You Can’t Take it With You (1938)

Directed by: Frank Capra

Synopsis: Alice Sycamore (Jean Arthur) comes from a family of good-natured and eccentric screwballs, headed by a charmingly free-thinking grandfather (Lionel Barrymore.) But when she falls in love with the son of a rich, conservative family named Tony Kirby (Jimmy Stewart) she worries about what kind of impression her family will have upon them. Adding to the confusion and drama is Tony’s unscrupulous father (Edward Arnold) who is trying get his hands on the Sycamore’s property any way he can.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): It isn’t easy to steal a scene in a classic screwball comedy where a million things are happening at once, but the tiny kitten in one of the early segments of the film does just that. The bicolor tabby kitten is sitting on the desk where Penny Sycamore (Spring Byington) is typing her manuscript.

You Can't Take it With You - Penny Spring Byington at typewriter with bicolor tabby kitten sitting on manuscript

Every time Penny finishes a page, she takes it from her typewriter and lifts the kitten to place the new sheet on the pile of papers where it has been sitting.

You Can't Take it With You - Penny Spring Byington lifting bicolor tabby kitten from manuscript
You Can't Take it With You - Penny Spring Byington lifting bicolor tabby kitten from manuscript to use as paperweight animated gif
You Can't Take it With You - Penny Spring Byington at typewriter with bicolor tabby kitten sitting on manuscript mewing
You Can't Take it With You - Penny Spring Byington at typewriter with bicolor tabby kitten sitting on manuscript

The kitten is present on Penny’s desk through much of these early scenes as the passing parade of characters are introduced.

You Can't Take it With You - Penny Spring Byington at typewriter with bicolor tabby kitten sitting on manuscript
You Can't Take it With You - Penny Spring Byington at typewriter with bicolor tabby kitten sitting on manuscript and Donald Meek
You Can't Take it With You - Penny Spring Byington at typewriter with bicolor tabby kitten sitting on manuscript with Rheba Lilliam Yarbo behind
You Can't Take it With You - Penny Spring Byington at typewriter with bicolor tabby kitten sitting on manuscript
You Can't Take it With You - Penny Spring Byington at typewriter with bicolor tabby kitten sitting on manuscript

Final Mewsings: Kittens make the cutest paperweights.

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