The Best of Enemies (2019) Movie Script

Subtitles by explosiveskull

[man] I think one of the most

emotional moments of my life

was the night that

I was initiated into the Klan.

I was led into the Klavern

hall, which was dark.

The only light that I could

see was a fiery cross.

And that...

put me through the ceremony.

Purified me with water.

Laid his hand

on my shoulder, says,

"You're part of

the Invisible Empire,

United Klans of America."

And there was a tremendous

applause throughout the auditorium.

And I came up off the floor

really in tears.

Because that's what I'd been

looking for all my life.

An opportunity to be heard,

an opportunity to be something.

[woman] I first told him,

"Hell no!" [audience laughs]

I would never, ever.

But kill him, that's all I want.

That was on my heart

to kill him.

This is the kind of reputation

that I have in Durham.

I'm not bragging about it,

but it is the truth.

You can call Durham,

and they will tell you.

Uh, no, I will not take no for an answer.

I have to have the word "yes."

Because all of our blood,

when it comes out, is the same color.

I haven't seen any blood different

yet than the color of mine.

And I'm sayin' whatever you believe in...

I keep sayin' it...

stand on it, baby, stand on it.

[audience applauding]

[crowd clamoring]

[clamoring continues]

[chanting] Equal housing now!

Equal housing now!

[woman] They call this Magic

City, Mr. Atkins.

Ain't no magic here.

Abe Greenfeld ain't nothin'

but a vile slumlord.

You know it, and I know it.

And the black people

of East Durham

have the same rights

as anybody else.

This girl, Mr. Atkins,

this young lady is a single

mother of three children.

And she wake up this morning

to an eviction notice.

But there's no hot water. What, baby,

for two weeks? That's right, Miss A.

Two weeks, and you say, what?

No toilet? No toilet.

No toilet. And that ain't

no way for no human to live.

[stifled laugh]

Mr. Atkins,

we done writin' letters here.

We want to be heard before

tomorrow night's ruling.

Miss Atwater,

you know our agenda is tight,

and we simply cannot allot time

to everybody that wants to speak.

- [telephone rings] -Now thank you.

Show yourselves out.

Mr. Tucker, to what

do I owe this pleasure?

Sit down.

[Atkins laughs]

And a mighty fine afternoon

to you, too.

Now you listen to me, Councilman!

And you too, Mr. Tucker!

We ain't goin' nowhere until

we get down to the brass tacks.

You understand me?

Everything all right here, Bill?

Mr. Oldham, now we have been

sitting here for over half an hour.

- The councilman ain't done nothin' but...

- Ann.

Ann. We're gonna give you your

chance to speak tomorrow night.

Are we good now?

[chuckles] Not yet.

Come on.

[insects buzzing]

[man] Samuel Grace. Ayes?

[all] Aye.

Nays?

Okay, then. Fred Eggert,

Gene Waddle, and Samuel Grace

are tentatively approved

as new citizens

of North Carolina Unit Nine

of the Invisible Empire,

United Klans of America.

Kligraph is directed

to certify the petitions

and prepare the oaths

for ceremony.

Roy, next week should be fine.

Final item.

Combat and firearms training

resumes this Saturday

from noon to 4:00

under the supervision of

second officer Floyd Kelly.

And I'll remind the Youth Corps members

that this training is mandatory.

Y'all hear me?

I'm talkin' to you.

Yeah.

[men chuckling]

Let's bow our heads.

Heavenly Father, give us strong

minds, great hearts,

true faith, and ready hands.

Keep us unfettered

from the world

that we might fight

the good fight

and be worthy

to claim the prize.

May we as brethren and Klansmen

be steadfast and unremovable.

As we go hence

from this Klavern

into the struggle

of the alien world,

let us not forget the crowning

glory of a Klansman is to serve.

Non silba, sed anthar.

[all]

Not for self, but for others!

Get him ready.

Mm-hmm.

You can say that again.

He was born ready.

Ready or not.

Mr. Ellis?

Oh, hey.

This is, uh, this is the new

boy I was telling you about.

Oh, sure. Sure, sure.

Sure, Ben.

Come on in the office.

I'll see you fellas.

Have a seat.

What's your name, son?

[clears throat]

Leonard, sir.

Don't be nervous, Leonard.

Ben here tells me you'd like to

be a part of the Youth Corps.

Yes. Yes, sir.

Why do you want to be in

the Youth Corps, Leonard?

[clears throat]

To help...

To help protect

the white race of America

from the communist niggers

and Jews who threaten us, sir.

That's a good boy.

[desk drawer opens]

But that's not all.

[drawer slides shut]

It's our rights,

our freedoms,

our way of life

that need protecting.

We're an endangered species,

Leonard.

You understand?

I do.

Let me show you something.

You see that?

One day, this will be

your most prized possession.

It will give you everything

you need in your life.

Brotherhood, standing in the

community, and a sense of pride

that you're part of something

bigger than yourself.

But most importantly,

it will be a reminder every day

that you will no longer be

an outsider.

[box shuts]

Welcome to the Youth Corps,

Leonard.

[knocking]

We gonna

take care of that thing?

Yeah.

Ben, bring the car around,

out back.

[engine off]

Now what?

We wait.

[man chuckling]

[radio: man singing ballad]

[humming along]

[song continues on radio,

muffled]

[engine off]

[car door opens]

[dog howls]

She got a nigger boyfriend.

[lighter clicks]

The neighbors have

been complaining.

Stay here.

[song continues]

Wait for the light, Wiley.

[screams]

[chorus vocalizing,

fading out]

[telephones ringing]

[typewriters clacking]

[sighs]

Hey. Thank you. Mm-hmm.

Miss Dupree.

Miss Dupree... Yes, I know,

Miss Dupree, but...

Hold on, Miss Dupree.

Miss Dupree says

she can't make it. Her kids...

Oh, no. Come here.

Cissy, you better get your ass

down to City Hall tonight.

No, no,

I don't want to hear that.

I have been a single mother

ever since I was 16,

and that's a whole hell

of a lot longer than you.

- [chuckles] -Well, child,

it's supposed to be hard.

Are you gonna be there

later tonight or what?

I better see your face

lookin' black and angry.

Mm-hmm.

Who's next?

[bell dings]

Hey, Jeb, I'll take this one.

[Jeb] Sure, Mr. Ellis.

Finish up that tire for me, will you?

All right.

Can you

fill the place tonight?

You know I can, Carvie.

What's up?

We're ruling

on Greenfeld tonight.

Ann Atwater and all her

Operation Breakthrough niggers

are gonna make a scene.

I just need numbers.

Jesus. Greenfeld.

You gonna help that scum?

[Carvie chuckles]

You know, C.P....

Reelection here.

He got deep pockets.

I need to

at least appear supportive.

And you need to keep your

friends on the city council.

[car door opens, closes] I know, Carvie.

We'll be there.

[soul plays; hands clapping]

[song continues]

[song stops]

[C.P.] Oh, you late. Yeah.

I guess that's

what they call Africa time.

[men laugh]

[female clerk]

First item on the docket.

In the matter of the

Edgemont community housing,

the council will first hear

from Mr. Paulsen,

representing Mr. Greenfeld.

[spectators groaning,

murmuring]

Good evening.

As you know,

Mr. Greenfeld prides himself

on providing comfortable

housing at affordable rent

to a great many people

in Durham.

[murmuring]

[gavel raps]

The council will hear

Mr. Paulsen.

As with any dwelling,

from time to time,

there undoubtedly will be some...

wear and tear.

- [laughing, scoffing] -Mr. Greenfeld fully

intends to address any of these issues

that these folks might have.

However, with

the recent inclement weather,

Mr. Greenfeld has had insufficient

time to get to everyone.

That's a lie.

[gavel raps] We ask that

the council grant us

the 90-day extension

for these minor repairs.

Thank you.

Miss Atwater?

Uncomfortable housing

and unaffordable rent

are about the only two things

Abe Greenfeld has ever given us.

[exclaiming, applauding]

Now,

I have here with me

79 written complaints from

the residents of Edgemont.

Each and every last one of

them is a code violation.

[exclaiming, applauding]

[gavel raps]

I brought 'em here with me

'cause, obviously,

you ain't get 'em the first couple

times when they were sent here.

[exclaiming, applauding]

[gavel raps]

Order!

Now we are fed up

with this man

and his eviction notices

and his rent hikes.

He has absolutely no care for

his tenants' living conditions.

We humans. Humans shouldn't

have to live like this.

[clamoring]

[gavel rapping]

Thank you for your comments,

Miss Atwater.

And I will personally

pass those complaints

on to the housing commission

for future review.

At this time,

the council will grant

the requested

90-day extension.

Thank you all. This council will

now stand in recess till next week.

Bye.

[woman] Put down that

paper, Claiborne.

Put it down.

All right. Okay, Mama.

Daddy.

Huh?

Hey, it's time

to visit with your children.

Claiborne!

I'm visiting. I-I...

I'm visiting.

How's your marks, Tim?

[mother]

Tim, answer your father.

I'm gettin' an "F" in math.

That's 'cause you're stupid.

Hey!

Well, I know it ain't for

a lack of trying, son.

Maybe your teacher can give you

a little extra time after school.

I don't think this teacher.

Why not?

She said I just ain't got

a head for numbers, Daddy.

She said

that don't matter, though.

Said I'll just work in the gas

station with you when I grow up.

Yeah.

Maybe this teacher

ain't so smart.

I'm gonna stop in at Murdock this

morning before I go in. See your brother.

- Give him a kiss for us, Daddy.

- You bet.

I don't like that place.

That's 'cause it's full of

weirdos and retards.

Kenneth Wade!

Don't be

calling your brother that.

I wasn't talking about him.

- He just ain't as lucky as you is all.

- That's right.

I'm sorry.

You be sorry

cleanin' that table.

Yes, sir.

I better go.

Give me some sugar, sugar.

Bye, Daddy.

[Ann] Let's go, girls.

Move your backsides.

Marilynn.

Marilynn!

Girl, you forgot your lunch.

You'd forget your head if it wasn't

attached to your shoulders. Go on now.

[nurse] Hey, come on.

Help me out here.

Come on.

No. You gotta

help me out here.

Hey, buddy.

It's Daddy.

How you doing, pumpkin?

You have breakfast yet?

Pancakes this morning.

Oh! Hey, buddy,

that's your favorite.

Thank you.

You got eggs

and maple syrup.

[humming

"Oh My Darlin' Clementine"]

Supposed to cut this up

ahead of time.

He can't swallow all this.

There you go.

So you must multiply

the three on this side by two.

But remember,

whatever you do to the bottom,

you must do to the top,

right?

Good.

So, I want you to go ahead,

work out the equations

that I gave you.

Let's do the next one,

let's see what you come up with.

All right?

[metallic creaking]

[alarm bell ringing]

[children screaming, shouting]

[woman] Don't...

[coughing]

[sirens approaching]

Over here. Come on.

[rings]

Ann Atwater.

Hey, baby.

[Marilynn] Mama!

Oh!

Thank God. [exhales]

Are you okay?

I'm okay.

Okay, baby. You go wait in the car.

I'll be right there.

Is anybody hurt? Everyone's okay.

Just lots of smoke.

How did it start?

[man]

Most likely electrical,

the way they keep

this place up.

Or it could've been set

on purpose.

No. Klan ain't that stupid.

[man] Why do you say that?

When a black school burns,

then...

Then what?

Then the black kids

gotta find a new school.

[laughter]

Turns out,

he left the thing in neutral.

It rolls

right back into the ravine.

They didn't find that truck

for two weeks.

Oh, are you talking about how

small your pecker is again, Wiley?

[laughter]

That ain't funny, Doreen.

Yeah, it ain't that kind of funny.

That's for sure.

[song on jukebox, muffled]

[laughing]

[Floyd] You-You wait...

The guy's got one arm.

C.P.

Garland... Garland Keith, my friend.

You're out late.

You wanna have a seat?

No, thank you. Gentlemen.

Well, something must be awfully

important for you to lower yourself

to come to a dump like this, Garland.

Floyd, come on now.

No, no. Mm-mmm.

I like

the White Citizens' Council,

with their parade floats and

their fancy country club meetings.

I'm always honored to mop up after

'em, do the dirty work.

You'll have to excuse Mr. Kelly.

It's been a long week.

[Garland] Sorry to say it's

about to get a bit longer.

There was a fire out at

East End Elementary today.

So what? It's a black school.

The parents have already filed

a petition to allow the students

to finish out the year

at Durham Elementary School.

There's an emergency

council meeting tomorrow.

Well... Ann Atwater?

I think so.

[C.P.] This ain't no small

landlord dispute, Garland.

We gonna need everybody

on this one.

Well, that's why

I'm here, C.P.

Were you scared?

A little.

[sighs]

It's gonna be

all right, okay?

All right, baby?

You get some rest.

Try to go to sleep, okay?

You warm enough?

[Marilynn] Mm-hmm.

[kisses, chuckles]

Mama?

Mm-hmm?

Where are we gonna

go to school now?

Don't you worry

about a thing, okay?

Mama gonna find you

somewhere real nice to go.

Say your prayers.

[male reporter]

The fire was strictly limited

to the building's facilities

and perhaps equipment.

[man] I know your first appearance

here, you can't make an opinion...

I'm not gonna have them kids

going to Tim's school.

Mmm.

Well, they gonna

put 'em somewhere.

Ain't gonna be

in Durham Elementary.

Tim having enough trouble

without more distractions.

May have to look into one of them

private schools outside of town.

Oh, yeah. How we gonna pay for that?

I'm workin' on it.

It ain't gonna work until you start

sellin' gas to the other half of Durham.

What's that

supposed to mean?

You know what it means.

That's not fair.

Oh, fair.

Hey. Come on.

It's not fair, it's a fact.

It's not fair

'cause you know I can't.

How's it gonna look

if the president of the Klan

is puttin' gasoline

in a nigger's car?

How's it gonna look to my Klan folk?

Oh. Oh, I see.

I... I didn't know

that the Klan pays your bills.

I didn't think so.

[groans] Here we go.

You spend all that time

at Klavern hall

jaw-jackin' about them niggers

and them commies and them Jews.

- I don't sound like that.

- Yeah, you do.

Give me some...

Eww!

Claiborne Ellis,

you smell like beer.

I'm not gonna have them kids

going to our school.

This emergency council meeting

was called late last night

after an apparent

electrical fire

destroyed nearly half

of East End Elementary School.

They've been in session

for nearly three hours now.

[spectators chattering]

This council is facing

some difficult decisions.

Tonight, we've had to consider how

these decisions will affect the students

of not one school, but two.

We've heard testimony

from the marshal

that eight classrooms

and three common areas,

including the gymnasium,

were unaffected by the fire.

Unaffected?

Hey.

Have you been to the school?

She's breakin' the rules.

No, no. Ain't nobody talkin' to

you, C.P., so shut your mouth.

- Miss Atwater, you've had your time.

- I've seen the school.

And if that marshal says that

school is habitable for children...

Miss Atwater,

you have had your time.

...then he's just lyin'

or he just plain stupid!

- [C.P.] Why don't you shut up?

- Don't make no sense.

- [gavel raps]

- [clamoring]

[man] Shut up!

We will have quiet

in the chamber!

- [clamoring quiets] -Now what

we talkin' about is important,

and you're gonna damn well

listen to us, Mr. Steele.

[Carvie] Miss Atwater.

Miss Atwater.

Kindly take your seat before

I have a deputy remove you.

