Drive, He Said (1971)

by Mark Murton

Directed by: Jack Nicholson

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

Synopsis: In this drama which is of its time, laid back, libidinous college basketball star Hector Bloom (William Tepper) should be focused on turning pro but instead is preoccupied with his increasingly volatile radical room-mate Gabriel (Michael Margotta) and his attempts to avoid the draft, as well as his lover Olive (Karen Black), the wife of a trusting professor.

Purr Blur: The first evidence of of a cat comes when Hector is leaving Olive’s house and as she watches from the kitchen window where items including catnip and flea powder are sitting on the sill.

Drive, He Said - Olive Karen Black looking out window with catnip and flea powder on windowsill

The cat finally puts in an appearance (such as it is) near the end of the film when two intruders gain entry to Olive’s house by climbing a ladder up to a window where the cat is on the roof outside.

Drive, He Said - silhouette of cat on rooftop outside window

The man wearing a coonskin cat scoops up the cat and continues up the ladder but doesn’t seem to have the cat when he is finally inside.

Drive, He Said - silhouette of man wearing coonskin cap carrying cat up ladder onto rooftop outside window
Drive, He Said - silhouette of man wearing coonskin cap carrying cat up ladder onto rooftop outside window
Drive, He Said - silhouette of man wearing coonskin cap carrying cat up ladder onto rooftop outside window animated gif

Final Mewsings: Even the cats were getting high in the 70’s.

Relevant Links:

IMDb logo
Amazon logo
Blu Ray logo
Amazon Instant Video logo




To discuss this film and other cats in movies and on television, join us on Facebook and X.