by Ted Davis

Also Known As: The Bitch; Liza

Directed by: Marco Ferreri

This review contains a mild Kitty Carnage Warning for scruffing!

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

Synopsis: In this unpleasant allegory loaded with violence and degradation, the fun begins when stunningly beautiful but inherently repellent Liza (Catherine Deneuve) washes up on the isolated island inhabited by artist-storyteller Giorgio (Marcello Mastroianni) and his bright eyed dog Melampo, and proceeds immediately to maneuver to replace Melampo in Giorgio’s life and affections.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): During a brief visit to the mainland, Giorgio sits down to a meal with his suicidally inclined wife (Corinne Marchand). His daughter Valeria (Valerie Stroh) joins them at the table carrying her sweet tabby kitten. She sets the kitten down near the paella but Giorgio objects and scruffs the kitten by the neck and sets her on the floor.

For some reason Valeria won’t eat paella. So the maid (Dominique Marcas) serves her a plateful of shredded carrots. Valeria happily takes one bite before calling to her kitten, then leaves the dinner table to pick her up, sitting briefly on the sofa to pet her.

Giorgio tells Valeria to return to the table and finish her carrots. She brings the kitten and again sets her on the table where the two of them proceed to devour the carrots, this time with no objection from Giorgio. With the arrival of Liza, who interrupts the meal, the intuitive kitty vanishes from the dining room. When Giorgio asks Valeria where her kitten is she simply answers, “It ran away.”

Final Mewsings: The kitten was probably wishing Valeria only ate tuna.

Relevant Links:

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