Them (2021) s01e03 Episode Script
Day 4
[woman] Gone are the days ♪
When my heart
was young and gay ♪
Gone are the toils ♪
From the cotton fields away ♪♪
- [woman] Cat in a bag. Cat in a bag!
- [panting]
[floor creaks]
[zipper unzips]
[urinating]
- [Tommy laughs]
- Get back here.
Give me that stick.
[panting]
[Tommy] Mommy!
Baby.
♪
♪
- [Hazel] Hello?
- [Lucky] Hazel?
[Hazel] Lucky Emory?
- Girl, that's you.
- It's me.
Whoo, Lord!
Was wondering how long
Henry was gonna keep y'all
hidden up in fancy-ass
East Compton.
- Are you loving it?
- Well
The truth is, Hazel,
if I don't get out
of here today,
- I might just slap a bitch.
- [Hazel laughs]
I recognized you.
Saw the minute
you walked through the door.
You're the type
no longer willing to be sold
any more shoddy merchandise.
[chuckles] You know
what I'm talking about.
I bet that last hat you bought
just didn't hold up.
[chuckles] You were hoodwinked.
That's why
I'm only gonna show you
but one piece of equipment.
You deserve to enjoy
the same home entertainment
system that I enjoy.
- Is that right?
- Oh, that's a fact.
And if my wife
bragged to her neighbors,
just imagine
your wife's pleasure.
How her friends will gawk when
they get a load of a Motorola.
My mama
doesn't have any friends.
Well, she will now.
Sears and Roebuck
has it for less.
[chuckles]
I'll talk to the owner.
See what I can do.
So, look
- [girls chuckle]
- How about we stop waiting
for your mama to come
with us to the pictures.
How about we bring the pictures
home to your mama, huh?
Then we can all watch together.
All right.
Well, how about free
home delivery? How's that sound?
- We'll take it.
- [Gracie squeals]
I bet you got a hundred cousins.
Well, they'll all want
to sleep over now.
[distorted cheering over TV]
[distorted cheering
grows louder]
[Ruby] Daddy. Daddy.
♪
Uh, how long?
- About two hours?
- Two hours?
Fine.
For you.
Bet you got a hundred cousins
appreciate an ice cream cone.
[both chuckling]
Mmm!
I'm afraid we'll have
to cut our coffee short today.
I've got the girls
coming over to
Well, it's been bedlam
around here lately.
No, no. If you're having guests,
I don't want to be a bother.
N-No, I didn't mean
this second, George.
I just meant
we couldn't have our usual time,
that's all.
No, right, of course.
[music playing faintly]
Are you sure you're okay?
You talk.
About anything.
Okay.
Hmm.
Trade secret. Chocolate milk?
Brown cows.
[both laughing]
George Bell.
I do believe you are taking
advantage of gullible housewives
and their lack of knowledge
regarding animal husbandry.
I see any gullible housewives,
I'll let you know.
Have you tried one of these
shortbread cookies yet?
- They're from
- Have you ever been on a working farm, Betty?
Mrs. Wendell.
If you ever
Hmm.
If you ever just need
a place to just
get away from it all
I'm not sure a married woman
can just go off
to a gentleman's farm
whenever she feels like it,
George.
Oh, no. I didn't
Of course, Clarke, too.
Both of you.
You know, as my guests.
- No, I didn't mean to imply you were
- No, not at all.
No, I just
But my offer stands.
You and Clarke,
come.
Clear your heads
away from all this.
What are you doing this evening?
Y'all got me spending
all my money.
[Ruby and Henry laugh]
Let's go sunning,
it's so good for you ♪
Let's go sunning
[whispers] Where do we sit?
Right up front.
Come on.
Happy as the day
you were born ♪
Let's go native ♪
Sun your cares away ♪
Be creative,
learn to live and play
Will it be an egg cream,
a frappe or an ice-cream float?
Two root beer floats
and a coffee, please.
Sure. Coming right up.
[Ruby and Henry chuckle]
[Minnie Riperton:
"Les Fleurs"]
For all of these simple things
and much more ♪
A flower was born ♪
It blooms to spread love
and joy, faith and hope ♪
To people forlorn ♪
Inside every man ♪
Lives the seed of a flower ♪
If he looks within ♪
He finds beauty and power ♪
[man] Afternoon, ma'am.
Ring all the bells ♪
Sing and tell
the people everywhere ♪
That the flower has come ♪
Light up the sky
with your prayers of gladness ♪
And rejoice,
for the darkness is gone ♪
Throw off your fears,
let your heart beat freely ♪
At the sign
that a new time is born ♪♪
Baby?
Come on out here.
- Right here.
- She went out.
- You must be a doctor or such, Mr. Emory.
- [Henry chuckles]
- No. But, uh, thanks.
- [Eddie] You know,
for a couple more dollars, we
can put it all together for you.
Set up your antenna on the roof.
[chuckles] I got it from here.
- Thanks again.
- You're welcome.
Thank you.
How long you lived here?
- Here?
- Compton.
- Oh, um, just a few days. Why?
- [Eddie] Got two more stops.
Watch yourself.
- [door locks]
- [cardboard rustles]
- Hey! Slow down, maniacs.
- [Ruby laughs]
- [Henry laughs]
- Stop it!
[Henry] Hey. Hey.
- [muffled music playing]
- [indistinct chatter]
[squeals]
Oh, good, you found us!
I heard all about you
from Cousin Henry.
- You have to tell me what Compton's really like.
- [laughs]
Let me take your things.
Oh, goodness. I'm so sorry.
- I should have brought a cake.
- [Hazel] Now, what is all this
all about?
Hi.
And I ain't seen you
since you was nine years old.
