Directed by: Norman Foster

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

Synopsis: Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) travels to Reno to try to prove the innocence of a young woman accused of murder.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Throughout the movie, Sheriff Fletcher (Slim Summerville) follows Charlie Chan, skeptical of his methods of deduction. When Charlie catches a cab to go to a nearby ghost town, Fletcher climbs into his own car to follow. As he sits down, a cat meows. He reaches down and produces a black cat from underneath him, scolding, “Aw now, Priscilla, I told you not to follow me! I’m workin’!” As the scene fades he appears to place the cat on the seat beside him, but Priscilla is not seen again.

This is a very odd appearance where a cat just appears for no particular reason. What’s interesting is there was an Associated Press article which appeared in newspapers across America on and around March 4, 1939 which explains Priscilla’s brief appearance. It read:

“Conflicting superstitions can cause some fine turmoil on a movie set. But Norman Foster, who was directing Summerville in some funny stuff to lighten ‘Charlie Chan in Reno’ thinks black cats have puss-onality as well as what it takes to guarantee a picture’s success. He had a black fellow in the first picture he directed. He reckoned without Summerville. Slim wouldn’t appear in the same scene with Foster’s omen. Foster managed to get his cat in another scene after vainly trying to convince Slim that cats, and especially black ‘uns, are much maligned.”

Of course it’s clear that Summerville did end up doing the scene with the cat.

Final Mewsings: Priscilla just wanted to go on a ride-along!

Many thanks to Ted Davis for letting us know about the cat in this film!

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