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-[birds singing] -[insects chirping]
[man] We want you to look right into this camera
and talk to the people of Georgia.
So can you tell our fellow Georgians why they should vote for you?
My family has been in politics
and the power structure in this town of Hopewell for generations,
and we're not about to concede
to… some man who was born in Atlanta.
Knows nothing about our ways. How could he? He's not from around here.
He only wants to take from us good, hardworking taxpayers
and give to the lazy, good-for-nothing folks
that he thinks are entitled.
[man] What do you say to all the people
that say your views are racist and hearken back to a Jim Crow South?
Why does everybody think that white men are racist?
I'm not a racist. I just don't believe that this is fair.
He got here because of affirmative action.
And if I'm elected to Congress, it'll be at the top of my agenda
to do away with it.
Another form of welfare is all it is, if you ask me.
[woman] I had just about enough of you, Mr. White Man.
[mellow music plays]
[indistinct chatter]
I'm sorry, sir, but she won't go away.
What does she want?
She won't say. She's just been sitting there for hours.
Well, I'm busy.
Yessir.
I'm sorry, ma'am, but you can't just walk--
No, it's all right, Joan.
Thank you.
[phone rings]
Something I can do for you, ma'am? I'm fairly busy.
I want you to look into a murder that happened here in Hopewell.
-Have you spoken to the Sheriff's Office? -[woman] Ain't for them.
They killed him right here in this town in 1947.
[scoffs]
You want me to look into a murder that happened over 40 years ago?
I'm sorry. Mrs…
Hattie Mae's my name.
[inhales]
I'm very sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to help you.
Why don't you speak to the Sheriff's Office?
I never wrote nothing down on the paper.
Life's too long.
He wrote down everything.
Everything you need to know.
-It's right here. -[handbag clicks]
[exhales]
[door closes]
"Leanne Harper"?
[man] "Dear Lil Ann."
"My mama's cousin Winnie got sick,
so she asked me to take her to Summerville yesterday,
about four hours away from where we live now."
"Hope you got my letter about moving to Hopewell County
with a forwarding address."
"You know, as we drove past my mama's old house,
it's falling apart now,
but it still bring back one good memory."
"When we first met."
"I can still smell the lavender and the moonshine."
["If You See My Rooster" by Amirah Vann, Joshua Boone, and Austin Scott plays]
[harmonica music plays]
[crowd laughs]
[woman] ♪ If you see my rooster ♪
♪ Please, run him on back home ♪
[crowd cheers]
♪ I have found no eggs in my basket ♪
♪ Eee-eee ♪
♪ Since my rooster been gone ♪
♪ I heard my rooster crowing ♪
♪ This morning Just about the break of day ♪
[mimics a rooster crowing]
Who that there?
Well, that's Ethel Lee's daughter. They call her Bucket.
Why do they call her that?
'Cause her mama dumped her here like an empty bucket
when she ran off North.
She live with her grandpa.
He an evil old thing.
Why am I doing all this work? That's what I made these boys for.
Well, one of 'em's like me anyway.
[laughs]
Come here, Bayou.
[man 1 laughs]
Come play this trumpet.
-Come on. -[man 1] Look at him.
Just play it like he showed you, baby.
[man 2] Come on now.
[woman 1] Yeah!
That's right! [laughs]
You get to see which one right now.
[plays terribly]
[laughs]
-Stop it! -What?
Y'all like that?
[crowd] No!
I try to teach him, but I believe the boy a little slow.
You hush that up, Buster.
[Buster] She always takes his side. [laughs]
Come on, Willie.
[woman 2] Yeah, Willie Earl!
[indistinct chatter]
[woman 3] Come on, Willie Earl!
Now you watch this.
[man 3] Yeah. Let's see what you got.
-[plays expertly] -[crowd cheers and laughs]
[woman 3] Play that horn, Willie Earl.
♪ Seen my rooster ♪
♪ Please, run him on back home ♪
["If You See My Rooster" ends]
[Bucket] Maybe you should have sang it.
[dramatic music plays]
What? You can't talk?
You can really sing.
Thank you.
Get it from my mama.
And as I said, you should have sang that song.
My… my pa don't like my singing.
He want me to play.
Well, maybe playing is not for you.
Horace John Boyd's my name, but everybody call me Bayou.
Why they call you that?
My pa says my eye's deep as the bayou from the time I was born.
Let me see your eyes.
Your eyes are normal.
Your daddy don't seem like he know much.
You mind your manners. That's my pa.
I'm sorry, Horace John.
Bayou is what I like to be called, Bucket.
My name is Leanne Jean Harper, and I prefer to be called by my name.
Don't you ever call me Bucket, or I'll never speak to you again.
I best be going.
Hey. I… I'm… I'm sorry. I ain't mean no harm.
Whoa. Whoa.
[Bayou grunts] Damn.
-[Bayou groans] -[Leanne laughs]
[both laugh]
-[Leanne sighs] -[Bayou grunts]
I hope my book knocked some sense into your head.
-Will I see you again, Lil Ann? -When you learn how to say my name.
[dramatic music ends]
[woman 1] When you feel that baby coming, you come see me. Don't you wait.
[woman 2] Yes, ma'am. I won't.
I'll be right here. Take care, y'all.
-[chuckles] -[door closes]
Oh! Well, don't you look nice!
I take it you really like her.
You took-- I mean, you didn't leave nobody nothing…
-[both laugh] -He run. He run fast, you know.
[laughs] Willie Earl caught supper.
My boy.
He can do it all.
-[patting] -[Buster sniffs]
Here.
Go on and skin 'em up.
[metal clanks]
I'll do it. Go on, Bayou.
Where you going, boy?
Leave him be now. Go on, Bayou.
Where he going?
He gonna ask that gal if he can take her to the social.
What gal?
Bucket?
She ain't gonna go nowhere with him.
-Hey, Bayou! -[woman 1] Leave him be now!
Hold on.
Hold on now!
You gonna ask Bucket to the social?
-Her name ain't Bucket. Leave me alone. -What?
Oh, look at you. Oh, you a big boy now, huh?
She ain't gonna go with you. Look at your clothes.
I said, leave me be now.
All right.
[both grunt]
Want me to leave you alone? What the hell are you talking about?
-[Bayou] Get off! -Why'd anybody like you?
-Willie Earl! -[Willie] Ain't nobody gonna like you.
-Okay? Why would anybody like you? -Willie Earl!
-I told you to leave him alone! -What?
The boy gotta learn how to get tough at some point, Hattie.
Buster, go on in the house and leave him be, I said.
You too, Willie Earl.
Come on, Willie. I'm gonna teach you a new song.
We'll leave her here with this sorry boy.
Go on.
Come on.
Why him and Daddy treat me like that?
You don't worry about them.
Or nobody else.
You hear me?
You go on over there,
and you ask her.
-Mm-hmm. -[Hattie grunts]
Go on now. Hold on. Let me get this dirt off your back.
She ain't gonna like you!
[chicken clucking]
[tense music plays]
[man] What you want, boy?
[Bayou] Hello, sir.
[man] Speak up.
[Bayou hesitates] Um…
I want-- I wanted to…
My mama's a wash woman, sir,
and I wanted to know if you had any washing need to be done.
You think I'm stupid, boy?
No.
You after Bucket, ain't ya?
No, sir.
Now, you get on away from around here.
[shouting] You gets off my land before I kills you!
Get on around from here!
You've been quiet.
She said yeah?
No.
[chuckles]
[Buster laughs]
Why you gotta be so mean to this boy?
It ain't right.
I don't care.
-It ain't right. -[Bayou] It's all right, Mama.
I can handle myself.
You hear that, Willie Earl?
Now, Bayou,
that's something I'd like to see.
Buster, now you stop it.
I get to say what I want at my own damn supper table!
[utensil clatters]
[Buster inhales]
Come on, Willie Earl.
Willie gonna finish his supper.
Come on.
Eat your supper.
[crickets chirping]
[exhales]
[cheerful music plays]
[Bayou grunts, clears throat]
[chuckles]
[Leanne pants]
[cheerful music intensifies]
[both pant]
[Leanne giggles]
[pants]
Did you read the letter?
[hesitates] What? I--
You don't know how to read.
It say, "Meet me at the yew tree."
Come on.
You… you shouldn't be out here.
Your grandpa gonna be mad.
He passes out drunk every night about this time.
But if you want, I can go.
I… I don't want you to do that.
Why you come, then?
[Bayou hesitates]
I came to ask you to the social.
That's nice, but… he won't let me do that.
He won't let me be around nobody.
Why come?
He just mean.
It's like he hates me.
Yeah.
I know the feeling.
[crickets chirping]
I don't even know why I came to see you.
I know it ain't proper.
I hope you don't think bad of me.
No… no, I'm glad you did.
-Promise me you won't tell nobody. -No, I won't.
He would kill me if he knew.
[hesitates] I won't. I won't.
How old are you?
Seventeen.
I'm 16.
