“I don’t get it,” my 14-year-old whispered half way through The Great Gatsby.
“It’s a love triangle between Gatsby, Daisy and Daisy’s husband,” I explained.
Having read F Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel in anticipation of Baz Luhrmann’s new film, I had a heads up on the plot. She sipped her coke and nodded, as another bejewelled, Moet-fuelled party extravaganza dazzled at Gatsby’s mansion. The only thing missing was Nicole Kidman a la Moulin Rouge in a corset and top hat.
Gatsby, Daisy and Tom in the good times
The nuances of the film, narrated by writer Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) – Daisy’s cousin – are at first lost in the spectacle. Thinking about it, the detail of the spectacle is lost in the spectacle.
Sheer white curtains billow across the film for 30 seconds before revealing Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan) in all her designer flapper elegance. Writing curls across the screen. A hyperactive Prince look-alike plays funk Swing on the towering organ. Dresses shimmer by the extra. Tiffany jewels, designed in collaboration with Catherine Martin, have their own close ups. And in the middle of all this is a story, wandering around like Leo DiCaprio’s Jay Gatsby at his own party.
Just when in danger of turning into a long Moët ad, the story finally becomes centre stage. Poor Nick Carraway has been vainly narrating all this time, setting the scene, detailing how he is drawn into the hedonism, Gatsby’s mysterious money, and Gatsby’s desperation to see Daisy. Baz pulls back just in time, only indulging in a remix of Gotye and Lana del Ray as the characters in all their Gatsby glory become clear.
Leonardo DiCaprio is an intense Jay Gatsby
Luhrmann has explained he saw parallels with Fitzgerald chronicling the 1920s excesses preceding the Great Depression and the extravagance and arrogance pre GFC. Beyond this is Fitzgerald’s eye on inequality in this society and the social stigmas still blighting those who challenge the status quo. Cue a metaphorical reference in the film to this and Myrtle’s (Isla Fisher) dirty glamour.
As the film speeds like Gatsby’s custom yellow sports car to its climax, both story and spectacle become drenched in vivid ugliness, which is much more engaging than the glamour overblowing that preceded it. Baz and partner Catherine Martin’s visual brilliance make their films so memorable. But it can blow out, and not just with the budget as The Great Gatsby did.
As the credits rolled, I asked my daughter, “so you got it?”
She stretched. ”Great soundtrack.”
http://youtu.be/ozkOhXmijtk
