Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Great Gatsby Week: Later Adaptations

The most famous adaptation (to date) of The Great Gatsby is the 1972 version staring  Robert Redford in the title role of Jay Gatsby, Mia Farrow, Sam Waterston, Bruce Dern, Karen Black, Scott Wilson, and Lois Chiles with Howard Da Silva, Roberts Blossom, and Edward Herrmann.  It was directed by Jack Clayton and produced by David Merrick and distributed by Paramount. Truman Capote was the original screenwriter but he was replaced by Francis Ford Coppola. On his commentary track for the DVD release of The Godfather, Coppola makes reference to writing the Gatsby script at the time, though he comments: "Not that the director paid any attention to it. The script that I wrote did not get made."

The movie received mixed to negative reviews. It was praised for staying true to the novel by criticised for lacking any true emotion.


Cast 
Robert Redford as Jay Gatsby
Mia Farrow as Daisy Buchanan
Bruce Dern as Tom Buchanan
Sam Waterston as Nick Carraway
Karen Black as Myrtle Wilson
Scott Wilson as George Wilson
Lois Chiles as Jordan Baker
Edward Herrmann as Ewing Klipspringer
Howard Da Silva as Meyer Wolfsheim
Kathryn Leigh Scott as Catherine
Regina Baff as Miss Baedecker
Vincent Schiavelli as Thin Man
Roberts Blossom as Mr. Gatz
Beth Porter as Mrs. McKee
Patsy Kensit as Pammy Buchanan;

The most recent (up to Lurman's version) adaptation of The Great Gatsby was a 2000 TV movie. The film stars Toby Stephens, Mira Sorvino, Paul Rudd and Martin Donovan. It was made in collaboration by the A&E Cable Network in the United States, and Granada Productions in Great Britain. It was directed by Robert Markowitz from a teleplay by John J. McLaughlin.  


Cast 
Toby Stephens... Jay Gatsby
Mira Sorvino... Daisy Buchanan
Paul Rudd... Nick Carraway
Martin Donovan... Tom Buchanan
Francie Swift... Jordan Baker
Heather Goldenhersh... Myrtle Wilson
Matt Malloy... Klipspringer

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