All language subtitles for The.24th.2020.1080p.WEB-DL.DD5.1.H264-CMRG-HI

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[METAL CLANGING]

MAN: You boys

have dishonored our nation.

and betrayed your oath to protect
the people of this country.

What do you have to say
for yourselves?

[INSECTS TRILLING]

[MARCHING MUSIC PLAYING]

[SOLDIER YELLING COMMANDS]

[HORSE WHINNIES]

Men of the 24th Infantry,

this is Texas.

And we have
a great opportunity here.

While we're overseeing
the building of Camp Logan,

we will also be building
our legacy,

a legacy, if proven worthy,

that will carry us all the way
to the shores of France.

[ALL CHEERING]

SOLDIER: Let's go! Let's go!

First Sergeant Hayes,

take command.

Sir.

Home sweet home, boys.

Order, arms!

Fall out!

[SOLDIERS CHATTERING
INDISTINCTLY]

[ENGINE WHIRRING]

BIG JOE: You gonna
get a taste, boy.

I talked to the cleaner,

the Colonel said
we're going to France.

- Oh, yeah.
- Yeah.

- Yeah, we're going to France.
- Uh-huh.

Yeah, while we're out here
digging the shitting hole.

That's the 24th honor.

We fly to Philippines
but not France.

Well, this is the war to make
the world a safer democracy.

And we're not
part of that democracy.

How you talk like that?
You talk better than white folks.

He's a fancy talking nigger.
Didn't you know that?

Yeah, he's a joker.

And he has
already been to France.

- Now, hold on now, you've been to France?
- Yes, sir. That's right.

You better tell me about that.

- What do you wanna know?
- Then why'd you join the army, boy?

- Same reason as you, friend.
- Oh, hell no.

See I joined
'cause the judge said

I go to the army
or I go to jail.

I had no choice.

But you're so goddamn smart.

What in the shit
is you doing here?

Oh, he's smart, Walker,
he know the fancy words.

You shut 'em
tunnel lips, pickaninny,

before I come over there
and shut 'em.

I'm no better than you.

But in here, you think you is.

- Now, hold on now, Walker.
- I want to serve my country

and raise the image
of the colored man.

[SNICKERS] You can't
raise me nowhere, boy.

I've got this raisin'.

- Hey! Hey!
- You put that down, you put that down now.

Damn it, Walker, leave him be.

[CHUCKLES]
I'm just messing with him.

If I wanted to use it,
I'd have slashed your face already, boy.

Come on then.

I'm just messin' with you, boy.

Getting friendly with you
'cause I don't know you.

Getting familiar.

What's your name?

- Boston.
- Walker.

- [GROANS]
- Mulatto bastard.

Attention!

MAN: Hey!

Get out that hole.

Get your asses cleaned up.

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

Curfew!

Sorry, Captain.

- What happened to your eye?
- Had an accident, Captain.

Mmm-hmm.

- Get your black ass back inside, soldier.
- Yes, Captain.

[ENGINE WHIRRING]

You can walk down
the Champs-Elysees

hand in hand with whoever.

Everybody's equal there.

Hold on, hold on, hold on.

You ever get with
one of them French white gals?

White and colored, both.

[LAUGHS]

- Come on!
- BOSTON: Mmm-hmm.

Boston, you something.

You know,
but why didn't you stay there?

It's not home.

Do you talk that Frenchie?

I know you know something.

[SPEAKS IN FRENCH]

Oh, what's that?

It means, "There's no love
like the love of a brother."

Hmm. I like that.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

- All right.
- I'm learning.

[SPEAKS GIBBERISH] ...a move
for the brothers, right?

- Say it again.
- [LAUGHS] Close.

- [SPEAKS FRENCH]
- Yes, I got it.

[BOSTON SPEAKING FRENCH]

BIG JOE: You think
you're getting to know him.

[MEN LAUGHING]

Look like you needed a drink
with that sandwich, boy.

Just be glad
I didn't shit on him.

[MEN SPEAK INDISTINCTLY]

[LUCKY SPITS]

[MAN LAUGHING]

- [DOGS BARKING]
- [PEOPLE MURMURING INDISTINCTLY]

Is someone there?

[RUSTLING]

[OWL HOOTING]

- [YELLING]
- [LAUGHING]

Oh, you wanna get your head cut.

Oh, Lord!

Oh, you scared?

You look like
you've seen Medusa.

Where... Where you coming from?

- Oh, it's a story...
- Ah, let me tell it.

- Okay, go on.
- [CLEARS THROAT]

[SINGING] ♪ You see

♪ We went down
to the sugar shack

♪ And then

♪ Me and him got kicked out

♪ 'Cause of him

♪ I'm able

♪ At gun point ♪

- That's the whole story.
- Now, listen, now you tell it wrong.

- [SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]
- Tell him what happened.

Listen, so, look.

- I had me a gal, all right?
- Okay.

Everything was going good,
all right?

- I was giving her my best move, all right.
- [GUFFAWS]

And then, all of a sudden,
she just goes down to the ground.

Hey, I thought
she dropped something.

All of a sudden
she puts her whole mouth

- on Mr. Johnson.
- All right, now.

Fucking piranha or what...

Goddamn Dracula.

Whoa, whoa, wait, wait...
She bit you?

Yeah, I mean, almost.

What else was she doing down there?
I had to push her off.

[LAUGHS]

Why you laughing?

- [LAUGHS] I'm sorry.
- You know what? Fuck you both.

I don't think
she was trying to bite you.

What? Then what the hell
was she doing down there?

[WHISPERS INDISTINCTLY]

Well, that's not gonna happen now,
you see, 'Cause you pushed her off.

- [LAUGHS]
- What?

BIG JOE: That's right.
BOSTON: Hey, let's get some...

- Hold on now, I didn't know you could do that.
- BIG JOE: Too late!

No, we gotta go back,
I gotta get that.

- BIG JOE: Uh-uh, let's go, bring yourself.
- No, hold on now.

