According to the Hollywood Reporter, Baz Luhrmann has officially acquired the rights to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic American novel, “The Great Gatsby”.
Being that “The Great Gatsby” is my favorite novel, I was almost happy that it hadn’t received the Hollywood treatment in recent years. But now that the moment seems to be arriving, I couldn’t be more disheartened by hearing Luhrmann’s name attached to the project.
The book has been adapted into a film three times, the most recent being in 1974 by director Jack Clayton, writer Francis Ford Coppola, and starring Bruce Dern, Mia Farrow and Sam Waterston.
The story, which is set in pre-Depression era New York, deals with a Midwestern man who becomes involved in the romantic life of his mysterious, and noticeably rich neighbor.
Luhrmann said, “"If you wanted to show a mirror to people that says, 'You've been drunk on money,' they're not going to want to see it. But if you reflected that mirror on another time they'd be willing to. People will need an explanation of where we are and where we've been, and 'The Great Gatsby' can provide that explanation.”
I’m not saying that there isn’t a chance Luhrmann will make a decent movie; I’ll admit parts of Romeo and Juliet are excellent; but I believe that chance is very small.
His most recent movie “Australia” has only earned only $35 million dollars since Thanksgiving, and the reviews were nothing to write home about.
"If you wanted to show a mirror to people that says, 'You've been drunk on money,' they're not going to want to see it. But if you reflected that mirror on another time they'd be willing to," said Luhrmann.
The director said he would move quickly on the “Gatsby” project. “I’m gong to move faster than I have before. I’d be surprised if it’s another seven years.”
Seven years was the time Baz took between “Moulin Rouge” and “Australia”. The director might be well inclined to take another seven-year break and find someone else to direct the project. I just cannot see myself ever being excited about “Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby”. I love the novel to death, and I would be ecstatic to see a film that captures the aura of it, but I do not see Baz Luhrmann actually doing that. His style is all wrong for Gatsby. And I have nothing but love for Australians (believe me), but I just feel the project would be better served with an American director. Or at least a different one from Baz.
The Great Gatsby is the quintessential American story. If Luhrmann keeps the Long Island setting of the book, it would be Luhrmann’s first film to take place in an actual realistic United States. I mean, Romeo and Juliet looks like it was set in Miami, but it seemed to be like Miami on acid. One of the major aspects of the novel is that it captures the essence of that era of American history.
Fitzgerald perfectly crafted his story to explore themes like amorality, and materialism. There was no mention on how faithful the adaptation will be, or about the tone of the film, but with Luhrmann comparing “Gatsby” to our current economic situation, there’s a chance he could make a faithful adaptation. There clearly are some parallels between the story and the current state of affairs, but Luhrmann will have to stick to the story to portray those ideas.
I hope that I am wrong, and that somehow Luhrmann will give all Gatsby fans the movie they have always wanted. Only time will tell my friends…
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