Why you don't know how to read?
Well, my pa and my brother say I'm too slow to learn.
Don't you listen to that. You can.
[Bayou] You looked so beautiful in that night light.
I'll show you.
[Bayou] Ain't never known nobody to encourage me but my mama.
And she ain't make me feel like you did.
[hesitates] Thank you.
[Bayou] That first night we stood there at that tree for hours, just talking,
almost till the sun come up.
I sure appreciate it.
[Bayou] And every night after that,
I couldn't wait for that airplane to come through my window.
[gentle piano music plays]
[Willie snores]
[Bayou clears throat, inhales]
[Willie snores]
[Bayou groans]
[Bayou chuckles]
[Bayou] It was so innocent, so pure.
It were…
[Bayou] We did something we both needed real bad.
-We laughed. We laughed a lot. -[both laugh]
[Leanne] Sound it out!
[Bayou] And you bought a book, and you taught me to read.
-"It was a long hot summer." -That's right! That's right! [laughs]
[Bayou] Mama wondered what was wrong with me.
But she was so happy that I was reading, she ain't ask much.
Couldn't tell her. She'd be mad that I was sneaking out the house at night
and because you asked me not to tell nobody.
But I sure wanted the world to know.
But I didn't understand the shaking.
Always felt like there was so much you wanted to say,
but for some reason… you never did.
You'd just shake like a leaf in the wind.
All right. If you look here…
[Bayou] Sometimes I thought, even on a hot night, you would just shake.
You all right?
[Bayou] Like your soul was trying to shake something out.
[water dripping]
All summer long we met in that tree.
I was worried about what would happen when the season rains come.
But you know what?
There you were.
[Bayou grunts]
I thought you was crazy, gal.
Truth is… we was both starting be crazy about each other.
[Bayou laughs]
Like we know what was being said,
and we wasn't even talking.
Can you stay a little longer?
Um…
My mama will be getting up soon.
Okay.
[romantic music plays]
[Bayou] And that was our first kiss.
Ain't nothing felt that good in all my life.
[chuckles]
[Bayou] I walked home floating, like my feet didn't even touch the ground.
But that ain't last long.
[Buster] Come on!
-Just come here. -Get away from me!
[Buster] I said come here.
You put your hands on me again, I swear, I'll kill you dead.
Where you been, boy? Come here.
You touch him, I'll meet your soul at the gates of hell.
[pants] You ain't shit.
Just like your black ass daddy.
[Hattie] Buster…
Willie Earl,
that's my boy.
He make me proud.
Get on out of here, now.
I'm gonna go on up to Chicago. Hmm?
And… and I'mma play
at the Capitol Royale.
[breathing heavily] You all gonna see.
[sniffles]
[Hattie] This is my money, Buster.
-You ain't taking it. You ain't, Buster. -[Buster] My money too. No!
How else am I supposed to get there?
[screams] Buster, that's all we got.
[Buster pants]
[laughs]
Hey, Daddy, Daddy.
Dad, I wanna go with you.
No, son. [pants]
The road ain't-- It ain't the place for you.
-You's too young. -No, Daddy, please!
[Buster scoffs, pants]
Willie Earl, come here.
-It's your fault. It's your fault too! -Willie Earl, stop it.
[Willie] He told me!
I will slap the taste out your mouth.
[footsteps departing]
[frogs croaking]
Where you been?
My daddy walked out on us.
I'm sorry, Bayou.
That's all right.
It's for the best, I guess.
I'm gonna have to help my mama with more of her washing.
And she'll be up late doing it.
You can't come here no more.
No, I… I can.
I can. I'mma just be late. That's all.
You look sad.
Don't be.
I need you to be happy because we can't be sad together.
You hear me?
[dramatic music plays]
Yeah.
[dramatic music continues]
[Bayou exhales]
[Bayou] Every gal in town looked at me and laughed
'cause of what my brother had said to them about me.
Not you.
You made me feel like a man.
You made me feel good.
You made me…
I'm in love with you.
[Leanne] I best be going.
[Bayou] But--
-Lil Ann… -No, no, I…
I gotta go.
[Bayou] I hated that night.
I was so confused.
Maybe I shouldn't have told you I loved you.
[Hattie] W--
Boy! Boy, you done lost your mind.
Mama, I'm leaving.
I'm leaving. You don't need me here.
Here, that's my dream. But you got this nothing.
-He can help you. -Don't you call him that!
I'm 19 now, Mama. You can't stop me.
I'mma going to Chicago. I'mma find Daddy. I'mma play in the band with him.
[screams] Willie Earl!
He don't know nothing about Chicago!
[Bayou] Let him go, Mama.
[Bayou] My mama cried all night.
Come on, come on in the house.
[Bayou] I'd have given anything to not see her sad.
Every night, I waited for her to cry herself to sleep.
And I lay there waiting for a paper airplane…
[Hattie cries]
…or waiting at that tree for you.
We went from talking every night, all summer long,
to you not coming at all.
I got so worried.
So I went to your house that night.
-[Leanne cries] -[grandpa grunts]
[Leanne groans] No. No! [cries]
[Bayou] I never told you, but I saw it.
[Leanne groans]
I hated every day I didn't come in there and kill him.
What kind of… What kind of man I'm is that I didn't.
Maybe my brother and daddy're right.
[Leanne groans]
[Bayou] Maybe I am weak.
[sad music plays]
[frogs croaking]
Such a beautiful letter.
I'm so glad to see you.
You all right?
Maybe I shouldn't have told you that I love you, but I do.
That's how I feel.
-But if you stop coming to see me-- -No, it ain't that. I…
I love you too.
[Bayou] Then marry me.
[hesitates] I'm…
[cries] I'm not a pure girl.
I don't care. I love you.
I love you.
We can run away.
Anywhere. We'll be all right.
Just marry me.
-[tearfully] He won't let me. -Hey.
-He won't let me. -Hey, hey.
I'll deal with him.
You just say, "Yeah."
-Yeah? Yeah? Yeah? -[hesitates] Yeah.
-[chuckles] -Yeah?
[both laugh]
[Leanne] Yeah!
[woman] Ain't nothing holding you here.
You should move to Hopewell County.
It's where all the business is for colored folk.
You could open you up a proper juke joint.
Citsy.
[Citsy] What's keeping you here, huh?
Buster gone, and Willie Earl gone.
I'm moving over there too.
My cousin said she might be able to give me a job. I'm going.
I don't know.
It ain't big like Atlanta. I know you don't like the big city.
I'm telling you, you gonna like it.
You should come too. Tell her, Bayou.
Come on!
-How far away that is from here? -About four hours by train.
-Uh, Hopewell County, you say? -Yeah.
Yeah, the Negroes are doing so good over there.
-Come on. -Maybe we should leave, Mama.
You want to leave here?
[hesitates] Yeah, well, yeah. I wanted to tell you something.
-Me and Leanne been courting for a while. -Bucket?
No, don't… don't call her that.
I knew something was going on.
-[laughs] -You sneak out of here at night.
[hesitates] You know?
Yeah.
Just didn't know it was her.
Yeah, well, I asked her to marry me, and her grandpa say no.
But he a bad man, and I want to get her, take her with us.
Baby, Bucket leaving.
-Say what? -[Citsy] They leaving now.
They tell me Ethel's here to take her up north with her.
Bayou!
-Now why you tell him that? -He done missed her.
I'm sure they'd gone by now.
[panting] Leanne, don't go. Don't go.
Please. No. Don't, don't.
My father told me what you did to her.
You better thank heavens I'm not calling the sheriff.
-Get out of here, and you leave her alone. -Don't… [cries]
-Get in the car right now. -Leanne, don't.
-[Ethel] Now! -[Bayou] Don't go.
-I have to. -[Bayou] Don't go, Leanne.
-I love you. -Get out!
[cries] I love you. Leanne, I love you. Don't go.
-I'm sorry. -Don't go, don't go.
Don't you-- I love you.
-[cries] I'm sorry. -Please don't go. Come on, don't go!
-[car engine starts] -Come on, Leanne. Get out the car. Don't--
[cries] Leanne, don't go! Don't… don't go! Don't go!
Leanne, don't go. Don't--
[grandpa] I told you to leave her alone, didn't I?
[grandpa laughs evilly]
[grandpa continues laughing evilly]
[Bayou] "Dear Leanne."
"Been writing to you every day for a year now."
[man] Left, right, left. Left…
[Bayou] "Been sending letters to everybody in Boston with your last name,
hoping that one of these letters finds you."
"I wanted to tell you I got drafted to the army."
"I'm here at Fort McPherson in Georgia."
"Although they probably won't let colored soldiers fight here."
"But if I do ship out, and I don't come back,
I want you to know that I love you so much,
and I miss you every day."
"It'd mean the world to me to hear from you and to know you're safe."
Mr. Waters.
Yes, ma'am?
Would you… [sighs]
…be so kind as to return this to sender?
I sure will.
Also, return any more that come from that address.
