In the summer of 1965, when I was 13..
...I thought I knew everything about life and death.
Our parents died when we were little.
My brother, Wiley, and I lived way out in the country with our meemaw.
We'd hardly ever been off the place...
...but we were happy.
Then one day...
...Aunt Lucille blew into town...
...and nothing was ever the same.
He said, "Kiss my butt, Lucille. You're not going anywhere. "
He said that I couldn't go, that he would never give me a divorce.
He said he would come and find me,and he would knock some sense into me.
All I'm asking is for you to look after my kids for one lousy month.
You know, I've never asked you for anything.
And I've been waiting my whole life for this chance.
And now...
...I'm gonna take it.
Do you hear me?
I'm gonna take it.
He said no...
...when he should've said yes.
Mama...
...I killed him.
Cut his head off.
So when did you do it?
Last night.
I put rat poison in his coffee.
You must be crazy.
He said that it was the worst coffee that I ever made.
And I offered to pour it out and make fresh.
And he said no. I was always wasting his damn money...
...and he just drank it right down.
You must be crazy, Aunt Lucille.
All I know is you only got one life, Peejoe.
You can't sit around waiting for your next life to start.
Not when you see your big chance about to pass you by.
-But did you have to--? -I had to make sure he was dead.
I shouldn't have told you all this, Peejoe.
I don't want anybody to know what I did or where I'm going.
So you just forget all about it. Just block it out of your mind. Okay?
Thattaboy. I knew I could trust you.
You've always been my special buddy, you know?
Aunt Lucille said the only good thing Uncle Chester ever gave her...
... was her kids, all seven of them.
And now she meant to leave them all here.
Poor old Meemaw, all in a tizzy, running to call Uncle Dove...
...because he was used to dead people. He'd know what to do.
Mama, there's nothing to do. It's already been done.
Come here, babies.
Dove is the coroner. He's got connections.
And maybe you won't have to go to jail.
You can tell them--
You can tell them it was self-defence, honey.
They won't even try to understand. Come here Nana. Don't be ridiculous.
They will put me in the electric chair if they catch me.
But they're not gonna catch me I love you, my baby, so much.
Meemaw said Aunt Lucille's life was one long dream of the movies...
... with herself in all the best parts.
That was one reason I was in love with her.
Honey, you really need to see a doctor.
You try and get some rest, Mama.
Peejoe, remember? You promised. Bye.
I promised, all right.
But keeping her secrets was the last thing on my mind.
I thought about what she did with the knife...
... Uncle Chester gave her for Christmas.
I felt all cold inside...
... like I'd jumped into a swimming pool full of boiling water.
I couldn't believe this was the Aunt Lucille who used to rock me...
...hold me and sing me to sleep.
We'd heard about mean old Uncle Chester as long as I could remember.
One minute she was married to him...
...and then the next minute, she was gone with his head.
Uncle Dove!
Peter Joseph.
Come here.
What you doing out here by yourself?
They were all crying and stuff in there. I couldn't stand it.
Where's Lucille?
Gone.
What'd she do with Chester?
I don't know. She said she hid him somewhere
Well, hell, that was thoughtful.
Listen, son.
I may need your help.
You and Wiley. You wanna go with me?
-I never been anywhere before. -Well, it's about time, then.
What do you say?
I don't know. Meemaw needs us.
I'm sorry, sweet pea. I should've told you.
Y'all gonna go stay with Dove now.
-But for how long? -I don't know.
It's all just been too much for me right now.
And her young'uns need me worse than you do.
You said we could always stay here.
Quiet! Don't be contrary. This has been a hard day.
Don't worry, Mama. He'll be all right.
Dove...
...Lucille didn't mean to do what she did.
She's just....
Lord, I don't know.
She's a good girl.
She's just...
...confused.
Well, if she calls, tell her to stay where she is.
I'll come get her.
Oh, Mama.
Try to get some rest. You look tired.
She say who she's gonna see out there in California?
That agent fella?
I don't want them to catch her Uncle Dove.
It's awful what she did, but it won't make it...
...better if they put her in the electric chair.
Maybe that won't happen...
...if we can bring her back before she does anything else.
His name was Harry Hall.
Now, Uncle Dove?
Let it rip.
Wiley thought it was the coolest thing in the world to ride in a hearse...
...as long as you were riding up front.
But for the first time, I felt like an orphan...
... with a capital "O"
I counted for nothing.
I belonged to nobody.
There's no need for this circus, John.
She did it.
I told you she did it.
Chester Vinson is a mean man.
Anybody deserved killing....
You know my boys never get any action around here.
This is first-degree murder. This is big.
We've known each other since we were yea high.
You gotta help me out here. We're talking about my sister.
She's out of her mind. She doesn't know what she's doing.
Which boy did she talk to?
Peter Joseph, shake hands with Sheriff Doggett.
He's a material witness. I'll wanna talk to him.
He'll be with me.
If y'all know where she's headed, you tell me now.
I'll try and bring her in safe.
I have no idea. I just came by to pick up his body.
We searched every inch. He ain't here.
You check the basement?
The basement.
Don't come down here.
Come on. Come on.
Jesus!
Where's his head?
He ain't got one.
Oh, baby sister.
What have you done?
I give my wife one just like it for Christmas.
Oh, my God!
An all-points bulletin for a 1964 Ford Galaxy sedan.
Bright red. Suspect's name is Lucille Vinson...
...age 34.
Aunt Lucille told me she stayed up the whole night packing.
I was the only one that knew who it was she packed up...
... in a plastic freezer container...
... in a brown paper bag...
... on the back seat of her car.
Lucille.
Chester?
Lucille.
What do they want?
They wanna register to vote. That's their latest thing.
Why don't they let them?
Negroes aren't allowed. Not in Alabama. You know that.
Yeah, I know it.
It just don't seem fair. They're just people like us.
You're right. It's not fair. It's just the way things are.
I reckon Aunt Lucille had more than one chance...
... to lighten her load.
It's not deep enough.
But I guess after 13 years of being married...
... it's kind of hard to let it go.
Whoa! Look it!
What do you think?
It's so creepy.
I can't believe this is your house.
It belongs to the funeral company. We just live here.
If you died in Industry, and you were white...
