When you think of Jay Gatsby, who do you see? For a huge chunk of the population, it’s not Leonardo DiCaprio’s champagne-toasting meme face. It is Robert Redford. Specifically, Redford in 1974, looking impossibly gold-toned, leaning against a yellow Rolls-Royce with a look of practiced indifference. It’s been half a century since The Great Gatsby Robert Redford adaptation hit theaters, and honestly, we’re still arguing about it. Some people call it a masterpiece of period design. Others think it’s as lifeless as a wax museum.
The movie was supposed to be a titan. It had a screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola—who was fresh off The Godfather—and a massive budget from Paramount. They wanted a blockbuster. They got a polarizing time capsule. If you watch it today, the first thing you notice isn't the dialogue. It’s the sweat. Everyone is constantly glistening in that Long Island heat, trying to recapture F. Scott Fitzgerald’s "blue gardens" and "whispered promises." But did Redford actually get Gatsby right, or was he just too famous to disappear into the role?
The Casting Gamble: Was Redford Too Perfect?
Casting Robert Redford as Jay Gatsby seemed like a no-brainer in 1974. He was the biggest star in the world. He had that "old money" look despite Gatsby being the ultimate striver. That's the irony, right? Gatsby is a fraud. He’s a guy from North Dakota playing dress-up in pink suits. But Redford? Redford looked like he was born in a tuxedo.
Critics at the time, like the legendary Pauline Kael, felt he was almost too static. She famously suggested he looked like he was posing for a wristwatch ad rather than pining for a lost love. There’s a specific stillness to his performance. While DiCaprio’s Gatsby felt explosive and desperate, Redford’s version is incredibly internal. He stares. He watches. He waits. It’s a choice that reflects the "Great" part of the title—the idea of Gatsby as a myth rather than a man.
Then you have Mia Farrow as Daisy Buchanan. Talk about a divisive performance. She plays Daisy as a fluttering, nervous wreck—a "beautiful little fool" taken to the extreme. When you put the cool, detached Great Gatsby Robert Redford persona next to Farrow’s high-strung energy, the chemistry is... weird. Some say it’s non-existent. Others argue that’s the point. Gatsby isn't in love with Daisy; he’s in love with a ghost he created in his head. The awkwardness between the two actors actually highlights how unreachable their dream was.
Coppola, Chanel, and the $6 Million Wardrobe
The 1974 film is a visual feast, but it’s a slow-cooked one. Director Jack Clayton didn't want a fast-paced thriller. He wanted a mood piece. To get that mood, the production went all out on authenticity. They used actual mansions in Newport, Rhode Island, because the original Long Island "Gold Coast" had been too built up by the 70s.
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The fashion was a whole other story. Theadora Van Runkle handled the costumes, but Ralph Lauren (then a rising star) provided the men's wear. It basically launched the "Gatsby Look" that dominated 70s fashion. Think wide lapels, pale linens, and those iconic spectator shoes.
- The sheer amount of white lace used for Daisy’s dresses was enough to supply a small country.
- Every car was a genuine vintage model, not a fiberglass replica.
- The party scenes used hundreds of extras, all dressed in historically accurate 1920s gear.
But here’s where it gets tricky: Coppola’s script was almost too faithful to the book. Sometimes, when you translate a novel word-for-word to the screen, the life gets squeezed out of it. The 1974 Great Gatsby Robert Redford film suffers from "reverence syndrome." It treats Fitzgerald’s prose like Holy Scripture. This leads to long, quiet scenes where people just look at each other while the wind blows the curtains. For a modern audience used to the frantic editing of Baz Luhrmann, this can feel like watching paint dry. But if you’re in the right headspace, it feels like a dream. It feels like a memory.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 1974 Ending
People remember the tragedy, but they often forget how the 1974 film handles the aftermath. It’s incredibly cynical. After Gatsby is shot in his pool—a scene filmed with haunting, quiet brutality—the movie shifts focus to the "careless people" Fitzgerald wrote about. Tom and Daisy Buchanan simply pack their bags and leave.
There’s a specific shot of Redford’s Gatsby floating in the water that has become iconic. It’s the end of the American Dream. The 1974 version leans into the loneliness of it all. There’s no big, swelling orchestral score to make you feel better. It’s just Nick Carraway (played by Bruce Dern, who is surprisingly good as the observer) realizing that everyone he knew was a hollow shell.
