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As aunt and cousin to the more famous Jackie Onassis,
Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edie ('Big Edie'
and 'Little Edie' as they became to be known) lived together
in a squalid mansion in the wealthy East Hampton area. What
was once a grand summer residence had been reduced to a fortress
of fleas, feral cats, and filth, the gardens long gone to
seed and Big Edie and Little Edie confined to just a few of
the 28 rooms. For the previous twenty years they had perfected
their mother/daughter act complete with song-and-dance routines.
Her head mysteriously wrapped in scarves and towels, Little
Edie's modern dances punctuate her interpretations of life,
which primarily take the form of a litany of complaints against
her mother. This routine seems to be old material, lines well
rehearsed through repeated use, usually with Mrs. Beale as
the foil, together they invent a world with their house as
a stage on which life's disappointments and pleasures are
recycled into riveting performances...
The
Maysles Brothers present another of their 'non-fiction features',
this time an offbeat, voyeuristic, and absorbing insight into
the lives of two eccentric and reclusive women: Edith Bouvier
Beale and her daughter Edie.
Both
were once stunningly beautiful women who lived the high life
- Edith was a professional singer, while Edie was a clothes
model, mainly in department stores in New York and Palm Beach
- but times have not be kind and the two live together in
a once beautiful mansion which fell into disrepair. Withdrawn
from society it's ironic that these reclusive women invite
the Maysles brothers (and consequently half the world) into
their house.
Edie
blames her mother for ruining her life - she claims she would
have been discovered if she has stayed in New York instead
of having to baby-sit her mother. She also blames her mother
for chasing off any male suitors. Apparently
she dated J. Paul Getty as well as being engaged to Joe Kennedy,
Jr.
This
cult classic, which has inspired a current Broadway show,
a centre page fashion spread in both Vogue and Harper's
Bazaar, and a forthcoming Hollywood 'remake', prompted
the intervention of Jackie O. to save the couple from a hazardous
health eviction order and any further 'embarrassment' for
the family.
Extras
are impressive and include a beautiful 40 page booklet - that
really provides a lot more background information. On the
DVD we get Albert on Grey Gardens (31 minute interview
with Albert Maysles); Jerry's Cab (a 10 minute recent
film by Albert Maysles with Jerry - who is now a New York
cabbie); Past and Present (11 minute featurette that
sees Jerry return to the house - although he never enters,
just walks around the grounds); Theatrical Trailer
and TV Trailer.
The
only slight moan I have was that Mark Rance has to be about
the world's most useless interviewer. During the Albert
on Grey Gardens featurette he shows he really hasn't done
any research by asking Albert a question about Jerry, but
describes him as, something along the lines of, "That's
Kid whose name I don't know." Then when Albert tells
Rance the New York Times refused to print a letter from Edie
defending the film, because they claimed she was schizophrenic,
Rance was obviously not listening. Minutes later Albert reads
the letter out and Rance asks if they printed it. Albert looks
a little surprised and again tells Rance that they refused
to print it and accused her of being schizophrenic.
This
documentary is funny, moving and very engaging. A wonderful
look into the private lives of two eccentric ladies who slipped
from the limelight to become a little different from the rest
of society.
 
Darren
Rea
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