Diary of a Chambermaid (1964)

 Luis Bunuel's "Diary of a Chambermaid"


Luis Bunuel's 1964 French film "Diary of a Chambermaid" is not only one of the most realistic films of his career, but perhaps the film I find least interesting. It does, however, tackle themes that Bunuel often frequents, like his criticism of the bourgeois class. The film stars famed French actress Jeanna Moreau, who plays a chambermaid who uses her cunning to navigate the perversion, corruption, and violence of haute bourgeois members of the provincial estate she goes to work at. 

"Diary of a Chambermaid" was the film that kickstarted Bunuel's final French period. He would return to Mexico for 1965's "Simon of the Desert" and to Spain with his Spanish/French 1970 film "Tristana," but from 1964 to his final film in 1977, he exclusively made French films. This was partly due to France's explosion of New Wave cinema and the freedom is afforded artists. 

Despite this artistic freedom, "Diary of a Chambermaid" is Bunuel's most straightforward film. He tackles the same themes he normally does, but does not infuse surrealist elements. This does not make "Diary of a Chambermaid" a bad film by any means. However, I found that it lacked a certain Bunuel charm to it. 



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