As Grace of Monaco is released on Netflix, we take a look at what director Angelina Jolie may have created.
In a recent interview, Angelina Jolie spoke about directing the film “Unbroken“, the true story of American hero/legend Louis Zamperini, one of greatest generation’s greatest life-stories. Angelina talked about how challenging it was for her to make this film, because she held the legacy of this amazing person in her hands. She emphatically repeated how it was such a huge responsibility to get it right, to expand on this very impressive life… and “try to do nothing – nothing – to hurt it”.
It is truly a shame that the creators of “Grace of Monaco” did not feel the same responsibility about honoring the life and legacy of Princess Grace. Director Oliver Dahan repeatedly insisted that he hated biopics, and therefore was not making a historic film about Grace Kelly’s life – instead he was making what he called “art”, telling a story about his assumptions of what it would be like for an actress to become a princess, which unfortunately did not honor the true story of Princess Grace’s life at all. The reason that “Grace of Monaco” failed so miserably is because no one other than Nicole Kidman seemed to care about the real people they were portraying, and it appears that no one felt that it was their responsibility to “get it right” by honoring the true life and legacy of those involved. Although movie makers are known to take dramatic license, in this case, the script writer got more things wrong than he got right – however, the use of historic footage at the beginning of the film will mislead many to believe that this movie is a true account of the real people and events that have been completely fictionalized in the film.
Author Joan Dale – Christmas in Palace of Monaco
This is why the family of Joan Dale, one of Princess Grace’s closest friends for 25 years, has chosen to publish “My Days with Princess Grace of Monaco,” the true story of what really happened in the events loosely depicted in the film “Grace of Monaco”. Mrs. Dale seems to have the same sense of responsibility as Angelina Jolie, remembering Princess Grace and Prince Rainier as they truly were, and telling their story as only a true insider could. Too bad “Grace of Monaco” was not made by people of conscience. At least Joan Dale has done everything in her power to ensure that Princess Grace’s legacy remains unbroken…
It took over 50 years for Louis Zamperini’s life to be honored in film… perhaps someone will eventually make a film that truly honors the life and legacy of Princess Grace. If so, we can only hope that it will be in the hands of a director who really cares to tell the truth, which in this case, is far more fascinating and intriguing than the failed fiction of “Grace of Monaco” Let us all pray…