- CONDUCTOR: Three cents.
- [SIGHS]

Here.

Oh, ain't that some shit.

Ain't no seats left.

Three cents.

WALKER: Hold that car.

Hold that car.

Will if it ain't
the fancy nigger.

You know, I'm just now getting out that
hole Sarge put me in 'cause of you.

You ain't gonna
be talking to me, boy?

Oh, you fancy and deaf, huh?

CONDUCTOR: Three cents.

Come on back here.

[LAUGHS]

Shit.

Walker?

Walker, what the hell
are you doing?

What does it look like I'm doing?
Sitting in my goddamn seat.

You better stand your ass up and come
on back here with the rest of us.

Come on back here, boy's
room, sit on my lap, come on.

- You want me to sit on your lap?
- Move behind the screen.

There ain't no room, man.

Get back with the others.

Look, I'm a soldier here
on assignment.

I'm headed back to camp.

I paid my money.

Now just go ahead
and drive this machine.

Oh, shit.

CONDUCTOR: Officer Cross.

- Need some help here.
- Walker...

- FRANKLIN: Stop being stubborn. Come on.
- Stop worrying so much.

- This one right here, Officer.
- We're trying to help you.

Y'all get off.

Get where you belong.

I'm a soldier in the U.S. Army.

I sit where I wanna sit.

- [GRUNTS]
- Shit!

Sir...

[GROANS]

[GRUNTS]

CROSS: Don't you ever talk back
to a white man.

- Yo! Stop!
- [GUN CLICKS]

Drop it, big buck.

CROSS: You mean as about
as much to me as a gnat.

So get off before I swat ya.

Okay, come on,
come on, Boston...

Let's go, let's go, come on.

Come here, boy.

[WALKER GROANS]

CROSS: You're a soldier, huh?

You ain't nothing
but a nagger in a fancy getup.

[GROANS]

[GRUNTS]

Jim Crow's the law.

Respect it.

Sorry for the trouble, folks.

[TRAIN BELL RINGING]

Private William Boston,

you have
an impressive background.

It's says here in your file you
recently graduated from the Sorbonne

- in Paris, France.
- Yes, sir.

It's a fine school.

I'd like to recommend you

for Colored Officer Training
School in Des Moines, Iowa.

I think with your credentials
you'll do very well there.

- No, sir.
- No?

Why, Private?

Well, sir,

I joined the army
to be of service to my country

and my race.

Your only allegiance
is to your country, Private.

Of course, sir.

However, sir, my intent

is to constructive with the
other men of color, sir.

Well, that's a lot
of hard work, Private.

Officers are excused
from that kind of manual labor.

Is that what
drove your commission, Captain,

escaping manual labor?

I admire service over ambition.

So, we'll leave it at that.

You were with Private Walker
last night.

Yes, sir.

Why did Private Walker
violate the racial code?

Because he's a soldier
in the U.S. Military, sir.

They violated his right
as an American.

Private, he's a negro
in Houston, Texas.

He has no rights.

Things are a little different
down here in the South,

Boston.

From now on, I'll expect you
men to obey the racial code.

- Do you understand?
- Yes, sir.

You're dismissed.

MAN: Hey!

Get away from that water, boy.

It's our water.

My apologies.

There's no sign.

Drink your own kind's water.

But where's my kind's water?

You sassin' me, boy?

- Don't put your hands on me.
- Do what now?

Don't put your hands on me.

- [GRUNTS]
- Clean your plough, boy.

Only somebody you gonna
be pissing on today, boy,

is yourself.

We got guns too.

Next time it ain't going to
spit, it's going to be blood.

You ain't gonna be wiping it off
'cause you'll be dead...

Nigger.

You too.

At ease.

Let's go, boys.

[RAGTIME PIANO PLAYING]

[PEOPLE LAUGHING
AND CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]

[PEOPLE APPLAUDING]

All right, Boston.

[LAUGHS]

- Evening, Sergeants.
- Evening, Boston.

- Enjoying yourself, Private?
- Oh, yes, sir, First Sergeant.

Someone did
a great thing for us.

You know, I've been in
the army for a long time

and I knows enough to know
something about you don't add up.

I don't know
what you mean, First Sergeant.

This act you're putting on,

walking different,
talking different.

I'm not acting, First Sergeant.

- Excuse me.
- I didn't dismiss you.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

Dismissed.

Why are you so hard
on that boy?

You know who he reminds me of?

- Who?
- Fagen.

That Black motherfucker
did desert

and join the Filipino army,
fought against his own damn country and us.

Yep.

Why Boston remind you of him?

I don't think Fagen believed
he was a nigger,

just like him.

Let's go play some tonk.

[SOOTHING PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]

You know any Eubie Blake?

[LIVELY PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]

Very nice.

You know, I've seen him play in
New York on numerous occasions.

You've seen Eubie Blake?

Yes, ma'am,
and Scott Joplin as well.

What about Jimmy Earl?

You know about Jimmy Earl?

I listen to
Talking Machine recordings.

[LIVELY PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]

You sound just like him.

Are you playing for us tonight?

Come on now, Marie.

[SIGHS IN EXASPERATION]

- So you're not playing for us tonight?
- No.

They dropped me last minute.

Said they wanted men
to play for men.

Didn't want me to distract.

- Then why are you here?
- To distract.

So maybe
I can help you out with that?

- [PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]
- What you mean?

- May I have this dance?
- Why should I?

'Cause you've got
a score to settle.

[LIVELY PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]

[LAUGHING]

[PEOPLE SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

- [MUSIC STOPS]
- [PEOPLE APPLAUDING]

Looks like
you took back the night.

You might be right.

[SLOW PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]

[PEOPLE SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

What happened?
Let's keep dancing.

Uh, I got to get home.

May I walk you?

Do you like living here?

Lot of folks is leaving,
thought about migration.

- Why do you stay?
- My home.

[SIGHS]

Ever think of going to New York?

[LAUGHS]

An artist like you
could make a life there.

