Columbia Pictures Corporation
Starring: Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff
Directed by: Lew Landers
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!
Synopsis: Winnie Slade (Jeff Donnell) is newly divorced and looking to be independent, so she invests in an old inn occupied by a mad scientist named Prof. Nathaniel Billings (Boris Karloff).
Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): One of the kooky characters in this horror comedy is Dr. Arthur Lorencz (Peter Lorre), a literal man-of-all-trades who pops in often to serve various purposes. When he first arrives he acts as a notary public overseeing the sale of the house. As he prepares the sale, he pulls a Siamese kitten out of his pocket and sets her on the desk.
Winnie and her ex-husband Bill (Larry Parks) pay a visit to Lorencz after finding a dead body in Billings’ lab. The signs outside the man’s home indicate he also is a Doctor, Justice of the Peace, Mayor, Coroner and handles Loans and Insurance. Before entering Lorencz’ home the Siamese kitten is seen sitting on a desk.
After telling him about the corpse, Lorencz steps into his role as Sheriff and picks up the Siamese kitten, placing her in his pocket.
Instead of arresting Billings, Lorencz agrees to go into business with him and they sign a contract with the kitten sitting on the table. Once again Lorencz finishes by placing the kitten in his pocket.
The kitten is seen briefly as Billings and Lorencz approach the house.
Looking for clues, Lorencz and Billings search a room. The kitten continually mews until Lorencz takes her out of his pocket and asks what she wants. “You know it isn’t milk time yet!”
Lorencz sets the kitten down on the floor, feeling the kitten is sensing something. “You know she has the most amazing instinct for crime and corruption,” he explains to Billings.
The kitten runs into another room and starts pawing at a door. Lorencz picks up the kitten and asks, “Really?” then pockets the kitten while telling Billings, “I told you so!”
The kitten is only seen again briefly in the basement as Billings and Lorencz are moving unconscious people into another room.
Final Mewsings: Is that a kitten in you pocket … ?
Many thanks to Ted Davis for letting us know about the kitten in this movie!
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