Good Times (1974–1979): Season 1, Episode 3 - Getting Up the Rent - full transcript

A shortage of funds for the rent and an eviction notice causes James to take drastic action to get cash.

ANNOUNCER: From
Television City in Hollywood:

♪ Good Times ♪

♪ Anytime you meet a payment ♪

♪ Good Times ♪

♪ Anytime you meet a friend ♪

♪ Good Times ♪

♪ Anytime you're
out from under ♪

♪ Not getting hassled
Not getting hustled ♪

♪ Keeping your
head above water ♪

♪ Making a wave when you can ♪

♪ Temporary layoffs ♪



♪ Good Times ♪

♪ Easy credit rip-offs ♪

♪ Good Times ♪

♪ Scratching and surviving ♪

♪ Good Times ♪

♪ Hanging in a chow line ♪

♪ Good Times ♪

♪ Ain't we lucky we got 'em ♪

♪ Good Times ♪♪

BOY: You can be it next time.

BOY: I don't want
to be it next time.

You make me sick sometimes.

Well, that's not fair.

Who needs you anyway?



I wouldn't play with you again

if you was the last
kid in the projects.

Who was you yelling
at in the hallway?

Eric. Me and him was
playing "cops and militants."

So?

He kept making me the cop.

It's a good thing you're back.

James Jr.'s disappeared,

and I need some
help with this breakfast.

You sure do.

Black is beautiful, Thelma,
but not when it's oatmeal.

Don't give me no lip, Michael.

I'm only doing this

so Mama can rest
up from her operation.

And where's that big
string-bean brother of yours?

He was supposed to
help me set the table,

make the beds and clean up.

There you are.

Something's burning.

Ah... it's only the
breakfast again.

Don't try shining me on
with that smile, James Jr.

You look like an eel
with the teeth of a shark.

Cool it, Thelma.

I just been down
17 floors for the mail.

I got some
dispensing here to do.

Here's something for Michael...

bulletins from the
NAACP, CORE, SNCC...

And the Pan-African Council.

Thank you kindly, sir.

And, ah, here's a free
sample for little sister.

"Afro-Glo Face Cream,
for the look of beauty."

I didn't know they
could bottle miracles.

Look who's talking.

If you were born in Detroit,

you'd have been recalled
for being dangerously ugly.

Thelma, you shouldn't
talk to JJ like that.

JJ, give her the face cream.

Not till she shuts her mouth.

If her BB brain falls out,

we ain't going to
be able to find it.

You hear the way he talks to me?

She called me the ugliest thing!

You are! All right, hold it.

I said hold it.

Hold it!

Well, it's comforting to know

there is still some respect
for Black Power around here.

Sorry, Mama.

Mama, you should be resting.

You're supposed to be weak.

They only took out my appendix,
not my mouth nor my fist.

Now, what's going on?

She called me ugly.

That could reduce a
less beautiful person

to tears.

I think they're both beautiful.

Don't you, Mama?

I mean, they're different.

Thelma, she's got

that real beautiful beauty,

and JJ... well, he's got...

Mama...

Mama, was they both
beget the same way?

Michael, where do you come
off asking me a question like that?

This is a Christian house.

I put it as biblical as I could.

Michael may have
a point there, Mama.

Maybe he and Thelma
look the way they do...

You know, all that
nice quiet beauty...

Because they was
born out of an act of love.

And maybe I got all this
wild, restless kind of beauty

because I was born
out of an act of passion.

Settle down, James Jr.,

or you're going to
have me believing

you was born out
of an act of madness.

Let me see the rest of
the mail you got there.

Oh, ain't nothing, Mama.

Just bills, bills and... Uh-oh.

You want to see
the bills, huh, Mama?

That's right,

and I want a little
peek at that "uh-oh."

This is an eviction notice.

Ain't nothing to
worry about, Mama.

What are you talking about?

They say they're going
to throw us out today.

Didn't we get any warnings?

We got a couple of notices
when you were in the hospital,

but Daddy didn't
want to worry you.

