Grey Gardens: High Society (HBO)

[TheNuharoo]

To me, it's frightening to see a daughter's life be thrown away by her crazy mother. They might have been isolated from family neglect, but they were not functional. They went nutters and I could barely (if at all) watch the part of the filming. It's obvious that both women were nothing but freaks and it was the first reality show, really, moreso than some documentary. Little Edie was just as much of a flake as her mother and it's a pity she never did any work in her father's law firm.

[marcoloopy]

i hate the condescending attitude of the niece at the end. I could punch her.

[Indygoguy]

they ended up poor, but they were still masters of their little world. It seems that that kind of freedom was something they would not compromise and even when the house was a wreck, having that freedom made it seem special still.

[dawnten]

I understand and love these women. It is shameful that they are letting the relatives talk about them. In our cookie cutter society these wonderful women dared to do things their own way. Someone asked about churches stepping in to donate....imagine being who they were that they would have hid from charity out of sheer staunch pride.

[unterland]

Regardless of their irresponsibility when it came to helping the Edies, the reminiscences of the remaining relatives are hugely valuable to a better historical understanding of the Grey Gardens story.

[19tin76]

nailpolish3.... you are damn right! where the fuck were you people when they needed help? now of all times you have to come out! hypocrites...

[kakadoodoo3000]

@19tin76 i agree with you "beloved aunt and beloved granny" my foot! why didn't the relatives help them THEN??? now they talk about them as if they're so wonderful, while they were probably ashamed of them while they lived. i have/have had relatives very similar to these two, but we made/make sure they are/were looked after.these people are high society.once relatives become poor,they fall out of favor,and that's it.

[YellowMangerCalling]

So interesting and ironically intriguing, isn't it, that all these nieces and nephews who likely grew up scorning and shunning them are now so delighted to talk about them since they've made the big screen...

[kakadoodoo3000]

@YellowMangerCalling i hear ya! i hope the edies pay them a not too pleasant visit. publicity whores. 

[brewmarrybore]

Grey Gardens premiered on Channel 4 Christmas day in the UK. This film deserves all the awards that are coming its way. Its a shame it didn't get a theatrical release so it could qualify for the Academy Awards. Everything about it is perfect;; the direction, sets, script, photography, make up ,music, casting and acting! Drew and Jessica were outstanding.

Brilliant production!

[jared393]

Edie finally got her big chance.

[fladude06]

what a wonderful, happy, sad, joyous, movie... im so thrilled it was made..

[nailposh3]

those children have some nerve talking to HBO and using this movie as their own soapbox. where were they when little edie died alone and wasn't discovered until 5 days later??

[atomcrush]

Maybe they didn't fully appreciate the charm of these kooky ladies until after their demise, much the same as many of their "fans". It's difficult to stay involved in the life of someone who is so polarizingly different from you. I know a thing or 2 about this. My brother went off the "deep end" similarly as these 2 ladies. As much as I've tried to help him; he sabotages his life with repeated setbacks. You can only do so much. It's painful, but at some point you have to live your own life.

[poosaypirate]

@atomcrush good for you!

thats just right

[Dragon345]

@nailposh3 You so right about that fact. Where were those family members in the last years of little Edie, and why she died alone without anybody who care?? Its insane to talk about her now since they did not do anything to help her when she was still alive. After all she reach 84.

[kakadoodoo3000]

@Dragon345 yes, it breaks my heart to think of how she died alone...although i read on wikipedia that for a time, she lived with some relatives. wonder which relatives these were.

[hamptonsthancock]

@nailposh3 you have no clue what you are saying - actually, Pam Beale spent time with little edie up until she died; brought her to her home to live with her, then helped her with her own place in Florida until the end. I know this, as that is my aunt, and great aunt. So before you put your mouth where it doesnt count, learn to research. Pam Beale kept all the letters, all the correspondence, and had a relationship with little Edie up until she died.

[gonegg2007]

loved it! Loved the doc too, thank God for the Maysle brothers!

[alSation81]

Maybe stop thinking about how 'sad' their circumstances were, and think about all the people who find themselves totally alone, yet have so much to offer the world if they are shown a bit of kindness and attention.

There are Edie's, little and big, in every town and on every street.

[Nehemiah111]

Yes, very true. You make so much sense, I've never thought of it that way. Its such an interesting and somewhat sad dynamic in life that such people are usually only appreciated after they have passed.

[Abfabrob4u]

So true. Sad, but true...

[kakadoodoo3000]

@alSation81 it's some consolation to me that at least little edie had her 'day in the sun' at the premiere of 'grey gardens,' and that she was corresponding with fans until she died. it must have meant so much to her. i'm glad she had at least a small part of her dream come true, before she died.

[vixie007]

Pride. What would you do? You have no "working" skills. You can't go back to high society or about town because h. society is not forgiving & it's all you've ever known. To live in the past of memories when life was wonderful was all Big E had. It was safe because without the money their lives were going to be nothing compared to what once was. That was something not worth facing. They didn't know how to be normal/middle class. That would have been a worse disaster than how they lived.

[pika23]

My remedial math teacher in 3rd and 4th grade, married into the Beale family.

[Moonglow2go]

Looking very very foward to watching this.

[yiommi]

I read a recent interview with one of the relatives who said many attempts were made to get them out of the house and come to florida

[hollywoodartchick]

That is usually the case with hoarders/clutterers/recluses. The family usually does try to "help," but part of the illness is that it tries to have everything on their terms, and the family won't/can't do it per their requirements.

[kakadoodoo3000]

@hollywoodartchick i know/have known clutterers, but they were grateful when someone extended help to them. the edie's also allowed their house to be cleaned/fixed up, and i suppose, were happy about it, when jackie o offered to help. their hoarding was prob. a reaction to having lost everything of value, so they clung to what they had left, even if it was just cats and rubbish. they'd not have reached this state if their relatives had cared enough to help them, and much sooner.

[hollywoodartchick]

@kakadoodoo3000 I believe you on all counts. I speak as a recovered hoarder. The people in your life can't know what is happening because the tendancy is to hide it out of pride for as long as possible. Many people judge clutterers but know nothing about the mindset that causes and perpetuates the problem, and I simply like to let people know some of the issues behind cluttering so that someday the public won't be so insensitve about hoarders and their families.

[dixiedreams202]

Yes , I wonder were the family members at when these ladies needed them so much????

[ramblingexpatriate]

hmmm.. Interesting... the family seems happily involved now. I am curious where they where during the squalor and cold winters.

[erinnsong]

Right. Where was the family?

Then again, if anyone had intervened, we might not have Grey Gardens (the documentary, of course) to cherish. At least not in the way that we have it now. I think that may have been their biggest accomplishment. Very interesting, indeed.

[burkefamilyvideos]

They weren't born yet.

[Babyhowdy233]

I remember talking to Phelan Beale Jr. many years ago about his family. Based on what he was gracious and honest enough to tell me, I think this film doesn't even begin to tell the facts straight about many things. I always thought it was "Little" Edie's BROTHERS (especially Phelan aka "Phe")who were the remarkable, strong and accomplished individuals deserving of a documentary made about them.

[musicaltheatergeek79]

@Babyhowdy233 why did Phelan Jr. deserved a documentary?

[strobe155]

Wow! Really cool that you hear from their descendants. Great insight!

[AndySamberg]

LOOKS GOOD. I LOVE LITTLE EDITH.

[edithlop]

{tear tear}...=[ I truly want to see this movie but i dont have cable to see HBO!... I Really Really hope someones posts it on YouTube... if anyone does PLEASE let me know!...thanx!...

[cmrnlza]

How can I watch this movie in Europe ?

[hamptonsthancock]

That was nice. My aunt and Uncle were interviewed in this piece. Pamela Hancock Beale is my aunt and Chris Beale is my Uncle

[koikoiboi]

I am literally counting the days and hours til this movie comes out!!!!