All language subtitles for The Watermelon Woman (1996) MUBI EN

Where do you want it?
Where do you want it?

Where do you want it?
Shit.

Tamara, Tamara,
go stand over there.

Go stand over there with that.
It's kinda dark.

Why don't you move it?
Why don't you move over there?

- Yeah.
- Can you smile pretty for the camera?

Aw, isn't that sweet.

Why don't y'all come around?
Why don't y'all run around, Sadie?

Ring around the Rosie

Ring…

A pocket--
You know the whole song.

Ring around the Rosie

A pocket full…

Okay, Josh, get up in there.
Just get up in there by yourself.

…we all fall down

Okay.
Let me just tighten you guys up in here.

Very nice.

Could you just angle in a little bit more?
Great. Come over.

You two switch places. Yes, you.

Looks great.

But could you two guys in the back
switch places, please?

Sir. Excuse me, sir?

- We're working with the family right now.
- Oh.

Don't you--
Don't you even see the video equipment?

Why don't you just, like,
wait your turn?

- Okay.
- Thank you.

- Okay.
- Okay.

Oh, my God. What a day.

Well, we'll take care of it.

We'll get the video done as soon as we can
and deliver it to you, okay?

Thank you.

Let me see that.

Lord.

Ooh, I love cash.

I don't like cash. I like checks.
But this will have to do, okay.

Can I use the equipment this weekend
to work on my project?

This is the 3rd weekend in a row
you wanna use the equipment,

but you've yet to shoot anything.

Uh-uh, my cut is $50 short.

You remember what Rose and Guin said
in the Go Fishbook:

"If you wanna make a film,
you gotta make some sacrifices."

And besides, we have to make
money payments on the camera.

- Take it to Hollywood, baby.
- Excuse you.

I'm not into making sacrifices
for some "future," alright.

I wanna take Stacey out this weekend
for dinner

and for that I need cash today, okay?

- Just give me my money
- I'll lend you some.

and cut the attitude.

- I'll lend you some money.
- Lend me?

Lend me my own damn money?
You worse than white people in a bank.

Oh, my God. It's raining.

I don't care if it's raining.
Give me my damn money.

What does one got to do with the other?

Give me my money, Cheryl.
Don't be fronting with no attitude.

- Okay, I'll give you your money.
- I know you're giving it to me. Shit.

What are you shooting, anyway?

First you're arguing with me
and then you're shooting?

It's urban realism.
Come on. Won't this be a nice contrast?

So these people will really know
on their day of sacred matrimony...

These people don't wanna put
this mess in their video, Tamara.

Well, honey, they're paying me.
This is my impression of their wedding.

So how is your video going?

I'm going to use the equipment tonight,
if that's possible.

What are you shooting?

Come on, Cheryl.
This is the really good stuff.

This is, like, urban poverty.
Very raw. It's very "in," very new.

I just don't believe it.

Look, I'm tired of you
and your project.

The Watermelon Woman.

- Who the hell is she? Who cares?
- Turn off the camera.

I don't want this stuff to be on film.

...LATER THAT NIGHT

Hi. I'm Cheryl, and I'm a filmmaker.

Uh, nah, I'm not really a filmmaker,

but I have a videotaping business
with my friend Tamara,

and I work at a video store,

so I'm working on being a filmmaker.

The problem is, I don't know
what I want to make a film on.

I know it has to be about Black women
because our stories have never been told.

So I've been renting movies--
No, I haven't been renting movies.

But I get movies from the video store
that I work at

and I've taken all these films out
from the '30s and '40s

with Black actresses in them

like, um, Hattie McDaniel
and Louise Beavers.

And, um, in these films--

In some of the films, the Black actresses
aren't even listed in the credits

and I was just totally shocked by that.

So in this one film that came
into the store, Plantation Memories,

I saw the most beautiful Black mammy
named Elsie.

And I just had to show this. So…

Watch.

Missy Barbara.

Oh, don't cry, Missy.

Master Charles is coming back, for sure.
I know he is.

Do you really think so, Elsie?

Oh yes, Missy Barbara.
I know he is.

I prayed to God all night long

and this morning, his little angel
told me that he was coming back.

Back to you.

Her name?
The Watermelon Woman.

That's right.
Watermelon Woman.

Is Watermelon Woman her first name,
her last name, or is it her whole name?

I don't know,
but girlfriend has it going on.

And I think I've figured out
what my project's gonna be on.

I'm gonna make a movie about her.

I'm gonna find out what her real name is,

who she was and is,
everything I can find out about her.

Because something in her face,

something in the way she looks
and moves is serious, is interesting.

And I'm gonna just tell you all about her.

THE WATERMELON WOMAN

A FILM BY CHERYL DUNYE

Hey, Tamara. Is Bob here?

Late again.

You know, you really should try
to pick up the phone sometime

because I called you this morning
to let you know Bob was coming in early.

Or were you at the White Dog Café,
cruising all the cute girls again?

No, I was home doing something
more important than this place, thank you.

You know,
you don't have to work here, Cheryl.

I'm sorry I got you the damn job
in the first place.

Tamara, that was two years ago.
It's time to move on.

I'm a filmmaker, you know.

Anyway, did those special-order tapes
come in yet?

Yes, they're over here.

I certainly hope that Michael Riley
likes those films as much as you do.

I can't believe you're wasting
the tape scam to order them.

I can barely stand the stuff
that Hollywood puts out now,

let alone that "nigger/mammy" shit
from the '30s.

Oh, my God.

Look what's here.
A film with the Watermelon Woman in it.

Like I said, boring stuff.

All you do,
since you don't have a girlfriend,

is watch those boring old films.

I'd rather watch boring old films
than Black porn like you.

Okay, there is no need to get
into my personal shit up in here. Okay?

I was just kidding in the first place.

What I meant to say was,
what are you doing tonight?

Probably watching these.

You wanna go out with Stacey and me?

With a four-month-old
lesbian relationship?

She has a friend in from out of town.

Not another blind date, Tamara.

Oh, come on, Cheryl.
I apologized for that a million times.

How was I supposed to know
that she was spiritual?

It's your turn to wait on a customer.

"Spiritual" is not the word.
"Heavy Afro-femme-centric" is the word.

- Remember Sister Ufumela Ifé Indelé?
- You wrong.

You wait on a customer
'cause I just clocked in.

Tired, late ass
gettin' on my last Black nerve.

- How can I help you?
- Yes, do you have The Three Tenors?

No, I'm sorry. It's out.

Thank you.

So get on up on the floor

'Cause we're gonna boogie oogie oogie

Till you just can't boogie no more

Boogie, boogie no more

You can't boogie no more

Boogie, boogie no more

Listen to my bass, yeah

I think it's time for me to sing my song.

What song?

Not the one you tried to--
I mean, sang back in college.

Right.

The one I sang for the Spike Lee audition
at the Black Deb Ball.

Tell them, Stacey.
Tell them how I almost got the part.

