Film Review
same dance moves at supposedly different soirees. Some scenes are even completely recycled. Hoping that nobody will notice is like calling the viewer a fool!
The same can be said with the music score. There must be a theme, and it must be a constant; however, here, it becomes annoying repetition. One example is the little jingle—which is so subtle through the Baz Luhrmann's 2014 remake—grinds on one's nerves each time we see the green light blink at the end of Daisy’s coastal pier. We got it the first time around to show the symbolic importance of that "green" light! Don't need to hit us over the head with it!
se of a witness with very little power but great desire to do good by everyone. He stays withdrawn and analytic of the whole situation, even when highly involved in the events. So does Scott Wilson, in his role of the slow-witted, cheated husband with a vengeance; he stays true to the pain of a loving husband who progressively figures out what’s been playing in front of him for years. Karen Black as Myrtle Wilson, is totally despicable—either on pur-pose or not. She is one of the unlikable chara-cters in the movie, along with Tom Buchanan played by Bruce Dern.
All in all, the movie was disappointing, even with the great costumes, decor and music of the time.
time. The Twenties were an era of extra-vagance and indulgence which is only depicted in the film with the shiny, bright, sparkly elements of decor or costume. Wikipedia cites that “the film was praised for its interpretation and staying true to the novel, but was criticized for lacking any true emotion or feelings towards the Jazz Age.”
Third, the presence of the shadow of the camera and of crew members in some scenes is as unforgivable as the dipping of a boom microphone in a shot. It pulls back from the viewer’s immersion in the magic of a movie. And, they were quite a few of those gaffes here.
Finally, the actors, who were hot items in the Seventies, such as Robert Redford, look too old for their parts. It is definitely the case with Redford. Though he was only 38 in 1974, he appears already in his 40’s, and that doesn't make for a very convincing Gatsby claiming to be 32.
Mia Farrow, though beautiful, fares even poorer in her role of Daisy Buchanan. She is annoying, whining, and that makes her character look stupid, not helpless. It’s unfortunate that she
the novel, but was criticized for lacking any true emotion or feelings towards the Jazz Age.” And, “Based on 32 total reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an overall approval rating from critics of 41%. Despite this, the film was a financial success, making $26,533,200 against a $6.5 million budget.”
This movie could have been an enchanting romance had it been less messy, and the actors more in tune with portraying their characters —either with more emotion or without the exaggeration of their flaws.
I give the movie 3 stars out of 5.
39 | Ceres Magazine | Oct/Nov 2015
didn’t bring any sensuality, if not wits, to her “poor little fool” depiction that she wanted so much to portray. Her acting falls flat, though she is a much better actress than that.
Otherwise, a few actors resonate right. Sam Waterston gives to his character, Nick Carraway, the sen-
Mia Farrow, Robert Redford. The Great Gatsby (1974)