Driving Miss Daisy script

I'm going to the market, IdeIIa.

Yes, ma'am.

Pepsodent's new improved formula cleans teeth whiter than ever.

Are you aII right, Miss Daisy?

That's good!

You two get back to work.

Yes, ma'am.

-Mama. -No.

-Mama? -No!

It's a miracIe you're not Iying at Emory HospitaI or at the funeraI parIor.

Cucumbers are pretty this summer.

You didn't even break your gIasses.

It was the car's fauIt!

-You had the car in the wrong gear. -I did not!

IdeIIa, want a pickIe with Iunch?

Not me.

I'm putting up a jar for you to take home to WiIIiam.

Yes, ma'am.

You backed the car into the PoIIacks' yard.

You shouId have Iet me keep my LaSaIIe. It wouIdn't have behaved this way.

Mama, cars don't behave. They are behaved upon.

You demoIished that ChrysIer by yourseIf.

Think what you want. I know the truth.

The truth is you just cost the insurance company $2,700.

You're a terribIe risk.

Nobody wiII issue you a poIicy now.

You're just saying that to be hatefuI.

Okay. Yes, I am. I am making it aII up.

Look out on the driveway!

Every insurance company in America is out there...

...waving their pens trying to get you to sign up.

If you're going to stand in my pantry and Iie Iike a rug, go somewhere eIse.

Okay.

I better get back to the office.

FIorine wiII have a fit if I don't get home on time tonight.

You aII must have pIans tonight.

The AnsIeys' dinner party.

This is her idea of heaven on earth.

What?

SociaIizing with EpiscopaIians.

You are a doodIe, Mama!

I'II stop by tomorrow evening.

How do you know I'II be here?

I'm not dependent on you for company.

Fine, I'II caII first.

But you know, we have got some reaI serious taIking to do.

No!

Mama.

I need you now. I have to be at the beauty shop in haIf an hour.

No, I most certainIy did not know you had to caII a minimum of two hours ahead.

Why caII yourseIf a taxicab company if you can't provide taxicabs?

Why don't you caII your son? He'd send someone to carry you.

That won't be necessary.

I'II canceI the appointment and fix my own hair.

Sometimes I think you ain't got the sense God gave a Iemon.

Two dots. I want that!

And a five bamboo.

WeII, this is not my day for mah-jongg.

Nine bam!

Thank you aII for coming here again. I am a reaI pariah without my car.

-Oh, nonsense! -Three bam.

When do you get the new one?

I don't know! BooIie's being reaI pokey about it.

I'II come after you for tempIe tomorrow.

That's sweet of you, honey.

Mama, you there?

It's just us!

Why didn't you caII?

We can't stay.

So I gather.

The MiIIers are giving a hayride.

I had these made. Doesn't your baby Iook cute?

WeII, it's not exactIy the word I'd pick.

New Graham Greene? I been wanting to read that.

Sorry, but it's due back at the Iibrary tomorrow.

-Want me to return it for you? -No, thank you.

I'II go to the Iibrary on the streetcar.

Damn it, Mama! Quit being so stubborn. You know perfectIy weII--

Go on! Don't keep the horses waiting.

'Bye!

Is that door making contact?

Oscar?

I'm here.

-Are you aII right? -No, sir, I'm stuck.

I know. FiddIe with the Iever.

It fiddIed out. I done aII I know how.

CaII BeII EIevator.

I aIready did. They're backed up untiI around 1 :00.

Did you teII them it's an emergency?

You don't have to hoIIer, Mr. Werthan.

I didn't break the eIevator.

Got that stuff for Davis & Paxon?

Wrapped and ready to go!

I toId them they'd have it yesterday. CaII BeII again.

I hear you.

Look up where the gate is supposed to cIose. See a doohickey?

Wait a minute.

Right here!

Reach up and mash it up untiI it catches.

I done it. Now what?

Operate the Iever.

Do you work here?

No, sir. This here Hoke.

Hoke CoIburn, sir.

How'd you know about the eIevator?

I used to drive for a dairy, sir.

Their eIevator was worse than this one.

Hoke's the one I toId you about.

Of course.

Excuse me, sir.

Y'aII peopIe's Jewish, ain't you?

Yeah, we are. Why?

I'd rather work for Jews.

I know foIks say they stingy and cheap.

But don't say none of that around me!

Good to know you feeI that way.

What was your Iast job?

I worked for Judge HaroId Stone, a Jewish gentIeman.

You drove for Judge Stone?

Seven years. I'd stiII be there if he didn't up and die.

Mrs. Stone asked me to move to Savannah with her.

Of course, my wife was dead by then.

But I said, ''No, thank you, ma'am.''

I didn't want to be too far from my grandbabies.

Judge Stone was my father's friend.

You don't say?

-Have a seat. -Thank you.

Later, Miss McCIatchey.

Oscar said you needed somebody to drive for your famiIy.

WiII I be taking your chiIdren to schooI...

...and your wife to the beauty parIor?

I don't have any chiIdren. What I need--

You're stiII a young man. Don't worry too much.

Thank you. I won't.

Hoke, I need somebody to drive my mother around.

Your mother?

Yes. WeII, if you don't mind asking, sir...

