Award-winning screenwriter Steven Peros and acclaimed director Peter Bogdanovich team up for "The Cat's Meow," an absorbing look at a fateful excursion of "fun and frolic" aboard William Randolph Hearst's private yacht in November of 1924 that brought together some of the century's best-known personalities and resulted in a still-unsolved, hushed-up killing.
"At the start of 'The Cat's Meow,' you know there was a shooting, because it begins with a funeral," says Bogdanovich. "You know someone's going to get hurt - the question is who? All these famous people were reputed to be on the yacht, and there are several versions of who they were. In her narration, Elinor Glyn says, 'everything was told in whispers. This is the whisper most often told.'"
KIRSTEN DUNST (Marion Davies)
You're younger than the character you play in “The Cat's Meow.” How did you get this part?
I think it was more like a studio-ish producer decision. Peter [Bogdanovich] didn't really know a lot about my work. He didn't even have time to meet me, really. I think it was just they cast me on a whim. Peter was a little nervous of me. He said, “Do you know you've got to deepen your voice a little bit?” I'm like, “I know, Peter, I know.” He was very fatherly to me - it was very cute - on the whole film. He really came to respect me over the course of the first week. I think in the beginning he was like, “On 'Paper Moon' I gave Tatum line readings.” I was just like, “Alright, Peter, whatever. You're not giving me line readings, buddy (laughing).”
He was just a little worried and now he's like, “Oh Kirsten - she's so great.” Now he can't stop saying enough nice things about me. He's like, “We have to do another movie together.” Before, he was like, “Uh oh, what's this girl? Is she going to work good?” He was a little concerned with me in the beginning.
Why did he ask you to deepen your voice?
Because Marion had a pretty deep voice. She smoked and drank and had a pretty husky voice.
Didn't she star in silent movies?
I heard her voice in some radio interview excerpts. It was a lot deeper when she got older. He just wanted me to deepen my voice, in general, just so I'd [come across] a little older. I have a pretty high voice.
Is this an era in Hollywood history you would have liked to have been a part of?
Definitely. I love the 1920s, that whole era. Just the costumes, the hair and makeup, the whole romantic idea of their parties - it was just so glamorous.
What about the idea of having a mistress?
I feel Hearst was definitely not involved with his wife anymore, even though they didn't get a divorce. I felt very bad for Marion because I'm sure she would have loved to have married him. It's very sad to live your life like that and to know that even though it's just a vow or just a ring... It's very sad for her. I think that she was probably in a little denial about that - to not be able to be married to the man you're with because of circumstances. To be thought of as just a mistress, it can't feel good inside.
Did you research this role?
I read a book called “The Times We Had.” I watched movies and a documentary about her. She really did love him so much. They had kind of a father/daughter dynamic almost. She was there for him and he just found so much joy in her. She was always the life of the party, she always entertained, and she kept him young, I think.
You have to kiss much older men in this film. Was that awkward?
It was a little weird. It's a little uncomfortable. Eddie wasn't bad but just the thought of somebody who has a daughter your age, and you're kissing him... Luckily I didn't have to make out, it was just a brief kiss. But anybody who has a daughter my age, I really don't want to be kissing in a weird way like that.
Did you enjoy working with Edward Herrmann?
We totally had great chemistry and it totally worked. He's a really great actor to work with. We had long scenes where we wouldn't have any cuts. He really nailed Hearst, for sure. He just shows this giddy little boy side to him when he's with Marion and it's really, I think, true to their relationship.
What was it like working with Eddie Izzard?
I think he's great. I just love Eddie. I saw his stand-up show when I was doing a movie in Toronto, and I was like, "He is so funny." I was laughing my ass off. A few months later they asked if I wanted to do a movie with Eddie Izzard and I was like, "Yeah, of course!" I was so into the idea. I think he's talented, very talented.
Do you think that Marion Davies and Charlie Chaplin were intimate in real life?
