Native Son (1951) - full transcript

Beautiful and powerful Chicago,
the city poets have sung about.

Carl Sandburg called it
"Hog Butcher for the World,

Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat,
Player with Railroads

and the Nation's Freight Handler;

stormy, husky, brawling,
City of the Big Shoulders."

Her tall skyscrapers make her a
jewel among the cities of the earth.

Her long, straight boulevards
throb with life and vitality.

Her gorgeous monuments
and splashing fountains

make her the envy of the world.

But, like all great cities,
Chicago has its secrets,

which are seldom written or sung.



Behind her bold lines of
beauty lies a hidden world.

Here is Chicago's Black Belt,
a prison without bars.

Here, behind
an invisible color line

live almost a half a million
Black people.

These people have been told
that they must live here,

and the kind of the work that
they do is marked out for them.

See those houses?

A generation ago,
whites used to inhabit them.

But now they're crowded
with Black people.

That house you see is the home
of the Thomas family.

Here is Hannah,
the mother of Bigger Thomas.

Let us follow her into
her one-room kitchenette,

where she lives
with her three children.

Here is Vera, Bigger's sister.



And that boy is Buddy,
Bigger's brother.

He is hunting for one of the
rats that infest this tenement.

And here is Bigger himself,
reading and dreaming

about machines and planes.

He wanted to be
an explorer, a flyer,

all the things
a young man wants to do,

but he's Black,
and when you're Black,

it's better to keep your dreams
locked in your heart.

He has already been forced
into the path

of violent rebellion
against his lot in life.

Here is the portrait
of Bigger's father

who was lynched in the South
12 years ago.

The family fled to Chicago,
and since then,

Hannah has struggled against
great odds to raise her children.

Oh, there's the rat
that Buddy was looking for.

Ma! Ma! Ma!

- What's the matter?
- It's that rat again.

- Oh, Lord.
- I'm scared! I'm scared!

Don't let him bite you, Buddy!

- I'm scared! I'm scared!
- I'll get him this time!

There he goes, there he goes!

Buddy, shut the door!
Don't let him out!

Kill him! Kill him!

Got it! Got it! I got it!

That's enough, Bigger.

You're dead, dead, dead!

We got you this time,
Ol' Man Dalton.

Look at that rascal,
he could cut your throat

if he bit you
while you were sleeping.

He's over a foot long.

Please take him out!

Ah, don't be scared, he's dead.

- Now look at it!
- Stop it, Bigger!

Bigger, you're the biggest fool
I ever saw!

- What'd I do now?
- You done scared your sister almost to death.

Boy, sometimes I'm sorry
I ever birthed you.

I didn't ask you to birth me.

Maybe you oughta left me
where I was.

You shut your sassy mouth
and throw that rat out of here.

All right, Buddy,
you the undertaker.

Okay, boss.

Go away.

One first-class funeral coming up.

- Hiya, Panama!
- Is Bigger in?

Yeah, he just killed this rat.

Man, I'm hungry, so don't
tempt me with that rat.

That's exactly what I need.

You better go and buy a gun, man.

You can't make 'em.

If other folks can make 'em, I can.

Come on.

Bigger's coming, Miss Emmett.

Please sit down and rest yourself.

Can I fix you a cup of coffee?

No thank you, Mrs. Thomas.

Coffee bothers my heart, you know.

Miss Emmett, we just killed
a rat, big like that.

See that blood?
That's where Bigger killed him.

We call him "Ol' Man Dalton."

But why did you call him
Old Man Dalton, Buddy?

'Cause he is a rat.

And I always says to him,
"Bigger, least wise

you could say 'Mr. Dalton.'"

Charging us $15 a week
for this lousy kitchenette.

Now, Bigger,
as head of the house...

There ain't but one room here
and there ain't no head to it.

Yes, I know, but as soon
as you start working,

your feelings will change.

Hear that, Bigger?

What kind of job am I gonna get?

There's an opening in the Dalton
family itself, the job of chauffeur.

According to our records,
you're a good driver.

He sure is, Miss Emmett!

But we must supply Mr. Dalton
with all the facts.

Here, under "previous history,"

you failed to mention the theft
of three automobile tires

from a colored garage.

Is that about right, Bigger?

Yes, that's about right.

- Any other trouble since?
- No.

I'm going to recommend you to
Mr. Dalton this morning, Bigger.

Thank the Lord, my prayers
have been answered.

Now Bigger's got a job and
he's making a new start in life.

I'm so happy for you, Bigger.

Now, goodbye.

Goodbye Miss Emmett,
and God bless you.

You'll hear from me as soon
as I speak to Mr. Dalton.

Keep your head up.

I'm Bigger and I'm driving
Mr. Dalton's big car!

Look out, everybody!

All 12 cylinders
coming around the curb!

Hey, what do you mean
running through that red light?

Want me to give you a ticket, huh?

Look, Ma, Bigger is laughing.

Oh, I ain't laughing none.

That job ain't for me.

Going to see your girlfriend, huh?

Look, Bigger,
you got a good job now.

You could find a better girl
than just a waitress

in a nightclub,
somebody nice you can marry.

I told you not to talk to me
no more about Bessie, didn't I?

Say, where you been all this time?

I've been waiting here for you
for over an hour.

Oh, Bigger, don't be angry
with me, honey.

- You can congratulate me.
- What are you talking about?

I'm gonna sing, Bigger, at last.

Ernie's giving me a break.

Oh, Ernie.

I'm gonna sing tomorrow night
for the first time.

Your Bessie ain't a waitress
no more, honey.

Ernie says I got a lot of talent.

Yeah, and you got a lot
of other things he likes, too.

Aw, Bigger, don't be jealous.

You know I love you.

Bigger, I'm so excited.

Gee, I sing for people
for the first time in my life.

Look, we can do things now.

We'll have money.

Okay, but pretty soon
we won't take any help

from Ernie or anybody, hear?

Bigger, what's the matter?

Are you angry?

We ought to be happy.

Come on, honey,
let's have some fun.

Let's see a movie.

Can't today. I got to go.

See ya later, huh?

Bigger, where are you goin'?

See you later at Ernie's.

...pitches a tight game
for the Senators.

And tomorrow's forecast
promises rain

which could cancel out
the final game of the season.

Now this is the eighth inning here.

Zachary is ready now.

Here's Bigger now.

Here's the pitch.

Too close. Ball One.

Did Bessie tell you about
the break I'm giving her?

Yeah, I know.

She's got class, that girl.

I'm going to put her
on top of the world.

You help a lot of girls,
don't you, Ernie?

But don't go getting any
funny ideas about Bessie, see?

Zachary is giving the Babe
nothing he can get hold of.

All right, he's ready
to pitch again.

Now, listen, guys.

Gus, you stick with me.

Al, you keep a lookout
on the L platform.

- What time?
- Midnight.

- What's cooking, Bigger?
- Keep away from me, you fruit.

We can't talk here,
let's go into the back.

Panama, you be at the front door.

Me and G.H. will hit
the joint quick.

Bigger, that gun you made,
will it shoot?

I know, it'll take care of Blum
all right.

Maybe there's an alarm system.

So what? When the cops come,
we'll be ten blocks away.

Suppose a cop will pinch one of us?

Don't squeal,
we'll take care of it.

What are you punks up to?

You're plotting something.

Get out or I'll throw you out!

You and who else?

I don't like your sass.

Go easy, Ernie.

I'll call the cops.

What an ovation for a great guy.

Oh, no, you won't!

Now, Bigger, we got a job to do.

You're going to pay for that phone!

It's after 12:30.

Where in the heck is Gus?

Hangin' around some meat maybe.

He ain't coming. He's scared
to rob a white man.

