The Maid 1991
Directed by
Ian Toynton
Made by
Film4 Productions
The Maid Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for The Maid (1991). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Anthony Wayne, the head of mergers and acquisitions for a NYC bank, is hired by a Parisian bank to take over for someone who has suddenly left. Nicole Chantrelle is frustrated to not be promoted, as her boss C.P. Olivier has head-hunted Wayne rather than consider her.
Anthony is a messy, immature bachelor, who foolishly had a fling with Elisabeth. He travels to Paris, scouting for an attractive prospect and, while waiting to start his new job for a month, overhears Nicole desperately pleading for a replacement at a domestic help agency. He shows up at Nicole’s door, claiming to be a maid named John, and she hires him on the spot. When he sees Marie, his nerves kick in and he tries to back out, but Nicole hurries him inside.
Marie is bratty and difficult at first. Anthony manages to lock him in her bedroom, and when he frees himself he treats her with a firm hand. By the time Nicole returns, the house is clean, Marie has eaten and completed her chores, and she’s in bed. Pleased, Nicole declares that he is hired.
Determined to reveal the ruse ASAP, Anthony hires a crew to clean Nicole’s apartment, then meets with C.P. for lunch. Nicole has her own “business lunch” with Laurent Leclair, who clearly shares an attraction with her.
Very happy with him, one evening Nicole invites Anthony to stay for dinner. Afterwards, as they do the dishes, she explains how Marie’s father had disappeared from her life before Marie was born and asks him about being a maid. He remains tight-lipped. Anthony later takes the recently vacant apartment under Nicole’s without telling her.
At work, C.P. tells Nicole to put in motion a 300 million dollar loan to the Leclair Group, and mentions Wayne will be starting the following week. Back home, she asks Anthony for advice about meeting a work colleague for dinner. He suggests making it less intimate by inviting more colleagues, which leads to an eight-person dinner organized and manned by Anthony at Nicole’s place.
Contracting a catering company to deliver the multi-course meal, Anthony spots C.P. and realizes it is her company that hired him. Disguising himself by slicking back his hair and keeping his face hidden, he manages to stay in character as the host. After all but Laurent exit, Nicole sends him home.
The morning after, during a post-coital breakfast, Laurent reveals that he is married. Nicole confides in Anthony, and they spend time with Marie, share a kiss, and Anthony declares he loves her. Nicole admits she could never date an employee, yet she follows him downstairs to his place and enters, only to fire him and yet confess her feelings.
They spend the night together, waking to his alarm that calls him “Anthony Wayne.” Shocked, Nicole storms out. On his first day back at work, she tells C.P. she will not work with him, and in a meeting with Laurent she suggests they do not grant the loan after all. Yet their collaboration resumes as they review Laurent’s finances, aided by information Anthony’s NYC contacts gleaned about US banks Leclair had caused to fail. Their findings convince C.P. to sever ties with Leclair.
C.P. apologizes to Nicole for doubting her, then informs her that Anthony has turned in his notice. Saddened, she returns home to find Anthony, and they embrace.
The Maid Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of The Maid (1991) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Anthony lands the Paris takeover assignment
Anthony Wayne, the NYC bank's head of mergers and acquisitions, is hired by a Parisian bank to take over for someone who has suddenly left. The assignment promises a high-stakes transition across borders and cultures. He begins preparing for a move that will pull him away from his familiar routine.
Nicole learns Wayne was hired over her promotion
Nicole Chantrelle is frustrated to be overlooked for promotion as her boss head-hunts Wayne for the new role. The decision fuels tension between ambition and reward within the bank's Paris project. She privately resents the incoming outsider who will reshape her career.
Anthony reconsiders Elisabeth and tests the waters
Anthony, a messy bachelor, reflects on his fling with Elisabeth and ponders reaching out. He contacts Elisabeth after receiving C.P.'s offer to gauge whether she will speak with him. Elisabeth has moved on and tells him to do the same.
Nicole's nanny crisis
Nicole is a single mother and Marie keeps driving away her nannies. The constant turnover leaves her desperate for a reliable replacement. She struggles to balance work and motherhood under continued childcare chaos.
Anthony arrives in Paris and overhears a plea for help
Anthony arrives in Paris and spots Nicole, then follows her to the domestic help agency. There he overhears Nicole desperately pleading for a replacement nanny. The moment foreshadows his forthcoming ruse.
The maid ruse begins
Anthony appears at Nicole's door, claiming to be a maid named John. Nicole hires him on the spot, unknowingly starting a double act. He grimly considers backing out when he catches sight of Marie.
Marie challenges the newcomer; order is restored
Marie is initially bratty, testing Anthony's limits. He uses a firm hand to regain control, and the household routines fall into place by Nicole's return. Impressed with the result, Nicole declares that he is hired.
A double lunch and a growing network
Anthony hires a cleaning crew for Nicole's apartment and then meets C.P. for lunch. Nicole has her own business lunch with Laurent Leclair, who clearly shares an attraction with her. The day tightens the professional web around them.
Dinner and a secret move-in
One evening, Nicole invites Anthony to stay for dinner. During the dishes, she questions his past as a maid, and he remains guarded. Afterward, he quietly moves into the recently vacated apartment without telling her.
Laurent's marriage reveal and a growing bond
Over breakfast, Laurent breaks the news that he is married, shaking Nicole emotionally. Nicole and Anthony continue to grow closer, sharing time with Marie as they kiss and Anthony confesses his love. Nicole admits she could never date an employee.
