What’s the plot of ‘House of Gucci’?
A quick fashion history recap. In 1972, Patrizia Reggiani, an Italian socialite, married Maurizio Gucci – the 20-something grandson of Gucci founder Guccio Gucci. Over the course of the next 15 years, the couple had two daughters; fought (and won) a high-profile battle for control of the Gucci brand; and became a fixture in the Italian tabloids, which ran an endless stream of pictures of Reggiani in dark sunglasses and gaudy jewellery, looking like a Milanese Elizabeth Taylor. Lady Gucci, as the press dubbed her, became famous for her extravagance – sailing between private Caribbean islands on her 200-foot yacht, the Creole, or decamping to her penthouse in Manhattan’s Olympic Tower whenever the mood struck. At her wealthiest, she reportedly spent £9,000 a month on orchids alone. Perhaps her most famous diktat? “I would rather weep in a Rolls-Royce than be happy on a bicycle.”
Then, in the mid-’80s, Maurizio claimed he was going on a short business trip to Florence – only for Reggiani to find out that he had permanently abandoned the family for his younger lover. (She later claimed that the Guccis’ doctor had to break the news to her.) An even worse betrayal, in Reggiani’s eyes? A few years after the couple split, Maurizio sold the Gucci brand to Bahrain-based firm Investcorp for approximately £150 million – a move necessitated by his own failures at the helm of the company. “I still feel like a Gucci – in fact, the most Gucci of them all,” Reggiani told La Repubblica as recently as 2014, to give you a sense of how closely her identity is bound up with the house.
Cut to 27 March 1995, and a hitman fatally shot the 46-year-old Maurizio in his office lobby near Milan’s fashion district – prompting an investigation into his murder that would take years to resolve (in spite of Reggiani being an immediate suspect). Ultimately, the Black Widow – as the press called her – received a 26-year prison sentence for her role in the death (although she continues to maintain her innocence). She currently lives in Milan, supported by an annual grant from Maurizio’s estate, and can occasionally be seen wandering around the city’s upscale boutiques with her pet macaw, Bo, on her shoulder.
Who will star in ‘House of Gucci’?
Gaga will, of course, play Lady Gucci – although Angelina Jolie was notably slated for the role when Martin Scorsese had plans to develop Reggiani’s story for film more than a decade ago. Meanwhile, Adam Driver will take a turn as the ill-fated Maurizio in staggeringly good knitwear, with Jared Leto, Al Pacino, and Jeremy Irons appearing as Paolo, Aldo, and Rodolfo Gucci, respectively. Salma Hayek will also lend her talents to the role of Pina Auriemma, Patrizia’s friend and clairvoyant, who became tied up with her quest for revenge against Maurizio.
source (article; video): Father, Son & House Of Gucci: Watch The First Trailer For Lady Gaga’s Patrizia Reggiani Biopic, Vogue; HOUSE OF GUCCI, Official Trailer, MGM Studios, Youtube
A cikk elolvasása után válaszolj a következő kérdésekre.
- What did the couple gain during 15 years?
- Why did Patrizia Reggiani look like Milanese Elizabeth Taylor?
- How was Patrizia Reggiani called in the press?
- What did Patrizia Reggiani discover in the mid-80’s?
- Why did Maurizio have to sell the Gucci brand?
- What showed that Patrizia Regguani’s identity is bound up with the house?
- How many years did she spend behind bars and why?
- Who was almost designated for the role of Lady Gucci more than 10 years ago?
keys/megoldások:
1. the control of the Gucci brand;
2. She wore dark sunglasses and gaudy jewellery in the pictures in the Italian tabloids.;
3. She was dubbed as Lady Gucci and later in the late 1990’s she was called as the Black Widow.;
4. She discovered that her husband had permanently abandoned the family for his younger lover.;
5. Because of his own failures at the helm of the company.;
6. She told La Repubblica in 2014 that she still felt like a Gucci – in fact, the most Gucci of them all.;
7. She spent 26 years in prison for her role in the death of his husband.;
8. Angelina Jolie
A video megnézése után egészítsd ki a mondatokat a videóban elhangzottak alapján.
It was a name that 1. …… so sweet, so 2. ……, synonymous with worth, 3. ……, power.
But that name was the 4. …., too.
I’ve 5. …… a Gucci all my life.
Your name is in the 6. ….. books.
Wow, you are Gucci, you 7. …. to dress cap-a-pie! 8. ……!
It’s time to take out the 9. ……. They’re my 10. ……! So is mine!
You picked the real 11. …..! She’s a 12. ……!
I don’t 13. …… myself to be a particularly 14. …. person but I am 15. …… .
Can you keep a 16. …..? Father, 17. …… and House of 18. …… .
keys/megoldások: 1. sounded; 2. seductive; 3. style; 4. curse; 5. been; 6. history; 7. need; 8. Chic; 9. trash; 10. family; 11. firecracker; 12. handful; 13. consider;
14. ethical; 15. fair; 16. secret; 17. son; 18. Gucci
Vocabulary
to recap | röviden összefoglalni |
socialite | előkelőség/felső tízezer tagja |
over the course of | valamennyi idő leforgása alatt |
high-profile | nagy horderejű/figyelemreméltó |
fixture | kellék |
tabloids | bulvárlapok |
endless stream of | valami végtelen sora |
gaudy | ünnepi/rikító |
to dub | elnevezni |
extravagance | különcség |
to decamp | meglépni/szedni a sátorfáját |
penthouse | luxuslakás |
whenever the mood struck | bármikor, amikor ahhoz volt kedve |
reportedly | állítólag |
permanently abandoned | tartósan elhanyagolta |
to break the news | hírt közölni |
betrayal | árulás |
split | szakítás |
approximately | körülbelül |
to necessitate | megkövetelni |
failures at the helm of | (elkövetett) hibák (valamilyen cég) vezetőjeként |
to be bound up with | szoros kapcsolatban lenni |
to cut to | lényegre térni |
hitman | bérgyilkos |
to prompt | ösztönözni |
to resolve | megoldani |
immediate suspect | közvetlen gyanúsított |
Ultimately | végül |
to maintain innocence | tanúsítani az ártatlanságát |
currently | jelenleg |
annual grant | éves járulék |
to wander around | sétálni/nézelődni |
upscale | elegáns/gazdagoknak való |
macaw | arapapagáj |
to slate for | kiszemelni/kijelölni valamire |
ill-fated | balvégzetű |
staggeringly | megrázóan |
respectively | egyenként |
to lend her talents to | tehetségét kölcsönözni valaminek (szerep) |
clairvoyant | látnok/tisztánlátó |
to tie up with | kapcsolatban van valakivel/valamivel |
quest | keresés/kutatás |
revenge | bosszú |
to gain | szerezni |
to be behind bars | börtönben lenni |
to be designated for | ki van jelölve valamire |
seductive | csábító |
curse | átok |
cap-a-pie | tetőtől talpig |
chic | sikk |
to take out the trash | kivinni a szemetet |
firecracker | bátor, féktelen, lobbanékony és vad (ember) |
handful | nehezen kezelhető (gyerek) |
to consider | tekinteni/vélni |
to keep a secret | titkot tartani |