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Huckleberry Finn (1974)
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BIRDS CHIRPING) (BABY CRYING) (COOING) Life is a wink of time Heaven's a lonely climb The road is so dark and long Paved with all kinds of wrong And freedom, freedom Freedom Man's got to make his own Sun warms the earth below Earth drinks the winter snow Seas feed the winds That blow Rain makes the grain To grow And freedom, freedom Freedom Man's got to make his own We're all born to live with love to give Free in the heart and mind We're all born to be With a soul that's free Man made the chains that bind Freedom Talking about freedom Freedom Man's got to make his own God made the sun to rise And God made the earth and skies God made the seas and plains God made the winds and rains And freedom Freedom Freedom Man's got to make his own Freedom, freedom Freedom Man's got to make his own Freedom Freedom Man's got to make His own Huck, oh, ho, Huckleberry, Huck Say, hey, say, Huckleberry, Huck, oh, ho Huckleberry, say Huckleberry Finn Huckleberry Finn, say Huckleberry, Huckleberry Finn To the possum, you're the next of kin Hey, Huckleberry, Huckleberry Finn Boss is gonna get you, gonna fetch you home Say, Huck, hey, gonna bet you're somewhere off alone You all seen Huckleberry? No, Jim. Hey, Huckleberry, Huckleberry Finn, Huckleberry where you be? Huck, oh, Huck, Huckleberry, where you be? Huckleberry, where you be? Huckleberry, where you be? Marybelle, have you seen Huckleberry? No, not around here, I haven't. All right. Thank you. Sun a setting in the same old place Moon about to climb the sky You're a wasting all my time a chasing 'Cause your supper is about to fry Mr. Tompkins, has Huck Finn been in here today? No, he hasn't. Well, I best go on down to the river then. Thank you. Huck, oh, ho, Huckleberry, Huck Oh, ho Huckleberry, Huck, say, hey Hey, Huckleberry Huck, oh, ho Huckleberry, hey, Huckleberry Finn Folks are cozyin' to home about now That's where they're supposed to be But you're out moseyin', so I been chosen To fetch you back to home with me Huckleberry, where you be? Huck, oh, Huck Huckleberry, where you be? Huckleberry, where you be? Huckleberry, where you be? (LAUGHING) Jim. Oh, I knew it wasn't no catfish. That tug was more like a whale. You got to get home quick. The ladies is waitin' supper on you now. Well, I know you don't want no more punishment, now, do you, Huckleberry? Oh, heck, no. All right then, let's go. And Mr. Dobbins said all you have to do is learn to apply yourself better. He said you have good natural intelligence, and you learn very fast. He could be the head of the class. If he'd only try! I'd like to see him the head of the Sunday school class. In fact, I'd just like to see him in his Sunday school class! Just what was your lesson for next Sunday? Mmm, Moses and the bull rushers. Huckleberry dear, my sister and I are only concerned about your future. Judge Thatcher put that buried treasure money you found into a trust. When you come of age, you're going to be a young gentleman of considerable means. You don't have to end up like your father. A derelict, with his body floating down the river. Sometimes, I get the feeling that Pap ain't dead. That body they found floatin' was floatin' face up. And everybody knows that a dead man floats face down. Leastwise, that's the feelin' I get. Better get upstairs and do your studyin' now, Huckleberry. Yes, ma'am. And it wouldn't hurt to take another look at that chapter on Moses in the Bullrushes. Yes, ma'am. I'm getting more concerned about that boy every day. Oh, Sister, you worry, too much. You think you're a good deal of a big bug, don't you? Pap, you ain't dead! (GROANS) You've put on considerable frills since I been away. You can read and write. Who told you, you might meddle with such highfalutin foolishness, huh? The widder. The widder, eh? Who told the widder she could put in her shovel of a thing that ain't none of her business? Nobody, Pap. I'll learn people to bring up a boy to put on airs over his own father. Let on to be better than what he is. They say you're rich, eh? How's that? Well, I found some money, Pap. They put it in a trust till... Liar! Mr. Finn! What are you doing? What do you want? What I'm doing is learnin' my son not to lie! And what I want is what's rightfully mine! The money he's lyin' about! Come on! Huckleberry has no money. None he can put his hands on. All I know is I want a thousand dollars. Now if you ever want to see this kid again, you will have it to me in two days. Come on! We are poor women, where would we get that much money? Oh, you're a poor woman, ain't you? With a big, healthy slave down there who'll fetch a fine piece of money from the slave traders. MR. FINN: Come on! WIDDER: Please, Mr. Finn! Mr. Finn, please let me talk to you. Mr. Finn, please. Please. Don't take him away from me, Mr. Finn! Two days! You have the money here. I'll be back! Honey. Jim? I gotta go. Jim, what are you... I gotta go now. I gotta get away from here. Got to go? What did you do, Jim? I ain't done nothin', but they're gonna sell me to the slave traders. Not Miss Watson. She can't help it. Huck's pappy came and took him away. Well then, and the ladies, they need the money to buy Huck back. Jim, you know what they do to runaway slaves. They catch you, they whip you, they truss you up like a hog! But if they sell me, then I may as well be dead. 'Cause I won't never see you no more. But where will you go? Where will you hide? I'm gonna try to make it to the free states. To, well, to Cairo, Illinois. That's, that's the closest place. Cairo? Well, that must be 1,000 miles from here. Someday, there ain't gonna be no more goodbyes. Someday, honey, darlin' Won't be tears in your eyes And someday we'll be standing With our heads held up high Smilin' and a laughin' Just for no reason why I see it plain that somehow, I don't know now But I know we'll be fine Trust me, oh, honey, trust me 'Cause I've seen me a sign That someday, honey, darlin' Don't know how long it be Honey, darlin' Honey, darlin' You must remember this Though I'm going far away It's gonna be all sunshine and singin' Someday I can't explain, but somehow I don't know now But I know we'll be fine You, me and the baby Oh, I've seen me that sign That someday, honey, darlin' Don't know how long it be Honey, darlin' Honey, darlin' You belong just to me MR. FINN: Help me! Help me! Let me out! Let me out! Pap, Pap, wake up! Pap, you was having another one of your fits. Ah, it ain't fair. You sleep sound while I got the demons chasing me. Like I won't get no sleep till I'm dead! Get yourself down to the lines, see if we got any breakfast. What's taking you so long? Hurry up. We got any fish? Yeah, Pa! I fell in, Pap. (LAUGHING) It ain't so bad, us being together again, is it, Pap? Just don't get too comfortable about it. Soon as I get the money, I don't care if you go straight to hell. You've been bad luck for me since the day you was born. You killed your mother gettin' born, you know that! I'm goin' across to Hannibal now and your two sweet old ladies better have my $1,000. My son comes into money, I'll tell you what I see Two gospel spouting biddies is stealin' it from me I never got a tumble, I never got a break But now my luck a changing, I'll get all I can take Rotten luck, filthy rotten luck The only kind of luck I ever had Rotten luck, stinkin' rotten luck But now, at last, my luck Ha, it ain't so bad (BANGING) (GRUNTS) (PIG GRUNTING) They're all liars! Runaway slave! Like hell he run away! (THUNDER RUMBLING) Huckleberry! Murder! Murder! Thieving murderers! (SCREAMS) Huck, Huck. Huck, can you hear me? Huck? (LAUGHS) Here sit up. Take it easy now. (GRUNTS) There you are. Now rest easy, right there. Oh! Take it easy. Here drink this. Oh, I gave you up for dead almost two days ago. What happened, Jim? Snakebite. Only thing to do is cut a hex, suck out the poison and pray. What's this? That's a hex. Now I ain't superstitious or nothing, but with a friend's life, you don't wanna take too many chances. Gosh, Jim, thanks for saving my life. Well, don't thank me, you best thank that hex. (BOTH LAUGH) They been comin' past this island, every day, shooting off them cannons, tryin' to raise your body. I heard 'em talkin' from the boats, Huck. You supposed to be murdered. Well, you see, I had to get away from Pap, so I broke out and I killed me this wild pig, then I bloodied up the place real smart. (GIGGLES) Boy, they tell me it real bad luck makin' out like you're dead. How'd you come to get here, Jim? I ran away, Huck. You ran away? Well, now you know and now they your troubles, too. So I figured I die showin' nothin' they sell me down in New Orleans to them slave traders. So I come here and I'm just about finished building me this raft with a wigwam on it, and nice dry sand on the floor. Well, anywhere you land, they gonna pick you up for runaway. Don't you know that? Not if I make it to the free states, they ain't. Free states? That's pretty far. Cairo, Illinois. We gonna chadugga, dugga on down to the river to the free states. Chadugga dugga, doo dah, do chadugga, dugga Doo, dah, do dah, do, gotta get away to Cayroe, ayeroe Gotta get away to Cayroe, ayeroe Down the river a thousand miles, that's where we're gonna live in style In Cayroe, ayeroe, Illinois In Cayroe, ayeroe, Illinois. Dah, do, chadugga, dugga, do do, dah, do, dah, do Gonna get a store in Cayroe, ayeroe Gonna build a house Where? In Cayroe, ayeroe Gonna get a store and sell dry goods and build my house in the piney woods In Cayroe, ayeroe Illinois? That's it! You got it! In Cayroe, ayeroe, Illinois Illinois Do, dah, chadugga, dugga Do, dah, do, dah, do Gonna catch a boat from Cayroe, ayeroe Down to New Orleans from Cayroe, ayeroe What you know about New Orleans? Gonna ship on out from New Orleans Sail to the land of the coffee beans From Cayroe, ayeroe, Illinois From Cayroe, ayeroe, Illinois Gotta get away To Cayroe, ayeroe, gotta get away To Cayroe, ayeroe Down the river a thousand miles, that's where we're gonna live in style In Cayroe, ayeroe, Illinois In Cayroe, ayeroe, Illinois Da chadugga, dugga, do, dah, do, dah, do Gonna get rich in Cayroe, ayeroe Rich as an Egyptian pharaoh, ayeroe Gonna buy my child Buy my wife And we're gonna live that rich free life In Cayroe, ayeroe, Illinois In Cayroe, ayeroe Illinois Dah, do, chadugga, dugga, do dah, do Chadugga, dugga do, dah, do Dah, do Jim, look. Hey, looks like a wrecked house boat. Looks like she hasn't been aground too long. You know, Huck, we just may be in luck. JIM: I'll see what we can find. (LAUGHS) Oh, we gonna feast fancy tonight. Pap! Find anything? There ain't nothin' in there, but a dead man. It ain't nothin' but a house of death. Let's get out of here. Goshen should be over there. Huck, we're lost. Well, let's head for that cove over there. I'll find out where we are. (KNOCK AT DOOR) MRS. LOFTUS: Who is it? HUCKLEBERRY: (IN HIGH-PITCHED VOICE) Just me, ma'am. Well, "who's just me?" Sara Williams, ma'am. Well, whereabouts you live? In this neighborhood? In Bookerville. I've walked all the way and I'm all tired out. Hungry, too, I reckon. I'll fetch you something to eat. Come in. Take a chair. Thank you, ma'am, but I ain't hungry. You see, my mother's down sick and out of money and everything. And, well, I come to visit my uncle and, well, I never been here in Goshen before. Goshen? This ain't Goshen, child, this is St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg? Goshen's 30 miles up the river. Who told you this was Goshen? Why, a man I met this mornin'. Well, he was drunk, I reckon. And, you poor thing, walkin' around with a murderin' runaway slave hidin' out in these parts. A murderin' slave? Killed a lad named Huck Finn. Near Hannibal. It's an $800 reward on his head. What did you say your name was, honey? Mary Williams. I thought you said it was Sara when you first come in. Uh, yes, ma'am, I did. It's Sara Mary Williams. Oh, that's the way it is, is it? Yes, ma'am. Maybe you'll find a bigger needle in there. What your real name? Is it Tom, Dick, Bob? What is it? Please don't poke fun at a poor girl like me. If I'm in your way I'll... Just sit right down there. You're a runaway apprentice, ain't you? Well, ma'am... Yes, ma'am. I won't tell on you, don't worry. Now tell me all about it. My mother and father's dead and the law, well, they bound me out to this mean old farmer in the country. And so I stole some of his daughter's old clothes and cleared out. When a cow's laying down, which end of her gets up first? Hind end, ma'am. Well, then a horse? Forward end, ma'am. If 15 cows is browsing on a hillside, how many of them eats facing in the same direction? Well, the whole 15, ma'am. Well, I reckon you have lived in the country. I thought you was trying to hocus me again. No, ma'am. Tell me what's your real name? George Peters, ma'am. Well, try to remember it, George. Yes, ma'am. You do a girl tolerable poor. Trot along to your uncle, Sarah Mary Williams George Peters. You'll fetch Goshen by going through town and following the river up. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Mind you, boy, go through town. Whatever you do, don't cut through that plantation. No, ma'am. Good night, ma'am. (DOGS BARKING) (HORSES APPROACHING) Be done, boys, hush! Who be you? George Jackson, sir. Stand up, boy. What you doin' prowlin' around here this time of the night for? I'm lost. Fell overboard off the steamboat. Jason. Now look here, you're tellin' the truth, you needn't be afraid. Nobody's gonna hurt you. His clothes are dry, Pa. How come your clothes are dry, George Jackson? Well, I fell off this afternoon. George Jackson, are you kin to the Shepherdsons? No, sir. Do you know the Shepherdson's? No, sir, I never heard of 'em. Mr. Jackson, I'm Colonel Saul Grangerford, and these are my sons. It would be my distinct pleasure to have you as our guest here at Grangerford. Give me your arm, boy! (MARSHALING) (DOGS BARKING) (KNOCK AT DOOR) Come in. Mr. Jackson, sir? My name is Buck. And whiles you're here at Grangerford Manor, I will be your personal manservant and valet. Well, would you mind fetching me out of this here contraption? You see, I usually does my body washing in the river. Here at Grangerford Manor, there are only gentle folks and they do all their body washin' inside the house. What's this? This is your nightcap, sir. All gentle folks wear this. Night, Mr. Jackson. Good night. (DOOR CLOSING) Jim. Mornin', family. ALL: Good mornin', Papa. Sleep well, Mr. Jackson? Oh, yes, thank you, sir. But, if it's all right with you, I'd like to leave after breakfast. (ALL LAUGHING) Don't worry, boy, we won't let you outstay your welcome. (ALL LAUGHING) Mr. Jackson, you look like a bright young man. Well, thank you, sir. Tell me, Mr. Jackson, where was Moses when the candle went out? Well, I don't know. I never heard of it before. Was he in the bull rushers? Well, guess. How can I guess if I never heard of it before? Well, you can guess, can't you? It's just as easy. Which candle? COLONEL: Any candle. I don't know where he was. Where was he? Why he was in the dark, that's where he was. (ALL LAUGH) Miss Charlotte. Thank you, Mitzi. EMMELINE: I have just composed my finest poem. All about a boy by the name of Stephen Dowling Botts, that fell down a well and was drownded. Drownded? Would you like me to read my poem? HUCKLEBERRY: I'd be mighty obliged, Miss Emmeline. Ode to Stephen Dowling Botts, deceased. And did young Stephen sicken? And did young Stephen die? And did the sad hearts thicken? And did the mourners cry? No, such was not the fate of young Stephen Dowling Botts. His soul did from this cold world fly. By fallin' down a well. Mighty inspirational, Miss Emmeline. Mighty inspirational. (CRYING) (UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING) I'm so worried about Charlotte, so worried. Don't fuss, Rachel honey, don't fuss. Clive, I must apologize for Charlotte. I came all the way from New Hope. I know and I'm most sorry. Just a few friends and relations, Mr. Jackson. Handsome tradition, don't you think? Oh, yes, sir. Drink up, Mr. Jackson. Good Grangerford punch. Saul, you don't seem to understand, I haven't seen hide nor hair of our Charlotte since early afternoon and she knows cousin Clive's come all the way from New Hope to see her. I sent Jason into town to find her. Don't fret, Rachel, honey, she'll be along. My daughters prepared a little entertainment for you. So you all gather around. I found a rose in a Bible Who knows the story it told Pressed there with joy or with a tear It was just a forgotten Souvenir Is our love A rose in a Bible A bud that will lose its perfume Please tell me no Say that our love will grow Like the flower Forever in bloom Now would all you gentlemen and ladies join us? I found a rose in a Bible Who knows the story it told Pressed there with joy or with a tear Mr. Jackson, sir. Thank you. Aren't you going to ask me for a dance, Mr. Jackson? Ma'am, I don't rightly know. Is our love a rose in a Bible A bud that will lose its perfume Perfume Please tell me no Say that our love with grow Like a flower Forever in... Pa! She run off! Charlotte, she run off! My own sister! She run off and eloped with Harvey Shepherdson! Horses! Weapons! We're gonna kill us some Shepherdsons tonight! (ALL CHEERING) No need for horses, Pa. The Shepherdsons are surrounding the place now. (ALL GASPING) Put out the candles! All women and children into the wine cellar. (CLAMORING) Buck! Buck! Buck! He's my gun bearer, my loader! (WOMEN SCREAMING) Mr. Jackson, I think you're man enough to watch me kill some of those Shepherdsons. I think you're gonna enjoy it. Thank you, Buck. Stay with me. Snuff out the lights. Polluters! Defilers of our Shepherdson blood! Tonight we spill Grangerford blood! It's a matter of honor! Bulls eye! (GUNS FIRING) A feud is a funny thing, Mr. Jackson. A man has a quarrel with another man and he kills him. Then that other man's brother. He kills him. Then the other brothers on both sides, they go for one another. Then the cousins chip in. Will you be so kind as to rip down that drape and stamp out the fire? I'd be ever so grateful, to you, Mr. Jackson. Buck! Give me my pistol! Williams! Bring me some punch. (GLASS SHATTERS) Take your coat off, Mr. Jackson, you're into action now. Thank you, Buck. How long has this feud been goin' on, Colonel? Oh, 60 years or somewhere about that. What was the trouble about? I don't rightly know. It was about some land or something. Who done the shootin'? Was it Grangerford or was it Shepherdson? MAN: Good shot, Harry. That, Mr. Jackson, is entirely beside the point. It has now become a matter of honor. (GUN FIRES) (GUNFIRE CONTINUES) Come with me, Mr. Jackson, come with me. Come on, Mr. Jackson, now's your chance. River's down there. If I was you, Mr. Jackson, I'd get myself far away from these here gentle folks. Thank you, Buck. I'm much obliged to you. (GUN FIRES) Mr. Jackson! Mr. Jackson, sir. Mr. Jackson, sir. Oh, Mr. Jackson. (LAUGHING) I was only playin' possum. Goodbye, Buck. Goodbye. HUCKLEBERRY: Jim! Jim! Huckleberry, is that you? Huckleberry! Jim! Huckleberry! I never been happier to see somebody in my whole life! Thank God you're all right. I heard them shots and I thought they'd killed you. What did they do to you? Nothin'. Let's not lose any time. Let's shove off for the big water as fast as we can! That must have been Goshen back there. We come 30 miles, Jim. Yep. You know, there ain't no home like a raft. Other places seem so cramped up and smothery. A raft doesn't. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft. There's only one thing bothers me and that's folks thinking I murdered you. My being called a runaway, that don't bother me at all. But I don't wanna be called no murderer. Well, you know I can't show my face back to Hannibal. And tell folks I haven't been murdered. They'd send me back to Pap for sure. The way I see it, we just gotta stick together now. I'm your only evidence. Turn it in this here cove. Yes, sir. I can't wait till we get to Cairo. (SIGHS) I'm gonna catch me one of them big boats and gonna ship out as a cabin boy to South America. And then I'm gonna start my own coffee plantation. There's lots of money in coffee beans, but me, I'm gonna stay in dry goods. What the matter, Jim? Slave hunters. (GUNSHOTS) MAN: Who's that yonder? It's just a raft, sir. MAN: Any men on it? Uh, just one and me! Huck! Hush up, Jim. Well, there's five niggers run off tonight up yonder, above the head of the bend. Your man white or black? He's white, sir. I reckon we'll see for ourselves. Catch this here line. Pap and me is much obliged to you. I can tell you, everybody scoots off when I want 'em to tow this blamed raft ashore. Well, that's infernal mean. Odd, too. Say, boy, what's the matter with your father? Well, it ain't anything much. Boy, you're hidin' somethin'. What is the matter with your pap? Well, please, just tow us to shore. You won't have to get near the raft. Your pap's got the small pox. And you know it precious well. Drop that line, boy! Confound it, I just bet the wind's done blowed it to us! Why didn't you come out and say so? You wanna spread it all over? Well, everybody else I told, run off and left us. MAN: Poor devil. We're downright sorry for you, but, well, hang it, we don't wanna get the small pox, don't you see? Let's get out of here! Goodbye, boy. Good luck. If you see any runaway niggers, you get help and nab them. You can make some good money by it! Thank you, sir. I won't let any runaway get by me if I can help it. I ain't no damn abolitionist! Jim! Jim. Huck, Huck, here I am. (COUGHING) Are they out of sight yet? Yeah. I'm gonna roast in hell forever for all the lies I told for you. You didn't have to get in the water. Well, I didn't wanna take no chances. (LAUGHS) You sure had them scared. Yeah. Well, we best spend the night on the shore. Come on. MAN: Come on, get them off the boat! We'll have none of that kind of thing around here! Get them off the boat! Right now! You take your hands off me! Get off my ship! Do you have any idea... We'll have none of that! Throw that riffraff... Hey, take the scalawags off! Now look here, you'll hear from my... Card sharks! River hustlers! First you fleece my passengers, but that ain't enough. Then you start takin' my whole crew! Do you know, sir, to whom you are speaking? Tell him, Bilgewater! I'll have you know, sir, that we are men of title! The blood of kings flows through our veins! Your rash, unfounded accusations can only be looked upon with contempt, sir! Throw off their luggage! Bring it up! Oh! You, you go find my hatbox! Hurry you lackeys. Well, throw it, you idiot! That should be done with it. Raise it up. I hope that our undeserved fate will haunt you forever, sir! You are obviously the... (SHIP HORN BLOWING) I told you we shouldn't have pulled the Cincinnati double shuffle on the first night. It wasn't our performance, dear boy, it was their pitiful lack of imagination. Well, what are we gonna do next? Not what are we gonna do, it is whom are we gonna do. Now, don't look now, but the next recipients of our estimable companionship are at this very moment coming to our rescue. Ahoy, ahoy, there! Oh, alas. Oh, woe. (CRYING) Cry you idiot. (BOTH CRYING) Well, why are you gawking? Mocking us in our hour of degradation? Be gone with you! Be gone, I say! Do you need any help? Help. What help can you give us when fate has fetched us so low, when we were once so high! Let the cruel world do its worst, but there one thing we know, there's a grave somewhere for us. Yes. The world will always go on as it always has, and take everything from us. Money, property, loved ones, everything! But it can't take that. Then one day we'll lay our poor, broken hearts down in that grave and rest in silence. (SOBBING) Well, what are you heaving your poor, broken hearts at us for? We're not blaming you. It's the world that's brought us down. Where was you brought down from? Oh, you wouldn't believe us. The world never believes the secrets of our birth. 'Tis no matter. Let it pass. Let it pass. Secrets of your birth? Wait a minute, you have a sympathetic face, perhaps you would believe us. My great grandmater on my pater's side Became a baroness then great grandpater died When later great grandmater again became a bride She wed a duke so the royal strain Was doubled when she wed again Their son, my.grand-pere Became the rightful heir but lost his lofty title In a dubious game of chemin de fer What a sad demise for the true dauphin My daddy was Louis the 17 Thus I, but for a tragic happenstance I'm His Majesty the King of France The King of France? You're looking at Royalty Royalty Fouled and foiled, slightly soiled But royalty Born to reign all in vain Fate was cruel, we should be ruling royalty Tell 'em about yourself Bilgey! Oh, well, I... Never mind. The Duke of Bilgewater a hundred years gone by Braved the broad Atlantic to give the colonies a try My grandfather's life was hard and brief My mother stole matches and died of grief Thus here, but for a cruel historic fluke Is Lord Bilgewater A full fledged Duke You're lookin' at Royalty Royalty fouled and foiled Slightly soiled but royalty Born to reign all in vain Fate was cruel, we should be ruling royalty Well, can't we at least fetch you down to the next town? Oh, no, no, we couldn't think of encroaching on your hospitality. But since you insist, have your man servant tote our belongings aboard and let's get out of here. Come on, Jim. What should I call you? Your Grace, My Lord or Your Lordship? Well, we're traveling incognito, you understand? You