Part? Are you sure you--

Are you sure you want them
to know that story?

Why not?

I'm a singer, right?

Tell them I'm a singer.

What's this about a Spike Lee audition?

She's gonna look really stupid if she
gets up on that stage and can't sing.

It was our freshman year in college,

and it was rumored that Spike Lee
was gonna be on campus,

recruiting for his new film
on Black schools.

Anyway, our little Black group on campus
decides to throw a party

in the hopes that Spike will come
and discover us.

And Miss Yvette shows up
with this tight-ass,

and I mean tight-ass
red polka-dot outfit on.

Outfit, man.

She goes up to the DJ,

makes him turn off the music
in the middle of a slow jam,

and then starts to sing.

And?

And this boy throws a drink in her face.

That was the first time
I had ever seen Yvette go off like that.

I mean, she put the boy in the hospital.

It was the beginning of what we called
"Yvette's real emotional period."

Real emotional, huh?

But she's cute, though, Cheryl.
Don't forget that.

Great.

Alright, ladies, Yvette would like
to perform Lovin' You.

Let's hear it for Yvette.

Yeah.

Behave.

Thank you. Thank you.

I'd like to dedicate this song
to my friends Tamara, Stacey and Cheryl.

Great.

Lovin' you

Is easy 'cause you're beautiful

Makin' love with you
Is all I wanna do

Lovin' you

Is more than just a dream come true

And everything that I do

Is out of lovin' you

La-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la

La-la-la-la-la,
la-la la-la-la

Doo-doo-doo-doo-de-doo

No one else can make me feel
The colors…

CENTER CITY,
PHILADELPHIA

Um, excuse me, sir.
Can I ask you a question?

Shoot.

Uh, can you tell me,
do you know who the Watermelon Woman is?

Watermelon Woman?

Yeah. She's the one who originated
what we call "Aunt Jemima."

Like on the syrup bottles.

From the sound of the name,

she must have been
in early Hollywood cinema.

Watermelon Woman.
I'm-- I think she's from Philly.

I-- Is she from Philly?

Isn't she the lady that wore
the fruit cocktail on her head?

No, that's Rosie Perez, Booka.

It could have been
her alias name.

- Oh, child, I don't think so.
- She wore the fruit cocktail

- with the leaves.
- No, no, no. Uh-uh.

You know.

- Was that answer right?
- No.

- Avocados and things.
- No, no.

- No, that's--
- It wasn't her?

Isn't that Rosie?

It was not Rosie! This lady
was from back in the '40s and '50s.

It could have been Rosie.

She looked like she was
in the '40s and '50s.

- Oh, shit.
- Rosie gonna kill you.

Okay, well, thank you.

- Okay, bye-bye.
- Thank you.

(SORRY ROSIE)

Watermelon Woman.
Do you think you've heard of her?

- No.
- No.

WYNNFIELD, PHILA.

My mother was the first person
I called up

because I knew she'd have something to say
about the Watermelon Woman.

She is a collector of sorts.

A better word for her is
a collector of junk.

She never throws anything away.

Keeps things
"filed" away in the basement.

As you can see,
her "filing system" needs updating.

I mean, look at it all.

Old books, boxes of clothing,
my dance costumes,

my brother's Star Trek models,

her dead mother and brother's stuff.

She even has boxes
of the most remarkable props

from when she used to go
to the movies back then.

You know, picture cards and magazines.

I just can't find them, is the problem.

The box was in the closet.

Why don't you listen to me, Cheryl?

Mom.

And then the other one.

How do I look, Cheryl?

- You look fine.
- MY MOTHER

Get those earrings on.
You look good.

- You think so?
- Yeah.

This is for the video, so don't worry.

It's just-- It's not--
You know, don't be too deep.

So you saw lots of films when
you were growing up in the '30s, right?

Oh, yes. Uh-huh. A lot of films.

And one of your favorite stars
was the Watermelon Woman, right?

- The who?
- The Watermelon Woman.

Remember the skinny girl we talked about?

I didn't see the Water-- Who?

I've never heard of the Watermelon Woman.

Oh, come-- Mom!

Look, I took off from work
to come all the way here

- to ask you about the Watermelon Woman.
- Wait a minute, Cheryl.

You're talking to your mother.
You don't talk to me like that.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

But I specifically wanted
to talk to you about this.

And you acted like you knew before.

What-- Did you see any movies back then
or any other actresses or--

Oh, yes. Uh-huh.
But I didn't see that one.

- Saw Queenie.
- Queenie?

Yeah.
She was in Gone with the Wind.

You mean Butterfly McQueen?

- Okay. She was in Gone with the Wind.
- Mm-hmm.

We saw some of these other actresses
and things.

Yeah. Well, I wanted to know
about the Watermelon Woman.

She was, um,
in, um, the films by Martha Page.

Look at this box.

Martha Page is the director.

Look at the Black woman in the picture.

That's the Watermelon Woman.

- I've seen her face before.
- Where?

It wasn't in any film or anything.

I saw her a couple of times at some clubs.

- Really?
- She was singing.

- Where? What clubs?
- Oh, the clubs we used to hang out at.

Oh, the Blue Note, Showboat.

- Pep's.
- Mmm. No!

Different clubs like that.

What-- Who was at the clubs with you?

Oh, there was, um, Hattie

and Shirley and May.

Mm-hmm.

- Jeannie.
- Mm-hmm.

Just the regular old gang.
You know, we'd go there.

But, um... I don't know.

- Did they like the clubs?
- Oh, there were weirdos.

- No.
- Yes, the weird people were there.

Uh-huh.
Kinda sounds like my type of people.

- Yes. You would have loved it.
- Mm-hmm. I'm sure I would have.

You know, it's two for one
Monday through Thursday.

- Really?
- Yeah.

I'm having a hard time deciding.
What do you think?

Cleopatra Jones, Jason's Lyric
or Personal Best?

Well, Cleopatra Jonesis really fun.

Why don't you do
Cleopatra Jonesand Carrie?

I think the two
go really well together.

I know, but Carrie?
I hate Sissy Spacek.

She's all weird and pale and thin
and anorexic in this movie.

I kind of like my girls
with meat on their bones.

Anyway, I just saw it.

Well, um, there's always, uh,
some sci-fi, like Aliens.

Or how about Repulsion
with Catherine Deneuve?

She goes nuts
in her apartment one night.

I just moved into a new apartment.
I don't think I need that.

Well, help yourself.
It's two for one.

- Okay. Thanks for your suggestions.
- You're welcome.

- So who's the cutie?
- Some customer.

She's got nice bone structure,
if you're into white girls.

Do you think she is
or isn't in the family?

Tamara, why are you always
constantly clocking women?

We're lesbians, remember, Cheryl?
We're into female-to-female attraction.

Anyway, you're the one who's supposed
to be clocking all the girls.

How long's it been
since you've been with one, anyway?

A week. Remember
the emotionally imbalanced Yvette?

Come on, Cheryl.
She was not that bad.

