[♪♪♪♪]

>> HELLO I'M BONNIE ERBE.

WELCOME TO TO THE CONTRARY

YEAR'S FILM FESTIVAL CALLED ALL

ABOUT WOMEN AND GIRLS.

AS A PLATFORM FOR FIRST TIME

FILMMAKERS WE HIGHLIGHT THE BEST

WORK IN FOUR CATEGORIES.

THEY ARE: CURRENT EVENTS ABOUT

ADVANCING THE RIGHTS OF GIRLS,

WOMEN OR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES IN

THE U.S.

CHANGING CULTURAL ATTITUDES ON

GENDER FROM A WOMAN'S

PERSPECTIVE.

>> U.S. WOMEN'S HISTORY AND THE

STUDENT ENTRY CATEGORY.

WE BEGIN THIS WEEK WITH OUR

STUDENT ENTRY GOOD MORNING MRS.

RICE.

PRODUCED BY ANDIE EISEN.

IT IS A DOCUMENTARY-STYLE

INVESTIGATION OF AN APPALACHIAN

WIDOW WHO PAID ANOTHER WOMAN TO

SLEEP IN HER BED FOR ALMOST 30

YEARS.

[♪♪♪♪]

>> TELL ME THAT STORY AGAIN.

>> OK.

SO THE FIRST TIME I HEARD ABOUT

MRS. RICE WE WERE ON A BUS TO

NEW YORK CITY AND I WAS TRYING

TO KEEP YOU AMUSED AND THE MONTH

BEFOREHAND MY MOM HAD TOLD ME A

FAMILY STORY.

AND IT GOES LIKE THIS...

MY GREAT, GREAT GRAND MOTHER HER

NAME WAS LAURABELL HARRIS AFTER

HER HUSBAND DIED, HIRED A WOMAN

NAMED MRS. RICE TO SHARE HER BED

WITH HER FOR THE REST OF HER

LIFE.

MY FAMILY, ESPECIALLY ON MY

MOTHER'S SIDE IS HAD BEEN A BIT

CLOSED ABOUT THEIR FAMILY

HISTORIES BUT RECENTLY MY

GRANDMOTHER HAS BECOME OPEN TO

SHARING STORIES.

AND THIS ONE WAS PARTICULARLY

WEIRD BECAUSE THEY GREW UP IN

COAL COUNTRY IN EASTERN

PENNSYLVANIA.

SO WE DECIDED THAT WE WERE GOING

TO GO TO PITTSBURGH AND TRY TO

FIND WHO MRS. RICE WAS.

WE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING.

WE DIDN'T KNOW EVEN WHAT MRS.

RICE'S FIRST NAME WAS AND

WEREN'T SURE IF MY GRANDMOTHER

WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

TO OUR LUCK, SHE DID.

>> FIRST THING I REMEMBER ABOUT

MRS. RICE, IS SITTING ON THE SUN

PORCH IN THIS LITTLE IT WAS JUST

A HOUSE IN TAMAQUA.

THE DOORBELL RANG AND IN WALKED

A LITTLE, SHORT, STURDY LADY.

AND MY GRANDMOTHER SAID HELLO

MRS. RICE AND SHE SAID HELLO

MRS. HARRIS.

AND FROM THEN ON, MRS. RICE CAME

EVERY EVENING AROUND 7:00 P.M.,

RANG THE DOORBELL, SHE HAD A CAB

THAT PICKED HER UP WHICH MY

GRANDMOTHER PAID FOR.

NIGHT WOULD FALL, TIME TO GO TO

BED.

THEY WOULD COME UPSTAIRS.

MRS. RICE WOULD LOOK UNDERNEATH

THE DOUBLE BED IN THAT ROOM.

GOOD MRS. RICE GOOD NIGHT MRS.

HARRIS.

THEY WENT INTO BED.

I WAS IN THE NEXT ROOM IF THERE

WAS ANY HANKY PANKY I WOULD HAVE

KNOWN.

>> DID YOU EVER KNOW WHY MRS.

