Original subtitles

FRANKIE WAS PROBABLY THE MOST

NATURALLY TALENTED PERFORMER

I'D EVER SEEN.

HE WAS...

ENERGETIC, DYNAMIC,

CHARISMATIC.

HE GOT ON THAT STAGE,

AND, BABY, HE WAS HUGE,

BIGGER THAN LIFE.

SEE, YOU ALL

GOT TO UNDERSTAND.

BY THE TIME I MET FRANKIE,

HE WAS A RECORD-DEAL-NEEDING,

BROKE-ASS,

SCAM-ON-HIS-MAMA-FOR-A-FIX

DRUGGIE.

HELL, THE BOY HAD

SO MANY NEEDLE MARKS ON HIM,

I THOUGHT HE WAS

A GODDAMN PINCUSHION.

HMPH. A CUTE PINCUSHION,

WHO COULD SING

HIS LITTLE ASS OFF.

FRANKIE WAS

A PERFECT GENTLEMAN.

WE HAD

A WONDERFUL COURTSHIP.

HE USED TO BRING ME FLOWERS

AND WRITE ME POETRY AND...

NOBODY COULD DO IT

LIKE FRANKIE LYMON.

HE WAS A JUNKIE

MOTHERFUCKER.

HE WAS THE LOVE

OF MY LIFE.

[APPLAUSE]

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I CAN

SAY ABOUT THIS NEXT ACT.

WHAT CAN YOU SAY

BUT "SENSATIONAL"

ALL OVER THE WORLD.

FRANKIE LYMON

AND THE TEENAGERS!

♪ YEAH, DA-DOOM BOP,

DA-DOOM BOP ♪

♪ DA-DOOM BOP

DUH DUH ♪

♪ OOH WAH OOH WAH ♪

♪ OOH-OOH WAH OOH WAH ♪

♪ OOH WAH OOH WAH ♪

♪ WHY DO BIRDS

SING SO GAY ♪

♪ AND LOVERS AWAIT

THE BREAK OF DAY? ♪

♪ WHY DO THEY FALL

IN LOVE? ♪

♪ WHY DOES THE RAIN

FALL FROM UP ABOVE? ♪

♪ WHY DO FOOLS

FALL IN LOVE? ♪

♪ WHY DO THEY FALL

IN LOVE? ♪

♪ WHY DO BIRDS

SING SO GAY? ♪

Diana Ross: ♪ AND LOVERS AWAIT

THE BREAK OF DAY? ♪

♪ WHY DO THEY FALL

IN LOVE? ♪

CUTE, HUH?

DIANA ROSS' NEW SONG.

MISS GIRL DON'T

CUT NOTHIN' BUT HITS.

♪ FALL FROM UP ABOVE? ♪

♪ WHY DO FOOLS ♪

WHERE YOU GOING?

LOOK, IT GOT TO

CALL MY LAWYER.

Guard: SINCE WHEN

YOU GOT A LAWYER?

SINCE JUST NOW.

INFORMATION? IS THERE SOME

KIND OF 5-5-5 NUMBER

FOR A L-A-Y-W-E-R?

A LAWYER.

COME ON,

THIS IS INFORMATION.

I NEED SOME INFORMATION

ABOUT A LAWYER.

Diana Ross:

♪ FOR THAT FOOL IS ME ♪

♪ TELL ME WHY ♪

YES?

PETER MARKOWITZ,

ATTORNEY FOR

ELIZABETH WATERS LYMON.

SIGN HERE, PLEASE.

[BUZZ]

HI.

ELIZABETH LYMON.

ELIZABETH LYMON.

OH, MRS. LYMON.

ELIZABETH, I'M--I'M

PETER MARKOWITZ.

ELIZABETH LYMON.

WHY THEY SEND YOU?

UH, LEGAL REFERRAL SENDS

WHOEVER'S AVAILABLE.

PLEASE.

UH, MY CONTACT SAID

THERE WAS A DISPUTE

OVER ROYALTIES.

IS THAT--

HOW OLD ARE YOU?

YOU LOOK KIND OF YOUNG.

I'M 30.

30? DAMN.

I SWEAR, IF YOU'RE

BROKE OR IN JAIL,

YOU GET THE KIDS

JUST STARTING OUT

ON THE BOTTOM RUNG

OUT FOR A BUCK.

I'M HARDLY BOTTOM RUNG,

MRS. LYMON,

OR SHOULD I SAY

MICKEY WATERS,

ALIAS ELIZABETH PHILLIPS,

ALIAS JOSEPHINE PHILLIPS--

OK, OK, SO YOU DID YOUR

HOMEWORK. WHOOP-DEE-DOO.

DON'T HAVE A COW,

ALL RIGHT?

WHAT ARE YOU IN FOR,

THIS TIME?

I RIPPED OFF SOME CLOTHES

AND SHIT, BUT LOOK...

I ONLY GOT 7 MONTHS LEFT,

SO LET'S JUST MOVE ON.

NOW, YOU KNOW ANYTHING

ABOUT THE RECORD BUSINESS?

I KNOW I LIKE MUSIC.

YOU KNOW YOU LIKE MUSIC.

TCH.

LOOK, I WAS MARRIED

TO FRANKIE LYMON.

OK.

FRANKIE LYMON, SANG

WITH THE TEENAGERS,

REMEMBER THEM?

BEFORE YOUR TIME.

ANYWAY, LOOK, WHEN

FRANKIE WAS ALIVE,

HE WROTE A LOT OF TUNES,

AND ONE OF THEM WAS CALLED

WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE.

THAT'S THE SONG

DIANA ROSS HAS OUT.

DIANA'S SINGING IT,

BUT FRANKIE WROTE IT.

SINCE HE DIED, THEY'VE

BEEN USING THAT SONG

IN THE FILM

AMERICAN GRAFFITI,

A GREETING CARD

COMMERCIAL,

AND NOW DIANA'S

TURNING IT GOLD AGAIN.

I'M HIS WIFE, SO I

SHOULD GET PAID, RIGHT?

IF FRANKIE WROTE THE SONG,

THEN HE MUST OWN

AT LEAST PART OF THE PUBLISHING

AND ITS COPYRIGHT,

THEREBY MAKING IT

PART OF HIS ESTATE,

SO, UH, YEAH, YOU'D

BE DUE THOSE EARNINGS.

OH, YES! ALL RIGHT!

THAT'S WHAT I WANTED

TO HEAR.

I'M GONNA GET PAID,

SISTER.

EXCUSE ME.

EXCUSE ME.

MRS. LYMON,

WHAT LABEL WAS HE ON?

UH, ROULETTE RECORDS.

ROULETTE?

CALL THE OWNER.

MORRIS LEVY. ALL RIGHT?

BUT IF YOU DO,

SPRAY THE RECEIVER.

THE GUY'S SO SLIMY,

YOU MIGHT GET HEAD LICE

FROM THE PHONE.

♪ TELL ME WHY ♪

♪ AH AH AH ♪

♪ AH AH HIY ♪

♪ TELL ME WHY ♪

HO HO HO.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

THANKS A LOT.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

HEY, SANTA.

HERE YOU GO.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

HA HA HA.

JINGLE ALL THE WAY.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, SISTER.

JINGLE BELLS.

JINGLE BELLS.

JINGLE ALL THE WAY.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

MAY I HELP YOU?

YES, I'M ELIZABETH LYMON.

I'M HERE TO SEE MORRIS LEVY

ABOUT MY CHECK.

HE'S EXPECTING YOU.

THAT'S WHAT I

WANTED TO HEAR.

FOLLOW ME.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Elizabeth, with radio: ♪ WE WISH

YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS ♪

♪ WE WISH YOU

A MERRY CHRISTMAS, WE-- ♪

HEY, ELIZABETH.

WHAT ARE YOU

DOING HERE?

WE HAVE A SITUATION.

THE ONLY SITUATION

I'M INTERESTED IN

IS WHERE IS MY DOUGH?

HEY, MORRIS.

THIS IS

LAWRENCE ROBERTS.

HE'S AN ATTORNEY

FROM L.A.

AND THIS, IT SEEMS,

IS MRS. FRANKIE LYMON.

OH, NO.

OH, MISS THING

KNOWS ME.

AS YOU CAN SEE,

WE SEEM TO HAVE ONE

MRS. LYMON TOO MANY.

WAIT A MINUTE. I KNOW YOU AIN'T

CAME ALL THE WAY UP TO NEW YORK

IN THAT CHEAP-ASS

NYLON WIG TALKING SHIT

WHEN YOU KNOW THAT ME

AND FRANKIE WAS MARRIED.

OH, PLEASE.

HE DROPPED YOU LIKE

A WHORE'S PANTIES.

WHY, YOU BALD-HEADED,

GIRDLE-WEARING,

FAKE-FUR-WEARING BITCH.

SIT YOUR NAPPY-HEADED

ASS DOWN, BITCH.

I'M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS.

Morris: LADIES, COME ON.

ZOLA. ELIZABETH.

COME ON, IT'S OBVIOUS

THAT I'VE GOT A VESTED INTEREST

IN THIS SITUATION.

YOU KNOW?

SO SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL ME--

WHO WAS MARRIED TO FRANKIE

WHEN HE DIED?

THIS IS FRANKIE AND ELIZABETH'S

MARRIAGE LICENSE.

IT'S DATED

JANUARY 23, 1964.

SCREW THAT.

IT'S ABOUT THIS.

MISS GIRL HERE

WAS MARRIED

TO CHARLES PHILLIPS

BACK IN '59.

REMEMBER?

WELL, SHE WAS OBVIOUSLY

DIVORCED BY THE TIME--

Roberts: NO,

I DON'T THINK SO.

THIS IS A COPY

OF THE DIVORCE DECREE.

YOUR CLIENT

AND CHARLES PHILLIPS

WEREN'T DIVORCED

UNTIL 1965.

MEANWHILE,

I MARRIED FRANKIE

OCTOBER 8, 1965,

IN MEXICALI, MEXICO.

PLUS WE HAVE A CONTRACT

WITH MR. LEVY

STATING THAT ZOLA

GETS 15 GRAND,

PLUS 20% OF

FUTURE ROYALTIES

AS LONG AS SHE PROVES

SHE'S FRANKIE LYMON'S WIDOW.

WAIT. THIS IS THE SAME DEAL

YOU CUT WITH ELIZABETH.

AND TRIED

TO CUT WITH ME.

I TRIED TO

STOP THEM, SIR.

Morris: IT'S ALL RIGHT.

EMIRA, THIS ELIZABETH WATERS,

PETER MARKOWITZ,

LAWRENCE ROBERTS

AND ZOLA TAYLOR.

EVERYBODY,

THIS IS--

MRS. FRANKIE LYMON.

WHAT?!

WHAT?!

AND THIS IS MY ATTORNEY,

EZRA GRAHME.

THAT'S RIGHT. AND WE'RE

ON OUR WAY TO COURT

TO FILE A STAY AGAINST

THESE PROCEEDINGS,

AND WE ARE SUING YOU,

MR. LEVY,

FOR ALL BACK ROYALTIES

YOU ILLEGALLY COLLECTED

WHEN YOU PUT YOUR NAME

ON FRANKIE'S SONGS.

EXCUSE ME?

FRANKIE AND I

WERE MARRIED

JUNE 30, 1967,

IN AUGUSTA, GEORGIA.

WE WERE STILL MARRIED

WHEN FRANKIE DIED.

I PAID FOR HIS FUNERAL,

AND I DON'T RECALL

SEEING ANY OF YOU THERE.

OH, PLEASE,

DON'T EVEN PLAY ME,

NOT COMING IN HERE WEARING

WHITE AFTER LABOR DAY

LOOKING LIKE SOME OLD

DOWN-HOME SCHOOLMARM.

YES, I AM A DOWN-HOME

SCHOOLMARM.

I TEACH

HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH,

A CLASS YOU

OBVIOUSLY SKIPPED.

OH, NO, SHE DIDN'T.

NO, SHE DIDN'T!

IT'S BAD ENOUGH I'VE GOT

TO DEAL WITH THIS BITCH,

LET ALONE NOW

YOUR COUNTRY-APPLE ASS!

WHO YOU CALLING

A BITCH?!

[ARGUING]

SHOULD I CALL THE COPS?!

YEAH, BABY,

YOU CALL THE POLICE

AND TELL THEM WE GOT

2 IMPOSTORS UP HERE

RUNNING A SCAM, BECAUSE

I'M MRS. FRANKIE LYMON.

I'M MRS. FRANKIE LYMON!

I AM

MRS. FRANKIE LYMON.

JESUS CHRIST,

IT'S A GODDAMN GAME SHOW.

SHE LYING.

YOU LIED TO ME.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN,

I'M LYING?

I BURIED FRANKIE.

ALL MRS. LYMONS

SHUT UP, DAMN IT!

DON'T YOU TELL ME

TO SHUT UP!

Elizabeth: WHO THE HELL

ARE YOU TELLING TO SHUT UP?

Bailiff: HEAR YE, HEAR YE,

SURROGATE COURT

OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

IS NOW IN SESSION.

ALL RISE.

THE HONORABLE

SARAH D'ANGELO PRESIDING.

DRAW YE NEAR

AND YE SHALL BE HEARD.

Judge: PLEASE SIT.

[BANGS GAVEL]

THIS PROCEEDING IS

FOR LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION

FOR THE ESTATE OF FRANK

JOSEPH LYMON DECEASED.

IS THAT CORRECT?

Peter:

YES, YOUR HONOR.

Grahme: YES, MA'AM.

AND AM I TO UNDERSTAND

THAT THERE ARE 3 WOMEN HERE

CLAIMING TO BE THE ALLEGED

WIDOW OF THE DECEDENT?

Roberts:

YES, YOUR HONOR.

Grahme:

YES, YOUR HONOR.

OK. MR. ROBERTS, PRESENT

YOUR FIRST WITNESS, PLEASE.

I'D LIKE TO CALL

MR. RICHARD BARRETT

TO THE STAND,

YOUR HONOR.

MY NAME IS RICHARD BARRETT.

FOR 32 YEARS, I'VE MANAGED

AND PRODUCED ENTERTAINERS.

AND DURING THOSE 32 YEARS,

MR. BARRETT,

DID YOU HAVE THE OCCASION

TO MANAGE FRANKIE LYMON?

I MANAGED

AND PRODUCED FRANKIE.

MM-HMM. AND WHEN WAS

THAT MR. BARRETT?

1955.

YOU SEE, IN 1955,

HE AND HIS GROUP

USED TO SING

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW.

♪ DO FOOLS ♪

♪ FALL IN LOVE ♪

HEY, MR. BARRETT,

GIVE US A RECORD DEAL!

COME ON!

WHO WROTE THAT SONG?

WE DID.

I'LL BE RIGHT DOWN.

Richard:

I KNEW MORRIS LEVY

AND GEORGE GOLDNER,

HIS PARTNER,

AND THEY WERE LOOKING

FOR LATIN GROUPS TO RECORD.

NOW, HERMAN SANTIAGO,

THE LEAD SINGER AT THE TIME,

IS PUERTO RICAN.

I SOLD MORRIS

ON THE TEENAGERS

BY TELLING HIM

THEY WERE A LATIN GROUP.

[LATIN MUSIC PLAYING]

ON THE DAY OF THE AUDITION,

THINGS DIDN'T GO EXACTLY

THE WAY I'D PLANNED.

I CALLED HIM 3 TIMES.

CALL HIS HOUSE!

I'LL CALL HIM.

SHERMAN,

IS IT RINGING?

PLEASE BE THERE.

HEY. HERE HE IS.

HERE HE IS.

HERMAN.

MR. BARRETT,

HE'S SICK.

WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED

TO DO, POSTPONE?

NO, IT'S OK. WE DON'T

POSTPONE. WE GO ON.

WE GO ON, WE DO IT.

I GOT HERE, ALL RIGHT?

WAIT A MINUTE.

I WROTE THE SONG

WITH HERMAN,

AND I KNOW

THE HIGH PART.

I COULD SING IT.

YEAH, HE COULD DO IT.

DON'T BULLSHIT ME.

I CAN DO IT. I CAN.

I PROMISE.

Morris: VERY GOOD.

I'LL GET BACK TO YOU GUYS.

HEY! HOW YOU DOING?

PRETTY GOOD, YEAH.

THESE ARE THE GUYS

I TOLD YOU ABOUT.

Joe: HOW YOU DOING,

MR. MORRIS?

THESE GUYS LOOK

PRETTY UN-SPANISH.

Richard: JUST LISTEN

TO THEM, ALL RIGHT?

GOOD-BYE, BOYS.

MUCHAS GRACIAS.

MUY BUENO.

GET OFF MY BACK.

Joe: COME ON,

YOU CAN DO THIS.

ALL RIGHT, OK, ALL RIGHT.

TAKE IT EASY.

Frankie: 1, 2, 3, 4.

