Reviews & Ratings for
When the Cat Comes More at IMDbPro »Az prijde kocour (original title)

20 out of 20 people found the following review useful:
A Fantastic Fable About Human Behavior, 3 April 2004

Author: Claudio Carvalho from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In a small town in Czechoslovakia, the old story teller Oliva (Jan Werich) likes to plant fantasy in the brains of the children. Presently he tells the story of his former love and her magic cat, which wears glasses, to the class of the beloved and romantic teacher Robert (Vlastimil Brodský). When someone takes the glasses off, the cat shows the real feelings and personality of the person: red for those in love, purple for the hypocrites, yellow for the unfaithful and gray for the dishonest. Then, a coach arrives in town, bringing a magician (Jan Werich), the beautiful Diana (Emília Vásáryová) and the magic cat. The real feelings of the mostly selfish population are exposed, generating confusion, and the evil school director (Jirí Sovák) and the school janitor (Vladimir Mensik) decide to eliminate the cat. The students of Robert join forces to save the cat and the job of their teacher.

This beautiful and fantastic fable about human behavior is timeless and very original. The story has a great moral lesson in the end without being corny, and is highly recommended for all audiences. In Brazil, it is only available in a rare VHS. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): 'Um Dia, Um Gato' ('One Day, A Cat')

Note: On 12 June 2010, I saw this magnificent film again on DVD.

21 out of 22 people found the following review useful:
One of the best anthropological studies on human behavior, 21 September 2000

Author: eugenio.beltran from Atlanta

This is probably one of the best movies ever made. And it is not excellent because of the acting or the production, after all it is one example of the early czech cinema and the spring revolution. The film is important for story it tells. This is a exemplary evaluation of human behavior as observed by an estranged cat, who is only capable of watching human beings by what they really are. I have tried to get a copy of this film for decades (I watched first time as a 12-year-old kid and again in College in the early 1970s). A gem!!!

9 out of 9 people found the following review useful:
Trip Into the Fantastic, 29 March 2001
Author: marquis de cinema from Boston, MA

A psychedelic look at human nature and the different desires that each person in a small village have. A cat that is accompanied by a circus troupe enters a small village and exposes what each person feels by showing them in different colors of emotions. Many in this small village are selfish and self centered except for the romantic teacher. The director uses a range of colors to show the different elements of human behavior. The teacher played by Vlastimil Brodsky is a hopeless romantic that falls in love with Cassandra, a member of the performing circus.

Az Prijde Kocour/Cassandra Cat(1963) is for everyone of different age groups. The children see the cat as the bearer of truth and the giver of unlimited imagination. The adults in the village see the cat as a threat because they are fearful of that truth that sees beneath the lies. The only adult who is not threatened by the cat is the romantic teacher. The cinematography is excellent and the music is good.

Cassandra Cat(1963) is not very different from the films of Terry Gilliam especially Time Bandits(1981), and Brazil(1985). The romantic angle of Az Prijde Kocour(1963) reminds me in many ways of similar scenes in Brazil(1985). Cassandra Cat(1963) is an ageless film by one of the masters of the Czech New Wave, Vojtech Jasny. The ending of the motion picture is sad. Emilia Vasaryova is arousing and sweet natured in the role of Cassandra.

6 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
A cat that is capable of watching human beings by what they really are, 6 October 2010

Author: Lady Targaryen from Brazil

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Czechoslovakia. A small town receives the visit from a magician and its group, that carries a strange cat with sunglasses. But the cat has a secret: when someone takes them off, the cat shows people, according to their nature and mood. Red is for those in love, purple for the hypocrites, yellow for the unfaithful and gray for the dishonest.

The grown-ups of the village consider the cat to be dangerous, so they kidnap the cat to decide its faith. But the kids and their correct teacher Robert, don't agree with that, and try to save the cat from the hands of the town people.

''Az prijde kocour '' has a very good plot. The idea of a cat that sees human beings by what they are and their real personality is incredible. The ending is also a surprise. The only thing that I didn't like is the way the movie is conducted from the middle to the ending, where it gets tiring and slow spaced. But the story is good and original, and deserves to be watched by everyone who is tired of ordinary plots.

4 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Dollar-Store Diamond, 1 January 2006

Author: Josannah Hasashimi from Unplugged

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I'm impressed that 66 other IMDb users have seen this movie and felt strongly enough about it to vote here. I found this disk in the bottom of a jumbled bin of $1 disks in a mangled cardboard sleeve, with at least seven different price labels stuck and re-stuck, the highest only $5.99. In my opinion, these are the best films - the ones that are missed by the masses and leave you, the viewer, with a unique experience.

This film is unique; in my experience, entirely unique. Several elements were entirely new to me, including an English-dubbed soundtrack that was not only bearable but hilarious. The story was also lighthearted and well paced without pandering to the 'kids in the audience.' While I agree that children probably will enjoy this film, I'm not sure I think it was entirely aimed at children. I think it was aimed more at adults who are struggling to identify their 'inner child' in the midst of the (perceived) weightiness of their lives.

Nearly every character in this film had a perception of themselves undone by the Cat. As a viewer, we identify with the love and lies that color all these characters as readily as we identify with the lovers and liars in our own lives - including ourselves. The driving force of this film is the idea that love and honesty are values in life that make life fun and keep us young.

Comments on the quality of the DVD disc, the digital transfer or other marginal inaccuracies only reveal that a viewer is "blue" - here's hoping this film left you "yellow."

3 out of 20 people found the following review useful:
Goofy kiddie film., 18 August 2000
Author: lartronic from Akron, Ohio

This film is goofy, but not to the point that it's unbearable. It's generally a fairly entertaining Czech film. A cat comes to town who wears glasses. When they are taken off, it can color people according to their nature. What results is the adults trying to get rid of it while the kids adore it. The whole thing is narrated by a guy in the town clock tower. One problem with this film is the color, it keeps changing from sharp and clear to faded and old looking. If you can find this, it's a good bet for kids.

Add another review

Related Links