Jean Genet's The Maids

I would watch Glenda Jackson on the stage reading a finance report aloud while flipping pancakes, and having seen her live on Broadway in "King Lear", would cherish the opportunity to see her again. I've also seen an Off Broadway revival of this Genet play, while it is a very intense example of classic theater, is not one of my favorites. However, the movie, with Glenda Jackson and Susannah York as the maids making fun of their employers while mistress Vivien Merchant is out, is fascinating even though the mainly single setting (Merchant's bedroom) makes the film quite cumbersome at times. The very grand Merchant makes her entrance three quarters into the movie, her character not realizing how much Jackson and York hate her and would love to murder her. She's not a hateful woman, just a very vain and silly one, having been involved in affair because her husband has been arrested. Jackson and York take care of those imitating her with York in one of her dresses in the opening scenes, and for a little while, believing she's the employer. But soon, their playful antics take a very dark turn, and they begin to relate how they hate themselves and each other for being forced to be in servitude to someone so ridiculous. Jackson's booming voice is certainly more commanding than York's, but that makes York the more subtle of the two although I never can take my eyes off of Jackson. A worthwhile motion picture for American Film Theater to have done because otherwise, it may have never been filmed, but for many audiences even huge fans of Jackson's, it will be a chore to get through.

The Maids is a two-woman show that looks like a live performance. It was part of a series of films adapting stage shows to the big screen, so the intent is implant audiences in the front row of the theater. It's not flashy and it doesn't do anything to make itself any less "stage-y". If that type of movie doesn't appeal to you, then you'll probably tear your hair out after five minutes. Many theater fans adore Glenda Jackson's style, but it is very distinctive, so if again, if you don't like it in the beginning, you won't like the rest of it. She and her costar, Susannah York, played their parts on stage, which explains their masterful timing and very rehearsed delivery. The story is pretty dark and convoluted: two maids hate their employer, so when she's out on the town, they take turns dressing up in her clothes and harassing the other. They also act out little revenge schemes which they can never fulfil in real life. Personally, I found it much to play-ish and peculiar to be enjoyable. If you actually end up liking this one, you can try any number of live productions Glenda Jackson filmed or another dark, strange drama with Susannah York: The Killing of Sister George.

Whether one enjoys 'The Maids' is perhaps dependent on whether you're familiar with Jean Genet's play and what if familiar your thoughts on it are. Personally think that the play is an interesting one for its atmosphere and characterisation, but am never going to see it as one of my favourites. It is one of those plays that is going to divide people. The cast also drew me into seeing 'The Maids', having liked Susannah York and especially Glenda Jackson (loved in her case) in other things. Despite the rating as of now here indicating otherwise, to me 'The Maids' is actually one of the better entries in the uneven American Film Theatre series. It is not my definition of a masterpiece by any stretch and like most films in the series one can tell that it is adapted from stage. But the cast are as good as one can get and the atmosphere is handled very well and faithfully. So yeah it is recommended, while not considering it a must see. As was just said, 'The Maids' can feel somewhat stagebound. Evident in moments of dull pacing, an at times too confined setting and not always feeling opened up enough. Especially early on. The dialogue rambles at times. Like all the other films in the series, the best component is the acting. Jackson and York go at their roles full throttle and give hair-raising performances. Particularly Jackson. Their chemistry is dynamite, essential in making an adaptation of 'The Maids' work. One also mustn't overlook Vivien Merchant, anybody who loved her performance in 'The Homecoming' (speaking as one of those people) earlier in the series will love her formidable yet nuanced performance here. The film is atmospherically shot and generally the setting is alive in colour and atmosphere. The score is suitably haunting without being melodramatic. The dialogue has its fair share of chills and tension, unashamedly melodramatic but it works within the story. Despite staginess, 'The Maids' nails the mood of the play, something 'Three Sisters' for example (another example of a mood driven play) struggled to do so. The character writing for the three leads is as rich and hard hittinh as ought. Overall, well done and deserving of more credit. 7/10.

Jean Genet is a genius storyteller who pulls us in from the beginning, the way the characters play off of one another is brilliant, wonderful acting to boot. Don't miss it!

This turned up late one night on a London TV station. Never shown theatrically in the UK since you could go and see the play where it belongs, in the theatre. It is a difficult to watch film. The actors perform as if they are on a stage. The cinematography is headache inducing. Little attempt at editing. It is an unwatchable bore. Little wonder that the venture was short-lived.

The Maids is one of the great stage classics of the XX century, and this 1974 version does it full justice. American Film Theatre was an attempt to bring stage to screen; I had previously seen only one of their efforts, Rhinoceros, which was ruined by an attempt to shift the setting from France to America. The Maids doesn't make that mistake; the setting is ostentatiously, gorgeously French. Glenda Jackson and Susannah York have British accents, but this still maintains the European feel of the piece...and their acting is superb. Their ability to project histrionics at just the right moment brings to life what would otherwise be a stagebound snooze. The exquisite composition of colours and textures in the apartment also makes for compelling viewing. The story concerns two psychotic and resentful maids who hatch a variety of fantastic plots for killing Madame, their employer. Also, the have a ceremony which involves one of them dressing up as Madame and tormenting the other; it is obvious that there is a vast pool of venom underneath the surface pretence of kindness and consideration shown by Madame. The dialogue is ritualized and stylized, almost like Shakespearean blank verse - one would expect no less from Jean Genet, who was like Shakespeare in many ways. You have to be willing to like prose-poetry, but it's worth giving it a chance. I'm convinced that the play was a major influence on Fassbinder's "Petra von Kant"; that movie is reckoned to be a classic, but this one is even better, so more people should check it out.

Trailer—Jean Genet's The Maids

Based on Jean Genet's play Solange (Glenda Jackson) and Claire (Susanna York) plays sisters who as maids in a luxuriant Paris apartment, dress up when Madame is away and act out strange, sadomasochistic scenes where Madame is ridiculed even murdered. Made as a part of the American Film Theatre season, this is by nature a very stage bound film, set pretty much exclusively in the Parisian apartment. The attraction for seeing this, assuming you aren't necessarily acquainted with Genet's somewhat absurdist play is watching the 2 great actresses having a great time spouting out Genet's exhuberant, colourful dialogue. Other than that is a strange little chamber piece loaded up with gallons of hidden meaning that I obviously missed.

The Maids is a two-woman show that looks like a live performance. It was part of a series of films adapting stage shows to the big screen, so the intent is implant audiences in the front row of the theater. It's not flashy and it doesn't do anything to make itself any less "stage-y". If that type of movie doesn't appeal to you, then you'll probably tear your hair out after five minutes. Many theater fans adore Glenda Jackson's style, but it is very distinctive, so if again, if you don't like it in the beginning, you won't like the rest of it. She and her costar, Susannah York, played their parts on stage, which explains their masterful timing and very rehearsed delivery. The story is pretty dark and convoluted: two maids hate their employer, so when she's out on the town, they take turns dressing up in her clothes and harassing the other. They also act out little revenge schemes which they can never fulfil in real life. Personally, I found it much to play-ish and peculiar to be enjoyable. If you actually end up liking this one, you can try any number of live productions Glenda Jackson filmed or another dark, strange drama with Susannah York: The Killing of Sister George.

Whether one enjoys 'The Maids' is perhaps dependent on whether you're familiar with Jean Genet's play and what if familiar your thoughts on it are. Personally think that the play is an interesting one for its atmosphere and characterisation, but am never going to see it as one of my favourites. It is one of those plays that is going to divide people. The cast also drew me into seeing 'The Maids', having liked Susannah York and especially Glenda Jackson (loved in her case) in other things. Despite the rating as of now here indicating otherwise, to me 'The Maids' is actually one of the better entries in the uneven American Film Theatre series. It is not my definition of a masterpiece by any stretch and like most films in the series one can tell that it is adapted from stage. But the cast are as good as one can get and the atmosphere is handled very well and faithfully. So yeah it is recommended, while not considering it a must see. As was just said, 'The Maids' can feel somewhat stagebound. Evident in moments of dull pacing, an at times too confined setting and not always feeling opened up enough. Especially early on. The dialogue rambles at times. Like all the other films in the series, the best component is the acting. Jackson and York go at their roles full throttle and give hair-raising performances. Particularly Jackson. Their chemistry is dynamite, essential in making an adaptation of 'The Maids' work. One also mustn't overlook Vivien Merchant, anybody who loved her performance in 'The Homecoming' (speaking as one of those people) earlier in the series will love her formidable yet nuanced performance here. The film is atmospherically shot and generally the setting is alive in colour and atmosphere. The score is suitably haunting without being melodramatic. The dialogue has its fair share of chills and tension, unashamedly melodramatic but it works within the story. Despite staginess, 'The Maids' nails the mood of the play, something 'Three Sisters' for example (another example of a mood driven play) struggled to do so. The character writing for the three leads is as rich and hard hittinh as ought. Overall, well done and deserving of more credit. 7/10.