Original subtitles

Good times. Any time you need a payment. Good times. Any time you need a free.

Good times. Any time you're out and under.

Not getting hassled. Not getting hustled.

Keeping your head up for water.

Making a way when you can.

Temporarily.

Gorgeous hunk of woman here.

I don't know about the gorgeous, but I'm sure a lot of hunk.

You know, one thing I never worry about, baby, is that energy crisis.

Because I got my own personal heating system.

That's so bad yourself.

Good -looking man like you could have had any woman in Chicago.

True.

Good reason why you married me. You was pregnant.

James, you ought to be ashamed of yourself.

Baby, you know I'm just joking. That ain't nothing to joke about.

Suppose one of the kids had heard you said they was born out of wedlock.

Wouldn't bother me none.

Stop jiving me.

Let's choose your corner and come out fighting.

Let's face it, Junior. This family ain't Ozzie and Aaron.

Junior, stop hanging around here collecting dust. Go on downstairs and

mail. Can't I eat first?

If I don't eat right, my little body may crumble up.

It ain't okay to eat a few minutes later. Go on and get the mail, please.

And, Junior, don't think of taking mail.

then how come he gave us more pockets than hands?

Will you get the mail, please?

What's the big rush about the mail?

Baby, I've been waiting almost a week now for the go -ahead on that union job

training program. I want to see if it came.

James, don't get your hopes up too high.

Oh, no, I got good vibes about this one, baby. When I took the test, the look on

that man's face read J -O -B.

Well, let's hope the J -O... OB was for Y -O -U.

It's your time to say the blessing, Michael.

Thank the Lord for the food.

Thank you, God, for the food.

Michael, wasn't that a little fast?

Not for him, Mama. He picks up just like that.

Be smart, Michael.

Oh, Mama, I can't deal with this oatmeal again.

Be grateful for oatmeal or anything else on this table.

Remember, this family got through the meat shortage without even knowing there

was one.

I wish we could have cream of wheat for a change.

Yeah, at least they got a black man on the box.

Wash up, both of you, and eat your breakfast.

Well, let's see what all the equal opportunity employers have for James

this morning.

designer, college graduate.

Ain't that tender?

I only missed that one by four years college, four years high school, and two

years public school.

Now, don't they have anything for mechanics?

You're a very handyman, James.

Now, that's it right there, baby. When you're white, you're a mechanic.

When you're black, you're a handyman.

an ex -husband.

I never could figure out why you married a dude like that anyhow.

Well, we were in love. I was 20, young and innocent.

Well, anyway, I was young.

Our marriage was fine until Alvin started coming home less and less and

out more and more, steady trying to prove his point. What point?

That a married man can live with a wife and another woman at the same time.

That uses such a word.

The Bible.

This floor, Dan, to the first inning.

Michael, one, Florida, nothing.

Hey, Junior, what took you so long?

Elevator conked out, baby.

Had to walk up the stairs.

Lots of things happened in the building this morning, boy.

On the sixth floor, I ran into an exterminator. So, they got roaches.

No, this cat was looking to exterminate a dude.

floor, some cat was yelling for water for a shower.

Finally got it when the toilet on the 11th floor backed up.

Hey, baby, this is it.

The word I've been waiting for.

Well, I told you I read that cat's face, right? You got the job. Listen here.

The letter says that I, James Evans, have passed the written aptitude test.

making $2 .50 an hour. And when I complete the program, I'm going to go

way up to $4 .25 an hour. All right!

All right! All right!

Hallelujah.

Goodbye, oatmeal.

Hello, cream of whiz.

Whee! $4 .25 an hour.

James, that puts you in the same league as bank presidents and bookies.

I better hurry up and get dressed.

I don't want to be late for this gig.

We're going to be so rich and have so much money, I'm going to have to find...

prize no more.

I'm going to get one rose and I'll make Diane Carroll look like a nun.

And I'm going to give all my money to the cause of black unity.

Oh, hush up all of you and stop this daydreaming. It's time to get your books

and get ready for school.

