Feud: Capote vs. The Swans

[Anonymous]

I watched the first episode and liked it. It's slow but I love Naomi Watts and Diane Lane. I didn't realize that Truman Capote was the one who broke the Ann Woodward scandal. After watching the first episode I dug out my old copy of the Two Mrs. Grenvilles and started re-reading it for the first time in like 20 years. the first chapter pretty much includes everything re: Ann Woodward that was in the first episode.

[Anonymous]

I tried but it is slowwww so I gave up.

[Anonymous]

I got most of the way through the first episode but fell asleep towards the end.

Tom Holland is okay, it's more of an impersonation than a performance, but it's serviceable. The actresses playing the swans are great. Demi Moore is especially good in the first ep. Also really liked Diane Lane. I was unsure about Chloe Sevigny as CZ Guest at first because it's a very mannered portrayal, but it grows on you -- these are very mannered women, so it works.

The pacing sucks. But the worst thing to me is that the first episode is loaded with exposition, but also jumps around in time so much that it's confusing who knows what and when. And I say that as someone who has read the book the show is based on and is especially familiar with Babe Paley's bio and everything around the Black & White ball. And even I was like "wait, what year is this? When did the Esquire excerpt come out? When is this lunch in the timeline?"

I am afraid the entire show is going to jump around like that because Murphy wants to focus on the conflict between Truman and the Swans after he spills all their secrets. But a lot of the most fun parts of this story happen before that, and I think lose impact if they are just shown as flashbacks. They also are not doing a good job at this point in showing the relationships between the women -- they are focusing on Truman's relationship with Paley but not, for example, her relationship with Slim Keith. Plus we haven't even met very significant characters like Lee Radziwill.

It's just kind of a mess. I hope it tightens up but if it doesn't, it's a missed opportunity, getting all these great actresses together for this story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I watched the first episode last night but only made it halfway through before I was falling asleep. That's not necessarily a reflection on the show, but it was a bit slow. I might need to refresh my memory on the story also.

First thoughts: would I have been captivated by Capote (as played in this show)? I don't think so.

I thought the same. I do think the real Capote was charming and entertaining IRL (in a catty way), and that is hard to reproduce, especially since his persona was so extreme.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it airs tonight and then will probably be available for streaming either later tonight or tomorrow.

I am planning to watch, though I have mixed feelings about Ryan Murphy and had zero interest in the first Feud season. But yes, this one is packed with interesting actresses including some real talents.

Also, a while back I read the book The Swans of Fifth Avenue, which is a novel based on the story of Capote and these women. I have not read the non-fiction both about the same thing but I enjoyed the novel, which had the freedom to imagine all the private moments between these people that are of course not documented for posterity. I'm fascinated by some of the women involved, especially Babe Haley and Slim Keith. They led fascinating lives, and all the fashion and style of their lives really lends itself to an on-screen representation.

I loved that book. Slim also was my favorite.

[Anonymous]

Script is terrible.

[Anonymous]

I LOVED IT. Can't stop thinking about it. I don't understand people who found it boring. BORING? Go back to watching Barbie. This is the dumbing down of the American public.

Put down your phone and watch the damn show. Listen to the dialogue, watch the screen, and engage.

[Anonymous]

Is Demi Moore only in the first episode?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I LOVED IT. Can't stop thinking about it. I don't understand people who found it boring. BORING? Go back to watching Barbie. This is the dumbing down of the American public.

Put down your phone and watch the damn show. Listen to the dialogue, watch the screen, and engage.

I watch plenty of "smart" shows and didn't care for Barbie. I thought this was dull.

So calm down, Karen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I LOVED IT. Can't stop thinking about it. I don't understand people who found it boring. BORING? Go back to watching Barbie. This is the dumbing down of the American public.

Put down your phone and watch the damn show. Listen to the dialogue, watch the screen, and engage.

I watch plenty of "smart" shows and didn't care for Barbie. I thought this was dull.

So calm down, Karen.

+1, Ryan Murphy is not exactly known for making high brow entertainment, either. I thought the first ep was slow and uneven, and that the material was better covered in books on the subject. Am I dumb because I preferred the book?

[Anonymous]

The fashion is fun, but it's very strangely paced what with the confusing flashbacks. Loving Naomi Watts and Demi Moore. Not really a fan of Diane Lane's slightly sleepy, wan performance. Chloe Sevigny is great.
Agree with Tom Hollander doing an impersonation. Also, it's very much unclear what he sees in his drunken lover O'Shea (and vice versa). Capote is downright evil to him, so I actually couldn't blame the guy for punching his lights out at Thanksgiving. Jessica Lange is fabulous as Truman's deranged mom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got most of the way through the first episode but fell asleep towards the end.

Tom Holland is okay, it's more of an impersonation than a performance, but it's serviceable. The actresses playing the swans are great. Demi Moore is especially good in the first ep. Also really liked Diane Lane. I was unsure about Chloe Sevigny as CZ Guest at first because it's a very mannered portrayal, but it grows on you -- these are very mannered women, so it works.

The pacing sucks. But the worst thing to me is that the first episode is loaded with exposition, but also jumps around in time so much that it's confusing who knows what and when. And I say that as someone who has read the book the show is based on and is especially familiar with Babe Paley's bio and everything around the Black & White ball. And even I was like "wait, what year is this? When did the Esquire excerpt come out? When is this lunch in the timeline?"

I am afraid the entire show is going to jump around like that because Murphy wants to focus on the conflict between Truman and the Swans after he spills all their secrets. But a lot of the most fun parts of this story happen before that, and I think lose impact if they are just shown as flashbacks. They also are not doing a good job at this point in showing the relationships between the women -- they are focusing on Truman's relationship with Paley but not, for example, her relationship with Slim Keith. Plus we haven't even met very significant characters like Lee Radziwill.

It's just kind of a mess. I hope it tightens up but if it doesn't, it's a missed opportunity, getting all these great actresses together for this story.

Lee Radziwill is in a few scenes. She is played by Calista Flockhart. But they don't make it super obvious that that's who she is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got most of the way through the first episode but fell asleep towards the end.

Tom Holland is okay, it's more of an impersonation than a performance, but it's serviceable. The actresses playing the swans are great. Demi Moore is especially good in the first ep. Also really liked Diane Lane. I was unsure about Chloe Sevigny as CZ Guest at first because it's a very mannered portrayal, but it grows on you -- these are very mannered women, so it works.

The pacing sucks. But the worst thing to me is that the first episode is loaded with exposition, but also jumps around in time so much that it's confusing who knows what and when. And I say that as someone who has read the book the show is based on and is especially familiar with Babe Paley's bio and everything around the Black & White ball. And even I was like "wait, what year is this? When did the Esquire excerpt come out? When is this lunch in the timeline?"

I am afraid the entire show is going to jump around like that because Murphy wants to focus on the conflict between Truman and the Swans after he spills all their secrets. But a lot of the most fun parts of this story happen before that, and I think lose impact if they are just shown as flashbacks. They also are not doing a good job at this point in showing the relationships between the women -- they are focusing on Truman's relationship with Paley but not, for example, her relationship with Slim Keith. Plus we haven't even met very significant characters like Lee Radziwill.

It's just kind of a mess. I hope it tightens up but if it doesn't, it's a missed opportunity, getting all these great actresses together for this story.

Lee Radziwill is in a few scenes. She is played by Calista Flockhart. But they don't make it super obvious that that's who she is.

I only knew because I had closed captioning on and it said [Lee] when she spoke. I assume she'll play a larger role in future episodes but I wasn’t keen on how they introduced her.

I agree with the slow pacing, but am enjoying seeing actresses I haven’t seen in a while (Diane, Demi, Calista, Molly, and Jessica!)

[Anonymous]

I enjoyed the first two episodes. I think Diane Lane and Naomi Watts have great chemistry and could see them being legit friends. As of two episodes I am not sure why any of them would want to be friends with Truman, just his voice alone is insufferable. I believe he also had a nasty falling out with Harper Lee who helped him research "In Cold Blood"

[Anonymous]

I think it's really bad. I was really looking forward to it. I liked the one with Bette and Joan. As others said, the pacing is weird. Too many conversations around the lunch table, or similar conversations in other settings. Not enough back story.

I know the story well yet I was lost at times. I didn't even know that was supposed to be Lee Radziwill. Why are
they having CF wear a bolero hat ? When I
think of Lee R, I think of a bouffant hairdo, no hat. There are no back stories of how he became friends with them except for Babe Paley. He had to have been close to Slim Keith to know her story but they don't show them ever having an intimate conversation. It's just her saying that they have to unite against him. It's like they started in medias res.

I recently read a book that was specifically about what happened between him and Ann Woodward. It's called Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaire's Wife and the Murder of the Century by Roseanne Montillo if you are interested in this topic.