Written by Frank Cottrell Boyce. Based on the novel The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy. I n the town of Kingdom Come, winter is more of a punishment than a season. High in a pass of the Sierra Nevada mountains, its buildings of raw lumber stand like scars on the snow. The promise of gold has drawn men here, but in the winter there is little to do but wait, drink and visit the brothel.
Summer is a season for work, but winter is a time for memory and regret.
He lives in an ornate Victorian house, submits to the caresses of his mistress, settles the affairs of his subjects and is haunted by his memories. Two women arrive in Kingdom Come. They have not journeyed to Kingdom Come to forgive Mr. Dillon his trespasses. It becomes clear who they are, but the movie is not about that secret. It is about what happened 20 years ago, and what, as a result, will happen now.