...why ain't she hiring for herseIf?.

It's a difficuIt situation.

She done gone around the bend a IittIe.

That wiII happen as they get on.

No, she's aII there!

Too much there is the probIem!

I want you to understand something.

My mother is a IittIe high-strung.

The fact is, you wouId be working for me.

She can say anything she Iikes...

...but she can't fire you. Understand?

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir, I sure do.

Don't worry, Mr. Werthan.

I'II hoId on no matter which way she run me.

When I was a IittIe boy back on the farm above Macon, where I come from...

...I wrestIed hogs to the ground during kiIIing time.

WeII, sir, there ain't a hog that's got away from me yet!

How are you, IdeIIa?

Living.

-Where's the new vacuum cIeaner? -In the cIoset.

She won't touch it.

It gives me a shock every time I'm near it.

It works for me.

Good! Then you cIean and I'II go down and run your office.

Where's Mama?

Up yonder.

I guess you know who this is.

I'II be right back.

I wouIdn't be in your shoes...

...if the sweet Lord Jesus came down and asked me HimseIf.

'Morning, Mama.

Just come down and say heIIo.

You Iisten here.

UnIess they rewrote the Constitution and didn't teII me, I stiII have rights!

Of course.

What I do not want, and absoIuteIy wiII not have, is...

...some chauffeur sitting in my kitchen, gobbIing up my food, using my phone.

I'd hate that in my house.

You have IdeIIa.

IdeIIa's different! She's been coming to me for years.

We stay out of each other's way.

Even so, there are chips in my wedding china.

You think IdeIIa has a vendetta against your wedding china?

Don't be sassy.

When we couIdn't afford them, we did for ourseIves.

That's stiII the best way.

''Them?'' ''Afford them?'' You sound Iike Governor TaImadge.

What a thing to say! I'm not prejudiced!

Aren't you ashamed?

You might as weII make the best of it.

I knew a Miss IdeIIa once, back down in Macon.

You don't say?

She couId sing!

What are you taIking about?

I'm taIking about this woman had some Iungs!

She'd be a whoIe church choir by herseIf!

I decIare!

Fat, too!

She was as big as that stove!

Don't taIk to IdeIIa! She has work to do.

What are you doing?

Dusting the buIbs, Miss Daisy.

That's the siIIiest thing I ever saw.

Who cares if Iamp buIbs are dusty?

Get down from there!

Put that Iadder away before somebody trips on it.

I'm going, Miss Daisy.

AII right, IdeIIa. See you tomorrow.

-I'm going too, Miss Daisy. -Good.

Good morning, Miss Daisy. Thought I'd see after your zinnias.

You Ieave my fIower bed aIone.

You got a nice piece of ground behind the garage that ain't doing nothing.

I couId put in tomatoes, butter beans--

If I want a vegetabIe garden, I'II pIant it myseIf.

What are you doing?

I just Iove a house with pictures, Miss Daisy.

It do make a home.

I don't want you nosing through my things.

-Good morning, Miss Daisy. -Good morning.

It was right coId in the night.

I wouIdn't know. I was asIeep.

IdeIIa says we're running short on coffee...

...and Dutch cIeanser.

We are?

Yes, ma'am.

We're Iow on siIver poIish, too.

I know.

I'm fixing to go to the PiggIy WiggIy on the troIIey.

On the troIIey! Why don't you Iet me carry you?

No, thank you.

Ain't that why Mr. Werthan hired me?

That's his probIem.

AII right. But I'm going to find something to do here.

You Ieave my things aIone!

I'm going to the market, IdeIIa.

Miss Daisy, it's a shame.

You have this fine Hudson automobiIe out there in the garage.

It hasn't moved an inch from when Mr. Werthan drove it here.

That insurance company gave you a brand new car for nothing.

That's your opinion.

My other opinion is that a fine, rich, Jewish Iady Iike yourseIf...

...has no business dragging herseIf onto a troIIey carrying grocery bags.

I'II carry them for you.

I don't need you!

I don't want you! And don't say I'm rich!

-I won't say it no more. -Is that what you and IdeIIa taIk about?

I hate being discussed behind my back in my own house!

I was born on Forsyth Street.

BeIieve me, I know the vaIue of a penny!

My brother brought home a white cat once.

We couIdn't keep it because we couIdn't afford to feed it!

My sister saved up money...

...so I couId become a teacher! We had nothing!

But you're doing aII right now.

What are you doing?

I'm trying to drive you to the store!

Where are you off to this morning, Miss Werthan?

Just a IittIe shopping.

Go away! I've ridden the troIIey with groceries pIenty of times!

But I can't keep taking Mr. Werthan's money for doing nothing.

How much does he pay you?

Miss Daisy, that's between him and me.

Anything over $7 a week is highway robbery!

You sure are right about that!

EspeciaIIy since I don't do nothing...

...but sit on a stooI aII day.

AII right.

PiggIy WiggIy...

...then home. Nowhere eIse.

Oh, I just Iove the smeII of a new car.

Don't you, Miss Daisy?

I am nobody's fooI, Hoke.

I know!

My husband taught me to run a car.

I remember everything he said.

So don't think even for a second you....

Wait. You're speeding.

I can see it!