Now then...

it is the opinion

of this council

that there remain

two basic questions.

One, is East End

a safe and habitable place

for its students to finish

their school year?

And two, would the students

of Durham Elementary

be unfairly burdened by the sudden

and massive influx of new students?

Our answer

to both of these questions...

is yes.

[scattered applause]

With the limited number of

classrooms that remain at East End,

the students will be put

on a split-shift system.

One from 7:00 a.m. to noon,

the other from noon to 5:00.

[cameraman]

We're good. I got it.

[man] Miss Atwater?

Who the hell are you?

Miss Atwater,

we're from the NAACP.

[male reporter]

WDNC news time, 9:00 a.m.

Recapping our top story, the NAACP's

legal action is causing quite a stir

inside the county's

district court,

one source saying

he would not want to be

in Judge Les Hallford's shoes

this morning.

- [woman] Good morning, Your Honor.

- [sighs]

[Hallford exhales]

- Is that it?

- Just arrived.

Full and immediate integration

of all Durham public schools.

[Hallford exhales]

Get Wilbur Hobby in here.

Yes, sir.

You've passed things down

before.

Ah, you know

I can't do that.

These idiots just sent kids back

into a school that's still smokin'.

I pass it down, it's the same

as ruling against.

I know. I just wanted to

make sure you knew that.

I asked you here for your

counsel, Wilbur, not a lecture.

Sorry.

[exhales]

What if you held off,

delayed your ruling?

[scoffs] Delaying the inevitable,

that's all that would be.

No. You delay to allow the people of

Durham to reach their own decision.

I'm not following, Wilbur.

[exhales]

- I know a guy.

- [chuckles] You know a guy?

Yes, I know a guy.

He runs a department at

Shaw University down in Raleigh.

He does this thing.

Uh, he holds charrettes.

Cha-what?

They're kind of, uh,

these official community summits

with people from both sides

of the problem.

They're called charrettes.

He's had some pretty good results.

Wilbur, get this guy of yours

up here.

[phone rings]

Bill?

Wilbur Hobby's on the phone.

Wilbur Hobby.

Why does

this phone call worry me?

[chuckles]

Well, what a coincidence.

I was hoping

it would worry you.

[Bill laughs]

How are you, Wilbur?

Looks like you're havin'

some trouble up there.

Well, nothing a heavy dose

of Bill Riddick can't solve.

Hello?

Look, Bill, I, uh...

I heard York went well.

York, Pennsylvania, isn't

Durham, North Carolina, Wilbur.

Well, all the more reason

we need you.

Look, you're the only one

that does this.

Besides,

it'll get you outta the house.

Delores even said

you're driving her crazy.

[chuckles]

We've been

drivin' each other crazy.

All right, Wilbur.

All right.

Great.

- I'll see you in a few hours, Bill.

- A... A few hours?

[dial tone]

Hello?

Now,

I've asked Bill Riddick here

to conduct

a ten-day community charrette

so that the citizens of Durham

can finally come to a resolution

on the school integration

question.

The city council

will abide this resolution

and enact

the will of the people.

That gutless fool.

Abide?

Abide? It's not even defined.

He's making us

define it.

What are we gonna say

to the press?

Nothing.

At least not till

we get a legal opinion.

And in the meantime,

what in good Christ is a charrette?

[man singing pop song]

[continues on radio]

[continues, indistinct]

[bell dings]

Uh, yeah, we don't sell

gasoline to niggers here.

I'm not looking for a fill-up.

Mr. Ellis?

My name is Bill Riddick.

Yeah?

Uh...

Wilbur Hobby suggested I...

- Wilbur Hobby sent you here?

- Yeah. He said I should come see you, yeah.

He said you represent a great

many people in this town.

He'd be right about that.

Well, Mr. Ellis,

I've been asked to organize a charrette.

I read the newspaper.

Oh. So then you know...

Hold on.

Are you here to ask me to come to

your, uh, integration meetings?

Well, for now, just lunch.

Lunch?

Tomorrow.

With, uh...

with me and with Ann Atwater.

Come again?

Well, I was hoping you'd come to

lunch with me and Ann Atwater.

- Ann Atwater?

- Ann Atwater.

[stifled laugh]

What did Wilbur Hobby think

I'd say to that?

Well, he thought

you would say no.

- He'd be right about that, too.

- Well, see here, Mr. Ellis...

You're not from around here, Mr....

Riddick.

...so I'll help you out.

Folks in this town,

and especially me,

want niggers to stay

in their own schools.

That's definitely one of the

options, Mr. Ellis.

But right now,

I'm gonna leave you my card.

The local number is

on the back.

You change your mind...

Boy, you better get on outta here.

Go on, git.

Like I told you.

Mr. Ellis,

I hope you reconsider.

This charrette is happening. So, uh,

if you truly represent your people...

represent them.

Have a good day.

[Carvie] We know this makes

you uncomfortable, C.P.

But goddamn it, it's the best

thing that could have happened.

"Uncomfortable" isn't exactly

the word I'd use for it, Carvie.

C.P., what do you think

would happen

if a lily-white liberal was

in there instead of you?

Nothing good.

A liberal and Ann Atwater

would pass integration

faster than a hot knife

through butter.

That's what don't make no sense.

[Steele] What don't?

This Riddick nigger wants

school integration, right?

So why me?

Why put that on himself?

I shoulda been

the last person on his list.

C.P., this judge...

Our hands may be tied.

But it won't matter if we

have a friend on the inside.

And especially if that friend

is C.P. Ellis.

Oh, Charlie, I...

He's about to hand you

the keys to school integration,

and you're going to

lock the door.

[softly singing hymn]

- Hey! How you doin'? How your dad doin'?

- [man] Good.

How late is he?

Twenty minutes.

C.P. comin' to have lunch

with two niggers. [scoffs]

He'd just as soon shoot us

than do that.

Y'all northern folks

just don't get it.

I'm from North Carolina,

Ann.

Oh, yeah? Where about?

Hertford County.

That still north of here.

He's here.

[Ann] Here he go.

Would you look at

that crazy white man?

Just pacing back and forth.

I ain't waitin' for that cracker.

I'm hungry.

Mr. Ellis?

Please, come sit down.

Well, uh, okay.

Um, thank you both

for coming.

Hopefully,

this is a first step...

Hey, I'm not gonna sit here one

minute longer than I have to, so...

Well, go on and git, then. That way, me

and Bill can have a civilized conversation.

[scoffs]

Mr. Ellis, um,

I'm holding a steering committee

meeting here on Saturday.

And I've invited people who represent

all types of citizens in this community.

All types?

Only two types in this town.

Well, whites, black,

liberals, conservatives.

For a charrette

to be successful,

we need to bring together a

large number of diverse people.

[scoffs]

The only folk he gonna bring,

they gonna be wearing

sheets and hoods.

Ain't that right, C.P.?

[stammers] Hold on.

If you already have

a meeting set,

what the hell am I doing

sitting here?

Well, you're here,

both of you...

because I need two co-chairs

to lead the charrette.

[laughs]

I'm gonna think about it,

you know,

'cause I wouldn't want your type takin'

over this, uh... what'd you call it?

Charade? [laughs]

I don't know

what you're up to either.

I don't like it.

You could use me for my help. That's fine.

But I am not gonna work

with that cracker.

So you need to look

somewhere else.

This corn bread is good.

[woman] I would love it.

[people chattering]

Let me help you clear this.

It was delicious.

Very nice of you. Thank you.

You outdid yourself,

Mrs. Keith.

Oh, well, thank you.

Ten days is a long time

with them people, Garland.

It's also a long time for them to

be making decisions on integration

without us having a voice.

That's not gonna make it

any easier to sell to my people.

Well, you're their

president, C.P.

You just make 'em understand.

