Based on true events (and the book House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed by Sara Gay Forden), House of Gucci is a story about greed and one determined individual’s quest to seek power in Italy’s most decadent family.
Directed by Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator) the biographical crime drama features a stellar cast of academy award winners and nominated actors; Lady Gaga is Patrizia Reggiani, the social climber nicknamed “Black Widow” by the press due to her conviction for arranging the murder of her husband Maurizio Gucci in 1995, played by Adam Driver. Sophisticated, sexy and stylish, the trailer provides a snapshot of everything we can expect from the upcoming fashion biopic.
Ridley Scott captures the era convincingly; Lady Gaga embodies the 90’s aesthetic of fur coats, opulent jewelry and pristine tailored-suits with poise. In the first glimpse of Gaga as Reggiani, she muses “it was a name that sounded so sweet, so seductive, synonymous with worth” in a captivating Italian drawl. Actress and singer Gaga, who is of Italian descent, is the perfect choice to play Reggiani. That being said, Reggiani herself isn’t so sure.
Earlier this year in March, the Black Widow told Ansa, the Italian national news agency: “I’m annoyed by the fact that Lady Gaga is portraying me in the new Ridley Scott film without even having the courtesy or the good sense to come and meet me.” She followed on from this statement: “It’s nothing to do with money because I won’t be taking a single cent from the film. It’s about common sense and respect.”
This bold statement from Reggiani is very typical of her ruthless character; whilst Gaga may have crossed the line for not seeking approval prior to her portrayal of the former Gucci chief advisor, she nevertheless illustrates Reggiani’s crooked nature well. At the end of the trailer, Gaga dressed in Gucci alpine attire confirms “I don’t consider myself to be a particularly ethical person.” Unethical, immoral and corrupt are only some adjectives to describe Reggiani who had her ex-husband murdered by a hitman after he left her.
After serving 18 years of a 29-year sentence incarcerated, Reggiani was released back into the world in 2016. Despite always maintaining her innocence, upon her release she was asked by a TV crew “Patrizia, why did you hire a hitman to kill Maurizio Gucci? Why didn’t you shoot him yourself?”
“My eyesight is not so good,” she responded. “I didn’t want to miss.”
House of Gucci is a complex tale, rife with drama, betrayal, love and murder. Get your popcorn at the ready; the film premieres in theatres in November, and also stars Jared Leto, Al Pacino and Salma Hayak.
For more upcoming film trailers, click here.
