Body and Soul (1925 film)

by Oscar Devereaux Micheaux

For works with similar titles, see Body and Soul.

"BODY AND
SOUL"

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The Rt. Reverend Isiaah T. Jenkins, alias "Jeremiah, The Deliverer"—still posing as a "Man of God".

 

- - - Paul Robeson

EX-CONVICT MAKES
ESCAPE:

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"Black Carl", noted Negro
detective, reports the escape of
a prisoner whom he had ar-
rested in Tatesville, Ga., and
was bringing North for extradi-
tion to England where he is
wanted on several charges.
When arrested, the ex-convict
and a man of many aliases, was
posing as a preacher under
the title or "The Rt. Reverend
Isiaah T. Jenkins."

While in the meantime.

The Negro in business.

 

. . . Marshall Rodgers

"Good liquor."

"Yessuh. Dat's what ah tries tu carry."

"Uv co'se I gits a li'l money fo' it fum de rest a mah customuhs; but beins it's you——dat's dif'ent."

"In the meantime, how about that contribution?"

"What contribution, brudder?"

"I've laid off you an' this house of Hell; but I'm thinking about preaching on the subject——soon!"

Late that night.

A stranger reaches Tatesville.

Yellow-Curley" Hinds, of Atlanta.

 

. . . Lawrence Chenault

"Ah done had a ter'ble dream!"

"It is late, mother, and you are tired. Won't you please come to bed?"

"Yessuh, dis is de Autum Leaf Social Club, 'n I'se de proprietor."

"Ah tries tu incertain de boys when dey's off wo'k."

"Specially on pay nights…"

"De placee yuh wants to gib'm de once obuh is at de chu'ch Sunday."

"Fine, I'll have you take me over and introduce me 'round."

"Runs a li'l game…"

"Sells a li'l liquor."

"——an' maniges to keep outa de hands ob de law."

"But chu'ch—naw, naw!"

Sunday.

Deacon Simpkins.

 

. . . Chester A. Alexander

Brother Amos.

 

. . . Walter Cornick

Memories——

A joke.

"'And', said he. 'Dem dat am lookin' at me now an' says nuthin', dem, will I see latuh.'"

After the services.

So Reverend Jenkins "Sees him latuh."

"I tell you that I was not seekin' you out, but dropped off here to find girls for 'Cotton Blossom's Shoulder Shakers'——and this little Isabelle——she appeals to muh!"

An idea!

Tatesville——other fish in the sea!

"Syl-Sylvrester and I——we——"

"Would like——to——to marry."

"Mayn't we?"

"What's that niggah got tu marry on?"

"Don't say 'niggah,' mother. It's vulgar."

"Don't you pass no 'sinuations about my pastuh; that Godly man!"

A few minutes later.

"An all de money I been savin' is tu buy de home which I'se gwine gib you when you becomes de wife ob my pastuh."

"——is a drunkard——and a sinner!"

"Oh, God!"

"You wilful girl——you sinful, ungrateful girl!"

"But mother, listen!"

"Sis" Ca'line and "Sis" Lucy, District Grand Matron, of the "Household of Ruth."

 

. . . Lilian Johnson
. . . Madame Robinson

"Lawdy, if it ain' Reverend Jenkins!"

"I sent her to the dressmakers; but I'll run right out and fetch her!"

The offering.

"Ah, Isabelle, you're late. I've called to talk with you about your soul."

"Since I've called to try to save this young woman's soul, I'll excuse you, dear Sisters. Praise be unto the Lord. Bless His holy name——amen."

"It is the work of the devil——and that no-account brother of mine! I've warned you, Sister Martha Jane, about letting this child become worldly!"

Later.

"'Scuse me Elduh; but has I retuhned too soon?"

"It was a great struggle, Sister Martha; but the Lord's will be done. He won."

"And now as I must carry his work into the byways for other sinners, I'll be moseying along."

"What makes mah baby act so cu'is?"

"Is she tiahed?"

"Is she hongry?"

"Dat's what is it. My baby's hongry. Go lay down an' res' while mama steps in de kitchen and cooks heh some suppuh."

A strange confusion.

"Ah undustands now. She's tiahed ob de grub I'se been feedin' heh. Ah'll run out to de sto' and buy sumpin' fresh."

Something vague, disquieting——bewildering!

But of course——it was only the work of the Lord!

Crushed——body and soul!

"I been lookin' all over for you."

"That niggah that runs the club cleaned me, I'm broke and you got to slip me a few dollars."

"How dare you hold me up, a minister of the gospel, on the street like this?"

"And unless you come across with some 'jack', I'll tell them you're a faker."

"Shut your yaller mouth and come with me!"

"You're a nusiance."

"His games are crooked——all of them!"

"When Isabelle comes back, ah'm gwine show you all how much money we'se got saved up."

"Mah money."

"Mah liquah."

"An' all ah gits——is nuthin'."

"Well, since Isabelle must a gone visitin' guess us'll count de money."

