All The Money in The World Archives

Gail Harris Getty (Michelle Williams) waits for father-in-law, J P Getty.

ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

I understand why Kevin Spacey needed to be replaced. Director, Ridley Scott, needed a J P Getty, with whom the audience could be sympathetic.

Christopher Plummer, as J P Getty, fulfills the role of the American success icon, and his daughter-in-law, Gail Harris Getty (Michelle Williams,), walks a very fine line between the good mother and the gold digger.

Contrary to what the ending of this film leads the audience to believe, Gail Getty, married to one of Getty’s sons, John Paul Getty, II, does not end up controlling any of the inheritance money, at all.

Getty’s trust was overseen by his sons, Gordon and Ronald.

This is a pretty heavy-handed departure from the truth, which I suppose can be summed up as an accusation.

In the film, Gail is the one who suggests to her husband that they contact his father for financial help.

And, Gail is the one who contacts Getty for the 17 million in ransom money, to release her son, John Paul Getty III.

J P Getty died just three years after this kidnap incident. It pretty much took its toll on him and his status as an American icon.

After Gail’s son’s ear was cut off, after her son is freed, and after her son has a drug and alcohol stroke (not depicted in the film), Gail is also the one who requests funds to take care of him for the rest of his life.

Gail’s husband, John Paul Getty II, becomes an addict and divorces her for another woman, her son gets kidnapped, and then, her son becomes wheelchair bound, blind, quadriplegic, and unable to speak.

These events do not earn Gail Harris Getty any motherhood awards.

I do not believe that any of this was J P Getty’s fault.

J P Getty’s greatest crime was to be so focused on his career that he became the richest man in the world at that time, putting family and relationships, second.

If being married five times is a crime, he was guilty of that, as well.

Unconditional love was not a J P Getty strength. This imbalance in his life is what caused him a lot of strife and money.

“All the Money in the World,” written by David Scarpa, based on John Pearson’s 1995 book Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul Getty,” is well worth the price of admission.

J P Getty Bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Paul_Getty

J P Getty Jr. Bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Paul_Getty_Jr.

True story:

http://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a9173861/john-paul-getty-kidnapping/

Getty Family:

http://www.tatler.com/gallery/meet-the-getty-family-andrew-getty-history-fortune-getty-images

SYND 18-7-73 ABIGAIL HARRIS TALKS ABOUT THE KIDNAP OF HER SON

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdBDlBODjhw

What happened to John Paul Getty III?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eljSzWsaUIw