Hmm, New York City. [LAUGHS]

That's so far away
from what I know,

I have to believe it's there.

like heaven.

You got people there?

- Most dead.
- Mmm.

My mom passed a few years ago.

My daddy just this spring.

He's a preacher.

- Is that where you learned the piano?
- Yes.

My daddy and I, we fell out.

What happened?

This is my place.

Thanks for the walk.

My pleasure,

Miss...

Marie. Downing.

William Boston.

Goodnight, William.

Goodnight, Marie.

[PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]

[SOLDIERS LAUGHING]

COL. NORTON: This is chief of
police, Carter Hammond.

Now, he assures me

that you will have no further
problems with the Houston police.

As military police
in the city of Houston,

you are to ensure order

of the men
of the 24th Infantry only.

We'll issue nightsticks
but no side on it.

Any trouble
that you might encounter,

report it immediately
to your new corporal,

Boston.

- Any questions?
- SOLDIERS: No, sir.

You can stand at ease.

- Corporal.
- Corporal.

[LAUGHS]

Hey, you know the best thing about this?
He'll have provost duty now.

What's that?

We gonna be in town
every day.

Gonna get me a little hand.

You trace that gal of yours?

Oh, yeah,
that piano-playing gal.

She still got you
chasing behind that jelly roll?

- Bells are ringing for me and my gal.
- [LAUGHS] Yeah.

Hey, well, good luck
with them crackers.

Corporal Half Falooda.

You can fool everybody else
with your Houdini,

but you can't fool old Sarge.

Top Sergeant.

Encouraging the men, sir.

Being an MP ain't no walk in the
park, sir. No, sir.

COL. NORTON: That's correct.

I'd like a private word
with Corporal Boston.

Yes, sir.

Corporal, sir?

You're the only man I have

that understands both sides.

You can make
a difference here, William.

[SIGHS]

The police brutalize us, sir.

We need more than night sticks.

I report everything that happens
here to the War Department.

What I need from you

is to keep the men safe
and in order.

You do that,

and I will personally
protect you from any trouble.

All we want, sir,

is to be treated as soldiers
and as men.

[SIGHS]

That is certainly
a fair request.

Thank you, sir.

Chief, Captain.

[LAUGHING]

Dead man walking.

[PLAYING HARMONICA]

Ah!

Ah!

I wanna know
what your problem is.

[LAUGHS HYSTERICALLY]

Ooh!

You see this here?

I got it moving up San Juan Hill

alongside Teddy Roosevelt.

Gave it everything we had.

Courage,

blood,

everything.

[SNIFFLES] In the end, it was our
dead black bodies on the ground,

and my eye...

That lying son of a bitch

sailed off to the White House,

took our credit...

We don't matter, boy.

Bullshit.

We do matter.

We keep proving ourselves,

maybe things will change.

Only thing worse than a
dumb nigger is a blind one.

- I didn't dismiss you yet.
- [SHOUTS]Yes, sir, First Sergeant.

Everything you've seen
here so far,

that's child's play.

What you gonna do

when the fire get hot?

You're gonna run back
to your France

and tell them you helped
with the negro cause?

Nigger.

Next time you get an itch

and want to talk to me,

you better look around.

You got too many problems

to be asking me
what my problem is.

Ah, dismissed.

Actor.

[CLOCK TICKING]

[SIGHS WEARILY]

I received a message
from my brother Ben.

Apparently, our father is doing
quite poorly.

Did your brother
say anything else?

Just more of the same.

"Wasting your career
commanding colored troops,

"ruining the family legacy."

You're never going to get
what you deserve

as long as you work with negros.

You'll retire a colonel,

instead of retiring a general,
like your brother.

My brother...

The general,

he could leverage his position
with the War Department

and get the 24th over there,

in the fight, in the war.

He's never going to do that.

Then I'll retire a colonel.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Hi.

William.

I couldn't stop thinking
about you.

- Thank you.
- May I come in.

That's not a good idea.

Well, can you
come out here?

William, I have a guest.

Corporal Fancy.
What you doing here, boy?

- Is she your girl?
- What you think?

Hmm? Good night.

WALKER: Mmm-hmm.
[LAUGHS]

Boy, you should have
seen your face.

Can't believe you bought
that gal flowers.

You know what she did?

Slammed the door in your face,

Then she threw 'em out.
[LAUGHS]

What are you talking about?

Fool ass Boston.

Didn't know his best gal
was my little whore.

- [GRUNTS]
- Oh, shit.

- [GRUNTS]
- [ALL GASP]

Get up. Come on.

- You ready now?
- Come on.

[ALL SHOUTING]

Enough!

Get out of my way.
Hey. Hey!

Sons of bitches.
Get your black asses up!

Let me tell you
something right now.

Hey, I'm gonna cool
you two bucks off. Huh?

You ready for that?
Come with me.

Oh, shit.

What's taking you
so long, Private?

Sir, that's another man.

You wanna be next?

Tie the goddamn ropes.

Welcome to my world, boy.

You ain't so fancy now,
huh, Uncle Tom?

Welcome to my world.

- Franklin, you tie those nice and tight.
- Yeah, you tie them ropes.

Listen to your master, boy.

Why do you do this
to yourself, Walker?

Don't you look at me.

Don't you look at me, Private.

- You keep those eyes off me.
- Yes, sir.

I never did like grapefruit...

But my mother made me
eat them.

Now you gonna
hate them too, boy.

- [BOSTON SCREAMS]
- Jesus Christ.

[GRUNTS]

[GROANING]

[BEATING AND GROANING
CONTINUES]

Corporal, I promoted you so that you
would be an example for the other men.

- You understand that?
- Yes, sir.

Then you're dismissed.

He was fighting
over a whore, sir.

I'm well aware
of that, Captain.

Boston is no different
than the others.

They're all inferior,

and it disturbs me, Colonel,

when you start to think that
they are more than what they are.

I'm curious
about something, Abner.

Is it his education
that makes you feel inferior?

- Am I dismissed, Colonel?
- No, you are not.

