Story
Grace of Monaco follows the story of Grace Kelly (Nicole Kidman), the Hollywood star who married Prince Rainier III (Tim Roth) to become the Princess of Monaco. It takes place over two years in the early 1960s during which French President De Gaulle battles Prince Rainier over tax laws. The situation between France and Monaco is tense with the threat of invasion.Monaco is thrown into further turmoil when Grace is offered a role in Alfred Hitchcock’s new movie. Six years into her marriage, Grace is forced to decide between following her career and doing what her husband wants her to do for the sake of Monaco and its people. She begins to realise that the role of Princess involves just as much acting as any movie role, and she throws herself into the ‘role of a lifetime’.
Themes
Love; sacrifice; marrying into royalty; politics and war; fame
Violence
There is minimal violence in Grace of Monaco. Examples of violence include the following:
- Ray (Rainier) violently slaps a French representative after a verbal argument in a meeting.
- After getting into a public argument with Grace at a luncheon, Ray throws a glass onto the floor and shatters it.
Sexual references
Grace of Monaco has minimal sexual references. For example:
- On a TV screen, Grace sees people commenting on her potential role in Hitchcock’s movie. One interviewee says, ‘What if she kisses another man? They do that in movies’.
- At a boat party, someone comments that they are ‘sitting on the world’s largest penis’.
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
Grace of Monaco shows limited use of substances. For example:
- Throughout the movie, characters are seen at parties where there is champagne, wine and cigarettes.
- There are references to some people who like being ‘being the biggest drunk on the boat’.
- After there is an assassination attempt on the French President, Grace says to Ray, ‘Stop drinking – you need to keep your wits about you’.
Nudity and sexual activity
Grace of Monaco has minimal sexual activity, including when Grace briefly kisses Ray.
Product placement
None of concern
Coarse language
Grace of Monaco has some coarse language.
Ideas to discuss with your children
Grace of Monaco shows how hard it is to be part of a royal family, while also showing that love is an incredibly powerful emotion that can change everything.
The movie shows the destruction and devastation caused by opposing political agendas and government disputes, as well as the misery that can come with living life in the public eye. It highlights the lack of choice and freedom that Grace experiences after six years of marriage to a prince, but also demonstrates that people can ultimately make their own choices.
Although there is little in Grace of Monaco to disturb young children, the movie isn’t recommended for children under 12 years. It lacks interest for young children, but it does raise some interesting issues that you could talk about with teenagers.
Values in this movie that you could reinforce with older children include:
- speaking your mind, even when it might upset other people
- being true to yourself while making sacrifices for the people you love
- staying positive and hopeful, no matter how dire the situation seems
- understanding that love can help people put aside personal differences.
This movie could also give you the chance to talk with your children about real-life issues such as:
- national and international politics, and the consequences for a country’s citizens when their political leaders are at war (taxation, food supply and so on)
- the responsibilities and limitations that might be imposed on people who marry into a royal family.