Little Orvie (1940)

Directed by: Ray McCarey

This review contains a Mild Kitty Carnage Warning for rough handling!

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

Synopsis: A precocious boy named Orvie Stone (Johnny Sheffield) has his hopes set on getting a dog for his birthday but his mother (Dorothy Tree) is against it. Comedy arises when Orvie first befriends a stray dog then sneaks a puppy into the house.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): The Stone family already owns a nameless black cat. In the opening scene, Mrs. Stone is complaining to her husband (Ernest Truex) about his promising Orvie a dog. “I overheard Orvie talking to the cat this morning,” she informs her husband. Startled, he replies, “What did the cat say?” “I”m quite serious, Frank,” she reprimands, “He was threatening the cat. He was telling it to scram before he brought his dog home.” She goes on to bemoan the fact that Orvie takes no interest in the cat except to bark at it.

Later Orvie is complaining to the stray dog he’s named Tiger, saying about his mother, “She won’t even let me have a little dog. Cats is all she wants me to have. I’d rather have you than a whole barrelful of cats.”

After Orvie breaks some windows (by accident) some of the window owners descend upon the Stone house to complain. They identify Orvie by his dog. His parents insist Orvie doesn’t have a dog, but Orvie has brought Tiger home with him. That’s when Tiger spots the family cat.

Little Orvie - black cat sitting on post

The cat leaps away and Tiger takes chase, dragging Orvie behind him. The cat is not present, though, when the dog runs through the group of complaining people and into the house.

Little Orvie - black cat sitting on post
Little Orvie - black cat leaping off post
Little Orvie - dog Tiger chasing after black cat and dragging Johnny Sheffield animated gif

Much later, Orvie has brought home a little puppy and is hiding him from the family maid, Corbina (Daisy Lee Mothershed) whom he has already blackmailed into taking in Tiger. He sneaks the puppy out his window in a paper bag but she spots him heading into the cellar. There Orvie finds the black cat drinking the milk he set out for the puppy. “Scat!” he yells at the cat.

Little Orvie - Johnny Sheffield with puppy looking at black cat drinking milk

Corbina is listening as Orvie gives the milk to the puppy, pushing the cat away again.

Little Orvie - Johnny Sheffield with puppy and black cat

Convinced that Orvie is hiding a dog, Corbina heads down the cellar stairs. Orvie hears her coming and puts the puppy into a wooden box. He then grabs the poor cat and tries to wrestle him into the paper bag.

Little Orvie - Johnny Sheffield going after black cat
Little Orvie - Johnny Sheffield grabbing black cat

Mild Kitty Carnage Warning! Of course the cat is not thrilled about this and tries to get away. Orvie actually grabs the cat’s fur to pull the poor animal back!

Little Orvie - Johnny Sheffield trying to stuff black cat into paper bag
Little Orvie - Johnny Sheffield grabbing black cat by back fur
Little Orvie - Johnny Sheffield trying to stuff black cat into paper bag animated gif

When Corbina confronts Orvie he is holding the paper bag behind his back. The cat tries to get out but Orvie pushes him back down.

Little Orvie - black cat peeking out of paper bag

Orvie insists he was playing with the cat and then holds the bag up toward Corbina with the cat sitting inside.

Little Orvie - Johnny Sheffield holding up paper bag with black cat to Corbina Daisy Lee Mothershed
Little Orvie - Johnny Sheffield pushing black cat back into bag and then scaring Corbina Daisy May Mothershed animated gif

About this time Orvie realizes his puppy is sick. He catches the cat drinking the puppy’s milk again and locks the poor animal into the wooden box. The cat understandably resists this as well and Orvie even pulls the poor kitty by the tail at one point.

Little Orvie - Johnny Sheffield spotting black cat drinking milk
Little Orvie - Johnny Sheffield reaching for black cat
Little Orvie - Johnny Sheffield grabbing black cat

Corbina tells Orvie’s mother about the puppy and says the dog is in the wooden box so Orvie’s mother tells William the gardener to take it away. Later in the film William is arguing with Corbina in the kitchen while he holds the box. He repeats her request about taking the dog away then opens the box and cries, “Well, what kind of dog is this?” The cat jumps down and is not seen again.

Little Orvie - gardener showing black cat inside box
Little Orvie - gardener showing Corbina Daisy May Mothershed, Mr. Stone Ernest Truex and Mrs. Stone Dorothy Tree black cat inside box animated gif

Final Mewsings: Little boys who treat cats and maids so badly don’t deserve dogs!

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