He said it'd be okay anyway.

See, Mom, he's got
this friend named Monty

who works in the projects,

and he told Daddy everything
was going to be okay.

That's the same Monty

that said Nixon was going
to be poor folks' best friend.

Come on, Ma,
let's have breakfast.

I can't eat on no
evicted stomach.

How much money we
got in that shoebox?

About $32.

That's about some $72 short.

I got 100 ways I can get $70.

And I got 100 ways to
warm your butt if you do.

I don't want you
stealing, James Jr.

I wouldn't do that, Mama.

I may just find $70.

Yeah, but I don't
want you finding it

before it gets lost.

I hope I'm coming
through to you, boy.

Mama, "boy" is a
white, racist word.

Michael, this ain't
no time to be black.

Mama, racial freedom
demands vigilance...

And your Mama demands silence.

JJ, say grace.

Oh, Lord, just help us
through all this oatmeal,

and we promise we'll never
ask for anything else again.

Amen.

James Jr., that is blasphemous.

He's no good, Mama.

[KNOCKING]

[KNOCKING]

I'm coming.

Will you open the
door? It's cold out here!

I'm coming! Quiet, kids!

Whoo-ee!

Was that the fastest
you can open a door?

I'm froze numb.

If you wanted somebody fast,

you should have
married O.J. Simpson.

Good morning, kids.

Good morning, Daddy.

Sit down, James,

and get some hot
oatmeal into your stomach...

and in between,

you could tell me
what we're going to do

about this little piece
of mail that James Jr.

Got from the
mailbox this morning.

What is it? Another
eviction notice?

Well, it ain't no
Valentine card.

Oh, baby, we got two of those
while you was in the hospital,

but my friend, Monty, who
works down at the projects,

he said don't worry about it,

'cause they know I'm
a hard-working man.

They'll extend me.

Yeah, they'll extend you...
right out into the street.

Your friend Monty don't
know shellac from Shinola.

Mama!

Now, Florida, you want to
worry your head about nothing,

go on and do it,

but we got $32 in the shoebox,

and I got another $6.00
right here in my pocket.

You worked all night

and all they paid you was $6.00?

They paid me a lot more,

but after they got finished
taking out federal withholding,

the state withholding,

the unemployment compensation,

the state disability insurance,

then this extra goody

they slipped on me
at the last minute,

a $2.00 charge

for getting my dishwashing
uniform cleaned...

You know something, baby,

if I'd worked for them
a few more hours,

I'd end up owing them 10 bucks.

Well, anyhow, all
we need now is $70.

Which we had before
I went to the hospital.

Oh, James, I'm so sorry.

For what, baby?

For needing your appendix out?

But it took every cent we had.

Now you work all day

and then you take an extra job

working all night...
Oh, James, I'm sorry.

Baby, you say you're
sorry one more time,

I'll give you something
to be sorry about, hear?

I'm telling you, we
going to be just fine.

But we still have
this piece of paper.

And Monty told me
don't worry about it.

Anybody home?

Whoo-ee, the
hawk is really biting

out there this morning.

It's so cold in that hallway,

I rubbed my face

and cut my finger
on my eyelashes.

I can get a warmer
welcome at a Klan meeting.

Florida, what's
the problem today?

An eviction notice
that says "final."

Oh, Lord, an eviction notice.

Which don't mean a thing.

Let's talk about something else.

How was that date you
had last night, Willona?

Yeah, that's what
I want to tell you.

Six-foot-two,
shoulders out to here,

and a smile that
lit up the night...

and he mugged me.

I tell you, the way
my luck is running,

I'm thinking of
joining a monastery.

A convent, Willona. Only
men go to monasteries.

Quiet, Thelma.

Willona knows what she's saying.

Okay, Eddie, you clear
off that desk over there.

Oh, hi, folks.

We thought you might
have been gone already.

Gone? What the hell do
you think you're doing here?

And take your hats
off in my house.

We are here to remove

the contents of this apartment

due to nonpayment of rent

and pursuant to article
five of the lease agreement

between the family named
Evans and the projects.

