6.4/10
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Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994)

Dorothy Parker remembers the heyday of the Algonquin Round Table, a circle of friends whose barbed wit, like hers, was fueled by alcohol and flirted with despair.

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Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 7 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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Alan Campbell
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Horatio Byrd
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Jane Grant
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Harold Ross
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Deems Taylor (as James LeGros)
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Robert Sherwood
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George S. Kaufman
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Mary Kennedy Taylor
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Storyline

Dorothy Parker remembers the heyday of the Algonquin Round Table, a circle of friends whose barbed wit, like hers, was fueled by alcohol and flirted with despair. Written by Cleo <frede005@maroon.tc.umn.edu>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

New York in the 1920's. The only place to be was the Algonquin, and the only person to know was Dorothy Parker. See more »

Genres:

Biography | Drama

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality and language | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

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Language:

Release Date:

23 November 1994 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Mrs. Parker and Mr. Benchley  »

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Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$74,512, 27 November 1994, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,144,667
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Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The founding of the "New Yorker" magazine is a subplot in this movie; Wallace Shawn's father, William, was, for many years, editor-in-chief of "The New Yorker". See more »

Quotes

Dorothy Parker: But I can't understand what God is saying, because he's got a mask over his face. Isn't that just like Him?
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Dinner for Five: Episode #1.1 (2001) See more »

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User Reviews

Mrs. Parker's isn't the ONLY side of this story
28 November 2001 | by See all my reviews

While watching this film last night on IFC, I found myself appreciating the social, historical and artistic subject matter. Despite Mrs. Parker's obvious and overwhelming psychological dysfunctions, I felt this was a genuine "true to life" expression of one participant's subjective experiences. This was a unique, if not quite legendary, circle of literary talent -- certainly deserving of serious cinematic treatment such as this.

BUT....

There was another side to the story -- a healthier, less appalling, less depressing side. To discover "the rest of the story", I highly recommend Harpo Marx' autobiography "Harpo Speaks". Although Harpo also recalls the scathing insults and practical jokes that were a central part of the story of this Round Table group, his book relates a number of hugely funny and sometimes heart-warming scenes that indicate that at least some of these people truly cared for each other and expressed strong positive feelings in many different settings. In short, Harpo's stories (e.g. several "croquet fanatic" episodes) offer a telling comedic counterpoint to Mrs. Parker's almost continually cynical and self-pitying pathos. Read Harpo's book to balance out the negative. You'll be glad you did.


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