[♪♪♪♪]
>> 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.