Pearls and pearl jewelry featured in many films, both old and new, and are often used to symbolize themes. If you love both pearls and movies, we’ve put together a list of films featuring pearl jewelry that stood out for us. There’s something for every taste.
First Wives Club
In the First Wives Club, four friends get matching pearl necklaces for their graduation. Years later, after the suicide of one of the girls, the remaining three, played by Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton, reconnect and plot to seek revenge on their husbands who left them for younger women. The pearl necklaces are a reminder of their friendship throughout the film.
The Great Gatsby
The film plays off in the 1920’s in Long Island and New York and follows the life of millionaire Jay Gatsby in his pursuit for the love of his life, Daisy, who is married to another. Daisy Buchanan was played by Mia Farrow in 1974 and by Carey Mulligan in 2013. The film is based on the 1925 novel by Francis Scott Fitzgerald, and it’s said that Fitzgerald partially based the character of Daisy on his wife, Zelda.
Pearls are featured throughout both films and are a symbol of materialism. In one scene, Daisy receives a 350,000 dollar necklace from her husband as a wedding gift the day before the wedding. Two of the pieces that stood out were the matching hand ornaments worn by Carey Mulligan. Each ornament was made out of a bracelet with strings of pearls, extended over her hand in a Daisy motif made from platinum and diamonds, and ended with a ring on her middle finger.
Girl with a Pearl Earring
The plot of this film revolves around the events leading up to the making of the painting with the same name by Dutch painter, Johannes Vermeer, painted in 1665. The 2003 film cast Scarlett Johansson as Griet, a servant in the household of Vermeer, played by Colin Firth. In the movie, Griet was drawn in by Vermeer, helped him mix paints, and ended up as his muse. The pearl earring in the painting belonged to Vermeer’s wife, which he pressed into Griet’s ear before finishing the painting. It’s a wonder that the poor girl didn’t have a look of utter pain on her face.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
In the film made in 1992, Lucy the Vampire wore an exquisite multi-strand pearl choker with her wedding dress, which eventually became her burial dress. If you can get past the gory scenes in the film and the ridiculous wedding outfit with matching headpiece, you might be able to appreciate her pearl necklace.
Burlesque
In the 2010 musical, Christina Aguilera plays a small-town girl who moves to Los Angeles to pursue her dreams. She ends up at a Burlesque Lounge, owned by Tess, which was played by Cher, and soon becomes the venue’s headline act. In one dance scene, Christina wears a revealing costume completely covered by strings of white pearls. A show stopper and memorable moment for pearls.
The Three Musketeers
Milady de Winter is a spy and dominant antagonist in the movie based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas. In the 1973 version, Milady was played by Faye Dunaway, and the costume designers in this film loved their pearls. Faye was dripping with pearls – it was in her hair, sewn onto her clothes, and she wore pearl earrings, necklaces, and bracelets with almost all of her outfits.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
No fashion movie list is complete without mentioning the 1961 romantic comedy, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The socialite Holly Golightly, played by Audrey Hepburn, gave us the iconic look that many fashion designers are inspired by, and fashionistas aspire to. Holly wore pearls with many of her outfits, but one look stood out: a necklace with four strings of pearls held together by a Swarovski crystal brooch in the front with an elegant draping at the back.
Get your popcorn and get ready for a fun-filled evening drooling over pearl jewelry. We hope that this list will inspire and entertain you!