This 2006 movie opened up a whole new segue in my COVID watching/reading programme.  Browsing through my Netflix list, it came up so I cast it to the TV, hopped on the exercise bike, and began.

Sometimes an actor has just the right physique to play a certain part and so it was with Toby Jones playing the iconic Truman Capote in the story of his pursuit of the tale of 2 small-time crooks who murder a family of 4 in Holcomb, Kansas, in America’s mid-west.  Accompanied by his best pal Nelle Harper Lee (Sandra Bullock), the duo spends weeks in Holcomb to plumb the depths of this terrible story.  I don’t know how authentic Jones’ portrayal of Capote is really, but it certainly must have been a challenge to be accepted in this deeply conservative town appearing even a little bit weird, but a task Capote accomplished according to this film maker!

Anyway, it’s a fascinating watch, with all sorts of familiar faces popping up along the way including Jeff Bridges, Sigourney Weaver, Gwyneth Paltrow (singing, no less, and very well!), Daniel Craig (also singing), and Isabella Rossellini, to name just a few.

It’s also an observation of the author, his writing process, and the effect that producing this best seller had upon him.

I then segued into the the 1967 movie “In Cold Blood” (YouTube) based upon Capote’s novel inspired by the Clutter family murder story.

And finally, to complete the set, the novel itself in audio form from Audible.

Image by Richard Avedon