Indian Paintbrush
Starring: Kara Hayward, Jared Gilman
Directed by: Wes Anderson

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

Synopsis: Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman) is a Khaki Scout deserter and Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward) is a family misfit. They fall in love and run away together, setting off an odd series of events.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): The Bishop family includes a tabby kitten, which Suzy is seen carrying when she first appears during the opening credits.

Suzy walks into a room where her three brothers are listening to a record on a portable player. She sets the kitten down on a bookshelf and sits down to read.

The kitten is shown throughout the house during the titles, including a moment inside a fishing basket and sitting on the table as the boys are eating.

When Suzy runs away to meet Sam, she is carrying the kitten with her in the fishing basket.

During their journey, Suzy is sometimes seen holding the kitten or it is seen in the basket.

When they reach a cove, the youngsters camp. The kitten is seen on the beach peeking out of the basket.

The kitten is also seen with Suzy as she poses for Sam to paint her picture.

Eventually the pair is caught and taken back home. Suzy’s dad (Bill Murray) is scolding her as the kitten is held by a Scout in the background.

At the end of the film it is some time later and the kitten is shown as a full grown cat in the Bishop home. It is said that actress Kara Hayward got to keep the kitten after filming was completed. However, the film received in “Unacceptable” rating from the American Humane Association because an underaged kitten was used during the shoot (use of kittens under 8 weeks of age is not condoned), plus the AHA was not informed of the shooting dates so they could monitor the scenes using the kitten.

Final Mewsings: It takes a talented kitten to steal a scene from Bill Murray!

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