If you have been on one of the many daily Chicago River cruises that takes you through the heart of the city at any time during the past 14 years the chances are that you have seen Vincent P. Falk. From the start of summer season on Memorial Day until way into October he is stationed on Michigan Avenue Bridge every single day bedecked in one of his many vividly colored suits especially to entertain the tourists. As the boats pass the guide will point out Vincent up on the bridge as he spins around so they can all get a good view of him, and then he takes his jacket off and twirls it around his head. He is the ultimate exhibitionist and a local phenomenon about whom a whole slew of myths has built up over the years as everyone wants to proffer their theory about this eccentric man and his daily routine.
One such Chicagoan was Jennifer Burns who could see Vincent perform from her office window, and the one thing that struck her most of all was the look of sheer joy on his face. He had obviously found the thing in life that made him incessantly happy regardless of what others may think of him and his schtick. She wanted to know more and so approached him, and ended up directing & producing this quirky wee documentary as she attempted to find out not only who Vincent was but why this daily fashion show fulfilled him so.
Vincent is in his early 60’s, gay, and legally blind although he can see out of one eye. He had been abandoned as a baby by his mother and was raised by nuns in St Joseph’s Home for the Friendless (only Catholics would choose such a depressing name!). Once they realised that Vincent wasn’t dim but had visual problems they discovered that he was actually highly intelligent.
His surname came from the last of his foster parents who encouraged him in his studies. He got accepted at the University of Illinois, where he studied computer science, and then eventually wound up at the Illinois Institute of Technology, studying aeronautical engineering. His declining vision never ever stopped from him from doing anything that he chose to turn his hand too. He became a popular DJ, first for the go-go boys at Stage 618, and then at the gay disco Cheeks. Holding the albums an inch away from his face and squinting, he didn’t exactly fit the cool image, but he was evidently a great spinner.
For the past 20 years this man that many passers-byes thought was possible an eccentric Trust Fund baby or maybe even a well-dressed homeless person, has actually been a computer programmer for Cook County, helping to track billions of dollars in tax revenue. Not only that, his boss was eager to testify that he is one of the most brilliant programmers they have ever employed.Now as his fame grows he insures that he never misses a single boat which seem to either fit in with his lunch break, or when his workday finishes. There are countless newspaper articles on him, and he now appears regularly at the local TV station who feature him once a week and stalks a radio station who talk to him on air. People call him The Fashion Man, or Riverarce (i.e. River-Liberace) and whether they laugh at him, or with him, is irrelevant to Vincent just as long as they keep talking about him.
Burns follows him also to the Store that sells these outrageous suits which is an enormous emporium packed floor to ceiling with outfits that I would have thought that only Pimps in Hollywood movies would have worn. And Nathan Detroit.
The bulk of the documentary however is an ongoing discussion about Vincent’s motivation which everyone seems to obsess about and is eager to offer their opinions on. I think none of them crack it all, and I would add myself to that list too. Vincent is an oddity, a loner, a social misfit and obviously is looking for some sort of validation. Doing this seems to provide that, and it appears to make him happier than many people …. and if it provides the people of Chicago with yet another tourist attraction, then isn’t this a win-win situation? And one less Pimp the store has to find to shift another of those suits.
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Labels: 2008, biography, documentary, fashion, gay
