Grey Gardens (1975)

Film: Grey Gardens

Director: Albert & David Maysles, Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer

Country: USA

Released: September 1975

Runtime: 95 minutes

Genre: Documentary

Studio: Portrait Films

Influenced: Errol Morris, Wes Anderson, Sarah Polley, Kirsten Johnson, Maren Ade, Michael Sucsy

A co-directing team of Albert and David Maysles, Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer conceived the influential documentary Grey Gardens after being introduced to the Beales by Lee Radziwill, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis' sister. Intrigued by the Beales' unconventional lifestyle and their crumbling mansion, the directors decided to document their daily lives, providing an intimate and captivating portrait of Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale (Big Edie) and her daughter Edith Bouvier Beale (Little Edie), who were relatives of former First Lady Jackie Kennedy. The mother and daughter lived in a dilapidated mansion called Grey Gardens in East Hampton, New York and the film chronicles their reclusive lives.

Much of the film's entertainment value derives from the eccentric behaviour of the pair, with comic moments like Little Edie reading the horoscope with a magnifying glass and talking about her mission to find a "Libra man". There are also moments of everyday philosophy, such as when Little Edie talks about the difficulty of seeing the line between the past and the present, as she gazes out upon the overgrown gardens of her family home. The plot primarily revolves around the daily routines and interactions between Big Edie and Little Edie, capturing their idiosyncratic behaviour which ranges from singing and dancing to arguments and reminiscing about their past. 

Grey Gardens explores the relationship between mother and daughter, their memories of a more privileged past and their perspectives on love, independence and the expectations placed upon them. Little Edie aspires to be a performer like her mother, and this puts some strain on their relationship, as does their withdrawal from society and the decay of their once-opulent surroundings. Despite their eccentricities and living conditions, the film depicts the Beales with empathy and portrays their resilience and spirit amid adversity. Grey Gardens has rightly been celebrated for its exploration of mental health and social expectations, offering a nuanced portrayal of those who live on the margins of society.

Perhaps the film's most notable innovation was its fly-on-the-wall approach to documentary filmmaking, breaking new ground in the genre. The directors observe the everyday lives of the Beales without overtly intervening or conducting interviews and this observational technique allows the audience to form their own interpretations and engage in a deeply personal way. As well as Little Edie's memorable fashion choices, what I love about the film is how it blurs the boundaries between reality and performance, and how it offers a raw and unfiltered depiction of the human condition. Grey Gardens has garnered critical acclaim and a cult following, becoming a touchstone for documentary enthusiasts and scholars and, in 2009, a feature film adaptation (also titled Grey Gardens) was released, starring Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore as Big Edie and Little Edie.