by Linda Kay

Original Title: American Pets

Starring: Charlie

Directed by: Robert Logevall

Synopsis: Tod (Rhys Wakefield) leads a charmed life which is threatened when his famous actress grandmother Judy (Lesley Ann Warren) shows signs of slowing and his less than successful actress sister Lani (Fabianne Therese) shows no signs of success. An impulsive act may bring the whole thing down . . . or will it?

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): An unnamed ginger tabby cat also resides at the house and is present via inserts through much ot the movie. He is first seen when Tod catches his sister sleeping with the house painter Jacob (Nathan Keyes). Tod quickly warns the cat, “Turn your eyes away. This is not for you.”

The cat has no direct interaction with the plot except in one scene where Tod uses looking for the cat outside as an excuse for him being caught trying to hide evidence of his crime (the cat is sitting on a windowsill inside the house looking out at them).

When the police finally come to make an arrest, Tod is sitting with the cat on the stairs . . .

. . . then stands in the front doorway holding the cat and watching as the apprehended party is taken away.

The animal trainer on the film was Jubel Chen working for Good Dog Animals. Charlie the cat is one of their star performers, having starred on the series Baskets as Ronald Reagan.

Final Mewsings: Cats know the truth but keep it to themselves.

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

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