Dame Judi Dench has never shied away from expressing her sentiments about the much-maligned 2019 film adaptation of the beloved Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, *Cats*. Her portrayal of the wise and enigmatic feline Old Deuteronomy has often been overshadowed by the film’s overall criticism, which led Dench to forgo viewing the final cut. In a candid reflection, she once described the film’s costume for her character, an orange fur coat, as reminiscent of “five foxes fucking on my back.”
A Reflection in Her Memoir
In her upcoming memoir, *Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?*, Dench delves deeper into her involvement with the ill-fated film. She admits, “Oh God, I can’t bear it,” lamenting the lost potential of a project that Andrew Lloyd Webber had long hoped to see come to fruition. Dench characterizes the film as “a waste of all that goodwill and talent,” echoing the disappointment felt by many fans and critics alike.
Critics and Creative Choices
Though Dench did not see the final version of *Cats*, she acknowledged the negative reception it received. She understands the critics’ hostility, saying, “Nobody sets out to give a poor performance or make a bad film. You do your best, offer something up and hope that people will get on board and join the party.” Among the film’s most criticized aspects was its erratic CGI, which notably erased animal anatomy but bizarrely retained a human hand—complete with a wedding ring—in Dench’s scenes.
Behind the Scenes of a Disastrous Production
Dench recalls feeling “ill at ease from the beginning” in her role and expressed concern over the treatment of young dancers, who were often left to stand exhausted and ignored at the end of takes. Despite the film’s challenges, she found joy in lighter moments, such as playfully discovering, “I could still lift my leg in the air,” engaging in Bananagrams with her vocal coach, and connecting with her co-star, Taylor Swift. On her last day on set, she received a heartfelt gift of fifty spray-painted gold everlasting roses from Jason Derulo, who played Rum Tum Tugger.
Learning from the Experience
Dench emphasizes that there were no villains in the making of *Cats*, writing, “If something isn’t a success, then there are always things you can say you’ve learned.” She reflects on the complexities of filmmaking, noting that sometimes the stars simply do not align: “The timing’s wrong, the cast don’t gel, the elements don’t coalesce. But people’s intentions are mostly honourable.”
Critique from the Creator
Andrew Lloyd Webber himself has been openly critical of the film adaptation. He has remarked that director Tom Hooper failed to consult those involved with the original West End production, labeling the whole endeavor as “ridiculous.” In 2021, he described the film experience as “off-the-scale all wrong” and confessed it left him feeling so “emotionally damaged” that he took up dog ownership as a form of recovery. He humorously noted that he was required to prove to an airline that he needed his new puppy as an emotional support animal, leading to a laughable exchange regarding the film’s impact on his lifelong work, “Just see what Hollywood did to my musical *Cats*.”