Hell, it says so right there

in your Klan Creed:

"Failure to know your enemy gives

them aid and comfort" and all that.

I mean, the truth is, C.P., we...

we don't know the enemy at all.

Do we?

You're yankin' on the trigger

too hard.

Trick is to think of it as pressin'

the trigger, not pullin' on it.

Ten-hut!

Y'all heed this man, now.

Mr. Kelly here's an expert.

He even knows that word for when

you breathe out 'fore you shoot.

What's that called again?

Respiratory pause.

[men laugh]

See? What'd I tell ya?

All right, one more, then next up.

[man] All right.

You didn't care too much for

that conversation last night.

Well, when it's me and you,

it's fine.

I ain't much for talking

in mixed company.

Well, we do need

people there, Floyd.

And Carvie asked me

personally, so...

Yeah, I know it, C.P.

And I'll back you up on it.

But, uh... be careful.

Careful of what?

If you wrestle with a pig...

[gun cocks]

...you gonna get muddy.

[Bill] Meeting these benchmarks

successfully will depend entirely

on the dedication and enthusiasm

of this steering committee.

And, uh, we haven't got

much time to get organized,

so priority one

will be to get the word out

and to recruit as many citizens as

possible to come and participate.

All right,

before we go any further,

we need to elect

our two co-chairs.

I nominate Ann Atwater...

and C.P. Ellis.

But he's a Klansman.

And we're talking

about integration.

Uh, Mr. Riddick, I already done

told you I won't work with that man.

[scoffs]

That'd be just fine with me.

Everybody know it would be

just fine with you, C.P.

Just hold on a minute now,

Ann.

I'd like to hear from C.P.

on this. Mr. Ellis.

Well, I'm not in the habit of interviewing

for a job that I don't really want.

But you're asking,

so I'll tell you.

Everybody talkin' about nigras want

this, nigras need that.

This whole thing started 'cause

of what nigras are demanding.

What about white folks?

What about what we want?

You already got everything you want.

No, we don't.

Now the niggers in this town are trying

to take away everything we got left.

They don't want us to play

"Dixie" at our schools.

That's our song.

They're angry when we fly the

Confederate flag at ball games.

And why should one of our boys

have to play ball under that flag?

That flag is

our proud Southern history.

It might be your proud

Southern history, C.P.,

but it sure as hell

ain't ours.

[C.P.] All right.

Integrated schools have

"blacks only" assemblies,

"blacks only"

Martin Luther King this, that.

That ain't my history.

You wanna talk about schools?

Let's talk about schools,

Mr. Riddick.

My sons don't have it easy

in school.

Their teachers ain't even

teachin' them half the time.

And you want to throw them

together with a bunch of nigras?

It's only gonna get worse

for them.

You ask why?

I'm here to protect my boys.

So all the better

if she don't get in my way.

I'll sit with you,

Brother Ellis.

[murmuring]

Howard, have you lost

your everlasting mind,

callin' that man

your brother?

[Bill] You're offering

to co-chair, Howard?

Uh, I am.

And that's an honest man

right there, Ann.

The only honest man

that's stood up today.

He hates me. [chuckles]

And he told me why.

But then he opened up

his heart about his sons.

Why is he agreeing with me?

- I don't know.

- [Howard] That means he's my brother.

[whispers] Did that nigger

just call me brother?

[laughs]

Y'all hear that?

I'll tell you what you are,

Howard.

You one of them

"big niggers," ain't you?

You done went up north

and got your college degree,

your fancy cars,

and your fancy suits.

Meanwhile, we down here on

the ground gettin' dirty.

Now wait a minute, Ann.

The Black Solidarity Committee has

been working within this community...

Oh, shut up, Howard!

You're late to the fight!

And you have no idea what

real black folk go through.

You don't deserve a seat.

He don't deserve that chair, he don't.

Callin' that man his brother.

So are you saying you'll accept

now, Miss Atwater?

[shutter clicks]

['70s rock plays]

[song continues]

[indistinct]

I'm going to continue to fight

for us white working men

even if I have to sit in a room with

that awful Ann Atwater to do it.

[cheering, applauding]

C.P. Ellis don't scare me.

We gonna beat school

segregation once and for all.

Well, she's livin'

in her own fantasy world.

Folks in this town

like things the way they are.

[singing "Happy Birthday"]

[song ends]

[exhales]

[woman]

Good morning, Mr. Ellis.

Co-chair office is

just around the corner.

Thank you.

All I'm saying is

our children are way behind.

Almost a full year.

[woman] Well,

just havin' white teachers

isn't gonna help them

catch up.

[Ann] White teachers?

They already got

some white teachers.

It ain't that.

It's about the books.

Newer books don't account

for a whole year.

Newer ain't got

nothing to do with it.

Baby, what's your name?

In the red shirt. What's your name?

Miles.

[Ann] Miles.

What year did you

just finish, Miles?

My junior year.

Mm-hmm.

And what year

were your books for?

The textbooks were

for the tenth-graders, ma'am.

[scoffs]

[murmuring, applauding]

Well, how's that gonna work?

How's what gonna work, C.P.?

You gonna put a bunch of black

kids who are a year behind...

with white kids who aren't.

How you gonna teach

that class?

You can't.

It just ain't possible.

So you go ahead

and get the right books,

but you can't teach

that class, no way. No way.

[murmuring]

Okay. So tomorrow,

we'll break into

our smaller groups

and begin hammering out the

different resolution points.

But we meet back here

each night for wrap-up.

Also, you've noticed these, uh,

two tables up here on the stage.

Along with Mr. Ellis

and Miss Atwater,

ten more of you will be chosen to fill

these seats as part of our senate.

That senate will vote

on the resolutions

on the final night

of the charrette.

Okay.

Unless there's anything else,

I think we could all use

some sleep.

Yes, Reverend?

Mr. Riddick,

it's been

quite a tense day.

It may be wise if we have some

positive note to end each session.

Something to lift our spirits.

I think that's a good idea,

Reverend.

What did you have in mind?

Well, I notice

we have a piano over here.

What if we all sing gospel

music at the end of each night?

- Okay.

- [man] Nigger music.

[crowd murmurs]

What did you say?

I believe he said

that's nigger music.

Gospel music don't have nothing

to do with black or white.

It's about God.

Praise God, but he... he's right.

Gospel music is absolutely

for black folk.

I'm a bit surprised that

the reverend would suggest

something so one-sided.

I'm a little disappointed.

[Bill] Okay.

I can appreciate that, C.P.

These people would like

gospel music.

So, uh, how would you like

to represent your people?

Well, I'd like to display our Klan

materials here at the charrette.

[spectators murmuring]

Klan materials?

Mm-hmm.

It's not the same thing.

I know that.

We can't let him do it. That stuff's

full of hate. That's all it is.

He gave on the gospel.

I don't give a damn what he gave on.

Well, he gave, so we give.

Bill Riddick, if that stuff shows up

here, it's gonna be a riot.

And you can bet your ass I'm gonna

be the one leading the charge.

Oh, you gonna get all

Roughhouse Annie on me now, huh?

Yeah, I heard tell about you.

All talkin' and no listenin'.

We're here trying to understand each

other for once and stop fighting.

I'll stop fightin' when there

ain't nothing left to fight for.

Then you gonna be goin' uphill

the rest of your life, Ann.

In the meantime,

I'm-a keep that man here talkin'

as long as I possibly can.

[sighs]

[Bill] C.P.

C.P.

This, um,

display you want to bring.

We're willing to go along

with it.

But there'll be folks not wild

about the sight of it.

So, uh, you're gonna need

to provide some security,

someone to watch over it.

I'm not gonna be responsible for it.

[blows]

This is my security.

That gun

don't belong here.

I like to have it close in case I

need it to do my talkin' for me.

This here does the talkin'

for me.

I have a Bible. Oh, you do?

Have you read it?

Course I've read it.

