In the winter of 1864, in the snow-capped Fifth Street Square (where the five streets meet), two gangs faced off, one side was an ally of the leader of the Dead Rabbit Gang "Pastor" Warren, who represented the interests of Irish immigrants, and the other was the local bigwig" Butcher" Billy's powerful local gang of dead men. The "priest" held a cross and motivated his warriors to punish the thugs who insulted them. The butcher held a pair of knives and cold-bloodedly encouraged his thugs to punish the infidels who stole their food and chassis. The two sides started to fight, the holy snow was flowing with bright red blood, the two leaders met, and the butcher killed the priest. The butcher let Warren die in honor, and declared that no one should touch his body. Warren's son watched his father die in his arms. The anger of hatred, like a seed that would take root and sprout, was deeply hidden in his young heart.
After 16 years of vicissitudes, Warren, who was locked up in the Hell Gate Reformatory, was freed again. Over the years, he has never forgotten the scene of his father being massacred. At the bridgehead, he lost the Bible brought out by the reformatory and also lost it. One last chance for redemption. This is a turbulent era in which society has undergone great changes. The American Civil War broke out, slavery was abolished, and the United States was galloping forward to a liberal democracy. Immigrants from Ireland docked in New York's ports every day, and black people began to swagger on. On the streets, the conflict between locals and immigrants is more intense and complex than it was 10 years ago. Politicians, hooligans, prostitutes, gangs fill the crowded neighborhoods, and government recruitment advertisements fill the streets. Little Warren returned to the top of Fifth Street, ran all the way to the basement of the shelter, and found a pendant left to him by his father. The pendant was engraved with an angel. His father told him that it was St. Michael's Archangel. Satan is banished from heaven.
In the old shelter, little Warren met his childhood friend Johnny. Johnny now works for Bill the Butcher. Johnny is a weak guy. He will almost die in a flaming building for a good music box. Fascinated by the beauty of the beautiful female thief Jenny, she steals her pocket watch. During the conversation, Johnny told little Warren that the Dead Rabbit Gang no longer existed, and the butchers held a carnival every year on the day the priest died to celebrate their victory. Little Warren frowned, his eyes were blazing, and the anger of revenge was burning.
The butcher is now the biggest gang leader on the top of the fifth street. In this land, bulls, ghosts and snakes are rampant in the countryside. Fire is the most favorite accident. Everyone rushed into the house and looted it. The fire brigade took advantage of the chaos. In a fight for the interests of the territory, the corrupt city sheriff extorts stolen loot from the gangsters. The butcher used violence and power to build a chaotic and lawful camp in this area. He likes this kind of chaos. He hates democratic freedom, black liberation, immigration, and Lincoln. Here, he is authority, strength, Desires, beliefs, he is everything.
In the butcher's territory, the punks have to pay tribute to the butcher to settle down, and Johnny is one of them. At the scene of the fire, the scene where Little Warren rescued Johnny caught the butcher's attention, but he did not know Little Warren's true identity. In the process of playing for Bill, little Warren's smart and faithful character was gradually appreciated by Bill and became his confidant. But Warren did not forget his plan of revenge. While gaining the trust of the butcher, Warren asked the Chinese in the Chinese Swallow Tower for details of the carnival. He learned that the butcher would have a fire-drinking performance which was a good opportunity to start, and he patiently waited for this day to come.
Although Warren carefully planned his own revenge, the little Warren at this time was obviously still a weak little softie. Compared with the fierce and powerful butcher, he was simply vulnerable. Fierce and cruel, and even more ruthless and ruthless, but little Warren is too weak. Once, he saw a dying father standing on the guillotine in the downtown area giving his son's will, and his heart was twisted; he couldn't bear to look at his relatives. Or his friend died. At the scene of a fire, he was desperate to save his friend Johnny's life; even when he saw a beggar on the side of the road, his fragile heart couldn't help but toss a coin of mercy.
