"♪ ♪" "(dogs barking)" "♪ So follow me up 'cause this ... about to go down ♪" "(barking)" "♪ I'm doing 500, I'm out of control now ♪" "♪ But there's nowhere to go now ♪" "♪ And there's no way to slow down ♪" "♪ If I knew what I knew in the past ♪" " ♪ I would have been blacked out on your ass ♪ - (dog snarling)" "♪ Come on, homie, what happened?" "♪" " ♪ You ... ain't breathing, you gasping ♪ - (dog whimpering)" "♪ These ... ain't ready for action... ♪" "(rhythmic panting)" "♪ ♪" "(rhythmic panting)" "♪ ♪" "(woman humming gentle melody)" "♪ ♪" "♪ ♪" "Miss Rosalee!" "Boy, what you doing?" "You can't be on this here porch." "I'm sorry, Miss Rosalee, but it done come early." "Go get my mama from the cookhouse!" "♪ ♪" "(woman screams)" "What happened?" "!" "(screams)" "We's was out in the field, and she just fell holding her stomach." "Shh, you gonna be all right." "Just, just put your leg... (woman screams)" "Should there be that much blood?" "(screams)" "Come on, come on." "Rosalee." "(crying):" "It hurts." "Zeke, where you keep your clothes?" "(woman crying)" "Miss Ernestine." "Ain't nothing about child birth polite, Zeke." "You ain't gonna be no help if you stand around slack-jawed at every turn." "Go on outside and wait." "(crying)" "It hurts!" "(screams)" "It's all right." "I know it hurts, but listen to me." "You got to stop pushing." "Mama, what's wrong?" "Baby's turned about." "Got to come out head first, or neither of them gon' make it." "No, no, no, no, no!" "Shh!" "Put something in her mouth." "No, no, no, no, no, no... (screams) No, no..." "Miss Suzanna gonna throw a fit, she hear all that noise coming up at the big house." " (muffled screaming continues)" " Shh... (muffled):" "It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts." "(screaming stops)" "(baby crying)" "It's a boy." "Oh... (baby crying)" "(laughing)" "♪ ♪" "♪ You're paralyzed ♪" "♪ Another dark night ♪" "♪ But, oh, I'm not alone... ♪" "My name's John Hawkes." "And I stand before you today because the future of our country is being decided inside this courtroom." "Dred Scott, by law, is not allowed a legal defense." "He's not even allowed to defend himself." "So someone should speak for him." "This nation was founded by those fleeing religious oppression from across the Atlantic." "Escaping those who would deny them their freedom." "I ask you, is not the plight of every runaway slave but a noble extension of that same manifest destiny?" "(music ends)" "There are three legal questions in front of this court." "The first is about jurisdiction." "MAN:" "All right, let's, uh, give it a read." ""Mr. Pullman, thank you for your prompt payment" ""of Charlotte's bills for the last quarter." ""She's made great steps forward," ""but she takes one or two backwards from time to time." ""Her latest, injuring one of our orderlies at lights out." ""We have not included costs for his medical bills," ""but moving her to a more secure ward has increased" ""the cost of her treatment, which is at a critical stage." ""We have nothing but high hopes for her future." ""And you are an important part of that." "Sincerely, Washington Hospital."" "I have to say, it's the third time they've asked for more money." "Best hospital in the country." "Send one as well." ""Dear Charlotte."" ""Hope you are well." "Getting well."" ""Ben, Jay and I..."" ""... we all miss you." "Your loving husband."" "(dog barking)" "(dogs continue barking)" "(bell jingles softly)" "August." "MAN:" "Whoo-wee!" "Got us another one, Jim!" "(laughs)" "Saw his bitch with him." "She gonna be close still." " Eh, we'll get her." " Yep." " Hang him up." " All right." "♪ ♪" "(low chatter)" "Mama looking for you." "Eat your green beans." "They're ready for the next course." "Liddy, Eve, Rosalee, let's move." "(laughing)" "ERNESTINE:" "Here, let me fix your hair." "I wanted to stay with the baby till Seraphina woke up." "I covered for you, but there ain't no excuse for not being here when dinner's on that table." "And you should know, there's some trouble going on with one of the field slaves." "It's got the white folks on edge, so