That Darn Cat! (1965)

Director:

Robert Stevenson

Writers:

Gordon Gordon (screenplay) &
Mildred Gordon (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

2 December 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Comedy | Thriller

Tagline:

It takes a Siamese secret agent to unravel the PURR-fect crime!

Plot:

A woman is kidnapped. While in captivity, she manages to send a message out with a wandering cat. The cat's owner calls the FBI...

Plot Keywords:

Communications Equipment | Siamese Cat | Bank Robbery | Hostage | Kidnapping

Awards:

3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Hayley Mills	...	Patti Randall
Dean Jones	...	Zeke Kelso
Dorothy Provine	...	Ingrid Randall
Roddy McDowall	...	Gregory Benson
Neville Brand	...	Dan
Elsa Lanchester	...	Mrs. MacDougall
William Demarest	...	Mr. MacDougall
Frank Gorshin	...	Iggy
Richard Eastham	...	Supervisor Newton
Grayson Hall	...	Margaret Miller
Tom Lowell	...	Canoe
Richard Deacon	...	Drive-in-Mgr.
Iris Adrian	...	Landlady
Liam Sullivan	...	Graham
Don Dorrell	...	Spires

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

UK:U | Canada:G (video rating) | USA:G (re-rating) (1972) | USA:Approved (certificate #20977) (original rating) | Australia:G | Canada:F (Ontario) | Finland:S | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Walt Disney Studios, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

The movie was Hayley Mills's last for Disney in the 1960s; the 1997 remake was likewise Christina Ricci's last Disney role.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): As clearly evidenced by the numerous scenes in which D.C. makes a rear-view retreat from the camera..."he" keeps switching sexes!

Quotes:

Patti Randall: Watch the crumbs, fellas!
Canoe Henderson: [to D.C. the cat] Pass the word, watch the crumbs.
[Canoe sweeps the crumbs under the couch, then wipes his hands off on the drapes]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Pod People (#4.3)" (1991)

Soundtrack:

That Darn Cat!

One of the better Disney family comedies from the '60s...

The Siamese cat not only has the title role, he steals the film! The silly plot involves a couple of bumbling bank robbers (FRANK GORSHIN is one of them), who kidnap a woman from the bank who's able to signal for help by putting her wrist watch around the cat's neck. The cat belongs to HAYLEY MILLS, who picks up on the signal and then must convince the FBI to help her (and her cat) find the robbers in time to save the woman. DEAN JONES is the earnest but bumbling FBI man who decides to help Hayley.

All of the incidents surrounding the cat are deftly handled with a great deal of humor. ELSA LANCHESTER and WILLIAM DEMAREST are funny as snooping neighbors and RODDY McDOWALL and ED WYNN have some good moments too. But it's HAYLEY MILLS at her most appealing and "that darn cat" that really steal the show. The cat "DC" is simply amazingly natural and perhaps the most convincing member of the cast.

Summing up: One of the better Disney comedies during the '60s.