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« Stage Door: The ghost of Smash haunts First Date | Main | The Story Of Film: An Odyssey »
Monday
Sep162013

"In years to come, they will continue to whisper your name NICOL... I mean GRACE" 

The teaser for Grace of Monaco has finally arrived and it is one money shot of Goddess and/or Opulence and/or FYC Advertisement after another, all to further iconize Grace Kelly through another film icon Nicole Kidman.

It's an actressexual oroborus and I be gobbling it up.

Gobbling it up whilst fretting about the reviews and response to come. I'm not so secretly dreading the onslaught of negativity about 'how dare Kidman play Princess Grace' when discerning cinephiles or anyone who has actually watched their respective filmographies will surely understand that Kidman > Kelly. And anyone who can look past glamour iconography will surely understand that Grace Kelly was only 25 years old for 12 months of her life... that just happened to be the year of her life when the bulk of movies she's remembered for appeared (Rear Window, The Country Girl, Dial M For Murder) and looked different later on after leaving Hollywood. (Different being older).

Long after The House of Grimaldi has fallen, the world is going to remember your name, your highness. You are the fairy tale, the serenity to which we all aspire. And peace will come when you embrace the roles you have been destined to play.  For no matter where you are in the years to come they  will continue to whisper your name, the Princess Grace.  

The teaser's monologue is set to a lovely piece o' opera familiar to all little boys who obsessed over A Room With a View's original motion picture soundtrack in their bedroom in their parent's basement in Michigan. Hypothetical little boys from Michigan who now write film blogs in NYC which obsess over Nicole Kidman!

(Is that supposed to be Alfred Hitchcock in the first shot? Is a Costume Design nomination locked up for Gigi Lepage? Are you gagging over the beauty or just gagging? Tell us in the comments)

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Reader Comments (49)

I'm going to be mean but is it a commercial for Ferrero Rocher ?

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered Commenterfrench girl

Well, Nathaniel, I think you're too quick to defend Kidman (by kind of attacking Kelly). I doubt many (if any) people will say Nicole doesn't deserve to play Grace Kelly. Especially since Lindsay played Taylor (OK, it wasn't really a prestige movie but still..). I mean..what does "deserve" mean? Did Kingsley deserve to play Gandi? The result is what matters.

I talked too much abt this. Anyway..
I watched Stoker, Birth and Dogville (again) during these last two or three days and I think I'm falling for Nicole again. Stoker was not good (she was fine) but Birth is great (and she was great too) and Dogville was as great as the first time (and, again, she was great too).


I expect this movie to be..not good but she might be great. And Oscar-wise, she doesn't seem to have an antagonist in Watts's Diana. Though it's already a tough field.

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterJames T

Its weird to have a famous moviestar like Kidman playing a famous moviestart / princess of Monaco cause all I see is the moviestar Kidman. Nicole does not look like Grace Kelly at all

I would have preferred an unknown for this role

And the teaser look like a commercial for a luxury hotel in Monaco with fancy cars and fancy people instead of a movie

James T: Kidman has never been better as she was in both Birth and Dogville. She was not great. Kidman was A M A Z I N G

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterManuel

Kidman has a face made for the movies.

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterJaragon

yeah this teaser is terrible.... some actual fashion ads play better than it does. I hear you about the age thing but Nicole is still a decade older than the period depicted in the movie. That won't matter of course if she delivers the performance which I think she can. Let's just hope the script and director were there for her.

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered Commentermurtada

lol don't bother 'defending' that kidman won't get attacked saying "well, if lindsay played taylor"...

I actually liked this teaser - but I'm a kidman (huge) fan.

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered Commentermarcelo

Great cinematography!
And Maria Callas voice... Stunning!

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterVince

Am I the only one who can't think of anything but A Room With A View when that song plays? Anyway, the trailer looks better than I expected, even if I'm not a fan of the weird digital light filters that seem to be getting popular lately. If nothing else this movie seems determined to make Nicole Kidman look STUNNING and that is always a goal I can get behind.

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterTB

Dying to see this.

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterSad man

Wow. Nicole is definitely winning this year's Oscar Best Actress! Second win, for sure. I mean, Cate who? Cate is not even half the actress that Nicole is. Nicole is the best actress of all time. Go Nicole. I know you agree with me, Nat, so please please have her first in your Best actress prediction.

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterStupendous

It is not about the whole Kidman > Kelly thing (of course you are right), but she is way way way too old for this part, really.

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered Commentercal roth

I'm excited to see it, but when I saw the trailer I just giggled thinking Nick was right... it's pretty much a series of stills.

