The Maid (1990 TV Movie) User Reviews

The right ingredients for a French omelet

[jotix100 · 7/10 · 8 September 2006]

Anthony Wayne, an executive in a financial institution, receives an offer he can't refuse: he is hired by a prestigious French company and must relocate to Paris, not too shabby a deal, for anyone! His apartment in New York is a mess, something his cleaning lady reminds him of, when she comes to clean it.

In Paris, Anthony is in awe of all the beautiful and elegant women he meets anywhere. He is at a loss, when he discovers the gorgeous Nicole. As he follows her, Anthony discovers she has a big problem: she can't control her bratty daughter Marie, who terrorizes all the maids Nicole employs. He has the brilliant idea to have himself hired as the new maid, in order to be next to Nicole, but what he doesn't realize, is that he has gotten more than what he bargained for.

This romantic comedy, which we never knew existed, is a pleasant way to spend ninety minutes. One realizes what will happen from beginning to end, but we are lured by the fine work of the two principals of the film. Director Ian Toynton delivers a sort of French omelet that is light and delicious.

Martin Sheen plays Anthony, the transplanted American who didn't realize Nicole would be employed in real life in Nicole's firm. He makes a wonderful waiter who must serve dinner to his real boss and a company of sophisticated corporate types without being discovered. Jacqueline Bisset, is also marvelous in the role of Nicole. Ms. Bisset is one of the most beautiful actresses, with a timeless beauty that is quite unmatched by her contemporaries. Jean-Pierre Cassel is C.P. the boss of Nicole and Anthony. Victoria Shalet, is the bratty Marie, who changes her attitude and become human as Anthony doesn't take any nonsense from her.

This is a sunny comedy that will charm the viewer that is looking for an easy and relaxing time with a film.

Maid is tailor-made for those incurable romantics

[inkblot11 · 6/10 · 10 February 2007]

Anthony Wayne (Martin Sheen) is a successful banker in NYC. Quite a ladies man, he sometimes has trouble getting up in the morning so he owns an elaborate, speaking alarm clock which showers him with compliments at his awakening. One day, he finds out he is going to be transferred to Paris for awhile. Anthony is delighted. As adjusting to a new continent is difficult, Anthony is sent to France well in advance of his official starting day at the bank. On the streets of Paris, he notices beautiful Nicole (Jacqueline Bisset) and follows her home. As luck would have it, Nicole is desperately wanting a new maid/nanny for her young daughter. Overhearing this, Anthony decides to announce that he has been sent by the agency to be her new maid! He'll be able to get to know Nicole better, that's for sure. However, Nicole's daughter is a brat and the first day is far from easy. Yet, Anthony perseveres. What is going to happen, though, when AW is due at the bank? And, is there a rival for Nicole's affections? This is a fun movie with a cute premise. Sheen is great as the man who explores the world outside of the banking business and who learns that the possibility of getting serious about someone is nothing to fear. Bisset is beautiful as the banker who has had lousy luck in her personal life. The rest of the cast is fine and, of course, the setting in Paris is grand. The costumes are a bit lacking or, perhaps, it is just that they seem so dated. But, that's something minor. If you love romantic comedies, this film is "maid" for you. Get your hands on a copy soon.

Light and Fluffy..sort of like a French Souffle...

[CaZSuede-2 · 6/10 · 21 January 2000]

It was breezy to say the least, but for the most part it was lightly entertaining. I'm pretty sure that this movie was made, when Sheen was at the bottom of his career, yet he always seems to deliver, even when the material is weak.

I thought this movie was set in the 1980's (like 1984) but was surprised to see how new it was (aka: It felt dated). Much of the situation was contrived, but it was a good type of contrivance I can live with.

good movie for the hopeless romantic like me!

[zheper62-1 · 3 May 2004]

I like this simply because of the chemistry between Martin and Jacqueline. I love films with storyline like this. Its quite predictable nonetheless it suits my romantic taste. Martin sheen is a ladies man. I love the fact that there's a brat involve and to win the girl of his dream he must win the kid's trust first. Lovely, lovely, lovely. Jacqueline is gorgeous and elegant as ever BTW. The bratty kid did a job well done at first. She might be a female kid version of the problem kid. The scene that fascinated me was the part where Anthony (Sheen) have to do the maid or for this matter a butlers job with his boss as one of the guest. Its so funny I was giggling the whole scene. I love the piano song as well.

Heartwarming Romantic movie

[Sergiodave · 6/10 · 10 September 2021]

A great TV movie starring Martin Sheen and the gorgeous Jacqueline Bisset. A financial expert pretends to be a nanny to a terribly spoilt brat in order to seduce the mother of the child. This being a romantic comedy, you can imagine the rest. Well acted for a TV movie.

A root canal without Novocain is preferable.

[mark.waltz · 2/10 · 27 April 2022]

I didn't like the character played by Jacqueline Bisset the minutes that she ran up to a man getting into a cab, push them out of the way and got in with her little brat of a daughter. This bad seed has caused nannies to quit on the spot, and all she does is scream. Bissett is an executive in a tizzy, hiring Martin Sheen, a business executive from another company who has come to see her on business, as a temp nanny so she can run into work. Her self-centered character and the monster of a little girl don't warrant getting any sympathy even if they do mellow as the film goes on. And the audience is supposed to root for Sheen and Bissett to end up in a romance together. Forget that. Stick with bad seed Rhoda, the young Baby Jane and Clifton Webb as Mr. Belvedere.

