Contents:
- WHAT IS THE SIGNIFINCE OF NICK BEG GAY THE GREAT GATSBY?
- THE OUT TAKE: HOW GAY IS 'THE GREAT GATSBY'?{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}MOVIBY DANIEL WALBERMAY 9, 2013/9:49 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}BY DANIEL WALBERMAY 9, 2013 / 9:49 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"THE OUT TAKE: HOW GAY IS 'THE GREAT GATSBY'?","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2013-05-09T13:49:43.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2013-05-09T13:49:43.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"MTV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"MTV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1280,"HEIGHT":720}},"CREATOR":"DANIEL WALBER","ARTICLESECTN":"MOVI"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“THE OUT TAKE,” IS A BI-WEEKLY LUMN DITED TO QUEER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HERE’S THE STORY, WHAT WE KNOW. TMAN CAPOTE WAS THE FIRST WRER BROUGHT ON FOR THE 1974 ADAPTATN OF “THE GREAT GATSBY,” ONE OF MANY TALENTS TO ENTER AND THEN LEAVE THE FILM DURG PREPRODUCTN. A WHOLE BUNCH OF NAM WERE TOSSED AROUND TO PLAY THE LEADS, OM CANDICE BERGEN TO WARREN BEATTY. ALI MACGRAW, THEN WIFE OF ATTACHED DIRECTOR ROBERT EVANS, WAS ORIGALLY SLATED TO PLAY DAISY UNTIL SHE LEFT EVANS FOR STEVE MCQUEEN. CAPOTE’S EX, HOWEVER, ME FOR REASONS OF VISN. HE WROTE A WHOLE SCRIPT, SENT TO THE STUD, AND WAS PROMPTLY REJECTED. RATHER THAN HAVE HIM REWRE , THE NTROVERSIAL NOVELIST WAS REPLACED BY FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA (WHO SISTED THAT HIS OWN SCRIPT DIDN’T MAKE OUT ALIVE EHER).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SO WHAT WAS WRONG WH CAPOTE’S WORK? THIS IS WHERE THGS GET A B VAGUE. THE OFT-CED “CREATIVE DIFFERENC” OF HOLLYWOOD N MEAN ANY NUMBER OF THGS. HIS DRAFT ISN’T AVAILABLE TO READ, THOUGH SOMEONE BOUGHT A PY FOR $17,925 BACK 2007 AT A BONHAMS CTN. THE MOR (AND GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE THGS, A LIKELY REALY), IS THAT THE DRAFT WAS TOO GAY. CAPOTE HAD NOT ONLY PLACED NICK CARRAWAY EXPLICLY LOVE WH GATSBY, BUT HE’D ALSO TURNED GOLFER JORDAN BAKER TO A LBIAN. THK OF HOW SNDALO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ALSO CHECK OUT: OUR REVIEW OF "THE GREAT GATSBY"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}OR, RATHER, THK OF HOW SNDALO THAT WOULD BE NOW. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT DIENC ARE OPPOSED TO GAY CHARACTERS, WE’VE MA PLENTY OF PROGRS ON THAT POT. YET THERE’S AN ATTACHMENT TO WHAT ARE PERCEIVED AS THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CHARACTER WHICH N MAKE A LOT OF PEOPLE UNFORTABLE. IT’S A PROBLEM THAT GO BEYOND THE BOUNDARI OF ANY ONE WORK OR INTY – THE MOST RECENT NTROVERSY WH THE IC BOOK WORLD IS THE STG OF A BLACK ACTOR TO PLAY THE HUMAN TORCH THE FANTASTIC FOUR REBOOT. AUDIENC TAKE BASIC ELEMENTS OF A CHARACTER AS SACROSANCT, AND WHEN AN ADAPTATN TKERS WH THE THGS OFTEN TRIGGERS SOME PRETTY UGLY PREJUDICE. IT N EVEN HAPPEN WHEN TURNS OUT TO BE THE CREATOR’S TENTN. REMEMBER THE HULLABALOO OVER J.K. ROWLG PUBLICLY STATG DUMBLEDORE’S SEXUALY? IT SEEMS RIDICULO TO TALK ABOUT NOW, BUT THERE WAS PLENTY OF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THIS