- I should've bought some fudge.
- Yeah, she forgot
- to bring cake.
- I should've gone to the store.
Store-bought?
Oh, baby,
I'm glad you came empty-handed.
Get your beautiful self
over here.
Oh, yeah
Now, when you come over here,
you ain't got to worry
about bringing nothing
but your pretty self.
Hazel got you.
Come on.
Get yourselves up out the way.
Go on, june bug.
Take your friends, go.
- Set yourself down right here.
- [chuckles]
- I'm-a go get you a cocktail.
- [knock on door]
Get that for me, Cynthia, baby.
- Hi, Cynthia. I had an appointment.
- Oh, hi.
Oh, Lord, it must be Rosalie.
You the only one
ain't get the message
I had canceled
all appointments for today
because I want you to meet
my cousin's wife Lucky.
- Hi.
- Hi. Do me after her?
Look at her. Does she look
like she need her hair did?
Honey, she from Compton.
That's her real hair. [laughs]
Get yourself on over here.
Look, I will hold
all day Saturday for you.
- Just let me hold two dollars.
- Next Saturday?
Hair looking like
Sojourner Truth by then.
That ain't got
nothing to do with me.
And why I got to pay you
in advance
of an appointment we had today?
To hold next Saturday.
And I thought
we was eating, girl.
- I barely ate.
- Give me two dollars.
Come back in an hour. Junius!
Junius!
[laughs]
There she is. [chuckles]
Junius.
- All grown.
- [Junius chuckles]
- It's good to see you.
- Good to see you.
[both chuckle softly]
- Lucky's in the building, y'all!
- [laughs]
Come on, now! Let's go!
- Come on!
- [Hazel] Here you go, baby.
- It's called a bullshot.
- What? No.
Vodka, beef stock
and Worcestershire sauce.
Mm.
It's good.
- See?
- [laughs]
Now, go on and tell them.
Horrible. Simply just
Tell them.
[Carol Lynn] Well, Tommy's a
I mean, we had to use the belt
plenty of times.
- He's not a saint, but
- [Betty] Nobody's saying
Tommy's an angel,
but I think we're all missing
the bigger point here.
Well, tell us the point, Betty.
I have to put dinner
on the table.
Some of us have
little mouths to feed.
The point is none of your
none of our children deserve
- to be beaten with a branch from a tree.
- Oh.
- Oh, my God, a tree?
- [Betty] Now,
- let her finish. Go on.
- She never beat him.
Go on, tell them.
Oh. I saw Tommy
running like a
And then that Negress, she
Was wielding
In her hand.
Oh, she had a stick.
I saw it.
Did anyone else see her holding
a gun in her hand yesterday,
or was that also just me?
Uh, I don't know.
Midge and Dale
maybe had the right idea.
Moving.
Well, I could tell Marty,
and I bet he could bring it up
at the HOA meeting tonight.
There's no need.
Clarke's prepared
a presentation.
With Dale gone,
someone has to lead the charge.
And that would be Clarke?
Yes.
He knows all the things to say,
and we were one of the first
families to buy here.
[metal clinking]
[Gracie humming]
[Earl] Light his ass up, Marty.
[laughs]
Gracie, inside now.
- Now.
- [Marty] That's right, little girl.
Go on. Go on and play.
[Earl] Hey! Come on down, buck.
About goddamn time.
Gentlemen.
- "Gentlemen."
- Why don't you come down here.
Need a word.
Before or after
you pick up that beer can?
Must have slipped
out of my hands.
Now, that bitch wife of yours
put hands on my boy.
So you and us gonna talk.
Sir, I've got children
in my house.
Goddamn it, we've got children.
The hell did I just tell you?
That my wife touched your child.
Well, maybe not touched, but
but scared him pretty good.
Why don't you let him come down
and tell his side of the story.
There's no "his side," Clarke.
You coming down,
or we coming up?
You come up,
you're coming down a lot faster.
If I come down there,
story's gonna end the same way.
Just gonna take a little longer.
Real tough, huh, buck?
We said we'd take care of this
at the meeting tonight.
We're taking care of it now.
Hey, you coming down or not?
I need you to ask.
He ain't asking, he's telling.
I need you to ask,
so when I give you
what you're asking for,
we don't have
any misunderstanding.
- You threatening us?
- All right, you first.
Then you. Then you.
Uh, there's three of us.
Coons are as strong as apes.
[static electricity buzzing]
Ask me.
Marty?
Was your kid.
Jesus Christ.
Keep that fucking mammy
away from my kid.
You hear me?
Got our eyes on you, King Kong.
[overlapping chatter]
[glass clinking] - [Junius]
Hold up, hold up, hold up.
Now, now, look here.
We ain't seen Lucky
since Abe done signed
that paper,
right? I say we hold 'em up.
- Yes.
- Aw.
- [Junius] Come on, now.
- [Hazel] Great idea.
[Lucky] I'd like to deliver
I'd like to deliver a toast.
[laughing]
Okay.
Thank you, Hazel.
For the ham.
For everything.
And to everybody here.
Even though I don't know y'all
and, and you don't know me
'cause we all lost touch.
But I
It's okay, baby. Take your time.
I feel welcome here with family.
And y'all come, too.
Y'all come to Compton.
It's not even that far.
You can come visit.
Thank you. [laughs]
- [all laugh]
- Toast.
[all] Cheers.
[all laugh]
So, where y'all at
over in Compton?
Over on Palmer Drive.
Palmer.
- You heard about that family
- Hey, hey, hey. She don't need
- to hear all that yang now.
- Wait, what?
Girl, a colored family
moved over there.
They say the wife
skinned the kids,
the husband shrank their heads.