... Croaker-Moseley Funeral Home was where you'd come...
...before you went to your final rest.
So many ghosts had been through this house, you could smell them.
Uncle Dove said being a funeral director...
... wasn't quite as much fun as it looked.
Hours were long, and you didn't see people at their best.
Well, this is where we live.
You all have the run of the attic.
Dove? Dove, is that you?
No, Earlene, it's the milkman. Are you decent? The boys are here.
Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God!
You poor darlings. I can't imagine what you've been through.
Get dressed!
Aunt Earlene had a firm grip.
We liked her because she introduced us to Pop-Tarts...
...Kool-Aid, Chef Boyardee.
Also, she had a voice you could hear half a block away.
But what can I tell you? Chester was just a perfectly dreadful man.
I can't remember a single moment when he didn't get on my nerves.
Oh, and Dove...
...don't ever push me too far.
Let's go shopping.
My name is Carolyn Clay, and I need a hat.
I mean, I need a hatbox. I mean, I need a hat.
Remember that movie with Audrey Hepburn?
I think it was at Tiffany's.
The one with the floppy brim. Something like that.
And a real nice hatbox.
We only offer the boxes for the couture line.
Show me those, then, because I have to have the box.
Care to leave your groceries here while we're looking?
Five hundred dollars.
It's perfect.
I'll take it.
You little slut.
Waste my damn money on a hat.
Tell me what you got in the box.
A present for you!
-What do you need? -What are they having?
Hurricanes.
Sounds good. Give me one of those.
Two-fifty.
You're not local, are you?
No, just passing through.
Better keep on moving. You can't work in here.
I'm not looking for a job.
I'm an actress.
Yeah, right. And I'm Fred Astaire.
Here. Take your money, drink your drink...
...and walk on over to Esplanade with all the other whores.
You heard what I said, sugar.
Wait, wait!
Don't move.
How dare you insult me?
Do you realize that this hat cost $500?
-It's a misunderstanding. -Is that your car?
I'll take you, just don't take my car.
Put your keys on the bar, and give me all your money.
Do it now!
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
What did you put in her drink?
Don't you talk to me!
Come on! Come on!
Quick, I gotta go.
You need to learn the difference between a whore and a lady.
Don't take my car.
She's taking my car!
I keep seeing his eyes. He's looking at me.
Who?
Uncle Chester.
Stop thinking about him.
It gives me the willies.
What'd she do to you, anyways?
You've been weird ever since she left.
Nothing.
Come on, Peejoe. Don't lie to me.
It was just a bunch of crazy stuff. She made me swear not to tell.
She always looked after us special, Wiley.
We gotta protect her from that sheriff. He's mean.
You better not get us in trouble.
We get kicked out of here, and we got no place to go.
She knew what she was doing. She planned it out, Wiley.
She's not as crazy as she wants everybody to think.
She seems pretty wacko to me.
-Funny. Listen to me. -Still not deep enough.
I told you I'd come knock some sense into you.
Chester, if that's really you, leave me the hell alone.
Murder, armed robbery, grand-theft auto. You lost your mind.
Want me to stop this car and kill you again?
-God, you just keep pushing! -How're you gonna kill me again?
Just one more thing.
She say how she killed him?
No, sir.
She pulled a .45 on a bartender in New Orleans and stole his car.
That's ridiculous. Baby sister wouldn't do that.
I beg to differ.
Your baby sister's one bad little girl.
I'm gonna bring her in...
...one way or another.
And you're gonna help me.
She gonna call you...
...and you gonna say just exactly what it takes.
Go.
I'll let you know what I hear.
-Can they put me in jail for lying? -Not unless you're under oath.
Why don't y'all go down to the pool for a while? Have some fun.
We've all had enough of this mess.
-You think she stole a car? -Absolutely.
If baby sister needed a car, she'd get one.
I bet she's having the time of her life off there by herself.
I hope she is.
I hope she's living it up.
Because if she does get caught that's when the fun stops.
Hey, I know you.
Weren't you marching at the courthouse yesterday?
So what if I was?
I just saw you, that's all. I ain't gonna tell anybody.
You better leave me alone.
-Get out of the pool. -Where's everybody going?
Just get out.
Come on out of there.
Who let you boys in the pool?
Nobody. We just came in back yonder.
You snuck in, is what you did. Come on out.
-We wanna swim. That's all. -Go on home.
It's white only allowed in this pool.
Excuse me. This is a public place. We have a right to be here.
Right.
Come on, let's go.
-I'm going over there. -No, stay here.
Go on home, now! Y'all just run along!
-Pikcaninny! -Go swim in the pond!
No coloured people.
-Go swim somewhere else. -I'll kick your butt.
-Y'all know you don't belong here. -Go swim in the pond!
-Here you go. -Thank you.
Where you headed, hon?
California.
You going out there to be a movie star?
How could you tell?
We get about one through here a week.
Bet you've already got your movie name picked out.
I sure do. It's Carolyn Clay.
Kind of like Marilyn Monroe, only different. You like it?
It's all right. But, honey, my advice to you:
Go back to the husband.
It's too late for that. He's dead.
Well, I hope you know how to wait tables, then.
How did he die? I mean, if you don't mind me asking.
I killed him.
Well.
I guess that fixed his little red wagon.
He's following me, though. I mean, not him, his ghost.
Only it don't sound like a ghost. It sounds just like him.
Are you sure he's dead?
I made sure of that.
Do you ever need to get rid of somebody that just would not go away?
My first husband.
He used to yell out his mother's name when we were doing it, making love.
The only thing Chester ever yelled was "touchdown."
It's a warm day here in Cotton County.
Expecting a high temperature of 96, with a chance...
... of thunderstorms.
They just want to swim.
You heard what Uncle Dove said It's not fair.
It's just the way things are.
What if you wanted to swim and they threw you out like that?
Oh, forget it. Go get wet.
Jim!
John.
You get out of there right now Come on!
What in the world do they think they'll do?
Hold on.
You boys don't want any trouble.
We don't want trouble, sir. We just wanna swim.
-What's your name, son? -Taylor Jackson.
Well, Taylor...
...this pool is for white only
Y'all gonna have to move on.
We'll just sit right here till you change your mind.
-We're going home now. -You go.
