Between Time and Timbuktu (1972)

by Linda Kay

Directed by: Fred Barzyk

Synopsis: Made-for-TV movie based on the writings of Kurt Vonnegut. Poet Stony Stevenson (William Hickey) wins a contest, the first prize of which is to be blasted into a mysterious area of space where he experiences an omnipresent phenomenon sending him into many different realities.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Late in the film Stony finds himself at the beginning of time when God made man from the infinite amount of mud which existed. In this scene Stony walks onto a flat dried muddy area where a cat is waiting for him.

Between Time and Timbuktu - Stony Stevenson William Hickey on empty dry mud flat with cat
Between Time and Timbuktu - Stony Stevenson William Hickey on empty dry mud flat with cat

The female narrator explains that God created man and all other living creatures from the mud but only man was given the ability to communicate. When man asks God what the purpose is for everything, God leaves it to man to decide for himself. Stony sits down on the ground and continues to interact with the cat before lying down.

Between Time and Timbuktu - Stony Stevenson William Hickey on empty dry mud flat with cat animated gif
Between Time and Timbuktu - Stony Stevenson William Hickey on empty dry mud flat with cat

One could interpret the scene in different ways, but the way it is filmed it really looks as if the conversation Stony is having with God is actually with the cat, who even exits the scene when the narrator says God leaves man alone.

Between Time and Timbuktu - Stony Stevenson William Hickey on empty dry mud flat with cat

Final Mewsings: We always knew that cats were gods and vice versa.

Many thanks to Wahrhaftig for letting us know about the cat in this film.

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