Original subtitles

From Television City in Hollywood.

Michael, it's time for school.

It's 7 o 'clock.

Come on, let's go. Rise and shine, boys.

Mama, boy is a white racist word.

I don't believe it. That child is even militant in his sleep.

Come on, move it, JJ. This is your big day. You're getting your report card

today.

I was just kissing the Supremes.

I don't mean one at a time.

Well, let me give you some facts of life, honey.

If the Supremes really love you, they'll be back tonight.

Oh, it's freezing in here. What happened to the heat?

By the time it gets up here, it's air conditioning.

No, honey.

Yeah, it's under the sink.

I used it last night to wipe out some bugs.

You used my hairspray on bugs?

Yeah, but it didn't do a thing for them. They was all bald.

Enough of that, JJ.

How do you expect to do on your report cards today?

Well, I'm a censor cop of A &R. You all... I always do that. What about your

other classes? What kind of marks do you expect?

Well, algebra so -so, English could be, history may be.

Español, come si, come sa.

Come si, come sa is French, stupid.

This gives you an idea how I'm doing in Spanish.

to get you through the 11th grade. You're the tallest boy in that class.

You think I'm having problems, Mama? You should see the kid who sits behind me.

He's five feet four.

He can't pass because he's having trouble seeing the black boy.

And you're right with him. J .J., you haven't got a prayer of passing. You

even looked at a book this turn.

Keep it talking, Michael.

I'll grab the bathroom. Oh, no, you don't.

Yes, wait.

Mama, does a rich man have more than one bathroom?

Yeah, but just like a poor man, he can't use but one at a time.

has had a chance to be very foxy since you've been working that midnight shift.

Well, baby, I got a feeling all that's going to change real soon. Yeah?

Yeah. The janitorial service is looking for a foreman for the day shift, and

they're considering me.

A foreman's job, huh?

That's right, baby.

I'm going to be the boss, the main man.

If the cat ain't doing his work to my satisfaction, I just say to him, hey,

Robinson. Robinson?

You call your employees by their last name?

Well, baby, that is an employer's prerogative. Ooh.

Hey, Robinson, I don't like the way you're washing the windows, man.

You're just hanging out the window daydreaming.

You're finished, chump.

Give me that safety belt.

That didn't even hang around for his paycheck.

Oh, James, it sure would be fine if you get that job.

Mm -hmm.

When do you think you'll know for sure?

Well, baby, they supposed to call me for an interview today.

And if we're lucky, it's back to regular hours, regular meals, and... Regular

loving. Have mercy.

Mama, Papa, isn't there any decency?

Come on, kids, have your breakfast or you're going to be late for school.

James, I'll heat you up some stew for breakfast.

Oh, I think I just have some coffee, baby.

Daddy, look, it's on my report card. I got all A's. All right, my man.

And I get my report card today, Daddy. I should get most of the A's and B's.

Good.

Talk about your report card now, Johnny.

I sure would like to, Dad.

But it's my turn to say the blessing.

All right, son.

Go ahead.

Take this hat off. Lord, thank you for the food.

And now that I've done something for you, I could use a boost in the algebra

department.

to use your prayers to ask for personal favors.

You know, Junior, when you was born, I just dreamed of the day that you'd go to

college. I never figured on a little stumbling block called high school.

James, let's don't jump to any conclusions.

I was a little bit worried, too.

But JJ has passed before, and he probably will pass again.

That's right.

I always get off to a slow start, but I always come through in a stretch.

JJ, you wouldn't care to bet on making it to the 12th grade, would you?

Yeah, and if I pass, I'm in the bathroom first for a whole month.

A bet?

A bet. And if you don't pass, you do the dishes for a whole month. A bet?

A bet.

Hey, it's getting late. You kids better get moving now.

Oh, time's running out. Bye, Mom. Bye, Mom. Bye, sweetheart.

See you later, Daddy. Bye now. You be careful.

Okay, Mom, we'll be careful. And you all go straight to school, you hear?

And come straight home.

Oh, baby, I sure hope Junior does make it. Me too.

Imagine, next year, this family will go to its first high school graduation.

Yeah, Florida, that's something I've been looking forward to. The whole

sitting there watching Junior march down the aisle in his cap and gown, ahead of

his graduation class.

He ought to be getting up soon.

Uh -uh -uh.

Stew at two.

Honey, if I ever get married again, I'm going to make sure my husband don't work

nights, except at home.

Like the good book says, a husband shall cleaveth unto his wife. And in that

respect, I'm from Cleveland.

All the quiet around here. The kids don't have to come from school yet.

is the day of judgment.

Well, report card day.

Oh, I'm sure they'll all do fine. Oh, I hope so, Laura.

Look, how do you like my new dress?

Hey, hey, hey.

What holds that up?

City ordinance 705.

