The Birth Of A Nation Page #8

A shared smile.

SAMUEL TURNER:

You are a caution Reverend. *

REV. WALTHALL

I am but a servant.

(then, rising)

First trip’d be day after tomorrow,

if you can pony up by then.

SAMUEL TURNER:

Shouldn't be a problem.

REV. WALTHALL

Good.

The men shake hands before Rev. Walthall climbs into his

carriage. His SLAVE snaps the reins and Samuel watches thecarriage advance down the driveway.

4/21/15 -BLUE

42

55 EXT. TURNER PLANTATION - BIG HOUSE - MORNING 55

Nat loads the last of supplies onto the wagon. Bridget standsclose. Nancy arrives with a cloth sack.

NANCY:

Got some salt pork and tomatoes inhere, for when you get hungry.

NAT:

Thanks, mama.

(then)

If Miss Catherine brings Cherry onSunday, tell her I’ll be backdirectly.

Nancy nods solemnly.

NAT (CONT’D)

Don’t y’all go getting worried,

now. I’ll be back soon enough.

BRIDGET:

I know. The Lord bless you, child.

At that, Nat wraps Nancy and Bridget into a hug beforeheading off.

56 EXT. LANDSCAPE - DAY (BIRDSEYE) 56

--AERIAL SHOT of the wagon as it makes its way across theEastern Virginia landscape.

57 EXT. RANDALL PLANTATION -MAIN HOUSE -DAY 57 *

As Nat guides the wagon toward a prosperous estate, he is met

by a slave JASPER (13, tattered clothes, rail thin).

*

JASPER:

You Marse Turner’s n*gger?

NAT:

I’m Nat.

(re:
back of wagon)

Master Turner is restin’ in here.

Jasper cranes his neck to see inside. He eyes Natsuspiciously, then-

Come on.

JASPER:

*

(CONTINUED)

57 CONTINUED:

4/21/15 -BLUE 43

57

Jasper leads them toward the porch stairs of the main house,

before disappearing inside. Samuel emerges. Looks around.

*

*

We here?

SAMUEL TURNER:

NAT:

Yes’ suh. A youngin’ just wentinside to fetch Mister Randall. *

Seconds later a plump man, JOSEPH RANDALL (50’s) emerges,

followed by a muscular house servant ABNER (40’S) and Jasper.

JOSEPH RANDALL:

Sam Turner. You made it. And righton time.

Randall sticks out his hand. Samuel shakes it.

ANGLE ON ABNER Who stares daggers into Nat.

JOSEPH RANDALL (CONT’D)

Joseph Randall.

(re:
house servant)

This here’s Abner. The little one

there’s Jasper.

(then, re:
Nat)

This the ‘n*gger preacher’?

SAMUEL TURNER:

(to Nat)

Nat?

NAT:

Evenin’ Suh-

JOSEPH RANDALL:

A little young ain't he?

SAMUEL TURNER:

He’s old enough. Been studyin’ the

Word a while.

JOSEPH RANDALL:

Studying? Hell, I can barely trainmy n*ggers to learn their ownnames... C’mon.

4/21/15 -BLUE

44

57A EXT. RANDALL PLANTATION - DAY 57A *

Samuel and Nat follow Joseph, Jasper and Abner along a wooded

path. Joseph walks and talks.

*

*

JOSEPH RANDALL:

It’s hard times for small farmers

like you and myself. Breaking evenis hard enough, gettin’ ahead is

impossible. To save some, I cut ‘emdown to a meal a day, per head. Afew of ‘em started gettin’ fidgety,

so I had Abner come down on ‘em. *

The group approaches a dilapidated barn, a PADLOCK securesthe door FROM THE OUTSIDE. Joseph stops short.

JOSEPH RANDALL (CONT’D)

Day or so back, had a few quit onwork if ya’ can believe it.

Wouldn’t even come out the quarter.

So I locked ‘em up, the lot of ‘em.

Hoping the heat and hunger wouldbring about their senses. All thatsaid, Abner here’s provin’ my only

real protection.

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Joseph turns to Nat. *

JOSEPH RANDALL (CONT’D)

Now, they needs to mind me, so youspeak on that. They treasure inheaven from submittin’ and all.

(then)

If they gets to moaning andcarrying on, don’t pay ‘em no mind.

