Get on Up Page #7

JAMES BROWN:

I ain’t heard nothing since myradio got busted. That’s a coolsong bro’. You sung it great. Thatsounded real sweet.

BOBBY BYRD:

Crowd sure went crazy.

(James smiles. Then:)

You like music?

JAMES:

Only thing keeps me sane in here.

BOBBY:

How long you in for?

JAMES:

Five to thirteen years.

Bobby moves his chair an inch or two away.

BOBBY:

What did you do?

JAMES:

Robbed a suit.

A nurse leads Bobby inside the exam room.

BOBBY:

They give you five to thirteenfor...

(Shakes his head)

That’s time man.

James turns to the doorway and continues talking to Bobby asthe nurse tends to his nose.

JAMES:

Tell me about it.

BOBBY:

You get parole?

JAMES:

Board say I need a permanent familyaddress and a job. But see I don’tknow no folks here.

BOBBY:

Where yo’ folks at?

JAMES:

My Daddy’s in the army. And mymomma... well, she left.

BOBBY:

Sorry to hear that.

They sit there.

BOBBY (CONT’D)

Seriously. You think I sung itgood?

James looks at Bobby. He moves his seat a bit closer to thedoor.

JAMES:

You got that swing feel. Hittin’ itlate. Buh, dum, Bop. That’s what a

song need.

James rises up, pulling the chair with him.

JAMES (CONT’D)

See without that feel, song justsit there. Don’t move. You gottafill it with something. You knowwhat I’m sayin’?

37

Suddenly James breathes in deep, and sings “Mary Don’t YouWeep”. It’s sweet, hard, deep, raw all at the same time.

James holds the chair and begins to dance.

The nurse shuts the door. Bobby and James stay on each otherthrough glass.

James’ talent hits Bobby like a ten pound hammer between theeyes. A warden forces James to his chair. We hear oneunforgettable line of the song before we...

50 ESTABLISHING. TOCCOA STREET. THE BYRD HOUSE. 1952. DAY. 50

BOBBY (O.S.)

He can do Roy Brown and TheDominoes and Louis Jordan and

and...

51 INT. BYRD HOUSE. KITCHEN. DAY 51

Bobby, panting, petitions his impassively busy mother.

BOBBY:

-you should hear’m holler momma!

You ain’t heard nothing LIKE IT. He

sings every day in chapel. He’s a

very, very religious boy Momma.

He could sing in St. Stephens!

MRS. BYRD

Bobby. We got us enough mouths to

feed an’ enough butts to clothe.

(Yelling out the door)

Daryl! Sarah! Get down here!

BOBBY:

He sings every day in chapel. He’s

a very, very religious boy Momma.

He could sing in St. Stephens!

Since Old Henry passed you been shy

a baritone...he a showstopper.

Momma? This is it. It’s like a

miracle. This is what Jesus wants!

He knows he’s over-done it.

MRS. BYRD

Jesus speak to Bobby Byrd now. He

tell you that himself?

38

BOBBY:

Momma, he could be in there anotherten year just ‘cause he got nofolks. He got no-one.

MRS. BYRD

Bobby. The answer is NO. Now, go onoutta here and get cleaned up.

Crestfallen, he plays his final card.

BOBBY:

What’s that thing you always toldme, since I was real small. AboutMercy. What’s that saying momma?

That thing you always say?

She glares at her son.

52 INT. BYRD HOUSE. DAY JAMES 19 YRS 52

Dinner at the Byrds. Mom, Pop, and Grandpa, sister SARAH, tenyear old brother DARYL, BOBBY.... and James. He’s clearlyuncomfortable.

James’ eyes dart around the well-appointed dining room withits beautiful wallpaper and curtains hanging from a window.

James traces the lines of the curtain noticing its lace andperfect pleats.

MRS. BYRD

Like I always say.

(Sighs)

“Its a sin to stand in Mercy’sway”.

JAMES:

Thank you, Mrs Byrd.