He makes us miss this job,
I'll fix him, so help me.

We still got time, Bigger.

Don't be so nervous.

Here comes Jack now.

- Where's Gus?
- He won't come.

He said that gun you made
won't shoot.

- He said we'll be caught.
- He's lying.

He's scared to rob a white man.

We can do it without him.

Blum is still open.

Oh, it's too late now.

Panama, tell the boys
the job is off.

You say Gus is scared,
but it's you who is scared.

You're scared [unintelligible]
and you'll have to do the job.

You!

Take it back, you dirty nigger.

Say, "I'm a lying,
stinking, yellow coward."

- Come on, Bigger, cut it out!
- Say it now!

Bigger, we still got time
to do the job.

Take it back. Say, "I'm a lying,
stinking, yellow coward!"

I'm a lying, stinking,
yellow coward.

- Get!
- Bigger is crazy!

I'm through!

Cop. Scatter.

You ain't mad with me,
is you, Bigger?

- Oh, leave me alone.
- I know how you feel.

Me? I'm kind of glad
we didn't do it.

- It was too late to make it.
- Don't jive me, Bigger.

You beat up old Jack
so we couldn't pull that job.

- You're a liar.
- Bigger, you ain't made for that kind of work.

You were scared, and I'm sure glad

you were scared
'cause I was scared, too.

You better smile when you say
things like that to me.

Say, how 'bout an all-night movies?

I got four bits.

Where you get four bits from?

I don't do big jobs.

I just steal little things
the white folks won't miss,

and if they misses them,
they don't get too mad, see?

- Down in front.
- Hey, man, get out of the way!

Sit down, you!

Maggie, how many times
do you want me to remind you

that Mr. John will not
eat his food off the ground?

He wants it served on the table.

Yes, ma'am. I forgot.

Now be nice and sweet
to Mr. John, Percival.

I'll be back in two minutes.

Listen, you,
I'm talking to you as man to man.

Scram!

If you don't go,
I'll send you to the hot dog factory.

If I was working in that place,

me and the dog would fight
over that meat.

If Ol' Man Dalton
would feed me half as well

as they're feeding that dog,
I'll take that job.

What do you want?

They sent me to work here.

Okay, but you don't live here.

You go on by the back door.

Mr. Dalton,
the Thomas boy is here.

Show him in.

Helen, dear, this is the boy
the relief sent.

You've been highly recommended
for the job.

I hope you'll like it.

Yes'm.

They say that you handle a car
very well.

Yes, sir.

I think it would be wise to inject
him into his new environment at once

so that he feel confident.

Very good, my dear.

Do you wish to ask him anything?

No, you interview him.

I think I'll go to my room.

Shall I ring for Peggy?

No, no.

I'll be all right.

That was Mrs. Dalton.
She's blind.

She has a deep interest
in colored people.

Did you bring the paper?

Sit down, Bigger.

Now how about
this stealing trouble?

You wouldn't steal now, would you?

- Oh, no, sir.
- Well, I'm going to give you a chance, Bigger.

The pay calls for $20 a week
which goes to your family,

but I'm going to give you
five extra for yourself.

You'll have your clothes
and your meals.

You'll have your own room
up in the tower.

- How does that sound?
- Sounds fine, okay.

If you're worried about anything,

you come and see me
and we'll talk it over.

Yes, sir.

- Oh, Peggy.
- Yes, Mr. Dalton?

Bigger is going to drive for us.

- Show him his duties.
- Yes, Mr. Dalton.

- Bigger...
- Yes, sir.

At 8:30, you'll drive
my daughter

out to the university
and wait for her.

- Yes, sir.
- That's all for now.

Come along, Bigger.

Gee, that's some baby.

You like cars, don't you?

Yes'm, the only thing
I like better than one car

- is two cars, ma'am.
- Be careful.

Mr. Dalton doesn't like
speeding and such.

Ma'am, you reckon I can try it
out a little bit just to get used to it?

Yes, but be sure and check
the gas and oil.

Always wear your uniform
when you drive.

- Yes'm.
- Be here at 8:00 to drive Miss Dalton.

You're free till then.

Yes'm.

Bessie, Bessie!

Is that your boss's car?

Gee! It's a peach!

Yeah! My boss wants me
to try it out!

I'm off till night!

Let's take a spin along
the lakefront, Riverview!

Hot dog!

I'll get my bathing suit.

- How am I doing?
- You're acting just like them white folks.

As good as that white girl
you're gonna drive around tonight?

Baby, I wouldn't swap you
for all the blondes in Chicago.

You liar.

Say, is she pretty?

I didn't see her.

Why do you ask? You jealous?

No! Ain't I got
everything she's got?

Don't worry, baby, you sure got
what it takes all right.

I don't know if I'm crawling
or walking.

But we can't stop now,
we just got started.

We got to see everything.

What about that roller coaster
over there?

Uh, okay.

But you got to hold me
if I get scared.

I always like to hold you, baby.

Sometimes you're up,
sometimes you're down!

It's just like life!

And you never know when
you're going to be up or down!

I've got something important
to tell you!

What did you say?

I'm happy!

What'd you say?

I can't hear you!

I'm happy!

Gee, the water is wonderful.

Come in with me, Bigger.

I can't, I got to keep my eye
on the boss's car.

Oh, forget about
your white boss for a while.

If he don't like it,
let him lump it.

Aren't you gonna wish me luck
with my singing tonight, honey?

I sure wish I could be at
Ernie's to hear you sing tonight,

but I got to be driving
that white gal around.

Look at that bird, that's
what I ought to be riding

up there in the sky,
but they don't want me to.

What are you talking about?

I don't want to be a chauffeur.

I want to fly planes.

Look at that guy sailing away
into the sun, free as air.

Aw, honey, don't be so bitter.

You can't change the whole world.

Isn't it enough that we're together,
that we love each other?

Take that frown off your face
and kiss me.

Good evening, ma'am.

A new chauffeur, huh?

What's your name?

Bigger. Bigger Thomas, ma'am.

That's a funny name.

Where'd you get it?

They just give it to me.

Got a match?

It's okay, Bigger.

Belong to a union?

Oh, no. I don't fool
with them kind of folks.

You better join one quick or
Father will exploit your shirt off.

You're not a tattletale, are you?

- No.
- Well, I'm not going to the university library.

I'll tell you where to stop.

And if anybody asks you,
I went to school, see?

Yes.

I think I can trust you.

After all, I'm on your side

and so is this friend of mine
I want you to meet tonight.

But, ma'am, I don't want
to meet anybody.

Oh, don't be silly.
You'll like Jan.

He has all the answers
to your problems.

He's not like Mother and Dad
doing missionary work.

He fights for the colored people.

Wait for me in this parking lot.

I want to pick up Jan.

I'll be back in a minute.

Bigger, I want you to meet
Jan Erlone.

- How are you, Bigger?
- Fine, sir.

Come on, shake.
Don't be scared.

And don't call me "sir."

My name is Jan.

Get in there Bigger.

I'm driving.

It's all right.

Say, Bigger, have you ever
heard of a place

called Ernie's
out on the South Side?

- No, sir.
- Oh, they tell me

they have bang-up floor shows
over there.

Good music, dancing, good drinks.

Let's ask someone where it is.

Oh, yes, I know the place.

It's at 63rd and South Park.

Good.

I guess we seem pretty strange
to you, don't we, Bigger?

Yes. No.

Oh, you'll get used to us.

We don't care about color, Bigger.

To us, a man's a man.

When I think of the way my people
treat your people, I get so mad.

I guess you feel the same way
sometimes, don't you, Bigger?

No.

I don't know.