They lazy as all hell and’ll do

anything to get out of work.

*

JOSEPH RANDALL (CONT’D)

You ready, boy?

*

*

SAMUEL TURNER:

He’s ready.

*

*

With that Abner keys open the padlock; opens the barn door.

58 INT. RANDALL PLANTATION -BARN -DAY 58 *

Joseph and Abner lead Nat and Samuel in. Abner lights alantern. Under its glow, we see nearly a dozen EMACIATEDslaves- men, women and children. They scatter deep into acorner. Nat’s jaw drops.

(CONTINUED)

6/15/15 -YELLOW 44A

58 CONTINUED:
58 58 CONTINUED: 58

JOSEPH RANDALL:

Listen up. Got a preacher heref’yall.

(to Nat)

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

58

Come here, boy.

(Nat slowly approaches)

He’s a n*gger just like yall, and

is going to talk to you about theLord. Listen to him and you justmight make it to heaven, ya hear?

4/21/15 -BLUE

CONTINUED:
(2)

JOSEPH RANDALL (CONT'D)

45

58

Joseph rejoins Samuel and Abner, leaving Nat standing in thecenter of the room. Nat looks to Samuel who looks away.

Through sad eyes, Nat studies the sea of skeletal faces andfestering whip wounds. He swallows, peels open his Bible.

NAT:

...Brothers and sisters...

(re:
slaves, unblinking)

I lead you to 1 Peter 2:18:

Slaves... submit yourselves to yourmasters with all respect, not onlyto those who are good andconsiderate... but also to those

who are harsh...

Nat glances toward Randall who smiles and nods him on.

59 EXT. RANDALL PLANTATION -BIG HOUSE -DUSK 59 *

Nat pulls the wagon to the front, just as Samuel and Josephdescend the porch stairs. Abner trails a few steps back.

JOSEPH RANDALL:

You sure you don’t want to stay the

night? Got some fine brandy and a

couple of choice wenches in the

cellar. We can get Abner to strikeup the fiddle, sit around the fireand tell old lies.

*

*

*

*

Just then, Randall’s daughter LILLY (9) emerges from inside.

She dons a white dress with a matching ribbon in her hair. Asshe gleefully descends the stairs, we notice a tweed rope inher grip. We follow its length to the opposite end to findIt’s

tied around the neck of a NINE YEAR OLD SLAVE GIRL.

The slave child giggles as she follows Lilly to the frontyard where they frolic through a game of follow the leader.

ANGLE ON NAT who watches on, abashed.

SAMUEL TURNER:

We best be gettin’ back before

nightfall.

(CONTINUED)

6/15/15 -YELLOW 45A

59 CONTINUED:
59 59 CONTINUED: 59

JOSEPH RANDALL:

Alright, suit yourself.

(CONTINUED)

59 CONTINUED:
(2)

5/8/15 - PINK 46

59

SAMUEL TURNER:

But I would take a bottle of

whiskey if you can spare it.

Sure can.

JOSEPH RANDALL:

Abner disappears inside. Randall produces a wad of bills,

hands it to Samuel. He studies it a beat, before pocketing.

JOSEPH RANDALL (CONT’D)

You’re a smart man, Sam. Bound to

make a fortune off that boy.

(extends his hand)

Good doing business with ya.

SAMUEL TURNER:

(shakes)

Sure.

As Samuel climbs onto the front of the wagon, Abner returns,

hands him a bottle of whiskey.

ANGLE ON ABNER:

His eyes locked tight on Nat. Nat holds his gaze until hespots Jasper further down the road waving goodbye. Nat snaps

the reins and the wagon lurches forward. Samuel wastes notime popping the cork on the whiskey, pulling a desperateswig.

*

*

*

*

60 INT. SLAVE QUARTERS - NAT’S CABIN - (NIGHT) 60

A wooden muddler mixes grease in a wooden bowl. A handsscoops at the substance and we follow it to reveal Cherryapplying it to Nat’s back. She rubs at his muscles as he

stares absently into the flame of the fireplace.

*

*

*

*

CHERRY:

You alright?

Nat nods, his eyes settle on Cherry’s dress draped across a

wooden table across the room.

NAT:

That dress there. That the one youwere wearing that day?

Yes.

CHERRY:

NAT:

Mama didn’t offer you one of hers?

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