by Linda Kay

Directed by: Larry Peerce

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

Synopsis: This made-for-TV holiday film borrows heavily from Groundhog Day as restless teenager Billy Jackson (Erik von Detten) learns the true spirit of Christmas by having to relive the same 24 hours over and over.

Cat Cattle Call: As the film begins, Billy is working in his dad’s (Robert Hays) store and is asked to make a delivery of cat food and candy for the elderly Mrs. Patrick (Margaret Collier), which he fails to do. In the middle of the film, Billy finds the receipt for the groceries in his pocket and goes to check on the woman. He peeks into the window of her trailer and is shocked to see her sitting at a table with numerous cats as she eats from a tin of cat food.

Later Billy tells his father what he’s seen and his dad explains that he has been replacing tins of cat food with tuna by switching the labels and sending them to her without billing since she is too proud to ask for help. During the last few repeat days Billy brings food to the woman and even invites her over for dinner.

Final Mewsings: That means the kitties were enjoying some nice tuna as well!

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

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