The Maids (1974)

Mr Pinky recently made a wish out loud to see the film version of Jean Genet’s 1947 play The Maids. To his surprise, wishes do come true! Mr Pinky’s web editor recently found a DVD copy at a very reasonable price.

It’s nice to know that in the current economic climate, you can still pick up a good quality movie at a bargain price.

For those not in the know, Jean Genet was a sometimes jail bird, sometime novelist and playwright. The Maids is loosely based on an infamous 1930s murder, where two French maids (the Papin sisters, Lea and Christine) killed their Mistress. The Jean Genet version concentrates on the masochism of the maids, and their inability to finally do away with ‘Madame’.

From memory, the play has instructions that the set is to be highly ornate and artificial. Somewhat surprisingly, although perhaps not since Genet was gay, the three female characters were to be played by men.

In this 1974 film version, directed by Christopher Miles, and starring Glenda Jackson, Susannah York and Vivien Merchant, the set follows Genet’s stage directions. The art direction is lusciously ornate and artificial. The major divergence from the script is to have women play the leads, but this works well.

Susannah York is terrific when dressing up as Madame. The overwrought make-up, glamour and theatrical postures recall the great film clips of Annie Lennox. (Indeed, if Mr Pinky were to meet Ms Lennox, the first thing he would ask is how much this film influenced her own film work.)

Glenda Jackson also does a good job as Solange.

But look out for Vivienne Merchant! What a rare and queer thing she is as Madame. Absolutely perfect! The DVD is worth the price just for her performance. Her timing and the phrasing of her lines is just magic.

The only bummer about the film is the fact that Christopher Miles adds some annoying flashbacks and ‘action film’ type scenes that detract from the artificial atmosphere of the play.

We know that Madame has a lover who has been denounced to the police. The director has these hurried, frenetically cut scenes at the beginning showing him being dragged off to the police. Then there are short scenes of Madame’s lover that we cut away to when the maids are discussing him. They jar and are at odds with the aesthetics of the film as a whole.

A total artistic mistake says Mr Pinky!

That quibble aside, you must lay your hands on The Maids. It’s a rich, strange, beguiling and very queer sort of film.