The Great Gatsby Movie Review

722 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Comparing the great gatsby book to the great gatsby movie

The 1974 adaptation of the critically acclaimed novel the Great Gatsby is directed by Jack Clayton and screenwriten by Francis Ford Coppola, with Robert and Mia Farrow as leads. The two actors give excellent performances, and certainly portray the beautiful people they are made out to be in the book. One scene in particular that reflected that Redford was was chosen for this part was when the Nick and Gatsby are in suits and Nick is perspiring in is utterly unsuitable manner of dress for the weather, while Gatsby remains cool as usual, not shedding a drop of sweat. In addition Mia Farrow develops Daisy's flighty character nicely, and she makes you love her but hate her at the same time very well.

Another aspect of the film I found impeccable was the scenery, which centres on the lives of America’s decadent and spoiled. The scenery presents the idea that they have money than they need and they can do whatever they want whenever they want. Their scenery is a recreation of European historical grandeur, a fact that the film is keen to demonstrate.

Symbolism in the movie was also awesome, I really appreciated how the director added a few twists of his own which I will come to shortly. Particularly memorable is the scene where Daisy weeps over Gatsby's shirts. Is she really weeping for their beauty ? This was really well done and hampered enough to make the viewers believe that someone could actually be so superficial. Also kudos to the director on the scene when the film visits the miserable gas-station home of Tom Buchanan's lover, Myrtle. Here the colour drains from the film, serving as a sharp contrast to the rainbow spectrum of the rich’s world, where money reflects carelessness and happiness. Also recall that owning a dog seems to be the ultimate fashion accessory of the time. The film has dogs running everywhere, a reflection I'm sure on their owners. But see if you can glimpse the scruffy mongrel that steals food from a table at one of Gatsby's parties. Is this a reflection of how Gatsby got his fortune as suggested that he came upon it just like how the dog came across the food on the table. This was one metaphor I didn’t catch in the book and I credit to Francis Ford Coppola the screenwriter. Also the Clayton/ Coppola team portray the spectacles of T.

Show More
Related

  • Film Analysis: The Great Gatsby

    1638 Words  | 4 Pages

    It is a daunting challenge to adapt an iconic novel into a film. The artistic team behind the process must find a way to stay true to the original, while simultaneously creating a new and creative viewing experience. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel The Great Gatsby is arguably the greatest American novel of the 20th century. There are numerous film adaptations of the novel, each attempting to translate Fitzgerald’s beautiful poetic prose into cinematic gold. To some, the novel itself lacks a memorable plot, and is exclusively thought of as a novel studied in high school. The readers may not be able to recall the exact story line, but the colourful and descriptive writing is unforgettable. How can a filmmaker translate Fitzgerald’s intangible prose into a meaningful film? How can the filmmaker show this beauty through visuals rather than telling with words? The following paragraphs of this paper will answer these questions, while focussing on adapting The Great Gatsby into a melodrama. This is done by emphasizing the romance and minimizing Nick as the narrator and lead. Furthermore, with the use of camera angles,

    Read More

  • What Are The Similarities Between The Great Gatsby Book And Movie

    766 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although most of the characters were portrayed the best that they could be, Daisy was not. In the book Daisy is said to have “The voice of money” (Fitzgerald 127). However, in the movie she talks more sweetly and not at all how I expected her to be played. In the novel, Gatsby’s father shows up to the funeral and shows Nick the journal that Gatsby had had when he was younger and talks about how proud he is of Gatsby but unlike the novel, the movie does not have this scene (Fitzgerald 180-182). However, the movie shows that no one came to Gatsby’s funeral except all the paparazzi that showed up to take pictures of him in his casket (The Great Gatsby). I feel this should have really been included because it showed a little more insight into the life of Jay Gatsby. The last and final difference I have about this comparison is about the scene where Daisy is going to visit Nick for tea. The book really did not include many details about how Nick’s house looked after Gatsby had sent everyone over to “get it ready” (Fitzgerald 89-90). When this scene occurred in the movie, I was really thrown off because of how decorated it was. Especially all the flowers that had been brought over to Nick’s house. It was filled to the brim with flowers which made the scene more awkward than it should have

    Read More

  • Great Gatsby Movies

    547 Words  | 2 Pages

    Two movies, one made in 1974 and one in 2013 are the most famous adaptations of the book The Great Gatsby. They are both similar, featuring memorable scenes like Myrtle’s and Gatsby’s parties. They are also different. The making of the 2013 movie is different because the technology now is extremely different from the technology in 1974. Special effects can drastically change the way a movie is made. The two movies, The Great Gatsby, are different in the format, the appearance of the characters, and the presentation of the book’s themes.

