One Night in Miami... Quotes

Sam Cooke: But you still obey them, so when they tell you to come out here to recruit Cassius to become a member of some...

Malcolm X: I didn't make Cassius do anything! He came to me for insight, he had questions. His passion for Islam come from a pure...

Cassius Clay: Passion... is kind of a strong word.

Angelo Dundee: [between rounds in the ring] Finish him off!

Cassius Clay: I'll finish him off when I'm good and ready. I told you he was ugly, you should see him up close, MAN he's ugly!

Jim Brown: Say man, do you have any regrets, you know, hitchin' your cart to the Muslim train?

Jamaal: Yeah, yes I think you could say I do.

Jim Brown: Really.

Jamaal: I regret that I didn't join when I was younger. This kid named Rollis used to chase me on the way home every damned day on the way. That's the reason I stopped goin'. I reckon if I'd've gotten with the bothers sooner, we could have nipped it in the bud and put our foot in Rollin's ass, know what I'm sayin'?

Jim Brown: Yeah, but you don't need a religion for that. Kid, you could have just joined a gang.

Jamaal: What's the difference?

Sam Cooke: It's time to take this party to the Fountainbleu, Whoo!

[starts singing]

Sam Cooke: Havin' a party...

Malcolm X: You've obviously forgotten, brother Cassius no longer drinks.

Sam Cooke: And you obviously haven't smelled his breath in the last hour.

Jim Brown: Say man, do you have any regrets, you know, hitchin' your cart to the Muslim train?

Jamaal: Yeah, yes I think you could say I do.

Jim Brown: Really.

Jamaal: I regret that I didn't join when I was younger. This kid named Rollis used to chase me on the way home every damned day. That's the reason I stopped goin'. I reckon if I'd've gotten with the bothers sooner, we could have nipped it in the bud and put our foot in Rollin's ass, know what I'm sayin'?

Jim Brown: Yeah, but you don't need a religion for that. Kid, you could have just joined a gang.

Jamaal: What's the difference?

Jim Brown: [regarding the ice cream in the motel room] Well, what flavor is it?

Malcolm X: Well, we have vanilla, Jimmy...

[pulls a second carton out of the freezer]

Malcolm X: ...and vanilla.

Jim Brown: Shit.

Sam Cooke: How's that for irony?

Malcolm X: Last time I checked, Brother Sam, vanilla was your flavor of choice.

Malcolm X: What kind of message are you sending, though, by doing one show for white folks and a completely different show for black folks, Sam?

Sam Cooke: [laughing in contempt] Ha.

Malcolm X: No, listen to me, you're performing in places where the only black people not on stage are the ones serving the food.

Sam Cooke: Don't you think I know that? I can't tell you how many times I wanted to reach out and punch somebody.

Malcolm X: Then, then, then, then strike with the weapon that you have, man: your voice! Black people, we, we standing up! We, we speaking out!

Sam Cooke: Umm hm.

Malcolm X: Sam, you have possibly one of the most effective, beautiful outlets of us all. You're not using it to help the cause, brother

Sam Cooke: The hell I'm not! I got the masters to my songs. I started a label, I'm producing tons of black artists. Don't you think my determining my own creative and business destiny is every bit as inspiring to people as you standing up on a podium trying to piss 'em off?