- [Boy] Think we'll get
a coon tonight, Daddy? - [Father] We better. (gentle music) ♪ Jesus will you come by here ♪ O Jesus, will you come by here ♪ Jesus, will you come by here ♪ Now is a needy time ♪ O now is a needy time ♪ Now is a needy time ♪ Come if you don't stay long ♪ O come if you don't stay long ♪ Come if you don't stay long ♪ Now is a needy time ♪ O now is a needy time ♪ Jesus, won't
you come by here ♪ (dog barking) - He got one already! Come on, boy, let's go! (harmonica music) I hear ya, boy, I
hear ya, come on! Gimme that lamp, boy, come on. (dog barking) There he is! Come on, boy, let's go! Come on, Sounder,
I hear ya, come on! (dog barking) I think he's got him treed, boy. I think he's got him. It's all over now
for ya old coon. There he is! Come on, let's go! (dog barking) Sweet meat on the table. We hear ya, boy. Come on! (racoon hissing) (gun clicks) Shoot! (gun firing) Damn! (lively harmonic music) Oh, Sounder, don't give
up now, come on, boy! (dog barking) That dog devour it already. Come on, Sounder, let's go. Sounder! Sounder! (dog barking) Aw, shoot! (banjo music) Come on, Sounder,
don't give up now. Come on, boy! (dog barking) Dammit! I remember a time when
a bull couldn't've stopped that dog from
trickin' that coon. (dog whining) It's all right, son. Old Sounder did his job. Guess when I realized
there wasn't gonna be no meat on the table, I
acted foolish for a minute. If anybody's to blame, it's me, 'cause I ought to have nailed
him on that first shot. - It was too dark, Daddy. - Yeah. Well, I guess we better
get on back to the cabin. Sounder. (humming music) You know, son, there ain't
no dog as good as Sounder. In all the years we been
trackin' coons and possums in these woods, he ain't
never tore one of 'em up yet. No, he always brought 'em
back whole and healthy. Now you see, that's the
difference between a hound dog that's mean and dirty
and one that's great, like old Sounder here. We had one cornered,
but he got away. I bet you're a tired little boy, ain't you David Lee? - Yes, sir. - (chuckling) You oughta
be tired, too, Sounder, 'cause that coon sure whipped
the hell outta you tonight. - He beat you too, Daddy, and
you had a big shootin' rifle. - You don't make funny with
your daddy like that, boy. David Lee? - Yes, sir? - You had a rough time
out there tonight, so you stay home from
that school tomorrow. - But I wanna go. - You learning anything
at that school? - Yes, sir. - When night comes in
these parts, that old moon runs like a scared rabbit. You could stay out here
all night just lookin' and not see a thing out yonder. - We goin' huntin'
again tomorrow, Daddy? - Oh yeah. I guess you wonder
why, though, huh? What with the luck
we been havin'. But, like I always say. - You lose some of the time
what you always go after, but you lose all the time
what you don't go after. - Now who says I didn't
put my mark on you, boy? (laughing) - David Lee, time
to get to bed, son. - Good night, Daddy. - Good night, son. - [Mother] Don't wake
Josie Mae and Earl now. - It's your bedtime
too, hound dog. Now go on, get under there. Go on. - [Mother] I bet you can
use a hot cup of coffee. - I sure could, Miss Rebecca. - (laughing) Oh, Nathan Lee. Dammit! That boy done been
in my walnuts. I skinned my fingers
to the bone to pick two pounds that's
worth almost nothin' at the commissary, and he
done took about half of it. - The boy is hungry, Rebecca. - We been through these hard
times before, Nathan Lee, and we made it. - And what we make
it to, Rebecca? Another season sharecroppin'
for old man Perkins? Working ourselves to
death so he can get richer and we can't even eat when
croppin' time is done? - Nathan. Nathan? Nathan? Nathan? Nathan? (slow banjo music) - Come on, y'all, get up! There's meat cookin'
in the kitchen! Come on, get up! Come on. - [Earl] What's in there, David? - [David] Sausage and ham bone. Don't do that! - [Josie Mae] Where
did it come from? - Come on. Morning, Mama.
