The Claudette
Colbert Collection
(Three-Cornered Moon / Maid of Salem
I Met Him in Paris / Bluebeard's Eighth Wife
No Time for Love / The Egg and I)
DVD ~ Claudette Colbert
4 Stars for the Maid, October 14, 2010
My primary interest in this collection is the film MAID
OF SALEM with Claudette Colbert & Fred Mac Murray. I rented the movie from
that huge national movie rental company (hint, it's initials are NF.) I was
really impressed by it.
At first the combination of actors seemed kind of strange--particularly if MAID
wasn't a comedic look at the famous witch trials. MAID OF SALEM is not based on
a highly intellectual script, but it wasn't lightweight fare either. The movie
does not flinch from exposing the human imperfections that created the
witchcraft hysteria & the greed & desire for revenge that kept it
fueled.
Colbert is the Maid & she is living with her aunt & the aunt's juvenile
son. Only the elder woman knows a dread secret of the mother's fate: she had
been executed for witchcraft back in England. Later on, the boy is tricked into
framing his elder cousin for various Puritan infractions.
At first Colbert's little family is little affected by the growing sense of
unease in the village revolving around the increasingly odd behavior
demonstrated by a group of impressionable (and probably bored & rebellious)
girls. Tales of voodoo told them by an elderly slave woman from Barbados has
enthralled them.
The film takes a lot of liberties with history, but often to good effect. For
example, the Minister's wife who has never experienced love or happiness in her
life or marriage--and she persuades the slave Tituba to prepare a potion for
her. There's a great scene on a howling foul night, when the wide downs the
potion and completely trips out, imagining herself flying off to a Black Mass,
embraced by a demonic lover.
The woman (Madame R--I'll look it up) who played the slave received good
reviews. The character she plays knows that the whole situation of witches in
Salem is make believe, and at first thinks everything will just go away with no
real harm done. But as events become increasingly sinister & dangerous, her
fear is palatable. As Tituba becomes the focus of villagers' rage (definitely a
"fall Guy"), the look of terror in her eyes is quite believable. The poor
woman becomes the first victim of homicidal delusions & mass hysteria.
The daily life of the villagers is believably portrayed, including the dirge
like hymns sung by the Sunday congregation.
It's a fresh look (even today) at an event in American history that was to
remain troublesome & central to the New World mythology.
I can't recommend buying the collection at the current price (although there
are other good films included.) Last time I checked MAID OF SALEM was
unavailable for rental from that other place. I guess (?) you can rent the
entire package from Amazon.
MAID OF SALEM would be a good addition to a DVD library.
Review: JEFarrow
Updated 11/10
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