you mind yourself." "SUZANNA:" "Why don't we just invite all the slaves?" "Seeing as we're already inviting everybody else." "MAN:" "Darling, don't be ridiculous..." "we're not inviting everybody." "Just the important bodies." "SUZANNA:" "Please explain to me how the Willowsets are important." "Carver Willowset is about to become the next bishop of Atlanta." "You can't get elected in this state without kissing the lord's ring." "Doesn't anybody care that this is my birthday." "Not some campaign rally for Daddy to be mayor." "Senator, sweetie pie." "This has turned into a circus." "I'm exhausted" " just thinking about it." " Well, the last thing I want is to exhaust my beautiful, pregnant wife." "That's why I'm having Avery send over his house niggers." "As if the slaves can do anything without my constant instruction." "(exhales)" "Can I offer a hand?" "Thanks." "No problem." "Mr. Hawkes." "That was a thought-provoking speech you gave earlier." "Oh." "Good to know at least one person was listening," " Mister...?" " Still." "William Still." "I've heard of you." "About what you do." "Through discreet circles, I hope." "What I do is why I've sought you and your horses out this evening." "And are you in need for a lawyer or a nag?" "A home." "Yours, in particular." "(quietly):" "Its location along the Ohio River could be very advantageous to the cause." "Afraid I don't follow." "I believe you do." "You spoke with passion about the rights of all men today, but your words fell on deaf ears." "Did that sit well with you?" "Words aside, what actions would you be willing to take to back them up?" "I admire what you do, Mr. Still." "And in another life, I'd like to think that" "I could be a man that would help your cause." "But not in this one?" "(horse neighs in distance)" "(sighs)" "(horse whinnies)" "(birds chirping)" "About a quarter mile down the road, you got three slave catchers making their way towards here." "They got your friend  and they got dogs." "Where you headed?" "All right, then... good luck to you." "We's tried following the drinkin' gourd." "You did a fair job at that, but... you wound up on the wrong side of the city of Atlanta." "You got two routes north..." "Chelsea Savannah and the Ohio River." "This time of year, your best bet's the Ohio." "She's low and easy to cross." "And when you get there... there are far more people willing to help you along the way." "How you know so much?" "I made the journey a few times myself." "At night... when the hiding's easier." "Now, you'll have a straight shot to the river if you just follow the Blue Ridge Mountains, but only way to them is back through town." "Ain't no way I's gonna make it without someone seeing me." " (man whistles) - (dogs barking, man shouting)" "You will if I hide you in the wagon." "Now, I want you to wipe your hands hard on that tree over there... get all your sweat and stank off on them." "Then walk your footprints back into the stream there." "Got to throw off the scent for the dogs." "Make sure you step in your same footprints." "No new ones." "♪ ♪" "(man shouting in distance)" "(dogs barking)" "(barking continues)" "♪ ♪" "Search 'em out." "Search 'em out." "Good boy!" "Search 'em out." "She took to the stream!" " PETE:" "Come on, boys." " JIM:" "Hold up." "Hell of a random place for you to stop to water your mule, August." "Last place for water till home." "You seen any runaways around here?" "You know I wouldn't tell you if I had." "I don't want any trouble." "I'm just gonna be on my way." "Not before I take a look in your wagon." "(yells)" "(yells in pain)" "You want a hole in you, too, Jim?" "(grunts)" "♪ It's a long way down ♪" "♪ When your head ♪" " ♪ Is in the clouds ♪ - (yells)" " ♪ And all around sirens play ♪" " Over there." "♪ Don't get in my way... ♪" "Like I said," "I'll just be on my way." "♪ ♪" "JOHN:" "Elizabeth?" "(distant banging, crashing)" "Elizabeth?" "Elizabeth." "(grunts)" "John." "(chuckles) You're home early." "I thought you're not due to arrive until just before the train." "Would the house still be standing if I had?" "(chuckles) Mmm." "Now, I