- She called Stacey and asked about you.
- Yeah, she was.

Blah, blah, blah.

If you two worked as much as you talked,
I'd have a chain of video stores by now.

Tamara, Cheryl,

I'd like to introduce you
to your coworker, Annie Hinkley.

Heath. Annie Heath.

Yeah. Annie Heath.
She's a Bryn Mawr graduate, right?

Right. It's nice to meet you, Cheryl.

It's nice to meet you, Tamara.

I'll tell you what. Cheryl, why don't you
help Annie learn the Bob system

while waiting on this customer.

- Okay.
- Miss Attitude, in my office.

Let's go.

Okay, so I'm taking you up
on your suggestion.

- And it's two for one, right?
- Right.

- So maybe I should go get the tapes.
- No, no.

- Stay here and we'll do this together.
- Okay.

Um, name on the account.

It's Rolland, but it's a new account.

Okay, new accounts get rung up
like any other order,

except we have to get her, uh,
name and address, phone number,

and I'll get her credit card.

Gotcha.

Can I have your credit card?

Thanks.

Alright. So the name is Rolland.

- And your first name?
- Diana.

And your address?

- 4043 Ludlow.
- Thank you.

And that's right, for the...

And your phone number?

555-2112.

Okay. That's it.

- Don't I have to sign something?
- Oh, yeah. I'm sorry.

I've worked in a video store before.

I just get the tapes she wants
and scan them, right?

- Yeah.
- Alright.

So I'm getting Repulsion
and Cleopatra Jones.

- Cleopatra Jones. Right.
- I'll get them.

- They're in alphabetical order?
- Alphabetical.

Can I have my credit card back?

Oh, I'm sorry. Here you go.

Thanks.

Here you go.

- Alright. There you go.
- Thank you.

- Uh, would you like a bag?
- No. Thanks… Cheryl.

You're welcome.

And that's how you take a customer order.

You mean, that's how a customer
picks up an employee.

If it's that easy,
I need to get a name tag, Cheryl.

GERMANTOWN, PHILA.

The other day,
I mentioned my project to Tamara's mother,

and she gave me this card.

Some friend of the family, no doubt.

She said this Lee character
is really into Black film.

Tamara told me that when she was a child,

she saw Lee trying to hit on
her older cousin, Tyrone,

and Tyrone kicked him in the balls.

Well, with a background like that,
you know I had to go check him out.

I even brought Miss Tammy along
to help me film it all.

- So you came to see what I got, huh?
- Yep.

What's this stuff over here?

Oh, got some posters here from
some Black cast films like this one.

You got Gone Harlemwith Ethel Moses.

Kind of sultry sepia diva.

- She's just reclining there.
- Wow.

Got July Jones, Juke Jointhere,
Ralph Cooper in Dark Manhattan.

Ralph Cooper used to emcee at the Apollo.
His son still works up there.

I like this one up here.

Got Bill Pickett,

"World's colored champion."
The Bull-Dogger.

- Tough.
- Wow.

Come on in here.

Now, everything is authentic,

except some of the race memorabilia
in the kitchen

and this sign here.
Right up there, yeah.

"Drama."

'Cause you know who serves the drama
in this house, alright?

- Please.
- Alright.

Oh, well, what's this Royal Theater?

The Royal, The Standard, The Dunbar.

Those were the places to be
in the '20s and '30s.

South Street was jumping with nightlife.

- Like South Street now?
- Hell no, girl. South Street sucks now.

The Royal and the Dunbar,
those were Black-owned-- Write this down.

Those were Black-owned, Black-operated,

right up until
and even after the Depression.

Black folks wanted to see
the Hollywood stuff,

you know, with the stars and the costumes.

All that junk.

Got my little office right back here.

- See? "Film department."
- Yes.

- Voilà.
- Wow.

What an impressive setup.

You mean expensive setup.

- Whoa, sorry.
- That's okay.

Cheryl, ask him
about the Watermelon Woman.

Never heard that name before.
Watermelon... No, no.

I don't--

Tell him the name
of the woman who directed it.

Watermelon Woman. Mm-mmm.

Uh, what was the name again?

Uh, M-Martin?

Martha. Martha Page.
She was a white woman director.

Martha. A woman, huh?

Uh, women are not my specialty,
I tell you.

Of course they aren't.
Look at you.

What was that, Tamara?

Cheryl, I have some Photoplaymagazines
for you in the basement.

I'll get 'em for you.
You can take 'em with you when you leave.

You can be so rude sometimes.

The Royal, The Standard, The Dunbar.

Those were the places to be
in the '20s and '30s.

20th and South, that was it.

Everyone who was anyone
wanted to be up there,

you know, in the theater,
seeing the shows and the movies.

Really great.

If they had only played
those Black cast films,

those theaters would have gone
out of business during the Depression.

Black folks wanted to see
the Hollywood stuff,

you know, with the stars and costumes.

- All that junk. Yeah.
- Mm-hmm.

The Black cast stuff, or Negro stuff,
that played before the Hollywood feature.

TALL, TAN AND TERRIFIC

Well, you know, that was, uh--

that was that was it
for the sisters back then,

you know, playing that domestic help.

I bet that's how
the Watermelon Woman got her start.

Oh, don't cry, Missy.

Master Charles is coming back, for sure.
I know he is.

Do you really think so, Elsie?

Oh, yes, Missy Barbara.
I know he is.

I prayed to God all night long,

and this morning, his little angel told me
he was coming back.

Back to you.

There you go.

Are the green plums in yet?

Ma'am, not until Tuesday
when all the other produce comes in.

Need anything else?

- No, I think that's it.
- Sure?

You would expect a young girl like that
to be quick about things.

What is she buying, anyway?

That'll be ten dollars, please.

You want some money?
I'll pay for half of it.

- No, I got it. You can buy the wine.
- Okay. That's fair.

Hey, it's Cheryl from the video store.

Yeah, I saw you standing in line.
Thought I'd say hi.

Hi.

Let's go, Diana.
We have a lot of errands to run.

- May I help you?
- Yes. Carrots and broccoli.

Carrots and broccoli, right here.

Carrots and your broccoli.

Four dollars.

Damn, Tamara. What's up with that?

Look, we gots to go
or I's is gonna be late.

For what?
Can't you see I'm just getting into it?

Dang, Cheryl. All these books. Isn't there
a limit to how much you can take out?

Twenty. Don't you think I asked
before I came down?

It's not like I can go and ask for
information about the Watermelon Woman.

They only have references
on Black women in film.

Did you ask at the reference desk?

- Damn.
- Tamara, pick up the book.

I don't think you're listening to me.

I'm not listening to you, Cheryl,
because we have to go. Okay?

I promised Stacey
that I'd meet her at her house

and I want to get there early, you know,
give her some wine and some flowers.

I'm trying to get some tonight.

Look, I just have to do
one more thing, then we can go.

Okay?

Cheryl, you're next. Come on.

- I have to be there in 20 minutes.
- Alright. Okay.

