True Stories 19: 00s—Capote

The story of Capote [2005], by Dan Futterman, is an interesting one.

Truman Capote was a fascinating subject. He was a writer who drew extensively on his own life and acquaintances for his writings. He was great friends with the socialites of his day, other writers, actors… he’d have had a huge Twitter following if he’d lived in our times. Much has been written about him and his life and it wouldn’t have been unusual for some serious person to contemplate doing a biopic on him. But Capote is not that biopic. And that’s largely due to Futterman.

Futterman was an actor but had always thought he might want to write. His first project was the script for Capote that won him award after award. How did this happen? Connections?

Well, partly. But first came the idea. Futterman was re-reading Capote’s In Cold Blood and decided the most interesting thing about that book wasn’t the story of the crime and the two killers, but the story of Capote’s struggles in finessing the story and, essentially, lying to the killers in order to get a better story and make it go in the direction he wanted.

Take a look at the trailer for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq-kLlga0EI

Futterman had a friend from theatre camp who did documentary films, Bennett Miller, and he talked it over with him. Miller thought it was an interesting story and told him to write a few scenes. So he did. At the same time, he’d been cast in a part for Homicide and was impressed by the writing of the script. He got in touch with the screenwriter to ask her advice. She told him he needed to do an outline. So he did. And eventually he wrote the script.

But he needed legitimacy. So he went to meet Gerald Clarke, the writer of Capote: A Biography to ask if he could option the book for this project. Remember, Futterman was an actor with no writing credits at all. And Clarke’s book had been well received. Still, Hollywood wasn’t knocking down his door asking if they could make a movie based on the book. And he was impressed by Futterman’s passion—so he gave him the option.

His friend Miller had agreed to sign on as director, but how would they get people interested in the project? After all, Futterman had no credits as a writer and Miller had only directed documentaries, never a feature. But they had this friend…

Another buddy who’d been in theatre camp with them when they were young was Philip Seymour Hoffman. He laughed when they suggested he play the part—he was way too tall to play the diminutive Capote. Then he read the script. He said in an interview that he was reading the script as he walked upstairs in his house and realized about halfway up that, damn!—he was going to have to do this. And after all, what was it all about if you couldn’t use whatever power you had in this business to get the chance to work with your friends.

There were so many things in the way of Futterman ever making a success of this—but he did. By following his passion and listening to his friends.

What are your passions? Who are your friends? Might they help you achieve your dreams?

Next week, from dreams to devastation—United 93.

Copyright © Diane Lake

16Oct22

Email Diane a question to Diane@DianeLake.com