Capote is a 2005 biographical film about Truman Capote, following the events during the writing of Capote's non-fiction book In Cold Blood. Philip Seymour Hoffman won several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Actor, for his critically acclaimed portrayal of the title character. The film was based on Gerald Clarke's biography Capote and was directed by Bennett Miller. It was filmed mostly in Manitoba in the autumn of 2004. It was released September 30, 2005, to coincide with Truman Capote's birthday.
Plot
At a farm in Kansas, a family friend discovers the dead bodies of four members of the Clutter family. While reading The New York Times, the story of the Clutters rivets writer Truman Capote (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who calls The New Yorker magazine editor William Shawn (Bob Balaban) to tell him that he plans to document the tragedy.
Capote travels to Kansas, inviting childhood friend Nelle Harper Lee (Catherine Keener) to come along. Capote intends to interview those involved with the victims, the Clutter family, with Lee as his go-between and facilitator. Alvin Dewey (Chris Cooper), the Kansas Bureau of Investigation's lead detective on the case, brushes him off, but Dewey's wife Marie (Amy Ryan) is a fan of Capote's writing and persuades Dewey to invite Capote and Lee to their house for dinner.
Capote's stories of movie sets and film stars captivate Marie. Over time her husband warms up to Capote as well, and allows him to view the photographs of the victims. The Deweys, Lee, and Capote are having dinner when the murder suspects, Perry Smith (Clifton Collins, Jr.) and Richard "Dick" Hickock (Mark Pellegrino), are caught. Flattery, bribery and a keen insight into the human condition facilitate Capote's visits to the prison where the accused are being held.
Capote begins to form an attachment to Smith. He informs Shawn of his intent to expand the story into a full-length book. Following the trial and conviction, Capote is able to gain continued access to the murderers by bribing Warden Marshall Krutch (Marshall Bell).
Capote spends the following years regularly visiting Smith and learning about his life, excepting a year-long stint when Capote goes off to Morocco and Spain to write the "first three parts" of the book, accompanied by his romantic partner Jack Dunphy (Bruce Greenwood).
The story of Smith's life, his remorseful manner, and emotional sincerity impress Capote, who becomes emotionally attached to him despite the gruesome murders. Capote aids Smith and Hickock by obtaining expert legal counsel for them and initiating an appeal. Still Capote is frustrated, as Smith declines to relate to him exactly what happened on the night of the murders.
Though initially an effort to provide proper representation and extend his opportunity to speak with the killers, the appeals process ends up dragging on for several years. Without the court case being resolved Capote feels he is stuck with a story without an ending, and he is unable to complete his book. Eventually Capote does get Smith to describe the killings and his thoughts at the time in great detail. Capote has what he was after from Smith, but in the process sees a callousness and selfishness in his own actions.
Now with everything in hand, he still must wait for the appeals process to conclude before he feels he can publish his work. He desperately wants the whole thing to finally be over. In the course of time Lee's best-selling novel To Kill a Mockingbird is turned into a movie, but Capote is unable to share in the joy of his friend's success, too caught up in drinking through his own misery.
With the last appeal rejected, Smith pleads for Capote to return before he is executed, but Capote cannot bring himself to do so. A telegram from Smith to Harper Lee ultimately compels Capote to return to Kansas. There Capote is an eyewitness as Smith and Hickock are executed, with Smith's hanging and Capote's shocked reaction being explicitly shown.
Capote talks to Lee about the horrifying experience and laments that he could not have done anything to stop it. She poignantly replies, "Maybe not. The fact is you didn't want to." The final scenes show Capote looking through photos from the case and at the writings and drawings given to him by Smith. An epilogue points out that In Cold Blood turned Capote into the most famous writer in America, also noting that he never finished another book.
Cast
- Philip Seymour Hoffman as Truman Capote
- Catherine Keener as Nelle Harper Lee
- Clifton Collins, Jr. as Perry Smith
- Chris Cooper as Alvin Dewey
- Bob Balaban as William Shawn
- Bruce Greenwood as Jack Dunphy
- Katherine Shindle as Rose
- Amy Ryan as Marie Dewey
- Mark Pellegrino as Richard "Dick" Hickock
- Allie Mickelson as Laura Kinney
- Marshall Bell as Warden Marshall Krutch
- Araby Lockhart as Dorothy Sanderson
- Robert Huculak as New York Reporter
- R. D. Reid as Roy Church
- Rob McLaughlin as Harold Nye
- Harry Nelken as Sheriff Walter Sanderson
- C. Ernst Harth as Lowell Lee Andrews
- Jeremy Dangerfield as Jury Foreman
Reception
Upon its release, Capote received near universal acclaim from critics, with Hoffman's performance receiving wide praise. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 90% of critics gave the film a positive review. The consensus reads "Philip Seymour Hoffman's riveting central performance guides a well-constructed retelling of the most sensational and significant period in author Truman Capote's life." Roger Ebert gave the film a perfect 4/4 star rating, stating: "Capote is a film of uncommon strength and insight, about a man whose great achievement requires the surrender of his self-respect."
Awards
Acting awards for Philip Seymour Hoffman
- Academy Award for Best Actor
- BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
- Golden Globe Award for Best Actor â€" Motion Picture Drama
- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
- Satellite Award for Best Actor â€" Motion Picture Drama
Critics' awards
- Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
- Boston Society of Film Critics: Best Actor, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress
- Chicago Film Critics Association: Best Actor, Most Promising Filmmaker
- Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association: Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress
- Independent Spirit Awards: Best Actor, Best Screenplay
- Kansas City Film Critics Circle: Best Actor
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association: Best Actor, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress
- National Board of Review Award for Best Actor
- National Society of Film Critics: Best Film, Best Actor
- New York Film Critics Circle: Best First Film
- Online Film Critics Society: Best Actor
- Southeastern Film Critics Association: Best Actor
- Toronto Film Critics Association: Best First Feature, Best Performance â€" Male, Best Supporting Performance â€" Female
Nominations
- 78th Academy Awards:
- Best Picture
- Best Director â€" Bennett Miller
- Best Actor â€" Philip Seymour Hoffman (Won)
- Best Supporting Actress â€" Catherine Keener
- Best Adapted Screenplay â€" Dan Futterman
- 59th British Academy Film Awards:
- Best Picture
- Best Director â€" Bennett Miller
- Best Actor â€" Philip Seymour Hoffman (Won)
- Best Supporting Actress â€" Catherine Keener
- Best Adapted Screenplay â€" Dan Futterman
- Berlin International Film Festival: Golden Bear
- Broadcast Film Critics Association: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress â€" Catherine Keener, Best Screenplay â€" Dan Futterman
- Directors Guild of America: Best Director â€" Bennett Miller
- Independent Spirit Awards: Best Picture, Producers Award â€" Caroline Baron
- Online Film Critics Society: Best Supporting Actress â€" Catherine Keener, Best Breakthrough Filmmaker â€" Bennett Miller, Best Screenplay â€" Dan Futterman
- Producers Guild of America Awards: Best Theatrical Motion Picture
- Screen Actors Guild Awards: Best Supporting Actress â€" Catherine Keener, Best Ensemble Cast
- Writers Guild of America Awards: Best Adapted Screenplay â€" Dan Futterman
See also
- In Cold Blood
- In Cold Blood (1967 film)
- Infamous, a 2006 film on a very similar theme
- Lowell Lee Andrews
References
External links
- Capote at the Internet Movie Database
- Capote at AllMovie
- Capote at Box Office Mojo
- Capote at Rotten Tomatoes
- Capote at Metacritic
