The Great Gatsby 100 -- April 10, 2025

Saint Louis Post-Dispatch, 25-April-1925

100 years ago today, F Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby was published. I used to read it every year or two. Gatsby was neglected for years, and then people called it The Great American Novel.

Saint Louis Post-Dispatch, 25-April-1925

"THE GREAT GATSBY is vital, glamorous, ironical, compassionate. It is a living thing as spontaneous as THIS SIDE OF PARADISE, yet mature."

Baltimore Sun, 18-April-1925

Motion Picture Magazine, September, 1926

The first film adaption of Gatsby was a 1927 silent starring Warner Baxter as Jay Gatsby. The caption for this image from the September, 1926 Moving Picture Magazine says "The Great Gatsby has been a successful character.  He was a best seller when he made his first public appearance between the covers of the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel.  Then he made his stage debut and there was a continual line at the Broadway box-office.  And now he is to try his fortune on the screen.  Warner Baxter, judging from this photograph, will do well by Gatsby."  The movie is lost, but all accounts say that Baxter did not do well by Gatsby.

Motion Picture Magazine, February, 1927

Neil Hamilton, who later played Commissioner Gordon on the Batman television show, played Nick Carraway.  Lois Wilson played Daisy Buchanan.  Hale Hamilton played Tom Buchanan, Georgia Hale played Myrtle Wilson and William Powell played George Wilson. I find the latter hard to picture. 

Photoplay, February, 1927

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The second film adaption, made in 1949, starred Alan Ladd as Jay Gatsby.  I have never seen this version, but most of the stills that I have seen make it look like a film noir. 

Betty Field played Daisy Buchanan, Barry Sullivan played Tom Buchanan, Macdonald Carey played Nick Carraway, Shelley Winters played Myrtle Wilson, and Howard Da Silva played George Wilson. 

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The third theatrical film version of the story came out in 1974.  The 18-March-1974 cover of  Time Magazine featured Robert Redford as Jay Gatsby and Mia Farrow as Daisy Buchanan, and referred to the "supersell" of the movie.  I thought the movie was ok, but rather slow.

Sam Waterston played Nick Carraway and one of my favorites, Bruce Dern, played Tom Buchanan.  Karen Black was very good as Myrtle Wilson. Scott Wilson played George Wilson. 

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The fourth theatrical film version of the story came out in 2013.  Baz Luhrmann directed and Leonardo DiCaprio played Gatsby and Carey Mulligan played Daisy. The movie didn't do anything for me. 

Tobey Maguire played Nick Carraway and Joel Edgerton played Tom Buchanan.  Isla Fisher played  Myrtle Wilson. Jason Clarke played George Wilson. 

The Great Gatsby #5 -- May 10, 2013

Today the latest movie adaption of F Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby opened in theaters.  The first film adaption was a 1927 silent starring Warner Baxter as Jay Gatsby. Photoplay Magazine gave it a positive review in its February, 1927 issue.

"F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel of the great war's aftermath presented unusual film difficulties.  Herbert Brennon, the director, has managed to retain much of the feeling of the story.  Gatsby comes out of the war to achieve a fortune unscrupulously.  He falls, of course, in the end, finding that happiness can't be won that way.  Lois Wilson runs away with the film as the jazzy Daisy Buchanan, who flashes cocktails and silken you-know-she wears-'ems."

1927 Version (Warner Baxter as Gatsby)

Motion Picture Magazine Review of the 1927 Version

1949 Version (Alan Ladd as Gatsby)

1974 Version (Robert Redford as Gatsby) 

The Great Gatsby #4 -- May 10, 2013

Today the latest movie adaption of F Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby opened in theaters.  The first film adaption was a 1927 silent starring Warner Baxter as Jay Gatsby. EG, the reviewer in the February, 1927 issue of Motion Picture Magazine was not impressed.  EG gave the film a 75% score.

THE GREAT GATSBY -- Drama -- 75%

"Herbert Brennon has gone about misinterpreting F Scott Fitzgerald's novel to the very best of his ability.

"There is, it seems, a stratum of life that the movies cannot approach with any real understanding, and this must be it.  All the characters have been remolded into their movie counterparts, and the thing has become a conventional and not too deftly presented tale of a man who has the misfortune to love a woman outside of his sphere, and of this futile attempts to raise himself to a level from which she would at least be accessible.

"Warner Baxter at no point understands of interprets the pathetic and extraordinary character of Gatsby -- except in the most superficial and physical sense.

"And Lois Wilson's Daisy is equally inept.

"Every character, in fact, is distorted.  Mr. Brennon seems happiest in his moments of lavish display.  He has seized upon every opportunity the book gave for staing an orgy, and bathing girls abound.

"If, however, you didn't read Mr. Fitzgerals's book, and have no interest in the preservation of its finer points -- this is probably a very good picture, with a fair share of excitement and sex appeal.  -- Paramount.

"E.G."

1927 Version (Warner Baxter as Gatsby)

Photoplay Magazine Review of the 1927 Version

1949 Version (Alan Ladd as Gatsby)

1974 Version (Robert Redford as Gatsby) 

The Great Gatsby -- April 26, 2013

In two weeks, on 10-May-2013, the latest movie adaption of F Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby will open in theaters.  The first film adaption was a 1927 silent starring Warner Baxter as Jay Gatsby. The caption for this image from the September, 1926 Moving Picture Magazine says "The Great Gatsby has been a successful character.  He was a best seller when he made his first public appearance between the covers of the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel.  Then he made his stage debut and there was a continual line at the Broadway box-office.  And now he is to try his fortune on the screen.  Warner Baxter, judging from this photograph, will do well by Gatsby."  The movie is lost, but all accounts say that Baxter did not do well by Gatsby.

Neil Hamilton, who later played Commissioner Gordon on the Batman television show, played Nick Carraway.  Lois Wilson played Daisy Buchanan.  Hale Hamilton played Tom Buchanan, Georgia Hale played Myrtle Wilson and William Powell played George Wilson. I find the latter hard to picture. 

 I need to read the book again.

Moving Picture Magazine Review of the 1927 Version

Photoplay Magazine Review of the 1927 Version

1949 Version (Alan Ladd as Gatsby)

1974 Version (Robert Redford as Gatsby)