All language subtitles for drum 1976

* Say you want me to moan

* You say you want me to cry

* You say you want me
to tell my story

* One time 'fore I die

* Say you want me to moan
and cry

* Say you want me to cry
and moan

* Say you want me
to tell my story

* One time 'fore I'm gone

* Oh

* Oh, 'fore I

* Oh, oh, 'fore I

NARRATOR: In the early
19th century,
the Port of Havana, Cuba

was the capital of the most
profitable traffic
of the western world,

slavery.

Once-free black men and women
were brutally seized
from their homes and families

on the dark continent

and chained like wild beasts
to the filthy holes
of slave ships.

Condemned to be chopped.

Slavery was legal,
and slaves were
valuable merchandise.

Even the royal families
of Europe derived
thousands of pounds

from their investments
in the slave trade.

Only the strongest
of the black captives
survive the long and perilous

voyage across the Atlantic
to be marched to
Havana's great slave market.

These once-proud people,
some of them kings and princes
in their own land,

were felt by avaricious hands,
and auctioned off to
the wealthy Cuban landowners,

to tend the vast sugar
and tobacco fields
and breed more slaves.

Strong young bucks
and wenches were handpicked
from the best tribes

to breed a new race
of prime slaves.

One such breeder was Tamboura,
an African king
enslaved and drawn

into a forbidden alliance
with Dona Marianna,
his owner's mistress.

Averted by their riches,
the landowners mated their
blacks in love arenas,

for the amusement of their
friends and jaded mistresses.

Like the perverse Marianna,
whose lust allowed her
to be loved even by her slave,

Rachel.

The color line was
rigidly enforced
for black man and white women.

But Marianna, attracted to
Tamboura's savage beauty,
let lust outweigh caution,

and took Tamboura
as her lover.

For a black man to even
look at a white woman would
have brought fatal results.

Tamboura was made an example,
so that every slave
would know what it meant

when a black touched
a white woman.

For Marianna,
the seeds of disaster
became all too really so.

I'm going to have a baby.

Tamboura's! A little
black bastard, my baby.

RACHEL: I will
take care of everything.
No one will know.

He will be my child.

NARRATOR: They fled to
New Orleans, where Marianna
had her black baby, Drum.

Rachel raised him as her own,
and Marianna

became the most celebrated
madam in New Orleans.

By 1860, there appeared
another breed of slavers,

like Hammond Maxwell,
of Falconhurst.

Most civilized nations
had condemned slave trading.

But slavers got around this
problem and made a fortune

by breeding their blacks
like horses,

and selling their issue
to the cotton plantation.

(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING)

That nigger, who is he?

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

Drum.

He's the son of my
inner slave, Rachel.

What a splendid animal
he would be, huh?

Stripped down, naked?

Oui! Perhaps a good
fighting nigger.

Oh, no!
Quel dommage!

Dommage?

Yes, pity a body
like that surrounded
by beautiful women,

being wasted
as a bartender.

You know, I wouldn't
mind owning him.

Mon cher DeMarigny!

I didn't know you were
in the market for a stud.

I'm always in the market
for a young stud.

Mon cher Lazare.

(LAUGHS) Well, I'm going to
tell you girls, I've spent
a lovely afternoon with you,

and I'd sure hate
to lose you now,
but your time's up.

DeMARIGNY: Hammond!
Hammond!

Oh, yes!

Oh, DeMarigny, hi!
How you doing?

Bonsoir, Hammond.
How did the sale go?

Oh, good, good.

$30,000 worth of
niggers went in less
than three hours.

HAMMOND: And there's
plenty more to come.

Fantastic!

Listen, that Yankee baboon,
Lincoln, gets himself
elected and starts a war.

C'est impossible!
Oh, no, no, no, no.

It's not impossible at all,
mon petit.

Every Southern legislature
is seriously discussing
secession.

Well, we ain't going
to worry about that
kind of hen shit!

Ha!

Abolition ain't never
going to take roots
in these here parts.

Never.

Bye-bye, Jack.
Marianna!

Hammond.
I got to talk to you
'bout my daughter, Sophie.

Not now, Hammond.

Sure, now! Why,
what's wrong with now?

Could we do it
tomorrow morning?

Aw!
Meanwhile,
enjoy yourself.

Why, that's a hell
of an idea!

Gentlemen!
Gentlemen!

(MUSIC STOPS)

When all passions
have been spent,

and all buttons have
been rebuttoned, eh?

(ALL LAUGH)

There will be
a pugilistic encounter,
in the courtyard.

(ALL EXCLAIMING EXCITEDLY)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

I don't care,
you can't be with me.

Regardless,
what it is...

(BOTH WHOOPING)

You got fire!

DeMARIGNY: Well, go
and amuse yourselves
for a while, eh?

We will have
a marvelous evening.

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

Pompey's not coming!

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

His owner decided not to
let him fight a week before
his match in Baton Rouge.

(CURSING IN FRENCH)

That will cost him
his life.

Mon Dieu!
I will not be made
to look like a fool.

I invited 30 of my friends
here tonight, and I
promised them a fight.

That is not
my responsibility.

Drum must fight
my nigger tonight.

That is impossible.

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

If you do not do as I ask,
I shall withdraw my
patronage from this place.

And all of my friends
will do likewise.

I can also persuade
the city officials
to shut you down.

I realize it seems
a simple thing,

but when I don't
get my way,
I can be ruthless.

I will destroy you,
Marianna.

You don't give me a choice.

Absolutely none.

Cherie.

(EXCITED CHATTERING)

Gentlemen,
gentlemen!

Is there anyone
who has not yet
made his bets?

MAN: No! No!

No? Good!

Then let the fight
commence.

(ALL CHEERING)

I hope you got a hard head,
boy, 'cause you're
gonna need it!

(CROWD CHEERING)

On your feet,
you piece
of merde! Fight!

Fight, you bastard!

I don't wanna fight you.
Why do you wanna kill me?