♪ HEY, DOOM BOP,

DA-DOOM BOP ♪

♪ DA-DOOM BOP

DA-DUH DUH ♪

♪ OOH WAH OOH WAH ♪

♪ OOH-OOH WAH OOH WAH ♪

♪ OOH-OOH WAH OOH WAH ♪

♪ WHY DO FOOLS

FALL IN LOVE? ♪

♪ YEAH, DOOM ♪

♪ WHY DO BIRDS

SING SO GAY ♪

♪ AND LOVERS AWAIT

THE BREAK OF DAY? ♪

♪ WHY DO THEY FALL

IN LOVE? ♪

♪ WHY DOES THE RAIN

FALL FROM UP ABOVE? ♪

♪ WHY DO FOOLS

FALL IN LOVE? ♪

♪ WHY DO THEY FALL

IN LOVE? ♪

Richard: MORRIS WAS OUT

OF THE MAMBO BUSINESS

AND INTO THE DOO-WOP

BUSINESS. HA HA HA.

WE GOT A DEAL?

WE GOT A DEAL?

YOU KNOW SOMETHING? HE MADE

BEAUCOUP BUCKS ON FRANKIE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

Morris:

WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

FRANKIE LYMON.

Richard: THE RECORD WENT GOLD,

AND FRANKIE WAS A HIT.

AND THE WOMEN...

HA HA...

THEY COULDN'T

RESIST HIM.

AND WAS ZOLA TAYLOR

ONE OF THOSE WOMEN?

OH, YEAH.

ZOLA WAS ONE OF THEM.

MM-HMM. AND DID YOU

KNOW ABOUT A MARRIAGE

BETWEEN SHE

AND FRANKIE LYMON?

YEAH. IT WAS

PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE.

NO FURTHER QUESTIONS,

YOUR HONOR.

HEY, EVERYBODY!

THE REAL THING IS IN TOWN!

AND DON'T YOU

EVER FORGET IT.

I AM THE ORIGINATOR.

I AM THE EMANCIPATOR.

I'M THE MAN

THAT STARTED IT ALL,

AND BEFORE ME WAS NOTHING.

I'VE BEEN ABUSED. I'VE BEEN

MISUSED. I AIN'T NO FOOL.

[GAVEL POUNDING]

Judge: SETTLE DOWN.

MR. PENNIMAN.

YES, YES,

YES, YES.

MR. PENNIMAN!

YES, BAILIFF.

RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR THE

TESTIMONY YOU'RE ABOUT TO GIVE

IN THE MATTER PENDING BEFORE

THIS COURT TO BE THE TRUTH,

THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING

BUT THE TRUTH, SO HELP YOU GOD?

I DO, DO, DO, DO, DO!

I DO!

[LAUGHTER]

STATE YOUR NAME AND

OCCUPATION, MR. PENNIMAN.

MY LEGAL NAME

IS RICHARD PENNIMAN,

BUT I'M KNOWN TO EVERYBODY

AS LITTLE RICHARD,

THE ARCHITECT

OF ROCK AND ROLL.

[CHEERING, APPLAUSE]

[GAVEL POUNDING]

I AM THE ORIGINATOR!

I AM THE INNOVATOR!

I AM THE EMANCIPATOR!

I'M THE MOTIVATOR!

I CONCEIVED

AND ACHIEVED IT,

DEFINED AND REFINED IT.

MOLD AND SOULED IT.

THEN THE WHITE MAN

STOLE IT.

[APPLAUSE]

[GAVEL POUNDING]

ALL RIGHT.

OH, YES.

STOLE MY--♪ WHOO ♪

STOLE MY WOP BOP A LOO BOP

A LOP BAM BOOM.

TOOK ALL MY COPYRIGHTS.

PUT OUT COVERS ON ME.

WHY DO YOU THINK THEY

CALL IT RHYTHM AND BLUES?

AND, MR. PENNIMAN,

DO YOU THINK THAT'S WHAT

HAPPENED TO FRANKIE LYMON?

BABY, MORRIS DIDN'T

EVEN USE NO VASELINE.

OW!

OW!

SHUT UP.

NOW, THEN, MR. PENNIMAN,

DO YOU KNOW ZOLA TAYLOR?

OH, YES.

HI, BABE.

HEY, BABE.

AND DID YOU KNOW

ABOUT A MARRIAGE

BETWEEN SHE

AND FRANKIE LYMON?

EVERYBODY KNEW ABOUT IT.

BESIDES, I KNEW

THEY WAS MARRIED

'CAUSE FRANK

WAS CRAZY ABOUT HER.

AND HOW DID YOU

KNOW THAT?

GO AHEAD, RICHARD.

TELL IT.

ME AND FRANKIE

WERE BEST FRIENDS.

AND I WAS THERE

FROM THE JUMP.

Little Richard:

WE USED TO TOUR TOGETHER

WITH THE ALAN FREED SHOW

BACK IN 1956.

Usher:

TAKE YOUR TIME, PLEASE.

TICKETS. TICKETS RIGHT HERE.

HURRY UP!

LET'S GO!

COME ON!

IN THE BALCONY!

♪ OOH OOH ♪

♪ TOO REAL IS THIS FEELING

OF MAKE-BELIEVE ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪

♪ TOO REAL WHEN I FEEL ♪

♪ WHAT MY HEART ♪

♪ CAN'T CONCEAL ♪

♪ OH, YES,

I'M THE GREAT PRETENDER ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪

♪ JUST LAUGHIN' AND GAY ♪

♪ LIKE A CLOWN ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪

♪ I SEEM TO BE ♪

♪ WHAT I'M NOT ♪

♪ YOU SEE ♪

♪ I'M WEARING MY HEART ♪

♪ LIKE A CROWN ♪

♪ PRETENDING THAT YOU'RE ♪

♪ STILL AROUND ♪

♪ STILL AROUND ♪

Alan Freed:

FABULOUS, HUH?

THE PLATTERS.

BABY, YOU ARE

ONE FINE THING.

OOH!

OUCH! YOU WANT ME

TO GET YOU SOME ICE?

BOY, YOU BETTER LEAVE

THAT STREET SHIT

IN THE STREETS FOR HER.

Freed: SWEEPING

THE CHARTS TODAY...

WELL, UH,

YOU JUST HANG HERE

AND EXPERIENCE

SOME OF MY STREET SHIT.

GO GET 'EM,

DADDY-O.

GO, GO, GO, GO.

Sherman:

♪ BABY, BABY ♪

♪ BABY, BABY,

HOW I WANT YOU ♪

♪ BABY, BABY,

HOW I NEED YOU ♪

♪ BABY, BABY,

YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE ♪

♪ 2 ♪

♪ 3, 4 ♪

♪ BABY, BABY,

HOW I MISS YOU ♪

♪ BABY, BABY,

LONG TO KISS YOU ♪

♪ BABY, BABY,

SAY YOU WANT ME, TOO ♪

♪ 3 ♪

♪ 4, 5 ♪

♪ YOU'RE

MY FAVORITE NUMBER ♪

♪ ALL THAT COUNTS IS YOU ♪

♪ I'M SO GLAD

IT'S YOU I WANT ♪

♪ I'M SO GLAD

YOU WANT ME, TOO ♪

♪ BABY, BABY,

WANT TO BRING YOU ♪

♪ BABY, BABY,

A WEDDING RING, TOO ♪

♪ BABY, BABY,

SO WE'LL BE 3 ♪

♪ 4 ♪

♪ 5, 6 ♪

♪ COME ON, BABY, BABY ♪

♪ WHEN I'M NEAR YOU ♪

♪ BABY, BABY,

I WOULD LIKE TO ♪

♪ BABY, BABY,

HAVE A NUMBER 7 ♪

♪ 8 ♪

♪ 9, 10 ♪

♪ YOU'RE

MY FAVORITE NUMBER ♪

♪ ALL THAT COUNTS IS YOU ♪

♪ I'M SO GLAD

IT'S YOU I WANT ♪

♪ I'M SO GLAD

YOU WANT ME, TOO ♪

♪ BABY, BABY,

I WILL THANK YOU ♪

♪ BABY, BABY,

YOU KNOW YOU LIKE TO ♪

♪ BABY, BABY,

TILL THE CLOCK STRIKES 9 ♪

♪ 10 ♪

♪ 11, 12 ♪

GO HOME.

THAT'S ALL.

BYE-BYE.

Little Richard:

THAT-A-WAY, FRANKIE!

YEAH!

Little Richard: YEAH,

FRANKIE HAD THE HEAT,

AND EVERYBODY FELT IT.

CAMERA ONE.

SOUND. ACTION.

♪ YEAH, DOOM BOP,

DA-DOOM BOP ♪

♪ DA-DOOM BOP

DUH DUH ♪

♪ OOH WAH OOH WAH ♪

♪ OOH-OOH WAH OOH WAH ♪

♪ OOH-OOH WAH OOH WAH ♪

♪ WHY DO FOOLS

FALL IN LOVE? ♪

Director: KEEP IT GOING.

OK, SOUND IS PERFECT.

VERY GOOD. OK.

♪ AH AH HIY ♪

♪ TELL ME WHY ♪

Technical director:

HEY, WHO'S THAT GIRL?

WHO IS THIS?

HE'S DANCING

WITH A WHITE GIRL.

Director: GET THAT GIRL

OFF THE STAGE NOW!

IT'S A LITTLE LATE.

IT'S LIVE TV, GUYS.

Little Richard:

THE SHOW WAS LIVE.

AND, BABY, FRANKIE DANCED

WITH A WHITE GIRL

ON TV IN WHITE FOLKS'

HOMES?

CAUSED A SCANDAL, HONEY.

THE NETWORK CANCELED

THE BIG BEAT

BEFORE I COULD

EVEN GET ON IT.

SO YOU KNOW IT WAS

A SCANDALOUS THING, CHILD.

BUT IT HELPED TO MAKE

FRANKIE THE MAN.

Platters: ♪ BABY, LAY ME,

LAY ME, LAY ME LOW ♪

NO.

SOMEBODY NEED TO LAY YOU ALL

TO REST 'CAUSE YOU'RE FLAT.

MAYBE YOU SHOULD CHANGE

YOUR NAME TO THE FLATTERS.

Platters: ♪ BABY, LAY ME,

LAY ME, LAY ME LOW ♪

♪ BABY, LAY ME, LAY ME,

LAY ME LOW ♪

♪ BABY, LAY ME,

LAY ME, LAY ME, LAY ME ♪

♪ LAY ME, LAY ME, LAY ME,

LAY ME LOW ♪

Bus driver:

HOLD IT DOWN.

WE IN CICERO NOW.

JUST EAT, PEE,

AND DON'T PISS OFF

THE WHITE FOLKS, OK?

IN OTHER WORDS,

BE INCOG-NEGRO, Y'ALL.

OH, MAN.

♪ I NEED ♪

♪ HUNGRY LOVE ♪

RICHARD, CAN I BORROW

A COUPLE OF BUCKS?

HI.

Little Richard: HELL,

ALL I KNOW IS I'M HUNGRY.

OH, LORD.

I GUESS CHITLINS

IS OUT OF THE QUESTION.

SHUT UP.

WHOA, WHOA, WHOA,

WAIT.

HOW COME YOU ALWAYS

STOMPIN' ON MY HEART?

YOU PREFER I PEE ON IT?

THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN

YOU DON'T LET ME OFF THIS BUS.

Little Richard: WELL,

IS EVERYBODY HUNGRY?

HEY, HOW COME

Y'ALL DIDN'T--

[CLEARS THROAT]

[QUIETLY] HOW COME

Y'ALL DIDN'T WAIT FOR ME?

WE FIGURED YOU KNOW

YOUR WAY TO THE TABLE.

EXCUSE ME. WE'D LIKE

TO ORDER, PLEASE.

FOOD, SWEETHEART.

AREN'T YOU LITTLE RICHARD?

WELL, I BETTER BE.

AND YOU! WHY,

YOU'RE FRANKIE LYMON!

YEAH.

AAH! JEEZ, IT'S FRANKIE LYMON

AND LITTLE RICHARD!

THEY'RE HERE!

OH, JEEZ, HI.

I HAVE ALL YOUR RECORDS.

COULD I JUST GET

A LITTLE AUTOGRAPH?YEAH.

CAN WE GET A LITTLE

SOMETHING TO EAT?

LITTLE RICHARD

AND FRANKIE LYMON ARE HERE!

OH, MAN!

OH, YOU CAN JUST HAVE

ANYTHING YOU WANT TO EAT.

WILL YOU JUST HOLD MY HAND

FOR A SECOND? OH, GOD.

CHEESEBURGERS.

OK. OH, THE PLATTERS!

♪ OOH OOH OOH ♪

[HERMAN

SPEAKING SPANISH]

iFíJATE!

WHAT'S WRONG?

WHAT'S WRONG

WITH THE TEENAGER?

I DON'T KNOW.

SAY, UH, DIG THAT.

Sherman: DIG WHAT?

RIGHT THERE.

Joe: IT'S A SHAME.

HEY, FRANKIE,

WHERE YOU GOING?

Little Richard:

LEAVE HIM ALONE.

HE'S JUST

BEING FRANKIE.

LOOK AT

YOUR BUSINESS.

SAY, HOLD ON A SECOND.

YOU WANT TO COME IN

FOR A CUP OF COFFEE

OR SOME LUNCH

OR SOMETHING?

NO.

WHY DON'T YOU

TAKE THIS ALL RIGHT?

JUST DON'T DRINK IT

ALL UP, OK?

BE COOL.

THANK YOU.

THAT WAS DECENT.

I KNOW. MOST OF THOSE

GUYS ARE ALCOHOLICS.

COULD'VE BEEN MY DAD.

I MEAN, HE'S SORT OF...

WELL, HE'S KIND

OF A BUM, TOO.

COME ON. LET'S GET

SOMETHING TO EAT.

SO TELL ME

ABOUT YOUR DADDY.

UH, HE LEFT US

8 MONTHS AGO.

I DON'T KNOW.

IT MUST'VE GOT TO HIM

I WAS THE ONE

MAKING ENOUGH MONEY

TO PAY FOR ALL THE BILLS,

AND HE WASN'T.

YOU KNOW, HE'S THE ONE

WHO STARTED ME SINGING.

REALLY?

YEAH.

HE HAD A GOSPEL GROUP

WHEN I WAS A KID,

AND ME AND MY BROTHERS

USED TO SING WITH HIM.

WE USED TO HAVE

A LOT OF FUN.

IT DON'T MATTER NOW.

HE WAS A DRUNK.

ANYTIME I TURNED AROUND,

HE WAS BEATING ON US.

Waitress:

WHEN YOU'RE READY.

UH, LET ME

TAKE CARE OF THIS.

BECAUSE IF YOU

HAVEN'T HEARD,

MY RECORD'S NUMBER 3!

YEAH!

YEAH!

Joe: THAT'S RIGHT.

NUMBER 3.

NO, NO. YOU BETTER LET ME

TAKE CARE OF THIS,

'CAUSE IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD,

MY RECORD IS NUMBER ONE.

OOH!

OOH!

Platter:

YOU TELL HIM, ZOLA.

Sherman:

THAT'S RIGHT, FRANKIE.

Little Richard: ♪ WOP BOP

A LOO MOP A LOP BUMP BUMP ♪

♪ TUTTI-FRUTTI,

OH, RUTTI ♪

♪ TUTTI-FRUTTI, WHOO ♪

♪ TUTTI-FRUTTI,

HEY, OH, RUTTI ♪

♪ TUTTI-FRUTTI,

OH, RUTTI ♪

♪ TUTTI-FRUTTI, OH, RUTTI ♪

WHOO!

NO, NO, NO! THE KING,

YOU STUPID PLATTER.

ARE YOU PLAYING

TO LOSE?

COME ON!

STOP IT!

[ARGUING]

Morris: THIS IS BUSINESS!

IT'S BUSINESS!

IT WAS NOT

MY DECISION, OK?

TALK TO MORRIS,

ALL RIGHT?

NO, YOU TALK TO ME!

DON'T YOU WALK AWAY

FROM ME, iCABRóN!

I STARTED THIS GROUP, OK?

DON'T EVER TURN YOUR BACK ON ME!

I WILL KICK YOUR ASS!

COME ON! HEY!

FRANKIE!

DON'T YOU SEE HE'S

TRYING TO BREAK US UP?

YOU'VE BEEN WALKING

WITH THIS ALL DAMN NIGHT.

WHAT DOES THIS SAY?

OUT IN THE COLD AGAIN.

AND ON THE OTHER SIDE,

MIRACLE IN THE RAIN.

THAT'S FRANKIE LYMON.

THERE'S NO TEENAGERS.

THERE'S NO GROUP.

THERE'S NO NOTHING.

THIS SOLO SHIT HAS BEEN PLANNED

FROM THE GATE, WASN'T IT?

YOU KNEW ALL ALONG.

WE WERE A FAMILY!

WE CAME UP TOGETHER!

I SWEAR,

IT WASN'T MY DECISION.

YOU WANT TO WALK? FINE.

BUT FAMILY DOESN'T DO THAT.

FAMILY AIN'T BOUND

BY CONTRACTS.

THAT'S LOW.

WE'RE STILL FAMILY.

NO, FRANKIE.

THANKS A LOT,

FRANKIE.

FRANKIE, HE'S CRAZY.