A complete waste of my valuable movie watching time. Not realistic in any way.

If you like Martin Sheen, you'll like this movie.

[gfe22 · 8/10 · 15 August 2001]

Sheen gets very little opportunity to play romantic comedy, but he actually does it quite well.

The trailer and summary say it all. Anthony Wayne is something of a ladies man, except he can't get the ladies. The clock in his house (which I would have thrown out years ago) may be a hint as to why, given the egomaniac side it suggests, but his heart's in the right place. Upon relocating in Paris he spots the lady he wants to spend time with and seeks a way to get closer. When he discovers she needs a maid he promptly turns up, only to discover she has a remarkably obnoxious brat of a daughter, which explains why she hasn't had any joy keeping maids up until now. His cash (allowing him to pay others to do the work), his charm and a good heart win over both mother and daughter. Problem is, he's actually the mother's new co-worker and, when she finds out his true identity, she's not impressed by his lies.

OK, that's the summary, now what's wrong with it (since I gave it 8 and not 10). Primarily, the editing. This is the worst hack-job of editing I've seen in a long time. I'm sure there was more to explain how Wayne worked his way into the little girl's heart (the fact she managed to memorise the song in record-breaking time without actually being told the lyrics right through hints there's a huge edit there) and without all that, it's too pat. This is a brat of a daughter who's reduced stronger maids than him to pulp. Are we to assume that just because he's a man (and replacing the father-figure, perhaps?) that she's just going to suddenly behave herself? For an all too brief period she actually puts up a fight, but either the script lacked what was needed, or the editor hacked it out. Either way, the turn around from brat of the year to 'adorable' little girl is far too fast and totally unconvincing.

The other problem is that whoever wrote this script knows exactly zip all about making deals, and it shows. Not that I wanted a comedy version of Wall Street but, again, the solution comes too easily and is totally unconvincing.

That said, I enjoyed it. Sheen has some great moments and he's clearly enjoying himself. So much of what he's done in the past is heavy, thought-provoking, horror filled or just plain odd, and he rarely gets the chance to show he has a good sense of humour (although that's presently being rectified with The West Wing, wherein he manages to combine deadly serious, thought provoking stuff with some fall down funny lines). He's doing the best he can with a not very impressive script and, by and large, where the film falls down the problem does not lie in his performance.

This is light-hearted fun. So long as you're not expecting anything more than what is essentially a 'chick-flick' with some nice moments, you won't be disappointed. The guys should enjoy Bisset while the romantics will enjoy something mildly entertaining and totally painless. You KNOW he's going to get his girl. The fact it doesn't make any sense is pretty irrelevant.

Kudos to the actors, serious negative points to the writer and the editor, both of whom need to go back to school.

The Maid Was Made in Heaven ***1/2

[edwagreen · 8/10 · 9 June 2007]

Martin Sheen and Jackie Bisset are just wonderful together in this comedy dealing with a New York businessman (Anthony Wayne), Sheen, who moves to Paris to work for a company. Along the way, he follows Bisset, who is in need of a nanny for her precocious but obnoxious daughter.

The young lady is terrific and I thought I was going to see another Quinn Cummings of "Goodbye Girl" fame but sadly her part is weakened to the prevailing story that while Sheen becomes the maid and wins the heart of the little girl, he is really going to being working in the same firm as Bisset. Imagine her reaction when she discovers who Sheen really is. The two will then work together to destroy someone who wants to borrow money from the firm but who is a very poor credit risk and someone who had romantic designs on Bisset.

The story is quite predictable but it's nicely done and after all, we're in romantic Paris. Sheen proves that he has an ability to do comedy.

Great movie, very touching, good for young & old alike!

[1kathy88 · 20 February 2003]

I came across this movie on 2/19/03. Missed the first part but got into the story line very fast. Not like the usual Martin Sheen part. The plot was good and kept me interested. I think it's a great family movie.

Tolerable French fluff

[lor_ · 17 June 2023]

My review was written in March 1991 after watching the movie on Media Home Entertainment video cassette.

Martin Sheen gets to play broad comedy in the tv-aimed French feature "The Maid", a typical yet pleasant gender switcheroo tale.

Like its predecessor film "May Wine" from the same producers, "Maid" is a light and frothy trip to Paris where Sheen plays an unorthodox merger specialist hired to be co-equal to executive Jacqueline Bisset at her bank. In the week before he has to report for work in the City of Light, Sheen rather unconvincingly inveigles his way into beautiful Bisset's apartment on the pretext of becoming her new domestic servant.

Job calls for a sort of governess/maid to take care of the pad for working woman Bisset and tend to her cute but uncontrollable young daughter Victoria Shalet. Gimmick is that Sheen hires a whole squad of real domestics to do all the work for him.

Though he has a local caterer do the key preparations, Sheen has to buckle down and serve food when Bisset throws a dinner party. He handles the inevitable slapstick with aplomb when the banker (Jean-Pierre Cassel) who hired him shows up and he must avoid his gaze to maintain his cover.

The stars handle this souffle of a feature with ease and young Shalet, with British accent is an attractive tyke. Not much is made of the 180-degree turnabout in casting of Sheen from his "Wall Street" role. Climax is a rather uninspired riff on "Working Girl".

Tech credits are okay for this genre, which resembles tv production more than theatrical filmmaking.