If I don't fight you,
my master's gonna kill me!

(CROWD CHEERING)

Drum, you nigger,
nancy boy,

you've been living too long
with all these whores!

(SCREAMING)

(CROWD CHEERING)

(SCREAMING)

Voila Drum!
The victor!

(CROWD CHEERING)

I hope you killed
the bastard.

Drum, you were
wonderful!

You're showing more life
on the ground than
you did on your feet!

What will you do
with him?

Since he doesn't
seem to have any balls,

he won't miss the ones
he's wearing.

Would you sell him?

Merde, I give
the bastard away.

To Madame Marianna?

(LAUGHS)

Take him, he's yours.

For that
superb fight, Drum,

you shall be
rewarded.

You have already
rewarded me.
Blaise?

That piece of merde
is no reward.
What would you like, Drum?

Name anything!

A woman.

A woman?

A woman of my own.

(LAUGHS)

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

You shall have your wish.

Lazare, get that
flesh peddler, Maspero.

Tell him to bring
his best stock of
wenches and parade them

before our Drum.

You all right?

(GRUNTS)

Your name is Blaise?

I'm Drum.

You're gonna stay
at Madame Marianna's.
We're gonna be friends.

Friends?

You damned near
killed me.

Come on, hurry up!
Get them moving!

I'm sure Drum must
be getting very
impatient by now, huh?

MAN: Come on,
come on, come on!
Move! Move! Faster, faster!

Faster. Run.
MAN: Go on.

Quickly, quickly!
Go, go! Tres bien!
Up, up, up!

Come now, Drum,
one of these
is forever yours.

Choose her, huh?

Allez, Drum.
Get a closer look.

Feel the merchandise.

(LAUGHS)

Oh, what's the matter,
Drum? You're bashful?

Let me assist you, since
I am much more experienced
in these matters.

Oh, no, no,
no, no, no!

I'm afraid this poor
wench is totally
unsuited for you.

Since both of her
titties would not fill
one of your hands.

DeMARIGNY: Turn around.
Stand still.
Show me your ass.

Well, I...

Ooh!

Very interesting.

No.

Oh!

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

DeMARIGNY: This one seems
not only to have the spirits,
but I think perhaps

the promise of
a fine sheath for
your rapier, Drum.

Get her over here.
MAN: Move.

(SCREAMING)
No. No. No.

Our Drum has
another fight on
his hands, huh?

(SCREAMING)
No! No! No!

No, no.
Why are you
fighting me, girl?

Ain't no nigger gonna
rape me. I was raised
for a white master.

No white man could ever
love you like I will.

I want this one.

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

You have made
a splendid choice.

My master was saving me
for his son.

But my master died
and the son never come back.

So I ain't never had
a man.

You have a man now,
Calinda.

Up till now.

You like me better
being a virgin?

That's white man's
thinking.

Always afraid something
bigger and better has
been there before them.

(GASPS)

Now, Drum, it's time
to repay me
for my generosity

in giving you this
beautiful woman to
enjoy any way you want.

I would like
to join you.

She's mine.

You said so yourself.
She's mine alone.

Don't worry.
I don't want
your woman, Drum.

You can have her
all to yourself.

But you...

Your beautiful body.

Well, that would
please me.

You'll love it, Drum.

Now. You'll love it!

(SCREAMS)
No! Let him be!
Let him...

You black bitch.
I'll kill you.

Leave her alone!

If you were a white man,
I would kill you in a duel.

But it would be too quick,
too easy to put a bullet
in your brain!

With a nigger,
there are other ways.

Painful ways
that take a long time.

I assure you, Drum,

you will not like it.

(SLAMS DOOR)

Marianna?

I wants me a live-in whore
for back in Falconhurst.

I want her to be white,
a good talker,
and a good dresser,

and don't drink.

You mean like
a mistress?

No, I want her to
run my house,

and raise up
my little daughter, Sophie.

She's been getting
into mischief and
running wild like she is.

What you seem to want,
Hammond, is a wife.

(LAUGHING)

No, I don't
want no wife.
I had me two.

The first one,
Sophie's mother, oh,
she was a pretty little thing.

But meaner than
a plowed up snake.

And the second one
run off with
a melodrama actor.

That's why I want a whore.

So I won't think
she ain't and then
discover that she is.

You want a whore
to raise your daughter?

Well, it'd be a whole lot
better than one of them
high family gals,

that goes around
spreading her legs for
her brothers and cousins,

every which all.

No, I figured a woman
who'd been a-whoring

ain't likely to want
a young gal
a-doing the same thing.

If you gather my meaning.

I'll see what I can do.

You know
that Mandingo boy, Drum?

I'll give you $2,000
for him.

For Drum?

I'll take him back
to Falconhurst. It'd be
a nice place for him.

We don't grow no cotton,
just niggers.

I'll take good care of him,
and he'll be a breeder.

I just don't want to
sell him, Hammond.

$2,500?
You think on that.

Rachel?

I've been thinking about Drum.
What a fine man
he's grown up to be.

And you're such
a good mother to him.

I sometimes forget
I ever gave birth to Drum.

He's the only person
I have ever loved.

Except for you,
Marianna.

And he looks so much
like his father.

Better looking
than his father.

You've always hated him.
Why, Rachel?

Let it lie.

The past is as dead
as Tamboura.

You're right, as always.

Come on, Drum.
Sun's up.

Let's me and you
do a little sparring.
We can do this shit later on.

No, maybe somebody
will see us.

No, those white folks
are all passed out. They were
whoring and snoring and drunk.

Come on, you got
a lot to learn.

All right. All right.

I want you to remember
what I showed you.

I want you to
keep your hands
up high.

I want you to go for
the heart and the head.

I want you to
remember that!
Now watch me, okay?

The heart
and the head, right?

Heart and the head.
All right!

Okay, now you
try it. Come on.

BLAISE: Heart and the head.
Right. And don't
swing, punch!

Heart and head.
Come on! Come on!