YOU WANT A DRINK?

I DON'T WANT A DRINK.

JUST LEAVE ME ALONE.

[CHILDREN YELLING]

FRANKIE?

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

[SIGHS]

HERMAN WAS RIGHT.

I...KNEW THEY WANTED ME

TO GO SOLO 2 MONTHS AGO.

BUT THE WAY

MORRIS HANDLED IT--

SO CHICKENSHIT.

WELL, HE'S

A CHICKENSHIT GUY, FRANKIE.

I THOUGHT HE'D AT LEAST

KEEP THE TEENAGERS

TOGETHER, YOU KNOW?

YEAH.

THOSE ARE

MY FRIENDS, ZOLA.

WE GREW UP TOGETHER.

WE DID EVERYTHING

TOGETHER.

WE'RE LIKE FAMILY.

MORE FAMILY THAN MY OWN,

AND THIS--

THIS IS HOW

I TREAT THEM.

REALLY, I UNDERSTAND.

NO. YOU--

I DO. REALLY.

WHY DON'T YOU AND I

GO FOR A WALK?

WE CAN MAYBE GET A DRINK.

WE CAN TALK.

IT'LL MAKE YOU

FEEL BETTER. HMM?

COME ON.

NOW, SOONER OR LATER,

FRANKIE,

YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE

TO REALIZE, OK,

THAT IT'S YOU

PEOPLE COME TO SEE.

YOU AND THAT FABULOUS

VOICE YOU HAVE.

COME ON. HERE'S TO

FRANKIE'S VOICE.

[LAUGHING]

AHH, MAN.

YOU KNOW,

SOMETIMES MY VOICE,

ME BEING ON STAGE,

IT'S LIKE--

IT'S LIKE

ALL I GOT GOING.

WHEN I'M OUT THERE, I'M NOT JUST

SOME COLORED KID FROM HARLEM

OR SOME GUY RECORD EXECS

ARE FIGHTING OVER.

YOU KNOW, MAN, I'M JUST ME,

AND THAT AUDIENCE--HA HA!

I FEEL ALIVE. I FEEL FREE,

AND I LOVE IT!

FIRST TIME I HEARD YOU SING,

I WAS STANDING IN THE BACK,

I SAW YOU AND SAID,

"THIS GUY IS SO SPECIAL.

HE HAS GOT TO BE

TOUCHED BY GOD."

WHAT YOU HAVE, FRANKIE,

IT'S SO...AMAZING.

I CAN'T EVEN...

IT'S WHAT?

I--I--

FRANKIE, YOU KNOW,

I THINK IT WAS A MISTAKE

THAT I ASKED YOU

TO COME UP HERE.

MAYBE THE MISTAKE WAS...

NOT ASKING ME SOONER.

BABY...

FRANKIE,

HOLD--HOLD ON.

MMM, MMM, MMM.

WHAT...[LAUGHS]

FRANKIE,

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

WAIT. FRANKIE,

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

WAIT. FRANKIE, WAIT.

WHAT?

YOU'RE GONNA

RIP MY DRESS.

OH, I--

IT'S OVER HERE.

RIGHT. RIGHT.

DO IT LIKE THAT.

OH, MAN. MMM!

HA! WAIT.

FRANKIE, WAIT!

FRANKIE. NO.

OH. RIGHT.

IT HOOKS IN THE BACK.

[WHISPERS]

Thank you, God.

[LAUGHING]

Little Richard: FRANKIE TOLD ME

WHAT HAPPENED THE NEXT DAY.

BUT I WASN'T NO FOOL.

EVEN RAY CHARLES COULD SEE

THE TWO OF THEM WAS LIKE

WHITE ON RICE AFTER THAT.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

Roberts:

THANK YOU, MR. PENNIMAN.

NO FURTHER QUESTIONS,

YOUR HONOR.

FINE. THEN THIS WITNESS

IS DISMISSED.

GROOVY!

STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS

FOR THE RECORDS, PLEASE.

ELIZABETH WATERS LYMON,

3639 SOUTH 22nd STREET,

PHILADELPHIA.

ELIZABETH,

WHEN DID YOU FIRST

MEET FRANKIE LYMON?

IN 1961.

SEE, MY FIRST HUSBAND

HAD SPLIT ON ME AND OUR BABY,

SO I LEFT YOLANDA

WITH MY MAMA IN PHILLY,

AND I CAME TO NEW YORK

LOOKING FOR WORK.

WELL, ONE DAY I WAS OUT SHOPPING

AND I RAN INTO FRANKIE.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT

HE WAS FRANKIE LYMON.

YES. I'D LIKE TO SEE

THIS PERFUME HERE, PLEASE.

OF COURSE.

JUST A MOMENT.

THANK YOU.

EXCUSE ME, MISS.

I NEED YOU TO EMPTY

YOUR POCKETS FOR ME.

EXCUSE ME?

I'VE BEEN LOOKING

ALL OVER FOR YOU.

DID YOU FIND THE PERFUME

YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR?

ARE YOU TWO

TOGETHER?

YES. THIS IS THE PERFUME

THAT MAMA LOVES.

LET'S NOT FORGET

THE BRACELET FOR MY MOTHER.

THE REST OF OUR THINGS

ARE AT THE COUNTER.

LET'S PAY FOR IT.

Security man:

I'M WATCHING YOU.

WHAT THE HELL

ARE YOU DOING?

YOU SHOULD

THANK ME, DOLL.

FOR WHAT?

I AIN'T DONE NOTHIN'.

THEN WHAT IS ALL THIS?

DAMN, BABY.

YOU GOT A NURSING SCHOOL?

WHAT'S THIS?

WHAT'S YOUR ANGLE, HUH?

HEY, I DON'T WANT TO SEE

A CUTE THING LIKE YOU

WIND UP IN THE 43rd.

IT'S A SHITHOLE.

HMM.

HEY, WHAT KIND

OF A DOG IS THAT?

A SOMMA DOG.

A SOMMA DOG?

YEAH. SOMMA THIS,

SOMMA THAT.

HA HA HA! I LIKE IT.

HE'S CUTE. YEAH.

SO YOU GOT A DAUGHTER

OR SOMETHING?

YEAH. I GOT

A LITTLE GIRL.

YEAH?

HER NAME IS YOLANDA.

WOW.

SHE'S 8 MONTHS.

BET SHE'S BEAUTIFUL,

JUST LIKE HER MAMA.

SO TELL ME, IS HER

DADDY STILL AROUND?

Elizabeth: HE TOLD ME

HE WAS A SINGER

AND GAVE ME 2 TICKETS

TO HIS SHOW THAT NIGHT.

I NEVER BEEN TO THIS CLUB.

I HEAR IT'S NICE.

MICKEY, WHO IS HE?

I DON'T KNOW,

BUT HE SURE IS CUTE.

HE'S CUTE!

[LAUGHTER]

Redd Foxx: BUT BEFORE I GO,

I JUST WANT TO SAY

IF I'VE OFFENDED

ANYONE HERE TONIGHT

OR UPSET YOU

BY ANYTHING I'VE SAID,

LET ME ADDRESS THAT

WITH THIS...

KISS MY ASS.

[LAUGHTER]

FUNNY MAN. ONE MORE TIME.

REDD FOXX, Y'ALL.

[WHISTLING]

AND NOW COMING TO THE STAGE,

ONE OF THE ALL-TIME GREATS,

PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER,

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

FOR FRANKIE LYMON!

[MUSIC STARTS]

Singers:

♪ BAH-OOP DOO WOP ♪

♪ DOO WOP A WOP ♪

♪ BAH-OOP DOO WOP ♪

♪ DOO WOP A WOP ♪

♪ BAH-OOP DOO WOP ♪

♪ SO YOU MET SOMEONE WHO

SET YOU BACK ON YOUR HEELS ♪

♪ GOODY GOODY ♪

♪ SO YOU MET SOMEONE AND

NOW YOU KNOW HOW IT FEELS ♪

♪ GOODY GOODY ♪

♪ SO YOU GAVE HIM

YOUR HEART, TOO ♪

THAT'S HIM!

THAT'S YOUR FRIEND?!

YES!

AAH!

AAH!

♪ NOW HOW DO YOU DO? ♪

♪ SO YOU'RE LYING AWAKE AND

SINGING THE BLUES ALL NIGHT ♪

♪ GOODY GOODY ♪

♪ SO YOU THINK THAT LOVE'S

A BALL OF DYNAMITE ♪

♪ HOORAY AND HALLELUJAH ♪

♪ YOU HAD IT COMING TO YA ♪

♪ GOODY GOODY FOR HIM ♪

♪ GOODY GOODY FOR ME ♪

♪ AND I HOPE YOU'RE SATISFIED,

YOU RASCAL YOU ♪

♪ HEY! ♪

[CHEERING]

AAH!

♪ SO YOU MET SOMEONE WHO

SET YOU BACK ON YOUR HEELS ♪

♪ GOODY GOODY ♪

♪ SO YOU MET SOMEONE-- ♪

BULLSHIT! FRANKIE DIDN'T

WEAR NO OPEN SHIRT.

HE WAS A CLASS ACT.

ALL RIGHT.

YOUR HONOR.

YOU MAKING HIM OUT

LIKE A WHORE LIKE YOU.

YOU SHUT UP!

YOU SHUT UP!

I'M THE ONE TELLING

THE STORY, MISSY.

IT'S AN A AND B

CONVERSATION.

FRANKIE WAS CLASSY.

MISS TAYLOR, QUIET!

THAT DOESN'T SOUND

LIKE MY FRANKIE.

Judge: SIT DOWN,

MISS TAYLOR, PLEASE.

SIT DOWN.

SIT DOWN.

ALL RIGHT.

CONTINUE, MISS WATERS.

WELL...

♪ YOU'VE BEEN TAKEN

FOR A RIDE ♪

♪ AND I HOPE YOU'RE SATISFIED,

YOU RASCAL YOU! ♪

[THUNDER]

YOU SURE MY FRIEND PAULA

IS GONNA BE ALL RIGHT?

SHE'LL BE FINE.

COME ON.

WHOO!

HA HA HA!

WHOO!

BETTER GET A TOWEL.

THIS IS IT.

COME ON IN HERE.

MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME.

HAVE A SEAT.

YOU KNOW...

THIS IS NORMALLY

NOT THIS MESSY.

I STAY SO BUSY,

I'M ALWAYS GONE,

I HAVEN'T HAD TIME

TO CLEAN UP THE PLACE.

I THOUGHT WITH YOU BEING

A STAR AND EVERYTHING--

YOU THOUGHT

BECAUSE I'M A SINGER

I SHOULD HAVE MAIDS

AND SERVANTS.

WELL, I DON'T.

[CHUCKLES]

SURE DON'T.

IN FACT, THIS AIN'T

EVEN MY PLACE.

I SHARE IT WITH A ROOMMATE

WHO'S ALWAYS GONE.

THAT'S COOL.

I'M NOT JUDGING YOU.

I THINK IT'S FINE.

YOU FINE, TOO.

THANK YOU.

YOU CAN SING, TOO.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

THAT'S ZOLA TAYLOR,

HUH?

YEAH. SHE'S

A GOOD FRIEND.

MMM. SHE'S PRETTY.

SO, YOU GOIN' OUT

WITH HER?

OH, NO.

SEE, THAT'S OLD NEWS.

MM-HMM.

I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.

WHY ME? I'M A NOBODY.

I'M NOT SOME BIG STAR

LIKE MISS ZOLA.

I'M JUST MICKEY.

MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE

YOU'RE NOT SOME BIG STAR.

MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE YOU

THOUGHT I WAS A NICE GUY

BEFORE--BEFORE

YOU KNEW WHO I WAS.

I STILL THINK

YOU'RE NICE.

I THINK

YOU'RE NICE, TOO.

[LAUGHING]

MMM. COME ON.

WHAT'S THAT?

Elizabeth:

WE MOVED IN TOGETHER.

I KNOW, GIRL.

SAID 5 MINUTES.

I BEEN HERE 5 HOURS.

OK. RIGHT HERE

BY THE WALL.

I AIN'T DOIN' THIS

ALL DAY NOW.

RIGHT THERE.

WASTIN' MY SATURDAY.

GIRL,

I'M A LITTLE WOMAN.

I'LL CATCH A HERNIA

MESSING WITH YOU.

GIRL, I'M SORRY

I HAD YOU DRAGGING

THIS HEAVY THING UP

HERE WITH ME.

I SHOULD HAVE GOT

ONE OF THE FELLAS.

IT'S ALL RIGHT.

I LOVE DRAGGING THAT BAD BOY

UP 4 FLIGHTS OF STAIRS

JUST SO YOU AND YOUR

BROKE-ASS JUNKIE BOYFRIEND

CAN BE COMFY-COZY.

HOW YOU GONNA TALK

ABOUT MY MAN LIKE THAT?

COME ON NOW, MICKEY.

THE BOY GOT

A $10-A-DAY HABIT.

WHERE YOU HEAR

THAT LIE FROM?

WHO DO YOU THINK

YOU'RE TALKING TO?

HE'S TAKING YOU FOR A RIDE.

SEEN IT HAPPEN EVERY DAY.

I'M FROM THE STREETS.

I KNOW WHAT IT LOOK LIKE.

WHEN'S THE LAST TIME

HE HAD A RECORD?

HE'S BEEN TRYING.

I GOT A RECORD PLAYER.

I AIN'T HEARD NO RECORDS.

YOU'RE TOO HARD ON HIM.

Frankie: ♪ NO, NO,

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO ♪

Elizabeth:

WELL, IT WAS TRUE.

FRANKIE HADN'T RECORDED

IN YEARS,

AND BY '61,

MUSIC HAD MOVED ON,

AND FRANKIE'S CAREER,

IT WAS ON THE DOWNSLIDE.

HOW YOU DOIN'?

MAKE SURE YOU GET

A GOOD BOOK, ALL RIGHT?

Woman: WILL DO.

HEY, MRS. JOHNSON.

TELL VERNON TO COME SEE ME.

I WILL.

AHH, MICKEY,

SWEET MICKEY.

[ARF ARF]

EASY FOR US.

UP WE GO!

GOL-LY.

NOW, HOW COME YOU

CAN'T DO THAT, HUH?

[WHINES]

AWW...

TEACH HIM.

HEY, FRANKIE.

AW, BABY,

IT'S LOOKING GOOD IN HERE.

WELL, I STILL GOT

TO PAINT AND STUFF,

BUT IT'S COMING ALONG.

HEY, I GOT SOMETHING

FOR YOU, SUNSHINE.

FOR ME?

OH, THAT'S SO SWEET.

[GASPS]

OH, MY GOD!

FRANKIE,

GOD, IS IT MINK?

OF COURSE, IT'S MINK.

TRY IT ON.

HELP ME.

WOW.

NOBODY EVER DONE NOTHING

LIKE THIS FOR ME BEFORE.

I LOVE IT.

I LOVE YOU.

Elizabeth: FRANKIE TOLD ME

HE WAS GONNA GIVE ME EVERYTHING.

Frankie:

STRUT YOUR STUFF.

AND HE DID.

HE WAS SO GOOD TO ME.

I WAS HAPPIER

THAN I HAD EVER BEEN.

WHEN I WAS WITH HIM,

HE MADE ME FEEL LIKE A STAR.

YES! TOLD YOU

I WAS GONNA SHOW YOU THINGS,

NOW COME ON, WOMAN!

Elizabeth:

BUT THEN REALITY HIT...

BIG TIME.

FRANKIE'S DRUG THING...

WELL, IT FORCED ME TO FIND

NEW AND INTERESTING

PLACES TO HIDE CASH.

HEY, FRANKIE.

YOU TALK TO MORRIS

ABOUT AN ADVANCE?

WHAT DID HE SAY?

YEAH.

WHAT YOU THINK?

HE TOLD ME TO BEAT IT.

FORGET HIM, FRANKIE.

FIND YOURSELF A NEW LABEL.

DON'T LET FOLKS

CONTROL YOUR FATE.

YOU KNOW, I SAW ON

WHAT'S MY LINE?

WHERE THIS GUY

NIETZCHE SAID,

"I AM THE MASTER

OF MY FATE,

THE CAPTAIN OF MY SOUL."

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT THAT MEANS?

I DON'T WANT TO HEAR

NO BULLSHIT ABOUT NICKISKI

OR WHOEVER THE FUCK HE IS.

I NEED A GIG, MAN!

FINE. I WAS JUST TRYING TO

SAY SOME KIND WORDS TO YOU.

STAY AT ROULETTE

AND STAY BROKE, THEN.

CAN'T SAY NOTHING TO YOU.

YOU'RE ALWAYS

LECTURING ME.

DAMN!

LOOK, UM,

I NEED SOME MONEY.

NO! THE RENT IS DUE

TOMORROW.

I'M GONNA GIVE IT BACK

TO YOU ON TIME. DAMN!

YOU SAID THAT SHIT

LAST MONTH.

THAT'S WHY WE

AIN'T GOT NO PHONE.

DON'T EMBARRASS ME.

I GOT THIS LANDLORD ASKING

FOR THE RENT TOMORROW.

