The Emperor Jones (1933)

Paul Robeson: Brutus Jones

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Quotes 

• Brutus Jones : I's got five lead bullets in this gun good enough for common bush niggers. And after that, I's got this silver bullet left to cheat 'em outta gettin' me. I tells 'em, when the time comes, I kills myself with it. That's 'cause I'm the only man in the world big enough to get me.

• Smithers : You ain't goin' out this way, are you?

  Brutus Jones : You think I'd sneak out the back door like a common nigger? I's emperor yet, ain't I? And the Emperor Jones leaves the way he come. And that black trash don't dare stop him. Not yet leastways.

• Brutus Jones : [With bravado]  It takes a silver bullet to kill Brutus Jones.

• Brutus Jones : They's some things I don't got to be told. I can see 'em in folks' eyes.

• Smithers : [Jones prepares to escape into the jungle]  Give my regards to any ghosts yer 'appen to meet!

  Brutus Jones : [pause]  If dat ghost have money, I tells him never to haunt you lessen he wants to lose it!

• Smithers : So that's what is, me lad, eh? What they calls in the States a bad n*****, eh? A killer, what? With the law on your trail and the bloomin' gallows waitin' for ya round the next corner, what?

  Brutus Jones : Look a-here, white man, I comes and I goes, and that's my business.

  Smithers : Oh! Oh, well, that's the kind of a nigger you are, eh? Not afraid to stand right up to your betters and tell 'em what's what. You wouldn't be afraid of a bit of fight neither, would ya?

  Brutus Jones : When I fights, there's somethin' in it, and I don't never fights on no empty belly.

  Smithers : Well, supposin' your belly was full and you had a chance to get back at the stinkin' heathen what threw you out? What would you say then?

  Brutus Jones : Now you's talkin', white man.

• Smithers : The rotten ship is sinkin', and the bloomin' rats have slung their hooks.

  Brutus Jones : Low-flung woods niggers! Well, I reckon I overplays my hand this once. Man can't take the pot on a bobtail flush all the time. Was I sayin' I'd sit in six months more? Well, I's changed my mind then. I cashes in and resigns the job of emperor right this minute.

• Brutus Jones : Majesty. Ain't much majesty about this baby now. Never mind. It's all a part of the game. This night come to an end like everything else.

• Brutus Jones : Ain't talking big what makes a man big, s'long as he makes folks believe it?

• Dolly : Emm-Emmm! Honey, you sho is wonderful in dem clothes.

  Brutus Jones : Yeah. I suppose these clothes is somethin' to look at, back here, honey. Where I been while trainin' for the job, you wouldn't notice 'em. Why you ought see dem New York gals on Lennox Avenue.

  Dolly : Dem gals is fast, I bet. Switchin' demselves to catch de men. But, honey, you wouldn't look at none of dem fast gals while yous away from home, would ya?

  Brutus Jones : They ain't none of 'em is pretty in the face like my gal.

• Brutus Jones : You know, I looks up and there's the Capitol buildin', lookin' like a palace on the hill. And the big front door opens and the President of the United States marches down the Avenue with a band before and a band behind. And he comes right up to my car and he says just as natural, "Well, Brutus, you sure is much of a man and I for one wants to compliment you for landing a job."

• Brutus Jones : I sho hates to leave my gal.

• Dolly : But this is too much. You is comin' back, ain't ya?

  Brutus Jones : Why, sure I's comin' back. Get yourself a new dress with this, honey. You know, a red one. That's your style. And take care of yourself till I comes back, now.

• Undine : How do you like the city, big boy?

  Brutus Jones : I like it fine, now.

  Undine : Comin' back soon?

  Brutus Jones : Soon as the train'll bring me.

  Undine : I'll be here.

• Brutus Jones : You ain't heard the good news yet. I been transferred to the President's private car.

  Undine : Aw, that ain't nothin'. Why, Jeff say you don't make no tips on that job. That's why he didn't take it.

  Brutus Jones : There you are. That's the difference 'tween me and Jeff. He can't see no bigger than two bits. Me? Why, I'd just be steppin' to my own class on that private car.

• Undine : Come clean, big boy. Where'd you get that money, in a crap game?

  Brutus Jones : Go ahead, laugh some more. You done laughed yourself right off of my payroll.

  Undine : Oh, honey, sweetheart, I didn't mean it. I was only kiddin'.

  Brutus Jones : No, you's too funny to live with. Any woman is baggage what gets heavier and heavier, the longer you totes 'em. You got to change 'em to keep travelin' light. Here's $40. And good-bye!

• Brutus Jones : I's travelin' light.

• Brutus Jones : [playing craps]  Hold my hat, nit. Let me have 'em. Eight! Balls of fire! Big Dick! Don't get nervous, boy. You can back it. Let me have it. Six-four me, dice.

• Brutus Jones : Let the hussy sprain her wrist.

  Lady Craps Player : I'm gon' cut you a brand-new mouth with these dice and give you somethin' to put in it, you long, black snake, you.

• Brutus Jones : Who wants any part of these four sawbucks? I makes my point.

  Jeff : Let the dice bring on misery.

• Brutus Jones : [singing]  He found a hammer, Killed John Henry dead, Killed John Henry, Can't kill me, There ain't no hammer, Left on this mountain, That a-rings a-like mine, boys, That a-rings a-like mine, Done bust this rock, boys, From here to Macon, All the way to the jail, boys, Yes, a-back to jail...