That's it! That's it!
That's beautiful, boy.

I'm sorry.
Sorry, Blaise!
I'm sorry.

Yeah, so am I.
You're learning
too damn fast.

All right, heart
and head!

Drum! Will you stop
this fisticuffing?

You know Madame Marianna
don't want you out here
fighting like a street dog.

If she caught you,
what would she...

I gotta fight,
Mama.

I wanna be
a champion fighter.

What a man wants
and what a man gets ain't
always the same thing, now.

Especially
a black man.

RACHEL: As for you,
Blaise...

Maybe a black man
ain't free as the wind yet,

but he ought to be given
a fighting chance.

That's whip post talk, son.

Oh, Mama.

Stand over there,
nigger, unless you
want to die first.

In that other fight,
Drum, I'm afraid
I underestimated you.

So this time I'm giving you
a far worthier opponent
than Blaise.

Allow me to present Babouin!

A champion of certain
unpleasant skills,

as you are about to learn.

You are going to fight him
with your fists,

he fights with a knife.

Come on, whore house boy.
Come on,
get your eggs cut off!

Cuts good, don't it?
Sharp as a razor.

Enough of this foreplay.
Hold him.

Now for the coup de grace.

Stop it!
Stop it!

(GASPS)

(SCREAMING)

Drum! Drum! Drum! Drum!
You kill a white man,
you'll get killed!

BLAISE: Drum!

Drum.

If you think you have
much longer to live,

you're even a dumber
nigger than
I took you for.

Mama!

Mama!

Marianna!

Marianna!

You can't stay
in New Orleans
any longer.

DeMarigny will
kill you.

He should be arrested
and jailed.

But it would be
the word of a white man
against a black man.

You're a slave, Drum.
Don't ever forget that.

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

Come in.

Madame.

Come here, to me.

Take off your shirt.

This belonged
to your father.

He believed while he wore it,
he would have the strength
and courage of the lion

he had taken it from,
back in Africa,
many years ago.

Mama always refused
to speak of my father.

Tamboura was
a royal Hausa. A king.

And the handsomest
Negro I have ever seen.

You remind me of him
a great deal.

Rachel was so close to me
that at times,
I feel like your own mother.

Go now.
I want to rest.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

You think?
Yeah.

Why, I hope so.
Lord have mercy.

I'm gonna squeeze
it out here, now.

WOMEN: Ooh!

HAMMOND: All those red ones
and one black.

(WOMEN LAUGHING)

Hammond!
I have good news
for you.

Good news?
Well, I could use me
some good news,

I couldn't buy
a decent nigger today.

I have decided to
sell you Drum.

Good!

Just one condition.

You also buy
his friend, Blaise.

Well, that'd be fine,
if'n this Blaise
be a sturdy boy,

and he's got a stud's
making. That'd be fine.

Of course.

He's also got a girl
he's close to.

I don't want no attachments.
I'm using him for breeding.

And I found a woman
for you.

Did you?

But she's not a whore.
I hope you're
not disappointed.

Well, I'd ask for a whore.

Well, she's tainted.

She's a young woman
from a good family
who was indiscreet.

Well, that ain't a whore.
But it ain't exactly
a lady either.

Would you like
to meet her?
Yes, ma'am, I sure would.

Hammond.

Miss Augusta Chauvet.
Hammond Maxwell,
of Falconhurst Plantation.

Ma'am!

Perhaps you'd like
to talk to her
for a while.

No, I could
never talk to
no white lady.

She'll do just fine.

You quite sure,
Mr. Maxwell?

Oh, yes, ma'am.

I ain't gonna be
pinching on you
and feeling you,

like I does my
nigger wenches.

I ain't getting you for
bedding and breeding,
you know.

You won't get me,
Mr. Maxwell,
you are hiring me.

You're a white woman,
all right.

(WHISPERS) I'll come
back to get everybody
tomorrow.

Well, Gussie,
what do you think?

Oh, he's much handsomer
than I imagined.

And he's rich.

I just could
manage to fall
in love with him.

And become
Mrs. Hammond Maxwell.

Well, y'all
would be my first
house guest.

What for I can't go
with you?

'Cause the new master
doesn't want you.

I'll run away,
where you is.

You can't do that.
They'd only find you,
send you back and beat you.

Well, then I'll tell them
I'll kill myself.

Be better if you never
chose me that night.

Drum.

We never see
each other again?

It could be never.

(CRYING) Drum.
Don't go.

I love you.

Don't go.

Please.

I love you, Calinda.

But maybe niggers
shouldn't love.

White folks say we can't,
because they think
we're animals.

Drum, we never be
a-sleeping in each
other's arms.

Never be a-holding
and kissing.

I'll never be seeing you
in the morning waking up.

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

WOMAN: Drum! Mr. Maxwell
is waiting for you!

Don't go!

(CRYING)

I understand
it's beautiful
out there.

Oh, I'm so
excited.

Be happy.

Goodbye!

HAMMOND: You're
gonna be so happy,
wench.

Mr. Maxwell.

Miss Augusta, ma'am!

Who is that?

This is Regine,
ma'am.

I bought her
for you this morning,

I thought she'd
make a nice house
servant for you.

Well, thank you,
Mr. Maxwell.

Less, o'course
I get a hankering
for her myself.

Which I reckon
I already do.

Regine, it's better if'n you
sit back in the other wagon.

Drum! Come on up here
and see if you
can drive this rig.

You obeys me, boy,
we gonna get along
just fine.

I'd rather have
you like me
than hate me.

Ain't nothing to do
with a sulky slave,
except to sell him.

Lordy!

HAMMOND: 'Course you do have
some human blood in you,
you ain't all nigger.

And that's probably why
you gonna hate me sometimes.

But that's all right.
That's just the human part
of you coming out.

Just one thing I don't
like about you, Drum,

is you don't talk
niggerish enough.

You talk like
a school teacher.

(LAUGHING)

HAMMOND: You ain't had
no education, have you?

