All language subtitles for Robin.Roberts.Presents.Mahalia.2021.1080p.WEBRip.x265-RARBG3_English1

(SLOW JAZZ ON GRAMOPHONE)

(SHE HUMS SOULFULLY)

(CHATTER)

(SHE SINGS ALONG)
Hello, heartbreak

♪ You're at my doorstep once again

♪ Why me, oh, my

♪ My poor heart

♪ Hello, heartbreak

♪ I'm saying this for the last time

♪ Won't let you
take me down this road again

♪ Hello, heartbreak

Get off my premises with your mess.

Go!
Why have you left me

♪ Feeling this way?

♪ Dazed and confused,
now all I can do is sing the...

(DOOR BANGS)
' ..blues, blues -'

(NEEDLE SCRATCHES)

The wash is done.
The floor's scrubbed, too.

Please, Aunt Duke,
don't give me the stick!

Oh, I ain't giving you the stick.
Thank you, ma'am.

But you ain't getting
baptised Sunday.

God brought me home early to see...

..you ain't ready.

But they made my new dress
so pretty.

You don't deserve that dress.
Please!

I won't let you go in that water
no dry devil to come out a wet one.

You the devil!
(GASPS)

When you come out that water,
you got to be perfect.

God demands! He wants your best!

You see I do the best with my gift -
to heal people who sick,

feed anybody hungry,
raise children ain't even my own.

Before you get baptised,
you got to decide...

what you gonna do with your gift?
I already did.

People love my singing,
tell me all the time.

You see them out there
gathering to listen.

That's MY gift.

And you wanna use it whining,

moaning, singing the blues?

Ain't people's lives hard enough,
full of despair?

Halie, when you ready
to come out that water...

..you'll have
a special understanding.

Your gift will tell you how to live,

carry you anywhere you want to go

long as you work hard enough.

You got to deserve it.

Now clean that stove.

Yes, ma'am.

(SHE HUMS SOULFULLY)

(HUMMING CONTINUES)

WOMAN: Mahalia? Are you almost done?
The kitchen needs cleaning.

Yes, ma'am. I'm comin'.

♪ Oh

♪ There are some things

♪ I may not know

♪ There are some places

♪ Dear Lord, I cannot go

♪ But I am sure of this one thing

♪ That God is real

♪ For I can feel Him in my soul

(CLAPS) Thank you, God! Hallelujah!

♪ Yes, God is real, my Lord

♪ He's real in my soul

♪ Yes, God is real

♪ For He has washed
and made me whole

♪ His love for me

♪ Is just like pure gold

Hallelujah!

♪ My God is real

♪ For I can feel Him in my soul

♪ Oh, oh, oh!

♪ My God is real -
Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!

That twisting, that gyrating!
Get that jazz out of this church!

B-But, Pastor,
this how we sing down South.

I sang this song
the day I got baptised.

It's blasphemous. You'll never
sing that way in this church.

Blasphemous? This was my conversion.

When I came up out the water, God
Himself put those words in my mouth!

This is a church, Miss Jackson.

Not a nightclub.

(SIGHS)

I only sing in God's name.

And David said,
"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord."

Don't you read your Bible?

Excuse me, Miss Jackson?

Here you go. $4.

I told the pastor he still needs
to pay you for the week.

Huh.
It's in the Bible.

Thank you... Miss, uh...?

Estelle. Allen.

I wish I could find the sheet music
for the way that you sing.

Cos you're from down South, huh?

I came up here to go to school,
become a nurse.

Thought I'd make a little extra,
church singing,

but that don't look
too possible now.

If you'd like to know
how we sing in Chicago,
go see Professor Kendricks.

He's a wonderful tenor
who gives voice lessons.

How much do he cost?
$4.

(HE BLOWS NOTE)

(SUBDUED)
It's me, it's me, it's me, O Lord

♪ Standin' in the need of prayer

(WITH ENERGY)
Not my father, not my mother

♪ But it's me, O Lord...

Oh...you're familiar already
with this material?

Yes, sir.
Well, good. Let's begin.

From the refrain.

♪ It's me, it's me, it's me, O -
Slower.

♪ It's me, it's -
Slow-er.

♪ It's...
BOTH: ..me, it's me

♪ It's me, O Lord

♪ Standing in the need of prayer

♪ It's me, it's me, it's me, O Lord

♪ Standing in the need of prayer ♪

Now, again...from the diaphragm.

With dignity.

Yes, sir.

But can I please work my way
through the song a bit further?

I'm a little nervous.
(CHUCKLES)

Why, of course.

(CLEARS THROAT)

♪ It's me, it's me, it's me, O, Lord

♪ Standin' in the need of prayer

All right.
It's me, it's me, it's me, O Lord

♪ Standin' in the need of prayer
Good, continue.

♪ Not my father, not my mother

♪ But it's me, O Lord
All right, that's enough.

♪ Standin' in the need of prayer

♪ Not my moth-
Young woman, stop that...yelling.

That's no way to develop a voice.

It's a discredit to the Negro race.

White people
will never understand you.

If you want to have a career,

you'll have to be prepared
to work a long time...

..to build a dignified voice...

..that glorifies our people.

Because that voice will never do.

Miss, what you crying about?

Somebody mistreat you?

Miss, whatever it is,
he ain't worth it.

God say, "Don't let no man
define you, steal your joy."

Thank you.

I needed that.
CHILD: I'm hungry.

Mm...yum!

This your husband?
Yeah, that's Ike.

He treats me good. (CHUCKLES)

Well, Miss, I believe, one day,
you gonna be famous in this world,
and walk with kings and queens.

My aunt said that to me once.

I told her, the only thing I wanna
walk with is a good pair of shoes.

Now go on, get some more cornbread.

(KNOCK AT DOOR)
It's open!

Now get you three another plate
before all the food is gone.

Hello! Hi, everybody.

Wow, it looks like
a big family gathering.

You could say that.
Oh?

This is how I grew up.

No matter how poor we were,
my Aunt Duke would feed anybody
that was hungry.

But I trust you got enough to eat.

Well, what's wrong, Mahalia?

I just... I just came by
to see how your lesson went.

I ain't studying no high-class stuff

and I ain't singing
for white people.

I'm singing in the church for God.

And I ain't got no ambition
to be some high-class society Negro.

You wrong.

You think I don't know hungry?

I grew up, every morning,
every night we was hungry.

I didn't have no Aunt Duke
to feed me,

so I stuck my ear to the radio,

learned to speak this way so
I could make a better kind of life.

Have a good evening, Miss Jackson.

Hey, Estelle.

You like ham hocks?
No.

But I do like cornbread.

"From the diaphragm."
(LAUGHS)

He was like,
" It's me, it's me, it's me

O Lord! "
OK, Professor.

I can't believe
you had me going to that man.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

But you know what? You really do...

You really do belong on the stage.
Only if the stage belongs to God.

What? You don't believe me?
Mm-mm.

Honey, I been tested plenty.

I had this one bandleader,

he wanted me to sing the blues
so bad,

he was willing to pay me $100...
a week.

How in God's name did you say no
to that much money?

Cos the "no" that I told him
was in God's name.

So God told you
not to sing the blues?

God say His words would give joy,
and bring others joy, too.

Now, I could sing the blues
if I wanted to,

but that ain't the life
I wanna live.

I done lived way too much
of the blues already, growing up.

You remember the Great Flu?

When all them folks
was wearin' the masks?

Mm-hmm.

Well, my Aunt Duke, she took
them in, all the sick and suffering.

Then my grandfather died,
and my mother...

Anybody singing the blues
is alone and in a deep pit.

But God's word... Oh!

When you sing God's music,
I just feel so much hope.

I can't stand to live
with any more pain.

(DOOR CLICKS OPEN)
Happy Valentine's!

Oh, you scared me!

It ain't Valentine's Day, you fool.
Oh, yeah?

Every day married to you...
it's a Valentine.