Interestingly, Robert Redford reportedly wasn't thrilled with the final cut. He felt the film was too heavy on the "romance" and not enough on the "social commentary." He wanted to explore the dark side of wealth more deeply. Instead, the marketing focused on the "Love Story of the Century."
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The Cultural Legacy of Redford’s Gatsby
Why do we keep coming back to this version? For one, the cinematography by Douglas Slocombe is legendary. He used heavy diffusion filters to give everything a soft, glowing haze. It looks like the whole movie was dipped in honey.
Secondly, the 1974 film is responsible for how we perceive the Jazz Age. Before this movie, 1920s depictions were often cartoony—all flappers and tommy guns. The Great Gatsby Robert Redford era brought a sense of elegance and sadness to the period. It made the 20s look expensive and doomed.
- The Soundtrack: Nelson Riddle’s arrangement of "The Sheik of Araby" and other period tunes won an Oscar. It’s jaunty but eerie.
- The Locations: Rosecliff and The Elms in Newport became tourist landmarks because of this film.
- The "Pink Suit" Moment: No one has ever worn a pink three-piece suit better than Redford. Period.
While the 2013 version is a CGI explosion of hip-hop and confetti, the 1974 version is a quiet, gin-soaked afternoon. It’s the difference between a rave and a private dinner party. If you want the "vibe" of the 20s, you watch Luhrmann. If you want the "soul" of the book—even if that soul is a bit cold—you watch Redford.
How to Watch It Today With Fresh Eyes
If you’re going to revisit the 1974 Great Gatsby, stop looking for an action movie. It’s not one. It is a character study of a man who doesn't actually exist. Redford plays Gatsby as a guy who is constantly performing. Look at the way he handles his hands or how he checks his reflection. He’s a man terrified of being found out.
Also, pay attention to Karen Black as Myrtle Wilson. She’s often overlooked, but her performance is the most "human" thing in the movie. She’s desperate, sweaty, and loud—a sharp contrast to the icy Buchanans. She represents the "valley of ashes" that the rich people just drive through on their way to something better.
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Honestly, the best way to appreciate this film is to treat it like a gallery of portraits. Each frame is a painting. Is it a bit slow? Yeah. Is the pacing "kinda" wonky? Definitely. But it captures a specific kind of American melancholy that no other version has quite nailed.
Actionable Insights for Film Buffs and Readers
If you want to truly understand the impact of The Great Gatsby Robert Redford version, don't just stream it on a background tab. Do these things to get the full experience:
- Compare the "Plaza Hotel" Scene: Watch the 1974 version of the confrontation between Gatsby and Tom, then watch the 2013 version. Redford plays it with simmering rage; DiCaprio plays it with an explosion. It tells you everything about the different acting styles of the two eras.
- Read the Screenplay Notes: Seek out Francis Ford Coppola’s comments on the writing process. He wrote it in a hotel room in Paris in just a few weeks. Knowing he was trying to be "hyper-faithful" explains why the movie feels so literary.
- Check Out the Fashion Impact: Look at Ralph Lauren’s 1974 collection. You can see the direct line from the silver screen to the department store racks.
- Look for the "Green Light": Notice how the cinematography changes when the green light is on screen. It’s one of the few times the soft-focus lens gets sharpened, representing Gatsby’s singular focus.
The 1974 film isn't perfect, but it is essential. It’s a testament to a time when Hollywood took massive risks on "literary" movies. Whether you love Redford’s performance or find it too detached, you can’t deny that he became the definitive face of Jay Gatsby for an entire generation. He turned a literary ghost into a flesh-and-blood icon of gold and grief.
Next Steps for Deepening Your Gatsby Knowledge:
- Watch the 1949 Version: If you can find it, Alan Ladd’s take on Gatsby is a noir-heavy version that offers a completely different "vibe" than Redford’s.
- Visit the Newport Mansions: If you’re ever in Rhode Island, touring Rosecliff will give you a literal sense of the scale the 1974 production was working with.
- Listen to the Commentary: Many anniversary Blu-rays feature historians discussing the tension on set between director Jack Clayton and the studio—it’s as dramatic as the movie itself.
The 1974 adaptation remains a fascinating failure to some and a gorgeous triumph to others. But in the world of cinema, being "boringly beautiful" is often better than being forgettable. And nobody ever forgets Robert Redford in that yellow car.