No, sir.

Well, that's good.

'Cause it's against
the law.

Yes, sir!

Can't own no
property neither,
you know why?

So as I can't buy
my freedom.

You sure you
ain't had no education?

No, sir.

When we get back
to Falconhurst,

you see if you
can't talk more like
my other niggers.

Go on.

Drum, you and Blaise
take the luggage
into the hall.

What a beautiful house.

HAMMOND: I can't take no
credit for it, my daddy built
this house long years ago.

But I know you're
gonna enjoy your stay here,
Miss Augusta.

Come on around
with the bags there, boys,
that's it, come on.

Oh, my goodness!

(HAMMOND LAUGHS)

Now, don't you pay
any attention to those
two old boys, Lucretia Borgia.

They're not worth
a penny of your thoughts.

(LAUGHING)

Oh, Mastah Hammond!

How be you,
Lucretia Borgia?

Oh, now, don't
you go asking
how everything be.

Gotta be all right,
as long as
I'm tottering.

Oh, I know that.
Lucretia Borgia,
this is Miss Augusta.

Lucretia Borgia
been with me all my life,
ever since I a little sucker.

Got my titty milk
from her.

And I craves you two
be right friendly.

HAMMOND: I got
the prettiest
apron for you.

It's good to be home.
That food down at the
Century Hotel was just awful!

Drum!

Drum!

You fetch your master!
This place is a pigsty!

You tell him.
You tell your master

I absolutely will not
stay in this house unless
it's cleaned and fixed.

Now, go on, get!
Get!

You know a best thing to do
when a white woman
get her hair across her ass?

Just get the hell
out of the way.

And that's why I
ain't gonna come
back till supper.

So you go gather up
some bucks and wenches,
and mops and brooms,

take them up there,
and tell them do any
damn thing in the world

Miss Augusta wants
them to do.

And you and Blaise,
you take the room
over the kitchen.

And l tell you what,
tell them to put Regine
in the bedroom over mine.

That'll fix 'em.

Regine gets the room
over his?
With the stairway there?

Guess she's gonna be
his bed wench.

Bed wench?
Bed wench!

What a vile, vile word!

You get her a broom,
and you put her to work!

Regine. Miss Augusta
wants you sweeping
and cleaning.

(SOBBING)

What's the matter,
Regine?

Drum, I been to five
different places in
the last two years.

That's fine. Just fine.
Thank you.

Oh, my worthy!
Sure is a lot of dust!

You getting in
between all those
little lines there?

That Miss Augusta,
a mighty efficient woman.

Lordy, but she sure
got a tongue on her.

Who are they, Poppa?

Them? Drum and Blaise.
They gonna be
our new house servants.

They is pretty
nigger boys.

Can I have them
whipped if
they're naughty?

Shut your mouth.
I does the whipping
around here.

Miss Augusta,
this is my daughter,
Sophie.

Miss Augusta's
gonna be like
a momma to you.

Lucretia Borgia
like my momma.

Well, all right then,
I'll be like your aunt.
Aunt Augusta.

Uh, you ain't
gonna do that
regular, is you?

(CLEARS THROAT)

Well, I see
you've been a-messing
in the kitchen.

This sure ain't
kitchen wench cooking.
It's mighty pretty.

Well, I might say,
I do have a definite
tendency toward perfection.

AUGUSTA: Seeing as you're
in such a good humor,
Mr. Maxwell,

I would like to have
two extra girls to
work in the house.

Edna and Phronia
seem very competent.

(HAMMOND LAUGHING)

They too young.
I can't have them in the
house with Blaise and Drum.

I don't like to breed
them that young.

Mr. Maxwell.

AUGUSTA: Sophie shouldn't
hear those things.

Poppa, why don't you put
Blaise with Balsam and get
some good suckers out on her?

And Drum, give him Elvira.
She's a pretty wench.

And everybody's saying
she's in heat.

Sophie! There's a present
for you in my room.

It's on the bureau,
wrapped up. You go get it.

Though Sophie is 18,

speaking personally
and as a lady, I find
this talk intolerable.

Well, Miss Augusta,
you just not acquainted

with the young ladies
hereabouts on
these plantations.

You see, they're playing
house with their brothers
and their cousins

and their friends,
from the time they get
their hair on the wedge.

Excepting, of course,
my daughter, Sophie.

Mr. Maxwell, you are crude.
Very, very crude.

I never said I weren't,
ma'am.

Well, one thing
I will not stand for

is intercourse
between the slaves
inside the house.

Do you expect me
to waste these boys
a-serving the table?

These are strong boys.
They got strong yearnings.

Their sap is a-rising.

Now, I don't give them
wenches, then they gonna be
after the white ladies.

And then I gotta
castrate them.

AUGUSTA: Heavens, no!

Let them have
their wenches.

Just restrict the
intercourse to the back
rooms over the kitchen.

Blaise! Balsam is your'n.

Drum! Elvira is your'n.

And I'm a-going to give
a brand new shiny
silver dollar

to the first one of you
who gets his wench knocked up.

Thank you,
Mr. Hammond.

Drum, you still ain't talking
niggerish enough.

Did I hear you say,
"Mister" instead of "Mastah"?

Yes, Mr. Master!

(LAUGHING)

That'd be a joke.

I ain't never heard a joke
from a nigger before.

Go on, get out of here!
Get to humpin'!

HAMMOND: Lordy!

Must you persist
in being a vulgarian,
Mr. Maxwell?

Miss Augusta, you just
got to get used to the idea
that nigger fornicating

is what Falconhurst
is all about.

If my niggers
stop fornicating,
then we stop eating.

Since the conversation
has descended to this level,

I feel I can voice my feelings
concerning your bedding
with Regine every night.

Well, I don't do it
every night.
It's bad for my liver.

I don't think you
should do it at all.

Now, Miss Augusta,

you ain't gonna start
a-meddling around in my
poontang, now is you?

Good morning!

My, what a beautiful day.