Listen, Bigger, I know how
it feels to walk the streets

dressed like everybody else,
feeling like everybody else,

looking like they do, yet excluded

for no other reason
than that you're Black.

One day, we're gonna smash
this Jim Crow system,

and when we smash it,
it'll stay smashed.

Good evening, ma'am.

You're just in time.

The fight will be over in a
minute and the floor show starts.

Aren't you coming in, Bigger?

Got to park the car, ma'am.

Of course he's coming.

If he doesn't go in, I won't.

He's perfectly welcome, ma'am.

- But, ma'am, the car.
- Oh, ma'am, ma'am, ma'am.

Nobody is gonna hurt Mammy's car.

Come right in, Mr. Bigger.

- Good evening, general.
- That ain't no general,

that's a field marshal.

They all know you here, Bigger.

- Friends of yours?
- Some of 'em.

Said you didn't even know
the place.

Table for two or three, sir?

- For three.
- Very good, sir.

What atmosphere! It's electric.

I love it.

Well, Bigger, to our friendship
and to that world we're going to win.

Ladies and gentlemen, Ernie's
Palace now offers for your entertainment

the second part
of this evening's program.

Looks like Bigger has picked up
a rich, white chick.

Yeah, Lola just told me.

What keeps you fooling
with a punk like Bigger?

I just happen to love him, Ernie.

Forget him and that white girl
and put your heart in your song.

And now we present
a brand-new singer,

Ernie's latest discovery,
Bessie Mears.

I think you will agree with me
that Ernie can pick

the most charming
and sweetest of flowers.

Come on, Bessie.

Don't be timid.

Here's your chance.

I give you Bessie Mears!

Now give her a hand.

Ladies and gentlemen,
I'd like to sing a little song for you.

It's a new one
I hope you're going to like.

It's called "The Dreaming Kind."

Love me 'cause I'm lonely

Love me 'cause I'm wild

Love me 'cause I'm only
a dreamin' kind of child

Make me yours forever,

ever and a day

Isn't she amazing?

All colored people are so gifted.

Don't you think so, Bigger?

Bigger, aren't you
enjoying yourself?

Oh, I'll follow you forever

No matter what you do,

I'll shatter all...

Bigger, I know
what you're thinking.

You feel that whites only let
colored people sing blues.

But one day, you'll be able to
express yourself any way you want.

Love me 'cause I'm achin'

Put me here on trial

Please don't be forsaken

Why, she knows you, Bigger.

Yeah, she's my girl.

Is that why you didn't want
to come here with us?

Ladies and gentlemen,
we now present a new attraction,

the undisputed king of bebop,
Professor Kicking!

Bigger sure played you
a dirty trick, honey.

To show up
with his boss's daughter,

and the very night
you sang your song.

Lola, I almost dropped dead
right there

in the middle of my act
when I saw him sitting there,

holding hands with that white girl.

Bessie, you really put it over.

Look, Miss Dalton wants to see you.

She wants you to come to her table.

Aw, leave me alone.

Go on back to her if you enjoy
being with her so much.

Oh, you're jealous.
It's my job.

She asked me to show her
Ernie's and she wants to meet you.

But I don't want to meet her.

Oh, there's Bigger now.

What are you doing here, Bigger?

Where is she?

She's dressing, ma'am.

I couldn't wait any longer.

I just had to tell you
how much I like your singing.

Here.

Let me give this to you.

Thank you.

Show me the way to go home
I'm tired and I want to go to bed

Hey! Give me some.

Don't be so stingy.

You're getting high.
Take it easy, honey.

Bigger, have a swig.

Say, Bigger, can you sing?

- No.
- Aw, come on.

Swing low, sweet chariot,
coming for to...

What's the matter?

- That ain't the tune, ma'am.
- Well, then you sing it.

All colored people are
supposed to sing, aren't they?

Reckon they forgot
to teach me, ma'am.

That's a good one.

Here, Bigger, have another swig
and then you're good.

Hey, give me some of that.

Hey, you're hitting the bottle
pretty heavy, honey.

Not any heavier than you.

Darling, let's go away together
again like we did the last time.

We don't see each other
often enough.

Oh, gosh.

I've got to go to Detroit
in the morning.

Detroit? You didn't
tell me that.

I promised Mother.

Aunt Em's been waiting one
whole year for me to visit her.

I've got to. What a bore.

Say, why don't you come with me?

I can't leave my work like that.

Oh, you don't love me anymore.

Hey, I don't want you to pass out.

Look, it's after 2:00.

Your father is going
to get suspicious.

We'll drop you home.

Nonsense, you've got
to get right to bed.

Better pull up here, Bigger.

Goodnight, darling!

I'll call you in the morning.

It's been great meeting you,
Bigger.

Be sure and take Mary
straight home, will you?

Yes, sir.

Oh, I forgot.

Be sure and read these, will you?

I'll explain them to him.

Had a little drink about...

Well...

Help me out.

What's the matter? Scared?

Ooh!

You okay, Miss Dalton?

I sure am drunk!

Shh!

I'll call Miss Peggy to help you.

No, no, no!

I don't want her to see me
like this.

Take me up the back stairs.

This ain't my job, Miss Dalton.

Don't leave me alone.

Shh.

Miss Dalton, is that your room?

Try to stand up.

Shh!

Shh.

Shh! Quiet, Miss Dalton.

You okay, Miss Dalton?

Your hair is like little
black wires, it's funny.

Miss Dalton, go to bed.

If they find me here,
they'll kill me.

Don't leave me.

I feel I'm dying.

Oh, Bigger.

Please help me.

They'll kill me, they'll kill me.

Please.

You're good, Bigger.

Mary?

Mary, is there someone
here with you?

Hey, where are you?

Darling, are you ill?

Answer me, darling.

You reek of liquor.

You're drunk.

My poor child.

Miss Dalton.

Miss Dalton!

Good morning, Miss Peggy!

Good morning, Bigger!

You haven't forgotten that
you must drive Miss Mary

to the station, have you?

Hello?

Hello? Bigger!

Are you there, Bigger?

Yes'm, yes'm!

I remember!

I'll be right down.

Oh, I forgot, I want you
to read these, Bigger.

I'll explain them to him!

Oh, here you are!

There's your breakfast
waiting for you.

I must go and awaken
that poor child.

I've rung three times
and she didn't answer.

Oh, Bigger, would you shut down
the damper on the furnace?

So hot in here.

Maybe I put in
too much coal yesterday.

Yes'm!

But do eat your breakfast first!

- Mrs. Dalton!
- What is it, Peggy?

Miss Mary is not in her room.

- Do you know where she is?
- No.

- What time is it?
- It's a quarter past seven,

and Bigger is waiting
to drive her to the station.

Then where is she?

Mary?

Mary?

Oh, Peggy, go and see if she's
in the library or the living room!

What's the matter, darling?

Mary will miss her train.

She's not in her room.

- I don't understand.
- Well, don't be upset about it.

Maybe she didn't come in,
spent the night with friends.

No, Henry, she came in last night.

- Very late.
- Oh.

I spoke to her.

Yes? This is
the Dalton's residence.

Who's calling, please?

Mr. Erlone!

Well, just a moment, please!

It's Mr. Erlone.

He wants to speak to Miss Mary.

Tell him that she's not in.

She's gone.

I wish that fellow
would stop phoning her.

Perhaps Mary went
directly to Detroit.

I don't think she was in any
condition to go to Detroit, Henry.

She was drunk last night.

I heard her stumbling about
and went to see if I could help her.

- She was too drunk to talk.
- Good Lord.

Where's that chauffeur?

Peggy? Where's Bigger?

Bigger?

Oh, here you are!

Mr. Dalton wants
to speak to you.

Yes'm.

Good morning, Bigger!

