81 minutes; $24.95
Small towns in Mississippi are no smaller than small towns anywhere else, but they can feel that way. small town gay bar profiles queer social centers in two such towns and the transitions that have occurred there in the last few years.
For about 20 minutes the only surprise in Malcolm Ingram's documentary is that the patrons of Rumors, 'the only gay bar in Northeast Mississippi,' would allow themselves to be photographed. Apparently the only one who's closeted is the owner, Rick Gladish, who's not out to his Pentecostal family.
Rumors is in Shannon in Lake County, 'the birthplace of Elvis Presley.' 'The weekends belong to us here,' one man says. Others say it's the only place they can be themselves. If you lived in a big city 50 years ago you might have said the same things.
Drag shows are big at Rumors and two of the stars are featured: Alicia Stone/Jim Bishop and Baby Holiday/Jack McCrory. Alicia's partner, Geoff Kates is the d.j. Alicia boasts that while Baby stuffs socks in her bra, 'I use silicone falsies from Victoria's Secret.'
Just when the film really needs a jolt it jumps 282 miles to Bay Minette, Alabama, for the July 2004 murder of 18-year-old Scotty Joe Weaver—'in part because he was gay,' according to media reports. ( Suspects are apprehended but there's no follow-up on the prosecution of the case. ) Interviews with Scotty's brother Lum, apparently also gay, are intercut with an interview with Rev. Fred Phelps, whose Topeka crazies picketed Scotty's funeral. He explains his 'God Hates Fags' theology at length.
Also interviewed is Tim Wildmon, son of Tupelo-based American Family Association founder Donald Wildmon, whose Web site still touts 'The Homosexual Agenda' and how to fight it.
Phelps was born in Meridian, Miss., which is almost equidistant from Shannon and Bay Minette. The gay bar there, Crossroads is owned by Charles 'Butch' Graham. As the bar is discussed mainly in the past tense it's no surprise to hear the police shut it down in June 2003. Graham says at one point they've closed down a 60-year-old brothel and he expects to be next.
The last act of the film finds both bars changing hands. A year and a half after Crossroads closes a lesbian couple, Lori and Ruby buy it and spend three months refurbishing before they open it as Different Seasons.
Rick sells Rumors to Mark and Lena and there's a bittersweet 'transfer of power' celebration that doesn't disturb business as usual but gives Ingram an excuse for an album of portraits of regulars as a semi-final note.
small town gay bar does a good job of everything but making connections between its locations. ( I had to look up the distances. ) With the elimination of some repetition it could be tightened into a solid hour from a flabby hour-and-a-quarter.
