The Great Gatsby's Film Adaptation

Harper Lee wrote on her novel To Kill a Mockingbird 's film adaptation, “If the integrity of a film adaptation is measured by the degree to which the novelist’s intent is preserved, Mr. Foote’s screenplay should be studied as a classic.” Indeed the film is still renowned as one of the best adaptations ever. However, other authors have opposite reactions like Clockwork Orange 's Anthony Burgess, “The film made it easy for readers of the book to misunderstand what it was about, and the misunderstanding will pursue me till I die.” The adaptation of a great novel is a delicate business but if done correctly highly rewarding. The recent adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald 's brilliant novel The Great Gatsby by director Baz Luhrmann attempts this …show more content…
At the beginning, Gatsby and Daisy are extremely uncomfortable; however, once they warm up to each other, the scene turns into a romantic daze with Nick as an accompaniment. To demonstrate the unease, Nick’s “own face… assume[d] a deep tropical burn” (Fitzgerald 86-87) because of the silence that prevailed Gatsby’s and Daisy’s reunion. Despite Nick having no personal reason to be anxious, the air was so full of embarrassment he “couldn’t muster up a single commonplace out of a thousand in [his] head” (Fitzgerald 86-87). Furthermore, Gatsby was standing oddly against a mantelpiece while Daisy was “sitting frightened” (Fitzgerald 86). Fitzgerald even plays with the setting to convey the negative mood by having rain storms in the background. Through all of this, Nick, with the helpful distraction of setting out the tea, starts to converse with Daisy and ease the mood. However, he understands the two must be alone so he makes an excuse to leave prompting Gatsby’s alarm. In the kitchen while Gatsby begs Nick to stay, Nick tells him he “is acting like a little boy” (Fitzgerald 88) summarizing the ordeal. Nick is anxious for his two guests to get along and his guests are nervous because they haven’t seen each other in so …show more content…
However, these artistic changes do not conflict with Fitzgerald 's intended message and mood; in fact, they simply ease the transition from paper to screen. In the movie Gatsby hears a ringing phone and assumes it to be Daisy while he is swimming. He triumphantly arises from his pool but suddenly the bang of Mr. Wilson 's bullet disrupts the scene before he can ascertain the identity of the caller. This further proves his everlasting hope even to the end. As he falls lifelessly back into the pool, symbolically the American dream dies as well. In the background Nick 's voice radiates from the phone in terror and Mr. Wilson takes his own life. Quickly after, with Gatsby 's lifeless body sinking center screen, Nick then describes the horrible iniquity through press reports. He tells us how they blamed the affair with Myrtle and the hit and run on Gatsby. Then, Nick is shown calling the Buchanan residence asking to talk with Daisy to alert her of Gatsby 's death. This is a fervent attempt which is dissuaded by a dishonest servant and Daisy never makes any attempt to send even a flower. Nick soon discovers he was the only man on Gatsby 's side. His rage is evident when he is shown yelling for everyone to leave Gatsby 's house. The scene ends with Nick resting on Gatsby 's steps the night before the funeral as he narrates aloud about how he is Gatsby 's