Malcolm X Page #38

SIDNEY:

All day since you and Betty left.

Brother Minister, I have to level

with you. They gave me a mission.

But I couldn't do it. I love y'all.

MALCOLM:

What mission?

SIDNEY:

To wire your car so it would explode

when you turned the ignition. The

Ministers say you are spreading

untruths about the Messenger. The

Ministers say you are a great

hypocrite, Judas, Benedict Arnold.

The Ministers say your tongue should

be cut out and delivered to the

Messenger's doorstep.

MALCOLM:

What does Sidney say?

SIDNEY:

I'm with you, Brother Minister.

MALCOLM:

No. You'll be marked for death.

SIDNEY:

Let me die then.

MALCOLM:

I won't let myself come between you

and your father. Go home.

SIDNEY:

You're my father.

MALCOLM:

And don't come back.

Sidney reluctantly leaves, walks out the door, past Betty.

She looks at him, then Malcolm.

INT. HOTEL THERESA - DAY

Malcolm -- backed by Brothers Earl and Benjamin 2X -- faces

a roomful of SUPPORTERS and REPORTERS.

MALCOLM:

Because 1964 threatens to be a very

explosive year on the racial front,

and because I myself intend to be

very active in every phase of the

American Negro struggle for HUMAN

RIGHTS, I have called this press

conference, this morning in order to

clarify my own position in the

struggle -- especially in regards to

politics and nonviolence. In the

past I thought the thoughts, spoke

the words of the Honorable Elijah

Muhammad, that day is over. From now

on I speak my own words, and think

my own thoughts. Internal differences

within the Nation of Islam forced me

out of it. I did not leave of my own

free will. But now that it has

happened, I intend to make the most

of it. Now that I have more

independence of action, I intend to

use a more flexible approach toward

working with others to get a solution

to this problem. I do not pretend to

be a divine man, but I do believe in

divine guidance, divine power, and

in the fulfillment of divine prophecy.

I am not educated, nor am I an expert

in any particular field, but I am

sincere, and my sincerity is my

credentials. I'm not out to fight

other Negro leaders or organizations.

We must find a common solution, to a

common problem. I am going to organize

and head a new mosque in New York

City, known as the Muslim Mosque,

Inc. This gives us a religious base,

and the spiritual force necessary to

rid our people of the vices that

destroy the moral fiber of our

community. Our political philosophy

will be black nationalism. Our

economic and social philosophy will

be black nationalism. The Muslim

Mosque, Inc. will remain wide open

for ideas and financial aid from all

quarters. Whites can help us, but

they can't join us. There can be no

black-white unity until there is

first some black unity.

A host of questions fired all at once: How many of Elijah's

followers will join you? etc, etc, etc.

Malcolm calms them:

MALCOLM:

There is one further preparation I

need. It is a return to the source

of our great religion. I will make a

pilgrimage to Mecca.

EXT. JFK AIRPORT - DAY

Malcolm, at the window, as his plane takes off. He is watching

Betty and the children on the Visitors' Ramp. He sees her

become a tiny figure, waving a vivid bandana.

EXT. VISITORS RAMP - DAY

The plane is out of sight. Betty gathers up her children. As

they leave she is subtly surrounded by the protecting BAND

OF SUPPORTERS, led by Earl and Benjamin 2X.

MECCA - THE PILGRIMAGE MALCOLM GREETED AS HE DESCENDS FROM

THE PLANE IN EGYPT

MALCOLM'S VOICE

My darling Betty. Everywhere I go I

am welcomed as the representative of

our people.

SHOT OF CIA AGENT

He watches as Malcolm walks between the two pyramids.

MALCOLM'S VOICE

Our fight is known and respected

worldwide. Incidentally, there's a

little white man who follows me

wherever I go.

SHOT OF MALCOLM:

On a camel as he rides toward the Sphinx.

MALCOLM'S VOICE

I wonder who he's working for? If I

was a betting man, I'd say CIA. What's

your guess?

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