Good morning, sir.

What time did you bring
Miss Dalton home last night?

I don't know, sir.

Must have been about
two o'clock in the morning.

Why was it so late?

What happened?

I drove them to a lot of places.

- They were drinking.
- They?

Was she with someone?

Yes, sir.

A gentleman,
she called him Mr. Jan.

Oh.

Bigger, come up here a minute.

Oh, dear.

I'm so ashamed.

Do we have to ask that colored
boy about Mary's drinking?

I forbade her
to see that fellow again.

Mary is such a little fool.

Bigger, did that fellow Jan give
Miss Dalton a lot of drink last night?

Yes, sir. She passed out.

Oh, well, he took care
of her, of course?

Brought her home?

Yes, sir, she couldn't walk.

He brought her into the house?

Yes, sir, he carried her in
in his arms.

They went into the house.

So he was here?

I remember last night.

I had the impression
somebody was here in the room

when I tried to talk to Mary.

Hmm, I don't like this.

Where is Mary now?

I'm going to call Britten.

That's all, Bigger.

This is his room.

- Where'd you get the boy from?
- The relief agency.

I wish you'd let me look these
people over before you hire them.

That good heart of yours will get
you in trouble one of these days.

Oh, I like niggers,
but I like them in their place.

What are you looking for, Britten?

That boy has only been here
since last night.

Well?

Well, what do you think of this?

Looks like they've planted one of
the gang right in your own home.

Look at that.

Labor Leads the Fight.

Smash Jim Crow.

Struggle for Racial Equality.

- Get the point, Mr. Dalton?
- This is amazing!

Come on, I wanna talk
to that chauffeur.

That child just won't leave
those labor agitators

and their crazy politics alone.

I warned her, I did.

I told her she'd get into trouble.

I bet they'll start
questioning everybody now.

Yes?

Bigger, Mr. Britten wants
to talk to you.

See, looks like you're first.

Go ahead, Bigger.

If it weren't for Miss Mary
and her wild ways,

this house would run like a clock.

Come in.

Come in, boy, come in.

I wanna talk to you.

- Are these yours?
- No, sir.

- Yes, sir.
- Where did you get them from?

Answer me, nigger.

Mr. Jan gave them to me.

Oh, so you admit you're a member
of his outfit, eh?

No, sir, no, sir.

I saw him last night
for the first time in my life.

He gave me them books.

Stop it, Britten.

What's this got to do
with finding Mary?

Maybe more than you think.

Jan was the last person
who saw your daughter.

How do you know he didn't make her

sign up with his outfit
with blackmail in his mind?

Or perhaps send you a ransom note?

Good heavens, Britten,
you're crazy!

Leave that boy alone.

He's okay.

It isn't his fault if Erlone
forced those pamphlets on him.

As you say, Mr. Dalton.

He's okay with you,
he's okay with me.

Please, Mr. Dalton, I don't want
to work here, I want to go home.

What's the matter, boy?

Did I scare you?

That's nothing.

You oughta see me
when I really get going strong.

You told me exactly
what I wanted to know.

Now take a few hours off, Bigger.

But be here this evening,
I may need you.

Me too, boy.

I may have a few more questions
I wanna ask you.

Mr. Dalton, how would you like
to have me handle Erlone for ya?

Yes, but go easy, Britten.

These labor agitators have a way of
creating scandal in the newspapers.

I'll be very happy
to see him right now.

I'll find out
what he's really up to.

So you didn't see Miss Dalton
last night, huh?

No, I told you, no.

And you didn't give that nigger boy

these stinking pamphlets
last night?

All right, I did.

And I saw Mary last night.

So what?

You know why I didn't say so
in the first place.

I don't know a damn thing,
suppose you tell me?

Her old man doesn't like me and
I didn't want to get her in trouble.

What's all this about, anyway?

I'll ask the questions,
you answer 'em.

Were you and Miss Dalton
drunk last night?

Oh, come on, we had
a couple of drinks, but...

You had to carry her
upstairs to her room.

I didn't carry her to her room!

Erlone, you're a lousy liar!

Bigger told me you had
to carry her into the house.

He couldn't have said that to you.

Say, what's all this about?

If you want to know what happened,
I left her in the car with Bigger

and I took a taxi home.

Well, now, there is a pretty story.

I can just picture you
telling that to a jury,

how you left a drunken
white girl alone with a nigger.

Erlone, where is that girl?

Her parents want to know!

What, didn't she go to Detroit?

You know damn well
she didn't go to Detroit.

But I called them up this morning
and they told me that she'd gone!

Sure, you called up to find out
if the family had missed her.

What do you mean?

Erlone, I don't know
what game you're playing,

but you've been lying ever since
I stepped into this room.

First you tell me
you weren't drunk last night,

then you tell me that you were.

Then you tell me you didn't see
Miss Dalton last night,

then you tell me that you did.

Then you tell me you took her home

and then you tell me
that you didn't.

I'll give you one more chance.

Tell me where Miss Dalton is!

I don't know!

All right, boy, you asked for it.

You won't talk to me, I'll take you

where they make
people like you talk.

You mean you're arresting me.

What do you think?

And where you're going,
the nights are pretty chilly,

so you better get your clothes on.

What's the matter, Bigger?

What you thinking about?

About how we live
and how they live.

Leave them things to God, son.

In His kingdom, all men are equal.

Yeah, I know.

But we don't live there.

You seem worried
about something, son.

Don't you like your new job?

Course, I know it ain't what
you've been dreaming about,

but you just work hard.

Something good will turn up.

God always rewards those who wait.

Ma, where is the kids?

Bigger, it makes my heart glad
to hear you ask about the family.

This job's doing you a lot of good.

Vera's going to sewing class
and Buddy's out selling his papers.

That child sure has changed
since you started working.

Buddy ain't got no father, and he
just worships the ground you walk on.

Son, don't ever do nothing
to make Buddy ashamed of ya.

You leaving?

I thought you said
you was free till tonight?

I wanted to cook you
something good.

Oh, I understand.

It's that Bessie again.

So long, Ma.

Don't work too hard.

No general no more?

Did they take away your uniform?

They done retired him after
20 years of faithful service.

Seen Bessie around anywhere?

Give me a dollar,
I'll tell you where she is.

Gee, Bigger, you know I
would've told you for nothing.

She's at The Palace.

Okay, guys, I gotta scram.

Gosh, Bessie, your heart.

Why don't you give Ernie a break?

He gave you one.

Look, Lola, stop running
errands for Ernie.

I'm only trying
to help you, you dope.

You want to keep singing,
don't you?

Then get wise
and throw in the body.

My boyfriend's got a job and if
Ernie gets fresh, I take a walk, see?

It's your funeral, honey.

Hi, Bigger!

Oh, hello, Bigger!

Be seeing you, Bess, gotta go!

Pretty, isn't she?

So delicate.

Remember, Miss Mary
gave it to me last night.

She's still living.

Can't stand them things.

Are you crazy?

- Bad luck, maybe.
- What?

Look, I've gotta talk to you.

- What's the matter, honey?
- I can't talk here.

Let's go into the back.

How could anyone be so
cruel to such a delicate flower?

Oh, yeah?

You wouldn't hurt a flower,

but you'd steal a dime
off a dead man's eyes.

Bigger, you haven't gotten
yourself into a mess, have you?

Listen, if I had to scram, would
you come with me if I split the dough?

Two whiskeys.

If you took me with you,
you wouldn't have to split.

Okay, but it's for life and death.

For keeps, see?

You scare me, Bigger,
what have you done?

That gal where I'm working...

I knew it was that girl, I knew it.

Pipe down!

What do you think this is,
a church?

What about that girl?

She's done run off with a guy.