HAMMOND: What's
going on here?

I just thought I'd bring
a little breakfast for you
and your lady love.

You thinking
this be funny?

No. I'm thinking you two
are probably quite hungry.

Regine?

It ain't proper for
a white woman to be
serving a nigger wench.

And it isn't proper for
a white man to make love
to a nigger wench.

What we been making
ain't love, Miss Augusta.

HAMMOND: You planning
on doing this again?

And why in heavens not?

Because, if'n you do,
I can't be having me
no bed wench.

I know. That's the idea.

You got to make your
butt go up and down
with the horse.

Hold up there now.
That's good!

That's good, Drum,
hold up there.
Hold now, whoa, horse!

That's real good.

I craves you do
some supervising
for me, too, Drum,

and I want you do
the whuppings.

I'd rather not do that,
Mr. Hammond.

You're gonna be my
number one boy. You're
gonna have to do that.

Now, don't you
stand up to me now.

Best nigger I ever
had did that, and he
made that mistake.

He made another one,
too, he let his pecker
get him in trouble.

I don't want nothing
like that
happening to you.

So don't you go running
off wherever your pecker
points, you understand?

You craves to
play with me?
I knows a nice game.

You get away from me,
Miss Sophie.

You is a pretty boy,
and you is a-gonna
play with me.

Blaise and the
other bucks do,
and you is, too.

Miss Sophie,
I'll tell your father.

You tells him
and he'll skin
and bile you alive.

I'll say you raped,
done raped me.

Miss Sophie!

She a-starting in
with you?

Ain't a boy on this place
that don't wants to run
when Miss Sophie a-coming.

Always unbuttoning
they pants and
a-playing with them.

Miss Sophie
a bad one!

Why don't somebody
tell Mr. Hammond?

'Cause she white!

Why no boy dares go
tell Mastah Hammond.

They's scared for fear
he'll kill them.

Perhaps he'll kill Blaise.
Or even worse, castrate him.

Blaise.

You been fooling
with Miss Sophie?

Is that what she says?
'Cause I don't know
what you mean.

You know what I mean.

Letting her unbutton
your pants
and play with your snake.

She's lying
and she's trouble.

She follows me all
around with her titties
sticking in my face.

But I ain't never
touched her.

Either you're lying,
or Miss Sophie is.

Drum.

If'n I looks through
a keyhole, I see Miss Sophie
on the other side

peeping back at me.

Now, who you gonna believe,
that bitch or me?

Just making sure, Blaise.
Just making sure.

Well, Drum, since you
been supervising,
everything is looking good.

Real good!
I'm proud of you!

Real proud of you!

Why don't you never
play with me?

You're worse
than hell.

You get a nigger killed,
no matter what.

I don't want
to play with you.

Well, if'n you don't,
I just tell my poppa
you tried to rape me.

(DOOR OPENS)

Get out of here,
you damn nigger!

Listen, Miss Sophie,
you play your damn games
with the other bucks.

Blaise is my friend.

If your poppa found out,
hell, he'd kill Blaise.

Mind your own
damn business!

Get. Just get!

Blaise. What the hell
were you doing?

Are you following
me around,
spying on me?

I was afraid Mr. Hammond
might find you.

You heard him talk
about nutting slaves.

And you still don't
believe me,
you think I'm lying?

It's plain Miss Sophie's
chasing after your fly
like a horny toad,

but I'm not so damn
sure you don't want
her to catch up.

(HORSES NEIGH)

(GRUNTS)

Stop it!

Drum! Blaise!

LUCRETIA: Stop it!

Both of you, just stop it!

Stop it! Stop it!

Mastah Hammond
don't stand for
no slave fighting.

Mastah Hammond
whup you raw, Blaise,
he sees them bruises.

Balsam, better keep
him out of sight
for a couple days,

till those bruises heal!

Now, just look at you,
Drum.

Why you got a bad eye.
Mastah bound to notice it!

I'll think of something.

You sure got a pretty body,
Miss Augusta.

Miss Augusta,
I gotta be going
to Mastah Hammond now.

Regine?
Yes, ma'am?

Wouldn't you rather
be with Drum,
instead of Mr. Maxwell?

Here, now.
Walk around a little
mite for me, Regine.

I likes to look
at you.

You got a pretty
shape to you, Regine.

Not as pretty as
Miss Augusta.

That a fact?
Mmm-hmm.

Miss Augusta got a
real pretty shape.

That so?

She got the prettiest
shape I ever see,
black or white.

REGINE: She got a
tiny waist,

and a ass that go like this.

Skinny legs.
She got skinny legs.

That so?

And titties! You likes
big titties, don't you?

Oh, you know
I loves big titties!

She got big titties!

She do?

Well, I can't tell a fucking
thing underneath all that
clothing she's wearing.

Sure you can.
You just gotta know
how to look.

AUGUSTA: A social life
is very important.

Well, what if I'm happy
without me one?

Seems little point
in having a fine house,
if no one comes to visit,

Mr. Maxwell.

Women! They always
got to have what they
call a social life.

Why are you looking
at me in that odd fashion,
Mr. Maxwell?

Poppa! Drum's got
a mark on his eyes.
Suppose he's been fighting?

Drum! Where'd you
get that bruise
on your eye?

I was carrying a ladder.
I tripped and it hit me
in the eye.

You lying? I knows
when a nigger's lying.
Got to.

A nigger lives with lying.
You don't want to tell me.
Who you been fighting?

I haven't been fighting,
master.

Another thing,
you still ain't talking
niggerous enough.

Except for master.

Now, you get every one
of my bucks out
in front of my house.

I'm going to find out
who you been fighting with.
Go on.

Where be Blaise?

Where be Blaise?

Now, somebody here
is going to tell me
where Blaise is.

Where is he?

Where is he,
I asked you.

In the kitchen.

HAMMOND: What you two
boys fighting about?

What you two boys
angrifying about?

It wasn't
a real fight,
Master Hammond.

