FEMALE TROUBLE (1974): 50th Anniversary
John Waters’ saga of delinquency spans the wretched life of self-proclaimed “thief and shit-kicker” Dawn Davenport
Description
John Waters’ saga of delinquency spans the wretched life of self-proclaimed “thief and shit-kicker” Dawn Davenport (Divine, who delivers an all-out powerhouse performance for the ages). Following Dawn’s voyage from her teenage flight from home after ruining her family’s Christmas (“I asked for cha cha heels—black ones!”) to her unholy rise filled with shocking glory, Dawn disrespects everyone in her path with a crooked smile. Whether chastising her unwanted daughter, taunting rival neighbors or becoming the face of the fascistic Lipstick Beauty Salon, Dawn claws and fights for some peace of mind throughout her hilariously loathsome journey through life.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, FEMALE TROUBLE remains a magnum opus for Waters—distilling the hallmark nasty retorts, outward hostility, flippant criminality and oddly earnest commentary we’ve come to expect from his perceptive, potty-mouthed legacy. And five decades later, this ultimately searing indictment of trash celebrity culture remains almost uncomfortably fresh.
This film is part of John Waters Threesome, a trio of films by the iconic queer filmmaker playing at BAM on Saturday October 12.
Director
John Waters
Writer
John Waters
Cast
Divine, David Lochary, Mary Vivian Pearce, Mink Stole, Edith Massey