Original subtitles

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

Where you want it?

Can you smile really pretty for the camera?

Aww, isn't that sweet?

Why don't y'all fool around?

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

Oh, "pocket," you know the whole song.

Okay, Joshua, get up in there.

Just get up in there.

Throw yourself.

All fall down!

Okay, let me just tighten you guys up in here.

Very nice.

Could you just angle it a little bit more?

Great! Come over.

You two switch places.

Looks great.

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. - Oh, my God, what a day.

We'll take care of it, you know.

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?

Uh, can I use the equipment this weekend to work on my project?

You know, this is the third weekend in a row

you want to use the equipment,

but you've yet to shoot anything.

Uh-uh, my cut is $50 short.

You remember what Rose and Gwen said in the "Go Fish" book.

If you want to make a film, you gotta make some sacrifices.

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

Ticket to Hollywood, baby!

Excuse you, I'm not, like, into making sacrifices

for some quote-unquote "future," all right?

I want to take Stacey out this weekend for dinner,

and for that I need cash today, okay, so just give me my money--

- I'll lend you some money. - ...and cut the attitude.

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

You gonna 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 frontin' with no attitude.

Okay, I'll give you your money.

I know you're givin' it to me.

Shit.

What are you shooting anyway?

First you're arguing with me,

now, 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 want to 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?

Uh, I'm gonna 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 projects.

The Watermelon Woman, who the hell is she?

- Turn off the camera. - Who cares?

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

Hi, I'm Cheryl,

and I'm a filmmaker.

Uh, no, 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 goin' 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 it.

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 Cafe

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.

Sorry I got you the damn job in the first place.

Tamara, that was two years ago, you know, 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...

Mike O'Reilly likes those films as much as you do.

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

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

let alone that nigga 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 kiddin' in the first place.

What I meant to say was, uh,

what are you doin' tonight?

Probably watching these.

You want to 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-fem-centric is the word.

Remember Sister Yafumila Ifá In-de-lay?

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

Tired late ass getting 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.

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.

- 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. - All right, 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.

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've been in early Hollywood cinema.

Watermelon Woman, 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, Bookah.

Well, that could've been her alias name.

Oh, child, I don't think so.

She wore the fruit cocktail with the leaves and--

No, no, no, uh-uh.

Was that Aunt Je--

- Avocadoes and things? - No, no.

No, that's--that's still--

isn't that Rosie?

It was not Rosie! She was from--

This was lady was from back in the '40s and '50s.

Oh, well, it could've been Rosie.

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

- Ooh, Rosie gonna kill you. - Okay, well, thank you.

- Okay, bye-bye. - Thank you, you have a good one.

Watermelon Woman.

Do you think you've heard of her?

- No. - No.

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?

Ugh, Mom.

Then the other one.

How do I look, Cheryl?

Oh, you look fine.

Get those earrings on, you look good.

- You think so? - Yeah, this is for the video,

so don't worry, it's not, you know, gonna be too deep.

So, you saw lots of films when you were growing up

in the '30s, right?

Oh, yes, saw 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 Waterwho--

I never heard of The Watermelon Woman.

Oh, come--Mom!

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

to ask you about The Watermelon Woman.

Now, 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

with any other actresses?

Oh, yes, uh-huh,

but I didn't see that one.

- I saw Queenie. - Queenie?

Yeah, she was in "Gone With the Wind."

You mean Butterfly McQueen?

Well, okay.

She was in "Gone With the Wind."

And 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.

Well, 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? - Yeah, she was singing.

Where? What clubs?

Oh, the clubs we used to hang out at.

Oh, The Blue Note,

Showboat, Pep's.

- No! - Different clubs like that.

Well, who was at the clubs with you?

Oh, there was, um,

Hattie and...

Shirley, May, Jeannie.

- Mm-hmm. - Just a regular old gang.

You know, we'd go there.

But, um,

I don't know.

Did they like the clubs?

Oh, they were weirdos.

- No! - Yes, weird people were there.

Uh-huh, kinda sounds like my type of people.

Yes, you would've loved it.

- You would've loved it. - I'm sure I would've.