Erlone, he's in politics,
unions and all.

- Eloped?
- Huh?

Yeah, eloped, she's crazy!

Nobody knows where she is.

- They're looking for her.
- What are you gonna do?

They might think
she's kidnapped, see?

Bigger, this is crazy.

We can say we did it, sure,

write to him, ask for money,
and get it, too!

- You see, we cash in...
- But she'll show up!

She won't.

Bigger, how do you know?

I just know.

Bigger, you know
where that girl is.

Forget about where she is,
she won't show up, that's all.

I'm a fool to even listen to you.

Look, we can get $10,000.

We'll have him
leave the money somewhere.

They want to get the girl back.

Bigger, did you do
something to that girl?

You say that again
and I'll slap you down.

Here, drink it.

Bigger, you oughtn't have done it.

The police will be after us.

We'll be caught.

Don't make me do this, Bigger.

They won't think we did it.

They'll think we're too scared.

They think Erlone did it,
they said so already.

I'm scared and I'm cold,
I feel like it's night.

And I'm lost.

Come on, let's get out of here.

One...

two...

three.

The third one, the one right
across from the drug store, you see?

- That's the building.
- But Bigger, I...

I want you to be in that middle
window on the top floor tomorrow night.

They're gonna throw the money
out of the car right here.

Understand?

Come on, I'll show you.

We'll be caught, I know it.

The police will be watching.

I work in the house
where they live!

If they send anybody to watch,
we don't touch the money, see?

Please, Bigger.

I want you to be here
tomorrow night,

about 11 o'clock, a car
come along blinking its lights.

When you see that,
blink three times with this.

The letter's gonna tell him to
throw a package out of the car.

Get that package,
'cause the money's gonna be in it!

Bigger, please, I don't wanna die.

Who's talking about dying?

We'll get the money
and go away somewhere.

New York, Harlem, Canada, maybe!

Find me a .38
and some bullets.

I wanna be ready if anything slips.

Tomorrow morning,
they'll get my letter.

I'll put it
under their door myself.

Say, boy!

Are you the guy
that drove Miss Dalton

- and Erlone here that night?
- Yes, sir.

Say, is she really
as pretty as that?

Yes, sir, she was a fine lady.

Well, why do you say she was?

I mean, she was fine to me, sir.

Oh.

Well, what do you think
happened to her?

I don't know, sir.

They kidnapped her maybe.

Kidnapped, eh?

I want to interview you later.

I may want the chauffeur's
angle on this story.

Henry, is she alive?

Yes, Helen, she's alive.

- Thank God.
- Tell Britten to come at once.

Yes, sir.

They're asking for $10,000 ransom.

- They want it tonight.
- Give it to 'em!

Give them anything they want!

I want my poor child back!

Any news, Mr. Dalton?

Yes, you were right, Britten.

A ransom note.

This is Henry Dalton speaking.

I want to speak to
Commissioner Holmes at once.

So she's alive.

Whose bed did they find her in?

Shame on you.

Aw, let's get out of this joint.

[unintelligible]
because we're drunk and bait.

Come on, boys, let's go.

If you ask me,
this is a political trick.

Britten's using this
to smear Erlone.

Yeah?

Then who sent the note?

The girl or Erlone?

Boys, just a moment.

Mr. Dalton's ready
to make a statement.

I'm going to ask you to do something,
and it's very important.

Please listen to him.

The way you boys handle this
case may well mean life or death

to someone very close
to this family.

I wish to inform you that my daughter,
Mary Dalton, has been kidnapped.

I just telephoned the police

and asked that Mr. Jan Erlone
be released immediately.

I want it known that I don't wish
to proffer any charges against him.

I announce here publicly
that I apologize for his arrest.

When did it happen?

We think it happened last night.

What are they asking?

They're demanding $10,000.

Had any word
from your daughter yet?

No, not directly, but we've
received a letter from the kidnappers.

Is that the letter in your hand?

Yes, this is the letter.

Are you going to pay the ransom?

Yes, I'm going to pay it.

You gentlemen can save
my daughter's life

by saying in your papers
that I'll pay as instructed.

Tell the kidnappers
through your papers

that I shall not
call in the police.

Hello, 21st Street Police Station?

Hello, Sid, this is Joe.

Look, I'm at the Daltons'.

Yeah, tell Erlone that the old
man has asked for his release.

He apologizes.

Yeah, it's a snatching job.

Yeah, ransom!

He says he'll pay!

Tell 'em they'll get
what they want.

But for heaven's sakes,
return Mr. Dalton's daughter.

- Got any idea who they are?
- I have none.

- Can we see the letter?
- No, I've been cautioned

not to make it public.

What?

He says he can prove
he wasn't here?

Yeah.

Okay, I'll call you later.

Hey, I just called the police.

Erlone is raising Cain
and says he won't leave jail.

Says that by staying where he is,

he's proving that he had
nothing to do with this

or any other kidnapping.

Yeah, and he says that he's
gonna sue Mr. Dalton for false arrest.

He claims that
he's got a dozen witnesses

that will swear he didn't
come here that night.

Don't leave, Bigger,
I wanna talk to you.

- Were you lying about Erlone?
- No, sir!

Erlone was fixing an alibi,
that's all.

Well, somebody's lying.

Yeah, and it's Erlone that's lying.

And we can prove it with this
boy who drove him here in the car.

In fact, the first time I talked to
Erlone, he admitted he was here!

Come on, Bigger.

The labor gang
demands $10,000 ransom

for the safe return
of millionairess.

The victim is the sweetheart
of the labor leader

who was last seen with her.

Case is interpreted as a subversive
assault against private property.

Got that, Charlie?

Don't cry, everything
will be all right.

Come and lie down.

Got a phone in here?

- Yes, sir.
- Oh, thanks.

Well, well, here's
my old colored friend.

You should've been
a detective, my boy!

You were right!

Oh, shoot.

It was kidnapping!

Hot in here.

Say, you don't think the old man

would grudge me
a little drink, do you?

Looks like you could
stand one yourself.

Come on, sit down.

And what do you think of all
this excitement, my boy, huh?

Just between me and you,
it's a work of amateurs.

Gee, they could've asked
for $100,000 and got it,

and they ask for $10,000.

Chicken feed.

Look here, my boy.

You say Erlone was here that
night and he says he wasn't.

You're the hero in all this,
and I'm gonna put you on the front page!

By the way, was Erlone
really here that night?

- Yes, sir.
- You saw him here?

Yes, sir, I drove him and
Miss Dalton here in the car.

They must've killed her then,
don't you think?

- They must have, sir.
- Who?

- The kidnappers.
- Right.

Well, now that we both agree
that she's dead,

just suppose I had killed her.

Well, what would I do?

Say, what's going on here?

We're waiting for you.

Just a minute, boys, watch this.

Let me see, oh, yeah,
I need money to get away.

I'd write a ransom note,
collect the money

before they found out
she'd been murdered.

Wouldn't you, Bigger?

What's the matter, Farley,
you sound to me

- like you've got the DTs!
- What would you do, boy?

Stop teasing that coon,
you're gonna scare him white!

Where is all that smoke
coming from?

I think this boy is trying
to smoke us all out of here!

Hey, let's see
what's happening down there.

What's the matter, fella,
you scared?

Where are you going, Bigger?

Farley, you sure
got that kid rattled!

Oh, that boy is scared easily.

This is delicious!

Let's keep up the fun.

Come on, fellas!

Why don't you tend
to the furnace, boy?

When I saw that smoke,
I thought the house was on fire!

Hey, let that boy alone!

Don't break up the show!

And now we have a body to get rid of,
no traces, no one ever to know.

Bury her?

No, that's too difficult.

