That Darn Cat (1997 film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids That Darn Cat |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Bob Spiers |
| Produced by | Robert Simonds |
| Screenplay by | Scott Alexander Larry Karaszewski |
| Story by | Gordon Gordon Mildred Gordon Bill Walsh (1965 screenplay) |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Richard Kendall Gibbs |
| Cinematography | Jerzy Zielinski |
| Editing by | Roger Barton |
| Studio | Walt Disney Pictures Robert Simonds Productions |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Pictures |
| Release date(s) | February 14, 1997 |
| Running time | 86 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Money made | $18.3 million |
That Darn Cat is a fun 1997 American mystery comedy film. It was directed by Bob Spiers. The movie stars Christina Ricci and Doug E. Doug. It is a new version of the 1965 film That Darn Cat!. Both films are based on the 1963 book Undercover Cat. This book was written by Gordon and Mildred Gordon.
Contents
The Story of That Darn Cat
A Kidnapping Goes Wrong
The movie starts with two clumsy kidnappers. They break into the house of a president. Their plan is to kidnap his wife. But they make a mistake. Instead, they kidnap Lizzie, who is the house maid. They plan to hold her for money.
Patti and Her Cat DC
Patti Randall is a bored teenager. She lives in a quiet town called Edgefield, Massachusetts. It is about 60 miles from Boston. Patti really wants more adventure in her life. Her wish comes true because of her pet cat, DC.
One night, DC is out exploring. He walks right into the kidnappers' secret hideout. Lizzie, the maid, quickly sees her chance. She puts a watch on DC. On the watch, she tries to write "HELP". But she only finishes "HEll" before the kidnappers' phone rings. She has to hide the watch quickly.
A Clue and a Plan
The next morning, Patti finds the watch on DC. She immediately understands the message. She knows it was from Lizzie and meant to say "HELP". But no one believes Patti. So, she changes the last "L" on the watch to a "P".
Patti then goes to Boston. She tells her story to Agent Zeke Kelso at the FBI. Zeke believes her.
Following the Feline Detective
Zeke's boss lets him follow DC. They hope the cat will lead them to the kidnappers. But the plan does not work. Zeke is taken off the case.
Still, Zeke and Patti keep looking. They find no clues. Eventually, they both get arrested. Patti's trick with the watch is found out.
Patti's Big Decision
Patti's parents ground her for her actions. She feels very sad and decides to run away. She meets someone at the train station. This person is also leaving town. They talk, and Patti starts to think differently. She decides not to leave.
On her way back home, Patti sees DC. He is digging in the town garden. DC suddenly runs off, and Patti chases him. The cat leads her to the kidnappers' hideout. There, they find Lizzie tied up.
A Risky Rescue Attempt
Patti calls Zeke to tell him she found Lizzie. But Zeke is still upset with Patti. He does not want to listen. So, Patti and DC go into the hideout alone. Patti tries to save Lizzie. But she fails. The kidnappers surprise them. Patti and DC also get captured.
The FBI Agent Returns
Zeke gets a call from Patti's parents. They ask if he has seen Patti, as she is missing. Zeke decides to restart the case. He follows a trail that leads him to the kidnappers. He finds Lizzie, Patti, and DC. They are all tied up. Lizzie and Patti are tied to chairs. DC is in a sack in a litter box.
The Kidnappers Revealed
Zeke finds out the kidnappers are Ma and Pa. They seemed harmless before. Ma and Pa kidnapped Lizzie because they spent all their money. They had partied a lot in Monte Carlo and the Riviera. They were also very bored.
Zeke manages to free Patti and DC. But Ma and Pa escape with Lizzie. A chase begins! Zeke, Patti, and DC try to catch them.
The Wild Chase and Happy Ending
Luckily, a mechanic named Rollo had worked on Ma and Pa's car. He made it so the car could not turn right. This makes Ma and Pa drive in crazy circles. During the chase, a dog named Spike escapes. He runs into a cat show. All the cats run out!
DC joins the other cats. They run across rooftops. Then, DC and the cats jump onto Ma and Pa's car. This causes the car to crash. Ma and Pa are arrested. Lizzie is reunited with the President and his wife. Patti and DC are called heroes. Patti is reunited with her parents.
After all the excitement, things go back to normal. The two rival mechanics, Dusty and Rollo, now work together. Melvin and Lu become a couple. Patti becomes Zeke's partner. DC marries the cat he saw earlier, and they have kittens!
Meet the Cast
Here are the main actors and the characters they play:
- Christina Ricci as Patti Randall
- Doug E. Doug as Agent Zeke Kelso
- Dean Jones as Mr. Flint
- George Dzundza as FBI Capt. Boetticher
- Peter Boyle as Pa
- Michael McKean as Peter Randall
- Bess Armstrong as Judy Randall
- Dyan Cannon as Mrs. Flint
- John Ratzenberger as Dusty, a Mechanic
- Megan Cavanagh as Lu the Butcher
- Estelle Parsons as Old Lady McCracken
- Rebecca Schull as Ma
- Tom Wilson as Melvin Yazbo, a Patrol Man
- Brian Haley as Marvin, a Patrol Man
- Mark Christopher Lawrence as Rollo, a Mechanic who constantly provokes Dusty
- Rebecca Koon as Lizzie, the Flints' Maid
- Wilbur Fitzgerald as Scientist
Awards and Nominations
Even though the movie did not get great reviews, Christina Ricci received two award nominations for her role:
- A Kids Choice Award for "Favorite Movie Actress".
- A Young Artist Award for "Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actress in a Feature Film".
See also
In Spanish: Un gato del FBI para niños
