Original subtitles

PROTESTERS: Hell, no, we won't go!

Hell, no, we won't go!

Hell, no, we won't go!

Hell, no, we won't go!

There was a war going on.

He killed Malcolm,

King, the president,

even the president's brother.

Vietnam was being shoved down our throats.

They were shooting us, hosing us, lynching us,

and in the movies,

they was making us look

any fucking way they wanted to.

[LAUGHS]

Did I fuck him?

Now, see that's none of your damn business.

Remember this--

good things...

do not come...

to those who wait.

[**]

MELVIN VAN PEEBLES: 1970.

I'd just finished directing Watermelon Man

for Columbia Pictures.

They were setting me up

to become their very first token nigga-ologist.

Since the movie hadn't come out yet,

everyone was being extra nice, calling me Mel, baby.

Mel, baby, great picture.

I loved it.

Very funny.

Hey, when do we get the next script, huh?

Three picture deal with fucking Columbia Pictures.

Three picture deal with fucking Columbia Pictures.

Am I good or am I good?

Well, you're going to start pitching these sons a bitches

before Watermelon Man comes out,

because if we wait and it opens badly,

these cocksuckers,

they'll turn on us, you know, in a second.

My agent, Howie, was right.

I had to come up with my next film idea

before the money guys got cold.

I mean, it's got to be something funny

because they want something funny.

Hollywood liked to show us clowning,

but America wasn't in a laughing mood...

especially black America.

Times were changing.

The Panthers knew it.

The students knew it.

Hollywood was ignoring it.

[TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWING]

You happened to be brilliant at something funny.

What do you... Maybe a fried chicken man.

It's because it's not far

from Watermelon Man,

and you could make it funny.

Yeah.

I'd grown up on those images

and nothing Hollywood ever did reflected who we were.

[TRAIN CROSSING BELLS CLANGING]

[**]

This is it?

This ain't camping.

We don't have a sleeping bag.

You got the helmet, didn't you?

Shut up and listen for a while.

What was my next movie going to be?

Some idea was lurking back there,

just waiting for the coast to clear.

The military?

Somebody, like,

a guy who's, like, a cook in the Army.

God knows what happens to him.

There was even a military flick

where Bubba can't walk.

The kindly white doctor

gives him a good, old-fashioned dose

of racial shock.

You dirty nigger! Get up and walk!

Get him back on his feet.

All for a good cause.

[**]

Melvin!

[BOMB WHISTLING AND EXPLODING]

Street brother,

average hustler turns revolutionary.

Another comedy?

Serious as cancer.

Who's going to want to see that?

Black guys always die in the end.

Can we go now?

That's it.

I'd make a film about a real brother,

not some bourgie or clown, like they always do,

but a real brother, a street brother,

just getting the man's foot out his ass.

Given number one--

no cop-outs.

I want a movie

where niggers can walk out the picture

standing tall

instead of having to avoid each other's eyes.

Given number two--

entertainment-wise, it had to be a motherfucker.

If folks get bored, it's over.

Given number three--

show business is business.

The man has an Achilles pocketbook.

It had to be a moneymaker.

The man ain't going to carry no messages for you for free,

especially a relevant one.

[PLAYING SOFT CLASSICAL MUSIC]

Given number four--

I wanted this picture to star the community...

all the community.

All the faces

that Norman Rockwell never painted.

* You bled my mama... *

I might have had a Leroy.

I might have...

WOMAN: I might have had a Leroy...

MELVIN: My secretary, Priscilla,

turned every entrance into an audition,

but she was too late.

All I could hear

were the voices in my head talking to me now.

MAN: Take him. Take him.

Howie's on the phone.

Mel, your agent's on the phone.

MARTIN LUTHER KING: I have a dream that one day...

that all men are created equal.

MALCOLM X: We don't see any American dream.

We've experienced only the American nightmare.

[CROWD CHEERING]

GIRL: Wash your car, mister?

Wash your car, mister?

MAN: How you gonna hibernate like that old bear?

MAN 2: Baby, baby.

[GOSPEL MUSIC PLAYING]

PREACHER: That's why the man's down on you.

Bam. Bam.

MAN: You want to know what they think of you?

Just turn on your TV.

You're nothing but a bunch of ignorant clowns.

RICHARD J. DALEY: The policeman isn't there to create disorder.

The policeman is there to preserve disorder.

[DOGS BARKING, SIRENS WAILING]

MAN: The police aren't here to protect and serve.

They're here to patrol and control.

WOMAN: Are you anti-cop, or anti-white?

MAN: No, no, no.

We are anti-oppression.

You can't fight racism with racism.

RICHARD NIXON: To defend the freedom in Vietnam.

JOHN F. KENNEDY: Ask not...

[HELICOPTER WHIRRING]

what your country can do for you.

Ask what you can do for your country.

CROWD: Justice is blind!

MELVIN: I'd been expecting him.

I knew he'd show up sooner or later.

You're out of your fucking mind,

you know that?

You in or out?

[CHUCKLES]

Finished.

Only one thing left.

I'd need bread.

Money.

[TELEPHONE RINGING]

Mel?

After two weeks you finally decide to pick up.

I've been to the gold mine, man.

I struck the mother lode.

Mel. Mel, don't-- don't mess with me.

Do you have any idea what's going on?

They're gonna back-burner the three picture deal, Mel.

Now, yesterday they wanted to do it.

I'm meeting these executives

in less than an hour.

A brother, a street brother, turns revolutionary.

Okay, good. So wait.

The hero is him or the brother.

Mel, listen.

He's the wrong nigger to fuck with.

The cops fuck with him, and he whoops some ass.

The man comes after him,

full force--

Helicopter, cars, everything,

and he gets away.

Why are the cops after him if he's the good guy?

Because they're dirty cops, man. They're racist.

They're crooked cops.

Listen, Mel.

Here's what you're gonna do.

You're gonna meet me on the lot in an hour,

and wear a suit, please.

And Mel,

even Cagney didn't get away

with killing cops, right--

dirty or otherwise.

Oh.

[CHUCKLES]

DIRECTOR: And we're cut.

[BELL RINGS]

All right. Oh, these bags are heavy.

MELVIN: I'm tired of this shit.

HOWIE: Oh, come on,

he's making money, and he's funny.

Come on. Don't be so touchy.

It's a Western. Everybody loves a Western.

You know what? Speaking of Westerns--

This idea I got is kind of like a--

like a ghetto Western.

In fact... Ghetto western?

the brother even wears, like,

a black kind of cowboy hat...

And dig this, man, at the end of the movie.

When he gets away,

words come blazing across the screen.

Badass niggas gonna come back

and collect some dues.

Have you lost your mind? Are you taking drugs now?

Listen to me. Listen to me. Melvin, listen to me.

On Watermelon Man,

your white lead is supposed to wake up

from this nightmare where he's a black guy

and turns back into being white again,

and you said, "No, no,

being black is not a nightmare,"

and you didn't shoot the ending the studio wanted.

Who backed you 100 percent?

So why are you doing this to me?

I can't take this kind of inflammatory shit.

To a major studio,

nobody legitimate is gonna touch Baadasssss.

No one!

You know how hard we worked to get here?

Melvin, just do the fucking comedy, okay?

[VOICES MURMURING]

All right. They're-- They're coming.

Do you know what this is?

You're terrified you're gonna fail,

so you're failing yourself.

Nothing to it being black or blue or green.

You hear me? It's self-destruction.

Hey. Marty.

[CHUCKLES]

Allen. How you doing?

Good to see you.

So, listen, you know...

I was-- I was--

Melvin. Wa--

He's in a world of his own.

Melvin.

What is this,

some kind of personal crusade,

or are you really gonna make a movie?

MELVIN: I'm making a movie, motherfucker.

Yeah?

First black power film.

Yeah, what about people power, man?

No, you people got the power.

All you gotta do is get yourself a haircut.

You join the establishment any time you want.

And you are black forever.

Dig it.

Mm-hmm. I hear that.

You just gotta remember the golden rule--

He who has the gold makes the rules.

[LAUGHS]

Now, if the studio gives you money,

they're gonna want control.

That's true.

Nothing truly revolutionary

is gonna come from the studio machine.

Independent money.

That's the answer, independent financing.

Yes.

That's exactly what I'm talking about,

a group of radical young filmmakers

collaborating, man.

It makes this easier for us

to float a loan from the money guy.

You know what I'm talking about?

Diversify our resources, right?

We get a warehouse, a working space,

share equipment, right?

A living space...

Bill, that's more of this hippie commune shit.

That's never gonna fly, man.

Fuck you, man.

It's hurts my feelings calling me a hippie.

Why you wanna do that?

Look, man, I got film experience.

You gotta let me produce.

You can't even balance your own checkbook.

I got resources, man,

economic resources.

I got people lined up ready to invest their money

in something real.

You help me raise the money?

You call yourself whatever you want.

Producer, produced by Bill Harris.

Executive producer.

[BOTH LAUGH]

Oh, another thing.

I want this motherfucker to be a living work share.

I want 50 percent of the people on the crew

to be getting experience, to be third world folks.

Unions are lily white.

They'll never go for it.

Fuck 'em.

[**]

MELVIN: Bill was right.

The unions were lily white.

Even if I could afford their rates,

they'd never let me have a 50 percent minority crew.

WOMAN: Whoo, whoo. Whoa, whoa.

Hey!