Even go to church on Sundays.

[Ann] Hmm.

Well, then,

you ought to know, C.P.

Know what?

Same God made you, made me.

That's everything,

Mr. Ellis.

Looks good, Ben. Real good.

Thank you, Mr. Ellis.

Divided according to race.

Uh, six black, six white.

The senate members will float in

and out of different working groups,

observing and participating.

On the final night

of the charrette,

you will vote

to either adopt or reject

the resolutions

presented to you.

So, we're the final word?

Final word, Howard.

Two-thirds majority

to pass each resolution.

Eight votes to pass?

Then we should be able to handpick

the other four white members.

Well, then, we might as well

go on home then.

C.P.,

that's not practical.

We need to be

as fair as possible.

I'm gonna have to side

with my friend here.

I mean,

we can surely all agree

that every Negro

in the building

is gonna vote yes

on school integration.

That's six automatic votes,

no matter what.

Same's not true

for every last white person.

There's a bunch of liberals

sittin' out there right now.

Look, there are four prominent

organizations represented

in this room, right here.

The Klan,

The White Citizens' Council,

Black Solidarity Committee,

and Operation Breakthrough.

You each get your votes.

You want fair?

We'll pick

eight regular members.

Regular. No black power people, no Klan.

They're excluded.

Agreed?

None of her people?

[Bill] No.

And none of y'all.

Hey!

What do you think

you doing, huh?

Leave that alone.

Boys need to be reading this

instead of ripping it up.

The Klan is givin' you

a window to look through.

You need to read this stuff

and understand it.

That way,

you understand them.

Okay? You got the upper hand.

Got it?

Get on outta here, Charles.

Give me that.

Should tell your daddy.

You know better.

[exhales]

Kids don't make no sense...

"...professional experts from in

the community and from outside

will stand by

listening, learning."

[continues reading,

indistinct]

Ann? Ann?

What?

Where are you going?

I'm going home.

Look,

I know you're upset, Ann.

You don't know nothing!

I told you

it was a damn fool idea

to let that man

bring that stuff in here.

Ain't no good

gonna come from it!

And I'll tell you

something else, Bill Riddick.

You an even bigger fool

if you think you gonna make

any change

with this here meeting.

Is that right?

That's right.

'Cause as long as

the C.P. Ellises of the world

keep gettin' their way,

ain't nothing gonna change.

Yeah, you talk about

Roughhouse Annie?

Keep Uncle Tommin'

that cracker

and you gonna see

Roughhouse Annie.

Go on back up north where you belong,

'cause you don't know nothing.

Marion Wilson.

Okay. The other bowl now.

[Garland] Sam Watford.

Is that Scooter Watford's boy?

[Horace] Yeah.

You won't have

a problem there.

[C.P.] You sure?

Pretty sure.

I remember he kept losin' jobs

during them boycotts.

Still pretty sore about it.

I don't like that mustache,

tell you what.

All right. Earl Weeks.

[laughs]

He's... He's with us.

[Garland] How do you know?

He been a deacon at my church

since I was a kid.

He don't like nobody.

- That's a good man.

- Two for two.

Okay, we gonna have an issue

with this gal Maddy Mays.

The blonde over by the window.

[Garland]

Yeah, she's a nurse.

[C.P.]

Yeah, over at Durham Clinic.

Real "people person." I think

that's one to worry about.

Last is Lee Trombley.

[groans]

Trombley Hardware.

Off of Route Nine.

What do we know?

[sighs]

I don't know 'bout him, C.P.

Might be a problem there.

He took over

after his daddy passed.

Family man, two kids, I think.

[C.P.] And?

[Horace] Everybody that

works for him is a nigger.

Every one.

And they all thick as thieves.

[taps notebook]

All right, I guess it's time we

get acquainted with Lee Trombley.

Can I help you, sir?

Uh... Lee around?

No, sir. He's not here right now.

But I'm the manager.

Something I can help you with?

Uh, no. Um...

I'll come back another time.

[door opens]

- [thunder rumbles]

- [rain pattering]

Okay.

Any thoughts, uh, insights?

You don't have to

raise your hand, Maddy.

I think it's nice to see

people talking for once.

That ain't talkin'.

It's yellin'.

Well, okay. It's arguing.

But people are listening to one another.

They really are.

[Sam] They're arguing.

I've been listening to it for days,

and still no one's answered how

integration's gonna help my kids.

- It sure can't hurt 'em.

- It sure as hell can.

- I'd like to know how.

- Well, for one,

I don't want my daughter sitting

next to a Negro boy in class.

I don't want her

eatin' next to one,

and don't want her being

at a school dance with one.

So, you care

about your daughter?

And you don't want

to see her get hurt.

What's your point?

My point is that is

what we do as parents.

When they're little, we try to

keep them from touching the stove

so they don't burn.

We teach them to take small

bites so they don't choke.

We worry about

their first day at school,

the first time

they drive a car,

their very first job.

See, we want them to avoid

the pain that we experienced.

[chuckles]

All right. All right.

We all gonna sit around,

hold hands, sing "Kumbaya"?

- We see what you're doing, Howard.

- And what is that, C.P.?

That there's no difference

between blacks and whites, right?

'Cause we all worry

about our kids.

We're all the same, right?

Actually, no, C.P. We're not.

See, I left some things out.

I left out

that black folks have

a whole different menu of pain

to worry about.

Our kids get spit on

for no reason.

Our kids have to move on the

sidewalk to let white folks pass,

or they get beat.

Our kids aren't allowed

to sit where they want,

play where they want,

go to school where they want.

See, this is the pain

they experience every day

that we, we can't...

can't spare them from.

And that is a...

It's a helpless feeling.

A more helpless feeling

than you could ever know.

I fell right into that one.

Yeah.

Shit. You see Trombley's face?

Yeah.

Did you get anywhere with Trombley

last night? He wasn't there.

They were right, though.

He got a black manager.

Well, where we gonna

get him, then?

Right now.

We gonna crowd him at lunch.

Mmm.

[Bill] Okay.

Everybody listen up.

We're going to be trying

something different today.

There are name cards at

each seat in this lunchroom.

This will be your seat

for the rest of the charrette.

You may not move

your name card.

And you guessed it,

the person sitting next to you

will not be

the same color as you.

- What?

- And...

And no discussion of issues

during this hour.

Talk about something else.

[no audible dialogue]

[Ann singing softly]

[Ann clears throat]

I just can't do it. Mm-mm.

Mm-mm! Mm-mm-mm.

These fish sticks is dry.

Well... Hmm.

If we can't change

anything else,

we can sure demand

better school lunches, huh?

We're not supposed to

talk about issues.

I guess you're right.

Howard...

Howard was wrong in there,

weren't he?

Wrong?

Mm-hmm.

Well, I mean, he weren't wrong

about what black kids go through.

But...

He was wrong about you not knowing

what helpless is, weren't he?

What does that mean?

You got a boy out at Murdock,

don't you, C.P.?

- I don't wanna talk about that.

- I'm just trying...

Ann, don't talk about my son.

Don't ever talk about my son.

Okay.

[guitar plays]

[man humming]

[man singing country folk]

We're willing to go

to summer school,

even nights, just to catch

up with the white students.

Good Lord never intended for

blacks to have equal rights.

[song continues]

[song ends]

Daddy! What's wrong?

What's wrong, sugar?

It's Larry.

[boy screaming]

What's goin' on?

- Who is this?

- [nurse] Alvin. He moved in Friday.

Hey, hey.

Shh, shh. Shh, shh, shh.

[screaming continues]

Hey, pumpkin.

[grunting]

[C.P.] Go! It's okay.

[nurse] It's okay.

[C.P.] No monster.

No monster, son. No monster.

I got your book.

I'm gonna read...

Shh, shh, shh.

[girl] It's Vickie.

Read to him.

Okay.