That horse shit today,

I could have
you court martialed.

At the very least,
stripped of your rank.

- Are we clear?
- Yes, sir.

Get out of my sight.

Walker don't mean
nothing to her.

- Don't, Joe.
- Ain't too common.

I mean, look at you.
The way you carry yourself,

the words you be putting out,

boy, you something different.

[LAUGHS]

- Don't tell me what I know now.
- No, thank you.

Boston! Boston!

A man's in trouble.
Come on, now.

Come on.

He wouldn't get behind me,
so I gutted him.

Son of a bitch,
you lying.

- He's ahead of you.
- Well, your boy's dead now.

- Drop the knife.
- [SPITS]

[HORSES NEIGHING]

BOSTON: Joe!

Backup's gone now, boy.

You ain't so tough now,
is you?

I'm escorting you
to the police.

[ALL LAUGHING]

For the last time,
you drop that damn knife.

Y'all boys want
some soldier this time?

- Hey! Hey!
- [GRUNTS]

- He's got a razor.
- Walker, get back.

Who wants to get
behind me now?

Y'all gonna let
this boy arrest me.

- This nigger's crazy.
- Listen to me.

You kill us,
you don't get paid.

You won't see a plug nickel while
they investigate what happened here?

Quartermaster will shut
this place down for months.

Let us pass.

Colonel Norton will see to it
that pay windows reopen today.

You like this boy enough
to not get paid.

You want to feed
your families? Back up!

- Tommy Lee ain't worth it.
- He ain't worth it.

Miller, pick that man up.

MAN: We just gonna stand here?

What the hell
is going on here?

Chief Hammond,
as ordered by yourself

and Lieutenant Colonel
Charles Norton,

I have arrested this man for
threatening members of the 24th Infantry

and murdering
a local citizen.

That true?

God damn right.

This is the murder weapon.
Walker...

I place him
in your custody, sir.

Yours now, boy,

- Arrest him.
- All right, let's go.

Not him. Tommy Lee.

What?

You arresting a white man

for killing
that God damn nigger?

That's an order, Cross.

Them solder boys
been shitting all over us.

You shut the hell up
or I'll fire you

as sure as I'm standing here.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

BOSTON: Twenty men, sir.

Outnumbered by 20 against four!

Corporal, I watched
a man die, sir.

- I had to look in his face, sir.
- Corporal!

Lower your voice when you
are talking to the Colonel.

We need side arms, sir.

Chief Hammond will not
allow it.

William,

the circumstances here
are not lost on any of us.

Do we have to do it
this way?

The police want to kill you.

Walk with me.

If you had a gun today,

it would be
much worse for you.

You have to believe that.

- MAN: Hey, y'all. Here comes the man of the day.
- [ALL CHEERING]

What is this, sir?

I believe you're
the first negro

to ever arrest a white man
for murdering another negro.

- [CHEERING CONTINUES]
- Congratulations.

Three cheers for Boston.
Hip, hip...

- ALL: Hooray!
- Hip, hip...

- ALL: Hooray!
- Hip, hip...

ALL: Hooray!

Why did you put yourself
out there like that?

- I'm a negro.
- No, You ain't no negro.

- You's a lighty.
- Is that why you hate me?

- You think I got it easier?
- You God damn right,

you got it easier than me.

Look at you, boy.
It's hard for me.

My mom and my papa
were born as slaves.

I don't want to hear
that shit.

In the proclamation they became
teachers at the Freedman's Bureau.

He died in Atlanta in 1906.

You're right.

Yeah.

Their friends,
their community...

They took it upon themselves
to send me overseas

to educate and protect me.

It's the best education
a person could get.

But it separated me
from being colored in America.

I needed to be united
with the legacy

that my parents lived for
and died for.

You understand what
I'm saying to you?

I needed to be united
with the blood in my veins,

so I came here

and here is where
I'm going to stay, Walker.

This is my home now.

Right next to you.

You better not be messin'.

'Cause I ain't have
much family, either.

So, I know what
you're looking for.

I ain't touched her.

I was lying.

She ain't a whore.

She a proper lady.

I'm done.

Just go on back
to your fancy book, boy.

BOSTON: May I have a word?

Are you following me?

Yes.

I don't like being followed.

I just want a moment
of your time.

If this about Zeke,
I'm a grown woman.

- I can speak to whoever I choose.
- Then choose me.

I'd like to buy you a meal.

Please.

BOSTON: Yes, please.

Thank you.

Are you all right?

This is where
the society coloreds eat.

Well, aren't we part
of colored society?

Maybe you, not me.

All you have to do
to be part of colored society

is be colored.

Did you really throw
my flowers away?

- Zeke tell you that?
- Yeah.

- Yeah, he did.
- [SCOFFS]

I didn't toss your flowers.

I thought they was pretty.

Got any other questions
you wanna ask?

As a matter of fact, I do.

Do you like pork chops?

- Perfect. Sir.
- Yes, sir.

Two pork chop lunches,
please. Thank you.

[INAUDIBLE]

[BOTH LAUGHING]

[SIGHS]

Why you join the army?

For our rights.

Rights?

Yes. The right to life,

liberty, and the pursuit
of happiness

[BOTH LAUGH]

That's how they say it, right?

Well, we ain't got none of them rights.
[LAUGHS]

All we got is wrongs.

Well, if we get to fight
for America,

we prove we deserve our rights.

What if you die?

Well...

If you die
fighting for justice,

you never really die.

My mother used to say that
to my father

and just like that too,
you know?

"You never really die..."

Ain't you scared?

Not anymore.

William...

[CHUCKLES]

I'm not what you might think.

I think you're beautiful.

Boston.

Come on, boy.

Why'd you run off, Joe?

I got a telegram from home.

It was, uh...
It was the fourth of July.

Can't nobody find my sister

or her baby.

So, of course, right after it I
went right home to East St. Louis...

My mama's house.

It was full of bullet holes
I mean, the whole neighborhood.

It looked like Admiral Dewey
blowed it up!

