Diary of a Chambermaid (1964)

Celestine, the chambermaid, has new job on the country. The Monteils, who she works for are a group of strange people. The wife is frigid, her husband is always hunting (both animals and ... See full summary »

Director:

Luis Buñuel (as Luis Bunuel)

Writers:

Octave Mirbeau (based on the novel by), Luis Buñuel (adaptation) (as Luis Bunuel)

Stars:

Jeanne Moreau, Georges Géret, Michel Piccoli

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeanne Moreau	...	Céléstine
Georges Géret	...	Joseph
Daniel Ivernel	...	M Mauger
Françoise Lugagne	...	Mme Monteil
Muni	...	Marianne
Jean Ozenne	...	M Rabour
Michel Piccoli	...	M Monteil
Joëlle Bernard	...	(as Joelle Bernard)
Françoise Bertin
Jean-Claude Carrière	...	Le curé
Aline Bertrand	...	La voyageuse
Pierre Collet	...	Le voyageur
Michel Dacquin	...	(as Michel Dacquid)
Madeleine Damien	...	La cuisinière des Monteil
Marc Eyraud	...	Le secrétaire du commissaire

Storyline

Celestine, the chambermaid, has new job on the country. The Monteils, who she works for are a group of strange people. The wife is frigid, her husband is always hunting (both animals and women) and her father is a shoe-fetishist. Joseph, the farm-labourer is a fascist and sexually attracted to Celestine. Celestine settles herself and talks to the neighbour, an ex-officer, who likes damaging his neighbour's things. After the death of the old man, she quits her job, but because of the rape and murder of a child 'Little Claire' she decides to stay, believing that Joseph is the murderer. To get his confession she sleeps with him and promises to marry him. In spite of her engagement she fakes evidence to implicate him in the murder. He is arrested, but is released because the evidence is inconclusive. She marries the ex-officer and takes on a housewife role similar to that of Madame Monteil.

---

Plot Keywords:

murder | rape | pedophilia | frigidity | child rape | 

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

France Italy

Language:

French

Release Date:

9 March 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

Diary of a Chambermaid

Filming Locations:

Mennecy, Essonne, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,432, 15 October 2000, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$17,754, 17 December 2000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ciné-Alliance, Filmsonor, Spéva Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is Luis Buñuel's only film in the anamorphic widescreen format.

---

Goofs

Celestine tries to read a book that M. Rabour has open on his desk as she serves him coffee. The front shot shows the book close to the tray and his left hand on the book keeping his page open. The next shot, from Celestine's side, shows the book further away from the tray and it is being kept open by a a rubber stamp.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Céléstine: Are you from the priory?
Joseph: Yes.
Céléstine: Is it far?
Joseph: You'll see.

---

Connections

Version of Celestine, Maid at Your Service (1974)

User Reviews

Fight of Classes, Hypocrisy, Fascism, Clerical and Murder

In the 30's, the witty, literate and quite sophisticated chambermaid Céléstine (Jeanne Moreau) comes from Paris to work for the dysfunctional Monteil family in the country, more specifically for the fetishist on shoes and maniac for cleaning Monsieur Rabour (Jean Ozenne). His daughter and mistress of the house Madame Monteil (Françoise Lugagne) is a frigid and arrogant woman, and her husband, Monsieur Monteil (Michel Piccoli), is a hunter and also a wolf with their maids. Their fascist and rude worker Joseph (Georges Géret) feels a sexual attraction for Céléstine, but she repels him. Their neighbor, Captain Mauger (Daniel Ivernel), has a problem with the Monteils and dumps his garbage in their yard, but Céléstine talks to him and is motive of gossips. When Monsieur Rabour unexpectedly dies, Céléstine quits her job but while in the train station, she finds that the girl Claire was found raped and murdered by the police. Céléstine returns to her job convinced that Joseph killed the little girl and trying to find evidences against him.

"Le Journal d'une Femme de Chambre" is a delightful movie of undefined genre – drama, black comedy, adventure? – where Luis Buñuel again exposes fight of classes, hypocrisy of both the bourgeois and the working class, a historical moment in France with the fascism growing, the ridiculous role of the clerical and an unsolved murder case. The story is centered in Céléstine, but the motives why a woman with her profile accepts a job in a rural area is never clear. The identity of the rapist and killer of Claire is also not disclosed, there is only a strong insinuation that Joseph killed the girl. The story is very ironic, like for example when Monsieur Monteil is informed that Céléstine and Joseph will marry and requires the sexual favors from Marianne; or the weird fetishism of Monsieur Rabour; or the priest asking for a new roof for the church to Madame Monteil; or the conclusion with Captain Mauger changing his will and serving the mistress and smart Céléstine on their bed. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Diário de uma Camareira" ("The Diary of a Chambermaid")