Original subtitles

* Good Times Any time you meet a payment *

* Good Times *

* Any time You need a friend *

* Good Times *

* Any time 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 *

Hey, Florida, you got any more of this stuff?

Oh, sure, honey.

I didn't know you liked it so much.

Are you kidding? I love it. Mm-hmm.

I like it better every time you make it.

It's my favorite meal.

What is it?

Now, James, you know what this is.

It's the three-course inflation dinner.

'Course it ain't beef, 'course it ain't lamb,

and 'course it ain't pork. [LAUGHS]

Well, I ain't eating these seconds

till I hear you say, "'Course it ain't horse."

Oh.

Just jiving, baby,

but thanks for keeping it warm, hear?

Well, I knew you'd be in late.

Yeah, you know, I figure the overtime

I'm making tonight

ought to just about cover Junior's trip to St. Louis.

Oh, James, you know I worry when J.J.'s gone.

You think he's gonna be all right?

Oh, for the hundredth time, Florida, yes.

Well, you know. It's cold in St. Louis...

and I only packed him one leather jacket,

two sweaters, and two pairs of long johns.

Baby, the boy's only going to an art show,

not the winter Olympics.

I know you, James,

you're just as worried about him as I am.

Sure I am, but at least I didn't make no scene

when he left last night.

I didn't make no scene.

You didn't, huh? Mm-mmm.

That's the first time I ever seen anybody

trying to stow away on a Greyhound bus.

Yeah, you broke my record! You know you broke it!

Thelma, I did not break your record.

You pushed me into the record player.

I did not!

Couldn't you see I was dancing?

Oh, is that what you were doing?

I thought you backed into an open fuse box.

Don't get smart now.

All right, you two.

That's enough.

Ma, he owes me $4.95

for a new Gladys Knight and the Pipsalbum.

Thelma, you still have your album.

Here's Gladys Knight.

And here are the Pips.

I guess they ain't singing together no more.

Look, don't get smart. You're gonna pay for this.

Thelma, I'm not gonna give you one penny for that album!

Sister, dear,

how much did you say your album cost?

And I thought we were gonna have

a nice quiet weekend with J.J. gone.

Hi, y'all. FLORIDA: Hi, Willona.

Wait till you hear.

There goes a nice quiet weekend.

Oh, James.

That's right, James, pick on somebody

who just was involved in a holdup.

What? A holdup?

Willona, what you--? You were in a holdup?

A holdup, let me tell you what happened.

I was working late because of our dollar annual sale.

It used to be a penny sale, but everything's going up--

Oh, come on, Willona! What about the holdup?

Well, anyway, I was selling the last of those jumpsuits.

Flo, you should have came in there

and got one of those. It would've looked bad on you.

You mean, the ones with the matching sweaters

and the full pockets on the front?

That's right, uh-huh. Oh, no.

Willona, I told you to put one away for me.

It would've gone perfect with that new purse I got from--

Now, she's talking about a holdup, not handbags!

I'm sorry, what happened? Yeah, what about the holdup?

Anyway, I was just getting ready to close up,

and this dude walks in and pulls out a gun

and says, "Give me all the cash you got."

Willona, you did what he said, right?

You jiving?

When a dude points a gun at me, honey,

I'll gift wrap the cash register.

Girl, you must be shaken all--

I'm scared to death, and that was shock--

Sit down. I was shocked.

I'm gonna make you a cup of tea.

Yeah, Willona, tell me,

what'd the dude look like?

This tall, white dude with a Afro.

[TELEPHONE RINGS]

I'll get it.

Hello. Oh, you wanna speak to J.J.?

Hold on a minute.

What's going on?

I thought J.J. was in St. Louis.

Willona, he is, but while he's out of town,

he doesn't want any of his chicks to know

that he's out of circulation.

[CLEARS THROAT]

[IMITATES J.J.] Hello.

Yes, this is the doctor of love speaking,

ready to fill your prescription.

Say what?

Yeah, baby, of course our date is on for Monday night.

Well, mama, just make sure you are dressed for the test,

and I will do my best to take care of the rest.

[NO AUDIBLE DIALOGUE]

All right, baby, till Monday. "Sari-nara."

Ooh, child!

I feel sorry for y'all.

Now you got two of them in the family.

Sayonara. [KNOCK ON DOOR]

Uh, you wanna get the door,

Junior number two?

Getting the door.

JAMES: Oh, no.

MICHAEL: Uh-oh.

Evening, folks.

What you want here, Bookman?

Ain't nobody call for the janitor.

You know, you just don't appreciate me, Evans.

As a matter of fact, your wife called about a leaky pipe,

so naturally, I rushed right up here.

Well, you must have come by way of covered wagon,

because I called you six weeks ago.

Anyway, James already fixed that pipe.

Oh, that's bad, Evans. You know, I hate this,

but I'm gonna have to report you.

It clearly states in your lease,

"Tenants ain't supposed to touch the plumbing."

It also states, "Tenants ain't supposed to live in a lake."

You know, we get a lot of calls, Mrs. Evans.

These things take time.

Yeah, I can imagine.

It probably took about four weeks

to drag that lard up the stairs.

JAMES: You round rascal.

Hey, a little snack. Don't mind if I do.

Hey, maybe you don't, but I do.

Now, is that any way to treat the head janitor?

Listen, Mr. Booger. Bookman, Bookman!

Booger, booger.

The last 10 weeks, I've been telling you

I got a broken light switch in my living room.

What you going to do about it?

Yeah, well, I'll try to squeeze it into my schedule.

Sure. Well, why don't you see

can you squeeze your hocks through that doorway.

You know, you just can't be nice to you people.

You people?

Get out of here, buffalo butt, go on.

Hey, Miss Williams, you know,

I was just on my way up to your place.

Good, because I ain't there.

[JAMES LAUGHS]

Wanda...

you better be careful how you treat that janitor.

Someday you may need him for something.

Well, I don't think so, Florida.

You know, I know that Goodyear blimp.

Miss Williams, would you like some tea?

No, sweetie. No, thank you.

Oh, I came down to borrow a couple of candles,

if you got any.

Well, sure. Thelma, you know where the candles are.

Yeah, Ma.

Miss Williams, what are you gonna do with candles?

Oh, uh, I, um--

I have a date tonight for dinner,

and I want to be romantic.

[FLORIDA LAUGHS]

You still go out on dates?

Why not?

I figure I'm at that in-between age:

Too old to marry, and too young to bury.

All right.

[LAUGHS]

Yeah, tell 'em, Wanda.

Just because the game is in the fourth quarter

don't mean it's over, huh?

Ah!

Right on there, brother.

Here you are, Miss Williams.

Oh, thank you, Florida.

You're welcome, Wanda.

See y'all later. Okay.

See you later, Wanda. Later, Miss Williams.

Oh, that Wanda sure is something...

always joking, always in just great spirits.

She fooled you too, huh, Flo?

What?

I heard it all over the Laundromat this morning.

She is broke.

Willona, that's a disease we all got.

Yeah, but you ain't heard the worst of it, honey.

She's behind three months on the rent.

She just got a notice this morning.

If she don't pay it all up by the end of this week,

she's gonna be evicted. That's awful.

You know the real reason why she wanted those candles?

Why?

They turned her lights off this morning.

But how could that be? She gets social security.

Florida, that ain't enough to live on.

It's just enough to die on.

Oh, Ma, this is awful.

[SIGHS]

There must be something we can do.

Honey, don't look at me.

The banks don't cash my checks no more.

They just look at them and laugh.

James, what about us?

You paid our bills last night. What we got left over?

More bills.

Daddy, there must be something we can do.

We just can't let them

put her out on the street like that.

Hey, wait a minute.

Maybe there is something we can do.

James, you remember what we used to do for folks

who got in trouble with their rent?

A rent party! A rent party!

Right, right.

Yeah? What's a rent party, Daddy?

Well, that's where you have a party,

and you provide food and entertainment.

You charge all the people that come,

and you give the money to the person that's in trouble.

Hey, that's a great idea. I could help with the cooking.

Oh, no, then we gonna all be in trouble.

Oh, we can do it, James, I just know we can.

The only problem is

how we gonna let everybody know about it?

Honey, that ain't no problem.

You give me 10 minutes on that telephone,

I'll have you standing room only.

Hey, and I know we can get the recreation room.

That's a good idea, Florida,

but you forgetting one problem.

What's that, James?

Wanda's pride.

Now, it stands to reason, if she didn't tell you

what she really needed them candles for,

she sure ain't gonna let you give her no rent party, huh?

Hey...

Who says Wanda has to know the party is for her?

Yeah, that's right, we could just kinda

spring it on her, couldn't we? Surprise her!

That's right. All we gotta do

is get the food and the entertainment--

And the adhesive tape.

Adhesive tape?

Mm-hmm.

To put over Willona's mouth

so she don't tell Wanda about the party.

Oh, no. That's too much.

All right. All right. All right.

I'm glad you could make it.

I know you gonna enjoy yourself.

Now, get over, get some of that chicken.

Don't forget to get some food.

How you doing, my man?

Now, get over, get some of that bird, now.

Hey, Daddy. How are you doing, honey?

Hey, baby girl. [THELMA SQUEALS]

All right, here you go.

And thank you very, very much.

How's it going, Willona?

Honey, I can't keep up.

Neither can I.