FRANKIE,

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

[CLANG]

WHERE THE MONEY

I GAVE YOU TO HOLD?

YOU AIN'T GAVE ME

NO MONEY, FRANKIE.

YOU HID IT.

NO, I DIDN'T.

FRANKIE, THIS SHIT

HAS GOT YOU ACTING CRAZY.

YOU WANT ME TO LOOK

THROUGH STUFF?

FRANKIE,

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

WANT ME TO LOOK

FOR THE MONEY?

WHERE THE FUCK

IS MY MONEY?

STOP THAT, FRANKIE!

THAT SHIT GOT YOU ACTING

LIKE YOU'RE CRAZY!

YOU FUCKING CRAZY!

WHERE THE MONEY AT?

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?

YOU'RE WHAT'S

WRONG WITH ME!

YOU'RE WHY I CAN'T GET

OFF THE FUCKING DIME!

ALWAYS LECTURING ME!

I AIN'T DONE NOTHING!

I KNOW YOU GOT THE MONEY

SOMEWHERE AROUND HERE.

ACTING LIKE YOU CRAZY!

YOU GOT THE MONEY!

WHAT'S GOTTEN

INTO YOU?

YOU'RE SUPPOSED

TO BE MY WOMAN!

WHAT IS ALL THIS SHIT

PLAYING GAMES--

♪ IN YOUR EYES ♪

♪ SMOKE GETS IN YOUR ♪

♪ EYES ♪

I DON'T NEED THIS SHIT.

I DAMN SURE DON'T NEED YOU.

YOU REMEMBER THAT.

I'M GONE.

[THE PLATTERS SINGING]

Zola: ♪ HE'S MINE ♪

♪ YES, HE'S

REALLY MINE ♪

♪ HE'S MINE ♪

♪ WOP DOO WOP

DOO WOP ♪

♪ HE'S MINE ♪

♪ WOP DOO WOP

DOO WOP ♪

♪ HE'S MINE ♪

♪ WOP DOO WOP

DOO WOP ♪

♪ REALLY MINE... ♪

Coop: FRANKIE, I WANT

MY MONEY, DAMN IT!

[COOP YELLING]

Coop: I'LL GET YOU,

FRANKIE!

I'LL GET YOU!

FRANKIE, WHAT ARE YOU--

DID YOU GO SEE ZOLA?!

NO! NO!

FRANKIE!

FRANKIE!

OH, MY GOD! FRANKIE!

FRANKIE,

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

FRANKIE,

WHY ARE YOU RUNNING?

GET HIM! GET HIM!

GO! GO!

FRANKIE,

I'M GONNA KILL YOU!

[SHOUTING]

FRANKIE,

OPEN THE DOOR!

GET IN!

FRANKIE,

WHAT IS GOING ON?

SHIT!

OH, SHIT!

WAIT A MINUTE!

YOU AIN'T GOT TIME TO SAY

"HI" TO AN OLD FRIEND?

UNH!

GET THAT MOTHERFUCKER!

GET THAT BOY!

Elizabeth: NO!

LEAVE HIM ALONE! OH!

WHAT Y'ALL DOING?!

UNH! UNH!

UNH! MICKEY!

SO YOU TRY TO POP

AND RUN OUT ON ME?

UNH!

HERE. HERE.

HERE! THAT'S ALL

WE GOT! TAKE IT!

THIS AIN'T SHIT.

[SNICK]

OH, NO! NO!

OK! OK! OK!

OH, NO! PLEASE!

WAIT! NO!

NO! PLEASE!

NO! NO, PLEASE!

IT'S MINK! IT'S MINK!

IT'S REAL!

[SOBBING]

NEXT TIME YOUR MAN

WANTS SOME OF MY SHIT,

HE PAYS UP FRONT IN CASH.

OK.

NO!

UNH!

GET MY MONEY!

[COUGHING]

IT'S OK. JUST GO.

JUST GO.

[SOBS]

FRANKIE.

FRANKIE.

[COUGHS]

OH, BABY.

IT'S OK.

WHY YOU GIVE THEM

THE MINK, BABY GIRL?

I'LL GET A NEW ONE.

THAT WAS YOUR GIFT,

BABY.

I'LL GET ANOTHER ONE.

SHOULDN'T HAVE

GAVE IT TO THEM.

SHH.

SHOULDN'T HAVE

GAVE IT TO THEM.

IT'S OK.

Elizabeth: BECAUSE

I GAVE COOP THAT MONEY,

WE COULDN'T PAY OUR RENT

AND WE GOT EVICTED,

SO WE HAD TO MOVE IN

WITH MY MAMA IN PHILLY.

♪ OH, SHE MAY BE WEARY ♪

♪ YOUNG GIRLS,

THEY DO GET WEARIED... ♪

Elizabeth: WE LIVED IN

PHILADELPHIA FOR 2 YEARS.

BOY, THEY WERE HARD TIMES.

FRANKIE

WAS HARDLY EVER WORKING,

AND WE NEVER HAD NO MONEY.

HE WAS STRUGGLING

WITH HIS DRUG THING.

HE REALLY TRIED TO QUIT.

AND I STILL BELIEVED IN HIM.

ONE TIME WE DROVE DOWN

TO VIRGINIA FOR A GIG.

WHAT ARE WE

DOING HERE?

COME ON.

SAY, WE WANT

TO GET MARRIED.

MARRIED?

WE DO?

DID YOU CHANGE

YOUR MIND?

NO! NO!

OF COURSE

I WANT TO MARRY YOU.

BABY, I TOLD YOU.

I'M GONNA GIVE YOU EVERYTHING.

I PROMISE.

LET'S GET TO IT.

OK.

I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS.

[LAUGHS]

S-SIGN HERE.

RIGHT HERE? OK.

Grahme: ELIZABETH,

I'D LIKE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK

AT THIS DOCUMENT. DO YOU

RECOGNIZE THE SIGNATURES?

YES. THEY'RE

FRANKIE'S AND MINE.

AND CAN YOU TELL ME

WHAT IT SAYS

NEXT TO THE WORDS

"STATUS OF APPLICANT"?

"SINGLE."

I'M SORRY.

I COULDN'T HEAR THAT.

IT SAYS, "SINGLE."

COULD YOU EXPLAIN

TO THE COURT

WHY YOU WROTE

THE WORD "SINGLE"?

ACTUALLY, FRANKIE

FILLED IN THAT PART.

I GUESS HE DIDN'T WANT

ANY CONFUSION TO STOP US.

SO YOU ADMIT THERE

WAS CONFUSION

BECAUSE YOU WERE

STILL MARRIED

TO YOUR FIRST HUSBAND.

YOU LIED ON

YOUR APPLICATION.

NOT INTENTIONALLY.

I DIDN'T KNOW

I WAS STILL MARRIED.

THIS LAWYER TOLD ME

I WAS FREE TO MARRY AGAIN.

ISN'T IT TRUE YOU'D

HAVE DONE ANYTHING

TO MARRY FRANKIE LYMON,

INCLUDING LIE?

OBJECTION!

DON'T ANSWER THAT!

I LOVED FRANKIE!

AND, YES, I WOULD HAVE DONE

ANYTHING TO SAVE HIS LIFE!

♪ I'D LIKE TO KNOW ♪

♪ THAT YOUR LOVE ♪

♪ SHA LA LA LA ♪

PAY FIRST,

GET HIGH LATER.

TAKE YOUR FUCKING MONEY.

I GOT A SHOW TO DO.

♪ TRUE LOVE ♪

♪ SO TELL ME NOW ♪

WHERE THE FUCK IS HE?

I DON'T KNOW.

♪ ...ASK AGAIN ♪

♪ WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME ♪

♪ TOMORROW? ♪

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

Announcer:

AND THAT WAS THE SINGLE

WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW?

VERY GOOD. VERY GOOD.

Announcer:

NOW LET'S HAVE A BIG HAND

FOR THE BOY WONDER HIMSELF,

FRANKIE LYMON!

I SEE NOBODY!

[MURMURING]

FRANKIE!

HI, BABY.

GO GET 'EM.

Announcer:

MAKE HIM FEEL WELCOME.

FRANKIE LYMON!

LET'S HEAR IT!

[MUSIC STARTS]

[CLEARS THROAT]

[CLEARS THROAT]

♪ MMM MMM MMM

MM MM MM MM ♪

♪ MMM MMM MMM

MM MM MM MM ♪

♪ MMM MMM MMM

MM MM MM MM ♪

♪ MMM MMM MMM-- ♪

[CLEARS THROAT]

♪ MMM MMM MMM

MM MM MM MM ♪

♪ MMM MMM MMM

MM MM MM MM ♪

♪ MMM MMM MMM

MM MM MM MM ♪

♪ MMM MMM MMM MM ♪

♪ GO GO GO GO-OO-OO ♪

♪ WHOA OH OH OH

OH OH OH OH ♪

♪ WHOA OH OH OH

OH OH OH OH ♪

♪ WHOA OH OH OH ♪

♪ LITTLE BITTY

PRETTY ONE ♪

♪ COME ON AND TALK TO ME ♪

♪ LOVELY LOVELY

LOVELY ONE ♪

♪ COME SIT DOWN ON MY KNEE ♪

♪ WHOA OH OH OH

OH OH OH OH ♪

♪ WHOA OH OH OH-- ♪

[CLEARS THROAT]

♪ WHOA OH OH OH

OH OH OH OH ♪

♪ WHOA OH OH OH ♪

♪ TELL YOU A STORY ♪

[FALTERING]

♪ HAPPENED A LONG TIME AGO ♪

♪ LITTLE

PRETTY PRETTY ONE ♪

♪ I'VE REALLY

WATCHED YOU GROW ♪

A FUCKING JUNKIE.

[OFF-KEY]

♪ OH OH OH OH ♪

♪ WHOA OH OH OH

OH OH OH OH ♪

♪ WHOA-- ♪

FRANKIE!

I'M DROPPING HIM!

IF YOU'RE SMART,

YOU'LL DO THE SAME THING.

SOMEBODY HELP ME!

HELP ME! OH, FRANKIE!

FRANKIE! COME ON!

HELP! FRANKIE, PLEASE!

COME ON, FRANKIE, WAKE UP.

GET AN AMBULANCE!

Elizabeth:

FRANKIE WAS MY HUSBAND,

AND I HAD TO DO SOMETHING...

SO I CHECKED HIM

INTO A HOSPITAL.

IT WAS EXPENSIVE,

BUT THE BIBLE SAYS...

THAT A WIFE SHOULD DO ANYTHING

TO SAVE HER HUSBAND.

♪ NOWHERE TO RUN TO,

BABY ♪

♪ NOWHERE TO HIDE... ♪

AIN'T SHIT

HAPPENING TONIGHT.

RIGHT HERE, BABY!

HEY, SUGAR!

YOU WANT TO HAVE

SOME FUN TONIGHT?

I'LL LICK YOU

LIKE A LOLLIPOP.

YOU'LL LICK ME

LIKE A LOLLIPOP?

COME ON. HOP IN.

SEE YOU, GIRL.

ALL RIGHT.

I THINK THIS ISN'T

YOUR LUCKY NIGHT, HON.

DAMN! MAN, WHAT?!

I CAN'T GO TO JAIL.

MY MAN IS IN THE HOSPITAL.

I'M JUST OUT HERE--

OH!

MMM.

[ARF]

GET OFF ME.

[SIGHS]

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

[MING BARKING]

FRANKIE, WHAT ARE YOU

DOING HERE?

I'M PAYING FOR YOU

TO BE AT THAT HOSPITAL.

BABY, I DIDN'T

LIKE THAT PLACE.

THEM PEOPLE MEAN.

THEY DIDN'T

TREAT ME RIGHT.

SMELL LIKE

A DAMN DISTILLERY. UGH!

WHAT YOU DRINKIN'?

I'VE BEEN DRINKING

SOME LIQUOR.

WHAT YOU DOING

WITH MY BOTTLE?

OH, MAN.

LOOK, WHY DON'T YOU

PACK YOUR STUFF UP?

WE'RE GETTING OUT OF HERE.

YOU'RE GOING BACK TO

PHILADELPHIA WITH YOUR MAMA.

I'M GOING OUT TO L.A.

WITH ZOLA.

ZOLA?

YEAH. SHE GOT SOME GIGS

LINED UP FOR ME, BABY.

WE GONNA MAKE IT

THIS TIME.

BOY, I AM OUT HERE

HOOKING FOR YOUR ASS

'CAUSE YOU CAN'T STAY CLEAN

AND ALL YOU CAN THINK ABOUT

IS YOUR SNOT-NOSE

OLD GIRLFRIEND?

WELL, FINE! TAKE YOUR

SORRY, JUNKIE STANK-ASS

AND GET ON OUT OF HERE!

'CAUSE YOU DON'T WANT SHIT,

YOU AIN'T GOT SHIT,

AND YOU AIN'T

NEVER GONNA BE SHIT!

[MING BARKS]

YOU KNOW

WHO THE FUCK I AM?!

I KNOW WHO YOU WERE.

I SWEAR--I SWEAR--

[YELPS]

FRANKIE,

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

I'M GONNA TOSS

THIS MOTHERFUCKER.

FRANKIE, DON'T DO IT!

DON'T PLAY WITH THE DOG

LIKE THAT!

APOLOGIZE!

I'M SORRY!

GET ON YOUR FUCKING KNEES

AND APOLOGIZE TO ME!

YEAH! UH-HUH!

ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS

THIS STUPID FUCKING DOG!

I'M SORRY!

YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ME!

ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS

THIS STUPID FUCKING DOG!

LOOK AT YOUR ASS.

PLEASE DON'T PLAY

WITH THE DOG.

LOOK AT YOUR ASS.

"FRANKIE, PLEASE."

WHAT THE FUCK

YOU WANT, MING?

I'LL THROW

THIS MOTHERFUCKER!

I'LL THROW THIS--

HA HA!

I AIN'T GONNA

DO NOTHING. GET UP.

OW!

[YELPS]

SHIT!

THE MOTHERFUCKER BIT ME!

OH, SHIT!

I'M SORRY, BABY!

FRANKIE,

YOU KILLED MY BABY!

HE BIT ME! HE BIT ME!

I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!

[SOBBING]

I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!

YOU KILLED MY BABY!

I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO IT.

GET OFF OF ME!

I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO IT.

SHE BIT ME!

GET OFF OF ME!

GET OUT OF HERE!

BABY!

GET OUT OF HERE.

I'M SORRY.

GET OFF OF ME!

GET OUT, FRANKIE!

YOU GOTTA GO!

I CAN'T TAKE NO MORE.

I'M SORRY.

I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY.

JUST GO. GO!

[SOBBING]

I DIDN'T MEAN IT, BABY.

I DIDN'T MEAN IT.

[SOBBING]

YOUR HONOR, MAY I REQUEST

A SHORT RECESS, PLEASE?

YES. WE'LL TAKE

A 10-MINUTE RECESS.

OK.

[GAVEL BANGS]

THANK YOU.

ELIZABETH...

DID YOU EVER

SEE FRANKIE AGAIN

AFTER THE UNFORTUNATE

INCIDENT WITH THE DOG?

YEAH. LATER,

IN 1965 IN L.A.

DID FRANKIE MENTION

HE MARRIED ZOLA TAYLOR?

HE AIN'T MARRIED NO ZOLA.

HE WAS STILL MARRIED TO ME.

IN FACT,

HE WROTE ME IN PHILLY

TELLING ME THINGS WEREN'T

WORKING OUT WITH HER.

HE DIDN'T TELL YOU SHIT.

AND BEGGED ME

TO COME AND SEE HIM.

AND I WENT TO SEE HIM.

BUT I DIDN'T KNOW

WE WERE STAYING AT ZOLA'S HOUSE.

I'M GLAD YOU CAME

OUT TO SEE ME.

I WAS--I WAS

MISSING YOU, BABY.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW,

I'M REALLY SORRY ABOUT

THE WAY THINGS TURNED OUT.

THEY SAY THE BEST WAY

TO PUT THE PAST BEHIND YOU

IS START ALL OVER.

START OVER?

[LAUGHS]

WHAT THE FUCK

IS GOING ON?

ZOLA!

PUT YOUR CLOTHES ON.

HEY, Z.

THIS IS MY FRIEND--

I DON'T GIVE A SHIT

WHO THE FUCK SHE IS.

WHAT THE HELL IS SHE

DOING IN MY POOL?

HE INVITED ME FOR THE NIGHT.

I'M LEAVING TOMORROW.

FOR THE NIGHT?

YOU'RE GETTING YOUR SHIT AND

GETTING THE FUCK OUT NOW!

SHE'S LEAVING.

WAIT! ARE THOSE

MY CLOTHES?!

ARE YOU PUTTING

ON MY SHIT?

ARE YOU CRAZY?

OUT THERE WITH MY MAN

IN MY POOL IN MY SHIT?

I'M GOING TO KILL HER!

WAIT! HOLD ON!

FRANKIE, YOU UP HERE

WITH THAT BITCH

THAT BROUGHT YOU

DOWN IN NEW YORK?

