Shaft in Africa (1973) Movie Script
300? NOT A HAPPY FIGURE,
HERR SCHMIDT.
YOU GUARANTEED 750.
I DON'T CARE
WHAT YOUR PROBLEMS ARE.
LOOK, YOU FULFILL
YOUR CONTRACT.
750, ALL
IN PRIME CONDITION,
ON THE JOB
IN DUSSELDORF MONDAY.
SMOKE BOTHER YOU?
WHERE THERE'S SMOKE,
THERE'S FIRE.
BRIGHTEN MY DAY.
[CAR PHONE BEEPS]
CALL BACK.
[HONKS HORN]
[HONKS HORN]
MR. AMAFI.
JUST ONE MOMENT.
GOOD MORNING, MR. AMAFI.
SCHMIDT'S MAKING
A DELIVERY ON MONDAY...
750 TO DUSSELDORF.
FROM THE IVORY COAST?
ONLY 300,
THE REST FROM SENEGAL.
TELL ANGELO TO COME HERE,
WILL YOU?
AND GET YOURSELF
A CUP OF COFFEE.
YES, MR. AMAFI.
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
YES?
NAMES, DATES, PLACES...
HE'S BEEN A BUSY BOY.
YOU SURE
HE'S THE EMIR'S SON?
TOOK SOME PERSUASION,
BUT HE FINALLY TALKED.
FOR THE BENEFI OF THE OTHERS,
AN EXAMPLE
HAS TO BE MADE.
KILL HIM.
WHAT ABOUT HIS FATHER?
HE'S GOT A LOT OF CLOUT.
HE CAN'T THROW A SPEAR
ALL THE WAY FROM NEW YORK,
NOW, CAN HE?
ANGELO, I SAID KILL HIM.
[FOOTSTEPS]
[GUNSHOT]
[GUNSHOT]
WHAT'S HAPPENING?
HEY, SOME AFRICANS ARE
LOOKING FOR YOU, BROTHER.
I DON'T KNOW ANY AFRICANS,
BROTHER.
[SPEAKS AFRICAN LANGUAGE]
YOU COME.
Woman: Central Answering.
Can I help you?
YEAH, BABY, ANYTHING?
Yeah.
Is that you, Mr. Shaft?
THAT'S RIGHT.
Well, a Mr. Ramila's
been calling you
every 10 minutes since 2:00.
YOU COME.
YOU TELL MR. R.
IF HE CALLS AGAIN,
THAT I GOT TOO MANY
FRIENDS WITH TROUBLES.
I DON'T DO BUSINESS
WITH STRANGERS.
FREEZE.
[SPEAKS AFRICAN LANGUAGE]
THERE'S NOT A STREE THAT YOU CAN WALK
YOU GOT TO WATCH JUS WHO YOU'RE TALKIN' TO
THEY'RE OUT TO GET YA
CAN'T TURN YOUR BACK
ON A SMILIN' FACE
SMILIN' FACE
NEXT THING YOU KNOW
THERE AIN'T NO TRACE OF YOU
AND THIS I BETCHA
SOME PEOPLE LOSE
AND SOME FOLKS WIN
IT'S A MATTER
OF WHAT THEY DO
ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH?
BIG AND BAD ENOUGH?
ARE YOU GONNA LET 'EM
SHOOT YOU DOWN?
WHEN THE EVIL FLIES
AND YOUR BROTHER CRIES
ARE YOU GONNA BE AROUND?
SOMEONE NEEDS A FRIEND
JUST AROUND THE BEND
AROUND THE BEND
DON'T YOU THINK
YOU SHOULD BE THERE?
ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH
WHEN THE GOIN'S ROUGH?
IS IT IN YOUR HEART TO CARE?
THERE'S NO PRETENDING
IT GOES AWAY
WITH EVERY STEP
THAT YOU TAKE
YOU PAY YOUR DUES
AND I AIN'T LYIN'
YOU'VE GOT TO STRUGGLE
TO SEE THE LIGHT
SEE THE LIGHT
'CAUSE SOMEONE'S LOOKIN'
TO STEAL YOUR RIGHT TO CHOOSE
AND THEY DON'T STOP TRYIN'
IT'S LIKE A JUNGLE
OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR
AND IT'S KEEPIN' YOU
SO CONFUSED
ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH?
BIG AND BAD ENOUGH?
ARE YOU GONNA LET 'EM
SHOOT YOU DOWN?
OOH!
WHERE DID YOU STUDY
STICK FIGHTING, MR. SHAFT?
CONDUCTING
THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC.
THE EMIR WILL BE PLEASED...
ALSO BY THE FAC YOU'RE ALREADY CIRCUMCISED.
Man: Mr. Shaft,
the temperature is 110 degrees.
Are you comfortable?
SHIT.
I'D BE A HELL OF A LO MORE COMFORTABLE
IF YOU'D FORGET TO PAY
YOUR LIGHT BILL.
We want you to walk back
and forth across the sand
for the next eight hours.
If you survive, we will talk.
MAN, I ALREADY GOT MY TAN.
LET'S TALK NOW.
I said walk. Walk or die.
Very ingenious, Mr. Shaft.
FORGIVE US, MR. SHAFT.
THIS IS EMIR RAMILA,
LEADER OF THE MANTA TRIBE
IN EAST AFRICA.
OUT OF MY TURF.
THIS IS WASSA, MY BRAIN,
AND OSIAT,
MY STRONG RIGHT ARM.
THEY WILL PREPARE YOU.
MINERAL WATER, MR. SHAFT?
QUITE PURE.
GIVE ME SOME SCOTCH, MAN.
I KNOW A GREAT DEAL
ABOUT YOU,
BUT UNTIL TONIGHT,
IT WAS ALL HEARSAY.
I HAD TO KNOW.
KNOW WHAT?
WOULD YOU KILL A MAN?
[SPEAKS MANTA]
MR. SHAFT, YOU FIRED
TWO SHOTS AT OSIA WITHOUT HESITATION.
YES, I LEARNED.
YOU WOULD KILL A MAN.
ABOUT THOSE SHOTS...
WHY IS THE BROTHER
STILL BREATHING?
NEXT TIME,
BETWEEN THE EYES.
MY SECOND QUESTION...
HOW GOOD ARE YOU
WITH A STICK?
A CAT NAMED SHAF AIN'T GOING TO BE BAD
WITH A STICK.
FROM CHILDHOOD, THE MEN
OF MY TRIBES USE THE STICK
TO HERD CATTLE,
WARD OFF HYENAS,
AND TO FIGHT.
IF YOU WERE AWKWARD
WITH A STICK,
IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN
TOO LONG TO TRAIN YOU.
THANKS FOR THE OFFER,
BUT I LIVE IN A RESTRICTED
NEIGHBORHOOD...
NO HYENAS.
NOW, YOU WAN TO CALL ME A CAB?
THIRD QUESTION...
COULD YOU SURVIVE
UNDER DESERT CONDITIONS?
I LIKED WHAT YOU DID,
BURYING YOURSELF
IN THE SAND.
WE'VE FOUND OUR MAN,
MR. SHAFT.
YOU.
OKAY, I'LL WALK.
I MAKE YOU
A MOST GENEROUS OFFER...
$25,000.
IS THAT AMERICAN
OR HONG KONG?
$15,000 NOW,
$10,000 LATER.
AND WHA DO I HAVE TO DO?
BECOME A SLAVE.
COLONEL GONDAR,
JOHN SHAFT.
THE COLONEL IS
OF THE CENTRAL
POLICE AUTHORITY
IN ADDIS ABABA.
HE'S WORKING WITH US
AND THE ORGANIZATION
OF AFRICAN UNITY.
A GOOD DEAL
OF TIME AND MONEY
HAVE BEEN INVESTED
IN SELECTING YOU, MR. SHAFT.
AND I GUESS
WHAT YOU DID IS LOOKED
IN THE ADDIS ABABA
YELLOW PAGES,
AND THERE I WAS...
JOHN SHAFT,
INVESTIGATOR, RIGHT?
IT WAS SOMEWHA MORE INVOLVED THAN THAT.
WHAT'S THIS
SLAVE JIVE, HUH?
TWO MONTHS AGO
A TRUCK CROSSED THE BORDER
FROM ITALY INTO FRANCE.
[POUNDING INSIDE TRUCK]
[MEN SHOUTING]
[SHOUTS IN FRENCH]
Gondar: THE DRIVER MANAGED
TO ESCAPE.
THE FRENCH AUTHORITIES
GAVE THE MEN WATER
AND TIME TO REST,
THEN HUSTLED THEM BACK
ACROSS THE BORDER INTO ITALY
AND MARKED THE INCIDENT CLOSED.
WHAT WERE THEY, ITALIANS?
NO, NO, YOUNG AFRICANS.
THIS PARTICULAR GROUP
HAD BEEN SMUGGLED IN
FROM THE IVORY COAST TO ITALY,
THEN INTO FRANCE.
SMUGGLED, WHY?
TO DO ALL THE DIRTY
BACKBREAKING JOBS
WHITE EUROPEANS
REFUSE TO DO...
ROAD GANGS,
FACTORIES, KITCHENS.
MAYBE THEY NEEDED
THE BREAD.
THE RECRUITERS ARE LURING
THOUSANDS OF YOUNG AFRICANS
INTO EUROPE EVERY MONTH.
THEY'VE NO WORK PERMITS,
NO SOCIAL SECURITY.
IF THEY COMPLAIN,
THEY'RE DEPORTED.
THEY WORK A 16-HOUR DAY,
SEVEN DAYS A WEEK
FOR LITERALLY PENNIES.
THIS, MR. SHAFT, IS SLAVERY
IN THE 20th CENTURY.
SO WHY DON'T YOU JUS ARREST THE CATS
WHO ARE HUSTLING
THE PEOPLE?
THAT'S THE END OF THAT.
WE WANT THE MEN
AT THE TOP.
WE NEED
A TRAINED INVESTIGATOR...
SOMEBODY THEY DON'T KNOW
TO INFILTRATE
THEIR ORGANIZATION.
TO DO THIS,
HE HAS TO LET HIMSELF
BE RECRUITED IN AFRICA.
SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST GE AN AFRICAN INVESTIGATOR?
THEY KNOW ALL OUR MEN.
SO GET SOMEONE
WHO'S NOT AN INVESTIGATOR.
WE DID.
MY SON LET HIMSELF
BE RECRUITED IN EAST AFRICA.
HIS BODY WAS FOUND
LAST WEEK IN PARIS
IN A DITCH.
UPTOWN DUDE LIKE ME...
SPOT ME A MILE AWAY.
NOT IF YOU'RE BRIEFED
IN TRIBAL WAYS
AND LEARN
THE MANTA DIALECT.
YEAH, I WAS 21
BEFORE I FOUND OU THAT "ISN'T" IS ANOTHER WAY
OF SAYING "AIN'T."
OSIAT.
[SPEAKS MANTA]
THIS IS MY DAUGHTER ALEME.
ALEME HAS COME
TO INSTRUCT YOU, MR. SHAFT.
THEY VANISHED AS MYSTERIOUSLY
AS THEY APPEARED,
BUT THEY LEFT BEHIND
OUR SPOKEN CULTURE,
THEIR DRUMS,
THEIR COPPER SPEARS,
THEIR BEADED CROWNS.
NOBODY KNOWS
WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM,
BUT OUR TRIBES ARE DESCENDED
FROM THESE PROUD ANCESTORS.
DON'T LAUGH, MR. SHAFT,
YOUR SURVIVAL DEPENDS
ON HOW MUCH
YOU CAN REMEMBER.
WHO'S LAUGHING?
I WAS JUST THINKING,
THEY MADE US STUDY
SHAKESPEARE IN SCHOOL.
MAN, WAS HE
A JOHNNY-COME-LATELY,
COMPARED TO YOUR CATS
GROOVING ON POETRY
A THOUSAND YEARS AGO.
I'M SURE lT'D BLOW
THEIR MINDS AT PS 64.
OUR OFFICIALS FALL
INTO TWO CATEGORIES.
MACHA, TULAMA.
