Mississippi Burning Page #3

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- I want the area searched. Every inch.

- Yes, sir.

- It's a big swamp.

- Every inch, Mr Bird.

I guess they never left Mississippi.

They're dead. They're dead.

Mr Bird?

- Yes, sir?

- There's a telephone at the truck stop.

Get to it, get on it, and get me

a hundred more men here by morning.

- A hundred?

- A hundred.

- Bureau people, sir?

- I don't care if it's the army!

- I want this entire swamp searched!

- Yes, sir.

Don't do it, Mr Ward.

- You'll just start a war.

- It was a war long before we got here.

(dog barking)

Get the f*** outta here now!

Sir?

The sheriff's alibi is solid. He was playing

poker with his wife's brother and cousins.

- The whole time?

- For three hours. He lost $1 1 .38.

There's something else. We're having

a little trouble with the motel manager.

- What kind of trouble?

- He wants us out. We're bad for business.

Buy it.

- Sorry, sir?

- Buy it!

The motel.

- How high can I go?

- Whatever it takes.

Today in Jessup County, Mississippi,...

..amidst the violence of this week,

the eyes of the nation...

..are fixed on the search

for the missing civil rights workers.

I think it's all a big hoax. But if they

are in that swamp, then they asked for it.

(reporter) Naval reserves have joined FBI

agents in searching for the missing men.

I think they planned it. They're sittin' up in

New York laughin' at us Mississippi folks.

- You think it's a hoax?

- A big hoax. They gonna find nothin'.

Civil rights leaders are optimistic

as to the young men's whereabouts.

But privately there is mounting concern

that they will ever be found alive.

They came lookin' for trouble

and found it.

This is Marek Barlbobi, Network News,

Jessup County, Mississippi.

Tell you what I think they oughta be doin'.

Lookin' up in Canada for them boys,...

..instead of our swamps around here.

I'll tell you somethin' else. I think it's

a stunt dreamed up by NAAC people.

- (reporter) NAAC people?

- NAACP.

Know what it stands for? N*ggers,

Alligators, Apes, Coons and Possums.

Tell you what you got.

You got your NAACP.

You got your SNCC. You got your COFO.

You know what all that mess is?

B-u-L-L-S-H-l-T.

You got it?

(boy) One day we won't have to say

"Good morning, sir, Mr Sheriff."

Maybe there'll come a time when

we won't have to say "Mr Stuckey".

One day there'll come a time when

we'll just say "Stuckey" or "Sheriff".

And one day there'll come a time when

the sheriff won't even be a white man.

Hello.

I wonder if I could ask you

a few questions.

I don't suppose you could tell me

what kind of flower these are, could you?

I been seein' 'em

all over the place here and...

Never saw such a darn pretty plant.

They're trumpet-pitchers.

Trumpet-pitchers?

They're beautiful. They really are.

They don't smell so good

but they're pretty.

It's nice talkin' to you.

Sorry about interruptin' your meeting

but we can't get anybody to talk to us.

They zip up, like my momma used to say.

People don't wanna talk to you because

they're afraid it'll get back to the law.

- We are the law.

- Not around here you ain't.

We came to find out what happened to

those boys. They were here to help you.

- It ain't coloured folks you should talk to.

- Who should we talk to?

Come on, Aaron.

You should start with the sheriff's office.

- Why aren't you afraid?

- How come you ain't?

Aaron?

Aaron, come on, son.

Here's the pitch. Swing and a line-drive

base hit. Anotherrun is home.

On to the nextpitch by the ruffled

Bob Gibson. He is upset.

Ron Hunt singled to centre.

Hickman passed third...

..and scored the Mets' second run.

Hunt holds on at fiirst,

and the Mets lead two to one.

(doorbell)

Good evening, Mrs Pell. I'm Agent Ward.

This is Agent Anderson.

We're with the FBl.

Is your husband home?

We'd like to have a word with him.

Y'all come in, then.

It's the FBI gentlemen, Clinton. They

wanna ask you some more questions.

You want me to put

your dinner in the oven?

Leave us alone.

Mind if I take a seat?

What's so goddamn important

you got to bother me at home?

I just wanted to run through once again

your movements on June 21st.

June which?

June 21st.

Deputy, we both know what day we're

talking about, so let's do this civilised.

Then you get back to your ball game

and we can get back to Washington.

Please, don't let me interrupt you.

It's just when you've heard a question

a dozen times, it gets kinda boring.

Yeah, I guess so.

- You don't eat together?

- He works funny hours.

- You think that's odd?

- No.

No, I work funny hours myself.

I eat when I'm hungry.

He eats when he can.

- Can I get you somethin'?

- No, no. Thanks.

This is a nice house.

- How long have you lived here?

- I was born here.

But my father lost the house

in a poker game a long time ago.

We've been payin' rent ever since.

It's a wicked game.

Poker.

Wicked.

(Ward) Mr Anderson?

It's nice talkin' to you. Guess I gotta go.

Them pork chops still any good, honey?

Bring me a beer.

(Anderson) Good night.

Let you get back to your baseball.

They say it's the only game

where a black man can wave a stick...

I know. I already heard that one.

Fifty minutes of his alibi

hinges on his wife.

- You talked to her. What's she like?

- She's a nice lady.

Tell me, Mr Anderson.

How does a woman like that end up with...

With shithead in there? You know

what these small towns are like.

A girl spends all her time in high school

lookin' for the guy she's gonna marry...

..and spends the rest

of her life wonderin' why.

Something's wrong. He's too confident.

- Did you see the wedding photograph?

- No.

His three pals, the ushers,

had their thumbs hooked in their belts...

..with their three fingers pointing down.

So what is that?

Some sort of Masonic thing?

No! KKK.

(Pell) I know you ain't drunk.

- (drunk) I'm not drunk.

- All right. You ain't drunk.

I'm just gonna take you

where you can sleep it off.

All right. Hold up.

Watch your head.

Hi. uh... There was a couple of things

I needed to check with you.

- My husband's not here.

- Actually, it was you I wanted to talk to.

Me?

OK. You'd better come in, then.

Just take a minute.

My boss, he's kind of a pain.

A college kid.

He has to dot all the i's

and cross all the t's.

- What is it you wanted to ask me about?

- It's a time thing we're not so clear about.

Should I put your flowers

in some water while you're here?

Yeah. Actually they're for you.

They're beautiful.

They are pretty, aren't they?

They don't smell so nice

but they're pretty.

Can I get you anything? Some tea?

Yeah. Thanks.

Oh, don't you look at that.

It's a terrible photo.

Oh, I don't know about that.

- Is this recent?

- No. I wish.

Well... this here looks recent to me.

We were married 14 years ago.

Are you kidding me? No! Come on.

- You take sugar?

- Sure do.

- You know, I grew up in a town like this.

- You were smart enough to leave.

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