Secretary (film)
Secretary is a 2002 black comedy based on a short
story from Bad Behavior by Mary Gaitskill. It was directed by Steven Shainberg
and stars Maggie Gyllenhaal as Lee Holloway and James Spader as E. Edward Grey.
Plot
Lee
Holloway is the geeky and emotionally sensitive younger daughter in a dysfunctional
family. Her father is an alcoholic, while her mother tries desperately to make
everything appear normal. When the movie opens, Lee is being released from a psychiatric
hospital just in time to attend her sister's wedding. Lee was hospitalized after
cutting herself and suffering a near-fatal injury. Determined to adjust to society,
she learns to type, begins to date Peter, a guest at her sister's wedding and
her high school classmate, and looks for work. She is then hired as a secretary
to tightly-wound attorney E. Edward Grey. When she first enters his office, she
is greeted by total chaos and his former secretary stomping past her in tears.
Grey, who appears shaken, then hires her despite her rather unprofessional appearance.
The professional relationship between Lee and Edward is, in the beginning, rather strained. Lee has a number of annoying habits, her whole appearance unnerves the perfectionist Edward, and her docile behaviour has him constantly on edge - he is sexually aroused by it, which shows in his excessive work-out when Lee literally goes through the garbage to find a file he accidentally threw out. However, the two become closer after Edward confronts Lee about her self-mutilating habits, explicitly telling her that she will never cut herself again. Eventually the two embark on a BDSM relationship, complete with spankings and slave collars. Lee, who was already besotted with Edward, experiences a sexual - and personal - awakening and falls even more deeply in love. Edward, however, is afraid of his deepening feelings and feels shame and disgust over his sexual habits. He fires Lee after a particularly kinky sexual escapade in his office.
Lee, who had been dating Peter the entire time, reluctantly accepts his proposal but leaves him on their wedding day and runs off in the wedding gown to declare her love to Edward. He decides to test Lee's devotion by making her sit in a chair without moving her hands or feet until he comes back. Lee eagerly complies with the demand and even returns to her place after Peter, whom Edward had called and sent to the office, forcefully removes her from the chair. After three days, Edward's resistance breaks; he carries her to his home. They eventually marry, continuing the BDSM aspect of the relationship.
Cast
Maggie Gyllenhaal - Lee Holloway
James
Spader - E. Edward Grey
Jeremy Davies - Peter
Lesley Ann Warren - Joan
Holloway
Stephen McHattie - Burt Holloway
Patrick Bauchau - Dr. Twardon
Awards
Central Ohio Film Critics:
Best Actress (Maggie Gyllenhaal)
Golden Globe Awards:
Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Maggie
Gyllenhaal)
Gotham Awards:
Breakthrough Award (Maggie Gyllenhaal)
Independent
Spirit Awards:
Best First Screenplay (Erin Cressida Wilson)
Best Actress
(Maggie Gyllenhaal)
Best Film
National Board of Review:
Best Breakthrough
Actress (Maggie Gyllenhaal)
Online Film Critics:
Best Breakthrough Performance
(Maggie Gyllenhaal)
Best Actress (Maggie Gyllenhaal)
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