Greetings,
So, I like this movie better than Capote. I know Capote was the one that got more acclaim and whatnot, but sorry. Whilst I think it's good, I just don't think it's better than Infamous. But that's beside the point. I just thought since I'm doing this week all about writer movies and it coincides with the recent release of Harper Lee's new...old book, why not? More on her and what she has to with Truman Capote later, if you don't already know. Anyway, let's get started.
Infamous is a 2006 film starring the incredibly underrated Toby Jones as Truman Capote, and it chronicles his time in Kansas as he does research for the book that would become In Cold Blood. He is accompanied by his best friend at the time, the aforementioned Harper Lee, played by Sandra Bullock. I have to say, I love the chemistry between these two actors. Thanks to them, I can totally picture what it must have been like to see those two together back in the day. But Harper wasn't Truman's only friend, of course. So who else have we got?
One interesting thing about this film, which could have gone either way, is how they do these confessional type interviews interspersed with the narrative of the story. It's where all of Truman's friends, who consist of artists, writers, socialites, fashion icons, and on and on, talk more in depth about him. And this cast they got is amazing. We get Sigourney Weaver as Babe Paley, Juliet Stevenson as Diane Vreeland, Isabella Rossellini as Marella Agnelli and one of my celeb BFF's Hope Davis as Slim Keith. There was even a cameo of sorts by Gwyneth Paltrow playing Kitty Dean, who I think was supposed to be Peggy Lee, but then wasn't...because who knows? And that's another thing that makes this film superior. It's the way that we get to see Truman more as this 'life of the party' person that he always was, rather than just someone determined to get that book done, although it does transition into that.
For the characters that are less famous and more personal, we, again, get some fantastic actors. John Benjamin Hickey, another underrated character actor who I love, plays Jack Dunphy, who was Truman's...well, back then, they would have called him a "companion", possibly even a "roommate". But, of course, we know that they were in a relationship. And, according to what Truman's famous friends said, Jack did not approve of them. It made for some interesting conversations. Once Truman gets to Kansas to research the murder of the Clutter family for his book, he befriends a detective who is working on the case, Alvin Dewey, played by Jeff Daniels. Okay, if I'm going to call anything a tie between this and Capote, it is the casting of Alvin Dewey. Jeff Daniels here, Chris Cooper there. I cannot declare a winner.
But the relationship that develops for Truman most within the confines of this film, believe it or not, is the one with Perry White, one of the killers. Although, I'm not sure if everyone would call it a relationship or a friendship. It was just something really hard to define. As many people know, Truman went to the prison to interview the killers, and I don't know how common that was at the time. I assumed not very. He speaks to both of them, but they have different effects on him. Richard Hickock, played by Lee Pace, tells him a lot, but it is Perry White, played by Daniel Craig, who really opens up to Truman. He actually ends up trusting him, which was not easy for him to do. Their interactions are a roller coaster. Heartbreaking sometimes, other times violent. It's truly the most compelling part of the movie, especially when Truman realizes what will have to happen for his book to be finished. And it takes quite a toll on him. That, in turn, has a great effect on the audience.
So, in conclusion, I found Infamous to be quite personal and more emotionally gripping than the other movie. Many people disagree with me, I know, but I can't help how I feel. I sensed more of a connection to Truman Capote's connections to others. If that makes any sense. And I found this to be more of a movie for writers. And since that's what I like to write about, it wins.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
