A Woman Called Moses (1978) | Part 1 | Cicely Tyson | Will Geer | John Getz

[Music] [Music] [Applause] so [Music] harriet ross todd former slave former liberator of slaves former army intelligence officer now suffragette now lecturer journeying on this dusty damn segregated train car that breaks through space and time as rapidly as the light of the moon when it subdues the darkness war is done the cannons are silent reflections and memories now reaching back as far as the moses time as far as those early years of midnight [Music] tilly oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] you do something with that girl too all right [Music] you give me a lot to be sorry about my state what those two need to be is worked over with my whip dramatics yankee dramatics that's the way slaves act when they can't help themselves [Music] you told me the holy spirit stay with me all the time but they took my sister you let them take my sister you talking to them voices again huh don't you be sneaking up on me like that no mo jim hey that wasn't teasing you wait a minute girl hat i'm sorry i'm sorry i'm sorry about your sister being sold off too you know what i did when they sold my mama and my daddy away what did you do i went to massa and i said master now i ain't got no mama and i ain't got no daddy cause you don't sew them off i wanna let you know i appreciate you for it why you telling a fool thing like that never finished i said i appreciate you master because i'm gonna show you i got the powers to be a man without a mama and the daddy and what'd he do to you for saying something like that he said you better take your powers to the field boys you're telling the tall tale and you know it i ain't telling that out loud but that's what i had on my mind brother made up my mind hat i'm gonna make my getaway gonna make my getaway join not turning free all the slave folks like to go with you i'll have to take you along hat but it won't do two runaways always get caught quicker than one where you cover for me when i make my giveaway sure i will too sure i will i see you shadrach what's he doing here oh wreck he's always up to some kind of dirt let's get that devil dead [Music] oh [Music] [Music] come here [Applause] get away from that door [Music] [Music] can't you do anything with that baby i haven't tried everything miss susan but he just won't hush up he's been going on like this ever since tilly went away don't you think i know that now i want you to find a way to keep that baby quiet man the porsche and i want you to do it quick yes you yankee knob head you don't kill slaves and you don't beat the heads in you capture slaves and you punish them but you don't do what you did so what now you're fired get off of my plantation and stay off god almighty's in the rain god almighty's in the sun the holy spirit is here [Music] how is she half dead is this how you treat a slave master she wouldn't be this way she hadn't let that runaway buck mess with her he was sick badly once and your friend doc thompson couldn't do nothing about it so i came when you called your life was dangling on a thread and i saved you you say you were gonna set me free and you never did you see you'll never break up our family but you sold off tilly and now this you've got no right to talk to me that way slave woman i'll let that gal have a way and i never beat her once i put ben in charge of the timber yard i've been good to y'all i didn't have nothing to do with that gal getting my head back but no matter what i do or don't do i don't have to keep promises to slave woman with a black magic oils and roots you wish you had myself i let my cracking go [Music] well save oh i need a drink oh she can't move talk do anything you're just gonna have to sell her edward who the hell's gonna buy a slave in the shape she's in worth a try edward you know once you put your mind to it you could talk anybody into anything you really believe that you talked me into marrying you didn't you hell i love you i know that edward but you also love money well there she is name your prize should be one of the best breeders you have owned you'll be joking with the boys what a fool edward was let me have a prime gal like this for almost nothing i don't know edward she don't look too healthy to me say something gal well she can't say anything she's asleep wake up gal she was one of the strongest wenches i ever had for this unfortunate mishap she'll be their way again to your pricer nah no price at all damn you you stay alone i don't know what it is you say just show me a way for marcel here to be dead for massa air to be smite down [Music] the devil's got him he don't know how to be right he ought to be dead with his evil ways i pray every morning every day every night that he be gone i pray now [Music] you gone [Music] did you hear me lloyd did you did you hear me [Music] [Music] hmm [Music] [Music] nami portia then they pasha oh my lord what's matter with thompson never mind go to mr caldwell tell him to get doc thompson over here right away and and send me two boys in here to help hey hmm it's that old fever that's been with him since he was a child and now it's coming to his heart hot yes there's nothing we can do now but wait for the fever to go down well is he gonna die doc thompson don't know