Original subtitles

Downloaded from YTS.MX

[helicopter humming]

Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX

[♪ Katyna Ranieri: "Oh My Love"] ♪ oh my love ♪

♪ look and see ♪

♪ the sun rising ♪

♪ from the river ♪

♪ Nature's miracle once more ♪

♪ will light the world ♪

♪ But this light ♪

♪ is not for those men ♪

♪ still lost in an old black shadow ♪

♪ Won't you help me to believe ♪

♪ that they will see ♪

♪ a day ♪

♪ a brighter day ♪

♪ when all the shadows ♪

♪ will fade away ♪

♪ That day I'll cry ♪

♪ that I believe ♪

♪ that I believe ♪

♪ oh, my love ♪

♪ High above us ♪

♪ the sun now ♪

♪ embraces nature ♪

♪ And from nature we should learn ♪

♪ that all can start ♪

♪ again ♪

♪ as the stars must fade away ♪

♪ to give a bright new day ♪♪

♪ ♪

[filmmaker] I beg your pardon, Madame.

- We didn't meant to disturb, but may we-. - Come!

But of course. Please.

But who are these gentlemen?

Europeans.

To be precise, they're Italians.

Journalists.

They've come here to the South to conduct an... inquest.

Is that the proper expression?

...on slavery.

Indeed, they seem to be quite shocked.

What is their religion?

They're Catholics, I believe.

You are Catholic, are you not?

Yes. Roman Catholic.

Well, they shouldn't feel too shocked.

After all, their Pope, who's most generous with his excommunications,

has yet to excommunicate a traitor in black flesh.

Unless they eat it on a Friday.

[laughter]

Excommunication?!

Catholic priests here in the South,

between one "Our Father" and another "Hail Mary,"

they raise goats and slaves.

And I must confess, they know their business!

The last seven males I bought

were sold to me by the Saint Inigo Jesuits in Maryland.

Finest bunch I ever bought.

[laughter]

But, why are they here, then?

I could be wrong, but perhaps it's because they, too, are slaves.

You know how Catholics are.

Slaves to the fascination of sin.

Perhaps it might be their oppositionist instinct.

You know Europeans.

Ever since the French Revolution,

they've been attacking everything.

But, Madame, times have changed.

Rousseau, Diderot, Voltaire.

Now it's Catholics who read the Devil's own books!

Ho, what would His Holiness in Rome have to say about that?!

[laughter]

Please, please.

These gentlemen are my guests.

And I, myself, have allowed them to move freely about the house,

so they can learn who really are the slaves and masters here.

Senator, don't, please.

No chicken bones, I beg of you.

Why, I've had to take two of them to the veterinarians already this week.

[child crying]

Well, at this point,

I have a suggestion that might enlighten our friends from Italy.

All of you at this table are distinguished people,

and it would be most illuminatin'

to hear your frank and authoritative views on the subject of slavery,

for you know what Europeans say about us,

that we have a guilt complex and won't talk about it.

I agree, and I shall speak first.

We cannot hide slavery any more than we can hide an erupting volcano,

a forest fire, or leprosy.

In my own case, it is true that I have freed my slaves

because they were stupid, foul-smelling,

sad and bothersome.

I'm an aristocrat.

I believe in freedom, but not equality.

That is my statement.

Signed, John Randolph of Roanoke.

I'm Professor Thomas R. Dew.

In history, we know that every great civilization was founded on slavery.

Let us take the classic examples of Greece,

and the Rome from whence you gentlemen come.

[loud yawn]

It's God's and Nature's law

that man attempt to prevail over his fellow man.

When one becomes the master, one becomes the slave.

- [child wailing loudly] - Let us remember

that God is white,

and as long as God is white,

- we shall prevail over all other races. - [child wailing]

[filmmaker] Sorry, Professor, what was that you said?

God is white, and as long as God is white,

we shall prevail over all other races.

[filmmaker] Beg your pardon, Professor, but with all this confusion,

would you mind repeating?

God is white, and as long as God is white,

we shall prevail over all other races.

Thank you very much. Any other viewpoints?

Perhaps I, too, may say something to these gentlemen from Europe.

I am not a Southerner.

My name is Harriet Beecher Stowe,

and I'm from New England.

I've been here but a few days,

but even in that short a span,

I've formed a personal opinion.

- May I state it? - Please do.

Even if I share the universal opinion

that the black race is indisputably inferior to all other races,

I must, on the other hand, also state

that slaves are of human origin,

and do have an embryonic intelligence.

[woman] oh, really?

I do not hesitate to tell you

that I entertain for the suffering slave

a degree of sympathy which equals the disgust

I hold for those who make him suffer.

I am an American who no longer understands her Southern kinsmen.

And this tragic fact distresses me deeply.

I can feel it.

Yes, I can feel it.

The wind has changed.

It has turned.

Are we to have a thunderstorm?

And is this not a forecast

of even more violent storms

that may cause our great country's unity to falter?

I have heard God's voice,

and His word has told me to write a story.

To write a book.

I think I'll call it Uncle Tom's Cabin.

And it is my great hope

that it will enlighten and ease our souls.

Fire!

[cannons firing]

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

[shouting]

[bombastic music plays ♪]

[overlapping shouting]

[filmmaker narrating] The Civil War cost America a million dead.

For every negro brought from Africa,

a white man fell in battle,

and their bones were collected by these old slaves,

whose freedom was bought with the white man's life.

This was the price America paid,

first to free itself,

and then the rest of the world, from the institution of slavery.

An institution America had not invented,

but had inherited and endured.

The historic personages we met at Mrs. Carston's dinner table,

like all the others we will meet on our journey into the past,

lived and breathed nearly a century and a half ago,

when they never could have imagined that one day soon,

their scattered bones would be harvested by black hands.

Now revisited in their actual surroundings,

they will do and say exactly what they did and said once upon a time.

When the peculiar economy of the South,

the morals of the times,

certain scientific beliefs,

and even various passages of The Bible,

authorized the white man to relegate the black

to the existence of a domesticated animal.

Without intelligence, without a soul.

But this was only one half of America.

The other half took arms, killed, and was killed.

And the former slaves, now freed,

are employed by the Government at 75 cents a day

to collect these sacrificial bones

and give them burial in thousands of nameless graves.

♪ ♪

[bosun whistle]

[Mr. Simms] Christ, what a stink, Captain!

What did you bring? A cargo of rotten meat?

[captain] What do you mean? This is all prime beef.

They stink because they eat like pigs and they vomit all over themselves.

[Mr. Simms] Long voyage?

[captain] 95 days in the Ivory Coast.

[Mr. Simms] Whew. Don't you ever take 'em up on deck for a little fresh air?

[captain] With all the frigates nosin' around these waters like hungry dogs?

Times have changed, Mr. Simms,

now that our damn Yankee government considers this cargo contraband.

They catch me with even one nigger on board,

it's up the rope I go, and I wouldn't be the first.

They're bound to rot away down in that cesspool.

[captain] Not on your life!

Aboard my ship, hygiene's the rule.

That means a clean ship, clean cargo.

When one of 'em gets took bad, I don't wait 'til he plagues the others.

No, sir.

It's into the brine with him, then and there.

Captain wishes to deliver the goods in perfect condition.

- Anyone would tell ya that. - [mouse squealing]

How many head ya got?

[captain] 326 including the wenches.

This batch is all stallions.

No syphilis and they balls bustin' with seed.

But look how rested they are. All travels in comfort.

Each one got a space six foot by two foot.

Why, they can even turn around.

Yeah, real stallions.

Every night, they so hot for pleasure,

and they all humpin' each other like a pack of dogs.

Them chains don't stop 'em, no how.

[clamoring voices]

And here's the wenches.

All of 'em got pups, and near all are pregnant again.

- [Mr. Simms] How many? - [captain] 112. You go $300 each?

[Mr. Simms] You touched, Captain?

You know I don't buy by the head, I buy by the pound.

[captain] All right. Say, $200.

[Mr. Simms] By the pound, I said.

Hey, what're you doin', drownin' 'em?

[captain] I told you, rule number one, hygiene.

Three showers a day. Saltwater kills their fleas and lice.

[Mr. Simms] Then you ring 'em and hang 'em out to dry, I reckon.

[chuckling]

God Almighty, what a pest hole.

That's diarrhea.

Just bustin' with health, ain't they, you old pirate?

[captain] It happens now and then, but we know how to cure it.

[Mr. Simms] The usual cure?

[captain] It's the oldest and the surest.

Sugar cane plug, oakum, and twine.

Then, bam! Ram it in hard.

