All language subtitles for Pressure (Horace Ové - 1976)

(Birdsong)

(Waves rolling in)

♪ Pressure ♪

♪ Oh, pressure ♪

♪ Pressure ♪

♪ A whole lot of pressure ♪

♪ Pressure ♪

♪ My mother and my father
are under pressure ♪

♪ Pressure ♪

♪ Left their home and
land that they slaved on ♪

♪ For The Man who told them ♪
to come to the Motherland

♪ Of "hope and glory" ♪

♪ That was the story ♪

♪ It was a pressure ♪

♪ Mental pressure ♪

♪ Oh, social pressure ♪

♪ Housing pressure ♪

♪ Physical pressure ♪

♪ And on top of all them pressures ♪

♪ There's blood pressure, blood
pressure, ♪ blood pressure!

(Sizzling and radio in background)

Woman hums Amazing Grace)

RADIO: ..our main man with the money, Mr
David Cash, will present his little quiz -

his questions are getting
harder all the time - his quiz
programme called Cash on Delivery.

And if you're a smart...mm-hm, you know
what I mean, you might be able to win.

(Woman continues humming Amazing Grace)

Now, let me play you something
to really liven you up.

I've been in love with this
little lady from Jamaica for so
long now, it's driving me insane.

- Sharon Forrester, Which
Craft is Witchcraft? - Tony!

- Anthony, hurry up, bwoy. Breakfast's
ready. - OK. OK, Ma. I'm coming.

(Hums along to tune)

(Lowers radio volume)

(Ma continues humming)

(Birdsong)

CAR RADIO: ♪ Reggae

- These zabocas ripe, Dad?
- Yes, they're ripe.

And they cost 30p.

(Whistles) Hey, you's a capitalist.

I got to make a living,
especially for people like you

who's come here every
morning for breakfast.

You think it's a house of refuge
I'm running here?

It's a grocery, y'know?

I remember when I was a kid
back home in Trinidad.

We used to pick these off a tree.

It's like gold dust over here.

Yes! I'm glad you know.

All right, Dad, I'll see you later.

Open the door, Ma.

Can you open the door, Ma?

OK. I'll go through this door here.

(Radio chatter)

(Door closes)

RADIO: Good morning to you, London Town.
Stand by. Back after the break.

Hey, kids, have you got
your Capital Radio frisbee yet?

You can take advantage of this
great Capital Radio offer. Send
off for your frisbee today.

Only 60p!

Cheques or postal orders to Frisbee,
Capital Radio, PO Box 194, London NW1 3DR.

(Whistles)

There are missiles floating
all over dear old London Town.

Let's get out of bed, Arthur,
over there in Streatham.

You told me to give you a
call just before nine...

You waan try some zaboca
with that bacon and eggs?

Why do you always call it zaboca
when it is avocado?

It's only White people
who does call it avocado.

I know it as zaboca.

And furthermore,
it don't grow in this country, braa.

That's what the natives call
it back in Trinidad but we
only use it as an aperitif.

(Chuckles) What is that?

Something to eat?

You've been over here tong
enough, Colin, to know to eat
the right food at the right time.

That's a White trip,
braa. That ain't my trip.

And anyway, what do you know about
eating avocado pear at the right time?

- More than you, for a start.
- More dan who?

Anyhow, for your information,
it does grow wild all over Trinidad.

So much so, we just have
to feed the hogs on it

and then we does export the rest
to these countries.

You dig?

Listen, English boy.

Your mother does always cook
good Black food and all you
want to eat is bacon and eggs

or you're dashing out to
the fish and chip shop.

Your taste in food is
like your taste in music.

So, what's wrong with bacon and eggs,
fish and chips and Gary Glitter?

(Colin laughs)

Nothing. It's just bad food!

Look at them English people in the street.
Black man gotta eat Black food.

Or else he gon' end up looking like them.

Like dead flesh walking about.

So you better watch it, braa.

Watch it. (Chuckles)

Why you don't shut up
with dat damn stupid talk?

You always coming and harassing him!
This ain't help our colour, y'know.

Tony, you better stop listening to this
nonsense and finish your breakfast.

And fix your tie, bwoy! You gon' to
be late for this interview, bwoy.

You know how important it is.
I don't want you to lose this one.

It look like a good job,
so don't mess it up!

What do you mean, Ma? I don't mess any up.

But you didn't get de last job, son.

- Well?
- Well, braa.

I wish you luck.

RADIO: ..Arthur over there in Streatham,
as I just said,

get out of bed because you've
got to sign on this morning.

This is Capital Radio
and it's nine o'clock...

Tony?

Tony, you hear de time, bwoy?

You hear de man on de radio
say it's nine o'clock already?

You gon' be late for this interview, bwoy.

You got everything?

You got everything you need?

You got to take any papers to show dem?

What you got to take?
What you got to take, bwoy?

- You take a clean handkerchief? - Look,
Ma, everything is all right. Don't panic.

(Toilet flushes)

Lucas, your son going now.
You better wish him luck dis time.

Well, son, I hope everything
goes all right this time.

It's months now since you
left school and after all them
interviews, you still ain't working.

You can't go on like this, y'know.

Sooner or later, you got to take anything.

MA: Oh, God!
Before you wish de bwoy good luck,

you puttin' goat mouth on de bwoy,
you have no faith.

- Oh, God, don't you have no faith?
- What you talking about, faith?

Faith is something they want you
to believe in that is not true.

You and your father is de same thing, yes?

All of you have no interest in anything.

As for you, Mr Collins, since this
Black Power business get in your head,

you don't think of anything else.

You must give the bwoy
some encouragement, y'know.

Don't forget, he not
like us. He born here.

So what? That make him a White man?

Hey, you. Where do you think you're going?

- Up here.
- You can't wander in here...

(Traffic noise drowns conversation)

You go to the fourth floor.

(Clatter of busy typewriters)

Um... Hello, can I help you?

Yes, I've got an 11 o'clock appointment
to see Mr Creepson.

You mean Mr Crapson. This way.

- What is your name?
- Watson. Anthony Watson.

- Mr Anthony Watkins, sir.
- Watson.

Oh, sorry, Watson.

Ah, hello, Mr Watson.

Yes, I...

I think I have your application
form here... somewhere.

Ah, yes. Yes.

Yes, I notice you have all your O levels.

Done a bit of bookkeeping.

Yes, well, everything
seems to be all right here.

Tell me,
how long have you been in this country?

- Beg your pardon, sir?
- Have you been long in this country?

Oh, I was born here, sir.

Oh, yes, it's here.

Is...um...

ls this the first application
you've made for a job of this sort?

- Have you had previous experience?
- No, sir, this isn't the
first application I've made.

- I've applied to other firms, but...
- What happened?

Oh, nothing. Nothing.
They thought that I was...um...

I...I see.

I see.

Well, we do have one or two trainees
in our Accounts department.

(Phone rings)

Hello?

Two extra copies, please, Brenda.

Yes, and bring them in when you're ready.

Just a minute.

- Would you like a cup of tea?
- No, thank you, sir.

- Coffee?
- No, thank you. I don't drink coffee.

No, thank you, Brenda,
and I'll have mine later.

Hmm.

Um...

Have you had er...been in any trouble?

- With the police.
- No, sir, never.

Good. Very good.

Hobby... Hobbies, yes!

Have you...? What hobbies?

- Do you play cricket?
- Oh, no, sir, I don't play cricket.

- At school, my favourite game
was football. - No cricket?

Well, a little, but I
wasn't very good at it.

Oh...

(Sighs)

Yes, where were we?