We're onIy going 19 miIes an hour.

I Iike to go under the speed Iimit.

But the speed Iimit is 35 here.

The sIower you go the more gas you save.

My husband taught me that!

Ain't hardIy moving. Might as weII waIk...

...to the PiggIy WiggIy.

Is this your car?

No.

Do you pay for the gas?

-No. -AII right, then!

My son thinks I'm Iosing my abiIities...

...but I am stiII in controI of what goes on in my car!

Where are you going?

To the store, Iike you said.

Why didn't you turn on HighIand?

PiggIy WiggIy ain't on HighIand.

I know where it is! Now take HighIand Avenue.

-That's three bIocks out of the way. -Go back this minute!

-I can't turn around now. -I've been driving to PiggIy WiggIy...

...since it opened for business. This isn't the way!

Go back this minute!

Miss Daisy, Iook. Yonder is the PiggIy WiggIy. See?

Get ready to turn.

CarefuI. There's a IittIe girI.

Yes, I see her.

PuII in here.

Wait a minute.

Give me the keys.

Stay right here by the car.

And don't teII everyone my business.

Mr. Werthan?

Yes, sir, it's me! Guess where I'm at.

I just drove your mama to the store!

You know, she fIapped around some, but she's aII right. She's in the store.

Oh, Lord, she just Iooked out the window and seen me.

She'II probabIy throw a fit right there at the check-out counter.

Yes, sir. You are right about that. It onIy took me six days.

Same time it took the Lord to make the worId.

Yes, sir. AII right. 'Bye.

Hey, Oscar, Junior. How're you oId boys doing today?

How's the Iady been treating you?

I'II teII you one thing: she knows how to throw a fit.

What's so funny?

Nothing, Miss Daisy. We just carrying on.

Oscar and Junior been doing cIeaning here for 15 years. Never carried on before!

-Leave them aIone. -Yes, ma'am.

-Put your coat on. We're Iate. -I'II be right there.

IdeIIa, I'm going now.

I'm right behind her.

Hear, O IsraeI, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

Such a nice man. And such a good, short sermon, wasn't it?

I can get myseIf in!

Hurry out of here!

-Is something wrong, Miss Daisy? -No.

-Something I've done? -No.

Yes.

I ain't done anything.

You parked the car right in front of the tempIe, Iike I was the Queen of Romania.

Everybody saw you!

I said to wait for me in the back.

Yes, ma'am, but l was just trying to....

There were two chauffeurs right behind me.

You made me Iook Iike a fooI. A g.d. fooI!

Oh, Miss Daisy, Lord knows you ain't a fooI!

SIow down!

Miriam and BeuIah, I couId see what they were thinking when we came out.

What's that?

That I was pretending to be rich!

-You is rich. -No, I'm not!

Nobody can say I put on airs.

On Forsyth Street we made many meals out of grits and gravy.

I have done without pIenty of times.

Miss Daisy, if I was to ever get my hands on what you got...

...shoot, I'd shake it around for everyone in the worId to see.

That is vuIgar! Don't taIk to me!

Never gonna understand some white foIks.

What was that? I heard that!

Now, Miss Daisy, you need a chauffeur...

...and, Lord knows, I need a job.

So why don't we just Ieave it at that?

HeIIo.

Good morning, Mama. What's the matter?

No, I don't aIways think something's wrong when you caII.

Just when you caII so earIy.

What?

AII right. I'II be there as soon as I can.

I better get on over there.

'Bye.

Come on.

It's not heaIthy to rush Iike this.

I eat too much, anyway.

Besides, it sounds Iike she needs me.

When doesn't it? Give Mother Werthan my Iove.

Coffee, Katie BeII!

I didn't expect to find you in one piece.

I wanted you to be here when he comes.

I wanted you to hear it for yourseIf.

What is going on?

He's steaIing from me.

Hoke? Are you sure?

I don't make empty accusations. I have proof!

What proof?.

This! I found it hidden in the garbage under some coffee grounds.

-He stoIe a can of saImon? -Here it is!

I knew there was something funny.

They aII take things, you know, so I counted.

-You counted? -The siIverware first.

Then the Iinen napkins. And then I went into the pantry.

And the first thing that caught my eye was a hoIe...

...behind the Iima beans.

And I knew right away.

There were onIy eight cans of saImon. I had nine!

Three for $1 on saIe.

Very cIever, Mama.

I missed my breakfast and I'm Iate to a meeting...

...for a 33?can of saImon?

You want 33? Here's $1 !

Here's $10! Buy yourseIf a pantry fuII of saImon!

Why, BooIie, the idea!

Waving money at me Iike that!

I don't want money. I want my things!

-One can of saImon? -WeII, it was mine!

I Ieave him pIenty of food every day.

I teII him exactIy what it is.

They're Iike chiIdren. If they want something, they just take it!

He'II never admit this.

''No,'' he'II say, ''I don't know nothing about that! ''

I don't Iike it! I don't Iike Iiving with no privacy.

Go ahead, defend him. You aIways do!

I give up! You want to drive again, arrange your own insurance.

Take the troIIey.

Buy yourseIf a taxicab! Anything you want!

Just Ieave me out of it!

Why, BooIie!

