You would think that a movie about screen legend Grace Kelly might be centered around any one of her famous films, or perhaps her trifecta with Alfred Hitchcock that included “Dial M for Murder,” “Rear Window,” and “To Catch a Thief.” But no, it's going to be about uh, tax havens. We're not kidding.
Last fall it was reported that "The King's Speech" producer Pierre-Ange Le Pogam was gearing up a "The King's Speech"- style story centered on Kelly that wasn't about her movie career exactly, but instead focuses on the six-month period in 1962 when the city-state of Monaco got into a heated dispute with France, which had grown tired of the small principality being a tax haven. Kelly maneuvered behind the scenes to save Monaco from a coup. So, a movie with Kelly talking about tax law…fun! But what do we know, the "Grace Of Monaco" script by Arash Amel (the upcoming "The Expatriate" with Aaron Eckhart and Olga Kurylenko) made the Black List, so maybe there's more to it?
In any event, Deadline reports that Olivier Dahan, who helmed the sensation "La Vie En Rose" and has struggled since to gain that heat back, will take the director's chair on the movie. Dahan's most recent effort was the little seen "My Own Love Song," a music movie that like "Country Strong" followed in the wake of "Crazy Heart" and that very few people cared about (even with a soundtrack that included all new tunes by Bob Dylan). He spent last year directing the soccer comedy "Les Seigneurs" which hits theaters overseas on April 11th. But this is certainly a step back toward a project that could thrust him back into the limelight.
No word yet on who will take on the lead role in the $15 million dollar movie, but Pogam is already meeting with actresses, and the hire of Dahan — who helped Marion Cotillard to an Oscar — should certainly be an incentive. Any suggestions?