know this all looks unpleasant," "Oh. but once my intentions for the space are fully realized..." "You see, I woke up this morning, and I thought the baby should have light." "More light than it could stand." "And I came to the conclusion the nursery should have French doors." "French doors?" "And..." "Yeah." "over there?" "Is a... veranda?" "No." "That was an unfortunate mishap." "(shouts)" "(grunting)" "The sledgehammer is quite heavy." "What do you think about curtains?" "I think they should cover the windows," " keep the light out." " You're a tease." "I meant colors." "Of course, it's difficult to decide without knowing if it's gonna be a boy or a girl, so I was thinking maybe yellow." "MAN:" "It's not that uncommon." "There's nothing to be ashamed of." "The human body is like a garden, and some gardens, unfortunately, well, they lack a certain... (no audio)" "Yellow's a lovely color." "(exhales)" "Tell me how your trip went." "It was great." "It was, uh... it was good." "People were listening." "Just not the right people." "I've heard the case is not likely to go Mr. Scott's way." "He did everything right." "He followed the law to the letter, yet he still finds himself in chains." "What's a man supposed to do when he feels so powerless?" "Well..." "I don't pretend to know anything about the ways of men." "But as a dainty little lady like me, why, I pick up a sledgehammer... (grunts) pray for the best, and hope that God is listening." "(chuckles)" "HAROLD:" "Let's go!" "Move!" "Get!" "(shivering)" "HAROLD:" "Go!" "Move!" "Let's go, let's go." " Move it." " Settle in." "You'll be going back to your masters soon." "Now y'all stay put and stay quiet!" "Come on, Jim." "(locks, latches clicking)" "(shuddering breaths)" "(coughing)" "Miss Suzanna wants her bath early." "You gonna have to take James out to your brother." "And when you get back, warm up some milk for Miss Mary." "(crickets chirping)" "You can let go of me now." "(chattering indistinctly)" "(owl hooting)" "Miss Rosalee, we don't get to see your pretty face enough around here." "Pearly Mae, it's time for our evening prayers." "(humming softly)" "Is that for me, Sam?" "(chuckles)" "When it's finished." "Wait till T.R. sees it." "Listen now, this ain't for playin' with in no big house." "It stays here or you can't have it, you hear me?" "Hand-carved like that." "Better than any of them toys T.R. has." "Mama sent some dinner." "Mm-hmm." "Scraps off of massa's table." "It might be good enough for you, but I ain't no dog." "(shouting)" "MAN:" "Get on in the house!" "Where is he?" "Why they hurting' Henry?" "They been askin' about Noah." "Massa sent him on some work down the way, was due back" "(blows landing) this morning." "How'd they get you?" "(men talking in distance)" "I wasn't running'." "Yet here you are." "They sicced them dogs on me before I could show 'em my pass." "You might've fooled them, but I can see that fire you trying to snuff out." "Freedom burning behind those eyes." "You want to know something?" "I made it." "I made it to that river." "Came out a free man." "Until... (grunting, gasping)" "I had it." "The map to freedom." "Ain't no such thing as a map to freedom." "Word for word, it showed me the way." "I carved it out on the wall." "(grunting)" "You ought to rest now." "You listen to me." "You got to have faith." "You run... you follow that map, and you a free man." "I seen the devil's grin, but I missed the angel's light." "You be ready when you get to that river." "(grunting)" "(woman muttering, crying)" "Seraphina?" "Seraphina." "Come on now." "You should be resting'." "Let's go." "I washed him clean of the sins of this life." "Of the pain." "I couldn't have him growing' up like this." "Oh, not like this." "And he free now." "(gasping)" "(panting)" "(gasping)" "(panting)" "(screams)" "(crying)" "(birds chirping)" "I can guess where your head's at, but you got to bring it back here." "Right here on these cakes, 'cause we using all the eggs we got." "I just can't understand how someone could do that to their own baby." "I can." "Fear is something powerful." "From a