Rich and Strange (1931)

Rich and Strange DVD

Also Known As: East of Shanghai
British International Pictures (BIP)
Starring: Henry Kendall, Joan Barry
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

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

Synopsis: Dark comedy about a married couple, Fred and Emily Hill (Henry Kendall and Joan Barry) who receive an unexpected inheritence and decide that the key to happiness is travelling and living large.

Kitty Cameos: The Hills own a black cat. When Fred comes home after a bad day, he sees the cat sitting on the kitchen table eating something.

Rich and Strange - black cat eating on table

Kitty Carnage Warning: Fred angrily throws his newspaper at the cat to scare it away.

Rich and Strange - Fred Henry Kendall throws newspaper at black cat eating on table

Later in the film the Hills have run into a string of bad luck on their travels. They end up being trapped on a sinking ship with no one else on board. As they explore the parts of the ship not yet submerged, a cabin door starts to creak open. They are relieved when a black cat steps out.

Rich and Strange - black cat stepping through door on ship

The cat stands in front of them and then walks by them as they pass.

Rich and Strange - black cat standing in front of Fred Henry Kendall and Emily Joan Barry on ship

Rich and Strange - black cat walking towards Fred Henry Kendall and Emily Joan Barry on ship

The couple step into a lounge and help themselves to drinks. The cat jumps up on the bar with them.

Rich and Strange - black cat sitting on bar with Fred Henry Kendall and Emily Joan Barry on ship

There is a sudden jolt and the cat jumps off the bar. Emily has the presence of mind to grab the cat.

Rich and Strange - Emily Joan Barry grabs black cat

They run to the deck, Emily still holding the cat.

Rich and Strange - Fred Henry Kendall and Emily Joan Barry on deck of ship with black cat

Rich and Strange - Fred Henry Kendall and Emily Joan Barry still on deck of ship with black cat

A junk full of Chinese people pulls up to the ship and the men climb aboard the vessel to pillage it.

Rich and Strange - Fred Henry Kendall and Emily Joan Barry looking over railing of ship with black cat

Rich and Strange - Fred Henry Kendall and Emily Joan Barry looking confused on deck of ship with black cat

After the ship jolts again, Fred and Emily scramble onto the junk, Emily bringing the cat with her. The cat jumps down and disappears.

Rich and Strange - Fred Henry Kendall and Emily Joan Barry climbing onto junk with black cat

Politically Incorrect Kitty Carnage Warning! Some time later the Hills are enjoying the hospitality of the Chinese when they are giving bowls of stew. They comment on how good it is when one of the man pins a skin onto a wall. Of course it is the skin of the black cat, who has been made into the stew. Reportedly Hitchcock found this to be the funniest joke in the film.

Rich and Strange - black cat skin hanging on wall of junk