susan i i really don't know what it would it would tell me what it what is it edward i want you to live so much i love you i've always loved you he wants jupiter and her potions you get her up here right away yes no used to saying it culture you want my brain well you better hurry cause i don't think he's gonna last long i'll be there uh [Music] i'm afraid it won't matter when she gets here susan she's gone no no no no [Music] lord i did it i wished it and prayed it on him wicked though he was i had no right to take a life mercy on me lord wash my sins away wash the blood from my body wash my face with snow and clean the hate away [Music] what did you hear me [Music] that you hear me [Music] [Applause] wash my sands away wash the blood from my body wash my face with snow clean the heat away [Applause] running as swiftly as the years of growth came and went running through time measured by endurance unaware of the future that would bear her the crown of moses [Music] hey flipping around with other men most of the time now if he was sleeping with her you wouldn't know how to do that we're always in the house with him hey that's a doctor at the head with good buddies that's why he left him to be guardian of this plantation now you think old master here would have left a man in his house who's gonna be messing with his wife now that's why you leave good buddies to be guardians instead of just friends yeah even if it is messed with my show can't be done cause he did get on over there and saw off that log girl [Applause] [Applause] well what do you men want figured we'd come down here and scare them up a bit in the quarter your patrollers leave my slaves alone they behave themselves and i don't need you trampling over them but next time we ain't gonna ask you let's go how [Music] i don't like those men i never did that's what you get for hiring trash like that i never hired them your dear departed husband edward he hired a long time ago and you know that why do you think i resigned from the planters association i do apologize i didn't know that look what hat made for her mama well now that's a mighty fine looking bold daughter who do you think taught her thank you hat i sure am glitchy like it mom can we eat now y'all come on out there benji come here now where is that robert where has you been boy me and alvin and we've been walking y'all she all spent a heap of time walking for two who ain't been over the broom yet that's why i bought elvina here mama we want daddy to talk to monster doc about us and getting married you hear that ben you better get some kind of permission from monster dog for these walks of theirs get this girl's stomach to look like it's got a watermelon in it and she didn't say that for laughing i'll talk to him about it robert but until i do no more of these walks you hear me yes sir alvin don't you stay have supper with us thank you we thank you lord for the life you gave us today and for the food on the table tonight amen daddy while she's hearing masada about robert and alvin can you ask him something for me about what about my stews please he's looking for hire ain't you happy working in the temple yard with me because i is daddy but if i could get myself hide out i could go to book town taking washing get some other kind of jobs maybe i make enough money one day to buy us all our freedom did i hear you you might as well throw that lotion right out your head she knows my stock ain't gonna allow it we can still try can't we get it cause we can what happened then she had another one of her fighting spells messed up that's the third time this week see what i was telling edward i'm afraid this guy's gonna be more of a burden and she has an asset well sir does she still want to work on the stuart please got she ben yes well then i suggest we sort of loan it to mr stewart in that way she'll be his burden that's a good idea looks like the young master is learning fast isn't he ben yes sir he shall hear all right yeah my permission to send her over to stewart's place but under the condition that she hands over to me one dollar every week and that's whether she earns anything or not do you understand me ben yes can i take her into the cabin now sir yes man come on thank you [Laughter] oh young mars is learning real fast eeny beard thank you big stuff just cause you're going to work for master stewart lord may told me about you yesterday what she tell you say it's true you and your daddy didn't want to take me in just cause i was a cast off oh right you still got that on your mind that was my long years ago it wasn't you then it ain't true now it is and you know it the truth ain't there none of you ross's think you're something special just cause your daddy boss the lumber y'all but you ain't doing nothing but licking muscle doc's boots just like you're done with muscles if you leave me i wrap the stick right around your head yeah well you just i say i better make you pray [Music] hey ah where are you going gal i'm gonna work as a pile master steward's place well let me see you pass [Music] all right get on your wood [Music] [Music] y'all the higher out from thompson yes sir i don't know why but for some reason or other i thought you were he what's your name harry rossa where harriet the rules here are this you work my fields five