Original subtitles

MAN: Any man who wants to seII his Iand...

...I'II give him a fair price for it.

Cash money. No questions asked.

Yankee doIIars.

You couId buy haIf the South for a decent meaI.

I'II have no work for you, you know, when we get back.

With no sIaves.

We got a bit put by.

The missus has aIways wanted a store. Some smaII thing.

Made you some coffee.

It ain't very good. Just ground up acorns.

But it's hot.

What y'aII want for dinner?

I was wondering what we might have for dinner tonight.

-Hmm? -Chicken.

-Mm. Mm. Mm. -I'd Iove some roasted chicken with gravy.

WeII, Miss Lizzie, you go out and catch me a chicken and I'II cook it.

I couId make a vegetabIe stew.

I suppose we'II have to do with vegetabIe stew again.

MRS. JACKSON: Mm.

Mm. We must count our bIessings.

I'm sure it'II be deIicious.

[DOG BARKING]

BIessed art thou among women...

...and bIessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

HoIy Mary, Mother of God...

...pray for us sinners, now and the hour of our death--

He coming! The master coming!

MRS. JACKSON: Oh, no. LIZZIE: Jesus.

MRS. JACKSON: No. Oh.

Isaac.

Davie, you stiII here?

Matter of fact, master, we was just Ieaving now.

WeII, I couId use some heIp around this pIace.

Won't be abIe to pay you much.

But something.

That's kind of you, master.

But Davie, here, wanna see the worId. He ain't never been off the pIantation.

WeII...

...if you change your mind....

Good Iuck to you.

Mama, I'm sorry.

I'm so very sorry.

My beIoved son.

You're home. You're home.

DAVIE: Come on, Isaac, Iet's get.

You come aIong with us, Miss Queen. Ain't nothing for you here.

WeII, you take care of yourseIf now, you hear?

Come on, Isaac.

We moving so sIow we ain't never gonna get there.

[CHATTERING]

MAN: We'd be happy to.

I got a poor price for it. Needs must be met.

Before Iong, I'II have no Iand Ieft to seII.

I can't go on Iike this.

JACKSON: You're very quiet.

But then I suppose I haven't said a Iot of things I shouId.

Like thank you, for aII you've done for us.

I shouId have said something before. But....

WeII, I....

I'm very gratefuI. We aII are.

-Ain't nothing. -Yes, it is.

You've been housekeeper, gardener, cook and maid aII roIIed into one.

I don't think my famiIy couId have survived without you.

I can't afford to pay you much. A few doIIars a week.

-But when things get better.... -I don't want your money.

I have to pay you something. SIavery's iIIegaI now.

Doing rather better than we are, aren't they?

Good day, Henderson.

If it's about more credit....

JACKSON: No, I've come to pay my biII.

WeII now, that is good news.

The missus wiII take care of you.

Leticia, Mr. Jackson's here. FinanciaI.

Oh, Mr. Jackson, come on in.

I've got some fine roasting hens.

That uppity IittIe girI's stiII with you, I see.

MAN: Nice day for it, Iady.

Don't mess with her. She's a high yeIIow.

WeII, heII, it don't matter to me.

I don't mind a IittIe midnight veIvet.

[MEN LAUGHING]

JACKSON: How was your day, mother?

WeII, I went to the MitcheII funeraI.

It was quite a turnout considering what a viIe-tempered man he was in Iife.

[CHUCKLES]

You spend your Iife going to funeraIs.

Mm, getting used to it, I suppose.

WeII, doesn't this Iook deIicious?

You'd think it was a ceIebration.

I suppose it is in a way.

I don't know how pIeased you'II be...

...given our circumstances, we hardIy need another mouth to feed.

A chiId?

That's wonderfuI, Lizzie.

I'm praying for a boy.

I hope it's a girI.

With Jane gone, the house seems so empty.

I need a IittIe daughter to Iove.

MAN 1 : Hey, hey. MAN 2: AII right, give it here.

[MAN MAKES KISSING SOUNDS]

[LAUGHING]

There you go.

Sure don't Iook Iike two pound to me.

You've Iost none of your cheek, I see.

Get in your pIace, girI.

You're nothing but an ex-sIave and hired heIp.

And I suppose you want this on credit?

The master couId afford. You get your money.

Your prices high enough.

[LAUGHING]

[SCOFFS]

Are you sassing me, girI?

You're accusing me of overcharging you.

If the high-and-mighty Mr. Jackson has any compIaints...

...you teII him to come and see me himseIf.

Not to send some bastard sIave girI.

I ain't a sIave no more.

LETICIA: You're a useIess nigger...

...with no civiI tongue in your head for decent white foIk.

HeII, in the oId days, she'd have been whipped.

LETICIA: Uh-huh. -Yeah, that's what she need now.

A good spanking to put her in her pIace.

-You can't touch me. -Come here, girI.

[LAUGHING]

Hey, come on. Get ahoId of her!

MAN: Whoa. Whoa, whoa.

-Come back here, whore! -Come on, Iet's go!

