All language subtitles for Pinky.1949.BRRip.x264-ION10_English

Good morning, ma'am.

Sure is a fine day
today, isn't it?

Getting this washing up.
Should've had it up long ago too.

If it's aunt dicey Johnson you're
iookin' for, ma'am, here I be.

Pinky?

Pinky, child?

Yes, granny. It's... it's me.

Pinky. My pinky.

Thank you, lord, for
bringing my child back to me.

She'd be such a far piece and long journey,
and this be the morning of her return.

Amen.

Granny.

No frettin', honey. 'Cause
you're home safe and sound.

Come on in and let granny
scare you up a mite of breakfast.

Come on.

Come on, sugar. Come on.

Oh, me. It sure do me good
to see you standin' there.

Just think. My pinky baby all growed
up and come home to her old granny.

How did you know I'd come back?

That's why I sent you away,
sugar, so you'd come back.

Come back and help the
sick, the halt and the needy.

Remember what I say the
day I put you on the train?

I said, "pinky, baby,
no matter how far you go

"how much you learn, you
gotta bring it all back with you.

"That's why I'm sending you.
Because the Bible say,

"a little leaven shall
leaven the whole lump.

Granny...

Granny, did you ever think I
might wanna stay up north?

There's some things we gotta
trust the lord about, pinky,

some things we can't do ourself.

We gotta depend on him.

Everything just like
you left it, sugar.

What is it, pinky?

Oh, I wish you'd
never sent me away.

You mean, you wish you'd growed up
ignorant, no-account good-for-nothin'?

You wish you'd never learned to read
and write and make your way in this world?

Oh, no, but don't you see?

Yes, pinky, I do see.

Let me say something once
and for all and never again.

Why is it you write me
less and less as time go by?

Why is it after you go to the
hospital, I get no letter at all?

No. You don't need to say
nothin'. You think I don't know.

You think poor old ignorant woman
like me livin' in a shack like this

don't know nothin',
but you're wrong, pinky.

I do know.
And I know what you done.

And you know I never told you
to pretend you is what you ain't.

I didn't mean to, granny.
It just happened.

But that's a sin before
god, and you know it.

It was a conductor on the train. He put
me back in another car, the white one.

But he knowed who you was.
I put you where you belonged.

No. No, no.

It was after that, when
they changed conductors.

Then why you ain't tell
the new conductor?

Granny, I don't know.

I was only a child.

Then what about school?
What about that?

Other children talk about
their kinfolks, don't they?

What you say when they asked you about
your'ns? You tell 'em who your granny is?

Oh, shame,
shame be on you, pinky.

Denying yourself like Peter
denied the good lord Jesus.

Here. Get down. Get down.

That's where you belong. Now
you tell the lord what you done.

Ask his forgiveness
on your immortal soul.

Come on out and get your breakfast. I
don't wanna hear another word from you

about what you done again
as long as you live.

Pinky's voice: Tom.

Tom. Tom, please.

Please, Tom. Tom.

Tom.

Tom!

Good morning, honey.
You up, I see.

Yes, granny.

You do this much every day?

Ain't missed a day 'cept the time I was
down sick with pneumonia three years ago.

Here. I'll help you.

I ain't sent you away for you to
come back and take in washing.

Granny, I was awful glad when
you stopped sending me money.

What you mean?

I didn't want you breaking
your back for me forever.

Stopped? I ain't never missed
once. I give Jake waters that money,

just like I been doin' every
week since his pa died.

I gotta see Jake about that.
Kind of superstitious about him.

I'll go see Jake.
I'll get it back for you.

How much do you get
for a wash like this?

Oh, they don't count,
far as money goes.

You mean you're not paid for it?

'Course not. They're miss em's.

Yeah. I can see it's miss em's.

You mean to say she
doesn't pay you for it?

Not in cash money.

Miss em ain't got no cash money.
Besides, she's old now, old and sick.

She has a house full of
valuable antiques, hasn't she?

But they're family things.

Can't sell them.

Besides, why are you
so set agin miss em?

She ain't never hurt you.
Look at her house.

Slave-built, slave-run
and run-down ever since.

I went through that gate in her garden
once, just once, when I was a little girl.

She ordered me out,
and I'll never forget it.

Oh, miss em ain't never liked
children traipsin' around in her garden.

Why, when she had that boarding
school, she made them girls play

on the other side of the house.

Guess I'll look in on her now like I do
every morning to see if she's all right.

Pinky's voice: Tom. Tom.

I'll send him a telegram.
Western union.

I want to send a telegram.
Yes. Straight wire.

"Dr. Thomas Adams.

"St. Bartholomew's hospital,
Boston.

"Darling.
All a terrible mistake.

"Returning by the first train.

"Meet me at the station, please.

"I love you, love you,
love you, love you."

Man: Get up there. Come
on, you lazy devil. Come on.

Can you tell me where
Jake waters lives?

Boy: Right down on the corner.

Thank you.

Hi, Tommy. Hi.

This where Jake waters lives?

Mmm-mmm.

You're Jake waters, aren't you?

Uh, yes, ma'am, I am.

This is my house here.

I'm Patricia Johnson.

Who? You know Mrs. Dicey
Johnson, don't you? I'm her grandchild.

Pinky?

Well, what do you know?
Come right in, miss pinky.

I'm mighty glad to see you.
Mighty glad. Yes.

I've come to get the money my
grandmother gave you to send me.

Oh, the money! Come on in.

I've been tryin' to get over to see your
granny, but every time I start over there,

something happens to stop me.

Yes, sir. Mighty busy
these days. Mighty busy.

This won't take long.
I shan't ask you

why you held back the money
so long as you return it.

Oh, sure, sure. Don't
worry about it. Sit down.

Oh. You know,
you've been away a long time.

What about the money?

You'll get it. You'll
get it. Every cent of it.

Sit down.

Why'd you come back, miss
pinky? Never figured that you would.

Why shouldn't I?
This is my home.

Don't give me that, miss pinky.

Jake's smart. He sees
things. Man most likely, huh?

White man? Couldn't tell him
and couldn't not tell him, huh?

Look, Jake, ihavethotau_

Of course. Didn't mean
to be nosy, miss pinky.

Jake's your friend.
He only wants to help you.

Help me by giving me back
my grandmother's money.

Oh, yes. The money. Well, I never
keep much cash money on me.

Keep it all in the bank,
miss pinky.

Is it far to the bank?

Bank's closed today. Saturday.

Very well. You can give me
whatever you have on hand

and I'll tell my grandmother
you'll pay her the rest on Monday.

Of course, I never keep
much money around the house.

Mind giving me what you have?

Just a minute. I'll look around.

Jake: This every bit of money I got in
the house. A ten and a five makes $15.

Pinky: I'll tell my grandmother
you'll give her the rest on Monday.

Jake: Monday. Sure. You
be sure and come by Monday.

I'll be there, all right.

Jake, what's she doin'
with my money?

Rozelia, you know I didn't...
What you doin' with my money?

Rozelia, you know who that
is? Miss pinky. I don't care.

Miss pinky, that
happens to be my money.

Let go of me!

Come high, don't you? Drop that.

Why, you_. I'll split you open
if you don't give me my money.

