Walt Disney Productions
Starring: Ruth Clifford
Directed by: Charles Nichols
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains spoilers for this film!
Synopsis: Figaro the kitten is driven to distraction by the singing of Frankie the canary and sets out to quiet the bird, perhaps permanently, much to the consternation of Minnie Mouse (voiced by Ruth Clifford).
Cartoon Cat: This is one of several short films featuring Figaro, who made his debut as a character in the feature length film Pinocchio. Figaro even had his own theme music in these short films! Here Figaro is paired with Frankie the canary, a bird who likes to sing. Only the singing is getting on Figaro’s nerves since he would like to have a cat nap.
Figaro shakes Frankie up in his cage and Frankie spits seeds at Figaro. The two squabble like this until Figaro makes a concerted effort to get up to Frankie’s cage. Frankie then whistles an alarm which brings Minnie running.
Minnie scolds Figaro and threatens him with her broom. Frankie then shoots more seeds at Figaro, who has had enough.
Figaro manages to get up to Frankie’s cage and knocks the whole thing over. Minnie is shocked when she finds Figaro inside the cage with feathers in his mouth and no Frankie in sight.
Figaro is chased with the broom from the house and told never to come back.
Frankie is alive and decides to fly the coop to join the free birds he sees in the sky. Only Frankie’s wings are out of practice. In the meantime a bulldog appears in the yard and Figaro scrambles up to the window sill to escape him.
Frankie finds himself caught between a vengeful Figaro and an angry bulldog and even Figaro’s angel of goodness has a hard time convincing him to save the canary.
In the end Figaro does save Frankie and Minnie is happy, although Figaro still has to listen to Frankie singing.
Final Mewsings: Even cat consciences have a hard time overriding cat instincts.
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