Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
Starring: Robert Montgomery, Ingrid Bergman, George Sanders
Directed by: W.S. Van Dyke II
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some major spoilers for this film!
Synopsis: Philip Monrell (Robert Montgomery) returns to England and bumps into long time friend Ward Andrews (George Sanders), bringing him home to his mother’s estate where both men fall for her new secretary, Stella (Ingrid Bergman). Unfortunately Philip is more than a bit unhinged.
Featured Feline: Ward and Stella go out riding one morning and when they return Stella has an adorable tabby-striped Maine Coon kitten in her arms. She says Ward found it lost in the woods and gave him to her as a present.
After Ward leaves the Monrell estate, Philip and Stella realize they love each other and so they get married. Months later we see Philip and Stella sitting together at an outside table having breakfast. Stella holds the kitten lovingly in her lap.
Philip is jealous of Stella’s previous connection with Wade and unfortunately the kitten (which Philip refers to as “Wade’s kitten”) is a constant reminder.
We next see Philip in his office. The kitten is seen poking its head out of his briefcase. Philip takes a call from his wife who says the kitten is missing and asks Philip if he has seen him. Philip lies and says he hasn’t.
Kitty Carnage Warning! Of course by this time we realize the kitten is doomed. We last see it walk across Philip’s desk. Fortunately the kitten’s death is not shown on screen but is explained when the chauffeur tells Stella he found the poor animal near the road by the factory with his neck broken.
Final Mewsings: Jealous lunatics need to leave the cats out of it!
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