A white mob came through there
like a devil cyclone, killing...

And burning.

Here.

Take this

What is this?

It's mojo.

- It's for protection.
- Protection?

I thought that's what
you were.

You can't fight them and win.

They too strong.

When I see 'em coming, man,

I freeze.

Can't move a muscle.

I could fight over in France,

I ain't afraid of them
but them white folks here...

Oh, they monsters.

And they scare me to death.

JIMMY: I've seen it
first hand.

After they freed them
burrheads,

they swarmed Fort Bend
like a sea of locusts.

They ruin
every God damn thing.

Nigger schools,
nigger colleges...

High sheriff, tax collector.

They both God damn niggers.

White man couldn't even
take a shit

without some
tar baby coming in

right behind wanting
to smell it.

[INHALES]

[SIGHS]

My Pa...

he sittin'
at that kitchen table,

he lost his forearm.

He was crying.

He had this in his hand.

I didn't know

if he was going to use it
on himself...

or me.

"If you ain't better
than a nigger

"you as good as dead."

What are we gonna do, Jimmy?

We're gonna take
our God damn country back.

- COL. NORTON: Ben.
- Forgive the surprise visit, Charles

COL. NORTON: Always
a pleasure, sir.

Father's dead.

He passed away
two days ago.

I wanted to
tell you in person.

- Did he suffer?
- No.

I'd like to make you an offer.

A transfer to
the War Department,

Overseeing combat soldiers
in France.

This is great news.

The 24th Infantry
is a crack unit.

- We are drilled, trained...
- The offer is for you,

not your men.

Your decision to stand beside these
negro troops will end in disappointment.

That was always
Father's concern.

When father would speak
to me

about my commanding
colored troops,

he always said the same thing,
that it would get me nowhere in my career.

And now...

you're here
to take his place.

I can't escape this, can I?

All we want is
what's best for you.

Tell me the issues
with my men will be addressed.

These boys are not our men.

They're the cleanup crew.

They're men!

They are my men!

And they have honor.

They deserve better than this.

I always argued to Father
that you were a good soldier.

That you were dealt a bad hand.

But you did the best
you could.

We're the only ones
left, Charles.

I'm counting on you
to make our family proud.

Gentlemen,

I present your new
commanding officer.

Major Abner Lockhart.

Major Lockhart,

the battalion is yours.

- First, Sergeant Hayes.
- Sir.

Dismiss the men.

Sir.

All right, company.
[SHOUTS] Dismissed.

- Thank you, Colonel.
- Congratulations.

Boston.

William, I know
you have concerns,

but I've had a very stern
conversation with Major Lockhart

about how to treat you men
in the future.

I believe he will serve
in my stead,

and I believe
he will protect you.

Sir.

Captain Lockhart
doesn't understand.

I have the scars to prove it.

How did Washington
respond to your reports?

Racially charged complaints
are never received well

- at the War Department.
- Then what do we do, sir?

You leave.

Go to officer training school in
Des Moines and make a difference.

I thought we had a deal.

We did.

- It's time for you to leave.
- No, sir.

The deal was we were going
to be treated as soldiers

and as men, sir.

William, I've done
all I can do here.

I hope you take
my advice.

Good luck, William.

Boston...

So, Lockhart in charge now?

What that mean for us?

BOSTON: I don't want to go.

Why would I want to go?

Becoming an officer won't end the
hell we're going through here.

I'd just be
another Uncle Tom

who couldn't cut it
with his own people.

- That's what they say.
- Who?

Everybody. The 24th...

Me.

Everybody. There's
no honor in that.

People say things
they don't know.

Don't make 'em true.

My daddy had a storefront
church, right down in San Felipe

I played piano every service.

Daddy's deacon,

Johnny Tibbs,

he was a good talker.

Church was riding high
and Daddy... [CHUCKLES]

Daddy loved him
some Johnny.

One evening after
choir let out,

Johnny and I was alone,

and he asked me
to be his gal.

I said no.

That didn't stop him.

He...

He had his way with me.

And Daddy blamed me.

Called me a jezebel.

Put me out in the street.

Whole town thought
I was this whore

who tried to take advantage
of the good deacon.

[SIGHS]

But I ain't gonna
lay down and die

'cause people think
I'm something I ain't.

[CRYING]

[SNIFFLES]

I was robbed of my honor.

You get outta here
before they take yours too.

You come with me.

[VOICE CRACKING]

- Oh, please.
- [CRYING]

Please.

Depends...

Can I bring my piano?

I would never separate
a woman from her piano.

- Never?
- [WHISPERS] No, never.

Never.

I'd like to attend officer training
school, First Sergeant.

I heard you declined.

I changed my mind,
First Sergeant.

Surprise, surprise.

My Roosevelt was your Norton.

How does it feel
to be a damn fool?

I'm not a fool, First Sergeant.

Now you gonna cut and run.

I'm not running,
First Sergeant.

My daddy was like you.

Soldier wanted to help
the white man.

Told me, "Son...

"this a white man's world.

"You gotta play by
the white man's rules."

Yeah, well,

I saw what helping took him.

The same place it took me.

Same place it took you.

Niggaville.

Every man here
has got a lit fuse.

But you thought you were
better than most.

Thought you could get
chummy with that white man.

Norton, he onto
greener pastures,

and you here.

Sick...

crying to another nigga
about being a nigga.

Well, welcome to the club.
We all sick of it.

Watching our boys come though that
gate head bloodied, beat up by the law

but you ain't got to
worry about that no more.

Do ya, Corporal?

'Cause you running.

And what about you?

You playing boy
with your "Yes, sir.

"No, sir.

"Be on my way, sir."

You won't even look
that white man in his eye.

I'm the one who's running?

At least what I did
made a difference,

First Sergeant.

You right.

You the first colored man
to ever arrest a white man

for killing a colored man.

You made a difference.

The judge just released him.

No charges.

Norton told me that
on his way out the door.

I'll get Major Lockhart to put your
papers through as you requested.

Get out of my face.

[CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]

FRANKLIN: The clouds
is gathering.

We might get us
a little weather.

Maybe it'll hold.

FRANKLIN: Yeah? You think so?
Hope it does.

Listen up.

I got something to tell you.

I'm leaving.

They are sending me to
officer training school.

What, you gonna be an officer?

[ALL CHEERING]

Boss is gonna be a captain.

What you gonna do
when you Lieutenant Boss, huh?

Well, Davids,
I'm going to France.

[ALL CHEERING]

♪ Over there

♪ Send the word, send the word
Over there

♪ That the Yanks are coming
The Yanks are coming

♪ The drum, drum tumming
everywhere

♪ Over there, say a prayer

♪ Send the word
Send the word to beware

♪ We'll be known
We're going over

♪ And we won't come back till
it's all over over there ♪

[ALL CHEERING]

- [GUN FIRING]
- [MAN SCREAMING]

- [WOMAN GASPS]
- [BABY CRYING]

Y'all quit shooting
over here.

What'd you say to me?

You almost killed my baby.

- Watch where you shootin', mister.
- [BABY CRYING]

Mr. Cross, I didn't mean
nothing by it.

- Get out of my way, bitch.
- No!

Hey, you little nigga baby.

Hey, you gonna shut up?

- WOMAN: Don't touch him.
- Oh, you'll shut up now.

I didn't mean nothing by it.

[YELPS]

[YELPS]

Got something else to say to me?

You got something
to say to me now, huh?

Do you need to beg? Evans!

- Evans! Come get this dang bitch.
- No!

- Evans.
- WOMAN: No! [SCREAMING]

- Lock this bitch up.
- No!

Best call it in first.
Don't want no trouble from Hammond.

I don't give a shit
about Hammond. I said,

- lock her up.
- This ain't right.

[WOMAN STRUGGLING AND CRYING]

Come on, get outta here!

- [BABY CRYING]
- My baby, please!

Somebody he...
[SCREAMING]

Shut your goddamn mouth!

Come on. Get this shit up.

Yeah, this is Evans.

Let Chief know we got
a nigga female we bringing in.

DAVIDS: Cross, you
son of a bitch! [YELLING]

CROSS: Get off me, nigga.

- Get off me.
- Funny to hit on people?

[THUDS]

Goddammit.

[GRUNTING]

- [WOMAN YELPS]
- [DAVIDS GASPS]

Boss. They got one of your boys.

- Who?
- The police. Nearly beat him to death.

- They bled him like a stuck pig.
- Who are you talking about, McGhee?

One of yours.
What's his name, Dawson...

No, Davids. That's it.

- Davids?
- Yes, sir.

- You sure?
- Come on now.

MARIE: Wait.

What's going on?

A soldier's in trouble.
I'm gonna be late.

Why don't you come inside
with me.

- I can't, Marie.
- Please.

I'll be right back, okay?

I promise you,
I'll be right back.

Everything's fine.
Everything's fine.

I promise.

BOSTON: Cross.

You detained one of my soldiers.

I need him released
to my custody.

I think he's talking about
that nigga we whipped upon.

Was he livin' when we left him?

EVANS: [SCOFFS]
Pissing and shitting himself.

- If that constitutes living.
- Yeah, maybe.

Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey.

- I am Corporal...
- I know who you are.

- I'm being nicer than I need to be.
- Boston! Boston is my name.

Provost Guard. Assigned to protect
the men of the 24th Infantry

and I am demanding
that you take my soldier

out from whatever
fucking hole you put him in!

Now.

All right.

We're good here.

It's all good.

[YELPS]

[GUN FIRES]

[GUN FIRES]

[THUNDER CLAPS]

They killed Boston.

What?

And Davids too.

Whole mob of them
coming to finish us off.

Who said that?

The colored man
came in from town.

They killed him.

They killed him!

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

[ALL CLAMORING]

What the hell is going on here?

Sir, two of my mens was killed
today in Houston City limits.

We just got word that the local
police and the white citizens

of Houston have
declared war on us.

In fact, they could be
on their way right now.

- First Sergeant, you tell these men to put down the guns.
- Sir...

Tell them to out down
the guns!

I was there

that December day in the Philippines
when nine boys from the 24th

rounded 100 of them son of a
bitch Filipinos out the trenches.

You hear me? One hundred!

We didn't lose
a single man that day.

I done lost two tonight.
I'll be damned if I lose another, sir.

Let me rephrase.

[SCREAMING] Tell my men to
put down those damn guns, now!

No, sir.

Not as long as my men
are in danger, sir.

Do you wanna lose them stripes?

No, sir.

How about
a goddamn court-martial.

- No, sir.
- Then you do what I fucking command!

Right now!

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

Put the weapons away.

Put 'em away.

Now, I'm going into Houston,

I will get down
to the bottom of this.

You lock down this armory and don't
you give another goddamn order.

You understand me,
First Sergeant?

Do you understand me?

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

Yes, Sir.

Give me your armory key.

[RAIN PATTERING]

[KEYS JINGLE]

[DOOR OPENS]

[BREATHES DEEPLY]

Jesus.

Give me a towel for this man.

Where's Davids?

They said they didn't know.

They can't find him.

He may be dead.
Hell, who knows.

Look, we have a problem.

The men think
there's a militia on the way.

Are they?

I need you to do everything in your
power to allay this excitement.

You make it clear that this
incident did not amount to anything.

Do you understand?

You want me to lie.

Yes, you lie, goddammit!

And no more talk of Davids.

We need to keep order.

Now, as you can see,
Corporal Boston is alive.

[MEN GASP]

But it is foolhardy to think about
taking the law into your own hands.

I will personally see to it
that this man Cross

is ejected
from the police force.

WALKER: All the police
is like that.

- What do we do what they beat us again?
- Report it to me.

- Where's Davids?
- You know the mob's coming for us next.

A white mob, the whole town
is talking about it.

Listen, you gotta get us up outta here.
You gotta get us outta here right now!