"Ah keeps mah money in de bible 'cause ah feels dat de wustes sinnuh wouldn't dauh touch hit in dis sacred place."

"Befo' we counts de money, ah wants to show you all du dress Mis' Lucy Grange done gimme."

"Genuine sateen wid lace trimmin's."

"Ah knows what's happened! Isabelle's hid de money to skeuh me."

But a comfort short lived!

Dear Mama:
I have taken your
money and am running away.
Dont attempt to follow for
I shall hide. Please try to
forget your heartbroken
daughter,

Isabelle

"Dares sumpin' behind dis. Isabelle ain' stole mah money and runned away fo' nuthin'"

Hours later.

Atlanta.

Under the viaduct on Decatur Street.

Months afterward.

"Meat balls, tree cents."

"Half cheekin, feefty cents."

"Thank you, sir, thank you. May God bless you."

"Mah baby!"

A few minutes later.

"But honey, why is you libin' like dis? What has you done wid all de money?"

"I have no money, mama. I never had the money."

"What do you mean?"

"I ran away because I knew it was useless to try to explain. You would have never believed me."

"But who got the money?"

"Reverend Jenkins."

"Oh, Isabelle how can you——how can you!"

"Upon your bed of affliction——to accuse that good man; that Godly man!"

"I said you wouldn't believe me, mother; I knew you wouldn't believe anybody who said anything about your pastor. But the time has come when you must hear my story."

"Do you recall the Sunday night we were caught in the storm? And didn't come home until morning?"

"We could not seen to find our way; just going in a circle."

"It must have been near midnight when we finally found a deserted cabin."

"I observe that this house has other rooms. I'll step into one while you remove and dry your clothes."

"I was in the act of drying my clothes."

A half hour later.

"Withal that had passed, I made myself feel that Sylvester would understand my helplessness and forgive and help me. It was then we came for your consent to marry. But refusing, you left me alone again with him that day.——"

"No sooner were you outside than he advanced upon me."

"I screamed for you at the top of my voice."

"He seemed to be killing me and I could resist telling no longer."

"The bible in the bureau, eh? All right, get it."

"That s what I mean! Get it NOW——and be quick about it!"

"When he started twisting my already sore arm, I had to yield."

The
Holy Bible

Blood money!

"My courage, destroyed under the stress of physical pain, had returned. I walked up to him and demanded that he return the money at once,——but he——"

"You white-livered, lying, hypocritical beast——to steal my poor mother's money!"

"Stole it? Why, I never took it. It was you——you who stole it!"

"Of course you took it. Do you deny it? You stole it——and gave it to me."

"You contemptible cur——I'm going to tell my mama; tell her everything!

"Oh, you will, eh? Do you suppose that she would believe you? You know she wouldn't!

"Well, daughter, guess I'll be moseying along."

"And she wouldn't believe that, either!

"The best thing for you to do now is to throw a few things together and beat it on the 4;30 to Atlanta."

"How am I going to get there? I haven't——a cent!"

"There's ten dollars. That'll pay your fare and keep you for a week. In the meantime, I may decide to run over and marry you."

"And just then, you returned."

Memories——an incident of the past.

"And I was not worried at all, knowing that in your care, she was perfectly safe."

And then came the day of days, for on this Sunday, Reverend Jenkins had promises to preach that sermon which is every black preachers ambition——"Dry Bones——in the Valley."

An hour later.

"God bless my——these women, God bless 'm!"

"Dry bones——in the valley!"

"Hallelujah!"

"Gwine to mah Jesus!"

"Aw Lawdy, Lawdy!"

"I been washed in de blood ob de Lamb——'n I'se whiter'n snow!"

But suddenly——!

"What's the meaning of this, Sis' Martha Jane?"

"Don't 'Sis' me! You know what's the mattuh! I'se just come fum Atlanta wha I bu'ied Isabelle!"

"Yes mah brudders an' sistahs! Isabelle is dead——and there stands the man who killed her!"

And then, between sobs, she told the pitiful story——

Night—weary and exhausted.

"—you pampered me!"

"—and you—"

"—ruined me!"

"But with your prayers, Sis' Martha Jane, God's Will be done—you can save me!"

"Dey's got a blood houn' on his trail!"

"—and de trail led in dis d'rection."

"You po' sweet chile, we's gwine in de kitchen and cook you some suppuh."

"You is too heartbroken to eat. Us ole women's gwine run along and let you res'."

Forgiven.

"BODY AND
SOUL"

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Part Eight

With the dawn.

"Mama."

While the agonies of the night before pounded away in her brain.

Familiar voices from outside.

All a dream—only the night-mare of a tortured soul!

"Oh, mama! Sylvester's discovery has been accepted, and he is to be paid three thousand dollars, advance royalty, in sixty days!"

"You won't ha'f to wait ontel Sylvestuh gits his money, honey, 'cause yo' mammy——"

Home again after a honeymoon up North.

^The End