young age, we think we know it." "But I ain't never truly felt fear, real fear, until I had you and your brothers." "From the minute y'all were born," "I was afraid of losing you." "That y'all be sold or kilt." "That your brothers would be worked and beat to the bone." "And that you'd be too purty." "There ain't no fear like that you have for your child." "Make it so you can't see straight." "You can't change what you saw last night." "Focus on what's in front of you." "Lose yourself in the work." "(exhales)" "(sizzling)" "Stand up." "I put my trust in you, Noah." "You were supposed to take that wagon to the Ludlow plantation, drop off that anvil, come right on back." "I sorry, massa." "That's what I intended to do." "Don't lie to me, Noah." "They said they found you outside of Atlanta." "That's two counties over." "Yes, massa, I got lost." "Bullshit." "Yo' ass was runnin'." "No, no, massa, massa, it was dark and I was scared and they sicced them dogs on me before I could show 'em my pass." "You wasn't lost!" " I was lost." " You made that trip six times now." "And I always come back." "I always come back, massa." "(crying):" "I always come back." "I'm sorry, massa." "I swear." "I swear." "Bill, how many miles you reckon between my plantation" " and the North?" " Hell, more than I can count." "Well, my guess, at least 600." "On foot, there is not a man on earth who could make that." "Especially not being hunted by those whose sole aim is to drag him back in chains, dead or alive." "Add to that, there isn't anywhere to hide as a nigger in a white man's world, and you got yourself an impossible feat." "Almost as impossible as getting off my plantation." "Got the Yellow River on one side," "Stone Mountain the other." "300 acres of thicket and swamp everywhere else." "I do, I swear, on the fourth day, the Lord our God blessed me with a fortress." "20 years I've been the master of this plantation, and I have not had one runaway." "Not one." "(panting)" "And he ain't the first." "Only takes one bad nigger to spoil 'em all." "He can barely stand." "He ain't running' any time soon." "You and Bill keep an eye on him all the same." "I'm gonna send someone down here to tend to that leg." "And then you get back in that shop." "There's still work to be done today." " Thank you, massa." " Oh." "I had to pay those slave catchers five dollars because of your terrible sense of direction." "A lash for each dollar seems fair." "Whoa." "Whoa, mule." "Whoa, mule." "(grunting)" "We've made it to the other side of the city." "It's safe to get out now." "Why you do this?" "Help people like me." "I got a boy." "Name is Ben." "Coming up on 12 years old." "He don't yet know the world's a harsh and unfair place." "And I'm afraid there ain't no changin' that." "Not in my life, anyway." "So, I suppose when it comes down to it, I'm just... thinking of his future." "Thank you." "♪ ♪" "(horse huffs)" "Get up, so she can look at that leg." "You gonna have to take off your shirt." "(gasping in pain)" "Seems I..." "I need some help, if you don't mind." "(horse neighs in distance)" "(panting quietly)" "It's Rose, right?" "Ro-Rosalee." "I'm Noah." "I know your brother." "I don't think we ever spoke before." "You don't leave the big house much." "(gasps quietly)" "I always wonder what it must be like up there, sleeping in them nice comfy beds." "(trembling breath)" "We still slaves... don't matter where you sleep." "(exhales)" "(shudders)" "(gasping breath)" " This ain't that bad." " It ain't?" "Then hell, I guess I should put this to better use." "♪ ♪" "Why is you's pretending?" "We all pretending' in some way." "It's nice to meet you properly," "Miss Rose." "♪ ♪" "(train whistle blows)" "(panting)" "(train whistle blows)" "(moaning, panting)" " (grunting)" " Wait." "Wait, hold it." "No, wait." "Laney Briss told me if you put a pillow under my bottom..." "Wait, you're talking to your friends about this?" "(panting):" "Which amendment is it?" "The one which prevents incriminating oneself?" " (laughs) - (grunts)" "Wait, wait, wait." "(exhales)" "(exhales)" "I'm sorry." "(exhales)" "I