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mmoni
Reviews
La nana (2009)
More honest than "Roma"
The film came out a few years before the acclaimed "Roma", and while it lacks its visual flair, it is way more honest in its depiction of the true cost of domestic service, and I do not mean ill-treatment from the employers, but on the contrary, fudging the boundaries between work and personal life. The title character is like "Roma's" Cleo fast forward twenty years. We meet her as she celebrates her birthday with the family of her employers, with the cake she baked herself. Soon after that, it becomes apparent to her employers that Raquel is getting older and can't quite keep up with the daily workload. They are nice enough - and rich enough - to try employing younger assistant maids, but Raquel jealously guards her turf and we get some slapstick comedy scenes with her trying to chase away her rivals. Finally one of them is resilient enough to stay and work through Raquel's defences, making her reconsider her life and her choices.
Viva Maria! (1965)
unbearably boring
This is obviously a star vehicle, purpose-made to give the audience two then-hottest names in French cinema - Moreau and Bardot - for the price of one ticket. To make sure it's money well spent, the two actresses then perform in the first act a lot of Edwardian striptease; now it wouldn't raise an eyebrow but apparently very racy for its time, if IMDb's trivia section is to be believed. The second act is a cross over from "Carry On" to "Zorro". I couldn't bring myself to watch the last third of the movie so perhaps there are some hidden gems there. Only for die-hard fans of Bardot and/or Moreau, or those in need of fetish fuel, if early 20th c. underwear is your thing.