Just okay. Somewhat stilted dialogue but that may just be Kirsten Dunst's modern inflection and forced gaiety.

An interesting period piece about the death of Thomas Ince. It's a fascinating semi-true story, but for me it kind of played out like I was watching the E! True Hollywood Story (minus the interviews) rather than an actual movie. Basically, it got a... (read more) An interesting period piece about the death of Thomas Ince. It's a fascinating semi-true story, but for me it kind of played out like I was watching the E! True Hollywood Story (minus the interviews) rather than an actual movie. Basically, it got a little boring for me.

For a supposedly scandalous murder cover-up, this film feels very dry on the shock-horror. Instead, it all feels like a cheap period piece which operates on guess-work hearsay. So not much happens until the event which you already know is coming, and... (read more) For a supposedly scandalous murder cover-up, this film feels very dry on the shock-horror. Instead, it all feels like a cheap period piece which operates on guess-work hearsay. So not much happens until the event which you already know is coming, and then the real meat of the story is sown up in the last ten minutes. The film is, in a nutshell, about how Charlie Chaplin ALMOST died. Hmmm... on the plus side, there are a couple of good performances, in particular Edward Herrman, but the whole thing feels a bit limp and lifeless.

A story that sabotages itself. This is a made up true story, by which I mean it is about a mystery - a suspicious death that was never investigated and obviously covered up due the differing accounts. No one knows what really happened, but this, ap... (read more) A story that sabotages itself. This is a made up true story, by which I mean it is about a mystery - a suspicious death that was never investigated and obviously covered up due the differing accounts. No one knows what really happened, but this, apparently, is the most commonly believed rumour. That means you'll either find it unsatisfactory, as you'll never know for sure if any of this happened, or you’ll blindly believe what you are presented with and be horrified that to this day a murder has been got away with.

As soon as the created-by-a-student style opening credits appear, the film is unavoidably drenched in a feeling of cheapness - the B-list cast don't help. It is witty, I laughed, but the wit is somehow forced as certain characters constantly strive for acidic one-liners and there are too many characters.

The basic plot is that producer W R Hearst (Edward Herrmann) and actress Marion Davies (Kirsten Dunst) are lovers, but Marion and Charlie Chaplin (Eddie Izzard) have feelings for each other, a fact that failing producer Thomas Ince (Cary Elwes) is trying to use as a bargaining chip to get WR to partner with him in business.

Herrmann is successfully detestable throughout (assuming that that is what he's going for), creepy from the offset as he spies on the guests arriving for his weekend pleasure cruise, and escalating to completely, murderously insane by the climax.

Elwes glowers and stews his way around the corners of the screen, expertly portraying Ince’s intentions, but fails somewhat with his American accent.

In a similar, but less successful way, Izzard conveys believable emotions through his eyes and movements, but delivers all his lines in exactly the same, forced way.

SPOILERS...

There's a heavy, stewing atmosphere throughout the build-up, and you know one of two characters is going to die, and since we know one of them didn't, it's obvious which is going to be the man in the coffin. Therefore, it is very tense, waiting for the death scene, as Tom plays with fire, notices it is hot and puts on something flammable.

I was surprised at how early the event happened, but the remaining half hour of the film whizzed past as the murder was covered up. However, it is disappointing that the murderer gets away with it and that no one apart from Charlie is particularly bothered by the events that occur, and it is making the tired point that Hollywood is bad - a point that every film about films has made since presumably films have existed. But as a tragedy, this is effective.

Oh well, as the film tells us, all problems can be solved by Charleston, Charleston, Charleston...

A criminally under-watched film bringing to life a Hollywood Babylon story that has always fascinated me. There was some risky casting in this film - Kirsten Dunst as Davies, Eddie Izzard as Chaplin - but it all pays off handsomely save for Jennifer... (read more) A criminally under-watched film bringing to life a Hollywood Babylon story that has always fascinated me. There was some risky casting in this film - Kirsten Dunst as Davies, Eddie Izzard as Chaplin - but it all pays off handsomely save for Jennifer Tilly as Louella Parsons. I just didn't quite buy her take on the vicious gossip monger as a silly bumbler. I absolutely adored "The Thing Called Love" and was happy to welcome Bogdanovich back to feature films. A triumphant return!

blah blah blah... give me Robert Downey Jr. as Charlie Chaplin instead.