ABC MONDAY NIGHT MOVIE: GRACE KELLY (TV)
Summary
This made-for-television movie, for which Princess Grace of Monaco assisted in the pre-production phase, is a dramatization based on her life as the actress Grace Kelly, leading up to her marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco. The program begins as a young and ill Grace watches from the window of her family's Philadelphia estate as her parents and siblings play touch football. Later, Grace tries to participate in the games but struggles, especially compared to the rest of her athletic clan. Soon, Grace is performing in school plays. Later, Grace's brother, John Kelly Jr., fetes their father, brick magnate Jack Kelly, during an acceptance speech for an athletic prize. In 1947, Grace is now a recent high school graduate, still not participating in her family's athletic endeavors. Grace speaks with her father about her desire to become an actress. Jack thinks his daughter is too shy for the stage. Grace wants to join the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York and Jack begrudgingly allows her to enroll. In the acting school, Grace works on her craft. After one bad class, a schoolmate invites Grace to come along with her to a cigarette commercial audition the next day. That night, Grace practices elegantly lighting and smoking cigarettes, but she struggles not to cough. Grace returns home to her family for Christmas and the Kellys are stunned to see her commercial on television. However, Jack isn't pleased. Grace informs her father that prestigious agent Edie Van Cleve is offering to represent her. By 1949 in New York, Grace is continuing to go on auditions for all kinds of roles, as well as commercials. Grace gets a supporting part in a Broadway adaptation of August Strindberg's "The Father" after lead actor Raymond Massey takes her under his wing. On opening night, Grace's mother Margaret goes to Grace's dressing room with Jack. Following Jack's dismissive comments, Grace gets some advice from the play's leading lady, Mady Christians. The next day, Grace brings the early newspaper reviews to Mady with breakfast. Mady then tells Grace about the transitory nature of on-set romances. Later, Grace gets a call from her agent telling her to hurry to an audition for a new Gary Cooper movie. Grace is cast in "High Noon" and is soon on set, being directed by Fred Zinnemann. Later, Grace tells her mother how poorly she felt she performed in the picture. Jack tells Grace it is time for her to "reevaluate" her acting career. Later, Grace learns that John Ford wants her for "Mogambo" starring Clark Gable. She agrees to a seven-year contract with MGM, though she asks for stipulations to be made for her. The studio agrees and soon Grace is headed to Africa for the film shoot. At night when shooting is over, Grace flirts with her leading man and asks to go on safari with him. By the time "Mogambo" has wrapped, Grace and Clark are rumored to be in love. Grace is overwhelmed by all the reporters that now follow them. Clark coldly says goodbye to Grace at the airport and she feels abandoned. By 1953 in New York, Grace is struggling in dealing with the press. One day at a restaurant, Grace is introduced to fashion designer Oleg Cassini. One day, Grace receives flowers from an anonymous sender. They turn out to be from Oleg, who asks her out on a dinner date after she flies to Los Angeles later in the week. In Los Angeles, Grace has begun shooting Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window" alongside James Stewart. At dinner with Oleg, Grace discusses what she has "heard" about the designer. The two go on more dates and are soon locking lips. However, Oleg returns to New York due to Grace's inability to make him a priority. Grace dreams of being married, and isn't sure that Oleg is the perfect match. For her next film, Grace sets her sights on scoring the title role in "The Country Girl." She meets with costume designer Edith Head about her chances of getting loaned out by MGM. Grace asks for Edith's help in making her look more age-appropriate for the potentially career-altering part. Grace gets an audition for "The Country Girl" but star Bing Crosby refuses to be present. Grace ultimately lands the role. During shooting, Bing tells her that it's no secret that he didn't want her in the movie, but he has found her acting to be "remarkable." After finishing voiceover work for "Green Fire" in 1954, Grace reunites with Oleg in France, where her next film is to be shot. For that part, Grace is to reunite with "Hitch" and act alongside Cary Grant in "To Catch a Thief." After shooting, Oleg shows Grace nearby Monaco and the rest of the French Riviera. There, Oleg asks Grace to marry him. Soon, Oleg is lunching with Grace and her mother back in New York. Margaret speaks candidly to Oleg, telling him that she finds him a bad risk as a husband due to his Russian Orthodox religion and his two previous marriages. Margaret tells Oleg she wants Grace to marry a family man whose marriage will last a lifetime. Meanwhile, Jack has no interest in meeting Oleg. Grace agrees to call off the nuptials as she does not want to displease her parents. One day when Grace is back with her family to meet sister Lizanne's new husband Don, she