days a week and on saturdays and sundays you're free to earn money on your own and that money is all yours if you have to go to buck time seek work you must come to me for a pass everything you do must come through me i do not allow my overseers to beat or abuse my slaves without my permission and i will shoot the first patroller that sets a foot on this plantation you will find that i'm a fair man from a refined stock of southern men and women and i loathe with a passion that white trash element amongst us any questions oh no sir you can go now josh will show you the cab [Music] well harry since you were hired out like me i can get you a job washing clothes for a quaker lady in bucktown you think she would use me and i hear she helped run away slaves too i know what you're looking at what is that a caval of young yeah belongs a steward ain't nobody been in it for years keep going molly i'm going to look see you know what the devil is on your mind [Music] [Music] know that land is worthless and it would be a waste of manpower sir my daddy taught me all the ways of making land great for things to grow by the way the sun set the way the bark grow on a tree and how to change the color the side my stool i swear by my lord up in heaven i can make food grow out of that land and where would you sell your crops at the booktown market you know what you are a slave sir never forget that a slave yes but you are a gal with incentive hey you been my bottom dollar you are you got something the yankees ain't got incentive but do i guess the land sir of course this will be our little experiment this plot of land and i'll give you fifty percent of the crops mark event is that fair yes you're moving that cabin tomorrow and you tell joshua to give you a a cart and a mule and whatever tools you need we'll get to it cultivating freedom's garden in the stifling heat of august with its bloodless skies challenges the will snatching its stumps and rocks on a stretch of god's earth that seemingly will not yield a pause for breathing is merely a pause for breathing for in the end it must bend it will bend i got beer i got long pieces the show's looking good today i got the bands there i got the long pants the sharp pants that advance the skinny fans i gotta land in here ladies i got some spots and pants i got straight that old john tubman free negro he is i think god sent him to this world just to satisfy women where he get his whales from sweet talk that's what they do sweet tall yeah child he calls these free housemates and gets them to give him everything the white folks throw out and sometimes he go right to the white folks himself and talk him into what he wants john germans a sweet talker from way back and he can outshore and then close better than any woman anywhere cause i don't like him myself say why don't you chill but you could trust a man you can sit down like a woman in so close you never know molly you never know how you go what you want i've been watching you off and on you know that don't you i care mister i ain't no housemate and i sure ain't looking for no good times nothing i just thought yeah what's wrong you all right gal all right i just got both with the company that's come on sue get up get up soon all right i'm going for now but i'm telling you something we're gonna be friends whether he likes it or not the bible didn't told me that come on sue come [Music] on sir [Music] [Music] [Music] there burying today four things she was so young harriet we are forgetting again they do not have to bring the clothes [Music] will you get away from me oh get out of here did you hear about john's sister you know he had one molly we had one all right but she gone now had a funeral today what's your white girl molly yeah had the same daddy but different mamas of course old man carl lau won't own up to none of it she and john used to meet in the colored quarters all the time she sure did care for him and he wasn't scared to tell nobody that he was her brother he was crazy about her oh there talking here just me please i'm coming um i'm i'm sorry about the way i talked to you that day oh oh that's all right molly told me about your sister want some coffee we made it tall they wouldn't even let me see her yeah i know about that so how's your plant coming along oh it's harvesting time now so i got so much stuff growing out there i don't know how i'm gonna bring it in all by myself well what about johnny i ain't doing nothing worthwhile these days you even if you know something about farmer still wouldn't hire you and all he got to do send over another slave well for one thing i could take it to the market myself and being a free man i could get a better price for you and i'd be a better company than just any old slave man don't you think so why you want to help me don't really know except when you keep crowding in on my man all the time you know city gal you don't turn me to your bed so you best leave me alone i ain't got no cause i want to do anything out of keeping with you it's just that when i lost my sister i got so blank it brought my business down to nothing i just thought it would be good for me to help somebody and have good company while i was helping it's my comfort time now thanks for coughing john six o'clock my starting time i'll see you before