Malcolm X Page #27

ANGLE. As they saunter out, passing the huge skeletons of

prehistoric animals now.

BETTY:

Could we sit down someplace?

MALCOLM:

I'm sorry. I've had you on your feet

for hours.

BETTY:

You've been on your feet for days.

And didn't even finish your salad.

INT. SODA FOUNTAIN - DAY

WAITER:

You're the strawberry soda and you're

the hot fudge sundae.

He plunks down the order before Betty and Malcolm. Malcolm

takes a long, long satisfying pull on his straw. Then he

sighs:

MALCOLM:

That's something I haven't done in

fifteen years.

BETTY:

What?

MALCOLM:

Sat down with a pretty girl and had

an ice cream soda.

BETTY:

How do you like it?

MALCOLM:

Delicious.

She laughs. He blushes.

MALCOLM:

Let's talk about you for a change.

BETTY:

There's nothing to talk about.

MALCOLM:

Oh, yes, there is. I know a lot about

you. Brother Bembry briefed me.

BETTY:

Oh? Purely scientific interest I'm

sure.

MALCOLM:

(a beat)

You're from Detroit, near where I

come from. You majored in education

at Tuskegee. You're studying nursing

and having trouble with your family.

BETTY:

I can handle it.

MALCOLM:

They want you to quit the Muslims or

they won't pay your tuition, isn't

that it?

BETTY:

You have enough worries of your own.

MALCOLM:

No, good Sisters are rare. We need

every one. Tell me something: how

tall are you?

BETTY:

Why do you ask?

MALCOLM:

Just an idle question.

BETTY:

If it's just idle, I won't answer

it.

She takes a bite of her sundae.

BETTY:

But Brother Bembry says I'm tall

enough for a tall man.

MALCOLM:

How old are you, Betty?

BETTY:

There's a few things you don't know

about women, Brother Malcolm. They're

possessive and vain.

MALCOLM:

Are you?

BETTY:

And dogged when I set my mind to

something.

MALCOLM:

What have you set your mind to?

BETTY:

Being a good Muslim, a good nurse

and a good wife.

Malcolm takes a good look at the lovely woman in front of

him, then a long sip from his ice cream soda.

SIDNEY'S VOICE

Brother Malcolm.

Betty sees him first.

BETTY:

It's Sidney.

ANGLE. As Sidney runs to them at the table:

SIDNEY:

Brother Johnson was attacked by the

cops.

A MAN'S VOICE

There was a scuffle. The Brother was

watching.

EXT. SIDE STREET IN HARLEM - P.M.

Malcolm listening as SEVERAL WITNESSES simultaneously describe

the attack. A small angry CROWD has gathered. The most

animated one is BENJAMIN, a very dark young black teenager,

we will soon meet him later.

BENJAMIN:

The cop says, "Move on."

MAN:

The Brother didn't scatter fast enough

for the ofay.

CLOSE - MALCOLM

BENJAMIN:

Crack. He bled like a stuck hog.

MAN:

Watcha gonna do?

VOICE FROM THE CROWD

(deprecatingly)

He'll rap a little. He's a Muslim.

And make a speech.

ANOTHER VOICE FROM CROWD

Muslims talk a good game, but they

never do nothing, unless somebody

bothers Muslims.

Malcolm's face goes taut. He nods sharply at Sidney, as

Benjamin watches them both.

MALCOLM'S VOICE

I demand to see Brother Johnson.

INT. POLICE STATION - LATE P.M.

Malcolm facing a DESK SERGEANT, TWO UNIFORMED COPS and a

PLAINCLOTHESMAN off to one side.

SERGEANT:

Who the hell are you?

MALCOLM:

I'm from Muslim Temple 7.

COP:

Never heard of you.

MALCOLM:

Where is he?

The police respond with a squeeze play intended to intimidate

Malcolm:

Rate this script:4.0 / 7 votes