Mixed in the butcher's circle, little Warren began to discover that the butcher had great respect for his father, and that the butcher held a carnival every year on the day the priest died, in fact, to mourn the hero who died. In a gloomy and icy midnight, the bleak moonlight and the piercing cold penetrated into the attic where Warren spent the night. Warren woke up and saw Bill the Butcher sitting in front of his bed. The Butcher told him about the relationship between him and the priest. In the story, he said that the pastor was the only person he respected. It is true that the pastor Warren was a gang leader like him. They all followed the teachings of ancient warfare, abide by the same courage and belief, but chose opposite paths because of different beliefs. . The butcher told little Warren that the priest once defeated him. At that time, he was so frightened that he didn't even dare to look at the priest. The priest spared his life and let him live in shame. The butcher came back and dug out the eye he dared not face and gave it to the priest, expressing his determination to take revenge. In the butcher's belief, only the victor will live forever. Allowing others to trample at will, the priest gave him a false eye in return, which means an eye for an eye. Killer.
After the butcher left, little Warren burst into tears. Compared with any of the butcher or the priest, little Warren was so weak, how dare he goug out his own eyes and swear, how could he defend the dignity of freedom with his life like his father , He only knows how to cry, and only knows how to be in love, how can he become stronger like this, and what about revenge? At this time, the butcher's local gang united with the political forces of the Tan Moni family. The Tan Moni family needed the butcher's maintenance and assistance for their political career, and the butcher could also obtain political asylum in New York to consolidate his local power. The power of darkness hit it off and became more invincible.
The carnival finally came, the Chinese market was full of people, the butcher became furious with disappointment when he learned about Warren's plan, he wanted to give Warren a little color, he asked Warren's lover Jenny to perform with him, he was perfect The flying knives were stabbed at Jenny's neck, on the top of her head, at her hands and feet, each knife with anger, disappointment and protest, and each knife deeply stabbed little Warren's heart. The audience was stunned by the butcher's swordsmanship, such a powerful, violent and powerful man, who competed with him. At the end of the flying knife performance, it was finally time for the part of swallowing fire wine. All the audience flocked to watch the butcher’s performance. Little Warren took the opportunity to approach, the icy blade was firmly in his hand, and he picked up the wine. This opportunity has been waited for too long. , finally ushered in the moment of this decision. Little Valen picked up the flying knife in his hand and threw it violently. The butcher knew that he had planned a long time ago. Falling to the ground, a long-planned revenge is weak and reckless. Compared with the lord of hell, such a humble power is undoubtedly a moth to the flame. The butcher was furiously showing his teeth and claws, and the little Warren in front of him had absolutely no strength and light of his father. The butcher's vicious roar wanted to completely destroy his fragile will.
The seriously injured little Warren fell into despair. Under the care of Jenny, he regained his faith and hope every day. After experiencing the test of life and death, Little Warren began to realize that a person's strength is not enough, and his father's firm faith shines on him. With a steely will, little Warren, who came out of despair, revived. He hung a dead rabbit in the square at the top of Fifth Street. At this time, Warren's eyes shone with a firm brilliance. The dead rabbit told people, The forces of justice and liberty are back. At this time, the asylum was being transformed into a church, and the oppressed people began to gather under his shelter.
The hell lord Bill cannot tolerate the resurrection of the Dead Rabbit Gang, and he instructs the fallen city sheriff Jack to kill little Warren. The city sheriff was forced to submit to the authority of the butcher due to his humility and cowardice. The corrupt city sheriff broke into the shelter, and Warren Jr. killed him. At this time, he realized that what he faced today was not just a struggle between gangs. The corrupt regime in New York City oppressed the people even more cruelly. Warren hangs Jack on the cross in the square, which is a trial for political corruption, and also tells the oppressed poor that this is God's punishment for evil, and light against darkness.
From the moment he walked out of the Hell Gate Reformatory, the power of light and justice accompanied Little Warren all the way through the thick smoke of darkness, and began to grow and grow on the soil of corruption and despotism in New York. The cross of his father guided him towards freedom and light. yearning, giving him the power of immortality. The film starts here and moves to a new level. The old spirit of revenge has sunk with Warren's failure. Political oppression at a higher level is the root cause of the bullying of the people. Little Warren's simple political outlook It made him realize that he should fight for the right to vote for Irish immigrants, and he thought of his childhood father's friend - "The Monk" McGrady, a freedom fighter, with a strong body and a steely belief, his life was devoted to the liberty and equality of persons. war. Little Warren elected the monk as the candidate for the city sheriff. The sheriff was just and strong. He delivered a passionate speech to the poor in the downtown area and awakened the democratic consciousness of the citizens. In the vote tug of war, the monk gradually gained the upper hand. The Butcher couldn't stand the call for freedom to abuse his turf, and he hacked the mighty warrior to death with a vile behind-the-scenes sneak attack.