RICE WAS THERE?

ANY EXPLANATION?

>> NO, JUST GOOD MORNING.

>> I THINK MY GRANDMOTHER WANTED

SOMEBODY TO SLEEP WITH HER.

BUT NOT IN A SEXUAL WAY.

I THINK IT WAS FEAR, I THINK SHE

WAS A FEARFUL LADY.

SHE WAS TERRIBLY AFRAID OF

LIGHTNING.

SHE WOULD HIDE IN A CLOSET.

>> LAURABELL'S UPBRINGING AND

HOW SHE MET HER HUSBAND

>> YES.

AND WHAT I KNOW, I JUST FOUND

OUT YESTERDAY ALONG WITH YOU,

TWO.

I WILL DO MY BEST TO --

SHE GREW UP VERY POOR.

SHE WAS ONE OF I THINK NANNA

SAID 12 FROM WHAT I CAN TELL

ONLY FOUR OR FIVE MAYBE

SURVIVED.

SHE AND HER SISTERS WERE ALL

VERY PRETTY.

AND DECIDED BECAUSE CERTAINLY IN

THAT ERA WOMEN THAT WAS THE ONLY

OPTION IF YOU WERE A WOMAN AND

DID NOT HAVE MONEY YOU HAD TO

MARRY UP.

AND LAURABELL, SET HER SIGHTS ON

JOHN HARRIS WHO OWNED THE

COURIER AND I BELIEVE MY

GRANDMOTHER WASN'T BORN.

IT WAS A FEW YEARS AFTER THEY

GOT MARRIED.

>> LAURABELL DID NOT HAVE HELEN

UNTIL FOUR YEARS AFTER SHE WAS

MARRIED WHICH WAS UNUSUAL FOR

THE TIME.

>> BECAUSE FROM WHAT WE KNOW

ABOUT LAURABELL SHE WAS NOT

INTERESTED IN FAMILY OR KIDS OR

SEX OR LOVE.

SHE REALLY JUST MARRIED FOR

MONEY.

>> I DON'T KNOW.

ALL I KNOW IS THAT HER LIFE

SEEMS TO NOT HAVE BEEN FILLED

WITH A LOT OF EMOTION OR

ATTACHMENT OR THAT I CAN SAY FOR

SURE.

I HAVE NO IDEA WHY.

WE CAN ONLY GUESS.

BUT CERTAINLY MRS. RICE BRINGS A

CERTAIN SOMETHING TO THE STORY.

>> AT ANY RATE, LAURABELL

MARRIED JOHN.

THEY HAD A BABY.

NOW, HOW LAURABELL GOT PREGNANT

IS PROBABLY --

HE PROBABLY RAPED HER AS FAR AS

I KNOW.

NO.

HE WAS TOO KIND A MAN.

BUT HE PROBABLY SAID YOU KNOW,

BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

>> SHE SAID SOMETHING NANNA SAID

SOMETHING LIKE SO EVENTUALLY HE

WHATEVER FORCED HER TO --

LIKE RAPE HER SHE SAID --

I DON'T KNOW THAT SHE KNOWS

THIS, SHE MAY BE OFFERING HER

OWN TAKE ON IT.

AND SHE COULD BE RIGHT WE'LL

NEVER KNOW FOR SURE.

>> AT ANY RATE SHE GOT PREGNANT

AND MY MOTHER WAS BORN IN 1910.

MY GRANDMOTHER DRANK ONLY SUGAR

WATER DURING HER PREGNANCY

BECAUSE SHE DID NOT WANT TO GAIN

WEIGHT AND SHE HAD A LITTLE BABY

TWO-AND-A-HALF POUNDS.

AND SHE TRIED TO STRANGLE HER

WHEN SHE WAS BORN.

WHICH RESULTED IN MY MOTHER'S

LEFT SIDE BEING PARALYZED PRETTY

MUCH PARALYZED.

SHE DRAGGED HER FOOT AND HER

HAND WAS LIKE THIS.

THEY DIAGNOSED THAT AS POLIO.

