By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3 cats
Director: Peter Bogdanovich
Starring: Cary Elwes | Eddie Izzard | Edward Herrmann | Jennifer Tilly | Joanna Lumley | Kirsten Dunst
Country: canada, germany, united_kingdom
Year: 2002
Running time: 110
IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0266391
Ellen says: “I was not especially excited to see this film based on the previews, but if my friends ask me to go, I’m usually game to try to expand my horizons unless I know I’ll absolutely hate something. Going in with low expectations, I liked the film more than I would have thought. There were some good humorous scenes. And, I have to agree with Scot that there were some egregious editing errors. But, if you don’t expect much to start with, you won’t be disappointed!” 2 1/2 cats
Laura says: “With the exception of Dunst, the cast has been assembled from tried and true period performers, yet she outshines them all. With maturity and depth, Dunst makes us ache for the young woman who denies her own passions to stay loyal to her benefactor. She displays confidence in shepherding the activities of a boatload of luminaries while steering Hearst clear of boring business prattle and both vulnerability and strength when faced with romantic desire. Herrmman is directed too far towards the doddering fool (he wears a jester’s cap while being cuckolded at a costume party) to be completely convincing as the media magnate, but surprisingly he looks just right paired with Dunst. Izzard is good as the amoral ladies’ man, but paints a blurry impressionistic picture compared to the razor sharp performance Downey Jr. gave in CHAPLIN. Elwes gives us a self-centered, manipulative Ince in an unsympathetic, uninvolving turn. Tilly is shrilly gauche as Louella, but shows the shark once she’s dealt the trump card. Lumley is yummy tossing off caustic lines like the group’s own Dorothy Parker. ” 3 1/2 cats
Michael says: “I wasn’t all that interested in seeing THE CAT’S MEOW because of the preview, but I’d heard from a few people how good Kirsten Dunst is in it, and I’ve always enjoyed Kirsten… plus, Scot wanted to see it… so off we went.
“THE CAT’S MEOW is Peter Bogdanovich’s (LAST PICTURE SHOW) look at what happened on William Randolph Hearst’s yacht one weekend with such guests as Charlie Chaplin, Hearst’s mistress actress Marion Davies, and Hollywood movie mogul Thomas Ince. During this weekend birthday celebration for Ince, dalliances are prevalent, deals are made and someone dies… apparently murdered. It’s all an ironic look at the carefree days of the early 20’s, and a look at a man so powerful he can literally get away with murder.
“While British comedian Eddie Izzard wasn’t the best choice to play Chaplin, Dunst does a good job inhabiting 20’s silent film star Davies. Along with an extraordinary physical likeness, Dunst warmly livens up most scenes she’s part of. Edward Herrmann is surprisingly effective as the magazine mogul, Hearst. Joanna Lumley is her usual caustic self as British gossip columnist Elinor Glyn, and after a shakey start, even Jennifer Tilly does okay as ditzy, fish-out-of-water columnist Louella Parsons.
“I was surprised that I enjoyed CAT’S MEOW more than I expected, but fortunately overlooked the rather obvious editing gaffes Scot later pointed out. All-in-all an enjoyable enough film, but far from the caliber usually expected from Bogdanovich.” 3 cats
Nathaniel R. says: “‘The whisper told most often..’ is the tag line to this movie, a comeback hopeful from director Peter Bogdanovich, he of THE LAST PICTURE SHOW fame. The whisper does not, other than perhaps in self- referential jest, refer to Bogdanovich’s infamous exploits with young female co-stars. Nor does it refer to his much maligned career trajectory from Oscar winner to has-been. No, ‘the whisper told most often…’ refers to a widely forgotten (outside of certain circles) Hollywood tale involving the sudden suspicious death of producer Thomas Ince shortly after a yachting trip he took with other 20s era luminaries. Onboard were publishing magnate and multi millionaire Hearst, young silent actress Marion Davies, world famous movie star Charlie Chaplin, and gossip luminary Louella Parsons among several others.”
Robin says: “While I have a problem with the plodding, by-the-numbers direction by Bogdanovich and the caricatures, rather than characters, created by the script spawned by a play, which, in turn, was adapted from the original script by Steven Peros, I have high praise for one cast member, in particular, in THE CAT’S MEOW. Kirsten Dunst is absolutely captivating as Hearst’s loyal mistress, actress Marion Davies. The 19-year old actress is called upon to play a character nearly a decade older and she not only pulls it off, she shows an acting maturity and presence that overshadows the rest of the cast. Dunst is developing into one fine actor and is eminently likable as Davies.” 3 cats