Escalier de service (1954)

Photographer Léo meets the solitary Marie-Lou in the streets of Paris.  Full of tears and despair, Marie-Lou is immediately taken in hand by Léo’s friends.  Everyone wants to know what happened to her, so she starts to recount her experiences of working as a housemaid for several different people.  First, she worked for a lawyer and his snobbish wife who were always at each other’s throats.  Their two uncouth children were no better.  Unable to stand all this unpleasantness, Marie-Lou left and found a new position with the Delecluse family, a far quieter household.  After a short time, Marie-Lou noticed something very strange in this house.  The Delecluses seemed to spend most of their time going to funerals.  When Marie-Lou learned the truth, she decided that she had to leave that sinister house as quickly as possible.  A new experience was waiting for her when she began her third job, for the Grimaldis, an Italian family.  It was here that she fell in love, with eldest son Benvenuto, but the affair did not last.  When Benvenuto had to go on the run from the police, Marie-Lou left and found employment with the Bechard couple.  This also ended badly when Madame Bechard became aware that her husband, her son and her brother had all fallen in love with the new maid.  Marie-Lou’s last job was in the chic apartment of Monsieur and Madame Berthier.  This couple were used to living the high life, since Madame Berthier was once a famous actress.  But times had changed and the household was in decline.  Marie-Lou did everything for her new employers, but they gave her nothing in return.  When the Berthiers finally regained their wealth and fame, Marie-Lou wasn’t good enough for them and so had to go.  But life is still full of surprises and a big one is waiting for her...
© Willems Henri (Brussels, Belgium)

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