The Getaway (1972)

The Getaway poster

First Artists
Starring:
 Steve McQueen, Al Lettieri
Directed by: Sam Peckinpah

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

Synopsis: Doc McCoy (Steve McQueen) is a con who receives an early parole in exchange for pulling jobs for a prominent man, only things go awry and he and his wife Carol (Ali MacGraw) end up on the run.

Kitty Cameos: One of the men McCoy is assigned to work with is named Rudy (Al Lettieri). Right after the bank job they pull, Rudy tries to kill McCoy but McCoy gets the jump on him, shooting him and leaving him for dead. Only Rudy isn’t dead. He drives himself to the home of a veterinarian named Harold Clinton (Jack Dodson) and holds him and his wife Fran (Sally Struthers) hostage while they patch him up. Rudy is lying with a black kitten on his chest while talking to Harold and Fran.

The Getaway - Rudy Al Lettieri with black kitten Poor Little Harold on chest talking to Fran Sally Struthers and Harold Jack Dodson

The Getaway - Rudy Al Lettieri with black kitten Poor Little Harold on chest

The Getaway - Rudy Al Lettieri with black kitten Poor Little Harold on chest

The Getaway - Rudy Al Lettieri with black kitten Poor Little Harold on chest holding gun

In the background a mama black cat and possibly more kittens are seen in a cage.

The Getaway - Rudy Al Lettieri with black kitten Poor Little Harold on chest talking to Fran Sally Struthers and Harold Jack Dodson

Rudy strikes up an odd relationship with Fran, leaving Harold emasculated and on the sidelines as he makes them drive him to El Paso where he hopes to meet up with McCoy. On the drive South the kitten can be heard in the car but is not seen. At the hotel, Fran asks the hotel owner Laughlin (Dub Taylor) to carry her cat upstairs. The kitten is in a box and Laughlin asks the cat’s name. She answers, “Poor little Harold.” In the hotel room, Rudy is later seen with Poor Little Harold on his chest again.

The Getaway - Rudy Al Lettieri with black kitten Poor Little Harold on chest talking to Fran Sally Struthers in hotel room

Kitty Carnage Warning!  Sadly the kitten is kind of thrown around by Harold as they find out McCoy is now in the hotel.

The Getaway - Rudy Al Lettieri lifting black kitten Poor Little Harold with Fran Sally Struthers in hotel room

The Getaway - Rudy Al Lettieri with black kitten Poor Little Harold on bed talking on phone beside Fran Sally Struthers in hotel room

The Getaway - Rudy Al Lettieri with black kitten Poor Little Harold on bed in hotel room

Poor Little Harold is seen one last time on the dresser. It is never explained what becomes of him.

The Getaway - black kitten Poor Little Harold on stand in hotel room

Final Mewsings: There never was a more aptly named cat.


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