An adoring picture of Princess Grace using her American sensibilities and Hollywood training to save Monaco from the clutches of the parental France. Arash Amel’s script provides a composite of the different challenges Kelly faced early on in her role as a Princess, by giving the scenes an everyday context. She deals with motherhood, as well finding comfort in her place in society, with all of the official and tedious protocols one must follow. She’s not afraid to speak her mind in the company of men regarding politics (this is still the early 1960s), and she’s more proactive about her figurehead role of socialite than her peers, with whom she’s considered an outsider both for her views and her inability to assimilate to the Monegasque language and way of life.
The subject matter feels like White People Problems, even further, 1% People Problems. Seems kind of absurd to care about a story like this (royalty in peril), but it’s interesting. It’s always difficult to empathize with characters who are so obscenely privileged, but Amel keeps his focus on the very down-to-earth and American-bred Kelly. It’s her plucky spirit and underdog status that is key to audience interest. The script gives her all kinds of adversaries, as well as a confident in Father Tucker, a Catholic priest that has been with Rainier since his ascension to power and with whom she trusts. The scenes play out rather rudimentarily, as we watch Grace transform from a reactive character to someone who takes charge with what’s at her disposal. A subplot involving a rat in the ranks adds some intrigue. There’s a harmless and fun innocence where it’s easy for one to agree to join along. There’s also a long line of celebrity cameos, that seems to be the rage these days.
Oscar ProspectsIt’s easy to understand why Nicole Kidman chose to do this movie, as it’s such a complete story that probably few people are aware of. Though, I do wonder about its awards potential, particularly for Kidman. Playing a beautiful princess struggling with a Monegasque accent doesn’t strike me as baity as say, a mother grieving the loss of her young child, or physically transforming oneself into a turn-of-the-century dowdy writer. Perhaps in a weak year, Kidman would have no problem campaigning her way into the lead actress category. But, this year, the deck is stacked, and her man Harvey Weinstein places priority already on August: Osage County’s Meryl Streep and Philomena’s Judi Dench (two actresses with whom he has a longer positive history with than most). Granted, Dench wasn’t yet in the picture when he scooped up the distribution rights to Monaco. But, he also had a colead in Julia Roberts with Streep, with a slew of supporting actress possibilities. So, in retrospect, it now feels odd to have been so bullish on Kidman all along, and strange for Weinstein to take such a gamble (though, as of lately, he has been accused more than once of scooping up potential award contenders just to keep the competition at bay).
Perhaps Kidman will find a charm in Kelly that will be undeniable to audiences, yet she’s not known to convey warm personalities that attract a crowd; her main assets are her mysterious allure and acting range. Comparisons have been made to My Week With Marilyn. However weak the script, Michelle Williams had the opportunity to inhabit the icon. Despite the familiarity and missing some technical marks, she captured Monroe’s essence and delivered a convincing argument for a nomination, perhaps even a win. Today’s audiences (at least, stateside), aren’t as familiar with Kelly, who came up in Hollywood around the same time only to make an earlier exit for Europe. With Grace, there will be very little to measure her performance against. With Williams, regardless of how good she was or wasn’t, there was at least a tool of comparison in the public consciousness. Some are also predicting a hot mess like last year’s Hitchcock (who is a character in this movie). But, one thing you can say about both the Marilyn and Hitchcock films, regardless of quality, they both featured compelling lead actress turns.
At present, it appears Kidman will have to fight tooth and nail for the fifth slot (the others more than likely occupied by Streep, Dench, Cate Blanchett, and Sandra Bullock). And it seems that it would require a force to be reckoned from Kidman to pull up any other categories for attention. Though, I do wonder if French costume designer Gigi Lapage has a shot. This is also a weak year for the period drama which some of the technical categories seem to fawn over, so perhaps production designer Dan Weil may have a chance. Cinematographer Eric Gautier has worked on The Motorcycle Diaries and Into the Wild. Tim Roth, Frank Langella, and Parker Posey have the most substantial supporting roles. Plot Summary (spoilers)
In December 1961, director Alfred Hitchcock (Roger Ashton-Griffiths) visits Princess Grace Kelly (Nicole Kidman) in her Monaco Palace while she holds a huge Christmas party. He’s led by the testy lady-in-waiting Madge Tivey-Faucon (Parker Posey) to the garden hall holding the festivities. When Hitchcock addresses Madge with madam, she corrects him. “I do not run a bordello, Mr. Hitchcock. If you must, it’s Ma’am.” There, Grace is attended by her personal assistant Phyllis Blum (Flora Nicholson), and he offers her a role in Marnie with Sean Connery (though it’s through a reference to a completed version of Dr. No, which was just about to undergo filming, technically). While unhappy and having a difficult time with her role as princess, she turns him down. She celebrates the new year on board Aristotle Onassis’ (Robert Lindsay) yacht, docked in the bay. In attendance are Maria Callas (Paz Vega), Rainier’s sister Princess Antoinette (Geraldine Somerville) and her husband Jean-Charles Rey (Nicholas Farrell), French President Charles de Gaulle (André Penvern) and his wife Yvonne Vendroux, de facto Prime Minister of Monaco Emile Pelletier (Oliver Rabourdin), and family confident Father Francis Tucker (Frank Langella), who married Grace and Rainier. During a discussion about the war on Algeria and the OAS in France, Grace creates a minor disturbance with her American perspective on the matter. Later after putting the children to bed, Madge warns Grace that if she tries to Americanize Rainier too much, she will lose favor from her subjects.
