Entertainment
THE GUCCIS ARE REALLY NOT HAPPY About ‘House of Gucci’
When artistic license collides with reality, which one wins?
By Vanessa Friedman
The fractious Gucci family, whose internecine power struggles famously helped it lose the company Guccio Gucci founded in 1921, has finally found common cause once again.
The reason for the family’s reunification: “House of Gucci,” the 24-carat camp drama framed in pigskin about the murder of the family scion Maurizio Gucci. The film, starring Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani, the spurned wife who commissioned the hit, and Adam Driver as Maurizio, opened in the United States last week, bringing 10 members of the dynasty back together to protest what they believe is a distortion of history, the family name and the brand they made.
The descendants of Aldo Gucci, one of the three sons of Guccio, and the man who turned the Florentine leather brand into a global sensation (and who is played in the film by Al Pacino as a sort of rumpled, prosciutto-spewing American cartoon of a Mafioso) issued a statement, reading: “Although the film claims to tell the ‘true story’ of the family, the narrative is anything but accurate, depicting Aldo Gucci — president of the company for 30 years — and other members of the Gucci family who were the protagonists of well-documented events, as hooligans, ignorant and insensitive to the world around them.”
It went on: “Even more censurable is the baffling reconstruction of events that advocate leniency toward a woman who was definitively convicted as the instigator of Maurizio Gucci’s murder. To see her portrayed as a victim — not only in the film but also in statements by the cast — who is trying to survive in a male-dominated corporate culture, is an injustice and could not be further from the truth.”
Public relations representatives for the film said that neither the producers nor Ridley Scott, the director, could be reached to respond to the family’s statement. Lady Gaga has acknowledged that she did not engage with Ms. Reggiani (who has expressed her displeasure about not being consulted), or even read the book on which the film was based, the better to create her character from her own imagination, she has said.
In response to earlier criticisms from Patrizia Gucci (a daughter of Paolo Gucci, played by Jared Leto as a dolt of a designer in a bad corduroy suit) that the filmmakers were exploiting a family tragedy for Hollywood profit, Mr. Scott said on the BBC “Today” show: “I don’t engage with that. You have to remember that one Gucci was murdered and another went to jail for tax evasion, so you can’t be talking to me about making a profit. As soon as you do that, you become part of the public domain.”
The suggestion being: Once you’re in the public domain, your story is not your own. An assumption presumably exacerbated if your ancestors have deliberately transformed your family name into a brand that they then sold to the world. It’s kind of like saying they swapped the family soul for fame and filthy lucre, so tough luck.
It’s also why the family decided to take the fight public. It may seem like a squabble in a green-and-red horse-bit-tinged teacup, but at a time when the distinction between what is fact and what is fiction has become evermore porous, when the concept of so-called alternative facts has became a part of the general discourse, and when viewers tend to believe whatever they see onscreen (big or little), it has resonance that goes beyond the box office.
True or Not True?
Sure, the Guccis are interested in perpetuating the aura of their own taste (even though they no longer have a financial relationship with Gucci the brand, they are deeply attached to the name). But that doesn’t mean their concerns are without merit. As Lady Gaga said in a British Vogue article, “I did my very best to play the truth.” But whose truth?
Not, the Gucci family says, theirs. According to Patricia Gucci, the family began discussing the possibility of a joint statement a month or so ago, after the breathless reaction on social media to early trailers suggested there would be a wholesale embrace of Mr. Scott’s version and after earlier attempts by the family to contact the film’s producers before the movie was even in production were never returned.
On one level, this is not a surprise. For as long as there have been biopics, the people on whose lives they have been based (or the people with a stake in the lives on which they have been based) have often felt shortchanged or otherwise misrepresented by the result.
Michael Oher was not happy with “The Blind Side,” nor Mark Zuckerberg with “The Social Network.” And there’s an entire industry in complaining about what “The Crown” gets wrong. “Based on a true story” is effectively creative code for “some artistic license involved,” which is itself shorthand for sacrificing fact to dramatic imperative and story arc.
As it happens, “Gucci” takes the caveats a step further, with the opening disclaimer “inspired by a true story,” a signal that the filmmakers may have taken more liberties than usual. (Another signal: All the characters speak English in various versions of fake Italian accents, a much-derided choice that makes no sense.)
