"THAT DARN CAT!" (1965) Review

 

"THAT DARN CAT!" (1965) Review

Does anyone know when the Golden Age for the Walt Disney Studios had existed? Initially, I would have selected the decade of the 1960s. But . . . the studio had released too many mediocre or bad movies during that decade for me to stick with this assessment. However, I cannot deny that Disney Studios had also released a good number of superb films during the Sixties. At least two performers - Hayley Mills and Dean Jones - were featured in a handful of them. Both Mills and Jones co-starred in one of those films - 1965's "THAT DARN CAT!".

Based on Gordon and Mildred Gordon's 1963 novel, "Undercover Cat", "THAT DARN CAT!" told the story of a wily Siamese tomcat named "Darn Cat" or "DC" who lives with two sisters, Ingrid and Patricia "Patti" Randall in a Californian suburb. DC's habit of evening wanderings around town usually results in teasing local dogs, leaving muddy paw prints on cars and swiping food. One evening, DC follows a man carrying a grocery bag to the latter's low-rent apartment. The man turned out to be one of two bank robbers - Iggy and Dan - hiding out after committing a daytime heist and kidnapping a bank teller named Margaret Miller. Miss Miller takes an opportunity to switch DC's collar with her wristwatch, with the words "HELP" carved on the back. Upon his return to the Randall household, Patti discovers the watch and realizes that it belongs to Miss Miller. She reports her discovery to the F.B.I. and a doubtful Special Agent Zeke Kelso. Despite his doubts and allergy to cats, Kelso's supervisor Special Agent Newton orders the younger agent to set up a surveillance of DC, in the hopes that the latter will lead them to the kidnapped woman and the bank robbers. And Patti . . . insists upon offering her help.

Not long after viewing "THAT DARN CAT!", I had come across a review of the film that seemed to dismiss it as outdated. Considering the film had been made back in the mid-1960s, I can see how one would regard the film as such. However, I have never been that concerned about a film's original date, as long as I liked the movie. I tried to think of a few complaints about "THAT DARN CAT!". For instance, I was aware that California served as the movie's setting. But where in California? At first, I thought the movie was set in Southern California when one of the robbers mentioned "the Valley". This made sense, considering Patti's boyfriend, Canoe Henderson, was a surfer. Then another character mentioned Fresno and I became confused. Fresno? A city situated in the southern half of California's Central Valley. A habitual surfer like Canoe would have to travel a bit on a daily basis in order to engage in his love of surfing. I also found the idea of Patti's sister, Ingrid, willing to offer herself as a possible girlfriend for their toxic neighbor, Gregory Benson, in order to remain in his carpool, very difficult to swallow. Frankly, I found this minor story arc a bit distasteful, almost bordering on "political incorrectness".

Despite my quibbles about the movie, I genuinely enjoyed "THAT DARN CAT!". Perhaps I should rephrase that. After many years, the movie remained very enjoyable to me and has not lost its bite one bit. Yes, the movie had its share of silly humor - especially during the sequence featuring DC's nighttime adventures, while prowling the streets. The sight of F.B.I. agents following him, while struggling to maintain their distance only contributed to the humor. But not only did the movie feature silly humor, but also a good deal of some pretty sharp wit. Some of the best scenes featured the verbal clashes between the Randalls' neighbors - the nosy Mrs. MacDougall and her sharp-tongued, yet long-suffering husband (the Disney version of Gladys and Abner Kravitz of "BEWITCHED"); DC's clashes with the obnoxious Gregory; Patti's scheme to renew the F.B.I.'s interest in the operation after their initial failure; and especially Special Agent Kelso's struggles to deal with DC and his cat allergy.

Amidst all of the humor, the screenplay written by the Gordons and Bill Walsh never forgotten that "THAT DARN CAT!" was also a crime thriller. Although the movie never showed the bank robbery that kickstarted the film's narrative on screen, it did an excellent job of conveying its after effects not only on DC, Patti and Kelso; but also on the unlucky Miss Miller. Mind you, "THAT DARN CAT!" featured some comedic moments with the two bank robbers - especially in scenes in which they argued with each other, along with Iggy's interactions with DC. However, the movie also included scenes that reminded movie audiences just how dangerous the two robbers were. Iggy struck me as an emotional and slightly unhinged personality, whose temper and penchant for violence could be easily triggered. However, one scene featuring Miss Miller's attempt to attract the police quickly proved that Dan, the older robber, was the pair's true menace.