You know it's, uh, 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"?

Hmm, well, "Cleopatra Jones" is really fun.

Why don't you do "Cleopatra Jones"

and... "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,

you know what I mean?

Anyway, I just saw it.

Well, um, there's always, uh,

some sci-fi like "Aliens,"

or how about, uh,

"Repulsion" with Catherine Deneuve?

She goes nuts in her apartment one night.

Oh, I just moved in to 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-unbalanced Yvette?

Come on, Cheryl, she was not that bad.

- Yes, she was. - Besides, she called Stacey

last night and she asked about you.

- Oh, she was all-- - Blah, blah, 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.

All right, so the name is Rolland.

And your first name?

Diana.

And your address?

4043 Ludlow.

Thank you.

And that's 4043...

And your phone number?

Uh, 555-2112.

Okay, that's it.

Don't I have to sign something?

Oh, yeah, sorry.

You know, Cheryl, I've worked in a video store before.

I mean, I just get the tapes she wants and scan 'em, right?

Yeah.

So, I'm getting "Repulsion" and...

- ..."Cleopatra Jones." - "Cleopatra Jones," right.

I'll get 'em, they're in alphabetical order.

Alphabetical.

Can I have my credit card back?

Oh, I'm sorry, here you go.

Thanks.

Here we go.

All right, 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.

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?

Yup. What's this stuff over here?

Oh, got some posters here

from some black cast films,

like this one here, got "Gone Harlem"

with Ethel Moses.

Kinda sultry sepia diva.

She's just reclining there.

Got July Jones, "Juke Joint" here.

Ralph Cooper in "Dark Manhattan."

Ralph Cooper used to MC 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. - Oh.

Come on in here.

Now, everything is authentic

except some of the race memorabilia in the kitchen

and, uh, this sign here.

Right up there.

Drama, 'cause you know who serves the drama

in this household, right?

Please.

Well, what's this Royal Theatre?

The Royal, the Standard, the Dunbar.

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

South Street was jumpin' with night life.

- 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 there. - That's okay.

Cheryl, ask him about The Watermelon Woman.

Never heard that name before.

Watermelon, no, no...

Tell him the name of the woman who directed it.

Watermelon Woman, mm-mm.

What was the name again?

Martin--

Martha, Martha Page.

She was a white woman director.

Martha, a woman, huh?

Women are not my specialty, I tell you.

Of course they aren't. Look at you!

What was that, Tamara?

Cheryl, I have some Photoplay magazines

for you in the basement, I'll get 'em for you, all right?

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've gone out of business

during the Depression.

Black folks wanted to see the Hollywood stuff,

you know, with the stars and the costumes.

All that junk.

Yeah.

The, uh, black cast stuff or negro stuff,

that played before the Hollywood features.

Well, you know,

that was, uh, that was it for the sisters back then.

You know, playing that domestic help.

Hmm, 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 that 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. - You sure?

You'd expect a young girl like that

to be quick about things.

What is she buying anyway?

Be ten dollars, please.

Um, do 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.

- I 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 we have broccoli.

Four dollars.

Damn, Tamara, what's up with that?

Look, we gots to go or Is 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?

I mean, it's not like I can go and ask for information out

about The Watermelon Woman.

They only have references on black women in film.

Well, did you ask at the reference desk?

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 a little bit early, you know,

give her some wine, 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.

- 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.

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?

Well, both were 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,

- PM 1993 to 1995? - Yes, 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: 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.

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.

The Watermelon Woman.

I don't know where you got that mess from,

probably from when she was making those movies.

But her name was Fae Richards.

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

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.

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, God, 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, you know?

The white folks owned 'em,

the black folks attended,

and the ofays came to socialize.

And we had a real good time there, you know?

We really did, we all got along.

Was... Fae hanging with the ofays?

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

Especially, um, with the...

Martha--Martha Page, is that her name?

Yeah, it was some-- one particular woman,

I think that was her name, Martha Page.

She was, um, 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,

and, um, 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 or anything?

- Yeah, I got a lot of pictures. - Oh, good.