simply call me King. Call him Bilgewater! Will you put that there, my good man? You're looking at royalty, royalty Lost our throne to rolling stones but royalty Unlike you our blood is blue Fate was cruel, we should be ruling royalty Shove off, shove off! You're lookin' at royalty, you're lookin' at royalty Fouled and foiled, slightly soiled but royalty Worn and torn but To the manor born Fate was cruel, we should be rulin' Royalty Lower your eyes and bend your knee You Jackanapes are gapin' at Royalty I was up all night, think I'll take a few winks of sleep. Tell me, Jim, you're a runaway slave, aren't you? Who? Me? No, sir, now I ain't no runaway. I mean you no harm, Jim. It just seems mighty strange for a young boy and a healthy black like yourself shifting free and easy here on this raft. Headin' down river. Headin' straight for Cairo. Which as any simple-minded fool knows exactly where a runaway slave would just naturally gravitate. JIM: Well, uh... Oh, he ain't no runaway. You see, King, my folks was livin' in Pike County in Missouri. That's where I was born. And they all died off except for me and Pap and my brother Ike and our freeborn manservant here, Jim. That's right. He tellin' it right. Oh, I know he is and he's doing a wonderful job. Isn't he though? Yeah, well, continue, uh... What did you say your name was? Jackson. George Jackson. Well, we ran into a piece of bad luck a couple of nights ago. Steamboat ran over the forward end of our raft, we all fell overboard underneath the wheel. Jim and me come up all right, but, well, Pap was drunk and, well, Ike was only four years old. Lord rest their souls. (YAWNING) That was a really very touching story, but I've had a tryin' morning. Think I'm gonna join my friend in the arms of Morpheus. Move your feet, Bilgey, move your feet. What? I've had better accommodations than this. Do you think he believed us? (SHUSHING) But did you believe him? I mean about them being royalty and all? Well, not all of it. Well, as long as he believes that we believe that stretcher he told us, I figure he'll go along with ours. Besides, like Miss Watson used to say, "Them two might "just be a blessing in disguise." And once he gets you into his clutches, my friends, the demon rum will rot you, through and through! Rot your body, rot your brain, rot your immortal soul. Oh, it was spellbinding, I tell you. I was the pet of the womenfolk. Big and little. 'Cause we was makin' it mighty warm for those rummies. We were takin' in a fortune. Then somehow or other a little report got out that we was puttin' in time with the jug on the sly. They run us out of town so quick... Quiet, quiet, quiet, quiet, quiet, quiet. Then we took to sellin' an article to take the tartar off the teeth, and it does, too. And generally the enamel along with it. We got outta there just ahead of the lynch mob. Enough, they were a pack of ingrates! Oh, boy, put mine over there. May I make a suggestion, gentlemen? If I was to make believe to be your slave, why, folks would never question two gentlemen of obvious quality, such as yourselves. Why you'd appear to be, the owners of a valuable piece of property namely me. And that way we could all travel together safely. Brilliant. Brilliant! But it needs something! Let me think. I've got it! You two wanna make it safely to Cairo, right? Yes, sir! Well, it wouldn't hurt to have a little jingle in your pockets when you get there, would it? (LAUGHS) You are now members of the Royal Shakespeare Touring Company. Good thinking, King. Bilgey, I want you to make me up some new posters and tickets. Lots of tickets. For two nights only, David Garrick the Younger and Edmund Keene the Elder, direct from London in their celebrated performance of The Royal None Such! (LAUGHS) The play's the thing, boys. KING: My dear citizens of this fair, charming, quaint city of Clairville. Trusting you all know your own names, let me tell you mine. I am David Garrick the Younger of the Royal Haymarket Theater, White Chapel, Piccadilly, Pudding Lane, London! Now star and managing director of the Royal Shakespeare Touring Company. Ta-da! And now, let me introduce you to the members of my illustrious troupe. First of all, Mr. Edmund Keene the Elder of the Drury Lane Theater, London. Right there. Yes. And now, my young ward Percival Hepplewhite the Third, known throughout Europe as the boy genius of Stratford-upon-Avon. Right there. Thank you for your passionate response, sir. And now, last but not least, perhaps the world most brilliant interpreter of Shakespeare's immortal character, Caliban, the former king of Hugga mugga, King Goonawonga! Right there. (CROWD MURMURING) Assisted by the strength of my entire troupe, with new appointments, new scenery, new props, for just two nights only, because of imperative European engagements we will present the thrilling, spine tingling, inspiring epic from the pen of the Bard himself, The Royal None Such! Unfortunately, however, there... Unfortunately, however, women and children will not be admitted to either performance. Under any circumstances. (CHATTERING) There must be at least a hundred people in there. More like 163 including standing room. Can hardly wait to see the show myself. Me neither. Full house, full house. Listen... You two run along down to the raft with Bilgewater. What? Don't we get to see the show? His Majesty don't like nobody watchin' from the wings. Come on. But, but... Get out of here. Why, Tom, you're too young. Who let you in? I let myself in. Well, let yourself out! Hey, put me down! (SHUSHING) (PEOPLE APPLAUDING) (CHEERING) Bless you. Gentlemen and gentlemen. (LAUGHING) The Royal Shakespeare Touring Company is proud to present tonight for your pleasure. (LAUGHING) The least known, yet for his greatest work of the Bard of Avon. (CHEERING) The Royal None Such. Also known as The Tragedy of the King's Camel Leopard. Prepare for Rolling heads, blood that sheds Right before your eyes Revenge and hate, the mell of fate When everybody dies And who does so much more than lust and gore (LAUGHS) Laughter. (CRYING) Tears. And skin. The Royal None Such Has come to town, so let the play Before we raise the curtain on this epic tour de force Certain pertinent facts I must convey This manuscript lay static in a corner of Shakespeare's attic Till I by chance Discovered it Dramatically uncovered it It was a cold and rainy night. I happened to be a house guest at the