Just perfect...

Good movie but grossly overrated

A Masterpiece!

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

The Gordons wrote an excellent screenplay based on their novel, "Undercover Cat", but after viewing the original release print produced by Ron Miller, Disney executives thought it was (1) too short and (2) that it could be improved and have far more box-office power if it was spun out with a large number of extra scenes, featuring a vast array of guest "stars". The Gordons either refused or were not offered this opportunity, so Walt Disney handed the assignment over to his close friend, Bill Walsh, who was also asked to produce, replacing Ron Miller. Little effort was made to disguise the seams. For this and other reasons – too violent, far too drawn out, too much pandering to teenagers – this is not one of Disney's best live-action movies, even though "That Darn Cat!" tries to be all things to all viewers. And anyway, at 116 minutes, it's somewhat too long for the kids. It's also, as said above, far too violent. Yet, on the other hand, it's too nonsensical for adults to take seriously. Most of the actors overplay their roles. Some, like Bill Demarest, Roddy McDowall and Elsa Lanchester do it all the time. Others like Hayley Mills, Dorothy Provine and Dean Jones do it only half the time. Best performance comes from Neville Brand who makes a really hideous villain, guaranteed to shed a year's growth from any under- twelves (or even sensitive early teenagers) who are unlucky enough to come into contact with this movie. Available on an excellent Disney DVD.

This is one of the longest movies in history. It was more boring than watching water vaporizing in a glass under the sun ! And at one of the authentic posters you'll read "Walt Disney's Most Hilarious Comedy". LIARS, LIARS ! It is an insult to both Disney's studio and us !! The cat is dull, and most of all incredibly ugly. His presence is awful on screen. The kidnapped woman was creepy, I wonder how the 2 kidnappers didn't die out of the horror of looking to her face ! Frank Gorshin is the best one ever impersonated Richard Burton and Burt Lancaster, the thing is here he gave the worst impersonation of Richard Wedmark. He was overacting with no comedy, and watching him was nothing but PAIN. Roddy McDowall was totally wasted, as much as everybody I think. Dean Jones did one of his worst roles and movies. His comedy as someone who's allergic to saying the word cat (??) was damn pathetic. His sudden cold whenever he faces the cat was there, then wasn't. He seemed unfunny idiot for half of the time, and stiff for the rest. And how come Hayley Mills talks with a British accent ?! Nobody contributed to give any explanation for that ! Even the title song, sang by Bobby Darin or else, isn't great or entertaining !This movie suffers from too many unfunny characters (adulator nervous neighbor, elegant FBI agent, chief of police who works as a chief of police, older sister who combs her hair before sleep, ..) I felt bland all over. Look at the old lady next door, played by Elsa Lanchester. According to the way she looked and shot, she was horrendous, and anything but laughable. At one moment she does slap her poor husband. Not a funny thing by any mean ! True there were more amusing characters (noisy landlady, neurotic jeweler, subdued semi-deaf husband), however – sorrowfully – they were all unused ! The main situation is dealt with by shamefully uncreative style. The sketches are dry, and there is absolutely no step goes ahead in the matter of the hostage or the search for her. Simply the comedy and the thrill are beaten to death in this movie. I watched so empty, so talkative, so silly first and second act. Then there was a short third act where some comedy and thrill appeared, yet didn't pay off 2 hours of useless nonentity before it. Being 80 minutes movie should have been more merciful !There is something greatly sexy about Hayley Mills. I believe that Hollywood, and the life, of today don't have girls of that shape anymore. Her short blond hair reminded me of my obsession; Marilyn Monroe, her type of clothes did seduce me more than looking decent, and with those glasses she oozed special sex appeal. What I'll remember form it though is some lines. The old "I know what cooks in your tiny little mind". The witty "I didn't come in from Stupidsville on last night's bus!". The expressive "I look yuck in yellow!". And the most funny, rather the only funny, : "Get me the police. I want to report a prowler. Yeah, he's dressed like an old woman. Running around, looking in windows. And tell your men to be careful. He's dangerous!".In other cases I may say "For the nostalgic feel of it.." NO. FORGET IT UTTERLY. THIS TIME I WOULDN'T. Because except very few factors : The bright image, Hayley Mills' presence, some lines, and that unforgettably raunchy weather forecast's girl, this is a movie that fails at achieving its goals. It ends up as bad memory, or – at best – sweet torture. A darn cat, a darn movie !

This film may be unexceptional and not a 5-star masterpiece but goodness isn't it an improvement over the 1997 remake? Even with Christina Ricci in it, that film turned out to be very disappointing if somewhat watchable with one or two decent performances to savour. This 1965 film is a little too long and dated, and there are some parts where it is a little slow, however it is a lively piece of entertainment that is efficiently directed and is further advantaged by an exceptional cast. The script does have some nice, subtle, humorous touches while the music is nice and the plot carefully constructed. The cast elevate this though from a moderately enjoyable film to an entertaining, lively if somewhat unexceptional one. Hayley Mills is just perky enough in the title role, and William Damerest and Elsa Lanchester are fun support. However it is Dean Jones as the FBI agent with a cat allergy and Roddy McDowall as a drip whose ducks are the feline's favourite playmates who are the standouts in the human cast, while it is the cat who steals the film by a considerable whisker. Overall, not always exceptional, but a vast improvement over its remake. 7/10 Bethany Cox

I've lost count of the number of times I've seen this film, one of Disney's Top Five. I'm rather prejudiced, though, as I'm now living with a direct descendant of "DC" named BJ IV. We bought his (DC's) Great-Grandson from the breeder who bred the original "DC" and not only have the papers from the CFA naming the Disney Studios as his owners, but have managed to keep the direct lineage going, as BJ IV is "DC's" direct descendant. He's now 7 years old, and BJ V is currently in production, and should be born in October of 2005. The film is a classic, and if you're a Meezer Fanatic (You love Siamese Cats) you'll watch it forever too. UPDATE - Feb. 2006 - BJ V is now 4 months old, is as cute as a bug, and since his paws look like snowshoes, he's apparently going to be a BIG Kittie, like his famous Great-Great-Great-Grandad!