Officer: Hey there. What's up?

What's goin' on here?

Nothin' at all, captain.

Everything's all right now.

They been botherin' you, ma'am?

Pull your dress up, girl.

Got a knife, chief.
Chief: Okay. Get it.

Well, I reckon it's just as
well we come up when we did.

Uh, just what
was the trouble, ma'am?

I don't care
to make any charges.

Just a minute, if you please.

I reckon you're a stranger in this
part of the country, but this fella Jake,

did he molest you
in any way, ma'am?

No. No.

And the girl.
What about her, ma'am?

She even so much as thought of
threatening you, we wanna know about it,

or if she give you
any of her impudence.

Shut up, girl.

Excuse me, sir, but why are you
two white men "ma'am-ing" her?

She's nothin' but
a low-down colored gal.

Tried to steal my man.

Make him stop! Make him stop!

You heard what she said. He's
got to slap her down, unless it's true.

Yes, it's true. I'm colored. My
grandmother's Mrs. Dicey Johnson.

Mrs. Dicey Johnson! I oughta
slap 'em both down, chief.

Nah. Hold it.

Why, I think I'll be going now.

You ain't goin' anywhere
till I tell you. Get in that car.

I'm under arrest?

What do you think? On what
charges are you holding me?

You heard what I said.
Get in that car.

Don't worry. I'll fix
it. I know the judge.

Let me handle this.

It looked like there was gonna be
some trouble, and I searched her.

Then I took this knife off her,
judge Walker. It was in her garter.

So I just brought 'em all in.

Is this your knife?

She's the one started trouble,
comin' takin' my money.

That'll do. Find anything
on the other one?

Didn't search her.

Nothin' there, judge.

She had plenty time
to throw it away.

Rozelia, I could send you
up for this knife business.

Yes, sir.

And I will if I hear one
more word about this matter

about a knife
or razor or any trouble.

Is that clear? Yes.

Now, go thank you, 9n

as for you, Jake...

Yes, sir. I was just...

You've been in this
kind of trouble before.

After this, keep your hands
off other people's money.

No, sir. Never touch a
nickel that ain't mine, sir.

I'm going to let you
off this time.

Thank you. Much obliged, judge.

But next time will be the last.

Yes, sir. Thank you.

Now it's to you, pinky.

If Jake owes you money and
doesn't pay it, let me know.

I'll see that he does.

Thank you.

I remember years ago,
after your mother died.

I remember when dicey sent you away
to school. Aunt dicey's a good woman.

I've always thought
highly of her,

and I'd like to be able to
think well of her grandchildren.

I've done nothing, judge Walker,
and I'm telling you the truth.

I'm not saying
you aren't, but...

But because I'm colored,
you don't believe me.

You're not sure.
That's it, isn't it?

How'd you make out up yonder?

I graduated, then I took
three years' training as a nurse.

Oh, I didn't know. You managed to
do all that on what dicey could send?

Yes. Hmm.

I won scholarships. I worked,
waited tables. I got along.

Oh, that's good. That's very
good. All the more reason

you should keep on being a credit
and comfort to your grandmother.

You've had advantages which are
denied to most members of your race,

people like Jake
and rozelia, for example.

Just try to keep out
of trouble. That's all.

Thank you, sir.

Pinky. Yes, granny?

Why don't you try and...

Going somewhere, honey?

Just for a walk.

Evenin', sister Johnson.

Come in, Jake.

Stop sneakin' in here
behind me like that too.

I told miss pinky I'd drop around,
so here I is, man of my word.

Good. Pinky give me the $15 you give her,
said you'd be here to give me the rest.

I guess she was kind of
riled after that little run-in.

Run4n? What you mean, run-in?

Oh, nothing.

You workin' mighty
late, sister Johnson.

Oh, I reckon I'll die

with the shoes on my feet and that old
smoothin' iron in my hand, good lord willing.

You're a worker from
way back yonder. Yes, sir.

I always admire a good worker.

Look who's talkin'.

Well, there's work and then there's
work. My biggest work, I do with my brain.

Liable to get top-heavy
overworking that brain, eh, Jake?

That's the way to rise up in the world.
No more being the skim milk for Jake.

He's gonna be the cream on top.

Cream gotta be cream
first before it rise.

Where you goin', sister?

I gotta take this wash
back to miss em's.

Give me that.

Don't you want me
to read it for ya?

Give it back, I say. It's mine.

I can see... I can see that.

Give me that letter!

Not gonna read
this letter to nobody.

Well, you burned it up, didn't
you? That ain't gonna stop nothin'.

I got a feeling that a fast letter coming
like that is a shadow moving before.

Think so, Jake?

Folks is coming, they come
treadin' on their shadows.

Course, I can stop him. Got his name
and address right here in my head.

Didn't I tell you I worked with my
brain? I can write a letter to him.

Say, lneverseen no
colored man write like that.

Two stamps on the letter and his name and
address in the corner with "m.D." After it.

That means doctor.

You think you'd be doing right?

You wanna keep miss pinky,
don't you? I'll send him a telegram.

That'll stop him just like that.

Don't you worry, sister. Jake's
gonna take care of everything.

Course, telegrams cost money, and
I like to do everything business-like.

That'll be a deductible item
from what I owe you.

Evenin', ma'am.
Can we give you a lift?

No, thank you.

Excuse me, ma'am. You must be a stranger
around here. We can't let no white girl

walk by herself through
this here nigger section.

I live in this section.
You what?

I said I live here.
Now, just let me alone.

Lives here? What do you know?

Who'd ever figure that?

That's the whitest
dinge I ever saw.

Look at that swamp rabbit go.

What do you say,
let's go get her?

Boy, let's go now.

We ain't gonna hurt you, baby. Don't
be afraid, baby. We ain't gonna hurt you.

We just wanna have
a little fun, baby.

Take it easy.

Come here, honey.

No! No! Stop! Stop!

Please! Don't! Don't!

What a build on her.

Let's see your face, baby.
Hold up your face.

Oh, you're pretty. You're
pretty. You're real pretty.

What's the matter, baby?
You want a drink?

Hey, al, give me that bottle.

Come back here, gal!
Come on back here, gal!

Ah, let her go.

Aunt dicey: Pinky? Pinky?

Pinky? Granny?

Yes.

What you got
the door locked for?

Granny, what is it?

What's wrong? Tell me, granny.

It's miss em. Miss em, honey.

What's the matter with her?

Oh, doc Joe say
it's her heart again.

Her heart give out.

It happened while I was
puttin' the linen in the closet,

talkin' to her
when she took her spell.

So I run down to the corner
fast as I could, phoned doc Joe.

He picked me up on the
way back. He come that fast.

Herheafl? How old is she?

Oh, a year or two older
than me maybe.

Course, she never
allow that to my face.

Lord, I kinda hoped you'd take
me before you took miss em.

I kinda hoped you would.
Thy will be done.

Everyone has to die, granny.

You're right, baby,

but the least we can do
is ease their passin'.

I'm so glad you're here. Seems like the
lord sent you here out of pure goodness.

I say, "doc Joe..."
I say, "never you mind."

And was I proud to say it.
I say, "never you mind, sir.

