MILAN (AP) — The great-grandchildren of Guccio Gucci, who founded the luxury fashion house that bears his name a century ago in Florence, are appealing to filmmaker Ridley Scott to respect their family’s legacy in a new film that focuses on a sensational murder.
“The House of Gucci,” starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver, is based on a book about the 1995 murder-for-hire of one of Gucci’s grandchildren, Maurizio, and the subsequent trial and conviction of his ex-wife. Patrizia Reggiani, portrayed by Lady Gaga, served 16 years in prison for contracting the murder.
One of Maurizio’s second cousins, Patrizia Gucci, is worried that the film goes beyond the headline-grabbing true-crime story and pries into the private lives of the Guccio Gucci heirs.
“We are truly disappointed. I speak on behalf of the family,’’ Gucci told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “They are stealing the identity of a family to make a profit, to increase the income of the Hollywood system....Our family has an identity, privacy. We can talk about everything. but there is a borderline that cannot be crossed.”
Patrizia Gucci said she reached out to Ridley Scott’s wife, Giannina Facio, for clarification on the scope of the film, but has not received any reply. Facio met with members of the Gucci family in the early 2000s to discuss another project that was to have focused on the roles of Patrizia Gucci’s father, Paolo, and grandfather, Aldo, in expanding the brand into a global luxury player. The fact that the production company did not reach out for the new film only heightens the family’s concerns, she said.
Ridley Scott’s production company did not respond to requests for comment, made also through their Italian counterpart.
The Guccis are not the first Italian fashion family to wrestle with onscreen depictions about tragic events. The Versace family put out a statement in 2018 about the season of Ryan Murphy’s “American Crime Story” that dealt with the murder of fashion house founder Gianni Versace, saying the TV series was not authorized and should be considered “a work of fiction.”
Patrizia Gucci said her family will decide what further action they might take after seeing the film. Their concerns stem from the casting of top actors to play family members whose stories intersect little with Maurizio Gucci’s murder, the lack of current contact with Scott’s production company and inaccuracies they see in the book on which the film is based.
Al Pacino plays Aldo Gucci, whom his granddaughter remembers as an expert salesman who opened Gucci stores on Rome’s via Condotti and in New York, bringing in VIP clientele and expanding the brand’s global reach. And Jared Leto plays Paolo Gucci, whose creative contributions included the idea to create the Gucci brand’s famed double-G logo as well as its trademark plasticized bags and moccasins.
It is this story that she recounts in her own book, “Gucci, The True Story of a Successful Dynasty,” which was published in Italian in 2015.
Patrizia Gucci said paparazzi photos from the “House of Gucci” set have not been at all reassuring.
“My grandfather was a very handsome man, like all the Guccis, and very tall, blue eyes and very elegant. He is being played by Al Pacino, who is not very tall already, and this photo shows him as fat, short, with sideburns, really ugly. Shameful, because he doesn’t resemble him at all,” Patrizia Gucci said.
Leto’s Paolo Gucci, meanwhile, is shown with unkempt hair, and a lilac corduroy suit not at all in line with his daughter’s recollections. “Horrible, horrible. I still feel offended,’’ she said.
The Gucci family has not been involved with the Gucci fashion house since 1993, when Maurizio sold his remaining stake to the Bahrain-based company, Investcorp. It was later bought by the French group PPR, which is now Kering.
The fashion house is cooperating with the “The House of Gucci,” opening its archives to the film company for wardrobe and props. Salma Hayek, the wife of Kering CEO Francois-Henri Pinault, appears in the film. Leto is a close friend of creative director Alessandro Michele.
As an enthusiast deeply immersed in the world of fashion, particularly the intricate history of renowned luxury brands, I find myself uniquely positioned to provide insights into the recent developments surrounding the film "The House of Gucci." My expertise extends beyond a mere fascination with fashion, as I have extensively studied the evolution of iconic fashion houses and their legacies.
In this context, the concerns raised by Patrizia Gucci, one of Maurizio Gucci's second cousins, about the upcoming film are not only understandable but also echo the sentiments of other prominent fashion families in similar situations. The Gucci family, with its century-old legacy rooted in Florence, has played a pivotal role in shaping the global luxury fashion landscape. Their hesitations about the film and its potential intrusion into their private lives underscore the delicate balance between storytelling and respecting the sanctity of a family's identity.
The narrative of "The House of Gucci" revolves around the sensational murder of Maurizio Gucci in 1995 and the subsequent trial and conviction of his ex-wife, Patrizia Reggiani, portrayed by Lady Gaga. The concerns expressed by Patrizia Gucci primarily focus on the film going beyond the murder-for-hire story and delving into the personal lives of the Guccio Gucci heirs. This apprehension is not unwarranted, considering the delicate nature of family legacies and the potential impact on the perception of the Gucci name.
Ridley Scott, the acclaimed filmmaker behind the project, is urged by the Gucci family to respect their legacy and avoid sensationalizing their story for the sake of profit. Patrizia Gucci's attempts to seek clarification from Ridley Scott's wife, Giannina Facio, about the scope of the film indicate the family's genuine concerns. The lack of response from the production company only adds to the family's unease, as it contrasts with previous engagements between Facio and members of the Gucci family on a different project in the early 2000s.
The casting choices in the film, featuring top actors like Al Pacino and Jared Leto, have also become sources of contention. Al Pacino portrays Aldo Gucci, remembered by his granddaughter as an expert salesman who played a crucial role in expanding the brand globally. However, the disparity between the real Aldo Gucci and Pacino's portrayal, as described by Patrizia Gucci, raises questions about the accuracy of the film's representation.
Jared Leto's portrayal of Paolo Gucci, whose creative contributions to the brand are highlighted, faces criticism for inaccuracies. Patrizia Gucci, drawing from her own book, points out discrepancies in Leto's appearance compared to her father's recollections. The family's displeasure extends to paparazzi photos from the film set, which they perceive as further evidence of the film's deviation from historical accuracy.
Despite the Gucci family's estrangement from the fashion house since 1993, the film collaboration involves the Gucci brand, with access granted to the archives for wardrobe and props. The involvement of Salma Hayek, wife of Kering CEO Francois-Henri Pinault, in the film, along with Jared Leto's close friendship with creative director Alessandro Michele, adds intriguing layers to the narrative.
In conclusion, the unfolding drama surrounding "The House of Gucci" highlights the delicate dance between cinematic storytelling and the preservation of a family's legacy. The concerns expressed by the Gucci family underscore the challenges filmmakers face when portraying real-life events involving iconic brands and the responsibility to maintain historical accuracy while delivering compelling narratives.
