Harper Lee praises Capote film...

buttmunch · January 17th, 2006, 04:14 AM

Quote:

LOS ANGELES - The reclusive Harper Lee - the Greta Garbo of novelists who's been running away from fame ever since her only published book, "To Kill a Mockingbird," appeared 45 years ago - is venturing back into the public eye to support the movie "Capote."
At Vanity Fair's star-studded Golden Globes party Sunday night at the newly renovated Sunset Tower Hotel - and by "newly," I mean the renovations were completed three hours before the party started - I heard that the 79-year-old Lee just faxed a blurb to the film-makers.

"You told the truth about Truman, and Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance is a work of art unto itself," wrote Lee, the late Truman Capote's best friend from Alabama, who's portrayed in the movie by Catherine Keener as she helps the flamboyant author research "In Cold Blood."

"Capote" star Hoffman, a Best Actor contender, was absorbing compliments and good wishes by the swimming pool, with its spectacular view of West L.A., from partygoers who included Russell Crowe, Sandra Bernhard, Adrien Brody, Naomi Watts, Bob Hoskins, Keira Knightley and even "Hustle & Flow" star and Best Actor nominee Terrence Howard, who told guests that if he could vote in the Globes competition, he'd vote not for himself but for Hoffman.

Shirley MacLaine fell into a long conversation with Hoffman, who seems to be deftly handling his dangerous transition from character actor to star.

(MacLaine was otherwise looking to buttonhole billionaire Paul Allen to discuss a philanthropic pet project in her hometown of Santa Fe, N.M.)

Elsewhere at the party, VF editor Graydon Carter jokingly introduced Brit design guru Paul Fortune - creator of the beigely elegant, cleanly modern space - by telling me, "And this is his very first project. Not bad, huh?"

But in terms of sheer visual pop, I'd have to give credit to blond L.A. socialite Linda Thompson, a pal of co-hosts Mike and Irina Medavoy. She managed to attract more gazes than many of the movie stars with a backless Versace gown that dropped clear down to the cleft in her cheeks.

nydailynews.com

ourmaninBusan · January 17th, 2006, 04:27 AM

I read a rumor that Capote actually ghost-wrote the first draft
of To Kill a Mockingbird; I don't know if it's true, but that would
have been just after the time he wrote In Cold Blood...and waaaay
before the drinking.

buttmunch · January 17th, 2006, 04:46 AM

I love Capote and I love Harper Lee and I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THIS MOVIE. Haven't gotten around to it yet but as soon as I find a spare evening, I'm off to the movies...

rainingdefenses · January 17th, 2006, 08:06 AM

the movie is excellent!

buttmunch · January 17th, 2006, 10:22 AM

Damn you! You've seen it and I haven't! Damn you!!!!