Did you ever see chicken move so fast?

Not unless there was a rooster on its tail.

I wanna see daylight at all times, kids.

All right.

Hey, my man. How you doing?

How's everything?

Daddy, Daddy.

Hey, how you doing, Wanda?

Uh, what is it?

James. Huh?

I wanna know how come Michael won't let me pay

to come to this party like everybody else.

Well, Wanda, see, it's, uh, the kind of party

where senior citizens get in for free.

Come on. No.

No, no.

It's a rent party, and I wanna pay my own way.

There.

Uh, who is the party for, anyway?

Uh, well...

You see, uh...

[PIANO PLAYS]

I'd answer that, but I gotta make this introduction.

Excuse me, Wanda, excuse me.

Uh, folks, could you quiet down, please.

Have a seat. Please have a seat, please.

Please have a seat.

I got a special announcement to make.

Under no circumstances must you stop eating

or drinking, please,

because the ladies over at the refreshment bar

have told me that they're not busy enough.

[JAMES LAUGHS]

Now...

the next act, I know you're gonna enjoy him

because he's talented, he's bright, and he's my son,

so I know you're gonna enjoy him.

The pride of the projects, Michael Evans!

[BAND PLAYS VAN McCOY'S "WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG AND IN LOVE"]

* Spring's in the air There's magic everywhere *

* When you're young And in love *

* Life seems to be A world of fantasy *

* When you're young And in love *

* Each night seems just like The Fourth of July *

* When stars spangle the sky *

* The moon at night Seems to shine twice as bright *

* When you're young And in love *

* Dreams can come true If you believe they do *

* When you're young And in love *

* Though many teardrops Are bound to fall *

* True love will conquer all *

* When you're When you're young and in love *

All right, can that boy sing?

Daddy!

* When you're young And in love *

* Though many teardrops Are bound to fall *

* True love will conquer all *

* When you're When you're young and in love **

[CROWD HOOTS AND HOLLERS]

[CROWD CHEERS]

Oh, oh...

Hey, he's all right.

James, aren't you proud of him?

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Oh, I just wonder where he got

that voice from.

What you mean, where'd he get that voice?

He come by it natural.

You've heard me singing in the shower.

* When you're young-- *

That's why I wondered where he got the voice from.

Ma, Willona, come on, we gotta go change.

Our number's next.

That's right. Come on, come on. Come on, come on.

Excuse me.

I'll watch the table and the money for you.

Well, well, well, well, well.

What do we have here, Evans, a little party, huh?

Yeah, and it ain't guess the law either, Bookman.

It is if you charge money,

and that do appear to be the coin of the realm.

You just can't stop breaking that lease, can you?

Well, I can think of a couple of other things

I'd like to break.

You know, it hurts.

I hate to have to do this,

but I'm gonna have to shut the party down.

Now, come on, Bookman, you know it's a rent party, man.

Ain't you got no heart underneath all that blubber?

You know, there's one way you might be able to persuade

me to forget all this. Huh?

I understand you have a little entertainment

going on.

Hey, man, why don't you put me in the show?

Uh-uh.

No animal acts.

Suit yourself. The party's as good as closed.

Oh, now come on, Bookman. All right, you in.

But what else can you do besides eat?

You kidding? Dig this...

[IMITATES JAMES CAGNEY] You put me on your show,

otherwise you got trouble, you dirty rat, you.

All right. Uh-huh.

All right! All right.

Damn.

Uh, ladies and gentlemen... [PLAYS INTRO]

can I have your attention, please.

We have an extra added attraction tonight...

which proves that you can find talent anywhere you look.

Even underneath a rock.

May I introduce our own head janitor,

Nathan "The Moocher" Bookman.

How about a little '50s, Ed Sullivan music?

[PIANIST PLAYS INTRO THEME]

[IMITATES ED SULLIVAN] On here, on our show tonight

is really, really, really fine, fine, fine, fine,

really wonderful, wonderful, wonderful--

Really, really, really wonderful, wonderful performer.

Mr. Jim Nabors, where are you, boy?

[IMITATES JIM NABORS AS GOMER PYLE] Golly!

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Surprise, surprise, surprise.

I couldn't get any transportation over here

to the show,

so I called up my good friend Wolfman Jack.

He said, "I'll give you a lift if..."

[IMITATES WOLFMAN JACK] You let the midnight special

shine its ever-loving light on you.

[IMITATES GOMER PYLE] But he was kinda busy,

so I called up my good friend Marlon Brando, the Godfather.

I knew he would make me an offer I couldn't refuse.

[PIANIST PLAYS NINO ROTA'S GODFATHERTHEME]

[IMITATES MARLON BRANDO AS DON VITO CORLEONE] Uh...

You say to me, "Be your friend."

