GREY GARDENS
US, 2009, 104 minutes, Colour.
Drew Barrymore, Jessica Lange, Jean Tripplehorn, Ken Howard, Kenneth Welsh, Arye Gross, Justin Louis, Daniel Baldwin, Malcolm Gets.
Directed by Michael Sucsy.
Grey Gardens is an excellent film made the television. Its subject is Edith and Little Edie Beale, recluses in the dilapidated mansion, Grey Gardens, on, Long Island in 1973. At that time, the Maysles Brothers who had been making documentaries with strong reputation requested permission to film mother and daughter and their home. They agreed and what resulted was in 1975 documentary, called Grey Gardens.
This film opens in 1973, eccentric daughter dancing for the cameras, the mother watching. The film is interspersed with flashbacks, going back to 1936, the social life of the Beale family, the connection with Bouvier family and with Jacqueline Kennedy. The father of the family, played by Ken Howard, is becoming exasperated with his wife, her social extravagance, but has ambitions for his daughter. Edith is played in an excellent performance by Jessica Lange, both in the earlier segments as well as in her old age segments. Drew Barrymore gives one of her best performances as Little Edie, eager to go to New York City, to become a singer, to perform, but held in check by her mother. Her father divorces his wife and marries again. In the 1950s, Little Edie goes back home and her relationship with her mother is one of co-dependence.
The film is an interesting piece of Americana, the connection with the Bouvier family and the Kennedys – including a sequence when Jacqueline comes to visit the two, remembering her past with them, appalled at the squalor in which they live and financing the cleaning and renovation of their home.
At the end, Little Edie does get to perform a little cabaret and is delighted at the film.
Note: to be watched in connection with the Maysles documentary of 1973, also called Grey Gardens, also featured on this website.
1. A piece of Americana? The Beale family, the Bouviers?
2. The Maysles brothers and their documentary filming? The film of Grey Gardens? Their appearance as characters, their filming?
3. The intercutting of the earlier decades with the filming in 1973? The effect of the contrast between Edith and Edie over the decades, the comparisons?
4. The 1930s and 1940s? New York society, Long Ireland? Wealthy families? The depression, the parties and fashions, shows and cabarets? Grey Gardens itself, the Hamptons? The music and songs?
5. The range of songs from the period, especially those of Jerome Kern? Edith singing? Edie singing and dancing?
6. Edith and her life, her marriage to Phelan, mother of three, her devotion to Edie, the singing, the friendship with Gould? Her husband and his secretary, their alienation from each other, his leaving, the allowance, his second marriage, that wife and her looking at the accounts, her sons growing up, her husband’s death, setting up the foundation? The condition of selling Grey Gardens? Her refusal? The intensity in her relationship with Gould, his love for her, but unable to stay with her, his packing and leaving? The relationship with Edie, her time in New York, the return home, her advice to Edie about the relationship with Cab? Her co-dependence with her daughter?
7. The transition to 1973, squalid living, the dirty house, the litter, the cats, the lack of money, mother and daughter dependent on each other? Edith and her memories of the past, becoming a reclusive character? Edie, still wanting to be a star? The news of Jacqueline Kennedy, the death of Kennedy? Their appearances, clothes?
8. The arrival of the Maysles Brothers, their careers, their films, changing from the documentary on Jacqueline Kennedy to the Beatles? The details of their filming sequences, mother and daughter agree to appear?
9. The passing of the decades, Edith and Grey Gardens, unable to move away? Shutting the doors? Life and survival? The arrival of the inspectors? The house and the smell, health risk, ban?
10. Headlines, Jacqueline Kennedy’s relatives living in poverty, Jackie’s visit, the discussions, the flashbacks to her relationship with Edie in the past, the holidays at the beach, the decision to help, paying for the cleaning of the house and reconstruction?
11. Edie, character, the nervous condition, the loss of hair, her clothes and covering her head? The recurrence of the hair problem during the decades? Singing, dancing, wanting to perform, yet afraid of her debut, running away? Her father and his demands, love for him, his urging her to marry? Going to New York, his wanting to get her an ordinary job, her modelling, the meeting with Cab, the affair, the gift of the coat, the phone calls, her mother knowing, his breaking with her? Confronting the entrepreneur, her performance, wanting an audition? Her return home, cat food, the melted ice cream, her staying at home?
12. Staying at home, mother and daughter getting used to that life, ageing, few contacts, the boys coming and Edith being hurt, refusing to sell the house? Edie excited to move, the disappointment?
13. The insight into the two women, that life, as captured by the Maysels in the film?
14. Edith refusing going to the Premier, her terse response to the reporters? Not wanting to go? Eddie deciding to go, in the spotlight, her delight, and her final performance in a cabaret?
15. The further information about the two? And the success of the film?
