Calling All Curs (1939)

Directed by: Jules White

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

Synopsis: The Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard) are running a pet hospital but get in trouble when a prized poodle is dognapped.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): The doctors get a call over an intercom that two visitors are there to see them. After the nurse stops talking they hear a mew from the speaker. “Hey, that nurse must have eaten catnip!” Curly surmises. When the mewing happens again, Curly opens the speaker and pulls out a tiny gray kitten. “One little kitten lost his mitten,” Curly says as he sets the kitten down on a table, “How careless!”

Calling All Curs - Curly Howard pulling gray kitten from wall speaker with Moe and Larry Fine
Calling All Curs - gray kitten mewing close up
Calling All Curs - gray kitten close up
Calling All Curs - Curly Howard pulling gray kitten from wall speaker with Moe and Larry Fine animated gif

Kitty Cameo: The doctors meet the two men (Lynton Brent and Cy Schindell) who are the dognappers posing as reporters. They take the men on a tour of the facility, starting at the bedside of a longhair tabby cat. “This cat suffers from operatic tendencies,” Moe explains, “He likes to sing opera on the back fences.” Curly starts singing opera which no one appreciates.

Calling All Curs - Larry Fine entering room with longhair tabby cat lying in bed
Calling All Curs - Larry Fine entering room with longhair tabby cat lying in bed
Calling All Curs - Larry Fine Moe Curly Howard with Lynton Brent and Cy Schindell around longhair tabby cat lying in bed

Final Mewsings: These cats need better health insurance!

Many thanks to Mark Murton for letting us know about the cats in this short!

Relevant Links:

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