Get on Up Page #8

Bobby looks to Sarah and James with a searing gaze. Sarahinnocent, James really giving it up.

James steps out front. His voice soars sweetly over thecongregation. Bobby’s gaze softens.

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

catches Bobby’s eye. Gives a small nod of approval. Bobby’ssmile is...more equivocal.

56 FLASHBACK:
INT. SHACK. BARNWELL. DAY. 1942 JAMES 9 YRS 56

James is asleep in his bed. Alone. It’s been a year after hismomma left.

Suddenly, Joe approaches and throws a burlap sack at James.

JOE BROWN:

Pack up. We leaving.

James wakes and sits up in bed. Joe is clean shaven and

wears his nicest shirt and neck tie.

JOE BROWN (CONT’D)

Hurry up.

James waits a beat to make sure his father is gone.

James gets out of bed and crawls deep underneath. He backs

out holding the dead man’s pair of shoes and places them inthe burlap sack.

57 EXT. AUNT HONEY’S HOUSE. LATER THAT DAY. 57

Joe and James walk down Twigg street. Joe pulls his donkeyalong with them.

JOE BROWN:

You miss your momma, boy?

James nods.

JOE BROWN (CONT’D)

We gone fix that.

43

James flashes a hopeful smile.

58 EXT. TWIGG STREET, THE TERRY. DAY. 1942 JAMES 9 YRS 58

Red dirt street. Shacks. Joe and James walk around to the

back of “AUNT HONEY’S” house. The donkey has been tied toAunt Honey’s fence.

BACKYARD:

We find Aunt Honey sitting a chair. She holds a small dog inher arms.

SEVEN PROSTITUTES wash clothes in tubs and hang them on aline to dry.

Aunt Honey clearly runs the house. She rises from her chair.

Clearly she takes no sh*t.

JOE:

..S’much appreciated Honey. Sure is

mighty kind..

AUNT HONEY:

What the hell am I supposed to do

with that donkey, Joe?

JOE BROWN:

Thought you could sell it.

AUNT HONEY:

I don’t sell donkey, Joe. And

Jumpin’ in the Army ain’t gone make

this boy go away.

Joe looks away from Honey.

JOE:

(to James)

Look after yourself Junior.

Aunt Honey and James watch Joe cross the street anddisappear.

AUNT HONEY:

Everybody gotta be somewhere.

What’s your name, sugar?

JAMES:

Junior.

AUNT HONEY:

Guess you Little Junior now.

44

Honey turns to a small two story building in the rear of theyard.

AUNT HONEY (CONT’D)

Big Junior!

A huge 15 year old boy comes out of the building and beginswalking down the stairs. This is the younger version of BigJunior who we met outside the jail.

AUNT HONEY (TO JAMES) (CONT’D)

You show me you can bring it in youan me ain’t got no problem.

(as Junior approaches)

Junior’ll show y’how to do.

59 EXT. THE TERRY. STREET. DAY. 59

Big Junior leads James away from Aunt Honey’s. Big Juniorturns to James.

BIG JUNIOR:

I do this...

(BJ touches his hat)

You say ‘Pretty girls’, unnerstand?

So when they come, you be ready,

alright? I’ll say-

Yessir, yessir, come on down thestreet-we got sweet whiskey, we gotmusic-

(touches his hat)

JAMES:

Pretty girls.

BIG JUNIOR:

We got cards, we got dice, dancing

(touches his hat again)

JAMES:

Pretty girls.

CUT TO:

60 EXT. BUS STOP. THE TERRY. AUGUSTA. DAY. JAMES 9 YRS 60

Soldiers disembark from a troop Bus. Big Junior and Jamesstand on the platform playing and dancing in bare feet. Thesoldiers ignore James.

45

We again begin to hear “James’ Theme” in James’ head. He

dances faster, sharper. The soldiers stop and take notice ofhis ever sharping skill.

61 INT. AUNT HONEY’S PARLOR. LATER THAT NIGHT. 61

The Brothel is in full swing. Girls. Soldiers. Drunks.

Hustlers. Music. Ten soldiers scramble over only fiveprostitutes.

