Original subtitles

* Good Times *

* Anytime you meet a payment *

* Good Times *

* Anytime You need a friend *

* Good Times *

* Anytime You're out from under *

* Not gettin' hassled, Not gettin' hustled *

* Keepin' your head Above water *

* Makin' a wave When you can *

* Temporary layoffs *

* Good Times *

* Easy credit rip-offs *

* Good Times *

* Scratchin' and survivin' *

* Good Times *

* Hangin' in A chow line *

* Good Times *

* Ain't we lucky We got 'em? *

* Good Times *

Let's see, what should I paint today?

I think I'll paint a family portrait. Yeah.

Michael studying, Dad fixing the radio,

and Mom baking biscuits-- the whole family.

Hey, what about me?

I said I wanted to paint a family portrait,

not a horror picture.

Everything you paint is a horror picture.

Oh, yeah?

Yeah!

Oh, yeah? Yeah!

Schooling sure has improved their vocabulary,

hasn't it, James?

Hmm. Oh, yeah.

Oh, James.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

I got it.

Hi, Mr. Bookman.

Hi, Michael.

Hey, I was just checking the light bulbs out there,

and I heard somebody yelling in here.

It was nothing, Mr. Bookman, nothing.

Hey, man, you know me--

I don't mean to make any trouble.

Yeah, we know.

Hey, but, you know, excessive noise is prohibited.

Boy, it sure broke my heart

to have to evict the Andersons 'cause of that.

Mm-mm-mm.

But that's clause 11 of your lease.

But you folks know about that clause?

That's the "Oh yeah" clause.

[SNIFFS] Mmm-mmm.

Do I smell biscuits?

I suppose you would want some?

Nah, I couldn't, really.

Oh, maybe a few. Make it a dozen.

Did you say a dozen?

That'll be enough. Oh.

Hi, y'all.

Hey, Willona. Hi, Willona.

Hi, Ms. Woods.

Hi, Mr. Booger.

That's Bookman. Bookman.

Here you are.

Hey, that sure is sweet of you, Thelma.

See you guys later. Ha ha.

Oh, and, you know, about the noise,

you know me, I don't like to make no trouble.

Forget it. Mm.

What did the Gestapo of the Ghetto want?

He must have ripped off a chicken in apartment 12,

'cause he wanted some hot biscuits

to go along with it.

Honey, I'm hip to that routine.

You know, the other day,

I had a couple of flies in my apartment,

and he warned me about no pets.

And that little visit cost me

a six-pack of beer and two beef jerkys.

You know, before that fat rascal got this job,

he didn't weigh but 120 pounds.

Oh, James.

Hey, how's it coming, James?

I'm almost finished, Willona.

If you can fix that old radio of mine,

you are the electronic genius of all time.

Willona, we had an old toaster, and the toast never popped up,

but James fixed it.

Yeah, once Dad fixed it, the toast popped up so good,

we had to go up on the ceiling and butter it.

Hey, get out of the way!

You seen me coming through here!

All right, that's enough of that now. That's enough!

Well, all I know is I miss this radio of mine,

especially that all-night disc jockey--Get Down Brown.

That dude keeps you jumping. Whoo!

Look-a here, look-a here.

This is Get Down Brown,

moving and grooving and jumping around!

Splattering the platters of rhythm and blues

for a funky selection of grooves for you, too.

Brought to you by Big Bubba's Barbeque Beef

and Midtown Merchandise Mart--

the mart that's smart, and you only pay part.

And Sadie's Funeral Parlor--

the funeral parlor that really digs you,

and we mean dig!

Girl, you sound just like him.

Hey, yeah?

I'm gonna play you a tune that's groovy and fine

that's stone guaranteed to blow yo' mind!

There's a hole in my mattress, so I'll see you in the spring!

Well, I think you'll be able to

hear the real Mr. Brown in a minute,

'cause I believe I got this thing fixed.

Oh, you jiving. Turn it on. I don't hear nothing, James.

MAN: That's it for the local news.

I told you he could do it.

Now on the national front.

In Washington tonight, President Ford,

speaking on the increase in unemployment, said...

Absolutely nothing.

There you go, Willona.

You're a stone genius. Here, how much do I owe you?

Oh, no way, no way, Willona.

James, if I took it to a store, they would charge me.

Look, pretend that you are a department store,

and I am a customer.

Okay, treat me like you treat a customer.

You sure about that?

On second thought, I deserve a better fate than that, huh?

Hey, Dad, since you're so good with electronics,

how come our TV don't work any better than it does.

Your daddy is good at fixing things, J.J.

Nobody said nothing about raising the dead.

Oh, come on now.

Oh, come on now.

JAMES: I ain't going to tell you all no more now!

Daddy, you keep just about everything we own

in working order.

Hey, James, that's right.

And with all the talent you got in your hands,

you should be in business for yourself.

Yeah, you should open a massage parlor.

Well, I was thinking of a fix-it shop.

Hey, that's a fantastic idea, James. You could do that.

Mm-hmm.

A fix-it shop?

Yeah, Ma, that's a great idea.

Everybody I know has a TV set that breaks down.

Radios, toasters, everything. It's planned that way.

Honey, you have got that right. You know I had a car once...

and the warranty and the motor both ran out at the same time.

Yeah. And with all the chicks I know,

I could lead you to a small fortune

in busted hot combs.

Ooh, James, now, you know we've always dreamed

that some day you would own your own business.

Maybe this is the way to get it started.

You know, I read an article where Jessie Jackson said

more Blacks should have businesses of their own.

That's right, Michael. That's exactly what he say.

How would you know?

You don't read nothing but the walls.

James, look, you can make it.

Why don't you give it a try? You fixed that.

What you all talking about?

I ain't got no place to run no business.

Main thing is,

I ain't got what it takes to make money in the end--

and that's money in the beginning.

Well... borrow it from the bank.

Hey, yeah.

Oh, yeah, right. Just like that, huh, baby?

I can see me going down to the bank saying,

"Hey, I need a few thousand. Just give it to me." Fat chance.

Aw, Dad, you got the wrong attitude.

You got to think big.

Lookit here.

We have a financial genius in the house.

For once,

you are precisely right, little sister.

You are looking at the only person

that took Henrietta out for a night on the town

with exactly $1.00.

Purchased and consumed two Big Macs,

two order of fries, two strawberry shakes,

saw a double feature at the Lark

while nibbling on a jumbo giant Snicker bar

and watching Blackula Bites Boston...

And still came home with 37 cents jingling in my jeans.

You did all that, and still had change left over?

How'd you do it, J.J.?

Well, I owe Henrietta five and a quarter, but...

I go out big. You got to think big.

What you all talking about?

This would be the wrong time to open a business--

prices going up, people getting laid off.

Nah, this be hell of a time to open a business.

James, this may be just the time

to open a business.

People ain't buying nothing new,

so they've got to fix what they already have.

And you'd be your own boss, Daddy.

Yeah, Dad, and if you goofed off,

the only one who could fire you would be you.

And you wouldn't do that, 'cause you wouldn't stand for that.

Because, uh, you are you, and, uh...

you wouldn't-- you would never go for that.

No, sir. Uh... heh heh heh.

Well, it sounded good when it was in my head,

but it lost something when it came out of my mouth.

Doesn't everything?

You know something, baby? You may be right.

This might be the right time to go into business.

Yeah.

Boy, wouldn't that be something? Running my own business.

Our business, James. Yeah.

We're all in it together. It'll be Evans & Evans.

That's right, baby.

And son. And son.

And daughter.

And friend.

Yeah!

[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

I don't know, baby. I don't know.

You know, maybe I do need a few thousand dollars

to get this shop open.

So ask them for it.

Florida, ain't no way in the world

them people gonna give me that kind of money.

Now, now, now, James, that ain't no way to think.

You've got to think positive.

You right, baby. I'll think positive.

Good.

I'm positive there ain't no way in the world

them people gonna give me that kind of money.

You know, all this business stuff

sounded good at the house, Florida,

but I don't like this borrowing stuff.

I just don't like it.

James, stop worrying. Like J.J. said--

Like J.J. said?