We were sparring
and training like we
used to in New Orleans.

You spar?

It looks like a bull
run across his face.

You call that sparring?
Well, I call it fighting!

Who started it?

I did!
I started it.

And I'd do it again, too!

Two lying niggers.

Two niggers a-fighting,
and I don't allow no fighting.

Five whuppings
for you, Drum!

Thirty for you, Blaise.
You started it!
Now, get to walking.

Now, Hannibal,

you be careful!

Just hit them
on the fat part
of their rumps.

And don't hit them
on the knockers.

Now Blaise!
Now Blaise!

Get out of here!
Get!

That be 30!
That be 30!
That be 30!

That bastard!

I get 30,
he get five.

You leave Drum be!

He the best friend
you ever had!

That white ass licker
ain't no friend of mine!

Drum tried to keep
the mastah off your hide.

He tried to keep you from
being sold or something worse.

Ain't nobody gonna
sell Blaise no more.

Oh, that's cemetery prattle!

I was born free as any
white man and I'm gonna
stand up to it.

I'm hauling myself North
the first chance I get.

A runaway?

Blaise, the road patrol
will get you for sure.

I'll die trying.

They'll heel hang you,
tree top tall.

Until you swing
and dry in chains!

Or maybe they'll lop off
your tassel and feed it
to the hogs.

Or maybe they'll sell you
to that whip snapper,
Mastah Montgomery.

Who he?

Satan himself! The worst
of the slave traders.

To hell with him!

I got freedom in my heart,
and I'm gonna grab it!

HAMMOND: Don't dawdle, Sophie!
Eat your dinner.

Miss Augusta,
you is perfect,
just like you say you is.

Ever since you come here,
everything is looking better,
including Sophie.

No, I ain't.
Yes, you is!

For someone that
ain't exactly a lady,

you sure know how
to make a house a home.

Oh, Drum.

Drum, I'm thinking
'bout giving you Regine!

Now, I ain't sure,
but mayhaps!

How long you figure
it'd take you
to knock her up?

We'll have no more
of that talk
while we're eating!

Why, Miss Augusta,
I reckoned that you'd be
happy to hear about that.

I can get me a prime sucker
out of him and Regine.

And, if'n it's a male,
I can get $2,000, $3,000
for him in New Orleans.

Mr. Maxwell, you have
every right to run this
plantation as you see fit.

But you have put me
in charge of the house
and I forbid,

forbid any further talk
about the sordid details of
your business in my presence!

Sit down!

Mr. Maxwell,
I am a white woman, not black.

And don't you dare use
that tone of voice with me.

I'll use any goddamn
tone of voice I want to use.

And I'll say any goddamn thing
I want to say.

Then you'll be saying it
to somebody else!

If you will excuse me,
I am going to my room.

I am packing my bags
and I am leaving!

(SHOUTING)
You ain't leaving!

You intend to chain me
to the bedpost,
Mr. Maxwell?

It's time you learned
some manners

and conducted yourself
like a white man
and not a Negro.

Who you calling
a nigger?

I got you from
a whorehouse and you
ain't even a whore!

(CRYING)

Oh, let her go.
Let her go to hell.

Eat your dinner!

(AUGUSTA CRYING)

I am sorry,
Miss Augusta.

I know nothing of conversing
with polite ladies.

I know nothing of culture.
I'm a slave trader.

And of course,
you've seen them

dragging their line of hapless
creatures along the road

like some catfish on a string.

Well, that's all I am,
and all that stands
between me

and that is the treasures
of this household.

I need you,
Miss Augusta!

Mr. Maxwell,

that story
that Marianna told you,
that was false.

She felt
you would not
accept a lady.

The truth is, Mr. Maxwell,

I am a pure woman!

Sophie! I have
some wonderful
news for you.

Your father and I,
we're going
to get married.

Oh, Poppa! You ain't
gonna marry
that uppity bitch!

Shut your yapper,
child!

My dear Augusta, as you
can see, my daughter
plainly needs manners.

Well, now that
I'm gonna be
your stepmother,

I want you to be refined
and educated in the
best possible manner.

Your father
and I agree you
should be sent

to Miss Pentecost's
school for young
females in Mobile.

Poppa, no I ain't!

Yes, you is!

Hammond, I think we
should be planning
on our first party.

AUGUSTA: Our engagement party.
HAMMOND: Yes.

AUGUSTA: I think we should
invite the Holcombs
and Dr. and Mrs. Redfield,

and Mr. and Mrs. Gassaway.

Poppa!
You send me away,

and I'm gonna tell
you something you
ain't gonna like.

What?

One of your bucks
has been fooling around
with me.

Who? Who? Who?
Who be that?
Who be that?

Who be it?

Blaise! It was Blaise!

Blaise! Blaise!

You come with me!

HAMMOND: I ain't gonna
talk about this in front
of Miss Augusta.

I'm gonna hear
about this from A to Z!

Now, what'd Blaise do?
Nothing, Poppa!

Nothing?
I was just a-saying that!

You wasn't just
a-saying that!

I was just a-saying that
to get you mad.

Sophie, I'm gonna turn you
upside down until the lie
pop right out'n your mouth!

Now, you tell me!

Blaise wanted me
to unbutton his pants!

Did you?
No.

Then what?
Then what?

Well, then he told me
to close my eyes
and hold my hands out

like this.

Go on.

Well, then he put something
in my hands and told me
to feel it and rub it,

and keep my eyes
closed up.

And then he asked me,
"How does it feel?"
And I says, "It feels good."

And then he said,
says, tells me
to open my eyes

and I opened them
and I looked down,

and it was his thing!
I was holding his thing,
Poppa!

(MUMBLING)

How long did you hold it?

I dropped it
right away, Poppa!

What did you do then?

I ran right off
and washed my hands.

Well, how come
you didn't run off
when it commenced?

I was too a-scared,
Poppa!

Sophie, I'd feel a whole
lot better about this
if you was crying.

I is, Poppa!

