STONES IN MY PASSWAY<\/p>\n
A screenplay<\/p>\n
By<\/p>\n
C. Rosalind Bell<\/p>\n
EXT. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 SOUTHERN MISSOURI HWY 61 1938<\/p>\n
A GREYHOUND BUS drives along HWY 61 headed south.<\/p>\n
INT.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 GREYHOUND BUS<\/p>\n
ROBERT JOHNSON,\u00a0 a long, slender-fingered guitar player is sleeping under his hat\u2026his head pressed against the window of the crowded back of the bus. HE wears a brown double-breast suit, polished shoes and argyle socks.\u00a0 HIS elegant dress belies the wear and tear of HIS existence. THE YOUNG WOMAN sitting next to ROBERT with a BABY in her lap tries HER best to get comfortable in HER seat.<\/p>\n
EXT. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 THE AMERICAN RECORD COMPANY \u00a0 DAY<\/p>\n
Helena, Arkansas. A white\u00a0 frame house doubles as an office for the mid-south division of he American Record Company and as a residence for ERNIE \u00a0 OERTLE and HIS family. In the front yard, \u00a0 TWO\u00a0 YOUNG\u00a0 CHILDREN play with a dog, TWO COLORED MEN drive up in a truck.<\/p>\n
THEY park and go to the back of the truck where they pick up two large boxes. \u00a0 \u00a0 They head for the office part of the house.<\/p>\n
INT. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 ERNIE OERTLE\u2019S OFFICE\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 DAY<\/p>\n
Stacks of music sheets, promotional pictures and posters lie about. Pictures of the black artists are on the walls. A fan whirs overhead. THE PHONE RINGS.\u00a0 ERNIE opens screendoor to let the MEN inside. HE answers the telephone, cradling it in his neck. THE MEN place the boxes on the floor.<\/p>\n
ERNIE<\/p>\n
Hello. ARC Records. Earnie Oertle<\/p>\n
here. Well Yes. I\u2019ll hold on I reckon.<\/p>\n
ERNIE nods to the MEN and cups the telephone.<\/p>\n
ERNIE<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Boys,\u00a0 \u00a0 I\u2019ll\u00a0 be\u00a0 right\u00a0 with \u00a0 you.<\/p>\n
HE points.<\/p>\n
ERNIE<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Put them on that table<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 there fellas. My back won\u2019t let me bend<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 over like that nomore.<\/p>\n
THE MEN put the boxes on the table. \u00a0 \u00a0 Head out to get more.<\/p>\n
EXT. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 THE \u00a0 HIGHWAY<\/p>\n
The Bus slows to stop in front of a small southern Illinois bus depot. Though still in Illinois, they have crossed the Mason Dixon line and are in the south.<\/p>\n
INT.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 THE BUS<\/p>\n
THE BABY sitting on HER MOTHER\u2019S lap next to ROBERT begins a hard cry waking ROBERT.\u00a0 \u00a0 HE looks a the BABY making a face the MOTHER cannot see, rubs his eyes, looks out of the window cradling HIS face and returns to sleep.\u00a0 THE COLORED PASSENGERS in seats up font make their way to the crowded back of the bus where THEY have to stand as the BUS DRIVER makes HIS way back of the putting the colored section sign into place.\u00a0 \u00a0 TWO \u00a0 WHITE \u00a0 PASSENGERS board and take a seat in the mostly empty WHITE SECTION at the front of the bus.<\/p>\n
INT.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 ERNIE OERTLE\u2019s OFFICE<\/p>\n
The MEN bring in the last boxes. ERNIE reaches into his pcket and pulls out a fifty cents piece.\u00a0 \u00a0 HE gives it to the MEN. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 THEY tip their hats.<\/p>\n
THE MEN<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0 Mighty\u00a0 \u00a0 nice \u00a0 of\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 you.<\/p>\n
THE MEN leave.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 ERNIE let\u2019s himself out. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 With \u00a0 a \u00a0 scissors he\u00a0 opens one of the boxes.<\/p>\n
ERNIE<\/p>\n
Yall be good now.<\/p>\n
INT.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 THE BUS<\/p>\n
The bus comes to a stop.\u00a0 \u00a0 The door opens.<\/p>\n
BUS DRIVER<\/p>\n
Chaffee, Oran and change here for<\/p>\n
Cairo. Thirty minute rest stop.<\/p>\n
EXT.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 MOTEL\/CAF\u00c9<\/p>\n
