Mr. and Mrs. Smith (1941)

Mr. and Mrs. Smith DVD

RKO Radio Pictures
Starring: Robert Montgomery, Carole Lombard, Gene Raymond, Jack Carson
Directed by: Alfred Hitchock

Synopsis: An unusual directorial turn for Hitchcock is this comedy piece in which Mr. David Smith (Robert Montgomery) and Mrs. Ann Smith (Carole Lombard) find out that due to a technical legan snafu their marriage certificate is not really valid. This comes on the heels of a long argument between the couple and may spell the end of their marriage if they can’t learn to love (and live with) one another again.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): The highlight of the movie has to be when Mr. and Mrs. Smith go out to eat the night they learn that their marriage is invalid (although David doesn’t know that Ann knows.) They go to Momma Lucy’s Restaurant where they had their first date, only the restaurant has changed into a real dump since they’d last been. This includes a resident white cat which sits on the tables of the patrons and eats their food. The cat is first seen on the table of a tough-looking taxi driver (Frank Mills), eating the man’s food while his head is turned.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith - white cat eating on taxi driver's table

Realizing what is happening, the man swats the cat off the table.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith - white cat shooed off taxi driver's table animated gif

Later when David and Ann are dining, David keeps going on about how the cat won’t eat his soup, speculating “This cat knows something!”

Mr. and Mrs. Smith - David Robert Montgomery looking at white cat on table with Ann Carole Lombard

Mr. and Mrs. Smith - closer of David Robert Montgomery looking at white cat on table

After putting the bowl under the cat’s nose and still not getting the cat to eat, David demands a stomach pump.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith - David Robert Montgomery offering white cat on table bowl of soup with Ann Carole Lombard

Mr. and Mrs. Smith - David Robert Montgomery holding bowl of soup up to white cat on table

Mr. and Mrs. Smith - David Robert Montgomery offers white cat soup on table with Ann Carole Lombard animated gif

The proprietor of the restaurant (William Edmunds) approaches their table to relay a message. He comments about the cat, saying “I’m unlucky with cats here. The third cat this week.” David drops his fork and the man quickly adds, “They get run over. I think.”

Mr. and Mrs. Smith - Proprietor William Edmunds with David Robert Montgomery and Ann Carole Lombard with white cat on table with