I'm wearing it for a wild date tonight.

Who's the lucky guy?

Named Scooter Johnson.

Used to be a football player for the Chicago Bears.

Come on now, where'd you meet him?

At the AA club.

Alimony Anonymous.

It's the club for divorced people.

We got a limited membership, but we had a great turnout last night.

38 men and 6 women.

Don't forget, Mama.

I'm the victim of 300 years of oppression.

All right. This is what I always wanted.

Sleep in hell.

Oh, Thelma, this is no time to tease your brother. I want to bet, Mom. I want

bet. Didn't you pass anything?

Don't forget, Mama. I'm still your firstborn.

When your son scores a winning touchdown, you want to hear it in an

replay.

You want an instant replay?

I'll show you an instant replay.

Fake y 'all out!

Well, Junior, I'm really proud of you, son.

You got an A in art and a C in all the rest of your classes.

How, Junior?

How'd you get those grades without doing any studying?

I'll tell you how.

Because I'm blessed with total recall.

I read something once and it stays right here, like it's chiseled in stone.

You mean penciled in silly putty.

J .J., you got a C in history on your report card, but you got an F on this

history exam. How come?

I can explain that, Mama. Good.

Then maybe you can also tell me what happened in the year 1066.

How should I know? I wasn't even born yet.

Now, Junior, you're my... to answer your question. Now go on, tell her what

happened in 1066.

The Battle of Hastings.

Come on, Junior, tell us what happened in 1066.

That's easy.

See, I was just kidding before.

I figure these things out by word association.

Now what's the first thing a referee says to a boxer when he's counting out?

Ten, right? So right away I know that ten stands for boxer.

Now to 66.

I add ten to the 66 and that gives me 76.

That's the year the colonies rebelled against England.

which gives me the word rebellion. You put boxer with rebellion, and what do

get? 1066, boxer rebellion.

I ought to box your ears.

1066 was the Battle of Hastings.

Well, my system is subject to human error.

All right, let's try algebra.

If it takes two men three days... to dig a ditch 20 feet by 30 feet long, how

long would it take four men to dig the same ditch?

Come on, Junior, tell him.

Oh, come on, Dad.

What am I? I ain't no ditch digger.

I'm in R .C. We're not in no algebra 4 anyway.

What am I, an Algerian?

Oh, there's something wrong with this report card here.

I'm reading C's, but I'm hearing F's.

Something tells me you ain't learning nothing, Junior.

Oh.

Yeah, maybe we ought to go down to that school and have a talk with your

principal. I tell you, this is the last time I'm coming home with a good report

card.

All right, Junior.

We're going to give you one more chance. Now, if you don't answer this question,

we're going to march you straight down to the principal's office.

Fair enough?

Fair enough. I have confidence in my ability.

Go ahead. Lay it on me.

All right.

What is a dangling...

Well,

let's go.

But, honey, your daddy and I want everything to work out right. Now wait

Come on, Mama. How can I have a fair trial without being allowed in there?

J .J., we want to talk to the principal alone first.

Mama, my life is on the line.

I demand the right to defend my life in person, gentlemen.

I withdraw the demand.

Come in.

I'm Mr. Kirkman.

I'm Mr. Kirkman. I'm Mr. Evans. This is Mr. Evans. How do you do? All right. How

do you do? Sit down, please.

Thank you.

How can I help you folks?

Well, we came here to complain about our son's grades.

Oh, that's too bad.

You have no idea how often I hear that. A boy failing.

A boy passing.

I'm sorry, folks. There's nothing I can do.

He's passing?

That's right.

Well, then what's the problem?

His head.

Whatever you all are putting in here, he's leaving someplace else because he

sure ain't bringing it home.

Yeah, he don't know what happened in 1066.

And if he was to put him in a ditch 20 by 30 feet, there ain't no way in the

world he could dig himself out.

Look at this.

Well, now, Mr. and Mrs. Evans, this is a good report.

All fees and an A in art.

Young James is doing well.

Yeah, but old James want to know how he did it.

Our son is going to be facing a tough world pretty soon.

we want to make sure he has a real education.

We don't want him pushed through high school like he was going through a three

-minute car wash and coming out still wet behind his ears.

Mr. and Mrs. Evans, I appreciate how you feel about your son's education, but

you see, we lack the facilities and the money that schools in more privileged

areas have.

This has been happening in all the cities in the United States.

You do understand that, huh? Oh, yeah. We understand the lack of money real

good.

Well, that's good. Perhaps you could understand this.

I have thousands of students in this school and a graduating class of over

Now, if I don't graduate a large percentage of that group, I wind up

like I'm not doing too good a job.

You, uh, you dig?

We understand.

Well, now, if I don't graduate a high percentage, our budget is cut.

And if our budget is cut, our teaching staff suffers.

And if our teachers suffer, the students' education suffers.

