Life

(R&B MUSIC PLAYING)

REVEREND:
In accordance with the regulations of the state of Mississippi, we gather today to lay to rest the remains of inmates

R. Gibson, number 4316, C. Banks, number 4317.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. May God have mercy on their souls. Amen.

ALL:
Amen. SUPERINTENDENT: You can go ahead, fellows.

Look like you finally free now, boys.

Finally free. Friends of yours, old-timer? Well, let's just say we spent some time together.

Now, why do I get the feeling that when you say some time, you mean some time? I'd been here a good while when they come.

They come here, it must have been 1932. Aw, man. Sh*t, that's like...

That's 65 years, son. Whoo! LEON: Sh*t! Man, didn't they burn up in that fire yesterday?

Listen, man, I seen them n*ggers before they put them in the box. And when I tell you them n*ggers they was bacon burnt,

sh*t, it was like some sh*t from The X Files, man.

What you got in that bottle anyway there, old-timer? This is Rayford's special recipe.

See, he had what we call "exacting standards" when it comes to the hootch. So, what were they? Bootleggers?

Something like that. (SINGING) Drop me off in Harlem

Any place in Harlem (KNOCKING AT DOOR) There's someone waiting there

Hey, my man! How you doing? Oh, no, not tonight, Ray. Spanky's not happy with you.

What, is Spanky here? Do yourself a favor and find another place where they let you in the front door. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, hey, wait, wait, wait.

What about that time I bought your girl them alligator shoes, man, huh? I mean, what's the problem? Did I come through for you? Yeah, yeah. B*tch was wearing pigskin when I met her.

I got her out the swine. She wearin' alligator. Help a n*gger out. There you go. That's how it goes, brother, that's how it goes. Thank you. I appreciate it. All right.

Appreciate it, man. How does this tie look? Looking sharp, man, you're looking sharp. Yeah? Yeah. I feel lucky tonight, too.

I idolize my baby's eyes and classy uptown style

Yeah! (CHATTERING)

Here's to your new job down at the bank. Thank you. I always knew you'd make something of yourself.

You know what I'm gonna buy with my first paycheck? What, baby? Season tickets to the Yankees.

Right there on the first baseline. What's wrong, baby? I was hoping you were gonna say an engagement ring, Claude.

Engagement ring? That's what respectable folks do. Yeah? Get a job, get married, start having babies.

That's what you want, isn't it? Baby, I just don't see no reason to rush into things, that's all.

Look, I got to clean this. I'll be right back, baby, all right?

Good evening, sir. Hello. Can I have a towel, please? Of course. MAN 1: Oh, look at this.

Hey, hold on. There ain't no reason to get violent. Look, I tried to call you all. Oh, sit your ass down.

Congratulations, Claude. We understand you finally got yourself a job. Yeah. Now you can pay Mr. Riley that 50 bucks you owe him.

Look, fellows, I got a bill to pay out there. Well, lookie here. $22. Not bad.

Not bad. For a start. That's two weeks pay, man. I'm here with my girl. You got to leave me something.

How about your legs? My legs? Mm-hmm. Oh, those are good. (STAMMERING) Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, that's good. I'll keep the legs, you know?

Excuse me, Jack. Excuse me. How'd he get in here? Evening. Evening.

Always messing with me.

Um, you got any of that French sh*t? Yeah, bro, here. Yeah. That's the one. That's the one there.

Yeah. Thanks, man. All right. Do I smell French? Yeah, that's it. Yeah. Here, you keep the change. Thank you.

Yeah.

Hey, don't I know you? I don't think so. Yes, I do, I know you. What is your name?

Claude Banks. Claude Banks! Claude Banks. Hey, man, it's me! Ray Gibson!

We went to high school together! How you doing, man? You went to Monroe? Monroe! Yes, definitely!

How you doing, man? Look at you looking all sharp. Make me feel good to see colored folks doing good for themselves. Yeah, well, I went to Jefferson.

So you must have a different Claude Banks in mind. Excuse me. Well, I'm sorry, man. My mistake.

Yeah.

Hey, you wearing that dress! Whoo! Hey, Isaac, what's going on, man?

Oh, this is about my tab, huh? Don't worry about it, I got it covered. Man, it's hot in here tonight. Hot!

This ain't about your tab, Ray. You got bigger problems than that, man. Oh, no, hold up one second, man. I had the money... You should've never ran numbers on Spanky's side of Broadway.

Let's go. But I really think we got to get out of here, baby. Excuse me, sir. Your bill. The bill? Oh, yeah, yeah, of course, the bill. How can I forget the bill?

Such an incredibly large bill.

(ALL CLAMORING) RAYFORD: Just tell me where you want me to go. You don't have to be pushing on me. Get over there.

(RAYFORD MUTTERING) All right, that... That's not nice. THUG: Yeah, right.

What do you think they gonna do to us? I don't know. What, you dine and ditch? Yeah.

Over 10 bucks? Yeah. You're probably just looking at a thumb or something. SPANKY: Who is he, Ray? Thumb?

A friend of yours? l never met this man before tonight. Okay? He's a lowlife that hangs around in bathrooms pick-pocketing people.

Me, I'm a... I'm a professional man. Now, I got a job that starts on Monday.

I'll pay you back with my first paycheck, with interest. I don't want to tell you how to run your business here,

but if you cut off my fingers, you won't get nothing. You know, working on adding machines,

I got to be whole. Ching, ching. You know, you can understand that I need these for praying. Drop him.

Wait, what does "drop him" mean? THUG: Time for a little dip, boy. Oh, what do you mean "drop him"? Now, this ain't the way you treat somebody!

Hey, Spanky, you know, you ain't got to do that to that guy. You don't have to drown him. He's a square. He didn't know who he was f***ing with.

Oh, no, man, it's filthy down there! Just... Oh, damn, there's a rat! Man, I hate rats! Wait!

But you do. What does that say about you, Ray? What does that say about me, Ray?

Spank, look, I'm just trying to get by. You remember what it was like when you first started out, Spank. Come on, now. N*gger, please.

CLAUDE:
Mr. Spank! Just hold on a minute! Mr. Spank! Hey, wait. Hey, hey, Spank, wait a second. Hold on. Hold on, wait a second.

Look, look, I want you to see this. Look at this. Check this out. CLAUDE: Oh, damn, the water's cold! I got access to that.

What is that, Ray? Some more of your bathtub brew? RAYFORD: Hell, no, Spank. This come up from the Mississippi, man.

And I can get a lot more of that, too. I was thinking about going into business for myself. Under the present circumstances, I think I might take on a partner. What do you say?

I was supposed to wear this suit on Monday! RAYFORD: Come on, Spank. (CLAUDE SCREAMING) If you give me the front money and a truck...

(EXCLAIMS) Listen to me, now. I think I can get down there in two, three days, you know, as long as I have somebody to help me do the driving.

CLAUDE:
Check with my lady! She... Ray! Ray! Come on, now! CLAUDE: All right, now I'm really getting angry!

Come on, Spank.

I'm gonna tell you something, Ray. You f*** me on this, I'll spare no expense on your ass.

I understand. Do you hear me? I hear you, Spank. You got a deal. All right! Okay. Pick a man and get the f*** out of here.

Well, Spank, with all due respect to you, you gentlemen, I think I'm gonna just take the choirboy down there, Spank.

You've got to be crazy. If I'm gonna pick somebody, at least I'm gonna pick somebody who's gonna be able to watch my back in a tight squeeze.

Well, I just want to be with somebody that ain't gonna put a bullet in my head once the truck is full. Lift him. But not that you would do something, or have them do...

Lift him. You know what I mean, Spank. RAYFORD: Okay.

ISAAC:
There you go. Sure he ain't dead, Spank?

Sure hope you can drive.

RAYFORD:
I'll tell you what, though, this little rum run we doing is gonna really improve my relationship with Spanky, I tell you that.

He's a good man to have on your side. He got the capital connections. And that's what you got to have in this business, capital connections. I'm gonna get me connections.

I ain't got capital yet, but I'm gonna get some. I'm gonna get the connections, and then I'll have my own place. Don't get me wrong, I like Spanky's, but I'm gonna have my own place, yeah.

Get this, I'm gonna call my place... Check this out, "Ray's Boom-Boom Room." Don't that sound like something? Don't that sound like a place where it's fun?

Sound exciting. Ray's Boom-Boom Room. Yeah, I like that. Hey, if you heard there was a place called the Boom-Boom Room,

wouldn't you want to check it out? Hell, yeah, hell, yeah, you'd want to. Sh*t, yeah, you'd want to. Whoo!

The Boom-Boom Room. What you think?

Hey, you know, you ain't said nothing since we left. I think the least you could do is give me a little friendly conversation, boy. I don't want a friendly conversation.

I don't want to be your friend. I just want to do this thing and get back to New York in time to start my job.

And what the hell kind of job you got? Well, if you must know, bank teller at First Federal of Manhattan.

(CHUCKLES) What's so funny? Oh, nothing, I'm just laughing to myself, man. Excuse me.

No, you found something very amusing. What's so funny? I don't know, it was just bank teller sounded like ladies' work to me.

It's something I always pictured a woman doing, you know. Well, maybe I should dig around in other people's pockets for money.

