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I WON'T BE ABLE TO DANCE.
OH, YOU WILL,
WHEN YOU HEAR THE MUSIC AND SEE ERNEST.
THEY HAD THESE THINGS
THAT'LL SHOW MOVIES RIGHT IN YOUR OWN HOME.
UM...TELEVISIONS OR TELE-VISUALS.
AND EVERY HOME'S GOING TO HAVE ONE.
REALLY. REALLY. THAT'S WHAT I SAW.
I'M GOING TO GET SICK SATURDAY
AND SEE THAT AMATEUR NIGHT AT THE HARLEM OPERA HOUSE.
THAT'S WHERE ELLA STARTED.
WELL, THEN IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME.
YEAH, BUT ARE YOU GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE OPERA HOUSE?
WILL YOU DROP DEAD, PLEASE?
OOH, CHICK WEBB.
I WONDER IF ERNEST IS HERE.
WELL, I CAME HERE TO DANCE.
♪ IT DON'T MEAN A THING ♪
♪ IF IT AIN'T GOT THAT SWING ♪
♪♪ DOO WAH DOO WAH DOO WAH DOO WAH ♪
♪ DOO WAH DOO WAH DOO WAH DOO WAH ♪
♪ IT DON'T MEAN A THING ♪
♪ ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS SING ♪♪
♪ DOO WAH DOO WAH DOO WAH DOO WAH ♪
[SCATTING]
♪ MAKES NO DIFFERENCE IF IT'S SWEET OR HOT ♪
♪ JUST GIVE THAT RHYTHM EVERYTHING ♪
♪ GIVE IT EVERY LITTLE THING YOU'VE GOT ♪
♪ IT DON'T MEAN A THING ♪
♪♪ IF IT AIN'T GOT THAT SWING ♪
♪ DOO WAH DOO WAH DOO WAH DOO WAH ♪
♪ NO, IT DON'T MEAN A THING ♪
♪ IF IT AIN'T GOT THAT SWING ♪
♪ DOO WAH DOO WAH DOO WAH DOO WAH ♪
♪ DOO WAH DOO WAH DOO WAH DOO WAH ♪
♪♪ DOO WAH DOO WAH DOO WAH DOO WAH ♪
♪ DOO WAH DOO WAH DOO WAH DOO WAH ♪♪
OH, I APPRECIATE IT. CHICK WEBB.
YES. CHICK WEBB, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
THANK YOU.
HEY, BEAUTIFUL.
I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU.
IN BETWEEN DANCES.
YOU LOOK SO...
SO GOOD.
DID YOU GET IT?
NO.
YOU'LL GET IT SOON.
I THOUGHT THIS DAMN DEPRESSION WAS ENDING.
I HAVEN'T WORKED IN THREE WEEKS.
I SHOULD BE HEARING FROM THE WPA ANY DAY NOW.
I KNOW YOU WILL.
COME ON.
CAN'T LET THIS GOOD MUSIC GO TO WASTE.
NEXT WEEK, I'M GOING TO BE ON THAT BANDSTAND.
KNOW WHY? I'M GOING TO BE THE NEW EMCEE.
OOH, MY GOD.
OOH.
WHO IS HE?
IF I KNEW HIS NAME,
I'D BE OVER THERE MAKING USE OF IT.
HELL, BABY, YOU DON'T KNOW WALTER TURNER?
YOU DO?
MY MAIN MAN.
OWNS A CAFE HERE ON LENNOX.
WELL, I SURE WOULD LIKE TO MEET HIM.
SOLID.
OH, PAULINE.
HE'S COMING OVER, PAULINE.
HERE HE COMES.
UH, PAULA, DOR--
PAULINE.
PAULINE.
DOROTHY. ESTHER.
I WANT YOU TO MEET WALTER TURNER.
I'M VERY GLAD TO MEET YOU.
HI.
YOU LADIES COME HERE OFTEN?
I'VE NEVER SEEN YOU BEFORE.
EVERY THURSDAY, EVERY OTHER SUNDAY.
HEY, BABY. WANT TO STRUGGLE?
SURE.
YEAH. WE'RE HERE EVERY KITCHEN MECHANIC'S NIGHT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DANCE?
THAT "LOOK INTO MY EYES" CRAP
DIDN'T GET OVER WITH HIM.
WELL, IT GOT OVER WITH YOU.
WHY DID YOU ASK ME TO DANCE?
PAULINE WANTED TO DANCE.
I ALREADY DANCED WITH HER--
WITH CHICKS JUST LIKE HER.
I WANTED TO DANCE WITH YOU.
THAT'S BETTER.
HOW LONG YOU BEEN UP IN NEW YORK?
FIVE MONTHS.
FROM?
HERTFORD.
HERTFORD, NORTH CAROLINA.
CAROLINA.
HOW YOU LIKE IT UP HERE?
I LIKE IT.
IT'S BIG. YOU COULD DROP DEAD, NOBODY WOULD CARE.
BUT HERE ALL THESE DIFFERENT PEOPLE DO DIFFERENT THINGS.
MAKES ME THINK I COULD DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, TOO.
YEAH. LIKE WHAT?
I DON'T KNOW.
NOT HOUSEWORK, THOUGH.
AT HOME YOU'RE LUCKY IF YOU GOT ANY JOB.
BUT HERE I THINK MAYBE I GOT MORE OF A CHOICE.
SEE ALL THESE WOMEN HERE?
