Which movie clip better portrays the character of Wolfsheim from The Great Gatsby: the 1974 or 2013 production?

It is arguable that the scenes with Meyer Wolfsheim in both films are much more abbreviated than in the text. Each scene has its own merits, and so to judge which one best conveys Meyer Wolfsheim, it would be necessary to establish some criteria. To decide which portrayal is closer to the text requires readers to form an image in their minds based on their interpretation of the words on the page and then decide which film portrayal rings more true: an obvious gangster, or a more covert one.

For example, the persona of Meyer Wolfsheim in the more recent film directed by Baz Luhrmann could be seen to project more menace than in the scene from the earlier film directed by Jack Clayton. His costume, a white suit and fedora, is more stylish and suited to the 1920s, and he moves more aggressively toward Nick to offer him a "business gonnegtion." His human molar accessory is a tie pin, which is much more on display than the cuff buttons that are concealed in his 1974 counterpart. He interacts with the dancing girls in a louche manner, and he seems generally more comfortable in the skin of a gangster.

The persona of Meyer Wolfsheim in the 1974 film version is much more low-key in the restaurant scene. He acts more gentlemanly, aside from pointing out his cuff buttons to Nick. His clothing looks out of date for the 1920s and enables him to pass for a nondescript older businessman instead of making him stand out as an obviously flamboyant mobster. His manner of interacting with Gatsby seems more paternal. He does admit to being close to Rosy Rosenthal, but he is more matter-of-fact than menacing.

Which movie clip better portrays Meyer Wolfsheim from The Great Gatsby: Clayton's 1974 or Luhrman's 2013 production?

In the novel, Meyer Wolfsheim largely appears in chapter 4. He is described as "small" and having a mustache. He is cordial with Nick and Gatsby, but there is an air of mystery, even menace, about him. He is cautious at lunch, looking around suspiciously, and his cufflinks are made of human molars, suggesting a potential for violence. He initially believes Nick is a criminal looking for "connections," only for Gatsby to quickly correct his assumption. Overall, Wolfsheim's character is a living illustration of Gatsby's connection to the criminal underworld, a link which persists even after he became wealthy.

In the clip from the 1974 film, Wolfsheim is far less menacing. While he still has the molar cufflinks, he does not appear suspicious or dangerous. Rather, he is jovial and much older than his book counterpart (in the book, Wolfsheim is fifty years old, while in the 1974 movie, he describes himself as being sixty years old). Physically, he is dissimilar to the book version as well: he sports no mustache and is physically bigger. The scene also does not retain his faux pas regarding Nick.

The 2013 film's Wolfsheim is closer to the mysterious underworld figure from the novel, both physically and in terms of characterization. He dresses like a dapper gangster, and his manner is more guarded yet charismatic. The film also emphasizes his criminal background by making the club in which the characters all have lunch appear more like a speakeasy, complete with a secret entrance, dancing chorus girls, and drunken reveling. Overall, the 2013 movie, while more exaggerated than the novel, is closer in capturing Wolfsheim's essence: likable, secretive, and undoubtedly dangerous.