It's obviously been highly successful for you. Hey, you'd be surprised what you find in other people's pockets. And besides, I ain't never heard of no man setting out

to be no bank teller, that's for damn sure. This time next year, I'll be a loan officer. So if I want to get some frog skins and come to the bank to get a loan,

I got to come down and deal with a tight-ass son of a b*tch like you? That's right. Well, how do I get a loan? You?

Yes, me. What's "you"? What is that sh*t? Why can't it be? I can't get no money? You need collateral.

What, you think I ain't got collateral? I have coll... Look at this. How about this here?

Look at that, huh? That thing? Who'd you steal it from? I didn't steal that. My daddy gave me that watch. Look at that.

Yeah, well, who'd he steal it from? (WATCH CHIMING) Hey, you watch your mouth what you say about my daddy. My daddy's dead.

You say whatever you want to say about me, but you can't drag my daddy into it. This watch is sterling silver. It's top shelf, top of the line.

And it's very near and dear to my heart. So, no wisecracks about it or I'll whup your ass.

Well, it looks like a fake to me. Loan denied. Hey, you know something, Claude? F*** you.

I'm gonna take my business elsewhere. And for future references, you will not be welcome at Ray's Boom-Boom Room!

CLAUDE:
There's no Boom-Boom Room. RAYFORD: When there is one. When there is a Boom-Boom Room, don't come down to the motherf***er, 'cause you ain't getting in!

(PEOPLE CHATTERING) (CHATTERING STOPS)

(SNIFFING) Smell that? Yeah, I smell something.

It smells good, right? RAYFORD: Yeah, you know, well, I think maybe we should go to another place. The ambiance ain't really very welcoming.

Are you kidding? Tell me that you don't want one of these pies right here, Ray. Right over here. Yeah, them pies look good, Claude, but I kind of lost my appetite.

When I came in here, my appetite just left. You that hungry? Good afternoon, Billy. We'd like some coffee and a couple of slices of pie.

How do you know my name is Billy? Well, it says it right there on your shirt.

If you boys can read so good, how come you missed that sign on the door over there?

Oh. That sign on the door that we just... How come we didn't see that sign that say "no coloreds allowed," Claude?

We just rushed in. We was really hungry, so we kind of missed that, but we see it now, so, bye. Look, ma'am... Come on, man, let's go.

...we've been traveling all day. Yeah, let's go. All we want is some coffee and a couple slices of pie. Is that all right?

No. These are whites only pies. Well, do you have any negro pies?

Hey, Claude, come on now. This woman ain't got the recipe to no negro pie. Where would she get that recipe?

(STAMMERING) At another establishment, we can get us some pies... How far to the next town? 35 miles down. RAYFORD: Hey, come on, let's get out of...

I'm not driving no 35 miles to get no pie. Lady! Ma'am.

Okay, now, we want some pie, okay? We are hungry. Yeah. Okay, we want... Billy, we want some pie.

Let me take care of this, okay? Why somebody got to die 'cause we want some pie? Let me take care of it, okay? Look, we're from New York.

My name Ray Gibson, okay? Let's talk turkey. How much it gonna cost to turn one of them white only pies into n*gger pie?

How about I turn y'all into n*gger pie? So, you say about 35... Thirty-five miles. Okay, we'll find it. Maybe find another establishment down the road,

you know, where, you know, we won't have a problem. Yeah, I didn't know white folks so serious about pie down here.

Hey, we're looking for Slim. You found him.

That's it, fellows. Thirty-six cases of Mississippi's finest.

Five bucks a case. That's $180. All right, what do we got? Come on, pay the man.

Hey. Pay the man. (BLUES MUSIC PLAYING FAINTLY) Man, that music's hot. What goes on down there, Slim?

That there's Natchez Under-The-Hill. Really? Colored folks welcome down there? Green's the only color that matters Under-The-Hill.

Is that right? SLIM: They got gambling, girls. You boys ought to check it out.

Maybe we will. Nice doing business with you, Slim. SLIM: All right. Let's go down there and have ourselves a little reward, see what's shaking.

Reward? Yes, a reward. There's people down there having a good time. I want to be one of them. Hey, man, I want you to be one of them.

Oh, Ray. Let me tell you something. Listen to me, listen, listen. Monday you can go be a bank teller. But tonight you are a bootlegger

with a truckload of Mississippi's finest and a fistful of cash. That's gas money, Ray.

Come on. Think. Oh, man, you are incredible. Tell you what, here's $2.

You stay here and watch the truck. I'm gonna go have myself a good time. And I got the keys with me, in case you want to leave a n*gger down here in the woods.

I know how you think, you motherf***er you.

All right. Yeah. This look like something here. I can work it here. Hey, Ray! Keep an eye on you. Make sure you don't do nothing stupid.

Oh, really? Yep. All right. Well, put a little something on your step. I don't want these farmers to think I'm from around here.

Well, they know the way I walk, I ain't from around here. Yeah, 'cause I'm from New York City! All right. How you all doing?

What's up, country boy? Yeah, cock-a-doodle-doo, n*gger!

Tens over the nines. Oh, sh*t.

I ain't never seen you in here before. That's 'cause I ain't never been in here before.

My name's Sylvia. What's your name? (STAMMERS)

Can't you remember your own name? I know it begins with a "C." Well, Mr. C,

how about buying a gal a drink? Two bourbons. Mm-hmm. I really shouldn't. I got to keep an eye on my friend over there.

He looks like he can take care of himself.

(WHIMPERING)

Claude. That's my name. Claude.

You know, that's never happened to me before. You're cute.

(GIGGLING) Thank you. You got any money, Claude?

Yeah, I got $2, but I need that to get home.

What's wrong? What you want to go home for?

It's so early. I'll take one. One for New York.

Thank you. Me's want one. Can I get that for you, sir? Thank you, baby.

RAYFORD:
Give me a deuce. Oh. There you go, honey. Thank you.

You all want to pick up this country pace? Bet's to you, sir.

Bet a dollar. MAN: I'll sees that. You sees that. Well, I sees that dollar and I raise you $2.

Is "sees" a word? All right now. I'm out. Oh, you going back to the farm now?

Pick your tomatoes? I'll see the two.

And I raise you 10. Damn. Out.

Well, Mr. Hancock, I... I don't think I have anymore money.

Big city boy. Well, that's too bad. Now, hold on, now.

Just give me two seconds.

(OPENS WATCH) (WATCH CHIMING)

Top shelf. It look good to me. I think that'll cover it. Call.

(SIGHS) I got a full boat with the ladies doing the paddling.

(ALL EXCLAIMING) I don't think they come in much stronger than that, sir.

Four threes. RAYFORD: What the f***?

MAN:
Broke again. New York, New York. Don't take it too hard, New York.

Here, have a round on me.

Can I get you something, sir? No, I'm all right. Hey, hey! Hey, what the f*** is this?

You're hurting my arm. Where you going? Where you going? Where you going? Oh, okay. No, no. Hell, no, hell, no. Hey, hey, Claude!

Hey! Hey! Oh, sh*t.

My goodness. If it isn't my old friend, Winston Hancock.

I thought we agreed that you was gonna leave town. Well, I was gonna leave, Sheriff Pike,

but your wife, she begged me to stay. (CHUCKLING)

You just committed suicide, boy.

Hey, Ray, I've been looking for you.

Guess we better get going, huh? Yeah. You still got that $2?

Uh... Not exactly. You see, I met this girl. Real nice girl, Ray.

Yeah. A God-fearing girl. The same girl I seen you over here with? Yeah.

Yeah, she looked religious. Yeah, well... Yeah. So you gave her the $2?

Yeah, well, she was in a tight spot. Her mama needs this operation. She ain't have the money for it and so, hey, you know.

She tell me the church took up a collection, but they still were short, so I... Oh, yeah. Two dollars short?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, so I gave it to her. You know, when the spirit moves me... I guess we both got f***ed, 'cause while you was upstairs doing God's work,

I was over there getting jacklegged by one of these f***ing farmers and one of these goddamn waitresses. I know the b*tch is in here somewhere. You know, they beat me down to my goddamn socks!

You lost all our money in a card game, Ray? F*** the money. It's not even about the money! F*** the money! I lost my daddy's watch!

Man, f*** that cheap-ass watch, man! Oh, I apologize.

It got to stop some... You're right, Ray. One more again, one more again, see that I take all your fronts out, I swear. See how you go back to New York.

(WHISTLING) That's how you gonna be back in the car all the way back up. I'm sorry. F*** that. Say something about the watch, Claude. Bring up the watch.

In fact, just bring up watch. Ray. Look like you was fixing to make your mouth up to say watch. If I see you w... I'm gonna whup your ass.

Well, in fact, don't even say "watch" no more. You can't say "watch" around me. Say "little clock" or some sh*t. You say "watch," I'm gonna just dive on you.

Ray, how are we supposed to get home without any money, man? Hey, we got 36 cases of booze. That's better than money.

Oh, oh, okay. So we gonna drive home drunk now. Is that it? Come on, let me pay and get out of here, come on. Hey, where's that girl that was working over here?

What girl? What girl? We'll see when the next time I come back in here, whichever b*tch I start choking, that's what girl. Come on, man. Ray.

Big-time hustler. I came and got girked by a couple of farmers. I'm gonna tell you something, Claude. Can it, Claude.

I'm all shot and I just want to get back to New York, all right? CLAUDE: Well, what makes you think... Ray, Ray.

Oh, sh*t. I think he's hurt pretty bad, man.

Hey, man, this guy is dead. I ain't never seen no dead body before, Ray.

