‘Priscilla’ is careful study of complicated relationship
Based on the book Elvis and Me, written by Priscilla, this is not the story of the king of rock and roll, but rather the complicated relationship between Elvis and Priscilla nay a memoir.
Hyderabad: A brief history lesson- Most people know the king of rock and roll – Elvis Presley. His life was alleged to have been full of controversies. One such character in the life of Elvis was his ex-wife, Priscilla, though she was born in the United States, her family moved to West Germany in 1956. This is where she met one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century – Elvis. They had an on-again, off-again, on again affair. Elvis finally married Priscilla in 1967 and were divorced in 1973 – most of this Wikipedia will tell you.
What Sofia Coppola’s film aims to do is showcase the emotions and Priscilla’s point of view. Based on the book Elvis and Me, written by Priscilla, this is not the story of the king of rock and roll, but rather the complicated relationship between Elvis and Priscilla nay a memoir.
Also Read
The plot is simple – It showcases the life of Elvis (Jacob Elordi) and Priscilla (Cailee Spaeny). It deals with how Prisicilla, then aged only 14 was treated both as an object of fascination and isolation thanks to her association with Elvis; how heartbroken the 14-year-old was when the 24-year-old Elvis left her and travelled back to the US; Priscilla’s travel to the US; her stay in Graceland (Elvis’s estate); she being controlled by Elvis’s father (Tim Post) and step-mother (Stephanie Moore); Elvis showcasing her as a commodity; Elvis’s brief downfall; birth of their child; her involvement with Mike Stone (Evan Annisette); and finally the move out of Graceland.
Sofia Coppola’s career-long interest in emotionally vulnerable young women is well documented: be it in Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation or Marie Antoinette. It is not surprising to see her select Priscilla as her latest project. Here too, the lead character is a vulnerable and probably the loneliest of all. Comparisons are bound to happen to the scene where Priscilla explores Graceland to that of Kirsten Dunst in Marie Antoinette, wandering Versailles after her marriage to the dauphin. Priscilla a la Marie feels a sense of entitlement to be there in Graceland, especially for their connection to a king.
It showcases how one can be alone despite being surrounded by people. It is not about escaping the solitude, but the promise of much more and the bitter after affect. Subtle scenes such as Priscilla wearing makeup before she goes for delivery or when she is photo op ready post-delivery show how completed the relationship between Elvis and Priscilla was. Coppola showcases with great effect as to how fame can be a double-edged sword. One needs to acknowledge that the story happened when the concept of social media was alien and works published in newspaper columns were more often than not considered to be gospels of truth.
Cailee Spaeny is spot on as the central character. She plays the vulnerable character to perfection. She has come a long way from her role in Pacific Rim Uprising. She displays the emotions of Priscilla to perfection. Jacob Elordi as Elvis appears almost thrice as tall as Spaeny. This is as much as a design between the original characters as it is in real life. This ensures that there are not too many close-up shots when the lead pair is on screen. He too has come a long way from his Kissing Booth days.
What would stand out here is that the character of Priscilla is not fictional. This ensured that Coppola does not take too much of liberties in the name of art (most of them encouraged by the central characters). Priscilla also shows how women were seen as someone to “keep the fire running at home” (as the Elvis character would say) even in the West. This 113-minute outing is definitely worth a shot this festive season. It is good to see non action movies reception in the country. This shows that content survives, and it need not come from Marvel or DC.
