The Cat's Meow (2001)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Peter Bogdanovich

Writers (WGA):

Steven Peros (play)
Steven Peros (screenplay)

Release Date:

19 September 2002 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

"The Whisper Told Most Often..."

Plot:

Semi-true story of the Hollywood murder that occurred at a star-studded gathering aboard William Randolph Hearst's yacht in 1924.

Plot Keywords:

Mysterious Death | Cuckold | Saxophone | Engine Room | Tuxedo

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Kirsten Dunst	...	Marion Davies
Edward Herrmann	...	William Randolph Hearst
Eddie Izzard	...	Charlie Chaplin
Cary Elwes	...	Thomas H. Ince
Joanna Lumley	...	Elinor Glyn
Jennifer Tilly	...	Louella Parsons
Claudia Harrison	...	Margaret Livingston
Victor Slezak	...	George Thomas
James Laurenson	...	Dr. Daniel Goodman
Ronan Vibert	...	Joseph Willcombe
Chiara Schoras	...	Celia
Claudie Blakley	...	Didi
Ingrid Lacey	...	Jessica Barham
John C. Vennema	...	Frank Barham
Steven Peros	...	Elinor's Driver

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexuality, a scene of violence and brief drug use.

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA | Germany | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-11 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Singapore:NC-16 | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 | Canada:PG (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Kyparisi, Greece

Company:

CP Medien AG

Trivia:

The costuming and sets were designed with as little color as possible to give the illusion of a black and white film. This was to make up for the fact that the film wasn't allowed to be filmed in black and white as originally planned.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The trailer mis-spells William Randolph Hearst's middle name as "Randolf," in the on-screen titles showing the stars and their roles ("Edward Herrmann as William Randolf Hearst").

Quotes:

Elinor Glyn: I've had a recurring dream recently. I am back on the Oneida, having a glorious time
[pans to everyone dancing on the deck of the Oneida to the Charleston]
Elinor Glyn: While I'm watching how ridiculous everyone else looks, and I wonder why they don't realize it. Then I see in fact, that I too look like a fool. But it's so much fun that none of us can stop. If we stopped, we'd have nothing.
[out of narrator, as Elinor on the deck]
Elinor Glyn: Come on everybody!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Anatomy of a Scene: The Cat's Meow" (????)

Soundtrack:

Maple Leaf Rag

Excellent

This film, from reclusive director Peter Bogdanovich, traces one of Hollywood's Urban legends.. the rumor that mogul William Randolph Heart (effectively played by Edward Herrmann) accidentally shot movie producer Thomas Ince (Cary Elwes, shedding his trademark smirk) while trying to kill Charlie Chaplin (an excellent Eddie Izzard) who was having an affair with Heart's mistress, actress Marion Davies (Kirsten Dunst, mesermizing as always). The setup and the performers are excellent and the depiction of Hollywood in the late 1920s is well done and the murder and resulting cover-up are believable. While perhaps a bit too much of an "inside Hollywood legends" tale for the mainstream.. the film is well done and entertaining enough that I would definitely recommend it. GRADE: A