The 14th annual F. Scott Fitzgerald Society Conference, held recently in the author's hometown of St. Paul, may be over, but that doesn't mean the celebration has to end. In addition to Amazon Prime's captivating new series, "The Last Tycoon," there are other ways to appreciate the author without having to crack open a book:
Based on his work:
"The Great Gatsby" (1974): Despite the best efforts of Baz Luhrmann and Leonardo DiCaprio in the 2013 film version, it's impossible to erase the memory of Robert Redford mooning over Mia Farrow, with Francis Ford Coppola contributing a screenplay rewrite just before his epic "The Godfather" opened.
"The Last Time I Saw Paris" (1954): Van Johnson's affections for Elizabeth Taylor, Donna Reed and booze are all tested in this MGM production based on the Fitzgerald short story "Babylon Revisited." Keep your eyes peeled for the screen debut of Roger Moore.
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (2008): Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard and Spike Jonze took swipes at adapting this short story about a backward-aging hero before David Fincher landed on just the right formula to trigger the tear ducts.
"G" (2002): A hip-hop mogul (Richard T. Jones) tries to get back in the groove with a long-lost love in this very loose version of "Gatsby."
"Tender Is the Night" (1962): Jason Robards is best known for interpreting playwright Eugene O'Neill, but he carved out time for this adaptation of the 1934 Fitzgerald novel the same year he starred in "Long Day's Journey Into Night." He plays a psychiatrist who makes the mistake of falling for his patient (Jennifer Jones).
Based on his life:
"Beloved Infidel" (1959): The usually likable Gregory Peck goes dark as the anti-Atticus Finch: moody, alcoholic and abusive. Deborah Kerr plays the woman who makes the mistake of giving him her heart.
"Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle" (1994) and "Midnight in Paris" (2011): Fitzgerald is just a minor character in these films, but it's great fun to watch the author mix it up with contemporaries such as Dorothy Parker and Cole Porter.
"Last Call" (2002): Jeremy Irons plays the author in his final days, finding solace in the arms of his secretary (Neve Campbell). Oscar winner Sissy Spacek plays Fitzgerald's wife, Zelda.
"Z: The Beginning of Everything" (2015- ): Christina Ricci snarls like a cat on a hot tin roof as Zelda in this Amazon series, giving one of last season's most hypnotic performances. The emphasis on the eccentric wife comes at the expense of her husband, who's a bore whether sober or drunk. Amazon has renewed the show for a second season.
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