Master Harold ... And the Boys

[Seagulls crying]

[Surf pounding]

[Distant band music]

[Dog barking]

[Trumpet announcing

over radio]

(male announcer)

You're listening

to Springbok radio

and this Is

the news at six.

The entire population

will be entered on

a central register

with separate classification

for whites, natives,

and coloreds.

Colored people are

also to be subdivlded

Into ethnic groups

Including Indian

and Chinese.

(female voice)

Do you really like it?

It's beautiful.

I think it's

going to better

than last year.

I want to finish it

today so that I can

practice in it.

Good idea.

(radio)

... 1957 and make

all central...

[kissing sounds]

You know I don't

stand for second best.

Me neither.

[Door opens

and closes]

(speaking foreign language)

(speaking foreign language)

[Flowing music

with drums]

[Male voice singing

In foreign language]

(male voice speaking

foreign language)

[Rumble of thunder]

[Male reporter

over radio]

Rain Is expected...

(female voice)

Hally, are you up yet?

[Sighing]

(speaking in

foreign language)

Hey Sam, you ready to

bring home the title?

He's a dancer,

not a fighter.

[Chatter]

Did you hear

about Verwoerd's

new policy?

Policy?

It's on the wireless.

Hendrik Verwoerd wants

to give our children

Bantu education

so they'll never be

more than kitchen boys

and street sweepers.

[Approaching bus]

[Chatter]

(driver)

Hey wena, full

up! No more.

[Angry mumbling]

(Winston)

Hey, Willie!

[chuckling]

What about you, Willie?

You ready for the

big day?

Hey Willie, I

know one of the

ballroom judges.

He's from

Motherwell Township.

Does he drink whiskey?

Maybe you

can take him

a case, Willie.

Haaikona, gents.

New Brighton must

win this one fair

and square.

Then we can't

rely on Willie.

[Laughter]

[Flowing music resumes]

Don't worry

about that one.

Willie, just remember

what I told you

the secret

is to make

it look easy.

Ballroom must

look happy.

Like, like romance.

I've got no romance left

for Hilda anymore, Boet Sam.

Then pretend.

Imagine H ilda

is Ginger Rogers.

With no teeth?

You try.

[Horn honking]

[Bus door opening]

[Shouting]

[Music from radio]

Use one dab

of Brylcreem

just a little dab

makes your hair

look excitingly...

(Betty)

Hally, you're going

to be late again I

[exasperated sigh]

Brylcreem...

[singing]

Brylcreem,

a little dab'll do yah

Brylcreem, you'll

look so debonair.

Brylcreem, the gals'll

all pursue yah

they love to get

their fingers In your...

I'm going, mum.

Okay. Where's

my kiss?

Ah, you're not

even dressed.

Bye, Hally. Have

you got your lunch?

[Door slams]

[Jazzy music,

males voices

unintelligible]

[Skidding tires]

(speaking foreign language)

Kom, kom, jullepasse!

Let me see your passes.

Waar's jou pas?

Here, baas.

Baie dankie baas.

H urry up.

Yes, Boss, I think

I have it.

(Gwigl)

Hey, Sam I You dropped

It on the busl

May I, Boss?

Ja.

Sorry, Boss.

Semela?

Yes, Boss.

That's a Basutu name.

Yes, Boss.

So what are you doing here

on the Eastern Cape?

Working, Boss.

I've got Section 10.

The paper's in

the back, Boss.

Okay.

[Soft thud]

[Young man laughing]

(Langeveldt)

Hey, Ballard I

That's my boy I

Must be hard to stand

on three legs when

you're pissed, hey.

Whoa!

Whoa!

That's my boy I

[laughter]

For his speech titled

"The greatest

adventure show on earth...

a drop of pond water

under the microscope"

Harold Ballard

That's my boy!

[Boys laughing]

Aren't you having

another drink, Harry?

He wasn't pissed.

