''Trilogy'' (also released as ''Truman Capote's Trilogy'') is a 1969 American
anthology
In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors.
In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically categ ...
drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...
directed by
Frank Perry
Frank Joseph Perry Jr. (August 21, 1930 – August 29, 1995) was an American stage director and filmmaker. His 1962 independent film '' David and Lisa'' earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay (writte ...
and written by
Truman Capote
Truman Garcia Capote ( ; born Truman Streckfus Persons; September 30, 1924 – August 25, 1984) was an American novelist, screenwriter, playwright and actor. Several of his short stories, novels, and plays have been praised as literary classics, ...
. It was listed to compete at the
1968 Cannes Film Festival,
but the festival was cancelled due to the events of
May 1968 in France
Beginning in May 1968, a period of civil unrest occurred throughout France, lasting some seven weeks and punctuated by demonstrations, general strikes, as well as the occupation of universities and factories. At the height of events, which ha ...
.
Capote co-wrote the script with
Eleanor Perry
Eleanor Perry (née Rosenfeld; nom-de-plume Oliver Weld Bayer, October 13, 1914 – March 14, 1981) was an American screenwriter and author.''Variety'' "Eleanor Perry Obituary" March 17, 1981
Film critic Charles Champlin fondly remembered Perry ...
. It includes an adaptation of one of Capote's most well-known short stories, "
A Christmas Memory
''"A Christmas Memory"'' is a short story by Truman Capote. Originally published in '' Mademoiselle'' magazine in December 1956, it was reprinted in ''The Selected Writings of Truman Capote'' in 1963. It was issued in a stand-alone hardcover edit ...
," which Capote narrates. The
ensemble cast
In a dramatic production, an ensemble cast is one that is composed of multiple principal actors and performers who are typically assigned roughly equal amounts of screen time.Random House: ensemble acting Linked 2013-07-17
Structure
In contrast to ...
includes
Martin Balsam
Martin Henry Balsam (November 4, 1919 – February 13, 1996) was an American actor. He had a prolific career in character roles in film, in theatre, and on television. An early member of the Actors Studio, he began his career on the New ...
,
Mildred Natwick
Mildred Natwick (June 19, 1905 – October 25, 1994) was an American actress. She won a Primetime Emmy Award and was nominated for an Academy Award and two Tony Awards.
Early life
Natwick was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the daughter of Mildre ...
,
Geraldine Page
Geraldine Sue Page (November 22, 1924June 13, 1987) was an American actress. With a career which spanned four decades across film, stage, and television, Page was the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Acade ...
and
Maureen Stapleton
Lois Maureen Stapleton (June 21, 1925 – March 13, 2006) was an American actress. She received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Tony Awards, in addition to ...
.
Plot
Miriam
The first story, "
Miriam
Miriam ( he, מִרְיָם ''Mīryām'', lit. 'Rebellion') is described in the Hebrew Bible as the daughter of Amram and Jochebed, and the older sister of Moses and Aaron. She was a prophetess and first appears in the Book of Exodus.
The Tor ...
," is about a former governess, Miss Miriam Miller, who is aging, lonely and no longer able to find work. One day, at a New York movie theater, she encounters a young girl, also named Miriam, who then repeatedly turns up uninvited at Miss Miller's apartment, angrily smashing a vase and going through the older lady's jewelry case, asking if she can keep a valuable brooch. Miss Miller goes to neighbors, telling them of a girl who refuses to leave her alone. A quarrel develops, during which Miss Miller accidentally pushes the girl through an open window. But when she enters the next room, Miriam is still there, and it becomes apparent Miss Miller could be a victim of her own delusions and imagination.
;Cast
*
Mildred Natwick
Mildred Natwick (June 19, 1905 – October 25, 1994) was an American actress. She won a Primetime Emmy Award and was nominated for an Academy Award and two Tony Awards.
Early life
Natwick was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the daughter of Mildre ...
as Ms. Miriam Miller
* Susan Dunfee as Miriam
* Beverly Ballard as Nina
* Jane Connell as Mrs. Connolly
* Carol Gustafson as Ms. Lake
*
Richard Hamilton – Man in Automat
Among the Paths to Eden
The second story, "Among the Paths to Eden," takes place in Calvary Cemetery. Ivor Belli is visiting his wife's grave at Calvary Cemetery at 49-02 Laurel Hill Blvd, Woodside, NY 11377 when a lonely spinster, Mary O'Meaghen, strikes up a conversation. They share an appreciation for singer Helen Morgan and memories of their past lives. Mary then invites Ivor to dinner, but he declines. As he leaves Calvary Cemetery, Mary then follows another lonely man to try to converse with him, and persuade him to marry her.
;Cast
*
Martin Balsam
Martin Henry Balsam (November 4, 1919 – February 13, 1996) was an American actor. He had a prolific career in character roles in film, in theatre, and on television. An early member of the Actors Studio, he began his career on the New ...
as Ivor Belli
*
Maureen Stapleton
Lois Maureen Stapleton (June 21, 1925 – March 13, 2006) was an American actress. She received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Tony Awards, in addition to ...
as Mary O'Meaghan
A Christmas Story
The final story, "
A Christmas Memory
''"A Christmas Memory"'' is a short story by Truman Capote. Originally published in '' Mademoiselle'' magazine in December 1956, it was reprinted in ''The Selected Writings of Truman Capote'' in 1963. It was issued in a stand-alone hardcover edit ...
," concerns a young boy named Buddy and the tender recollections he has of a poor childhood and the holidays he spent with two aunts and Sook, a considerably older, beloved female cousin. After wrapping fruitcakes as gifts and chopping down a tree, Buddy and Sook spend a last Christmas together, opening gifts and flying kites together, before Buddy's departure from home to attend a military school. Melancholy overwhelms him at the memory of Sook's passing and how they never saw each other again.
;Cast
*
Truman Capote
Truman Garcia Capote ( ; born Truman Streckfus Persons; September 30, 1924 – August 25, 1984) was an American novelist, screenwriter, playwright and actor. Several of his short stories, novels, and plays have been praised as literary classics, ...
as the Narrator (voice)
*
Geraldine Page
Geraldine Sue Page (November 22, 1924June 13, 1987) was an American actress. With a career which spanned four decades across film, stage, and television, Page was the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Acade ...
as Sook
* Donnie Melvin as Buddy
Reception
Howard Thompson of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' was impressed: "...
he film
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (pronoun), an English pronoun
* He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ
* He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets
* He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
quietly says and conveys more about the human heart and spirit than most of today's free-wheeling blastaways on the screen. Delicately, it towers."
[Howard Thompson, "Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory" November 7, 1969 https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9407E2DB153DEF34BC4F53DFB7678382679EDE]
References
External links
*
{{Truman Capote
1969 films
1969 drama films
American anthology films
American drama films
Films directed by Frank Perry
Films based on short fiction
Films based on works by Truman Capote
1960s English-language films
1960s American films