Character Relationship Map: Polyester

Characters

• Francine Fishpaw (played by Divine) — protagonist

  The overweight, Christian housewife whose suburban life unravels due to her husband's affair, delinquent children, and classist mother. She battles alcoholism, confronts her family's moral decay, and...

• Todd Tomorrow (played by Tab Hunter) — supporting

  An art-house drive-in theater owner who romances and proposes to Francine. He is secretly conspiring with La Rue to embezzle Francine's divorce settlement, drive her insane, and sell her children into...

• Cuddles Kovinsky (played by Edith Massey) — supporting

  A simple-minded former housecleaner who consoles Francine with optimistic bromides and has inherited a large fortune. She arrives at the climax with her German fiancé Heintz, and their car accidentall...

• Sandra Sullivan (played by Mink Stole) — supporting

  Elmer's secretary and mistress. After being confronted by Francine, she breaks into the Fishpaw home with Elmer to murder Francine. She is accidentally shot by Elmer after Dexter steps on her foot, an...

• Bo-Bo Belsinger (played by Stiv Bators) — supporting

  Lu-Lu's degenerate boyfriend who impregnates her. On Halloween, he and a friend attempt to trash the Fishpaw house, but La Rue retrieves her gun and shoots him dead after he shoots her.

• Heintz (played by Hans Kramm) — supporting

  Cuddles's German chauffeur and fiancé. He arrives at the house with Cuddles, and their vehicle accidentally runs over and kills La Rue and Todd. He shares a kiss with Cuddles at the film's conclusion.

• La Rue (played by Joni Ruth White) — supporting

  Francine's cocaine-snorting, class-conscious mother who robs her daughter and berates her obesity. She survives a shooting by Bo-Bo, later conspires with Todd to embezzle Francine's settlement, and is...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Cuddles Kovinsky → Heintz (Romantic Fiance) — They are engaged and present a supportive couple at the ending.

  Cuddles arrives with her German chauffeur and fiancé Heintz.

• Francine Fishpaw → La Rue (Family Daughter) — A hostile mother-daughter relationship marked by criticism, theft, and eventual confrontation.

  La Rue is explicitly identified as Francine's mother and repeatedly interferes in her daughter's life.

• Francine Fishpaw → Todd Tomorrow (Romantic Partner) — Their apparent romance gives Francine hope before Todd's betrayal is revealed.

  Todd romances Francine and proposes marriage to her.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Cuddles Kovinsky → Todd Tomorrow (Conflict Accidental Adversary) — Cuddles is indirectly involved in Todd's fatal downfall.

  Cuddles arrives with Heintz, and their car accidentally runs over Todd after his conspiracy against Francine is exposed.

• Heintz → Todd Tomorrow (Conflict Accidental Killer) — The final car accident ends Todd's conspiracy.

  The vehicle carrying Heintz and Cuddles runs over Todd and kills him.

• Heintz → La Rue (Conflict Accidental Killer) — Heintz is involved in the fatal accident that removes La Rue from the story.

  Cuddles and Heintz arrive in a car that runs over La Rue and Todd, killing them.

• La Rue → Bo-Bo Belsinger (Conflict Killer And Victim) — Their violent encounter ends with Bo-Bo's death after an attempted home invasion.

  Bo-Bo shoots La Rue during the Halloween attack, but La Rue retrieves the gun and shoots Bo-Bo dead.

• Sandra Sullivan → Francine Fishpaw (Conflict Mortal Enemy) — Sandra becomes an immediate physical threat to Francine.

  After being confronted over the affair, Sandra breaks into Francine's home with the intention of murdering her.

• Todd Tomorrow → La Rue (Alliance Conspirator) — They form a secret criminal alliance against Francine.

  Todd and La Rue are romantically involved and conspire to steal Francine's settlement and sell her children into prostitution.

• Francine Fishpaw → Cuddles Kovinsky (Social Friend) — Cuddles provides emotional support despite their contrasting social positions.

  Cuddles is Francine's former housecleaner whom Francine befriends, and Cuddles repeatedly tries to console her.

Story Analysis

A collapsing suburban family survives betrayal, grotesque violence, and manipulation before Francine rejects deception and reunites with her children.

Plot Progression

1. Respectable Ruin — Francine's suburban family life is undermined by public protests, domestic disorder, and La Rue's cruelty. The discovery of the affair turns private frustration into an open marital crisis.
2. Domestic Moral Collapse — Francine descends into alcoholism while her children's behavior creates new scandals. Pregnancy, arrest, and clinic harassment push the household toward institutional separation.
3. Violence at Home — The Halloween attack brings gun violence into the Fishpaw home. Bo-Bo dies, and the resulting suicide attempt and apparent dog hanging drive Francine to a breaking point.
4. False Recovery — The family begins to recover as Francine quits drinking and her children change direction. Todd's proposal briefly offers romance and stability before his conspiracy is exposed.
5. Bloodshed and Reconciliation — A murder attempt triggers the final household confrontation, where the children defeat the attackers. A fatal car accident removes Todd and La Rue, leaving Francine reunited with her children.