CAPOTE

WITH

PHILLIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN

AND

CATHERINE KEENER

Truman Capote was looking for an idea for his next book when he found a story in his newspaper about the killing of the Clutter family (mother, father, and two children) on their farm in Holcomb, Kansas on November 14, 1959. Capote and his friend Nelle Harper Lee went to Kansas to investigate this murder.

In January 1960, two suspects – Richard Eugene Hickok and Perry Edward Smith – were arrested. Capote got permission to interview them. He and Smith became friends which gave Capote valuable information for his book In Cold Blood. Smith went on a hunger strike and Capote fed him with baby food to bring back his strength.

For those of you who haven't seen the end of the film or read the book, this is as far as the review goes.  What follows are interesting behind the scenes info.

This book took Capote four years to write because this case kept being appealed and he couldn't put an end to the book until the case was final. Once In Cold Blood was published, this established Capote forever as a writer which he is first and foremost.  He didn't finish another book after this one. 

During the time Capote was working on his book, his friend Lee finished her novel To Kill a Mockingbird.  At the reception for her, Capote was wrapped up in the frustration of trying to finish his book and he personnally couldn't see what all the fuss was about concerning his friends novel. This story was turned into a movie and Lee was later awarded the Pulitizer Prize.

In making this film, Hoffman lost 40 pounds. The actor who played Smith did lose quite a bit of weight for hunger strike scenes while on death row.

In the opening scene, wheat is weaving in the wind in November in Kansas. No wheat is ready and full grown in November in Kansas.

Many scenes were added after the major filming was completed. Quite a few of the scenes were improvised. According to Hoffman, improvisation should be with a purpose and reason.

The weather played an interesting part with the filming. Last outdoor scene – with Capote and Pauline walking – an hour after saying “CUT,” big snowflakes started falling.

This film had amazing local casting. The director hand picked ever single face.

Catherine Keener, playing Nelle Harper Lee, did good character work by the way she walked which brought more validity to the part. It was obvious when she walked as herself as opposed to when she was in character.

Hoffman won three awards for playing Capote: Oscar, Austin Film Critics Award, Bafta Film Award.


I'm Louise and this is my point of view.