Come here, pumpkin.

I'll be right back.

- Vickie's gonna read to you.

- It's your sister, Vickie.

Get him out.

Hey, who's in charge here?

Can I help you, Mr. Ellis?

No. Is there someone else

I can talk to?

One moment.

Hey.

[bell dinging]

Hey.

[nurse] I'll be right there.

I need help.

No, sir. No, sir.

I need help.

My son needs help.

Step outside that door.

I need to get my son out of that room.

Yes, sir.

Step outside for a moment.

Now calm it down.

I need to get my son out of that room.

Your son is gonna be just fine.

He's scared.

He's not fine.

He needs to be moved.

Right away.

Or that other one needs to be moved.

My son's scared.

Look. Look.

It's important that our patients

stay in familiar surroundings.

'Cause if they're moved

too often, they get agitated...

A private room then.

[stammers]

Give Larry a private room,

please.

We have regulations

here at Murdock.

I don't care

about your regulations.

Now you move him, or I will.

How's that? No, you will not.

Mr. Ellis!

Call security right now.

You calm yourself down.

[exhales]

God...

How much...

How much is it again?

A private room is $75 more

per week.

Now do you wanna pay for that?

I got 16.

Mr. Ellis.

Listen to me.

Larry will get used to it,

all right?

You shoulda told me. No one told

me that boy would be in this room.

It was...

No one told me.

It was a last minute...

You shoulda told me.

[slaps counter]

[man speaking, indistinct]

[C.P.] You know,

I'm tryin' to tell you now.

His roommate was wailin'

and screamin' and...

But they wouldn't

let me move him.

I wanna take him home.

He's better off with us.

He don't belong there.

He ain't like them others.

Yes, Claiborne, he is.

I'm seeing him tomorrow.

I'm sure he's fine.

You okay?

Yeah, I'm just tired.

I'll see you at home.

I love you.

[people chattering]

[people singing gospel,

muffled]

[singing continues]

[clapping hands to song]

[singing gospel]

[singing fades]

[woman on P.A., indistinct]

Can I help you?

You can't,

but Bernadette can.

One moment.

Thank you.

Miss Atwater!

[chuckles]

Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh.

How have you been?

Oh, baby, I've been good.

How about yourself?

I'm fine. I'm just fine.

Well,

what can I help you with?

Where's that Larry Ellis boy?

[Alvin murmuring]

Bernadette.

Yes, Miss Atwater?

I'm gonna need a favor.

But that's not fair.

I know it's not fair, honey.

But I went back and looked.

Not even half of them are done yet.

But she never does

any of her charts.

She always expects us

to do them for her.

You and I have to go over all her

work, or it's gonna be on us.

[Alvin humming]

Hello?

Where's Larry? Where's my son?

He's not in his room.

What happened?

Nothing happened, Miss Ellis.

He was moved.

[radio: woman singing ballad]

It's so nice.

Hey, baby.

It's your mama.

Hey, baby, it's your mama.

- Hi.

Let's put on some music.

[volume increases]

[song fades]

What?

No, no, it's good. It's...

It's just, uh...

All right,

I'll see you at home.

I want to talk to you.

Finally.

Look. What you, uh...

[sighs] I didn't... I...

I didn't ask for your help.

I can take care of

my own family, okay?

Okay.

It's just what I do, C.P.

Well, whatever is you do,

don't do it for me.

I didn't do it for you.

[sighs]

- Strike one!

- Yeah, Chester, bring the heat!

All right, shut your hole.

That ain't helping.

Don't pay him no mind, boy.

He ain't goin' nowhere with two outs.

They'll hold 'em.

Be all right.

[bottle opens]

I'll be right back.

[bat hits ball]

[cheering]

Your boy playing today?

Oh.

Mr. Ellis.

Uh, no. My nephew.

You can call me C.P.

You want a beer?

Oh. Thanks.

[umpire] Strike!

So, how do you think

it's going? The charrette.

Um...

It's interesting.

It's nice to hear

both sides, you know.

Yeah. Yeah.

We got some decisions to make.

[umpire]

Strike three! You're out!

[scattered cheering]

Say, that nigger fella?

The one that comes, uh...

He runs your hardware store?

Yeah. 'Bout two years now.

His name's Emmett.

And you trust him to...

to run things?

Sorry, I-I'm just curious.

I don't think I could trust one

of them to run my filling station.

Other than my wife,

he's the only person I trust.

How's that?

Well, he and I, we...

We were in Vietnam together.

Oh. You were in Vietnam?

Yeah.

Two tours. Got out in '68.

You?

No. No, I...

No.

Yeah.

Well, look, Mr. Ellis,

I know who you are.

And I know

what you want from me.

But I just don't...

No, no, Lee.

Any man who served bravely

in this country's military

doesn't need to hear

anything more from me.

You vote how you want to.

I'll respect it.

Mr. Ellis?

Emmett served

this country, too.

And he was a lot braver

than me.

[bat hits ball]

[scattered cheering]

All right, folks.

For our last day,

I thought we'd go

on a little field trip.

Where to?

You gotta vote Monday night.

I think it's important

we get a firsthand look

at what we've been talkin'

about the past few weeks.

[Bill] I know it's been a long

day, but this is the last one.

Please be careful.

Watch your step.

[Ann] Ain't no better over here.

It's a mess.

They gotta keep the doors open

because of the smell.

I imagine so.

It helps.

[children chattering]

Lot of kids

for summer school.

Uh...

That ain't summer school, C.P.

They still tryin' to finish up

from last year.

Yes, because of the split

shifts after the fire,

the students

were really only getting

about three hours

of schooling per day.

So, they're still catching up.

Hey, how you doin'?

Did you get them shoes I sent you?

Mama! [chuckles]

Hey.

Oh, this your girl?

Hey.

Hi.

Marilynn,

this here is, uh, Mr. Ellis.

Oh.

Well, I better get to class.

Okay.

[exhales]

She looked at me like I was

some kind of monster.

What'd you expect?

I don't know.

I'm trying to do right by us.

Make it all better.

And how's this gonna

make it all better?

Hell, I'm... [scoffs]

They wanted to integrate restaurants.

So we did.

Then came buses and bathrooms

and playgrounds.

Look, I'm over there right now

supporting more funding

to make their schools better.

If they have nicer schools, they'll...

[kicks cabinet]

...stop pushin'

to integrate ours.

The one thing we have left.

Then maybe

we'll all stop fighting.

Then what you gonna do?

What?

When everybody stops fighting,

who you gonna fight?

[doorbell rings]

[Ann] Okay. Coming.

Can I help you?

Hi, Ann. Um...

I'm Mary Ellis.

Claiborne's wife.

Oh.

I'm sorry

for just dropping by. I, um...

I wanted to thank you for, um,

what you did

for our family,

for our son Larry.

Please, come in.

Thanks.

Go on in.

Hope you like sweet tea.

I do.

So Larry is doing better, huh?

He is.

You know,

sometimes it's hard to...

keep him calm.

Mm.

Well, has, uh...

has Larry always been like that?

Yeah.

You know, when he was little,

it just...

He started not to be able

to do things.

[chuckles]

Has C.P. always been

like that?

[Mary] Oh.

[both laugh]

Yes.

More or less.

You know, he used to be

a really good baseball player.

Really?

Showed a lot of promise.

Colleges came

and looked at him

right over here

at Liberty Park.

Where we met, actually.

Came up to me,

he's so nervous.

Couldn't even talk.

So handsome.

Oh.

[laughing]

What?

C.P. handsome?

Oh.

He was.

Okay.

Mm-hmm.

Oh.

Thank you again.

You're welcome.

Ann...

Yes?

Claiborne is, uh...

He's doing

the best he can.

Bye.

Good-bye, Miss Ellis.

[gunfire]

Gimme a minute with C.P.,

would you?

Sure thing, Floyd.

