ART + CULTURE

GUCCI V GUCCI FIASCO: A LEGACY WORTH KILLING FOR?

The House of Gucci is unhappy about "House of Gucci".

05.12.2021
BY WILHEMINA BOWEN
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Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, and Al Pacino. They're all the cast one can ever dream of if someone were to make a movie about a legendary fashion house. Fortunately, Ridley Scott did just that with his upcoming film "House of Gucci".

However, the star-studded feature has drawn objection from members of its titular family. Now, the Gucci family members have hinted at potential litigation against the movie, which allegedly portrays "a tone and an attitude to the protagonists of the well-known events that never belonged to them".

"The production of the film did not bother to consult the heirs before describing Aldo Gucci," said the heirs of the house, referring to the president of the company for 30 years — portrayed in the movie by the Godfather himself, Al Pacino.

The house further claims that the narrative of the movie is "far from accurate" as it simplifies the manners of "the members of the Gucci family as thugs, ignorant and insensitive to the world around them."

"Gucci is a family that lives to honor the work of its ancestors, whose memory does not deserve to be disturbed to stage a spectacle that is untrue and which does not do justice to its protagonists," the statement continued, adding that it is "extremely painful from a human point of view and an insult to the legacy on which the brand is built today."

Patricia Gucci, daughter of Aldo Gucci, further accused Scott of "stealing the identity of a family to make a profit".


They can, can they?

The Gucci family is adamant that "the members of the Gucci family reserve the right to take action to protect the name, image and dignity of themselves and their loved ones", but on what grounds?

The Fashion Law revealed that the U.S. law, which the parties involved in the movie are bound to, is unlikely to be on their side. From the legal point of view, the Gucci family merely owns the ability to utilize their surname for personal capacity as the majority of the rights in the Gucci trademark are held by French conglomerate Kering.

This way, the Gucci family cannot actually speak in the name of the brand as the right of such trademark doesn't belong to the heirs. On the other hand, they might be thinking of the right of publicity related to unauthorized exploitation of an individual's name, likenesses, and recognizable personality traits.

Photo Courtesy of Mamamia

 

This is still debatable, though, since Lowenstein attorney Matthew Savare has testified that there's an ongoing uncertainty whether "the right of publicity is descendible under Italian law".

With these options off the table, it's a pretty slim chance that the litigation would be fruitful for the actual Gucci family. They can, however, depends on the defamation law if they can prove the "inaccuracies".


The Gucci Murders

Largely based on Sara Gay Forden's 2001 book, "The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed", the film's story revolves around the case of Patrizia Reggiani.

Patrizia, played by Gaga, is said to be "an outsider from humble beginnings" that marries her husband, Maurizio Gucci, played by Driver, to slither her way into the iconic family. Later, Maurizio was shot to death on March 27, 1995, at the age of 46, by a hitman found to be employed by Patrizia.

 

Photo Courtesy of MGM

 

The case instantly became media fodder, and the story is now common knowledge, or as the film's director Scott puts it, "the public domain".

"You have to remember that one Gucci was murdered and another went to jail for tax evasion, so you can't be talking to me about making a profit," Scott said to BBC Radio. "As soon as you do that you become part of the public domain."

Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

 

Whatever happens with the potential lawsuit, the actor, actresses, and crews are still happily strutting off the red carpet premiere after premiere, and one can hardly wait to watch the controversy on the big screen.  

"House of Gucci" is coming to Indonesia on December 17, distributed by Universal Pictures Indonesia.

 

#THE S MEDIA #Media Milenial #House of Gucci #movie #lady gaga #jared leto #al pacino #adam driver #ridley scott

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