Shanghai Surprise (1986)

Directed by: Jim Goddard

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

Synopsis: Fortune hunter Glendon Wasey (Sean Penn) tries to help missionary worker Gloria Tatlock (Madonna) obtain opium for her patients but they come up against bad guys at every turn.

Purr Blurs: This is one of the strangest Purr Blurs in film history because it is also a Cat Cattle Call! In a market, Gloria is talking to Glendon and there is the sound of cats meowing around her. But no cats can be seen except for one very quick shot of a group of cats milling about her feet.

Shanghai Surprise - numerous cats at woman's feet
Shanghai Surprise - numerous cats at woman's feet

The cats don’t appear in any other shot or at any other time in the film. Even though Glendon is sitting close to the ground right next to Gloria, no cats are seen around him. Gloria even reacts at one point like there are cats at her feet, but clearly the cats were not even in the same shot as her.

Shanghai Surprise - numerous cats at Gloria's Madonna feet

Final Mewsings: We have nothing against random cats appearing in movies!

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

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