[gunfire continues]

Hey. What do you say, Floyd?

You got one of those?

See the paper?

Nothin' I could do about that.

All part of this charrette business.

It don't look right.

It don't matter

what it looks like, Floyd.

Matters what it is.

Oh, yeah.

Your wife making friends

with Ann Atwater what it is?

What?

Couple of the boys

saw 'em today.

How am I supposed to

explain that?

She did something for Larry

is all.

Mary was just

probably thanking her.

Niggers is doing you

favors now, C.P.?

Stop with the bullshit, Floyd.

Mary's always gone

her own way.

Has nothin' to do with how

I do my business. Never has.

Now you got something to say?

Say it.

Look around you, C.P.

All these guys,

they look up to you.

They need you.

I don't know what you're talking about.

I'm here, ain't I?

- Are you?

- I'm doin' everything I can.

[man vocalizing]

[folk-pop plays]

[man singing]

Hey. Is Mr. Trombley in?

Yes, sir. He's...

Can I help you?

Mr. Trombley.

We're from Durham Fire and

Life Safety Department. Uh...

We've got a random

inspection order here.

On a Sunday?

We do 'em when they come in.

We'll need access

to your breaker panels

and your hazardous materials

storage area.

Yeah, all right. Sure.

Uh, come on back. Right this way.

So, Mr. Trombley, it, uh,

seems your

circuit breaker panels

are not up to code.

You need at least 30-inch

clearance on both sides,

and you've got

a little under two feet.

Oh... [stammers] They've been like

that for 20 years, since I was a kid.

Nevertheless, that needs to be

rectified before you can, uh, reopen.

Reopen? Yeah. Gotta shut you down...

indefinitely.

What? Oh, no. I...

See, I can't shut down.

I got...

I got a business here... Th...

[chuckles]

What are they supposed to do?

I'm gonna need them boys

outta here... now.

Like I said...

if you fix things...

you'll be open again

in no time.

You have a nice day,

Mr. Trombley.

My, my, my.

Aren't you

a pretty little thing?

Who are you?

What do you want?

Take it easy, Maddy.

We're just, uh,

[chuckles] friends.

Please don't.

Shh. It's okay.

None of these pictures

have niggers in 'em.

We heard you might be

a friend of niggers.

But I don't see none

on this wall.

Just to be sure though,

we're gonna need to hear you say it.

Say it?

Yes.

Say it.

That you ain't

a friend of niggers.

I'm... not

a friend of niggers.

Again.

I'm not a friend

of niggers.

[scoffs]

Well, then.

We must've got

some bad information.

Guess there was no need

for the visit after all.

Thanks for the beer, Maddy.

[jukebox:

woman singing country]

Hey.

Beer, C.P.?

Yeah. Thanks, Doreen.

[bottle opens]

[Wiley laughing]

C.P.!

Hey, C.P.!

What do you say, boys?

Come on, sit down.

Nah. Been a long week.

Just gonna have one beer

and go.

Oh, come on, C.P.

We celebratin'.

Yeah. What are you

celebratin', Wiley?

We celebrating

you gettin' your votes, C.P.

Well, a little early for that,

don't you think?

[laughs]

But have fun.

What do you know about votes,

Wiley?

[laughing]

[people chattering]

[door opens]

You shut him down?

What are you doin' here, C.P.?

[door closes]

You shut him down.

What are you talking about?

Lee Trombley.

Is that what this is about?

You didn't have to do that, Carvie.

You didn't have to do that.

This not a good time to show up, C.P.

I got donors in there.

You haven't answered

my question.

We're just trying

to give you a leg up is all.

Call it insurance, whatever you want.

You got a big vote tomorrow.

That man served his country,

Carvie.

Two tours in Vietnam.

He's a working man with a family.

Well...

"Protect the white working man."

Isn't that what you always said,

what we always talked about?

C.P., sometimes there are

necessary evils.

Necessary evils

for the greater good.

And it's my job to make

those kind of decisions.

You're just gonna

have to trust me on this.

You should get

back to your party.

C.P.? Are we good?

Hey, Floyd called.

Said they want you at Klavern.

Klavern?

Something about a meeting

at 8:30 or something.

What? You didn't know?

Oh. You all right?

You look tired.

Yeah, I'm all right.

You all right?

[chuckles] Yeah, I'm all right.

[crowd chattering]

[chattering stops]

[whispers, indistinct]

He's here.

Come on up, C.P.

Hey.

What's goin' on?

Distinguished Klansmen,

every now and again,

extraordinary things occur within our walls

that need to be addressed.

As your state leader,

it is my job to address them.

In our fight

against communism,

against integration,

against mongrelism...

we turn to those among us

who can lead us into

a pure, white future.

We have one such man

here in North Carolina.

Your Exhalted Cyclops,

C.P. Ellis.

[applause, cheering]

So, in recognition

of this man's tireless effort,

for his forethought and vision

in establishing the UKA's

first Youth Corps...

I guess I'll just read this.

It says,

"The United Klans of America

hereby bestow upon

Mr. Claiborne Paul Ellis

the honor of being named

North Carolina's 'Exhalted'

Cyclops of the Year, 1971."

[indistinct]

What do you mean, you're not the right

person? Baby, the vote is tonight.

Yeah, but there's gotta be somebody else.

There's nobody else, Maddy.

You heard everything,

you've seen everything.

No one else can take

your seat.

What brought this on, Maddy?

What happened?

- Nothing. I just...

- [footsteps approach]

It's nothing. Um... It's fine.

If you'll just excuse me.

[Ann] Mm-hmm.

Maddy Mays don't want to vote.

Just like that, out of the blue.

[snaps fingers]

What'd you do to that girl?

Now, Ann.

I saw the way she looked...

Don't you "Now, Ann" me.

You coward.

I ain't no coward.

Yeah, you a coward.

Couldn't do it in here.

Too many people with they own thoughts.

You couldn't win in here,

so you went and you fixed it out there.

I don't have to listen to this.

You gonna listen today.

What you so afraid of, C.P.?

I ain't afraid of nothing.

Yeah, you is. You're afraid.

You afraid

you gonna lose control.

You afraid you gonna lose

what you ain't even got, C.P.!

You're poor.

Just like the rest of us.

You ain't got nothing

'cept problems.

Talkin' 'bout you...

you in control.

You ain't no more in control

than the man in the moon.

You're a bigger coward

than I thought you was.

[footsteps depart]

[male reporter]

The five o'clock news hour.

With the highly anticipated charrette

vote just a few hours away now,

we caught up

with WDNC's Ken Meadows,

who was with some students

gathered outside the

charrette site earlier today.

[Meadows] Do you think

it's gonna be okay?

[child]

Well, it might be all right.

[child 2]

I think the same thing too.

[child 3] Uh-uh. I don't.

[Meadows] Why not?

I don't. Because, see,

our first day that I went out there

where we had to scramble,

you know.

But it was okay.

[girl] It doesn't matter what school

you go to, it's gonna be the same.

You get your education

just the same.

I'm fixin' to enroll now,

and it'll be my school.

[Meadows] Are you concerned for

your daughter, or is she concerned?

[woman]

Well, I'm concerned for her,

and I think she's concerned

for her education.

[Meadows] Laverne,

I just talked to your mother.

She said you're a little concerned.

Are you?

[Laverne] I'm very much concerned.

Why?

Oh, because I wanna...

I wanna be very sure about this year,

and I want to really know

what they're doing, and...

I think that it will work out if

everybody cooperates together.

Because, I mean, this is not

the, probably, first time...

[continues, indistinct]

[breath quavers]

[loud chattering]

- You did great work, Ann.

- No.

The one thing those people came here

for, we didn't get it for 'em.

Not true.

Some of them will be delighted.

[chuckles]

You know, I never really

thought you was an Uncle Tom.

Yes, you did.

