Rhubarb (1951)

Rich, eccentric T.J. Banner adopts a feral cat who becomes an affectionate pet. Then T.J. dies, leaving to Rhubarb most of his money and a pro baseball team, the Brooklyn Loons. When the ... See full summary »

Director:

Arthur Lubin

Writers:

Dorothy Davenport (screenplay) (as Dorothy Reid), Francis M. Cockrell (screenplay) (as Francis Cockrell)

Stars:

Ray Milland, Jan Sterling, Gene Lockhart

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ray Milland	...	Eric Yeager
Jan Sterling	...	Polly Sickles
Gene Lockhart	...	Thaddeus J. Banner
William Frawley	...	Len Sickles
Elsie Holmes	...	Myra Banner
Taylor Holmes	...	P. Duncan Munk
Willard Waterman	...	Orlando Dill
Henry Slate	...	Dud Logan
James Griffith	...	Ogelthorpe 'Oggie' Meadows (as James W. Griffith)
Jim Hayward	...	Doom
Donald MacBride	...	Pheeny
Hal K. Dawson	...	Mr. Fisher
Orangey	...	Rhubarb (as Rhubarb)

Storyline

Rich, eccentric T.J. Banner adopts a feral cat who becomes an affectionate pet. Then T.J. dies, leaving to Rhubarb most of his money and a pro baseball team, the Brooklyn Loons. When the team protests, publicist Eric Yeager convinces them Rhubarb is good luck. But Eric's fiancée Polly seems to be allergic to cats, and the team's success may mean new hazards for Rhubarb.

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Plot Keywords:

animal character name as title | one word title | cat | baseball | feral cat | 

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Taglines:

It's the Funniest Picture in Nine Lifetimes!

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Sport

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

Leonard Nimoy made an uncredited appearance as a baseball player in this film.

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Goofs

Near the beginning of the movie when rhubarb is being chased by dogs across the golf course, rhubarb runs into the bushes a golf ball lying on the ground shifts positions (without being touched) one second before the dogs enter the bushes.

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Quotes

Ball Player: A Rhubarb. It's a donnybrook... a dust-up...
Eric Yeager: [takes phone] Lady, you know what happens at a sale, when two women get hold of the same dress? THAT's a Rhubarb!
[slams phone down]

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Crazy Credits

The opening cast list ends: "and introducing the newest addition to Hollywood's great galaxy of stars -- that dynamic, exciting, scintillating personality RHUBARB (by special arrangement with the S.P.C.A.) ...A.H.A. Y.M.C.A. U.C.L.A. B.P.O.E. R.F.C.)"

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Connections

Referenced in The Comedy of Terrors (1963)

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Soundtracks

IT'S A PRIV'LEGE TO LIVE IN BROOKLYN
Written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
Sung by cast

User Reviews

Purr-fectly enjoyable film

A true classic especially for those lovers of furry little beasts and baseball. Gene Lockhart is delightful as T.J. Banner, owner of a baseball team that is not very good. He adopts a cat, a mean cat that has a "fire in his heart" that T.J. wants his ball team to have. That is why the name of Rhubarb is given to the cat. The team at first cannot stand being the laughing stock of the baseball world with a "cat" as the mascot. When another team brings a dog to chase Rhubarb the cat is the victor and the team slowly begins to behave with the "fighting spirit of the cat." Before T.J. can see all of this he dies and leaves his baseball team to Rhubarb with Ray Milland "Eric Yaeger" as the protector of the cat. This "cat team" starts to win and win and win. A must see comedy for all.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 February 1952 (France)

Also Known As:

Aj, som katten

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Perlberg-Seaton Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1