"My pinky's here,
and she's a good nurse."

So he's sittin' there
waitin' for you right now.

You told him I'd nurse her?

Course, honey. Doc Joe say
everything depend on good nursing.

He say she gotta
have a trained nurse,

and he can't lay his hand
on one for love or money,

if miss em had the money,
which she ain't.

Then tell him to keep right
on looking. I'm not interested.

But she'll die.
Then let her die.

Pinky!

I didn't mean that, but, granny,
try to understand my side.

I only came back here because
I hadn't anywhere else to go.

I'd forgotten what it was like.

I've been away a long time.
I've known another kind of life.

I've been treated like a human
being. Try to understand, like an equal.

Don't you see I can't go back into that
house? Haven't I had enough without that?

Pinky.

I worked long and hard
to give you an education,

and if they done educated
the very heart out you,

everything I've worked and
slaved so hard for is wrong.

Now, hear me! You're
goin' up to miss em's!

You're gonna take good care
of her, like the nurse you is,

or I swear on the holy Bible,
I'll rip the iivin' daylights out you!

Yes. I'm going away. I should
never have come back here.

Here. Let me help you.

Kind of wrinkled. Reckon I'd
better run the smoothin' iron

over it before you pack it.

Kind of pretty too. Must take a heap
of studying, learning to be a nurse.

The course is three years,
as you know.

Miss em didn't have
no training at all.

Why should she?

Her kind never
learns anything useful.

Didn't stop her from
nursing me, though,

when I was down sick
with pneumonia, fixin' to die.

Miss em nursed you?
I'd like to see that.

Where you been living, child? What
sort of stuff they teach you up yonder?

Have I put in all my work on you for you to
turn out to be nothin' but low-down trash?

Yes, pinky.
Miss em did nurse me.

If you don't believe me,
ask doc Joe.

Miss em stay here,
sleep in your little room.

She cook for me, feed me with a
spoon, wash my poor, tired body.

Even emptied my slops like
she was my loving servant.

Now she's fixin' to die

and my own grandchild done
hardened her heart agin her.

Doctor.

Oh, yes. Glad you could come.
She's at pretty low ebb.

Under the hypo right now.

No fear of disturbing her.

Oh, yes. Pinky, isn't it?
A nurse. Of course.

Your granny's talked a lot about
you, but I didn't realize that...

Uh, some things I've
jotted down here for you.

Really not very much
we can do right now.

She's reached the age where the
mechanism begins to slow down.

If she has another attack...
Have you ever given a hypo?

I'm a graduate nurse.

Yes, yes, of course.

Well, I'm very glad to leave
miss em with a graduate nurse.

No phone in this house, and
I'm pretty hard to get hold of,

so it'll be a matter
of using your own judgment.

I understand, doctor. Your hat.

Oh, no. Here.

Yes. Thank you.

You know, of course, that miss em
can't afford to pay for a trained nurse.

Or do you? I know, doctor.

Might be some of her old
pupils could pay you something.

Most of them still live...

No, doctor. It isn't
a question of money.

I'm doing it for my grandmother.

Well, I'll look in
tomorrow afternoon.

Good night, doctor.

Who are you?

I'm your nurse.

Dicey's girl, pinky, aren't you?

Yes. Why didn't you say so?

Come over here
and let me see you.

You didn't call yourself pinky when
you were off up yonder, did you?

Speak up.
What name did you go by?

Patricia.

Pinky's better.

What are you doing there?

Dr. Mcgill left
some pills for you.

You didn't think I'm gonna take
any more of Joe mcgill's stupid dope?

They'll relieve the pain,
miss em. You are in pain?

Course I'm in pain.
What do you think?

That you die in
ease and ecstasy?

What's this thing on my feet?

Hot water bottle.

Take it away. I won't have it.

Brick's much better.
Over there on the hearth.

Put it in the embers.

Go to the wardrobe.
Open the door.

Look on the second shelf. You'll
find a bit of blanket to cover the brick.

Take your hands out of there.
I said the second shelf.

Miss em, I'm not dishonest,
if that's what you're implying.

Furthermore, I don't have to...

Miss em?

Miss em!

Miss em.

Aunt dicey: Now, make tracks,
y'all. Don't wanna see hide nor hair of ya

till tomorrow.

That you, pinky honey?

Yes, granny.

Miss em ain't...

No. She's better.

Praise the lord.

Dr. Joe's with her now. He said for
me to come on down and get some rest.

You're supposed to sit with
her for the rest of the afternoon.

Then you get some sleep, honey.

I don't feel like sleeping.

What you doing with my clothes?

With you being so busy and
all, I reckoned I'd unpack for you.

Put them back. They
can stay packed fihileave.

It's only a matter
of a few days, at the most.

Doc Joe say that? A few days?

I can see for myself. Oh, for heaven's
sake, granny, it's only a mean old woman.

She's been driving me and nagging
me ever since she woke up this morning.

She do that? That's good.

What's good about it?

Then she do feel better,
sure enough.

Miss em start feelin' better,
the more "coniferous" she act.

Pay no attention to her worrisome
ways, sugar. She don't mean nothin' by it.

She means to put me in
my place and keep me there

just as she's kept you
all these years.

Oh, pinky child, when folks is real
friends, there ain't no such thing as place.

Man: Hello? Anybody home?

Miss Johnson?

I beg your pardon.
You're miss pinky Johnson?

Yes, sir. You're looking for me?

I'm Dr. Canady from
over in leesburg.

How do you do, doctor?

My wife and I heard you were here. We'd like
you to come over to the house to dinner.

Well, that's... if you'll just set the
date, any night that's convenient.

I'm on a case now, and
after that, I'm going away.

When you come back then. Your being here
is the best news we had in a long time.

We had some girls over in
leesburg, high school graduates,

with no chance
for regular training.

With your help, we can
set up a real nursing school.

It's out of the question.

You see. Excuse me. How are
you and your family these days?

Fine, thank you, aunt dicey.

You see, I...

I'm not planning to come back.

Isee. Lhave never been north.

I took my md. At meharry.

I was tempted to go, of course,
but I felt my job was here.

These girls I was telling you about, it's
gonna be kind of hard to disappoint them.

I'm sorry, but my
plans are all made.

Vveh, goodluck
to you, miss Johnson.

Miss em: Get the feet.

Mind that candlestick.

My great-grandfather bought that
when they sold Thomas Jefferson's things.

Things. Hmm. They
last longer than people.

This furniture was made
to present to Henry Clay

if he was elected, but the
voters thought different,

and grandfather
bought it at auction.

Look what you've done.
My best brooch.

Well, you've looked
at it long enough.

What do you think of it?

It's very nice, miss em.

Don't be evasive. I want the
truth. What do you think of it?

It's one of those
rather clever imitations

one can buy in the
chain stores for a dollar.

Ninety-eight cents.
Any fool would know that.

Now, go dust that center table.
Bring me a pitcher of water.

Miss em, I've already done
those things, and you know it.

Don't be impudent. It isn't
impudent to say what's true.

I'm a trained nurse, and I
won't be spoken to like that.

You don't like it here,
why did you come?

Because my grandmother said

she'd whip the living
daylights out of me if I didn't.

