MAID TO ORDER
US, 1987, 93 minutes, Colour.
Ally Sheedy, Tom Skerrit, Valerie Perrine, Dick Shawn, Michel Ontkean, Rain Phoenix.
Directed by Amy Holden Jones.
Maid to Order is a pleasantly frothy morality fable, a reversion of Cinderella, where the fairy godmother arrives and Cinderella is relegated to being a maid. Ally Sheedy enjoys herself as a spoilt rich girl who has to earn her living in a most eccentric family with Valerie Perrine and Dick Shawn spoofing it up as newly rich agents in Los Angeles. Tom Skerritt is sombre as her father, Michael Ontkean is pleasant as the composer with whom she falls in love. Beverley D'Angelo enjoys herself as the eccentric fairy godmother.
The film was written and directed by Amy Jones (Mystic Pizza). Light entertainment with a moral.
1. Pleasant fairy tale in contemporary Los Angeles?. The reversal of C1nderella? The poor little rich girl fable? Earning one's living and earning one's self-esteem?
2. The world of the L.A. rich, of the poor, of the eccentric?
3. The musical score, rock and roll, Audrey and her singing, Nick and his composing, the songs?
4. The 'once upon a time' and 'happy ever after' framework? Audiences accepting the unreality? Stella's arrival, her type, eccentric comedy, smoking, jogging etc.? Telling the truth to Jessie? her use of magic? her dress, the washing up? Her reappearance with Charles Montgomery? At the end and her going off in the bubble?
5. Jessie at home, the spoilt brat, using and taking money, extravagance with the wine, extravagance with her friends, dancing, bored and speeding, arrested? Her father and his trying to discipline her? Her going to jail?
6. Stella getting her out, talking to her, her resentment, telling her about the job? Her wandering the streets, the gas with the bus, her being chased, hungry? Going for the job interview? Meeting with the Starkeys and the staff? Her awkwardness, meeting Nick while swimming, Audrey and Maria and their doubts, her accidents and awkwardness, the soap in the washing machine? Her father's arrival, spilling things on Stella's dress?
7. Her change of heart, friendship with Nick, going home to Audrey's, meeting Slide and seeing the LP? Changing at work, cleaning up the house, preparing for the party, friendship with Audrey, getting her to sing, the happy ending?
8. The Starkeys and their vulgarity, Georgina's stinginess, their criticisms of others, the relationship with their children, with the staff? The interview with Montgomery about the Starlight Foundation, Dude and the guests, their vulgarity with the guests, their trying to make themselves hip and modern? Spoofing of the L.A. types?
9. Charles Montgomery as nice, trying to discipline his daughter, the money, his black assistant and advice? His wish not to have a daughter? The interviews for the foundation, his presence at the end, the reconciliation, with his daughter?
10. Audrey and Maria and their work, at home, the family, the meal, taking Jessie? Audrey and singing? Her success at the reception?
11. Nick, his work as a chauffeur, mechanic, the swim, friendship with Jessie, taking her for the drive, the meal? His compositions? The concert and the finale?
12. The satire with Dude and the rock and roll star, appearance, style, career, hit by a coconut?
13. Pleasant comedy? Pleasant American fable?