can't seem to get out of my own head." "Oh, don't apologize." "You're not the only one." "(train wheels clacking)" "A man came to see me at the capital." " Mm-hmm?" " A William Still." "Pennsylvania." "The one that aids the runaway slaves?" "He asked about using our house." "To do what?" "To... help people." "You mean to harbor fugitives?" "I mean both, I suppose." "I told him that... we couldn't be of any help to him." "But what if we did?" "We could make a real difference." "Well, it's a n-noble cause and... somebody has to do it." "But it doesn't have to be us." "We could be thrown in jail." "You know it's breaking the law." "Yeah, that same law allows people to own other people." "It's not enough for me to just speak about this anymore," " Elizabeth..." " But-but you're talking" " about risking our future." " Risk?" "Most runaways are either recaptured or killed." " I've heard horrible things." " Yeah, as have I, from my friends, about angry Negroes who kill the owners of safe houses and then make away with their possessions." "What if... on our way back we stop over in Pennsylvania" " and we just hear what he has to say." " Absolutely not." " Wh-Why?" " Absolutely not." "This is our home, and you need to think about our family." "What family, Elizabeth?" "(exhales)" "(train whistle blowing)" "(crickets chirping)" "(panting)" "How many?" "200." "Every night." "600 since you left." "Add 50 more." "You said you'd be back before they knew you's was gone." "I ran into some trouble." "I didn't make it to the city like I planned." "Come here." "You all right?" "Good." " What about you?" "That limp." " Oh, I got to let them think I'm weak, that I ain't no threat." "So they can stop watching me so close." "(panting)" "I think I found it." "The way to the promised land." "Look." "Now, this here, this was carved on the jailhouse wall." "Now, I don't know much, but I know that there says "freedom."" "We gots to find somebody to read this to us." "No, we got to do way more than that." "That jailhouse was filled with poor souls being dragged back in chains." "You know what they all had in common?" "They was all alone." "It ain't enough to just find which way to go... we got to get a group of us together." " Yeah." " Be clever about it." "Find a strength in numbers, 'cause, look, when we run... when we run... ain't no white man gonna be able to stop us." "MARY:" "Daddy, you like my hair?" "It's beautiful, sweetie pie." "There." "All done." "We'll pull the back out right before the party." "All curled up, you look like a princess in them picture books." "My hair, my dress, my party... everything's gonna be perfect." "And it's all" " thanks to you, Stine." " (Ernestine chuckles)" "James is sure getting big these days." "How old is he now, eight?" " Gonna be seven this year." " We get him out in that field, get him strong," "I'll bet he'd fetch us a good price on the block." "What do you say to that, Tom?" "Finally make some money off one of these niggers." "TOM:" "Mm." "♪ ♪" "NOAH:" "Paddy rollers always move in twos." "There were three of them catchers that got me." "Means we need at least two more on the run with us." "HENRY:" "Seems like more people are just gonna slow us down." "No, it ain't about speed." "We ain't gonna get off this plantation by just running, and we ain't gonna get 600 miles north without help." "So who you thinkin'?" "Moses." "HENRY:" "The preacher man?" "The one that's saying every Sunday that" " God said to obey thy massa?" " You said it yourself, we need somebody who can read." "You see how that holy spirit catch him on Sunday." "Them words ain't comin' from God." "They comin' from that book he keep hiding'." "I guess having God on our side wouldn't hurt none, neither." "Oh, if he's picked a side, it ain't ours." "How about Sam?" "He's smart." "Clever building things;" "he could come in handy." "NOAH:" "No, he save up what little they give him in the shop." "Fool thinks the massa gonna let him buy his freedom." "He play by the rules..." "might not be able to trust him." "Nah, we go for Zeke." "He big as a house." "HENRY:" "I once saw