by Mark Murton

Directed by: Karl Francis

This review contains a minor Kitty Carnage Warning!

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

Synopsis: Anthony Raine (Paul Rhys) returns to Wales from service in India keen to get reacquainted with childhood sweetheart Rhiannon (Joely Richardson). But he arrives to find his homeland in turmoil with the peasants subject to crippling toll gate taxes levied by the drunken lord of the manor, Rhiannon’s father Lord Sarn (Peter O’Toole). Disguising himself as the mysterious masked avenger, “Rebecca”, Raine determines to right the wrongs done to the peasants and win the heart of Rhiannon.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): The drunken Lord Sarn owns an equally besotted brown tabby cat he calls Rover. Rover first appears wrapped around Lord Sarn’s neck who, in his role of magistrate, passes a punitive sentence on one of the peasants for a minor indiscretion.

Later Rover is with Sarn while travelling in a coach at night, along with the newly returned Raine.

Arriving at his home, Sarn exits the coach holding Rover as Raine gives him a gift to pass on to Rhiannon.

The next day Sarn is sitting in his chair with Rover on his lap when Raine arrives to see Rhiannon. Keeping hold of Rover, Sarn stands to accept the flowers Raine has brought for Rhiannon who soon enters the room.

Minor Kitty Carnage Warning! As Raine and Rhiannon talk, Sarn throws the flowers onto a table behind him and then chucks Rover onto the chair with the command, “Sit down, Rover!” A poor cat screech is dubbed in for added effect.

Back in his chair, with Rover on his lap and a drink in his hand, Sarn vocally and crudely encourages the young couple’s liaison.

As one of the gentry Raine is part of the Whitland Turnpike Trust but disagrees with their policy of introducing yet more toll gates. Learning that they’ve gone ahead with them anyway he interrupts a meal they are having to express his displeasure. Sarn is sitting with Rover on his lap; the cat happily licking some tasty foodstuff from his fingers.

Raine now adopts the guise of “Rebecca” and leads the peasants in their opposition to the toll gate taxes. After one of the toll gates has been burned down by the protestors Sarn again sits holding Rover as he interrogates the hapless toll gate guardian and the soldier in charge of guarding it.

Sarn asks if the men guarding the gate had been drunk. The soldier insists, “They were as sober as you or I!” Sarn jumps to his feet and exclaims, “What?! I am perfectly not sober! And I’ll have you know neither is my cat! Are you, Rover?”

As the protests escalate, Sarn is again seen travelling at night in a coach with Rover.

This time the coach is stopped by a band of ‘Rebecca’s Daughters’ and Sarn, finding himself face to face with the masked “Rebecca”, alights the coach still holding Rover.

After this humiliation a plan is devised to trick the protestors and allow Sarn’s soldiers to ambush them and end the protests for good. Sarn, with a brolly in one hand a drink the other and Rover tucked under his arm, takes up position to witness proceedings.

The animals in the film were trained / supplied by Stunt Dogs and Cats.

Final Mewsings: Only a cat could so effortlessly steal scenes from an 8-times Best Actor Oscar nominee.

Relevant Links:

To discuss this film and other cats in movies and on television, join us on Facebook and Twitter.