Well, unless y'all are
out of here in six seconds,

the only thing you're
going to be removing

is some knuckles from your face,

which is pursuant
to the end of my fist.

Well, why don't you
call your friend Monty?

He said he'll take
care of it, didn't he?

Aw, Florida... Monty
is a wino, James,

and nobody knows
that better than you.

What was I going to do, baby?

I took two jobs to try and
pull the money together.

That didn't work out.

I had to have something
to hang my hopes on.

Damn.

You jive dude.

You got some job for a brother,

putting other brothers
out on the street.

Well, I know it ain't as
classy as secretary of state,

but that job was already took.

Hey, I'll bet folks
are always telling you

how much you look

like that fine Billy
Dee Williams.

Oh, yeah, that happens,

but usually only
at eviction time.

Do they also tell you

you look like Sidney Poitier?

Oh, yeah. Yeah, They do.

Folks lie to you
a lot, don't they?

Look, folks, I got 16 bucks

I've been saving
for a rainy day.

It's yours.

Thanks, Willona, but I ain't
taking money from friends.

Then make her an enemy,
then. A buck's a buck.

Hey, Daddy, I got $4.00

that I was saving to
get my 'fro together,

but you can have it.

And Old Man Sweeney

says he'll give me
$10 for this painting.

You can have this.

And I'll give the $2.00 I
been saving for law school,

but you can't let JJ

give away the first
painting he ever painted.

It's okay, Michael.
I'll paint another one.

Michael, you give that back!

No. The only way
anybody gets this painting

is over my dead body.

I appreciate y'all
offering to help like that,

but Thelma, you keep
saving for the 'fro, hear?

And JJ, you put the
painting back, son,

and boy, I believe
you can skip "lawyer"

and go right on to president.

Thank you, Daddy,

but "boy" is a
white, racist word.

Michael... I'm sorry, folks,

but we have to move
your stuff on out of here.

Come on. Give me a little play.

All I need is some time.

Well, what if we was to juggle

and move two of our
afternoon evictions

up to the morning?

Now, that way,
you'd have until 5:00.

Thanks. That's all the time
I need, man. Thank you.

5:00.

Well, thanks,
brother. Thank you.

Well, baby, I got till
5:00 to get us $72.

I don't know but
one way to get it.

James, don't you
dare go into that closet.

What's he going to do, Mama?

He's getting his pool cue.

Dy-no-mite!

It's been years
since I've used this,

but I still shoot a
pretty good stick.

James, I don't want
you hustling no pool.

You promised.

I also promised to
take care of my family.

Now, if anybody here
knows another way

I can raise the rent by 5:00,

I'll lay this up.

If Thelma can follow a
couple of simple moves,

I got this department
store hustle we can run.

We can have the money like that!

You talk about pulling a
hustle one more time, James Jr.,

and I'm going to tie
a knot in your tongue.

I know they got emergency
funds down at the welfare, Florida.

No good, Willona.

I ain't taking no handouts.

James, the Lord don't
want you hustling no pool.

Yeah, well, I'm going
to have to work out

an understanding with the Lord

some other time, Florida.

Now, move.

Damn, that man
always could move me.

Willona, don't all
the magazines say

that our women are supposed
to be heads of the house?

They sure do.

Well, somebody
ought to tell James.

I tell you, Mama, give me
and Thelma three hours.

One stop down at Marshall Fields

and one stop down at...

Tie a knot in that
child's tongue,

and he's still got
two yards left over

for flapping.

Now, you're not to
leave the apartment,

and that's that.

You come on.

I'm going to take you
down to the welfare.

Come on.

What a day.

James Jr. hassling me

to go out and do
something illegal,

James Sr. out hustling
pool, which is immoral,

you trying to drag me
off to the Welfare office,

which is embarrassing...

You know what my
horoscope said this morning?

What?

"Let a smile be your umbrella."

Suppose Daddy don't get
the money at the pool hall

and Mama don't get
the money at welfare?

I tell you, we've
got to do something.

