FILM
T pu or false?
Capote
I
n 1959, queer novelist Truman Capote
became fascinated by what appeared to be
the senseless murder of an upright family of
four in rural Kansas. When the white-trash
killers are caught, he meets them and
becomes obsessed with one, Perry Smith, fol
lowing his progress through the courts, find
ing new lawyers, facilitating appeals—all in
the interest of writing what would become
the groundbreaking “first nonfiction novel,”
1966’s In Cold Blood.
Of course, Capote was aKrut much more
than that Kx>k. Unrepentant sissy with a baby
ish voice, world-class raconteur, vicious (and
vengeful) wit and leading literary light cata
pulted to fame by Breakfast at Tiffany's, he was
an inescapable figure from the late ’50s through
the '70s. Often involved in scandals—few
who’ve seen it will forget his live TV attack on
novelist Jacqueline Susann, whom he
denounced as “a truck driver in drag!”—he was
a major consumer of drug and drink and a very
ATTI
HZ
Philip Seymour Hoffman (with Catherine Keener
as Harper Lee) deserves an Oscar for Capote.
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plex relationship between two lost souls and a
moment when a gay man made literary history.
Never Been Thawed
Queers may have qualms with Capote
by
G ary M orris
uncloseted queen who lived in an open rela
tionship for years with Jack Dunphy.
Bennett Millers Capote, starring Philip Sey
mour Hoffman in the title role, is inexplicably
billed as a “biopic," but the film focuses solely
on his involvement with the In Cold Blood proj
ect, which lasted a gixxl six years. As such, it’s a
powerful and effective film. Capote’s complex
relationship with Smith is beautifully nuanced,
as the writer simultaneously exploits the killer
for artistic purposes, lying and manipulating
him throughout, and becomes infatuated if not
in love with him.
The film succeeds in connecting Capote
with Smith through bitter scenes of reminiscing
about their strangely similar childKxxls. It’s
also a nicely fleshed-out portrait of the clash of
two worlds—Capote’s brittle, sophisticated
New York party scene (shown in brief, cutting
tableaux) and the hardscrabble world of rural
Kansas that’s understandably suspicious of the
brazenly sophisticated interloper who’s arrived
to pry out their secrets.
Hoffman’s performance is brilliant and
Oscar-worthy, moving with absolute authority
from dninken bitterness to cattiness to nobility.
He apparently listened to many hours of
Capote’s distinctive voice, and he quickly takes
on the persona of his subject in every detail.
His fluttering hand movements and eye-rolling
languor decisively recall rhe man for those
who’ve seen the original.
But queer viewers may have qualms with
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the film that haven’t cKCurred to the straight
press, which has been heaping unfettered praise
on it. Capote is annoyingly typical of the Holly-
wtxxl Whitewash in de-homosexualizing its
subject. Despite showcasing his fey mannerisms
and voice, the film studiously avoids the slight
est visualizing of affection or lust by this man
who obviously was capable of plenty of Kith.
Especially annoying is a scene in which
Capote appears to get cruised. A hunky man
who at first
seems to be a
disgruntled
kxzal stares
unabashedly
at him. Does
Capote, who
returns the
look, follow
him? It’s
implied but
not shown in
Never Been Thawed belongs in
a scene that
lasts maybe half a minute. Must we guess at this
kind of thing in 2005? The only real clue we
have is in the credits, where the character is
identified as “Cruiser.” Not g<xid enough.
Another troubling touch is the portrayal of
Dunphy (Bruce Greenwcxid), shown as a kind
qf long-suffering wife type begging hubby to pay
some attention. For all their physical connec
tion, he might as well be the maid. These com
plaints aside, Capote is a strong study of a com
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aughs are scarce in this shrill, sophomoric
mockumentary that will make you want to
repossess every privately held video camera
in the country.
Directed by Sean Anders, who also stars,
Never Been Thawed follows a group of obsessive
“frozen fixxJ collectors” in Arizona, two of
whom are also in a band of Christian rockers
(The Christers) out to hit the big time. Anders
piles on the jokes like an interstate car wreck,
desperately attempting to wring laughs from
juvenile riffs on 12-step programs, the abortion
debate, Starbucks (reincar
nated as a right-wing coffee
joint called No Choice),
queer reparative therapy,
Jesus rock, deafness, shock
jocks, evil businessmen and
mindless collectors.
Embalmed stereotypes like
“Scott Baxter," a self
absorbed, ultra-queeny fire
man who steals commemo
rative plates from bumed-up
the deep freeze.
buildings, will surely annoy
even straight audiences used to Will & Grace,
much less more sophisticated queer viewers.
Thawed screens 2 p.m. Oct. 23 during the
Portland Lesbian &. Gay Film Festival at Holly-
wix)d Theatre, followed by a weeklong nin
starting Oct. 28. JH
L
G ary M orris is a Portland free-lance writer who
spends his spare time writing the OK American
Novel.
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