- Morning, Mama. - [Rebecca] Morning. - [David] There's meat
cookin' on the stove. - That's right. Go wash up. - [David] Where
did it come from? - Where all meat come
from, now go wash up and be snappy about it. You got six miles ahead
of ya to that school. Morning, Nathan. - Morning. - You ready to eat? - Oh, no, I'll wait
till after the children. Rebecca. - Yes. - What's the weather
like out there? - It's hot. - It's gonna be good
baseball weather for our game today then, huh? - Um hmm. - [Children] Morning, Daddy. - Well, morning back at ya. Hey now, you save some
of that for me, huh? Sounder? Hey, Sounder, come on. (dog whining) There you go, boy. That oughta put you in good
shape for tonight, huh? - Now, don't take all mornin'
at that table, David Lee. - Mama, when can me and Earl
go to school with David Lee? - Maybe soon. - One thing we got
plenty of is wood. - Ready to go, Mama. - Well, tuck that
shirt in, David Lee, and when you get
outta that school, you come straight
on home, ya hear? You're gonna have to
take this laundry work I done for Miss
Boatwright today. - Bye, Daddy. - Bye, son. - Where was it you went
last night, Nathan? - I did what I had
to do, Rebecca. (light music) ♪ And crown thy good ♪ With brotherhood ♪ From sea to shining sea ♪ - [Teacher] Huckleberry
Finn, chapter 34. - Sorry, Miss Clay. - You're late. - Yes, ma'am. - Well, take your seat. Now, where were we before
we were interrupted? Oh yeah, Huckleberry
Finn, chapter 34. This chapter is called
We Cheer Up Jim. Here we go. Tom says, "What's
the vittles for? "Going to feed the dogs?" The colored boy kinda
smiled around gradually over his face and says, "Yes, marse, it a dog." (dog barking) - [David] Brought your
laundry, Miss Boatwright. - Oh, come on in, children. Come on in. Put it right up here
on the table, David. Um, um, you tell Rebecca
there ain't a Chinaman in all this world
to beat her ironing. Well, now, here's
for your mama's work, and here's somethin'
for the three of you. - [Earl] Thank you,
Miss Boatwright. - Thanks, Miss Boatwright. - Oh, by the way, David, I
got that book I promised you. It's all about the
Three Musketeers. - Thanks, Miss Boatwright. - And when you've read it,
we're gonna talk about it. - Yes, ma'am. We gotta hurry. - Oh tell Rebecca
hi for me, hear? - Miss Boatwright,
what's a Chinaman? - Come on, Josie
Mae, we gotta hurry! (lively banjo music) - [Man] Let's go! Get on first base 'round there. All right, all
right, let's get 'em. Let's get 'em. - Hi, Daddy! - Hi, Daddy. - [Catcher] All right,
all right, let's get him. Let's get him. - [Umpire] Ball four. - [David] Hi, Mama,
what's the score? - Hi, y'all, three to
two, but the other team got the bases loaded,
and it's only one out. - [Earl] What inning is it? - Last part, now turn
around and watch the game! - Let's go, let's go, let's
get 'em, let's get 'em. Let's get 'em. (crowd cheering) - Two more to go, Daddy! - [Rebecca] Come on, Nathan! (crowd cheering) - Out! - One more to go. (crowd cheering) - [Cathcer] That a boy! (crowd cheering) ♪ Oh Speedball will you
please pitch that ball to me ♪ Speedball, Speedball,
please pitch that ball to me ♪ Well the other team got two ♪ And Speedball
steamed by three ♪ - You tell 'em, Ike. ♪ Old Speedball,
Speedball, I do believe ♪ Baseball is your game ♪ - It's his game all right. ♪ Speedball,
Speedball, I do believe ♪ Baseball is your game ♪ - It's his game, not
his name, but his game. ♪ Oh you're no regular partner ♪ Nathan Lee Morgan
is your name ♪ - Nathan Lee Morgan,
that's his name. ♪ Oh you a regular partner ♪ Nathan Lee Morgan
is your name ♪ (laughing) Look here, man, if
they heard me play like this up north, you
know, I'd be richer than the man I sharecrop for. - And if they saw me
pitch the way I did, they'd hire me just to
strike out Babe Ruth. (laughing) - [David] What they do in
the white churches, Mama? - [Rebecca] Same as
we do, they pray. - You know, one time by
mistake I went into this white church down there
in Row Parish, you know, and to this very day,
I don't know how I ever got outta there alive. - Well, they probably
thought you was crazy. - Oh man, I guess
so, I guess so. But I went home,
and you know me, I did some praying
to the good Lord. - Yeah, we know you. - I asked the good Lord
about this white church that I went into in
Row Parish, and I said all I want to know is
how the devil I ever got outta there alive. - And what did the good
Lord say to you, Ike? - Well, the good Lord
say, Ike, you know, you're doin' better
than me, 'cause I been trying to get in
there for 200 years, and I ain't make it yet. (laughing) - [Rebecca] Ike if
ever there was a devil in this parish, you's it. - You could make a song outta
that, couldn't you, Ike? - I believe I just
do that Speedball. - Bye, y'all. - Bye.
- Bye. ♪ Goin' to the country ♪ Mama don't you want to go ♪ Goin' to the country ♪ Mama don't you want to go ♪ Goin' to the country ♪ Mama don't you want to go ♪ Oh yeah. - All right. - Well, this here's
where I'm gonna have to say goodbye to you all. It's been fun, Miss Rebecca. - Us too, Ike.
