Cerf-volant du bout du monde (1958)

English Translation: Kite from the End of the World

Directed by: Roger Pigaut

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

Synopsis: A group of children in Paris find a mysterious Chinese kite which leads them to adventure.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): The beginning of the film finds the French children spotting the kite in the top of a tall tree. They are determined to get it but don’t know how. The leader of the group, Pierrot (Patrick de Bardine) comes up with a plan when he sees two children petting a small white cat with a black tabby tail.

Cerf-volant du bout du monde - children petting white cat with black tabby tail Minou on wall
Cerf-volant du bout du monde - children petting white cat with black tabby tail Minou on wall
Cerf-volant du bout du monde - children petting white cat with black tabby tail Minou on wall
Cerf-volant du bout du monde - children petting white cat with black tabby tail Minou on wall

He boosts the small cat into the tree and the children all shout at the poor frightened animal, making him climb higher. (Note that when he takes the kitten from the wall it is panting in stress. The kitten is also trying to hold on to the boy as they climb into the tree).

Cerf-volant du bout du monde - Pierrot Patrick de Bardine getting white cat with black tabby tail Minou from wall
Cerf-volant du bout du monde - Pierrot Patrick de Bardine climbing tree white cat with black tabby tail Minou
Cerf-volant du bout du monde - Pierrot Patrick de Bardine pushing white cat with black tabby tail Minou higher into tree
Cerf-volant du bout du monde - Pierrot Patrick de Bardine leaving white cat with black tabby tail Minou in tree

The elderly woman who owns the cat comes running and also calls for the cat, “Minou! Minou!”

Cerf-volant du bout du monde - white cat with black tabby tail Minou in tree
Cerf-volant du bout du monde - white cat with black tabby tail Minou in tree

Kitty Cameo: The neighbors look out their windows, including a woman with a cat who decides to call the fire department.

Cerf-volant du bout du monde - woman on balcony holding cat

When the firemen arrive one climbs the tall ladder and rescues the cat which he returns to the grateful owner.

Cerf-volant du bout du monde - white cat with black tabby tail Minou stuck in tree

Nicole, Pierrot’s little sister (Sylviane Rozenberg) is then prodded to ask the fireman to also bring down the kite, which he does. The firemen then leave and we see one last shot of the happy owner holding her cat.

Cerf-volant du bout du monde - white cat with black tabby tail Minou being rescued from tree by fireman
Cerf-volant du bout du monde - white cat with black tabby tail Minou being rescued by fireman
Cerf-volant du bout du monde - white cat with black tabby tail Minou held up by fireman
Cerf-volant du bout du monde - white cat with black tabby tail Minou held out to owner by fireman
Cerf-volant du bout du monde - white cat with black tabby tail Minou held by elderly woman owner

Final Mewsings: Cats should not be used by children to fool firemen.

Many thanks to Claude Falkstrom for letting us know about the cat in this film and providing the information and materials for this review!

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