Now.

Carol, I'm really happy for you. James getting a good steady job like this.

Yeah. When you think of all... the things that man has done to keep this

together.

Dishwasher, laundry helper, night watchman, floor sweeper, and all that

last week.

Well, that's all over now.

He's soon gonna be making $4 .25 an hour.

It's hard to believe.

You know, up to now, the minimum wages has always been his maximum.

hope for Mr. Wright's sake. He's got two bathrooms.

Hey, baby.

How I look?

James, you got on your glam to funeral suit.

Why not?

Today I'm burying poverty.

You know, when you go for a job that pays four and a quarter, baby, you dress

up.

born building. You can just fly in through the window.

And then when I get home tonight, we're going to party hard.

Now, I want barbecue chicken, ribs, music.

You can hire the temptations if you want them. And look here, since I'm going to

be making a white man's salary, let's do something real white. Let's drink

champagne.

What do I use for money for this, Orgy? I'll take it out to rent money.

Okay, whatever you say, Mr. Bradwinter.

Mr. Breadwinner, hell, I'm Mr.

Whole Dinnerwinner.

Now, don't forget now, food, music, champagne.

Look here, don't hire the temptations. Make it the Supremes. And with Diana...

You look like a man we can really use. Oh, that's good. That's good. Now, when

do I start?

Oh, it says here you were in the army.

Army. You served in Korea.

Did my full tour of duty over there. Yeah, my full tour of duty.

You are the father of three children, age 17, 16, 11.

Did my full tour of duty over here, too.

Now, what day do I report?

1942, which means you served in Korea when you were...

10?

Oh, no, no, no. I was born in 1932.

32. 32. It says right here, 1942.

Well, that's a computer error, I guess.

We are suddenly confronted with a big problem.

Yeah, I guess you better get that computer fixed, huh?

No, you don't understand.

You see, the Union Apprentice Program is designed for men between the ages of 18

and 35.

I'm afraid that at 41, you're too old.

Too old?

For what, man? We're talking about working. We ain't talking about playing

stickball. Yes, I know.

I'd like to help you, but this program is government -funded and government

rules can't be broken.

Now, wait a minute now. I done passed the government physical test. I done

passed the government mental test. And I got a government letter here on

government stationery.

That says I'm certified, qualified, and bona fide. Now, I want the government

job. I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do. That's the way it is. No, man, I'll

tell you the way it is. I got a family.

They need food on the table and clothes on their back, and I got to pay rent.

Now, I need that job.

Government rules can't be broken.

Unless you're running the government.

I understand, man.

I'm a senior citizen who only has to wait 24 more years for Social Security.

before the party starts.

Where'd all these records come from?

Daddy wanted music, so I got Isaac Hayes, the Jackson 5, Gladys Knight,

Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, and Hal Melvin in the Blue Notes.

When he said music, he didn't expect you to hijack soul drains.

Is that all the decorations finished?

Just about.

Oh, my goodness. I forgot the potato chips.

J .J.?

Because if she goes out of here dressed like that, somebody's gonna mess with

her.

Then why can't J .J. go by himself?

Well, I gotta go with him. To watch him.

I want the potato chips bought, not found.

Hang up these things right here.

Michael, don't mess with my table. Go in there and wash them.

Hi, kids. Where they going?

Get some potatoes.

Hey, you really got yourself together.

Well, it's a party, ain't it? You never know when I might meet some new dudes.

This is my way of saying available.

Well, that dress ain't only saying available.

It's also saying your place of mind.

Oh, Florida's beautiful.

It looks like the grand ballroom at the Ambassador East.

Mm -hmm.

Everything just like James wanted it.

Want me to help you do anything?

No, I got it.

under control.

Ribs warming and the champagne icing.

All right.

I hope I didn't spend too much money on this party.

Oh, Florida, come on. Stop worrying about spending.

Are you chicken about becoming rich?

My chicken just inexperienced.

Well, you're just going to have to get used to it, honey.