Mr. Kirkman, that is exactly what we came here to talk to you about.

It certainly did.

I see we're in total agreement. It's been so... Total agreement, my foot,

We're in total confusion.

You have to understand the system.

One hand washes the other.

You have to help us move the pupils along.

And I'll help you by giving your son a diploma.

And with that diploma, help him get a job.

A job? What the hell good is a job, man? I got a job. I got two jobs.

Hell, I had jobs all my life. But I want something more for my son.

I want him to have an opportunity.

And you and I both know that opportunities only come through an

James Evans Jr.

gets a good education, oh, we gonna know why.

That's right.

But folks, the system.

Hey, Mr. Kirkman, please don't make me tell you what you can do with your

system.

Do you really want me to keep your son in the 11th grade?

You got it.

You realize that he's gonna be falling behind his classmates.

Do you think he'll agree to it?

I assure you he'll agree to it.

It has to be his own decision.

Come in, Junior.

Now, J .J., you've got a big decision to make.

James, it's up to you now.

If you want to move along in the senior year with your classmates, our school is

right behind you.

They're just pushing you through here.

Them grades you got, you didn't deserve them, Junior.

They just gave them to you to get rid of you. But we told Mr. Kirkman our son

came to school to learn, not to just get pushed around.

But he's got pride. Just like his daddy. And nobody's going to push him through

school without putting something into his head.

Of course, he's got pride.

So Mr. Kirkman is giving you a choice.

Now, either you do the smart thing and stay in the 11th grade, or let them push

you through the 12th grade like a big jackass.

You got pride.

Well, what do you say, Junior?

Well,

Mr. Kirkman, I'm proud to go along with your

quarter system and take my place in the senior class.

You sliding through school like this?

Oh, Mama, don't worry about me. I can always make a living as a painter.

That's right, Mama.

He's an artist. And artists don't need intelligence.

JJ, I've got to tell you that your daddy and me was real disappointed in you

today. Oh, Mama.

You're going to need that education when the school turns you out into the

streets. Oh, Mama, what's going to happen?

Somebody's going to pull me into the alleyway and say, tell me what happened

1066, otherwise I'll blow your brains out.

Talking about smarts. The same girl who talks the pictures of Billy Dee Williams

and cries when they don't answer back.

You two get along like Sonny and Cher.

Don't be mad.

I'm not mad.

I may do real good in the 12th grade. I may surprise you. They may even pick me

to make the graduation speech.

That'll be the day.

Oh, Ma.

Classmates.

Parents, faculty, and juvenile authorities.

As we leave these ivory -colored walls, let us be inspired by our principal who

once said, show me a man who can laugh when he's down, and I'll show you a

wino.

Caesar Romero.

You know, that's the closest you've been to a book all year.

How did you do with the interview, honey? Daddy gonna be the new foreman?

No, baby.

Oh, Daddy, I'm sorry.

You want to tell me about it, James?

There's not much to tell, baby.

Went down there and a man told me I was qualified and I had the experience, but

when I got to the application, that's where I blew it.

Huh.

Well, you know on the bottom of the application where they ask you to put

why you think you're the right man for the job?

Well, baby, I just couldn't put my words together.

The words I could think of, I wasn't sure if I was spelling them right, and

words I was sure I could spell didn't have nothing to do with what they

And Florida was a chance.

You don't get too many chances when all you got going for you is a sixth grade

education.

There's another way of looking at it, honey.

At least you're getting turned down on better jobs.

Daddy, I've been thinking.

Yeah, Johnny?

You know, it ain't that I don't want to learn. It's just that I was too proud to

be left behind my classmates.

So... Cha -Cha, does that mean you're going to stay in the 11th grade?

I said I'm proud, Mama, not crazy.

was that next term in my senior year, I'm going to study hard. I mean, really

study hard.

I'm going to pay attention in class, and I'm going to do my homework.

And if I get stuck, I'm going to ask somebody smarter to help me.

I'm always available, Junior.

Well, son, now you're talking sense.

Because, you know, Junior, I don't want you to ever blow an opportunity because

you don't know how to hang the right words together.

You hear me?

All right.

Well, baby, what do you think? You think Junior can make it through his senior

year? He already... he has.

You should have heard his graduation speech. It was beautiful.

He left us with two Latin words.

Caesar Romero.

Turn that sound down. Your brother is studying.

He's studying so hard. Let's see if he knows the answer to that algebra

Hey, J .J., if it takes two men three days to dig a ditch 20 feet by 30 feet,

how long would it take four men to dig the same ditch?

That's easy.

Eight weeks.

J .J., keep studying.

How come it takes so long, son?

Because one of those men is Ned the White.

It takes a long time to shovel dirt, pick up net, shovel dirt, pick up net,

shovel dirt, pick up net.

Just looking out of the window,

watching me.

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