The movie ‘House Of Gucci’ is based on a book by Sara Gay Forden called ‘The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed.’ Those in the know say the movie combines some parts that accurately reflect real life and other parts in which the director takes creative license with the story and includes some scenes and storylines that are fiction. Overall, the movie accurately portrays real life, but there are several points where it veers into fiction. So if you see the movie, take the story you see with a grain of salt. Understand that all of it may not be completely true.
Based On A True Story
Maurizio Gucci was the head of the elite family that was behind the famous Gucci fashion company. Newspaper accounts say his ex-wife Patrizia Reggiani plotted his death. Much of the Gucci story and the murder trial and facts surrounding the death of Maurizio Gucci was in the glare of the media spotlight. It’s some of the lesser known details portrayed in the movie that may be fictionalized. Those potentially fictitious
details is what has many people asking what is real and what is not about the movie adaption of the Gucci story. Much of it can be verified by media reports, but some of it can’t.
What’s Accurate In The Movie
The story line in the movie that says Maurizio’s father did not approve of the relationship with Patrizia because of her low-class roots and that he took Maurizio out of his will is all true. It’s also true that Alessandra is the name of the daughter of Maurizio and Patrizia. However, Allegra, their younger daughter is never mentioned.
Aldo Gucci and Rudolfo Gucci did have a rift over sharing a 50% stake. The rift shown between the Gucci brothers, Aldo and Rudolfo, over their sharing of a 50% is also real. So is the storyline of Maurizio trying to make a deal with Paulo, Aldo’s son, to get Aldo out of Gucci.
Police Did Raid Paulo’s Fashion Show
When Maurizio alleged Paulo breached their contract after he accepted a deal in which he agreed to oust Aldo, his father, from Gucci, police raided Paulo’s fashion show. It’s also true that Paulo did go to the police and tell them about illegal business deals in which Maurizio was involved. When the authorities came to nab him for forging a signature, Maurizio really did hop on a motorcycle and flee to Switzerland. The movie accurately shows that when he found out that Maurizio was involved with Paola Franchi, Patrizia planned to kill him. The storyline where Pina worked with Patrizia to hire the hitmen who shot Maurizio.
Patrizia Tells Paola Franchi To Leave Maurizio’s Apartment
Another scene in the movie that is truly reflective of real life is when Patrizia asks Paola Franchi, Maurizio’s girlfriend Paola, to move from the apartment that she and Maurizio shared. There is a report in USA Today confirming this. Another scene that is an accurate reflection of real life is when someone calls Patrizia by Reggiani, her maiden name, and she doesn’t respond. Even after her divorce Patrizia used ‘Gucci’ as her last name. The scene where Patrizia is as sentenced to prison for 26 years is not entirely accurate. The judge sentenced her to 29 years. It was later reduced to 26 years.
What Does Not Reflect Real Life
In the film, Patrizia doesn’t recognize Maurizio as a bartender. In reality she did recognize as the person who introduced her to the Gucci successor. In the film when Patrizia tells Maurizio’s father they are naming their daughter after Maurizio’s mother, it is inaccurate. Her name was Sandra, not Alessandra, reports Digital Spy.
The scene where Patrizia faked the signature of her father-in-law so Maurizio would get 50% of Gucci is inaccurate. In real life, Maurizio was the one accused of forgery and he was forced to flee to Switzerland. In the movie after Maurizio and Patrizia split up, he asked her to go back to Italy and he stayed in Switzerland. I real life, they went back to Milan together in 1982. He then went to Florence and had Patrizia’s friend tell her their marriage was over.
Other Inaccuracies
In the film, Patrizia is portrayed as a gold digger. However, Sara Gay Forden, who wrote The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed said Patrizia told her she loved Maurizio. The storyline where Patrizia first contacts Pinaa the psychic through a hotline is inaccurate. She first met Pinaa at a spa. In the movie Patrizia gets the divorce papers while she is outside her daughter’s school. This did not happen in real life. The movie shows Maurizio Gucci being killed outside his residence. In real life Maurizio was shot down outside his Milan office when he arrived for work.
Errors In Maurizio And Patrizia’s Relationship
In the movie, Patrizia pursues Maurizio and gets him to ask her out. In real life, Maurizio saw Patrizia at the party, was smitten with her and pursued her. The movie has their wedding in 1978. In reality, Maurizio and Patrizia got married in 1972. Patrizia plays a big part in the business in the movie. In real life she simply made suggestions when they were at home. The Guccis didn’t believe women should be involved in business, but Aldo never told Patrizia ‘This business is a men’s world.’ The movie shows Patrizia stopping Paulo from starting his own brand. In reality, Aldo and Rodolfo convinced Paolo to stop.
The Movie Is Not Historically Accurate
Although the movie ‘House of Gucci’ stick close to the real story, it’s not completely historically accurate. Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski said it isn’t a factual docudrama. He describes it as a “kitschy, funny, tragic tragedy”. He says it is similar to a high-end soap opera. The movie explores Patrizia Reggiani’s marriage into the Gucci family. It ultimately led to Maurizio Gucci, her ex-husband, being murdered.