That Darn Cat! (1965 film)

:"This article is about 1965 film. For the 1997 remake, see That Darn Cat (1997 film)."

Infobox_Film
name = That Darn Cat!


writer = Gordon Gordon
Mildred Gordon
Bill Walsh
starring = Hayley Mills
Dean Jones
Dorothy Provine
Roddy McDowall
Neville Brand
Frank Gorshin
director = Robert Stevenson
producer = Walt Disney
Bill Walsh
distributor = Buena Vista Distribution
released = flagicon|USA 2 December 1965
runtime = 116 min.
language = English
imdb_id = 00059793

"That Darn Cat!" (1965) is a Walt Disney Productions feature film starring Hayley Mills in a story about bank robbers, a kidnapping and a mischievous cat. The film was based on the book "Undercover Cat" by Gordon and Mildred Gordon and was directed by Robert Stevenson. The title song was written by the Sherman Brothers and sung by Bobby Darin. "That Darn Cat!" was the last of six films Mills made for the Disney Studios. The film was remade in 1997 starring Christina Ricci, also in her last role for Disney.

Plot and cast

"That Darn Cat" or "DC" is the feline pet of suburbanite sisters Ingrid (Dorothy Provine) and Patti Randall (Hayley Mills). One night, DC follows Iggy (Frank Gorshin), a bank robber, to an apartment where he and his partner Dan (Neville Brand) are holding bank employee Margaret Miller (Grayson Hall) hostage. The robbers let the cat in and feed him. When Margaret is alone for a moment, she scratches "help" into the wristband of her watch, places it around the cat's neck, and releases him into the outdoors. At home, Patti discovers the watch and calls the FBI. Supervisor Newton (Richard Eastham) assigns Zeke Kelso (Dean Jones) to the case but DC eludes Kelso and his three agents. Eventually a bugging device is implanted in DC's collar and the cat leads Zeke into a comical chase at a drive-in movie and several backyards. Eventually, Patti and Zeke rescue Margaret and bring the robbers to justice. A subplot involves a romance between Patti's sister Ingrid and Gregory Benson (Roddy McDowall). Cast includes Elsa Lanchester and William Demarest as nosy neighbors, the MacDougalls, Ed Wynn as Mr. Hofstedder, Richard Deacon as a Drive-In Theatre Manager, and Tom Lowell as Patti's boyfriend Canoe.

Reception

Bosley Crowther of the "New York Times" wrote, "The feline that plays the informant, as the F.B.I. puts it, is superb. Clark Gable at the peak of his performing never played a tom cat more winningly. This elegant, blue-eyed creature is a paragon of suavity and grace", and concluded, "...it's an entertaining picture. Even a king might profitably look at "That Darn Cat." [ [http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=950DE1DC143EE03ABC4B53DFB467838E679EDE "New York Times: That Darn Cat"] ]

Awards and nominations

The film's writers, Mildred Gordon, Gordon Gordon, and Bill Walsh, were nominated by the Writers Guild of America for Best Written American Comedy. The film was also nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Motion Picture, and a Golden Leaf nomination for Best Supporting Actress (Elsa Lanchester). Mills won the 1966 second place Golden Leaf award for Comedy Performance, Actress. The Sherman Brothers won the third place Golden Leaf award for Best Song.