What are you doing? The man's been dead two seconds and you're in his pocket?

Don't you have any respect? Man, it ain't here! What ain't there? My daddy's watch. This is the guy that took my watch from me!

You motherf***er, you did f*** around with the wrong person, didn't you? Didn't you? Now look at your ass out here bleeding. MAN: Hey!

What you boys doing out here? Hey, how you all doing?

CLAUDE:
Hi. We're just taking care of our friend here. What's wrong with this one?

Drink. Oh, yeah, he's just a little drunk. Nothing at all. He's just a little drunk. Nobody drink like old...

Yeah, Winston. What's it... Winston. Winston, yeah, he's always drinking. Old drunk-ass Winston... You know, always up there drinking.

This fellow look like he dead. Oh, no. No, no, not... He's not dead, he's drunk. He is too drunk.

CLAUDE:
He likes to drink until he pass out. You know what'd serve him right? Just let him lay here and sleep the sh*t off. We're gonna go. I'm gonna tell his wife that we left him.

Yeah. You know what? I'm gonna tell her... Let's go back to the car... I think you boys better come with us. MAN: That's right.

I think that we... Well, we're gonna go to your car then. Yeah. Yeah, let's go. Excuse me, Winston. We're gonna go with this gentleman here.

You know what, Ray? You're responsible for this whole situation. Yeah. Yeah, I blame you for everything, Ray. Okay?

If it weren't for you, man, I'd be home right now about to have a hot meal with some butter... If it wasn't for me, your black ass would be floating up on a beach at Coney Island right now.

You forgot all that sh*t, huh? You know, "my fingers and thumbs for adding and..." You remember that sh*t? I saved your life, n*gger! Ray, they think we killed somebody, Ray. This is blood, okay?

Hey, just shut up. Listen. Just sit your ass down. Let me work some sh*t out with this... I got a job that starts Monday, Ray.

You're gonna be late Monday 'cause I got to work this out, this whole thing. What the... Ray?

Evening, boys. Evening there, Sheriff. Well, now. What do we have here?

Billy Bob and the boys found them down Under-The-Hill with Winston Hancock. MAN 1: That's right, sir. He was dead.

Looks like murder. MAN 2: Yep. MAN 3: Sure does. Is that right? DEPUTY: Looks like they was running hootch. Got 36 cases of evidence.

How about a little reward, Billy Bob? Well, thank you, sir.

Why bother with bootlegging when we got us a clear-cut case of murder?

Hey, Sheriff Pike, like I told your associate over there, we didn't kill nobody. The man was like that when we found him.

He was out there dead. He was already dead. Now, as far as bootlegging goes, well, I happen to work for a very, very important man back East.

CLAUDE:
Now, yeah, yeah... Does the name Spanky Johnson mean anything to you? Spanky. Spanky Johnson?

Uh-huh. No, I'm afraid not. Hey, hey, hey, Mr... Sheriff Pike, listen.

Listen, this guy Spanky Johnson is very well connected. Whoo! Very well connected, and if you were to...

If you were to give us a break, I can guarantee you, he would do something to show his appreciation, now, I'm sure.

Mr. Pike. I don't doubt that you can buy your way out of trouble up in New York City, but down here,

we take murder very seriously. But we didn't kill nobody! I keep telling you, the man was dead when we found him! RAYFORD: He was already dead. He's telling the honest truth.

Now, the liquor was ours. That's our liquor. There was no breath in him, but that man's being honest. That was our liquor and we're telling, but the man was dead.

If that's the truth, you boys don't have anything to worry about then, do you? I'll guarantee it. I'll see you all in the morning.

You believe us, right? What time you gonna be here in the morning? Boys, don't drink all that stuff tonight, you hear?

All right, Sheriff. PIKE: See you in the morning. Wait a minute, he sounded like he believed us, Ray,

you know, hey, the man's got a point. We didn't kill nobody, Ray. Hey, Claude, what about the truckload of booze, man?

Man, that's Spanky's booze. You know what? Tomorrow I'm gonna tell that judge, "Judge, "we didn't murder nobody, that was Spanky's booze."

What's the worst that can happen to us, Ray? Huh? Life. What do you mean, "life"? Hell, no, I ain't doing no life. I'm going back to my cell.

It's a mistrial! It's a mistrial! When I was a little kid, I try to give somebody life. I didn't even kill nobody.

The man was dead when I got there. This is bullshit. Get the f*** off me, man. I ain't doing no life. (BLUES MUSIC PLAYING)

DILLARD:
Welcome to Mississippi. Here you will be provided with ample opportunity to repay your debt to society

through the rigors of hard labor. We got fields need clearing, roads need building and ditches need digging.

You will eat only what you can grow. Your crop don't come in, you go hungry.

This here is Camp 8. Camp 8 is for incorrigibles.

But whatever you done to get here, believe me, I'm not impressed. I've seen it all before.

We ain't got no fences here at Camp 8. We don't need no fences.

We got us the gun line. Tell them about the gun line, boss. This is the gun line.

It runs from shack to shack clear around the yard.

You are now inside the gun line. You step outside the gun line without my permission, you will be shot.

You trip and fall over the gun line, you will be shot. You spit, you pee,

you so much as stick your Johnson out over the gun line, (SOBBING) you will be shot.

And you, Slick, don't try to run, don't try to escape.

One of my trustees will put a bullet in your head.

You prisoners are now the property of the state of Mississippi, which is to say I own your ass.

Uh-huh. And in case you haven't met this handsome young fella, this is Hoppin' Bob.

You run afoul of Bob, you run afoul of me.

Everybody, shut up! Right now, I don't wanna hear a sound. Got some fresh meat for you. Right down there.

Take yourself right down there and find your ass a bunk. Move it. Acting all scared.

We ain't got no wallflowers here in Camp 8. Don't you all worry none. Ain't nobody gonna mess with you tonight.

That'd take all the fun out the courtship. You hear me, boy?

WILLIE:
I didn't see nothing special the first time Ray and Claude walked into the cage. To me, they were just a couple of fools whose luck had run out.

Course, I was wrong about that.

I don't believe this before Abe sh*t. I didn't go to night school to dig no ditch.

What the hell you doing, man? Don't do that. I wouldn't do that sh*t. Oh, man, shut up. What do you know anyway, okay? It's too damn hot.

Why ain't that boy's pick swinging? Why ain't that pick swinging? Why ain't that pick swinging, n*gger?

It's too hot. I'm tired, boss. He say it's too hot, boss! He's tired.

Too hot? He's tired? Uh-huh. You tell that lazy jigaboo the state of Mississippi ain't interested

in his meteorological assessments. Listen up, jigaboo, the state of Mississippi ain't interested in your...

(STAMMERING) Metercological assessments! You tell him the state of Mississippi

is only interested in getting this here ditch cleared by sundown. State of Mississippi wants this here ditch cleared by sundown. You got that, boy?

Got it, boss. He don't sound like he from around here.

He from New York City, boss. That one there, too. Well, they'll find we do things different down here.

Yeah, we noticed. Don't smart me, boy. You just shut your mouth and do your work. You got that?

Looks like we got a couple of live ones. How long these boys in for? The judge gave them the long ride, boss.

Life, huh? Uh-huh. Well, they step out of line again, we'll shorten up that sentence real fast.

Get them picks a-swinging! You heard me, New York Cities. You don't want me to come down there. I ain't nice like boss.

I'll slap the black off your ass. Get to work!

Either one of you new fellas know how to read? I know how to read. Why? I've been carrying this letter for four months now.

You mean to tell me none of you all can read? Last fella what could read, made parole, what? Around Christmas.

I don't even know who this come from. Give me that.

You can't read? Almost 60 years old, motherf***er can't read.

Here, look, it's from your mama's neighbor, Mrs. Tidwell. You know who that is? Mrs. Tidwell?

She thought you ought to know that your second cousin Bo died. Bo died, and your other cousin Sally on your daddy's side, she died.

Oh, and apparently your sister died, too. Jenny? No, it say Marlene here. Marlene died.

Oh, no, no, no. Marlene, Jenny... Jenny died, too. Jenny and Marlene, both dead. Then it goes on for a while

about how the crop didn't come in on account of the frost. She finished up with... There's been a big tornado,

in which your mama and your daddy were both killed. Well, don't worry 'cause she gonna take care of the dog.

That is, if he gets over the worms. Dog had worms. Appreciate it.

Yeah, you know, any time I can help out. Anybody else got something they want read?

ALL:
No. Yeah, I can't blame you all.

Hey, hey, hey. How you doing? I'm fine, thanks. Good, good. First time in?

(CHUCKLES) No, not at all. I've been in and out of prison. Mostly in.

So, you won't have no problem adjusting. Shouldn't have a problem, no.

If you need anything of any kind, give me a holler.

My name's Jangle Leg, Jangle Leg. I appreciate it. Jangle Leg, you said?

Jangle Leg, Jangle Leg. I'm Claude. Claude? Yeah, Claude.

Your hand nice and supple, like a lady.

Jangle Leg! What the hell did I tell you about pitching woo on the job, boy?

Sorry, Cap'n. Story time is over. All you sissies get back to work right now. Let's move it!

(BELL RINGING) Now! What the f***? MAN 1: You all heard the man. Get on line. MAN 2: Let's go, boys!

He made a pass at me. Yeah, I see. Why do you think they call him Jangle Leg?

You're gonna find out before me.

