Grey Gardens (1976)

In the secluded heart of East Hampton's lush landscapes, the crumbling edifice of Grey Gardens stands, a monument to a forgotten era. It's home to the eccentric duo, Edith Bouvier Beale, a quick-witted, dry-humored former singer approaching her eighties, and her vivacious daughter, Edith 'Little Edie' Bouvier Beale, a once-prominent social debutante who cloaks herself in combat-ready ensembles and headscarves. The Beales, relatives of Jacqueline Kennedy, lead a reclusive life, sharing their dilapidated 28-room mansion with a host of cats, wild raccoons, and an army of fleas. The mansion, a poignant symbol of their past glory, lacks even the basic amenity of running water. It's a chaotic realm where the present intermingles with memories, where the line between care-giver and care-recipient blurs, and where the refuse of their existence coexists with the residents. Two decades before, Little Edie had returned from New York, ostensibly to care for her ailing mother, but the truth of her return remains shrouded in ambiguity. In the midst of the squalor, they are 'discovered' by the authorities who threaten eviction unless the house is cleaned. With a reluctant acceptance of assistance from their famous relative, the Beales embark on a journey to restore Grey Gardens, while nursing a deep-seated suspicion of the outside world. The renovation unearths their combative relationship, a mask for their mutual protectiveness and shared denial about their current state of affairs. Edith is found often cocooned in her garbage-laden bedroom, singing to the echoes of her past, while Little Edie dreams of a grand return to New York City's social whirl. Yet, beneath their dreams and constant bickering lies a complex bond and an unspoken acceptance of their isolated existence. 'Grey Gardens' is their world, a world where dreams never die and old habits linger like cherished guests, long after the last notes of the music have faded.

Grey Gardens is a documentary movie featuring Edith Bouvier Beale and directed by Ellen Hovde.

Grey Gardens is currently streaming on Criterion Channel, Max and Max Amazon Channel.

It is also possible to buy Grey Gardens on Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu and YouTube.