The Controversy of 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘪

Written by Olivia Hollenbeck

House of Gucci, released in November of this year, has made headlines for its controversial depiction of the Gucci family. The film recounts the familial relations within the luxury brand Gucci, one of the last family owned luxury companies. While the movie portrays many family members quite negatively, it mainly follows the marriage of Maurizio Gucci and Patrizia Reggiani. Maurizio was the grandson of Guccio Gucci, the founder of Gucci. The film begins with the story of Patrizia’s and Maurizio’s marriage. It then transforms into the story of how Patrizia pushed Maurizio to rejoin the family business and then eventually take it over. Strong underlying messages in the movie paint Patrizia as money hungry and dishonest; however, the viewer is still led to view her as the victim due to the hard life and challenges she endures. Due to this, the viewer oddly finds herself rooting for Patrizia throughout the film. Unfortunately, the film does not have a happy ending, as it sticks to history and includes the murder of Maurizio. Maurizio is shot by a hitman that Patrizia allegedly hires; it was depicted this way in the movie, as Patrizia was convicted in real life and sentenced to 29 years in prison. The Gucci family members alive today have publicly voiced their distaste for the film due to the portrayal of the family and the legacy it leaves Gucci.

The actress that portrays Patrizia Reggiani is none other than Lady Gaga. Reggiani is now 71 years old, and has been released after spending only 18 years, out of her 29 year sentence, in prison. She still receives an allotment of $1.47 million each year, due to her place in Maurizio’s will when he was murdered. Patrizia stated that she feels misrepresented and she is hurt Gaga did not want to meet with her to discuss the role. Although Patrizia was indeed convicted, she continuously claims that she was blackmailed and she still has great love for Maurizio. Gaga has responded by stating that she specifically did not reach out to Patrizia, as she wanted to play the role uninfluenced and as close to the truth as possible. She declared that she does not believe Patrizia was born a murderer, yet she thinks life events pushed her to kill her husband. 

While House of Gucci will likely remain controversial and the truth will likely forever remain unknown, the star-studded movie is saved by its inclusion of a multitude of Gucci pieces that any fashion lover would drool over. Timeless handbags and Gucci storefronts are featured many times throughout the movie. Specifically, one of the most mesmerizing fashion moments is Patrizia’s full logo-mania Gucci outfit. It is a classic Gucci monogram moment that represents the power of the brand. If the unpredictable plot line does not draw you to the film, the gorgeous Gucci pieces will.