Arizona Republic
by Bill Muller
October 13, 2006
Rarely does a movie come with a letter of explanation.
But most don't face the uphill climb of Infamous, a film about Truman Capote and his most acclaimed work, In Cold Blood. The movie comes just a year after Philip Seymour Hoffman won an Oscar for Capote, which was set during the same period of Capote's life.
Despite Capote's status as a flamboyant pop icon and leading American author, two movies in two years is a bit much. That explains the note from Infamous director Douglas McGrath, who explains that funding and casting dilemmas led to both movies being green-lighted at the same time.
That's unfortunate because Infamous, in many ways, is better than Capote. It's more cinematic and far-reaching, dealing in detail with Capote's mingling among the rich and famous, and tracking his descent after he sold his soul to write In Cold Blood.
Toby Jones, the British actor with the impossible task of following an Oscar winner, gives a stellar, idiosyncratic performance as Capote, who was fond of outlandish New York fashions and lavish dinner parties.
Jones can be easier to take as Capote, because he's not as well known as Hoffman. (Jones played Smee in Finding Neverland and voiced Dobby in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets).
Unlike Capote, which had a tight, laser-guided focus, Infamous takes a comprehensive approach and has bigger names in the cast, including Sandra Bullock (as author and Capote pal Harper Lee), Sigourney Weaver (as society dame Babe Paley) and Gwyneth Paltrow (in a cameo as singer Peggy Lee).
The movie features another flawless performance from Daniel Craig, the new James Bond, who in Infamous plays the literate but unpredictable killer Perry Smith. After watching Infamous, it's obvious that Craig will bring some toughness back to the 007 series. With his angular features and angry frown, he's quite intimidating as Smith.
Based on the George Plimpton book, Infamous follows somewhat in the footsteps of Capote. The author is enjoying life as a man about town in New York when he reads about the murder of the Clutter family in Kansas.
At first he wants to write a magazine article about the killings, but eventually decides to write a book, but not just any book. Capote wants to create the "non-fiction novel" - a work based on real events but written in the style of fiction.
Given his New York dress and signature high-pitched voice, the Kansas farm folk don't take to Capote. But while he's turning his nose up at a stack of Velveeta in the local grocery store, Capote is invited to Christmas dinner by the wife of Alvin Dewey (Jeff Daniels), the chief investigator in the Clutter murder.
Once in the Dewey home, Capote starts dropping names, like Humphrey Bogart and Frank Sinatra. He even impresses Dewey by challenging him to arm wrestle. Once news of the evening spreads, Capote is swimming in dinner invites.
But eventually Capote must approach the two men accused of murdering the Clutters, Dick Hickock (Lee Pace) and Smith. Though Hickock is happy to talk, Capote is more interested in the testimony of the sulking Smith, who felt some pity for his victims, giving one a pillow and preventing the rape of another, but killed them just the same.
Capote and Smith have similar backgrounds, and Capote befriends the man. But he also needs him for the book, so in a way, the author is using Smith. The author even hopes Hickock and Smith will exhaust their appeals and be hanged, so he can release his book.
The thought of betraying a friend must have stuck with Capote, because he never wrote a complete work again.
But as for completed movies, Capote's doing quite well.
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