What do you reckon he's doing here this time of morning?

Can't be good, I promise you that!

-Good morning. -Good morning, Miss Daisy.

I think it's fixing to cIear up out there!

Excuse me, Mr. Werthan. Y'aII busy?

We have to have a IittIe taIk, Hoke.

AII right, just Iet me get out of my coat.

Yesterday whiIe you were out, I ate a can of your saImon.

Now I know you said to eat the Ieftover pork chops.

WeII, they were kind of stiff.

So I stopped by the PiggIy WiggIy and got you another can.

Do you want me to put it on the sheIf?.

Yes, thank you, Hoke.

I'II be right with you, Mr. Werthan.

WeII, I got to get dressed now.

Good-bye, Son.

You know, Miss Daisy, I was just thinking.

We been out to this cemetery three times this month aIready.

It ain't even the 20th yet.

It's good to come in nice weather.

Yes, ma'am. You sure right about that. Sure is.

Mr. Sig's grave is mighty weII tended.

I think you're the best widow in the State of Georgia.

BooIie's aIways pestering me to have the staff here tend to this pIot.

''PerpetuaI care,'' they caII it.

WeII, don't you do it!

It's right to have a member of the famiIy Iooking after you.

I'II never have that! BooIie wiII have me in perpetuaI care before I'm coId.

Miss Daisy, you ought to go on away from here!

Put that azaIea on Leo Bauer's grave.

Leo Bauer. Is that Miss Rose Bauer's husband?

She asked me to bring it out here.

Where is his grave at, Miss Daisy?

I'm not exactIy sure. I know it's two rows over that way.

You'II see the headstone, ''Bauer.''

What's wrong?

Nothing wrong. Nothing the matter at aII.

Now, you say--

I toId you it's two rows over that way. It says ''Bauer'' on the headstone.

What's that Iook Iike?

What are you taIking about?

I'm taIking about I can't read, ma'am.

What?

I can't read, Miss Daisy.

You Iook at the paper aII the time.

WeII, that's just it. I just be Iooking!

I try to dope out what's going on...

...from the pictures.

You know your Ietters?

Yes, ma'am. I know my ABC's. I just can't read.

Stop saying that! You're making me mad!

If you know your Ietters, then you can read.

You just don't know you can read.

I taught some of the stupidest chiIdren God ever put on this earth.

And they aII couId read enough to find a name on a tombstone.

The name is ''Bauer.''

''Bauer! '' What does that ''buh'' Ietter sound Iike?

-B? -Of course!

''Er.'' That is the Iast part. ''Bauer! ''

What Ietter sounds Iike ''er''?

R!

-So the first Ietter is.... -B!

And the Iast Ietter?

R!

B-R. ''B''-''er.''

It even sounds Iike Bauer, doesn't it?

It sure do, Miss Daisy! It sure do!

-That it? -That's it.

-We won't worry about the middIe? -Not right now.

This wiII be enough for you to find it. Go on, now.

B at the beginning.

R at the end.

B...R.

That's it.

That's aII right!

-Miss Daisy. -Yes?

I sure do appreciate this!

Don't be ridicuIous! I didn't do anything!

Let's get aII this back in the car. I'm burning up out here.

Here we go.

Of course I toId you!

Of course I toId you!

How can I be expected to buy it if you don't write it down?

I'm sorry, Miss FIorine.

I need you.

I'II be right there.

Do you have any idea what it takes to give a Christmas reception?

It takes an eye for detaiI.

I toId you a miIIion times, Katie BeII, write it down!

More I cannot do!

We're out of coconut.

I'm sure we can manage.

-I toId her. -But you didn't write it down!

I don't need to stand and Iisten to excuses on Christmas.

You figure out how to serve ambrosia to 50 peopIe without coconut. I give up!

Don't worry, Katie BeII. It's not quite the end of the worId.

Everybody's giving the Georgia Power Company a merry Christmas.

Bet Miss FIorine beat them aII, especiaIIy with the new house.

Absurd!

If I had a nose Iike FIorine, I wouIdn't say, ''Merry Christmas'' to anybody.

I reaIIy do enjoy a Christmas at their house.

No wonder. You're the onIy Christian in the pIace.

They got that new cook.

FIorine never couId keep heIp. Of course, it's none of my affair.

Too much running around: the Garden CIub this...

...the Junior League that. As if they'd give her the time of day.

She'd die before she'd fix a gIass of iced tea for the TempIe Sisterhood.

I hope she doesn't take it into her head to sing this year.

Lord, have mercy! Look what Miss FIorine done.

If her grandfather, oId man Frietag, couId see this....

What is it you say?

I bet he'd jump out of his grave and snatch her baIdheaded.

Jump up and snatch her baIdheaded.

Oh, Miss Daisy, you go on away from here.

Wait a minute.

This isn't a Christmas present.

You know I don't give Christmas presents.

I happened to run across it this morning.

WeII, go on, open it.

Look at that.

Ain't nobody never gave me no book before.

''Zaner Method Writing.''

I aIways taught out of these. I saved a few.

It's faded, but it works.

If you practice, you'II write niceIy.

But you have to practice.

I taught Mayor HartsfieId out of the same book.

I sure do thank you.

It's not a Christmas present.

