Directed by Ridley Scott, this biopic traces the family stories of the famous family behind the Italian luxury brand, up to the murder of Mauricio Gucci. The heirs had strongly criticized the film before its release.
Luxury, passion, decadence, betrayal and revenge are on the film’s agenda. House of Guccireleased in theaters on November 24, 2021. This biopic directed by Ridley Scott, it follows the family behind the Italian luxury brand, up until the murder of Mauricio Gucci on March 27, 1995, ordered by his wife Patrizia before he remarried Paola Franchi.
But before its release, the film was already far from unanimous among the heirs of the Italian house. At the agency Associated PressPatrizia Gucci (a cousin of Maurizio) deplored, on behalf of her family, that the film crews House of Gucci “steal the identity of an entire family to make a profit, to increase the income of the Hollywood system.”
The latter believes that the book on which the film is based with Lady Gaga and Adam Driver, The House of Gucci: a Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamor and Greed would not accurately depict the events. She also deplores the appearance of Aldo and Paolo Gucci, played respectively by Al Pacino and Jared Leto, in the film: “My grandfather was a very handsome man […] His interpreter is already not very tall, and this photo shows him fat, short, with sideburns, really very ugly. It’s shameful, it doesn’t look like him at all.”
Other family members wrote in a statement relayed by Variety a few days after its release that “the film’s production did not bother to consult the heirs before portraying Aldo Gucci – president of the company for 33 years – and the members of the Gucci family as thugs, ignorant and insensitive to the world around them”, deploring “a tone and attitude towards the protagonists of well-known events that never belonged to them”.
Faced with criticism from the family, Ridley Scott had reacted in an interview with the BBC’s “Today” show: “A member of the Gucci family was murdered, another went to prison for tax evasion. So you can’t accuse me of making a profit. As soon as you do these things, you’re in the public domain.”
Synopsis – Inspired by a true story, House of Gucci looks back at the family empire created by Guccio Gucci. Behind the famous Italian luxury brand, there are passions, dramas, betrayals and desires for revenge. Until the murder of Mauricio Gucci, on March 27, 1995, ordered by his wife Patrizia Reggiani.
Who are the actors in the cast of House of Gucci?
House of Gucci is a film directed by Ridley Scott about the family empire of the famous Italian luxury brand. To create this sulphurous fresco between passion and betrayal, the director surrounded himself with highly sought-after and renowned actors, making the wait for the film’s release even greater. The cast list below:
- Adam Driver: Maurizio Gucci
- Lady Gaga: Patrizia Reggiani
- Jared Leto : Paolo Gucci
- Camille Cottin as Paola Franchi
- Al Pacino: Aldo Gucci
- Jeremy Irons: Rodolfo Gucci
- Salma Hayek : Pina Auriemma
- Jack Huston as Domenico De Sole
- Mãdãlina Ghenea: Sophia Loren
- Reeve Carney: Tom Ford
- Youssef Kerkour as Nemir Kirdar
- Vincent Riotta as Fernando Reggiani
- Edouard Philipponnat: Walter
Critics’ opinions on House of Gucci
Despite this incredible promise on paper, French critics are very divided over House of Gucci. For Le Parisien, it is flawless: “At once a family saga, a thriller, a romance and a story of a bloody news story that shook Italy, “House of Gucci”, whose 2h37 pass almost too quickly, is one of those films that give the impression, in each shot, of witnessing something gigantic.” The JDD is also won over by this “captivating and edifying tragedy in three acts”. Among the unanimously praised strong points, we should note the performance of the actors in the cast, led by Lady Gaga and Jared Leto. However, many media outlets criticize the feature film for its “lengths” (Le JDD) and the staging which “lacks rhythm” (Télérama), with the appearance of an “astonishing puppet theater”.