Inspector Gadget (1999)

Inspector Gadget poster

Walt Disney Pictures
Starring:
 Matthew Broderick, Rupert Everett, Mike Hagerty
Directed by: David Kellogg

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

Synopsis: Based on the popular animated series. John Brown (Matthew Broderick) is a security guard who longs to be a cop and is in love with scientist Brenda (Joely Fisher). An accident leads to John becoming Inspector Gadget and trying to apprehend the evil Claw.

Featured Feline: One of the many changes made between this movie and the cartoon series is in the original show Dr. Claw had a sidekick black and grey colored cat named M.A.D. Cat. Here the cat is white and named Sniffy and Dr. Claw starts out as Sanford Scolex, a ruthless businessman out to steal Brenda’s robotic inventions. Sniffy is at Scolex’s side in the first scenes where he appears outside Brenda’s lab.

Inspector Gadget - white cat Sniffy sitting on console

Scolex, Sniffy and henchman Sikes (Mike Haggerty) are in a limousine. Sikes starts running some robots with a control box when Sniffy jumps into the front seat and starts pawing at the box.

Inspector Gadget - white cat Sniffy jumping into front seat with Sikes Mike Haggerty

Inspector Gadget - white cat Sniffy pawing at control box

As a result they crash the van containing the robots into the side of the lab.

Inspector Gadget - white cat Sniffy pawing at control box and crashes van

Scolex manages to steal the robotics from the lab and then says, “Sniffy, let’s go.” During their escape, Scolex has his hand crushed by John, later replacing it with the infamous claw.

Inspector Gadget - white cat Sniffy being petted

Inspector Gadget - white cat Sniffy sitting on console with Scolex hand

We don’t see Sniffy again until much later when he is sitting in Scolex’s huge office.

Inspector Gadget - white cat Sniffy sitting on Scolex Rupert Everett desk

Sniffy steals Sikes’ cruller, angering the man.

Inspector Gadget - white cat Sniffy stealing cruller

Inspector Gadget - white cat Sniffy stealing cruller animated gif

Later when Scolex is trying to escape his high rise with Brenda he heads to the elevator. The dog Brain tries to stop him by ripping off his underwear. During this scene Sniffy is obviously a stuffed cat.

Inspector Gadget - fake white cat Sniffy in Scolex Rupert Everett arms

Sniffy appears in the helicopter with Brenda and Scolex as the man tries to escape.

Inspector Gadget - white cat Sniffy under seat in helicopter

Inspector Gadget - white cat Sniffy sitting on seat in helicopter

Gadget saves Brenda from the helicopter, leaving Scolex and Sniffy to parachute down.

Inspector Gadget - Scolex and white cat Sniffy parachuting from helicopter

They land in the back of the Gadgetmobile, which locks them into a cage.

Inspector Gadget - white cat Sniffy landing in back of Gadgetmobile

Inspector Gadget - white cat Sniffy and Scolex Rupert Everett surrounded by police

Inspector Gadget - white cat Sniffy being held by Scolex Rupert Everett in cage in Gadgetmobile

Inspector Gadget - white cat Sniffy and Scolex Rupert Everett surrounded by police in Gadgetmobile

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer):  In the middle of the film Gadget is ordered to do unimportant community work by Chief Quimby (Dabney Coleman). One of his jobs is to rescue cats from trees. Gadget arrives at police headquarters carrying a tabby kitten which he presents to Quimby.

Inspector Gadget - Inspector Gadget Matthew Broderick carrying tabby kitten from Gadgetmobile

Inspector Gadget - Inspector Gadget Matthew Broderick carrying tabby kitten into Quimby's office

Inspector Gadget - Inspector Gadget Matthew Broderick carrying tabby kitten from Gadgetmobile

As Gadget asks when he will get to do some real police work, the kitten is seen drinking from Quimby’s coffee mug. The kitten makes a noice indicating it is not well when finished.

Inspector Gadget - tabby kitten drinking from mug on desk

Inspector Gadget - tabby kitten stops drinking from mug on desk

Quimby will not budge on his position and Gadget takes the kitten and leaves. When Quimby takes a sip from his cup he does a spit take.

Inspector Gadget - Inspector Gadget Matthew Broderick leaving office with tabby kitten

Final Mewsings: Evil cats love crullers.


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