topic I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night in Community Chat

I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

LilacTree — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 17:56:19 GMT

As some of you have suggested, I finally got to watch it. My daughters were keeping an eye out for it for me and it was on TCM last night at 8 PM. They were the real women, not the movie (which I now realize was excellent in keeping to the real story).

I watched it with varying emotions, including great sadness, and laughing out loud over some of their antics and things they said (hardly any of which made sense). It was amazing to me that there wasn't more help for them, they were hardly capable of taking care of themselves. So over all, it was somewhat tragic to me that all they had was each other and their memories of far better times . . . especially the mother.

I was surprised to hear at the end that after the mother died, the daughter sold the house to Ben Bradlee and Sally Quinn (who just died recently) and they completely renovated it into a beautiful estate in Easthampton. He was the former editor of the Washington Post who was Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's boss during the Watergate scandal.

I am so glad I finally saw it . . . and my daughter and my nickname for our new apartment will not change. It will still be called "Grey Gardens," but I assure you we will not be living that life!! The building has gray siding, and the carpeting is mostly gray, and I say "mostly" because it changes to a light moss green and sometimes even a taupe depending on how the light is shining on it. The walls are also painted a very light gray.

Four days to go. I can't wait.

Re: I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

ivanatrump — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 18:05:21 GMT

Having seen the original documentary and the play, I wondered why you wanted to refer to your home by the same name. Both these women were seriously ill and lived in deplorable conditions.

Re: I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

LilacTree — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 18:12:53 GMT

On 3/24/2015 ivanatrump said:
Having seen the original documentary and the play, I wondered why you wanted to refer to your home by the same name. Both these women were seriously ill and lived in deplorable conditions.

It's all in humor because we, as a mother and daughter, both in not so great health, are going to live together in what is essentially a "gray" apartment. I think we are mentally strong enough to separate the two situations.

Thank you for your concern.

Re: I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

Marienkaefer2 — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 18:20:21 GMT

Ford I think it's a cute nickname for your new apt. I get it...it sounds like something my mom and I would do!

Re: I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

adelle38 — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 18:23:09 GMT

In 2006, the Maysles released a documentary called the Beales of Grey Gardens. It is additional documentary footage shot at the same time as the original. Much of what is in it is also a part of the HBO film. I think their relatives tried to help them mainly by getting them to move and Bid Edie refused. I've read quite a bit about the Beales and what puzzles me the most is that while there is much information about the pre and post war years, I haven't found anything on what little Edie did in her twenties during the war. She frequently said her mother took away her chances but she didn't actually move back to Grey Gardens until she was 35.

Re: I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

LilacTree — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 18:27:55 GMT

On 3/24/2015 Marienkaefer2 said: Ford I think it's a cute nickname for your new apt. I get it...it sounds like something my mom and I would do!

Thanks Marien. As I said it's just a little joke and makes us all laugh. No harm in it, IMO.

Re: I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

ivanatrump — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 18:33:18 GMT

On 3/24/2015 adelle38 said:
In 2006, the Maysles released a documentary called the Beales of Grey Gardens. It is additional documentary footage shot at the same time as the original. Much of what is in it is also a part of the HBO film. I think their relatives tried to help them mainly by getting them to move and Bid Edie refused. I've read quite a bit about the Beales and what puzzles me the most is that while there is much information about the pre and post war years, I haven't found anything on what little Edie did in her twenties during the war. She frequently said her mother took away her chances but she didn't actually move back to Grey Gardens until she was 35.

Little Edie Beale was beautiful. There are some interesting stories about her.

Re: I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

SuiGeneris — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 18:34:04 GMT

n/m

Re: I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

LilacTree — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 18:36:04 GMT

On 3/24/2015 adelle38 said:
In 2006, the Maysles released a documentary called the Beales of Grey Gardens. It is additional documentary footage shot at the same time as the original. Much of what is in it is also a part of the HBO film. I think their relatives tried to help them mainly by getting them to move and Bid Edie refused. I've read quite a bit about the Beales and what puzzles me the most is that while there is much information about the pre and post war years, I haven't found anything on what little Edie did in her twenties during the war. She frequently said her mother took away her chances but she didn't actually move back to Grey Gardens until she was 35.

She was 57 during this shooting, and I would guess the mother must have been at least in her late seventies. I could see where she was very beautiful in her younger days, not just from the portraits, but also in her elderly face.

I should read more about them. I still don't understand why they never referred to the Bouviers, and why the Bouviers did not try to do more for them. Jackie did at one time try to renovate the house, but they just destroyed it again so I guess she gave up.

I wonder if they will ever show the additional footage? I do remember more in the film, but figured they were just dramatizing what actually happened in the women's lives (particularly the mother's) when they were younger, that they could not replicate in the documentary. It would be interesting to see.

Re: I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

LilacTree — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 18:42:54 GMT

On 3/24/2015 ivanatrump said:
On 3/24/2015 adelle38 said:
In 2006, the Maysles released a documentary called the Beales of Grey Gardens. It is additional documentary footage shot at the same time as the original. Much of what is in it is also a part of the HBO film. I think their relatives tried to help them mainly by getting them to move and Bid Edie refused. I've read quite a bit about the Beales and what puzzles me the most is that while there is much information about the pre and post war years, I haven't found anything on what little Edie did in her twenties during the war. She frequently said her mother took away her chances but she didn't actually move back to Grey Gardens until she was 35.

Little Edie Beale was beautiful. There are some interesting stories about her.

I could see that in both their faces, that they were both beautiful once. Yes, she is a beauty here.

I kept thinking as I watched that this must be a work of fiction . . . but as I kept reminding myself that I was seeing it as it really was, it was then quite tragic to me.

Re: I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

SuiGeneris — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 18:46:15 GMT

n/m

Re: I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

colliemom4 — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 18:50:34 GMT

I saw the one on HBO with Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore in it. They were both great in it.

Re: I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

LilacTree — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 18:53:03 GMT

On 3/24/2015 colliemom3 said:
I saw the one on HBO with Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore in it. They were both great in it.

Yes, I saw it too and posted about it and that's when folks began encouraging me to watch the documentary, which I was finally able to do last night.

Jessica Lange won the Emmy, but Drew did a beautiful job also. I wonder if it is ON DEMAND, I would like to see it again. I will look.

Re: I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

adelle38 — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 19:10:52 GMT

On 3/24/2015 Ford1224 said:
On 3/24/2015 adelle38 said:
In 2006, the Maysles released a documentary called the Beales of Grey Gardens. It is additional documentary footage shot at the same time as the original. Much of what is in it is also a part of the HBO film. I think their relatives tried to help them mainly by getting them to move and Bid Edie refused. I've read quite a bit about the Beales and what puzzles me the most is that while there is much information about the pre and post war years, I haven't found anything on what little Edie did in her twenties during the war. She frequently said her mother took away her chances but she didn't actually move back to Grey Gardens until she was 35.

She was 57 during this shooting, and I would guess the mother must have been at least in her late seventies. I could see where she was very beautiful in her younger days, not just from the portraits, but also in her elderly face.

I should read more about them. I still don't understand why they never referred to the Bouviers, and why the Bouviers did not try to do more for them. Jackie did at one time try to renovate the house, but they just destroyed it again so I guess she gave up.

I wonder if they will ever show the additional footage? I do remember more in the film, but figured they were just dramatizing what actually happened in the women's lives (particularly the mother's) when they were younger, that they could not replicate in the documentary. It would be interesting to see.

The second documentary has the additional footage and it's on DVD.http://www.amazon.com/Beales-Grey-Gardens-Criterion-Collection/dp/B000IY02W4

Re: I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

LilacTree — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 19:24:50 GMT

On 3/24/2015 adelle38 said:
On 3/24/2015 Ford1224 said:
On 3/24/2015 adelle38 said:
In 2006, the Maysles released a documentary called the Beales of Grey Gardens. It is additional documentary footage shot at the same time as the original. Much of what is in it is also a part of the HBO film. I think their relatives tried to help them mainly by getting them to move and Bid Edie refused. I've read quite a bit about the Beales and what puzzles me the most is that while there is much information about the pre and post war years, I haven't found anything on what little Edie did in her twenties during the war. She frequently said her mother took away her chances but she didn't actually move back to Grey Gardens until she was 35.

She was 57 during this shooting, and I would guess the mother must have been at least in her late seventies. I could see where she was very beautiful in her younger days, not just from the portraits, but also in her elderly face.

I should read more about them. I still don't understand why they never referred to the Bouviers, and why the Bouviers did not try to do more for them. Jackie did at one time try to renovate the house, but they just destroyed it again so I guess she gave up.

I wonder if they will ever show the additional footage? I do remember more in the film, but figured they were just dramatizing what actually happened in the women's lives (particularly the mother's) when they were younger, that they could not replicate in the documentary. It would be interesting to see.

The second documentary has the additional footage and it's on DVD.http://www.amazon.com/Beales-Grey-Gardens-Criterion-Collection/dp/B000IY02W4

I can't order it until after I move, but plan to order it. In which case I will probably order the first one too. I read the glowing reviews. Seems as though it will be money well spent.

Re: I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

chickenbutt — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 19:51:29 GMT

Wish I had known. I can't find another airing within the Tivo guide, anyway.

BTW, it's called 'Grey Gardens' and was made in 1975.

Nothing comes up with a search so I put up a WishList for it. I've seen the movie with Drew Barrymore, et al, but not this docu-piece. Hope it comes up again.

Re: I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

adelle38 — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 21:33:33 GMT

Did anyone watch the documentary on TCM after Grey Gardens? It was called ""Salesman"" and was about 4 door to door bible salesmen in the 1960's. It was a really moving picture of those salesman and life for the working class in the sixties.

Re: I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

LilacTree — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 21:35:31 GMT

On 3/24/2015 adelle38 said:
Did anyone watch the documentary on TCM after Grey Gardens? It was called ""Salesman"" and was about 4 door to door bible salesmen in the 1960's. It was a really moving picture of those salesman and life for the working class in the sixties.

I fell asleep. Had to really strive to watch Grey Gardens to the end.

Re: I watched the original documentary of Grey Gardens last night

goodstuff — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 21:36:48 GMT

I'm sorry I missed the documentary last night!