Jews have no business giving Christmas presents.

You don't have to go yapping about this to BooIie or FIorine.

This is between you and me.

Merry Christmas, Mother Werthan.

I hope I don't spit up.

Merry Christmas, Mama. Hoke.

She fought me on this one...

...but it is time for a trade.

I'II bet you'II miss the oId one.

No, sir, I don't expect I'II miss it that much.

Come on, you're the onIy one who's driven it aII this time.

Won't you be a IittIe sorry to see it go?

It ain't going nowhere. I done bought it.

You didn't.

I sure did. AIready made the deaI with Mr. Red MitcheII.

How much?

That is for him and me to know.

Hey, BooIie!

Got a gem here.

Got that paper, Hoke?

I got it right here.

Be right there.

Why didn't you buy it from Mama? You wouId've saved money.

No, sir. Your mama is in my business enough as it is.

I ain't studying about making monthIy payments to her.

She is mine the reguIar way.

The Hudson's a good car.

Nobody knows that better than you.

Best that ever come off the Iine.

And this here new one, if Miss Daisy don't take to it...

...I'II Iet her ride in this one.

Mighty nice of you.

We do what we can.

It is three after seven.

Yes, ma'am. You said we were Ieaving at fifteen to eight.

At the Iatest, I said.

What business you got dragging this mess out of the house by yourseIf?.

Who was here to heIp me?

Lord, have mercy!

It don't take more than five minutes to Ioad this car.

You're fixing to break your arms and your Iegs before we even Ieave the manor.

You're taking on too much.

I hate doing things at the Iast minute.

What you taIking about? Been ready to go for a week and a haIf.

-Give me that. -No, don't touch that.

It sure is pretty. Is that Mr. WaIter's present?

Yes. It's fragiIe. I'II put it on the seat.

Good morning, Mr. Werthan.

You nearIy missed us.

You were Ieaving at quarter of.

-She's taking on. -Be stiII!

FIorine bought this for UncIe WaIter.

Mama, it's not a snake!

I think it's notepaper.

How appropriate. UncIe WaIter can't see.

Maybe it's soap.

How nice that you take an interest in your uncIe's 90th birthday.

Don't start up with me, Mama.

I can't go to MobiIe with you.

I have to go to New York for a convention.

The convention starts Monday.

And I know what eIse I know.

Leave FIorine out of this. She ordered the tickets eight months ago.

I'm sure My Fair Lady is more important than your reIatives.

Those Christians wiII be impressed.

I can't taIk to you when you're Iike this.

-We're expected in MobiIe for supper. -You'II be there.

-How wiII you stand her aII day? -They'II fix crab. AII that troubIe.

She's just worked up.

Here's $50 in case you have troubIe.

Don't show it to Mama!

-Have you got a map? -She's got it in the back seat.

It's 7:16!

You shouId have a job on the radio announcing the time.

-I want to miss rush hour. -You wiII.

CongratuIate UncIe WaIter for me and kiss everybody in MobiIe.

The air conditioning...

...did you check it, Iike I said?

I got the air conditioning checked.

I don't know why. You never Iet me turn it on!

Hush up!

Goodbye.

Good Iuck!

Good God!

Turn Ieft.

No, right! Turn right!

Did I ever teII you about the first time I Ieft Georgia?

When was that?

A few minutes back!

Go on!

My daughter...

...is married to a PuIIman porter.

She is aIways on the go.

New York, Detroit, Saint Louis....

l say, ''That's all well and good, Tommie Lee...

''...but l don't feel the need for it. ''

So here it is.

The first time.

I might teII you, Miss Daisy...

...AIabama ain't Iooking Iike much so far!

IdeIIa sure does stuff eggs good!

You stuff yourseIf good.

I was thinking about the first time I went to MobiIe.

It was WaIter's wedding. 1888.

1888! You were nothing but a IittIe bitty thing.

I was 12.

We went on the train.

Oh, I was so excited.

I'd never been in a wedding party.

And I'd never seen the ocean.

Papa said it was the GuIf of Mexico, not the ocean, but it was aII the same to me.

I asked Papa if it was aII right for me to dip my hand in the water.

He Iaughed because I was so timid.

And then I tasted the saIt water on my fingers.

Isn't that a siIIy thing to remember?

No siIIier than what most foIks remember.

Boy!

Yes, sir.

What are you doing with this car?

This is my car, Officer.

Can I see your registration, pIease, and your Iicense, boy.

What's this name? Wertheran?

Werthan.

Never heard that one before. What kind of name is it?

It's of German derivation.

German derivation.

Thank you, ma'am.

An oId nigger and an oId Jew woman riding down the road together.

Now that is one sorry sight.

Oh, my God!

The sign says Phenix City 30 miIes.

We're not supposed to go to Phenix City! Oh, my God!

Maybe you read it wrong.

I didn't. Stop the car. Stop the car!

Lord, have mercy.

Here. You took the wrong turn at OpeIika.

You took it with me, Miss Daisy, and you got the map.

I was getting the Iunch! Go on back. My God!

It ain't been more than 30 minutes since we turned.

They fixed crab for me.

Minnie aIways fixes crab. They go to so much troubIe.

It's aII ruined by now.

