Capote (2005)

In 1959, Truman Capote learns of the murder of a Kansas family and decides to write a book about the case. While researching for his novel In Cold Blood, Capote forms a relationship with one of the killers, Perry Smith, who is on death row.

Director:

Bennett Miller

Writers:

Dan Futterman (screenplay), Gerald Clarke (book)

Stars:

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Clifton Collins Jr., Catherine Keener

Won 1 Oscar. Another 58 wins & 86 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Allie Mickelson	...	Laura Kinney
Kelci Stephenson	...	Nancy Clutter
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Truman Capote
Craig Archibald	...	Christopher
Bronwen Coleman	...	Barbara
Kate Shindle	...	Rose
David Wilson Barnes	...	Grayson
Michael J. Burg	...	Williams (as Michael J. Berg)
Catherine Keener	...	Nelle Harper Lee
Kwesi Ameyaw	...	Porter
Andrew Farago	...	Car Rental Agent
Ken Krotowich	...	Courthouse Guard
Chris Cooper	...	Alvin Dewey
R.D. Reid	...	Roy Church
Rob McLaughlin	...	Harold Nye (as Robert McLaughlin)

Storyline

Famed writer Truman Capote, southern born and bred but now part of the New York City social circle, is growing weary of his current assignment of writing autobiographical type pieces for the New Yorker. After reading a newspaper article about the just occurred November 14, 1959 cold blooded murders of the Clutter family in their rural Kansas home, Truman feels compelled to write about that event as his next article. So he and his personal assistant Nelle Harper Lee, also a southern born New Yorker and an aspiring writer of her own, head to Kansas to research the story first-hand. Truman hopes to use his celebrity status to gain access to whomever he needs, such as to Laura Kinney, a friend of the Clutter daughter she who discovered the bodies, and to Alvin Dewey, the lead police investigator and also a Clutter family friend. If his celebrity doesn't work, Truman will grease the wheels by whatever means necessary. When the police eventually charge suspects, two young men named Dick ...

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Plot Keywords:

gay lead character | kansas | prison | reading | death penalty | 

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Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some violent images and brief strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Gaumont Columbia Tristar [France] Sony Classics [United States]

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 February 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Truman Capote

Filming Locations:

Manitoba Legislative Building, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$324,857, 2 October 2005, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$28,747,570, 23 April 2006

Company Credits

Production Co:

United Artists,Sony Pictures Classics,A-Line Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min 110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In 1965, Lee edited Capote's final draft for In Cold Blood. She had burned her hand badly several months earlier and had trouble writing, but nonetheless she made abbreviated comments as she reviewed Capote's draft.

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Goofs

A Close-up of a photograph in the newspaper Capote is reading shows it to be diffusion-dithered. It should be half-toned, the way all papers of the time printed their photographs.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Laura Kinney: Hello? Nancy?

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Connections

Featured in The 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards (2006)

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Soundtracks

Hot Cha Cha
(1955)
Written by Bebo Valdés (as Ramon E. Valdes)
Performed by Bebo Valdés (as Bebo Valdes)
Courtesy of Absolute Spain

User Reviews

He Is Capote!

I saw Truman Capote dozens of times; he was a staple of the talk show circuit. One of the greatest TV moments was when he called Wilbur Mills a racist in the most subtle way that the Georgia governor took about half a minute to realize what had happened. This man was a firebrand. He never backed down from anything, despite his effeminate ways and small stature. Unfortunately, he word his celebrity on his sleeve and was often overly harsh and full of himself. This is a great movie. The subtle methods he uses to draw out the story from the murderer shows that he would do anything to get a story, even lie to a person with whom he had begun to fall in love. He pictures himself as compassionate at times, but he is often unwilling to go that final mile. It's surprising he was in attendance at the hangings, the events that probably contributed to his death. What a complex man. His canon of American literature is small but he was a master stylist and commentator. See this movie for Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance. It is one of the greatest in cinematic history. We remember Capote. He is Capote!