(Knocking)

- I've done the copies, sir. - Oh,
yes, bring them in and I'll sign them.

- Just sign here, please.
- (Tony coughs)

Well, Mr Watts, I'm not sure if we can
fit you in with Accounts at the moment.

Tell me. Would you be prepared to do
anything else around this office?

Yes, sir. What son of office work?

Oh, well, there's always lots of little
things we can find for you to do.

Yes, um...

Of course, we'll have to amend your pay.
This won't be for long.

By the way, you do know
that before we um...

take on anyone in this company,
that we have to take a test?

Yes, sir. What son of test?

When would it be? Now?

No, not usually.

We usually write to our applicants
and arrange a time for them to come in.

Well, we've got your address, haven't we?

Oh, yes, good. Yes, good.

Well, we'll be in touch with you.

It was nice of you to come in and see us.

I think... I think that
we've had a very good chat.

Um...

- When do you think I'll hear
from you, sir? - Oh, pretty soon.

- Pretty soon.
- Thank you, sir. Goodbye.

♪ Oh, then my mother send me ♪

♪ Into a world which is so unfriendly ♪

♪ Into school I'm dumped ♪

♪ Then the labour door I approach ♪

♪ Got to ask The Man ♪

♪ For a favour ♪

♪ But The Man don't want me for a-labour ♪

♪ So he keeps me for the flavour, man ♪

♪ It's a pressure ♪

♪ Mental pressure ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Physical pressure ♪

♪ Parental pressure ♪

♪ Social pressure ♪

♪ I'm gon' talk of all the pressures ♪

♪ It's a Babylon pressure ♪

♪ Pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure ♪

♪ Pressure... ♪

(Woman to child) Come on!

(Traffic noise only)

(Cartoon-style music on TV)

Tony?

What happened to you, bwoy?

You passed de shop downstairs
without coming and saying a
word to your father and me.

You leave here since morning and
it's only... You get the job?

What happened at the interview?

Stop looking at de television, bwoy,
and answer me. You get de job?

- No.
- How'd you mean no?

What happen, den?

Oh, the usual thing, Ma.
They said I'd hear from them.

Well, dats all right, den. Why you
sitting down there looking so sulky?

You know bloody well what's
happened before, Mum. This is
the tenth job I've been for.

- I know I'm not goingto get it.
- How you know that'? You is a prophet?

You might be lucky this time.
Ain' they said they will let you know.

Lucky? This is nothing to do with luck.

They've been letting me
know for a long time.

I'm starting to get the message.

Oh, God!
You starting to sound like your brother.

All you young people
does give up so quick.

Bwoy, you're no startin' this one.
Look at your father and me.

We struggling. We struggle all de time.
We working our arse out.

Look, I clean three
White people house today.

And all my back hurting me.

And your father in dat shop,
still trying to keep it going.

And you talking about getting the message?
Bwoy, look!

At least you're working, Ma.
At least you're doing something.

You call dat working?

Dat ain't working, dat is slaving.

And I slaving for all you.

Especially you!

Dat's why all my life in this country
I spend working.

So that I could give
you a proper education.

Huh?

So that you wouldn't go through the shit
me and your father been through.

You born here. You have
a English education.

So nothing should stop you!

I wish that was true, Ma.

You too quick to give up.
You too quick to give up.

Oh, God, I wish all
you had a little faith.

I just have to pray all
de time for strength to go
through de pressures of de day.

Tony! Tony! Where you going?

I talking to you, boy. Where you going?

Why you don't stop and eat your
dinner, bwoy? It gon' get cold.

Ma, I'm just going down the road.
I'm not hungry.

- I'll get some chips.
- Oh, God!

After I cook all this food,

the bwoy going down de road
to buy fish and chips!

Tony? Tony?

You have money to buy fish and chips?

Oi, Tone.

- Dave. What are you doing here? - I've
just come down to see the youth centre.

- Changed a lot, ain't it?
- Since you don't come any more.

Come on, I'll buy you a Coke.
Can I have a Coke, please?

- Cheers.
- That's all right.

This is Tony, an old mate of mine.
We used to go to school together.

- Had a right laugh, didn't we?
- He used to get me into a lot of trouble.

Me get you into trouble?

You're the one who'd always
bring the chips in, not me.

Oh, yeah? Who was the one
who used to stuff his guts?

Still does, even at work. He's always
stuffing that hole in his face.

Oh! Oh, leave it out.

What you been doing with yourself?

Oh... Nothing.

These bastards have got it easy, eh?
We're working our arses off, we are.

You lucky bastard. At
least you're working, mate.

- Where are you working at?
- I'm not.

He don't wanna work.

Work? I've been looking for work
ever since we left school.

I'm still looking, mate.

Nah, come on. He used to be the star
of the class. Know what I mean? Maths.

- Come, what are you working at?
- I'm not kidding, honestly.

Look at me. And look at you guys.

That's all right. Apart from the
fact it was in Bill Haley times.

I'm only mucking about, Tone.

- What job do you want? - Let's skip
it, Dave, all right? Let's forget it.

Dave! It's getting late.
I thought we was going up the Bird's Nest.

Shit, I forgot about that.

Do you wanna come?

- No, I don't think I can.
- Why not?

- Sheila's going tonight.
- Sheila?

Sheila! You used to fancy her
at school, mate, not me.

- Come on.
- No.

Give us one good reason why not.

- Skint. - I said a good
reason. I just got paid tonight.

- Come on.
- Come on, Tone.

Oi, Tone!

- All right, man. Where you going?
- Bird's Nest.

- You going where?
- Bird's Nest.

Look, man. We got a heavy meeting
going on here this evening.
You should be here to dig it.

Especially you. But you're off
to de Bird's Nest with your White friends.

- So?
- What do you mean, so?

Look, man, this is important.

It's about Black people.

Anyway... What about that job
that you went for the other day, huh?

- You got it?
- Colin, I don't want to talk about it.

- I'm going. I'll see you.
- Cool it, baby.

So you ain't got no job, huh? But you have
money to go to the Bird's Nest, huh?

Boy, you're too much, boy. Too much.

- You should enjoy yourself.
- Yeah, I'm sorry about my brother.

Yeah, but you gotta admit he loves
all this Black Power stuff, don't he?

Oh, fuck, we're gonna miss the bus!

(Reggae tune in background)

Brothers and sisters...

tonight we have a brother from lslington
who...um...

Hey, hey, hey! You ought to
turn down that sound in there.

Go and make them turn down
that sound system.

(Shouting in background)

(Needle scratches record and music stops)

Anyway. Brother John
here is from lslington.

He writes for the Black Panther newspaper.

He has been researching
and checking out the scene

about the inferior education they've
been messing up Black children with

in order to keep them suppressed
and blind as to what is going on.

Anyway, the brother here will be
able to tell you more about it

since he is the man who's been doing
the research. Hey, braa.

You're on.

Well, in spite of Muhammad Ali...

...we are very pleased that you have come,
managed to come.

We're not going to change anything...

Brothers and sisters,
on this subject of our education

and the division of the type of education
they give us,

into subnormal and normal schools,

I'd like to start by quoting a sister

who says, "The authorities should realise
that by placing so many Black children

in ESN schools" -
educationally subnormal schools -

"they're not solving the problem
but creating a new one.

For the children will grow up
to react with hatred and violence

to the further frustration by the
system oftheir ability to play
their full role in our society.

In this society."

♪ Rock music ♪

(Music drowns conversation)

(Music drowns conversation)

There is a huge contradiction
between the demands of Black youth today

and a system, an educational policy,

that is geared to
producing and perpetuating

a system of inequality
and second-class citizenship.

