The Milkman (1950)

by Ted Davis

Directed by: Charles Barton

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

Synopsis: A pleasant lightweight comedy about Roger Bradley (Donald O’Connor), a good-natured but aimless WWII veteran who has not been able to find his footing after returning home from the war. With the help of soon-to-retire milkman Breezy Albright (Jimmy Durante), Roger decides to have a crack at the dairy industry, but this effort is complicated by his involvement with gangsters, a stolen necklace, an attempted murder and, more happily, a budding romance with the boss’ pretty daughter (Piper Laurie).

Cat Cattle Call: On his first day on the job as a milkman, Roger’s careless driving causes the breakage of a number of milk bottles, with the spillage leaking from the truck. At his next stop, while the oblivious Roger makes his delivery, his truck is invaded by an impressive swarm of neighborhood cats that appear from all directions to partake of the creamy bounty.

The Milkman - dark and light tabby cats on porch
The Milkman - two dark tabby cats running across street
The Milkman - dark and light tabby cats running
The Milkman - milk spilling from truck with tabby cats running animated gif
The Milkman - tabby cat about to step into milk truck
The Milkman - three tabby cats running across lawn
The Milkman - numerous tabby cats running toward milk truck animated gif

Roger returns to truck and drives toward his next stop, still unaware that his truck is now complimented by a significant gathering of cats of multiple colors, shapes and attitudes. He does eventually come to the realization that he has feline company when one of the cats jumps into his line of sight, at which point Roger panics and crashes his vehicle into a police car.

The Milkman - Roger Donald O'Connor shocked by numerous cats in his milk truck
The Milkman - numerous cats in milk truck
The Milkman - Roger Donald O'Connor startled by numerous cats while driving milk truck animated gif
The Milkman - Roger Donald O'Connor driving milk truck full of cats
The Milkman - Roger Donald O'Connor lying on floor of milk truck with cats
The Milkman - Roger Donald O'Connor lying on floor of milk truck with tabby cat

Final Mewsings: It’s almost inevitable that cats appear in a movie about milkmen.

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