(THEY CHUCKLE)
We got company, Ike.

Excuse me.

Isaac Lane Grey Hockenhull.

ROTC, Tuskegee Institute.
Fisk University.

From Como, Mississippi,
by way of Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

This is Estelle Allen.
Hello.

Oh, yeah!
From that church that threw you out.

Pleased to meet you.

Estelle's gonna be
my new piano player.

I... (LAUGHS) I am?

(CHUCKLES) I like Estelle!

Don't know how she got you
to finally take singing lessons.

I tell Mahalia all the time,
she should be an opera star.

Well, how do you and God
feel about that?

Oh, hell, no.
(LAUGHS)

♪ Elijah Rock, shout, shout

♪ Elijah Rock, comin' up, Lord

♪ Elijah Rock, shout, shout

♪ Elijah Rock, comin' up, Lord

WORSHIPPERS: Amen.

♪ Elijah

♪ Elijah

♪ Elijah

WORSHIPPERS: Amen.

♪ Satan is a liar
and a conjurer, too

♪ If you don't mind out,
he'll conjure you

♪ If I could, I surely would

♪ Stand on the rock
where Moses stood

♪ Elijah Rock, shout, shout

♪ Elijah Rock, comin' up, Lord

Amen!
Elijah Rock, shout, shout, shout

♪ Elijah Rock, I'm comin' up, Lord ♪

Hallelujah!
Praise him!

Estelle?
Mm?

I've been waitin' to tell you.
Oh! You're pregnant?

No. But I do pray
for a big family one day.

But we need money first.
So, Ike's mother,

she's finally selling us
her cosmetic formula.

We going into business
for ourselves!

Oh, Halie, that's wonderful.
I got all her secrets
and everything.

I think I might start cooking up
some beauty products tonight.

I want to be your first customer.

Well, magic skin cream
costs a dollar.

Oh.

There you go.

Ike's so excited
to start this business,

he quit his part-time job
at the post office.

He did? Oh, well, that...
that could turn full-time.

That's good, steady pay.

Oh, Mahalia.

I want you to meet
a student of mine, Mildred Falls.

I think she could be good for you.
Ah, she's right.

I'm almost in need
of a full-time piano player.

Somebody that can come on time
and keep up.

Can you keep up?
Oh. No. I'm -

Mildred's been to hear you sing
many times.

She's just never introduced herself.

Well, can you get my bounce?

Get my rhythm right?
I could learn.

Well, come back to me when
you're confident you can bounce.

I'm always in need of a piano player

cos none of the good ones
are too reliable.

That's because some of us can't
afford to lose our regular jobs

travellin' over God's green Earth
with you.

Well, God will provide
to those who commit to His demands.

Now, I got to get home,
start cooking up my new wealth.

Remember, Tuesday,
we got a funeral to play.

Come early.
I'll bring your magic skin cream

That woman...

she's hardly got a stitch
to her name...

but she's a queen.

IKE: Mahalia!
Where you been, Ike?

Everything we've been waiting for -
good pay for singing.

No nightclubs. No blues.

"Federal... Theater...
Project presents..."

The Hot Mikado.

All-Negro cast,
a national tour, babe.

I thought we were starting
a cosmetic business.
This is bigger!

How come you start one thing
and you quick jump to another?

Selling cosmetics
won't get us much further
than you hollering in churches.

"Hollering"?

You... You could reach the heights.

We play this right,
our lives could be as big
and beautiful as your voice.

I ain't no horse racing a track, OK?

Look, why can't we live a life
as big as your college degree?

Maybe in 100 years,
college will do a Negro good.

Until then, the post office
is high as I'm able to climb.

Look. Give this audition a try.

Tomorrow,
I'll start selling cosmetics.

All we need is a little scratch,
get us really going, huh?

And then, we can finally start
that family.

You think we ready?

Let me prove to you
the best kind of man I can be.

♪ Can you hear the sound
coming through the sky

♪ Like a mighty trumpet
from the clouds on high?

♪ It's the sound of triumph,
it's the sound of victory

♪ It's the sign of hope
for you and for me ♪

Ain't the auditions in there?

They say there's no parts for kids,

but I figure I sing loud enough,
they gotta put me in.

Well, I figure about the same.

Yes. You're in the right place.
Oh. I wasn't so sure.

We need your name and a telephone
- number where we can reach you.
- OK.

That's it. They're inside.
All right.

Um...
Oh.

Where's your music?
Oh.

Oh, dear.
They won't want to hear that.

You need some sheet music,
a regular song.

There's a sheet music store -
Lyon

at the corner of Jackson and Wabash.

OK. Uh, well,
how much does a regular song cost?

No more than 50 cents.

Thank you, ma'am.
Mm-hmm.

(COINS RATTLING)
(SHE SIGHS)

Here you go, Ma'am.
Mm-hmm.

You ready?
Oh. Uh...

(STARTS PLAYING)

Something wrong?

Would you prefer a different key?

No, it's...

It's just I just don't recognise
the arrangement, that's all.

Have you ever sung before?
Only in church.

Great. One final try, then.

Miss?
Some...

Miss, are you all right?

♪ Sometimes I feel

♪ Like a motherless child

♪ Sometimes I feel

♪ Like a motherless child

♪ Sometimes I feel

♪ Like a motherless child

♪ A long way from home ♪

Thank you.

Miss? Did you get the part? Did you?
No, I don't think so.

They ain't said nothing,
they just sat there.

Oh, man!

I was hoping you could introduce me
to the director.

Young man, who takes care of you?

Sometimes, my aunt,
but mostly, I stay at the church.

You ever eat a peppermint pickle?

"Seek the Lord where he may be found

and serve Him
the days of your youth,

and when you grow old,
He may not depart from you."

My grandfather taught me that
when I was around your age,

after my mother passed.
What do you think he meant by that?

That I should be praying every day?
Yes, and serving, too.

You got to find God in all things.

I found him, Miss Mahalia. Really.

He in these peppermint pickles.

(LAUGHS)

God, this the best day of my life.

Aw.
And mine too.

Oh, good God, I love my wife.

Which garden
did you steal these from?

Mahalia's House of Flowers.

See, one day, we gonna run
all kind of businesses together.

All right.
Hello there. Who are you?

Mr John Sellers, sir.

Whose boy is he?

I'm, uh, praying on that.

Isaac Lane Grey Hockenhull.

ROTC, Tuskegee Institute,
Fisk University.

Proud husband of Mahalia Jackson,
the national stage star.

What?
Mm-hmm.

I got the call earlier.
You got the part!

Yep. $60 a week.

They wanted to tell you at
the audition, but you ran off.

Can you get me a job, too?

Yeah, yeah.
Uh, I'm gonna work on that.

Hold on.

Ike...

I don't know.

I got this feeling today
when I was on stage like...

like I was carrying my mother
with me,

and I barely knew her,
but she was there.

And then I go outside,
and I find this boy,

and he's without a mother, too.
Mm-hmm.

Ike, if I sing Hot Mikado...
I got to live Hot Mikado too and...

and singing about
fast livin' and raisin' Cain
ain't somethin' I believe in.

But this boy, I feel like
this is God answering our prayers.

Christ, Mahalia!
I'm so damn sick of this.

Can't God answer BOTH our prayers?
Not if you don't deserve it!

Not if you don't work for it.

Racing form?

So how was selling cosmetics
going today?

I figured out
how to use my science degree -

studying and testing
a new handicapping system.

Ain't nobody doing this in racing.

See? I'm using my degree.

Now, please, can't you see
we need this?

God is showing me
exactly what I need,

and if I can't make a living
"hollerin'" in the church,

then I'm gonna go back to school,
open a storefront - a real business.

Come here, honey. Come here.
Please, don't give up this job.

I am gonna find you a job
and I'm gonna make you a real home.

Just make sure you do better

when the time come for you to prove
"the best kind of man" you can be.

I got a Valentine's
- from Ike yesterday.
- Uh-oh.