- Hi.
- Hi.

Um, I'm looking for information
on the Watermelon Woman.

She was a Black actress in the 1930s.

I seem to be having a bit of trouble.

Nothing comes up.

Uh, check the Black section
in the reference library.

Um, well, how about Martha Page?

She was a white woman director
in the 1930s.

All this information is referenced
in the reference section.

Have you checked the reference section
of the library, miss?

Both are involved in films,

and I thought there was
some sort of non-reference book

that could be checked out
on women in film and…

Well, have you tried the film section,
PN 1993 to 1995?

We have. Why does he think
we're waiting in this line?

Shut up, Tamara.

The names again?

Uh, the Watermelon Woman and Martha Page.

Watermelon Woman.

The only thing that's coming up
is Martha Page.

She is listed in several
non-reference titles on women in film.

No, no Watermelon Woman.

Check the reserve desk on the third floor.

Next on line, please.

- Great news.
- SOUTH PHILLY

With my mom's help,

we went through some of her "files"
in the basement.

It took all day, but we found info
on her old friend Shirley.

- Miss Shirley
- FACTORY WORKER

never married,
worked in a factory most of her life.

- I think she's in the family.
- Watermelon Woman?

Oh, you mean Fae? Fae Richards.

I thought her name
was the Watermelon Woman.

"Watermelon Woman."
I don't know where you got that mess from.

Probably from when
she was making those movies.

Mmm.

But her name was Fae Richards.

When she sang for us,
she used her real name.

Mm-hmm.

And she used to sing
for all of us stone butches.

We used to stand in front of the stage
and fight for position

so that she would look at us.

- Mmm.
- And, um…

One time I got in a fight
with this girl from North Philly…

who kept popping in my space, you know.

And, um...

But when Fae would sing,
oh, boy, she was beautiful, like poetry.

Why don't you tell me
what the clubs were like back then.

Like, who was at these clubs?

- The clubs were mixed.
- Mm-hmm.

You know, the white folks owned them.

- The Black folks attended.
- Mm-hmm.

- And the ofays came to socialize.
- Right.

And we had
a real good time there. We really did.

Was-- Was, um…

Was Fae hanging with the, uh, ofays?

Yeah. Fae hung with the ofays quite a bit,
you know, especially with the...

- Martha-- Martha Page?
- Yeah. With some, one particular woman.

I think that was her name. Martha Page.
She was a big-time director.

- Yes. Yes.
- Movie director.

And, uh,
she and Fae used to hang a lot,

and I think Fae, you know,
wanted to get into movies.

- Uh-huh.
- That's why she hung so tough with them.

You know? And especially with Martha.

And I heard some very ugly--
If I remember my gossip correctly,

that Martha Page was
one mean and ugly woman.

Maybe that's how you have to be
in the movie business.

Oh, no, no.

- Do you have any pictures from back then?
- Yeah. I've got a lot of pictures.

I used to save them 'cause back then,

- we could buy the pictures in the clubs
- Mm-hmm.

- and the performers would sign them.
- I see.

I kept my mirror covered
with all of these performers.

- You'd like to see them?
- I'd like to see them.

Alright. Wow.

- Let's see what's in the box.
- Oh.

You got any pictures of Fae Richards?

Let me see. I've got so many pictures
in here of these performers.

Oh, look at-- Damn.

Oh, here it is. Here it is.

Let's see. Hold it up. Yeah.

- That's good.
- She was a looker, wasn't she?

Yeah, she was a looker, alright.

Can you believe it?
Fae's a sapphic sister.

A bulldagger.

A lesbian.
Oh, my gosh.

I knew something was up
when I saw Plantation Memories.

But with Martha Page?

Hmm.
Fae was really swinging back then.

I guess we have a thing or two in common,
Miss Richards,

the movies and women.

Hey, Cheryl,
Yvette's been asking about you again.

What?

In fact, she and Stacey are stopping by
after work tonight, if you're interested.

Tamara, why do you do that?
You know I don't like her.

What, you say you don't like Stacey?

Yvette. It's Yvette I don't like.

I don't like her anything.
Her clothing, her attitude, her look.

What's wrong with the way she dresses?
I think she dresses nice.

Besides, Cheryl, she wants you.

So? I don't care if she wants me.

I'm into dating women
with mental health right now.

See, that's what's wrong with you.

I think Yvette's got it going on
with a bip and a bang.

You go for that.

- Annie, you got a cigarette?
- Yeah.

I wanna go have a break.

- Sure. I'll join you.
- Alright.

Oh, honey,
I'ma have to see some ID with this.

Cheryl, Tamara.

Did either of you take an order
for Diana Rolland?

- Who?
- Rolland. This is a new account.

I just got a call
from Big Black Productions,

and they don't have
Bald Black Ball Busters.

The rest of her order is here.

When you get a chance,
would you give her a call

and let her know
that title is unavailable?

- But Big Black Bobis.
- Sure.

Bald Black Ball Busters.

Isn't that funny, Tamara?

Hysterical.

You said he never checks that stuff.

I know he knows I ordered them
under her name.

He usually doesn't.
But Bald Black Ball Busters?

Tamara, what's up with that?

Okay, I was, like, curious to see
what they'd look like without hair.

- Hi. Can I help you?
- Oh, yeah.

Thank you.

Miss Rolland.

Uh, most of the tapes you ordered
have come in,

but one of them was unavailable.

They didn't have-- Cheryl.

Yes, sorry. Here.

They didn't have this title.

Oh, bummer.

Okay, well, um, I guess
I'll just take the rest of them then.

- Can I charge it?
- Sure.

Thank you.

Tamara, would you get that?

Uh, I'm busy.

We're all set here, Miss Rolland.

Can I give you a bag or a hand?

No bag, but maybe a hand.

Bob, it's some woman
who says she's your girlfriend.

Uh... yeah, I'll take it. Thanks.

- Cheryl, would you help her out?
- Sure.

So, uh, you need a hand, huh?

- Yeah.
- Okay.

Look, look, I'm really sorry
about what happened back there.

I mean, it's just a way for us
to get free tapes.

Free, huh?

I mean, we just special order them
under any customer's name

and then we preview them
and return them.

Who's "we"?
Some ballbuster you work with?

That's just another employee.

I'm really sorry about all this.

Well, if you want to see the videos,
you're gonna have to come to my house

because they are mine now.

What's your--
What's your address and phone number?

Look it up.
You have my account information.

- Well?
- What happened?

She wants me to
come and get the tapes.

Score! I do need a name tag
if it's that easy.

Honey, if a dog collar didn't do it
for you, a name tag won't either.

So tell me more
about this project you're working on.

Is it for school?

- Do I look like I'm a student?
- I don't know. You could be.

- I'm a filmmaker.
- Oh, a filmmaker.

Uh, you got a big space here,
and a lot of it too.

Yeah, I just moved in.

New account, remember?

You know, I actually used to study film
in Chicago.

Well, I studied film,

I studied art, I studied art history,
I studied law.

- And then I just...
- You just gave up, right?

Right.

I needed to figure some shit out
before I wasted more time in school.

What shit is that?

Like what I wanna do with my life.
You know?

I wanna do it all.
Do you know what I mean?

I really wanted to talk to you
the other day at the produce truck,

but things were kind of crazy.

Mmm. Well, your girlfriend was giving me
these, like, looks from hell.

She's not my girlfriend.

I meant to say "friend."

Your friend was giving me,
like, all these strange looks and…

Oh.

Do you wanna stay for dinner?
I'm actually cooking some food.

Okay. Yeah.

Great. Come in. Sit down.

Okay.

Irene, we'll be late.

Haven't you had enough
of that white powder?

How could you, Irene?

You know how hard it was
to find these films?

It's one of the few
race films that she ever starred in.

Really?

Uh…

- Do you mind if I smoke?
- No. Go ahead.

You know what's so weird about this setup?

What?

I don't know.
It just feels like a setup.

Like, I don't know.

You know, all this dinner and…

And what?

And friendly conversation.

Well, I have to confess
that I am a little...

No, I'm very attracted to you.

What?

Um, I was just gonna say
that you're really a cute woman.

I know that.

I heard what your friend said
at the video store.

You heard us?

I've had the hots for you
since the minute I saw you shelving tapes.

- Can I have a cigarette?
- Sure. Help yourself.

Is the, uh, fire in there too?

Uh, yeah, but it's in a lighter.

So, um…

now that we know that we're attracted
to each other, what do we do?

- Um…
- Don't you think we should kiss?

You're a no-good, lying tramp.
That's what you are.

Committing a sin
that will surely send you to hell.

I am going to hell,
but not for being a tramp.

But for being poor and living
on the streets like I've had to do.

Why can't I be happy
fitting into their world?

God made me this color
and he did it for a reason.

I'm still in shock over the whole
having sex with Diana thing.

I've never done anything like this before,
let me assure you.

The hip-swinging lesbian style
isn't my forte.

You remember the Yvette thing?

I'm just an old-fashioned girl
trying to keep up with the times,

but Diana just threw me for a loop.

I mean, she's not my type, but I liked it.

I don't know what to say next.

Maybe it all has to do
with this film project,

which is finally coming together.

Hollywood, the Watermelon Woman,
Fae Richards, and Diana?

LIBERTY NEWS

Well, look who it is, folks.

Hollywood's popular
Fae "The Watermelon Woman" Richards.

Taking a break from the cameras
and the lights,

Fae's back in her hometown Philadelphia

to organize a benefit
for the city's chapter

of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People.

And get this, folks.

While in the city, Miss Richards spoke
with J. Liberty Wells,

the famous film director
and president of Liberty Motion Pictures,

about his upcoming Black cast
gangster picture.

Wouldn't this be the icing on the cake
for Miss Richards,

who has been in search of a studio
to make her a star.

SWATHMORE, PA

CAMILLE PAGLIA
CULTURAL CRITIC

Actually, the mammy figure
is a great favorite of mine,

particularly Hattie McDaniel's
brilliant performance

in Gone with the Wind.

I really am distressed
with a lot of the tone

of recent African-American scholarship.

It tries to say about the mammy that
her large figure is desexualizing,

degrading, dehumanizing.

And this is to me so utterly wrong.

The large woman as a symbol
of abundance and fertility,

is a kind of goddess figure.

Even the presence of the mammy
in the kitchen,

it seems to me,
has been misinterpreted.

"Oh, the woman in the kitchen
is a slave, a servant, a subordinate."

Well, my grandmothers,
my Italian grandmothers,

never left the kitchen.

This is why
I dedicated my first book to them.

And Hattie McDaniel in Gone with the Wind
is the spitting image of my--

of my grandmother in her style,
her attitude, her ferocity and so on.

Brings tears to my eyes.

The watermelon seems
to me another image

that has been misinterpreted
by a lot of Black commentary.

The great extended family Italian
get-togethers that I remember as a child

ended with the men
bringing out a watermelon

and ritualistically cutting it
and distributing the pieces to everyone,

almost like the communion service.

And I really dislike these kinds of
reductionism of a picture,

let's say, of a small Black boy
with a watermelon,

him smiling broadly over it,

looking at that as negative.

Why is that not instead a symbol
of joy and pleasure

and fruitfulness?

After all, a piece of watermelon
has the colors of the Italian flag,

red, white and green.

So I'm biased to that extent.

But I think that, if the watermelon
symbolizes African-American culture,

rightly so.

Because look what white,
middle-class feminism stands for,

anorexia and bulimia.

Well, I have heard of Martha Page before.

Okay, well, what about
Fae Richards, the Watermelon Woman?

If she's in anything after 1960,
don't ask us.

We haven't covered women
in the blaxploitation movement yet.

Okay.

The Watermelon Woman,
Fae Richards,

was lovers with Martha Page,
this white woman director, this…

Uh, wait a minute. The actress
was lovers with this famous dir--

Yes.

Well, first of all, I'm stunned to hear
that the director was lesbian or bisexual.

This is news to me in the first place.

But the idea of any kind of, um,
an interracial relationship at this time

is-- it's mind-boggling
because we can see as...

Decades after World War II
in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

you can see how charged the question of
any sort of interracial relationship was.

So, um, it seems to me an astounding
discovery that you have made.

Oh well, I guess I'll just
keep on pursuing it.

- And good luck to you.
- Thank you, Professor Paglia.

Thank you very much.

Stacey doesn't like that Campari either.

What do you mean "either"?

I mean,
I don't think that Stacey likes Diana.

I walked in there,
and they were being all quiet and shit.

Oh, boy.

Guess it's time for Plan J.

Oh, excellent. Stacey loves to smoke.

A little before-dinner smoke, ladies?

Oh, thank God. Let me have a hit.

Then I said to him,
"Who do you think I am, your slave?"

That beats Cheryl's story

of having to call this snobby
white-woman customer a nigger.

Yeah, it does.

So, Diana,
what brings you to our fair city?

Work? School?

Um, no. I just decided to move.

I got sick of Chicago
and I decided to move to Philly,

the City of Brotherly Love.

And sisterly affection.

What?

And sisterly affection.

Brotherly and sisterly affection.
Right, Stace?

Anyway, Diana,

if you came to Philadelphia
to escape the cold Chicago winters,

don't expect it to be any better here.

I didn't leave to escape the cold.
I needed a mental health break.

Good answer. Cheryl likes her women
to have that mental health thing going on.

Well, I like my women a little crazy.
Like you, darlin'.

Oh, baby.

So, um, Cheryl tells me you're in school.
Business, right?

I'm getting my MBA from Wharton.

My father went to Wharton.

- Really?
- Mm-hmm.

Yeah. But when he got out,
he couldn't get a job,

and so he decided
to join the diplomatic corps.

He hated it, but my mom loved it.
We traveled everywhere.

