Directed by: Martin Rosen

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: The animated telling of Richard Adams novel about a group of rabbits and their journey to find a new, safe home.

Cartoon Cats: The film begins with an artistic representation of the rabbit’s faith system. Their God, Lord Frith, admonishes El-ahrairah the Prince of Rabbits for not controlling the population of his people. Frith then gives gifts to all the other animals, creating their differences. A dog and cat are among the animals given the urge to hunt and slay the rabbits. The cat is seen a few times during this opening.

Just before the rabbits reach their safe haven they come across a farmhouse where Hazel (voiced by John Hurt) gets the idea to free a group of female rabbits from their pen to join them since they have no does. Hazel takes the tiny Pipkin (voiced by Roy Kinnear) with him on his first trip to visit the rabbits and they are stalked by the farmer’s cat, Tab (voiced by Lyn Farleigh.)

Hazel promises Pipkin he will get him safely away. Outside the barn Hazel taunts Tab, asking if she can run. “You’ll see,” Tab replies, unsheathing her claws.

Tab chases Hazel and Pipkin around the side of the farm house. Pipkin bumps into a trash can, alerting the woman inside to come out and scold Tab for chasing the rabbits. The animation here is particularly accurate, as Tab comes back around the corner of the house, looking innocent as can be. As the rabbits disappear in the distance, she sits and cleans her paw, trying to pretend she doesn’t care.

Hazel returns to the farm with Blackberry and Dandelion in an attempt to free the female hutch rabbits. As Blackberry stands watch, he realizes Tab has spotted him and starts to approach.

Blackberry backs into a stick which starts the farm dog barking. The men of the house come out with the flashlights and guns. Tab beats a hasty retreat.

When the new warren is being threatened by the vicious rabbits under General Woundwort’s direction, Hazel leads a rescue mission to the farm to free the dog to lead back to the battle. Hazel is successful in chewing through the dog’s rope, only to find himself caught under the claws of Tab when she pounces on him.

“Can you run?” Tab hisses. “I think not!” Fortunately for Hazel, he hear the farm lady again scold Tab, who starts to back away.

Final Mewsings: It’s never a good idea to taunt a cat whether you can run or not.

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