What the Flick

From there it takes us along as Truman (Philip Seymour Hoffman), already famous for his books "Other Voices, Other Rooms," and "Breakfast at Tiffany's," and undecided about what his next book should entail, descends with his childhood friend Harper Lee (author of "To Kill a Mockingbird," played by Catherine Keener) on the small Kansas town where the murders took place, determined to write the world's first "nonfiction novel." As it turns out, 4 or 5 years go by before the book is published, as the investigation unfolds, the murderers are caught and tried, and Truman, Geraldo-like, makes himself part of the story. He also finds himself attracted to Perry Smith (Clifton Collins, Jr.), one of the killers, which puts him in a state of cognitive dissonance. He both assists their case and manipulates their trust, making him Geraldo-like indeed.

For me, CAPOTE worked on two levels. On one, it's the specific story of a unique time and place in history. On the other, it's an exploration of the toll taken by the creative process, as the writing of the book practically destroys Capote. As someone who struggles now and then with the blank page, I appreciated that story as well.

The film is full of superbly low-key acting, allowing Hoffman's portrait of Capote to expand into every second of the film, even when he's not on screen. Keener's Lee is ascerbic but patient with her friend's narcissistic drama-queen outbursts, and she brings humanity to a part that could've been just a sidekick. Capote himself comes across as maddening, brilliant, self-absorbed, funny, cocky, sympathetic, cruel, generous, petty, and never less than fascinating when fully in the mode of the mad genius. One can easily see how people simultaneously could be drawn to him and repelled.

Last week I talked about GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK, and my disappointment in that film's lack of dramatic momentum. Here in CAPOTE we have a true story with a large cast of characters, but each is distinct and placed in context and the drama builds in every facet, culminating in a chilling scene between Capote and Smith. The outcome of the story is known, the arc of Capote's career is known (this was the last book he completed), and the effect that his nonfiction novel had on the American imagination is known -- but the movie plays out so richly and so well, that one almost wishes it could go on, right through the movie of Breakfast at Tiffany's, right past the Black & White Ball, to the next episode in his curious life. I predict Academy Award nominations for acting, directing, writing, cinematography (despite those Great Plains actually being in Manitoba)... pretty much the whole enchilada.

Last week I also was talking about my crush on the 1950s, which got a little zing again in CAPOTE -- though a good part of it takes place in the early 1960s. I easily could use almost everything that was in the Kansas investigator's home, would love to borrow several if not all of Harper Lee's outfits, and was quite smitten with the party outfits of all the gals at Truman's NY parties.

Speaking of the 1950s, today I saw REAR WINDOW on Turner Classic Movies. Was there ever a more charming movie involving a guy who murders his wife? Grace Kelly is soooo Nancy Drew, with her clues and her climbing the fire escape and her snatching the ring and her Mark Cross bag; Thelma Ritter as Stella, the tippling nurse, is a perfect foil for Grace's madcap suspcions; and who could beat Jimmy Stewart as Jeffries, the anchor for these two amateur PIs? Next up was THE BIRDS, and I ask, was there ever a more wacky movie featuring a chic blonde woman (Tippi Hedren), a hunky boyfriend (Rod Taylor), and a bunch of birds? Interesting mostly for its unanswered questions, I still want to know: did the love birds start all the trouble?