The Unborn (1991)

by Mark Murton and Linda Kay

Starring: Winter Eye

Directed by: Rodman Flender

This review contains a severe Kitty Carnage Warning!

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

Synopsis: After five years of unsuccessfully trying for a baby, Virginia Marshall (Brooke Adams) and her husband Brad (Jeff Hayenga) turn to the highly esteemed Dr. Meyerling (James Karen) and the revolutionary new techniques he has developed. Virginia duly soon becomes pregnant but her initial happiness slowly turns to horror as she learns the truth behind the doctor’s success.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Early in the film, Virginia and Brad share an awkward meal with Brad’s obnoxious work colleague Jeff (Matt Roe) and Jeff’s overbearing wife Cindy (Janice Kent) who recommended Dr. Meyerling to them. During the meal Virginia surreptitiously feeds her fluffy white cat named Joe who is sitting on the floor at her feet.

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye sitting by feet at table

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye being fed table scraps by Virginia Brooke Adams animated gif

A few moments later Joe jumps up onto the table. Actually the poor cat actor is “catapulted” onto the table by someone below (you can see their hands as they clumsily push the poor cat actor up). The cat tries to exit immediately but is stopped by Brad and then Virginia.

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye being pushed onto table with Virginia Brooke Adams

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye on table with Virginia Brooke Adams

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye being pushed by hands onto table by Virginia Brooke Adams animated gif

Virginia gathers Joe to her and cuddles him while Cindy demands to know what she’ll do about the cat once she’s pregnant as ” . . . their stools carry disease!”

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye held by Virginia Brooke Adams

After Jeff and Cindy leave Virginia runs into the bedroom holding Joe while emitting a scream of exasperation.

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye held by Virginia Brooke Adams who is running and screaming

She drops the confused cat onto the bed before flopping face first into the pillow.

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye being held by running and screaming Virginia Brooke Adams animated gif

As they undress for bed Virginia sits on a chair cradling Joe, discussing how they won’t be the kind of parents who fawn over their baby in front of others.

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye held by Virginia Brooke Adams with Brad Jeff Hayenga

She quickly discards Joe when Brad starts getting amorous with her.

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye being dropped to floor by Virginia Brooke Adams with Brad Jeff Hayenga animated gif

In a later scene, Virginia returns home from the clinic after learning the procedure has been successful and is sitting at her computer when Joe jumps (or rather is catapulted yet again) onto a box on the floor beside her.

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye being picked up from box

She picks up Joe for another cuddle.

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye picked up from box and cuddled by Virginia Brooke Adams animated gif

As the pregnancy proceeds, Virginia becomes increasingly moody as well as developing a strange rash on her neck. In one scene Virginia paces the room as Joe, enticed to stay on the sofa by some food placed there, keeps looking nervously from her to the tidbit.

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye on couch

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye on couch near Virginia Brooke Adams

Virginia becomes increasingly paranoid and delusional, unnerved by the ringing of the phone and shutting herself away as she frantically makes copious notes about her condition. One night Joe is seen dropping (yep, thrown again!) onto the roof of Virginia’s car, setting off the car alarm.

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye on top of car

As Joe jumps down Virginia exits the house desperate to stop the noise, eventually smashing the driver’s window and ripping out the wiring.

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye jumping down from car

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye dropping down onto roof of car then jumping down animated gif

Virginia goes back inside and sinks into a chair. Soon Joe pushes his way back in through the partially open door.

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye entering through door

For once, Joe jumps unaided up onto Virginia’s lap.

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye on Virginia Brooke Adams lap

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye pushing way through door then jumping into lap of Virginia Brooke Adams animated gif

She absent-mindedly starts stroking him, then her fingers start petting Joe with more force.

The Unborn - longhair white cat Joe Winter Eye lying on lap

Severe Kitty Carnage Warning! Suddenly there’s an off-screen strangled cat cry and the sound of bones crunching. Virginia raises her hand to scratch the rash on her neck again and we see her hands are covered in blood, scratches and tufts of white fur. This makes it perfectly clear what has happened but still the film-makers feel the need to include a shot of the dead (now fake) cat which the increasingly disturbed Virginia then carries around the room while talking to, concluding if she can just find the cat’s toy mouse it will “perk you up.”

Joe was played by a cat actor by the name of Winter Eye.