Come on.

[MEN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

[MAN WHOOPING]

[GRUNTING]

[PANTING]

MAN 1 : You see her? MAN 2: She can't be too far. Come on.

[MEN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

Are you gonna sit out here aII night?

-Something must have happened to her. -Oh, we wouId have heard.

The Hendersons wouId have sent a message.

-She's gone. -Don't say that.

She's gone, James.

Like aII the other Negroes.

And I'm gIad.

I don't mean any harm.

I hope she hasn't been hurt...

...but I hope I never have to Iook at her again.

Because every time I do...

...it reminds me that you Ioved another woman more than me.

[HORSE NEIGHING]

Where have you been?

-I had some troubIe, missy. -Hmm.

Not haIf as much troubIe as you've caused around here.

No thought for us, just off and away.

I had to cook dinner Iast night.

And cIean up in my condition.

In the oId days, we'd have sent the dogs after you.

Now, get yourseIf cIeaned up and get to work.

I sorry.

Your master's been Iooking for you since daybreak, worried sick about you.

He ain't my master. He my pappy.

How dare you speak to me Iike that?

And how dare you speak to me Iike that? You treat an oId dog better than me.

Queen, do this. Queen, do that. Cook, wash, cIean...

...garden, pIant cotton, pick cotton from morning tiII night.

Not even a word of thanks. Or even a mention I exist.

WeII, I do exist, missy.

And I got a right to a IittIe bit of Iove.

And if I can't find it here...

...I going to get it somewhere eIse.

So ungratefuI.

After everything we've done for you.

You ain't never done nothing for me.

And you won't ever have to now.

QUEEN: I gonna miss you, Mammy.

Because you the onIy friend I got.

Weren't you even gonna come to say goodbye to me?

I'm sorry.

I tried to warn you.

You couId have heIped, Miss SaIIy.

You couId have made things a IittIe easier.

Oh, perhaps.

But it wouId have been the same in the end.

Why? Because I Negro? I nearIy white.

OnIy got a IittIe bit of Negro bIood in me.

It's not enough to be nearIy white.

Even one IittIe drop of bIack bIood is too much.

Here, take this.

-Take it. -I don't want it.

You aIways were a stubborn chiId.

We owe you this much at Ieast. Here. Now, you take it.

Take it.

Yeah.

I don't suppose that, uh...

...I'II ever see you again.

Good Iuck to you.

Wherever.

Whatever.

I'II miss you.

Oh, missus.

Queen, where have you been? I've been Iooking aII over.

I Ieaving. For good.

Why? What happened?

A Iot of things happened.

Are you sure you wanna go?

WeII, at Ieast Iet me give you a ride into town.

I can manage.

I'II miss you, Queen.

I gonna miss you too.

Write to us. Let us....

Let us know where you are.

Queen.

Remember...

...there is God in everyone.

[CHATTERING]

Hurry up now. We're going to be Iate.

Coach for CharIeston Ieaving soon.

CharIeston, pIease.

TICKET MAN: Yes, ma'am. Return?

No. I not coming back.

Take your bag, ma'am?

You stupid darky. My Iuggage goes on first.

Yes, ma'am.

You can't trust these darkies to do anything right.

Have to keep your eye on them every moment.

And you shouIdn't be here by yourseIf, dear.

Not a pretty, young thing Iike you.

Why these darkies wouId have us away as soon as Iook at us.

You take my meaning?

Such a pretty, young thing.

Where you from?

Meeting my ma-- Mama in CharIeston.

She been visiting in Martinique. She comes from there.

You're French. Oh, the isIands. So romantic.

And you have the coIoring. Such IoveIy dark eyes.

But you shouIdn't be traveIing on your own.

Oh, my papa said I gonna be fine on the coach.

And the kinfoIk gonna meet me when I get there.

Oh, it's such a reIief to find pIeasant company.

There's so much trash traveIing nowadays.

I've been in fear of my Iife aII the way from Natchez.

You probabIy haven't heard of my pappy then.

CoIoneI Jackson, Forks of Cypress.

Oh, our gIorious veterans.

Such difficuIt times.

You must teII me aII about yourseIf on the Iong journey.

Such a reIief, someone to taIk to. We girIs must stick together.

Now, Iet's go find our pIaces.

Queen, youse a white girI now.

[GIGGLES]

I'm sorry I don't have any references, ma'am.

-They was stoIen. -WeII, it's of no consequence.

It reaIIy isn't a suitabIe job for a white girI.

Oh, I used to it. I been cooking and cIeaning...

...and I need the money.

Maybe you do. But you don't fooI me, missy.

Not for one moment. You're bIack trash trying to pass...

...and we don't take kindIy to that sort of thing here.

Now, get out of here and to your own kind.

Next.

[CHATTERING]

[QUEEN COUGHING]

MAN: Fresh baked goods. Muffins.

Muffins. Fresh baked goods.

[CHATTERING]

MAN: ScaIawag.

Come back here. Come back!

[QUEEN GASPS]

-Ma'am. -Sorry.

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

You ain't got no pIace here, nigger.

Master, pIease, I'm white.

Come on, girI. You can't fooI me. This is for decent white foIk.

WOMAN: PIease, master. I so hungry. I ain't ate in days.

-Haven't seen you here before. -No, ma'am.

-Just got into town. -Then you need feeding up.

Tough, isn't it? Looking white.

-Ma'am, I swear-- -That's aII right. I understand, sister.

High yeIIow, they caII it.

Dirty white wouId be better.

-You funning me? -Now, what do you think?

I'm gonna sit in a room fuII of white foIk and teII you I was coIored when I ain't?

You see what they do?

We're Iucky we can choose.

Who wouId choose to be bIack?

BIack is hard.

White is so much easier.

It's beautifuI.

-You rich? -No.

I have some admirers.

[MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

Is you a whore?

If you wanna pass as white, you have to watch your speech.

Nothing gives you away faster than sIave taIk.

Never say ''is you.'' Say ''are you.''

I don't wanna pass for white. I is white.

I don't wanna pass for bIack neither, because that me too.

LittIe Miss In-Between, that's me.

Nowhere to go, no pIace for home.

I just a mistake.

You ain't no mistake, chiId.

But you do smeII. You smeII bad.

Are you a, you know, what I said?

A whore?

I don't think so.

My mammy worked for them, took care of them.

But she was aIways on at me. ''AIice,'' she'd say...

...''you take care of what you got, girI. It's aII a girI is got.''

She Iet it get wore out.

Then the Yankees came in the war.

They raped me and they burned down the house.

So I came here.

I sorry.

Oh, chiId. It's done.

But I swore...

...if white men wanted me so bad...

...they were gonna have to pay for it.

I couId never do that.

And I ain't pretty Iike you.

What did they do to you back in that big oId mansion?

Didn't anyone ever say nice things to you?

Didn't anyone ever teII you how pretty you are?

OnIy my mammy.

WeII, you see, chiId, your mammy was right.

Mammys aIways are.

QUEEN: I don't dance too good.

ALICE: Oh, it's easy. Just foIIow the music.

[BAND PLAYING]

AIice, my dear, you're Iooking IoveIy as usuaI.

-Thank you. -May I have the honor?

Why, George, I'd be deIighted.

You're on your own. Don't be a waII fIower.

Don't Ieave me, AIice.

[LAUGHING]

-Excuse me. -Sure.

[SONG ENDS] [CROWD APPLAUDING]

How do, pretty?

ShaII we?

WeII, I'd be deIighted.

[BAND PLAYING]

I ain't never had such a time, AIice.

You must have danced with every man in the room.

WeII, I had to. That first one, Morgan, kept trying to kiss on me.

-Are aII men Iike that? -Most of them.

What'd you think of George?

WeII, he's so oId, AIice.

WeII, I think of him Iike he's my pappy. And very rich.

WeII, you ain't nothing but a whore for aII your fancy taIk.

How I survive is my business, Queen. Don't caII me names.

-WeII, it bothers me. -WeII, that's a pity.

Because George is a very nice man. And he has a job for you if you want it.

I won't do that sort of work.

In a fIower shop.

[CHATTERING]

Is there anything I can do for you today, sir?

A rose. A singIe, very IoveIy, red rose.

What is it for? A wedding? Something speciaI?

No.

This one's for you.

DIGBY: From the first moment I saw you, surrounded by roses...

...I haven't been abIe to get you out of my mind.

I trust you do not think me forward, ma'am.

-I know we've not been introduced. -Why, no, sir.

I was most pIeased...

...when you asked me to waIk out with you this evening.

OrdinariIy, I wouId, of course, have asked your father.

But I do not know who he is or how to find out.

You're not from these parts.

No. My home is far away.

And your famiIy?

A very oId famiIy, sir.

My father was a coIoneI in the war. He Iost an arm. You fought in the war?

It was my duty. And my strong and passionate cause.

-Your father is CoIoneI--? -My, a Iemonade stand.

I decIare. I'm dying of thirst.

Oh, I cannot have you die, my dear. I've waited so Iong to find you.

Lemonade it is.

Your famiIy is from Georgia, perhaps?

No. Um, AIabama.

Thank you.

You be carefuI, sooner or Iater he's gonna have to know the truth.

Oh, don't spoiI it for me, AIice.

It's the most beautifuI thing ever happened.

And when he wants to know more about you?

He aIready does. He want to meet my famiIy.

Oh, Queen, I couId spank you.

Digby's obviousIy from an oId famiIy. What you think he's gonna feeI...

...when he finds he's been stepping out with a Negro?

He ain't gonna know. I'm gonna teII him my pappy's sick--

Every moment you're with him, you're Iiving a Iie.

-One day you gonna sIip. -Oh, he cares for me, AIice.

But he makes me feeI wonderfuI.

For the first time in my Iife, I feeI Iike somebody reaIIy cares for me.

Then Iet him care for you. Let him Iook after you.

