Revolution Studios
Starring: Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Elizabeth Franz
Directed by: Joe Roth

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

Synopsis: Luther and Nora Krank (Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis) face the prospect of their first Christmas without their adult daughter and decide to take a cruise and skip Christmas altogether, much to the consternation of their neighbors.

Featured Feline: Muffles is the white Persian cat owned by Walt and Bev Scheel (M. Emmett Walsh and Elizabeth Franz), the Kranks neighbors from across the street.  Luther and Walt have a feuding kind of friendship and Walt delights in calling Luther an “old man.”  Muffles the cat always seems to be underfoot when Luther comes out of the house and several times during the film Luther steps on Muffles’ tail, sending the cat screeching.  According to the American Humane Society, Tim Allen wore shoes with cutouts that fit over the cat actor’s tail and was very careful to not put his weight down on that foot.

The first time this happens Bev gathers up the cat and walks over, asking if Luther and Muffles will ever be friends.

Muffles hisses at Luther.

Later when things are escalating between the Kranks and their neighbors, Luther goes outside to water down the walkway to their house to give it a sheet of ice.  Luther sees Muffles and sprays the water at the cat, causing the cat to run away.

Kitty Carnage Warning! When Nora runs outside to try to help a bunch of carollers who have slipped on the ice she ends up sliding down the length of the walk.  At the end of the walkway she is shocked to see Muffles, covered in ice and frozen into position.  The frozen cat was, of course, a prop and the eyes were animated.

Finally at the end of the film Luther makes a kind gesture toward the Sheel’s, offering them the cruise they were going to take.  Bev is concerned about who will watch Muffles and Luther finally agrees he will take the cat.  He reaches for the cat, which screeches at him at first, but then they seem to bond a little, proving to the Scheels that everything will be okay if they take the trip.

Final Mewsings: Even cats can put aside their anger at Christmas.

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