Malcolm X Page #33

BROTHER BENJAMIN

Tell it.

MALCOLM:

-- there's another one. The majority

of black Americans today are Field

Negroes. They don't talk about OUR

progress, about OUR government, OUR

navy, OUR astronauts. Hell, they

won't even let you near the plant.

INT. ELIJAH'S OFFICE - DAY

Bembry turns off the TV set and he commences to plant the

seeds of "betrayal."

CLOSE - BEMBRY

BEMBRY:

Your holy apostle, dear Messenger, I

am your true servant and the brothers

asked me to tell you Malcolm is

getting too much press. The brothers

think he thinks he is the Nation of

Islam, that he has aspirations to

lead the Nation. It was you who made

Malcolm the man he is. You lifted

him out of the darkness.

CLOSE - ELIJAH

ELIJAH:

Go and tell the brothers what Brother

Minister is doing, has done, has

been of great benefit to the Nation.

CLOSER - BEMBRY

BEMBRY:

Great benefit for himself.

BRIEF MONTAGE. THE RISE OF MALCOLM X

EXT. STREET - HARLEM - DAY

Malcolm is walking the streets of Harlem like he is

campaigning for office. He has Brothers Sidney, Earl, and

Benjamin at his side, a CROWD follows him. Malcolm sees a

WINO.

MALCOLM:

Brother Man, put that bottle down,

take that poison away from your lips.

That's what the devil wants you to

do, stay high, out of your natural

mind. I know, I've been there.

The wino looks at Malcolm and continues to drink his wine.

-- Malcolm emerges from a doorway to be met by an army of TV

REPORTERS armed with microphones. He walks; they follow.

-- Malcolm walking in Harlem, urging people to lift themselves

up, come to the meetings, etc.

INT. TEMPLE #7

Malcolm sits with Benjamin.

MALCOLM:

It's time you received your X. But

first you must copy this letter,

exactly as I give it to you; down to

the dotted "i's," crossed "t's,"

everything. And you must go on a

fast, just water and juices, that's

it.

CLOSE - BENJAMIN

He takes the letter from Malcolm and looks at it.

BENJAMIN:

I'll have it tomorrow.

MALCOLM:

Brother Benjamin, do not rush, it

has to be exact.

-- Benjamin goes off in a corner and very quickly copies the

letter, he's so anxious.

-- Benjamin hands Malcolm his letter, Malcolm shakes his

head and hands it back, it's not exact.

EXT. STREET - HARLEM - DAY

Malcolm is talking to a group of PEOPLE who are having a

rent strike.

MALCOLM:

When you live in a poor neighborhood,

you're living in an area where you

have poor schools.

CUTAWAY TO MALCOLM AND BENJAMIN

Malcolm hands him back his letter again. The fast is getting

to Benjamin.

MALCOLM:

When you have poor schools you have

poor teachers. When you have poor

teachers, you get a poor education.

CUTAWAYS TO THE DESPAIR OF HARLEM - SLUMS, TENEMENTS, GARBAGE,

RATS:

MALCOLM:

Poor education, you only work on

poor paying jobs and that enables

you to live again in a poor

neighborhood.

CUTAWAY TO BLACK FACES

MALCOLM:

So it's a very vicious cycle. We've

got to break it.

INT. MUSLIM CAFETERIA

Benjamin weakly walks toward Malcolm and gives him his letter,

which he takes. The fast is wearing him out.

CLOSE - MALCOLM

Malcolm is inspecting it.

CLOSE - BENJAMIN

His face is filled with apprehension.

ANGLE - MALCOLM AND BENJAMIN

MALCOLM:

You are now Benjamin 2X.

BENJAMIN 2X

All praises are due to Allah. Thank

you, Brother Minister.

MALCOLM:

Come, sit with us.

ANGLE - TABLE

Benjamin 2X sits with Malcolm and Brothers Earl and Sidney.

MALCOLM:

We are now sitting with Brother

Benjamin 2X.

EARL:

Allah Akbar.

SIDNEY:

You will be good.

BENJAMIN 2X

Brother Minister, can I have something

to eat?

Everyone laughs.

MALCOLM:

Let's get this man some food.

EXT. HARVARD SQUARE - DAY

A CROWD OF STUDENTS outside the Law School. The setting is

the same as the last time we saw Malcolm and Shorty here,

except now the students part for him. Malcolm walks slowly

toward the entrance, looking up at the Latin inscription of

the building when he is stopped by a WHITE COED.

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