AND ONE OF THE TREATMENTS WAS TO

BREAK THE BONES AND STRAIGHTEN

THEM WHICH MOST --

MUST HAVE BEEN HORRIBLE AND AND

MY MOTHER DID NOT TALK ABOUT IT

MUCH.

>> HER MOTHER MUCH KNOWN SHE DID

NOT HAVE POLIO AND STILL LET

THEM BREAK HER LEGS?

>> IN FACT, I DON'T KNOW MAYBE

SHE DID GO TO THAT MAGICAL PLACE

IN YOUR BRAIN WHERE YOU ERASE

WHAT YOU DID.

AND THAT IS THE BEST CASE

SCENARIO IS THAT SHE FOOLED

HERSELF INTO THAT.

OR SHE JUST WAS COLD AND

CALCULATING AND SAID THAT WORKS,

POLIO, YEAH SHE'S GOT POLIO.

I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW.

AND MY GRANDMOTHER DID NOT KNOW

UNTIL SHE WAS IN HER 50s AND

FOUND OUT FROM THE DOCTOR IN

PHILADELPHIA THAT SHE NEVER HAD

POLIO AND IT WAS A TRAM DICK

BIRTH INJURY QUOTE-UNQUOTE.

>> TRAUMATIC BIRTH INJURY,

QUOTE-UNQUOTE.

>> THE WHOLE FAMILY TREE IS

CONFUSING.

EXPLAIN IT TO ME

>> YES.

HERE IS THE FAMILY TREE.

THERE'S LAURABELL WHO IS MY

GREAT, GREAT GRANDMOTHER.

SHE PAID MRS. RICE TO BE HER

COMPANION.

THEN LAURABELL HAD HELEN, MY

GREAT GRANDMOTHER.

WHO LAURABELL TRIED TO STRANGLE

WHEN SHE WAS A BABY.

THEN HELEN HAD NANCY, MY

GRANDMOTHER WHO WE'VE TALKED TO.

NANCY HAD EMILY, MY MOTHER AND

EMILY HAD ME.

AND EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY TREE

ALL THE WOMEN HAD HUSBANDS BUT

THE HUSBANDS DON'T MATTER MUCH

IN THE STORY.

YOU CAN SEE THE TOLSTOY QUOTE.

>> WHAT IS THAT TOLSTOY QUOTE?

ALL HAPPY FAMILIES ARE ALIKE BUT

UNHAPPY FAMILIES HAVE

DIFFERENCES.

THAT IS THE ORIGINAL RUSSIAN

TRANSLATION NOT THAT MANY PEOPLE

KNOW.

[LAUGHTER]

>> MY FATHER WHO WAS SON OF A

COAL MINER HE WAS QUITE GOOD

LOOKING.

LIKE HAIR DONE LIKE FITZGERALD,

F SCOTT PULLED RIGHT BACK.

MET MY MOTHER.

THEY --

SHE FELL IN LOVE.

HE WAS LOOKING QUOTE FOR THE

RICHEST GIRL IN TAMAQUA.

THEY ELOPED TO MARYLAND, WERE

MARRIED.

CAME BACK TO HER HOUSE IN

TAMAQUA TO ANNOUNCE THIS.

AND THIS WAS A BIG SECRET.

AND THEY OPENED THE DOOR AND

SAID THEY WERE MARRIED AND MY

GRANDMOTHER THREW A WET DISH RAG

AT MY FATHER.

>> THIS IS AGAIN MY GRANDMOTHER

HELEN.

AS SHE GOT OLDER AND AFTER MY

GRANDFATHER DIED I'M NOT SURE

HOW THIS STARTED BUT SHE STARTED

MAKING AS WE CALLED THEM

GRANDMA'S CHRISTMAS BALLS THESE

ELABORATE THINGS STYROFOAM

BALLS, YOU CAN GET AT A CRAFT

STORE, AND I HAVE MORE.

SO THEY ARE NOT LIGHT THEY ARE

HEAVY.