him near kill a man who tried to have his way with Seraphina." "He'd destroy anything in our way." "NOAH:" "Now he ain't got nothin' left, save for a wife who killed his baby." "Everybody be paying their respects tonight when they put that baby in the ground." " That's gonna be our only chance..." " How's that leg?" "It's doing all right, Mr. Cato." "I appreciate you asking." "They find your wagon, they know you ain't been to the Ludlow's." "Know you was on the wrong side of Atlanta." "It ain't my wagon, it's the massa's." "It's been out there for days." "All them bandits... you really think there's anything left to find?" "You think you smart, huh?" "No, sir. "No, sir."" "Please, massa, please," "I just a big ol' dumb nigger." "Please don't punish me!" "You might've fooled them, but I see you." "You a troublemaker, and you got the itch." "That about right, ain't it?" "You think you smarter than the rest of us." "You think you a free man." "You have yourself a nice day, now, Mr. Cato." "Well, you ain't as smart as you think, so I'm-a give you some advice, boy!" "Don't you play big nigger with me!" "(chuckles softly)" "Y'all have a nice day, now." "I'll keep my eye out for that wagon." "We got to do this right, or we's dead before we step one foot off this plantation." "(horse neighing excitedly)" "(neighs)" "Best keep her away." "For her own good." "They all gone sick, Pa." "What is it?" "Milk poison, best I could tell." "(horse's sickly neighing)" "What are y'all gonna do?" "(horse's sickly neighing)" "Do you know what?" "Come here." "You know, I almost forgot..." "I got you something from up north." "What is it?" "That there is called a "baseball."" "Whole new sport was invented a couple of years back." "Some regulars in a Yankee tavern were going on about it." "And this... is for catching the ball." "Go ahead, put your hand in there." "Like that." "You know how we got to break this leather in, right?" "Like on a saddle?" "So that it works right." "Some fella in the tavern was suggesting that you tuck the ball on in there so that they get to know each other a little better." "Why don't you go up to the house and do that now, Ben, hmm?" "(horse's sickly neighing)" "(hammering nearby)" "Sam." "Sam." "Tonight at the funeral, we need to talk." "(neighing)" "(grunts, groans)" "Aw, damn it!" "You see what you done?" "!" "Rosalee, go down there and tell my son to come inside." " I'll go, Miss Suzanna." " Quickly now, Rosalee." "BILL:" "Look what you done!" "♪ ♪" "You got 'em all dirty!" "Them things worth more than" " your life, boy!" " M-Mr." "Bill?" "Get your hands out." " Put 'em out!" " M-Mr." "Bill, uh, Miss Suzanna wants, uh, Mr. T.R." "and James to go back up on that porch with her." "This boy's gonna pay for wasting my time." "Hold 'em out!" "(James crying quietly)" "It's my fault." "It's my fault, Mr. Bill, it's my fault." "I gave 'em the sugar..." "that's got 'em running wild." "If anybody gonna be punished, it's gonna be me." "(crying):" "Please..." "So that's how they do it up in the big house, is it?" "You just talk to me" " any way you want?" " N-No, sir." "Come down here and tell me how it's gonna be?" "!" "No, no, sir." "He a little boy, sir." "He's a little boy." "(yells)" "(shudders)" "(gasps, cries)" "(gasps)" "(Rosalee crying)" "(whip strikes, Rosalee gasps)" "(sobbing)" " (whip strikes) - (gasps)" "♪ ♪ (sobbing)" "(whip strikes, Rosalee gasps)" " ♪ ♪ - (whip cracks)" " ♪ ♪ - (muted)" "Massa?" "Guests are coming up the drive." "(whip strikes, Rosalee gasps)" "Bill!" "That's enough." "She's gonna need those hands to serve at the party tonight." "(crying)" "(sighs)" "Can the handsome devil standing before me really be my brother?" "(grunts) Hey, Tom." "It's been too long." "Lizzy." "Mmm." "What have you been feeding him?" "♪ I got a robe... ♪" "♪ You got a robe... ♪" "ALL: ♪ All God's children got ♪" "♪ A robe ♪" "♪ When I get to heaven, gonna ♪" "♪ Put on my robe ♪" "♪ Shout all over God's ♪" "♪ Heaven, heaven ♪" "♪ Heaven ♪" "♪ I got wings ♪" "♪ You got wings ♪" "ALL: ♪ All God's children got wings ♪" "♪ When I get to heaven, gonna