Putney Swope (1969)

Antonio Fargas: The Arab

Photos 

Quotes 

• The Arab : Get on out! Yeah, no more taking pictures of no jive cans and jive bottles and skinny-legged broads with stockings on them. Get on out of here! We're gonna have some greasy fingers and some chicken and all the beautiful things that people have - who have it! And you ain't got it! So get on out! You understand? We're not gonna take any more of your jives. 'Cause we're Truth and Soul, you understand? Truth and Soul! 'Cause we got it and we got a brother that's gonna make it right. We got brother Putney.

• Putney Swope : Who do you think you are, Lawrence of Nigeria?

  The Arab : At least I ain't jive.

• The Arab : Just 'cause you got a pair of jugs don't mean you rule the world.

• The Arab : I'm tired, I'm fed up, I can't take no more. I can't stand no more of Putney Swope, man. Like, he's got to go, man. 'Cause this cat is a jive cat, you understand? You know what, man? Like, I have been jugging his old lady. Do you dig this? And this cat has never said nothing to me, man. I have called him out many a times in front of all the people around here who kiss this cat's ass, man. I don't kiss his ass. 'Cause I call it like it is, man. This man caught me with his woman, and still, this cat can't get rid of me - 'cause I got the power, you understand? I got the power, I got the talent, and I've got everything that this cat wants. He keeps me around here because I make him look good, you understand? And I'm tired of making this cat look good.

• The Arab : Come out your dream world and get your story straight, man. Before I get hot here and I have to tell my cousin Sirhan Saran Wrap.

• The Arab : Now how, when, are things gonna happen, man? Your whole cart has been pimped. When are thing gonna start to change? Where's the revolution you were talking about? There ain't nothing happening. There is no revolution the way you're running this joint, man. Now, when is something gonna happen? When are you going to do it? When and how? What day? Give me a time, man. Show me how progress is gonna be made. There ain't no progress the way this is running now.

• Beanie : I wanna know about this Putney dude. And the faggot at the Traffic Department. There's a blonde faggot in the Traffic Department. Next time he bends over to pick up the paperclips, General, I'm gonna sock it to him right in his keister.

  The Arab : Does he like dudes?

  Beanie : I don't know, man, but he's got a boss little round ass in them tight bell-bottom pants. I know that!

  The Arab : Well, if you're tripping, and you're going that way.

  Beanie : No, my johnson get hard, Jim, it knows no discrimination.

  The Arab : Yeah, discrimination, huh?

  Beanie : No, my johnson get hard, everything goes.

• The Arab : I know you a jive cat, 'cause you done made your last mistake you ever gonna make, Mister. I seen that nonsense you trying to show us here. You trying to dupe everybody in this joint. Now, what is this? We done taking the last bit of your nonsense, man. I'm not gonna take all this crap. Everybody knows you're a jive nigger. You done pulled all this jive shit. Your mother had a creative idea when she borne you and you had to go and blow that! Then you gonna come and try to show us all this crap. A nigger sitting up there eating cornflakes. Man, you ain't had nothing original since you got here.

• The Arab : Look at you in the highwater pants. You jive nigger, look at you. Two-button suit? Now what kind of suit is that? You're supposed to be a soul brother. Look at this brother's hair. Everybody's dressed up like pride and dignity. You ain't got none.