I Am
Divine
***
Dir: Jeffrey Schwarz. With: Divine, John Waters,
Mink Stole. 90 mins. Cert: 15
Among its
achievements, this tribute to the 300-pound transvestite who became the muse of
the midnight-movie scene moves us beyond one hard-to-shake image: that of its
subject devouring dog poop at the close of John Waters’ Pink Flamingos. Director Jeffrey Schwarz instead pursues the man
behind the mascara, uncovering one Glenn Milstead: a chunky kid, bullied into
the fringes, who came to channel any resentment into cheeringly confrontational
spectacle. Whether barracking clubbers or being raped by giant plastic
lobsters, Divine had colour enough for fifty films, yet Schwarz weights the camp
against a sincere appreciation of both the obvious, larger-than-life
personality and this performer’s oft-overlooked skill: he makes moving
Milstead’s reconciliation with his family, and something suitably crowning from
1988’s Hairspray. The interviewees (including
the Waters mob, frothing with funny, salty anecdotes) express a whole lot of
love for Divine – but then, as this entertaining biog eternally illustrates,
Divine was a whole lotta woman.
I Am Divine is now playing in selected cinemas.
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