You come home with me r ight now or I'm getting Dove.
Just thank God he's not a religious fanatic. That's a pain in the butt.
My third husband, Charlie, when he'd get--
Howdy, Raymond!
Good morning, Sally.
-How you doing? -Good.
Hon, it's getting kind of late
Don't you wanna get back on the road now?
No, I got it, hon. It is my treat.
-Thank you. -Now good luck to you out there.
-You've got a real talent. -Thank you.
I like your style.
-How you doing, there? -Fine, thanks. Yourself?
Real good.
-Think I'll try a number two today. -You got it.
Well, well, well.
Look what we got here.
Y'all are trespassing on public property.
Get up and go home.
This is a sit-in.
-What was that? -This is a sit-in.
Yeah. I know what this is.
Now you boys get up and disperse from here...
...or I'm gonna have to disperse you.
Go ahead and arrest us.
Oh, no.
I'm not gonna mess up my nice clean jail with the likes of you.
We got a right to be here.
Excuse me. Thank you. Thank you.
You got no rights in my town, boy.
You hear me? Get him out of here!
Get back there!
You ain't nothing but a big old bully!
Run, David, run!
You're gonna need a stretcher.
This one's hurt.
What happened?
He fell.
He ain't hurt, John.
He's dead.
I never touched him.
He fell. It was an accident.
Like that boy accidentally...
...went off the Pigeon Creek Bridge last spring.
And one accidentally hung himself in your jail.
Watch yourself, Dove.
All right.
Let me take him, son. I'll bring him home.
I didn't start this thing.
These boys came here looking for trouble.
Well, they found it, didn't they?
Do you know who this boy is?
This is Nehemiah Jackson's boy.
Do you want me to twiddle my thumbs...
...till this town explodes like Selma?
I mean to stop it, if I have to put every last nigger in jail!
Just don't kill any more of them, okay?
I am sick of cleaning up after you.
Uncle Dove and Nehemiah Jackson were friends.
They were both in the funeral business.
They helped each other out from time to time.
Just 17 years old.
He was supposed to start Tuskegee in the fall.
I wish I knew what to say, Nehemiah.
The day he was born....
Just so little.
Those little hands.
It rained so hard that day.
Just pouring.
You could stop the sheriff if you tried.
You don't know he's responsible.
-No one saw what happened. -I saw.
He didn't fall.
Sheriff pulled him off the fence.
You saw it?
Taylor was trying to get away.
He jumped on the fence.
The sheriff grabbed him by the back of the shirt.
My boy.
-Croaker-Moseley. -Peejoe.
Aunt Lucille, where are you?
Florida. Hear the ocean?
I thought you were going to Hollywood.
You didn't tell them Harry's name, did you? The man I was going to see?
Dove's been calling out there looking for me.
Not really. I mean....
Well, sort of.
Oh, Peejoe, you promised.
Well, I only told Uncle Dove, I swear.
And I didn't tell him about the....
The sheriff asked me a bunch of stuff, and I didn't say nothing.
You just tell Dove to quit calling out there, okay?
Tell him I changed my mind, that California's way too risky.
And have you talked to Meemaw? How are my babies?
I keep calling out there, but that damn party line's always busy.
She called Sunday. They're all right. Cary's tooth fell out.
Is he okay?
She just said he looks real funny.
Hey, do you happen to know how your slingshot wound up in my car?
I thought you might need some protection.
You are just about the sweetest boy that I know.
Aunt Lucille, are you okay?
I'm fine, Peejoe. I'm free.
For the first time in my entire life, I'm free.
I gotta run. I'll call you later.
You stay by the phone. Bye.
I'm coming.
Uncle Dove!
I don't care what you say. Your vehicle is on my list...
...and that means you gotta stay here until I check it out
But I told you. It's my boyfriend's car. I didn't steal it.
You see, we had a big fight...
...and I told him that the least he could do...
...would be to give me his car after the hell he put me through.
You can't imagine what he did to me.
Will you just do what I say and step inside, Lucille?
I can't go back there.
Let me fix this for you.
There, Raymond.
You see, he's a bartender...
...and, well, he drinks.
And when he gets drunk and he comes home...
...and he makes me do things.
Just awful things.
What kind of things?
Well, I can't tell you.
I can't even say those words.
I couldn't, not to a big old lawman like yourself.
It's okay. You can tell me.
A little lawn mower trouble?
What'd she do with his head?
-How should I know? -You know a hell of a lot.
I'm gonna catch her.
You're gonna help me.
You can't make me.
I know about you. I saw what you did.
What'd I do?
You killed Taylor Jackson.
You pulled him off that fence.
You meant to do it.
Who else you tell that to?
Nobody.
Not yet. But you better leave her alone, or I'm telling.
Well, you just go on and tell, junior boy.
And then you tell Dove that I got eyes and ears in this town...
...and I know all about his flirtation with the Justice Department.
But I ain't scared...
...because I mean to catch that murdering sister of his..
...and I'm gonna bring her back here...
...and I'm gonna watch her fry till her lips sizzle...
...and her eyeballs...
...pop out.
-That is perfect. -You mean that?
That is so good, I can't hardly stand it.
So sexy.
So handsome and so tall.
So big and....
You're just a vision, angel.
Oh, yeah, kiss me there.
-You like that? -A little more.
Oh, that's so good.
Oh, so good.
All right.
I think I better take yours too.
Okay, now listen.
Grab your handcuffs. Do it fast. Come on.
-Are you serious? -Put it on your wrist.
-Oh, baby. -Don't say anything.
Now hook it to right there. Go ahead.
You're so nice, Raymond.
Do you realize how stupid you are?
You know how much trouble you can get in for this?
You know what?
This is the least of my troubles. Really.
Bye. Gotta go.
I got your keys.
What'd he mean about the Justice Department?
There's some people I've been talking to the last couple days.
I mean, how to stop him.
They're putting together a grand jury.
I'd like to know how the hell he heard about it.
He said Aunt Lucille's gonna fry till her eyeballs pop out.
I don't like him talking to you like that.
He's not man enough to talk to me.
He didn't scare me. I told him to leave us alone.
Lord, you are something fearless.
You can believe you take after your Aunt Lucille.
Dear Peejoe.:
You wouldn't believe what a wonderful time I'm having in Las Vegas.
It is a beautiful place, let me tell you.
A hundred million light bulbs in the middle of nowhere.
You drive up in your car, and this nice man comes out and says.:
Evening, ma'am.
Checking in?
Whoa! It's heavy. What's in here, bricks?
My husband's head. I take it everywhere.
-Just his head, huh? -I left the rest of him at home.
Right.
And he carries your bags right inside for you.
There's no extra charge for this service.
Inside, they have all kinds of smart little shops.
And I'm the kind of girl who can resist anything but temptation
And that's how I found myself in the casino.
I don't know much about gambling...
...but sometimes in your life, that's just what you have to do.
You put everything you have on one number.
Turns out my favourite game is roulette.
It's so easy.
You put down your money and watch this ball go around...
...and sometimes....
Oh, my God! I won! I won!
-$32,400. -Thank you.
I can't begin to tell you how nice everyone is.
When you win, they give you a free room.
And the same nice man comes to help you find it.
Anyway, I can't tell you about all the adventures I'm having...
...but I love you. Gotta go. Talk to you soon.
Hugs and kisses, Aunt Lucille.
Daggone it!
A white boy's been shot.
It's not safe to bury Taylor tomorrow.
Tell everybody to keep their head down and stay off--
Is the boy dead?
Nobody knows.
Of course I hadn't been shot. It was only that stupid lawn mower.
But nobody cared about the truth.
People were so jumpy around town.
The story grew fast as a weed in the summer down there.
It was just the kind of thing people wanted to believe.
Baby sister?
She was probably gonna tell me she was off to...
... Wyoming or Alaska or somewhere.
But really she was getting all dolled up for her big trip to Hollywood...
... where dreams come true...
... where the clock is always ticking closer to midnight.
Your driver awaits.
You must be Norman.
-How'd you know my name? -Gotcha!
Where are we headed, Miss Clay?
Hollywood, California! And don't you slow down...
... till we get there.
Hollywood!
You a movie star or something?
I will be. Just give me a week.
You're more beautiful than any one of them movie stars.
We are gonna get along just fine.
You don't look all that bad.
Yeah, sure.
The one-eyed monster.
Don't ever scare me like that, okay? We all thought you were dead.
Neat-o.
They're finally gonna bury Taylor Jackson today.
Well, then...
...we have to go.
You're crazy. We're not even supposed to go downstairs yet.
Dove would kill us.
Well, you don't have to go...
...but I do.
I watched him die.
Would you look at Miss High and Mighty...
...riding in her limousine?
Here we go again.
Well, now, let's see, you won...
...a bunch of money and got a bellboy to ring your chimes.
You running for Queen of the World?
You wanna know something wonderful?
The world is full of men who are nothing like you.
Did you say something, Miss Clay?
Not me.
I guess Taylor Jackson was a pretty important guy.
Friends, the other day, my boy, Taylor...
-... came to this pool... -Go home, nigger!
...and he sat down on that pavement yonder...
...and they killed him for that.
We buried him in the ground today.
Well, they can kill some of us...
...but they cannot kill us all.
And so we are here.
I come here...
... to finish what my boy started.
This pool...
...is a river of freedom, friends.
And I mean to swim this river.
This is for Taylor.
Hallelujah!
This pool is open for business.
Tell the world I'm gonna Tell nobody but I
Couldn't keep it to myself
-But I -Couldn't keep it to myself
I hate to do this, Nehemiah.
I don't know, sheriff.
I think you kindly enjoy it.
Put them on yourself.
They're coming!
Okay, come on!
-Thank you. -You're welcome.
Checking in?
What a woman!
We understand the protesters were behaving peacefully...
...and were leaving the demonstration...
... when you and your deputies attacked.
-Is this true? -You're wrong.
He was there.
He was right in the middle of them.
We didn't try and stop them.
We made one peaceful arrest.
Are you sure?
You have to be sure.
I'm sure. I saw him.
All I can tell you is that the people of Industry...
...got no patience for uppity Negroes or outside agitators.
There's a man we can talk to.
Somebody's gotta stop him.
Last thing Lyndon Johnson wants is another Selma down here.
Your Judge Mead has kept a lid on so far, but this...
...Sheriff Doggett is completely out of control.
Well, I'll be honest, Mr. Murphy...
...I'm having big second thoughts.
We shouldn't even be talking to you.
Times are changing, Dove.
This whole way of life down here is over.
We gotta move the sheriff out of the picture. The boy must testify.
No, I don't want him involved. This is dangerous stuff.
Uncle Dove--
He was at the pool both times.
He's the only one who saw what happened to Taylor.
I think the grand jury will believe him.
Peter Joseph, do you think you could do that?
Tell the jury what you saw?
Yes, sir.
I don't know.
You bring me all the way out here, and you don't know?
Why'd you call me?
-Because we want this killing to stop. -So stop it!
You can't protect us.
No, sir, I can't. I cannot.
The only way that you can do that is to put this man away.
Oh, my God!
I wanna remember you just like this.
Come on.
Come.
Don't move.
Alex...
...Joan, I want you to meet the latest Harry Hall discovery:
Carolyn Clay...
...from Alabama.
Isn't she stunning?
Lovely, Harry.
What does she do?
Me? Oh, I'm an actress.
What have you done?
Well, just some things back home--
School plays, that sort of thing?
Well, yes, school plays and that sort of thing, but...
...Harry's giving me a chance.
How ambitious of him.
Walter Shwegmann at Screen Gems saw a photo of her...
...and fell completely in love.
Television, it's so...
...popular.
You should show her to Hitchcock's people, Harry.
Alexander, you know I'm up for that part.
Harry, it's been fabulous as always.
See you on Saturday.
And bring a date if you like.
Good luck in television.
Thank you.
Bye-bye.
Promise me, when I make you into a star...
...you won't become a rattlesnake.
Harry, do you think I really have a chance?
If I didn't, sweetheart, you'd still be back in Alabama, daydreaming.
Are you ready to work?
I've been ready my whole life.
I wouldn't have thought it possible...
...but you're even prettier than your 8-by-10.
Why, thank you, Mr. Shwegmann. So are you.
Thank you.
Excuse me, Harry.
This role only works a couple of days.
