Diary of a Chambermaid - Criterion Collection

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(5 stars) - Subtle and sarcastic criticism of prewar French society
This gem of a film presents a subtle criticism of the lifestyle and values of the wealthy and not so wealthy in France just before World War II. The story centers on a young woman named Celestine (played by the beautiful and talented Jeanne Moreau) who is starting her new job as a `femme de chambre' (translated as chambermaid, but not entirely appropriate) in a country manor. She encounters a wide range of people from the wealthy owners of the manor to the lowest laborers. The story is essentially about the interactions and world-views of those who live in and around the manor. Each of the characters is in some sense a microcosm of French society as a whole. Various aspects of French society were characterized by these individuals, and this film is essentially a social commentary (and criticism) of all levels of society. This film paints a not-very-pretty picture of all levels of French society prior to the war. Some of the other reviews have details about the characters and plot that I won't repeat other than to say that they are spot on.

One of the reasons that I gave this film 5 stars was that beyond just being a good film, it is a terrific example of the film makers art. Everything about this film is just so well done. Great acting, well (and subtly) written script, an obvious film to include in the Criterion Collection. If I had any negative statement to make about this film, I would say that I agree with one of the other reviewers (R. A. Rubin) in that it is an anti-Fascist film, but totally avoids the other side of the evil coin - Communism.

(5 stars) - Essential French Cinema: Luis Buñuel's 'Journal d'une femme de chambre .'
"The countryside's always a bit dreary."

Luis Buñuel was merciless in exposing bourgeois moral decay and sexual inhibitions. Based on Octave Mirbeau's novel of the same name (The Diary of a Chambermaid), and filmed in stark black-and-white, Buñuel's 1964 adaptation is perhaps his most linear film, lacking the surrealist imagery of his other films (L'Age d'Or, Un Chien Andalou, Belle de Jour). The great French actress Jeanne Moreau stars as Célestine, a beautiful chambermaid who who leaves Paris to work at a country manor, only to discover her ability to influence the lives of her bourgeois employers. Madame Monteil (Françoise Lugagne)--a bored housewife--is obsessed with cleanliness, and does not satisfy her husband (Michel Piccoli) sexually. For this reason, he quickly becomes interested in Célestine. Although she rejects Monsieur's sexual flirtations, she nevertheless leads him to believe she possesses all the sexual experience he imagines. Buñuel portrays his characters as children living in adult bodies, uncomfortable with their sexuality. Instead they hunt, philosophize, obsess, act cruelly, fantasize over feet and shoes, and explore their peculiarities behind locked doors. Moreau's performance as Célestine is truly celestial. Diary of a Chambermaid is an excellent introduction to Buñuel's work. (Those who enjoy this film might also be interested in Renoir's earlier version, The Diary of a Chambermaid.)

The Criterion edition of this film offers a widescreen transfer with digitally ehanced image and sound for television, a video interview with screenwriter and longtime Buñuel collaborator, Jean-Claude Carrière, a transcript of a 1970s' interview with Buñuel, and the original theatrical trailer narrated by Jeanne Moreau.

G. Merritt

(5 stars) - Half-Right
It is unfortunate that politically Bunuel could only see the evils of Fascism, ignoring the Siamese twin of Socialism. For artists, maybe even artists of today, Socialism seems to offer hope for mankind, a paradise for the movie-going proletariat, but understand, though only half right, this political film is cinema as good as any Serge Einstein.

All this talk we hear in America of suave French sexes and their smooth, sophisticated approach to natural forces, after viewing Bunuel many times, Truffaut and Goddard as well, I say phsaw! The French of all classes seem to skip dating and go right to groping or raping. The brash male demands favors and the demur Jean Moreau merely nods her head, manipulating men without passion. The raped child or servant, hey that's real sex - I guess. The kindest man in the film is senile and a foot fetishist. You get the idea: French society is rotten to the core and in the 1930's blindly charging towards Jew killing and goose-stepping. That's half-right.

(5 stars) - Stunning character study!

The personal dilemma of maid trapped in the nasty grips of the fascism in 1939 France. But meanwhile Bunuel takes the opportunity to make a demolishing existential exploration of the bourgeoisie at those times. Maybe I am speculating but to my view this film was the seminal seed for the discrete charm of the bourgeoisie, eight years after.

"There is not any serious issue that may not be expressed through the comedy" Alejandro Casona

Extraordinary film. Don' t miss it !

(3 stars) - Not Bunuel's best.
The Diary of a Chambermaid (Luis Bunuel, 1964)

When one sees that a film is directed by Luis Bunuel, normally a savagely funny satirist of bourgeois sensibilities, and based on a novel by Octave Mirbeau, that most boring of fin-de-siecle decadents, one goes into the resulting movie with a few preconceptions. Diary of a Chambermaid, while an interesting little movie, will fulfill none of them.

The gorgeous Jeanne Moreau (almost eighty years of age as I write this, and still going strong) stars as Celestine, the titular character, who goes to work in the sticks for a decidedly strange family. The beginning starts out in an amusing enough Upstairs/Downstairs mode, with Celestine trying to find her place in the ranks of both the house's owners and the hired help. It's relatively obvious that every male in the household is sniffing after her skirts-- the foot-fetishist grandfather, the oversexed man of the house, the brutish gardener (shades of Lady Chatterley's Lover can't have been coincidental, given how fresh its obscenity trial must have been in the minds of Bunuel and fellow screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere). Even the neighbor seems to have his eye on her. Things take a drastic turn when a local child is murdered (there's no mystery here, though; we are shown who the murderer is just before the deed occurs). Celestine is sure she knows the murderer's identity, and takes it upon herself to come up with the evidence necessary to send him to jail.

What will stay with the viewer long after the film is over is the backdrop, more than anything-- the rising tide of French fascism so starkly depicted in the movie. Other than that, there's not much to it that isn't somewhat predictable; Bunuel is a great filmmaker, to be sure, but this one is one of his weaker efforts. He coaxes decent performances out of just about everyone in the film, but none of them really reach the heights he obtained in The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, for example; it's decently paced, but drags in spots. The one aspect of the film which can't be criticized (however minor those critcisms may be) is the camerawork; whoever scouted the locations did a fine, fine job.

An interesting movie, but not as good as Bunuel can be. ***

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