The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman

Enoch, what you put all these candles on this cake for?

Never mind, just blow 'em out. Just blow 'em out.

I ain't got enough breath to be blowing out these candles.

See that?

- ( clapping, laughter ) - Happy birthday!

Are you gonna be having me this time next year, Lena?

God willing. God willing.

Don't wanna be here by myself.

I will be here with you, Jane.

Oh, Mar, I know you gon' be here.

Yes, child.

Oh!

Happy birthday.

Hello, Miss Jane.

Well, hello, Jimmy. Come on in.

Happy birthday.

Can I speak with you, Miss Jane?

Well, Jimmy...

Listen.

Go on outside before they stuff me full of cake.

Me help? How?

Going with us down to the courthouse.

When we get ready to move.

I'm 109, oh, 110.

I'm too old.

I can't even do nothing but get in the way.

You can inspire the others.

Hey, Jimmy.

What you got going in the back of your head?

We're going to have one of our girls

drink from the white peoples' fountain down at the courthouse.

The white folks' fountain?

That old loon Edgar

won't let her get anywhere near that fountain.

You know, when they passed that segregatin' law,

that old loon come round slobberin' and, hon, I tell him,

"Edgar, if you touch me,

I'll take my cane and crack your skull."

We want Guidry to arrest her.

If one of us did it, we'd just get beat up.

Now, what you want old fat Guidry to arrest her for?

So we can march down to the courthouse.

Oh, Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy.

You see these folks 'round here

ain't ready for nothing like that yet.

That's our job.

Talk to 'em, Jimmy. Talk to the young ones.

We don't have that kind of time, Miss Jane.

What else do you got, Jim?

I've been carrying a scar on my back ever since I was slave.

That's precisely why we need you.

Your mere presence with us will bring forth the multitudes.

Jimmy... I understand.

Believe it or not, I was once young myself.

That girl is gonna drink from the fountain

tomorrow, Miss Jane.

Well...

God moves in a mysterious way,

His wonders to perform.

I'll wait for Him to give me the sign, Jimmy.

And He's right most times.

I'll wait on Him.

That girl is gonna drink from the fountain

tomorrow, Miss Jane.

Excuse me.

I'm, uh-- I'm looking for Miss Jane Pittman.

Well, you'll find Miss Jane

in the last cabin on your left down that lane.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Tell me again.

What you wanna know about Miss Jane for?

I'm writing a feature story.

A what?

Is this for radio? I'm gonna be on television?

The Ed Sullivan Show?

No, ma'am.

It-- it's, uh, for a magazine from New York.

Oh.

Always preferred Brooklyn myself.

Oh...

You wanna know how come I live so long.

Well, I'd like to hear whatever you have to say.

'Bout what?

You don't have to say a thing to him, Miss Jane.

Uh, I understand you were a slave.

Lots of peoples were slaves.

Well, yes, but you're still alive.

Just 'bout.

Well, I-- I thought maybe you could tell me

what things were like in those days.

In those days?

Hmm.

Tomorrow.

Miss Jane's tired. She'll decide tomorrow.

This mornin' marks Bayonne's first brush

with the so- called civil rights movement,

as a group of negro agitatos confronted Sheriff Guidry

at the "white folks only" drinkin' fountain

at the courthouse.

There were no serious injuries reported,

although several arrests were made.

Well, it's her son Jimmy they got in the jail there.

She could tell ya.

Well, I wanna do an interview with him

as soon as things settle down.

I-- I came down here to talk to you, Miss Jane.

Are you 110 years old?

So they tell me.

How far back can you remember?

How far back do you wanna go?

Well, the war. Can you remember...?

What war?

Second World, First World, or that-- that Cuban war?

You-- You remember the Spanish-American War?

Spanish-American War. ( laughs )

I can do a whole lot better than that.

Do you remember getting your freedom?

I hope I never forget it.

How far back do you wanna go? You wanna go back that far?

I'll go back as far as you wanna go.

Now, you don't have to tell him nothin', Miss Jane.

I know that, Lena.

But if I don't,

he's just gonna sit here and worry me half to death.

You mean it's all right?

How far?

Do you want me to go back as far as I can go?

That's even further than when the freedom come.

That thing ain't gonna bite me, is it?

Oh, no, ma'am. No, it's just a tape--

Oh, my, my, my.

Well, where to start? Where to start, Lena?

Honestly, I wouldn't talk to this man here.

Oh, Lena, you just fill in the gaps.

Well, I can see who got their mind made up.

You might as well start with them over there.

What?

Oh, these.

Mm.

Lord, Lord, Lord.

I've had these things ever since I can remember.

Two rocks?

You don't know a whole lot, do ya?

Oh, it was a cold day.

Wet and muddy.

I won't ever forget it.

The rebel army, they come first.

Officers on horses and troops just walkin'.

They was half dead,

draggin' they guns in the mu, they was so tired.

Some of 'em weren't much oldr than I was.

Ma'am.

Would it be askin' too much

if we could use some of your water?

We don't have very much time.

I'd be honored, sir.

Colonel, would you do me the pleasure

of takin' some brandy wine?

Well, thank you kindly. I would like that.

Ticey! Ticey!

Don't just stand there gapin'. Get them troops some water.

These are the same ones, mind ya,

who told their peoples when the war was gettin' started,

"Keep my food warm.

I'm gonna kill me a few Yankees and be home for supper."

Colonel! Colonel!

Over there.

Colonel, I seen 'em. They're right down the road.

They're right behind me.

Ma'am, I'm truly grateful, and God bless you all.

Our hearts are with you.

If left up to me, I'd turn them niggers loose, if left up to me.

Yeah, if the Yankees want 'em, let the Yankees have 'em.

Ticey, what are you doing standing there for?

You go get some more water.

What for, Mistress Bryant? They're all gone now.

Oh, you don't think Yankees drink water, too?

Don't you hear that rifle fire?

I gotta haul that water for them Yankees, too?

You don't wanna get boiled in oil now, do you?

They're coming! They're coming!

The Yankees coming!

- Where? - Over there.

Oh, my God. They're coming right through the fields.

Where's the master?

He just went down the street.

Stop pointing. And watch your tongue.

They may be the devil.

Now, you hear me,

don't you say one word about the master

or one word about the silver,

or they gonna skin you alive before they boil you in oil.

Halt!

Good day.

Ma'am.

May I offer you some brandy wine?

Why, thank you, ma'am.

What happened to your shoes?

I took mine off. They hurt my feet.