Bessie Page #3

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learnt your lesson yet.

It's my name

on this train,

it's my name

on those flyers,

and it is in my name

that everybody in this company

takes to that stage.

Now, until you can

get yourself together,

you're going back

to deucing, 'cause you

ain't ready to headline.

- Deucing?

- Deucing.

No.

I ain't playing second

to nobody anymore.

Best we shake hands

and go.

Well, Miss Blue Goose...

take off

my goddamn shoes.

What's wrong?

What happened?

- Bessie:
We're starting

our own show.

- Our own show?

- We're just getting started.

- I'm finished with starting.

Wait, Bessie,

I'm gonna go

talk to Ma.

Hey, don't leave.

I'm coming!

( chatter )

- Man:
The 3:00 with service...

- Clarence:
They're coming,

all right?

All right,

don't give me

that face now.

Just relax.

They're coming.

( man shouting )

- Ha ha!

- Hey, man!

- How you feeling?

- You all right?

Bobby, you know

I'd catch you.

- ( laughing )

- Good to see you.

So good to see you.

Man:

It's corn bread time.

The money gonna come in soon.

Thank y'all for heaven.

Clarence:

Sure. This ain't nothing

like it used to be.

You want some more

of these greens?

Clarence:
You know,

I ain't nervous yet.

You have to take

the show on the road.

Hip, too.

Get a piano

on the ground floor.

We're gonna take

good care of you.

'Cause what we're doing

here, man, is

we're bringing

a little South

to the North.

A little taste of home

for all these homesick

Yankees.

You know what I'm saying?

They ain't ready for it.

They ain't ready for it,

but I'm telling you,

Bessie's doing

big things, man, and...

you on bass,

you on horn.

Next, we have Doreen Dupree

from Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Is that a real name

or a made-up one?

- Hattiesburg is a real--

- Not Hattiesburg.

I know

where in the hell

Hattiesburg is.

I'm talking about

"Doreen Dupree."

That sound

like some made-up,

store-bought sh*t to me.

Don't that sound like

some old vaudeville

mess to you?

Who mama and daddy

gonna name 'em something

go together like that?

You pick that

out of a magazine

or something?

It's on

my birth certificate.

They have birth certificates

in Hattiesburg, Mississippi?

And take that damn gum

out your mouth.

Don't nobody

wanna see you up there

chewing like a cow.

- Where do I put it?

- Hold it in your damn hand,

Hattiesburg.

( whispers )

Five, six, seven, eight.

Wait, whoa, whoa,

whoa, whoa.

What is that?

Um, I'm dancing, ma'am.

- I wanna--

- You better sing

something first.

( stammering )

I don't know how to sing.

You don't know

how to sing?

You wanna be in my show,

you have to be able to sing,

dance, and tell

a damn joke or two.

( clears throat )

Well, I woke up

this morning--

That's enough.

Clarence, give her

the bag test.

What you grinning for?

You failed.

You must be darker

than the bag to be

in my show.

Now get going with

your high-heeled ass.

- Next!

- Clarence:
Etta Johnson,

Bell Buckle, Tennessee.

Bell Buckle?

Lord!

No yellow b*tches.

-( yelps )

- Next!

- Next!

- What if I didn't

pass your bag test?

- I never give you no test.

- Oh, you test me... daily.

No, you--

you tell me.

Come on, Lucy.

No.

I wanna know.

Would you still

love me?

You'd still be you.

And how would you

know that?

You know how I feel.

Then I need you

to say it.

- You know.

- No, I don't know.

You know.

Then say it.

It wouldn't matter.

It wouldn't matter,

what?

It wouldn't matter

about your color.

And?

And?

You know what?

I cares for you.

( chuckles )

You cares for me?

You cares for me.

Is that all?

No, that ain't all.

What-- why you

acting up today?

I need you

to tell me something.

- I'm gonna show you

something instead.

- ( laughing )

Clarence:

You can make this bigger.

You know what I mean?

It's got to say,

"This is Bessie Smith,"

so make this bigger

and this a little bit

smaller like that.

Now, that's what--

that's what I'm talkin'

about, right there.

( chatter )

Clarence:

Come on. All right.

Clarence:

Open your eyes!

- Hey now!

- Clarence:
That's right.

Bessie Smith

and Her Down Home Trio.

- Ho-ho, now!

- That's right.

- I was with you, baby...

- ( crowd cheering )

When you didn't

have a dime

I was with you,

baby

When you didn't

have a dime

Now, since you got

plenty of money

You have throwed

your good gal down...

( crowd cheering )

( overlapping voices )

This is A.R. Knight from

the "Chicago Defender,"

and I'm here to tell you

that Bessie Smith

is the locomotive

that shot out of Tennessee.

This is W. Alexander

from the "Boston Guardian."

Talk about

"Chattanooga Choo-Choo,"

Bessie Smith

is the biggest thing

since Ma Rainey.

This is J. Anderson

reporting for the "New York

Amsterdam News."

If you haven't got

your tickets, folks,

you're not gonna get 'em,

'cause it's already

sold out.

( knocking on door )

( knocking continues )

Who is it?

Man:

I'm here to audition

for Miss Bessie Smith.

I didn't ask

you what you want,

I asked you who you are.

Man:

Open the door

and see me, big man.

My name is Jack Gee, ma'am,

and I'm 32 years old

from Titustown, Virginia,

and I schooled till

the 10th grade.

I'm nobody's husband

and I'm nobody's daddy.

I make $13.75 a week

working as a security guard

at the five and dime.

Another $2.80

on the weekend

at the Top Hat.

I got my own

two-bedroom apartment

and I drive a brand-new

1921 Davis Touring.

Now, I don't

believe in church,

but I do believe in God,

and I know it to be

the God's honest truth

that you're

the most beautiful woman

ever sing the blues,

or any woman, period.

And I'm very pleased

to make your acquaintance

this fine afternoon.

- Can you sing?

- Oh, yes.

- Can you dance?

- Oh, yes.

Auditions for the show

are over.

I ain't auditioning

for no show.

I'm auditioning

to be your man.

( scoffs )

You look a little small.

- Baby, I'm built for speed.

- Really, now?

Well, maybe you only

auditions women.

I auditions

whosoever I please.

I can give it

as hard as I can take it,

and I don't mind

going to jail.

- Jack:
Mm-mm-mm.

- Woman:
Whoa,

gone away, baby

Won't be back

till fall

Lord, Lord, Lord

Gone away, baby,

won't be back...

Bottle of gin for the lady

and a glass for me.

If I find me

a good man

I won't be

back at all...

- ( men chuckling )

- Oh, she fine. Man.

Man:

Watch this.

- The lady don't smoke.

- The hell she don't.

( chuckles )

So that's your man

or what?

No, he's still auditioning.

( men laughing )

Can I have

this dance, baby?

Touch her hand, Charlie,

and draw back a nub.

And what if I touch his?

- ( knife clicks )

- ( Bessie gasps )

- ( women scream )

- Ah!

Man:

Hey! Yeah, come here!

- Jack:
Come on, girl.

- ( Bessie laughing )

- Let's go get 'em, okay?

- Get that motherf***er!

- ( tires screeching )

- ( Bessie laughing )

- Chump!

- Bessie:
You were

so brave, papa!

See how crazy I am

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