Used to save them 'cause, like back then,

we could buy the pictures in the clubs,

and the performers would sign 'em for us.

- I see. - And I kept my mirror covered

with all of these performers.

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

All right, wow.

Let's see what's in the box.

You got any pictures of, uh, Fae Richards?

Let me just see, I've got so many pictures in here

of these performers.

Oh, look at that.

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, all right.

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'd 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 goin' on with a bip and a bang.

You'd go for that.

Annie, you got a cigarette?

I'm going out to have a break.

- Sure, I'll join you. - All right.

Oh, honey, I'm gonna 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 Ballbusters."

The rest of her order is here.

But when you get a chance, would you give her a call

and let her know that that title is unavailable,

but Big Black Bob is?

Sure.

"Bald Black Ballbusters."

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 Ballbusters"?

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?

Yeah, 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.

Uh, can I give you a bag or a hand?

Uh, no bag, but maybe a hand?

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

yeah, I'll take it, thanks.

Cheryl, would you help her out?

Thanks. Bye, Diana.

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, you know, preview them and return them.

Who's "we," some ballbuster you work with?

That's just another employee.

I mean, I'm really sorry about all this.

Well, it looks like 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 at school.

What--what shit is that?

Like what I want to do with my life.

You know, I want to do it all.

Do you know what I mean?

You know, I really wanted to talk to you the other day

at the, um, produce truck, but things were kind of crazy.

Well, your girlfriend was giving me

these, like, looks from hell, you know?

She's not my girlfriend.

I meant to say friend.

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

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 like 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...

you know, 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, um, 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?

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, Ms. 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 Ms. Richards

who has been in search of a studio

to make her a star.

Well, actually, the mammy figure, um,

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--

that her largeness of figure is desexualizing,

degrading, dehumanizing,

um, and this seems to me so utterly wrong.

Where the large woman is 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.

Uh, "Oh, the woman in the kitchen is a slave,

a servant, a subordinate."

Well, my grandmothers, my Italian grandmothers,

never left the kitchen.

In fact, this is why I dedicated my first book to them.

And Hattie McDaniel in "Gone With the Wind"

is a spitting image of my grandmother

and her style and 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 this kind 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,

and 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, um,

if the watermelon symbolizes African American culture,

rightly so,

because look what white middle class feminism

stands for: anorexia and bulimia.

Well, I've 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.

Does...

Uh, wait a minute, the actress was lovers

with this famous direc--

- Yes. - Well, first of all,

I'm stunned to hear that, um, that the director

was lesbian or bisexual.

This is news to me in the first place, all right,

but the idea of any kind of, um,

an interracial relationship at this time,

it's mind-boggling

because we can see 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, uh, keep on pursuing it.

Well, good luck to you.

Well, 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, "Well, 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, Stac?

Anyway, Diana, if you, uh, came to Philadelphia

to escape the cold Chicago winters,

don't expect it to be any better here.

Oh, 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, darling.

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-hm.

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 U.S. of A.

Cheryl, how's your project going?

I hear The Watermelon Woman's gettin' pretty ripe.

Yeah, it is, Tammy.

But, uh, the project's doing well.

Tell Stacey how you're gonna make your big move

to Hollywood with this project.

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, um, she would love to talk to us

about Martha and her life and the movie.

Us? I thought this was Cheryl's project.

That's great, Diana.

You're so sweet.

- Cheers. - So why does Cheryl always

hook up with these typical white devil types?

She doesn't always date white women.

And when she does, they're just so...

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.

Damn, she's cute.

Tamara, 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?

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

Oh, and I bet that's her girlfriend too.

Cheryl, are you seeing this?

Annie, you 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.

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 dyed 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, all right?

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's

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 that Stacey's--

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 nookie once in a while.

Okay, we've been going out for a while now

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 want to be black.

I mean, I'm getting into her, can't you see that?

All I see is that once again you are going out

with a white girl acting like she wants to be black

and you are being a black girl acting like she wanna be white.

I mean, what's up with you, Cheryl?

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?

I mean, who's to say anything about who I fuck

in the goddamn first place, okay?

Well, Stacey says she thinks Diana's 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 place.

