I just finished watching 1974's "The Great Gatsby" starring Redford and Farrow. I heard mixed things about the movie over the years, and I'm glad I watched it tonight, as it was very well done and entertaining. The film received mixed-to-negative reviews when it was released in March, 1974. However, on a $7M budget, it was a box office hit with nearly $27M in ticket sales. It may not have stuck to the Fitzgerald novel, but it's still an engrossing movie to watch (the 2.5 hours fly by).
Redford was incredibly sexy throughout the movie (the camera man loved him), Mia Farrow was stunningly beautiful. She was pregnant at the time, so she was costumed in flowing, oversized clothing. Sam Waterston was so handsome and sexy as 'Nick', and many of his scenes with Redford were very sexy. Scott Wilson was also handsome , as the 'every man' garage owner.
Producer Robert Evans chose his wife Ali MacGraw and Warren Beatty as the original choices to star, but Beatty didn't want to work with MacGraw. Evans offered the role of Gatsby to Jack Nicholson, but he didn't want to work with MacGraw. Marlon Brando also passed on Evans' offer when the studio wouldn't meet him at his $4M request for pay. Robert Redford campaigned for the role, but Evans thought the character should be 'dark haired' and not blond. Director Jack Clayton pushed for Redford, and eventually convinced Evans. Bruce Dern was sexy and handsome as Tom Buchanan.
Eventually, MacGraw left the project, and Candice Bergen, Katharine Ross, and Tuesday Weld were offered the role, but none were interested. Faye Dunaway campaigned for the role, even did a screen test - but Clayton couldn't envision her as Daisy. He eventually went with Farrow (perfect in the role).
(As a child, I had seen Redford, Farrow and other cast members throughout Newport, RI where much of the movie was filmed in the summer of 1973).
Any fans of this movie on DL ? Is the DeCaprio film worth watching ?