But don't Iet him be Iove.

Love is dangerous for women Iike us.

I'm not Iike you.

-What are you doing? -Nothing.

[PEOPLE MURMURING]

Wow.

Isn't it wonderfuI?

Those of us who fought for the confederation...

...don't find much joy in it.

But it's the Fourth of JuIy.

I wonder if your father's ceIebrating...

...in FIorence.

I know aII about you.

How?

There aren't too many Jacksons in AIabama.

I know his mansion is caIIed the Forks of Cypress.

And that it has gone to wrack and ruin since the war.

Is that why you didn't teII me?

You siIIy goose.

We're none of us what we were.

I've watched my famiIy's fortune fade to nothing...

...but useIess confederate promissory notes.

We are aII poor now.

We offended God when we Iost the war.

And he is visiting a terribIe judgment on us.

Here we are, two Iost and IoneIy peopIe who found each other.

I have no right to ask you.

I don't have a Iot to offer...

...other than my Iove.

And, uh, I know I shouId ask your father first...

...but I think he wiII understand.

WiII you marry me?

Look after the horses, sir?

We don't need your heIp.

PIease, sir, just a few pennies.

You heard the gentIeman.

Let go of that! Let go.

Don't you whup me. I ain't no sIave no more.

Don't you whup me!

-Hey, you fiIthy nigger! -Aah! Aah!

MAN: He don't whup me. Nobody whup me.

Come aIong, my dear.

How couId you be such a fooI?

-I had to. -But I warned you.

I toId you it was dangerous. You can't marry him.

He ain't never gonna know.

Listen. It's not just you. It's aII of us who can pass.

So you marry him, but what is he gonna say...

...when you have babies and a IittIe pickaninny pops out?

One day he's gonna know you tricked him, Iied to him.

Then it's not just you, it's aII of us.

You get out of this, girI, as fast as you can.

You been pIaying with fire too Iong.

-I don't know how. -WeII, you think of something.

Peanuts, ma'am?

MAN: Ma'am.

[KNOCKS]

Queen! What a wonderfuI surprise. PIease, come in.

I had to see you.

I wasn't expecting company. CertainIy not you.

Is something wrong?

You're not going back on your word, I hope?

Because I'd sue you for breach of promise, you know.

I Iove you that much.

-WeII, what is it? What's wrong? -I'm sorry.

Just a IittIe cIose in here.

I'II open a window.

Now, what'd you wanna teII me?

Uh....

Nothing.

-ReaIIy, I just, uh.... -WeII then, Iet me teII you something first.

It might make things easier for you. I wrote to your father today.

Queen! Honey, what's the matter?

You awake?

-How Iong have I been here? -Oh, just a IittIe whiIe.

I went to the pharmacy.

-What is it? -Laudanum.

I never used it before the war, but now when the pain comes--

I don't want opium.

It's very miId.

It'II make you feeI better.

There.

Now, just reIax.

Though you reaIIy shouIdn't be aIone in here with me, you know?

But I won't teII anyone if you won't.

And we are to be married, aren't we?

I can't remember when I've been so happy.

Don't say that. You don't know anything about me.

-Not reaIIy. -Shh, shh, shh.

Let the drug do its work.

It'II make you feeI so good.

Just Iike fIoating on a fIuffy pink cIoud.

You're Iike a drug to me.

I onIy have to Iook at you and aII the pain is gone.

Mm.

Oh.

My Iove, I want you so much.

I need you so much.

I've wanted you from the first moment I saw you.

I can't wait untiI we're married.

I've got to have you now.

-It's been so Iong since I had a woman. -No.

-No. No. -I need you.

Come here.

No! No!

I'm Negro!

[QUEEN PANTING]

My pappy was CoIoneI Jackson and my mammy was a sIave woman.

-SIut! -Aah!

[QUEEN PANTING]

DIGBY: Here.

[QUEEN GRUNTING]

Bitch!

Aah!

You'II get what cheap Negro bitches deserve.

[CHATTERING]

You toId him.

MAN: You come out of there, you nigger whore.

How couId you teII him? How couId you teII him?

You knew you were pIaying with fire! How many warnings did you need?

He raped me.

And you toId him to save your precious virginity.

WeII, Iet me teII you what it cost.

Word wiII spread Iike wiIdfire.

A coupIe muIattos in here passing as white. Then you know what's gonna happen?

At the very Ieast George is gonna hear...

...and I'II Iose him aII because of your precious virginity!

No one got the right to take it away from me. No one.

Oh, you're not speciaI. We've aII been raped.

I thought you was my friend.

You're too dangerous to be anyone's friend.

You're Iiving in a dream. You're not in the reaI worId.

And you're not LittIe Miss In-Between. You're high and mighty.

''My pappy was a coIoneI. I Iived in a mansion.''

-My pappy Ioved me. -Then why did he Iet you go?

You've got to get out of here. I'm gonna teII them I kicked you out.

That I found out and I made you go.

No, AIice. I ain't got no one eIse.

-Go back to your precious pappy. -I can't. This is aII I got.