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered Commentereurocheese

It does look a bit like a fragrance ad, but wow, this is going to be beautiful to look at!

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterBia

Wait, what, is Nicole Kidman STILL the official sponsor for Chanel No.5? This new ad sure is great...

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterJay

I'm willing to bet that Grace of Monaco won't differ much from Diana, given the similarities between both teaser trailers.

Why did Nicole choose this role when she can pick challenging and fun roles time and time again is beyond me. Does she really want a second Oscar that much?

Bland, bland, bland.

And I'm sad Nathaniel that you keep pushing that agenda "people need to stop comparing Grace Kelly to Nicole Kidman". I'll shut up if this turns out to be a Meryl Streep/Iron Lady type of performance but for now I don't get the movie, I don't get the performance and I don't get the resemblance.

I love Nicole but not in this.

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterJay

No!

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterStitch

Nicole + Callas + Gautier + Lepage = I'm dreaming...
But I'm still don't want to see this movie. I'm having W.E. feelings...

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterDOUGLAS

I want to thank Tom Cruise for grooming Nicole for the world stage. He made sure she looked appropriate as his arm candy / beard / trophy wife and the results during and subsequently continue to reward us.

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered Commenter3rtful

One of the the three producers of the movie is Uday Chopra - younger brother of Aditya Chopra who owns the Numero Uno Bollywood production house Yash Raj Films. Yash Chopra, the dad of these two kids was the Numero Uno director in Bollywood for 6 decades - he passed away last year. It is interesting how a Bollywood production house is segwaying into Hollywood.

It is teaser so I withhold my judgement on the substance. It is undoubtedly gorgeous to look at. Bravo!

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterKD

Yeah, this trailer is pretty and also pretty ridiculous. I'm bothered by the trend of showcasing iconic females and seemingly objectifying while simultaneously decrying the negative effects their celebrity had on them. The trailer literally shows us a shot via the mirror of Nicole/Grace SLEEPING. Like, wow, that's definitely going to be integral to our understanding of her life.

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered Commentercaroline

It is definitely gorgeous, but I have to agree with the people saying it looks like a perfume ad. Kidman looks absolutely stunning and I've been rooting for her this whole time, but Diana had a very similar teaser trailer with just clips of her looking pretty. Granted, this one is far more beautiful, but still.

Also, I think its great that suddenly everyone is saying Kidman looks nothing like Kelly when years ago mostly everyone said Kidman looked exactly like Kelly. People are so hard to please.

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterJosh

At the very least, this looks sumptuous and doesn't look cheap as "Diana". I hope this is not as messy as "La Vie en Rose". Lol, who am I kidding. This will probably be terrible but I will watch it for Nicole obviously. She does look amazing.

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterDrew

3rtful -you made me laugh and i am at work. i am getting weird looks now. but wow the movie LOOKS great but who knows how it will play out. nominations for cinematography and costume could happen

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered Commentertom

According to the trivia section of IMDb (no jokes, please), the script for this movie was listed in the 2011 Hollywood Black List of the most liked unproduced screenplays of the year. It's the (mis)direction I'm most worried about.

And for those who think Nicole Kidman looks nothing like Grace Kelly, rewatch The Others (or when she gave George Clooney his Golden Globe in 2001: http://youtu.be/ChOXx78I3mg). Bam.

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterMareko

I am concerned that this is ... trash! Will probably watch on a long and never-ending United flight.

September 16, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterJason

"...Kidman has a face made for the screen..."

Oh, never mind. I don't want to be banished from the site I love so much.

September 17, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterPatryk

Not gonna lie, i totally squealed when i saw the headline this morning.

But the trailer? Bleh. I wanted MUCH more than that.

Nicole looks amazing, but i'm really seeing gorgeous Nicole rather than gorgeous Grace. Plus, i'm always on edge when biopics don't show the actor speak or perform as the character in the trailer. It usually means that the impersonation is probably off. It's Nicole so i already have high expectation but i am feeling a bit cautious at this point.

September 17, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterDerreck.

This is not a trailer it is a teaser and very well made one! People need to calm down, Nicole Kidman looks to be aceing this one.

September 17, 2013 | Unregistered Commenterlittle my

Sort of gagging!

September 17, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterRick

I love Goddess Supreme Kidman herself but who had the silly idea of totally bypassing Rosamund Pike for this role? She would've been perfect. And she can do so much with so little too, which may have applied here too after all.

September 17, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterMark The First

Oliveir Dahan: Do for Nicole what you did for Marion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

that's all.

