RKO Radio Pictures
Starring: Charles Laughton, Maureen O’Hara, Una O’Connor, George Sanders, Walter Slezak
Directed by: Jean Renoir

Synopsis: The non-specific setting for this film is a small town in Europe which is being occupied by the Nazis.  The story follows a group of townsfolk as they either acquiesce to the invading forces or find the courage to stand up in defiance.  This includes the meek schoolteacher Albert Lory (Charles Laughton) who lives at home with his elderly mother (Una O’Connor), the defiant younger school teacher he pines for, Louise Martin (Maureen O’Hara), her revolutionary brother Paul (Kent Smith), her less-than-defiant fiancé George Lambert (George Sanders), and the bravely stoic schoolmaster Professor Sorel (Philip Merivale).

Featured Feline: In addition to the stellar cast of this film is a beautiful tabby who is only referred to as “cat” by both her owner Louise and her neighbor Albert and his mother.  Each morning Albert comes down the stairs carrying the cat, which has come in through the upstairs window.  His mother has been able to obtain milk from the black market and Albert shares this with the cat.  His mother seems less than pleased with the cat shedding on her son’s suit and getting up on the furniture (but later in the film when Albert comes in after not being home there is a saucer of milk on the floor, which only she could have put there, so she couldn’t have disliked the cat as much as it seemed.)

When Albert heads to work at the school, he carries the cat over to Louise’s house and she leaves it inside as they walk on together.  The cat is seen several times during the film, both at Albert and Louise’s homes, and is a nice addition to this intense drama.

Final Mewsings: Cats make good neighbors.

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