Starring: Sooty

Directed by: Michael Truman

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

Synopsis: Jim Fletcher (Jack Hawkin) is a frustrated furniture designer who quits his firm when they refuse to accept his forward-thinking designs and announces he is moving his family to Australia.

Featured Feline: The family owns a longhair black cat named Heathcliff whom they adopted when he was six weeks old. Heathcliff’s mother was killed in the Blitz, and the family has cared for him since. Jim’s wife Helen (Margaret Johnson) and daughter Peggy (June Thorburn) are in the parents’ bedroom when Heathcliff is first seen lying on the bed.

Because Heathcliff is fourteen years old, Jim decides not to subject him to the big move abroad, and it is decided he will stay with Mrs. McCormack, the woman who helps Helen with her spring cleaning. It is clear Helen is crushed to have to leave him behind.

Peggy agrees to carry Heathcliff in a basket to the woman’s house since he gets car sick. They talk about how they always give Heathcliff a special meal on Sunday so Jim gives Peggy some money to give to Mrs. McCormack to carry on the tradition.

As Peggy is crossing Albert bridge, a passing truck startles Heathcliff who jumps up on the side. Much to Peggy’s horror, the cat falls over the edge.

Fortunately the cat lands on one of the bridge’s ornate bastions. A crowd gathers and they wonder what to do.

A young man named Richard (John Fraser) is taken with Peggy and volunteers to climb down to save Heathcliff.

After some tense moments, Richard finally gets hold of Heathcliff and brings him to safety. Richard and Peggy take an instant liking to one another but are crushed when they realize she is leaving the country.

Back home, Heathcliff takes to moping and not eating, sensing the family’s impending departure. Jim suggests taking him to the veterinarian to be checked before selling him to Mrs. McCormack (regarding the cat’s tendency to get sick in the car, they point out the ride is only five minutes). They take their neighbor Mr. Fairbright (Roland Culver) along then also pick up Richard who accidentally talks down the state of the car which Jim is trying to sell to Mr. Fairbright for a good price.

The vet deduces Heathcliff is all right, but he continues to sulk. Jim makes the outrageous suggestion that they put the cat down. Both Helen and Peggy are rightfully appalled at this suggestion.

Heathcliff is resting at the top of the stairs when Peggy and Richard return from a dance with the idea that they will get married. Helen gets Jim out of bed to have him come down and talk to the young couple. Only Jim is slightly inebriated and trips over the cat, falling down the stairs.

After giving his opinion that marriage is not the right answer for the kids, he goes back upstairs and pets Heathcliff on the way. Eventually Jim decides that Heathcliff should go with them.

Cat Cattle Call: On the day the family is to leave, Heathcliff goes missing. They all frantically search for him and even get the whole neighborhood involved. This leads to numerous children bringing cats to them. One boy asks Jim if the longhair white cat he’s found is theirs and then insists on a reward even when it isn’t.

As the children are told they have the wrong cats, they leave them on the street. As a result, there are numerous cats running around in front of the Fletcher’s home.

In the end Jim’s boss begs him to come back to work and he decides not to move after all. As the camera pulls back for the final wide shot, we see Heathcliff sitting on the roof above them.

Behind the Scenes

It isn’t really mentioned in the course of the film but the cat playing Heathcliff has the notable trait of leaving his tongue out in an almost constant blep. This reportedly led to the cat’s casting by Ealing Studio producer Sir Michael Balcon.

While the cat was not credited on screen, one article in the October 7, 1955 edition of The Ottawa Citizen reported that actress June Thorburn attended the London premiere of the film with her feline costar whose original name was Sooty. The cat was said to be wearing a diamond star brooch, diamond clips, and a couple of bracelets valued at $10,000 (we assume on loan from a jeweler . . . it’s doubtful that Sooty made that much money for his role).

Most reviews of the film, even the less favorable ones, always point out Heathcliff and his obvious control of the entire plot as the highlight of the movie.

The Danish clearly understood the significance of Heathcliff in the plot and called the movie Han, Hun og Katten, which roughly translates to He, She and the Cat.

Final Mewsings: Cats are always in control!

Many thanks to Mark Murton and Ted Davis for letting us know about the cats in this film.

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