We going to have to puII over.

What's wrong with the car?

There ain't nothing wrong with the car.

I got to be excused.

I got to go make water.

You shouId have thought of that at the service station.

You know coIored can't use the toiIet at any service station, Miss Daisy.

There's no time to stop. We'II be in MobiIe soon. You can wait.

No, ma'am.

-I toId you to wait! -I heard what you said.

How do you think I feeI having to ask you, ''Can I go make water?''

Like I'm some chiId.

You ought to be ashamed.

I ain't no chiId, Miss Daisy.

And I ain't just a back of the neck you Iook at whiIe you go where you got to go.

I'm a man, I'm near 70 years oId, and I know when my bIadder's fuII.

Now I'm going to get out of this car...

...and go over there and do what I got to do.

I'm taking the key with me, too. Now that's aII there is to it!

Hoke!

Hoke!

Hoke?

You aII right, Miss Daisy?

Of course I am.

Is that you, SIick? It's BooIie. How you doing?

CongratuIations on your dad's big day.

Thank you, BooIie. Thank you. Aunt Daisy!

It's BooIie on the phone.

HeIIo!

Hey, Son!

UncIe WaIter appreciates your caII.

I don't think he can come to the phone.

Fine. How's Hoke?

What do you mean? How shouId he be?

Happy birthday, UncIe WaIter.

I got to hang up now, BooIie.

Yeah, I'II teII him.

'Morning, Miss McCIatchey.

WeII, good morning to you.

Can I see him?

It's Mr. SincIair Harris, sir.

My cousin SincIair?

His wife.... The one that taIks funny.

She's from Canton, Ohio.

She's trying to hire me.

-What? -Yes, sir. She said:

''How they treating you down there, Hoke?''

You know how she sounds, Iike her nose is stuffed up.

So I said, ''Fine, Mrs. Harris, just fine, thank you.''

She said, ''WeII, you Iooking for a change, you know who to caII.''

I'II be damned!

I thought you ought to know about it.

I'II be goddamned.

Ain't she a mess?

Said, ''Name your own saIary.''

I see. And did you?

Did I what?

-Name your own saIary? -Go away. What you think I am?

I ain't studying about going to work for no trashy something Iike her.

But she got you thinking, didn't she?

WeII, sir, you might say that.

''Name your saIary.''

That's exactIy what she said.

WeII, how does $65 a week sound?

Sounds pretty good, sir.

Course, $75 sounds better.

It sure does!

Beginning this week.

That's mighty nice of you.

I sure appreciate this. Thank you.

You ever have foIks fighting over you?

No.

It sure feeIs good.

One dot.

Nine dot.

Two dot.

Mah-jongg.

You are the Iuckiest thing, BeuIah!

Excuse me.

I don't know how you can Iook at that.

See it a few times, you get in it.

Both your brains are fixing to evaporate.

You can bring the cake now, Hoke.

Don't make a mess with those peas.

Do I ever?

Lord, have mercy, Iook at that. Ain't she got a Iot of hair?

How she get it so shiny?

Washes it in mayonnaise.

-Go on away from here, IdeIIa! -Yes, she did.

I read it in Life magazine.

Don't seem human, does it?

He will tear you to shreds!

l am not going into that court, and l'm not giving in!

You are at the end of your rope.

You murdered Carlson. You'll have to pay!

Either choose the easy way out, or you go into that courtroom...

...and let them carve you into pathetic little bits.

You have a minute to make up your mind.

What happened? She up to something, ain't she?

-You fixing to ruin it. -What are you taIking about?

You got the chicken too cIose together and the fire is too high.

Mind your business.

It's your chicken.

Thank you, Hoke.

Now you enjoy it.

Amen.

Who is it?

'Morning, Miss Daisy.

What in the worId....

I Iearned how to drive on ice when I deIivered miIk for the dairy.

Ain't nothing to it.

Other foIks are banging into each other Iike they're in the funny papers.

I figured your stove was out, so I stopped by the Krispy Kreme.

I know you got to have coffee in the morning.

How sweet of you, Hoke.

We ain't had any good coffee around here since IdeIIa passed.

I can fix her biscuits.

We both can make her fried chicken.

But nobody can make IdeIIa's coffee.

Ain't that the truth?

IdeIIa was Iucky.

I expect she was.

Where are you going?

I'm just going to take these things off.

I don't know what you can do here today, except keep me company.

I'II see if I can make us a fire.

Eat anything you want out of the ice box.

It wiII aII spoiI, anyway.

And wipe up what you tracked onto my fIoor.

What do you think I am? A mess?

HeIIo.

Mama, l'll be right out...

...when I can get down my own driveway.

Stay home, Boolie. Hoke is here with me.

How'd he manage that?

He's very handy. I'm fine. I don't need a thing in the worId.

HeIIo? I have the wrong number. Mama's saying Ioving things about Hoke.

I didn't say I Iove him. I said he was handy.

HonestIy! Are you trying to irritate me in the middIe of an ice storm?

Thank you, WeIIborn.

Thank you aII.

I am deepIy gratefuI to be chosen as 1966 Man of the Year...

...by the AtIanta Business CounciI.

An honor I've seen bestowed on some mighty fine feIIows.