-Yes, ma'am. -Thank you kindly.
[Bayou] I hurt my leg from a blast in a practice drill.
Nothing to worry about.
I should be fine in a few months.
Going home to my mama, and you know she can make anybody better
with all the things she know and all the babies she done delivered,
but because of it, I got discharged.
[indistinct chatter]
Got to tell you,
I was shocked when I got to Hopewell for the first time.
[brakes screeching]
[driver] Hopewell County!
[bus engine revving]
[Bayou] My mama and Citsy had moved over to Hopewell County,
and they was doing pretty good.
[Hattie screams, laughs]
-[Bayou] So good to see you. -[Hattie talks indistinctly]
Easy. Watch my leg now.
[Bayou] My mama never ceased to amaze me.
She opened a real juke joint.
When I tell you, seemed like all the colored folk in the county
came near every weekend.
I sure wish you could see how good she doing.
She doing washing in the morning, that I help her with.
She birth a baby here and there.
And she sang the blues all night long.
Oh, no, no, no.
["Let the Good Times Roll" by Amirah Vann, Joshua Boone, and Austin Scott plays]
[crowd screams, cheers]
Yeah, girl!
Yeah!
♪ Hey, everybody ♪
♪ Let's have some fun ♪
♪ You only live once And when you're dead, you're done ♪
♪ Let the good times roll ♪
♪ Hey, baby Let 'em roll ♪
♪ Don't care If you're young or old ♪ [laughs]
♪ Let the good times roll ♪
♪ Hey ♪
♪ Don't sit there mumbling ♪
-[crowd] ♪ Hey ♪ -[Hattie] ♪ And talking trash ♪
♪ If you want to have a ball ♪
♪ You gotta go out and spend some cash ♪
♪ Let the good times roll ♪
♪ Don't care if you're young or old ♪
♪ Get together And let the good times roll ♪
♪ Hey, Mr. Landlord ♪
♪ Lock up all the doors ♪
♪ When the police come around ♪
♪ Just tell 'em that the joint is closed ♪
♪ Let the good times roll ♪
♪ Don't care if you're young or old ♪
♪ Go on and let the good times roll ♪
♪ Hey, y'all Tell everybody ♪
-[screams] My boy! -[Willie] ♪ Willie Earl's in town ♪
♪ I got a dollar and a quarter And I'm just rarin' to clown ♪
♪ But don't let nobody ♪
♪ Play me cheap ♪
♪ I got 50 cents more That I'm gonna keep ♪
[Hattie] ♪ Let the good times roll ♪
♪ Don't care if you're young or old ♪
♪ Get together And let the good times roll ♪
♪ No matter whether ♪
♪ It's rainy weather ♪
♪ Birds of a feather Gotta stick together ♪
♪ So get yourself under control ♪
♪ Go out and get together ♪
♪ And let the good times roll ♪
[shouts indistinctly]
Y'all all right?
My boy here! [cheers]
[frogs croaking]
[Bayou] My brother come back with all his big-time stories as usual.
-[talks indistinctly] -So much like my daddy.
Couldn't tell what was the lie from the truth.
…who the best ones is out there.
[Bayou] Heard my daddy died up there.
Don't say Willie Earl. I ain't all the way up there.
[Bayou] Willie Earl ain't mention it.
Oh. This is Ira.
He's my manager.
[laughs] Yeah.
[sniffs] Ira from Europe.
He been to Paris and London.
Yeah.
Why are you so fidgety?
[glasses clinking]
I'm just happy to see my mama. That's all.
-Hmm. -[Willie] That's all. That's all.
I'll be right back.
I need water.
-What you doing? -[Citsy groans]
[Willie] No, I'm fine. Just--
He still write to Bucket?
Got a stack of them at my house.
-And all the gal that come through here? -Hmm.
You hungry?
-Oh! -[Hattie yelps]
[Hattie] Who that man and where you find him? Don't lie to me.
I ain't finna lie.
[Hattie sighs]
He's a big-time manager out there in Europe.
I met him in Chicago… a few years back.
He said… he said he wanted me to come play in Europe.
Now, I lost touch with him for a while.
Till one day, he showed up out of nowhere looking bad.
He said he will return the favor if I help him get better.
So I brung him down here to you.
-What's wrong with him? -Hell if I know.
Come on, Mama, everybody come to you when they sick
or having a baby. I know you can help him.
-I don't like it, I tell you. -Just help him!
Where this one going, Mama?
That big sack. [sighs]
Go down to the Clayton Place.
Big white house off 22. You can't miss it. Citsy just started working there.
-She'll be around back. -All right now.
If that man die here, we gonna be in a world of trouble.
You just make sure he don't.
-[Citsy] Hey, Bayou. -Hey.
Glad you're here. Set it down there. I made you some lemonade.
[door creaking]
Come on, sit a spell.
I ain't knowed you to do this kind of work.
Oh, well, the sheriff here's named Jackson.
He asked me to look after his… baby brother
'cause he coming back home. So I said, "Okay," and here I am.
-[Bayou] Mm. -And Jackson nice to me so…
[Jackson] Citsy?
Yes, sir, Sheriff Jackson.
Get up from there.
We don't allow colored to sit at the table.
Oh, I'm sorry, Sheriff Jackson. He brung the wash, and I made him sit.
Get up and get out of here. My brother's here.
This is my brother John and his beautiful wife…
-[Leanne] Leanne. -[Citsy sighs]
[Jackson] This is Citsy. I asked her to get this place ready for you.
Well, Sheriff Jackson said you had a long drive.
Can I get you something?
This house is beautiful.
It's been sitting empty since my father died.
He left it to John here.
-Left me most of the money though. -[laughs] Well, it's lovely.
Get on out of here, boy.
-Yessir. Sorry, sir. -[door creaking]
[Ethel] What is wrong with the Negroes down here?
Oh, we keep them in line.
Come on. I'll show you where you'll be staying
since you're the sweetest mother-in-law on this side of heaven.
[chuckles]
You all right, darling? You're white as a ghost.
Oh, she's fine. Maybe tired from the drive.
Your brother drives like a madman. [laughs]
[Citsy] Can I get you something, ma'am?
No. No, thank you.
Shall we?
[whispers] Come on.
[whispers] We go this way past it.
[Hattie] I need some milk and some more castor oil for him.
Go in that box, get a pen and write this down for me.
[Willie] Who are all these letter for?
[Hattie] Bayou writing to this girl.
What girl? Bucket?
-Yeah. -[laughs]
That fool's still writing her
after all of these been returned to sender?
[Hattie] Put flour on that paper. And sugar.
-You get it all done before the rain come? -Yep.
-"Dear Lil Ann. I love you so much." -Give me that.
-"I miss you." -Give me that.
-"Will you write me soon?" -Give me that, you son of a bitch!
-That's mine! -[Willie] "Please." Okay.
-I'm joking around. -Give me all of 'em!
Come on, Willie Earl. Take me to the store.
I need to check my mail and get a few things.
Why Bayou can't do it?
[Hattie] He been helping me all day. Come on.
And do you know what to do with that sick man in there? Bayou do.
Now come on.
We'll be back.
[door opens]
[tense music plays]
[Leanne] I can't do this.
What do you mean?
We are in the South.
Just a few hours from where we were both born.
-Someone will recognize us. -[scoffs]
-No, they won't. Look at us. -They will. They will.
So what do you propose we do?
-Go back to Boston? -Yeah.
With nothing?
That man left me with nothing.
So you sure came
and made me your cash cow, didn't you?
[Leanne scoffs]
Don't you dare talk to me that way.
After all I've done for you.
Now you get yourself together, girl. This family is well-off.
I saw Bayou.
That washerwoman's boy?
Where?
When we were driving.
I think it was him.
[Ethel sighs]
You're imagining things.
Come on.
[Ira speaks German]
-Hey, whoa. -[Ira speaks German]
Whoa. Hey now.
[Ira gasps, groans]
[speaks German]
-Huh? -[Ira speaks German]
Where am I?
At Mama's house.
Oh. [sighs]
[Willie] Whoa, whoa. You… you should lay down. You ain't well.
No, I… I am fine.
I am fine. I am alive.
-[exhales] -Yeah.
Here, here, drink this.
It'll make you feel better.
[thunder rumbling]
All right now.
Where… where is your brother?
He went to town with Mama.
You should… you should eat something.
I'll be right back.
Leanne, that is a lovely dress.
Thank you. [chuckles]
You better be glad my brother here is gonna be the new mayor in this town,
so he can afford to keep you in those nice dresses.
Oh, Jackson, stop bragging on your family.
She and her mother have only been here for a few hours,
and she already knows you're the sheriff
and your father was the mayor till he died.
And John here will be the next mayor.
I do declare, Leanne, be grateful you didn't grow up in this town.
These boys were a terror.
-Were they now? [laughs] -Oh, absolutely.
Especially my Jackson. He stayed in trouble.
Yeah, well, I got the trouble gene,
and my brother here got the book smarts gene.
