Original subtitles

Well, we're moving on now.

I used it to wrap the garbage in.

Now I ain't got nothing to do.

There's the doorbell. Why don't you do that?

That's your job, remember?

Mr. Jefferson, I would get the door if it wasn't for my legs.

What's wrong with your legs?

They ain't as close to the door as yours.

And besides, it's Sunday, and even the good Lord took a rest on Sunday.

Not if you were his maid.

Hey, boss, what's going down?

Her salary.

Hi, Florence.

Hi. What you want, Marcus?

Well, I need some help with the kind of, uh, well, mathematics problem.

Okay, shoot. I got a brain like a computer.

Yeah, the pocket size.

Well, here's the problem, Mr. Jefferson.

A monthly membership at Mickey's Gym costs $50.

So?

Well, Marcus only has $10.

Uh -oh, I feel a computer overload coming on.

Therefore, how many dollars will Marcus have to borrow from his boss if Marcus

wants to join the gym?

That's easy, zero.

Zero? I thought you had a mind like a computer.

I do, but I also got a wallet like a bank vault.

But why do you want to join the gym anyway?

Don't you get enough exercise working for me?

Well, you see, last night I was at this disco talking to this chick.

Next thing I know, her boyfriend came up and laid me out with one punch.

You kidding. You let him get away with that? No. I really messed him up.

I bled all over his shoes.

The thing is, he knew how to box and I didn't. So, I want to take some lessons.

Good idea.

I used to box when I was in the Navy.

They used to call me Jolton George.

Jolton George?

You? Yeah.

That's right. I was a welterweight.

Welter is.

But his show must not weigh very much.

Come on.

Hey, you know, you do look pretty good, Mr. Dukes. Damn right. Always have been.

When I was a kid, they used to call me this name. I used to hate it.

Every time I heard that name, I'd get in a fight. And I heard that name a lot.

Yeah, I bet you were a tough little runt.

Runt!

on your shoes.

So how about it, Mr. Jefferson?

Will you loan me the bread for the gym?

Well, look, I'll give you the money and some advice to go along with it.

What's the advice?

Make sure you pay me back. They didn't call me Jolton George for nothing.

Thanks, Mr. Jefferson.

Hey, why don't you come with me? Maybe you can teach me a few things.

Sorry, Marcus, I ain't got time.

Why? What are you doing today?

Nothing, and I'm going to spend all day doing it.

George,

are you about ready to... Oh, hi, Marcus.

Hi, Mrs. Jefferson.

George, you haven't forgotten what we were going to do today, have you?

What?

The bedroom, remember?

Oh, come on. I don't feel like I got a headache.

George.

You promised to help me rearrange the bedroom furniture today.

Oh, right, but I can't.

And why not?

Well, because I promised Marcus here I'd teach him how to box.

You did?

Oh.

Oh, yeah, you did.

See, Marcus got in a fight the other night, right?

And he got a few marbles to knock loose. So his mind comes and goes. So I'm

going to take him to the gym. Now, look, George.

Look, Weezy, don't get mad. I'm doing it for the kid.

The kid?

Kid Jefferson, that's what I think.

Kid Jefferson. Hey, that ain't bad.

But it ain't as catchy as Joltin' George.

These fits are made of iron.

Good, they match your head.

It'll fit you better.

Don't worry about it. I don't want to show my body off anyway.

Yeah. If I was you, I'd keep it a secret, too.

Man, this is great.

The sights, the sounds.

Even the smell takes me back.

You must be glad you left.

Oh, you'll get used to it. Hey, look, you better hurry up and get started.

Yeah, right.

What do we do?

We don't do nothing. You're the ones that got to start getting warmed up.

I don't see no girls around here.

Now, that's how I like to warm up. Can you teach me how to do that?

You want to learn how to do that?

Yeah, from the master.

The master.

One punch.

Okay.

Hey, come on over here.

I'm going to show you how to build up your arms.

How do we do that? I'll show you.

See these handles? You grab these handles, right?

Grab both of them.

Got it. Okay.

Really tighten up your stomach.

Stay over there.

Now I'm going to throw this ball to you. And remember, catch it in your stomach,

okay? Okay.

You ready?

I'm ready.

Okay.

Hey, look.

I'm sorry, pal. I was just trying to show the kid how to use the medicine

Yeah? Somebody ought to show you how. I'd have used one first.

Listen, lighten up. I told you it was a mistake.

Mistake was letting a jerk like you in the gym.

Jerk? Who you calling jerk?

I'm looking at him.

Oh, yeah? Well, I guess you can see me because you ain't got no hair falling in

your eyes.

volts to jolt nobody, you know. What?

What? Did you call me what?

Snooker, you just said one word too many. I did, huh? Why don't we stop

man? Step into the ring. Come on!

No, no, you can't. I mean, don't. I mean... Oh, it's being used.

Oh, yeah, I guess it is.

Lucky for you.

Well, lucky for you, I got the ring reserved tomorrow at two o 'clock for

Are you sure you want to fight that guy? I can handle him. Don't forget this.

Hey, wait a minute.

Did you say tomorrow?

Yeah.

I got something to do tomorrow.

Why?

I got to get a haircut.

Don't worry about it. When I get through with you, you ain't going to need no

haircut. Because you ain't going to have no head.

