Alex Haley's Queen

Howdy, there.

We want to swim.

We do the wash, sir.

There's soap in the water.

Don't bother me none.

I could use a bath.

You hear me? Out of there.

Get them out of there.

Mary, Jesse, come on.

They need a little encouragement.

Aah! Aah!

They scared, sir. They can't move.

They'd better learn quick.

Come on, negroes! Swim for it!

Ha ha ha.

Jesse, come on.

What's going on here?

Just teaching your niggers some manners.

That's not your place.

You harm them, and you'll pay for them.

Come on, Jesse.

For god's sake, Jackson,

it was only sport.

We don't make sport with our slaves.

No. You love your niggers.

Wesley, I'll make you sorry

if you ever bother one of our slaves again.

Nigger lover.

Look out, massa.

Get up.

Now come on.

Take it, son.

That's how it is with nigger lovers.

Good punch.

I wasn't ready for the others.

I suppose I should've been.

Why, you whipped them good lots of times, massa.

That boy just ain't never going to learn. That's all.

"A wedding," she says.

Nothing but a charade and a fiasco,

just so a couple of negroes can jump over the broom.

I feel faint just thinking about it.

To think that the president's daughter-in-law

could do such a thing.

Well, that's Yankees for you.

Now, Sarah's hardly a yankee.

Well, she might as well be,

mixing slaves and white folk at a social event.

Can you imagine?

Good afternoon, ladies.

Is that your son, Jane?

Yes.

Well, he's a fine young man.

Best keep him out of my Lizzie's sight.

She's got an eye out for a Beau.

Your brother's so handsome.

Last time I saw him,

he was all gangly and spotty.

Why doesn't he come talk to us?

He's probably been in a fight.

He likes to pretend that we don't know.

Easter cleans him up and mends his clothes.

Easter?

Slave girl... does all the weaving.

Oh, is that all?

Whoa.

See to the horses.

Yes, sir.

Easter, my shirt needs mending.

You hurt bad?

Only my pride.

I couldn't win against all of them.

Thank you, massa, for what you done.

How's Jesse?

She going to be fine.

They shouldn't have even been on our land.

You tell them next time, easter.

They ain't paying no never mind to a slave.

Why? I have to,

if I want to stop you chattering... ow!

For pity sake.

They whoop me or worse.

They sell me like they did my mammy.

That won't ever happen.

You won't be sold away.

This is your home. It always will be.

Aah.

Besides, whatever would I do without you?

That all being fine, massa,

but I still don't get to go to no wedding.

What wedding?

Master James is taking the family to Nashville

next month, parson dick,

for a wedding.

Yes, sir. I know, sir.

And you're not going.

How would you know that?

Everybody knows it, sir.

The president's slave Alfred is marrying miss Gracie.

Why is it when anything happens in this country,

all the slaves know about it

eons before we do?

Jungle drums, perhaps, massa.

Well, that's exactly right.

Voodoo. That's what it is.

Sheer voodoo.

Whites and negroes at the same wedding.

Disgraceful, ma'am.

I agree.

You see?

Even the negroes are against it.

Lizzie, you look lovely.

Tush.

Just thinking about these negro nuptials makes me glow.

Poor mama's in a terrible pother.

Aren't you going?

Of course we're going,

if only to see miss Sarah make a fool of herself.

Girl, my shawl.

Everyone's going.

I don't know if I am.

Such a pity.

I would've saved you a place on my dance card.

Fool girl.

I'm sorry, miss.

That's my best French chiffon.

Please don't do that.

Well, she's just a clumsy...

We don't treat our slaves that way.

Why, I declare.

Are you a negro lover?

No wonder you ain't going to Nashville.

Our old friend Alfred

is getting married at last, captain Jack.

Yes, sir. So I hear, sir.

You'll be going to Nashville as master James' valet.

But there's more.

Oh, I can't read, sir.

You know it ain't legal.

He can read as well as we can.

Very well, then.

The president writes that Alfred wants you as his best man.

Of course you have my permission.

That's wonderful news, sir.

Will you write to tell him I accept?

I already have.

Thank you, captain Jack.

What is it?

Ahem.

It's my daughter easter, sir.

You know, Annie's girl.

She wants to go to that wedding

more than anything, sir.

It'd mean the world to her.

Well, of course.

She can tend the ladies.

Is that all?

Yes, sir.

Thank you very much, sir.

Jamesy, will you wait a moment?

I remember me own father,

god rest his dear soul.

He covered me for a time

before I left for the new world.

This isn't easy for me

to discuss personal matters with you, jamesy,

but now I must be even and direct.

It is time you were married.

Yes, sir.

Good, then.

We've... that is, I've prepared

a list of eligible heiresses

for your consideration...

Daughters of planters, all of them.

The Perkins girl is my first choice.

Her family's quite agreeable to it all,

and you seem quite taken with herself as well.

Liz is...

Liz is charming,

but she's...

I don't know if I love her.

Where do you get these wretched ideas?

Love has nothing to do with it.

It's for sons, Jamie,

heirs to inherit all that I've created here.

Love can come later, if you're fortunate.

You know, the first time I saw your mother,

I thought she was the most beautiful creature

I'd ever seen.

And I wanted her that very moment.

But I didn't love her at that very moment.

I didn't know her.

I had not even spoken to her.

Love came later, with knowledge.

The more I came to know her,

the more I loved her,

until now I cannot bear to be apart from her.

But we were married for different reasons.

We married for mutual benefit.

We married for family.