Hey, look, Cheryl. They set up dyke archives

I was telling you about in New York.

- Oh, wow. - I went there when I went

to that rave last weekend.

Oh, great.

So you're gonna go all the way to New York

to find out that they only have stuff

on white lesbians, right, Cheryl?

Actually, you know, Tamara, 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. - Hey, no problem, and, you know,

I'm going up there next weekend too.

If you need a ride, I can give you one.

You're so helpful, Annie.

I mean, you probably know a place

to get a good clit piercing, don't ya?

Tamara, 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.

Look, Tamara, 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 archives

with Annie on Friday

and she's gonna work for me, right, buddy?

Yup, and Cheryl-- we worked it out--

Cheryl is 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?

No, don't worry about it, Bob.

All right, are you learning the Bob system?

Bob, I've been here for months now.

Time does fly, doesn't it?

Yeah, Bob, time does fly

and people do change.

Hey, sister, how ya doin'?

You, uh, been to the archives before?

Psst, Annie, uh-uh,

leave the sister alone.

Come over here and work the camera.

I think it's about time we, you know, get started.

I think MJ is ready for us.

All right.

Welcome to the Center

for Lesbian Information and Technology.

Actually, we're very disorganized here

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

and you know how hard it is, things take time.

But, you know, someday we're gonna have a great system

where people are gonna donate materials

and then 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.

We received a very generous gift

from the Foundation

but they wanted it to be used exclusively

for African American lesbians

so if we have any photographs that there are white people in,

we just cross them out.

Now 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.

Hm, 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.

You know, they'd race uptown at midnight

for a big plate of yardbirds and strings.

What?

Fried chicken and spaghetti.

And 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 mean, you know, 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.

Well, this is a little disorganized

'cause, you know, 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 have to discuss it with the collective.

We meet every other month.

And if we come to 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 McKeown.

I wonder if he's a lesbian.

Anyway, there's a section on director Martha Page

and Fae's name comes up.

I wanna 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 kinda help she offered.

I wonder if Fae was into Martha

or Martha was into Fae.

Hm, you know?

I just think that Fae had to have something else

going on in her life, you know?

Something more-- somebody else.

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 gonna 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.

What? 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.

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.

Wait, 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, uh, theme song at my prom

was "Sail On" by 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, that's all.

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.

Looks like 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?

Hey, where'd you get that camera?

I'm not a boy and the camera's mine.

Well, you look like one, you little crackhead freak.

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

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, like--

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 Ms. June,

she's not there.

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

Oh yeah, she told, you're the girl who puts,

um, turkey wings in her greens, right?

Yeah, yeah, will she be back soon?

Uh, no, the ambulance came yesterday

and took her off to the hospital.

No!

- Yeah. - No, what happened?

She'd been having, like, 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... you gonna be able to carry that?

Yeah, I got my bags and stuff.

- Okay. - But 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.

Well, you wanna come in and join me?

I can't, I can't.

Um... 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, um...

let me know where she is so I can give her a call, okay?

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

All right.

Thank you so much for your help.

- Okay, thank you. - You're welcome.

- Enjoy, okay? - All right.

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 and 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,

just totally fucked up, man.

I just...

She left me this note.

Read it quick, Bob's here clocking me.

- Get off the phone. - All right.

- Um, just come by the store. - Tamara.

Hi, how can I help you?

Do you have "New York, New York"?

- Sure. - No-no, no, no.

Take this to the back.

Can I help you?

I just want to get that movie.

- Do you want a job? - Sure.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

You know, I wish that neighbor of yours had given me

your phone number in the hospital

because there were 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 moment 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 gonna 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 Beechy Beechum 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.

And from what I can tell, this is the beginning

of their relationship both on and off the screen.

Newark Studios' biggest hit

was the 1933 film "Louisiana Lady."

Martha scored with this one

and got her ticket to Hollywood.

Fae scored too.

She was signed with Silverstar 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 comin' back for sure.

I know he is.

Do you really think so, Elsie?

1939's 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't 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 kinda good

'cause she met June Walker, a special friend,

who took care of her until the day she died.