Grace of Monaco.

                    Grace of Monaco. Film Review.


" You came here to play the greatest role of your life. You are the fairytale. The serenity to which we all aspire. And peace will come when you embrace the roles you have been destined to play."
The long-awaited release of this film disappointed critics when it opened the Cannes Film Festival 2014. It was slated. Peter Bradshaw was kinder when he referred to it as being wooden. Bad news for screen writer, Arash Amed and director, Olivier Dahan ("La Vie en Rose.") In fact savaged is closer to the truth. For me and people like me, it makes it that more appealing.
The real-life descendants branded the film a farce criticising it for being "overly dramatic" with "historical errors and little depth." The controversy surrounds the point of whether it is meant to be a biopic film and the obvious answer is no.

Hollywood screen goddess, Grace Kelly was born in 1929 and embarked on an acting career during the 50s, achieving stardom with "Mogambo" for which she won a Golden Globe award and an Academy nomination. She worked with Hitchcock and became a favourite with Cary Grant who snubbed Ingrid Bergman, opting for Grace who was bestowed with an abundance of serenity of all things!

Grace met Prince Rainier in 1955 when she headed the US delegation at the Cannes Film Festival. A photo session together and then private correspondence and inevitably a marriage proposal followed shortly afterwards with a high-profile wedding-in fact two ceremonies, a civil one on 18th April 1956 followed on the 19th with a church ceremony.

The film shows the footage of this fairytale wedding between a Hollywood movie star and her Prince. Nicole Kidman was chosen from a number of possible contenders to play Grace and received mixed reviews whereas Tim Roth who played Rainier IIIrd received bad reviews. There's nothing wrong with the acting and the film allows you to experience the glamour and the wealth with panoramic views.

"At some point every fairytale must end. It's not real love. Real love is obligation."

The plot is deliberately simple showing the 60s as a time when Grace's marriage had reached crisis point. Naively she had expected everyone to fall hopelessly in love with her and welcomed as the Princess with open arms. Local residents and government ministers were sceptical about Hollywood stars and constantly the media picks up on comments such as "She'll never be one of us." Rainier lacks affection and becomes heavily involved in politics especially with the crisis that hits Monaco. Charles de Gaulle has demanded taxation from his protectorate, threatening to invade. He places an embargo and his warships surround its shores. Nice airport is cut off.
Hitchcock approaches a disillusioned and unhappy Grace, offering her the role of the leading lady in "Marnie." She is determined to return to Hollywood but Rainier and his ministers are against the idea and her short-lived acting career comes to an abrupt end.

With well-needed counselling from Tuck (Father Francis Tucker) played by Frank Langella and protocol training from Count Fernando D'Ailliere (Sir Derek Jacobi), Grace embarks on a journey that will establish her as a favourite and well-loved member of the Grimaldi dynasty for generations to come. Her life is dedicated to acting out a role in which she supports Rainier, her family and one of the oldest courts in Europe, the role of a life-time.

Not plain sailing by any means, there seems to be French spies in the palace turning people against Grace and Rainier in order to topple the house of Grimaldi. During the European summit there is an assassination attempt on De Gaulle and the summit ends in disaster, the crisis unresolved.

The Red Cross Ball highlights Grace's humanitarian work and her closing speech receives a standing ovation. Spoken from the heart it talks about love not war or brutality. A few poetic liberties by the writer include the President's acceptance to attend the ball. The crowds boo the aggressor and we discover a soft spot when he succumbs to the charms of the Princess. A nice bit of fiction.

"The idea of my life as a fairytale. "

 REVIEW it by Carol Naylor.

 Copyright 2014. Permission must be obtained from the author before any of this article review is reproduced.

Comments

  1. GKN5 March 2015 at 16:46

    "A few poetic liberties by the writer " .... unfortunately there were more than a few and certainly more than should be accepted by Hollywood standards for a movie labeled as a biopic. The true story is in the pages of "My Days with Princess Grace of Monaco" by Joan Dale

    ReplyDelete
  2. Carol Naylor6 March 2015 at 19:12

    A touch of sarcasm my friend. I know the film was slated just like the Diana film but they weren't biopics were they?

    ReplyDelete

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