The Cat's Meow

The Cat's Meow
April 12, 2002
Lions Gate etc.
Historical, Mystery, Drama, Comedy
DVD
B-

I don't think it's just that this follows Gosford Park that makes me feel that it's a lesser film.  It doesn't quite work, although it's interesting.  Unlike Gosford, it's based on a real-life mystery, the death of producer Thomas Ince in 1924, possibly on board William Randolph Hearst's yacht.  The main characters are based on real people, notably Hearst, played by 59-year-old Edward Herrmann (who was one of the on-screen "swells" in Purple Rose of Cairo), and his long-term mistress Marion Davies, played quite well by Kirsten Dunst at 19.  Others in the cast include Eddie Izzard as Charlie Chaplin, Joanna Lumley as Elinor Glyn (who came up with the concept of "It" for sex appeal), and Jennifer Tilly as Louella Parsons.  I will say that the costumes, particularly "Lolly's," are much better than in Gosford, where they are either plain (for the servants) or genteelly bland.  The Hollywood setting helps.

Claudie Blakley is almost unrecognizable as Didi the flapper here, compared to her role of mousy but strong Mabel Nesbitt in Gosford.