THEY ALL WORK IN SOME OFAY'S KITCHEN.
AND LOT OF THE FELLAS HERE
AIN'T GOT NO JOB AT ALL.
YOU NEVER HEARD OF THE DEPRESSION?
YOU NEVER HEARD,
"IF YOU'RE WHITE, YOU'RE ALL RIGHT,
AND IF YOU'RE BLACK, GET BACK?"
YOU DON'T WORK FOR NO WHITE FOLKS.
GIRL, I COULD JUST AS EASY
BE DRIVING SOME WHITE MAN'S CAR.
YOU CAN DO A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF,
BUT JUST WANTING IT DON'T MAKE IT SO.
UNLESS YOU WANT IT BAD ENOUGH.
WALTER, THAT'S SOME CRAZY CAR.
I'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK AT THE SAVOY
OR YOUR PLACE, WALTER.
GOOD NIGHT.
COME ON, ESTHER.
I'M COMING.
COME ON, ESTHER.
GOOD NIGHT.
WHEN AM I GOING TO SEE YOU AGAIN?
YOU, UH, YOU OFF SUNDAY?
YEAH.
WELL?
DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS?
UM...
OUND 5:00.
WHAT IF I MEET YOU T
O.K.
SEE YOU SUND
BYE.
ESTHER.
SLAY ME.
IF HE AIN'T HERE IN 20 MINUTES,
LIKE THE WEST INDIANS SAY, "I GONE."
HEY. YOU LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY?
HI.
LOOKS KIND OF DEAD IN HERE.
LET ME FEED YOU.
NO. UH-UH. I BROUGHT DOROTHY AND PAULINE WITH ME.
HOW COME GIRLS ALWAYS TRAVEL IN PACKS LIKE...
RATS?
'CAUSE I WAS AFRAID YOU WOULDN'T SHOW UP.
BESIDES, IT WOULDN'T BE NICE TO LEAVE THEM.
DID YOU REALLY THINK I WOULDN'T SHOW UP?
I'M ALWAYS PREPARED FOR THE WORST.
THIS FROM THE GIRL
WHO'S COME TO NEW YORK TO DO ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
YOU THINK THAT'S FUNNY?
SIT DOWN.
ANYTIME YOU WANT SOMETHING
AND YOU GO AFTER IT,
THAT'S GREAT.
SO WHAT YOU GOING TO DO?
OH, YOU GOING TO THINK THIS IS STUPID.
TRY ME.
WELL...
O.K. I PLAY THE NUMBER EVERY DAY,
AND IF I EVER HIT,
I'LL BE SOMETHING JUST LIKE YOU,
EXCEPT I'LL OPEN A BEAUTY SHOP.
I GOT A REAL FLAIR FOR DOING HAIR.
MAYBE I CAN HELP YOU.
HOW?
MAYBE I KNOW A LADY WHO OWNS A BEAUTY SHOP.
I CAN TELL HER TO GIVE YOU A JOB,
SHAMPOO GIRL.
TEACH YOU HOW TO DO THOSE HEADS.
SHE'LL GIVE ME A JOB JUST LIKE THAT?
MM-HMM.
AND YOU'RE NOT AFRAID THIS LADY WILL GET JEALOUS?
WELL, LARRAINE'S NOT REALLY LIKE THAT.
BESIDES...
SHE'S MY SISTER.
ALL RIGHT, MISS JONES.
OVER HERE IN THE SHAMPOO BOWL.
DIDN'T SHE GET MARRIED?
SHE SAID SHE DID.
CLAIMS HE'S WITH COUNT BASIE.
THE WAY SHE LOOKS,
MORE LIKE COUNT DRACULA TO ME.
SHE NOT DOING SO HOT, HUH?
OH, HONEY, SHE LOOKS SO BAD.
SHE JUST CLOSE HER EYES, SHE'D BE DEAD.
GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES.
ANYTHING FOR ME THIS AFTERNOON?
YOU KNOW
OOH, GIRL, YOU OLD FAITHFUL.
I MEANT ANYTHING ELSE.
I WANT A COMBINATE ON 1-6-8 FOR 10 CENTS.
1-6-8. THAT SOUNDS FAMILIAR.
OUGHT TO. LAST THREE NUMBERS
OF WALTER'S CAFE ADDRESS.
AND I WANT TO PLACE A 10-CENT STRAIGHT ON 7-3-9.
NO. MAKE THAT 40 CENTS.
WHAT YOU DOING HERE?
I COULDN'T TAKE THAT WOMAN AND HER UNIFORM NO MORE.
YOU LOSE YOUR JOB?
MM-HMM.
WHAT YOU GOING TO DO?
FIND ANOTHER ONE OR MAYBE RETIRE TO FLORIDA.
YOU KNOW OF ANYTHING?
MM-MMM.
SO, WHERE IS EVERYBODY?
YOUR MAMA WENT SHOPPING.
ALONE AT LAST.
BOY, QUIT.
WATCH WHERE YOU'RE WALKING.
I JUST SCRUBBED THERE.
ALICE, I LIKE YOU.
I REALLY LIKE YOU.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO
IF YOUR MAMA WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT DOOR
LISTENING TO YOU?
PROBABLY DIE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU KEEP BOTHERING ME.
BECAUSE I LIKE YOU.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT YOU'RE COLORED.
NOT MUCH IT DON'T.
I'M LIGHT.