There have been a few movie adaptations of The Great Gatsby. Many directors have strived to take the world Fitzgerald created and take it from the white page to the big screen. Jay Gatsby, the elusive gangster and Daisy Buchanan, the beautiful fool with her voice of money, both brought to life along with those extravagant parties and huge mansion and all the wealth that Gatsby had. How successful were these adaptations? Did they really bring Fitzgerald’s characters and world to life? Or did they change his characters?
There are two films that many people compare. The 1974 Great Gatsby and the 2013 Great Gatsby. From the opening scenes you know that these two films are very different. The opening scene of the 1974 film is a calmer one that sets up the film through imagery and music while the opening of the 2013 film is more jarring with Nick Carraway retelling the story to a counselor in a mental facility. The 2013 film definitely goes for more of a shock factor to drive home the points in the book, while the 1974 film tries to stay true to the book itself and trusts Fitzgerald’s way of portraying things.
The 2013 film has this modern spin on The Great Gatsby and is more fast-paced and easier to watch as a film. This film also exaggerates a lot of scenes to hammer the effect and emotion into the audience. The 1974 film takes a more subtle route. Both movies have their merits, but in terms of relating it back to the book, the 1974 film is a lot more faithful to the actual contents of the book.