Nicole discovers the move downstairs; the break
Nicole follows him out and discovers he has moved into the downstairs unit. She confronts him, fires him, and, in the same moment, admits her true feelings for him.
First day at work; a redefined partnership
Anthony starts his first day at the bank, but Nicole refuses to work with him. She suggests not approving the loan, and the account is reassigned to him, complicating their relationship at work.
Late-night audit and a hopeful future
Nicole begrudgingly helps review Laurent's financials, and they work late into the night. Their findings, alongside information from Anthony's NYC contacts, drive C.P. to sever ties with Laurent Leclair. C.P. apologizes to Nicole for doubting her, and Anthony turns in his notice before they finally embrace.
The Maid Characters
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Anthony Wayne (Martin Sheen)
Head of mergers and acquisitions for a NYC bank, he is portrayed as messy and immature yet highly capable. He travels to Paris to assume a new role and fabricates an alias as a maid to win Nicole’s trust. His charm hides a calculating streak, but his feelings for Nicole reveal a capacity for loyalty and genuine connection.
Nicole Chantrelle (Jacqueline Bisset)
A single mother aiming for a promotion, she orchestrates a life where a hired ‘maid’ becomes an unexpected partner. She guards her daughter's wellbeing and navigates romance with a co-worker, all while balancing demanding banking work. Her wit and resolve drive the plot and the evolution of her relationship with Anthony.
Laurent Leclair (James Faulkner)
A charming financier at the Leclair Group who shares a palpable attraction with Nicole. He is revealed to be married, adding tension and complication to their liaison and to the fate of the loan. His presence highlights the allure and danger of mixing personal desire with corporate interests.
C.P. Olivier (Jean-Pierre Cassel)
The Paris-based boss who hires Wayne and navigates the loan process. Pragmatic and strategic, he drives the 300 million dollar loan and later supports Nicole’s assessment, illustrating the control exerted by top leadership in deals and promotions.
Elisabeth (Carina Barone)
Anthony’s former fling who has moved on and urges him to do the same. She represents a reminder of past romantic entanglements and the complications they bring to new relationships in a high-stakes professional setting.
Marie (Victoria Shalet)
Nicole’s young daughter whose needs and presence anchor the personal stakes of the romance and professional decisions. Her reactions and mood influence Nicole’s choices and highlight the stakes of balancing work with motherhood.
The Maid Settings
Learn where and when The Maid (1991) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Time period
Contemporary
The story takes place in the present era, reflecting modern corporate finance and city life in New York and Paris. It features current banking practices, cross-border deals, and the fast pace of contemporary urban living. The time period shapes the characters' expectations, technologies, and interpersonal dynamics.
Location
New York, Paris
The action shifts between Manhattan and Paris, highlighting a transatlantic banking world. The domestic sphere centers on Nicole's Parisian home and a domestic help agency, while the corporate scenes unfold in high-rise offices and bank boardrooms. The setting blends chic urban life with intimate, personal spaces where family and relationships drive the plot.
The Maid Themes
Discover the main themes in The Maid (1991). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Power
The narrative centers on who holds influence in high-stakes finance, from the recruitment of a top executive to make way for a loan, to negotiations that hinge on perceived authority. Anthony and Nicole navigate a world where promotions, deals, and reputations can override personal boundaries. The film explores how power is exercised across borders, departments, and relationships. Decisions around the Leclair loan reveal competing agendas and status more than pure merit.
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Romance
A romance develops under unlikely circumstances, complicating professional roles and trust. The attraction between Anthony and Nicole challenges boundaries, including the dynamic of dating an employee and the risk of personal feelings intruding on fiscal decisions. Their evolving relationship forces them to balance desire with responsibility. The romance becomes a catalyst for both connection and conflict.
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Deception
Deception drives the plot as Anthony disguises himself as a maid to infiltrate Nicole's life. The cover blurs the line between personal and professional, testing trust and honesty. Secrets about identities, motives, and loyalties gradually surface, altering how characters relate to one another. The reveal and its aftermath shape the resolution and future choices for both lovers and colleagues.
The Maid Spoiler-Free Summary
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In the sleek corridors of New York finance, a rising star in mergers and acquisitions receives an unexpected invitation to oversee a high‑stakes transition in Paris. The glittering capital, with its cobblestone streets and elegant apartments, becomes the backdrop for a professional gamble that promises both career advancement and a taste of the city’s legendary allure.
Anthony Wayne arrives with ambition and a penchant for improvisation, only to find his focus drawn to a striking, formidable woman who commands attention wherever she goes. Compelled by an irresistible curiosity, he adopts an unconventional ruse—posing as household staff—to linger within the private sphere of the enigmatic Nicole Chantrelle. The arrangement quickly reveals a tantalizing overlap: the very person he serves at home also holds the reins of his new corporate world.
The film dances between the polished veneer of high finance and the intimate, often chaotic rhythm of domestic life. Its tone blends witty sophistication with a light‑hearted flirtation, allowing the audience to savor the awkward elegance of a man navigating ornate Parisian rooms while concealing his true identity. The contrast between boardroom negotiations and the subtle power play of household hierarchies injects a steady current of tension and amusement.
As the two worlds collide, the story hints at a delicate balance of desire, ambition, and secret connections. The chemistry between Anthony and Nicole crackles with unspoken possibilities, suggesting that the line between boss and servant may blur in ways neither anticipated. In a city where every glance can carry a hidden motive, the audience is left eager to discover whether the masquerade will become a bridge or a barrier.
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