Diary of a chambermaid (1946)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | A chambermaid's diary |
| Original title | Diary of a Chambermaid |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1946 |
| length | 82 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Jean Renoir |
| script | Jean Renoir Burgess Meredith based on the novel of the same name by Octave Mirbeau |
| production |
Benedict Bogeaus Paulette Goddard Burgess Meredith |
| music | Michel Michelet |
| camera | Lucien Andriot |
| cut | James Smith |
| occupation | |
| |
A Maid's Diary is a 1945 American film directed by Jean Renoir with Paulette Goddard in the title role and Burgess Meredith as her beau. Both stars were also involved in the production, and Meredith on the script.
action
France in 1885. One day the young Célestine comes to the household of the lordly Lanlaire family to take on the position of chambermaid. The country estate is noble, the Lanlaires a clan with plenty of quirks and bizarre habits. Monsieur Lanlaire suffers from his dominant wife, who in his eyes is a real dragon. All the more he makes Célestine, who he likes a lot and, unlike Madame, is also attractive, beautiful eyes and likes to chase her. But the property neighbor, Capitaine Mauger, shows more interest in the maid than was actually expected. He leaves no stone unturned to steal Célestine from the Lanlaires. The proven eccentric promises the girl who, when she started working for the Lanlaires, certainly had the hope of climbing the social ladder, to marry her should she come to him. The offer is tempting, as Mauger has considerable wealth. But Célestine cannot and does not want to make a decision and puts off the captain, who is longing for her.
One day Lanlaire's ailing son Georges returns temporarily from Paris to his parents' home, and since Madame wants to keep him for longer, she buys Célestine fine clothes, with the stipulation that from now on she devotes herself particularly intensively to Georges. Célestine is even sent to George's room in thin negligee to bring him a hot broth on behalf of her mother. He actually intended to return to Paris and see through, given the great care on the part of his mother, her intention. Célestine understands that she is merely being instrumentalized and manipulated and is artificially upset about it. She quits her job and is just waiting for an opportunity to drive to the nearest town with Joseph, the in-house butler. By the way, Joseph reveals to her that he plans to steal the Lanlaires' silverware on the national holiday , when everyone is in the hustle and bustle. To do this, however, he needs Célestine as an accomplice who is supposed to be the goo.
Neither of them know that Joseph's plan was secretly overheard by Madame Lanlaire. As a result, she thwarted Joseph's thief intention. Joseph is now looking for another victim and believes he has found it in the wealthy Capitaine Mauger, whose hidden bar he wants to take for himself. When Mauger is out on the holiday, Joseph rummages through his rooms. When Mauger returns home, he catches the Lanlaires' long-fingered butler in flagranti. It comes to a duel in which Joseph kills the captain. He panics and explains to the Lanlaires that he intends to quit his job and marry Célestine. Madame Lanlaire is delighted because the maid, with whom Georges has now fallen in love, is really not a suitable match for her son in her eyes, and so her Célestine's upcoming exit seems the most elegant solution. Madame Lanlaire is even willing to let Joseph take care of the silverware if he only goes and takes Célestine with him. The servant and the maid are just about to leave when Georges steps in at the last moment and asks Célestine to stay. Joseph wants to prevent this at all costs and engages in a duel with the Lanlaire son, to which he is subject. Joseph dies, and Célestine and George plan a future together far from their parents' country estate.
Production notes
A Maid's Diary was written in Hollywood in 1945 and premiered on February 15, 1946. It was Renoir's penultimate - and disappointingly unusual (see reviews) - Hollywood production. The film never ran in German cinemas; its first broadcast (as the original with subtitles) was The Diary of a Chambermaid on July 6, 1969, on the 3rd program of the Bavarian Radio.
Eugène Lourié designed the buildings and his wife Laure designed the costumes.
Remake
1964 came a remake under the same name with Jeanne Moreau in the title role in the cinemas. The director was here Luis Buñuel .
Reviews
"The Hollywood celebrities were at a loss in this thoroughly artificial and unconvincing adaptation of a small classic."
"Not an easy attempt at a melodrama in the continental style [...] tries very hard, but is never clear what it wants to be."
“Well versed in dealing with original locations, Renoir had to shoot mostly in a studio, which means that the reconstruction of the French milieu is more sterile than convincing in terms of form and content. The happy ending forced by the production also mitigates the social criticism of the original. Also average in terms of acting. "
Web links
- Diary of a Chambermaid in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Diary of a chambermaid. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 21, 2020 .