Scripts
DO THE RIGHT THING poster

1988

DO THE RIGHT THING script

On the hottest day in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Mookie, a pizza delivery man, observes escalating racial tensions between Black residents and Sal, the Italian-American owner of Sal's Famous Pizzeria. A neighborhood activist, Buggin' Out, demands Sal display Black celebrities on his 'Wall of Fame,' but Sal's refusal, fueled by his son Pino's racism, intensifies the conflict. As night falls, a confrontation at the pizzeria between Sal, Buggin' Out, and Radio Raheem, who constantly plays Public Enemy, erupts into a violent brawl. Police fatally choke Radio Raheem, prompting Mookie to incite a riot by destroying Sal's window, leading to the pizzeria's destruction and leaving the community's future uncertain.

Writer
Spike Lee
IMDb ID (imdb_id)
tt0097216
Script date
March 1, 1988
19Scenes
20Characters
64Pages
8Dialogue samples

Save the Cat beat sheet

DO THE RIGHT THING Save the Cat analysis

In BED-ROO, a Brooklyn neighborhood swelters under racial tensions as Mookie’s routine at Sal’s pizzeria collides with community conflicts.

Open full beat sheet
60

Key characters

Mookie

Mookie is listed as Pizza delivery man. Young man, works for Sal, brother of Jade. In the parsed data, Mookie is connected to 9 scenes, 4 dialogue lines, 7 text mentions, first appearing around scene 11.

9 scenes / 4 dialogue lines

Sal

Sal is listed as Owner of Sal's Famous Pizzeria. Italian-American, early fifties, father of Pino and Vito. In the parsed data, Sal is connected to 8 scenes, 4 dialogue lines, 5 text mentions, first appearing around scene 4.

8 scenes / 4 dialogue lines

Pino

Pino is listed as Sal's son. Sal's son, 22, works at the pizzeria. In the parsed data, Pino is connected to 8 scenes, 1 dialogue line, 2 text mentions, first appearing around scene 6.

8 scenes / 1 dialogue lines

Vito

Vito is listed as Sal's son. Sal's son, 20, works at the pizzeria. In the parsed data, Vito is connected to 8 scenes, first appearing around scene 4.

8 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Da Mayor

Da Mayor is listed as Neighborhood elder. Grizzled, older man, often seen drinking. In the parsed data, Da Mayor is connected to 5 scenes, 2 dialogue lines, 2 text mentions, first appearing around scene 2.

5 scenes / 2 dialogue lines

Mister Seor Love Daddy

Mister Seor Love Daddy is listed as Radio DJ. Radio personality at WE LOVE radio. In the parsed data, Mister Seor Love Daddy is connected to 3 scenes, 2 dialogue lines, 2 text mentions, first appearing around scene 1.

3 scenes / 2 dialogue lines

Mother Sister

Mother Sister is listed as Neighborhood resident. Older woman, watches the block from her window. In the parsed data, Mother Sister is connected to 3 scenes, 1 dialogue line, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 5.

3 scenes / 1 dialogue lines

Officer Ponte

Officer Ponte is listed as Police officer. Local police officer. In the parsed data, Officer Ponte is connected to 3 scenes, 1 dialogue line, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 7.

3 scenes / 1 dialogue lines

Buggin' Out

Buggin' Out is listed as Neighborhood resident. B-boy, activist. In the parsed data, Buggin' Out is connected to 3 scenes, first appearing around scene 14.

3 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Officer Long

Officer Long is listed as Police officer. Local police officer. In the parsed data, Officer Long is connected to 3 scenes, first appearing around scene 7.

3 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Radio Raheem

Radio Raheem is listed as Neighborhood resident. Carries a large boombox, plays one song. In the parsed data, Radio Raheem is connected to 3 scenes, first appearing around scene 14.

3 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Ahmad

Ahmad is listed as Neighborhood youth. Part of the local youth group. In the parsed data, Ahmad is connected to 2 scenes, first appearing around scene 8.

2 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Cee

Cee is listed as Neighborhood youth. Part of the local youth group. In the parsed data, Cee is connected to 2 scenes, first appearing around scene 8.

2 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Ella

Ella is listed as Neighborhood youth. Part of the local youth group. In the parsed data, Ella is connected to 2 scenes, first appearing around scene 8.

2 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Punchy

Punchy is listed as Neighborhood youth. Part of the local youth group. In the parsed data, Punchy is connected to 2 scenes, first appearing around scene 8.

2 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Sweet Dick Willie

Sweet Dick Willie is listed as Corner man. One of the neighborhood corner men. In the parsed data, Sweet Dick Willie is connected to 2 scenes, first appearing around scene 7.

2 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Jade

Jade is listed as Mookie's sister. Young woman, Mookie's sister. In the parsed data, Jade is connected to 1 scene, 1 dialogue line, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 3.

1 scenes / 1 dialogue lines

Tina

Tina is listed as Mookie's girlfriend. Young mother, Mookie's partner. In the parsed data, Tina is connected to 1 scene, 1 dialogue line, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 11.

1 scenes / 1 dialogue lines

Coconut Sid

Coconut Sid is listed as Corner man. One of the neighborhood corner men. In the parsed data, Coconut Sid is connected to 1 scene, first appearing around scene 7.

1 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

ML

ML is listed as Corner man. One of the neighborhood corner men. In the parsed data, ML is connected to 1 scene, first appearing around scene 7.

1 scenes / 0 dialogue lines

Scene outline

  1. 1. INT. WE LOVE RADIO STATION STOREFRONT - DAY

    Mister Seor Love Daddy broadcasts his morning radio show from a storefront window.

    Mister Seor Love Daddy
  2. 2. INT. DA MAYOR'S BEDROOM - DAY

    Da Mayor wakes up in the heat.

    Da Mayor
  3. 3. INT. JADE'S APARTMENT - DAY

    Mookie counts his money and wakes his sister Jade.

    Mookie, Jade
  4. 4. EXT. SAL'S FAMOUS PIZZERIA - DAY

    Sal and his sons arrive at the pizzeria and argue about chores.

    Sal, Pino, Vito
  5. 5. EXT. MOTHER SISTER'S STOOP - DAY

    Mookie greets Mother Sister on his way to work.

    Mookie, Mother Sister
  6. 6. INT. SAL'S FAMOUS PIZZERIA - DAY

    Mookie arrives at work and gets into a conflict with Pino; Da Mayor arrives to sweep.

    Mookie, Sal, Da Mayor, Pino, Vito
  7. 7. EXT. STREET - DAY

    Police officers Ponte and Long drive through the neighborhood, causing tension with the corner men.

    Officer Long, Officer Ponte, Sweet Dick Willie, Coconut Sid, ML
  8. 8. EXT. STOOP - DAY

    Da Mayor interacts with a young boy named Eddie and is confronted by local teenagers.

    Da Mayor, Ahmad, Ella, Punchy, Cee
  9. 9. INT. SAL'S FAMOUS PIZZERIA - DAY

    Mookie argues with Sal and Pino while on the phone with Tina.

    Mookie, Sal, Pino, Vito
  10. 10. INT. WE LOVE RADIO STATION CONTROL ROOM - DAY

    Mister Seor Love Daddy intervenes during the racial slur montage.

    Mister Seor Love Daddy
  11. 11. INT. TINA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

    Mookie cools Tina down with ice cubes while listening to the radio.

    Mookie, Tina, Mister Seor Love Daddy
  12. 12. INT. SAL'S FAMOUS PIZZERIA - NIGHT

    Officers Ponte and Long buy pizza, then Mookie arrives and argues with Sal.

    Sal, Officer Long, Officer Ponte, Mookie, Pino, Vito
  13. 13. INT. STOREROOM - NIGHT

    Pino warns Vito not to trust Mookie.

    Pino, Vito
  14. 14. EXT. STREET - NIGHT

    Buggin' Out and Radio Raheem discuss boycotting Sal's.

    Buggin' Out, Radio Raheem
  15. 15. INT. SAL'S FAMOUS PIZZERIA - NIGHT

    Sal, Mookie, Pino, and Vito are closing when Buggin' Out and Radio Raheem enter, leading to a fight.

    Sal, Mookie, Pino, Vito, Buggin' Out, Radio Raheem
  16. 16. EXT. STREET - NIGHT

    The fight spills onto the street; police arrive and kill Radio Raheem.

    Officer Long, Officer Ponte, Radio Raheem, Buggin' Out, Sal, Pino
  17. 17. EXT. STREET - NIGHT

    Mookie throws a garbage can through the window of Sal's, inciting a riot.

    Mookie, Da Mayor, Sal, Pino, Vito
  18. 18. INT. SAL'S FAMOUS PIZZERIA - NIGHT

    The pizzeria is set on fire.

    Mother Sister
  19. 19. EXT. STREET - DAY

    The morning after the riot, Mookie demands his pay from Sal.

    Mookie, Sal

Dialogue examples

Sal, if you want me to deliver any faster, get me a jet rocket or something, cuz I can't run with pizzas, all the cheese ends up on one side and shit.

Mookie / Scene 12

Yo! Hold up! Time out! Time out! Y'all take a chill. Ya need to cool that shit out... and that's the truth, Ruth.

Mister Seor Love Daddy / Scene 10

Don't you have enough sense not to bother people when they're sleeping?

Jade / Scene 3

Mookie, late again. How many times I gotta tell you?

Pino / Scene 6

Turn that JUNGLE MUSIC off. We ain't in Africa.

Sal / Scene 15

Doctor, always try to do the right thing.

Sal / Scene 19

Pino, get a broom and sweep out front.

Sal / Scene 4

I wants my money. I wants to get paid.

Mookie / Scene 19

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