put on my wings ♪" "♪ I'm gonna fly all over God's heaven ♪" "♪ Everybody talkin' 'bout heaven ♪" "♪ Ain't goin' there ♪" "♪ Heaven, heaven ♪" "♪ I'm gonna fly all over God's heaven. ♪" "♪ ♪" "♪ Oh, oh, la, oh, la, la mar ♪" "♪ Que bonita ola ♪" "♪ Para navegar, I got those icies ♪" "♪ I got that zoom, zoom, you want to wife me ♪" "♪ I know you do, I'm on that gravy train ♪" "♪ I bet you're making waves ♪" "♪ Got too much cash flow ♪" "♪ I'm pouring money down the drain ♪" "♪ Oh, oh, la, oh, la, la mar... ♪" "♪ Heaven, I'm gonna ♪" "♪ Play all over God's heaven. ♪" "(music fades, indistinct chatter)" "(grunting)" "(quietly):" "You must be crazy." " You tryin' to get us killed." " MOSES:" "The Lord saw fit to show you mercy after you was dragged back here, and now you talkin'" " like this." " I wasn't tryin' to run." "I was just tryin' to get into the city." "Find a connection to the freedom train." "All right, I need you to tell me what this say." "Now I know you crazy." "Massa see you with somethin' with words on it, he gonna have your back peeled." "I don't know who told you's I could read, but they's mistaken." "I thought God ain't take kindly to telling' lies." "(grunts)" "I ain't gonna tell nobody." "Now, this is the map to freedom." "I'm trustin' you with it." "You got to trust me, too." "Okay, we all got to trust each other." "This whole thing, it don't work no other way." "Oh, no." "It don't work any which way." "That's what they want you to think, but we do this right, we do this together, we can stand as free men." "Ugly death." "That's the only thing we gonna find we stay here." "S-Slip it to me." "I see what it say back at my cabin." "TOM:" "You're not doing much talking tonight." "Having a hard time opening up a conversation with your fellow slave owners." "Well, it's all the more reason I appreciate you making the trip." "Mary's birthday isn't a matter of politics." "It's a matter of family." "I, uh, couldn't help but notice you and the wife weren't doing much talking either." "You ever say something so reprehensible that you can't possibly take it back?" "Why do you think I own so many acres of land?" "More places to hide. (chuckles)" "I love that accent you've adopted, by the way." "(chuckles) Mmm." "Mm-hmm." "I'm just trying to embrace the culture." "Is that part of it?" "The bid for senator?" "Show 'em that you're one of them?" "They know I ain't one of 'em." "That's why the Democrats approached me." "They think I can speak the language of the North." "I hope I still can." "Who's your campaign manager?" " Smartest guy I know." " Good." "What's his name?" "John Hawkes." " (indistinct chatter) - (chuckles)" "You have outdone yourself tonight, Suzanna." "They're gonna be talking about this one" " for the rest of the year." " It's not a competition." "Says the woman who always wins." "(chuckling)" "Elizabeth, tell us about the weather up north." "Do y'all get anything like this heat?" "Elizabeth." "Bernadette was asking about the weather up north." "Right." "Um, yeah, it d... it does get hot." "But nothing like this." "It's a bit, um... oppressive." "Is your husband a planter like his brother?" "No, no." "John operates a law practice in the city." "He's also quite the activist." " Oh, that's wonderful." " For what cause?" "Rights for niggers." "I try not to talk politics at social occasions." "That's amusing, because I feel like all you Northerners do is talk." "We're the ones down here doing all the work to keep the economy going." "(Elizabeth laughs softly)" "This cake is delicious." "Did you make it yourself?" "I guess it's easy to be a woman of ideals, given your... condition." "And I promise you this." "You and John will both feel differently on the matter if you ever" " have children." " Now, I simply must show you ladies where the nursery will be." "Come." "This way." "(indistinct chatter)" "(owl hooting)" "(exhales)" "(sniffles)" "(exhales)" "(sniffles)" "That was-was real good of you to take them lashes for your brother." "You says we all pretending'." "What'd you mean?" "We's all know we supposed to be free." "I ain't