Divine Madness

"A National Treasure Chest"

Sep 26 1980 R 1h 35m
Comedy, Documentary, Music

Divine Madness is a 1980 concert film directed by Michael Ritchie, and featuring Bette Midler during her 1979 concert at Pasadena's Civic Auditorium. The 94-minute film features Midler's stand-up comedy routines as well as 16 songs, including "Big Noise From Winnetka," "Paradise," "Shiver Me Timbers," "Fire Down Below," "Stay With Me," "My Mother’s Eyes," "Chapel of Love/Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," "Do You Want to Dance," "You Can’t Always Get What You Want/I Shall Be Released", "The E-Street Shuffle/Summer (The First Time)/"Leader of the Pack" and "The Rose".

Official Trailer
Plot

In 1980, the head usher at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium gives his crew a pep talk: he wants tonight's "Betty Midler" show to go smoothly. He's a little worried about risque language, Liberace recently gave him a scare. Then, boom, there she is, with her backup trio, "The Harlettes," going from rock to ballad to medley, from "Big Noise From Winnetka" to "I Shall Be Released." It's a concentration of camp: she imitates Sophie Tucker, she's mermaid Dolores Delago, and between every song, it's non-stop movement and lots of raunchy patter.

Written by

Jerry Blatt, Bette Midler, Bruce Vilanch

Directed by

Michael Ritchie

Cast

Bette Midler, Jocelyn Brown, Ula Hedwig

Crew

View crew

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

The Ladd Company

Languages

English

Awards

1 nomination

Trailers
Divine Madness - Trailer
Scores
# of Votes
1,009
Average Rating
6.9 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA