By
Keith Loria
If
you’ve read F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel “The Great Gatsby” or seen
either the 1974 movie starring Robert Redford or the 2013 remake with Leonardo
DiCaprio as the titular Jay Gatsby, you probably think you know the true story
of who Gatsby was.
But
a new documentary entitled “Gatsby in Connecticut: The Untold Story” will tell
the real story and answer the question, “Who was the real Jay Gatsby?”
The
documentary, which will be available on DVD and streaming services on Sept. 1,
also reveals that Fitzgerald’s inspiration for the story’s setting of West Egg
was really Westport and not Long Island as many assumed.
The
film also acts as a companion piece with the book “Boats Against the Current,”
written by the documentary’s producer, Richard “Deej” Webb Jr.
Presented
by Vision Films and Against The Grain Productions, “Gatsby in Connecticut: The
Untold Story” is directed by Robert Steven Williams and features actor Sam
Waterston, who starred as Nick Carraway in Redford’s version of the movie.
“Sam
is a longtime Connecticut resident and I had a friend who knew him well and
reached out to him and ask if he would take a tour of the Fitzgerald house, and
interestingly enough, he didn’t know anything about the Fitzgeralds in
Westport,” Williams says. “He came down and spent the entire day there because
he was so fascinated by the house.”
Fairfield’s
own Keir Dullea, who starred as astronaut David Bomwan in “2001: A Space
Odyssey,” narrates the film.
“Keir
is another local and we have done work together before,” Williams says. “He’s
an icon and people know him for 2001, but he actually played Fitzgerald in a
one-person play off-Broadway in the early ’90s. I was very fortunate both Sam
and Keir gave of their time and they generally found the project fascinating.”
The
film was inspired by an article written by Barbara Probst Solomon that appeared
in an edition of the New Yorker in 1996, which explored the theory that
Westport was the true inspiration for the locale of the story.
Williams’
film shines a brighter light on Probst’s theory, as he attempts to show it’s
true through his research into Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald’s life and their love
of Westport, looking at the untold story of the Fitzgeralds living in
Connecticut. Bobbie Lanahan, the couple’s granddaughter, appears in the
documentary and she herself is amazed at the findings.
“I
started with this about seven years ago,” said Williams, who lives in Westport.
“I had just written a novel and I decided to promote the novel by celebrating
the town’s rich cultural history. I did a literary roundtable at the Westport
Historical Society and I had [Richard] present some Fitzgerald stuff.”
By
the end, numerous people came up to Williams telling him they had no idea about
any of Fitzgerald’s association with the area and that made him start thinking.
“I
called the guy who did the presentation up and told him I wanted to do a short,
three-month project, maybe a 10-minute film for the Historical Society so the
next generation doesn’t forget that the Fitzgeralds even lived here,” Williams
says. “He thought it was a great idea and that’s how we started.”
The
more Williams researched, the more intrigued he became. By the time he came
across Solomon’s article, and saw the similarities between the Westport houses
and the Gatsby mansion she wrote about, he was convinced the film had to be
more.
“Along
the way, we uncovered academic secrets and a lawsuit to stop the leading
Fitzgerald scholar from rewriting parts of Gatsby,” Williams says. “Most
important, we were able to bring to life an overlooked period of Scott and
Zelda’s that had a profound impact on their lives including their art, the
novels, their love.”
The
reason it took seven years was because it took time to build confidence with
the Fitzgerald community to reveal some of their secrets. There was skepticism
among many Gatsby scholars, and some even actively tried to stop the
information from coming out.
“It
took a long time for anyone to admit that maybe what Barbara wrote was a
possibility,” Williams says. “It was really important to create trust with the
community and let people finally feel comfortable with sharing things they
didn’t want to actually say.”
The
movie also has some great music in it, which Williams says reflects
Fitzgerald’s love of jazz.
At
a time when there are a lot of crazy things going on in the world, Williams
feels the film is the perfect escape.
“The
opportunity to spend an hour or so in the world of Scott and Zelda is a great
escape,” he says. “You don’t have to be a lover of history or literature. It’s
a really fun ride because it’s such an interesting time. It’s also one of
America’s most beloved novels, something we’ve all read. It’s an incredible
commentary on how hard it is to achieve the American Dream.”
“Gatsby
in Connecticut: The Untold Story” will be available Sept. 1, on DVD from all
major online retailers and on digital for an SRP of $4.99 to $9.99 from
platforms including iTunes, Vudu, Google Play, Xbox, Amazon, and FandangoNow,
as well as cable affiliates everywhere.