gets a call from Hollywood. She hears that she has been nominated for an Oscar for "The Country Girl." At the 27th Annual Academy Awards, Grace surprisingly takes the prize over several highly touted contenders. Even Jack is seemingly thrilled to hear of Grace's win. However, when making quotes to the press, he equates Grace's triumph with her siblings' recent sporting victories. Hurt once again by Jack's coldness, Grace heads directly to Cannes to promote "The Country Girl," not bothering to stop off first in Philadelphia to see him. Once in France, Grace is scheduled to meet Prince Rainier of Monaco and is nervous about their first encounter. However, the Prince is "unavoidably detained" and Grace is forced to wait for his arrival, getting a tour of his estate and participating in a solo photo session. By late afternoon, the Prince has still not appeared and Grace has begun to think him rude. Finally, as she's about to depart, he arrives and apologizes to Grace. The Prince takes Grace to see his zoo and she is quickly charmed. Meanwhile, the Prince acknowledges being smitten with "the Catholic girl." Back in Hollywood, Grace acts in "The Swan" with Alec Guinness. For Christmas, she returns to Philadelphia, where Grace is surprised by the arrival of the Prince at her family's home. Grace discusses her career with the Prince and the pressure she feels, after which the Prince details the life of a monarch. Meanwhile, the Prince's consort, Father Tucker, asks Jack how Grace would answer a marriage proposal from the Prince. The Prince is saddened when the time comes for him to return to Monaco. Before leaving Grace on New Year's Eve of 1955, he proposes marriage and she accepts. The press eats up the impending nuptials of Grace and the Prince, wondering if the actress will give up her career after completing her final commitment, "High Society." That night, Margaret discusses how thrilled she is with Grace marrying the Prince. She claims that Jack feels the same way. Meanwhile, Grace tries to decide what to do about her acting career as she sets off for Monaco. On the Atlantic crossing, Jack finally shows a softer side to his daughter and tells her that he loves her. Newsreels report on Grace's arrival in Monaco. The night before the ceremony, Grace is taken to a remote chapel by the Prince. There, they exchange vows in private. On Grace's wedding day, Jack admires his daughter's beauty and tells her that he will miss her. Then, the two walk down the aisle as Grace is presented to the Prince. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: February 21, 1983 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:35:35
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:04109
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV, 1983
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Michael Weisbarth … Executive Producer
- Brian Russell … Executive Producer
- Stanley Chase … Producer
- Phillips Wylly … Associate Producer
- Anthony Page … Director
- Cynthia Mandelberg … Writer
- John Tartaglia … Music by
- Cheryl Ladd … Cast, Grace Kelly
- Lloyd Bridges … Cast, Jack Kelly
- Diane Ladd … Cast, Margaret Kelly
- Alejandro Rey … Cast, Oleg Cassini
- Ian McShane … Cast, Prince Rainier of Monaco
- William Schallert … Cast, Father Tucker
- Marta DuBois … Cast, Rita Gam
- Salome Jens … Cast, Mady Christians
- Brian Patrick Clarke … Cast, John Kelly Jr.
- Heidi Bohay … Cast, Lizanne Kelly
- Kaaren Lee … Cast, Peggy Kelly
- Ryan MacDonald … Cast, Mr. Austin
- Donna Martell … Cast, Mrs. Austin
- David Paymer … Cast, Jay Kanter
- Paul Lieber … Cast, Mr. Stern
- Paul Lambert … Cast, Raymond Massey
- Boyd Holister … Cast, Clark Gable
- Scott Edmund Lane … Cast, Tom
- Edith Fellows … Cast, Edith Head
- Dorothy Constantine … Cast, Grace's Hairdresser
- Christina Applegate … Cast, Grace as a Child
- Walker Edmiston … Cast, Fred Zinnemann
- Janet Wood … Cast, Elaine
- Rene Roussel … Cast, Jean-Pierre Aumont
- Gisele Grimm … Cast, Countess De Segonzac
- Pierre Fromont … Cast, Colonel Severec
- Jamie Alba … Cast, Delivery Boy
- Anthony Benson … Cast, Still Photographer
- Arthur Berggren … Cast, Alec Guinness
- Michael Alan Brooks … Cast, Dennis
- Edward Call … Cast, Shipboard Interviewer
- Mark Carlton … Cast, Shipboard Reporter #2
- Donald Carter … Cast, "High Noon" Minister
- James Chandler … Cast, John Ford
- Mickey Cherney … Cast, Audition Director
- Alain Chevalier … Cast, Match Photographer
- Van Corwith … Cast, William Holden
- Al Dunlar … Cast, Looping Editor
- Dan Gilvezan … Cast, Reporter #3
- William Hellinger … Cast, Ship Reporter #1
- Marilyn Korones … Cast, Wardrobe Mistress
- Jean LeFrancois … Cast, Pierre Galante
- Leanne Richelle Mellinger … Cast, Meg
- Roland Monk … Cast, Elias Lapinere
- Milton Murrill … Cast, Fordie
- James Newell … Cast, TV Interviewer
- Edmund Penney … Cast, Reporter #2
- Tony Rohr … Cast, First London Reporter
- Simon Rouse … Cast, Second London Reporter
- Bill Sorrells … Cast, George Seaton
- Charles Stewart … Cast, Toastmaster
- Lomax Study … Cast, Alfred Hitchcock
- Roger Til … Cast, Bishop
- Phillip Tripp … Cast, Don LeVine
- Noni White … Cast, Grade School Teacher
- Wendee Winters … Cast, Reporter #1
- Ben Piazza … Cast
- Gary Cooper
- Cary Grant
- August Strindberg