Pelletier and Jean Charles debate Monaco’s liberal tax policy, which France is losing businesses to, but benefits Monaco lack of commerce outside of gambling. “Emile, does President de Gaulle really want the children of Monaco to grow up to be croupiers?” France wants Monaco to compensate them with paying their own taxes. Rainier strikes Pelletier and sends him back to France, where he informs de Gaulle on Monaco’s growing independence.
At a Red Cross meeting, a frustrated Grace discusses a local orphanage with the other ladies, including Countess Baciochi (Jeanne Balibar), who’s more concerned with a ball that is happening later in the year. While driving the windy mountainous roads of Monaco, Grace almost hits an old woman. She confides in Tuck about her discontent with her life currently. At home, everyone is watching de Gaulle’s announcement on television about placing a threatening ultimatum on Monaco. If they don’t begin levying taxes on their people and business, France will impose economic sanctions and take it back by force. On air, he calls French business offices located in Monaco for tax purposes only, but they naturally go unanswered. Rainier believes they have a traitor amongst them for leaking names and telephone numbers. He hires Hollywood agent Rupert Allan, Jr (Milo Ventimiglia) to do PR for them. His people advise him to settle down and try a more amiable approach. Over dinner, Rainier explains that Monaco just wants to take care of its people and not fund France’s war with Algeria. He also gives Grace the approval to do Marnie.
Grace meets with Delavenne (Yves Jacques), Emile Cornet, and George Lukomski, and informs them, much to their chagrin, that once matters are resolved with France, she’ll be doing the film with Hitchcock. While bathing her children, she discovers that her daughter Caroline has been biting son Albert. During a press conference for the new opening of an orphanage wing in the hospital, Grace is surprised by a question about Marnie. Word has leaked, and she realizes that someone in her camp is trying to sabotage the palace by making it look unstable and weak. She confides in Father Tucker who insists they figure out the culprit without Rainier’s knowledge.
It’s now July 1962, and at a party, Grace feels more and more alienated as she watches a television program highlight how uncommitted and out of place she is in Monaco. Rainer’s deliberations with de Gaulle do not go well, as they both throw their opponent’s weaknesses in each other’s face. Onassis suggests hiring Allan full-time and start a PR campaign against France, as well as putting a tighter reign on Grace. Maria Callas gives her advice while they go riding. While dining with everyone including stepmother Princess Ghislaine, Rainier starts to chide Grace and asks her to retire from acting. She fires back. Later, Father Tucker visits her while she watches her wedding video.
France begins to implement its blockade, which includes border constrictions on Monaco’s citizens. Rainier discovers his municipality draped in barbed wire. Father Tucker invites Grace to tea with Count Fernando D’Aillieres (Derek Jacobi), who is to help educate her in the ways of Monaco. Rainier accepts marital advice from Tucker while plotting how to react to France. Grace’s exhaustive lessons begin. Madge realizes Grace may suspect her as a spy; Phyllis, in turn, keeps a close eye on Madge. Rainier works tirelessly to court world opinion and favor. While practicing the local dialect Monegasque in the marketplace, Grace draws attention to herself from the passerby’s. Later, she ingratiates herself with the French troops. Phyllis shares with Grace what she has discovered about the suspected duplicitous Madge. She finds Father Tucker later in a drunken stupor, who must leave Monaco to be with his ailing brother in America, and advises her she must remain strong for Rainier during what is to be a difficult time for Monaco. De Gaulle and his wife are attacked by gunmen in Paris. Madge is caught exchanging envelopes with a mystery man. Grace and Rainier attend a dinner, where Allan informs her of the attempt made on de Gaulle’s life. She begins to suspect something is afoot and can’t trust anyone around her. It turns out Madge was on the palace’s side and reveals that she procured information that Jean-Charles and Antoinette were the spies. They were in cahoots with de Gaulle to assume the throne. Grace and Rainier reconcile.
The next day, she calls Hitchcock to turn down the role. Tucker has left Monaco. Grace and Rainier summon Antoinette and banish her from the kingdom, but not before she and her husband do one last favor. When Antoinette asks Grace how long she thinks she’ll last, she responds, “Long enough to see the back of you, dear. Or would you prefer being guillotined for treason?” Grace goes forward with the ladies of the Red Cross to plan the autumnal charity ball. Amidst the military lockdown, she flies with ladies to Paris to go shopping. Invitations to the ball are sent around the world. Grace uses the attention of the press to announce the ball. De Gaulle confers with Jean-Charles and tells Pelletier that he will attend. On the evening of the ball, there are all kinds of notables in attendance like Cary Grant and U.S. Defense Secretary Robert McNamara. Grace makes a heartened speech, which is at first blankly received, but then elicits a resounding applause. De Gaulle congratulates her and she later reads a fond note left by Tucker. The end titles wrap matters up. Grace saved Monaco. The end.
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