Well, yeah.

if you want to borrow money from the bank, you gotta act big,

like you're doing them a favor,

like you don't even need their money.

That's the way the big businessmen do it.

Yeah. Guess you right, baby.

I mean, if I'm gonna be a big businessman,

I might as well start acting like one, huh?

There you go.

Would you come in, please?

Oh, thank you.

I'm Mr. Dawson.

Evans, James Evans.

This is my wife and business associate--Florida.

How do you do? How do you do?

We don't need your money, but we'll take 2,000.

Won't you sit down?

Thank you.

Now, you say you'd like $2,000?

Right.

Have you ever borrowed any money from us or any other bank?

No. We've never borrowed any money from anybody,

but we don't owe nobody nothing, either.

That's right.

Oh, that's bad. That's bad.

You see, if you had borrowed,

then you would have established a line of credit.

This way, we don't know if you can pay it back.

Oh, well, look, that's very simple.

Uh, you lend me 2,000,

I give it right back to you,

then you know I'm good for the 2,000,

so you lend it right back to me.

Very ingenious, Mr. Evans,

but I think we need something a little more concrete.

Now let's go over your assets.

Yeah, let's go over my assets.

What do you own?

Real estate, stock, bonds? Anything. You name it.

You name it, and we ain't got it.

Well, look, folks, I'd like to help you out,

but we can't loan you money unless you have collateral.

Well, I know that, man, but how am I going to get the collateral

unless you make me the loan?

Do you have someone who would co-sign for you?

Yeah. Baby, Willy Washington.

Now, Willy would co-sign for me in a minute.

Yeah, I know Willy would. Willy Washington.

Good. What's his financial condition?

Oh, hell, he owes me $12.00.

Oh, I sympathize with you very much, Mr. and Mrs. Evans,

but you see, you have to understand the banking system.

You see, we can't loan you money

unless we know we can get it back.

We ourselves borrow money from the Federal Reserve,

the Federal Reserve gets their money from the government,

the government gets their money from the people.

Hey, well, in that case,

all I'm doing is borrowing my own money, brother.

Well, uh, not so loud, Mr. Evans.

You may give the whole system away.

Well, I'm sorry. There's nothing we can do.

Well, Thelma, how you like it?

Hey, that's great.

Looks professional, doesn't it?

Uh-huh.

And you ain't seen nothing yet.

That's beautiful, except you made a mistake.

Where?

It should read "Evans & Evans and Fool."

I didn't make a mistake, Thelma.

I left you out on purpose.

What do you mean you left me out on purpose?

That's right. I didn't have no room down here

for none of that nonsense.

You don't have no room-- there's room.

Hey, Ma and Dad. Good thing y'all here.

How ya'll like it?

Tear it up, J.J. We won't be needing that.

The bank turned us down.

Aw.

Ma, how could they?

They did it, Thelma.

One more good idea that didn't work.

Now wait a minute, baby. Hold it. Hold it.

Now, you the one got me fired up about this business stuff

in the first place.

Now, just 'cause the bank turned us down,

that don't mean it's the end.

Well, James, we ain't got no money.

How can we rent a store?

Who said we got to rent a store?

I mean, it's supposed to be a family business, right?

So why can't we conduct a family business right here?

Oh, you know we can't run no business here.

It's against the lease.

And you know that old snoopy Bookman.

He's always on top of us like white on rice.

Yeah, but if we just make sure

old snoopy Bookman don't come up here for a while.

By that time, maybe I'll have enough money

to rent my own store.

If that one hits, hell, I'll rent another one

and another one, and another one.

Florida, this could be the start of

a whole chain of fix-it shops.

[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

All I need is my first thing to fix, that's all.

Yeah, and look at Colonel Sanders.

He only started out with one chicken.

Oh, James.

[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

Look at all this business we got, Florida.

Everything's going along just right.

Won't be long before we have our own store.

Well, it can't be too soon.

I'm getting a little bit nervous, James,

in all of this secrecy.

It's like selling booze during Prohibition,

only instead of a speakeasy, we got a fix-easy.

[KNOCKING IN MORSE CODE]

Yeah, that's the right signal. Get that one.

Daddy, we got some more things for you to fix.