the sun [Applause] [Music] i guess it's true what folks say about you seem like foster's always mouth about me what they say if you spend half the night counting them coins over and over and over again all they want this is freedom money when you get back from mark the day after tomorrow i'm gonna have enough money to buy my freedom for monster dock nobody mocked me then you get your fear that what you're gonna do reckon i'll go on working but i'll be working for myself don't you know nothing but work i know how to fulfill the weather stewart don't know you got a kanji booming on his land it's something i learned from my daddy and ain't nothing queer about it neither no stranger than that fancy stitching you learned from your dad chuck that ain't learning everything from that fool the only reason why i picked up taylor and tricks cause i watched him not cause he showed me hmm get your dad to talk to you about nothing nah he's too busy dreaming about glory land up north you think about nobody but himself didn't he love you mama when my mama got sick he couldn't wait for her to die so he could get on his way but i don't earn nothing off that food you think maybe he knowed old man carla was your real dad damn it gal i'm going to talk about things like that i'm sorry i ain't got no cause to shout at you about that it's just that there's some things that so me about being colored whether you're a slave or [Music] not better make it back to town [Music] she got your free man's papers on you patrol is riding the road all see i night you you just started fretting about me already [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh [Music] [Music] all [Music] got right i'm telling you [Music] hey these spells what the got hit in the head by an overseer for helping a slave what it's all there john you've been real your life you ain't never been asleep what's this like i don't know i i think about it a lot and i i thank god i ain't what you like slaves but i know i don't like slave holders i like folks i like you miss harriet that's the first time you didn't call me girl you call me you call me [Music] me enough money to buy myself away from old doctors i got to put this money away don't you ever think of anything but money and work money is what buys freedom just think about it man tomorrow i'm gonna be a real woman i'm gonna get all dressed up in my sunday clothes go to church meeting with mama and daddy and then go see omasada two hundred dollars gonna be my prize to it is that all you worth go somewhere mo but he always try to sell me at that figure cause of my fate infliction you take my offer you have to money john yeah you think oh john i'm gonna beat a glitch in the whole world [Music] [Music] oh the way you look today miss harriet doc thompson's got to give you your freedom he can't give me nothing i'm fine he's still going what he must be having some kind of party over there yeah john stewart show likes his son and wanting parties he had one just about every other sunday i wonder who that could be that looked like mars stuart and his head is straight this way john you best be leaving lots of luck miss harry just think the next time i see you you'll be a free woman i'm gonna have one kiss from you as a sway woman then when i see you again i'll be kissing a free woman all right ain't we fancy today just going to church sir i see man you have time for that i have a special job to be done and you're the only one i can count on to do it properly but now gal i've been too good to you for you to give me any butts when i need you what kind of job is it i got a wagon load of goods over lake grove about a quarter mile from the weigh-in station i have to get them to the station before noon well my city weigh-in station close on sunday well realizing how important this is they are open today as a special favor to me guess i better go change clothes all you have to do is sit up on the wagon tell the mule to move and you'll be there in no time i see you there in 10 minutes yeah wow so wait a minute martha mean to tell me that mule's not here no sir where is he mew mew i'm sorry foolish mew must have wandered away you're just gonna have to do it yourself i can't pull that wagon off oh sure you can gal okay come on you just no stamping right there hey there's nothing to it there's nothing to it it's gonna be real easy that mule has nothing on you you're gonna thank me for giving you this opportunity there you are you just remember what i told you about the incentive now gal you don't want me to tell my stock how you've been a bad girl now do you oh [Music] good [Music] my god what happened to you i see one of stewart's docky pageants again and you came here to tell me about it yeah what's this for 200 200 000 200 to buy my freedom oh no no child here i wouldn't let you go for 200 i wouldn't sell you if someone offered me a thousand wow have to be more on that i'm afraid hey yeah is [Music] [Music] [Music] whatever it takes if i got to go crazy with the money forever [Applause] now the lord says a man is a man and a woman is a woman and they're supposed to live by the words of the law as husband and wife one without saying amen now you got the ring well put it on a boy put it on now take your wall now you is now [Music] [Music] [Applause] sounds like they're having the time of their lives makes me feel like i want to run down there and join them myself [Music] i wonder who the devil was never thought of something like sleep [Music] a freeman husband a slave wife a year of communal labor a year of parties and good times celebrations that the slave had not known before yet the blight of slavery remains and monies that must be stored in freedom's purse must be stored in freedom's purse [Music] and then as quickly as the passing of a bondman's night sleep the free man john concedes to silence to brooding moods to days of absence the good times have all dwindled as if they had never been [Music] going somewhere else john going up to cambridge get my business started again not enough white folks clothes for free our scalp that's right just gonna walk off and leave me alone again harriet you think you're the only one who got problems i got my problems too my free men's papers to run out we can pay for that out of the money we get from the cops this week no counterman you think i am using my wife's money for my problems john i can understand you're not wanting to take a woman's money there ain't no point in you messing around up country patrol ways why don't you try to settle down and let yourself hide out at stewart's place or somewhere like a slave you be good and mean that yeah back to work [Music] two months alone but not lonesome just angry restless [Music] [Applause] [Music] man [Music] wow [Music] sweet john is home oh [Music] baby didn't you hear me i said sweet job [Applause] you mean a man can't touch his own woman looks like when you go off and leave me alone for months drop me when you feel like come back to me smelling old whiskey your body's sticking with another woman's results looking for work i want that old lumber mill i used to work at i could have got all right when they asked to see my free papers i told them i left them here cause i was scared to tell them they run out i went everywhere i even tried to get a job cleaning up out houses everywhere i went to push me back like i stirred i was so scared went to a junk joint big drinks just to get drunk now [Music] cat pat young master ed just died a lung fever he did yeah miss susan's moving up country and monsterdoc is selling everybody off tell mom and daddy i'll be over in a beer all right [Music] hey fellas back and i'm buying all the drinks i just don't understand y'all one white boy croak up in the big house a whole quarter comes down with roma sickness ain't nobody gonna get so dr thomas ain't about to sell prime slaves like you folks one thing my mama taught me john tubman never depend on any man staying over your life with a woman time for us to get out of here let's get where you me my whole family escape up north oh north mountain but this coldest sent up north colored folks crammed into mills towns houses like rabbits oh jesus did you blind look at me i said look at me don't tell me i'm bombed i could be sold away from you anything don't you care ain't you scared give me that damn bottle i want you to tell me straight out right now don't tell me i want to hear from you right now yeah i care as soon as i get myself going we can start saving all over again we can stop saving all over again i'll buy you freedom myself damn it gail why are you going to drag out that old stack again that's what i was trying to tell you i borrowed it that's what i did i borrowed you shallow oh my feet are money gone what's wrong with a man borrowing from his wife not bart john stolen to save your own [Music] mama [Music] [Music] [Music] say something to me please aren't you but with the pain say something to me please say something on super please [Music] um what's mom and dad days locked up in the barn behind the big house you can't hat there's patrollers all around vinci i don't made up my mind i'ma run off tonight you gotta come go with me with robert novana hired out somebody's got to stay with mom and dad well i gotta go get him you can't hat you can't go up there tell him i'm going after i get myself settled up now i'll come back and get you oh yeah take her inside and you stay here from josie him harriet come in i'm just trying to get your black hair on i'll be fleeing from bondage yes the river heads north to the delaware border where it gets smaller and then on to the town of dover can they remember that yes one must be careful where one knocks harriet but they will find an underground railway station in dover and a ticket to philadelphia you mean this girl put me on a train that runs under the ground no it's not a real train the underground railway is people along the way will help to clothe thee and feed thee and rest at night and show thee the right way to philadelphia oh harriet this will be thy first underground railway station and if they get to the river before dawn they may be fortunate enough to find a boatman there at reedy cove he's often there during the night and though we do not know who he is we do know that he is a friend who can trust him yes remember we are journeying from midnight through hope to god be praised remember that i sure will i sure will godspeed [Music] [Music] [Music] oh [Music] as far as i go you just stay by the river and you'll be safe yes thank you [Music] tramping along the edge of the