The documentary begins with the Siegel's portrayed as having limitless funds and resources. Then slowly they show how the money begins to diminish. The same can be said about Jackie's personality throughout. At first, it is very flamboyant and wealthy, then she tones it down a little and becomes a more down-to-earth person. One scene in the beginning of the movie has Jackie showing her various clothing items with prices of thousands of dollars. Then, after Westgate has to let many employees go, she has a makeshift boutique where they could get items, either for cheap or for free — it was not indicated. However, the way the clips are cut show her in many lights. She cooks, but doesn’t clean the dog poop. She knows the personalities of her children, but does not take care of them like the nannies. She is, to some extent, a trophy wife, however she proves that she cares for her husband by cooking for him. Although Jackie has an engineering degree from college, she does not come across as the smartest woman in the room. I think that this comes from being immersed in wealth for so long. Although she did work previously, none of her instincts from that time seemed to kick in once the family started losing their money. This seemed, to me, like an act. Engineering degrees are not easy to obtain, yet she could not put together the facts to realize three of the same game did not need to be bought for Christmas.
Had the housing market not crashed, the Siegel family would continue on as it did prior to losing much of their investments. Versailles would be complete, and Jackie’s closet would have many more mink coats. Rather than having some trace of reality in their lives, they would still be living in the clouds.
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