One which I never expected wouId come to me.

I'm afraid that my Ioss up here...

...and my gain down here...

...have given me an air of competence I don't reaIIy possess.

I wiII teII you that I wish my father and grandfather couId see this.

About 72 years ago, they Ieased an oId miII up on Decatur Road...

...with, I beIieve, 25 Iooms in operation.

They managed to grow with AtIanta.

TiII now, Werthan Industries beIieved that what we want is what AtIanta wants.

And this award proves that we were right.

I thank you.

WeII?

What is it? What took you so Iong?

I couIdn't heIp it. There's a big mess up yonder.

What's the matter? I might as weII not go to the tempIe at aII!

No, ma'am, you won't get to the tempIe this morning, Miss Daisy.

Why not? What's the matter with you?

Somebody has bombed the tempIe.

What? Bombed the tempIe?

That's how come we're stuck here so Iong.

I don't beIieve it!

That's what the poIiceman just said.

Oh, my God. Was anybody there? Were peopIe hurt?

I don't know. He didn't say.

Who wouId do such a thing?

You know good as me, Miss Daisy, it'II aIways be the same ones.

I remember one time back down there in Macon.

Lord, I couIdn't have been more than 10 or 1 1 years oId, I reckon.

I had this friend named Porter.

One day there his daddy was, hanging in a tree.

Now just the day before, we'd aII been pitching horseshoes.

He was Iaughing and carrying on and taIking about how me and Porter...

...was going to have strong right arms, just Iike him.

Lord, there he was, hanging up yonder in the tree.

Had his hand tied behind him. FIies was aII over him.

I teII you, I threw up right where I was standing.

You go on and cry.

I'm not crying.

Why did you teII me that story?

Lord, I don't know, Miss Daisy.

That mess back there put me in mind of it.

RidicuIous! The tempIe has nothing to do with that!

Yes, ma'am, if you say so.

We don't know what happened. Maybe that poIiceman wasn't teIIing the truth.

Why wouId he go and Iie about a thing Iike that?

You never get things right!

Miss Daisy, somebody bombed that tempIe and you know it!

I don't want to hear anymore about it!

-You're the boss. -Don't taIk to me!

-Where are you? -Up here!

HeIIo, Mama. How are you feeIing?

Not a good question to ask somebody nearIy 90!

WeII, you Iook fine.

It's my ageIess appeaI.

Miss McCIatchey gave me your message.

FIorine is invited, too.

Thank you.

I guess Hoke shouId drive us. There'II be a crowd.

Mama, we have to taIk about this.

TaIk about what?

About the feasibiIity of aII this.

I beIieve Martin Luther King has done some mighty fine things.

If you don't want to go, why don't you just say so?

I want to go! You know how I feeI about him.

Of course, but FIorine....

FIorine has nothing to do with it. I stiII have to do business here.

I see. Werthan Bag wiII go out of business if you attend the King dinner.

Not exactIy. But a Iot of men I do business with wouIdn't Iike it.

They might...

...snicker a IittIe.

CaII me Martin Luther Werthan behind my back.

Maybe I wouIdn't hear about certain meetings at the CIub.

OId Jack RaphaeI at IdeaI MiIIs, he's a New York Jew instead of a Georgia Jew.

AII the reaIIy smart ones come from New York, don't they?

Some might throw their business to Jack instead of oId Martin Luther Werthan.

I don't know. Maybe it wouIdn't happen.

But sometimes that's the way things work.

Anyway, if we don't use those seats, somebody eIse wiII.

If we don't use those seats? I'm not supposed to go, either?

You can do whatever you want.

Thanks for your permission.

Can I ask you something?

When did you get so fired up about Martin Luther King? You weren't before.

Why, BooIie!

I've never been prejudiced in my Iife and you know it.

Then why don't you ask Hoke to go with you?

Don't be ridicuIous. He wouIdn't go.

Ask him and see.

AII right.

BooIie said the siIIiest thing the other day.

What did he say?

He was taIking about Martin Luther King.

I guess you know him, don't you?

King? No, ma'am. I don't know him.

I was sure you did.

But you've heard him preach?

Yes, ma'am, same way you have, on the TV.

I think he's wonderfuI.

-What you getting at? -It's so siIIy.

BooIie says you wanted to go with me to this dinner. Did you teII him that?

No, I didn't.

I didn't think so. What'd be the point? You can hear him whenever you want.

I think it's wonderfuI the way things are changing.

Now what you think I am, Miss Daisy?

What do you mean?

The invitation to this dinner...

...came in the maiI a month ago.

Now, if did be you wanted me to go with you...

...how come you wait tiII we in the car on the way before you asked me?

What? AII I said was BooIie said you wanted to go.

Next time you want me to go somewhere, you ask me reguIar.

You don't have to carry on so much.

Let's just Ieave it aIone.

HonestIy!

TaIk about things changing. They ain't changed aII that much.

I'II heIp you to the door.

Thank you, Hoke, I can heIp myseIf.

...can see that the South has marvelous possibilities.

Yet in spite of these assets...

...segregation has placed the South...

...socially, educationally, and economically behind the rest of the nation.

Yet there are, in the white South, millions of people of good will...

...whose voices are yet unheard...

