You Never Can Tell (1951)

Jan 11, 2019

You Never Can Tell poster

Universal International Pictures (UI)
Starring: Dick Powell, Peggy Dow
Directed by: Lou Breslow

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

Synopsis: When a German Shepherd (played by canine actor Flame, fifth generation grandson of movie star canine Strongheart) named King is murdered, he asks to return to earth in human form (Dick Powell) to bring his killer to justice.

Featured Feline: King is owned by a rich man who passes away. He is cared for by the man’s former secretary, Ellen Hathaway (Peggy Dow). Also living in the mansion is a tabby cat named Boots. Early in the film Boots walks into the library where Ellen is talking to a man named Perry Collins (Charles Drake). It would appear a treat was placed on the floor to bring the cat to a certain spot.

You Never Can Tell - tabby cat Boots entering room

As soon as King sees Boots, Boots hisses and then runs out of the room with King chasing. Ellen scolds King when he returns, pointing out that he’s never caught Boots anyway.

You Never Can Tell - tabby cat Boots hissing

You Never Can Tell - tabby cat Boots standing in doorway

You Never Can Tell - tabby cat Boots entering room hissing at German Shepherd King and then running from room animated gif

Later when King returns as a man named Rex Shepherd, he is trying to sneak into the house through his former dog door. But then Boots appears and again hisses.

You Never Can Tell - tabby cat Boots looking up

You Never Can Tell - tabby cat Boots angry

You Never Can Tell - tabby cat Boots hissing

You Never Can Tell - tabby cat Boots with arched back

Eventually Rex throws a wet sponge at Boots who scurries away.

You Never Can Tell - tabby cat Boots being hit with wet sponge

You Never Can Tell - tabby cat Boots entering room hissing at Rex Shepherd Dick Powell who throws sponge and scares Boots away animated gif

A short time later Ellen and Rex are walking in the backyard. Boots again appears and once again hisses at Rex.

You Never Can Tell - tabby cat Boots hissing in reverse

It’s interesting to note that this is actually the same clip as used in the first segment, only reversed and closer. This would explain why there is carpeting in the back yard!

You Never Can Tell - tabby cat Boots hissing and in reverse animated gif

Boots scrambles up a tree which surprises Ellen who explains that Boots usually likes people.

You Never Can Tell - tabby cat Boots running up tree

Kitty Cameos:  In the segment which King goes to animal heaven and pleads his case, many animals are seen sitting together, including four cats. The footage has been inverted to a negative form for an interesting, other-worldly effect.

You Never Can Tell - cats with dogs in negative

You Never Can Tell - cats with dogs in negative

If you’re wondering how they managed to get so many different animals together in such a long pan, note that at the certain points of the scene there is a clear transition between the segments, hence the rabbit in one shot bleeds into the cat in the next.

You Never Can Tell - transition between negative animals in heaven shots

Final Mewsings: There’s no getting around it if a cat doesn’t like you!

Many thanks to Ted Davis and Kitty L. for letting us know about the cats in this film!

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