又是一部好莱坞改编自真实人物的电影：堪萨斯州发生了一起复仇谋杀案，一家四口被近距离枪杀。小说《第凡尼的早餐》的作者卡波特此后6年都在这个小村镇及监狱里的谋杀犯周围度过，最终写出了他轰动全美的作品。然而，这只是个冷血的作家……
Capote(2005)
In November, 1959, Truman Capote, the author of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and a favorite figure in what is soon to be known as the Jet Set, reads an article on a back page of the New York Times.
It tells of the murders of four members of a well-known farm family--the Clutters--in Holcomb, Kansas. Similar stories appear in newspapers almost every day, but something about this one catches Capote's eye. It presents an opportunity, he believes, to test his long-held theory that, in the hands of the right writer, non-fiction can be as compelling as fiction.
What impact have the murders had on that tiny town on the wind-swept plains? With that as his subject--for his purpose, it does not matter if the murderers are never caught--he convinces The New Yorker magazine to give him an assignment and he sets out for Kansas. Accompanying him is a friend from his Alabama childhood: Harper Lee, who within a few months will win a Pulitzer Prize and achieve fame of her own as the author of "To Kill a Mockingbird."
Lee helps Capote fit into the small town that is rocked by the murders and introduces Capote to the townsfolk, including the investigator2 Alvin Dewey , who is hot on the trail of the killers3, Perry Smith and Dick Hickock. Lee keeps Capote in check, as does his editor William Shawn and longtime partner Jack4 Dunphy. But Capote is transfixed by Smith, and ends up spending a lot of time with him in jail after the trial.
Inevitably5, the small Kansas town tragedy leads Capote to his definitive6 work, In Cold Blood, becoming an obsession7 for the self-indulgent author. Capote seemingly wants to help get Smith and Hickock an appeal after they are convicted to hang for the murders of the Clutter1 family.
But truly, he is more concerned with himself. He lies, cajoles and fools himself as he toils8 over the book. He tells people rather callously9 that he hopes their appeals will end so he could have an ending to the book. And when they do hang, Capote is there. But he never completes another book ever again.
重点词汇
Jet Set n. 乘喷气客机到处旅游的富豪
compelling a. 强制的，强迫的，引人注目的
Pulitzer Prize n. 普利策奖（美国新闻最高奖项）
Breakfast at Tiffany's n. 小说《第凡尼的早餐》
To Kill a Mockingbird n. 小说《杀死一只知更鸟》
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convince v. 使确信，说服
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assignment n. 委派，任务
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mockingbird n. 知更鸟
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accompany v. 陪伴
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Kansas n. （美国）堪萨斯州
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Alabama n. （美国）阿拉巴马州
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transfix v. 刺穿，使呆住
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end up v. 最终，结束于……
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jail n. 监狱
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definitive a. 最后的，权威性的
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self-indulgent a. 放纵的，任性的
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obsession n. 困扰
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appeal n. 求助，呼吁
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convict v. 证明…有罪，宣告…有罪
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toil v. 苦干，费力地做
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callous a. 无情的，冷淡的
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