The WHITE PASSENGERS go into the caf\u00e9 marked WHITE ONLY.<\/p>\n
The COLORED PASSENGERS get off he bus ad walk away from the caf\u00e9\/motel.<\/p>\n
SOME take prepared sandwiches out of bags and boxes and eat on make-shift tables. \u00a0 Some walk along the road and disappear into the woods to relieve themselves.\u00a0 \u00a0 Some go around to the back of the caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n
ROBERT, with his guitar across his back, brushes the wrinkles from his suit, shakes hands with some of the COLORED PASSENGERS, waves at others, wipes the band in his hat and walks down to the fork in the road toward the Chaffee.<\/p>\n
INT.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 NYC OFFICE \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 DAY<\/p>\n
The New York City skyline is visible through the window.<\/p>\n
JOHN\u00a0 HAMMOND, a forty-year-old WHITE\u00a0 MUSIC\u00a0 PRODUCER, sits in a business suit, at his desk in a leathery swivel chair. HE signs a letter, hand it to his secretary then puts his crossed feet on his mahogany desk. \u00a0 TWO other MEN sit smoking cigars and listening to his conversation.<\/p>\n
JOHN<\/p>\n
Hi Ernie. Sorry to make you wait.<\/p>\n
Ernie, this is John Hammond calling.<\/p>\n
How is everything?<\/p>\n
ERNIE (VO)<\/p>\n
Ain\u2019t complaining. \u00a0 \u00a0 What can I do<\/p>\n
for you John?<\/p>\n
INT.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 ERNIE\u2019s OFFICE<\/p>\n
ERNIE\u00a0 \u00a0 is on the phone standing at the window peering through venetian blinds looking past the children at nothing in particular.<\/p>\n
JOHN (vo)<\/p>\n
I talked to Don. \u00a0 He gave me your name.<\/p>\n
Don said you were the one I needed<\/p>\n
to call on. Said if the musician was a<\/p>\n
NEGRO and in the south call you.<\/p>\n
INT. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 JOHN\u2019S OFFICE<\/p>\n
The SECRETARY walks back into JOHN\u2019S office and places a letter on his desk.\u00a0 \u00a0 JOHN takes the letter but waves her off. \u00a0 \u00a0 SHE leaves.<\/p>\n
JOHN<\/p>\n
I\u2019m putting together a concert.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re going to call it Spiritual to Swing. I want to put<\/p>\n
together the greatest living Negro artists this country has ever seen. Let\u2019s See here\u2026Phillip hand me that line up. Blues minstrel, honky tonk, holy roller\u2026I\u2019m talking comprehensive. I got Basie committed to headline. And I need your help Ernie. I want to get Maude Lewis and Ruby Smith and Robert Johnson up here too. Don said you could put your hands on all of them for me. Told me you could get me in touch.<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 ERNIE\u00a0 (vo)<\/p>\n
You called the right man.<\/p>\n
JOHN<\/p>\n
This is going to be big Ernie. Carnegie Hall I\u2019m talking about. Trainfare, spending money, fine accomodations\u2026<\/p>\n
ERNIE<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll get you your people\u2014I can guarantee you on that. I\u2019ll get you yout people Ruby and Maude. I can get to them right away. Maude was through here last week. And Ruby is in Oceola. That Johnson boy I\u2019m going to have to look for. Give me a week or so on that.<\/p>\n
INT.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 ERNIE\u00a0 OERTLE\u201dS OFFICE.<\/p>\n
ERNIE is at the window watching the children chase the dog on the lawn. Their laughter, with the dog\u2019s barking is wafting into the office. ERNIE knocks on the window and when he gets their attention, shakes his fist a them in warning.<\/p>\n
JOHN<\/p>\n
I already mentioned Basie and his orchestra headlining\u2026Anybody on this lineup can just about write their own ticket after this\u2026Make sure you tell them that Ernie.<\/p>\n
ERNIE<\/p>\n
Spiritual to Swing, huh? Saints right next to Sinners, that ought to be something. Yeah, that ought to be something. Allrighty. I\u2019m in. Count me in.<\/p>\n
JOHN ( voice on phone)<\/p>\n
Good, good Ernie. And for you, how about your fee and expenses? Is that a deal? And a big bonus for signing all three. How about that Ernie? Good. Good. Call me when ou get something. First thing. Call me.<\/p>\n
ERNIE<\/p>\n
Carnegie Hall you say? Hee Hee Hee. Well sir. I might like to see them in that kind of company myself. I\u2019ll get back to you John.<\/p>\n
