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Grey Gardens (1975)

Director: David Maysles, Albert Maysles, Ellen Hovde, Muffie Meyer

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Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

America's obsession with Jackie Kennedy-Onassis-who-next is overwhelming, and presumably the reason for the success there of this documentary about two of her family who live in isolated squalor on Long Island; a film that is voyeuristic in the extreme, extending no warmth to the bizarre mother and daughter as they battle out their lives together, but choosing instead to film them in the most offensive of ways. Like the shots of 'Little' Edith Bouvier Beale, a large 56-year-old, taken from below as she climbs upstairs in a miniskirt, rambling to herself; or 'Big' Edith, the demanding 79-year-old mother, with her towel falling off her withered, naked body. As Big Edie sings and Little Edie dances, both adoring the transient attentions of the film crew, you can only wonder what happened once the party was over.

Author: HM

Time Out Film Guide

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User reviews of this film

Technoguy said...

Posted on Jun 07 2011 09:39 Don't take notice of this review.it's typical of the negativity that met this film on first release.This film grows on you.It takes you to places you would never ever otherwise experience.This is no exploitation movie
but a love letter of the Mayles' brothers to the Beales, and a l;ove letter of the Beales to themselves.Yes they
are eccentric aristocrats,yes they have talents to dance
and sing,they are richly human and teach us more about ourselves than a 1000 movies.Empathy not
exploitation is the watchword,and the aristocratic code
they drove them to becoming recluses who would then be free to be themselves,without fear or favour or taboo.
Watch this film and learn to be human.

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