BRGS BACK TO GATSBY. WHAT WAS F. STT FZGERALD’S TENTN REGARDG NICK? THERE’S OFTEN MORE OPEN SPACE FOR TERPRETATN AROUND SEXUALY A NOVEL, BEE WE DON’T ACTUALLY SEE THE CHARACTER’S SIR UNFOLD. IT N BE LEFT VAGUE ON PURPOSE, AND MUCH N BE READ TO THGS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE SUGGTED. SALON’S GREG OLEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, IS ABSOLUTELY NVCED THAT NICK IS GAY. HIS ARGUMENT DON’T E OM AN ACROBATIC READG OF A SGLE CRYPTIC PASSAGE, EHER. OLEAR ASSEMBL OBSERVATNS ABOUT NICK’S BACKGROUND, THE WAY HE REACTS TO AND SCRIB WOMEN, AND ONE PARTICULAR SCENE VOLVG A MR. MCKEE. I WON’T GO TO MORE TAIL WH THE EVINCE BUT DO READ HIS WHOLE PIECE, ’S {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THIS AT THE END, HOWEVER, WHEN OLEAR ALS WH THE IMPLITNS. THIS ISN’T JT A SILLY, SELFISH TERPRETATN OF THE STORY THAT LATCH ON TO A FANTASY AS A MEANS OF HIJACKG THE NARRATIVE. IT’S A READG OF THE TEXT. ALL OF THE BT FILM ADAPTATNS OF NOVELS HAVE A UNIQUE READG OF THE TEXT, WHETHER ’S JOE WRIGHT’S THEATRIL SIGNS ON “ANNA KARENA” OR THE MIMALIST APPROACH OF CARY FUNAGA AND ANDREA ARNOLD TO 19TH CENTURY ROMANTICISM. THE READG OF NICK AS GAY OPENS UP HIS PORTRAYAL OF GATSBY, AND MIRRORS GATSBY’S OWN LOVE OF DAISY. IT’S AN EXTRA DIMENSN THAT, IF EXPAND UPON A FILM, MIGHT ALTER AND ENRICH OUR UNRSTANDG OF THE ORIGAL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NOW, BAZ LUHRMANN HAS NOT DONE THIS WH HIS NEW FILM. HE’S UPDATED OTHER WAYS, PERHAPS MOST NOTABLY HIS CHOICE TO E NTEMPORARY MIC, STRIVG FOR THE HNS OF FZGERALD’S ORIGALLY NTEMPORARY NOVEL. OBVLY I N’T CRICIZE HIM FOR NOT MAKG NICK EXPLICLY GAY, NOR WOULD I. NOR N HE BE CRICIZED FOR BORG ADAPTATNS. HIS “ROMEO + JULIET” IS QUE SOMETHG, OF URSE, BUT “MOUL ROUGE!” AND S RAMBUNCT TAKE ON LA TRAVIATA IS THE PEAK OF HIS CREATIVY. AND SPE OF S NARRATIVE NTENT, LUHRMANN’S SOMEWHAT EPIC FLAMBOYANCE HAS ALWAYS SEEMED A LTLE B GAY. I THK ’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP “THE GREAT GASBY” AND OUR UNRSTANDG OF ADAPTATN GENERAL THIS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}READG BOOKS AND FILMS AS QUEER, EVEN PERHAPS QUEERER THAN ORIGALLY TEND, ISN’T JT A GAME. IT’S AN TEGRAL PART OF THE WAY WRERS, ARTISTS AND CRICS HAVE LOOKED AT QUEER AND NON-QUEER TEXTS FOR S. DEREK JARMAN’S FILMS, SOME OF THEM NOW OVER THIRTY YEARS OLD, TOOK EVERYTHG OM THE HAGGRAPHI OF THE EARLY CATHOLIC CHURCH TO MARLOWE’S “EDWARD II” AND READ THEM AS QUEER. HIS SEBASTIANE, CARAVAGG AND EDWARD II ARE CLEVER, UNIQUE FILMS THAT SAY SOMETHG NEW AND EXCG BY ENGAGG WH THE OLD. “QUEERG” PRE-EXISTG GENR IS PRACTILLY A GENRE OF S OWN, AT THIS POT, WHETHER ’S TODD HAYN’ AND PEDRO ALMODóVAR’S RE-E OF MELODRAMA OR ULRIKE OTTGER TAKG ON FRENCH SATHOOD WH JOAN OF ARC OF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE CHARACTERS ARE WHAT WE MAKE OF THEM. GORE VIDAL KNEW THAT “BEN-HUR” WAS GAY, EVEN IF CHARLTON HTON HADN’T THE FOGGIT IA. GO SEE “THE GREAT GATSBY” THIS WEEKEND AND TERPRET HOWEVER YOU LIKE. WHO KNOWS, MIGHT MAKE TOBEY MAGUIRE SEEM MUCH MORE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
- NICK CARRAWAY IS GAY AND LOVE WH GATSBY
WHAT IS THE SIGNIFINCE OF NICK BEG GAY THE GREAT GATSBY?
The mor (and given the nature of the thgs, a likely realy), is that the draft was too gay.
This is not to say that dienc are opposed to gay characters, we’ve ma plenty of progrs on that pot. Salon’s Greg Olear, for example, is absolutely nvced that Nick is gay.
The readg of Nick as gay opens up his portrayal of Gatsby, and mirrors Gatsby’s own love of Daisy. Obvly I n’t cricize him for not makg Nick explicly gay, nor would I.
THE OUT TAKE: HOW GAY IS 'THE GREAT GATSBY'?{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}MOVIBY DANIEL WALBERMAY 9, 2013/9:49 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}BY DANIEL WALBERMAY 9, 2013 / 9:49 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"THE OUT TAKE: HOW GAY IS 'THE GREAT GATSBY'?","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2013-05-09T13:49:43.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2013-05-09T13:49:43.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"MTV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"MTV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1280,"HEIGHT":720}},"CREATOR":"DANIEL WALBER","ARTICLESECTN":"MOVI"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“THE OUT TAKE,” IS A BI-WEEKLY LUMN DITED TO QUEER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HERE’S THE STORY, WHAT WE KNOW. TMAN CAPOTE WAS THE FIRST WRER BROUGHT ON FOR THE 1974 ADAPTATN OF “THE GREAT GATSBY,” ONE OF MANY TALENTS TO ENTER AND THEN LEAVE THE FILM DURG PREPRODUCTN. A WHOLE BUNCH OF NAM WERE TOSSED AROUND TO PLAY THE LEADS, OM CANDICE BERGEN TO WARREN BEATTY. ALI MACGRAW, THEN WIFE OF ATTACHED DIRECTOR ROBERT EVANS, WAS ORIGALLY SLATED TO PLAY DAISY UNTIL SHE LEFT EVANS FOR STEVE MCQUEEN. CAPOTE’S EX, HOWEVER, ME FOR REASONS OF VISN. HE WROTE A WHOLE SCRIPT, SENT TO THE STUD, AND WAS PROMPTLY REJECTED. RATHER THAN HAVE HIM REWRE , THE NTROVERSIAL NOVELIST WAS REPLACED BY FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA (WHO SISTED THAT HIS OWN SCRIPT DIDN’T MAKE OUT ALIVE EHER).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SO WHAT WAS WRONG WH CAPOTE’S WORK? THIS IS WHERE THGS GET A B VAGUE. THE OFT-CED “CREATIVE DIFFERENC” OF HOLLYWOOD N MEAN ANY NUMBER OF THGS. HIS DRAFT ISN’T AVAILABLE TO READ, THOUGH SOMEONE BOUGHT A PY FOR $17,925 BACK 2007 AT A BONHAMS CTN. THE MOR (AND GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE THGS, A LIKELY REALY), IS THAT THE DRAFT WAS TOO GAY. CAPOTE HAD NOT ONLY PLACED NICK CARRAWAY EXPLICLY LOVE WH GATSBY, BUT HE’D ALSO TURNED GOLFER JORDAN BAKER TO A LBIAN. THK OF HOW SNDALO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ALSO CHECK OUT: OUR REVIEW OF "THE GREAT GATSBY"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}OR, RATHER, THK OF HOW SNDALO THAT WOULD BE NOW. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT DIENC ARE OPPOSED TO GAY CHARACTERS, WE’VE MA PLENTY OF PROGRS ON THAT POT. YET THERE’S AN ATTACHMENT TO WHAT ARE PERCEIVED AS THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CHARACTER WHICH N MAKE A LOT OF PEOPLE UNFORTABLE. IT’S A PROBLEM THAT GO BEYOND THE BOUNDARI OF ANY ONE WORK OR INTY – THE MOST RECENT NTROVERSY WH THE IC BOOK WORLD IS THE STG OF A BLACK ACTOR TO PLAY THE HUMAN TORCH THE FANTASTIC FOUR REBOOT. AUDIENC TAKE BASIC ELEMENTS OF A CHARACTER AS SACROSANCT, AND WHEN AN ADAPTATN TKERS WH THE THGS OFTEN TRIGGERS SOME PRETTY UGLY PREJUDICE. IT N EVEN HAPPEN WHEN TURNS OUT TO BE THE CREATOR’S TENTN. REMEMBER THE HULLABALOO OVER J.K. ROWLG PUBLICLY STATG DUMBLEDORE’S SEXUALY? IT SEEMS RIDICULO TO TALK ABOUT NOW, BUT THERE WAS PLENTY OF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THIS BRGS BACK TO GATSBY. WHAT WAS F. STT FZGERALD’S TENTN REGARDG NICK? THERE’S OFTEN MORE OPEN SPACE FOR TERPRETATN AROUND SEXUALY A NOVEL, BEE WE DON’T ACTUALLY SEE THE CHARACTER’S SIR UNFOLD. IT N BE LEFT VAGUE ON PURPOSE, AND MUCH N BE READ TO THGS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE SUGGTED. SALON’S GREG OLEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, IS ABSOLUTELY NVCED THAT NICK IS GAY. HIS ARGUMENT DON’T E OM AN ACROBATIC READG OF A SGLE CRYPTIC PASSAGE, EHER. OLEAR ASSEMBL OBSERVATNS ABOUT NICK’S BACKGROUND, THE WAY HE REACTS TO AND SCRIB WOMEN, AND ONE PARTICULAR SCENE VOLVG A MR. MCKEE. I WON’T GO TO MORE TAIL WH THE EVINCE BUT DO READ HIS WHOLE PIECE, ’S {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THIS AT THE END, HOWEVER, WHEN OLEAR ALS WH THE IMPLITNS. THIS ISN’T JT A SILLY, SELFISH TERPRETATN OF THE STORY THAT LATCH ON TO A FANTASY AS A MEANS OF HIJACKG THE NARRATIVE. IT’S A READG OF THE TEXT. ALL OF THE BT FILM ADAPTATNS OF NOVELS HAVE A UNIQUE READG OF THE TEXT, WHETHER ’S JOE WRIGHT’S THEATRIL SIGNS ON “ANNA KARENA” OR THE MIMALIST APPROACH OF CARY FUNAGA AND ANDREA ARNOLD TO 19TH CENTURY ROMANTICISM. THE READG OF NICK AS GAY OPENS UP HIS PORTRAYAL OF GATSBY, AND MIRRORS GATSBY’S OWN LOVE OF DAISY. IT’S AN EXTRA DIMENSN THAT, IF EXPAND UPON A FILM, MIGHT ALTER AND ENRICH OUR UNRSTANDG OF THE ORIGAL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NOW, BAZ LUHRMANN HAS NOT DONE THIS WH HIS NEW FILM. HE’S UPDATED OTHER WAYS, PERHAPS MOST NOTABLY HIS CHOICE TO E NTEMPORARY MIC, STRIVG FOR THE HNS OF FZGERALD’S ORIGALLY NTEMPORARY NOVEL. OBVLY I N’T CRICIZE HIM FOR NOT MAKG NICK EXPLICLY GAY, NOR WOULD I. NOR N HE BE CRICIZED FOR BORG ADAPTATNS. HIS “ROMEO + JULIET” IS QUE SOMETHG, OF URSE, BUT “MOUL ROUGE!” AND S RAMBUNCT TAKE ON LA TRAVIATA IS THE PEAK OF HIS CREATIVY. AND SPE OF S NARRATIVE NTENT, LUHRMANN’S SOMEWHAT EPIC FLAMBOYANCE HAS ALWAYS SEEMED A LTLE B GAY. I THK ’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP “THE GREAT GASBY” AND OUR UNRSTANDG OF ADAPTATN GENERAL THIS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}READG BOOKS AND FILMS AS QUEER, EVEN PERHAPS QUEERER THAN ORIGALLY TEND, ISN’T