EXT. \u00a0 \u00a0 THE REAR OF THE TOLBERT HOUSE \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 DUSK DARK<\/p>\n
MAXINE walks out of the back door of the large white Tolbert house in a well-to-do neighborhood where she works for the widow Tolbert and lives in a small house in the back. SHE is wearing her maid\u2019s uniform with an empty basket perched on her hip. She walks to the clothesline and sets the basket down. SHE feels the clothes making sure they are dry then unhooks them from the clothespins, folds them and puts them in the basket. When she is midway through folding small articles she begins to take down the sheets. As SHE maneuvers one end of the sheet over the other SHE looks up to find ROBERT at the corner of the house looking at her. SHE blinks hard, takes a deep breath and continues her work.<\/p>\n
Maxine turns around to say something but changes her mind and just stares at him a few seconds before continuing to fold clothes.<\/p>\n
ROBERT<\/p>\n
How you doing Maxine?<\/p>\n
HE leans against the house, guitar in hand and gives HER a knowing smile.<\/p>\n
MAXINE responds with a weak one.<\/p>\n
MAXINE<\/p>\n
Robert. Robert. Robert.<\/p>\n
Maxine turns round to face him. She is nervous and fiddling with her apron.<\/p>\n
ROBERT<\/p>\n
You been taking care of yourself?<\/p>\n
He moves closer to the back steps and looking her up and down. Robert brushes off his suit and wipes the inside band of his hat. HE lights a cigarette.<\/p>\n
MAXINE<\/p>\n
Six months and I ain\u2019t heard from you Robert. Not one word. Not one peep.<\/p>\n
ROBERT<\/p>\n
You know I was going to play up north. I told you that.<\/p>\n
MAXINE<\/p>\n
All this coming and going\u2026ain\u2019t knowing when I\u2019m going to see you again.<\/p>\n
ROBERT props his leg up on a small stool turning serious.<\/p>\n
ROBERT<\/p>\n
I had a rough time up there this time. Look like every turn I made was the wrong one. It sure was rough though, I ain\u2019t nothing but glad to see you Maxine. But I\u2019m wondering when you going to invite \u2018a poor tired been on the road a long time man\u2019 in to have some of that whatever you got cooking up on that stove and take load off his feet.?<\/p>\n
HE finishes his cigarette, walks over to the line takes one end of the sheet MAXINE is folding and folds with HER. SHE is still nervous.<\/p>\n
ROBERT<\/p>\n
I brung you something.<\/p>\n
SHE stops folding clothes and looks directly at ROBERT.<\/p>\n
MAXINE<\/p>\n
You know what I\u2019m is to you Robert? Nothing but halfway between the big city and home. That\u2019s all I\u2019m is to you.<\/p>\n
MAXINE finishes taking in the clothes. SHE takes the basket to the back door of the TOLBERT house opens the door and slides the basket inside.<\/p>\n
HE begins to go through some of his things and pulls out a flat box. HE hands it to MAXINE.<\/p>\n
ROBERT<\/p>\n
If you knew all the hell I been through these last few months you\u2019d stop all that and give me some sugar.<\/p>\n
A MAN appears at MAXINE\u2019s screendoor in his undershirt. SHE sands up.<\/p>\n
MAXINE<\/p>\n
Franklin you up? This here Robert\u2026<\/p>\n
FRANKLIN<\/p>\n
I know how that is I done hear him play before. She almost done with supper you want to put your feet up under our table? Play a little something for us before you go?<\/p>\n
ROBERT stands shaking his head.<\/p>\n
ROBERT<\/p>\n
No. No. I ain\u2019t hungry. I just came from eating. Just come from eating I\u2019m full up. I was in the neighborhood, just popcorning, thought I\u2019d stop by. See how life been treating my friend here. Maxine you take care of yourself. I better be on my way.<\/p>\n
EXT. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 HWY 61\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 DUSK<\/p>\n
ROBERT sits out along the shoulder of the highway on his suitcase playing HIS guitar and singing. A logging truck blows its horn and continues down the road. A car passes.<\/p>\n
ROBERT (singing)<\/p>\n
I GOT RAMBLIN<\/p>\n
I GOT RAMBLIN ON MY MIND<\/p>\n
I GOT RAMBLIN<\/p>\n
I GOT RAMBLIN ON MY MIND<\/p>\n
HATE TO LEAVE MY BABY<\/p>\n
BUT YOU TREATS ME SO UNKNIND<\/p>\n
I GOT MEAN THINGS<\/p>\n
I GOT MEAN THINGS ON MY MIND<\/p>\n
LITTLE GIRL LITTLE GIRL<\/p>\n
I GOT MEAN THINGS ON MY MIND.<\/p>\n