ancestral cottage of my dear friend, Shakespeare. (YAWNS) Alas, sleep would not come. So I spent the night scuffling about midst the boxes and the barrels aloft. When moment of moments. I stumbled upon this discarded bundle of parchment. Breathlessly I blew away 247 years of dust. (COUGHS) (AUDIENCE LAUGHS) Lo, there it was. In the Bard's own hand. The Royal None Such. A new tragedy by William Shakespeare. Oh, ho There so much more than love and war In this great Shakespeareance The Royal Nonesuch has come to town The Royal None Such of much renown The Royal None Such Won't let you down So let the play Commence Come on, come on, come on. Can't we at least go back and take a look? He'd never know. It was a triumph. Let's get out of here. But is the show over already? Always leave them wanting more. Get that boy out of here! What the devil you doin', boy? We threw you out once. Belay there, let the boy speak. I just come to tell you, there'll be no show tonight. ALL: What? They all run off, I saw 'em. The kid's right. They're gone! There ain't nothing back there. No scenery, no costumes, nothing but the piano player. (ALL SHOUTING) I sure don't like this Royal None Such business. Stealin' poor people's money, that's downright dishonest. Well, your stealin' yourself from Miss Watson, ain't you? Now stealin' is stealing, Jim. Well, there is stealin' and there is stealin'. But this here is stealin'. The King was right about one thing. Nobody's lookin' at you like you're a runaway slave no more. Now are they? Besides, only a couple of days from Cairo. Cairo. (WHISTLES) Why, that... Money in the bank. Here, you hammer up the rest of the posters. I'm gonna do a little advance promoting. God rest ye merry gentlemen, good tidings to you all. One and all, good tidings. Hip, hip, hip, hip and all that rot. Whiskey, your best. You must be the Reverend Wilks all the way from England. My condolences. From England, rather, but Reverend Wilks. Uh, condolences? Condolences for what? Your brother just died. That is if you was the Reverend Mr. Wilks, your brother just died, leaving all that money. Money? Children! Forget the signs. Forget the posters! What? Gentlemen, we are about to raise the curtain on the most lucrative engagement of our careers. You might even say we were born for these roles. We're not gonna perform here in Barrytown. The stage awaits a few miles downriver in Jackson's Landing. Come on. Now remember, Bilgey, you're deaf and dumb. Yes, yes, King. (SHUSHING) Fine. And you? Rather, I say. Very good. And that's all you say, so remember it. Huckleberry, I have a bad feeling about it. And this time, they've gone too far! Don't worry. Everything's gonna be just fine. If anybody comes nosin' around here, you just get in there and moan and groan. Let me hear you. (MOANING) (GROANING) Jim, this is the last time. Soon as I shuck these two, I'm gonna cut right back to here and we'll be in Cairo tomorrow. All right, Huckey, I'll be waitin' for you. Now you be careful now, you hear? I won't be long, Jim, I promise. KING: Percival, let's get going. Goodbye, Jim. Come along, dear boy. Quick, let's get going. Jackson's Landing is just around the point. You row, Bilgey. Farewell, fellow voyagers. Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I know that the good Lord in his kindness, will guide your ship up the river of life. Bless you, bless you, bless you. (PEOPLE LAUGHING) Bless you, bless you, bless you, bless you. My poor afflicted brother here is expressing our profound gratitude for our safe arrival in this haven of the New World after our tedious pilgrimage all the way from England. Sheffield, England? Amen. Bless you, bless you, bless you. Howdy do, howdy do. Hello, hello. Howdy do. Bless you. Can any of you kind people tell us where Mr. Peter Wilks lives? MAN: I'm sorry, sir. (SHIP HORN BLOWING) The best we can do is tell you where he used to live as of yesterday morning. You mean, our poor brother is gone? (CRYING) If only we had a chance to see him. It's too much to bear. (SHIP HORN BLOWING) (SOBBING) Reverend Wilks? Yes, alas it is I. My name is Lot Hovey. Deacon Lot Hovey! Oh, how often has Peter written of you and your dear wife. Margaret. Margaret! Of course, dear Margaret. And what of my nieces, poor darlings? What of them? I'd be honored to take you to them. Lead on, Deacon, lead on. Your uncles are here. Mary Jane, Susan, we are here. Poor child. There, there, dear girl. There. Uncle is here. Oh, Uncle. Don't cry. Yes, yes. Come to uncle, dear, that's it. Oh, that's it. Oh, Uncle. That's it. Yes, uncle here. Don't cry. Come, come. Don't cry. (WOMEN CRYING) (INAUDIBLE) Oh, yes. Well, Brother William was just singing a fitting hymn for this solemn occasion. Oh, Reverend Wilks, could we hear it? ALL: Yes, Yes. Yes. Oh, please. Please. We want to sing. Please, please. Please, Reverend, please. Well, well, all right. All right. Gentle, little souls. Into His hands, into His hands Someday we must come Someday we must come Into His wonderful, wonderful hands Into His heavenly, heavenly hands Into His wonderful, heavenly hands Someday we must come, someday we must come Into His hands, into His hands Someday we must come, someday we must come Into His wonderful, wonderful hands Into His heavenly, heavenly hands Into His heavenly, heavenly hands Into His wonderful, heavenly hands Into His heavenly, heavenly hands Into His wonderful, heavenly hands Someday we must come, someday we must come Someday We must Come Amen So, when we received your dear father's letter, we departed our parish, haste post haste, taking our young ward Percival here with us. Ah, he's such an aid and comfort to us on our journey. (SLURPING) (CONTINUES SLURPING) Oh, dear, the only time I get to hear him is when he eating. (BURPS) But our main concern is for you dear children. Left all alone. Oh! Uncle Harvey. Hmm? We almost forgot. There's a letter. Father's last wishes. He wanted us to give it to you immediately upon your arrival. But with... Completely understandable, my dear. Go fetch the letter! Your dear father's last wishes must be carried out forthwith down here. Because he would not be happy up there knowing that things weren't going right down here. (GASPS) You're very considerate, Uncle Harvey. My calling. Besides, your dear uncles want to unburden you of all concerns. God rest his generous soul. Oh, I'm explaining to Brother William that your dear father has willed this house and its furnishings, plus $3,000 in gold to you his dear daughters and he has willed the tannery worth $7,000 and another $3,000 in gold to poor afflicted William and me. The gold is hidden in two sacks under some bricks in the cellar. William! Has just expressed a sentiment with which I heartily concur. We cannot accept one shilling of your dear father's beneficence. Oh, no, it's all for you. It certainly is for you. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, it's all yours, dear nieces. But we will go down in the cellar and fetch it to protect it for you. So that he may rest cold but joyful. Those dear, good souls. Rather! (EXCLAIMS) Be careful. You idiot! (SHUSHING) You look over there. I'll look down here. (GRUNTING) Here, here, here. These here bricks look loose. Oh, forget it. Golly dang. It sure beats The Royal None Such all howdy, don't it? Shut up, you idiot, this is only the first act. We must play it till the final curtain. This house alone will bring $10,000 not countin' furnishing. Yeah, yeah. Then there's the tannery. Yeah, yeah. And this $6,000. Where's the other one? Here, here. There it is. (BOTH LAUGHING) By the time this play's over you and I will be gentlemen of leisure. It's providence, Bilgey, providence. Being relatives to rich dead men and representatives of foreign heirs. There's the line for us. No more small time bilkin' hayseeds. We found our calling. This time tomorrow, we will be rich. Far away from here. (KNOCK AT DOOR) Who is it? Mary Jane, Percy. Oh, come in. Thought you might need this come morning. It gets awfully cold. Rather. You know, Percy, there's somethin' about you that seems mighty strange. But there is somethin' about you I like. I guess I've always wanted a little brother to fuss over. I'm very happy to have you here, Percy. I do hope we can all stay together for a long, long, time. Good night, Percy. Good night, Mary Jane. (SNORING) (RIPPING) (SNEEZES) Bless you. (CRYING) Mary Jane, Susan! How could I ever hurt them? Jim's waitin' down on the river. Got to get back to him. What's right? What's wrong? Try to fight or go along How can you win? When every day you make the devil grin Which way is real? What you're taught or what you feel What's false? What's fine? And who's deciding The dividing line I don't wanna hurt nobody I don't wanna die and burn But with the devil always dogging At my heels How the devil am I gonna learn? What's right? What's wrong? Try to fight or go along How can you tell The road to heaven From the one to hell Some folks live wise Other folks are living lies Can't find my way But I'll keep tryin' Till my dying Day KING: Vandalized! Pillaged! Plundered! We've been robbed! We've been robbed! Vandalized! Pillaged! Plundered! Give me a hand, Bilgey! Plundered! We've been robbed! We've been robbed! You've been robbed! You've been robbed! What happened? Oh, that river rat! That little swindler! He took the gold! The Sheriff! We have got to tell the Sheriff! But I just can't believe that... Well, you better believe it, my dear, that scallywag has shifty eyes! Come on, Bil... Brother William, we have to go roust the sheriff and rescue our... Uh, our nieces gold! Also we have to arrange post haste for the auction. We should have got out of town last night, like I said. Now we got nothin'. (SHUSHING) First of all, shut your mouth, Bilgey. Don't you know the biggest half of this loaf is yet to be plucked? Sheriff. We have a matter of utmost importance to discuss with you. (DOOR OPENING) Are they gone? Percy! Are they gone? They went for the sheriff! I can't live a lie anymore. I just gotta tell you the truth. First off, I ain't English. My real name's George Jackson and I'm on my way to visit my uncle Abner Moore. Well, what are you doin' with our uncles? Them two ain't your uncles. They just a couple of river sharks come to skin you for everything you got. I didn't know just what they was into until I was too deep in it. So I took your gold away from them last night. I hid it in the safest place I could. Well, where'd you hide it? Well, I can't tell you right now, Miss Susan, not till them two's exposed. 'Cause they'd find a way to get it out of you, if you knew. Sister, we can trust George here. There's somethin' about him I like. Friends, all. Our dear brother Peter, your good friend and neighbor, who lays yonder, has done generous well with his poor daughters that he's left behind in this vale of tears. But these poor orphan children are twice blighted. A sneak thief has come in the night and robbed them of all of their cash money! So that all that they have left is what we are to auction here today, so that Uncle William and myself could take them back to England with a dowry fitting for them to marry well. Now what you see before you is a hand wrought, hand chased, hallmarked, sterling silver, genuine antique silver tea service, with tray. Do I hear $50? How well I remember this gorgeous six piece tea service. When our dear mother used to serve finger sandwiches and cheese on the lawn of our estate in Sheffield, England. No doubt she and Peter are gazing down on us at the very moment, hoping that one of you dear friends and generous neighbors will bring this priceless heirloom into your home. Fifty dollars. Fifty dollars! Did you hear that, Brother, $50! Do I hear $60? MAN 1: I'll bet $60. Sixty dollars from that gentleman right there. WOMAN: Seventy-five. KING: Seventy-five! Did you hear that brother? $75, that's beautiful. $75. One hundred dollars. KING: One hundred dollars right there. MAN 2: One hundred fifty. One hundred and fifty. That's gorgeous, sir. Thank you. One hundred and fifty going once. One hundred and fifty going twice. MAN 3: One sixty. One sixty. Bless you, sir. Thank you very much. One sixty... MAN 4: One sixty-five. KING: What did you say, sir? A hundred sixty-five. KING: One sixty-five, the man with the beard. Thank you very much. One hundred and seventy-five. One seventy-five. Thank you, sir. One seventy-five going once. Two hundred dollars! Hallelujah, did you hear that Mother and Brother? $200. Two hundred dollars going once. (SCREAMING) Two hundred dollars going twice. (PEOPLE SCREAMING) Oh! Oh! Oh! (EXCLAIMING) Damn! Damn! Somebody give me a hot foot. I thought he was supposed to be deaf and dumb. The Lord has spoken! He has His ways. Let us not question them because they are beyond the comprehension of us poor mortals. Let us pray! Dear Lord, what are you trying to tell us? What are you trying to say through our poor brother's afflicted mouth? What heavenly... Uh-oh. Could anyone be so kind as to direct us to the Peter Wilks residence? Uncle Harvey! Uncle William! I'm gonna get the sheriff! Thank God, you're really here. (ALL MURMURING) All right, you two frauds, you're goin' to jail! Jail too good for 'em. They hoodwinked the whole town. They ought to be lynched. ALL: Yeah! Yeah! The idea of you lynching anybody! Just 'cause you're brave enough to tar and feather some poor outcast women that come along here. Why a man's safe in the hands of 10,000 of your kind! Listen, I was born and raised in the South, and I've lived in the North, so I know the average all around. The average man's a coward! Now your mistake is that you didn't bring a man with you to lead you! You didn't go home and fetch your mask to cover your faces! Half a man like him there, yells, "Lynch him, lynch him." Well, I'll tell you what you're gonna do. You're gonna droop your tails and get along home, crawl in a hole! If any real lynchin's gonna be done around here, come back with your masks on! Go on, get out of here and take that half a man there with you! King, that really was a great speech. Not bad. It was first delivered by a Colonel Sherburne down in Arkansas when they were about to be killed. Figured it might come in handy one of these days. After you, sir! Well, I knew it weren't the most reverend place to hide a couple of sacks of gold but there weren't nowhere else, so I hid it in the coffin last night. Just before you came down to pray. Well, I hope you explain to your two uncles that I didn't mean to be irreverent. Well, I gotta go now. You see, somebody's waitin' for me. My uncle, you know? Goodbye, George Jackson. And if I don't ever see you again, I shan't forget you. And I'll think about you many and many a time. And I'll pray for you, too. Jim! Jim! Jim! Oh, Jim. Crocker says the barge will be here in less than two hours. Ain't soon enough for me. Don't like this many on our hands. Well, never can tell. Maybe some of them damn John Brown abolitionists is fixin' to ambush them on the river. Happened two months ago near Orangeville. Got away with 17. Turned 'em all loose in Cairo. Ah, that John Brown's an idiot! Who's gonna feed 'em and take care of 'em while settin' 'em free? It's a sin! All I know John Brown says ownin' niggers is a sin. Yeah, well, that only proves he's an idiot! How many we got this time? MAN: Twenty-four. Countin' the new batch. Three females and twenty-one bucks. All right, let's get 'em ready. Tie 'em up over here. Move along now. Move along! (WHISPERING) No. Get away. No! She's mighty early but it looks like the barge is comin'. Could be. The river's high and the current's mighty strong. Yeah, that's her all right. Better get 'em ready. When did he go? Just now. Nigger Jim, did you hear me? You all come back before I kill me every damn nigger in this stockade! Now stand up! I know you're in there somewhere! Jim, no! All right, just you listen to this! All the slaves in there are bought and paid for. He'll never do it. Now that's one. Now either give yourself up or I'll finish off the rest! Jim, no! No, it's a trick! I swear to you! It's a trick, Jim! Come on! He isn't gonna fall for that and you know it. Once Crocker gets here we'll put the dogs on him. Then he won't stand a chance in hell. Come on, let's get 'em ready for the barge. Huck, Huck, I can't run no more. I gotta rest. (GROANS) All cramped up from bein' tied. (GROANS) Jim, your blood's red. The same as mine. You didn't know that before, Huck? It was wrong of me, and it's wrong for you... For me to let you be out here with me like, like this. Runnin' the risk of being caught like a, dammed abolitionist! Huck, I've been lyin' to you all along. You been lyin'? You don't need to run from your pap no more. You don't need to run from anything. You know that dead body I found in that wrecked houseboat? That was your pap. I been wanting to tell you. I wanted to tell you right then, but I was scared. I was scared you'd run off and leave me 'cause you didn't need me no more and, well, I needed you. Jim... You did the right thing back there. I might have run off on you. I probably would have. But now, I don't give a damn what the whole world says, 'cause if I'm doin' wrong, well... Well, I hope I roast in hell forever! (DOGS BARKING) Give me your shirt, Jim. Huh? Just give me your shirt. Now, the raft's on the river, quarter of a mile or so in the cove. Now Cairo's just five miles on the other side. Ain't you comin' with me? When you get there have somebody write a letter to Judge Thatcher back to Hannibal for you. Say where you are 'cause I'm gonna have the judge send you your wife and your little girl. All it takes is money. And I still got all of mine safe with the judge. I know I can spring enough loose for that. (STAMMERING) No, Huck, that's your money. I can't... But, Jim, you're gonna open up a dry good store in Cairo, ain't you? We'll need them to help us run the business. We're partners. Right? Partners! Remember? Right. God bless you! If there is a God up there, and I ain't sure if there is or there ain't, he'll hear me praying for you, Jim. (DOGS BARKING) Life is a wink Of time Heaven's a lonely climb The road is so Dark and long Paved with all Kinds of wrong But freedom Freedom Freedom Man's got to make his own Sun warms the earth below Earth drinks the winter snow Seeds feed the winds That blow And rain makes The grain to grow Freedom, freedom, freedom Freedom, freedom, freedom Man's got to make his own Man's got to make His Hey, Huck, ho, ho, Huckleberry hey, hey Hey, Huckleberry, Huck, ho, ho, Huckleberry Hey, Huckleberry Finn Huckleberry, where you been? Huck, oh, Huck Huckleberry, where you been? Huckleberry, where you been? Huckleberry, where you been? Huckleberry, where you been? Rather! In Cayroe, ayeroe Illinois Cha dugga, dugga do Dah, do dah, do Cha dugga, dugga, do, dah, do cha Dugga, dugga do, dah, do, gonna get away To Cayroe, ayeroe Gonna get away to Cayroe, ayeroe Down the river a thousand miles That's where we're gonna live in a different style In Cayroe, ayeroe, Illinois In Cayroe, ayeroe, Illinois Down the river a thousand miles That's where we're gonna live in style In Cayroe, ayeroe, Illinois In Cayroe, ayeroe Illinois |
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