Customer Reviews

The Cat's Meow

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

"Whodunnit?" This movie tries to answer that -- in 1924, a star-studded boat trip went wrong when someone got shot, and the truth of it was never investigated. This is one thing that might have happened. The actors appear to be enjoying themselves romping through Roaring 20s decadence, but rise to the occasion when genuine acting is called for. It's like an Agatha Christie murder mystery, except no Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot.

A bunch of Hollywood glitterati arrive at a boat belonging to William Randolph Hearst, a rather obnoxious Hollywood mogul. Also on the boat is Marion Davies, Hearst's actress mistress, who is being actively pursued by Charlie Chaplin (who recently got his sixteen-year-old costar pregnant), a cool-and-calm eccentric novelist Elinor Glyn, irritating columnist Louella Parsons, fading superproducer Thomas Ince and his frustrated girlfriend, and a slew of others. Rumors fly about Marion and Charlie's suspected affair, and though Hearst doesn't want to believe it, the clues pile up -- with the assistance of Ince, who wants Hearst to be his business partner. A single gunshot threatens all of them...

This is one of the movies that probably won't appeal to the average viewer, simply because a lot of the people in it, with a few exceptions like Chaplin and Davies, are not now remembered clearly. But if viewers can shut off their "hey, I don't know who that was" signals, then they will find a sort of whodunnit without the detective, a juicy soap wrapped up in a mystery wrapped up in a "Hollywood what-if" tale. Perhaps the biggest problem is that the last part is a bit anticlimactic and the buildup is rather insubstantial -- the biggest buildup is Hearst tearing through the boat in search of Chaplin.

Kirsten Dunst shines brightly as Marion Davies, showing both a deeply conflicted young woman and a flirty party girl. She's never been better, even if she does wear a giant butterfly on her head. (Weird headpieces are a constant in this movie -- watch for Tilly's birdcage) Cary Elwes of "Princess Bride" returns as a desperate man who will go the extra mile to revive his career. Edward Herrmann plays a very intriguing Hearst, who is both obnoxious and tender, jealous and angry, controlling and generous. Eddie Izzard plays an insincere predator as Chaplin, who cares more about the conquest than about the woman; Joanna Lumley is rather underused, but she imbues all her scenes with a hilarious dry wit; Jennifer Tilly plays an irritating flibbertigibbet who has an unexpected cunning streak.

The dialogue is fast, dry and enjoyable -- one of my favorite lines was "Hollywood, a land just off the coast of the planet Earth." There's some sexual content (nothing too graphic) and a fair amount of profanity; teens who like Kirsten Dunst particularly will enjoy this, but younger kids will be bored silly.

This is not the movie that will appeal to the bubble-brained. But anyone who likes witty dialogue, sparkling costumes, a well-thought-out plotline and the shivering thrill of wondering if this was how it happened will think "Cat's Meow" is the cat's pajamas.

Cat's Meow is based on events that took place one November weekend in 1924 when the financial mogul William Randolph Hearst (Edward Herrmann) invited a group of celebrities to his yacht. The occasion was to celebrate the birthday of the film producer Thomas Ince (Cary Elwes). Charlie Chaplin (Eddie Izzard) was also among the invitees. There were also some rumors prior to the trip that Chaplin fancied the actress Marion Davies (Kirsten Dunst) who was Hearst's beloved girlfriend. The birthday cruise became an envious love triangle which has death as its destination.

Peter Bogdanovich tells this particular Hollywood scandal in a convincing manner as the story is focused on the love triangle between Hearst, Davies, and Chaplin. The other characters add a lot of intrigue and color to the film as they all have their own motives for being on the yacht. The cast performances are solid and the mise-en-scene elevates the cinematic experience. However, the film never reaches it full potential as similar stories have done in the past where a murder is committed in a remote location. This hurt the integrity of the overall cinematic experience, but the film still offers the audience a good cinematic experience.

What really happened during this 'scandal' on a yatch where a film producer met his abrupt end amid a wild weekend of booze, charleston swinging, and dope?

We'll never truly know, but the film is a peppy cavalcade of big name stars playing big name stars. It's a character-heavy motion picture so let's discuss the impersonations.

Dunst is the flavour of the month, she makes Davies look like an attractively complex figure. While reflecting the verve of a young privileged woman at an exciting time, she maintains a moral core without really being certain of precisely what she wants, which rings true.

The flamboyant Eddie Izzard was a surprise in the cast but made an atypically understated Chaplin. You see the intelligence and yearning in his eyes, the sly wit dripping from his casual tilts of the head.

