That Darn Cat! (1965)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Robert Stevenson

Writers:

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

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:

Cat | FBI | Hostage | Bank Robbery | 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
Gene Blakely	...	Cahill
Karl Held	...	Kelly
Ed Wynn	...	Mr. Hofstedder
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Larry J. Blake	...	Police officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Stevenson

Writing credits
Gordon Gordon		(screenplay) (as The Gordons) &
Mildred Gordon		(screenplay) (as The Gordons) and
Bill Walsh		(screenplay)
Gordon Gordon		(book "Undercover Cat") (as The Gordons) &
Mildred Gordon		(book "Undercover Cat") (as The Gordons)

Produced by
Ron Miller	....	co-producer
Bill Walsh	....	co-producer
Walt Disney	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Robert F. Brunner		(as Bob Brunner)

Cinematography by
Edward Colman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Cotton Warburton

Art Direction by
Carroll Clark
William H. Tuntke

Set Decoration by
Hal Gausman
Emile Kuri

Costume Design by
Bill Thomas

Makeup Department
La Rue Matheron	....	makeup artist
Pat McNalley	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph L. McEveety	....	assistant director
Arthur J. Vitarelli	....	second unit director

Sound Department
Robert O. Cook	....	sound supervisor
Dean Thomas	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Eustace Lycett	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Jim Fetherolf	....	matte artist

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gertrude Casey	....	costumer
Chuck Keehne	....	costumer

Music Department
Evelyn Kennedy	....	music editor
Franklyn Marks	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Walt Disney	....	presenter
William R. Koehler	....	animal supervisor

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Productions

Distributors

• Buena Vista Distribution Company (1965) (USA) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1967) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Pictures (1967) (USA) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Productions (1966) (France) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Distribution Company (19??) (USA) (TV)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1976) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

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

Filming Locations:

Walt Disney Studios, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

When Iggy first thinks that he & Dan stole $250,000 from the bank. Dan tells him the amount is $160,000. Then he goes to currently gagged Margaret Miller & asks her. After asking if it is $250,000, she shakes her had no. Iggy then asks if it is $200,000 she shakes her head no again. When he asks $160,000 and then she nods her head, yes. Each amount decreases 20%. 80% of $250,000 = $200,000. & 80% of $200,000 is $160,000.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the beginning of the film, after the cat pulls down Gregory's duck from the string, you can see the fishing line that was used to pull down the duck.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Iggy: [as Iggy buys four different newspapers, Iggy sees DC smelling the salmon, he had just purchased] Hey, what do you say fella? Hey, you're taking my food, huh?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World (2005)

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.