You look like you got a sweet, sweet back.

Won't you come party with Delicious for a while.

No, no, y'all are too much for me.

Oh, come on, now. I can make you say mm-hmm.

I bet you could, girl.

Well, that's a shame.

[SIGHS]

[MOANING]

MELVIN: The answer was so obvious

I didn't see it at first.

The unions don't bother with smut films.

They consider pornos beneath their dignity.

I tell everyone I was making black beaver flick.

Maybe they'd leave me the hell alone.

One name kept coming up

in the production credits...

Clyde Houston.

[MOANING]

[MOANING CONTINUES]

Can I get a little bit more emotion,

Brenda?

You have to fuck me for that.

More of the same then.

That's perfect.

[MOANING]

Melvin Van Peebles.

I'm putting together a feature.

I saw your credit on "Lily White."

Oh, yeah, man. I got your message. I'm in.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Don't you wanna know what it's about?

Do they wear clothes?

Yeah.

Well, like I said, I'm in.

One more time from the top, please.

[MOANING]

MELVIN: Hey, Bill.

Go get it!

Hey, Nixon.

Nixon. Hey, baby, look at that.

Nixon loves you, baby.

Howdy.

All right.

Here we go.

So this guy used to be an actor.

Used to be in all these black and white westerns.

You probably recognize him.

He's got real money?

Real money, my friend.

He's already financed

a couple of independent films in Europe,

and he's ready to break big state side, huh?

Okay.

Ostentatious big white house on the left.

Go ahead. Go on, man.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, you're not coming?

Oh, no, no, no, man.

He just wants to meet one on one, you know?

Artist to artist, all right?

Go get it.

Okay. What's this?

Oh, man.

My favorite fucking danishes, man.

What's this for?

For being your friend, you crazy motherfucker.

Ow, you are my friend!

[LAUGHS]

Mr. Van Peebles, howdy, howdy.

What'll it be? Name your poison.

Beer's cool.

MELVIN: Aside from the tan,

this guy seemed pretty genuine for Hollywood standards.

My contacts at the studio said

that you can be

a real stubborn pain in the ass.

They used to say the same thing about me.

I like that. It means you're different.

Different threatens them.

Now tell me about that movie you wanna make.

This is a movie about modern-day colonialism,

about a brother...

He was a no bullshit guy.

No lackey.

No chicks hanging around the pool

for him to impress.

Just straight to the point.

Strong.

Insightful.

Very powerful.

Who's playing the lead?

I don't know yet.

It should be you.

I'm the writer. I'm the director--

No, you've been living it.

You have the passion for it, don't you?

Yeah.

Trust me.

I have the eye. Be honest.

You're beautiful,

sleek, strong...

You're not afraid to be different.

You're not afraid to be

who you really are, are you?

How well I know what that is.

How about a little dippety-doo?

Come on, sexy mon.

Oh, Melvin.

Hey, how'd it go, man?

Give me my motherfucking danishes.

Hollywood's a close-knit community.

It's easy to make friends, and it's easy to make enemies.

The friends you don't normally keep,

but the enemies, you do.

If you wanna be a part of the stew,

you really don't want to stir things up,

or you may find yourself in the fire, baby.

MGM, Paramount--

They're all losing money. They're all in the toilet.

MGM's selling off its back lot.

It's selling--

It's selling Dorothy's red shoes,

for God's sake...

and he's making them nervous with this kind of material.

RADIO ANNOUNCER: The Chicago Seven trial

has finally come to an end.

Black Panther Bobby Seale,

one of the original defendants...

[RADIO SHUTS OFF]

Mom?

Mom, where are the kids?

Oh, Rochester,

see that Mr. Kern has some coffee, please.

Yassir.

Mom.

MAN: Get 'em all.

Get 'em all.

Always do a good job.

You crumb-crushers ready?

Get your bathing suits. Let's hit it.

Hey, Dad.

I'm teaching the boy about work.

Man's gotta know how to make a living.

You look tired.

Need anything?

No, I'm fine.

What about you, Dad?

WOMAN: Peebles.

Peebles!

Guess I better be going.

You know how your mother is.

Melvin, what happened to your motorcycle?

I bought a car for today. Get in.

[ENGINE STARTS]

I want you start calling me Dad.

Answer me when I talk to you.

Mom lets us call her Maria.

It's less confusing

when everyone's calling off for their mother.

I'm not your mother. I'm your father.

But while you're here,

you do what the fuck I say.

Am I clear?

Yes, Dad.

Okay.

All right.

* Doo-dee-doo-dee-dee *

Sing it for me. Be my piano.

CHILDREN: * Doo-dee-doo-dee-dee *

Louder.

* Doo-dee-doo-dee-dee *

Louder.

* You bled my mama *

* Doo-dee-doo-dee-dee *

* You bled my papa *

* Doo-dee-doo-dee-dee *

You won't bleed me! Again, louder!

Mel, welcome. How you doing?

Good, how you doing?

Doing great. This is my wife, Jennifer.

Hi, Jennifer.

That there's Josh and Tracey.

These are my kids, Mario and Megan.

Oh, good thing you brought along your bathing suits, kids.

Why don't you take a dip

while your dad and I talk shop, huh?

Go on.

Jen, go and get Mel something to eat.

You want a drink?

Sure, water's good.

All right. Help yourself.

So, um...

I hear great things from Bill Harris

about your project.

Real radical stuff, huh?

Well, the truth is always radical

when it's told by the oppressed, right?

Whatever. I make movies.

Hey, Dad, come on. Can we climb the rope?

Well, that's just something I do

to keep in shape.

[GRUNTING]

Come on, Dad.

You can do it.

[HOLLERING LIKE TARZAN]

[LAUGHS]

That is not easy.

Congratulations.

You try it.

Huh?

No, it took me almost a year

before I could get to the top.

You gotta be in great shape.

You don't wanna embarrass yourself.

MEGAN: Please?

You can do it.

You know what? Not today, kids.

Your dad's tired.

Hey, I think we got some cake in the house.

Who wants cake?

I do. I do. I do.

Let's go.

Come on.

Please?

Dad?

MELVIN: I should have known better

than to make that climb,

considering black folk's history with ropes.

I gotta be the first nigga in history

that hung himself.

[**]

Man, all right. You made it.

Hey, you're not so mad, are you?

All right, man, who's your friend?

He is in here, man.

He is ready for you, my friend.

Everybody is flying high. Come on in.

Hey, Moonbeam...

Ginnie, this is Melvin.

Moonbeam is pure love, man.

This is Ginnie. She's from--

Where you from? Where you from, baby?

Alabama.

BILL: Alabama.

[BILL LAUGHS]

Bill, Bill, Bill, Bill...

Where's the money guy, man?

He's here, man.

He's for real,

and he's ready to do some serious business, man.

Well, let's go meet--

Let's go meet this guy, man. Come on.

[DISTORTED SPEECH]

MELVIN: This time, the brother gets away and at the end...

[ECHOING] Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song.

Far out.

Donovan, what do you think, man?

Well, everybody needs someone to love, right,

and I got one question for you,

my brother.

For the collective conscience

of the universe be expanded

after people see this flick,

and I'm not talking individuals here.

I'm talking about the whole fucking universe,

moving ahead in time,

not horizontally, man.

Vertically, you know, a jump.

You know what I mean? A real jump.

Is that what we got here?

Abso-fucking-lutely, man.

All right.

How do I know they're not narcs?

They're not narcs.

One minute, gentlemen. Come here.

How do I know they're real, man?

How do I know they're fucking real, man?

He's for real.

He wants to be a producer, man.

It's all good.

Oh... hello.

He wants to be loved,

but he'll settle for attention.

Bill...

this guy's got real money, right?

It's for real.

Relax, man.

You're the serious one.

Intense.

He's--

Ahh...

He'll do it.

Here's the conditions.

My client is a silent partner.

His name does not appear anywhere.

All negotiations will be with my firm

with all legal fees added to the budget.

This is the deal...

MELVIN: Bottom-feeders always do that,

especially bottom-feeding attorneys,

inserting themselves and their fees into the deal...

but fuck it, man,

if this was real, we were a gold movie,

a green light.

Hey, Melvin. Have a wonderful evening.

What did I say, man?

It's real.

[ALL LAUGHING]

Whoo!

Yeah... whoo!

* You bled my momma *

* You bled my poppa *

* Won't bleed me *

* Won't bleed me *

* You bled my momma *

* You bled my poppa... *

Oh, man.

You chewed this motherfucker to death.

Bill. Hmm?

You know what I'm thinking?

When Sweetback's in the desert.

He hears the voice of angels.

But he doesn't see them.

No, he just hears them, man.

Like the ghetto choir.

Like voices of the disenfranchised.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Oh, hello.

Good morning. Upsy-daisy.

Fantastic.

Right.

You know, I like it. I like it.

It's surreal. You know, it takes it all

to a whole other dimension, right?

That's good. It's operatic.

And then you superimposition

for when he's running...

through the ghetto, urban decay.

Right. Huh?

Right. I see it. Oh, hi.

[SIGHS]

Rise and shine.

Morning.

Hey.

This could-- Whoa. Where am I going--

Okay, whoa!

[MOANING]

Another thing-- You listening to me?

[MUFFLED] Mmm?

Check it out. The music on this motherfucker, right?

It's got to drive. It's got to be up front, man.

Who is that bitch?

Who is that bitch?

