1. Movie pedant alert: it's Bogdanovich, not "Bogdonovich." :-)

Posted at 11:45AM on Aug 1st 2006 by ihatemovies

2. Eh, either way, he hasn't made a good film in thirty years. He does good things for TCM once in awhile at least.

Posted at 11:51AM on Aug 1st 2006 by Christopher Campbell

3. There was a fictionalized version of the Fatty Arbuckle scandal. One of the few films Merchant-Ivory made in Hollywood, "The Wild Party" starred James Coco.

Posted at 1:40PM on Aug 1st 2006 by Peter Nellhaus

4. I actually really liked The Cats Meow. And he's by no means consistant, but come on -- it's been less than 30 years since "Mask"!

Posted at 1:51PM on Aug 1st 2006 by karina

5. I might have enjoyed Cat's Meow more if it weren't for Dunst and if it was shot in black and white. For a director who's best films were in black and white, it should have been obvious that this story should have been shot that way, as well. He probably had pressure from producers to make it in color, and that is sad.

Anyway Mask is NOT a good movie.

Posted at 1:58PM on Aug 1st 2006 by Christopher Campbell

6. Johhny Depp is NOT right for the role of Arbuckle.

Posted at 8:06PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by Larry wallace

7. I think its an interesting idea! Depp is great in anything he is in!

Posted at 8:11PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by marisa

8. I remember at one time the rumor was that the girl died after being raped with a champagne bottle. True story.. I don't know where it came from or how that rumor died, but it sure wouldnt make for a good family experience.

Posted at 8:26PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by Don Dobrez

9. Hey, come on now, I LOVED "The Cat's Meow", and I thought Dunst brought the character & personality of Marion Davies to life and gave her a warmth and humanity that I have always heard spoken about when reading about Miss Davies.

I just hope that this film encompasses the truth about who & what Virginia Rappe was, and her death was in no way caused by Arbuckle.

Posted at 8:31PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by Michael

10. I think Kevin Spacey could pull it off perfectly of course with padding. That actor could play anything! Johnny Depp in the Buster Keaton role - a big yes! Spacey has the childish face yet cold exterior that the real Arbuckle must have had to be involved in such crime. But, no one will probably ever even consider how perfect he could make this movie!

Posted at 8:46PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by Gwendolyn Miller

11. ruptured bladder or an abortion. Isn't that the scandal that had something to do with a coke bottle or something? Maybe I have two different things confused

Posted at 8:47PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by gordon

12. omg! even though I never really liked Arbuckle....Johnny Depp would succeed in anything...I think it would be rather interesting to see Johnny portrayed as this...if it even IS true...=P go johnny

Posted at 8:52PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by Kayla

13. "I, Fatty" is an excellent read. That, plus the magic that is Johnny Depp will provide an insightful and entertaining product.

Posted at 9:05PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by Beth

14. I once read an old book on Hollywood scandals ( I think it was published in the 1950's) and it said that Virginia Rappe's ruptured bladder was caused by the fact that a beligerant Arbuckle forced the bottom of a broken soda bottle into her vagina, which seems like a more realistic scenario than either of those offered above.

And it had never occurred to me, but Ethan Suplee would probably make a great Arbuckle.

Posted at 9:16PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by Kylie

15. I loved I, Fatty, and am a gret fan of Johnny Depp. I sort of hate the idea of a fat suit. How about Depp as Buster Keaton and Artie Lang as Arbuclke?

Posted at 9:19PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by Vina

16. Phillip Seymour Hoffman ("Capote") would do a bang-up job with the role of Fatty Arbuckle. In fact, thinking about him in the lead makes me want to see it.

Posted at 9:29PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by Anonymous

17. I hope this film gets made, there's a lot of old hollywood history that needs to be told. Another good movie that could be made is about Ramon Novarro.

Posted at 9:29PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by scott

18. The lurid rumor at the time was that it was a coke bottle. It started when fatty got pulled over for drunk driving. This was during prohibition, and he had his hootch in a coke bottle. He threw it out the window and said "no more evidence!". The rag papers decided to use this as an admission of how that poor girl died. This was the roaring twenties, after all. It was a terrible thing to besmirch a poor dead girl; it would have gotten every mother with a paper into a tizzy. No talk of back room abortions back then, it didn't even come up in the trial, even though both sides knew about it. It was much better copy to blame the "leacherous" hollywood star. Everyone knew "every star" in hollywood was a dope fiend and worse. It was how parents kept their daughters at home. Virginia was a prostitute; Fatty didn't arrainge her abortion, he didn't even know her. I think johny will do a thoughtful, intelligent account.

Posted at 9:58PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by Carol

19. SHAME ON THE WRITER OF THIS ARTICLE! Fatty Arbuckle was acquited BECAUSE HE WAS INNOCENT. This is well-known today. Yellow journalist Campbell should've stated this upfront. I don't really care what version of the story he first heard. It's totally irrelevant. Arbuckle was used as a scapegoat for moralists like Hayes, who wanted to impose a code on motion pictures. Arbuckle was ruined because of this.

By the way, "The Cat's Meow" was based upon a play, one which wasn't historically accurate. The only thing Bogdonovich did was bring it to the screen, so it's hardly fair to say that he "handled" it "all wrong." He can, however, be blamed for miscasting Marion Davies -- Kirsten Dunst was too young for the part.

Posted at 10:06PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by John

20. I agree with #8. Kevin and Johnny. WInning team.

Posted at 10:12PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by Lou