by Ted Davis and Linda Kay

Directed by: John Emerson

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

Synopsis: An anti-war movie released a couple of years before America’s misguided entry into World War I. To avoid war’s devastation and guarantee the safety of his province of Rutania, gallant Prince Karl Heinrich (Wallace Reid) must forsake his only chance for personal happiness and fulfillment. The story was the basis for The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): The students in the academy where Karl is sent have a favorite hangout in a beer garden where the idol of their eye, a charming girl named Katie Ruder (Dorothy Gish) works. Before Karl’s arrival the boys lavish mostly innocent affection on Katie, at one point presenting her with a little tabby kitten handed to her on a fancy pillow.

In a later scene after Karl has joined the other students and become very popular, the boys are enjoying a convivial drinking bout they call “The Boot” at the beer garden. Katie, who has now become Karl’s sweetheart, nuzzles and strokes the fuzzy tabby as she watches the contest through a window.

With the kitten cradled in her arm, Katie laughs good-naturedly at the men’s antics then devises a trick of her own. She sets the kitten in a top hat as she leaves the room, a few seconds before the group of now tipsy gentlemen enter.

One of the companions spies the kitty and removes her from the hat, and Karl claims the tabby a moment later. The popular kitten is appropriated next by another of the happy comrades before the students leave Karl with Katie, and that’s the last we see of the kitten.

Final Mewsings: The real surprise was for the next person who donned the hat.

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