Maid to Order

For the 1916 film starring Oliver Hardy, see A Maid to Order.
Maid to Order

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Amy Holden Jones
Produced by Mort Engelberg
Written by Amy Holden Jones
Perry Howze
Randy Howze
Starring
Music by Georges Delerue
Cinematography Shelly Johnson
Edited by Sidney Wolinsky
Distributed by The Vista Organization
Release dates
  • July 10, 1987 (1987-07-10)
Running time
 93 min
Country United States
Language English,
Spanish
Box office $9,868,521

Maid to Order is a 1987 American comedy/fantasy film starring Ally Sheedy, Beverly D'Angelo, Michael Ontkean, Valerie Perrine, Dick Shawn, Tom Skerritt, and Merry Clayton.

This film is an unusual variation on the Cinderella formula: the fairy godmother is not the means to a better life for the heroine but rather the nemesis. Stella is Jessie's primary obstacle to achieving her wish of regaining her old spoiled Beverly Hills lifestyle.

Plot

Jessie Montgomery (Ally Sheedy) is a spoiled rich girl in her mid 20's whose hard partying lifestyle and lack of self-respect as well as a lack of respect for others is starting to wear thin on her wealthy philanthropist father Charles (Tom Skerritt) and her boyfriend Brent (Jason Beghe) who breaks up with her due to her immature and self destructive behavior. When Jessie is arrested for drunk driving and drug possession, she finally pushes Charles beyond his limits. He is frustrated and disappointed. While in the company of Woodrow (Theodore Wilson), he says the one thing he thought he'd never say....he wishes he'd never had a daughter. In pops Stella Winston (Beverly D'Angelo), a fairy godmother that was assigned to the Montgomery family. To keep Jessie from being erased, Stella casts a spell so that Charles to no longer have a daughter. She bails Jessie out of jail.

When she goes home, her father doesn't recognize her and claims that he has no daughter. Stella appears and tells her that she's getting what she deserves. She tells Jessie to find a employment. Jessie who has never worked a day in her life is forced to find work as a maid for an eccentric rich couple called the Starkeys (Valerie Perrine and Dick Shawn) who got rich after winning the lottery some years back.

Through her experiences with the other people in the mansion consisting of former singer-turned-cook Audrey (Merry Clayton), Hispanic servant Maria (Begoña Plaza), and chauffeur Nick (Michael Ontkean), Jessie learns the true meaning of love, friendship, hard work, and self-respect. When she chooses the happiness of her new friends over her own, she is rewarded with having her old life more or less returned to her.

Characters

Reception

Reviews were negative. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times "found it too easy to anticipate most of the big moments and too hard to believe that Sheedy was really a spoiled, mean-spirited rich bitch."[1] Janet Maslin in The New York Times praised Sheedy, saying her "petulant manner and her air of faint distaste for her surroundings are just right for this role. And she shows herself to be an able physical comedienne."[2]

Filming locations

Jessie's father's mansion is located at 365 S Hudson Street, Los Angeles, California. The Starkey mansion, where Jessie worked, is located at 32596 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, California

Availability

The movie was released on VHS by International Video Entertainment in 1988 and again in 1991 by Avid Home Entertainment. In 2002, Artisan Entertainment released the film on DVD without bonus features and was presented only in full screen. The DVD has now been discontinued for no given reason. As of December 21, 2009, Lions Gate have yet to announce any plans for a new DVD. In September 2010 the movie became available to view on Netflix's Watch Instantly, but has since been removed.

Soundtrack

"Spirit In The Sky" Performed by Dr. and The Medics Music and Lyrics by Norman Greenbaum

"I'm On My Own" Performed by Craig Thomas Music and Lyrics by Ralph Jones and Claudette Raiche

"Clean Up Woman" Performed by Bekka Bramlett Music and Lyrics by Clarence Reid and Willie Clark

"I Can Still Shine" Performed by Merry Clayton Music and Lyrics by Ashford and Simpson

"It's In His Kiss" Performed by Merry Clayton Music and Lyrics by Rudy Clark

"976-Self Service" Music by Ralph Jones and Claudette Raiche

"Fernando the Champ" Music and Lyrics by Rudy Regaiado [3]

References

  1. ↑ http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19870731/REVIEWS/707310301/1023
  2. ↑ http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B0DE0DB143DF93BA1575BC0A961948260&partner=Rotten%20Tomatoes
  3. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093476/soundtrack
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