I don't want to
have nothing to do

with none of your lame hustles.

I'm too fine for that.

Look, stupid, we've
got to do something

before they throw you
out on the sidewalk,

where you're going to
freeze your fine right off.

Now, I done told y'all the plan.

All we got to do

is eke out a little sympathy
from some strangers,

and while we're eking
out the sympathy,

the sympathy will be
eking out the money.

You see, Thelma,
it's not stealing,

it's eking.

Come on, Thelma, let's try it.

Yeah, try it, Thelma.

I'll show y'all how
easy the hustle is.

Here we are at Marshall
Field's department store,

going through the
revolving doors.

Michael, you go over there.
You play the floor manager.

I'll pretend like I'm a shopper.

Thelma, do your thing.

Do it to it, Thelma.

Oh, my, I think
I'm going to faint.

Oh...

Holy cow, a poor
little girl has fainted

here in Marshall
Field's department store.

All right, folks. Let
me through here.

I'm Michael, the floor manager

of Marshall Field's
department store,

so... step aside!

A poor little girl has fainted.

Looks like she hasn't
had a meal in weeks.

Look, floor manager,

this is the first time
you ever seen her,

so you don't know
she ain't had a meal.

Stop padding your part.

Okay.

All right, folks.

Step back, give the
little lady some air.

Sock it to 'em, Thelma.

I have fainted... We know that.

I have not had a thing
to eat in three weeks.

My younger brother
is in the hospital...

Cool it, Cicely Tyson.

Just tell 'em you starving.

I'll handle the rest.

We have to do something
about this poor child.

I'll start the ball rolling.

Here, young woman,
take this dollar.

Where did you get a
real dollar, Michael?

I'm the floor manager.

I'm white.

I always got a dollar.

I'm sorry, Florida.

Don't be. You tried.

Imagine being turned down

'cause James made
$100 too much last year.

I didn't know
$4200 was the limit

for a family with three kids.

Now, I've got a great idea.

If you just had one more kid...

Thanks a lot, Willona,

but I'll need at least
nine months notice.

You know, if we were rich

and needed some emergency funds,

we'd get it just like that.

But rich folks don't
take welfare, do they?

No, they call it subsidy.

I'll be right back.

Hey there, foxy mama.

Come to pick up some
of that long green, huh?

Yeah, but they didn't give
me none of that long green,

so maybe you'd better
get lost, long black.

That's cold, mama.

That's cold.

You might as well stop
wasting your breath,

which, from the
size of your chest,

looks like it's in
short supply anyway.

I'm a married woman.

That don't change
nothing but your name.

Ain't you got
nothing better to do

than hang around bothering
poor, innocent women?

Nope.

Hey there, foxy mama.

My name is Wes.

You messing with Wes,
you messing with the best.

Yeah? Well, if you're the best,

I pity the rest.

Jive ain't got a
pot or a window.

Stop taking me
through changes, JJ.

I'm just not interested
in any of your schemes.

If you ain't the most
hard-headed woman

I done ever seen.

Whoever marries you is
going to forget about the better

and settle for the worse.

Why don't you two stop fussing?

Can't we have a little
unity around here?

[KEY SCRATCHING IN LOCK]

Hey, man, you guys said 5:00.

It ain't but a little
bit after 4:00.

I'm sorry, but two families
came up with the rent

and messed up our whole day.

Come on, Eddie, let's move it.

Hey, hold it, man.

Give my father a
chance to get here.

Come on, you
guys. Don't do that.

You're upsetting my sister.

Thelma, please, don't faint.

Thelma going to faint?

Talk about BB brains...

Thelma, don't faint.

Oh, my!

I do feel weak.

The blood is rushing
from my head.

Oh...

Step back! Step back!
Give her some air!

The poor child ain't
had nothing to eat

in two weeks but
some bad oatmeal.

Thelma! Thelma!

Michael, I think
she's going fast.

Where am I?

Marshall Field's.

Yeah... Marshall Field's!

You hear that? The
poor child's delirious.

