• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket

Movie Review – Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation (2020)

April 30, 2021 by Tom Beasley

Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation, 2020.

Directed by Lisa Immordino Vreeland.
Starring Jim Parsons and Zachary Quinto.

SYNOPSIS:

An examination of the parallel lives and careers of two of the 20th century’s most celebrated American writers – Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams.

Movies about writers can be very dry. However exciting their work, often the people behind it aren’t quite as charismatic when the spotlight is on them. That certainly isn’t true of Truman Capote or Tennessee Williams – huge characters of 20th century America, with personalities every bit as intriguing as their famous literary creations. The connections between them sit at the centre of director Lisa Immordino Vreeland’s documentary, which puts the two icons of American writing next to each other and examines the ways in which their lives intersected.

The examination takes numerous forms, using footage and images of both men, as well as chat show appearances hosted by Dick Cavett and David Frost. Most intriguingly, the movie uses words written by the two authors as voice-over, with Jim Parsons attempting to replicate Capote’s unique vocal strains – albeit occasionally slipping into The Big Bang Theory‘s Sheldon – and Zachary Quinto delivering the more relaxed Mississippi twang of Williams.

Vreeland does delve into the respective stars’ greatest hits, with lengthy segments devoted to the likes of Capote’s In Cold Blood and Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire. But she’s more interested in what was behind their work, and indeed their shared patronage of the infamous doctor to the stars Dr Feelgood, who treated his clients with highly addictive “vitamin shots” containing amphetamine and methamphetamine. It’s about the men behind the material.

The elegance of the movie is that it’s structured in such a smart way, emerging as neither a chummy fireside chat or a cartoonish war of words. Sometimes the words of the two men complement each other, while they’re occasionally placed in stark contrast, such as when Capote’s effusive praise for New York City segues directly into Williams calling it an “insidious” locale which boasts an “artificial aura”. There were elements of catty mud-slinging in their public rivalry at the time, but Vreeland keeps those on the back-burner here. They seem like performance, and the movie focuses more on trying to cut through that to find the reality.

Indeed, it’s impressive that the documentary features such frank discussion on the part of these two larger than life icons. Both confess to being at least partially driven by jealousy, while Williams is quietly devastating as he discusses his entirely justified fear that his works will be judged not on their stage origins but on the Hollywood film adaptations that bring them into the mainstream. The movie is at its strongest when it scratches beneath the surfaces of these creative giants and exposes the humanity in their souls.

The tone is, as the title suggests, intimate and relaxed. Occasionally, this leaves things feeling a little slow-moving and sluggish – especially when the movie begins to feel less like a discussion and more like a potted history of two careers. It’s as if Vreeland is a little torn between playing to those who are familiar with Capote and Williams and viewers who might be hearing about their respective oeuvres for the first time.

But the overall feel is an interesting one, examining the ways in which creativity and the pressures associated with success can weigh on a person – particularly in the face of constant temptation from parties and drugs. It’s most interesting and compelling as a meditation on writing and the panicked attempts to preserve the legacy of a literary career. In enabling two of the greatest minds of the 20th century to examine their lives through their own words, it emerges as something truly enlightening.

Images courtesy of Getty/Globe Photos/Mediapunch/Shutterstock/Cecil Beaton Studio Archive at Sotheby’s.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★

Tom Beasley is a freelance film journalist and wrestling fan. Follow him on Twitter via @TomJBeasley for movie opinions, wrestling stuff and puns.

Filed Under: Movies, Reviews, Tom Beasley Tagged With: Jim Parsons, tennessee williams, Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation, Truman Capote, Zachary Quinto

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

WATCH OUR MOVIE NOW FOR FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

In a Violent Nature and Other Slasher Movies That Subvert the Genre

The Bourne Difference: The Major Book vs Movie Changes

Hasbro’s G.I. Joe Classified Series: A Real American Hero Reimagined

Ten Essential British Horror Movies You Need To See

7 Great Life Affirming Robin Williams Movies

The Kings of Cool

Every Friday the 13th Movie Ranked From Worst to Best

Essential Gothic Horror Movies To Scare You Senseless

The Worst Movies From The Best Horror Franchises

Eli Roth: Ranking the Films of the Horror Icon

Top Stories:

7 Underrated World War II Romance Movies

Great Tarantino-esque Movies You Need To See

Whatever Happened to the Horror Icon?

The Rise of Paul Thomas Anderson: A Living Legend

Movie Review – Jurassic World Rebirth (2025)

Movie Review – Hot Milk (2025)

Movie Review – Heads of State (2025)

Movie Review – The Old Guard 2 (2025)

STREAM FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

FEATURED POSTS:

7 Mad Movie Doctors Who Deserve More Recognition

The Essential 1990s Superhero Movies

Forgotten Horror Movie Sequels You Never Need to See

Maximum Van Dammage: The Definitive Top 10 Jean-Claude Van Damme Movies!

Our Partners

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket