Like On
The Road, The Great Gatsby is one
of the American literature classics that deserves – nay, demands – a certain
degree of tact when adapting it to film and so far the results have been a
little disappointing. Jack Clayton’s 1974 effort made for lackluster viewing
despite the presence of Robert Redford in the titular role, while A&E’s
2000 TV version was laughably miscast (Paul Rudd as Nick Carraway? Er, ok…). It
seems that, despite the evident love and respect for the source material, most filmmakers
fail to successfully transpose The Great
Gatsby’s strengths and key themes to the big screen.
The moment Baz Luhrmann was announced as the
next director to tackle F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, cinemagoers needed only
look at his back catalogue to get an idea of what his approach was going to be like.
Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge! and Australia
feel less like movies and more like grand theatrical productions that are ripe
with musical numbers and place an emphasis on spectacle that frequently borders
on camp (which is to be expected, when one of your titles ends with an
exclamation mark).
The Great Gatsby is no different. From start to
finish, Luhrmann’s movie feels like the most lavish party ever put up on
screen, slicked with glossy visuals and beautiful people dancing the Charleston
to contemporary music whilst pouring rivers of champagne down their throats. In
terms of putting a modern spin on the depravity and inherent materialism of the
twenties – a recurring theme throughout Fitzgerald’s work, it must be noted – it’s
a roaring success. Purists may not be overly keen on the Jay-Z produced
soundtrack, but the tune selection fits in perfectly with the glamourized fictional
setting, while some songs even touch upon some of the tropes found in the novel
(Florence & the Machine’s “Over the Love” directly references the “green
light” that obsesses Gatsby).
However, while Baz has undoubtedly nailed the
aesthetics, he doesn’t fare so well in replicating the book’s more profound
themes. After all, this is a text about the corruption of the American Dream
and how it is reflected in one man’s deluded pursuit for what he thinks is the
love of his life. The best way Luhrmann can think of conveying such hefty
notions is to have Tobey Maguire’s mediocre Nick Carraway recite lines directly
from the book. Not that there’s anything wrong with referencing your source
material, but when it’s done too often and unconvincingly, you know you’re not
going to win over GG devotees (and it
doesn’t help that Maguire delivers the most unintentionally hilarious quote
with his typical blank stare).
Furthermore, the glossy visuals don’t always
work in the director’s favour. The scene in which Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan
finally share a kiss under the moonlight is marred by the abundance of digital
make-up on the actors’ faces, while the daytime shots of downtown New York at
times feel like the backdrop to a subpar Xbox game. Also, the excessive amount
of screen time dedicated to speeding cars and revving engines suggest that
Luhrmann is secretly auditioning for the next Fast & Furious gig.
Thank god then that he has the perfect Gatsby
in Leonardo DiCaprio. Charming, handsome and with the kind of smile that truly
does concentrate on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favour, he more
than succeeds in embodying Jay Gatsby as the perfect self-made man. His introduction
to Nick Carraway, complete with bubbly in hand and fireworks going off in the
background, is the stuff of Hollywood glamour. But Leo is just as good in the
character’s more revealing moments. Whenever he is around Daisy (a sweet, if
one-note Carey Mulligan), DiCaprio strips Gatsby of his suave, charismatic aura
and reveals the childish qualities of a gleeful schoolboy in love. It’s yet
another towering performance he can add to his already impressive repertoire. Special
mention should also go to Joel Edgerton who, in his brutish yet also surprisingly
layered portrayal of Tom Buchanan, is fast becoming one of Australia’s finest
talents to watch.
So where does 2013 Gatsby stand, then? Well, it
is arguably the strongest of the adaptations to date, but it no doubt remains a
lopsided effort. Beautiful to look at but a bit hollow on the inside, with only
DiCaprio and Edgerton truly elevating the material whenever it gets bogged down
in its own vanity. If anything, there’s fun to be had at counting how many
times Gatsby calls someone “old sport” – it will make a terrific drinking game.
3/5
