“The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald was the first “Great
American Novel” of the 20th century. It serves as a story of the unquenchable
desire to accumulate wealth in America, and the sometimes unfathomable motives
behind that kind of aspiration. And it seems as though the tale of Gatsby is thoroughly
irresistible to Hollywood. If you didn’t get a chance to see the adaptation of
this classic novel for the screen back in 1926, or 1949, or 1974, or 2000, don’t
worry – here it comes again.
About every thirty years, someone in Hollywood turns to
somebody else and says, “Hey, ya know what I haven’t seen in a while?,” and
another top-bill, young, blond-haired, good-looking actor is thrown into a
yellow tie and dawns a Yale smirk of entitlement. This year, the task of
portraying Jay Gatsby goes to Leonardo Dicaprio.
On May 10, 2013, “The Great Gatsby,” as directed by Baz
Luhrmann, will hit theatres. Dicaprio plays Gatsby, a mysteriously wealthy World
War I veteran who is driven to not only steal away the love of his neighbor
from her husband, but sway her to admit that she never loved him. His neighbor,
Daisy Buchanan, is played by Carey Mulligan. Tobey Maguire, Joel Edgerton and Isla
Fisher also star in the film. This will be the fourth time this story has been
told on the big screen (that’ not including 2000’s television film adaptation).
So, we get it, right? Why try it again?
It’s no secret that Hollywood loves remakes. And why shouldn't
they? They get to rely on the audience’s familiarity with the film’s concept to
help sell it. Any questions regarding the intricate plotlines of “The Karate
Kid” or “Footloose?” No, probably not. It’s easy; the work’s almost done for
you. Just redo the poster. In tough economic times, moviegoers will look to
something familiar in the hopes of not wasting their money. People aren’t
looking to gamble these days. Producing remakes allows Hollywood to pump out
more movies, in greater number and faster than original concepts that can take
years to develop. Also, with the exception of 2005, Hollywood is doing better
than ever, with ever-souring profits. So, why try to fix what ain’t broken.
Well, critics might have a few reasons to start taking
chances on original content. Some bloggers, not this one of course, have met
the announcements of some remakes with death threats. It’s amazing to me that the
premiere storytellers in America are so bashful when it comes to attempting to
tell their own stories. Of course, if it’s a showdown between your average
Hollywood scriptwriter and F. Scott Fitz-friggin’-gerald, guess who’s going to bow
down first? If the scripts “The Great Gatsby” and “Being John Malcovich” both
hit a producer’s desk at the same time, guess which one is going to be
considered? And that’s the sad part. Every “now classic” story was once a what-the-hell-does-Being
John Macofish-supposed-to-mean story. Crack it open. Give something new a
chance. You might be pleasantly surprised.
I mentioned Leo being thrown into a yellow tie earlier. Yes,
that is actually significant. And so is his yellow car, Daisy’s yellow buttons,
and so is the fact that the flowers at the party in which Gatsby and Daisy are
reunited are described as smelling like “pale gold.” The pursuit of that purity
that only pure gold can offer and the newness its shine radiates are two of the
impossibilities that Gatsby longs for. He
hopes to return to a time when he never lost his love (that golden opportunity
that slipped away in his golden youth), and he can see that green light of hope
out his window, shining from Daisy’s home. Hollywood sees gold in the infallible
framework that F. Scott Fitzgerald has constructed, and they see the security
of yet another remake. And Hollywood hopes the green will pour in like it did back
in their Golden Age. Hollywood’s reasoning behind their obsession over “The
Great Gatsby” is obvious, as Gatsby’s desires serve as a metaphor for the town’s
longing for revival. It’s Hollywood’s little piece of meta-filmmaking; the
Great American Autobiography.
“You can’t repeat the past? Why, of course you can.” And it’s
coming to a theatre near you.
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