- Oh yes. - Looks like it's gonna
be a nice warm night comin' up, Nathan. You goin' into them woods? - Oh yeah, those coons
and possums better hide deep from us tonight. ♪ Critters in the woods
better hide tonight. ♪ Oh Lord, hide
tonight, hide tonight ♪ Oh Lord, hide
tonight, hide tonight ♪ Oh Lord, hide
tonight, hide tonight ♪ Critters in the woods
better hide tonight ♪ - He hit it so hard it
went through Ike's legs, and he bent down to get
the ball and all the dirt went into his face. (laughing) I tell you, Nathan Lee, you
really did hit that ball that hard, didn't he, Josie Mae? (laughing) Oh Lord, I thought I would die. (Sounder barking) - Daddy, there's two men
in front of the house. Who is they? - Nathan! Hush up, Sounder. - [Nathan] I guess we
better see who they is. - We been in your house, Nathan. - Hold that dog. - Found what we was
lookin' for too. Now you took some food
and stuff from James' smoke house last night. My deputies and me, we gotta
take you down to county house. - What they doin' Mama? - Quiet, son, quiet. (Sounder barking) - Get him in the truck. - Sheriff Young? You been knowin'
Nathan for a long time. You know the kind of man he is. You know the troubles
we've been havin' in these hard times. - [Sheriff] All right, let's go. (gun firing)
(dog whining) - David Lee! (children crying) - Sounder! Sounder! Sounder! Sounder! Sounder! Sounder! Sounder! Sounder! - [Rebecca] Josie Mae,
I'm fixin' to go into town to see about your daddy. David Lee is in charge now, and you and Earl do just
like he tell ya, you hear? - Yes, Mama.
- Yes, Mama. - David Lee, watch the
fire and fix some of that corn mush for y'all to eat. Don't go too far now
lookin' for Sounder. Anybody comes that's a
stranger askin' you questions, don't say nothin', hear? - [David] I won't. - Bye, son. - Bye, Mama. - I won't be gone too long. - Bye, Mama.
- Bye, Mama. (humming music) - How do. - Good morning, Rebecca. I sort of expecting
you this morning. - I come to see Nathan. - Well, I wish I could,
but I can't let ya. - I don't understand
that, Sheriff Young. - Well, it's simple. It's the rules. I follow 'em. Ain't no visitin' except
Sunday and holidays. No womenfolk no time. - You mean to tell me I
can't see my own husband? - That's the way they do
things here in Landsdown. I just follow orders. - But I gotta see
him, Sheriff Young. I gotta see Nathan. - Well, I'd like to help
you, but that wouldn't do anything but get
us both in trouble. - They gonna give him a trial? - Probably sometime next week. I tell you what I'll do. As soon as I find out what day, I'll just drive on out your
place and let you know. Rebecca. - You've got you a
low-life job, Mr. Sheriff. (horn honking) - Rebecca, you're just
the one I want to see. - I brought these
walnuts to trade. - That's $1.20. - I want to get me some things. - I hope it ain't a
lot, 'cause I can't give you no more credit until
croppin' season gets back. That is, if Nathan makes it. - [Rebecca] I didn't say nothin' about no credit, Mr. Perkins. - What you want to order? - I need me some flour, nutmeg, chocolate, extract, oh, some sugar. And give me two eggs. - What I want to talk
to you about is Nathan. He oughtn't've done what he did. Sneakin' in James' place
and takin' they goods. That looks bad on me. I been good to y'all. Didn't I go to all
that trouble to get the people of Landsdown
to let your David Lee go to their school? Didn't I? And another thing, with
Nathan in jail and all, how are you gonna crop
for me when the spring season comes, huh? Dammit, I'm talkin'
to you, woman! I got a farm to worry about,
and I need some answers! - Croppin' season is a
long way off, Mr. Perkins. By that time, Nathan
oughta be home. If he ain't, believe
me, the children and me will do the croppin'. We have to, because we
owe you all that money. Mr. Perkins. - You think Sounder
dead, David Lee? - Will he stay dead? - He ain't dead. Now, stop askin'
crazy questions. - You don't have to get
mad 'cause you didn't find that old dog. - He's not dead! - David Lee! - [Earl] Mama, Mama! Mama, Mama! - Lord, it's hot. - [Earl] Anything for me? - How y'all been? Anybody been here? - No, ma'am. You see Daddy? - No, son, I have to wait
till the holiday come. Anyway, won't let womenfolks
see their men no time. - Can I see him when
the holiday comes? - You sure can, son. Any sign of Sounder? - No, ma'am. I looked all over these parts. - Well, I think
maybe he was scraped on the head by that shot. I don't think he's
dead, just gone off to heal himself somewhere. - Nothin' in here. - No, I'm fixin' to bake
a cake for David Lee to take to your daddy this time. - Make a chocolate cake, Mama. Daddy likes things
that's chocolate. - [Court Clerk] The
defendant will rise and come before the bench. - Nathan Lee Morgan, you
have been found guilty of unlawful trespass
and robbery. Is there anything you
wish to say to the court prior to the court
pronouncing sentence upon you? - No, sir. - The sentence of
the court is that you be immediately