NOT BAD.
YOU'RE PROGRESSING.
LOOK, UH,
WHY DON'T YOU GET RID
OF THE JOLLY GIANT OVER THERE
SO YOU AND I CAN GET DOWN
TO THE FINER STROKES?
OSIAT HAS GUARDED ME
SINCE I WAS A CHILD.
SOMETIMES I THINK OF HIM
AS MY LIVING
CHASTITY BELT.
DAMN.
A MAN THAT SIZE, BABY,
THAT'S A WHOLE LO OF CHASTITY.
I'M STILL
IN MY FIRST AGE-GRADE.
WE CALL THAT FAREITA.
NO ONE IS PERMITTED TO MARRY
WHILE THEY'RE IN FAREITA.
WHAT DO YOU DO
FOR RELAXATION?
I ENTER CHELA,
MY SECOND AGE-GRADE
THIS FEBRUARY,
THEN EVEN
THE EMIR'S DAUGHTER
MAY HAVE SEX AND MARRY
AFTER MY CLITORIDECTOMY.
YOUR WHAT?
MY CLITORIDECTOMY...
FEMALE CIRCUMCISION.
YOU MEAN WHEN THEY
CUT OFF YOUR...
ARE YOU AFRAID
TO SAY THE WORD?
MY CLITORIS?
YES.
THAT'S WHAT THEY DO
IN THE TIME OF CHELA.
HELL, NO WONDER
THE NATIVES GET RESTLESS.
MR. SHAFT, THE EMPHASIS
IN OUR MARRIAGE
IS NOT UPON SEXUAL PLEASURE,
BUT UPON THE REARING
OF CHILDREN.
LISTEN, BABY.
NOW, FEBRUARY'S
JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
NOW, HOW IN THE HELL
ARE YOU GOING
TO KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE MISSING
UNLESS YOU GIVE I A LITTLE WEAR AND TEAR
BEFORE THEY TAKE IT AWAY?
ARE YOU VOLUNTEERING?
YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT.
DO NOT KISS!
WHERE YOUR STICK?
IT'S TIME
FOR YOUR LESSON.
SH...
IT'S BACK THERE.
WHY DON'T YOU GET IT FOR ME
WHILE I WARM UP?
COME ON.
SHH. COME ON.
COME ON.
TINGAT, WULAN...
SAHO.
HERE IS YOUR FIRST PAYMENT,
MR. SHAFT...
A CHECK FOR $15,000
AND YOUR AIRLINE TICKET.
YOU LEAVE IN THE MORNING.
FROM UP HERE, IT DOESN' LOOK SO BIG, DOES IT?
I MEAN, NEW YORK.
IT'S NOT SO BIG.
L.A.'s GO MORE SQUARE MILES.
TOKYO AND LONDON
BOTH HAVE MORE PEOPLE.
[SPEAKS MANTA]
OH, YOU DON' YOU MUST BE AFRICAN.
MANTA.
OH, MY NAME'S WILLIAMS.
WELL, IF THERE'S
ANYTHING YOU NEED,
JUST LET ME KNOW.
STANDARD OIL?
BY GOD,
NOW THAT'S SOMETHING.
CAN'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE,
BUT KNOWS
ABOUT STANDARD OIL.
HOW ABOUT GENERAL MOTORS?
COCA-COLA.
AAH!
ARE YOU OKAY, MR. SHAFT?
GO CATCH YOUR PLANE
TO ADDIS.
WHO ARE YOU?
I'M NO WITH STANDARD OIL.
THEN I GUESS HE'S NO WITH COCA-COLA.
THANKS.
TO QUOTE YOUR EXACT WORDS,
"HE WILL NEVER LIVE
TO REACH AFRICA."
YET I'M TOLD
HE'S ALREADY BOARDED
ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 175
AT ORLY
EN ROUTE TO ADDIS ABABA.
HOW CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT?
THEY HAD SOMEBODY WITH HIM
OUT OF NEW YORK.
HE TOOK MY MAN BY SURPRISE.
SHAFT WAS SIMPLY LUCKY.
FIRST EDITIONS
ALWAYS WORRY ME.
LUCK CAN RUN OUT,
EVEN FOR YOU,
MY BLACK BROTHER.
CONSIDER HIM A DEAD MAN.
I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION
YOU PLANNED TO KILL
WHOEVER THE EMIR HIRED
IN NEW YORK.
WASN'T THAT OUR AGREEMENT?
THE EMIR MIGH HAVE SUSPECTED ME,
AND ANYWAY, THIS MAN SHAF SEEMED TOO DANGEROUS
ON HIS HOME GROUND,
BUT... BUT IN AFRICA...
PICTURE, SIR?
HE IS QUITE TAME.
I HOPE YOU'LL BOTH
BE VERY HAPPY.
COLONEL GONDAR SENT ME.
THIS WAY, PLEASE, SIR.
WE HAVE A CHOICE OF POSES.
YOU CAN KNEEL
AND PUT YOUR ARMS AROUND HIM,
YOU CAN STRADDLE
AND RIDE HIM,
OR YOU CAN PUT YOUR HEAD
IN HIS MOUTH.
IS THAT RIGHT?
[GROWLS]
YOU ARE TO GO AT ONCE.
THANK YOU, SIR.
KEEP THE RECEIPT.
I'LL SEE YOU GE THE PICTURE TOMORROW.
SORRY ABOUT ALL THIS
CLOAK-AND-DAGGER BUSINESS,
BUT THE INCIDENT AT ORLY
GAVE US A NASTY SHOCK.
THAT INCIDENT AT ORLY
GAVE ME A NASTY SHOCK.
YOU TRUST HER?
SHE'S A COUSIN OF MINE.
I'LL NEVER TURN MY BACK AGAIN
ON A CLEANING WOMAN.
WHO WAS THE CAT IN DRAG
THAT TRIED TO KILL ME?
A SARDINIAN NAMED BOCCO.
AN ASSASSIN...
LONG CRIMINAL RECORD.
AND THE DUDE
WHO SAVED MY ASS?
HE WORKS WITH US.
WELL, MR. SHAFT,
IT SEEMS WE'VE BROUGHT YOU
A LONG DISTANCE FOR NOTHING.
OBVIOUSLY, THE OPPOSITION
KNOWS ABOUT YOU.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO CALL IT OFF,
WE'LL UNDERSTAND.
WHAT, AND BLOW 25 GRAND?
ONLY MONEY
BRINGS YOU HERE?
HELL, NO. I JUST LOVE TO HAVE
MY PICTURE TAKEN WITH LIONS.
YOUR FOREBEARS WERE DRAGGED
IN CHAINS FROM THIS CONTINEN AND DUMPED ONTO THE COTTON
PLANTATIONS OF AMERICA.
I SHOULD THINK
YOU'D WANT THIS ASSIGNMEN FOR STRONGER MOTIVES
THAN MONEY.
YOU'RE WRONG. SEE, MY FOLKS
WEREN'T IN COTTON.
THEY WERE IN TOBACCO.
THE EMIR TELLS ME
YOU'VE LEARNED HOW TO USE THIS.
THIS PARTICULAR FIGHTING STICK
IS A RATHER SPECIAL ONE.
36 EXPOSURES,
EXTRA FILM IN HERE.
YOU'LL LEAVE YOUR BAG WITH ME
AND TAKE THIS ONE.
THERE'S FOOD IN HERE,
AND THIS...
TAPE RECORDER.
TO RECORD,
TURN CLOCKWISE.
TO STOP RECORDING,
TURN IT BACK.
NOW, WAIT A MINUTE.
NOW, I'M NOT JAMES BOND,
SIMPLY SAM SPADE.
WEAR THAT POUCH
AROUND YOUR WAIS UNDER THIS ROBE.
I HOPE THAT'S A 40-LONG.
YOU'LL BE LIVING IN IT,
ALONG WITH THESE SANDALS,
UNTIL THE RECRUITERS ISSUE YOU
WESTERN WORK CLOTHES...
IF YOU GET THAT FAR.
OKAY.
WHAT ABOUT SOME IRON?
IRON?
A PIECE.
NO GUN.
TOO DIFFICULT TO HIDE
AND A DEAD GIVEAWAY
IF SOMEBODY SEARCHES YOUR BAG.
ANYWAY, YOU'VE GOT YOUR STICK.
IS THAT RIGHT?
WE'VE SELECTED A ZABANA
HE WON'T LEAVE YOUR SIDE.
A ZABANA?
A BODYGUARD.
NOW, IF A GUN
IS TOO CONSPICUOUS,
A BODYGUARD IS GOING TO BE
LIKE PUTTING IT ON
THE 6:00 NEWS.
ONCE YOU LEAVE ETHIOPIA,
YOU'LL BE IN A TERRITORY
WHERE EVERYBODY HAS ZABANAS.
EVEN THE ZABANAS
HAVE ZABANAS.
YOURS IS NAMED KOPO.
HE WILL JOIN YOU
ALONG THE WAY.
STUDY THIS.
IT'S A ROUTE
WE'VE LAID OU WHICH SHOULD BRING YOU
INTO CONTAC WITH THE RECRUITERS.
IF YOU LIVE LONG ENOUGH
TO GET TO PARIS,
THERE'S A TELEPHONE NUMBER
WRITTEN HERE.
MEMORIZE IT, AND CALL
THE MOMENT YOU ARRIVE.
AND BURN THAT MAP
AND THAT NUMBER
BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS ROOM.
MR. SHAFT...
I WISH YOU LUCK.
GOD KNOWS YOU'LL NEED IT.
[HORN HONKS]
[SPEAKING MANTA]
[SPEAKING MANTA]
[HORN HONKS]
THERE.
AH-AH-AH.
THAT'S ALL, THAT'S ALL.
GOT TO MAKE IT LAST.
[DOG BARKS]
SPOT, COME HERE.
COME HERE!
DUMMY, COME HERE!
[HONKS HORN]
FOLLOW ME.
COME ON.
NO ONE'S GOING TO SEE US.
MY PEOPLE BUILD THESE NESTS
TO KEEP CROWS AWAY
FROM THE CORN.
NOW, IS THAT A FACT?
THE FARMER GETS UP HERE
AND FIRES AWAY...
WHAT THE... HA HA!
[BARKING]
HOW DID YOU GET RID
OF YOUR BIG SHOT OLD OSIAT?
HE JUST HAD
HIS SIXTH CHILD,
SO I SLIPPED AWAY
WHILE HE WAS CELEBRATING.
I PASSED YOUR BUS
NEAR THE BORDER,
BUT WHEN I GOT THERE,
YOU WEREN'T ON IT,
ONLY THAT DEAD MAN.
SO I DOUBLED BACK.
I HAD TO SEE YOU.
JOHN, THEY KNOW
WHO YOU ARE.
WELL, I FIGURED THAT.
THEY ALREADY TRIED
TO KILL ME TWICE.
DON'T WORRY,
THEY CAN'T MAKE IT.
WERE YOU DISAPPOINTED
I WASN'T A VIRGIN? HMM?
HA HA.
HELL, NO, BABY.
YOU HAD SOME GOOD TEACHERS.
JOHN...
THIS IS HARDLY THE TIME
TO TALK ABOUT IT,
BUT I'VE MADE
AN IMPORTANT DECISION
BECAUSE OF YOU.
WELL, MY DADDY TOLD ME,
HE SAID, "JOHN, THE ONE TIME"
"YOU SHOULD NEVER, EVER
MAKE AN IMPORTANT DECISION
IS RIGHT AFTER
YOU'VE MADE LOVE."
IT'S ABOUT MY CLITORIDECTOMY.
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DECISION,
ALL RIGHT.
WHEN FEBRUARY COMES,
I'M NOT GOING
TO LET THEM DO IT.
[BARKS]
I AM KOPO,
YOUR ZABANA.
PUT OUT YOUR HAND.
WHAT IS THE MEANING
OF THIS GESTURE?
IT JUST MEANS, BROTHER,
I AM GLAD TO SEE YOU.
COME.
[WOMAN ULULATING]
[CHANTING]
[SPEAKING MANTA]
[SPEAKING MANTA]
[BARKS]
WHAT WAS THA ALL ABOUT?
HE'S THE DISTRICT HEADMAN.
EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS
AROUND HERE, HE KNOWS.
HE SAYS THE...
THE WHITE MAN THIS WEEK
TAKES OUR PEOPLE
FROM THE TOWN OF MAIBERRA
TO THE NORTH.
THEN WE GO NORTH.
[HEADMAN CALLS OUT]
[SPEAKING MANTA]
HE SAYS THAT IN MAIBERRA,
WHEN THE SUN STANDS
TWO MORE TIMES ABOVE OUR HEADS,
TWO MEN WILL DIE.
[BARKS]
MAIBERRA?
[HORNS HONKING]
[BARKS]
[BARKING]
[DOG BARKING]
[MEN SHOUTING]
Man: GET IN LINE!
GET IN THERE!
MOVE IN! MOVE IN!
[DOG GROWLING]
[DOG YELPS]
Man: GET INTO LINE!
FALL IN LINE!
[CHEERING]
GET OUT OF HERE.
GET OUT OF HERE.
SIGN.
WHAT I SIGN?
SIGN, YOU SAY
YOU GIVE BACK MONEY...
FOOD, CLOTHES, BOAT.
HOW MUCH YOU PAY ME?
200 FRANCS EACH MONTH.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
JOWI.
OKAY, JOWI.
JOWI.
TAKE YOUR DOG
AND BURY HIM.
NOBODY'S EVER CRIED
FOR YOU, HAVE THEY, BABY?
NOBODY EVEN KNOWS
YOU'RE GONE.
[GUNSHOT]
[GUNSHOT]
AAH!
YOU SON OF A BITCH,
YOU KNOW WHO I AM,
DON'T YOU?
WHO TOLD YOU? WHO?
WHO SENT THAT CAT AFTER ME
AT THE AIRPORT?
AND ON THE BUS?
TALK, MOTHERFUCKER! TALK!
MARCO SASSARI.
A LITTLE LATE,
NOT-SO-GREAT SARDINIAN.
DIED DECEMBER 12th
FROM A STIFF NECK
IN A TOWN CALLED MAIBERRA...
AS THE SUN STOOD OVERHEAD.
HEADMAN SAID
THAT TWO MEN WOULD DIE.
HE WAS WRONG.
ONLY ONE MAN DIED
AND TWO DOGS.
QUICK! COME, WE GO! COME!
[SPEAKS MANTA]
[MEN SPEAKING MANTA]
NOW! ALL OF YOU!
THIS ZUBAIR.
HE TAKE YOU ACROSS DESERT.
I NO FORGET YOU.
[SPEAKS MANTA]
LITTLE.
ZIBA... YOU BEAT HIM?
I BEAT.
GOOD.
I DON'T LIKE ZIBA.
YOU RIDE FRON WITH ME, HMM?
YOU KNOW HOW
TO RIDE CAMEL?
NO RIDE CAMEL.
RIDE ASS.
HA HA HA.
YOU LEARN TO RIDE CAMEL.
I SHOW YOU, HUH?
COME ON.
SIT HERE.
CROSS LEG LIKE THIS.
SEE? EASY. NOW YOU.
CROSS LEG! CROSS LEG!
CROSS!
[SPEAKING MANTA]
SLOW DOWN.
I'D GIVE 10 YEARS
OF MY LIFE
IF I COULD DO THAT...
TO BE ABLE
TO SEE THE WORLD
ONLY IN SEXUAL TERMS,
AND TO FEEL I THE WAY YOU DO, JAZAR.
[HONKS HORN]
SUCH DILIGENCE, MR. WASSA.
I'M IMPRESSED.
IMAGINE YOU FLYING
ALL THE WAY FROM AFRICA
TO BE SURE YOUR LABORERS
ARE DOING WELL.
LOOK AT THEM...
HAPPY IN THEIR WORK.
ARE YOU HAPPY IN YOUR WORK?
PIRO AND SASSARI
ARE BOTH DEAD.
SHAFT KILLED THEM.
THE LAST TIME WE TALKED,
IT WAS SHAFT'S LIFE
OR YOURS.
HE WILL BE BOARDING
VANDEN'S BOA TOMORROW MORNING.
I FLEW IN TO ASK YOU
TO CONTACT VANDEN,
GET HIM TO DELAY
HIS DEPARTURE.
I WILL NOT CONTACT VANDEN.
HE'S TOO WEAK
IN THE STOMACH.
I SUGGEST YOU GET DOWN
TO EL JARDIA TODAY
AND DEAL WITH MR. SHAF PERSONALLY.
MAY I HELP?
HOW?
I COULD DIVER HIS ATTENTION
WHILE WASSA DID
WHATEVER HE WISHED TO DO.
THE REAL REASON, MY PET.
I'M BORED.
I NEED SOME EXCITEMENT.
WE BOTH DO.
LISTEN, MR. WASSA.
I DON'T LOVE
THIS YOUNG LADY.
I DON'T EVEN
PARTICULARLY LIKE HER,
BUT SHE'S THE ONLY PERSON
IN THE WORLD
I'VE EVER FOUND
WHO CAN GET IT UP FOR ME.
I WANT HER BACK
BY FRIDAY OF THIS WEEK.
IF ANYTHING
SHOULD HAPPEN TO HER
OR IF SHAF IS STILL BREATHING
BY THIS TIME TOMORROW,
I'LL HAVE YOU KILLED
WHEREVER YOU HAPPEN TO BE.
THE YOUNG LADY
WILL MEET YOU
AT THE AIRPOR IN ONE HOUR.
I WISH I COULD
WATCH YOU WITH SHAFT.
WHERE WILL YOU DO IT?
ON THE BOAT.
I LIKE THE WAY
IT ROCKS YOU BACK AND FORTH.
GET IT ON TAPE.
PLAY IT BACK FOR ME
FRIDAY.
THAT'S A DELICIOUS IDEA.
IF YOU DO IT,
I'LL BUY YOU AN EMERALD.
HOW LARGE AN EMERALD?
HMM?
[SCREAMING]
[MAN GIVING ORDERS]
BOAT COME TOMORROW.
YOU BE HERE
FIRST LIGHT, HUH?
NOW YOU GO TO TOWN.
GET GIRLS, HUH?
BUY GIFTS FOR HOME, HUH?
NO MONEY.
I GIVE.
YOU SIGN PAPER,
YOU PAY LATER, HUH?
HEY, YOU MY GUEST.
GOOD SHOT.
YOU COME TO TOWN
WITH ME, HUH?
NO, LEAVE IT HERE.
IT'S SAFER.
WHERE WE GO, THE GIRLS...
HA HA... THEY STEAL.
[SINGING IN MANTA]
NO WONDER THEY CALL AFRICA
THE MOTHER COUNTRY.
AND, MAMA,
I AIN'T GONNA FIGHT IT.
[MEN YELLING]
WHERE IS JOWI?
COME ON!
[YELLING IN MANTA]
CIAO, BABY.
[YELLS]
[GUNSHOT]
I WANT NAMES, BABY.
I WANT TO KNOW
EVERY NAME YOU KNOW.
WHO'S PAYING YOU
AND WHO SENT YOU AFTER ME?
WHO?!
IF I TELL, THEY KILL ME.
WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK
I'M GOING TO DO?
NOW TALK.
I-I'M YOUR FRIEND.
I-I KILL MAN WHO SENT ME.
I DO THIS FOR YOU.
SURE. TALK! TALK!
[ARM BREAKS]
AAH!
NOW TALK, OR I'LL BREAK
THE OTHER ONE.
NEXT TIME, YOU MOTHER,
DON'T BITE OFF
MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW.
[SHIP HORN BLOWS]
ALL THAT LOT?
I AM TO BE PAID FOR 41.
WHAT DO YOU THINK
WE'RE RUNNING, THE QUEEN MARY?
I AM TO BE PAID FOR 41.
100 MORE.
FOR WHAT?
I BRING YOU HAPPY MEN.
THEY SIGN, YOU PAY.
STOW IT, SADI!
THE MAN'S ENTITLED
TO HIS MONEY.
THAT'S THE CONTRACT.
ANY EXPENSES ADVANCED
HAVE TO BE COLLECTED
ON DELIVERY BEFORE
THE NEXT LEG OF THE TRIP.
DON'T WORRY, WE'LL GET I BACK WHEN WE DOCK.
MAY ALLAH BE WITH YOU.
ALL RIGHT, GENTLEMEN,
EVERYONE INTO THE HOLD.
GO ON, MOVE IT!
SADI, GET THEM STOWED BELOW.
[SADI YELLING]
GET THEM OUT OF THOSE ROBES
AND INTO WORK CLOTHES.
[SADI YELLING]
[HORN BLOWS]
WELL?
WHEN DID HE BATHE LAST?
VERY SOON NOW,
IN 500 FEET OF WATER.
NOT UNTIL I SPEND
THE NIGHT WITH HIM.
WHAT IF HE HURTS YOU?
I'M COUNTING ON IT.
LOOK, IF ANYTHING
HAPPENS TO YOU,
AMAFI WILL KILL ME.
IF I DON'T GET TO SPEND
THE NIGHT WITH THIS MAN,
I'LL TELL AMAFI
YOU RAPED ME.
YOU KNOW
WHAT HE'D DO TO YOU.
WHEN IT'S DARK,
HAVE THE CAPTAIN
BRING THEM UP ON THE DECK
IN SMALL GROUPS
FOR FRESH AIR
AND, UH,
AND FOR EXERCISE.
PSST.
THEY ARE GOING
TO KILL YOU.
DON'T PRETEND
YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.
YOU ARE JOHN SHAFT.
JOWI. JOWI.
LOOK, MR. SHAFT,
I AM OFFERING YOU LIFE.
WHY?
IF YOU HELP ME,
I'LL HELP YOU.
HA HA.
YOUR PLACE OR MINE?
MR. SHAFT,
I DO HOPE YOU'RE NOT LOOKING
FOR THE SHOWER.
I LIKE A NATURAL MAN.
WHO'S PLANNING
TO KILL ME?
WASSA.
WASSA.
SO THAT'S
WHERE IT LEAKED.
HOW LONG IS YOUR PHALLUS,
MR. SHAFT?
MY WHAT?
YOUR COCK.
BABY, BY NOW IT'S SHRUNK
DOWN TO 20 INCHES.
WASSA,
THAT SON OF A BITCH.
YOU CAN USUALLY TELL
BY THE SIZE OF A MAN'S NOSE
OR THE LENGTH AND THICKNESS
OF HIS THUMBS.
I ALWAYS LOOK FOR A MAN
WITH A PROMINENT NOSE...
AND LONG THICK THUMBS.
BABY, YOU'RE NO TURNING ME ON.
I GOT TOO MANY THINGS
ON MY MIND.
A MAN WHO'S BEEN
IN THE DESER AS LONG AS YOU HAVE?
YOU KNOW,
THE MAN WHO PAYS MY BILLS
THINKS I'M OVERSEXED.
HA HA HA.
AND WHATEVER
GAVE HIM THAT IDEA?
BABY, THIS JUST MAY
BLOW YOUR MIND,
BUT I AIN' ABOUT TO FUCK YOU.
I'M TAKING YOU OUT OF HERE
RIGHT NOW AS A HOSTAGE.
DO IT LATER.
PLEASE.
PLEASE.
MOVE IT, BABY.
NO HIDDEN GUN.
LOOK FOR YOURSELF.
WE'RE BEING RECORDED.
BY WHAT NETWORK?
HE ASKED ME TO PU OUR LOVE AFFAIR ON TAPE.
WHAT'S HIS NAME?
IF I TELL YOU,
WILL YOU COME TO BED?
TELL ME FIRST,
THEN I'LL DECIDE.
HE'S THE ONE
YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.
VINCENT AMAFI...
HEAD OF THE WHOLE BUSINESS.
AND, OF COURSE,
YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE ME
TO HIM, YES?
I KNOW HE'D LIKE
TO MEET YOU.