Personally, I felt these two were the only admirable actors in the film. The rest of the crew members acted as though they were in a much dopier movie. Herrmann for instance plays Hearst, the big tycoon, as a buffoon channeled through Bill Murray, huffing and puffing when he feels betrayed, grinning goofily and almost cross-eyed when he appears giddy.

The film overall is a very watchable one though, particularly if you can overlook a needlessly sepia tone across the board giving a pseudo-noir look. The idea clearly was less to weave a murder mystery yarn and more to splice together the interactions among people at the scene of a high-society and thus hush-hush crime.

At the very minimum, at least you know you will get a minimally interesting film from Peter Bogdanovich. Paper Moon and The Last Picture Show are classics of modern movie making. While a departure from those two movies in style, this film is comparable in that it tells an interesting story, weaves a compelling narrative through the character interactions, and when the movie ends, the viewer gets the feeling the story is far from over.

A lot of criticisms have been levied at the casting, which I did not have a problem with. Are reviewers so jaded they only find beautiful, charming characters believable? In real life, there are many pretty young women who fall in love with older, physically unappealing men. In that sense, the attraction between the two is very believable; so believable, most viewers probably will not even give it a second thought (except for those who believe physical attraction is the only basis for why people fall in love).

Bottom line: a decent film worth seeing. It won't change your life like Bogdanovich's other two classics, but is worth seeing.

Not much is really known about that cruise in 1924 on the yacht of William Randolph Hearst. All we know for sure is that Thomas Ince died just days after the trip ended. None of the passengers on the boat were willing to concede any details, in fact, stories from the different passengers conflicted greatly.

The trip is really a pleasure cruise for Hearst (played very well by Edward Herrmann), Marion Davies (Kirsten Dunst), and a few of Hollywood's elite. The main focus for the group is trying to keep up with the seemingly imminent love affair between Davies and the devilish Charlie Chaplin (wickedly played by Eddie Izzard) Chaplin has just gotten his 16 year old co star pregnant and now has designs on Davies. She resists for a while, but eventually falls prey to his charms.

The film is an interesting character study. Herrmann shows us a Hearst who despite his riches, realizes that he is much older and less attractive than the wolves who are pursuing his girl. One particularly sad scene is when the band strikes up the Charleston, and Hearst is able to participate only for a few seconds before sitting the rest out. He watches as Marion has a blast with Charlie and the others on the floor.

Ince(played by Cary Elwes) spends the movie hooking up with his mistress and trying to gain information about other people to benefit himself. He was a powerful name in the movies at one time, and now is trying to get back to where he was. He snoops in rooms looking for information, and when he has put the pieces together, disaster strikes in the form of a gun shot.

What is interesting is Hearst's reaction to the shooting of Ince. Immediately this man who has spent the movie looking weak and helpless springs into action with a pack of lies, trying to cover up what has happened, even calling Ince's wife and making up a despicable story. We will never know the truth, but this is not only a credible guess at the events, but also a very good film which shows us a different angle of the characters involved.

Let me start by saying that I very rarely give a movie five stars. This movie is one of those notable exceptions.

The Cat's Meow is one of those movies that didn't get nearly as much recognition as it should have. Peter Bogdanovich's directing is beautifully understated, as is the cinematography by Bruno Delbonnel (Amelie). The script is fabulous, the art direction is flawless, and the acting is, without exception, wonderful.

Kirsten Dunst shows her capacity to play more than the brainless cheerleader in this movie -- her down-to-earth nature enhances Marion Davies' obvious internal struggle. Edward Herrmann is incredible as William Randolph Hearst. He brings a touching level of humanity to a character who is truly unlikable. Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Tilly as Elinor Glyn and Louella Parsons, respectively, play off each other perfectly. Lumley is witty and sophisticated, while Tilly is bright-eyed and annoying. In a good way. Cary Elwes, to whom I have a particular emotional attachment because of Robin Hood: Men In Tights and The Princess Bride, plays a man whose dignity is slowly crumbling away. His performance, like those of the rest of the cast, shows Thomas Ince to be a character who is far from a good person. But you can understand why.

Although the entire ensemble cast delivers thoroughly satisfying performances, one stands out: Eddie Izzard. I have been a fan of his stand-up for many years (and for those of you who haven't seen or heard it, do so immediately), however, when I heard he was playing Charlie Chaplin, I really couldn't envision it. He doesn't look anything like Chaplin, who was slight, in his facial features as well as his physique. Within five minutes of the movie, I had totally forgotten that this was a transvestite stand-up comic who rattles on about everything from evil ducks to Star Trek. The twinkle in Izzard's eye carries over perfectly to Chaplin, the epitome of playfulness. He captures Chaplin's personality and makes it his own so much that after watching the movie, you will have a hard time believing that Chaplin is Chaplin.

