04/17/2009 12:00 am

Culture

'Grey Gardens' Review: These Women Were Not Meant to Be Caged

HBO adaption of 'Grey Gardens' premieres April 18. wowOwow's correspondent Melissa Silverstein reflects on 'Little Edie' (Drew Barrymore) and 'Big Edie' (Jessica Lange).

Year 1963
Credit: Peter Stranks/HBO

Editor’s note: Melissa Silverstein is the founder of WomenandHollywood.com. The below review is also available on her website.

A Jessica Lange sighting on TV or film has sadly become a rare occurrence. The good news is that this weekend, on HBO, Lange is out in full force as "Big Edie Bouvier Beale" in the drama "Grey Gardens." She co-stars with Drew Barrymore as her daughter, Little Edie, in the film version of the women’s lives, which previously were immortalized in Albert and David Maysles 1975 documentary.

Interweaving pieces from the documentary and adding a longer timeline and context dating back to "Little Edie’s" aborted debut as a young woman, this film depicts the intense and special and at-times toxic relationship between mother and daughter. Lange’s "Big Edie" ages from 40 to an unrecognizable 80 as a woman with spirit and spunk who hosted parties at her East Hampton mansion — where she was the entertainment. But "Big Edie" was born in a time when women followed the rules, and she got stuck in a loveless society marriage. Yet, instead of trying to spare her daughter the same plight, she initially pushed her to find a rich man who would give her a long leash, even though that leash was chafing her own neck. These women were not meant to be caged, and while trying to break free from societal conventions and live by their own rules ("Little Edie" also was bit by the performing bug) they wound up imprisoned together in isolation and squalor in their East Hampton mansion.  

The movie is a unique character study and the performances are mesmerizing. But it’s also sad. Sad that these women felt forced to distance themselves from society to be free. Sad because women who didn’t "fit in" were made to seem crazy and then actually became crazy due to the isolation. "Grey Gardens" on the surface comes off as a love story between a mother and daughter — yet don’t miss the unique lessons on class and gender roles that still seem to stick with us.

Click here for photographs of the cast and crew.

Click here to read Liz Smith on the premiere and after party of "Grey Gardens."

5 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

nanchanu
Day FOUR of a story about this HBO movie!?  Can we think of something else to write, WOW?
By nanchanu on 04/17/2009 9:00 am
CynthiaD

I can’t afford hbo (I just "down-sized" our budget, but look forward to viewing as soon as I can : ) 

By CynthiaD on 04/17/2009 7:08 pm
IMLIZZIE
Saw it last night. It was a wonderfully done film. Lange and Barrymore did a fantastic job. Hope it will be released to other channels for all to view.
By IMLIZZIE on 04/19/2009 2:28 pm