I was born when we were stationed
in Jamaica.

- You were born in Jamaica?
- Yeah.

I love telling people where I was born.
But we lived everywhere.

We lived in Germany
and California and Iceland.

Iceland?

Iceland, Bangladesh, Tel Aviv.

I've lived just about everywhere.

I see.

Well, honey, I gotta tell you,
I was born and bred in the US of A.

Cheryl, how's your project going?

I hear the Watermelon Woman
is getting pretty ripe.

Yeah, it is, Tammy.
But the project's doing well.

Tell Stacey how you're gonna make
your move to Hollywood with it.

- I almost forgot. I have awesome news.
- What?

My brother's mother-in-law
used to know this famous casting agent.

- And?
- And they know the Page family.

- As in Martha Page.
- You're kidding.

No, I'm serious.

Six degrees of separation.
But here it's only two.

Anyway, I called Mrs Page-Fletcher,

and she would love to talk to us
about Martha and her life in movies.

"Us"? I thought this was Cheryl's project.

That's great, Diana.
You're so sweet.

Cheers.

Why does she always hook up
with these typical white devil types?

She doesn't always date white women.
And when she does, they're just so ugly.

You know what the most
distressing thing is about this project?

It's Tamara.

I mean, in the past, she'd been--

I mean, we've been friends.
We've been friends for a long time.

I mean, we've been friends for years.

She got me the job at the store.
We've done everything together.

We're running buddies.

But somehow, on this project,

something's going on between the two of us
that's just not working out.

Something is different.

I mean, something's changed.

I don't know if it's me.
I don't know if it's her.

It's just really upsetting.

"SISTAH SOUND"
WOMEN'S COMMUNITY CENTER

I say I'm proud to be Black

I'm labeled a racist

I can't be proud of who I am

For I am Black woman

Black Woman I am…

Damn, she's cute.

That's what you've been saying
about all of them.

Why don't you focus
on the performer for a while?

Isn't that why we brought
Little Orphan Annie along?

Besides, I'm getting footage
for my video project.

Come on, Tamara, we're working.

Cheryl, I help you with your stuff.

Besides, who could resist
capturing all these fine,

and I mean fine Black women on film.

…can and cannot do

After all the shit
You done put me through

Honey, quiet down…

Hey, isn't that
my Native Studies teacher Greta?

And I bet that's her girlfriend too.

Cheryl, are you seeing this?

Annie, you're supposed to be videotaping
the performer, not your friends.

Sorry.

Tamara, why don't you focus
on the performer, okay?

This is the last act.

- You're doing a great job, Annie.
- Thanks, Cheryl.

Shh. I think she's about to finish.

You tell me it's not my fault

For being who I am

But I am Black woman

Black woman, yes
I am Black…

So what's up with you and Annie?

What do you mean, what's up
with me and Annie? I don't like her.

Obviously.
You treat her like shit all the time.

I mean, she's just a kid
who was trying to help us out.

Help us out?
She got paid, didn't she?

I mean, she gets
on my last Black lesbian nerve

with all that piercing,
hair dye business.

You gonna smoke that joint, Bogart?

Uh, Tamara.

You know, we're different too.
So what's up with that?

Yeah, but see, we're not different
amongst a group of ritzy Black folk.

I mean, we were there…

to get their business
and to be professional, alright?

We weren't there to look like
a bunch of hip-hop, multicultural mess.

I mean, Cheryl,
look at what she was wearing.

She's just all weird.

I mean, that dog collar,
her hairstyle, her age.

I just can't get with it.

Damn, man, that's a good roach.
I wanna save that.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

No, thank you.

- No, I don't want any.
- I'm sorry, Cheryl, okay?

I guess this stuff going on with Stacey
has got me a little bit stressed.

- What's up with you and Stacey?
- Nothing.

I mean, she's gone frigid on me. Zilch.

- Well, don't you think--
- I don't know what to think.

I mean, listen to me for a second.

Don't you think that Stacey
is A, going to school,

B, working all the time,

and C, you know,
might just be stressed out?

- I mean, what do you expect?
- A little nooky once in a while.

We've been going out for a while,
and I don't even have a key to her place.

- Really?
- Yeah.

Diana gave me the keys
to her place last week.

I did not invite you over here to talk
about your wannabe Black girlfriend.

Tamara, Diana doesn't wanna be Black.
I'm getting into her. Can't you see that?

All I see is that, once again,

you're going out with a white girl
acting like she wants to be Black,

and you're being a Black girl
acting like she wanna be white.

What's up with you? You don't like
the color of your skin nowadays?

Tamara, I'm Black.

I mean, who's to say that dating
somebody white doesn't make me Black?

Who's to say anything about who I fuck
in the goddamn first place, okay?

Well, Stacey says
she thinks Diana is into chocolate.

I mean, come on, Cheryl.

She lives in that big loft all by herself
and volunteers.

"Volunteers" at, like, some agency
that works with not only poor kids,

but poor Black kids.

- What's up with that, Cheryl?
- Tamara, you're just so fucked up.

- You're just so fucked up.
- See?

- I'm sick of you. God.
- Hey.

Hey, Cheryl,
there were all these mad cuties there.

You should have been there.
It was a really fun party.

Look, Cheryl, it's in the dyke archives
I was telling you about in New York.

- Oh, wow.
- I went there last weekend.

Oh, great.

So you gon' go all the way to New York
to find out that they only have stuff

on white lesbians, right, Cheryl?

Actually, there's a really great
Black lesbian collection.

See, there it is.

- Oh, wow. Here it is.
- Really good for your project.

Yeah, she's right. They have
a whole Black lesbian collection.

You're so helpful.

No problem. I'm going up there
next weekend too, if you need a ride.

You're so helpful, Annie.

You probably know a place
to get a good clit piercing, don't you?

Why don't you lay off her, okay?

What's it to you?

Don't worry about it, Cheryl.
She's just jealous.

Oh, right.

Just because you and I are different

doesn't mean you have to
treat me like shit all the time.

I'm sorry.
Did I hurt your poor little feelings?

You suck.

Hear that, Cheryl? I suck.

- What is the problem here?
- Oh, nothing.

Um, I'm just here talking to Tamara
about the work schedule

'cause I'm gonna go to the archive
with Annie on Friday.

She's gonna work for me. Right, buddy?

Yeah.
And, Cheryl, we worked it out.

Cheryl's gonna work for me
both Saturday and Sunday.

Right, buddy?

Well, Heckle and Jeckle, it doesn't matter
to me who is working for who,

as long as you remember
we open late Sunday.

- Are they giving you grief?
- Nah, don't worry about it, Bob.

Alright.
Are you learning the Bob system?

- I've been here for months now.
- Time does fly, doesn't it?

Yeah, Bob, time does fly
and people do change.

C.L.I.T.
CENTER FOR LESBIAN INFO AND TECHNOLOGY

Hey, sister, how you doing?

You, uh, been to the archives before?