remanded to the custody of the sheriff of this parish and that you be
transferred forthwith to serve a term of
one year at hard labor at a parish prison camp to
be hereafter designated. Clerk to call the next case. (humming music) - [David] Sounder! Sounder! Sounder! Sounder! Sounder! Sounder! (bell ringing) - David Lee, be sure
to ask your daddy to tell you what camp
they're gonna send him to. Look perkish now, so you
don't grieve him none. Okay, that's all, son. Don't forget what
I told you now. - What you got there, boy? - A cake for my daddy. - Well, put it on this table
and wait till I check it. Can't be too careful, boy. There just might be a steel
file or hacksaw in it. What's your daddy's name? - [David] Nathan Lee Morgan. - Okay, boy. Third cell down
there on your right. - Well, looky here. - Hi, Daddy. - Hi, back at ya. - Mama's outside with
Josie Mae and Earl. - They is? Well, it sure is
good to see you, son. - This was a real
cake before the man outside put all
these holes in it. - (laughing) Oh now, that
don't make no difference. If I know your mama,
a few old knife holes ain't gonna destroy
the soul that she done put in this cake. Here, have a piece
with your daddy. Mm. - Daddy, we didn't
find Sounder yet. - Well, he'll show up one day. - You think he's dead, Daddy? - No, son. He'll come back to you just
as soon as his wounds heal. You'll see. Oh, this cake sure is tasty. It's a shame they won't
let them come in here. If I had the strength,
I'd knock down these damn walls just
so I could get my arms around your mama just. They on this side
of us, do you think? - I think so. - We'll see them if I have
to break both my arms. Son, don't ever let
yourself get caught in a place like this. - Daddy, can you say what camp
they're gonna send you to? - No, they don't tell
us things like that. But I don't want you all
to come here no more. - Why, Daddy, you won't be here? - Do like I tell ya. - [Deputy] Time's up! Come on, boy. - Son. ♪ Oh I'd rather be a fishin'
pole brimming the creek ♪ Than workin' in the
sun out here all week ♪ If I 'spect to
get outta here, Lord ♪ 'Spect to get outta here ♪ I gotta keep on workin' ♪ Keep on pullin' ♪ Keep on haulin'
in the hot, hot sun ♪ Lord, Lord, children ♪ Lord, Lord child ♪ If I 'spects to get
out the way I live ♪ Got to push and
pull and deal and deal ♪ If I 'spect to
change my ways sometime ♪ I got to do, do in time ♪ I got to do it and do it now ♪ I got to do what I'm doin' ♪ O Lord, O Lord ♪ Someday there'll
be a change, Lord ♪ Someday there'll be a change ♪ - "Yes," said
d'Artagnan, "But we shall "inevitably be shot." "Yes," rejoined Athos,
"But you know very well "that the bullets most
to be feared are not "those of the enemy." "Yet, it seems to me," said
Porthos, "That for such "an expedition, we
should have at least "brought our muskets." "You are a simpleton,
friend Porthos. "Why should we..." ♪ This old time religion ♪ Give me that old time religion ♪ Give me that old time religion ♪ Lord, it's enough for me ♪ It was good in
the time of dying ♪ It was good in
the time of dying ♪ Yes, it's good in
the time of dying ♪ Lord , it's good
enough for me ♪ (upbeat guitar music) - Lord, if this wasn't
a Sunday, I do believe I'd do a dance to that
music Ike's playin'. - Oh, go on, Harriet,
shake that piece. God ain't lookin'. - I might be a country
woman, but I ain't no fool. - Oh, go on, Miss Harriet. Go on and dance. - Come on, Harriet. Well, you can't blame
a girl for tryin'. Ooh ha ha! - Good day, Reverend. - Rebecca. - David Lee, give
the reverend a seat. Word from Nathan? - No, I haven't got
anything, Rebecca. I went down the courthouse
yesterday to see about it. They wouldn't tell
me nothin' as to what labor camp Nathan was sent to. And I'm sorry. - It's a damn shame, Reverend. It's a damn shame. - Let us not take to
bitterness, Sister Morgan. When this same church we
have women with the same trouble that you are having. But I tell them whatever
misery or trials, take it to God. - Take it to God. - It's not that simple, Rebecca. God works in mysterious ways. We brought nothing
into this life, and we carry nothing out. - Is that a blessing, Reverend? - It's a blessing. - Thank you. (gentle music) (dog whimpering) (dog whimpering) - Easy, boy, easy now. It's okay, it's okay. He eats all right. His throat ain't scarred. - Then why don't he
bark like he used to? - Aw, he will. Get down and act like a possum. - I don't look like no possum. - Act like one. Get him boy, get him! - Don't tell a dog to get me! - Oh, shut up. - Why don't you get
yourself a new dog? - [Radio Announcer]
After Dr. Anthony Loring believed a lie about
her and discarded her and was tricked into marriage
by his wife Millicent. What Evelyn has just
said to Michael. - [Evelyn] Michael, over
and over you've asked me to name a day
for our marriage, and now I'm ready to do it. I'll marry you this very
afternoon if you want me to. - Miss Boatwright? - [Evelyn] I'll go away
from Cincinville with you. - Miss Boatwright!
