Runaway Bride (1999)

Runaway Bride poster

Paramount Pictures
Starring: Richard Gere, Julia Roberts
Directed by: Garry Marshall

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

Synopsis: Maggie Carpenter (Julia Roberts) is an independent woman with a habit of ditching men at the altar, which brings her to the attention of reporter Ike Graham (Richard Gere).

Featured Feline: Ike owns a multi-colored long-haired cat named Italics. Italics is first seen sitting next to his food bowl waiting to be fed in Ike’s apartment.

Runaway Bride - long-haired cat Italics sitting by food bowl

Runaway Bride - long-haired cat Italics begging by food bowl

Runaway Bride - long-haired cat Italics sitting by food bowl as Ike Richard Gere passes animated gif

There is also a photo of Italics in the newspaper office where Ike works.

Runaway Bride - photo of long-haired cat in frame

Much of the film takes place in Maggie’s hometown, so Italics is not seen again until Ike returns to New York.

Runaway Bride - long-haired cat Italics looking out window

Ike comes home one evening and is surprised to find Maggie there, sitting on a couch and petting Italics.

Runaway Bride - long-haired cat Italics sitting beside Maggie Julia Roberts on couch with Ike Richard Gere

Runaway Bride - long-haired cat Italics sitting on couch

Ike gets some dry food and feeds the cat before sitting down to a serious discussion with Maggie.

Runaway Bride - Ike Richard Gere feeding long-haired cat Italics

As the couple feel chemistry, Ike gets up and puts on some music. Italics is sitting by the stereo.

Runaway Bride - long-haired cat Italics sitting beside stereo

Italics is sitting by the window as Ike and Maggie start to dance, then gets up and has a better look right before they kiss.

Runaway Bride - long-haired cat Italics lying by window as Ike Richard Gere and Maggie Julia Roberts dance

Runaway Bride - long-haired cat Italics looking out of window

Runaway Bride - long-haired cat Italics looking out of window as Ike Richard Gere and Maggie Julia Roberts kiss animated gif

The cat actors playing Italics appear to be the Pearl or Elvis team of cats which appeared in many films around this time and were trained by Dawn Barkan. Director Garry Marshall explained on the DVD’s commentary track that shots of the cat were inserted as cutaways, a common editing practice (perhaps we can dub this a Cutaway Cat). For instance, the shot of italics looking out the window as Ike and Maggie kiss was included because there was one shot where the pair “wasn’t beautiful as they went into the kiss.”

Runaway Bride - long-haired cat Italics sitting on couch