SERVANTE ET MAITRESSE (SERVANT AND MISTRESS)

France, 1977, 90 minutes, Colour.
Andrea Ferreol, Victor Lanoux.
Directed by Bruno Gantillon.

As indicated by the title, this is a film about roles, role-reversal, class distinctions, sexual roles. Popular French actor of the period, Victor Lanoux and Andrea Ferreol (La Grande Bouche) portray the servant and master. The film focuses on the difference between their classes and the consequences in the society in which they live. The film moves into the area of sexuality, especially of sexual dominance and domination.

The film serves as something of a parable, even an allegory, about human relationships, society and class.

1. The impact of this presentation of French life, reversal of masculine sexual roles, humiliation? A morality fable?

2. The French production, a French view of life, manners and morals? Universal impact? Particularly French atmosphere: times, places? A French tone?

3. Technical credits: colour photography, the decor of the house, the general restriction of the action to interiors and the environment of the house? The tone of the musical score?

4. The structure of the film: opening and closing sequences and the presentation of Maria and Jerome? The irony of the reversal of roles, death and survival, humiliation? The placing of each of the characters in the class structure, the power relationship? The expectations of male dominance and female subservience? The ironies of the reversal of roles and exercise of power? The episodes illustrating this? The cumulative effect for the audience, the cumulative effect for Maria and her being depressed, for Jerome and his survival?

5. The opening of the film and the establishing of the uncle's death, the atmosphere of mourning, Maria and her place in the household? The servant of the title soon to become mistress?

6. Jerome's arrival - his personality, his lack of finance, his relationship with his uncle, his arrogance, sexual liaison and humiliation of Maria?

7. The irony of Maria's revealing the financial situation? Jerome and his desperation, borrowing money from Maria and her refusal? Her making him servant, the various games she played with him, her expectations of his work within the house? His manner and playing the game, his motivation? His diplomatic response, his loss of temper and the losing of diplomacy? His being humiliated?

8. Maria and her enjoying the games, having her revenge, the vindication of her class? The effect of the games on her - the exercise of power and its corruption?

9. The decision to bring Christine into the house? Her sharing in the humiliation of Jerome? Her brutality, her feeling that she was being brutalised, her decision to leave?

10. Jerome and his service of the old man, the humiliation for the old man of having his shoes cleaned, his being dismissed by Maria?

11. The episode with the gigolo - the phone call, the meal, the sexual liaison, the return to the house, Maria's involvement of Jerome in sexual satisfaction? The sexual humiliation of Jerome?

12. His decision to participate, his exercise of control?

13. Maria's growing lack of control, the taking of the pills, her boredom, depression, death?

14. The patterns in the structure of the film? The film as a patterned work analogous to the movements of a musical composition? The performances and their skill and the persuasiveness of the themes? The exploration in fable form of masculine-feminine relationships, love-hate, dependence, power, corruption, humiliation? Class traditions and the exercise of manners? Themes of sexuality and death and their relationship?