I do, actually. I mean it's hard when you are on a movie set. You're thrown into very intimate situations with guys or girls really fast, and so I think that can be mistaken for a real chemistry. I think that Charlie was a playboy for sure and Marion...it's known that she fooled around with a few of her co-stars. [Marion] has this man that she can't be married to but they have a love for each other and an affinity. They definitely have a good relationship but I think there's something missing because you can't get everything out of him. He is an older guy and it's like there is a youthful thing that was just missing, a playfulness, and that she found in Charlie. But I think that she knew that Charlie wouldn't last. I think that she wouldn't want to give up her relationship with Hearst for something that might last a year.
You mentioned the thing about fooling around with a co-star...
I know - the rumor.
So all that was just a rumor?
Yes, we're just friends. People always blow things out of proportion. I think it's worse for Tobey [Maguire]. I think every movie he's done, he's been [linked] to a cast member. I think I'm more discreet about everything, maybe.
Was this your first time singing in a film?
No, I sang in “Get Over It,” which was kind of like a silly comedy. It was a Miramax movie that just came and went. It was kind of funny because it made fun of teen movies in a little bit of a way. It was better than just a regular teen movie. It wasn't as fluffy. It was cute and I sang a lot in that movie.
Do you meet fans who have been following your career since you were really young? Is that a strange feeling?
It's weirder for me to go into interviews and be interviewed by the same people who interviewed me when I was 10 years old.
It's really weird. I think it's great. If people followed my work for that long it means that I've kept them interested in the projects that I've done. That's so important to me. The fans are really the people who make you what you are. If they don't go see your movies, then nobody cares. To have people who grew up watching you is really nice.
Do you have any suggestions on how to stay grounded?
Keep your family around you, have good friends around you, and not make this your every day life. It's very insane right now because of promoting “The Cat's Meow” and promoting “Spider-Man” - it's so overwhelming, all this craziness. It's good to go home to your mom, your grandma, your brother, the dogs, the cats, and like clean the litter box and do normal people things - not get caught up in being pampered.
Has the teen movie genre been good to you?
I think so. We need those kinds of movies. I think those movies are fun and great, but I want to go on a different path and have a long-lasting career. I was really lucky with "Bring It On" because that movie could have gone either way. Peyton Reed really was an amazing director to work with. I love him, he's great.
Have you watched "Not Another Teen Movie's" spoof of "Bring It On?"
I've seen clips but I haven't seen the whole film yet. Joel Gallen directed that. [He's a] really a funny guy who does all the MTV Movie Award stuff. I know Joel and I want to see the movie, but I haven't gotten a chance yet.
Besides "Spider-Man," what else have you been working on?
I have a movie called “Levity” that's with Billy Bob Thornton, Morgan Freeman, and Holly Hunter and that's a smaller film. I have a small role in that, but it's a good role. It's like a dramatic, small, independent feature.
Do you play Holly Hunter's daughter?
No, I wish. I love Holly; she's so awesome. Holly and Billy Bob get kind of involved. It's funny because Morgan, Holly and I all have relationships with Billy Bob in some way but we never interact with each other.
Were your parents concerned about your work on "Interview with the Vampire" at such a young age?
No, I've been in this [business] since I was little. I knew the blood was fake and it wasn't like I was having nightmares or anything. I'm an actress. The reason I did “Little Women” right after “Interview” was because I wanted to do a film where people wouldn't think I was some disturbed child, because I really wasn't at all. You should have seen us in London in our beautiful hotel that we loved and turned in to our little house. We had our Christmas tree and I played with my Barbies and had my tutoring on the set. Then I'd go and have to bite people. It was very normal. I was doing my job and my mom was not freaked out at all. Brad [Pitt] and Tom [Cruise] are such nice guys. I was treated like a princess on that set. It was pretty amazing.
You've been doing press tours for "Spider-Man" in other countries. How is the film playing outside of America?
They haven't seen it yet; they only saw 30 minutes. We showed them only a brief bit of it. Everybody seems to really be ready for it. It's nice because it's a pretty intimate story. It's character-driven and not just like a dumb action movie, which I really like. It's got depth to it.
