‘Capote Vs. the Swans’ tells a swimmingly good story
“Capote Vs. The Swans” is the newest addition to the Ryan Murphy series called “Feud.” The second season is based on the famous group of 1960s socialites, with many famous members such as the iconic American author Truman Capote. The story is centered around him and the various scandals and dramas that he was involved in.
It is also an adaptation of Laurence Leamer’s book, “Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era.” The season began airing on the FX network on Jan. 31, and then went to Hulu the following day. It is eight episodes long and completed its final episode on March 13.
As previously mentioned “Capote Vs. The Swans” is the second season in “Feud.” The first season was called “Bette and Joan” and aired in 2017. It is based on the two iconic stars of the Hollywood Silver Screen, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. They became competitive as Hollywood pitted them against each other, constantly trying to prove themselves in a world that was trying to replace them. The show plays out primarily based around the filming and release of the famous 1962 psychological thriller and horror movie; “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” The show followed the journeys of both stars’ as they headed into the early 1960s. The filming process of the picture is drama-filled.
Truman Capote is a famous writer of primarily the 1960s and 1970s. Capote was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on Sept. 30, 1924 and passed on Aug. 25, 1984. He has written many notable books, short stories and plays, including famous works such as “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “In Cold Blood.” As he grew in fame, Capote was launched into celebrityhood, where he’d meet many of his notable friends and acquaintances. Capote’s more close friends he would call his “swans” hence the title of the season. Through his career, Capote would also form many negative relationships such as with author Gore Vidal. Unfortunately during this time period, he’d also form a drug and alcohol addiction which would eventually lead to his death.
Though the show is based on real events, it’s an obvious conclusion that it is a dramatic and fictionalized telling of real events. The second season chooses to focus on all the themes that surround Capote and his social group, such as the effect of notoriety on a person, and the world Capote generally found himself in. The state of Capote’s character is that of a person who uses his talents to survive, having lost his passion, as well as a person who sells out his friends for a book. The show centers around the unfinished novel “Answered Prayers”, much like how “Bette and Joan” centers around the filming of “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?”
The conflict with Capote’s “Answered Prayers” begins with the release of an excerpt titled “La Côte Basque 1965” in Esquire magazine. The book showcases fictional cases, but it’s clearly based on the real life of Capote and “The Swans,” which exposes many of their privately held secrets. This action puts him in conflict with them as he exposes them, hence being the second season of “Feud.”
The show is full of many themes and motifs. The show’s writing, while partially flawed, is nonetheless elaborate and allows the viewer to draw many conclusions from it. There are so many bits and pieces that can be taken in diverse directions. The characters are complex and full of nuance.
The show has a fantastic cast that makes it all the more exciting. Each and every single one of them plays their roles fantastically and collectively develops a well-done cast. Not to mention the equally amazing guest stars that appear in the series, such as Jessica Lange, who starred as Joan Crawford in the first season.
“Capote Vs. The Swans” is a fantastic addition to the show. It is the perfect viewing experience for lovers of drama, lovers of the mid-to-late 20th century and fans of writing. It has been frequently correlated to a pre-social media Real Housewives of 1960s New York. The show is absolutely dramatic, exciting, entertaining and worth the watch.
