Get on Up Page #21

Your daddy beat me. Beat you. Istayed because I loved you. Ididn’t know nothin’ about being awife. Nothin’ about being a mother.

I did the best I could. I did that.

(MORE)

122

SUSIE (CONT'D)

I left because I loved you. I ain’thad nothing to make no otherchoice. I was shamed. I was.

He holds up his hand.

JAMES:

See I thought about this. I know itweren’t personal and that’s whythis ain’t neither. It turned out

fine. I didn’t need you. I lookedafter James Brown. Made sure he was

OK. No-one else. No-one help me.

She starts to cry.

SUSIE:

I never wanted to be a momma. But I

carried you, boy. I didn’t know

nothin’ about being a wife or beinga momma. But I carried you and Iloved you when you were in me. Ichose you. I chose you.

JAMES:

Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.

He stiffly offers her a handkerchief.

JAMES (CONT’D)

Clean yourself up. That’s it.

James softens.

JAMES (CONT’D)

I’m James Brown. And James Brown

don’t need nothing. Don’t need nobody.

Susie looks back a James. She doesn’t move.

JAMES (CONT’D)

Why are you really here? What doyou want?

She shakes her head, searching his face. James looks backunmoved. James reaches in is pocket and pulls out some money.

He hands it to her.

JAMES (CONT’D)

Here. That’s a hundred dollars.

I’m sorry but I’m gonna ask you toleave now.

123

He sits perfectly still as she gets up. She walks to the doorand turns to James.

SUSIE:

You’re so beautiful. You’re so

pretty.

Susie exits into the party outside and shuts the door.

143

EXT. CABIN - BARNWELL S.C. 1941. JAMES 8 YRS 143

We return to the day that Susie left. We stay on her face asshe leaves her family behind. Tears stream down her cheek.

James tries to chase after his mother but Joe restrains him.

Joe pulls a pistol from his belt. He fires.

Bark explodes from a tree a few feet from where Susie iswalking.

Susie flinches but never turns.

144

INT. CORRIDOR. 144

Bobby waits. The door opens, and Susie comes out, tears inher eyes. She looks wildly into Bobby’s face who has clearlyheard everything. She runs off down the corridor.

Bobby looks through the open door. Devastated, James sitsstaring at the floor. He looks up at Bobby.

JAMES:

Tell Pop to make sure she’s taken

care of. Whatever she needs.

As Bobby nods, James gets up, walks over to the door, andslowly closes it.

145

INT. JAMES BROWN’S HOME. 1988. 18 YEARS LATER. 145

JAMES 55 YRS

CLOSE ON -Numerous framed pictures of Teddy span all ages ofhis life now fill the top of James’ dresser.

We widen to find James Brown sitting very alone in hisbedroom staring at the pictures of his son.

He wears a bathrobe. His hair is up in rollers. He’s twitchyand sweating.

124

He raises a glass pipe to his mouth, lites the PCP within andinhales it.

146 EXT. COUNTRY ROAD. LATER THAT DAY. 1988 146

A peaceful road. SUDDENLY - a pickup truck passes at ahundred MPH. FOLLOWED.. A MOMENT LATER - by nine cop cars.

A cop car pulls up next to James’ truck. James looks to the

car.

SLOW MOTION SEQUENCE:

In the front a cop drives but James’ father, Joe, rides inthe back next to his mother, Susie. They stare blankly atJames.

Glass shatters in the truck.

SLOW MOTION ENDS.

James turns back to the cop car next to him. The vision of

his parents is gone.

Two cops ride together. The cop in the front seat aims hisrevolver directly at James. It’s clear he intends to kill

him.

James speeds up as the cop fires. The bullet strikes the

truck just behind him.

147 EXT. GRAVEL PITTS. 1988. DAY. 147

The pickup truck rolls to a stop. Police cars from differentjurisdictions take up positions blocking exit routes.

148 INT./ EXT. PICKUP TRUCK/ GRAVEL PITTS. DAY. 148

James sits staring straight ahead. Breathing hard.

JAMES:

I’m OK. I’m OK. I’m OK.

LOUD HAILER:

EXIT THE VEHICLE WITH YOUR HANDS

ABOVE YOUR HEAD. DO NOT RUN. DO NOT

ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE.

James opens the door scattering glass onto the tarmac.

125

Around the perimeter armed police tense. Keeping James intheir sights.

ONLY NOW, YOUNG JAMES STANDS IN PLACE OF HIS ADULT SELF. He

stands next to the bullet riddled wreckage of his pickup,

hands above his head. He leans back and sings to the sky.

YOUNG JAMES:

“I Don’t Feel Noways Tired”

149 INT. PRISON WING. DAY. 1988 149

A warden walks a dishevelled James along the corridor. Theystop. The cell door buzzes open. They put him in the cell.

150 INT. CELL. DAY. 150

The doors slide close. CLANK. James leans on the tiny sink.

He looks up into the mirror and faces what’s he’s become.

His face is bloated, his eyes wild, hair unkempt. We feel

James wanting to turn to us but shame won’t allow it.

151 FLASHBACK - INT. ST. STEPHENS CHURCH. DAY. 1952 151

BOBBY, NAFLOYD, BABY ROY SARAH AND JAMES sing righteousgospel that first time together in St. Stephens Church.

James is Really giving it up singing Send it on Down. His

voice soars sweetly over the congregation.

MRS. BYRD and GRANDPA watch on. Mrs. Byrd leans forward and

catches Bobby’s eye. Gives a small nod of approval for James.

Bobby looks to James. They catch eyes. In awe of James’talent, Bobby unconsciously, stops singing. He just standstheir watching and listening to his friend.

152 END FLASHBACK - BACK AT THE MIRROR 152

James pulls back from the mirror and splashes some water onhis face and begins to press his hair down with his hands.

He breathes harder and harder as he assesses his life.

He stands straight and proud. Still looking in the mirror,

he begins to chant quietly to himself.

JAMES:

James Brown, James Brown. James

Brown, James brown.

126

153 EXT. SUBURBAN STREET. ATLANTA. MORNING. 1993 JAMES 60 YRS153

A pool cleaning truck pulls up outside a suburban home. Athirty something white guy gets out with a satchel. Herings on the door.

Bobby Byrd, aged sixty, comes out of his house in a robeand slippers.

POOL CLEANER:

Morning Mr. Byrd. Come to open up

the pool.

BOBBY:

Got a real algae problem.

POOL CLEANER:

I’ll take a look.

BOBBY:

Sure. You need anything, I be

inside.

As the Pool Cleaner walks around to the back yard, Bobbywalks towards the pool cleaning truck parked on thestreet.

153A EXT. STREET. BEHIND TRUCK. MOMENTS LATER. 153A

Bobby pulls out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket ashe walks behind the truck. He pulls out a smoke andlights up.

Bobby soon notices a Limo parked on the other side of thestreet. He stares at it for a while. The door opens.

James Browns gets out of the Limo and waves.

Bobby watches as James approaches. He’s clean and sober

in a suit looking sharp. James’ appearance and presencethrows Bobby.

BOBBY:

Mr. Brown.

They shake hands.

JAMES:

What you doing out here in your

robe, Mr. Byrd?

127

BOBBY:

What? Oh. See, I snuck out for asmoke. I s’posed to quit. Vickidon’t know.

He laughs. They both do.

JAMES:

Well I ain’t gone tell.

They laugh a little. When they stop, there’s a long lull.

Rate this script:4.0 / 2 votes