Truck Turner (1974)

by Linda Kay

Directed by: Jonathan Kaplan

This review contains a severe Kitty Carnage Warning!

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

Synopsis: Bounty hunter Mack ‘Truck’ Turner (Isaac Hayes) sets out to bring in the escaped, dangerous pimp Gator (Paul Harris). When Gator is killed, his wife Dorinda (Nichelle Nichols) not only takes over his business but puts out a bounty on Truck.

Kitty Cameo: Throughout the opening credits various street scenes around Los Angeles are shown, including a wino whose leashed tuxedo cat is sipping from a carton of milk kindly opened by the man.

Truck Turner - wino with tuxedo cat on leash under opening credits

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Francis, the scene-stealing ginger tabby cat, is sniffing and licking at some clothes as the credits continue.

Truck Turner - ginger tabby cat Francis licking shirt

Truck’s girlfriend Annie (Annazette Chase) is in prison for shoplifting and so Truck has to care for her cat. As he gets ready for work in the opening scene, Truck smells the shirt he has just put on and realizes that Francis has peed on it. “My last goddamned shirt!” he complains, pushing the cat off the dresser.

Truck Turner - ginger tabby cat Francis on dresser

Truck Turner - ginger tabby cat Francis being pushed off dresser by Isaac Hayes animated gif

Moments later Truck carries Francis from the apartment to the fire escape to feed him some milk, saying he’ll be glad when Annie gets back so she can take over caring for the cat.

Truck Turner - ginger tabby cat Francis being carried into hallway by Isaac Hayes

When Truck picks up Annie after she gets out of jail, she asks about the cat. They stop to pick up some chicken before entering the apartment where Annie greets Francis with scritches.

Truck Turner - ginger tabby cat Francis being greeted by Annie Annazette Chase with Isaac Hayes

Still angry that Truck was late picking her up, Annie sulks on the couch while eating a drumstick. Truck slowly moves in to kiss her as Francis eyes remain fixed on the chicken leg.

Truck Turner - ginger tabby cat Francis watching drumstick held by Annie Annazette Chase with Isaac Hayes

The couple start making out and the camera pans to the unimpressed Francis who probably wonders what could be more exciting than fried chicken.

Truck Turner - ginger tabby cat Francis watching Annie Annazette Chase and Isaac Hayes kiss animated gif

Later in the film Truck and Annie return to their apartment and are startled to find Blue (Yaphet Kotto), another one of the dangerous pimps, sitting in their home with his hands around Francis neck. But thankfully Blue just wants to share a message and doesn’t hurt the cat.

Truck Turner - ginger tabby cat Francis held by throat by Blue Yaphet Kotto

Francis joins Annie and Truck in bed while they are getting affectionate. Annie thinks it’s adorable (she is right!) but Truck tells Francis “She’s mine, Francis!” and scruffs the cat, dropping him off the bed. This didn’t seem to be too much of a deterrent as Francis is seen lying in bed with them again in a later, dimly lit scene.

Truck Turner - ginger tabby cat Francis in bed with Annie Annazette Chase and Isaac Hayes

Truck Turner - ginger tabby cat Francis in bed with Annie Annazette Chase and Isaac Hayes animated gif

With a bunch of determined hit men on his tail, Truck carries Francis to the fire escape to feed him some milk. A gunman shoots at him from above but thankfully misses both Truck and Francis, who continues to lap the milk as if nothing is going on while Truck climbs the fire escape in pursuit of his attacker.

Truck Turner - ginger tabby cat Francis held by Isaac Hayes on fire escape

Truck Turner - ginger tabby cat Francis about to drink milk from bowl on fire escape

Severe Kitty Carnage Warning! Some time later, Truck and Annie return to their ransacked apartment and Annie is distraught when they find Francis hung from a noose (we won’t post the picture as it may upset our readers). It appears the calm cat actor was simply hung up using a harness and an extremely short shot of the kitty being still was used. It is also possible the cat actor was drugged before being placed in the harness.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): To protect Annie, Truck frames her for shoplifting and has her sent to jail again. At the end of the film she is being released and Truck is there waiting for her. She is unwilling to listen to him until he shows her an adorable Abyssinian kitten (which notably has peed on another one of his shirts lying on the passenger seat).