But we feel that Samantha needs a regular female...
e noire... ...b
...juxtaposed against her usual Midwestern sweetness.
So we're thinking of Lucille Fleur as a recurring character.
Are you familiar with the show?
I watch it every week. It's clever. But her name's Lucille?
Right.
Lucille...
...is a bombshell.
A real flirt.
I'll give you Darrin's lines. Top of page 12.
Okay, you ready?
I was hoping you would say yes.
"Yes" is my favourite word in the whole world.
Good. That's very, very nice work.
-Thank you. -I wanna try it one more time.
"Peter J. Bullis.
Age 13. Injured in mysterious shooting incident."
Look! Just look at this!
-What is this? -Look at him!
Hugging a Negro on the cover of Look!
I didn't know it'd turn out like that.
You knew? You knew about this and didn't tell anybody?
Who gave you permission to be on the cover of Look?
Gosh dog, Peejoe, you're famous!
You might as well start packing now! Go on, Dove.
Read it. "Night of Agony." I'm so ashamed.
Now, look here, Earlene.
You think he looks bad? Look at John Doggett.
That's it! I want them out of this house!
You're just gonna have to call your old mother.
I'm sorry, but this is the last straw!
Don't be silly. He can't help that they took his picture.
I can't stand the idea of everybody talking about us!
Excuse me, Miss Clay. You're wanted on the set.
Honey, I'm wanted in 17 states
If you'll follow me.
Thank you.
-Got your lines down? -I stayed up the night practising.
Relax and have fun. Would you introduce her to everyone, Amanda?
-Certainly. -Okay, people, let's go!
-Can I put my husband here? -Sure.
-And here you are. -Thank you.
Break a leg.
I'm Darrin today. You're Carolyn, aren't you?
Great hair.
Thank you. You're Darrin?
I'm his stand-in. I feed you his lines.
How you doing? I'm Endora.
-Samantha. -I don't understand.
We're shooting cutaways. They'll bring the real actors in Thursday.
You just pretend I'm Darrin.
They'll plug him in later.
Folks back home are never gonna believe this.
"Lucille Fleur pays a visit." Scene 7, take 1.
And action!
I was hoping you would say yes.
"Yes" is my favourite word in the whole world.
I beg your pardon?
Aren't you looking for Miss Jasmine for your ad campaign?
We are. Won't you sit down, Miss...?
Lucille Fleur.
And cut.
-Action! -Come off it, Sarah.
Dignity, Samantha. Dignity.
Well, hello, Samantha.
My, but it has been a long time, hasn't it?
She's one of us, though I hate to admit it.
What are you doing with my husband?
Your husband?
Carolyn, that was swell.
Nice job, everyone! That's a wrap on Carolyn Clay, and that's a wrap!
Look, Chester.
I made it. I'm here.
And they love me, you know?
I was good.
Peejoe?
Oh, my God. Oh, my God!
Be careful, there. He bites.
Yes, sir.
Well, Peejoe...
...it's not every day I get to treat a celebrity.
That was some picture on Look.
That guy got me in trouble. He didn't even ask if he could take it.
Well, you did look kind of surprised.
They tried to make it out like I was some kind of hero.
I didn't do anything.
Well, you be careful, young son.
This is dangerous times in this town.
Oh, yeah. He was right about that.
That Sheriff Doggett was on me like fleas on a dog.
There was a lot of protesting going on in the streets of lndustry.
And after that story in Look magazine...
... everybody in America knew what was happening down there.
Who would've thought that before summer was over...
...I would stand in a crowd...
...hearing the most famous black man in America...
...preach about Taylor Jackson?
Judge Mead has issued an order...
...for the integration of the Industry Municipal Swimming Pool.
But I come here today to make a promise to you.
We shall overcome the walls that divide one race from another...
...to the everlasting shame and detriment of both.
We shall overcome the arrogance of power.
And with our golden sword of nonviolence...
...we shall overcome the violence of those that will try to stop us.
God is on our side!
My eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!
We shall overcome
Reverend...
...this is the boy on the cover of Look.
This boy stood up for Taylor Jackson. This is Peter Joseph.
At last, I understood what made Taylor Jackson so important.
Taylor died just as dead as those boys in Gettysburg...
...and for the same cause.
Dove and Wiley and I were fighting on the side of the black people...
... the Yankees, Mr. Murphy...
...and Martin Luther King.
I worked my heart out making four dozen sandwiches, and at 12:45...
...Mary Louise said they weren't coming because we're nigger lovers.
-That's ugly. -That's what she said.
You don't need friends like that. I hope you hung up on her.
Barbara Jean said he brought shame to the town posing for that magazine.
And if we don't like it here, we can go somewhere else.
Nobody'd bother taking a photograph of Barbara Jean.
What am I supposed to do now?
That's four dozen pimento cheese sandwiches gone entirely to waste!
-We could eat them. -No, we can't.
I threw them in the garbage.
You threw away four dozen sandwiches?
I was mad. We'll never get invited anywhere!
Get a grip on yourself! You're coming undone.
Why do you have to get involved?
Let somebody else be the hero. This is none of our business.
Uncle Dove, look!
"Yes" is my favourite word in the whole world.
It's her! It's Aunt Lucille!
I beg your pardon?
Aren't you looking for a Miss... ?
I do not believe this!
I mean, we are.
Won't you sit down, Miss... ?
She's pretty good!
She's funny too.
You were great.
You were fantastic.
Welcome to Hollywood, kiddo.
Walter called, all excited.
They're writing Lucille Fleur into four episodes this season
They offered us good money.
You're kidding!
That is terrific, Harry.
I'm not so sure we should lock you into television so quickly.
You know my greatest ambition?
What?
To look in that hatbox one of these days.
If I have to disappear for a little while...
...don't make a big thing out of it, okay?
What do you mean, "disappear"?
We're just getting started.
It's just...
...some unfinished business that I have to take care of...
...and I don't want you to make a big thing out of it.
It's just, I don't want you to worry and....
And I want you to know...
...how grateful I am for everything.
Hey, now.
Don't do anything without talking to me.
You have all the makings of a star.
God, I hope so.
Good. You brought the lovely Miss Clay...
...a vision in gold.
My dear.
Joan, you do remember Carolyn, don't you?