- I don't have the authority to do that.
- Then who has the authority?

First Sergeant,
control your men.

MAN: I'm fed up! We fed up!

- [MEN CLAMORING]
- We can't go nowhere, sir!

MAN: Boston needs a medic,
Davids' gone! What we doing?

Sergeant Hayes,
you take control of the men.

[STERNLY]
Where you going, sir?

I'm going to call
the Chief of Police.

[SIGHS]

- [GUN FIRES]
- [GASPS]

[GUN FIRES]

They coming!

[WHISTLE BLOWING]

- [GUN FIRING]
- Argh!

- All hell done broke lose.
- With me!

It's a mob of white folks!

- What?
- It's a mob of white folks!

Which way did they go?

Private, which way did they go?

That way.

I'm on it.

MAN: Fire!

Fire goddammit!

[BANGING]

Arm yourselves.

All right, men.
Get your head on.

Get your bayonets.

Arm yourselves.

Halt!

Hold platoon, move!

Forward march!

HAYES: Front rank kneel.

What the hell
are you niggas doing?

Squad aim.

- Squad fire.
- [GUNS FIRING]

Front rank stand.

Right!

This is our France.

[GLASS SHATTERING]

Now look, these niggas give up,
you let me handle it. You hear?

You're civilians.
Don't you forget that.

The law run this town,

and nobody else.

- HAYES: Fire!
- [GUNS FIRING]

[GARGLING]

[GUN FIRES]

[DOOR SQUEAKS SHUT]

What the hell
are you doing, Chief?

- It's for our own good, Cross.
- Just let me outta here.

I can fix the city.

You only make it worse.

Chief?

Chief?

[IN DISTANCE] Chief!

[GUNS FIRING IN DISTANCE]

- [GUN FIRES]
- [YELPS]

You niggas done lost
your goddamn minds.

Form skirmish order.

EVANS: Put your goddamn guns down,
we'll let you live. You hear?

Boston. Boy,
I showed you some respect.

- You show me some now.
- Take aim.

Dammit, it's the law!

- Fire!
- [GUNS FIRING]

[GUNS FIRING IN DISTANCE]

Uh-oh.

Little boy's still alive.

Hey man...
Oh, you need some help?

All right, come on,
let me help you out here.

- Come on. Get your ass up.
- [GROANS]

Come on. Come on.
Get up.

Hey, you need some help.

Here you go, boy,
I got you.

[THUDDING]

[GRUNTING]

[SCREAMS]

Joe.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

He needed some help.

MAN: Say,

you boys on night maneuvers?

[GRUNTS]

[GUN FIRES]

- [GUNS FIRING]
- [WOMAN SCREAMING]

HAYES: You smell that?

[INHALES]

It's blood.

Yeah, but there ain't nobody
innocent here, soldier.

Not them, not us...

Nobody.

MAN: Look in front.

Wait. Wait!

- Is it the police?
- Hold your fire!

Hold your fire!

- Stop!
- [CAR ENGINE RUMBLES]

Stop!

What's going on?

- You got any weapons?
- No.

No, my wife, she just had a
baby I'm drivin' 'em home.

Drive through.

Don't slow down, don't look back.
Come on.

- Thank you.
- They're not police.

Hold your fire.

Clear a way.
Clear a way, y'all.

Boston. The fuck
is your problem?

- Hey, Clinton.
- What, they beat on your head too hard, boy?

We should have killed 'em.
They can identify us!

- HAYES: Clinton, calm yourself.
- MAN 1: Hey.

- A machine's coming.
- MAN 2: Machine!

[GUNS COCKING]

- Sarge, what we doing?
- MAN 3: Hold your fire!

- What we doing, Sarge?
- Sarge, what we doing?

BOSTON: Wait.

- [GUNS FIRING]
- Wait!

Walker, take a look.
See what's what.

No.

You, Boston.

What?

[SIGHS]

What?

Army.

They're not police,
this one's a captain.

Oh, shit!

Boston.

HAYES: Shit!

Army.

- National Guard.
- No, don't say that.

Shit!

Why the fuck we shooting
at soldiers?

Goddammit! What...

What was we supposed to do?

One of you niggas
get us up outta here!

[SOLDIERS MARCHING]

Sarge...

It's over now.

What we gonna do?

Well, you know
the answer to that.

We done soldier together
long time,

you and me.

Yeah.

We can go back to camp.
They might not be dead.

I ain't going back
to camp no more.

There ain't no more honor
in this world for me.

No.

No, I ain't doing that.

Looks like it's
your lucky day, Boston.

For all the hell
I done put you through.

Let me have it.

You holster that weapon
right now, Boston.

So long, soldier.

Sarge, you ain't got to do this.

Goodbye.

[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]

[DOG BARKS IN DISTANCE]

I'm not going to shoot you,
First Sergeant.

I didn't think you would.

You don't have to do this.

Then let them do it for me?

No.

Army was my whole life.

That's over now.

We crossed that line.

You...

are no actor.

I was the one wearing the mask.

[GUN COCKING]

That's over now.

- [GUN FIRES]
- [YELPS]

SOLDIER: Don't you boys move.

Stay right there.

Hand over your weapons.

Do it now.

[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]

[ENGINE WHIRRING]

[CHAINS CLANGING]

[SCREAMING AND CRYING]

No! Oh, no!

[CRYING HYSTERICALLY] No!

No!

Get off me! Get off me!

- [GRUNTS]
- Hey! No! Don't you touch her!

Don't you touch her!

You stay with me!

You stay with me!

She's strong.
She gonna be okay.

- [DOOR OPENS]
- [FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

Have a seat.

Thought you'd be
in France by now.

It seems another war
took precedence.

Rather ironic place for a court
martial, don't you think?

And they're
a young couple.

I was married here.

[SIGHS]

Did you do this?

This is a perfect place
for a wedding.

William, what I'm about to
say to you violates

my moral code

to the depths of my soul,
but I have to say it.

If someone doesn't testify...

for the prosecution

they are going to execute
every last man.

