[insects chirping]
[soft creaking]
Mama?
Mama, are you all right?
Go on back to sleep, Ruby Lee.
Mama's just fine.
[Ruby] Mama?
Are you awake?
[whispering] Back to sleep, baby girl.
Mama's just...
fine.
- [ax chops] - [gasps]
[panting]
[birds chirping]
[knuckles cracking softly]
[dog barks in distance]
[panting softly]
♪ ♪
[razor clinking]
♪ ♪
[clock ticking]
♪ ♪
[sizzling]
♪ ♪
[sizzling]
[clock ticking loudly]
Do I look pretty now, Mama?
Ouch! Mama!
[gasps] Gra-Gracie Jean. Baby, I'm so sorry.
What did you do, Mama?!
She burned me, Ruby!
[over radio] ♪ ...very hard to do ♪
♪ And you'll find happiness without an end ♪
- [engine starts] - ♪ Whatever you pretend ♪
♪ Remember anyone can dream ♪
♪ And nothing's bad as it may seem ♪
♪ The little things you haven't got ♪
♪ Could be a lot if you pretend ♪
♪ You'll find a love you can share ♪
♪ One you can call all your own ♪
♪ Just close your eyes, she'll be there ♪
♪ You'll never be alone ♪
♪ And if you sing this melody ♪
♪ You'll be pretending just like me ♪
♪ The world is mine, it can be yours, my friend ♪
♪ So why don't you pretend ♪♪
[papers shuffling]
[turns page]
[Berks] What's the clearance on the nacelle housing
from the drive?
I'm not busy running a department
or anything, so take your time.
It's 0.0625.
Yeah. Sure.
But...
Where's the notation?
Um...
McCluskey is doing the drive, sir.
I'm only handling the nacelle.
Oh.
You're only handling the...
It's a team effort here, Emory.
That's what I'm trying to instill.
- Yes, sir. - Here's a thought.
Maybe...
if you weren't so busy glad-handing the bosses,
your work would be up to scratch.
You think Stoat's gonna what?
Hmm?
Invite you for ten holes?
He wouldn't invite you to be his caddy.
[exhales, chuckles]
A little Negro college down South might be good enough
for entry-level, but let me tell you something, Emory.
This...
this is the Pentagon contract, man.
- I'm not sure you're ready. - Not sure I'm ready?
Because I didn't do another man's work?
Are you getting wise?
Huh? Is that what's happening right now?
'Cause let me tell you something.
Lip will get you shown the door.
Try me. Please.
Try me.
Now, look.
I'm big enough to admit when I've made a mistake.
I brought you along too fast.
- [sets cup down] - [sniffs]
Um...
You're sacking me.
Mr. Berks.
I've done it for less.
No.
But I am taking you off the Pentagon project.
Mr. Stoat said, "You build it, you own it."
That's my work, sir.
And I say...
profit sharing is something you earn, Emory.
And you're still making more than any Negro
I ever heard of, so please, don't start crying poor to me.
Bright side, you've got potential.
So, head on down to Commercial,
you can work on the DC-7 airfoil.
[Henry exhales]
- [quietly] Yes, sir. - I'm sorry?
[chair scrapes]
[Henry] Yes, sir.
Attaboy.
[quiet chatter]
[Hazel] Coming.
[over radio] ♪ When do we really begin? ♪
♪ What is this going...
[Hazel] I don't know. You asked
for my opinion, I'm gonna give you my opinion.
But you ain't gonna like my opinion.
I-I know how it sounds.
You think I'm crazy. I know.
Hell yeah, I think you crazy.
Crazy for moving out to white-ass Compton, honey.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
I hurt Gracie Jean this morning. I burned my baby.
That's 'cause you can't do no hair, Lucky.
Shit.
Ray Charles could've told you that.
But, no...
you could never hurt them girls.
[Lucky sighs]
But I am curious, Luck...
...to know why you ain't tell me.
What? I don't know what...
'Bout what happened, Lucky.
With your baby boy.
Okay. Talk about it or don't.
Either way, I'm gonna be right here for you.
Move. Unit just opened up, right here.
Two bedrooms.
No white folks trying to drive a bitch
- out of her mind up in here. - That woman.
The other night, y'all said that
a-a colored family moved to Compton and did something
- to their... - Oh, girl, we was so toe' up the other night.
- I don't know why you pay... - Hazel.
Hazel.
You said you're here for me.
What happened?
I can see it. You know something.
That's just this face. It's the way it look.
Hazel.
Oh, shit.
Yes, the Beaumonts.
Colored family just like y'all.
They was living in East Compton,
just for a minute, until...
And them motherfuckers.
They drove that woman and her family
out of their goddamn minds.
How, Hazel?
- She killed 'em. - [Lucky exhales]
She killed 'em.
Shit, that child's name was Arnette Beaumont.
Lord, they done put her ass in the Central State nuthouse.
Oh, and that place... Shit.
[chuckling] That place ain't-ain't fit for man...
[door slams]
[sighs]
- I didn't bring it with me. - [bank rep] Well, we'll just need your husband to come down
and sign for you. I have to make sure...
[chatter continues indistinctly]
[man] How can I help you?
Uh, Betty Wendell here to see Mr. Fuller.
Oh, yes. Right this way.
[Fuller] Move? Already?
But you've only been in Compton for...
- I know. - Would you even get your money back?
Well, with our savings, I'm sure we can find something nice.
Between you and I,
Compton isn't what it used to be.
What?
Uh, West Compton, I know has had some...
Well, it's like the Santa Ana, blowing garbage east, our way.
That's a real shame.
Clarke really should be here.
I opened this account.
Yeah, and he's the signatory, and he's your husband.
I may have misspoken.
My father opened this account.
I'm sure I could call him and let him know
that his money, his daughter's money,
seems to be inaccessible in your institution.
It's inaccessible because it's not there, Betty,
sorry as I am to say.
♪ ♪
There was over $6,000 in there.
It's not my place to...
A husband and a wife is a sacred bond.
I haven't touched a penny of it.
How much did my husband take out?
Why don't you take that up with him?
I'm taking it up with you.
You have a little less than $400 left.
♪ ♪
Thank you so much for your time, Mr. Fuller.
[indistinct chatter]
You're it. [chuckles]
I was just finishing lunch.
I've got a surprise for you. I asked, and they said yes.
I'm trying out for cheerleading, and you're trying out with me.
Why do you talk to me?
I mean, what do you want?
I don't want anything.
- Thought we were friends. - Yeah, but why me?
Don't you have other friends?
I see you, Ruby Emory.
You couldn't hide here even if you tried.
So, stop trying.
Might as well give all these looky-loos
something to really stare at.
Gym.
After school.
Meet me there?
♪ ♪
Arnette Beaumont has agreed to see you.
[birds chirping]
To what do I owe this pleasure?
[orderly] Fifteen minutes.
Mrs. Beaumont, I've come from Compton.
East Compton.
You married?
Children?
Yes. Two daughters.
Before you kill them...
...you ought to just think on how much you'll miss them
when they're gone.
♪ ♪
[♪ Nat King Cole: "Pretend"]
♪ ♪
[song ends]
[brakes squeak]
Luck?
- [TV turns on] - [announcer] ...before DeSoto
deserves the name "automatic."
Reasons you should discover for yourself.
Go to your DeSoto Plymouth dealer soon.
See and drive the beautiful, stylish, distinctive
1954 DeSoto automatic.
It's available in two full series:
the mighty 170-horsepower Firedome 8
and the brilliant Powermaster 6.
Convince yourself that this year,
DeSoto will get you ahead.
[Father Knows Best theme music plays]
[narrator] Robert Young.
And Jane Wyatt.
[beer can opens]
With Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray and Lauren Chapin...
in Father Knows Best.
I'm sure you're right.
You mean to say you can tell, by looking at a man,
whether he's capable of crime?
In most cases, yes.
The born criminal has certain facial characteristics
- that brand him immediately. - Hmm.
- [raspy breathing] - The difficult case is the normal person
who is driven to crime through passion or need.
Such a man, however, gives himself up in the end,
through fear, fear of the law or of God.
Then your ability to inspire fear must be a powerful weapon.
[man over TV] Very. Half the time it drives a man to us,
saving us the bother of going after him.
And then... I wouldn't confess this openly,
but as one criminologist to another,
we take credit for being inhumanly skillful.
- Yes, sir... - [static crackles]
It ain't just the drums that worryin' 'em,
and got 'em scared, it's them bones that you fiddlin' with.
- [colonizer] Nonsense. - [laughs] "Nonsense."
[Moreland] Well, that's one way to put it, but them boys figure
that them bones was walking around here once.
And the folks that was wearing them...
- [laughing loudly] - [colonizer] Why not?
[overlapping laughter]
Lord, Mr. Henry, these monkeyshines
like to have me bust a seam.
[laughing]
[stamping feet]
Whoo...
Where you come from? Hmm?
This here is my house.
Sho' paid enough for it.
[Henry] That's right.
I paid for this.
All of it.
Me.
And now that ofay taking the food
out your children's mouths.
That old rascal. [laughing]
"I say profit sharing is something you earn, Emory."
Whoo, Mr. Henry!
If you don't sound just like him.
Lord, what kind of monkeyshines is you "perpepetrating"?
Who the hell he think he is?
[exhales]
[can clatters on floor]
[growls]
I was powerful thirsty, Mr. Henry.
And now...
I can cogitate more proper like.
Hmm.
♪ What you gon' do? ♪
- ♪ What you gon' do? ♪ - [stomping feet]
♪ What you gon' do? ♪
- [stomping] - [laughing]
♪ What you gon' do? ♪
- ♪ What you gon' do? ♪ - [continues stomping]
♪ What you gon' do? ♪
Ooh, I seen that face before!
[bullets clicking]
And trouble come right behind.
[clock ticking]
[car door closes]
[engine starts]
[car departing]
[all] ...to the flag,
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it stands,
one nation, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.
Who wants to come up here and recite the pledge on their own?
- [girl] Me! Me! - Gracie Emory.
[whispers] Yes.
[students murmuring]
I pledge allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it...
[students laughing]
[teacher shushing]
♪ ♪
[teacher] The Republic...
The Republic for which it stands...
It's okay.
The Republic for which it stands...
[laughter]
The Repub...
♪ ♪
[laughter continues]
[teacher shushing]
[quietly] Cat in a bag.
- Cat in a bag. - [teacher] Gracie, that's enough.
Cat in a bag. Cat in a bag.
- Cat in a bag. - Don't laugh.
Cat in a bag. Cat in a bag.
Cat in a bag!
Cat in a bag?
Cat in a bag. Cat in a bag!
Cat in a bag! Cat in a bag!
- [teacher] Gracie Jean Emory, that's enough! - Cat in a bag!
Cat in a bag! Cat in a bag!
- Cat in a bag! Cat in a bag! - Gracie.
- Cat in a bag! Cat in a bag! - Gracie, stop it!
[Gracie] Cat in a bag! Cat in a bag!
- Gracie! - Cat in a bag! Cat in a bag!
- Gracie, stop it! - Cat in a bag! Cat in a bag!
- Stop it, Gracie! - Cat in a bag!
I won the lottery, this skin.
"Half the rhythm, twice the reward."
- [bird cawing] - That's what Mother said.
Our wealth didn't hurt.
But wealth can only get a colored person so far.
What it can't buy is freedom to forget who you are.
She had a saying, my mother.
"Light and bright, all is right."
The thing is, I hadn't thought of those words,
or her, for years.
Not once.
Not until I moved to East Compton.
Night of the incident, we hadn't left the house for days.
[music playing over TV]
♪ ♪
Light and bright, all is right.
[both] Light and bright, all is right.
Light and bright, all is right.
♪ ♪
[Arnette] What I did to my family...
was unholy.
Evil.
But something was pulling me.
Making me.
I never told those policemen about him.
"Him"?
Him who, Mrs. Beaumont?
The man with the black hat.
♪ ♪
[Doris] You came.
The basketball team's stealing the gym.
The girls are downstairs.
Come on.
[door creaking]
[cheerleaders] Hear our cry!
V-I-C-T-O-R-Y.
♪ ♪
[door opens]
Mrs. Emory, I'm sorry to have to call you in here, but I'm afraid
- we have a... - Gracie Jean, get your stuff and...
Mrs. Emory.
- Let's go. - I'm sorry, Mama.
- Sorry for wh... - Mrs. Emory,
your daughter seems to be having some difficulties...
What kind of difficulties?
I knew the words, Mama, I promise.
Gracie, you've said your piece.
Do the words "cat in a bag" mean anything to you?
Mrs. Emory, we don't think Gracie's ready
for this level of education.
It's not good for my other students.
The ones here to learn.
From you?
I'm saying I don't think this is the right place
for your daughter.
You goddamn right it's not.
[door opens]
[door slams]
[stomping in unison]
[all] Our boys will shine tonight.
- Our boys will shine. - [rhythmic clapping]
Our boys will shine tonight, all down the line.
When the sun goes down and the moon comes up,
our boys will shine.
Our boys will shine tonight.
Our boys will shine.
Our boys will shine tonight,
all down the line.
When the sun goes down and the moon comes up, our boys
will shine.
Our boys will shine tonight.
Our boys will shine.
Our boys will shine tonight,
all down the line.
When the sun goes down and the moon comes up,
our boys will shine.
Our boys will shine tonight.
Our boys will shine.
Our boys will shine tonight, all down the line.
When the sun goes down and the moon comes up,
our boys will shine.
Our boys will shine tonight.
[fading] Our boys will shine.
Our boys will shine tonight, all down the line...
♪ ♪
[footfalls echoing softly]
♪ ♪
[bones cracking]
[cracking and crunching]
[rhythmic clapping]
[birds chirping]
♪ ♪
[soft clattering inside]
♪ ♪
[footsteps inside]
♪ ♪
[man] Excuse me.
I said, excuse me.
Can I help you?
Boy, what are you doing around here?
Look at me when I'm talking to you.
♪ ♪
I'm sorry, sir.
Must've got lost.
I'd say so.
[Henry] Yeah.
[grunts]
[Gracie] Mama, I'm tired.
[Lucky] You need me to carry you?
Big girls can walk fast.
I'm not as big as you, though.
Gracie Jean, at school...
I didn't do nothing, Mama.
I know.
- Anything, Mama. - I know.
Try to remember.
What made you say those words?
"Cat in a bag."
Did you see Miss Vera at school today?
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Hey, it's okay.
I won't be mad.
[Lucky exhales]
♪ ♪
I don't like it here.
Me neither.
That's why we're leaving.
[Betty] Mrs. Emory!
Do you have any intention of cleaning up this mess?
This is not how civilized people live.
Tell me about it, Mrs. Wendell.
Niggers.
[whispers] Hold my purse, baby.
You stay right here, okay?
Some of us are just about fed up...
[panting]
[♪ James Brown: "The Payback"]
That's right, Mama.
We beat their asses.
♪ Let me hit 'em ♪
♪ Hit 'em, Fred, hit 'em ♪
♪ Hey, hey, whoo! ♪
♪ Lord! ♪
- ♪ Lord ♪♪ - [door closes]
[breath trembling]
That fucking bitch!
[gasping]
Fucking Black bitch!
[gasping]
♪ ♪
[breathing heavily]
[screams]
[screaming]
[breathing heavily]
[screaming]
[groaning shakily]
[crying]
[inhales sharply]
[breathing heavily]
[sniffles]
[rotary dial spinning]
Yes.
Metcalf 8-4-4-2 please.
Hello.
Yes, it's Betty.
Wendell.
I wouldn't bother you, but...
...I'm going to need that favor.
Now.
[♪ Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway: "Where Is the Love"]
-♪ Where is the love? ♪ -♪ Where is the love? ♪
♪ Where is the love? ♪
-♪ Where is the love? ♪ -♪ Where is the love? ♪
♪ Where is the love? ♪
♪ You said you'd give to me ♪
♪ As soon as you were free ♪
♪ Will it ever be? ♪
♪ Where is the love? ♪
♪ You told me that you didn't love him ♪
♪ And you were gonna say goodbye ♪
♪ But if you really didn't mean it ♪
♪ Why did you have to lie? ♪
♪ Where is the love? ♪
♪ You said was mine, all mine ♪
♪ Till the end of time ♪
♪ Was it just a lie? ♪
♪ Where is the love? ♪
♪ If you had had a sudden change of heart ♪
♪ I wish that you would tell me so ♪
♪ Don't leave me hangin' on the promises ♪
♪ You've got to let me know ♪
(vocalizing)
♪ Oh, how I wish I never met you ♪
♪ I guess it must have been my fate ♪
♪ To fall in love with someone else's love ♪
♪ All I can do is wait ♪
♪ That's all I can do, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
-♪ Where is the love? ♪ -♪ Where is the love? ♪
♪ Where is the love? ♪♪