How could I forget?
Jeepers, your house is so wonderful.
I wish my mama could see this.
I just love the sound of an authentic peasant accent.
Don't you, Harry?
Yes, I do. I remember when I fixed yours.
Binkums...
...do you smell something?
He smells something. Must be your perfume.
Is there someplace that I could tuck my hatbox, maybe?
Catherine, show Miss... where to put her things.
You go on, Harry. No, that's mine, thank you. I'll catch up.
All right, Chester...
...you stay right there and be quiet.
Doggy, doggy! Doggies!
Well...
...I hear you were quite the sensation over at Screen Gems this week.
I had more fun than you can imagine.
Here, doggies! Here, come on! Jump up!
There you go. That's it! Good doggies!
We're doing a picture with Tab Hunter. It's a racecar thing.
Maybe you'd like to read for me.
I would love to. You're just gonna have to talk to Harry first.
Learning fast, I see.
Well, that's good. I like a girl with a head on her shoulders.
Champagne?
What the hell?
What are you doing? Bring her over here!
Get her up here.
All right, Chester. I'm really angry now. You're driving me nuts!
Do you understand? Party's over.
-You ruin everything for me. -What went on in there?
I don't know. There's something wrong with those little rats of hers
-Wait. I'll drive you. -No!
I mean, no. I mean...
...you don't have to. I had the best time, but I really gotta go.
I'll call you as soon as I can.
Hey, you!
I'll give you a hundred--
Norman! Oh, my God!
Get me the hell out of here.
I'll take you wherever you wanna go.
That's what I been waiting for.
24 hours, 7 days a week. I'm at your service. All you gotta do is ask.
Wherever you wanna go, I'm ready. Gassed up and at your service.
The wind's at our backs. We're sailing now.
Hey, Norman, did you follow me to that party?
Yes, ma'am.
I've been following you since the minute I saw you.
Yeah, I figured sooner or later you were bound to need a ride.
Boy, you left that place in an awful hurry, huh?
No questions, Norman.
Yes, ma'am.
Drive north.
North, yes.
Yes, ma'am.
This is the place.
The Golden Gate Bridge?
Can I go with you?
No questions, Norman.
Admit it, Lucille. You can't throw me away.
You ain't got the guts.
You need me. You ain't nothing without me.
That used to be true, but not anymore.
That's deep enough.
Shit! The money!
Goddamn it! Son of a bitch!
Shit!
Don't do it!
-There's too much to live for! -Officer, I'm not trying to--
Not until I get some backup.
I wasn't trying to jump, you idiot!
Sorry. You know what? See that bag over there?
There's a bunch of money in there. Just take it and let me go.
What do we got?
-She tried to go over. -I wasn't trying to jump.
Don't take your hands off her. They always try again.
No, I'm not gonna try it. Listen, I won all this money.
Big money, Frank.
I won that money in Las Vegas, and I was standing here and it fell over.
That's why I climbed over.
-That something of yours? -I beg your pardon?
Is that something of yours?
No. I've never seen that before in my whole life.
Please just let me go, officer, really.
Thank God!
Oh, my God!
Thank God, you're all right.
I couldn't let you go through with this.
What the hell...?
Joe!
Are you all right?
Bye, Chester.
I've come here to take custody of this dangerous fugitive.
She won't hurt anybody else.
Welcome home, Aunt Lucille.
Lucille, do you feel remorse? Why'd you do it?
-It's good to be home. -Did you confess?
I didn't do anything wrong.
-You're not guilty? -No.
-Where did you get the money? -I got lucky in Las Vegas.
Do you think you're crazy?
No. I was crazy to be with him all those years.
She'll answer your questions at the trial.
Hello, Lucille.
Hello, sheriff. I saw your picture in Look.
They didn't do you any favours.
No, but I been looking for you. Get back!
Hey, Peejoe! Hey, Wiley!
That was so sweet of y'all to come and see me. How are my babies?
They're coming tomorrow. You okay?
I am fabulous! Come and see me in jail.
Here comes Uncle Chester.
That's him.
I don't suppose there's any reason to open it, is there?
I wouldn't.
Sister?
Sister Vinson?
I don't know who you are, but I'm not your sister.
My name is Nehemiah Jackson.
Your brother and I are colleagues. I run the other funeral home.
I read about....
I mean, I'm real sorry to hear about your son.
Thank you.
You know...
...Dove is a good man. He's done me many a favour.
And I just want you to know I'm sorry for your trouble.
We'll be gone free tomorrow, and if there's anything I can do for you....
No. Thank you.
I mean, unless you have something to eat. I'm so hungry.
Thank you.
I suppose it must be a terrible thing to kill somebody.
Yeah, I wouldn't recommend it.
I don't believe I could bring myself to do that...
...though I've thought about it sometimes.
Well, it's a long story, you know?
I just didn't see any other way out.
There's always some other way.
No, not with Chester.
Yes, ma'am.
But did you really have to do what you did?
I bet that you've always been really kind to your wife...
...haven't you, Mr. Jackson?
I try to be.
Well, then, you couldn't possibly understand.
Oh, sister...
...I know what it's like to be held down and kept down.
Believe me, I know.
Yeah, I imagine you do.
Well...
...I hope you sleep well.
Thank you. You too.
Good night, all.
God bless you.
And God bless Martin Luther King!
And our enemies too.
So that's how it works.
Peter Joseph and I stay away from the grand jury...
...and John Doggett will help you out.
He helps me out? How?
He can get the D.A. to go along with a plea of temporary insanity.
So you want me to say that I'm crazy?
They'll believe you're crazy.
Did I tell you that you look very much like Errol Flynn...
...with that patch on your eye?
It makes you very dashing.
Thanks.
I'm sorry you got caught.
That's all right. It was fun while it lasted.
-You should've got rid of his head. -Yeah, I know.
I guess that I just wanted him...
...to see that I could do it.
He talked to me sometimes.
I wasn't trying to jump off that bridge.
I was trying to shut him up once and for all.
He talked to you?
He talked to me. He gave me a hard time...
...just like when he was alive.
We're going with a temporary-insanity plea.
You mean we're not talking to the grand jury?
No, we're gonna start living like everybody else in this town.
This is none of our business.