You want me to name the men?

Someone has to.

Okay.

Corporal William Boston.
I was there.

The weapon that they found you
with had not been discharged.

I was there.

They need someone

who was against the mutiny.

Someone that they can trust

and respect.

[LAUGHS]

Trust and respect?

The good one?

It's who you are.

You're a good man.

If it's not you,
they'll find someone else.

- So be it.
- You'd rather die?

Yes! With honor.

There's no honor

in killing innocent people.

Innocent?

I should've never taken
the transfer.

I should've never
left you men behind.

None of us are absolved.

William...

help me save your life.

No!

The actions I took with the men

come from the same self
you find worthy of saving.

If I am worth it,

then so is every man
in this regiment

that marched on Houston.

I am them and they are me.

You can make a difference.

You can go to officer training,
become an officer.

You can affect the careers

of thousands of
colored soldiers.

I am them...

- and they are...
- Damn it!

William?

Do you have a girl?

What's her name?

Marie.

Do you love her?

With all my heart.

She must be quite distraught.

I imagine so.

[SIGHS]

I didn't fire my gun...

but I wanted to kill them...

just as much as the others did.

Every time they spit...

[VOICE SHAKING] they pissed...

they'd beat us down,

I could, I could feel it.

I could feel it.

Hate...

But when I aimed the gun...

Oh, God, help me.

[SNIFFLES] Oh, help me.

I saw a man...

[SNIFFS] I saw a man...

And you know the thing?

He didn't see one back.

I won't stay unheard forever.

[VOICE SHAKING] You keep
pushing people down,

sooner or later they rise up...

and they won't see a man...

they'll see murder.

If death is the price
for a night of justice...

I'm ready to pay it.

My answer is no.

No.

No.

[CHAIR CREAKS]

You should be on your way.

I told you
when I first met you...

that I admired service.

Sacrifice over ambition.

I always will.

I know.

Goodbye, William.

Goodbye...

Charles.

[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]

[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]

LAWYER: We call Private
Cleator Lucky to the stand.

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

God damn Judas.

He's a kid.

LAWYER: Private Lucky has been
given immunity for his testimony.

Good for him.

Was there a belief
among the men

that Private David's was killed
by the local police?

Yes, sir.

Was he dead?

No, sir.

They just had beat him
awful bad.

Point him out to us.

LAWYER: Private, please stand.

Private Lucky,

can you identify any of
the leaders of the mutiny?

Private Walker there.

Him and Private Franklin,

Miller...

Wilson and Taylor there.

They charged the armor
and took the weapons.

Gave 'em out.

And Big Joe, he yelled...

They're coming!

LAWYER: Was there a mob?

LUCKY: No, sir.

Matter of fact was that there was
nothing out there but an old cow.

LAWYER: The false mob,
was that the signal to mutiny?

Yes, sir, I believe so.

Will you men please stand.

LUCKY: Walker told
Private Jackson, Anderson,

Lamon White, Anthony Harris,

Ennis Clark, they all wanted
to go to town and raise Cain.

Sergeant Clinton and Sergeant
Hayes, they's led the march.

LAWYER: Will you man stand.

Private,

who was the other key figure
in the mutiny?

Come on, Private.

Who was it?

[RAIN PATTERING]

[BREATH TREMBLING]

LAWYER: Corporal William Boston.

What was his role?

Well, sir...

We all looked up to Boston.

And when he come back all beat
up and picked up a rifle...

That was it.

It's when I made my mind to go.

I know it was the same
for every man there.

Boston's the most educated fellow I
seen, colored or white.

And for him to have all that
and be whooped upon like that...

nothing seemed to matter
no more.

We felt we weren't
all men...

if we didn't march too.

Yes, sir.

Boston's the one.

He the real reason
we all done it.

GENERAL: Corporal
William Boston.

Rise and stand with the man.

You boys

have dishonored our nation...

and betrayed your oath to protect
the people of this country.

What do you have
to say for yourselves?

I am a man.

I'm a man.

I am a man.

- I'm a man.
- ALL: I am a man.

ALL: [CHANTING] I am a man.

Take them away.

- ALL: [CHANTING] I am a man.
- [GAVEL BANGING]

[ALL CONTINUE CHANTING]

[INAUDIBLE]

[CRYING]

I am a man!

I am a man!

[BIG JOE VOCALIZING]

♪ Oh...

♪ We're there

♪ Oh, we're there

♪ Sent away

♪ Send away...

We have a verdict.

♪ Over there

- [CLICKING]
- ♪ Death the answer

Fifty-eight of the 63 defendants
have been found guilty.

- [CLACKING]
- ♪ The drums tum, tum in the...

Of those found guilty...

forty-one have been sentenced to hard
labor for the term of their natural lives.

♪ Say a prayer

♪ Hand prepare...

In light of the fact that mutiny has
no appeal during the time of war.

♪ Sent the word
to the world to beware

♪ We won't come back

♪ We won't

♪ Till it's over

♪ Over there...

the remaining 13 men...

the men identified as the
ring leaders of the mutiny...

[WOMAN LAUGHING]

were hung this morning...

- [LOCK JOLTS]
- [BODY THUDS]

...shortly after 5:30.

May God have mercy
on their souls.

[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]

[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]

[SIGHS]

BOSTON: Turns out I had to stay
and fight.

By the time you read this
I'll be gone.

But I wanted you to know
why I went into Houston.

I did it for your
future children...

for your future husband...

[SNIFFLING]

I did it for you,

so you and they
shall not suffer

as we have suffered
simply for being negros.

Enclosed is the promise ring
I was going to give you.

I want you to use it as a means
to secure your future

and redeem your honor.

[SOMBER PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]

In my heart...

I wish it didn't have
to end this way.

[SOBBING]

Truly.

I'll always be
by your side, Marie.

I love you.

William.

[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]

Subtitles by explosiveskull
www.OpenSubtitles.org

[MUSIC STOPS]

[ORCHESTRAL MUSIC PLAYING]