Page 21 - ADU Voice Volume 5 Issue 1

Fall 2025 | Voice 21
They didn’t fight over land or crown; they fought
“over their own schemes.” The quote reflects the
essence of Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci (2021).
The film tells a somber tale about greed and
the covetous struggle beneath the veneer
of haute couture. Behind the Gucci label—
internationally famous as a hallmark of
elegance—lies a story steeped in betrayal and
dotted with deception, culminating in murder.
House of Gucci details the rise and fall of the
Gucci brand through the titular character, Maurizio
Gucci, in parallel with the tempestuous romance
he shares with Patrizia Reggiani. This love story
matures into a contest of sheer willpower. After
marrying him, she resolves to cement her place in
Gucci lore. She turns Maurizio’s relatives against
him, makes calculated moves, and, when all else
fails, hires hitmen to perpetrate his murder in 1995.
While the film compresses timeline events for
theatrical reasons, it draws from real misfortunes
to explore the devastating cost of ambition.
While the film tells a sensational murder story, it
focuses more on the consequences of boundless
ambition and an obsession with wealth and status.
In a world defined by consumerism and the
hunger for fame, the Gucci affair becomes a prism
through which one can examine human fascination
with power and downfall. The director transforms
this narrative into a sumptuous nightmare, rich
with extravagant imagery and an almost musical
stylization. It moves beyond a simple true-crime
film to resemble a Shakespearean tragedy—one
that commodifies love and weaponizes loyalty.
The intentions of the film are also revealed in the
casting choices. Lady Gaga, as Patrizia, blends
charm with ruthless ambitions in moments like
her calculated seduction of Maurizio and her
cold insistence on control as their relationship
deteriorates. Adam Driver, as Maurizio, begins with
understated warmth but shifts toward arrogance
and moral compromise, shown in scenes where
he distances himself from Patrizia and embraces
corporate dominance. These performances do
more than animate the plot; they illustrate how
love, once pure, becomes a tool for power—
underscoring the film’s commentary that ambition,
when unchecked, corrodes intimacy and identity.
Although the film embellishes certain aspects,
much of its foundation is rooted in truth. Patrizia
married Maurizio in 1972, and her aspiration to
ascend the social hierarchy was well documented.
Even the 1995 murder was planned by her, earning
her the notorious title of “The Black Widow.”
However, historical records indicate that the
actual narrative was more intricate than what is
depicted in the film. For example, Gucci’s decline
cannot be attributed solely to Patrizia’s influence.
Factors such as financial mismanagement, internal
family conflicts, and market pressures all played
critical roles. The film oversimplifies these
elements to focus on the explosive relationship
between Patrizia and Maurizio, highlighting her
manipulative nature while overlooking broader
economic and strategic failures. Artistic liberties
amplify the drama but ultimately reduce the
history to a cliché “villain versus victim” narrative.
One of the film’s most striking ideas is its portrayal
of “masks.” Whether in romantic, professional,
or familial politics, characters assume roles to
survive in a world obsessed with image. Patrizia
masks her hunger for status under the guise of
affection, while Maurizio hides behind a façade
of humility before surrendering to greed. This
aligns with Scott’s broader commentary: identity
becomes fluid when ambition dictates survival.
In the end, House of Gucci is less about fashion than
about the cost of power. It reframes family history
into a cautionary tale for those intrigued by dynastic
rise and ruin, compelling viewers to ask difficult
questions: How far would we go to belong? When
does aspiration harden into obsession? While critics
were divided—some praising its opulence, others
questioning its pacing—the film ignited cultural
debates on where ambition ends and greed begins.
The Gucci family, however, condemned it for
sensationalizing their past, highlighting the tension
between storytelling and truth in biographical cinema.
By stripping away Gucci’s glossy façade, Ridley
Scott delivers a narrative that feels both intimate
and monumental. It blends fact with embellishment
to show how money magnifies human frailty.
Every empire hides a story of ambition,
betrayal, and the masks worn to seize power—a
truth the Gucci saga refuses to let us forget.