In trying to take a 'real' story (even if it is just a rumor) and translating it to the screen a writer or director has to force a snapshot of a situation and craft the tale from there. Whatever the 'real' people are like is secondary to crafting a strong narrative, but those who know the bigger picture will often complain that the story ignores this detail or that aspect. "The Cat's Meow" falls into this trap for some audiences.
For those unaware of the story, "The Cat's Meow" is about a rumored murder committed by media tycoon William Randolph Hearst on board his yacht. He may have been gunning for Charlie Chaplin but ended up killing Thomas Ince instead. The story was covered up by Hearst and remains a bit of a mystery to this day.
Some complaints about this film are about the lack of accuracy it has towards the characters in question, but this is a niggling point. "The Cat's Meow" is like a greek tragedy - you already know how it will turn out, the important thing is what happens along the journey. Watching love, lust and power encircle the passengers of Hearst's yacht is compelling, only sometimes let down by the slower pacing of the film. Seeing the aftermath and watching people sell out themselves (and how it effects them) is fantastic viewing and well worth watching.
All the actors put on strong performances which, given the quality of the cast on paper, gives some potentially trite dialogue true spark. "The Cat's Meow" does suffer from being converted from the stage play to the screen - some scenes appear unneeded while it would have been nice to see a bit more motivation given to a few of the characters - but this is a small point. Overall, "The Cat's Meow" is an interesting tale from the start of Hollywood that shows you how little people change.
For those unaware of the story, "The Cat's Meow" is about a rumored murder committed by media tycoon William Randolph Hearst on board his yacht. He may have been gunning for Charlie Chaplin but ended up killing Thomas Ince instead. The story was covered up by Hearst and remains a bit of a mystery to this day.
Some complaints about this film are about the lack of accuracy it has towards the characters in question, but this is a niggling point. "The Cat's Meow" is like a greek tragedy - you already know how it will turn out, the important thing is what happens along the journey. Watching love, lust and power encircle the passengers of Hearst's yacht is compelling, only sometimes let down by the slower pacing of the film. Seeing the aftermath and watching people sell out themselves (and how it effects them) is fantastic viewing and well worth watching.
All the actors put on strong performances which, given the quality of the cast on paper, gives some potentially trite dialogue true spark. "The Cat's Meow" does suffer from being converted from the stage play to the screen - some scenes appear unneeded while it would have been nice to see a bit more motivation given to a few of the characters - but this is a small point. Overall, "The Cat's Meow" is an interesting tale from the start of Hollywood that shows you how little people change.