SO YOU ONLY NEED A FEW OF THEM

TO SORT OF ACCENT A TREE.

BUT I GREW UP WE PROBABLY HAD 75

OF THEM ON A TREE AND THE

BRANCHES WERE LIKE...

AND SO SHE DID THIS AND SAID SHE

WOULD SELL THEM AND SHE SAID

WITH THE PROFITS SHE WOULD GO TO

LAS VEGAS TO SEE LIBERACE AND

SHE LOVED, LOVED, LOVED

LIBERACE.

ENTERTAINING BUT IT WAS JUST

LIKE GLAMOUR TO HER.

[♪♪♪♪]

>> WHAT IS THE STORY HOW

LIBERACE DIED?

>> LIBERACE AS WE ALL KNOW, VERY

GAY AND UNFORTUNATELY CONTRACTED

AIDS.

BUT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLIC

LIST SI SUICIDE FOR HIM BECAUSE

HIS FAN BASE WAS COMPOSED OF

WOMEN LIKE MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER

WHO WERE ABSOLUTELY OBLIVIOUS TO

THE FACT THAT HE WAS GAY.

SO HIS PUBLICIST PUT TOGETHER A

STORY THAT HE DIED OF ANEMNA

FROM --

ANEMIA BECAUSE HE WAS ON A

WATERMELON DIET.

SO LIBERACE DIED FROM A

WATERMELON OVERDOSE.

>> THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.

>> SO I GREW UP WITH MRS. RICE.

AND SHE WENT TO PARTIES WITH MY

GRANDMOTHER.

SHE WOULD COME FOR THANKSGIVING

DINNER.

>> WOULD HER HUSBAND COME?

>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE Mr. RICE

WAS.

[LAUGHTER]

I HAVE NO --

MAYBE SOMEWHERE.

I HAVE NO IDEA.

THERE NEVER WAS A Mr. RICE.

HOWEVER, SHE HAD A SON, GARY,

WHO WAS IN MY HIGH SCHOOL CLASS.

AND GARY WAS PROBABLY 5'2" AND

HE HAD A REALLY NICE TENOR VOICE

AND I HAD A GOOD SOPRANO VOICE

SO WE WERE ALWAYS THE STARS.

OUT CAME NANCY MILLER, 5'8" AND

OUT CAME MY LOVER, GARY RICE AT

5'2", AND PEOPLE, I MEAN, WE

SANG VERY WELL TOGETHER.

YOU KNOW, WE'D DO A GOOD DUET.

AND THERE WAS MRS. RICE'S

GRANDSON.

>> WHAT WAS HIS NAME?

>> GARRISON E RICE

>> NOW, WE HAD A NAME OF A

DIRECT DESCENDANT OF MRS. RICE

THROUGH THE HELP OF ANCESTRY.COM

WE COULD TRACE HIS LINEAGE AND

FOUND MRS. RICE.

>> HE DIED EARLIER THAN SHE DID

WHICH WOULD EXPLAIN WHY SHE WAS

TAKING A CAB.

>> HER ADDRESS WAS LISTED IN A

ADDRESS BOOK THAT MY GRANDFATHER

KEPT FOR WEDDING INVITATIONS.

>> I WONDER IF SHE LIVES THERE.

CAN WE KNOCK ON THE DOOR.

>> WE RENTED A CAR AND SET OFF.

>> THAT LOOKS GREAT.

>> YOU WANT A RIDE?

[♪♪♪♪]

[♪♪♪♪]

>> I GUESS WHEN WE WERE DRIVING

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WAS

THE TRUTH, WHAT ACTUALLY

HAPPENED.

AND I MEAN, REALISTICLY THERE IS

NO WAY OF KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED.

YOU AND I ARE BOTH QUEER PEOPLE.

SO WE BOTH DON'T WANT TO ASSUME

THAT THEY WERE LOVERS AND MRS.

RICE AND LAURABELL HARRIS WERE

MORE THAN BED COMPANIONS.

BUT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW.

