''The Maids'' (french: Les Bonnes) is a 1975 British film that was directed by Christopher Miles. It is based on the play of the same title by the French dramatist

Jean Genet Jean Genet (; – ) was a French novelist, playwright, poet, essayist, and political activist. In his early life he was a vagabond and petty criminal, but he later became a writer and playwright. His major works include the novels '' The Thief ...

. The film stars Glenda Jackson as Solange, Susannah York as Claire, Vivien Merchant as Madame, and Mark Burns as Monsieur. The film was produced by Ely Landau for the American Film Theatre, which presented thirteen film adaptations of plays in the United States from 1973 to 1975.

Plot

Solange and Claire are two housemaids who construct elaborate

sadomasochistic Sadomasochism ( ) is the giving and receiving of pleasure from acts involving the receipt or infliction of pain or humiliation. Practitioners of sadomasochism may seek sexual pleasure from their acts. While the terms sadist and masochist refer ...

rituals when their mistress (Madame) is away. The focus of their role-playing is the murder of Madame, and they take turns portraying either side of the power divide. The deliberate pace and devotion to detail guarantees that they always fail to actualize their fantasies by ceremoniously "killing" Madame at the ritual's denouement. The plot of the film was popularly believed to have been inspired by the murders committed in 1933 by Christine and Léa Papin, although this was denied by Genet.

Cast

* Glenda Jackson as Solange * Susannah York as Claire * Vivien Merchant as Madame * Mark Burns as Monsieur

Production

Before it was filmed for the American Film Theatre, it ran as a stage play at the Greenwich Theatre,

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, with the same principal cast later used for the film version. The director, Christopher Miles planned the 12-day shoot with a single camera which could track anywhere over the set with the

cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the ch ...

Douglas Slocombe and deliberately implemented many of Genet's theatrical devices for the film. The camera was often static, the settings lush and extravagant.

Release

The film was shown at the

1975 Cannes Film Festival The 28th Cannes Film Festival was held from 9 to 23 May 1975. The Palme d'Or went to the '' Chronique des Années de Braise'' by Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina. In 1975, a new section, "Les Yeux fertiles", which was non-competitive, was introduced. This ...

, but was not entered into the main competition.

References

External links