Grandpa stares hard and James for a moment. Then...

GRANDPA BYRD:

So what you in the pokey for?

BOBBY:

Grandpa-

GRANDPA:

(to Bobby)

You know how would have felt youbringing this boy over here?

BOBBY:

Big momma married you and you were

in the pokey before.

Bobby gets a look from his mom.

MRS. BYRD

Bobby Byrd!

GRANDPA BYRD:

(to Bobby)

If I’m going to be forced to have ajailbird in my house I at leastlike to know what I’m dealing with.

BOBBY:

Grandpa-

James looks to Bobby.

JAMES:

No. He got a right to ask. I am a

jailbird. I’ve done wrong and I

gotta own up to that.

James turns to Bobby’s grandfather.

JAMES (CONT’D)

I stole a man’s three piece suit.

You want to know me? I tell ya.

My daddy is in the army. My momma

left when I was five. I’m skinny

but I’m strong. I can read a little

bit and I like to sing. That’s

who’s sittin’ here.

James becomes emotional and sincere.

JAMES (CONT’D)

And I think God knew that when I

took that suit that I might end up

with you. I ain’t never sat at a

table with such a fine group of

people in my life.

Sarah looks admiringly at James.

40

JAMES (CONT’D)

I used to wish I could put thatsuit back, but now I’m here with

y’all. Fried chicken. Green beans.

Corn bread. Those nice curtains.

Grandpa Byrd turns to the curtains.

JAMES (CONT’D)

A house smells good. I’m happy Istole that suit. And I thank youfor having me here.

GRANDPA:

Boy, pass them beans before you getyour bullshit all over them.

MRS. BYRD

(Changing subject)

James is going to sing with us inchurch this Sunday Sarah.

SARAH BYRD:

Really. Well maybe we could work upa little harmony together.

Sarah turns to James and gives a tiny wink. James stopschewing.

52A INT. BYRD HOUSE. NEXT MORNING. 52A

Bobby Byrd sleeps in his bed. James sleeps in a cot that hasbeen brought into Bobby’s room.

Grandpa Byrd enters the room holding a suit. He approachesthe sleeping James.

GRANDPA BYRD:

Jailbird!

Startled, James and Bobby rise up from their pillows.

GRANDPA BYRD (CONT’D)

(to James)

This out to fit ya.

Grandpa Byrd throws the suit on top of James and exits.

James smiles at his new suit.

53 INT. BYRD HOUSE. NEXT MORNING. 53 INT. BYRD HOUSE. NEXT MORNING. 53

Bobby comes in with NAFLOYD and BABY ROY who are all dressedfor church

BOBBY:

There’s coffee in the kitchen,

Nafloyd. Make yourselves at home.

(Calls)

James!

Bobby vaults upstairs.

BOBBY (CONT’D)

James. Come meet the band.

Opens a door. INSIDE James has Sarah pressed up against thewall. They are having vigorous sex. James’ pants are aroundhis ankles. Sarah’s church dress is pushed up her body.

Sarah has her hand over James’ mouth trying to keep himquiet.

Bobby throws it into reverse, shutting the door. Did he justsee that? A full gamut of emotions cross his face.

Mrs. Byrd starts up the stairs.

MRS. BYRD

Sarah! I ain’t tellin’ you again.

Get down here.

Bobby panics. He crosses and meets his mother at the top ofthe stairs.

BOBBY:

She’s coming, Momma. She’s coming.

MRS. BYRD

Sarah!

BOBBY:

Go fix Nafloyd and the boys some

coffee. We got guests, Momma.

Mrs Byrd nods and heads down the stairs.

MRS. BYRD

Nafloyd?! Where you boys at?

42

54 INT. ST. STEPHENS CHURCH. DAY. 54

A congregation watches as BOBBY, NAFLOYD, BABY ROY, SARAH ANDJAMES sing righteous gospel. “Steal Away To Jesus”.

Above their heads a HOME-MADE SHEET-BANNER: “The GospelStarlighters”

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