最新報導的部落格

The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, has been filmed for the big screen three times before Australian director Baz Luhrmann worked his magic on the latest instalment, which began its run in Malaysian cinemas on May 16.

All four movies have retained the novel’s title and each one stayed quite faithful to the original plot. There was also one TV film adaptation, and the book’s famous characters and storyline have been re-enacted in several popular TV shows.

1926
Director: Herbert Brenon
Cast: Warner Baxter (Jay Gatsby), Lois Wilson (Daisy Buchanan), Neil Hamilton (Nick Carraway), Georgia Hale (Myrtle Wilson), William Powell (George Wilson)

This black-and-white silent movie is said to be the most faithful adaptation of the book (reports say that perhaps the author had provided his input to the studio), but since it was made 87 years ago, a full version of the film is unfortunately not available today.

1949
Director: Elliott Nugent
Cast: Alan Ladd (Jay), Betty Field (Daisy), Macdonald Carey (Nick), Shelley Winters (Myrtle), Howard Da Silva (George)
Notable song: Al Jolson’s There’s A Rainbow ‘Round My Shoulder Based on online reviews, it seems this version did not stick to the storyline, and was even a little off-base with the fashion. Also, there are quite a lot of negative comments on the acting.

1974
Director: Jack Clayton, with a script by Francis Ford Coppola
Cast: Robert Redford (Jay), Mia Farrow (Daisy), Sam Waterston (Nick), Karen Black (Myrtle), Scott Wilson (George) Notable song: Irving Berlin’s What’ll I Do (sung by William Atherton in the film)

Perhaps the most well-known adaptation, this film sees Redford and Farrow playing the young lovers. Howard Da Silva, who played George Wilson in the 1949 film, appears in this one as a character named Meyer Wolfsheim.

2000 Director: Robert Markowitz
Cast: Toby Stephens (Jay), Mira Sorvino (Daisy), Paul Rudd (Nick), Heather Goldenhersh (Myrtle), William Camp (George) This made-for-television film has received much praise for Rudd’s portrayal of the film’s narrator (which is Jay’s best friend Nick), but not so much of British actor Stephens’ work. Rudd, who, prior to this movie was best known as Alicia Silverston’s lovable stepbrother in Clueless, did a good job bringing not just Nick but the story to life.

2013
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio (Jay), Carey Mulligan (Daisy), Tobey Maguire (Nick), Isla Fisher (Myrtle), Jason Clarke (George)
This latest version was released last week in the United States and was the opening film at the Cannes Film Festival, which is currently happening. Early reviews praise the movie’s amazing visuals and also DiCaprio’s stand-out performance as the main character. However, Luhrmann’s choice of music for the film bewilders many. Indian actor Amitabh Bachhan is also in the film, playing Meyer Wolfsheim.