I'm proud of you, little brother.
I wish Mama and Daddy had lived long enough to see you marry.
I know they would have been proud.
Proud of everything except you two eloping up there in Yankeetown.
Well, Leanne insisted she didn't want a big spectacle.
Why not? It should have been in all the papers.
Well, all she wanted was him. Right, Leanne? [chuckles]
How did you two meet?
Oh, at college.
I was working in the library.
It was love at first sight if you ask me.
I remember the first time she came home to tell me about him.
I knew he was the one.
I knew it.
And they've been married three months now. [chuckles]
I'd like to make a toast.
To your parents
and my George. May they rest in peace.
Hear, hear!
[laughs]
[Ethel] Mm-hmm.
Hmm.
Hmm, it's very good. Very good. Very good.
Hey, what day… is it? I need to make a telephone call.
Oh, well, ain't no telephone around here.
Can you take me to one?
The store closed.
Willie Earl can take you tomorrow, but, you know, you ain't well, though.
No. I promised your brother I would get him booked
into the Capitol Royale in Chicago. That…
[sighs]
I need to call them to see if there is an opening.
Yeah, you can't do that now, so…
Eat your soup.
["Make Me a Pallet (On Your Floor)" by Amirah Vann and Joshua Boone plays]
[Hattie] ♪ Make me down a pallet ♪
♪ On your floor ♪
♪ Come on, make me down a pallet ♪
♪ On your floor ♪
♪ Make me down a pallet… ♪
You told me you had connections. You said that if I helped you,
you'd help me get into the Capitol Royale.
You know how many colored stars that place done make?
I will get you in. I will call him tomorrow,
but I think they need something different.
-Something special. -No, I'm all the different they need.
Bayou! Come sing with me.
All right.
Come on, baby.
[Citsy laughs]
♪ Make me down a pallet on your floor ♪
♪ Make me down a pallet ♪
♪ Soft and low ♪
♪ When I'm broke ♪
♪ And I got nowhere else to go ♪
♪ Going up to country ♪
♪ Twenty miles or more ♪
♪ Said I'm going up to country ♪
♪ Twenty miles or more ♪
♪ Going up to country ♪
♪ Where the cold, sleet, and snow ♪
♪ No telling how much further ♪
♪ I might go ♪
[crowd screams, cheers]
[Jackson] How things going, Hattie?
They fine.
Nobody's bothering you, right?
Nobody at all, Sheriff.
Well, I'll keep it that way.
You just keep this money coming.
Yessir.
[suspenseful music plays]
[car approaching]
[Leanne] Bayou.
Get in.
[car engine stops]
Anybody see me in that car, I'm dead.
You ain't from around here. You shouldn't be in this part of town.
-It's for coloreds. -Bayou, please?
Please.
[pants]
There's an old mill up the road.
Park behind it.
Turn your lights off when you get there.
[door closes]
How have you been?
Now, Miss Leanne,
you know it ain't right for no white woman to care how some darkie's doing.
-You do think you're white, don't you? -Let me explain.
Yeah, I was saving enough money to go to Boston to look for you.
Thought you had got yourself in some kind of trouble.
-I'm fit to be tied with you. -I sent you letters.
I never got no letter from you.
But I wrote you every week.
Anybody with your last name.
-Sometimes five times a week. -I never got 'em.
I thought you moved on and married some girl.
How could I do that when my heart only beat for you?
Why didn't you leave with me?
My mother.
She told me she would go to the sheriff and tell him you did things to me
if I didn't leave with her and never talk to you again.
They were gonna kill you and burn down your mother's house.
She would do it. I know she would.
What was I to do?
I didn't want you hurt.
You have to leave here.
If they know, they'll kill you and your mama.
[Leanne] I told her that.
She said she rather die here in that big house
than poor and destitute in Boston.
And she wanted me to marry
a rich… white man.
I don't even know how I got into this. I just… [sniffs]
I just want out.
[tearfully] I was 17.
You love him?
[Leanne sniffs]
[Leanne sniffs, sighs]
Do you?
Not… like I love you.
That ain't a no.
He doesn't make me feel the way you do.
Since we've been here, he's been different.
-He's been mean-- -Yeah. I… I… I don't know you.
The gal I loved only had eyes for me.
-What… what'd you come down here for? -[Leanne] Don't do this.
-You know this is hard for me. -How you think I feel?
Seeing you up there with that son of a bitch hugging you. Huh?
[car approaching]
That's Citsy coming to get me. She gonna go up and come back down,
know I ain't there. I got to go. I got to go.
Citsy? My Citsy?
You're starting to sound like one of 'em.
[car door opens]
[car door closes]
[Bayou grunts] Whoa now.
Whoa, whoa. Come on. Come on.
Stop the car, Citsy. Come on now.
Hey.
-[Citsy] You drive. [laughs] -Huh?
Make me? Get off of me, gal. Get off of me.
Man, just come on now. Get off of me and get in the car.
[car doors close]
[car engine starts]
[tense music plays]
[car engine starts]
[tense music continues]
Tell me where you coming from.
I had to pee. That all right with you? So nosy.
One day you're gonna thank me for nosing.
-Why you late? -Oh, hey.
[laughs] None of your business.
-Lord… -[Citsy] What?
[Bayou] I'll drive by. We'll stop. You tell him she was coming to get you.
-What you talking about? -Please, Citsy.
Tell Jackson she was coming to pick you up.
Who that is?
What's she… what's she doing down here?
Citsy!
Hey, Miss Leanne.
I'm sorry I didn't tell you I had a ride home.
And you came all this way. But I'mma have your breakfast ready
bright and early.
Hey, Sheriff.
Citsy.
Aw, she was coming to pick me up. Now, you ain't gonna tell John, are you?
[Jackson] Well…
Now you and me both know what you doing down here, don't we?
You watch who you talking to, gal.
Now don't let me see you down here again, Leanne, or I will have to tell John.
Yessir, Mr. Sheriff.
Let the colored take care of their own.
[chuckles] My, my, my.
[inhales]
[car engine revving]
[Ira] Yeah, no, no. No, this is great. No. This is great.
Okay, okay. I-- Thank you. Yeah, yeah. No.
Uh, I… I understand. Yeah, we will, uh… we will.
Thank you. Yeah, no, thank you.
I, um-- Yeah. Thank you.
Yeah. Um, we--
Hello.
-We got it. -[Willie] Come on!
[both laugh]
Yeah. It is just… an audition.
-That's all I need. -[man] Get out of the way!
-[car honks] -Come on.
[brush scrubbing]
[footsteps approaching]
Miss Leanne, what are you doing up this late?
Where do you think you're going?
-You know I work nights at Hattie Mae's. -[scoffs]
I need you to help me clean this floor.
I mopped this floor an hour ago, ma'am.
It's not good enough.
Why are you just standing there? Help me get this stain up.
I don't… I don't see no stain, ma'am.
You do as I say.
Yes, ma'am.
Where do you think you're going?
To change my dress, ma'am.
I said, clean this now.
Miss Leanne, this is my one good dress. [chuckles]
[gasps, grunts]
[Leanne grunts, sobs]
How dare you?
I'm sorry,
Miss Bucket.
[John] Darling, what are you doing up so late?
Is it the heat?
[Citsy] She said she can't sleep, Mr. Clayton.
Now sit right here, Miss Leanne.
I'mma make you something to help you sleep. [exhales]
And I'mma get up this stain.
Soon as I change my dress.
You all right?
It's the heat?
You've been getting out of bed every night now.
You'll get used to being here.
I mean, this is my home.
It's ours now.
This is not my home.
I'm going back to Boston.
[somber music plays]
Well, uh…
darling, if you left…
you know how much embarrassment that would cause me?
What would I say to everyone?
Jackson?
Hmm?
-[Leanne gasps] -[exhales]
[John sighs]
To defend my good Clayton name,
I would just tell everybody that we went for a swim
in the Chattahoochee River
and the current was too strong.
Took you under.
Now, you could have a good life here.
[John inhales]
Or no life at all.
[somber music ends]
We gonna be leaving tomorrow.
I'm going up to Chicago.
Gonna play at the Capitol Royale. [laughs]
So y'all got it?
Just an audition.
I am worried.
We need… more than him.
[Willie talks indistinctly]
Come on over here, Mama.
You don't want to come, do you?
Not on your life.
Uh, Bayou,
get that off the stove for me, please.
Where's Citsy?
Late again.
["That's All Right" by Amirah Vann and Austin Scott plays]
♪ You told me, baby ♪
♪ Once upon a time ♪
♪ You said if I would be yours ♪
♪ You would sure be mine ♪
♪ That's all right ♪
♪ I know you don't love me no more, baby ♪
♪ But that's all right ♪
♪ Every night and day I wonder ♪
♪ Who is loving you tonight? ♪
["That's All Right" fades out]
[Leanne] So he told you.
[Citsy] Bayou ain't said a word.
And I wasn't sure it was you.
