You'll Like My Mother (1972)

by Mark Murton

Directed by: Lamont Johnson

This review contains an Implied Kitty Carnage Warning!

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

Synopsis: Pregnant and alone after her new husband is killed in Vietnam, Francesca Kinsolving (Patty Duke) travels to the rural Minnesota home of her in-laws where her husband assured her she’d be welcome. Instead, Mrs. Kinsolving (Rosemary Murphy) gives her a reception as icy as the weather that soon sees her snowed in and unable to leave. As she waits out the blizzard Francesca starts to uncover some dark and disturbing secrets about her husband’s family that put her life in danger.

Implied Kitty Carnage Warning! When Francesca arrives at the house she is confronted by sight and sound of Mrs. Kinsolving’s “feeble-minded” daughter Kathleen (Sian Barbara Allen) wailing and rocking back and forth because, as her mother explains, “It was necessary to drown some kittens and poor Kathleen is quite upset about it.” It is further explained that Kathleen had hidden one of the kittens but it was found when Mrs. Kinsolving followed the mama cat.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Shocked by the hostile reception she receives, Francesca determines to leave immediately but due to the deteriorating weather Mrs. Kinsolving insists that she stay the night before catching her bus home in the morning. As Mrs. Kinsolving escorts Francesca to her room for the night a seal point Siamese cat runs into corridor in front of them. Mrs. Kinsolving picks her up as she explains to Francesca, “She’s looking for her kittens; she has a marvellous pedigree but the naughty girl forgot herself and made it with an alley cat. Kittens were no good, of course.”

You'll Like My Mother - Mrs. Kinsolving Rosemary Murphy holding seal point Siamese cat

The Siamese lets out a meow which sound as if she is protesting the besmirching of her character.

You'll Like My Mother - Mrs. Kinsolving Rosemary Murphy picking up seal point Siamese cat animated gif

While preparing for bed in her room, Francesca is unaware she is being observed by eyes at a crack in the door. Behind her a cupboard opens and the cat jumps down onto the floor, crying out.

You'll Like My Mother - Francesca Patty Duke spots seal point Siamese cat entering room through cupboard

You'll Like My Mother - Francesca Patty Duke watches seal point Siamese cat walking across floor

You'll Like My Mother - Francesca Patty Duke watching seal point Siamese cat enter room through cupboard animated gif

Francesca spots Kathleen watching at the door and encourages her to come in. Kathleen enters and quickly gathers up the cat.

You'll Like My Mother - Kathleen Sian Barbara Allen holding seal point Siamese cat

You'll Like My Mother - Kathleen Sian Barbara Allen holding seal point Siamese cat with Francesca Patty Duke

As Kathleen moves around the room holding the cat she reaches for a bottle of perfume on the dresser. Just as she picks it up the sound of Mrs. Kinsolving calling to her causes her to drop the bottle in fright and it smashes on the floor. Kathleen looks terrified but Francesca tells her she’ll take the blame and Kathleen leaves the room still cradling the cat.

You'll Like My Mother - Kathleen Sian Barbara Allen holding seal point Siamese cat as she reaches for perfume bottle

Much later, Francesca, who has been locked in her room by Mrs. Kinsolving, hears Kathleen outside the door trying different sets of keys in the lock as she searches for the right one. Soon Kathleen is distracted by the arrival of the cat who she picks up and cuddles. Inside, Francesca desperately tries to get her to concentrate on the keys.

You'll Like My Mother - Kathleen Sian Barbara Allen checking keys in door when seal point Siamese cat approaches

You'll Like My Mother - Kathleen Sian Barbara Allen cradling seal point Siamese cat outside door

You'll Like My Mother - Kathleen Sian Barbara Allen cuddling seal point Siamese cat as Francesca Patty Duke waits anxiously behind door animated gif

With the right key found, Francesca comes out of the room and tells Kathleen she must return the other keys to where she got them, but before Kathleen can do this she is confronted by her disturbed brother Kenny (Richard Thomas) coming up the stairs. Francesca hides herself as Kenny demands to know what Kathleen is doing up there. The timely arrival of the cat seems to provide the answer.

You'll Like My Mother - Kathleen Sian Barbara Allen with Kenny Richard Thomas on stairs as seal point Siamese cat approaches

Kenny picks up the cat and holds her roughly while declaring “The damned cat. Well, that figures.” The cat’s fate is uncertain until Kenny thrusts the poor feline at Kathleen, telling her harshly to “Get it out of here before I drown it, too!” The cat clearly takes heed as she doesn’t appear again.

You'll Like My Mother - Kenny Richard Thomas holding seal point Siamese cat

The cat was prominently featured in some promotional stills and ads for the film (although note that the TV Guide ad is likely a composite, since Patty Duke’s character was never shown holding the cat.)