She thinks she's
in Marshall Field's.

[HUMMING "SWING
LOW SWEET CHARIOT"]

If your daddy don't come
home with all the money,

I got $8.00 I was
saving for a new watch.

And I got $4.60

I was just holding
onto for my retirement.

Thank you, brothers.

On behalf of my
sick sister and us,

we'd like to say thank
you for your kindness

and generosity.

What's going on here?

What you two got Thelma
laid out like that for?

She fainted from lack of food.

The hell you say.

If that girl weighed
like she eat,

it'd take six of
you to lift her.

JJ, what kind of hustle
you got going on here?

Ain't no hustle, Mama.
Thelma said so herself.

All the blood rushed
right out of her head.

Yeah, and all the sense

is rushing right out of yours.

Get up from there.

Did you get that
money from them?

He sure did.

I never seen three
more jive kids in my life.

Dishonorable,
disrespectful, unlawful...

Hold on there, buster.

Nobody puts my kids
down around here but me.

Tell the Lord
you're sorry, kids.

Sorry, Lord.

Now, if that's good
enough for him,

it'd better be good
enough for you.

Come on, Eddie.

Don't you touch a thing.

You waited this long, you
can wait a minute longer.

You going to make 'em
wait for Daddy, Mama?

Not the father
you're thinking about.

Lord, I know it ain't right
to ask for selfish things,

but we need help bad,
and we need it fast.

I know you don't want

to see this family
out in the street.

Lord, you've got to help us.

I'm asking for my children...

Dad! I knew you'd do
it. You got the money.

You'd better believe
I got the money.

We don't need the shoebox.

How did you do it, Daddy?

Son, I just made the
greatest three-cushion shot

in the history of
Elmo's Pool Emporium.

But Mama ain't going
to like the rent money

coming from the
pool room, Daddy.

And I got that all figured out.

What your mama don't
know won't hurt her, huh?

Go on back over there.

Monty, you ready?

All right, here you go.

Well, kids, I'm home.

Mama, Daddy's
home. Out of sight!

Hello, James. How did it go?

Well, not so good, baby.

I guess the Lord
didn't intend for me

to come by the money that way.

We'd better get on
with what we're here for.

Wait a minute, man.

Do I hear a knock at the door?

I said, do I hear a
knock at the door?

[KNOCKING]

Yeah, I thought so.

Hey, Monty. Come on in,
man. What you doing here?

I failed you once, James,

when I told you I
could stop the eviction,

but couldn't fail you twice,

so I come with the full
amount of your rent money.

All right. $104.50.

Well, Monty, that's wonderful!

Did you hear that, Florida?

My friend Monty
has saved the day.

Yeah, Monty!

Here you go, man.

There ain't going to be
no eviction here today.

Take it easy, brother.

Monty, you're all right, man.

See, Florida?

I told you it was
going to be all right.

It's like a miracle, James.

Well, baby, you always did say

the Lord moves
in mysterious ways.

Well, gang. What a day.

You all should
have been there...

Thank you, Lord.

Thank you that we still
got a roof over our heads.

Thank you that the children

didn't have to
do nothing illegal,

and thank you that we
didn't have to go on welfare.

And Lord...

I thank you too, for that
great three-cushion shot.

It sure is nice

having all the family
together like this.

Yeah, it's even nicer
that we're indoors

instead of out in the streets.

And I want to watch a
real good flick tonight.

I want to watch an
all-black show for a change.

Where are you going to find one?

Here's one.

The Los Angeles Lakers
against the Milwaukee Bucks.

♪ Mmm... ♪

♪ Just looking out
of the window ♪

♪ Watching the asphalt grow ♪

♪ Thinking how it all
looks hand-me-down ♪

♪ Good Times Good Times ♪

♪ Keeping your
head above water ♪

♪ Making a wave when you can ♪

♪ Temporary layoffs ♪

♪ Good Times ♪

NARRATOR: Good
Times is recorded on tape

before a live audience.

♪ Ain't we lucky we got 'em ♪

♪ Good Times ♪♪