WHO YOU CALLING BITCH?

I'M GONNA PUT MY FOOT

SO FAR UP YOUR ASS

THAT YOU WILL BE

SPROUTING SHOELACES!

DAMN! FRANKIE!

OH! OH! OH!

NO, WAIT!

GET HER OUT!

GET ME? GODDAMN IT!

THAT IS A LIE,

YOUR HONOR!

YOU KNOW IT DIDN'T

GO DOWN LIKE THAT!

MISS TAYLOR.

[BANGS GAVEL]

LIE AFTER LIE AFTER LIE.

DO SOMETHING.

WILL YOU CHILL?

YOU'RE SUPPOSED

TO BE A CLASS ACT.

I AM A CLASS ACT.

Roberts:

THEN ACT LIKE ONE.

IT'S AFTER 4:00.

I SUGGEST WE END TODAY'S SESSION

AND RESUME TOMORROW AT 9:00.

[BANGS GAVEL]

WE ARE ADJOURNED.

Roberts: YOUR HONOR,

I'D LIKE TO CALL

ZOLA TAYLOR

TO THE STAND.

DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR

THE TESTIMONY

YOU'RE ABOUT TO GIVE

WILL BE THE TRUTH,

THE WHOLE TRUTH,

AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH,

SO HELP YOU GOD?

YES, THE REAL TRUTH.

MISS TAYLOR,

CAN YOU TELL ME HOW LONG

YOU AND FRANKIE LYMON

WERE INVOLVED?

ON AND OFF FOR 10 YEARS.

WHAT HAPPENED

IN 1962?

I HAD TO TOUR EUROPE

WITH THE PLATTERS,

AND FRANKIE'S PLAY DATES

STARTED TO DWINDLE.

AND I BELIEVE

THAT WAS THE TIME WHEN...

HE STARTED USING.

HEROIN?

YES.

WHEN FRANKIE

COULDN'T GET THAT HIGH

FROM BEING ON STAGE...

I THINK HE....

TRIED TO FIND IT

ELSEWHERE.

YOU SEE, FRANKIE'S CAREER

WAS NEVER THE SAME

AFTER HE SPLIT

FROM THE TEENAGERS.

I WAS ON TOUR,

TRAVELING WITH THE PLATTERS,

AND I SAW FRANKIE

LESS AND LESS.

I STILL HAD MY PLACE

IN NEW YORK, THOUGH.

FRANKIE STILL HAD THE KEY.

ZOLA!

[DOOR SHUTS]

HA HA! HEY, Z!

ZOLA TAYLOR, YOU TRIED

TO SNEAK IN TOWN

AND DIDN'T TELL NOBODY.

COME HERE.

MMM!

IT WAS OBVIOUS

THAT HE HAD BEEN

DOING SOME DRUGS.

STRUNG OUT.

MY MINK STOLE, FRANKIE.

WHERE IS IT?

YOU ASKIN'

THE WRONG PERSON.

I DON'T--MINK?

I DO...

FRANKIE.

I THOUGHT YOU TOOK IT.

LOOK, FRANKIE,

I ONLY CAME BACK HERE

TO DO THIS

ED SULLIVAN SHOW.

AND THEN I'M PACKING UP

ALL MY STUFF,

AS YOU CAN SEE,

AND I'M GOING BACK

TO L.A.

FOR GOOD THIS TIME.

FOR GOOD?

WHILE I WAS ON TOUR

THIS LAST TIME, FRANKIE,

I, UH...

I GOT MARRIED.

I--I KNOW IT'S ALL

KINDA SUDDEN FOR YOU,

BUT YOU KNOW,

HE LIVES OUT IN L.A.

HE USED TO BE

A DRUMMER,

BUT NOW

HE'S A CARPENTER.

OUT OF THE BLUE?

JUST LIKE THAT?

HE'S A REALLY NICE MAN.

HE'S STABLE.

DO YOU LOVE HIM?

I TOLD YOU, FRANKIE,

HE'S A NICE, GOOD MAN.

I DIDN'T ASK THAT!

I ASKED YOU,

DO YOU LOVE HIM?

YES!

I LOVE HIM, OK?

NO, NO.

THAT'S BULLSHIT.

YOU SAID MARRIAGE

WOULD TIE YOU DOWN.

YOU JUST DIDN'T WANT

TO BE TIED DOWN TO ME.

I NEVER SAID THAT,

FRANKIE.

OH, YEAH.

THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID.

LET ME TELL YOU

SOMETHING.

YOU GONNA ALWAYS

BE TIED DOWN TO ME,

WHETHER YOU LIKE IT

OR NOT.

WE'RE LIKE MAGNETS.

MM-MMM.

FRANKIE, PLEASE.

DON'T DO THIS TO ME,

FRANKIE.

DON'T LEAVE ME

RIGHT NOW, ZOLA.

I'M MARRIED.

THAT WAS A MISTAKE.

THAT WAS A MISTAKE!

NO! I GOT A LIFE,

FRANKIE,

AND IT AIN'T GONNA

INCLUDE YOU.

NOW YOU GOT TO GO.

GET OUT!

Frankie:

♪ ...THAT YOU SANG ♪

♪ SO SWEETLY ♪

♪ YOU CALLED IT ♪

♪ OUR LOVE REFRAIN ♪

♪ OUT IN THE COLD AGAIN... ♪

Zola: I DIDN'T SEE FRANKIE

FOR ANOTHER 3 YEARS.

AND THEN ONE DAY,

OUT OF THE BLUE,

HE CALLED ME UP.

AND HE SAID THAT HIS CAREER

HAD COMPLETELY NOSE-DIVED.

HE WANTED TO KNOW

IF HE COULD COME OUT TO L.A.

AND IF I COULD HELP HIM

GET SOME GIGS.

I SAID, "SURE. COME ON OUT."

'CAUSE, SEE, I KNEW FRANKIE.

AND I KNEW

THAT HE NEEDED TO SING

LIKE HE NEEDED

THE AIR TO BREATHE.

FRANKIE!

FRANKIE!

ZOLA! ZOLA!

OH, WOW!

DAMN, FRANKIE,

YOU LOOK...

WELL,

COME OVER HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

[THE SURFARIS'

PERFORM WIPEOUT]

[LAUGHTER]

YEAH, I GOT ALL DRESSED UP

TO COME ON OUT HERE.

WELL, FIRST YOU NEED TO

COME UP OUT THAT CONK. YES.

YOU IN L.A., BABY.

OUT HERE, WE AIN'T COLORED

NO MORE. WE'RE BLACK.

OH.

OH, AND YOU NEED

TO WEAR THESE. REALLY.

OK. RIGHT ON.

IT'S THE LAW OUT HERE,

BABY.

GROOVY, BABY.

GROOVY!

DIG IT.

DIG IT.

James Brown:

♪ SAY IT LOUD ♪

Chorus: ♪ I'M BLACK,

AND I'M PROUD ♪

♪ SAY IT LOUD ♪

♪ I'M BLACK,

AND I'M PROUD... ♪

[SHOUTING]

ALL RIGHT, BROTHERS!

ALL RIGHT!

GOD, THIS IS FAR OUT!

YOU'LL DIG IT OUT HERE.

I'M ALREADY DIGGING IT.

HEY! PEACE! ALL RIGHT!

EVERYBODY'S

INTO A DIFFERENT BAG

OUT HERE, FRANKIE.

Zola: IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY.

I TOOK HIM TO MY HOUSE.

FRANKIE COULDN'T BELIEVE

MY HOUSE.

[MAMAS & THE PAPAS SINGING

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN']

I DON'T BELIEVE IT.

THIS IS--

THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.

HA HA!

WHOO! MAN!

Y'ALL GOT A POOL.

WOW. MAN,

Y'ALL GOT EVERY--

LOOK AT THIS.

LOOK AT THIS!

I'M ON THE TOP

OF THE WORLD, MA!

ACTUALLY, I DON'T THINK

IT WAS THE DAY.

NO, NO, NO. I'M MISTAKEN.

IT WAS NIGHTTIME, ACTUALLY.

YEAH, BECAUSE I REMEMBER...

THE LIGHTS WERE TWINKLING.

I'M ON TOP

OF THE WORLD, MA!

Zola: I REMEMBER.

IT WAS REALLY ROMANTIC.

THIS IS GREAT!

WOW. MAN.

YOU GOT EVERYTHING.

OH.

Y'ALL GOT AN EXTRA

BATHTUB OUTSIDE?

IT'S A JACUZZI,

FRANKIE.

OH, A JACUZZI.

I'M GONNA TRY THAT OUT.

NOW, LOOK,

YOU KNOW I'M ON LEAVE

FROM THE PLATTERS, RIGHT?

WHAT?

MM-HMM.

GOT WALKING PNEUMONIA

IN MAY.

THEY CHANGED ME

LIKE A LIGHT BULB.

11 YEARS--BOOM.

I'M OUT.

WOW. THAT'S--

THAT'S HEAVY, MAN.

SO WHAT YOU DOING NOW?

OH, I GOT

MY OWN LITTLE ACT.

ZOLA TAYLOR'S

ALL-MALE REVUE.

OH.

I'M DOING OK.

I CAN SEE.

NOW, LOOK, FRANKIE,

THIS IS

THE GUEST ROOM, OK?

YOU CAN SLEEP HERE

AS LONG AS YOU WANT

UNTIL YOU GET YOURSELF

SITUATED.

THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

WAIT, I GOTTA ASK YOU,

HOW DOES YOUR HUSBAND

FEEL ABOUT ME BE--

FRANKIE, LOOK,

WHEN YOU CALLED,

I SAID I MIGHT BE ABLE

TO GET YOU A FEW GIGS.

THAT'S IT, OK?

DON'T EXPECT NOTHING ELSE.

OK, I'M NOT, I'M NOT.

OK, IT'S COOL.

I CAN DIG IT.

SO TELL ME, WHEN DO

I MEET THE CARPENTER?

WHAT?

I DIVORCED HIM

IN MEXICO, FRANKIE.

YOU DIVORCED HIM?

IN MEXICO?

WHERE'S

THE DIVORCE DECREE?

UH, YOUR HONOR, THERE ARE

EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES

REGARDING

THE DIVORCE PAPERS.

BUT MISS TAYLOR

WILL TESTIFY THAT--

MISS TAYLOR?

ACTUALLY,

YOUR HONOR,

ALL MY PAPERS

GOT DESTROYED.

WELL, DID YOU TRY

TO GET A COPY?

MOST CERTAINLY.

I CONTACTED

THE PLATTERS' LAWYER,

RUBEN RODRIGUEZ,

TO SEE IF HE COULD PUT ME

IN TOUCH WITH MR. WORRELL--

HE WAS THE ATTORNEY

THAT ARRANGED

THE WHOLE MEXICAN DIVORCE

IN THE FIRST PLACE.

BUT, UH, I FOUND OUT

THAT HE WAS DEAD.

IS MR. RODRIGUEZ ALIVE?

YES, BUT HE'S

IN THE HOSPITAL.

HE'S IN THE HOSPITAL.

YES, WITH HIS FEET

CUT OFF.

Judge: LET ME JUST

GET A HANDLE ON THIS.

YOU GOT DIVORCED

IN MEXICO,

BUT NOBODY CAN FIND

ANY RECORDS.

YOUR MEXICAN DIVORCE PAPERS

WERE SOMEHOW DESTROYED.

YOUR EX-HUSBAND IS DEAD,

YOUR MEXICAN ATTORNEY'S

DEAD,

AND YOUR LAWYER...

YOUR LAWYER JUST HAD

HIS FEET AMPUTATED,

SO HE CAN'T COME HERE

TO TESTIFY FOR YOU?

BASICALLY, YES.

OK.

OK, MR. ROBERTS,

CONTINUE...

SOMEHOW.

THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR.

UH...

MISS TAYLOR...

DID YOU MARRY

FRANKIE LYMON?

YES, I DID.

AND CAN YOU GIVE US

THE CIRCUMSTANCES

SURROUNDING

YOUR MARRIAGE

TO FRANKIE LYMON?

FRANKIE, HAD JUST DONE

HULLABALOO SHOW.

[ROCK 'N' ROLL MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ I'M NOT CONTENT ♪

♪ TO BE WITH YOU ♪

♪ IN THE DAYTIME ♪

OH, MAN,

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.

BEEN A LONG TIME,

BUT, BABY,

YOU STILL GOT IT.

I STILL GOT IT?

YOU STILL GOT IT.

HOW'S MY HAIR?

FRANKIE.

YEAH?

HURRY UP.

YOU'RE UP NEXT.

♪ OH, YEAH, ♪

♪ ALL DAY AND NIGHT

I'M YOURS ♪

♪ LEAVE ME NEVER ♪

♪ THE ONLY TIME

I FEEL ALL RIGHT ♪

♪ IS BY YOUR SIDE ♪

♪ GIRL,

I WANT TO BE WITH YOU ♪

♪ ALL OF THE TIME ♪

♪ ALL DAY

AND ALL OF THE NIGHT ♪

♪ ALL DAY

AND ALL OF THE NIGHT ♪

♪ ALL DAY

AND ALL OF THE NIGHT ♪

SMILE.

YEAH, SMILE.

AND PLACES!

FRANKIE,

YOU'RE ON.

OH, I'M ON.

I'M ON!

SHOW 'EM WHO YOU ARE, OK?

Technician:

IN 5, 4, 3, 2--

CUE THE APPLAUSE.

Announcer:

NOW WITH A BLAST FROM THE PAST,

HULLABALLOOERS,

LET'S GIVE A BIG WELCOME

TO FRANKIE LYMON!

♪ DO WOP SHE DO,

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM ♪

♪ DO WOP SHE DO,

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM ♪

♪ I'LL ALWAYS WANT YOU ♪

♪ BECAUSE MY HEART IS TRUE ♪

♪ COME, COME, COME CLOSER ♪

♪ AND I'LL TELL YOU

'BOUT THE ABCs ♪

♪ DARLING, BELIEVE ME ♪

♪ EVERY DAY

MY LOVE GROWS STRONG ♪

♪ FIND A PLACE

THERE IN YOUR HEART ♪

♪ AND I'LL TELL YOU

'BOUT THE ABCs ♪

♪ GOSH KNOWS I LOVE YOU ♪

♪ HEAVEN KNOWS IT'S TRUE ♪

♪ I WANT TO BE NEAR YOU ♪

♪ J, K, L, M ♪

♪ N, O, P, Q ♪

♪ YOU'LL MAKE ME LOVE YOU ♪

♪ GOD ALWAYS TOLD ME SO ♪

♪ W, X, Y, AND Z ♪

♪ I'VE TOLD YOU

'BOUT THE ABCs ♪

♪ OH OH OHHHH! ♪

♪ OH OHH OH OHH OHHHH! ♪

♪ OH OH OH OH OH OH OH ♪

♪ OH OHH OH OHH OHHHH! ♪

♪ OH OH OH OHH OH ♪

♪ OH OH OH OH OH ♪

♪ OH OH OH OH OH OH ♪

♪ RUN, HONEY,

AND DON'T BE BLIND ♪

♪ SUGAR,

YOU STAY ON MY MIND ♪

♪ TRUE LOVE

IS HARD TO FIND ♪

♪ I'LL TELL YOU

'BOUT THE ABCs ♪

♪ TELL YOU OF THE ABCs ♪

FRANKIE!

WHOO!

WOW.

YES!

[LAUGHTER]

I STILL GOT THE MOVES.

OOH OOM OOH.

YOU DO, BABY.

YOU LIKE THAT?

MM-HMM.

IT WAS LIKE I NEVER LEFT.

IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

I MEAN, IT WAS LIKE...

IT WAS LIKE

THE WAVES OF LOVE!

I'M NOT SURPRISED,

FRANKIE.

YOU GOT IT, BABY.

YOU STILL GOT IT.

OHH, DON'T YOU JUST LOVE

THAT FEELING

WHEN IT SEEMS LIKE

THE WHOLE WORLD LOVES YOU?

AND THEY WANT YOU,

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

YOU'RE TRAVELING.

YOU'RE ON THE ROAD

GOING ON TOURS,

AND YOU'RE MAKING

ALL THIS GOOD MONEY.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,

MAN...

IT VANISHES. IT'S GONE.

THAT SHIT'S HARD, Z.

IT'S REAL HARD.

YOU START FEELING LIKE

YOU'RE WORTHLESS TO THEM.

ALL OF A SUDDEN,

YOU JUST....

START FEELING LIKE YOU'RE

WORTHLESS TO YOURSELF.

AND THEN YOU GO

TO THE DRINKING,

DRUGS.

YOU THINK

THAT'S GONNA HANDLE IT.

BEFORE YOU KNOW IT,

DRINKING AND DRUGS

HAS A HANDLE ON YOU.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.

UNTIL TONIGHT.

BECAUSE

YOU BELIEVED IN ME.

UH-UH. NO.

FRANKIE, DON'T GIVE ME

THE CREDIT.

YOU ONLY NEEDED

TO BELIEVE IN YOU.

AND YOU DID THAT

TONIGHT.

I WANNA KISS YOU, ZOLA.

