The Cat’s Meow 2001 film review

The Cat’s Meow (2001, United States)

In November 1924 media mogul William Randolph Hearst invites some of his friends for the birthday party for his business partner, film producer Thomas Ince. The party will take place aboard the Hearst’s yacht Oneida during the journey on the Pacific Ocean. Among the guests are such celebrities of their times as writer Elinor Glyn or Charlie Chaplin, who just gets over the poor reviews of his latest film A Woman of Paris. From the beginning the atmosphere aboard Oneida is far from cheerful - Hearst is jealous about Charlie Chaplin, who seems to be very close with Hearst’s mistress, actress Marion Davies, Ince is desperate to convince Hearst to invest into his filming business, Chaplin tries to avoid any mentions of Lita Grey, a 16-year-old actress that is pregnant with him. As the evening progresses the basic human emotions erupt among the guests. The cherry on top is the message Hearst receives from the land - next morning the newspapers will publish the gossip about romance between Charlie Chaplin and Marion Davies together with the photographs of them together in the restaurant. The tragedy is just a matter of time...

Film was based on true event, although all the scenes are just speculations what actually happened. The party aboard Oneida was true, the scandal and theories around it were true, but the dialogues and some details are complete fiction created by Steven Peros (first for the theater play and later repeated in script for the film version), f.e. it isn’t certain that Ince was even aboard the yacht at the beginning of the journey or if journalist Louella Parsons was even aboard. Nevertheless the film presents an interesting look at the 1920s Hollywood, where the glamor is just a smoke screen that covers the basic lusts and dark secrets. Great atmosphere and interesting cast.

add comment

Watch The Cat’s Meow

The Cat’s Meow videos

Creators of The Cat’s Meow

	Peter Bogdanovich	director
	Steven Peros	screenplay

Cast of The Cat’s Meow

	Kirsten Dunst	as Marion Davies
	Edward Herrmann	as W.R. Hearst
	Eddie Izzard	as Charlie Chaplin
	Cary Elwes	as Thomas Ince
	Joanna Lumley	as Elinor Glyn
	Jennifer Tilly	as Louella Parsons
	Claudie Blakley	as Didi
	Claudia Harrison	as Margaret Livingston