Portraying Gatsby
The novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is portrayed in two different films. The first, filmed in 1974 by Jack Clayton with Robert Redford playing Jay Gatsby, is accurate to the 1920s. The second, filmed in 2013 by Baz Luhrmann with Leonardo DiCaprio playing Jay Gatsby, modernizes the novel, yet stays true to the story and the facts. The two films are vastly different and express the themes of the novel in two entirely different, unique ways.
Jay Gatsby is the character where the very name of the novel and both films came from. Gatsby is a mysterious character that starts out as almost a sort of celebrity, but is soon depicted as a man who desperately wanted a woman and the only way to acquire his dream was to become very wealthy. In the first film directed by Clayton, Robert Redford plays Gatsby. His appearance looks almost too much like a thug and not nearly enough of the mysterious celebrity. He also has very little emotion.
During the New York hotel scene in the novel in chapter seven it states, “Then I turned back to Gatsby — and was startled at his expression. He looked — and this is said in all contempt for the babbled slander of his garden — as if he had “killed a man.” For a moment the set of his face could be described in just that fantastic way.” During the first film there was no expression that caused Daisy to react terrified. The second film directed by Luhrmann starred Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby. During this second film, however, Gatsby loses his temper and causes a commotion with Tom and the viewers see the expression that caused Daisy to retreat from the uncertainty with Gatsby back to her comfort zone with Tom. The second film represents the very reason Daisy starts to doubt Gatsby, but to an extreme measure.
While Gatsby represents the flashy celebrity who desperately pursues the woman he fell in love with and wealth, Nick represents the reflective Midwesterner who journeys to the ‘big city’ to try his hand in the bond business. Throughout the novel we continue to see the quiet, observant Nick Carraway as he narrates the book. In the film directed by Clayton, Sam Waterston plays Nick. The film emphasizes his bland and almost tedious personality. As the film continues we see Nick Carraway observe the whole movie as if he was part of the audience himself.
In the second film directed by Luhrmann, Tobey Maguire plays Nick. Nick in this film seems more involved and truly plays a significant part in the story, as he becomes close, personal friends with Jay Gatsby. Although Nick is still quiet and reflective in this film, he seems to be closer to the description from the novel. In chapter nine of the novel it states, “I began to look involuntarily out the windows for other cars. So did Gatsby’s father. And as the time passed and the servants came in and stood waiting in the hall, his eyes began to blink anxiously, and he spoke of the rain in a worried, uncertain way. The minister glanced several times at his watch, so I took him aside and asked him to wait for half an hour. But it wasn’t any use. Nobody came.” The Nick in the novel truly cared about Gatsby and in the first film this was not expressed nearly as clearly as it was expressed in the second film.
Gatsby’s parties were a huge production. The novel states in chapter three, “Dressed up in white flannels I went over to his lawn a little after seven, and wandered around rather ill at ease among swirls and eddies of people I didn’t know — though here and there was a face I had noticed on the commuting train. I was immediately struck by the number of young Englishmen dotted about; all well dressed, all looking a little hungry, and all talking in low, earnest voices to solid and prosperous Americans.” The novel causes the reader to wonder just how big and crazy Gatsby’s parties could become. In the first film by Clayton the party is depicted almost as a fancy black tie event where the guests drink wine and chat with other guests. As this film focuses on the romantic point of view you can hear the music at the party say things like, “What will I do without you, my love.” Small visuals such as this cause the viewer to focus on the romance and love between Gatsby and Daisy.
Then in the second film by Luhrmann the party is loud and fast and enveloped with energy. The music is edgier and focuses on the energy not like the other film that focuses on the romance. The music is almost a hip-hop version of 1920s music causing the edgier feel catching the excitement of the parties described in the novel In The Great Gatsby there are a few common ideas or themes such as Gatsby’s love story. Gatsby’s whole life is designed around one dream: Daisy. Gatsby desperately believes that if two people have a strong enough love for each other they will en up together. That belief is something found in almost all love stories and fairytales. But the novel isn’t only about love.
Another theme that can be found in the story is the quote we hear from Daisy, “She told me it was a girl, and so I turned my head away and wept. 'All right,' I said, 'I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool – that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” (p. 118) ‘A beautiful little fool’ is mentioned in the first film when we first meet Daisy’s daughter and she recalls this very event. Yet in the second film the theme is very prominent. The viewers see Daisy act and react to different situations and in almost every one Daisy acts smart and immediately recalls her saying, “A beautiful little fool,” and changes her reaction. At the end of the movie we see Daisy reach for the phone to call Gatsby and tell him she chose him. She hesitates and this short quote comes into play. She questions how he will be able to provide for her. She ponders the risk she’s about to take and pulls her hand away, just as Jay Gatsby is shot in the heart, immediately heart broken, and falls into the pool dead.
The second film directed by Luhrmann conveys the novel’s characters and themes by embellishing the details of the novel. Luhrmann’s film took the crazy parties to a whole new level and successfully relayed the energy level with the music and visuals. It also portrays the novel in a way almost everyone in this generation and age can relate to. The first film is bland and the characters did not match the novel’s description. The second film adds edge and excitement and matches the characters and elaborates on the themes found in the novel causing it to be the film that better conveys Fitzgerald’s characters and themes.
The novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is portrayed in two different films. The first, filmed in 1974 by Jack Clayton with Robert Redford playing Jay Gatsby, is accurate to the 1920s. The second, filmed in 2013 by Baz Luhrmann with Leonardo DiCaprio playing Jay Gatsby, modernizes the novel, yet stays true to the story and the facts. The two films are vastly different and express the themes of the novel in two entirely different, unique ways.
Jay Gatsby is the character where the very name of the novel and both films came from. Gatsby is a mysterious character that starts out as almost a sort of celebrity, but is soon depicted as a man who desperately wanted a woman and the only way to acquire his dream was to become very wealthy. In the first film directed by Clayton, Robert Redford plays Gatsby. His appearance looks almost too much like a thug and not nearly enough of the mysterious celebrity. He also has very little emotion.
During the New York hotel scene in the novel in chapter seven it states, “Then I turned back to Gatsby — and was startled at his expression. He looked — and this is said in all contempt for the babbled slander of his garden — as if he had “killed a man.” For a moment the set of his face could be described in just that fantastic way.” During the first film there was no expression that caused Daisy to react terrified. The second film directed by Luhrmann starred Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby. During this second film, however, Gatsby loses his temper and causes a commotion with Tom and the viewers see the expression that caused Daisy to retreat from the uncertainty with Gatsby back to her comfort zone with Tom. The second film represents the very reason Daisy starts to doubt Gatsby, but to an extreme measure.
While Gatsby represents the flashy celebrity who desperately pursues the woman he fell in love with and wealth, Nick represents the reflective Midwesterner who journeys to the ‘big city’ to try his hand in the bond business. Throughout the novel we continue to see the quiet, observant Nick Carraway as he narrates the book. In the film directed by Clayton, Sam Waterston plays Nick. The film emphasizes his bland and almost tedious personality. As the film continues we see Nick Carraway observe the whole movie as if he was part of the audience himself.
In the second film directed by Luhrmann, Tobey Maguire plays Nick. Nick in this film seems more involved and truly plays a significant part in the story, as he becomes close, personal friends with Jay Gatsby. Although Nick is still quiet and reflective in this film, he seems to be closer to the description from the novel. In chapter nine of the novel it states, “I began to look involuntarily out the windows for other cars. So did Gatsby’s father. And as the time passed and the servants came in and stood waiting in the hall, his eyes began to blink anxiously, and he spoke of the rain in a worried, uncertain way. The minister glanced several times at his watch, so I took him aside and asked him to wait for half an hour. But it wasn’t any use. Nobody came.” The Nick in the novel truly cared about Gatsby and in the first film this was not expressed nearly as clearly as it was expressed in the second film.
Gatsby’s parties were a huge production. The novel states in chapter three, “Dressed up in white flannels I went over to his lawn a little after seven, and wandered around rather ill at ease among swirls and eddies of people I didn’t know — though here and there was a face I had noticed on the commuting train. I was immediately struck by the number of young Englishmen dotted about; all well dressed, all looking a little hungry, and all talking in low, earnest voices to solid and prosperous Americans.” The novel causes the reader to wonder just how big and crazy Gatsby’s parties could become. In the first film by Clayton the party is depicted almost as a fancy black tie event where the guests drink wine and chat with other guests. As this film focuses on the romantic point of view you can hear the music at the party say things like, “What will I do without you, my love.” Small visuals such as this cause the viewer to focus on the romance and love between Gatsby and Daisy.
Then in the second film by Luhrmann the party is loud and fast and enveloped with energy. The music is edgier and focuses on the energy not like the other film that focuses on the romance. The music is almost a hip-hop version of 1920s music causing the edgier feel catching the excitement of the parties described in the novel In The Great Gatsby there are a few common ideas or themes such as Gatsby’s love story. Gatsby’s whole life is designed around one dream: Daisy. Gatsby desperately believes that if two people have a strong enough love for each other they will en up together. That belief is something found in almost all love stories and fairytales. But the novel isn’t only about love.
Another theme that can be found in the story is the quote we hear from Daisy, “She told me it was a girl, and so I turned my head away and wept. 'All right,' I said, 'I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool – that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” (p. 118) ‘A beautiful little fool’ is mentioned in the first film when we first meet Daisy’s daughter and she recalls this very event. Yet in the second film the theme is very prominent. The viewers see Daisy act and react to different situations and in almost every one Daisy acts smart and immediately recalls her saying, “A beautiful little fool,” and changes her reaction. At the end of the movie we see Daisy reach for the phone to call Gatsby and tell him she chose him. She hesitates and this short quote comes into play. She questions how he will be able to provide for her. She ponders the risk she’s about to take and pulls her hand away, just as Jay Gatsby is shot in the heart, immediately heart broken, and falls into the pool dead.
The second film directed by Luhrmann conveys the novel’s characters and themes by embellishing the details of the novel. Luhrmann’s film took the crazy parties to a whole new level and successfully relayed the energy level with the music and visuals. It also portrays the novel in a way almost everyone in this generation and age can relate to. The first film is bland and the characters did not match the novel’s description. The second film adds edge and excitement and matches the characters and elaborates on the themes found in the novel causing it to be the film that better conveys Fitzgerald’s characters and themes.