Family, fashion, scandal and murder. Controversy has surrounded the infamous Gucci family for years and Ridley Scott has set out to capture the chaos in his new film “House of Gucci.” Upon the recent trailer release, it’s clear that the star-studded cast, chock full of Academy Award front-runners, will heighten the notoriety surrounding the fashion house that bred a turbulent divorce and ultimately, a murder. Initial responses by filmgoers indicate anticipation for Gaga’s genius portrayal and ability to command the screen amongst the slew of male titans in the industry. Yet, there could only be so much praise for the brilliance of the trailer and cast before the real-life Gucci family had grievances about it.
The premise of this film strikes the nerve and drama of the explosive marriage between Patrizia (Lady Gaga) and Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) that culminated in their demise. Patrizia was convicted for orchestrating her husband’s execution, when Maurizio Gucci, the former head of the Gucci Fashion House, was murdered in 1995. The events of this film cover the trauma and aftermath surrounding this family after the horrific incident incited by Patrizia. Due to the sensitive nature of the events, the people most closely connected to the real crime are growing uneasy with the dramatization in the biopic.
While this film bases its production on the 2001 book “The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed” by Sara Gay Forden, the actual Gucci family, on which this book is based, are openly disgusted. The Gucci family has even come forward begging for their privacy and identity to stay intact as they feel robbed by Hollywood and feel uncomfortable with the fact that they are making a profit off of tragedy.
Patrizia Reggiani presented a very different rebuttal; while she praises Lady Gaga’s glamor and performance prowess, she’s left dumbfounded that Gaga would not reach out to her. Following film formula usually means most produced biopics are not without their inaccuracies. It’s fair to say that director Ridley Scott hardly strives to get every detail straight when producing a thrilling crime dramatization about a case that shook the world. For this production, Scott intentionally wanted the actors to remain separate and uninfluenced from the real life counterparts of the characters that they depict.
With the anticipation building around this film upon its trailer release and subsequent box office arrival in November, both Patrizia and her ex-family in the Gucci’s have threatened action and they’re not backing down quietly. They’re not seeing a cent of the revenue of this film that, in their opinion, exploits a murder and doesn’t accurately portray the truth..
When all of the Gucci uproar settles, viewers are nonetheless left with a dark and chic trailer depicting the demons of classism and celebrity. While they may have initially struggled to see past the botched and randomized Italian accents delivered by some American actors, fans can’t help but get roped in by glamor and root for Gaga as the bold fashion figure she is. Many have already suggested this would earn her an Academy Award. WIth that in mind, Ridley Scott, spearheading this film with a brilliant cast, is eager to share his love of true crime with the world yet again and deliver the beauty and betrayal of the Gucci family without compromising the tragedy itself.
“House of Gucci” is set to hit theaters Nov. 24, 2021.