    Read More

  • A Comparison Of Interpersonal Relationships In The Great Gatsby?

    2954 Words  | 6 Pages

    In 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s well-known novel The Great Gatsby was published. Since its publishing, there have been three movie adaptations of the book. The most recent one was released on May 1, 2013 starring Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway, and Leonardo “Still Hasn’t Won an Oscar” DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby. The Great Gatsby contains relationships between multiple characters from platonic and romantic relationships.

    Read More

  • The Great Gatsby Essay: The Great Gatsby is Not So Great

    505 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Great Gatsby is a parody of itself. While Fitzgerald tries hard not to make Gatsby and especially Daisy laughable personalities, this is where he ultimately fails. There's not enough ironic distance to his characters. As Gatsby, at least in the eyes of many critics, should represent the idea of the American Dream, the presentation of his character puts the whole concept in question again, without being intended as criticism. This is mainly the fault of another weak character in the novel, Nick Carraway.

    Read More

  • The Great Gatsby

    729 Words  | 2 Pages

    In most literature assigned to young adults for academic reading, there exists major ideas students are taught to dissect and take away from their reading. In reference to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, the major moral interpretations of the tale are widely known and accepted by teens due to the variety of shared interests between the characters and their young readers. Fitzgerald encompasses several concepts from infidelity, to gender roles, to economic class, to the importance of hope; all of which he covers with exuberance. In the case of economic class, Fitzgerald creates a social structure that parallels reality whilst placing emphasis on the more desirable attributes of high class life, allowing the text to remain prevalent and relatable throughout time and cultural shifts. The similarities between reality and the world of Gatsby preserve its story and the principles that follow and the romanticism keeps young readers engaged, lending the text the timelessness necessary to grant academic attention.

    Read More

  • Great Gatsby Movie Vs Book

    770 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Great Gatsby explores themes of love, social changes, and irony, creating an image of the Golden Twenties that has been described as the tale of the American Dream. Although there was glamour in the party scene, it was highly impersonal. The characters in the movie seemed as if they were trying to mimic the ones in the book. The characters in the movie didn't really bring their personalities to life.

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Passion In The Great Gatsby

    1486 Words  | 3 Pages

    "The Great Gatsby" is a book full of passion. There is Gatsby 's passionate love for Daisy. There is Tom 's passion for money. When reading this book I realized that these people broke the American dream in their time. They couldn 't be happy when all they did was chase money. The Great Gatsby was full of themes, motif 's, and symbolism and the way that fitzgerald used his characters to get his point across of what it was like back them was marvelous. Gatsby just wanted the love of his life back, so he did everything he could so that he could support her. I think that out of every single character, Gatsby 's choices were the most pure. The only reason he wanted all of the money that he got was because he wanted to make the woman he loved happy,

    Read More

  • Essay On The Differences Between The Great Gatsby Book And Movie

    413 Words  | 1 Pages

    is Nick. In the novel Nick is a man who comes from a poor family who

    Read More

  • Film Analysis: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

    1469 Words  | 3 Pages

    In conclusion, Baz Luhrmann's version of the film adaptation to The Great Gatsby was in fact very successful and faithful to the novel. The casting was indeed almost perfect because most of the actors such as Toby Maguire (Nick Carraway), Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), Carey Mulligan (Daisy Buchanan), Joel Edgerton (Tom Buchanan) and Jason Clarke (George Willson) all portrait their character wonderfully as described in the novel. The sceneries were great because it was very descriptive compared to the scenes in the novel. The use of Computer Generated Imagery technology was perfect because it highlighted the sceneries making it very vivid, realistic and pleasurable to the eye. The costuming used in the film was very creative, wonderful and perfect because it suited each of the characters class, personality, and it also suited the time period of the 1920s.

