The Bituminous Coal Queens of Pennsylvania

I had the privilege of screening this film this past week at the International Arts Movement conference in NYC.

David Hunt and Patricia Heaton screened it for about 250 of us and answered with a question and answer period following.

It's a great documentary which borders on feeling like a mockumentary at times, but unintentionally. It's a fun, but reverent look at small town Pittsburgh coal region life with a girls pageant at the center of the action. The movie was great and humorous without being condescending as Hollywood can often be about small town life.

The gem of humor comes from the tool of a sound guy who is far too 'big for his britches' - he really thinks he's important; it's too bad that his 'big break' makes him look like a tool - but one that is fun to laugh at.

Look, I rarely take the trouble to comment on things but I feel someone has to be the voice of reason here. This documentary is the worst kind of insidious, condescending, patronizing garbage. To show the people in this community as these dirt-kicking, adorable clods is pulling the wool over everyone's eyes. This makes small town America look like sweet but dopey little cousins - which these townspeople are not. I suspect the coal miners and some of the more colorful residents are actually much more interesting than the narrator, with her infuriatingly cutesy big eyed and giggling reactions to ANYTHING, lets on. This could have been an interesting subject. It could have used a traditional pageant to show a way of life that most of us don't even know exists, even though it may be the backbone of the nation. Instead, through what I can only imagine is the filmmakers sense of "helping out the little people", this is a subtle insult to all of rural America. Whether or not anyone else realizes it yet.

As a native of western Pennsylvania, I can only concur with Jessica-11 that this documentary shows important aspects of life there. The countryside was lush and green, the trip into the coal mine was fascinating, the competitors showed talent and poise, and the returning queens had wonderful stories. In addition, it was a kick to see Fabian as the husband of one of those former queens.

This is a slice a small-town life as I remember it, complete with farm equipment in the big parade and dinner at the fire hall.

Every aspect was treated with the dignity it deserved, though the filmmakers didn't shy away from controversy as competitors strove to get the technical director of the pageant to present them in the best light (or with the best sound).

Thanks for Patricia Heaton for producing this charming film.

From the outset, I understand that documentaries, in general, are NOT everyone's cup of tea. Plus, this sort of film would probably not be appreciated even by many of those out there that do occasionally watch documentaries--as this one is rather dry. This does NOT mean that I disliked the film or that it was a bad film--it's just a style that many would not be particularly fond of or seek out on their own.

I also noticed a bit of controversy among the reviews in that some loved the film and one reviewer thought the film was offensive by making these rural folks stupid. However, I really don't think that was the intent of the film makers, or if it was, it sure was subtle!! I see the film as more in a long tradition of rural documentaries, such as Louis Malle's GOD'S COUNTRY, which seek to document this seldom talked about way of life. While some might THINK all the people in the film are all rubes,I thought they were decent folk and was surprised that the girls in the competition were actually rather talented. Perhaps some people might have seen a parallel with another film, DROP DEAD GORGEOUS--a "mockumentary" that did make fun of country folk. The nastiness and killings in DDG were really over-the-top and shouldn't be confused with this film. The folks of this little coal town came off as decent, very hard working and the girls very sweet--without the clichés (such as back-biting) you might expect. This was, in my opinion, a POSITIVE view of rural America, as the basic goodness was apparent even if they weren't as "sophisticated" as some other parts of the country.

There were a lot of interesting interviews and vignettes, but to me the most interesting was the interview with Fabian (yes, THAT Fabian) who now lives in Coal Country. His perspectives on rural life versus the time he spent in Hollywood were fascinating and really hit home the fundamental value of rural people.

There are a few final things I got from the film I'd like to point out in conclusion. One is that I have always hated all beauty pageants, as they seem very old fashioned and shallow. However, this film mediated these feelings in me and for once, I could actually see some benefit for them--especially with these girls. Two is that I have met MANY audiovisual experts like the one in this film. They are often "snippy" during the rehearsals and the girls universally hating them is common everywhere! Three is that Sarah Rush seems like the happiest person on the planet!

"Bituminous Coal Queens of Pennsylvania" is a gentle, honest, humorous look into the small town life of a coal mining town in southwestern Pennsylvania (Carmichaels, pop. 565) during an annual beauty pageant.

What at first sounds like a possibly uninteresting or unsophisticated subject, especially to city dwellers, turns out to be riveting, funny, and touching. Documentaries are meant to show viewers something they might not otherwise see, and as fewer and fewer people grow up in small towns, "Bituminous Coal Queens" is a look into a life that seems a million miles away from New York City or Los Angeles.

Documentary-noir fans probably won't like "Bituminous Coal Queens of Pennsylvania" because it doesn't seek to uncover the worst in its subject. It is not intent on expose', satire, or worse, but seeks to show universal human truths. The director, David Hunt, says the most common praise he gets from viewers is "thank you for not making them look ridiculous." If you want to smirk with urbane superiority at the country rubes who even hold beauty pageants anymore ("haven't they heard of political correctness?!") skip this one, it will disappoint. If, on the other hand, you want to see strong human connection and personal aspiration in a surprising context, don't miss "Bituminous Coal Queens of Pennsylvania."