[Junius] You always talking
that unsubstantiated shit.
Whatever, whatever. Either way,
that ain't shit we do unless
[Rosalie] White folks
drive 'em to it.
[Hazel] You need to listen more
and less of this.
To Luck.
'Cause, baby, you gonna need it.
To Luck, everyone.
- [all] To Luck.
- Yeah!
[glasses clinking]
- [phone ringing]
- [Henry] Gracie,
don't touch the metal. It's hot.
- What did he just say?
- [Henry] Hello?
[Hazel speaking indistinctly
over phone]
Really?
[laughs]
I'm not saying she shouldn't.
I'm not saying she shouldn't.
Y'all having fun.
Yeah, I-I bet you are.
[laughs]
Next time. Next time.
All right. I love you, too.
[Hazel] Bye-bye.
We don't really have to wait,
do we?
Your mama is having supper
with Aunt Hazel and them.
[Dragnet theme plays]
- [Ruby chuckles]
- Ooh-wee!
[narrator] Ladies and gentlemen,
the story
you are about to see is true.
[all laugh]
to protect the innocent.
What you need is a wig.
Wouldn't you be out of business?
- You paying me?
- [laughs]
Girl, half my dos
is wearing wigs.
Ain't nobody out here
wearing their real hair
with your country ass.
[laughs]
You treating my cousin right?
Worry about my kitchen,
not my man.
- Ooh! Mm.
- Mm-mm.
Well, excuse me. I guess
Compton got you all uppity.
[chuckles] Oh, we good.
We good, though.
All right, now. And, uh,
what about them, uh,
rusty butts?
There's three of 'em, ain't it?
Okay, so you're tender-headed.
There we go.
You know Hazel got you.
Tell you,
I raised all five of mines
- in these three rooms.
- [faucet running]
But I guess Compton got
some fine space for you, huh?
I
All kinds of room
back home, though.
Not used to being all
on top of each other out here.
Well, out here,
I walks my fine Black ass,
honey,
right through my front door.
Fuck a Mr. Jim Crow.
You know what?
Girl, I give you
a family discount,
you bring them little girls
over here.
Ooh, and you may not know,
but Junius,
honey, he cuts some hair.
As soon as that little boy
of yours get old enough,
Junius'll put waves in it,
baby, make you seasick.
What his name?
Chester, right?
What's wrong with you?
You don't like it?
Well, it's gonna grow on you.
You come on out here
and go to this party. Hmm.
[muffled music playing]
[muffled chatter]
I have-have to go.
I have
It's time for me to go.
- I got to go. I got to go.
- Go? No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
- I got to go.
- Not now, you can't go.
Look, Henry got the kids.
I called him. It's all right.
Stay. Please don't go yet.
- Thank you.
- [Hazel] You know what, if anything happens,
you call me right away,
and we come running, Lucky.
[indistinct chatter]
Well, maybe Clarke
just got stuck at work.
- [Betty] He'll be here.
- Yeah.
The other men work,
managed to be here on time.
[Betty] He'll be here.
Enough pussyfooting around,
I'm gonna get this started.
He's just a couple minutes late,
and he's got it all planned.
Unless being late
was part of the plan
All right, everybody.
If we want a shot at catching
tonight's
Martin Kane, Private Eye
- [all laugh]
- let's get going.
What are we talking about?
- Get these coloreds out!
- [man] Yeah!
- All right, then.
- [man 2] That's right.
Now, me and a couple
of the other fellas,
we paid a visit
to that buck there.
Let him know
his time's almost up.
- That's right.
- [Marty] Yup. Earl was there.
- Mm-hmm.
- [Marty] And we keep the pressure on,
you watch.
They won't have
the stomach for this.
- [Earl] Mm-hmm.
- Now,
we're not talking
about violence, per se.
- [crowd murmurs]
- Should be.
Aggravate a colored's home
just enough,
and they'll be wanting out
in no time.
Slow and steady.
This is how we win.
[Len] But how?
But how?
Slow and steady, Len,
like I just said.
[indistinct chatter]
I'd like to say something,
if I may?
Yeah.
In Compton, in 1900,
um, oil was discovered.
I only know that
because my father operated
the Beverly Hills Oil Field.
He employed
something like a thousand men.
Who gave you your job, Marty?
Was it a colored?
Why don't you take a seat,
Betts. We got this under
Between 1876 and 1900,
what were
the colored people doing?
Porters. Mammies.
While our fathers
and grandfathers
built the world.
This world.
Now, I've been getting
the sense tonight
that some of the men here
are fine
taking it slow and steady.
Well, you know what?
Slow and steady
is exactly how mold grows.
You ladies know this.
- [woman] You can't scrub it out.
- That's right.
That's right. Once it starts,
it's already too late.
You'll never scrub it out,
and then that mold,
black and slow,
takes over everything.
And that's why we
you
need to protect
what my father
Our fathers built.
Not slow and steady
but goddamned right now.
- Yeah.
- Right now.
Some of you are treating
what's been earned
as a as a gift
instead of a birthright.
In Gardena,
they mounted a campaign
so purposefully
that the one Negro family
that dared move in
was gone in one week.
Which just goes to prove
we have to do this. Us.
And go to jail, Betty?
Doing what it takes
to protect your family?
Your home?
If I was a man,
be an easy choice for me.
[crowd murmurs]
[chuckles] What else
do you expect us to do about it?
Anything would be
a step up, Marty.
Let's just say
they'll start yearning
for some of that
good old Southern gentility
they're so quick
to leave behind.
[crowd laughs]
So, fellas,
I'm standing here, asking each
and every one of you,
who's down to the business
of getting these Negroes gone?
[woman whoops]
Excellent.
That's right. Good job.
[vehicle approaching]
[brakes squeal]
[sighs]
[thunder rumbling]
♪
[thunder rumbling]
♪
[screams]
No! No! No!
[screams]
No!
No!
[screams]
No!
[bus driver] Ma'am!
Ma'am!
I'm gonna call the police.
♪
[engine turns off]
You know, over in West Compton,
they got in a lather
about a few Negroes moving in,
but look at it now.
It's mostly Negro families.
In fact, I heard
their property values went up.
When I was a boy,
this was all farmland.
Come out here,
didn't see or hear
another person for miles.
All this belonged to me.
These days,
I got no place to think.
No place but this, uh
tin can. [chuckles]
Sometimes, late at night
The pressure.
Feel like I'm going
a little stir-crazy.
Anyone would.
You understand?
[whispers] I'm not crazy.
We checked that bus out
together, Mrs. Emory.
You, me and the driver.
It was empty.
And then there's
your little display yesterday
with your husband's gun,
and today we got a call
that you went after
the Denton boy with a switch.
Your behavior is starting
to paint a picture.
Pretty soon,
I may be forced to take a side.
Don't you want me
to be on your side, Mrs. Emory?
I'd like to go home, Officer.
[clears throat]
Tell you what.
How about I explain
what happened to your husband?
Don't.
I do believe it's possible
for your family to fit in
real nice here in Compton.
The problem is, you're
going about it the wrong way.
If you want your neighbors
to accept you,
then you need
to make them feel safe.
All right.
[engine starts]
[sighs]
Betts, I'm gonna ask you
one more time.
He was up on his roof,
just as free as can be.
Didn't go so well, did it?
[scoffs]
You owe me.
[exhales]
[footsteps departing]
[man] [on TV] Well, everyone,
we're just about out of time
[Henry] Hey.
Starting to get worried.
Girls are in bed.
They tried to stay awake.
They wanted to see you.
- [man] Good night, everyone.
- I wanted to show you this.
Hey, what's wrong?
You thirsty?
All right.
I know Hazel
and them fools can drink.
[panting]
You'll be okay.
Get that in you.
Hazel did you right.
The men.
They were pulling me.
- What?
- Pulling at me.
I can't see their faces,
but I can
- I can No.
- Those crackers?
They came over here,
talking about how you came after
- some boy.
- It wasn't
Did you touch that boy, Luck?
Look, I won't be mad.
- I didn't touch any
- I just need to
Okay.
- I was on the bus.
- Uh-huh?
- I couldn't see.
- All right.
And then there were hands.
Henry, it wasn't
it wasn't natural.
I know what happened to me.
Luck.
What happened to you
What happened to our boy
- that day
- That day?
It's not about that day, Henry.
It's right now.
- It's this place.
- Luck,
if those motherfuckers
said something
- or did something to you, I'll go
- It's not them.
Not just them.
There is something wrong
with this place, Henry.
I can feel it.
Something rotten.
Tell me you believe me.
- Luck, I
- I need
to hear you say it.
♪
[liquid sloshing]
♪
She got to hold it
for you when you pee?
Slow and steady this ain't.
Look at them flames
lighting up the sky ♪
Ain't never seen fire
shooting up so high ♪
Look at them flames
lighting up the sky ♪
Look at them flames lighting
up the sky ♪
I ain't never seen fire
shooting up so high ♪
I ain't never seen
fire shooting up so high ♪
Are you listening, people,
to what I'm saying? ♪
'Cause it sure looks to me ♪
Like them niggas
ain't playing ♪
- Them niggas ain't playing ♪
- Them niggas ain't playing ♪
Them niggas ain't playing ♪
Ever since they passed
them civil rights ♪
Those fires have been
lighting up the nights ♪
And they say
they ain't gonna stop ♪
Till we all have
equal rights ♪
Looks to me like
them niggas ain't playing ♪
Them niggas ain't playing ♪
Them niggas ain't playing,
y'all ♪
Them niggas ain't playing ♪
Looks like they developed
a new Black pride ♪
It even show
in the way they now stride ♪
You better look around,
y'all ♪
Can't you see
what I'm saying? ♪
Sure looks to me like
them niggas ain't playing ♪
- Them niggas ain't playing ♪
- They sure ain't ♪
They sure ain't playing ♪
I think they're trying
to get something started ♪
- Oh, yeah? ♪
- I'm talking about SNCC ♪
And us
and the Black Panther Party ♪
Yeah - Is anyone
listening to what I'm saying? ♪
- Yeah, man ♪
- 'Cause it sure looks to me ♪
Like them niggas ain't playing
- Them niggas ain't playing ♪
- Them niggas ain't playing ♪
- Them niggas ain't playing ♪
18 billion so far
is the claim ♪
Of damage done
by looting and flame ♪
Yet look around,
there ain't nothing changed ♪
- Nothing's changed ♪
- Not a damn thing ♪
I sure hope somebody is
listening to what I'm saying ♪
'Cause it sure looks to me ♪
Like them niggas
ain't playing ♪
Them niggas ain't playing ♪
Them niggas ain't playing,
y'all ♪
Them niggas
sure ain't playing ♪
The bigots and the Birchers,
they just can't see ♪
This now Black generation
is gonna be free ♪
Just you try and stop 'em ♪
And for sure you'll see
what I'm saying ♪
Sure looks to me like
them niggas ain't playing ♪
- Them niggas ain't playing ♪
- Them niggas ain't playing ♪
Them niggas ain't playing ♪
Now, where the Black man
is going is anybody's guess ♪
With his natural hair
and his Afro dress ♪
But you can believe one thing
and forget the rest ♪
We know for sure ♪
Them niggas ain't playing ♪
And we ain't, either ♪♪
When my heart
was young and gay ♪
Gone are the toils ♪
From the cotton fields away ♪♪
- [woman] Cat in a bag. Cat in a bag!
- [panting]
[floor creaks]
[zipper unzips]
[urinating]
- [Tommy laughs]
- Get back here.
Give me that stick.
[panting]
[Tommy] Mommy!
Baby.
♪
♪
- [Hazel] Hello?
- [Lucky] Hazel?
[Hazel] Lucky Emory?
- Girl, that's you.
- It's me.
Whoo, Lord!
Was wondering how long
Henry was gonna keep y'all
hidden up in fancy-ass
East Compton.
- Are you loving it?
- Well
The truth is, Hazel,
if I don't get out
of here today,
- I might just slap a bitch.
- [Hazel laughs]
I recognized you.
Saw the minute
you walked through the door.
You're the type
no longer willing to be sold
any more shoddy merchandise.
[chuckles] You know
what I'm talking about.
I bet that last hat you bought
just didn't hold up.
[chuckles] You were hoodwinked.
That's why
I'm only gonna show you
but one piece of equipment.
You deserve to enjoy
the same home entertainment
system that I enjoy.
- Is that right?
- Oh, that's a fact.
And if my wife
bragged to her neighbors,
just imagine
your wife's pleasure.
How her friends will gawk when
they get a load of a Motorola.
My mama
doesn't have any friends.
Well, she will now.
Sears and Roebuck
has it for less.
[chuckles]
I'll talk to the owner.
See what I can do.
So, look
- [girls chuckle]
- How about we stop waiting
for your mama to come
with us to the pictures.
How about we bring the pictures
home to your mama, huh?
Then we can all watch together.
All right.
Well, how about free
home delivery? How's that sound?
- We'll take it.
- [Gracie squeals]
I bet you got a hundred cousins.
Well, they'll all want
to sleep over now.
[distorted cheering over TV]
[distorted cheering
grows louder]
[Ruby] Daddy. Daddy.
♪
Uh, how long?
- About two hours?
- Two hours?
Fine.
For you.
Bet you got a hundred cousins
appreciate an ice cream cone.
[both chuckling]
Mmm!
I'm afraid we'll have
to cut our coffee short today.
I've got the girls
coming over to
Well, it's been bedlam
around here lately.
No, no. If you're having guests,
I don't want to be a bother.
N-No, I didn't mean
this second, George.
I just meant
we couldn't have our usual time,
that's all.
No, right, of course.
[music playing faintly]
Are you sure you're okay?
You talk.
About anything.
Okay.
Hmm.
Trade secret. Chocolate milk?
Brown cows.
[both laughing]
George Bell.
I do believe you are taking
advantage of gullible housewives
and their lack of knowledge
regarding animal husbandry.
I see any gullible housewives,
I'll let you know.
Have you tried one of these
shortbread cookies yet?
- They're from
- Have you ever been on a working farm, Betty?
Mrs. Wendell.
If you ever
Hmm.
If you ever just need
a place to just
get away from it all
I'm not sure a married woman
can just go off
to a gentleman's farm
whenever she feels like it,
George.
Oh, no. I didn't
Of course, Clarke, too.
Both of you.
You know, as my guests.
- No, I didn't mean to imply you were
- No, not at all.
No, I just
But my offer stands.
You and Clarke,
come.
Clear your heads
away from all this.
What are you doing this evening?
Y'all got me spending
all my money.
[Ruby and Henry laugh]
Let's go sunning,
it's so good for you ♪
Let's go sunning
[whispers] Where do we sit?
Right up front.
Come on.
Happy as the day
you were born ♪
Let's go native ♪
Sun your cares away ♪
Be creative,
learn to live and play
Will it be an egg cream,
a frappe or an ice-cream float?
Two root beer floats
and a coffee, please.
Sure. Coming right up.
[Ruby and Henry chuckle]
[Minnie Riperton:
"Les Fleurs"]
For all of these simple things
and much more ♪
A flower was born ♪
It blooms to spread love
and joy, faith and hope ♪
To people forlorn ♪
Inside every man ♪
Lives the seed of a flower ♪
If he looks within ♪
He finds beauty and power ♪
[man] Afternoon, ma'am.
Ring all the bells ♪
Sing and tell
the people everywhere ♪
That the flower has come ♪
Light up the sky
with your prayers of gladness ♪
And rejoice,
for the darkness is gone ♪
Throw off your fears,
let your heart beat freely ♪
At the sign
that a new time is born ♪♪
Baby?
Come on out here.
- Right here.
- She went out.
- You must be a doctor or such, Mr. Emory.
- [Henry chuckles]
- No. But, uh, thanks.
- [Eddie] You know,
for a couple more dollars, we
can put it all together for you.
Set up your antenna on the roof.
[chuckles] I got it from here.
- Thanks again.
- You're welcome.
Thank you.
How long you lived here?
- Here?
- Compton.
- Oh, um, just a few days. Why?
- [Eddie] Got two more stops.
Watch yourself.
- [door locks]
- [cardboard rustles]
- Hey! Slow down, maniacs.
- [Ruby laughs]
- [Henry laughs]
- Stop it!
[Henry] Hey. Hey.
- [muffled music playing]
- [indistinct chatter]
[squeals]
Oh, good, you found us!
I heard all about you
from Cousin Henry.
- You have to tell me what Compton's really like.
- [laughs]
Let me take your things.
Oh, goodness. I'm so sorry.
- I should have brought a cake.
- [Hazel] Now, what is all this
all about?
Hi.
And I ain't seen you
since you was nine years old.
- I should've bought some fudge.
