Malcolm X Page #26

BEMBRY:

I'm sure we can. This is a new sister,

Sister Betty.

Malcolm nods at her; she nods in return.

BEMBRY:

The Sister lectures our Muslim women

in hygiene and diet.

Malcolm mutters "very good," but his mind is clearly on a

million other details.

BEMBRY:

The Sister stresses care of the body

and regular eating habits.

Malcolm is still distracted.

BETTY:

The Sister wonders if the Brother

knows what Harriet Tubman did between

taking souls to the Promised Land?

Malcolm is stopped. He looks at Betty.

MALCOLM:

What?

BETTY:

She ate.

Malcolm laughs.

BETTY:

And the Sister suggests he put his

actions where his mouth is.

Malcolm's laughter is heard, in response.

INT. MUSLIM CAFETERIA - NIGHT TWO-SHOT - BETTY AND MALCOLM

MALCOLM:

Sure I'll speak to your class. But

I'm a hard man on women. You want to

know why?

BETTY:

If you want to tell me.

CUT TO:

EXT. ELIJAH'S GARDEN - DAY

Malcolm sits next to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. The

student and the teacher.

MALCOLM:

If you want to tell me.

ELIJAH:

Women are deceitful. They are

untrustworthy flesh. I've seen too

many men ruined or tied down or messed

up by women.

CUT BACK TO:

BETTY AND MALCOLM

Betty says nothing, she merely pushes the salad plate a little

toward him. The food has thus far gone untouched. Malcolm

continues.

CLOSE - MALCOLM

MALCOLM:

Women talk too much. To tell a woman

not to talk is like telling Jesse

James not to carry a gun or a hen

not to cackle. And Samson, the

strongest man that ever lived, was

destroyed by the woman who slept in

his arms.

BETTY:

Shall I tell my sisters that we oppose

marriage?

CUT TO:

CLOSE - ELIJAH

ELIJAH:

No. We are not Catholic priests. We

do not practice celibacy. If a woman

is the right height for a man, the

right complexion, if her age is half

the man's plus seven, if she

understands that man's essential

nature is strong and woman's weak,

if she loves children, can cook, sew

and stay out of trouble --

CUT TO:

CLOSE - BETTY

BETTY:

I think you've made your points,

Brother Malcolm.

MALCOLM:

What points?

BETTY:

That you haven't time for either

marriage or eating --

Malcolm chuckles a bit.

BETTY:

-- and that women aren't the only

ones who talk a lot.

Now he bursts out laughing.

CLOSE - BROTHERS SIDNEY AND EARL

They are alarmed at Brother Minister's behavior.

TWO-SHOT - BETTY AND MALCOLM

BETTY:

If you'll start eating, there is a

question I have. Go ahead. Start.

He takes a forkful of the salad.

BETTY:

Considering today's standards of

animal raising and curing meats, I

don't fully understand the restriction

on pork.

MALCOLM:

Let me explain. No. I'll do better

than that. I'll show it to you.

Scientifically. But it's demonstration

purely in the interest of science,

you understand?

BETTY'S VOICE

Yes, I understand, Brother Malcolm.

Purely scientific.

INT. MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY - DAY

Before a comparative evolutionary display showing the

skeletons of various animals, Malcolm is holding forth. Betty

is dressed in a vivid, becoming red dress.

MALCOLM:

Notice especially the claw, the jaw

and the skull formation. This is the

rat. This the mole. Here you have

the aardvark and the boar...

CLOSE ON THE SKELETONS

MALCOLM'S VOICE

...All members of the pig-rodent

family.

BETTY:

I see your point.

MALCOLM:

So it is not a matter of the breeding

conditions or preparation of the

meat. The meat itself is foul.

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