Priscilla

by Giuliana D’Alessandro

One of the most well known couples in history is Elvis and Priscilla Presley. On November 3, 2023, Sofia Coppola and A24 films released a marvelous biopic of their relationship from the perspective of Priscilla Presley. The film is based on Priscilla’s autobiography/memoir published in 1985, named Elvis and Me: The True Love Story Between Priscilla Presley and the King of Rock N’ Roll. 

Summary of the Film

Priscilla, directed by Sofia Coppola, starring Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi, is a drama following the decade-long relationship between Elvis and Priscilla Presley. The film begins in Germany, 1959, where 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu resided with her family due to her father being stationed there by the US military. At a party on the base, she meets 24-year-old Elvis Presley (10 years her senior) who had been enrolled in the army at the peak of his fame. The rock n’ roll star immediately takes interest in Priscilla, and so they begin casually dating. This was despite her parents’ concern over the drastic age difference. He eventually returns to the US and loses contact with Priscilla for some time. This left the teenager heartbroken.

In 1962, Elvis reconnects with Priscilla, proclaims his love for her and asks her to visit him in Graceland, his estate in Memphis, Tennessee. She was welcomed with open arms by his friends and family there. She reluctantly returns home only to convince her parents to move to Graceland permanently as long as she graduates high school there. So, she is enrolled in a Memphis Catholic school, where she is not allowed to make friends due to her association with him. He forces her to change her hair and makeup, which she does. She did not do well in school and almost didn’t graduate.

Priscilla’s isolation begins to take a toll on her mental state. This was worsened by the constant rumors of Elvis’ infidelities, one of the most infamous rumors being him and Ann Maragret, his movie co-star. However, everytime she would confront him about the allegations, he would threaten her and insist that she must learn to accept his behavior. 

Eventually, the wed in 1967, however as Elvis’ career pressures and substance abuse worsened, this negatively affected the couple’s relationship. Priscilla became pregnant, and gave birth to their first and only child Lisa Marie Presley. Throughout the film, Elvis becomes more and more emotionally volatile, especially after his comeback special. This led to them having separate lives, with Priscilla spending most of her time in California, and becoming romantically involved with her karate instructor, Mike Stone.

While visiting her husband in his hotel room in 1973, Priscilla found him inebriated. She then informs him how she wants a divorce which leads to, in my opinion, one of the most iconic and liberating scenes in the movie. 

Review of the Film

I have been looking forward to this film for months. I have been an Elvis fan since before I could remember and so obviously this film intrigued me. Not to mention, Sofia Coppola is one of my favorite directors and after watching some of her works (such as The Virgin Suicides and Marie Antioniette), you would probably form the same opinion. She has a way of expressing girlhood perfectly in all of her films. Especially in Priscilla.

This film was absolutely beautiful in my eyes. As a teenage girl myself, I can say that Cailee Spaeny expressed the innocence and thought process of a coming-of-age girl so perfectly. Also, as a teenage girl, I can vouch that everyone who will see this film will fall in love with Jacob Elordi. He portrayed Elvis as a complex and charming star that made you think “No wonder Elvis was such a heartthrob”.

Throughout the film, I constantly found myself relating to Priscilla. It was a rollercoaster of emotions, I couldn’t decide if I should hate Elvis for the infidelity and verbal abuse or love him for the caring and beautiful moments that he and Priscilla would share. This, I think, was exactly what Coppola intended. She wanted you to be put in the shoes of Priscilla. Should I love him or hate him? Should I stay or should I leave? I found myself conflicted just as Priscilla had been throughout the film. 

Not to mention the costuming and makeup was impeccable. Coppola had mentioned in an interview that they used Priscilla’s hair as an indicator of what era they were in. Whether that be the 50s, with her natural updos, 60s, with her huge black beehive, or the 70s with a return of her natural hair. In the 70s, when she leaves elvis after realizing she was trapped in a toxic relationship, her hair is natural, which is not only historically accurate, but it shows how she was no longer listening to his demands and started to find herself. Every time Spaeny and Elordi were dressed in replicas I gasped as to how perfect they looked. The silhouettes, heavy eye makeup and bright colored clothes transports you to the 60s (you can practically smell all the hairspray in the theater).

Overall, this movie left me in tears, both happy and sad. I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone. Whether you’re an Elvis fan, feminist, teenage girl, Lana Del Rey enthusiast (almost forgot to mention how Lana coded this movie is) or just someone in search of a good movie (or all of them like me), this film is definitely worth the watch.