Abstract
As language is a part of culture, it is necessary for students to understand other cultures in their mastering foreign languages. For that purpose, a classic movie based on a novel seems to be suitable. As one of the world`s most famous classic novels, F. Scott Fitzgerald`s The Great Gatsby reflects an historical perspective on the American culture, focusing on its utopian dream. There are four ``Gatsby`` movies. Among them, Jack Clayton`s 1974 film is estimated as the best educational material. This paper aims to research Americans` utopian dream and their frustration as revealed in Clayton`s The Great Gastby. Through the symbolic use of green, Gatsby`s dream of his long-lost lover, Daisy, is connected with the American Dream, that is, the dream that Americans have of building a paradise on earth. However, in the process of realizing his dream, Gatsby is forced to compromise with corrupted reality. As a noted artistic movie director, Clayton not only preserves the original main plot of the novel but also adds his own viewpoint on American society. I have taught this film for Freshman Screen English for several years, and I found that this material is able to satisfy two basic educational purposes, first to increase students` English skills and, second to help them understand American culture and human society in the larger context.
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