The Electrical Life of Louis Wain

What Emily (Claire Foy) and then later Sir William Ingram (Toby Jones) say to Wain about Wain almost single-handedly changing the public perception of cats was true. Louis Wain's pictures may have been humorous in intent but they did play a significant part in changing the way people looked at cats. Prior to this they were seen as functional creatures that were semi wild and useful for the killing of rodents. However Wain's pictures were popular amongst children and women and it led to the public viewing cats as domestic pets to the point that they would eventually challenge dogs for the public's affections.

When Mr. Wain first arrives in New York, as he walks along a city street. The year shown on the screen is 1907. As he walks down the street, he is passed by several horse drawn carriage and then an automobile of early 1900 vintage. Next, another in car passes which is from the post 1915-1925 era, later than the timeframe depicted.

Featured in The Graham Norton Show: New Year's Eve Show (2021)