The Good Lord Bird (2020) s01e03 Episode Script

Now why don't they just
come on and make a fight of it?
What would, uh, what would
Gideon tell his people, John?
- "I will not rule over you.
- No.
- My son will not rule over you.
- No.
Our Lord and Savior will rule over you."
Yeah. Our Savior
won't let them attack us.
Uh, think again, Old Man.
You remember me, sir?
I'm the one you promised
to turn yourself in to
when we returned your sons.
I remember ye.
John, Jason.
Howdy, Jeb.
Now,
I turned a blind eye to your sons' escape
when we were set upon
by mysterious Indians.
Yes. Isn't God great?
Now, your sons
acquitted themselves well.
But I think you should know
Mr. Brown, please stop doing that
I think you should know that
the governor of Kansas Territory
has raised the reward for
your capture, dead or alive,
to $3,000, and President Buchanan
has offered another $250.
So I would say
that you'd be safer
riding with us to trial
than being in these parts
with all that money
on your head.
Let me ask you a question.
Yes, sir.
Do you believe,
do you believe that Jesus Christ
is our holy Lord and Savior?
- Yes, sir.
- And do you think
that Jesus of Nazareth
thinks my friend Broadnax here
is three-fifths human being?
Hmm? Do you imagine that Jesus
thinks you more important than he?
Well, I believe that Jesus
sees us all as his children.
And yet, you would oppose us
in our fight to free your
enslaved brothers and sisters?
Mr. Brown,
you have been charged with murder,
theft of property and treason.
How much money do I have left, Salmon?
Two dollars, 50 cents.
Two dollars and 50 cents.
Gentlemen,
I hereby offer two dollars
and 50 cents for the head
of President Buchanan!
He presides over a barbaric institution
that does not answer
to the throne of our most holy Savior.
Bravo.
Boys, Mr. Brown, gentlemen.
And, uh
- Onion.
- And Onion.
These woods are full
of men hunting for you.
Now, if you surrender to me,
I can protect you.
Otherwise, I am duty bound to
report that I've made contact,
and my next orders will
surely be to track you down
and shoot you on sight
in our next encounter.
Excuse me, sir.
You know, it makes me sad to say this,
but I've a strong intuition
the next time I see you,
I'll be looking over
all your dead bodies.
Fare thee well.
"Come On Children, Let's Sing"
somber music
Here's the thing about bein'
a gunfighter for the Gospel.
It doesn't matter if you're
Black, white, a boy or a girl.
You still a gunfighter.
And that makes you a kind of
hero in your own mind.
We slept in the cold, ate crickets,
broke our teeth on corn,
and were generally miserable.
We were wanted men,
and there's a pride in that.
Course, until you're dead.
George Turner was dead.
Hello, Beth.
Beth, no.
I'm so sorry, Beth.
I'm so sorry.
At least now I know.
Oh, whoa.
You can shelter in at the barn.
I'll kindle the stove in the kitchen.
- Beth.
- Be careful.
The cow kicks.
I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
You'll be so proud
of your father one day.
I promise.
I promise.
Here's some corn bread, boys.
Thank you, ma'am.
John, the declaration please.
Oh.
"A Declaration of Liberty
by the Representatives
of the Slave Population
of the United States of America.
We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal,
and that the history of slavery
is a history of injustice
and cruelties inflicted upon the slave
in every conceivable way,
and in barbarity
not surpassed by the most
savage of tribes of men.
I hereby state that I am willing
to fight and die
to protect the good,
the fair and the righteous.
I vow to spend what remains of my life
ending this hypocrisy."
Thank you, son.
The winds have changed,
and the voice of our Redeemer
is becoming clear.
Onion, would you get us a pen
and an inkwell?
Those of you who want
to continue on with me,
it's time to sign the Declaration.
The Lord came to me last night, boys.
He showed me the path to victory.
While you men slept,
He whispered in my ear
the battle plan.
We are to light the fuse
that will start a great war
to end slavery.
It will be a war
between the North and the South.
Both are guilty.
Both must share the suffering
and the sacrifice.
Slavery will go down in a tide
of blood and carnage.
Wailing and lamentations
will come from every family in this land.
I've seen the tears.
God will equalize the pain.
Grief and sorrow will visit every home
in these alleged United States.
The bill is overdue.
It's time for this country to pay.
I'm with you, Captain.
To whatever end.
Did your Lord give you details?
Like a time and a place?
He gave me an exact time,
an exact place.
All will be revealed very soon.
First, I need to go visit
the King of the Negroes.
King of the Negroes?
I'm right here, Captain.
Tickets!
Tickets, please. Thank you, ma'am.
The Old Man traveled
under different names.
- Tickets!
- Nelson Hawkins,
Shubel Morgan or Mr. Smith,
depending on what he could remember.
Tickets, please. Thank you, sir.
But it didn't make no difference.
The Captain was as famous as bad whiskey.
Excuse me, sir, your slave
isn't allowed in here.
This car is for whites only.
She's not my slave. She's my daughter.
Whatever she is to you,
she doesn't belong here.
She belongs wherever I go.
We're all children of the same Creator.
Oh, you must be one of those
fancy-speaking Yanks.
If you don't get that filthy
colored thing out of this car,
I'll throw you and it off
at the next stop.
Henrietta, would you mind
holding this for one second?
No problem, Cap.
You owe my daughter an apology.
The Bible tells us to treat
all children as our own.
No pickaninny will ever be my child.
You don't know who that is.
That's John Brown.
You trying to get us all shot up?
You're John
You're John Br
I am so, so sorry, Mr. Brown.
Hawkins. Nelson Hawkins.
This is my daughter Henrietta Hawkins.
Yes, of course
- Mm-hmm.
- Mr. Hawkins.
Uh, you will not be disturbed
again on your travels, sir.
It's no problem.
Now apologize to my daughter.
- Uh, sorry for
- Your hat.
Your hat. You're addressing
a young woman.
Yeah.
I'm very sorry f-for
bothering you, M-Miss Hawkins.
Mm-hmm.
Thank you.
Uh, sir?
Onion.
Onion, you awake?
Do you have the funds
from those Yankee donations?
The boys will be mighty
glad to get this money.
Oh, it's not for them.
It's for my wife.
Where's your missus?
Mary? She's, uh,
just a little bit off that way.
We have a little farm.
It's modest, but
she makes it a nice place to be.
Come May, June, flowers bloom,
trees blossom, the lake warms.
It's special then.
Someday, I'm gonna take you there.
You have your own farm?
You rich?
You know what I have
in my pockets?
A gold coin stitched in the lining?
Mm-mm.
Grief.
That's my wealth
grief.
My first wife
we were so in love.
When I dug her grave,
it was-it was raining.
I'd already buried nine of our children.
Can you imagine that much grief?
I'm a rich man.
Then came financial ruin
disgrace, shame.
Loss of faith.
You sound like that fella Job.
Job?
You've been doing your reading.
I am so proud of you.
Rochester was right enjoyable.
The sights and colors of the world
up before my eyes
like a peacock's feather.
Onion.
Even the smallest street in that city
made the biggest road in Kansas Territory
seem like a rutted back alley.
Onion. Onion.
What is this? I don't want this.
Let's go.
Come on, Onion.
But, Captain, look.
- Can I keep it?
- No, you can't keep it.
Give it back to her. It's her ball.
It's her ball!
For it is not light
that is needed, but fire!
Not the gentle shower,
but thunder!
We need the storm, the whirlwind
and the earthquake!
Is that the King of the Negroes?
That is the great Frederick Douglass.
The feeling of the nation
must be quickened.
The conscience of the nation
must be roused.
The propriety of the nation
must be startled.
The hypocrisy of the nation
must be exposed,
and its crimes against
God and man must be denounced!
Hear! Hear!
What, to the American slave,
is your Fourth of July?
I never knew a Negro
could speak like that,
or look like that.
He was downright beautiful.
- All of your prayers
- I never thought
I'd find myself saying that
about a gentleman.
But he sure was a sight.
I couldn't tear away.
- religious parade
- Nor could the whites.
are to him mere bombast, fraud,
deception, impiety and hypocrisy!
Go!
Search the world where you will.
Roam through all the monarchies
and despotisms of the old world.
Travel through South America,
search out every abuse.
And when you have found the last,
lay your facts by the side
of the everyday practices
of this nation, and you will say with me
that for revolting barbarity
and shameless hypocrisy,
- America reigns without a rival!
- Amen!
Amen! Amen!
Sir, Mr. Douglass will see you and
your companion at his home.
- Please be discreet.
- Mm-hmm. Understood.
Understood.
Oh!
John, John.
John!
John, stop it.
Go! Lunatic.
Well, hello, old friend.
- Oh, I like the beard.
- Oh, thank you.
I didn't know you were coming.
I would've made arrangements.
Well, my current status prevents me
from announcing my whereabouts.
Yes, you mean being a man
wanted for murder?
Let me show you something.
- Where's that go?
- Uh
Um, my home is part
of the Underground Railroad.
This is a pathway to Canada.
I've shepherded many
a runaway to freedom, John.
I cannot house you
for more than a few nights.
Do not leave that front door.
There are many spies
in this part of the country.
If there's trouble,
you and your companion
can escape here, it leads
to my basement and safety.
I understand.
Honey, let me take your coat.
- You must be warm.
- Oh, thank you, darling.
And how dare you
forget to tell me that
my favorite John Brown
was paying us a visit?
I wasn't expecting him.
Oh.
Well, now don't you just look a mess.
We need to get some soap on that skin
and some meat on them bones.
I thought I heard you come in, dear.
- Here, I brought your slippers.
- Thank you, darling.
Mr. Brown, what a-a nice surprise.
Did Frederick tell you
we were having company?
He did not, but the captain
is always welcome.
Thank you. Always nice
to see you, Ottilie.
- Ah. Yes.
- And you, too.
And what
- do we have here?
- Oh, oh, oh, yes.
This is Henrietta Shackleford,
born of Bloody Kansas,
I call her Little Onion.
Onion, this
is Frederick Douglass
and his wife Anna Douglass,
and, uh Ottilie.
Mm.
He's a king.
They do their own rules.
Sit down, sit down.
There you go.
Henrietta.
Howdy, Fred.
- You address me as Fred?
- Mr. Fred.
- No.
- Do you know
that you are not talking to a pork chop,
but rather a fairly considerable
and incorrigible
piece of the American Negro diaspora?
Say that again?
- I am Mr. Douglass.
- Mr. Douglass.
- Mr. Douglass.
- Mr. Douglass.
You must understand
it's the high thrill of her life to meet
the man who will lift
her people out of the darkness
of chains of the underlying world.
I've had so many
disappointments in my life,
Onion, but this man
is one on whom we can always depend.
What kind of name is Onion
for a young lady anyway?
And why are you dressed in this fashion?
Ottilie, we will make her a proper lady.
Thank you.
So you are staying in town?
Um, the Lord has
asked me to come seek
guidance from Frederick.
I hope it's not an inconvenience.
- Oh, of course not. You stay.
- Oh, it is late,
- and I am exhausted.
- Of course. Of course.
Well, um, tomorrow?
Yes, I have business
all day tomorrow.
- All day? Not in the evening?
- All day.
In the evening, yes.
We can meet in the evening, after dinner.
- After dinner.
- And, um, oh, Anna.
Anna will provide you
with clothing more suitable
for a young Negress. Yes.
Did we do all right?
- Yes, fine.
- We did all right? Okay.
What do you think?
I was already exhausted
from being the girl in the city.
For a damsel on the trail could spit,
chaw tobacco, holler, fought,
and gather no more attention
to herself than a bird would
snatching crumbs off the ground.
Stand straight. Neck long.
Slow, quiet breaths.
Perhaps if you keep quiet,
people may mistake you for a proper lady.
Go and put on a hoop.
Yes, ma'am.
Oh, and change into that red dress.
Yellow isn't your color.
We give thanks for
the Douglasses' hospitality.
One and all, we give thanks
for old friends and new.
Emperor. We give thanks
for this time together.
