elgar.

This can be a music
room if you like.

I'll keep my nose out.

Perfect place for your studies.

Found that in the library.

The last ones of Granddad.

Me and him together.

I feel like we've
been sent off, Blake.

Sent away to be forgotten.

Nobody's problem.

I can waste away out here
without interruption,

only you to witness it.

I called your dad earlier.

Really?

He's going to
come by for a visit.

Tomorrow, I think.

So let's pretend
that we love it here

and we're living like kings

and we're bloody well
better off without him.

You'll do that for me?

We're here for Granddad.

He knows that.

Yes, but leaving you with me

is difficult for him, isn't it?

I can look after
myself just fine.

I've looked after you when
I've had to, haven't I?

Better than anyone
else ever did.

Go to bed, Mom.

No thanks.

I think I'll sit here awhile.

Watch the flames.

The chair.

How did it get

out there?

I've
done the best I can.

It hurts!

Just a
little longer, Jacob.

I'm scared
we won't make it.

There's so little time.

Now now, don't cry.

I don't want to die.

I want my mother back.

Granddad?

It hurts.

Who's in there?

Mom?

Open the
bloody door, Margot.

It's cold out here.

Hold on!

What took you so long?

It's bitter out there.

You found us, then.

Eventually.

You really are on the
utter ass-end of nowhere.

Not a single house
or car for miles.

It's what a private
drive is, Gordon.

Dad valued his seclusion
from the rest of the world.

Perfect dwelling
for you then, eh?

Where's Blake?

Morning, Dad.

Oh!

Everything going okay
here then, Blake?

Fine.

Good lad.

You going to offer me a
cup of tea then, Margot?

Blake, get the kettle on.

Have you seen my violin?

It's not in the case.

You were playing it yesterday.

Hello?

Hello?

Who's out here?

Wait!

He's such a shy lad.

He can't keep his head buried
in those books forever.

Oh,
it's what he likes.

Just leave him be.

How's he gonna
make a life for himself

all the way out here?

It's not for
you to decide, Gordon.

He makes his own choices.

You
leave him no choice.

He knows how much
you depend on him.

I'll just leave
them on the side.

Thank you, Blake.

We are alone here, aren't we?

I mean, there's nobody
else living on the grounds.

Just us, why?

Nothing.

Just wanted to be sure.

Give us a moment, Blake.

11:55, 21st of April.

I saw him again today.

I was unsure if perhaps I
might've been seeing things.

It wouldn't be the first
time unpleasant visions

had presented themselves
to me in this old house.

This time I knew
I'd seen the boy

and I knew what to expect.

I'm positive I've seen him
exploring the grounds before.

The boy looks like no
child has ever looked.

Not something you would
recognize as human.

Some sort of birth
defect, perhaps.

Whoever he is and
whoever he belongs to,

he has taken a liking
to Clemonte Hall

and I suppose he's taken
a liking to watching me.

Somehow I find it comforting.

Even when I'm sure
I'm alone I suspect

he might be spying from the...

Blake?

Let's have a word.

It doesn't get any
easier watching him leave.

We managed decades
of ups and downs,

all of that just
to be left here.

Not a thing to show for it.

You've got me.

It's more than he has.

Can you believe he once
asked me to marry him?

What'd you say to that?

It was the wrong time.

He asked me just
after you were born.

He loves you dearly, but if
he'd felt the same about me,

well, I waited but
he never asked again.

You know why that was.

Oh, that's better!

Bring some life into this house!

Oh god!

You're a good boy, Blake.

What would I do without you?

You'd have to
dance with Aubrey.

Why don't you
give it a rest, Mom?

Just for tonight.

It's just easier to drink
and allow you to hate me.

I don't hate you.

I'm just asking you
to stop for one night.

If it was easy
as just stopping

don't you think I'd
have just done that?

Locked up that
basement and poured

every bottle down the sink?

Why don't you?

'Cause then I'd
have to find more.

And what a bloody pain
that would be out here.

He said you'd
carry on like this.

Well, it must be exhausting

being right about
fucking everything.

It must be very easy being
so fucking predictable.

Oh, just leave it, Blake!

I've heard it enough times.

And when will you listen?

