French maid

Sometimes is good to get back to the classic. For example the classic french film which is shown as a typical “nouvelle vague” movie directed by Luis Buñuel.  Moreover, “Diary of a Chambermaid” is a symptom of cultural turn in a film.

Based on a Octave Mirbeau’s book tells a really simple story of a girl working as a chambermaid for a rich, bourgeois family. Lord thinks about all woman but her wife. For a Lady, the conventions are the only thing that matters.  Her father (a lord and a fetishist) loves women, but especially what symbolise a woman for him. And there is our main character who comes to the lovely countryside to unmask their weakness. 

In 1930’ the aristocratic people have power over the others. During other ages as well, but let’s focus on the inter-war period. There were not a social security, an unemployment benefit, some reduction of price for a big families or a paid leave. Most of society had to be really resourceful and accept their position with humidity. The servant could talk with others in the kitchen, in his liberty space, however he was not allowed to claim his personal opinion to employers. The division between the people was visible and socially acceptable. So basically, there were two zones which do not interfere with each other.  

Thanks to the social movement, it has become really popular, to give a voice to people devoid of it. That was a kind a of flagellation due to the remorse of a french society. The secular adaptation of catholic act of confession and penance.

And who will better represent of submissive servant who is not allowed to express opinion then a (sexy) french maid?