And this is what the sister is getting at.
This is what the sister is getting at.

Our generation cant tolerate schools

that only prepare us
to do the menial tasks in this society.

Hatred and violence, bitterness and anger,
will inevitably result from the system,

from the frustration
of our expectations and aspirations.

(Murmurs of approval)

Isn't that right? Thank you.

Just try getting a job, try getting a job
on the basis of your certificate.

Try walking down town. Any street.

Fleet Street. Oxford
Street. Piccadilly Circus.

♪ Easy listening ♪

(Music drowns conversation)

Oi, Dave.

- Oh, Tone, where are you going now?
- I'm going with you.

You got to see your own bird home, not me.

Go on. I'll see you tomorrow.

- See you.
- Ta-ta.

- I thought we were all going together.
- Together?

Not when you go with David and Angie.
When they go, they go alone.

- Yeah. - See me home. It's
only just down the road.

- Where are you working, then?
- Oh. Up Hammersmith.

- Is it nice?
- Yeah, it's all right.

I didn't even know when
you left the Grove, Sheila.

Didn't you? Since I got that job.

- You've really gone posh now, ain't you?
- Posh?

Well, it's better than living at home
with a nagging mum.

Anyway, I hated it at Ladbroke Grove.
Don't you think it's crummy?

Why don't you get out of there, Tony?

Yeah, you're right, Sheila. It must
cost a lot of money to live round here.

Not if you share a flat.
I've got this girlfriend who I share with.

Janet. It's nice. We've got two
large rooms and a kitchenette.

The people are nice and pleasant.
Not like Ladbroke Grove.

- Got a landlady who don't bug us.
- Yeah? Sounds great.

Yeah, I'll show it to
you when we get there.

Got a new record player.
We're saving up to get a telly.

- You got a telly?
- Course I got a telly.

What do you think? It's not coloured,
though. It's black-and-white!
Get it? Black-and-white.

- What about some chicken and chips, then?
- You'll be home in a minute, Sheila.

- Don't you want any, then?
- Well, I'll just have chips.

I'll get it.

Cheers.

Do you remember Frances who was
always playing around with the boys?

- Mm. She was a bit of all right.
- Oh, Tony!

She must live somewhere near 'ere. I keep
seeing her and your brother together.

What, my brother? My brother
Colin with White bloomin' Frances?

Never! My brother doesn't
go out with White chicks.

- Why not?
- Well, he's strictly Black Power.

He's always preaching to me
and telling me off about my White friends.

Come on, Tony!
I know what your brother looks like.

I'm sure it's him.
Anyway, I've seen them more than once.

That bastard. That sly bastard.

Come on, let's make a move.
I'm getting a bit cold.

Ooh, guess who I saw
shopping in the Edgware Road yesterday.

Remember Miss Long Nose
who used to teach Geography?

- I pretended not to see her.
- She was a right cow, she was.

Once she wanted to know how comes
I didn't know much about Jamaica.

I reckon even now
she still don't believe I was born here.

- She was incredible.
- Do you miss school?

Yeah, it's different now, ain't it?

- This is where I live.
- Oh, nice place, isn't it?

- It's all right.
- ls that your flat at the top?

Yeah. Come in.

(Sheila laughs)

- You! Excuse me!
- Oh, Miss Hawkins, do you want me?

- You, go on, out.
SHEILA: What's the matter?

- Go on, out! It's too late for visitors.
- Too late? It's not 12:00 yet.

- I've come in later than this
with visitors. - Yes, well,
I'm putting a stop to it.

- What? I've always got friends here. - I
want him out ofthis house. That's final.

- What are you talking about? - Go on,
you heard. I don't want any trouble.

You never went on at me like this before.

- It's all right, Sheila, I'll go.
- What does she mean?

You know very well what I mean.
I'm not having that man in this
house here. Do you hear me?

I want you out of here or
I'll call the police now.

- You mean it's because he's
Black, don't you? - I don't
have to give my reasons to you.

Why don't you say it, you bloody cow?
What are you afraid of?

Look, I'm not gonna stand here
and be insulted by you, Sheila.

- Tony! Tony, where are you going?
- I'm going home, Sheila.

- What for?
- I don't want to get you into trouble.

- Don't go.
- I don't want you to get kicked out.

- I won't.
- I'll see you some other time, OK?

All right, then.

- What are you playing at?
- Don't talk to me like that!

- I'm not having any insults.
- I pay my money!

- I don't care if you have paid your
money. - You have your friends here.

I've told you I'm not having
people like that... You can pack
your bags. I don't need you here.

I'm not leaving! You're
just a fucking hypocrite!

Why didn't you say it in front of
his face? Frightened he'd rape you?

That's typical. That's what
happens to people like you when
you start mixing with them.

- Rubbish!
- Your mother'd be ashamed of you.

(Police radio and raised voices)

What's this you've got in your pocket?

It's a comb. It's an Afro-comb.
I comb my hair with it.

It looks like an offensive weapon. You
could get in trouble carrying this around.

Come on, let's take him in.

(Sobbing)

(Squabbling)

TEACHER: Hey, stop that!

(Jeering)

(Babble of conversations)

- You gonna buy this dress for me or not?
- You mad?

I'm going with some of them guys there.

I'm not usually down there.
I didn't have anything to do at home.

- Hey, man.
- Chu, man. Wait, man. What's this, man?

It smell like patties, y'know.

Hey, it's nothing, man.

The man have a big bag of patties
and he pass in the street.

Jacko, you's a mad arse, y'know.

Go on, Jacko, me no eat since
yesterday, man. Give me a pattie, man.

- Cool it, man.
- I ain't eat since yesterday, man.

Belong to a guy in a record shop
him se me fe buy it an him gimme one.

You a mad arse, you
lying. Gimme the pattie.

- A'ight, boy.
- Leave it.

We'll go down by the pattie shop
and get some, y'know.

Bwoy, you sound like you have
plenty money. You got to buy
pattie for all of we, y'know.

It's all right! It's all
right! I have some money.

But not enough for all of you, so somebody
better put dem han in a dem pocket.

I goin' wid de sis, I
know I gwine get my money.

Anthony, you coming? Want some pattie?

Yeah, I'm coming, but
I don't want any pâté.

- (Laughter)
- Pâté?

I forgot you don't eat pattie. You ain't
a pattie man. You's a fish-and-chips man.

All right, we'll get you some chips, man.

♪ Reggae tune ♪

- Where you get the apple from, man?
- I buy them, y'know.

Buy what, with what?
You never had no money just now.

He went up the road
and tief it from the same guy.

It's only two fuckin'
apples? This man ain't tief.

Pound of grapes, man. Give me some, man.

Chu, man. Give me some.

Where you going?

Oh, raas! You guys bad, you nuh.

See this one here? You should push
this one. This one is the right one.

We've already had them down there.

- Whey go on, bro?
- What happening?

I haven't seen you for a long time.

Nice. Power. Power.

I waan buy a paper but I ain't
got no money. You want it later?

You dig this one? Later!

Come and help yourself to some
papers, man, and spread the word,

instead of walking about the street,
mongoosing and looking for trouble.

Come and do something constructive
for Black people, man!

We gon' do that.
We're just going to get some pattie.

- We gon' be back. Power, man.
- All right, cool. I dig it.

Hey, Tony!

Where the arse you been?

- What do you mean?
- What d'you mean, what I mean?

Your modder, every time she see me,
always pestering me about you.

She said you in and out of the
house, running with these guys
until Babylon pick up on you.

- Babylon?
- Yes, braa, Babylon - the police!

The only time she see you
is when you come home at nights.

Then she don't see you in the day at all.

- What does she want to see me
for, anyway? - I don't know.

Anyway, you better go home and find out.

Anyway, she think it's I who
have you running round the
streets with nothing to do

with these guys but look
for trouble, you dig?

Hey, Colin, what you talking
to him like that for?

He your brother?

I mean your blood brother.

- Yeah, baby.
- Yeah?

He real cute.

Yeah, but I just can't
get through to him at all.

I just can't get him to think Black.

It's taking a long time
before the consciousness reach him.

Consciousness! Yeah, Lord.

Now, brother Tony,
you know about consciousness?

Well, consciousness
is accepting the fact you Black, right?

And from that revelation,
everything's cool.

Now, individualism is a White man's
desire. Or something like that.

Well, you dig what I'm saying?
You know what I'm saying?

And cooperation is a Black man's need.

And when you know you're Black,
then you think Black

and you feel Black.

You understand what I'm talking about,
brother Tony?

See? You've been using the wrong approach.

All the time.

Yeah, you'd make a better teacher than me.

Yeah, well, I mean, you know, you gotta
do a little bit of...mmm-hmm, a-ha.

- You know what I mean.
- Look, your chips. Look, your chips.

- Thank you, mate. - You still
with that cockney "mate" thing?

COLIN: Hey, I thought you was gonna
hand out some papers. Are you taking them?

- Yeah, man, gimme dem nuh.
- Nice, nice. That's what I like to see.

The brothers and sisters working.
Yes, what we need is collective effort.

Without collective
effort, there is no unity.

Yes, brothers and sisters.
Blackness is three things.

Colour, culture and consciousness.

So go out and spread the consciousness,
brothers and sisters. Black Power!

- You're talking nice. Power. Power.
- Later.

Er... Tony, don't forget to come.

- Come where?
- Shit, brother Tony.

Where have you been?

To the meeting. Come to the meeting.

OK?

- Bye.
- Bye.

Hey, Tony, and don't forget.
You're responsible for the
money for them papers, huh?

OK, check me later.

You come hard. I like how you come there.

I like that little, "mmm-hmm".
ls that how you coming?

Yes.

♪ Dub ♪

Listen, braa, don't worry about it, man.
Enjoy yourself, right?

I bet this is the first
blues dance you come to.

Well, dig the scene, man, chu!

I mean, I'm really gonna get the blues
when Colin asks me for that money.

Chu, man, what wrong with you,
talking about fucking blues?

Every day we living the blues.

Every day is a new
struggle to survive, right?

And sometime de man go two,
three days without food.

And him belly empty and he's surprised
when something falls down in it.

You're talking about newspaper money.
What happened to your head?

Yeah, but we just can't take his money
and spend it, can we?

I mean, after all, it's
for a good cause, isn't it?

Braa, listen, man.
We know it's for a good cause, right?

You don't have to tell we dat. As soon
as you get a little money in your pocket,

you just want to get away
from all that shit, man.

You just waan do
what we doin' here tonight.

- I know, guys.
- Wha' wrong wid you?

Listen, we living in it.

We living in it. We're the people
that the cause is all about, y'know.

- Yeah, but! mean... - Don't tell
me nothin' about what you mean.

All right, you's a bright guy.

But you different than we, right,
cos you born here.

You bright. You brighter than all
them White guys I went to school with.

But y'know...

Look...

You went for six, eight, ten jobs, yeah?

You don't get none ofthem.

And y'know, you talking about
causes and consciousness.

Chu, man, better check out the
truth because it don't matter how
bright you are in this country,

as long as you're this colour,
you know what's happening.

Raas, is that be all
you come, to talk truth?

Unnu don no sey
when unno come a blues dance,

you must just black up and dig the music!

Come here, Tony, and mek we dance.

- It's all right, Jeanie, I don't
feel like dancing. - Listen, man.

Leave de man alone. We talking, see?

Don't tell me nuttin' 'bout unno talking.
What rubbish is it?

You don't listen to dem, is
faat dem a tell you. You just
come mek me an you dance.

- It's all right, Jeanie, I
don't feel like dancing. -
Leave de man alone, nun, man.

All right, all right,
brothers, I'll see you later.

- What's the time, anyway?
- I don't know, man. About five o'clock.

Five o'clock?
Bloody hell, I have to be getting home!

- He's going home, man.
- You know why he get up so soon?

Because he has a mother who
believe everybody should
worship that weird hippie cat.

- What hippie cat you talking about?
- Jesus Christ Superstar!

You know what today is? Today is Sunday,
man.

It's when Black people dress
up, go and kneel down and ask
the White man for forgiveness.

Chu!

ALL: ♪ Try

♪ Try Jesus ♪

♪ Try ♪

♪ Try Jesus ♪

♪ Try ♪

♪ Try Jesus ♪

♪ If you've tried everything ♪

♪ And everything has failed ♪

♪ Try Jesus ♪

♪ Try ♪

♪ Try Jesus ♪

♪ Try ♪

♪ Try Jesus ♪

♪ If you've tried everything ♪

♪ And everything has failed ♪

♪ Try Jesus ♪

♪ Try ♪

♪ Try Jesus ♪

♪ Try ♪

♪ Try Jesus ♪

♪ If you've tried everything ♪

♪ And everything has failed ♪

♪ Try Jesus ♪

♪ Try ♪

♪ Try Jesus ♪

♪ Try ♪

♪ Try Jesus ♪

♪ If you've tried everything ♪

♪ And everything has failed ♪

♪ Try Jesus ♪

- (Music stops)
- Praise the Lord!

Brethren...

...l have a very short message for you.

And I hope
that it comes with the spirit ofthe Lord

and will be received with the same spirit
in which it is given.

Amen!

It has to do with pride.

So all of you be subject to one another...

...and be clothed with humility.

Amen!

For God resists the proud...

...and gives grace to the humble.

So humble yourselves, therefore,
under the mighty hand of God

and cast all your cares upon him.

Because he cares for you.

Praise the Lord.

Be sober.

Be vigilant.

Because your adversary, the devil...

...is like a roaring lion
and he's about to devour all of you

who don't put your faith
and trust in the Lord.

So resist him. Resist him
at all costs, brethren.

And be steadfast in the faith.

Knowing that all over the world there
are other brothers and sisters like you

who are suffering exactly the same way.

Drive all black thoughts
from your hearts...

...and replace them
with good, white, holy thoughts.

For the day of the Lord shall
come like a thief in the night,
when you least expect it.

Awake, brethren, awake.

For the heavens shalt pass away
with a great noise.

And the elements shall melt
with a burning heat.

And this earth also, and all
the works, all the evil, bad
works, shall be burned up.

But, brothers and sisters,
according to His promise,

look for new heavens and a new earth...

...where righteousness will swell.

And seeing that you look for such things,

be careful that when he finds you...

...you are found with
peace in your hearts,

without a spot, and blameless.

- Praise the Lord.
- Praise him.

King Of My Life, I Have Crowned Thee Now.

♪ King of my life, I have
crowned thee now... ♪

(Chatter)

I only came with you to church
because your mother said she was ill

and she wanted me to bring you.

You sit there and sleep all morning
and embarrass me.

- Look, I didn't want to come in the
first place. - Well, she sent you.

It's not my fault. Look, God isn't going
to help me, you or anyone else.

- Not even my mum! - You don't have
to sit in the church and sleep!

You are here. You may as well do something
as sit down in the church and sleep.

This Black Power thing with you and Colin
is causing this trouble.

That's not what's wrong.
It's just I don't like this church.

I'm tired, right? I just
want to go home and rest.