Sister? Annie. Uh-uh.

Leave the sister alone.
Come over here and work the camera.

It's about time we get started.
I think MJ is ready for us.

Alright.

Welcome to the Center
for Lesbian Information and Technology.

Actually, we're very disorganized here,

but it's because
we're a volunteer-run collective.

And you know how hard it is.
Things take time.

But someday we're going
to have a great system.

People are gonna donate materials
and they're gonna be logged,

they're gonna be categoried, they're
gonna be sorted, they're gonna be stored.

But right now, they're just in boxes.

Well, um, I came to find out
about the Black collection on lesbians.

Is that a separate collection or…

- It's very separate.
- Oh.

We received a very generous gift
from the Hysteria Foundation,

but they wanted it to be used
exclusively for African-American lesbians.

So if we have any photographs
that white people are in,

we just cross them out.

Come with me and I'll show you the files.

For example,
you might find this very interesting.

Now, here we have, let's see,
all kinds of really great things.

Oh, look, here's a map.

This is a map of the most popular
lesbian and gay hot spots of Manhattan

in the '20s and '30s.

It's just incredible.

Wow. Hmm.

Looks like there were more dyke bars then
than there are now.

Actually,
there were no exclusively female bars.

It was mostly mixed speakeasies,

and then the young, white,
debutante crowd.

They'd race uptown at midnight
for a big plate of yardbirds and strings.

What?

Fried chicken and spaghetti.

Then they'd wash it all down
with a big, cold, frosty glass

of 100-proof iced tea.

Doesn't that sound great?
I'd really like to have one right now.

I'm in recovery and everything,

but there's nothing wrong with
remembering the way things used to be.

Well, anyway,
let's just keep it anonymous.

Um, do you have anything
on Black lesbians, say, in Philadelphia?

Yes, we do! We have a whole box!

- Now, let me just show you--
- Whoa, baby. Thank you, MJ.

This is a little disorganized

'cause we are an all-volunteer collective
and these things take time.

But there's a lot of fascinating material,
and I hope you'll enjoy yourself.

These are photos of the Watermelon Woman,
Fae Richards.

Oh, my God.

Look. It says,
"To June Walker, a special friend."

Get that, Annie. Get that.

Excuse me. You do not have permission
to photograph this.

This is confidential.
This is a safe space.

Yes, yes. I'm very sorry, um…

But I'd like to find out how, like--
Can I find out who donated the stuff?

I'd have to discuss it
with the collective.

- We meet every other month.
- Okay.

And if we come to a consensus,
I'll call you and let you know.

- Okay.
- In the meantime, respect your sisters.

Yes, "sisters." R.E.S.

But this has to be documented.
I'm sorry.

Get it, Annie. Get it all.

This is great.
I'm so glad we're here.

- Aren't you glad we came?
- I am so glad we came.

Get it all.

I told you this was confidential!

Give me that.

It's time to go.
We got all we need.

Great, Annie. Let's go.

Looks like I'm not the only one
interested in this stuff.

A new book on Hollywood lesbians
has appeared at Giovanni's Room,

our lesbian and gay bookstore.

And Hollywood Lesbians…

by Doug McCowden.

I wonder if he's a lesbian.

Anyway, there's a section
on director Martha Page,

and Fae's name comes up.

I'm gonna show you this picture
'cause this is the killer.

Some folks even say
that she was once head over heels in love

with the Watermelon Woman,

who starred as "the help"
in most of these early 1930 women's films.

I wonder what kind of help she offered.

I wonder if Fae was into Martha
or Martha was into Fae.

Hmm. You know?

I just think that Fae had to have
something else going on in her life.

You know, something more.
Somebody else.

RITTENHOUSE SQUARE, PHILA.

What you're watching now is footage

from an interview Diana arranged
with Mrs Page-Fletcher,

Martha's younger sister.

The whole thing was quite disturbing.

First, she started
by describing Fae all wrong.

She started talking shit about Fae

and all those coloreds
her sister employed.

If that wasn't bad enough,

she made it seem like Fae
was just another actress

her sister Martha had worked with.

She said…

Martha was doing very well in Hollywood,

and she encouraged
some of her former cast

to come to audition
for her new picture.

My story's all wrong.

You're not trying to infer that something
went on between the two of them?

Cheryl's doing a video documentary
about Fae Richards, who was in--

And who was lovers with your sister.

My sister was not that kind of woman.

I've told every writer…

I think Diana knew what was up,
but she kept quiet most of the time.

I wasn't going to be quiet. No way.

I went off on that old woman.

Come on, Mrs Page-Fletcher.

Look, we know
that Martha and Fae were intimate.

But have I, um, you know,
scared you with some truth?

I mean, come on,
everybody knew that Martha was that way.

I mean, every book and every article
I read has said this fact.

Cheryl.

It got messy after that.
She asked us to leave.

I can't believe she was so oblivious

to the fact that her sister
was lovers with this woman.

I mean, come on.

It was almost like Fae never existed.

Is there some problem, ma'am?

This is a mess. Excuse me.

Cheryl.

Mrs Page-Fletcher, I'm sorry…

When you're near me

You're truly, truly scrumptious

What's that?
Uh, The Sound of Music?

No, silly, it's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Sing another one.

I can't just sing something
off the top of my head.

- Oh, come on. I love the way you sing.
- Okay.

Love, la, la, la, together

Where-- Wait, wait, wait.
Where did you learn that one?

Wasn't that the theme song
at your prom?

Diana, darling, remember, I'm Black,

and the theme song at my prom
was Sail Onby The Commodores.

My boyfriend was Black
and he knew all the words.

- You had a Black boyfriend?
- I had two.

No, actually I had three Black boyfriends.

What did your parents say?

Nothing.
They're liberal hippie types.

Actually, my father's sister's
first husband was an ex-Panther.

His name was Tyrone Washington.

What is so funny?

You're such a mess.

What does that mean?

Nothing.
I have to go work on the project.

The project can wait, Cheryl.
First, tell me what you meant by that.

I don't know what I meant.

I just have to go work on the project.
Okay?

This project is really becoming a crutch.

Diana, if you want me to stay,
you don't have to mention the project.

Just go. I'll talk to you later.

Look, one of our crackhead friends.

What are you doing?

- Just minding my business.
- Minding your business?

Boy, don't you know
this is private property?

- Where'd you get that camera?
- I'm not a boy. And the camera's mine.

You look like one,
you little crackhead freak.

- Come up with some ID.
- I don't have any.

No ID?
And possible stolen property?

Hey.

Hello, is this June Walker?

I got your name from the CLIT archives.

My name is Cheryl and I'm a filmmaker.

Yes. Yes, I'm a sister.

Yes.

A video project about Fae Richards' life.

I was wondering
if you had information on her li--

She's what?

Oh. Yes.

You were together with her
for over 20 years?

Yes. Yes.

Look, do you think I could come over
and talk to you,

maybe even interview you for this project?

What?

