Jim Henson Pictures
Starring: Rene Russo, Robbie Coltrane, Alan Cumming
Directed by: Caroline Thompson
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!
Synopsis: Loosely based on the true story of Gertrude Lintz (Rene Russo), an eccentric woman who raised chimpanzees and gorillas in her home and treated them like her children.
Cat Burglars (Scene Stealers): In an early scene Gertrude (who is known as Trudy) is calling out to all of the many animals on her property. Three orange tabby kittens are seen briefly.
One of the chimpanzees is named Joe and is seen being locked into his bedroom cage by Trudy’s assistant, Dick (Alan Cumming). Joe reaches into a closed basket and retrieves an orange tabby kitten.
Joe is seen roller skating and has the kitten in his pants pocket, although in these shots the kitten is not real.
Joe stops in front of Trudy who is holding Buddy the baby gorilla. Joe then holds up the kitten which scares the baby gorilla.
The kitten wriggles loose from Joe’s grip and takes off running.
Dick happens to be walking Trudy’s champion Briard dogs and they spot the kitten then take off running after it, leading to a wild chase involving many of the animals around the yard.
The chase ends when the kitten runs by Trudy and she orders the dogs to stop.
Late in the film a storm is brewing. Dick is seen sleeping in a chair with the now older orange tabby in his lap.
Final Mewsings: Kittens should not be kept in baskets like toys for apes.
Relevant Links:
To discuss this film and other cats in movies and on television, join us on
Facebook and Twitter.