Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994)

Director:

Alan Rudolph

Writers (WGA):

Alan Rudolph (written by) &
Randy Sue Coburn (written by)

Release Date:

23 November 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

At the center of the circle is a woman ahead of her time.

Plot:

Dorothy Parker remembers the heyday of the Algonquin Round Table, a circle of friends whose barbed wit...

Plot Keywords:

Alcohol | Algonquin Round Table | Jazz Age | Psychotherapy | Writing

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Jennifer Jason Leigh	...	Dorothy Parker
Campbell Scott	...	Robert Benchley
Matthew Broderick	...	Charles MacArthur
Peter Gallagher	...	Alan Campbell
Jennifer Beals	...	Gertrude Benchley
Andrew McCarthy	...	Eddie Parker
Wallace Shawn	...	Horatio Byrd
Martha Plimpton	...	Jane Grant
Sam Robards	...	Harold Ross
Lili Taylor	...	Edna Ferber
James LeGros	...	Deems Taylor
Gwyneth Paltrow	...	Paula Hunt
Nick Cassavetes	...	Robert Sherwood
David Thornton	...	George S. Kaufman
Heather Graham	...	Mary Kennedy Taylor

Also Known As:

Mrs. Parker and the Round Table

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Germany:12 | Australia:M | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R | Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

Algonquin Hotel - 59 W. 44th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Fine Line Features

Trivia:

Peter Benchley, the grandson of humorist and featured character Robert Benchley, plays editor Frank Crowninshield.

Quotes:

Dorothy Parker: Razors pain you, rivers are damp, acids stain you, drugs cause cramp. Guns aren't lawful, nooses give, gas smells awful; you might as well live.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Game-On: (#3.2)" (1998)

Mrs. Parker: The Tragic Romantic

From what I have read of and about Dorothy Parker, she was a paradoxically sad person. A woman that seemed to long for true love but seemed to keep everyone at a safe distance. She seemed to use her cutting wit and great appetite for booze, as a defence against any possible close personal relationship with her friends and peers. The only men in her life were equally committed to keeping their distance and control. This movie captured those feelings and relationships with great acuity. Jennifer Jason Leigh was superb as Dorothy. In fact, all of the actors were fantastic. This film isn't for the crowd that, throng to the next Lethal Weapon sequel in ever growing numbers. Those of you that look for movies with intelligence and style will be greatly rewarded.