AND EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY

ESPECIALLY ON THE MOTHER'S SIDE

OF MY FAMILY EMBELLISHES AND WE

ALREADY NOTICE INCONSISTENCIES

IN THE STORY THAT MY GRANDMOTHER

HAS TOLD AND MY MOTHER HAS TOLD

IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL.

YOU AND I BOTH WANT IT TO BE

TRUE BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT

IS NOT TRUE.

BECAUSE IT COULD BE SPUN SO MANY

DIFFERENT WAYS AND AS LAURABELL

HARRIS AND MRS. RICE'S HISTORY

THAT THEY CREATED TOGETHER.

AND IT WOULD BE RUDE OF US TO

IMPOSE ENTIRELY QUEER AGENDA ON

THEIR LIVES.

>> THAT IS LIKE HOW ABRAM

LINCOLN HE HAD JOHN SPEED AND

THEY SLEPT IN THE SAME BED FOR

FOUR YEARS.

ABE LINCOLN IS 8 FEET TALL WHY

WOULD HE SHARE A TWIN BED WITH

ANOTHER MAN.

>> BECAUSE ABRAM LINCOLN WAS A

TOTAL...

>> YOU SHOULD CUT THERE.

>> THIS FAMILY HISTORY

INTERESTED ME BECAUSE LIKE FIRST

I'M SO CLOSE TO YOU, WE'VE LIVED

TOGETHER FOR SO LONG THAT IT WAS

FUNNY TO US.

>> ONE YEAR LITERALLY IN THE

SAME ROOM.

>> LIKE BURT AND EARN ANY.

>> IN TWO TWIN BEDS.

SO WHATEVER HAPPENED, I'VE MEN'S

RESPECT FOR MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER

IN THE SENSE BECAUSE SHE DID THE

IMPOSSIBLE.

AND LIVED THE LAST YEARS OF HER

LIFE WITH SOMEONE THAT SHE

REALLY LIKED EVEN IF SHE PAID

HER.

SO THE FIRST THING WE DID WHEN

WE GOT TO TAMAQUA WAS GO TO THE

ADDRESS THAT WE HAD FOR Mr.

AND MRS. FRANK RICE.

NO ONE WAS HOME.

SO WE WERE WANDERING AROUND THE

BACK AND RANG THE DOORBELL AND

SAW ACROSS THE LAWN A NEIGHBOR

WAS EYEING US SUSPICIOUSLY.

HERE IS SOMEONE.

WE ASKED HER WHERE THE PEOPLE

WHO LIVE IN THE HOUSE WERE?

AND SHE SAID TWO WOMEN LIVED

THERE BUT THEY ARE PROBABLY OUT

BECAUSE IT'S SUNDAY.

>> I WANT TO MEET THEM.

>> I WANT TO MEET THEM SO BADLY.

I GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK.

>> WE'LL COME BACK LATER.

>> OK.

>> SO YOU AND I EXCITEDLY WROTE

A NOTE THAT BRIEFLY EXPLAINED

THE PROJECT AND ASKED IF THEY

WANTED TO BE INTERVIEWED BECAUSE

WE WOULD BE AROUND TAMAQUA FOR

THE DAY AND WE DROVE OFF.

AND WE WENT TO THE CEMETERY.

FINDING THE RISES WAS --

RICE'S WAS DIFFICULT BECAUSE

RICE IS A COMMON NAME AND THE

CEMETERY IS BIG.

>> STOP DANCING.

>> SO YOU AND I GAVE UP AFTER

HALF AN HOUR AND DROVE --

WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THIS EXIT

RAMP UNTIL YOU SAID STOP.

>> WE FOUND IT.

>> MAYBE WE DIDN'T.

>> IS THAT IT?

>> THAT'S IT!

THAT'S IT.

OK.

THIS IS THE WORST PLACE TO PULL

OVER.

FRANK AND ANNE ANY.

WE FOUND FRANK AND ANNE ANY THAT

IS THEM.

AND I'M RECORDING AUDIO RIGHT

NOW.

