The Beginning Of A Tragedy, August: Osage County

Written in 2007, August: Osage County is a theatrical production that Tracy Letts wrote as a reflection of his childhood as well as to expose the secret that every family has tried keeping for generations: no family is perfect. As a production that won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2008, it truly is portrayed as a tragedy that speaks volumes to the raw reality of family struggle, realization, and acceptance.

When a book is made into a movie there are always loyal fans of the book who will stick to their guns and always back up the book being more detailed and overall better than the film produced based on it. Within these situations the screenplay is rarely ever written by the author of the book….well ladies and gentleman- this production is!!

Tracy Letts wrote both the script and screenplay for this incredible story that many people have become familiar with. As someone who normally is a loyal fan of believing the original version of a story is always better, (book or performance) I am shocked but happy to say that I found the film of August: Osage County was not a film that distorted the story but in fact made the story better and added incredible depth.

This family’s story takes place on the plains of Oklahoma and opens with the husband, Beverly, speaking to a woman who he hires as a maid and caretaker of his wife, Violet (played by Meryl Steep), who was diagnosed with mouth cancer. We hear him reference T.S Eliot and explain to the maid in a poetic way how he and his wife both have their own load of issues “written in their vows” of him being a drinker and her being a pill taker.

But what is more poetic than the beginning of a tragedy?

While the film continues and the plot thickens we learn that Beverly goes missing which leads to their three daughters Barbara, Ivy, and Karen all flying and driving out to Oklahoma to comfort Violet, his wife (their mother). From this point on I find that the film does a better job of allowing the audience to better understand the mood of certain scenes and the film helps guide the audience by the camera works on what they should be focusing on.

Theater has its own pros that can not be replaced by any other type of story telling manor such as a film or book. Within the original script of this story, readers have the benefit of being able to read the stage directions in order to indicate and portray emotions to the audience. Theater has the benefit of being able to add music and the benefit of being able to be performed live in front of its audience which oftentimes helps viewers feel more connected to the story being told.

This is a scene within the script that can be misinterpreted by readers easily, as there is no side note or stage direction put within the script indicating that this could possibly be a playful manner. When watching the film version of this scene, viewers are shown Mattie Fae and Charlie portraying the script but in a playful manner which is easily set by the actors facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language. This is the benefit of film.

Within the film the way the actors act is easily communicated through visual and verbal representation of what the audience interprets as happy, sad, playful, and sorrowful.. With film the director has the opportunity to direct the camera and say what should be in that scene’s camera shot or not. With a theater performance the audience has one view on the whole story physically…they see the whole stage in many situations which allows attention to go away from the main focus of that scene.

This is beneficial in multiple scenes within this film. The production has incredible actors who use more than just the script they are given to portray who their characters truly are. They use their facial expressions, their body language, and outfits.

In a section of the script the three sisters are all drinking wine on the back porch talking together for the first time in a while. With just reading the script for this scene, it does not do justice to the moods and connections (or lack of) shown by each sister.

Although people can pick up on the tension slightly through dialogue, it is more clearly portrayed within film. As the camera shifts from sister to sister, one can easily pick up on the passion behind each sister based on facial expressions and body language.

I feel that the film offers an easier way for viewers to see more passion behind these significant characters when put in different situations but also allows the audience to easily see symbolism that is portrayed throughout the movie.

This production is one written in an ironic way from the beginning till the tragic end considering that the family’s skeletons in the closet were inevitably revealed.This is a story of great depth that has characters who anyone can find at least one connection with. With all of this tied in a bow on top of the storyline, the film was a MUST. The emphasis the film adds to the already intense and striking family history gets brought into the light even more by the art of camera frames, real setting, and music.