Hellhound 12: Kick 'Em On Down

NIGHT--INTERIOR HALLWAY OF APARTMENT BUILDING

The camera is jammed in amongst the men and women packed into this first-floor space (hall, stairwell, and open door to small apartment) where a house rent party is in full swing--shouts, laughter, and the resonant echoes from an Armstrong/Oliver New Orleans-styled jazz group arranged on the upper stairs. Johnson and Johnny are present, now in dapper suits and flashy hats, Johnny talking to chums, Robert roaming restlessly, his eyes alert for some attractive and available woman. Several in the crowd speak to him.

MAN: Hey, Bob, you rootin' groun' hog--you gonn' play t'night or me?

JOHNSON: Say, Bill. Mought's well us bof'.

WOMAN: When you comin' to see me, daddy?

Johnson smiles and points at her companion, who takes no offense at his remark.

JOHNSON: When you ditch him.

ANOTHER MAN (holding up rolled cigarettes): I got muggles here that is the mezz. Getcha high as Geo'gia pines, my man...

Johnson waves him off.

JOHNSON: Mebbe later, Blinky.

Now he stops and stares at someone across the crowded area.

O.S. JOHNSON--MOVING

Ahead of Johnson we see Louise, small, sexy, and a rich brown color, with carefully processed and coiffed hair. She is talking with some girlfirends. Robert moves towards her through the crowd; she notices as he draws near, coolly staring back at him.

JOHNSON: Hello, sweetmeat.

LOUISE (disdainful): Somethin' you want?

JOHNSON: You.

With no more introduction than that, he takes her arm and tugs her away with him. The girlfriends are surprised; Louise reacts angrily at first, trying to yank free. Then she shrugs and acquiesces, going along for the ride. She throws a not-to-worry smile back at her friends.

DAWN--INTERIOR HOTEL ROOM

The furnishings are merely adequate. Johnson is asleep in the bed; Louise is dressing, almost ready to depart. Johnson stirs on the bed and reaches over to where she should be sleeping beside him:

JOHNSON: Louise...

No body there, he opens his eyes and looks around.

JOHNSON: Louise? (seeing her) Hey, baby, what you doin'?

ANGLE ON MIRROR

Louis is straightening her dress in front of the mirror, Johnson reflected in the glass.

LOUISE (business-like): Leavin', Robert. I'm goin'.

JOHNSON (lazily): Ain' no rush. Wait up an' I go 'long witcha.

LOUISE: No! (turns to face him) No, daddy. You can't. Last night was good, but this is today. You ain't a part of my life, an' you can't be...

JOHNSON (sitting up): Wha'cha mean, woman. We got a passle o' nights headin' to us.

ANOTHER ANGLE

Louise has her make-up out now, but she pauses to walk over to the bed and put her arms on Robert's shoulders, keeping him on the bed.

LOUISE: No, Robert. I like you. A lot. But you are courtin' death around me. I got me a steady-rollin' man, a man of means. And he is mean enough to see you dead if he found out about this.

She looks into his eyes for a moment, then walks over to pick up her hat and purse, dropping the unused make-up inside the purse. Johnson rises from the bed, grabbing for his trousers, still bare-chested.

JOHNSON: What are you mumblin' on at?

LOUISE: Get back from me now. I'm tellin' you they's no way for us. Don't even look for me...

And with this parting warning she dashes to the door and hurries on out. Johnson is still trying to pull on the second leg of his pants. He hobbles over to the door after her, but she has already vanished.

DAY--INTERIOR CAFE

Robert and Johnny are sitting across from each other in the small restaurant seen earlier during their Southside jaunt. Johnny is wolfing down a plate of barbecued ribs and greens. Robert's similar plate is largely untouched; he is focussed instead on a another bottle.

JOHNNY (smacking his lips): Now these is ribs, nigger. Kin smell the Delta drippin' off'n 'em. Make me homesick. Say, what about that? You 'bout ready to head South agin? This big city ain't sit right...

JOHNSON: I like it fine.

CLOSER ANGLE

On each of them in turn as their dialogue proceeds.

JOHNNY (looks at him admiringly): You the tush-hog, ain'cha. Git-tar an' a gal, strum on 'em both, is all you wants. Where' you get to las' night, anyways?