That dicey. Nobody
like her. Did she really say that?

That's the sort of answer
you want to hear, isn't it?

I prefer the truth.

You forgot that fire screen.

Don't be so upset.
I'll be dead soon

and you'll be free
to go back north again.

Going to give up your nursing
when you get back up yonder?

Nursing's my profession. In certain
places, a nurse is treated with respect.

Nobody deserves respect as long as
she pretends to be something she isn't.

How I live my life
is my own business, miss em.

Course it is. It isn't your husband's
business or your children's.

You can go now, pinky. I'll be all
right till your grandmother comes.

You can't dismiss me as you did when I was
a child and you drove me out of your garden.

Oh, you remember.

Yes. Very clearly.

What do you want me to do, stay here and
live this sort of life when I don't have to?

Just prove you're addicted
to the truth, like you pretend.

Wherever you are, be yourself.

What am I then? You tell me. You're the
ones that set the standards, you whites.

You're the ones thatjudge
people by the color of their skins.

By your own standards,

by the only ones that matter
to you, I'm as white as you are.

That's why you all hate me. What should
I do? Dye my face? Grove! And shuffle?

Say "yes'm" and "no'm"?

Marry some man like Jake
waters? Carry a razor in my stocking?

Nobody hates you, pinky.

Don't just stand there. When
you leave the room, go quickly.

I hate dawdling.

Oh, darling. Oh, if you only knew
what I went through finding you.

What's wrong? What got
into you, running off like that?

How did you find me?

I got your old address
from the nuns' school,

and then that crazy telegram
came, signed pinky Johnson.

Why "pinky"?

I didn't send you any wire.

Come on. Come
on up to the house.

What's it all about, pat? I can
see you're working, but why here?

Why didn't you want me to know?
What are you doing, charity work?

No. I live here.

Is that it?

Is it because you were ashamed of
telling me you lived in a place like this?

I often wondered why you never
spoke about your home and family, but...

Don't you know who lives
in this kind of house?

Come on in.

Come here, Tom.

There's an old colored woman
who can't read or write,

a washerwoman people
around here call aunt dicey.

There's the basket she carries her
clothes in. There's the ironing board.

And those are the heavy irons
she heats on that old wood stove.

Year in and year out,
she's washed and ironed

and carried her clean clothes
to people's back doors,

through rain and cold
and the heat of summer.

And she saved her money and
lived on scraps white people gave her.

Why? For me. So she could
send me off to school,

so I could learn to be a nurse.

So her granddaughter would be
spared the kind of life she's had to live.

Her granddaughter?

Yes. Her granddaughter.

Now you understand.

Pat... my name is pinky.

She's coming.
Tom, please, please go.

I don't want her to find you
here. I've got a car. We'll drive.

No. No. Not until you tell me
the whole story. Come on, pat.

And then, that day at the
hospital, I met you for the first time.

At first, I tried to keep you away,
even to the point of being rude.

That's true, isn't it? Remember?

But you wouldn't give up.

I thought I could take the chance
of seeing you, being with you.

I'd never been in love. I never
dreamed it would ever be serious.

When I found it was, a kind of
daring came over me, with your love.

So I thought
I could have everything.

For a few weeks lbehevedit

until you wanted
to get married right away.

Remember? You said I'd have
to make up my mind sometime.

Then I realized what my
decision would have to be.

So I ran.

Poor pat...

I'm not looking for pity, and
don't tell me it doesn't matter.

I couldn't stand that.

I won't lie to you.
Of course it matters.

It makes... makes
problems, important problems.

But let's try and face
them like rational people.

Rational.

What's rational about prejudice?

I don't think I'm prejudiced. I'm a
doctor and I hope enough of a scientist

not to believe in the mythology
of superior and inferior races.

It is a tricky business, though.

You never know what exists
deep down inside yourself.

I want to be absolutely sure
nothing like that exists inside of me.

You'd be so easy to hurt, pat.

In this case, too much kindness
could easily be misunderstood

and hurt worse than cruelty.

A man should be able to lose
his temper and cuss out his wife

once in a while without her
misunderstanding the reason.

That's why I didn't give way to
my impulse when you first told me.

I wanted to sort of hold myself
under a microscope a little bit longer,

till I could be sure
I was right.

What do you mean?

I've got two reservations
on the plane from Birmingham.

I don't know.

I don't know.

Come on, pat. We've got
an hour to catch our train.

No, no. Wait. Wait.

Darling, I love you.
Tom, we can't... wait...

I couldn't help myself, even if I
wanted to. I don't know. I don't...

That's the important thing. The rest of
it we can work out between ourselves.

It'll be our secret. Nobody
else will ever know it.

Here.

Come on. We'll stop at your
house and pick up your things.

Tom, I can't go with you now.

Why not? Not now. I'm on a case.

Let them get somebody else.

This isn't just a case. It's a
debt that has to be repaid.

That's the true reason? Oh, I swear
it is. I'm through with running away.

You're being honest? You promise
you'll come as soon as you can?

I'll take the next train.

If you don't, I'll be here
wanting to know why.

Oh, iwill!

Mrs. Wooley: George,
you still drive too fast.

Yes, ma'am.

Well, shut off the engine.

About time.
Oh, so you're the one.

I'd heard you were light,
but I'd no idea you were...

Well, you're practically white.

What is it that you want,
please, ma'am?

I'm here to see miss Emma.

I'm sorry. She's not
supposed to receive visitors.

I'm her cousin, Mrs. Wooley.

Oh, yes, Mrs. Wooley.

Well, if you'll wait down here,
I'll see if miss em can see you.

How is she?

She's improving. Won't
you have a chair, please?

Miss em, I'm afraid...

I know. Let her come up. But
don't leave me alone with her.

She'll wanna be alone
with you, miss em.

Well, I don't.

Mrs. Wooley: How is
my dear cousin em today?

Well, I'll find out.

Sit in that chair.

If I knock over the bell, tell her I have to
have an enema or something. Get rid of her.

But miss em, I've just
started your luncheon.

Do what you're told, honey.

Oh, Mrs. Wooley,
miss em can see you now.

I know. I can hear.

Cousin em, what do you
mean, gettin' sick like this?

When you're 80 years old,
you expect to be sick. Sit down.

Now, now. Naughty, naughty.
Eighty years young is what we say.

I don't. It's old, and I
won't have it minimized.

Takes a lot of livin' to get there
and pure, cursed endurance.

Eighty years young indeed!

Yes, yes, cousin em. Of course.

That's all now. I'll be
sitting here with cousin em.

Stay there, pinky.

She's a trained nurse. I want
her there in case I have a spell.

Oh. Now, tell me, dear.
Are you being taken care of?

What can I do for you?

Nothing.

Jeffers and I have been away on holiday,
and we didn't know a thing until yesterday.

I said to jeffers, "I'm gonna see cousin
em tomorrow no matter how busy I am.

"I just have to know whether she's
getting every single thing she needs."

And jeffers said to me, "melba,
that's just like you. You can never rest

"till you know
you've done your duty.

"And if you can take a little sunshine into
the life of that poor old soul, you'll..."

Cousin em?

She's nappin'.