Keeps the bowels locked up tight,

and the soul from escapin' by the back door.

[Mr. Simms] How come he don't blow up?

[captain] Cork'll pop out first, just like a bottle of champagne.

[moaning]

[Mr. Simms] Hey, what's that slop?

[captain] That's molasses and beef grease. Niggers goes crazy for it.

Have to truss 'em and feed 'em a little at a time,

otherwise they choke themselves on it.

[Mr. Simms] Lookin' at him you wouldn't think so.

[captain] That one, he's takin' it to his head to starve himself to death.

A real pitiful case.

Hey, doc, chisel, hammer and funnel.

Go ahead and serve dinner!

[shouting, chains rattling]

[choking]

All right, let's say $150 a head.

[Mr. Simms] You're just breakin' wind again. By the pound I said!

The whole cargo at a dollar a pound.

- [captain] $2! - [Mr. Simms] $1 .25.

- [captain] $1 .75. - [Mr. Simms] $1 .50!

[captain] Sold.

I'll regret it, but it's a deal.

[emotional music plays ♪]

Well, nothin' else to show ya.

one sugar cane per head and I take back their personal effects for my next cargo.

Naked I bought 'em and naked I sell.

All hands ashore!

You too, gentlemen, the voyage is over.

[filmmaker] How can it be? The ship hasn't made port.

[captain] And she ain't a-gonna.

Too many busybodies ashore.

♪ ♪

Keep movin'!

All right, there!

Come on!

Keep movin'!

Watch how you swing that hammer, weren't you watchin'.

All right, come on, then!

Keep movin'!

That's how you swing that hammer, you black bastard!

That's it.

Keep movin'.

♪ ♪

You black bastard, come on!

You bastard, come on!

Gimme that chain!

Keep movin'!

[whistles]

Hey, Pluto, come 'ere!

Pluto, come over here right now!

[whistles]

Come here, I said!

[whistling]

♪ ♪

You heard me! Give that here.

Damn you, Pluto, come here!

I'll teach you to jump when your master speaks!

[laughter]

[drums]

[filmmaker] Where are we?

[2nd filmmaker] This is Fort Bastille,

Louisiana's vast receiving station.

Thomas Hewitt referred to it in his pamphlet.

It says on page 106,

"It is ordered that all slaves, upon arrival from Africa,

shall be placed in quarantine in Fort Bastille."

♪ ♪

Now listen to this. Page 116.

"In iron cages, those afflicted with mange, scabies, ringworm, yaws,

and other skin diseases are treated with the smoke of ailanthus leaves."

Page 118.

"Epileptics are tied and hung by the feet and left dangling,

until the blood flooding the brain arrests the convulsions."

♪ ♪

Here on page 122,

"It is obligatory that all new arrivals shall be given their first collective bath

in water containing ashes, sand, and lye soap."

♪ ♪

Now on page 130,

"From the bath, they go to be greased with an ointment of palm oil and camphor.

The staff is well aware that 82% of the new arrivals

suffer from contagious skin ailments

and may not be sold until cured.

Violators of this regulation are subject to punishment by law."

♪ ♪

By means of giant slides,

the subjects pass on to the next stage,

which is disinfecting and purging.

♪ ♪

It goes on to say,

"Lice and fleas that may have survived the preceding treatment

will be exterminated by the complete destruction of their natural habitat.

The razor, made of top.quality steel,

is to be sharpened after each 200 shaves,

so as to avoid the possibility of damaging the scalp."

♪ ♪

[door creaks open]

Well, come in. Come on in, gentlemen.

There's nothin' to be scared of. Erythema.

[filmmaker] Pleased to meet you, Doctor Erythema.

oh, no, I'm Doc White. Here, come closer.

You see, the disease is erythema.

I caught it from these filthy nigger bastards, don't you know.

All right. Bring 'em on over.

Come on, come on!

Now, you can look all you like, but mind you, don't touch nothin'.

It's dangerous.

Come over here.

Let's see if I can give you a clean bill of health as a stud.

[giggling] oh, that's it.

Bring it here to me now.

As skittish as a stallion, eh?

Scared this is gonna pinch your nose?

[giggling] No, no.

Ain't your nose that you can cause trouble with.

Now, let me see if that stove pipe's in order.

Eh, scrotum...

...foreskin...

Hey, now what is this, a flag raisin'?

C'mon, put that black snake away.

[laughing]

All wenches with pups, step forward!

- [baby crying] - Gimme that bag o'bones.

Let's go.

[babies screaming]

Infant mortality, 60%.

Principal causes: syphilis, dysentery, tuberculosis.

Good thing the females is always pregnant.

The average is one and a half pups a year.

And then they cut the umbilical cord with their teeth and the tetanus takes over.

And what thanks do us veterinarians get for our efforts?

Hm? There, ya see?

They pee on us, that's what.

And their mothers tie off the cord with horse hair.

Results?

Abscess and umbilical hernia.

Eh, when ya come down to it,

what's a gentleman like me doin' bein' a veterinarian?

[babies crying]

♪ ♪

[groaning]

[whimpering]

[giggling]

[yelling]

[filmmaker] These are their food rations?

I can understand why they need an enema.

[2nd filmmaker] Actually it's not bad.

A pint of cornmeal per head, half a pint of beans,

half a pound of yams, three pounds of pork fat.

Whoa!

Get your facts straight. Just two pounds of fat.

We don't need any favors from you.

All right, go ahead.

[whistles]

[crowd clamoring]

[woman screaming]

[man] Look at 'em. Just look at 'em!

They'll gobble anything you give 'em.

Eatin' and pleasurin', that's what they want.

And they wanna survive.

They survive everythin'!

Whippin's, syphilis, cholera, the heat, the cold.

Their strength is their adaptability.

Come heaven or hell, they'll fill their bellies and spew out dozens of pups.

Now, let me tell you somethin'.

I take my stand in favor of compulsory castration.

Not out of meanness, you understand,

but if we don't cut a few thousand of these black balls now,

then, in a hundred, two hundred years...

[train whistle blowing]

[filmmaker] Where are they taking them?

[2nd filmmaker] Benson Parish, the end of the line.

From there, they start the long march through the wilderness.

[filmmaker] What shall we do, follow them?

[2nd filmmaker] No, no, no, we'll wait for them at the swamp, outside of Baton Rouge.

We'd better hurry up, though, before the rainy season begins.

[sentimental music plays ♪]

[2nd filmmaker] Now, from the railhead,

the caravan proceeds on foot toward the great slave markets.

[filmmaker] Hey, what's that red flag?

[2nd filmmaker] The red flag is a symbol of slavery.

[filmmaker] Is that so? And the band?

[2nd filmmaker] To keep up their morale,

so they'll make a good appearance when they arrive at the market.

[flies buzzing]

Come on!

All right, everybody! Let's hear some music!

Some music here! Something lively!

[off-key march playing ♪]

[overlapping shouting]

[church bells ringing]

[man speaking Latin]

By the grace of God, you are free.

[speaking Latin]

By the grace of God, you are free.

By the grace of God, you are free.

By the grace of God, you are free.

[speaking Latin]

By the grace of God, you're free.

[sigh]

[strong foreign accent] All right, Father, $300 for the males,

$200 for the females, $100 for the cubs.

Agreed, ja?

Well, goodbye then, Father.

Remember me when you have any more goods to set free.

- Ja? - By the grace of God, you're free.

[filmmaker narrating] Historically exact,

when commanded by Rome to no longer hold slaves,

the Jesuits of the Monastery of Saint Inigo in Maryland,

instead of liberating their slaves, sold them.

♪ ♪

[off-key march playing ♪]

[overlapping shouts]

[2nd filmmaker narrating] Ah, after a long day's march,

the merchants allow the slave caravans a few hours of rest

on deserted plantations in the wilderness,

and in sugar mills where water was always abundant.

[filmmaker] Who. who are those four?

[2nd filmmaker] Shh.

We have an appointment with them tonight.

I'll explain later.

[man whistles]

[women scream]

[laughing]

Not bad, yeah?

[whistling]

[filmmaker] Oh, Johnny, please don’t make trouble, huh?

Eh, shut up.

This my friend Buzz.

This is Sonny.

This here's Jake.

Well, then, are you comin'?

[filmmaker] But isn't this illegal?

Illegal? What's legal in this goddamn place?

Money now... money.

Oh, it's money he wants.

- [heavy blow] - [screaming in pain]

There's your money!

[wailing in pain]

Heh, fine, fine, fine.

Just fine!

On your feet!

Come on! Come on!

You see this herd?