Oh, yeah,

I'm sure

he wasn't.

(short boy)

How do you

spell gimp?

Lost his legs in the

Great War, huh, Hally?

Yeah.

Stupid cripple.

(Willie)

It's true, Boet Sam.

H ilda Samuels

is a b*tch!

Three nights now

she doesn't come

practice.

I wind up gramophone,

I get record ready,

and I sit and wait.

Ten o'clock I start

dancing with my pillow.

(Sam)

How's your pillow

with the quickstep?

Good! And why?

Because she's got no legs.

That's her trouble.

She can't move

them quick enough.

Struesgod, she doesn't

come tonight

I take back my dress,

my ballroom shoes

I find me

a new partner.

Size 26.

Shoe size 7.

Hey, Willie.

Ja, and now she's

making trouble for me

with the baby again.

Reports me to

child welfare

that I'm not

giving her money.

Haai boet Sam man.

She lies, Boet Sam.

Every week I am giving

her money for milk.

And how do I know

its my baby?

Only his hair

look like me.

[Clicks tongue]

Ach.

[Thunder rolling]

(Sam)

Good morning, Madam.

(Willie)

Good morning.

Morning. Did you

oversleep again, Willie?

Or are you going

to blame the bus

this time?

The bus was late, Madam,

and the police were

checking for passes.

Ja, every day

a new excuse.

It's true, M rs. Ballard.

It was easier when

we were allowed to

live here in town.

Ja, okay. H urry up now.

The water's not

even boiling.

And Willie.

Yes, Madam.

I want clean

tablecloths out.

Yes, Madam.

Come, come.

[Tuning radio]

The Population

Registration Act

and the Bantu

Education Act.

Music, Boet Sam.

Hendrik Verwoerd,

Minister of Native Affairs

was compiling

a curriculum...

Okay, Willie.

[Tunes to dancing music,

female sings foreign language]

[Chuckles]

[Indistinct]

[Mumbling]

[Loud music]

[Willie sings along]

Hey, hey, hey. This is

a tea room, not a sheen.

Sorry, Madam.

Sorry, Madam.

Come now,

you've got

work to do.

Sorry, Madam.

[Clicks radio off]

[Willie mumbling]

[Thunder crashing]

(male teacher)

I hope you've sharpened

those pencils.

I want to see the three

projections of the

clutch plate.

[Rolling thunder]

[Slow footsteps]

[Footsteps stop]

Ballard,

Ballard,

Ballard.

[Snickering]

Tell your parents you

want be a librarian.

(boy)

Yeah.

[Thud]

[Moaning]

Try and keep

it down, chum.

Can't we ask the nurse

for more painkillers?

Sorry, pal. I'd be

much better off If

I was back home.

It was a bad fall, chum.

It's for the best.

Dr. Colley's still got

tests to do and things.

(Betty speaking

In foreign language)

Sam, I have to go

to the hospital.

Tell Hally

I'll phone him.

(Willie)

Yes, Madam.

Tell Willie to

clean this floor.

Yes.

Bloody rain.

Make sure

Hally eats

some lunch.

Yes, Madam.

And tell Willie

no buggering around.

Yes, Madam.

So much for business.

I mean it.

Of course, Madam.

(Willie, singing)

D She was scandalizing

my name d

d She took my money

She called me honey d

d She called this love

She was playin' a game d d

Alright.

Oh.

[Humming]

Hey, Boet Sam,

I'm getting it.

The quickstep!

Look now

and tell me.

Show me again.

Count for me.

[Thunder]

Ready?

Ready.

And five, six,

seven, eight

And one, two,

three, four

five, six,

seven, eight...

Your shoulders!

Two, three, four,

five, six, seven, eight

Don't look down, Willie!

Two, three, four, five, six...

look happy I

No, Willie, relax.

I'm relaxed.

No, you're not.

Willie, relax!

- I am relaxed!

- Relax.

Breathe, and relax.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes