Secretary

The cover for the new Lionsgate Blu-ray release of “Secretary” shows Maggie Gyllenhaal holding a piece of paper in her mouth in a bent-over position. Then, on the back cover you see her arms outstretched on a long bar with hands cuffed at the end of the bar-- again trying to hold office papers with her mouth. Another picture on the back cover shows James Spader strapping up a saddle on Gyllenhaal’s back. I wasn’t sure what to make of this lurid artwork:  Is this a movie about sadism and masochism? Or is this film a study about sexual fantasies? My expectations were low, but upon my first viewing of “Secretary,” I can say it is an unusual movie that surprised me with its complexity and depth. Even though this movie is eight years old, this is Maggie Gyllenhaal’s best performance to date, including her recent performance in “Crazy Heart” as well. “Secretary” was an independent movie released through Lionsgate back in 2002, produced with a minuscule budget and limited marketing, and yet it managed to generate high praise from the critics.

The story begins with Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal) having issues at home with her father, who is an alcoholic and abusive to Lee’s mother; she is also recently released from a mental hospital. Lee is trying to hold things together, but it seems as though she is loosing the grip on her life with each passing day. It is implied on a couple of occasions that in the past she has tried to inflict wounds by cutting herself. One day, she finds a job listing in a local newspaper, and as a professional typist she decides to apply for the job. Soon after, she meets Edward Grey (James Spader), who hires Lee as a secretary for his office work. Along the way, Edward is turned on by Lee, but he soon finds out that Lee is seeing an old friend, Peter (Jeremy Davies). Thereafter, Lee and Gavin embark on a journey that deals with love, jealously, sexual liberation, and self belief.

Being a low-budget movie, “Secretary” does not feature a glamorous cast, nor does it present us with opulent sets; the majority of the movie occurs in Edward’s office. Instead, the film is propelled by its two lead actors, James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhaal, with Gyllenhaal in almost every scene. Gyllenhaal did not feature in a major role before this film and her casting was in line with the meager budget requirement. Of course, the supporting cast has been scripted in several scenes, but it is Gyllenhaal and Spader carrying the entire show with their brilliant effervescence and teasing chemistry.

“Secretary” is entirely based on the point of view of its main female protagonist. Gyllenhaal’s character of Lee Holloway coming from a dysfunctional family is thoroughly captivating and entertaining. At the start, we see Lee unable to function properly in a social setting; being an emotionally sensitive person, she seemed quiet and dislocated. Even after getting hired by Edward, she is struggling with her past tendencies--always finding ways to inflict pain on herself. In fact, the pain is the way to release the emotional turbulence that is building up inside her.

As Edward and Lee break their usual employee-employer relationship, they make startling discoveries about their personalities. When Edward finds out that Lee is dating Peter, things begin change for her. Edward’s initial physical attraction toward Lee now takes a form of jealously. He soon gets picky about spelling mistakes, and as a punishment he begins to spank Lee. Initially, Lee questions Edward’s motives, but she soon surrenders to him. The expression on her face changes from “What the hell you are tying to do?” to “Please keep on doing it and don’t ever stop.” Nonetheless, the interaction between these two represent the role-play switching that is commonly known as a dominance and submission (D &S) relationship, or a sadism and masochism (S & M) relationship--whatever you prefer.

All her life, Lee wanted her father’s attention, and when she gets noticed by Edward right from the first day at work, she begins to think of him as the liberator; surrendering to Edward only seemed like a palatable solution. More so, after being at a low ebb in life, Edward provides Lee with an emotional turnaround by making her feel important about her body and soul and that she is not going to inflict any more pain. No doubt, Lee’s self-esteem has reached a new high with this job. Eventually, Lee’s mind is completely capsized by Edward’s thoughts, and she begins to sexually fantasize about him. The depressive and circumspect look is replaced with a radiant and welcoming face.

Contrary to Lee’s character, Edward, apart from indulging in the only S & M session, backs out completely and seems disinterested in Lee later on. Probably his reaction is indicative of his own insecurities triggered as a result of developing a bond with Lee. There is a maniac intensity to his character in the beginning and it gets progressively dominant--at times bordering dangerously close to the personality of a violent abuser--with all the yelling and commanding that goes with his behavior. Obviously, being an employer, he freely exercises his abnormal behavior patterns on Lee. Initially, Edward appears to take advantage of Lee’s helplessness, but as their relationship blossoms to something deeper, he is shown as an extremely gentle and romantic man.

Indeed, the playfulness between Spader and Gyllenhaal drives the entire plot; both are brilliant in their roles, and the sexual tension and undertones represented by their characters are compelling. But this is Gyllenhaal’s movie and she shines through in the multifaceted portrayal of Lee Holloway. Her gradual transformation to a sexually emancipated woman is just one layer in her complex identity.  It is hard to imagine Gyllenhaal was twenty-five years old when she acted in this role; she exhibits the eloquence of a veteran actress. Spader effectively counterbalances Holloway’s fear and sexiness, with his macho dominance and jealousy play.

Some might say that the director, Steven Shainberg, is trying to sympathize with the people practicing S & M techniques, while others will argue that the movie glamorizes S&M behavior. Further, Lee’s spanking invites interesting debate in the feminist camp about women always giving in to men. Whatever discussion this movie incites, I feel Shainberg is trying to present another perspective on why some people have S & M tendencies, however perverse they may be. I give credit to the director for presenting things in a very sensitive and tasteful manner--none of the stuff is offensive and is rewarding in the end.

In spite of all the positives, though, I felt Spader’s character was underdeveloped, neither his sexual behavior nor his past fully explored. If you see the movie from Lee’s perspective, then the script is textured with remarkable details.

Video:

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1:85.1, “Secretary” launches on Blu-ray with a competent- looking transfer. The colors are vibrant, especially the office interiors in the form of red drapery. The office décor and colored walls are beautifully presented. The nearby objects show consistent improvement in detail. The opening shots indicate the presence of a grain that stays throughout the film. With its low-budget nature, the grain provides a necessary film-like texture. Likewise, the skin tones are lifelike and the close-ups reveal balanced colors. However, the transfer in several scenes lacks depth and sharpness--some scenes are soft while other scenes are sharp--making this transfer inconsistent at times, but none of this is detrimental to the viewing experience. Overall, the film is beautiful to look at but never remarkable.

Audio:

Surprisingly, for a dialogue-driven affair like this, Lionsgate has included a 7.1 English DTS-HS Master Audio track. The majority of the film is driven by the front channels, with the surround speakers activated during the background music. Even though the dialogue is clear, in a number of scenes I had to turn up the volume, which probably implies inconsistent sampling levels. We also get an option to view the movie in English or Spanish subtitles.

Extras:

Starting off, we get an option to view the movie with the directory & writer commentary track. Director, Steven Shainberg talks about the casting, budget, and script. Following this, there is a regular “making-of” featurette. Also included is a photo gallery.

Parting thoughts:

“Secretary” examines the sexual interplay in the realm of S&M. Brilliantly acted by Maggie Gyllenhaal (in her breakthrough role) and James Spader, the film is a fascinating journey into Lee’s world. While the story lacks depth, the tight script and multilayered characters make the movie worth watching. Director Steven Shainberg handles the story with upmost gentleness, and the end result is rewarding and positive.