To Be Like Grace Kelly
October 31st 2007 19:17
Remembered most of all for her patrician poise, her sensuality and dignified elegance, the chemistry she seemed to generate so effortlessly both onscreen and off, and of course, her film star fame and royal union – Grace Kelly was a woman whose spirit lives on in golden immortality.
Born to wealthy parents, with a father who was one-time Olympic gold medallist and self-made millionaire, Kelly had an uneventful childhood until the age of twelve, when she set along the path that would lead to her future acting career. By the time she was twenty-two, after success in television and theatre, Kelly landed her first big leading film role with High Noon.
Many triumphs were to follow over the next three years with Mogambo, for which she won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress, Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, The Country Girl which earned her a Best Actress Academy Award and Golden Globe, and To Catch a Thief.
During this time, there was much public interest in her love-life. She was reported to have had affairs with the Shah of Iran, her married Dial M for Murder co-star Ray Milland, and Bing Crosby, and was engaged to Russian fashion designer Oleg Cassini. Kelly was still engaged, and apparently pregnant to, Cassini when she met Prince Rainier III of Monaco, but she terminated the pregnancy and broke off the engagement in order to marry her new royal love.
And marry him she did, in 1956, within a year of their first meeting. Rainier had purportedly been under pressure to marry and produce and heir, or Monaco would revert to France, and he thought a movie-star wife would be ideal in order to boost tourism and the poor economy of his country. He allegedly made very high dowry demands of the Kelly family, which gave them some misgivings, but all was settled in the end with a bridal gift to the Prince of $2 million.
After they were wed, Kelly became Her Serene Highness, the Princess of Monaco. Their nuptials were watched on television by thirty million people: a taste of things to come with Diana Spencer and Mary Donaldson, as people the world over tuned in to witness a fairy tale come true.
Nine months after the wedding, the royal couple’s first child was born – a girl, and a little over a year after that, the heir came along. Princess Grace had done her duty, and so the third child was not born for another seven years. During this time, Kelly had retired from acting altogether, and, Prince Rainier had banned all screening of her films in Monaco. Six years after she was married, Kelly was given the lead in Marnie by Hitchcock, but ended up having to turn it down because of public outcry. Fifteen years later, in 1977, Herbert Ross offered her a part in The Turning Point, but Rainier this time flatly forbid her to accept it.
In 1982, at the age of fifty-two, Kelly had a stroke while driving, and her car plunged down the side of a mountain. She died the next day, without gaining consciousness. One hundred million people watched her funeral on television: a taste of things to come with Diana, as people the world over this time tuned in to witness a fairy tale’s demise.
She was a beautiful and talented woman who left many legacies to this world, for which she is still remembered lovingly twenty-five years after her death. But for all the fame and fortune, glitz and glamour of her life, I don’t think I’d try to be like Grace Kelly – it’s really no wonder all her looks were so sad.
Michaelie Clark
The sublime beauty of Grace Kelly - Image courtesy of moderngirlstyle.com
Many triumphs were to follow over the next three years with Mogambo, for which she won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress, Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, The Country Girl which earned her a Best Actress Academy Award and Golden Globe, and To Catch a Thief.
During this time, there was much public interest in her love-life. She was reported to have had affairs with the Shah of Iran, her married Dial M for Murder co-star Ray Milland, and Bing Crosby, and was engaged to Russian fashion designer Oleg Cassini. Kelly was still engaged, and apparently pregnant to, Cassini when she met Prince Rainier III of Monaco, but she terminated the pregnancy and broke off the engagement in order to marry her new royal love.
Princess Grace of Monaco - Image courtesy of fashion-era.com
And marry him she did, in 1956, within a year of their first meeting. Rainier had purportedly been under pressure to marry and produce and heir, or Monaco would revert to France, and he thought a movie-star wife would be ideal in order to boost tourism and the poor economy of his country. He allegedly made very high dowry demands of the Kelly family, which gave them some misgivings, but all was settled in the end with a bridal gift to the Prince of $2 million.