WHERE IS HE?
PARIS.
PARIS.
SO WE MAY AS WELL
BE COMFORTABLE TOGETHER
WHILE WE CROSS
THE MED, HUH?
WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
DOES IT MATTER?
OH... MY GOD.
BABY, MY NOSE MAY NO BE TOO PROMINENT,
BUT I'VE GOT TWO
OF THE LONGEST,
THICKEST THUMBS...
YOU SAVED AMAFI
THE TROUBLE.
GET DRESSED, BABY.
WHY?
THERE'S A MOTORBOA ON DECK.
WE'RE TAKING I FOR A RIDE.
YOU KNOW SOMETHING?
YOU'RE THE FIRST MAN
WHO'S EVER MADE LOVE TO ME
THE WAY A MAN SHOULD.
FANTASTIC, BABY.
YOU CAN WRITE
MY CONGRESSMAN LATER.
COME ON, GET DRESSED.
WHATEVER YOU SAY, JOHN.
UNTIE IT.
JOHN!
THANKS, BABY.
[TELEPHONE RINGS]
[RING]
HELLO.
Woman: Your call, Mr. Amafi.
OH, YES, OPERATOR,
PUT HIM ON.
AH, GOOD MORNING, CAPTAIN.
BLOODY ROTTEN MORNING.
WASSA'S DEAD...
SHOT TO DEATH.
MY FIRST OFFICER
DESERTED AT SEA.
The police are due any minute.
AND THE GIRL?
Who the hell knows?
PROBABLY GONE OFF WITH SADI
IN THE MOTORBOAT.
THE MEN YOU BROUGHT ACROSS,
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
THEY'RE IN THE TRUCKS
ON THE WAY TO PARIS.
WHERE ELSE SHOULD THEY BE?
IDIOT, YOU LET THEM GO?
Listen, there's
a goddamn corpse aboard
AND A HULL FULL
OF ILLEGAL AFRICANS.
HOW DO YOU THINK I COULD
EXPLAIN THEM TO THE POLICE?
THIS IS GOING TO COST YOU
EXTRA MONEY, MR. AMAFI,
OTHERWISE FROM NOW ON,
YOU CAN GET YOURSELF
ANOTHER CAPTAIN.
ANGELO.
COME ON. COME ON.
[WHISTLING]
PERREAU IS HERE.
YOUR FRIEND PERREAU
IS HERE.
COME ON.
COME AND LISTEN TO PERREAU.
ME PERREAU, YOUR FRIEND.
ME TELL YOU WHAT TO DO,
WHERE GO, WHERE WORK.
I PICK UP MONEY...
YOUR MONEY.
SAVE YOU TIME.
PAY BACK COS OF YOUR JOURNEY,
THIS ROOM, CLOTHES, FOOD.
PERREAU...
I TAKE CARE EVERYTHING.
NOW, THIS ROOM
COSTS YOU EACH
100 FRANCS A MONTH.
WE ONLY EARN
200 FRANCS A MONTH.
FOR THIS ROOM,
WE PAY HALF.
NO SPACE IN PARIS.
VERY COSTLY.
NO ROOM, YOU IN STREET.
IN STREET...
POLICE COME,
ASK QUESTIONS,
SEND YOU HOME.
BUT HOW YOU GO HOME?
OWE MONEY.
SO, GO PRISON.
LOCK UP.
100 FRANCS A MONTH...
EVERYBODY STAY HAPPY, NO?
THIS IS A CLOCK,
ALARM CLOCK.
[ALARM RINGS]
[ALARM STOPS]
PERREAU SET TIME.
YOU SLEEP THREE HOURS,
THEN CLOCK RING,
YOU GET UP.
I COME, PICK YOU UP,
WE GO WORK.
HERE... FRANCS.
FRANCS FOR SOAP, CANDY.
YOU DIVIDE.
THREE HOURS...
I COME BACK.
[MEN MURMURING]
WE FRIENDS OF JOWI.
JOWI HERE?
JOWI?
JOWI?
JOWI! JOWI!
JOWI NOT HERE!
OYO, HIS FRIEND...
THAT ROOM!
OYO? YOUR NAME OYO?
[MEN YELLING]
[MAN YELLING]
AAH!
[SPEAKS MANTA]
AAH! AAH! AAH!
INSPECTOR CUSSET,
JOHN SHAFT.
A PLEASURE, MONSIEUR.
ALL OF US ARE IMPRESSED
AND GRATEFUL.
PICTURES AND TAPES,
STARTING WITH THE CA WHO TRIED TO TAKE MY SEA ON THE BUS IN ADDIS
AND ENDING RIGHT HERE
IN PARIS
WITH A LITTLE GOPHER
NAMED PERREAU.
HE'S GOING TO PICK US UP
IN THREE HOURS.
WE'LL PROCESS THIS
IMMEDIATELY,
THEN IF YOU
ARE NOT TOO TIRED,
A POLICE STENOGRAPHER
WILL TAKE DOWN
YOUR ENTIRE STATEMENT.
NOT TOO TIRED.
PERREAU... THE NAME
IS UNKNOWN TO ME.
A LITTLE GOPHER, YOU SAY,
COMING TO PICK YOU UP.
SURELY HE CAN'T BE THE KINGPIN
OF AFRICAN RECRUITING.
KINGPIN'S A CA NAMED VINCENT AMAFI.
ANOTHER UNKNOWN NAME.
WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN COME UP
WITH MONSIEUR AMAFI
AND PUT HIM
UNDER SURVEILLANCE.
I'LL FIND HIM.
I'M GRATEFUL, MONSIEUR,
BUT FROM NOW ON,
WE WILL DO THE WORK.
I'VE GOT A PERSONAL THING
WITH MR. AMAFI.
I REMIND YOU, MONSIEUR,
YOU ARE NOW BACK
IN A CIVILIZED COUNTRY
WHERE DUE PROCESS
OF LAW PREVAILS.
INSPECTOR,
I RESENT THAT IMPLICATION.
MY COUNTRY
WAS BUILDING CHURCHES
WHILE YOUR PEOPLE WERE STILL
LIVING IN CAVES.
FORGIVE ME, COLONEL.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO IMPLY...
LOOK, GET YOUR
STENOGRAPHER IN HERE,
AND I'LL GIVE HER
10 MINUTES,
AND THEN I'VE GO THINGS TO DO.
[TELEPHONE RINGS]
[SPEAKS FRENCH]
AMAFI DID THIS
TRYING TO FIND ME.
THE LAW WILL PUNISH HIM,
MONSIEUR.
FUCK THE LAW.
WHAT IS THE LAW DOING
ABOUT THE SHITHEADS
WHO CHARGE
100 FRANCS A MONTH
TO STAY IN A CRAPHOUSE
LIKE THIS?
WHY DON'T YOU REALLY CLAMP DOWN
ON THE SLAVE TRADE?
I'LL TELL YOU WHY.
BECAUSE THE BLACK GHETTOS
OF PARIS
IS AS FAR AWAY
FROM THE CHAMPS ELYSEES
AS 125th STREE IS FROM PARK AVENUE,
AND YOU NEED A BUNCH
OF POOR BASTARDS
TO WORK ON YOUR ROADS
AND YOUR GODDAMN KITCHENS!
DON'T LAY ANY OF THA LAW-WILL-PUNISH-HIM SHIT ON ME.
Aleme: JOHN!
ALARM CLOCK... SHE WORK.
HEY!
WHERE DO YOU TAKE
THE MONEY YOU COLLECT?
[SPEAKS FRENCH]
AAH!
WHERE DOES AMAFI
DO BUSINESS?
PERREAU... HE KNOWS NOTHING.
AAH!
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
ELEVEN!
STAY HERE
AND KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN.
DAMN CLOSE, BABY.
I HEARD SHOOTING AND I...
DAMN RIGHT.
LOOK AROUND
AND CHECK THOSE FILES...
ANYTHING THAT COULD
LEAD US TO AMAFI.
[MOANING]
AAH!
NOW TELL US,
WHERE IS JOWI?
DON'T KNOW.
DON'T KNOW.
[ELECTRICAL SHOCK]
AAH!
AAH! AAH!
JOWI!
[MOANING]
AAH!
Aleme: AAH!
THIS IS WHERE
THEY KILLED HIM.
KILLED WHO?
MY BROTHER.
HE WROTE THIS
IN OUR LANGUAGE.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
CASTLE...
MOUNTAIN...
FORT.
CASTLE, MOUNTAIN, FORT?
"CHATEAU MARQUIS.
"CHATEAU MICHELLE.
CHATEAU... CHATEAU MONTFORT."
"BUILT BY COUNT ANDRE MONTFOR IN 1787.
"FAMILY RESIDENCE
UNTIL COMMANDEERED
"BY GERMAN OCCUPYING FORCES.
"USED AS GESTAPO HEADQUARTERS
AND PRISON
FROM 1942 TO 1944."
WHERE IS IT?
"SITUATED 14 KILOMETERS
OUTSIDE OF PARIS
ON THE MAIN ROAD TO AMIENS."
OKAY. CALL INSPECTOR CUSSE AND TELL HIM WHERE I'VE GONE.
OKAY.
[LABORED BREATHING]
HAS HE TOLD YOU?
NO, NOTHING.
YOU DUMB BASTARDS,
TRYING TO RUN AWAY
TO GO TO THE POLICE.
I'VE GIVEN THOUSANDS OF JOBS
TO AFRICANS.
THEY DON'T COMPLAIN,
BUT BECAUSE
OF YOU TROUBLEMAKERS
AND THAT BLACK BASTARD SHAFT,
I HAVE TO LEAVE THIS COUNTRY.
SO, I'M GOING TO BURY YOU ALL
ALONG WITH THE EVIDENCE.
AAH!
AAH!
ALMOST THERE.
[COCKS GUN]
AAH!
MR. SHAFT?
YEAH, ME.
I PLAYED THE TAPES.
I LISTENED TO YOU
MAKING LOVE TO HER
AND HER TO YOU.
WHY DID YOU
HAVE TO KILL HER?
ONE OF YOUR MEN
THREW A KNIFE.
SHE WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE
AT THE WRONG TIME.
THEN WHY WASN'T HER BODY
STILL ON BOARD SHIP?
I PROMISED HER
A BOAT RIDE.
WELL, SHE WOULD
HAVE LIKED THAT.
ALL RIGHT,
THROW OUT YOUR IRON.
THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY
OUT OF HERE.
I'VE WIRED THIS PLACE
FOR DEMOLITION.
I'VE GOT 40 HOSTAGES
DOWN BELOW.
UNLESS YOU DROP YOUR GUN
AND STEP OU WHERE I CAN SEE YOU,
I'LL SET OFF THE CHARGES.
YOU'RE BLUFFING, MAN.
LOOK DOWN AT YOUR FEET.
NO POINT IN YOUR TRYING
TO PULL THOSE LINES.
THE WIRES ARE FOR
THE UPPER STAIRCASE ONLY.
I'VE GOT A DETONATOR DOWN HERE
FOR THE CELL BLOCK.
ALL RIGHT.
OUT WHERE I CAN SEE YOU.
YOU BASTARDS!
HEY, JOWI!
MONSIEUR, UNLESS YOU HURRY,
YOU ARE GOING
TO MISS YOUR PLANE.
WHERE DOES A GUY
GET A CAB AROUND HERE?
MERCI.
ALLE AROPORT.
AH, LA, LA, LA, LA.
EXCUSE ME, SIR.
ONE OF OUR PASSENGERS
HAS ASKED
IF YOU'D MIND COMPANY.
PUT IT RIGHT HERE, BABY.
BETTER KEEP YOUR EYE
ON THE PASSERS BY
BETTER WATCH YOUR STEP
'CAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW
WHERE THE KNIFE WILL GO
AND THEY AIN'T MISSED YET
THE STRONG SURVIVE
AND THEY STAY ALIVE
THEY'RE ALWAYS COOL
BUT THAT THEY NEVER
TEACH YOU IN SCHOOL
ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH?
BIG AND BAD ENOUGH?
ARE YOU GONNA LET 'EM
SHOOT YOU DOWN?
ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH?
HERR SCHMIDT.
YOU GUARANTEED 750.
I DON'T CARE
WHAT YOUR PROBLEMS ARE.
LOOK, YOU FULFILL
YOUR CONTRACT.
750, ALL
IN PRIME CONDITION,
ON THE JOB
IN DUSSELDORF MONDAY.
SMOKE BOTHER YOU?
WHERE THERE'S SMOKE,
THERE'S FIRE.
BRIGHTEN MY DAY.
[CAR PHONE BEEPS]
CALL BACK.
[HONKS HORN]
[HONKS HORN]
MR. AMAFI.
JUST ONE MOMENT.
GOOD MORNING, MR. AMAFI.
SCHMIDT'S MAKING
A DELIVERY ON MONDAY...
750 TO DUSSELDORF.
FROM THE IVORY COAST?
ONLY 300,
THE REST FROM SENEGAL.
TELL ANGELO TO COME HERE,
WILL YOU?
AND GET YOURSELF
A CUP OF COFFEE.
YES, MR. AMAFI.
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
YES?
NAMES, DATES, PLACES...
HE'S BEEN A BUSY BOY.
YOU SURE
HE'S THE EMIR'S SON?
TOOK SOME PERSUASION,
BUT HE FINALLY TALKED.
FOR THE BENEFI OF THE OTHERS,
AN EXAMPLE
HAS TO BE MADE.
KILL HIM.
WHAT ABOUT HIS FATHER?
HE'S GOT A LOT OF CLOUT.
HE CAN'T THROW A SPEAR
ALL THE WAY FROM NEW YORK,
NOW, CAN HE?
ANGELO, I SAID KILL HIM.
[FOOTSTEPS]
[GUNSHOT]
[GUNSHOT]
WHAT'S HAPPENING?
HEY, SOME AFRICANS ARE
LOOKING FOR YOU, BROTHER.
I DON'T KNOW ANY AFRICANS,
BROTHER.
[SPEAKS AFRICAN LANGUAGE]
YOU COME.
Woman: Central Answering.
Can I help you?
YEAH, BABY, ANYTHING?
Yeah.
Is that you, Mr. Shaft?
THAT'S RIGHT.
Well, a Mr. Ramila's
been calling you
every 10 minutes since 2:00.
YOU COME.
YOU TELL MR. R.
IF HE CALLS AGAIN,
THAT I GOT TOO MANY
FRIENDS WITH TROUBLES.
I DON'T DO BUSINESS
WITH STRANGERS.
FREEZE.
[SPEAKS AFRICAN LANGUAGE]
THERE'S NOT A STREE THAT YOU CAN WALK
YOU GOT TO WATCH JUS WHO YOU'RE TALKIN' TO
THEY'RE OUT TO GET YA
CAN'T TURN YOUR BACK
ON A SMILIN' FACE
SMILIN' FACE
NEXT THING YOU KNOW
THERE AIN'T NO TRACE OF YOU
AND THIS I BETCHA
SOME PEOPLE LOSE
AND SOME FOLKS WIN
IT'S A MATTER
OF WHAT THEY DO
ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH?
BIG AND BAD ENOUGH?
ARE YOU GONNA LET 'EM
SHOOT YOU DOWN?
WHEN THE EVIL FLIES
AND YOUR BROTHER CRIES
ARE YOU GONNA BE AROUND?
SOMEONE NEEDS A FRIEND
JUST AROUND THE BEND
AROUND THE BEND
DON'T YOU THINK
YOU SHOULD BE THERE?
ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH
WHEN THE GOIN'S ROUGH?
IS IT IN YOUR HEART TO CARE?
THERE'S NO PRETENDING
IT GOES AWAY
WITH EVERY STEP
THAT YOU TAKE
YOU PAY YOUR DUES
AND I AIN'T LYIN'
YOU'VE GOT TO STRUGGLE
TO SEE THE LIGHT
SEE THE LIGHT
'CAUSE SOMEONE'S LOOKIN'
TO STEAL YOUR RIGHT TO CHOOSE
AND THEY DON'T STOP TRYIN'
IT'S LIKE A JUNGLE
OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR
AND IT'S KEEPIN' YOU
SO CONFUSED
ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH?
BIG AND BAD ENOUGH?
ARE YOU GONNA LET 'EM
SHOOT YOU DOWN?
OOH!
WHERE DID YOU STUDY
STICK FIGHTING, MR. SHAFT?
CONDUCTING
THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC.
THE EMIR WILL BE PLEASED...
ALSO BY THE FAC YOU'RE ALREADY CIRCUMCISED.
Man: Mr. Shaft,
the temperature is 110 degrees.
Are you comfortable?
SHIT.
I'D BE A HELL OF A LO MORE COMFORTABLE
IF YOU'D FORGET TO PAY
YOUR LIGHT BILL.
We want you to walk back
and forth across the sand
for the next eight hours.
If you survive, we will talk.
MAN, I ALREADY GOT MY TAN.
LET'S TALK NOW.
I said walk. Walk or die.
Very ingenious, Mr. Shaft.
FORGIVE US, MR. SHAFT.
THIS IS EMIR RAMILA,
LEADER OF THE MANTA TRIBE
IN EAST AFRICA.
OUT OF MY TURF.
THIS IS WASSA, MY BRAIN,
AND OSIAT,
MY STRONG RIGHT ARM.
THEY WILL PREPARE YOU.
MINERAL WATER, MR. SHAFT?
QUITE PURE.
GIVE ME SOME SCOTCH, MAN.
I KNOW A GREAT DEAL
ABOUT YOU,
BUT UNTIL TONIGHT,
IT WAS ALL HEARSAY.
I HAD TO KNOW.
KNOW WHAT?
WOULD YOU KILL A MAN?
[SPEAKS MANTA]
MR. SHAFT, YOU FIRED
TWO SHOTS AT OSIA WITHOUT HESITATION.
YES, I LEARNED.
YOU WOULD KILL A MAN.
ABOUT THOSE SHOTS...
WHY IS THE BROTHER
STILL BREATHING?
NEXT TIME,
BETWEEN THE EYES.
MY SECOND QUESTION...
HOW GOOD ARE YOU
WITH A STICK?
A CAT NAMED SHAF AIN'T GOING TO BE BAD
WITH A STICK.
FROM CHILDHOOD, THE MEN
OF MY TRIBES USE THE STICK
TO HERD CATTLE,
WARD OFF HYENAS,
AND TO FIGHT.
IF YOU WERE AWKWARD
WITH A STICK,
IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN
TOO LONG TO TRAIN YOU.
THANKS FOR THE OFFER,
BUT I LIVE IN A RESTRICTED
NEIGHBORHOOD...
NO HYENAS.
NOW, YOU WAN TO CALL ME A CAB?
THIRD QUESTION...
COULD YOU SURVIVE
UNDER DESERT CONDITIONS?
I LIKED WHAT YOU DID,
BURYING YOURSELF
IN THE SAND.
WE'VE FOUND OUR MAN,
MR. SHAFT.
YOU.
OKAY, I'LL WALK.
I MAKE YOU
A MOST GENEROUS OFFER...
$25,000.
IS THAT AMERICAN
OR HONG KONG?
$15,000 NOW,
$10,000 LATER.
AND WHA DO I HAVE TO DO?
BECOME A SLAVE.
COLONEL GONDAR,
JOHN SHAFT.
THE COLONEL IS
OF THE CENTRAL
POLICE AUTHORITY
IN ADDIS ABABA.
HE'S WORKING WITH US
AND THE ORGANIZATION
OF AFRICAN UNITY.
A GOOD DEAL
OF TIME AND MONEY
HAVE BEEN INVESTED
IN SELECTING YOU, MR. SHAFT.
AND I GUESS
WHAT YOU DID IS LOOKED
IN THE ADDIS ABABA
YELLOW PAGES,
AND THERE I WAS...
JOHN SHAFT,
INVESTIGATOR, RIGHT?
IT WAS SOMEWHA MORE INVOLVED THAN THAT.
WHAT'S THIS
SLAVE JIVE, HUH?
TWO MONTHS AGO
A TRUCK CROSSED THE BORDER
FROM ITALY INTO FRANCE.
[POUNDING INSIDE TRUCK]
[MEN SHOUTING]
[SHOUTS IN FRENCH]
Gondar: THE DRIVER MANAGED
TO ESCAPE.
THE FRENCH AUTHORITIES
GAVE THE MEN WATER
AND TIME TO REST,
THEN HUSTLED THEM BACK
ACROSS THE BORDER INTO ITALY
AND MARKED THE INCIDENT CLOSED.
WHAT WERE THEY, ITALIANS?
NO, NO, YOUNG AFRICANS.
THIS PARTICULAR GROUP
HAD BEEN SMUGGLED IN
FROM THE IVORY COAST TO ITALY,
THEN INTO FRANCE.
SMUGGLED, WHY?
TO DO ALL THE DIRTY
BACKBREAKING JOBS
WHITE EUROPEANS
REFUSE TO DO...
ROAD GANGS,
FACTORIES, KITCHENS.
MAYBE THEY NEEDED
THE BREAD.
THE RECRUITERS ARE LURING
THOUSANDS OF YOUNG AFRICANS
INTO EUROPE EVERY MONTH.
THEY'VE NO WORK PERMITS,
NO SOCIAL SECURITY.
IF THEY COMPLAIN,
THEY'RE DEPORTED.
THEY WORK A 16-HOUR DAY,
SEVEN DAYS A WEEK
FOR LITERALLY PENNIES.
THIS, MR. SHAFT, IS SLAVERY
IN THE 20th CENTURY.
SO WHY DON'T YOU JUS ARREST THE CATS
WHO ARE HUSTLING
THE PEOPLE?
THAT'S THE END OF THAT.
WE WANT THE MEN
AT THE TOP.
WE NEED
A TRAINED INVESTIGATOR...
SOMEBODY THEY DON'T KNOW
TO INFILTRATE
THEIR ORGANIZATION.
TO DO THIS,
HE HAS TO LET HIMSELF
BE RECRUITED IN AFRICA.
SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST GE AN AFRICAN INVESTIGATOR?
THEY KNOW ALL OUR MEN.
SO GET SOMEONE
WHO'S NOT AN INVESTIGATOR.
WE DID.
MY SON LET HIMSELF
BE RECRUITED IN EAST AFRICA.
HIS BODY WAS FOUND
LAST WEEK IN PARIS
IN A DITCH.
UPTOWN DUDE LIKE ME...
SPOT ME A MILE AWAY.
NOT IF YOU'RE BRIEFED
IN TRIBAL WAYS
AND LEARN
THE MANTA DIALECT.
YEAH, I WAS 21
BEFORE I FOUND OU THAT "ISN'T" IS ANOTHER WAY
OF SAYING "AIN'T."
OSIAT.
[SPEAKS MANTA]
THIS IS MY DAUGHTER ALEME.
ALEME HAS COME
TO INSTRUCT YOU, MR. SHAFT.
THEY VANISHED AS MYSTERIOUSLY
AS THEY APPEARED,
BUT THEY LEFT BEHIND
OUR SPOKEN CULTURE,
THEIR DRUMS,
THEIR COPPER SPEARS,
THEIR BEADED CROWNS.
NOBODY KNOWS
WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM,
BUT OUR TRIBES ARE DESCENDED
FROM THESE PROUD ANCESTORS.
DON'T LAUGH, MR. SHAFT,
YOUR SURVIVAL DEPENDS
ON HOW MUCH
YOU CAN REMEMBER.
WHO'S LAUGHING?
I WAS JUST THINKING,
THEY MADE US STUDY
SHAKESPEARE IN SCHOOL.
MAN, WAS HE
A JOHNNY-COME-LATELY,
COMPARED TO YOUR CATS
GROOVING ON POETRY
A THOUSAND YEARS AGO.
I'M SURE lT'D BLOW
THEIR MINDS AT PS 64.
OUR OFFICIALS FALL
INTO TWO CATEGORIES.
MACHA, TULAMA.
NOT BAD.
