by Linda Kay

Also Known As: Jack’s Wife; Hungry Wives

Directed by: George A. Romero

Synopsis: Joan (Jan White) is a frustrated housewife with an abusive husband named Jack (Bill Thunhurst), a disrespectful daughter, Nikki (Joedda McClain), and a repressed hankering for self-centered student teacher Gregg (Ray Laine). No wonder she finds witchcraft so appealing!

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): After having sex with Gregg on the living room floor, Joan casts a spell to conjure up a demon. In several cutaways a lovely little white cat with black markings is shown pushing its way into the laundry room below via a window.

The cat starts up the stairs.

As Joan continues her ritual, the cat jumps up onto the bar.

Greg grabs Joan and throws her down, forcing her to have sex again. Afterwards the cat saunters toward the kitchen and starts to preen.

The cat appears only once more, sitting beside Joan’s instruments of witchcraft right before the climatic moments.

One may well wonder what the cat’s role is in the film. There is no mention of the family owning a cat before it appears, although in one scene a bowl is clearly visible on the floor (although there is only one and in an odd location). Is the cat supposed to be the demon incarnate? Or is it just a matter of their hungry kitty feeling neglected and wanting something to eat and drink?

Final Mewsings: Demons or not, who wouldn’t want to conjure cats at will?

Many thanks to Mark Murton for letting us know about the cat in this film.

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