Eyes front, mister. Everybody doing that.

I'm hungry. What?

(SCRAPING TOAST)

See how you get that off? F*** that. You better eat and stop aggravating people. I ain't aggravating nobody. Yeah, you got nerve, scraping toast and sh*t, making excess noise.

You're making a lot of noise, making a lot of noise down there. Look at this spoon, man, it's filthy. Filthy, ain't it?

Man, f*** that spoon and just eat. You're gonna destroy everybody's meal. My name Ray Gibson. Hi. And this is Claude Banks.

Willie Long. Willie Long. RAYFORD: Willie, huh? You seem like a pretty sensible man. What you up in here for?

It's a long story. He had killed a sumbitch with a claw hammer when he were 13 year old. So they say. A lot of people say it, though.

Wait a second, you... You've been in here since you were 13? That's right. How about you, boy? How long you been in here? What you do?

Sumbitch chopped his sister in the head with an axe. She was my half sister, so I cuts her ass in half.

At least I ain't the one who poisoned my own ma and pa. Now, tell that, tell that. They deserved it, Radio. What you talking about, Biscuit?

You're the one that skinned your landlady alive and made a jacket out of her. Well, at least he didn't kill Santa Claus.

Santa Claus? Which one of you n*ggers killed Santa Claus? No, it wasn't the Santa Claus. He just wearing the suit and ringing a bell.

Damn, that's true. BISCUIT: He had presents. I ain't get nothing. Oh, you killed one of them Salvation men, them dudes that be out there on the street with the bell?

Something like that. That's what he did. Ain't nobody tried to escape from here? They did run, but they never get too far. Old Cookie there made it clear to Greenville couple of years back.

Take a mighty cagey country boy to navigate his way through them woods and bayous. Got to know what you're doing. Uh-huh. Hey, what'd you all do?

(BOTH STAMMERING) What the f*** you all do? Uh... Well, we... We went on a...

The most violent, you know. A violent killing spree. All around the country we've been killing people. All this month.

All month, man. Believe me, if you all was out and was reading the papers. You ain't heard about it? Claude and Ray?

Claude and Ray? F*** it. You know, sometimes you got to do certain sh*t. It's just enough that people know... He'll cut your throat.

...that you know I go where I need to go to get it done. If you push my button, there's no telling what I may do. Stab you, choke you...

Yeah, don't give a f***, you know? ...bite you. I mean, whatever it take to make a motherf***er stop existing, I will do that. If your spoon was sharp, I'll stab a n*gger right now.

I bit one motherf***er to death. You don't wanna f*** with us. Nah, you don't really wanna f*** with us.

Press the wrong button, n*gger pop. Hey, girl, you gonna eat your corn bread?

Oh, trouble. JANGLE LEG: Don't say nothing to him.

You talking to me? Yeah, I think he's talking to you. Um, no, not at all.

Um, I want you to have it. Willie, do you mind passing this down to... Hey, no. Don't pass your corn bread to him. That's your corn bread.

Ray, I'm a grown man. Okay? I'm not gonna eat this corn bread. If he wants the corn bread, damn it, have the corn bread.

No, no. If he wants some corn bread, let him go up to the front and get his own portion of corn bread. That's your corn bread. F*** him.

Hey, man, he gonna eat his corn bread, all right? F*** you. Ray, look, I don't need you to take up for me.

I'm all right. I'm a grown man. I can handle that. If you let him have your corn bread, you're gonna be ironing his drawers and clipping his toenails.

CLAUDE:
Sh*t, I ain't gonna be ironing. Maybe I ought to eat your corn bread. Well, motherf***er, you can't have my corn bread.

That's for damn sure. 'Cause if you try and take my corn bread, part two of my killing spree gonna begin up in here on your ass right now.

If you're thinking about my corn bread, better get the taste out of your mouth. That's for damn sure. Ray, cool... No, f*** him!

F*** that, 'cause I'm from New York City, goddamn it. Nobody take no corn bread from me. And that go for you and any other of you motherfucking farmers wanna try some sh*t.

You f*** around with me, there's gonna be consequences and repercussions! (ALL CHEERING)

Get up!

Come on, New York. Show that big sumbitch how you all does it up in Harlem now, boy. Come on!

RADIO:
Come on, New York. Come on, New York!

I appreciate you going through all the trouble over my corn bread. You don't get a lot of compliments around here.

ALL:
Get up, get up! Ray, I think you made your point, whatever that is.

Now's a good time to throw in the towel, you know what I'm saying?

Not over no corn bread, man.

Goldmouth, I know a b*tch named Delia hit harder than you.

That's it. The man's taken enough of a beating. Goldmouth, pick him up and carry him away inside.

(WHISPERS) He ain't getting my corn bread, Claude.

You were scared, huh? Don't be scared. Uh-uh, don't be scared.

(SINGING) Gonna lay down my sword and shield -Down by -Down by the riverside

-Down by -Down by the riverside Lookie here.

Papa! That's my boy.

Request permission to go to the tonk, boss. Conjugal visits are for married prisoners only.

And I don't see no wedding ring. Well, can't you make an exception just this once?

I could issue you a temporary marriage license. For a nominal fee.

CLAUDE:
Here you go. Sure is pretty. I now pronounce you man and wife.

You go have a good time.

Claude Banks going to the tonk! Claude Banks heading for the tonk! Mmm, lordy, lordy, lordy.

POKERFACE:
Come on, now. COOKIE: Five cents. WILLIE: That's right. COOKIE: Win my money back... WILLIE: That's a nickel apiece. Hey, New York. You ever been to that there Cotton Club?

The Cotton Club in Manhattan? Many times. Man, I damn near lived in the Cotton Club. I tell you, the Cotton Club is all right,

but they ain't got nothing on the Boom-Boom Room. You ever go to New York, go to Ray's Boom-Boom Room. Hey there, Ray!

What that you talking about, the Boom-Boom Room? Well, that's my spot. Ray's Boom-Boom Room. Most happening space in all of Manhattan.

(LAUGHING) So you got your own nightclub? Well, right now, it's kind of in the development stages, but I'm working on it. I'm gonna get it. So it don't exist.

It exists in my mind, Goldmouth. That's where it start. It start in your brain first, you know. It got to exist up here first.

As a man thinketh, so shall he get. You know, some sh*t like that. You know, you read the Bible.

Did you go see my cousin Melvin like I asked you to in my letter? Of course, I did. He said he'd file an appeal right away.

Listen, Claude. Melvin wanted to know if he should file an appeal on behalf of your friend, too.

Ray Gibson? No. No, no, no, no, Daisy. He's the reason I'm in here.

For all I know, he's got a record a mile long. I got a better shot of getting out of here on my own. You tell Melvin to think about me.

All right? Just concentrate on me. Claude.

Cookie made me a map to Greenville. So? So, n*gger, you know what I'm saying. Yeah, I know what you're saying.

And guess what I'm saying. If you made it that far, they'd be checking every train that pulls out of that station. We ain't taking the train. There's a farm on the map.

Cookie told me there's a boat on the farm. What do you know about boats? Man, you probably don't even know how to swim.

Yeah, I know a boat can help sail our ass away from here. Come on, n*gger, we can do this sh*t. Stop bullshitting. Why are you always talking about we? Say what?

There's no "we," Ray. Okay? There's a me and there's a you. Why you talking so loud? Why you talking so loud? There ain't no "we" between us.

Hey, Ray! Ray! Yeah.

What's the name of that there nightclub of yours again? Are you talking about the Boom-Boom Room? Yeah, the Boom-Boom Room. That's it.

Boy, I'd sure like to see that place when you get it all up and running and pretty-looking. Yeah, me, too, Ray. Me, too. I'd like to see that room, too.

Yeah, I'll tell you what though, Radio. You should have been by there last night. You'd have had yourself some big fun.

What you talking about there, last night? Just like I said, last night. Satchmo was up in there and nearly blew the roof off the place.

Ray? Who that? Satchmo. You mean Louis Armstrong? Yeah, Satchmo. That's what I call him. I know him personally.

Whenever he come by my spot I call him Satchmo, and he come by whenever he in town. Hey, ain't nobody trying to hear that bullshit, man.

Oh, Claude, shut the f*** up, man. Just shut up. You can just shut up. You always trying to say something at the wrong time.

Let the man finish and do whatever you got to do. Go to sleep. Let us have our fun. Go ahead there, Ray. Finish telling us about that Satchmo.

Go on, Ray. Go on, man. Tell me some more. Go ahead, Ray. You take it Ray. Damn! Shh! As I was saying, last night you all should have come by, man.

It was big fun. But you all never guess who gonna be there tonight. Who gonna be there, Ray? Who that there? Who? Who that, Ray?

Just guess. (SINGING) I got a man that's more than 8-foot tall

Four-foot shoulders and that ain't all He's a king-sized papa He's my king-sized papa

You go, Biscuit. There you go. Sing, girl! I take the door off the hinges when my baby comes to call

That's right, fellas. Catch any cab heading uptown, because all the drivers know about Ray's Boom-Boom Room.

Hey, Ray! Where am I? Oh, come on, Goldmouth, somebody's got to watch the door.

Hey, Ray! Now, I could get used to this. Ladies.

Mmm. Ray, this steak tastes like butter. Made it just for you, Cookie.

COOKIE:
You got some steak sauce? Boy, get us some Worcestershire sauce. And clean off that damn table or I'll whup your ass.