YOU'RE PROGRESSING.
LOOK, UH,
WHY DON'T YOU GET RID
OF THE JOLLY GIANT OVER THERE
SO YOU AND I CAN GET DOWN
TO THE FINER STROKES?
OSIAT HAS GUARDED ME
SINCE I WAS A CHILD.
SOMETIMES I THINK OF HIM
AS MY LIVING
CHASTITY BELT.
DAMN.
A MAN THAT SIZE, BABY,
THAT'S A WHOLE LO OF CHASTITY.
I'M STILL
IN MY FIRST AGE-GRADE.
WE CALL THAT FAREITA.
NO ONE IS PERMITTED TO MARRY
WHILE THEY'RE IN FAREITA.
WHAT DO YOU DO
FOR RELAXATION?
I ENTER CHELA,
MY SECOND AGE-GRADE
THIS FEBRUARY,
THEN EVEN
THE EMIR'S DAUGHTER
MAY HAVE SEX AND MARRY
AFTER MY CLITORIDECTOMY.
YOUR WHAT?
MY CLITORIDECTOMY...
FEMALE CIRCUMCISION.
YOU MEAN WHEN THEY
CUT OFF YOUR...
ARE YOU AFRAID
TO SAY THE WORD?
MY CLITORIS?
YES.
THAT'S WHAT THEY DO
IN THE TIME OF CHELA.
HELL, NO WONDER
THE NATIVES GET RESTLESS.
MR. SHAFT, THE EMPHASIS
IN OUR MARRIAGE
IS NOT UPON SEXUAL PLEASURE,
BUT UPON THE REARING
OF CHILDREN.
LISTEN, BABY.
NOW, FEBRUARY'S
JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
NOW, HOW IN THE HELL
ARE YOU GOING
TO KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE MISSING
UNLESS YOU GIVE I A LITTLE WEAR AND TEAR
BEFORE THEY TAKE IT AWAY?
ARE YOU VOLUNTEERING?
YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT.
DO NOT KISS!
WHERE YOUR STICK?
IT'S TIME
FOR YOUR LESSON.
SH...
IT'S BACK THERE.
WHY DON'T YOU GET IT FOR ME
WHILE I WARM UP?
COME ON.
SHH. COME ON.
COME ON.
TINGAT, WULAN...
SAHO.
HERE IS YOUR FIRST PAYMENT,
MR. SHAFT...
A CHECK FOR $15,000
AND YOUR AIRLINE TICKET.
YOU LEAVE IN THE MORNING.
FROM UP HERE, IT DOESN' LOOK SO BIG, DOES IT?
I MEAN, NEW YORK.
IT'S NOT SO BIG.
L.A.'s GO MORE SQUARE MILES.
TOKYO AND LONDON
BOTH HAVE MORE PEOPLE.
[SPEAKS MANTA]
OH, YOU DON' YOU MUST BE AFRICAN.
MANTA.
OH, MY NAME'S WILLIAMS.
WELL, IF THERE'S
ANYTHING YOU NEED,
JUST LET ME KNOW.
STANDARD OIL?
BY GOD,
NOW THAT'S SOMETHING.
CAN'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE,
BUT KNOWS
ABOUT STANDARD OIL.
HOW ABOUT GENERAL MOTORS?
COCA-COLA.
AAH!
ARE YOU OKAY, MR. SHAFT?
GO CATCH YOUR PLANE
TO ADDIS.
WHO ARE YOU?
I'M NO WITH STANDARD OIL.
THEN I GUESS HE'S NO WITH COCA-COLA.
THANKS.
TO QUOTE YOUR EXACT WORDS,
"HE WILL NEVER LIVE
TO REACH AFRICA."
YET I'M TOLD
HE'S ALREADY BOARDED
ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 175
AT ORLY
EN ROUTE TO ADDIS ABABA.
HOW CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT?
THEY HAD SOMEBODY WITH HIM
OUT OF NEW YORK.
HE TOOK MY MAN BY SURPRISE.
SHAFT WAS SIMPLY LUCKY.
FIRST EDITIONS
ALWAYS WORRY ME.
LUCK CAN RUN OUT,
EVEN FOR YOU,
MY BLACK BROTHER.
CONSIDER HIM A DEAD MAN.
I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION
YOU PLANNED TO KILL
WHOEVER THE EMIR HIRED
IN NEW YORK.
WASN'T THAT OUR AGREEMENT?
THE EMIR MIGH HAVE SUSPECTED ME,
AND ANYWAY, THIS MAN SHAF SEEMED TOO DANGEROUS
ON HIS HOME GROUND,
BUT... BUT IN AFRICA...
PICTURE, SIR?
HE IS QUITE TAME.
I HOPE YOU'LL BOTH
BE VERY HAPPY.
COLONEL GONDAR SENT ME.
THIS WAY, PLEASE, SIR.
WE HAVE A CHOICE OF POSES.
YOU CAN KNEEL
AND PUT YOUR ARMS AROUND HIM,
YOU CAN STRADDLE
AND RIDE HIM,
OR YOU CAN PUT YOUR HEAD
IN HIS MOUTH.
IS THAT RIGHT?
[GROWLS]
YOU ARE TO GO AT ONCE.
THANK YOU, SIR.
KEEP THE RECEIPT.
I'LL SEE YOU GE THE PICTURE TOMORROW.
SORRY ABOUT ALL THIS
CLOAK-AND-DAGGER BUSINESS,
BUT THE INCIDENT AT ORLY
GAVE US A NASTY SHOCK.
THAT INCIDENT AT ORLY
GAVE ME A NASTY SHOCK.
YOU TRUST HER?
SHE'S A COUSIN OF MINE.
I'LL NEVER TURN MY BACK AGAIN
ON A CLEANING WOMAN.
WHO WAS THE CAT IN DRAG
THAT TRIED TO KILL ME?
A SARDINIAN NAMED BOCCO.
AN ASSASSIN...
LONG CRIMINAL RECORD.
AND THE DUDE
WHO SAVED MY ASS?
HE WORKS WITH US.
WELL, MR. SHAFT,
IT SEEMS WE'VE BROUGHT YOU
A LONG DISTANCE FOR NOTHING.
OBVIOUSLY, THE OPPOSITION
KNOWS ABOUT YOU.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO CALL IT OFF,
WE'LL UNDERSTAND.
WHAT, AND BLOW 25 GRAND?
ONLY MONEY
BRINGS YOU HERE?
HELL, NO. I JUST LOVE TO HAVE
MY PICTURE TAKEN WITH LIONS.
YOUR FOREBEARS WERE DRAGGED
IN CHAINS FROM THIS CONTINEN AND DUMPED ONTO THE COTTON
PLANTATIONS OF AMERICA.
I SHOULD THINK
YOU'D WANT THIS ASSIGNMEN FOR STRONGER MOTIVES
THAN MONEY.
YOU'RE WRONG. SEE, MY FOLKS
WEREN'T IN COTTON.
THEY WERE IN TOBACCO.
THE EMIR TELLS ME
YOU'VE LEARNED HOW TO USE THIS.
THIS PARTICULAR FIGHTING STICK
IS A RATHER SPECIAL ONE.
36 EXPOSURES,
EXTRA FILM IN HERE.
YOU'LL LEAVE YOUR BAG WITH ME
AND TAKE THIS ONE.
THERE'S FOOD IN HERE,
AND THIS...
TAPE RECORDER.
TO RECORD,
TURN CLOCKWISE.
TO STOP RECORDING,
TURN IT BACK.
NOW, WAIT A MINUTE.
NOW, I'M NOT JAMES BOND,
SIMPLY SAM SPADE.
WEAR THAT POUCH
AROUND YOUR WAIS UNDER THIS ROBE.
I HOPE THAT'S A 40-LONG.
YOU'LL BE LIVING IN IT,
ALONG WITH THESE SANDALS,
UNTIL THE RECRUITERS ISSUE YOU
WESTERN WORK CLOTHES...
IF YOU GET THAT FAR.
OKAY.
WHAT ABOUT SOME IRON?
IRON?
A PIECE.
NO GUN.
TOO DIFFICULT TO HIDE
AND A DEAD GIVEAWAY
IF SOMEBODY SEARCHES YOUR BAG.
ANYWAY, YOU'VE GOT YOUR STICK.
IS THAT RIGHT?
WE'VE SELECTED A ZABANA
HE WON'T LEAVE YOUR SIDE.
A ZABANA?
A BODYGUARD.
NOW, IF A GUN
IS TOO CONSPICUOUS,
A BODYGUARD IS GOING TO BE
LIKE PUTTING IT ON
THE 6:00 NEWS.
ONCE YOU LEAVE ETHIOPIA,
YOU'LL BE IN A TERRITORY
WHERE EVERYBODY HAS ZABANAS.
EVEN THE ZABANAS
HAVE ZABANAS.
YOURS IS NAMED KOPO.
HE WILL JOIN YOU
ALONG THE WAY.
STUDY THIS.
IT'S A ROUTE
WE'VE LAID OU WHICH SHOULD BRING YOU
INTO CONTAC WITH THE RECRUITERS.
IF YOU LIVE LONG ENOUGH
TO GET TO PARIS,
THERE'S A TELEPHONE NUMBER
WRITTEN HERE.
MEMORIZE IT, AND CALL
THE MOMENT YOU ARRIVE.
AND BURN THAT MAP
AND THAT NUMBER
BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS ROOM.
MR. SHAFT...
I WISH YOU LUCK.
GOD KNOWS YOU'LL NEED IT.
[HORN HONKS]
[SPEAKING MANTA]
[SPEAKING MANTA]
[HORN HONKS]
THERE.
AH-AH-AH.
THAT'S ALL, THAT'S ALL.
GOT TO MAKE IT LAST.
[DOG BARKS]
SPOT, COME HERE.
COME HERE!
DUMMY, COME HERE!
[HONKS HORN]
FOLLOW ME.
COME ON.
NO ONE'S GOING TO SEE US.
MY PEOPLE BUILD THESE NESTS
TO KEEP CROWS AWAY
FROM THE CORN.
NOW, IS THAT A FACT?
THE FARMER GETS UP HERE
AND FIRES AWAY...
WHAT THE... HA HA!
[BARKING]
HOW DID YOU GET RID
OF YOUR BIG SHOT OLD OSIAT?
HE JUST HAD
HIS SIXTH CHILD,
SO I SLIPPED AWAY
WHILE HE WAS CELEBRATING.
I PASSED YOUR BUS
NEAR THE BORDER,
BUT WHEN I GOT THERE,
YOU WEREN'T ON IT,
ONLY THAT DEAD MAN.
SO I DOUBLED BACK.
I HAD TO SEE YOU.
JOHN, THEY KNOW
WHO YOU ARE.
WELL, I FIGURED THAT.
THEY ALREADY TRIED
TO KILL ME TWICE.
DON'T WORRY,
THEY CAN'T MAKE IT.
WERE YOU DISAPPOINTED
I WASN'T A VIRGIN? HMM?
HA HA.
HELL, NO, BABY.
YOU HAD SOME GOOD TEACHERS.
JOHN...
THIS IS HARDLY THE TIME
TO TALK ABOUT IT,
BUT I'VE MADE
AN IMPORTANT DECISION
BECAUSE OF YOU.
WELL, MY DADDY TOLD ME,
HE SAID, "JOHN, THE ONE TIME"
"YOU SHOULD NEVER, EVER
MAKE AN IMPORTANT DECISION
IS RIGHT AFTER
YOU'VE MADE LOVE."
IT'S ABOUT MY CLITORIDECTOMY.
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DECISION,
ALL RIGHT.
WHEN FEBRUARY COMES,
I'M NOT GOING
TO LET THEM DO IT.
[BARKS]
I AM KOPO,
YOUR ZABANA.
PUT OUT YOUR HAND.
WHAT IS THE MEANING
OF THIS GESTURE?
IT JUST MEANS, BROTHER,
I AM GLAD TO SEE YOU.
COME.
[WOMAN ULULATING]
[CHANTING]
[SPEAKING MANTA]
[SPEAKING MANTA]
[BARKS]
WHAT WAS THA ALL ABOUT?
