12 to the Moon (1960)

Directed by: David Bradley

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: Twelve specialists from different countries are sent to the moon to claim it for the Earth.

Cat Burglars (Scene Stealers): In addition to the titular twelve people on board the space ship there are also two monkeys, two parakeets, a Cocker Spaniel and two cats, one a tabby and the other a black cat.

Twelve to the Moon - black cat Mimi and tabby cat Rodolfo in glass container on wall

The cats occupy a partitioned glass container on the wall of the main room so they are visible in the background in many scenes. The container also has a very sophisticated feeding system set up with a funnel at the top leading into a hose with a baby bottle nipple at the end. Apparently water or even milk was to be poured into the funnels to feed the cats. We would have liked to have seen this system in action!

Twelve to the Moon - black cat Mimi and tabby cat Rodolfo in glass container on wall of spaceship

Twelve to the Moon - tabby cat Rodolfo in glass container on wall of spaceship

The cats cringe during blast off and are then scared during a meteor storm. After the meteor storm, Roddy (Bob Montgomery Jr.) addresses the cats as Mimi and Rodolfo and assures them they still have eight lives left.

Twelve to the Moon - black cat Mimi and tabby cat Rodolfo in glass container on wall cringing as meteors hit ship animated gif

Twelve to the Moon - Roddy Bob Montgomery Jr. looking at black cat Mimi and tabby cat Rodolfo in glass container on wall

Later Roddy addresses the cats again, only this time he reverses their names. Previously he was looking at the tabby when saying Mimi and the black cat when saying Rodolfo. In this closer shot he addresses the black cat as Mimi and the tabby as Rodolfo. “Some attic you’ve climbed into, isn’t it? But don’t worry. Your work is going to start on the moon. They want to see if procreation can take place up there. So Mimi, maybe when we get back you’ll have a litter of moon kittens, hmm?”

Twelve to the Moon - Roddy Bob Montgomery Jr. addressing black cat Mimi and tabby cat Rodolfo in glass container on wall

Once on the moon, the party goes exploring, losing three of their members in the process. Upon returning to the ship they are contacted by unknown beings sending messages in a strange language. The Japanese woman on the team, Dr. Murata (Michi Kobi) translates these messages. It is clear these beings do not want man on the moon. But then they send another message which reads, “Strangers from Earth: Before you depart we must have one thing. You will leave behind the two cats. Cats have a most unusual appeal for us but unfortunately we have none here on the moon.”

Without much ado they take the case with the cats outside and leave it. Moments later a dark shadow covers the enclosure, the cats cry out and when the shadow is lifted the cats are gone. The spaceship then takes off and nothing more is said about the cats.