FRANKIE, UH-UH.

NO, I...

LET'S NOT DO THAT.

ZOLA, AIN'T

NOBODY ELSE FOR ME.

LISTEN, I KNOW THAT.

I LOVE YOU, ZOLA.

ONLY YOU.

REALLY?

OHH...

FRANKIE.

I KEEP TELLING MYSELF

THAT I DON'T NEED YOU.

I DO NEED YOU, BABY.

LET'S...

LET'S STOP PLAYING.

LET'S GET MARRIED.

LET'S GET MARRIED?

YES.

LET'S GET MARRIED.

FRANKIE.

YOU WANT ME TO MARRY YOU,

FRANKIE?

SAY YES.

YES, FRANKIE.

James Brown:

♪ WHOO! I FEEL GOOD ♪

YES.

WHOO!

♪ I KNEW THAT I WOULD NOW ♪

♪ I FEEL GOOD ♪

♪ I KNEW THAT I WOULD NOW ♪

WHOO!

WHOO!

♪ SO NICE ♪

♪ SO NICE ♪

♪ I GOT YOU ♪

♪ BUMP BUMP

BUMP BUM OOM ♪

WHOO!

♪ SO GOOD ♪

♪ SO GOOD ♪

♪ I GOT YOU ♪

YOU GOT ME, BABY.

I GOT YOU, BABY.

I GOT YOU!

MMM. YOU GOT ME.

WHOO!

♪ HEY! ♪

WHEE!

WHOO!

AND WE DROVE TO TIJUANA,

AND WE GOT MARRIED.

TIJUANA?

REALLY? IN TIJUANA.

NOW, IN YOUR SWORN

PRETRIAL DEPOSITION,

YOU, UH...

YOU SAID MEXICALI.

OH, OK.

MEXICALI, TIJUANA.

I DON'T KNOW.

ONE OF THEM

MEXICAN TOWNS.

YOU ARE UNDER OATH.

NOW, DID YOU MARRY

FRANKIE LYMON

IN EITHER MEXICALI

OR TIJUANA?

YES.

YOUR HONOR,

I HAVE OBTAINED

CERTIFICATIONS

OF NONEXISTENCE

OF MARRIAGE

FOR FRANK LYMON

AND ZOLA TAYLOR.

ONE FROM TIJUANA,

MEXICO,

ONE FROM MEXICALI,

MEXICO.

I DON'T CARE

WHAT YOU THINK YOU HAVE,

I MARRIED FRANKIE,

AND SHE KNOWS I MARRIED FRANKIE.

I EVEN SHOWED HER MY RING.

YOU LYING.

MISS THING DID COME TO MY HOUSE,

JUST LIKE SHE SAID,

BUT SHE WAS THE ONE RUNNING

AROUND LIKE A WILD BANSHEE,

NOT ME!

[FRANKIE AND

ELIZABETH LAUGHING]

WHAT THE HELL

IS GOING ON?

FRANKIE SAID

I COULD STAY.

MMM.

FRANKIE SAID?

YES. WHAT PART

OF "FRANKIE SAID"

DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?

THE "FRANKIE"

OR THE "SAID"?

[LAUGHTER]

YOU CRAZY.

WHAT PART OF "GET OUT"

DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?

THE "GET" OR THE "OUT"?

OH, GOD.

YOU ZOLA TAYLOR!

[SPUTTERS]

I'M A BIG FAN OF YOURS!

MAN, YOU'RE INCREDIBLE!

WELL, FAN YOUR ASS

ON OUT OF HERE.

I DON'T NEED THIS SHIT, OK?

FORGET YOU.

AND YOU CAN TAKE

YOUR LITTLE FUNKY ATTITUDE

ON BACK TO WHEREVER

YOU JUST CAME FROM, MISSY.

WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT,

WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.

ARE YOU PUTTING ON

MY CLOTHES?

YOUR CLOTHES?

SEE, I CAN SEE

WHY FRANKIE IS SICK

OF THIS WHOLE

BULLSHIT L.A. THING.

YOU KNOW,

I GOT EVERY PLATTERS

45 YOU EVER RECORDED.

♪ ONLY YOU-- ♪

OK, GREAT.

WHERE IS MY HUSBAND?

YOUR HUSBAND?

YES, MY HUSBAND.

WHERE IS HE?

SEE, THAT WIG YOU GOT ON

MUST BE TOO TIGHT

IF YOU THINK THAT FRANKIE

IS YOUR HUSBAND,

BECAUSE HE IS MY HUSBAND.

I GOT THAT THIRD ALBUM,

TOO, WI--

SHUT UP!

YOUR HUSBAND?

YES, HE IS MY HUSBAND.

FRANKIE, IS MY HUSBAND.

WHERE IS HE?

FRANKIE!

FRANKIE!

Zola: FRANKIE,

WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?

I JUST SAW YOU

ON HULLABALOO, MAN.

TALKING 'BOUT

THE ABCs.

WHO IS THIS GUY?

YOU DON'T KNOW

WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE?

YOU WENT AND GOT

YOURSELF MARRIED?

I TOLD YOU NOT TO INVITE

ANY COMPANY HERE.

L.A.P.D.

WHEN WAS YOU GONNA

TELL ME?

I SAID

NO STRANGERS.

I HAVE AN INSANE,

NAPPY-HEADED

BLACK WOMAN IN MY HOUSE.

NO, I KNOW HER.

PUT THE PHONE DOWN.

I'M GONNA SHOW YOU.

I'M SICK OF THIS!

AAH!

WAIT A MINUTE!

WAIT, WAIT,

WAIT!

GET OVER HERE!

I'M SICK OF YOUR--

OH!

OH, SHIT.

MY WIG! NO!

[LAUGHING]

♪ I GOT HER HAIR ♪

♪ ZOLA AIN'T GOT NO HAIR ♪

THEN WHEN I ASKED FRANKIE

ABOUT IT,

HE TOLD ME THAT ELIZABETH

HAD BROKEN INTO THE HOUSE...

WHAT?

...AND TOLD ME THAT

SHE WAS MARRIED TO FRANKIE

JUST TO HURT MY FEELINGS.

AND I BELIEVED HIM

BECAUSE HE WAS MY HUSBAND.

AND IF HE WASN'T MY HUSBAND,

WHY IN THE HELL

WOULD I HAVE TRUSTED HIM

WITH MY MOST PRIZED

POSSESSION?

MY HOUSE.

COME ON, NOW, Z.

4 MONTHS ON THE ROAD

OVER IN ASIA?

IT'S GONNA FEEL

LIKE FOREVER.

FRANKIE,

YOU'RE GONNA BE

JUST FINE.

CAN'T THEY GIVE YOU

A BREAK OR SOMETHING,

SO YOU CAN COME HOME

AND...

BABY. BABY, LISTEN...

TAKE THIS, OK?

THERE'S

ENOUGH MONEY HERE

TO PAY FOR THE MORTGAGE,

THE BILLS, EVERYTHING.

ZOLA, YOU KNOW I DON'T LIKE

TAKING MONEY FROM YOU.

BABY, IT'S OUR MONEY.

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO

REMEMBER ALL THIS?

I WROTE IT DOWN, OK?

YOU'LL FIND IT.

ARE YOU SURE

YOU'LL COME BACK?

I'LL BE BACK.

YOU'LL FIND TIME

FOR A BREAK, RIGHT?

IT'S GONNA GO BY

IN NO TIME.

Zola: FRANKIE AND I

WEREN'T IN TOUCH

UNTIL ABOUT 5 MONTHS

LATER.

ONE DAY I CALLED

AND MY PHONE

WAS DISCONNECTED,

SO I ASKED MY SISTER

IF SHE WOULD GO OVER

AND SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON.

AND WHEN SHE PICKED ME UP

FROM LAX,

SHE TOLD ME

THAT FRANKIE HAD

HAD SOME WOMAN AT MY HOUSE

AND THAT A NEIGHBOR HAD

TO CALL THE POLICE

BECAUSE OF ALL THE ARGUING

AND FIGHTING GOING ON.

AND I KNEW EXACTLY

WHO THAT WOMAN WAS, TOO.

AND THEN MY SISTER TOLD ME

THAT I COULDN'T GO HOME,

'CAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE ONE.

FRANKIE.

[SOBS]

OH, FRANKIE.

FRANKIE!

FRANKIE, YOU FUCKING

SON OF A BITCH!

FRANKIE!

[SOBBING]

EVERYTHING

I'D WORKED FOR...

GONE.

EVERYTHING.

WHEN I WENT TO THE BANK,

THERE WAS NO MONEY, EITHER.

I TRIED TO CALL FRANKIE

IN NEW YORK,

BUT HIS NUMBERS

WERE ALL DISCONNECTED.

THEN I HEARD HE HAD BEEN

DRAFTED INTO THE ARMY.

I HAD NOWHERE TO GO,

SO I HAD TO MOVE IN

WITH MY SISTER.

IT WAS

A REAL NICE HOUSE.

AND I'M REAL SORRY

ABOUT IT. I AM.

BUT I SWEAR TO YOU, ZOLA,

I NEVER WENT BACK UP THERE.

IT'S BEEN 18 YEARS.

YOU'D THINK I'D BE THROUGH

WITH ALL THAT BY NOW.

Judge: STATE YOUR NAME

AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORDS.

EMIRA EAGLE LYMON.

2110 CLAIRVIEW DRIVE,

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA.

MRS. LYMON,

COULD YOU STATE YOUR

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE?

AFTER HIGH SCHOOL,

I ATTENDED

MORRIS BROWN COLLEGE

FOR ABOUT A YEAR.

THEN ALBANY STATE COLLEGE,

AUGUSTA COLLEGE,

PLAINE COLLEGE.

AND I'VE DONE STUDIES

AT SAVANNAH STATE COLLEGE,

AS WELL AS

THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA.

DO YOU HOLD

ANY DEGREES?

IS THE POPE

AN OLD WHITE MAN?

I HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE

IN SOCIAL STUDIES

AS WELL AS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE

IN EDUCATION.

NOW, WITH ALL

YOUR ACCREDITATIONS

AND DEGREES,

HOW DID YOU COME

TO MEET FRANKIE LYMON?

HE MARCHED

RIGHT INTO MY BATHROOM.

I WAS GETTING OUT OF THE TUB,

AND HE SAID...

LOOKING GOOD, DOLL.

Emira: AND I SAID...

AAH! GET OUT!

GO! GET OUT!

HOLD UP, EMIRA.

YOU KNOW WHO THIS IS?

I DON'T CARE

WHO HE IS!

IT'S FRANKIE LYMON,

THE SINGER.

TELL HIM TO SING

HIS BEHIND ON OUT!

WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.

NO DISRESPECT, MA'AM.

EDDIE SAID I COULD GRAB

A BEER FROM THE FRIDGE.

I WAS ONLY LOOKING

FOR THE KITCHEN.

ARE THERE USUALLY TOILETS

IN THE KITCHEN?

Emira: THERE WAS A COCKINESS

ABOUT HIM, YOU KNOW?

A BRAVADO.

AND HE WAS SO CUTE...

IN A REAL STREET

SORT OF WAY.

LET ME HELP YOU THERE.

SHIT.

OHH.

I'M SORRY.

I DIDN'T MEAN THAT.

JUST WANTED TO HELP OUT.

THEY'RE OATMEAL.

I MADE THEM MYSELF.

EM'S A GREAT COOK.

SHE OUGHTA BE OWNING

A RESTAURANT

INSTEAD OF TEACHING

CRUMB-CRUSHERS.

MMM. I LOVE OATMEAL COOKIES.

THEY'RE MY FAVORITE.

UH, LOOK,

I REALLY WANNA APOLOGIZE

FOR BARGING IN ON YOU.

I DIDN'T MEAN TO WALK IN

AND TO S-SEE WHAT I--

WAIT, LET ME INTRODUCE

Y'ALL FORMALLY.

UH, FRANKIE,

THIS IS EMIRA EAGLE,

MY FIANCÉE'S SISTER.

EMIRA, THIS IS

FRANKIE LYMON.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

NICE TO MEET YOU TOO,

FRANKIE.

Emira: AFTER THAT,

FRANKIE KEPT SHOWING UP...

EMIRA.

FRANKIE.

...AND SHOWING OFF.

[GASPS]

THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL.

THANK YOU.

WELL, I WAS HOPING

I COULD WALK YOU HOME AGAIN.

OH. ALL RIGHT.

Emira: HE WAS

JUST INCREDIBLY SWEET,

A PERFECT GENTLEMAN.

NEVER MADE A PASS

OR CAME ON STRONG AGAIN.

AND HE DIDN'T CURSE

AROUND ME.

[HARMONICA MUSIC PLAYING]

[BELL RINGING]

HEY, FRANKIE.

HEY, EMIRA.

I BROUGHT YOU A PRESENT.

WHERE'D YOU FIND

THE PUPPY?

AT THE POUND.

CAN'T RESIST HIM,

HUH?

OH, IT IS HARD.

HE'S SO CUTE.

[SNIFFS]

MMM. WHAT'S SMELLING

SO GOOD?

CHICKEN AND GRAVY.

PECAN PIE.

YOU HUNGRY?

YOU KNOW,

EDDIE WAS RIGHT.

YOU SURE CAN COOK.

THANKS.

THE GREENS

ARE FROM MY GARDEN.

WE WOULD'VE

HAD CARROTS,

BUT THE RABBITS HAD

A FEAST THIS WEEK.

YEAH?

WELL, UM, I COULD MAKE

A NET BOX FOR YOU,

IF YOU LIKE.

REALLY?

Emira: FOR A CITY BOY,

HE WAS PRETTY HANDY

WITH A HAMMER--

JUST RIGHT AT HOME GARDENING

AND WORKING IN THE EARTH.

GARDENING!

A HAMMER?

FRANKIE WOULDN'T

KNOW A HAMMER

IF IT HIT HIM

IN THE HEAD.

PLEASE, PETER,

OBJECT TO SOMETHING,

'CAUSE GARDENING?

SHE GOT TO BE LYING.

Emira: THEN ONE DAY

HE JUST FLOORED ME.

OH, MAN.

THAT WAS SUCH

A GOOD MOVIE.

YEAH. THIS WAY.

WOW.

UM, EMIRA...

I WROTE SOMETHING

FOR YOU.

REALLY?

YEAH.

[UNFOLDS PAPER]

I HOPE YOU LIKE IT.

UH, DON'T LAUGH.

ALL RIGHT.

HERE GOES.

[CLEARS THROAT]

"THE WONDER OF YOU

FILLS ME UP,

"TAKES ME

TO YOUR DEPTHS,

"AND I BARE MY SOUL

TO YOU,

"O CHERISHED

QUEEN OF SHEBA.

"WHEN YOU SMILE,

YOU GIVE LIGHT."

"WHEN YOU SPEAK..."

"YOU GIVE LIFE."

"AND WHEN YOU LEAVE,

YOU TAKE MY LOVE."

Emira: I FELL IN LOVE

AT THAT MOMENT.

I-IT'S NOT FINISHED.

I STILL HAVE

SOME MORE WORK--

OH, I LOVE IT.

I LOVE IT. IT'S GREAT.

Emira:

NEXT DAY, WE GOT ENGAGED,

AND ABOUT A MONTH LATER,

WE GOT MARRIED.

[CHEERING]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

DON'T LOOK.

OH. OH, RIGHT, RIGHT.

I WON'T LOOK.

I MEAN,

UNTIL YOU TELL ME...

WHEN I SHOULD LOOK.

READY?

IT'S OK.

[GOSPEL MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ PLAY YOUR HARP ♪

♪ HALLELUJAH ♪

♪ PLAY YOUR HARP ♪

♪ HALLELUJAH ♪

♪ DAVID ♪

♪ WAS A SHEPHERD BOY ♪

♪ KILLED GOLIATH ♪

♪ AND SATISFIED GOD ♪

♪ PLAY YOUR HARP ♪

♪ PLAY YOUR HARP ♪

♪ HALLELUJAH ♪

Emira: I PRAYED THAT FRANKIE

WAS HAPPY WITH ME,

BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN,

I'D JUST CATCH HIM

IN A PLACE

THAT I KNEW

MY LOVE COULDN'T HEAL...

♪ PLAY YOUR HARP ♪

AND I'D FEEL HELPLESS.

♪ HALLELU... ♪

♪ JA-AAH-AAH! ♪

[CHEERING]

Emira: THEN ONE DAY...

[SINGING TO RADIO]

♪ BABY ♪

♪ EVERYTHING

IS ALL RIGHT ♪

♪ UPTIGHT ♪

Stevie Wonder:

♪ OUT OF SIGHT... ♪

[LAUGHING]

COME ON.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

I WANNA

SEE YOU DANCE.

COME ON. GET UP.

DANCE.

I DON'T KNOW

HOW TO DANCE.

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO--

LET ME SHOW YOU.

THIS WAY. THAT.

PUT YOUR HIPS INTO IT.

♪ EVERYTHING IS ALL RIGHT ♪

♪ UPTIGHT ♪

♪ OUT OF SIGHT ♪

COME ON, TURN AROUND.

