The documentary Grey Gardens was released in 1975 and became a cult classic due to its depiction of the lives of Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale, known as "Big Edie", and her daughter Edith Bouvier Beale, known as "Little Edie". They were the aunt and first cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, respectively.
The film was directed by the Maysles brothers, Albert and David, who gained unprecedented access to the Beales and their decaying home in East Hampton, New York. The documentary shows the two women living in squalor, surrounded by cats and raccoons, with no running water or electricity.
The Beales were once wealthy socialites who lived a privileged life in New York City. However, after a series of tragedies and personal setbacks, they withdrew from society and retreated to their dilapidated mansion, which they called "Grey Gardens".
The film provides an intimate look at their eccentric personalities and their strained relationship, which was based on love and dependence. Little Edie, who was once a promising model and actress, dreams of escaping from Grey Gardens and becoming a star, but is trapped by her devotion to her mother.
The film gained notoriety for its portrayal of the Beales and their idiosyncrasies, which included wearing scarves on their heads and singing to old records. However, it also offered a poignant commentary on the effects of isolation and mental illness.
Grey Gardens has since been adapted into a Broadway musical and a television movie, and is considered a seminal work of the cinema vérité genre.