The Cat's Meow (2002)
Written by Steven Peros / Directed by Peter Bogdanovich
Starring Kirsten Dunst, Edward Herrmann, Eddie Izzard, Cary Elwes and Jennifer Tilly
110 mins / Lion's Gate / Rated R
Retail: $24.99 / Street: $22
by Alex Mestas 5/23/2003
More info: Amazon.com
Cat's Meow DVD Cover
The Cover
There's a famous little book called Hollywood Babylon, filled with pictures and stories about the Silent and Golden Age stars and their scandals. Written by cult filmmaker Kenneth Anger, it has become something of a legend within the film community with its gossipy writing and intriguing suggestions of all that is wrong in Hollywood.

One of the most interesting sections in that book is about the death of producer Tom Ince aboard a private yacht owned by none other than the newspaper behemoth William Randolph Hearst. Anger's book never goes deeply into the rumors that flew around that faithful trip (none of the stories are really in depth) but the author does make some fascinating suggestions. It's universally known that Hearst kept actress Marion Davies as his mistress for many years. But Hollywood Babylon also suggests an even darker side to the story. Davies was known for philandering of her own, most notably with Charlie Chaplin (who himself had numerous trysts with various ladies). Hearst was also a notoriously paranoid control freak - building peepholes, secret doors and listening systems into his home and yacht.

It's within this deep, historical complexity that The Cat's Meow takes place. History knows that Tom Ince went on a cruise for his birthday celebration and came back dead, but not much else. What happened that weekend on the yacht? I think this movie holds the best answers.

Kirsten Dunst is perfect for the role of Davies. She has an look that's definitely in line with the kind of beauty celebrated in 1920's Hollywood. Hers is the standout performance in the film and she definitely deserves her starring title in this movie - it's almost enough to make you forget her rather uninspiring turn in Spider-Man. The rest of the cast is comprised of veteran character actors and unusual casting choices. Comic Eddie Izzard is cast as Chaplin, not imitating the Little Tramp character, but rather finding the human side of this very important actor. As a confused report, Jennifer Tilly is great, her high voice actually working to her advantage. Finally, veteran character actor Edward Herrmann, manages to inhabit the very manic Hearst. You plain believe that he is Hearst.

The Cat's Meow isn't a big film by any means. It takes place on a small boat with an eclectic cast of characters. Director Peter Bogdanovich's approach is wonderfully separated from the action. He lets scenes play out in long single takes. An actor stumbling over a line is nothing for him to worry about. This gives the movie a feeling of looseness that really makes it a laid back experience. A perfect movie for a lazy afternoon in Hollywood.

Movie Grade: A

Video: 3 out of 5
Another low-budget indie that nonetheless gets the job done. The color of the palette of the film is rather muted, and this is no exception.
Widescreen anamorphic 1.78:1

Eddie Izzard and Kirsten Dunst
Dunst as Davies, Izzard as Chaplin

Audio: 3 out of 5
All that matters here is the dialogue and that certainly comes trough bright and clear. Music in the film is all from practical sources (radios, records and singing) so don't expect too much clarity or expect the soundtrack to blow you away.
English (Dolby 2.0)

Extras: 5 out of 5
Nice, nice, nice. Here's a rundown of what you're getting yourself into:
Sundance's Anatomy of a Scene: Indeedy. Like I said before, this is a welcome edition on any disc. It runs thirty minutes long and discusses a particular scene in the film, considering all elements of writing, acting and directing.

Making of: About thirty minutes of new on-set footage including rehearsals and impromptu interviews. A nice complement to the Anatomy of a Scene.

Interviews: Fifteen minutes of talking heads.

Chaplin Short: A twenty minute silent Chaplin film with musical accompaniment. It's a nice thing to watch to get a sense of the man that Izzard was portraying in the movie.

Newreel: Contemporary (to the 20's of course) celebrities gallivanting around and silently hamming to the camera.

Bogdanovich commentary: The veteran actor (The Sopranos) / Director (Paper Moon) can come off a little arrogant at times, what with his references to knowing Orson Welles, John Ford, and all. But he's a man who's had a lot of experience and he's still making little movies the way he wants. The commentary is nice and discusses a little of everything concerning the production.

Overall: 4 out of 5
The Cat's Meow is funny, dramatic and a fascinating look at Old Hollywood's darker side. Coupled with a wealth of extras that came quite unexpectedly, this is one disc that you should consider picking up if you really love movies.

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