♪ EVERYTHING

IS ALL RIGHT ♪

♪ UPTIGHT ♪

HA HA HA!

[TURNS MUSIC OFF]

FRANK G. LYMON.

YES.

COME WITH US.

FOR WHAT?

WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?

ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE.

WAIT. THERE MUST BE

SOME MISUNDERSTANDING.

FRANKIE, WAIT.

NO MISUNDERSTANDING.

WAIT. WHAT'S WRONG?

LISTEN, THERE'S SOME

MISUNDERSTANDING.

GET IN THE BACK

OF THE JEEP.

WAIT. WHERE

YOU TAKING HIM?

IT'S OK. IT'S OK.

I'LL HANDLE THIS,

ALL RIGHT?

JUST GO BACK

IN THE HOUSE.

HE HAD BEEN AWOL

FOR 4 MONTHS,

AND HE WAS

DISHONORABLY DISCHARGED.

MRS. LYMON,

CAN YOU TELL US

HOW LONG YOU WERE

MARRIED TO FRANKIE?

I'M STILL MARRIED

TO FRANKIE.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

NO FURTHER QUESTIONS,

YOUR HONOR.

ALL RIGHT,

WE'LL TAKE OUR LUNCH RECESS

AND RESUME AGAIN AT 1:30.

[SLURPING LOUDLY

THROUGH STRAW]

THANK YOU.

PRISSY LITTLE THING,

AIN'T SHE?

MM-HMM.

[SNICKERS]

DOESN'T SEEM

LIKE FRANKIE'S TYPE.

SEEM LIKE

ANYTHING IN A DRESS

WAS FRANKIE'S TYPE.

BRINGING A BOOK

TO LUNCH.

SHIT, SHE SHOULD'VE BROUGHT

A DAMN HAIRDRESSER.

OOH!

THAT WAS A GOOD ONE.

HMM.

AW, ZOLA.

YOU KNOW

WHAT I'M THINKING?

I'M THINKING

50% OF SOMETHING

IS SURE BETTER

THAN 100% OF NOTHIN'.

LOOK, WAIT, WAIT.

CHECK IT OUT.

IF I WIN,

WE SPLIT IT 50-50.

YOU WIN, SAME THING.

ARE YOU TRYING TO GET

IN CAHOOTS WITH ME?

YEAH.

'CAUSE I KNOW

I WAS WITH FRANKIE,

AND I KNOW

YOU WAS WITH FRANKIE.

BUT HER?

SHE WAS WITH FRANKIE,

TOO?

DEAL?

DEAL.

Peter: WHAT DO YOU MEAN

YOU MADE A DEAL?

Judge: MR. MARKOWITZ.

NO, BECAUSE

IT'S UNCONSCIONABLE

FOR YOU TO CUT A DEAL

AND NOT INCLUDE ME.

Judge: MR. MARKOWITZ!

I'M SORRY.

IS OUR LITTLE HEARING

INTERRUPTING YOU?

I APOLOGIZE,

YOUR HONOR.

YOUR CROSS, PLEASE.

[WHISPERS]

BEHAVE.

UH, MISS EAGLE,

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME

YOU SAW FRANKIE LYMON?

THIS IS MY FAVORITE.

LITTLE LAURA

MADE THIS ONE FOR ME--

YOU KNOW,

FROM MY SECOND GRADE CLASS?

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

OH, FRANKIE,

THERE'S THE DOOR.

PUT THE, UH--

THIS ONE UP, TOO.

YEAH!

POSTMAN!

GOT A PACKAGE

FOR FRANKIE LYMON.

OH, ALL RIGHT.

SIGN RIGHT THERE, BRO.

YOU FRANKIE LYMON?

YEAH.

THE SINGER?

YEAH.

FOR REAL?

YEAH.

OH, MAN, WAIT TILL

I TELL MY WIFE.

I THOUGHT YOU WAS DEAD.

MAN, WE USED TO DANCE TO

YOUR STUFF ALL THE TIME.

MAN, YOU GREAT.

YOU'RE FANTASTIC.

HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY.

GOD BLESS YOU.

FRANKIE LYMON.

I DELIVERED A PACKAGE

TO FRANKIE LYMON.

HA HA! WOW.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

I KNOW YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND

THIS MUSIC BUSINESS,

BUT YOU'RE IN SCHOOL,

AND YOU'RE A TEACHER.

YOU KNOW...

NO, FRANKIE.

I UNDERSTAND.

OK. OK.

OH, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.

YOUR BOOK.

YEAH.

YOUR POETRY BOOK.

HERE.

OH, GREAT.

I'M SO HAPPY

YOU UNDERSTAND

THAT THIS IS WHAT

I GOTTA DO, YOU KNOW?

IT'S MY LIFE.

FRANKIE!

YOUR LUNCH.

OH! MY LUNCH. YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

AND, UH, I WANT YOU

TO MAKE ME A PECAN PIE,

SO WHEN I GET BACK

I CAN HAVE SOMETHING

NICE FOR DESSERT.

OK.

ALL RIGHT.

I BEEN THINKING...

LET'S START A FAMILY,

YOU KNOW?

I MEAN, WE GOT SUCH

A GOOD LIFE HERE.

WE SHOULD SHARE IT

WITH SOMEBODY.

I LOVE YOU.

I LOVE YOU.

MMM.

I LOVE YOU, TOO.

GOTTA GO.

BUT YOU THINK ABOUT

A FAMILY, ALL RIGHT?

OK.

I'LL MISS YOU!

I'LL MISS YOU, TOO.

I'LL BE BACK SOON.

OK.

CALL ME WHEN

YOU GET THERE, OK?

ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT WAS THE LAST TIME

I SAW HIM...

ALIVE.

ABOUT A WEEK LATER,

FRANKIE'S BROTHER CALLED ME

TO TELL ME

THAT FRANKIE HAD OVERDOSED.

[SNIFFLES]

NO FURTHER QUESTIONS,

YOUR HONOR.

Grahme: DO YOU THINK WE COULD

TAKE AN HOUR'S RECESS,

PLEASE, MA'AM?

Judge:

ALL RIGHT, MR. GRAHME.

EMIRA...

LOOK, JUST LET ME

TALK TO YOU FOR A SECOND.

EMIRA!

EMIRA--EMIRA, WAIT!

WASN'T IT ENOUGH

I COULDN'T HAVE HIM

IN LIFE?

CAN'T I AT LEAST

HAVE HIM IN DEATH?

NO!

NONE OF US CAN.

THAT FLAT-FOOTED

LITTLE WEIRDO

PLAYED ALL OF US.

HE SURE DID.

WHY DON'T

WE GO HAVE A DRINK?

THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

COME ON.

BUT I DON'T DRINK.

WELL, HONEY,

YOU ABOUT TO START.

YOU CAN HAVE AN ICED TEA

OR SOMETHING.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO DRINK.

THAT LYING, NO-GOOD,

NO-BILL-PAYING,

HOUSE-LOSING BIGAMIST!

PLEASE.

A TRIGAMIST.

WHO GARDENS, NO LESS.

HONEY, COME ON.

FRANKIE AND FLOWERS?

GIMME A BREAK.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW

WHAT I SAW IN THAT LITTLE--

IT WASN'T LIKE

HE WAS SOME BRONZE ADONIS

OR SOME SHIT.

I THOUGHT

HE WAS TALENTED.

OK, HE COULD SING.

HE COULD SING ME

RIGHT OUT

OF MY PANTIES.

I GOT TO GIVE IT UP

FOR THAT.

THE BOY

WAS A GOOD FUCK.

[LAUGHTER]

OHH, COME ON, EMIRA.

NOW, YOU KNOW YOU GOT

THAT ROCK OF GIBRALTAR.

COME ON NOW!

YOU GUYS ARE TALKING

ABOUT MY HUSBAND.

YOUR HUSBAND?

YOUR HUSBAND?

PLEASE.

HE WAS ALL

OF OUR HUSBANDS.

BUT I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.

HOW COULD HE WRITE ME

THOSE BEAUTIFUL LOVE POEMS,

KNOWING HE WAS STILL MARRIED

TO AT LEAST ONE OF YOU?

COME ON NOW.

THAT WAS FRANKIE

BEING FRANKIE.

AMEN.

FRANKIE JUST...

NEEDED SOMETHING DIFFERENT

ALL THE TIME.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

MY GOD, LOOK AT US.

COULD WE BE

MORE DIFFERENT?

I MEAN, LOOK AT YOU.

YOU'RE

A GLAMOROUS SINGER.

I'M JUST A SOUTHERN

SCHOOLTEACHER.

AND, YOU, ELIZABETH,

LOOK AT YOU.

I MEAN, YOU...

I'M NOT SURE

WHAT TO THINK OF YOU.

I MEAN, NO DISRESPECT.

IT'S JUST THAT...

WHAT DID FRANKIE

SEE IN YOU?

OOH.

[LAUGHS]

GIRL, NOW,

WHAT YOU TALKING ABOUT?

SHOOT, BACK IN THE DAY,

I WAS A SHO'NUFF FINE

FOXY THING.

TELL HER, ZOLA.

YOU WAS THERE. TELL HER.

I WAS THERE AND...

SHE WAS ALL RIGHT.

NO, YOU DIDN'T.

BUT FOXY?

YOU WERE

MORE POODLEY.

FORGET Y'ALL.

WHATEVER.

[BLOWS KISS]

HEY.

MAYBE THERE WERE

3 SEPARATE FRANKIES,

AND EACH OF US

GOT A PIECE.

I THINK FRANKIE WAS LIKE

THAT BROKEN RECORD.

MAYBE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED

THAT LAST DAY.

IT GOT SO PAINFUL...

HE COULDN'T PUT HIMSELF

BACK TOGETHER.

I JUST WISH

WE WOULD'VE BEEN THERE

TO SAVE FRANKIE

FROM HIMSELF THAT DAY.

GIRL, YOU DON'T KNOW

HOW MANY TIMES

I TRIED TO SAVE FRANKIE

OVER THE YEARS.

SHOOT, HE WORE ME OUT.

IT JUST COULDN'T BE DONE.

I WONDER WHO THIS NEXT

SURPRISE WITNESS IS.

Zola: BETTER NOT BE

ANOTHER WOMAN.

[LAUGHTER]

[JIMI HENDRIX PLAYING

PURPLE HAZE]

HEY, HOW YOU DOING?

ALL RIGHT.

FRANKIE LYMON HERE

TO SEE MORRIS LEVY.

DO YOU HAVE

AN APPOINTMENT?

UH, NO.

UH, NOT--NOT ACTUALLY.

UH, I'M AN OLD FRIEND.

HE KNOWS ME, YOU KNOW?

UH-HUH.

MR. LEVY?

A MR. FRANKIE LEMON

IS HERE TO SEE YOU.

NO, NO, NO.

FRANKIE LYMON.

GET RID OF HIM.

HEY, MORRIS!

LONG TIME NO SEE.

Secretary: EXCUSE ME!

YOU AIN'T GOT A MINUTE

TO TALK TO AN OLD BUDDY

WHO'S MADE YOU

A COUPLE MILLION BUCKS?

HEY, FRANKIE, YOUR LAST

ALBUM WAS 8 YEARS AGO,

SO DON'T PULL THE "OLD

FRIEND" BULLSHIT ON ME.

NOW, WHAT CAN

I DO FOR YOU?

LOOK,

I'M GLAD YOU ASKED.

ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA BE

STRAIGHT WITH YOU, MORRIS.

I'M READY

TO GET BACK OUT THERE.

NOW, I WENT DOWN SOUTH

FOR A WHILE, AND I GOT MARRIED,

BUT I'VE STILL BEEN WRITING

AND STILL SINGING, MAN,

AND PEOPLE STILL

SEEM TO KNOW WHO I AM.

JEEZ,

WHERE ARE THE VIOLINS?

NO, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.

I STILL CAN DO THE SP--

WELL, I CAN'T DO

THE SPLITS RIGHT NOW,

BUT I'M TELLING YOU,

I STILL GOT IT.

STILL GOT IT?

YEAH.

WHO THE FUCK CARES,

YOU STILL GOT IT?

IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW IT,

DOO-WOP IS DEAD.

THE BEATLES STOMPED IT OUT,

MOTOWN KICKED IT OUT,

AND HENDRIX

TOOK IT SOMEPLACE ELSE.

NOW GET OUT OF MY OFFICE.

NO, NO, WAIT, MAN.

LISTEN.

LET ME JUST DO A DEMO

OR SOMETHING.

WHY DON'T YOU CALL ONE

OF YOUR CRONIES UP AND--

AND WHAT?

TELL THEM I GOT

A BLACKBALLED JUNKIE

IN MY OFFICE

LOOKING FOR A COMEBACK?

HOLD ON NOW, MORRIS.

YOU'RE TAKING IT

TOO FAR NOW, OK?

I'M NOT A JUNKIE ANY--

I DON'T SHOOT UP, MAN.

I'M CLEAN.

PLEASE! YOU SHOOT UP,

AND YOU'RE

A NO-SHOW AT GIGS.

HEY, ONLY AN ASSHOLE

TAKES A CHANCE ON A JUNKIE.

I TOLD YOU I'M NOT

A FUCKING JUNKIE!

DIDN'T YOU JUST HEAR ME?!

DO YOU KNOW WHO THE FUCK

YOU'RE TALKING TO, HUH?

YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN?!

THIS IS WHY

YOU'RE NOT BOOKED

AT THE ORPHEUM TONIGHT!

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?

YOU'RE A CRAZED MANIAC.

LOOK, MORRIS--

YOU'RE NOT A CUTE KID

ANYMORE, FRANKIE.

YOU'RE A LOSER,

YOU'RE A HAS-BEEN,

AND YOU'RE A FUCKIN'

DRUG ADDICT!

NOW GET YOUR FUCKIN'

ASS OUT OF HERE.

YOU'RE FUCKIN' DEAD!

GET SECURITY UP HERE.

OUT!

[TRIBAL MUSIC PLAYING]

Zola: ♪ THAT YOU DO ♪

♪ OH, YOU'RE MY DREAM

COME TRUE ♪

♪ MY ONE AND ONLY YOU ♪

Zola: THIS GUY

IS SO SPECIAL...

HE HAS GOT TO BE

TOUCHED BY GOD.

Frankie:

MARRY ME, ZOLA.

WHAT YOU TALKING ABOUT,

FRANKIE?

FRANKIE.

YOU WILL ALWAYS

BE TIED DOWN TO ME.

♪ YOU DO ♪

♪ AND FILL MY HEART ♪

♪ WITH LOVE ♪

♪ FOR ONLY YOU ♪

♪ ONLY YOU ♪

♪ CAN MAKE

THIS CHANGE IN ME ♪

♪ FOR IT'S TRUE ♪

♪ YOU SEE ♪

♪ I'M WEARING MY HEART ♪

BEAUTIFUL!

BEAUTIFUL!

BABY, YOU ARE

ONE FINE THING.

♪ OH, YOU'RE MY DREAM

COME TRUE ♪

♪ MY ONE AND ONLY YOU ♪

[ROCK 'N' ROLL PLAYING]

♪ YOU KEEP A-KNOCKIN',

BUT YOU CAN'T COME IN ♪

♪ KEEP A-KNOCKIN',

BUT YOU CAN'T, WHOO! ♪

♪ KEEP A-KNOCKIN',

BUT YOU CAN'T COME IN ♪

♪ COME BACK TOMORROW NIGHT

AND TRY IT AGAIN ♪

OH!

OW! OW! OW! OW!

HEY!

WHOO!

COME ON!

COME ON!

OW! OW!

OW! OW! OW!

[GARBLED SINGING,

OVERLAPPING VOCALS]

OW! OW! OW!

NEXT TIME, YOU BETTER

HAVE ALL MY MONEY.

WELL, WELL...

[ECHOING]

IF IT ISN'T FRANKIE LYMON.

LONG TIME NO SEE.

[ECHO]

IF IT ISN'T FRANKIE LYMON.

HEY, COOP.

I KNEW YOU'D COME BACK.

WHAT'S UP?

HOW'S LIFE

BEEN TREATING YOU?

LET'S TAKE A WALK.

Frankie: ♪ OOH, WHY ♪

♪ OOH, WHY ♪

♪ OOH, WHY ♪

Frankie: ♪ WHY DO FOOLS

FALL IN LOVE? ♪

Woman: ♪ LORD ♪

♪ TAKE MY HAND ♪

♪ DELIVER ME ♪

♪ AND LET ME STAND ♪

♪ I ♪

♪ I GET SO TIRED ♪

♪ I ♪

♪ AM WEAK ♪

♪ I ♪

♪ AM WORN ♪

♪ THROUGH ♪

♪ THE STARS ♪

♪ LORD, HERE'S MY HAND ♪

♪ PRECIOUS ♪

♪ LORD ♪

♪ AND LEAD ♪

♪ LEAD ME ♪

♪ LORD, LEAD ME HOME ♪

I PAID FOR

FRANKIE'S FUNERAL.

SO SAD.

HE WAS SO TALENTED.

MR. LEVY, DO YOU

KNOW WHAT THIS IS?

