That Darn Cat! facts for kids
Quick facts for kids That Darn Cat! |
|
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster
|
|
| Directed by | Robert Stevenson |
| Produced by | Walt Disney Bill Walsh Ron W. Miller |
| Screenplay by | Gordon Gordon Mildred Gordon Bill Walsh |
| Starring | Hayley Mills Dean Jones Dorothy Provine Roddy McDowall Neville Brand Frank Gorshin |
| Music by | Robert F. Brunner |
| Cinematography | Edward Colman |
| Editing by | Cotton Warburton |
| Studio | Walt Disney Productions |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Distribution |
| Release date(s) | December 2, 1965 |
| Running time | 116 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Money made | $28,068,222 |
That Darn Cat! is a fun comedy film from 1965. It was made by Walt Disney Productions. The movie is about a clever cat, bank robbers, and a kidnapping. It stars Hayley Mills and Dean Jones.
The film is based on a book called Undercover Cat. This book was written in 1963 by Gordon Gordon and Mildred Gordon. The movie's main song was created by the Sherman Brothers and sung by Bobby Darin.
That Darn Cat! was the last movie Hayley Mills made for Disney. She had starred in six Disney films. It was also the first Disney movie for Dean Jones. He even made a small appearance in the 1997 remake of the film!
Contents
What Happens in the Movie?
The main character is a smart Siamese cat named "DC." This stands for "Darn Cat." DC lives with two sisters, Ingrid and Patti Randall. Every night, DC goes on adventures around town. He likes to tease dogs, find snacks, and leave muddy paw prints on cars.
The Kidnapping Mystery
One night, DC follows a bank robber named Iggy into an apartment. Inside, Iggy and his partner Dan are holding a bank employee, Miss Margaret Miller, hostage. Miss Miller sees a chance to get help. She quickly takes off DC's collar and puts her watch on him instead. On the watch, she has written most of the word "HELP." Then, she lets DC go home.
Patti finds the watch on DC and realizes it must belong to the kidnapped woman. She goes to the FBI and tells Agent Zeke Kelso what she found. Agent Kelso's boss, Supervisor Newton, tells Kelso to follow DC. They hope the cat will lead them to the robbers' secret hideout.
Following the Cat
Agent Kelso sets up his base at the Randalls' house. He brings a team to watch the cat. They even try to put a listening device on DC. But DC is too smart! He keeps getting away from them in funny ways.
One time, DC leads Agent Kelso on a wild chase. They run through many backyards and even a drive-in movie theater. DC tries to open a pigeon cage, and the owner, Gregory Benson, gets angry. Gregory is in Ingrid's carpool, and he gets so frustrated that he quits the carpool.
The next day, Agent Kelso's boss, Supervisor Newton, stops the operation. He doesn't think the watch is strong enough proof. But Patti doesn't give up! She dresses up like a hippie and pretends to be the niece of a jeweler, Mr. Hoffsteddar. She convinces the FBI that the watch is indeed important evidence.
Saving the Hostage
Thanks to Patti's cleverness, she and Agent Kelso finally rescue Miss Miller. They also catch the bank robbers, Iggy and Dan.
Other Stories in the Film
While all this is happening, there are other fun things going on. Patti's sister, Ingrid, starts to like Agent Kelso. He even joins her new carpool. Patti also has a crush on her neighbor, Canoe Henderson, who loves surfing. Plus, there's a funny, nosy neighbor named Mrs. MacDougall and her husband, Wilmer.
At the very end of the movie, we find out that DC has started a family! He and a gray cat are taking their kittens out on their own adventures.
Meet the Cast
- Syn Cat the Siamese cat as D.C. (Darn Cat)
- Hayley Mills as Patricia "Patti" Randall
- Dean Jones as FBI Agent Zeke Kelso
- Dorothy Provine as Ingrid Randall
- Roddy McDowall as Gregory Benson
- Neville Brand as Dan
- Frank Gorshin as Iggy
- Elsa Lanchester as Mrs. MacDougall
- William Demarest as Mr. Wilmer MacDougall
- Tom Lowell as Canoe Henderson
- Ed Wynn as Mr. Hofstedder the Jeweller
- Richard Eastham as FBI Supervisor Mr. Newton
- Liam Sullivan as Agent Graham
- Grayson Hall as Ms. Margaret Miller
- Iris Adrian as Mrs. Tabin the Landlady
- Richard Deacon as the drive-in theater manager
- Ben Lessy as Burton the drive-in concessionaire
- Don Dorrell as Spires
- Gene Blakely as Cahill
- Karl Held as Kelly
How the Movie Was Made
The outdoor scenes that show the neighborhood were filmed at The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California.
Many different Siamese cats played the role of DC. These cats were the "traditional" or "old style" Siamese. They look a bit different from the very slender Siamese cats you might see in cat shows today. One of the cats used in the movie belonged to a famous cat breeder named Edith Williams. One of the cats also starred in another Disney movie from 1963 called The Incredible Journey.
Awards the Film Won
The writers of That Darn Cat!, Mildred Gordon, Gordon Gordon, and Bill Walsh, were nominated for an award. It was for Best Written American Comedy by the Writers Guild of America.
The film was also nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Motion Picture. This award is given to mystery films. Elsa Lanchester, who played Mrs. MacDougall, was nominated for a Golden Leaf award for Best Supporting Actress.
Hayley Mills won second place for the Golden Leaf award in 1966 for her comedy acting. The Sherman Brothers, who wrote the song, won third place for Best Song.
Comic Book Version
A comic book version of That Darn Cat! was made by Gold Key. It came out in February 1966.
See also
In Spanish: Un gato del FBI (película de 1965) para niños
- List of American films of 1965
