PRISCILLA
US, 2023, 113 minutes, Colour.
Cailee Spaeny, Jacob Elordi, Ari Cohen, Dagmara Dominczyk, Tim Post, Lynne Griffin.
Directed by Sofia Coppola.
Soon after the release and popularity of Baz Luhrmann’s spectacular and glittery portrait of Elvis Presley, Elvis, comes this rather subdued portrait of his wife, Priscilla.
It is based on her memoir, Elvis and Me, published in 1987, the basis for so many films about Elvis Presley. The memoir, has now been adapted for the screen by writer-director, Sofia Coppola. In looking at Sofia Coppola’s career, we see that she has been continually interested in teenage girls and younger women: The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette, The Bling Ring…
This is a rather subdued film in its tone, making quite a contrast between the personality of Priscilla and her celebrated husband. Cailee Spaeny won the Best Actress award in Venice for this performance. She has to be the somewhat timid schoolgirl, aged 14, away from the US, in Germany with her military parents, invited to meet Elvis, somewhat bewildered, then fascinated, and growing fascination. She has to deal with her parents’ reactions. But, then she has a visit to Graceland, and the family accept Elvis’s invitation for her to live at Graceland and go to school in Memphis. So, Priscilla from age 14 to 18.
Jacob Elalordi, much taller than Elvis in real life, shows us Elvis in his early 20s to age 30, cheerful, comfortable with the young Priscilla, respecting her in terms of sexual relationship, the marriage, the birth of their daughter. The Presley estate did not give permission for any of Elvis’s songs to be used so the soundtrack is not of him but of popular hits of the time finishing with I Will Always Love You (as Priscilla drives away from her marriage).
There are references to Elvis’s singing career, to the films, gossip about a relationship with Ann Margret. But, this is Priscilla’s film.
For a great deal of the film, Priscilla is left alone at Graceland, Elvis doing the bidding of Colonel Parker (who does not appear but there are many telephone calls and demands), lonely, glad to see Elvis, but the victim of his presumptions about male superiority and domination, even a touch of physical violence with apology, but, finally, his serious reading of the Bible and her negative reaction.
Early in the film, there is the introduction of Elvis and his pill taking, sharing this with Priscilla, indication of tragedy to come.
Many have appreciated the opportunity to see something of Priscilla Presley – but, for many audiences, it is rather low-key, not an energetic portrait.
- Audience interest in Priscilla Presley? Elvis?
- Based on an autobiography by Priscilla Presley, from the 1980s, her executive producing this film?
- The focus on Priscilla, her background, in Germany, her age, the encounters with Elvis, the growing relationship, is respecting her, the visits to Graceland, her going to live in Graceland, her parents response, Elvis taking responsibility, enrolled in school, graduation (and cheating), the wedding, her pregnancy, her staying at home, Elvis absent, his domination when at home, his friends, the staff at Graceland in support, her isolation, need to be herself, Elvis and the Bible, her decision and leaving?
- Audience response to Priscilla, aged 14, shy, in Germany, the military background, her isolation, education, the military officer and his invitation to meet Elvis, her continuing shyness, Elvis’s response, her responses? Audience sympathy for her at her age and inexperience? Audience response to her growing attachment to Elvis, her life at Graceland, the benefits and happiness, the hardships, the isolation, the magazines, the gossip, the issue about Ann-Margret, audience sympathy to her when Elvis was dominating, brutal? Audience sympathy with her decision to leave?
- The screenplay and its focusing on pills, Elvis and his pill popping, sharing with Priscilla, the growing dependence?
- The film as a portrait of Elvis, age, military, Germany, already his reputation, singing, style, public reaction, popularity, censorious religious responses, his films? His relationship with his father? Memories of his mother? Love for his grandmother? His response to a 14-year-old girl, over the years, having heard to Graceland, coming to live there, his concern about education, the humorous sequence of the nuns being photographed with him? His work, absences, the films, magazines and publicity, speculations, Las Vegas, and Margaret? His response to Priscilla about Ann Margret? Colonel Parker, not seen, the phone calls, his domination? Elvis’s presuppositions about male domination, his love for his mother, love for his grandmother? The continual presence of his entourage? His reading the Bible, insistence for Priscilla? Response to his shock at Priscilla leaving?
- A portrait of Priscilla Presley, living for so many decades after Elvis’s death, her daughter (and her daughter’s death just before the release of the film and listed Marie’s criticism of the bad treatment of her father here)?