river where waters crash by over and around ancient objects of nature in their angry thrust upstream touch the moss on the tree [Music] yes yes yes the river flows north uh [Music] [Music] wow [Music] one does not drown in this river stream the river is the refuge now so um aha i'm always on the lookout such as you let's come out now and you better be quiet no need to be i've come upon a runaway once who was so scared and honoring she almost bit my finger off see you be the wilmington zoo and on wheels that's your last stop before you get to philadelphia on the tree nope trains ain't safe here we're going my god yeah put these on thank you sir though there are guards on the road with your poster those men's clothes ought to cover you real good you mean they got the wrong potion sure enough do now pull that hat down over that skull you know that's on the poster too oh thank you sir you're somewhere right now i can still tell you a woman but the gods want come on you i don't see nothing me neither but i smell chew on this and just behave like naturally [Music] with them guards up there you better chew miss run away and you better not cough or heave yeah yeah come on morning boss morning balls come on [Laughter] morning boss [Music] so [Music] [Music] yes i mean i'll be with you yes boy is you mr gay yes my name harriet rose told me and i'm escaped from maryland harriet what is wrong was he following me out there but you do need your arm yeah my brothers come here one moment gentlemen please want to go home now i'm sure i'm most grateful but i my supper must be waiting in my wives likewise all's well assuredly uh some of my brothers have been most solicitous since my arrest very kind of them but sometimes they keep watch until the wee hours of the morning come along with me come along now come on now don't be afraid come along come along everything my dad taught me about the woods in the river kept me from getting caught he has great knowledge many fugitives perish from a lack of such knowledge but what caused the first plan to escape from slavery when i was a little girl voices used to come to me they told me that the lord wielded spiritual voices yes i myself heard voices when i was but a lad there are those that scoff and cause such occurrences wicked mysticism but i believe god uses many devices to lead us to the path of righteousness yes what kept thy spirit alive through the worst of it my reason that as a slave i had no rights but then i reasoned that i did have the right to die or very well put eat here we are now well he's just about on my way to thy new home of freedom cross the field of that road the road will lead you to the turnpike the turnpike will take you to philadelphia use the map it will lead you to the lombard street church ask for william still president of the anti-slavery society godspeed god bless you [Music] the last road from slavery the first road to freedom [Music] philadelphia liberty city harriet ross tubman in gratitude for what she should not be what she does not want to be what she is not going to be praises god she is no longer what she was [Music] full of life laughing and good godly time like this time she gives to the stalwart abolitionist william still blessed william still whose anti-slavery society is the haven where men and women who were once slaves are helped to their new life in this baffling world of freedom and as harriet ross tuckman carries out her tasks she recalls all too well what the voices at once said suffering produces endurance endurance produces character character produces faith and faith would not in the end disappoint hello you're the preacher here no i'm not the pastor's away you run away slaves do you want food and clothing well then you must be tired let us show you to our sleeping quarters he's gone to sleep he's gone to sleep for good he's dead he'd be dead all right said he'd be all right said if he could just get north for one day be all right it'd be just fun the death of that old man the great look in his eye and the voice of that old woman left me with a deep spirit of sadness all i could think of and known for was to have my mom and daddy with me to see them released from the evil or bonded i just had to return and bring them back [Music] i can't wait now harriet you don't seem to understand they're not merely trying to capture you now they're after your life my life is with god this is with the devil and with god on my side i got to go where he calls me no matter what evil that's trying to stop me get her mom and daddy back on doc thompson's plantation and i'll catch your gal for you my people gave [Music] is moses [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] you

Channel: TheArchive

Views: 231,072

Keywords: Feature Film, Movie, Film, Full Movie, Entertainment, a woman called moses, a woman called moses full movie, a woman called moses 1978, African American abolitionist, slavery, slave ascape, slave, slave escape leader, Harriet Tubman, biography movie, Araminta Minty Ross, araminta ross story, minty, araminta ross movie, Harriet Ross Tubman, african americans slavery, slavery movie, real story movie, 70s movies, Cicely Tyson, Will Geer, John Getz, James Sikking, Paul Wendkos

Id: gul2G0zoi2A

Length: 97min 41sec (5861 seconds)

Published: Fri Apr 29 2022