    Read More

  • Historical Analysis Of The Great Gatsby

    1887 Words  | 4 Pages

    In conclusion the Great Gatsby 2013 film adaptation is a piece of work that will be remembered for its stunning visuals not a gripping storyline. However this forgettable story is somewhat salvaged by the characterization of Jay Gatsby who shines through as someone to watch the movie just to see. The movie is quite split when it comes to the historical accuracy. Topics like Fashion and modes of transportation are not accurately represented while topics like race relations and the setting of New York City in the roaring 20s are excellently and accurately portrayed. In my opinion this movie with its masterful visual direction and the deep character Gatsby is a movie worth seeing. Who knows you could have a totally different opinion.

    Read More

  • Differences Between The Great Gatsby And Daisy Buchanan

    513 Words  | 2 Pages

    Movies can enhance the experience of a story, but they aren’t always completely accurate to the book. The movie, The Great Gatsby, by Baz Luhrmann, is a good representation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel; however, there are quite a few differences between the two. Some differences include; the portrayal of the characters, the importance of symbolism, and events that were either added or taken out of the movie.

    Read More

  • The Pursuit of Wealth, Power, and Pleasure in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

    684 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...s with all of the parties and the pursuit of wealth, power, and pleasure in an era of change. The novel shows the relationship of Gatsby and Daisy as a symbol of this pursuit of wealth, power, and pleasure. The reader sees the pursuit of wealth through Daisy wanting Gatsby and Tom, both of whom have money. The pursuit of power is shown through Daisy’s decision of Tom over Gatsby as Gatsby is seen as a lower social status with little power compared to Tom who has tremendous power. Pleasure is seen through the extramarital affairs of Tom and Myrtle as well as Daisy and Gatsby. The Great Gatsby, through Tom and Daisy, reveals the human condition of the pursuit of wealth, power, and pleasure through these examples and shows that the “American Dream” is not possible in a life where one’s surroundings are pushing him/her towards a life of wealth, power, and pleasure.

    Read More

  • Compare and Contrast of Two Movie Versions of The Great Gatsby

    784 Words  | 2 Pages

    For example, Leonardo Dicaprio’s character of Gatsby was focused on emotions. I enjoyed that Redford was very calm and cool about everything and the way he approached the character but, Dicaprio made such an open and outgoing character which made the movie more entertaining. DiCaprio captured Gatsby’s intensity and charm and brought out the crazy mood swings and took his character and the audience to a more emotional place. Both Robert Redford and Leonardo DiCaprio had their own way of approaching the character and really selling Gatsby but Leonardo DiCaprios was better. Another reason I prefer the 2013 version of the 74’ is because of the bond and friendship Nick Carraway played by Tobey Maguire and Gatsby had MaGuire was able to bring a true and strong meaning to their friendship that made his and Gatsby’s bond feel organic and real and you were able to see that clearly unlike with Waterston where you just saw the friendship and didn’t feel any emotion. But I felt much more of a connection with his character than I did with the ’74 version. If you have read the book and seen the original film, then you understood where Nick was coming from in the scene where he was furious with Gatsby, after he believe he killed Myrtle only to find out that Gatsby wasn’t the one driving the car that killed Mrytle, MaGuire, did a fantastic job in showing his emotions and how what happened to Myrtle and the person that killed Myrtle affected him. I loved that Nick was a lot more real in this movie. He didn’t hold back and he gave the audience a reaction that anyone in life would have had if they were in his situation. Nick had the major issue of being dragged into situations because of people he knows. I thought Maguire did a great job of showing ...

    Read More

  • How To Write A Book Report For The Great Gatsby

    944 Words  | 2 Pages

    A seemingly easy read, The Great Gatsby has won over critics around the world, and rightfully so, has become one of today's greatest classics due to its complex literary content. The narrator of the novel, Nick Carraway, grew up in the Midwestern United States and went to school at Yale University. Returning home after traveling a great deal, he is discontent and decides to move to the East in 1922, renting a house in Long Island's West Egg section. Jay Gatsby is a wealthy neighbor living next door in a lavish mansion where he holds many extravagant weekend parties. His name is mentioned while Nick is visiting a relative, Daisy. As it turns out, Jay Gatsby had met Daisy five years before while in the military. Meanwhile Gatsby spent all of his effort after the war to buy his mansion through shady business dealings in order to be nearer to Daisy in the hope that she would leave her rich husband, Tom, for him. Daisy is impressed by Gatsby's wealth and the two begin spending much time together, raising the suspicions of Tom who had also has his own affair with a gas station owner's wife, Myrtle Wilson.

    Read More

More about The Great Gatsby Movie Review

Open Document