Whole damn coffle belonged to one trader

'cause he rich, the fat hog... [grunts]

Get outta my way! Go on!

Move!

You know how many poor folks there is like me in this county

that ain't never owned a single one of these bastards?

80 out of 100!

80 that works for nothin' and die of starvation.

Make way for a white man! Get out!

So, there's no work for us in this shitty South, thanks to these dumb brutes.

Come on, come on! Let's go.

♪ ♪

[men shouting, laughing maniacally]

Come here, you!

[emotional music plays ♪]

♪ ♪

[baby crying]

Go away. Go away.

[light music plays ♪]

[filmmaker] There's the slave trader.

Let's talk to him now. Go on, call to him.

[2nd filmmaker] Hey, Mr. Schultz!

Mind if we freshen up a little, too?

Hello, boys! I'm glad to see you!

[laughing]

It's not like that.

You have to undo the buttons first.

[laughing] You'll learn.

It's true because if you know how to treat them,

they are not a really animal-like people, they.

What they need is a good master,

like me, for example.

You see, my profession has also its noble side.

Some people call us peddlers of human flesh,

sellers of souls. No, no, no.

When you have a good conscience like mine,

this work becomes a mission.

Don't think for one moment that this is a lucrative profession.

What do you think, for example, I make on this male?

40 to 50 dollars if he doesn't get first a hernia, ja.

[chuckling]

And with the females, it's the same.

Ho!

This wench, I think I do better with this one.

I pay 250 for her.

All right, all right, she's no virgin,

but I should get 650 for her if some buck fattens her up.

[giggling]

And the pups, $120 a dozen.

They'll bring 250 at the market.

So, you'll say a profit of 80 to 1200!0.

That's not bad.

One moment, it's 420 miles from here to the market,

and who pays for the ones who escape

and the others who die on the way?

If one out of three gets there, I'm lucky.

Then feeding, clothing, castrating, de-lousing,

whipping, then the taxes,

the tolls, the highway robbers, the fever.

Then my health, my family.

I have seven sons I never see.

And the boys need a father, ja?

[shivering]

[horse galloping, neighing]

Who's that?

[voices chattering]

Why, sure! It's really him! Charlie Watson!

You know that big banker that went bankrupt?

Well, he outsmarted all his creditors

and the taxmen by investing all the bank's deposit in slaves

and then marching 'em right out of the county.

[laughing]

Hey!

Charlie!

Charlie Watson!

Charlie! [laughing]

How are you?

Just like in the old days, ja.

I'm glad to see you, old friend. How've you been?

[greeting in strong foreign accent]

And how's your son? How old is he now?

Always said he was the spitting image of his pa.

Just like good old Charlie.

[gunshots]

[spluttering]

Poor Charlie.

Anyhow, it's better it was me.

At least I was a friend.

If the government men had caught him,

they'da hung him.

This way, he died with his boots on.

[filmmaker] Mr. Schultz... what have you done?

[Schultz] The law is the law.

Niggers are bought and sold,

but you have to pay your taxes.

You got to be careful in this business

because you know this is liquid capital,

and it cannot be exported without a license.

Hey, Amos!

Herd these along with the others.

You all heard what the master said! You comin' with us now!

[filmmaker] You mean, you're just going to take them?

[Schultz] Why, just because old Charlie's dead and gone,

you don't expect me to let them starve, do you?

Without a master, niggers is just plain helpless,

and I got a heart, you know.

[filmmaker] What if someone talks, with all these witnesses?

Oh, witnesses?

Who, them?

[laughing] No.

Have you ever seen a horse testify?

No. For a horse

is an animal like these,

and the law speaks very clearly.

No.

No danger.

If you...

- If you get any ideas... - [filmmaker] Who? Us?

Let's get out of here!

- Hey, what's the matter? - C'mon, run, run!

- [2nd filmmaker] I aml - Come back here!

You! Macaronis!

[overlapping shouting]

[musical flourish ♪]

[light music plays ♪]

[children chattering]

All right, all right. Come in, come in.

But I'm warnin' you, I haven't much time to look after you.

You can see what a madhouse it is here.

- Ma'am, ma'am. - Now, what do you want?!

- [gasps] The luggage! - The luggage, ma'am.

Mr. Thackeray's luggage, I've told you already!

You must bring it right down!

Back to work, all of you!

[children chattering]

You do as you please.

Look, walk around, do all you want. I'll see y'all later.

- Ma'am. - The sheets, ma'am.

- The sheets ma'am. - Ma'am.

Let's go! Let's go!

What about the sheets?

Ma'am?

Always clean.

Always clean.

Must always be cleanin' things that's already clean.

Fingers. My fingers is sore, ma'am.

Always cleanin' things, they get sore.

Nights, I have dreams about polishin' things, ma'am.

Like I was cleanin' night, too. And my feets hurts, ma'am.

What can I do about my feet?

♪ ♪

[spits]

[spits]

[piano plunking ♪]

- Ma'am! - Ma'am!

Where do we put the sheets?

Where do we put the sheets, ma'am?

- Ma'am? - [mocking] Ma'am! The sheets!

The sheets! Where do we put the sheets?

On that bed! On that bed!

[silly music plays ♪]

[babies crying]

[baby screaming]

♪ When the wind blows ♪

♪ the cradle will rock ♪

- [filmmaker] Excuse me, but-- - Shh.

♪ When the bough breaks ♪

♪ the cradle will fall ♪

And whose is this?!

Put him there, Missy. I'll start to milkin' him soon as...

Careful, he's got the runs. He dirties everywhere!

Yes'm.

♪ ...in the treetop ♪

♪ When the wind blows... ♪♪

♪ ♪

[girls chattering, giggling]

Ugh! It's cold! Why do I have to take this bath?

Shut your mouth and don't fuss so.

And you, gal, whatcha starin' at?

Get to pumpin', ya hear?

[girls chattering, giggling]

Aw, mammy, make her take my dress off!

Humph!

You see if I don't have you whipped!

You'll see!

And gimme that towel! It cost five dollars an ounce!

And it ain't for wipin' no nigger wenches!

Gimme that!

That's enough! I'm so terribly cold!

Lemme see. Don't like water, does you, stinky?

Worse than a nigger.

Mammy, stop fussin' me, will ya, and just get me dressed.

Please hurry up!

You know those foreign gentlemen that are just takin' everybody's portrait?

I wanna look my very best for those--

[gasps]

Get outta here!

Go away, you nosy people!

White gentlemen's the same all over the world!

[shouting in French]

[overlapping shouting]

You do not pluck a chicken while it is still alive!

Huh?!

[shouting in French]

[man] You bringin' or ain't you bringin' them bottles of drinkin' water?!

Pure brass water for master's tea!

[chickens squawking]

[speaking French]

Ah, that is where you have hidden the poulet du patron, huh?!

[laughing]

[man] You bringin' or ain't you bringin' that there cake

with the cherries on the top?

[woman] Hold your water! It'll arrive when ready!

I keeps addin' cherries and never gets it covered!

Can't figure why!

These are onions, not carrots!

You don't know by smell?!

[child singing]

[woman] Mash them almonds. Seem like the bowl too small.

I takes 'em out and mash 'em on the plate.

Yeah, that do right fine.

[shouting in French]

Ah, take that! And that!

[growls]

[man] This sweaty nigger put her hand in the mayonnaise.

Me, nigger like me, crush egg with a glove on.

[child singing]

[shouting in French]

Get him down! Get him down!

[child crying]

[glass shattering]

[pig oinking] - Pigs... pigs are more humans!

[sighs]

Mon Dieu!

All this, all hours, all day long.

And just for to feed two people!

[pompous music plays ♪]

Mrs. Maxwell.

Yes?

- Yes, Mr. Thackeray? - Mrs. Maxwell,

my stay with you and your family has been a thoroughly pleasant one.

And I do not really want to again go into the matter of that peculiar institution.

In your house,

one of the typical Southern homes of the privileged,

you have...

...some 30 slaves doing the same work that four or five servants

do perfectly well in any comparable house in London.

And these 30 negroes are the pick of the lot out of some 80 or 90.

Of the rest,

20 are sick or too old for work,

20 are too clumsy,

20 too young, and have to be nursed and looked after by ten more.

For domestic purposes, my dear Madame,

it seems to me the most peculiar institution that can be devised.

I wish to thank you for your hospitality, Madame...

...which, considering the enormous number of servants you have,

must indeed have been... exhausting.

♪ ♪

- [filmmaker] Who was that? - [2nd filmmaker] Thackeray.

English historian who wrote that slaves were more of a liability

than an asset to the Americans.