Well, give me five bucks on the shadow.

I'm not talking about you. I'm talking about the guy fighting, Ma.

Oh.

Fighting?

George, what are you talking about?

Uh, it's nothing, Weasley.

It's too silly to talk about.

Being silly has never stopped you from talking before.

Now, what's this about you fighting tomorrow?

Did I say I was fighting, Ma?

Yeah. And you better give me an explanation unless you want to fight

Okay, Weasley.

I had a run -in with this dude down at the gym.

And we decided to settle it in the ring tomorrow.

George, are you crazy?

You could get killed.

You don't even know the guy I'm fighting.

No, but I do know you.

You're not a fighter, you're a cleaner.

Okay, now what do you want me to do? Challenge him to a cleaning contest?

What I want you to do is call this fight off.

Are you kidding?

Look, a man with no pride is a nobody.

Now, he challenged me, so I got to save faith.

That's exactly what I'm trying to save.

Your faith.

Well, you can just save your breath, because I don't want to hear about it.

Okay, George, don't listen to reason. But I'm warning you, if he breaks...

Hi, Mrs. Jefferson.

Leroy, what are you doing here?

Well, Mr. Jefferson gave me the afternoon off so I could referee.

Really? Can you fix it so that George doesn't get hurt?

You mean cheat?

I wouldn't do that.

But don't worry. I'll stop it as soon as either one of them busts the nose or

spits out any teeth.

Where's George?

He's in the dressing room with Marcus having his hand taped.

He should be having his mouth taped.

Who's George fighting?

That guy right over there.

Excuse me.

Yeah?

I'm Louise Jefferson, George Jefferson's wife.

You got my sympathy.

Look, you don't really want to fight my husband, do you? Sure, why not?

Well, he's an orphan.

Tough.

Also a veteran.

Good. That way you won't have to pay for his funeral.

And he only has one kidney.

Really? Which side? I don't want to waste a good kidney punch.

There must be some way I can get you not to hurt my husband.

Forget it, lady.

How about a hundred dollars?

Said your husband was an orphan?

What do you want me to do?

Just don't hit him. And when he hits you, you go down, okay?

No problem, lady.

You got a deal.

Now, you won't forget.

Hey, I got my pride, okay?

When I take a dive, I do it right.

Look, if you came here to talk me out of the fight, forget it.

No, George, I'm not.

I don't care what you say, Weasley. What did you say?

I said I'm not going to try to talk you out of fighting.

Why not?

Well, like you said last night, George, a man without pride is a nobody.

On the other hand, a man without teeth is a ugly nobody.

Hey, I got an idea.

Maybe there's a better way than winning a fight to show Marcus how to be a man.

What do you mean?

Well, this is what I'll do.

For Marcus' sake, understand?

I'm going to throw the fight.

That way I can show Marcus even if you lose, you can still be a man.

Throw the fight?

Yeah, Wheezy. I won't even throw a punch at the guy. And after he throws his

first punch at me, I just hit the floor.

George, you could hit him once.

Wheezy, I could hit him a thousand times if I wanted to.

But I got to do this for Marcus. But, George.

Fighters to the center of the ring.

Don't worry. We'll be fine.

Okay,

men. This is a ten -round fight.

Now, keep it clean.

No hitting below the belt.

When I say break, you break.

And the most important rule of all.

Please, don't nobody hit the referee.

Mr. Jefferson.

Well, this is it.

I'm too tired to spit.

How am I doing so far?

Is it just me, Mr. Jefferson, or do you know something strange about this fight,

too? I was looking for a bigger crowd.

I mean, nobody's throwing a punch.

Yeah, I was thinking about that.

Come on, Mr. Jefferson, you can do it.

How you got the fight score so far, Leroy?

Well, if this was a baseball game, both you guys would have no hitters.

This is the last round.

Will you do something for me?

What's that?

Anything.

I got news for you, Marcus. It ain't easy the last ten rounds.

I know. I almost fell asleep in the seventh.

Last dance.

I mean, last round.

Now touch gloves and come outside.

I don't want this guy asking for no rematch.

Because it just might cost you another C note.

What the heck is that?

It's okay, Mr. Jefferson. I know you paid the man not to hit you. I don't

you. I didn't pay nobody nothing.

Well, where'd that come from?

It came from me.

George, I... Will you stay out of this? Listen, Marcus.

What do you mean it came from you?

I'm sorry, George. I just didn't want you to get hurt.

Hurt? Well, you're not going to drop that bum like a hot potato.

Why don't you tell Marcus the truth?

The truth?

Okay, the truth is... Well, the truth is I was scared.

Well, why didn't you say so, Mr. Jefferson?

So was I.

Oh, yeah.

I shouldn't have gotten into this fight in the first place.

Hey, buddy.

You're holding something that belongs to me. Not now, man. I'm talking.

Anyway, where was I, Marcus? Oh, yeah. Look, Marcus, just because you lose a

fight doesn't make you less of a man.

I mean, like that dude that hit you the other night over that chick.

He's the real loser.

I know. I got a date with her tonight.

Hey, I said I want my dough. And I said I'm talking. Something wrong with your

hand?

Where was I? Look.

I mean, what does it take to clobber somebody?

Anybody can do that. I'm through, bitch.