The Cat's Meow 2001

Jay Carr, Boston Globe: It's pretty linear and only makeup-deep, but Bogdanovich ties it together with efficiency and an affection for the period. Read more

Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press: More obvious than acerbic, more inane than insightful and exaggerated to the point of caricature. Read more

Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: The actors do a good job of overcoming the stagebound feel of The Cat's Meow, which, for all its charms, sometimes feels as self-obsessed as the characters it slyly mocks. Read more

Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper: [A]n entertaining flight of fancy filled with a lot of strong performances. Read more

Susan Stark, Detroit News: A stylish trifle lit by the starring presence of Kirsten Dunst. Read more

Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune: As the story progresses, the tension dissipates, probably because once Bogdanovich has set his wheels in motion, he just lets them spin. Read more

A.O. Scott, New York Times: A modest, restrained picture, as small and satisfying as one of Woody Allen's better recent efforts. Read more

Jan Stuart, Newsday: Citizen Kane for fans of Agatha Christie and Liz Smith: no frills, but juicy. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: Primarily works as a reminder that Bogdanovich, who hasn't made a feature film since 1993, is still very much a force as a director -- and as another signal of Dunst's astonishing talent. Read more

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: It's one heck of a character study -- not of Hearst or Davies but of the unique relationship between them. Read more

Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: By and large, The Cat's Meow is relatively accurate as a period piece. Read more

Eric Harrison, Houston Chronicle: Represents a return to form by Peter Bogdanovich. Read more

Paul Clinton (CNN.com), CNN.com: It's great escapist fun that recreates a place and time that will never happen again. Read more

Steven Rosen, Denver Post: In the end, it's an amusing diversion. But it should be more. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: Bogdanovich taps deep into the Hearst mystique, entertainingly reenacting a historic scandal. Read more

Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: The result is good gossip, entertainingly delivered, yet with a distinctly musty odour, its expiry date long gone. Read more

Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News: A great-looking movie that entertains without requiring empathy. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: The strongest achievement of The Cat's Meow may be the performances, especially those of Kirsten Dunst (Davies), Edward Herrmann (Hearst), and even Eddie Izzard (Chaplin). Read more

Manohla Dargis, L.A. Weekly: Despite all the closed-door hanky-panky, the film is essentially juiceless. Read more

Rex Reed, New York Observer: A lavish, lascivious, elegant and enjoyable entertainment. Read more

Andrew Sarris, New York Observer: As it stands, The Cat's Meow is Mr. Bogdanovich's best film since Mask. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: It represents better-than-average movie-making that doesn't demand a dumb, distracted audience. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The film is darkly atmospheric, with Herrmann quietly suggesting the sadness and obsession beneath Hearst's forced avuncular chortles. Read more

Charles Taylor, Salon.com: The Cat's Meow plays like an idea for a scandalous masquerade ball rather than a movie. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: Bogdanovich takes a tale of old Hollywood and infuses it with velocity and enthusiasm. Read more

Peter Howell, Toronto Star: [Dunst] brings genuine humanity to a role that could have been little more than a vampish gold digger. Read more

Geoff Andrew, Time Out: Featherweight but fun. Read more

Derek Elley, Variety: The '20s-set pic is given considerable bounce by a splendid cast, led by Kirsten Dunst in an eye-opening perf as Marion Davies. Read more

J. Hoberman, Village Voice: A better-than-competent period evocation that allows the director to flaunt his knowledge (and perhaps vent some of his own bitterness) regarding Hollywood. Read more