David Susskind Archive: Truman Capote Tells All

Süsskind fails to draw Capote out, and the viewer comes away with little that is informative or interesting.

Not quite all but a lively conversation for 52 minutesFor the last year I’ve really enjoyed the series of DVDS from the old Dick Cavett show which have been released by Music Video Distributors (and I’ve reviewed at least five here on Amazon. Cavett is one of my favorite interviewers and gets great responses from his interviewees.Now MVD has turned to the archives of one of Cavett’s predecessors: TV Producer David Susskind for a series of DVDS, two of which I just got. This is the first.The interview is from Susskind’s February 1979 Both author/raconteur Truman Capote (best known for his non-fiction bestselling book “In Cold Blood” and his book about Christmas, has a personality (and vocal style) unlike any other and it takes a few minutes to get used to his southernly accent. But then all is well. Both he and Susskind were among New York’s “Society” folk and you’ll hear catty gossip about Jackie Kennedy and her sister Lee Radziwill (and how Susskind lost money on hiring Radziwill for a TB+V drama.Susskind is an “in your face” interviewer and won’t give up until he gets what he wants so I was never a big fan. But Capote plays the “mouse” to Susskind’s “cat” here, avoiding any person things he doesn’t want to reveal and chiding on Susskind.It certainly helps if you know Capote’s background and members of the social circles he and Susskind moved in (William Paley and Gore Vidal to name ust two.) You won’t learn anything about Capote’s books here – at least not in the 53-minutes included. At the end of the 6th “chapter” Susskind goes to a commercial and say “we’ll be back with more” so maybe it’s not all here. There are no beginning or end credits on the DVD. To my knowledge – at that time – the show aired on NBC. It is in COLOR.So yep, four starts because I found Capote interesting, but it is more a “piece of nostalgia” than a historically important interview.There are no bonuses on the DVD; just six chapter stops and a “set up” optionI hope you found this review informative.Steve Ramm“Anything Phonographic.