It's Aunt Lucille, ain't it?
You made a deal with the sheriff.
He lets her go, and we have to shut up.
She's family.
She is my baby sister, and I'm not gonna let them kill her.
But you said we can stop him! You said we could put him in jail!
-Careful, Peejoe. -I was wrong.
I'm sorry.
We stuck our necks out too far.
Hey, over here, Marlon.
Down here.
Down here. It's Mama. Come on. Come here.
Marlon, down here.
-Mama? -Come here, my babies.
My God, Marlon. I swear you've grown a foot!
Oh, my babies, i missed you so much! Oh, my god!
Sondra, you taking care of Marilyn for me?
Yeah, Mama, I have.
You, Rock. Let me see your muscles.
I love you all so much. Thank you so much for bringing my babies here.
Go to Uncle Dove's and get a good night's sleep...
...and I'll see you in the morning.
-Go on, you guys. Go on, now. -Okay, Mama.
I love you. I love you.
Good night!
-Love you, Mama. -Bye, sweetie.
All rise.
The Superior Court of Cotton County...
...in the state of Alabama is now in session.
The Honorable Judge Lewis Mead presiding.
Please be seated and come to order.
Would you please rise?
Mrs. Vinson, I told you at the arraignment...
...that you cannot enter a plea of not guilty by reason of sanity.
But, Your Honour, I am not guilty and I was not insane.
Am I to take it that you'll continue with this plea...
...in spite of your legal advisers...
...and my opinion about it?
Is that true? You're gonna stick with it?
Your Honour, they've all gotten together on this deal.
They want me to say I'm crazy...
...so they can pack me off to the loony bin.
To a loony bin.
Then I have to stick with what I got.
Okay. C'est la vie.
Let the games begin. Okay, bring in the--
Hold it!
Get them out. What the hell is this?
Bailiff, get the children out of my court!
What the hell do you think this is, a kindergarten? Get them out!
Out!
Gentlemen. I mean you, lawyers, gentlemen. Forward.
Yeah, you and you. Come here.
Darling, would you mind coming up here with a little pen and pencil?
What are you doing with that cheap trick you just pulled?
I tried to do that 30 years ago.
You don't bring children into the courtroom...
...to influence the jury and get sympathy.
Is that understood to you?
Not a word from you, my friend!
Now, just get your ass back. Get your ass back!
Yes, sir.
You got an ass? Move it.
He's a mean son of--
Now you can bring in the jury.
Now...
...when you arrived at the Vinson residence on May the 5th...
...you found the body of a man who had been decapitated. Is that correct?
It is.
I've been on this job for 20 years. This is my first decapitation.
And you have identified...
...this man...
...as Chester Vinson?
That's right.
Let me ask you...
...how you knew who it was...
...if he didn't have a head?
I took Dove's word on that.
You consider Dove Bullis to be a man of his word?
He gets confused about whose side he's on...
...but I'd say sure, more or less, he's honest.
You don't have a murder weapon You don't have a witness.
You don't have a confession.
You don't even know for sure whose body was in that deep freeze, do you?
She had his head when she was arrested!
-What more proof do you need? -Isn't it true...
...that you have always planned to use Mrs. Vinson...
...to keep her brother in line?
Isn't that why you didn't bother to gather evidence?
Chester Vinson didn't cut off his own head! Did he?
That did it.
All right. I tell you what. I'd like to have...
...a meeting with the young lady in my chambers...
...and there'll be a short recess, okay?
Without counsel?
I'd like to see her alone, you understand? Thank you.
I object.
Do you know what A-L-O-N-E means? Alone?
Violation of procedural rules, Your Honour.
Okay, objection overruled.
You shall see her alone.
Be careful, you hear? Watch it.
What did he say to you?
What did he say?
He said that he really liked me in Bewitched.
Let me ask you, Mrs. Vinson...
...why you decided to take your husband's head with you..
...to California.
-that's kind of hard to explain. -well, just do your best.
Well, remember Fantasia?
That movie?
When Mickey Mouse...
...chops the wicked little broom into splinters...
...and then those splinters...
...they turn into hundreds and hundreds...
...and hundreds of brooms ?
I was afraid that Chester was gonna pull some kind of stunt like that.
But you must've had plenty of opportunities along the way...
...to dispose of his head.
Well....
Yeah, but as long as it was in there keeping fresh....
You know, those plastic containers, those things are...
...absolutely amazing.
Well, anyway, it was kind of like it never happened...
...except that I was happy...
...and I was free.
I'm not sorry I killed him. I'm not saying that.
I probably should've done that a long time ago--
No further questions, Your Honour.
Mr. Bullis, you've testified that Mrs. Vinson...
...has trouble telling the difference...
...between what's real and what's...
...not.
Can you give us some examples?
She said Chester's head was talking to her.
Talking to her?
Out in California.
Can you think of anything else?
The whole pattern of her behaviour--
Your Honour, I object. This man is not a psychiatrist.
Come on, will you? You're overruled.
Just sit down now.
Go ahead.
I'm not a psychiatrist. I'm her brother.
She's always been a wonderful part of our family, a good mother to her kids.
But Chester Vinson was not good to her!
I never realized how much...
...how much he damaged her...
...or I would've--
I think he made her go...
...a little crazy.
Do you think she's still dangerous?
Absolutely not.
No further questions, Your Honour.
What did she tell you that day?
She said she killed Uncle Chester right after the 14 0:00 news.
Did she tell you how she killed him?
She put rat poison in his coffee.
Terrible way to go.
Did she say why?
She said you use rat poison if you wanted to kill a rat.
I meant, did she say why she killed him?
He wouldn't let her go to Hollywood.
He said she was crazy because she wanted to be on Bewitched.
She made it too. She got there She was great.
I bet she was.
Said you only got one life. Can't sit around waiting for your next life.
She made me promise not to tell...
...how she did it.
But you're breaking that promise?
You made me swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Have you done that for us today?
Have you told us the whole truth...
...and nothing but the truth?
No, sir.
What exactly do you mean?
The whole truth is...
...she's here because of me.
I know who killed Taylor Jackson.
It was that man there! Sheriff Doggett!
He pretended it was an accident, but I saw it!
He knows I saw it! He's been after Aunt Lucille ever since...