Say "even though we been apart
longer than we been together,"

he still remember every minute.

(LAUGHS) He still remember
all them gambling minutes, too?

Girl... I tried.

(BELL AT DOOR TINKLES)
John!

Where'd you park my Buick?
I didn't see you drive by.

Well, I got a good spot.
Oh! You got your licence!

Congratulations, John.
Thank you, Miss Estelle.

Are my tyres touching the kerb?

I just cleaned them whitewall tyres.
They better not
be touching the kerb.

I can check.
Uh-uh-uh.

(LAUGHS)

You think your mama will ever let
you take that car out on a date?

No time. As soon as school's out,
we have the revival circuit.

When will that woman
ever be satisfied for one minute?

She has a good business,
the only coloured person I know

that owns a whole building,
has three tenants paying rent!

When will God tell her
she has enough?

Well, Mama believes
He already did...

..when her record at Decca flopped.

How were the whitewalls?
Fine.

But the rear's out way too far.

Somebody take that corner tight,
tear off my bumper.

Move the car.
(CHUCKLES) Bye, John.

Bye, Miss Estelle.

Why are you still doing
them summer tent revivals?

Between the shop
and all your engagements here,

you're losing money
when you travel.

It's cos I got to reach the people.
Especially them poor folks.

That tent goin' up
is like Christmas for them,

and that money, well,
it'll take care of itself.

So long as I can bring something
to the people, I'm satisfied.

Yeah, all right.
Except...

I need a piano player.
Oh, Lord.

Come on,
I can pay your full salary now.

And when you're not playing,
you can work here.

You know I hate
all that travelling around.

Chicago's got everything I need.

But I will keep an eye on the shop
for you while you're gone.

You know, I'm thinking
about going to beauty school.

That's nice.
Mm-hmm.

But I still need a piano player.

Halie, I already
introduced you to one.

(PIANO PLAYING)

♪ Mm...

♪ Hallelujah, God is good

♪ Oh, hallelujah, God is good

All right, all right.
"Bounce" don't mean fast.

Mildred...

why don't you try that again?

♪ Mm...

♪ Mm...
Now keep your eyes on Mahalia.

No matter how many times
you rehearse,

she'll never sing the song
the same way twice.

Oh, God.
Oh, hallelujah

♪ God is good

♪ Well...
Now give her that bounce
with the left.

♪ Ooh
And with the right,
you gotta talk to her.

(QUICK REPEATED RHYTHM ON RIGHT)
All right.

♪ Mm, mm, mm

♪ Mm-mm, hey, hey-hey-hey

(SONG FINISHES)

She's got it...

but she ain't got it yet.
Mm.

Look, I gotta get back to the salon.

You handle this.

You all right?

She can be rough.
Thought I did OK at the end.

She seemed happy.
(LAUGHS)

She... Honey, she's never gonna be
happy with your playing.

That's what you have to accept
if you take the job.

I got it?

Really?
Yes!

You sure?
Yes.

Except, don't expect any praise.

Mahalia saves her praises for God.

Your real job...
help her find her voice.

When does she want me to start?
She's already packed.

We're travelling?
Yeah! I think you...

I think you start in Mississippi.
Mississippi?

Oh, you don't like Mississippi?

Well, I was born down there,
but I was a baby when we left.

I haven't touched the South since.

♪ Oh, my great...

Come on, sing with me, John.
Oh, Lord...

♪ Lord!
I know you got it.

♪ Sits up high and looks down low

♪ The Lord, I know... ♪

(ENGINE SPUTTERING)

Why we stopping?

Oh, go! Go, go, go!

We need gas.
Well, let me do all the talking.

(CHANGES VOICE) How ya doin', sir?

Y'all from Chicago?
- Yeah.
- Yeah.

(GIGGLES) Sorry, sir. Poor boy.

He tired,
and we been driving for a long time.

We just poor missionaries on our way
to sing in a poor little ol' church.

We'd be forever grateful
if we could just buy us, uh...

a little bit of gasoline.

Will you help us
do the Lord's work, sir?

You should know - Esso. Ess-o.

Every summer we come down here,
we only stop at an Esso station.

Get that through your thick head!

I didn't want to wake you.
Well, hell, I'm woke.

(CHUCKLES)
You sure ain't no Southern girl.

No, I'm not.

You see how I got to talk
to the white folks
like I ain't got no sense.

Yeah, I understand why you did that.

There's a lot that you're
gonna learn, Mildred.

For one, when we get down
to our "little ol' church..."

shoot, you gon' see
what the Holy Spirit is all about.

(CHUCKLES)

Clarksdale, Mississippi!
(CHEERING)

We're so glad to start
our revival with you here!

And the way I see it is I don't care

if a man is a gambler or a thief...
Uh-huh!

..a wino or a murderer.
All right!

Every man and every woman
has got to believe in something.

Something they can look up to. Amen!

We got to learn to show kindness
to others,

especially to those
who don't believe in feeling love.

What can we do but help each other?
Yeah!

God don't need nothing from us
but to love each other,

and to help each other. Amen!
ALL: Amen!

We all his children! Hey!
Hey!

We all his children!

Amen!

♪ Ohh...come on, children

♪ Sing about the goodness
of the Lord

♪ Come on, children, shout

♪ All about God's great reward

♪ Guide our footsteps every day

♪ Keep us walking in your narrow way

♪ Come on, children, let's sing

♪ Come on, children, let's shout

♪ Come on, children, let's sing

♪ About the goodness of the Lord

♪ He has been my all and all

♪ And He, my Lord, will never,
mm-hmm, let me fall

♪ That is why I can sing

♪ That is why I can shout

♪ Because I know
what it's all about

♪ The good goodness of the Lord

♪ My Lord, O Lord

♪ Mm

♪ Hey

♪ I feel Him in my spirit
Do you feel Him in your spirit?

♪ Ohh

♪ Whoo!

♪ Yeah

♪ Whoo!

Ain't this good, y'all?

God is so good!

Didn't He wake you up this morning?

Didn't He put food on your table
and clothes on your back?

I can walk. I can walk!

Great God Almighty!
Praise the Lord!

I can walk and you did it!

It's the singing!
That wasn't me.

He ain't walked in 20 years!

You healed him!
No, no, no. That was God!

The power of God! It ain't me.

That ain't me, sir!
Thank you, Jesus!

Don't you feel Him?
In your spirit? Whoo!

Come on, Mama.
Mama, it's all right.

You heal!
I did not heal that man.

No, Mama, I... I don't understand.

It was... It was the singing.
It was God!

It was the music
that made the miracle.
God was moving through me.

Ooh, and Mildred.
Did you feel that?

(CAR HORNS TOOTING)

I pray to make another record like
I pray to find another husband...

but every time
I come close to either,

God chooses
a different prayer to answer.

Well, we may not be as big
and powerful as, say,

Columbia Records,

but once you sign,
we stay loyal to our artists.

I believe Apollo Records
is the perfect home for you -

to feel comfortable, to branch out.

"Branch out"?

You see the variety of artists
we record?

I think you'd be wonderful.

I think you could really sing
the hell out of the blues.

What Negro can't sing
the hell outta the blues?

That's what life's been
for most of us.

See, Mrs Berman, I'm so tired of
getting so close to making a record

only to find out that people want me
to sing some other kinda way.

Now, people don't understand,

that pain that you hear
in the blues,

it ain't got nowhere to go
once it's inside you.

The blues can't guide you
how to live, like Gospel.

Now, Gospel,
that's the cure for the blues.

I love your voice,
but I still got a bottom line.

Tell you what.

I can give ya...
two hours of studio time.

(SCOFFS) Two hours?

That's my best offer.

Gospel music, my people.

Fine.

Do we have a deal?
Now, let's clarify these two hours.

You mean two hours from the time
that man push the button, two hours?

Recording, right?
Yes, Miss Jackson.

You'll have a full two hours.