The floor is clean.
I know.
[voice breaks] Why you acting like this with me?
You been nice to me.
Why?
Tell me.
I saw you with him.
Jumping on his back at the truck.
And you're jealous of that?
That boy love you like breathing.
He ain't even talked to another girl the whole time you've been gone.
He been sick about you.
Miss Leanne, look at me.
It's a dangerous game y'all playing.
Now, you can't do this. Y'all can't do this.
You made your choice.
A colored woman's life is hard.
And it makes me wonder if…
I could pass, would I?
So part of me don't blame you.
But most of me is scared for you.
Citsy, wait.
Can you do me a favor?
-Can you give this to him? -I won't help you with this.
Please.
You're gonna get him killed.
Please.
[sighs]
[door creaking]
["That's All Right" fades in]
[Citsy] Shit.
Excuse me.
Why are you so late?
Be sure you know what you're doing.
[thunder rumbling]
[Bayou pants]
Just like old times.
Nowhere near the same.
Do you still want to take me away?
With all my heart.
I think he'll let me go if I tell him I'm a Negro.
Oh no, don't… don't do that.
Don't do that.
Everybody in this town knows them boys' pride bigger than all Georgia.
Promise me you ain't gonna do that.
You'll make it hard for every colored person in Georgia
if them boys know they've been fooled.
And if something happen to you, they gonna have to kill me.
-No. -Then don't tell them.
I can't, um… [inhales]
I can't see you no more.
Not like this.
Bayou, you're all I've got.
You are the only person that makes me feel safe.
This ain't safe.
I can't… I… I can't see you like this.
And we go run away, you gonna… you need to let me save some money.
Then we run off.
So we gotta stop this till I have enough.
[dramatic music plays]
[Bayou moans]
[Leanne moans]
[car engine revs]
[Leanne pants]
[Leanne moans]
[both moaning]
What's going, kids? Let's sing a good one. Now, here we go.
♪ Oh, every day you'll meet a friend ♪
♪ But do you know how to greet a friend? ♪
♪ Well, if you don't I'll tell you how, just yell… ♪
-[kids] Howdy Doody! -[car doors close outside]
-You expecting anyone? -[on TV] ♪ Every day you'll see a pal ♪
-No. -♪ But do you know how to greet a pal? ♪
♪ Well, if you don't I'll tell you how, just yell… ♪
-[kids] Howdy Doody! -[Howdy Doody on TV] Good!
♪ Oh, work will be easy And life will be breezy ♪
♪ You'll find you can sing Like the birds ♪
♪ And the day with be lighter Your heart will be brighter if you… ♪
Jackson, what's going on?
[Jackson] That washerwoman's boy.
Somebody said he whistled at your wife when he was here today.
N… That's not true.
Citsy and I were the only ones here.
-Who could have said that? -I did.
I saw him.
-[tense music plays] -[Leanne shudders]
-[John] Hattie Mae's boy. -[Jackson] That's the one.
Come on, brother. We're gonna round up the boys.
That's not so. He did not do that.
-What, you saying your mama lying? -Yes. Yes, she is.
Leanne.
My wife's always been protective of the Negroes.
Come on.
Come on, darling. I'll drop you home.
It's all right.
These coloreds have lost their minds.
-Stop them. Margaret-- -Oh honey. [chuckles]
There's no power on this Earth that can stop a proper Southern gentleman
from defending his wife's honor.
[Leanne sobs]
[car engine starting]
[Leanne sobs, pants]
What did you do?
I saw you.
I followed you to that mill.
You letting that monkey lay on top of you.
I warned you before.
You will not ruin this life for us.
-Where do you think you're going? -I'm telling them everything.
-Leanne. -Everything!
No! No!
[pants, sobs]
Where are the keys?
[suspenseful music plays]
[sobs] Where are the keys?
Don't you know that that boy will kill us?
Look at the hate in his eyes when he sees coloreds. He will do it.
[sobbing] You… are… evil.
[Leanne sobs]
Get into the house.
[Leanne pants, sobs]
Citsy.
[sighs]
[exhales]
You be sure and write me when you get there. Okay?
Yes, ma'am.
And Willie,
you lay off that something, ya hear?
I'm fine, Mama.
I'm fine.
Goodbye, Miss Hattie Mae.
And thank you.
-Ira. -[car door opens]
I'll see y'all.
[Citsy screams] Go! Go. Go!
What's wrong with her?
-You gotta go! -[Hattie] Citsy, what's the matter?
-What? -They're coming for ya.
Who coming?
-What's going on? -[Citsy] Her mama.
Her mama said you whistled at her.
-Leanne and-- -Go!
-Where is she? -Just go!
-[Bayou] Where she at? -[Citsy] She fine.
They don't know. They're coming after you.
What about you?
You know I pay that sheriff. I'll be fine. Get in the car.
-Go! -[Citsy] They don't know--
Oh! Go.
[Citsy pants]
[car engine revving]
[Citsy pants]
[Hattie] Lord.
-And that's what happened. -Lord.
Oh Lord!
That'll get them killed dead.
I know, I know, I know. I know.
-[men shouting indistinctly] -[vehicle approaching]
There they is.
[men talking indistinctly]
[vehicle engine stops]
-Where is he? -Where's who?
Don't you play with me. Your boy.
Well, they ain't here. What you want with them?
Are you lying to us?
No, sir, Sheriff. They left here this morning.
Went out west or something, to California.
[tense music plays]
-[man 1] Let's burn it down. Burn it down! -[man 2] Yeah!
You won't let them burn down my house, Sheriff.
After all the money we done made at my place.
You watch your mouth.
-[man 3] Where they at? -He's not here.
Let's burn it down.
He ain't here.
Let's check the train station or the county line.
He can't be too far away.
-Let's go, boys. -[man 4] All right, let's go!
[vehicle engine revving]
-Please, God, please. -[door opens]
Citsy.
Ain't no cars here, so I guess they still looking for him,
but he got away.
[sighs] Thank God.
[sniffs] Thank God. I was praying.
[sniffs] If they did something to him,
I would have stayed here for the rest of my life… in misery.
And it would be what I deserve.
I quit.
No.
Look, ain't no way I can stay here.
None.
Now, I'm sorry, Miss Leanne.
-I wish you well in this struggle. -Please. Please.
If you leave, I've got nobody.
Citsy, don't go, please. Don't leave me here all by myself, please.
[car engine revving]
[Ira] Are you hungry?
Can't eat nothing.
I wanna go back.
[sniffs]
I just left like a coward.
I left them there.
[sniffs, coughs]
-Stop… stop the car. -What?
Wait!
[Bayou coughs]
Bayou!
[Bayou vomits, coughs]
-Here. -[coughs]
Wait. Wait.
[pants, sniffs]
When I was in Germany not long ago,
my family and I were sent to live in what was called a ghetto
by the German Army because…
because we were Jews.
The conditions were
terrible. Everything we had was stolen.
There was no food. Everyone was starving.
[solemn music plays]
Early one morning, we were awakened to the sound of the Nazis screaming,
"Wake up, Jews. Wake up, you stinking Jews."
We did not know it at the time, but they had been given orders.
Every Jew who was unable to work was to be killed.
And so
they promised us
that we were to be moved
to better conditions.
And we all boarded these… train cattle cars.
Many people. [breathes shakily]
Many people.
For days.
In one little car.
My wife and child were with me, and we were sent
to these… camps.
And we had to be… tested
to see if we were… fit to work.
Of course, my wife, Franca,
could not be tested while holding our daughter,
so they shot her and my little girl
right before my eyes.
Uh, this ain't making me feel no better.
I'm telling you this.
Sometimes you have to just go on so that you can come back to help.
I couldn't help… my family.
[sobs]
[sniffs, sobs]
But I helped…
I helped many people.
Your mother, she is a smart woman. She knows how to survive.
And once you learn that too,
how to survive…
then you will be able to help her.
Let us go on.
[solemn music ends]
[car engine revving]
[car engine stops]
[Bayou] Dear Mama.
We made it to Chicago.
This place is like downtown everywhere.
Ain't never seen nothing like this in all my life.
Ira was so nervous for this thing
he called an "audition" to get this job.
[upbeat jazz music plays]
[shoes tapping]
Wait here.
-Ira, you're a persistent man. -Yes. Thank you.
-Those are your boys? -[Ira] Yes.
-They are here, and they are excellent. -Uh, yes, well…
We have rehearsal here, so, uh, call my office next week.
Yes, okay, but I was hoping-- Uh--
-Yes, but we-- They-- -Call me. I'm busy. I'm in a rehearsal!
[upbeat jazz music continues]
Can you believe that?
Where are you going? Willie!
-Where is Willie? Where did he go? -I don't know.
Okay, you come. You sing.
What? I can't sing here. This ain't no juke joint.
Listen to me. You want to help your mother?
Leanne? Then you sing.
You think of her, and you sing. Okay.
I'm--
What song?
Anything.