[both chuckling]

"Roughhouse Annie," huh?

Don't you forget it.

Welcome, welcome.

[applause]

Well, what a journey

it's been, folks.

You've all shown such

dedication these past two weeks.

And regardless of the outcome,

you should be proud.

The resolution you've put

before this senate is clear,

it is thoughtful,

and above all, it is brave.

This resolution is

in three parts.

After I read out each one,

I will call the senate members

up to cast their votes.

Each part requires

a two-thirds majority to pass.

That's eight votes.

Part one.

Two students,

one black, one white,

to be appointed every year

to the Durham school board.

I vote yes.

Mr. Watford.

I'm a no.

I vote yes.

[applause]

[Bill] Part one passes

with eight votes.

Part two. This calls that summer classes

be included in the school board budget

so the black students become

level with their white peers.

Mr. Weeks.

I vote no.

[scattered applause]

Mr. Cox.

[Cox] I vote yes.

I vote yes.

[Bill] Part two passes

with eight votes.

[applause]

Part three.

Public school integration.

In summary,

this calls for full

and immediate integration

starting in the fall semester

of this school year.

The resolution defines full

integration by setting a race ratio

of no less than 25 percent

of any race at each school.

And further, that busing be

made available to students

to aid in the implementation

of this ratio.

We'll start the vote

on this side with Miss Wilson.

[people whispering]

I vote yes.

Mr. Watford?

I vote no.

[applause]

Mr. Mose.

I vote yes.

[applause]

Mr. Weeks.

I vote "hell no."

[cheering, applause]

Mr. Cox?

I vote "hell yes."

[cheering, applause]

Mr. Trombley.

Thank you, Mr. Riddick.

I believe in school

integration, and I vote yes.

[applause]

It's not gonna matter.

[Bill] Reverend.

With the good Lord as my

guide, I proudly vote yes.

Miss Mays.

Although I think it should be

considered in the future, I...

I don't believe right now

is the time for integration.

Respectfully, I vote no.

[applause]

Hey.

[applause quiets]

Mr. Clement.

I am honored to have had the

chance to get to know most of you

these past few weeks,

to work on these vital issues.

And while I fear

that my vote will be in vain,

I'm still gonna vote.

And I vote yes

on school integration.

Mr. Keith.

No.

Miss Atwater.

Yes.

[applause]

Looks like

we finally shut her up.

Mr. Ellis.

[applause]

All right.

Thank you.

[whistling]

I-I-I...

- Uh...

- [applause quiets]

I guess I'd first echo

what Mr. Clement said.

It was good to get to know

some of you, and I...

I know many of you will be

disappointed with our outcome here.

I, uh...

You know, before I go on...

[clears throat]

...I'd like to show you all

something.

This is my Klan membership card.

[man] All right.

[scattered laughter]

I was given this card

12 years ago.

It's been in my wallet

ever since.

In fact, I cried

when they gave me this card.

And I grew up in a house where

I was taught men don't cry.

But I cried anyway.

I cried because it was the first

time in my life I didn't feel alone.

Sure, I was married

with a family.

That's not the kind of alone

I'm talking about.

As a man, you're expected

to take care of that family.

And I was havin' a hard time

doin' that.

We were struggling.

So...

There I was.

I was a part of something now.

Something much,

much bigger than me.

And then when they made me

president, boy, I was over the moon.

Poor old C.P. Ellis

president of something.

Whoa. [chuckles]

And it's a real brotherhood.

It is.

In the Klan,

you look out for one another.

Nobody is left behind.

Everybody does for everybody else.

In fact, it says it right

here on this card...

It says

"Non silba, sed anthar."

Which means "Not for

oneself, but for others."

That's our motto.

But see, now I got a problem.

There's a problem...

'cause there's a lot of that going

around right here in this room.

People doin' for others.

Last two weeks have been

full of people just do...

doing for others.

And they're not just white people.

There's a...

There's a lot of black folk

doing for others too.

But I'm the president

of the Klan.

I'm supposed to hate

black folk.

I teach people

to hate black folk.

They're supposed to be

inferior to us.

Now, if I don't believe that,

then I have no business being

president of the Klan.

Well, I don't believe it.

So my problem is...

I don't have no need

for this anymore.

Mr. Riddick, I vote yes.

Jesus!

[cheering]

[no audible dialogue]

I just don't believe it.

[Ann] C.P.?

C.P.?

[phone rings]

[rings]

Yeah?

[Jeb] Where's the key?

Jeb!

Where's the key?

Call the fire department!

Come on.

[both straining]

[woman] Thank you.

Next on the agenda is delivery

of the charrette resolution.

The council recognizes

Miss Atwater.

[phone rings]

[rings]

Yeah. Hello?

[line disconnects, dial tone]

Okay, Mr. Ellis.

How many?

Well, you lost

about 650 gallons.

You're lucky

the thing didn't explode.

Yeah, okay.

You want to replace the loss?

I can have a truck here tomorrow.

No. Let's see how

the rest of the month goes.

All right.

What's this?

Would you sign both pages?

Thank you, Mr. Ellis.

Change your mind,

give us a call.

Mr. Ellis.

Mm-hmm?

If you need to let me go,

it's okay.

You know,

until things pick up again.

I appreciate that, Jeb.

But we're not there yet, okay?

So for now, go ahead,

take your lunch break.

Okay, Mr. Ellis.

All right.

[vehicle approaches]

[bell dings]

I hope you didn't come here to

ask me to co-chair somethin' else.

Nah. I just came

to say good-bye is all.

Back to Raleigh, huh?

Back to Raleigh.

What trouble you been causin'?

Just organizing, you know me.

[chuckles]

It's what you do, right?

It's just what I do.

I sure wish

you coulda been there

when we handed in

our resolution. Mmm.

Old Carvie Oldham

didn't even show up.

[scoffs]

Wish I'd seen that.

How are you doin', C.P.?

Oh, had a little trouble here.

Just trying to

put it back together.

Yeah, we heard.

I'm so sorry, C.P.

It's okay.

Although not sure it matters much.

Nobody stoppin' to buy gas

from me these days.

[horns honking in distance]

Well... Maybe things

will pick up for you.

What you smilin' at?

[chuckling]

[honking continues]

That's just what I do, C.P.

You know that.

That's just what I do.

[bell dings]

Hey, Jeb. We got customers.

Gas? [chuckles]

Gas?

[Jeb] All right, sir.

[C.P.] You want gas?

[Jeb] Yeah, no problem.

[C.P.] All right.

[soul song plays]

[man singing]

She can upset the world with

her mouth if she wants to.

But everywhere I go,

every time I pick up a newspaper,

Ann Atwater's been before the

council, the county commission,

or she was at some

shopping center boycotting,

or she was downtown

at Woolworths.

And he was woofin'

and goin' on,

and the place was packed

with Klansmen.

This particular night, C.P.

was up raging and ranting.

That's when

I wanted to cut his head off.

And after that first meeting,

I actually went home saying,

this is crazy.

This is absolutely crazy.

I don't think I wanna do this.

I mean, I can make a living

easier than this.

[song continues]

The story was picked up

in The Washington Post.

"Black man calls Klansman

'brother.'"

And of course, my father, when he read

the story in The Washington Post...

he thought I had lost my mind.

In becoming my friend,

C.P. has lost a lot.

Look, you do not make those changes

without having to pay for 'em.

I know damn well, you know.

You have to pay for it

eventually.

We bonded,

and we are still bonding.

Until I get mad with him

at times.

But we've made it through these

years, together 30 years,

and we're still friends.

[song continues]

'Cause there are C.P. Ellises and Ann

Atwaters in almost every community.

They just need

to be brought together

and experience what we experienced

in Durham with that charrette.

[no audible dialogue]

[song fades]

Subtitles by explosiveskull

The Best of Enemies (2019) - full transcript