Get on Up Page #16

pool full of-

WIFE (CONT’D) HUSBAND

N*ggers. Entertainers.

Just then a band member’s kid does a cannonball in the pool.

BACK AT THE POOL

Bobby, poolside, messes about with the new singer, VickiANDERSON.

VICKI ANDERSON:

You a bad man Bobby Byrd.

Suddenly he pulls her to him. They NEARLY share a kiss. Butlaugh instead.

Bobby turns his head to a hotel balcony. Vicki grabs Bobby’sface and turns it back toward her.

VICKI ANDERSON (CONT’D)

Quit lookin’ for James Brown and

keep your eyes on me, Bobby Byrd.

She sexily rises and goes and sits on a lounger.

Bobby watches her all the way. She catches his eye. Looks athim, raises an eyebrow like “what you looking at?” He feignsinnocence, turns, and smiles.

116 EXT. HOTEL BALCONY - SAME TIME 116

James discreetly watches from behind a blind on his balconyhigh above.

117 EXT. HOTEL POOL. CONTINUOUS. 117

Pee Wee, in jams, walks with a new band member, FRED WESLEY,

who is still wearing a suit.

93

PEE WEE:

Fella’s this is Fred. I thoughtwe’d show him how things work?

Pee Wee pulls out a cheap wig from his pocket and puts it on.

Everyone around the pool begins to laugh as Pee Wee beginsdemonstrating how things work to Wesley. Pee Wee is full on

imitating James Brown

PEE WEE ELLIS:

So when I do this..

(Turns head, stamps foot)

Means you give it some punch. See.

When I dip like this.

(Dips hip and slides)

BOBBY:

Means less sharp. Bring it down.

Fred nods.

PEE WEE ELLIS:

When I do this.

(Juts chin back and forth)

MACEO:

Mean I give it some heat.

PEE WEE ELLIS:

Right. Now when I do this.

(Stamps foot and moves elbow.)

And you stab..

ALL:

On the one.

PEE WEE ELLIS:

See? And when I pop his head likethis, it mean.

ALL:

Take it to the bridge.

MACEO:

What about when he do this..?

Maceo crunches his shoulder blades together.

PEE WEE ELLIS:

I ain’t ready to tell you that oneyet. I’m in control Mr. Parker.

Got it. Don’t ask about that again.

Pee Wee flashes his hand at Maceo.

PEE WEE:

That’ll be ten thousand dollars.

The band loses their sh*t at this one. Laughs all around.

An hotel employee walks out with a note and hands it to PeeWee. Pee Wee reads. Pee Wee removes the wig.

PEE WEE (CONT’D)

He’s called a rehearsal.

BOBBY:

When?

PEE WEE:

Now. We gotta go get dressed.

MACEO:

You’re kidding. Tell me youkidding.

118 EXT. HOTEL ROOM BALCONY / POOL. 118

Hiding behind a partition, James raises a cigarette to hismouth.

119 INT. NEW ORLEANS HOTEL REHEARSAL ROOM. 1967 JAMES 34 YRS119

The band, all in their suits, with their instruments. Allglaring. One more pissed off than the next. Vicki stands inthe corner.

James is in the middle of an extended anecdote.

JAMES:

See My great grandmother on mymomma’s side, she Asian. She gotAsian blood. See Asians are a

flexible race.

You get with an Asian chick? That awhole other story. No spank butthey got it baby they got it.

Anyway what was I talkin ‘bout?

MACEO:

Your Chinese knees Mr. Brown.

JAMES:

That's right. That it. I got theseChinese knees.

(MORE)

JAMES (CONT'D)

That's how come I can dance the way

I do. Anyway. One. Two. Three.

Four. Hit it.

The band starts up. During the introduction to COLD SWEAT,

MACEO comes in late on the Sax. Everything stops.

JAMES (CONT’D)

Stop. Maceo.

(Laughs)

What you doing man? You coming inmaybe a little too late. What’s the

matter son. You lost your feeling?

MACEO:

(Flatly)

No Sir. I ain’t lost no feeling.

SILENCE. James tunes into the vibe for the first time.

