F. Scott Fitzgerald presents taut tension and symbolism between Modernism and Victorianism in the 1925's quintessential jazz age of the great American novel, "The Great Gatsby" and this 1974 adaptation of Fitzgerald's novel with Francis Ford Coppola's screenwriting captures the better part of it!
Daisy's green light at the end of her dock that symbolizes all hope and want in not just Gatsby but all people, the "haves" and the "have-nots", guilt and carelessness, living above judgement and consequences, and of course, the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg over the "valley of the ashes"... All are all beautifully and sadly portrayed.
Mia Farrow as the self centered, one-dimensional Daisy, Bruce Dern as the philandering Tom and Robert Redford as the nouveau riche, enamoured Gatsby turn in quite decent performances.
As Nick says, "They were careless people, Tom and Daisy- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money ortheir vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made."
However, it is Karen Black as Myrtle, Scott Wilson as George and a sublime Sam Waterson cast as the perfect Nick are the highlight of this film along with the musical score, great costuming and elaborate set design.
This is well worth the watch and I enjoy this adaptation more than the A&E presentation, of which I USUALLY favor!
"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter- tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther..... And one fine morning - " (Nick)
Happy Watching!