Christ, you sound
just like your dad.

I'm nothing like my dad!

I've stood by you.

I've done everything I can
and it's still not enough!

Maybe you are a lost cause.

The thing about family, Blake,

is you're stuck with them.

We can't hide our
mistakes from family

and we can't all be perfect.

So one day, Blake,
I'm going to get

to see you make
the wrong choices

and then I'll be the
one who gets to judge.

I'm not judging.

Just asking for my mom back.

Today was the day.

It's been three months since
my last sighting of the boy.

Put out the food at the
kitchen window on occasion

and most of the time
I've found it gone.

I know he's out there.

He moves like a ghost only when

I'm not around will he come.

Finally, I was out in the
woods picking blackberries

and our paths crossed.

I spoke to him.

I asked the boy his name
and I told him mine.

He didn't answer.

I'm sure now that he's
not been taught to speak.

He makes noises but not words.

And evidently he was taken aback

by me speaking so
warm and competent

as if he'd expected me
to be afraid or repulsed.

Of course, I was
none of these things.

Without words I could still
tell he was charmed by that.

I told him he was
welcome in the house.

I tried gesturing for
him to come inside

but nothing could tempt him.

It's very likely he's retarded
and doesn't fully understand,

so I said goodbye,
leaving him to it for now.

I have a plan now.

If I leave my door open,

perhaps even play
music to entice him in,

I think the boy might
gain the confidence

to enter Clemonte Hall and
then he'll have to talk to me.

I can teach him to communicate.

He could be my next project.

My next obsession.

Something to pry me away
from these terrible studies

of evil things.

- Mom!
- Help us, Blake!

Help us.

Help us.

- Help us!
- Mom!

I came as soon as I could.

I've been
up most of the night.

I'm sorry.

I thought you said he
wasn't well enough to walk.

Something had him agitated.

Bless you, Blake.

He doesn't know what he's doing.

He's totally lost in a place
he's spent most of his life.

It's a lot to contend with.

Did he say much while he was up?

You said on the telephone
that he was speaking.

Just nonsense.

What nonsense?

Nothing I could
understand out of context.

You're quite sure?

Yes.

How long's he been
doing that with his hand?

Since we dragged him back
into bed he hasn't stopped.

It's as
if he's writing.

He can't write.

It's just a muscle spasm,
he has no control over it.

Miss Clark, wait!

Yes, dear?

The previous carer.

You said that she left?

You said that she
couldn't stand being here.

That she was frightened?

Yes.

Perhaps you have
a telephone number

or an address I
could write to her.

Oh no, she won't come
back here, I can assure you.

The room I'm staying in.

That was her room, wasn't it?

Why do you ask?

The wardrobe is still
full of her clothes

and other possessions.

Why would she leave without
taking her belongings?

Unless her leaving
was unexpected.

Even to her.

She didn't leave.

Not exactly.

What do
you mean by that?

Her name was Anne Harper.

When I came by for
my weekly check in,

Anne had simply gone
without a trace.

Nobody's heard from
her, she took nothing.

It was only her and
Aubrey alone in this house

and we've not the faintest
idea what might've happened.

That's the honest truth.

All we know is she's gone.

And you didn't
think to mention this?

Would you have stayed
knowing the previous occupant

had disappeared into thin air?

I didn't think so.

My job is to ensure Mr.
Clemonte is looked after,

so I saw to it.

He had somebody here
to care for him.

Sorry I had to be dishonest.

I'll pray you are both still
here when I return next week.

What if he's not ill?

Of course he's ill, Blake.

No, I mean, what
if it isn't dementia?

What if it's
something unexplained?

Something in this house
that's doing that to him?

I've seen some
weird things here.

Oh, Blake.

Something drove his carer
to leave without warning.

What was so awful
that she would leave

an elderly man like that?

I don't know!

Maybe she's just an
unreliable old cow.

Do you know the
things he used to do?

What he used to spend
his days researching?

I've been listening to his
tapes, reading his notes.

Don't let your
imagination turn

this into something else, Blake.

I'm not.

I know it's hard
and unpleasant for you

seeing your grandfather
the way he is.

If I'd known the
state he was in maybe

I wouldn't have
brought you here.

