Carnelle wants to escape her dreary life, so she enters a local beauty contest, much to everyone's dismay.
Carnelle isn't happy with her life, so in order to improve herself she enters a local beauty contest, trying to emulate her cousin Elain's win many years ago. Few think she can win, even her closest friends and relatives (e.g. slightly mad cousin Delmount) think she's heading for a big disappointment, but Carnelle is ever hopeful, seeing a win as a ticket to escape her small town in Mississippi.—Rob Hartill
Carnelle Scott has lived in the same house since she moved to Yazoo City, Mississippi, following the death of her parents when she was a child. She moved in with her aunt and uncle, and grew up with her two older cousins, Elain and Delmount Williams. Carnelle has always wanted validation, which she has not yet achieved as she has no real friends, and people in the town sneer at her behind her back. The adoration of Mac Sam, her carnival roadie boyfriend, is not enough. That is why she's entered the local Miss Firecracker beauty pageant, which Elain won several years ago. This being the last year she is eligible, Carnelle even delayed entering for five years so that she could perfect her talent. As one of the strongest memories of her childhood, Carnelle wants to wear the same bright red evening gown Elain wore when she won. She's even dyed her hair bright red to match the dress. Elain, who has always seemed to have a dream life including marriage to well off Franklin Rutledge, is coming from Atlanta for this year's pageant to be a guest speaker. Elain's perfect life is showing some cracks as she is about to leave Franklin. Also returning to Yazoo City is anti-social and hot tempered Delmount, who has just been released from a mental institution, where he was incarcerated as Elain and Franklin would not take him in. Delmount owns the house and wants to sell, the proceeds which he will split with Carnelle so that they can both individually do whatever they really want to do with their lives away from Yazoo City. Along the way, Carnelle receives the support of shy seamstress Popeye Jackson, who helps her with all her pageant attire. By the end of the process, Carnelle may find that there are more important things in life than what she is initially looking for, and that perfection on the surface does not necessarily equate to happiness.—Huggo
Carnelle (Hunter), an oversexed hellion who was orphaned as a young child, has always played second fiddle to her beautiful, older, Southern belle cousin -- a past Miss Firecracker contest winner. But Carnelle is ready to turn the tables. After all, she wants that crown. And by golly, she is going to succeed. Her aspirations are further turned when a long-lost brother-cousin, Delmont, recently released from psych ward, returns home, adding to the fiery comic. Hunter originated this role -- by tuns fiery and comical -- in the off-Broadway version of the movie, which was an important stepping -stone to her eventual film debut.
