In his film adaptation of The Great Gatsby, director Jack Clayton develops F. Scott Fitzgerald's comments on the society presented in the novel. Clayton's adaptation of The Great Gatsby successfully articulates to a large extent the novel's theme that the class structure of 1920s America is unfairly biased against immoral individuals and against honorable figures to criticize the corruption of wealth in upper class society. To convey this very theme, Clayton departs from Fitzgerald's text in some significant ways, but is perhaps most notable for his emphasis on the properties of the cinematic medium in the retelling of a literary work. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Through color, Clayton develops the upper classes' obsession with wealth and power. The film opens with a shot of gold objects on Gatsby's dresser, objects that correspond to the “toilet set” of “pure dull gold” (Fitzgerald 91) in the novel. The color gold, a traditional symbol of wealth, indicates Gatsby's upper class status and desire to display his wealth. While gold objects appear towards the middle of the novel, the film immediately introduces them, effectively establishing Gatsby's wealth from the beginning. The color gold in the shot is significant because it appears on Gatsby's hairbrushes and mirror, items typically used to enhance one's appearance. The status and wealth that these gold objects embody contribute to Gatsby's projected image of class and money that will attract Daisy. Additionally, the dim lighting in the frame masks the colors of the other objects in the frame, exposing only the gold and emphasizing the importance of money in Gatsby's character. In the same shot, a fly crawling on the dresser is the main source of movement, drawing attention to it. Carrying an unpleasant connotation implying filth and contamination, the fly exemplifies the corruption that afflicts wealth. Despite its small size and apparent insignificance, the fly's ability to stand out among luxury items illustrates the power of corruption to permeate the upper class. With this shot, Clayton denounces the inevitable presence of corruption among the rich to express Fitzgerald's criticism of the evils of elite society. The film's ability to convey this commentary in the opening scene demonstrates Clayton's success in communicating Fitzgerald's theme. After Gatsby and Daisy meet, the color gold reappears as a symbol of wealth in a shot with the camera following Daisy's hand touching a series of golden figures before touching Gatsby's hand. The shot demonstrates Daisy's obsession with wealth, as she caresses each object and develops her materialism, which draws her towards gold objects. The focus on Daisy's hand demonstrates the physical connection she has to money and Gatsby, as both her character and her love lack depth. By revealing Gatsby's hand at the end of the succession of golden figures, Clayton compares material objects to Gatsby, while also showing Gatsby's lack of awareness of Daisy's insincerity. By touching Gatsby's hand the same way she touches the gold figures, Daisy demonstrates that she is attracted to him as much as she is interested in his displays of wealth. Daisy's love stems solely from her obsession with wealth and the power it gives her, so she perceives Gatsby as a means to achieving those aspirations. This proves the illegitimacy of loveof Daisy, in turn condemning the superficiality of the upper class who only care about materialistic matters, thus exposing the extent of corruption in society that allows this behavior. Later, when Gatsby asks Daisy to tell Tom that she never loved him, the camera first focuses on Gatsby's white cuffs before tilting up to reveal his black waistcoat. This sequence where the camera introduces colors reflects Gatsby's evolving understanding of his relationship with Margaret. Initially, Gatsby firmly believes in the possibility of an uncomplicated relationship. At this time, Gatsby's mindset is a reflection of the color white, which represents innocence, purity, and simplicity. He unconsciously assumes that Daisy will abandon Tom, but after Daisy becomes aware of Tom's more respectable "old money" status and his hesitation to conform, Gatsby recognizes the unlikelihood of his dream for a future with Daisy. This knowledge induces Gatsby's distraught state, which mirrors the black color of his vest which has associations with death and evil. Entering the scene confident in his idealistic fantasy, the corrupt forces of society force Gatsby to recognize the role of money in his dream, a mindset that aligns with the sequence of colors that appear in the frame. Through color symbolism, Clayton successfully illustrates Fitzgerald's comments on the upper class's fixation on wealth and power to echo the novel's theme that elite society inherently favors wealthy characters despite their corruption. Through the mise-en-scène, Clayton highlights the tendency of the upper class to exploit wealth. In preparation for tea with Daisy, a silver tea set is placed on a table in front of Gatsby, in the center of the frame, obstructing Gatsby's body. The location of the tea set, a physical representation of Gatsby's wealth, and the substantial space it occupies in the frame suggest that Gatsby, in his desperate attempt to win Daisy's love, hides behind his wealth and appearance materialist to take on a new persona and appear to Daisy exactly as she wishes to see him. Similar to the name change and abandonment of the “James Gatz” figure, Gatsby hides his past and penniless self to present a new rich version in a way that will guarantee Daisy's love. The composition of this shot demonstrates Gatsby's willingness to transform his character to please Daisy. While Gatsby is concerned with charming Daisy, Daisy herself is absent from the frame. This indicates his influence on Gatsby, as he can dictate Gatsby's actions from outside the frame, exposing the corruption of the upper class for the exploitation of wealth. The staging of this shot successfully conveys the theme that society unfairly punishes sympathetic characters and allows corrupt characters to thrive. Fitzgerald's criticism of the thoughtless upper class is evident in this shot, as Daisy, who is superficial and materialistic, easily and unknowingly manipulates Gatsby in her favor. The corruption of wealth in the upper class also appears during the argument between Wilson and Myrtle, when Wilson cries and Myrtle turns away from him. By filling the majority of the frame with Wilson's face and positioning Myrtle with her back to the camera, Clayton portrays Wilson as sympathetic and Myrtle as antagonistic due to her infatuation with wealth and status. The shot captures the pained expression on Wilson's face without revealing any of Myrtle's feelings, which creates a contrast between the huge effect their argument has on Wilson.