All right. Good.

Yeah, we're doing so much door-to-door business,

we leaving the Avon lady in the dust.

Yeah, I got an eggbeater from Mrs. Watson on the sixth floor

and an iron from Mrs. Stateman on the third.

All right.

And from the 10th floor-- ha ha--

Mr. Garrett's alarm clock.

He says he wants it back by Wednesday

so he can get up on time

to collect his unemployment insurance.

You didn't run into Mr. Bookman, did you?

We did, but he didn't suspect nothing.

Won't be long before we'll be able to afford

our own pick-up service.

And wait a minute, Dad.

That ain't all I got for you to fix.

Where in the world did you get that?

From old Mrs. Vincent.

She says her heating pad doesn't heat up like it used to.

Neither does old Mrs. Vincent.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

I'll get it.

Wait, wait, wait! That's the wrong signal.

Yeah, cover this stuff up.

[KNOCKING]

Yeah, just a minute. Just a minute.

Michael. Michael.

That was the wrong signal.

Mama, it's hard to remember the right signal

when you gotta go to the bathroom.

Well, let's clear the deck and get back to action.

Looks like Mr. Fix-It got a roll going here.

James, you look tired.

Between this and that job down at Brady's,

you must be worn out.

Honey, why don't you take a little rest?

After a while, baby.

I got a pile of stuff here to finish,

and it don't pay to miss a promised delivery date.

I wish the stork had missed the delivery date on Thelma.

Yeah? Well, he sure missed yours.

You was delivered by a buzzard.

A buzzard? You got some nerve, you old ostrich head.

All right now. all right now.

Didn't I say all right?

I'm sorry, Dad. What can the son of Evans and Son

do to help Evans?

Well, you can deliver that toaster to Mrs. Jackson.

Okay, but we're gonna have a slight problem, Dad.

How come?

I can't put this under my hat.

Well, put it in a shopping bag, J.J.

And don't forget--

Mrs. Jackson is on our easy-payment plan--

one half on delivery and 50 cents a week, okay?

You know, Daddy, we should get one of those receipt pads

so that when you deliver things to people,

they can sign for them.

Oh, we'll get around to that, Michael.

We ain't got quite that organized yet.

[KNOCKING IN MORSE CODE]

That's all right. You can get it, J.J.

Boy, that knock is getting so popular,

pretty soon, it's going to be in the top 40.

If you want your stuff repaired right,

bring it to the father of Kid Dyn-o-mite.

I didn't say "repair."

What I said was "upstair", "Au contraire".

Hey, no need for anybody to get upset.

I just wanted to find out

if the Evans family was doing fine. Ha ha ha.

Hey, what have we got here?

Oh, I just picked the right curtain

on Let's Make a Deal.

Hey, man, you know me.

I don't like to make trouble, you know?

I'm on your side all the way.

However, it clearly states in clause 11

that it's unlawful to use these premises

for commercial purposes.

Well, what you want now, man?

We fresh out of biscuits, balloon belly.

As a matter of fact, I don't want anything.

I come here to give you something.

To give us something?

Yeah, I have a few things that need some minor repairs--

a tea kettle and iron.

And if I don't?

Do you know how cold it gets in the park

this time of year?

Yeah, bring them in.

Hey, it's nice of you to make the offer.

Hey, boy, I always said you guys are nice tenants.

Ha ha. Yeah.

Get on.

James, honey, we're being taken.

I know that, baby, but don't worry about it.

I can handle him.

We come too far to be stopped by that ham hock.

James?

James?

Oh, morning, baby.

Honey, didn't you get any sleep?

No, baby.

I got a pile of stuff here to finish

for fat-back Bookman.

Seems like soon as I finish one pile of stuff,

he brings in another one.

An iron and a tea kettle, huh?

James, he is wearing you down.

He brought you everything he got.

Now he's got you fixing things for his relatives.

Yeah, you right, baby.

I'm so busy working on this stuff,

I ain't even got time

to take care of my paying customers. Damn!

Hey, what's going on here?

Sorry, kids. I didn't mean to wake y'all up.

Aw, that's all right.

The chick I was dreaming about was getting away, anyway.

Hey, what's going on? What's happening?

Your daddy is overworked. That's what's going on.

Mr. Bookman

brought another load of stuff in here last night.

Oh, James, you can't keep going on like this.

You're falling off your feet.

Yeah, I know, baby,

but how much more stuff can he bring in here?

He got to run out of relatives some time.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Well, I guess he's discovered a couple of long-lost uncles.

Well, this is it this time.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

This the final straw.

I've had it with this guy.

I'm going to tell this Bookman exactly where to get off!

This old jive-time turkey blood-sucking us like that.

This gonna be it for him.

Hello, Mr. Bookman. How you doing?

Morning. Morning.

Hey, partner, I brought you some more stuff.

You must have one hell of a big family, huh, partner?

This ain't family. I told all of my friends...

about the good work you've been doing.

I'm gonna bring some more later.

Now hold it, Bookman. That rips it.

You find yourself another donkey,

'cause I ain't dealing with you no more, man.

And I mean that. No more.

Hey, wait a minute, Evans.

No, you wait a minute, hog head.

See, I can see what kind of dude you are.

You ain't gonna be satisfied

until I done fix everything that's broke in Chicago,

including Mayor Daly's electric toothbrush.

You know, plus I got the feeling

you're lining your pockets with my work.

Terrible thing to accuse me of.

Well, it's the truth, ain't it?

Yeah.

I'm gonna to run you through that door,

and I ain't gonna charge to fix the hole you gonna make.

Hey, cool it, brother,

or you and your whole family will be cooling it outside.

You know, I'm afraid

I'm gonna have to report you for violation of...

Clause 11? Go right ahead,

and we'll tell the manager how you've been bleeding us.

Who'd believe you? You don't have any proof.

Yeah, well, I don't care, man.

Now, if you're gonna report us, report us,

If you gonna evict us, evict us. Daddy.

Michael, stay out of this.

And I got something else to tell you, Buffalo Butt.

This family don't get on their knees to nobody.

Daddy...

Mike, I done told you now. Stay out of this.

Now, if you gonna go down to the manager's office, greasy,

slide on down there and report it. Go ahead.

Daddy, I have proof.

Michael, stay out-- You got proof?

Proof of what?

Proof that he's been getting things fixed here.

How, baby? How?

Well, the other day, when I was here by myself,

Mr. Bookman came by to pick up a few things.

I didn't know what to do,

so I asked him to sign a receipt, and he did.

What do you mean? It's a silly baseball card.

I was only going along with the kid.

Hey, you didn't keep it, did you, little fella?

I sure did, Mr. Buffalo.

Bookman. Bookman.

Here, Daddy.

I'll take that, Hocks.

"Received, two kettles and an electric blanket.

Signed, Mr. Bookman."

Well, how does that grab you, Mr. Bookman?

Well, Clause 11 ain't the only clause ever.

Hey, look, Evans, why don't you close your business,

I'll close mine. We'll have, like, a Mexican standoff.

iOlé!

All right, I want you to get all this stuff in here

that you brought, take it on out of here,

and you gonna need a truck to do it.

Sure. Hey, you know me.

I don't like to make any trouble, man.

Hey, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

You don't want to leave without your TV, do you?

I got it all fixed up and waiting for you.

I'm not going to pay for it. Oh, that's all right.

This one's on the house, brother.

Hey, you know, you all right.

I'll be back to get the rest of my stuff.

Yeah, you do that.

Yeah, and get out of here.

Here, Dad.

Thanks, Thelma.

James, how could you be smiling

about fixing his TV and for nothing?

Very simple, baby.

That TV ain't gonna work too good without these tubes.

Got you.

[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

[APPLAUSE]

* Just lookin' Out of the window *

* Just lookin' Out of the window *

* Watchin' the asphalt grow *

* Thinkin' how it all Looks hand-me-down *

* Good Times *

* Good Times *

* Keepin' your head Above water *

* Makin' a wave When you can *

* Temporary layoffs *

* Good Times... *

JOHN AMOS: Good Times

is recorded on tape before a live audience.

* Ain't we lucky We got 'em? *

* Good Times *