The biographical film is based on Sara Gay Forden’s 2000 non-fiction book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed, which recounts Maurizio Gucci’s execution-style murder and the fate of the Gucci brand following his death. Maurizio was the last of the Gucci family dynasty to run the luxury fashion house.
In addition to a murder mystery, we can also expect House of Gucci to be a tragic love story. Here’s how it goes: Maurizio Gucci and Patrizia Reggiani married in 1973 and separated in 1985 after Maurizio left Patrizia for a younger woman. In 1995, Maurizio was shot dead outside his office as he arrived at work. The building’s doorman Giuseppe Onorato was also shot, although he survived. Patrizia was an immediate suspect in the case, and in 1998, she was convicted of ordering Maurizio’s murder.
During the trial, it emerged that Patrizia had hired four accomplices to carry out the assassination: a hitman, a getaway driver, her former psychic who arranged the hitman, and a friend of her psychic’s who arranged for the hitman. Patrizia was sentenced to 29 years in prison and was released in 2016 after serving 18 years. She continues to maintain her innocence.
House of Gucci will likely explore Patrizia’s motives and question whether she’s actually guilty. And if Lady Gaga’s most recent Instagrams are any indication, there will also be some fabulous outfits throughout the movie.
