Movie Analysis:

"Capote"

Capote is a gem of a film with a subtle but stellar performance by Philip Seymour Hoffman in the title role. Capote explores writer Truman Capote’s research and writing of his classic “non-fiction novel,” In Cold Blood. While presented at an adult pace, Capote is much more than a character study and takes time to explore the material thoroughly. Its sound story structure is evident even in the film’s trailer. It is that solid structure that makes Capote’s personal journey painful, real, and unavoidable. I highly recommend seeing this film.

SPOILERS AHEAD

The Overall Story involves the activities surrounding the murder of a Kansas family (OS Domain of Activity): identifying the perpetrators, capturing them, convicting them, executing them, and writer Truman Capote’s attempt to understand and document it all (OS Concern of Understanding). The cold-blooded nature of the murders upsets the entire community (OS Issue of Instinct v. Conditioning), especially when the specifics of the murders are widely communicated (OS Problem of Knowledge). Community passions run high (OS Symptom of Desire) but are kept in check by the smoothly functioning legal system (OS Response of Ability).

Truman Capote is the Main Character. He is self-centered, conceited, and terribly insecure. After the success of Breakfast at Tiffany’s he is driven by the need to be well-known (MC Problem of Knowledge). He wants to make his mark on the world so he will never be forgotten (MC Concern of Memories). He’s very proud of his 94% retention rate of everything he hears, sees, or reads. It irritates him that people think they know who he is because of the way he talks and moves (MC Symptom of Perception). He makes it a point to correct them and put them in their place by revealing his wicked wit and pen (MC Response of Actuality). His new writing style brings him into a grey area between fact and fiction (MC Issue of Truth v. Falsehood). Capote can lie convincingly to get his way, which makes him perfectly suited to discover what really went on in the Kansas home the night of the murders (MC Unique Ability of Falsehood).

Perry Smith is Truman’s Impact Character. He is physically attractive and in jail for the murders (IC Domain of Situation). His family history and orphanage upbringing mirror the personal tragedies in Truman’s own past (IC Concern of The Past). As Truman puts it, “It’s as if Perry and I grew up in the same house. He stood up and went out the back door while I went out the front.” (IC Issue of Fate v. Destiny, M/I Problem of Projection).

Truman and Perry’s relationship is one of author and subject, though Truman makes it seem as if it is based on a real desire to help Perry (M/I Domain of Manipulation). Truman’s real motivation for befriending Perry is to wheedle out the details of his life and the events surrounding the murder while telling Perry about his plans to get him better legal representation (M/I Concern of Developing a Plan).

The film begins with the discovery of the murdered Kansas family and ends with Perry’s hanging (Story Driver of Action). The hanging only happens because Perry has run out of appeals and Truman has gotten what he came for and no longer runs interference with the legal system (Story Limit of Optionlock). Truman’s single-mindedness in getting what he wants (MC Domain of Fixed Attitude) has some unexpected results. In the process of writing his book he has compromised himself beyond his own acceptable level (MC Resolve of Change). He is miserable as he watches the man he has come to care for be hung. Truman Capote’s book is a smash hit (Story Goal of Success), but Truman never completes another book and dies from alcoholism-related complications (Story Judgment of Bad).

Click Here for Capote's storyform.