- Yeah, she forgot
- to bring cake.
- I should've gone to the store.
Store-bought?
Oh, baby,
I'm glad you came empty-handed.
Get your beautiful self
over here.
Oh, yeah
Now, when you come over here,
you ain't got to worry
about bringing nothing
but your pretty self.
Hazel got you.
Come on.
Get yourselves up out the way.
Go on, june bug.
Take your friends, go.
- Set yourself down right here.
- [chuckles]
- I'm-a go get you a cocktail.
- [knock on door]
Get that for me, Cynthia, baby.
- Hi, Cynthia. I had an appointment.
- Oh, hi.
Oh, Lord, it must be Rosalie.
You the only one
ain't get the message
I had canceled
all appointments for today
because I want you to meet
my cousin's wife Lucky.
- Hi.
- Hi. Do me after her?
Look at her. Does she look
like she need her hair did?
Honey, she from Compton.
That's her real hair. [laughs]
Get yourself on over here.
Look, I will hold
all day Saturday for you.
- Just let me hold two dollars.
- Next Saturday?
Hair looking like
Sojourner Truth by then.
That ain't got
nothing to do with me.
And why I got to pay you
in advance
of an appointment we had today?
To hold next Saturday.
And I thought
we was eating, girl.
- I barely ate.
- Give me two dollars.
Come back in an hour. Junius!
Junius!
[laughs]
There she is. [chuckles]
Junius.
- All grown.
- [Junius chuckles]
- It's good to see you.
- Good to see you.
[both chuckle softly]
- Lucky's in the building, y'all!
- [laughs]
Come on, now! Let's go!
- Come on!
- [Hazel] Here you go, baby.
- It's called a bullshot.
- What? No.
Vodka, beef stock
and Worcestershire sauce.
Mm.
It's good.
- See?
- [laughs]
Now, go on and tell them.
Horrible. Simply just
Tell them.
[Carol Lynn] Well, Tommy's a
I mean, we had to use the belt
plenty of times.
- He's not a saint, but
- [Betty] Nobody's saying
Tommy's an angel,
but I think we're all missing
the bigger point here.
Well, tell us the point, Betty.
I have to put dinner
on the table.
Some of us have
little mouths to feed.
The point is none of your
none of our children deserve
- to be beaten with a branch from a tree.
- Oh.
- Oh, my God, a tree?
- [Betty] Now,
- let her finish. Go on.
- She never beat him.
Go on, tell them.
Oh. I saw Tommy
running like a
And then that Negress, she
Was wielding
In her hand.
Oh, she had a stick.
I saw it.
Did anyone else see her holding
a gun in her hand yesterday,
or was that also just me?
Uh, I don't know.
Midge and Dale
maybe had the right idea.
Moving.
Well, I could tell Marty,
and I bet he could bring it up
at the HOA meeting tonight.
There's no need.
Clarke's prepared
a presentation.
With Dale gone,
someone has to lead the charge.
And that would be Clarke?
Yes.
He knows all the things to say,
and we were one of the first
families to buy here.
[metal clinking]
[Gracie humming]
[Earl] Light his ass up, Marty.
[laughs]
Gracie, inside now.
- Now.
- [Marty] That's right, little girl.
Go on. Go on and play.
[Earl] Hey! Come on down, buck.
About goddamn time.
Gentlemen.
- "Gentlemen."
- Why don't you come down here.
Need a word.
Before or after
you pick up that beer can?
Must have slipped
out of my hands.
Now, that bitch wife of yours
put hands on my boy.
So you and us gonna talk.
Sir, I've got children
in my house.
Goddamn it, we've got children.
The hell did I just tell you?
That my wife touched your child.
Well, maybe not touched, but
but scared him pretty good.
Why don't you let him come down
and tell his side of the story.
There's no "his side," Clarke.
You coming down,
or we coming up?
You come up,
you're coming down a lot faster.
If I come down there,
story's gonna end the same way.
Just gonna take a little longer.
Real tough, huh, buck?
We said we'd take care of this
at the meeting tonight.
We're taking care of it now.
Hey, you coming down or not?
I need you to ask.
He ain't asking, he's telling.
I need you to ask,
so when I give you
what you're asking for,
we don't have
any misunderstanding.
- You threatening us?
- All right, you first.
Then you. Then you.
Uh, there's three of us.
Coons are as strong as apes.
[static electricity buzzing]
Ask me.
Marty?
Was your kid.
Jesus Christ.
Keep that fucking mammy
away from my kid.
You hear me?
Got our eyes on you, King Kong.
[overlapping chatter]
[glass clinking] - [Junius]
Hold up, hold up, hold up.
Now, now, look here.
We ain't seen Lucky
since Abe done signed
that paper,
right? I say we hold 'em up.
- Yes.
- Aw.
- [Junius] Come on, now.
- [Hazel] Great idea.
[Lucky] I'd like to deliver
I'd like to deliver a toast.
[laughing]
Okay.
Thank you, Hazel.
For the ham.
For everything.
And to everybody here.
Even though I don't know y'all
and, and you don't know me
'cause we all lost touch.
But I
It's okay, baby. Take your time.
I feel welcome here with family.
And y'all come, too.
Y'all come to Compton.
It's not even that far.
You can come visit.
Thank you. [laughs]
- [all laugh]
- Toast.
[all] Cheers.
[all laugh]
So, where y'all at
over in Compton?
Over on Palmer Drive.
Palmer.
- You heard about that family
- Hey, hey, hey. She don't need
- to hear all that yang now.
- Wait, what?
Girl, a colored family
moved over there.
They say the wife
skinned the kids,
the husband shrank their heads.
[Junius] You always talking
that unsubstantiated shit.