Yet the film is not presented as magical realism, nor even overt satire. It is based on the nonfiction book by Sara Gay Forden, “The House of Gucci: A True Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed,” and none of the names have been changed, creating an expectation that what the viewer is seeing is at least a plausible re-creation of a historical truth. There has been much discussion of the attention to period detail when it comes to the wardrobes — so ’70s and ’80s fabulous! Even some from the actual Gucci archive itself!
But a cursory and noncomprehensive list of some of the changes the filmmakers made includes: the erasure of three of Aldo’s four children (who were also in the family business); the deletion of Dawn Mello, a key figure in the Gucci renaissance under Maurizio and his outside partner, Investcorp (and a female power player); the collapsing of various outside lawyers and bankers into the single figure of Domenico De Sole, who has been turned into a Tom Hagen figure à la “The Godfather” who not only does professional dirty work but also personal; and the fast-forwarding of Tom Ford’s breakthrough collection to associate it with Maurizio’s leadership (not true; nor did it involve men or Gucci G-strings — those came years later).
Such reduction can often be excused in the name of art and story streamlining: plot details that matter only to insiders. And the actual Gucci saga, with its competing boardroom power plays, was convoluted at the best of times. At a time of limited attention spans, you can understand why it seemed better left on the cutting room floor.
Except that there is also another element that has also been elided in the film: the reason any of it mattered in the first place.
Gucci Gucci Gucci
For that you have to go back to the myth of elegance, craft and a bit of flash encapsulated by the word “Gucci” that made the products — the shoes and bags and clothes — desirable as markers of both aspiration and achievement. And that was created largely by the exact characters the film turns into caricatures, embracing the showy trappings of success — furs! Ferraris! — to gussy up a rotten core. They may be entertaining to watch (Jared Leto and Lady Gaga may even get Oscar nominations out of it), but as tastemakers they are impossible to believe.
By most accounts, Aldo and even Paolo, not simply Maurizio and Rodolfo, were magnetic figures whose carriage reflected the soignée substance of what they were selling — and, indeed, helped sell it.
In a recent review of the film for Air Mail, Tom Ford, who had a front-row seat to the whole story (though not the precise one depicted in the film), wrote: “In real life, none of it was camp. It was at times absurd, but ultimately it was tragic.” The lack of nuance in the movie made him, he wrote, “deeply sad.” In a phone call, Domenico De Sole said much the same.
In their statement the family said it reserves the right to “protect its name, image, and dignity,” which sounds like yet another Gucci case might be the offing. But Patricia Gucci (who is currently embroiled in a different lawsuit, in which one of her daughters is suing her ex-husband for childhood sexual abuse, and she is named as a co-defendant) said there are no such plans; they are leaving it to the court of public opinion for now.
Will it make a difference? It’s easy to dismiss the complaints as the whining of sore losers who are obsessed with image over all. But it’s exactly that image that formed a totem of identity that is part of the story of how we got to here: how so-called craft became a value unto itself and fashion vaulted from being a bunch of small family-run businesses into a global part of pop culture.
And that in turn is part of what made the movie itself worth making, because that’s why a corporate and family crisis exploded into closets around the world. It’s part of why, since the film’s release, searches for Gucci products have gone into the stratosphere; according to the global fashion marketplace lovethesales.com, up 257 percent for Gucci bags alone.
To miss that seems not so much like creating art and more like fake news. And in that case, no one really wins.
Vanessa Friedman is The Times’s fashion director and chief fashion critic. She was previously the fashion editor of the Financial Times.
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The origin of the Oriental Brothers International Band can be traced to a man, JOHN IKEDIALA. He’s a relative of Dan Satch, who himself is a founding member of the group.
Shortly after the Biafra War, a lot of Igbos faced hardship as a fallout of the War. Igbos lost homes, property, friends, and family. One such person was John Ikediala, a musician, who could barely survive and his music career was at a standstill. So, Dan Satch’s wife pleaded with him to help Ikediala resuscitate his band so that he could have a source of livelihood and not die.
Dan Satch, in his usual nature of benevolence, abandoned his job as a mechanic, to help John Ikediala to revamp his band. This however came at a cost to Dan Satch. Not only did he abandon his work as a mechanic, friends, and relatives mocked him for abandoning his work for music.
And so, the journey to the great Oriental Brothers International Band started, without their knowing it. Dan Satch assembled musicians, those he knew and those that were brought to him. Among these musicians were Tony Awoma, Kabaka, and Warrior. Actually, Kabaka came to replace Awoma, who in his usual nature was not a stable person and had gone even before anything too serious had begun. It was because he was always coming and going that Dan Satch actually brought Kabaka to replace him. (Awoma returned in 1977 to replace Kabaka when he too left in 1976).