I never thought I would live to see the day when I found myself impressed by a non-human's performance in a movie. But I must admit that I was more than impressed by the cat who portrayed the contrary DC - namely a cat actor named Syn. The latter not only proved to be quite the scene stealer, but also received the PATSY (Picture Animal Top Star of the Year) for his performance in "THAT DARN CAT!".

However, Syn did not give the only outstanding performance. "THAT DARN CAT!" featured a strong cast that not even a scene-stealing feline could overshadow. Frank Gorshin was a year away from his iconic portrayal of the DC Comics villain, the Riddler, in the "BATMAN". But in this film, he gave both a hilarious, yet terrifying performance as Iggy, the volatile bank robber with a fondness for DC and a hair-trigger temper. Neville Brand's portrayal of the older bank robber, Dan, seemed benign . . . until the actor skillfully conveyed how the older man could could be even more dangerous than Iggy with a subtle, yet powerful menace. That one scene, which featured Miss Miller's attempt to attract the cops with a burning trash can nearly had me on the edge of my seat, thanks to Brand's performance. "THAT DARN CAT!" was the first of five Disney movies Roddy McDowall had made for the studio between 1965 and 1979. He portrayed Gregory Benson, the Randalls' slimy neighbor with a romantic eye for the older sister. I think Gregory proved to be one of the best villains McDowall had ever portrayed, conveying the character's aggressive nature, sense of entitlement, unhealthy attachment to his mother and willingness to exploit Ingrid Randall's need for a carpool in order to romance her. Gregory was a real piece of work and McDowall had portrayed him beautifully.

I do not know whose idea it was to cast British-born Elsa Lancaster and William Demarest as the nosy Mrs. MacDougall and her caustic husband, Mr. MacDougall. They seemed like the last two people I would cast as a suburban middle-aged to elderly married couple. And yet . . . Lancaster and Demarest complimented each other like ducks to water. I would consider their screen teaming as one of those happy accidents. The Disney Studios brought back Ed Wynn, last seen in 1964's "MARY POPPINS", to portray Mr. Hofstedder, the nervous jeweler whom Patti recruits to help her renew the F.B.I.'s interest in the case. Although I found Wynn's performance funny, there were times when I found his portrayal of Mr. Hofstedder's tics a bit overdone. Iris Adrian managed to give a perfectly garish performance as Dan and Iggy's boorish landlady without being over-the-top. I really enjoyed Tom Lowell's hilarious portrayal of Canoe Henderson, Patti's slacker boyfriend, who seemed to center his life around surfing and food. I especially enjoyed those scenes that featured Canoe's fears that Patti may have moved on to the older Zeke Kelso. The movie also featured solid and competent performances from the likes of Grayson Hall, Richard Eastman and Richard Deacon.

My only complaint about Dorothy Provine's performance in "THAT DARN CAT!" is she did not have more scenes. Not only did I really enjoy her portrayal of Ingrid Randall, Patti's sardonic sister, I also enjoyed her screen chemistry with Hayley Mills. Like the pairing of Lancaster and Demarest, the pairing of Provine and Mills as two sisters struck me another happy casting accident, despite one actress being British and the other American. "THAT DARN CAT!" turned out to be Dean Jones' first movie for the Disney Studios for the next twelve years. Needless to say, the actor struck gold in his portrayal of Zeke Kelso, a pragmatic F.B.I. agent who had the misfortune to be allergic cats. Granted, Jones gave a skillful performance as a pragmatic and intelligent law enforcement agent. But his scenes with featuring Kelso's allergic reactions and handling of DC practically had me on the floor, laughing. Where as the 1965 comedy was Jones' first movie for Disney, it was Hayley Mills' last one after five years with the studio . . . at least until another twenty-three years later. Someone had once dismissed Mills' portrayal of Patti Randall as another one of those Disney roles that had the actress prattling on needlessly before coming to the point. A rather superficial assessment of a performance, if you ask me. I thought Mills gave a fabulous performance as the energetic and intelligent Patti, whose boredom with her life led her to become involved in a case regarding a bank robbery and a missing bank teller. This was especially apparent in scenes involving Patti's boredom with her boyfriend's obsession with surfing and the cunning she utilizes to reignite the F.B.I.'s interest in DC and the case. It was a great way for Mills to end her association with Disney.

