Maid to Order
Encyclopedia
Maid to Order is a 1987
comedy
/fantasy film
starring Ally Sheedy
.
) decides he might have been better off without a daughter, and with that her "fairy godmother" Stella (Beverly D'Angelo
) appears and creates an existence where she must make it on her own. Jessie is then forced to find work as a maid for an eccentric rich couple (Valerie Perrine
and Dick Shawn
).
The 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.
In the end, however, through her experiences with the other people in the mansion (former singer turned cook Audrey, Hispanic servant Maria and chauffer Nick) Jessie learns the true meaning of love, friendship, 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.
released the film on DVD sans 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 has yet to announce any plans for a new DVD. In Sep. 2010 the movie became available to view on Netflix's Watch Instantly.
1987 in film
-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
comedy
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
/fantasy film
Fantasy film
Fantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered to be distinct from science fiction film and horror film, although the genres do overlap...
starring Ally Sheedy
Ally Sheedy
Alexandra Elizabeth "Ally" Sheedy is an American film and stage actress, as well as the author of two books. She is best known for her roles in the Brat Pack films The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo's Fire.-Early life:...
.
Plot
Rich and spoiled twenty something Jessie Montgomery (Sheedy) winds up in jail after a life of wild partying. Her father (Tom SkerrittTom Skerritt
Thomas Roy "Tom" Skerritt is an American actor who has appeared in over 40 films and more than 200 television episodes since 1962.-Early life:...
) decides he might have been better off without a daughter, and with that her "fairy godmother" Stella (Beverly D'Angelo
Beverly D'Angelo
Beverly Heather D'Angelo is an American actress and singer.-Early life:D'Angelo was born in Columbus, Ohio, the daughter of Priscilla , a violinist, and Gene D'Angelo, a bass player and television station manager. She is of part Italian ancestry...
) appears and creates an existence where she must make it on her own. Jessie is then forced to find work as a maid for an eccentric rich couple (Valerie Perrine
Valerie Perrine
- Life and career :Perrine was born in Galveston, Texas, the daughter of Winifred , a dancer who appeared in Earl Carroll's Vanities, and Kenneth Perrine, a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army. Owing to her father's career, Perrine lived in many locations as the family moved to different...
and Dick Shawn
Dick Shawn
Dick Shawn was an American actor and comedian.-Early life and career:Shawn was born as Richard Schulefand in Buffalo, New York. He played Sylvester Marcus, son of Mrs. Marcus , in Stanley Kramer's It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and Lorenzo St...
).
The film is an unusual variation on the Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
formula: the fairy godmother
Fairy godmother
In fairy tales, a fairy godmother is a fairy with magical powers who acts as a mentor or parent to someone, in the role that an actual godparent was expected to play in many societies...
is not the means to a better life for the heroine but rather the nemesis
Archenemy
An archenemy, archfoe, archvillain or archnemesis is the principal enemy of a character in a work of fiction, often described as the hero's worst enemy .- Etymology :The word archenemy or arch-enemy originated...
. Stella is Jessie's primary obstacle to achieving her wish of regaining her old spoiled Beverly Hills lifestyle.
In the end, however, through her experiences with the other people in the mansion (former singer turned cook Audrey, Hispanic servant Maria and chauffer Nick) Jessie learns the true meaning of love, friendship, 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.
Availability
The movie was released on VHS by International Video Entertainment in 1988 and was re-released on VHS in 1991 by Avid Home Entertainment in the SLP mode. In 2002, Artisan EntertainmentArtisan Entertainment
Artisan Entertainment Inc. was a privately held independent American movie studio until it was purchased by a Canadian studio, Lionsgate, in 2003. At the time of its acquisition, Artisan had a library of thousands of films developed through acquisition, original production, and production and...
released the film on DVD sans 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 has yet to announce any plans for a new DVD. In Sep. 2010 the movie became available to view on Netflix's Watch Instantly.
Taglines
- Worse help is hard to find.
- She was raised in one mansion. Now she's got to clean another.
Cast
- Ally SheedyAlly SheedyAlexandra Elizabeth "Ally" Sheedy is an American film and stage actress, as well as the author of two books. She is best known for her roles in the Brat Pack films The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo's Fire.-Early life:...
- Jessie Montgomery - Beverly D'AngeloBeverly D'AngeloBeverly Heather D'Angelo is an American actress and singer.-Early life:D'Angelo was born in Columbus, Ohio, the daughter of Priscilla , a violinist, and Gene D'Angelo, a bass player and television station manager. She is of part Italian ancestry...
- Stella Winston (the Fairy Godmother) - Michael OntkeanMichael OntkeanMichael Leonard Ontkean is a Canadian actor. He is best known for the 1970s crime drama The Rookies, the film Slap Shot , and the cult-favorite TV series Twin Peaks .-Life and career:...
- Nick McGuire - Valerie PerrineValerie Perrine- Life and career :Perrine was born in Galveston, Texas, the daughter of Winifred , a dancer who appeared in Earl Carroll's Vanities, and Kenneth Perrine, a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army. Owing to her father's career, Perrine lived in many locations as the family moved to different...
- Georgette Starkey - Dick ShawnDick ShawnDick Shawn was an American actor and comedian.-Early life and career:Shawn was born as Richard Schulefand in Buffalo, New York. He played Sylvester Marcus, son of Mrs. Marcus , in Stanley Kramer's It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and Lorenzo St...
- Stan Starkey - Tom SkerrittTom SkerrittThomas Roy "Tom" Skerritt is an American actor who has appeared in over 40 films and more than 200 television episodes since 1962.-Early life:...
- Charles Montgomery - Merry ClaytonMerry ClaytonMerry Clayton is an American soul and gospel singer , and an actress...
- Audrey James - Begoña Plaza - Maria
- Rain PhoenixRain PhoenixRain Phoenix is an American actress, musician, and singer. Phoenix has four siblings: two brothers, actors Joaquin and the late River Phoenix, and two sisters, Summer and Liberty.-Early life:...
- Brie Starkey (as Rainbow Phoenix)