Malcolm X Page #12

MALCOLM:

Oh, sit down, man. What you tasting?

I'm buying.

ARCHIE:

I ain't drinking hot piss with you.

Come on, Sam.

SAMMY:

Be right there.

Archie goes.

SAMMY:

Twenty-two years he didn't never

forget no number.

MALCOLM:

Got to be a first time, daddy-o.

SAMMY:

He gonna, check the collector he

turn into. His rep is on the line,

boy, and so's yours. If you lying,

one of you is dead.

MALCOLM:

Ain't gonna be this mother.

Sammy goes.

MALCOLM:

Come on, sweetlips, I got us some g-

i-r-l, girl. Let's you and me fly.

EXT. ONYX CLUB - NIGHT

The well-known 52nd Street nightspot features Billie Holiday.

A stand-up cutout of her is outside.

INT. ONYX CLUB - NIGHT

This is a plush nightclub, with a mixed black and white

AUDIENCE. Some of the hustlers from Small's are in evidence.

CLOSE - BILLIE

Lady Day starts into "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT LOVE IS."

ANGLE - TABLE

Malcolm and Sophia high as a kite and on the town.

CLOSE - ARCHIE

He makes his way toward Malcolm's table. There is murder in

his eyes.

ANGLE - TABLE

ARCHIE:

You're a damn liar.

CLOSE - ARCHIE

ARCHIE:

You _took_ me, you bastard, and now

I'm taking you.

ANGLE - TABLE

MALCOLM:

It's me or you, ain't it, Pops?

ARCHIE:

You know it.

MALCOLM:

I'll give you back the 600.

ARCHIE:

I don't want your money.

MALCOLM:

I'm wearing, Archie.

ARCHIE:

There's two guns on you.

His eyes gesture. Malcolm looks:

MALCOLM'S POV

Sammy at the nearby bar: his hand in his coat pocket.

CLOSE - ARCHIE

His hand is also in his pocket.

MALCOLM:

And every cat's watching, ain't they?

It's a toe-down.

ARCHIE:

That's what it is. Walk on out.

MALCOLM:

Let Billie finish.

ARCHIE:

Now.

Archie backs away from the table, his gun on Malcolm.

ANGLE. As Sammy moves a step toward Malcolm, Malcolm rises

in his seat.

SOPHIA:

You had the number.

MALCOLM:

Baby, I got to let this old man win.

Keep the faith, and tell Billie I'll

see her later.

CLOSE - BILLIE

She knows what's going on.

ANGLE - Sammy and Archie are walking behind Malcolm, when he

pushes a waitress into their path with drinks flying

everywhere, Malcolm darts away.

INT. ENTRANCE TO THE TOILET

He races into the men's room.

ANGLE. Archie and Sammy run after him.

INT. MEN'S ROOM - NIGHT

There is an open window. Archie is leaning out, looking both

ways.

EXT. OUTSIDE THE MEN'S ROOM WINDOW - NIGHT FROM ARCHIE'S POV

A tiny alleyway. No one is visible.

ARCHIE:

The dirty yellow rat bastard.

INT. MENS ROOM - NIGHT

SAMMY:

Don't push it. You way ahead. You

back on top. That boy loves you,

man.

ARCHIE:

What you say?

SAMMY:

He gave it to you, Archie. He did.

EXT. THE STREET - NIGHT

Malcolm comes running out of an alleyway and onto the street.

He stops to catch his breath, to regain his composure. He is

shook up, frustrated, but mostly saddened. He then runs down

the block and into a CLOSEUP.

INT. LITTLE HOUSE - LANSING MICHIGAN - NIGHT (REMEMBERED

TIME) - FINAL FLASHBACK

CLOSE - EARL

Earl is sitting up in bed, he wakes his sleeping wife Louise,

next to her is a baby in a crib, another child. Malcolm sleeps

between Earl and her.

ANGLE - HOUSE

Outside the house are 5 members of THE BLACK LEGION. They

are dressed in the style of the KKK, but in black sheets

rather than white. WE SEE gasoline cans being passed around.

EARL:

Somebody out there. Wake the children.

Earl starts to put on his overalls and reaches for his gun

which sits on a nearby chair when an explosion of flames

greets the house.

EARL:

Everybody out. OUT! OUT! Get the

kids.

ANGLE - CHILDREN'S BEDROOM

Flames roar through the room and the Little kids are

hysterical. Louise rushes in and pushes them past the fire,

she has infant in hand covered in a blanket.

CLOSE - EARL

EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT

Rate this script:4.0 / 7 votes