LES FEMMES DU SIXIEME ETAGE (THE WOMEN OF THE SIXTH FLOOR/SERVICE ENTRY)

France, 2010, 100 minutes, Colour
Fabrice Luchini, Sandrine Kiberlain, Natalia Verbeke, Carmen Maura, Lola Duenas.
Directed by Philippe Le Guay.

National and cultural identity is a concern in 21st century Europe. Who are all these migrants? Where do they come from? What are they doing here? Is it just economic migration? Does it threaten the national culture? According to this entertaining comedy, the questions have been round for a long time. In fact, in France, 1962, there was a huge influx of Spanish maids.

This comedy (like Almanya – Welcome to Germany, concerning Turks and Germans) is an entertaining and often telling way to make a point about migrants and their being welcomed or not and their trying to live within a different culture.

Fabrice Luchini tends to take serious roles, often villains in historical pieces. Here he is effective as a comedian, but mainly in his reactions to what is going on around him, often a performance of double takes. He is a financial adviser who has lived in his apartment all his life, inheriting his company from his father. He has an ambitious socialite wife (Sandrine Kiberlain) and two insufferable young sons. He has a maid who has worked for 25 years with the family. When she leaves, his wife takes her friends’ advice to employ a Spanish maid, Maria (Natalia Verbeke) and you know the scene is set for his loosening up, even falling in love, his becoming more Spanish as he gets to know all the Spanish maids who live on his top floor, and his wife getting her comeuppance.

It is generally bright and breezy, the group of older maids (moving out of Franco’s Spain, so providing a subtext for the film) are a lively and devout lot and Maria, of course, has a secret. While it does work out, on the whole, as we might expect, it is the funny moments, the sentimental moments (and the satirical moments at the expense of gossiping Parisian women) that carry it along as an entertainment and as a film with a cultural message,

1. A sprightly Gallic comedy? Spanish humour? Laughs, happiness, entertainment?

2. Paris in 1962, the era of de Gaulle, the loss of Algeria, the workforce coming from Spain? French society? Satiric targets – especially rich, idle women, the bosses? The scent of class distinction? The overtones of socialism and communism – especially in the context of France? And of Franco’s Spain?

3. The title, the women, coming from Spain, the Franco background? Maids, their hard work, the joyful spirit, the living quarters, cramped, no running water, the toilet, the parties, their religious beliefs and going to mass, the French landlady and her sour attitude towards the women?

4. Jean- Louis, the focus of the film, his home, precision, rituals, born in the house, lived in the house, his routines? The three-and-a-half-minute boiled egg? Germaine and her service in the family, mothering his two sons, Jean- Louis’ mother dying, her not being a friendly woman, Germaine’s devotion to her, upset that Suzanne wanted to change everything, the carry-on, leaving? Her drinking and her going? Jean- Louis saying she was part of the family – but no contact with her after she left?

5. Jean- Louis at work, his advice, his financial work, the meetings, the staff, his second-in-charge, the socials, going to the theatre, the wives together? The introduction of Bettina, three marriages, widow, her portfolio and Jean- Louis managing it?

6. Jean- Louis and Maria, Suzanne and the news about Spanish servants, going to the bureau, liking Maria? The boiled eggs just right? Getting all the women in to clean the house? The hard work, Maria and her past life, as a maid, the boss, her son, his being adopted, her not knowing where he was?

7. Maria’s life, demanding the four hundred francs, at work, thorough, Suzanne relying on her, Suzanne telling her how exhausted she was, the parties, Suzanne’s friends and their gossip?

8. Jean- Louis going upstairs, the toilet, getting it fixed, the janitor’s room for Pilar, his doing good? Learning about the women? Changing his attitude, his becoming looser and happier, learning Spanish, the pronunciation of letters with Maria, the singing?

9. The party, Gerard, his flirting with Maria, Jean- Louis jealous, sending Gerard home, speaking ill of Maria and sacking her, her attack on him?

10. The Spanish party, Pilar and her gratitude, the women insisting Jean- Louis go, singing, dancing, Maria seeing him differently, dancing with him, her change of attitude?

11. Concepcion, leadership amongst the women, Maria’s aunt, welcoming her to Paris? Carmen, the socialist background, accused of being a communist, her spouting propaganda – yet a cheerful woman? Dolores and her pain, Pilar and her husband, Concepcion sending the money home to build a house? Teresa, her wig, going out with the men – and the proposal, the hairdresser, his doing all the women’s hair for the wedding? The marriage plans – and Jean- Louis’ paying for the dress?

12. Jean- Louis’ sons, their snobbish attitudes, confronting people?

13. Suzanne, her jealousy of Bettina, her assuming that Jean- Louis was out with her, not believing him? Her ordering Jean- Louis out? His going upstairs?

14. Jean- Louis and his life upstairs, sharing life with the women, becoming more jovial? Maria and the night with her, her sudden departure?

15. Suzanne, her haughtiness, from the country, listening to gossip, her ambitions, hooking Jean- Louis? Ordering him out? The news that she had remarried, an artist?

16. Three years later, Jean- Louis going to Spain, visiting Concepcion, her bossing around her husband, his infidelity, the husband giving her the information about Maria, finding Miguel, going with him to the house, Maria and the washing – and the happy ending?