The Capote biopic ‘Freud: Truman vs the Swans’ has hit the streaming platform HULU by storm and, yes, I am one of its many captivated viewers.
The series documents the fallout between Capote and high society dames Barbara “Babe” Paley, Slim Keith, C.Z. Guest and Lee Radziwill. The complicated lives of these women, along with Capote’s inevitable betrayal of them, is shown in a gripping melancholic eight episode arch. Ultimately, Capote and his “swans” unravel after the author pens a sensationalized tell all called, Answered Prayers.
I highly suggest watching this latest installment of the Feud series. Not only does it give audiences a glimpse into Truman Capote as a writer, but it also spotlights the ethical dilemma one is often faced with as a writer. It asks, “Do we, as creators, pull upon the secrets, personal triumphs, and painful memories of those closest to us to further our own creative narratives? Or, is the highroad often better? Are there some stories that are simply not ours to tell, especially if we’re using the people closest to us as if they were our own personal punchlines?”