Priscilla...

Don't Priscilla me. Bill?

[DOG WHIMPERS]

Wait, and you got a dog too,

you nasty, sick motherfucker.

What the fuck you looking at?

I don't believe this shit, Melvin.

What about Melvin Jr.?

What about our baby, Melvin? How could you--

[DOG BARKS]

You know what?

I want a divorce

because you're killing me.

You're killing me.

It's over. Over!

[SOBBING]

You married?

Oh, no, no, no, no, man. That's his secretary.

See, she does this whole audition thing.

[**]

[MOANING]

MAN: Aw, yeah.

Let's cut.

The gaffer needs another shorty.

MAN: Anybody have another towel, please?

MELVIN: Clyde introduced me to his cameraman, Bob Maxwell.

Bob Maxwell...

His wife, Nora, did makeup.

There's a saying in the business--

If you can make an ass look good,

then faces were a snap.

It was like there was a whole non-union movie industry

in existence right then,

and I knew every one of them motherfuckers.

Imagine the kind of opportunity that he's lost,

and he had such a chance to be

such a credit to his people.

How many Negro directors were there altogether?

Gordon Parks, there's Ossie Davis...

and Melvin.

CLYDE: Mel, we don't have a permit for any of this

so we got to shoot it and get up out of here.

Ahh, we gonna steal this shit.

Priscilla, don't write the location down

until we all agree on it,

and those pads ain't cheap.

Use a pencil next time.

Hey, girl, put some clothes on.

This ain't soul train. Come on, now.

[DOG GROWLS]

Ew!

Bill, get this mangy mutt off of me, please.

Oh, come on, Nixon.

He just can't resist you.

You look like a lemon Popsicle, girl.

All through here.

Oh, this is great shit.

And I can sing, dance, model, and act too,

so tell that controlling Leo motherfucker over there

to put me in his damn movie.

Hey, Bill.

MELVIN: Jump over the water

and run down here, man.

It's too fucking steep.

Hey, man. This is art, baby.

CLYDE: You can do it.

Okay. Hold this.

Whoa!

MELVIN: Come on, feet!

Cruise with me!

MAN: Come on, Max.

Come on, run.

Come on, Bill.

Whoa!

Oh, shit. Oh, sh... it.

CLYDE: You know we're gonna need a stunt man

when we shoot this.

Oh, yeah.

Sweetback is still alive!

Priscilla, make a note

I want some dogs at the end to chase the brothers.

Three dogs, bloodhounds.

We'll get some modern runaway slave imagery

with these dogs, man.

And I can save us some time and money

if we shoot this hand-held.

A little edge.

Edge? Shit, this motherfucker is gonna be nothing but edge.

Ghetto realism like folks ain't never seen.

Right on, baby.

Don't you know what I'm saying?

I mean, look at this, man.

This is beautiful. Look at that.

[STUTTERING] Back the fuck up...

bitch.

Pigs ain't got nothing on me.

Okay, again. Contain the hostility more.

B-b...

Back the fuck up, b-bitch.

Pigs ain't got nothing on me.

Thank you, brother.

[STUTTERING] Yeah, nigga.

Well, he didn't exactly take direction, now, did he?

He's not the lead.

I mean, he's not even SAG.

The guy can't talk. Doesn't that bother anybody?

I like his fucked-up speech. It's real.

Make a note. Let's put him somewhere, Priscilla.

Shit, I'm better than half these motherfuckers anyway.

Next.

All right, brother. Sit down right there.

Action.

MELVIN: Finding the lead

was turning out to be problematic.

Sweetback would only have six lines

in the whole movie.

Those with the grit didn't have the technique,

and those with the technique wanted more lines.

MELVIN: Hey, crumb-crusher.

Huh?

Come here.

Why don't you have lunch with your old man, huh?

You're going to go see Howie, remember?

MELVIN: Howie was probably hoping

I'd come to my senses.

His wife, Roz, was taking Mario for the day.

We were gonna be shooting in some rough-ass places,

so we'd need some ghetto muscle.

[DISTANT VOICES]

Hello?

Hey!

[SQUISHES]

Talking about education, protesting, organizing,

and getting the man's foot out of they ass.

See, now, you're a problem.

Hello?

You mean you're anti-white?

We're anti-oppression.

You can't fight racism with racism.

What, niggas talking revolution

is crossing the color line?

Hell, no.

[DOG BARKING]

No more Mr. Nice Guy.

The man takes off the old sheets

and picks up the badge and the gun

to protect and serve.

To patrol and control.

Hello.

Will justice prevail

or will it just be us in jail?

Shit.

That's right, brother.

From shackles to cuffs,

he still got his foot in yo' ass.

One size fits all, nigga.

One size fits all, nigga.

One size fits all...

One size fits all, nigga.

[SNARLING]

T.J., down, boy.

T.J.'s the alpha male.

They do what he do.

Last motherfucker broke in here,

they tore his arm off.

[BARKING]

That pipe wouldn't have helped.

[PIPE CLANGS]

You eat pig?

Yeah.

Pig's bad for you.

This here's smoked turkey.

Taste better than pig.

Howard, you spent six months in film school,

so are you going to be

in the smoked meat business

or are you going to be in the movie business?

MELVIN: Besides security,

T could double as the boom man for the sound guy.

Only drawback,

he didn't know shit about recording sound.

Check it out.

What?

Honey.

Melvin, it's Mario on the phone.

He's going to be a little late.

MELVIN: Tell him to get his ass on home.

Okay. Hey.

Your dad is busy right now, honey.

You better come on home.

[CLANGING]

All right.

First thing you need to know about movie making--

when the director says listen up,

you listen the fuck up,

okay?

We start shooting in three days.

This is a family affair.

This is Bob and his lovely wife, Nora.

Nora does makeup.

Bob is our cinematographer.

We'll have two cameras working,

so we also have, from New York,

Black Latino Filmmaker's Coalition,

Jos� Garcia.

Que vivo Puerto Rico libre.

Exactly.

All right.

On script, we got Randy over here,

and our genius of sound is Tommy,

backed up by Big T,

who'll also be heading up security.

Oh, no, no, man.

Hey, hey.

Why do I got to answer to a white man

on a movie about a brother finally breaking the chains,

you dig?

We been answering to whitey for 400 years, blood.

Well, T, now, hold up.

Tommy here is risking his career

to be here.

He's one of the few motherfuckers here

who really knows what he's doing,

so why don't you do yourself a favor?

You'll learn something. Listen to this man.

When your big ass

has been listening to whitey

for 400 years,

another month won't hurt.

All right, last but not least,

right here,

my foxy production secretary

and star of the first day of shooting

of Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song,

Priscilla.

[SQUEALS]

That's right.

Listen up. The speech. Come here, baby.

Look around you.

No crew has ever looked like this.

We're not supposed to get along,

let alone be able to make a movie together, okay?

Once we get started, there's no quitting,

so anybody want out, hit the door now.

I'm sorry.

It's all right. Anybody else?

Ah, Mr. Harris.

We'll have none of this WPT,

Mr. Harris.

BIG T: What's WPT?

White People Time, T.

[SCATTERED LAUGHTER]

We have to talk.

All right.

Let's do it. Let's make a movie.

Yeah!

Hey, Melvin.

The script guy,

he says you only got a 65-minute movie here.

[TELEPHONE RINGING]

Listen, I know what I got.

Let him keep track of the shots, okay?

I got it in my head. Cool?

Don't worry about it. Don't worry.

Hey, Melvin. It's Clyde.

He's got to talk to you.

We got to talk now.

All right, well, find out what he wants, okay?

Hey, Clyde.

He got arrested.

Who? Donovan.

Our financing man.

Motherfucker. What for?

What about that attorney?

We had a deal.

Yeah, let's just say that, uh...

the financing for this film has been put on the back burner

for the foreseeable future,

like the next five to 10 years, man.

[SIGHS]

You got to go in there.

You got to cancel.

Fuck it. I'll use my own bread.

Oh, no, no, no, man.

Nobody uses their own money to finance a movie, man.

What if the movie's a bomb

or you spend your money on it

and you can't get a distributor--?

I can raise $72,450.

Make that $72,000--

I haven't paid next month's rent--

but that's enough to get the train rolling.

I get the train rolling,

investors are going to see we got something good

and they're going to jump on board.

And what if they don't, man?

That $72,000's not going to get you through pre-production--

Bill, do you have money for me?

Melvin, we got a problem.

Yeah?

They're asking

for one week's payroll up front.

Well, I ain't got that kind of bread, Clyde.

Fuck it.

SAG is...

We can't use any SAG actors.

What?

Shit, we shoot in three days.

We're going to have to postpone, right?

We start shooting May 11 as planned.

Everybody got that?

Everybody got that?

Yeah. Right.

All right, get back to work.

We'll recast.

Shit.

[DOOR SLAMS]

Who's going to play Sweetback?

I was starting to believe my own bullshit.

Chomping on an unlit cigar...

Hey, Mel.

[STRAINING] Come on.

Ta-da.

[LAUGHS]

Howie says hello.

You've got a great kid here.

[HORN HONKS]

What you got there?

Miss Kaufman bought it for me.

I didn't ask for it.

Tomorrow you bring it back.

Bring it back?

You losing your hearing?

When I want a favor from Howie,

I'll call it in, okay?

You don't let people use you to get to me.

What people?

Get in the house.

CLYDE: Melvin had not submitted the proper paperwork

to the Screen Actors Guild.

I think when you've heard Mel all of your life,

you just don't listen anymore.

Who had to go down there and sort everything out?

Mr. Clyde.

Of course, you don't hear about that.

We were following him, you know?

He was our leader,

so if he was crazy, we were fucking lunatics.

I just looked around and I knew we were in trouble.

MELVIN: In L.A.,

you can't even see the stars at night.

It's not the city lights. It's the smog.

Shut the fuck up, man. I'm trying to calculate.

What're you trying to calculate?

You ain't got shit.

You ain't even got your lead.

No, no, I'll play the lead.

I'll play Sweetback.

Fuck it. I know the lines.

I'm not union, right?

I'm not taking a salary.

Fool, ain't nobody investing in this shit.

I'll cut more days out of the schedule.

Hey, look,

it'll take 40 days to make a studio movie.

You settle for 27.

Then you cut it down to 24, minimum.

Now what?

20.

20 with some ragtag crew that don't know shit?

Man, you're about to lose every fucking thing.

Kids' college funds, all of it.

Just get the fuck off my roof.

Look around you, man.

Every fucking sign is saying, "Don't do this."

You're about to be a Hollywood joke.

Go back to the studio. Do a comedy.

Do whatever.

Do it with their money.

Make a real movie.

Get the fuck off my roof!

Get the fuck off my roof.

Get the fuck off my roof, you hear me?

Melvin, who are you talking to?

Running lines.

Been a long fucking time since I acted.

Um, I'm sorry to bother you,

but I need to talk to you about something--

Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on, now.

Is this something negative?

Because if it's negative,

I can't even deal with it right now.

I'm a broke, pissed-off nigga from Chicago, Priscilla,

and I'm down to my last cigar, okay?

Don't leave.

Chill.

About...

About tomorrow...

I can't be in the movie.

What?

My boyfriend doesn't...

think I should do it.

Hold up. Hold up.

I thought you discussed this with the boyfriend.

I did,

but not about all the sexy stuff exactly.

Well, we're making a sexy fucking movie, right?

Now, I've been straight about that

from the get-go.

I know.

I'm sorry.

Tomorrow's our first day of shooting.

With all the other shit

I got coming down on my head right now,

you're fucking sorry?

I'll leave production if you want me to.

Leave production?

Are you crazy?

That's your final decision?

You can't? Okay.

You know what you fucking need to do?

You need to get off my fucking roof

before I throw you off this motherfucker,

all right?

Get the fuck out of here!

[SIREN WAILING]

I'm trying to do something,

and sorry motherfuckers come along

and sorry your ass to death.

[TELEPHONE RINGING]

Hello?

Hey, Ginnie, it's Mel.

Who?

Melvin.

Bill's friend.

[LAUGHS] Oh, yeah.

What do you want?

How about a date?

So you're asking me out?

Yeah, why the fuck not?

Hmm.

Why not?

Great.

It's going to be special, though.

I want you to meet me at 52730 Alameda

tomorrow morning,

7:00 a.m.

A.m.? Man, shit, you're tripping.

Wait, wait, wait,

now, this is going to be special.

I told you, you're never going to forget it,

and don't go getting shy on me, girl.

Going to be a couple of people watching.

Now, see, now, I knew you was a real kinky motherfucker...

So, are we on?

Yeah, we're on.

All right.

Tomorrow morning. Don't be late.

[**]

Clyde, Clyde, come here.

Melvin going to use his own dad for this scene?

Yeah, well, we ain't got enough actors,

and Melvin's dad'll do it for free, you dig?

But that's Melvin.

He told me to get a dildo. What's a dildo?

Thomas. Thomas.

Why are you doing this movie, man?

You want to see how the other half lives, huh?

Hey, look, there's your fairy godmother.

[HUMMING]

Melvin, Melvin,

we got to start shooting, man,

before the husband comes home

and kicks us the hell out of here.

Where's Ginnie, man?

Come on.

I was shooting our sexiest scene up first

so if the union showed,

they'd be convinced we were doing a black porno.

The problem was,

my date, Ginnie, got the same impression.

Oh, fuck you, nigger!

I don't do this kind of shit!

No, no, listen, I want you to be--

Bill Harris, get your sorry motherfucking ass

over here.

Sister--

Look, no, no. Your sorry-ass friend

wants me to be in his fucking porno.

Did you know about this? Give me my goddamn hat.

Okay, okay.

It's not a porno, Ginnie, I swear.

Okay, here we go.

It's not a porno. It's a social statement.

Tell her, Mel.

A social statement?

I'll should whoop both your fucking asses.

I'm out of here.

No, no, no, wait. Sister...

Listen, listen, listen, listen.

We have been marginalized sexually

for years.

We've been Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben.

We've never had a Marilyn Monroe,

never had our own Mae West.

This thing is going to be breaking all the taboos.

It's about getting the man's foot out yo' ass.

Exactly. This could be totally revolutionary.

Ginnie was at least listening now.

I rapped on

about this being the opportunity of a lifetime

for her to be the first soul sister sex goddess.

That was the clincher.

Revolutionary or not, I still need to get paid.

Plus, the couple of emergency Benjamins

I laid on her

didn't hurt.

Don't fuck with me.

We're on the camera.

Okay, let's get her dressed.

I want to shoot right now.

Mel, let me handle this.

It's going to be out of sight, baby.

Talk to me, Bob.

I am the producer.

Speed.

[CAMERA WHIRRING]

[**]

And... action.

[HOOTING AND CHEERING]

* ...With the rising tide *

Bet you ain't never seen no shit like this before.

[**]

* I can hardly wait To feel your lovin' *

[HOOTING]

You all right?

Uh, yeah, yeah, I've got a heart thing.

It's no big deal.

* I want you up and down *

Does someone else have a sweet back?

* Beautiful chocolate brown *

What are they watching?

Some kind of... black porn thing.

I don't know.

She's hot, right?

[CHUCKLES]

Let's go.

MELVIN: The union seemed to buy our little porno scam.

We were on our way.

[MUSIC FADES]

Yeah.

You dig that sound?

Yeah, the sound of your jaw dropping.

Brother, good work.

Man, it was great.

Great first assembly.

Hey, Cosby, man.

Say, hey,

when you going to light that cigar, man?

When I can afford to buy me another one.

Oh, please, please.

Listen, I heard about the three-picture deal, man.

Listen, listen,

I'm doing an independent right now.

We just had our first day of dailies.

Powerful shit. You got a second?

I'll string them up for you right now.

Excuse me, Mr. Cosby.

We've really got to get to the airport.

I got to take care of some business.

Check this out.

They get three strikes, we only get one.

You sure you know what you're getting into

with this whole independent stuff?

Bill, we've got to go.

Hey, listen, I'll call you, okay?

Number's still the same?

Listen, you're looking good too.

Keep on doing what you're doing.

Hey, man...

[MOTORCYCLE RUMBLING]

[GENERATOR CLICKS]

[GROANING]

Shit.

Someone get a flashlight.

Melvin, we lost the generator again.

I see that shit, Clyde.

Reroute the cables, get that motherfucker back on.

Clyde made another one of his cut-rate deals

on a generator.

You get what you pay for.

Bill. Okay.

Huh? All right.

Miss Bourgie is here with the kids.

All right, listen,

we got to cut another day out of the schedule, man.

No way, man.

The schedule's too tight already.

What about all those investors

that were jumping on the train?

You got 10 grand to loan me, huh?

That'll buy me another day, baby.

It is what it is.

What?

We're low on bread,

but you're not really going to use your own son

in that scene, are you?

Everybody's somebody's son.

Why would I not use my own kid if I'd use somebody else's, huh?

Have Nora meet me on the set with hair and makeup right now.

Bill, hold this.

Hold this.

Melvin, listen.

I know it's none of my business,

but you can't be doing this to your own--

The other generator's up. Come on.

Let's go on the other set.

Come on, Bill.

This kid's got an eye.

See, your father's too cheap

to use 35 millimeter film.

That's why we're shooting 16.

You don't need to shoot 35 all the time.

It depends on the shot.

T, that's not a toy.

The sound department.

You're the boss.

All right. You crumb crushers

are going to be in the movie.

All right.

You're going to blow up a cop car,

and you're going to help Sweetback escape.

Do I get to wear makeup?

Pretty little girls do not need to wear makeup.

You. You a good actor?

Yeah.

You are?

Yeah.

Good,

because I got another role for you.

I get to play two roles?

That's right.

I'm going to open the movie

with you playing Sweetback losing his cherry.

Having sex for the first time. Nora, take a look at his 'fro.

What'll I be wearing?

Nothing. It's a sex scene.

Cut this all real short

and then cut some bald patches in it.

Melvin, we need you.

I got to cut my 'fro?

Yeah.

You're a malnutritioned street kid.

It's the Depression era, okay?

Put some makeup on the bald patches.

Make it look like ringworm. What? What?

We got a problem with the actor...

What the hell's holding us up?

Bob. Camera's ready.

Let's do it.

Roll sound.

Rolling.

Speed.

Slate. Camera set.

And... action.

I have not seen Sweetback.

Cut.

What the fuck happened to his stutter?

He took speech lessons.

That's what I was trying to tell you.

He's got a piece.

All right, brother, look,

I need to have that piece, man.

Well, I-I thought there might be some trouble.

What the f-fuck you doing?

Good, back to the mic.

That's it. Again.

Fuck you.

G-give me my g-gun.

Right here. Right here.

The line. The line.

Action.

S-Sweetback ain't here, m-motherfucker.

Pissed off. Go ahead. Again.

S-Sweetback ain't here, m-motherfucker.

Perfect. Bob?

Got it.

Perfect. Beautiful. Beautiful.

Priscilla, put this somewhere safe.

All right. Next set. Let's go.

Uh, Melvin, can I speak to you for a minute?

All right, the script supervisor

says we need to shoot the reverse.

No, I got the whole thing edited in my head.

I know just what I need here, Clyde, okay?

Melvin. What?

He said it's not going to cut

unless we get the reverse.

All right, I'll handle this.

You, Script, come over here.

Come over here.

Tell you what. Give me this right here.

Here, okay.

Now, you are getting a promotion.

You're going to be an actor.

I want you to stand right over there

in that light.

Go ahead. In the light.

Everybody,

I'm doing the fucking script now, okay?

Next set. Let's go.

MELVIN: The scene with the dirty cops

was the one that divided the crew.

He doesn't look very tough to me.

Does he look tough to you?

Nah.

Don't look too tough.

Don't mark his face.

Hey, Sweetback.

I'm sorry, man.

I forgot you two were attached together.

Let's see if we can get...

MELVIN: White folks

would never experience racial brutality.

Couldn't really believe that a double standard existed

for minorities.

Stay home at night, you wouldn't...

Black folks,

who had lived it,

were more than ready to see someone

stand up against racism...

Fuck the pigs up!

even when it hid behind a badge.

Help the brother out, Sweetback.

BIG T: Got a new thing right there.

Come on, Sweetback.

Fuck him up. Right on, Sweetback.

Yeah.

It's about time.

Never seen nothing like this.

Thanks, man.

GINNIE: Righteous.

He's just a child.

Huh?

Mario.

He's barely 13, Melvin.

When I was 8, I was already working the cash register

at my dad's tailor shop.

He gave me old clothes to sell.

Old reject shit that folks left behind.

Here comes this skinny little kid

with a wagonload full of shitty clothes.

[ECHOING] Boy, you got to work often,

and that's only the beginning.

You think I liked that?

Hmm?

You think I even liked my dad back then?

I got my ass whooped damn near every day,

and every day,

Daddy sent me right back on the streets,

selling them old, fucked up clothes,

until I learned

how to give the gangsters some free shit

to protect me from those bullies

while I sold those clothes

to the winos and the junkies.

My dad had taught me how to survive,

how to hustle.

I'm not in the tailor business anymore.

I'm in the movie business.

My kids want to be in this shit, hey.

It is what it is.

I just think he's ready to go home

and be with his mama.

No shit.

Shit.

We don't always get what we want,

do we?

What if his friends see the movie?

He's going to be embarrassed.

Fuck his friends.

His friends ain't paying college.

[SIGHS]

Well, at least let him keep his afro.

That wig lady thinks she can make him a skin wig.

It'll look natural.

It'll be perfect.

Of course she does, and a skin wig costs money.

I don't have the bread to pamper him,

or you,

or any other motherfucker,

and if I did,

I'd fix the focus on B Camera first

and I'd buy more film.

Mario can grow more hair later.

I can't grow more film.

Melvin, listen to yourself.

You're cutting the boy's hair off

and you're forcing him

to be in a sex scene.

It's not real. It's acting.

He wants to act.

He's in a motherfucking movie.

He should be happy.

What?

He's tough. He's resilient.

He's an ambitious little motherfucker.

He can handle it.

What if he can't handle it?

Are you going to risk fucking up his childhood

just because yours was fucked up?

You want to turn him into some macho stud man

like you think you're supposed to be?

I'm going to split.

I'm out.

Of course you are.

You got to go screw everything that moves?

That's what this shit is about? Huh?

Me and chicks?

No, it's not about you and your chicks.

It's about you not respecting anyone.

Not even your own son.

You know what you are?

You're a nice sister

who has no idea what it's like

on the other side of the tracks.

None. And maybe you don't respect the fact

that I know my own kid better than he knows himself.

I know what the fuck I'm doing

and he can handle it.

He can handle it.

Why don't you ask Bill,

or Clyde,

or that crazy-ass assistant of yours,

Priscilla?

If they ain't too scared to tell you the truth.

My grandmother used to call it, uh...

listening with half an ear.

Dig?

Well, Melvin,

he'll listen with, like, a third of an ear.

It was Melvin.

His kids.

His dad.

A family affair.

And we were all a part of it.

We all had a role to play in it, like it or not.

Black man's got to work twice as hard to get hits.

That's what I'm talking about.

Can't be afraid of hard work.

I wasn't hard on the boy.

That's a fact.

[**]

How much?

Short answer's all I could get for 50 bucks.

Fucking actors kept dropping lines.

Eight fucking takes.

You got to buy enough film, man.

Well, film costs money.

So does down-time, Clyde.

Every minute that crew's sitting on their ass,

that's costing us.

Just get what you need.

With what?

How the fuck was I supposed to know

the bitch wouldn't know her damn lines?

Why aren't we shooting?

Camera's reloading, chief.

How long's he been waiting?

Too long.

Quiet on the set.

Quiet on the set.

Roll sound.

Rolling!

Speed.

A Camera.

A Camera's rolling.

B Camera.

B Camera ready.

And... action.

Little smile, ladies.

Looking at me right here.

At me, me, me.

And good and cut.

You're up next, little man.

Time to get ready.

JOSE: Hey, Clyde, uh, what time tomorrow?

Can you wait for the call sheets?

I got to go to court.

Jos�, you're killing me. All right?

MELVIN: Show me the sides.

There, right above the ear.

See that, Nora?

Smooth that down.

Yeah, we can see.

Cover it with makeup.

I think it'll work fine.

I didn't ask you what you think, Clyde.

All right, let's do it.

We got a movie to shoot.

Scene two, opening sequence.

Young Sweetback loses his virginity.

Thank you for letting him wear the skin wig

and not cutting his hair off.

Oh, that's just the way

things worked out this time.

We've still got a scene to shoot.

Am I going to see you later?

I don't know.

I don't think so.

Suit yourself.

Megan wants to go shopping with me.

Don't buy her anything you can't afford,

because I ain't paying it back.

[LAUGHS]

Bye, Melvin.

Come on, baby.

Hey, uh, I'm going to pick a second meal, man.

What should I get?

Something cheap. Real cheap.

Want some licorice?

Nora, can I see you here?

Hey, little man.

Come here.

Get these clothes off.

[LAUGHING] Damn.

Unbutton it.

Don't worry, sugar.

You ain't getting your picture taken.

Come on.

Move.

Yeah.

That's it.

[LAUGHS]

Damn, man, I wish that shit was me.

I didn't get my dick wet till I was 18

and she was double bag ugly.

Well...

Uh, darling,

we're going to go grab some dinner.

All right, cool. Get a bite.

I'll catch up to you.

All right, let's go.

Hungry?

Melvin?

What?

My boyfriend wants to talk to you.

What the fuck is wrong now?

He just wants to talk to you.

I ain't got time for this shit.

This is my man, Maurice.

Hey, brother.

It's good to meet you, brother.

Look, man, I got to tell you,

the shit you are putting down

is right on.

Now, I know you don't know me,

but I need to do the music on this, man.

I can do whatever you need.

Look, man--

No, Priscilla, she hipped me to it,

all right?

I know you don't have a lot of cash,

but we could really use this chance.

We?

My new band.

What do y'all call yourselves?

Earth, Wind & Fire.

All right, this is how it works.

What I sing, you play.

If I like what I hear-- if I like what I hear--

we got a deal.

All right. Sounds good, man.

You ain't me heard sing yet.

I don't know shit about no gun, man!

Fuck!

What's your malfunction, man?

G-go get my...

my piece, nigga.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Slow your roll.

My apologies.

I thought you got your piece back, okay?

Priscilla,

what happened to his .357?

The pistol?

Yeah, from the other day.

Oh, I put it in the prop box

with the other guns.

What?

MELVIN: A loaded gun in the prop box?

[**]

The actors had been in and out of that prop box

at least 100 times,

all to get their guns...

Police specials,

just like that brother's loaded one.

What?

Sometime, I suppose when I get the time,

I'll have reoccurring nightmares

about that escape.

Mario.

Hey.

I know you're awake.

Look, son, I want to tell you that...

you don't have to sleep on the floor.

Sleep... Sleep on the bed.

I'll take the couch.

Mario.

Suit yourself.

NEWSCASTER: President Nixon had no comment...

[CHUCKLING] Oh.

Your dick's on fire too?

Where's second unit, man?

I thought they'd be here by now.

Oh, the lab called

and the dailies aren't going to be ready

till Monday.

[TELEPHONE RINGING]

Yeah.

We got arrested, Mel.

You got to come down here and get us out.

What the hell happened?

We were heading back from the shoot and...

[**]

* Yeah, yeah, yeah *

* Yeah *

[SIREN WAILING]

JOSE: The pigs, they pulled us over.

You're not going to believe this.

They thought my telephoto lens was a bazooka.

Outside of the truck. Hands against it.

Let's go. Come on!

Put that down! Put that down!

Right here. Right here.

You one of them Black Panthers, boy?

What are they holding you for?

Grand theft.

They saw us with all that equipment,

they figured it must have been stolen,

so they impounded all of it,

including the truck.

Did you show them your receipts, Jos�?

Yeah.

I showed them everything. They thought it was funny.

Excuse me. I'm not through yet.

Jos�.

Get on it, man. Call a lawyer.

What lawyer, man? With what money?

Oh, come on, for crying out loud.

This is our equipment.

Some of that's my personal stuff.

What's the charge?

[CHUCKLES]

Charge of being black.

Welcome aboard.

You're a real nigga now.

When's Van Peebles getting us out?

Soon. He's coming soon.

Yeah.

He fucking better.

Shit.

He fucking better.

Sick of this shit.

[RINGING]

Hello.

Yeah, man, it's me, Melvin.

Hold on a second, man.

Learn how to play some tennis.

Hey, Mel, you okay?

My crew just got arrested.

I don't know if I'm going to make it.

I'm tapped out.

I got to finish this movie.

I got to do it right.

So how much you need?

To get me through post, a lot.

Well, how much?

50,000.

Cosby came through.

He fucked us, man.

It's the start of the weekend.

There're no judges available till Monday.

You go down there and you visit him.

It'll do the troops good for them to see you.

No.

What the fuck are you talking about?

No. No.

Right now, to those cops,

Melvin Van Peebles

is some white, aristocratic Dutch guy,

right?

I show up with my black ass

to start singing "We Shall Overcome"

with the troops,

they throw us all the fuck in jail.

We got three days left

of filming this motherfucker.

We'll jeopardize the whole film, man.

Fuck the film, man! Fuck it!

Fuck the fucking film, man.

This is our crew behind bars on bullshit charges.

Doesn't that bother you?

Yeah,

it's been bothering me for 400 years!

That's why we're shooting this shit, Bill!

Oh, man, don't give me that 400...

Fuck it, I'll go by myself.

No, no, no, no, no, no. Hold the fuck up.

Here's what the fuck you do.

You go home. You cool the fuck down.

Monday morning,

you put on a nice white guy suit,

you go down there, and you bail them out.

Any emotional liberal shit you do right now

will only jeopardize our crew.

Do you hear me?

Yeah.

I hear you.

Hey, he'd sacrifice his friends,

his family,

even me.

Well, a black man in jail who's not afraid

is a fool,

but I heard Big T was crying like a bitch,

crying for his mama.

I wasn't scared of shit in that jail, man.

I was scared of being hungry, that's all.

[DISTANT SIRENS WAILING]

Please, folks, this is sound equipment.

Sound equipment?

Please stand back.

Y'all making a movie?

I can do Flip Wilson.

Get the fuck out of the way.

Move.

How many extras we got?

Seven.

I need more.

Melvin, we got a problem.

We only got four mags of film.

Fuck.

If everything went perfect, I'd need five.

I told Clyde six. Where's Clyde?

Clyde!

Two men, two women?

Fine.

Damage control.

Some of them are pissed

about spending the weekend in jail.

Now, if T quits, the others might follow.

Bill tells me we only have

four mags of film for the whole day.

Uh, really, that should be plenty.

I asked you for six.

Well, I needed the money for the stunt man

for the L.A. river chase.

Now you saw what happened when Bill tried.

Clyde, I can do that stunt myself.

What I can't do is shoot without film.

Did you sign off on this?

No, no.

Okay, here's what I want.

You, Bill, go get all those people

away from the sound equipment.

I want to start our first shot

in 20 minutes.

We're going to start

with the cops bringing Sweetback out.

Isn't that Clyde's job, man?

Not anymore. Clyde, you're fired.

This shit is not my fault.

Now, there's only so much I can do with no money,

but if you're looking for somebody to blame--

Right, it's my fault.

I got you in over your head. I'm sorry.

When I get a bigger budget or a smaller film,

I'll give you a call.

This is bullshit, Melvin!

T, I need to talk to you.

We got a problem?

Yeah, brother, we got a problem.

I work with niggas, I end up in jail.

Some shit like that go down again,

I'm going to break me

some little motherfucker neck.

T, you're a big motherfucker.

In a fair fight, you'd whoop my ass.

I ain't fought fair in a long time,

and if I was afraid of you,

I wouldn't be the kind of nigga

to get that shit done

in the first motherfucking place!

I got everything I own on the line,

and all my family's shit,

but it's bigger than me,

and it's bigger than your two days in jail.

This is a war,

it's our war,

and if you don't know by now that's your war,

take your big ass back to your shed

and your smoked meat.

No hard feelings, brother.

We got three days left to shoot,

so if you stay,

and brother, I hope you do,

don't ever threaten me again.

Just step to me and take me the fuck out,

before I take you,

because I'm going to have to take you seriously, T.

T, this is our shit.

Hey, yo, that fool with the glasses

said he gonna put me in the movie, man.

Please, you got to move these people back.

Okay, uh, all right, uh...

Hey, my good brothers and sisters,

let's, uh...

let's move it on back, please.

I ain't your brother, Casper.

Man, I'll beat your white ass back across that freeway.

Don't come here

telling us where we can't be.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Peace, peace, okay?

Let's just, uh, back it up.

All right. All right. Excellent.

That's exactly what I'm talking about.

Thank you.

Sound is ready, boss.

Camera set.

Kids, get in.

Frame up.

It's out of focus.

Looks sharp to me, chief.

Okay, frame up.

T.

[**]

Rolling.

Slate.

Action.

Wash your car, mister?

No charge if you don't like it.

Yeah, no charge if you don't like it.

Okay, Bob? Got it.

Okay, cut! All right, everybody out.

We're going to blow this motherfucker up.

I need everybody back.

Get all those people back over there.

[SCREAMING]

Fire engine! They called a fire engine!

Someone must have called the fire department.

We got to get the hell out of here.

No, no, no, hold on.

That's why we got the permits on Friday,

so they couldn't notify the fire department.

You can't buy this kind of production value.

Tommy, get over here.

Listen, fire department's going to show up soon.

Don't show them the permit till the last possible second.

I'll get the production value.

Sweetback's going to make his escape.

Roll the cameras. Go!

[SIREN WAILING]

MELVIN: Somehow we got that shot.

With the Cosby money,

a deal from the labs,

and my borrowing from anyone I could,

our little ragtag crew

managed to make it through the end of the shoot.

Trial by fire will singe your ass,

but it also bonds.

We'd become more than comrades in arms.

We were family.

Smoked turkey?

Last you're going to see in a while.

Tommy's taking me on his next film.

Teach him how to make sound.

Somebody's got to learn this shit

before I retire.

That's fucking great.

That's beautiful.

Beautiful.

Come here. Oh!

Hey, Melvin.

Huh?

Allow me to introduce you.

This is Jimmy,

the best editor no money can buy.

Jimmy, you up for spending

long hours in a dark room with me?

Because I'm a motherfucker to work with.

Fun is the enemy, sir.

I see you've been briefed.

All right, welcome aboard.

I'll tell you one thing right now.

Independent filmmaking would not exist

had Melvin not put a "Van" in the middle of his name.

You know, when you're clowning and making the man laugh,

you can do anything,

but when you get serious, you see,

that's when you become dangerous.

Yeah, it kind of went, like, * You bled my mama *

* You bled my papa *

* But you won't bleed me **

[**]

MELVIN: Good news was,

Earth, Wind & Fire came through

with some of the music.

We played it against the movie,

and it worked like a motherfucker.

Now!

* You bled my mama *

* You bled my papa *

* Won't bleed me *

* Won't bleed me **

Yeah! That's it!

That is it!

We got it, baby!

You know what you want.

You niggas going home

to make some more of this music.

I need it. I need all of it right now.

Time is money. Go, go, go, go, go.

Jimmy, whenever you're ready.

Speaking of which, we need some bread, man.

Got it.

Got to give you a check, though.

No problem.

Okay.

All right.

Bring it back to me now.

Right on.

That check was $500.

You ain't got that.

Get me some coffee.

Go on. Get me some coffee.

[BARKING]

* You bled my mama *

[EAGLE SCREAMS]

MELVIN: The bad news was

that with the rental of the editing room

and all the money I owed,

interest was piling up.

Time was of the essence.

I couldn't make a dime on the movie

until I sold it,

and I couldn't sell it until I finished it.

My ass was dragging.

Name's Sweetback.

Sweetback!

[TELEPHONE RINGING]

Yeah.

I told you,

I got nothing to pay you with until I sell this thing.

Yeah. No, no.

Uh, I don't know. Two weeks?

Unacceptable.

They want it now, get it?

Is that a threat?

Take it any way you want to.

Is that a threat, motherfucker?

Is that a fucking threat?

Where's Sweetback? Where is he?

I don't know where's Sweetback.

Where's Sweetback?

Come on, boy!

Where's Sweetback?

Where is he?

Sweetback!

Come on, boy!

[VOICES OVERLAPPING]

Are you okay?

You all right?

I'm okay.

Yeah, get... Give me some coffee.

You got to see a doctor.

Go get me some coffee.

About your eyes.

You got to see a doctor.

Please, Dad.

Get the man some coffee.

Go ahead. I'm fine. Go ahead.

MELVIN: And that was it...

Go ahead, I'm fine.

The first time my kid ever called me Dad.

You worry about your kids until they put you in the grave.

He looked like he needed a good meal and a good rest.

Circles under his eyes.