Come on, let's go home.

- "Go home and rest"! Won't listen to me.
- It's not my fault.

Excuse me.

Can you tell me where the
man in charge is, please?

Excuse me.

Sure you've come to the right place, mate?

Yeah. This is where the labour exchange
told me to come.

Labour exchange. Yeah, well.

You tell 'em from me I ain't got
no jobs for people with O levels.

- They bloody well know that. - But
they sent me here for a clerical job.

Clerical job? Look. See
that office up there.

That's the only office work
we've got round here.

Alf does the typing, Mary does the books.

Fucking hell. You know how many times
people come down here asking for jobs?

That's the only work we've
got round here. Look, there's
one of your mates over there.

- No clerical work, is it?
- Then why did they send me here?

Don't ask me, son.

Look, between you and me, they knew
bloody well I ain't got jobs for you.

All I want is a boy to help clean up,
clear this mess up.

Clerical work! You don't
need O levels for that.

Yeah, well, sorry for wasting your time,
but they sent me here.

Like I said, the only work I've got here
is what you've seen.

You people got it easy, ain't you?
You come over here, get an education.

I had to leave school when I was 14,
and two years' National Service -

another job you people
wouldn't know about.

Yeah, well, thanks for telling me, mate,
but it wasn't my fault.

Hmm.

When you get back to that
labour exchange, tell them what
I said. Exactly what I said.

Tony! Tony!

- What you doin', braa?
- Go on!

- Go on, braa. What you doing round here?
- I've just been to see about a job.

- You get it?
- No, man. Didn't take it.

It wasn't the son of job the labour
exchange was supposed to send me for.

- They want a guy to clean up. - I can't
get a job. Which pan this place is?

It's a metal factory just down the road.
Second turn on the right.

Yeah, I know it. I know
a guy who work in there.

After I get something to eat,
I'll go in and check it out.

You know, you remind me of a
Jamaican fella who been livin'
off de dole for three years.

- Yeah?
- He telling people dat he's a shepherd!

Dem stupid people at de labour exchange

still looking for shepherd work for him
all over London.

Yeah, look, we're coming
up to it just now.

Yeah, Mike go in front, now. And, Winston,
you take the back and I'll follow up back.

You better buy something in truth, right?

Follow we behind.
Make sure no-one be watching, man.

Not too close.

- What you guys up to?
- Cool it here, man. We back in a minute.

(Low murmur of voices)

(Police radio in background)

(Relieved laughter)

Oh, God, man.

You... You dash out there
like you's Flash Gordon, man.

You're a pretty good fuckin' runner.

Bwoy, when I hear them fucking
tin cans fall down, it is like
I just grow wings, y'know.

I just take off, boy.

There's no looking back.

But I see you take a fall, boy.

Oh, raas, I nearly bust up my fuckin' leg.

We sittin' down here laughin', man,
and poor Jacko in trouble.

He must be shitting himself
in that police station, y'know.

Dat no joke, man.
What we gonna do about Jacko, man?

Do?

Chu, man, what de fuck can we do?

We best just sit cool
and wait to hear what happen.

Yeah.

Yeah, you're right.

Go by Colin and de boys
and check out the scene, y'know.

- See if we can get him
bail, or something. - Yeah.

Bwoy, dem police
must be beating the arse off he, y'know.

Bwoy, I glad I ain't there, bwoy.

Hey, where Anthony?

Where Anthony, man?

I thought he come in here with us, man.

Me thought so too. Where de fuck he gone?

Tony! He'll be outside.

Tony!

- Where you there? - Hey, look
down here, man. Hide in the corner.

What is bwoy doing in de corner here
with his hands on his head?

Say, Anthony, are you all right?

Oh, God, oh, God! The police! The police!
They're coming! They're coming!

Nah, man, they ain't gon' come here, man.
It's all right, man.

De only way dem fucking police
can find we here

is if Jacko tell them where we living.

Nah, man, he ain't gon' do that.
He ain't gon' talk.

Are you sure? Are you sure?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I know him, man. He cool, man.
He cool. Come, now, man.

Where is this place? Are
we still in the Grove?

What you mean if we still in the Grove?
We are in the Grove, braa.

This is home. This is where we live.

- Yeah, but what happened, man?
- What you mean, what fuckin' happened?

- You mess up the whole scene.
- What scene?

I didn't even know what was going on.

Listen, man, you were supposed
to wait outside, right, and cool it.

But then you come in and mess up the scene
by pullin' down them fucking cans.

But I didn't know what was going on.
No-one told me anything.

- What did you think we went
in there to do? - I don't know!

Don't play fucking stupid.
You know we went in there to tief.

No, mate, I didn't.
I was outside and I just got fed up.

I went to look for you guys.
It was an accident, I tell you.

I just pulled one can and they all fell.

And, man, I just got scared and started
to run when I saw you guys running.

- It was an accident.
- You fuckin' lying, Tony, man.

- You couldn't be that stupid.
- Look, I didn't know what you were up to.

Don't pull me into this, right?

Well, you know now, right?

(Thumping on stairs)

Oh, shit, Joe, man,
you could've rap or something, man.

You nearly scared we guys to death
down here, man.

You thought I was the fuzz?
Out in the west it's hard to tell.

Hey, listen, I just got the message
that you guys was on the scene.

And the coppers grabbed Jacko
and they're checking out this area.

Shit, bwoy. I wonder if Jacko talk.

Nah, man. No, Jacko is no talker.

Joe. Joe, listen.

What about Jacko's parents?
Has anybody told them?

Maybe they can try and help Jacko.

What? Help him do what?
You don't know Jacko's mother and father.

You mean, they'll just
let him go to prison?

What you think we doin' down in this hole?

It's cos all we mother
and father the same.

They just scared,
and obey all the White man rules.

Listen, Tony, man, right?

A lot of dem believe, right, when they
get in trouble wi' de police, right,

dem think you bad, right, y'know?

And sometimes police might come
to your doorstep and say, "Well, listen.

We have your son down in the station
there. And he need bail," or something.

You know what they tell him?
They say, "Well, make him stay."

They don't waan know you,
they don't waan talk to you.

I think my parents
is more understanding than that.

Well, you lucky, braa.

But I mean, a lot of parents, like mine -
or any of we here -

can't realise that one of us get pick up
on the street every day wrongfully.

Especially Black people,

who are already under all that pressure.

I keep telling you, man. That's why we
all leave home. Or get kick out of home.

You know the first thing they come with
when you get pick up by the police?

You are not workin'.

You're not workin'.

And then they can't see that the whole
White working system is a load of cock-up.

Hey, look at you. Man, Tony, big O levels.

And still you go and tief and the
police look for you all over the place.

Look, you get this straight.
I didn't steal anything, right?

Understand? I didn't steal anything.

Yeah?

Then it's a chance you guys take in
stayin' here, so you better split.

Yeah, you're right.

Let we take off, man. Chu!

Hey, Joe, you better go first, man.

Yeah, all right.

Coming, Tony?

(Jet plane passes overhead)

Hey, it's all right. Come on.

So, Tony, what you gon' do now?

You coming with us or you goin' home?

- Where we going?
- Up by the adventure playground.

There is safe, y'know. When Babylon
find we there, at least we have an alibi.

Man, let him go, man.

He have a safe home to go to.
All we got is that hole up the road.

And right now that hot. Let him go, man.

You must be really hungry, braa.

You eating Black-man food now?

And with pepper sauce to boot!

Hungry, braa?

To raid the people's supermarket
in the middle of the day!

It's only a waste of time doing that.

If you want to tief, team how to tief
constructively, and for the struggle.