"THAT DARN CAT!" may have possessed a few issues. Overall, I thought it was an excellent comedy thriller that more than deserved its success at the box office. Even after nearly six decades, it still managed to produce a great deal of laughter and thrills, thanks to a first-rate script written by Gordon and Mildred Gordon, along with Bill Walsh; excellent direction by the always superb Robert Stevenson; and a first-rate cast led by Hayley Mills, Dean Jones and a scene-stealing cat actor named Syn.

"THAT DARN CAT!" (1965) Photo Gallery

 

Below are images from "THAT DARN CAT!", Disney's 1965 adaptation of Gordon and Mildred Gordon's 1963 novel, "Undercover Cat". Directed by Robert Stevenson, the movie starred Hayley Mills and Dean Jones:

"THAT DARN CAT!" (1965) Photo Gallery

"WHISPERING SMITH" (1948) Review

 

"WHISPERING SMITH" (1948) Review

For years, I had assumed that Alan Ladd starred in only three Westerns - one of them being the acclaimed 1953 movie, "SHANE". Yet, while perusing his filmography, I discovered that he had either starred or co-starred in a good number of "oaters". One of them was the 1948 film, "WHISPERING SMITH".

Based upon Frank H. Spearman's 1906 novel, "WHISPERING SMITH" told the story of a railroad detective named Luke "Whispering" Smith who is assigned to investigate a series of train robberies in late 19th century Wyoming Territory. However, the case becomes personal for Luke when his oldest friend, a local rancher and railroad employee named Murray Sinclair becomes involved with the gang responsible for the robberies.

Superficially, "WHISPERING SMITH" seemed like the typical Western made by Hollywood studios during the studio era. If I have to be honest with myself, Westerns with any real depth seemed rare to me during the so-called "Golden Age of Hollywood" and now. I seriously doubt that any movie critic would regard "WHISPERING SMITH" as something unique. The movie possessed traits one could easily find in mediocre Westerns and a few really good ones:

*Outlaw gang robbing either locals or businesses that dominate the neighborhood

*Corrupt local businessman or rancher leading the outlaws

*Rancher or businessman's main henchman, who happens to be a proficient killer

*Lawman assigned to hunt down outlaws

*Posse chases outlaw around neighborhood/county

Yes, "WHISPERING SMITH" possessed these traits. It also possessed a first-rate dramatic narrative that elevated the movie from the usual Western tropes - namely the love triangle between Luke Smith, his best friend Murray Sinclair and Murray's wife Miriam Sinclair. This triangle was set five years in the past when Miriam, frustrated by Luke's reluctance to propose marriage to her, married Murray. The latter never realized that Luke and Miriam still harbored lingering romantic feelings toward each other . . . until the film's midway point.

Between his resentment toward Luke and Miriam, and being fired by his railroad boss George St. Cloud - whom he disliked - Murray made a choice that proved to be disastrous for his marriage and his friendship with Luke. The developing estrangement between Luke and Murray also proved to be difficult for the former as well. This was especially apparent in the film's second half of the film. Due to his close friendship with Murray; Luke not only struggled and failed to save the other man's job, but also convince the latter to give up his new alliance with the main villain, rancher Barney Rebstock.