Melvin had lost a lot of weight.

He was in trouble, you see,

because I could see it in his eyes.

MELVIN: Things had gotten so bad,

I had to sell the bike.

From now, on we'd be hoofing it.

I also had to collect all my debts

by any motherfucking means necessary.

[STRAINING]

Doctor said if I didn't rest soon,

I could lose sight in my left eye.

Rest wasn't an option, so I got an eye patch.

I need the edit list from yesterday.

Hey, can we talk?

We just did.

I said I need the edit list from yesterday.

I'm quitting.

What the fuck did you say?

I have to quit.

Man, I'm really sorry.

but I got this other thing.

You come in here,

telling me what the fuck you going to do?

But-- You gonna leave this fucking film

when I tell you you can!

BILL: Melvin!

What the fuck, man?

We had a deal! We had a deal!

You're the only other motherfucker

in here besides me

that knows all these elements!

If I don't sell this shit and make some bread soon,

I'm gonna lose every fucking thing!

You got it?

* You bled my mama *

* You bled my papa *

MELVIN: Things had gotten out of hand,

but somehow I managed to get the movie done.

All 97 minutes of it.

I was desperate to sell.

Plan was to have distributors come

to a cast and crew screening,

so the buyers would see it with an enthusiastic audience.

You know, T, the Temptations called.

They want their suit back.

MELVIN: I'd have to put on my best game face.

Never let the buyers see you bleed.

Action.

BOTH: No, we have not seen Sweetback.

And cut.

The apple don't fall far from the tree,

does it?

Ah, you're so right.

Comes a point

where you got to let the kids go,

and just be supportive of them.

This was a movie

by the brothers for the brothers

about the brothers,

and you know what?

We're all brothers.

They didn't even invite me to the cast and crew screening.

Do you believe that shit? It's not like I would have gone.

I mean, who the fuck am I? Blame-a-Nigga?

Like everything bad that happened

is Clyde's fault.

Motherfucker.

And that Bill Harris,

that white boy,

with all that peace and love bullshit,

now, that was one honky

that was out to get me from the very beginning.

I knew it. I could feel it.

I was supposed to have the lead in this motherf-fucking movie,

but I had two f-fucking lines.

Well, it was very uncomfortable.

To be honest, I didn't feel safe.

It was embarrassing.

The distributors were tripping over themselves

to get out of the theater.

What can I say? Listen, we like Mel.

Oh, well, we both do. That's not the point.

It's just... the movie wasn't entertaining...

and who wants to see something like that?

First thing is, when you make a movie,

you have to know who your audience is

and that's a lesson Mel completely forgot,

went completely out of his head.

Very sad.

There's the guy from Stax Records.

He says the album's ready.

Just wants to know when the movie's coming out.

Well, tell him to give me some vinyl

and I'll let him know when we know.

Okay? Hey, brother.

Man, it's beautiful, beautiful.

Congratulations.

Thank you, baby.

You're welcome.

Bill. Hey.

What's happening?

Let me borrow him for one second.

So what do the fucking the distributors think?

I don't know, man.

They split halfway through.

One guy left his card.

I don't even know them. Cinemation?

Wait, wait,

what about the guy from Spotlight?

Yeah, he says, once you get it rated,

if it gets nothing harder than an R,

then he'll screen it.

Melvin, we're going to have to run,

so I just want to congratulate you

and tell you a lot of hard work up there.

Good.

Who would believe this bullshit artist?

Come on, come on.

What did you really think?

Honestly?

You know, uh, it's... it's...

it's a dangerous film. What can I say?

But it's not dangerous when John Wayne has the gun.

See, most of America looks like John Wayne,

so I'm just a little nervous

people aren't going to be able

to identify with it.

I don't know. I always identified with the Indians.

You know what? I don't know anything,

so leave me out of it, all right?

When's it rated?

When and if I submit it.

Okay, Melvin, no, no, no, no, no.

You had the whole porn thing that worked with the unions,

but the ratings board,

they're just gonna want to cut out a few tits,

they're gonna want

to get rid of a few swear words.

Just get your R and go.

You know what? It's an all-white jury.

This board has been doing this since the year zero.

Somebody has to tell parents

what kids can see, what they can't see.

I don't know nothing about birthing babies!

JOSE: It wasn't just the blacks

who were being portrayed negatively.

It was all of us.

I'm telling you,

all the Mexicans who kept saying,

"Badges! I got no stinking badges!"

It was the Chinese...

You speak to me?

JOSE: The Indians, you name it.

The truth is,

if you weren't white, you were the joke.

Only thing is, we weren't laughing.

MELVIN: And any white actor could play us.

Yellow face, red face, black face, or brown face.

Get yourself a feather or a turban.

Who said that was okay?

Making us mammies and butlers,

kissing Shirley Temple's little ass.

Didn't I tell you to bring this water?

That's right. It was you.

MELVIN: And it fucked up white kids too,

because they'd think that's who we were.

[REPORTERS CLAMORING]

No all-white jury has the right

to tell the black community what it may or may not see.

Now the rest of you want to submit to that program,

that's your business.

Honestly,

aren't you doing this for the press?

Whose press? Whose press?

I'm not doing it

for the white media's consumption,

or yours either.

I'm telling the truth, brother.

You take it however you want to take it.

Melvin, you just bought yourself an X.

[TELEPHONE RINGING]

MELVIN: I was hemorrhaging cash, every day bleeding more.

Calls for money were constant. Even death threats now.

I devised a signal for the inner circle.

Ring twice, hang up, then call back.

HOWIE: We had, uh...

We had a couple of calls about the picture.

Nothing much,

but I thought I'd tell you about it anyway.

One of them's... they'll...

they'll distribute Sweetback worldwide,

but they want their fee up front,

and they want

a 70 percentage for perpetuity, so--

We're losing bread.

I know, I know, it's ridiculous.

I don't even want to think about it.

Listen, it only gets worse.

The other one, it's a very low-ball buyer.

I'm not going to insult you with it.

You ever hear of Cinemation?

HOWIE: Cinemation? Yeah.

Yeah, they're a very low-level distributor

doing mostly schlock,

if they're even still in business.

Kid, you all right?

MELVIN: Yeah, I'm fine.

Dad. Huh?

The patch.

Oh, yeah.

How do I look?

H.N.I.C.

Head Nigga In Charge?

Huh.

So, I got to be honest here.

What we got is an X-rated black film

with no stars.

No Sidney Poitier, no Diahann Carroll.

In this film,

a black hustler beats up two white cops,

screws a white chick,

and gets away with it.

Black folks are gonna fucking love it, Jerry.

They're gonna love it.

Black folks don't own theaters in America.

Old white guys do.

On Watermelon Man, we had a nice opening.

Sweetback has gotta open big. You with me? Bam!

How many theaters can you get me?

Two if we're lucky.

Just two in L.A.?

Two in the U.S. of A, my friend.

The second's in Atlanta.

The first in Detroit, the Grand Circus.

It's run by the Goldberg twins.

Believe me, I begged.

I want to get us

in as many theaters as possible.

My money is where your money is,

and even if they run it,

they're gonna play it safe.

They're gonna sandwich it between two other flicks.

Only two theaters in all of America,

and it won't even run alone, not even first run.

They don't run X-rated films, Melvin.

You know you can't even print the title?

Sweet Sweetback's

Baadasssss Song?

You can't put it in the newspapers.

You can't even put it up on the marquee.

Let's get the fuck out of here.

No peeking.

All right, open up.

What you got there?

For finishing your movie.

Congratulations, honey.

What's wrong?

I still got to pick out a still photo

for the poster.

I can't even see straight.

Okay.

Okay, honey.

Listen, go to bed, rest your eye,

and I'll help you with that.

I'll take care of it.

Congratu-fucking-lations.

Fuck!

All right, I'll do this fucking deal.

I just want to meet these guys that run this theater.

Absolutely not.

You'll fuck it up for us.

Come on, man.

They're premiering my movie.

All right, go charm the shit out of them.

Look, do us a favor, okay?

Why don't you take a shave, put on a suit?

These guys are very sharp dressers,

you understand?

All right, here's where you're going.

HOWIE: To say that this is self indulgent

to make this movie,

that's too good.

The thing is,

if you want to make political statements,

you can't be concerned about box office as well.

We were so busy talking shit

about bringing a message to the people,

we never stopped to bother whether the people gave a shit

about the message we were bringing to them.

We were just wondering if they would come.

[**]

Fernando!

Fernando!

Hello.

Look at what you're doing, will you?

Excuse me.

The show don't start till 2:00.

Fernando, I told you,

just copy off the damn poster!

It's Zombie with a Z, not an S.

I'm Melvin Van Peebles.

You're premiering my movie.

The box office ain't open yet.

Uh, you must be Mr. Goldberg, correct?

Yeah.

I'm Melvin Van Peebles.

I'm the producer-director

of Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song,

This is my son, Mario.

Can we take a look at your theater?

Hold on a second.

Okay.

All right, Ethel, tell Manny I want to see him,

and get rid of this crazy fucking shrasse, okay?

Yeah. See you.

That's him.

Some wild movie.

You really schtupping those girls?

MORT: What movie? What fucking movie?

Hey, hey, you eat it,

you pay for it.

Right there. Triple feature.

Desert Killers, 40-Foot Woman,

Sweetback's Baadasssss Song.