Somebody might see you!

Well, what would you do
with the body?

I'll tell you! Fire!

Yeah, that's what I'd do.

I'd burn the body,
in a furnace like that, for example.

Wouldn't you, Bigger?

Don't you think
you've gone far enough?

That boy's gonna faint!

Why don't you get
those ashes out, Bigger?

That fire is really clogged,
there's smoke everywhere.

So you're entertaining
the newspaper men!

Well, there's a time
for everything!

I'll do it.

Well, get a move on and do it!

If you don't know how this
furnace works, I'll show you.

Come on, boys, the show is over.

No hard feelings, Bigger.

Come on, boys!

Let's scram.

Say.

Hey, hey, you guys, wait a minute!

- What is it?
- Take a look at this.

- A bone!
- So what?

Let me see that.

It's a vertebrae.

It's from a body.

- A human body?
- Yeah, a human body!

Are you sure? Let me see.

It's an earring!

And a ring!

My God, that's
Miss Dalton's earring!

Where's that boy?

It looks like he's gone.

But why did he do it?

A dead white girl, the nigger runs.

What do you think happened?

Yeah, he's gone,
we'd better get Britten.

Sure played us for suckers.

Jumpin' Jupiter.

I see it all now.

That colored boy knew
we were looking for radicals,

and he led us by the nose
in every word he said.

Oh, boy, were we stupid.

Say, Britten, let me see
that ransom note.

I'd bet my bottom dollar that
that nigger wrote this thing.

Yeah, and old mastermind here
was looking for reds.

Shut up, that's not funny.

Give me Captain Summers.

Guess he's colorblind.

Captain Summers,
this is Britten out at the Dalton home.

Send out a city-wide search
for Bigger Thomas.

Here's his description:
Negro, age 25.

Bessie!

What's the matter, Bigger?

- They're after us!
- The police?

Come on, bring two blankets!

Hurry up, hurry up!

- Got the gun?
- Yeah.

Come on!

We're gonna be caught, I know it.

They won't get us.

The first they'll do
in looking for me

is go to your room,
I had to bring you here!

What happened?
Where's that girl?

- She's dead.
- Oh, God!

But I won't give up,
they gotta fight for me.

You told me you never
was gonna kill.

I didn't kill!

That's the truth
if I ever told the truth!

You did kill her.

Forget that girl,
we've gotta think of ourselves!

If they find you here,
you'll cry and tell everything.

Come on!

Give me the gun.

- Come on.
- Bigger.

You're crazy.

This is the first place
they'll look!

They'll remember you said
leave the ransom money here.

Shut up, I know what I'm doing.

I'm gonna hide here because they
think I'm too scared to come here.

I'm smarter than they are, come on!

What's the matter?

What's going on here?

What do you want here?

Listen, if you know
what's good for you,

you'll tell us
where your son is hiding.

Bigger?

What do you want him for?

He's working,
he ain't in no trouble!

Oh, yeah? We're looking for
him on every block of this city.

He raped and killed
a white girl where he works.

No, no!

Bigger didn't do
no terrible thing like that.

He wouldn't do that
to his poor old mom.

Bigger didn't kill nobody!

Don't say that about my brother,
I'll kill you, I'll kill you!

Take it easy, son.

Yeah, that boy's an angel!

He makes guns at home!

Mister, Bigger ain't bad.

It was the people he runs
around with that led him wrong.

If you know where your son is
and don't tell,

you're guilty of murder, too!

If I knew where he was,
I'd never tell the likes of you.

It's that girl
that got him in trouble.

- What girl?
- Bessie Mears, she's a singer.

You know where she lives?

- In the...
- Shut your mouth, Vera.

These men are no friends of ours.

Okay, we'll find him!

We always do.

Don't cry, Ma.

No matter what happens,
we gotta keep our family together.

Get ready, children,
we have an appointment with God.

We're going to church.

You go on back home, that guy up
there is wanted for rape and murder.

Go on, go back home,
and don't get mixed up

in anything like this, go on!

Say, do you think trailing the
mother will lead us to Thomas?

Don't be naive.

The chief's keeping
the Mears angle for himself!

Politics, and we gotta
shadow the mother.

Well, orders are orders.

Leaning on the everlasting arm

What a fellowship

What a joy divine

Leaning on your everlasting arms

Amen!

What a blessedness

What a peace is mine

Leanin' on the everlasting arms

Leaning, leaning

Safe and secure from all alarms

Leaning, leaning

Leanin' on the everlasting arms

Our Heavenly Father,

I'm callin' on
Your Holy Name this evening,

pleading for help.

My son's in deep trouble, Lord.

And here on bended knees,
I'm beggin' You to look down.

Have mercy...

and help me save
my firstborn child...

who has strayed
so far from the fold.

The sun won't shine for us anymore.

Oh, come on and eat.

Bigger, you're cold!

You're shakin'!

Oh, it's nothin', but this
white shirt makes me a target.

Let me buy you a sweater.

No, no, too dangerous.

Bigger, why did you kill that girl?

I didn't mean to.

I couldn't help it.

What happened?

- I was in her room.
- Her room?

Why did you go there?

She was drunk, she passed out.

I had to carry her to her room.

She asked me to.

I put her on the bed.

Then her blind ma came in with
her hand stretched out like that.

I was scared her ma
was gonna find out

I was in the room and I took a
pillow and I put it on the girl's face.

I wanted to keep her quiet.

When her ma went out,
I took the pillow away, and...

the girl was dead.

You smothered her.

Yeah, but I didn't mean to!

Why didn't you tell
her mother what was wrong?

I was scared!

Scared!

All my life I heard
of Black men being killed

because of white girls,
and there I was.

I had to get rid of the body.

I took her downstairs in the basement,
and put her in the furnace.

Burnt her up.

Bigger, they'll say you raped her.

They say all Black men do that,
so it don't make no difference

if I did or I didn't.

Darling, give up.

It might make it easier.

Oh, no, I'll never do that!

I shouldn't have brought you here.

What are you gonna do with me?

I don't know.

Get me another bottle.

When you go inside that drugstore,
make sure nobody's there.

Make sure nobody follows you!

- Good evening, miss.
- Good evening.

I want a bottle of Schenley's,
and one of those sweaters over there.

What size?

- Medium.
- For you?

Yeah.

A $10,000 reward is offered
for the capture of Bigger Thomas,

negro rapist and murderer
who is being hunted by the police

in all parts of the city.

Thomas' brutal crime caused several
civic and patriotic organizations

to band together today
to offer the $10,000 reward.

Thomas, two days ago, in the
grip of a brain-numbed sex passion

overpowered Mary Dalton,

murdered her, and then stuffed
her body into a roaring furnace

to destroy evidence of his crime.

It has been disclosed that
Mary Dalton had been beheaded...

If I knew where he was,
I'd sure hand him over to the police,

and I'd refuse the reward.

Is this what you wanted?

Yeah, how much is it?

Eight dollars.

A huge cordon of police has
been brought about the south side,

the area where
Bigger Thomas was last seen.

It's believed that a $10,000 reward
will ensure the negro's capture

before many hours have elapsed.

In all the world, there's no
finer cigarette than Lucky Strike!

And to give you this finer cigarette,
Lucky pays more!

- What's the trouble, Snippy?
- I got a hot tip!

- Well, spill it.
- I know where Bigger Thomas

and his girlfriend are hiding.

Where?

What about the reward, do I get it?

Come on, talk fast.

Around the corner
in that empty building.

Get in!

Looks like our lovebirds
have flown the coop.

They sure played you
a dirty trick, Snippy.

I see a white shirt,
it must be him!

Come out, come on, boys!

Okay, let's follow him up.