After they were wed, Kelly became Her Serene Highness, the Princess of Monaco. Their nuptials were watched on television by thirty million people: a taste of things to come with Diana Spencer and Mary Donaldson, as people the world over tuned in to witness a fairy tale come true.
Nine months after the wedding, the royal couple’s first child was born – a girl, and a little over a year after that, the heir came along. Princess Grace had done her duty, and so the third child was not born for another seven years. During this time, Kelly had retired from acting altogether, and, Prince Rainier had banned all screening of her films in Monaco. Six years after she was married, Kelly was given the lead in Marnie by Hitchcock, but ended up having to turn it down because of public outcry. Fifteen years later, in 1977, Herbert Ross offered her a part in The Turning Point, but Rainier this time flatly forbid her to accept it.
Their Serene Highnesses - Image courtesy of philanthropymagazine.com
In 1982, at the age of fifty-two, Kelly had a stroke while driving, and her car plunged down the side of a mountain. She died the next day, without gaining consciousness. One hundred million people watched her funeral on television: a taste of things to come with Diana, as people the world over this time tuned in to witness a fairy tale’s demise.
She was a beautiful and talented woman who left many legacies to this world, for which she is still remembered lovingly twenty-five years after her death. But for all the fame and fortune, glitz and glamour of her life, I don’t think I’d try to be like Grace Kelly – it’s really no wonder all her looks were so sad.
Michaelie Clark
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Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
Beauty mixed with tragedy - he life was so Shakespearean.
Cheers
MNG
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
My thanks, mon ami.
Michaelie
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Grace Kelly's poise and screen persona were faultlessly elegant. Off screen though the image tarnished, it was always refreshing to find out she was human.
Beautiful and stylish, Grace's was a full life that will forever be immortalised.
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
I guess it was hard enough for Grace Kelly herself to live up to her film image - it makes her faults and mistakes more apparent, but it also makes her more real, as you say.
I think there was a lot in her life that was very bittersweet.
Michaelie
Comment by Lara M
Love Speaks
Food Slate
Comment by katyzzz
Photography Tips
MS Paint Art
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Michaelie
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Exquisite is the word, and her life was so interesting too!
Your ex's dream girl... take that as a compliment then because he obviously had good taste in women!
Michaelie
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
God she was an amazingly beautiful woman. But I always felt that for all her stunning looks she always had a look of sadness about her.
I'm not sure I would have wanted to be her either
Kylie
Comment by Krystal
feelings
Comment by Aimzster
Health and Beauty
Reality TV
The Jeepney Stop
First Time Mum
Comment by JoH
What a stunner!
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
She really did - maybe all that serenity was actually just deep-down sadness. Plus, look at what she gave up to be a princess - swags of handsome lovers, film stardom, the right to a career and to see her own work screened...
Can't say I'd give it all up for old Rainier!
Thanks Kylie,
Michaelie
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Michaelie
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
I wonder how many people have taken her photo - or Audrey's for that matter - to the plastic surgeon with them? Maybe that's an idea for a follow up post for you - whose nose/chin/face would you ask the doctor for? Lol.
Yeah, Rainier isn't quite as asthetically pleasing.
Ta!
Michaelie
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
She certainly was a stunner and a half! I should have put a pic up of her in her later years - even then she was so classically beautiful.
Michaelie
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
Wow she really was a stunning woman hey? I recall standing on a look out on the way to Monte Carlo and someone mentioning her having died in the area.
AN incredible life - it`s good to know more about her now.
Ash
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
That sounds about right, she was driving back to the Palace from the country house at the time. People always say that the highway she had the stroke on was the same one from her movie To Catch A Theif, but I don't know if that's true.
Definitely an amazing life though - too bad she died so young.
Thanks Ash!
Michaelie
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
What a wonderful post. It was as beautifully written as she was a person.
Tracy
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
However, if a beauty pageant was held with Grace Kelly and My Writing as the contenders, I couldn't see any other than Kelly going home with the crown!
Plus, what would My Writing do for the talent section? Lol. Play the spoons, probably. In with a chance then.
Michaelie
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Thanks!
Michaelie