Is there something wrong with your ears? Move it! Hey, Ray! I know your club got gambling.

Poker, wouldn't be a club without some dice. Lucky seven.

My man! Let it ride, Ray. All right, Poker, letting it ride. Yes!

Raid! Don't move! Oh, sh*t! Party's over. Son of a b*tch! God damn! Party over.

Get the back door! Put all the women in my car! Gibson!

You about ready to spend the night in the hole, boy. Now shut up and go to sleep. You got that, boy? Huh?

That goes for the rest of you girls, too. Now, I don't want to hear another peep about no f***ing Boom-Boom Room.

(FARTS) Sorry, Cap'n. Shut your mouth and your fat ass, boy.

Don't be playing with yourselves. You got to work in the morning.

Come on, come on. Right there, right there. DILLARD: Mail call!

BISCUIT:
That's mine. GOLDMOUTH: You know I hate this part. Get back to that game in a little while.

Craddock. Craddock! CRADDOCK: All right! DILLARD: Williams. HOPPIN' BOB: Williams!

Banks. Banks. Right here. "Melvin Banks, Esquire, Attorney at Law." What's going on?

This don't concern you. Excuse me. Oh, yeah, obviously not. CLAUDE: Yeah.

Hold up, hold up. You see me counting. Go on, come on. HOPPIN' BOB: This here is Biscuit.

This is New York City 1... DILLARD: Let's get a move on. ...and New York City 2. Only 15 hours of daylight left.

Here you go. HOPPIN' BOB: Got all my rocks here, boss.

Whoo, sure is hot. Think it's gonna rain later? And what you want?

What do I want? What makes you think I want something? My daddy told me when motherfuckers start talking about the weather, keep your hand on your wallet. Now, what you want?

You know, your daddy must have been a wise man, a hell of a man. I sure wish... Cut the sh*t and tell me what you want, Claude.

You still got that map? Yeah, I still got it. Why?

Well, if you're thinking about booking it, I want in. I think we can make it.

We? Hey, ain't you the one that told me there wasn't no "we"? Now you wanna be "we" again, huh? What happened? We get some bad news in that letter back there, n*gger?

Look, my cousin Melvin is a lawyer and he filed an appeal on my behalf. On your behalf? What happened to "we," Claude? What happened to "we"?

Ray, the appeal was denied. Well, I'm glad. Then Daisy went and fell for Melvin. Now they're engaged to be married. Can you believe that?

Yeah, it's hard to believe. He a big successful New York lawyer and you down here with a bright future in the cotton industry.

Let me figure it out for you. Eenie, meenie, miney, Melvin! Look, come on, Ray. Look, I'm serious.

Don't shut me out. You, me, the map, we can go places. Do you know something, Claude? The whole time we've been down here,

you don't do nothing but blame this whole sh*t on me. That's all you did and you don't do nothing but think about yourself. Your little scheme that you had, was I part of that?

No. All right. You're gonna be honest now, 'cause you wanna be my friend. Wanna be my friend now, huh? Well, let me tell you something, Claude,

Mr. "My Sh*t Don't Stink" Banks, you've got to learn a whole lot more about friendship. A lot more. Lot more. Hey, boss, he ain't working!

Does this mean I'm in? No, you'd probably slow me down, Claude. You know, you're gonna be out there worrying about your silverware being clean and all that sh*t.

You know, you one of them soft motherfuckers. What'd you say? I said you're soft. So what? What you gonna do? What?

Don't no man call me soft. I hate that, all right? Now, wait, let me slow you down, Claude. I'm a man and I called you soft, first of all.

And I don't like you swelling all up and all. What's all this swell-up sh*t? What's that about? What you taking in all this air for, Claude? What you feeling, huh?

What's on your mind, huh? What you gonna do, put your chin up? Huh? That mean something to me? 'Cause I said "soft"? 'Cause I said "soft"?

So what? I say it, I'll spell it! S-O-F, capital T! Soft! Huh? How you like that? What you gonna do, Claude?

What you gonna do, huh? RAYFORD: Hell, no. You must be crazy, n*gger. I'll kill you.

Oh, this is good. Break it up! Break it up! (CLAMORING)

(FIRES GUN) Sh*t! I'm getting ready to shoot somebody here, goddamn it.

I'm gonna shoot a motherf***er today. I ain't gonna forget this sh*t, you New York Cities. He started it.

Don't go to sleep, n*gger. Don't go to sleep, motherf***er. Don't go to sleep. I don't mess with nobody, all right? Knocking me down...

You know that! HOPPIN' BOB: F***ing knock me down in the dirt, fool.

DILLARD:
Hey, do you know what back to work means, boy? It means back to work! This ain't over, n*gger.

I don't give a f*** what he say, I'm gonna shoot your ass. That's right. Don't go to sleep! Don't you go to sleep. Don't you go to sleep. DILLARD: Keep it moving, boys. Keep it moving.

Well, we'll see who go to sleep.

Sh*t. Two gone! Two gone! Two running. MAN: Them New York City are on the run! HOPPIN' BOB: New York Cities on the run, boss!

(DOGS BARKING) CLAUDE: I know these trees all look alike, but this one is awful familiar.

Let me see that map. (BOTH PANTING)

You call this a map? What was Cookie smoking when he drew this? Cookie didn't draw it up. I drew it up.

You drew this? Ray, we out here in the middle of nowhere. Don't tell me you don't know where we're going!

I drew it up 'cause I knew your ass wouldn't come unless I had a map. Now, come on! Come on, Claude. Sh*t!

Wait up. Wait up.

Come on. There they go! HOPPIN' BOB: I got them, boss.

You all bring the dogs with me! Come on! Keep moving!

Come on! (GROANS) (WHISTLE BLOWING)

Come on. Come on!

Here they are, Superintendent. Tracked them all the way to the Tallahatchie. Well, that's quite a ways, isn't it?

Well, I'm glad you New York boys got to see some of our beautiful countryside while we got you down here.

Mae Rose! Honey, what you think we ought to do with these two to teach them a lesson, huh?

Um, a night in the hole. ABERNATHY: A night in the hole. Better make it a week.

RAYFORD:
Come on, now, I can only move so fast in this sh*t now. You all some hotshots, huh? You scared, scared.

RAYFORD:
F*** you all! Hey, Claude! What? You got a toilet in yours?

WILLIE:
That was the first time that Ray and Claude ran. But it sure wasn't the last. REPORTER ON RADIO: Japan suffers its most crushing defeat of the war.

General Douglas MacArthur... WILLIE: Years passed and the world went to war for a second time.

COOKIE:
Man, sit down, man! And while they was fighting for freedom on the outside,

why, we were dreaming about it on the inside. DILLARD: Camp 8 is for incorrigibles.

So whatever you done to get here, believe me, I'm not impressed. I've seen it all before. You probably noticed that we ain't got no fences here at Camp 8.

We don't need no fences, 'cause we got this here gun line. It runs from...

What the hell you doing, boy? What is your problem? Excuse me, boss, but the boy can't talk. Something wrong with his head.

Just can't get right, boss. Can't get right.

All right. We'll see how long he lasts. Now, where was I? We don't need no fences at Camp 8, boss.

Oh, now... What? We don't need no fences here at Camp 8, boss. The gun line, boss?

Yes. Yes. You prisoners are now inside the gun line. WILLIE: When Dillard found out that Claude was a baseball man,

he put him in charge of the team. That way when we lost, he could blame it on somebody else.

No. No, that's not it. (SIGHS)

You know... You know what? Try to teach them the finer points of the game, share my wisdom,

but do they listen? They damn sure don't learn. I'll tell you what. What you're dealing with is a total lack of talent.

Ain't nobody got no talent. Come on here, look, watch what I'm doing. Every year, Camp 12 wins the championship. Every year, they get to roast the victory pig. This year, I want that pig.

CLAUDE:
Jangle Leg, put it right to him, man. (CLAUDE WHOOPS)

Yeah! That's what... That's what I'm talking about. Radio! Yes! Who wants to hit next?

Come on, now. Find the card. Don't nobody want to hit? What, you wanna hit?

Hey, man, let Can't Get Right here have a swing. Him? Hey, come on, now. He can't be no worse than the rest of them boys.

Oh, Ray, l... Come on, let the boy have a swing. Go on, take a swing at that. Go on. Come on. Let's see what you can do.

Have a swing at the ball there, Can't Get Right. All right, put that bat in your hand, hold it real tight and take a nice swing. You gonna be all right.

Jangle Leg, a little easy on him. He's new, so we don't want to...

RAYFORD:
Yeah, don't try to hurt the man, you know? Take it easy on him.

RAYFORD:
Nice even swing there, Can't Get Right. Swing it now. Don't be scared of the ball.

(CLAUDE WHOOPS) Sh*t.

That wasn't bad. Put that on it. That... Yeah, that's fine. That might just been one of them,

you know, retard mistakes. Fine.

Put it right here. MAN 1: Put that ball in, Jangle Leg. MAN 2: Put a spin on it, baby. Crank it up.

RAYFORD:
Yeah, give him that tricky one. Aw, now, don't. Oh, sh*t. POKERFACE: Grab that baby!

Yeah, Can't Get Right. Man, that motherf***er can hit, man. CLAUDE: Welcome to the team!

She's just got it all going on. Damn.

ABERNATHY:
Hey, boy. Daddy. That's just like fresh water. Hey, my little girl.

Look like little Mae Rose done grown up. And out. That girl got gams.

ABERNATHY:
Well, how was the honeymoon? Tom, now you are going to stay for supper, aren't you? Oh, afraid not. I'm shipping out this afternoon.

Hey, boy, you're looking just a little bit too hard. Duh-duh, my ass. You better just, you know, take some of that play off your step.

Turn around, turn around before you have a little problem. It all right to glance occasionally, but you staring like you wanted to go up and just jam yours and start f***ing.

Go on, turn around, turn around. I'm keeping you out of some trouble. Paint the fence. Banks!

Get over here. I'll be right back. All right. Yeah? This is Stan Blocker, a scout for the n*gger leagues.

Negro leagues, actually. Right. Pittsburgh Crawfords. You ever hear of us?

We get the games on the radio sometime. We played down in Jackson yesterday. Heard a rumor you got a boy up here who can hit the ball a ton.

You must mean Can't Get Right. That's him right over there. Get your ass back here, boy! Can't Get Right? That's the kid's name?

Yep. Well, can I talk to him? Well, you could try, but you won't get too far. Why are you interested?

Crawfords are always looking for new talent. Maybe you haven't noticed, Mr. Blocker, but this here is a prison.

Oh, there are ways around that. Right, Sergeant? Oh... One never know.

Nice-looking squad.

Look at the way she glows. Oh, she is pretty, isn't she? Thanks, Mom.

And we're gonna have a baby. Oh, my goodness.

MAN:
Come on, Can't Get Right! Can't Get Right, no. No, you can't do that.

No, no, no. No! Can't Get Right, no, you can't do that, no. Let's keep what mind you got focused on the game.

Now, if you hit that ball like I know you can hit it, you just might be our ticket off this farm. Come on, now. Think victory pig.

The ball. Eye on the ball. Down there. The ball. Get up underneath that motherfucking... Do your thing!

Put some of that dumb-dumb strength on it. Come on, do that thing now. Come on, Can't Get Right. I'm right here with you.

RAYFORD:
We're gonna knock the sh*t right out of the team! Let's go!

RAYFORD:
That's right. That's what I'm talking about. Oh, sh*t! Don't...

Run! Run! Go! Run! Just haul ass! Run, n*gger, run!

CLAUDE:
Oh, that's our ticket, baby! That's our ticket off this farm!

You mark my words. In five years, there's gonna be a colored man playing in the majors. You think?

RAYFORD:
I don't think the world changed that much, Mr. Blocker. Maybe not yet, but it will. I'll be out of a job.

Damn, that's some tasty hootch. Yeah, well, it's amazing what Ray here can do with a couple of pounds of potato skins and some molasses.

Hey, tell me, Mr. Blocker, what do you think about our boy? Do you think he's got something? I think that boy could be the next Josh Gibson.

Is that right? Uh-huh. Well, it's getting late, boys. We've got a game in Memphis tomorrow.

Oh, well, what about us? Don't forget to mention us. Yeah, you know, 'cause we're kind of like his handlers, you know. We take care of everything for him.

Yeah, I'll put in a good word for you boys. All right. He can't function without us now. Okay. That's right. Yeah, you've done a good job with that boy.

Oh, thanks a lot. All right. We hands-on with him, you know. Okay. Yeah. All right. Take care. Have a nice day. Okay.

Yeah. Walked off smooth with my drink, didn't he? He sure did. I ain't gonna say nothing, though. Have a good day. Well, you all take care now.

RAYFORD:
Enjoy now. All right. COOKIE: Say, you all come on over here and... Yeah! Yeah, you all got something to drink over there? COOKIE: Hey, look what we got. Some of your stuff here, Rayford.

Can't Get Right, this is for you, baby!

What in the world? What?

Is Mae Rose all right? She's doing just fine. Well, what about the baby?

(BABY CRYING) He's a big 'un. He? It's a boy. Honey, it's a boy.

(LAUGHS) Yeah, buddy! Let me see that boy. Where is that boy? Show me that grandboy.

(BABY COOING) Sergeant Dillard, I want every man in this camp on the line right now!

Right now! I mean right now! Bring them out here! Let me see them!

(EXCLAIMS IN DISGUST) Hope not. It was somebody in this camp. I can feel it in my bones.

Daddy, give me my baby back. MRS. ABERNATHY: Let's get in the car. Come on, honey.

What you laughing at, boy? You laughing at me? You know who the daddy of that chocolated baby is?

Huh? You do? Well, who is it? Speak up! It's my baby, boss.

He's lying. I'm the father of that baby, boss. Boss, I'm that baby's daddy.

Any fool can see that baby belongs to me. I wanna differ. That little rascal belong to me.

Proud to say, boss, I'm that baby's daddy. I be the pa, boss. I'm the pa of that there young 'un, boss.

I the pappy.

WILLIE:
That was the last we ever saw of Superintendent Abernathy and little Mae Rose.

To celebrate his departure, Camp 8 threw ourselves a little party.

Ray provided the moonshine and Claude managed to scare up some girls. Well, I wanted to come.

It wasn't quite the Boom-Boom Room, but it was close enough. (SLOW MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO)

Hey, come on now. Forget that, man. She don't mean nothing to him. Don't pay that no mind.

To hell with him. It ain't that. Hey, what's your problem?

Sitting around looking all sad and sh*t. It's almost all right in here today. Almost.

What's this?

This is a release form. Man, you're getting out this month, fool. What you sitting around looking all sad for? What am I gonna do out there, Ray?

I can't go home to my mama like this. Oh, man, that sh*t you're talking is crazy. Your mama gonna be happy to see you when you get home.

Not like this, Ray. Hey, look, the world done change a lot. It's 1945, boy.

Not for me, it ain't. Look, (SIGHS)

you can't stay here. That's for damn sure. I'll tell you what else. Anybody else in this whole place would give his right arm to be in your shoes right now.

I know I would.

Sh*t. F***ing release papers, sitting over here looking sad. Man, I ain't gonna sit here with your ass looking all sad.

You got the best news of the day, you sitting here looking sad. I'm gonna go over here on slow ground with this sheep. You cheer up. You're going home, all right?

Hey, man, that's good news, now. Come on, now, you're going home. You gonna smile or something? There you go. All right, n*gger.

I'll see you in a minute.

Where you going, Biscuit? Ho! DILLARD: Where you going, boy?

Don't do that! Do it! Don't do that. Don't do that. Hold it right there! Hey! You do that. Biscuit. Come on back!

Biscuit! MAN:
Man over the line! Hey, come on back! Sh*t!

Come on, Jangle Leg! Come on, J. Come on, now.

(HUMMING) I got Chicago! Goldmouth, I got Chicago!

Yeah? Come on, fellas. Where you going? Yeah, why are you all dressed up?

What's this? F***ing sh*t going on?

Blocker! Blocker, what's going on here? The kid's getting out. I got him a pardon.

What about me and Ray? I didn't see our names on that pardon. You said you was gonna put in a good word for us.

Hey, I did. I mentioned you. I mentioned both of you. The fact is,

pardons don't come cheap. And that kid can hit. What can you guys do? What can we... Man, we're the one who work with...

Work with him night and day on that game. Claude, forget it, man. Just let the whole thing go. I'm not gonna let it go, Ray. No, I'm not, okay?

The man said he was gonna put in a good word. Explain! Explain yourself! At least the kid's getting out. That's what you wanted, right?

Yeah, of course. Okay.

You show them Crawfords how to play ball. Make them throw you strikes.

Go. You're a free man.

CLAUDE:
It's all right.

Come on, son. GOLDMOUTH: Hit that ball, boy.

RADIO:
We'll miss you, Can't Get Right. COOKIE: Play hard.

RADIO:
We'll catch you on the radio. All right. So that's that. Look, one of the new boys told me they're farming that land up there by the swamp.

He said he seen a crop-duster flying around... I'm not in the mood right now, Ray. They keep the crop-duster behind the barn. It can't be that hard to fly a plane. Lots of people do it, Claude.

They're called pilots, Ray. I'm serious. I'm not in the mood for one of your f***ed up plans right now. Well, I don't hear you coming up with no plan, n*gger!

My plan is on his way to Pittsburgh right now, Ray. Can't Get Right just got himself a pardon

signed by the governor, thanks to us. But we can't seem to do nothing for ourselves. Don't you feel a little frustrated right now, Ray?

Crop-duster. I'm not getting in no airplane with you.

You know, I'm finally wrapping my mind around this whole concept. Oh, really? What concept is that?

They threw us in this shithole for life, Ray. Don't you get it? We're gonna die here! We might as well head up to the cemetery,

pick a plot and start digging. Now, let me tell you something. My daddy died in a place like this because of that sh*t you're talking.

He gave up hope and hung himself. And I ain't going out like that, Claude. Well, maybe you're fooling yourself, Ray.

Maybe you're just a chip off the old block. Man, you're gonna take that back or we ain't friends no more.

News flash, Ray, we ain't never been friends. We've just been stuck together for 12 years.

It's been nothing but pure hell since the moment I ran into you, Ray. Every time I look at you, I get sick to my stomach

thinking what my life could have been if I never ever bumped into Ray Gibson. All right, boy, you better slow down, 'cause you're fixing to say something you're gonna regret.

You better just quiet down, n*gger. Only thing I regret is the day I met you, Ray.

Well, that's the way it is, huh? Yeah. Yeah, that's the way it is. Well, I ain't got nothing else to say to your ass then.

