The Victoria and Albert Museum in London is honouring Grace Kelly from April 17th to September 26th with an exhibition entitled Grace Kelly: Style Icon and here at This Film Is On we would also like to praise this screen icon.
She was the Hitchcock blonde
There were others of course in this collection of icy blondes that Hitchcock had a penchant for, though Kelly is the one that springs to mind as the quintessential female of this type. Kelly starred in just three of his films; Dial M For Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954) and To Catch a Thief (1955). Hitchcock did want Kelly to star in Marnie, however by this time she was Princess of Monaco and the people of Monaco objected to this casting. Hitchcock referred to her as ‘A snow-covered volcano’ which emphasised the idea that she was the combination of sexuality and elegance, that she could be both the ice queen and the fiery temptress.
She starred in 5 box office hits in 1954
And appeared in her last in 1956. Kelly starred in 11 films, including an Oscar win for Best Actress for the 1954 film The Country Girl.
Her body of work maybe small but considering she made her first film appearance in 1952 and her last in 1956 her work rate was amazing. This was nearing the end of the studio system and having signed a seven year picture deal with MGM she managed to work herself out of the contract by allowing them to film her wedding to the Prince of Monaco. This was broadcast live to 30 million viewers in Europe and was the first broadcast of this type of event, paving the way for all the televised weddings that have followed. Her dress was even designed by MGM designer Helen Rose and was the most expensive garment she ever made. This was all for the ‘Wedding of the Century’ and it is not surprising that the superstar that Kelly was, commanded such attention on her wedding day.
She met her future husband at the Cannes Film Festival
Where else can you find yourself a nice Prince to marry but at Cannes of course. The relationship moved fast; their first date was a photocall at the festival in May, their second meeting back in the US in December he met her family, followed by an engagement announcement a few days after the Christmas of 1955, by April 1956 she was no longer Grace Kelly movie star but Princess Grace of Monaco. She was deemed the original ‘People’s Princess’ and stayed this way until her untimely death from a car accident at the age of 52 in 1982. There are even conspiracy theories that the Mafia did it, however it was ruled that she had a stroke behind the wheel causing the car to leave the road.
She has been a style icon for over 50 years
The Hermes bag that she carried to cover her baby bump from the prying paparazzi was renamed the Kelly and remains the Hermes best seller still in 2010 even with the price tag of £3,590 (I would love one). Her style was effortless and timeless, which is shown by the fact that she still gets name checked in magazines world wide today. The recent fashion campaign by Louis Vuitton featured a Kellyesque looking Scarlett Johansson. On the critically acclaimed hit TV series Mad Men, Janie Bryant the costume designer for the show has said that “Every time I see Grace Kelly I am influenced by what she wears. The simplicity, it is so classic, but it’s always dramatic.” This is clear to see in the style of the character Betty Draper whose costume is inspired by Kelly:
She was loved by her leading men
It has even been alleged that she was romantically involved with all her leading men, except for Jimmy Stewart. This speculation of her private life is all unfounded and most likely untrue and was more than likely a reaction to her being from a family that taught her to be unashamed about her body, which in the 1950s was still a relatively rare quality. What is true is that Cary Grant said that Grace Kelly was his all time favourite actress; “With all due respect to dear Ingrid Bergman, I much preferred Grace. She had serenity.”
Jimmy Stewart eulogised Kelly at her funeral saying that “Grace brought in to my life as she brought in to yours, a soft, warm light every time I saw her, and every time I saw her was a holiday of its own. No question I’ll miss her, we’ll all miss her.” This light can be seen in Kelly and Stewart’s first scene together in Rear Window and shows why Kelly has endured the title of film and style icon for so long:
