2009, USA
Biography, Drama, Romance
Documentaries have the ability to dig up truths about otherwise unknown stories: civil wars in distant countries, scientists on a medical mission or relatives of the First Lady who are off their rockers. "Little Edie" and "Big Edie" Bouvier Beale were direct relations to Jackie O., and found their big break when the Maysles brothers made stars of them in their 1975 documentary, Grey Gardens. A cult favorite, the film has since been revived as a short-lived Broadway musical and now finds a retelling through HBO Films.
First-time filmmaker Michael Sucsy directs Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore in the recreated life of the odd mother-daughter pair. Using the documentary as a guide, they reenact scenes from the original film and then flash back to a more beautiful time before cats were crawling over their deteriorating titular abode. It is a challenging task to show the history of the Beale girls without being insulting or accusing, and the film treads carefully.
Surprisingly, the slippery slope to ruin is understandable through this film's telling. Little Edie was lovely and admired by the boys, but she felt marriage would prevent her from following her dreams of acting and dancing. She is not portrayed as a slick society girl but rather a little eccentric, hinting at the older version who considered herself quite staunch. Barrymore throws herself into the role with Little Edie's distinct accident and mannerisms, her character defiant of the usual customs that would have assured her security.
Lange has more freedom with a character who had aged badly by the time of the documentary filming. A selfish influence on her daughter, Big Edie set an example by discarding opportunities which would provide for her family. The men in the family, cheating husband included, seem far more grounded and realistic in regards to love and money. All that concerns Big Edie is that she holds onto the house and her daughter, no matter the condition.
The house becomes a character itself. What is remarkable is that the dilapidated structure shown in 1975 was the result of a generous reconstruction on the part of niece/cousin Jacqueline (the act of which grabbed the attention of the Maysles). The former status was even more decrepit than the raccoon-infested walls seen in the documentary. Its continual state of disrepair is a tribute to Big Edie's stubbornness and delusions, which controlled both her and her daughter's life until barely a thread was left of their initial glamour.
Few could deny the fascinating attraction of the Beales. In looking back at the lives which would incite a cult following, "Grey Gardens" will surely find a new generation of fans sporting all the best headwear and practicing the latest dance moves.