Reports are in that several negro
men were mobbed and severely beaten

in various parks on the north
and west sides today.

A special news item
has just come in.

The police have just located
the abandoned tenement

where Bigger Thomas and
his girl have been hiding.

When last seen, Bigger Thomas
was fleeing alone.

Therefore, it is believed
that the girl escaped

before the arrival of the police,
abandoning the killer to his fate.

Police reinforcements are being
withdrawn from other parts of the city

and rushed to the south side.

Open up in there!

Hey, you, don't you at least respect
a woman who's havin' a baby?

That nigger ain't in there.

You people, get going!

Listen, because one
Black man's a murderer,

- does that make us all guilty?
- Beat it!

And this was
supposed to be my day off.

Drop that gun, nigger!

Surrender if you know
what's good for you!

Careful, he's shootin'
from the top of the tank!

Come on down, boys, we'll get him!

Okay, Paul, baptize him.

Don't waste water
on that nigger, shoot him!

Shut up, there, I'm running this.

Let the law handle this.

Look, he's climbing up that sign!

Okay, cut the water!

Look!

Look at him.

Hold your fire, boys!

He's trapped up there,
and I want him alive.

Come on down, Thomas.

You'll catch
a deadly cold up there.

Well, he's a dead duck now.

There'll be a hot time
in the old town tonight.

Down south where I come from,
we don't waste time tryin' a nigger.

- We just lynch him!
- Yeah?

And we're spending a quarter
of a million dollars

to try him in a fine
building like that.

Yeah, and who's paying for it?

You, and me,

and all of us are paying...
you, and you, and all!

Order!

Order in the court!

Just say the word, Mr. Dalton.

I have 500 friends out there
that'll take that coon out,

and string him up
to the first telegraph pole.

It makes me feel sick to hear that
lawyer blacken my daughter's name.

Order in the court!

I will not permit
these disturbances.

Mr. District Attorney,
you may now resume your examination.

Now, Mrs. Dalton,
please try to answer.

Mary had planned to go
to Detroit that morning.

I heard her come in very late,
and I wanted to know what happened.

Did you speak to her?

Yes, several times,
but she didn't answer.

Now isn't it possible,
Mrs. Dalton,

that your daughter was
already dead at that time?

I thought I heard a whisper,

- a sigh.
- I object!

Objection sustained.

I am trying to
establish the presence

of the defendant in
the room of the deceased.

You don't have to.

This signed confession
contains admission

that this boy was in that room,
and no one disputes that!

We have entered
a plea of guilty here,

and the question is
the degree of that guilt.

I contend that the noise heard
by the witness in that room

was one of protest

coming from Mary Dalton while
undergoing criminal attack!

Objection!

There's not one iota of evidence

- that supports your argument.
- Throw that crooked lawyer out.

Council for the defense is right.

That contention is not
contained in the indictment.

Your witness, sir.

Mrs. Dalton,
when you stood near your daughter's bed,

did you smell
a strong odor of alcohol?

I object, Your Honor!

I contend that
Mary Dalton was drunk,

and that the defendant had to
carry her to her room at her request!

Your Honor,
this has been an attempt

to smear one of the greatest
families of Chicago!

Your Honor,
if the court does not permit Mrs. Dalton

to answer this question,
then I shall call for witnesses

to testify to the alcoholic
habits of the deceased!

You may answer
that question, Mrs. Dalton.

Wasn't your daughter drunk
that night, Mrs. Dalton?

Yes.

All right, get back.

- Get back, there, get back.
- Say, what's up in there, pal?

They just got done
with Mrs. Dalton.

Now they're gonna grill
that nigger lover, Erlone.

Ought to be a good show,
let's go in.

Get back, get back,
come on, get back!

Mr. Erlone, you mean to
sit there and tell this court

that of your own free will...

not obeying the dictates of anyone,

no coercion or order
of any group or party...

you mean to tell us

that you're defending this murderer
when he killed the girl you loved,

and tried to make
you die for his crime?

Yes!

I say just that.

And moreover, I've asked
my good friend, Mr. Max,

to come here and defend him
without payment.

Now I've heard everything.

Lead, Kindly Light,
Thy Kingdom come.

I don't wanna sound noble,
but I must tell you how I feel,

and you can make of it
what you want.

Enlighten us, Mr. Erlone.

I was trying to help that
boy to be free, to be a man.

To me, there are no
Black or white people,

and I offered Bigger my friendship.

I made a mistake.

Oh, you did, did you?

And that mistake was thinking

that after treating
people wrong for 300 years,

I could walk up to the first
Black man in the street,

shake his hand, and make him
feel everything's all right.

I know now how deep
this race hate goes.

I wish to God
I'd had known it then.

Oh, you regret what you did, eh?

No, I regret nothing.

And if Mary were alive
here today, she'd agree with me.

For her sake, I sit here and
say I blundered trying to follow

the noblest impulse of my heart.

I am for Bigger Thomas,
he doesn't have to be for me.

I was for him then,

- and I'm for him now.
- This is scandalous!

These pamphlets you gave
Bigger Thomas that night,

they advocate
racial equality, don't they?

Yes, the kind of
a society I believe in,

there are no Black or white people.

Oh, so you approve of nigger men
having relations with white women, eh?

And perhaps you encouraged Thomas
to have intimacies with Mary Dalton?

This is beyond
the range of decency!

How decent, sir, is murder?

Mr. Erlone is not on trial here!

The deceased brought this witness
into contact with the defendant.

The defendant was
influenced by this witness.

I have the right to
determine to what extent

this witness incited
this defendant to murder.

Mr. District Attorney,

please confine yourself
to the legal issues involved.

I'm establishing
a motive for this murder!

No, you're not.

You're trying to indict
a race of people!

And you're attempting
to attack the political party.

A young and innocent girl has
been foully outraged and murdered.

Your Honor, I ask permission
to address the court!

I pled this boy guilty

with the right, which is mine
under the laws of Illinois,

to submit evidence
of mitigating circumstances.

But, Your Honor, I charge
bad faith on the part of the state.

It has put the negro people on trial,
and Bigger Thomas is being denied

the right to be judged
as an individual.

Now, after serious reflection,
I'm withdrawing my plea of guilty.

And with the court's permission,
I am entering a plea of not guilty

on behalf of Bigger Thomas.

- Order in the court!
- You cannot say a murderer's guilty one day,

and turn around
and say he's not the next!

This is cynicism.

Are you serious about
this change of plea?

I am, Your Honor,
I've no other choice.

The plea cannot be changed!

The state has accepted a plea

- of guilty.
- That is a question

for the court to decide.

There's no precedent
in the history of our courts

for such a change of plea.

Do you realize that your change
of plea takes the defendant's guilt,

or degree of guilt,
out of my hands?

I realize that, Your Honor.

Then, I can render but one
decision according to the law.

I now instruct that
a jury be empaneled.

Why, this is a farce,
a waste of the tax payers' money!

If a juried trial is the only
way to get the facts stated,

then I shall take that risk in
spite of a signed confession!

The world must know
what this trial means!

Excuse me.

Can I talk to you, sir?

And who are you?

I'm a friend of Bigger Thomas.

Is there anything
I can do to help him?

You know where Bessie Mears is?

The police can't locate her.

Ernie had me lookin' for her,
but I can't find hide nor hair of her.

She must have skipped town.

That's the queerest thing
about the whole case.

That gal just
disappeared into thin air.

I wonder where she is.

By the way,
what does Thomas say about her?

He doesn't even
wanna talk about her.

If you hear anything of her,
give me a ring.

Thank you, sir.

Say, bud.

Do you remember where Bigger
and his girl were hiding?

Yeah, it's in an empty
building on Indiana.

