Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle
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.
Critics Sentiment
The Vicious Circle engages in legendary verbal sparring sessions
MacArthur abandons Dorothy who undergoes an abortion alone
The film's biggest drop occurs from the witty Round Table scenes (7.3) to Dorothy's tragic affair with MacArthur ending in abandonment and abortion (4.3).
The film receives mixed reviews that mirror Dorothy Parker's own tragic arc, starting strong with praise for the atmospheric Algonquin setting and witty dialogue, then declining as it focuses on Parker's personal struggles. While critics consistently praised Jennifer Jason Leigh's committed performance and the period recreation, many found the episodic structure confusing and felt the film failed to deliver on its dramatic promises, particularly regarding the central Parker-Benchley relationship.
Full cast
Showing 20 of 64
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 Le Gros
Deems Taylor
Gwyneth Paltrow
Paula Hunt
Nick Cassavetes
Robert Sherwood
David Thornton
George S. Kaufman
Heather Graham
Mary Kennedy Taylor
Tom McGowan
Alexander Woollcott
Chip Zien
Franklin P. Adams
Gary Basaraba
Heywood Broun
Jane Adams
Ruth Hale
Stephen Baldwin
Roger Spalding
Crew
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