by Linda Kay

English Translation: The Employee

Directed by: Gianni Puccini

This review contains a Slight Kitty Carnage Warning (for scruffing and rough handling)!

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

Synopsis: White collar worker Ferdinando Guida (Nino Manfredi) is frustrated when a beautiful efficiency officer Maria Jacobetti (Eleonora Rossi Drago) starts making radical changes around his workplace. In frustration, Ferdinando escapes to exotic adventures in his nighttime dreams.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Fernando, known affectionately as “Nando,” owns an adorable white cat named Romoletto who wears a ribbon. The cat is present when Nando is first woken from his fantastic dreams by his sister Lisetta (Anna Campori). Nando comments that Romoletto is lucky to be able to sleep as much as he wants.

Co-worker Francesco (Andrea Checchi) comes over to Nando’s after work and imposes himself on Nando’s dinner. While looking in a locked cupboard for some cheese, Nando is surprised to find Romoletto inside. He pulls the cat out by the scruff briefly then cradles the cat in his arms as he sits at the table to share the gorgonzola.

Nando goes to the bedroom and dances with Romoletto, thinking about the woman he met at a play that night (not realizing she is the efficiency expert).

They climb into bed and Nando drifts off into another wild dream.

The next morning Nando wakes up from his dream to find Romoletto at his side.

Later in the film Nando is getting ready for bed when a fly distracts him. He spends some time trying to kill the insect with his slipper as Romoletto watches.

After falling asleep and dreaming again Nando is awakened by Lisetta who finds him sleepwalking and talking. Romoletto is on the bedside stand but jumps onto Nando’s chest.

Still later Lisetta drops a bottle of milk on the floor of the kitchen. Nando approaches with Romoletto and momentarily sets the cat down in the spilled milk. He quickly realizes the poor cat could swallow the broken glass and picks him up again.

Nando carries Romoletto into the bedroom and finds his bed has been left unmade. He sets the cat on the desk while he starts to make the bed but Romoletto jumps onto the mattress as he and Lisetta work. Twice Nando tosses poor Romoletto to the other side of the bed, although the cat simply settles down to rest.

Romoletto sits upon Nando as he falls asleep in the dark room.

During his dream, Nando tries to convince Francesco and the police that he couldn’t have committed the crime they accuse him of because he is asleep in his room and opens a door to show them he is sleeping in bed with the cat.

The last time we see Romoletto is when Nando is wandering the wet streets at night. He spots Romoletto standing by a drain and scolds him, saying he’ll get his paws wet and to go on home.

Final Mewsings: Maybe Romoletto was sleepwalking when he ended up outside!

Many thanks to Nick Wale for letting us know about the cat in this film.

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