Or is she doped?

Just tired. She's been very ill.

Well, I'll just sit here
till she wakes up.

Oh, pinky, I do believe I forgot to
tell George to put the brake on my car.

Go down there
and make sure it's on.

Cousin em...

I never nap, and I'm not doped.

My goodness,
she's whiter than I am!

Prettier too.

Well, it just gives me
the creeps.

Seriously, cousin em. I gotta
talk to you alone. It's important.

I came in to warn you about this girl, pinky.
My new maid, rozelia, knows all about her.

Now, melba. I'm not gonna soil my
ears by listening to kitchen gossip.

But for all you know, lyin' up
here in bed, she's stealin' you blind.

Oh, melba.

I think I left my brooch
over there on the bureau.

See if it's still there.

Well, I certainly will.

I most certainly will. That's
just what I been talking about.

Oh, is this it? Yes.

Mrs. Wooley: Well,
thank goodness. It's still here.

Mrs. Wooley, George
says your brake is still on.

Vvhatdoyouthmk
of the brooch? Hmm?

Oh! Oh, it's lovely, cousin
em. Priceless. A real antique.

Why do you ask?

Oh, I know you like jewelry.

Just wanted to be sure. I
was thinkin' of makin' my will.

Oh, cousin em, you
mustn't think of such a thing.

Why, it isn't as if
you had a lot of relatives.

Jeffers and I are
the only two you got.

And I know how strongly you feel
about keepin' things in the family.

What an idea to make a will. Why,
you'll live years and years, dear!

Pinky's a nurse. She graduated from
one of the best hospitals up yonder.

Let's ask her. Think I
should be makin' my will?

Well, if you were ever gonna make a will,
miss em, it's time you were getting it done.

There, melba. There's a
nurse's opinion. Very sensible,

especially as it
agrees with my own.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Wooley.
Miss em must rest now.

Well, she looks fine to me,

and besides, we haven't
finished our little visit yet, have we?

I do feel a little queer. Maybe
I have another fit comin' on.

Fit? That's the way they start.

Then I go clean out of my head.

Well, in that case, I guess
I had better be on my way.

Oh, you going? But you'll
come back, won't you?

Oh, yes, dear.

I'll be in first thing next
week. I certainly will.

And no more nonsense about
making a will, you naughty girl.

No more nonsense!

Stop that. I won't have
you laughing at my relatives.

Sorry, miss em. She's
not a blood relative, is she?

She married my
cousin, jeffers wooley.

He's my first cousin,
once removed.

He nearly removed himself clean
out of the family when he married her.

Jeffers
never did have much sense.

His father wanted him to study
law. Didn't have the brains for it.

Took up insurance.
Tried to sell me a policy.

Life insurance, he called it.

I asked him if it would insure that I should
live one day longer that the lord allows.

He said it didn't, so I said,
"well, call it death insurance.

"You oughta be ashamed
mentioning it to one of your own family."

Why are you standing there for?

Do you want tea or milk
with your lunch?

Coffee.

Miss em, you know
the doctor said...

I said coffee,
and make it strong.

Yes, miss em.

And, pinky,
when you bring my tray

bring me paper, pen and ink.

When you've washed the dishes, you
can take the rest of the afternoon off.

I don't like to leave
you alone, miss em.

Then send dicey over.

She can't stay long.

This is her afternoon
to take the wash into town.

Don't argue.

Do as I say. Don't want
you back here till after 5:00.

Yes, miss em.
Make that coffee strong.

I want the spoon
to stand up in it.

Yes, miss em.

Miss em!

Miss em! Miss em.

Why am I in bed for?

Thought I was
sittin' in a chair.

You've had another attack.

You've been up
and doing too much.

Whose business is it if I do
too much, I'd like to know?

Nobody's at all if you
want to shorten your life.

Flat on her back.
No. No. Prop me up.

Give me some pillows.

I'm not gonna lie flat
until I'm laid out.

Be soon enough now.

Might as well let her
have her own way.

That's all I ever wanted,
to have my own way.

Here. Open your mouth.

What's that? Dope?

Open your mouth.

I want some fresh water.
It's stuck in my throat.

No, I said fresh water.

Close the door behind you.
There's a draft in here.

I don't want that girl
knowin' my business.

Now, go over there and
look on the second shelf

in that book.

No, no. The other
end. The other end.

There. Now, open the book.
There's an envelope in it.

Get the envelope. Bring it here.

That's my will, and I
want you to witness it.

Of course. Surely.

No. You don't have to read
it. I just want you to sign it.

Mmm.

Here. You'll have to sign it
again in my presence.

You know my signature.

Sign it again, please.

These things have
to be done legally.

Oh, lawyers have more
fool rigamarole than doctors.

There. Now, put it
back in the envelope.

Seal it up.

Put it away.

Who's your executor?

You are.

Isn't judge Walker your lawyer?

He's retiring.

Aren't you my friend?

No. Never mind that now.

I don't need it. It's gone down.

You didn't think I'm
plannin' to die this minute?

I'll be up to meet my
classes right after holidays.

Mmm-hmm.

My school...

What'll the girls be
doin' with me in bed?

Don't you worry, now. You'll
be up and around in a few days.

Try to get some sleep now.

A fine woman.
One of the old school.

Never afraid to speak her mind or take
a stand for what she thought was right.

How long, doctor?

Can't tell.

Extraordinary vitality,
but the last attack...

Perhaps a week.
Perhaps only a few hours.

Isn't there anything...

There, now. You did a good job.

I might even say a devoted job.

Well, I'll stop in
first thing tomorrow.

Good night. Good night, doctor.

Miss viola:
Twenty cents, please.

Somethin' for ya, ma'am?

Yes. Do you have any
mourning veils, please?

Right this way, ma'am.

This is our best quality,
ma'am, 2.98,

and the last we got in stock.

Yes. That'll be fine.
I'll take it.

I'll allow you're goin' to
miss em's funeral, ma'am.

They say she had a
lot of friends. Miss viola.

Come wait on me, please. Sorry,
Ms. Wooley. Just a minute, please.

I'll be right with ya.
Where's Mr. Goolby?

Excuse me, please, ma'am. I only
meant I was waitin' on someone.

Mr. Goolby!

I only have to wrap this and
get the change. Mr. Goolby!

Why, yes, Mrs. Wooley, what can
I do for you today, please, ma'am?

Since when has it been your policy
to wait on nigras before white folks?

Why, I... I'm sorry,
Mrs. Wooley. I'm...

I'm sure that miss viola
just... just didn't see you.

Miss... miss viola.

Well, I'm...
I'm sorry, Mrs. Wooley.

I should think you would be. I'll repeat...
Since when has it been your policy...

Now, just what would you be interested in
this morning? We have some nice broadcloth.

We also have some...
What's that?

Well, that's the money, the
money, ma'am, she gave me, $5.00.

Is that miss em's money?

No, Mrs. Wooley.

Would you mind tellin' me
where you did get it?

I don't care to say
where I got it, Mrs. Wooley.

Well, that's all you'll get away
with. You can rest assured of that.

Charge this.

What's going on?

I'll take my veil now,
Mr. Goolby,

unless you don't sell
to colored people.

