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{{confused|Maids (film)|The Maid (disambiguation){{!}}The Maid (film)}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox film
| name = The Maids
| image = JacksonYorkPosterMaids.JPG
| image size =
| caption =
| director = [[Christopher Miles]]
| producerwriter = [[Robert Enders (filmmaker)|Robert Enders]]<br>Christopher Miles<br>[[Jean Genet]] (play)
| writer producer = Robert Enders<br>[[ChristopherEly MilesLandau]]<br>[[Jean Genet]] (play)
| narrator =
| starring = [[Glenda Jackson]]<br>[[Susannah York]]<br>[[Vivien Merchant]]
| musicnarrator = =
| cinematography = [[Douglas Slocombe]]
| editing = [[Peter Tanner]]
| distributormusic = [[The American FilmLaurie TheatreJohnson]]
| releaseddistributor = [[American Film = 1974Theatre]]
| runtime released = 95{{Film minsdate|1975|04|21|U.S.|df=y}}
| runtime = 95 minutes
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| budget =
| preceded by =
| followed by =
}}
'''''The Maids''''' ({{lang-fr|Les Bonnes}}) is a [[19741975 in film|1974]]British film that was directed by [[Christopher Miles]]. It is based on the [[The Maids|play of the same title]] by the French dramatist [[Jean Genet]]. The film stars [[Glenda Jackson]] as Solange, [[Susannah York]] as Claire, [[Vivien Merchant]] as Madame, and [[Mark Burns (actor)|Mark Burns]] as Monsieur.<ref> The story of the Papin sistersfilm was filmedproduced in 1995 asby ''[[SisterEly My SisterLandau]]'', starringfor the [[UnitedAmerican Kingdom|British]] actresses [[JoelyFilm RichardsonTheatre]], [[Jodhiwhich May]],presented andthirteen [[Juliefilm Walters]].adaptations Theof filmplays wasin directedthe byUnited [[NancyStates Meckler]]from and1973 writtento by1975.<ref [[Wendyname=Benson>{{cite Kesselman]]web|title=Remember... The caseAmerican wasFilm alsoTheater the|first=Raymond subject|last=Benson of|authorlink=Raymond ''[[MurderousBenson Maids]]''|date=16 (''LesApril Blessures Assassines''), a French film starring2009 |work=[[SylvieCinema TestudRetro]] and|url=http://www.cinemaretro.com/index.php?/archives/3150-REMEMBER...THE-AMERICAN-FILM-THEATRE!.html [[Julie|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130601121955/http://www.cinemaretro.com/index.php?%2Farchives%2F3150-MarieREMEMBER...THE-AMERICAN-FILM-THEATRE%21.html Parmentier]]|archivedate=2013-06-01 and directed by [[Jean|url-Pierrestatus=dead Denis]], released in 2000.}}</ref> Solange and Claire are two housemaids who construct elaborate [[sadomasochism|sadomasochistic]] rituals when their mistress (Madame) is away. The focus of their roleplaying 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.
 
== Plot ==
Before it was filmed for the [[American Film Theatre]], it ran at the [[Greenwich Theatre]], [[London]], 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]] [[Douglas Slocombe]]<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Cinema TV Today|title=Miles on filming a stage success|date=1 May 1974}}</ref> and deliberately implemented many of Genet's theatrical devices for the film. The camera was often static, the settings lush and extravagant.▼
Solange and Claire are two housemaids who construct elaborate [[sadomasochism|sadomasochistic]] 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.<ref>The story of the Papin sisters was filmed in 1995 as ''[[Sister My Sister]]'', starring British actresses [[Joely Richardson]], [[Jodhi May]], and [[Julie Walters]]. The film was directed by [[Nancy Meckler]] and written by [[Wendy Kesselman]]. The case was also the subject of ''[[Murderous Maids]]'' (''Les Blessures Assassines''), a French film starring [[Sylvie Testud]] and [[Julie-Marie Parmentier]] and directed by [[Jean-Pierre Denis]], released in 2000.</ref>
The film was shown at the [[1975 Cannes Film Festival]],<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[France Soir]]|title=Les Yeux Fertiles – Christopher Miles une oeuvre magistrale|date=20 May 1975}}</ref> but was not entered into the main competition.<ref name="festival-cannes.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/2202/year/1975.html |website=Festival de Cannes|title=The Maids |accessdate=2009-05-04}}</ref>▼
 
==Cast==
Line 32 ⟶ 33:
* [[Vivien Merchant]] as Madame
* [[Mark Burns (actor)|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]], 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]] [[Douglas Slocombe]]<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Cinema TV Today|title=Miles on filming a stage success|date=1 May 1974}}</ref> 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]],<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[France Soir]]|title=Les Yeux Fertiles – Christopher Miles une oeuvre magistrale|date=20 May 1975}}</ref> but was not entered into the main competition.<ref name="festival-cannes.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/2202/year/1975.html |website=Festival de Cannes|title=The Maids |accessdate=2009-05-04}}</ref>
 
==References==
{{reflist}}
 
==Further reading==
*{{cite news|title=Screen: Exciting 'Maids':American Film Theater Presents Genet Work|last=Canby|first=Vincent|authorlink=Vincent Canby|date=22 April 1975|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9D04E1DC163DE03ABC4A51DFB266838E669EDE&partner=Rotten%2520Tomatoes}} Canby indicates that the film opened in New York on 21 April 1975.
 
==External links==
*{{ImdbIMDb title|id=0071798|title=The Maids}}
*{{rotten-tomatoes|id=maids|title=The Maids}}
*{{AllRovi movie|100970|The Maids}}
 
{{Christopher Miles}}▼
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maids, The}}
[[Category:1974 films]]
[[Category:1970s1974 drama films]]
[[Category:ElstreeBDSM Studiosin films]]
[[Category:FilmsBritish films based on plays]]
[[Category:JeanBritish Genetpsychological drama films]]
[[Category:British films]]▼
[[Category:English-language films]]▼
[[Category:Films directed by Christopher Miles]]
[[Category:FictionalFilms maidsproduced by Ely Landau]]
[[Category:Films scored by Laurie Johnson]]
 
[[Category:Films shot at EMI-Elstree Studios]]
▲{{Christopher Miles}}
[[Category:Jean Genet]]
[[Category:Films about maids]]
▲[[Category:1970s English-language films]]
▲[[Category:1970s British films]]
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