Johnson simply shrugs, pours himself another drink.

JOHNNY (eating again): I trustin' you ain't go wi' that big-leg woman I see you talkin' at. That Nubian princess is somethin' fine--skin like coffee an' cream, um, um. But I axed about her an' she's a bad 'un. Lady frien' to the man wit all the action here-'bouts. He's the ba-ad mothe'fuyer, folks say...

JOHNSON: That so? Ain' no truck wid me.

He empties the glass, thrusts it aside, and upends the bottle instead, then:

JOHNSON: Got us a gig tomorr' evenin'. Uptown, John--an' no bucket o' blood neither. (grins evilly with the bottle poised) White folks time, for when they comes a-studyin' at the Nee-gros. Well, the coins what I studyin', an' white ones spen' fine too. Club suit you, I 'spect?

Johnny is indeed excited at the prospect, waving a rib around as he answers.

JOHNNY: Hell, yes, Bob--that's travelin' money. I never did see nobody for luck like you--you musta been conjuratin' that bag again.

Johnson touches his lucky bag.

JOHNSON: Big Bill set it, truly--took me in t' meet the man. But my luck done met a woman done hoodoo me some, I b'lieve...

Johnny stops eating to look at Robert curiously. But Johnson has his head tipped back, glugging the whiskey down.

NIGHT--INTERIOR CLUB

A bar, several tables, and a small bandstand; a few white couples seated waiting. The clock over the bar reads exactly 9:00, but the owner is already drumming his fingers on the bar impatiently. Robert swaggers in, followed somewhat cautiously by Johnny. Both have their guitars and Robert has a sack-wrapped bottle.

OWNER: Where the hell you been? I said nine o'clock, ready to play.

JOHNSON (grinning tipsily): Tha's what it is, an' tha's what I is. An' Johnny too, my ass-istant here. (laughs)

He upends the bottle to drink two last swallows, then shakes the remaining drops out sadly and sets the empty carefully on the bar. Meanwhile Johnny is looking around nervously.

JOHNSON: Keep the whiskey comin' , boss, an' we play ya a mess o' blues.

ANOTHER ANGLE

The two musicians walk to the bandstand and clamber up, Johnny still nervous, Robert too tipsy to care. As they tune up, Robert dons the same old lipstick top for his little finger, and starts talking to the audience.

JOHNSON: Good evenin', peoples. How you-all be gettin' on?

There is no answer, though one woman titters.

JOHNSON: Me an' John here gonn' see is you folks ready--see kin you kick 'em on down. (louder, to the owner) Say, Mist' Clark, where's 'at drink at you promise'? (to the audience) Mist' Clark, see, he the man in this be-yoo-tiful club we all be sittin' in, an' mos'ly drinkin' too.

The bartender arrives with two shot glasses. Johnny nods his thanks and sets his aside, but Johnson tosses his off and motions for a refill.

JOHNSON: Some ol' fool tol' me white folks was jes' black folks after they's ceased--he say y'all ain't got no soul a-tall 'lessin' it be sto'-bought...

Johnny is just as stunned as the audience at this effrontery. There are some mutterings, and Johnny reaches over to pull at Johnson's arm.

JOHNNY: Hush up, Bob. Le's be playin' now.

CLOSE ON JOHNSON

But Robert goes blithely on.

JOHNSON: Oh, I tol' that fool he was a liar---yes sir. Lord have mercy, ain' none o' mine--we is jes' poor Ethiopian musicianers. I knows you white folks get the blues jes' like us...

Then he rolls his eyes in minstrel-show exaggeration and launches straight into an upbeat dance number, Johnny scrambling to catch up in the arrangement.

ANGLE ON SHOT GLASSES--ZOOM OUT

Three empty glasses beside Robert now on another chair. He looks drunker, Johnny tireder, and the crowd has dwindled some, except that a new couple is sitting close to the stage, the woman eyeing Johnson somewhat appreciatively. The two musicians are retuning and talking.

JOHNNY: Ain't found her yet. But I reckon we goin' to Memphis nex' t' look...

JOHNSON (staring now at the nearby woman): You know how lonesome it get sleepin' all by you'se'f... (laughing at his own recklessness) Well, you swing mine an' I swing yours, sweet chile.