(PIANO PLAYING)

♪ I'm gonna move on up
a little higher

♪ I'm gonna meet Abraham and Isaac

♪ Yes, I'm gonna move on up
a little higher

♪ I'm gonna meet the prophet Daniel

♪ Oh, I'm gonna move on up
a little higher

♪ I'm gonna meet
the Hebrew children... ♪

Oh, oh, uh-uh-uh-uh!
No! What you got the light on?

I did not say push the button yet!
Lady, I can't be here all night.

Mrs Berman, you said two hours.
You didn't say which two hours.

Mahalia we've been here all day.
You made your point.

I'm not trying to make no point.

I'm just trying to rehearse
so that we get it perfect.

That's it.
When's the next booking?

Tomorrow, 10am.
We'll be done by then.

Why you so quiet?

So good to meet you. I am -
I know who you are.

Well, I'm honoured.

They got you here
to watch all the coloured folks,

but you need to watch
they don't gyp me on my time.
Oh, I don't work for...

Now, Mildred, they trying to make
you move faster, but don't worry.

You take your time, all right?
You don't need none of this.

Feel this in your heart and body.

If you ever feel lost,
you just keep your eyes on me -

always keep your eyes on me,

cos we won't get another chance
like this again. All right.

♪ Oh, I'm gonna move on up
a little higher

♪ I'm gonna meet Brother Paul
and Silas

♪ Yes! I'm gonna move on up
a little higher...

You playin' all right, but you
playin' like a kindergartener.

And why you keep putting
this in your hand?

You gotta play from your gut
and your heart!

♪ I'm gonna meet
the Lily of the Valley

♪ 'Twill be always howdy, howdy

♪ 'Twill be always howdy, howdy
and never goodbye

♪ Ohh ! ♪

(MUSIC ENDS)
(EXHALES)

(CLEARS THROAT)
Uh, excuse me, ma'am? Excuse me.

Miss Jackson ready for the man
to press the button now.

Something else...

What now?
You got my up-front money?

Mm-hmm.
In cash?

Then let's make a record.

(PIANO PLAYS)

Here you go, brother.
Get you some breakfast.

See? We out by 10am.

And they say coloured folks
can't be on time.

I hope Mrs Berman don't fire YOU.

I don't think anyone could keep the
job of handling you, Miss Jackson.
I don't even know your name.

Reverend Russell Roberts.

Reverend?
Oh, I'm too tired for fooling.

Shiloh Baptist Church,
Atlantic City.

One of my parishioners
records with Apollo.

I've heard about you
on the revival circuit for years,
wanted to hear you sing.

Oh, Lord, you're serious?
When will your record come out?

Whenever Mrs Berman decide -
IF she decide.

It may never come out.
Your business is tough.

So is yours, Reverend.
Russell.

Well, I truly don't know
what will come of this

other than none of us got any sleep.

(LAUGHS)

Nine years ago,
I cut my first record and...

only place it hit was the graveyard.

If you read the liturgy closely,
you'll find reference throughout
the Bible, that faith requires -

You don't have to school me
on the Word.

I know my Bible, even though
I didn't, uh, get to finish school.

Most of my thoughts are unlearned
but I, um...

Then, to put it plainly,
"to she who knocks, it will open."

My calling often brings me
to Chicago.

Well, clearly,
I ain't hard to find, Reverend.

Come on, Mildred.

Lord knows, if I wasn't baptised,

I'd let that man dip me in the water
again and again.

(LAUGHTER)
(PHONE RINGS)

Girl, get the phone,
it might be John.

That boy ain't called me
in over a week.

Hello! Mahalia's Beauty Salon.

Is it John?
Hi, Estelle!

How you doin'?

Wait...

Wait, uh, uh...
What's that station again?

What you runnin' for?

(RADIO STATIONS BEING SCANNED)

' The Lily of the Valley

♪ 'Twill be always...'
Mildred.

' ..howdy, howdy...'
Mahalia...it's us.

What Gospel show that on?

No, no, no.
It's some white man's show!

Some white man's show?

Mildred! That's you playin'!
Yeah! That's you singing!

Since I heard this song the other
day, I can't stop playing it.

It's from a woman on the South Side
with a golden voice.

Her name is Mahalia Jackson...

and if she were singing the blues,
she'd be another Bessie Smith.

What she sings is called "Gospel".

(CHUCKLES) I am not a religious man,
but I pray people buy this record.

(GIGGLING)

Thank you! Thank you!

You said in Your Word You would
never leave me nor forsake me.

Oh...

(SONG ENDS)

That was Chicago's
own Mahalia Jackson.

Before this song became a hit,

the Holy Grail of Gospel sales
was 100,000 records,

but since the release of Move On Up
A Little Higher two years ago,

it has sold over two million copies.

Now, tell us something
we don't know about you.

Um...

"Mahalia" was the name
of one of my aunts.

She was a girl of the slave days,

and she dreamt of jubilee
and better days to come.

My mother gave me her name.

And by "jubilee", you mean gospel?

Uh...jubilee is a burst of freedom,
and that's what I feel when I sing.

Well, I, for one cannot wait for you
to deliver this glorious jubilee

to the cultural elite
of Carnegie Hall.

Ha! I don't believe my type of songs
belong there, Mr Terkel.

You can call me "Studs".
What? Don't you got a real name?

That's the one I'm stuck with.
It's as real as it gets.

But how real...is this news release?

It don't matter what I said,
it matter what I sign,

and I didn't sign no contract
for no Carnegie Hall.

Well, stop the press releases.

I... I don't wanna hear
nothing else about Carnegie Hall!

I'd love to hear you sing
at Carnegie Hall.

I thought you hate travelling.
I'd travel for that.

I think we should do that concert.

I ain't studying no Carnegie Hall.

Now I got to get
to the grocery store,

cos Russell is in town tonight

and I'm gonna cook him up
some gumbo.

Again?

Look, I'm tired of you
screwing up your face

every time I talk about the man.

It's been three years.
You don't get no vote!

I just don't think he's for you.

Why? You don't think I deserve
a good, educated preacherman?

It's how you act.
Act?

You bend a little too much.

What are you getting at now?

In his presence, you lower yourself.

That's where you're wrong
cos I don't stoop for nobody
but God, and I...

Oh, God. Oh!

Halie?
Oh...

Halie!

(GROANS)

I'm all right.

Go back to work! I'm fine.

(SIZZLING)

Oh! Oh, no. Shoot!

Oh, Lord. Please, please...

Can I help?

Can you cook?
As well as I can sing.

(OUT OF TUNE) Amazing grace... ♪

Oh, now you making my ears hurt.

Dinner gonna be late.
Oh, this isn't like you.

How do you know?
You don't see me every day.

I've had enough of your cooking
to know this burnin'
means something is wrong.

Well, they want me to sing
at Carnegie Hall!

Oh! Mahalia Jackson
stepping into the Magic Circle!

I don't belong in no Carnegie Hall.

Who do you think I am?

(OPERATICALLY) Victorio!
Now, see? You laugh.

Look, Duke Ellington's played there.
That's because he's class.

Baby...
Russell, I'm scared.

I ain't no trained opera singer.
I don't belong there.

Now, I ain't good enough.

I ain't sophisticated,
I ain't educated.

And what the heck
is the Magic Circle?

Mahalia Jackson,
you are the smartest,

the strongest of faith
God ever put on this planet.

All you need is take one seed
of what you give others,

plant it in yourself.

(ANXIOUSLY) Why did you put me
at Carnegie Hall?

Lord, please...

please, let Mildred
be able to play tonight.

You know I'm not used to singing
with any other piano players.

(SIGHS) What are we gonna do?

Halie, Mildred said
she's able to play.

You have to trust her.
It was just food poisoning.

She's... She's... She's better now.

Mildred knows my arrangements
like the back of her hand.

Today, when we was rehearsing,
up on that stage without her...

it was like... I opened my mouth
and God just took away my gift.