Whatever, whatever. Either way,
that ain't shit we do unless
[Rosalie] White folks
drive 'em to it.
[Hazel] You need to listen more
and less of this.
To Luck.
'Cause, baby, you gonna need it.
To Luck, everyone.
- [all] To Luck.
- Yeah!
[glasses clinking]
- [phone ringing]
- [Henry] Gracie,
don't touch the metal. It's hot.
- What did he just say?
- [Henry] Hello?
[Hazel speaking indistinctly
over phone]
Really?
[laughs]
I'm not saying she shouldn't.
I'm not saying she shouldn't.
Y'all having fun.
Yeah, I-I bet you are.
[laughs]
Next time. Next time.
All right. I love you, too.
[Hazel] Bye-bye.
We don't really have to wait,
do we?
Your mama is having supper
with Aunt Hazel and them.
[Dragnet theme plays]
- [Ruby chuckles]
- Ooh-wee!
[narrator] Ladies and gentlemen,
the story
you are about to see is true.
[all laugh]
to protect the innocent.
What you need is a wig.
Wouldn't you be out of business?
- You paying me?
- [laughs]
Girl, half my dos
is wearing wigs.
Ain't nobody out here
wearing their real hair
with your country ass.
[laughs]
You treating my cousin right?
Worry about my kitchen,
not my man.
- Ooh! Mm.
- Mm-mm.
Well, excuse me. I guess
Compton got you all uppity.
[chuckles] Oh, we good.
We good, though.
All right, now. And, uh,
what about them, uh,
rusty butts?
There's three of 'em, ain't it?
Okay, so you're tender-headed.
There we go.
You know Hazel got you.
Tell you,
I raised all five of mines
- in these three rooms.
- [faucet running]
But I guess Compton got
some fine space for you, huh?
I
All kinds of room
back home, though.
Not used to being all
on top of each other out here.
Well, out here,
I walks my fine Black ass,
honey,
right through my front door.
Fuck a Mr. Jim Crow.
You know what?
Girl, I give you
a family discount,
you bring them little girls
over here.
Ooh, and you may not know,
but Junius,
honey, he cuts some hair.
As soon as that little boy
of yours get old enough,
Junius'll put waves in it,
baby, make you seasick.
What his name?
Chester, right?
What's wrong with you?
You don't like it?
Well, it's gonna grow on you.
You come on out here
and go to this party. Hmm.
[muffled music playing]
[muffled chatter]
I have-have to go.
I have
It's time for me to go.
- I got to go. I got to go.
- Go? No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
- I got to go.
- Not now, you can't go.
Look, Henry got the kids.
I called him. It's all right.
Stay. Please don't go yet.
- Thank you.
- [Hazel] You know what, if anything happens,
you call me right away,
and we come running, Lucky.
[indistinct chatter]
Well, maybe Clarke
just got stuck at work.
- [Betty] He'll be here.
- Yeah.
The other men work,
managed to be here on time.
[Betty] He'll be here.
Enough pussyfooting around,
I'm gonna get this started.
He's just a couple minutes late,
and he's got it all planned.
Unless being late
was part of the plan
All right, everybody.
If we want a shot at catching
tonight's
Martin Kane, Private Eye
- [all laugh]
- let's get going.
What are we talking about?
- Get these coloreds out!
- [man] Yeah!
- All right, then.
- [man 2] That's right.
Now, me and a couple
of the other fellas,
we paid a visit
to that buck there.
Let him know
his time's almost up.
- That's right.
- [Marty] Yup. Earl was there.
- Mm-hmm.
- [Marty] And we keep the pressure on,
you watch.
They won't have
the stomach for this.
- [Earl] Mm-hmm.
- Now,
we're not talking
about violence, per se.
- [crowd murmurs]
- Should be.
Aggravate a colored's home
just enough,
and they'll be wanting out
in no time.
Slow and steady.
This is how we win.
[Len] But how?
But how?
Slow and steady, Len,
like I just said.
[indistinct chatter]
I'd like to say something,
if I may?
Yeah.
In Compton, in 1900,
um, oil was discovered.
I only know that
because my father operated
the Beverly Hills Oil Field.
He employed
something like a thousand men.
Who gave you your job, Marty?
Was it a colored?
Why don't you take a seat,
Betts. We got this under
Between 1876 and 1900,
what were
the colored people doing?
Porters. Mammies.
While our fathers
and grandfathers
built the world.
This world.
Now, I've been getting
the sense tonight
that some of the men here
are fine
taking it slow and steady.
Well, you know what?
Slow and steady
is exactly how mold grows.
You ladies know this.
- [woman] You can't scrub it out.
- That's right.
That's right. Once it starts,
it's already too late.
You'll never scrub it out,
and then that mold,
black and slow,
takes over everything.
And that's why we
you
need to protect
what my father
Our fathers built.
Not slow and steady
but goddamned right now.
- Yeah.
- Right now.
Some of you are treating
what's been earned
as a as a gift
instead of a birthright.
In Gardena,
they mounted a campaign
so purposefully
that the one Negro family
that dared move in
was gone in one week.
Which just goes to prove
we have to do this. Us.
And go to jail, Betty?
Doing what it takes
to protect your family?
Your home?
If I was a man,
be an easy choice for me.
[crowd murmurs]
[chuckles] What else
do you expect us to do about it?
Anything would be
a step up, Marty.
Let's just say
they'll start yearning
for some of that
good old Southern gentility
they're so quick
to leave behind.
[crowd laughs]
So, fellas,
I'm standing here, asking each
and every one of you,
who's down to the business
of getting these Negroes gone?
[woman whoops]
Excellent.
That's right. Good job.
