has anyone here seen the 1949 version?

I have seen it but it was one of the few things I actually could not sit through so may not have seen the end. I have a VHS copy of it somewhere recorded off cable TV.

Although I cannot quote chapter and verse for you, I can tell you I thought it was pretty bad and was totally against the spirit of the book. The makers decided to do a Howard Hughes/Aviator biography type approach to the story, added in lots of things (eg about his climb to success) that took away our imagination of Gatsby's life.

It was definitely Not So Great Gatsby.

I have to add that I thought the 1974 version is one of the flawed, oft- maligned films I actually have great affection for. The other obvious one is A Little Night Music.





" Of course! There are trains in all Contini films.
It's my signature!"

WARNING! THIS MESSAGE DEFINITELY CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!!





I saw it recently. It's available on youtube if you're interested.

As for better or worse, let's say it's different.

The 1974 one is much closer to the book and lasts about an hour longer.

The 1949 one was made much closer to the era it was set in by folks who had a more recent memory of the 1920s.

Alan Ladd seems closer to the Jay Gatsby character Fitzgerald wrote. Redford seems too much like he would've been an old money WASP rather than an outsider trying to enter that social group.

The 1974 version is more like a slower, Merchant Ivory style costume drama while the 1949 version is done more like a 1940s film noir.

The 1949 one seems to spell everything out literally for the viewer including(SPOILERS COMING!!!!!)Gatsby's past and the death of Myrtle(done in an unintentionally hilarious manner like a film by the Zucker Brothers) and is less subtle than the 1974 version.

Daisy is more intelligent and seems to have a little more of a conscience and strength in the 1949 version whereas she is more vacuous in the 1974 version.

Nick and Jordan have a happier ending in the 1949 version.

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