"WHISPERING SMITH" not only benefited from this complex narrative regarding the Luke-Miriam-Murray relationship, but also the fine performances from its cast. Once again, Alan Ladd proved he was a better actor than many believed he was in his performance of the leading character, Luke Smith. What made Ladd's performance first-rate his ability to not only convey Luke's contrasting personality traits - soft-spoken, yet friendly demeanor and an intelligent ruthlessness - but also his varying array of emotions with a fluidity that still impress me to this day. Another superb performance came from Robert Preston, who portrayed Luke's best friend Murray Sinclair. Superficially, Murray came off as a one-note personality. But thanks to Preston's performance, Murray proved to a complicated character that transformed from a genial, yet sometimes pushy man to an embittered one, who had allowed his bullheadedness and temper to lead him to a bad choice. Brenda Marshall's portrayal of Miriam Sinclair also struck me as equally impressive. Her Miriam proved to be an emotional and complicated woman, who struggled to repress her lingering feelings for Luke and determined to save Murray and her marriage. Marshall conveyed these aspects of Miriam's emotional state in two excellent scenes. One of them featured her never ending frustration and resentment toward Luke's failure to propose marriage all those years ago. And other featured a quarrel between Miriam and Murray in which she finally convinced him to sell their ranch and move away from the neighborhood . . . and Barney Rebstock's orbit.

There were other performances I enjoyed. One of them came from William Demerest, who gave an emotional, yet satisfying portrayal of Bill Dansing, a railroad employee who had been friends of Luke and Murray for years and served as their father figure. Donald Crisp gave an amusing and entertaining performance as Barney Rebstock, the rancher who hid his criminal and ruthless behavior behind a genial mask. Another came from John Eldredge, whose portrayal of George McCloud, the railroad official who clashed with Murray, struck me as subtle and intelligent. I also enjoyed the solid performances from the likes of Fay Holden, Murray Vye, Ward Wood and Will Wright.

I have to say a word about Ray Rennahan's cinematography. What can I say? I thought it was beautiful looking. Rennahan, who had won an Academy Award for his work in 1939's "GONE WITH THE WIND", also shot "WHISPERING SMITH" in Technicolor. I have seen other films shot in Technicolor that struck me as rather garish. I cannot say the same about "WHISPERING SMITH". I found the photography sharp and colorful, without being garish, as shown in the image below:



Although I found myself impressed by the narrative regarding Luke's relationship with the Sinclairs, I cannot disregard some of the film's action sequences. There were two that really impressed me. One proved to the final sequence that featured the posse chasing Murray, Rebstock and the latter's gang around the countryside following a train robbery. Sure, I thought it was an unoriginal trope to use in a Western. But I thought it was exciting and well shot by director Leslie Fenton. However, I was more impressed by Fenton's work in the sequence that featured Luke's encounter with the Barton boys - members of Rebstock's gang - at a rail junction in the rain. It featured good action, good acting and great editing by Archie Marshek.

As much as I enjoyed "WHISPERING SMITH", there are some aspects of it that I found unappealing. One of them proved to be actor Frank Faylen's portrayal of henchman Whitey DuSang. I realize that Faylen was a first-rate actor. I have seen him in other productions. But . . . I found his portrayal of DuSang rather one-dimensional. Faylen spent most of the film hovering around Donald Crisp with his arms folded and staring at people with squinting eyes. If this was his way of looking intimidating, I did not buy it. I do know whether to blame Faylen, the director Fenton, screenwriters Frank Butler and Karl Kamb or Frank Spearman's portrayal of the character in his novel. Another major problem I had with "WHISPERING SMITH" proved to be Mary Kay Dodson's costume designs for the female characters. Exactly what was this film's setting? Some of Dodson's costumes seemed to indicate the 1880s. And some of her costumes - especially for Brenda Marshall - seemed to indicate the 1890s. Nor did it help that the women's hairstyles seemed to reflect the late 1940s.

Despite my quibbles with Frank Faylen and Mary Kay Dodson's costume designs, I enjoyed "WHISPERING SMITH" very much. Not only does it happen to be one of my favorite films starring Alan Ladd, I actually like it more than his more famous film, "SHANE". I am certain that many would find this sacrilegious. However, thanks to Leslie Fenton's direction, a screenplay that conveyed a complex love triangle and excellent performances from a cast led by Ladd, Robert Preston and Brenda Marshall; I cannot help how I feel.

"WHISPERING SMITH" (1948) Photo Gallery

  

Below are images from "WHISPERING SMITH", the 1948 adaptation of Frank H. Spearman's 1906 novel. Directed by Leslie Fenton, the movie starred Alan Ladd:

"WHISPERING SMITH" (1948) Photo Gallery