I'm in business to sell goods, and
your money's good if it's honest money.

It's honest money.
My grandmother earned it

by harder work than
selling goods over a counter.

Do you wish to sell me the veil?

4.98.

Very well, Mr. Goolby.
My change, please.

When are you fixin'
to leave, honey?

Oh, uh...

In the morning.

There's a train at 9:00.

Then, in that case, I'm gonna
fix ya a nice, hot supper tonight.

Oh, granny, please
don't trouble yourself.

I don't...

Oh.

Howdy, aunt dicey.
Aunt dicey: Howdy, doc Joe.

Howdy, pinky.
Here. Have a chair, Dr. Joe.

Somebody sick out this way?

No. Nobody's sick.

I got some news for you, and I thought
the sooner you knew it, the better.

Copy of miss em's will.

She left her pa's law books
to her cousin, Mr. Wooley.

Family portraits too.

And herjewelry to Mrs. Wooley.

Good, 'cause Mrs. Wooley sure
likes all kinds of geegaws and fixin's.

"To my faithful servant and
friend, dicey Johnson, colored,

"I leave all personal clothing
of which I died possessed."

Bless her heart. Sometimes I think
she always get her shoes extra big

'cause when these fit herjust
right, they pinch my bunion.

And I'm mighty proud
to have her clothes too.

Miss em left you the house,
pinky, and everything in it.

The land too, about 20 acres.

"The remainder of my estate
I give and bequeath

"to the aforesaid dicey
Johnson's granddaughter, pinky.

"This bequest being an expression
of my genuine regard for her

"and my confidence in the use
to which she will put this property."

That what the paper say?

Here. Read it for yourself.

It say it for a fact, doc Joe?

Joe: That's the way
she wrote it.

But if I were you, I
wouldn't count on it just yet.

You see, the wooleys,
Mrs. Wooley in particular,

figured on gettin'
all that stuff.

Hear they've already
hired a lawyer.

You mean, they're gonna
contest it? On what grounds?

Undueinfluence, isuppose,

question miss em's sanity,
that sort of thing.

There's already been some talk.

So that's why Mrs. Wooley
and those men in town...

Don't you think
miss em was sane?

Far as I know, she was.

That last night her mind
wandered a bit

but that's not unnatural.

You just keep that if you
want to look it over some more.

But I don't believe
I'd count on gettin' it.

Better wait and see.

I don't know how the folks
around here are gonna take this.

I wonder why she did it.

Ain't you gonna finish
your fried chicken, honey?

Oh, I'm sorry, granny.
I wonder why she did it.

Well, miss em had grown
powerful fond of you.

But she should've known better.

Pinky, I've lived
in this world a long time,

long enough to know for sure if it's
somethin' white folks don't want you to have

or somethin' they
want for their self,

you might as well
forget all about it.

But she meant me to have it.

"Expression of my
genuine regard for her

"and my confidence in the use
to which she will put this property."

What did she mean?

That don't mean nothin' where
the white folks is concerned.

'Sides, you goin' back
up yonder, so why...

Evenin', sister Johnson.
Evenin', miss pinky.

Hello, Jake.

Well, I just started uptown, and
I thought I'd stop by for a while.

Well, miss pinky, I hear as how
you got some property comin' to ya.

What else have you heard?

Well, the white folks are sayin'

you kept miss em
doped all the time.

They say she must have
been out of her head,

and you must've
made her write that will.

It's nonsense, and they know it.

Is or ain't, I don't know.

But it sure spells
trouble for somebody.

If I was you, miss pinky, I'd
stick close to the house for a while.

She's leavin' first
thing in the morning.

Goin' back up north?

Yes. That's good.

That's mighty good.

Then Ms. Wooley get
the property by default.

Everything's fine,
no trouble for nobody.

Is that the law?

Default? Well, unless you
get a lawyer to file an answer.

Of course, me, I've had considerable
dealings with the law, but I ain't licensed.

But even if I was licensed,
I wouldn't touch your case

for a stack of hundred
dollar bills that high.

I got a nice house
and no fire insurance.

And I'm glad you decided to
be sensible about this thing.

Because if you hadn't, I was gonna
make reservations across the state line

and go fishin'
for three or four weeks.

Oh, what is it?
What is it, child?

Pinky.

Pinky, tell me.
What are you fixin' to do?

I'll be staying on for a while,
till this business is settled.

Miss em meant me
to have the house

and I'm not gonna give it
up to please Mrs. Wooley

or anybody.

Granny.

Can't do it, pinky.
You know that I'm retiring.

As judge, yes, sir. But that
leaves you free to take my case.

Frankly, I don't want
to get mixed up in this.

There's too much feelin', too many
tales around about you and miss em.

They're not true, sir.

Possibly they're not, but...

Say, perhaps you could
compromise, settle it out of court.

I'm sure Mrs. Wooley would
be generous. With my property?

Court'll decide whose it is.

It won't even come up
before the court,

unless I can induce
a lawyer to act for me.

But you don't want a lawyer who thinks
the will was ill-considered and a mistake.

All right, sir. Good-bye.

Judge Walker, miss em
was your lifelong friend.

Whether the will
was a mistake or not,

wouldn't she expect you
to help carry out her wishes?

I'll take your case.

Thank you, sir. Of course,
I'll pay the customary fees.

Oh, no. There'll be expenses you'll
have to meet, but there won't be any fee.

I'm a fool to take your case and
the only one who can win it for you

but if I'm gonna get into a
fight, it'll be on clean ground.

Come see me tomorrow.

Joe: But it was miss em who owned the
property, and she wanted this girl to have it.

But that isn't the point. Doc.
It's the principle.

Dr. Joe?

Come on. See ya later, doc.

Be seein' ya, doc.

Dr. Joe, could you help me,
help me to find a job?

I only need a few days to
help cover the court expenses

and I can't ask granny.

She's been ill lately, hasn't
been able to work at all.

Might as well face it, pinky.

I couldn't possibly
get you a job now.

A lot of the folks even down
on my neck about this thing,

blamin' me for puttin' you
over there in the first place.

If it isn't too much, I could...

Oh, no, doctor.

Thank you. I'll find a way.

Good-bye.

Hello.

Pinky?

Yes, granny?

Tom.

Darling, come here. Granny.

Granny, this is
Dr. Thomas Adams.

How do you do?

Pleased to meet you, sir.

I reckon you got
things to talk about.

Why on earth are you doing this?

I needed some money.
Granny was sick.

Could've asked me for it.
No, Tom.

This is something
I have to do by myself.

I still don't know
what it's all about, pat,

or why you think it's important
enough to change our plans.

Quite a stir in the papers up
north, negro papers in particular.

Got a hold of some
clippings for you.

I read in one of 'em the
trial was set for tomorrow.

Read them.

"Negro heiress
defies lynch law."

Yes, there... there was a reporter
here, but I didn't tell him anything.

"Negro girl fights
to hold her..."

I had no idea
they'd make so much of it.

Why go through with it? What
for? It isn't too late to back out.

The trial's tomorrow.
Let it go by default.

We don't need the house.
I got plenty for both of us.

Be sensible. Pack,
and let's get out of here.

