The Transcendence of The Devil Wears Prada
You hear the deafening sound of the “clackers” strutting down the hall, a fabulous fur coat and bag are thrown onto your desk, everyone around you is in an absolute panic… who wouldn’t want to be Andrea Sachs? Since it’s theatre debut in 2006, The Devil Wears Prada has solidified its place as part of the fashion movie bible. Love it or hate it , you can’t deny that it transcends today for a number of reasons- five specifically.
Reason number 1: the star studded cast. Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt… quite the fantastic four if you ask me. The fact that Streep added another Oscar nomination to her collection should tell you everything you need to know. But if you aren’t convinced- just watch the film again; each cast member delivers a captivating performance that has you rooting for each of their characters in the end… yes, even Miranda.
Fox Pictures
Reason number 2: the fashion. None other than costume designer Patricia Field, also known for her work on Sex and the City, could have taken up the task of curating the arsenal of apparel that fuels this iconic film. Decadent and dreamy, it’s not surprising that the film spent a whopping one million dollars on wardrobe alone. You can’t even mention the film’s fashion without conjuring thoughts of the iconic “Vogue” montage where Andy transforms into a confident fashionista as Madonna blares in the background (because, duh, who else?).
Fox Pictures
Reason number 3: the controversy. After Lauren Weisberger’s novel came out in 2003, and David Frankel’s even more popular film in 2006- audiences everywhere were wondering how much of the film (if any) was true? Is Miranda Priestly really inspired by Anna Wintour? And if so, how spot-on did they get it? Whether you deny it or not, audiences love a good scandal, and this film gave everyone something to talk about.
Fox Pictures
Reason number 4: the quick script. It can’t be just my mom and I who quote this movie 24/7, right? Featuring an amazing team of writers and a clever book to adapt, the script is witty and memorable. Forever drilling cerulean blue into the heads of movie-goers, The Devil Wears Prada gave everyone a repertoire of Miranda Priestly digs and insults to fire off in a fix. “Details of your incompetence do not interest me”... I mean, c’mon.
Reason number 5: a feminist’s heroine. Miranda is the so-called “dragon-lady” of the film, but she is not the narrative’s villain as she is often made out to be. Andy says it best herself, “If Miranda were a man, no one would notice anything about her except how great she is at her job.” Miranda has to combat unflinching antagonism and misogyny from her male-coworkers who are discomforted by her assertiveness. Priestly is a successful businesswoman that disrupts perceived male superiority, so if she is the villain, she is merely the villain to patriarchal society that has oppressed women for centuries.
In the famous words of Miranda herself… That's all.
Riley Kubaska