JT A GAME. IT’S AN TEGRAL PART OF THE WAY WRERS, ARTISTS AND CRICS HAVE LOOKED AT QUEER AND NON-QUEER TEXTS FOR S. DEREK JARMAN’S FILMS, SOME OF THEM NOW OVER THIRTY YEARS OLD, TOOK EVERYTHG OM THE HAGGRAPHI OF THE EARLY CATHOLIC CHURCH TO MARLOWE’S “EDWARD II” AND READ THEM AS QUEER. HIS SEBASTIANE, CARAVAGG AND EDWARD II ARE CLEVER, UNIQUE FILMS THAT SAY SOMETHG NEW AND EXCG BY ENGAGG WH THE OLD. “QUEERG” PRE-EXISTG GENR IS PRACTILLY A GENRE OF S OWN, AT THIS POT, WHETHER ’S TODD HAYN’ AND PEDRO ALMODóVAR’S RE-E OF MELODRAMA OR ULRIKE OTTGER TAKG ON FRENCH SATHOOD WH JOAN OF ARC OF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE CHARACTERS ARE WHAT WE MAKE OF THEM. GORE VIDAL KNEW THAT “BEN-HUR” WAS GAY, EVEN IF CHARLTON HTON HADN’T THE FOGGIT IA. GO SEE “THE GREAT GATSBY” THIS WEEKEND AND TERPRET HOWEVER YOU LIKE. WHO KNOWS, MIGHT MAKE TOBEY MAGUIRE SEEM MUCH MORE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
And spe of s narrative ntent, Luhrmann’s somewhat epic flamboyance has always seemed a ltle b gay. Gore Vidal knew that “Ben-Hur” was gay, even if Charlton Hton hadn’t the foggit ia. And wh that ado has e a rurgence of tert Nick Carraway’s unclear sexual orientatn — somethg you probably missed as a high school sophomore, but is obv wh even a ltle attentn as an adult rear.
NICK CARRAWAY IS GAY AND LOVE WH GATSBY
Earlier the year, an article at Salon, Greg Olear poted out that naggg passage that suggts Nick’s homosexualy, ntled between those ellips and g directly off of a blatant penis joke. And today The Atlantic, Noah Berlatsky argu that Baz Luhrman’s new film adaptatn suffers om not beg gay enough, and thereby unrmg Nick’s character and elimatg his nnectn to Gatsby based on “their shared need for ceptn. ”On the other hand, Olear argu that the reason Nick’s homosexualy is important is bee reveals him as an unreliable narrator.
’ And that’s why matters that Nick is gay and love wh Gatsby: bee Tom’s asssment is spot-on, but Nick will never adm .
But what do the slippery prentatn of Nick’s sexual preferenc reveal about Fzgerald’s attus towards homosexualy? Certaly they mt have been plex — Fzgerald was famoly sensive about his masculy, and Zelda supposedly once claimed that her hband was a “fairy” who was havg an affair wh Hemgway (there’s no proof of that, though there is that scene A Moveable Feast where Hemgway tak a look at Fzgerald’s, let’s say, manly equipment, and judg to be aquate) one might expect a renunciatn, or a rtoonish portrayal (surely Fz had enough opportuny wh Gatsby’s ragers to throw a few stereotypil gay party boys), but neher of the exist this novel. Jordan Baker, who n be read as at least possibly homosexual herself (a female athlete, particularly unual at the time; all those remarks about gog on trips wh other girls) ’s Nick who is both the removed wns and the ambivalent center of the book, and who is ultimately absolved by his limaly.