(FAKES CRYING)

There, there, darling.
Don't you fret!

Ain't but two people
in this world
gonna know about this,

but you and me.

What 'bout Blaise?

Blaise is gonna be dead!

I'm gonna make up my mind
about you.

Time on!

Smart ass nigger!

Take yourself a good look,
and see what you're missing.

I can't believe
what I'm seeing!

You're going to school
faster than
that goose shit!

No, I ain't going!
Yes you is, now!

Good evening, sir!

How lovely.

Right this way,
please.

In here.

Oh, evening, sir.

Oh, Clayton, Henrietta.
My goodness gracious,

I'm so happy
you all could
make it tonight.

Congratulations,
Hammond!

Thank you.

Augusta!

Marianna!

(BOTH LAUGHING)

Oh, I'm so happy
you could come.

I made the match.
It didn't take you
very long, querida.

Marianna!
Hammond!

My dear.

You're getting
a wonderful woman!

Yes, I know!

Everyone looks
so very respectful.

Should I conceal
the fact that I
operate a whorehouse?

Don't be naughty.

There's not a man here
who hasn't been
to your establishment.

And not a woman
ain't a-dying
for a look see!

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

Mon cher Bernard,
you are
acting ridiculous.

Don't ever speak
to me like that again.

Oh, excuse me.
DeMarigny!

Hello, my friend,
how are you?
Very nice. Marianna?

Oh, uh, boy? Well,
just a moment here, how would
you like to have a drink?

Tell me what's going on
over in New Orleans. I ain't
been there in quite a while.

HAMMOND: They want them cheap,
so to get them cheap,
they gotta get them free.

Hammond, you own
some mighty
fine looking studs.

Like that one.
Is he for sale?

No, he ain't.
But I got others.

I got one I'm trying
to get rid of,

but I wouldn't sell him
to a friend.
I'm gonna hang him.

His name is Blaise.

Blaise?

Is that the Blaise
I owned?

Oh, no! I ain't gonna
tell you what he did.

But he been making
a damn fool out of himself,

and I'm gonna have
him hung, or worse.

No, no, no, no, no,
a worse punishment
than death is castration.

DeMARIGNY: You kill
a nigger and it's over
in a few moments, eh?

But with castration,

the nigger has got to live
with no balls
the rest of his black life.

(ALL LAUGHING)

Once all
the house niggers
was cut,

so no strapping bucks
running around with
their pants popping out

in the presence
of white ladies.

How do you do that,
Doc Redfield?

Simple.

Just grab him
by the balls
with one hand,

with sharp razor
in the other hand,
one swoop and he's nutted!

(ALL MURMURING)

(GLASS CLINKING)

Ladies and gentlemen.

I would like to make a toast.

To castration of all men.

MARIANNA: No more mothers,
no more fathers.

Fathers like our dear
DeMarigny and Lazare!

Cheers, everyone!

Mr... Master Hammond,
there's a slave trader outside
wants to speak with you.

He says his name
is Montgomery.

That swill pig.

Excuse me,
ladies and gentlemen.

There's some people don't know
enough not to interfere
with a man's social life.

Evening, Mr. Maxwell.

What the hell
you want around here?

Just passing through,

and wondering if you've
got any niggers you're
willing to part with.

I got a boy I wouldn't
mind getting rid of.

But I ain't doing
no business now,
I got a party.

Put your bed down
over here
in this old house.

It'll be all right,
'cause we
full up inside.

Taken kindly.

These good boys
or your usual?

These are all
runaways!

Well, he ain't
gonna run far.

He got a little light foot,
so I had to hamstring him.

You don't have to worry,

they're all chained
tighter than
a bull's ass in fly time.

Well, put them
over there
in the barn.

But you make damn
sure that they're
linked to the wall.

'Cause I don't like
the looks of none of them.

I didn't buy them
'cause they was daisies.

All right, let's move
this cattle into the barn.

MAN: Get'y them up.
Come on.

You want to sleep, boy,
get your ass
in that barn.

MONTGOMERY: In you go,
children.

(MOANING)

(SHOUTING IN PAIN)

MONTGOMERY: Well, move!

Well, you think
you were tired!

The faster you get in here,
the faster you rest.

MONTGOMERY: Move, nigger.

Move when I tell you!

Chain them to the wall.

MONTGOMERY: Don't baby 'em!

The tighter you chain them
the less likely they is

to stumble around
and hurt they selves.

Well, you be going
with me tomorrow,
mayhaps.

Who the hell
is him?

That's Mastah
Zeke Montgomery.

Meanest son of a bitch
devil trader
in all Louisiana.

Buys runners
and uppities

and sells them to the hard ass
planters where you're lucky
if'n you lives a year.

Blaise! Blaise!

What you want,
you white licking
snitch?

Damn it, it wasn't me,
it was Sophie!

How many times
I gotta tell you that?

Till white asses
start crapping
white shit!

Master Hammond says
he's going to castrate you.

Then you best
bust these chains.

I'm hankering to be free.

They ain't never gonna
let you be free,
because you're black.

Black ain't the color
of freedom,
and white ain't either.

Blood is the color
of freedom!

I'll get you loose.

Good night,
gentlemen,
ladies.

ALL: Good night.

It's wonderful
to see you settled
and happy.

Good night.
Good night.

I'll see you
at breakfast.

(BANGING)

(GRUNTING)

(CHAINS RATTLING)

Is any of you
bucks wanna go free?

The first link
be the only one
to bust,

I don't want no
chains rattling
around behind us.

SLAVE: They'll still catch us!
BLAISE: No, they ain't!

We fix it so they
can't follow.

This man, he can pass
as a white man,
a slave dealer.

And we'll be his cattle
walking along
behind his wagon.

SLAVE: Mastah Montgomery
gonna tell them road patrol.

Come tomorrow morning, there
won't be any Mastah Montgomery
or Mastah Hammond.

We'll kill them,
and all the rest,
including the house niggers.

We'll be up North
before anybody hear.