I sounded like a bird!

A little bird!

(EXHALES)
Well, if I'm gonna flop, then...

..I'm gonna flop big.

(WINCES AND MOANS SOFTLY)

(HUMS)

(KNOCK AT DOOR)
I'm comin'.

(KNOCK AT DOOR)
Mildred? Come on in here, now.

♪ Amazing grace... (LAUGHS)

Mm!

Oh, what is this?

This ain't a funeral.

Baby, it's supposed to represent
the Magic Circle -

what it feels like when you step
on the stage at Carnegie Hall.

Lord knows, I need all the magic
God can give me tonight.

Oh, put it down.
I want you to meet my boy John.

He calls himself "Brother John"
and he sings folk music and blues

at the Apollo Theater.

It's good to meet you, sir.
You too.

And this is my good friend, Estelle.
Hi.

She owns my beauty shop.

The only thing is
she don't know she own it yet.

(GASPS) Halie...

The shop's always been
something for me to lean on,

but now it seems like
it's leaning on ME.

I... I can't accept such a gift.

Why does everybody think
I'm just giving all the time?

I didn't ask to buy it.
I... I can't afford it.

Well, give me a dollar.
Can you afford that?

Thank you.

John? Go tell the promoter to bring
up the rest of my money in cash.

It's Carnegie Hall, Mama.

I got to take me wherever I go.

OK.

(APPLAUSE)

(PIANO PLAYS)

(WHISPERS) What's the words?
"How I got over..."

No.

"How I got..."

♪ How I got over

♪ How did I make it over?

♪ You know my soul looks back
in wonder

♪ How did I make it over?

♪ Tell me how I got over

♪ How did I make it over?

♪ You know my soul looks back
in wonder

♪ How did I make it over?

♪ Mm

♪ Soon as I can see Jesus

♪ The man that died for me

♪ Man that bled and suffered

♪ Oh! Hung on Calvary

♪ And I wanna thank Him

♪ For how He brought me

♪ And I wanna thank God

♪ For how he taught me
Oh!

♪ Thank my God how He kept me

♪ Oh! Thank Him

♪ He never left me

♪ And I'm gonna thank Him
for old-time religion

♪ Oh! I'm gonna thank God
for giving me a vision

♪ Oh, I'm gonna join
the heavenly choir

♪ And I'm gonna sing
and never get tired

♪ And I'm gonna sing
somewhere 'round the altar

♪ Oh, I'm gonna shout
all my troubles over

♪ Lord, I'm gonna thank You

♪ Thank You for being so good to me

♪ Yeah

♪ How I made it over

♪ Had a mighty hard time

♪ You know my soul
looks back in wonder

♪ How'd I make it over?

♪ Comin' from the north,
south, east, and west

♪ The only way to the land of rest

♪ And I'm gonna join
the heavenly choir

♪ And I'm gonna sing
and never get tired

♪ And I'm gonna sing
somewhere 'round the altar

♪ Oh! I'm gonna shout
all my troubles over

♪ Lord, I'm gonna thank You

♪ Thank You for being
so good to me, mm

♪ I wanna thank You at this moment
(AUDIENCE CLAPS ALONG)

♪ Oh, I'm gonna thank You
at this moment

♪ You said touch...in My name

♪ You said touch in My name

♪ Oh, I feel, I feel like running

♪ Lord, I feel, I feel like running

♪ I feel, I feel like runnin'

♪ Oh! I wanna thank You

♪ Thank you for bein'
so good to me, yeah ♪

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Thank you, God.

Whoo.

(CHATTER)

Sister Jackson, you are truly
a living legend in your time.

Incredible. Broke attendance.

Columbia Records
wants to make you an offer.
Where's Mildred?

We worked hard for the Lord tonight.
My slippers?

Mama, that was
the most beautiful performance.
Thank you.

I am so proud of you.
When's your next record out?

Carnegie Hall will want you back.
We'll see.

All right, thank you, everybody,
but Miss Jackson needs her rest.

What's going on?
You're bleeding.

We need to get you off your feet.
Can we get an interview?

Thank you. Have a good night.
Excuse me.

Go on, now. Thank you.
Thank you all for coming.
Have a good night.

Let's just get you to the room, OK?

(GASPS AND GROANS)

Oh, my God.

Hoo.

Help me up. Help me up.
I got you.

I ain't goin' to no doctor.

(SHE MOANS SOFTLY)
(ANNOUNCEMENTS IN BACKGROUND)

Lord, I keep praying not to have
all this anger in my heart,
but it's so hard.

Why, God? Why?
God's not the only one here for you.

I wish you'd believe in me, too.
Russell, please!

Now, you can tell the newspapers
it's bronchitis
but I know this is not bronchitis.

Come on, now.
Tell me what happened.

I hate doctors.
That's a strong word, baby.

I know, but see, with doctors,
we like experiments to them.

They don't care about
a coloured woman's health

unless it's to teach 'em
how to fix up white folks.

I had this one doctor...

He all right, he's some kind
of specialist or something.

..and he, uh...he got in a fight
with one of the other doctors

and took over my case,

and he said that I have something
called sarcoidosis.

Is that...?
No. No, it's not cancer.

But I had these fibroids
on my lymph nodes that were removed,

and I had tumours, too...

..and, uh...

..they, uh...

They took my insides out.
They took...

You... You had a hysterectomy?

And I feel...

like everything that make me
a woman is gone.

Empty.

Broke in a way that can't be fixed.

I feel this burning in my heart -

I'm so sorry.

And I got all these questions,
you know, like "why me"?

Why can't I carry a child
like I've always hoped for?

Why the one...one doctor that
I trust let this happen to me?

It's like he took away this
opportunity for us to have a family.

(SIGHS)

We will get through this.

All I want is you.

Family begins with you...
however, whatever, that looks like.

So come on...step into
the Magic Circle with me.

Now...

..when are you gonna let me
carry you over that stoop?

Ouch. (LAUGHS)

Ah, don't make me laugh.

Russell, you the one thing
I can decide on

that I don't have to pray on.

Dear Lord, You said be strong
and let your heart take courage.

Well, I've been praying
over this contract,

and You either want me to sign this
or convert to being a lawyer.

Are You opening a new gate...
like in the Bible?

"Behold, I'm doing a new thing..."

..or is this really a deal
with the CBS devil?

(LIVELY BUT MELLOW PIANO)

Is that one of the new songs
from Columbia?

Yep! They confident she gonna sign.

I don't know, it sounds different
than her other material.

It's too pop.
It's a "sweetened water" song.

(THEY LAUGH)

If she sings this, I'll have
to fight to find its salvation.

I'm gonna have them
put it in here

that I ain't doing no radio show
unless you the writer, Studs.

Now, CBS said you on the blacklist?

Well, hell,
I'm on the "blacklist" too.

I'm afraid you're mixing
with an agitator.

But you do the show no matter what.
Don't worry about me.

I ain't. I'm worried about being
in millions of white folks'
living rooms by myself.

I need you!
I'd follow you anywhere...

..as long as you don't try
to redeem me.

Ooh! If I could get you saved,
we'll be all right!

She's been playing one of those
new "sweetened-water songs".

John, don't tell the man
ALL our secrets.

Now, if you want some sweet water...

Uh, no, thanks, Mahalia.
I don't like that Southern tea.

I ain't getting you tea!
(CHUCKLES)

I take it
you don't want her to sign.

Columbia don't know our music.

Mama will lose the audience
that brought her up.

They'll wanna add symphonies
and big bands.

And probably, first thing,
they'll fire Mildred.

Ain't nobody ask you
about no Columbia Records.

And ain't nobody gonna fire Mildred.

Here you go, Studs.

Oh! I... I didn't think
you drank whiskey.

I ain't gonna say
if I do or if I don't,

but there will always be
a bottle in my home for you, Studs.

Without you, I would've sold
a couple million less records,

and Mildred'd still be poor.

Don't give her none.

So, if we gon' do this,
how's it gonna work?

I figure it will go like our other
interviews only more in-depth.

I'll ask questions
about the background of the songs,
you know, where do they come from?

We'll do an episode on your
relationship with Thomas Dorsey,

and one of you growing up
in New Orleans and another
about your travels in the South.

So you want me to say how,
when I go up in a department store
in the South,

how I can't get a sandwich,
or a bottle of pop?

How I can't even get a cab?

Or when I'm driving in a nice car,
how I got to play the "Mammy"

when the police pull me over,
call me a "nigger woman",

and shake me down for my money?

That's what you want?

You want me to air the truth, right?

I do, Mahalia. But...

I know, baby.

We both blacklisted.

Only difference...

I can't never get off that list.

'CBS is very proud to bring you,
live from our studio in Chicago,

the Mahalia Jackson Show.'

'(PIANO PLAYS)'

' I sing because I'm happy...'

Imagine, there's millions
of people listening.

(LAUGHS) Millions.

Listening to our Halie.

' And I sing because I'm free...'

Mama's like the loaves
and the fishes -

..splitting herself
into a million pieces,
trying to feed everybody.

But I wonder, once...

..once this miracle is over...

..what's gonna be left
of Mahalia Jackson?

Ike came by last night.

What, to give you a Valentine?

To see the new house.
(THEY CHUCKLE)

How much you "loan" him this time?
I know.

I know the man ain't never
gonna pay me back,

but I gotta keep giving, anyway.

God made the marriage.

We supposed to be together
for a lifetime of somethin'.

Now, Ike... (CHUCKLES)

Ike ain't no partner, like Russell.

(THEY LAUGH)

We supposed to build
a temple together.

Well, I do hope you and Russell
find time to get married,

as crazy and busy
as your life is getting.

Halie?

What's on your mind?

It's like the people
either love me or hate me.

And they feel so strong,
it's overwhelming.

Like, I get all this fan mail
then I got a letter and it said,

"Please don't be a Beulah.

For the sake of our race,
talk as intelligent as you sing."

Mm-hmm.
Then all these white folks,

they come to my concerts,
and they tell me how wonderful I am,

then they get mad when I buy
a home in their neighbourhood

and shoot out my picture window.

I told you not to move
to Chatham Village.

Isn't a dream home supposed to be
wherever you dream?

Did you get that window fixed?

I got that repairman
to put up something else, too.

"Dear Lord, in this house,
you are wanted and welcome."

Now, that's for God's protection.
Don't you think an armed guard
would be better?

I got one of them, too,
thanks to Mayor Daley.

Well, who's gonna get close enough
to see this plaque?

Oh, the people,
they gather out here sometimes

while I'm rehearsing inside.

It reminds me
of when I was a little girl,

singing with them Victrola records.

All the people would gather
outside my aunt's to hear me sing.

Are you ever gonna sing
some Bessie Smith for me?

Oh, now, Studs,
if you my true friend,

you don't ever want me to get
to where I got to sing the blues.

(CHUCKLES)

♪ O Holy Night
I love the house.

I am so happy for you.
But three Christmas trees?

Yeah. One for the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit.

I figure,
why not give 'em all their own tree?

(THEY CHUCKLE)

I can't take this, Mahalia.

Yes, you can. If it fits.

How can I represent the people,
looking this fancy?

(LAUGHS)

Speaking of representing the people.

I got a call the other night
on behalf of a young reverend -
Martin Luther King.

Says he wants me to sing at one
of his rallies for his bus boycott.

Asked me my fee.

You heard of him?
Course I heard of him.

What you think?
What'd you say your fee was?

Aw, hell, Studs.

You know I don't charge
the walkin' people.

You be careful.

They play rough down there.

The Bible tells us we are made
of both a natural body
and a spiritual body.

Mm-hmm.
And I believe, Sister Mahalia,

that through your voice,
you are able to connect

the natural and the spiritual
in a way people need today.

Well, thank you, Dr King,

but people need food
more than they need singin'.

Mahalia's always
cooking up food for people.

Well, I hope for the opportunity
to taste Mahalia's cooking one day.

Mm, that's right -

get a person's stomach full, and
then you can talk about salvation.

I apologise, Dr King.

I'm a little nervous.

Mildred don't like
coming down to the South.

Dr Abernathy told us

how they bombed that church
near his house last week.

Yes, they assumed it was his church,

but they bombed
the Methodists instead.

Oh, Lord.

I don't know
if you been drinking lately,

but your playing been slipping.

I'm starting to feel all alone,
up there singing,

like I don't know who you are.

And I got a lot on my mind,
cos, with Russell

getting all these medical tests,
I don't know what's going on.

Even though I know
you don't like the man.

It's not that I don't like the man.

It's how you act around him.

You shouldn't believe
that you're inferior to any man.

That's why I left my husband.

Never felt like I was
good enough for him.

Hold on. You were married?

To a preacher.

I was still married
when I started playing for you.

Why wouldn't you tell me that?
Mm.

Didn't want you to know that I had
any other concerns in my life.

You kept getting rid of piano
players for being too unreliable.

So are you saying
I ended your marriage?

No.

Being a preacherman's wife
ended my marriage.

(THEY LAUGH)

(CRICKETS CHIRPING)

I'm embarrassed you came back
after singing like that tonight
and started cooking.

Well, Coretta didn't give up
her kitchen easy.

(SHE LAUGHS)

Oh, I believe this pie's
nearly as great as your voice.

(SHE LAUGHS)
Mm.

Dr King...
Please. My Christian name.

Martin...

..how do we hold on to faith
when times are so bad?

Mahalia, faith is something
you can't hold or keep.

The things most important to us
are invisible -

freedom, hope, love, God.

They're all ideas based on faith.

Living requires faith,
whether you accept it or not.

Mm.

So the big question we all face
is not whether to believe or not,

but what to believe.

So, if God is personal,
we each alone in our faith?

Well...like your sweet potato pie...

..it's going to taste different
to each of us,

but it's something there
for all to share.

God made enough for everybody.
Mm.

I always dreamt of one day
building my own temple...

..a place of learning.
Mm.

Because I always believed
that everybody deserves

a chance at an education.

That's a beautiful dream, Mahalia.

My Aunt Duke took me outta school
in the fourth grade...

..so I never felt
like I got to study...

..or learn how to read music.

Well, maybe God doesn't know
how to read music either.

(THEY CHUCKLE)

Back from a world tour,

please welcome the queen of Gospel,

Grammy-winner Mahalia Jackson!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
You make me feel like a star!

It's midnight...and it's raining...

but it's Sunday mornin'...
and we gonna have church!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(PIANO PLAYS)

♪ Didn't it rain, children?

♪ I'm talkin' 'bout rain

♪ Oh, my Lord

♪ Didn't it? Didn't it?

♪ Didn't it?
Oh, oh, my Lord

♪ Didn't it rain?

♪ Didn't it rain, children?

♪ I'm talkin' 'bout rain
Oh, my Lord

♪ Didn't it? Didn't it?

♪ Didn't it? Oh, oh, my Lord

♪ Didn't it rain?

♪ Well, it rained 40 days, 40 nights
without stoppin'

♪ Noah was glad
when the rain stopped droppin'

♪ Knock at the window,
a knock at the door

♪ Crying, "Brother Noah,
can't you take no more?"

♪ Noah cried,
"No, no, you're full of sin

God got the key
and you can't get in"

♪ Just listen that rainin'

♪ Will you listen that rainin'?

♪ Just listen that rainin'

♪ All day, all night

♪ All night, all day

♪ Just listen, it's rainin'

♪ Just listen, it's raining

♪ Will you listen? It's raining

♪ Some moanin', some groanin'

♪ Some groaning, some praying

♪ Well, oh...

♪ Didn't it rain, children?

♪ Rain all night long

♪ Didn't it? Didn't it?

♪ Didn't it?
Oh, oh, my Lord, didn't it rain? ♪

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
My!

