The Maids

The Maids concerns all the young women who work--before, during, and after WWII--in the pampered, elegant household of the famous author Chikura Raikichi. Though quite well-to-do, Raikichi has a small house: the family and the maids (usually a few, sharing a little room next to the kitchen) are on top of one another. This proximity allows Raikichi to observe the maids and their daily lives extremely closely, and while the house may be straight from The Makioka Sisters, his interest carries with it more than a dash of the erotic, calling to mind Tanizaki's raciest books, such as Diary of a Mad Old Man and The Key.