That's what they say in the papers.

That's good,
always read the papers, son.

Look, I want to nose
around there tonight.

I want you to go with me.

If we find anything,
there's $10 for you.

- What are you cooking up, maste?
- Shut up.

I have a crazy hunch.

I want to play it.

Son, there's only
one road to salvation.

You just have to
get down on your knees

and tell God everything with a
humble heart, and He'll hear ya.

Promise me you'll pray?

Son?

I'll be all right, Ma.

Bigger, if you say so,
I'll kill four or five of 'em for ya.

Take it easy, Buddy.

You've got to be
a man now, and no crying.

I ain't cryin'.

Nobody'll ever see me cry!

Max will save Bigger,
Mrs. Thomas.

He'll convince the jury, and make
them see how this thing happened.

We'll win this fight, Bigger.

I don't wanna
fight anymore, Mr. Jan.

They're gonna kill me.

I know it.

Leave me alone.

Listen, Bigger, when you
killed that girl I loved,

I felt like that mob outside.

I wanted to kill you too.

But deep down inside,
I knew it wouldn't solve anything.

It would have only meant
for more hate and killing

between Blacks and whites,
and that's what we've got to stop

fighting side by side together.

Well, no trace
of Bessie Mears, Panama.

It didn't pan out.

Heck, I must be crazy.

Ought to change my brand, maybe?

Changin' your brand
wouldn't help, boss.

Them cops went over
every inch of this place.

We ain't gonna find nothin'.

Okay, bud, I'm a sport.

Here's your ten bucks.

Let's go, huh?

You sure were right, Panama.

That girl must have taken
her runout powder.

- Say...
- Yeah?

You know where any
of her folks are living?

Don't know, boss, don't know.

Maybe her landlady will
let you go through her things.

That's not a bad idea, Panama.

You have to join the FBI.

Let's go see her landlady.

What's the matter, boss?

Strike a match, Panama.

I almost broke my back.

Help me outta here.

Do I really have the DTs,
or do you see what I see?

Good God in Heaven!

That's her!

That's Bessie!

So that's what happened to her.

Oh, my!

Everything I do is wrong.

I was only tryin' to help Bigger,
and now they'll say he did this too.

Miss Mears,
I can see why they never found you.

They were looking
in cellars and closets,

and you were floating
above their heads.

Gosh, I got my scoop!

I followed my hunch.

Come on, Panama.

We need a drink!

We need two drinks!

Hello, Max.

Farley speaking.

Looks, here's the deal, I'll give
you the dope on the Mears girl.

I found her!

But cut me in on the inside story.

Wait a minute,
don't get excited now!

The girl's dead.

Yeah, she was pushed into the
elevator shaft of that empty building.

That's why the cops
didn't find her.

I'm sorry, Max.

Doesn't look good for your client.

Well, what makes you think
that Bigger did it?

Anybody could have done it.

Maybe that stool pigeon did it.

Perhaps he ran into her,
and they had a fight.

Maybe, maybe.

S'posin' you talk to Thomas,
and call me at my office at 9:00.

Meanwhile, I'll check
with the police on Snippy.

Okay.

So long, bud.

I'm off to work.

Some story.

Thanks.

I'll remember you
as long as the grass grows.

Who killed Bessie Mears?

I did.

I was waitin' for this
to come, Mr. Max.

Good God, boy!

Yes, I did it.

It wasn't hard killing Bessie
after I done killed that white girl.

Well, Bigger,
why didn't you tell me?

We're facing a juried trial,
and you pled not guilty.

Mr. Max, you know they ain't
gonna kill me for killin' Bessie,

they're gonna kill me
for killin' that white girl.

Now you know it all!

You know the truth.

Bigger, how can I help you now?

You don't have to help me,
Mr. Max, go home.

Now you can hate me
like the others.

I don't hate you,
but Bessie loved you.

How could you kill her
like that, what happened?

I was hiding out with Bessie
in that empty building.

I was tired.

I was cold.

I hadn't slept in two days.

I sent Bessie down
to buy a bottle of whiskey.

I couldn't keep
my eyes open anymore.

Then I fell asleep,
and I had a dream.

Then I was in that same
nightmare I had every night

since I killed Mary Dalton.

I was kneeling on a pile of coal.

I was trying to hide a bundle
so nobody would ever find it.

There was something terrible
and bloody in that bundle.

All at once the flower
that Mary Dalton gave Bessie

fell right in front of me.

You can't bury her here.

They'll always find her.

Look over yonder
where it's all white.

Put her over there.

Nobody'll ever find her.

I hugged that awful
bundle tight in my arms,

and went to hide it
where she had pointed.

I was walking in
a big cotton field.

All 'round me,
everything was white.

It was a good place
to hide the bundle.

I was back on the farm where
I used to live when I was a boy.

I felt free,
and wasn't scared no more.

I was back home again.

And there was my father the white
folks had killed when I was a kid.

I ran to him, and fell on my knees.

I was so happy I was crying.

I knew that nothing bad was ever
going to happen to me anymore.

All at once, I felt that it wasn't my
father who was holding my hand.

I looked up,
and there was Mr. Britten.

He had found the bundle
and was laughing at me.

No!

Ah!

No, no!

I woke up in terror.

I was alone in the empty building.

Bessie had gone.

Bessie!

Bessie!

I saw Bessie come out
of the drugstore.

Then I saw that stool pigeon,
Snippy, come from a doorway,

and stare at the building
in which I was hiding.

I understood what was happening.

Bessie had got scared
and snitched on me,

just like she had
betrayed me in my dream.

Maybe the cops would get me,

but I had to pay her off
for what she had done.

She was coming back to make
sure I wouldn't get away.

What's the matter, Bigger?

I'm gonna kill you.

Bigger, Bigger!

Bigger!

Bigger, no!

I threw her down an elevator shaft.

I headed for the fire escape.

I had killed Bessie,
and had cut loose from everything.

I was free to face 'em
and fight it out with 'em.

I was going to sell my life
at the highest price.

That's how it happened, Mr. Max.

Now you can tell 'em all.

Hello?

Farley, it's for you.

Thanks, Curly.

Hello?

Oh, hello, Max.

Well, what's the dope?

- What?
- He admits he killed her?

Yeah, but I just had a talk with
Snippy down at headquarters.

He says Bessie Mears never even
suspected that he tracked them down.

Thomas got the idea that his girl

and that stool pigeon,
Snippy, were working together.

He thought that
she was sticking with him

just to turn him over
to the police.

Listen, Max,
that guy must have gone crazy.

So he killed that
poor girl for nothing.

Looks like he put you
on the spot this time, Mr. Max.

I wonder what I can do
for that boy now.

Yeah, fear has haunted
Thomas to the very end.

Well, Max, don't forget our deal.

Remember you promised me
the inside story.

How 'bout some details, huh?

So she didn't snitch on me.

She stuck to me.

She was true!

Mr. Max, I'm gonna die.

Okay.

But I hope what happened to me
won't happen to another Black boy.

No, Bigger, I am going
on with your case.

I'll do all I can.

It ain't no use, Mr. Max,
they gonna kill me.

But I'm glad I got
to know you before I go.

I didn't know there was
people in the world like you.

Goodbye, Bigger.

I am going to keep on fighting so
that negroes can live without fear.

I won't be cryin' none
when they take me to that chair,

but I'll be feelin'
inside me like I was crying.

Mr. Max,

tell Mr., Mr...
tell Jan hello.

All right, Bigger.

Goodbye.

So long, Mr. Max.

Another boy's done gone

A boy we know will die

He's going home tonight

to meet a higher judge

Who can look past his skin,

and see into his heart

Oh, Lord, let mercy rain on him

and wash his sins away.