Now he's laughing so hard he starts coughing too.

ANOTHER ANGLE

The woman looks more amused than offended, but the boyfriend is on his feet coming for Johnson. The owner quickly interposes himself and stops the angry man, murmuring soothing words. Meanwhile, Johnny has sized things up and he quickly moves over to Johnson (still coughing and laughing), steps in and clobbers him on the jaw, knocking Robert off his chair, guitar flying and crashing into the empty shot glasses. Robert tumbles to the floor and is too surprised or too drunk to move.

The owner points at Johnson's collapsed condition to mollify the boyfriend, then he escorts the couple to the door, motioning for others to leave too.

OWNER (calling out): Sorry, folks, closing early tonight...

Then he strides back to the stage area where Johnny is kneeling beside Robert.

ANGLE ON THE THREE

Robert actually looks peaceful.

OWNER: Get up, you bum. You're fired.

JOHNSON (laughing again): Cain't fire me--I jes' quit.

OWNER (to Johnny): Go on, get him out of here before I call the cops. I don't need no black bastard causin' trouble in my club, and I especially don't want his black ass bleedin' in here.

JOHNNY: Yes-suh...

But when Johnny tries to help him up, Robert knocks his hands away and rises slowly on his own. Johnny picks up both guitars and heads for the door.

ANGLE BACK TOWARD THE BANDSTAND

Johnson walks with drunken dignity to the door, the white owner still standing by the stage glaring after him. At the door, Johnson stops, turns around, and in a parody of Johnny's brand of charm, gives a foolish half-bow.

JOHNSON: Thank you all for a lovely evenin'.

Laughing again, he staggers on out.

NIGHT--EXTERIOR CLUB--MOVING

Outside the club, however, Johnson stops laughing. He stares at the nervous Johnny without saying anything at first--simply holds out his hand for his guitar and then staggers off, shrugging the strap up and over his head. Johnny follows along too.

JOHNNY: Why you haveta get unruly? You ain't jes' drunk, I know that. But you is gone crazy, mouthin' like that to a goddam room full o' crackers. You be whupped at leas', mebbe strung up, ifen I ain' knock y' upside the head...

Johnson refuses to look at his friend, instead talks as though to a third party.

JOHNSON: Lissen at the house nigger. Thinks he knows his way aroun' white folks. (slowly now, emphasizing each syllable) Ain't that jes' some-thin' now.

He stops short and addresses Johnny straight on.

JOHNSON: Son, you is shit t' those peckerwoods an' shit t' me. They walk all over you' head an' you be sayin' "Thankya, thankya," an' done lick the boots clean. Tell you what, John--you ain' tell me how t' live, an' I ain' tell you how t' play.

Then he walks on. Johnny draws back injured, but walks after him.

JOHNNY: Hell sakes, Bob. You ain't livin', you's dyin'... Ever since Betty Mae done lef', you got some kinda mean shit in you that's jes' got to git out!

JOHNSON (musing to himself sarcastically): Why I hole up in dis-yeah crappe' town wid a dumb spaginzy like you...

Johnny has had enough insults, and he asserts his dignity.

JOHNNY: I ain't so dumb. Huh. Think you kin smile an' sass yo' way through anything. Well, that ain't it. This world is white man's, Robert. Ifen you black, git on back! I knows it--an' I know where I be livin' better'n this ruckus. If you be smart, you git right an' ride wid me...

CLOSE ON THE TWO

Johnson looks at him scornfully.

JOHNSON: Tuck yo' tail 'tween yo' laigs, ol' monkey man. I'm set right here.

JOHNNY: That's it, then. Reckon I see you somewheres else, some other time.

He holds out his hand for a farewell handshake. But Johnson scorns the gesture and walks away.

JOHNSON: Not in this life, burrhead.

ANOTHER ANGLE--MOVING

Johnny shakes his head sadly, watching Robert go. Then he turns and heads the other way. Johnson keeps moving a distance further. Then he stops to look back. But Johnny has vanished, and Robert seems surprised--evidently expected him still to be following along.

JOHNSON: Johnny?

No answer. He shrugs and moves off into the darkness.