In the Doghouse (1956)

by Linda Kay

Directed by: Darcy Conyers

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

Synopsis: Jimmy Fox-Upton (Leslie Phillips) is a veterinarian student who finally passes his exams and buys out a small practice, not realizing what a wild variety of clientele awaits him in the small British neighborhood.

Cartoon Cat: During the opening credits an animated dog spots a cat in a sidewalk artist’s hat. The dog takes chase.

In the Doghouse - cartoon dog looking at black cat in hat

In the Doghouse - cartoon dog barking at black cat jumping out of hat

The black cat with white paws ends up on a wall full of credits. When the wall disappears, the cat falls and the dog takes chase again.

In the Doghouse - cartoon dog barking at black cat on wall of credits

In the Doghouse - cartoon dog looking at black cat hovering in air

In the Doghouse - cartoon dog about to chase after black cat

Cat Burglars (Scene Stealers): The very first shot of the film is of a London street from a low angle. A black cat is suddenly dropped down right in front of the camera then turns and runs off. A car slams on their brakes and is rear ended by another car and finally by Jimmy’s bicycle.

In the Doghouse - black cat dropped on British street with car screeching to a stop animated gif

The cat climbs (or is actually hoisted by an unseen trainer) upon a mail box as Jimmy rides by on his bike with the front wheel bashed in.

In the Doghouse - black cat on British mail box

In the Doghouse - black cat being hoisted up on British mail box animated gif

Jimmy is late for his classes and it’s soon clear why he has taken such a long time to pass his exams. At one point his teacher reminds him that he tried to remove a womb from a tomcat. But Jimmy does finally pass and buys out an ailing vet business. The first day he opens shop his waiting room is full of people, including a woman holding a black cat on her lap.

In the Doghouse - woman with black cat on her lap in vet waiting room

The first client is a woman carrying a basket. She callously sets the basket on his examination table and announces she has brought six kittens to put down. She leaves without even a backwards glance. Jimmy is distressed and opens the basket to look in upon the adorable kitties (only two are visible). Of course he has no intention of putting the kittens down.

In the Doghouse - two sad kittens in wicker basket

In the Doghouse - Jimmy Leslie Phillips opening wicker basket to find two longhair kittens animated gif

Jimmy is even more shocked when it turns out that practically everyone in his waiting room has brought their pets in to be euthanized before they go away on holiday. He tells all of them to leave their pets in the cages in his garage and he will find homes for them. Even the woman with the cat leaves after she says this.

Thankfully no other references to cats being put down is made during the film. Jimmy’s associate who also graduated from veterinarian school opens a posh place right around the corner. There he caters to mostly rich female clientele and even has a Pussies’ Parlour. And a vicar brings his tomcat in to Jimmy to be fixed, although we only hear the cat meowing inside a basket and don’t see him. The last cat to be seen is a longhair tabby who is sitting inside a cage behind Miss Fordyce (Fenella Fielding) during an Unusual Pets Competition the vicar is running.

In the Doghouse - longhair tabby cat in cage behind Miss Fordyce Fenella Fielding

A lion gets loose during the proceedings and chaos ensues. The cat (or another similar cat) jumps into an open cage with a mynah bird to escape the lion.