HE'S THE DISTRICT HEADMAN.
EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS
AROUND HERE, HE KNOWS.
HE SAYS THE...
THE WHITE MAN THIS WEEK
TAKES OUR PEOPLE
FROM THE TOWN OF MAIBERRA
TO THE NORTH.
THEN WE GO NORTH.
[HEADMAN CALLS OUT]
[SPEAKING MANTA]
HE SAYS THAT IN MAIBERRA,
WHEN THE SUN STANDS
TWO MORE TIMES ABOVE OUR HEADS,
TWO MEN WILL DIE.
[BARKS]
MAIBERRA?
[HORNS HONKING]
[BARKS]
[BARKING]
[DOG BARKING]
[MEN SHOUTING]
Man: GET IN LINE!
GET IN THERE!
MOVE IN! MOVE IN!
[DOG GROWLING]
[DOG YELPS]
Man: GET INTO LINE!
FALL IN LINE!
[CHEERING]
GET OUT OF HERE.
GET OUT OF HERE.
SIGN.
WHAT I SIGN?
SIGN, YOU SAY
YOU GIVE BACK MONEY...
FOOD, CLOTHES, BOAT.
HOW MUCH YOU PAY ME?
200 FRANCS EACH MONTH.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
JOWI.
OKAY, JOWI.
JOWI.
TAKE YOUR DOG
AND BURY HIM.
NOBODY'S EVER CRIED
FOR YOU, HAVE THEY, BABY?
NOBODY EVEN KNOWS
YOU'RE GONE.
[GUNSHOT]
[GUNSHOT]
AAH!
YOU SON OF A BITCH,
YOU KNOW WHO I AM,
DON'T YOU?
WHO TOLD YOU? WHO?
WHO SENT THAT CAT AFTER ME
AT THE AIRPORT?
AND ON THE BUS?
TALK, MOTHERFUCKER! TALK!
MARCO SASSARI.
A LITTLE LATE,
NOT-SO-GREAT SARDINIAN.
DIED DECEMBER 12th
FROM A STIFF NECK
IN A TOWN CALLED MAIBERRA...
AS THE SUN STOOD OVERHEAD.
HEADMAN SAID
THAT TWO MEN WOULD DIE.
HE WAS WRONG.
ONLY ONE MAN DIED
AND TWO DOGS.
QUICK! COME, WE GO! COME!
[SPEAKS MANTA]
[MEN SPEAKING MANTA]
NOW! ALL OF YOU!
THIS ZUBAIR.
HE TAKE YOU ACROSS DESERT.
I NO FORGET YOU.
[SPEAKS MANTA]
LITTLE.
ZIBA... YOU BEAT HIM?
I BEAT.
GOOD.
I DON'T LIKE ZIBA.
YOU RIDE FRON WITH ME, HMM?
YOU KNOW HOW
TO RIDE CAMEL?
NO RIDE CAMEL.
RIDE ASS.
HA HA HA.
YOU LEARN TO RIDE CAMEL.
I SHOW YOU, HUH?
COME ON.
SIT HERE.
CROSS LEG LIKE THIS.
SEE? EASY. NOW YOU.
CROSS LEG! CROSS LEG!
CROSS!
[SPEAKING MANTA]
SLOW DOWN.
I'D GIVE 10 YEARS
OF MY LIFE
IF I COULD DO THAT...
TO BE ABLE
TO SEE THE WORLD
ONLY IN SEXUAL TERMS,
AND TO FEEL I THE WAY YOU DO, JAZAR.
[HONKS HORN]
SUCH DILIGENCE, MR. WASSA.
I'M IMPRESSED.
IMAGINE YOU FLYING
ALL THE WAY FROM AFRICA
TO BE SURE YOUR LABORERS
ARE DOING WELL.
LOOK AT THEM...
HAPPY IN THEIR WORK.
ARE YOU HAPPY IN YOUR WORK?
PIRO AND SASSARI
ARE BOTH DEAD.
SHAFT KILLED THEM.
THE LAST TIME WE TALKED,
IT WAS SHAFT'S LIFE
OR YOURS.
HE WILL BE BOARDING
VANDEN'S BOA TOMORROW MORNING.
I FLEW IN TO ASK YOU
TO CONTACT VANDEN,
GET HIM TO DELAY
HIS DEPARTURE.
I WILL NOT CONTACT VANDEN.
HE'S TOO WEAK
IN THE STOMACH.
I SUGGEST YOU GET DOWN
TO EL JARDIA TODAY
AND DEAL WITH MR. SHAF PERSONALLY.
MAY I HELP?
HOW?
I COULD DIVER HIS ATTENTION
WHILE WASSA DID
WHATEVER HE WISHED TO DO.
THE REAL REASON, MY PET.
I'M BORED.
I NEED SOME EXCITEMENT.
WE BOTH DO.
LISTEN, MR. WASSA.
I DON'T LOVE
THIS YOUNG LADY.
I DON'T EVEN
PARTICULARLY LIKE HER,
BUT SHE'S THE ONLY PERSON
IN THE WORLD
I'VE EVER FOUND
WHO CAN GET IT UP FOR ME.
I WANT HER BACK
BY FRIDAY OF THIS WEEK.
IF ANYTHING
SHOULD HAPPEN TO HER
OR IF SHAF IS STILL BREATHING
BY THIS TIME TOMORROW,
I'LL HAVE YOU KILLED
WHEREVER YOU HAPPEN TO BE.
THE YOUNG LADY
WILL MEET YOU
AT THE AIRPOR IN ONE HOUR.
I WISH I COULD
WATCH YOU WITH SHAFT.
WHERE WILL YOU DO IT?
ON THE BOAT.
I LIKE THE WAY
IT ROCKS YOU BACK AND FORTH.
GET IT ON TAPE.
PLAY IT BACK FOR ME
FRIDAY.
THAT'S A DELICIOUS IDEA.
IF YOU DO IT,
I'LL BUY YOU AN EMERALD.
HOW LARGE AN EMERALD?
HMM?
[SCREAMING]
[MAN GIVING ORDERS]
BOAT COME TOMORROW.
YOU BE HERE
FIRST LIGHT, HUH?
NOW YOU GO TO TOWN.
GET GIRLS, HUH?
BUY GIFTS FOR HOME, HUH?
NO MONEY.
I GIVE.
YOU SIGN PAPER,
YOU PAY LATER, HUH?
HEY, YOU MY GUEST.
GOOD SHOT.
YOU COME TO TOWN
WITH ME, HUH?
NO, LEAVE IT HERE.
IT'S SAFER.
WHERE WE GO, THE GIRLS...
HA HA... THEY STEAL.
[SINGING IN MANTA]
NO WONDER THEY CALL AFRICA
THE MOTHER COUNTRY.
AND, MAMA,
I AIN'T GONNA FIGHT IT.
[MEN YELLING]
WHERE IS JOWI?
COME ON!
[YELLING IN MANTA]
CIAO, BABY.
[YELLS]
[GUNSHOT]
I WANT NAMES, BABY.
I WANT TO KNOW
EVERY NAME YOU KNOW.
WHO'S PAYING YOU
AND WHO SENT YOU AFTER ME?
WHO?!
IF I TELL, THEY KILL ME.
WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK
I'M GOING TO DO?
NOW TALK.
I-I'M YOUR FRIEND.
I-I KILL MAN WHO SENT ME.
I DO THIS FOR YOU.
SURE. TALK! TALK!
[ARM BREAKS]
AAH!
NOW TALK, OR I'LL BREAK
THE OTHER ONE.
NEXT TIME, YOU MOTHER,
DON'T BITE OFF
MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW.
[SHIP HORN BLOWS]
ALL THAT LOT?
I AM TO BE PAID FOR 41.
WHAT DO YOU THINK
WE'RE RUNNING, THE QUEEN MARY?
I AM TO BE PAID FOR 41.
100 MORE.
FOR WHAT?
I BRING YOU HAPPY MEN.
THEY SIGN, YOU PAY.
STOW IT, SADI!
THE MAN'S ENTITLED
TO HIS MONEY.
THAT'S THE CONTRACT.
ANY EXPENSES ADVANCED
HAVE TO BE COLLECTED
ON DELIVERY BEFORE
THE NEXT LEG OF THE TRIP.
DON'T WORRY, WE'LL GET I BACK WHEN WE DOCK.
MAY ALLAH BE WITH YOU.
ALL RIGHT, GENTLEMEN,
EVERYONE INTO THE HOLD.
GO ON, MOVE IT!
SADI, GET THEM STOWED BELOW.
[SADI YELLING]
GET THEM OUT OF THOSE ROBES
AND INTO WORK CLOTHES.
[SADI YELLING]
[HORN BLOWS]
WELL?
WHEN DID HE BATHE LAST?
VERY SOON NOW,
IN 500 FEET OF WATER.
NOT UNTIL I SPEND
THE NIGHT WITH HIM.
WHAT IF HE HURTS YOU?
I'M COUNTING ON IT.
LOOK, IF ANYTHING
HAPPENS TO YOU,
AMAFI WILL KILL ME.
IF I DON'T GET TO SPEND
THE NIGHT WITH THIS MAN,
I'LL TELL AMAFI
YOU RAPED ME.
YOU KNOW
WHAT HE'D DO TO YOU.
WHEN IT'S DARK,
HAVE THE CAPTAIN
BRING THEM UP ON THE DECK
IN SMALL GROUPS
FOR FRESH AIR
AND, UH,
AND FOR EXERCISE.
PSST.
THEY ARE GOING
TO KILL YOU.
DON'T PRETEND
YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.
YOU ARE JOHN SHAFT.
JOWI. JOWI.
LOOK, MR. SHAFT,
I AM OFFERING YOU LIFE.
WHY?
IF YOU HELP ME,
I'LL HELP YOU.
HA HA.
YOUR PLACE OR MINE?
MR. SHAFT,
I DO HOPE YOU'RE NOT LOOKING
FOR THE SHOWER.
I LIKE A NATURAL MAN.
WHO'S PLANNING
TO KILL ME?
WASSA.
WASSA.
SO THAT'S
WHERE IT LEAKED.
HOW LONG IS YOUR PHALLUS,
MR. SHAFT?
MY WHAT?
YOUR COCK.
BABY, BY NOW IT'S SHRUNK
DOWN TO 20 INCHES.
WASSA,
THAT SON OF A BITCH.
YOU CAN USUALLY TELL
BY THE SIZE OF A MAN'S NOSE
OR THE LENGTH AND THICKNESS
OF HIS THUMBS.
I ALWAYS LOOK FOR A MAN
WITH A PROMINENT NOSE...
AND LONG THICK THUMBS.
BABY, YOU'RE NO TURNING ME ON.
I GOT TOO MANY THINGS
ON MY MIND.
A MAN WHO'S BEEN
IN THE DESER AS LONG AS YOU HAVE?
YOU KNOW,
THE MAN WHO PAYS MY BILLS
THINKS I'M OVERSEXED.
HA HA HA.
AND WHATEVER
GAVE HIM THAT IDEA?
BABY, THIS JUST MAY
BLOW YOUR MIND,
BUT I AIN' ABOUT TO FUCK YOU.
I'M TAKING YOU OUT OF HERE
RIGHT NOW AS A HOSTAGE.
DO IT LATER.
PLEASE.
PLEASE.
MOVE IT, BABY.
NO HIDDEN GUN.
LOOK FOR YOURSELF.
WE'RE BEING RECORDED.
BY WHAT NETWORK?
HE ASKED ME TO PU OUR LOVE AFFAIR ON TAPE.
WHAT'S HIS NAME?
IF I TELL YOU,
WILL YOU COME TO BED?
TELL ME FIRST,
THEN I'LL DECIDE.
HE'S THE ONE
YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.
VINCENT AMAFI...
HEAD OF THE WHOLE BUSINESS.
AND, OF COURSE,
YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE ME
TO HIM, YES?
I KNOW HE'D LIKE
TO MEET YOU.
WHERE IS HE?
PARIS.
PARIS.
