Nyaniso Goeieman
Grade 12 E3
English Home Language
Comparative Essay: Film Study
The films The Great Gatsby and Moulin Rouge are two of director Baz Luhrman’s most
iconic films. The films are admired by viewers everywhere for their storylines and
captivating visual imagery, however, there seems to be a debate on whether these films
deserve to be deemed great works of theatre. This essay analyses the films according to
award-winning actor Willem Dafoe’s philosophy of film and determine whether they
adhere to the standard and thus deserve the title of great works of theatre.
The ability of a film to pull us out of our own perception of life is the first element of a great
film. Film makers and story writers are world builders and much like our world film has
constructs that are explored throughout the film. The protagonist’s perception of their
world is the lens with which we watch the story unfold, which is governed by the
protagonist’s leading value on which they base their decisions. In The Great Gatsby, Nick
Carroway, expresses in the voiceover in the first scene, “In my younger and more
vulnerable years my father gave me some advice: “always try to see the best in people,”
he would say... as a consequence, I’m inclined to reserve all judgements.” This line
indicates we are seeing the film from Carroway’s perception of tolerance and
understanding. Moulin Rouge similarly opens with a narration explaining, protagonist
Christian McGregor mindset as “A very strange, enchanted boy … this he said to me ‘the
greatest thing you’ll ever learn is to love and to be loved in return’”. This quote makes it
clear that we will be justifying Christian’s decisions through a perspective values love.
Once the lens is established, we then observe whether the supporting characters act in
accordance with this value, suggesting that they aspire to the same world as our
protagonist. Carroway, moved New York in order to chase ‘the American dream’, and
found himself surrounded by people who do not share the values, willing to do blur the
lines of right and wrong to get what they want, and Jay Gatsby displays this mindset
perfectly. Upon Nick’s return from the Buchanan residence, he said in a voiceover, “When
I arrived home, I noticed that a figure had emerged on my neighbor’s dock and something
told me it was Mr Gatsby. He seemed to be... reaching toward something out there in the
dark. The green light.” Gatsby mission is to win back Daisy Buchanan, who is symbolized
by the green light, and Gatsby is willing to risk at all by travelling in the darkness to get
Daisy. Contrastingly, McGregory values are recognized and appreciated by his
supporting characters and although a foreigner to his environment as Carroway is, is
immediately rewarded for his values of love and he was welcomed with the statement,
“See you can’t fool us. You’re the voice of the ‘Children of the Revolution’”.
Naturally we see the consequences that main characters face and thus evaluate whether
this is a world worth aspiring to. The Great Gatsby’s world is one where great privilege
allows you to live without consequences and being firm in your morals and the pursuit of
love leaves you in despair. Nick laments on his experience in the first scene with, “When
I came back from New York I was disgusted. Disgusted... with everyone, and everything...
Only one man was exempt from my disgust. Gatsby”” However, Moulin Rouge’s ending
showed that even against great power, love prevails. The preservation of love is shown
by Satine, McGregory’s lover, as she proclaims her love for him through song in her final
moments and says, “Tell our story Christian, that way I’ll always be with you. Promise me,
promise me you’ll tell our story. That way our love always triumphs.”
The combination of these aspects by director Baz Luhrman shows the facets of a great
film. Luhrman can build worlds that contradict each other in moral structure while still
showcasing the aspects to a great work of theatre and based on this analysis, it could be
considered say both The Great Gatsby and Moulin Rouge align with Dafoe’s idea of great
theatre.
(688 words)