On The Great Gatsby

There is much about F Scott Fiztgerald’s The Great Gatsby, first published in 1926 that must appeal to filmmakers. This is evident in that this most current version is the fourth cinematic adaptation (there are made for TV adaptations also). An opportunity to represent the glamorous locales and explore what are some vapid characters must be hard to resist, especially when it is packaged in Fitzgerald’s languid and opulent writing.

At the same time The Great Gatsby poses a significant problem for a filmmaker which happens to also be the same reason that makes it a good novel; the narration. Told through the eyes of Nick Carraway, a tedious and inconsequential person, (the closest Fitzgerald could get to ‘us’) who stands on the shoulders of the newly rich and old money to appear tall. Within the novel, Carraway provides a gateway to a representation of the American Dream that is at times of Steinbeck, yet as far from his dustbowl narratives as you could get. The entirety of the novel is through Carraway’s eyes and his internalised emotions offer the commentary.

For a filmmaker wishing to stay faithful to the text (which Luhrmann has mostly done), this means a voiceover and offering most of the screen time to a character not even the fifth most interesting in his own story. Herein lies the problem. The voiceover is didactic rather than revealing and Carraway stands around for much of the film like an awkward third wheel, which is what he is, but on screen (and in 3D) this is all too obvious.

Luhrmann has made a visually arresting film, which is, in 3D a little sickening as we race around the gaudy Gatsby parties. Unlike Carraway we never feel fully invited into this world. It is as if Lurhamann has hoped that by replicating Fitzgerald’s text the effect of the novel will transpose on to the film. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

However, this is not Luhrmann’s film. It will not be remembered for his CGI recreation of the 1920s; his CGI flights through New York City or his CGI car rides. Instead this is DiCaprio’s film as here he once again proves why he is the successor to DeNiro (DeNiro has also appeared in a Fitzgerald adaptation of The Last Tycoon). DiCaprio embodies Gatsby in such a way that demonstrates an acute knowledge of the source text as well as an awareness of the medium he’s working in. The moments between his Gatsby and Carey Mulligan’s Daisy are captivating and there are moments of utter magic as they loudly express their desires without saying a word. The Great Gatsby is not the adaptation audiences were likely hoping for. If seen, it must be seen at the cinema and if remembered it will be so for marking the further rise of its lead actor.