The Birth Of A Nation Page #6

(CONTINUED)

5/8/15 - PINK 29

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41 CONTINUED: 41

SAMUEL TURNER:

You and Hark get started on thatfence first thing tomorrow.

Y’suh.

NAT:

Samuel hops down, trudges toward the house.

41A EXT. SLAVE QUARTERS - DAY 41A *

Nat scrambles to the back of the wagon, pulls back the flapto reveal the woman. He reaches for her and she recoils.

NAT:

I ain’t gonna’ hurt you.

Cornered, she only stares. Her eyes weak, but wild.

NAT (CONT’D)

I’m gon’ climb up. Help you out.

That’s all.

Nat kneels on the back of the wagon. As he reaches out toher, SHE LUNGES INTO AN ATTACK, biting and clawing as theyroll off the back of the wagon. Nat struggles to protecthimself as Hark arrives, pulls her away. She collapses to herhands and knees sobbing and exhausted. As she heaves for air,

Nat and Hark help to her feet, hurrying her toward the slave

quarters.

42 INT. SLAVE QUARTERS - NANA’S CABIN - DUSK 42

Nancy hurries a pot of water onto the stove as Bridgetprepares a cot. Nat steadies the faint woman in his arms.

BRIDGET:

Lay her on over here.

*

Nat complies.

NAT:

She’s burning up.

Nancy pulls out a pouch of herbs, drops them into the boiling

water on the stove.

*

BRIDGET:

(to Nancy)

Cut me three of those onions,

yonder. Bring ‘em here.

(to Nat)

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

*

5/8/15 - PINK 29A

42 CONTINUED:
42 42 CONTINUED: 42

BRIDGET (CONT'D)

Go’on and stay with Hark a spell

‘til we get this child right an’ onher feet.

(CONTINUED)

4/21/15 -BLUE 30

CONTINUED:
42 CONTINUED: 42

Yes’m.

NAT:

As Bridget pulls at the filthy dress-

YOUNG WOMAN:

No! No! This mine!

She clings to her dress.

BRIDGET:

It’s ok baby(

to Nat)

Go ‘on nah! Get.

Nat retreats toward the door, exits.

43 OMITTED 43 *

44 EXT. TURNER PLANTATION - BIG HOUSE - DAY 44

Nat kneels, hidden in an inner corner of the front porch. Heapplies a fresh coat of white paint to a peeling column.

VOICE (O.C.)

Now you just smile ya’ hear. Let

them do all the talkin’.

Yes’m.

VOICE 2 (O.C.)

Nat stands to find Nancy and the SLAVE WOMAN climbing thefront porch stairs. She stands unrecognizable, consideringthe time we last saw her. Her caramel skin covers full,

healthy features. Her hair is combed and pulled into a braid.

Nat stands just out of their sight. Nancy knocks. Withinseconds, Samuel emerges.

NANCY:

Afternoon massa’.

(re:
Slave Woman)

This here Cherry Anne.

CHERRY:

(courtesies)

Massa’.

Samuel looks Cherry up and down.

(CONTINUED)

4/9/15 -WHITE 31

44 CONTINUED:
44 44 CONTINUED: 44

SAMUEL TURNER:

They sure cleaned you up.

(then, into house)

Catherine! C’mon out here!

Samuel glances in Nat’s direction. Nat quickly returns to

work, watches from the corner of his eye. Catherine arrives.

SAMUEL TURNER (CONT’D)

This here is Cherry Anne.

CHERRY:

(courtesies)

Missus.

CATHERINE:

Hello.

(then, realizing)

She launches into a Samuel with a mammoth hug.

CATHERINE (CONT’D)

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

She’s perfect!

(then, re:
Cherry)

Cherry... I bet they named you thatbecause you’re so sweet.

Cherry smiles politely, Catherine grabs her hand.

CATHERINE (CONT’D)

C’mon, I want you to meet mama.

Catherine and Cherry disappear inside, followed by Samuel.

Nancy stands on the porch for a beat. As she turns-

NAT (O.S.)

Mama.

NANCY:

(turns, startled)

Boy, you scared me.

NAT:

Sorry.

(then)

Thank you.

NANCY:

For what?

NAT:

For getting her better... For

making her so beautiful.

