:Maid to Order
{{Short description|1987 film by Amy Holden Jones}}
{{Distinguish|Maid to Order (1931 film)}}
{{For|the 1916 film starring Oliver Hardy|A Maid to Order}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Maid to Order
| image = Maidtoorderposter.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Amy Jones
| writer = {{Plainlist|
- Amy Jones
- Perry Howze
- Randy Howze}}
| producer = {{Plainlist|
| starring = {{Plainlist|
| cinematography = Shelly Johnson
| editing = Sidney Wolinsky
| music = Georges Delerue
| distributor = The Vista Organization
| released = {{Film date|1987|07|10}}
| runtime = 93 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget =
| gross = $9,868,521
}}
Maid to Order is a 1987 American comedy-fantasy film co-written and directed by Amy Holden Jones. It stars Ally Sheedy as spoiled rich kid Jessie, who is made penniless when her fairy godmother casts a spell to erase her identity, forcing her to become a maid in a reversal of the Cinderella formula.
Plot
Jessica "Jessie" Montgomery (Ally Sheedy) is a bratty, hard-partying rich girl in her mid-20s. Jessie's self-indulgent lifestyle (along with a lack of respect for anything or anybody, even herself) has been wearing thin on her father Charles (Tom Skerritt), a widowed philanthropist. When Jessie's boyfriend Brent (Jason Beghe) breaks up with her, out of frustration with her immaturity and utter lack of values, she could not care less. Then, Jessie is arrested for drug possession and DWI with a suspended license (she also attempts to bribe her arresting officers). Charles blames himself for his daughter's downward spiral: Jessie's mother died only a few years after the girl was born; instead of laying down the law, he spoiled Jessie rotten...often leaving her in the care of his valet Woodrow (Theodore Wilson) and other family retainers. Now, hearing that his daughter has been busted and her car impounded, he wishes aloud (ostensibly to Woodrow, but also to himself) that he had never had a daughter. Outside, a star falls. Jessie's identity is magically erased, leaving her fully clothed, but with no resources or possessions, and no family or friends.
Enter Stella Winston (Beverly D'Angelo), a fairy godmother who has been "assigned" to the Montgomery family. Stella pays Jessie's bail and explains what has happened as a result of Charles' wish. Being Jessie, she does not believe a word Stella says. When she walks to her father's mansion, neither he nor any of the servants recognize her; neither does Jimmy, the family dog. When Jessie breaks into the mansion, she is promptly chased out and has to escape when the police show up.
Wandering the streets, Jessie trips over some girls with whom she recently partied. They insist they have never seen Jessie before in their lives, and shove her away. She once again encounters Stella...who spells out all of Jessie's faults and suggests the girl find a job to provide for herself. Having never worked a day in her life (she dropped out of junior college after "six years"), Jessie nonetheless succeeds in finding employment as a live-in maid for an eccentric Malibu family: Stan Starkey (Dick Shawn), his wife Georgette (Valerie Perrine), and their daughter Brie (Rain Phoenix). A few years ago, the Starkeys won several million dollars in the lottery; they now aspire to break into the music industry as talent agents.
Gradually, Jessie bonds with the Starkeys' other retainers: cook Audrey (Merry Clayton), a failed singer; fellow maid Maria (Begoña Plaza); and chauffeur Nick (Michael Ontkean), an aspiring songwriter. Jessie learns the true meaning of friendship, hard work, and self-respect...while falling in love with Nick. When she helps Nick and Audrey break into the music business, Jessie's old life is returned to her; her dad and everyone else recognize her again. However, being a better and more mature person, Jessie continues her relationship with Nick; the ending implies that they ultimately get married.
Cast
- Ally Sheedy – Jessie Montgomery
- Beverly D'Angelo – Stella Winston
- Michael Ontkean – Nick McGuire
- Valerie Perrine – Georgette Starkey
- Dick Shawn – Stan Starkey
- Tom Skerritt – Charles Montgomery
- Merry Clayton – Audrey James
- Begoña Plaza – Maria
- Rain Phoenix – Brie Starkey (as Rainbow Phoenix)
- Theodore Wilson - Woodrow
- Jason Beghe - Brent
- Katey Sagal - Louise
- Victoria Catlin - Alicia Nolin
- Khandi Alexander - Hooker in Jail
- Henry Woolf - Jailer
- Robert Jaffe - Miles
- George Chala Sr. - Gas Station owner (Uncredited)
Production
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. The gas station where Jessie kicks the vending machine was located on Sunset and Swathmore in the Pacific Palisades.
Soundtrack
- "Spirit in the Sky", performed by Doctor 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{{Cite web |title=Maid to Order (1987) - IMDb |url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093476/ |via=www.imdb.com}}
Release
The movie was released on VHS by International Video Entertainment in 1988 and again in 1991 by Avid Home Entertainment. In 2002, Artisan Entertainment (now known as Lionsgate Home Entertainment) released the film on DVD without bonus features and presented in pan-and-scan full screen.
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."{{Cite web|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19870731/REVIEWS/707310301/1023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050501224500/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19870731/REVIEWS/707310301/1023|title=Maid to Order (review)|date=July 31, 1987|archive-date=May 1, 2005|website=RogerEbert.com|url-status=dead|first=Roger|last=Ebert|author-link=Roger Ebert}} 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."{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/28/movies/film-maid-to-order-starring-ally-sheedy.html|url-access=subscription|title=Film: 'Maid to Order,' Starring Ally Sheedy|first=Janet|last=Maslin|newspaper=The New York Times|date=August 28, 1987|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150524214217/https://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/28/movies/film-maid-to-order-starring-ally-sheedy.html|archive-date=May 24, 2015|author-link=Janet Maslin}}
Maid to Order holds a 42% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 12 reviews.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/maid_to_order|title = Maid to Order|website = Rotten Tomatoes }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|0093476|Maid to Order (1987)}}
- {{Rotten-tomatoes|maid_to_order|Maid to Order}}
- {{Mojo title|maidtoorder|Maid to Order}}
- {{Internet Archive film|MaidToOrder1988Printing}}
{{Amy Holden Jones}}
{{Cinderella}}
Category:1987 independent films
Category:1980s English-language films
Category:1980s fantasy comedy films
Category:American fantasy comedy films
Category:American independent films
Category:English-language fantasy comedy films
Category:Films directed by Amy Holden Jones
Category:Films scored by Georges Delerue