Ah, it's all good and well
to steal for Black Power, isn't it?

But when you're starving and hungry
and you've got no money,

what do you do then?

You're starving, are you?

You know it's Mike and Jacko, Winston
and them guys I'm talking about.

I don't see Black Power
helping them, mate.

You don't see Black
Power helping them, eh?

That's why I just come from the
pigs' house trying to get Jacko out.

(Colin sucks his teeth) Chu!

I'm trying to get a lawyer to go down
and arrange some kind of bail.

That's what Black Power is all about.
Something constructive.

Not going around tiefing
tins of corned beef.

Look, man, I know all about that scene.

But that's not where it's at.

The only way to beat this thing
is to organise ourselves

and work together in a collective sense.

You keep going around looking for jobs
all the time.

You know damn well in the long run, you'll
have to take any shit they offer you,

if it's jobs you're looking for
in this White man's country.

You don't like White men
but you like White women.

What?

- What's that?
- Nothing.

Nothing.

Anyway...

Look, your mother left an address here for
you for some porter work in a hospital.

Braa, you can either take that job
and become a porter,

and clean up all them
White people's shit...

...or you could come up
and help Louise and the brothers.

Right now we're organising a meeting

to raise some money for a dance.

To do, one:

to help the brothers and sisters
who are in trouble with the
law and need legal assistance.

And two:

we want to bring out a better newspaper.

To spread the consciousness.

To give out more information.

To areas where Black people
don't know what's happening.

That's good and well, Colin, but what's
gonna happen about Mike and Winston?

You know what I mean.
With the police and what happened today.

Stop trying to kid me, Tony.
You mean what's gonna happen to you.

Well, if you put it that way.

You don't have to worry, braa. And anyway,
they don't know what they look like.

To the White man,
every Black man look the same.

And that would mean some
other poor brother's getting
arrested for what all you done.

It happens all the time, y'know.

All the time.

Anyway, Tony, what you gonna do?

I think I'll check out this hospital job.

That's cool, braa.

You check out your hospital job.

And if you feel like being educated,
you could come to the benefit next week,

and dig it.

Can I have the key, guv?

Cheers, mate.

We cannot depend on White people
for our education any more.

What we need here in Ladbroke Grove,
brothers and sisters,

is to open our own nurseries
and our own supplementary schools,

whereby we can give our children
the necessary help they need.

MAN: Right on, brother.

We need more Black symbols,
Black dolls and Black balls...

...and Black pictures and Black stories.

And plays written
about great Black men and women.

So that our children can have that
sense of identity, pride and belonging.

Pride and self-reliance
are de best armour we have

against the prejudice
and humiliating experiences

that will certainly face us in de
English schools and in de White society.

In other words, we are trapped. We are
trapped!

- (Cheering)
- Hold on, brothers and sisters! Hold on!

Hold on. Hold on.

What I would like to say to you,

or the way I would like to sum up
what I've been saying to you,

is the way how Brother
Basil puts it in his poetry.

He says, "Poor people, starving people,

naked people, Black, downtrodden people,
suffering people,

the axe of justice is
at the root of the tree.

Come forth, come forth, my people.

Let every voice be heard so loud
that it cannot be ignored.

Strike back! Strike back, my people!

Let every blow insist on freedom."

Thank you.

(Cheering)

All right! All right!

All right, sisters and brothers.

All you keep all your seats.

I know all you want to get into all
your reggae and do all your thing.

But you got to listen to sister Louise,
who is here with a very positive message,

which concerns us, and by the way,

the sister also lived in the States for
some time and knows the scene there too,

and anywhere else Black people
are under pressure from these pigs.

Brothers and sisters...

- Sister Louise.
- (Cheering)

Thank you, brother Colin.

Brothers and sisters.

As brother Colin said,

we are all anxious to get down...

...to groove with the music.

Cos after all...

...music...

...is one of the most important parts
of the Black man's heritage.

So I'm gonna try to keep my rap
as brief and as short as possible.

Since most of the evening has
been politicking and discussing
a movement for survival...

...our struggles...

...l would just like to take up
where brother Colin's left off.

And that is to remind you
that the economical suppressed,

the economical deprived
- that's you and me -

...in this country, and
many other countries...

...have no time-

and I repeat, no time -

to play political parlour games

because the lives of our
children are at stake.

(Cheering)

Some ofthe so-called economical elite,

and we all know who they are, we can
all point the doom finger at them...

- Yes.
- That's true.

...they can afford to speak softly,

they can afford to tread lightly...

...they can afford to
employ the soft sell...

...because they own the society,
or they think they own the society,

but will they always own the society?

Brothers and sisters,
and I mean all brothers and sisters,

we, as Black people...

...cannot afford to adapt to the methods,
to their methods,

to relieve our oppressions.

Brothers and sisters,

we must organise ourselves politically
to deal with our own situation

because the governments ofthe world
is not going to help us.

What I am saying...
is that in order to deal with the police

or any other organised
force of suppression,

we must unite our
experiences of brutality,

not only with the police, but I repeat,
brutality in housing,

brutality in education,

in all areas of our social lives.

Brothers and sisters, it is far better...

...to speak truthfully

and forcefully,

because only when one's true self,

be he White or Black, is exposed,

can the society proceed to deal with
the problems from a position of clarity

and not one of misunderstanding.

We must demand of each other to rise...

Right on!

...and walk proud.

To help one another, to join
forces with all brothers and
sisters throughout the world,

who are suppressed,

who are constantly reminded
to be kept in their places.

We must demand an end of racist education.

We must demand an end of racist housing.

We must demand bread,

peace,

dignity,

and social justice for all men,

be he White or be he Black.

(Cheering)

(Cheering continues)

♪ Reggae plays ♪

♪ Getting things together ♪

♪ Making preparations for the rainy day ♪

♪ Need to see sunshine and peace ♪

♪ Help your falling brothers ♪

♪ Help your falling sisters ♪

♪ Let's keep moving... ♪

That's him!

(Shouting)

(Music stops abruptly)

(Shouting increases)

What is all this raid about? What
are you raiding the place for?
We have a legal right to be here.

Look, what you searching me for?
You got a warrant?

Shut your mouth
and keep your hands on the wall!

- Are you searching for drugs?
- Shut your mouth.

Where is your warrant? That is the law!
Where is your warrant?

- The law isn't concerned with you
and your lot. - What did you say?

I said, the law is not concerned
with you and your lot!

- I heard what you said. How dare you?
- Get her out of here!

Let me go!

(Louise continues shouting)

Listen! Get that dog.

- Let the dog go.
- Everything seems under control, sir.

Let the bloody dog go, man.

He's here to smell out
drugs, not attack people.

I'll speak to you later.

(Dogs bark)

Leave me alone, you fucking pigs!
Leave me alone! Leave her alone, you pigs!

- Let me go!
- Leave me!

(Shouting)

(Crash)

(Police radio in background)

(Sirens wail)

I told you already, Tony.
You don't have to tell them anything.

Don't let them con you
into saying anything.

We want to phone de lawyer.

Look, Tony, don't believe dem pigs.

Because all dem want to do is frame we up
and pack we with drugs.

Why don't you let the bwoy go
and question me without dat crap,

instead of trying to make him freak out
with all that pig shit, huh?

Take him out of here and cool him down.

Let me go, man! Let me go! Let me go!

COLIN: Let me go!

(Colin screams)

Come on, now, you don't have to be afraid.

And you don't have to lie to us.

We know all about your brother and the
other Black Power boys around here.

And we know that you're not one of them.

(Toilet flushes and Colin splutters)

Don't listen to your brother.