Don't torment yourself looking
for logic in his madness.

Aubrey isn't there anymore.

He's just a shell.

Blake, wait!

Mom!

Look.

At what exactly?

He drew that.

Dad drew it?

You know, I don't
he's as brain dead

as Miss Clark wants
us to believe.

These are scribbles, Blake.

Maybe.

But the same scribble
again and again and again?

It just keeps going.

It's just lines.

But how can he do them
the same over and over?

It's an exact floor
plan of Clemonte Hall.

How can you explain that?

He knows this place
like the back of his hand.

This is the basement?

That is, yes.

And this room?

There isn't another room.

I've been down there,
it's just a wine cellar.

Not according to Granddad.

He went down there by himself.

I'm not going in again.

There were spiders the
size of dinner plates.

Stop it!

The boy has done well.

He's learning new
things every day

and every day he returns
to Clemonte Hall.

I've called him Jacob,
which he appears to like.

Today I continue to
teach Jacob to speak.

He loves the old library.

He's becoming quite
comfortable it seems

except for the height on
the side of the ground.

At first I thought perhaps
he was shying from them

as he used to shy away from me.

But I had a thought.

It could be that these...

Is who are his parents?

That he was in fact born
on the Clemonte estate

in the ground keeper's lodge.

They might've kept him
there as a ugly secret.

I won't miss him yet because
they'll take the boy away

if he is indeed their son.

It's clear they wanted to
keep him hidden from the world

and especially from me.

It's not fair to threaten a
child, to give him no life,

no voice, no name.

Oh god.

Oh.

I'll be out in a minute.

Where were you
when I needed you?

I'm here, always have been.

Hey!

Blake?

It's human bones.

The basement room.

It really was down there.

You have to see
what he did, Mom.

You have to see what
happened in this house.

He killed that boy.

Boy?

The thing hardly looked human.

Perhaps they did that to him.

Oh stop it or I'll be sick.

I've seen him, you know.

Jacob is his name.

He's been in this house
with us since we got here.

I think Aubrey's being punished.

Jacob is still here watching
over him until he's dead.

I think we should
bury the bones.

Isn't that what
you do when there's

something evil in the house?

You take it out and
you put it to rest.

I just want the
thing out of the house.

I need you to be here
first thing in the morning.

Promise me, Gordon!

Blake, he can't stay here.

It's too much to explain,
just make sure you're here.

Thank you.

So we're leaving?

You are.

I'm not going
anywhere without you.

I don't know what's
happening in this house, Blake!

You can't just keep
pushing everyone away.

This isn't about me!

You have to face the
problem, you can't do it alone.

- Blake.
- Mom.

I said I'd stay and help.

I don't want your help!

I brought you into
a nightmare with me.

I've been so selfish, I didn't
spare a thought for you.

It's just, without your father,

I didn't want to
be here on my own.

I couldn't face it.

So I've dragged you into
this darkness with me.

I am sorry, Blake.

You can't stay here in this
place, this twisted place.

I'm losing my mind.

Even with all the cruel
things about this house

I couldn't be
anywhere else, Mom.

We'll bury the bones.

Bury the past.

Over here will do.

Start digging.

Oh, Jesus Christ!

Who are you?

Are you hurt?

What's she doing out here?

Let's get her up.

- Take her arm.
- Okay.

- Get her arm.
- No, no, no, no, no!

No, no.

- No, please!
- We need to get her

into the warmth
and call for help.

Don't make me go
back there, please!

Don't make me go
back to the house!

- Just grow up, lady!
- No!

We need to
get her into safety.

- No, no, no!
- What are you doing here?

Don't make me go back please!

- Mom!
- You can't stay out here!

Will you tell me your name?

How long have you
been out there?

Drink.

You need it.

I saw you, didn't I?

You were the one
in the greenhouse.

You're her, Aubrey's nurse.

They said that you disappeared.

You left my
father in his state.

Some nurse.

Mom.

Well, she
owes us an explanation.

I couldn't stay
up there that night.

Aubrey was behaving so strange.

He was talking, always
talking with himself.

I could hear him all
through the night.

He told me it was me,

that it was somebody
else in the house.