...to keep me from telling. He did it!
He killed Taylor Jackson!
Quiet in the court!
Okay, now.
Hold it down! I ain't running no circus. Everybody just settle down!
Your Honour.
-Your Honour! -I hear you.
With the court's indulgence...
...my client would like to make a statement.
A closing statement from the defendant?
I don't know. I'd like to hear what the young lady's got to say.
-You go ahead, darling. -Thank you, sir.
Thanks. Last night I wrote down a list of every single bad thing...
-...Chester Vinson ever did to me. -I fail to see the relevance.
Please sit down and be quiet. You've had your turn.
Be a gentleman. Take her advice.
Sit down.
My darling, you can continue. And if you wanna move around..
...whatever makes you relaxed, go ahead.
Thank you, sir.
Here, honey, come on. Go on.
Say it. Yeah, that's it. Go right on up there.
Thank you, Your Honour.
I guess I'll just start at the beginning.
The night that we got married....
Mama, remember?
Chester got so drunk...
...that he just ran off with his coon-hunting buddies...
...and he forgot all about me.
And he stayed gone for three days.
Number two...
...the time that I was pregnant with Sond...
...we went to the football game and my water broke...
...but he didn't wanna leave...
...so I had to stand there with water running down my legs until halftime.
There are worse things on this list.
He used to poke holes in my diaphragm with a pin...
...because he loved having me pregnant...
...because that way I could stay home and take care of him, cater to him.
So I was pregnant for 54 months of my life.
And he used to cheat on me all the time.
He cheated on me when I was pregnant.
The last one was with my best friend.
That's right. I'm talking about you, Charlene!
I knew about it the whole goddamn time!
I did.
And he used to hit me all the time.
Dove, you don't know how many times I went to the emergency hospital....
I went to the emergency hospital. I covered up my bruises with makeup...
...because I knew that if you knew...
...that you would kill him.
Well, now you don't have to.
That's not the worst part.
The worst part is that he used to...
...hit the kids when I wasn't around.
And they were just scared to death of him...
...my babies.
Sorry.
Thank you. Right.
You know...
...there are lots of ways...
...that you can kill a person.
There are slow ways and there are fast ways.
And Chester was killing me the slow way for 13 years.
You know, you stay....
You spend the whole day making a beautiful meal for your husband...
...and he gobbles it down in five minutes...
...and he never says thank you and a little piece of you dies
Or you try to talk to him...
...and he tries to look around you so he can see the TV.
He's just killing you.
He's just using you up.
He's just watching you grow old and waiting for you to die.
I just hope...
...that you'll let me go back to my babies.
I'm not guilty.
Because what I did...
...I did it in self-defence.
What's a diaphragm?
I don't know.
"On the first count...
...citing premeditated murder in the first degree...
...we, the jury, find the defendant...
...guilty.
On the second count...
...citing willful mutilation and mayhem...
...we, the jury, find the defendant...."
Guilty? How could they find her guilty?
But, Wiley, she is.
I don't understand.
Well, we tried to tell her, Mama.
But she had to have her say.
Well, she had it.
She gambled and she lost.
Now it's up to the judge.
Sheriff.
It's a pleasure to place you under arrest...
...for violating the civil rights of Taylor Jackson.
What is this? Tyrone, it's okay.
-You'll never make this stick. -Well, you're probably right.
I'll have to settle on making your life hell the next three or four years.
Nobody's gonna thank you for that, boy.
Was that your idea, telling all that on the stand?
Yes, sir.
I'm sorry.
I didn't think about it first. I just said it.
Well, you said it in an open court.
That means we'll have to testify.
You can't back away from it now.
Yes, sir. I know.
Thank you, Peejoe.
Well, I can send you down to Draper...
...but I don't think prisons were designed for people like you.
Or I could send you up to Bryce Hospital...
...and let the head shrinkers take a shot at you.
But I gotta tell you something I have a little feeling about you.
You got a little devil in you. You'd charm your way out of there.
You'd just skedaddle right out.
No, I wouldn't, I promise.
Also...
...I could sentence you...
...to the electric chair.
And maybe...
...that's what the jury intended.
But I have never...
...sent a lady to the electric chair...
...and I never will.
So here we are, my friends.
You're guilty, but I haven't seen a shred of evidence...
...that says you are a danger...
...to anybody or anything except Chester Vinson.
And let's face it:
Bon soir.
It's too late for him, right?
So there's something else you should know, my darling. I have sat here...
...and I have seen our good white juries return..
...verdicts that were...
...unbelievably stupid.
But they did.
And I have seen men so guilty...
...and yet...
...they were allowed to go free.
So here you are...
...and here I am.
But it's my turn now, dear.
I sentence you to 20 years.
Hold it. Hold it.
But I suspend that sentence...
...and I sentence you to five years...
...five years of probation...
...during which time you have to seek...
...the help of a psychiatrist...
...during the whole time. You understand that?
-Yes, sir. -Good.
So...
...you're free to go.
Travesty of justice!
This is an outrage!
Oh, shut up!
Judicial misconduct, Your Honour!
This case is adjourned!
God bless Judge Mead!
I wondered what Aunt Lucille said to that judge...
... to make him change his mind about her.
She just smiled and said he was one of those rare men..
... that knew the difference between justice and what's just.
In all that excitement...
...I thought she'd forgotten all about me and Wiley.
Well, I guess I was wrong.
We can squeeze these guys into the hearse. Is that okay?
Oh, no.
Your timing is perfect.
I knew you were innocent.
I knew it the whole damn time.
Want to go for a ride?
Go!
I can't believe it.
I guess the judge said it had to be integrated.
He didn't say nothing about there having to be water in it.
Now you the same as us.
Ain't nobody allowed to swim.
That's so stupid.
You took the patch off your eye.
I can see light through it now.
Maybe you just had to let it heal.
Come on. Let's go.
You can drive by today...
...and never know there was a pool there at all.
But I know the secret.
There's water trapped underneath all that cement.
Three inches of water...
...as blue as Lucille's eyes.
I learned a lot of secrets that summer.
You can bury freedom, but you can't kill it.
Taylor Jackson died for freedom.
Aunt Lucille had to kill to get it.
Life and death are only temporary...
...but freedom goes on forever.