NT-5059

Film Leader Countdown

Tilt down on street in Harlem neighborhood, New York, peds can be seen, busses going by, cars parked on streets, barbershop pole, signs on buildings.

Pan out from kids to view of high rise apartment buildings with fire escapes, clothes line between buildings with clothes hanging from it. Narration

Black man and woman looking out from window of apartment building.

African American woman speaking with Policeman - dark footage

Tilt down very dark footage of a dark littered alleyway. Narrator walking down alley with another male, kicking the empty cans, and talking about seeing and participating in gang fights, bottle fights, zip gun fights. Narrator points out spot where he got shot when he was about 13 years old.

Pan over to another long, littered alley between apartment buildings. Clothes hanging on clothes line in bkgd, fire escapes, lots of litter everywhere, boy runs across alley. Narrator and guest, Claude Brown, points out this alley as a place he hung out as a kid where they decided what they were going to do on any given day.

"Inside the Ghetto" title graphic of program overlay dark alley.

Pan over to close up of interviewer, narrator (unseen) introduces Norman Podhoretz, Editor of Commentary Magazine.

Close up on Podhoretz as he talks with Brown on his book about growing up, and "coming up", in Harlem. Podhoretz states that since the publication Brown has received many accolades from other prominent authors and states how the book breaks new ground in candor.

Wide shot Brown and interviewer, Podhoretz smoking a cigarette, sitting outside talking.

Wide shot Brown talking with Podhoretz telling him that he became so involved in writing the book (for money), experienced a catharsis and became very involved, and then realized that if he never received a penny for writing the book, the experience of writing it would have made it all worthwhile.

Two young Black boys hanging out on fire escape

Back to Podhoretz commenting on Brown's book, commenting on how critics state Brown never tells them in the book how and why it all happened that he got out of Harlem.

Young African American boy balancing on railing of fire escape on apartment building. Pan in reveals a friend sitting on steps of the fire escape.

Feet and legs from waist down leaning on fire escape steps and climbing stairway. Brown can be heard talking about his book.

Pan out from apartment building fire escape to several Black kids climbing up the stairwell.

Close up shot from other side of chain link fence, a young black boy just staring out, looking sad and alone.

Brown talking with Podhoretz and emphatically responding to the challenge and interview continues. He states that there's "there are many people too intellectually endowed and inclined to really perceive the message of the book... "That Harlem has been cast aside as sort of inhuman community in New York City...we've had too much psychological and sociological analysis of these various ghettos throughout the country already...this is what problematized Harlem and has acted as an obstacle..."

Interview continues. Close up Podhoretz, he refers to Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man. He mythicizes African American experience in places like Harlem.

Group of young male Black boys playing on fire escape, climbing up and down the ladders, leaning over the railings, kicking paper bags and debris off.

Brown, cigarette in hand, states he knew he wanted to make money and that he didn't want to spend too much in jail.

Two young African American girls holding small baby and leaning out the window of brick apartment building

wide shot Brown and Podhoretz, group of African Americans can be seen through chain link fence watching as Brown is interviewed.

Podhoretz talks with Brown about his potentially going into politics and becoming a Congressman of the Harlem District, being that he's in Law School now.

Black woman in plaid shirt shot looking through chain link fence, listening.

Two African American gentlemen, one wearing a white hat, the other in suit, white shirt and tie

Side head shot African American woman, short cropped hair, button earrings.

Three African American little kids sitting on fire escape.

Two African American guys sitting behind chain link fence, knees up to chin and appear to be listening.

Sassy looking Black woman in pretty print dress, leaning on chain link fence, puts her hand on her hip and gives a nod. Others behind her look on.

Young African American boy hanging on to pole (of fire escape) arm reaching up holding on.

Pretty Black young woman with short hair and cat eye sunglasses, black top.

Continuing interview, loud noise from airplane, Podhoretz, looking up at the sky

Tilt up on apartment buildings, little lone black boy standing on fire escape looking out.

Interview concludes Brown and Podhoretz shake hands.

"Inside the Ghetto" overlay apartment window with broken glass and unseen dog barking.

NET graphics with announcer