by Mark Murton
Directed by: David Hare
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!
Synopsis: The shocking death of a young man at the home of schoolteacher Jean Travers (Vanessa Redgrave) causes her to revisit her past passions.
Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): The day after the brutal event at Jean’s house her friends Marcia and Stanley Pilborough (Judy Dench and Ian Holm) arrive to offer comfort and Marcia starts to cook her a breakfast of bacon and eggs. At first the trio talk in a mid-shot but when it changes to a wide shot a pretty calico cat can be seen around their feet looking expectantly up at the frying bacon on the stove. As Jean walks back across the kitchen to sit at the table she almost collides with the cat but doesn’t acknowledge it.
She sits down at the table while the cat prefers to stay close to the sizzling bacon.
The frying pan starts to burn and Marcia hurries across the kitchen to take it outside. She too almost collides with the cat, and while she does briefly look down in its direction she doesn’t acknowledge it either.
The cat starts to follow Marica (and the bacon!) but stops in her tracks.
The cat turns back towards Stanley but as it reaches him he walks past it and over to Jean.
Final Mewsings: Don’t put a cat in your film just to have everyone ignore it!
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