Celeste

Although I am admittedly not a fan of transplanted German director Percy Adlon's American films (Bagdad Cafe, Rosalie Goes Shopping), his earlier German films are quite different. While sharing the characteristic turgid pace of his later efforts, Celeste at least spares us the wooden acting of Adlon favorite Marianne Sagebrecht. Eva Mattes is Celeste Albaret who, for nine years prior to Marcel Proust's death, served as the writer's cook, maid, and quite often, inspiration. Jurgen Arndt is humorous in the role of Proust. Portrayed as a whining little dandy, Proust spends most of his time in bed writing--interrupted only by Celeste at pre-ordained times for his tea and inhalation therapy. Initially a fearful maid, Celeste grows into the role of Proust's confidante and surrogate mother, providing wonderful stories of her own childhood to be fed into the fertile grist mill of the eccentric writer's mind. Quirky, yet endearing, Celeste is recommended for most library collections. (R. Pitman)