by Linda Kay
Directed by: Paul Terry
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!
Synopsis: One of the silent Aesop’s Fables animated shorts featuring Henry the cat. In this outing, Henry falls in love with a famous ballerina and seeks to make her his wife.
Cartoon Cats: As the film begins Henry is riding in a cart pulled by a mouse which is being motivated by a piece of cheese dangling from a string just out of reach. The mouse spots a female mouse sitting on the side of the road and abandons the cart, flipping Henry out onto the ground.
Henry paces sadly (very much in the same style as Felix the cat!) as he observes other animals such as bird and frogs in love.
But when Henry spots a billboard advertising Mlle. Kitty at the Opera House he is immediately smitten.
He hurries to a palmist who reads his fortune saying he will marry the girl he is in love with.
Henry arrives at the Opera House with flowers in hand. When Mlle. Kitty is introduced he screams and yells for her so loudly the patron in the booth above pelts him with rocks! (Note her name is now spelled Kittie on the placard in the theater!)
Unable to contain himself while Mlle. Kitty is on stage, Henry repeatedly tries to reach her. Eventually he has to be thrown off the stage by an usher.
Waiting for his love at the stage door, Henry hides when he sees her exit with what appears to be a wealthy dog.
He follows them and is shocked when the dog sticks Mlle. Kitty up, pulling a gun on her and stealing her jewels.
Henry puts a quick stop to this and boots the dog away, rescuing Mlle. Kitty.
He carries her home where he pops the question. She immediately starts to cry and says, “That’s just what my FIRST husband said!” Numerous kittens come out of the house and Henry runs for the hills.
Some other cats also appear in the short, including some of the audience members filing into the Opera House.
Also the cats playing in the Opera orchestra.
Final Mewsings: Female cats are known for being prolific when it comes to kittens.
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