We invite You into our minds,
into our hearts,
we give thanks for the turtle
that gave its life for this soup,
and the cow in the platter.
We give thanks for the-the
hands that-that kneaded the dough,
for the rain that You
let fall on the grains,
the sun that warmed every kernel.
Yes, that reminds me of a parable
- Amen.
- Amen.
Amen. Thank you.
No, you know, let's hold hands.
Let's hold hands.
- Oh
- John, John.
What if we allowed Henrietta
the honor of the blessing?
Because it would be good
for her education.
That-that would be so wonderful.
That would be so wonderful.
Henrietta.
Oh, I'll go
We're waiting.
- Dear Lord
- Oh, anything will do!
Uh dear Lord.
Bless it be, Father.
Bless us, O Lord.
Maker of mens, gifter of gifts.
Bless us of our daily bread.
Amen.
- Amen.
- Amen.
Amen.
Good idea.
Napkin, napkin
Onion has become quite the woman of God.
Mm, she has a great teacher
- in you, John.
- Mm, thank you.
Um, I heard
there was some, some nasty
weather in Kansas.
Rain, sleet, wind.
We'd have possum for breakfast,
raccoon for lunch.
Possum and raccoon, you remember.
A few nuts in the rain
for-for dinner, made us more fervent
for the cause.
Hmm.
But we're done with Kansas now.
I've communed with our Lord.
He has a greater task at hand for us.
Mr. Brown,
I instinctively distrust men
who know so well
what God wants them to do,
'cause I notice it seems
to always coincide
with their own desires.
Darling.
No, it's, it's all right.
Let me explain.
May I?
I find that often in life,
we identify with the most small
and trivial aspects
of ourselves. For example
You're from Europe,
Anna's from Maryland, I'm from New York,
Onion's from Kansas.
But that's not who we are,
or where we come from.
Where we come from
is so much more mysterious
than that.
And the Lord has tasked me
with enlightening some among us,
who have grown too attached
to their smaller selves.
Mm-hmm. Onion?
Now.
It
it is im
Imperative.
imperative that we secure
all additional funds for the cause
of freeing my people.
Sit down, it's all right.
Ah, and, uh
and what exactly will
these funds be used for?
Men
provisions
weapons, cannons
for the emancipation
of the Negro, of course.
Yeah, I like the sound,
I like the sound of that!
Yes, yes, yes!
But-but what exactly
is this new plan of yours?
It will all become clear
as soon as we have secured funding from
- the Secret Six.
- Mm.
You want me
to go to the Secret Six
and ask them for money on your behalf
with no details as to what it is for?
The Lord commands us to walk
by faith, not by sight.
Yes, but what they have seen in Kansas
has shaken their faith in you, John.
We freed slaves.
Yes.
By murder.
By decapitation!
John, you severed heads!
You bring more trouble to us
- than you bring freedom.
- The slave needs freedom!
He doesn't, he doesn't care how!
Oh, oh!
He doesn't care! He doesn't need talk!
- He needs action!
- Oh, so now you know
what the Negro slave needs?
I know this wicked practice has to end.
And I know every slave will
take up arms to make it so.
Are you quite finished?!
As someone
who has never lived in bondage
never been owned
never been savaged
never been used to death
and then discarded
please do not presume
to tell me what a slave
will or will not do.
You're right.
I cannot speak for the enslaved.
But, Frederick,
I can speak
for the depths and shallows
of the slavers' hearts.
When I was a boy, my father
took in an escaped slave.
Uh, his name was Daniel he was nine,
I was nine, and he was my friend.
Until some men
hunted him down and beat him
over the head with a shovel
until he was dead on our front porch.
I have seen
the look in their eyes, Frederick.
Hatred, greed and fear
are not a good mix.
Yes.
I agree with you.
But
I cannot speak
to our friends on your behalf.
Have y-you lost faith in me?
No, no, it is not about faith,
John, it's a
it's a question of method.
If what you are proposing
causes the nation to explode
in bloody revolution,
- it will take even longer
- It
to reach true equality.
You are, by far, the craziest person
to ever sit at this table.
Um Ottilie?