[light music plays ♪]

[birds chirping]

[car engine starts]

[overlapping goodbyes]

[filmmaker] Bye-bye! Bye!

Hey, why don’t we interview them?

Might be interesting, uh, from a professional point of view.

[2nd filmmaker] Forget it. We already have an interesting appointment.

[filmmaker] With whom?

[2nd filmmaker] The Reverend Stringfellow.

- [filmmaker] Huh? - [2nd filmmaker] The preacher.

The one who was famous for his justification of slavery.

- Aren’t you interested in hearing him? - [filmmaker] Why not?

[2nd filmmaker] He's preaching today in the church at Turner's Bridge.

[filmmaker] You know the way?

[2nd filmmaker] Eh, that slave Mrs. Maxwell loaned us,

he will lead us as far as Peterson Plantation,

and after that, we'll have to ask the way.

[filmmaker] All right.

[overlapping clamoring]

[man] Move it, move it!

[filmmaker] Uh, begging your pardon, Madame,

but can you direct us to Turner's Bridge?

Drei kilometers! lch bin German. Non good English sprechen!

[filmmaker] Uh, I'm afraid I... I didn’t understand!

- [dog barking] - Two miles! [speaking German]

[filmmaker] What's happening here, Madame?

Nothing.

Cutting on black boy.

...Twenty virgins out at Peterson's place.

- [woman laughing] - [filmmaker] Cutting? Cutting what?

Ja, the balls out of that nigger! [laughing]

Oh, that stud's through! [laughing]

[screaming]

[child chanting] Cut! Cut! Cut!

[man screaming]

No! Not my balls!

[screaming continues]

[man] He pissin'! He's scared!

[overlapping shouting, laughing]

Not my balls!

No!

[overlapping shouting]

[man] Yes! Yeah, I got 'em!

[victim] My balls!

[man] The clippers! Where be them clippers?!

[2nd man] A knife! Use a knife, and quick!

[man] No knife! Master said clippers!

[victim] Not my balls!

[victim screams]

No! No! No!

[man] Grab hold of 'em and pull!

Now put him where I can get at him with the clippers!

Hurry up!

He's pissin' like to drown me!

[men laughing]

Want to go in, gentlemen?

[filmmaker] No, thank you, but don’t let us keep you.

Shh.

[victim screaming]

His balls. Off at last!

[laughing]

[filmmaker] How do they do it?

With the tongs we use for gelding.

[filmmaker] But it's atrocious to make a man suffer that way.

Nein.

Nigger's they don't feel nothing.

[laughing]

[church bell ringing] [light music plays ♪]

[Reverend Stringfellow] At this point, let me remind you

that God condemned to slavery the damned posterity of Canaan in the days of Joshua.

God ordained by express statute...

...to Abraham's posterity that they should buy slaves.

And decreed that those slaves

would be a perpetual inheritance for their children.

God recognized Abraham as the owner of slaves he had bought,

commanding him to circumcise them.

And Jesus ordained

that whosoever dared to raise seditious doubts

as to the benevolence of the institution of slavery

should be cast out and scorned,

not only as a danger to the state,

but destructive to the true nature of the Gospel.

God decreed by law that slavery be honored and obeyed,

being His ordainment.

Jesus himself

established by law the relation of master

and slave.

A master must exercise, without any weakness,

his authority over the slave.

The master must not hesitate to punish him severely,

whipping him with a number of lashes

commensurate to the offense.

All this, dear brethren,

is made known to us by the recorded language of the Bible.

Slavery is, therefore, a divine institution,

ordered and sanctioned by God!

Therefore,

with all the authority invested in me by the Church,

I,

Reverend Thornton Stringfellow of the State of Virginia,

order you to honor slavery,

and not to discuss it

on the basis of false moral premises.

[light waltz music plays ♪]

"Regardin' the ladies of the South,

it should be clearly understood that their much vaunted virtue

is decidedly undervalued from a moral viewpoint,

because it is a virtue without alternatives."

- My word. - "Indeed they care for less than virtuous

since it is a fact that their men are noted for their preference

for colored girls.

They are virtuous to be sure. They have no other choice.

They are women unfulfilled since their husbands and possible lovers

prefer the dusky charms of the plantation wenches.

The fillies, the show horses, they call them,

these young colored girls, bursting with lusty youth,

whom they enjoy so lecherously."

[women reacting]

- How's it possible to write such filth?! - Propaganda.

Political propaganda.

What can they know about negroes and negresses,

these landless louts in Boston and Philadelphia?

Nothing but their envy and prejudice.

Their malice causes them to try and offend us,

to debase and humiliate us!

God in heaven!

That they should insult our men, our husbands, in this way!

For shame.

To suggest that our men would have intercourse with our slaves,

who are little better than animals!

- Exactly. - Dear God!

It is an accusation of sexual aberration!

[scoffs] This abnormal matin' between black and white,

there's a scientific word for it.

It's called bestiality.

Such disgustin' lies!

Do we not all know who are the objects of our husbands' incontinence.

We.

Who every Friday night must undergo--

- [gasps] What am I saying? - [women laughing]

Don't y'all think it might be wiser not to speak too frankly in front of them?

Don't worry, they understand about as much of white folks talk as the furniture does.

But isn't it remarkable, the longer they stay among us, the lighter they get!

Yet their mentality, sensitivity,

and intelligence remain that of the brute animal.

- It's really true. - Yes.

It seems to me that each generation gets lighter.

I know in our place, we keep havin' cubs with rosy skins.

My husband says it's because of, uh...

Symbiosis.

That's a scientific term, symbiosis.

Like those animals who take on the color of the background in which they live.

- Your husband's absolutely right. - It's true.

Quite correct, my dear.

Look at Shibio, he's left-handed like my brother.

And see Jason?

My husband brought him up from childhood, and now,

isn't it remarkable, he shows some of my husband's blondness.

Extraordinary!

Truly, nature is bizarre.

♪ ♪

[filmmaker] Do you think those women really believe

all that nonsense about symbiosis?

[2nd filmmaker] Could be. Maybe, maybe not.

[filmmaker] Where are their husbands?

[2nd filmmaker] Here in New Orleans at their townhouses

keeping an eye on business. - [filmmaker] Alone?

[2nd filmmaker] Well, you saw their wives.

They're in the country with the young people.

[filmmaker] Why don't we go and take a look ?

[2nd filmmaker] Of course. That's where we’re going.

[gate squeaking]

One, two, three.

Ah, that's just right.

Add three black peppercorns to a glass of port,

and you have an excellent digestive!

That's what I always say. Black is always tasty!

Take, for instance, a nice piece of black meat,

juicy and soft...

...even if it's slightly gamey.

That's the best part! Their gamey taste.

Always so easy to digest, even if eaten at bedtime.

[laughing]

Much better than our weekly ration of white meat!

A tasteless snack

that leads to tossin' and turnin' all night long!

[laughing]

That may be true in this uncivilized country,

but it cannot compare, as I have found, to the French.

We've heard enough about your French bitches!

Wait 'til he's married to a wife who thinks all men are disgustin' animals,

then he can tell us what kinda fun he gets in her bed!

[laughter]

Indeed.

That is because you don't know how to put a dash of pepper in it.

Truly you are peasants, with the tastes of peasants.

You like pepper in your port

and the musky stench of your servants.

- Uncivilized. - Easy, son, easy.

I have known other peasants like me and you

to slip out of the bed of Madame Pompadour, or some such bitch,

to find a tastier snack in mammy's larder!

♪ ♪

[tuba music plays ♪]

[stairs creaking]

[girls giggling]

Y'all line up for inspection, you wenches!

I show you who's boss around here!

Show me your nails!

You been rubbin' in the slops again?

Get that filth from under your claws, slut!

And you! Hold up your arms!

[sniffing]

I declare!

Smells straight from the cesspool!

Go wash yourself with lye soap!

Maybelle, come here!

Now you open your jaws.

Aah!

Garlic!

You chomp on those cloves 'til your teeths falls out!

And you!

You always been a pretty clean wench.

Almost no stink at all.

Now you.

Turn 'round.

Turn 'round, I say!

Bend over.

♪ ♪

I don't mind admittin' it, dear God, I'm mighty appreciative of all your...

- Come on in. - [filmmaker] Just a moment.

[filmmaker whispering] Let’s follow those girls.

[man] As I was sayin', dear Lord,

I'm real obliged to you for all you've given this deservin'

but humble servant today,

and for all that I know you will give me tomorrow.

I thank you for the wisdom you endowed me with at birth.

The countless good deeds you inspire me to do.

And I also reckon, I should thank you for closin' your divine eye

to a few little transgressions I got planned for tonight.

Come on, you! Get in here!

But in humble sincerity, dear Lord,

let me take this opportunity to thank you for my continuin' stamina,

and finally, for the riches you've already bestowed on me,

which I'm sure you wish me to keep and to multiply.

Amen.

You like my prayer? I made it up myself.

When a man knows good from evil, he's much better off makin' up his own prayers.

Me and God, we get along good.

As I see it, God created me in His image and likeness.

That's in the Bible. That's why I'm white.

Then he made the negro... ...which is also in the Bible,

which says that He immediately regretted it and damned the entire race,

leavin' 'em without a soul, fit only to be my slaves.

Then, with the night, come these black ghosts, damned by God.

I say ghosts only because of their damn blackness,

but they have a body.

Ah, what a body!

Look at her!

[grunts]

To avoid 'em is to lose God's battle.

[slurps]

To trap them at night is to conquer 'em.

The victory of light over darkness.

At my age, it's somethin' of a task.

But with God's help, m'friend, and these...

Hm, well...

It's late.

[slurping]

I got work to do!

[man] Mammy!

[door creaking]

Mammy!

Mammy!

Mammy!

Where are you, you black slut?!

You come here, now!

Move your big, fat, black ass!

- Come here, I said! - I'm comin'!

I'm here! I'm right here, master!

- What wrong?! - Idiot!

What's wrong?! You old fool!

This is what's wrong!

Did you or did you not send me this fraud?!

Why, master?

How come you talk like that, master?

I don't fraud nobody, master!

That Helen, master, she a beautiful wench!

You listen, you stupid, black bitch!

At 60, I don't give a damn for her beauty!

You sent me a virgin! Get rid of her!

That not possible! Wait, master!

I send you another wench more open!

All right, girl.

You come over here to me now, you hear?

You got no shame, slut?

Come here!

Tell me!

No lies, you whore, you still virgin,

or can't he make it with you?

Answer me, bitch! You still virgin?!

Yes or no!

[crying]

You brute!

- [girl screaming] - You whore!

[crying]

Does ya want me, master?

[filmmaker] What's that child? Want you?

What do you mean?

I ask, does ya want me, master?

I's bathed all over, and master, I's a virgin.

[filmmaker] A virgin?

My God, how old are you, child?

13.

[filmmaker] What?

13, I guess, according to Mammy.

[filmmaker] 13, 13, but such a child! You're still a child, my God!

Aren't you ashamed? So young?

Does ya want these first, master?

Mammy told me sometimes white folks must play with this

before they can pleasure the girls.

[filmmaker] This is madness.

What wicked person taught you such things?

Just imagine the trouble I'd be in if someone...

oh my God, only 13, 13. You can't do this to me.

No, no, master, please! Don't send me away, master.

[filmmaker] Quiet.

Please, don't send me away.

[filmmaker] Yes, but please, don't make so much noise.

Please, master, pleasure me.

Pleasure me!

Please, master?

[filmmaker] Right now? Here?

Your bed is so big, and I'm so small.

And if I take off my dress...

...I don't smell, do I, master?

I don't smell.

If you is really sleepy, master,

I won't bother you.

But it's too bad, master, I like ya so much, master.

It would be so good with you, master.

And Mammy wouldn't beat me no more.

[filmmaker] This is unbelievable. Are you really a virgin?

oh, no, child. You see, if you must do it,

it would be better with someone your own age and, perhaps, color.

You mean with a black man, master?

No, no!

I don't like black men, master.

No, master.

I can't stand black men.

Once, so Mammy wouldn't whip me, I had to try it.

He hurt me, master.

Too big. Too strong.

White man is smaller, master.

Better for the first time.

And they not smell, master.

Oh, master. Master, please.

Please, do it to me, master.

Mm, master.

Thank you, master.

Mm, master.

[moaning]

[fanfare ♪]

♪ ♪

[band playing a march ♪]

I'm sorry, ma'am.

$400 is rock bottom price!

- 400, 400. - No, I am not paying that!

- Take him home! - $200!

- He's a steal! - 300?

- 400, ma'am. - No, no, no, you can keep him, then.

Step right up, folks.

Don't miss the chance of a lifetime!

one dollar! One dollar only!

You may win prizes worth 50,000!

[child crying]

only a few tickets still available, so hurry, hurry, hurry!

And win yourself a fabulous prize for just one dollar!

Step right up, folks!

[overlapping sales pitches]

65 to 68 pounds.

Need about another five pounds...

You never mind that in no more way.

All right, sir. The customer always right.

[overlapping chatter]

Look at these stallions! Inspect 'em real close.

Horse breed and full o'seed!

Just look at those attributes.

Look at 'em, and touch 'em!

Pinch 'em, and weigh 'em in your hand!

♪ ♪

oh, this little angel is certainly the prettiest of any we've seen in the market.

Oh, it's really such an enchantin' creature.

Well then, what shall we do, Sister?

It's hard to say no isn't it?

But have you heard the prices?

No, I'm afraid it's too expensive.

But he's such an angel, and he's so healthy.

The Mother Superior would like it, let's buy.

Sister, now...

can you just imagine what she'd say?

She's already bought four this year.

Oh, dear, I do want it so.

$300 isn't so much.

Maybe if we offer 200.

I-I'm the only one who's got these keys, you-you hear?

Inside all you bastards, or I'll have you whipped!

I'll say who's the master around here!

These slaves belong to me! Huh!

I-I give the orders here. I'm the General, the General!

C'mon! C'mon! C'mon! C'mon!

C'mon open up! open up! Open up, you whores!

I'm-I'm the General.

Open up, you black apes!

outta my way!

Move, ya hear?

Hey, master, look at this mercy dollars I got custody of.

I'm the general of the slave market guards.

You see this? It's the market vault.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars, wenches, all prime grade meat,

and every one of the sluts a virgin.

[laughing]

Get to work, nigger.

Now this one? She not even a full-blooded nigger!

Damn near all of 'em got at least half human blood in their veins.

Like me! All of 'em sold.

Ready to be delivered! [laughing]

Gift wrapped!

Hey, masters, look!

Look, but don't touch, huh?

You mustn't handle the merchandise, no, no, no!

Only the general's allowed to do that.

Oh, you wanna see? This is Cassandra, half-breed.

Fabulous. Just look. Just look at that.

Harrison breeding farm. Daughter of Zaphira...

Argemine, three quarters human blood.

Nicest pair of tits in the store!

[laughing]

$5,000 cash on the barrel head, with a two-year guarantee!

Vintage of '48.

Imperial reserve! Rosy pink.

This is Eve.

Hey, Eve! Eve, you like apples?

Well, then, go on and eat 'em! Eat 'em, eat 'em!

But don't let that black snake get you!

A pair like these you'll never see!

A pair like these, you'll-- A... A pair like--

Oh, forget it!

I don't care if you never see them!

Come on! Come on!

I ain't got no more time to waste.

I'm the General!

Open up! open up!

Open up! Open!

Go on, go on! Keep dancing!

You! You, you clown! What are you waiting for?!

Go on dance, dance, dance, dance, dance!

[silly music plays ♪]

Hey master!

- [filmmaker] Huh? - [General] Whatcha starin' at?

Those old French pigs in New Orleans like 'em this way!

Nestin' doves, without feathers!

♪ ♪

No, no, no, no, no, no.

No, no, not like that, you clumsy fools!

Watch me, I'll show you how.

Like that!

Now, don't shake your shoulders! Shake your ass!

♪ ♪

Open up! open up, I'm the General!

- Open up! - oh! Europeans!

Oh, what an honor! I'm beside myself!

Did you ever see such hands?

If you knew what they're like when they arrived here.

Places! Places!

I could go outta my mind gettin' 'em ready!

And they in such demand,

they rip 'em outta my hands before I'm finished.

Come on, darlin's, show yourselves to these nice men.

Please, gentlemen, go ahead. Look around all you like.

Not bad, huh? Guess what they cost!

$500? 1,000... 2,000?

Uh-uh.

3,000!

♪ ♪

[filmmaker] Who's going to guarantee that they really are twins?

They might be genuine. They might also be a fraud.

Fraud?!

This is a serious firm, known all through the South!

Take a look at this pair.

- [General] Dirty fag. - This is rare stuff!

They're authentic by Keller!

They're signed, why, look here!

Quiet, quiet!

Open the door. It's me, the General.

Come in, come in. But no beards.

These are museum pieces fit for kings and queens.

This one's price is $15,000!

[filmmaker] What's so special about him?

He's got three!

Three!

One, two, three.

