The Great Gatsby (Movie)
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The Great Gatsby movie is a 16th May, 2013 film centered on a novel that was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925 bearing the same name (Li, Qin, and Lili). Baz Luhrmann and stars Leonardo DiCaprio co-directed the film whose production started in 2011 in Australia and ended in 2013 with a budget of $190 million. The movie talks about the life and events revolving around a millionaire called Jay Gatsby and Nick Maguire, his neighbor. Nick moved to New York City in the spring of 1922, at a time when glittering jazz and moral decadence. Nick narrates how he met Gatsby at the wake of the Roaring Twenties in New York from his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom Buchanan. The neighbor and the unfolding events draw Nick to the illusions, affections and treacheries of the super-rich which give him a first-hand experience to narrate a tale of incredible love, honest dreams and tragedy.
The film received more praises than criticism from the audience. Some of the people criticized the performance, soundtracks, visual presentation and the way the film was directed (Polan). Most of the people responded positively to the overall production style although it did not cover everything. For instance, Fitzgerald’s granddaughter who is a filmmaker, Eleanor said that she loved the film. Other reviewers claimed that the film took their breath away and was worth their time. According to other reviewers, the film combines tragedy, comedy and character. The film shows that a first person narrative can be transformed into a good film. The film earned a lot of money globally.
The film is set in a time in the US history between the years 1922 and 1925 (Lathbury). The time period marked the aftermath of World War I, the Roaring Twenties. War veterans were returning from war at the time while people started migrating from rural areas to nearby towns. The period was marked with normal life’s events without. Many parts of the country were returning to normalcy following the years of war, hatred and riots. People were trying to settle down, find meaning in life and even get the love of their lives. The United States enjoyed years of prosperity due to agriculture, industrialization, urbanization and business growth. Satisfied people enjoyed Jazz music, lavish lifestyles and partying. For instance, the movie portrays Gatsby as a millionaire who loved throwing parties.
The movie and the factual accounts as illustrated in the book differ in some ways. Firstly, the movie gives a frame to Nick’s narration by introducing a broken Nick (Lathbury). The Nick presented in the movie is working with a doctor for health recovery after overindulgence in alcohol. The book illustrates him as a careful and considerate person. The movie portrays Jordan Baker’s athletic skills immediately without much revelation. The book displays her as Nick’s casual lover.
Historically, the movie is set in a time of peace and prosperity in the United States of America. The movie teaches about this time from the fact that it introduces a man who is desperately doing everything possible to regain his lost love. In a typical war period, Gatsby would have found it difficult to lavish his wealth; instead, safety would have taken first priority. The romantic words used in the film, accompanied with changes in mood help in creating comic relief. In my opinion, the film was acted to standards which show the greatness envisaged in “The Great Gatsby”.
Works Cited
Li, Qin, and Lili Zheng. “The Greatness of Gatsby in the Great Gatsby.” Advances in Literary Study, vol 03, no. 02, 2015, pp. 52-57. Scientific Research Publishing, Inc., doi:10.4236/als.2015.32009.
Polan, Dana. “The ‘Great American Novel’ As Pop-Up Book: Baz Luhrmann’S The Great Gatsby.” Adaptation, vol 6, no. 3, 2013, pp. 397-399. Oxford University Press (OUP), doi:10.1093/adaptation/apt018.
Lathbury, Roger. The Great Gatsby. Farmington Hills, MI, Gale Group, 2000.
