English Title: The White Sheik
Janus Films
Starring: Leopoldo Trieste, Brunella Bovo, Alberto Sordi
Directed by: Federico Fellini

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

Synopsis: Ivan Cavalli (Leopoldo Trieste) is with his new young bride Wanda (Brunella Bovo) on their honeymoon in Rome.  Ivan cannot wait to introduce Wanda to his family but doesn’t know she has sneaked away to attempt to meet her favorite film hero, The White Sheik (Alberto Sordi).

Purr Blurs: After Wanda has been missing all night, Ivan wanders the empty streets of Rome, deep in depression.  He approaches a fountain and we see what appear to be three cats standing nearby.  There is a strange meowing sound, as if someone is trying to impersonate a cat.  The cats don’t move at all, and it appears they are fake cats!

Ivan pauses and even waves his hat towards the cats but they still don’t move!  After Ivan sits down at the fountain there is the sound of a cat screeching (again sounding like a person trying to impersonate a cat) off screen from the direction where the cats had been sitting, then they are gone when the street is seen again.  One has to assume the stuffed cats were used because no live cats were available at the time of filming.

Final Mewsings: The cats who roam the streets of Rome at night are usually more lively.

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