Thank you! WILLIE: Now if you ask me, when Can't Get Right left Camp 8,

a piece of Claude left with him. And with Ray and Claude not talking,

the place felt a little harder. A little colder. (R&B MUSIC PLAYING)

MAN ON RADIO:
The war, at last, is over.

I have a dream today... ...be the greatest. I am the king of the world.

And it's time for you and me to fight for ourselves.

I'll see you all in New York City! Hey, hey! Whoa, sh*t!

HOPPIN' BOB: Get on in there.

It would be an honor... Over, 11... ...of the United States.

WILLIE:
Round about 1972, I got transferred to the infirmary.

And those two fools was still at it.

But no matter how tough a man is, he spends enough time on this farm, he'll find his breaking point.

It could be triggered by any little thing, a face, a voice, even a smell.

White only pies.

Man over the line!

That boy went crazy.

You comfortable? As a pair of fur-lined bedroom slippers.

That's very amusing. Well, we'll see how them slippers feel after let's say about 24 hours.

I need a volunteer. Gibson. Stand up.

I'll make you trustee right now. If that pie-eating sumbitch steps off them bottles,

if so much as one toe hit that dirt, I want you to shoot him right in his ass.

I want you to kill him. I want you to shoot him dead. You do that, I swear to God, you're a free man.

Hell, I'll walk you out the gate myself. What do you say?

You know, I got to be honest with you here, boss. You don't want to give me that gun, 'cause I'd probably shoot you with it.

That was the wrong answer, boy. You're a fool. I would have taken that deal.

I beg your pardon. You say something to me? I would have knocked you off them bottles, put a bullet in your ass,

and be halfway to New York right now. Well, my goodness, after all these years of blissful silence,

I forgot how annoying the sound of your voice is. Ray, I hope you don't think I owe you anything.

'Cause I don't owe you a damn thing. Well, I ain't do nothing for you to owe me nothing. Sh*t. What you got I ain't got? I did it for me.

Boy, I'm a man, goddamn it. I ain't no motherfucking bootlicking trustee. You gonna make me fall off of this sh*t talking to your ass.

Oh, it's about being poised, Ray. Just poise yourself. Poise, my ass.

Look here, Ray. Sorry to hear about your mama passing.

Yeah, about five years ago. Thank you. I know, but since we're talking, I thought I'd mention it.

No, we're not talking, you're talking. And doing a little bit too much of it. You know, every time you start talking, I almost fall...

Were you... Would you stop wobbling like... Just don't say nothing else to me! You about to make me fall, Ray. Then hold still and don't say nothing.

Oh! See now, one of my toes in the bottle. Damn it, Ray. Sh*t.

(BOTH CHUCKLING)

What you laughing about, Ray? What's so funny? Just thinking about you running with them bullets flying

all over your top of your head. That's something to see, there. That was a sight to see, n*gger. The bullets weren't the problem, Ray.

That pie was too hot. It burned my damn tongue.

Oh, Ray, it sure is good talking to you again.

Good talking to you, too. Come on, let's move! We got 14 acres of land to clear today.

Let's go! Gibson! Banks! Get your sorry asses over here. HOPPIN' BOB: Come on, move it.

Every morning, I wake up praying that Ray Gibson and Claude Banks have died in their sleep.

And every morning, you disappoint me. BOTH: Sorry... Sorry, boss. That's all right.

You two got 15 minutes to clear out your lockers. The both of you have been transferred to the Superintendent's mansion.

And I, for one, won't miss you.

HOPPIN' BOB: All right, shut up, boy! Well...

Here's your medicine, Mr. Wilkins. My pills. Thank you, Claude. Oh, you're welcome.

Oh, yard boy! This myrtle could use some attention.

Perhaps some fertilizer would restore its exuberance.

Get your ass to work. Claude, tell me what you think of this place.

It's one of these new retirement communities they built down on the Gulf.

I figure I ought to try to enjoy myself what few years I got left. Yeah.

Well, let's take a look at this. My eyesight ain't what it once was, there. Oh, this is nice here.

Ocean views. Palm trees.

Two heated swimming pools! Oh, it sounds a damn sight better than that

infirmary across the way, where I'm gonna end up, I'll tell you that. Oh, yeah, I'll tell you that.

Claude. I must apologize, Claude. That was rude of me.

Oh, that's all right, boss. Takes more than some colorful brochure to hurt my feelings.

You've been on the farm for quite a spell, haven't you? Over 40 years now. Me and Ray Gibson out there.

Forty years. That's a long time for any crime, even murder.

It's a hell of a lot longer when you're innocent. Half the men in this prison swear they're innocent, Claude.

Don't you think that's kind of funny? Well, you'll have to forgive me if I don't laugh.

Excuse me.

What you looking at, Ray? Mmm.

Just what the f*** you looking at, Ray? You know, I noticed that... I noticed you and Mr. Wilkins

been mighty, mighty friendly, lately. What, you all wanna be, a new couple or something? Kiss my ass, Ray. Okay?

Mr. Wilkins is just an old man that like to talk. That's all that is, Ray. That's all that is.

Oh, yeah. You all like to talk. Well, I'm lonely and I like to talk, too. Well, what you wanna talk about, Ray?

Huh? What you wanna talk about? N*gger, I wanna talk about the plan you've been working on. I ain't working on no plan, Ray!

I know you. And I know when you got something brewing. I know it.

What I got brewing? What I got brewing, Ray? You tell me! You done lost your damn mind, Ray.

N*gger, I don't care what you believe. I don't care what you believe. I don't care what you believe. 'Cause I know you got something up your sleeve, n*gger.

You think I'm gonna stay up arguing with you all night? You're cutting into my sleeping time, okay? Then go to sleep, n*gger. Kiss my ass and good night.

Go to sleep, n*gger. And I hope it's the long one. Yeah, Ray. Why you so concerned about me going to sleep? Good night. Good night, Ray. I'm gonna go to sleep!

Why don't you go to sleep? Why for I can't just sit here and look at your ass? And wonder what you got up your sleeve.

Yeah, I got something brewing. I got a ass-whooping brewing for you, Ray, if you don't stop f***ing with me. Oh, is that right?

That's right, Ray. All right. Sleep tight, n*gger. F*** you. RAYFORD: Yeah. F*** you, too.

Yeah, I hope your ass piss the bed with that weak-ass bladder of yours. Yeah, well, if I do, if I do... Then I'll put the sheets on you.

How do you like that? (SINGING)

Now, just where the hell you think you're going? Mr. Wilkins's driver got the flu, and he asked me to fill in for him.

How the hell you gonna fill in for somebody? You can't drive! You ain't got no driver's license. You ain't drove in 40 years.

Don't he know you're taking his life into your hands having you drive? Shut up, Ray. I'm not gonna shut up. So, where the hell you supposed to be going?

Well, if you must know... Then I must know. I got to know, n*gger. What's up? Greenville. Pick up the new superintendent at the bus station.

Well, what's with the old pretty suit? Who are you supposed to be, Harry Belafonte? Well, I look very dapper, very debonair, don't I?

Now, don't touch this car. Touch it? I'll piss on the motherf***er. I ain't gonna touch it. I'll piss on it.

Why you got to say nasty sh*t, Ray? 'Cause I'm a nasty motherf***er.

You know, I trust you, Claude. I hope so. Be right back.

(WOMEN LAUGHING)

(CHILDREN LAUGHING)

What the f***?

Well, naturally, I had to get set down next to your proverbial hypochondriac,

middle-aged fat lady with a goddamn wart on her nose, hair growing out of it, for Christ's sakes.

And I'll tell you, I got to know her goddamn gall bladder like the back of my goddamn hand.

Claude. Mr. Pike, Claude. There you go, boy.

Come on, Claude. It's time to go. Let me get that for door you. You just stretch out.

RAYFORD:
Are you sure? You're sure it was him? CLAUDE: Some faces you just don't forget. Warren Pike is one of them.

All right. Whoa. Hold it. Oh...

Here we go. Got a bird!

That's quite a haul, huh, Claude? What do you say, Mr. Pike? You about ready to call it a day?

(WATCH CHIMING) PIKE: Yeah. It's getting late. And I sure as hell could use a nice hot bath.

Hey, that's... That a mighty fine timepiece you got there, Mr. Pike. Even play a fancy tune, huh?

Yeah, it's special. They don't make them like that anymore. Oh, I bet they don't.

You wouldn't mind if I asked you where you got that from, would you? My wife gave it to me on our anniversary some years back.

Uh-huh. About 40 year back?

Forty years. Yeah, something like that. She give you that scar on your face, too?

I ought to kill you for that remark, boy. What's going on here? Well, I think I might just have to teach this uppity n*gger a lesson in manners.

Ray, now, be cool. You're gonna get us in a lot of trouble now. He's right, Gibson. You put that gun down or I'm gonna have to shoot you.

Well, then we about to be some shot-up motherfuckers here. Now, wait a minute. Don't nobody shoot nobody. Ray, now, I wanna see this son of a b*tch dead, just like you.

Okay? But I don't wanna see you go down with him. Ray, give me the gun. Come on, now. Give me the gun. Hey, Claude, he got my daddy's watch!

He killed Winston Hancock! Don't listen to him, Wilkins. He's crazy. Gibson, I want you to stop now. Think about what you're saying.

I know just what I'm saying! That watch was the only thing my daddy ever give me and he got it! Tell him what you did! Is there any truth in what this man is saying?