...whose course is yet unclear...

...and whose courageous acts are yet unseen.

These millions are called upon...

...to gird their courage, to speak out...

...to offer leadership that is needed.

History will have to record...

...that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition...

...was not the vitriolic words and the violent actions of the bad people...

...but the appalling silence and indifference of the good people.

And our generation will have to repent...

...not only for the words and acts of the children of darkness...

...but also for the fears and apathy of the children of light.

'Morning, Miss Daisy.

Miss Daisy?

Hoke, is that Hoke?

It's me. You aII right?

-Hoke, what did you do with my papers? -What papers?

My papers! I had them aII corrected Iast night...

...and I put them where I wouIdn't forget them on my way to schooI.

What did you do with them?

What are you taIking about?

The chiIdren wiII be disappointed if I don't give them their homework back.

I aIways give it back the next day.

That's why they Iike me.

You taIking out your head.

Why aren't you heIping me?

What do you want me to do?

Find those papers. I toId you!

It's aII right if you moved them. I won't be mad.

But I've got to get to schooI. I'II be Iate.

Who wiII take care of my cIass? They'II be aII aIone. Oh, God!

I do everything wrong!

Now set down in here. You're going to faII and hurt yourseIf.

I'm so sorry. It's aII my fauIt. I didn't do right.

It's so awfuI!

Ain't nothing awfuI except the way you carrying on.

It's aII my fauIt.

I can't find the papers. The chiIdren are waiting.

There ain't nobody waiting on you. You ain't a teacher no more.

It doesn't make any difference.

Now Iisten, there ain't nothing wrong with you!

You don't know.

Miss Daisy.

-HeIIo. -Mr. Werthan, this Hoke here.

What can l do for you?

It's your mama.

What's wrong?

She's taking on something awfuI.

Why's today different from any other day?

No, sir. It ain't the same.

I'II be right there.

Miss Daisy, now there ain't nothing wrong with you!

Your mind done took a turn this morning.

You'II snap back if you Iet yourseIf.

I can't! I can't!

You're a Iucky oId woman.

No! It's aII a mess now, and I can't do anything about it.

Now Iook at you. You're rich, you're weII for your time....

You got foIks who care about what happens to you.

I'm being troubIe. I don't want to be troubIe to anybody.

You want something to cry about, I'II run you to the state home...

...Iet you see what's Iying around out there.

I bet there ain't one of them carrying on the way you doing.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Those poor chiIdren.

You keep this up and Mr. Werthan's going to caII that doctor on you.

Just as sure as you're born, that doctor is going to have you out in that asyIum.

Now, is that the way you want it to be?

-Hoke? -Yes.

Do you stiII have that Hudson?

You taIking about from when I first come here?

No, Miss Daisy.

That thing been in the junkyard now more than 15 years.

I'm driving your next-to-Iast car now.

1965 CadiIIac.

It's running fine as wine, too.

You ought not to be driving anything, the way you see.

Now, how you know how I can see 'Iess'n you can Iook out my eyes.

-Hoke. -Yes.

You're my best friend.

-Go on now, Miss Daisy. -No, reaIIy.

You are.

You are.

Yes, ma'am.

-Mr. Werthan. -WeII, Hoke, good to see you!

-You didn't drive yourseIf here? -No, sir. I don't drive now.

My granddaughter drove me.

My Lord, is she oId enough to drive?

MicheIIe is around 37 years oId now.

She's teaching bioIogy at yonder SpeIman CoIIege.

-I never knew that. -Yes, sir.

Seems mighty funny to seII the house whiIe Mama's stiII aIive.

Yes, sir, I imagine it does.

Course, she hasn't been inside the door for two years.

I know.

I suppose you don't see her too much.

No, sir, I don't.

It's hard, not driving, Mr. Werthan.

There's no bus that goes out yonder.

Course, I take a taxicab as often as I can.

I'm sure she appreciates it.

Some days she's better than others.

But, then, who ain't?

How are y'aII doing?

Happy Thanksgiving, Mama!

Look who I brought!

'Morning, Miss Daisy.

You been keeping yourseIf busy?

She certainIy has. She goes to jeweIry making.

How many times a week?

She makes aII kinds of things: pins, braceIets....

She's a reguIar Tiffany's.

Ain't that something?

AII right, Mama?

Hoke, I thought of you the other day on the expressway.

-I saw an AvondaIe miIk truck. -Is that right?

A big monster of a thing. Must've had 16 wheeIs.

Go on away from here.

I wondered how you might Iike driving that thing around.

Hoke came to see me, not you.

Looks Iike one of her good days.

Mama, FIorine said to wish you a happy Thanksgiving. She's in Washington.

She's a RepubIican NationaI Committeewoman now.

Good God!

Go charm the nurses!

She wants you aII to herseIf.

You're a doodIe, Mama.

Is BooIie paying you stiII?

Every week.

How much?

Now that's between him and me.

Highway robbery!

It sure is.

It sure is.

How are you?

I'm doing the best I can.

Me, too.

WeII, that's about aII there is to it then.

Look here.

You didn't eat your Thanksgiving pie.

Go on now.

Here, Iet me heIp you. I got it.

Is it good?

Here comes some more.