- Whenever you want me to. - [Radio Announcer]
Half an hour ago, Evelyn and Anthony Loring and his
vindictive wife, Millicent, who hates Evelyn and
has sworn to destroy both Evelyn and Anthony. - Miss Boatwright? - [Radio Announcer]
Faced the young playboy Bruce Caufield in his
hospital room and heard Bruce reveal that
Millicent, once secretly married to him is." (door opening) - David! Would you like a cool drink? - No, thank you. I have some work to
do in the field today. Miss Boatwright? - Yes, David? - Would you help me
find out what camp they sent my father to? - Well, the courthouse
has rules about things like that, David, but well,
I'll ask around town about it. - See you tomorrow,
Miss Boatwright. - David. - I'll find out where
your daddy is for you. - Thanks, Miss Boatwright. (banjo music) - [Mrs. Boatwright] Don't
mention this to anybody, David! Do you hear me? - I can't do that, Rita. Now, we have a policy
here on colored prisoners. And I ain't about
to change that, even though we're good friends. - Charlie, just because a man
and his family are colored-- - Look, I don't make
the rules, Rita. And you're puttin'
yourself out on a limb askin' me to do such a thing. I'll be damned if I'm
gonna jeopardize my job just because you in love
with a little colored boy! (phone ringing) Excuse me. Young here. Sheriff Young here. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. You bet your life, sir. I'll be right over. That was Judge Elliot. When Judge Elliot
calls me, I jump. Goodbye, Rita. - But Charlie. - No! N-O, no! Did you find what
you were lookin' for? - Well, I, I did
look, Charlie, but... - No buts about it, Rita. - Charlie you have
no legal right not to tell that boy where
his father is. Do you hear that? You and this whole
damn courthouse. What you're doin' is wrong. - You tell me about wrong. Now, you come in
here as a friend, and I find you goin'
through the files! You know I could have
you arrested for that? And if you give that
information out, that's exactly what
I'm gonna do to you, and I'll tell this
whole town how you got that information and
who you're givin' it to. And you won't have a
friend left in this parish to bring you a piece of candy! - You would do
that, wouldn't you? - Now you're gettin' the
point, Mrs. Boatwright. - Let's get out of
here, David Lee. - Miss Boatwright, you know
where my father is, don't you? - No. He was wrong, David,
I didn't find out. - Miss Boatwright, I saw you. You looked in there,
and you found out where my father is. - If I say I didn't,
David, that's what I mean. I don't know a damn thing, now
stop botherin' me about it. Come, I'll take ya home. - I'll walk. - Now don't pout now,
David, it's a long trip. - I'm used to it. - Well, you can't
say I didn't try. Hello, David. - Hi, Miss Boatwright. I'm sorry about the way
I acted the other day. - There's no need
to be sorry, David. Where's your mama? - Here I am, Miss Boatwright. - The camp where
Nathan is at is called Wishbone Labor Camp,
and it's in Nolan Town. - You sure is a
crazy actin' woman sometimes, Miss Boatwright. - Now, we go from A-2 to um, now let me see where
we go from here. - You havin' trouble,
Miss Boatwright? - Oh, no, no, these
maps are easy to read, but um, there it
is, right there. - How do you get
there, Miss Boatwright? - There are numbers
and letters on here to show you where
to look on the map, but Nolan Town isn't
under a number, but we know that it's
in northern Landsdown. And the number for
northern Landsdown is H-7, but since Landsdown
is the largest parish, it actually stretches
across into A-2. And A-2 is um. Am I makin' myself clear? - Oh yes, oh yes, it's
clear, Miss Boatwright. I'm sure we'll find it. I mean, when the
time comes for us to find that place,
we'll find it, won't we, children? - [All] Yes, ma'am. - We'll find it, yes, we will. (gentle music) - (laughing) Hey, boy. Oh, you're gettin' heavy. Hey, Sounder. Boy, you lookin' good. Hey, I'll race you
to that tree stump. You ready? Go! Come on! You can run faster than
that, come on! (laughing) - After you go by
knowin', the first road you gonna come to
is the Jordan Road, and you go all the way down
the end of the Jordan Road to the labor camp. That's where it is, right
at the end of the road. Now look, it's gonna be
a long trip, you know. Good luck to ya. - Thanks, Mr. Ike. - All right, David Lee,
there's your food and things. If you get tired, you go
into a railroad station or a church to rest. Don't you go to nobody's
house, you hear? - Yes, ma'am. - And you tell your
daddy to send some word about what time
he gonna be home. Tell him I love him, yeah? - Tell him I said hi too. - All right, now get a move on. You're losin' daylight. - Come on, Sounder. Come on. (guitar music) ♪ Jesus, will you come by here ♪ O Jesus, will you come by here ♪ Jesus, will you come by here ♪ Now is a needy time ♪ O now is a needy time ♪ Now is a needy time ♪ Come if you don't stay long ♪ O come if you don't stay long ♪ Come if you don't stay long ♪ Now is a needy time ♪ O now is a needy time ♪ Now is a needy time ♪ Down on my knees I pray ♪ I'm down on my
knees and prayin' ♪ Jesus, won't you come by here ♪ Jesus, won't you come by here ♪ O Jesus, won't
you come by here ♪ Jesus, won't
you come by here ♪ (cows mooing) (humming music) - Come on, Sounder. Can you visit here, mister? - You have to come
back on visiting day. - Well, when's that? - Sunday. - Do you know my father,
Nathan Lee Morgan? - Never heard of him, boy. We've got lots of
men in that prison. - Mister? - Boy, where did you come from? - I want to see about my
daddy, Nathan Lee Morgan. Is he here? - Get! - What are you doin' there boy? Move! - Mister, is Nathan
Lee Morgan here? - There's nobody here
named Morgan, now get away from here before you
get us in trouble. - Ah! (gentle music) (cows mooing) (dog barking) Come on, Sounder. Come on, boy. - [Teacher] Two times three are? - [Class] Six. - [Teacher] Six times six are? (class gives multiple
different answers) How many? - [Class] 36. - [Teacher] 36 minus 12 are? (mumbled answers) - [Student] 24. - [Teacher] How many? - 34.
