Empire Falls (2005)

Empire Falls DVD

HBO Films
Starring: Ed Harris, Joanne Woodward
Directed by: Fred Schepisi

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

Synopsis: A two-part HBO mini-series which follows the lives of several families and the class struggles that take place in a decaying town called Empire Falls, Maine.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): The matriarch of the town is the wealthy widow Francine Whiting (Joanne Woodward) who uses her power and influence to control everything and everyone. Her daughter, Cindy (Kate Burton) was injured in an accident as a child and struggles with the after-effects. Café manager Miles Ruby (Ed Harris) has been under the thumb of Francine for many years. When he visits the woman, Cindy greets him at the door. Once inside, a long-haired grey cat appears and takes a swipe at Miles.

Empire Falls - long haired gray cat Timmy on table

Empire Falls - long haired gray cat Timmy after swiping at Miles Ed Harris

Empire Falls - long haired gray cat Timmy on table taking swipe at Miles Ed Harris animated gif

The cat’s name is Timmy who, despite the name, is a female. Cindy picks her up, then lets her go.

Empire Falls - long haired gray cat Timmy running away from Cindy Kate Burton and Miles Ed Harris

Francine is outside in a gazebo by the river and she rings a bell. Timmy leaps onto the screen door and hangs there.

Empire Falls - long haired gray cat Timmy hanging from screen door

Empire Falls - long haired gray cat Timmy hanging on screen door behind Cindy Kate Burton and Miles Ed Harris

When Miles tries to leave, Timmy takes another swipe at him, leaving some nasty scratches on his hand.

Empire Falls - long haired gray cat Timmy held by Cindy Kate Burton after scratching Miles Ed Harris

When Miles meets Francine in the gazebo, she notes that he must have had another run-in with Timmy. “It’s odd how she hates you so much!” Miles suggests holding a raffle to get the chance to beat Timmy with a baseball bat. Later in the scene Timmy jumps up into Francine’s lap, making Miles jump.

Empire Falls - long haired gray cat Timmy jumping up in Francine Joanne Woodward lap and scaring Miles Ed Harris

Empire Falls - long haired gray cat Timmy jumping up in Francine Joanne Woodward lap with Miles Ed Harris

When Miles leaves the Whiting house, he is startled to see Timmy in his car. The cat jumps out and runs away but has completely trashed the upholstery of the vehicle.

Empire Falls - long haired gray cat Timmy jumping out of Miles Ed Harris car

Timmy is next seen lying on top of the tombstone on Charles Whiting’s grave. It is noted that she has a tendency to pee on the gravesite but this is not actually seen. Timmy jumps down when Miles and Cindy approach.

Empire Falls - long haired gray cat Timmy sitting on top of grave stone

Still later, Timmy is sitting in Francine’s lap and seems to sense Miles looking at them from the bridge some distance away.

Empire Falls - long haired gray cat Timmy sitting in Francine Joanne Woodward lap in gazebo

In another scene, Timmy is inside Francine’s limousine when Miles gets into a fight with Officer Jimmy Minty (William Fichtner) outside the old factory. Timmy runs back and forth inside the car as they fight, looking out the window as if she would like to join in the brawl.

Empire Falls - long haired gray cat Timmy running around in limousine

At the end, the fate of Francine Whiting is explained. She was washed down the river in a flood while being in the gazebo during a storm. The narrator explains that no one knows why she went to the gazebo, but Timmy is shown there, wet and bedraggled, with Francine calling to her as she approaches.

Empire Falls - wet long haired gray cat Timmy jumping up on table in gazebo

Empire Falls - wet long haired gray cat Timmy on table in gazebo

Empire Falls - wet long haired gray cat Timmy meowing on table in gazebo

According to the commentary track on the DVD, two cats played the part of Timmy. In an article in the Burlington Free Press on November 22, 2003, it states that a British Blue cat named Bogart was the cat actor in the final scene when Mrs. Whiting and Timmy are washed away in a flood. The description in the newspaper makes it sound as if this scene was previously more extensive with the gazebo and bodies being shown floating away, but these scenes are not in the final film.

Empire Falls - long haired gray cat Timmy sitting in lap