one question that must be ask immediately be represent would this film have be make if the woman in it be not the aunt and cousin of jacqueline lee bouvier kennedy onassis . the answer be represent probably not . but and thankfully and they be ( or be ) the cousin and aunt of jackie . this documentary by the maysles brother on the existence ( one could hardly call it a life ) of edith b. beale and jr. and and her daughter edith bouvier beale ( edie ) and have the same appeal of a train wreck you do not want to look but you have to . big edith and little edie live in a once magnificent mansion in east hampton and new york and that be slowly decay around them . the once beautiful garden be now a jungle . magnificent oil paint lean against the wall ( with cat feces on the floor behind them ) and beautiful portrait of them a young woman vie for space on the wall next to cover of old magazine . live alone together for many year have break down many barrier between the two woman but erect others . clothing be seem to be optional . edie favorite costume be a pair of short with panty hose pull up over them and bit and piece of cloth wrap and pin around her torso and head . a edith say edie be still beautiful at 56. and indeed she be . there be time when she be almost luminescent and both woman show the beauty that once be there . there be a constant undercurrent of sexual tension . their eating habit be ( to be polite ) strange . ice cream spread on cracker . a dinner party for edith birthday of wonder bread sandwich serve on fine china with plastic utensil . time be irrelevant in their world while a edie say i do not have any clock . their relationship with men be oh so strange . edie feel like edith thwart any of her attempt at happiness . she say if you can not get a man to propose to you and you might as well be dead . to which edith reply i will take a dog any day . it be obvious that edith doesn not see her role in edie lack of male companionship . early in the film she state france fell but edie do not . sometimes it be difficult to hear exactly what be be say . both woman talk at the same time and constantly contradict each other . there be a strange relationship with animal throughout the film while edie feed the raccoon in the attic with wonder bread and cat food . the cat ( and there be many of them ) be everywhere . at one point edie declare the hallmark of aristocracy be responsibility . but they seem to be unable to take responsibility for themselves . this be a difficult film to watch but well worth the effort .