- 36 minus 12? - [Teacher] Yes. - [Student] 24. - [Teacher] That's right, 24. 24 times two are? (class gives several
different answers) How many? - 48. - [Teacher] 48 plus 48 are? - Nine and six. - [Teacher] 96, 96-- - Excuse me. - Yes, come in. Come in. - Stay, Sounder. - Yes? - Can I please wash
my hand where it's got blood all over it? - Let me see that. Sit down over there. You don't live
around here, do you? - No, ma'am. I come a long way. Me and my dog, we're just
tryin' to find my father, and we got lost. - Is he here in Borderdale? - I don't know. He's in a prison camp. - My name is Camille,
Camille Johnson. I'm the supervisor
of this school. What's your name? - David Lee Morgan. My dog's name is Sounder. That feels better. - You keep looking
around, David. Don't you go to school? - Sometimes but not like this. - Well, it's a good
thing that this hand did not become infected. How did you hurt it like this? - Well, me and Sounder
went to this prison camp lookin' for my daddy, and
the guard hit me on my hand. - [Camille] Did your
mother know you were going to see your father? - [David] Yes, ma'am. - That does it. - Thanks, Miss Johnson. - David? Why don't you stay
until school is over? I don't live far from here. You and your dog can
come home with me and have yourselves a hot meal. Then we can talk about
how to get you back home. - Yes, ma'am. - Take a seat back there. - Stay, Sounder. You got a pretty
house, Miss Johnson. - I try. - You got a lotta books too. - Here, let me tell you
something about the books on these shelves. This book is about a woman
who helped to free slaves. Her name was Harriet Tubman. She died in 1915. - Thanks, Miss Johnson. - And this one is about a
man called Crispus Attucks. He was the first
black man to die in the American Revolution,
the war that was fought to help this country
become the United States. - Miss Johnson, don't
you teach in your school about folk who ain't dead? - Sure. Here's one about a man
who's very much alive, Dr. William E.B. DuBois. - What did he talk about? - Here, I'll read something. Sit. "The longing of black
men must have respect," which means that a man
and a woman are human. They must be treated that way. "The rich and bitter
depth of their experience, "the unknown treasures
of their inner life, "the strange renderings
of nature they have seen "may give the world
new points of view "and make their loving,
living and doing "precious to all human
hearts and to themselves "in these days that
try their souls. "The chance to soar in the
dim blue air above smoke "is to their finer
spirits boon and guerdon "for what they lose on
earth by being black." - You're a nice
lady, Miss Johnson. (students laughing) - All right, all right,
let's stop the laughing. Who else has a story to tell us? - I got a story, Miss
Johnson, a true story that happened to me. - You know the class
is going to challenge your story, don't you, Clarence? - Yes, Miss Johnson. - All right, go on. - Me and my little
sister went down to the water hole last Saturday. - You are doing something wrong. You didn't tell us the
name of your sister. - Me and my sister
Laura went down to the water hole last Saturday. We was playin' along
the edge of the water. Laura slipped and
fell into the water. I started to run back
home, but I turned around, ran back, dove into the
water and got her out before she could drown. - How was your sister
after you pulled her out of the water? - She was dirty and wet. - [Student] What made you run? - [Clarence] I was goin'
home to get my dad. - What made you
stop and go back? - 'Cause if I had
ran home, by the time I shoulda got back, my
sister woulda drowned. - How come you didn't
know that at first? - I was scared. - Hold it! Clarence's story ain't true. Me and Clarence went to
the river a lotta times, and I know he can't swim. (children laughing) - Clarence, would you
tell us a story that was not true after
telling us it was? - No, Miss Johnson. - Can you swim? - Yes, ma'am. - Clarence, you
know you can't swim. Every time I tried to
show you, you fell down, and I had to always
pull you out. (children laughing) - Is that true? - Yes, ma'am, but
when I saw my sister about to drown in the
water, I tried because I wasn't scared in the moment. I was just swimmin' and kickin'. I don't know how I was
doin' it, but I was, 'cause my sister was drownin'. She was drownin'. - I believe Clarence's story. - [Camille] Do you want to
stand up and tell us why, David? - Well, some people came
and took my father away, and other people said we
couldn't work the farm. But we had to, else we
woulda lost the farm. So we planted the
crops, and they grew. I believe Clarence's story
because of what he did. He couldn't swim, but he
had to, else his sister woulda drowned, and that's how he did it. (students clapping) - You know, that was
a good thing you did for Clarence in class today. I believed his story,
but I was afraid the other children wouldn't. - I know he was scared
nobody would believe him as soon as he stood up. - You did, how? - I've been like
that sometime myself, thinkin' nobody
would believe me. Wanna hear another story? - Not now, David,
it's getting late, and you have a long trip
ahead of you in the morning. What are you looking
at out there? There's nothing to see. - [David] Daddy always
looks out into the dark, even when there's
nothin' to see. He says it's what you hear. - You think about your
father a lot, don't you? - [David] Yes, ma'am. - You shouldn't worry
about him too much, David. - But what am I gonna
tell Mama when I get home? Tell her that I
didn't see Daddy? And that's what I wanted to do. - But you did all you could. Not many little boys
could've gone on such a journey as you did. - But where's Daddy? - I can't answer that for you. But it's no fault of
your own that you don't know where your father is. Tell me what you did that kept
you from finding your father. Hmm? Come on, tell me. - Nothin'. - And so you did
your job, right? - Yes, ma'am. - Boy, you sure keep
my mind jumping. - What does that mean? - That means you keep
me using my head, and that's good. - Miss Johnson, do you
think I can come back here and study school
with the other children? - All finished? Come on. - [David] Mama, Mama,
Josie Mae, Earl! - David Lee!
- David Lee! - David Lee? David Lee? Lord, boy, where you been? You had me worried
outta my mind. Did you find your daddy? - No, I didn't see him. The men said they
didn't know daddy. - I guess they sent him
off to another camp. Why your bag so heavy? What's in here? - Some books Miss
Johnson gave me. - Who's Miss Johnson? - [David] She's a teacher. I stayed over at her
house some of the time. So when I left, she
gave me these books. - [Rebecca] Well, Miss Johnson
must be a right nice lady. - Oh, she is, Mama. Mama, when the fall comes,
Miss Johnson wants me to go to her school. - How can you do that? You don't live nowhere
near that school. - Well, she says I
can live with her while school's goin'
on, and when school's not goin' on, I
could come back home. - Well, who's gonna help
me here in the house? And in the field? Well, maybe by that time,
your daddy'll be back. If it's all right with him,
it's all right with me. - Ya, mule, get
up, get up, get up! - Yeah. - This finishes your share. - You did a good job
croppin', Rebecca. - Ya, mule. - Dear Miss Johnson,
how are you? I am doing okay. I told my mama, my brother
and my sister about you, and they like you too. I can't make this
letter too long, because I have work to do. Bless you, David Lee Morgan. - You sure write a
good, fine letter, son, a good fine letter. (Sounder whining) (Sounder barking) - What's wrong
with you, Sounder? Oh my God. It's Nathan. Nathan! Nathan! - Mama, what's the matter? - [Rebecca] Nathan! - Daddy!
- Daddy! - Daddy!
- Daddy! - [Rebecca] Nathan! - [Children] Daddy! - Daddy!
- Daddy! - [David] Daddy! - Rebecca. Rebecca. (Rebecca crying) Hey, hey. Oh, come on. David. Oh, it's good to look at ya. Hey! (laughing) - [David] What's the matter
with your leg, Daddy? - Oh, I got it hurt
in a dynamite blast. When I wasn't no
more use to 'em, they took some time
off my sentence and let me come home. Oowee, that was some meal you
fixed for us, Miss Rebecca. And I sure will thank you. - [Rebecca] I sure am glad
you liked it, Nathan Lee. - You know, I missed
them dumplings almost as much I missed you, Earl. - All right, children,
it's two hours past your bedtime, get a move on. Come on. You too, Earl. - Good night, Daddy. - Good night, you
pretty little thing you. - Good night, Daddy. - Good night back at ya. That was some journey
you went on, boy. - Daddy, I'm so
glad you're home. - Well, me too, son. - We goin' huntin' again? - Well, sure we
goin' huntin' again! - I cleaned and oiled your
stuff while you was gone. - [Rebecca] Your
turn now, David Lee. - Good night, Daddy. - Good night, son. - Daddy, you're home now. That's all I want. I don't want nothin'
else, just you to be home. - Come here, boy. (laughing) - Hiya, Rebecca. - Hi. - Somebody told
me Nathan's back. How is he? - Why don't you pay him
a visit, Mr. Perkins. He'll tell you how he is. - I'll do that, Rebecca. I'll do just that. - What does that old
peckerwood want now? - Well, he wants you
to pay him a visit. - The two of you could
sit under a shady tree, drink ice cold whiskey
and shoot the breeze. - Well, I hope you
told him I was too busy for that kind of stuff. (laughing) - Good mornin'. - Um hmm, yeah, now
y'all done a good job with this croppin'. - Well, thank you. - Well, come on,
let's get to work! - You sure you feel
up to it, Nathan? - Yeah, I feel up
to it, why not? - All right. - Come on, mule. Here, come on, come on, mule. Come on. You know, I sure
am proud of the way you helped your mama
keep this place goin'. - Thanks, Daddy. - You know, some people
think this is hard work, but it sure in the hell
beats goin' to jail. - You won't be goin' to
jail, will you, Daddy? - They'd have to kill me
before I go back to that place. Come on, ain't
nobody goin' to jail, and ain't nobody gettin' hurt. Hey, go on and get me
some more of that cane. Oh. - Whoa, mule! Whoa, whoa! - [David] Daddy! - Whoa, whoa, mule. - [David] You all right, Daddy? - I'm all right,
I'm all right, just damn leg don't act
like it used to. - You sure you're
all right, Nathan? - Yeah, I'll be all right. I just have to rest
for a minute or two. - Well here, let me help you. - No, you just
stay where you is. Ugh. - [Earl] You feel
all right, Daddy? - Yeah, I feel
great, just great. Settin' on the
seam, now you let it go just zip off
that finger there. You got it? - Yeah.
- Let's see. Closer, yeah, that's it. All right, zip it right in here, right over home plate. Hey!
- Nice work. - Oh, come on, Josie Mae. - Hey, Ike! How you doin'? - Anytime it's Saturday,
and I ain't go no work to do, I'm doin' fine. - Hey, Ike. - Hi. - [Nathan] Hey,
what you got there? - Seem this piece of
mail come this mornin' over to Mr. Perkins'
place, and he said for me to bring it over here. - Well, give it here. - Uh uh, it ain't for you. It's for the little
important man over here. David Lee. - Well, son, ain't
you gonna open it up and read it to us? - I got to go now. I'll see y'all in
church on Sunday. - Yeah, Ike, thank
you for the trouble. - Have a good day now. - Bye. - Who's it from, David Lee? - It's from Miss Johnson, Daddy. - Well, read it to us. - "If you are coming
to school here, "be sure to bring
some warm clothes. "The school term will
begin September 8th, "but it will be good
for you to be here "by the fourth or
fifth of the month. "I do hope everything is
fine, and you will be here. "Give my hello to your family. "Yours truly, Miss
Camille Johnson." - September 4, how
far away is that? - About a week. - Well, come on,
children, let's go! - Where you goin'? - To the commissary to
get this boy some clothes! In fact, I'm gonna get
some for everybody. - Nathan, you can't do that. We owe Mr. Perkins too much-- - Oh now, don't tell me
what we owe old man Perkins. I do the owing, let him
worry about the collectin'. Come on, David Lee. Come on, didn't you hear me? - But, Daddy, you just got home. I wanna stay home
and be with you. - Well, I want to
be with you too, but this school is
somethin' you need, somethin' that's good for
ya, like good air to breathe. I want you to have it, and that's the
way it's gonna be. - But, Daddy, who's gonna
help you in the field? Your leg is hurt. You can't work like you used to. Who's gonna help you
around the house? - Let me tell you somethin'. If I had both my legs cut off, I could do more
work in that field than you could in 100 years. - I won't go, Daddy,
I just won't go. - You wait just a minute! You don't tell me what
you ain't gonna do, I tell you, and if
I say you're goin' to that school, you're goin'! Now, come on, I don't wanna
hear nothin' more outta you. David Lee, David
Lee, come back here! David--
- Nathan! Please, leave him be. He missed you a great
bit whilst you were gone. He sweated and worried
to find out just where you were and made
that long journey. You're home, and it's
only a natural thing for him to want to
be with you now. - David! David Lee! David Lee! David Lee! David! David! David Lee! David! David Lee! (rocks splashing) Can I talk to you
for a minute, son? Whew. You know, when I
got this leg hurt, I was down in this rock
quarry, and all of a sudden there was this dynamite
blast comin' at me with the kind of
force to kill 10 men. Well, sir, I got out
of the way of most of them rocks faster
than the lightning in God's mind, 'cause
I made it up in my head just that quick that I
was gonna beat the death that was comin' at me. And that's what I'm gonna do
with this trouble in my leg. I'm gonna beat it. Nothin' left for me
to do but to beat it. But that's what
I want you to do. I want you to beat
the life they got all laid out for ya in
this place 'cause there ain't nothin' here. Ain't nobody here but them
bastards that sent me... Son, don't get too
used to this place, 'cause wherever you
is, I'm gonna love you. Me, your mama, Josie Mae
and Earl, we're gonna love you even more. Why, we're gonna come and
see you at that school every chance we get. I love you, son. Don't ever think that
I don't love you. You think we're gonna
get to be friends? Boy. (gentle music) - All right, get a
move-on, bag boy. - You carry your own bag. - I'll carry it. - Naw, I will. - Thanks, Josie Mae. - All right now, you be good. And you be smart, my man, okay? - I oughta be back
tomorrow evenin'. - Careful now. - Giddup. - Bye. - You know somethin', Daddy? - What's that, son? - I'm gonna miss this
old raggedy place. But I sure ain't
gonna worry about it. (laughing) - Boy, did you see me pick
him off at third base? I tell you, my speed ball
make 'em all stand up and look. (laughing) I think I really coulda
made it in the big leagues if I really wanted to. (laughing) (upbeat banjo music)