[vehicle approaching]
[brakes squeal]
[sighs]
[thunder rumbling]
♪
[thunder rumbling]
♪
[screams]
No! No! No!
[screams]
No!
No!
[screams]
No!
[bus driver] Ma'am!
Ma'am!
I'm gonna call the police.
♪
[engine turns off]
You know, over in West Compton,
they got in a lather
about a few Negroes moving in,
but look at it now.
It's mostly Negro families.
In fact, I heard
their property values went up.
When I was a boy,
this was all farmland.
Come out here,
didn't see or hear
another person for miles.
All this belonged to me.
These days,
I got no place to think.
No place but this, uh
tin can. [chuckles]
Sometimes, late at night
The pressure.
Feel like I'm going
a little stir-crazy.
Anyone would.
You understand?
[whispers] I'm not crazy.
We checked that bus out
together, Mrs. Emory.
You, me and the driver.
It was empty.
And then there's
your little display yesterday
with your husband's gun,
and today we got a call
that you went after
the Denton boy with a switch.
Your behavior is starting
to paint a picture.
Pretty soon,
I may be forced to take a side.
Don't you want me
to be on your side, Mrs. Emory?
I'd like to go home, Officer.
[clears throat]
Tell you what.
How about I explain
what happened to your husband?
Don't.
I do believe it's possible
for your family to fit in
real nice here in Compton.
The problem is, you're
going about it the wrong way.
If you want your neighbors
to accept you,
then you need
to make them feel safe.
All right.
[engine starts]
[sighs]
Betts, I'm gonna ask you
one more time.
He was up on his roof,
just as free as can be.
Didn't go so well, did it?
[scoffs]
You owe me.
[exhales]
[footsteps departing]
[man] [on TV] Well, everyone,
we're just about out of time
[Henry] Hey.
Starting to get worried.
Girls are in bed.
They tried to stay awake.
They wanted to see you.
- [man] Good night, everyone.
- I wanted to show you this.
Hey, what's wrong?
You thirsty?
All right.
I know Hazel
and them fools can drink.
[panting]
You'll be okay.
Get that in you.
Hazel did you right.
The men.
They were pulling me.
- What?
- Pulling at me.
I can't see their faces,
but I can
- I can No.
- Those crackers?
They came over here,
talking about how you came after
- some boy.
- It wasn't
Did you touch that boy, Luck?
Look, I won't be mad.
- I didn't touch any
- I just need to
Okay.
- I was on the bus.
- Uh-huh?
- I couldn't see.
- All right.
And then there were hands.
Henry, it wasn't
it wasn't natural.
I know what happened to me.
Luck.
What happened to you
What happened to our boy
- that day
- That day?
It's not about that day, Henry.
It's right now.
- It's this place.
- Luck,
if those motherfuckers
said something
- or did something to you, I'll go
- It's not them.
Not just them.
There is something wrong
with this place, Henry.
I can feel it.
Something rotten.
Tell me you believe me.
- Luck, I
- I need
to hear you say it.
♪
[liquid sloshing]
♪
She got to hold it
for you when you pee?
Slow and steady this ain't.
Look at them flames
lighting up the sky ♪
Ain't never seen fire
shooting up so high ♪
Look at them flames
lighting up the sky ♪
Look at them flames lighting
up the sky ♪
I ain't never seen fire
shooting up so high ♪
I ain't never seen
fire shooting up so high ♪
Are you listening, people,
to what I'm saying? ♪
'Cause it sure looks to me ♪
Like them niggas
ain't playing ♪
- Them niggas ain't playing ♪
- Them niggas ain't playing ♪
Them niggas ain't playing ♪
Ever since they passed
them civil rights ♪
Those fires have been
lighting up the nights ♪
And they say
they ain't gonna stop ♪
Till we all have
equal rights ♪
Looks to me like
them niggas ain't playing ♪
Them niggas ain't playing ♪
Them niggas ain't playing,
y'all ♪
Them niggas ain't playing ♪
Looks like they developed
a new Black pride ♪
It even show
in the way they now stride ♪
You better look around,
y'all ♪
Can't you see
what I'm saying? ♪
Sure looks to me like
them niggas ain't playing ♪
- Them niggas ain't playing ♪
- They sure ain't ♪
They sure ain't playing ♪
I think they're trying
to get something started ♪
- Oh, yeah? ♪
- I'm talking about SNCC ♪
And us
and the Black Panther Party ♪
Yeah - Is anyone
listening to what I'm saying? ♪
- Yeah, man ♪
- 'Cause it sure looks to me ♪
Like them niggas ain't playing
- Them niggas ain't playing ♪
- Them niggas ain't playing ♪
- Them niggas ain't playing ♪
18 billion so far
is the claim ♪
Of damage done
by looting and flame ♪
Yet look around,
there ain't nothing changed ♪
- Nothing's changed ♪
- Not a damn thing ♪
I sure hope somebody is
listening to what I'm saying ♪
'Cause it sure looks to me ♪
Like them niggas
ain't playing ♪
Them niggas ain't playing ♪
Them niggas ain't playing,
y'all ♪
Them niggas
sure ain't playing ♪
The bigots and the Birchers,
they just can't see ♪
This now Black generation
is gonna be free ♪
Just you try and stop 'em ♪
And for sure you'll see
what I'm saying ♪
Sure looks to me like
them niggas ain't playing ♪
- Them niggas ain't playing ♪
- Them niggas ain't playing ♪
Them niggas ain't playing ♪
Now, where the Black man
is going is anybody's guess ♪
With his natural hair
and his Afro dress ♪
But you can believe one thing
and forget the rest ♪
We know for sure ♪
Them niggas ain't playing ♪
And we ain't, either ♪♪