Cast: Olivier Martinez, Romane Bohringer, Aitana Sanchez Gijon, Didier Bezace, Aldo Maccione, Jean-
Marie Juan, Arno Chevrier
Director: Bigas Luna
Producers: Yves Marmion, Daniel Toscan du Plantier
Screenplay: Bigas Luna, Cuca Canals, Jean-Louis Benoit adapted from the novel by Didier Decoin
Cinematography: Patrick Blossier
Music: Alberto Iglesias
U.S. Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Company
In French with English subtitles
Bigas Luna, like fellow Spanish film maker Pedro Almodovar, has the reputation of being one of Europe's least-conventional and most independent film makers. Although Luna has been making movies since the mid-'70s, his greatest international recognition has come in the '90s with features like Jamon, Jamon (literally translated, Ham, Ham), Golden Balls (a reference to a certain portion of the male anatomy), and The Tit and the Moon (a reference to ... well, you can figure it out for yourself). Luna's latest picture, The Chambermaid on the Titanic, is something of a departure for the director. His trademark graphic sensuality has been toned down, resulting in a restrained, well-focused production that represents one of Luna's best directorial efforts to date.
It's impossible to mention this movie without commenting on its relationship to last year's mega-hit, Titanic. In fact, The Chambermaid on the Titanic was in production at the same time as James Cameron's all-time money-maker, so no one can accuse Luna of riding a popularity wave. What isn't a coincidence is the Samuel Goldwyn Company's decision to buy the North American distribution rights. Had Titanic not been a blockbuster, The Chambermaid on the Titanic would likely have never been seen outside of the film festival circuit on this side of the Atlantic. However, because of the current fascination with all Titanic-related things, it's possible that more U.S. viewers will see The Chambermaid on the Titanic than have seen all of Luna's previous films put together.
Despite the title, the movie isn't all that concerned with the world's most famous sinking ocean liner. Instead, The Chambermaid on the Titanic functions as an exploration of the creative process and a subversive and subtly funny satire of the genre of overblown melodramas of which Cameron's Titanic is a distinguished member. The script turns out to be a lot more clever than it initially seems, and it's up to the viewer to decide exactly how the movie ends - what's real and what's imaginary.
The lie is the foundation of almost every good story. Most creative people are, by nature, good liars. Storytellers must be especially adept, because their success is based entirely upon whether or not their audience believes what they're being told, regardless of the truth. The Chambermaid on the Titanic examines the evolution of one lie from a simple embellishment to the basis of a man's fame and fortune. In the process, it spotlights certain aspects of human nature, particularly our endless craving for the kind of entertainment that can vicariously take us to a place where we can't go on our own.
The film opens in the grim, gray confines of the Simeon Foundry in Northern France during the Spring of 1912. Horty (Olivier Martinez), one of the workers, wins the factory's version of the triathlon. The prize is an all-expenses paid trip for one to Southampton to watch the departure of the Titanic on its maiden voyage. Leaving behind his devoted wife, Zoe (Romane Bohringer), Horty heads for England. While there, he meets Marie (Aitana Sanchez Gijon). She's a chambermaid on the Titanic, but, on the night before the ship leaves, there are no hotel rooms in Southampton, and Marie needs a place to stay. Horty, who is smitten by the brunette beauty, offers his bed - he'll sleep in a chair. What happens (and doesn't happen) that night becomes crucial to Horty's future once he returns to Simeon and his wife. After his friends see Horty's photograph of Marie, they press him for details, and, when the truth doesn't satisfy them, he begins embellishing. His simple story of one night's indiscretion turns into an incredibly over- the-top romantic melodrama guaranteed to bring tears to the eyes of every listener (it's here that Luna takes his shots - albeit gentle ones - at films like Titanic). Soon, Horty has become a local attraction, but his fame has its down side. Zoe, as convinced by his stories as everyone else in the region, believes that Horty is madly in love with the memory of a woman who probably perished when the ship went down.
From a technical perspective, The Chambermaid on the Titanic is solid. Although the special effects aren't Cameron-quality, they're convincing enough for the limited screen time accorded to the ship. And, although Luna has restrained his erotic tendencies for most of the movie (there's no nudity whatsoever, unless you count a glimpse of a nipple through a translucent top), one particular instance (involving Marie sucking on Horty's finger) is charged with sensuality. This sequence, which is all teeth, lips, and tongue, is hotter than most generic sex scenes.
Oliver Martinez shows a little improvement in acting ability here over his work in The Horseman on the Roof, but his looks are still more impressive than his performance. Romane Bohringer (Savage Nights) is fine as the mousy Zoe and Aitana Sanchez Gijon (A Walk in the Clouds) radiates a healthy sexuality as Marie. This is not, however, an actors' film; The Chambermaid on the Titanic's strength is in the script, which attempts a number of things, and succeeds at most of them. The presence of the name "Titanic" in the title might be what gets some movie-goers into theaters showing this film, but The Chambermaid's unique narrative strengths will be what keeps them there.
© 1998 James Berardinelli