Your man is on his way up in the world and it won't be long before you'll be

saying goodbye cockroach towers.

do your new 80 -room mansion as our next cover layout.

Can I come in?

Oh, please do.

Thank you.

Sit down.

Thank you.

My, what a lovely sofa.

Oh, mink.

I never sit on anything but mink. It's a bother, though. In the summer, I have

to put all my toilet seats into cold storage.

Husband, James, has his four yachts anchored there.

Four yachts? My dear, one for each direction.

Mrs. Evans, I can't wait to see your master bedroom.

And Scorch is like sleeping on a cloud.

Yes, especially if you nip between naps.

This must carry on.

That'll be the day when I'm living so high on the hog I don't know what

are.

You were flower to everything before James got here.

Evans when he starts playing on that long green. You better know it.

Party time!

Yeah, you kids got back fast.

Yeah, it is a day of miracles. I didn't fight with J .J. and the elevator's

working.

Here's your change, Mama.

Thank you, son. You know, it's kind of fun being rich.

I've been in that store a dozen times, but that's the first time I've ever been

involved in a cash transaction.

gonna have to fight off all the girls, you know. Well, what they see is what

they gonna get.

That must be the company.

I'll get it, JJ.

Boy,

I couldn't be happier if it was my wife.

got a job folks folks

james will soon be here when he gets here i want us to give him a great

How much of the rent money did you spend for him?

Like the man says, if you got to ask how much, you can't afford it.

James, this is going to be a celebration you'll never forget.

I got that feeling.

Baby, I got to tell you something. When I got down there, the man said... I've

got my eye on this super bad soup.

It's a bad suede pantsuit with a bad suede hat and bad shoes.

With all that bad...

color TV.

Now, wait a minute. What's wrong with the 16 -inch black and white TV we got?

The picture tube's weak.

The white ain't right and the black ain't beautiful.

I'm going to tell you something. When I got down there about the job, baby...

Honey, I'm dying to hear all the good news, every word of it. But first, let's

have some champagne.

Yeah. About my wheels.

Your wheels?

Yeah. A car you gonna get me. It gonna be second hand, but it'll sure make life

a whole lot easier.

Man to man.

You know how hard it is trying to make out with a chick on a crowded bus?

Junior, don't throw your bus tokens away just yet, here.

guest of honor. You make the toast. That's right. Come on.

Here's the man from 18 to 35.

Because that's who the union job training program was for.

I didn't get the job. They said I was too old.

Too old?

James?

James?

Wow.

What a rip -off.

Whoever said he was too old don't know daddy.

I'd like to see the dude who called him too old.

I'd tell him about some of those not -too -old whippings he's laid on me.

Daddy ain't too old.

He could do that job at the union.

He could do anything anybody gave him a chance to.

I'm sorry, baby. I wanted to tell you, but I just didn't have the heart to

your dreams.

It ain't all that bad, James.

This family has stood up to a whole lot of dream smashing.

Yeah. You know, I thought if I'd have got that job, that we'd going to be

Instead, we broke.

What was we yesterday?

Broke.

And probably will be again tomorrow.

But, James, you always see this family through.

You can do it.

Yeah, that's my baby.

So I missed out. What's the big deal? What would it have meant anyhow?

Some more spending money?

Practic clothes?

A nicer place to live?

What do I need a union job for when I got you and these kids?

Huh? You don't. You better believe I don't.

But it sure would have been nice.

Well, baby, thanks to hard work, perseverance, and Willie Washington next

it's going to be our car wash for one week.

Now, it ain't going to make us independently wealthy, but it'll replace

money and buy us a little food, too.

James, you still didn't tell me how the job opening came up.

Look here.

He told me one of the regulars got drunk, took off all his clothes, and

take a shower through the car wash.

Said he'd have made it, too, if he hadn't have stopped to hot wax his hair.

Just looking out of the window.

Watching the asphalt road.

Thinking how it all looks.

Can we die?

Good times.

Keeping your head above water.

Making a wave when you can.

Temporary layoffs. Good times.

Good times is recorded on tape before a live audience.