James hands over money to Aunt Honey. She bundles him up andkisses him. He holds onto her tightly. She sets him down.

AUNT HONEY:

You done good Little Junior. Youthe sweetest little boy in theworld. Hear me?

James nods as two soldiers begin fighting over one of theprostitutes. Each pulling her in a different direction.

Honey rises.

AUNT HONEY (CONT’D)

(to James)

Go on in the kitchen. Find you ascrap to eat.

Aunt Honey pulls out a knife that has been nuzzled inside herbra. James watches as she fixes the situation.

62 INT. BARBERSHOP. THE NEXT DAY. JAMES 19 YRS 1952 62

The band has just gotten their hair-cut like Louis Jordan(and James Brown).

Bobby Byrd looks at his hair in the mirror.

BOBBY:

I don’t know, James. This don’t

look too gospel.

JAMES:

What you talkin’ about? Your hair

is rising up to the Lord right?

Like a flame.

Nayfloyd looks deep into the mirror in front of him.

NAYFLOYD:

The flames of hell. We’re the

Gospel Starlighters. We a gospelgroup. This is R & B hair.

JAMES:

What you think “Caldonia” is,

Nafloyd.

NAFLOYD:

(Ruffled)

We just playin’ around with“Caldonia” when we practicing.

That don’t make us R & B. We still

Gospel.

63 INT. BIG BILL’S RENDEZVOUS. TOCCOA, 1954. NIGHT. 63

The place is packed. On stage the 22 year old Little Richardis all over the piano, singing the hell out of Tutti Frutti.

AT THE BACK --Bobby and the band stand in shock and awe.

NAFLOYD:

I swear he’s gonna break that

piano.

James is transfixed. Motionless. Soaking it up.

ON STAGE --The song ends. The crowd explode.

LITTLE RICHARD:

We’ll be back in ten to flip youagain! Whoooo! Yeah!

Bobby scans the crowd.

BOBBY BYRD:

(Frustrated)

Look at these people James. Man!

I’m ready. You know’m saying? Whenit gone be us up there?

James hasn’t moved. He’s still staring at the stage.

JAMES BROWN:

Now.

BOBBY BYRD:

What?

James turns to Bobby.

JAMES BROWN:

There’s a piano. And a stage. Andright now.

(Looks at it)

Ain’t no one on it.

47

NAFLOYD:

What you talking about? We can’t goup there.

JAMES BROWN:

Why not? Like you said, Nafloyd,

“We just playin’ around with“Caldonia”. So let’s go playaround.

Bobby nods, and James strides towards the stage and gets up.

The others look at each other: HOLY SH*T! and scramble after

him. James gestures to them to pick up instruments.

JAMES BROWN (CONT’D)

Ladies ‘n Gentlemen. Hope you’reenjoying the show.

Nafloyd speaks into his mic.

NAYFLOYD:

We’re the Star-

James quickly interrupts.

JAMES:

We’re the Famous Flames.

Nafloyd looks at Bobby.

NAFLOYDS:

Flames?

BABY ROY:

Famous?

James hollers. The Flames hit their queue, bang on, and theyTEAR INTO Caldonia. James loosens with every bar. Unhooks themic. Throws a move. As he hits the hook again the audience isdrawn to his energy like a magnet.

BACKSTAGE DOOR -Leaning against a wall backstage, LittleRichard looks up from his pocket mirror. Frowns.

LITTLE RICHARD:

What is that?

IN THE WINGS -the club manager watches on unsure what to do.

ON STAGE -James and Bobby, hollering into the same mic areripping the place up.

IN THE WINGS -Little Richard appears at his side, fuming.

48

LITTLE RICHARD (CONT’D)

Get those b*tches off my stage!

Power to the stage is cut off. The performance is over butthe crowd go batshit. NAFLOYD, BABY ROY are shaking.

NAFLOYD:

We the Flames.

BOBBY looks at JAMES. A new, knowing look. They bow as one,

turn, and walk offstage, CLEAN PAST a furious Little Richard.

James returns his glare with an even straighter one.

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