[Short intro (e.g. “It’s “Fugitive” meets ” Big Love”)
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Watch the Truman Capote Interview by F. Lee Bailey
You can watch the interview for free by clicking the video embed above.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 90/100
- IMDB Rating: na/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: na/100 (Users); /100 (Critics)
Release date: December 7, 1967
My Review
I’ve watched a lot of Capote’s interviews and this one stands out for its rawness. It feels like stepping into the mind of a literary genius.
Capote opens up about his groundbreaking “In Cold Blood,” revealing a mix of artistic ambition, technical rigor, and personal obsession.
Setting the Scene
The interview is with F. Lee Bailey happened in 1967 for the TV program “Good Company.”
It takes place at Capote’s home in Sagaponack, New York (where he often went to write and reflect).
The Interviewer, F. Lee Bailey, is a Celebrity Defense Attorney
By the time of this interview, F. Lee Bailey was a celebrated defense attorney renowned for high-profile cases.
At the time of the interview, he had secured the retrial and acquittal of Dr. Sam Sheppard (1966), defended Albert DeSalvo, the self-confessed “Boston Strangler” (1967), and won the acquittal of John “Red” Kelley in the Plymouth Mail robbery (1967).
Later, he successfully defended O.J. Simpson.
Known for his courtroom skill and media savvy, Bailey was one of the most prominent legal figures of his era.
“In Cold Blood”: A Literary Experiment
Capote describes “In Cold Blood” as an experiment in literary journalism.
The book blends factual accuracy with novelistic flair, a style he meticulously honed over years. It’s part of his broader exploration of literary form, which started with works like “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “Other Voices, Other Rooms.”
Why?
He wanted interviews to feel natural. He even practiced by comparing his recollections to actual recordings, perfecting this skill over two years.
The result?
An ability to capture dialogue that sounds alive on the page.
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
Memorizing Conversations — Capote spent two years training himself to memorize conversations verbatim.
He avoided taking notes or using tape recorders:
“A journalist interviewing a person must never make notes or use a tape recorder because it automatically sets up a stilted situation—especially with people not used to being interviewed.
You must always be right inside the scene and the action of it, and you yourself must become the tape recorder.
-Truman Capote
Capote said this on his memory:
“I have the auditory version of a photographic memory, and I have it naturally anyway. But even so, when I began experimenting in journalism, I perfected it by practicing.
I would use a tape recorder and have someone read into it while I listened. Then, I would go into the next room and repeat into another tape recorder, a half hour later, precisely what they had just said.
We would then match the two tapes to check for accuracy. It took about two years to really perfect this method.”
-Truman Capote
This obsessive dedication allowed him to document the voices and emotions of the people involved in the Clutter family murders with both journalistic precision and novelistic depth—making “In Cold Blood” a groundbreaking achievement in literary journalism.
The Killer Kisses Capote Goodbye — The killers, Perry Smith and Richard Hickock, trusted Capote so much that Smith kissed him on the cheek just before his execution. Capote’s recollection of that moment is chilling, revealing the complex bond he formed with the murderers.
The Movie Version (Capote gives it a thumbs-up, but…)
Capote demanded creative control over the film adaptation of “In Cold Blood.”
He insisted on black-and-white cinematography, on-location shoots, and a cast of unknown actors.
Casting alone took eight months because the actors needed to resemble Smith and Hickock eerily.
Capote praised the adaptation as “marvelous,” though he admitted no film could capture his book’s depth:
“For it to really please me,” he said, “it would have been nine hours long.”
Empathy vs. Judgment
Capote’s empathy for Smith and Hickock stands out.
He claimed to know them “better than they knew themselves,” and avoided the “failure of empathy” that often arises when people interact with killers.
But his empathy wasn’t about excusing their crimes—it was about understanding them as humans.
Impact of “In Cold Blood”
The book was a massive commercial success, selling millions of copies. It also redefined nonfiction writing, creating a template for true crime as literary art.
Capote’s deep dive into the killers’ psyches shocked readers, humanizing them while keeping their brutality front and center.
Lesser-Known Insights
- Capote’s studio, the interview setting, reflected his eclectic personality, filled with eccentric art and memorabilia.
- He admitted to Bailey that he envied the simplicity of his subjects’ emotions, contrasting it with his own chaotic feelings.
- Capote referenced how living in Kansas during the research helped him “absorb the local atmosphere,” which shaped the book’s tone.
- He downplayed his fame, claiming his only real achievement was “discipline in writing.”
- Bailey noted how Capote seemed haunted when discussing Smith, almost as if mourning a lost friend.
Wrap Up
This interview peels back the layers of a man who didn’t just write about murder but let it transform him. “In Cold Blood” isn’t just a book; it’s a landmark in storytelling.
Capote’s obsessive process, from building empathy to crafting cinematic adaptations, reveals the cost of creating a masterpiece.
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc