It's Paris, 1962. Wealthy stockbroker Jean-Louis (POTICHE's Fabrice Luchini) lives a staid and bourgeois existence with his perfectly-presented socialite wife (Sandrine Kiberlain, MADEMOISELLE CHAMBON). But when the family's maid abandons them, into the residence comes Maria, who is young, hardworking and – quelle horreur! – Spanish.
Remarkably it does not take long for the entire building to become enchanted with the new arrival; Maria rallies the friendships of the other servants on the sixth floor (played with warmth and vitality by two of Almodovar's favourite senoritas, Carmen Maura and Lola Duenas), and soon Jean-Louis is swept up into the wild and fun-loving cross-cultural environment of the women on the 6th floor, much to the horror of his conservative wife, colleagues and friends.