SO WE MAY AS WELL
BE COMFORTABLE TOGETHER
WHILE WE CROSS
THE MED, HUH?
WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
DOES IT MATTER?
OH... MY GOD.
BABY, MY NOSE MAY NO BE TOO PROMINENT,
BUT I'VE GOT TWO
OF THE LONGEST,
THICKEST THUMBS...
YOU SAVED AMAFI
THE TROUBLE.
GET DRESSED, BABY.
WHY?
THERE'S A MOTORBOA ON DECK.
WE'RE TAKING I FOR A RIDE.
YOU KNOW SOMETHING?
YOU'RE THE FIRST MAN
WHO'S EVER MADE LOVE TO ME
THE WAY A MAN SHOULD.
FANTASTIC, BABY.
YOU CAN WRITE
MY CONGRESSMAN LATER.
COME ON, GET DRESSED.
WHATEVER YOU SAY, JOHN.
UNTIE IT.
JOHN!
THANKS, BABY.
[TELEPHONE RINGS]
[RING]
HELLO.
Woman: Your call, Mr. Amafi.
OH, YES, OPERATOR,
PUT HIM ON.
AH, GOOD MORNING, CAPTAIN.
BLOODY ROTTEN MORNING.
WASSA'S DEAD...
SHOT TO DEATH.
MY FIRST OFFICER
DESERTED AT SEA.
The police are due any minute.
AND THE GIRL?
Who the hell knows?
PROBABLY GONE OFF WITH SADI
IN THE MOTORBOAT.
THE MEN YOU BROUGHT ACROSS,
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
THEY'RE IN THE TRUCKS
ON THE WAY TO PARIS.
WHERE ELSE SHOULD THEY BE?
IDIOT, YOU LET THEM GO?
Listen, there's
a goddamn corpse aboard
AND A HULL FULL
OF ILLEGAL AFRICANS.
HOW DO YOU THINK I COULD
EXPLAIN THEM TO THE POLICE?
THIS IS GOING TO COST YOU
EXTRA MONEY, MR. AMAFI,
OTHERWISE FROM NOW ON,
YOU CAN GET YOURSELF
ANOTHER CAPTAIN.
ANGELO.
COME ON. COME ON.
[WHISTLING]
PERREAU IS HERE.
YOUR FRIEND PERREAU
IS HERE.
COME ON.
COME AND LISTEN TO PERREAU.
ME PERREAU, YOUR FRIEND.
ME TELL YOU WHAT TO DO,
WHERE GO, WHERE WORK.
I PICK UP MONEY...
YOUR MONEY.
SAVE YOU TIME.
PAY BACK COS OF YOUR JOURNEY,
THIS ROOM, CLOTHES, FOOD.
PERREAU...
I TAKE CARE EVERYTHING.
NOW, THIS ROOM
COSTS YOU EACH
100 FRANCS A MONTH.
WE ONLY EARN
200 FRANCS A MONTH.
FOR THIS ROOM,
WE PAY HALF.
NO SPACE IN PARIS.
VERY COSTLY.
NO ROOM, YOU IN STREET.
IN STREET...
POLICE COME,
ASK QUESTIONS,
SEND YOU HOME.
BUT HOW YOU GO HOME?
OWE MONEY.
SO, GO PRISON.
LOCK UP.
100 FRANCS A MONTH...
EVERYBODY STAY HAPPY, NO?
THIS IS A CLOCK,
ALARM CLOCK.
[ALARM RINGS]
[ALARM STOPS]
PERREAU SET TIME.
YOU SLEEP THREE HOURS,
THEN CLOCK RING,
YOU GET UP.
I COME, PICK YOU UP,
WE GO WORK.
HERE... FRANCS.
FRANCS FOR SOAP, CANDY.
YOU DIVIDE.
THREE HOURS...
I COME BACK.
[MEN MURMURING]
WE FRIENDS OF JOWI.
JOWI HERE?
JOWI?
JOWI?
JOWI! JOWI!
JOWI NOT HERE!
OYO, HIS FRIEND...
THAT ROOM!
OYO? YOUR NAME OYO?
[MEN YELLING]
[MAN YELLING]
AAH!
[SPEAKS MANTA]
AAH! AAH! AAH!
INSPECTOR CUSSET,
JOHN SHAFT.
A PLEASURE, MONSIEUR.
ALL OF US ARE IMPRESSED
AND GRATEFUL.
PICTURES AND TAPES,
STARTING WITH THE CA WHO TRIED TO TAKE MY SEA ON THE BUS IN ADDIS
AND ENDING RIGHT HERE
IN PARIS
WITH A LITTLE GOPHER
NAMED PERREAU.
HE'S GOING TO PICK US UP
IN THREE HOURS.
WE'LL PROCESS THIS
IMMEDIATELY,
THEN IF YOU
ARE NOT TOO TIRED,
A POLICE STENOGRAPHER
WILL TAKE DOWN
YOUR ENTIRE STATEMENT.
NOT TOO TIRED.
PERREAU... THE NAME
IS UNKNOWN TO ME.
A LITTLE GOPHER, YOU SAY,
COMING TO PICK YOU UP.
SURELY HE CAN'T BE THE KINGPIN
OF AFRICAN RECRUITING.
KINGPIN'S A CA NAMED VINCENT AMAFI.
ANOTHER UNKNOWN NAME.
WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN COME UP
WITH MONSIEUR AMAFI
AND PUT HIM
UNDER SURVEILLANCE.
I'LL FIND HIM.
I'M GRATEFUL, MONSIEUR,
BUT FROM NOW ON,
WE WILL DO THE WORK.
I'VE GOT A PERSONAL THING
WITH MR. AMAFI.
I REMIND YOU, MONSIEUR,
YOU ARE NOW BACK
IN A CIVILIZED COUNTRY
WHERE DUE PROCESS
OF LAW PREVAILS.
INSPECTOR,
I RESENT THAT IMPLICATION.
MY COUNTRY
WAS BUILDING CHURCHES
WHILE YOUR PEOPLE WERE STILL
LIVING IN CAVES.
FORGIVE ME, COLONEL.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO IMPLY...
LOOK, GET YOUR
STENOGRAPHER IN HERE,
AND I'LL GIVE HER
10 MINUTES,
AND THEN I'VE GO THINGS TO DO.
[TELEPHONE RINGS]
[SPEAKS FRENCH]
AMAFI DID THIS
TRYING TO FIND ME.
THE LAW WILL PUNISH HIM,
MONSIEUR.
FUCK THE LAW.
WHAT IS THE LAW DOING
ABOUT THE SHITHEADS
WHO CHARGE
100 FRANCS A MONTH
TO STAY IN A CRAPHOUSE
LIKE THIS?
WHY DON'T YOU REALLY CLAMP DOWN
ON THE SLAVE TRADE?
I'LL TELL YOU WHY.
BECAUSE THE BLACK GHETTOS
OF PARIS
IS AS FAR AWAY
FROM THE CHAMPS ELYSEES
AS 125th STREE IS FROM PARK AVENUE,
AND YOU NEED A BUNCH
OF POOR BASTARDS
TO WORK ON YOUR ROADS
AND YOUR GODDAMN KITCHENS!
DON'T LAY ANY OF THA LAW-WILL-PUNISH-HIM SHIT ON ME.
Aleme: JOHN!
ALARM CLOCK... SHE WORK.
HEY!
WHERE DO YOU TAKE
THE MONEY YOU COLLECT?
[SPEAKS FRENCH]
AAH!
WHERE DOES AMAFI
DO BUSINESS?
PERREAU... HE KNOWS NOTHING.
AAH!
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
ELEVEN!
STAY HERE
AND KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN.
DAMN CLOSE, BABY.
I HEARD SHOOTING AND I...
DAMN RIGHT.
LOOK AROUND
AND CHECK THOSE FILES...
ANYTHING THAT COULD
LEAD US TO AMAFI.
[MOANING]
AAH!
NOW TELL US,
WHERE IS JOWI?
DON'T KNOW.
DON'T KNOW.
[ELECTRICAL SHOCK]
AAH!
AAH! AAH!
JOWI!
[MOANING]
AAH!
Aleme: AAH!
THIS IS WHERE
THEY KILLED HIM.
KILLED WHO?
MY BROTHER.
HE WROTE THIS
IN OUR LANGUAGE.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
CASTLE...
MOUNTAIN...
FORT.
CASTLE, MOUNTAIN, FORT?
"CHATEAU MARQUIS.
"CHATEAU MICHELLE.
CHATEAU... CHATEAU MONTFORT."
"BUILT BY COUNT ANDRE MONTFOR IN 1787.
"FAMILY RESIDENCE
UNTIL COMMANDEERED
"BY GERMAN OCCUPYING FORCES.
"USED AS GESTAPO HEADQUARTERS
AND PRISON
FROM 1942 TO 1944."
WHERE IS IT?
"SITUATED 14 KILOMETERS
OUTSIDE OF PARIS
ON THE MAIN ROAD TO AMIENS."
OKAY. CALL INSPECTOR CUSSE AND TELL HIM WHERE I'VE GONE.
OKAY.
[LABORED BREATHING]
HAS HE TOLD YOU?
NO, NOTHING.
YOU DUMB BASTARDS,
TRYING TO RUN AWAY
TO GO TO THE POLICE.
I'VE GIVEN THOUSANDS OF JOBS
TO AFRICANS.
THEY DON'T COMPLAIN,
BUT BECAUSE
OF YOU TROUBLEMAKERS
AND THAT BLACK BASTARD SHAFT,
I HAVE TO LEAVE THIS COUNTRY.
SO, I'M GOING TO BURY YOU ALL
ALONG WITH THE EVIDENCE.
AAH!
AAH!
ALMOST THERE.
[COCKS GUN]
AAH!
MR. SHAFT?
YEAH, ME.
I PLAYED THE TAPES.
I LISTENED TO YOU
MAKING LOVE TO HER
AND HER TO YOU.
WHY DID YOU
HAVE TO KILL HER?
ONE OF YOUR MEN
THREW A KNIFE.
SHE WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE
AT THE WRONG TIME.
THEN WHY WASN'T HER BODY
STILL ON BOARD SHIP?
I PROMISED HER
A BOAT RIDE.
WELL, SHE WOULD
HAVE LIKED THAT.
ALL RIGHT,
THROW OUT YOUR IRON.
THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY
OUT OF HERE.
I'VE WIRED THIS PLACE
FOR DEMOLITION.
I'VE GOT 40 HOSTAGES
DOWN BELOW.
UNLESS YOU DROP YOUR GUN
AND STEP OU WHERE I CAN SEE YOU,
I'LL SET OFF THE CHARGES.
YOU'RE BLUFFING, MAN.
LOOK DOWN AT YOUR FEET.
NO POINT IN YOUR TRYING
TO PULL THOSE LINES.
THE WIRES ARE FOR
THE UPPER STAIRCASE ONLY.
I'VE GOT A DETONATOR DOWN HERE
FOR THE CELL BLOCK.
ALL RIGHT.
OUT WHERE I CAN SEE YOU.
YOU BASTARDS!
HEY, JOWI!
MONSIEUR, UNLESS YOU HURRY,
YOU ARE GOING
TO MISS YOUR PLANE.
WHERE DOES A GUY
GET A CAB AROUND HERE?
MERCI.
ALLE AROPORT.
AH, LA, LA, LA, LA.
EXCUSE ME, SIR.
ONE OF OUR PASSENGERS
HAS ASKED
IF YOU'D MIND COMPANY.
PUT IT RIGHT HERE, BABY.
BETTER KEEP YOUR EYE
ON THE PASSERS BY
BETTER WATCH YOUR STEP
'CAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW
WHERE THE KNIFE WILL GO
AND THEY AIN'T MISSED YET
THE STRONG SURVIVE
AND THEY STAY ALIVE
THEY'RE ALWAYS COOL
BUT THAT THEY NEVER
TEACH YOU IN SCHOOL
ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH?
BIG AND BAD ENOUGH?
ARE YOU GONNA LET 'EM
SHOOT YOU DOWN?
ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH?