The film was poised as being one of the most celebrated features of the year, but House of Gucci has not been loved by all. The movie follows the real-life story of Patrizia Reggiani, a famed socialite who was married to Maurizio Gucci. The tale is one of mystery as Patrizia served out nearly two decades behind bars for hiring a hitman to murder Maurizio.
Lady Gaga returns to the screen to portray the murderous ex-wife while Adam Driver stars opposite the singer as Maurizio Gucci. The crime drama had all of the ingredients to make a blockbuster hit—aside from the approval of all members of the Gucci family.
According to an Italian outlet, the Gucci family released a pointed statement about the film.
“The film’s production did not bother to consult the heirs before describing Aldo Gucci—president of the company for 30 years [played by Al Pacino]—and the members of the Gucci family as thugs who were ignorant and insensitive to the world around them,” the statement reportedly reads. They also call the storyline an “entirely fabricated attitudes and conduct to the protagonists of the notorious events.”
“This is extremely painful from a human point of view and an insult to the legacy on which the brand is built today,” they added. There was also a particular note about Gaga's portrayal of Patrizia, where the family states production "painted not only in the film, but also in the statements from cast members, as a victim trying to survive in a masculine and chauvinistic corporate culture.”
House of Gucci director Ridley Scott has defended the film and specifically Al Pacino's portrayal of Aldo.
"The people that were writing from the family to us at the onset were alarmingly insulting, saying that Al Pacino did not represent physically Aldo Gucci in any shape or form," Scott reportedly said. "And yet, frankly, how could they be better represented than by Al Pacino? Excuse me! You probably have the best actors in the world, you should be so f*cking lucky."