September 17, 2013 | Unregistered Commenterbrendam

It's a mixture of Chanel No.5's commercial and Diana's trailer. Not good. I just rewatched Birth. Damn, she was really good in that. She needs to lay off botox.

September 17, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterThe Infamous

I find it really funny how quickly people are saying Nicole looks nothing like Grace Kelly. What are they blind? It's not like they are getting Oprah to play her! LOL Like Grace Kelly, Nicole is one of the few classic style movie stars so it makes perfect sense for her to be attracted this role and for her to play her.

The teaser looks visually spectacular & is likely aiming to ease people's fears about the visual element of the film which is a big risk when you think about it, especially if you get it wrong.

I also immediately though of Room with a View when I heard the music and recalled my childhood listening to my parents music.

September 17, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterGraham

"Nicole" has a face made for the screen"


NIcole has a face made BY a plastic surgeon.. I don't see the artificial beauty .. she once was enchanting... but that has nothing to do with the performances she gives... some good, some wonderful and some downright bad...


Wonderful= To Die For, Rabbit Hole, The Others

good= The Hours, Moulin Rouge

bad= Stepford Wives , Bewitched

September 17, 2013 | Unregistered Commenterrick

Yes she was a looker for Grace in The Others but that was before she really overdid the surgery,I just don't see it for this film,i's looking more an more likely that the 5 will be Streep,Blanchett,Bullock,Dench and either Adams,Thompson or Winslet in that order

September 17, 2013 | Unregistered Commentermark

no body looks like Grace Kelly, or probably ever will again on the silver screen. Her beauty is legendary. Any actress they cast would not look like Grace. But Michelle Williams looks nothing like Marilyn Monroe and she got nominated

September 17, 2013 | Unregistered Commentertom

Meh.

Has there been a really good movie about Maria Callas? Now that i'd like to see. Someone needs to give these tired princesses a rest.

September 17, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterRobert

I always love the choices Kidman makes as she is an actress even after winning the Oscar who continually takes risks, even if it sometimes is to her own detriment. With that being said, the trailer looks like a fashion house perfume ad. Hopefully it won't disappoint. It is weird though as I have gotten a sense that TWC has been hiding this film from the public.

September 17, 2013 | Unregistered Commenterkailor

Nicole Kidman is a great actor. Nicole Kidman is a beautiful person.

HOWEVER, Nicole Kidman the person has NOTHING resembling Grace Kelly. She may put a good performance but she'll never be convincing as Grace Kelly. (just like Idris Elba as Mandela).

In answer to a comment above:
Michelle Williams' beauty is not close to Marilyn Monroe's either, but for eff sake, she LOOKS the part. She was the appropriate age, she has a pretty face and although she doesn't look like Marilyn their physionomy is similar. Plus, Michelle actually disappeared into the part.

You people are INSANE if you think Nicole Kidman will be able to do the same. In this trailer of assembled pretty pictures she already looks 10,000 miles way off any Grace Kelly vibe. And yes I'm going to say it her face looks 100x plastic in this.

Even Naomi Watts looked more like Diana than Nicole.


P.S. - I second the Rosamund Pike mention. She would kill. January Jones also looks similar. And if we're looking into the late 30s-early 40s age bracket, wouldn't Charlize Theron be a better fit?

September 17, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterTim

This looks like a HERE IS ME THE MOVIE STAR performance - Nicole Kidman simply looks like Nicole Kidman, playing a pretty blond princess. The only way people will buy it is if no one in the rest of the world remembers who Grace Kelly is.

September 17, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterTim

You really don't want to give Nicole's performance a chance? Just asking...because no one has yet seen her performance in Grace of Monaco (except apparently a few people at a secret screening that Roger Friedman mentioned in his blog.) Is it already time to trash it?

September 18, 2013 | Unregistered Commenterdawn

But isn't the age issue more that we're supposed to accept Nicole Kidman playing a 25 year old when she's in her mid-forties? I mean, we all have eyes. I think we all realize that Grace Kelly lived beyond 25. That's not the point.

And this is a very nice perfume ad.

September 18, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterEd

It is way too late to be discussing the age issue or resemblance issue. The movie has been completed with Nicole Kidman as Grace Kelly. I maintain that it is now time to accept that fact and move on. As a Kidman fan, I don't enjoy highly derogatory comments about her. If you want to make those comments, there are many other internet sites where those are acceptable. When you go for the jugular here, I think you need to chill out.

September 18, 2013 | Unregistered Commenterdawn

Kidman has sabotaged her own career with Botox and she should be ashamed of herself.

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