Three, three, three!

One, two, three! He's got three!

One, two, three! He's got three!

♪ ♪

[filmmaker] Uh, let's see now. Page 910, yes.

"A mixture of paraffin, linseed oil, and essence of orange peel.

This ointment is rubbed into the skin of slaves, especially the females,

before exposing them on the auction block.

It serves the dual purpose of improving the appearance of their skin,

by hiding the presence of carbuncles,

and of camouflaging the pungent animal odor of the African race.

This anointing is practiced generally,

but particularly in Georgia and Alabama."

- Hey, where y'all from? - [filmmaker] From Rome.

- Rome, Georgia? - [filmmaker] Rome, Italy.

Yankees.

Go home.

[man] Thank ya, master.

[all] Thank ya, master.

[man] Yes, master.

[all] Yes, master.

[man] Please, master.

[all] Please, master.

And now, you all pay attention to me.

And you, too, pay attention when I'm talkin' to you, hear?

Here's where you look when you find yourself in front of a white man.

Here, at the toe of his boot.

Now, you over there, I want you to repeat.

- Thank you, master. - [all] Thank you, master.

- [man] Yes, master. - [all] Yes, master.

- [man] Please, master. - [all] Please, master.

And you,

never look a white man in the eye.

You hear me? Never!

Look at me.

Thank you, master.

Not in the face, you bastard! Now remember that!

Order, efficiency, cleanliness.

Without them, the county archives sure would be an unholy mess.

But fortunately, I'm the only one

that can handle these here records.

Ought to be file 8,266 line I.

Hm, pity though.

Better watch out! Just saw a rat in there.

- oh, he don't bite. - Rat as big as a cat.

That's Mickey.

Nice, clean place, huh?

- Oh, here it is. - Ah, that's it.

Now, Stu, I don't see so well.

Why haven't they yet learned how to turn out a legible policy. Can you read it?

Sure I can. Got good eyesight.

I'll just read the essentials, huh?

The object, covered by insurance in the file says negro slave, name of Charles...

Uh... beneficiary being kept in the event of slave drowning

or causing damage to third parties or self-destruction,

sabotage, smallpox, or insan...

Insan? Insanitation?

Insanity? Hm.

- Piece missing here. Ate by Mickey. - [man] Who's Mickey?

[clerk] Uh, the rat you saw awhile back.

[man] Well, which is it? Insanitation or insanity?

Well, what's the difference? The insurance company don't pay no how.

And this here's the inventory list.

Feet and ankles insured. Likewise shinbone, knee and thighbone.

Uh... Genital area? Nothing worth insuring here.

Liver covered.

Also heart. Guess he's got one.

Uh, teeth?

Can't insure what he ain't got.

How long you insurin' him for? One year policy all right?

He ain't gonna last no longer than that.

- Anything else? - I believe not.

All right, then.

Sorry, who's got a pen?

- A pen? - [filmmaker] Uh, here's one.

- Thank you, sir. - [filmmaker] Don’t mention it.

Here, sign here, clearly and legibly.

Full name on the dotted line.

Johan Jerome Gutenberg.

Napoleon.

Nero.

Julius Caesar.

Gabriel.

Alexander the Great.

Lucifer.

Name?

- Judas. - Butterfly.

- Peter. - Achilles.

- Samson. - [filmmaker] Excuse us, sir.

My colleague and I are here to conduct an inquiry.

Uh, may we ask you a few questions?

Yes, please, master. I'm at your disposal.

[filmmaker] You're here, as it were, to be sold, no?

Course.

[filmmaker] W-We are truly appalled, sir.

We can imagine how you must feel.

- Your fear, your indignation. - on the contrary.

Why, in my career,

I have always been very lucky.

I've had masters, each one more humane than the last.

[filmmaker] But haven’t you ever been treated brutally?

Whipped? Beaten?

Tortured?

In our profession, what counts is to do one's duty.

Don't listen to all those stories about the

various Uncle Toms and Simon Legrees, and so on.

It's all nonsense.

See, the truth is that we are valuable merchandise.

Have you seen the prices in the market?

I know it. I cost more than $2,000!

And... can you imagine a fool...

excuse the expression,

a fool of a master who...

would whip and maim a capital of over $2,000?

No!

If a slave

is a respectable slave,

his master treats him with kid gloves

because it takes only one scar, one single scar...

...and plop!

Down shoots the price.

You know, the client is suspicious.

[filmmaker] But sir, surely you must realize

the injustice of your situation.

The violation of your liberty, your freedom.

If you speak of freedom, sir, I must tell you something.

I am a worker.

And workers are not free and never will be.

If you speak of my condition,

I will quickly say,

I don't pay taxes,

I'm housed, fed, and clothed by my employer.

I work a short week.

My medical care is free. I get a Christmas bonus,

and retirement or permanent disability at the expense of my employer.

Without mentioning this,

that in time of war,

I am not even obligated to military service!

[filmmaker] Oh, but if-if you're not even paid...

You know,

I see the ones which you gentlemen call freed slaves or liberated workers,

out from morning 'til night, workin' like horses to make ends meet.

And they never do!

So, just tell me, then,

what's the difference between us slaves and liberated workers, huh?

[filmmaker] You should be ashamed of yourself!

- Who, me? - [filmmaker] Yes, you!

You're a dishonor to your race!

[2nd filmmaker] Quit waving that camera around, will you?

[filmmaker] All right, but with all the, the thousands

of tormented slaves

around in this country, we have to run into that puppet!

That wretched collaborator!

[sentimental music plays ♪]

[Priest speaking Latin]

Go and change the plate now, son.

[speaking Latin]

[tribal drums ♪]

[rock music plays ♪]

[2nd filmmaker] Listen to this, I'm.I'm quoting Hewitt.

"When work is finished, the slaves are allowed to congregate

and perform religious rites, which are merely

a primitive African version of Christianity.

Experience shows that the more religious a slave is,

the more humble, resigned, and docile he is.

However, the law prescribes that these devotions

shall be monitored by a white man."

And there he is.

♪ ♪

In this elemental parody of the master's religion,

Jesus, the Gospel, the Bible are all mixed together.

Look at this.

Africa instead of Palestine,

the ocean instead of the Red Sea,

slave ships and sharks instead of Romans, Egyptians and so.on...

Here, the plantation instead of Golgotha represents the place of Jesus' agony.

And instead of Herod, the master with crosses,

flagellations and other delights.

[filmmaker] What do the masters say to that?

Does it or does it not prove they have souls?

[2nd filmmaker] The best person to answer that

is the most eminent scientific authority of the day, Professor Samuel Cartwright.

Born in Jackson, Mississippi in 1802,

died in Charleston, South Carolina in 1876.

[filmmaker] Where'd you say he died?

Ahh!

Of course, the Italians! Come, come.

As you know, it's only a question of time.

On the other hand,

I hope to be speaking with people

who have a basic understanding of this argument.

Yes.

Tom, how are we going with the perspiration?

- Ready, Professor. - Now, good.

How 'bout a smell?

Is that a human odor?

or an animal odor?

To speak more clearly,

is the pH acid or alkaline?

Naturally, it's acid.

And so, as a matter of fact,

one square centimeter of this skin

has twice the number of sweat glands as this skin.

And, you do not need a microscope

to see the limited cranial capacity,

and the vile wool that covers it.

This low forehead,

or the eyes,

completely lacking in any blue pigment,

or the animal-like nose,

with its dirty wide nostrils,

and the abnormally strong teeth,

and this almost Neanderthal jaw,

are all characteristics

of a subhuman race.

A race far inferior to our own.

A race that is... but another example

of nature's innumerable attempts

to obtain perfection.

Ah, nature loves perfection.

The perfection

of the European homo sapiens.

The white race.

- Us. - [filmmaker] Excuse us, Professor,

but aren't you Jewish?

Yes, but... why?

[scoffs]

[chains clattering]

Let's imagine we want to rid ourselves of them.

You wouldn't have to use atrocious methods like gas or...

deportation.

It would suffice simply not to cure the diseases

which infest the specimens' hair in this laboratory.

Remember, and I've written this,

a healthy negro is a good slave,

and a bad slave is a sick negro.

[gate creaks]

For example, look at them.

Their disease is drapetomania,

or the mania to escape.

They think only of escape,

but not out of an idea of freedom,

which is understandable in a human.

The negro doesn't have these sentiments.

If he escapes, he escapes only because he is sick.

Ah!

Now, here is a perfect example

of cachexia africana or dirt eating.

[filmmaker] Well, what do they do? Bite?

Oh, no.

This is not a muzzle. No, no, no.

It's simply to keep them from devouring

every sort of refuse,

including...

their own excrement and dirt.

It's a form of unconscious suicide

brought on by lack of some substance of which we know nothing.

Ah, there you are, little bird, there you are.

[makes kissing noises]

Oh, boy.

And look how far they have come!

Their fear of work and their laziness

are such that they've succeeded in outwitting their masters.

Now, what do you think of that?

Look at these sly foxes.

[laughing]

They willingly lose arms, legs, hands, and feet.

See how they abuse themselves to get out of work.

Then of course, their masters have to take care of them. Come along!

[filmmaker] But how could they possibly mutilate themselves to this extent?

Didn't I tell you?

[laughing]

They gave themselves superficial wounds to avoid work,

but then they got gangrene,

and arms and legs had to be amputated

in order to save their lives.

[laughing]

What are they doing here? They're Indians.

Ah, this is one of my many unsuccessful experiments.

You see, with Indians, there's absolutely nothing to be done.

There's the same difference between a negro and an Indian

as there is between a dog and a coyote.

You can put a dog on a leash,

beat him, and he'll always be there to lick your feet.

Take away a coyote's liberty, and you've cut off his air.

An Indian will never be a slave.

No one has ever been able to make them reproduce in captivity.

They do not eat. They do not talk.

They do not sleep. They do not make love.

On the other hand, these people exaggerate.

The negro boasts of an enormous empire,

not realizing that this is the result of still another disease,

which is eromania elephantina sudanensis.

Oh, by the way, I invented this.

It's to keep them away from their genitals,

so they can't play with themselves. [laughs]

They have such enormous...

sexual activity,

both fornication and sodomy,

that they very, very soon in life,

right from infancy,

start to develop

something that is quite remarkable.

A very enormous penis,

which causes lack of potency.

Naturally, all of this is a great impediment to reproduction.

Look at them!

These extraordinary creatures, neither man nor beast,

that ask to be part of our world.

They're as old a race as we,

and yet, until yesterday, they'd never seen a wheel.

And their future?

They have no future as they have no past.

Tomorrow as today,

slavery will be their only possible privilege.

What could they ever do

if they don't live in the reflections of our glory,

and profit by the crumbs from our well-laden table.

♪ ♪

[frogs chirping]

♪ ♪

[pig squealing]

[filmmaker] Now, let's see. Page 971.

"Many of the slaves who ran away from the plantations

hid in the trackless swamps of Florida.

To recapture them, the white men organized extensive manhunts.

The most efficient method placed obedient slaves and domestic animals

in simulated refugee camps among the mangroves.

The most famous of these man traps

was right here in the Bradenton swamps.

Where voices and laughter and the smell of roasting pig

served as a decoy to the hungry escapees.

In fact, in a single morning,

the hunters bagged 47 runaways."

[imitates horn]

[horns blowing]

[children crying]

[imitates laughing]

[laughing]

[drumming]

[ducks quacking]

[whistles]

[pig squealing]

♪ ♪

[birds chirping frantically]

[water splashing]

Now!

[gunfire]

[shouting]

[dog barking]

[dog whining]

[gunfire continues]

[screaming]

[laughing]

[screaming]

[laughing]

[cymbals crashing]

♪ ♪

[baby crying]

[laughing]

Smile!

[mumbling]

okay, all right. Let's go, that's it, come on.

[overlapping chatter]

♪ ♪

[dog barking]

There it is.

From here, you get a bird's eye view of a business that's going lickety-split.

Way it happened was cotton and tobacco went sick

and it was either fish or cut beef.

There was no question which I'd do.

I turn this plantation into a breedin' farm.

And I must say, it was a timely move,

'cause right after that, they passed a new law

prohibitin' the importation of African negroes,

and of course that sent the market

- sky high. - [girl] Hey, Pa!

Pa!

Hey, Pa!

Mr. Wilson's comin'!

Hey there, Mr. Bighorn. I brought my wench.

All right, fetch her here.

You been keeping' track of her? You're sure she's in heat?

She's ready for breedin'.

[laughing] Well, I hope so for your sake.

You know, Wilson, if she doesn't take the first time,

you're not gonna like payin' another stud fee.

How many days ago did she finish?

Mm...

My misses counted 12.

Should be 13 at most with the trip.

If you can get her mounted right away,

I'll be back on the road in a couple hours.

- Is it for me, Pa? - Easy.

We'll talk about that when you finish school.

- Now, you go and study. - Doggone.

- Is she clean? - Sure 'nough.

Does she have crabs?

For the love of God, I keep her in the house.

[laughing]

- Then she's a virgin? - Of course.

You know I've been savin' her for Jason.

What?!

A virgin for a brute like that?!

He'll split her up the middle!

[laughing]

If he does, I'll sew her up.

C'mon, Mr. Bighorn.

I could've serviced this wench two feet from my own back door for $50.

If I've traveled 60 miles up country,

and I'm payin' you $200, cash on the barrelhead,

it means I want Jason's seed.

Anyway, it's my risk, the way I see it.

- She's my worry. - All right.

That's your business. [laughter]

Jason the three-legged stallion!

Hi, Daddy!

[laughter continues]

How's old Mr. Bighorn's arthritis these days?

A little better since he's been drainin' it out of him and into the niggers.

Ah, you can't beat them nigger cubs for curin' the arthritis.

Could be, but then I find myself with a litter of crippled pups.

[laughter]

- Look there! - Where?

- There, in that box. - What?

I dunno, these journalists always want you to look into that damn hole.

Hey, Wilson, you wait for me at the breedin' pen, ya hear?

I'll take these foreign gentlemen for a turn around the plantation.

Fine, Mr. Bighorn.

- [church bell ringing] - Hello, Father!

They keep you busy on a Sunday!

Hey George!

What's the matter with ya these days?

Why, it's been more than two weeks since I seen you in church!

I've had a lot to do.

The work, Father, too much work.

Soon all this is gonna be level.

[filmmaker] Yes, it must be embarrassing for a priest

to have his church on a slave.breeding farm.

No, on the contrary, he's quite content!

I also pay him as sort of a gardener.

Fact is,

I need the space up near the big house for special breedin' purposes.

Good day, Elizabeth.

[chuckles]

My wife is a little peeved with me,

'cause I gave order to dig up the family graveyard.

Doubt she'll ever forgive me.

She's been there since yesterday in full mournin',

makin' sure that Grandpa's skull doesn't wind up with Aunt Charlotte's ribs.

[chuckles]

Just imagine what fun it's goin' to be, goin' to bed with an undertaker.

♪ ♪

Hey, Cupid!

Bring me some sugar cane!

[children shouting]

These are vintage '43!

only lost about 25%.

Usually 60% die.

Measles does it.

Don't hurt us humans,

but it kills these poor beasts.

[filmmaker] How come some of them are blond?

Well, you see, some are mine and some are my brother's from Pittsburgh land.

And some are from passing guests like yourselves.

And the priest hasn't been losin' any time either.

All right, that's all now.

[rooster crows]

[chuckles]

These fine brood mares are for the house and Mandingo stallions

I purchased three years ago.

87% pregnant at any given time.

With an average interval between delivery and conception of less than 60 days.

Hey, where are you?

Ah! There you are.

Now, this is what I call a really fine brood mare.

Drops twins every year and there are two in there again this time.

She's worth a fortune.

[woman moaning in pain]

Come on! Come over here!

Look at this! What a chance you've got!

Come and see how a little bastard comes into the world.

[yelling]

- [baby crying] - [laughing] Beauty, eh?

Must be about seven pounds.

This one's dedicated to you. I'll call him Macaroni.

[chuckling]

Good girl, Cleopatra.

- Who's the sire? - Don't really know, master.

You had me covered by Pluto only it didn't take.

Then you had me pleasured by Nestor and Beauregard...

oh, that's all right.

...just to be sure.

She's a beauty anyway.

See how your master keeps his word?

It's a prize. A dollar a pup.

An old family tradition.

[women chattering, giggling]

[Bighorn] This stock will get covered in the fall.

They're eager for it now, but a good breeder can't hurry things.

That's the way you ruin good bloodlines.

[filmmaker] What bloodline are these?

[Bighorn] The Bighorn strain!

My new crossbreed won two blue ribbons at the Jackson County Fair!

I'll show her to ya.

Hey you, bring Papaya.

♪ ♪

No, no, not that one!

That one!

No, idiot, that's Sydney! Put her down!

Ugh.

♪ ♪

That one, there, Papaya!

Throw that one down!

I want Papaya, the one with the blouse!

Idiot.

♪ ♪

I have 136 in stock,

but this should give you an idea of the product.

Takes talent to create a strain like this.

The breeder must work with colors like an artist.

A bit of white here, a bit of black there.

Now, a touch of red there, a whisper of white.

Until out comes somethin' which is neither black,

nor white, nor red, nor yellow,

but an indisputable masterpiece.

[horses whinnying]

No!

[men shouting]

No! No!

[filmmaker] oh, look, a slave's running away!

[Bighorn] No, no, he's only terrified of the branding iron.

New stallions are always a little skittish.

[men shouting]

No!

[screaming]

[branding iron sizzling]

You ready, Wilson? Shall we go?

- Been waitin' for ya. - And the wench?

- Ready. - That's good, bring her along.

- All right. - Let's go.

Down, boy.

Good boy, Casanova.

These studs go wild with the smell of a wench.

He's got more seed in him than a dozen bulls.

They offered me 4,500 for him in Benson, but I wouldn't take it.

[sentimental music plays ♪]

[laughing] [horse whinnying]

Good old Jason. My champion.

200 pounds of muscle and not an ounce of fat.

If I wanted,

he could cover four, five wenches a day.

But I'm not wastin' him.

- Your wench ready? - Ready as she'll ever be, Mr. Bighorn.

[echoing] Put her in there.

Remember, Wilson, if he does any damage, that's your problem.

[echoing] I want you to be a nice little mare.

[laughing]

♪ ♪

[Jason cries out]

Enough, Jason! Enough!

[Jason panting]

Water! Water, please.

That's it.

[rock music plays ♪]

[reader] "Your Honor, my name is Nat Turner.

I intend to lay before you, a full confession of my crimes."

♪ ♪

"on August 21st, 1831,

55 whites were massacred by me and 70 other slaves."

♪ ♪

"My profound hatred for whites was...

[women chattering]

My profound hatred for whites w--"

Pig bastards!

[women continue shouting, giggling]

"My profound hatred

was the will of God, who ordered me to kill."

Will of God, let's see, 1831.

If Cleaver, LeRoi Jones, Malcolm X had lived 150 years ago, like Nat Turner,

would they have believed that their hatred of whites,

men, women, and children, was according to God's will?

The slave Cleaver, like the slave Turner,

would never have dared to admit that the order came not from heaven

but from within himself.

Now then,

"on the evening of August 21st,

we advanced in Indian file through the corn

and lined up right in front of the Travis mansion.

The night before, God had given me a clear sign

that this was to be our first target.

We knew we would find the Travis baby in the house..."

[baby crying]

- [men shouting] Catch it! - okay, over this way!

Don't drop it!

[reader continues] "...and the master's wife, Sarah."

Who knows if today's whites

are really any different than they were in Nat Turner’s time.

or better yet, let's say that today’s whites are different.

Would there be this difference if Nat Turner had never existed?

[baby crying]

[woman] Come on, honey, no.

[reader] Would they have let me go to their schools?

Become a doctor? Earn a decent living?

Have a nice house? A wife?

Children,

well-nourished and healthy?

"Nelson, Sam, Jake, Hark, and me,

we climb quietly through the dining room window.

Will, who was bringing up the rear, stumbled and fell over the table,

still cluttered with supper dishes."

[bulldozer roaring]

"I was scared old man Travis would wake up

because Will was still stumbling around making one hell of a racket.

But old Travis went right on sleeping next to his wife

when Sam and Jake tiptoed in.

And it was like the sleep of the just.

Deep and untroubled.

And it occurred to me even then, that his harsh, regular snoring

was a sound that was familiar since my child--"

[reporter] From Washington this morning, violence broke out

as a large group of young militant black--

[reader sighs] Here we are.

"Sam and Jake tiptoed in..."

No, where was I?

"That old man had practically raised me,

and he was a kind and gentle master.

But he was still white, and for that, he had to die."

[snoring]

"old man Travis, like all whites,

never even imagined that a slave,

an obedient creature without courage or dignity,

might one day rebel against his master.

And so, the only reaction that came to his mind,

still foggy with sleep, was disbelief.

When..." [rock music plays ♪]

[screaming]

[screaming]

[continued screaming]

[axe head clattering]

"We were about to..." [baby crying]

"...to leave the house when Hark ran back towards the sound of a baby crying."

"We had almost forgotten about the baby."

[baby continues crying]

[reader sighs]

[indistinct shouting]

"After the massacre at the Travis plantation,

our next objective was..."

Those idiots again!

"After the massacre at the Travis plantation,

our next objective was the slaughter of the Reese family.

Reese was a cruel and foolish master...

...who amused himself by tormenting his slaves

with all sorts of stupid jokes. [continued shouts and laughter]

His wife and his sister-in-law, two asinine creatures..."

Clown!

"...encouraged this disgusting show.off,

shrieking and squealing like stuck pigs!

In front of the Reese mansion, I swore that I would no longer

show weakness in carrying out God's will.

I was ready to spill blood.

I hated Reese.

He would force me to take part in his humiliating games.

I should've refused, rebelled,

but how can a slave--"

[man] Don't be afraid, friend,

- it's just a joke, just a joke. - [women babbling incessantly]

I want you to take a picture of me and the girls, huh?

Now, you just take the camera, and you look through this end

and flash, you push the button, all right?

Now, come on, fella!

One picture of me and the girls together, huh?

Come on, be a good sport!

"I should've refused, rebelled,

but how can a slave..."

Wait, wait now. Hold it there just one minute. [women chattering]

"Reese was a cruel and foolish master."

[screaming] [rock music plays ♪]

[women screaming]

♪ ♪

[laughing]

Oh, out of step, uh-oh!

Run, run, run, run, run! Mother, mother, come on!

Come on, sweetie.

[reader narrating] "Margaret, Nat Turner’s first and only victim.

Today, they say that Nat Turner killed,

not for hate, but for love.

Who knows why we Blacks can't swallow this story?

Now then, Nat Turner, practically a nursemaid

for little Margaret, but black, and therefore, unsuspected of

feeling desire for that young white girl

who romped around him the whole day long..."

[giggling]

Listen, this girl is in love with a boy.

She won't tell me who it is.

- No, I'm not! - Yes, you are!

[reader narrating] "How she excited him

without ever knowing it."

[young girl] Where are you, Nat? Come here, Nat,

and see my new dress.

Am I pretty?

Come on, Nat, drive me over to Aunt Rose's.

[giggling] No, no, I'll ride in the box with you.

Now, move over, little Nat.

There, you see! There's plenty of room for both of us!

[giggling]

[reader narrating] "She and Nat,

skin almost touching skin,

the wind in that blond hair,

and that white throat he wanted so desperately to touch.

'Oh, Nat, ' she said to me one day,

while her nearness and that youthful scent of lavender

made my flesh taut.

'Oh, Nat, why are negroes born to such misery?

Why, in this bright springtime are they but fallen flowers?'"

Black bastard!

Did you see what they did?

Daddy, really!

I'll get you! [girl screaming]

[reader narrating, chuckling] Black bastard.

Let's see.

If I...

If I, 140 years later,

was in love with that white girl,

so much in love I couldn't live without her,

but just because I'm black like Nat Turner...

[laughing]

I can see it now.

'Sir, let me introduce myself.

I'm Doctor Nat Turner.

I love your daughter, and I intend to marry... '

[laughing]

♪ ♪

[reader narrating] "We decided that the Withers plantation

was our next target.

And we moved forward,

invisible in the deep shadows of the oak grove

that flanked three sides of the house.

Margaret had just come home for summer vacation

from Southampton College.

When we spotted her father, he was too excited by his daughter's arrival."

[laughing]

"Much too busy welcoming her home and showing her how much

she was loved to take notice of us."

[laughing]

[rock music plays ♪]

[screaming]

♪ ♪

[laughing]

♪ ♪

- Margaret! - [giggling]

Margaret!

[reader] "I was looking for Margaret.

She was hiding around the corner of the house.

When I finally spied her,

she ran, - [giggling]

light and quick as the wind,

through the rows of corn.

I ran, following the bright sunlight and her hair.

After that flashing face had turned to look at me,

I ran faster than she. And then, I caught up with her.

[girl gasping] - I must.

I must! I must!

I must kill you!"

[girl whimpering]

"Because I love you!

Because you’re white!" [girl screaming]

[voice booming] "White! White!

White!"

[silence]

"Your Honor,

before you condemn me to the gallows,

you asked me if I repented.

Well,

in all sincerity,

I can only answer that...

if I could return..."

[music building ♪]

[music at full volume ♪]

♪ ♪