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7.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Maternité remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
I wasn't sure what I was getting into with a movie called Maternité. It sounds like something you’d watch in a dusty classroom while the teacher naps in the back.
But honestly? This is totally worth watching if you don’t mind feeling a little sad for an hour or so.
If you like movies that feel like real life—meaning they are kind of messy and nobody has perfect hair—you’ll probably dig this. If you only like big explosions and fast talking, you’re gonna hate it. 🍼
The whole thing was written by Marie Epstein, and you can tell she actually likes people. Or at least, she understands why they do stupid things when they are desperate.
The story kicks off with this rich couple, the Berniers. They have everything: big chairs, fancy clothes, and probably a lot of butter in their fridge.
But they don't have a kid, and it’s clearly eating them alive. Madeleine Donnyval plays the wife, and she has this way of looking at empty spaces in the room that makes you feel like she’s seeing a ghost.
Then you have the other side of the tracks. A family with way too many kids and not enough soup to go around.
The movie does this thing where it cuts back and forth between the quiet, cold mansion and the loud, sticky house of the poor family. It’s not subtle, but it works.
There’s this one scene where a little girl is just staring through a window. Her face is literally covered in dirt, and not the fake Hollywood kind.
It looks like she’s been playing in a coal bin for three days straight. Most movies from this era, like The Violinist of Florence, feel way more polished and sparkly than this.
Maternité feels like someone took a camera and just hid it in a corner of a real apartment. The lighting is kind of dark and sometimes you can barely see the actors' eyes.
I noticed this one moment where a character drops a spoon, and they just keep filming. It felt so real and unscripted.
The movie doesn't try to make the poor family look like saints, either. They’re grumpy and tired and they yell at each other.
I guess that’s what happens when you’re cramming ten people into two rooms. It reminded me a bit of the vibe in It's No Laughing Matter, where everything feels a bit too close for comfort.
The acting isn't that theatrical style where everyone waves their arms around like they're trying to land a plane. Rachel Devirys is great because she mostly acts with her shoulders.
You can see the weight of the world just sitting on her. It makes you want to reach into the screen and give her a chair.
There is a part where they talk about adoption, and it gets really uncomfortable. Not because of the dialogue, but because of the silences.
The silence goes on just a few seconds too long. You start looking at the wallpaper in the background just to avoid the awkwardness on screen.
I love that the movie doesn't have a big, booming orchestra telling you when to cry. It trusts you to realize that a kid crying in a dark room is sad enough on its own.
Some of the shots are weirdly long. Like, there’s a shot of a milk bottle that stays on screen for what feels like a full minute.
I kept waiting for something to happen, but it was just... a bottle. Maybe it’s symbolic? Or maybe the cameraman just liked the way the light hit the glass.
It’s definitely a different pace than something like Two Timid Souls. That one feels like a breeze compared to this heavy lifting.
I found myself wondering about the kids in the movie. They don't act like child actors; they act like kids who are confused about why a man is pointing a big wooden box at them.
One little boy in the background of a scene is just picking his nose the whole time. It’s hilarious and probably wasn't supposed to be in the shot, but I’m glad it is.
The movie gets way better once the rich lady and the poor kids finally start interacting. There’s this tension there that’s hard to describe.
It’s like they’re from two different planets. And you’re just waiting for the whole thing to explode or for someone to start crying.
I will say, the ending feels a little rushed. It’s like they realized they only had five minutes of film left and had to wrap everything up fast. 🏃♂️
But that’s okay. Real life doesn't always have a clean ending either, right?
If you're into the history of cinema, you can see how Marie Epstein was trying to do something different here. She wasn't making a fantasy like The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays.
She was looking at the dirt under people's fingernails. It’s gritty but in a quiet, French way.
I caught a glimpse of a poster on a wall in one scene that looked like it was for His Private Life, which was a fun little Easter egg if you’re a nerd like me. Or maybe I just imagined it because the film grain was so thick.
Anyway, don’t expect a happy-go-lucky time. This isn't Oh, What a Kick! or some silly comedy.
It’s a movie that stays in your head for a few days after you watch it. You’ll be eating dinner and suddenly think about that poor mom and her ten kids.
The way the camera lingers on the empty cradle in the Bernier house... man. That’s some heavy stuff.
I think the film is a bit too long in the middle. They could have cut out about fifteen minutes of people walking up and down stairs.
But the faces make up for it. Seriously, the casting was spot on for those kids.
They look like they’ve actually lived the lives they are portraying. It makes you realize how much we fake things in modern movies.
Overall, I’d give it a solid thumbs up if you’re in the mood to feel something real. Just make sure you have some tissues nearby, just in case. 😭
It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s a good movie. And sometimes that’s enough.
I’m glad I watched it, even if it made me feel a bit guilty about my comfortable couch. Check it out if you can find a copy that isn't too scratched up.
IMDb 5.3
1921
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