-Anything that makes you think of her. -[upbeat jazz music ends]
Just sing.
-[man] That's it. Take five. Great work. -Come on.
Come on. It's okay.
Watch your step.
[indistinct chatter]
Now.
♪ The poets say ♪
♪ That all who love are blind ♪
♪ But I'm in love ♪
♪ And I know what time it is ♪
[piano music plays]
♪ The good book say ♪
♪ Go seek, and ye shall find ♪
♪ Well, I have sought ♪
♪ And my, what a climb it is ♪
[man] Y'all know this song? All right.
♪ My life is just like the weather ♪
♪ It changes with the hours ♪
♪ When she near, I'm fair and warmer ♪
♪ When she gone ♪
♪ I'm cloudy with showers ♪
-[band starts to play] -♪ Never treat me ♪
♪ Sweet and gentle ♪
♪ The way she should ♪
♪ I got it bad ♪
♪ And that ain't good ♪
♪ My poor heart ♪
♪ Is sentimental ♪
♪ Not made of wood ♪
♪ I got it bad ♪
♪ And that ain't good ♪
[crowd applauds]
[crowd cheers]
-I was scared to death, Ira. -Oh, you were great.
Been singing here for weeks, and I'm still shaking.
Shaking like… [laughs]
Like what?
Uh, yeah…
You get any letters from my mama?
I've been writing.
Here.
Why didn't you say nothing?
[Citsy] "Dear Bayou, your mama asked me to write you this letter."
"She wanted you to know that she doing fine,
and she loves you and misses you."
"Everything seems to have calmed down here,
and life is kind of back to normal."
"And she say, don't worry about her. You just take care of you,
and she hope you and Willie Earl is doing good."
"And we miss you, and we love you. Citsy."
-Yeah, she… she doing all right. -[Ira] Yes.
[pants] Yeah, thank God.
She… she ain't mention nothing about Leanne.
[Ira] I am sure she is fine.
I am sure of it.
Yeah, I need… I need to send Mama some… some money.
Need to write her a letter.
Ira. What the hell is this, now?
How the hell they gonna put his name out there on the marquee?
That's supposed to say "Willie Earl Boyd," not "Bayou."
The people, they are coming to see your brother.
Mr. Carney said that business is up over 30% since he started singing.
You said they like us, and they wanted us for Capitol Royale.
No. They said they liked Bayou, and they wanted him for Capitol Royale.
You walked out, or do you not remember?
It wasn't easy. I managed to get us a package deal.
Okay. Then I'm just going to have a talk with them then.
You'll not speak with them.
How in the hell you gonna tell me who I ain't gonna talk to?
I do not care who you speak with, but you will not speak with Mr. Carney.
You will not ruin this opportunity for us.
Please.
[crowd applauds]
[Ira sighs]
[door creaking]
Hey, hey, don't you be gettin' mad at me. I ain't done you nothing.
No, you trying to take over.
[exhales] You's trying to be the good house nigger.
You know Ira got a mind of his own.
Oh, yeah, Ira the one that got Mama in all that trouble back home too.
Willie Earl…
See, now she was doing just fine
till you came around there messing with that damn whore.
[Willie inhales, exhales]
You call her that again,
I'm gonna kick your ass all over--
Who the hell you think you is, huh?
-This here was my gig. -You better not say that shit again!
You hear me?
Ain't nobody trying to take over your gig.
What the hell you trying to do then, huh?
See, I done worked my ass off to get here.
Now finally,
where my name's supposed to be,
my own damn brother done gonna put his.
If anybody took your name,
it's that mess you're pushing up your arm.
The Negro race be a whole lot better off
if you just went on back to… Georgia.
[exhales] Let 'em
hang your black ass.
[inhales, exhales]
[upbeat jazz music plays]
[Bayou] Dear Mama.
We doing all right up here in Chicago.
Every chance I get, I been sending you a letter.
Hope you've been getting them.
Ira helped me get an apartment.
I wish you could see it.
It's really nice. Nicer than what we had down there.
Every night, the line getting longer and longer at the Capitol Royale.
People coming from all over the world, Mama.
You should see all these white folk.
Kinda remind me of the time I saw all the colored people come to your place.
It's something to see.
Oh, it is something to see.
I really hope you've been getting the money I've been sending to you.
I'mma keep sending it.
I really wish you all would tell me how Leanne doing.
Ain't heard nothing from nobody about nothing.
Hope she doing all right and that she's safe.
Ira and Mr. Carney even had me make a record called "Paper Airplane."
Mama, I gotta tell you, can't wait for you to hear it.
He tell me it's doing pretty well too.
Willie Earl, Mama,
we still fighting all the time.
Make me even miss you so much more.
And Mama,
he got it real, real bad.
I gotta go. They just knocked on the door to say five minutes.
-Come back tomorrow. -[Bayou] Sold out again tonight, Mama.
That's right. Sold out again tonight.
-We'll add more shows. Thank you. -[Bayou] Can't wait to see you.
-Thank you! Thank you! -[Bayou] I miss you, and I love you.
-Your son, Bayou. -Sold out.
["It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" plays]
♪ What good is melody ♪
♪ What good is music ♪
♪ If it ain't possessing Something sweet? ♪
♪ It ain't the melody ♪
♪ It ain't the music ♪
♪ There's something else ♪
♪ That make the tune complete ♪
♪ Oh, it don't mean a thing ♪
♪ If it ain't got that swing ♪
♪ Doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah Doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah ♪
♪ It don't mean a thing ♪
♪ All you gotta do is sing ♪
♪ Doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah Doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah ♪
♪ It make no difference If it's sweet or hot ♪
♪ Just give that rhythm Everything you've got ♪
♪ Oh, it don't mean a thing ♪
♪ If it ain't got that swing ♪
♪ Doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah Doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah ♪
[scatting]
[continues scatting]
♪ It makes no difference If it's sweet or hot ♪
♪ Just give that rhythm Everything you've got ♪
♪ It don't mean a thing ♪
♪ If it ain't got that swing ♪
♪ Doo-ah, doo-ah Doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah ♪
♪ It don't mean a thing ♪
♪ Everybody gotta sing ♪
♪ Doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah Doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah ♪
[scatting]
♪ Doo-ah, doo-ah Doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah ♪
♪ Doo-ah, doo-ah ♪
♪ Doo-ah ♪
[crowd cheers, applauds]
Appreciate it, thank you.
Will you please welcome Miss Laura Brazel with her African tribal dance?
[drumroll]
[rhythmic music plays]
[banging on door]
Who dat? Who dat, I say?
[Citsy] Open the door.
Citsy? Citsy! What are you doing down here this late?
[Citsy] We need some help.
What you bring her here for?
You need to carry her to the white folks' doctor.
-Please help me. The baby's coming. -Citsy, why'd you bring her here?
She come down to the kitchen to get me,
didn't want me to wake John or her mama up,
and don't wanna go to the doctor.
Come on. Bring her over here.
-[Citsy] Just breathe. -[groans] I'm in so much pain.
Something's not right. I know it.
Citsy, run and get John to carry her to the doctor.
Hattie, you gotta help her.
Hattie?
Hattie Mae!
[Citsy grunts]
-[Leanne groans] -Breathe! Breathe!
[rhythmic music continues]
-[screams] -[exclaims]
[Hattie] All right. Give me one more. Give me one more good one.
One more good one!
-[Leanne screams] -[Hattie] Come on.
-[grunts] -[rhythmic music intensifies]
[Hattie] One, two, three. Give me one good push.
[Leanne groans, screams]
-[rhythmic music stops] -[baby cries]
[Leanne cries] Oh my God!
I'mma cut this cord, and you carry her to the white folks' hospital.
-Tell them she had the baby there. -Okay.
[Leanne laughs]
[jazz music plays in the background]
Leroy? Leroy!
-Hey, hey, man! -Hey!
What you doing here?
[gasps] Hey, man. Good to see you.
Yeah. I come to Chicago to visit my cousin,
and I heard on the radio y'all was appearing nightly.
-That's how they say it. -[laughs]
Appearing nightly at the Capitol Royale.
[both laugh]
Y'all done made it, huh?
[Bayou] Um…
We doing all right. Sit down, man.
-Sure. -Sit down. You looking good.
Man, not as good as you.
[sighs] Wish I could come see the show, but they don't allow us in there, huh?
No. No.
[exhales]
Uh, Willie coming down soon?
Yeah, as soon as he finish that set.
Yeah. Hey, you see my mama before you left?
Nah, folks don't go by her place no more.
Don't nobody go by there?
After that mess… they was all too scared.
She be getting the money I sent?
Bayou, you know they checking her mail.
Last I heard, she took to growing a garden just to be able to feed herself.
Can you get some money to her?
Now, Bayou… [chuckles]
…you know I won't be responsible for no money.
You know I love wine and women too much.
And you know, I hear Leanne just had a baby.
-[knocking on door] -Yeah, yeah? Come on.