I can't do that, Tom.

What are you fighting for, a run-down
house and a few acres of worthless land?

If I should back out now,
I'd be letting miss em down.

I can't do that.
I can't let her down.

I can't let myself down
or my people.

They're not your people, pat!
What?

Not really. There'll be no pinky
Johnson after we're married.

You'll be Mrs. Thomas Adams
for the rest of your life.

Tom, you can change your name, but I wonder
if you can change what you really are inside.

What's behind all this?
You haven't really told me.

I don't know. I'm not
being heroic. I'd hate that.

I just know I have to go
through with it to the end.

You see, they're trying
to steal the property,

steal it from miss em
as much as from me.

They'll probably
get away with it.

But I'm gonna make them
do it out in the open,

right out in court for
everyone to see and hear.

It won't be pleasant, Tom. They'll
lie. They'll try to humiliate me.

They'll try every
trick of prejudice.

But I just...

All right, pat. I'll be
there. I understand.

We also propose to show, your
honor, that the defendant, pinky Johnson

colored, of a violent nature,

quarrelsome, a troublemaker,

that she is capable of executing
the scheme I have described to you

and that she had every
opportunity of doing so.

The deceased was
unquestionably senile.

The fact that she signed the will
twice is evidence of a confused mind.

She was unduly influenced by the
defendant as I have outlined to you.

And she was under
the influence of drugs,

administered by the defendant.

Furthermore, this will
was written at a time when

reliable witnesses will prove
she was of unsound mind.

May I see that will
again, please?

In view of these things, we
therefore ask that the will be set aside

and the property
inherited by the next of kin.

I yield to you, judge Walker.

Your honor.

I agreed to act for the
defendant in this case

because I feared an
injustice was about to be done.

Your honor, apparently
my fears were well-founded.

Counsel for the plaintiff
has made it perfectly clear

that my client in effect is to
be tried because she is a negro

and because a negro cannot be permitted
to inherit property in this community.

Judge Walker: That is a
harsh fact, but we must face it.

Though many of us
may criticize this bequest,

I do not believe any of us who knew miss
em, and most of us knew and loved her,

can accept the contention
that she was insane.

I do not believe counsel
for the plaintiff can prove

that undue influence
was exerted by my client.

I think most of us know how difficult it
was to influence miss em in any respect.

We need not look too far for a
motive in making this bequest.

She was a proud woman
who'd leave no debt unpaid.

This was a real obligation.

She took the only means open to
her of paying for my client's services,

through the provisions
of her will.

The expressed wishes of the
dead should not be set aside

to gratify the greed or
the prejudice of the living.

Your honor, this is
a small country town.

We've always thought that what
happened here was our own private concern.

This is no longer true,

just as it is no longer true
that our country as a whole

can exist entirely to itself.

What is done in our
courts in cases such as this

has become a matter of
moment in the eyes of the world.

Let us examine our conscience. Let us
look into our attitude and our tradition.

Let us take care, lest it
be said of us that here

there is neither law norjustice.

Your honor, we're all anxious to get to
the bottom of this as quickly as possible

before the temperature of this
room reaches the boiling point.

Fortunately, there is one
witness who is qualified to testify

on the only matters of
pertinence to this hearing,

the question of miss em's sanity
and the question ofundueinfluence.

Incidentally, he will be
the defense's only witness.

He was miss em's physician, in constant
attendance during her last illness.

He was also her confidant,
witnessed her will,

and is the executor of her
estate, Dr. Joseph mcgill.

Your honor, I disagree with
my esteemed opponent's notions

of what is or isn't
pertinent to this hearing.

But I am perfectly willing to have
Dr. Mcgill take the stand at this point.

Very well. Call Dr. Mcgill.

Do you think that's...

Oh, let him put his witness
on first. We'll close with ours.

Dr. Joe doesn't seem
to be here, your honor.

Well, take a look in the
corridor. See if he's there.

He ain't out here, your honor.

Well, that bein' the case we'll have to
proceed with the plaintiff's witnesses.

Are you ready, Mr. Stanley?
Yes, your honor.

Better find Dr. Joe
and bring him here.

Yes, judge Walker.

Money and a man, I believe,
is what caused the trouble.

The usual thing.

Well, we picked 'em both up, along
with the man they was fightin' over.

Judge Walker heard the case.
That's all I know about it.

Yeah, money and a man.

Thank you. Your witness.

Chief Anderson, what was the final
prison sentence imposed on my client?

Why, judge Walker,
you know there wasn't any.

So she was cleared.

Is that correct?

Well, I wouldn't
exactly say that.

You wouldn't?

You generally always let 'em off
with a good talkin' to, like you give her.

You know how it is.

If you put them niggers in jail
every time somethin' happens...

That'll do.

Your honor,
this witness's testimony

should be ignored and
stricken from the record

as totally irrelevant
to the hearing.

Your honor, I object!

Just a minute! The court is capable
of deciding any questions of relevancy.

Motion denied.
Call the next witness.

Well, for one thing,
on my last visit

this girl simply wouldn't
leave the room.

And I could see that cousin em
actually didn't dare to dismiss her.

Then cousin em began
to talk about makin' a will.

Well, I tried to cheer her up, but she turned
to this pinky and said, "what do you think?"

As if... as if she didn't dare
to make up her mind alone

which was never
like cousin em, never.

What did the girl say?

Oh, she spoke up,
bold as you please,

and said cousin em had better
make a will if she was ever goin' to.

That's the part
I mentioned to you.

Impudent, yes,

but the way she said it,
a threat too.

And I'm just glad that cousin em was
allowed to die a natural death in her bed.

I think everyone in this courtroom
understands what you mean, ma'am.

Did you notice anything peculiar
about her condition that day?

Oh, yes. She closed her
eyes while I was talkin'.

She kept droppin' off in
a stupor. She was doped!

And then she told me
she was subject to fits,

that half the time she was
clean out of her mind.

Poor soul. Poor soul.

Thank you, Mrs. Wooley.

Your witness.

Mrs. Wooley, you have testified
that my client's tone was threatenin'.

Now, miss em must've made some
sort of reply if she was threatened.

What were miss em's next words?

I don't remember. She was doped.

Didn't she say pinky's
opinion was sensible

because that agreed with
what she thought herself?

Were you there, judge Walker, or are you
just bein' primed by that girl over there?

Did you ever hear such...

Uh, answer the question, please.

Isn't that what miss em said?

I'd certainly
remember it if she had.

Mrs. Wooley, do you know
the penalty for perjury?

I object!

Your honor, I object to this
attempt to intimidate the witness!

She's answered the question.
She doesn't remember.

And now, if my opponent will stop
putting words in the mouth of the dead...

No personalities, gentlemen.

It's hot enough
in here as it is.

Will your honor please
rule on my objection?

Objection sustained.

Thank you!

Didn't I tell you he's a good'n?

So, aunt dicey, you were there in
the room when she was writing her will.

Yes, sir. Sittin' right there,

like I always done
when my pinky's out.

And miss em was still writin'
when I left to take the wash uptown.

'Cause judge Walker and some is mighty
particular when they gets their wash.

I understand, aunt dicey.

You know what a hypodermic is?