I used smoked turkey wings, not pork.
Why do you ask?

Okay. Yes, ma'am.

Okay, eleven o'clock with lunch in hand.

Bye.

If you're looking for Miss June,
she's not there.

Yeah, I was supposed to meet her today
for lunch.

Oh, yeah. She told me.

You're the girl who puts
turkey wings in her greens.

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

- Will she be back soon?
- Uh, no.

The ambulance came yesterday
and took her to the hospital.

- No.
- Yeah.

No. What happened?

She'd been having heart pains
all this week,

so I had to go over there and...

You know,
I had to call the ambulance for her.

But, um,
she told me to give you something.

- Okay, uh…
- Oh.

You gonna be able to carry that?

- Yeah, I got my bags and stuff.
- Okay.

- Could you take these?
- No, that's--

Oh, come on. Please.

Have you ever tasted greens
with smoked turkey wings?

No. Okay, great. Thank you.

You wanna come in and join me?

I can't. I can't.

Do you know
what hospital they took her to?

No, but she said she's gonna call me
tonight, though, and let me know.

Well, can you take my number
and let me know where she is

so I can give her a call, okay?

And please don't
forget to call me, okay?

Alright.

- Thank you so much for your help.
- Okay. Thank you.

- You're welcome. Enjoy, okay?
- Bye-bye. Alright.

Yeah, yeah, it's me.

You don't sound like yourself.

Guess what. Stacey and I are going away
for the weekend to the Poconos.

- Can you work for me?
- I don't know.

But...
you know I went to visit--

I went to visit Fae's lover, right?

Yeah, but did you hear the part
about Stacey and me?

Tamara, you're not listening to me.

I went to visit Fae's lover.

Kool & The Gang, Cheryl. I heard you.

Anyway… her name is June
and she was in the hospital,

and I went there and--

It was just fucked up.
Totally fucked up.

- No way.
- I just…

- She left me this note.
- Read it quick. Bob's clocking me.

- Get off the phone.
- Alright.

- Just come by the store.
- Tamara…

- How can I help you?
- Do you have New York, New York?

- Sure.
- No, no. Take this to the back.

- Can I help you?
- Just wanna get that movie.

- Do you want a job?
- Sure.

Did you look out the window

Since yesterday?

Did you think you could

Trick those clouds another way? Yeah

Yeah, did you dance?

Did you dance
like we did last night?

Hey…

"Dear Cheryl,
you sounded so excited over the phone

"that I had to write down some thoughts
before they escaped me."

All that talk about Fae
and that white woman

got me to remember
some unpleasant things about the past,

things that upset me

and things that had upset Fae
when she was alive.

Yeah, yeah, yeah

I was so mad that you mentioned
the name of Martha Page.

Why do you even want to include
a white woman

in a movie on Fae's life?

Don't you know she had nothing to do
with how people should remember Fae?

I think it troubled her soul for the world
to see her in those mammy pictures.

She did so much, Cheryl.
That's what you have to speak about.

She paved the way for kids like you
to run around,

making movies about the past
and how we lived then.

Fascination...

Please, Cheryl.

Make our history
before we are all dead and gone.

But if you are really in the family,

you better understand that our family
will always only have each other.

I know this is a lot to be writing down,
but I wanted to remember it for you now,

so that the next time I see you
we can make it right.

Fascination

Yeah

Well, things haven't been going
the way I thought they'd be going.

Diana and I aren't
"Diana and I" anymore.

And Tamara, girlfriend...

Let's just hope
we can work things out soon.

You know, I thought it was gonna be easy.

I thought I was gonna be able
to use the camera

to document my search for Fae,

but instead, I'm left empty-handed,

except for this package from June.

I wish that neighbor of yours had given me
your phone number in the hospital

because there are so many things
I wanted to ask you face-to-face.

I mean,
I know she meant the world to you,

but she also meant the world to me,
and those worlds are different.

But the moments she shared with you,

the life she had with Martha
on and off the screen,

those are precious moments
and nobody can change that.

But what she means to me,
a 25-year-old Black woman,

means something else.

It means hope, it means inspiration,
it means possibility.

It means history.

And most importantly, what I understand
is that I'm going to be the one who says,

I am a Black, lesbian filmmaker
who's just beginning,

but I'm gonna say a lot more
and have a lot more work to do.

Anyway,
what you all have been waiting for...

the biography of the Watermelon Woman...

Fae Richards.

Faith Richardson.

The first record of Fae
that I could find was this photo,

"Faith Richardson,

"winner of the Beechie Beachum Bicarbonate
jingle contest, Philadelphia, 1922."

I know that she worked as a maid
for several years,

and I know that she danced
in the chorus on South Street.

But I'm not sure how she got
into her first film.

She must have met Martha Page
at some club or something.

This one is stamped "Newark Studios,"
and on the back it says,

"The Watermelon Woman
and Sandra Vincent in Jersey Girl, 1931."

I think this is Fae's first film
with Page. In fact, I know it is.

From what I can tell, this is
the beginning of their relationship

both on and off the screen.

DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF

Newark Studios' biggest hit
was the 1933 filmLouisiana Lady.

Martha scored with this one
and got her ticket to Hollywood.

Fae scored too.

She was signed with Silver Star Studio
and played in several of their movies,

usually as a household maid or cook.

Mr Owen Meets His Match

with Claude Thornton
and the Watermelon Woman, 1937.

This was a big year for Fae.

In 1937, she also starred in
my all-time favorite,Plantation Memories.

This one's titled
Elsie Calls on the Lord.

I wrote to the studio and got these
glamorous photos of Fae, taken in 1938.

It looks like she was trying to bust out
of the mammy roles,

but of course, in 1938,
that couldn't really work.

Oh, don't cry, Missy.

Master Charles is coming back, for sure.
I know he is.

Do you really think so, Elsie?

1939 is a big year for Fae.

I don't know what happened
between her and Martha,

but she definitely moved back to Philly.

She really worked hard at
becoming the film star she wanted to be.

Fae no longer calls herself
the Watermelon Woman.

In all of her films at Liberty Studios
she goes by the name Fae Richards.

I am going to hell,
but not for being a tramp,

but for being poor and living on
the streets like I've had to do.

Why can I be happy
fitting into their world?

God made me this color,
and he did it for a reason.

Fae worked it at Liberty Studios.

J. Liberty cast her as a lead
in all kinds of Black cast films,

comedies, melodramas
and even gangster pictures.

Problem is, she never got her chance
to be a big star

because Black cast films
were on their way out.

So in the '40s,
Fae started singing again all over Philly,

at the Standard, at the Dunbar, Pep's.

She had quite a following.

The next picture I have of her
is not until 1957,

and it's kinda sad
to see what happened to her

because it looks
like she stopped performing.

But it's also kind of good
because she met June Walker,

a special friend who took care of her
until the day she died.

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE
TO CREATE YOUR OWN HISTORY.

THE WATERMELON WOMAN IS FICTION.
CHERYL DUNYE, 1996