Directed by: Jean Yarbrough

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

Synopsis: Showboat performer Dexter (Bud Abbott) and his buddy Sebastian (Lou Costello) try to help their captain (Henry Travers) when swindlers trick him into gambling the boat away.

Cat Burglars (Scene Stealers): In one scene Dexter and Sebastian sit down alone in the dining room to have something to eat. The ship’s cook and waiter, Matt (Sam McDaniel) offers to get them some chopped meat. As he says this, two tabby cats run toward the door. One runs into the kitchen while the other, who was likely supposed to follow, veers off at the last second and runs in the other direction.

Inside the kitchen, Matt wields a cleaver as he chases the cats around, trying to get them to leave. Sebastian overhears Matt saying he’s going to chop the cats into cat burgers unless they get out. “Did you hear that?” Sebastian asks Dexter, “He’s going to make cat croquettes.”

A personal cook to one of the swindlers, Effie (Lillian Yarbo), is in the kitchen when Matt brings in some catfish. She says she wants to get her share of “them cats.” This leads to even more misunderstandings as Sebastian overhears their conversation. “Sure is a wonderful cat,” Effie cooes, “I’m gonna eat one of those.” “You’re gonna eat a whole cat?” Matt gasps. As Effie chops at the fish, the cats screech and yowl. Sebastian becomes more and more unnerved as the meowing continues. At last Matt enters with some meat patties and milk. Dexter says it looks good and Matt smiles, “It’s the cats!” This makes Sebastian panic even more. What they don’t realize is a couple of cats have come into the dining room and are underneath their table.

Dexter dives into the meat and encourages Sebastian to do the same. As Sebastian prods one piece with a fork, one of the cats meows. Dexter says he didn’t hear anything and asks if Sebastian wants some catsup. “Catsup,” Sebastian sighs.

The cats remain under the table and screech when Sebastian again tries his food.

The cats then chirp and purr as Sebastian pets the meat. In a silly but unique sight gag, Sebastian pours some milk onto the patties and is shocked when it is lapped up. At Dexter’s urging, Sebastian tries one more time to cut the meat and the cats screech and fight. This is the last straw and Sebastian breaks down. The cats under the table are shown scrambling in a most bizarre fashion (actually the cats must have been thrown into the shot and the footage was then run back and forth).

The only mention in print about cats in the movie was in Hedda Hopper’s 1945 article about animal actors in which she mentions that a tortoiseshell cat named Tige was included in the cast, but no tortoiseshell cat actually appears in the movie.

Final Mewsings: Cats are sound effects masters!

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