He's a well-known troublemaker
in this area and he'll only
get you into trouble, too.

Just answer the questions
and then we'll let you go.

But I told you already, I don't know
anything. I don't know anything.

Come on, Tony, you look
like an honest boy.

You don't want to get mixed
up in all this, do you?

We know that Colin doesn't live at home
with you and your parents, right?

But he comes and goes frequently.

You must've seen him
with the stuff some time.

You must know where he
hides it in the house.

Come on, Tony. We don't
want to lock you up.

I told you already, I don't know anything.
I don't know anything.

I don't know where he hid any stuff.

What stuff are you talking about anyway?

Look, lad, you know bloody well
what we're talking about. Drugs.

You must've seen him with a parcel
or a box or a package.

I mean, he must keep some of his things
around the house somewhere.

Hmm?

About the house. Or...

- In your father's shop?
- (Thuds and Colin groaning)

(Punches and groaning)

Well...

Well, he keeps some of his things at home.

Like clothes, but...

I never seen him with
any stuff. I haven't.

I'm letting you go, Tony.

But only because I know that
you're different from the rest
of them. You're a good lad.

You better go home
and keep out of trouble, hmm?

Keep away
from those Black Power troublemakers.

What's the matter, Dad? What happened?

What do you mean, what happened?
You should know what happened.

The blasted police bust in here and turned
the place upside down, looking for drugs.

They say you and your brother
have drugs hide here.

Look at the place. Look at this place.
Look what they do.

Nearly frightened your mother to death.

What more trouble
all you go and get into with the police?

Oh, God, Anthony!

Ma, we didn't do anything.
We were at the benefit dance, Pa.

They just burst in, beat up people,
arrested people.

I and Colin was arrested
and taken to the station.

We didn't have any drugs.
Nobody had any drugs.

They still got Colin locked up at the
station. We didn't have any drugs, Pa.

- We didn't have any drugs.
- Well, that's what they say.

They say all you had drugs hide here.
That's why they bust up the place.

Oh, God, Anthony! How you could
do dis to your father and me?

We didn't do anything, Ma.
The sly White bastards.

They let me go feeling everything
was all right and this is
what they do behind our backs.

How could they, Pa? How could they?

How could they? They done it!

These people are vicious, boy. They are
vicious.

Oh, you shame we! Oh, you disgrace we!

Oh, you bring de police
to break up de house!

How all you can go get in trouble
with the police? What you do, bwoy?

All de neighbours was
standing in de street,

watching de police rip de place apart,

as though we were some common criminals.

Look, Ma, we didn't do anything!

You know, Ma, you don't have to
do anything to be arrested by
the police when you're Black.

Anthony, me and your father
live in this country for years,

and we never had anything wid de police.

Never.

We work hard and we mind we own business.

Oh, you must respect de White people laws.

Dey know best!

Dey own de place.
Dey is de lords and masters!

Dey have all de bombs, all de guns,
all de police force.

We is only poor Black people,

who have to work hard
and hope dey accept we and leave we alone.

Oh, God! Oh, God!

Why is de Lord punishing me?

I don't deserve dis.

What have I done wrong?
Where did I go wrong?

What is my sin, oh, Lord?

Look, Ma, you're always going on
about this God business.

You haven't done anything wrong.
God is a White man.

It's a White man who's
done this to us, Ma.

Look, they're not the
only people in the world.

They ain't no fucking lords and masters.

We are human, too! Black people
are fucking human beings, too, Ma!

Look, we don't have to keep on bowing
and kissing their arses.

We don't have to, Ma! We don't have to.

Anthony! Don't talk to your mother like
that. You don't have to disrespect her.

To hell with that, Dad!
To hell with the bleeding respect.

That's all we learn to do, to respect.
And where's that gotten us?

That's gotten us nowhere, Dad.
Look what they've done to the place.

Have they got any respect
for us? Have they?

He blaspheming! He
talking just like Colin!

It's dis Black Power business dat
getting Black people in all dis trouble.

You mean this is what's making
Black people wake up, Ma.

Ma, look, you've got to give up
this bloody White-god business,

and believing the White man
is some kind of a...

Look. This is what they do to us!

They make us feel inferior.

You have to cover up your hair with
this piece of shit just to be like them.

Get out of here! Get out of here!

L don't want you in here.
Get out of me house.

MA: I disown you. I disown you.

You standing up there being disgraceful
and rude to me, your own mother?

Get out! Get out!

(She sobs)

Bopsie, listen to me. Everything that boy
tell you here tonight is true.

He make me feel shame because this is
something I should have told you long ago.

Oh, God! You too?

All that shit you've been
talking alt these years.

All the time and money spent
and years wasted with you
and that kiss-me-arse dream.

You don't know what you want to be.

In Trinidad, you used to come on
with all that middle-class shit.

No, it wasn't good enough-We
had to come to England to be
Whiter than everyone else-

And all the time you knew
I didn't want to come to England.

I didn't want to leave Trinidad.

Bopsie, Bopsie,
you don't know what you've done to we

with your blasted selfishness...

and your White dream.

Look at me. Look at me today.

I'm nothing. Nothing!

From an accountant in Trinidad

to a kiss-me-arse labourer
for 16 years in this country.

And what about you?

You been scrubbing and charring
for the people all these years.

And you still doing it.

Look at we! Look at we!

What we come to?

Look.

Oh, God, Marlene,
dis is all de meat you can give a man?

Look, man, you know you gon'
get me vexed. People waiting
for something to eat. Wh'appen?

You always organise yourself
to dish out this grub

where you always end up
having more food than anybody else.

What's wrong with you?
Listen, no pepper sauce today?

If you want pepper sauce,
go outside and get it yourself.

You think I's your mother or something?

Pshh...

Oh, God, sir.

These people, them evil.

- Unno. Unno, man, want to read this news?
- Like you do.

Jesus Christ.

Hey, brother, hear this, man.

Hear them, hear them.

"Six policemen get brutally beaten up
in demonstration last night

in Ladbroke Grove Black Power
demonstration."

What kind of demonstration?

"And three are seriously
injured in a hospital."

What a bunch of pussy-claat liars, huh?

So wh'appen to all dem Black people
dem lick up on bust-ups, huh?

Jesus Christ.
Unno brother was round there last night.

He say dem sisters dem take, dem lash
up and beat up Marlene and Louise.

Bust up de sister and de dog...
de police dog bite up de sister hard.

And Louise get her head bust up.

De man sit down here and say,
"What? Three policemen get injured, sir?"

Brother, man, I don't wanna
sound like a liar but I'm gon'
tell you de truth, y'know.

About 60 Black people get dem
head bust up and mash up and
lick up and stab up last night.

I tell you de truth.

Unno dig dem Fleet Street boys?

You still digging Fleet Street boys?

You want to dig the police strategy.

Listen, man. They raid this
place here last night, right?

They beat up and damage up
a whole heap of people. Right?

And then listen to this now.

All them people who they beat up
and damage up and injure up,

you notice dat they ain't
even take them down to the station

or even call an ambulance
for any one ofthem?

You dig it, hmm?

Of all of them who they come to arrest,

they just arrest them without any evidence
of injury, you dig that?

Huh? You digit?

- You dig the scene? MARLENE:
Nice, Junior, nice, you come hard.

t got to give you more
meat than them others.

You know, Junior, you're right.
I never thought of it last night.

But looking back on it,
that's exactly what they did.

English boy, you have a lot to learn.

Teach him, Junior. Teach him.

- Thank you, sister. Nice.
- Louise!

You come down? You feeling all right?

Yeah, honey. Yeah...

I'm feeling kinda...all right.