Oh, excuse me. I did not know you had a guest.
It's all right.
What's the matter?
Would you excuse us for a moment?
Sure.
Uh, Bayou, tell Willie I'mma be around back.
Wait for me. I'm gonna get you a letter to send to her and Citsy, okay?
Okay, then.
Evening, sir.
[door creaking]
Ira, I… I need to take some time off from here.
What?
My mama in trouble in Georgia. I need to go see about her.
Uh, are you insane? Those people tried to kill you.
I already know what you're gonna say.
But I done spent my whole life running.
I'm gonna see about her.
Bayou…
Look, I done that to her. My mama a proud woman.
What if we, uh… [exhales]
What if we play one night at her place? Just one night.
That'd get the folk to coming back out. She'd get back on her feet.
We'd be out of there before you know it.
I will go and bring her here.
She don't want to come here. I have to go there.
I do not think that is a good idea.
You said yourself, I don't look like that poor little colored boy that left.
And what if they know?
You know well as me white folk don't care nothing
about no Negro singing in no juke joint down there.
-No? -No.
I'm gonna see about my mama.
Whether you with me or not.
Is this about your mother
or Leanne?
Ira.
Ira, it's gonna be all right. It's gonna be all right.
Now you go on and make the arrangements.
Just one night.
[footsteps departing]
["Paper Airplanes - Bayou Boyd" by Joshua Boone plays over radio]
Here's your mail.
Why are all my letters open?
They come that way.
Gonna buy something, Hattie?
[man over radio] That was Bayou Boyd with his new hit, "Paper Airplane."
[instrumental jazz music plays over radio]
[footsteps approaching]
[man] Hello, Miss Leanne. How you doing?
-I'm fine, Mr. Lincoln. -How's that baby?
-[Leanne] Strong as ever. -[Lincoln] Good, good.
[Lincoln] That all?
Hey, I can't give you no more credit.
Well, I always paid you on time.
Not in the last few months. Cash only.
Let me pay for it.
[Hattie exhales]
You can't be nice to those people, I tell you.
-What can I get for you, Miss Leanne? -Just this.
[car door opens, closes]
I bought you groceries. It's the least I can do.
I also… brought a load of laundry for you.
Ain't you heard? White folks don't bring me their washings no more.
If you need work…
I ain't never in my life working in no white folks' kitchen.
[Leanne] I just wanted to tell you
thank you for all of your help with the birth of my child.
I got business to attend to.
I understand.
[Leanne breathes heavily]
[Leanne exhales]
How's your son?
He fine.
How your'n?
He's fine.
He got his daddy eyes.
I…
[sighs]
I didn't mean for any of this to happen.
I can't stop thinking about Bayou.
I pray every day that he's okay. Have you heard from him?
Nope.
How about a letter?
If I write him a letter, will you mail it for me?
Gal, is you crazy?
My boy almost got killed behind you.
I love… your son.
[inhales] Then let him be.
All you think about is yourself.
You need to start thinking about the folk you hurt.
What you would have done if that baby looked colored?
What's wrong with you?
Get on away from round here!
And take your bag with you.
[sniffs]
["Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby" by Joshua Boone and Austin Scott plays]
♪ I got a gal who's always late ♪
♪ Anytime we have a date ♪
♪ But I love her ♪
♪ Yes, I love her ♪
♪ I'm gonna walk up to her gate ♪
♪ And see if I can get it straight ♪
♪ 'Cause I want her ♪
♪ I'm gonna ask her ♪
♪ Is you is or is you ain't my baby? ♪
Let's hear it for my brother.
♪ The way you acting lately ♪
♪ Makes me down… ♪
-What's that look for? -What do you think it is for?
Mr. Carney is very unhappy with your brother.
He does not like that he takes over the songs.
-He is always late and so on. -You ought to talk with him about that.
He's been getting cash advances on his pay every night.
He owes the club… quite a lot of money.
It's that stuff.
I just… I… I… I just gotta help him get off that stuff.
If it were that easy,
I would've done it a long time ago.
["Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby" continues playing]
Ooh. [laughs]
[both laugh]
Isn't my brother amazing?
♪ A woman is a creature ♪
♪ That has always been strange ♪
♪ Just when you're sure of one ♪
♪ You find she's gone and made a change ♪
♪ Is you is or is you ain't my baby? ♪
♪ Maybe baby's found somebody new ♪
♪ Or is my baby still… ♪
-I need to speak with you. -Not now. Not right now.
["Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby" ends]
[crowd applauds]
[door locks]
[Willie pants]
Hey, Willie.
I'm going home for a day
to get the people to coming back out to Mama's place.
You coming?
Yeah, uh, Leroy told me about the troubles she been having. I'm gonna go.
[Bayou] Mm-hmm.
Yeah, we're leaving in two days.
Okay.
[wood creaking]
You looking for this?
-What you doing with my shit? -All right, hold up.
Nigga, I said what you doing with my shit. It ain't none of your damn business.
-Ira said you gotta lay off. -You talk to Ira?
-I'm trying to help! -I don't need no help.
Give me my shit.
Okay.
[muttering]
[Willie panting]
Give me my shit.
You better give it to me, okay? I'm gonna count to three.
One…
[Willie grunts]
-[glass breaks] -[Willie grunts]
[Willie grunts, groans]
[both grunt]
[Bayou screams]
[Willie groans]
[Ira] Open the door!
[Bayou screams]
[Willie] I'm gonna kill you.
-Give me my shit, man. -[Ira] Hey!
Willie, Willie!
-Bayou, Bayou, Bayou. -No, he got my shit.
Okay, Bayou, give it to him now, please.
Willie, Willie, please. Willie, please.
[Ira grunts]
Okay, okay!
-Okay. -[Carney] What in the hell is this?
Are you insane?
Ira. I can't take any more of this.
You are fired.
-Wait. What? No, no, no. -[Carney] You heard me.
-[Willie] He started it. -[Carney] Get out of here.
-You don't know-- -Ira.
-[Carney grunts] -Hey, hey.
Ira. Ira. [pants, laughs]
How you gonna let him fire me over this nigga now?
Hey, we've been together since long before this boy came along.
-Come on, you know. Come on, we go-- -Hey…
[Willie pants]
I cannot help you.
-But I helped your ass, didn't I? -Yes.
Didn't I help your ass, and now you gonna let him do this to me?
[sniffs] Okay, okay.
You set me up.
Stop them. No!
-Stop! -No, no! You set me up.
And you been doing this since we were children.
No, no, no, no.
[Willie pants]
You be damn sure of one thing, motherfucker.
This shit ain't over.
I hate your black ass.
[footsteps departing]
[door creaks, slams]
[footsteps approaching]
[Citsy] Good morning.
-Citsy, look at him. -[Citsy] What is it?
I think he's getting darker.
Oh, he look the same to me.
Same as yesterday and… the day before that.
-And the day before that. -No, Citsy. I think he's getting darker.
[Citsy sighs] Calm down.
Can I get you something?
No, I can't eat anything.
[baby coos]
[whispers] Read this, give it back to me.
[Bayou] "Dear Leanne."
"I'll be there Saturday after next."
"Be ready to leave with me."
"I ain't gonna argue with you about this,
but you're coming with me."
"Citsy will tell you where to meet."
[whispers] He's coming to get me.
-[Leanne sighs] -[baby coos]
[chuckles]
[whispers] He's coming to get us, baby.
Sure is good of Bayou to come do this for you, ain't it?
Yeah, but I don't like it.
[scoffs] I want him out of here as soon as it's over.
You sure them Clayton boys don't know?
[exhales] Child,
them boys busy trying to run this town. They ain't thinking about us.
You ain't tell her Bayou coming, did you?
[sighs]
-I'm sorry, Hattie. -Now how come you do that?
He got a right to know that it's his baby.
She best keep her mouth shut.
Willie Earl here?
[suspenseful music plays]
[Bayou pants]
Willie, wake up. Willie, Willie, Willie, wake up. Wake up.
What you doing in my house?
[Bayou] Come on. Come on now. Come on.
Where are we going?
[Bayou] We going to see Mama. Come on.
-But… [groans] -[Bayou] Get up. Get up, get up.
Mama here?
[Bayou] No, she in Georgia.
-[Willie grunts] -We're going to see her.
Come on now.
-[grunts] Come on, Willie. Put these on. -They gonna kill you.
-[Bayou] Put these here. -They gonna kill you.
How… how I'm gonna be glad when they do too. [chuckles]
I hate your black ass.
[groans]
[Bayou inhales deeply]
Ah, you got me fired, didn't you?
No. That shit you're using got you fired, Willie.
Now sit up, sit up.
-Sit up now, sit up. Get up. -[groans]
You been jealous of me. I went all the way up to Chicago with him.
You had to stay home with Mama.
You… [laughs]
You… you half-breed.
All right? You-- My… my daddy ain't your daddy.
[Bayou exhales deeply]
My daddy showed me everything.
He showed me how to play.