I can't even remember you asking me over

for a cup of coffee.

So this thing you ask of me, I cannot do.

[NORMAL VOICE] How about a little traveling music?

[PIANIST PLAYS LIVELY RAGTIME]

[IMITATES JIMMY DURANTE] Hold it! Stop the music!

Stop the music. Everybody wants to get into the act.

[NORMAL VOICE] It's Jimmy Durante.

[IMITATES JIMMY DURANTE] In person!

[APPLAUSE]

[IMITATES HOWARD COSELL] This is Howard Cosell,

here in Zaire, Africa, speaking to the reputed

heavyweight champion of the world, Muhammad Ali.

Well, Muhammad, you're not the shell of the man

you used to be.

You're not the fighter you were 15 years ago.

What about the Foreman fight?

[IMITATES MUHAMMAD ALI] Well, I tell you, Howard,

I beat Sonny Liston...

[CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY]

I beat 'em all, you know,

and you're not the same as you were with your wife

15 short years ago.

[IMITATES ED SULLIVAN] That's our show for tonight.

I hope you all drive home safe. Good night.

[PIANIST PLAYS EXIT MUSIC]

Thank you. Thank you.

Hey, Daddy, we made all that?

That's right, Michael.

There's a lot of kind people living in the projects.

And all of them care about Wanda.

When we gonna give her the money?

Oh, now, not so soon, son.

The show ain't over yet.

Oh, here, Michael, you watch this stuff.

All right. I gotta introduce the last act.

Uh, ladies and gentlemen,

as we promised you, we'd be providing you

with first class, top-notch entertainment tonight.

May I present a group of stars

who have come here specifically for this purpose.

The world-famous,

internationally renowned Supremes.

[PIANIST PLAYS THE SUPREMES' "STOP! IN THE NAME OF LOVE"]

* Stop, in the name of love Before you break my heart *

* Stop, in the name of love Before you break my heart *

* Think it over *

* Yeah *

* Think it over *

* Uh-huh *

* Baby, baby I'm aware of where you go *

* Each time you leave my door *

* I see you walking Up and down the streets *

* And knowing that Your other love *

* You're gonna meet *

* But this time Before you run to her *

* Leaving me alone to cry *

* Haven't I been good to you? *

* Think it over *

* Haven't I been Sweet to you? *

* Stop, in the name of love Before you break my heart *

* Stop, in the name of love Before you break my heart *

* Think it over Think it over *

* I've known of your Your secluded nights *

* I've even seen her Maybe once or twice *

* But is her sweet expression *

* Worth more Than my love and affection *

* This time Before you leave my arms *

* And rush off to her charms *

* Think it over *

* Haven't I been good to you? *

* Think it over *

* Haven't I been sweet to you? *

* Stop, in the name of love Before you break my heart *

* Stop, in the name of love Before you break my heart *

* Think it over Think it over *

* I've tried so hard So hard to be patient *

* Hoping you'd Stop this infatuation *

Sing the song, baby, sing the song!

* But each time I see you together *

* I'm so afraid Of losing you forever *

* Stop, in the name of love Before you break my heart *

* Stop, in the name of love Before you break my heart *

* Stop! *

JAMES: All right!

Oh!

FLORIDA: All right, baby.

Whoo, James,

I don't think we ought to put this off no longer.

Wanda, Wanda! What?

Come on up here.

We got a surprise for you.

Come on, Miss Williams, come on.

Come on.

Wanda, this whole party was for you.

JAMES: Yeah, that's right.

Oh, what's going on here?

Well, Wanda, we made enough money off this party

to pay your rent for the last few months

and next month too.

Hey, hey!

JAMES: All right!

No. No, I can't. I couldn't. I won't accept it.

Oh, Wanda.

We knew that,

that's why we didn't give the money to you.

We'll give it to Florida.

She'll take it down to the Housing Office

first thing in the morning

and give it to them for you.

Right. WILLONA: All right!

Now, Florida,

you know I don't take no handouts.

Oh, Wanda...

Now, this is not charity.

We are all doing this for a very selfish reason.

Nobody here is about to let you move from this project.

Right? That's right.

Okay.

And you wanna know why, Wanda?

Because we love you.

MICHAEL: That's right. That's right.

Yeah, hey!

Thank you. Thank all of you.

Oh, Wanda.

Excuse me, may I?

Oh, James, that's nice.

Hit it, Willy.

[BAND PLAYS SLOW DANCE MUSIC]

You heard what the man said, Willy,

hit it!

[PLAYS FAST DANCE MUSIC]

[***]

* Mmm *

* Just lookin' Out of the window *

* Watching 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 *

ANNOUNCER: Good Times is recorded on tape

before a live audience.

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

* Good Times *