by Linda Kay
Directed by: Clemente Fracassi
Synopsis: Italian screen adaptation of the opera by Giuseppe Verdi. Ethiopian princess Aida (Sophia Loren) pines for Egyptian soldier Radamès (Giuseppe Campora) who is also on the radar of the Pharoah’s daughter Amneris (Lois Maxwell), leading to inevitable tragedy.
Kitty Cameo: When Amneris first appears on screen she is holding a blue shorthair cat.
Spotting Radamès, Amneris quickly hands the kitty to one of her slave handmaidens.
In a later scene, Amneris is reposed with slaves all around her bringing her fruit and preparing her bath. The cat is sitting next to her on a chaise lounge, enjoying some scritches.
As Amneris rises to partake in her very brief bathing ritual, the cat is left sitting on the chair.
The camera slowly rolls forward, eyed carefully by the wary cat who breaks character.
The camera stops when the cat gets up and jumps down from the chair, taking his leave from the film altogether.
Final Mewsings: The cat was not ready for his close up.
Many thanks to Mark Murton for letting us know about the cat in this film.
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