YEAH. SURE. IT'S WHY

DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE.

OH, UH, MR. LEVY, WHOSE NAMES

APPEAR AS SONGWRITERS ON THIS?

LYMON AND LEVY.

UH-HUH. WELL,

HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT,

YOU WRITING THE SONG

WITH FRANKIE?

I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

DID YOU TWO SIT DOWN

TOGETHER AT THE PIANO,

UH, HE PLAYS SOME MUSIC--

NO, NO, NO.

YOU GET TOGETHER,

AND YOU KIND

OF PUT THE WORDS

AND THE MUSIC TOGETHER.

YOU GET A BEAT GOING.

I MEAN, I'M NOT SAYING

THAT I'M WRITING

SONGS LIKE CHOPIN.

LIKE CHOPIN.

THAT'S VERY FUNNY.

VERY FUNNY, MR. LEVY.

IT'S NOT QUITE AS FUNNY

AS THIS, THOUGH.

NOW, WHOSE NAMES ARE LISTED

AS SONGWRITERS ON THIS RECORD?

IT'S "LYMON, SANTIAGO,

AND GOLDNER."

UH-HUH. AS IN

HERMAN SANTIAGO,

THE ORIGINAL LEAD SINGER

OF THE TEENAGERS?

WHAT'S THE NAME

OF THIS SONG?

WHY DO FOOLS

FALL IN LOVE.

WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE.

SO, IN FACT, MR. LEVY,

YOU DIDN'T WRITE THE SONG.

YOU JUST SLAPPED

YOUR NAME ON IT

SO YOU COULD COLLECT

SONGWRITER ROYALTIES

AND COPYRIGHT ENTITLEMENTS.

LISTEN, COUNSELOR,

I'M A BUSINESSMAN.

IT WAS JUST BUSINESS.

MR. LEVY, HOW MUCH MONEY

HAVE YOU MADE OVER THE YEARS

FROM THE SONG

WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE?

WHO KNOWS?

TRY $4 MILLION, MR. LEVY.

$4 MILLION!

SHH.

AND HOW MUCH OF

THAT MONEY, MR. LEVY,

HAVE YOU TRIED TO PAY

TO FRANKIE LYMON'S ESTATE?

I GOT ACCOUNTANTS

FOR THAT KIND OF STUFF.

THE ANSWER IS ZERO,

MR. LEVY. NOTHING.

NOT ONE SINGLE PENNY,

MR. LEVY!

NO FURTHER QUESTIONS,

YOUR HONOR.

WAIT A SECOND.

WAIT A SECOND.

YOU'RE ALL ACTING

LIKE I WAS THE ONLY ONE

DOING BUSINESS THAT WAY.

EVERYONE WAS DOING IT.

EVERY RECORD PRODUCER,

EVERY OWNER OF A LABEL,

EVERY PROMOTER.

IT WAS STANDARD

INDUSTRY PRACTICE.

ALL RIGHT, MR. LEVY,

THAT'S ENOUGH.

AND ANOTHER THING, THERE

WOULD BE NO FRANKIE LYMON

IF IT WASN'T FOR ME.

I DISCOVERED HIM FIRST.

I INVESTED IN HIM

FIRST.

I PROMOTED HIM FIRST.

AND YOU'RE SITTING HERE

TALKING LIKE I'M THE ONE

WHO PUT THAT SMACK

INTO HIS VEINS.

Judge: ALL RIGHT, MR. LEVY,

I SAID THAT IS ENOUGH.

I JUST WANTED YOU

TO KNOW--

MR. LEVY,

YOU ARE EXCUSED.

THANK YOU

VERY MUCH.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING

TO ADJOURN FOR TODAY.

WE'LL RECONVENE

TOMORROW MORNING AT 9:00

AT WHICH TIME

I WILL RENDER MY DECISION.

THANK YOU.

SCOTCH AND SODA.

STRAWBERRY MARGARITA.

ICED TEA, PLEASE.

LONG ISLAND ICED TEA.

$4 MILLION. DO Y'ALL

BELIEVE THAT SHIT?

MM-MMM.

SHIT,

WHEN FRANKIE WAS ALIVE,

HE DIDN'T HAVE 2 NICKELS

TO RUB TOGETHER.

I HEARD THAT.

MONEY LIKE THAT

I ONLY READ ABOUT

IN FORTUNE MAGAZINE.

YOU READ FORTUNE?

YES. IT'S GOT FORECASTS,

FUTURES, YOU KNOW, STOCK TIPS.

OH, THANK YOU.

MMM.

MMM.

MMM. MMM.

THAT IS DELICIOUS.

THAT LONG ISLAND ICED TEA

FLAVORING IS TASTY.

[BELCHES]

OOH, EXCUSE ME.

OH, I'M SORRY.

OOH.

YOU KNOW, I WISH WE COULD

RETHINK THIS WHOLE COURT CASE

AND REFUSE TO LET

OUR LIVES BE DICTATED

BY MORRIS AND FRANKIE

AND ALL THESE VULTURES.

HONEY, I WISH WE COULD

TELL OUR LAWYERS

TO KISS OUR BIG BUTTS.

WELL, HERE IS TO TELLING

ALL OF OUR LAWYERS

TO KISS OUR BIG BUTTS.

BIG BUTTS!

JUICY BOOTIES.

OOH, 'CAUSE I KNOW MY BUTT

HAS GOTTEN A LITTLE BIG.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT,

LADIES?

WHY DON'T WE TELL ALL

OF THEM WHERE TO GO

AND WALK OUT OF HERE

FRIENDS?

BABY, I COULD BE

A MUCH BETTER FRIEND

WITH 4 MILLION BUCKS.

WAIT. IF WE DO YOUR PLAN,

WE CAN ALL--

WHAT PLAN?

WHAT ARE YOU

TALKING ABOUT?

WASN'T IT YOU THAT SAID

50% OF SOMETHING

IS BETTER THAN NO PERCENT

OF NOTHING?

THEN YOU SPLIT

YOUR 50% WITH HER.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

IT'S GONNA BE 30-30-30.

EXCUSE ME.

EXCUSE ME!

WHAT ARE Y'ALL

TALKING ABOUT?

'CAUSE WHATEVER IT IS,

IT SOUNDS ILLEGAL TO ME.

NO.

NO.

IT'S NOT ILLEGAL.

IT IS NOT ILLEGAL.

IT SOUNDS ILLEGAL.

WE CAN DO

WHAT WE WANT.

IT WAS HER IDEA.

IT SOUNDS ILLEGAL TO ME.

FUCK IT, ALL RIGHT?

LOOK, HERE'S THE DEAL:

WHOEVER WON, ME AND HER,

WE WAS GONNA

SPLIT IT 50-50.

NOW WE CAN CUT YOU IN.

WE DON'T NEED

TO LEAVE HERE

UNTIL WE CAN MAKE

A DEAL TO GET PAID.

COME ON, EMIRA.

THAT IS A MILLION-

THREE-HUNDRED Gs EACH.

EACH?

EACH.

EACH.

WELL, I COULD USE

A NEW CAR.

YOU COULD GET YOURSELF

A CADILLAC, GIRL.

BROUGHAM!

OOH, WELL, THAT IS

KOOL AND THE GANG!

YEAH!

I KNEW WE

COULD GET HER.

♪ MET SOMEONE WHO KNOCKED YOU

BACK OFF YOUR HEELS ♪

All: ♪ GOODY GOODY ♪

♪ YOU MET SOMEONE, AND NOW

YOU KNOW HOW IT FEELS ♪

[GAVEL POUNDING]

Judge: WHAT WAS AT ISSUE

IN THIS CASE

WAS DETERMINING WHICH

OF THE 3 ALLEGED WIDOWS

IS THE LAWFUL SURVIVING

SPOUSE OF FRANKIE LYMON.

WIDOW NUMBER ONE,

ELIZABETH WATERS,

CLAIMED

THAT SHE AND FRANKIE LYMON

LIVED AS COMMON-LAW

HUSBAND AND WIFE

AND THAT THEY WERE MARRIED

IN A CIVIL CEREMONY

IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA,

AND ALL OF THIS,

APPARENTLY,

WHILE SHE WAS STILL MARRIED

TO SOMEONE ELSE.

NOW, WIDOW NUMBER 2,

ZOLA TAYLOR,

CLAIMS THAT SHE MARRIED

FRANKIE LYMON

IN EITHER TIJUANA

OR MEXICALI,

DEPENDING UPON WHICH DAY

OF THE WEEK IT IS.

BUT, UNFORTUNATELY,

MISS TAYLOR WAS UNABLE

TO PROVIDE

ANY SUBSTANTIVE PROOF

OF EITHER HER MARRIAGES

OR HER DIVORCES.

WHICH BRINGS US

TO WIDOW NUMBER 3,

EMIRA EAGLE,

WHO WAS MARRIED TO FRANKIE

IN A CHURCH CEREMONY

REPLETE WITH

WHITE WEDDING GOWN

AND A HONEYMOON SUITE

IN AUGUSTA, GEORGIA,

AND ALL OF THIS WOULD

HAVE BEEN WELL AND GOOD,

EXCEPT FOR THE FACT

THAT NEW YORK STATE

UPHOLDS

THE PENNSYLVANIA LAW

WHICH RECOGNIZES

COMMON-LAW MARRIAGE

AS LEGAL AND BINDING.

AND SINCE ELIZABETH CONTINUED

TO LIVE WITH FRANKIE

AFTER HER DIVORCE

FROM CHARLES PHILLIPS

AND BASED ON THE STATUTES--

CROSS VS. CROSS,

COMMONWEALTH VS. HIGHLAND,

AND SKINNER VS. SKINNER--

BOTH THE COMMON-LAW MARRIAGE

AND THE VIRGINIA MARRIAGE

WERE INDEED VALID,

AND SINCE NEITHER MARRIAGE

WAS DISSOLVED

AT THE TIME

OF FRANKIE'S DEATH,

IT IS THE DETERMINATION

OF THIS COURT

THAT THE LAWFUL, SURVIVING

SPOUSE OF FRANK JOSEPH LYMON

IS ELIZABETH WATERS LYMON.

YEAH!

YES!

I TOLD YOU!

YES! YES! YES!

WE DID IT!

Both: AAH!

STOP! SEE,

SHE SAID THAT WE WON,

SO THAT MEAN

THAT Y'ALL LOST,

SO TALK TO THE HAND,

'CAUSE ME AND MY COUNSELOR

GOT TO GO.

Emira: WHAT?!

YOU JHERI CURL-WEARING,

GHETTO BITCH!

I'M GONNA WHUP

YOUR ASS!

ORDER IN THE COURT.

[GAVEL POUNDING]

ELIZABETH WON

AND TOLD THE REST OF US

EXACTLY WHERE TO GO.

SHE GOT US.

BUT, YOU KNOW, HEY,

I DIDN'T REALLY CARE,

BECAUSE I WAS TIRED OF

THE COURTS AND THE LAWYERS

AND THE WHOLE THING ANYWAY.

I WASN'T HAVING IT.

I FILED SUIT IN

THE U.S. COURT OF APPEALS.

IT WAS A MESS.

IT TOOK YEARS.

BUT THEY RULED IN MY FAVOR.

SO, YOU SEE,

THE SCHOOLTEACHER

WON FRANKIE'S ESTATE AFTER ALL.

BUT THE FINAL TEE-HEE-HEE

WAS ON HER.

SEE, FRANKIE'S ESTATE WASN'T

NOWHERE NEAR NO $4 MILLION.

AND AFTER ALL MISS THING'S

LAWYERS' LEGAL FEES

AND EXPENSES,

SHE ONLY ENDED UP

WITH 15 GRAND.

THE SAME AMOUNT

THAT MORRIS HAD OFFERED HER

FROM JUMP STREET.

NOW, AIN'T THAT NOTHIN'?

WELL, HONEY,

I COULD'VE TOLD THEM

WASN'T NONE OF THEM

GONNA GET NO MONEY!

AIN'T NOBODY

EVER GAVE US NOTHING!

♪ WHOO ♪

♪ HOO-OOH-OOH-OOH ♪

Frankie Lymon:

♪ GOODY GOODY FOR ME ♪

♪ AND I HOPE YOU'RE SATISFIED,

YOU RASCAL, YOU ♪

♪ OHH ♪

[APPLAUSE]

♪ OH, YOU LIE AWAKE JUST SINGIN'

THE BLUES ALL NIGHT ♪

♪ GOODY GOODY ♪

♪ SO YOU THINK THAT LOVE'S

A BARREL OF DYNAMITE ♪

♪ OOH-OOH,

HOORAY AND HALLELUJAH ♪

♪ YOU HAD IT COMIN' TO YA ♪

♪ GOODY GOODY FOR HIM ♪

♪ GOODY GOODY GOODY

FOR ME ♪

♪ YOUR LOVE

HAS BEEN DENIED YOU ♪

♪ YOU'VE BEEN TAKEN

FOR A RIDE ♪

♪ AND I HOPE YOU'RE SATISFIED,

YOU RASCAL, YOU ♪

♪ HEY ♪

[APPLAUSE]

En Vogue:

♪ PACKED UP ALL THE PAIN ♪

♪ LEFT THE TEARS

OUTSIDE MY DOOR ♪

♪ AND I'M NOT GONNA

BE THE ONE WHO'S LEFT ♪

♪ OUT IN THE RAIN NO MORE ♪

♪ I SEE IT SO CLEARLY ♪

♪ THE WRITING

IS ON THE WALL ♪

♪ TELLIN' ME I'M GONNA BE

ALL RIGHT AFTER ALL ♪

♪ NOW, I'VE OPENED MY EYES ♪

♪ AND I'M FINALLY WISE ♪

♪ NO, NO ♪

♪ NO FOOL NO MORE ♪

♪ NO FOOL ♪

♪ NO MORE ♪

♪ NOT LIKE BEFORE ♪

♪ NOT THE WAY ♪

♪ IT USED TO BE ♪

♪ NO FOOL NO MORE ♪

♪ NO TEARS THIS TIME ♪

♪ 'CAUSE THIS TIME,

I'M WISE ♪

♪ TO THE GAME

THAT'S BEEN GOIN' ON ♪

♪ AND I'M NOT GONNA

BE NO FOOL NO MORE ♪

♪ I'M GONNA PULL

MY HEART TOGETHER ♪

♪ GONNA LEAVE

THE PAST BEHIND ♪

♪ GONNA GET

TO SOMETHING BETTER ♪

♪ PUT YOU OUT OF MY MIND,

YEAH, YEAH ♪

♪ I'M GONNA BE STRONG ♪

♪ I'M GONNA BE FINE ♪

♪ I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW ♪

♪ THAT I'M NOT GONNA

BE NO FOOL NO MORE ♪

♪ NO FOOL ♪

♪ NO FOOL NO MORE ♪

♪ NOT LIKE BEFORE, YEAH ♪

♪ NOT THE WAY ♪

♪ IT USED TO BE ♪

♪ OOH HOO OOH ♪

♪ BABY, BABY, BABY ♪

Gina Thompson:

♪ OOH-OOH WAH-AH OOH WAH ♪

♪ OOH-OOH WAH-AH

OOH WAH ♪

♪ WHY DO FOOLS

FALL IN LOVE? ♪

Mocha: ♪ YOU WANT TO BE THE ONE

I CALL ON, RIGHT? ♪

♪ YOU WANT TO BE THE ONE

TO TELL ME YOU'RE SO RIGHT ♪

♪ WELL, Y'ALL CATS

IS ALL ALIKE ♪

♪ LET ME SAY THIS HERE ♪

♪ THIS YEAR,

'BOUT THIS MISS HERE ♪

♪ THIS CLIQUE

WON'T DRIP TEARS ♪

♪ BUT YOU CAN KICK

THE WITH WICK ♪

♪ THIS FIT, GONNA LEAVE

IF HE DON'T KICK HIS SHIT ♪

♪ AND WHO GONNA

GET RID OF THIS FOOL? ♪

♪ WHO? I AIN'T DEAD ♪

♪ WHAT YOU DO

IS CHOOSE TO DISAPPEAR ♪

Gina Thompson:

♪ MY MAN ♪

♪ HE HAD GAME,

HE GAVE ME THINGS ♪

♪ AND HE BOUGHT ME GIFTS ♪

♪ OOH OOH OOH ♪

♪ HE LET ME

DRIVE HIS WHEELS ♪

♪ AND SO I TRUSTED HIM,

I TRUSTED HIM ♪

♪ ALL ABOVE ♪

♪ WHY DO FOOLS

FALL IN LOVE? ♪

♪ WHY DOES THE RAIN

FALL FROM ABOVE? ♪

♪ WHY DO FOOLS

FALL IN LOVE? ♪

♪ WHY DO THEY FALL IN LOVE? ♪

♪ TELL ME ♪

♪ WHY DOES THE RAIN

FALL FROM ABOVE? ♪

♪ WHY DO FOOLS

FALL IN LOVE? ♪

♪ WHY DO THEY FALL

IN LOVE? ♪

CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY

WARNER BROS.

CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY

THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING

INSTITUTE, INC.