Ottilie, please.
John?
- Captain!
- No, I
I've been called crazy before.
A fool.
But I know there will be
no friendship
with the slave-holding man
until he is soundly beaten,
holds himself accountable,
and asks for forgiveness.
Then, we can discuss friendship.
Yes, but that friendship
is nearly five generations away.
So then I'm a fool.
But I'm a fool for God.
John, please.
Come back to the table.
John, it's impossible.
- It'll never work.
- It will work! It has to work!
And then we head right up into here.
- The mountains?
- It's the perfect place to hide.
The slaves will come to us
slowly, we'll gather them,
we'll train them, we'll arm them.
You help free them and then
you recruit them to fight.
We'll teach them
to fight for their freedom
- and the freedom of others.
- Just set it down right here.
- Not-not now. Not now, no.
- It is impossible.
Then, then the ones
who can't fight, well,
we'll usher them north.
Just set it down here.
You're talking about insurrection.
I'm talking about Not now, Onion!
I'm talking about revolution.
You asked for a plan. This is it.
Will you speak to the Six?
Look, there are more ways to
make money than walking around
with your hat in your hand.
Just set it down.
- No, not now. I-I can't
- There are more
- Just make some speeches!
- No, I can't do that.
Make some speeches, John.
- I'll teach you, for God's sake!
- I can't speak like you.
No, just will you speak
to the Six?! Onion!
Hey, it makes me nervous!
I don't like public speaking!
Damn it, John!
Speak with the same passion
and vigor as you do when
reciting the King James Bible
Don't worry. Fred knows what he's doing.
Does Brown?
I think we've done
enough work here tonight.
Oh, Henrietta, if you'll excuse me,
I must go check on Mr. Douglass.
Uh, can you, um, tidy up in here
a bit, and head to bed?
Uh, y-you have a long trip
ahead of you in the morning.
- Ottilie?
- Will do, Mrs. Douglass.
Good night.
Fred? Fred?
Um Henrietta?
What are you doing in here?
Oh, Mr. Douglass.
I was waiting on you.
Uh, you see, last night's
dinner talk was so lightening.
"Enlightening," dear.
Uh, yes, "in-lightning."
Um, uh, and, uh, since I'll be fighting
in service for Mr. Brown,
I figured you could further educate me
on the plight of the Negro.
Aha, and the drink?
Well, sir, uh,
it's for you.
The Old Man don't learn easy.
Figured you would need a little something
to calm your nerves.
Oh, well, that is very,
very, um thoughtful
of you.
- Now, the
- Y-You know
um, my nerves are a little raw,
on account of all the
traveling I's about to do,
to the parts of the nation
I done never seen.
Well, uh, a sip or two wouldn't hurt.
And you are coming into age.
Go ahead, pour yourself a glass.
Now, mmm, the Negro.
The Negro comes in all shades:
Dark, black, blacker,
blackest.
Blacker than night!
Black as hell!
Black as tar!
White. Light.
Lighter, lightest, lighter than light.
Light as the sun!
And almost white.
Hmm.
Oh, my dear, what is the matter?
- Are you all right, my dear?
- Is it not your bedtime?
Uh, I was just
educating her before her trip.
With a glass of cognac?
Would you not need a drink before
a northern rail trip with the captain?
What is wrong, my love?
- You
- I
you must stop whatever it is
you're planning with Brown.
W Don't worry,
there's no way that
Brown's mission can be traced back to me.
Oh, abolitionists love gossip,
more than church ladies.
And if this gets out, you will
be charged with treason.
Darling, you are being hys
Go ahead, say "hysterical."
- See what happens.
- No I'm sorry, sorry.
I, um, I have handled John.
There will be no surprises this time.
Oh, he won't stop until the land
is drenched in blood.
At some point, war may be necessary.
Do we want John Brown determining when?
Well
Promise me you'll at least
consider being strong with him.
- You make the rules.
- Yes.
Yes, I will, I
- Come, my love.
- Yeah.
- I Okay. Yes.
- Come to bed.
I'll-I'll be up in a moment
after I've finished
with young Henrietta here.