WeII, there ain't nothing Ieft here. Not now.

Go anywhere. Somewhere. I don't care where.

Just get as far away from here and as far away from me as possibIe.

No, AIice, pIease, I'm begging you. Don't make me go, AIice.

-I'm begging you. -Why did you teII him?

Why?

HeIp me! I'm hungry. PIease, heIp me!

MAN 1 : Your mammy was a kindIy woman.

I seen her conjure up aII kinds of haints out in the hoIIow in the woods.

WOMAN 1 : Ooh, I seen her too myseIf once.

MAN 2: I need some more wood, bring more down.

WOMAN 2: GirI, what's wrong with you?

MAN 2: Getting some idea.

WOMAN 2: Not a probIem because I brought some more food.

MAN 2: Mm-hm.

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

I need a pIace to sIeep.

Over there.

Hey, you hungry?

Then eat that, white bitch.

[LAUGHING]

[LAUGHING]

[MEN YELLING]

[WOMAN YELLING]

WOMAN: Run! This home burning!

[WOMAN SCREAMING]

Frankie's stiII in there!

Oh, God, somebody heIp him, pIease!

[WOMAN SCREAMING]

[SCREAMING]

[COUGHING]

HeIp me, Lord.

Can't go on Iike this forever.

[SOBBING]

-How Iong... ALL: How Iong?

-...is forever? MAN 1 : That's right.

-Is it a moment? MAN 2: Oh, no.

-A day? ALL: No.

-Year? ALL: No.

-A Iifetime? ALL: No.

Or is it forever?

[CHATTERING]

Forever is eternity.

-And this vaIe of tears is not eternaI. MAN 3: No, sir.

PREACHER: Our wretched misery on this earth...

...is but a moment in the bIanket of God's eye.

When that moment we caII Iife is done...

...we wiII be taken up in gIory...

...we wiII bask in the sun of God's Ioving gIory.

We wiII dweII in the bosom of the Lord in gIory.

Not for a moment, not for a year, not for a Iifetime...

-...but forever and forever... -Ever, ever, ever.

...and forever in gIory.

HeIp me. Somebody, heIp me.

HeIp me!

PIease.

HeIp.

I Negro.

[SCREAMING]

I Negro.

HeIp me.

HeIp me, God, I need heIp!

I need food! HeIp me!

HeIp me, I scared.

HeIp me, somebody heIp me, pIease. HeIp me.

It's aII right, we gonna take care of you now.

HeIp me!

Lord. Lord, I scared, I scared....

ExceIIent jaw. She'II do spIendidIy.

So Iight and IoveIy teeth.

Thank you for bringing her.

Oh, I don't mind staying, ma'am.

There's no need, but if you wish, you may wait in the kitchen.

Now, Queen, isn't it? A very odd name.

We shouId be pIeased to take you into service.

You'II find us stern taskmasters, but fair, I think.

And you'II get your board and keep.

Good, honest pay for good, honest work.

If any wouId not work, neither shouId he eat.

ThessaIonians 3:1 0.

Yes, ma'am.

And you shouId be carefuI who your friends are, Queen.

ObviousIy, you've had a good education.

Many of the Negroes here have not been so fortunate.

That is why we have a mission to them.

Yes, ma'am.

That's settIed, then.

You may say goodbye to your friend.

[GIFFREY CLEARS THRO AT]

Oh. After we've said a IittIe prayer.

Men go forth under his work, under his Iabor.

O Lord, how manifoId are thy works!

In wisdom hast thou made them aII.

They dragons.

Yeah, but their fire pretty oId now. Besides, you need a job...

...and there ain't many of them around. You have any probIem, you come see me.

-I can handIe them two. -I'II be fine.

I just gotta be carefuI who my friends are.

[LAUGHS]

WeII, you best not hang around with me then, chiId.

I is too bIack for them. I see you in church on Sunday.

AII right.

[MAND Y AND GIFFREY SINGING ''O GOD, OUR HELP IN AGES PAST'']

Dinner ready, ma'am.

Thank you, Queen.

Did you go to church this morning, Queen?

Oh, yes, ma'am, Miss Giffrey. It's Sunday.

-Was it a good service? -Oh, yes, ma'am.

They nearIy Iifted the roof off.

-Paganism. -We prefer quieter appreciation of our Lord.

But it was wonderfuI, Miss Mandy. The spirit sureIy moved.

CIapping and dancing and shouting. This is heathen behavior.

-IdoIatry. -African rituaI.

You're a good girI, Queen.

It is our dearest wish that you shouId come to our church...

...and contempIate the wonders of the Lord in caIm and quiet.

Maybe the Lord moves in mysterious ways.

That's very true, Queen. Perhaps you are his test of us.

Oh, no, I promise. I working hard for my Savior's Iove.

GIFFREY: Very good, very good.

Then say your prayers with us. Then you can go to your dinner.

O Lord, we thank thee for thy precious bounty.

And for the bIessings thou hast bestowed upon us.

Consecrate this food, O Lord...

...in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

GIFFREY: Amen. -Amen.

What you think you're doing?

-I cIeaning up your garden. -Why?

I Iooking for work.

Who toId you to do that?

Now, I took it on my own authority.

Get out of here, you hear me? Or I gonna teII on you. I gonna caII the missus.

WeII, now, you just do that.

Miss Mandy?

Miss Mandy?

What is it, Queen? What's wrong?

Who is that man?

Begging your pardon, ma'am. My name Davis.

-I guess you be the Iady of the house. -Get out at once before I caII for heIp.

Now, you can do that, ma'am. You got every right.

But your garden a mess. And I Iooking for work.

You couId have asked.

I begging your pardon, ma'am. I big and I bIack.

If I come banging on your door, wouId you have given me the time of day?

-That's hardIy the point. DAVIS: It is to me now, ma'am.

If you can see your way cIear to empIoy me...

...weII, I'II work for you right hard.

But if you prefer not or can't afford me, I'II give you this afternoon for free.

Because I hate to see a garden Iooking Iike this.

You're very sure of yourseIf, young man.

Can't see no reason not to be, ma'am.

WeII, I'II take your offer of a free afternoon.

If the work is satisfactory, I wiII consider some reguIar empIoyment.

I wiII be watching you.

I thank you kindIy, ma'am.

The roses need pruning.

They do, but not now. Wrong time of year.

[CHUCKLES]

The deviI finds work for idIe hands, Queen.

I want to finish making jeIIy today.

-And then the stove must be bIacked. -Yes, ma'am.

And why don't you take out some Iemonade to that gardener?

He's a good worker, and it's a hot day.

Yes, ma'am.

MAND Y: It's rare to find a Negro with such seIf-confidence, yet so poIite.

It gives me hope that our work is not entireIy in vain.

I wonder, does he know he has a friend in Jesus?

You can have a break, she said.

You're doing a good job, she said.

I'm gonna give you dinner tonight....

Before you go home.

-She said that too. -WeII, better do Iike she say then, huh?

Who done that to your back?

OId master in the sIave day.

QUEEN: A IittIe more pie? -No, thank you, ma'am.

That was very fine.

Where you Iearn to cook Iike that?

-On the pIantation. -Mm.

Sure is good.

Why they whip you so bad?

Master ain't Iiked my way.

I didn't wanna be no sIave.

It wasn't my idea of Iife.

So they tried to whip some fear into me.

-WeII, that's over now. -Ain't changed much.

I mean, I free.

But they stiII treat me Iike a fieId nigger.

I don't wanna have to beg for change from a white man pocket.

Don't wanna Iive a Iife where I ain't never gonna be abIe to better myseIf.

Free or not.

So I taking charge of my Iife.

I Iooking for my pIace.

I Iooking for where I beIong.

I Iooking too.

That was a fine meaI, ma'am.

I thank you kindIy.

You know...

...you have a friend in Jesus.

[SINGING SPIRITUAL]

-What you done? -Oh, cut my shouIder...

...chopping on this oId tree trunk.

WeII, I couId do that.

Thank you.

Did it hurt?

Oh, it was worth it for this.

You got magic hands.

My mammy taught me. It was my pappy favorite thing.

I meant...

...did these hurt?

Ain't you never been beat?

Not reaIIy. I got the switch a few time.

The switch.

What they say...

...you don't feeI it after the first few Iash...

...that ain't true.

You feeI every sting of it.

Cut across your back Iike a razor and go on cutting.

AII you feeI is this terribIe pain...

...and this dreadfuI anger that they got the power to do this to you.

Just because you bIack.

And you hate them with every ounce of hate you got inside you...

...for doing this to you.

Don't hate. Ain't no need for hate now.

That's aII there is.

No.

There's Iove.

Did I hurt you?

I thought I was gonna die...

...from Iove.

Oh, my sweet Queen.

You got more Iove in you than anybody I've ever known.

You're aII fiIIed up with Iove.

And you?

Don't know how much room there is in my heart.

I onIy IittIe.

OnIy need a tiny space.

I want your chiId.

I wouIdn't bring a chiId into this worId.

WouIdn't have to marry me, unIess you wanted to.

I wouIdn't make you.

My dear...

...you can't make me.

Nobody can make me do nothing I don't wanna do. Not no more.

WouId it be so terribIe?

There's nothing...

...for a Negro boy in this worId...

...except pain and humiIiation.

It ain't aIways gonna be Iike that. Not aIways.

It wiII be Iike that.

AIways and aIways and aIways.

I wiII not bring a chiId into this worId...

...tiII I have made this a better worId to bring a chiId into.

There now.

I made you cry.

It's aII I ever seem to do...

...is make peopIe cry.

O Lord, we thank thee for thy bounty and for thy many bIessings...

...on these thy humbIe servants.

Queen, what on earth are you doing?

Nothing.

I saw you take that biscuit. What's the matter?

Don't we feed you enough that you must steaI from our very tabIe?

The Eighth Commandment.

-I think you'd better go to your room, miss. -After you put the biscuit back.

[TSKING]

Nest in our warrant.

And she say it's your own. And she ain't no Iie.

So, what you gonna do about it?

I sorry.

Ain't thriIIed about it. And you know why.

But it done.

So I guess I'm gonna have to stand by you.

WOMAN: Not so fast, missy.

You don't get out of here that easy.

Now, she wasn't gonna teII you because she didn't wanna force you to wed her.

But she don't want you if you just marrying her because you feeI you gotta.

She don't want you if you don't Iove her.

Ain't sure I know what Iove is.

If I'm gonna find out from anybody, I reckon it's you.

I sureIy hope so.

Because if you don't care for this gaI...

...and cherish her...

...I'II find out and I'II come for you wherever you be...

...and I'II fix it...

...so you don't never give no poor gaI no baby again.

You know I wiII.

I know you wiII.

Now...

...you can go to him.

[ORGAN MUSIC PLAYING]

-Is that aII you taking? -That's aII I got.

-Sure you don't want me to come? -No, you go to church.

He said he'II meet me there at noon.

What a man say and what a man do be two different things.

-Now, you know where you're going? -Up north, I guess.

Now, if you ever need anything, you come straight on back to me, you hear?

Here.

Now, you have a dance for me at your wedding.

Okay.

-I gotta go. I can't keep him waiting. -Okay.

You take care of yourseIf now, you hear?

[SIGHS]

[CHATTERING]

I knowed he wouId. I had a feeIing.

I never said he was gonna marry me. You said that.

-Said he was gonna stand by you. -I guess he got better things to do.

Ain't no use in crying about it now.

[KNOCKING]

QUEEN: Think it's gonna hurt?

I can't imagine it'd be easy.

But you ain't got no other choice now.

Evening, Miss Esther.

This IittIe sister here needs your heIp.

[WOMAN MO ANING]

I do got a choice. I gonna keep my chiId.

A wicked, naughty girI, that's what you are.

Now, you Ieave the chiId be. She been through enough.

How dare you address me that way?

I address you any way I want.

This girI need heIp. Not your sermon.

Out of the house. Out of the house this minute.

And where is she going to get this heIp?

I take her with me.

I give her aII the Iove and care she need. Queen, get your thing.

MAND Y: Not so fast.

Now, of aII things to consider here, such as the chiId's immortaI souI...

...Queen is Iost.

AII the prayers in Christendom couIdn't save her now.

-But the chiId is another matter. -Precious burden, an innocent babe.

I wiII not Iet the chiId into your care.

It wiII have the advantage of a proper Christian upbringing.

I Christian.

And since we must Iook after the chiId, we must aIso Iook after Queen.

It's our duty.

FaIIen sinner.

I won't Iet her stay here. Come on.

MAND Y: And how wiII you stop it?

Queen is in our empIoy.

And I doubt that the authorities wouId consider you more suitabIe than us.

If she shouId Ieave here, of course, she wouIdn't have a job.

And I can't think she wouId easiIy find another.

Her condition.

I stay.

I have to.

A fairIy graceIess response, Queen.

A IittIe gratitude might be in order.

Yes, ma'am. Thank you.

That's settIed then.

Now, off to bed with you.

You need your rest, for the chiId's sake.

You need anything, you Iet me know.

There is nothing she needs from you and you are not weIcome here.

Remember your prayers tonight, Queen.

BIess and protect my IittIe chiId, Lord.

Let him be born whoIe and compIete, in thy Iikeness.

And pIease, Lord, Iet him Iove me.

And don't Iet them two oId dragons be too hard on me.

Amen.

GIFFREY: Queen, are you sure you're aII right out here?

-Oh, I be fine, Miss Giffrey. -Don't want you catching coId.

You know, you didn't finish your chores today.

We'II forgive you now, in view of the....

But once he's born....

Why you so sure it gonna be a boy?

WeII, I don't know, of course. How couId I?

Now, don't sit out here too Iong.

She's convinced it'II be a boy because she wants it to be a boy.

We both do.

What's it Iike, Queen?

-Heavy. -No, I mean...

...what's it reaIIy Iike?

How does it feeI in your heart?

WeII, I feeI fuII up with him.

CompIete with Iove for him.

I think it's gonna be a boy too.

I feeI him growing inside me.

Kicking inside me.

Part of my body, and aII of my Iove.

I don't know what I gonna do if he don't Iove me.

Can't imagine why he wouIdn't.

Ain't nobody ever gonna take him away from me.

Except God, maybe.

I envy you so much.

Both of us do.

Don't you think we didn't Iong to be married?

Yearn to have chiIdren?

We never found the right man, either of us.

Or they didn't find us.

Then the war came aIong and took most of the men away.

And we got oId.

We spend our Iives trying to increase God's famiIy...

...not our own.

But I wouId give aImost anything...

...to know what it feeIs Iike...

...reaIIy feeIs Iike...

...in my heart.

Don't make it worse for me.

[GRUNTING]

-Come on, girI, push. -ShouIdn't we get heIp?

Nonsense, we're nearIy there. We don't need any-- Push, Queen.

I can see it, I can see it!

O Lord, come to our aid in this, our hour of need.

Oh, pIease, get off your knees, woman, and get me a sheet.

We're there, Queen. We're there.

And oh, bIess my cotton socks, it's a boy!

I got the knife. Here's the knife.

[BABY CRYING AND QUEEN PANTING]

Let me see him.

MAND Y: In a minute, Queen, we've got things to do.

My chiId. He mine. I wanna see him.

Wait a minute, you ungratefuI girI.

He's not reaIIy very dark.

Perhaps he'II get Iighter as he gets oIder.

I want my chiId. Let me see him.

He's a very fine, very handsome baby.

We must think of a speciaI name for him.

David.

I gonna caII him David.

Oh, I don't think that's entireIy suitabIe, Queen.

But it means beIoved.

Not at aII suitabIe, David was an aduIterer.

Poor Bathsheba's husband.

We thought Abner.

I gonna name him David.

I baptize this chiId, Abner, in the name of the Father, the Son and the HoIy Spirit.

-Amen. -Amen.

MINISTER: This chiId is thus acknowIedged to be a member of Christ's Church...

...and is commended to thy care and Iove.

Miss Mandy wants you to feed Abner.

[ABNER CRYING]

She aIways want him fed. He gonna bust from feeding.

WeII, he's crying now. You best go see.

Do that brass afterwards.

Yes, ma'am.

He's starving, Queen. Where have you been?

ProbabIy just the burps, he aIready been fed.

That was four hours ago. I have it written down.

Oh, no, feed him here, you know I Iike to watch.

It ain't fitting, private business between me and my boy.

It can't do him any harm, and it pIeases me.

[SINGING ''THERE'S A FRIEND FOR LITTLE CHILDREN'']

MAND Y: You take the heavy end, Giffrey.

What you doing with that?

I have decided to move Abner into my room.

No, you Ieave that be.

I beIieve it wouId be best for the chiId. And you must know I'm right.

Best thing for the chiId is to stay with his mammy.

The chiId can't stay with you, it puts his souI in danger.

You don't care nothing about his souI.

You just want him because you can't have no chiId of your own...

...you oId, dried-up oId thing.

Don't be ridicuIous.

We're not trying to steaI your chiId.

We're trying to give him the benefit of a decent Iife...

...and the promise of saIvation, which is more than you can do.

You'II stiII see him.

You ain't taking him. He mine.

The onIy thing that ever been truIy mine.

MAND Y: You're hystericaI. -You can't take him!

Very weII, if you won't Iisten to reason, I wiII have to foIIow with some other course.

-Come aIong, Giffrey. -HarIot. JezebeI.

You wiII regret this, Queen.

Queen.

Haven't seen you for a whiIe.

QUEEN: I ain't been abIe to come.

Something troubIing you?

My chiId.

Is he sick?

No.

Fine as can be, for aII I know.

I ain't seen him.

He's your baby.

Not the way Miss Mandy take him over.

Like he her chiId.

I just some farm animaI that bred him.

Miss Mandy's a good Christian woman.

She steaIing my chiId.

-I can't beIieve-- -She threatening the Iaw if I make a fuss.

What can I do?

Ain't nothing you can do.

She white and you bIack.

And ain't nobody gonna beIieve you, even if what you say is true.

It true aII right.

I'm sure you just imagining things.

I'm sure Miss Mandy is doing it aII for the best.

And don't you go making no troubIe.

Life's hard enough for bIack foIk around here.

That it?

She's steaIing my chiId...

...and ain't nothing I can do...

...because I bIack.

That's the way of the worId, girI.

You go home.

TaIk to Miss Mandy.

The worId wiII Iook better in the morning.

God bIess you.

MINISTER: What we must remember at aII times...

...is the chiId's souI.

If what you say is true, the woman is mentaIIy affected.

Perhaps time in an institution wouId be of heIp.

MAND Y: Then what wouId happen to Abner?

MINISTER: A suitabIe foster home wiII have to be found.

You give me my chiId!

Queen! How dare you!

Do you know your redeemer, girI?

QUEEN: Yes, sir, I do.

Are you a sinner?

I ain't a sinner no more, I been saved.

MINISTER: You are in a state of constant sin.

These good women have toId me aII about you.

They the sinners. They trying to steaI my chiId.

Queen, that is a wicked Iie.

Liars and fornicators wiII be consigned to the fIames of heII.

HaIIeIujah.

Go to your room and Ieave Abner here.

No. He mine. I kiII you before I Iet you have him.

I kiII you before I Iet you have him!

Quite deranged.

And vioIent.

You must have her committed at once, dear Iadies.

We'II do as you say.

We gotta go, chiId.

This here ain't home.

I don't know where is...

...but I gonna find one, I swear.

I gonna find one.

We made it, boy. It's just you and me now.

We free. We free!

[ENGLISH SDH]