Darktown Strutters (1975)

Trina Parks: Syreena

Photos 

Quotes 

• Syreena : If you ever try to rape me again, I'm gonna break everything that hangs, dangles or swings!

• Syreena : Maid's day off?

  Mellow : Come on sister Syreena, we're all alone, you don't have to come off like that. Your sisters aren't here.

  [Syreena smacks him] 

  Mellow : Good thing they call me Mellow.

  Syreena : Strut off!

  Mellow : How would you like the time of your life with everything on it?

  Syreena : I'll let you know.

• Syreena : What are you into these days?

  Flash : I thought you'd never ask. I'll show you.

  [breaks through the door] 

  Syreena : Kung fu?

  Flash : Mayhem!

  Syreena : Still breaking through doors.

• Syreena : Any word from Mom?

  Flash : No, not yet.

  Syreena : How long's it been?

  Flash : Well, I bit the neighbor's dog on June 23rd.

  Syreena : Got your letter.

  Flash : Ain't that a bitch? Mama went to work one day and just disappeared, never came back.

  Syreena : Well where's she work?

  Flash : Cross foundation. I filed a missing person report, but the police arrested me for filing a false report, and they couldn't find her.

• Mellow : Once around the police station, how 'bout that?

  Syreena : What's the bet?

  Mellow : My ass.

  Syreena : What if I win?

  Mellow : Your ass. How can you lose?

  Syreena : I'll come up with something.

• Syreena : [doing a wheelie on her motorcycle]  Hi-ho Silver, away!

• Syreena : I saw them out there!

  Carmen : The Klan?

  Miranda : Then it's true, they're riding again!

• Syreena : [sees the inspector in a red dress putting on black face]  Pardon me.

  Inspector Fallow : Hold that. Everybody uptight because of a little getup.

  Syreena : It's not the getup, Inspector, but I *was* expecting a straight.

  Inspector Fallow : Don't be too sure I'm not. There's a white female rapist on the loose, and she preys on black male faggots.

  Syreena : Well that outfit ought to drive her crazy.

  Inspector Fallow : Mm-hmm, I sure hope so.

  [feminine voice] 

  Inspector Fallow : I certainly hope so.

• Inspector Fallow : Alright, what is it you want?

  Syreena : I want to know why you haven't found my mother.

  Inspector Fallow : Ah! Another missing person. What's her name?

  Syreena : Cinderella.

  Inspector Fallow : Cinderella?

  [chuckles] 

  Inspector Fallow : You ain't the only one looking for her. Vice wants to talk to her about illegal operations.

  Syreena : She's a spy? Golly gee!

  Inspector Fallow : None of that street talk on me, huh? Anyway, Missing Persons is out of its head. Several prominent black males have been reported missing in the past two weeks.

  Syreena : And these 'prominent black males' are far more important than missing women?

• Philo Rasberry : Somebody's ripping off the cream of the ghetto, I've got to be careful myself because I live inside too.

  Syreena : You could be next.

  Philo Rasberry : You really think so?

  Syreena : Sure, baby, but it's like rape, you got to ASK for it.

• Bo : This is Mrs. Parasol.

  Mrs. Parasol : Mrs. Charles Parasol.

  Syreena : Hi, Charles!

  Mrs. Parasol : What is that outfit?

  Syreena : I don't know! I saw Miss Julie Eisenhower wearing one on television.

  Mrs. Parasol : [about a can opener]  I'll take that.

  Syreena : I'll wrap it.

  [rips Mrs. Parasol's skirt] 

  Mrs. Parasol : Oh! This is outrageous!

  Syreena : Thanks! It's nice to be appreciated!

• Syreena : [spitting wine in Philo Raspberry's face]  Shit. That is the worst shit I have ever drank. What year is that? Do you get that from the toilet? No wonder it's private stock. Philo, you don't have to worry about getting kidnapped; not with taste like that!

  [slaps him in the face] 

• Six Bits : What do you want, huh?

  Syreena : Who's paying the bills at the runaway house?

  Six Bits : Now why're you asking me that? I'm just the numbers man. Now you want to get something down?

  [Flash shoves him to Mellow] 

  Syreena : Yeah, yeah, we gonna get you down and stomped on.

  Six Bits : Now look, it's even money they got some kind of politician's money or something, why?

  Mellow : Shut up!

  [shoves Six Bits towards Flash] 

  Six Bits : Hey man! She's gonna kill me if I don't talk, and you gonna kill me if I do! Just show me how I get out of here!

  [Syreena hits his foot with a wrench, Flash hits him in the back of the head] 

  Syreena : Once more!

  Six Bits : The Cross Foundation! They put money into it!

• Flash : How come they ain't kidnapped you, Six Bits? You big time.

  Six Bits : How come they ain't kidnapped you?

  Flash : Oh I'm deferred.

  Syreena : Listen, my MAMA's been kidnapped.

  Six Bits : 3 to 1 you'll never see her again.

• Cinderella : Syreena? Remember when you were a little girl and you asked me why men get to keep their names when they got married, and women didn't?

  Syreena : Oh yes!

  Cinderella : You remember what I said?

  Syreena : No.

  Cinderella : I don't either, and it's bothering me.

• Syreena : Lixie!

  Lixie : Leave me ALONE!

  Syreena : I'm a friend! I'm Cinderella's daughter, Syreena!

  Lixie : Syreena? Yeah! She mentioned you! Did you find her yet?

  Syreena : No girl, but the trail leads to you.

  Lixie : They've been looking for me and I don't know why.

  Syreena : Who is?

  Lixie : I don't know.

  Syreena : Well tell me how you got mixed up with my mama. What was happening?

  Lixie : It's a loooooong story.

  Syreena : It's a looooong winter, girl.

• Syreena : I ought to burn this place down!

  Cinderella : Noooooooo! Lord no. Do you realize that Cross has nearly perfected an artificial womb? That could be the answer to all our problems. Transplant unwanted births.

• Flash : [rushes out the house with phone in hand]  WHERE YOU BEEN? I've been calling all over for you!

  Syreena : It's the Klan!

  Flash : The Klan? I'll give emergency a buzz.

  [Syreena rides off, on phone] 

  Flash : Emergency? Dear Abbey? Dear Abbey, I've got a problem!

• Syreena : They are making whites black! I've found Cinderella. We're gonna need all the HELP we can get! GET ON!

• Syreena : [riding by on her motorcycle]  The Klan is coming! The Klan is coming! The Klan is coming!

  Six Bits : Cash me in!

  [tosses money and runs after her] 

  Syreena : [passes Stuff and Lixie]  Follow me!

  Lixie : We're with you, sista!

• Syreena : I need to get me a shotgun and rip...

  Cinderella : Child come here. Come here honey. Ain't you learned NOTHING from all them hippie children that got their heads beat in?

  Syreena : Yeah, I learned that you beat them before they beat you, Mama, that's what I learned.

  Cinderella : You're gonna go on forever fighting like that, you ain't NEVER gonna win. The enemy's in our heads.