Don't be too long.
And you'll come to bed? My bed?
Yes, my love.
Don't let John Brown get you killed.
Or you won't be able to punish me
for how naughty I'm going to be.
O-Oh You can't
You can't do that in your little
Lord.
You
Uh, w-would you like a-another, sir?
You drink mighty quickly.
Oh, uh, I'm just trying to keep up.
Uh, I thought it would be rude otherwise.
Oh.
Would you like to sit with me
on this love seat while
I further explain to you
- the plight of our people?
- Um, uh,
well, sir,
I-I reckon that plight looks
righteous bad now,
tills you further it.
But, uh, since it seem
like you knowed everything
Oh, yes. I knowed everything.
And I deedy doody say so indeedy.
Mm.
Hmm.
The Negro knows not where he was born
or who his mother is
or who his father is or her real name.
Mm but I-I know my pa.
He's shot and killed.
Tell me,
how was your father killed?
Well, uh, I guess it
was the Old Man's fault.
So John Brown is crazy?
I-I don't know who's crazy or not.
W-Well, tell me,
how many are in his army?
- Uh, damn near ten, I guess?
- Ten?
Well, that's sens
Ten?
Ten? Only ten?
Uh, well, we pick some up, we lose some.
- Uh, some get killed.
- Ten?
No. Ten?!
Ten? That's not even a dozen!
Ten!
Ten? Are you
Oh, God.
- Fred, we need
- Hmm?
Oh. Onion, you're still here.
Yes, I was just giving her lessons
on the, uh, the Negro life.
Well, have you spoken to Ottilie yet?
I have.
And what are you thinking?
I, um, what are your thoughts?
- Mm.
- We need men like Brown.
If we are to achieve emancipation,
we need men like the both of you.
But getting our brothers
murdered, that is not freedom.
Blood will be spilled
and it must be spilled.
You know it.
I know it.
So you say.
Oh, my love.
I love you.
I need you.
I believe in you.
I know you are a king.
You are a lion.
Mmm.
Screw your courage to the sticking place.
- Lead us.
- Mmm.
Mm. Mm.
Oh. Shouldn't you be heading
to bed, Little Onion?
Uh, y-yes, ma'am.
Promise me you'll stay the course.
Support Brown.
Yes, I will.
- I need another drink.
- Me, too.
Ah
Uh to love.
- I drink to Pie.
- Ah.
Who is Pie?
My first love.
That's a funny name for a man.
How about one for the plight
of our people in the South
who ain't here to hear
your speech on them?
Yes! Hmm.
How about, uh, a drink, uh,
-for our pets in slavery, too,
-Yes.
- Uh, the dogs, uh, the buffalos.
- Yes.
- Yes.
- To all-all the goats.
Yes, even the goats!
Yes! Preach it, my country waif!
Oh, God.
He was a king.
But had I knowed what was coming,
I expect I'd have taken
that little derringer I had
back in Pikesville out of my pants pocket
and popped Mr. Douglass right there.
For he would short the Old Man
something terrible
at a time when the Old Man
needed him most.
Aw, there, there.
I thought I heard a noise.
I-I wasn't doing nothing.
Course not.
But if you was,
you might want to take some supplies.
Food, extra change of clothes.
What is you?
What is you?
'Cause you sure ain't much a lady.
I'm damn near exhausted
of being a "lady."
What about you? Huh?
You work for Mr. Douglass?
Is he your kin?
We ain't no kin.
I come from South Carolina.
When I escaped,
I made my way up north, landed here.
Met Mr. Douglass.
He took me in.
You was a slave?
You ran here all by yourself?
Had to.
Been too risky to bring others along.
Why you want to part ways
with the captain?
Any man would be a fool to leave
the North to fight for coloreds.
And I ain't no fool.
- I'm with Mr. Douglass.
- Don't misunderstand.
Mr. Douglass is in this fight.
He just don't always see
eye to eye with the captain.
How'd you know you was ready to run?
I didn't.
I saw everyone around me dying.
Or being sold off.
I guess I got to the point
where I figured,
if I was gonna die,
I wanted to meet death as a free man.