(CONTINUED)

4/21/15 -BLUE 32

CONTINUED:
(2) 44 CONTINUED: (2) 44

NANCY:

I didn’t do nothin’. That child was

brought into this world already asbeautiful as she could be. But youknew that already, huh?

Nat smiles.

NANCY (CONT’D)

Love you, Nat.

NAT:

Love you, mama.

Nancy descends the stairs. A BEAT before Nat returns to work.

45 EXT. TURNER PLANTATION -BIG HOUSE -DAY (STEADI) 45 *

Guiles preps a covered wagon. Catherine hugs Janice as Samuellooks on. Isaiah loads an arm full of bags in the wagon-back.

JANICE:

We shol’ is sad to see you and the

missus go.

CATHERINE:

Oh, we’ll be just down the road.

After we get good and settled,

we’ll be back to visit. Sundays forchurch and that.

SAMUEL TURNER:

Won’t be a second too soon.

Catherine playfully jabs him in the arm.

SAMUEL TURNER (CONT’D)

I’m messin.

(then, sotto)

You need anything, or he ain’t

treatin’ ya right, you let me know.

CATHERINE:

Yes, “big brother”.

(they embrace)

Love ya.

SAMUEL TURNER:

You too.

Guiles helps Catherine onto the wagon as Cherry guidesElizabeth through the screen door.

(CONTINUED)

4/9/15 -WHITE 33

45 CONTINUED:
45 45 CONTINUED: 45

SAMUEL TURNER (CONT’D)

You ready mama?

ELIZABETH TURNER

I’m worried about you, Sam. It’s a

big place to be here all alone.

SAMUEL TURNER:

I’ll be fine.

They embrace. Guiles helps Elizabeth onto the wagon as Cherryclimbs into the back.

GUILES REESE:

Well, guess we’ll be getting on.

SAMUEL TURNER:

All right, then. They give you anytrouble... don’t bring 'em back

here.

A shared laugh. As Guiles climbs up, Nat arrives with twopails of horse feed.

NAT:

Massa Sam.

(re:
feed)

For their trip.

Samuel eyes the two buckets, then.

SAMUEL TURNER:

Just one.

46 EXT. TURNER PLANTATION - BACK OF WAGON - MOMENTS LATER 46

Nat pulls back the canvas flap, sees Cherry sitting on awooden box. Their eyes connect. He loads the bucket of feed.

NAT:

Hi.

CHERRY:

Hi.

NAT:

I’m Nat.

CHERRY:

I know.

Nat pulls a small bouquet of flowers from beneath his shirt,

offers them. She accepts.

(CONTINUED)

5/8/15 - PINK 34

CONTINUED:
46 CONTINUED: 46

CHERRY (CONT’D)

They pretty.

NAT:

Found them around here.

CHERRY:

Thank you.

Nat nods, offers a gentle smile before he backs out. NATstands on the dirt road, watches the wagon ride away.

VOICE (V.O.)

And the rib, which the Lord God had

taken from man, made he a woman,

and brought her unto the man...

47 EXT. SLAVE QUARTERS - DAY 47

ANGLE ON a straw broom until TWO PAIR OF FEET hop over it andinto frame. WIDER to reveal Hark and a beautiful woman ESTER

(20’s).

A dozen slaves stand and clap as Hark and Ester kiss. Afiddler strikes up a tune and the other slaves form twoparallel rows. NELSON (18), Ester’s brother claps, as she

dances down the middle. Hark pulls Nat onto the dance pathand they dance down the path together.

*

48 EXT. SLAVE QUARTERS - DUSK 48

Its dusk. Hark sits on a hollow log. Nat approaches.

Hey, Nat.

HARK:

NAT:

Hey, brother...

Nat takes a seat next to him.

NAT (CONT’D)

Shouldn't you be somewhere gettingto know your new wife?

HARK:

I’ll be getting there directly...

NAT:

It was beautiful today. Ester is agood woman.

Hark studies the smoldering fire.

(CONTINUED)

4/9/15 -WHITE 35

48 CONTINUED:
48 48 CONTINUED: 48

HARK:

I’m scared, Nat...

NAT:

Of what?

(playful)

Ester?

HARK:

Naw... It’s just, I ain't never hadno needs to look after nothing ornobody but massa’s horses and pigs.

Now I got a wife. And when she goon and get the ‘big belly, I’ll

have that child too.

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