When asked, “what’s in a name,” many might jump to “that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” While Shakespeare presented his audience with the simple fact that Juliet would’ve chosen Romeo regardless of his last name, the hook is, a name says so much of who we are. Whether it was selected for symbolic meaning or passed down through generations, a name portrays us. Some may choose to forego our last name and find the simplicity in using one name. While others decide their name doesn’t fit them and appoint themselves with another. But what if you didn’t have a choice? What if you were, Extra #1, Stand-In, Tall Guy, or even Watermelon Woman? How far would you go to establish yourself and reclaim that power back?
In Cheryl Dunye’s 1996 film, The Watermelon Woman, she not only does this but also delivers a powerful message. Her narrative style is presented in various ways that captivate the viewing audience. She not only portrays the fictional film as a documentary but adds the element of the story. Dunye presents characters that are relatable and were fitting for the time. In 1996, same-sex marriage was very present in the media. The Defense of Marriage Act was passed by the 104th United States Congress and signed into law by President Clinton. This defined marriage as an act between one man and one woman. Though The Watermelon Woman presents its audience with tropes and stereotypes of black actors/actresses, it also shined a light on the LGBTQ community.
Dunye’s protagonist, Cheryl, is determined to give an actress that she has come to admire an authentic name. While the credits present the black actress with “watermelon woman,” Cheryl realizes that she is so much more than a stereotype. She begins by asking people on the street if they’ve heard of the watermelon woman, and the story quickly evolves into an in-depth investigation. She first enlists her best friend Tamara but begins receiving help from a customer (Diana) at the video store where she’s employed. As Cheryl and Diana’s investigation intensifies to
discover the truth behind the actress, so does their relationship.
Cheryl’s documentary heats up when they discover the watermelon woman’s name is Fae. They not only find her name but also uncover she too was a lesbian. Fae had a secret relationship the director of Plantation Memories, Martha Page. Cheryl and Diana’s interview with Page’s sister doesn’t go as planned when Cheryl outs her sister for being in a secret relationship with Fae. When they finally contact Fae’s partner from her later years in life, June Walker, Cheryl, is only left with a letter. She urges her to tell Fae’s story to define their history.
Dunye elegantly weaves a documentary style with narrative structure and freelance b-roll footage that works. The Watermelon Woman may be fictionalized, but it proves that the credit of a “mammy” is not a recognizable name. It disrespects the representation of who someone is. In 1996, while Leonardo DiCaprio was portraying Shakespeare’s Romeo in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet, Cheryl Dunye was defining history and concluding there is more in a name than smelling as sweet as a rose. She rediscovers history, presents the present, portrays all communities and races, all through a name, Fae Richards.