The death of the monk made little Warren angry and distressed. The bishop of the church held a grand funeral for the monk. The guard of honor marched on the top of Fifth Street, and people used majestic etiquette to remember this man who fought for democracy. Warriors, the guard of honor passed the butcher's house. The butcher gloated and admired the patrolling team. Little Warren rushed up in anger and issued the final challenge to the butcher. , it is a resistance to the random trampling of democratic freedom, not a resistance to the oppression of the local gang, but a challenge to the dictatorship of the government.
The hatred between the Dead Rabbit Gang and the local gang is hard to return. The two sides negotiated by means of a meeting. All tribes chose their own camp. The two sides followed ancient teachings, agreed on time and place, selected weapons, and used their traditional glory. In a dignified way, promise an ultimate duel.
In the streets of London, conscription activities have intensified, and people must serve without 300 yuan, which makes all the poor and immigrants have no way to escape. For their political future, the Tan Money family sent their young lives to the front line, and the front line returned to the dead. The number of casualties in New York is two or three times higher than in other cities. Immigrants and blacks have sacrificed countless lives for the liberation war in the United States. Behind this, the blood of the soldiers has paved the way for the Tan Mooney family who lives in the temple. On the way to the glory of a political career, the riots in New York are finally breaking out in a bloody storm.
Furious people rushed to the streets, smashed newspapers and cut off communications. Racists brutally killed black people, tied them to telephone poles, and set their bodies on fire. On Blue Street, the poor with hoes, shovels and axes confronted the regular army with long guns, the army opened fire on the poor, and the civilians fell in a pool of blood. In front of the state apparatus, there is no way to talk about glory or shame, and violence without an upper limit is the only pursuit. On the top of Fifth Street, the Dead Rabbit Gang and the Local Gang had just announced the start of their duel, and the gunboats to suppress the riots had appeared in the New York harbor. The duel of courage and dignity between the gangs is so vulnerable in the face of the artillery that blows dry and rotten. What a glorious faith that appears so humble and insignificant in the face of the government's fearless icy cannonballs. The light of faith is shrouded in thick black smoke, and there is no way to find a way to the light. But faith will not disappear, just like the belief that people overthrow tyranny and strive for freedom, it has never disappeared in the dark thousands of years.
Little Warren groped in the thick smoke and shouted the name of Bill the Butcher. The butcher's sharp blade cut into Warren's arm. Warren swung a knife, but nothing was touched, and another knife cut to Warren's feet. Lun staggered, still unable to see the secret attack, and stabbed Warren in the shoulder with another knife. Suddenly, a cannon fell close, and the two of them were blown to the ground. Such a fierce battle, the confrontation between courage and faith, after a roar that fell from the sky, instantly became dying, what heroism, what noble, In front of the ruthless and cruel state machine, he is as humble as the mud under the feet of giants. The smoke gradually dissipated, and the two struggled to stand up. Bill the Butcher said, "I died like a real American." Little Warren shouted and stabbed the Butcher with a vengeance. , with the oppressed hatred, with the belief in the rescue of Irish immigrants, ended the butcher's life, the butcher's false eye, the eagle eyeball that symbolizes power and despotism, with the quiet closing of the eyelids, also forever Disappeared in front of Little Warren.
Little Warren finally executed his father-killing enemy, and also led all those who could not bear bullying and oppression to the road of resistance. The tag hanging around his neck was as hot as his heart. It was a gift from his father. His father told him that this was the Archangel Saint Michael, who cast Satan the devil out of heaven.
At the end of the story, little Warren and Jenny came to the cemetery to visit those deceased friends, opposite New York in the smoke of gunpowder. Little Warren's father once said to him that he was born in blood and difficulties, just like New York, he has experienced the baptism of faith and value and became a great city. The root of all greatness comes from the belief in light, the belief in the pursuit of equality and justice. Such a belief may not be strong at first, but it will never yield. Its light gives strength to the cowardly. Passed down from generation to generation, people living in New York today do not know this bloody history, but the idea of democracy and freedom has long been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. In the future, regardless of the changing times and turbulence, the belief in equality and freedom will never disappear.
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