Romancing the Stone (1984)

Romancing the Stone poster

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Starring: Kathleen Turner, Michael Douglas, Danny DeVito
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis

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

Synopsis: Joan Wilder (Kathleen Turner) is a romance / adventure novelist whose humdrum life suddenly becomes like one of the plots of her books when she has to make a trip to Columbia to bail her sister out of trouble and is rescued by a swashbuckling mystery man named Jack T. Colton (Michael Douglas).

Featured Feline: As the movie opens Joan has just finished her latest book. She then says to someone off camera, “I’ve finished, sweetheart. You want to celebrate?” We see she is talking to her pet orange and white cat named Romeo.

Romancing the Stone - orange and white cat Romeo in doorway

Joan opens a can of tuna and puts it on the plate, even garnishing it with a sprig of parsley before giving it to Romeo.

Romancing the Stone - Joan Wilder Kathleen Turner watching orange and white cat Romeo eating tuna

Romancing the Stone - Joan Wilder Kathleen Turner watching orange and white cat Romeo eating tuna closer

Joan gets a drink and joins Romeo, throwing her glass into the fire when she is done. She also throws his plate into the fire when he has finished his tuna.

Romancing the Stone - Joan Wilder Kathleen Turner throwing plate with orange and white cat Romeo

She then picks up Romeo and pets him.

Romancing the Stone - Joan Wilder Kathleen Turner holding orange and white cat Romeo

The next morning a mysterious man calls Joan, who has fallen asleep on the couch with Romeo beside her. The caller hangs up and Joan realizes she is late to meet with her publisher.

Romancing the Stone - Joan Wilder Kathleen Turner waking up on couch with orange and white cat Romeo

Later when Joan comes home she finds her apartment has been ransacked. As she walks through the destruction in a daze there is a spring-loaded cat moment when Romeo suddenly drops down into her arms from somewhere above. Sadly after Joan leaves for her adventure Romeo is not seen again, although Joan gives her publisher Romeo in a carrier to take care of while she is gone (we don’t actually see the cat in the carrier).

Romancing the Stone - Joan Wilder Kathleen Turner hugging orange and white cat Romeo

Romancing the Stone - orange and white cat Romeo drops into Joan Wilder Kathleen Turner arms

Reportedtly the part of Romeo was written during a script revision in which uncredited writer Treva Silverman included the cat in the opening scenes to make the character of Joan Wilder more likable.

Romancing the Stone - Joan Wilder Kathleen Turner relieved to be holding orange and white cat Romeo