A pickup truck passes him and pulls off the road a few hundred feet ahead. A flock of birds passes over him. ROBERT walks slowly to the truck. A WHITE MAN sticks his head out of the passenger window.<\/p>\n
WHITE MAN<\/p>\n
What you waiting on boy? We ain\u2019t got all day.<\/p>\n
JOHNNY SHINES stands on the back of the truck.<\/p>\n
JOHNNY<\/p>\n
Come on. Hurry up man.<\/p>\n
ROBERT looks at JOHNNY with nonchalance. JOHNNY holds out his hand to help him climb the back of the truck.<\/p>\n
ROBERT<\/p>\n
You worser than a bad penny you know that Johnny? Everywhere I look there you is.<\/p>\n
The truck continues down the HWY. ROBERT continues to play.<\/p>\n
ROBERT (singing)<\/p>\n
HATE TO LEAVE YOU HERE BABE
\nBUT YOU TREATS ME SO UNKIND<\/p>\n
AND I\u2019M LEAVIN THIS MORNIN<\/p>\n
WITH MY ARM FOLD UP AND CRYIN<\/p>\n
JOHNNY<\/p>\n
Ain\u2019t no cause to be acting like you Houdini. Least thing you could do is tell somebody when you leaving. Leave people looking silly.<\/p>\n
ROBERT (singing)<\/p>\n
AND I\u2019M LEAVIN THIS MORNIN<\/p>\n
WITH MY ARM FOLD UP CRYING<\/p>\n
JOHNNY<\/p>\n
Here I done told the man \u2019sure we\u2019ll stay four more nights. I had it all settled. Me and you. Playing.\u00a0 The word done got out. We making all the money we didn\u2019t get to make in Chicago. Got donies lined up round three corners waiting to get in the place and what happened? Gone. You done vanished. Sometimes you is a tough nut to crack.<\/p>\n
ROBERT (singing)<\/p>\n
I HATE TO LEAVE MY BABY<\/p>\n
BUT SHE TREATS ME SO UNKIND<\/p>\n
I GOT MEAN THINGS<\/p>\n
JOHNNY<\/p>\n
But the way I figure-here I am and ther you is and you ain;t forgot what\u00a0 you told me about Jackson, right? Recording with that man. I\u2019m going to hold you to that one. Ain\u2019t nothing like having a record in your name ain\u2019t it?.<\/p>\n
ROBERT (singing)<\/p>\n
I\u2019VE GOT MEAN THINGS ON MY MIND<\/p>\n
I GOT TO LEAVE MY BABY
\nWELL SHE TREATS ME SO UNKIND<\/p>\n
JOHNNY makes a playful jab at ROBERT.<\/p>\n
JOHNNY<\/p>\n
Ain\u2019t that right?<\/p>\n
ROBERT<\/p>\n
Why you asking me that? I ain\u2019t the on for that question you just seen what happen to me out there.<\/p>\n
JOHNNY<\/p>\n
All I seen was the womens falling down and they men\u2019s trying to catch them before they hit the floor. All that around your playing. That\u2019s all I seen.<\/p>\n
ROBERT<\/p>\n
What\u2019s that got to do with recording?\u00a0 I thought you asked me something about recording. I knows good and well I can reach them hen I\u2019m standing right there in front of them\u2026but if I got to knock on every door in New York to get somebody to see me\u2026<\/p>\n
JOHNNY<\/p>\n
What you talking man? Them people know who you is\u2026 You got your self some records taking about door to door\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
STONES IN MY PASSWAY A screenplay By C. Rosalind Bell EXT. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 SOUTHERN MISSOURI HWY 61 1938 A GREYHOUND BUS drives along HWY 61 headed south. INT.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 GREYHOUND BUS ROBERT JOHNSON,\u00a0 a long, slender-fingered guitar player is sleeping …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":68,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-79","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crosalindbell.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/79","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crosalindbell.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crosalindbell.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crosalindbell.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crosalindbell.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=79"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.crosalindbell.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/79\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80,"href":"https:\/\/www.crosalindbell.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/79\/revisions\/80"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crosalindbell.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/68"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crosalindbell.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=79"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}