SOMETHING’s wrong.

JAMES:

(Innocently)

Something wrong, Maceo?

(SILENCE. Directly)

Is something wrong, Maceo?

BOBBY BYRD:

James-

James rounds on Bobby.

JAMES:

You got something to say Mr. Byrd?

(Silence. Smiling)

Because a man got something to sayhe should say it. You got somethingto say?

SILENCE. Vicki looks away. All at once James loses it.

JAMES (CONT’D)

(Shouting)

Well then you just HOLDING UP THEREHEARSAL Mr. Byrd.

JAMES (CONT’D)

I can’t have people HOLDING UP THEREHEARSAL. If I can’t do it right Iain’t gone do it at all. We got toGET ON. GET AHEAD. Now you know the

rule.

(MORE)

JAMES (CONT’D)

You late, you off or you hold us

up, it’s no good, Mr. Byrd. Its

gonna cost you 50 dollars.

Bobby’s jaw tightens. Everyone holds their breath.

JAMES (CONT’D)

Now are you ready Mr. Byrd. Are youready Mr. Byrd?

Pause.

BOBBY BYRD:

Yes, Mr. Brown.

James glances to Vicki and winks.

JAMES:

Good. I ain’t fattening frogs forsnakes. From the top. One Two...

COLD SWEAT resumes. Bobby sings his backing part.

James stands in the middle of the floor. Its good but-

JAMES BROWN:

Quit it.

(They all stop)

Clyde man. Lets get that POP! Dee..

app..POP! Unnerstand? It dropbefore you reach the beat. Dig?

Jimmy Nolen looks worriedly at Pee Wee.

MACEO:

(Whispers to Waymon)

Does he mean top of the bar?

PEE WEE:

(To Maceo)

He means the down beat.

JAMES:

It goin’ wrong there Pee Wee, whenit rise up.

MACEO:

But Mr. Brown.

Maceo pauses and waits to be acknowledged by James. Jamesturns and glares at Maceo.

97

MACEO (CONT’D)

We rehearsed it like you told us.

We got it like you like it.

Jimmy can’t do that with the parthe’s playing. We can change thepart if you want.

JAMES BROWN:

(Suddenly angry)

Did I say change the part? Don’t

change the part. How many records

you got?

James sarcastically responds to Maceo’s silence.

JAMES:

Thank you! I like the part he

playin’ now. I just want it in a

different place.

Blank stares from the band. James walks over to Clyde’s snareand points.

JAMES (CONT’D)

What’s this, Maceo.

MACEO.

It’s a snare, Mr. Brown.

JAMES:

A snare what?

MACEO.

Drum.

JAMES:

Correct.

James moves over to Jimmy. Points to his guitar.

JAMES (CONT’D)

What’s this, Maceo?

MACEO:

Guitar, Mr. Brown.

JAMES:

No it’s not.

James goes back to Clyde and points to Maceo’s sax

JAMES (CONT’D)

What’s that, Pee Wee?

PEE WEE.

A drum, Mr. Brown?

JAMES:

Now you’re getting it.

James crosses to Pinckney and points to Odum’s guitar

JAMES (CONT’D)

What’s that he’s holding.

PEE WEE:

A drum?

James points to the horn section.

JAMES:

You Fellas. What are those shinythings you holding.

EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM

Drums.

JAMES:

Now we all got our drums. Now whenyou’re playing the drum it don’tmatter what key you’re in, what baryour in or what planet you on.

Dig?

MACEO:

(With trepidation)

But Mr. Brown.

Maceo pauses and waits for JB to acknowledge him.

MACEO (CONT’D)

Clyde’ll be in a different time tothe rest of the band. That doesn’t

work musically.

They all know it.

JAMES BROWN:

But does it sound good?

The band nods.

JAMES BROWN (CONT’D)

Does it feel good?

More nods.

99

JAMES BROWN (CONT’D)

Then it’s musical. So play it like

I say. From the top.

The groove of COLD SWEAT comes to life. The beat heavier,

almost irregular but actually in the pocket, the horns andBass clipped, drum-like, the off rhythm of Jimmy’s guitarbringing the whole room together.

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