WE DID IT.

>> WE HAVE TO FIND OUT WHO LIVES

IN THE HOUSE NOW.

THEY NEVER GOT BACK TO US.

AND HERE WE ARE MONTHS LATER AND

WE HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING.

AND WE'LL PROBABLY NEVER KNOW

WHO THE PEOPLE ARE THAT LIVE IN

THIS HOUSE.

THE TWO WOMEN WHOEVER THEY ARE,

WHO THEY ARE INVISIBLE TO US AND

THEY DO NOT WANT ANY PART IN THE

HISTORY WE ARE WRITING ABOUT,

LAURABELL AND MRS. RICE.

AND WE HAVE TO RESPECT THAT.

WHY DID WE GO BACK TO TAMAQUA?

>> I FELT LIKE AFTER WE HAD

FILMED WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANY

CLOSURE.

WITH MRS. RICE.

AND I THINK WE HAD TO TAKE

SOMETIME TO LET ALL OF THE

STORIES SINK IN AND REALIZE WHAT

WE WERE AND WEREN'T GOING TO

FIND.

AND GOING OVER THE FOOTAGE I

REALIZED --

>> I DON'T LIKE WHAT YOU JUST

SAID.

SAY IT AGAIN.

>> WHAT?

WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO BE

SAYING?

I DIDN'T KNOW HOW DESPERATELY I

WANTED THIS STORY UNTIL I

STARTED LOOKING FOR IT.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE SENSE OF SAD

ABOUT IT?

>> I WANTED AN EXCUSE TO BE

CLOSE TO YOU, MILLER.

THAT IS ALL THIS WAS.

I AM IN LOVE WITH YOU.

>> NO.

>> YOU ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION

TO ME.

>> YOU ARE NOT IN LOVE WITH ME.

YOU'VE BECOME SO INVESTED IN

THIS PROJECT I'VE NEVER SEEN YOU

WORKING THIS HARD.

BUT I THOUGHT LIKE AFTER THE

FIRST TIME WE WENT TO TAMAQUA I

THOUGHT WE HAD SEEN ALL WE

NEEDED TO SEE BUT WE WENT BACK A

COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

WHY DID WE DO THAT?

>> I KNEW MAKING THIS FILM THAT

I PROBABLY WOULDN'T FIND

ANYTHING.

AND WHEN I SAW THE TWO WOMEN

WERE LIVING THERE, I THOUGHT

FINALLY WE ARE GETTING THE

LESBIANS WE THOUGHT WE WOULD

FIND THIS WHOLE TIME.

AND IT SEEMED LIKE SUCH A

PERFECT ENDING.

AND WE DIDN'T GET IT.

I WANTED TO IN SOME WAYS

DISCOVER A PIECE OF QUEER

HISTORY THAT DID NOT EXIST

BEFORE.

AND WE ARE ALWAYS SO DESPERATELY

SEEKING TO SEE OURSELVES IN

SOMETHING.

AND TO FEEL FULL ABOUT IT AND TO

FEEL LIKE WE ARE CONNECTED.

I AM OK WITH THE FACT THAT WE

ARE NOT GOING TO GET IT BUT I

WANTED TO COME BACK AND ALMOST

THANK HER FOR WHAT SHE WAS.

JUST GIVING ME KIND OF THIS

DRIVE AND THIS PURPOSE TO BE

FINDING SOMETHING.

[♪♪♪♪]

>> WE HOPE YOU FOUND THIS

EDITION OF OUR ALL ABOUT WOMEN

AND GIRLS FILM FESTIVAL

ENLIGHTENING.

PLEASE FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND

VISIT OUR WEBSITE,

PBS.ORG/TOTHECONTRARY.

AND WHETHER YOU AGREE OR THINK

TO THE CONTRARY, SEE YOU NEXT

WEEK.

SEE AN

ON-LINE VERSION OF THIS EPISODE

OF TO THE CONTRARY VISIT OUR

WEBSITE AT

PBS.ORG/TOTHECONTRARY.