been more than two steps off this plantation in my life." "Can't even imagine what being free would be like." "All them cities up north, they all built of iron and steel." "A free man, say with the skills I got, oh, he could live like a king." "Go anywhere his heart desires." "Live a life is his own and no one else's." "Except his wife, when he finds her." "And they children?" "They ain't never gonna have to think about runnin'." "(footsteps approaching)" "Did you have a chance to taste the peacock?" "(chuckles)" "No, I have had a scotch in my hand since we stepped off the stagecoach." "I didn't drink nearly enough to forget what I said to you." "You're right." "I need to start putting our family first." "Tom asked me to manage his campaign." "If I want to make a difference, a real one, then having the ears of a senator could help." "We'd have to move down here." "But I'd be home more and we'd be surrounded by family for when we have our own." "It's me." "I'm the reason that we can't have children." "Oh." "They had a little boy up in a swing, and he was... fanning us in the parlor like he was just another piece of the furniture." "And no one cared." "This... this isn't the kind of world that I want to bring children into." "We have to change that." "That's five dollars from the Macon plantation." "And here's $50 for the one from Alabama way." "Hold on now." "The notice says $100, dead or alive." "That's for the pair." " Male and female." " That bitch?" "We done chased her over a cliff." "She fell." "Must've been 50 feet." " Is that so?" " I reckon it could've been 75." "Ain't no way to get that body." "(chuckles) Well, the good Lord must have been looking out for her, 'cause she ended up in here without a scratch on her." "Rest of this money goes to the slave catcher" " who brought her in." " JIM:" "And who's that, exactly?" "That'd be me, Jim." "JIM:" "You stole her right from under us." "CONSTABLE:" "Y'all ain't the only ones tricked." "He walked her right in here with his coat over her head." "I swear I heard her call him a saint." "That true?" "Not at all." "She called me an angel." "♪ But if you do decide that you gonna play that hand and try ♪" "♪ Just think before you act because your actions" "♪ Don't rewind. ♪" "Hey, boy." "Mr. Macon wants to see you up at the big house." "Now." "We left off" "John 15:13." "I got somethin' else" "I want you to read me tonight." "Where'd you get this?" "Noah." "He think I'm the one that can read." "It's a song." "My mama used to sing it to me when I was no older than Boo." "Some of the words are different." "Yeah." "Noah reckons that that's the way to freedom." "Sing it to me, Ma." "♪ I've seen death ♪" "♪ But the moss stays the same ♪" "♪ The sun is shinin' ♪" "♪ Through the blue haze ♪" "♪ The drinking gourd ♪" "♪ The wolf yells its name ♪" "♪ The devil grins ♪" "♪ When he shows you the grave ♪" "♪ The River Jordan ♪" "♪ Rises on high ♪" " (bell jingling) - ♪ Pulls you closer ♪" "♪ To the angel's light ♪" "♪ And if you fall ♪" "♪ Get back up again ♪" "♪ 'Cause freedom's fruit ♪" "♪ Heals all your sin ♪" "♪ Waiting to see ♪" "♪ Heaven's door. ♪" "(door opens)" "(door closes)" "Y'all wait here." "This can go one of two ways." "I tell the massa where I found your wagon." "We see if that slick tongue of yours can talk yourself out of a hangin'." "You don't know nothin'." "I know enough to know you plannin' something." "See, I think you runnin' and you gonna take that boy with you." "The way I sees you's watchin' everybody, talking in hushes, maybe you gonna take some others, too." "A thing you ain't consider, you get caught or not, it's gonna be the slaves left behind that's gonna pay the price." "Don't act like you care 'bout nobody else." "You only care about yourself." "You right." "That's why I don't mean to be left behind." "Ain't no chance in hell." "Let's go." "♪ ♪" "Guess we gonna find out who the big nigger is now." "(rhythmic panting)" "It's been a long day." "What couldn't wait?" "Well, massa, we just wanted to say we found your wagon." "(rhythmic panting)" "You did?" "Good." "Where was it?" "♪ ♪"