The Great Gatsby (1974)
I, like millions of other Americans, read F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel The Great Gatsby during my junior year of high school. I didn’t care for it; in fact, it literally put me to sleep. My English teacher, a woman to whom I am eternally grateful and inspired my pen name, showed our class the 1974 film adaptation. From the first scene, I was captivated. The novel is now one of my favorites, as is the film. It made me a lifelong fan of Sam Waterston and Mia Farrow, and completely reversed my opinion of Robert Redford, whom I’d only previously seen in Barefoot in the Park. I’ve attempted to watch every other version of The Great Gatsby, and I have yet to watch one all the way through. This version, as far as I’m concerned, is the only acceptable version to watch.
If you managed to skip English in high school, The Great Gatsby is a novel that has inspired as many interpretations as people who have read it. It means something different to everyone, so rather than pawn off my own personal feelings on the text, I’ll provide the simplest synopsis I can: In 1920s New York, a man with a secret past pursues a former love. Don’t throw anything at me; I realize that was the worst plot synopsis in history, but if you watch the film with only that knowledge, you’ll be surprised at every turn!
If you managed to skip English in high school, The Great Gatsby is a novel that has inspired as many interpretations as people who have read it. It means something different to everyone, so rather than pawn off my own personal feelings on the text, I’ll provide the simplest synopsis I can: In 1920s New York, a man with a secret past pursues a former love. Don’t throw anything at me; I realize that was the worst plot synopsis in history, but if you watch the film with only that knowledge, you’ll be surprised at every turn!
Robert Redford plays Gatsby and gives the best performance of his career. Not only does he embody every characteristic written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, but he inserts nuances of his own that add volumes to the role. Every inflection has a hidden meaning, and every facial expression is covering two beneath it. If Fitzgerald wrote a skeleton, Robert Redford makes the entire body come to life. I’ve watched the film at least ten times, and I’m still unspeakably moved by his performance.
Everyone in the film was superbly cast, which is ironic because of the well-known trivia of how many people vied for the lead roles. Besides Robert Redford, I’d never seen any of the actors in other films. I had no preconceived notion of Mia Farrow from Rosemary’s Baby or her many Woody Allen films, so to me, it wasn’t implausible to see her in a seriously dramatic and classic role. She’s fantastic as Daisy, conveying the combination of thoughtlessness and calculation that Fitzgerald wrote as no other actress has been able to master since.
While everyone was given complex characters to portray, Sam Waterston was given a particularly tricky role. Gatsby is actually not the lead; the book is told from the perspective of Gatsby’s friend and neighbor. Although he’s technically the lead, Sam Waterston had to be careful not to steal attention away from Robert Redford. He had to be a canvas, open to the information he—and the audience—is given. He had to be honest, trusting, trustworthy, and at the same time, embody every person in the audience. Sam Waterston is perfect. He’ll always be Nick to me, just as Robert Redford will always be Gatsby, Mia Farrow will always be Daisy, and Bruce Dern will always be Tom.
The role of Tom is often portrayed as a menacing villain, but he isn’t written that way in the novel. He has many unsavory qualities, but he’s also human and, if played correctly, evokes a human reaction out of the audience. Bruce Dern is a fantastic Tom, allowing the audience to see the story from his point of view without intentionally attracting attention.
Everyone in the film was superbly cast, which is ironic because of the well-known trivia of how many people vied for the lead roles. Besides Robert Redford, I’d never seen any of the actors in other films. I had no preconceived notion of Mia Farrow from Rosemary’s Baby or her many Woody Allen films, so to me, it wasn’t implausible to see her in a seriously dramatic and classic role. She’s fantastic as Daisy, conveying the combination of thoughtlessness and calculation that Fitzgerald wrote as no other actress has been able to master since.
While everyone was given complex characters to portray, Sam Waterston was given a particularly tricky role. Gatsby is actually not the lead; the book is told from the perspective of Gatsby’s friend and neighbor. Although he’s technically the lead, Sam Waterston had to be careful not to steal attention away from Robert Redford. He had to be a canvas, open to the information he—and the audience—is given. He had to be honest, trusting, trustworthy, and at the same time, embody every person in the audience. Sam Waterston is perfect. He’ll always be Nick to me, just as Robert Redford will always be Gatsby, Mia Farrow will always be Daisy, and Bruce Dern will always be Tom.
The role of Tom is often portrayed as a menacing villain, but he isn’t written that way in the novel. He has many unsavory qualities, but he’s also human and, if played correctly, evokes a human reaction out of the audience. Bruce Dern is a fantastic Tom, allowing the audience to see the story from his point of view without intentionally attracting attention.
Although I haven’t praised the acting nearly enough as it deserves, I must move on to the technical aspects of the film. Rather than being universally panned, The Great Gatsby should have swept the 1975 Oscars, including Best Director for Jack Clayton and Best Adapted Screenplay for Francis Ford Coppola. After several disastrous attempts from other writers, Francis Ford Coppola was brought in and wrote a draft in three weeks. The script is even more thoughtful, symbolic, tragic, and poignant than the novel—and that’s saying something!
Jack Clayton treats the story with beautiful respect. Every shot is thoughtfully framed, and every scene flows effortlessly into the next. The set design and art direction is so perfectly matched to Fitzgerald’s creation, it’s impossible to read the novel without reliving scenes from the film in your head. Thankfully, Theoni Aldredge won an Oscar for her costume design, and Nelson Riddle won—after four previous nominations—for his music. All the visual and auditory elements combine to make a truly unforgettable film experience.
I could say this is the only acceptable film version of The Great Gatsby, or that whenever I reread the novel I’m a little disappointed that the extra perfections of the movie aren’t present, but if I can offer one last bit of praise it’s this: I believe deep in my core that F. Scott Fitzgerald built a time machine, traveled forward to 1974, watched the film, returned to 1925, and then wrote out The Great Gatsby.
Kiddy warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to some upsetting content, I wouldn’t let my kids watch it.
More Mia Farrow movies here!
More Robert Redford movies here!
More Sam Waterston movies here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1949's The Great Gatsby here!
Jack Clayton treats the story with beautiful respect. Every shot is thoughtfully framed, and every scene flows effortlessly into the next. The set design and art direction is so perfectly matched to Fitzgerald’s creation, it’s impossible to read the novel without reliving scenes from the film in your head. Thankfully, Theoni Aldredge won an Oscar for her costume design, and Nelson Riddle won—after four previous nominations—for his music. All the visual and auditory elements combine to make a truly unforgettable film experience.
I could say this is the only acceptable film version of The Great Gatsby, or that whenever I reread the novel I’m a little disappointed that the extra perfections of the movie aren’t present, but if I can offer one last bit of praise it’s this: I believe deep in my core that F. Scott Fitzgerald built a time machine, traveled forward to 1974, watched the film, returned to 1925, and then wrote out The Great Gatsby.
Kiddy warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to some upsetting content, I wouldn’t let my kids watch it.
More Mia Farrow movies here!
More Robert Redford movies here!
More Sam Waterston movies here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1949's The Great Gatsby here!
Hot Toasty Rag Awards:
Best Picture of 1974
Best Director: Jack Clayton
Best Actor: Robert Redford
Best Actress: Mia Farrow
Best Dramatic Screenplay
Hot Toasty Rag Nominations:
Best Supporting Actress: Karen Black