The Beales of Grey Gardens

The Beales of Grey Gardens (2006)

*** (out of 4)

Albert Maysles and David Maysles took the unused footage from their 1975 documentary GREY GARDENS and came up with this new film. As with the first, we take a look at Big Edie and Little Edie, the relatives to Jackie Onassis who lived in an estate that was pretty much ran down and which they shared with a various of creatures including cats and raccoons. Having just watched the original film a few weeks before this, I was very familiar and it was still fresh in my mind. I don't think viewing the two so close hampered this film but at the same time I think it's clear that this one here isn't nearly as good. I think you could point to several different factors but for some reason I just kept saying to myself that this footage wasn't included in the original for a reason. That reason was probably that it simply wasn't all that interesting or at least it wasn't as interesting as what we got in the first movie. I thought GREY GARDENS was a pretty weird film because it really didn't seem to have a point other than to show how weird these people were. It at least had a structure to it but that's not the case here. It really does seem like the entire movie was just thrown together for the sake of the filmmakers having another picture for the credits. That's not to say that this is a bad movie but at the same time it really does feel as if you're watching 90-minutes worth of deleted scenes that you'd typically just see on a film's special features. Some of the highlights in this film include a sequence where a fire breaks out and you can see the damage in the original film but there it doesn't have an explanation. Another highlight is hearing the two ladies talk about their thoughts on the Catholic church and men in general. Fans of the first film will probably get the most out of this but the rest should certainly seek out the original first.

The 75-year film focused on the relationship between mother and daughter and themselves, and this one focused more on their relationship with their surroundings, more showing their friends and even interacting with the director. It is further supplemented with content about swimming, Catholicism, costumes and constellations, and Mrs. Bell mentioned poetry.

I have watched this movie 5 times in the past month. I think I am a little obsessed with Edie Beale. She shows such joie de vivre in this film and is full of joy and wonder. The movie is wistful and at times bittersweet. I wish I could have known the Beales and visited them. They show such love and respect for each other. I also love Lois. This movie makes me nostalgic for the 1970s. I feel like I am in a time capsule. I actually prefer this movie to Grey Gardens; I felt that Edie's true personality, charm and joy was shown in a better light. Lois was also highlighted more. Love love love this movie. I will probably watch it a million more times. When I watch it, I feel like I am a friend visiting with them, passing the time and singing songs. It puts me at peace. Namaste.

I want to see why people enjoy this film. I just see unchecked mental illness living in filth and eating ice cream exclusively. I'm glad they had rich relatives that afforded them the opportunity to be crazy in the wild instead of some state run home. Poor old lady sitting in her trash and urine soaked bed as well. I would be shocked if either of those 2 worked a single day in their life. She was never a model in Palm Springs. Probably hooked up with a guy at a Howard Johnson airport breakfast cafe bathroom from Palm Springs once and that is where she got it from.

I'm pretty sure the house didn't have power. I think the really story would be hearing about how the city had to step in with their cat issue. Can you imagine the filth those inspectors found?

I did enjoy when the lady was complaining that the free roof she got was asphalt shingles and not wooden. I also did enjoy when she talked about the imaginary chauffeur she use to have.

While watching "The Beales of Grey Gardens" I was simply amazed at the amount of priceless footage that did not make it into the original film! Edie is truly a legend and icon of her time. It is not surprising that her style has been copied by numerous fashion designers; that woman definitely had a sense of style and it seems could make virtually any piece of clothing look good on her. If you are a fan of the original film, the new documentary is a MUST-SEE. Just when you thought you knew the two girls, along comes all the stuff you've never seen before, and you will fall in love with them all over again. The only down side is that at the end you will feel sorry that there will be no more antics of Big and Little Edith Beale to delight you for hours on end, but you be grateful for what we do have, and what these delightful characters provided us with.