Mrs. Parker And The Vicious Circle (1994)

In 1937 Hollywood, the writer Dorothy Parker (Jennifer Jason Leigh) reflects back on the 1920s and the illustrious group of writers, critics and actors that gathered at the Algonquin Hotel. Co-written and directed by Alan Rudolph (CHOOSE ME), the film was a labor of love for most everyone involved. The producer Robert Altman put his own money into the film, actors worked for less than their usual salaries and the result is a captivating look at the jazz age in 1920s New York. While it's nominally an ensemble film, it's dominated by Jennifer Jason Leigh's committed performance as Parker right down to her speaking voice. Unfortunately, that commitment makes some of her dialogue difficult to understand but it's a small price to pay for such an exquisite performance. Still, it's often hard to have much empathy for this group of talented and creative intellectuals who are often self destructive. I found myself in sympathy with Robert Benchley's (Campbell Scott) wife (Jennifer Beals) who finds herself an outsider in such prestigious company and Parker's first husband (Andrew McCarthy) whose loathing of Parker's friends is one of many reasons the marriage fizzles. The massive cast of actors playing famous faces includes Matthew Broderick, Peter Gallagher, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lili Taylor, Keith Carradine, Wallace Shawn, James LeGros, Heather Graham, Sam Robards, Martha Plimpton, Chip Zien and Jane Adams.