Yes, sir.

Did you ever see your granddaughter
stick one of those things in miss em?

Yes, sir. I see her do it twice.

What happened?

Miss em talked
to herself for a while.

You mean raved?

Aunt dicey:
Kind of mumbled, like.

Then she go off to sleep
like she a little baby.

Now, just one more
question, aunt dicey.

What makes you think it was her
will that miss em was writing that day?

I know it was, sir.

Well, you see, aunt dicey,
this is a court of law,

and you're sworn to
tell the truth before god.

Some of us think this will may
have been written at some other time

while your granddaughter
was present.

Did miss em tell you
she was writing her will?

No, sir, Mr. Stanley.

But you were sitting where you could see
the paper she was writing on, weren't you?

Yes, sir, Mr. Stanley.

Well, now, didn't you see
enough of it to know what it was?

He's going to trap her. He knows
she can't read, and she'll never admit it.

From Dr. Joe.

Come, now, aunt dicey.
Let's have an answer.

You know, sir, as well
as me it ain't manners

readin' what ain't meant
for you to read.

Then how can you swear
before god you knew it was her will?

Now, aunt dicey, you
answer me the gospel truth!

Couldn't this will have been written at
some other time? Couldn't it? Couldn't it?

Yes...

Couldn't pinky have helped miss em
make a will when you weren't around?

I reckon she could, sir.

Stan ley: Your witness!

Your honor, we'll waive
cross-examination of this witness.

All right, aunt dicey.
You can step down now.

I have here a note from Dr. Joe in
which he says he's going to be delayed.

Now, on the basis of this
note, I petition for a brief recess.

May I see this note, please?

Do I have your permission
to read this to the court?

You certainly have.

"Sorry. Mary picken's
baby jumped the gun.

"When it gets here,
I'll get there.

"Joe mcgill."

Seriously, your honor,
I object to this petition

or to any legal strategy intended
solely to drag out this unfortunate affair

which should have never
seen the light of day anyway.

Judge Walker had as much time
as we did to summon witnesses

and to make sure they'd be here!

As for this note, it's easy
to read between the lines.

Naturally, Dr. Joe didn't want to
hurt his old friend's feelings here

with a direct refusal to appear as
a witness in this unpleasant case.

It's obvious, however, that bountiful
nature and the ethics of his profession

have come to his aid.

Oh, this is going to be
a long confinement!

He's not asking for a recess, your
honor. He's asking for a postponement!

Petition denied, judge Walker.

Thank you, judge shoreham.

Any more of that, and
I'll have the room cleared.

Have you any further witnesses?

No more, your honor.

I agree with counsel
for the plaintiff.

There's no point in
dragging this out anylonger

thank you.

The court has heard all the facts
and is ready to announce its finding.

Thank you, sir.

I do not intend to defend
the wisdom of this bequest

nor do I intend to base my findings
on the conclusions of the witnesses,

nor on the hearsay evidence
admitted here today.

This will is a legal document.

I have examined it, and I see no
reason to doubt that it was written

by a woman in full
possession of her faculties.

Moreover, plaintiffs have failed to
establish that any undue influence

was exerted by the defendant.

The will is therefore
declared to be good and valid

and the executor shall
carry out its terms as written.

But judge shoreham!

I want it clearly understood,

any attempt to interfere with
the defendant or her property

will be answerable
to this court.

Court is now adjourned.

Bailiff: Quiet! Quiet, please!

Judge Walker, I don't
know how to thank you.

Well, pinky, you won. You
got the house and the land.

And you got justice.

But I doubt if any other interests of
this community have been served.

Come on, darling. Let's go.

All right, Tom. All right.

Big old houses like this
are a drug on the market.

We'll find a good real estate
man and turn it over to him.

We'll auction off the furniture
and the silver separately.

You know, some of those
pieces down there look valuable.

We'll sell them all in your
name, so youwibeindependent

just in case you decide
to run away from me again.

This is quite a room.

Yes.

Oh, say, isn't this
a beautiful fire screen?

Miss em was proud of that. Martha Washington
is supposed to have done the embroidery.

Oh, we can't let this
get away from us.

We'll have it sent
out to Denver.

Denver?

Didn't I tell you? I...

I've accepted a position
in a clinic there.

But all your ties are in Boston,

your family.

Oh. But the...

The publicity.

Oh, it's partly that,

but I've always thought
about moving out west.

Besides, too many people in
Boston know, or they might find out.

Pat, you'll love it in Denver. Some
friends of mine are starting this clinic.

They want me to go in with them.

I can't sell the house, Tom. That
isn't why she left it to me, to sell,

or why I went through
with the trial.

She said, with confidence in the
use to which I'd put the property.

Let's be practical. Her lawyer
had it straight when he said she was

merely, merely trying
to pay off her debt to you.

Now, if you'll let me...
No, that wasn't her reason.

She'd have left it to granny.
She owed her far more.

Miss em accepted
service as her due.

No, she had some purpose,
something she wanted me to do.

Come on now, pat. I know she was
a wonderful old woman and all that,

and she made a deep
impression on you, but she's dead.

Your own life is much more important
than her purpose, if she had one.

It's my life
she was thinking of.

She told me once to be
myself wherever I was.

Well, that's pretty good advice,
but... but you said yesterday,

there'd be no pinky Johnson
after we were married.

How can I be myself?

It was only a figure of speech.

Now, let's get out of this place. You're
letting the trial get under your skin.

Will you forget it?

You mean run away from it, Tom.

This time to Denver, running
away for the rest of our lives.

You're all confused.

No. I'm just beginning
to understand.

She didn't want me to go. She didn't
want me to pretend. We talked about it.

Pat... that's why
she wrote the will.

She thought the house
would keep me here.

But she was wrong.

That's why she wrote it.

She was wrong, wasn't she?

Wasn't she?

I can't go with you.

I'm sick of lying, Tom. We
wouldn't be happy, either of us.

What do you expect to do, crawl into a
closet and live there the rest of your life?

Close the door
andlockil lock everything?

Pat, look at me. Look at me!

Will you come to your senses? You've
got to make a break, get away from it!

I don't want to get away
from anything.

I'm a negro. I can't
forget it, and I can't deny it.

I can't pretend to be anything else,
and I don't want to be anything else.

Don't you see, Tom?

No, I don't.

You can't live without pride.

I'm sorry, Tom.

I'll never forget you
or what you tried to do.

But please go now.
Don't say anything.

Just go.

What did you mean, miss em?

Tell me.

Pinky: Come here a minute.

I'm sure you will.

Miss pinky, you have to do
something about aunt dicey.

What is it this time?

She's been at that
new sterilizer again.

Every time I sterilize the sheets, she puts
'em back. Says they ain't white enough.

I'll speak to her about it, but
I doubt if it'll do much good.

Lunch is laid out.

All right. I'll get them in.

Good morning, miss pinky.
Hello, teejoe.

Teejoe is gonna do a little
flying. That right, teejoe?

Yes, Dr. Canady.

Well, pinky. Hello, Dr. Joe.

Mornin', doctor.
Mornin', doctor.

Uh, thought I'd look in
on the Freeman boy.

He's in the dining room.

English - us - psdh