My, my.

Look at the rain!

Now it's stopped.

"To many,
Mahalia Jackson's appearance

eclipsed all other performances
that night.

Hers was the set that made everyone
stop and catch their breath."

(SCOFFS) Now that's too much.
And this.

"Miss Jackson's bursts of power
and Southern rhythmic drive

builds to a pitch that leaves you
unprepared to listen afterwards

to any but the greatest
of musicians."

There's more?
Oh, yeah.

"Mahalia Jackson has a rapturous
quality unparalleled on records.

The accompaniment
hardly counts, so -"

"The accompaniment hardly counts?"
Wait.

Read here.

"Mildred Falls...

the supreme gospel pianist..."

How do you like that, Miss Jackson?
Well, you still got ME to please.

(PHONE RINGS)
(THEY CHUCKLE)

Hello? Mahalia's Big Wig Salon.

(HE LAUGHS)

Oh, you think that's funny?

Mama.

If you don't stop
singing in them clubs, I'll stop
putting you on my programme.

And Miss Mildred
need to stop with her poor taste.

She a reflection of me.
Mama, you are getting too high.

How I'm "getting too high"?

Mahalia?

Did you know this was bone cancer?
I thought it was bronchitis.

Why would you keep this from me?
Mahalia. Mahalia, I'm joking.

As soon as I found out,
I told them to call you.

Well, when you start treatment?

My God.

They say, at this stage,
the chemo would kill me faster.

Well, look, my Aunt Duke
had remedies,

like herbs liquids, powders -
we can try it all.

I done seen miracles happen.
I have, too.

Like when we first met...

up all night
in that recording studio,

and all the people
that song reached?

But more than your voice,
I love your spirit.

How you know about life
in ways most people can't see.

I'm scared I'm gonna lose that.

Russell, you helped me more than God
when I was up in that hospital

and I ain't never relied on anybody
like...like that before.

(GROANS)
Hold on there.

You all right.

Breathe. You all right, baby.

You all right.

You know, my prayers...

they're feeling
more like wishes now.

I used to pray
that we'd build a family together...

..have little Mahalias and Russells
just running around.

Would've been beautiful.

You know...

I could be the one
to carry YOU across that stoop.

You know I could!
I know you could.

(LAUGHS)

♪ I've been 'buked

♪ And I've been scorned

♪ And I've been 'buked

♪ And I've been scorned

♪ I've been 'buked

♪ I've been talked about,
sho' you're born ♪

(CHEERING)

Tell 'em about the dream, Martin!

Tell 'em about the dream.
Go on! Tell 'em!

(PLAYS HESITANTLY)

Come on now, Mildred!
You off again.

Golly!

What you doing to my voice?
I gotta go home. I'm... I'm tired.

I'm tired, too,
but we gotta rehearse. Come on.

I know you pushing hard,
and this your way of mourning.

I'm so sorry about Russell,
I truly am.

But I can't work any more tonight.

We don't get this right,

I ain't putting you on television
in them cheap-ass cotton dresses.

(SCOFFS)
Yeah, I said it.

I don't like
how you letting yourself go.
Night, Mahalia.

This got to do with that extra
$100 a week, don't it?

That's why you ain't working hard.

Look, it ain't my fault you don't
know how to manage your money.

Well, it's a sickness!
And that drinking, too.

Yeah, I'm drinking.

I ain't perfect either.

But the reason
I can't get my money straight

is cos you too much in charge.

Why do all my cheques go to you?

What you getting at?

How come everybody pay you my money,
and then you pay me?

Why I ain't paid directly?

I hire you!

You my piano player.
I ain't your singer.

You been paying me the same money
the past five years

while your fees,
they just keep growing bigger,
bigger than your wigs!

Now you countin' my pockets.
You slipping.

I don't even recognise
who you are any more.

That's cos you're not looking at me.

You always think
about yourself first.

How could you even fix your mouth
to say somethin' like that?

All the people I feed?

All the scholarships
that I raise money for?

Hell, what would you be without me?

The real reason
I'm never good enough,

the reason nobody
is ever good enough,

is cos you don't feel good enough
yourself.

Get out. Go on. Get out.

I can have any piano player
I want in the world.

I'm Mahalia Jackson.

And I don't need no Mildred Falls!

You want perfect
but you sure don't give it.

Ain't nobody perfect!

(SCOFFS)
God accepts our imperfections!

Why can't you, "Mahalia Jackson"?

Mildred!

Mildred, hey!

(COUGHS) Oh, God...

(MAHALIA SOBS)

(SOBS)

Oh, God.

Where you at?

(CRIES)

Oh...

Oh...

♪ Hello...heartbreak...

I'm saying this for the last time.

♪ Don't...

♪ Won't let you take me
down that road again?

♪ Hello, heartbreak

♪ Why have you left me...
feeling this way?

♪ Dazed and confused

♪ Now all I can do is sing...

♪ ..sing the blues ♪

'The wedding of Gospel singer
Mahalia Jackson

to salesman-musician
Minters Galloway
came as a complete surprise.

She has sung before queens
and presidents,

stunned musicologists, overflowed
such world-renowned music halls

as the State Opera in Vienna
and Albert Hall in London,

and five times faced a standing-room
only audience in Carnegie Hall.'

How is my wife feeling today?

Married.

I love you, too.

I'll toast to that.

(JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL)

(LIVELY CHATTER AND MUSIC)

It's New Year's Eve.
Can't we serve more than punch?

I'm gonna punch you
if you say another word.

I'm kinda thirsty.

Would anybody else
like a real drink?

WOMAN: I'll take one.

(SHE SIGHS)

Did you kiss Martin goodbye?

I'm gonna kiss YOU goodbye the next
time you embarrass me like that.

Now, what you need
to go get that beer for?

Well, I can drink in my own house.
Your house?

Woman, is this not my house?

Of course, it is, dear,

but ministers should only
be served coffee.

Come on, baby. This is Chicago,
not some backwoods town.

Most of those ministers drink
and you know it.

You disrespectful.

So, if I'm gonna drink in my house,
then I'm gonna need to offer it...

..otherwise what sort of manners
would that be?

(THUD IN NEXT ROOM)

Mahalia?

Stop messing around.

Mahalia?

Hey, Martin.

I'm in town for the day,
Mr Galloway.

I've come to see Mahalia.
She's not feeling well.

That's why I've come.

She needs her rest, Reverend King.
Son, open the door.

I'm going to see Mahalia now.

It's...

easier when we have the devil
to point to,

like the devil Bull Connor
with his police and their dogs,

but now the work's getting harder.

Mm.

The hate against us is still there,
but it's more hidden.

It's not the devil outside,
but the devil within I fear.

That's where I struggle.

It's where I struggle, too, Martin.

Except for your visits...
I feel so alone.

It don't even feel like
God's listening any more.

My boy, John, won't speak to me,
says I've gotten too high.

And Minters says I've gotten
too low, too selfish.

(FOOTSTEPS IN OTHER ROOM)

He wants my temple money
to build a hotel.

I don't know what to do.

That man gives you so little
for all the big taking he does.

He may look like Russell,
but he ain't nothing like Russell.

(LAUGHS)
He do look like him, don't he?

People been saying that, but when
you say it, it feel so true.

Hm.
Oh, Lord...what have I done?

It's like I've been so busy
spreading the gospel,

I done forgot how to live it.

Mm.

Russell...

I shoulda married him,

had a couple of good years together.

But you did.

You had the love
you were supposed to,

but now you gotta ask
if you've strayed.

No, I pray every day.
I've never stopped praying.

But, Mahalia, are you listening?

Can you still hear what He's saying?

I don't know.

The first time God spoke,
when I came up out that water,

the joy in my faith
ain't never been greater.

It's that feeling that you know.
That you know, that you know.

That you know 100% in your body.

I don't tell people this, but I was
once driving home to Atlanta

when God spoke,
and I found myself, for two hours,

floating up above the road,
hovering up over everything.

Did you feel His voice?

Like, um...like a burning bush?

You know. You understand.

One night, in Mississippi,
God healed a man through my music.

I mean, the man just jumped up
out of his wheelchair.

It happened.
I believe you.

God's always talking to all of us,
but it's...

..so hard to listen.

How are YOU doing, baby?

I've missed you.

When I come beside you,

I don't feel the dread
I feel every other day of my life.

What's troubling you?

I get this feeling...

..God wants something from me

and I don't know
if I have the strength to give it.

I just want to go home.

But I don't know
where that is any more.

If I go before you...

..will you sing our song
at the funeral?

Don't you dare
leave me here by myself.

You will never be alone
when you use your gift right.

Sing it for me now?

Only if you sing it with me.

♪ Precious...

♪ Lord

♪ Take my hand

♪ Lead me on, oh

♪ Let me stand

♪ I'm tired...
(SHOUTING)

♪ Lord knows I'm weak

♪ And I am worn

♪ Through the storm

♪ Through...

♪ Through the night

♪ Lord, take my hand, Lord

♪ Guide me to the light

♪ Take, take my hand

TV: 'The Reverend Dr Martin Luther
King, 39 years old...'

♪ Precious Lord

'..Civil Rights Movement,
was assassinated in Memphis.'

♪ And lead me home
(WEEPING)

♪ When my way grows drear

♪ Precious Lord

♪ I need you to linger, linger near

♪ When my life is almost gone

♪ Hear my cry

♪ Ooh...

♪ Hear my call

♪ Hold my hand, Lord, lest I fall

♪ Take my hand

♪ Precious Lord

♪ And lead, Lord, Lord, Lord

♪ Lead me home

For my main man.

James Baldwin, Dinah Shore,
Jesse Jackson -

they're all turning up for your
comeback celebration tomorrow.

I ain't been nowhere, but...

sick, broke, and divorced...again.

(CHUCKLES)

I see you was in the paper
this morning,

being interviewed
instead of the other way around.

Everybody thinks I discovered you,
and to tell you the truth,

for some stupid moments,
I believed them, too.

So you finally believe?

You understand
that only God discovered me?

No. I mean the people
on the South Side,

especially the ones
in that little storefront church
where you started out.

They're the real people
that discovered you.
Don't start worshipping me.

You gotta put your faith in God.

You're the truest person I know.

I ain't perfect.

I got my demons.

Yes, Mahalia, we all do.

But you never quit
fighting for yours.

You never quit trying
to live up to your beliefs.

I hear the joy in your voice
and also the struggles.

We ain't any of us perfect...

..but when you sing, oh, Lord,
it feels like we could be.

I mean, without these wigs, I don't
think the people gonna recognise me.

Hold still.
I know what I'm doing.

Been doing this longer
than you ever did.

Sometimes, I wonder, if I'd just
kept running the hair salon,

and not let everything else
get so big...

(LAUGHS) Uh-huh.
What's so funny?

Halie, nothing about you
has ever been small,

even when you didn't have
a stitch to your name.

You've been on a mission
since I met you. Stop it!

Remember when I sent you to that...
that music lesson?

(SCOFFS AND CHUCKLES)
Mm-hmm.

You tried calling me a...a...
A "high-society Negro".

Said how you never
were gonna learn how to sing

to "please white people".

What, you saying I'm a hypocrite?

Mm-mm. Not at all.

See, all them white folks,
they came to you.

They the ones that changed, not you.

That...is what I wish
you could see.

Why do I feel like
something's missing?

Well, you have lost
a lot of people in your life.

Thank God you still here.

That's because I quit
playing piano for you.

(THEY LAUGH)

Lord help anybody that
come between your singing and God.
What's that supposed to mean?

That, at your best,

God wasn't the only one
up on that stage with you.

After all these years,

you ever think about
reaching out to Mildred?

Well, I hear
she's not doing too well.

Well, unless you blind,
hearing ain't the same as seeing.

(DOOR SQUEAKS OPEN)

Ike.
Hello, there!

Look what the cat done dragged in.
Mm-hmm.

You look good, Mahalia.

Your comeback, it brought me luck.
Oh, Lord.

I took the purse at the Hawthorne
in the second.

Talk about a beauty.

Ike. You're like a bad penny.

How you doing, Estelle?

How you keep looking so young?

I pay my debts.
Well, then...here.

Ah, you old fool,
it ain't Valentine's.

Well, ain't no telling if we both
still here by next Valentine's.

Ike, you ain't never
paid back before.

You trying to make a comeback, too?

Nah. We too late for that.

I guess I'm still trying to prove
the best kind of man I can be.

The best of my life
was spent with you.

I remember every minute
we had together.

(KNOCKING)

I like your hair.

Figure about time to quit the wigs.

Come on in.

Don't you have somewhere
you need to be tonight?

Not for a few hours, and, well,

how am I gonna
make a comeback when...

..half of my best voice is you?

This time,
I'll get the money right, too.

(WINCES)

Oh, Mildred.

I heard you was on hard times,
but...

Arthritis.
How long you been suffering?

Is...

This is why you were drinking?

I'm sorry.

I never told you.

It's my fault.

Damn. (LAUGHS)

It's so good to see you, Halie.

Well, hell,
it's good to see me, too.

(THEY LAUGH)

It's good to see you, too.

I wish you well tonight.

Why don't you come up with me?

Oh, I would love to have you
on that stage.

You don't have to play!
No, I ain't stepping on no stage
I ain't playing on.

Besides, I don't think
I ever played perfect for you.

I never sang perfect either.

But the closest I've ever been...

..was with you.

Oh.

Wish God would let us play together
one more time.

I got the perfect place.

Oh, my!

(WHISPERING)

(SHE GASPS)

How you all doin'?
Oh, we're doing good!

Amen! Amen!
Welcome.

Well, the first time I sang
at Carnegie Hall...

..I was so scared,

I forgot the words
to the opening number.

(LAUGHTER)

And I had to look to Mildred
for help.

She's been my mouthpiece
for 20-some years.

So...what are the words tonight,
Mildred?

Of what?

Of the song we gonna sing.

Go on now! What you wanna play?

(FALTERS)

Let us pray.

Dear Lord, I always thought

You demanded perfection
to deserve Your love.

I didn't understand that You
didn't need nothing from us

but to love each other,
and to help each other.

That's right.

Your gift wasn't my voice.

Your gift was my purpose...

Amen.

..a purpose
that I couldn't find alone,

so I thank you, Father,
for Mildred Falls,

for all them years,
being the other side of me.

And I thank you, God, for the music.

It's like You let me come up
out the water again.

Hallelujah! Amen!
Amen.

Amen!
Amen.

I found my purpose

and it's singing God's words
like He's right here next to me.

And Mildred helped me,
cos she known all along

that her purpose
was to bang them keys

like they ain't never been heard.
Yes!

And you all have purpose, too.
Yes!

Yes.
God's gift is for everybody.

Yes! Amen.

There ain't no shortcuts.

(STARTS TO PLAY)

♪ I'm gonna live the life
I sing about in my song

♪ I'm gonna stand for right
always showin' the wrong

♪ If I'm in a crowd, if I'm alone

♪ On the street or in my home

♪ I'm gonna live the life
I sing about in my song

♪ Well, I'm gonna live the life
I sing about in my song

♪ I'm gonna stand for right
always showing the wrong, my Lord

♪ If I'm in a crowd, if I'm alone

♪ On the street or in my home

♪ I'm gonna live the life
I sing about in my song

♪ Well...

♪ Mm, oh, mm, ah

♪ Mm, oh, mm, oh, Lord!

♪ Mm, oh, mm

♪ Oh, oh, ho, mm

♪ If I'm in a crowd,
if I'm all alone

♪ On the street or in my home

♪ I'm gonna live the life
I sing about in my song ♪

(APPLAUSE)

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