The Cat's Meow

The Cat's Meow
Theatrical release poster
Directed byPeter Bogdanovich
Screenplay bySteven Peros
Based onThe Cat's Meow
by Steven Peros
Produced byJulie Baines
Kim Bieber
Carol Lewis
Dieter Meyer
Starring
CinematographyBruno Delbonnel
Edited byEdward G. Norris
Music byIan Whitcomb
Production
companies
Dan Films
CP Medien
Distributed bySwipe Films (United Kingdom)
Lions Gate Films (United States)
Release dates
  • August 3, 2001 (2001-08-03) (LIFF)
  • April 12, 2002 (2002-04-12) (U.S.)
  • June 4, 2004 (2004-06-04) (U.K.)
Running time
114 minutes[1]
CountriesUnited States
Germany
United Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget$7 million
Box office$3.7 million[2]

The Cat's Meow is a 2001 historical drama film directed by Peter Bogdanovich, and starring Kirsten Dunst, Eddie Izzard, Edward Herrmann, Cary Elwes, Joanna Lumley, Jennifer Tilly, and Ronan Vibert. The screenplay by Steven Peros is based on his 1997 play of the same title, which was inspired by the mysterious death of film mogul Thomas H. Ince that occurred on William Randolph Hearst's yacht during a weekend cruise celebrating Ince's birthday in November 1924. Among those in attendance were Hearst's longtime companion and film actress Marion Davies, fellow actor Charlie Chaplin, writer Elinor Glyn, columnist Louella Parsons, and actress Margaret Livingston. The film provides a speculative assessment on the unclear manner of Ince's death.

An international co-production between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany, The Cat's Meow was primarily shot in Greece, which served as a stand-in for coastal Southern California. The film premiered at the Locarno International Film Festival in 2001, and was released theatrically in the United States by Lionsgate in April 2002. It grossed $3.6 million worldwide, and received largely favorable reviews from film critics.

  1. ^ "THE CAT'S MEOW (12A)". British Board of Film Classification. 2004-04-28. Retrieved 2013-06-03.
  2. ^ "The Cat's Meow (2002)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved July 5, 2011.