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When Worlds Collide
🕑 Added 2023-06-01 01:55:40 +0000 UTCHello my naughty readers and Femdom fanatics! There'll be no extended greeting this month. I'm jumping right into my review of 1976's "Maitresse" because I have quite a bit to say.
First off... WOW! I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't this. Leave it to the French to make the first truly in-your-face Femdom film ever. It's been called a romantic comedy but I think romantic dramedy would be more fitting, as there's at least as much angst and drama in this film as there is romance and comedy. I think I said something similar about "Preaching To The Perverted." They do have a bit in common, but also a lot that's completely different.
Note: This review will get more spoiler heavy the further down we go. I'm letting you know, up front, that I'm giving this movie an enthusiastic recommendation, so if you want to watch it before all the key plot points are spoiled, go see it first and then come back to read the rest.
The movie centers around two main characters, Olivier and Ariane. Olivier is a burly young lad who moves to Paris from the countryside and begins looking for work. One of his friends offers him a place to stay until he can get his own flat. In return, Olivier helps him with his racket of selling art books door to door.
In short order, it becomes apparent that Olivier has a rather take-charge, assertive and stand-offish personality. Probably not what you were expecting for the male main character in a Femdom movie, right? Well, Olivier is no bottom. He even takes over the book selling operation, telling his friend that he's doing it all wrong. Olivier is a bit of brute, but his redeeming qualities are his physique, boyish charm and the fact that his bark is usually worse than his bite.
Selling books is how they meet Ariane and, as luck would have it, she's in the middle of a plumbing emergency when they knock on her door. They help her fix the flooding bath and inform her that the downstairs is probably suffering from the leak. She tells them her downstairs neighbors are away on vacation. Next, we learn just how sketchy Olivier and his friend really are, as they return to the building that night to rob the downstairs apartment. That's when they discover it's really Ariane's S&M dungeon.
Naturally, she catches them in the act and they're so shocked by her appearance and the "horrors" in her lair that she's able to cuff them and give them a lecture before they know what's happening. This is where things take a weird turn. You can tell that Ariane and Olivier have a thing for each other immediately. It's love/lust at first sight. (Yay for younger man / older woman relationships! We don't get enough of them!) Instead of calling the police, she keeps the would-be thieves in her dungeon while she finishes up with her client for the night. Eventually, she offers to set Olivier free and give him a cash reward if he'll come assist her in some humiliation play.
Before I get back to the story, let me elaborate on how surprisingly graphic this film is. It's heavy on fetish attire and Femdom activities which are littered throughout the movie's two hour run-time. This includes role play, boot worhsip, spanking, whipping, pony play, feminization / sissification, heavy bondage, breath play and piercing.
The piercing scene, in particular, is brutal and real. This was not acting. They hired a real Domme to nail a real submissive's foreskin to a wooden plank and then drive two more of the nail-pins through his nipples. This scene, and a few others, got the film banned in the UK for years and an X rating in the US upon release. Adult audiences weren't ready for a sample of hardcore BDSM back then (and, unfortunately, still aren't today, in many cases.)
The movie has way more male nudity than female, which is appropriate for a Femdom film and makes it an incredibly rare piece of cinematic history. The movie also has a scene where a horse is slaughtered, so if that kind of thing bothers you, perhaps give this movie a pass. People have accused that scene of being gratutitous, but the act does have meaning if you can read between the lines. Director Barbet Schroeder makes heavy use of symbolism and subtext in Maitresse.
Okay, back to the story. Remember when I said "yay for younger man / older woman relationship!" Well, that joy was short lived because Olivier and Ariane's time together is a roller coaster ending in a dumpster fire. It's obvious they're madly in love, but it's also clear that Olivier is too immature to appreciate what Ariane is offering.
Ariane is able to separate her professional and personal life with ease. She has a lot of experience doing so to the point that it's second nature for her. She can flog, castigate and abuse male clients all day, then be affectionate with Olivier at night. This is not so easy for him.
Olivier is deeply insecure about her profession and doesn't understand that it's not just income for her, but she enjoys doing it. She's discovered it's a crucial and fulfilling part of her life. His dominant traits keep floating to the surface, trying to assert themselves over Ariane. He thinks she needs saving. He's blinded by machismo and outdated social norms.
Ariane gives him all the wiggle room in the world. She doesn't ask him to submit, sexually, because she knows he's not into that. She even lets him take control at times, in their love making and when she includes him in her play. She forgives him a thousand mistakes because she knows he's young and inexperienced. None of this is enough for Olivier. He keeps snooping into her private matters and trying to "fix" her life.
Predictably, this leads to disaster. There is no relationship without trust and respect for boundaries. Personal chemistry and physical attraction only get you so far. They break up bitterly and Ariane moves her residence and dungeon not long after.
This would be a sad ending, but it's not the end. Finally, after losing what most people reading this would agree is the best deal in the world: having a Femdom sugar Mama who gives you a great job, a place to live and only asks that you love her and provide emotional support. Olivier eventually figures out what a giant fucking douche he's been.
To his credit, when he finds Ariane again, he shows some evidence of growth. Earlier in the movie Ariane buys him a new suit and he replies: "Can I just wear the pants? I don't wear suits." (More subtext... hah!) Now he's wearing the full suit, demonstrating that he's willing to take direction and cede some control to her.
They reconcile and head out for a drive in the country. Olivier insists on driving, as he has in the past; a dominance move. But now, he lets Ariane slide onto his lap and seize the wheel. The symbolism is obvious. However, as they drive along, it's still Olivier's feet on the pedals and he begins nipping and groping at Ariane aggressively. Olivier can't let her have full control. Even though she's older, wiser and more experienced. It's not in him.
After a tense scene, they wreck the car, yet they walk away from the accident giggling and laughing. It's a weird and oddly optimistic ending to a bizarre relationship and tumultuous film. On the other hand, it's nice to see something more challenging and open ended in a Femdom film rather than the predictable, stock happy endings most rom-coms get.
I have mixed feelings about this movie, but I can't deny it's incredibly well made, very ahead of its time and one of the best portrayals of Femdom ever to grace the silver screen (if not one of the best romances.) I give it a 4/5 and highly recommend you give it a look.
Unfortunately, watching the movie is easier said than done. As far as I can tell, the only official way to see it is to track down a physical copy of the Criterion Collection DVD or sign up for the Criterion Channel's own streaming service.
https://www.criterionchannel.com/maitresse
If you know how to download torrents, there are still some torrents of Maitresse floating around out there. That might be your only other option to see it.
So, what say you? Would you accept the deal the dynamic Ariane was offering Olivier? What are your preferences for a Femdom relationship? Weigh in below! This one allows multiple picks, so choose all that apply to you.
That's it for May, my dears. See you next month for more content. Things will be heating up as we head into summer! Until then, stay naughty.
Yours Truly,
Mistress Cereza
