That Darn Cat (1997)

Director:

Bob Spiers

Writers (WGA):

Gordon Gordon (novel) &
Mildred Gordon (novel) ...

Release Date:

14 February 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Mystery | Action

Tagline:

This FBI agent is putting his life on the line. Fortunately, he's got nine.

Plot:

A maid is kidnapped and scratches a message onto D.C. the cat's collar and when his owner Patti discovers this, she plays amateur detective with the help of D.C. to try to find the culprits.

Plot Keywords:

Cat | Maid | Amateur Detective | Amateur | FBI

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Christina Ricci	...	Patti
Doug E. Doug	...	Zeke
Dean Jones	...	Mr. Flint
George Dzundza	...	Boetticher
Peter Boyle	...	Pa
Michael McKean	...	Peter Randall
Bess Armstrong	...	Judy Randall
Dyan Cannon	...	Mrs. Flint
John Ratzenberger	...	Dusty
Megan Cavanagh	...	Lu
Estelle Parsons	...	Old Lady McCracken
Rebecca Schull	...	Ma
Thomas F. Wilson	...	Melvin (as Tom Wilson)
Brian Haley	...	Marvin
Mark Christopher Lawrence	...	Rollo

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild thematic elements.

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:PG | Iceland:L | UK:U | USA:PG | Canada:G | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Aiken, South Carolina, USA

Company:

Robert Simonds Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: When Patti goes into the police station for the first time, she is wearing black tights. When she leaves a few minutes later, her tights are gray.

Quotes:

Mrs. Flynt: I'm so upset, I'd cry, but my tear ducts haven't worked since my last eye job.

Movie Connections:

Version of That Darn Cat! (1965)

Soundtrack:

Help Me Rhonda

This is far from Spielberg's class

I guess there are two ways to make a movie with kids as the intended audience. You can either say to yourself a) "Let's make a movie that kids today will love!" or b) "Let's make a movie that I would have loved when I was a kid!" The second approach explains why Steven Spielberg often make movies that appeal to a younger audience. Prime examples are E.T., The Goonies or Indiana Jones. That Darn Cat is an example of the first approach. You see these flat, unbelievable characters saying things that is supposed to be funny but isn't. The plot itself is enough for a ten minute short, but instead it goes on and on. And although I'm not a kid, I don't quite understand what in this movie is supposed to be fun for kids? The clumsy cops chased by a dog, the old lady with a tweety bird or Christina Ricci's sarcastic oneliners? One actor showed a spark of talent with his very acrobatic humour: Doug E. Doug playing the FBI agent.