• Brutus Jones : Dolly, honey, you hear me?

  Dolly : Who dat?

  Brutus Jones : Brutus, honey. Let me in!

• Brutus Jones : What's that little island with the white fort we been comin' on this afternoon?

  Coal Shoveler #1 : Just one of them there little n***** islands. But nobody bother go that place.

  Coal Shoveler #2 : Ain't nothin' there but trouble.

  Brutus Jones : Trouble is my buddy.

• Brutus Jones : Trouble, here I come!

• Smithers : All right, now you get your rum and your eats, but you don't get a stinkin' penny. Because I'm a trader, see? I ain't no bloomin' missionary. And if anybody worries ya, you just tell 'em you belong to Mr. Smithers.

  Brutus Jones : I belongs to Mr. Smithers.

• Brutus Jones : Better luck next Saturday night.

  Quaco : Me play woman for oxen.

  Brutus Jones : Oh, no. Women is women, and Brutus Jones is through! Well, I'll see you boys next week.

• Brutus Jones : Look a-here, white man, is your nerves slippin'?

• Brutus Jones : [looking in the mirror]  Mr. President. No. King Brutus. No. Somehow that don't make enough noise. Smithers, cigarette. Light. Smithers, you has just had an audience with the Emperor Jones.

• Brutus Jones : Look a-here, white man. There's little stealin', like you does... and there's big stealin', like I does. For little stealin', they get you in jail sooner or later. For the big stealin', they makes you emperor and puts you in the hall of fame when you croaks.

  Smithers : Well, all I know is that it's a wise gambler that knows when to quit.

• Brutus Jones : You think when I cracks the whip, they don't jump through?

• Smithers : If you had to recruit an army for him, why did you have to get such big blokes?

  Brutus Jones : Yes, them is fine n******. I betcha they knows a man when they sees one.

  Smithers : Well, if there's any trouble, you've only got yourself to blame... salutin' him and callin' him " General."

  Brutus Jones : I tell you, Mr. Smithers. There's any trouble, you just leave the general to me. Us n****** understands each other.

• Court Crier : His Majesty is on the throne.

  Brutus Jones : Summon the court.

  Court Crier : "Archduke and Duchess of Manhattan." "Marquis and Marchioness of Newark." "Marquis and Marchioness of Baton Rouge." "Lord and Lady Baltimore." "Lord and Lady Richmond." And all points in His Majesty's kingdom - north, south, east and west.

• Brutus Jones : Oh, it's you, Mr. Smithers. What news you got to tell me?

  Smithers : Where's all your court - the generals and the cabinet ministers and all?

  Brutus Jones : Oh, they mostly runs the minute I closes my eyes. Drinkin' rum, talkin' big down in the town. How come you don't know that? Ain't you sousin' with them most every day?

• Brutus Jones : Take this bush n***** and throw him outta here. I'm boss here now.

• Smithers : Blimey. When you landed here, you didn't have no high-and-mighty airs.

  Brutus Jones : Talk polite, white man. Talk polite. Do you hear me? I'm boss here now. Is you forgettin'?

  Smithers : It's all right. No harm meant, old sop.

  Brutus Jones : Well, I accept your apology.

• Smithers : From what I been told, it ain't safe for a black to kill a white man in the States.

  Brutus Jones : You mean lynchin's scare me? Well, I tells you, Smithers, maybe I does kill one white man back there. Maybe I does. And maybe I kills another right here 'fore long if he don't look out!

• Brutus Jones : Phew! This place smells more like a chain gang dump than a palace. Say, Smithers, how ya likes the contract for doin' this dump over?

  Smithers : Now you're talkin'!

  Brutus Jones : And don't make the mistake of thinkin' you's dealin' with any ignorant bush n*****. I gives you an audience tomorrow. And bring along them fashion sheets that I gets last summer. And then I wants mirrors - plenty of'em. And remember, Smithers, red's my color. I always had a special taste for red.

• Brutus Jones : Look a-here, white man, do you think I's a natural-born fool?

• Brutus Jones : What's that drum beatin' for?

  Smithers : For you! The blacks is havin' a war dance in the hills, workin' up their courage 'fore they start after ya.

  Brutus Jones : Let 'em. They'll sure need it.

  Smithers : They're makin' all sorts of devil spells and charms against your silver bullet.

  Brutus Jones : It takes more than that to scare this chicken.

  Smithers : Tonight, when it's pitch black in the forest, they'll be sendin' their pet devils and ghosts houndin' after you.

• Brutus Jones : And what's ghosts and hants got to do with me? Well, don't you know I's a member in good standin' in the Baptist Church? Let 'em try their heathen tricks. The Baptist Church done protect me. Land 'em all in hell.

  Smithers : You ain't paid much heed to your Baptist Church down here - takin' up with them bloomin' witch doctors.

• Smithers : I suppose you got your money hid away safe, eh?

  Brutus Jones : I sure has. And it's banked in a foreign land where they ain't no chain gangs and no jim crow and nobody can't get it except me. In six months, I walks out on this n***** circus. And from then on, I's top dog.

• Brutus Jones : Well, I see I been too easy on you n******. Now I'm gonna show ya who's boss around here. Lieutenant, take them niggers in the courtyard and give 'em 50 lashes apiece. And lock 'em up. I said lock 'em up!

• Brutus Jones : Yes, sir. Yes, sir. I's comin'. You white devil. I'll gets even with you yet sometime.