Warrior himself also came to replace the first vocalist. At this time, Dan Satch could only play xylophone and nothing else. He left the xylophone when Aquila joined since Aquila was good at percussions and conga. Dan Satch then started teaching himself how to play the guitar and bass. Finally, a band was formed for John Ikediala with Warrior on vocals, Kabaka on guitar, Dan Satch on bass, Ichita on drums, and Aquila on percussions.
In search of greener pastures, the band moved to Kano around 1970/71. However, the move turned out to be a disaster. John Ikediala became selfish and didn’t take care of the band. According to Dan Satch, the band members had to endure serious hunger, with Kabaka quitting the band.
By 1972, the boys couldn’t bear it any longer and Dan Satch appealed to those who were left that he had a sister in Lagos and that they should move there. So the band landed in Lagos and stayed in Ikeja. They initially were playing in hotels and joints. Dan Satch began searching for Kabaka again and eventually brought him back to the band. However, according to Dan Satch, Kabaka was very reluctant to come back. He had to send important people to him with some cash to persuade him to come back. Kabaka eventually returned but was rumoured to have given Dan Satch one condition: that he be appointed band leader. A request Dan Satch granted.
Kabaka, Warrior and Dan Satch on the cover of their 1997 reunion album, Anyi Abiala OzoThey continued as a band in this fashion without a name, not to talk of the Oriental Brothers International Band they are now famously known. Dan Satch started visiting record companies to secure a recording contract. He first went to EMI where the band was rejected outrightly. This was because Sony Okosuns who was the A&R Manager at that time allegedly blocked them. From there, they went to DECCA/Afrodisia where they were also initially rejected due to comments also allegedly made by Ebenezer Obey, but the receptionist, a man at the studio who was Igbo, pressed a few buttons for them. Miraculously, DECCA officials sent a message to Dan Satch that they were coming to the hotel where they were based to audition.
Dan Satch got the boys ready including buying polo t-shirts for each of the members so the band could look clean and professional. The band played Ìhè Chi Nyere for the audition. It was a simple setup with Warrior on vocals, Kabaka on lead guitar, Dan Satch on bass, Ichita on drums, and Aquila on percussion. There was no rhythm guitar part for the song and Kabaka had to keep playing non-stop throughout the length of the song.
Fortunately, DECCA was somewhat impressed and the boys were invited to the company to sign a contract in 1973. It was at the point of filling out the forms that the name ORIENTAL BROTHERS came about. This was how the Oriental Brothers International Band was born.
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By Bobmanuel Udokwu
Obinna Nwafor aka Saint Obi was no doubt one of the leading celebrities in Nollywood – the multi billion dollars Nigerian film industry.
He etched his name firmly in the industry by playing several leading roles in his active years to the admiration of millions of his fans across the globe as well as respect and admiration from his colleagues in the industry. He was as vibrant as can be when he was on any movie set, sharing jokes and banters with both senior and junior colleagues – a delight to be with. I have acted with him on several major film productions and we complimented each others performance on set.
Sudden News of Death and Shock
Outside the movie set/industry however, Saint Obi was a shy, self-effacing, almost reclusive individual who loved his privacy. This trait made it difficult for many to know when he took ill early in the year and eventually died on May 7th, 2023 in Jos, Plateau State.
Confusion, disbelief and sorrow followed his passing which was confirmed about a week after his death. He was an enigma both in life and death!
As the general public was coming to terms with his death, the Actors Guild of Nigeria embarked on fund raising (which I contributed to) and organised a Candle Light Vigil in his honour on the 11th of August in Lagos.
Shockingly, the turnout of our Nollywood colleagues to the event was abysmally poor! It left watchers of the Nigerian film industry perplexed.
Grief of A People
On Friday, August 18th, 2023, Obinna Nwafor better known as Saint Obi was laid to rest in his home town Umuezealaeze literally meaning “King’s children of the kingdom”, Alaenyi – “Elephant Town, Ogwa in Mbaitoli Local Government Area, Imo State.
The event was well attended by people from all works of life. His people (Ogwa community) were out in their large numbers, united in grief for the passage of their celebrity son.
As the black and gold coloured casket bearing Saint Obi’s body was lowered to the earth, his wife cried bitterly, shaking her head from side to side, perhaps reminiscing the wonderful times they shared together. His children were looking mostly lost and confused.
Nobody From Nollywood
I looked around the crowd for our Nollywood colleagues and could find none! Nollywood completely turned it’s back on Saint Obi in death! From the church service held in front of his palacial country home to his burial inside his large compound, Nollywood industry people were not there, not even those from his home state Imo State! I eventually sited only Charles Awurum.
No film marketer was there. I didn’t see any film producer or director at Saint Obi’s burial. Even veteran directors who claim to have made Saint Obi a star were not there!
I arrived at Saint Obi’s place early enough to join in the events of his funeral even before it started.
Did Saint Obi Express His Dismay?
After his burial, as I was sitting with some visitors in his main parlour, his enlarged picture on the wall suddenly crashed to the floor! My interpretation? He must have been showing his disapproval that friends and colleagues in Nollywood completely abandoned him in death.
Saint Obi has gone to be with his maker. He has left the stress and worries of this earthly existence behind. For those who of us still living, the journey continues.
My question however remains – Nollywood: What Sin Did Saint Obi Commit?
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The Catholic Artistes and Entertainers Association of Nigeria (CAEAN) of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja has given awards to the deserved winners of its Jesus Christ’s Passion Play Competition 2023
From Nwagbo Obi
The event took place on Sunday, 13th August, 2023 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Abuja
CAEAN which is the umbrella body of Catholic filmmakers, actors, actresses, directors, dancers, musicians, makeup artistes, costumiers among others in Nigeria had recently called for entries on a short film on Jesus Christ’s Passion that would attract prizes
Entries were received by Marcos Habila-led Committee set up by CAEAN Abuja. Adjudicators chaired by the Nigerian veteran actor, Zulu Adigwe with Prof Barth Oshionebo, Dr Olympus Ejue both scholars of Theatre Arts department, University of Abuja, Ambassador Wahala, a Nigerian renowned comedian among others as members keenly watched them and announced the winners
The prizes were accordingly won in this order, St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church Pasali, Kuje (First); Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Wuse Zone II (Second); The Church of Archangel Parish, Durumi/Garuwa (Third).
They were given the cash prizes instituted by the trio of and tagged, Rev. Fr. Patrick Alumuku, CAEAN Abuja, Chaplain first prize for Abuja CAEAN Jesus Christ’s Passion Play Competition 2023 (2) Sir Dr. Rufus Ebegba second prize for Abuja CAEAN Jesus Christ’s Passion Play Competition 2023 (3) Dr. Mrs Chinwe Abara Third prize for Abuja CAEAN Jesus Christ’s Passion Play Competition 2023.
The CAEAN Abuja chairman, Mr. Patrick Nwagbo Obi who represented the CAEAN Abuja Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Patrick Alumuku said the prizes were to encourage creativity in entertainment such as; filmmaking, directing, acting, music, dancing, makeup, costuming, etc for evangelism in the Catholic Church.
He added that the Catholic Church is blessed with enough stories that artistes and entertainers can use to make all-year-round productions. Citing the example of the film made by Pete Edochie on Blessed Iwene Tansi, as an instance, Obi said Catholic Artistes can focus on the stories of biblical figures like Moses, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, David, Solomon etc and saints like Anthony of Padua, Kizito, Joseph, Mary, Patrick, Augustine, Padre Pio, Charles, John Paul II, Theresa, Mother Theresa, Cecilia among others can provide continuous contents
The chairman of the Adjudication Committee, Zulu Adigwe told the winners, though they won, they need to constantly engage in the creative and performance activities to perfect their artistic and entertainment engagements
Stating that though perfection belongs to God, he asserted that man can struggle to be excellent. On this note, he added that the only way to arrive at being excellent as a Performing Artiste is to consistently practice. He counseled that one can buy a large mirror and continuously look through it while imitating other people’s actions and mannerisms
Sir Ken Achine, former Chairman, Catholic Men Organization (CMO) who represented Sir Dr. Rufus Ebegba commended the winners for their efforts saying that there are potentials in them, while Dr. Mrs Chinwe Abara advised that CAEAN should strive and reach to organizers of festivals for them to be included and called on individuals to strive towards excellence that should create stardom in them
CAEAN Abuja Secretary, Mr. Mathew Kaha thanked the institutors of the prizes and called for more people to institute more awards like best actor, best actress, best Director, best makeup artistse, best costumier, best cinematographer, best producer among others to encourage individual creative ingenuity for evangelism
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