Review of The Cat's Meow (2001) by Stephen C — 30 Apr 2009

During the 1970s Peter Bogdanovich was celebrated as a great director.

Then he made a few flops and his private life went off the rails and for a time he couldnt get a job directing traffic ,let alone a movie.

Then he righted himself writing several books about Vintage Hollywood and appeared and directed a episode of The Sopranos.

This film ranks as one of his best and confirms that he is great director of actors.

During a party weekend on William Randolph Hearsts yacht a person is shot and a group of Hollywood types Smoke Grass do the Charleston and form romantic liasons.

Bogdanovich brings out great performances from all his actors from Eddie Izzard as Charlie Chaplin and Kirsten Dunst as Marion Davies.

The film crackles with sparkling dialogue and some funny moments amid all the drama most notably from Jennifer Tilly as Louella Parsons.

The film is based on an actual event and to this day no one really nows what happend on the yacht.

The film is fun and watchable and deserves to be more widely known.

A real little Hollywood gem.