-He showed me how-- -[Bayou] Get--
How to get high.
[groans loudly]
Stand up, stand up.
They shot him right in front of me.
[Willie pants]
His brains was all over me.
[Willie inhales]
You know, I wish I ain't seen all I saw with him sometimes.
See, Mama… Mama might have loved you more.
[sniffs, groans]
My… my daddy…
[pants]
My daddy sure loved me more than he loved you.
[pants]
[Willie sniffs]
-[grunts] -All right, now.
[Bayou groans]
[Willie sniffs]
-Come on. -Hold on now.
-I can't leave here without my shit. -I'll get you some more.
[Willie] I need enough.
Where my… where my horn at?
[pants]
All right. It's right there. Come on, come on. Just come on.
[laughs]
-[Bayou] Mama. Hey, Mama! -Bayou!
-[both laugh] -Look at you!
Oh, I missed you so much, Mama.
-I missed you too, baby. -I missed you so much
-[laughs] -[Hattie] Mm.
[sighs] Willie Earl.
Hey, Mama.
[Citsy] Oh, my word. You look fine as ever. You look rich!
-[laughing] -Come on now.
-It's so good to see you, Citsy. -[Citsy and Bayou laugh]
Paper airplane, 12:30 at the bus.
-All right? -[Citsy] Mm-hmm.
Okay.
Ira.
Miss Hattie Mae.
-This here my band. -Ma'am.
-Ira put them together for me. -How you doing?
Y'all go on and set up.
We only here a little while. It's gonna be dark soon.
-Where you going, Willie? -I need some air.
Excuse me, sir.
[Willie sniffs]
What do you want, boy?
[pants]
Uh, I'mma… I'mma here to tell you, uh…
You been looking for a Negro they call Bayou, sir?
I want to thank you all for being here tonight. Truly.
I know y'all wanna know what a big surprise
we all been talking about is.
Well, here it is.
My sons are here, y'all. [laughs]
Bayou and Willie Earl.
[crowd cheers, applauds]
Oh.
[exhales] Thank y'all.
Thank… thank y'all so much.
It's so good to see all y'all back here at Hattie Mae's.
Come on, Mama, let's sing. Let's sing. Come on, band.
["Rocks in My Bed" by Amirah Vann, Joshua Boone, and Austin Scott plays]
♪ My heart is heavy as lead ♪
♪ Because the blues have spread ♪
♪ Rocks in my bed ♪
[phone rings]
[John groans]
[wearily] Hello?
No. Hi, Jackson.
♪ Of all the people I see ♪
♪ Why do they pick on poor me ♪
♪ And put rocks in my bed ♪
♪ All night long, I weep ♪
♪ So how can I sleep ♪
♪ With rocks in my bed? ♪
Take it y'all. Take it, Mama.
♪ My heart is heavy ♪
♪ It's heavy as lead ♪
♪ Because the blues… ♪
Are you going somewhere?
To the outhouse.
The body men are waiting by the car. They will go with you.
Yeah, I think I know how to hold it, Ira.
They will go with you,
and when you come back, we leave.
Okay.
All right.
[Hattie] ♪ All night long… ♪
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa now. Just going to the bus is all.
It's all right. It's all right. Go on. It's all right.
["Rocks in My Bed" continues in the distance]
[suspenseful music plays]
[Bayou] Lil Ann… [gasps] Lil Ann.
[Leanne laughs]
Hi.
[Bayou whimpers]
-I missed you. I missed you so much. -[Leanne] I missed you.
I missed you so much.
[dramatic music plays]
[Bayou sniffs]
[Bayou laughs, sobs]
[both laugh]
-[sniffs] -You have a son.
[baby coos]
[both laugh]
["Rocks in My Bed" continues]
[Willie stops playing]
[band slows down, stops]
[Willie cries]
[continues crying]
-[whimpers] -[Leanne laughs]
[Bayou gasps]
-[gasps] Stay here as long as you can. -No.
-No. Stay. -Stay here as long as you can.
I got to go. I can't let 'em do my mama no harm.
-I can't let 'em do my mama no harm. -Please, no.
-Shh. -[Leanne talks indistinctly]
-Please stay. Please stay. -Shh. I can't run no more.
[crying] No, don't go. Don't go. Don't go.
-I'll be back. -[crying] No.
No, no, no. Please, please, please.
No, no, no, no, no.
Jackson.
[men talking indistinctly]
-There he is! -[Bayou] Whoa.
-Get him! -[Bayou] Hear me out now.
Now this is something-- Whoa, wait, wait! Wait!
Wait! Whoa, whoa! Hey, hey!
-[dramatic music plays] -[men shouting indistinctly]
[muffled screaming]
[muffled screaming] No!
No! [sobs]
-[gun firing outside] -[crowd screams]
[whispers] Willie Earl.
[Bayou] Wait, wait, wait! Wait, wait!
[screams] They took him to the field!
[Hattie] What? Oh God! What?
[crowd clamoring]
[Hattie sobs] Cut him down! Cut him down!
Cut him down! Cut him down!
[dramatic music continues]
[dramatic music intensifies]
[dramatic music ends]
[glass clinking]
Where have you been?
I'm sorry. I got delayed.
Well, your mother's been here for a couple of hours.
And listening to that same old song.
["Paper Airplanes - Bayou Boyd" by Joshua Boone plays]
♪ You are the song ♪
♪ That I long to hear once more ♪
♪ You are the light ♪
♪ That I keep looking for… ♪
She's not talking much today, Mr. Johnathan.
Miss Leanne?
♪ Me and you ♪
Your son is here.
-♪ I gotta see, see this thing through… ♪ -Miss Leanne?
♪ And I'll spend my lifetime ♪
It's Johnathan.
♪ Sending paper airplanes ♪
♪ To the moon ♪
♪ Praying they get to you ♪
♪ And I'll spend the rest of my days ♪
♪ Lost in this craze for you ♪
♪ Sending paper airplanes ♪
♪ To the moon ♪
♪ Love so divine ♪
♪ All our memories intertwined ♪
♪ I found the truth ♪
♪ In your honey eyes ♪
♪ And even though it's been a while ♪
♪ I still think about your smile ♪
♪ Every night before I fall asleep ♪
♪ I find you in my dreams ♪
♪ Somewhere in the trees ♪
-♪ And I'll spend my lifetime ♪ -[whimpers]
-♪ Sending paper airplanes ♪ -[sighs]
♪ To the moon ♪
♪ Praying they get to you ♪
-♪ And I'll spend the rest of my days ♪ -[sobs]
♪ Lost in this craze for you ♪
♪ Sending paper airplanes ♪
♪ To the moon ♪
["Paper Airplanes - Bayou Boyd" ends]
[Johnathan sniffs]
[Johnathan exhales]
[birds chirping]
-["Paper Airplanes" by Ruth B. plays] -♪ You are the song ♪
♪ That I long to hear once more ♪
♪ You are the light ♪
♪ That I keep looking for ♪
♪ Roses are blue ♪
♪ If it isn't me and you ♪
♪ I gotta see ♪
♪ See this thing through ♪
♪ And I'll spend my lifetime ♪
♪ Sending paper airplanes ♪
♪ To the moon ♪
♪ Praying they get to you ♪
♪ And I'll spend the rest of my days ♪
♪ Lost in this craze for you ♪
♪ Sending paper airplanes ♪
♪ To the moon ♪
♪ Love so divine ♪
♪ All our memories intertwined ♪
♪ I found the truth ♪
♪ In your honey eyes ♪
♪ And even though it's been a while ♪
♪ I still think about your smile ♪
♪ Every night before I fall asleep ♪
♪ I find you in my dreams ♪
♪ Somewhere in the trees ♪
♪ And I'll spend my lifetime ♪
♪ Sending paper airplanes ♪
♪ To the moon ♪
♪ Praying they get to you ♪
♪ And I'll spend the rest of my days ♪
♪ Lost in this craze for you ♪
♪ Sending paper airplanes ♪
♪ To the moon ♪
♪ And if the world stops spinning ♪
♪ Even then I'll be singing ♪
♪ Of you ♪
♪ And when my heart stops beating ♪
♪ Even then I'll be dreaming ♪
♪ Of you ♪
♪ And if the birds stop singing And the rain stops falling ♪
♪ And the sun won't shine on you ♪
♪ Even then I won't be through ♪
♪ Through with loving you ♪
♪ And I'll spend my lifetime ♪
♪ Sending paper airplanes ♪
♪ To the moon ♪
♪ Praying they get to you ♪
♪ And I'll spend the rest of my days ♪
♪ Lost in this craze for you ♪
♪ Sending paper airplanes ♪
♪ To the moon ♪
[humming]
♪ Sending paper airplanes ♪
♪ To the moon ♪
♪ Moon ♪
♪ Sending paper airplanes ♪
♪ To the moon ♪
["Paper Airplanes" by Ruth B. ends]
[somber music plays]
[somber music ends]
[dramatic music plays]
[dramatic music ends]