"The Cat's Meow" is purely imaginary accounts on what really happened on the ship owned by William Randolph Hearst, powerful newspaper mogul (now mostly remembered as the inspiration of Orson Wells' "Citizen Kane"). Don't expect Agatha Cristie-like mystry, though -- the film is about these characters in the lavish party held on the ship, and director Peter Bogdanovich is more interested in the frivolous atmosphere of the time than in the plot.

In was in November, 1924, in the middle of the Jazz Age. Hollywood celebrities arrive at Hearst's ship to have a good time. They are -- Charles Chaplin, Marion Davies (actress and Hearst's mistress), Thomas Ince (movie producer who desperately needs jobs), Elinor Glyn (bestselling author, and best known for writing Clara Bow film "It"), Louella Parsons (later known as the 'writer' for Hearst's paper), and Margaret Livingston (actress and Ince's mistress). But before the ship arrives at San Diego, something terrible happened (so the film claims) to one of them.

"The Cat's Meow" is fictional accounts of the 'scandal,' but its own version of the story is, I am afraid, too incredible. Moreover, in order to fully enjoy the film, you have to know some historical backgrounds about these people, and that is not appealing to general audience. (You also remember that director Bogdanovich's career started as a film critic.) The romantic part of the story, or the entangled relations between Hearst, Chaplin, and Davies, is interesting, but the rest of the characters seems practically left out in the story.

I love Kirsten Dunst who plays Marion Davies, but here it is a trouble to me. The real Marion Davies was about 27 years old then, and Kirstin Dunst does NOT look like a 27-year-old woman. She is brilliant in modern setting (see "Bring it on," "Spider-Man" and even "Drop Dead Gorgeous"), but she now looks quite uncomfortable. Put Edward Herrmann (as Hearst) beside her, and he looks more like a grandfather to her. Sorry to say this, but Ashley Judd or Charlize Theron would be much more convincing Marion.

The film's best (and most surprising) role is Eddie Izzard as Chaplin. The casting was a gamble for the director, but it works. He is a great comic, as you know, but now he gives emotional depth to Chaplin who is clearly in trouble (he was then soon to be married second time). Robert Downey Jr, did Chaplin once (and he was great, too), but Eddie Izzzard's portait is more realistic when he describes the pains of the man.

The film's greatest virtue is probably its beautiful photography and gorgeous costumes. The crew did a great job, the photographer Bruno Delbonnel ("Amelie") in particular. Its happy-go-easy jazz music is fun to hear, the riduculously fluffy hats are fun to see, and the witty dialogues are also going to make you grin.

Probably, Peter Bogdanovich was too meticulous in re-creating the atmosphere of the age (even Chaplin's Japanese driver Takano is not forgotten). But I need the central story which has the power to draw us into the world he shows. It's all jazz, I know, and it's fun to see, but there should be more to it.

Some of the characters are also the subject of another film "RKO 281 -- The Battle Over Citizen Kane" starring John Malkovich. Just in case if you're interested in film history.

Obsession, combined with jealousy, was the impetus for an incident that occurred in November of 1924, aboard the yacht of media mogul William Randolph Hearst, and which in the years since has become the stuff of Hollywood legend and lore. The story has many versions, but the "whisper told most often," is the one recounted in "The Cat's Meow," directed by Peter Bogdanovich, a dramatization of what may or may not have happened during that extended weekend birthday-party cruise in honor of pioneer film director, Thomas Ince, which included an eclectic guest list of the rich, famous and powerful. What is known, is that the party ended with the death of one of the guests, and that foul play and an ensuing cover-up have long been suspected, but never proved. And one thing is certain: Not a single person aboard the yacht at the time has ever spoken of what happened, at least not publicly; but there are those who believe to this day, that someone just may have gotten away with murder.

Once a powerful force in a young Hollywood, Thomas Ince (Cary Elwes)-- who had formed Triangle Films with D.W. Griffith and Mack Sennett, and later founded Paramount Studios with Adolph Zukor-- has fallen on hard times. Once responsible for forty pictures a year, he now struggles to get a single film made. And, his birthday aside, he has decided to mix business with pleasure during this cruise, pitching an idea to Hearst (Edward Herrmann), to combine their resources and make movies together. Hearst, however, has other things on his mind; rumor has it that his mistress, Marion Davies (Kirsten Dunst), is being courted by Charlie Chaplin (Eddie Izzard), and he has brought them together, here, to observe and decide for himself if anything untoward is going on between them. Hearst is not only in love with Davies, but is obsessed with her, as well as the course of her career, and he's not about to let this baggy-pants comic actor interfere. And Hearst, a powerful and controlling man, always gets what he wants-- and what he wants right now is for this business with Chaplin to disappear. So it is, that in the midst of celebration, paranoia overtakes the host of the party, and it's about to cast a pall over the proceedings and ultimately involve everyone aboard in one of the greatest unsolved mysteries ever to come out of Tinsel Town. It's a story that Hearst keeps out of the papers, making sure in his own way that dead men, indeed, tell no tales.

