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Poster for The Beales of Grey Gardens

The Beales of Grey Gardens

Utilizing hours of unseen archival footage, The Beales is a new take on the women of Grey Gardens

2006 · 1h 31m · NOT RATED Documentary, Drama
Directed by Albert Maysles , David Maysles

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Overview

Mother and daughter - Big Edie and Little Edie Beale - live with six cats in a crumbling house in East Hampton. Little Edie, in her 50s, who wears scarves and bright colors, sings, mugs for the camera, and talks to Al and David Maysles, the filmmakers. Big Edie, in her 70s, recites poetry, comments on her daughter's behavior, and sings "If I Loved You" in fine voice. She talks in short sentences; her daughter in volumes. The film is episodic: friends visit, there's a small fire in the house, Little Edie goes to the shore and swims. She talks about the Catholic Church. She's ashamed that local authorities raided the house because of all the cats. She values being different.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
71%
Tomatometer
Fresh

Little Edie models her strange getups, studies an astrology paperback through a magnifying glass, holds forth on the horrors of alcohol and the strength of her Catholic faith, and delivers numerous spontaneous singing performances.

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
Fresh

A bit like wandering into a slice of life that suddenly turns into a Tennessee Williams play, with upper-class Eastern accents replacing the Southern ones.

Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
Fresh

It lacks the first movie's cohesiveness, but Grey Gardens was never a model of structure; it was more a reality show before its time, and The Beales of Grey Gardens brings us closer to the mysteries at its heart.

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
Rotten

Catnip for the Beale cult, the film supplements but nowhere surpasses the funky charm and moldy glamour of the original.

Nathan Lee, New York Times

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