Now, now, listen. Don't short-change yourself

by playing it as a triple feature, man.

Kid,

when white people lived in this neighborhood,

we got first-run flicks.

Now we got a half-empty barn

playing second-run triple features,

because your people want a lot of movie for their buck.

Of course they do,

but you're not giving them a lot of movie.

You're giving them second-rate B stuff that's...

that's got nothing to do with their lives.

Melvin, I saw the movie, and I don't think--

Manny,

no offense,

but you guys aren't the audience.

Hey, son.

Excuse me for a second.

What did you get?

3,200 seats total.

The balcony's been closed for years.

2,062 seats working,

a dollar a ticket,

three shows a day.

Look, kid,

even if we ran your movie alone,

it's rated X.

Reputable newspapers won't run X-rated ads.

How's anyone going to know it's playing?

Early to bed. Early to rise.

Work like a dog, and...

advertise.

Sweetback soundtrack and T-shirt.

A record?

We don't sell records.

This is a Sweetback soundtrack.

I'm gonna be all over the local radio station

to play this soundtrack,

wear that fucking t-shirt,

and talk about the world premiere

of Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song

right here,

at Goldberg's spectacular

Grand Circus Theater.

It's still got to be a triple feature.

I'll make you a bet.

I'll bet you

a brand new suit

that if you run Sweetback alone,

the way it should be,

you'll make more money in one day

than you did all last week.

Chutzpah, this fucking kid.

A suit?

Three pieces, our tailor?

Your tailor.

There's two of us.

And one of me.

If I lose, I lose double.

* They bled your mama *

* Won't bleed me *

* They bled your papa *

* Your mama And your sister too *

[**]

RADIO ANNOUNCER: Hey, Detroit, this is the main man,

J.J. Davis,

right here at KLST,

and we're here in the studio

with Mr. Melvin Van Peebles,

the soul brother of cinema.

We're taking calls for Mr. Van Peebles.

KLST. Rap on.

WOMAN: Mr. Van Peebles,

are you gonna be in the theater

in person tonight?

That depends, girl. Are you on the pill?

Ooh!

KLST. Rap on, brother.

MAN: Hey, I seen your comedy Watermelon Man

with Godfrey Cambridge, man.

Does Sweetback have any stars in it?

Yeah, you, me...

The black community. We're the star, brother.

MAN: Oh, shit,

I look out my window and see that for free.

Not on the big screen, brother.

Sweetback opens tomorrow at the Grand Circus.

Where else?

Right here in Detroit, Grand Circus Theater,

world premiere.

What y'all showing?

First-run movie, brand new.

Sweetback's.

What else shows with it?

Nothing.

Nothing? For a dollar?

Let's go over to the Greek Theater.

These people are tripping.

Can't keep forgetting to eat.

You hungry?

Yeah.

Go get some food.

Here. Here you go.

You don't want anything?

I'm fine. Go ahead.

[**]

* Oh *

* Doo, doo, doo, doo Doo-doo-doo *

You've got a...

You've got a... sweet back.

Mm.

MAN: Sir, I think we've discovered the weapon

on one of the assailants.

Uh-huh.

Sweetback. Yeah.

We have a new development in the case.

Wash your car, mister?

Get away from here.

No charge if you don't like it.

Yeah, no charge if you don't like it.

Too bad the witness has injured himself in a fall.

Okay.

Right, sir.

Commissioner says

get the information out on the nigger

before we get into the station.

[GROANING]

[CLAPPING]

WOMAN: [ECHOING] Well?

WOMAN: Oh, Lord. Let's go.

Mm-mm-mm.

[CLAPPING, LAUGHING]

I mean, it's gotta be something funny,

because they want something funny.

COSBY: You sure you know what you gettin' into

with this whole independent stuff?

MELVIN: Average hustler turns revolutionary.

Another comedy?

Serious as cancer.

Who's gonna want to see that?

Who's gonna see that? Who's gonna see that?

Well?

They'll show.

They'd better.

It's 15 minutes till the 7:00 show.

If your soul brothers don't show by then,

we have to cut our losses

and switch to the other movies

while we still can.

Eagles ain't nothin' but a bird.

White man ain't nothin' but a turd.

Niggas ain't shit.

Fuck you.

No, you fucked us.

Change the marquee.

Switch to Zombies and 40-Foot Woman,

r�pido!

All right, all right.

Hello, five for Sweetback.

Oh, I-- I'm sorry.

We're not playing that one anymore.

I can give you tickets

to 40-Foot Woman and Killer Zombie.

Well, the the marquee says "Sweetback."

You got a problem?

BILL: Well, I sure hope not,

because we drove a long-ass way

to see Sweetback.

Customer's always right, Ethel.

Hi, sweetie.

Hi.

Where's Daddy?

I don't know.

Hey.

J.T.

[APPLAUSE]

ETHEL: Look, Manny.

We've got a problem.

There was this guy-- he was in here before--

acting suspicious.

Gang members, more of them keep gathering.

They're up to something. I know it.

MANNY: Black Panthers. What do they want?

Get Melvin.

He left.

ETHEL: We don't give refunds.

That's our policy.

Give him his refund, Ethel.

No, lady, I wanna buy some tickets.

Yes, sir. Uh-- How many?

Twenty-two.

Twenty-three.

Make it 23.

[WHISTLING, HOOTING]

[**]

[CLAPPING, WHISTLING]

Manny...

you're never gonna believe this.

Outside.

Oh, my God.

Will you look at that?

Morty.

Come here.

You ain't from around here.

L.A.

Long way to come for a drink.

Yeah.

[VOICES SHOUTING]

What the fuck are they showing?

[PEOPLE HOOTING]

We're getting more, sir. It'll be just one minute.

We're sold out.

Like hell we are. We'll open the balcony.

We're out of popcorn, and there's no hot dogs left.

I'll take over the stand.

You go down to the Greek Theater.

Buy whatever they got. Fernando can help you carry it.

Don't slop up my Caddy.

Hot dogs too?

Don't they have to be Kosher?

We're not eating them, schmuck.

We're just selling them. Now go.

[SIRENS BLARE]

Told you, man.

I told you it'd be bad, man.

Shut up man. Shut up.

* They bled your mama *

Won't bleed me!

WOMAN: Go, baby!

POLICE: He's got to get to the border.

You see him?

WOMAN: They're coming, Sweetback.

Run, Sweetback.

Run motherfucker, run.

BILL: Down in front!

[BARKING]

Look, he's getting away. He's getting away.

We've gotta get him before he gets to the border.

CHORUS: The man knows everything, Sweetback.

SWEETBACK: Then he oughta know what's coming to him

for fucking with me.

MELVIN: Well...

Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song

became the top grossing independent hit of 1971.

Folks started calling me "Mel Baby" again.

Cinemation got out of bankruptcy.

Bill Cosby got paid back.

Earth, Wind & Fire blew up...

and oh, yeah, those Goldberg twins--

They made me that suit.

I had a little bit of the money,

and I went to Mrs. Cosby,

and, uh, she said sure, and that--

It was done as far as I was concerned.

BILL: The first time I found out about Sweetback

was one day when I went to visit Melvin,

and he came to the door with a big gun in his hands.

JOSE: "Okay, that's enough. I heard enough.

Lock him up."

Suspected grand larceny

and impersonating L.A.P.D. police officers.

So we spent the weekend in jail.

So I brought the dildo back to Melvin,

and Melvin said, "It's brown."

I said "So? What's the big deal?

He said, "Go back and get me a black one."

VERDINE: And he was almost like a conductor.

Melvin would show us clips of the film

and say, "Okay, this is gonna go here.

This is gonna go there."

Melvin was the time filler.

My brother Maurice knew Melvin.

He was very tight with Melvin,

so Melvin had this idea about doing this crazy film.

The thing I remember most of all

is that he gave me a check for $500.

That check was $500. You ain't got that.

That check bounced all over, all over...

all over the world, you dig?

I do remember singing with Earth, Wind & Fire...

Wash your car, mister?

for the soundtrack.

And my voice is so bad.

No charge if you don't like it.

Yeah. No charge if you don't like it.

It was because of Melvin's commitment

and Melvin's focus and his passion about this.

Nothing was gonna prevent him.

If he had to die making this film,

he would make this film.

The Panthers... identified with the part

that I played as Mu-Mu.

We had every one of our chapters

mobilize community support to go see that movie

because we were so inspired

by this first revolutionary piece of cinema.

Very important film.

It was a great deal of solidarity.

That's what brought us together.

Hollywood ain't seen nothing like Melvin, ever before.

He was a combination of arrogance, insecurity,

and boastfulness.

We've come full circle,

and some of the things that were happening

at that particular time,

the message that was delivered in that particular film,

we're still experiencing some of that today.

HILLIARD: We supported that film

to the extent that we put the film in our newspapers.

People keep saying, "Follow your dream,"

and I say, "Okay,"

but I think there's more to it than that.

I think follow your dream--

the first thing you do is you wake up.

Shaft, I think, was being written for a white actor,

and after "Sweetback,"

they changed it over for a black person.

It was before Shaft.

It was before, uh... New Jack City.

It was-- It was really the prelude

of all the films that we see now.

I think that Melvin Van Peebles is a wonderful example,

and not the only example,

but a wonderful example of a person

who had a thought, dreamt, woke up, did it,

and it's still good.

MAURICE: * You bled your mama *

* You bled your papa *

* But you won't bleed me *