By Siona Ahuja ’24
Staff Writer
If the American crime film “The Godfather” and the daytime drama “Dynasty” had a high-fashion, campy lovechild, it would be director Ridley Scott’s “House of Gucci.” Filled with a star-studded cast and impeccable costumes, the movie explores the tragic but true past of the Gucci family and their struggle for control of the fashion empire in the 1970s. Based on Sara Gay Forden’s 2001 book of the same name, the film follows the book’s subtitle: “A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour and Greed.” While the cast gave a stellar performance, their acting could not save the storyline, which got diluted by the introduction of unnecessary subplots.
The movie revolves around the romance between the awkward Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver), grandson of the founder of Gucci and inheritor to 50 percent of its fortune, and Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), an outsider who possesses a Lady Macbethian passion for power. In real life, Patrizia, a woman from humble means, brought Maurizio into a whirlwind love affair; however, their romance lost its spark when brought to the screen. Gaga’s assertiveness and Driver’s reticence resulted in an awkward dynamic and a lack of chemistry between the two characters. Talks of their marriage lead to a rift between Maurizio and his terminally ill father, Rodolfo (Jeremy Irons), who does not approve of Patrizia’s working-class roots. Upon being rejected by Rodolfo, Patrizia allies with Rodolfo’s more opportunistic, calculating brother, “Uncle” Aldo (Al Pacino). The film shows that his ambitions for the family business were more commercial than Rodolfo’s, which included competing with counterfeit Gucci items in the black market and diluting the company’s exclusivity. After Rodolfo’s death, Patrizia officially enters the family as Maurizio’s wife, and the film dives into a tale of betrayal, backstabbing and murder, as the family members vie for the dynastic wealth.
Much of the movie’s entertainment comes from the introduction of flashy characters who are sidelined despite their powerful acting. An unrecognizable Jared Leto plays Aldo’s son, Paolo Gucci. He is regarded as the “idiot cousin” of the family, who has great dreams of becoming a fashion designer, despite his lack of talent. His relationship with his father, Aldo, is reminiscent of Michael Corleone’s (Al Pacino) neglectful relationship with his brother, Fredo (John Cazale) in “The Godfather.” Leto’s over the top personality and wit as Paolo offer refuge from the ferocity delivered by Gaga and Pacino. However, instead of exploring his character and relationship with the rest of his family, the script delegated Paolo as mere comedic relief. When asked by his father to dress the part as a Gucci, Paolo responds, “But it’s chic,” referring to his gaudy purple three piece suit and gold rings. Covered from head to toe in prosthetic makeup, with a balding forehead and a protruding belly, Leto embraces the eccentricity of his role and gives a stellar performance. Leto, known for his intense method acting antics, said in an interview with i-D Magazine, “I climbed into that creative cave and came out through the bowels and intestines into the oesophagus of the one and only Paolo Gucci.”
In her role as Giuseppina “Pina” Auriemma, Salma Hayek adds to the already stellar cast playing side characters. Pina has an important role, as she is one of the major catalysts to Patrizia’s actions in the movie. A late night television clairvoyant and confidante to Patrizia, Hayek’s understated but omniscient demeanor pairs well with Gaga’s bold on-screen personality. One of their memorable interactions occurs when Pina offers her sage advice to Patrizia while sitting in mud baths, saying, “When we get back from the Caymans, we can do a nice evil eye on him.” Despite the limited screen time she is given, Pina’s influence on Patrizia is inescapable as she is Patrizia’s guide for ordering a hit on one of the Guccis. Coincidentally, Hayek’s husband, François-Henri Pinault, is the CEO of the luxury fashion group Kering, which owns several brands, including Gucci.
Despite a plethora of interesting characters, the film belonged to Gaga alone. From the first scene, as she sashays to her father’s office amidst the wolf whistles of the company workers, she is electrifying like no other character. Her thick but vague Italian accent, coupled with a permed 1980s hairdo and a fierce persona lent authenticity to the film. The daughter of a transportation company owner, Patrizia Reggiani clawed her way to becoming the heiress of the Gucci family and made it her personal mission to destroy anyone who prevented her from climbing the ranks of the empire. In this family battle, the script by Becky Johnson and Robert Bentivegna did not favor anyone, nor did they show Patrizia in a villainistic light. Whether she is seen as a cold-blooded dynasty, or a wife simply concerned about the family business, is up to the audience.
“House of Gucci” has many components of a cult classic: a mafia-like family, glamor, revenge and murder. However, it is far from being one. The lengthy runtime of 157 minutes was clumsily handled, with too many tangents from the central plot that failed to tie up at the end. The screen time devoted to showing tax evasions, sudden arrests and extramarital affairs was unnecessary and could have been better used in developing the key plot of the family feud. The dialogue, spoken with wobbly Italian accents, edged on corny. “Gucci is like a cake. And you’ll have a taste, and you’ll want more. And then you’ll want the whole thing to yourself,” was one of Maurizio’s better dialogues.
Despite these flaws, the movie was certainly not a bore, as it was saved by the performances of its star-studded cast. Rather, it was an excess in many forms: Gaga’s shrewdness and Leto’s over the top absurdism set to the tunes of Blondie and George Michael turned the tragic story into more of an Italian soap opera, characterized by perfect outfits, cigarette smoke and espressos.