Bogdanovich successfully captures the era, as well as the mendacity of this rich assortment of characters, who are all the more intriguing for the fact that they are real people rather than the product of imagination; and it proves that fact is often more bizarre than fiction. The excesses and overindulgences of many within the Hollywood community during this period rivals anything happening today, and one of the most telling scenes in the film is when novelist Elinor Glyn (Joanna Lumley) offers her take on what Hollywood really is and what it does to those who dwell within. Glyn is also the narrator of the film; a wise choice, as it adds a balanced perspective to the events as they unfold, and are summarily grounded by her often wry and incisive observations. The final words of the film are hers, in fact; a final observation that encompasses so much in so few words, that it provides an impact that makes it the perfect ending. And it makes you realize what a terrific job Bogdanovich did with this film, and how well he brought this material (screenplay by Steven Paros, which he adapted from his own play) to life.

The film is highlighted by a number of excellent and memorable performances, beginning with Herrmann as Hearst. This is possibly the best work he's ever done in his career, perfectly capturing the many facets of this extremely complex man. There's a depth to his performance that conveys not only the bravura of a powerful individual-- and one who delights in using it-- but the vulnerability, as well. He also makes you cognizant of the fact that Hearst is a man capable of almost anything, including creating his own reality, and maintaining it with his limitless resources. It's one of the subtle, underlying nuances that Herrmann brings to his portrayal, which is altogether convincing and believable.

Kirsten Dunst also rises to the occasion, turning in a remarkable performance as Marion Davies. It's a concise reflection of a young actress caught up in a situation that is at once enviable and undesirable, who manages to tactfully negotiate the sensitive issues with which she is faced with a sensibility and maturity beyond her years. And through Dunst, we see the many layers of Davies' personality; the fun-loving girl, as well as the responsible woman, who finds herself in a perpetually tentative environment and selflessly refrains from playing the prima donna or attempting to act as if she is the center of the universe-- something to which too many others who have been swallowed up by the Hollywood lifestyle over the years are prone. It's a comprehensive and convincing performance that proves that Dunst has the stuff to fulfill the promise made by her work in previous films.

The performance that surpasses them all, however, is turned in by Eddie Izzard, as Chaplin. Izzard captures the very essence of Chaplin, physically and emotionally, with a detailed portrayal of the man, created through expression and astute introspection. This is not the on-screen persona, the "Little Tramp," but Chaplin the complex individual and artist who is presented here. Izzard brings him to life with singular nuance and depth, and it's a performance that should, by all rights, earn him an Oscar nomination. Skillfully acted and presented, "The Cat's Meow" is a memorable film that offers some insights into a town and lifestyle that few have ever experienced.

After reading some of the more negative reviews, I thought that this movie would be a dud, but it was not. I found it to be interesting, although a bit predictable. As a historical drama it brings to light a story of which many may be unaware - the murder of a low level movie producer by a publishing magnate.

Good plot, good acting, good story telling and plausible ending make this movie enjoyable.

While there are many different styles of movies that can entertain, this one is pure pleasure to watch and experience. It tells us the story of what may have happened aboard William Randolph Hearst's yacht in 1924, and shares "The Whisper Told Most Often." Of course it may or may not have happened in this exact manner, but you will lose yourself in the magic of that time in our history.

The acting is superb - all of it. Herrmann actually becomes W.R. Hearst. Jennifer Tilly, Eddie Izzard, and Joanna Lumley are perfect. Kirsten Dunst is absolutely luminous as Marion Davies. She brings her to life with a vivacity that makes you want to learn more about the real Marion.

As the story unfolds, you will be mesmerized by not only the acting, but the "to die for" costumes, the wonderful music and the great sets. I've seen the movie 3 times and have ordered the DVD. Can't wait to see it again. I also have the sountrack - great music.

Do yourself and a friend a favor and see if it you can still find it anywhere. If not, order the DVD. You won't be sorry. I've read far more estatic reviews than unfavorable. You would have to be a very "jaded" person to dislike this movie.