Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Starring: Frank Sinatra, Shirley MacLaine, Maurice Chevalier, Louis Jourdan
Directed by: Walter Lang

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

Synopsis: A musical featuring the songs of Cole Porter (although apparently vastly different than the original Broadway production.)  Simone Pistache (Shirley MacLaine) runs a nightclub in turn-of-the-century Paris where police constantly threaten to raid because of the elicit dance, the Can Can.  François Durnais (Frank Sinatra) is her lawyer and lover who helps her deal with the police but won’t commit to marry her.  Philipe Forrestier (Louis Jourdan) is the judge who at first tries to close Simone’s club down then falls in love with her himself, only he does want to marry her.

Kitty Cameo: Close to the end of the film, Judge Forrestier shows up in Simone’s boudoir drunk in a last-ditch effort to woo her.  He has brought her a giant bottle of champagne and a cat; a black Persian whom he explains is named The Duchess de Greenwald.  He points out to Simone that the cat is also wearing a diamond collar.

Simone takes The Duchess and pets her, but sets her down after a moment.  A short time later Forrestier is startled when he doesn’t see the cat, since it is wearing the diamonds.  He finds it on the windowsill which leads to an unforgettable moment in the film.

Final Mewsings: Diamonds are expensive but cats are priceless.

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