- You want something to eat?
- No.

I'm not eating.

Marlene?

Could you get me a cup of black coffee?

I just wanna sit down here
and look at the news and see
what these people have to say.

Oh... Marlene?

Don't forget to leave some
food for the brothers and
sisters who are coming to help.

I want everything organised by tonight.

I want no hang-ups tomorrow.

MARLENE: OK, I'll fix it. It's OK, Louise.

Hey, sister. How is the head?

Oh, God, you're looking sexy
with that plaster on your head.

Don't mind my head, braa.
You just keep on making those placards.

JUNIOR: You're right, y'know.

All day you sit down there. You
mean to tell me that there's
only two placards you make?

Yes, but you as soon as you feed me,
I'll work faster.

MARLENE: I not forget he.

JUNIOR; Hey!

English boy. Put the tallest pole
you can find on that one.

And make sure it stick.

Hey, Junior. Are you sure you want me
to put the highest pole on this one?

How you mean? The higher, the better.

But do you mean this, Junior?
Do you really mean what you wrote here?

Well, read it, now. Read it loud and clear
so that everybody could hear.

I ain't see nothing wrong with it.

Read it now!

No, what I mean is all this, "bloody,
bloody" and "death to all White people".

It's what we want.

Isn't that what we want?
We want to kill all of them, raas!

No, man, I don't agree.
I can't agree with this.

How do you mean, you can't agree?

What goin' on here?
Like you on their side?

Look, Junior, I don't have to be on
their side to disagree with this.

I mean, I just can't believe that all
White people are bad. I just can't.

Oh, yeah? So why you
can't believe that, braa?

What is going on with this guy?

You must have fall on de head, bwoy.

The pigs, they have your brother,
they beat him up and lock him
up in some dirty cell, huh?

They beat up your mother,
smash up your house, and do everything.

And you can sit down here
and tell me how White people good?

Look, chu, man. Look, go away, man.

So how about the 500 years
of sufferings and slavery

that Black people been going through
all over the world?

Look, Junior, you don't have to tell me
about that. I know.

I'm part of it, but I
still don't feel that way.

I mean, I've got White friends, right?

And they're good friends to me.
And I've known lots of other
White people who are good to me.

- I can't agree with this.
- Then you must be a lucky one, boy.

Because I don't know
not one good White person in all my life.

All of dem evil.

Dem is like the devil.
Dem is devil people to raas.

Look, Junior, you're misinterpreting
what I'm saying.

What I'm saying is that the White people,
for some strange reason or other,

don't realise
that they're in the same position like us.

- Chu, man! You must be joking.
- No, I'm not joking.

If you look at it this
way, who has all the power?

- White people.
- Right. Who runs the country?

- White people.
- Right.

- Who has the police stations
and the armies? - White people.

- Who has all the jobs?
- White people.

Right. Who runs the schools
and the education system?

- White people.
- Right.

Just a handful of people. Just a
handful of people has all this power.

And you know what, they do it.

Chu, Junior! The brother right, man.

The brother talking good.

English brother or not, he talking good.

Because what he's actually saying
is that White people in this country

has been colonialised
and enslaved in this country.

Just like we!

The only difference with
dem and us is that...

is that we can see the bars and de chains,
but they can't.

So that's their hang-up.

Raas!

So is this what you're all about, braa?

Anyway, I think what you could
be saying there is true.

But I have to think about
this English brother over here.

Because he got a lot to learn
about dis black-and-white scene.

And as for me, I don't know where he's at.

Because the guy born over here,
and as far as I'm concerned, y'know,

he on a completely different
trip from all of we.

Look, mate, why do you think
I have an easier time?

It's because I was born here? As far as
I'm concerned, you have an easier time.

- When things...
LOUISE: Keep the noise down.

When things start getting rough,
you got somewhere to go back to.

- You too!
- Me?

You've got the dream to fall back on
of sun, sea and palm trees.

What have I got? Office blocks. Right?

So I've got to stay here and survive.
You know, fight to survive.

(TV news in background)

- Take a draw, brother.
- No, thank you, brother. I don't smoke.

It's all right, man. It's all right.
Just take a hard draw and let it soak in.

And you'll be all right, braa.

Nice. Nice.

NEWSREADER: In Portugal,
thousands of people have been
out on the streets of Lisbon,

celebrating the victory
of the moderate left.

With most of the votes counted,
it's clear the moderate left party

has received nearly five times
as many votes as the Communists.

Now back home. And in London,
eight policemen were injured

when fighting broke out after
a political rally in a hall
in Ladbroke Grove last night.

The police had gone to the rally, a
benefit meeting for the Black Power group,

after a tip-off concerning drugs.

According to eyewitness accounts, dozens
of Coloured youths surrounded the police

as they entered the hall and
tried to prevent them gaining
access to the math speakers.

Hear that shit?

Lies, all fucking lies.
Turn that thing off.

NEWSREADER: It was likely that
charges would be made today.

MARLENE: These people never
tell the truth about us on
television and in the newspaper.

And yet all of you sit down
there to watch dat? Oh!

We have to have some kind of hope
that one day they will tell the truth.

- Chu, man! Let's dig some sounds.
LOUISE: Hmm!

What's that I smelt?

Sure smells good.

You got a...hit for sister Louise?

I said, you got a hit for sister Louise?

Raas claat, man!

What the fuck do you think you're doing?

You know that's exactly what they want
to find here!

Now, if you dumb enough to get busted
over drugs, that's your problem.

Now, you dudes can smoke all you want.

But not in this house. You understand?

I said, do you understand?

Sorry, sister. Sorry, but I thought
the breda here needed a little smoke.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But
don't let it happen again.

Chu, man! Shuda known better than dat.

(Clock ticking)

(Faint African drums and singing)

(Autumn leaves crunching underfoot)

(African music gets louder)

(Silence)

(Rapid African drumbeat)

(Groans)

♪ Blood, blood ♪

♪ Blood and fire ♪

♪ Blood, blood ♪

♪ Blood and fire ♪

♪ Huh! Mercy, Lord ♪

♪ There is no more water ♪

♪ To out the fire ♪

♪ There is no more water ♪

♪ To out the fire ♪

♪ Let it burn, let it burn ♪

♪ Let it burn, burn, burn ♪

♪ Blood, blood, blood ♪

♪ Blood and fire ♪

(Chatter)

♪ Blood, blood, blood ♪

♪ Blood and fire ♪

♪ Huh! ♪

♪ If a so, a so ♪

♪ There is no more water ♪

♪ To out the fire ♪

♪ There is no more water ♪

♪ To out the fire ♪

♪ Huh! ♪

♪ Let it burn, let it burn ♪

♪ Let it burn, burn, burn ♪

♪ Judgment has come ♪

♪ And mercy has gone... ♪

(Thunder rumbles)

♪ It's a pressure ♪

♪ Job pressure ♪

♪ Money, money pressure ♪

♪ Babylon pressure ♪

♪ So I loot and I mug and I steal ♪

♪ Trying to get a fair deal ♪

♪ I politicking, I
demonstrating and I agitating ♪

♪ Raining, snowing or shining ♪

♪ And, man, I just ain't moving ♪

♪ So you keep your pressure on ♪
and I will keep mine

♪ It's a pressure ♪

♪ A whole lot of pressure ♪

♪ Babylon pressure ♪

♪ Money, money pressure ♪

♪ Pressuring pressure ♪

♪ Social pressure ♪

♪ Pressure, pressure ♪

♪ Mental pressure ♪

♪ Pressure ♪

♪ A whole lot of pressure... ♪

(Rain falls steadily)