What the hell difference does it make? At least the state of Mississippi got 40 years of cheap labor out of the deal.

Motherf***er, you done took our lives away from us. Give me the gun, Ray. I'm gonna kill this motherf***er myself. No, no, no. Oh, no, I wanna...

WILKINS:
Put it down, Pike! I got an aim on him, Ray!

I believe this belongs to me.

(CHIMING)

My daddy's watch. We were walking back. A bird came out low on our left. I swung on it.

Mr. Pike walked directly in my line of fire. Well, where were the two convicts when the shot was fired?

They were loading up the truck, I believe. They'd gone on ahead. Why don't he just tell him the truth?

What? He know don't nobody want to hear the truth. He gonna tell them what they want to hear. I don't know, Ray. I'll come by in the morning. We'll talk, okay? Okay.

Thank you, Deputy. Thank you.

Here he comes. I think they bought it. One of the deputies is a member of my church.

Gibson, I don't think there's any way that

I could... Claude...

There's no way to make up for 40 years.

I'll get Charlie (SIGHS) to draw up your pardon papers in the morning.

Would you mind helping me upstairs? Yeah. Sure, boss. I'm not your boss.

I'm not your boss. Not anymore.

JAKE:
So, Ray and Claude get their pardons, right? No, they ain't get their pardons, man. If they got their pardons way back then,

we wouldn't be burying them here today, would we? Oh, yeah, that's right. Damn. What happened

is Old Man Wilkins never come out of the bathroom. Sit right there and died on the shitter.

That must've been pretty messed up for them, man. What happened to them after that, old-timer?

Let's see. What happened after that? Oh, yeah! They got old.

(CHUCKLES) Sh*t. We all got old.

And getting out took on a whole new meaning. Looks like Jonesy got his walking papers.

Yeah. There he go. Over to the morgue, up the hill to the cemetery.

Whoo! Boy, I tell you what, Claude, you were right when you said what you said. You said we wasn't never gonna get out of this place.

And you were right. You said the only way we were gonna get out of here through the morgue and the cemetery.

And you were right. 'Cause we right here. Right here, right now. Yeah, I remember my saying that.

We next. I mean, let's be real. We're next. We're on deck.

You like baseball? We're on deck. On deck for what? For what? That upper room, n*gger.

(SINGING) The upper room When Jesus

You know where that is? The upper room them motherfuckers be singing about? The upper room Yeah, that's right. I'll tell you what.

You die first, I'm gonna sing at your funeral. I'm gonna just bust up in the motherf***er and go the upper room, let them shoot me.

I don't give a f*** if they take me out singing that motherf***er. You're crazy, Ray. Hell, yeah.

Friend. Yeah. We next.

RAY:
I'm gonna wanna be at the game. I'm on a roll now. Come on. (SINGING)

Two Percodan, baby. There you go. Give me what you got. I'll raise you.

Yo, what the f*** are those? It helps keep the cholesterol down.

Yo, old man, do I look like I give a damn about my cholesterol right now? Come on, now.

You want a bump, G? No, I don't want none of that sh*t. That's right. I wouldn't put that in my nose if I was you.

You know how they get it in here, don't you? You tell them how they get it in here. People smuggle it in here in their ass. CLAUDE: Yeah. I ain't lying.

I know it's true. I know the motherf***er that bring it in here. That come out of somebody's a**hole, so go on, enjoy.

Oh, man, whatever. Yeah, I know if I got to get high, I got to smell some sh*t, I ain't gonna have it, man. That ain't high. That's low.

That cocaine, heroin, marijuana, all that sh*t, bring it all in there. In their ass. CLAUDE: I hope they don't get it in there.

That's right. Look like it's up to you, ass-sniffer. Okay, boys! Come and get it. Jell-O.

Jell-O, Jell-O! Jell-O pudding. Yeah, come on, wait. Let's play one more hand. No, Ray, I'm gonna go get a bite of Jell-O.

Come on, now. You all gonna take all my money and go run off 'cause the nurse happens to say, "Jell-O." I don't want no Jell-O, goddamn it.

No, I ain't said nothing about the Jell-O. Look, I was thinking about what we talked about this afternoon.

I think I got a plan. You got a plan? Yeah. I'm a visionary on this one.

You got it all worked out, huh? I think I really do. Well, look now. Any plan you got, I don't even wanna hear 'cause I know it's f***ed up.

All f***ed up. Well, if you don't wanna believe me, you don't wanna believe me then, Ray. I'm too old. I ain't got no time for no plan. I'm 90 years old, Claude.

You know, I never thought I'd see the day that old Ray Gibson give up hope. Never thought I'd see... Say what now?

I said, I never thought I'd hear the day that old Ray Gibson give up hope. Give up, give up hope. Never I thought...

N*gger, I ain't giving up no motherfucking hope. I'm keeping it real, like them n*ggers in here, keep it real. It's real. Ain't nobody give up nothing.

But you know what? You'd probably slow me down anyway. Said which? You'd only slow me down.

N*gger, you must be higher than a motherf***er if you think I'm gonna slow your slow ass down. I got a plan. Claude, well, I'll tell you what, f*** your plan.

Hey, come on, Lou. Cover that up. Don't nobody want to see that sh*t. Put your drawers on or something. Oh, Lord, Lou, cover it up.

And don't touch it. Put your hands away. That turn my stomach. I don't even want no Jell-O now, after I seen them old-ass balls.

Who gonna want some Jell-O? Who gonna enjoy Jell-O after I seen what I've seen? I don't even want no Jell-O now. Lou ruin my stomach now.

I gotta sit there and look at Lou.

WOMAN:
Anybody seen Claude? Did Claude come out there yet, Willie? Claude come out here yet? He ain't come out, Ray,

and I've been sitting here the whole time and he ain't come out. Claude has died, God.

Where you going? Don't go there. Don't go, Ray. Don't, Ray! Well, don't go! Ray!

Come on, now! Hey! I'm free. Claude! NURSE: Ray, you can't go in there. Ray! Come back!

Claude! NURSE:
Ray, get out of there! Claude! Claude! Claude!

Ray and Claude!

BURKE:
So, how did it start? INSPECTOR: Probably old wires. The place was a tinderbox just waiting to go.

I guess we should have torn this old building down a long time ago. Now, Gibson made it this far before he was probably overcome by smoke.

From the looks of the thing, Banks didn't even make it out of bed.

LEON:
You really bummed me out. That's a terrible story.

Yo? N*gger, you crying? What? Oh, no, I... I got allergies and... I'm cool.

Oh, my God, man. Hey. Ain't nothing wrong with a man crying every now and again.

Listen, man, what was Claude's plan, anyway? See, Claude figured

he could steal a couple of bodies from the morgue, right? That way when he set the infirmary on fire,

in all the commotion, him and Ray could just slip right onto them fire engines, see? Hide out.

Wait until the morning. And roll right on out with them. You see? That way when they find the two bodies, they think it was them.

Well, what makes you think that ain't work?

I never said it didn't work. Wait, you mean to tell me that this is not Ray and Claude in these two boxes?

(CHUCKLES) Well, is it, old man?

Hey, old-timer, is it? (LAUGHING)

COMMENTATOR:
The New York Yankees have not lost a series at home all year long, here in the Bronx. So, Tom, when you figure it out altogether, you know,

this is the first time these teams have squared off at Yankee Stadium. Oh!

See? Yeah, I like that. You feel a part of this baseball game, don't you? They only get one out of me, though, today.

Now, we were arguing about something. Okay? I didn't appreciate when you had said something about...

You had just said that I was... You said that...

You know what? Hell with it. It's a hell of a day for a ball game. Yankees on fire.

Yes, the motherf***er's kicking ass. Which one the Yankees? Well, the ones up at the mound.

Go, go, go, you! Run, mother... That's the Yankees, right there.

Which one's that there? That's the Yankees right there, Ray. It was a perfect plan, Ray. We out. RAYFORD: What was so perfect about the sh*t?

It took 65 years to come up with it. Oh, hell, Ray. Why can't you just say thank you? You want me to say thank you. Thank you.

And kiss my ass, too. See, that's gonna get you hurt. That kind of talk... Hey, you know, you won't say that back in the penitentiary.

RAYFORD:
I'll go back right now! What? Well, then, go! Well, then, let's go, Ray. Hold my frank.

Well, come on. Help a n*gger out, man. Sh*t, don't be having me stand out in this cold. I got your b*tch would be standing... I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

You f*** around with me, there's gonna be consequences and repercussions. What's repercussions? Uh-oh.

(CELL PHONE RINGING) Hold on, let me get that. Yeah, well, I know it's 1932.

Yeah, I'm the first one to have this. Yeah. Hey, Mudhead. Hey, watch.

Sh*t, almost got stung by a bee. You was scared, huh? Don't be scared.

Don't be scared, and don't laugh, either, 'cause it ain't funny. That boy got God-given talent.

God made his... (CHUCKLING) What's wrong? The moustache too big?

He gave up hope and he hung himself because of this f***ing airplane that's coming over. Then we have to loop all this sh*t. I ain't looping sh*t.

We either get it now, or not at all! My name Jangle Leg, Jangle Leg.

You know, you think that funny? (BOTH LAUGHING)

Stop it, man. I'm sorry, sorry. My bad. Hey, this ain't my daddy's watch.

(R&B MUSIC PLAYING)

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