The Great Gatsby

The movie "The Great Gatsby" directed by Jack Clayton, and the screen play written by Francis Ford Coppola, did an excellent job representing the novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The actors in the movie did an over all great job being Nick, Gatsby, Daisy, Tom and Jordan. The scenery was exactly how it was pictured to be, you were able to look at it and see everything that was described in the book.

One of the main characters, Nick, who is also the narrator of the story, is one of the hardest characters to understand. Nick, being the narrator, only gives us an impression of himself that he would like us to see. He said "I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known", but we see him lie more than once through out the novel. So, what really should we think about him? One difference found is that during the movie Nick seems to be more bothered by the actions of the others, and it seems to take a toll on him near the end, where as in the book I didn't seem to get that feeling from it at all. Nick always seemed relaxed and not really fizzed by much. By just reading the book it is very difficult to form a correct opinion of Nick, but once the you are able to see the movie and actually see how Nick acts, a more accurate opinion can be formed of him. But, he is still the most difficult character to form a judgment about.

Gatsby, the man the whole story revolves around, is a little easier to understand and form an opinion of the person he is/the person he is trying to be. The movie did an exact picture of what Gatsby really is in the novel and he is definitely the most thought out and detailed character out of the five. The one thing that is necessary to be able to understand Gatsby is that he lived almost 2 separate lives. Gatsby started off very poor and was just lucky enough to become rich and powerful. This situation was more emphasized in the novel compared to the movie. Gatsby is always seeking more and isn't really happy until he has everything he wants. This explains his fascination over Daisy. He must have her because he has wanted her for all those years, she was going to be a part of his future. Gatsby's determination is what makes him who is and in the end that is what kills him. I felt the movie showed this part of the story very well and answered any questions you had from the novel about the whole situation.

Daisy, the women who caused all the fuss in the first place was very over done in the movie. From the book you had the feeling that she was a little flakey but not to the extent that the movie made her out to be. Her flighty character in the movie made you love her but hate her all at the same time. A good word to describe Daisy's life in both the novel and the movie would be careless. The many things that Daisy does in the novel and the movie show that she is very engaged in herself. This is because all her life she has been spoiled, she was born into money and married into money, she knows really no other way of life. And this causes Daisy to only think of herself, forgetting that it will hurt other people. Her character from in the novel compared to the movie was very well acted out, but it could have been toned down a little by her not having so much reaction to some of the incidents. When Daisy isn't obsessing over something she could be quite funny, like when she made the comment about her daughter being born. "that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool". You are able to see the sense of humor she has, but a lot of the time it is being over powered by her ditziness.

Tom, the arrogant one