The Watermelon Woman (1996)
Actors:
Brian Freeman (actor),
K. Brent Hill (actor),
Christopher Mann (actor),
Orion McCabe (actor),
V.S. Brodie (actress),
Lisa Marie Bronson (actress),
Cheryl Clarke (actress),
Cheryl Dunye (actress),
Irene Dunye (actress),
Mickey Goldhaber (actress),
Alexandra Juhasz (actress),
Gail Lloyd (actress),
Shelley Olivier (actress),
Camille Paglia (actress),
Emmy Collins (actor),
Plot: Cheryl is young, Black, and lesbian, working in Philadelphia with her best friend Tamara and consumed by a film project: to make a video about her search for a Black actress from Philly who appeared in films in the 30s and was known as the Watermelon Woman. Following various leads, Cheryl discovers the Watermelon Woman's stage name and real name and surmises that the actress had a long affair with Martha Page, a White woman and one of Hollywood's few female directors. As she's discovering these things, Cheryl becomes involved with Diana, who's also White. The affair strains Cheryl's friendship with Tamara. More discoveries bring Cheryl (and us, her audience) to new realizations.
Keywords: fake-documentary, filmmaking, independent-film, interracial, lesbian, nudity, queer-cinema, title-directed-by-female, video-store
Genres:
Drama,
Quotes:
Cheryl: Hey! Hey, you're Martin Pumphrey!::Street Magician: No ma'am, I'm a magician.
Mother Is a Freshman (1949)
Actors:
Griff Barnett (actor),
Richard Clayton (actor),
Pat Combs (actor),
Richard Dumas (actor),
Eddie Dunn (actor),
Gene Evans (actor),
Mickey Finn (actor),
Van Johnson (actor),
Nelson King (actor),
Charles Lane (actor),
Henri Letondal (actor),
Lee MacGregor (actor),
George Matthews (actor),
Roger McGee (actor),
Robert Arthur (actor),
Plot: Widow Abby Abbott is having serious money problems and has to dip into the family trust in order to pay for her daughter Susan's college tuition. The catch: Abby must also become a co-ed or she can't touch the money. After passing her entrance exams, Abby goes to college and becomes very popular, especially with a handsome English professor whom Susan has a crush on.
Keywords: campus, college, daughter, love-triangle, middle-age, money-problems, professor, rival, school-fund, widow
Genres:
Comedy,
Taglines: It's the cheer leader of the year! As "The Farmer's Daughter" she's learned plenty! As a campus queen she gives with the rest.
Quotes:
Abigail Fortitude Abbott: Now, John the apartment had to be done over. It was terribly shabby and you know it.
Susan Abbott: What will Mr. Heaslip do?::Abigail Fortitude Abbott: I hope he'll have apoplexy.
Louise Sharpe: You know, I heard sequins were edible? You could eat 'em. I mean if you were starving.::Bit Part: Well, you better eat sequins or something, cause there won't time to take this dress in again!::Louise Sharpe: Muscle, muscle. A girl's got to have muscle!
Professor Richard Michaels: How's your martini?::Abigail Fortitude Abbott: Fine.::Professor Richard Michaels: Well, then drink it, so's I can freshen it.