That Darn Cat!

We have owned this movie for almost 15 years, and we never tire of pulling it out now and then for some clean laughs. Although the title could be misleading - this is really not an animal lover's film. The story revolves mainly around teenage Patty (Haley Mills)and her determination to crack a kidnapping mystery right in her own neighborhood while involving the many interesting characters that live there. Creatively intertwines comedy with suspense. I highly recommend this film for absolutely all ages.

"That Darn Cat" was made at the time of many of Walt Disney's best movies. It fits right in with the fun ... the clean innocent fun ... movies he made during the 60s.

"That Darn Cat" is the story of DC (as in Darn Cat) ... a mischievious siamese cat ... that happens across a crime while making his normal nocturnal rounds. He then becomes the law enforcement people's only link to that crime, and they (the FBI) set up a surveillance and tracking operation (for the cat) in the hope that DC will lead them to the crooks' hide out. DC then proceeds to wreak havoc on everyone ... FBI agents, neighbors, sisters, boyfriends, and crooks ... no matter how remotely they are involved with the case. There are a lot of laughs and the ending is a happy one.

The cast of actors and actresses were very well chosen, and all do a good job. Hayley Mills gets star billing, and she delivers the goods (as the star is expected to do). Hayley is sort-of amazing in that she (in this movie anyway) is so casual and effective in her acting (with a camera operating a mere five feet from her nose). Here, she is the smart blonde and the dumb blonde at the same time. And she is very funny in "That Darn Cat" ... adorable and funny.

Hayley has help in making this movie work. Dean Jones is very good as the main FBI agent, Dorothy Provine is fun as Hayley's big sister, Tom Lowell is excellent as Hayley's clueless boyfriend (and he is buried deep in the credits ... as usual), Frank Gorshin, as one of the thugs, is entertaining just about every moment he is on screen, Roddy McDowall is good when his character is angry, and Iris Adrian is excellent as the landlady. Bobby Darin sings the theme song, and it is, like, perfect man.

The writing for "That Darn Cat" is pretty good ... both for the story and the dialogue ... and here are a few of the best lines:

"He's called DC. That means Darn Cat. Daddy named him, and he thought of something much worse, but mother refused to use that name." (Patti (Hayley Mills))

"Your sins have caught up with you. This is your FBI." (Patti talking to DC)

"Oh Gregory ... I look YUCK in yellow." (Ingrid (Dorothy Provine))

"We were in love ... l'amour tous jour ... you understand that." (Patti to the crooks)

"Mrs. Zeke Kelso. It sounds like something that got caught in the clothes dryer." (Ingrid)

"And you didn't think of your stomach, not once?" (Patti)

"You may wind up with one of ... maybe the son of ... that darn cat." (Bobby Darin in the theme song (written by the Sherman brothers))

But "That Darn Cat" is a simple fun movie and a simply fun movie. It is entertaining for children and adults alike.

This movie was ok...I was surprised that Disney (in those days) would have some of the stuff in this movie that they did. Anyway, Haley Mills is a really pretty girl and she was a fantastic actor, especially in Pollyanna.

I loved this movie as a child. It has been years, okay decades since I have seen it. When I received it in the mail and put it on for my son to watch I wondered if it was really as funny as I remembered or was my son and I going to be sorely disappointed thinking once again we wasted another evening watching a ridiculous movie. To my surprises we both enjoyed it truly is one of the great old Disney movies.

These movies are so fun and bring back the memories of popcorn, soda in a glass bottle and PJs at the drive in.