If'n we're lucky!

Well,

it's been a lovely
evening and it has
to come to an end.

I'm gonna retire.

I thought we'd get up
early in the morning
and have a good breakfast.

Lucretia Borgia's
probably the best cook
in this whole area.

Drum,

now that I'm gonna be
mistress of this house,

Mr. Maxwell won't be
wenching anymore.

(METAL CLANKING)

BLAISE: (WHISPERING)
Kill Montgomery's niggers
first.

(GRUNTING)

What do you niggers
want?

Now, get your black asses
out of here! Get!

(GUNSHOT)

You ain't breaking
no more nigger heads,
white man.

(GLASS BREAKING)

(FIRE CRACKLING)

Drum, Drum!
Drum, look!

Master!

(BANGING ON DOOR)

What?

Master Hammond!
There's a fire!

Oh, damn it!

Well, run, boy,
wake the others!

(BANGING ON DOOR)

DRUM: There's a fire!

House servants,
get buckets, get kettles,
fill them up with water!

Wet some sacks!

That fire spreads,
there's gonna be
hell to pay! Now, get!

Now get along,
get! Get!

(BANGING ON DOOR)

Drum, go see
who that is.

Where Mastah Hammond?
Where Mastah Hammond?

We know about
the fire!

It ain't the fire!
It ain't the fire!
Where Mastah Hammond?

LUCRETIA: Where
Mastah Hammond?
Lucretia Borgia?

Oh, Mastah Hammond,
they coming to kill you!

What?
They coming,
Mastah Hammond!

Who is? Who is?
Lucy see it, I see it!

They're coming,
they're coming!

All them niggers are coming!
All them niggers
that come last night!

And Blaise!
They get loose!

They got bars,
pitchforks and sickles
and they are coming!

Gassaway, there's
two horses saddled
in the stable.

You take them, ride them over
to the Whitcomb Plantation
and bring help!

And a patrol on the road,
if you can find them!

Drum, get them boys
out of the kitchen,

start packing that furniture
against the windows, the doors
and everything! Go on.

Now, ladies, ain't no sense
in getting scared,
you all gonna help, too.

So, go on, do what you can.
Boys, come on in here!

These cupboards
is full of guns.
You take all you can handle.

We don't want to mess
around reloading.
Here. Here.

We got enough here.
We got shotguns here.
Plenty here! Take all that!

(NEIGHING)

(GLASS BREAKING)

(WOMEN SCREAMING)

They're armed!

BLAISE: Get back!
Everybody get back!

(CLAMORING)

We gotta go
at it different.

They have guns,
they shoot.

We've gotta burn down
the house, and kill them
if they come running out.

Burn them. Get back
to the barn and bring back
burning logs and torches.

Come on, move.

They armed.
They got guns!

Get me water,
get me rags! Hurry!

If they get a torch in here,
we'll be trapped!
We must charge them!

Will, get the powder
and shot, boy,
go get them!

Mr. Hammond,
there's another way.

There ain't
no other way.

Talk to them,
Mastah Hammond. Go out
and talk to them.

I ain't talking to
no wild black
wooled niggers!

Those people
are your friends,
Mastah Hammond.

Do you want them
living or dead?

Tell Blaise that
if they give up,
they won't be killed.

I ain't the only one
that's got the
decision to make.

The law got
something to
say about that.

Then let me go out
and talk to them.

Perhaps.

Hammond! You are not
seriously considering
a negotiation with niggers?

You wanna be
killed by niggers?
Huh?

Oh, very well,
let him!

Go on, boy.
Go on, do what
you can.

Blaise!

Blaise!

DRUM: I want to talk to you,
and I ain't armed.

What do you want?

You gotta listen to me,
Blaise!

You're outgunned,
and more white men
are coming.

There's nobody coming.

We're gonna kill everybody
in that house!

We may even stick some
of the black meat into some
of those white women.

You gotta use your head!
Listen to me!

I ain't listening
to anything.

Master Hammond promises
that if you surrender,
you won't be killed!

You take the word
of a lying, killing
white man?

I believe Master Hammond.

You believe him?

They take our men
and turn them into
good and faithful dogs,

happy to eat
a white man's leavings!

To tell us what wenches
to pleasure like horses.

They sell our children,
and then we lick their hands.

Use your head, Blaise!

You'll all be hung
when they get you!
After they nut you first!

(GUNSHOTS)

(WOMEN SCREAM)

You goddamn fool!

You let him shoot!
No, I didn't!

You let me go out there
so they could shoot Blaise!

HAMMOND: No,
I didn't!

One of those bullets
was for you, Drum.

We've got an old score
to settle,
haven't we, eh?

(GRUNTING)

(SCREAMING)

(CLAMORING)

Take the house!

Kill them! Kill them!

(ALL SHOUTING)

(GLASS BREAKING)

(GUNSHOTS)

No! No! No!

Stop!

Let's go!

(SCREAMING)

(WOMEN SCREAMING)

(CLAMORING)

(GUNSHOTS)

(GASPING)

You're gonna have
a nigger!

I'll do this one!

Drum!
I'm not going to hurt you!

(GUNSHOT)

(GUN CLICKS)

You zany not to
kill us when you
got the chance, boy.

(GUNSHOTS)

You better run.

You better run like hell.

Hammond, all you
have to do
is say he was loyal.

There's nobody left
to tell.

No. No.

He stays here,
I've got to have him killed.
I got no choice.

(WOMAN SCREAMING)

Run, you goddamn
nigger!

I don't wanna
have to kill you!

I don't wanna
have to kill you!

Run!

(GUNSHOTS)

Niggers! You never know
about niggers!

They act like humans
sometimes,

then all of a sudden,
they just go crazy,
like some kind of mad critter.

HAMMOND: Once they get
human blood in them,

they just can't act like
proper niggers no more.

* Say you want me to moan

* You say you want me to cry

* You say you want me
to tell my story

* One time 'fore I die

* One time 'fore I die