Somebody speaking back to him.

It wasn't somebody.

It was something.

And how do I really know this?

Small occurrences at first.

Things will move,
doors would open.

It could have been
the wind, maybe.

But at night it got worse.

It was as though, because
it was harder to see,

the thing in this house, he
would play bigger games with me.

Every time I tried to sleep
the chair will start to rock.

That's how I knew
he was watching me.

And the more he watches,

the more of it you begin
to see for yourself.

He was there all along
plain as day before my eyes.

First, just a glimpse
of a figure, a shape.

Turning the room cold.

From a dark corner.

But then I would see more.

A hand, a body.

And then a face.

That awful, horrifying face.

Once I've seen it, I realized
it wasn't the first time.

Just my mind hid
it from my eyes.

He was there.

He was always there.

Jacob.

That's his name.

Jacob.

That's what he called himself.

The boy was murdered here.

So you have seen him already.

Only glimpses.

Not glimpses.

He can't just be glimpsed.

He occupies this house
for anyone to see,

anyone who dares to look.

He occupies Aubrey.

Somehow he and Jacob are one.

And now that Aubrey's dying,

he's after anything
that's living.

Anything that's living is
still not safe in this house.

I hear them say that.

I hear them talking, plotting.

Well, he hasn't spoken
since we've been here.

He talks.

Maybe it's no longer
him, but he talks.

Clearly you've had a fright.

I can prove it to you.

You don't have to believe
me, I'll show you.

Tell them what you said to me.

I know you can speak!

I have hear it with my own ears!

Now talk, damned you!

Speak!

I'm not crazy.

If you won't speak, you
may as well be dead.

She knows what she's doing,

- let her do it.
- Talk to me!

She's gonna kill him!

All right, that's enough!

We can't die.

What did you say?

We can't die.

Not yet.

Why?

Not my time.

Too young.

Can't have this
old body no longer.

Tell them what you told me.

Tell them your name!

Jacob.

Your name's Aubrey.

Aubrey, your old man's gone.

I keep us alive.

Why?

Till she can
find us a new one.

Who?

My mommy.

I miss her.

I said, "Don't leave."

But she said you'd suspect.

She said it takes time.

Time?

For what?

For the boy to be ready.

Aubrey told her you're the one.

She got you to come
here to help me.

Who got us to come here?

Miss Clark.

Who is Miss Clark?

The nurse they sent from
your agency to replace you.

She comes by every week.

I'm not from an agency.

It's just my sister and me.

Blake, pack your things!

We're leaving tonight!

Anne, you call for a car
to arrive immediately.

I'll go and open the gates.

As soon as the car gets here

make sure you're ready to leave.

Blake!

Blake!

Blake, they got him!

Oh, Blake!

Blake!

He's in the house!

He's already here!

Blake!

Blake.

Open up!

Open the door!

Oh, Jacob!

Come now, Jacob.

It's time.

Oh no!

Oh no.

Blake!

Stop, please, stop!

Come on now, Jacob.

We're going to your room.

Do you remember?

You always used to love
spending time with Mr. Clemonte.

Mom!

Mom!

Your mother's left you, Blake.

She cannot love you
the way I loved Jacob.

I never asked your
grandfather to take

my son from his disgusting body.

Jacob has nowhere to go
unless you let him in.

Let him be a part of you, Blake.

Let Jacob become you.

Let me go!

Please let me go!

You'll never find a more
loving mother than me.

It's all right.

Jacob, my son, the
wait is nearly over.

No!

No!

Go to your room, Jacob.

And don't come out
until it is done!

No!

Stop, please!

Please stop!

Please!

Oh my god.

Blake!

Oh no!

Oh my god!

Blake.

Jacob!

Jacob!

- Jacob!
- Blake, run!

- Just go!
- Jacob!

- Run, run!
- Jacob!

I won't let you take my Jacob!

You can take my father, but
I won't let you take my son.

Oh, Blake!

Blake, oh, Blake!

Oh, Blake.

Oh.

Oh.

Time to say goodbye, Blake.

As soon as they find a
buyer, mark my words,

we're never coming back.

Agreed.

Think I spent far too long here.

Help me!

Help.

Mom!