by Mark Murton
Original Title: El gato con botas
Directed by: Roberto Rodriguez, Manuel San Fernando
This review contains a mild Kitty Carnage Warning!
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!
Synopsis: Mexican version of the famous 17th century Italian fairytale. Shepherd-boy Jaunito (Humberto Dupeyrón) is smitten with the king’s daughter, princess Dora (Rocío Rosales), but the evil ogre menacing the kingdom is demanding the princess marry his son. Meeting the Lady of Time, Juanito is presented with a small cape, hat and boots which when he puts them on his cat sees it grow in size and acquire special powers. Together they set out to vanquish the ogre and rescue the princess.
Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Juanito’s white cat is first seen on the table at the family home as Juanito’s layabout older brothers (José Luis Moreno, David Hayat) kick their younger sibling about after their father has died.
We don’t even want to know the story behind the stuffed cat on the shelf in the background!
Mild Kitty Carnage Warning! The brothers cast Juanito out of the house, then one of them roughly hurls the cat after the boy, telling him that is his only inheritance.
The cat lands at Juanito’s feet and he gently picks him up.
Fighting back the tears, Juanito trudges out of the village cradling the cat.
Taking shelter in a barn, Juanito sinks into despair but is brought out of it by a voice nearby. “Who is talking to me?” questions Juanito. “Me,” is the reply, “your cat.”
Disbelievingly, Juanito approaches the cat which continues to talk to him, telling him he is no ordinary cat and could really show him if he just had a pair of boots.
Juanito now remembers the tiny boots he was given by the Lady of Time and quickly puts them on the cat (the cat actor is less than enthusiastic about having a pair of boots put on its feet so most of this takes place off screen).
A quick dissolve reveals the cat now fully dressed in the boots, cape and hat.
Juanito starts to laugh at the sight but his laughter turns to astonishment when the cat is suddenly magically transformed into . . . a short actor (Santanón) in an unconvincing cat costume!
Kitty Cameo: Much later in the film Juanito and Puss in Boots are at the king’s castle delivering a sack of food when Puss hears a cat crying nearby and goes to investigate. He spots a female white cat lying on the grass (we know it’s female because of the big pink bow tied around her neck!)
Rushing over, Puss scoops her up, declaring, “I’d give anything for you to be my girlfriend.” The cat actor seems surprised but remains amazingly calm considering a huge costumed character has just picked her up. The liaison is short-lived as Juanito and Puss are soon escorted from the castle grounds.
At the end of the film, the Lady of Time reappears and Puss in Boots, his work now done, is transformed back into the ordinary cat he was at the start.
The final shot of the cat shows him and his lady love (still with big pink bow) on the castle ramparts. Awww…
Final Mewsings: If this is what happens when you put boots on your cat, DON’T!
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