The Green-eyed Blonde (1957)

Directed by: Bernard Girard

This review contains an implied Kitty Carnage Warning!

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

Synopsis: A group of reform school girls harbor an unwanted baby.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): The baby is the offspring of one of the girls named Betsey (Melinda Casey) and is the reason she ended up in reform school. After an off-balanced girl named Cuckoo (Norma Jean Nilsson) takes the baby from Betsey’s mother’s car, the girls hide the infant in a closet and care for him. In one scene the girls are trying to comfort the wailing child, singing to cover up the noise from the adults. Cuckoo suddenly rushes in with a tiny kitten, crying, “Look, I got him a kitty!”

The Green-eyed Blonde - Cuckoo Norma Jean Nilsson with multi-colored kitten in closet with Ouisie Beverly Long and Greeneyes Susan Oliver

One of the girls named Ouisie (Beverly Long) scolds Cuckoo, telling her to get the cat away from the baby.

The Green-eyed Blonde - Cuckoo Norma Jean Nilsson with multi-colored kitten in closet with Ouisie Beverly Long and Greeneyes Susan Oliver
The Green-eyed Blonde - Cuckoo Norma Jean Nilsson with multi-colored kitten in closet with Ouisie Beverly Long and Greeneyes Susan Oliver
The Green-eyed Blonde - Cuckoo Norma Jean Nilsson enters closet with multi-colored kitten in closet with Ouisie Beverly Long and Greeneyes Susan Oliver animated gif

“Why? He’s gotta have a pet, don’t he?” Cuckoo points out. “Cats smother babies! They suck all their breath away! Get him out of here!” Ouisie insists. “Well, where do I take him?” Cuckoo asks sadly. “I don’t care, just get rid of him!” Ouisie answers.

The Green-eyed Blonde - Cuckoo Norma Jean Nilsson with multi-colored kitten in closet with Ouisie Beverly Long and Greeneyes Susan Oliver
The Green-eyed Blonde - Cuckoo Norma Jean Nilsson with multi-colored kitten in closet with Ouisie Beverly Long and Greeneyes Susan Oliver

Implied Kitty Carnage Warning! Eventually Betsey, who originally would have nothing to do with the baby, takes up the child and sings him until he is quiet. Cuckoo enters the room and sits next to Greeneyes (Susan Oliver). Greeneyes asks Cuckoo what she did with the cat. In a very unnerving moment Cuckoo answers calmly that she took him down in the cellar and killed him. “You killed him?” Greeneyes asked incredulously, “Why?” “Nobody wanted him. He’s better off dead,” Cuckoo answers calmly. Seeing Greeneyes is disturbed by this, Cuckoo adds with a reassuring smile, “Well, he’s okay!”

Final Mewsings: Kittens and children should never be unwanted.

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