 ""Those two are different"" | 2009-03-26 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3EBHHCZO6V2A4 |
"Sister My Sister" was a breakout hit for Joely Richardson. Based on a true case in 1930s France, Richardson stars as Christine,the controlling older sister of the shy, humble Lea (Jodhi May) They go into the employ of a widow, Madame Danzin (Julie Walters) and her daughter. Walters is the kooky,tyrannical matriarch. While the Papin case was seen by many French intellectuals as an example of class struggle, neither side is particularly angelic.
"Sister My Sister" is emotional and sensual-for a British film--compared to the cerebral French version "La Ceremonie." Lea and Christine feel drawn to each other. In their isolation, they turn to each other. In some ways, the movie glamorizes their incest,but at the same time shows it as the result of their employer's controlling nature and Christine's mental illness.
"Sister My Sister" is a finely done period drama. Based on the Papin case, it is a powerful film. |
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 "Sister My Sister DVD Review" | 2008-11-20 |
| - Reviewed By User: A31X9O49RQUNZ1 |
| Sister My Sister is a very well-made and well-acted film; however, the DVD quality is below average in both picture and sound; that's why I've given it three stars. It's a shame that some companies ruin good films by producing substandard DVDs. The DVD is in 4:3 aspect ratio. |
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| "Well acted, quiet, in depth character study of" | 2008-06-09 |
| - Reviewed By User: ABP69F7LFTI1R |
| how upper middle class that can afford servants, treated those servants. Yes, its only one household, but I can't imagine any of the masters being "kind" to lower end maids. Especially, this woman, who watched every move they made, even though she was paying them a pitance, she was lucky to get 2 for the price of 1, but she kept nit picking, and brow beating them anyway. Granted, these maids were not mentally stable, but who would be after years of abandonment, abuse, and lack of any affection. And the last encounter the was bound to happen, after all, how much could they take before snapping? |
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| "Finally...A Vehicle That Makes Housework Look Interesting" | 2007-05-19 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1B3CT7HFKCXY9 |
| This is the film that served as my belated introduction to France's Papin Sisters, Lea and Christine. When in their twenties, they viciously murdered their employer and her unfortunate daughter, while monsieur was away. "Sister My Sister", written by one Wendy Kesselman, leaves monsieur out, replaces the relatively unattractive Papins with two photogenic British actresses, and proceeds to be both ominously claustrophobic and extremely erotic--all despite, alas, both girls remaining clothed. Joely Richardson (daughter of Vanessa Redgrave) and a very young Jodhi May give monumental performances; and the chemistry between the two is quite extraordinary. Early on in the film, it becomes apparent that this is far from your run-of-the mill sisterly relationship, when, after a quarrel over their despotic and devisive mother, Lea and Christine begin acting conspicuously like lovers. As their incestuous (not to mention lesbian) romance blossoms, we become aquainted with The Danzards, a pathetic, utterly dysfuntional, co-dependent mother and daughter, who, in comparision, make their servants seem almost normal. They spend entirely too much time cooped up together in their gloomy, forebidding, rain-drenched home, with nothing better to do than play the piano (badly), engage in meaningless card games(meaningless except for the one intercut with the sisters making love upstairs), and pry into the comings and goings of the increasingly distracted Lea and Christine. (I simply couldn't regret their murders, except for the disaster they would end up bringing to our, uh, heroines.) |
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| ""Have you noticed they don't speak anymore?"" | 2006-10-08 |
| - Reviewed By displacedhuman |
"Sister My Sister" directed by Nancy Meckler is a British film based on the gruesome murders committed by the Papin sisters in France in the 1930s. When the film begins, Christine (Joely Richardson) is working as a maid at the home of Madame Danzard and her daughter. Christine persuades Madame Danzard (Julie Walters) to also employ her younger sister Lea (Johdi May). Madame Danzard is at first thrilled with the prospect of employing both sisters. The convent-raised maids are quiet, docile, industrious and excellent seamstresses. Christine and Lea Papin are portrayed as abnormally close sisters, with Christine as the dominant, overly protective one of the pair. Madame Danzard brags to her daughter that they'll be the envy of their acquaintances as the maids are "pearls" and what's more to the point, it's "two for the price of one."
Madame Danzard's delight at her new maids soon turns sour. A controlling, petty woman who can't even stand her own daughter, Isabelle (Sophie Thursfield), Madame Danzard is constantly picking at the maids, humiliating them and discussing them in front of others as though they are inanimate objects. Scenes emphasize the humiliations and punishments the maids suffer on a regular basis.
"Sister My Sister" offers a generous, sympathetic--albeit inaccurate--portrayal of the sisters. The sisters are portrayed as attractive girls, and there are hints that Madame Danzard believes they are dressing above their 'station.' This is a particularly sensitive subject for Madame Danzard as her own daughter, Isabelle, is portrayed as dumpy, clumsy and unmarriageable. The French film "Murderous Maids" is another version of the notorious crime which while still sympathetic to the sisters presents additional background material on the girls' upbringing, and their careers prior to their employment with an ill-fated employer (whose real name was Madame Lancelin). And this additional focus makes "Murderous Maids" a slightly more accurate version of the real-life event. Both films capitalize on the inherently unhealthy master/servant situation, but "Sister My Sister", is vastly more entertaining--thanks to the marvelous performance of Julie Walters as the petty, spiteful, and slightly sadistic Madame Danzard. "Murderous Maids" is almost too painful to watch at times, but "Sister My Sister" concentrates on the pathological relationships between four slightly deranged women and the catastrophic consequences of them all living in the same house--displacedhuman |
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 "Great Movie! All Wymn Cast" | 2006-10-06 |
| - Reviewed By epiphanygurl |
| Not only is this movie great because of the excellent acting and convincing roles that the two lovely actresses take hold of. but, it is also great that this film was a cast of all wymn. also i have been following jodhi may's acting career for some time now. She is a outstanding actress and has great brillance (double wammy). I'm not going to talk to much about the story line. However, i will say that it's basically about two sisters living under the thumb of an noisey and wicked wymn that refused to treat them as equals. the two sisters devolope an intense realationship (taboo). and i'll leave the rest for your imagination. however, i will say this: it is a tasteful well done film. there are NO part that just don't need to be there. |
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